#but she just has such an easygoing flair about it. it also helps that the end of the world is the most glaring issue atm but still

[anxiously-sidequesting]

i absolutely LOVE flawed fictional women so Ione is perfect to me because of her trust issues and how that affects the people around her but at the same time Velma Von Venkman, another fictional woman, is the target of these trust issues and as a result is isolated and avoided by Ione (and the rest of the scholars) and i find myself shedding solemn tears in my personal conflict

[cityoftheangelllls]

Entry 6 in my historical Disney Princess series: a beauty but a funny girl, that Belle!

I’ve really been looking forward to doing this one because Belle is my favorite Disney lady (tied with Cinderella) and I’ve also got a thing for fashion from the second half of the 18th century. I knew firsthand that Disney’s Beauty and the Beast would have to take place during the 1700s, since the original fairy tale, “La Belle et le Bete” was first published in the 1740s and a good handful of the concept art shows that the artists and animators were definitely going for an 18th century flair. Of course, like any Disney movie, it has its inaccuracies - one of them being the silverware forming the Eiffel Tower, which wasn’t completed until 1889, during “Be Our Guest”. They could have gone with Notre-Dame, but I guess audiences would have recognized the Eiffel Tower more. I don’t know. Anyway, B&TB has always had an 18th century flair to me, and this is retained in the (needless to say, atrocious) live-action remake, so that’s what I went with for Belle. For a time frame for research, I chose the 1760s - 70s, since fashions from this era seemed to suit Belle much better than the outrageous court gowns from during the French Revolution.

Working-class clothing for women seems to have changed little during the second half of the 18th century, so designing my historically-inspired version was easy enough. It consists of an underskirt/petticoat, a jacket/short gown (an upper layer worn by lower class people that saved fabric and also allowed for mixing and matching garments), an apron (as per the original design), and a fichu, a sort of lightweight shawl. Along with this extant example of a middle-class ensemble (wasn’t sure if it was too rich for a working class outfit? Anyway I thought it was pretty and suited Belle), I studied several paintings and drawings of working-class women from between the 1750s and 1770s, such as this and this. This and this were also a great help. I also gave her a mob cap and a bergere hat, like this one, as a working-class woman like Belle most likely would have covered her head while going out and about although I added a few haphazard strands of hair poking out, as in the movie, as I always thought those wayward strands of hair described Belle's carefree, easygoing personality so wonderfully. I also thought it would be a fun, period-accurate way to incorporate the hair ribbon she wears in the original design. The pink striped pattern I added to her short gown was just a pop of color other than blue, to avoid monotony.

The green library gown and pink "Something There" gown are essentially combos of a bunch of different "robes a la Anglaise" from between the 1750s and 1770s. The green gown, for instance, contains the general shape, underskirt, and ruffled trims down the overskirt of this gown, the ruffle around the neckline, button-front, and sleeves of this gown, and the floral pattern of this gown. The pink one is modeled after this dress and features similar trims to this gown (the pink one) and a fichu with a rose in the center like the one on this dress. And, with both outfits, I designed Belle's hairstyles after this portrait from the 1770s, of a woman whose hairstyle already looks a lot like Belle's ballgown hair! So I guess that style was pretty much accurate after all! My goal for both of these outfits was to design dresses that were lush and elegant, dresses that would have been in the Beast's castle, but not as extravagant as Belle's ballgown, as I wanted to depict Belle adjusting to life in the castle. Oh, and I also included another view of Belle in the pink dress, this time with a cloak, inspired in part by this one, over it.

And, last but certainly not least, we have her ball gown. I swear, I designed and scrapped at least two ideas for this one. It was the one I was looking forward to doing most, but in the end the hardest to design. I ended up looking at so! many! gowns!!! for inspiration. I found two mustard yellow robes a la francaise from the 1760s that absolutely screamed Belle so of course I had to throw a bit of them in there. I was also hugely inspired by the portraits of Madame de Pompadour by Francois Boucher, specifically this one and this one. They are from the 1750s, but I felt it would make sense for Belle's gown - hell, any of the dresses kept within the castle - to be from a decade or two ago, since the Beast kept himself in isolation from the world for a decade. And they give off huge Belle vibes too - the frills, the trims, the roses - ESPECIALLY the roses! After all, I wanted there to be a few touches of color in this sea of golden yellow - more specifically, ornamentation in the form of red roses. The trim at the bottom of the underskirt is a shout-out to the sashes adorning the skirt of Belle's gown in the original design. I was initially against adding bows to the stomacher, but I had no idea what to do otherwise, so I went with the bows, and now I think they look exquisite and don't take too much away from the other details! What do you think?

Commissions info

[mbtifork]

ITZY Personality Analysis

Somebody requested for me to do Itzy’s personalities, so here it is! Sorry for the late response and inactivity. 

Do note that I’m not a MIDZY, so I only relied on one series to type them - 2TZY on Youtube. I tried watching a Yuna Vlive, but it wasn’t subbed, so I just came to the conclusion that ITZY Vlives weren’t subbed, which is a pity.

Preface: To those who don’t know MBTI, there are 8 functions in four pairs. The judging functions (Fe-Ti and Fi-Te) are used in decision-making; Fe-Ti considering personal knowledge (Ti) and the opinions and feelings of others (Fe), or using hard logic and fact (Te), and a personal moral compass (Fi), while perceiving functions (Si-Ne and Se-Ni) are used for taking in information from surroundings (Se or Ne) and storing it in your “database” (Si or Ni)

As for enneagram, there are three triads: head triad (5, 6, 7) reveals how one deals with fear; heart triad (2, 3, 4) reveals how one deals with shame; and gut triad (8, 9, 1) reveals how one deals with anger. Each person has a tritype, and has one fix each from each triad.

In order from most to least confident in:

Yuna

ESFJ

This was somewhat obvious to me because of how the other members described her. Yuna enjoys complimenting people and lifting others up, and she’s extremely in tune with the emotions of people around her, which led me to think Fe-dom. She can be extremely nurturing, and she constantly says stuff like “You guys take care of me, so I should take care of you!” Then it led me to two choices - ESFJ and ENFJ. However, I barely saw Ni in her; she’s a lot more upbeat and excitable, which could be the tertiary Ne. She’s also pretty good at recollecting details (Si) and has that groundedness along with the sunny disposition of most ESFJs. Yuna also said she usually says stuff without much thought: predebut Yuna after hearing Dalla Dalla approached predebut Ryujin and went “Hey, isn’t this song soooo GOOD?!”, which leads me to go for inferior TI at the moment, though a weak example.

As for enneagram, I was thinking she could be a 2 with how much she enjoys helping others and how adept she is at it. Probably a 9 fix somewhere, and 7 head fix with how excitable and optimistic she is. Between 2w1 and 2w3 I’d go for 2w3, as Yuna mentioned that she’s a competitive person, which is a trait of most 3s. She also isn’t as hard on herself and doesn’t have strict principles to conform to like 1s do.

In conclusion: ESFJ 2w3 297

Yeji

ISFJ

Yeji has a pretty... Si-ish sense of humour. Dad jokes and puns, it’s cute when she laughs at it haha. As for Fe, she’s very in tune with the emotions of her other members, and talks a lot about how when she notices they want something, she’ll give it to them; sort of similar to the way Yuna gifts compliments. Yeji talks a lot about other people and their opinions, but her Si is more careful - Ryujin goes “lol let’s hug her’, while Yeji says “I would have had second thoughts before hugging someone” (dom Si and inf Ne). She’s also careful and meticulous, Si-dom traits, and like Chae, they’re both perfectionists who have a work-before-play mindset. There’s also an intriguing bit - Yeji talks about how people told her she dances by-the-book. Si is pretty adept in mimicking the moves of others while Fe is good at noticing this, so without Fi it would harder to add her own flair in, which seems like a pretty ISFJ struggle. Her inferior Ne shows when with Ryujin, when they both had to assign seasons to each other. (Yeji: “What if we chose the same seasons?” Ryujin:”Then we chose the same seasons”)

I’m guessing 9w1 for her enneagram. Easygoing, perceptive, positive-thinking. Her w1 lies in her perfectionistic and dedicated nature, and she does seem to be more hard on herself compared to the more chill 9w8. I’m guessing 6 fix for her which makes her more grounded and dependable and 2 fix because of how much she enjoys giving and caring for the members.

ISFJ 9w1 962 (??)

Chaeryeong

ISFJ 

Compared to Yeji, I see more Ti in Chae than I do with Yeji and see more Fe in Yeji than Chae, but both are still there. I feel like when Chae tries to explain things, she often talks more about her personal understanding and elaborates on it while Yeji talks more about the impacts it has on others. There’s this bit with Yuna, where she goes “Why would you do that?”, and Yuna goes “Just do it!”. Her Si-Ti can make her a lot more skeptical than Fe-Ne Yuna even if they have the same functions. She also seems to be good with her details of her memories, remembering acutely her routine. Inferior Ne I don’t know for now.  Her Si can make her seem pretty grudgeful although that seems to just be her humour and wit, but there’s that Fe that pokes out that makes her enjoy compliments from others.

I’m guessing 6w5 for her enneagram. Unlike Yeji, who’s more easygoing, Chaeryeong has more of that nervous undertone and is a lot more head-centred. She also kind of relies on self-depreciating humour at times? But at the same time, she’s dedicated and hardworking. w5 over w7 as I see her as more private and withdrawn than w7, who’d be a lot more outgoing. I chose 3 fix with how dedicated she is to her job as an idol, but I’m not sure whether she’d have a 9 fix (easygoing, pushes back anger) or 1 fix (perfectionistic and strict with their ideals)

ISFJ 6w5 639/1

Ryujin

ISTP

Unlike the rest of them, Ryujin is a thinker. She’s more rational, and contrasts to Yuna this way as they both have opposite dominant functions (they even address being opposites). Ryujin when called out has this tendency to give reasonings for why she did it (dom Ti). If something doesn’t align with how she thinks it is, she’ll call it out (”That isn’t really a fight though”). Compared to the rest of the ITZY members, Ryujin doesn’t seem like she has Si - no meticulous attention to detail, rather jumping into things, which seems more Se to me. She also can be pretty witty, with her double entendre (Ni), and there’s this time where Ryujin talks about wondering whether Dalla Dalla would be a hit when she heard it predebut, which would make her more forward thinking (tert Ni). Her inf Fe is interesting - she has this side of her that likes messing with people and getting reactions from them, and she also seems to secretly enjoy attention, oof. Her birthday message to Yuna also seemed inf Fe - “I think I might have been awkward with you and sometimes not so caring, but thanks for being by my side”

Frankly speaking, however, I don’t have much of an idea for her enneagram. I originally guessed 9w8 for how chill she seemed, and the 8 in her makes her somewhat competitive, but then I’m also considering 8w9. So I don’t know what her enneatype is. I’m guessing her heart fix is 3 and her head fix is 7.

ISTP 8w9/9w8 8/937

Lia

ENFP?

Okay, so Lia is probably the biggest mystery for me from all the ITZY members. I’m unsure of her type, and I’m unsure of her enneagram. I’m just taking a guess, so take note this may not be correct. 

Lia is pretty witty - she enjoys humour that most of the other members don’t find as hilarious, and she tosses in these snarky remarks here and there. She likes tossing in these random sayings that I have never heard someone say before (“Your butt will become hairy if you laugh while crying”), which comes off to me as Ne. Her Ne also makes her pretty easily distractible (eg joining a conversation as soon as an interesting topic comes out, neglecting her food). I guessed Fe with how caring she was, but that would make her xNTP (NeSi FeTi) and that didn’t sit right, and comparing her to the rest of the group, she didn’t seem as Fe, so I settled for Fi. This particular bit sounds like Fi-Te - “I’ll work hard (Te) so that I can proudly call myself Yuna’s sister (Fi)”, though not necessarily. Her Fi-Te can also be how firm she is on her opinions. I’m guessing inferior Si with how nostalgic over the future she is, and she has a lot of developing Si thoughts, like taking Yuna to drink wine, or admiring Yuna in her wedding dress. But I also considered INFP because the inf Te can make her more slothful, but I’m settling for ENFP for now, as she does seem to be Te>Si.

As for enneagram, I’m considering that her more slothful and lenient nature is attribute to 9. She seems relatively peaceful and easygoing like Yeji, mostly going her own pace. She finds tasks like moving overwhelming because there are things to pack and unpack.I’m not sure about her wing, but I don’t see the w8 anger/need for control in her, so I’ll go for 9w1. Strong 2 fix makes her more nurturing. I’m guessing her head fix to be 6.

So, ENFP 9w1 926

So yeah, that’s it for my mini analysis of their types! If there are any idols you want me to analyse, let me know :D

[werifestaria]

Hi I love your blog layout it so tidy!! Also would it be alright if I got a bnha matchup please?. My pronouns are she/her and I'm bisexual. My personality type is ISTJ, I'm a sagittarius sun, scorpio moon and libra rising. To the public I'm pretty closed off/reserved but with my friends I'm brave, loyal and love to laugh. I don't trust easily and I'm pretty cautious of everyone so I try to keep out of the way.

My hobbies include gymnastics which I did competitively and won a few medals, I also do figure skating and have leveled up pretty quickly at that. I workout everyday because even though I dont compete now I still want to improve and if anything I'm better now than I was back then.

I like indie music, horror movies mainly psychological, nature and wildlife and the peace and quiet it brings. I hate loud, busy places, untidy, dirty things and people messing up my routine.

My love language is quality time like I just wanna be around that person a lot. I think the love language that speaks to me most is probably also quality time, like the fact that they would want to be around me willingly seems so unfamiliar I love the idea of it. Also words of affirmation or physical touch, I'm awkward at giving those but receiving them would make me melt cause I'm not really used to any of it. My ideal dates are simple things like going on walks at like 3am or dancing in the livingroom or movie nights just cheap simple things like that.

hope that's okay sorry it kindof long :)

𝐦𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐚

Thank you so much for one of our first requests! We appreciate your love for the layout as well!! Tbh, I spent multiple hours straight getting it just right, so it’s a relief people find it pretty- and also, Scorpio moon gang! anyways, I hope you enjoy your matchup from me! Have a lovely day, hun

𝐦𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 . . .

𝐞𝐣𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐚 !

runner-up : hanta sero

Easily, Kirishima is one of BNHA’s most easygoing, compassionate characters. His heart is big and always in the right place. Based off of your description and his own array of traits, I think he is the perfect character for you! Like, almost a little too perfect. A Sagittarius and a Libra (Kirishima’s sun sign!) are said to be very compatible and harmonious. Even better, it’s also said that people are often drawn to others who have their sun sign in the ascendant—Kirishima being a Libra sun and you being a Libra rising! To make things even more fantastic, perfect, and everything in between, Kirishima’s MBTI (according to The Personality Database) is ESFP. Guess what? ISTJ’s and ESFP’s are said to be extremely compatible! Of course, he’d find your inner demeanor to be extremely attractive. As he is naturally social, he wouldn’t mind your reserved nature and would pursue you in both friendship & romance regardless. Your outer shell would only lead him to appreciate your comical inner-self even more! He’d greatly admire your bravery and loyalty as well—it’s not something you see often anymore, after all. He’d try to bring the best out of you as naturally as possible, letting you do the same to him. Easily, he’s the most supportive boyfriend you could ever get! This man would adore you with patience, admiration, and sheer love, all with his own cheesy, dorky flair. I imagine Kirishima is careful in love, yet just as bold as the sun. He’s grounded, but on his most passionate days, his admiration can never be paralleled. You’d simply make him weak in the knees with every glance you’d spare him!

𖥸 Your music taste simply infects him. Imagine him listening to indie music with you 🥺🥺 your head in his lap as he plays with your hair- omg!! he loves to just sit and vibe with you. Nothing can compare to the fun you have on your chilliest days- he loves spending time with you in little ways like that

𖥸 Workout dates!! He’s infatuated with you for many reasons, but one of them is because you work out. The dude literally thinks it’s the coolest thing in the world and he adores working out with you. It’s easily his kryptonite lol

𖥸 Kiri has no concept of grace, so he is extremely impressed with your gymnastics and figure skating skills!! He could watch you do your thing for hours tbh. Like, slack-jawed and wide-eyed. In fact, I think he’d try to incorporate more nimbleness to his moves even though such a feat is kinda difficult when you can turn into rock. You gotta give him some credit tho- we all know he can be a little too opportunistic!! Just imagine him tripping all over himself because he wants to be nimble like you- that little blush on his face as he apologies for being a dummy- aww 💕💕

𖥸 Simply the king of casual dates. Sure, he’d love to spoil you with the stars and more, but he knows you like it calm- fr, you two are actually the cutest when it comes to staying up late and just messing around with no care in the world 💕 also, nature dates? Small picnics in the park?? I bet he’d love to go hiking with you. He likes to point out cool flowers or pretty weeds whenever you two are outside for even the shortest amount of time

𖥸 He loves watching horror movies with you.. even though they scare him a little bit LMAO- but just cuddling with you as your favorite movie plays in the background is simply heaven to him. Maybe you can turn him into a psychological horror buff!!

𖥸 He is also the king of words of affirmation~ the dude loves to remind you about how much you mean to him and how confident you make him feel within himself

You two really are couple goals imo 💕💕💕

𝐦𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡

Gahhh!! I was so excited to ship you with someone!! Thank you so much for requesting!! Also! Don’t worry about long bios in your matchup requests! The longer they are the more mod Ara and I can assess who’s best for you! Its definitely preferable. I hope you enjoy who I match you with. ^w^

𝐦𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 . . .

⠀

𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐨 !

runner-up : hanta sero

In my opinion, I feel that Mina is the perfect match for you!! First lets get some compatible basics out of the way. Like our good friend Kirishima above, Minas MBTI is also an ESFP (according to the personality database lol). As we know, ESFPs tend to be the most compatible with ISTJs. To add onto that, Mina just so happens to be a Leo!! Leos and Sagittarius's are often compared to soulmates and having a twin flame like connection! It’s a little scary how well you two fit each other, personality dynamics and all. Though you may have been cautious and quiet at first meet, Mina most likely pestered and wiggled her way into your life! She loves making new friends anyhow, and saw no issue in going out of her way to talk to you every chance she could. Now becoming your girlfriend later on would just be an added bonus for her! You better believe she finds your bravery admirable, it drives right up her alley. The two of you would make an absolute power couple, even a fan favorite!! Often, she’d make jokes or even play along with ones that you make in return, just to be able to hear your laughter. It fills her stomach with butterflies and she’s near falling apart at the seams with every melodic giggle. Get ready to be showered in compliments and praise, that’s this girls specialty, and she’d happily fluster you any day with her sickeningly sweet words. 

𖥸 Mina would probably ask you to spar with her a lot. Practicing new moves and quirk related techniques. God knows she loves staying active, and doing something she deems this fun with someone she loves. It makes the moment even more worth while. With your experience in gymnastics, you’d find that you’re able to run circles around this girl with your skill. Afterwards she’d probably offer a massage to ease any sore muscles. 

𖥸 Now as much as Mina would probably prefer a night on the town as a date, she would not think twice about choosing a secluded casual option for your comforts sake. Be that stargazing or even staying in to watch one of those horror films  that you love oh so much over popcorn and sodas. (She’s actually terrified of them, and has a weak stomach, but she’d never tell you that.) 

𖥸 Aimless car drives. Picture the sun setting, painting the sky in a soft pink and an orange hue flickering off of the distant buildings. Your preferred indie song blaring through the speaker while the two of you belt out the lyrics. Neither of you can hear each other over the sound of the wind rolling in through open windows, or how high she cranked the volume. You’ll definitely have to be the one to turn it back down, she can’t help but love loud music, even if the music wasn’t intended to be loud in the first place lol. 

𖥸 Don’t be surprised if she comes to you one day with a gift bag in hand. Every time she goes into a store she has to come out with something that reminds her of you. She’s not even aware of it either until you point it out. This could range from something as simple as your favorite drink to a giant teddy bear that she claimed resembled you. The possibilities are endless. 

𖥸 My word is she in love, infatuated even. That one night she caught you dancing about in the kitchen, probably making a late night snack, she couldn’t look away. In fact, she still thinks about it from time to time. How happy and carefree you looked lip-syncing the lyrics, in the silliest kinds of pjs you owned. She tried to sneak her way in, trying her best to not to make you jump in surprise, though she probably failed with how eager she actually zoomed in. Her love for dancing couldn’t go unnoticed here, oh no, not now. She brought you in close with a twirl under her arm, her smile the widest you’ve seen it. Her flirty nature, only for you, had her compliments laced with sugar and honey. Who knows how long the two of you spent dancing and goofing off to your playlist in that darned kitchen. 

Gosh the two of you make me squeal!! There’s absolutely no way you aren’t made for each other!  

𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫

𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭-𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 !

[ambitionsource]

hi can we get some zaley friendship headcanons whenever you're free? ☺️

im not the best at headcanons just bc of the way my brain functions but im gonna do my best for you, sunny my friend. let’s go zay and riley let’s go!

thrift shop buddies!! one of the most common ways that they hang out is definitely going thrifting. considering they arguably have the two most eclectic wardrobes on the show, this makes sense. esp i fully believe they’re the perfect people to thrift shop with where they encourage each other to try on everything, even if it seems outlandish (and sometimes even more in those moments). that’s the only way to really get some good finds! and i feel like, beyond S1, when they wear items for performances in the show that are clearly unique / seem thrifted, it’s more than 50% likely the other helped them pick it out at some point

on this note, i think that they both have really good senses of what looks good on the other bc they spend this time together, probably better than anyone else (yes, including their significant others. not that that’s hard, since both of their significant others have notoriously bland fashion). like even when theyre not out together i can totally imagine them seeing something and being like “oh this is so riley / zay” and getting it for each other. they know each other’s sizes and have like an ongoing swap credit system gfJSKHJDLFH

riley and zay usually run performance by the other person before they perform them for the class / at an audition. like they find a specific time (usually during breakout sessions during class) to get in front of the other person and run them through their concept + do a run-through for them. they just really appreciate the other’s perspective, especially since they tend to complement each other -- zay is able to identify places where riley could heighten things or add some flair or just like... assert her talent more lmao, whereas riley helps zay pull back on some of his more overwhelming instincts when necessary or find the moments to truly lean in emotionally rather than blowing us out of the water the whole time

if we could actually Watch the show, i guarantee 9/10 times when riley or zay is performing, we would cut to the other enjoying the performance. like theyre always bobbing their head along and truly feelin the other’s performances. excellent vibes luv!

i also think they harmonize well with each other, which is why its kind of a shame they dont do more performances together within the context of assignments (as for why, couldn’t tell you... it might just be a weird psychological thing of like i have These people i perform with when it matters and these who are just for fun... like maybe zay and riley tend to see each other as easygoing comfortable duet partners and thats why they try not to overdo putting pressure on it). but yeah they absolutely have days where they just hang out in one of the rehearsal studios and play around on the piano and try to find ways to harmonize on their favorite songs. this is some of the best singing riley ever does, bc its so low stakes and fun

i also think that honestly, zay really helps strengthen riley’s vocals over the time they’re friends -- especially early on. riley is someone with good raw talent but she’s never thought about honing it seriously prior to joining aaa, whereas zay has been on a career mindset since he was little. so he is good at teaching her like small technique things or helping her expand her range and she really values that esp bc hes so selfless about giving it, but it doesnt come off naggy or unnecessary like maya’s advice often does

sometimes it can be hard for them to find songs they both wanna sing though bc their music taste is so different. i think they have like three small categories where their favorites overlap -- select big names (sza, chloe x halle), jazz / old-time crooners (frank sinatra, nina simone, and the like), and select musical theater. but i think this is mainly on zay, bc he’s much more picky about music than riley who will give anything a listen without much nudging. as we know zay likes to pick on his friends’ music taste (like charlie and harry styles / 1d) and i don’t think riley would escape this affectionate teasing. they exchange song recs and riley gives him like her usual piano ballad-y sara bareilles tswift rachael yamagata energy and shes like oh yes, another piano ballad and hes like STOP!!! JUST LISTEEEENNNN GFSJKLHJFDSKLHKDLFH

that said though, they’re definitely go-to friends when it comes to like checking out a new local artist or coffeeshop open mic nights. this is probably a typical zay / riley / yindra outing

zay doesn’t spend a ton of time watching tv bc “he has better things to do with his time,” but riley and zay are definitely the type to watch a show together. like not always Together, but they’ll try to keep up with each other so that they can talk about it (and riley has to try really hard not to keep binging and get way ahead of zay). theyre good at this bc they can have really intense and opinionated conversations about it but in a way where its like safe and neither of them feel like theyre actually being judged / are stupid if they disagree (something thats not common for riley, and zay usually is trying to discuss media with super strong personalities who aren’t great at Debating).

in general, though, they tend to agree on favorite characters / relationships. for example, they both hate rachel berry -- which always gets maya and farkle extremely heated if they’re around. i can only imagine why...

they’re also definitely safe-space vent people for each other. they don’t use the privilege all that often bc i think both of them try to like keep their cool and not get hung up about things, but if they really just have to pop off about something they know they can go to the other person and they’ll actually Listen and keep it under wraps rather than either spilling it to everyone else and/or immediately trying to problem solve rather than just listening to the Emotions. and it’s helpful bc for the most part, their friends don’t actually really overlap that much, so they don’t really like harbor the emotions the other person unloads on them or let it affect their dynamics with other people? like riley can talk about dasher and zay can talk about yingel without it having any ripple consequences bc theyre different circles.

for example, i can totally see riley talking to zay about how she feels like -- at first -- asher doesn’t really like her and won’t really let her in and like he doesn’t want her to join the friend group (even tho that isn’t really true). like she can’t talk to dylan about it bc she’s not going to put him in that position and she’s not foolish enough to think that’s a good idea, she can’t talk to lucas about it bc he like doesn’t get stuff like that gFJKHGLFJSDLH and also he has such a set impression of asher it would be hard for him to understand it from her perspective. zay has none of that, so hes a good person to listen to her nerves about it.

the only times this gets kind of complicated / janky is in the midst of zay x charlie stuff where riley is kind of unintentionally (or, sometimes, intentionally) in the middle. like, zay trusts her not to go telling charlie what he says about him, but he knows they’re good friends too, and its an awkward position to put her in. but still, i think when zay is really hurt or frustrated he’ll snap sometimes and just vent out all his anger about charlie to riley in one foul swoop, and she’ll just absorb it like a sponge without judgment and then not bring it up again. but you can also see little ways where this puts pressure on their friendship, like how when he was drunk in 304 zay expressed resentment towards the fact that riley also talks to charlie and sometimes he feels like she puts him first, even though that isn’t true. it’s just..... a very very complicated (and interesting, if emotional) situation with that trio.

that being said, when things are Good, i think that zay feels comfortable talking about his significant others (including charlie) with riley. he doesn’t really get too Detailed about anything personal or anything, but they definitely discussed charlie in s2 in the small window of time where riley knew and zc wasn’t actively imploding LMAO. on the flip side, riley doesn’t really talk to zay about her relationships, but only bc her relationship is lucas GJFSKLJHLKDJHFLDSH. like anyone else she’d be like okay sure this is fine but she knows zay finds lucas annoying 65% of the time and talking about him in a romantic context grosses him out so she respects that LMAOOOO. hysterical

in general, if they’re gonna hang out, they usually go to either a local coffee shop they like (like svorskis) or each other’s houses. its kind of a relief to have a person they can just take anywhere and have around their parents with no trouble at all, considering both of them are used to having a boyfriend who cant be seen in their house (for different reasons). and theyre comfortable enough that like i think when they hang out at their houses, they just spread out in the living area of both bc theyre not hiding anything, its like very lowkey and comfortable

that being said, riley doesnt spend much time in zay’s usual studio at school. most people don’t, its a place zay now likes to be alone (and it feels weird with someone else being there who isnt charlie)

as for how they come off to their families, the babineauxs love riley. jada has met her a couple of times and thinks she’s super sweet + zay could afford to learn a thing or two from her like how to chill the fuck out (cue zay going shut the fuck up). donna is excited that zay has another friend who isn’t batshit intense about stuff like maya / farkle, she figures yindra has the diva best friend role covered and zay needs more friends like nigel and riley to ground him. she’s right about this.

cory likes zay, but he also does have some prejudices from the teaching perspective about how zay doesn’t pay attention in class half the time and blows off his assignments -- but this isn’t partially because cory isn’t a great teacher and his assignments suck. so the feeling is mutual, tho zay gets along better with cory in a neutral, polite sense than say, asher and dylan, where it’s like guerilla psychological warfare. topanga has no opinion about zay bc riley doesn’t introduce her friends to her (wisely).

they’re still very common lunch buddies. essentially when riley isn’t eating with the techies (which is only when lucas is there usually) or bothering lucas in the booth once a week, she’s with zay (which usually also means nigel, yindra, and farkle, though not always)

ultimately, i think that when someone asks riley who her best friend is, her mind will always jump to zay first. not even because theyre necessarily the closest at any given time, but because he really was her first life raft at aaa and he extended that kindness to her in a moment where she was so used to being brushed aside, talked over, ridiculed -- and you don’t forget that. it stays with you. so when she thinks about her Best Friend, speed round answer, he will always come to mind first. i think she greatly admires his skillful balance of confidence and compassion, his sarcastic sense of humor, the way he gets so passionate about dance and music and how these elements come together, and his inarguable kindness that is at his core and so fundamental to everything he does (even when his more known reputation is a bit more barbed and witty).

on the flip side, i think riley came into zay’s life at the exact moment he needed it. we know he felt isolated in s1, and even though i think he thinks of nigel and yindra as his first-to-mind best friends, riley was a breath of fresh air who allowed him to be himself with someone who wasnt going to judge him on past decisions or impressions. just like he gave her the chance to define herself in his eyes with his extension of company on that first day, she does the same for him by not making assumptions about him and learning who he is on their terms. i think she’s also just a really great, measured system of support -- she’s not busting his balls or keeping him in check like yindra and nigel do (except when its really needed, like 304), but she isn’t as in awe / romanticized with him like charlie. i think he appreciates that he can go to her for an honest perspective, but she’ll take the care to deliver that honesty in a gentle way. it’s like, he’s tough enough to take a hit, but sometimes its nice to know you have someone who will be kind with you even then.

that’s what is at the core of their friendship overall. kindness.

-- Maggie

[maddmuses]

Caroline Kent // Kara-El

(fc: Cassidy Mackenzie)

Age: 17+ (Verse-Dependent)

Aliases: Supergirl, Miss Krypton, Carolina Kent

Date of Birth: April 1st

Species: Alien Hybrid

Affiliations: The Kent Family, The House of El, The Teen Titans (Blair Grayson's Team)(Alexandros Prince's Team), The Titans (Blair Grayson's Team)(During and after age 19)

Universe-Inspiration: Takes inspiration primarily from comics, but several other key media sources for Teen Titans and Young Justice. Has been adjusted to accommodate more depthful plotting w/ pick-your-poison-please, M’gann version available upon request.

Appearance Caroline in her truest form has no natural shape that's discernible between martian and kryptonian, due to the unusual nature of their biologies, she didn't come with much of a natural form, as her birthing was not only atypical due to parentage, but even atypical for a martian. Through this, her mother guided her molecules to a baseline form that appeared human when she was birthed, and it's largely this form that Caroline bases her favorite form on. Caroline, in her primary human appearance, has red hair and fair skin with a large dusting of freckles overing her face and body. The shape of her face is on the square side, distinctly resembling her fathers, while she tends to shift the color of her eyes between hazel, green, and blue, depending on her mood.

When shifting her appearance to a more “Miss Martian” style, Caroline will often intentionally emulate her mother's previous appearance, so as to make sure her Supergirl and Miss Martian looks aren't as easily linked. As a rule, Caroline will maintain her appearance's height to have a difference between identities. Caroline is usually roughly 5'3”, Miss Martian is 5'6”, while Supergirl is 5'9”, so as to further make her appearances more distinct.

Caroline often prefers blouses and jeans, bull will generally key her designs to appear fashionable, and to correlate with her mood.

FC to reference, though her Superfamily suit tends to resemble more recent takes of Kara’s, particularly it being more built and designed to function as a supersuit, rather than a costume that identifies her as Supergirl.

Personality Growing up in the Kent family, with a double dose of sunshine from her mother, M'gann, and godmother, Kara, Caroline is a cheerful young woman with a deep caring for others. It was this sense of caring that initially drew Caroline to the life of a superhero, literally finding herself unable to be inactive when others are in danger. She has little interest in stopping crime specifically, instead intervening in order to make sure that people aren't hurt, or to protect the world itself from destruction. Though, to this point, Caroline is even reluctant to hurt those she fights, holding back just enough of her strength that she hits her adversaries with roughly the amount of force that they, themselves, can put out.

Wildly protective of those she cares about, Caroline has been known to lose her temper when people have put her friends and family in harm's way, to the point that she forgets to hold herself back. This results in a frankly, brutal punishment on the part of Caroline, as she will quickly and efficiently do away with any threat to her loved ones. These people that she cares about often include her teammates, but it's proven time and again that Caroline easily develops emotional attachments to others.

Taking readily after her godmother, people have compared Caroline to a chipper, friendly, and more than a bit goofy, puppy. Often joking and pulling pranks on her friends, she rarely takes things seriously in her Kent persona. This will often come back, though, as Caroline will let this non-serious nature bleed into her personalities as Miss Martian and Supergirl as well, forgetting in the heat of the moment. This can cause her to occasionally blunder, in mostly very minor ways, though sometimes it can be end up downright catastrophic when Caroline decides to be too easygoing. That's not accounting for the actual physical clumsiness that Caroline is also known for, despite her superhuman speed and reflexes.

The above is more or less applicable, just know that Caroline is peak madlad, like her dad.

Biography The daughter of Kon-El and M'gann M'orzz, Caroline is the eldest of the pair's children, as well as the twin sister of Carter Kent, also known as Kar-El. Growing up in Smallville Kansas, on the Kent family farm, Caroline was exposed to her family's alien nature almost as soon as she was able to form sentences. Her and Carter's superhuman abilities were inborn on the martian side, and were apparent almost immediately, making it difficult for them to socialize with other children who were outside of their parent's circle. Though, on the other hand, from a very early age Caroline and Carter befriended many children of other superhumans, often having play-dates with the children of Aquaman and Mera.

As a toddler Caroline developed a fairly sophisticated control of her body, taught by her mother, in preparation for the family's first visit to Mars. While on the red planet, as a member of the white martian caste, even though her mother was allied with their “uncle” J'onn J'onzz, Caroline still experience a sense of isolation from the other martians, even with those who were roughly her emotional maturity, but still several decades her chronological senior. And while her and Carter would visit their mother's homeworld several more times over the years, they would continue to never feel particularly at home each time.

Growing up in Smallville was a much easier thing for Caroline, being with her grandparents, uncle, “aunt” Kara, and great-grandparents, she always was surrounded with a strong sense of community and family. This would only grow as Caroline's younger brothers would come into the scene, giving Caroline a group of people that she cared about intensely, more than anyone or anything else in the world, even herself.

During her early adolescence, Caroline would ask her parents if she could become the next Supergirl, or rather seek out permission to fight crime as her aunt Kara's sidekick. Tentatively, this was approved, under the condition that Caroline not actively seek out global-level threats that she isn't directly helping Kara with, or other Justice League type of situations or missions. As there were no Titans, or Teen Titans, at the moment, there was little purpose in trying to find other teen heroes for her to work in a team with. However, over the first few years of her heroing, Caroline would meet and make friends with the current Robin, Blair Grayson.

During the summer of her fourteenth year, and third year as Supergirl, now sometimes Miss Martian, Caroline would become a founding member of the a new Teen Titans team, compromised of herself, Robin, Wonderboy, and several new teen heroes. Not initially permitted to live in Titan's Tower, due to parental concerns, Caroline would often simply use her room in the tower to sneak boys and girls in to make out. As the Summer drew on, and the Titans got more missions under their belt, Caroline would eventually be permitted to live in Titan's Tower full-time, so long as an adult chaperon remained at the tower full-time as well.

Pretty much the same, although martian stuff would need to be removed.

Abilities and Skills -Alien-Level Intelligence: Due to the more advanced nature of both parent societies raising the average bar of learning for members of the kryptonian and martian cultures, Caroline is actually considered highly intelligent by Earthling standards, being able to pass a GED test at the age of fourteen, with a rather relaxed home-based education from her grandfather that's designed to supplement her public schooling. -Creativity and Combat Acumen: Caroline has a natural flair for fighting, able to use her powers in improvisational ways, blending the significant abilities in her martian and kryptonian arsenals to deal with villains in unexpected ways. Particularly, Caroline is well-known for utilizing her shapeshifting to great effect in tandem with her kryptonian strength and speed to put away foes. As well, her natural flair for Telekinesis, and particularly strong skill in self-elongation, allows her to rival her father's own ability to use his telekinesis. -Artistic Ability: Caroline enjoys painting and crafts, spending a lot of her free time on art. She enjoys her middle school art classes, and is considering it as a major in college. She is also deeply passionate about music. -Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic): Not having any formal instruction, Caroline has learned some basic self-defense from her mentor Kara, but largely combats others with a very fundamental approach to fighting. Currently, Caroline's fighting skill involves a lot of telegraphed and obvious punches that disguise much more subtle folow-ups.

Superhuman Powers and Abilities -Kryptonian-Martian Hybrid Physiology: Due to Caroline's mixed parentage, Caroline benefits from the powers of both parents, though due to her adolescence has only manifested a limited catalog of kryptonian powers, as well as her martian abilities. Her Kryptonian and human components allow Caroline to age at a rate typical of humans a kryptonians, rather than that of a martian. --Shapeshifting: As is typical for any martian, Caroline has perfect control over her physical form, to a molecular level. Through this, she's able to change her form, mimic the forms of others, elongate parts of herself, increase or decrease her size, and manipulate the density of her own body to the point that she can phase through solid matter. Through this, Caroline often adopts a more human/kryptonian appearance, with blended features from both parents, while as a martian she tends to strongly resemble her mother. --Invisibility: Caroline is able to remove the ability to reflect light from her biopolymers, becoming fully transparent, specifically to normal light and human sight. --Invulnerability: Immune to most mundane forms of injury, Caroline cannot be injured through typical physical means, by normal humans. In order to injure Caroline one must attack her with a similar degree of superhuman power, in terms of strength, or some means that directly targets Caroline's physiology (such as kryptonite, anti-molecular attacks, or the like). Caroline's invulnerability conspicuously does not extend to flame or heat, though in reality it shouldn't be able to harm Caroline, her phobia of fire causes her to telekinetically shut down her own immunity to these sources of injury. Caroline's phobia doesn't extend to solar energy and heat, which fuels her powers typically, so long as she's aware that is the nature of said energy. --Superhuman Strength: Due to the naturally more dense nature of kryptonian molecules, as well as the acclimation to more intense gravity that is inherent to kryptonian musculoskeletal systems, Caroline has a degree of physical strength scaled relative to her father's family, proportional to someone of her body mass and size. --Superhuman Speed: Thanks to her unique physiology, both in part the martian and kryptonian components, Caroline is able to move at speeds faster than any normal human. At her cruising speed, Caroline is able to move roughly 1,500 miles per hour. Generally, Caroline can top out at about 4,000 miles per hour. --Superhuman Stamina: Caroline is able to act at her full physical capacity nearly indefinitely, her powers not exhausting her naturally, unless she's experiencing some manner of taxing her energy, or is injured. --Regeneration: Through control of her own molecules, as well as her kryptonian healing factor as a byproduct of radiation absorption, Caroline is able to recover from most types of wounds, and even use her martian regeneration to regrow lost limbs and organs. --Telekinesis: Inherited from both her parents, Caroline is able to manipulate objects via a kinetic field that her mind is able to project. The strength of this telekinetic field grows stronger the physically closer to her it is, being at its strongest if Kent is touching the target object. This telekinesis's strength scales directly to Caroline's willpower. ---Flight: Through her telekinesis Caroline is able to fly herself with perfect control. She does not quite have the type of flight that kryptonians can manifest, and accordingly lack the speed. Caroline moves about 120 miles per hour when flying in the earth's atmosphere. --Superhuman Hearing: Caroline's ears are able to hear noise at frequencies and volumes not audible to Earthling ears, even being able to pick up sounds from further away than they're able to travel. Kryptonian hearing is able to pick up noise from multiple lightyears away, through the noise vacuum of space. --Super-Vision: Like other kryptonians, Caroline is able to see in several spectrums of light that humans normally cannot perceive, as well as extend and zoom her sight. Caroline is able to project X-Rays. --Telepathy: As is the case with all Martians, Caroline is able to connect her mind to the minds of others, to read their thoughts, influence change on their minds, project illusions, communicate, and control. Caroline is able to access the Great Mind of the martian species, reinforcing her mental abilities through that pool, and enhancing the minds of other martians. --Self-Sustenance: Caroline doesn't need to eat, breathe, or drink, so long as she has a sufficient source of solar radiation, or stored solar radiation to draw her sustenance from.

Typical Kryptonian Abilities

Weaknesses and Limitations -Pyrophobia: Through her connection to The Great Mind, Caroline has developed the falsely-programmed fear and aversion to fire that all Martians have. When she's exposed to heat that she doesn't know is the result of a star, Caroline becomes sluggish, weak, and vulnerable to heat-based attacks. -Kryptonite: Like any kryptonian, Caroline is vulnerable to kryptonite, the radiations of these rocks progressively draining her solar radiation, and actively inhibiting her martian powers as well, as the two have largely become linked thanks to the hybridized nature of Caroline's physiology. The only martian power she maintains is her shapeshifting, while suffering from kryptonite poisoning. -Long Wavelength Radiation: Radiation with a longer wavelength than that of a yellow sun does not fuel Caroline's powers, and in fact certain wavelengths of red sun radiation can actively drain her stores of yellow radiation, as it's replaced with the new red radiation. Conversely, the shorter the wavelengths of radiation, the more power Caroline gains. -Limited Powerset: Caroline's powers develop as she age. Notably she lacks certain iconic powers (such as heat vision and kryptonian flight) during her teenage years that can somewhat limit her ability to fight.

Equipment and Support Gear -Bioflesh Costume: Caroline owns a suit made of the same material as her mother's, and every other Martian that leaves their home planet. The costume helps insulate Caroline from heat, unless she reduces said insulation, which she often does so as to better absorb sunlight. Polymers and artificially-created martian body cells in the costume allow Caroline to exert the same degree of control over the article of clothing that she has with any of her own molecules. Through this, the Bioflesh is able to take on any shape, design, and density, that she desires.

Kryptonian Battle Armor: A suit of his grandfather’s design it, like other kryptonian heroes, keys into her DNA and allows Caroline’s powers to be amplified, though any powers from non-kryptonian DNA, if she’d had any, would have been dampened. This is why her father doesn’t wear it, as his tactile telekinesis is a human mutation.

[nicolewrites]

The Ecruteak Incident

You guys can thank @thecoordinatorsquad for this one.  Sequel/Prequel to ‘enter stage left’

Words: 3,658 FFN | AO3

When May arrives in Ecruteak City, the sun is still high in the sky. It’s a nice change from many of the later arrivals she’s been having since travelling on her own. Without Ash’s drive to reach the next city and the next gym as fast as possible, May has found herself distracted by training, relaxing and wildlife between towns and she often arrives just as night is falling.

It’s just after noon as she sets foot on the cobblestone streets that are a tribute to the older days. She notes, with interest, that many of the buildings are constructed in older, more traditional styles and with more muted colour palettes. The guidebook that she carries on hand tells her that it is out of respect for the Bell Tower that stands just to the north of the city.

Her first impression of the city is quaint: it’s smaller and less bustling than many of the other cities she’s visited in Johto so far, but it is definitely more pedestrian friendly. There are definitely still a fair share of coordinators and contest fans mulling about with the contest being two days away. The cobblestone streets are obviously not meant for cars, and the small market kiosks lining the streets further encourage walking over driving.

To the north, May observes the old Bell Tower rising on the horizon and she makes a mental note to visit it. Following her map towards the Pokémon Centre, she walks past the city’s gym. The building is like the rest of the city, painted in muted colours, but there are cheers from within and May smiles. Sometimes she misses watching Gym Battles. Ash certainly had a flair for making them interesting. Max was leaving in September, so maybe she should make some time to watch a few of his battles.

There are large maple trees on several street corners with their big green leaves open to the sky. It reminds her of Petalburg and the tree that’s on the corner near the gym. This part of the city, May knows, will be exceptionally beautiful in the fall when the leaves change colour and start to fall. She hopes she’ll have the opportunity to return for it, but her carefully planned schedule–Drew’s idea, not hers–says that this contest in Ecruteak is the only one for the season. The city wasn’t much for pageantry–much more about tradition.

She spots the crowd about a block from the PokéCentre and her heart sinks in her chest. It’s a group of, mostly, young teenage girls, some older and some younger than herself. None of the girls in particular are familiar, but the hunches of their backs and the high pitched giggles are all too familiar.

Fangirls.

Of course there are fangirls here. There is a contest in two days and there are some higher-profile coordinators entering. Plus, this is one of the larger cities in the region so the increased population of fans also makes sense. May walks hesitantly towards the Centre, just hoping not to get mauled by excited girls.

To her surprise, they don’t seem to pay her any attention as she approaches. They are much more interested in whoever is inside the Pokémon Centre as displayed by the way they keep glancing in the windows and giggling. Unfortunately, their crowd extends to block the front entrance which means May will have to wade right through them.

She takes a deep breath to steel her nerves and pushes through the first few, excusing herself politely. “Excuse me, just need to pass by,” she murmurs, trying to move unseen.

She gets almost to the door when one fan turns and stares her directly in the face. “Hey!” the girl exclaims, “What right do you have moving us from our view?”

May sighs. “Sorry, I was just trying to get into the Pokémon Centre. I need to register for the contest.”

“Register?” another girl pipes up, sounding scandalized. “You can’t compete! You can’t be given the opportunity to win.”

May frowns. “Well, that’s not how coordinating works. The best coordinator in the contest will win the ribbon.”

The first girl put her hands on her hips and gives May a condescending once-over. “Well that’s obviously not going to be you, so maybe you should just run along.”

May’s anger bubbles up. No one gets to talk to her like that, except maybe Drew, but he’s always teasing when he does. Before she can burst with frustration, one of the other girls stumbles away from the window, squealing dramatically.

The doors to the Pokémon Centre slide open and all the girls fall completely silent, staring in awe at the person who emerges from inside. May just exhales in relief. Out of all the people, he’s probably not a bad one to save her from this situation, even if he’ll never let her live it down again.

Drew looks puzzled by the situation, but he walks out towards May anyways. The girls part like the sea for him and he stands next to his rival, glancing at the girl who had been giving May spite.

“Maple, you made it before dark for once. I guess I can call off that search party,” he jokes. His tone is easygoing and relaxed. He seems to be completely ignoring the fans and is instead focused on May.

Smugness curls in her belly as May smiles at him. “Haha, Drew. I know you didn’t beat me here by much. You were coming from Blackthorn, weren’t you? I was only in Violet City, my journey was much shorter.”

He shrugs. “I still beat you here, and I’m all registered for the contest. You should do the same. We don’t want a repeat of the Len Town Contest do we?”

May frowned. She didn’t need reminding of her first blunder of the season. She had forgotten how busy the first contest of the season was and had arrived too late to register, leaving Drew with only Solidad as an obstacle for the ribbon. He had won and he still wouldn’t let her live it down, even as they planned an appropriate route through the region, determining at which contests they would butt heads.

“I’m getting there,” she says after a brief pause.

He laughs and just gestures back to the door. “Come on then.”

May steps towards Drew, and freedom from the swarm of fangirls, when one pipes up. “But, Mr. Drew! How can you encourage competition?”

Drew frowns at the girls. “I’ve asked you all already to leave me alone, I don’t want to get Officer Jenny involved. May is my rival, and my friend and none of you bear that distinction, so you should all scram before I report you for harassment.”

It takes a minute, but the gravity of his words sinks in and the girls start to leave, but not without glancing back at him as they go. Drew sighs and rubs his temples.

“Let’s get out of here, please,” he says, annoyance still heavy in his voice.

May laughs. “Oh but Drew, you have to tell me more,” she teases. He levels a hard look at her and May laughs again. “I’m only kidding. I find them incredibly annoying as well, don’t worry.”

They walk into the Pokémon Centre as Drew complains about how they’ve been following him around since he arrived in town. May giggles. She has her own set of fans, but none of them are ever as bad as the cult of fangirls that follow her rival around.

May does end up registering for the contest in time, and the morning of, she heads down to the lobby to get breakfast before heading over to the hall. Drew is sitting at one of the tables in the cafeteria with an empty plate and a steaming, half-full cup of coffee in front of him. He’s flipping through a newspaper and only looks half-awake.

May’s heart tightens as she watches him. It’s strangely domestic and almost cute. She blushes and shakes off the feeling, heading to gather her own plate of breakfast. After taking a generous helping–she’s hungry, there’s no excuse–she heads back towards where he was sitting. May places her plate down and slides in across from him.

He glances up only briefly to acknowledge her presence. “May,” he greets casually, before returning his attention to the article he’s reading.

She takes a couple bites of her food before curiosity wins out. “What are you reading about?”

He puts the paper down and slides it towards her. She notes the headline: ‘Excitement Continues Around Conclusion of Wallace Cup in Sinnoh’. May smiles. She skims the article briefly. It talks about the contest, the venue, and her and Dawn’s battle in the final. Curiously, she notes the fact that Johto and Hoenn were both bidding for the next Wallace Cup.

“It seems the coordinating world was pretty impressed by your new style out there. Even if you did manage to lose to a rookie,” Drew comments, stealing his newspaper back.

May rolls her eyes. “Dawn was good. And besides, her mom was a Top Coordinator before either of our times so she’s grown up around it. I almost won the Violet City Contest after I got back anyway. My slump is over, we both know that.”

Drew shrugs. “We’ll see today, I guess.”

May sticks her tongue out at her rival, who shares a rare smile at her childish action, and tucks back into her food. The whole situation is friendly and calm even though in a couple of hours they could be going head to head for what would be both of their fourth ribbons. Despite May’s apparent slump, Drew was equal to her in ribbons, though May conceded that he had entered far fewer contests and was spending more time on individual training.

Still, getting a foot up on him would be a welcome change since he always seemed to be one step ahead of her.

As the appeal scores are revealed, May takes one of Drew’s telling characteristics and spins it back on him. She smirks at him. She’s in first, and he’s close behind her, only 0.3 points back, in second place. They’re both comfortably through to the battle round, but May’s ahead this time.

It feels good, especially since May knows that Drew’s appeals and combinations are generally his strongest points, whereas hers lay more in powerful battling, something she had picked up from Ash. Still, Drew was notoriously good at spinning people’s power back on themselves to earn massive points, and he was also incredibly strong.

The bracket is revealed and to May’s surprise, she and Drew are not opposite each other. In fact, if they both win their first battles, they’ll be facing off in the semi-finals. She casts him a surprised glance and he shrugs in return. May laughs. She’s still going to beat him–that’s her plan.

As they take the stage for the battles, cheers spring up around them, but Drew’s cheering section is loud and very female. Drew smirks and flicks his hair. The crowd screams in appreciation and May smothers a snort. At least his fangirls will get to enjoy his showboating for a little while.

The announcers call for them to choose their Pokémon, and May watches as Drew calls out Flygon. The Dragon Type is one of his strongest, and May knows there is no going easy here with him. Still, she has an advantage in this case.

“Glaceon! Take the stage!” She spins elegantly and tosses the capsule containing the Fresh Snow Pokémon outwards.

Drew visibly blanches at the sight of her new team member. Though he’d been encouraging of May when she had gone to Sinnoh, she knows that now he’s realizing that Glaceon places her at a significant type advantage over many of his Pokémon, especially Flygon. May lifts her chin confidently.

The timer starts, and Drew wins first move.

As far as contest battles go, besides her stint in the Wallace Cup, her battle against Drew has been the fiercest she’s fought in Johto. He always has tricky combinations ready to counter, even if she pushes forwards with strength. Still, this time, she had been better. Glaceon has squeaked her through to the finals and May is elated.

There are despondent cries from the crowd: Drew’s devastated fangirls and May glances at her rival again. He returns Flygon and nods to her, conceding defeat respectfully. She was better today, and they both know it.

In the end, May makes a blunder, choosing Beautifly in the finals to match up against a Quilava. With both a speed and type disadvantage, she puts up a fight, but in the end, a Johtoan coordinator named Crystal eventually wins the Ecruteak Ribbon. She’s not overly disappointed.

She can use the battle with Crystal to create new defensive combinations, especially against moves like Aerial Ace and Swift that never miss. Plus, she reminds herself, she beat Drew. That’s always a plus.

May calls back Beautifly and heads backstage. The locker room has cleared out, as expected and May gathers her stuff. It will be a few more minutes before people start leaving as Crystal will still need to be presented with her ribbon. May doesn’t see a reason to stick around. She’s kind of hungry again and is interested in trying out some of the street food she’d seen over the last couple days. A treat sounds nice, for both her and her Pokémon.

She slings her bag up onto her shoulder and exits the room, heading for the main entrance. She only gets a little ways before she notices that Drew is striding towards her with purpose. She blinks at him, but he looks frustrated.

“Drew?” she questions, but he ignores her, basically grabbing her around the waist and spinning her around.

They walk at a brisk speed past the locker room, back towards the stage. Drew doesn’t say anything, but relief breaks into his face as he spots a janitor’s closet off to the side. He yanks open the door and herds May inside without breaking stride. The door shuts behind him and May gives her rival an incredulous look.

“What are you doing?” she demands.

“Shh,” he hushes her urgently.

The closet is dark, but not overly small so they each have personal space. May still has no idea what has gotten into Drew, but she tries to study him in the dim light. He looks frustrated, but she doesn’t think it’s from the contest. This annoyance stems from other causes.

Many of her silent questions are quickly answered as she hears footsteps pound through the hallway. She raises an eyebrow at Drew and he just lets out a long sigh.

“I know he went this way. And if we can’t find him, then we can surely give a piece of our mind to that girl who beat him,” a snarky voice exclaims.

May blinks. It’s the voice of the girl from outside the PokéCentre a couple days ago. Drew had been escaping from his fangirls and he’d managed to save her some hassle too by hiding her as well since it seems they blamed him for his loss in the contest.

“What’s the point?” another girl complains. “He lost. He’s probably not sticking around. There’s no point in us being here if he isn’t.”

A few other girls agree, and to May’s delight and Drew’s relief, the girls relent in their search. To be safe, they give it almost a minute of silence outside the closet before they emerge and scan the hallways, ensuring their safety.

When they know they’re not going to be hassled, May bursts out laughing. “Wow, they’re even worse about your losses than you are.”

Drew runs a hand through his hair. “It’s annoying. Don’t laugh at me, if this was you, you’d be the same.”

May shrugs. “It’s not me though, so I get to laugh. I did beat you today,” she reminds.

Drew rolls his eyes. “You still lost.”

May sticks out her tongue. “I beat you though, so it’s fine.”

Drew starts to walk towards the entrance to the contest hall, pausing briefly to let May catch up to him. They walk side-by-side towards the entrance. They’re almost to open air when Drew hesitates.

“There’s a festival tonight, for several reasons, mostly Johto culture stuff, but I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?” he asks carefully. “There will be lots of food, if you were wondering.”

May smiles brightly. “Sounds like fun! I’ll meet you in the lobby at seven?” she asks.

Drew nods. “Seven.”

“Did we lose them?” May asks, gasping for breath. She tugs at the hemline of her dress and scans the crowd around them.

Drew scowls bitterly. “For now, anyway,” he mutters.

May sighs. Everything had been going great. The festival was brightly lit compared the usual muted nature of Ecruteak City. There were sparklers and fireworks and dancers in the streets. Lanterns were hung from storefronts and homes and music twinkled through the whole town. The usual market stalls were bustling with life and energy and true to recommendation, the food had been incredibly excellent.

They had been in the middle of enjoying a demonstration by the Kimono Girls, something that was surely inspiring combinations for both of them, when the disruption had started. A couple people had begun whispering around them, assessing them as competitors from the contest that had happened earlier.

Both Hoenn Coordinators had tried to ignore it, but it quickly escalated as Drew’s fangirls began to appear. Drew had grabbed May by the hand and pulled her away, down an alley as they ran to try to escape the crowd. They had used the bustle of the festival to hide their escape, but still, it wouldn’t be long until they were found again.

“We really can’t catch a break with these girls, can we?” May grumbles.

Drew laughs and she glances at him. Under the moonlight and the light of the lanterns, his hair and eyes are almost glowing. Plus, she catches the shadows of dimples in his cheeks from his natural smile and May’s stomach twists. He looks gorgeous and she’s paralyzed by her realization.

He’s wearing dressy clothes–just as she is wearing a nice dress–for the occasion and he looks very sharp. She inhales quickly and tears her eyes from her rival. She can’t find him attractive. They are rivals. Sure, they’re mostly friends too, but he’s her rival first. Competition over attraction, she tries to will herself to believe.

“I am both really sorry, and really not, because that was honestly kind of fun,” Drew admits. He smooths out his already perfect hair. “Well, I’d imagine that we have a couple minutes before they figure out where we’ve gone, so let’s keep exploring, shall we?”

He offers her his arm and before she can talk herself out of it, she’s smiling and sliding her elbow into his.

They stroll out onto a main street again and May is quickly distracted by a cute vendor’s stall with several adorable accessories for sale. She drags Drew over and spends a little while chatting with the owner and browsing the wares. She steals a glance back at Drew, and he’s already watching her and she blushes.

“I saw green hair go this way!” someone yells.

Both coordinators flinch. May glances around, but she can’t pinpoint where the fan was, so she looks at Drew desperately. He looks a little pained and May lets out a short huff of air. She grabs a hat from the table of wares in front of them, apologises to the store owner and drags Drew towards another nearby gap between buildings.

She shoves the hat on his head to hide his hair and spins his back to the street so they are facing each other, and are much to close for May’s sanity. She feels heat rush to her cheeks as she makes eye contact with a startled Drew. There are more cries from the street of people that have seen Drew, and May is desperate.

She places a hand on either side of Drew’s face and pulls it down towards her. He’s startled, but he doesn’t resist as she brings him into a chaste kiss. For a brief moment, there is nothing, just their lips awkwardly pressed together as they pray no one recognizes them. But then there is a gentle pressure against her mouth and May almost jumps.

She kissed Drew, but now he’s actually kissing her.

She manages to kick her brain awake enough to kiss him back for a few seconds before he breaks away, breathing deeply. His green eyes are illuminated by the lantern over her head and the hat looks stupid on him, but he’s incredibly beautiful and he’s looking at her with a mix of surprise and pleasure on his face.

May blinks, breaking their staring contest and they both note that the fangirls have moved on and they’re alone. She slowly peels her hands from Drew, feeling heat swarm into her face. He’s a little flushed himself, but May drops her eyes to the ground quickly.

He coughs awkwardly and she lets her eyes drift up warily. He’s smiling, despite his best efforts, and he steps back from her a little. “Let’s just agree to,” he trails off carefully.

May laughs and it comes out rattled and nervous. “Never talk about this again?”

He laughs too. “Sounds good.”

May catches Drew’s eyes drifting to her lips one last time before he steps further away from her. A vibrant firework explodes over Drew’s head and May giggles one last time.

It’s a fitting night, she thinks to herself. But, they’re never going to talk about this ever–EVER–again.

[starsaroundus]

The Office (U.S) Zodiac Signs Pt. 1

Woot our first post! I have been on an “Office” binge again and I thought I thought I would post what I think some of the characters zodiac signs are and why. Disclaimer: This is all for fun so please don’t take offense to any of this. If you have any questions to ask me about this please feel free to ask!  

Michael Scott: Leo- Michael is the boss who loves the spotlight (unless it’s focused on something bad that he did). He has a flair for the dramatic and loves to have fun with the people around him. He can be surprisingly generous and wants to have a productive yet enjoyable work environment with people he considers family. 

Dwight Schrute: Aquarius (close Scorpio)- Dwight is a complicated person that many people have a hard time understanding. He has interesting interests, can be quite random in the things he says and does, and even comes off as alien-like to others. But underneath this exterior we find that he cares a lot about the people around him, especially when it comes to their safety. He will go above and beyond for those he thinks need his help (and who he thinks deserves it).     

Jim Halpert: Libra- Jim is an an easygoing person who has a natural charm with people. He doesn’t like conflict but loves pranks and harmless fun. He also tries to keep the peace in the office as much as he can. A lot can be read from the looks he gives the camera after (usually Michael) something weird or inappropriate is said.    

Pam Beesly: Pisces- Pam is a dreamer who tries to make the best out of most situations. She is sensitive to others needs and courageous. As a result she is easy to talk to and puts others needs above her own. Her intuition is pretty high and although she may come off as reserved she is no push over. 

Kelly Kapoor: Gemini- Kelly is a very social person who is fun loving and enjoys conversation a lot. She enjoys gossip and shopping and has a big heart. In addition, Kelly also doesn’t mind pondering about deeper issues and thoughts and has a deep romantic side to her. 

Angela Martin: Virgo- Angela is someone who knows what they like and don’t like. She prefers solitude over socializing and can be very modest in the way she dresses. She is set in her ways and not easy to win over. When Angela puts her mind to something she wants to get it done and she is quite good at being a leader. Although usually she is rigid, she has a softness to her she didn’t let a lot of people see.   

Stanley Hudson: Capricorn- Stanley just wants to get through his work day with as little hiccups as possible to be back home with his family. He is a hard worker in the office but only when it comes to his work. He does not want to put in effort into anything else that doesn’t interest him. He usually keeps to himself and has a pained expression whenever he is around Michael. As a result Michael is usually the target for his witty sarcastic remarks and perfectly timed dry humor.  

[cjostrander]

Social Distortion: Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell

Good morning guys! Last Sunday i had actually written an anniversary review for Despairsray’s 2007 Mirrors album and just as i was about to finish the last song my computer deleted it. Unfortunate at best because that was a really good one for you guys. I’ll try and carry on with it later on in the year so i can give it another fresh take but for today i’m going to tackle a Social Distortion album. It’s not really an essential album review for me anniversary sheet but it is one album on there that i likely wouldn’t do on my own. It turned 25 this year and should be a nice and relaxing album to do. I also got the new albums by Theory of a Deadman and 10 Years. Both are actually appearing to be really interesting because 10 Years’s instrumentals appear heavy yet more complex at the same time. Theory of a Deadman has changed up their sound and went a more pop-rock centered sound. It could possibly be compared to latter day Nickelback in terms of their ballad songs; but is actually a really nice change up for them. I guess the singer learned how to play piano and wrote the album based off of it so he’s very firm to state that its not a sellout move. I would give it a listen and let a couple songs soak in before judging. It is very soothing but fresh and Tyler makes this a solid vocal album for fans to focus on. Keep an open mind and you will really like it.

Cold Feelings (Single): This appears to be another album that throws all of their singles very early on in the first half. Our opening track starts off with a nice jam instrumental that will get you moving and establish a pretty cheery feeling. Mike’s vocals are highly prominent in the mix but retain a classic raw edge that the band is known for. It is very catchy lyrically and should come off as a steady live piece for the band to open up a concert with. The solo is a nice section to focus on due to its layered melodies and intelligent use of light grit. It gives the song additional energy and will be good for making this a good choice for a promotional single. 8.5/10

Bad Luck (Single): This single is probably the most well known song off of this album. It starts off soft and blissful with melodic guitar riffs and a catchy drum pattern. The bass is a bit hidden but still provides a soothing rumble if you pay close attention. Mike enters smoothly to deliver more of his highly substance filled lyrics. His voice is very soothing and will do well to connect with his working class fan base. The instrumentals do well to support him during this song without either smothering him or appearing to lack meaning in their own right. The chorus may be a bit whiney but the bass solo afterwards will give you something to refresh a bit before a pleasantly rough guitar solo comes your way to help strengthen this songs live potential. It is definitely a slower moving song than the last one; but at four and a half minutes long it can be expected to be sticking around much longer for the listener. Other than that its not bad. 7.5/10

Making Believe: This song is a country cover and one that i actually really like. The guitars fade in with some nice rock n roll distortion before Mike warms up his voice with some echoed lyrics. It develops a nice sense of anticipation before the guitars get moving. These instrumentals have a nice level of relaxing energy that will continue to keep the listener in a theraputic state. The vocals will retain their echoed tone in order to display a live element in their sound and play true to their rock roots. As with other Social Distortion albums; this one appears to so far be a good one to move around a bit to while still developing a space-out like attention span to it. This makes it a good one to play while you are busy doing something otherwise the time frame for the songs may make things feel overly stretched out for what they are. This one is a decent one though. 8/10

Born to Lose (Single): This single begins with a little more anger in the guitars but still just the right amount of rhythm. The tense yet soothing rhythm is a perfect companion piece for Mike’s vocals and his lyrics continue to develop a strong sense of substance. The chorus is much stronger and contains a high degree of catchiness that will be perfect for singing along to during a live performance. This helps to shape this one up as another smart pick for a single and the slow moving guitar solo will help to  ensure that the listener views this as a win for them. Also with the timeframe remaining at the four minute mark; this one does a much better job of keeping the listener engaged through it and lacks the overstretched feeling of the last couple songs. 9/10

Bye Bye Baby (Single): This one continues with a raw and energetic jam opening. Mike matches in speed and sacrifices a little melody in order for his gritty side to flow a bit better. The lyrics will still be a strong focal point in terms of substance but the guitars will probably distract you from them a bit more than usual. The chorus also gets the job done with its simplicity but isn’t going to be something to really talk about. The little jam solo in the middle segment is a good piece to stretch the song out a bit before Mike returns to deliver some slightly stronger vocals. I’d call it the weaker of the singles but shouldn’t be weak enough to disappoint a listener at this point in the album.  7/10

When She Begins (Single): Now this last single is a nicely relaxing guitar rocker. The riffs may feel a bit familiar in terms of originality but its theraputic tone works wonders on the years. Mike’s vocals are much stronger on this one and contain a highly catchy level of substance to them and just the right amount of grit as well. The chorus also excels much better than the last song and will be another to sing along to during a live performance as well. It is pretty easygoing and straightforward like usual for them and should stand out as another of the stronger songs on the album. 8/10

99 to Life: The guitars enter with a more powerful presence while the drums provide a softer yet steady support underneath them. The vocals provide a decent performance on this song and place a stronger focus on the lyrics due to their softer and slower delivery. The guitar riffs will be a pleasant focal point for the listener to enjoy and it will help the song to spread things out a bit without losing momentum and turning into a sluggish experience. As a live piece; i could see potential there due to its relaxing nature and heavier focus on guitar instrumentals. It will be a good piece to wind down a show and separate their quicker tunes; but realistically with the exception of their early punk debut; they are very comfortable with taking their time during songs. 7.5/10

King of Fools: Now this country cover is another of the highlight tracks on the album due to its more energetic and catchy instrumentals. The vocals are infectious with their lyrics and vocal rumbling from Mike Ness. He does very well at sticking out in this one and the regular verses will come across just as strong as the chorus does. The instrumentals also step their game up nicely as well and will help to shape this song up as a strong choice for a live performance. It would of made a nice single as well but stands as a good choice to cover. This band definitely shares a common trait with Joan Jett in that they are very good at taking covers and making them stand out as their own. 8.5/10

Sometimes I Do: The guitars slow things down a bit and venture towards a rather mellow note. When Mike enters his vocals are pretty consistent with the style that he has been evoking throughout the majority of this album. It still proves catchy and the guitars emphasis on slow moving rhythm and backing vocals help it to retain a little bit of uniqueness on the album. Other than that; this one doesn’t appear to really offer anything that the previous tracks haven’t already offered a few times by now. The instrumentals will keep some focus and the lyrics still retain a comfortable degree of substance so this one is going to likely be best enjoyed on shuffle rather than in album sequence. 6/10

This Time Darlin’: The vocals begin this one up a little different with a  very angsty vocal style that is best compared to Keith Richards. The backing support vocals further help to justify this statement. This will infuse some interesting grit into the song that will appeal nicely to fans of that woodsy campfire style of singing. The instrumentals do a decent job with pushing things along without being a monotonous drain on the listener’s interest level. This does well to bring some strength back to this portion of the album and would of stood decently as a potential pick for an album closer. 7/10

Ghost Town Blues: This finale track for the album begins with a more energetic guitar opening and the drums establish a simply but lively drum pattern for Mike to echo off of. He uses a more gritty vocal style to give this song a more bluesy flair and the harmonica helps to change things up a bit. It will definitely be a pleasing element for fans of their previous self titled album to come across at this point in the game. The harmonica does get some light solo moments to shine so if that plays to your tastes then be on the lookout for these moments in the song. As a closer, this one does a decent job and should leave the listener on a stable note. 7.5/10

Overall album rating: 7.7/10

Well this one definitely is a bit slow moving and feels overly drawn because of it. The songs are decent but the album contains a high degree of repetition that is hard to ignore due to its slowness. I view it favorably as a background album for when you are trying to get something done and need the relaxing atmosphere to focus correctly. With it’s 25th anniversary i can’t complain about finally scratching this one off of the list because from what i’ve read it is one of Mike Ness’s favorites and their upcoming album is supposed to follow a similar vibe to this one. If it contains the freshness of their last three albums then this should be a good thing for them. Other than that; hopefully you enjoy the review and tomorrow i will keep scratching away about my lists. I might do a new one because some of them are sticking out rather pleasantly for me to promote sooner rather than later. Liam Gallagher’s debut solo As You were is decent; Theory of a Deadman as you already heard is surprisingly good; The killers new on is great; Marilyn Manson’s is familiar but solid; and the Foo Fighters have a much better one than their previous Sonic Highways. I’ll pick one of them likely and get it up there; so that they can get a little extra promotion on my blog. If you have any suggestions shoot me a message and i’ll and get that one out first.