#big fan of this little jig he is doing

[tboy-boone]

mark stoermer performing i can't stay at the royal albert hall in 2009 (x)

[antisocialties]

To those it may concern.

alright so the jig is up, i’m no longer as anxious to come out and publicly say some of this i believe should be stated about a specific blog, and it’s been some time that me and my friends @mettsturniolo and @angel-rafe have been talking about this. im-a-matt-girl is a 35 year old woman who’s had an obsession with matt specifically since he was 18. to some people that wouldn’t exactly matter but that’s quite literally the definition of hebephilia and makes me more than uncomfortable and is creepy in multiple ways, especially because at the beginning of this year she started a discord server filled with people from the ages of 18-22 and blatantly lied about her age to us until becoming more comfortable a little while later (showing she definitely knew people would not be comfortable knowing her age) not only is it weird and inappropriate but for some reason she also bashes younger fans and pretty much the entirety of the tumblr fandom, and speaks poorly of the minors on here! not to mention she also accuses pretty much everyone of stealing her story ideas and her screenshots from youtube videos, when it’s obvious multiple people are going to have the same screenshots from a youtube video and she doesn’t own the content, nor is anyone on here blatantly copying her work. and another topic to discuss which is definitely creepy regarding her age, is her weird sense of possessiveness over matt and how someone with that big of an age gap (16 years) tends to sexualize, and not be okay with anyone else having to say anything along the lines of what she does. another thing i might add is that at one point the server was apparently for those who wanted to read her smut written about matt that she didn’t post so there used to be google docs of it pinned in the server. (ss of the actual smut are not provided bc i did not take any but there is a ss provided saying it was once in the channel and anyone who joined for that can leave.)

basically the fact that it’s a 35 year old woman displaying all of these obscene and inappropriate behaviors should definitely be highlighted, and brought to the attention of the fandom on here.

i do have more ss but unfortunately it won’t let me post all of them on one single post, but i am willing to either make a separate post or send them via pm.

[prac-ticalproblems]

suggestion based off your post asking for suggestions: what do you think all their favorite albums would be. mind you they’re in the late 1960s so like it would be an album they liked so much they would save up and buy the record. lord knows music was an arm and a leg for 10 tracks. I’m thinkin engie might be into Johnny Cash, definitely bein into At Folsom Prison and probably also Townes Van Zandts self titled album when they came out in 1969. Scout would probably be a Chuck berry fan. I can also see him knowing how to dance to 40s big band music because his ma used to dance with him in his brothers in the living room as kids but he would be embarrassed about that one. Soldier would HATE the Beatles. and I have no idea about everyone else.

You. You get it. I’m gonna squeeze you. /pos

I love this ask so much I am going to do 60’s AND make it regional and Historical! Because we are syncing brain waves rn. (With a little bit of karaoke headcanonz)

1960’s music w the mercs

Medic - I believe that Medic is a very chaotic music lover. He has a background of classical in some way, with his fascination for it in the game and it’s bled outward into loving loud booms and the thrill of it speeding up.

So maybe some early forms of rock? Especially if it’s Peggy Peter’s. He sings like shit though.

Heavy - I’m not going to lie, this immediately came to me. Heavy loves pop. Heavy loves a bouncy little jig that he can play while cleaning Sasha. He probably got it from his sisters. I also believe that he has a very strong sense of political beliefs about his country so pop that has a message.

Definitely Edita Piekha. 100%. Lovely vocals from the gods. A little rattling, but He is a perfect bass.

Scout - HE WOULD LOVE CHUCK BERRY. That man hums ‘My Ding-a-ling’ as he showers. Absolutely.

He has Sex Bomb tattooed, but I’m sure his favorite Tom Jones song is actually It’s Not Unusual. He screeches when he sings instead of singing higher.

Demo - I see him being into much older songs for his age (he’s like nearly 30) just because of the way his mother raised him. I think he’s got an older soul than he thinks. So 1940’s swing and soul. Strong believer that he has more than a few albums that he cherishes, but most of them are from his mom.

He cries every time he puts it on though, just to let the feelings out. When he’s drunk, he sings terribly, when he’s sober? Probably still a little bad but he doesn’t know his range and doesn’t care if he’s tone deaf.

Pyro - I have personal ideas about Pyro that makes me think he is a huge Jimi Hendrix fan. I refuse to explain or elaborate as I will be here all day.

All Along the Watchtower. He bounces whenever it’s played.

Sniper - Jazz. I know it’s an easy answer, but it’s also THE RIGHT ONE. I think he’s very much a “nod his head and listen” type of music lover as a posed to “can’t stop moving” sort of guy.

He also probably prefers wordless music, for focus, and lyrics in music when he’s alone. (He is dancing in his room when no one’s around.)

Soldier - FUCKING HATES THE BEATLES. I’m almost tempted to say the only thing he listens to is music about WAR. But he’s probably into punk music. But I’m sure he fucks up and listens to anti war songs instead of actual war songs. So he’s accidentally listening to ‘hippie music’. No one has the will to explain it to him.

His favorite song is probably Gene Stridel - What do you win when you win a war. But only when he’s more self aware, more aware of his situation. It comes and goes. Soldier refuses to sing the song, ever. But it’s close to his heart, even if he sometimes doesn’t know why.

Spy - secretly a hippie. Definitely into Yé-yé, a type of french-ized version of British pop/exotica (like THE BEATLES.) He shows Soldier his music taste and it sends him into a rage. I think he takes pleasure in it.

Especially Baroque Yé-yé. Very Spy feely. Also Scout’s mom has probably shown him some Josephine Baker, and he likes it. Sings in a snooty little voice but it sounds pleasant enough. He thinks he’s the best singer in the team. (it’s heavy)

Engineer - GOD, you’re so right. Johnny Cash is the most fitting for him. I feel like he’s definitely a music sharer and taker. He carries songs from the people who he loves around with him. I think his mom loves Tammy Wynette and it’s crossed over to him.

Rip, you stupid fuck, you would have loved Poor Man’s Poison. He probably does that thing where they end off words in country with like a howl, instead of just ending the sentence.

[lavenderbuckyy]

stevie headcanons for his birthday! ❤️

wakes up at 5 am EVERY DAY to go for a run

sometimes he has so much energy in his body he HAS to do something physical, like go running or use an exercise machine. bucky calls it the zoomies 😭

with this excess energy, he fidgets a lot. rubbing his hands together, tapping his foot/jigging his leg, cracking his knuckles/neck

he knows sign language!

he's a total introvert and needs time to recharge. he doesn't like big events or parties and prefers low-key time with friends

irish accents always remind him of his ma. sometimes when he hears one in public, he feels like he's back in his apartment in brooklyn with her

(he's fond of F.R.I.D.A.Y. for this reason)

he's a great listener. the avengers come to him when they have a problem because they know he truly cares and he'll pay full attention

on days off he likes exploring different museum exhibits in brooklyn

burns in the sun sooo easily, he's constantly reapplying suncream. when the avengers have beach days, he always has to sheepishly walk up to someone and ask them to do his back

his favourite colour is blue!

although he's more of a cat person, steve is fond of golden retrievers. no real reason, he just thinks they're neat

awkward around kids, but he tries his best

this man is so well hydrated. he brings his reusable water bottle everywhere and is constantly sipping on it

orders sharing platters just for himself at restaurants bc of his metabolism

he has a lot of respect for natasha; she's one of the first people he truly came to trust in the 21st century. they spar together a lot!

he loves the smell of apples cooking 🍏

his movie night snack of choice is salted popcorn

likes strategy games like chess, battleships, etc. he's an absolute MENACE at monopoly and nobody wants to play with him

he is truly haunted by star spangled man with a plan and rappin' with cap

his hair gets lighter and more golden in the sun. natural highlights 🌤️ plus he gets little freckles across his shoulders and nose!

he is so sappy on the inside fr ❤️

prefers pancakes > waffles (he and bucky fight over this)

he attends a lot of protests (e.g. women's rights march 2017), both because he cares and because he knows it'll bring more media attention to the issue if he attends

he is so touched by the fan letters he gets from little kids. he keeps them all, but he sticks up his absolute favourite artwork on the fridge

pretends to not understand modern technology just to aggravate tony

uses perfect punctuation and caps in his texts — except he leaves out full stops at the end of sentences because he thinks it "makes him sound annoyed" 😭

hates doing dishes. usually he just rinses off his plate/mug and leaves it in the sink for later

bottles up his feelings. usually he exercises as a way to work out his frustration, but he won't talk to someone until he's at breaking point or they make him

absolutely awful at first-person shooter games

he hates lemon desserts and sour candy. bur he loves lemonade... hmm 🤨

[kingthunder]

Analysis of Jaskier's songs from s1—

—and how they reflect the narrative events and Jaskier's character arc through the show. I'm trying to keep this as canon as possible and not look at it through shipping goggles, but there is textual stuff about Jaskier's relationship with and love for Geralt that's impossible to ignore.

Toss a Coin to Your Witcher: Jaskier’s first big break, the famous and famously annoying Toss a Coin. He wrote this when he was around eighteen and it definitely feels immature. He’s cracking bad jokes like “elf on a shelf” (god I hate that one, it grates me every time) and substituting “bleat” for “beat.” He’s taking enormous creative liberties with facts. And he’s being a little thoughtless; in his enthusiasm to hero-wash Geralt, he’s throwing elves under the bus, calling them devils and pests while he’s talking about Geralt as a friend to “humanity.” (more about this when we get into some of his later songs and his time as the Sandpiper)

This is an upbeat, catchy (and kind of shallow) song that I mentally classify as one of his “narrative” songs. It tells a story. It feels optimistic, much like Jaskier himself at this point in his life. After all, this is the kid who saw a big scary witcher brooding in a corner and decided that nothing could go wrong by following him around. He’s got a head full of heroics and heartbreak and nothing is going to dissuade him, not even being nearly killed. This song is a perfect time capsule of the beginning of Jaskier’s career and also the beginning of his long-running relationship with Geralt.

The Fishmonger’s Daughter: Jaskier plays this at Calanthe’s court when she orders him to play “a jig.” It seems like a pretty typical bawdy tavern song, the kind where you try to drum up audience participation. Most of the court seems to know it and sing along with it. No idea if Jaskier wrote this himself. He probably didn’t. It seems like one of those songs that everyone just knows.

Her Sweet Kiss: This song makes me feel deranged. This is definitely a Jaskier original. We see him writing and noodling with it at the beginning of The Mountain (tm) and asking other people if his lyrics are scanning well. He’s been traveling with Geralt on and off for about twenty years now, so he’s forty years old or close to it. He’s seen some shit, and part of the shit he’s seen has been Geralt and Yennefer’s relationship. He is not a fan. He is so deeply not a fan that he’s writing a whole song about it. But also? He’s putting himself in the song too, and he’s putting his heart on his sleeve, the same way that he tries to do when he talks to Geralt about going to the coast. The lyrics of this song are about three people—a man (Geralt), a woman (Yennefer), and the singer (Jaskier). It’s about how the woman is bad for the man, and how much the singer loves the man.

Whether you see Jaskier’s feelings for Geralt as romantic or not, these are the facts:

He doesn’t like Yennefer or think that she’s good for Geralt, and says so, repeatedly, both in casual conversation and in his music. In the song, he writes, “She’s always bad news, it’s always lose-lose” and that, “She’ll destroy with her sweet kiss.” 

In the song, Jaskier calls Geralt “my love” and says, “I’m weak, my love, and I am wanting.”

He asks Geralt to go to the coast with him, so they can “work out what pleases” them. He wants them to stay together and not go their separate ways like they often do.

Immediately after this plea, Geralt goes straight to Yennefer and (just in case anyone was doubting that Her Sweet Kiss was about the three of them) Geralt and Yennefer fuck while an instrumental version of Her Sweet Kiss plays over the sex. I still can’t believe the showrunners did that. That was A Damn Choice. (deranged, I am deranged about everything about this)

The kicker is that the song wasn’t even finished when Geralt flipped his lid and shouted Jaskier off The Mountain (tm) and out of his life. Which means that Jaskier, alone and heartbroken (his own words from s2), finished this song and published it afterwards, even knowing that the entire situation had gone tits up and that he might not even see Geralt or Yennefer again. Maybe it gave him some catharsis to sing it, who knows.

This isn’t a shallow catchy tune like Toss a Coin or even Fishmonger’s Daughter. It’s deeply personal and a tonal shift from his previous music.

(and it makes me deranged)

Stay tuned for my season 2 thoughts!

[oliveroctavius]

Thoughts on Lily Hollister?

Oh man, I've been thinking about her a lot recently. She's from a period of ASM that I do not always like or understand but she fascinates me as a character.

I remember my first impression of her and Carlie being a cynical "Okay, MJ and Gwen 2.0". I still think she was introduced as part of a "back to basics" push to assemble a neo-CBG, but I have no hard feelings there. Parallel civilian drama is always a plus in a Spidey comic and they are quite cute.

But—as a big HarryMJ fan—this isn't really a rehash. (And not just because Harry is now also meant to be a ditzy glamorous party guy.) MJ was just a teenager dicking around while Lily's non-party goals are political and focused. Note that this "love triangle" kicks off when she realizes Peter is an insider at a paper that opposes her dad. I wasn't reading the letters, but—surely someone guessed Menace's identity the moment "he" turned out to be backing Hollister, right?

She's definitely pulling Harry's strings on the politics side, but isn't emotionally avoidant and spends a lot of private time with him. (If we believe her later, worry about his well-being triggered her origin story.) It seems fair to say she appreciates familial devotion.

ASM #586 is my favorite flavor of Spidey Reveal. The villain is someone we knew and almost trusted, and when we look back the seeds of motivation are there, paralleling our protagonist for dramatic tension! Your dad whose reputation you're curating loves your roommate more than you, you say? He always wanted a son, you say?

There's a deliciously Lady Macbeth flavor to this whole speech.

That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold. What hath quenched them hath given me fire. My hands are of your color, but I shame To wear a heart so white.

Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty!

"Okay, you won't be jealous?" she asks seemingly genuinely, in a voice so deep and a body so muscular that everyone has he/him-ed it up until now. The ongoing goblin theme of violence = power = masculinity is blinking neon here. Obvious jokes about Harry's taste in women aside: what kind of philosophy does a woman have to have to be attracted to what the Osborns represent, thinking she's special enough to not be chewed up and spit out?

And she does say she still loves him! You could read that as a manipulative lie, but to me it's more interesting if she does like Harry in her condescending way.

After all, she seems to love her dad similarly, going behind his back to "support" him in ways he'd never want.

It's too bad that this super-intense characterization of Lily is mostly only retrospective. ASM #588 and the jig is up.

Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear And chastise with the valor of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crowned withal.

It's very possible that the gender element is writers being weird about a black woman as a love interest. (I have a whole thesis on how Black side characters are compared/contrasted to the Osborns somewhere.) But I believe that just a little weirdness can add flavor. It seems significant that Menace, as Lily's fantasy of power denied to her, reads as a nonblack male, as though she hopes that becoming an Osborn will grant her whiteness, too...

Unfortunately, I don't think anything has lived up to that reveal. It kind of feels like nothing has even tried.

[sighs extremely deeply] American Son. Throwing out her whole villain speech to have her bear a super-soldier goblin son for Norman to use as the next Real Osborn.

Macbeth once says to Lady Macbeth:

Bring forth men-children only, For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males.

But that's right after Lady Macbeth says she'd murder her own baby with her bare hands if it was personally politically advantageous. Why is Lily "if you want something done right, steal your man's role and do it yourself" Hollister now an obedient heir-producing accessory? And that to a guy she beat the crap out of in ASM #571 for being a waste of rich white dude advantages?

We have gone all the way to the other side of Weird. Where did her jealousy and personal ambition and all the weight behind it go? Where's her guilt for ruining her relationship with her father for good? Why is she calling Norman "babe"?

Origin Of The Species (ASM #642-6) makes some attempt to reconnect to the original character threads with the whole friend group banding together to deal with the fallout of Lily's decisions.

But she still feels mostly like a plot device, and her guilt is more wet blanket than "out, damned spot" levels of satisfying. (She jumped to murder to bolster the name of someone who would never have wanted that! Are we ever going to come back to that part!)

Protecting her child from Norman should redefine her allegiances, but she just... got dragged back to bit-part appearances as an accessory to whichever goblin is the biggest deal at the moment. And got memory wiped for a while and became a black cat ripoff.

I feel like this wouldn't have fallen so flat if Bill Hollister hadn't vanished right after her reveal. Did he ever know about his grandson? A severely underrated element of the classic CBG is how many of their parents/mentors knew each other independently of the kids. The larger web of political + financial + circumstantial connections meant that interpersonal family shockwaves stuck around after the first arc, doubled back, mirrored each other in interesting ways. These should've! This should've.

God this post got long. TLDR crazy first arc that nothing else has even remotely lived up to in my mind yet; it would have to follow up on her bonkers family relationships and deeply jealous personal philosophy (or whatever's left of it).

[telomeke]

Current Tag Game

Tagged by @colourme-feral in this post – thanks dearie! 💖

Current time: 9:59am (when I started this! it's now much later but I'm not gonna re-write...).

Current activity: Had a work deadline last night so tidying up the aftermath (deleting unwanted files, etc.).

Currently thinking about: How the project submission for work went. Annoyed that I skipped gym this morning just in case there were last minute changes to the project submission and we'd have to re-submit today; but now that's not needed I'm missing legs day. Also thinking about munching on something extra because breakfast was too light (hardboiled eggs, grapes and blueberries – all originally meant as a post-swim snack, re-purposed to become breakfast since gym was canceled). Maybe fry up an omelet and sausages, or grill some salmon? 😋 Or shall I just munch on some creamy Whittaker's milk chocolate since lunch will be soon and anything heavier might spoil it? 🤔  

Current favorite song: I don't know if they qualify as favorites, but songs will enter my brainspace and then swirl around in there for a while, refusing to leave. So I'm constantly listening to them (on YouTube, not Spotify; don't have a smartphone) and/or singing along in an effort to exorcise the earworm. At the moment the playlist in my head is:

I Don't Think That I Like Her Anymore (Charlie Puth)  Charlie constantly amazes me with his superhuman ability to churn out catchy melodic turns and unusual aural takes on percussion sounds for his backing rhythms (e.g., the light switch in Light Switch). This song continues with his quirky stylings, and I'm loving the pounding bass coming in to frame the heavyweight sock-it-ta-ya message of the song's chorus after the light plaintive vocals of the introductory and intervening verses. The second (melodic) line of the chorus ("Cause they're all the same") is so simple and yet so perfectly fitting after the bold hook of the first line – I find myself asking each time I hear it how could anything else ever fit better? And then it builds and builds to a big finish, at the end of each chorus and also at the end of the song – that key change from B Major to C# Major is quite a genius step, retro yet so fresh. (But still... C sharp? 👀 OK if your electronic thingamajig can auto-transpose but hell on a trad keyboard.) I know this song is from a year ago but I'm not simply wallowing in nostalgia (oh all right, so yes I am a bit) – there is nonetheless a BL connection that first got me hooked on this. The cast of my current fave I Feel You Linger in the Air did their own take on the TikTok Kpop dance challenge of this song (linked here, with other TikToks here) and they're just so cute dancing along. Nonkul attempts a little elbow jab in homage to the original choreo, while Bright gives up after a couple of bars and just goes on doing alternating wrist twirls like those you sometimes see in Southeast Asian dance… 🤣 Alee and Tian seem like they're having fun, as does Attila, but who knew Khun Robert could actually look this good, all goofy and charming when he smiles doing a silly little jig?

‌

All I Want for Christmas is You (Mariah Carey)  Ever since Ms. Mariah broke her icy containment after Halloween (see this video here 😂) I've been singing along, getting in the mood for carols, fruitcake and Christmas decorations because it reminds me of time spent with (departed) family. Happy because those are happy times worth recalling, but also bittersweet because those loved ones are no longer around.

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One of Your Girls (Troye Sivan)  While I tend to feel a pinch of resentment whenever Aussies of European origin seem to get opportunities in the West more easily than non-white people do, I have to remind myself it's the system and not the talent that is at fault. So credit where credit is due and I'm a fan of what Troye has done with this and his earlier releases (like his video with PP Krit 😃😍). One of Your Girls is just so beautiful and languid as it teases with its message, and consistently Troye is breathtakingly beautiful and languid in the video, teasing us with an offering of the forbidden. I'm feeling things I never thought I would. 😮 The choreography is pretty daring too. (Especially that crotch flare – where did they tuck the dangly bits? I'm wincing as I watch.) Also shout-out to all the different representation with the models. 😍

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Then I'm Gonna Give You Up (Rick Astley)  This is Rick Astley spoofing Rick Astley (more explanation linked here) and just so funny. Especially since the original song is already iconic on Tumblr.

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Fast Car (Luke Combs)  Another nostalgia trip, this is an absolutely stellar rendition of the already phenomenal original by Tracy Chapman. Almost like Marc Cohn's Walking in Memphis with its sense of urgency and of bottled emotions about to explode, maybe just a shade less of Marc's full-throated growl in Luke's voice, but earthshaking nonetheless. In these 21st century times (and in my corner of the world where BL and queer rep cross my dash all the time) I love that Luke (a married man with a wife and two kids, looking for all we know like the straightest of the hets) didn't change Tracy's line "So I work in the market as a checkout girl", paying homage to the original and smashing at the gender-obsessives everywhere in a quietly powerful way.

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Currently reading: My language study textbooks; not much time for anything else though I do miss having a good work of fiction to keep me company whenever the slate of Thai drama dips in quality.

Currently watching: I Feel You Linger in the Air – a really impressive work, solidly-grounded in its universe with overhanging familial, social and political intrigue that threatens to overshadow (but never really does) the chemistry between Khun Yai and Jom.

I've fallen in hard love with this and just hope that Tee Bundit will display the wisdom associated with his name (for those as linguistically-obsessed as I am, Bundit is the homologue for pundit in English, pandit in Hindi and pendita in Malay) and wrap up the finale with more finesse than he has done on his other shows. (Something tells me though that the sense of foreboding you get while watching IFYLITA is partly due to the dread that Tee is going to rush and stumble through the last bits, leaving viewers less than satisfied with the ending like he did with Lovely Writer, Hidden Agenda and Step by Step.) However this goes, I'm a new fan of Nonkul and Bright's acting, and can't wait to see more of them.

As to what else I'm watching – I'm still trying to finish Only Friends, if only to be able to say that I've finally watched a Jojo show all the way to the end. It's not for me, though it has some moments that shine (like Neo's performance, and all the shirtless scenes) but I struggle to find anything that satisfies on a more cerebral level. I'm not opposed to sensuality and messy drama being foregrounded over more intellectual underpinnings (all hail KinnPorsche) but for me it doesn't go earthy and raw enough to make up for whatever else it doesn't do.

Current favorite character: Pat and Pran from Bad Buddy will always be on this list, but because I'm currently enjoying IFYLITA I'm sure I've been visited by Por Jom, Khun Yai, Khun Ueangphueng, Ba Prik, Ming and Khun James in my dreams lately (and also a certain racing piglet 🤣).

Current WIP: All in my head, but I have a final wrap-up post on Bad Buddy locations percolating, as well as one on the graphics in the show (that give us hints of Pat and Pran's interior worlds).

Tagging names I've seen more than once cross my dash and/or notes:

@neuroticbookworm @airenyah @alexis-mika @belladonna-and-the-sweetpeas @wen-kexing-apologist @twig-tea @pandasmagorica @respectthepetty @dribs-and-drabbles @waitmyturtles @dimplesandfierceeyes @writerwithoutsound @bengiyo @grapejuicegay @lamonnaie @lurkingshan @callipigio @italianpersonwithashippersheart @recentadultburnout @kattahj @theheightofdishonor @fiddlepickdouglas @dc-alves @brazilian-whalien52 @slayerkitty @silvercrystal1 @dudeyuri @ranchthoughts @suni-san @chawarin-panich @lurkingteapot @solitaryandwandering

and anyone else who'd like to play. 😍 Apologies if you've already been tagged; point me to your post if so! And apologies if I've forgotten to mention anyone; if I follow or if you follow me please know you are loved and do play along if you wish! 💖

Also a special tag carved out for the lovely @visualtaehyun as a part-apology; you've tagged me before on a couple of other games and I wrote out about half of my replies – but then work deadlines became urgent and got in the way. Ruefully I had to abandon those posts (especially since they're now weeks out of date). So this is my way of saying thanks for tagging me on those tag games, sorry for not replying, and I hope you'll play along with this one because I love getting to know like-minded people on Tumblr! 💖

[chirpsythismorning]

Did you see the Piggyback script dropped?? Thoughts?

The script is pretty much what I expected. If Mike's monologue had won out on the writer's twitter polls last summer, it would have looked the exact same and even back then I would have felt the same as I do now.

They knew that this script would be available to the public when they submitted it for an Emmy. They knew fans would be running to find out the 'truth'. I highly doubt they would release a script that revealed El's true feelings about the monologue, on a random afternoon, still almost 2 years before that reveal. That would diminish all of the work they put into keeping this surprise under-wraps. If they had released a script that gave away El's true feelings, the jig would be up, there would be no room for people to speculate about milkvan or byler anymore. Byler would clearly be endgame from the perspective of everyone if they had revealed that El was upset with what Mike said, including milkvans. S5 would have been spoiled with still 2 years of waiting left. And so, why would they do that?

Something I also want to point out, is that the script that the supporting cast/crew get, has to be bare bones to avoid leaks.

The leaks that tend to come out in the cases that they do, are from folks that are working below the line. Basic BTL employees sometimes have to have access to scripts in order to perform their duties.

And so a revelation that El was not happy with Mike's monologue, being written blatantly in the script, then being given to up to 100 people, poses a huge risk of a leak.

They want the audience to finish s4 believing that Mike's monologue was everything El wanted to hear and that they are now back together with no problems. That's indisputable. And so having their script contradict that, in a season that has no intention of addressing it, would be very confusing for everyone casually working BTL involved, who are being fed one story publicly and seeing a completely different thing on paper.

When it comes to the Duffers though, they definitely have a script that includes all those details that dozens upon dozens of BTL are not going to have access to.

Here's what I mean:

You'll notice that Matt is holding a script here that says Matt Duffer in big block letters across it.

There would be no need to have this big display of this script belonging to Matt, as like a watermark on literally every page, unless what's on it is unique and it's important that no one else has access to it.

It also makes sense he would need to give Noah and Finn pointers on the spot in the moment, considering a lot of Mike and Will's scenes have a record for having little to no details in the script, making it come off like every interaction between them is unscripted and impromptu. And while I do think Noah and Finn are fully capable of some in the moment ideas, I highly doubt every single scene between Will and Mike is improvised.

Considering what scene this is in this picture, I'm gonna guess Matt was reminding them of the knee tap here, which I doubt was in the script that the dozens of BTL got that day. For example, according to the piggyback script, the byler shoulder grab was unscripted... But really was it? They wrote that scene to parallel with the s2 super-spy scene and so they knew that original scene ended with a hand hold... I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the Duffers (and even probably Noah/Finn's) scripts included it, but the scripts with bare bone details given to random PA's didn't have it...

I would assume at best that the Duffers, directors, the handful of officials at the very top managing each department, and the main cast have a way different script than what the hundreds of average crew members are getting.

This is also something that would allow them to pinpoint who leaked things. Because if a script with a Matt Duffer watermark got leaked, they'd know that whoever had access to that script, less than a handful of people at most, would had to have leaked it. But considering those people are probably very very trusted by the Duffers, that would never happen.

And so they can sit comfortably knowing that any leaks that happen, are not going to have all the details that relate to things they don't want fans to get too close to figuring out right now, least of all the entire audience. Because they give out those bare bones scripts, knowing that they could be leaked, and so they avoid those details with full awareness of the worst case scenario.

I will say, something that really stood out to me though about this script is that SOOOOOO much ended up being different on screen than what it originally was in the script... Like entire scenes are either missing or there are scenes that aren't even in there that ended up being added the day of it seems (I guess originally Jonathan and Nancy were going to be on the roof?). Which just goes to show that the writing process never stops, least of all during the filming process. It's there constantly. If an actor wants to change the wording of a line or if they want to go about a scene differently, a writer needs to be there to green-light it.

Another thing that had me cackling after reading fans thoughts about the script on Reddit, was how some were acknowledging that Nancy's feelings about the situation between Steve and Jonathan were sort of missing (her POV), and everyone agreed that it was probably to keep the love triangle uncertainty up in the air...

All I could think was DAMN! These Wheelers!!... I'm sure if I even presented the comparison they would deny it, despite being able to recognize it in the script for Nancy. Just like they're willing to recognize that Jancy/Stancy is a love triangle, but are incapable of acknowledging that Byler/Milkvan is as well.

With roughly 2 years left until ST5 is gracing our screens, and with filming not even having started yet, us bylers need to realize that this back and forth of validating both sides won't be put to a stop officially any time soon.

While that might be hard to hear, the good news is that they're gonna continue to create uncertainty for both sides, including milkvans.

Because the reality is, byler isn't queerbait because they have every intention of following through with it. And so that means stuff that constitutes as bait will continue, bc for them it's just literally foreshadowing.

And so when s5 is really starting to approach and posters drop and we see yet again that Mike and Will are being paired up in promo... It's gonna be hard for milkvans to insist this isn't queerbait anymore. And it's gonna be hard for them to insist none of it means anything when they fully expected to go into s5 with little to no byler interactions and with Mike and El being in love and in their endgame fluff era...

In the mean time, get ready for uncertainty if you're already at risk of byler doubt. Just remember that all of the evidence in the show doesn't evaporate bc they want to keep fans guessing during hiatus. They don't want anyone to feel 100% certain right now. If anyone is, best believe that they're ready to throw something in the mix sooner than later that will inspire doubt. And it'll continue to go back and forth like that until right before s5 drops.

[ryker-writes]

Geez I'm really cutting it close, but I've flipped-flopped a few times on if I want to participate in this or not. I'd like to have a romantic match-up, but if this arrives too late and/or you just don't care to do any more of these, I'm completely fine with you just skipping mine.

I love animals but mostly cats. I've had pet cats for most of my life so far and I'd like to keep that up in the future. I like chocolate with peanut butter. I like playing video games that are more on the casual side. I like the color pink and purple. I do also like board games and jig-saw puzzles.

I dislike most foods. I also feel like my nose has been put on the wrong setting because I don't like the smell of most foods either. Which I know is odd since it can be something as tame as spaghetti. I don't like the feeling of wetness of fabrics and I dislike soft, fluffy towels because the feel of when they get wet is eeeuuughhh. I'm not a fan of pvp games or even games that forces me to play with strangers. I worry too much about bringing down my team and just causing the other players to have a miserable time.

My hobbies are daydreaming and drawing. I love to come up with different characters and species. Most of my drawings just end up being character design. Playing video games is a hobby as well. I would like to get myself into the hobby of exercising and walking but that's unlikely to happen.

I don't believe I have any strong physical preferences. I do know personality wise I don't want someone who's mean even if they mean it in a playful way. (Had a friend that always called me stupid and it wasn't until going to a different school that I realized I don't like that.) I also don't want someone who's really pushy. Though I suppose I could use a little bit of gentle persuasian and patience to help me with certain things. But the key point there is the approach.

I've never dated but I think my love languages are physical touch and quality time. I like hanging out in the same areas as people even if I'm not neccessarily interacting directly. I also want more hugs. (All my brothers dislike being touched so my mom keeps forgetting that I like hugs.)

I'm kinda curious for Bobo too, but like I'm either cutting it real close or have missed the deadline here so doesn't seem right to ask for her.

For the sake of things, I'm probably not going to do Bobo, especially since I still have a few more to do. Sorry about that, but I hope you can understand

"Ah, I'm always so grateful for you sending in asks for this event and supporting me as much as you do! That's why I felt it's important to take time to consider who would be right for you. And I've finally come to a conclusion.

I believe my friend Ruggie would be good for you!"

animal lovers together!

seriously he's great with animals and would love to have some animals together with you

he loves to hear about all the new animals and creatures you imagine, and may even throw out some of his own ideas

his animal knowledge can come in handy when you need it

he doesn't play video games much, but he may occasionally join you for a board game or puzzle

just don't play monopoly with him...I've caught him stealing money before

anything you don't like to eat or foods that you hate the smell of, just hand them over to him or show him where they are

he will get rid of the food for you ✨

if you ever need help getting some exercise in, he's happy to support and help you!

you can go on walks with him or hang around while he's working or run errands with him

Ruggie is not really pushy, but he will bring something up if he thinks it would be better for you and he may try to convince you, but once you tell him no, he'll back off about it

he's never forceful with his approach and likes to give you the reality of serious situations

he's very big on quality time since he's often out running errands or working

but he does really enjoy when you spend time with him, even if you're doing your own thing, just you being there means a lot to him

[silvernevermind]

there should be a word for this level of dedication to bits that ""humour"" is derived from the perceived weirdness of the bit. like this dude doesn't actually care for Maizono. that's just not actually what this is about. I emberassingly dedicated myself to role-playing as a DR character for most of my middle school life, i can say with full confidence that there simply isn't enough to Maizonos character to "love". shes literally the first to die in game about murder mysteries. he doesn't actually love her, or care about her, at least any more than any other fictional character (with more screentime) that he enjoys. he chose her, likely at least partially on a whim, to ride or die for the spectacle of it.

and like, that's what this is for. it's for the spectacle. if you actually loved an anime character, if you actually enjoyed her writing and her personality and daydreamed all the time about getting to meet her and date her, you wouldnt act like this. because if you did for even a minute youd realizd that taping her face to a printer would make her like you less. so your not doing it "for her". if forced to switch into a new life where he could never publicly display "affection" for her, he'd forget about her within a week, likely just doing the exact same thing with a different anime girl. 99% of the reason he does any of the this is because he enjoys the feeling he gets when someone perceives him as odd for doing it. and like, yeah duh, everyone's like that at least a little. but when it gets to the point that your spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars just to continue to one up your "weirdness", it's too late. because now every dollar spent, every picture taped up to the wall, every foot of cardboard is now a raw number that you can keep track of your "dedication". it's like a cookie clicker effect on your brain, everytime the number goes up you get some enjoyment out of it, but eventually that enjoyment dwindles until you get a REALLY big poster and that makes it go up again, so on and so on.

so you pick a bare bones character to publicly go crazy for and never actually care for her. going back to what I said about her barely having any story/character, that probably helps the perceived spectacle of it all in his eyes. like there are genuinely interesting characters in dangan ronpa, ones with unique and interesting stories, characters whose actions are compelling and make for a good story. there are fans of Komaeda who could write real, not a meme essays about him and his character. but if this tiktok dude picked an actually interesting character, he'd be in trouble. his image wouldn't be maintainable. him printing 100 pictures would be put next to someone who could actually discuss and analyze their fav for hours and then the jig would be up, people would recognize the other person as "the bigger fan" and he wouldn't get the bordering-on-an-exhibitionism-fetish rush that he does now.

so, like, sure. I hope this guy gets a kick outta the attention. i hope people follow him on tiktok and he keeps spending 100 dollars on shit that doesn't make him happy. and then when the attention dwindles, when he runs out of people to flaunt his ugly fucking house to like a MLM runs out of idiots to sell to, I hope he realizes how stupid it was. i hope he sits around for months, no longer posting photos of his printers and no longer buying new cutouts, but doesn't take the old ones down. because taking then down is admitting the bit was never that funny, was never worth the cost. and then I hope he finally does decide to actually throw it all out. take down the shitty tape on his walls and just get rid of it. I hope he has to awkwardly avoid the topic around his friends cause he knows they'll tease him about it, know they'll remind him of buying a useless cardboard cutout for hundreds of dollars for a character he doesn't like. and then I hope enough time passes that all of it is truly behind him and all that's left is a mild regret. or none of that could happen, I don't really care except I do know for sure he's going to hell when he dies.

[schleckermaul]

( 🍭 weirdly specific character questions ) 28, 52 & 54! — @revivancy

28. what do they tell people they want? what do they actually want?

break has his desires and wants, but i don't think he even knows what those are right now. and if he did, he wouldn't be honest about them. while he doesn't directly lie to people, he'll simply not answer if you ask him something he does not want to answer. he'll say so, as well, alongside providing a rather surface-level answer. (think along the lines of, "oh, but that's really none of your business, is it? i'd very much love some candy right now, if you ought to know.")

he expressed his very first genuine want in the last moments of the manga, which was to stay with his family. and now he's here, apart from them. so, what to want, now? he's using his promise to shelly as orientation, which was to keep fighting as long as he still has those people to live for. he would love to go back home, but at the same time, he's not sure if being here is punishment for his crimes. so he's in a bit of a frozen state, where he doesn't dare to want just yet, unsure of his own position and feelings.

none of which he's going to admit anytime soon.

52. do they act on their immediate emotions, or do they wait for the facts before acting?

↑ big fan of waiting to gather facts before acting, though he knows that's not always possible. occasionally having to trust your gut is part of life. if he got to pick, it's important for him to have as much information as possible before he acts. there's two very nice contrasting scenes in the manga to showcase this: sharon getting kidnapped, and reim getting killed. while he stays relatively calm throughout sharon's kidnapping, because of both the information he already had and the information he acquired after her kidnapping, reim's death has him abandon his plans entirely, purely because of his emotional response to that loss. he ends up killing potential allies that he's been working towards teaming up with.

break will stay calm if he has reason to do so. he's quite calculated, and knows when he's acting on emotions, for which he needs a good enough justification. (later on, when sharon gets hurt because of him, he snaps a bit, as well, using that anger to direct it at people he was already going to kill, anyways.)

54. what’s their instinct in a fight / flight / freeze / fawn situation?

fight fight fight fight. break is a pretty aggressive guy if he has to be, especially in survival situations. he gets angry. mostly at himself, if he's the one getting bested, but that anger is channeled into his fighting. he also just likes fighting. it's the one thing he'll admit he's pretty good at, taking pride in his skill and being insulted if other people don't recognize it once the jig is up and he stops acting like a clown for the moment.

the fact that people at his workplace are collectively terrified of him and his skills with the sword says enough about that tbh. this even extends to people being terrified of his friends, because how could you ever be friends with the hatter through any other means than being more powerful than him?

have a silly little extra comic under the cut featuring reim + elly uvu

(+ elly meeting the Real Deal!)

[subbyfoxelf]

[movie review] godzilla vs. king ghidorah (1991)

y’know what? this one is surprisingly good!

okay, kind of a weird thing for me to say about a godzilla movie considering how much i love the series as a whole.

basically, this one didn’t leave much of an impression last time–which, admittedly, i was running through a crazy marathon of watching basically all of the godzilla movies for the first time in the space of i think less than a week? i had just started getting into kaiju movies and i immediately fell in love, so there was a breathless “now, now, NOW” excitement about getting through the whole series that i don’t really regret. unfortunately as a result there were definitely a few that ended up kind of blurring together in a “yeah, that was good, what’s the next one?” kind of space. watching them on their own and only thinking about them as individual movies is just almost always gonna do them some pretty big favors.

i’ve also just never been the biggest fan of king ghidorah? i recognize his importance in the series and i think he’s often a good antagonist, he just isn’t really as much of an intrinsic draw for me in the way a lot of other kaiju are?

... a particular guy being a “draw” is a thing that gets talked about a lot in wrestling. as longtime readers may have noticed, it’s hard for me to not occasionally frame these movies in wrestling terms.

and on top of that, this movie has godzilla as a baddie and mecha-king ghidorah swooping in to save the day!! i hate that!! like, despite my mostly-indifference towards him i think ghidorah works fine as a godzilla antagonist, but having him as the good guy and godzilla as the bad guy is just never really gonna work for me.

so yeah, that plus the ridiculous time-travel plot were basically the main things i remembered about the movie. and the ridiculous time-travel plot was a point in its favor for me, but not really enough on its own for me to look back on it as one of the better ones. so, yeah! i didn’t really know what to expect upon revisiting it.

plus one of my concerns before doing these rewatches was that i might be overrating the heisei era movies slightly just because of the drastic increase in production values, but honestly? that drastic increase matters.

there are some shots of godzilla’s maw in this that are gonna make anyone with even the slightest inclination towards vore blush, and the increased facial articulation lets him emote so much more without like literally having to do a jig or whatever. it just really opens up how much he can be characterized. and even though that characterization is still gonna be broad, obvious wrestling-adjacent stuff, those little details still really help. like, when godzilla’s pissed, he looks pissed. the music and dialogue don’t have to do as much heavy lifting.

the music!! this installment represents legendary composer ifukube akira’s return to the series for the first time since terror of mechagodzilla. as well as the first time he’s worked on an entry not helmed by honda ishirō!

something that really jumped out at sonic was that he added some much more sinister undertones to his cheerful military march that’s always playing whenever the toy tanks come out. it’s a really nice touch. and i really appreciate how much of his original work he brings in and reworks. there’s some really interesting uses of his original godzilla theme throughout the film. ifukube will go on to score the remainder of the films of the heisei era, save for godzilla vs. spacegodzilla, so it’ll be cool to keep an eye on how the music in the rest of them stacks up!

maybe ifukube’s music plays a large part in why this one feels like such a return to the glory days of the honda ishirō-helmed monster mashes, but i like to think that honda himself was damn proud of the titular slobberknocker between godzilla, king of the monsters and false king ghidorah. (i said what i said. wanna make something of it, ghidorah stans?)

it’s unfair to compare this fight to honda’s given the inherent advantages the technology available to this movie had (... and to be honest i was never really in love with any of their shōwa era confrontations), but this has got to be one of the best fights between these two ever. ghidorah gets in some great offense, at one point literally stomping on godzilla and later wrapping his necks around godzilla and choking him out.

… yesOKAYfine, i have some less than pure reasons for enjoying all that, but please trust me when i say that it was a legitimately good fight? and after godzilla manages to fight out of the chokehold he decides that he’s just capital-D done with ghidorah’s bullshit and beats him the fuck down before savaging him with his atomic breath, leaving him less one head and plus one massive hole in his wing.

i don’t necessarily mind the development that godzilla then goes and stomps the fuck out of sapporo en route to tokyo. especially given that it’s one of the better city destruction sequences in a series chock full of good (and occasionally but rarely bad) city destruction sequences.

the sequence of shindō waiting for godzilla in his office at the top of a skyscraper in the city he helped rebuild is… something else. there’s a moment of recognition between the two, i think one of the first times in the series that godzilla acknowledges an individual human? and shindō just nods meaningfully to godzilla before godzilla destroys him (and the building he’s in) with an atomic breath ray.

… okay this isn’t usually how the wrestling stuff is incorporated (it’s usually just kaiju-to-kaiju interactions that fall into these patterns) but that is so wrestling? i’ve seen that shit in so many retirement matches. and not even just retirement matches. i feel like something similar happened in the triple h/undertaker hell in a cell match at wrestlemania 28, and more recently in aew when hangman page was about to beat kenny omega for the aew world championship in front of the young bucks he hesitated before delivering the final buckshot lariat before receiving a nod of acknowledgement from matt jackson who was in a position to interfere in the match but chose not to.

I’M SORRY THESE MOVIES ARE MORE THAN WRESTLING BUT THEY ARE ALSO JUST NOT NOT WRESTLING. I AM NOT FORCING THIS OR MAKING THIS UP, THEY’RE JUST… THEY’RE JUST SO WRESTLING, AND I LOVE IT!

and then emmy swoops in from the future and saves the day by piloting mecha-king ghidorah like a godsdamned zord and i hate it conceptually but damned if it isn’t kinda great in execution?

i’ve barely talked about any of the human characters in this but honestly sending them off on a time-traveling adventure is a great move because the human stuff is usually at its best when it’s more about the kaiju-related Stuff they’re given To Do rather than trying to make them intrinsically interesting. the humans in a kaiju movie are basically never gonna be intrinsically interesting. i’m sorry. they have to compete with KAIJU.

perfect example, actually. miki returns for her second of six movies and she… well, she… uh… she sure is there!

but, yeah. like i said, the human characters are deployed exactly the way i’d ideally like them to be. there’s certainly other directions you can go occasionally that work, but i think this is a pretty good default position. the only approach i like even better is when the human characters are marginalized even more and doing basically nothing but reacting to what the kaiju are doing and the kaiju are onscreen for a majority of the movie.

anyway, yeah! godzilla vs. king ghidorah. right now it’s just inside of my top ten. it’s unlikely to stay there given some of the movies that are coming up later in this gradual marathon, but it’s still a lot more memorable than i remember it being. yes, i phrased it that way on purpose.

what’s that? you want me to talk about this movie’s kinda awkward politics? yeah, that makes sense given my usual approach. so, yeah. as an american, i think the thing i can say about that is

a-rank

[kkatastrophic]

Rating Danganronpa Music Sprites now bc why not:

Makoto: 7/10 - He's a little silly, what is he doing with his hand- rock and roll????

Kiyotaka: 8/10 - Powerposer!!! >:) (silly fella)

Byakuya: 6/10 - Little basic, little boring, but it's byakuya so it's expected.

Mondo: 3/10 - it's not even a new pose??? It's his demo art! Did the devs give up with his design or smth bro :,)

Leon: 10/10 - Accurate Leon representation of headboppable beats. He's so silly, it actually suits him so well.

Hifumi: 5/10 - Good enough ig lol. His sillouhete makes his stance look better then it does in official art. Nothing special.

Hagakure: 5/10 - Another idle listener, decent enough.

Sayaka: 6/10 - Would put higher if her talent wasn't being an idol!!! Taka can powerpose, so can you Maizono-Chan!!!

Kyoko: 5/10 - Basic, idle standing listener. She listening to classical in those or smh? At least do a lil jig, ik u can boo.

Toko: 6.5/10 - Cute, basic, but it really suits Toko. (I wish we got a Syo sprite tho)

Aoi: 10/10 - ANOTHER POWERPOSER! Cutie! I love that she's vibing. :3

Sakura: 5/10 - Idle listener again...? Not much to say, she's probably meditating though or something.

Celestia: 10/10 - POWERPOSER, I LOVE THIS! I'm not a big fan of Celestia but her design slaps, and this captures her essence nicely.

Chihiro: 6/10 - Again, basic, suits nicely though so that's fine.

Junko: 10/10 - She would definitely pump her fist up and down like she's at a concert. Cute lil vibe, love it.

Monokuma: 7/10 - Basic, but he's a bear so I'll let it slide. Nice little head tilt.

I realized Taka’s silhouette in the soundtrack page in the dr game was never revealed (or i did miss it). I wonder what the original sprite look like

[myrfing]

big 6.1 reaction thread that I will update since that is more smoove

it's ok gourd didn't get adventurer headways by making conversation he just overhears shit. you cant help it when your ear bones are that big

NO ESTINIEN EVERYONE WAS RIGHT YOU'RE GETTING CONNED AGAIN NO AOGDJSIGDSG NO

ESTINIENNNNNNNNNNN HELPPPP GOURD YOU'RE JUST GONNANWATCH YEAH HE IS ACTUALLY THAT'S KIND OF IN CHARACTER ACTUALLY

ooh do ppl still comment stuff like "i didnt recognize you" "dressed for adventure" if you're not wearing tataru prada

ohhh I see estinien I doubted your intelligence for a second. or fifty. or as long as I've known you. i owe you one compliment

bro you cna just give the child money directly. LMOFAOOOAOOAOAO

gourd you're making estinien look shrunkenhead here for some reason

did my choice actually matter or did we all get shoed into graha krill (shrimp duo) heaven because graha fans are always cheating and we always win

GRAHA'S VOICE TRAILING OFF LIKE THAT? YOU STUPID CATBOYYY

*gourd writing in his notes app* umm Estinien. His whole family died

YSHTOLAAA LMFAOOO SHE'S SO CUTE hi. uhh. they gave you ear wigle

GREATEST OF ALL TIME...UNDER WADDER

fell asleep woke up to do this dungeon immediately and also yes I wiped us to the spin even with tank privilege because I was giggling and clapping and dancing

ohh it really is void time. also dont worry moldy little dragon I put my hands over these all the time in world of darkness raid

FUNNIEST DIALOGUE OPTION AND YOUR WOL LOOKS SO SERIOUS WHEN SAYING IT. DUNCE

THE FACT WE'RE ALL THE GROWNASS SCIONS AND WE CANT BLUFF THROUGH THGHTGHTGTHR. scions reconvene only to um destroy personal property but like why do you sit on a gold hoard anyway vrtra

oh okay. we were actually going to steal it and use it to buy ps5s vrtra

THIS IS SO TRADITIONAL FANTASY that knight looks meatious

bury the orphans beneath the stage like dogs is what ive learned. or yes taxes

gourd standing there not mentioning the void ark shit nor cylva & unu LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

aw yshtola. i finally get to do something for you after all these years. limsa starters winning

the little remix in the archives. also this is far less books than I expected. tiny ass archive

NO I PICKED UP THE VOLUME FIRST GO AND NOW I DIDNT GET TO READ THE OTHER BOOKS?

nidhana..yes we want YOU beloved elephance

I love how there's no music at the font of maya. place of tranquility for real

ESTINIEN WHAHGHGHT?? WHY

you know I have a feeling yshtola might um unleash tha void and that's totally fine but given the fanbase's recent weird uptick of virulent hate for her well.

oh a drippy? is she going to make a drippy...

HELP DID SHE MAKE BEING A MAGICAL GIRL A PART OF THE INCANTATION

THE ... OPTIONNNNN

im laughinign so hard you're sending them into HELL like that

NIDHANA DOING A LITTLE JIG IN THE BG SHE'S SO CUTE

also was...estinien there when we met matoya? how does he know anything about her. forgetting bits of heavensward moments

YES THERE IS. I KNOW ONE. CYLVA CYLVA YSHTOLA HER NAME IS CYLVA YOU HAVE TO BRING HER INTO THE MSQ

nabdeen's brit accent is so funny why do you talk like that here

bald man summer

ok. i really liked it cute patch yshtola time. all I can ask for

[lou-struck]

Jitters For a Jackal

Kotaro Bokuto x Reader

-Before a big match the players noticed their wing spiked was a little too quiet in the locker room. So they called you to help boost his self-confidence.

WC 900+

Gamedays were always nerve-racking for the MSBY Black Jackals, the gym is filled with the sound of squeaking shoes, slapping spikes, and excited fans pointing at their favorite pros warming up. Every set is perfectly weighted and every receive is clean.. Everyone seems to be in tip-top shape….

Well everyone except for number twelve Kotaro Bokuto. His jumps seemed to lack enthusiasm and even his two-toned hair seems to deflate comically with every lackluster spike.

He seems to shrink into himself, it’s evident now that he is off his game. Sulking around the court, fidgeting his hands looking lost. Hinata tries to help him only to have his usual compliments bounce off the Ace as if he were made of stone. Sakusa locks eyes with Meian and gestures up into the stands to you, Bokuto’s girlfriend of a few years looking just as concerned as they do.

You’re sitting on the edge of your seat watching intently, brow furrowed with concern as you watch Kotaro struggle, unsure of what is going on in his head. Meian comes up to him, pulling him aside as they step out into the locker room. You are so intensely watching the scene before you unfold that you don’t even notice one of the Jackals’ managers tapping you in the shoulder till after the third or fourth one.

It’s so loud that you can’t quite make out what they are trying to say but they gesture for you to follow them. Grabbing your bag you get up and follow them through prohibited access doors through a long hallway that leads to the Locker room where a concerned-looking Meian is waiting for you. Shooting you a weary smile before speaking

“Y/n, something is up with Bokuto. He is in his emo mode before we even hit the court. Go talk to him.”

“I’ll try and see what is going on today,” you tell him. He nods and goes to continue his warm-ups with the rest of the Jackals. “I wish Akaashi was here, he usually knows what to do,” you mumble as you make your way into the men’s locker room.

The quiet groans of the Ace fill the room as you pad in quietly to see Kotaro sitting with his head in his hands. “Kou?” You ask, “Is everything all right“

Upon seeing you he lights up, "Y/N!" he yells springing up from his bench and lifting you up with a hug. You love his hugs but this one is tighter than usual.

“Kou baby, you’re hugging me a little tight.” You wheeze out and he lets go suddenly causing you to fumble to the floor.

Bokuto panics and clumsily helps you back up to your feet! “ Sorry baby, I guess I have gotten stronger.”

He shoots you a very toothy grin that looks almost nervous. Upon seeing your lack of a reaction, he realizes that the jig is up. He returns packed you a seat and sits down once again looking up at you with a pout. Although you don’t like to admit it he’s cute when he goes into his emo mode.

“Baby, do you want to tell me what’s making you so upset today?” You ask gently sitting down next to him placing a hand on his strong sturdy shoulder.

He looks over at you with big, watery eyes. “ I don’t feel like an Ace today.” he mumbles as his bottom lip pouts out ”It’s like someone is blocking me from being awesome.”

It’s heartbreaking to see him so down on himself, especially since you are his biggest fan. “Baby, you don’t need to be so hard on yourself, you are the best.”

“I don’t feel like it,” he grumbles quietly as he puts his sweaty face into your shirt. It’s muffled but you can make out the words “I’m Nervous”.

“Bo, who is making you nervous today?” You ask gently scratching his back. He looks up from your sleeve.

“I am…” He replies looking a bit confused.

“You are so awesome that the only person who can make you nervous is you! These other guys have nothing on you. So show them that they aren’t worth your Jitters.” You tell him hoping that this will help pump him up.

He takes a moment to absorb your words and begins to spring to life, “You’re right Baby, I am awesome. He exclaims jumping out of his seat.

“Then go show everyone how great you are Bo!” you laugh as he hypes himself up with a big silly grin on his face and a newfound spark in his eyes.

With a squeeze and a long kiss for luck that leaves you breathless, he leaves the locker room his whoops and a chorus of “Hey, Hey, Hey” echo's down the hallway. As you make your way back to your seat.

His improvement is evident, spike after spike hit’s the ground with a deafening thud. One ball even had to be replaced due to the sheer force of Bokuto’s momentum striking down upon it like the hand of God.

You smile as you make eye contact with their manager as the mouth “thank you” for all your help. As Jackals absolutely dominate the First Set.

To everyone else, Bokuto’s talent and hard work are why he’s playing well, but to him, he views you as his inspiration for today and he shows it. After every point and every whistle he looks up finding you in the stands to flash you the biggest smile he can as if to say “this one was for you!”

[a-froger-epic]

Interview with a Queen “groupie”

Cross-posted to AO3. I encourage you to leave any comments you have there.

---

I compiled this interview following a long email exchange with J, a very sweet lady who went to Ealing Art School between 1972 and 1974. She knew all four members of Queen personally and was part of their larger circle of friends.

First off, you may find this hard to believe. I don’t blame you. But I assure you I’m not pulling your leg. As well as the pictures I share in this post, I have seen current pictures of J (which I will not share to protect her privacy). There is no indication as far as I am aware that she isn’t who she says she is.

Nastally, hold up. How exactly did you find this lady?

She found me. It turns out that she has been following my story Dawn of Aquarius for quite some time. The story is set in 1969. A lot of research about the era went into it, because I wanted to portray that time period - and Freddie’s and Roger’s surroundings - as accurately and realistically as I possibly could. That was what drew J in. She tells me it brought back a lot of memories for her. One of the reasons I love DoA so much is the nostalgia, she says, which genuinely means the world to me. Eventually, she talked to me in the comment section. Of course, I freaked out!

And then, I asked her for an interview, to which she replied: I will give it a go, but you must remember that I am 65 and there were great drugs in the 70s, and at 16, away from home, I had a lot!

And so...

Here’s what is IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND when you read this interview.

These are one woman’s 50-year-old memories and subjective impressions. J has been incredibly kind to let me pick her brain, trying to recall everything as best as she can. In her own words:

Just remember that when I answer the questions, it is from a 16-year-old who is 9 years younger than Freddie and a little girl with no family and friends in a strange country trying to fit in. The only reason I was there, was because some hippie thought I had a unique art style.

---

J as a teenager.

[I have edited the interview together from our long, and somewhat messy at times, email exchange. Typos have been fixed and some punctuation added for clarity, but I have not changed anything J has written to me. Again, bear in mind these are personal opinions and impressions.]

So, J, how did you end up at Ealing Art School in 1972 and what was it like?

This was the painting done for the Australian school-leaving certificate.

It placed first and gave me a scholarship. I could pick France, the USA or England. As a dual citizen of the UK, the choice was easy. The scholarship paid for board and fees, so had to be and sell whatever for spending money.

This picture is from the dorm. We all had a 10pm curfew and a very thick rule book that, I am proud to say, I broke every one of them, one by one. The rooms were on the 1st and 2nd floor. We were on the first floor, rooms one side and admin staff the other end. We had two bathrooms for 18 girls. One of them had two baths. The walls were your standard half wall, so it was a given that if you had a bath you run the risk of having a bucket of cold water dropped on you. Downstairs was the kitchen and lounge room.

I want to ask you a few things about life in London in the early 70s, to get a picture of what it was really like. For example, was there alcohol at the music gigs you went to?

If it was a school, church or community hall, no. If it was a pub, yes.

Did you and your friends drink as much then as young people tend to drink now when you all went out?

No, we didn't. I think it had a lot to do with money. We didn't have the disposable income, and it was unheard of to still be living at home with the parents after the age of 20.

Was weed and LSD as big and easily accessible as depictions of the 60s and 70s would have us believe?

The drugs! Got to have drugs. Pot (weed) was easy to grow, very cheap. Used to smoke it in bongs rather than joints, more bang for your buck. Trips [LSD] were cheap, I think. About 2 pounds and you were on the high for over 24 hours with no sleep. My drug of choice was hash. Either the oil or the block. It was a nice high, but you could not function well. But if you listen to the music of the time it really does reflect what it was like, to have a group of friends over for a session. Having said all that the most outlandish and shocking drug I ever saw anyone use was the birth control pill. Didn't you have to hide that stuff away?!

Can you tell us some 70s slang that isn’t really in use anymore? What in the world does “ultra-blagging” mean? (As written in a letter penned by Freddie to his friend Celine in 1969.)

Abso-bloody-lootely!

Man, I thought I was the bees knees to be on a scholarship in London. But that didn't stop me from jigging or having a skive day. They were the days that I blagged my way into a pub, had too many lagers and ended up chundering in the gutter. That was how you knew your night was ace. I would get a right bollocking if anyone found out. It would be a bugger when all that you could find at a car boot sale was chavtastic, but sometimes you could be Jammy Dodger and tickety-boo you find something brilliant. Bob's your uncle. Anyways, I need to see a man about a dog.

[It seems to me that J uses a bit of Australian slang here, like chundering, which makes sense because she is, after all, Australian. She also provided the translation:]

Cheers

J

It would be my honour.

I felt very privileged to be given a scholarship that let me study in England. But being so young and having no family to guide me, it was often tempting to not turn up or give a false excuse for being sick. (I had a lot of food poisoning). These would often happen if the night before I had been drinking beer and ended up vomiting outside the pub. But in my young mind that was a good night. If any of the teachers found me drinking I would be in a lot of trouble. Often I would have to say I was holding it for someone else. Not having much clothes with me, I would buy them second hand from church jumble sales or other students and, yes, Kensington market (the market). Some of the stuff would not be very tasteful or in good condition. But sometimes you would find something that was cheap and in good condition. I will stop this text now as I must go to the toilet.

PS: Ultrablagging sounds very Freddie. Blagging was used, but not ultra, meaning to persuade someone to do something or act better than you are. They were always rock stars.

Sincerely

J

[It was at this point that I realised I was talking to an absolute legend. She also told me then that the majority of her old photographs had sadly been lost when her house was flooded in 1988, including most of the photographs from her stay in London. Noooo! :(]

When you went out to dance, did you have only live music? Were there DJs yet?

You know, that is hard. We did not have a DJ. Sometimes there would be a band. Often we looked for places with a band or the jukebox. I think pubs closed at 10pm and some stayed open to 12 or 1, but public transport stopped at 9. So if you had not arranged a lift then you had to make the last bus. Most of the time we would be heading back to someone's place to get stoned and then crash there. In the morning you would have to work out where you were. When I got back to Australia, the discos were all the rage. They could have been in London too but it was not cool to like disco.

How many people would show up to Queen’s gigs when they played in pubs or at, for example, the Imperial College?

Depending on the location and the night: 10 to 1000!

So how did you first meet the Queen boys?

I was at the pub talking about a band we saw last week when Brian stuck his head into our booth telling us he knew a better one. Thinking about seeing them at the stall... Roger not often, Freddie quite a lot. Often on different stalls, I think that is why I can't remember the name. [The name of the stall. Other sources confirm that Freddie also worked at Alan Muir’s stall, for example, selling shoes.]

How well did you know them?

Just looking at your tumblr account. [she has had a look at my blog, where somebody asked if ‘groupie’ meant she had slept with the band] No, I never slept with the boys. I would not say I was a close friend, but I started at Ealing Art College in ‘72 and moved in the same circles. I loved the music and could be called one of the first groupies. I had to sneak into the pubs because I was 16. Roger always teased me for being so young. They all did seem to be one very large family, not just the band. It was a group of about twenty regulars, both male and female. Everyone knew that Fred was too gay to function. We were all at the gay rights march in London in 1972, had to run after the march. Lots of sharpies [Australian slang: youth gang, thugs] wanting to bash us. Back then I was in every protest that was going, student union rights, even the secretary protest. Just part of the times, stick it to Man or Woman. I left London in ‘74 for Australia, been here ever since and lost track of the boys but have never stopped being a fan.

What do you remember about them? How would you describe their personalities?

Don’t let the trolls hate me, but I did not like Brian. I found him to be rather full of himself. Space was a subject you never brought up around Brian or you would die of old age before he stopped talking. He was always the first to speak and start a conversation and then quickly passed you off to John, who was always tired and shy. Roger was also quite shy at times. He was very self-conscious of his looks, as he felt being pretty, nobody would take him seriously. Fred, well, he was not yet the big star, so I think he was working on his stage persona. When talking to groups at parties, he had the best stories of things that had happened to him or close friends. They were very funny and very descriptive. He was the life of the party. When he had a few to drink or was the centre of attention, he would take a cigarette out of the closest person’s hand and start smoking. Now remember this is the point of view of a 16-year-old girl that was a fish out of water, trying to fit in and not having much worldly experience.

It is said that Freddie and Roger were very stylish. How did they dress in everyday life?

Fred would do his hair and makeup to check the mail. Yes, he was always turned out, but so were a lot of people. Freddie did go over the top with hats, scarfs and jewellery. With Roger, it is a surprise he was able to have kids his jeans were that tight. And his shirts were always open unless he was in a jumper. I think it could have been so that you knew he was male, as it was the start of the unisex clothing. When I travelled out of London I realised it was a London thing. When I got back to Australia everyone thought I was a show-off.

There are some disagreements about how tall especially Freddie was. I know this is a difficult thing to try and remember accurately. But do you remember?

Freddie was taller than me but everyone was. Roger was shorter than Fred, but I never saw Roger in platform shoes. I did meet up with the band by chance at Sydney airport in 1984, said ‘hello’ but they did not remember me, or if they did then they did not say anything and I did not want to be a dork. At that time Fred was the same height as me (5ft 8in/1.72m), Roger was taller than me. It made me think at the time that he had a growth spurt! John was shorter than me and Brian has always been tall. [I have a feeling the platform shoes - or lack thereof - played a vital role here! Although 172cm for Freddie seems likely.]

You said everyone knew Freddie was “too gay to function”. Attitudes towards homosexuality have changed so much that it can be hard for us, now, to fathom what exactly people must have thought of him. Was it more of a joke that he was so camp? Was it something he would have been teased for? Also, he had a girlfriend. Did you ever meet Mary or the other girlfriends?

In 1972 a whole group of us - and I am pretty sure that Fred, Roger, Brian and Tim were there - were in a gay pride march. [Since then, J has found and showed me a picture of a boy she thought was Tim Staffel, and it wasn't, so Tim was most definitely not there. Whether Freddie, Roger and Brian really were there or if J is misremembering, who knows?] Us youth believed you could not choose who you fell in love with and if it was same sex, so what? However, if it was two girls then it was every guy’s duty to change her!

It was also a time that the gayer the guy was, the more the girls were interested. Also, if a guy was gay then you did not have to worry about him and he was a good person to take with you if you were going out drinking. However, the police, parents, teachers and anyone of authority were horrified and treated them badly. I did meet Mary a couple of times at pubs and once after a gig. This is just my opinion, but I found her a bitch. It could be that I was so young. It could be that I was very Australian. It could be that she felt threatened as my accent was a magnet to people around. And the boys (Queen) were no exception. Brian had a cousin in OZ and was always asking questions. I remember that my close group of friends thought that Mary made the perfect girlfriend for Fred as they were as fake as each other. Having said that about them, I often wonder if I would think the same now and if my perceptions were just because she would not give me the time of Day. Chrissy and Jo were a lot of fun.

This was before your time, but I read that Freddie's nickname at Ealing Art School was ‘Freddie Baby’. Any ideas how this came about? His showmanship or maybe personality traits?

I don't think so. There were an older crowd that would talk like that. I think the slang ‘baby’ was a 60’s thing, like groovy baby.

How long, roughly, did Roger and Freddie have their stall? I can't find anywhere when it closed down. What did it actually look like? Was it a sort of wooden stall type of thing? Or an actual room? What were some of the other things people sold at Kensington Market? Mostly clothes or all sorts?

The markets were little divided shops. The back was brick and the walls wood. I have been trying all day to remember the name. [Of the stall.] I think it was something hard to say. More often than not it would be Freddie's dad in the store. It was still open when I left. Roger and Freddie were both in the store on Saturdays and some Sundays. There was a girl, I think Jill, who was in the store more. And during the week it could be anyone. You name it and you could get it at the markets. Second hand or designer clothes, shoes, jewellery, pot and assortments. Hair cuts, food, bric-a-brac.

Wait, wait. What? Freddie’s dad? Really now?

Yeah, it was an older Indian man. so we just assumed it was his father. It was my understanding that he started the stall then the boys would work it as the whole markets were set up for younger people, but if needed he would work there. I don't think the boys would be able to pay the rent on their own. [I have since found out that the stall closed in late 1971, and Freddie continued to work at the Market until '74, for Alan Mair and possibly others. So the stall J witnessed wasn't their original stall - explaining all the different people she saw there - but she had no way of knowing that it wasn't.] They always had incense burning that was very big in the 70s. I still occasionally bring out the sticks, but it does not last like the candles and diffusers of today. If you could get in touch with Robert Daniels, he ran ChaChaDumDum it was the stall across from Freddie. He would know the dates.

[J says it’s this look, in a picture she happened across while looking at my tumblr] Yep, that is the one. It usually means that he does not believe or agree with something that was said and is working out how to respond, or he has lost the plot.

You mentioned Roger seemed shy to you at times. Was he also quite charming? We read a lot about what a chick magnet he was. Was this the impression you had?

My favorite subject! I had a thing for Roger. Everyone has a type and mine is the blue-eyed blond. Now, before you ask, was he brunet? No, he was a mouse/dirty blond. If it was summer he would have blond streaks mostly at the ends. He knew he was pretty and was always dressed in the latest fashion and had the current hairstyle. So, being my type I was constantly watching him. Everyone slept around during that time. I did not notice Roger doing it more or less. 80% of the time he was with Jo. Yes, he was a chick magnet, but he did not do the chasing. He was always very polite to everyone. If it ever looked like there would be any conflict he would be the first to leave it. It was not that he was a coward, just not into conflict. If he saw anyone that needed help he was right there, and often had to have Freddie's back. I never saw him in a fight. He could always talk his way out of things. He was also very patient and would listen for hours to other people talk. However, he would get this vacant look in his eyes at times.

And Freddie would either click his fingers, change the subject or just give up. I don’t think that Brian noticed, and it would be fair game for John, he would see how far he could push it. Roger liked to drink a fair bit and when drunk he would be hanging all over Jo. If she was not there then he missed Jo. If, however, he thought that he or his friends were not being respected, then look out! It was a verbal volcano heading your way. That is what happened to me one time. I was trying to talk with my friends close to where a drunken Roger was and I yelled at him to shut the hell up, you wannabe blond. We/I coped a mouthful back, all in the same sentence, that finished with: Sorry, I didn't realise you were on your rags (period)! I have to have the last word, so I told him the truth: I don’t get them yet! (I was a late starter.) He went so red in the face and called me JB [jail bait] from then.

You also mentioned Roger’s cat Ziggy having kittens. I read about this but never when exactly it was. Do you remember?

I think it was winter ‘73. I remember being cold when he was asking around the pub. [To find homes for the kittens, I gather.]

Is it quite strange reading fictional interpretations of real people you knew? When did you first find out there was Queen fanfic?

No, we used to make up stories about people all the time, a verbal fanfic. Was looking up Adam Lambert and came across the fanfics. Some had me in stitches! Others, like DoA, had me hooked.

Please, allow me to be a little self-indulgent at the end. What's one thing I got totally RIGHT in DoA?

All the Ibex stuff.

What's one thing I got totally WRONG in DoA?

Roger did not have a temper, and I don’t know what the go with his father was, but he would talk about him quite a bit and was always visiting his mum. [Absolutely fair, not only did I change the timeline of Roger’s parents divorce in DoA - for lack of information at the time - but also created a completely fictional narrative around it for the sake of storytelling.]

J, thank you so much for all this, sincerely. Can you tell me a little more about yourself? Are you still an artist?

I don't paint or draw any more. At the age of a 50 the doctors operated on an aneurysm or three, and now my eyesight is very bad, I have no fine motor skills and a tremor. I was married in January 1984 and have just celebrated our 37 year anniversary. I have one daughter who is 30 and two great, although tiring grandkids. A girl, 11, and one boy, 5. I have lived my life as the average middle class Australian with great memories. Talking with you has helped me a lot to remember a time when the world was mine for the taking. When I returned to OZ I started nursing, met my best friend, and we planned that once we graduated we would go back to London to study midwifery. But I fell in love instead.

J's wedding in 1984. As you can see, she found her own blue-eyed blond.

---

Upon request, J has shared some of her past and present artwork with me.

These are from her time at Ealing Art School:

These were done later, back in Australia:

J: Did this just before Christmas as you had inspired me. It did not require fine motor skills!

So there you have it! I hope you found this little glimpse through a 16-year-old girl’s eyes as much of a fascinating read as I did. I urge everybody one more time to remember that J did not have to share any of this, and I think we all owe her a big thank you for delving into her memories. She is likely to see the responses on AO3, so I have comment moderation enabled there as I will not let anybody harass this lovely lady. The tumblr she created is @since72, but she isn’t really an active user and also very new to it all. Again, I can only urge everybody to be respectful.

If you have other burning question for J, feel free to leave them in the comments on AO3. I will either pass them on, or she may want to reply to them herself directly.