#ideas for vision board statements

[abundancemanifestation]

Cool Ideas for Vision Boards

Ideas for vision boards Do you require some cool ideas for vision boards that function? Read this. I think we frequently picture a vision board as a massive board on our wall surface, covered in images of every little thing we prefer in our lives, but that’s not actually what it has to resemble. I have set up some vision boards based on motivating you to believe outside the box and also establish…

[revvethasmythh]

Have you witnessed discoursing about Orym in the past several months? Would you like to be more well-informed about the subject matter? Well, then, do I have a post for you! As a reference for myself and potentially for others:

A Comprehensive Write-Up Of Relevant Times And Contexts Where Orym Has Brought Up His Dead Family While The Group Discusses The Vanguard/Predathos--With Receipts

Disclaimer: these are all of the instances in which I was able to find independently through the Critical Role transcript search, not from rewatching everything. It is therefore possible there are some instances unaccounted for.

Episode 34. Post-resurrection after being killed by Otohan Thull, he brings up the fact that Otohan had a hand in killing his family to emphasize to Imogen how dangerous Otohan is and that she may potentially continue to be an issue for her specifically due to her apparent interest in Imogen (exalting her during the battle in the previous episode)

2. Episode 46. An early God Talk™️, prompted by Ludinus using (presumably) Feeblemind on Professor Kadija Sumal. He holds his opinion until the very end of the conversation, after entertaining Imogen's idea that "they make some good points" and listening to the group discuss if the gods are good or bad for several minutes.

"I don't need to debate it. I lost my husband and father to these people, I'm not on board. Some of the gods are terrifying, and some of them have put their thumbs on the scales for people for centuries, even in the last few decades. Who are they, who are we to decide who lives or dies, god or mortal or otherwise? I don't think they have any good points."

3. Episode 49. He brings them up combatively ("Well, Imogen, I wish. my family didn't have to die for their brighter tomorrow"), against Imogen's statement of, "What if it's not that bad? [...] What if what we're doing is just fighting change?" after she solely received a vision of a Utopia-like future from her mother. Imogen backs down quickly after his reproach and acknowledges that the vision was likely a part of cult brainwashing.

4. Episode 61. Orym pulls Prism aside, after she asks the party and Elder Abbadina if Predathos would cause a world-ending event, or if it would only be bad for some (the Elder did not know anything about Predathos at all), to say, "I don't think we know anything [...] The only thing I have to go on is the track record of the guys trying to bring Predathos out. And that track record is not very good." At further prompting from Prism about if he ever thought the Vanguard's ideas were right, he says, "Prism, I don't understand the gods. I don't know anything about the titans. I don't know an eidolon from eyeliner. [...] But I'm a widower, because of the people who want to bring this about. So it's hard for me to wrangle with the other side."

5. Episode 61, pt. 2. Orym listens to the party converse with Elder Abbadina for a little while longer before silently sneaking out "to go think about his dead father and his dead husband."

6. Episode 77. Another God Talk™️ with the whole party, prompted by FCG asking what everyone's motive was in going to the moon. For his reasoning, he says, "We don't know what's going to happen to any inch of this world if Predathos is unleashed. Yeah, this started with my husband and my father. It's so much bigger than that. If my life can secure the lives of everyone who comes after us, well spent."

7. Episode 92. After the death of another loved one to Otohan Thull, in response to Liliana's statement that temples might hunt down Ruidusborn in the theoretical event that Ludinus' plot is foiled, "Cold comfort for my family in the ground."

8. Episode 92, pt. 2. In response to a throwaway, thoughtless comment Ashton made that, "I hope [Liliana] is right. I really do. I hope her ends are fucking great because these means are just not forgivable." Orym has Chetney bring out Otohan's sword, jams one into the sand and declares, "This is the sword that killed my father and my husband. She is not right."

UPDATE: 8/14/24

9. Episode 102, during the confrontation with Ludinus. Interjected during the ongoing conversation, specifically during some bantering between Chetney and Ludinus as to the last time they met (when Chetney attacked him as a werewolf). He says, "You put a hit on my family, a successful one, fuck you. Fuck you." Ludinus later apologizes for the deaths of his family, claiming Otohan was "overzealous in her methods." Both Imogen and Laudna respond immediately that he was responsible for Otohan's actions.

10. Episode 103, during yet another God Conversation. Orym tries to redirect conversation about Ludinus and the gods, stating that they are different topics. Ashton concurs, and Imogen states that she agrees with Orym that Ludinus doesn't get to decide for everyone. Dorian then interjects, "But the gods do?" Which prompts Orym's blunt response to him specifically that, "If Ludinus had sent people to your home, and taken brother and your father and countless others, how philosophical would you be about it, Dorian?"

-

So, with all of the information in front of us, what conclusions can we draw from them? When asked by others to assess if the Vanguard has valid points, Orym repeatedly abstains from having an opinion. Whether or not the Vanguard has a reason to be upset is irrelevant to him--what is relevant is the loss of life they have incurred along the way. Orym takes no stance on the gods, he repeatedly states he doesn't understand them or know anything about them or harbor much of a connection to them. As far as he is concerned, his role in this is to oppose the violence being done to the people of Exandria. Why waste your time debating the merits of a cult's ideology when you know, in the end, you will have to fight against them to end the slaughter? To protect people?

And for what it's worth, in almost every instance, Ashton has effectively taken the same side as Orym. I have not included all of these moments, but they are easily located if you wanted to search up these moments on your own. The continual focus on de-legitimizing Orym's opinion seems strongly tied to the fact that he has a personal reason to hate the Vanguard. But facts being facts, Ashton hates them just the same--and he has no love of the gods, either. He hates the Vanguard based on their actions, same as Orym. In fact, Ashton and Laudna have both expressed outright dislike for the gods, and all other Bells Hells except for FCG expressed ambivalence. This is not about the gods. Not for Orym, not for the others who remain. This is about no more bodies on the pyre of Ludinus' machinations.

P.S. if you know of any other instances this topic has come up that I have not included, please feel free to let me know! I want this post to be as comprehensive as it can be, but I am fallible and may have missed something. Don't be afraid to tell me about a scene I missed!

[smoshyourheadin]

spencer’s funeral and his partner is the special guest and roasts spencer so hard and than revels that they are getting a cat together but everyone thinks it’d a baby announcement lmaoooo or however you wanna end it

Special News

pairing: spencer agnew x f! reader

a/n: anon i love this idea so much!! guys please don’t come at me for these terrible jokes i’m just a girl really 😜 also i’m posting sm rn go me

requests are open <33

“lebron james inspired us with his baller moves. steph curry inspired us with his words. spencer agnew inspired us by being a piece of shit, so we would never follow in his footsteps.”

you’re stood at the podium of the funeral, spencer in the coffin next to you holding a bouquet of plastic flowers as he tries not to laugh.

“spencer is a gamer, and we all know that. but if he spent as much time with me as he does on world of warcraft, i’d be the happiest girl on earth, but hey, at least he has a high gear score to keep him company whilst i cook.”

you see everyone laugh as you switch the paper, angela cackling over what you thought was a pretty shit joke.

as the laughter dies down, you continue on. “spencer and me only ever disagree over stupid things, and i think to myself, he must know he’s short when he has to look up to see eye-to-eye with someone who's shorter than him, because i’m always right. i’m sure courtney feels the same about shayne.”

at this, courtney yells “FACTS!” from behind one of the cameras, and you shoot her a wink.

shayne then stares you down, and all you say is “shayne don’t worry, i’m a short king ally!” which he just smirks at.

“i have some pretty bad jokes here, so let’s quickfire some.“ you mutter to everyone.

“if sleeping on my arm were an olympic sport, he’d have more gold than michael phelps.” this earns a giggle from spencer, as you have a folder on your phone of him asleep in the most awkward ways possible, always lying on your arm somehow.

“he’s so obsessed with video games, even his posture looks like it's from a character model that hasn't loaded properly yet.“ this makes everyone cackle, spencer opening one eye to glare at you, and you just laugh him off.

“your gamer boy posture is so bad, chiropractors have your picture on their vision boards on what to improve on.”

“do you guys think that,” you exhale through your nose at what patrick has written on your prompt card. “spencer’s idea of sitting normally the same as a pretzel’s idea of being straight?” which is so bad it’s good, making you crouch down to laugh.

you stand back up after a moment, your stomach twisting over what you’re about to do. it’s going to be so worth it, but gosh you feel bad.

“spencer, my lovely boyfriend, is a mt dew kickstart addict, certified gamer girl, and a soon to be father” and at this last statement, everyone gasps, and spencer’s eyes shoot open and he sits up. he looks at you intently, and you see him experience about a hundred emotions at once

you smile at everyone, turning to a camera, pulling out a printed off certificate of adoption, a picture of a tiny ginger cat taped to it.

“we got a cat!” you say, almost proud of how shocked everyone is

as you turn to look at spencer, you hear shayne’s laugh, and you look at spencer with sympathetic eyes, mouthing ‘i love you’ to him over all the laughter. he just smiles, knowing that this cat is going to be so loved by you both. especially you. because you love him so much.

as you sit back down, spencer sits up. having come back from the dead, he has some things to say. he goes through everyone at his funeral; alex, shayne, damien, tommy, selina, and then, you.

“and finally, my beautiful girlfriend, y/n. my bundle of sunshine, blinding and hard to look at directly.” you scoff at this, and he looks at you with a look that says this is a joke please don’t kill me when we’re home.

“i mean, come on, you cry at surf's up? i guess even animated penguins have higher emotional intelligence than you.” he manages to say through a fit if giggles. spencer always teases you for this, even though he cries at the NGE film. loser.

after wrap, courtney comes over to congratulate you on your cat, and just catch up generally.

“so, cat parents hey? proud of you girl” she says with a grin.

“yeah, i kinda feel bad scaring everyone into thinking spencer gets game in bed.” you reply, earning a laugh from her.

“don’t be mean to me! i’m a player you know?” spencer says coming up behind you.

“okay, sure you are mr ‘i cry at anime’.” you snap back.

he throws his hands up in defeat, and you kiss his cheek, going off to see amanda.

“she’s so cool.” courtney says

“yeah,” spencer replies. “she’s not that bad.”

she elbows him in the ribs, and he clutches his side

“i mean, she’s the best!” he says through strained teeth, courtney doing a proud nod before catching you up.

[ssivinee]

✧Picture Perfect✧

BEBE! Bada Lee x Model! F Reader: Bada is scheduled to send a choreography demo in 2 days, and with the members of Bebe by her side, they've been preparing for the filming day. You decide to stop by their studio to give your little sister and her friends some food, but get more than just a thank you.

Word Count: 5k

Note: First fic, and it's Bada??? Was gonna wait to post this but I got way too excited. Half-proofread.

Character Vision Board

It was 5 p.m. in the JustJerk dance studio, and Team Bebe's Lee Trio spent the whole day brainstorming ideas for their upcoming project. Well it was mainly Bada doing all the work as she was the lead choreographer. She had just been given the opportunity to work on Rover by Kai, which she gladly accepted.

By now, Bada had been Kai's favorite choreographer, as she slowly becoming an in-house choreogrpaher for multiple SM groups. The two loved working with each other, and when Bada worked with him, she always had Lusher and Tatter by her side. As Bada was Kai's main girl, Tatter and Lusher were Bada's.

Yet somehow, after knowing them for so many years, Bada was surprised to hear about Tatter's unkept secret.

"You have a sister?" Bada questions, almost yelling, as she paces around the studio. The younger girls eye her. They look at each other in concern and a glint of mischief.

"Yup, and unnie is your age," Tatter says as she sends messages to her older sister, sending her directions to their bulding and the room.

"Why do you seem so worried, unnie?" Lusher teases, and Bada raises her arms in defeat, "I'm meeting your older sister, who I didn’t even know existed, for the first time, and I look like a mess right now." She sulks, and the two giggle.

Bada, noticing Lusher's lack of reaction, points at the girl accusingly, "You knew she had a sister?!" The brunette shrugs nonchalantly, "I met her a few times already. The other day, I saw her at the mall, and she bought me this stuffed animal key chain. She's basically my girlfriend now." Lusher grabs her keys, showing them off to the two.

Bada's eyes widen at the statement, walking up to the younger to inspect the key chain. It was a stuffed Pororo head, and she couldn't help but smile at the resemblance of the chain to her fellow dancer.

Tatter rolls her eyes hard, smacking Lusher's forehead lightly. "You and your delusions about my unnie."

"A girl can dream," Lusher says, lying on the floor as she scrolls through her phone.

The door then opened and revealed a tall woman who held a bag of food in her hand. She looked as if she had just gotten off the runway.

If Bada was worried about looking like a mess due to her dancing, she had other problems now. Her face couldn’t hide the stunned look that formed.

The smile on your face had the studio's energy go in reverse. Upon seeing the woman, Bada's usual gaze turned into puppy eyes, looking ever so helpless.

She knew to expect someone pretty since Tatter was stunning, but she didn't expect this. You looked like a goddess, as a specific energy radiated off you, and Bada couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Tatter jumps up, seeing her older sister, and pulls her towards the two. "Yah, yah, you're gonna pull my arm off," you joke to your sister, swatting her arm away. Your eyes meet a familiar pair on the floor, and you crouch beside the younger girl, patting her head.

"Lusher, how have you been?"

"I've been good unnie, just tired." Bada watches your interaction with smiling eyes as she sees the pout form on your lips. You give Lusher a warm and long hug as she sighs, relaxing into your body.

Tatter takes the bag out of your hand and begins pulling you again, but this time towards Bada.

"Y/n unnie, meet Bada unnie. Bada unnie, meet Y/n unnie." The blond introduced you two frantically, and you chuckled at your sister's high energy despite knowing she’d been dancing all day. Bada's eyes meet yours, and you can feel a sense of warmth engulfing you.

"Bada-nim, I've heard a lot about you," you give her a gentle handshake, and the tall dancer wanted to melt right on the spot. Your hands felt soft and warm despite the weather outside having a cold breeze.

She only jokes, "Hopefully, only good things," trying to cover up her nerves. "Of course, thank you for taking care of my sister," you tell her genuinely. Your statement makes Bada feel fulfilled for some reason.

"We should eat now?" You question the three, and the two younger ones just cheer, both racing to the fried chicken you brought for them.

This causes the two girls to sit together and chat, so you and Bada have no choice but to get to know each other. You deemed it to be a good thing, though. You'd finally meet the woman your little sister admired so much, almost to the point that she couldn't shut up about the sisterly love they had for each other.

"So Bada-nim-"

She cuts you off, "Please just call me Bada." You nod at the sincerity of her voice, and you smile, seeing her face show anything but. Her eyes held a sense of nervousness behind them as she fiddled with her fingers.

"So Bada, how long have you been dancing for?"

"God, for as long as I can remember. I'd say I started around 9 years ago."

You looked confused as you chewed on some chicken, "Only 9? Seems like you've been doing this for longer." Bada's brow raises in interest, "You've seen how I dance?"

"Who hasn't? It also doesn't help that Tatter shoves your videos in my face after every filming."

Your sister hears you and gives the two older ones an innocent smile, and you threatened her by pretending to hit her. "So you know about me, but I don't know anything about you."

"Well, have the pleasure of getting to know me, Bada," you kid, but she looks at you in sincerity. "What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a model under YG KPLUS," you say as you sip on the water. Bada's eyes widen, but she then chuckles, "That would make a lot of sense."

"How about hobbies?" She asks, and you glance at her, seeing she pays so much attention to you as you speak. You try to cover up your flustered state by eating more chicken, "I like to read and paint as well."

"Oh, and dance." You say it as if you forget, despite ironically being in a dance studio.

That almost set Bada off into space. You had a sense of humor, seemed intelligent, genuine, caring, had a pretty smile, AND you like to dance? Let's remember the fact that you are gorgeous as well.

In Bada's eyes, you had it all.

"Would you wanna try what we're working on?" Bada asks, and Lusher's eyes linger on the two. It was an unspoken rule amongst dancers to refrain from talking about a piece you working on as it has to do with an unreleased song by an artist. Yet her stern teacher was willing to break that rule just for you.

"Don't you think Bada unnie is acting weird around your sister?" Lusher whispers to the blond as the two watch the model and oldest dancer stretching in the center as they talk. "What do you mean?"

"I mean-" Lusher can't finish her sentence as Bada begins teaching you by counts.

Bada's gaze never left your body as you executed every move she showed you. Your outfit exuded idol energy, and your height enhanced the power you added to each movement. Her ears listening to your heeled boots clacking with almost every step.

She then presents the fast-paced portion of the dance, hitting every move with a manly sense of feeling. This was supposed to be the most challenging part of the song, yet you copied it perfectly in one go.

"Do you get your skills from your unnie, Taeyoung-ah?" Bada jokes at the younger girl, even using her real name, who can only respond with a faked, irritated face.

She turns on the music and counts the both of you in, and you go off. Even with solid hits and many dynamic changes, your body flowed elegantly, taking a more fluid approach with every movement.

Bada can't even be upset at the style you chose to stick with. It suited you the most.

"OMG, Unnie!" Tatter squeals as you finish, pleased at the results you showed after learning the choreo of the final chorus in less than 10 minutes.

"I knew you could dance, but I didn't think you'd get it that fast, unnie," Lusher tells you, and you begin feeling shy.

"Hey, I might not do it for a living like you guys, but I love to dance too."

"Do you dance often?" Bada asks, and you nod, "Yeah, I usually dance at YGX with Lee Jung in my free time since it's convenient."

Bada looks at you, a bit offended. "You've been dancing with Lee Jung and not with us?" She gestures to the three of them with her hand, and you giggle at her action. "As I said, the KPLUS building is 30 minutes away from here, so just going to their studio saves me more time."

"Come here from now on," you're taken aback a little, Bada's tone more demanding. You look at your sister, who gives you furious, encouraging nods as Lusher gives you a double thumbs up.

You smile, turning to Bada, who looks pleased even if you haven't answered. With an eye roll and a tiny chuckle, "Fine."

You had an off day on Friday and decided to stop by the JustJerk Academy. As your sister told you about one of the classes today, your mood instantly boots, wanting to feel the freedom of dancing again. Styling yourself in a more comfortable baggy look, you enter the building, seeing a few faces you recognize from Street Man Fighter.

The one you were closest to, J-ho, sees and greets you with wide eyes. "Y/n? What are you doing here?" You hug him as his friends look your way. "I decided to take a class here today. Tatter wouldn't shut up about it all week." You tell them, and your eyes meet the two others.

J-ho realizes you're meeting them for the first time and brings you over to the two. "Y/n, meet Howl and Young-j. Guys, this is Y/n. She's Tatter's older sister." You shake their hands, and Young-j gasps, "That's why you looked so familiar," you giggle at the over-exaggeration.

"I thought you usually dance over at YGX?" You shrugged in response, "A certain someone wanted me to come here from now on."

"Tatter?" You shake your head at your sister's name. "Lusher?" You shake your head again, and the guys begin wondering curiously, but Howl's eyes look at you suspicously, eliminating all other choices, "Bada?"

"Ding ding ding!" You exclaim, and Young-j looks over, surprised. "Bada inviting someone to her class? That's not something you hear every day."

This piques your interest, "Why not?"

J-ho looks at the window door where the lesson would be held, "She usually doesn't invite people. We kinda just show up every now and then." You nod at the new information.

"Well, let me head in before my sister bombs my phone with messages."

They wave you off, and as you enter, your eyes meet multiple students ranging from many ages. You are astonished by the variety of people in the room. Many foreigners, teens, and adults joined Bada's class, demonstrating the woman's immense popularity.

Seeing Tatter and Lusher in the corner, you mingle your way over. The blonde's eyes expand, and you giggle at her jittery reaction. You loved how your sister got excited, as you were usually too busy to hang out with her despite living in the same apartment. The two girls hug you, and Lusher stays by your side, leaning her head on your arm due to the height difference.

You check around, not seeing the tall teacher, and wonder, "She's not here yet?"

"J-ho and the guys are waiting for her so they can join us today."

"Oh, that's why oppa was outside?" They both nod. "Well, what song are we doing today?"

"Bada unnie is teaching Shirt by SZA again," Lusher grumbles, and Tatter only laughs at her partner. You look at the girl with a fond smile, "Does she teach it often?"

Tatter acknowledges, "Yeah, it's one of her most popular choreographies. It's basically high in demand amongst students."

As you three begin to stretch and chat, Bada walks in a few moments later with her phone, water, and the JustJerk boys following behind her. She was fitted with one of her iconic jerseys, some black cargo pants, and a basic black cap.

During your time modeling, you've met many attractive people ranging from the short, petite, girly women to the tall, elegant, sophisticated types. Yet Bada was seemingly different to you.

Women in Korea typically liked the cute or sexy feminine aesthetic, but the tall dancer was on the opposite spectrum of that. You'd expect to not be fond of her style due to the clothes you modeled for, but you can't help but find Bada irresistible, likely due to her height.

Mind you, the two of you had the same stature.

When Bada's eyes meet yours, her face looks satisfied. "Y/n, I'm glad you decided to join us and not Lee Jung this time," she quips. You decide to tease her, "Well, I was just thinking how someone might get mad at me if I didn't."

"I don't think I'd be mad," Bada ponders but then smirks, "Maybe jealous." You smack her arm lightly and giggle. This woman knew how to make a woman feel wanted, and god, was she good at it.

"We'll start attendance in 10 minutes, so make sure you're all warmed up by then." The latter announces, and everyone gets to stretch. "You think you'll be ready for this?" She asks in a jesting manner. "I'm born ready, Bada." You say in the same tone, but it holds more sincerity. This excites Bada, who wants to see you dance again like last week.

The class began, and it was the most fun you felt. Bada made her classes feel liberating; you wouldn't have it any other way for dance. Your eyes never left her body, always following and copying every movement she did without hesitation.

Everyone begins to notice your presence once you start practicing in the mirror near the edge of the room. Some even recognized your face, causing everyone to whisper amongst one another. You had connected everything Bada had taught and spaced into your own world. Tatter looks at you, admiring your passion, and Lusher looks at you with a simple smile.

On the other side of the room, Bada tried to help dancers who asked, but her vision always traveled to you. She focused on how you marked your movements and positions, using little energy. You gave off perfectionist energy, and Bada could tell as she was one herself.

This causes Bada to contemplate. She wanted to dance with you, but she also wanted to watch as you go full out. After thinking for a while, she decides to film by herself, then let you, Tatter, and Lusher film as the last group.

"You okay with that?" She asks you, and you become eager. "Of course. I haven't danced with my sister in a long time," you say as Tatter stays by your side, hugging your waist ever so tightly.

"Alright. Everyone, we'll begin filming soon! After my take, I'll call some people for groups."

Everyone takes their places in the back of the room, and you, your sister, Lusher, and the JustJerk boys stay more on the sidelines, wanting to watch the front view of Bada's expertise.

Once the music turns on, Bada grooves until the bass hits, and the music begins taking control of the dancer. The control and power this woman had on her body amazed you. Her lines and angles were crisp. The small jolts that led to fluid movements caused an impressed smile to form on your face.

As she ends the piece, she points at you with heavy breaths, your face now flustered by her gesture. Luckily the lights in the academy were dim, or else Tatter and Lusher would be on your ass about it right now.

If Bada wanted to play that game, you'd oblige. Nearing the end of filming, you three were now up, and needless to say, Bada was waiting for this the entire time. You were in the center due to your height.

As the music begins, Tatter hypes you up a little before getting into the groove, and you weren't one to disappoint a crowd, ever. You hit the moves exactly and start to enjoy the spotlight a bit more.

Blood stain on my shirt, new bitch on my nerves.

When that line comes in, you feel up your body more than Bada initially teaches, and the crowd cheers at the new flavor you added. The choreo looks more sensual in the direction you take. Your sassiness, attitude, and vibe made Bada look affectionately at you as she squatted on the ground, watching you three.

Bada felt a little guilty, yet her gaze never left your body despite her dancers being right beside you. You extended your body in ways the tall dancer couldn't comprehend, seemingly like you had prior ballet training. Now she wondered why you were a model if you were this amazing at dancing. But once she looks at your face, she realizes why you may have made that choice.

Let you all in my mental, got me looking too desperate Damn, you ain't deserve.

Your body turns, preparing to move your hips. You smirk over at Bada, who has all her attention on you. Your gaze uttered pure seduction as your hips hit every tick of the song. You drag your thumb and drag it to your waist and feel your midriff up.

Everyone cheers at your sexy ending, and you bow, beginning to feel the aftermath of the dance. Bada's claps grow intense as she smiles at the three of you. Having no restraint, she hugs you tightly, and you let out an airy laugh, adoring the reaction.

The next few weeks followed, and you had been returning to the JustJerk studio almost every Friday. It made Bada look forward to the end of her week as the two of you had gotten closer.

In the second week, Bada began filming with Tatter and Lusher in her group and you. You diversified the style of dance the group brought in every video, and the people loved it. The views began to gradually increase as your appearances became more regular.

You entered the studio on a random Tuesday morning, expecting to be along for the day. Wanting to feel the freedom of dancing by yourself. Connecting your phone to the speaker, your body grooved to the shuffled songs, mainly freestyling. Bada, on the other hand, came into the studio, planning to work on some new choreography until she read that one of the studios was being used.

She was puzzled, aware that no one had a schedule that included classes on a Tuesday. Out of curiosity, she peeks her head at the window and sees your familiar figure. Bada opens the door a little to hear the song you are currently dancing to, and her ears begin to be filled with L.A. Love by Fergie and YG.

You swayed, not using your usual style, and Bada became more intrigued by you. She had only ever seen the elegant and sexy side of you, but you showed many more aspects of hip-hop, and Bada's slight smirk unconsciously widens. You were just capable of everything, huh?

Your body flinches at the claps, and you rest a hand on your beating chest, shocked at Bada's company. "Dude, you almost gave me a heart attack."

She comes in and sets her stuff down in the front. "So you had that in you, and you weren't gonna even show it?" You chuckled heavily, still feeling tired from the freestyle. "It's not a style I'm super confident in performing," and Bada's jaw slacks at your statement.

"Not confident? Impossible," her face shows the confusion that wavers in her statement.

"Come on," she lends a handout, and you accept it, but you grow bewildered as she pulls you into the other room with your guy's items in hand. "What are you gonna do with me?"

Bada's thoughts spiral at the question, knowing you didn't mean it in that way. "I want you to help me for the next class."

"How so?"

"Let's make some choreo together." She simply states as she stretches on the floor. Now your eyes widen, "Bada, I've never taught a class before, let alone make a dance," the anxiety growing in your voice. "If you can dance as well as you do, you can do it. Besides, you're not alone here. You have me." She gives you the cutest smile ever, and you just want to squeeze her cheeks but refrain to avoid embarrassment for the both of you.

She puts on the song, and you hear BILLIE EILISH by Armani White. Your face immediately brightened at the music, and you began grooving, moving into the freestyle. Bada secretly films you, leaving her phone on the floor in your direction. She then joins you, the two of you moving differently, but it works too well. Your duo dynamic seemed to get stronger as the song repeated repeatedly.

Bada could control your body while you could play with hers. Using the usage of your baggy shirts, the two of you touch each other up more than ever. Once 30 minutes go by, Bada stops the filming, and you gasp lightly. "You were recording the entire time?"

"It'll help the ideas come in. Watch." She gestures you over on the floor, and you two begin to watch as you sit beside each other. As it gets to the point where you two become touchy, both of you develop red in color. You peek over at the girl, not realizing the close proximity of your faces, and your breath hitches. Bada's eyes meet yours, and you know you can hear each other's hearts pounding against your chests.

Bada leans closer, but before she gets even close enough, loud music plays from the speaker, scaring the both of you away from each other. Almost feeling as if the two of you had just got caught. Two flustered dancers occupied the room, and Bada coughed, breaking up the slightly awkward silence.

"We should use a lot of the moves from the final dance," you nod, not even having recovered from the previous interaction. The two of you began working, and by the end of the day, you had a successful dance for Friday's class.

Both of you began packing your bags, and Bada looked at you, "You wanna get something to eat? I'll pay?"

"Free food? Count me in," Bada chuckles at your enthusiasm. The two of you stop by a cafe near the studio. It was puppy-themed, and your eyes twinkled at the cuteness of the space. You two sit, order, and eat as Bada makes conversation.

"I just need to ask why you decided to be a model instead of a dancer."

You laugh at her face as she asks you with soft eyes and a mouth filled with bread. "Well, I was scouted by YG about 6 years ago, and it was supposed to be a part-time gig for the most part, but by my first years, I was too deep in to back out. I started getting contracts from other companies, so I decided to stick with it. Dancing became just a hobby for me at that point."

You thought more deeply before elaborating, "Don't get me wrong, I loved dancing with all my heart and soul. I took so many classes when I was younger. My mom signed Taeyoung up for jazz while I mainly focused on ballet, but everything happened, so I stopped."

Your voice began to fade, feeling the heaviness of the confession for the first time. You had a particular passion and drive for dancing when you were younger. Yet when you were given greater opportunities, that love began to wither to the back of your mind. This sense of disappointment in yourself started weighing on you, but being the optimist you are, you shake your head at the thoughts.

"After 4 years of no dancing, I met Lee Jung, and she invited me to their studio at one point. I fell back in love as soon as I stepped foot in that studio. It just felt like home for me."

Bada beams at you, understanding the feeling, but her heart goes haywire again at your words. "I also want to thank you, you know? I don't know what it is, but dancing with you makes me feel..."

You couldn't put it into words and absent-mindedly look at her. "It makes me feel like the old me." Bada's heart swells at the thought you felt grateful for her. That statement made Bada's year.

"Well, let's keep doing great things together," The both of you grin at her words.

And the two of you did just that. Your presence in the dance studio was so constant that you strayed away from modeling a little. You and the tall dancer made more dances together, and you even started teaching some of the classes with Bada by your side.

After multiple classes, you two would hang out almost like you couldn't live without each other's company. You watched movies, went shopping, and went to an arcade with Bada. The both of you loving the friendship that had formed. You even took Bada to a picnic at the park, where you guys ate snacks and painted on mini canvases.

Safe to say, the two were in love after knowing the other for about 3 months.

The latest piece was what changed the course of your relationship. You guys decided to do a duo choreography, but the song is what set off everything.

PILLOWTALK by Zayn.

The preparation for the song was filled with pure sexual tension and heated moments. It got to the point where you thought it may be too much, especially for some students, but Bada shuns away the thoughts, saying, "They're gonna love it, don't worry."

It was finally the day to teach, and the two of you were nervous yet not openly exhibiting it. Your sister and Lusher were aware of the dynamic between you, too, seeing the loving and caring eyes you had for each other, but as neither of you did anything about it, they didn't say anything either.

Though, this week, Tatter was suspicious of how you acted. You showed much more compassion, lovingness, and happiness. Not that this was anything new from you, but Tatter couldn't shake that it was more prominent and likely due to Bada.

The class went smoothly, other than people gasping or being in awe of the move you two developed together.

Everyone felt the intimacy you two radiated.

"I feel like we're interrupting their moment," Tatter jokes to Lusher, but the two were happy at the relationship you two had established right now, even if it wasn't to the point the two wanted for the both of you.

When filming for JustJerk's channel began, it felt like the room was set ablaze. You rested your hands on Bada's abs while she rested her arm around your waist. Both of you wearing crop tops, so there was nothing but skin-to-skin contact. Your warm bodies mixed with one another, both hands not leaving each other's body at any point of the choreo. When you two end, the pose had your arms wrapped around Bada's neck, her hands gripping your waist, foreheads resting on each other.

In that instant, it felt as if you two were the only people in the room, but the moment was interrupted by everyone's claps and cheers. You two bow with hand in hand.

You, Lusher, Tatter, and Bada were left in the studio at the end of class. The younger girls were already done packing and were about to go until the blond and brunette duo pulled their leader to the corner of the room.

"Bada, you need to ask out my sister, please," Bada takes a step back in surprise as her eyes look over to you, who lay on the floor just scrolling through Tiktok. "Seriously, unnie, you two not dating is killing us two," Lusher adds, and Bada lets out an airy laugh.

She looks over at you again, smiling as she sees your cheesing grin from the video you watched. "Fine," she mumbles to the younger girls, shooing them away secretly.

"Y/n unnie, we'll be heading out now," the two wave off, and as the door closes, Bada approaches you, helping you up from the floor.

"You wanna head out to get some food? I found a new place about 20 minutes away," You speak up, but Bada doesn't respond. "Y/n?"

You look at her, worried at her serious tone, "What happened? Are you okay?" You hold her arms in concern, but Bada pouts. "I'm not."

Your puppy eyes form, and you grow even more uneasy. "Why, what happened? Why are you so sad?"

Bada's head looks down, but she forces herself to grab your hands, "I think I'm in love with you," she whispers, and your heart feels like it's beating at 100 miles per hour. Your faces were almost as close as your ending pose for the dance, and your breath got shaky.

Fuck, was all you thought, and you pulled her in for a kiss. It felt as if every emotion and feeling you both had came crashing down.

Bada is surprised but falls into it slowly, resting her hands on your waist. Your vanilla-tasting lips had Bada hooked as she drowned in your scent. Your warm hands are left on her face as you pull away. "I'm in love with you too," you whisper, and Bada smiles.

This was the happiest moment you both wished for, and it finally happened.

A/n: This is my first fic, and it was super nerve-wracking to post this, but this was the first fic I was ready to release.

I have so many drafts, some of which aren't Bada either, but we'll see if I ever release anymore.

I'll also be posting. I have some mood boards for each OC, which I got inspiration from @1luvkarina. It tells a lot more about the character that you guys may not be able to get from the story.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed it!

-sivine

[jttwlmkaddiction]

Can I Just take a moment to scream into the void my frustrations about how WELL they write Wukong so we have NO IDEA what’s going on with anything and theorizing is practically impossible?

S5 spoilers included sportactically

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He is THE one in the show that does not give up anything about what he does and does not know and when he does it’s easily counter with another statement that counters it or brings it into question. He’s surprised Azure came back but not Macaque, for example. He never has a plan, yet everything he does nudges everything in the direction it needs to go. I’ve said before that he is the most planning non-planner that has ever existed. I see it as him having incredibly fine-tuned instincts that in his existence is the same as having a carefully detailed 20-step plan that others would have but i digress…

Does he know what’s really going on? Clearly not, but he knows something. Did he know there were trials? He acts like he doesn’t but simultaneously does things like divert MK from the mural and push him to go to the colored stone, which apparently he didn’t know was up there (but DID he though????) He is frustratingly good at making everyone think he’s a bit dense but it’s clear he’s not. It’s seems like he’s taking a back seat and it’s all intentional.

Did he kill Macaque? Something happened. He doesn’t give ANY indications about his take on what happened. He doesn’t seem surprised when Macaque comes back yet in their argument he questions how he did. In the flashback he seems shocked though, like he didn’t understand what he just saw. But when MK questions if Macaque’ll get away, Wukong acts upset about it, like he knows Macaque didn’t get away from HIM. SO…????????

It’s like things just happen around him and he literally doesn’t question anything ever (Macaque even points that out) yet he is the 4D chess guy who is always acting (not thinking) 5 steps ahead of everyone else. He’s impulsive but that’s his schtick and he uses it to his advantage by making everyone think he’s flying by the seat of his pants . Which to be fair he kinda is but just because he can’t really verbalize what he’s planning to anyone doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking through dozens of high-level scenarios.

I don’t buy that he is just sitting back letting things happen yet he does seem surprised when he realizes what MK is going to do. I don’t buy that he hadn’t already put that together, especially since he shared the initial vision with MK. Maybe he was already counting on it being him and wasn’t even considering MK would try. Maybe he got a DIFFERENT vision. Who the hell knows? He’s not gonna tell.

He has no idea who the NHD is. And it seems to bother him. It’s not the first time he doesn’t remember stuff, but it really seems to puzzle him. This is the guy that has been manipulating everything almost the whole show, and not necessarily in a bad way. If ANYTHING I’d say he and Wukong were probably friends. I mean - he DID free MK early so he could get a taste for life and have context to make a decision. That’s totally a thing Wukong would be on board with, especially if it was a monkey born from his own stone. If NHD did something in the past that make them enemies, what was it when the big bad he did this time was just to let MK experience life? It’s not exactly a dick move.

The only thing I can come up with, other than he 1) just has no idea what’s going on and 2) he totally knows and is just playing his part, is that it’s 3) a bit of both.

The cycles happen. The show is subbing the idea in for reincarnation, I think, because if the gang was reincarnated in the usual way it would be at odds with the whole ‘reaching enlightenment’ thing because reincarnation is in effect, a punishment-ish to try and get it all right. But if everyone gets recycled at the same time, that’s different. What I can’t wrap my head around is that Wukong is immortal, so what happens to him? Does a cycle reset all the gods too? I doubt it, probably just the mortal realm, but he arguably walks the line between moral and celestial since he was born from the stone yet worked his way up to having all the celestial powers and rank. He is literally born of earth and sky.

So, I wonder if it happened before but it affected his memory. My current theory, which is going to be 100% wrong but my brain needs to make order out of the history before the chaos they just unleashed, is that the exact same scenario happened with Wukong and Macaque that happened with Wukong and MK, which Macaque somewhat remembers but Wukong does not - at least not entirely.

Stay with me here - I think Macaque tried to sacrifice himself and Wukong tried to stop him, and because he is the 6-eared macaque or because he was technically dead, he wasn’t impacted by a cycle reset and because Wukong is immortal he only wound up with his memories affected for some reason, which he does recognize.

But because Wukong is Wukong and operated just as much on his gut as he does his mind and he is the closiest closed book I HAVE EVER SEEN we have NO idea what is happening in that stupid monkey’s head which means whatever is happening we get NO clues from him and if we do it’s unreliable! Is he really just dumb and doesn’t think about all this stuff? Does he know exactly what’s going on? Does he realize that there is something wrong with him but because he doesn’t know what it is he just chugs along following his instincts and trying to piece it all together silently in his head? The guy is OLD and I could see either him OR Macaque manipulating everyone, however benign or not, for any myriad of reasons. Macaque sure as hell is hiding stuff but the show lets us know that he is (or - it’s possible he doesn’t remember EITHER), so we can piece some things together but not so for the Monkey King.

Anyway……they write Wukong so annoyingly tight-lipped that he doesn’t even give a HINT of what he’s thinking or feeling other than MK and to some extent, Macaque and that makes it really difficult to theorize because he is arguably the most important piece of the giant puzzle.

*SIIIGHH* /rant

[mydearsnooopy]

𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝐬𝐭: 𝙷𝙾𝚃 𝙶𝙸𝚁𝙻 𝙵𝙰𝙻𝙻 𖥻 ⠀ᰋ ~ !? 🥮𖦹 ׂ 𓈒 ⋆

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September 1st is the true launchpad for new beginnings. Whether it's the start of a new academic year or a renewed mindset for chasing excellence, September 1st kicks off what we're officially dubbing "Hot Girl Fall"

September doesn’t just mark the transition from summer to fall—it’s a complete reset. The end of vacation mode means a renewed focus on goals, routines, and all those dreams you’ve been nurturing.

1. set clear goals 🧋౨ৎ ˖ ࣪ Hot Girl Fall is all about growth, so start by setting goals that are important to you. Whether it’s academic, finishing a creative project, or learning a new skill, give yourself something to chase. Break your goals into smaller, achievable steps, and celebrate your progress along the way. (I will make a post abt reward ideas)

Tip: Create a vision board or digital collage for some visual inspiration to keep you motivated!

2. elevate your style this season 🥮౨ৎ ˖ ࣪ Fall fashion is the ultimate combination of cozy and chic. This is the season for layers, textures, and statement accessories. Invest in a few key pieces that you like. Consider leaning into trends that resonate with you— (I suggest looking up some styles on Pinterest) Recently, I have been loving the academic/preppy chic autumn outfits and the dark academia aesthetic.

Tip: Don't just follow trends; find pieces that express your personality. Mix in some timeless classics for a balanced look.

3. self-care 🍂౨ৎ ˖ ࣪ Being a "hot girl" isn't just about looking good—it’s about feeling good. As the days get shorter and cooler, make sure you're staying active and eating well. A little self-care goes a long way in keeping your mind and body balanced during this busy season. This is also a great time to focus on mental health, whether through meditation, journaling, or therapy.

Tip: Try creating a new fall wellness routine—maybe morning stretches or pilates, afternoon walks in nature, or weekly self-care nights with skincare and a good book.

4. organize your space to boost productivity 🚬౨ৎ ˖ ࣪ With September comes a new focus on work and personal goals. Take some time to declutter and organize your space, whether that’s your desk, closet, or digital files. A clear environment can lead to a clearer mind, allowing you to focus better and feel more at peace in your everyday life.

Tip: Implement simple systems like a daily planner, productivity apps, or dedicated time blocks to keep your tasks organized without overwhelming them.

5. embrace seasonal changes 🍁౨ৎ ˖ ࣪ Fall offers some of the most beautiful landscapes, so make sure to soak it in. Whether it’s a hike, a walk in the park, or just sitting with a cozy drink while watching the leaves fall, spending time outdoors can help you reset and ground yourself. Nature has a calming effect and can inspire new ideas, so use it as a creative escape when needed.

Tip: Get Outside & Enjoy Nature, you can even start a nature journal / sketchbook !

6. autumn mornings 🌟౨ৎ ˖ ࣪ Autumn mornings bring a cozy, refreshing vibe that can inspire a productive and peaceful start to your day. Establishing a consistent morning routine sets the tone for the day ahead and helps you feel more grounded as the season shifts. Start by taking a few deep breaths and thinking of one thing you’re excited about for the day—this positive intention will help you get moving.

Tip: Craft an Autumn morning routine that works for you !

6. homework and boost in productivity 🪶౨ৎ ˖ ࣪

Homework can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re balancing it with extracurriculars and social activities. Designate a spot for homework, whether it’s a desk, a library, or a quiet corner at home. Keep your workspace organized with all your supplies on hand—this minimizes interruptions and keeps you focused.

Start by listing all your assignments and prioritizing them based on deadlines and difficulty. Break large tasks into smaller, manageable chunks, and schedule specific time blocks for each task. Use a planner, to-do list, or digital app to stay on top of assignments. By having a plan in place, you avoid last-minute cramming and unnecessary stress.

Instead of scrolling on social media during breaks, do something that refreshes you mentally and physically. Stretch, take a short walk, grab a snack, or chat with a friend. Active breaks re-energize you without the risk of falling into procrastination traps.

7. caffeine for energy and focus🪶౨ৎ ˖ ࣪

Autumn calls for cozy beverages, and for many of us, that means indulging in caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, or chai. Caffeine can be a helpful tool for boosting energy and focus—if used wisely.

Try not to rely on caffeine first thing in the morning; allow your body to wake up naturally. Have your coffee or tea about 1-2 hours after waking when your natural cortisol levels dip. This maximizes the effectiveness of the caffeine and prevents jitters or dependence.

8. reading more this fall🕯️౨ৎ ˖ ࣪

There’s no better time than fall to get lost in a good book. The cool weather and cozy atmosphere make it perfect for curling up with a blanket and diving into a novel, memoir, or educational read. Start by setting a realistic reading goal for the season—whether it’s reading one book a month, finishing a certain number of pages a day, or diving into a new genre.

Keep a book or e-reader with you at all times, whether you’re commuting, waiting in line, or relaxing during a break. Instead of reaching for your phone, get lost in a story. You’ll be surprised by how much extra reading you can squeeze into your day this way! (I love reading at libraries and on public transportation.)

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As the crisp autumn air settles in, let this season be your time to reset, refocus, and thrive. Whether it’s building a morning routine, staying on top of your homework, or creating a cozy atmosphere, remember that Hot Girl Fall is all about balance.🌟

[tower-arcana]

Close Your Eyes.

a galladay / stellaron hunter sunday oneshot!

link to the ao3 version. . . .

Sunday had admittedly been through quite a lot as of late, so perhaps it was no wonder he’d been having less than savory dreams. He’d wake in the morning or sometimes far before dawn, and he’d be crying uncontrollably, tears blurring his vision to the point of pain. He would have to sit up, grab a pre-prepared box of tissues, and dab at his eyes as he tried to calm himself down. The feeling of immense grief and longing lingered, but he could never pinpoint where it came from.

He couldn’t even remember his dreams, much less why they made him feel the way he did. Bitterness, sadness, and regret were all common themes, as if he’d lost something important to him, but what? Or even who?

Sunday couldn’t waste too much time worrying over things that he didn’t have an answer to, however, and as he wiped away the most recent of his fallen tears, he got dressed and made himself look as presentable as possible; even when aligning himself with the Stellaron Hunters, he had an image to keep, after all.

The deck of the skiff was quiet as Sunday stepped out of his quarters, eyes surveying the area to find only Kafka awake at this hour. Silver Wolf was likely passed out or gaming, Blade was an enigma himself, and Firefly was still recovering from overexertion during Penacony. He felt his heart twist with self-loathing at the words they’d exchanged while he was in his… weaker moments, but at least she was polite enough to co-exist with him now.

As Sunday approached the control board where Kafka was idly watching over their course amongst the stars, he didn’t even have to see her lift her head to know she was aware of his presence. With her ever-amused hum, Kafka finally flicked her gaze to Sunday and gave a coy little wave.

“Hey, sleepy head. Up and at ‘em early today, huh?” Kafka questioned with a slight tease to her tone, and Sunday knew she was perfectly aware of how she often ruffled his feathers, so to speak. Still, he didn’t make a jab back; he’d become far too used to masking his irritation as the former Oak Family Head, and the skill came in handy here, too.

With a passive facial expression and a soft sigh as he sat down in the open seat beside the captain’s chair Kafka was perched on, Sunday crossed his legs and met her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Good morning, Kafka. I suppose it is early, isn’t it?”

Sunday makes sure not to crack, even as Kafka studies him with that unnerving gaze of hers, like she’s read his mind and has studied every bit of him like the back of her hand. His lips, however, purse into a deep frown with her next words.

“You’ve been having those dreams again, haven’t you?” Kafka says it more as a statement than a question, and the way her tone seems almost sympathetic makes Sunday want to vomit. “It’s written all over your face, hon. Especially those puffy red eyes.”

It takes everything in Sunday not to bristle and snap at Kafka then and there, reproached by the idea of being called out so blatantly by the woman – but he holds back, and with a sharp inhale through his nose, he sighs out his frustrations. Perhaps he can let his facade slip, if only slightly, for every lie is rooted in truth, isn’t it?

“...Yes, they’ve been rather persistent, unfortunately,” Sunday concedes, clicking his tongue indignantly as he averts his eyes to the window, even though he knows he can hardly hide from Kafka’s watchful surveillance. “It’s peculiar, really. I don’t even know what could make me react so strongly.”

He can feel Kafka’s weighted gaze on him as she appears to consider his dilemma, and after a few beats of silence, she pipes up once again with an offer he hadn’t even begun to consider. “Perhaps it’s some sort of subconscious blocking of your memories? I could use my spirit whisper and see if I can wrangle a little bit out, I managed to do it once for Bladie.”

“Excuse me?” Sunday can’t help the way he perks up at Kafka’s suggestion, and he quickly schools his expression into one of doubt. Still, he can’t deny the hope that surged forth at her offer, and he wonders just how much merit it had to it. He was beyond curious about what exactly had been plaguing his subconscious, and he at least wanted to resolve it so he could move on with his duties.

Sunday considers it for a moment longer, before hesitantly, he nods his head and turns his body to face Kafka in the seat, his expression wary. “Very well, I suppose there’s nothing to lose in trying. Try anything funny, though, and I assure you I will–”

“Sure, sure, I know the drill. Just sit back and try not to freak yourself out, birdie,” Kafka waved off Sunday’s threat with a nonchalant laugh, and she turned to face him as well. He couldn’t help but notice she was making an effort to be oddly… comforting, and he didn’t know whether he despised it or somewhat appreciated it.

He didn’t get much of a chance to decide which, however, because Kafka’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and she purred out the trigger word. “Listen: Sunday, you’ll let yourself remember whoever or whatever you’ve forgotten. You’ll remember and you’ll process whatever you’ve been hiding from, and you’ll do it without self destructing… starting now.”

The whole charade was a bit too glorified for his liking, if Sunday was honest. He raised an eyebrow as he waited for something to magically happen, and despite the sinking feeling in his stomach, he remained skeptical. After a moment, he shook his head and opened his mouth to report his nonexistent findings when he felt his eyes begin to… water?

He was crying. Why was he crying? Why was he–

Sunday remembered when he first met Gallagher at a gathering between the families, and it was as if the man had been there his entire life. He slipped in and took his place at the table, and nobody batted an eye. He was perfectly inconspicuous, even to Sunday. And yet, something felt off when he’d locked gazes with Gallagher, a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that this man was out of place. A puzzle piece shoved into the wrong place and forced to fit into the grand picture.

Sunday bided his time until after the meeting had ended, keeping a hawk-like eye on Gallagher the entire time as he approached the taller man, wary, but not intimidated. The Oak heir had long since found that the tallest men can fall with the sweet music of order.

“Gallagher of the Bloodhound family, yes?” Sunday greeted smoothly, putting on a faux smile of warmth as he bowed his head ever so slightly, another empty show of respect. Another thing he’d learned is that you must kiss the asses of these buffoons to earn their trust, and so he would do just that. “My name is Sunday Oak, as I’m sure you're already aware. I’m afraid we haven't had the pleasure of meeting personally yet, though. May we get to know each other a bit, perhaps over dinner?”

Again, kiss their ass and repeat until you have what you want; Sunday may be a devout believer, but he knows the inner orchestrations of life well. What he doesn't expect, however, is for the gruff looking individual to crack an almost wolfish grin and wink at him, of all things!

“Gallagher in the flesh and at your service! It’s an honor to finally meetcha, and you know…” Gallagher pauses, a teasing hint in his tone and his eyes sparkling with mirth. “I’d say it sounds like you’re asking me on a date right now, Mister Oak. Don’t get me mixed up, I’m definitely open to it, just surprised I’ve charmed the pants off of the Family Representative so fast!”

If Sunday was a man with less self control and less patience, he may have bristled and flushed a furious red right then and there; instead of rightfully telling Gallagher off, though, the Halovian just smiles thinly and plays along. He wasn’t exactly one to seduce men for his own benefit, but at least Gallagher was nice to look at all the same.

“I wouldn’t say my pants are charmed off just yet, Mister Gallagher,” Sunday quips back with an easy smile, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes as he begins to lead Gallagher out of the meeting hall and to the foyer. “But perhaps I am inviting you to a date, and it seems you’re willing, too. Now, why don’t I have the culinary staff prepare us a nice meal…”

Sunday could tell this would be a long evening already, but he fully planned on getting to the bottom of this admittedly charming man known as ‘Gallagher,’ no matter what.

/ / /

Well, that had escalated far quicker than Sunday had anticipated.

One second, he was begrudgingly enjoying the banter between himself and Gallagher, exchanging jabs and playful snide remarks; in the next moment, Sunday was eagerly pressing himself against Gallagher’s body, pulling the taller man’s hair down so that their lips met in a messy kiss. Sunday was nothing if not coordinated, but he felt almost… desperate to have this enigma closer to him, to feel the heat of this potential threat. What a fool he was.

Tongues and limbs intertwined, the two men barely managed to make it to Sunday’s bed chambers before they were ripping each other’s clothes off, and in a whirlwind of passion and lewd noises, hours passed before they were through with each other. Desire satiated, at least for the moment, Sunday laid in Gallagher’s arms, his head resting on the wolfish man’s chest as he caught his breath, and his nose wrinkled as he smelled the smoke from the other’s cigar.

“Must you rot your lungs in my bed? If you get ash in my sheets, Gallagher…” Sunday’s tone was warning and rather harsh, especially for his usual persona he attempted to portray, but Gallagher hardly seemed to mind. In fact, he just chuckled heartily, the sound sending vibrations through his chest that made Sunday’s traitorous heart flutter in his chest.

“Relax, relax, pretty bird, I won’t make too much of a mess,” Gallagher soothed halfheartedly, though as he paused, a devilish smirk tugged at his lips. “Well, not more of a mess than I’ve already made, of course.”

Sunday felt his face heat up at that, and he scoffed in exasperation, rolling over onto his other side and facing away from Gallagher, almost pouting. He wasn’t one to sulk, he had a reputation to upkeep after all, but something about this man made him feel more vulnerable than he had in a very long time. “You’re far too vulgar for your own good, hound dog.”

“Pfft– Hound dog? I like these animal pet names we’re coming up with, it gives me a chance to get creative,” Gallagher snickered a bit, but he conceded all the same in putting out his cigar and scooting closer to Sunday, putting an arm around the other man and pulling him back against his chest. “Come on, don’t put me in the dog house, Sunday! Geeze, you’re really too cute, you know that?”

Cute? Sunday was far from cute, and yet that comment made his heart skip a beat all the same. Xipe above, what was this Bloodhound doing to him?

/ / /

Sunday was all but seething as he leaned over Gallagher’s desk, his lips pulled back in a sneer as he glared daggers at the smug bastard’s face. He’d barely been able to keep proper track of Gallagher’s dealings that entire month, and the more he looked into it, the stranger the apparent Bloodhound’s employment became. Who the hell was this man?

“You’ve been sneaking around like an alley stray, you know that, yes? You’re hardly as subtle as you seem to think you are!” Sunday hissed in a dangerously low tone, making it clear he wasn’t about to sit down and take these mysteries that Gallagher kept feeding him. It was almost like a betrayal, to invest so much time into this mystery of a man and get so little in return.

Still, Gallagher hardly seemed to be taking this seriously; he even laughed as he leaned back in his chair, a crooked grin on his face as he scanned over Sunday’s fuming face. “Aww, don’t be like that. I’m sure you’ve got secrets of your own, don’t you, pretty bird?”

“Don’t call me that!” Sunday shot back, bristling at the sickly sweet tone Gallagher used, one that had once assuaged him, but one that now made his skin crawl. He hated feeling out of control, this weak, and he was determined to eliminate the source. “I may have my secrets, but they’re for the benefit of others, Mister Gallagher. And I hardly find it convincing that you have any secrets that aren’t only for your own gain!”

A beat of silence follows after that, a tension hanging thick in the air as Gallagher’s smile slowly faded, and he stared Sunday down. The Halovian nearly felt unnerved, but he held his ground, and he watched in outrage as a bitter smirk twisted on the Bloodhound’s lips.

“I won’t deny you there, Mister Oak. I’m a selfish man, and I’m afraid I gave you the wrong impression that you could change that,” Gallagher’s voice was flat, lacking in the usual warmth it held, and Sunday felt a chill run down his spine at the near-deadly glint in the man’s eyes. “Now, why don’t you run along and play with your toys, Mister Oak? I have a job to do, as you have so politely reminded me of.”

Gallagher waved Sunday away then, making it clear the conversation was over. Sunday almost had the impulse to continue chewing the other man out, but he felt… heavy. He decided he would leave with the little dignity he had left, if Gallagher decided it was as he saw fit.

Spinning around on his heel, Sunday stalked off, keeping a mask of fury still on his face, but he felt a brew of conflicting emotions inside. Why did he feel so hurt? Why did he feel used? He was not one of the weak, he was not one of the ones to feel shepherded — so why?

Why did he already miss Gallagher?

/ / /

Sunday had thought he was dead for certain. When Gallagher had practically cornered him in his office, he could practically taste the bitter bile of death in the air. Is this what Robin had felt when Gallagher had taken her life? In a way, the Halovian man felt he was responsible; maybe if he’d exposed this wretched hound sooner, this wouldn’t have all fallen apart.

Then, when Unto Death’s coil struck, Sunday found himself… breathing. Alive. With his sister, Robin.

Sunday didn’t know what to make of it. Even if Gallagher’s intentions were apparently good-natured, even if the Bloodhound had revealed it all in the name of the Trailblazer’s cause… Sunday could not feel content. No, he couldn’t be satisfied knowing he was not only lied to, but used in the grand scheme of this man’s plans, no matter how just.

But it was fine. Sunday would have his time to dish out punishment soon enough; he had his own turn to enact a betrayal, after all. It seemed Gallagher was aware of Sunday’s plans as well, somehow that damn devil had seen through him yet again. But he said nothing, neither of them did. Gallagher just gave him one last forlorn look, as if Sunday was the one in the wrong!

He only hoped, as he turned his back to Gallagher one final time, that this loyal old mutt would be able to witness the dream Sunday had so carefully crafted before vanishing. For he knew that if his deductions were correct, Gallagher had revealed his secrets, and thus, he would meet his own end in due time.

Sunday didn’t need to acknowledge how that very thought made his stomach sick. He only needed to keep his eyes ahead, and he would bring order to this chaotic dreamscape once and for all.

/ / /

Sunday couldn’t stop the tears from falling, from clouding his vision and twisting his heart into painful knots. It had all been for nothing. He had been so sure what he was doing was right, and in the end, he’d had a hand in Gallagher’s death all the same. Maybe if he had realized Gopher Wood was a false prophet sooner, maybe if he wasn’t part of the very same antagonists the Trailblazers had to defeat–

He hadn’t even realized he’d been struggling to breathe until Kafka had reached out to put a steadying grip on Sunday’s shoulder, her voice soothing and almost maternal as she guided him through a few breathing exercises. “In and out, slowly birdie, slowly…”

It took a few minutes before Sunday could think clearly again, his throat hoarse and his eyes stinging from the realization of what had been the source of his grief all along. Gallagher, oh Aeons, how had he forgotten you?

Sunday didn’t need to look at Kafka to know her expression was sympathetic, and he just shook his head, gripping his knees as he made sure not to spike into another lapse of sobs once again. He finally brought his gaze up to look at her, and she just nodded understandingly, patting his shoulder one last time before standing up and leaving him at the control panel without another word.

It was amazing just how far a human’s trust could go. It was a shame he couldn’t show the same trust to Gallagher when he had the chance. He’d been so keen on placing faith in no one but himself, and look where it got him…

Sunday was such a fool. Such a goddamn fool.

With a shaking sigh, he pulled himself into a standing position, intending to wash his face at the least before the other Stellaron Hunters woke up, as well as process the past he’d just realized, when the clatter of metal hitting the ground caught his attention. Blinking, Sunday’s eyes drifted down to see a simple silver lighter, and he picked it up with careful hands, inspecting the familiar item with a small smile.

“Ever the loyal dog, aren’t you, hound?”

Sunday wouldn’t forget Gallagher, not this time, not ever again.

[rachellaurengray]

Upcoming Moon Phases

Here are the key moon phases for the upcoming lunar cycle:

September 18: Full Moon in Pisces

September 24: Last Quarter in Gemini

October 2: New Moon in Libra

October 10: First Quarter in Capricorn

Mark your calendars and embrace the energy of these phases!

Unlock the power of each lunar phase with these unique tips for manifestation and personal alignment:

September 18: Full Moon in Pisces

What to Do: Dive into deep emotional work and use this full moon to release old patterns. Practice a guided meditation focused on healing and intuition. Consider a moonlit ritual where you write down what you wish to let go of and then burn the paper safely as a symbol of release.

How to Dress: Opt for flowing, ethereal garments in soft shades of ocean blue, silver, or lavender. Consider wearing moonstone jewelry to enhance your intuitive abilities.

What to Eat: Focus on foods that soothe and cleanse, like herbal teas, sea vegetables, and citrus fruits. Prepare a meal mindfully, incorporating ingredients that feel nourishing both physically and spiritually.

Manifestation Tip: Create a vision board or journal about your dreams and aspirations. Visualize them coming to fruition under the full moon’s light, and write affirmations that align with your highest goals.

September 24: Last Quarter Moon in Gemini

What to Do: Use this phase for introspection and mental clarity. Declutter your physical and mental space by organizing your surroundings and your thoughts. Engage in intellectual activities like reading or brainstorming new ideas.

How to Dress: Choose versatile, comfortable clothing in lively colors like yellow or light green that stimulate mental activity and creativity.

What to Eat: Opt for brain-boosting snacks like dark chocolate, nuts, and fresh berries. Prepare a meal that combines a variety of textures and flavors, stimulating both mind and body.

Manifestation Tip: Reflect on your achievements and reassess your goals. Write down any insights or new ideas that come to you. Create a plan for overcoming obstacles and moving forward with renewed focus.

October 2: New Moon in Libra

What to Do: Set clear intentions for balance, relationships, and harmony. Light a candle in a pink or white hue during a quiet moment of reflection. Write a letter to yourself about the balance and beauty you wish to invite into your life.

How to Dress: Embrace stylish and harmonious outfits in soft pinks, pastels, or earth tones that align with Libra’s sense of aesthetics and balance.

What to Eat: Enjoy balanced, aesthetically pleasing meals such as colorful salads, fresh fruits, and delicately prepared dishes. Consider hosting a small, elegant dinner to foster social connections and harmony.

Manifestation Tip: Craft a manifestation statement focusing on love, partnership, and personal harmony. Visualize a balanced life and set intentions that align with creating peace and equality in your relationships.

October 10: First Quarter Moon in Capricorn

What to Do: This is the time to take decisive action toward your goals. Create a detailed plan and set actionable steps. Use this phase to tackle tasks that require discipline and structure.

How to Dress: Wear practical, professional attire in earthy tones like dark brown, charcoal, or navy, reflecting Capricorn’s grounded and ambitious nature.

What to Eat: Enjoy hearty, sustaining meals like roasted root vegetables, lean proteins, and grains that support focus and energy. Prepare your meals with intention, thinking about the goals you’re working toward.

Manifestation Tip: Write out a detailed action plan for your major goals. Use this phase to break down your objectives into manageable tasks. Visualize each step you need to take and the success you will achieve with disciplined effort.

Harness the energies of these moon phases to amplify your manifestations and align with the cosmos for personal growth and success.

[sencubussubs]

Understanding Manifestation techniques <3

Something that really delayed my manifestations when i first started manifesting is that i did not understand manifestation like it really is, i knew that i was inherently capable of getting what i wanted and i knew techniques would help me get these things - of course i struggled with doubts but in this post i am simplifying it to this as i want to focus on properly understanding manifestation techniques.

So what’s wrong with the way i thought? I thought that manifestation techniques were the tool that manifested for me - rather than me being the conscious creator. Many newbies that come to Law of assumption are fed lots of techniques without fully grasping how law of assumption really works. So they think “okay, i did the technique so now it shows up” and wait around watching the 3D, whereas in reality the techniques work to help you embody the version of yourself who has their manifestation. techniques help you shift states.

Most techniques follow the idea of affirmation repetition and letting go. Think 3,6,9, 5x5x5, robotic affirmations - this is because the whole process is to help your subconscious fully embody the version of you that has whatever you are manifesting, hence the simple use of I am or I have statements. you repeat throughout the day to yourself that you are the person who has those things thereby rewiring your neural pathways (nerd emoji here fr). Letting go then prevents you from overthinking and denying these affirmations :)

A lot of different techniques follow this structure! Even scripting: you write a whole bunch as if you are experiencing your manifestation - each sentence repeating back to you that you already have it. Also Vision boards, they help familiarise your brain with seeing the different events/ objects/ places / people/ emotions whatever you are trying to manifest.

Techniques help you feel who you are when you have these manifestations, they help you affirm to yourself who you are. The 3D has no choice but to reflect back to you who you are.

Now i want to clarify that i fully understand why some Law of Assumption teachers leave it as simple as “this technique brings you your manifestation” - because if you are open enough to that, that can be something you fully accept and embody and in turn you can manifest that way. However, for many people who find law of assumption, there are already many neural pathways that state that something as simple as the 3,6,9 or 5x5x5method cannot get them what they want - their ‘logical’ side of the brain will shut down that idea and not allow that to happen, suggesting that if they wanted to manifest a porsche they need this and that…. you get it. I totally respect if this way of thinking about techniques works for you but, me personally, i have one main problem with it which is that i do not want to form the belief that techniques are the only way for me to manifest. Manifestation is a natural process and I do it all the time!

I hope this helped and don’t be afraid to ask any questions, i am looking forward to posting a lot more regarding manifestation to help and inspire all you baddies to get what you want <3

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Swing-state voters are open to several ideas to keep Social Security benefits flowing for decades — as long as it’s the wealthy footing the bill, according to the latest Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll.

An overwhelming 77% of registered voters in the seven states that will decide the 2024 presidential election like the idea of a billionaires tax to bolster Social Security shortfalls, the poll found. More than half say they approve of trimming benefits for high-earners, and for taxing wages for Social Security beyond the first $168,600 in earnings as done under current policy.

The poll was conducted among registered voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin between April 8-15.

Across-the-board changes — raising the retirement age to 69 from 67 or introducing a new formula that results in less generous benefit payments — were less popular. Around one-fourth of poll respondents supported those policies, while about a third support increasing payroll taxes.

The poll demonstrates the difficult task Congress will face in the coming years as it grapples with how to shore up the social safety net program for aging Americans. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that starting in 2034 Social Security recipients will only receive about 75% of their promised payments if lawmakers don’t act.

“A lot of people want the government to take action, but they’re not really sure how,” Matt Monday, a senior manager for Morning Consult, said in an interview. “But the things that they do feel sure about is that someone else should do it,” he said, pointing to the wide popularity of the billionaires tax.

President Joe Biden’s billionaires tax would place a 25% levy on households worth more than $100 million. The plan taxes accumulated wealth, so it ends up hitting money that often goes untaxed under current laws. The president has also proposed higher payroll taxes on those making more than $400,000 as a way to strengthen the Social Security trust fund.

Conversations in Washington about large-scale plans to find new ways to fund Social Security have become more pressing with projections showing the program is becoming increasingly unsustainable. But changes to Social Security are politically risky because older Americans, who are directly benefitting from the payments, are an important voting bloc for both parties.

Benefit programs for elderly Americans are one of voters’ top priorities in November — only the economy, immigration, abortion and protecting democracy were chosen more often when respondents were asked what single issue was most important to their voting decision.

The poll also found that swing state voters trust Biden more than Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump to preserve Social Security and Medicare, with 45% trusting Biden and 39% trusting Trump.

Trump has not articulated a clear vision for the benefit programs. His campaign website says he will “always protect” Social Security without providing details. In a March interview, he said “there is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements in terms of cutting,” but later walked back that statement, saying he would never do anything to “jeopardize or hurt” the payments for older people.

Republicans in Congress have proposed raising the retirement age and using a new cost of living adjustment metric that would result in lower payments over time. Nikki Haley, who challenged Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, proposed scaling back Social Security benefits for future generations and higher income retirees.

METHODOLOGY

The Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll surveyed 4,969 registered voters in seven swing states: 801 registered voters in Arizona, 802 in Georgia, 708 in Michigan, 450 in Nevada, 703 in North Carolina, 803 in Pennsylvania and 702 in Wisconsin. The surveys were conducted online from April 8-15. The aggregated data across the seven swing states were weighted to approximate a target sample of swing-state registered voters based on gender, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, home ownership, 2020 presidential vote and state. State-level data were weighted to approximate a target sample of registered voters in the respective state based on gender, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, home ownership, and 2020 presidential vote. The margin of error is plus or minus 1 percentage point across the seven states; 3 percentage points in Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania; 4 percentage points in Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, and 5 percentage points in Nevada.

[felassan]

BioWare blog post: BioWare Community Update - All By Design

02/23/23

Welcome to the first Community Update of 2023!

As promised in our last BCU, this time around we’re discussing what our game designers are up to. The responsibilities of a game designer can differ from studio to studio, so we’ll first jump into how our team is handling the design work for Dragon Age: Dreadwolf™. Let’s get to it!

When we use the term “designer,” we aren’t referring to someone who visually creates outfits or environments, as you might expect from a fashion or landscape designer in the real world. In game development, those would be our artists. Our designers help craft, balance, and conceptualize the player’s journey—working with artists, programmers, writers, and more to build out the game in a highly collaborative process.

In this blog, we’ll look at a key RPG system and how three distinct types of game designers are involved in making them.

- Systems Designers work on a variety of features across the game, like skill trees and difficulty levels. Their goal is to create a vision for features that will directly impact the player’s experience. - User Experience (UX) Designers, collaboratively with systems designers, take the vision and explore how players will interact with it by creating mock-ups and early user flows. - Technical UX Designers then build it in-engine, working with the systems and UX designers in a constant back-and-forth, keeping the player’s experience and usability in mind at all times.

There are many other kinds of designers, too! Gameplay designers focus on creating and balancing the moment-to-moment gameplay, technical level designers create the building blocks for level designers to map out the player’s journey through locations, technical UI designers tailor how information is clearly surfaced to the player, cinematic designers craft scenes for the best storytelling experience, and narrative designers make sure the story’s flow of information to the player is a cohesive experience.

Now that we’ve gone over the basics of being a game designer, we’re going to talk about how they’re working together on Dreadwolf. Past Dragon Age™ games have all handled RPG systems, such as the player’s progression, differently, so naturally, we’re being just as experimental on Dreadwolf, taking the learnings of the past while also trying something new.

Skill Trees are a fundamental part of a deep RPG experience and give our players the ability to customize how their character functions in combat. A key belief on the team is that when a player invests a skill point, it should have a clear, tangible effect on the game, such as an ability or impactful perk. What those are and how they’re implemented in-game is handled by multiple designers, starting with a Systems Designer!

Luke Barrett: "Whenever we're envisioning something new, we're always presented with a Problem Statement we're trying to solve. Sometimes, especially for larger systems, they are very high-level, such as “The Player needs meaningful choices as they progress through the game,” or “The Player needs to feel more powerful as they progress through the game.” Together, these combine into a variety of different ideas as there are many ways to solve those problems, so it helps as a general rule to start introducing constraints and Player Statements to narrow things down. A Player Statement might be something like, "As a Player, I want my choices to matter.”" "Through the use of working sessions and brainstorming meetings, we narrow down what type of solution we want to pursue and then move on to doing competitive analysis. In this case, we made a vision board with pictures of skill trees, talents, etc. with a list of pros and cons. We also counted how many unique nodes existed and how far the player could realistically invest."

Intro of original design doc for Skills

Luke, cont.: "We take all of this information and write up a vision doc (sometimes called a 1-pager, design doc, or brief) that’s intentionally very brief and digestible and pulls together all of these problems, constraints, and user statements. It encapsulates our goals for how the design will solve them. Here is an example of two of our original statements and some bullet points under them:"

Luke, cont.: "We really wanted to have something that allowed the player to character-build in a way that allowed them to reach their “player fantasy.” And because we're supporting so many choices, we've designed something that can be customized widely, as opposed to a more linear progression system."

Initial design goals following the Player Statements

Luke, cont.: "Once we have enough constraints and player statements together, then we (finally!) start building the design. This is where we start doing prototypes and work with UX to flesh out ideas to see how a design may feel, both as its own entity and how it works with the rest of the game. Fun fact: I built a very early prototype in Excel for one of the ways we thought about solving the Problem Statements using a lot of buttons and scripting. (Important note: Designers aren't programmers! :) )"

Very early prototype for skill tree functionality exploration—names are placeholders

And that’s just the beginning! Once a game designer like Luke has established the vision of the feature to address the Problem Statement, it then moves over to one of our UX Designers to start exploring how our players might interact with it.

Bruno Porrio: "As a UX designer, my job is to approach design in Dreadwolf from a player-experience perspective. Our team partners up with other devs across the project and through ideation, prototyping, iteration, research, and feedback we help shape the vision for how players will interact with the game—from in-world signs and how the player affects the world to user interfaces and interaction design." "Let’s use the skill tree as an example. We take what starts as an early vision from the systems design team and poke holes, ask questions, and start developing what the feature will look and feel like (in this case, through user-interface design). We usually start with sketches, interactive wireframes, mock-ups, or in-game prototypes and validate them through testing and multiple rounds of feedback. At the end of the day, it’s a process where the system informs the experience design, and the experience design helps shape the system."

Initial class specialization skill tree wireframe—node total & layout subject to change

Bruno, cont.: "After multiple rounds of iteration and validation, we landed on the finalized design of the skill tree (which we can’t wait to show you). It was very important to us that the fantasy of playing a certain class and the customization options would come across clearly and at a glance without overwhelming the player. It was key to our team to take something that is usually complex and make it accessible and simple to read." "Overall, I love the skill tree. Not only because it’s an intuitive, fun part of our game, but because it’s also a great example of how the Experience Design team can help craft the vision in partnership with the systems design team."

From there, another designer jumps in to take the vision and mock-ups and turn them into something tangible in the Frostbite engine. We call those devs our Technical UX Designers. Game Designers, UX Designers, and Technical UX Designers constantly work together, providing back-and-forth feedback on each other’s work all the way until a feature is completed.

Kelsey Wicentowich: "Once the design is in a good place and the system has been stood up, it's passed over to a Technical Designer (like me!) for implementation. Technical UX Designers are actually a relatively new position at BioWare. The first ones were originally brought on a few years ago to help bridge the gap between the UX designers, programmers, and artists as UI (user interface) technologies changed and advanced."

In-engine mock-up—not representative art

Kelsey, cont.: "We use mock-ups provided by the UX Designer as a starting point and build out the UI in-game, including the general layout and navigation of the screen. Every UI is a collaborative effort between the XD (Experience Design) team and other pillars of the game team. We go back and forth with programmers and other game designers to figure out how to gather the data we need to display to the player. Larger features, like the character screen, really come alive once you start pulling in even more departments like character design and lighting to bring it all together." "But the work doesn't stop once the feature is functional in-game. It's at this point that we can truly start to evaluate how it feels and how it reads to a player. Does the navigation work well? Is the information overwhelming or confusing? Designs change and iteration continues until we find the right balance between the designer's vision and the player experience."

From features like the Detailed Stats page that cater to RPG enthusiasts to hand-crafted locations you’ll come to explore and more, design is a topic we could talk about endlessly. It’s a subject we’ll likely touch on again in the future, too, when we talk about other parts of game development, so keep an eye out!

Every week, we see so much amazing community artwork from all of you. It’s always a delight to share some of the incredible pieces here! Seeing you bring these characters to life in unique styles is such a wonderful treat for everyone on the team. [click here to see the art and art section]

This year, we also wanted to provide you all with a direct way of asking us questions. Now, we can’t answer every question, but we��ll try to answer what we can in our upcoming BCUs. There will undoubtedly be some that we’ll have to save for later, though.

Questions like “when will a big reveal trailer drop?” or “when does the game come out?” are things we’ll save for official announcements. However, if you have questions about a BCU’s topic (including past BCUs), games we’ve made, or other relevant questions that come to mind, please feel free to ask! You can even just ask a fun question you want devs to answer.

We’ll be keeping an eye out on Twitter (#AskBioWare), community subreddits, and community Discord servers for questions you all want to have answered. We’re looking forward to answering some!

Thanks for giving this a read! We hope you learnt something new and better understand how we’re crafting Dreadwolf. Everything we do is in hopes that we can make something great for you, and getting to talk about that is something we’re eager to do. We have a lot more we want to talk about, too.

As always, please let us know what you think of these blogs! We love hearing your thoughts—it really helps us when we’re deciding on the things we want to share.

Until next time!

—The BioWare Team [source]

[kingluffy5]

Playing Detectives Pt 6 (Wednesday x Male Reader)

After managing to clear Wednesday’s father of a decades old murder charge Wednesday and Y/N have officially began their romantic relationship, now that parents weekend has ended the partners are able to focus on their own murder case, but the school may be a target in a new part of the investigation as a threat in burned into the lawn

Wednesday asked to be alone tonight as she is trying to contact her ancient ancestor Goody Addams, which is why I protested heavily when Enid invited me to her birthday party, Wednesday even told Thing to not have a party under the penalty of death. But Enid insisted that I be there. She’s one of the only one’s who knows, we didn’t tell her, she walked in when we were kissing in the beekeeping shed, it was because of the heat of the moment, we were looking at some of the pictures on the board, theorizing about the case, listing potential suspects. While we are still pretty sold on Xavier we’re trying to keep an open mind. But back to the party, since I know that Wends would absolutely hate it, I decided to get her something she would legitimately enjoy having. Xavier is handling the cake, I think he might be finally over his crush on Wednesday which is good, it’s healthy for him. Enid said she made Wednesday a snood, whatever the hell that is. We’re having it in Crackstone’s Crypt, which is where they were racing to during the Poe Cup.

We’re all waiting here for her and Enid right now, me, Xavier, Yoko, Divina, Gwen, Amelia, Jack, and Jason. We hear them approach the front door right now, this is going to end horribly. Some of them run around like ghosts or something, I have no idea what they’re trying, I’m just doing my best to stay out of her line of sight. When she gets to the statue everyone comes out shouting surprise, Xavier holding the cake, and singing happy birthday, when she looks at me a shake my head signaling that I had no part in this whatsoever. She then turns to Thing, who is dressed ever so fashionably in a tiny party hat made by Enid.

“I should have known you were behind this. What part of ‘no party under the penalty of death’ do you not understand?”

“I thought my cake design was pretty inspired.” Xavier said.

“The pink balloon was my little touch, why don’t you make a wish?” Enid chimes in, I just sigh as Wednesday just gives her a glare.

She then looks over and sees a phrase in Latin etched into the stone, we go over to translate it.

“Fire will rain… when I rise.” She translates, we then look at each other recognizing it as what was burned into Nevermore’s lawn, so the threat has something to do with Joseph Crackstone.

“Okay, that’s not really a wish.”

“The first part of the phrase was burned into Nevermore’s lawn, well it can’t be a coincidence.” Wednesday says.

“Wait, we’re never eating that cake, are we?” Ajax asks.

While we’re kneeling I take the chance to apologize. “I’m sorry about the party, I tried to stop them, and I failed.”

“You will pay for your failure later, we have work to do.”

As she brushes her fingers over the phrase she has another vision, I catch her before she can fall, everyone is shocked at the fact she suddenly passes out. “Don’t worry, this is normal.” I assure them but they only look more nervous at that statement.

— — —

Me, Wednesday, and Enid are in their room as Wednesday is drawing some gate she saw in her vision, I’m gonna be honest here, I’m the artist in this relationship from what I’m looking at.

“Don’t blame Thing, the party was my idea, I believe everyone deserves to be celebrated on their birthday.” Enid confesses.

“I prefer to be vilified.”

“What happened, it looked like you were having a seizure?”

“I wasn’t that lucky.”

“Can I at least get some kudos for pulling one over on you?” Enid asks.

Wednesday just looks at me giving me a slightly tired look. “She has a point.” I whisper. She does take a second to consider Enid’s trick.

“The subterfuge was impressive.”

Thing then pulls a massive box from under Wends bed with a letter from her parents wishing her a miserable birthday, she opens the box to reveal a taxidermy kit with a frozen squirrel.

“I would have preferred live squirrels” Wednesday commented.

“While we’re still accepting presents.” Enid says as she presents Wends with a wrapped present. Wednesday tears it open to reveal a shawl of some sorts in the color black. “Well, do you like it?”

“What exactly is it?” Wednesday asks.

“It’s a snood, silly, I made it in your signature colors.” She responds. Ohh, that’s what a snood is, I have to give Enid props, Wends does look beautiful in black. “And you want to know what the best part is? Me and Y/N have ones too.” She says holding up one in pink and one in white as me and Wends stare at her with our eyes wide. “We can all wear them together in class.”

“Oh, Enid, this is far too unique to wear to something like class. I suggest we wait for a more special occasion, like a funeral.” I nod along, I gotta respect her for sparing Enid’s feelings.

“I guess I should probably give you my gift now.” I say walking over to Enid’s massive pile of stuffed animals, I reach into it and pull out a black sword I forged with a hilt modeled looking like two snakes tangled together.

Enid and Wednesday looked at me shocked. “What?” I ask.

“You hid that sword in my stuffed animals?” Enid asks.

“Yes.” I respond.

“With the blade completely uncovered?”

“Unsheathed, but yes I wanted Wednesday to pick out her own one.”

“And you don’t any problem with the way you did this at all?”

“No not really, what’s wrong?” I ask.

“What if it stabbed me?” Enid yelled.

“Oh it would not have stabbed you, no one would be so clumsy that they would fall onto a sword and get stabbed.” I say looking over to Wednesday who shakes her head, signaling that yes, Enid is that clumsy. “Well how do you like it Wends?” I ask her.

She walks over and takes the sword looking completely enamored with the blade. “I … love it.” She says looking back to me, she struggled a bit to find the words but manages to get them in the end.

— — —

Me and Wends are now looking at the scorch marks on the lawn, inspecting the burns. I sniff at the burns and smell standard gasoline so this didn’t appear supernaturally, not as fun, Xavier walks up to Wends and starts talking to her about her visions and the party and whether or not he’s the monster. He says when she’s ready for his help he’ll be ready, pretty presumptuous if you ask me, I know nobody but Enid knows but seriously you’re gonna try to get with my girlfriend.

She told me a little bit ago that she and Bianca talked during the dance, I think that they bonded a little, at the very least I think that their rivalry is over and they’re cool now.

We decided to head over to visit Eugene since this wasn’t going anywhere.

— — —

Wednesday’s talking to him about her past birthdays with her family, they sound awesome. We hear someone walk in and we see Dr. Kinbott.

“Wednesday, I haven’t seen you since our session with your family which was one I won’t forget, and Y/N not you since our breakthrough before the Rave’N.”

The two of them talk about the events over the past few weeks, Wednesday saving her father and her and her mother’s grave digging excursion, turns out Dr. Kinbott had a session with Eugene’s parents. We’re about to leave before Kinbott asks a question that shocks us.

“Who’s Goody?” How in the hell does she know about Wends distant ancestor.

“She’s a very distant cousin, very distant.”

“Seems like she doesn’t see you for who you are.”

“She sees more than you know, I want to assure you I remain as cold and harmless as the first day we met.”

“I doubt a cold, heartless person would be sitting by her friend’s bedside feeling some guilt for his condition.”

“I didn’t ask for a free session.”

“Consider it my birthday gift.” Kinbott laughs.

We then walk out slightly spooked by Kinbott’s question.

— — —

We are now sitting across from each other in the Weathervane, Wednesday reading a book about pilgrims, me writing some theories about the possibility of Kinbott being involved in all of this. All of sudden Tyler sets down a cup of coffee with happy birthday written down on it and sits down next to me.

“I know you’re usually a quad kind of girl, but I’ve been working on that all week.”

“Birthday, yes. Happy, never. Is there anyone Thing didn’t tell?”

“Well who do you think delivered the cake? Yeah, I went with the 98% dark chocolate ganache knowing your… preferred color palette. Oh is that, uh… that Enid’s gift?” He asks referencing the snood Wends had next to her.

“It’s perfect if you’re fleeing a war-torn country on foot.”

“Come on don’t you like a day that’s all about you?”

“Every day is all about me. This one just comes with cake and a bad song.”

“So, if I asked you out to a non-birthday, song-free dinner… would that be something you’re interested in?” I’m sorry, but what the hell is with guys and asking out my secret girlfriend, I know it’s secret but come on, well I trust Wends so I’ll stick to writing stuff down.

“I have a tight deadline, emphasis on dead.”

“Term paper?”

“It’s about how whitewashing the sins of our past will come back to kill us all.” Subtle babe. She then slides him her drawing of the gates she saw in her vision and asks if he knows what it is. He doesn’t, real helpful.

“Did I do something? I just feel like ever since the Rave’N you’ve kind of been ghosting me.” Well with a combination of having no phone, a murder case to investigate, a prophecy that will have the two of us decide the fate of the school, and the fact that she has a boyfriend, she doesn’t have a lot of time for whiny teenage boys with daddy issues.

“Am I wrong?” He asks. God this is like a scene in a bad romcom, dude she’s no into you.

Wednesday remains silent. “Guess I got my answer.” No shit Sherlock, damn, I really hate Tyler, I kind of feel bad, he didn’t do anything wrong he just likes a girl who’s not into him, and it’s not like he knows about me and Wends.

He leaves our table and when his dad walks in he goes to get him his usual coffee.

“The threat burned onto Nevermore’s lawn, it’s also etched on the wall inside Crackstone’s crypt.” Wednesday tells the Sheriff.

“Don’t tell me you’ve been out there digging up more bodies.” Come on man, everybody’s got hobbies.

“There’s a connection there. I know it.”

A look of skepticism spreads across his face. “Alright, I’ll put out an APB on the dead pilgrim.”

“I figured since you no longer had an old vendetta to obsess over then you’re free to solve a real crime.” God I love this woman.

“Your father and I buried the hatchet. Maybe you should do the same.”

“I don’t bury hatchets, I sharpen them.”

— — —

Wednesday went to Xavier’s art shed to ask him about the gates she saw in her vision, apparently he had a massive painting of Wednesday playing her cello. Thing said he hit on her a little, said stuff about he couldn’t forget her even when he tried. Thing is honestly awesome.

When we were talking about theories me and Wednesday started kissing, we got to work on not getting pent up during those moments, and Bianca walked in when she was returning the snood Enid made for her. Why is it that whenever someone find’s out about our relationship it’s because of their lack of privacy.

She just gave us a genuine smile, returned the snood, congratulated us, and left.

We are now at the Gates’ old abandoned mansion, the kid Mr. Addams was accused of killing, the family who all died horrible deaths. Not that they didn’t deserve it.

We go inside the estate to investigate but we hear someone walking around inside and rush to hide. Mayor Walker walks out and calls the Sheriff saying that he thinks that he figured out who’s behind it all of this and that they need to meet at the Weathervane. Me and Wednesday hide in his trunk as he finishes his call and drives off to the Weathervane.

We wait for him to get inside but he is suddenly hit by a blue car. We jump out and I call 911.

After the ambulance picks him up we sit inside with the Sheriff who looks like he’s having a bit of a panic attack.

“He’s alive, barely, I’ll take you two back after I get your statements.”

“We already gave it to your deputy. Blue Cadillac with no license plates.”

“It sucks, I always wanted a Cadillac and now I’ll just associate it with murder.” I complain, now I guess I’d just have to settle with getting a Mustang.

“Yeah, I know, I want a better one.” He then puts down a tape recorder. “What were you doing in the back mayor’s SUV?”

“We saw him coming out of the Gates mansion.” I answer.

“The Gates mansion, the hell were you doing there.”

“We were house hunting.” She quips. “I overheard the voicemail he left you, I was intrigued.:

“Back when the mayor was sheriff he used to have a lot of wild theories on cases that he couldn’t solve. So we’d dissect them over pie sitting in that booth back there. Most of the time they went nowhere.”

“Call me old fashioned but when someone is run over on their way to give the police key information, it usually means they were onto something, and all signs point to the Gates family and that house.”

“The Gates family, how every last one of them is dead and I don’t believe in ghosts.”

“Maybe you should.” I finish before Wednesday stops the recording and we leave.

— — —

We are now getting chewed out by Weems, apparently getting involved in the murder of Rowan, the attempted murder of Eugene and the Mayor, the Monster running around trying to kill them, the possibility of a centuries old conspiracy, and a prophecy that will determine the fate of our school is what she considers getting involved in every bad thing to happen.

“As of now the school is on full lock down and your off campus privileges are revoked until further notice.”

After getting chewed out like that we go back to our rooms. Wednesday is writing her novel and I am sharpening some my swords which I’ve been sneaking into my room recently.

— — —

Wednesday said that we’re going to the Gates mansion at 8, while I would bring up the rules and our punishments I feel like we’re way beyond that point by now.

I notice a car just outside the Nevermore campus boundaries so I bring my sword with me, this one has ice runes engraved onto it, I figure that if I get the chance freezing the monster may be our best course of action.

I hop in the backseat to only see Enid wearing her snood next to me, Wednesday in shotgun wearing her own snood, and Tyler in the drivers seat dressed to impress.

“Wait he’s our Uber driver?” Enid asks.

“Uber driver, I thought we were going on a date.” Tyler says, what made you think that, Enid also gets weirded out by this due to her knowledge of me and Wends secret relationship.

“I thought this was a girls’ night out.” Enid chimes in, yeah screw the date, that’s the weirdest thing anyone though Wednesday would be doing with them tonight.

“I thought we were hunting the monster and investigating an abandoned mansion.”

“There’s been a change of plans.” Wednesday answers leaving us all confused.

“Hey what’s with the weird matching hoodie scarf things?” Tyler asked.

“Don’t ask, just drive.”

We drive off to the old Gates mansion so at least I wasn’t lied to. But Wednesday really shouldn’t have dragged Enid and Tyler into it, the two of us should have been more than enough for this and she didn’t have to manipulate both of them.

“You seriously want to go in there? This place is creepy AF.” Enid asks

“I know.” Wends responds.

“Okay this isn’t what I signed up for.” Tyler says.

“Ditto.” Enid adds.

“I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday by going to dinner or a surprise party. I want to do this.”

“Then you shoulda just said so, you didn’t have to trick us.” Tyler points out.

“If you want to go you can. I’m going to go check out the garage.” Me and Wends walk off into the house.

We try forcing the door open before Tyler tries and then Enid finally manages to bust it off it’s hinges with relative ease.

“Werewolf thing.”

We then enter and find a car under a tarp, blue Cadillac.

“Okay this just took a dark turn.” Enid says creeped out. “We need to call Tyler’s dad right freakin now.”

“Why? So he can take me and Y/N back to Nevermore and get us expelled? It’s not gonna happen.”

We walk further into the house.

“This is the night I’m going to die.” Tyler says.

We stare up at the portrait of the gates family for a good few seconds so Wednesday can narrate her life in her head.

We walk into the library when Tyler asks if we’ve seen enough.

Wednesday looks between two columns before pulling a secret lever on one and opening a secret compartment, inside being a portrait of Crackstone and a number of candles, all recently lit.

“Who doesn’t have a spooky built in altar in their family library?” Enid says.

“Ours in the living room. More seating for year-long Dia de los Muertos.” Wednesday answers. I swear to god I fall more in love with this woman every day. Enid starts to whimper as we step into the altar, messages are written on the walls in red. Wednesday checks the candles and confirms they are still warm. She tells me and Tyler to check the rest of the ground floor while she and Enid check upstairs. Me and Tyler split up to search in different directions I search the kitchen and dining room for a little bit.

All of a sudden I hear scratching and I turn and come face to face with the monster, I have no time to dodge or draw and can only be scratched across the chest as it starts to run to the stairs. I run after it with my sword and use the runs to send shards of ice flying towards it. A few get it on the back causing it to roar and charge at me, I side step and manage to get a slice at it’s arm before it hurdles into the wall. Hopefully the noise down here tells them to get the hell out of this place. The monster charges at me again but this time ducks under my blade and makes another swipe at my chest. I finally collapse on the ground.

I begin to crawl after it and I hear Tyler shout out. “Guys down here.” Before seemingly getting attacked by the monster. I hear the monster roaring and Enid screaming in the house.

After a few minutes Tyler finds me and brings outside and leans me against the tree. He got a huge scratch from the monster on his arm and a smaller one on his chest.

Suddenly Wednesday and Enid run up to us. Enid looks terrified and Wednesday actually looks worried about me.

My heart starts to beat uncontrollably and my breathing gets faster and faster till I’m hyperventilating. Shit it feels like my hearts going to just jump right out of my chest, I can’t hear anything besides that, nothing but my heart, it’s only going quicker. Everything’s getting blurry, I can’t tell if that’s from blood loss or the panic attack. I think another person showed up but I can’t tell.

Suddenly I feel a hand grasp my own and I look up and see Wednesday, wearing an unusual look of care and concern across her face.

“You’re okay.” She starts telling me repeatedly, suddenly Enid grabs my other hand and the new guy who I now recognize as Tyler starts putting some cloth over my wounds. I look over everyone helping me and my heartbeat starts to go down and my breaths get slower.

“Can you walk?” Wednesday asks me, I try to stand but to no avail.

“What happened to him?” Xavier asks worried.

— — —

Tyler and Xavier helped me back to Tyler’s house where Wednesday is stitching me up.

“Thanks.” I say.

“Look, we need to get back before Weems realizes we’ve been gone.” Enid said.

Suddenly the Sheriff walks in. “What the hell happened? This was you wasn’t it.” He says walking up to Wednesday but Tyler stops him and Wednesday starts to take him to the mansion so I get up to get with them.

“No, you’re not coming.”

“But-”

“No. Enid take him back to Nevermore.”

We complied and Enid helped me up and we managed to get to Nevermore without me falling down onto the ground.

Wednesday eventually sneaks into my room through the window.

“How are you?” She asks in her deadpan.

“Fine.” I simply reply, seriously no sorry you got hurt, I shouldn’t have put our friends in danger, we should go ask them to forgive us.

“I told Weems about our prophecy.” She says.

“That’s nice.” I say a little disinterested.

“Are you mad at me too?” She asks annoyed. “You didn’t have to come.”

“I’m not mad at you for me getting hurt, I signed up for this when we agreed to be partners. I’m mad that you dragged Tyler and Enid into this, they had nothing to do with the case, but you put them in danger anyway. Did you learn nothing from Eugene, he almost died, they could have died.” I yell at her. This seems to start to get through to her. “And the worst part is you don’t seem to care about this.”

“Enid moved to Yoko’s room.” Wednesday admitted.

“I’m sorry to hear that but she had every right, she has done nothing but be supportive and kind towards you, she stayed at the mansion because she valued your friendship and you took that for granted, you’ve pushed everyone who’s given a damn about you away.”

Wednesday seems to accept her mistakes and leaves the room. I’m not even mad at her, I just want Enid to be okay, and to a much lesser extent, Tyler to receive minor injuries. Wednesday needs to get called out or she will do this over and over again until someone she cares about will die. I’m also mad because it still feels like she doesn’t trust me, what did she see in her vision when she touched my hand, I want her to be able to tell me on her own but this is just getting ridiculous, what was so bad that she couldn’t tell me.

[thesims4blogger]

EA Announces Two New Kits Coming September 7th

After various leaks these past few days, EA has officially announced two new kits for The Sims 4: Poolside Splash Kit and Modern Luxe Kit.

The first one is for Create a Sim items and, as the name suggests, brings an assortment of clothes in the swimwear category and also accessories that go with them.

As for the second one, Maxis has partnered up with simmer and creator @XureilaYT for items that “celebrate hard work with new elegant furniture that says ‘I made it'”, as they say on social media.

Below, you’ll find both the announcement tweet and the community blog. Both kits come out this Thursday, September 7th.

Sul Sul Simmers! It’s time to turn heads with your most vibrant looks – both indoors and outdoors! From bright and playful swimwear designs to luxurious modern furniture, create the very best ensembles and spaces that make a statement this season in The Sims™ 4! With The Sims 4 Poolside Splash and Modern Luxe Kits, players can style their Sims for a day strutting their stuff at the pool and design a luxurious bedroom for an evening of relaxation in comfortable elegance.

Become the Life of the Pool Party

The Sims 4 Poolside Splash Kit empowers Sims to turn heads at the pool with bright and playful swimwear that compliments a variety of skin tones and body types.

Dive into the plethora of patterns, colors and trendy cuts of this collection that celebrate your Sim’s unique style. Whether your Sim is looking to get flirty in the hot tub or be the life of the party by the pool, these lively looks will surely make your Sim stand out. Sims can even dip their toes into the world of aquatic accessories, perfecting their poolside ensemble with stylish shades, rainbow nails, sandals, fabulous floaties and more. Mix and match all of these pieces for dazzling results that indulge in your sense of fun as you bask in the sun.

Live in the Luxury Your Sims Deserve

It’s time to sit back and treat your Sim to a life of luxury. They’ve worked hard and it’s time to celebrate how far they’ve come. With The Sims 4 Modern Luxe Kit, your Sim can say “I made it,” through elegant art, sophisticated décor and cushy comfort. Leave frugality in the past and showcase your Sims’ signs of success.

Embrace your creative side and design a stylish and inviting space filled to the brim with high-end pieces like TV’s disguised as wall art, designer handbags, sculptures and a functional record player.

Xureila collaborated with our developers and art director to create this Kit. “This entire experience has been amazing! I really enjoyed working with The Sims team,” said Xureila. “From my vision board of the design to choosing the style and colors of the furniture, it was surreal seeing my ideas come to life. This is truly a dream come true! I drew inspiration from Black artists who showcased the luxurious lifestyle of Black individuals. This ultimately served as the primary influence for the project. I mixed in my own personal tastes and interests to create the final product.”

As your Sims relax in their space, wind down the evening in a state of bedroom bliss. With a lavish bed and tufted headboard, vanity, plush rug and other decadent details, discover that an evening in has never felt so good.

The Sims 4 Poolside Splash and Modern Luxe Kits will be available on September 7, 2023 on PC via EA app™, Mac® via Origin, Epic Games Store and Steam®, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One systems.

[ssivinee]

✧Original Visual✧

Irene x Aespa! 96’ liner! F reader:  In the industry, beautiful idols aren’t uncommon. Your beauty was on the next level, all the 4th gen knew. But what if a certain 3rd-generation original visual begins to notice you due to a V-live you did?

Word Count: 1.4k

Note: Simple fic since I may not be able to write much today🥲

Character Vision Board

Choi Y/n, the oldest member of Aespa, was known for many things. Her dance skills, rap skills, composing, and even music production. She’s even the older sister of TXT member Choi Yeonjun.

But if you were to ask the K-pop community and idol industry what she was known for, it was her visuals. Y/n had a powerful gaze, sharp jawline, plump lips, and currently, oxford blue hair that cascaded down her back, ending right above her hips.

One dull day, Karina and Y/n were in SM’s dance studio. It was their day off, and despite being happy about that, the two members didn’t know what to do with their day, so they just decided to go to the company building and chill there.

The two girls wore similar outfits: grey sweats, a basic cropped hoodie, and sneakers. They lay on the black couch, just staring at the ceiling.

"Unnie~, I’m bored~"

"Jimin-ah... so am I."

The two looked at each other as Karina laid her head on Y/n’s lap, trying to figure out how to make time go by faster.

“Wait, what if we do a live?” Karina jumps into action, going to get the company phone, “you finally came up with an idea after so long.”

“You could’ve thought of it yourself!” Y/n chuckles as the girl sticks her tongue out, returning with another phone.

They take a tripod phone stand, attach it, and begin the V-live. After waiting a few minutes for MY to join, they finally had about 5k viewers, so they decided to start.

“Hello, guys,” Y/n stares at the chat while her and Karina wave.

“AESPA’S VISUAL LINE?”

“What did we do to deserve your guy’s grace today?”

“Y/n and Karina’s duo is something I didn’t know I needed.”

“Clap twice if you wanna leave SM.”

Y/n laughed at the several comments she saw, especially the English ones. “You guys know how to make me laugh.”

“We were bored, so we just decided to go on V-live to talk to you guys,” the younger stated, and spam of hearts came from the chat. The two keep reading and begin to read some questions.

“What song are you guys obsessed with at the moment?”

“Spicy by Aespa,” Karina said, making Y/n look at her like she was crazy, “Okay, self-promo.”

“Unnie, that’s how it should be. We’re idols, man,” Y/n laughs at Karina’s statement, hitting her lightly as it was a habit when she found things funny. “Anyways, for me, it would probably have to be Unforgiven & Fire in the Belly by Le Sserafim. They killed it on their album.” Karina nods in agreement.

“Dance Unforgiven? Guys, I haven’t learned the choreography.”

“She’s lying~ She knows it from TikTok,” Karina exposes her in a tattle-tale tone. “Wha~, no way you outed me like that,” the younger shrugs, followed by a giggle. “Do it, unnie.”

“Fine,” Y/n gets up to go to the computer. She ensured everything was connected before playing a few seconds before the chorus. “You guys ready for unnie to slay?” Karina says, and Y/n begins to dance the chorus. Effortlessly, she jumps with a bunny-like hand, then turns her fingers into horns and repeats, doing the same steps.

Once she finishes, the leader goes, “See, I told you she’s a liar. She knew the dance.” Y/n sits back down next to her, slapping Karina’s shoulder, which causes the girl to act like it hurts.

The live went on for 3 hours, and a lot happened. The girls talked, danced, and even sang songs. Now fans had a compilation of them dancing to ‘Kick It’ by NCT 127, ‘Wannabe’ by ITZY, ‘Hype Boy’ by New Jeans, ‘Hey Mama’ by the SWF dance challenge, and more.

Nearing the end, they decided to take one final request, “Psycho by Red Velvet sunbaenim?” When Karina read the comment, Y/n rushed to the computer and played the instrumental version. “Wait, we’re singing to it as well?”

“Yes! I love this song way too much to not sing it.”

The two got in place, and once the song began, Karina focused on dancing while Y/n did the adlibs perfectly. Comments start to go wild over her voice.

“Y/n drank the SM water again.”

“Ain’t no way she hitting Wendy’s notes????”

“Sub-vocal of Aespa, everyone!”

Y/n joins in on the dance now, and the two begin switching lines back and forth, creating a live vocal performance of the song. The second verse begins to hit, Y/n gets hyped and raps, “Hey trouble 경따윈 없이 오는 너, I’m original visual, 우린 원래 이랬어 yeah.” Karina joins her in singing the iconic one-liner. Then the comments go crazy again.

“4TH GEN ORIGINAL VISUALS YUH.”

“Wha~ the rap suits her.”

“I need a collab with Aespa’s visual line and Irene.”

As the song ends, the two are out of breath and fall to the ground. The echoing dance studio now echoed with their heavy breathing, “Sorry guys, we went a bit overboard,” Y/n tells them as the two drink their waters.

“No, you didn’t. It was amazing!”

“I need a live stage version stat.”

“Joohyun-ssi would be proud.”

“I think that’s it for us, you guys. We’ll do a V-live soon with the other members,” Karina tells the chat, and as fans spammed bye, she ended the stream.

“I’m pooped, man.”

“Same.”

The two get up and prepare to head back to their dorms. Once in the van, Y/n stays on her phone while Karina takes a quick nap. She then gets a notification from Instagram, which she questions. That would only mean an idol was texting her, but it would mean they’re an idol she never spoke to before since they didn’t message her regularly.

Looking at her DMs, shocked was an understatement. The Bae Joohyun had texted her, and once she opened the chat, she wanted to throw her phone out of the car.

Irene texted, ‘Wow, Y/n-ssi, you're a beautiful dancer. Thank you for rapping my lines and doing justice to our song.’

...

BEAUTIFUL DANCER?!

Y/n and the Aespa members were reasonably close to certain SM idols, mainly female idols, due to Y/n, Karina, and Winter being in Got The Beat. One specific idol she never got the chance to interact with was the one who was texting her right now.

‘It’s an honor, sunbaenim. I’m glad it got your approval,’ Y/n sends. She was frantic, not knowing what to say, ‘An honor? Your sound so corny, c’mon.’ Before she could even unsend the message, texting bubbles began to pop up.

Oh dear, she saw it. ‘Y/n-ah. No need to be so formal. Just call me Joohyun-unnie.’

If you thought this couldn’t make it any worse for Y/n, it did. She freaks out and has to do breathing exercises to calm herself down.

‘Okay, unnie! May I ask how you knew about the cover?’

‘Ah, the clips circulated very fast, lol.’

Y/n smiled to herself. She was texting someone she thought was untouchable in the industry. The car stops, and she notices they’re in front of their dorm. “Jimin-ah, wake up, we’re here,” she wakes the younger in a delicate tone.

At another dorm, the older woman lay in bed watching the Psycho cover multiple times. “Unnie, do you have my sweater? The red one?” Irene heard Seulgi’s voice.

“Yeah, it’s in here on my chair!” She hears the dancer’s footsteps, and as Seulgi enters the room, she hears the Psycho clip, catching her attention as well.

“What are you watching?” The younger lay on her paid, peaking at her phone to see the familiar girls. “Y/n and Jimin did a cover of Psycho, even singing to it,” Irene shows her the phone, and Seulgi smiles at the two girls.

“I’m not surprised. They’ve always been excellent,” she stands up and takes her sweater. “That reminds me to text them soon.”

Irene says, “You think I can have Y/n’s number?” Seulgi looks at her leader with suspicious eyes.

“Sure,” Seulgi sends your number to Irene, but before she leaves, she asks the latter, “Can I ask why?”

“I just want to get to know her. Is that so bad?” Irene says as she adds your number to her contacts and in a sarcastic tone, “Right, that’s the reason, unnie.”

Irene rolled her eyes as Seulgi left. She wasn’t lying when she said she wanted to get to know you, but Seulgi knew her unnie too well to know that that wasn’t the only reason. Irene thought you were gorgeous, sexy, and very charismatic.

She’d never admit that to her members, though. Maybe she would after she and Y/n establish a bond.

[justalittleobsessed]

Mike and Mikey's Guide on How to Take the Fashion World by Storm

Mike (@justalittleobsessed) takes the idea of fashion week very seriously. That includes dressing others up. And Mikey (@spacemimz) seems to be first on that list. It's okay though. Mike has a plan. Mike has a vision.

Mike and Mikey from Cabin 15 are gonna slay this fashion week, that's for sure.

Part 2 in "The Adventures of Mike and Mikey"

<- Part 1 | Part 3 ->

@tmnt-fandom-family-reunion

Mike ran towards Mikey at breakneck speed– propelled by his excitement upon the announcement of the new event. “Mikey! My fellow turtle in orange! I have amazing news.” He skids to a stop next to the part-Kraang turtle, stopping to catch his breath.

He doesn’t think he’s ever sprinted that fast across camp before. But who can blame him when he gets amazing news such as this? They can’t. They absolutely can’t. This is his time to shine. This is their time to shine. He’s gonna make Mikey look absolutely stunning, and then after that the rest of his cabin, and after that Cabin 14, and then once he does all of that he’s gonna put on the best fashion show this random dimension camp thingy has ever seen.

The other turtle chirps in response, looking towards Mike with interest. “My eight year old self is screaming right now, Mikey. Screaming.” He jumps up and down, clapping his hands. “I was in the mess hall, right? And I’m just doing my thing, vibing, socializing, the works… when BAM! I looked at the announcement board and there was a new event. An update. And what was that update? A fashion show! This is all I’ve ever wanted in life. My chance to be a fashion designer is front and center.”

Plopping down next to his friend he gave his most blinding smile, throwing down a bag between them. Mikey eyed it suspiciously. Mike didn’t let that deter him. “So my first step into becoming the ultimate fashionista is to dress you up.” Mikey only frowned harder, then shook his head. “Don’t worry dude! I got ya all covered. I know clothes are hard but we’re gonna work it out, okay? So! Let’s start with colors.”

He dumps out the bag of clothing, not elaborating on where he got it. It… doesn’t matter. What does matter is fashion.

“I’m assuming orange.” He begins, putting all of the orange clothes into one pile, “A bomb color choice by the way. But other colors. Like any? Want any? Just point at them and I’ll add it to our selection.”

Mikey chirped and tilted his head to the side. He eyed the clothes and accessories Mike had brought. 

Mike was still grinning as he watched his friend examine the pile. I am so gonna make a fashion statement, he thought. That's when he felt a slimy tap on his arm. Looking back at his friend, he could decipher why.

Mikey had found a gorgeous light blue scarf. The sparkles in the kraang turtle's eyes were almost blinding. "Oh! Oh yeah we have to take this scarf, that's beautiful. Great choice buddy,” Mike praised. That got to Mikey, the praise made him wag his tail and actually get excited for the fashion show.

Score one for Michelangelo: Elite Fashion Designer!

Not long after Mikey had added a deep purple tulle skirt and red bow to their fashion collection. Mike could see why he chose those colors. Exactly why. Putting his hand to his chin, the fashionista thought how he could integrate all these colors into a bomb outfit and what jewelry would go along with it.

Speaking of jewelry, Mikey was frozen by the shining choices before him. It overwhelmed his turtle brain so he just grabbed the whole pile. Mike snickered at Mikey’s eagerness for shiny things. It was an all too real feeling. “Now, we can't take all of that. It needs to fit the vibe my dude! Here how about we focus on the stuff with gems in it? For extra sparkles.” Mikey chirped happily in response. More sparkles sounded good.

More sparkles were always good. Now, he just needed to make sure they were in the right amount in the right places to perfectly capture Mikey’s vibes.

He hummed, taking in all the pieces laid out before them. “Let’s start with getting those main pieces on you. I need to see the outfit before we can complete the whole look, ya know?” He hands the younger turtle the skirt, turning around to grab the red bow. “Get that skirt on, Mikey ‘cause I got plans for this bow.”

When he turned around, Mikey was just finishing putting on his skirt. It looked awesome. The color just worked on the other turtle. Matching not only the orange but well. But the pink too. He smiled, excited.

Reaching forward, Mike took the bow and pinned it to the front of Mikey’s skirt. On the top right side the red ribbon took its place. It looked good. It looked dare he say… great even. “Ok, so you slay.” He begins, gently taking the scarf from Mikey. The other turtle chirped happily at Mike’s approval. He felt his heart swell. This is why he decided to get into fashion. He unrolled the scarf, examining the silky material. “Idea: this scarf is big.” He holds it in front of the other turtle, contemplating. “So, I’m thinking no shirt. Jacket. Anything like that. Seems a little hard. BUT!” He continues when Mikey’s face drops slightly. “Your scarf has given me inspiration. How about a wrap? A sash? It won’t sit uncomfortably on the alien side. It fills up more space. Ya with me? Then. Then. Orange jewelry for highlights! Maybe green? Hm. I think I need to see more of the outfit before I decide.”

He fiddles with the scarf for a minute in concentration, then moves towards his friend. He’s got it down with this sash idea. Mike doesn’t know what the… Kraang part of Mikey feels like, but it can’t be good. Adding something on top of that – a shirt or scarf for example – seems like it’d do more harm than good.

Mike doesn’t want that. He wants Mikey to enjoy being dressed up for fashion week. Honestly, he just wants Mikey to enjoy camp in general. He may not be able to talk, but he knows his younger friend is generally not having a good time.

Anything that Mike can do to make his friend have fun and enjoy this random camp dimension he’ll do. For however long they’re here. Mike’s determined.

Finishing the wrap with a tight bow in the back, he can totally tell he had the right idea here. Mikey is killing it. Hah. “Mikey, I have to be honest with you.” Mikey looks at him curiously, although his body language screams nervous. “You… look… absolutely stunning! And we haven’t even added the jewelry yet.”

Mikey chirped, face lighting up. Yes, score!

“Speaking of jewelry, we gotta pick some things from your pile here, dude!” Mike started digging through the pile, looking for the best of the best. “Hmmm bracelets?” He muttered to himself, picking out a few or the more flashier pieces. Grabbing three of them, he held the pieces of jewelry out to Mikey. “Which one?” Mikey started scanning the pieces, looking at them intently. Finally he stopped, then tapped all three of them. “Ooooo I’m liking the idea, Mikey. As a matter of fact, I’m loving it!” He puts all three orange bracelets on Mikey’s non-Kraangified hand, and then while he still has it, grabs a sparkly orange and green ring, and slips that on too.

He steps back one more time, looking at the finished outfit. Perfect. “Ah yes, I think the jewelry added a certain… je ne sais quoi to the outfit, don’t you?” He grabs a mirror that he had also snatched from the bottom of the bag, holding it up in front of his younger friend.

Mikey leaned closer to it, looking this way and that. Then Mike stepped back more so Mikey could see his whole body in the reflection, and the younger turtle’s face broke into a smile, bouncing up and down happily.

“You like it?” Mikey nods enthusiastically. “Yeah, me too!” He sets down the mirror, before grabbing his phone out and taking pictures of Mikey. After he’s done, he leans in and takes a selfie of the two of them, smiles matching each other. “First fashion venture a success! Now I think it’s time to show camp just how awesome you look!”

Grabbing Mikey’s hand and picking up the rest of the clothes and jewelry he had grabbed, Mike pulled Mikey along, excited to have fun with his younger friend. Excited that Mikey is enjoying this just as much as him.

Yeah, this fashion event is going great.

[thatiranianphantom]

I don't usually slide into the ask box of people that I strongly disagree with. It's usually utterly pointless and I usually adhere to a strict "live and let live" policy...but your RD takes are just so deeply unsettling that I am making an exception.

Claiming that RD is softcore porn now is just...not true.

This is not even remotely softcore porn. This is barely erotic. And I think your assertion that the show feels like a masturbatory fantasy from the writers has a lot more to do with the fact that you're personally unhappy with the show's direction than the show itself. It's a bad faith reading on the show, steeped in pearl clutching, Hayes Code romancing, nonsense.

Takes like yours, whether they mean to or not, are begging for the Hayes Code to come back. Begging. "Oh, TV shows should only show good morals and whenever they show something morally ambiguous, it should be clear where the moral failings are".

That's a big part of the Hayes Code. And I, for one, reject that ideology with every fiber of my being. TV shows do not need to be parables. They are under no obligation to preach good morals to their audiences. Their purpose is to express ideas!

And Riverdale is doing a bang up job, if I do say so myself (even if I personally feel it could have gone further with a lot of its plots). It's meta-commentary on Americana, film, and television is unmatched. Its refusal to be any one thing is both brave and fascinating. The show has remained true to its vision despite pissing off much of its audience, which is rare in a landscape of shameless pandering for views. God bless Riverdale for that.

(Speaking only of the show itself here, not its marketing.)

But back to the main point. You claim no one will want to hire the Riverdale writers after this and that you think they should go to prison. That's...honestly a deeply conservative mindset and you're not alone in thinking that, but you are highly visible. So, I bring my thoughts to your ask box.

I implore you to look beyond the surface of the media you consume and to recognize that our reactions to stories have a lot more to do with our own feelings than the stories themselves unless we specifically step away from ourselves for analysis. And hey, there's nothing wrong with having opinions on your own blog, so feel free to dismiss me as a little hater. <3

I apologize that this has gotten so long and if I sounded nasty. I am just so deeply disturbed by the prevalence of purity culture in fandom these days. It starts with "think of the children!" and "No kink at pride!" and ends with the eradication of anyone who doesn't fit into the conservative ideal for culture. I'm not saying that you want that, per se, but be careful because those that do want that think similarly.

Thanks.

Okay.....first of all, and I mean this genuinely, kudos to putting your name behind this. This doesn't happen often, so a true fist bump to you.

How generous of you to come here and offer unsolicited and incredibly condescending pseudo-intellectual commentary on what I am allowed to post on my blog. Very generous. But hey, I'm high profile! Lil' ol' me! Look Ma, I made it!

Now we gotta get in the weeds here. Yeah, I am not going to take back or apologize for how softcore-y this show has been this season. I stand behind the statements I made about how creepy it is to watch a grown man's masturbatory fantasy play out on screen. In the last episode alone, they have sexualized pedophilia and grooming (with a teacher student fantasy) and children playing a board game.

See the thing is, it would be purity culture to suggest a woman CAN'T have sex or be sexually attracted to someone. We spent 6 years with Betty as someone who liked sex, and that was fine! We even spent s5 with Betty who used sex as a bandaid. That wasn't healthy, but she was an adult woman having sex. It was fine. Fifties Betty has sex as her ENTIRE character. There is nothing else to 50s Betty. She's horny. She wants to have sex. She wants to have sex so much that she's actively predatory. That's it. And having one and only one character motivation kinda flies in the face of the whole "feminism" thing the show is trying to project, don't it?

Hey, I'll give you that the show THINKS it is making a feminist statement. I'll give you that the show's writers probably THINK they are fixing racism, sexism and homophobia in one fell swoop. But they aren't. Quite the contrary, they are actively furthering those issues while thinking they're doing an amazing job. They degrade women while touting themselves as feminists. They made their only Latina family mob members while touting themselves champions of POC stories. They view themselves as LGBT representation while one character decides another's sexuality and their agency in coming out is stripped from them.

Adding to that, it's fine if you disagree with me. I speak only for myself, and the block button is easy to find. It's all good. I'm not offended that you disagree with me, but to suggest Riverdale is scathing, witty meta-commentary? RIVERDALE????? I don't think I'm the one who doesn't know what this show is, anon. This show is a vehicle to leer on the hot cast members, and more recently, to act out some personal ~aesthetic* writer fantasies. It has never and will never be what you proclaimed it to be:

"meta-commentary on Americana, film, and television is unmatched. Its refusal to be any one thing is both brave and fascinating. The show has remained true to its vision despite pissing off much of its audience, which is rare in a landscape of shameless pandering for views. God bless Riverdale for that."

I'm...a little stunned that you think it is. But nonetheless, I stand behind the statement that writers whose misogyny comes out LOUDLY in their writing, who have stripped this show of anything interesting, recognizable or interesting, and whose relationship with the fans on social media is disturbing at best, will not be prime targets for new shows.

Again, I do genuinely commend you for putting your name behind your thoughts. I have no issue with you disagreeing with me, or the majority of the fandom in general. I have no ill will to you. But yes, I believe this season of the show is disturbing, misogynistic and creepily sexual. It's a statement I stand by, and while you're under no obligation to agree, I hope you're able to find the block button next time.