#i don't have very many customers so i don't mind making everything myself

[calicohyde]

can any continental US art & stationery sellers give me a recommendation for a whole sale printer pwease...?

[soberpluto]

Examining Neptune's Spell

Apologies for not being here after so much time, but now I'm back and very thrilled to share this with you all! I'm hopeful many can find this helpful.

Unnecesary context aside, just recently I was having a long and deep conversation with a friend of mine about my semi-recurring mini existential crises. After hearing me patiently, with the dear intention of making me realize I was drowning in my tiny glass of water, he simply (and brilliantly) replied:

"I think you're problem is that you have unrealistic expectations about yourself."

Any attempt to blurt out in self-defense ceased instantly because of how deep these words sunk in my mind. I stared into the wall before for me and felt how the missing puzzle piece finally dropped into the perfect spot. Obviously, the thought of having my sun in Cancer and Neptune in almost exact opposition popped inside, and it took a WHOLE new dimmension. How could this statement not be true?! OF COURSE he was right! It's not that I wasn't told that before or haven't read about it multiple times in my astrology studies, but the truth is, (a very Neptunian thing now that I think about it) I didn't believe it quite applied to me. Because I don't like to feel mediocre and because I think of myself as a spiritual and highly self-aware woman, I was convinced that holding myself to "unrealistic standards" was definitely NOT the reason that triggered me to want fleed to a desert islands at times when reality felt like too much. It was bitterly humorous when I realized I evidently missed the fact that Neptune was making a hell of a job doing what he does best: casting its spells of illusion and glittery distorted beliefs about how things were "supposed to be" in a surprisingly unadverted way into my life. I was truly relieved to actually understand (or accept, better said) why trying to have a simple and happy life seemed too tricky at times. It all made sense.

Now, let me introduce Neptune, if you happen to be unacquainted.

Neptune in astrology is like the ultimate dream weaver, spinning a web of intuition, imagination, and mystery. It’s the planet of all things ethereal, where reality gets a little blurry, and you’re invited to dive into the deep end of fantasy, spirituality, and idealism. Neptune whispers, "What if?" and suddenly, we're seeing the world through a kaleidoscope of possibilities, but a "little" foggy on the details. We're all influenced by Neptune one way or another, but when it touches personal planets or points in our charts, it’s like life hands us a pair of customized rose-colored glasses, but the prescription is way off. Suddenly, everything feels a bit magical, like we're starring in your own fairytale, except the castle is made of mist, the prince might just be a mirage, and that enchanted forest? It’s actually a parking lot.

But why bother making us feel loony? On a more serious note, our master illusionist possesses the higher purpose of awakening our connection to something greater than the everyday grind. It gently pulls us out of the rigid boundaries of reality and whispers, "There’s more to life than meets the eye." It invites us to explore the depths of our imagination, spirituality, and compassion, blurring the lines between self and universe. The illusions it creates are really a nudge to dissolve our ego’s grip, helping us see beyond the material and embrace a higher sense of love, creativity, and unity with the cosmos.

As inspiring and touching as it sounds, the catch is that fulfilling Neptune’s mission can feel like chasing fog—just when we think we’ve got a handle on it, it slips through our fingers. Neptune wants us to transcend reality and connect with the divine, but let’s be real: that’s not exactly a day-to-day, grocery-list-friendly goal. For someone with heavy Neptune influence, this pursuit of higher meaning can be disorienting, leaving them feeling lost in a sea of "what ifs" and "maybes." And thanks to its grandeur idealism, it can push people to be hypersensitive, highly fearful of failure and completely inaccurate with what they may achieve in a day, let alone a lifetime!

For a Neptunian, the intuitive desire to be flawless and sufficient does not come from wordly expectations, but from a place of soulful calling that more often unconsciously than consciously tells them they're limitless beings living in a limited reality. And this is exactly the greatest challenge of all: to accept that the truth must be known while respecting the illusion, just as a spiritual teacher Michael Mirdad states.

That said, you can imagine what happens when mystical and whimsical Neptune gets cozy with your personal planets. Let's see in detail how it sprinkles its glitter them:

Sun

Soft Aspects: With soft aspects, your Sun is shining brighter than ever! Neptune sprinkles fairy dust on your creativity and confidence, making you feel like a superstar in your own musical. It’s all about embracing your spiritual side and believing that you can conquer the world—cape optional!

Hard Aspects: You’re the artist of your own identity, but the canvas keeps shifting. One day you’re an astronaut, the next day you’re a poet, and by the end of the week, you’re contemplating becoming a full-time mystic. Neptune tells you, "Be everything," but sometimes that just leaves you wondering, "Who am I, really?"

Moon

Soft Aspects: Your emotions flow like a gentle river, and you’re tuned in to everyone’s feelings like a super empath (you could be a cool wizard/witch or clairvoyant!). Neptune wraps you in a cozy blanket of intuition, making heartfelt connections feel like a warm hug from the universe. Cue the happy tears!

Hard Aspects: Enter the emotional whirlpool! Neptune can stir up your feelings like a cosmic blender, leading to mood swings and a general sense of overwhelm. You might find yourself daydreaming your way through real-life emotions, and good luck figuring out what you actually feel!

Mercury

Soft Aspects: With Neptune’s gentle nudge, your thoughts become a beautiful symphony! Communication flows like honey, and you’re bursting with creative ideas. It’s a fantastic time for writing, brainstorming, or chatting about all things magical and dreamy! You could be a music lover, a great singer or a romantic poet.

Hard Aspects: But when Neptune goes rogue, it’s like trying to read a recipe in a funhouse—everything’s upside down! Your thoughts get scattered, and communication feels like a game of telephone gone wrong. Get ready for misunderstandings and the occasional “Wait, what did you just say?” This aspect looks very similar to a Piscean or Sagittarian Mercury, a common link to ADHD.

Venus

Soft Aspects: Love is in the air! Neptune turns your romantic life into a whimsical fairy tale, where everything feels enchanting. Your heart opens wide, and connections deepen, making even the smallest moments feel like a scene from a rom-com.

Hard Aspects: But hold on! Neptune might have you wearing those rose-colored glasses a bit too tightly. You might find yourself idealizing partners or being swept away by fantasies, only to crash back to reality when things don’t match your dreamy expectations. Ouch!

Mars

Soft Aspects: With Neptune in your corner, your drive becomes a creative spark! You’re ready to take action with a burst of inspiration, making you feel like a superhero on a mission. Time to tackle those goals with flair and imagination!

Hard Aspects: When Neptune throws in a twist, it’s like trying to run through quicksand. Your motivation might wane, leaving you confused about where to focus your energy. It’s a cosmic case of “I had a plan… what was it again?”

To wrap it up after such long post, living with Neptune’s influence means you’ve got a backstage pass to the land of dreams, creativity, and big feelings. But it also means you might find yourself getting tangled up in illusions, setting sky-high standards that real life simply can’t meet. So when Neptune touches your personal planets, just remember: it's okay to dream big, but keep a little reality check in your back pocket. You can chase those rainbows, but don’t forget to pack an umbrella for when they dissolve into rain.

Thanks so much for reading, love you! 🥰

Written by @soberpluto

[signedeclipse]

Signed with Love - Upper Moons

What is this? - A valentines gift to my lovely fem!readers! Its valentines/love letters cards from your favourites <3

Characters - Akaza | Daki | Douma | Gyokko | Gyutaro | Hantengu | Kaigaku | Kokushibo | Muzan | Nakime

Series Parts Kamaboko Squad - HERE The Hashira - HERE

Akaza

To the girl of my dreams, Happy valentines! I'm sure you thought i'd forget sorry about last year, but I've got plans and everything. Theres a light show in the city, if you want to come I'm sure we can stop for some snacks and i'll get you the best view of them. If that sounds like a plan, i'll be by your house the moment the sun goes down. Can't wait to see you dolled up, Akaza.

Daki

Dove, Free your schedule on the 14th, I won't let plans get in the way of us spending this year together after so many times of it falling through! Oiron duties always take precedent, but I'm sure I can pull some strings to spend the night with you, the "new" girl, to do some "training". Dress for the part, I know you can lie your way in. Good luck, even if I know you won't need it, 'Warabihime'

Douma

Hello, lovely! I am over the moon knowing i'll get to spend valentines with you again! I miss you more and more every day you are away... How about this year we sneak away from the cult and I show you someplace you might really enjoy, and we can pick up some treats you like to keep at the estate! Don't leave me waiting too long. You know who ♡

Gyokko

To my precious muse, This velentines marks a decade together, and I figure its about time I let you closer than ive let any other. I know I can be more conservative in sharing my art, but this year i'd like to take you into my studio and teach you some of my craft. You know where to find me. Wear something you don't mind having ruined. Gყσƙƙσ

Gyutaro

Angel, I promised i'd always ask, so I expect you to say yes when I ask you to be my valentine again. It's too risky to go out with being on the radar, so when you come back home keep low and we'll do something simple. I can't risk getting you in trouble. Don't stray too far, GT.

Hantengu

Dearest, If possible, I would really appreciate if maybe you might consider being my valentine Whatever you'd like is yours Please H/S/K/A/Uro/Z/Ura

Kaigaku

Princess, I know you'll say yes anyways, so instead ill congradulate you for keeping me intrigued for so long. Long enough to call you my valentine. I'll be home to see you the moment the sun drops, and we can spend all night hanging out. I like you better where no one else can chew on you like eye candy, so I'll bring some snacks you like if it keeps you inside, Don't get too flattered, Yours, Inadama

Kokushibo

To the most beautiful woman I know, I would be honoured if you would decide to be my valentine once again. If you are inclined to accept my invintation, know that not a drop of the night would be wasted on anything you wouldn't like. You know you can trust me. I anticipate your responce, 黒死牟

Muzan

To the only sunshine I require; With this letter is a box of clothing. It's all custom to your fit and yours now, pick whatever you like and wait outside the gates of tokyo by sundown tonight. We'll be visitng some places I know you've wanted to see, and I'll make sure it's not on an empty stomach. Don't leave me waiting, M. Kibutsuji

Nakime

My dearest lullaby I am not one to partake in holidays, however, I cannot help myself when it comes to you. I was hoping you would be my valentine; not just today, but in life as well. There is a concert hall I used to perform at, and I would like to bring you there to hear the music I was so very fond of. It is very formal, so if you need any help getting ready you have my assistance. I miss your sweet song, Nakime Otokawa

Authors Note - This took me so long ahhhh thank you for your patience darlings <3 The tags took me longer than writing this entire thing /j

Disclaimer - All characters within have been aged up to at least 18 or older, and have been altered to reflect such change as needed.

[sevenboarproductions]

[IDOLiSH7] [Part 6] Chapter 14: To the Challengers [1/2]

6.14.1. - With everything we have

Audience A: Ah… Something appeared on the screen…  

Audience B: Last minute interview footage…?

Audience A: …What’s an idol…？

Audience B: …What is music…？

Audience A: …What is the greatest live…？

Audience B: …Ah, Touma is on the screen…���

--

Inumaru Touma: The greatest live...

Inumaru Touma: For me, the greatest live is the moment when I can make everyone the happiest.

Inumaru Touma: Everyone's feelings become one, no one gets left behind, and there’s just one great moment after the other.

Inumaru Touma: At first, the audience is well-mannered and just watches, but they gradually get into it…

Inumaru Touma: That feeling of them leaning forward and joining in the fight... It's like everyone is standing up and roaring.

Inumaru Touma: I love that moment when it feels like it's us, not just customers.

Inumaru Touma: I want to create a space like that... I think I can create it.

Inumaru Touma: Let's create the greatest live.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

-

Isumi Haruka: Uhm, what is an idol. An idol is…

Isumi Haruka: Coming from someone like me, what I say might not be very persuasive… But I think it's pretty accurate.

Isumi Haruka: It's someone who wants to be loved.

Isumi Haruka: Someone who wants to be pampered a lot. Someone who wants to be praised a lot.

Isumi Haruka: Like, “Ahaha, I love myself”. Without that, I don't think I'd want to be on stage.

Isumi Haruka: But while I'm doing it, I start to think, "Oh, I'm not good at this," or "I messed up," or "I wonder if I can do it well.”

Isumi Haruka: So many things I hate about myself and the things I'm anxious about come out, it's like I can't take it anymore, I want to pull away…

Isumi Haruka: But when the fans call out my name, I can really step forward. I'm sure it’ll be the same this time.

Isumi Haruka: I mean, we're first, right? Normally, I'd say we can't do it… That's why…

Isumi Haruka: Call for ŹOOḼ, call for Isumi Haruka. I’m counting on you. 

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

-

Natsume Minami: What is music…

Natsume Minami: That's right. Music can become anything.

Natsume Minami: It can be a weapon, it can be armor. It can be a blanket, it can be fashion, it can be a blood oath.

Natsume Minami: With that in mind, if I were to speak only about ŹOOḼ and ŹOOḼ's fans…

Natsume Minami: I think it's like chains.

Natsume Minami: There’s the chains that bind us, and the chains that we seek to destroy.

Natsume Minami: Feelings and pain that could not be put into words are connected through music…

Natsume Minami: It is as if blood flows through the community known as ŹOOḼ. That's right, it may be like blood vessels.

Natsume Minami: Let the blood flow, cut the chains we want to break, and connect with each other through new bonds.

Natsume Minami: Fufu… These may be chains that are a little exciting, a bit dangerous, but…

Natsume Minami: Please, let yourself be caught up in them.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

-

Midou Torao: What an idol is?

Midou Torao: An idol is… That's right… This might be a no-go thing to say.

Midou Torao: But at first, I thought it was shady.

Midou Torao: You get pampered, but they treat you like a toy, and you laugh it off…

Midou Torao: I was thinking, that's supposed to be fun? 

Midou Torao: …Then, “Ah, this is a bad idea”… “It’s a bad idea, right?”, “Huh? We're gonna keep going like this…?”

Midou Torao: …That's right… Well, those were my first impressions anyway. Probably because I was like that at the time.

Midou Torao: Yeah… I thought it’d be nice if it was just for decoration.

Midou Torao: But after meeting a lot of different people, I realized I was wrong.

Midou Torao: Chasing their dreams even when they fail… Going out alone to places where there are only enemies… It's not shady at all. 

Midou Torao: These guys… I thought these people were heroes.

Midou Torao: I want to be like that too. I'll do my best.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!! 

--

Inumaru Touma: Listen, you guys! We've come this far, so believe in yourselves!

Inumaru Touma: At first, we were kind of an odd mix! But aren't we the real deal right now!?

Midou Torao: Of course. There's no other place I’d rather be.

Midou Torao: You guys are the best!

Inumaru Touma: I told you, didn't I! Don't forget!

Natsume Minami: That's my line, Inumaru-san.

I won't let anyone, including you and everyone here in the venue, get distracted from us.

Natsume Minami: We are the one and only.

Isumi Haruka: That's right! Let's destroy everything! Let's show them all we got!

Isumi Haruka: Ryou-san and Utsugi-san… Let's take the people who have become our fans with us!

Isumi Haruka: To a view even better than the one at RedFes! Tonight! Here! Right now!

Midou Torao: Alright!

Natsume Minami: Let's go!

Inumaru Touma: Let's go!

ŹOOḼ: Yeah…!!

Audience: The lights came on…

Audience: ŹOOḼ are over there…！

Audience: Kyaaah…！

Passerby A: ŹOOḼ's live has begun! The first song is "Poisonous Gangster"!

Passerby B: The set is amazing…!! It's so ŹOOḼ! Cool…! 

Passerby A: I happened to be there during the debut event! The place where ŹOOḼ began…!

Passerby B: I hope ŹOOḼ wins…!

Passerby C: The big monitor over there is broadcasting ŹOOḼ's live!

Passerby D: It's true…！The atmosphere is insane...! I wish I could have gone to the venue…!

Passerby C: Everyone looks so cool! Do your best, ŹOOḼ…！

Oda Hiroto: …

Oda Hiroto: Touma…

Natsume Minami: (It was with this song that I started working on together with Sakura-san, that I met ŹOOḼ…)

Natsume Minami: (At first, it was a song sung by just two of us as the main vocals.)

Natsume Minami: (But before I knew it, I was singing as well, raising my voice and screaming with ecstasy.)

Natsume Minami: (I tried to remain a spectator, but I got more and more involved as myself…)

Natsume Minami: (Once destiny has started, it cannot be stopped. )

Natsume Minami: (Sakura-san, I’m enjoying myself a lot right now. Aren't you envious?)

Natsume Minami: (The allies and friends you lost, I have them all.) 

Natsume Minami: Come on, please…

Natsume Minami: Desire me more.

Audience: Kyaaah…！

Audience A: PoiGang is the best! I knew they were definitely gonna sing it…!

Audience B: All four of them look super cool! (crying) ...I love ŹOOḼ…

Audience A: Ah… the second song…!

Audience B: It's “ZONE OF OVERLAP”…!!

Audience: Kyaaaah…！

Audience: The best, the best…!!

Audience: Kyaaaah…！

Midou Torao: (RedFes… I remember the fear of that stage.)

Midou Torao: (I wanted to run away. I wanted to pretend like it wasn't serious and make it a laughing matter.)

Midou Torao: (But I met others who were just as scared, yet didn't try to run away.)

Midou Torao: (So I put down my feet and moved forward with my heart and soul and I was able to change, so that I could protect them without running away, .)

Midou Torao: (I overcame something that seemed like it could never be overcome.)

Midou Torao: (May I have the same pride tonight as I did then.)

Midou Torao: (Whatever it is, I'll do it!)

Midou Torao: Don't look away!

Midou Torao: We'll make you crazy about us to the point of breaking! 

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Audience A: From "ZONE OF OVERLAP", they started singing as a group of four!

Audience B: Yeah…!

Audience A: I wasn't able to go see RedFes, but I feel like the atmosphere at ŹOOḼ has changed since then…!

Audience A: They're no longer awkward around each other and they often look at each other with smiles on their faces, it makes me happy…

Audience A: I always was and still am so lucky to be a ŹOOḼ oshi…! 

Audience B: Ah... the third song is coming!!

Audience B: It's “Bang!Bang!Bang!”...!!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Isumi Haruka: Come on, come on! That's not all you got, is it? 

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Isumi Haruka: Shout…！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!!

Isumi Haruka: (Hey, are you watching? Ryou-san.)

Isumi Haruka: (Are you watching? Kujou.)

Isumi Haruka: (Aren't I amazing?)

Isumi Haruka: (Aren’t we the best?)

Isumi Haruka: (Fufu… You thought I was a waste, so you let go of me.)

Isumi Haruka: (But it's too late to regret it now. I'm no longer controlled by anyone.)

Isumi Haruka: (The only path we walk is our own.)

Isumi Haruka: (Just watch from there. I'll take you with me. I'll show you, as well.)

Isumi Haruka: (We will carve out our future.)

Isumi Haruka: We can still keep going…! 

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Audience A: …ŹOOḼ is amazing! (crying) …I love ŹOOḼ…

Audience B: If you cry, you won't be able to see it properly! It'd be such a shame! It's so amazing…

Audience B: Since it's people around the same age as us putting on such a cool, powerful performance…!

Audience A: Yes, yes… (crying).

Audience: Ah, the lights went out…

Audience: What!？A costume change…?!

Audience: …！This intro…! 

Audience: It's the new song…！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Isumi Haruka: …

Natsume Minami: …

Midou Torao: …

Inumaru Touma: Last one!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Inumaru Touma: “Utopia”!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Inumaru Touma: (I thought I'd never stand on stage again.)

Inumaru Touma: (I thought I’d never sing seriously again.)

Inumaru Touma: (The only way I could protect myself was to hate someone, to laugh at someone.)

Inumaru Touma: (However, as I met important friends and spent irreplaceable time with them…)

Inumaru Touma: (I met people who care about me more than I care about myself.) 

Inumaru Touma: (I want to make them happy, those people who always support us.)

Inumaru Touma: (Beyond the dazzling lights, I can see their smiles. They're calling our names. For their smiles, I want to create a miracle.)

Inumaru Touma: (I want to promise them eternity.)

Inumaru Touma: (We won't betray you. We know better than anyone that things like that are crap…)

Inumaru Touma: (I want to promise you that I will never betray you.)

Inumaru Touma: (That I'm never leaving the stage again.)

Inumaru Touma: Let's go together! Follow us to the very end…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Oda Hiroto: …Touma…

Oda Hiroto: …Do your best, Touma! Don't lose…!

Oda Hiroto: Destroy the others and make it so that you…. that ŹOOḼ become the best…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Inumaru Touma: This is the best…！

Isumi Haruka: Aah, we're done already…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Natsume Minami:: Thank you very much！

Midou Torao: Thanks! I sang with all my power！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

Inumaru Touma: Thank you！

Isumi Haruka: See you…！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…！

(clapping)

--

Isumi Haruka: Ha… haa…

Utsugi Shirou: Welcome back! Thank you for your hard work…! 

Isumi Haruka: …How was it!? 

Utsugi Shirou: It was amazing! The best in the world!

Inumaru Touma: Utsugi-san, did you see it?! A sight better than RedFes!

Utsugi Shirou: …

Utsugi Shirou: Asking that first thing after coming off such a big stage…

Natsume Minami: We are asking that! After all, we're quite stubborn! 

Midou Torao: You're a part of ŹOOḼ too. We wanted to share the best sight with you.

Isumi Haruka: So!? How was it?!

Utsugi Shirou: …It wasn't just beyond RedFes, it was a performance like it has never been done before! 

Utsugi Shirou: On such a big stage, not to mention as the opening act, with that kind of quality. With that kind excitement.

Utsugi Shirou: Only ŹOOḼ can do this. You are the best…!

Isumi Haruka: We did it! Ya~y!!

Inumaru Touma: High five, high five!

Midou Torao: Alright! Yay! 

Natsume Minami: Ahaha! Ya~y! 

Utsugi Shirou: Yay! Thank you for your hard work!

Utsugi Shirou: Let's win this Black or White and go to RedFes again next year!

Utsugi Shirou: We'll show ŹOOḼ to the world once more!

ŹOOḼ: Yeah…!!

Tsukumo Ryou: …

Tsukumo Ryou: Haha… You can do it, after all.

Tsukumo Ryou: Thank you, ŹOOḼ

Tsukumo Ryou: I'm glad I created you guys.

--

Audience A: Haa…！ŹOOḼ’s live was great! 

Audience B: I was so moved.... (crying) I got to see it live.... I'm so glad I was able to come to the venue!!

Audience A: It's true…!! I will tell this story for the rest of my life...!!

Audience B: Ah… There's a break until the stage set is changed. I think I'll head to the washroom.

Audience A: There'll be a message video too, so come back soon!

Audience B: I know!

(bump)

Audience B: Ah… I'm sorry. 

Ousaka Soushi: No, I have to apologize.

Ousaka Soushi: …

Ousaka Soushi: It looks like the seats are around there.

Sougo's mother: Yes…

Ousaka Soushi: Let's go.

~ to be continued ~

--

6.14.2. - Wishing upon the sparkling stars

Audience C: It's about to be IDOLiSH7’s turn, isn't it… 

Audience D: Yeah…! I'm really excited…!

Audience C: Ah...! Something is being shown on the screen again!

Audience D: This is the last-minute interview footage…!

Audience C: Kyaaaah...! Iori-kun...!!

Izumi Iori: The greatest live… To me, the greatest live means showing off the best IDOLiSH7.

Izumi Iori: Nanase-san, the unrivaled center.

Izumi Iori: The elegant and cute Rokuya-san who supports the hearts of IDOLiSH7.

Izumi Iori: Ousaka-san who changes his colours freely, both as a "MEZZO’’" member and as a rock musician.

Izumi Iori: The lawless Yotsuba-san who does whatever he wants, acts spoiled whenever he wants, yet for some reason we always forgive him. 

Izumi Iori: Nii-san who leads the atmosphere of the live and keeps it going with his cuteness and energy.

Izumi Iori: Nikaidou-san, our reliable leader who’s got our backs any time.

Izumi Iori:  As well as the perfect me.

Izumi Iori: We will definitely deliver. Please trust us.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Nikaidou Yamato: Good evening, it's Onii-san. To me, an idol is, well…

Nikaidou Yamato: I guess it'’s a being that makes people happy.

Nikaidou Yamato: That might makes me sound like I'm saying I'm a person who's really kind to people, though.

Nikaidou Yamato: I'm not that type of person, actually.

Nikaidou Yamato: But those guys… The other members work so hard and always make me happy.

Nikaidou Yamato: They gave me so much, it's spilling out of my hands, I have so much happiness left over.

Nikaidou Yamato: By distributing that one by one to everyone, I can do my job as an idol.

Nikaidou Yamato: I'll be handing out lots of it at Black or White, so please be sure to get some. ‘Cause those guys are really amazing.

Nikaidou Yamato: I'll give it my all, too. Yeah…

Nikaidou Yamato: When I do things properly, I can be pretty amazing, too.

Nikaidou Yamato: Just kidding.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Izumi Mitsuki: To me, idols are something I’ve always admired！

Izumi Mitsuki: I loved Zero, you know. I was thinking I wanted to be like him, and I thought he was really cool.

Izumi Mitsuki: Yeah… It felt like I was looking up at stars high up…

Izumi Mitsuki: Even after I decided I wanted to be an idol, even after I debuted as an idol, I was looking up at them.

Izumi Mitsuki: Ah… It was like, “that one is good, and this one is good too. This one is amazing, and I want that one too.”

Izumi Mitsuki: Ahaha, I must sound really greedy, right? I mean, they're all really amazing people. They're all really cool.

Izumi Mitsuki: But recently, I finally… I've stopped looking up at high places.

Izumi Mitsuki: To me, I myself am an idol. I want to be an idol that only Izumi Mitsuki can be. I don't just want to be, I will be.

Izumi Mitsuki: See, how I’ve become able to say something that bold? 

Izumi Mitsuki: There were some really cool guys that I was jealous of. They gave something to me, little by little.

Izumi Mitsuki: “That's great.”, “That's amazing.”, “I love you.” They kept going like that, and they gave me lots of little stars.

Izumi Mitsuki: That's why I… That's why I became  able to say that to me, my idol is myself. 

Izumi Mitsuki: Tonight, make sure you look up at us! We'll make lots of stars fall too!

Izumi Mitsuki: Let's have a blast on the last night of the year!

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Yo. I'm Yotsuba Tamaki.

Yotsuba Tamaki: For me, the best live is when everyone's like, “Whoa!”.

Yotsuba Tamaki: A time when even if there's nothing special going on, us and the audience are having fun.

Yotsuba Tamaki: I think things like, “I'm going to entertain you!" and "Please get fired up!”.

Yotsuba Tamaki: And then, somehow...it starts to feel like the people in the audience are thinking the same way.

Yotsuba Tamaki: It's as if they're also saying, “We’re gonna entertain you! Please get fired up!”.

Yotsuba Tamaki: And we’re interacting like, “Yeah~!”, “Let's do it!”. How do I put it? You do this and that, and then…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Interaction, interaction. Ah... It’s like I’m calling my partner’s first name. Haha, that's a different kanji, though.* 

Yotsuba Tamaki: I like the feeling of interaction between here and there, when everyone’s like, “Whoa”.

Yotsuba Tamaki: It's hard to grasp that moment, and even if you think, "Whoa, here it comes!", it's gone in an instant.

Yotsuba Tamaki: So when I think , "Ah, that's the moment!", it hits me so hard I almost start crying.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Why? ...Hmm… I wonder why it makes me feel like crying.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Maybe it’s because I’m not alone. Haha… Let's all seize that moment together.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Ousaka Sougo: For me, music was my hope for living.

Ousaka Sougo: It is proof that I'm alive right now. I never thought I'd be able to write songs with my own hands.

Ousaka Sougo: For a long time, I couldn't love myself; I denied my own potential, and couldn't believe in myself…

Ousaka Sougo: My love for music made me believe in myself.

Ousaka Soushi: …

Ousaka Sougo: The new song we’ll be singing tonight.... I wrote it.

Ousaka Sougo: I've written songs for "MEZZO" before, but this is the first time I've written a song for IDOLiSH7.

Ousaka Sougo: I'm really nervous, but it is a song I really like. And also...

Ousaka Sougo: I feel like Tamaki-kun might be too embarrassed to tell you , so I'll tell you secretly.

Ousaka Sougo: The choreography was done by Tamaki-kun.

Ousaka Sougo: He’s incredibly talented. Everyone, please take the time to look at it.

Ousaka Sougo: I've gotten off topic, but I am very happy to be able to sing my own songs on this big stage.

Ousaka Sougo: I would like to dedicate this to all the people who it possible for me to have music in my life.

Ousaka Sougo: Thank you.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Ousaka Soushi: …

Ousaka Soushi: …Sougo…

Rokuya Nagi: Hi, girl.

Rokuya Nagi: For me, music is something that changes the color of the heart.

Rokuya Nagi: When I listen to a sad song, it paints my heart a sad color.

Rokuya Nagi: When I hear a kind song, it changes to a kind color.

Rokuya Nagi: That's how we've lived our lives with the music we love.

Rokuya Nagi: On nights when you can't cry, it helps the tears flow.

Rokuya Nagi: When we need courage, it strengthens our hearts.

Rokuya Nagi: Music is magic… it’s magic. 

Rokuya Nagi: I'll gift everyone a special magic.

Rokuya Nagi: We will paint your hearts in IDOLiSH7’s colors.

Rokuya Nagi: Please do not forget. That tonight, we spent a special time together.

Rokuya Nagi: That we are always in your heart.

Rokuya Nagi: We love you.

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!

Nanase Riku: Uhm… To me, idols are like light.

Nanase Riku: The first time I met an idol I liked, I was a kid.

Nanase Riku: When I was lonely, when I was feeling unwell… having that idol around helped me forget about all the hardships.

Nanase Riku: It was just fun, I got carried away watching and lost track of time.

Nanase Riku: I'm sure even if I was in complete darkness, I wouldn't have noticed.

Nanase Riku: I want to become that kind of person.

Nanase Riku: When your beloved idol is there and you’re getting carried away having a good time… 

Nanase Riku: It doesn't solve the problem. It doesn't cure the illness.

Nanase Riku: Complete darkness remains that way, and nothing changes. ...I knew that.

Nanase Riku: But still.... If I could see that wonderful thing once more....

Nanase Riku: If I could see that idol once more, and laugh wholeheartedly and happily.

Nanase Riku: I feel like I can bear the pain I'm feeling right now just a little longer.

Nanase Riku: That's what I thought.

Nanase Riku: I was thinking there might be people here at the venue today who feel the same way.

Nanase Riku: So: Good job, everyone! You all did really well!

Nanase Riku: It’s alright now! There's only fun to be had from here on out! Have fun and show me your smiles!

Nanase Riku: Let's play together!

Audience: Kyaaaaah…!!

Kujou Tenn: ……

Kujou Tenn: Riku…

--

Izumi Mitsuki: …Alright! Alright, let’s go, everyone!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Yeah！

Rokuya Nagi: Yay！Let’s have fun！

Nikaidou Yamato: Don't be nervous! Let’s just do what we always do! Relax, relax!

Ousaka Sougo: Yes！

Nanase Riku: …Ha…

Izumi Iori: …Nanase-sa—

Oogami Banri: Sougo-san！

Ousaka Sougo: Banri-san…

Oogami Banri: The seats were filled.

Ousaka Sougo: Eh?

Oogami Banri: The seats were filled. I don't know if it was them, though...

Ousaka Sougo: …

Ousaka Sougo: Ha…, I think it was them. They’re not the kind of people who would give up their reserved seats.

Ousaka Sougo: That’s what I think… But… I wonder…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Is it about that?

Ousaka Sougo: Yeah…

Izumi Mitsuki: What happened?

Yotsuba Tamaki: Sou-chan's mom and dad came!

Nikaidou Yamato: Really!?

Izumi Mitsuki: I’m glad!....It's okay to be happy about that, right!?

Oogami Banri: Of course. Sougo-kun called them.

Oogami Banri: That’s a relief, isn’t it, Sougo-kun. It wasn't over, after all.

Oogami Banri: They believed and acknowledged the accomplishments you had made.

Ousaka Sougo: …

Oogami Banri: Good luck on stage! I'll be watching it with Takanashi-san from over here!

Ousaka Sougo: Yes. Thank you for letting me know.

Ousaka Sougo: …

Izumi Mitsuki: What's wrong, Sougo? Are you unhappy?

Ousaka Sougo: …That’s not it, but…

Ousaka Sougo: I didn't expect this, so I don't know what to think…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Isn’t “finally” fine?

Ousaka Sougo: …Tamaki-kun…

Yotsuba Tamaki: So they're finally willing to listen. They’re late. But we’ll let them listen anyway.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Because that's our job. Right, Sou-chan?

Ousaka Sougo: …Yeah… Yeah, that’s right…

Nikaidou Yamato: As their child, you’d want to be acknowledged right away, though.

Nikaidou Yamato: It's very businessman-like of him to only nod his head once you have the accomplishments and the recognition to back it up.

Ousaka Sougo: My father has only just taken his seat. He hasn't acknowledged me yet.

Ousaka Sougo: But if I can get some good results on tonight's stage, then I…

Ousaka Sougo: More than anything, my uncle who loved music throughout his life... I feel like he'll finally acknowledge him…

Nanase Riku: ...Sougo-san's uncle…

Rokuya Nagi: Let's win, Sougo. For the glory of someone important to you, too.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Let’s do this! Let's show them...!

Izumi Mitsuki: Yeah! We’ll make him ask us to appear in an FSC commercial!

Nikaidou Yamato: That's right! Hey, Riku...

Nikaidou Yamato: Riku…？

Nanase Riku: …(cough)… Ha…

Izumi Iori: Nanase-san…

Nanase Riku: I’m fine. I'm just a bit nervous.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Is it an attack!?

Nanase Riku: No. I don't think so…

Ousaka Sougo: The medicine… You said it makes your throat hoarse, right?

Nanase Riku: I’m fine. I don’t feel like it’s getting worse. …It’s fine.

Nikaidou Yamato: I’ll report to our manager.

Nanase Riku: I’m fine, Yamato-san！...(coughs)...

Nikaidou Yamato: Riku…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Rikkun. Shouting too loudly is bad… 

Nanase Riku: I know. I’m fine. Once I calm down a bit...

Rokuya Nagi: Let me get you a hot drink. It's okay. Everything will go well….

Nanase Riku: …Yeah…

Izumi Mitsuki: Can we delay the start...?

Nikaidou Yamato: I'll try to negotiate, but it won't last long…

Nanase Riku: …(coughs)...

Nanase Riku: No way. Not at such an important time...

Nanase Riku: The victory of the new Black or White is at stake. It's a chance for Sougo and his uncle to be recognized.

Nanase Riku: I don't want to repeat the same thing. The concert tickets are a promise to everyone. Even though I came to see everyone…

Nanase Riku: No. If I think pessimistic thoughts— Calm down. Calm your mind...

Nanase Riku: Sakura-san said this before going to heaven.

Nanase Riku: Even if I lost everything, and still wanted to sing...

Nanase Riku: Would there be someone who can help me?

Izumi Iori: Nanase-san.

Nanase Riku: …Ha…

Izumi Iori: You can sing.

Izumi Iori: Please sing, Nanase-san.

Nanase Riku: …Ha…

Nanase Riku: Ha…

Nanase Riku: …

Rokuya Nagi: Here you go, Riku! This is magical hot tea. You'll feel better soon!

Nikaidou Yamato: If anything happens, I'll cover for you! Leave it to onii-san!

Izumi Mitsuki: Riku, don't worry! Let's go on stage together all seven of us!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Let them listen to Rikkun's singing! If you can't stand up, I'll carry you on my back!

Ousaka Sougo: Let's go together! Let’s sing my song together!

Nanase Riku: …Ha…

Nanase Riku: No way... It stopped...

Rokuya Nagi＆Ousaka Sougo＆Yotsuba Tamaki: I’m glad…!

Izumi Iori: Fufu. I told you I’d control you.

Nikaidou Yamato: What’s up with this, that sounds deep…

Izumi Mitsuki: Don’t misunderstand. There’s a lot of reasons for this.

Izumi Iori: Let's go, superstar.

Izumi Iori: To create a rainbow.

Nanase Riku: …Yeah…!

Nikaidou Yamato: Let's go, you guys...!

IDOLiSH7: Yeah!!

Audience: The lights came on...

Audience: It’s IDOLiSH7…！

Audience: Kyaaaah…！

Mother: IDOLiSH7’s live has begun! What a pretty stage! It's like a planetarium...!

Father: Are the kids at the venue right now? I wonder if they'll be shown on TV? 

Mother: The first song is "MEMORiES MELODiES"! How nostalgic...! I'm really looking forward to the other three songs, too!

Father: Aah, I see. This song is the one from their first Black or White…

Mother: That’s right! This is the song that beat TRIGGER!!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...！

--

Izumi Iori: (I was able to get this far because I had friends.)

Izumi Mitsuki: (This has been my dream since I was a child.)

Izumi Iori: (I found such a wonderful pastime that makes my heart beat faster.)

Izumi Mitsuki: (I wanted these cheers too much, there were times when I felt like my heart was going to break…)

Izumi Mitsuki: (I feel so reassured now.)

Izumi Iori: (We can go as far as we want)

Izumi Mitsuki: (We’ll go as far as we can!)

Izumi Iori: (Leading our teammates and our fans.)

Izumi Mitsuki: (To views they’ve never seen before!)

Izumi Iori: (We can do it.)

Izumi Mitsuki: (We should be able to do it!)

Izumi Iori: (That’s tonight!)

Izumi Mitsuki: (Well then, let’s go!)

Izumi Mitsuki & Izumi Iori: (To reach for our dreams!)

Izumi Mitsuki: Let’s go…!

Izumi Iori: Let us win!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...！

Audience C: Aah… Everyone is so awesome!!

Audience D: Look...! The planetarium on the stage changes from a blue sky to a night sky...!

Audience C: Pretty...! The aurora is shining...!

Audience D: The second song! It’s "Mr.AFFECTiON"...!!

Audience: Kyaaaah…!

Audience: Kyaaaah…!

Nikaidou Yamato: (I had lost track of my own existence.)

Rokuya Nagi: (I was losing track of where I belong.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (Whether I am loved.)

Rokuya Nagi: (Whether I am being used.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (Lying, dishonest people, the objects of our admiration.)

Rokuya Nagi: (But still, we wanted to be grateful and love them.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (In that case, being alone is better.)

Rokuya Nagi: (Because I loved them.)

Rokuya Nagi: (The hands that pet my head that day…)

Nikaidou Yamato: (In truth, I wanted to believe it.)

Rokuya Nagi: (Over a long period of time. Through many encounters.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (Now, I’m here with my friends.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (Well, are you watching?)

Rokuya Nagi: (Are you watching?)

Nikaidou Yamato: (I couldn't love myself, and I struggled desperately.)

Nikaidou Yamato: (I'm going to make all the other members, the guests; everyone here happy.)

Rokuya Nagi: (And I will be happy too.)

Rokuya Nagi: (I’ll live a rich life filled with love.)

Rokuya Nagi＆Nikaidou Yamato: (With my friends.)

Rokuya Nagi: Beautiful! Everyone, laugh more...!

Nikaidou Yamato: There's still more to come! Let's get fired up...!

Audience: Kyaaaah…!

Audience D: IDOLiSH7 are the best! I'm happy to be able to listen to my beloved songs...!

Audience: Aah...! The lights have gone out...!

Audience: A costume change?! Maybe it’s the new song?!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...

Audience: The sky is like the morning light…

Audience: Look! New costumes...!

Izumi Iori: …

Nikaidou Yamato: …

Izumi Mitsuki: …

Yotsuba Tamaki: …

Ousaka Sougo: …

Rokuya Nagi: …

Nanase Riku: …

Audience: …That intro...! It’s a melody I've never heard before...!

Audience: It's a new song...!

Nanase Riku: “TOMORROW EViDENCE”！

Audience: Kyaaaaah...！

Ousaka Sougo: (I was unable to like myself.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (I didn't care about anything except my own important things.)

Ousaka Sougo: (It was only when I was in contact with the things I loved that I was able to love myself.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (Because I'm the only one who takes me seriously.)

Ousaka Sougo: (But little by little, I've recovered my wounded heart, and now…)

Ousaka Sougo: (I was able to create what I liked.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (I've come to understand that I am being watched over.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (Hey. Thank you, everyone.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (Thank you for waving at me, for calling my name.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (Every time someone did that, I felt like I wasn't alone.)

Ousaka Sougo: (I couldn't have done it alone.)

Ousaka Sougo: (I was able to do it because I wasn't alone.)

Ousaka Sougo: (I'm living my own life.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (I’m exactly where I belong.)

Yotsuba Tamaki: (For making me think that…)

Ousaka Sougo＆Yotsuba Tamaki: (Thank you.)

Ousaka Sougo: Enjoy the new song!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Everyone! Remember and sing it...!

--

Audience C: ...The new song was really good...!

Audience D: The choreography was cute as well...! Tamaki is a genius...!

Audience C: What will the last song be!?

Audience D: I want them to sing that song.... I've been supporting them for a long time! IDOLiSH7's first...

Audience C: Aah…The color of the sky is changing into a starry sky...

Audience D: Wow, the song has started...!

Audience C: It’s MonGen…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Nanase Riku: ...Thank you, everyone...!

Nanase Riku: The last song is this one! The song that started us off...!

Nanase Riku: “MONSTER GENERATiON”…！

Audience: Kyaaaaaah!

Nanase Riku: (I wanted to be like Tenn-nii. I wanted to catch up to Tenn-nii.)

Nanase Riku: (But whenever things didn’t go well and I felt like giving up…)

Nanase Riku: (The voices of my friends and fans here have given me strength.)

Nanase Riku: (Thank you.)

Nanase Riku: (Thank you for letting me believe that there is something I can do.)

Nanase Riku: (Thank you for piercing through the darkness and bringing your powerful voices and smiles all the way to this stage.)

Nanase Riku: (For loving us…)

Nanase Riku: (And for sharing the same dream as us, thank you so much.)

Nanase Riku: (I want to go even further with everyone.)

Nanase Riku: (To a new place where no one has been before.)

Nanase Riku: (To break away from common sense and familiar sights.)

Nanase Riku: (We want to create a new era that none but us can.) 

Nanase Riku: It won’t, won’t end yet.

Nanase Riku: Let’s go to a seven-colored future!

Nanase Riku: Everyone, thank you…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Woman: …Riku-kun…

Woman: I'm glad I came here...

Woman: I started to become curious about them, and then I started to like them more and more.... I took the plunge and ordered tickets....

Woman: I'm glad I came here... I'm glad I got to see IDOLiSH7!

Woman: I'm glad I was able to shout out how much I love them in the venue the people I love are at!

Woman: IDOLiSH7, I love you…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah…!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Everyone, thank you!

Izumi Iori: Thank you very much!

Rokuya Nagi: Thanks！Happy, I’m happy!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...！

Ousaka Sougo: Thank you very much!

Nikaidou Yamato: Thanks！

Izumi Mitsuki: Did you enjoy it? See you later, everyone!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...！

Nanase Riku: Thank you so much！It was the best...!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...！

(clapping)

--

Nanase Riku: Ha… Ha…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Are you alright, Rikkun!?

Nanase Riku: Yes…! I’m alright!  We did it…!!

Izumi Mitsuki: We did it! We did it! We were the best...!

Rokuya Nagi: Fantastic! Our hearts were as one! It was an amazing experience!

Izumi Iori: It was a truly amazing experience.... My heart is still....

Yotsuba Tamaki: Pouding?

Izumi Iori: It is.

Nanase Riku: Mine is, too!

Ousaka Sougo: ...I really… thought my heart was going to break...

Nikaidou Yamato: Sou, did you see the audience seats?

Ousaka Sougo: Yes…

Ousaka Sougo: I couldn't see their faces, but I could see that the seats were full.

Ousaka Sougo: At that moment, I kind of… almost started crying...

Ousaka Sougo: Even though I pretended to be fine, I realized I had always wanted them to understand… I realized I wanted to be acknowledged...

Nikaidou Yamato: Sou…

Nikaidou Yamato: Of course. That's just how it is.

Yotsuba Tamaki: I’m glad for you, Sou-chan.

Ousaka Sougo: Yes… I never thought I'd be happy like this, though...

Yotsuba Tamaki: It’s fine. I'm glad you can cry in front of other people now. 

Ousaka Sougo: …Tamaki-kun…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Ehehe. I’m glad, I’m glad!

Takanashi Tsumugi: Thank you for your hard work, everyone! It was a fantastic performance...

Izumi Mitsuki: Manager!

Rokuya Nagi: It's all thanks to you. Your stage direction made us shine!

Nanase Riku: Manager, thank you!

Takanashi Tsumugi: No, thank you all for putting on such a great show!

Takanashi Tsumugi: The outcome is still unknown, but IDOLiSH7 are the best idols in the world!

IDOLiSH7: Yay…!!

Oogami Banri: Good job everyone! It was great! It was the best!

Takanashi Otoharu: It was truly wonderful! Everyone gave it their all!

Takanashi Otoharu: It was great working with you guys! Now, get some rest! After that, it's time to keep an eye on your rivals!

IDOLiSH7: Yes…！

Takanashi Tsumugi: Thank you so, so much!!

~ to be continued ~

--

6.14.3. - The door to happiness

Audience E: It’s about to be TRIGGER’s turn soon… 

Audience F: Ah, I'm getting excited...! I want TRIGGER to win…!

Audience E: Ah...! Something appeared on the screen...!

Audience F: It’s the latest interview footage again...!

Audience F: Kyaaaaah...! Gaku-san…!!

Yaotome Gaku: The greatest live?

Yaotome Gaku: Up until now, there hasn't been a single live that wasn't the greatest.

Yaotome Gaku: Each one has a special memory to it. They’re burned into my mind like a photo in an album.

Yaotome Gaku: The audience seats bathed in light and, illuminated by the stage lights, Tenn’s profile…

Yaotome Gaku: The audience seats, bathed in intense sunlight, and Ryuu’s back, glistening with sweat.

Yaotome Gaku: Every moment was amazing. For me, and I'm sure for my friends and fans as well.

Yaotome Gaku: Sharing the best moments. Everyone here is sharing a special moment in life. 

Yaotome Gaku: You love me, don't you? Us, TRIGGER, that is.

Yaotome Gaku: We love you too. So, even if it's just during the live, we want you to forget everything and become one.

Yaotome Gaku: We'll take you to the end of the world.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Kujou Tenn: To me, idols are the magic that makes someone happy.

Kujou Tenn: I'm a charming magician.

Kujou Tenn: Isn’t that right?

Kujou Tenn: We choose to pose pretentiously, we perform provocative dances, we sing songs that seduce everyone.

Kujou Tenn: Sometimes we'll be mean, and sometimes we'll beg. That's how we captivate you.

Kujou Tenn: But in the end, we will always be magicians who will make you happy.

Kujou Tenn: ...Or so I thought. But now I'm thinking something a little different.

Kujou Tenn: That maybe it's us idols who are under a spell.

Kujou Tenn: With sparkling eyes, you’ve always kept dreaming, not giving up and desiring us…

Kujou Tenn: With the magic of happiness applied to us, we started to move upon a brilliant stage. Maybe that’s what an idol is.

Kujou Tenn: Thank you for loving me. Thank you for protecting me so many times.

Kujou Tenn: Desire me a lot tonight as well. Cast a spell on me.

Kujou Tenn: Make me happy.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: To me, music is… That’s right… 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: After becoming TRIGGER, we sang a lot of songs.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Eventually, I began to feel the special power in music.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: It may be because it’s always the three of us singing, but, how do I put it… 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Within TRIGGER’s songs, it’s like I can feel Gaku’s and Tenn’s presence. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Even when I was driving by myself, if I was listening to TRIGGER’s songs, it felt like the two of them were there. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Even when I was alone, when I sang a song, I could feel our three souls. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: At that time, I thought there was nothing to be afraid of. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: There are people who appreciate and listen to the songs I sing with the friends I trust from the bottom of my heart.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: These are special, unforgettable moments spent with precious songs.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I have never been happier.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Even when we're old and go to heaven someday, and only TRIGGER's songs remain…

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I want anyone who listens to them to think of it this way.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Songs about friends bound by a strong bond.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I am truly grateful to the god of music for giving me such irreplaceable friends.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Gaku, Tenn, let's do our best.

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!!

--

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Gaku, Tenn. Let's high five.

Yaotome Gaku:That's what I was about to say.

Kujou Tenn: Me, too.

(clap)

Kujou Tenn: We’ll definitely win! I'll make sure you two win. Don't worry, just follow me…

Yaotome Gaku: Don't be stupid! I'll make you win! I'm TRIGGER’s leader!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I'm the most big brother-like! It took a long time, but we finally made it here!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Let's beat Re:vale this year! TRIGGER will take over the world!

Yaotome Gaku: Let's bring in a new era with our own hands!

Kujou Tenn: Of course! But can I have an honest talk with you?

Yaotome Gaku: What is it!?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: An honest talk？

Kujou Tenn: I'm just happy to be standing here with you two, to the point where I don't care about winning.

Kujou Tenn: I love you guys. I'm glad I met you. You're my best friends.

Kujou Tenn: Thank you for always being with me.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: …(sobs) Tenn…!

Yaotome Gaku: …(sobs) Don't make me cry before we even leave!

Kujou Tenn: Don't cry. Look cool. You're the No. 1 Sexiest Man, after all.

Yaotome Gaku: That's in the past.

Kujou Tenn: What are you talking about? You guys will always be No.1 and No.2.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: You got it!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Alright! It's been a while, but let's give them a reason to call me a beast. 

Yaotome Gaku: That's the spirit, Ryuu! Let's go!

Yaotome Gaku: Let's pull the trigger!

Kujou Tenn＆Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Yeah…!!

--

Audience: The lights came on… I wonder what they'll sing for the first song…

Audience: …！ This song…! 

Audience: “DIAMOND FUSION”……！It's their debut song…!

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Anesagi Kaoru: …Do your best…!

Yaotome Sousuke: …

Anesagi Kaoru: President…

Yaotome Sousuke: “DIAMOND FUSION”… It's TRIGGER’s starting point.

Yaotome Sousuke: More than I could imagine at that time, TRIGGER has gotten so much bigger.

Yaotome Sousuke: There's nothing that can get in you guys’ way anymore.

Yaotome Sousuke: Run wherever you want to.

Yaotome Sousuke: Like a bullet.

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Takara Mage: …TRIGGER…！You’re the coolest…!!

Takara Mage: …(sobs) Do your best…! Do your best…! 

Kujou Tenn: (Our meeting was the worst.)

Kujou Tenn: (I only wanted the bare minimum of a relationship as business partners.)

Kujou Tenn: (And yet, I wonder when…)

Kujou Tenn: (They became people I didn't want to lose.)

Kujou Tenn: (Gaku. Ryuu. If it's with you, I can do anything.)

Kujou Tenn: (Even the setbacks and downfalls were fun when I think about them now.)

Kujou Tenn: (After all, we are diamonds.)

Kujou Tenn: (Everytime we get hurt, we become more polished.)

Kujou Tenn: (Thanks to falling into a pit, the three of us were able to walk down a path that had never been walked before.)

Kujou Tenn: (I abandoned my old life as ‘Nanase’, and I obtained TRIGGER.) 

Kujou Tenn: (I have no regrets.)

Kujou Tenn: BANG……！

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Audience E: TRIGGER is the best…!

Audience F: ...I’ve been crying since the first song…!

Audience E: After all, the big stage suits TRIGGER! They’re so cool…!

Audience F: The second song is…

Audience E: “DAYBREAK INTERLUDE”…！

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (I thought I would live a normal life.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (I saw heaven and fell into hell.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (It’s not like it didn't hurt. On many lonely nights I didn’t know how to go on from there.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (But I realized how unbelievably brave I was.) 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (Thank you for giving me such hardship.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (I was able to gain a strong heart that allows me to protect my precious friends.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (We know…)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (...that there will be daybreak beyond the darkness.) 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (The vividness of indomitable light.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (No matter how many times our footprints are erased, TRIGGER's story won’t end.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (I won't let it end!)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Everyone…！Follow us…!

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Audience E: …(sobs) I'm glad, TRIGGER.... Since that day, they’ve finally come this far…

Audience F: Thanks to TRIGGER, I can now trust my own eyes, not someone else's…!

Audience F: Because no matter what anyone said, TRIGGER was the best!

Audience E: I love you, Ryuunosuke-san…！

Audience F: Tenn-kun…!

Audience E: Aah, I wonder what the next song is…

Audience E: …! It's “Crescent rise”...! 

Audience F: I'm so happy...!! This song is what made me a fan of TRIGGER and Gaku-san…!

Yaotome Gaku: (I know it better than anyone else in the world.)

Yaotome Gaku: (TRIGGER. This team is the strongest.)

Yaotome Gaku: (We’ve grasped all of our glory with our own hands.)

Yaotome Gaku: (As long as there are people who believe in us and are waiting for us…)

Yaotome Gaku: (We cannot afford to be disgraceful.) 

Yaotome Gaku: (It was by no means a convenient way of life.)

Yaotome Gaku: (But we made it through this era earnestly.)

Yaotome Gaku: (So that we wouldn't bring shame on ourselves or our friends.)

Yaotome Gaku: (To repay those who loved us.)

Yaotome Gaku: (To overcome the seven-colored rainbow…)

Yaotome Gaku: (We will continue to fight from here on out.)

Yaotome Gaku: We can keep going…!

Audience: Kyaaaah...!

Audience: TRIGGER…！

Audience: …TRIGGER…！

Audience E: Is the next song already the last one!? I want to hear much more...!!

Audience F: Next is the new song, right…!? I wonder what kind of song it will be?!

Takara Mage: …

Audience: Ah, the lights went out…!

Audience: Maybe it's a costume change…!? I'm really looking forward to it…!

Audience: Waah…！ It's like a theatre stage!

Audience: It's gorgeous;  perfect for TRIGGER!

Audience: The intro has started...! It's the new song…!

Takara Mage: …!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Yaotome Gaku: …

Kujou Tenn: …

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: …

Audience E: The new costumes are awesome! Cool!!

Audience F: It's still just the intro, but isn't the atmosphere of this new song great…!?

Takara Mage: …I….I think it's good!

Audience E: I'm getting excited...! It has the feel of the old TRIGGER…!

Audience F: The TRIGGER that everyone fell in love with back then is back...!

Kujou Tenn: Last song.

TRIGGER: “BE AUTHENTIC”!

Audience: Kyaaaaaah...!

Passerby E: It’s TRIGGER’s new song…！

Passerby F: Ah, I've been waiting for this!! A love song with TRIGGER giving it their all!

Passerby E: All three of them look so cool...!! Thanks to TRIGGER, this terrible year has turned into the best...!

Nanase Riku: …Tenn-nii…

Yaotome Gaku: (A song I fell in love with at first sight when I heard it for the first time.)

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: (With this song, we want to show you our best side.)

Kujou Tenn: (Fall in love with us.)

TRIGGER: Once again, into a dream you can’t wake from. 

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Audience E: Kyaaaaah...!

Audience F: TRIGGER is the best...!

Audience E: After all, TRIGGER are the ones that get my heart racing the most...!

Audience F: I want to see more and more of TRIGGER! I want to hear more of their new songs!

Audience E: Yeah…！

Takara Mage: …(sobs)... They did it… I’m glad… (sobs) 

Takara Mage: ...I'm so happy.... not just about my song, but TRIGGER… 

Takara Mage: I'm so happy that everyone is saying that TRIGGER is cool…

Takara Mage: ...It was super cool.... I saw the most amazing thing in the world...!

Takara Mage: TRIGGER, I’m glad I love you…!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Yaotome Gaku: Thank you!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Thank you…！

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Kujou Tenn: Thank you so much!

Kujou Tenn: See you!

Audience: Kyaaaaah...!

Audience: TRIGGER…!

Audience: TRIGGER…!!

--

Anesagi Kaoru: The best…! This was the best…! You guys, you did it…! 

Yaotome Gaku: …Ahaha! This is the best feeling! 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I sang with the two of you, giving it my all! The venue was so beautiful…

Kujou Tenn: It felt great! Four songs weren't enough. I wanted to sing more...!

Yaotome Sousuke: I'll make you sing.

Kujou Tenn: President…

Yaotome Gaku: Dad…

Yaotome Sousuke: A live at Zero Arena with just TRIGGER.

Yaotome Sousuke: We’re not holding back next year...! 

Yaotome Gaku: Really!?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: We did it…! 

Kujou Tenn: At last, going there with just TRIGGER...!

Anesagi Kaoru: He said we’re not holding back…! Oh my, President! Aren’t you in high spirits! 

Yaotome Sousuke: If I’m not in high spirits now, when will I ever be!? 

Yaotome Gaku: It's time to become the overall winners! 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I want to win! With the three of us…

Kujou Tenn: We can definitely win! We put on a live deserving of it. 

Kujou Tenn: IDOLiSH7… We were beaten to it earlier this year, but now we're within striking distance.

Kujou Tenn: This time, we'll shoot you down!

 ~ to be continued ~

--

TL note courtesy of Haruka-kun:

The word Tamaki uses is 相互作用, meaning interaction. It’s pronounced “sougo sayou”, so even though the kanji for these words are very different (相互 vs. 壮五), when he says it, it’s as if he is saying Sougo’s name.

--

mod riku here! this is the last chapter, but we broke tumblr's post limit, so please check out part 2 of chapter 14, too, lol

[madhatterbri]

Secret Santa | A.S.

Summary: 17.) Secret Santa ~ Alex Shelley x plus size reader, plz use pet names rather than y/n.

Requested by: @tahiri-veyla

Author's Note: I changed my mind and posted tonight. He is kind of hot. 💀 Taken from my prompts list found here. No use of Y/N.

Alex Shelley Masterlist

WWE Masterlist

Taglist: @smallestsnarkestgirl @magicalbuttertarts @cowboywritersworld

"Wow! You got your girlfriend for Secret Santa? That's gotta be the easiest thing ever,"

Alex looked at his friend and smiled briefly. He let out a chuckle as he looked at his girlfriend's name written on the slip of paper. Of course it was going to be easy. They had been together forever. What could possibly go wrong?

He put the slip in his jean pocket and drove to a local store. Alex figured he'd walk in the store, buy something for the love of his life, and walk out in fifteen minutes. Nothing could have prepared him for the moment his mind went blank as he looked at all the items. There are so many things to buy but he doesn't know what exactly he should buy.

The Secret Santa was going to be a party amongst their friends. The gifts had to be out of the park. His little miss had to get the very best things. He was sure he would get something lame for whoever picked him. It didn't matter if it would be another Starbucks gift card that he received that would rot in a kitchen drawer. The sparkle in her eyes that night would make his night.

Alex pulled out his phone and scrolled through Google. He was trying to find a perfect gift for her. Google had an answer for everything, right?

Slippers? What are we? 80?

Gift cards? Hey babe, we've only been dating for years. Here's something because I don't listen to your likes. Don't worry. I'll see myself to the couch.

Okay, so Google wasn't the right thing to use for today. Alex closed the window and texted his best friend. Maybe he could give some sort of insight into his dilemma. It went as well as expected. The message poked fun at his current situation.

Dude, you have one hour until the party. Are you serious? Oh man, you are so ducked.

Alex shoved his phone in his pocket. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. One hour. Only one hour to get everything ready. The wrestler looked through the aisle again and stopped.

A rubber duck with a wrestling face mask stared back at him. He questioned how he hadn't seen this before. The toy would be a great addition to her collection. Besides, wrestling held major importance to them. They met at a wrestling show.

"You are coming home with me," he spoke to the duck much to the bewilderment of the customers around him. His hands fiddled with the duck as he paced around the store.

Alex thought about his girlfriend. His perfect little dove from head to toe. She had a smile that could light up the whole room. A body with curves in all the right places. Her beautiful face and eyes lit up as she had her nose stuck in another book. A blanket wrapped around her feet since they were always cold.

Wait, that's it!

The forgetful boyfriend rushed to the book aisle. She was just complaining about almost being done with a book. Her world was made when she found out there was a sequel. Scanning through the aisle, he found the next book in the series. It was the very last copy.

His next stop was the socks section. A cute pair of fuzzy socks in her favorite color lay at the top of the bin. When he saw they were her size, he breathed a sigh of relief. With no time to lose, Alex made his way to the checkout line with a gift bag in hand.

Alex's friend ribbed him the moment he arrived at the party.

Dead man walking.

Coal would be a blessing compared to what you are going to get.

He chuckled at the lighthearted teasing. "Oh no, my baby is going to love this,"

They stepped inside the home. The host of the party didn't waste much time in allowing people to open their gifts. He wanted to have the presents opened before the adult beverage consumption.

One by one, the gifts were spread out amongst the crowd. As expected, Alex was gifted a Starbucks gift card. He thanked them all the same.

"You are my secret Santa? Isn't that cheating?" His girlfriend asked.

Alex shrugged. "Open it up, darling,"

He watched as her fingers removed each tissue paper carefully. She placed them neatly on the couch next to her.

"A wrestling duck?" She asked with a laugh. "He's adorable,"

Her laughter made him smile. "Keep looking,"

Upon further inspection, she removed the book from the gift bag. Her face lit up brighter than the Christmas tree. "I could never find one in any of the stores. Thank you,"

"You have one more thing in there," Alex told her.

She pulled out the pair of fuzzy socks out and laughed. He couldn't help but laugh as well.

"No more putting your cold feet against me at night," he teased. His girlfriend threw her head back and laughed.

"I guess I'll have to put something else against you tonight," she whispered between them. She leaned in and gave him a kiss. Alex smiled in the kiss. Maybe getting a Starbucks card didn't suck so much after all.

[user-needs-new-hyperfixation]

Trying to start a giant-ass meta on why I ship Mycroft/Albert and what there is to see of it and right off the bat I'm like...I want people to look at every single panel of their interactions.

No, it's not Sherliam levels. And BIG OLD DISCLAIMER: very little of what I'm going to present here is like "We were clearly intended to read it this way." I'll always argue that Sherliam is meant to be romantic: it hits so many well-established notes and tropes it's almost impossible to think otherwise. MycAl is a bit different. I do think it's definitely like...we're welcome and even invited to see it. But a LOT of my shipping it comes from the way I personally read and interpret things. So this is about explaining what I'm seeing that makes me ship it, rather than trying to be like "This is canon and you should agree with me." Anyway, for reference, I'll be using the official translation as far as it goes and then swapping to teawaffles' wonderful translation for the rest!

So...like right off the bat throughout the entirety of their Chapter 4 interactions their body language and expressions and ways of talking are so flirty? (Also, I still find it funny that in the manga Mycroft is introduced before Sherlock and thus Mycal is introduced before Sherliam. Older bros first lol.)

Maybe it's just that 2 decades on the internet have skewed me towards reading suggestiveness into everything, but the way Mycroft addresses Albert feels so flirtatious even if he's literally just being normal. "And what would an Indian Army official such as yourself want from an intelligence official such as myself this late in the evening?" Like...am I crazy? Does that not kinda sound like a porn intro? 😂 (This could also be Sherliam Side-effects. The way they call each other Professor and Detective in That One Scene is like...almost undeniably foreplay. Now every time anyone calls each other by title/profession/rank is this series I assume they're hitting on each other.)

But also Albert is just so...handsy throughout that scene. He's touching Mycroft's knickknacks, and just sort of limp-wristing all over the place. And I mean, I think that's just one of Albert's public-facing personas (customer service peeps, you know what's up) but it definitely lends itself to the existence of Vibes.

Anyway, there's this parallel of "You have my attention. What do you want?" that I think is kinda neat. (But look how comparatively sad Mycroft looks in the second version!!!)

Chapter 4:

Chapter 23:

Btw, in Scandal in the British Empire...why does Mycroft introduce himself to the Queen? Never mind, not why we're here. Again, my weird innuendo sensors perk up in Chapter 17 at "I did not drag you out of bed this early for nothing." Maybe it's because my perception of Victorian niceties, whether it's factual or not, is that there was this sense of avoiding talk of physical realities. We don't speak of pregnancy, we speak of "her condition" and "confinement." We don't "go to bed," we "retire." And so on. So conversely, it feels almost suggestive to even acknowledge that someone was in bed. In whatever state of undress the might imply. *Kellen Goff Sasaki voice:* OOOH how sCanDaLOus. (Mind you I DON'T believe there is anything of authorial intent in this, again, just trying to explain the factors that make me read things a certain way.)

The little mind games: Albert immediately recognizing that he's being tested, and Mycroft well aware that something is off, that he and Albert are using each other to their own ends. All juicy ship ingredients.

Then there's this...I can't articulate why it's important. But it is. Something about mouths and thoughts. If I wasn't terribly lazy, I'd go digging for examples in various manga series and I have a pretty firm suspicion that I could prove that, often, Mouth-Focus Thinking Panel + Name = Ship.

Jumping forward to the start of The Riot in New Scotland Yard (Chapter 29), Mycroft's demeanour has really changed. During the meeting at the British Museum he's radiating "I'm not angry I'm just disappointed" energy. He's tense, he's not sure if the Moriartys are enemies and when he understands their plan he seems understandably sad about it even as he accepts it. But now, he's radiating an almost Sherlock-like excitement. He's just gotten to see a miniature version of The Plan in action during the Jack the Ripper case, and it worked. He says he's just visiting Albert as an acquaintance (read: friend in Mycroftian), and that's what it feels like. They're chummy. It's cute. Also Albert teasing Mycroft over his squabbles with Sherlock when he leaves? When did Albert find out about that, hmm? (I mean, could be spying of course. But I like to think it just suggests they've talked more than we've seen.)

Annnnnd....cutting this part off here because I'm bored of it for now and it's long. I'll do the rest when the mood strikes. 😂

[josefavomjaaga]

Hortense about Duroc's love letter

This is translated from Hortense's memoirs, Tome 1, for @sillybumblebeegirl. I'll add the usual disclaimer: I'm personally very suspicious about anything she writes that cannot be backed up by a second source. It's known that Hortense reworked her memoirs several times and that she was an excellent writer who knew how to captivate an audience.

That being said, here we go 😁:

Of all the young men around me, only one dared to aspire to my hand in marriage: Colonel Duroc. The recollection of the Consul's plan to have him marry his sister [Caroline] gave him the idea that he would not oppose a union with me. I had noticed that he was more embarrassed than others when talking to me, more frequent at Malmaison, but never a word had betrayed his impressions. Murat extracted his secret from him and set about making the marriage a success.

"She is a romantic young person," he said, "with whom you have to sigh for a long time before you can please. However, you also have to declare yourself and tell her that you love her."

Indeed, one day when I came back to fetch a book I had forgotten in the salon, Duroc approached me looking rather shaky, and gave me the book himself. When I got home, I opened it and found a letter. What should I do now? To read it seemed a great mistake. I went back down to return it. Duroc was no longer there: the Consul had just sent him on a mission. It was at the moment of his departure that he had dared to declare himself. I put the letter in my desk, which I did not close, as was my custom, and left my room.

As chance would have it, at dinnertime the Consul, who often took pleasure in intimidating me, entered the living room with my mother and finding me already there, said to me: "We've come from your room. We've been through all your things and read all your sweet notes. Ah, it's lovely to receive such beautiful declarations." I blushed, stammered and forgot that the joke was nothing new. I thought I was guilty: it was enough to make me look guilty. Uncertain of my answer, I rushed out and ran to the secretary: the letter was still sealed. I came back down more calmly. My emotion had not escaped the Consul and my mother. They told me with surprise when I returned: "Could it be true? Do you have secrets? You fled quite quickly to your room". Fortunately, dinner put an end to my embarrassment. That same evening, my mother was informed of everything. Duroc had left a letter with Murat to await my reply. I told Caroline that I would never make up my mind without knowing my mother's opinion, and I asked her to send back this famous letter. "I don't know," I added, "whom fate has destined for me, but I won't have to reproach myself for having read a love letter from someone other than the man who is to be my husband." I must confess that before handing it in, I had a good mind to try and read it without opening it to see how a declaration was written, but I resisted and thought I had deserved some credit for it. Duroc, though not the man my imagination pictured as worthy of all my affections, did not displease me. I recognised many qualities in him. His great respect for me made me believe in his feelings. Yet so often, when I listened to him, I would say: "That's not it yet".

Well, perhaps I would have married him had it not been for my mother's formal opposition. The Consul did not object, but she only thought about it with sorrow. Brought up with the ideas generally held by the nobility, in her eyes it was a misalignment to enter a family that did not belong to it. Prejudice lurked beneath the care she took to welcome everyone equally. It had no influence whatsoever on her kindness, which extended equally to everyone, but nothing seemed to her distinguished enough for her daughter. Although Duroc was a gentleman, she would have liked to have seen greater distinction in him or in his ancestors. "I never could get used to hearing you called Madame Duroc," she would say to me. "'Would you love him? I would despair of it." I reassured my mother. I repeated that my heart was calm, my position happy and that I had no desire to change that.

This all takes place a short time after Murat's marriage, and I like how Murat is included in this. It's to be noted that at this point, Hortense and Caroline were besties, so Hortense could confide in Caroline without problems, Caroline then in Murat, and Murat could inform Duroc (who probably was on his way to Saint-Petersburg? Would that fit the timeline?).

As to historical events, I kinda doubt Hortense was really that clueless about Duroc's feelings for her. If I'm not completely mistaken I remember a letter by Eugène that mentioned Duroc wanting Hortense to come visit the army camp (before the Marengo campaign?). Which then had old Madame Campan throw an epistolary hissy fit about how unseemly this would be for an unmarried young lady.

In any case, Hortense clearly was not heartbroken over this event. If she had married Duroc, it would not have been out of love but out of lack for "better" options.

[wardensantoineandevka]

sorry to bother you but i wanted to ask how you're enjoying using Obsidian? I've been eyeing it for a while but would love to know your thoughts, highlights, lowlights, etc :) if you don't mind sharing, ofc!

No worries! The short version is that I've been enjoying Obsidian quite a lot, and I find that it serves all of my needs nicely without any fuss. Using it is rather frictionless, I think, and getting used to it was pretty easy though it did take some willingness to very much learn to navigate its menus and features and how it lays everything out. It's not at all difficult, but I do think you have to sit with it for a bit. It's currently my main writing program with the exception of screenplays, for which I use Highland 2.

For context on myself, my writing needs are rather straightforward. I use these sorts of apps and programs to write and organize my fanfic, original prose writing, professional correspondence, and journalistic article drafts. I previously used Notion, which I left because of the big NotionAI push. Before Notion, I used Bear, though I can't remember why I stopped using it; I haven't checked out Bear 2, so I don't know if it suits my needs.

When I was shopping around for a new program to use, the following points were important to me, in no particular order:

no native / built-in generative AI assistants

interface is simple and clean or had customization or community themes that would make it so

offline access

mobile app with document sync

ability to organize and group notes through a folder, tag, or similar system

not too many Things going on with it or I could very easily ignore stuff I didn't use without them cluttering up the UI or my space

Obsidian organizes files within "vaults", of which you can have multiple, each of which are connected to folders that are stored locally on my laptop (or my phone). I love this. I have local versions of all of my notes. I can literally find all my stuff as markdown files within a folder on my desktop and open them up in another program with EASE. If you are someone who doesn't have a lot of storage space, this might be an issue, but for me, this is a very bright highlight.

The biggest lowlight for me is that mobile sync is reliant on a subscription fee, but considering that the rest of the program is free and the fee is small, I found this ultimately a very small concern. I very critically need mobile sync because I spend a significant amount of time writing from my phone. The mobile sync is incredibly good; it keeps all documents synchronized very well, and I have yet to run into version conflicts that cause me to accidentally overwrite and lose significant progress. I don't even have to close files on my laptop first; they'll just update in real-time on my screen like Google Docs. Sometimes I'll name documents something that my phone's file path system cannot handle; Obsidian warns me that it cannot fetch and sync these files with illegal names, and I like that it keeps me informed about that.

It has both a folder system and a tag system, which allows you to organize your files. I only use the folder system because my needs are simple, but the tag system is also solid. It also has a robust search system. It also has a bookmarking system to further organize your stuff. I don't have enough files to use that, but it is available, and I think that's neat.

More precise customization can be difficult if you're not used to writing CSS. I am familiar with CSS, so I found this a small hurdle, but this will be a bigger issue for others. That said, this does mean that Obsidian is DEEPLY customizable, and there is a large gallery of community themes that offer a lot of styles that serve a wide variety of needs. There is also a deep bench of community plugins to help get Obsidian to do what you want — I have plugins that make the word count in the status bar show the count of highlighted text and allow me to copy text as HTML instead of formatted text or markdown. There is also an active Obsidian community and forum, so you will not be necessarily troubleshooting customization alone.

Other small things that occur to me to mention right now: It supports opening files in multiple windows, and it has a tab system, which is really neat. The ability to open multiple files at a time is very good. You can also open files side-by-side for easy comparison, which is useful for more technical work. I don't use Obsidian for coding or wiki work, but I can imagine this being really useful for that. It has a reading mode. Offers a version history with a "show changes" mode and restoration capability. File merge capability. You can open images into it and organize them like any other file.

All in all, I'm very happy with it, and it serves all of my personal needs very well. I generally give it a blanket recommendation, again noting that I think it does take sitting with to get used to some of its features and UI and customizing it to your needs and preferences, but I don't think that's super difficult with some patience and time.

[alas9]

✨ 📖 ✏️ studyblr masterpost jam ✏️ 📖 ✨ Day #6 as an independent game designer maybe?

I used to be quite extra in my 20s. I was very immersed in the world of gamer gear and stationery products, I bought too many pink peripherals for the computer and I had several pencil cases full of colored fibers. I feel that getting into the world of development has helped me refine the consumer in me a little, and taught me to be more organized and practical. Since development involves many hours of purely mental work, I make sure I have sheets and pens close to me to capture anything that comes to mind, and I try not to have my desk too full of things to avoid distractions. These are my main items that I always have in my desk and backpack.

Keyboard 60%

Mine is relatively old, it is an Anne Pro 2. As it is quite common in the world of custom keyboards, it is easy to get keycaps for it. For example, I bought it to put Keycaps in Cyrillic when I was actively studying Russian. I bought this one on amazon.

Plastic Paper Containers

I am very fond of writing by hand to develop and organize ideas, so I fill myself with papers. I'm addicted to organizers, cleaning my study and work space is something that overwhelms me a lot, and paper collects a lot of dust, so these containers save you space and hours of cleaning. It also helps to separate papers by subject, in the image I have the folders that I use for development and on the other side for Japanese.

Basic Planner

When I was a fine arts student I was very into journaling. Something that became extremely impractical for me as time went by. Today I have a planner with all the same sheets with space for the date and tasks only. It is necessarily flexible and necessarily pre-fabricated to fulfill its function.

Smart notebook with squared sheets

I always try to have squared sheets to study languages, because I feel that they help a lot to improve writing when you use more complex systems such as hiragana, katakana and kanji. They are also more useful for writing programming languages ​​if you want to do written exercises. They are very versatile and it is not paper that goes unused, ever.

Campus University Extra Fine Notebook

This is my war notebook, the one I carry in my backpack because it is light and I use it as a random note pad, whether for studying programming, Japanese, or for ideas for my game. Then when I get home, I organize the information in specific notebooks or the folders that I showed above.

Black Chinese Ink Pens

I narrowed down collections of different markers and pens to just using these. I don't have any other variety. They are the only ones I use for everything.

About programs I use to organize myself and study

Notion (and trello implementation)

Mine is pretty simple and minimalistic. I use it to set my year long tasks, such as x amount of courses I want to do, books I want to read, games I want to play, notes about aeronautics I use on my game, other documentation about other topics I care etc etc. It's nothing I use day by day. I just get there once in a while to check on things I wanted to do in the past weeks everytime I have time to work on something new. I don't use anything digital to organize day by day tasks.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is always open in my browser. It's a fixed tab actually. I use it for everything, mainly coding.

Midjourney and Gencraft to create assets and sprites

I use them to create temporary assets for my game, since I'm focused on the code only, and to see how things work I put some AI generated visuals in every non profitable project.

Neocities

It's not actually a tool, but I use it mainly to host my web design projects and to share them with other colleagues. I also dive alot in the community websites there to check for ideas and inspiration.

Github as a portfolio

I used to be quite secretive with my projects, because almost all of them, if not all, were directly linked to my work, and by clause I cannot link my personal image to the company, therefore I never shared anything I did. But I recently started using github as a platform to showcase my work and freelance projects, and I've loved it so far. I know that the tool's strength is teamwork through it, but that has not been the case for me so far.

And that's basically all I use and most people also do I guess 🦦

[pomefioredove]

Hi congrats on 500 followers!!! Love your writing

Thanks for doing this interesting event and this is my first time joining one, so I'm not sure if I'm doing something right lol

I'm just going to write how I know people describe me for personality and how I'm like. And no first years pls

My personality most people describe as hot and cold in a way while also being very loving and supportive, as in I'm very quick at changing moods like a filp of a switch. I care far too much and try to help others (be it family or strangers) and was called very soft for it if not for my alter ego, a split personality of mine that is fairly aggressive to others and is very protective of me. (something, something because of ptsd, autism and a complete mindbreak in the words of my doctor)

Considered a bit obsessive and protective of people I really care for/love like my siblings for example as I'm very willing to throw hands whenever harm comes to them

Eldest of 7 siblings and is like lilia specialising in babysitting, would occasionally go full mother hen Mode and fuss on people. Was raised as a guy for the first 7 years of life.. So considers myself gender fluid leaning feminine (afab)

I'm fairly tall at 5'8 and slender, long knee length black hair that is straighter than my sexuality and gender. not really beautiful even though even though my true name translates to lady brilliant beauty (more of a title than a name lol)

My interest is in the arts and history (mainly in fashion and architecture, don't ever ask me about war cus idk), I've picked up pretty much every single art skill like pokemon cards like for example : embroidery, sewing, painting, sculpting, cetak fabric and dyeing it(draw designs on fabric with hot wax, and proceed to dye it with a paintbrush, a really old traditional art) , drawing, singing, dancing, lace making, soap making, and other DIY stuff

My hobbies are reading, sewing, embroidery, bird watching, dancing, cooking, gardening, and baking. I work mainly as a tailor and sew custom clothes for daily wear and special occasions.

My lifestyle is pretty simple as I don't go out a lot and barely interact with people other than family and clients, tho I mainly stay home as my studio is just at home so I don't go outside much but I still do found fun going out once a week and doing various of activities. I'm still completing my training to be a full flege tailor at a local trade college.

I'm very lazy and gets tired easily, so you can found me falling asleep any time anywhere like silver. Tho social interactions and anxiety drains me the most and is the main culprit on making me fell asleep randomly. I don't really indulge myself other than DIY projects, stuff like games and makeup somewhat bores me and food doesn't really have my interest even though I found so much fun baking and cooking. but I still do it on occasion and do enjoy trying out new games, makeup techniques and recipes. I'm more disciplined on my time and follow my personal rules and laws to a t. tho my schedule is still sporadic, I timed everything I do daily and at most would spend 2 hours a day on gaming and movie watching..

That's all I can think from the top of my head currently, if it's too much pressure or if you don't feel comfortable for any reason, I don't mind if you delete this instead, have a nice day!!

I match you with 𝐕𝐢𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐭

The First Impression:

...Admittedly, I am very drawn by the tailor thing. We've heard a million renditions of Vil and the manager, the co-star, the makeup artist, etc, but tailor is new and adds a whole different dynamic, IMO.

You exist completely outside of Vil's high-stress world, and he finds that quite charming. You're not a model, not an actor, not even a petty famous designer (who refuses to take any of his notes, SMH). But Vil cares far more about skill than status, and so, you immediately catch his eye.

Why He Fell:

There are as many differences as there are similarities, those of which Vil learns to adapt to (though, he really wishes you'd stop calling yourself lazy and not beautiful, when that's obviously not true). And despite your tendency to stay in your comfort zone, he comes to understand that you're open to trying new things, which is probably one of his favorite things about a person. (He takes a lot of pride in teaching you new makeup techniques).

You're responsible, you have goals, you focus on refining your skills... he sees a lot of himself in you, in all the best ways, and he's somewhat relieved by how mature and intelligent you are. He's absolutely enamored with your technical skills, as well, especially in sewing- he might even find himself coming to you for advice.

The Relationship:

You and Vil experience love in all its forms in a very similar way. You're passionate, protective of your loved ones, and deeply caring despite everything. Your shared "motherly" traits balance each other perfectly, and makes your relationship very equal in all ways... just as long as you'll let him pamper you every once in a while.

[a-crumb-of-whump]

Okay, so I finally got around to all the responses given for the Random Whump Questions google form I made! Everything is ranked from highest to lowest in terms of what was picked, and the number beside them is how many people chose that option:)

Also, to make sure it's not longer than it needs to be, I'm going to do the open ended questions in a separate post:) Let me know if you'd like to be tagged for that!

One more thing to keep in mind. The 'custom answers' section is where only one person has brought it up. If multiple people have said the same thing, then it will be included in the main answers :)

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Question 1. When did you first discover whump as a term?

A. 15 - 17 (106) B. 11 - 14 (105) C. 20 - 25 (42) D. 18 - 19 (39) E. 26 - 30 (21) F. -10 (4) G. 36 - 39 (4) H. 31 - 35 (3)

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Question 2.

A. Absolutely not (135) B. Some of them do but I prefer to keep it to myself (127) C. I don't try to hide it but not many people know anyway (42) D. Most, if not all of them know - I'm very open about it (10) E. One person knows (4) F. Friends know, family don't (2)

Custom answers: I'm not secretive but I don't explain it because it's hard to, I've never said it but you only need to look at me to know.

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Question 4. Biggest pet peeve when it comes to whump in media?

A. Whumpee miraculously recovers as if they didn't just break three vital bones in their body and get stabbed by the enemy (204) B. Skipping over it and going straight to recovery (165) C. Changes POV's right as it's getting juicy (154) D. Whumpee is too stoic and unphased by what happened (130) E. Too comedic/lighthearted (128) F. Main character(s) die rather than living with what they've done/what happened (127) G. Too much comfort and not enough hurt (80) H. The recovery/captivity is far too unrealistic (77) I. Too much hurt and not enough comfort (62) J. Whumpee is a massive wuss (56) K. All of the above (23) L. The recovery/captivity is too realistic (20) M. Too heavy/serious (16) N. Whumpee is unattractive/not cute enough to me (2) O. Wrong characters are whumped/favourite characters are ignored (2)

Custom written: Obvious medical errors, turns out it was all "just a nightmare!", Caretaker's wellbeing is ignored, Whumpee is rescued right before the whump was about to start, Caretaker never figures out what happened and it's never brought up again, no women, never goes as badly as I want, not enough from Whumpee's POV.

Custom written #2: Whumpee is infantilised during their recovery, no trauma/trauma is overlooked, aftermath/recovery is ignored by a timeskip, Whumpee has no personality apart from being the one who deserves pity for being white and pretty and sweet, caretaker saves the day and it's never brought up again.

Custom written #3: Caretaker saves the day and Whumpee is the perfect victim and there's no conflict ever again, too much emphasis on physical pain rather than emotional, whumper wants love from their whumpees, recovery is too fast and it involves sexual/romantic stuff.

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Question 5. Best thing a whumpee can say to give you whumperflies?

A. "Please- please, no more." (146) B. "It hurts." (142) C. "Please don't leave me." (109) D. "Don't hurt them." (94) E. "Get the hell away from me." (85) F. "I just want to be good." (81) G. "You promised." (71) H. "Am I not enough?" (69) I. "I thought... I thought it was over." (50) J. "You came back!" (49) K. "I was so scared." (43) L. "You will not break me." (36) M. All of the above (19) N. Description over dialogue/I prefer whumpees that are too scared to talk (6) O. Begging (2) P. "I'm fine." (2) Q. "I can't take it anymore." (2)

Custom answers: "Go away" | "It's all my fault, I'm sorry" | "don't touch me!" | "I'm sorry, I won't do it again, I promise" | "don't look at me" | "I don't want you to see me like this" | "fuck you" | just a heartbroken "why?" | "it's fine!"

Custom answers #2: "Nobody is coming..." | "i'm not the same person I was before" | "is this real?" | "I don't want to die" | "why are you helping me?" | Repeating "i'm okay" to themselves while trying not to cry.

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Question 7. Best thing a whumper can say to give you whumperflies?

A. "I wonder how long it'll take to break you." (120) B. "Surely you can take a little more than that, can't you?" (111) C. "Tell me what I need to know and it'll all be over." (111) D. "You're being so good." (107) E. "You're so adorable when you cry." (98) F. "You're mine." (79) G. "Which finger should I crush this time?" (78) H. "I think if you were really sorry, you'd __" (63) I. "This is your home now." (57) J. "At least try to show a little enthusiasm." (49) K. "Please forgive me." (47) L. "You live to please me." (41) M. All of the above (15) N. Prefer no whumpers (7) O. Silent whumpers (3)

Custom answers: "Everything you touch dies." | "I have your whumpee." | "You wanna see something weird/interesting/cool?" | "Get some rest, darling. We'll pick this up again tomorrow." | "Just what do you think you're doing?" | "Don't worry. I'll take good care of you."

Custom answers #2: Petnames | "It's not personal." | "Nobody's coming for you. Give up." | "This is all your fault." | "You shouldn't have done that, darling." | "You'll be begging soon." | "Maybe some pain/time out/etc. will change your mind." | "It's you or them." | "Go ahead, try to run."

Custom answers #3: "Do it or I'll hurt them." | "This is for your own good." | "This will only hurt a pinch." | "Why do you have to ruin everything?" | "The more you scream, the more I have to hurt you." | "It's for science, Whumpee." | "I truly am sorry about this." | "I love you so, so much. I want to taste you..." | "Good boy."

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Question 8. Best thing a Caretaker can say to give you whumperflies?

A. "I got you." (180) B. "Breathe. Just breathe." (170) C. "What did they do to you." (154) D. "Hey, I'm here, okay?" (152) E. "Lie down, okay?" (107) F. "I'm gonna get us out of here." (107) G. "When was the last time they fed you?" (97) H. "Lay a hand on them and see what happens." (88) I. "Don't hurt them." (83) J. "I'm sorry but this is in your best interest." (66) K. "I will not rest until I find who did this." (41) L. "Don't cry." (32) M. All of the above (26) N. Any sort of medical talk (2) O. No caretakers (2)

Custom answers: "Don't touch them!" | Pet names in general | "Just relax. It's all over." | "Don't fucking touch them." | "It's not your fault." | "Hold still" while tending to wounds | "Almost done | Just hold on." | "Hey... not so fast." | "Just look at me, okay?" and then proceeds to gently explain what the medical procedure entails | "You're safe now." | "Please believe me?"

Custom answers #2: "May I see? I promise I won't hurt you." | "Whoa, hey, calm down. I'm not gonna hurt you." | "Shh, you're safe now. It's okay. I'm not leaving." | "Who did this to you?" | "Take this, you'll feel better." | "Shh, I know it hurts" to a squirming whumpee | Anything as long as there's physical touch to go with it | "Stay with me, okay?" | "You need to stay awake for me." | "Leave them alone!"

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Question 9. What role do you think you'd play in a whump story?

A. Whumpee (87) B. Caretaker (52) C. Side character (44) D. Caretaker-turned-whumpee (32) E. Whumpee-turned-caretaker (22) F. Whumper (16) G. Whumpee-turned-whumper (14) H. Whumper-turned-whumpee (11) I. Whumper-turned-caretaker (10) J. Caretaker-turned-whumper (8) K. Caretaker or whumpee (6) L. Carewhumper (3) M. None/I don't insert myself into scenarios (2)

Custom answers: Narrator, all of the above depending on my mood, side character.

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Question 11. Favourite place to consume whump? (not including movies/tv shows/games/etc)

A. Tumblr (294) B. AO3 (212) C. Pinterest (62) D. Fanfiction.net (23) E. DeviantArt (8) F. Wattpad (4) G. My brain (4) H. All of the above (3) I. Youtube (3) J. Character.AI (2) K. Discord (2) L. My brain (2) M. Twitter (2)

Custom answers: Sketch book, google,

Other notes: Someone also gave @whumplovers-collaborate a mention, saying they've been on that server for over a year and that it's amazing.

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Question 12. Pick a whumpy anime out of the ones I've watched (so far)

A. Castlevania (51) B. Black Butler (43) C. Bungou Stray Dogs (43) D. Banana Fish (35) E. Vanitas No Carte (19) F. Black Bullet (5)

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Question 14. How old does a whumpee need to be to be considered an "older whumpee"?

A. 40+ (127) B. 34 - 37 (68) C. 30 - 33 (51) D. 38 - 39 (38) E. 26 - 29 (18) F. 22 - 25 (2) G. 18 - 21 (0)

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Question 15. Pick a character that I think needs to be whumped more.

A. Link (The Legend Of Zelda) (96) B. Tony Stark (The Avengers/Iron Man) (64) C. Vanitas & Noe (Vanitas No Carte) (47) D. Joel Miller (The Last Of Us) (45) E. Hosea Matthews (Red Dead Redemption 2) (5)

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Question 16. Do you prefer hystorical whump or modern whump?

A. Modern (220) B. Hystorical (82)

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Question 17. Do you prefer hurt or comfort?

A. A healthy combination of both (163) B. A little bit of comfort, lots of hurt (81) C. Hurt (44) D. A little hurt, lots of comfort (28) E. Comfort (8)

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Question 19. Favourite species to whump?

A. Human (290) B. Immortal (118) C. Vampire (105) D. Demon/angel (87) E. Werewolf (57) F. Robot/android/cyborg (54) G. God/deity (49) H. Birdpeople (48) I. Merfolk (44) J. Tiny (38) K. Catpeople (26) L. Alien (19) M. All (16) N. Humans with inhuman/magical abilities (5) O. Giant (2) P. Elf (2) Q. Lab subjects (2) R. Species isn't important (2)

Custom answers: Shapeshifter, hybrics, faefolk, winged whumpees, dhampir, superheros, dwarves, mobian.

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Question 20. Pick something to restrain your whumpee with.

A. Chains (104) B. Rope (101) C. Handcuffs (38) D. Zipties (31) E. Your belt (18) F. A piece of their own clothing (18) G. Your tie (6)

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Question 22: Your whumpee bites you. What do you do?

A. Put a muzzle on them. You're not mad, but you need to keep yourself safe (119) B. Beat them until they learn their lesson (82) C. Have a rational conversation with them once they've calmed down about why it's wrong and how to stop it from happening again (61) D. Get checked for some kind of desease. Who knows what they've been carrying (25) E. Ignore it and hope it doesn't happen again (8)

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Question 23. A whumpee shows up at your door, terrified and scared. They beg for your help. What do you do?

A. Let them in and give them some food. You can worry about what you're gonna do with them later on (273) B. Keep them prisoner. Whump their to your heart's content (31) C. Slam the door in their face (4)

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Taglist: @dismemberment-on-a-tuesday-night @let-the-whump-commence @pigeonwhumps @rule-masochism @whumperofworlds @whump-space @wollemi-whump

[dollsonmain]

Saw Harley and Ivy Barbies and thought "They're not too bad, but Ivy's outfit is terrible" and that's my full thoughts on it while my doll friends sit down and have a deep discussion about how and why they're terrible.

Green Barbies are getting easier to find with Elphaba, Vina, and Ivy. I want more other colors. The fairies had pink, purple, and blue. I wouldn't mind more purple and blue and a light green and ye... yellow might be pushing it unless she's Spongebob yellow and the pink fairy basically looked normal, and orange is just the 80's Barbies again, but you get me.

They have fairytopia and mermaids, why not fantasy skin tones?

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Talked to a friend and he mentioned that he isn't sure if he's masking so hard that his mask is himself, now, or if he was faking being ND as a child and I was like love, that's a thing so many of my ND friends have gone through.

I'm going through the same thing right now with this job.

All these years have been like "I can't do this much physical activity because it will hurt me more than the activity is worth" and here I am walking 3+ miles every day, standing on my feet for hours, bending, lifting heavy stuff, and I'm fine. I've just been lazy and refusing to do hard work this whole time.

I say, while having obvious, glaring moments of brain fog (I'll break down Monday's chaos under a cut) and confusion while on the register, forgetting what I'm doing while I'm doing it, being so tired and sore that hobbling home takes more-than-twice as long as walking to work, falling asleep while eating, having to push myself very hard to get chores done when I'm home especially the ones that require going up and down the stairs, and being in so much pain at home that I'm barely mobile...

So Monday, a guy comes in and buys gas at the register. There's a slight price break if you pay inside, for some reason, and I'd rather it was card at the pump only but that's neither here nor there. Sometimes the card readers on the pumps hiccup and people come inside instead of fighting with them, too.

He tells me his pump number, I take the payment, he goes back out.

He comes in a little later and says there's no money on his pump. I knew the payment took and was like "Ok, I'll put $30 on the pump you're on as cash and you're good to go."

Which doesn't make sense. In hindsight, that made no sense what-so-ever. I don't know why I thought that was a solution to the problem. It made sense at the time but as soon as he walked out the door I was like "Wait... What did I just do??"

Some back and forth and we discover that he told me the wrong pump and the lady at the pump number he gave me had put in her card like normal and pumped gas not noticing the money already on there, but that was HIS money.

I couldn't figure out how to refund the man's payment to her pump and take payment from her so we could reset everything, and that didn't fix the $30 cash charge that wasn't in the register because I didn't take cash from him, I just told the register that I did.

So I had to grab Alt-Manager, tell her what happened, and after SHE tried to refund the wrong-pump card payment so we could charge both customers correctly and couldn't she asked the woman if she had any cash. The woman had a $50, so the manager broke her $50, gave the man what he was owed for the woman's gas (the woman was like "that's for me!" but no, it was for the man) and the remainder to the woman.

We charged the man again for HIS gas, which he had already taken from the pump so we had to charge him for random groceries, and they both walked out.

Then I was like "Wait, I think this means the woman didn't pay for any gas."

Which Alt-Manager was like "Oh no..... I think you're right...."

She had to go call Manager who somehow understood what had happened and broke it down for both of us, while both of us were like "what...." but.

The man will have 2 charges on his CC: Her gas and his gas. The gas station gets both. The woman paid the man in cash for her gas. Manager "refunded" the $30 in cash I'd told the register it had to zero that out.

In the end it was all square, but it was so confusing at the time.

It would have been better to refund the man the cost of the woman's gas in groceries in cash and then recharge him for his correct pump and then charge the woman in groceries for how much she was owed, but I didn't know that was an option. To refund as groceries when the issue was gas. Though doing that may have messed up the drawer count, too, because that cash was never put in the drawer in the first place, so doing it the way she did was the best way to keep the drawer count right.

Anyway, Manager is very good at understanding and managing the money side of things and being firm with vendors, customers, and employees, but bad at time management and has unrealistic expectations regarding how long it takes to complete tasks, especially when also expected to run back to the register every few moments, whereas Alt-Manager is good at the money side but a little easy to influence/push around, and very good at time management making sure that everyone is in and out at the correct time and will jump out to take the register about 5 minutes before it's time to go so employees can count their drawer and do their dishes, etc.

[khywae]

Hi!!! i just wanna say im legit so impressed with your work. kind of fired me up. just finished my CS degree and im so burnt out of coding, feel like i lost my purpose. creating a dating sim like yours and animating, writing and coding it... do u work alone?? HOW do u do it??? im really inspired

First off, congrats on getting your degree! I'm sure it must've been hard. I was lost for a few years after I graduated, so I know a bit what that’s like. Actually, I was always lost before this year so lol

(long post ahead)

Yes, I work alone haha and how I do it, well I sold my soul—JK. I think there are two main reasons for how I manage it: 1) I work a lot every day. My day is mostly work, dividing my time between learning, solving problems, interacting with you guys, and creating things. The only thing I do besides that is work out (for mental health reasons and because I just love muscles so much), and spend time with my family and dogs.

And 2) it's all about this word you said, purpose. I'm not creating these games solely for money (although I need it to live and continue this), I'm doing it because I saw something that was missing in the world and decided to change it. And by doing that, by wanting to serve a community, I found a purpose. I think that's the only reason I can do all this by myself (write, code, animate, draw, do customer support, etc.) because my purpose is bigger than me. Even if the beginning is tough, I won’t stop because there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing.

And it's so easy to fuel my desire for change. Every time I search the adult tag on itch.io and see all those games targeted towards men, my drive gets stronger. Recently I watched the gameplay of a game where you're a guy during the middle ages and you can go around and have sex with many women, even the married ones, AND you get a buff called "alpha male" because you "satisfied your needs". And I was like holy shit why is there no such thing for women hello??????

So, all this is to say, if you're feeling you don't have a purpose, take some time to sit with yourself and your thoughts. If your mind starts talking shit about things it has no way of knowing if it's true or not (you don't deserve this, we're shit at everything, etc.), don't listen to it. It's just an organ enclosed in a bone cage, trying to make sense of the world through the input it receives. It doesn't know everything and can be deceptive. Don't let it mislead you. Think about all the things you'd like to do before your life is over. Time is our most precious thing. I have a widget on Notion that shows me an estimate of the percentage of life I have left. I look at it every day and it helps me keep things in perspective.

Often, your purpose lies at the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, and what you believe the world needs. The Japanese concept of Ikigai illustrates this idea. I hope you find your Ikigai very soon.

I wish you the best of luck in this new phase of your life, and I'm happy to know my work could be an inspiration to you ❤

[blazehedgehog]

I have unlocked the power known as "OBS Stinger Transition Masking" and now I'm passing the savings on to YOU!

What the hell are you talking about?

If you stream using OBS, there's something called a "Stinger Transition" that lets you create custom fades between two different scenes. So if you have a static "be right back" scene separate from a live streaming scene, a transition will fade between the two.

A "Stinger" transition is something OBS added that lets you substitute a video file as the transition fade. Essentially, you'd have a (usually transparent) video file and at a specific point, that stinger video would cover 100% of the stream, at which point you'd tell OBS the time code of 100% coverage so it could secretly swap scenes underneath it.

But then OBS added "Track Matte" which lets you do fancy masking. Now there's a whole complicated process where, if you want full color animated transitions, you have to generate a special split video but that's too fancy for me. What isn't too fancy is just basic mask transitions, like the GIF you see above, and "Track Matte" lets you take the easy way out and do this instead. I promise, it's not hard!

So, I went through and converted my favorite gradient transitions I have for Vegas to work with OBS's Track Matte Stinger Transition Masks (wow, what a mouthful). And! I'm letting you download them and giving you instructions on how to use them. Before we get to how to install and use them, some credits:

Default Sony Vegas Gradient Transitions

Diagonal Wipe

Side Wipe

Swirl

Puzzle

Curling Smoke

Floral Growth

Iris In

Iris Out

Barn Door Open

Barn Door Shut

Shutters Open

Shutters Shut

Horizontal Alternating Bars

Vertical Alternating Bars

Gradient Transitions I Borrowed From My Old Roxio Gamecap

Quad Clock

Many Clocks

Maple Leaf

Mandelbrot Fractal

Bytes

Star Wipe

Butterfly Zoom

Blobs

Chomping

Diamonds

Checkerboard

Crusty

Balls Out

Burst

Swooce In (Pictured above!)

Swooce Out

Draw Box

Draw Box Smaller

Splat Top

Splat Explode

Overlay Stars

Stargate In

Stargate Out

Scraps

Pinch

(I may have gotten creative with some of those names)

Gradient Transitions I Made Myself

Pixel Infection

Scratches

Slime

Yoshi's Island Wipe

How To Install These

Download your chosen flavor:

OBS Stinger Masks [720p].zip

OBS Stinger Masks [1080p].zip

Extract all the MP4 files somewhere. Preferably to their own folder, and possibly somewhere inside your OBS install if you can help it.

Open OBS. You should have a little menu called "Scene Transitions."

If you don't have this visible, in the drop down menus at the top, click on "Docks" and make sure "Scene Transitions" is checked.

With your Scene Transitions panel available, click the + (plus) icon and select "Stinger."

This will prompt you to give your new Stinger transition a custom name and take you to the customization menu.

In the "Video File" field, we just point it towards one of the MP4s you just downloaded and extracted. In this case, I have chosen "Swooce In.mp4"

You can probably ignore everything else, but make sure to check "☑ Use a Track Matte" and under the "Matte Layout" drop down, make sure it's set to "Mask Only." The other two Matte Layout settings are for the fancy full-color alpha transparency video transitions, but we're just doing simple black-to-white masking.

At the very bottom of the menu (I'd have to scroll down on my sample image) there should be a "Preview Transition" button if you'd like to see a sample of what it looks like in motion.

Click okay, and you should be done! As long as the custom stinger you just made is the one selected under "Scene Transitions", every time you change scenes, it will blend between them using the video you selected.

Can I make these any faster? Or slower?

Not within OBS, no. You would have to change the speed of the video file itself. I tried to be mindful of how good these looked at what speeds, but if you think they're the wrong speed, you'll have to crack open a video editor for yourself and figure out how to change the playback speed.

And, obviously, if you have even minor experience with video editing, you can probably grasp the concept of how this works pretty easily, meaning it should be pretty easy to make your own stinger masks with all kinds of fun patterns. As long as it goes from black to white!

You could also be a psychopath with Adobe Premiere and learn how to do the full color animated transitions too, if you want. This seems like a pretty decent tutorial on how to do that, but like I said, that's way too much work for me.

[fandomfaeofveryfewf4cks]

Spoilers for Our Flag Means Death finale.

I just needed to talk things through as a crew.

So, I already posted something about how I felt about Izzy's death immediately after watching the finale. Now that I've given myself more time to mull it over though, I'm not quite as satisfied with the ending as I thought. But I think I know why I'm not exactly angry about it either.

I think I just see it as an open ending for next season? Like, I can see how Izzy's death brings parts of the story around full circle. (Mainly in Ed growing out of being Blackbeard who wasn't really Blackbeard without Izzy Hands.) However, after thinking about it some and reading some other people's thoughts about it, it doesn't really work for bringing Izzy's story around full circle, does it? No, really, does it? I'm still not entirely sure.

On the one hand, I've seen people talk about how Izzy represents piracy and piracy is coming to an end, so it makes sense for him to die with piracy. With his talk with Ricky about how they may die, but they'll live on in other ways, it makes sense.

On another hand, I also see people talking about the fact that Izzy survived a suicide attempt (potentially for the reason of protecting the crew) only to end the season saying he wants to die...

This choice just makes me a bit queasy because it invalidates some of the hope I've had building up with every episode I watched, especially in season 2, where Izzy goes through the bulk of what I feel is (at least mostly) such an amazing character arc.

On a third hand, I saw someone saying that Izzy should captain the Revenge while Stede and Ed go off to run their inn. I had thought this was going to happen too until I started seeing the foreshadowing for Izzy's death and started doubting that theory.

Part of the reason this makes so much sense is because, firstly, Izzy runs the ship already. Plus, he's changed his priorities to be about the crew.

Remember in season 1 episode 9, when the crew is planning to mutiny against Izzy and are trying to decide who should be captain next. And Oluwande says,

"It's gotta be someone we can all trust. Someone who's got the whole crew in mind. Not just themselves."

Izzy didn't make a good captain in that episode because he still didn't trust them, they didn't trust him, and he was doing everything for himself.

In season 2, none of that is true anymore.

The crew DOES trust him. He DOES think about the crew first and foremost. And, we even get to see him learn to trust the crew as well. Learn that they see him as not just a part of the crew they have to deal with like in most of season 1, but a crucial part of the crew and a person they all care about.

In short, it really would have made so much sense to make him Captain.

"Okay, but why do you think his death is an open ending? Death is typically a decidedly very closed off ending."

Ah, I see the point I keep losing is back.

How many times has someone been "dead" only to come back later. How many times has IZZY "died" to come back later. Granted, Izzy going through this multiple times is part of what foreshadows the idea that he's going to not come back this time, so it's possibly just false hope to think he'll come back (assuming we get a third season).

But think about it. Izzy has died. Stede gave up his pirating dream, which seems how likely to stick? And Ed thinks he's going to be able to work a customer service job? And both Stede and Ed think they'll be good at running a business they don't know jackshit about? Ed has proved to be lousy at working a "simple" life. Ed's subconscious said so. Pop-pop said so. Even Jackie sees this as a "wish I was a regular dude phase." Also, Stede has proved that he can be a decent pirate. Zheng said so. Spanish Jackie said so. The entire Republic of Pirates said so. The Pirate Queen said so.

I guess I just have a hard time believing the creators of ofmd couldn't bring Izzy back somehow and turn out a new plot for another season if they wanted to.

At the end of season one, Ed and Stede resign themselves to a future that is not ideal for them and Lucius "dies."

At the end of season 2, Ed and Stede decide to try for a future that is arguably also not ideal for them (it's just less angsty than season 1) and Izzy "dies."

I dunno. I guess what I'm saying is, it makes enough sense for an ending, but not this story's ending. And this show actually managed to make me feel things in my mucky rustbucket of a heart and gave me hope like not many things do. I'm just not ready to give up on it yet.

. . . . .

Maybe they didn't want to make Izzy captain because then if/when Stede and/or Ed come back wanting to be Captain, they'd have to decide how to make that work? But that wouldn't be too hard to figure out, right? I mean, they already decided a ship can have two captains. Why not 3?

Here's some of those posts I was talking about:

[rosapexa]

WiP Whenever

Thank you for tagging me @chevvy-yates , @wanderingaldecaldo , @gloryride 🖤

I'm working... Ok, working is not the right word for that. I'm experimenting and losing my mind over this for weeks now. And honestly i've been depressed so many times over this, it really hasn't been fun in a while, unlike making the tattoos for V-Lexa. But also i can't let things go, when i start something, so taking a step back and just leave this for a while, was not really an option (and i tried). And i really wanted to make something for her.

And since yesterday, i think i'm finally on the right track. Maybe. Hopefully. We'll see. Sorry, i'm rambling.

Anyway...

I always wanted to give Lexa some tattoos. But there hasn't been anything so far, which i thought would fit her. And also tbh i didn't even really knew myself what i wanted for her. And tbh it was kinda difficult to find something, cause everything i tried, wasn't "good enough" for her and i was (and still am) constantly unsure, if i'm not ruining her.

It was a lot easier to find something for V-Lexa. Not because i care less about her, but because she's in comparison relatively new and i'm still figuring everything about her out.

But Maelstrom Lexa has been around for quite while now and allthough i want changes, i'm so scared (yeah, it doesn't make sense). Also it doesn't help, that her personal lore is about wanting (Maelstrom) perfection and making her body the perfect weapon -.-

Aaaand i'm rambling again. Ok... Changes:

New tattoos of course. Lexa LOVES skulls. On her clothes, as decorations... So that is also mostly the theme for her tattoos. A lot of skulls. But she also got two "let's get some ink while blackout drunk" tattoos (she's not always perfect xD). On her right hip you can get a glimpse of a "yelling" cat, which she got after Salem adopted her and she just wanted to show off, that she now has a fur baby. The other is a Maelstrom logo on her leg which she got shortly before her initiation, when she got extemely drunk with Royce and Dum Dum and decided it's time for a gang tattoo. And of course they thought it was an awesome idea 😂

There's a tattoo for Johnny as well. It's the heart on her right arm. Not a cute heart, since we're still talking about Lexa, so it's the... literal organ 🫀 I still have to add Johnny's name and their wedding date to it. Also i would like to give him the same tattoo, but i'm not sure about that yet. Mostly because i'm hesitant to change his tattoos and don't want to get yelled at for that 🥴.

I got rid of her vanilla body scars and trying right now to give her some custom ones. Because i always thought she doesn't have enough scars, since she's fighting a lot and she sees them as trophies. But that's just an idea for now and i have to see how this goes, cause i'm not really understanding what i'm doing (normal maps wtf!?). I would also like to work on her face scars, but that is even more confusing.

I also thought about making my own skin color for her, cause sometimes her skin looks too red for my taste. I would like to have her paler and with even less color. But i didn't have any succes now, cause nothing looked good enough.

Other stuff:

I'm tidiying up Johnny's NPC+, cause every time i gave him a new outfit i just threw the things into his mod folder without organizing anything. And now i have a ton of stuff and no idea, what is for what. Also there are a lot of appearances, which i will never use (again).

I'm very slowly working on a mod for the Aurore Outfit: Pants, bra, top and jacket. I like this outfit so much but as usual, i need COLORS 😂 Currently only the pants are more or less ready, so this will take a long while until i can share it, since priority are definitely things for the blorbos.

Also in between i make some poses, but these are mostly just for myself for now, cause i'm actually too lazy to make them good enough for the public (at least i know how to position the camera to hide the chaos) or to retarget them for other couples besides M/F.

I think, that was it for now. Which was already too much again 🥴

I'm tagging @togepies , @miss--river , @thelonestrider , @wraithsoutlaws and @dreamskug for a WiP sharing. As usual without any pressure of course 🖤