#elo reactions

[dreamcatchr]

.

[set-wingedwarrior]

about the pizza post. google pizzaria bate papo and tell me what you think

Pizzaria bate papo, huh? Okay... (I have a bad feeling about this)

Yo, what the fuck

.......what

???

??????????

???????????????????????

I.... I'm not even that enraged, I'm mostly confused??????

I mean, this is CHAOS. I thought I had no idea what was going on with toppings on the post before, but this is COMPLETELY NEXT LEVEL.

I can't say I approve because this is madness, BUT let's give credit where it's due. At the very least the dough looks fine, there's a crust, and the toppings (the normal ones, not whatever fuckery is going on with the watermelon and rooster and the FUCKING TIRE) are evenly sparse so everything cooks evenly and the pizza isn't overloaded.

Also, sweet pizza is a thing, so I'm not mad about that, and I can see that the sweet center has a little crust, so it shoud have been cooked separately AS IT SHOULD (or else tastes would mix horribly), but I still don't get the choice. Like, why cut the center of a normal pizza and replace it with the sweet one? Just have a whole salty one and a whole sweet one???

Also maybe don't use pizza as a coaster???? Why would you do that, put those bottles on the table, this just isn't hygenic at all??????

Overall, this is madness and I'm getting psychic damage from looking at it, but despite that it'is still probably better than a lot of other monstruosities I saw around, so congrats.

And now, a comment from my mom!

"...che ciofega"

[aetherdoesthings]

can I request Luffy x reader where something happens and reader threaten luff that she will cry if he makes her do something? Could you also include the others reaction? Thank you 💖

elo anon! when i first read that i was like 'damn that's sad' so then i proceeded to write something very sad :D.

forethoughts: this one's kind of darker than my normal ones. yeah. the tone's just sad. did my heart break when i wrote it? i mean. it feels kinda out of pocket for luffy, but 🤷

notes: do i feel bad? maybe. but sometimes requests are sad. 🤭

[drinking the tears of my readers while deciding if i want to do a part two or not 😁]

Life as a member of the Straw Hat Pirates was never bland. Sometimes you would wake up in the middle of a fight against the marines, or wake up to the sound of Sanji fighting Zoro over something stupid again. Nevertheless, everyday was a new adventure with its own sets of challenges, but nevertheless, you wouldn’t ask for another life.

After all, you were the future King of the Pirates’ girlfriend.

You loved Luffy more than Luffy loved meat, and you stood behind that bold claim. Everyday was filled with adrenaline and anxiety for you, as Luffy would find charging recklessly into battle the best thing to do. He always came out alive; he’s Monkey D. Luffy after all, but you always worried about his health and wellbeing. With enough cuddles and kisses, Luffy would always subdue your worries about him, but it always was a thought in your head that chewed at you. Another thing was that Luffy was a very passionate boy. Sure, he may be an airhead and a bit obtuse at times, but he had his own paradigm of morals he followed, and you respected the hell out of him for that. He always thought about you, considered your feelings, always putting your life in front of his.

He was the most caring person you knew.

He would never do anything to break your heart.

“I’m kicking you out of the Straw Hat Pirates.” 

You stared at him, your heart dropping. Your legs began to wobble, barely able to support your body as you stared at him with a look of disbelief, a hesitant smile on your face.

“W-What are you saying, Luffy? Luffy, this isn’t a funny joke!” You say. Everyone around you began to stir too, once they heard Luffy’s words. All of you were in the galley, just finishing your breakfast.

“You heard me.” Luffy stared at you with the blankest look he’s ever given to you; you didn’t even know he could be that stoic. “I’m kicking you out of the crew. You’ll get off once we reach the next island. Oi, Nami, how long until we reach the next island?”

Nami stood up in disbelief and complete anger, storming towards Luffy as she smacked him on the back of his head, to the point Luffy stumbled and fell onto the ground. “What are you talking about Luffy?! This isn’t a funny joke! You can’t just kick Y/N out!”

Luffy simply stood back up, looking at Nami. “Yes I can. I’m the captain.”

“She’s your girlfriend!” “Oh. Right.” Luffy stared at you. “We’re breaking up too.”

“Luffy!” Nami smacked him again. 

“W-Wha.. W-wha..” You stammered, your legs going wobbly, probably going out if there wasn’t a reassuring hand on your shoulder. 

“Luffy, I don’t think this is the smartest decision to make. Can you explain your thoughts? You cannot simply kick Y/N out for no reason other than ‘I just can.’” Robin said, placing both of her hands on your shoulders, trying to reassure you.

“Yes I can, Robin. I’m the captain.” Luffy stated again.

“That’s not a good reason. By that logic, you can kick any one of us out at any moment simply by your mood.”

Luffy stared at the archaeologist, clenching his teeth. “Shut up, Robin, this is my decision.”

The sound of pans hitting each other silenced the room, turning everyone’s attention to the cook. Sanji stared at Luffy, taking his cigarette out of his mouth. “Oi, Luffy, don’t tell Robin-chan to shut up. You’re being very impolite. And I agree with Robin-chan, you cannot simply do what you want based on your mood. That means all of us are liable to just go at any moment.”

Luffy balled his fists. “Shut up, Sanji! I don’t need to explain myself! I’m the captain! Next island! You’re getting off! If I see you on the ship, I’ll��� I’ll…”

Luffy let out a frustrated noise, stomping towards the exit of the galley. Before he could swing the door open and slam it, a single blade with a white handle blocked him. 

“Luffy…” Zoro said, keeping the Wado Ichimonji in between the captain and the door. “If you walk out this door, that means everything Robin and cook says are true. A captain that kicks out his crew members based on his mood. If this is all a joke to you, cut it out. Go apologize to Y/N. If this is not a joke, then you were never fit to be a captain. I don’t care if you’re an airhead and easygoing, but if you decide to kick Y/N out right now because ‘you said so’, the Straw Hats were never meant to be a successful crew.”

Luffy glared at Zoro, his fists and toes clenched. Zoro shot back the same stoic look he always had. While Zoro was calm and still, Luffy looked like a dynamite about to explode. His body was shaking, his skin turning red. It wasn’t Gear 2 level red, quite close.

“Fight me if you want to. You’re only proving my point.” Zoro added.

Silence filled the room. Silence that was so fragile, you were scared that if it broke, everyone would be affected and harmed.

“L-Luffy…” You call out with a shaky voice, taking a hesitant step towards the boy you onced called your lover. Breaking the silent atmosphere caused all eyes to be on you. But with Robin’s hand on your shoulder, she stopped you from moving any further, keeping you close to her body.

“Y/N… please, let us do this.” Robin said. You looked around, and realized she was right. Every Straw Hat looked like they were ready for a fight, or to make some comment about Luffy’s statement.

“N-No.” You brushed Robin’s hand off of your shoulder, taking a bigger step towards the ‘captain’ of the ship.

“Luffy… look at me.” While your entire body was shaking, filled with disbelief, sadness and a tinge of betrayal, your voice was firm.

You watched the captain turn his head around, the straw hat covering his eyes. 

“Is this what you want, Luffy? Do you want to see my heart break? Do you want to see me cry, luffy? because it is, and I will. Is this what you want, luffy? to see your girlfriend cry? Is that what you want?”

No response.

“Fine… fine… this is what you want, isn’t it? You never loved me. You never saw me like I saw you, if you’re so adamant on kicking me out.”

No response.

“Tell me, Luffy, is this what you really want? Tell me, and I'll leave. I'll go, and I won't come back. That's what you want, isn’t it? to never see me again?”

No response.

You scoff at the boy, whose body was shaking, his head hung and fists clenched. You wiped your tears with your arm, staring at the boy you once called your lover.

“Fine. I hope you’re happy, captain.” you brushed your shoulder against him, purposefully making him stumble before storming towards the door. Zoro sheathed his sword, letting out kick the door open and slam it shut.

“Y/N, wait!” Nami cried, running towards the door. Zoro let her pass too, as well as Robin and everyone else who wanted to comfort you. This left Luffy alone with Zoro, all at his mercy.

At the sound of the door finally closing, Luffy collapsed onto the ground, his knees hitting the wooden floorboards as he sobbed. He sobbed and cried, until there was nothing but small hiccups and grunts of frustration.

“Now, do you want to tell me what’s really happening?” the right hand man asked.

“She hates me. She hates me. She hates me.” the captain repeated to himself.

“Luffy.”

The boy took a deep breath, before standing up, meeting Zoro's gaze.

“Alright, i’ll tell you… but don't tell anyone else, okay?”

“Just tell me.”

The captain took a deep breath. “Yesterday…”

[its-isover]

Li Zhao Yu had zero doubt in his mind that he was, indeed, one of the best. After all, not just anybody could hit radiant in Valorant. He leaned back in his chair lazily, stretching with a yawn. His gaze flickered to his webcam and then back to his screen. His career was a crisp green carpet, with him fragging well enough to be the top or at least second highest fragger each match.

“I think that’s about enough for today, chat,” he muttered into his mic as he rubbed his eyes. It had been…five hours? He swore it did not feel like he had been playing for that long. Unfortunately, right as he was about to log off, he heard a little ping from his phone. Picking it up, his expression turned to one of mild annoyance. With a little “tsk”, he put his headphones back on.

“Change of plans, chat, seems like a few friends want to grind comp for a bit. We’re in for some…five-stack shenanigans.”

With a few final stretches for his shoulders and neck, he joined his friend’s party, the four already present members waiting for him. His eyes narrowed at their lack of rank.

“Weh, what gives?”

“I needed help carrying some new friends,” his friend responded dryly. Li only sighed, “Whatever, man, just don’t make me derank.”

As it would turn out, lower elo was absolutely god awful atrocious to him. Li had half a mind to cut the stream, almost certain he would get into trouble of some kind for the level of toxicity he was displaying. Granted, he only said about a third of what he really thought in team chat, but given the words circulating through his head, he had little doubt what he was saying was awful enough.

“Bai chi ya…zhen me wu yong…” Frankly, he was way too tilted to be playing. Did that stop him though? Of course not. Because Li Zhao Yu was not a quitter. The night was off to a horrible end, and three matches in, Li was throwing in the towel. “I’m done with this,” he had declared, leaving the party and slumping back in his chair. He ran his hand through his hair, eyes shut and brows furrowed, pulling his hair back and ruffling it, leaning forward, sighing, and ruffling his hair again. “I’m done,” he repeated. Done with what, exactly, he did not bother to elaborate. He got up to stretch a bit, finally feeling the dull ache in his neck. The pain absolutely was not worth it. Playing with those idiots? Deranking this much? Disgusting. He had never seen this much red in his career since he…he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d done this badly. Except it wasn’t even his fault. How could it be, when he was the match MVP in almost all of them? He should stop. He should get some rest, some time away from the blasted game. But no.

Against his better judgement, he hopped back into solo queue. There were various reactions to his decision in chat, ranging from “You sure about this?” to “I really think you ought to rest” to “Hell yeah! We don’t end on a loss!” Not that any of that mattered to him. Li felt like shit, and since it was caused by numerous losses, his only logical solution was to garner just as many, if not more, victories to compensate himself emotionally.

What a stupid decision. These random guys he ended up with on his teams weren’t much better. Left to his own devices, he very well might have played through the night to recover all his lost rr. It took his roommate, Ryo, pulling the plug on his PC for him to go to bed. With that abrupt end to his stream, Li hauled himself under the covers, passing out as his frustrations turned to exhaustion and overcame him.

Maybe Ryo was right, all he needed was a little rest. Li thought, until he had breakfast and Ryo said he was going out with Kirra. “You’re not gonna duo with me?” had been Li’s first reaction, breadcrumbs dropping as he dropped his bao onto the table. Ryo only shook his head. “Maybe tonight,” Ryo offered. “Maybe you should come along, the fresh air might make you less insufferable.”

His suggestion was met with a sharp glare, lavender eyes piercing through dark onyx ones. Li looked nothing short of scandalised at the notion of his grind being interrupted. Was he expected to agree? Hell no. There was nothing Ryo could say to convince him to go out just to be a third wheel on his roommate’s date. Li was sure Ryo knew him well enough to know that, so he wasn’t really sure why he had bothered asking. However, that clarified itself when Kirra showed up, an unfamiliar face in tow as she declared they would all be going on a double date.

It was awkward, to say the least. Ryo and Kirra walked on ahead, hand in hand, leaving you behind with Li. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad if Li wasn’t already bothered, but there was no way of knowing that as you walked beside him, trying to gauge what would be an appropriate distance to put between the two of you. It didn’t help that Ryo and Kirra took the dog, which left you and Li with even less of a buffer.

How does one start a conversation with a stranger your friend set you up with when they look completely disinterested? One option is always to just…not. For better or worse, you weren’t a quitter (though not to Li’s extent). Just your luck that you managed to hit the topic of Valorant. By the way he perked up subtly, you had to assume it was of interest to him. Progress was progress, and you were quite satisfied with how you’d managed to chip the ice. That is, until the dreaded question arose.

“What’s your rank?” Li asked, seemingly nonchalantly, but the sideward glances he shot you told you otherwise. Subtle as it was, his gaze wasn’t one so easily ignored, and you happened to notice the pale lilac of his irises rather acutely. You laughed nervously, rubbing the back of your neck in hopes he’d catch onto your awkwardness and change the topic. At this point, you weren’t sure if he was socially inept or just insensitive, because rather than act according to your hopes, he’d turned his head to look at you properly, tilting his head slightly as though prompting you to get on with your answer.

“I don’t have a rank, I don’t play comp,” you replied sheepishly. You swore you saw a flicker of disappointment cross his face, but by the time you’d blinked, his features had returned to their usual bored expression. “We can hit an internet cafe after lunch, I’ll duo with you and we’ll find your rank.”

His offer was more of a statement - no, an instruction. You felt a smidge of betrayal, not quite sure you like Kirra’s boyfriend’s roommate very much in spite of her insistence that he’d be a good match for you. Then again, you didn’t think it was her fault since you don’t exactly love Ryo very much either when she thinks he’s brilliant. Perhaps this was just another clash of opinions, since you’re sure she meant well.

Li seemed to have little interest in much else, to your mild dismay. While he would respond to any conversation topic you decided to jump into, he never quite seemed nearly as interested as he did when you brought up Valorant. Until music, that is. At which he promptly asked to see your playlist, his brows furrowing as he found little common ground. With a murmured promise to send you a few of his playlists and then some he'd try curate more towards your taste, he returned your phone.

If only your awkward date ended with a walk in the park. Lunch was an equally tense affair, with Li mostly feigning disgust at the couple with you, and you trying your best to avoid his gaze. As lovely as his eyes were, there was something cold and piercing about them that made you feel like he'd see right through you, and you weren't yet sure if you enjoyed it very much. Worse still was the way his hand found its way to your waist immediately after dropping enough money to cover both your meals in Ryo’s hands as he steered you away after lunch, bidding Ryo and Kirra farewell as he led you to an internet cafe. To his credit, he did keep his word…

“Um, look, Zhao Yu, I'm really not good at the game, I just play casually,” you began, trying to excuse yourself.

“I'll play casually with you then,” he insisted with a shrug, not at all bothered by the change in plans. Without waiting for any further protests on your part, he ushered you into the cafe. He strode up to the front desk with a comfortable familiarity, and you wouldn't be surprised if he'd told you he was a regular there. As you pondered his screentime, he had already paid for the time, once again returning to your side to usher you in. It was, in part, a sweet gesture, but a part of you felt the firmness of his hand was also partly to keep you from running off. Left with little other choice, you obliged and sat at the computer beside him.

You grinned sheepishly as your final game ended in borderline disaster.

“You weren't joking when you said you're bad,” Li quipped. For a moment, you half expected him to curse at you the way you'd heard him swear at the enemies and some teammates, but the barrage of insults never came. Instead, you felt a cold hand reach up to brush the hair from your face, his fingers gently twirling a lock of it before dropping his hand. His expression had softened, seemingly placated by the contact. “It's fine, it's not competitive…and you're cute.”

His last few words were mumbled, too mashed together for you to catch, but if the tips of his ears turning red was anything to go by, you'd guess he'd complimented you.

“Did you say something?” you pressed, hoping he'd repeat himself, but he only shook his head. “Mei shi ba, zhi shuo ni ke ai.”

Once again his words were quick, melding together like a fluid melody in his native tongue. It felt like you were hearing him properly now that he wasn't whisper-shouting at a screen, and it was…charming. You smiled to yourself. Cuteness privileges, huh? You could probably make use of that.

“Right, so how much do I owe you? For both the meal and this?”

Your questions were halted by a shake of his head and cold purple eyes enrapturing your own. “Another date, probably, I don't take cash.”

“Ah, then I guess I'll see you some other time?” So maybe he was a little pushy.

“We can plan while I walk you home. Zou ba.” Scratch that, he was a lot pushy. But it was part of his charm, you'd suppose, from the way he'd kept you on the inner side of the sidewalk to the protective hand on your waist as he insisted on escorting you to your door, Li Zhao Yu was a very straightforward individual, especially when it came to his interests.

“Zai jian le…unless you've anything else to say before I go?” The slight bit of hope in his voice was apparent.

“Thanks.”

“I don't need thanks from you, I want to do things for you.”

It was hard not to giggle at his bluntness. “I know, you make that quite clear,” you point out, kissing his cheek as a goodbye.

Perhaps for the first time on your date, Li was speechless. You'd tease him for it if you weren't into him too. Well, there's always more opportunities on future dates.

[skinzchoerim]

OnlyOneOf's dOpamine concert in Warsaw - my experience (+sentimental musings about the lore and its messages)

The first thing I need to get out of the way is that their crowd interaction game is 1000/10. They went on stage already knowing at least two greetings in Polish, and then Kyubin and Nine did a whole pantomime to explain their understanding of them. They presented "elo" as being very casual, best done with a bro chest bump, and they were correct about that. The funniest thing was when Nine showed "siema" (a greeting that's basically just as casual as "elo") as being very polite and official with a bow of the head. And hey, if he thinks that's the most official greeting in Polish, who are we to argue?

The translator wasn't very good so a lot of the context got lost, but they said that while sightseeing they met an elderly lady who was a lyOn. Then they met an elderly man from Busan who they hoped to turn into a lyOn, but he wasn't interested, and Nine said that's just how people from Busan are lol. Junji talked about how much he loved the view and that it made him feel really sentimental, which somehow turned into JunRie doing a couple dance with a spin. I really wish I had a video of it, I also can't find any taken by other people 😔

When the time for seOul drift came they asked about a Polish car brand, and of course everyone yelled "MALUCH!!!", so it was hilarious when they asked us to do a Warsaw drift in a maluch with them.

At some point the audience started chanting "zajebiście" which basically means "fucking awesome", and they were very keen to learn how to pronounce it. I really hope they remember it cause that would be iconic.

Now let's do a time leap and go back to what happened before the concert.

I watched the fanchat from afar and had the best view of Yoojung who looked really invested in everyone he talked to. I was surprised to see how wide and baby-like Rie's face is, it's really cute. Everyone says they look even better in real life, and personally I don't find that to be true. I think they're exactly as beautiful as they appear on screen. I'll explain it in more detail later.

Now for the fansign, which... my god. My worst fear when I saw how little time was reserved for it came true, because it really went by at the speed of light. I'm really glad I brought the prints to give them, because there was no way they would have noticed the shirt. For reference, here is what I gave them (Yoojung got two):

Junji was first, he smiled and said a cheerful "Hi!", I handed him the album and then quickly gave him the print before having to move on to Rie who was already making eye contact. I don't remember his exact reaction to the print, but he seemed positively surprised. Yoojung was the one who had the biggest reaction, his mouth did the '0' he often does and he either gasped or said "wow", it was all genuinely too fast for me to process and file away every detail. I don't remember Nine's reaction well because I was still reeling from Yoojung's (also I was distracted by his scar makeup, cause damn, it looked realistic). I think he said "thank you", although I'm not sure if he even looked down at the print. Mill also seemed positively surprised. Kyubin was last, and thanks to that I got to watch his reaction for the longest, although it was still barely a second. He looked at the print and then made eye contact with me while he was handing me the signed album. There was something about the look on his face that made me wish I had a moment longer to ask what was going through his head, but unfortunately all I could do was smile, give him an awkward nod goodbye and walk off. Did he recognize that he's seen the drawing before? Was he just surprised? Did he like it? I have no idea.

The hi-touch went by even faster since the staff told us to run. The pictures were taken with about 10-13 lyOns each. After the whole thing was done, I knew that for the next concert (fingers crossed 🤞) I'll have to buy the VVIP+ benefits. To be fair to myself, there was already a lot going on in the days leading up to the concert and preparing for the fanchat would've only added unimaginable levels of stress, but I think that the second time around, I'd be able to approach it with more ease. More on that later as well.

While waiting for the concert to start, some of their songs were playing in the background. The volume was fairly low and the amount of noise in the hall made it impossible to hear anything beyond the bassline and percussion, but that just made me wish that they'd release their entire discography with only those two elements cause let me tell you, it sounded SICK.

I started to really regret not getting the VVIP+ benefit once the concert began and the people in front of me covered the view with not just their heads, but also phones and lightsticks. I was only in the third/fourth row, but everyone in front of me was taller so I couldn't see everything that was going on, and seeing the videos others shared on Twitter it does seem like I missed a lot. Still, it was the perfect spot to get sprayed with water which happened more times than I could count (mostly Kyubin's deed, thanks bro I needed it).

The performances were absolutely top tier, but did anyone expect otherwise? I need them to release the dOpamine remix, I'd listen to it way more than the original. I couldn't see Yoojung during begin at all because he performed a little further back, so I'm really glad that once the medley was done they all sang the choruses of the solos again with the audience. Did I cry? No, but very fucking nearly, especially when we all sang begin together. Another moment that nearly brought me to tears was when Nine finished performing beyOnd and the music cut one line into the second verse. Obviously part of the reason why it sounded so heartbreaking was how unexpected the ending was and how much I wanted it to go on for longer, but it also sounded like someone suddenly took away his voice, so it fit the theme of Things I Can't Say LOve perfectly.

Speaking of having his voice taken away, I'm happy to report mine wasn't. The concert experiences I ruined for myself by freezing up and not joining everyone else in having fun outnumber the ones I approached with ease and made great memories during. I was especially worried since the previous concert I've been to, Odd Eye Circle's, unfortunately fell into the former category. The English version of Loonatic was my skinz before skinz existed, and when they performed it, anxiety got the better of me. I couldn't even open my mouth to attempt to sing along, and I still have regrets about it, because I know it would have been a liberating experience.

But none of that happened this time. I sang every song along with them (was I feeling smug that I knew almost all of the lyrics when the people around me only knew the English bits? yes, sue me). I put my whole fucking soul into my favorite songs, especially mirage, seOul drift and skinz. I can't even begin to describe how special it felt. Yelling the lyrics to skinz with lyOns all around me and OnlyOneOf a few meters away felt like a full circle moment. skinz was the beginning of so many things for me, and it's such a therapeutic song that's been helping me express myself unapologetically slowly, bit by bit over the past two and a half years. It doesn't matter that I don't have as many vivid memories of the concert as I wish I had, because I know that those two hours on June 12th 2024 have been euphoric and liberating, and I will carry that feeling with me every day, getting a little taste of it each time I listen to these songs again.

While after the fact I do wish the concert had gone on for longer, at the time it felt like the perfect length. The amount of songs in the encore was a genuinely nice gesture, because they were slowly getting people prepared for the end while constantly whipping out another performance, which is a really smart way to leave the audience in high spirits. I think they ended up performing four songs for the encore - OOO yOu, angel, lOve me and dOpamine (without choreo this time), and then the first verse and chorus of time leap right before they left the stage.

The acoustics in Progresja aren't the best, but it was an amazing experience to hear them sing live. I feel like in a lot of recordings it's kind of hard to tell if they're singing live or if it's playback because the vocal and music layers sort of merge into one. I might share the videos that my mom took with her phone, because hers actually captured that live quality of their singing.

I know me writing this here won't change anything, but I have to put I out there - these kinds of stages weren't made for K-pop acts. I can't imagine anyone aside from the people in the first row or someone very tall was able to see the elements of choreography that took part on the floor or the subtitles on videos (which come on, they at least could have had the foresight to place them on the upper part of the screen, not the bottom). K-pop groups - or anyone who doesn't just stand there holding a mic but has a visual side to their performance - should perform in buildings that are constructed like theaters, with the floor gradually rising so everyone can see the stage comfortably. It seems that the Madrid venue was exactly like that, so if anyone reading this was there or at a different concert in a similar venue I'd love to hear about your experience!

Now something that might cheer up anyone who hasn't seen them perform live - this concert made me very grateful that cameras exist and allow us to watch their performances filmed professionally. It's obvious that they're amazing performers from a distance, but only when a camera gets up close and captures the way they express every song and choreography with their faces does it actually hit. I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, Yoojung is such an impressive and expressive performer, both in his body and face, and having close ups of his facial expressions is a gift from heaven.

As I laid down in bed and my emotions were cooling off, it dawned on me how many good things in my life I owe to them and how special it is to have this one artist I can point to and say "the time I spent with them changed me for the better". I think seeing them live isn't even the pinnacle of my experience as a fan, but everything I carry with me every day that I have thanks to them. That being said, I really want to see them again. Most of what I've written down here was right after the concert, but now I don't feel like I remember as much as I want to. Nonetheless, this was my favorite concert among the ones I've attended and the most special experience of my life so far. Next time I'm getting VVIP+ and getting closer to that stage so I can finally enjoy the view in peace. I'm not even taking the option that they won't return here into account. They will last forever and they will have an infinite number of world tours.

This is where this post stops being a concert review and becomes sentimental musings of an unhinged person, so strap in. I did my best to structure this section in a way that would clearly communicate my thoughts to someone who isn't the owner of my brain and therefore doesn't have the exact mind map of interpretations of the various elements of OnlyOneOf's lore. The things I say here might be something most of us have thought or felt at some point, so what I hope to achieve here is simply it put into words, because I don't think anyone else has done that in the context of OOO.

I have to start by defining what exactly I mean whenever I say “the lore” (please don't make a drinking game out of every time I say "lore" in this post, you will die). Just like with any other K-pop group who has a deeply thought out concept, “the lore” encapsulates everything related to their conceptual work - songs, music videos, lyrics, teasers, MV descriptions, symbolism, references etc. What makes my definition of OOO’s lore deviate from how I'd define other K-pop groups' lore is the elements that make OOO's lore itself different from any other. K-pop storylines are known to be complex, but the ones I’m familiar with can all be described in the form of a story with specific characters played by the members, various events, superpowers and plot twists. OOO’s lore is more focused on emotions - loneliness, desire, love, fear. Because of that, the facts of what happens in the work itself can take second place to the emotional value of it. Their story can't be analyzed like a book with a beginning, middle and end, because it's too ambiguous and multifaceted for that. We can instead discuss the themes and observe the emotional progression happening within the lore. I like to compare analyzing their lore to untangling the chord of your earphones, because when you start getting frustrated at yet another impossible knot, you can just give it a rest, put the earphones in and enjoy how their art makes you feel.

I think it was the youtuber LOU who first viewed something OOO had made through the lens of cubism in her video about dOra maar, but I'd take it a step further and say that OOO's art makes the most sense if you look at everything from a cubist perspective, i.e. there isn't a single perspective on anything, but multiple viewpoints that all work together to create what we could call "the lore". It becomes easier to take a look at the whole picture the lore paints if you keep that in mind.

We observe an internal journey across various songs that connect to each other in smaller or bigger ways. We can, but we don't have to view all of them as being one person's story. The lore contains a collection of themes that create an ambiguous, unnamed protagonist whom we see represented by the bOy wearing cOmme des garçOns or the characters in the be series. None of them are THE protagonist, but they all make up the protagonist, because they all offer different perspectives on the themes that drive OOO's art and have been building up the group's identity over the past five years.

All of what I've mentioned thus far is just creative fiction. There is another perspective on their art that has real life implications, because there are real people whose job it is to express the inner world of the protagonist through songs and performances. OOO's music videos acknowledge their status as idols in the same way other K-pop groups with a fictional narrative do - they break the fourth wall by showing snippets of choreo and lipsyncing in between storytelling. OOO could be written off as nothing more than actors in entirely fictional roles if it wasn't for how intertwined they are with the themes in their art, in no small part thanks to how active they are in the creative process, but even beyond that. Their job as idols is acknowledged within the narrative (skinz MV, beyOnd description, the name of undergrOund idOl). So, their life as idols with a fandom is yet another perspective through which we can view their themes.

Here is where our role as spectators becomes important, because this aspect of the lore couldn't exist without our input. The way we respond to it and the conversation we create around it is what gives it meaning.

One side of the lore is the human side - the intimate and natural imagery of the libidO MV, the cozy warmth of cOy, the fun of blOssOm's choreography. On the other side, there are parts of the lore that feel emotionless and cold - MVs like sage, time leap, asOiaf, dOpamine, or graphics for Off angel and dOra maar. This dichotomy is something that can be used to discuss a lot of themes, like emotional distance in romantic relationships or a feeling of being ostracized by society. For the benefit of this post, I'll focus only on parasocial relationships between artists and fans.

Being a fan is both an experience of intense connection and distance that goes way beyond just oceans and borders. The one-sided nature of a parasocial relationship can be difficult to navigate for some people, but it seems to be something a lot of us need. It's comforting to know that you can develop a strong emotional bond with someone you're completely detached from and don't have to do any of the work a real interpersonal relationship needs; you just get to enjoy yourself as you receive art and entertainment. But that comfortable distance distorts the way we perceive the artist's personhood. We know and understand that they're a fellow human being, but we can't help that we never have an opportunity to experience them as such. They’re not people to us in the sense that they have no physical presence in our lives, they're just a series of recorded images projected onto a screen, filtered and airbrushed. We can watch them act like regular people on and off the stage, but whether we want to or not, we perceive them as more glamorous than anyone we meet on a daily basis. How could we not when part of their job is to tower over us while looking like a perfectly crafted illustration every time they get on stage?

This is where another theme present in OnlyOneOf’s art comes in, which is putting someone on a pedestal. In their songs, it's discussed in the context of romantic, artist/muse or God/follower relationships, but the part of the lore I'm talking about here is something that exists in the way we as spectators perceive them and their work.

Idols are human - I'm aware I'm not making an interesting point by acknowledging that. The reason I've been inspired to write about this in the first place is that I realized how being in physical proximity to someone you have a parasocial relationship with can shift your perception of their humanity.

I didn't buy the VVIP+ benefit because I knew I would be way too nervous about those six minutes and I'd probably spend most of that time awkwardly pretending I can hear what they're saying through the noise all around. Never meet your heroes, because you might make an idiot out of yourself, or however the saying goes. I thought I was in the vast minority who felt this way due to my anxiety while other lyOns would be ecstatic to get to meet them face to face. However, while I was standing in the queue I overheard a lot of people talking about how nervous they were, which is funny, because why the hell would any of us be nervous? They're the ones who are about to have a crowd of strangers observing their every move and recording every little mistake, they should be feeling the most nervous of us all! This got me thinking about why anyone would be nervous to meet their favorite artist, and the conclusion I came to is that it's intimidation. We're not wrong to feel intimidated; I think it's perfectly normal and natural in this scenario. I'd say it’s also quite healthy, because you’re not able to get too familiar with someone who intimidates you, which ensures the emotional distance required within a parasocial relationship is kept. As with everything, it's about balance. The problem appears when the emotional distance between a regular audience member and an idol grows so large that it becomes dehumanizing. Unfortunately, seeing how Korean netizens and international fans alike latch onto tiny things to criticize about what idols do and say, this is still a very relevant topic. A pedestal that's too high can result in an approach that's entitled, cold, and often cruel. An idol becomes an imitation of a person, someone untouchable and unshakeable. Any words thrown their way, especially online, feel insignificant in comparison to their towering presence. For the people with an especially cruel streak, finding out their actions have a psychological impact on a public figure probably makes them feel like they regained some power in this uneven relationship. To them, it's nearly impossible to perceive an idol as someone with a right to receive empathy, because in their mind, the idol is too far removed from the humanity they observe in people who exist around them.

What's important here is that the lore shows us the full spectrum of who OOO are - they're idols, singers, performers, actors; they're people with fears, desires, intimate stories and hidden sides; people who have dopamine running through their bodies, people who need connection with others and people who have things they can't say. These things can't be separated from the members, because they make sure to take this message beyond the art itself. They don't filter themselves nearly as much as most idols have to - they swear, make dirty jokes, write songs about sex, casually talk about kissing men and offhandedly mention having a romantic life without apologizing for it. They're underground idols, and they intentionally distance themselves from the unforgiving audience members who would have a heart attack if their faves acted one tenth as relaxed as OOO do on a daily basis.

What I'm trying to get at here is that OnlyOneOf's art is created with the intention to create more empathy - for queer people, for mistreated lovers, for discarded muses, for people reconciling their faith with their sexuality, for one's own self despite having a lot of internalized issues. Through doing that, they override the loneliness inherent to the stories their songs tell and create possibilities for connection. They give us art that makes us feel less lonely by being a reflection of our messiest, most intimate feelings and experiences, and in turn they ask us to recognize them as a reflection of us and to not isolate them from the full human experience just because of the job they chose and its restrictions. When Jaden Jeong said they're the future of boy groups, I think he hoped they could influence audiences to humanize the figure of the idol.

I watched them between the professionally executed performances as they riffed off of each other, laughed and zoned out while looking at the audience. There were no cuts to a different, more flattering angle, no hand in the editing room controlling what footage sees the light of day. They look more beautiful in real life not because anything about their features looks different, but because the reality of being in the same space with them and finally getting to experience them just as any other human being, even with some distance still present, is a very special experience that holds beauty of its own. At that moment, I couldn’t remember why I was nervous before, and I began to wish I had sat down with them and shared a short conversation about any random thing. It would have been imperfect, but there was no reason to be afraid of that. They're just six guys of flesh and blood who clearly love what they do and whose work has given me happiness and purpose over the past two and a half years, and I would have cherished those six minutes of interaction.

On the train home, I discovered a more sentimental feeling while listening to them, especially the songs they performed, but not exclusively. There was something more personal and artistic I heard in their voices that made each song feel like more than just a recording, but a special moment in time shared by people who created something they wanted to share with others. This feeling fades the more the time distance grows between the current me and the me that attended the concert. Two hours weren’t enough.

I don't know how to end this post other than to say how fascinating it is that including imagery of fan/idol culture and technology within the lore so it mixes with all these deeply intimate stories makes everything OOO do a living piece of art. Simply existing as idols and people fuels the reason for the existence of their concept in the way that it currently exists, and I just think it's incredible.

[druidx]

Her Countenance was Light - Chapter 3

CW: death mention, grief Chapters: 01. 02. AO3

Dripping, she walks into the station's bright lights. Due to the rain, the night is warm for spring, and she does not shiver as much as she might. Clive, the desk sergeant gives her a concerned look as she passes, but she nods and mumbles a good evening. She passes through to the bullpen, ignoring the looks from her fellow officers and those about to be booked alike, to stand by her desk. The lanky man slouched at the opposite desk doesn't even look up.

"Cap wants to see us," he says, thumbing through the report he's reading. "Cap can wait. You still keep a spare set of clothes in your desk?" "Yeah, but they ain't gonna fit you, Bug. Try Cobbleskater? You're about the same size as him." He stops reading then, the report tilting away but still not looking up, as he re-processes the conversation. She watches his face go carefully blank, his shoulders tensing, as he looks up. Even after the time they spent working together, after all the preparation he gives himself, and the knowledge of all the stupid situations she manages to find herself in, he cannot contain himself. "Holy Cuthbert, Elo!" He leaps to his feet, rushing around the desks, yelling for Cobbleskater. "What the hell happened?" "Highly probable that someone tried to kill me," she tells him, pulling off her drenched coat and draping it over the chair. "You're sure?" "Oh my," says a little man, appearing at their side. He pushes his glasses up his nose, and his fingers twitch. She nods at him. "Irvine. You got a spare set of clothes I can borrow? I never replaced mine after the last incident." "Yes. Yes, of course. Won't be a tick," he stammers and shoots off. "What I'm sure of, Farren, is that someone tried to kill someone." Elo turns back to her partner. "Took the cut-through over the canal. Shortcut Bridge is missing, so I took the rope swing back-up. Rope was weighted and glued. Partly cut as well, I suspect. Glue dissolved before I sunk enough to surface. Whoever it was meant for, it was meant to look like an accident." She pauses. In the harsh light of the fluorescents, what she thinks she saw feels unreal. The mind can play tricks, hyped up on adrenalin. But Farren knows about the dream. She told him about it, as she blubbered over the corpses of the men sent to stop her from testifying on the Brotherhood case. She sniffs, still disappointed in the reaction she'd had. Not her finest moment. "Probably meant for someone else" he offers, drawing her back to the present. "Maybe." She forgets about the eyes and the skittering thing. "Don't think there's many as go that way anymore though. Mostly kids." She blanches, the same time as he does, as they have the same thought. He puts a hand on her arm. "They'd be lighter though. Less likely to make the rope snap." He doesn't look like he's buying his own words, but he soldiers on. "You might be a short-arse, but you're still a grown woman. More muscle – denser packed." She snorts. "You calling me fat, Breakwood?" He grins as Cobbleskater reappears at his elbow. "Here you go, Sarge," Cobbleskater says, handing over a stack of fabric. She nods in thanks as an office door slams open. "Breakwood, O'Toreguarde!" Everyone in the room winces at the volume and projection of that voice, and she feels all eyes turn to her. She is still dripping. "Ten minutes, Cap," she calls back, over her shoulder. There is a collective sucking in of breath. "Make it five," he says, and the door slams closed again. She intends to only be three.

The general chatter of the room returns as she disrobes, right there in the middle of the bullpen. It is a common enough sight that her colleagues pay no heed to the precinct's most unlucky-lucky officer, as she buttons up Cobbleskater's shirt, and pulls on trousers that don't quite fit her figure. The shoes are a conundrum – his will not fit, and hers are filled with water – so she chooses nothing in favour of speed. She has run through the streets of this city in nothing more than a well-tied bed sheet before now; the short walk to her Captain's office is nothing. She spares a quick glance at the pile of wet clothing, but Cobbleskater notices. "Go. I'll deal with it," he says, giving her a push. "Thank you, Constable." One day she will remind him he is not her personal valet, maid or typist. But, she also suspects, that will be the day he will be zipping up her body bag.

Farren falls in alongside her as they walk to the Captain's office, and she feels gratitude. He doesn't touch her, or otherwise try to comfort her, but she can feel his heat and his presence, and both warm her. Quite how someone that skinny can contain so much heat is beyond her, but right now she needs it and she doesn't care. Then he is pushing open the door marked 'Capt. A. Fugit', and they are both standing at ease in front of the desk as the balding elder in front of them stares at her. "What–?" "Potential assassination attempt, sir." She can feel Cobbleskater's shirt starting to stick to her still-damp skin as her Captain harrumphs. Two cut-crystal tumbles land on the desk, chinking together. The smell of heather and peat fills the air as he pours a measure of whiskey into each glass. "Your knowledge of the city's waterways is far too intimate," Fugit says. "Yes, sir." "Go see the medic on duty when we're done here. I won't have you coming down with something right when we need you." "Yes sir. Wouldn't dream of it, sir." "Breakwood, make sure she gets sent home in a car." "Yes, sir," her partner says beside her. Elo would protest she doesn't need special treatment, but her dunking shows that's a lie. Some of the other officers think she's cursed. Others have told her she has a guardian angel. More than once she's found a good luck charm or protection amulet on her desk. She usually thanks the giver, drops it in a drawer and forgets about it. None of them have ever helped, and one was used to strangle her once. So, there's that.

"The case, sir?" she asks. "I assume there was a good reason for waking me in the middle of the night to get my ass dumped in the closest body of water?" Captain Fugit quirks a smile at her. "Yes, Sergeant." He pushes the tumbler of liquor across his desk, followed by a manilla file-folder. "All the details are in there. The body is with Snickersnip in the morgue right now." Elo frowns as she takes the folder. "What happened to the crime scene?" she asks, opening the folder. "SOP says– Oh." Fugit murmurs in agreement as she scans the page, flicking through the scant photos. "Oh indeed," Fugit says. "Standard operating procedures do not account for the scene to be situated on a slowly sinking barge. The attending officers gathered as much evidence, physical and photographic, as they could while they believed it safe to do so. But by the time they arrived, the ropes holding the barge were already strained to tautness, and it could have gone at any moment." Elo nods, looking at the photo snapped from above, taken from Spit Bridge if she's not mistaken. She's seen it happen before. The barge would have a breached hull, allowing the slow ingress of water, dragging it down into the canal. The hawser tethering the barge to shore would have become increasingly taut as the boat sank and, if not cut first, at some point they would have catastrophically snapped. "It's clever," she mutters to herself. "Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the canals – and that's half the city – would stay clear. The ropes alone make it too dangerous to stay close by. Brek, remind me to buy the attending officers a beer." She glances up to see the hint of a satisfied smirk on Fugit's face before he tucks it away; she suspects he may again be considering her promotion to Lieutenant.

There is a lot more information to be gleaned from these images and the report before her, but she can read them at her leisure later. She'll also want to talk to the attending officers. But right now, she has another question, one that's easier to ask than try ferreting from the report right now. "Who's the vic?" she asks. Fugit's shoulders tense, and Farren looks down at her with a curious glance. "You don't recognise her?" he asks. "The face isn't clear. Should I?" "Do you not watch the news?" She snorts. "I find I am in it often enough that it becomes repetitious to watch." Fugit clears his throat. "Her name is Evelyn Strucker," he says. For a moment, Elo fancies his voice has taken on the quality of a smith's hammer, the way it hits her so. "No," she says, the air leaving her all at once – a terrified little bleat. "It's a coincidence. Someone with a similar name?" It's a stupid thing to say. She knows very well she's doing one of the very things she hates to see in others, but she can't seem to stop the words from falling. The look Fugit gives her is answer enough. "Snips confirmed – she is General Strucker's daughter," he says. She reaches then for the whiskey on his desk. Takes a shaking mouthful of the golden nectar. Allows its fire as it flows down her throat to distract and comfort her. "Does the General know?" she asks. Fugit shakes his head, as Farren shifts his weight closer to her. "No," her captain says. "He's away, on a mission. According to his secretary, he can't be reached."

Elo holds herself rigid and stiff, grip tight on the tumbler, because if she doesn't, she will fall and cry. She hasn't seen Evelyn since they were younger, coming into adulthood. They've both been busy, lives drifting apart, updates shared through parents. Elo thinks back to when they were children, coming into their teen years. The daughters of dignitaries left to their own devices in City Hall, while their guardians – her Aunts and Evie's dad – were stuck in the stuffy council chambers. She thinks about the hours they spent exploring the shining white edifice; how Evie had the canteen chef wrapped around her little finger, how Elo found a way into the best hidey-holes. The last time she'd seen Evelyn was at some social function. Elo herself bore them grudgingly, but it was where Evie shone. Elo can recall it clearly: the glitz of the ballroom all around, the patter of music and dancing, and Evie, resplendent in a daring pale-blue dress, the diamonds at her throat and ears so perfect and inviting–

Elo realises with a start Fugit and Farren are both looking at her with concern. "What?" she asks overloud, blinking back to them. "I asked if you were okay?" Fugit says kindly. "I'm fine," she lies, and takes another drink, knowing neither of them believe her. "Should I reassign the case?" her Captain asks. "No!" She sets the glass down. "Although, I must declare: I knew the victim. We were childhood friends." And it's not a lie, but it does bend the truth a little. Fugit is frowning at her. "Do you believe this will compromise your ability to do your job in a safe and neutral manner?" "No, sir." "Breakwood?" the Captain asks, glancing to her left. "I'll keep a weather eye, sir. I always do," Farren says. Fugit's dark eyes flick left and right as he scrutinises them. With a satisfied nod, he says, "I'm sure I don't need to tell you both, this case will get a lot of scrutiny. You must proceed a hundred per cent by the book. The General is due back at the end of the week, according to his secretary. I want to have answers for him, if not the culprit. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes, sir." "Crystal, sir." Fugit tilts his head to the door. "Dismissed."

Then they are back at their desk, and she shivers. Despite all the people in the bullpen, it is still cold. "Coffee?" Farren asks, and she gives a tight little nod.

She covers her face with a hand, pinching at the temples and tries to breathe. Evalyn Strucker is lying downstairs on a marble slab. Evalyn Strucker, the Princess of Toreguarde – for all that they are just a city-state with no actual royalty to their name – has been murdered. Her body has been desecrated, her starlight has been snuffed out. There will be no more parties for her to woo the crowds. Her father will know a pain no parent ever should. There are no more sands in the clock; they have been stolen, and that is an injustice that must be righted. There is a woman lying on a slab downstairs and her life has been taken, and it will not be allowed to stand. People are killed in the city every day, and though this victim is one of many, Elo will allow this to go unpunished as little as any other crime that is brought for her investigation. The Sargent lets the flood of anger fill her veins, even as tears drop slowly down her face. It will keep her grounded while she seeks justice for this victim. A light has been snuffed out this night; Elo will know why and by whom.

"Coffee." The sound of her partner's voice and the heavy thud of a full mug on her desk bring her back. Elo quickly scrubs her face, but Farren just nods. He's seen this ritual before. He has his own ritual, one that involves a dozen of those vile roll-ups he smokes and a much-abused punching-bag in the gym, but she suspects he has already prepared himself. Dissociation makes you keener, he'd told her. As cold as it is, the thing on the slab isn't a person anymore – they are a victim, and all victims deserve justice. Be angry, be sad, be cold. Do whatever gets you through, but make sure the fire of unrequited justice moves your every action so that the victim gets closure. Only when you have all the answers you need, when someone is behind bars, can you give the victim their name back, and you can allow yourself to think of them like a person again. Be cold, she reminds herself. Be keen. The victim demands justice. She takes the coffee, burns her mouth trying to drink too fast, sits down and looks at him. "What do we know?"

Farren gives her a rundown of the report. The victim was found on a barge moored at Tattham dock, just down the river from Spit Bridge, and the attending officers were called because of the sinking. The victim was only found because one of the officers went aboard to see if the barge could be saved or made fast in some way. She was on the main deck, partly covered with a tarp. There was little blood – she wasn't killed there, but she hadn't been moved far. Her wounds were simple and would have been swift, but the murder weapons eluded them. The first injury was blunt-force trauma to the side of the head, the second is a small puncture mark, over her heart. "Snips will have more about her wounds," Farren says. "I know he's hoping there will be particulates from whatever she was struck with that Candy will be able to trace." "Why did they call us now?" she asks him. "If there's no crime scene, if the body has already been worked over by Snips and Candy, and the attendings have made their reports, what was so time-sensitive that they called us out of bed? Did Fugit just want to be able to say he had his best officers working the case before any journos showed up?" But Farren is giving her a long, steady look. The dark fuzz on his chin catches the light in a way that tells her his jaw is tense – he's thinking how to tell her something she probably doesn't want to hear. "It's probably best if I show you," he says finally and rises from the chair. Elo frowns; she really isn't going to like this then.

[twinkle-art]

now that you're done endwalker, could you talk a little bit more about andromeda? im curious about what she got up to/how she grew in all that time

YES I’D LOVE TO endwalker was BRUTAL to her. and yet she still pulled through with the indomitable human spirit

Previously On Final Fantasy XIV (Andromeda Elo Version) style recap:

as you can imagine, her obsessive belief that killing zenos would instantly reinstate her as a perfect hero circa. stormblood went… poorly. the brief period when people thought she killed him and not that he killed himself in front of her did make her feel a little crazy

and then she went to the first and that kind of put things in perspective. or more accurately, gave her a fresh new slate for her hero image and an excuse to ignore her previous flop era

there was her whole thing with emet-selch. anyways

on that note, the only real canon deviation i made to shb was that when she’s dying of light poisoning she does, in fact, run off to the tempest by herself with the intention of killing them both. this doesn’t pan out and instead she spends about a week hallucinating in emet-selch’s torment nexus until some very upset scions come get her. i’ve drawn a lot about this. i will likely continue to draw a lot about this

due to a cocktail of deep rooted mental issues and also the fact that he was truly just so miserable, andromeda doesn’t feel… great about putting emet-selch down. but instead of articulating this, because she’s convinced it’s not the “right” reaction, she bottles it up for about 3 patches

…until elidibus plays on her guilt and she receives azem’s crystal as a 1-2 punch. when y’shtola asks the wol after the fact if they’re okay i decided that she immediately bursts into tears

so now we arrive at the end times

there’s really no delicate way to say it but the garlemald arc was probably the worst thing she ever experienced. which is impressive, given her spring break amaurot excursion just happened. 

(i loved it though it might genuinely have my favorite writing in this whole game)

as i’m sure i don’t have to spell out, being treated as a foreign invader in the place she grew up was kind of a lot. she’s incredibly sentimental about her homeland- for as much as she hates it for how it rejected her (and the atrocities) and as much as she never for a second regretted her defection, her feelings towards garlemald are not dissimilar from the way someone might crave the recognition of a family that has only treated them poorly. 

in fact, her traitor’s title of viator was never actually official- zenos referred to her as such, but never made his knowledge of her garlean citizenship public because he dgaf. and yet, despite continuing to exclusively go by elo and hide her origins, she privately referred to herself as viator caecus without much thought, in an act of blinding self-unawareness. (but as her god i know the reason, and it’s that on some level she likes that being branded a Significant Traitor still means being recognized by her former home as Significant)

anyways, speaking of her family: they sure did live in the capital! andromeda is trying really, really hard to be brave and pragmatically carry out her duty as Eorzea’s Champion but like…her mommy lives here :(

in the first of many acts that mean the jig of her supposed eorzean origins is pretty much up, she starts asking everyone they encounter if they’re aware of the whereabouts of a woman named lucretia eir caecus (for ilsabard contingent business, obviously. not because she’s terrified her mom is dead.) without much luck. the twins simply do not have the heart to tell her that this is a hell of a long shot. 

(ONE person doesn’t know where she could be, but they do know of her and muse that the rumors must be true then- that this minor city bureaucrat really did have populares sympathies, if she’s a contact for the eorzeans. this comes as total news to andromeda.)

(also eventually, inevitably this get back around to their intelligence and thancred pulls her aside and grills her until he realizes what’s going on and pivots to Oh My God it’s fine that you miss your mom?! you should have come to us helping you look for her is the least we can do after everything. this is the second time a scion makes her burst into tears.)

putting a pin in that for now. in from the cold was . a lot. i don’t have much to say other than that it felt especially cruel to make her drag herself through the ruins of the city she was raised in while wearing the body of the kind of person who made her life hell. also in general that zenos knew what he was doing when he razed her hometown to the ground to get her attention. fucked up duty btw. her desire to kill him with a rock is back.

after tower of babil/the moon/zodiark i deviate from canon a little bit again- she lets the scions do their mare lamentorum side thing while she goes back to garlemald to see what’s going on. not feeling great about maybe causing the final days.

and then she reunites with her mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (<- part of her narrative that i had planned out as early as heavensward)

i want to draw this scene out in glorious detail but the long and short of it is that lucretia- who lest we forget, knows her way around a gunblade despite living as some military man’s obedient little wife for 25 years- had actually started trailing the ilsabard contingent from a distance once rumors spread that the wol was with them.

see, despite this not being officially public knowledge, she figured out that this “andromeda elo” was her daughter a long, long time ago, and it kind of snapped her out of the two-decade defeatist trance she put herself in for survival. (which is when she got involved in all manner of clandestine anti-state activities- she was rather dangerously close to getting in extremely serious trouble when civil war broke out and everyone kind of stopped caring) 

so she followed them from a distance, falsely assuming that the daughter who ran away wouldn’t want to see her until finally getting caught and dragged in there

also she killed her husband in self-defense. allegedly. he was totally tempered i promise. he had it coming tho.

ANYWAYSSS that’s the chunk of edw i have the most detailed thoughts on. elpis was also incredibly harrowing due to um. her Whole Thing with emet-selch but tbh i haven’t fully digested the back half of the expansion yet because it is DENSE

(i do love it when two characters get one single transcendent moment when they're finally able to both understand each other though it makes me crazy)

two final beats that i think illustrate her mental state going into the finale:

when the final days descended, the number one thing that kept her from falling into despair was her reunion with her mother- while their relationship is far from magically fixed, the simple fact that she regained something she lost after realizing how precious it really was to her made her all the more ferocious about ensuring that she will never, ever give that up again

when zenos makes his final assertion that the two of them are the same, she rejects him- but this is because while it was once true, she has since outgrown that. she has outgrown him. and that’s why he loses.

...also she fucked drusilla at some point while learning reaper

[longsightmyth]

Picked up Godkiller as my first book of the year, admittedly largely because of the cover (do NOT come for me) and my reaction re, Elo (who is hot, bakes bread, has an angsty past, can apparently sing, is good with kids, and seems to have romantic leanings):

[shayminlucario07]

Spoiler Warning! For Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed

Okay... just beat Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed, thoughts and reactions in no particular order-

1. What the FUCK was any of that actually supposed to mean?

2. What the hell was that final post-credit-scroll shot of the two planets and fusing into one and that blue spec of light coming towards the planet?

3. HOLY FUCKING BINGLE, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED X (Chapter 5′s cutscenes inside Origin- when Na’el was talking to Matthew, the radio in the background talked about the Earthlife Colonization Project, which is what created the White Whale, the ship that crashed on Mira, in X) IT’S THE SAME UNIVERSE, CONFIRMED, I WAS FUCKING *RIGHT*

4. So... Glimmer is the daughter of Rex and Pyra, right? We saw in the ending of XC3 proper that Pyra, Mythra, and Nia were all holding babies- does Glimmer have a sibling somewhere that we don’t know about? ...Is that why Matthew had an aegis crystal in his gauntlets...? Is he technically her... cousin? Is that how that would work? God why are the Pneuma girls so confusing XC2 what’s wrong with you

5. So... Nikol is the son of Shulk and Fiora, right?

6. So... Panacea is the daughter of Reyn and Sharla, right?

7. So... Linka is the daughter of Zeke and Pandoria, right? Why did they name their daughter after a type of honey?

8. Okay, what the fuck was A? Why is she named in the same format as the Moebius/Consuls? What the HELL is her deal? WHERE WAS HER CHARACTERIZATION

9. Did... Did Shulk, Rex, and A become the new Trinity Processor? Are Rex and Shulk like. The new Logos and Pneuma? Because A is Ontos. Is that the intended implication there? Because that’s DEFINITELY how I read it

10. So. Rex and Shulk like. Barely mentioned that they know/knew Nia and Melia. The Queens weren’t even in Future Redeemed. In fact, none of the other party members from 1 and 2 were ever mentioned by name- just acknowledged in passing dialogue. I said this about 3 proper and I’ll say it about Future Redeemed, too- that’s extremely fucking disappointing.

11. HOLY SHIT RIKU IS RIKI’S SON? RIKU IS KINO AND NENE’S BROTHER?

12. Why was Manana not acknowledged in Future Redeemed? And why did N show up but not M? WHY IS THE AGNIAN CAST SO NEGLECTED THIS IS DRIVING ME MAD

13. This one’s just me being ridiculous and dumb because I think it’s funny but I’m still kind of mad we didn’t get an Elma post-credits. ESPECIALLY NOW THAT X HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED LIKE COME ON. They could’ve even given us KOS-MOS or T-ELOS but they didn’t! Fucking cowards.

14. So... Fogbeasts got kind of explained, finally? But why were they in Bionis’ Shoulder? And why did we never see them in Alrest? I’m very confused by this.

15. Most egregious of all- NO TYREA AGAIN. Which singlehandedly makes this trash. Justice for Tyrea. The only way this can be redeemed is if Eunie is canonically Tyrea’s daughter. There was a guy in Future Connected who had a crush on Tyrea so just fucking send it Monolith

TL;DR- Too short. Not enough of... well, not enough game, really. XC3 proper only having 7 chapters wasn’t enough for it but that honestly would’ve probably been about the perfect length for Future Redeemed, but. Alas. I can’t say I was disappointed, really, but I also don’t know that it met my expectations... much like XC3 proper, I’m very conflicted about this.

[calliopefiction]

Elo really like what I have read so far though I feel like the MC is a bit too set in terms of personality. Like I feel like there are a lot of places where I would like to choose the reaction of my MC.

Admittedly a lot of those choices are either small or just flavor but I feel like they add a lot to the personalizing the MC.

Though if this is not the direction or the type of if that you are going for then I completely understand. Your writing is pretty enjoyable none the less.

Thank you so much for your feedback, I'll take it into consideration. Could you give me an example of one of those moments where you would've liked to choose a reaction?

It's definetely challenging to balance having a lot of options and writing an MC that is enough of a fixed character to allow for actual character development within the plot. I'll try my best to make the MC a bit more flexible though.

[gray-soul]

What your Valorant main says about you in my perspective after playing Valorant for some time (and as a Cypher main):

Brimstone - Oh I can trust you with everything, Daddy Brim for the win. You either have a ton of lineups for that molly which land and you often clutch or if you're a new Brim enjoyer you die inside as your lineups don't land and the enemy gets the win. You're either very responsible, or just like how much of a meme he is. I like ya.

Viper - You're either a mean egirl, or just some guy that swears he only plays her because he can't smoke. We all know you're just here for her hotness, which I can't argue with. I don't recall many bad Vipers, and as I play as her sometimes you're a solid person.

Omen - oh come on who doesn't main Omen. He is a solid character that has a good kit, good background and is overall fun. You're either an edgy kid that tps instead of walking or you're actually just a chill m8. Please if you play in low elo learn how to smoke, it is painful to see some of these smokes fr. No Agos, I will not main him just because he looks cool. Also some of you that play as Omen are actual sweethearts that smoke me if I ping, and I appreciate you for that.

Killjoy - You're either fun, or you instalock and then tell me the most obvious fact about placing trips. If you instalock KJ and then force me to fill, well you're rude. Don't do that. I used to main KJ and please for the love of God change that turret position sometimes. Sometimes maining KJ is a phase, other times it's a lifestyle. Get off tiktok while you're chilling in backsite and maybe sometimes get off B on ascent. Everyone knows the KJ setup on B ascent and it's boring af /j. Overall you're chill, unless you get on my nerves with using your alarm bot on flank when there's already my trip there.

Cypher - You have good taste my friend. Even though it pains me when you don't have any setups, or when you place a bad trip on flank. Just kneel, and get that damn trip at the right hight. But overall you're fun if you know anything about using his utility, but you're making me cringe if you don't use the damn utility at all. Trip flank well, use that damn camera flash, and don't play like a duelist.

Sova - You probably played CS before switchinf to Valorant. You're most of the time a chill person, sometimes you steal avaragejohnas's lineups, sometimes you make your own. I love teaming up with a Sova and destroying people. You're cool, but the disrespect I feel when you kill me with a shockdart is agonising

Sage - Unpopular opinion, I don't like bad Sage mains. Specifically battle Sages. Oh for heaven's sake IF I PLACED A TRIP ON FLANK DON'T WASTE THE DAMN WALL TO COVER IT! This should be common sense! Your wall has so much potential bro! Or when you revive someone just to waste your ult at the end of the round, or when you only heal yourself. But. If you're a good Sage, I bow and kneel to you. Because you are a mountain.

Phoenix - Flash me again and I will find and punch your ass.

Jett - You're dead.

Reyna - A lot of times I have more kills than you, and yet you're calling me bad fr. You go mid and don't do entry then die giving the enemy a number advantage orrr you're afk. There was only one Reyna main that was fun to play with and it was an 11 year old boy.

Raze - eghem: "MY TRIPSS NOOOOOO" I yell after a Raze nade destroys my trip. I like my team Raze, because you're chill, probably love movement characters and have a good music taste, but the enemy Raze always makes me dead inside.

Breach - Oh you're cool I like you. Basically the same reaction as with Brim mains. You're a solid part of the team.

Skye - Flash me again and I will kill you part 2. You're either a great source of info, or you're a troller. You're alright ^-^

Yoru - You either troll or pop off. Flash me again and I'll kill you part 3

Astra - Never seen a bad Astra main. You're probably having the time of your life playing this forsaken game. You're smiling after basically getting match mvp and drinking tea. You're a great person.

Kay/O - flash me again and I'll slay you part 4, I love a good Kay/O main, and sometimes I wish I was you. Kay/O is hot.

Chamber - You're popping off too hard, and Riot next patch will nerf you. Or you're a child, or a simp.

Neon - Please stop only buying a judge just so you'll have funky clips. 90% of the time it doesn't work. Other then that you're a very chill person.

Fade - Emo girl or an Emo boy. You're very chill, miss your lineups if you even have them and basically chill.

Harbor - You.... exist? Wow. Yeah Harbor can be hard, and if you master him, congrats! But I do have a lot of clips where I destroy Harbors...

Gekko - Let's be Honest you would die and will die for your silly animals. Wingman stole your heart.

Deadlock - Instalock her and I'll laugh in your face. I'm sorry but she's imo one of the worst Sentinels. Please choose a better character... please.

Anyway, this was made in a /j manner. Don't come after me if you feel insulted. This is all for fun and you should play who you want to play ^-^.

[singeratlarge]

REMEMBERING RICK ANDERSON: HIS LIFE WAS HIS ART

Music Mentor, Artistic Visionary, Bassist and Co-Founder of The Tubes

As one of my music mentors and as a friend, Rick Anderson (1947-2022) played in the background of my life for many years. He co-founded The Tubes, the revolutionary art rock band that fused satire and theatre and drew comparisons to Alice Cooper and Frank Zappa. The Tubes entered my radar in 1975 with their breakout debut and their presence on hipster FM radio (including Fee Waybill’s witty radio PSA promoting birth control). However, the powerhouse musicality of The Tubes drew me the most, with their sophisticated progressive rock punctuated by pop music anthems, from “White Punks on Dope” and “What Do You Want From Life?” Through hard work, constant touring, and perpetual crafting on stage and in the studio, The Tubes created an astonishing resume (and they’re still on the road). Their careers intersected with David Bowie, ELO, Peter Gabriel, Olivia Newton-John, Cliff Richard, Todd Rundgren, Rick Wakeman, and other giants in the field. The Tubes commanded my respect then and now.

My big move to California in May 1977 was precipitated by a mix tape sent to me by a friend and also mentor, Jeff Lloyd. His tape included several Tubes tracks with a note saying, “We need to do something this good,” and that upped my urge to head to San Francisco. Imagine my thrill when, two years later, Rick Anderson walked into my rehearsal space. At the time I was in a band called The Mystery Dates with bassist/guitarist Dan Reilly with me on lead vocals, bass, guitar, and keyboards. We auditioned drummers and landed on Joyce, who brought in other singers and musicians, and that posse included Rick. He helped us knock the project into shape and re-named us The Band-Aids, suggesting we could be a parody of New Wave opening acts. We had fun doing covers like “Do Ya Wanna Dance?” and “Steppin’ Stone.”

The Band-Aids/Mystery Dates broke up in Spring 1980, but Rick and I kept up a rapport. He treated all my friends as his friends, and he had me over to his Twin Peaks apartment to record demos (he wanted to produce my song “Dancin’ So Hard”). We gabbed a lot about music, though I was more the beneficiary of Rick’s experience and wisdom. I was a brash, opinionated 22-year-old with a head full of stupid and naïve preconceptions about music and the entertainment industry. Rick patiently cut through with real-world mentoring, instructing me on the workings of major label record deals (The Tubes were signed to A&M at the time), pros and cons of musician’s unions, recording tips, and going for a pop music jugular while keeping one’s artistic integrity.

Musicians can get awfully territorial about music, letting likes and dislikes eclipse the true value of a musical work, and I was like that back then. Rick taught me to cope and get ahead in this business, I had to become more objective and accept irony. For example, Rick took me to a club to see Eddie Money, who I wasn’t a fan of, but Rick said, “Watch Eddie. He has great charisma onstage.” From Rick I learned the necessity of stage presence and to respect the craft of other professionals. 

Another example: I had a negative reaction to The Carpenters. They didn’t fit my image of hipsterism, but Rick asked, “What’s wrong with them? There’s good playing, singing, production, songwriting, and they make people happy.” I couldn’t argue with that, and it led me to a cardinal rule of working in music: Leave my opinions at the door. Don’t let my attitudes and personal tastes block my discovery process as a creator. I can flex my likes and dislikes in private, but ultimately, they don’t matter in God’s grand scheme of creation and collaboration.

Rick and I drifted apart socially but we kept crossing paths (I gave him my first LP in 1985). Then in the late 90s we reconnected and began a meaningful correspondence of emails and postcards. He was still a reliable voice of affirmation and encouragement, with his droll realism balanced by childlike awe. 

Recently we sat at Rick funeral and listened to his daughter, family, and friends talk about Rick’s life well-lived. He resided in the small farm belt town of Merced CA, where he was celebrated as a model neighbor, father, and husband. It was a touching report, with descriptions of Rick’s constant even temper and dependability as a man and as a musical force. Of course, I wish I could’ve spent more time in person with Rick, but he left us with quite an imprint, and I’m grateful that he inspired me to up my game in every way.

[aetherdoesthings]

luffy cuddling with his S/O headcanons or scenario(I prefer scenario but is your choice!) have a good day/ night!

elo! i hope you have/had a good day/night too!

forethoughts: fellas, i'm starting to run out of conversation starters and continuers. send help. also wouldn't it be cool if i got 7 more followers, and then maybe host a qna or something like that when i break 100? idk just a thought 🤷.

notes: gn!reader

When it comes to cuddling, you have a mix of emotions when it comes to your partner. 

On one hand, Luffy was the best cuddler you could ever imagine. He could (and would) stretch his body as long as he needs to wrap his arms around you and make you feel comfortable and safe.

Also, Luffy is naturally a playful person, so when he cuddles with you, you could always expect a lot of tickling, poking, and playful banter. He loves hearing your laughter and your futile protests for him to stop; he’ll do anything to elicit some sort of reaction out of you.

Luffy loves taking naps on your body too, placing his head on your chest to hear your steady heartbeat and breathing.

I’d imagine Luffy being a pro at pillow talk. Even though he seems like an airhead, he can always have a deep conversation with you if you want to have one with him, and would love to hear about whatever’s making you anxious or sad.

But even though Luffy can give you 7 hours of heaven, he doesn’t dish them out on a regular basis. Luffy slept anytime he wanted, napping on deck, out in open danger, anytime he was tired he’d sleep. That left him pretty hyper and awake at night, with all those naps he took in the day. 

If you asked him prior, Luffy would cuddle you and give you your 7 hours of heavenly affection, but it was rare to see the boy come into your shared room every night to cuddle you to sleep.

It’s not that Luffy doesn’t want to cuddle with you; he loves those 7 hours as much as you do, but that his brain requires some sort of stimulant at every second. 

There was also that question if Luffy had showered before getting into bed with you. But after one incident, it became mandatory that Luffy had to shower before getting into bed with you.

All in all, Luffy loves to give you affection and as much affection as he could, IF you can stop him from napping all day and if he had showered before.

[chaunceyandchumleysdad]

ELO - Telephone Line

Grateful Dead - Operator

Faces - Memphis (Chuck Berry Cover)

Kraftwerk - The Telephone Call

The Rolling Stones - Off The Hook

I was recently watching a reaction video to the wonderful Electric Light Orchestra song Telephone Line. My recollection of telephone songs goes back to the days of landline telephones and operators. With most people having cell phone these days, it made me wonder if songs about telephones are still being written and recorded. The answer is yes! A google search produced a long list of telephone songs over the last many decades. So I decided that I am kicking of the weekend with a Five for Friday that includes some of my favorite telephone songs. Let me know what your favorites are!

[rebeleden]

Mark Cuban's Kamala Harris vs Trump poll result prompts sharp reaction from Elon Musk: ‘The tenacity of his stupidity…’ - Hindustan Times

DEPORT RABID RACIST WARLOCK MORON MF ELON NOW!!!

STOP NAZI VANILLA ISIS

[y4mmyb0y]

when they made charge dust give positive bonus a bunch of people were like "oh floor 10s about to be eating lol" but on floor 10 I'm fighting 1400-1500 elo players who never do it because they assume you'll react and the guys at my elo and above will fucking constantly try to test your reactions with charge dust and get away with it because the punish is mid without full resources. in sf6 you can get like 50% off of reacting to drive impact but since charge dust is like -10 unless you instant block it you cant get a good starter and in the worst cases you only get 2k 2d. if they want people to punish the start up they're on fucking crack because it takes til frame 20 to react so you have 8 frames to get something out all the while you're expecting them to do anything real