#glad they played Unknown Mother Goose

[roses-and-nightingales]

Miku Miku ooo eee ooo

[fortemelody]

miku expo was legit the best day of my life so i wanna ramble about it

edit: found this in my drafts and wanted to revive it even if this took place like a month ago now lmao

first off i wanna kinda stress something that i honestly might get flamed for

i was in the pit, literally the third row, and around the halfway mark people who didn’t have wristbands on (that you get if you’re in the pit) finagled their way in and no security stopped them. this was like 5 people near me and like 3 more on the opposite side of the chairs. i could barely move cus i was so squished in by them and beforehand i was taking the opportunity to jump and dance becus i was in the aisle becus it was very spacious.

i personally see this as wrong. like i understand the feeling so much of not having good seats becus they are expensive. my bsf’s parents payed for these seats and that was the closest i’ve ever been/probably will ever be at a concert. i am eternally greatful for them. however, if i were at any other concert with my regular nosebleed seats, i would not move up to somewhere where the seats were obviously filled and payed for. people work hard to have the kind of money to spend on good tickets, and i felt like they were stripping away all of that just becus there was some open space and no one from security happen to be watching

i do feel kinda bad becus my friend was complaining a little too loud and vulgarly without a proper confrontation and i was saying things like “yeah” and “real” and i think they eventually kinda heard us but they didn’t do anything in response until i finally asked them nicely to at least step back so i could move around. most of them listened then but one person didn’t.

i want to acknowledge that i probably wasn’t perfect either in a different aspect becus i was legit screaming my head off and i realize now that behavior can definitely be distracting. i forgot that convention idol etiquette very much applies to even a virtual concert because there are others around me that might not appreciate my loudness who aren’t performing, along with the band members (although they prob couldn’t hear me from backstage).

wanted to address my thoughts on the screen too. honestly i still think it’s a weird call (and would make a lot of sense if it was by crunchyroll) and i still think it’s rather cheap but i can at least acknowledge that the visuals were pretty crisp. im assuming it also helped people see it from super far away better. it was definitely not an experience ruiner by any means but it was pretty jarring for the first 10 mins or so.

anyways, on to the good moments. at the end i shouted thank you to the band members when they came out and one of them saw me gave me the heart hands AND IT WAS SO FUCKING SWEET AHHH

i went into this only knowing about 5 songs for the set list and i’m so glad for that becus the suprises kept hitting me. some of the most hyped songs for me were unknown mother goose and fraulen biblioteca. i was so happy they played a wowaka song becus he deserves to be honored in multiple countries. and with fraulen i have a video recording of it where me and my bsf’s convo went like this:

“i can’t believe they did it”

“what?”

“I CANT BELIEVE THEY DID IT”

“ME TOO”

(for context we were debating which songs would get played on the way there and we wanted this one but thought it had a slim chance. also meiko is my fav soooo)

ALSO we didn’t know we got VIP till someone told us (thank you kind stranger). the tote bag is really nice and i’ve gotten a ton of use out of it. and i used the fan in place of a penlight the whole time- idk how it didn’t break. as for the other stuff it was just kinda meh to me.

lastly we got a shit ton of confetti from the cannon and passed some out to people and took a couple for ourselves too. i’m so glad they did that it was a nice touch and it looked so beautiful as it was falling tbh

i think that’s all i gotta say but i might make some fanart to commemorate it later (i just said this same thing in a post a couple days ago and i haven’t even started *that* drawing yet….oopsies).

[azure-daybreak]

So I went to Miku Expo 2024 last night (the Vancouver show) and I wanted to talk about it while it's top of mind.

TL;DR I had a lot of fun, while there were some things I wish were different (mostly the screen), it wasn't a bad first Miku concert IMO (But I do wanna see more shows). More under the cut!

First of all, it was super cool to see all the different people there to see Miku and the other Vocaloids. Like, I've been to conventions before and it's always cool to see a horde of people dressed as various anime characters or animals, but to see everyone dressed specifically as Voicaloids and Project Sekai characters was new for me.

About the merch on sale at the concert, I was surprised that they were doing most of it outside and that the inside merch stand had barely anything- at least when I got in. That could just be bad timing on my end. If you're reading this and you wanna buy merch at one of the upcoming shows (especially a glowstick), make sure to get there early. For Vancouver, they did send out an email the day before saying that they were selling merch outside starting at 2pm, but I wasn't able to get there before then.

I did get the VIP package merch but it's kinda.... well it's not bad or anything, and I'm glad to have it but some of it feels a little cheap. For example, the hand fan is cute but feels flimsy, and the tote bag has a really nice design but the heat pressing makes me not wanna use it because I'm worried about cracking the art. On the other hand, I really like the lanyard that came with the package; The art was done by Socky and I liked it so much that I bought the backpack that also has that art.

Onto the show. You may have already heard this but yes, It wasn't the usual hologram, where they have a sheet of glass with the visual projected onto it, it was just a normal screen where they played the visual. It did feel like I was watching one of those hologram-ready videos on my phone but on a giant TV, but it was still cool to see.

Here's also a side-by-side of how the hologram looks vs the display using on the rocks from Magical Mirai 2021 and last night's show. While it's not fair to use a pro-shot vs what looks like a musical theater bootleg sime tutorial to show this, I hope it gets the point across. (Miku Expo 2024 on the left and Magical Mirai 2021 on the right)

I liked the setlist also, it can be found at this link here, but some standouts to me were, Miku by Anamanaguchi, The Vampire, Unknown Mother Goose, Childish War, On the Rocks, Sore ga Anata no Shiawase to Shite mo, Gimmie x Gimmie (Love this song so much), World is Mine (everyone screamed at the first "Sekai de" (including me)), the band introduction, Tell Your World (It's not my favorite or anything, but they shot out confetti at one point and that was cool.), and Intergalactic Bond.

I want to expand a bit on the band introduction and them as a whole, I loved that the band got attention and their names were shown. I watched some Magical Mirai videos and I see that this practice might be from that, so I'm glad that was carried over. They all were stellar and watching them was really exciting, the drummer- Dylan was always so cool to look at, Tobias the keyboardist was dancing near the beginning of Gimmie x Gimmie and that was a vibe, the bassist and guitarist- Leanne and Vixen's Diary respectively were fun to watch when they would get into the song and headbang and bounce around.

Lastly, I was surprised that Luka only got 2 songs (one of them was a duet with Miku). I (very sadly) expect MEIKO and KAITO to get shafted when it comes to songs, but not Luka!

Quick shout-outs to some specific concert goers; Shieonn, who made stickers and was handing them out before the show (Here's her Twitter!),

The person near me who shouted either "I LOVE YOU JERMA!" or "I LOVE YOU DRUMMER!" at the end of one of the songs (I think it was World is Mine), the girl near me who was trying to get pictures and video of the show using her 3DS, and this one person I saw outside the venue entrance as the show was letting out who was dressed up as Sonic Miku, I wanted to say that I loved the fit, but I didn't wanna just walk up to you randomly at almost 10PM and possibly freak you out.

Overall, I'd go again but please for the love of god, don't just have a screen for the Vocaloids!

[strangerthings-80s]

Can I request a fluffy Eddie x Chrissy long fic where it’s Eddie’s Birthday and Chrissy surprises Eddie with a present and when Eddie opens the present he finds a onesie that says Daddy’s Little Rockstar and a sonagram photo and Chrissy tells Eddie that she’s pregnant and Eddie cries he’s so happy?

I hope you enjoy!

Want a request? Send one in my inbox 📥

Chrissy sat down at the kitchen table after making Eddie a delicious cake for his birthday today.

She was excited to give Eddie the present that she had worked on for a while whenever Eddie wasn’t around.

Chrissy and Eddie had been high school sweethearts. Sure they came from two different backgrounds. She was the most popular girl and the queen of Hawkins High. Eddie was a outcast and the freak of the whole school.

But did that stop from Eddie and Chrissy from dating each other? Nope. They were secretly in love with each other during the time Chrissy met up with Eddie to buy weed.

That secret link turned into pure true love.

Chrissy suddenly heard a car vehicle arriving in the front lawn.

“That must be Eddie.” Chrissy said to herself with a smile on her face.

She was 8 weeks pregnant. She still hasn’t told Eddie about it.

For weeks, she’s been having her morning sickness. When Eddie noticed, Chrissy just brushed it off and convince Eddie that it was just food poisoning or something bad that she ate.

She finally convinced Eddie that It was just her stomach being sensitive to certain foods.

She didn’t think about being pregnant until she took a pregnancy test at work in the bathroom and she jumped up and down in excitement.

She knew that she was going to surprised Eddie just in time for his birthday.

And yes, she had the perfect plan to surprise him for his birthday…

“Hey Honey, I’m home!” Eddie says as he greets Chrissy with a kiss on the lips.

“Hey baby, how was the gig?” Chrissy smiles, kissing him back before adding “Happy birthday my love.”

“It was good, not that bad. We have thousands of fans loving our music! I swear Chrissy this is our big moment for the band!” Eddie says in excitement.

“How did you know it was my birthday?” Eddie jokes with a grin on his face.

“You silly goose. I could never forget my baby’s most important day of his life. I’m glad you exist in this world.” Chrissy wrapped her arms around Eddie’s waist.

“I’m also very happy to hear that it’s going amazing baby. You’re such a wonderful heavy metal artist and I’m excited to see you making it big to the world.” Chrissy laid her head on Eddie’s shoulder.

Ever since day one, Chrissy has been very supportive of Eddie’s career. She knew that he always wanted to play in a heavy metal band since middle school. She was really proud on how far Eddie has become.

“Before I forget… I got you a present.” Chrissy gently laid a kiss on Eddie’s neck before grabbing a beautiful wrapped box that was sitting on the kitchen table and handed it to Eddie.

“Aw darling, you didn’t have too.” Eddie smiled big at the beautiful wrapped present in his hands.

Chrissy could tell that Eddie looked very happy just looking at the wrapped present. But she knew he was going to be even more happy when he saw what was inside.

She knew that Eddie barley got any gifts growing up as a child. He didn’t have both of his parents in his life. His father was mostly in prison and his mother was unknown. But luckily he got his uncle Wayne in his life and he was basically the father that Eddie always wanted in his life.

Wayne tried very hard to give Eddie a happy life and a happy childhood. Eddie barley had any friends growing up as a child which meant he didn’t really get a lot of presents or birthday parties. Plus his uncle couldn’t really afford it at the time.

“Open it.” Chrissy said, her fingers twirling with her hair. Honestly she felt nervous. She felt excited. But she tried not to let Eddie see it.

Eddie started unwrapping the present like a little kid on Christmas Day.

“Ooo I wonder what’s inside! I love surprises.” Eddie said with excitement.

“You’ll see.” Chrissy said. She felt her heart pound with excitement. She couldn’t wait for this moment. Finally. She’s been waiting for this for a while.

Now it was coming true.

Eddie was finally going to find out that he was going to be a dad.

Eddie opened the present box and found a folded onesie.

“What’s this?” Eddie said before unfolding the onesie.

“Holy mother of-“ Eddie said in shock as he saw the onesie that said “DADDY’S LITTLE ROCKSTAR.”

“Chrissy… are you?” Eddie started to say and noticed that he saw the sonogram in the box.

“Yes Eddie… I’m pregnant.” Chrissy said with excitement.

“Oh my lord… I’m going to be a dad!” Eddie says as he started crying in happiness.

Chrissy teared up a bit as she saw Eddie crying in happiness.

She knew deep in her heart that her and Eddie always wanted a child together. Now both of their wishes was granted and they were expecting a baby soon.

She also knew that Eddie would be a wonderful father to their little one.

“This is the best day ever! The best birthday I could ever ask for. I can’t believe I’m going to be a dad!” Eddie says, wiping his tears from his eyes.

“You’re going to be a amazing father baby. I just know it.” Chrissy came over to Eddie and pecked him on the lips.

“You’re going to be such a amazing mother darling. I can’t wait to meet our child.” Eddie smiled really big and placed his hand on her stomach.

“How far are you?” He asked, gently rubbing her stomach with his hand.

“I’m 6 weeks pregnant.” Chrissy said with a happy smile on her face as she watched Eddie happily rub her stomach.

“That explains why you have been throwing up ! I haven’t even thought twice about you having pregnancy symptoms.” Eddie said.

“Well I was good at hiding it wasn’t it?” Chrissy winked at him with a smile.

“Yes you were sweetheart.” Eddie grinned at her and placed a kiss on her lips.

“I can’t wait for us to be parents.” Eddie leaned closer to Chrissy.

“I can’t wait either Eddie. Our sweet baby is definitely going to take over their father’s good looks.” Chrissy smiled as she placed her hand on his cheek.

“They are definitely going to have their beautiful genetics from their mom.” Eddie pressed his lips against Chrissy’s.

Chrissy giggled and kissed Eddie back.

“I can’t wait for what the future holds for us.” Chrissy whispered against Eddie’s lips.

“I can’t wait either darling.” Eddie smiled at her.

Both Eddie and Chrissy knew that they were going to be wonderful parents to their kids.

[may85]

Summary: On her way home, the Reader is attacked. She's then saved by a mysterious creature who she recognizes.

Pairing: Michael Morbius x Reader

Movie: Morbius

Word Count: 1267

Warnings: Cussing, mentions of blood and death, fighting

A/N: Requests for Morbius are still OPEN!

The streets of New York were extremely crowded tonight. The main reason it being Friday night. While others were dressed up and ready to go to parties or clubs, Y/N was busy searching the grocery store shelves.

Michael Morbius, her boyfriend of a year was set to meet her halfway to her house since he had worked over at his lab. 

It was Y/N's turn to cook dinner, even though Michael loved to help. It wasn't very often that he got a Friday night away but he successfully found a cure for a very young patient. The child would survive and thrive and live to see old age, so it was a night for celebrating.

Y/N finally found what she was searching for and placed it in the basket to take to the register for check out.

Once out the store, she wrapped the handle of her bag tightly around her hand just in case something were to happen.

Her phone rang and she smiled as Beethoven's Für Elise played.

"Hey Love," she said.

Michael chuckled, "Well hello to you too, Sweetheart. You sound rather happy,"

"Well duh. I get to have you all to myself this weekend and that rarely happens!"

"This is true," he said. You could hear the grin he wore, "Where are you?"

Y/N looked up at the restaurant that she passed by, "Just walking past Italiano's,"

"Perfect. Meet you in about five minutes?" 

"It's a date," Y/N laughed.

She hung up the phone and continued walking, the people finally thinning out as she got farther from the busy downtown.

Y/N felt the hairs on her neck stand up all of a sudden, prompting her to check behind her. Not a single soul was there, but the fear still made her blood run cold.

Picking up her pace, she kept her eyes forward, just begging to see Michael waiting for her at any given corner. He was fast, but she knew that realistically he wasn't that fast.

Y/N was so stuck in her head that she never saw the filthy arms strike out from the shadows and pull her into an alley.

The contents from her bag scattered across the ground and her loud scream echoed.

"Let me go!" She kicked, her heels connecting with shins.

"Mother fucker!" The assailant put her down, spun her and slapped her so fast that she was disoriented and couldn't fight back.

She felt her lip split from the slap and hit her head with a thud on the concrete.

"Shit Louis! Lookit what you did! Boss man's gonna be pissed!"

"Oh fuck off Edgar! Little bitch had it coming,"

She groaned as she rolled over.

"C'mon, grab her feet,"

As the Edgar started dragging, Y/N became more alert and started kicking her legs, albeit weakly.

"That's it!" Louis took a gun from his pocket and pointed it directly at her.

A deep, resounding growl came from the entrance to the alley, making Y/N tilt her head back and the two assailants freeze.

"Fuck off man!"

"Yeah, this don't concern you!"

The man came closer into the alley, only pausing when Louis let off a warning shot.

The growl became deeper, more menacing and that's when the two knew they'd fucked up. The man moved with a swiftness and finesse until he disappeared in a puff of purple like fog.

The two asshats had dropped Y/N's legs and took off running only to be stopped by the purple fog reappearing and the unknown man growling as he jumped on the two.

Y/N stood slowly, limping towards them, her brows pinched as she thought her savior's clothes looked awfully familiar.

Her hero had one of the men in his grasp and she watched with disbelief as he yanked the man's head to the side and bit into his neck causing the man to scream.

Y/N jumped when blood squirted from his pulse and landed on her cheek.

"Oh my god! You killed him!" The Edgar yelled, jumping up, "You fucking killed him!"

He pulled a switchblade from his pocket and took off at a run, ready to stab and slice.

"Look out!" Y/N yelled.

Her hero dropped the now dead assailant and with lightning reflexes he caught Edgar's hand that held the switchblade and broke it.

"Ahhhh!"

Just as quick as he had him on his knees, her hero had his teeth into Edgar's neck.

He roared when he pulled away, letting the body fall into a heap on the ground. His chest heaved and all Y/N could do was stare at him.

It hit her when she fully took in the long black hair, the thick black beard and the dark clothes, "... Michael?"

Slowly his opaque skin began to turn a rosy color, his cochineal eyes turning to the blue that she knew and came to love and his nose, one that looked bat like, became the button nose that Michael would scrunch up at her to make her smile.

Blood coated his lips, beard and hands. Michael's eyes were wild, the fear in them making her chest hurt. He stepped closer to her, to which she promptly stepped back. 

This. This is what he feared. She hates him and he'd lose her forever. He could hear her heart beating a mile a minute and he wanted to comfort her, but how could he covered in blood?

Her eyes were closed as she sniffled. She was trying so hard to keep herself together, "Michael… I want to go home,"

Silently he nodded, not pushing the fact that he was dying to touch her. 

°°°°°°

As soon as they walked through the door of Y/N's apartment, Michael went to the kitchen to get the blood from his hands then went to hunt the first aid kit.

"Sit down," he said, softly.

Y/N did as she was told with her hands in her lap.

Michael knelt in between her legs, flipping his hair out of his face so he could get a good look at her cut lip and small goose egg.

She flinched when he cleaned the blood from her head wound.

"Sorry Sweetheart,"

Only then did she really look at him. His piercing blue eyes never wavered from her E/C eyes.

"What happened to you Michael?" She whispered.

"I… it's a long story," he placed his hands on her thighs and rubbed them to generate some heat.

She nodded, looking down at her hands and playing with her fingers. Once he finished cleaning her up, he put the first aid kit away.

That's when he heard the sob escape from her. Michael quickly walked back into the room to find her with her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking.

"Hey now… C'mon Sweetheart," he helped her stand, cupping her cheeks, "I'm sorry,"

Y/N surprised the hell out of him as she shook her head and wrapped her arms around his torso, squeezing, "I'm not,"

Michael threaded his fingers into her hair to cradle her skull, "What?"

"I'm glad you k-killed those bastards,"

Michael closed his eyes, resting his head on hers as he began to sway as she cried. He couldn't believe that she wasn't running for the hills after seeing him like that.

She took a shuddering breath, pulling back from his arms while wiping her eyes, "I have so many questions… I- I don't know where to start,"

He searched her face, "Let's get cleaned up and I'll tell you everything. Okay?"

Y/N nodded, "Okay,"

[dangerbuffed]

Mint’s List of Vocaloid Songs That Give Her Ninjago Vibes

HERE WE GO

-Hibikase is a Pixane song

-Sand Planet gives me Hunted vibes

-NegaPosi*Continues and 2D Dream Fever are LITERALLY Prime Empire

-SO MANY WOWAKA SONGS FIT LLOYD I CAN’T EVEN COMPREHEND IT

—Rolling Girl

—Toosenbo

—Ura Omote Lovers

—Unknown Mother Goose

—Tsumiki No Ningyou

—Unhappy Refrain (this one also works for both Samurai Xs)

-The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku gives me Zane’s S3 Sacrifice feels EVERY TIME

-The Lost One’s Weeping also fits Lloyd

(There’s still more but this is all I can remember right now)

tbh, vocaloid really aint my usual crowd ^~^> but it's good to branch out, so i'm glad you recc'd these!

Hibikase

- oooooo this actually gives me Major vibes for [spoilers] and y'kno what? i'm on board

Sand Planet

- yes yess i can See what y'mean,,,, also the mv is p hella

NegaPosi*Continues

- reminds me of the days where i used to play pokemon late at night as a kid,,,, we vibe

2D Dream Fever

- SICK this also gives me [spoilers] vibes but its got ties to prime empire so thats to be expected, huh?

Rolling Girl

- oh inch resting! very nya, i think.

Toosenbo

- that intro sound 😬 not pleasent ahaha. sadly, I could Not find this one with english subs so I don't have much to offer thought-wise 😭 it's got a catchy beat tho

aaaaand unfortunatly thats all ive got time for tonight!

but! i will come back & let y'know my thoughts on the rest when i next get the chance!!!

[harrymoots]

Very Funny.

The house felt anomalous as soon as I walked through the door. It felt empty, like no one was present. Harry hadn’t come home yet, like expected. Not that it was a bad thing though, he always lets me know when he’s going to arrive home late. Like today. It usually has to do with extra touching up on song lyrics or Harry sometimes would not leave a studio until at least one of his songs are done perfectly.

I made my way towards our shared bedroom, heels in one hand and my jacket in the other and sat at the edge of the bed. I dropped my belongings on the floor as they landed beside my feet and leaned back until my back hit the bed. As I laid there staring up at the ceiling, a more dense forlorn feeling overcame the atmosphere around me. The sudden realization that I hadn’t actually seen or heard from Harry since five a.m. this morning. I turned my head to glance at the digital clock that sat on the dresser on the left side of the bed, and saw that it just hit nine in the evening. With a exaggerated sigh, I lay my pounding head back on the bed and shut my eyes to relive the slight pressure it possesses.

~

About an hour later, a earthquake-like slam of a door awoke me from my quick slumber. Had Harry not gotten home yet? The sound of heavy boots stomp louder as it approaches towards the bedroom and soon enough my inamorato is making his way towards me with a lechery look in his eyes. Still laying down I prop myself onto my elbows, squinting my eyes a little due to the rooms brightness. “Hey Ha-“

My words were cut off by Harry’s lips, as he presses them to mine eagerly. He climbs over my body and leans forward so my back once again falls on the bed. With his body pressed closely against mine, Harry starts to move his mouth hard and slowly causing me too perform the same action.

After a while of heated lips pushing and spit swapping, I raise my hands that were once gripping the bottom of Harry’s hoodie towards his face to gently pull away from his desperate affection. As soon as our eyes meet, I noticed the wild glassy hungry look he retains usually only present when we haven’t seen each other is months time. Basically when he’s away on tour or working on a project in different countries. Although, I do love when Harry is this loving towards me, a frown makes its way between my eyebrows. We obviously had kissed each other farewell before we trudged ourselves to work this morning. Maybe he’s had a rough day and needs a little liberation?

“Baby?”, I draw his attention from my moving lips, but I don’t begin to speak until his green dreamy eyes meet my own again. “You okay, hun?”

“Yes..”, he presses a quick peck to my mouth before speaking again. “Just missed you...” Harry dips his head in between my chin and collar bones to start trailing soft damp kisses down my neck. “... so much.”

“Yeah?”, I questioned. Harry hummed in response. The soft smile that adored his face made my heart flutter in ways no one else could. Still gawking at the beauty in front of me, an idea slowly formulated in my head causing a devious smile to appear on my face.

“No.”

“What?”

“That smile.”

“What smile?”

“Whatever you’re thinking up in that bread box-“, BREAD BOX!? “-has to stop.” Did he just call my brain a bread box?

“Did you just call my brain a bread box?”, I asked accusingly. “What the heck does that even mean? Are you calling me dumb? I can assure you I am not dumb. Who went to college? Exactly. Me. Th-“, I was cut off by Harry’s booming laugh. Face scrunching up and body shaking of laughter, Harry hid his face in my neck as he tried to calm his cackling.

Soon after he was done, Harry raised his head from under my chin and looked at me in the eyes. “I was only kidding, love. I know that devil smile anywhere, what are you thinking about?”

Instead of replying I shoved Harry off of me, landing on his bottom on the bed. Quickly grabbing a pillow next to him, I swung it back over my head chucking it so it landed on top of his head. Harry sits there frozen from my mischievousness as the pillow slowly slips off of him causing his short brown curls to hang over his face. It was my turn to laugh loudly as I bended forward and clutched my stomach.

“You think that’s funny, huh?” Harry breathed out a chuckle steadily getting up from the bed. He began to take slow torturous steps towards me.

“Very funny.” I replied with a smirk on my face. Every single step he took closer, I took a step back.

Taking a glance at the wide open door using my peripheral vision, I bolted towards it. As I began running towards the kitchen, passing the living room, I heard Harry hot on my heels panting behind me.

Rounding the kitchen island, both of us on either side, we stood there breathing heavy and anticipating on who’s going to make the first move. Already thinking ahead, Harry runs around the left of the island reaching to try and grab me but I push away from the counter and start sprinting the other direction before he can catch me.

Maybe this idea wasn’t the best i’ve ever induced. Funny? Yes. Smart? No.

The second I move my right foot in front of me, my left foot decides to relinquish from under me causing it to twist and buckled so I fall face flat on the ground. In the next few moments a sharp stabbing pain moves from the tips of my toes to my now sprained tibia.

Harry is quick to crouch down beside me, still huffing softly due to our wild goose chase not a minute ago. “Oh my god.” He tried to stifle his laughter, unknown to the fact that his girlfriend just twisted her ankle upon falling on the floor. My pained whine filled the room as I tried to push myself off of the ground. Unsuccessfully able to do so, Harry wraps his arms around my torso in attempts to lift me up himself. “Honey? Did you fall too hard?”

“I think I broke my ankle Harry!”, Now fully standing up, all my weight on my right non-injured leg, the pain intensifies more leaving me to groan loudly.

��Wha-“ My statement catching him off guard, almost completely letting go of me before I fall on my face again. “Are you serious?”

“Of course i’m serious! These tears seem fake to you?!” As soon as Harry drags my injured self to a chair nearby, he finally takes notice of the never ending stream on my face. “Oh shit, oh shit! Okay... let’s umm- let’s-“, Harry stumbled on his words, clearly not knowing how to take charge of the situation.

I spoke before he could get another word in. “Maybe we should go to the emergency room?” I took a moment to closely inspect my leg. It felt so much worse than it looked. “It hurts so bad. We need to go now, please.”

Harry rushes out of the room to go turn on the car while I wait for him to return. The second he returns to the kitchen I start to lift myself by pushing off the chair below me, but Harry is quick to wrap his arms around my back and under my calf’s to hoist me up and carry me. He walks, with me in his arms, outside to the car and carefully places me on the passenger side of his vehicle. Getting situated on the drivers seat of the car, Harry starts the twelve mile journey to the hospital.

~

The doctor's office that we were instructed to wait in as the doctors get my x-ray results ready, was cold and very small. I sat on the examination bed, left leg stretched out on top of the surface and my right leg dangling off the edge. My ankle still throbbed painfully, less excruciating than before, under the gauze that was wrapped around it tightly. Harry sat beside me on a different seat. His right leg bouncing as he looked back and forth at my face and my bandaged limb. Fretting over the fact he thinks it’s his fault that we’re here at the hospital.

“Hey,” Harry’s eyes shifted up to meet mine. “Can you like, maybe not stare at my leg like that.” I took a moment to sigh before continuing. “I told you, i’m the one who started messing around. I did this to myself, don’t worry about it. Be glad I didn’t bang my head on the floor and die.”

Harry glared at me as he heard the last sentence while I chuckle at his expression. “Don’t joke like that.”, he pouted, laying his head next to my foot and slowly and carefully starts to caress my leg above my injury. “I’m just a little mad at myself.”

I stood up straighter when he said that. “Why would you be mad at yourself? I told you-“

“Yeah, Yeah. This isn’t my fault, I get it. I just... It’s just every time we horse play or run around the house like idiots, you always get hurt somehow. And I always give in to your little games.”

“Oh, please.” I waved him off as I continued. “You love it when we mess arou-“

Harry cut me off before I could continue my sexual innuendo. “Remember last year, at mums house?” I shifted my eyes upward as I regained memory of that awful day, week actually. “Oooooh”, my face twisting into a look of grimace. “Yeah, that was pretty bad.”

“Pretty bad!?” Harry shrieked leaning back in his chair suddenly. “You convinced my whole family to play tag in the back lawn, slipped on wet concrete trying to tag me, then fell and almost shattered your collar bone completely.”

That game of tag at Harry’s family reunion last year, was the most intense game of tag ever. His family never did physical activities together like I did with mine. They all were so exuberant about the idea when I introduced it to them. Harry obviously being hesitant, knowing I can be a right klutz sometimes. It did end very horribly with me in the emergency room like I am now. “Your family had so much fun though.”

“Yes they did indeed.” Harry leaned forward again, this time laying his head on my thigh that was stretched out on the examination bed. He continued to speak as I ran my fingers through his hair softly. “Also, the last time they’ll have that much fun, because you are banned from any future family events from here on out, young lady.”

“Okay, dad.” I stopped my hand, still moving in his hair. “It’s okay though. Your mother loves me. She’ll invite me instead.” I yelped as I felt Harry sunk his teeth agilely into my inner thigh. I pulled at his hair slightly removing his head from my lap. Before I could scowl at him, there is a knock on the door in front of us and a second later a different lady than before walks in.

~

After reviewing the x-ray scans, Harry breathing out a sigh of relief that I didn’t have yet another broken bone, we picked up my pain killers from the front receptionist and got into the car. Only with a little extra help from the valet guy outside this time, due to the new set of crutches I was instructed to use for the next week and a half or two.

When we pulled up to the driveway and into the garage, Harry got out first and assisted me in getting out of the car. With one crutch on my left side and my boyfriend on the other carrying the second one, he directed me straight towards the living room. I plopped down on the couch with a heavy sigh. This was already going to be an annoying two weeks, I can feel it.

“This is going to be hell.” I say motioning to my leg, propping it carefully on the living room table. The slight throbbing was still present, realizing it will continue like this for the next couple of days I let out a groan.

“Well..”, Harry walks over to come and sit next to me.

“Don’t say it.”

“That’s what you-“

“Stop-“

“That’s what you get.” Harry finished with his playful smirk. I grabbed a throw pillow and jabbed it at his stomach, causing him laugh loudly.

“Let’s see who’s the one laughing when I chase you around and make you fall. Then you’re the one in the emergency room next.” I say as I cross my arms over my chest.

Harry tosses the pillow back to me, letting it fall on my lap. “Oh yeah? Let’s see if you can even catch me.”

Turning to look at him, I narrow my eyes at him and roll my eyes as I reply to his snarky comeback. “Ha. Ha. Very funny.”

~

Any feedback is welcomed! Enjoy! ❤️

[okamidensetsu]

2019 VG Journal 3

Three years running! New year, more games old and new to waste my unlimited potential on! Once again the goal is to play 52 games before the end of the year. 52 games to average a game a week (since you know...there are 52 weeks in a year). But due to being a busy human being with adult responsibilities, a social life, pets and mostly not having it together all the time the one bone I throw myself is “Big (unbeatable) time sinks.” A great example of this is the game I’ve already been playing obsessively at the start of this year: Animal Crossing New Leaf. That game does not have a traditional beginning, middle, and end. In fact it just keeps going and going and there is no end. If I put over 10 hours into game like that or an online multiplayer only type game - then it’s counted at the end of the year as on of my 52 games. For instance I already put 20+ into ANCL for the start of this year -.-...so yeah...it counts. Here we go! I hope my 2019 is better than 2018 and I hope the games are even better!

*This list will be edited and redone as the year goes on*

Here is a list of games completed in 2018 [US releases unless marked otherwise]:

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (PS4 Pro)

Resident Evil 2 (PS4 Pro)

Devil May Cry V (PS4 Pro)

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PS4 Pro)

Darkwatch (PS2)

Amplitude (PS2)

Red Faction (PS2)

Everywhere Road Trip [Choro Q HG 2] (PS2)

BloodRayne (PS2)

Boogie (PS2)

James Bond 007: From Russia With Love (PS2)

Mortal Kombat XL (Xbone X)

Mortal Kombat 11 (Xbone X)

What Remains of Edith Finch (Xbone X)

Grand Theft Auto V (Xbone X)

Outer Wilds (Xbone X)

Control (Xbone X)

Mechwarrior 2 (Xbox)

Katamari Damacy REROLL (Switch)

Dragon Blaze (Switch)

Mother Russia Bleeds (Switch)

Jettomero (Switch)

Metal Slug 4 (Switch)

Tiny Metal (Switch)

Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch)

Mario Aces (Switch)

Diablo III (Switch)

Sayonara Wild Hearts (Switch)

Daemon X Machina (Switch/Switch Lite)

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Switch Lite)

One Night Stand (Switch Lite)

Ape Out (Switch/Switch Lite)

Untitled Goose Game (Switch Lite)

Beatmania GB (Gameboy Color)

Beatmania GB2 Gotcha Mix (Gameboy Player/Gamecube)

Christmas Nights into Dreams (Sega Saturn)

Florence (Pixel 2 XL)

Kids (Pixel 2 XL)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (PC)

Tetris Effect (PC)

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PC)

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unkown (PC)

Halo: Reach (PC)

Resident Evil 2 (PC)

A Short Hike ((PC)

Big (unbeatable) time sinks:

Animal Crossing: New Leaf Welcome Amiibo (3DS)

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)

Tetris 99 (Switch Lite)

Gudetama (Gudetama Tamagatchi)

Digimon (Digital Monster Ver. 20th)

Tamagotchi On (Tamagotchi On/Pixel 2 XL)

Call of Duty Mobile (Pixel 2 XL)

Games I’m currently playing or need to start has been moved to my 2020 list because holy shit that is getting tooooooooo loooooooong!

January 6, 2020 - The 2019 Recap:

Without getting too much into 2019 itself - WHAT A GARBAGE YEAR FOR LIFE IN GENERAL. Glad that’s over. AS for the video games, it was a great transitional year for me to be able to catch up on a lot of stuff and continue to push off other titles I should be finishing before the end of the generation -.-.  Not counting my big unbeatable time sinks, I was able to complete 45 games across 10 different platforms. More interestingly is it was actually 12 different platforms as I played a gba title on my gamecube, and got the switch lite (transitioning from the Switch). I am pretty happy I was able to get my hands on so many consoles this year. This marks a new a record for myself! Of course this was no coincidence. Though it took significantly longer than expected we did move to a bigger place over here in California. This is not permanent or even where we want to be in the next year or two but I made sure to make this a comfy place for me where I have easy access to my stuff.

My handhelds, and most video games are now easily accessible. The current generation systems funny enough are the games that are the most difficult to reach at the moment, but I digress.

I made a conscious decision to try and play less online focused games or games that didn’t have an end in sight. And I accomplished that goal by cutting that list almost entirely in half. THAT said...the Call of Duty that came out at the end of this year basically ruined that for me. For the first time in the history of me doing this list, I was on track or ahead this whole year. I was actually genuinely averaging almost a game or two a week! Then I got my new computer. 

Then I started playing Modern Warfare. And I spent so much time in that game I almost considered putting it on my list twice. I played so much multiplayer that I almost didn’t reach 52 games this year! At the last minute I almost ruined my streak! But we made it. And I’m good for 3 years in a row now.

I usually don’t do this but before I end this I just want to say my games of 2019 were Ace Combat, Outer Wilds, Resident Evil 2, and Devil May Cry V. Outer Wilds and Ace Combat are necessities. If I made a proper list - they would both be number 1. Please go out and play these games!

And with that! Fuck this decade, let’s hope the next one is better! Welcome 2020!

[voronarara]

My Miku Expo experience

So I went to Miku Expo Cologne last month and let me tell you, it was awesome!!!!!!!

It was a completely unique experience and like no concert I ever went to before, I can't properly describe it because there's nothing I can compare it to, it was simply magical.

The concert was held in the Lanxess Arena which was freaking huge. Here's a stock photo of it cause I wasn't able to take a proper picture of it because of how freaking big it is.

I'm very glad that I made the smart decision to buy the official glow stick online before I went because there was only one merch stand and there was a huge line which went around the entire arena, everything was completely sold out within ten minutes.

Here's the concert hall from the inside:

The concert started with Miku performing three of my favorite songs (Senbonzakura, Ghost Rule, Secret Police). Meiko and Kaito performed one song each, Luka two and Rin&Len three.

There were two songs that made me scream really freaking damn loudly when they started playing which were Satisfaction by Miku and Bring it on by Rin & Len. I love both of these songs so so so freaking much and I didn't expect for them to be performed at all. My gosh, I just love these two songs so much, they are so good, damn.

A lot of good songs were performed like Deep Sea Girl, Kimagure Mercy, Remote Control, Roki Roki, Luka Luka Night Fever, Viva Happy, Alien Alien and Unknown Mother Goose. It was honstly such a good setlist.

The concert was closed with World is mine and Tell your world which was a good decision imo. It got the crowd really hyped right before the end and released them feeling satisfied and happy. Everyone left the concert hall looking exhausted from all the screaming jumping and glow stick waving but also really happy and content. :)

I took more videos but tumblr won't let me post more than one so here you have a short clip of Miku performing Satisfaction:

[richincolor]

Book Review: Isle of Blood & Stone

Title: Isle of Blood and Stone Author: Makiia Lucier Genres:  Fantasy Pages: 380 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Review Copy: ARC provided by publisher Availability: Available Now

Summary: Ulises asked, "How can I look at these maps, see this riddle, and do nothing? They are my brothers."

Elias reached across the table and flicked aside two shells with a fingertip. The map curled into itself. "It's bound to be a goose chase. You know that?"

"Or a treasure hunt," Ulises countered, "and you've always been good at those."

Nineteen-year-old Elias is a royal explorer, a skilled mapmaker, and the new king of del Mar's oldest friend. Soon he will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, an expedition past the Strait of Cain and into uncharted waters. Nothing stands in his way...until a long-ago tragedy creeps back into the light, threatening all he holds dear.

The people of St. John del Mar have never recovered from the loss of their boy princes, kidnapped eighteen years ago, both presumed dead. But when two maps surface, each bearing the same hidden riddle, troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young heirs? And why do the maps appear to be drawn by Lord Antoni, Elias's father, who vanished on that same fateful day? With the king's beautiful cousin by his side—whether he wants her there or not—Elias will race to solve the riddle of the princes. He will have to use his wits and guard his back. Because some truths are better left buried...and an unknown enemy stalks his every turn.

Review: If you are in need of a fun, escapist fantasy that is pure mystery filled with political intrigue and characters that you can love, then this is the book for you; which, let’s get real, because our real world political intrigue changes by the minute, to read a story where the mystery is the search for a missing father and princes turns that turns into your regular “who done it” mystery is the balm to our real world troubles. Isle of Blood and Stone is a perfect spring read to sit under a tree, enjoying the spring air, and allow yourself to get lost in world of St. John Del Mar that Makiia Lucier has wonderfully created.

Elias is the reluctant hero who is tasked with solving the mystery of two maps that appear to be made by his father, who died years before. Because his father disappeared when he was a baby, Elias has no memory of his father aside from what family members and friends have told him, and has created a wonderful life. His mother eventually remarried, he has a good relationship with his step-father, and even has three younger siblings. It makes sense that Elias is hesitant to take on this challenge because depending what he finds it could completely change his world. What he discovers changes everything for him, but he realizes that what he believed his whole life is basically wrong. I liked the way Lucier wrote Elias up to this point, but after he learns of the political intrigue, to me, I felt is when his character really began to stand out. He seemed to have this almost obsessive need to find the truth, no matter the risks he took or the consequences of what would happen when the truth was revealed. Elias was described as a risk taker from family and friends throughout the book, but his reasons for taking these risks showed his integrity and I really liked that about him.  

Elias wasn’t the only character I liked, however. Mercedes, who is a spy/diplomat and his best friend/love interest, was such a wonderfully written character. This novel was as much hers as it was Elias as she balanced him out. Mercedes was very thoughtful and calculated in her actions, but also was the one person who could truly talk sense into Elias. She was a force in her own right as she had power within the court and much of the novel is from her point of view, thus giving Mercedes agency and becoming more than “Elias love interest.” While she doesn’t have a personal stake in the mystery, because it effects those close to her, she does all she can to help Elias on his search. She even plays a pivotal role in helping the truth come out and even believes in Elias when no one else does. She is definitely a “ride or die” friend and I’m glad that she was written in such a balanced and true manner.

I do have to give props to Lucier to making this world so believable. It feels like it could be set in the swashbuckling era of pirates who sail the seas and have all sorts of adventures, but there is an element of the fantastical as sea serpents are real monsters and ghosts interact with humans. The small details, such as having a dentist/barber/surgeon who uses leeches to draw blood, really made the world come alive. The way Lucier also describes the various maps I secretly wished my copy had one as I could practically imagine the beauty of the maps that the Navigators & Mapmakers in Del Mar made. I was completely drawn into the world that Lucier created that it stuck with me for days after I finished the book. In fact, I can’t wait for Book 2 to return and see what Elias and Mercedes do next.

[manjuhitorie]

Hitorie - ai/SOlate Meetia Interview

http://meetia.net/interview/hitorie-aisolate/

A leader of the vocaloid scene, wowaka, and satan and doggo and the old man who writes the Chikyuu Monogatari manga on this Meetia as well, have been the best rock band ever since 2012. yes, yes
 They delivered. They made a new album of 6 songs with the title “aiSOlate”. A title with many meanings behind it, it’s deep baby, deep. With the pre-released song Unknown Mother Goose at it’s heart, it’s an album that’s delivers that good good Rie sound, while at the same time is full of songs of a broadened range, yes sure Fortunately, I had the chance to interview them before their album was released. And I could feel how this album was a step towards their new phase. How do I put their stimulative words into a report though, even after thinking about, it was tricky but, I’ve decided to start by writing about the manga “Slam Dunk”.

Why “Slam Dunk”? Well, actually anything like “Kuroko no Basket” or “DEAR BOYS” would work too, I just want to start with the subject of basketball. 

When I first saw the title “ai/SOlate”, as an author who used to be in the basketball club, I almost automatically thought of “isolation”. Isolation is a play that involves the other 4 players to open up half of the court, to separate the two most skilled players for a one-on-one. The four other players clump on the left side of the court, so they can freely fight one-on-one on the empty right side.  It’s a strategy that only comes into play when you have an overwhelmingly strong aggressive one player. For example, the first time isolation happens in the manga “Slam Dunk” is during the high school tournament battle of Shohoku vs. Ryonan. Ryounan’s player Fukuda “Fukuchan” Kicchou, who possess overwhelmingly strong aggression, starts an isolation one-on-one wirh Shohoku’s “anxious” Sakuragi Hanamichi. And the match begins to fall in Ryonan’s favor… Well, it would be better to read “Slam Dunk” to understand more than the gist of it but. If we were to compare Hitorie’s album to basketball, the one with the title “ai/SOlate” and Unknown Mother Goose” in it, then, completely without a doubt, it’s an album of isolation, freely displaying the power of it’s overwhelmingly strong ace, wowaka.



Let’s dig into it. First of all, it’s about how this album was produced. Up until “IKI” Hitorie would produce by just the other bandmates responding to wowaka’s orders; wowaka would review their work and judge whether it was good or bad. Yet by “IKI” wowaka and the bandmates have changed how interact with each other, it’s evolved into “something more like we’re running alongside each other”.

So what was it like this time around.


“It was sort of like, we went back to how it used to be?　wowaka was really getting into making it and all” proclaimed shinoda. Yet, there was a reason as to why he was proclaiming so airily.
 “That’s certainly what happened analytically but, it actually felt completely different. It was like we’ve become able to communicate with each other without words. There were times when we didn’t have to talk much, I think, there’s much more times where we can understand each other without words nowadays. (Yumao)”. “Yumao said it. That’s how it would be analytically but, the peace of mind and the sense of trust that comes with this is something completely different. I think that this album might be full of our new approach to music, and a new challenge with our hearts. (wowaka)” These are the keywords, the “peace of mind and sense of trust” words that came out of wowaka’s mouth. Just as isolation is the play that allows aces to freely battle, if can never happen unless the team has a sturdy trust between them. As even if he were to miss the shot, the center field can take the rebound. Even if the enemy team were to steal, the guard can stop the attack-.  It’s a relationship of trust that brings out each other’s strengths, it’s only a strategy that teams who have obtained trust can accomplish.

So, why was Hitorie able to create an album like isolation. A hint lies in their “IKI” production and tour. Now that we’re done with the introduction, from here on is going to be a normal interview. “IKI” to confirming yourself The album “IKI” was full of moods like “Compromising with other people” or “A sense of unleashing” and “Happiness”. So what kind of evolution happened during a tour after that album. “Our ‘IKI’ tour was one that let us confirm, the freedom and the happiness we achieved during the album production, this real sense of being alive, what kind of people we are and what we want to do, and making that all a little more into our reality. Through spending half a year, trading moods with our audience amidst a concrete atmosphere… The things we put into our album became something real. Our final at Shinkiba was emo. (wowaka)” wowaka’s tweet from after the live show was moving. I had referenced it in my IKI live report as well but, I’m bringing it back in this interview now too.

[ wowaka’s tweet “My mom came to Shinkiba and told me she was moved by it. I’m glad I pursued music.”  https://twitter.com/wowaka/status/861941056501293056 ]

wowaka said “My mother came all the way from Kagoshima to Tokyo for me, saw my live and told me that ‘I was moved’. That was the first time she’s ever said something like that to me, so I was surprised. Even just talking about it now is going to make me emo but…., I felt, glad that I worked so hard to get here.“ and, even now, his “emo” feeling seemed about ready to overflow when he was looking back at the Shinkiba final. Happiness, a real sense of being alive, who you are. The “IKI” tour was one to confirm all that, and it ended in a big success. However, after that Hitorie started to decrease in live appearances.  “I wanted to concentrate on producing this summer. To shutout a bunch of other things, and just simply make time to make things” were wowaka’s words. Which ygarshy responded to with “We talked about that in the izakaya didn’t we.”, nodding like he was missing those days too. “Even though we had converged with so many people and gained such happiness through ‘IKI’, this time we did the opposite, and broke up with them. What came out of holing up and working for 2-3 months was “Unknown Mother Goose” and all the songs in this album. (wowaka)” The idea of “holing up and producing” also links up with the title of “ai/SOlate”, doesn’t it. It seems like we’re finally reaching the core of this interview. “That works too. ‘ai/SOlate’ was, for me, a way to properly come back to what I have done, and to what I want to do. Just like how our band name started off as ‘Hitori (alone) Atelier’ yet then was shortened into ‘Hitorie’, I started this thing alone yet, as it goes through each of our members’ existences and interpretations and meanings, it then goes off to stab the heart of any lone listener. That’s what my image of music is. That’s what type of music I’ve come to accept and have been touched by. I think there’s a strength in being alone and unaided. I firmly trust in it. The feeling of ‘nobody is here for me’, I think anyone has to some degree. I started making music off of the motive power of such. I was able to confirm that through IKI and the tour. (wowaka)” With such solitude, what sake do you make music for? wowaka, who makes music off the motive power from the feeling of “no one is here for me”. In using such solitude, what sake does he make music for? “That was the question I confronted next, and the answer was, “human”. I want to interact with humans more, and in a weird way I want to become human too. There’s something that happens between one person and another, and I want to see what that is for myself. So when I thought about it, for me that was ‘love’. Consciously using the word “love” was a first for me, even in my lyrics even in my daily life. That was “Unknown Mother Goose”. The happiness and anger that comes with being with other people, then wanting to spread this sphere of every emotion all the way out to space. That’s my image. And so, if you put that into one word, then I think that’s ‘love’.” For Hitorie, up until now ‘love’ was something that was ‘played backwards’ (in ‘Imperfection’) or ‘almost forgotten’ (in ‘Ikitagari no Ko’). Yet this time, it’s a theme that’s laid out directly. “Unknown Mother Goose” starts with the lyric ‘If I were to preach of love, How would your eyes picture it?’ “That’s why it’s ‘ai/SOlate’, because I finally found ‘love’. It means ‘Love that came out at last’. Moreover, an alone and unaided ‘Isolate’, and a love that came out at last, I was able to express those together as ‘ai/SOlate’ and, it makes sense, it’s all definitely two sides of the same coin. Even as an alone and unrelated Isolate, I’m fighting to find the ‘love’ that comes out of interacting with people, that’s the very thing I’m trying to do, that’s  what I’m trying to say.” The importance of “Unknown Mother Goose” The song that’s the heart of ‘ai/SOlate’, ‘Unknown Mother Goose’ is a very important song. If there’s such thing as the vocaloid scene, and on the other side there’s such thing as the band scene, then think as if there’s something in between them separating them. As, Vocaloid “is something that they cannot accept at all” (quote: Wada Takeaki interview). However, “Unknown Mother Goose” breaks that separation, or could it even be said that it fuses them. Just like how most people don’t say “guitar scene” or “bass scene”, maybe people will no longer say “Vocaloid scene”.  I threw that question at them but, completely different answers came back at me. These boys hold the whole scene in respect, yet, they say that it’s like their songs are more personal. Yumao says that “I’m just satisfied that we were able to deliver high quality songs”, and Shinoda says that “There’s no need to mix the two, and, as long as there’s people doing them then won’t the scene stay alive?”. For ygarshy, from the beginning “there was nothing separating the Vocaloid scene and the band scene”. wowaka’s thoughts were the same. “I didn’t have even a milliliter of intention to ‘break the wall’ with this song, and Hitorie isn’t really something that we wanted to be a bridge between Vocaloid and bands. It’s more of something at a micro-level. For me, I had come to Tokyo and met Vocaloid, I got people to look at me but, I became unable to understand who ‘me’ even was, and, that’s when I started Hitorie. That’s why I made the song I had to make, with the methods I’ve used to write for these past 5 years, I made the song I wanted to make now. Of course, I think there are different implications when I sing a Vocaloid song as Hitorie. So based on that too, it’s a song that’s essentially personal.” Living troubled by the feeling that “I’m being misunderstood” Besides the word “Unknown”, there’s lyrics such as “Nobody knows who I am” in NAI., and the nuance of the lyrics about “I’m not understood” stand out in this album. For wowaka, who writes the songs and the lyrics, he said that he distinctly feels that “What I really think never gets across”. “I’ve always been troubled and conflicted by that. That I’m being misunderstood in a lot of ways huh. I said that the scene has nothing to do with this, yet I want to talk about the scene but (laughing). For about 2 years after 2009, back when I posted Vocaloid songs and made CDs, everything that I had received from the scene was really so sparkly. So sinless, so pure. Yet, in 2011 I felt that the situation was beginning to get suspicious.” He was laughing painfully as he tapped his fingers on the table. He opened up with “It’s not like I’m attacking anyone specifically but…”, and wowaka continued on saying this. “Put simply, the problem is as to whether there is love or there isn’t. If it’s not just an act. Back then, I felt that something really lame was coming towards me. This sort of ‘If you use Vocaloid and do this, we can get people together, we can start a business, we can deceive the children.’ theories and atmosphere. I’m saying this pretty brutally but, there actually was such going on at the time. That was painful to me. What felt hard to me was, that I was being seriously put into this superficial mess.” As someone who carried the Vocaloid scene, wowaka gained many followers. And one after another, most Vocaloid songs were being impacted by wowaka. People even say that he invented the “Vocaloid-sounding song” format. However, the fact that songs which were just crudely tracing the surface of that format kept popping and popping up, started to torment him. 
Exclaiming a yet unknown story as one song “Thinking about it know, I think I was really mad at the time. I was depressed. Because of that, the answer to the conflict of ’Who am I’ was, Hitorie. Yet, at the time there was people who listened to us and said “Will wowaka do Vocaloid again” or “wowaka sounds cooler when he’s not the one singing”, or even “wowaka’s Vocaloid songs sound so inorganic and mechanical and cool”. When I heard those voices, I felt that what I treasure the most isn’t even conveying clearly. For me, there’s actually something more that I want to convey. There’s absolutely a story that was yet unknown to Miku and I, to Shinoda, ygarshy, Yumao and Hitorie. So now is the time, let’s explain that all as one song. “Unknown Mother Goose” is a song made out of those feeling, isn’t it.” What’s being said amidst one album is always all connected The song that was placed as the final track of the album, “NAI.”, the sound of it and the lyrics all scream Hitorie. It feels like a compilation of all their work up until now. However, if you listen to the album in order from song one, the lyrics to “NAI” are exceedingly interesting. It’s because, there’s lyrics that sound as if they’re rejecting the contents of song one “Absolute”. For example, the part “The word absolute, has nothing to do with me anymore”. However if you ask wowaka, he said that “The’s two songs are actually saying the same thing”. “On the other hand of the vector of the emotion ��happiness” that I confirmed through ‘IKI’, I also want to treasure the opposite. I had been really mad in the past, and I hadn’t even realized that. At the end of burdening that and ailing all alone I started Hitorie. I had not known how to use my emotions. But I know now. That’s why I wanted to write lyrics using those emotions in their entiretly, from every direction, from every angle. For me those emotions are something “absolute”. Except, that is entirely how it is to me, now I want to ask ‘So what do you think?’.  That’s the reason that I came up with the lyric ‘It’s not absolute’. That’s why it’s not rejection, the contents of ‘Absolute’ and ‘NAI.’ are actually the same. That’s how it always is but, what’s being said amidst one album is always all connected.” Hitorie’s 2017 To summarize, because he created a vector of happiness, ‘IKI’, wowaka found the chance to confront his past. So, through once again holing up and producing, with ‘Unknown Mother Goose’ as the start, the swarm of songs ’ai/SOlate’ was born. Even though it’s an album that started from extremely personal emotions, in it you can strongly feel a connection with society. ‘ai/SOlate’  is an album that almost connects Hitorie’s past and present.

Lastly,  I asked what 2017 was like for them, the year where they created a monumental piece. “I got good at drawing manga this year. During the time when wowaka was concentrating on producing, I was focused on drawing. I wrote “Chikyuu Monogatari” on meetia, and I wrote a manga for Wada Takeaki’s (Kurage-P) album ‘Watashi no Miseinen Kansen’. (Shinoda)” “I feel like I was hit with a thousand baseballs this year. Or I went to catch every ball this year or something. That’s why this album, I think that people who listen to only the bass will say that, there were seconds where they thought it sounded more simple than before, but I’m just playing way more fast and complicated now than before. That’s how much my body strengthened (ygarshy).” “Drum-wise, I learned exactly what it is I can do and what I can’t do this year. That’s why, I’m really troubled right now. How do I learn to do what I couldn’t do. I think I’m having a lot of troubles involving that, and I feel like I’m about to enter a new phase. Well, I won’t know until I try but (Yumao).” “I found a place where I can be myself this year and, for me this year was a turning point in my life. In just that year, the fact that I was able to release to the world, both a ‘Unknown Mother Goose’ as Hitorie, and a ‘Unknown Mother Goose’ as wowaka, is extraordinarily big to me. Next year, we have to figure out how to perform the six songs of ‘ai/SOlate’ in front of people. I want to make the belief in Hitorie and the belief in wowaka, something stronger. (wowaka).”

— When we chatted after the interview, wowaka murmured “I want to do a concert already”. And in that second, everyone’s face lit up. Hitorie are surely going to be running at full speed in 2018 too.

[hoosiergal86]

WilSon 12-19-17 Scenes

Gabi: Sonny? Are you all right? What happened? 

Sonny: You know that doll that Ari wants?

Gabi: Yeah. 

Sonny: The one that's sold out everywhere? I finally track one down. I have it in my hands. This crazy grandmother comes out of nowhere, pushes me into the bicycle display, and takes off with the doll. Can you believe it?

Gabi: You--you got knocked down by an old lady?

[Stifled laughter] Sonny: She came out of nowhere.

Gabi: Okay.

[Laughing] Sonny: You know, Ari is gonna be so disappointed.

Gabi: No. No, she's not. Because...ta-da! 

Sonny: Where did you get that?

Gabi: They had a dozen over at baron's. 

Sonny: Oh, I hate you.

Gabi: You love me. And Arianna is gonna have the best Christmas, because she gets to see Will. She's over the moon. 

Sonny: You know, I have some more good news for her. Will and I decided to give our relationship another chance.

Gabi: What? 

Sonny: And he is moving into the mansion today.

Gabi: Wow. Wow, you guys don't waste any time. 

Sonny: I love him, you know? I never stopped loving him. And I think this will be a good first step in putting our life back together.

*************************

[Doorbell dings]

Will: Just a minute. I was hoping I would get to see you again.  I'm glad you stopped by. I was hoping that we could get another chance to talk.

Paul: I actually came to speak with my dad about work. Is he here?

Will: No. He's christmas shopping with my grandmother. Do you want to wait?

Paul: No, that's okay. I'll catch him later.

Will: Okay.

Paul: Are you-- are you going somewhere?

Will: Yeah, I'm moving in with Sonny.

*******************

Gabi: Arianna getting to spend Christmas with you and Will? Oh, come on, best Christmas ever.

[Phone beeping] Oh, actually, that's me. I have to go meet up with Kate. 

Sonny: Oh, are you accepting her offer? Taking Gabi chic to Dimera?

***********************

Justin: Ha, shopping? Or hand-to-hand combat? 

Sonny: Oh, it's brutal out there.

Justin: Wow, from the looks of it, Arianna's gonna be one happy little girl on Christmas morning. 

Sonny: She is, yes. But most of this is for Will. I got him a fountain pen. It's somewhere around here. Because I know how much he used to love writing with that pen. So who knows? And goose down. Not duck down pillows, right? Because of his allergies. It's not like we're gonna be sharing the same room-- for a little while.

Justin: But you're hoping. 

Sonny: Oh, I'm hoping, yes.

Justin: Well, this is all very thoughtful. Whatever it takes to make the transition smoother. 

Sonny: You know, dad, you've always been pro-Paul. You think I'm making a mistake, don't you?

*******************

Will: I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything about moving in with Sonny.

Paul: No, it's fine. If Sonny wants to work it out with you, and I guess you want the same?

Will: Well, I may not remember the great love that everyone says Sonny and i shared, but I do feel something when I'm with him. And I think that's worth exploring.

Paul: Sonny must be thrilled. I hope it all works out.

Will: Wait.

[Dramatic music]

********************

Justin: I like Paul very much. And I certainly sympathize with his situation. But I'm not pro-Paul. I'm pro-you. 

Sonny: You're avoiding the question, counselor. You think I'm making a mistake choosing Will, don't you?

Justin: Will is a different person now. He doesn't have his memory back. Sonny, he may never get his memory back. You're heading into the unknown, and i can't help but be worried about you. 

Sonny: I know it's a risk, but if there is a chance that I can help Will remember and we can recapture what we had, that is worth taking the chance, dad.

Justin: My son... you have always led with your heart. 

Sonny: I wonder where that comes from.

*********************

Will: Okay, I'm sorry. I know this is beyond weird. But I'm hoping that you and i can hang out.

Paul: How many times do I have to say it? I'm in love with Sonny. What, you think you can play around on the side with--

Will: No, no, no, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I meant that it'd be nice if we could hang out as friends.

Paul: Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to assume.

Will: No, don't apologize. It was only natural of you to assume. I mean, I kissed you, and I slept with you when I was married to Sonny. But I don't want to be that guy this time around.

Paul: Good, because Sonny deserves the best that you can be.

Will: Yeah. You know, that's one of the things I like about you. You know, you always speak your mind. I think I could use a friend like that.

Paul: Well, there's plenty of people here that love you. Why don't you reach out to one of them?

Will: Yeah, but around them, I feel pressure to be the Will they remember. Around you, I don't. I can be who I am, and I can be whoever I turn out to be.

Paul: Well, you, Sonny, and I have a history, and it's not a good history. So I'm not gonna be your friend. I won't do that to Sonny.

******************

Sonny: So did you get mom a christmas present yet?

Justin: Way too early. You know me. I prefer the Christmas Eve madness. 

Sonny: I am so glad you two finally worked it out.

Justin: So am I. And I think this time, we're gonna get it right. 

Sonny: You will, yes. And that's the best Christmas present you could give me. You two belong together.

Justin: We were each other's first loves. And it's a hard thing to shake. 

Sonny: Yeah. You know, Paul was my first love. And I still love him. And there's a part of me that I think always will.

********************

Marlena: Okay, do you have your toothbrush and your shaving kit?

Will: I do.

Marlena: Oh.

Will: I'm only 15 minutes away, you know.

[Laughter]

Marlena: I know.

[Laughs] You haven't been here very long. I just--gosh, I'm gonna miss you.

Will: Me too. Well, maybe you should, you know, invite me over every once in a while.

Marlena: Open door invitation, anytime. No reason needed. Come to Sunday brunch. And...maybe you'll want to stop by my office for an hour once in a while.

Will: Isn't that called therapy?

Marlena: Yeah, for me, it's called a woman who really misses her grandson.

Will: Why not? Even though I know you're offering because you're a little worried about me.

Marlena: Honey, you've got a lot going on. You know, questions you'll be having, thoughts. Besides, your mother asked me if I would keep an eye on you.

Will: Okay.

Marlena: But, you know, I'll also leave you-- leave you some space.

Will: I want to do this right. Whether I remember who I am or not, I want to make good decisions. And I think I could use a little guidance in that area. And there's nobody that I trust more.

Marlena: Wow.

*******************

Paul: Hi. 

Sonny: Hey.

Justin: Paul, it's good to see you. Now, if you'll excuse me, duties of the season call.

Paul: Looks like you've raided the stores. 

Sonny: Yeah, even had to throw a few elbows. There's something that I have to tell you.

Paul: I know. I just saw Will. He's agreed to giving your relationship a chance. He's moving in. 

Sonny: Yeah. I'm gonna go pick him up right now.

Paul: Well, I... I hope it works out for you. I really mean it. I just want you to be happy. 

Sonny: Thank you.

Paul: I should go. 

Sonny: Hey, Paul. I'm really sorry that I hurt you.

[little-black-dress-24]

How would you feel?

I want to dedicate this story to @littlewhitelies1403 and @whoopsharrystyles

I hope you will have some day such an amazing day in your life, with a man who loves you genuinely. And I hope I can share this amazing and wonderful day with you. I will sit on the obligatory “single table” watching you while you’re dancing. And maybe I will have one or two tears in my eyes. 

I hope you will be happy one day, I hope you will find your imperfect, perfect man. 

All the love 

E. 

The paper lanterns wiggle in the balmy summer night wind. It’s way after midnight and the crowd has thinned out. Only a handful of guests are sitting on the round tables which are covered with long white tablecloths. They are your closest friends, your parents, his parents, and his sister with her boyfriend. It was a beautiful day, better even than you dreamed. You had dreamed about this day since you were a little girl, and THIS day bested your dreams. He did everything so that you have the perfect day.

You’re  drunk by the night, he too but you saw him at the bar with his best man, drinking some whisky, but also searching for your eyes.

You’re talking to some guests sitting near the dance floor. Your hand rests on the back of the chair, which is also white and the cold metal cools you off. You danced a lot, with your father, with your uncle and of course with your new husband. As you heard Ed’s voice singing for the first time on your wedding you had to smile. He knows you so well. Harry requested Ed play some of your favourite songs as he twirled you around the dance floor.

Now that the candles are nearly burned down, the waiters start to dismantle the buffet.  Your legs are hurting and the corners of your mouth are hurting too.  You laughed and smiled all the time.

Harry touches your shoulder gently while he’s nodding in Ed’s direction, and he smiles knowingly. Ed walks to the band and grabs his guitar.

You feel his soft touch.  Excusing yourself, you turn around to look into his green eyes. His hair is a little sweaty, and he doesn’t wear his jacket anymore. The sleeves of his white shirt are rolled up, so you can see his anchor tattoo. With tender fingers you touch his anchor. His heart skips a beat as he feels the metal of your wedding ring on his hot skin. You made him the luckiest man in the whole world today. You married him today, and he wants to scream it from the rooftops.

“What’s the matter?” you ask him with a soft, tired smile.

Ed starts to play. It’s an unknown melody that you have never heard before. You frown.

“Please, dance with me, the last dance tonight.” he speaks in a low voice. He seems a little bit nervous but you don’t know why. He strokes nervously through his hair.

How could you say no to him? His green eyes rest on you in a tense way.

“I’m very, very tired, Mr. Styles but, yes, I will,” you say, kissing his cheek. Harry breathes out loudly.

His hand covers your delicate small one as he leads you onto the dance floor. He stretches out his arm and twirls you. You collide clumsily with his chest and you feel the rumble in his chest as he laughs softly.

Harry presses you tightly against his chest, holding your right hand in his hand and his other hand rests with a comfortable pressure on the naked skin on your back.

“Thank you for the last dance, Mrs. Styles.” he whispers in your ear. “That’s my present for you,” squeezing your hand. You look up and frown. Harry winks and smiles nervously.

Ed starts to sing the first few sentence as you feel butterflies in your tummy.

“You are the one, girl

You know that it's true

I'm feeling younger

Every time that I'm alone with you”

Harry’s thumb circles lovingly over your naked skin. You still look at him but he bends his head forward, leaning his soft lips against your neck. His breath tickles your short baby hair in your neck.

Your hand slides up the white fabric of his shirt. The fabric feels like a barrier between you and him. Your hand wanders further over his strong arm to his neck where your hand ends the journey. The skin on his neck feels warm and soft, and you feel the urge to kiss the sweaty skin on your husband’s neck.

Ed continues singing the song

“We were sitting in a parked car.”

You have to smile, because you remember as you were sitting in the parked car with Harry. It was a rainy evening, and he had driven you home. It was one of your first dates. You were so nervous, but as you were sitting beside him in the car, turning towards him with a rustling coat, you forgot everything. The streetlamp lightened half of his face, and you saw the sparkle in his eyes. Neither of you wanted t evening to end. The rain ran down the panes and you could hear the raindrops how they crackled on the roof of the car.  So you were sitting in his car for hours, talking, laughing, and falling in love with each other.

“Stealing kisses in a front yard”

“Do you remember it?” he whispers against your neck. Closing your eyes, you nod, and he feels how your head moves. His leg slides between yours, and he turns you both around in an easy way. His lips press smooth kisses on your neck, feeling the goose bumps under his fingers.

“We got questions we should not ask, but”

As Ed sings this sentence you blush. He feels your embarrassment but he doesn’t say anything. He leaves you to your memories.  

“How would you feel

If I told you I loved you”

He lifts his head, looking into your eyes. His right hand, which still holds yours, encompasses yours in a new way, so that he can put your flat palm on his chest. Covering your small hand with his big one. Sensing his beating heart through the white soft fabric of his shirt, you look up and meet his eyes.

“It’s just something that I want to do,” he smiles at you and detaches his hand from yours, which was covering yours on his chest. His forefinger is bent as he touches your chin with it, tenderly pressing your head further up. Only Harry knows which part of the song comes now. His heart races.  You can feel it. You open your mouth a little bit, but his smile is gone. He looks at you through serious eyes. He never saw your eyes glinting this way, right in this moment, in this night, on your wedding day.

“I’ll be taking my time

Spending my life

Falling deeper in love with you

So tell me that you love me too”

The words come out of Ed’s mouth softly and lovingly. He mouths the words, looking you directly in the eyes. Now it’s your heart which starts to race. The little words hit you.  You’re so glad that you used waterproof makeup. A little tear is rolling down your cheek as you hear the words. His hand slides to your neck and he catches the tear with his thumb. You have no words to describe your feelings.  You feel a connection to him.  You feel the roots of your love, and how the tree grows. Everything around you is blurry: you see only his face, his eyes clear as glass.

His green pupils rest on you, seeing straight into your soul. If someone would ask you how love looks, you would draw his face. This expression on his face; the green in his eyes is dark and a kind of sparkle is in it.  The corners of his mouth are twitched in a soft smile, and his cheeks are rosy, but you can find also a little bit of vulnerability in his face. Yes, there is something vulnerable.  He gave you his heart.

You want to respond, but he strokes fondly with his thumb over your lips, keeping your words of love trapped inside. As you kiss his fingerpad, he pulls you tighter into his body. Before Harry bends down again, burying his face in your neck, he glances at you and it’s like your minds?  hearts? fuse. You become one in an intimate way, only Harry and you. You and Harry.

Putting your head on your hand, which rests on his shoulder, you feel your hot cheeks and his breath on your neck. His hair tickle your nose, and you close your eyes, smelling his scent.

“In the summer

As the lilacs bloom”

You giggle.

“Harry, really?” you whisper. He turns with you, holding you tightly in his arms, again. Feeling the rumble in his chest as he mutters “you remember……”

Harry was so nervous, meeting your parents for the first time that you had to drive. It was a three hour drive to the coast where your parents live; he was a bundle of nerves, asking you questions about your parents and sliding nervously on his seat. It was spring and your mother had laid the table in the garden. Your mum loves her garden; it is her pride and joy. She cares for the lilacs with a special passion. So all of you were sitting next to the lilac bushes. It was a harmonic afternoon except for when Harry began to sneeze after ten minutes. His nose ran; his eyes were red and full of tears. You gave him a tissue box, and he pulled one tissue after another out of the box which was settled between his legs. Between some sneezes he said it must be his hay fever. Until that day you didn’t know that he had hay fever; he hadn’t mentioned it.

Your mum laughed and said your sister has hay fever too, so she gave him some pills. Your dad gave him a new box of tissues and made some typical dad jokes. Harry tried to smile. He was so embarrassed that you could  figuratively grasp his embarrassment.  

“Darling, it’s part of our story.” he breathes. You nod lightly; you don’t know if he recognizes your movement.

“Love flows deeper than a river

Every moment that I spend with you”

“We were sat upon our best friend's roof

I had both of my arms around you”

Watching the sunrise replace the moon, but”

You never thought he would remember that summer night. 

 It was the last night he spent with you, before he came back 4 months later. He stood in your doorway, a bright smile on his face and a blanket hung over his shoulder. As he moved to the side, you could see two bicycles. A red one, with a basket on the handlebar;  in the handlebar was a beautiful bunch of wildflowers.

“Get dressed, pet. We will make a little trip.” you can still hear his enthusiastic voice. Ten minutes later you sat on the red bicycle. Your white summer dress blew in the wind, and the ribbons of your summer hat danced through the air.  

As you rode on a country lane, he was next to you. He stretched out his arm to hold your hand. At first you came dangerously close to his bike, your handlebar wagged and you pulled your hand back. After several tries, where you giggled nervously and he encouraged you, the two of you rode hand in hand down the country lane. The lane ended and you got off your bike. At first you stood with both feed on the pebbles and the bike between your legs. You hesitated for few seconds, but then you walked after him into the field. In the distance you could see a little house which came closer quickly. The blades of grass tickled your bare legs, and you had to scratch at your skin from time to time.

You sat on the blanket; of course he forgot nothing. The strawberries were sweet and fruity, and he wiped the sweet juice from your chin with his forefinger. It was a very tense moment, and he couldn’t control himself. His kisses were tingly and you fell into his arms. You didn’t know how long you lay there in his arms, him teasing you lightly with a grass blade over the skin on your arm.

The stars shone in the dark blue night sky, and he had the idea to climb on the roof of the abandoned bam.

“Maybe I can catch a star for you,” he whispered in your ear. You shook your head with a smile, and he smirked mischievously. Harry spread the blanket on the roof; you sunk down and he sat behind you. He pulled you close to his chest where you leaned. He stroked over your hair, kissing the soft skin behind your ear.

“You remember this night?” you whisper in his ear. He bites his lower lip, leaning his forehead against yours. You sense still his circling finger on your back.

“Mhmm,” he mutters.

“Why this night?” you ask. Ed continues singing but you both are in your bubble.

He opens his eyes and his mouth, but he needs a few seconds to compose himself. Moving your hand to his cheek, you stroke tenderly over his cheekbone.

“It was the night… It was the night where I knew I fell in love with you, I couldn’t imagine one day without you. I couldn’t imagine a life without you.” he swallows hard.

Sliding your hand back to his neck. you press your small hand on his neck, pulling him down to you. Feeling his breath in your face you start to kiss his jawline with soft slight kisses.

“So tell me that you love me too

So tell me that you love me too”

He sings the last two sentences of the song in your ear so that you are the only one who can hear his raspy deep voice.

“Harry…,” you start. Your hand pressing against his chest. His chest feels so strong, like it could bear everything. His green eyes meet yours.

You smile softly.

“Harry, WE love you too.” you whisper, biting your lower lip.

[thepawslady]

I bought an alligator. -Fiction/short story

**THIS STORY WAS SUBMITTED TO GVSU FOR WRT 219 BY ME. DO NOT COPY.* Henry ate my homework. No not ate, he devoured. I guess this is what you get when you go to the pet store to adopt a big dog but come out with a 12 foot alligator with white knife teeth and dandelion eyes instead.

Last week while watching Game of Thrones when Ari killed the man that stole her sword Needle someone started knocking on the front door. My stomach dived to my toes. It is 11 at night, who would be at my front door? Mom and dad were at a concert but they would use the garage to come into the house not the front door. Slowly, while trying to breathe and not think about every episode for Criminal Minds, I crept to the kitchen to grab a chef knife. If the door person had a gun, I was dead. If they didn’t, I better figure out how to use this thing within the next 20 feet. I wish I had Maddix still. Maddix, my family’s 7 year old Boxer, died 3 years ago from an unknown illness that made him wither away in front of our eyes for 2 years no matter what we did or the test he received. Now gone, I have never felt so unprotected. Tiptoeing to the door, I side step over to the stairs to look out the landing window I see two figures in front of my door. One of them had a dark brown coat wearing an evergreen cap with white lines. I relaxed. Murders weren’t knocking on my door for me to invite them in. It was my parents. Why they didn’t use the garage door I have no idea. Still holding the knife in hand I open the door for my parents.

“ELLA!” my dad said shaking his head in frustration.

Why am I in trouble for being safe?

“What?” I ask in a little bit of anger and more disbelief.

“Why are you holding a knife towards me and your mom?” Dad said as he pushes past me to the walk way.

“I didn’t know who you are from this side of the door.” I said. Is he really this obtuse with his old age? I shut the door behind him and mom.

He sighed in exasperation.

I climbed back into the couch wrapping myself in the wool blanket still warm from before to watch my show alone.

The next day I drove to a pet store with the best of intensions to adopt a guard dog. One with a big bark that sounds like thunder. But I walked in to Pet Supplies Plus and I saw him. It was almost as if wedding bells went off in my head like I meet my soulmate in animal form. One call to the vet later to clarify that I have never owned an alligator or any other pets, I was walking out of Pet Supplies Plus at the speed of an alligator on land, and by the time I got his 12 foot body into my car his name was Henry.

Henry was a trouble maker from the beginning. Since we got home he has snapped at my mom’s cats, tried to bite my ankles, and now has eaten my homework. The temperament wasn’t a problem. It was what I asked for but at the same time he loves to snuggle, go swimming, and for walks. So when he ate my homework of course I scolded him, I mean you can’t allow bad behavior to go unpunished. After cleaning up the homework confetti all over the kitchen floor that my mother freshly washed I gave him the semi-tire that he likes to chew on and put him outside.  

With it being the first Wednesday of the month, I needed to douse him in this veterinary prescribed lotion to keep his coarse skin moisturized and Henry’s moss scales shimmering. When I adopted Henry I was told to take him to Dr. Smith, a reptile specialist in downtown Grand Rapids. At Henry’s physical Dr. Smith said that I should cover him up once a month with lotion. But when I say physical it was more like a spay day for him and an unexpected pay day for the vet. Henry enjoyed an alligator facial and dental work while his nails were gleaming pears.

To get Henry up to the bathroom I had to walk Henry up the sandpaper-carpet stairs from the living room which as you can image was like walking grandma up a flight of stairs. With his short t-rex arms as legs, it takes him a minute to lift his legs one at a time to step up.

In the bathroom I grab open the five gallon tub of alligator moisturizer. Whoever designed the bucket was very genius to place mermaid scales on the label. It must mean that his rocky skin will become slick and smooth. I grabbed a glob and like any mother of an alligator would do started lathering Henry up to be as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

“You know Henry,” I leaned into the bath tub even more “you really need to learn to walk faster. Maybe you should go on run with mom. Or should I get you’re a treadmill?” I said to him while vigorously rubbing in his lotion on this webbed toes.

The following day grew with sunshine and ice melting happiness! I maybe a bit optimistic but I think that I can bring Henry out for a walk. I opened the black bench that holds his harness and leash. It was a nice day to get Mr. Lazy Bones outside and walking. He must have gained 35 pounds from the polar vortex.

The best thing about living next to the schools is that there is a stream that Henry likes to play in during days like today. He can bask in the sun, can swim, eat, and play with the ducks till his little heart is filled with joy. Henry zoomed out of the water towards to swan duck. Leaping into the air the duck flew above five feet away from where he was before. Not the best performance from Mr. Duck.

Standing on the white gazebo seems to be sturdy enough to stand shaking while Henry thrashes around in the water under me. His tail seems to be doing most of the damage here. No surprise there, he practically knocks everyone down in the house with that thing. The water was drowning the landing underneath the gazebo.

CLUNK. CLUNK. CLUNK.

I stop breathing. The hair on my arms became goose flesh.

CLUNK. CLUNK. CLUNK.

I turned around and screamed like I was getting murdered because I’m probably about to be. There was a tall woman. She was wearing black jeans, Adidas sneakers, a black Adidas running jacket, and of course sunglasses. Typical murder get up according to Criminal Minds and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and this was not the time to start thinking about that. I fished around in my pocket while maintaining complete sunglass-contact with this crazy lady. Found it. I’m so glad my dad made me put the pepper-spray on my keychain.

Slowly she starts to step towards me and I started stepping to the side. If I can switch places with her and run into the water with Henry I’ll be safe. Henry may not be a guard dog and have a loud bark like I wanted but he can protect me. Or at least I hope he will. Step one for me and two steps for her. Okay that isn’t good.

“Uh hi” I said

“Hi” she said

“What can I do for you?” I asked politely. No need to sound mean or nasty when this lady can knock me off at any moment. Why rush it?

“Give me your wallet.” She said. Is that what she’s after? My wallet? I live two minutes away so I didn’t bring my wallet. I walked here with my alligator.

“I don’t have it. I walked here.”

I side stepped again but smaller so she couldn’t see it.

“Yes you do” she said

The gazebo stopped shaking or I started too just as badly.

“No I don’t.” step again.

That’s when she lunged at me. My soul jumped out of my body and my banshee scream cued the ducks to start hurdling in the air. SPLASH. SPLASH. SPLASH. I must have scared Henry too. I launch myself towards the gazebo entrance like a hyena sneaking up on a juicy antelope. Without stealth and a little off balance. As I run out, Henry dashes in. He stops a few feet in looking up and down at my attempted robber; assessing the situation and drawing his own conclusions.

My robber freaks out. She start waving her hands in the air to scare Henry away. This only made him angry and he started hissing at her. Well this was new. I’ve never heard him hiss before. Ms. Robber was jumping up and down making threatening moves towards him to get to me. Henry started beating his tail around showing his aggression. Ms. Robber stops moving. She must have gotten the message that Henry isn’t scared of her little body. But before I blink Henry leaps at the robber attaching to her leg; bring her down to the ground with a loud thud. Thrashing Ms. Robber’s body around like a rag doll, blood was spraying like a sprinkler in summer. Henry must have hit a fatal artery. CRAP.

“HENRY DROP IT” I yell.

He let go of the shredded leg. Stepping back two paces he eyed Ms. Robber who is now screaming like her leg just got attacked by an alligator. But at least she was down.

I reach for my phone to call the police. In short staccato sentences I attempt to replay the events to the operator. I started to panic. They’re going to call animal control and take Henry away! I can’t let that happen. I strapped him back into his harness and attached his leash. I look over and my robber’s body is lying limp.

In 10 minutes an ambulance and sheriff was on scene and carrying Ms. Robber’s body away. Henry killed her. He really killed someone. I can’t blame him. I can’t be angry. I’m worried though. He’s an alligator that just killed someone.

Holding onto Henry's leash with Henry on the other end, I walk over to the police officer.

“Can I bring Henry home now?” I asked him

“Yeah we’re all set.” He said not even looking at me.

“What’s going to happen to Henry?” I ask

“That thing has a name?” The officer ask in horror, or maybe it was shock.

“Yes” I said. Why is that a problem? He shakes his head as if he couldn’t understand why I named my alligator.

“Your alligator, uh Henry, saved your life. We’re treating this like a self-defense case.” I sucked in my breath. He can’t be serious.

“And because you can’t take an alligator to court we have to let him go.” He end with a note of finality.

My heart broke. Henry was going to live. I was freaking out for the last hour thinking that they were going to shoot him dead because he killed a human life. But instead, the officer is going to let Henry and I go free. I started to cry for Henry's safety. Henry is safe. I was able to breath evenly again and not breath out in shallow gasp.

Two weeks later I pulled into the Pet Supplies Plus parking lot in the rear so henry can have room to get out. If I’m getting him a friend he should have a say on the species and who. I can’t make all of his decisions. Stalking into the over populated pet store Henry starts to make a B-line towards the back. Does he remember this place? Is it the smell? Patrons parted like the Red Sea as Henry bolted down the aisle. Little kids with fear written across their face where begging their parents to pick them up. Henry wasn’t a monster, they were. Kids leave a path of destruction wherever they go while Henry just glides right on through. He may have killed someone but he was a good boy. Walking to keep up with his gallop, I follow him into the back of the store. That’s when he froze and I started to laugh.  Henry’s eyes light up with hearts. About 30 feet away was another alligator.

We named her Shelby.