#it surprises me that people want to be in the philippines for an adventure | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

lady-lauren · 10 months ago

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heya there! I hope you've had a good day! if your match up requests are still open i'd like to request for one (if they arent just ignore this!) please lmk if i missed anything i shouldve included!

I'm 19, i prefer a male character, and i wouldn't mind some nsfw thrown in! (of course not needed, but you can add if you see fit, your choice (⁠｡⁠•̀⁠ᴗ⁠-⁠)⁠✧ )

my zodiac is a scorpio (I'm pretty sure at least, I'm not too interested in them)

my love languages are definitely physical touch and words of affirmation (i honestly cant pick between the two)

i like to draw and bake, sometimes cooking! i like going out a lot as well, especially to shop lol, one of my icks are big age gaps i just dont find it attractive, and daddy kinks and similar stuff. I like being spoiled a lot, makes me feel like a princess, AND PETNAMES

im from the philippines, i have medium length straight black asian hair with some dark brown highlights, no bangs really! i wear glasses, and im 155cm tall

i dont really have a type but i love people who'll listen to me yap while also engaging in conversation as well, people who only listen and never talk back kind of make me nervous

I'm sorry this is so long! Again feel free to ignore this if u dont wanna do this / ur matchup requests arent open, etc

Oh Kyokikia you are SO lovely. And don't worry, I got your second ask, too 💕

You want to be spoiled rotten? Sanji is the man for you. He might be a little on the obsessive side, but in all the best ways. He's a charmer, a listener, and advocator– the world is yours and he's just so happy to be living in it with you.

In your second ask you said you're bubbly and outgoing, and Sanji is the perfect match for that. He will be right along with you for every party, every adventure, but he'll make sure never to overshadow your shine. He wants you at the center of attention! He thinks you're the sun and everyone should be so lucky to bask in your warmth. And slutty clothes? Well, that's his favorite. Any excuse to drool over you, he'll take it. But don't be surprised if he threatens to kick the eyeballs out of anyone who stares at you just a little too long. He will encourage you to wear anything– and nothing, if he can get away with it.

Sanji is the KING of words of affirmation. He's practically spewing poetry for you any time you walk in the room; no matter how long you've been together, he will always find a new way to praise you.

Petnames are his favorite. Princess. Darling. Sweetheart. Baby. Lover. Light of My Life. Sun to My Stars. Every day he crafts something new just for you.

Sanji is a Pisces, a water sign just like your Scorpio. He can talk all day and all night with you. He'll listen when you need, but most of the time he's caught on the tip of your tongue and wants to ask questions and engage as much as possible.

He has such a praise kink– both ways. He wants you to praise him and as much as he will praise you. He's a sweet but overwhelming lover, always kissing you, touching you, and showing you off.

#lauren answers #match ups #the moment I started reading your ask I was like yes #it's the chef #Sanji deserves you as much as you deserve him #sanji #one piece

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winecupwars · 2 years ago

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progress report: mewwy chwismois

i love this time of the year so much 💕

most people in the philippines celebrate christmas on the night of the 24th; they go all out with karaoke, fireworks, pasta and lechon and other extravagant handa, but for us, it's just a night to eat ham sandwiches and give each other gifts. it's nice, but for as long as i can remember, december 25th has been The Day. it's when everyone - even my uncle and his family, who live in the city - spends the day at our house. we don't really do much aside from eat and drink and chat, but it's enough to make the day fun and the best day of the year. the chaos of everyone coming together and joking around is my favorite part :)

aside from the christmas festivities, life has been much of the same. i spent most of last week restless at work, just pretending to be interested in what i was doing. i just couldn't wait for my time off, which starts today, the 26th, until january 2nd next year. i don't have much planned. i might go out and meet some friends, or i might just laze around, watch a bunch of movies, play some games, write and draw and bake. i don't know! life is full of possibilities!!

youtube

listened. my uncle got my harry styles' new album harry's house on vinyl for christmas, so i listened to it for the first time again in months. it's a fine album, a slightly different sound - it's like if you moved the sonic landscape of his discography just a little to the left. satellite and cinema are my favorite songs, though satellite remains the high point.

watched. on christmas night, we watched the guardians of the galaxy holiday special and the king's men. i'd give both two and a half stars since they're both just ok movies.

the gotg holiday special was cute, carefully engineered written to be sweet and heartwarming and i must admit i aww'd at some point. i am not immune to the mcu.

the king's men, i didn't expect to be a historical action-drama set in world war 1. it's surprised me at points and bored me in others, but i do have to say that nothing can beat the absolute high point of the rasputin assassination fight scene. the movie peaked with that scene, and after it, everything else was kind of dull. though the fight choreography for all the fights was exceptional, as it is for all of the films in this franchise.

today, we watched glass onion and i loved it! it's a fun little murder mystery with a funky little gay detective and lovely lovely janelle monae taking down an idiotic asshole billionaire - it's like it was made for me to enjoy. i want more of benoit blanc and his adventures!!

misc. i baked almost a hundred cookies this december, a couple batches of this browned butter horlicks cookie that i found on youtube, and my some chai chocolate chip cookies made from my drop cookie base.

i tweaked my drop cookie base recipe actually since i've noticed that it was coming out pretty dense and it wasn't spreading in the oven. there was too much flour in it, i think? i'm not entirely sure. i changed it up and i think i have something that's pretty good. if any of you want to try it and give me feedback, i'd be grateful :)

peri's drop cookie base

note: this recipe can make around 45 smallish cookies

ingredients:

1 cup butter (can be browned butter if you want a nutty flavor note)

1 cup brown sugar - add a few tablespoons for a chewier cookie

1/2 cup white sugar - add a few tablespoons for a crispier cookie

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp milk

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

whatever mixins you want!*

how to:

if you want browned butter, melt the butter in a pan until it browns. be careful not to heat it for too long since it burns easily. keep your eye on it!! then, transfer to a bowl and let it cool. if you don't want browned butter, just let the regular butter get to room temperature. actually, make sure all your ingredients are room temperature before going forward.

cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

add eggs one at a time.

add vanilla extract and milk. (and other extracts and flavorings, if using)

mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

add all dry ingredients to the wet. mix until it forms a dough. don’t overmix!

fold in whatever mixins you want.

preheat oven to 350°c. line your baking pan with parchment paper.

portion off dough using a spoon and/or ice cream scoop.

bake for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on how brown you want it.

cool on a wire rack.

*some mixins/flavor combinations:

1 tsp of instant coffee powder, chocolate chips/chunks, nuts (any nut will do, but i would suggest walnuts)

dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and macademia nuts

2 tsp peppermint extract and dark chocolate chips

2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and chocolate chips

toffee bits, pecans, and chocolate chips

1/4 cup oats, 2 tsp cinnamon, and raisins

2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp orange zest (rubbed in with the white sugar), and dried cranberries

a bunch of dried fruit

marshmallows, pretzels, desiccated coconut, candy, graham crackers, sprinkles, anything you can reasonably put on a cookie, basically!

thank you, and enjoy!

#shh peri shhh #progress report

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denizavoech · 3 months ago

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“I’ve felt that pain, that loss, and I wake up every morning, asking myself how I can stop it from happening again”

A strong, profound statement from Professor Sato underscores the driving force behind his and Ken’s battles against the enemies, highlighting the emotional toll and the persistent fight to protect the world.

Ultraman: Rising is a Japanese tokusatsu film directed and written by Shannon Tindle that is part of the expansive Ultraman franchise, which is known for its iconic giant heroes and epic battles against monstrous foes. The movie continues the tradition of the Ultraman series by introducing new elements while staying true to its roots of heroism and adventure.

At first, you may feel frustrated with Ken Sato’s character because it shows how stormy his life is. After losing his mother in an accident, life for him was not the same anymore. He blamed his father for everything, forgetting the intimate connection they had. Based on reality, in Philippine culture and beliefs, talking back to elders is considered disrespectful. That's why there is a negative first impression towards the protagonist.

One day, he gained another responsibility by taking care of the kidnapped baby monster, Emi. At first, he didn’t know what to do, what was the monster’s wants and needs until his life saver since childhood, his AI Mina gave ideas on how to take care of it. Despite the struggle in juggling his career and parental duties, he still declined for his father’s help. However, while saving and finding Emi in the city of Tokyo, Ken Sato accidentally injured her shoulder while trying to save her. With no choice, he finally contacted his father for help, who heals her and aids him in raising her.

As time passes, he finally gets the hang of being a parent and a superhero, setting his mood up high in the air, as bright as the sunshine, and as calm as the sea.

Digging deep into the movie and putting ourselves within his shoes, different backstories and reasons were shown on why his personality and routine was like that. To further explain, whenever he wakes up he’s always in a bad mood and whenever he ends his day, he binge-drinks coffee until his body couldn’t take it anymore. Realizing his sufferings and weaknesses as a hero, formed a prism broken down into dimensions representing every reason of his outraging personality.

The movie teaches us that it’s not just fighting giant monsters, rather than itself fighting the anxiety, the fear, the distractions that come in life and the importance of family despite personal issues.

When it comes to personal reactions, especially in the emotional aspect, the mobie gave me mixed emotions. There were scenes that made me feel angry, sad, fluttered, and surprised. The scene that made me really angry and sad other than the disrespect that Ken showed to his father was when the KDF lured Emi using her mother’s whines causing her to run away and that event was used as a bait to destroy Ken’s home, losing his AI Mina and putting his dad in a critical state. It was like a flush of problems dumped onto someone. On the other hand, the scene that made me flutter was the screen time of Ken Sato because he had a face card that never declines, in short he is very attractive, getting turns and stares in every street he passes. Lastly, the scene that surprised me was how Emi’s mother still had consciousness and memories despite being covered in a robot suit and fighting along Ultraman’s side.

In correlation to all superheroes in every movie, series, and films, they truly live within the saying “With great power, comes great responsibility”. Each day they are called to action as the chosen ones to protect and maintain peace in the world, just like Ken Sato, also known as Ultraman. Within the movie, it shows reality, how powerful people can be strong and weak in some fields. Ultraman is strong when it comes to combating and saving the world, however he is weak when it comes to family. Living the bearing legacy as “Ultraman” has consequences in life choices. It’s whether to keep your peace and let the world suffer or lose your peace and let the world be in a great state.

For the movie analysis, the producers were strong in making the visuals of every character in the movie and its plot. The character of Ultraman was showed effectively and accurately just like the similar films. The movie is relevant, especially this 21st century since people also tend to struggle in different fields despite being known as an intellectual person. Additionally, the movie helps close-minded people to understand and give empathy to what others feel during times that the world is against him/her. However, something felt missing since I wanted to know the details on the disappearance of Ken’s mother and the movie was too short for me despite being aired for two hours.

To sum up everything, it gave me mixed feelings but it was a great movie. It would be better if it had a live interpretation with accurate characters and a longer storyline with a great plot twist. I’m sure other people who are into action and superhero movies would like this. So if I were you, take a seat, prepare your popcorn, watch Ultraman, and give me your thoughts.

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anguiecastillo · 8 months ago

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Starting a new life. Hello Australia.

10 months ago, I traveled from Colombia to Sydney Australia. I had always been that kind of person who seeks new beginning, I think is that part inside of me looking for new adventures, growing and learn more, but one thing is change your hair style, the furniture of your house, even the neighborhood where you live, and another thing changes your life and start from scratch in a country on the other side of the word.

Here begins the story of one more migrant.

Emotion feelings, the first part of those who decide to emigrate.

The morning of the day that I was traveling started with my favorite breakfast and a check list, everything is ready and packed. I looked at my mother and I saw in her eyes sadness and happiness at the same time. - “bring your ass back to Colombia”- She told me. Goodbyes are never easy, but to fulfill dreams you need effort, take risks, perhaps leave behind the people closets to you. I finished my breakfast and took a taxi, then a bus again a taxi and finally a plane.

A week crossing the word.

It was my first international trip, the first stop was Panama, then Mexico, Japan, Singapore, Philippines and finally Australia. 5 days traveling alone. When I tell this, many people think It’s incredible and crazy, for me was exciting this showed me I can do anything if I want.

Being in Japan, I bought a Coke and a Onigiri it is like a rise ball with tuna inside, while I eating this, I remembered my mom saying “When I heard you, and your sister say that they were going to Japan I never believed to be serious.” Only then did I realize that all the premises I made to myself I had fulfilled.

I didn’t know that I had traveled with others Colombians until my last stop, I remembered seeing a large group of people gathered during the travel, but I thought it was just a group of tourist, in my last fly one of them took the seat next to me, and he asked me where I was from, I am from Colombia I replied. He smiled a told me “we think you where Mexican, why you traveled alone? we are a lot of Colombians in the same fly, give me your number phone I will add you to our WhatsApp group”. At that moment I found myself facing one of my greatest weaknesses, the fear of socializing.

When you expose yourself, to a big change as live abroad, you have to be mindfulness, your inner demons will come out to tell you not positive words about yourself. Ignore them is that will make you stronger.

Finally, I was in Australia.

When I arrived to Australia I saw the most beautiful and blue sky that I had never seen before in my life, I felt that God was welcoming me to a new start. I went to buy a sim card, a Spanish girl helped me with the process, when I said goodbye She told me you're going to be fine, you've come to a good place. I owned those words and thought how lucky I was because even though there was no one waiting for me in Sydney, there was someone who gave me a warm welcome.

5 days traveling from Colombia to Australia was enough to learn what I hadn't learned in 28 years.

1. Say goodbye.

2. Everything you promise yourself, keep it.

3. Connect with people.

4. Don't listen to the negative voices inside of you.

5. There will always be a blue sky waiting for you, own the good, learn from the bad.

Emigrating is not easy, but it brings out the best in you. You never know, maybe only if you try you will be surprised or maybe you will learn something new either about the outside world or even better about yourself.

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filoviet · 1 year ago

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Letter 4: 29Sep2023

This is a rough draft only; I did not take a photo of the actual letter:

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Dear QD / Soy,

I have so many positive feelings that I just wanted to write you a letter. Along with the fact that I wanted to keep my weekly streak going… I'll try writing in cursive this time!

I really didn't expect a birthday gift this year. I mean, I'm celebrating my birthday in Australia away from family and friends - You really caught me by surprise. In the past 27 and soon to be 28 years of my life, I have never received such a thoughtful gift like this before. Most of the things in life I have received out of necessity and never as thoughtful as this.

I am very proud to say that being here in Sydney has allowed me to be myself. I am doing so many things that I never thought of doing. Most of my responsibilities are to myself. I have so much freedom. I honestly want to tell you that with all the freedom that I have, the best days I have had in Sydney are the days I spent with you. I am glad to be your closest friend in uni. I am glad that you can be honest with me in a lot of things with no fear of judgement.

Even if we are different people: I want to slow down and enjoy the scenery; while you, you want to be adventurous and explore new things. And also, I am a person that likes vibrant colors; while you are a person that likes neutral colors. There are times where I am right and you are wrong and there are times where I am wrong and you are right - it just makes all our experiences together more fun.

In the Duyworld where there are 1000 applicants, 10 are shortlisted and 3 pass, I want to be the one that remains, the number 1. I don't know if I'm good looking or not; I also don't know if I'm well-mannered enough; I am also not sure about my aura - just like me, I think it's reckless. All I can say is that--- I hope someday I get to hold your hand again.

I am thankful that a lot of things you are able to communicate to me. I am certain that you are used to taking care of yourself and others… but I guess, I like taking care of you too. I'm not perfect but I will always do my best for both myself and you too. I am sorry if sometimes you feel like I am rushing, I am just very steadfast and direct. I hope by now you feel how much I like you in a more than friends kind of way.

The future is uncertain, but just like the meaning of both of our names, it is certainly bright. All of your gifts and most especially your letters have made my life so much brighter.

For now, I have only one request to you: I will be flying to the Philippines on December 9 and will return to January 6… which means I won't be seeing you a lot over half of the summer time in Australia; my request to you is if I can have your TIME on December 8 - if it gets released on time, I want to watch "The Boy and the Heron" (Studio Ghibli film) with you… otherwise, I would still want to spend my last day of the year in Australia with you if possible.

Fondly Yours, Al

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#letter

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humanrus · 2 years ago

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Arts have the power to evoke a wide range of emotions, from awe to revulsion. Additionally, there is a deeper connection between art and mankind since art portrays the human experience. Because of this connection, we may be deeply moved by works of art. The distinction between art and art-like is that the former has a deeper meaning than the latter, which is purely cosmetic. Keep in mind that all genuine works of art convey some kind of message, whether good or bad. This training and exposure to actual works of art have taught me that much. In fact, ever since we first started this course, I've been looking for real-world examples of art to dissect and contemplate. My art-searching adventures resulted in a greater appreciation for the world around me.

Antipolo, located in the province of Rizal, is a well-known tourist attraction. It is also the location of the Pintô Art Museum. In 2010, Dr. Joven Cunanang launched the museum so that other people might appreciate the art collection he had amassed. This exhibition has works from many different periods and styles, focusing on the new and modern (assemblage, mixed media). The museum was split into six parts by the artist Antonio Leao, and each of these sections is housed in a villa similar to those seen in the Spanish and Mediterranean countries. This can be seen clearly in the museum's architecture, as well as in the finishes applied to the doors and windows. The museum's name was derived from a phrase in the Philippine language that literally means "door."

A trip to the museum is like boarding a pintô and traveling to heaven. This show features works by Filipino artists who have, throughout their careers, thought about our country's history and culture. During my walk through the museum, I found many pieces to be interesting. However, the following three stood out to me the most: Karnabal, owned by the Salingpusas; the Circus, owned by Mikel Parial; and Balancer, owned by Rodel Tapaya-The Garcia.

If you're used to museums where every piece of art is so well protected behind ropes and glass that you're afraid to get within a meter of it because you might set off an alarm, the Pinto Art Museum will be a pleasant surprise. The opposite is true; the setting is pleasant, casual, and warmly welcoming. There's also a delightful restaurant where you can enjoy your meal while gazing out into the garden. The smooth and unified way the art is put together makes the viewer want to stay and look around, think, and feel. While there are a few vintage oil paintings on display, most are recent works by regional painters. Even in this digital age, when babies use touch screens to draw and paint, the art of the twenty-first century needs to be appealing and strong to get the attention of young people, if not their love.

In order for audiences to understand works of art, they must first be acquainted with the fundamental visual elements and principles of design upon which the works are built. The piece of artwork demands that the observer to have a particular degree of knowledge in terms of the style, form, and content of the piece. It is impossible to have a complete appreciation for the visual arts if one does not have this background information.

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divinegrey · 2 years ago

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𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 / 𝘯𝘦𝘰𝘯 𝘹 𝘨𝘯!𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

first neon prompt!! SHE A RUNNA SHE A TRACK STARRRR

prompt: Reader seeing Neon homesick so they sneak off to the Vulture to go visit Manila!! (Capital of the Philippines) [requested by my bestie xoxo]

words: 1200

warnings: fluff!

“Why do I have the feeling that you’ve done this before?” Neon drops down into the co-pilot seat shortly after you drop yourself into the pilot seat of the Vulture.

“Because I have,” you remark, putting on the headset. You go through the process of turning on the Vulture, checking all the meters and dials before turning to your girlfriend. “I was one of the Protocol’s best pilots before I became an agent. Now buckle in, we’re doing a fast lift-off!”

Thank god Neon is used to fast— you pull the thrust of the Vulture and lift off of the ground. You make a brief clearance call to the control tower, rattling off some bullshit excuse you made approximately three seconds ago. You don’t wait for the all clear— you push the throttle and off you go.

“Tang ina, you’re crazy!” Neon’s eyes spark with amusement, her entire body brimming with laughter as you maneuver the Vulture onto the correct flight path. “Where are we even going, mahal?”

“You’ll see,” you say, grateful that Neon can’t see the corner of your mouth curling up from the side profile. After checking the dials once more, you shift the Vulture into autopilot for the majority of the flight there. Along the way, you artfully dodge Neon’s incessant attempts to find out where you’re headed. It’s a surprise for a reason!

Besides, you see the moment she figures it out once you break through the clouds. The city of Manila sprawls across the land, and you fly the Vulture into the airport after making a call to the air control tower, getting access to a landing pad for the Vulture. Good thing they owed me a favor. Neon is bouncing in her seat, sparks and cracks of electricity coasting off of her skin. You see the hum of her suit’s suppressors at work underneath the cropped puffer jacket she’d thrown on over her clothes.

“And we’ve landed!” You turn off the Vulture’s engines, hearing Neon snap off the buckles of her seat and the subsequent thudding of her sprinting out the door. The day hasn’t even started and you’ve already lost track of your girlfriend. Go figure. “Hey, wait up!”

You step out of the Vulture, only to get immediately tackled into a hug.

“You brought me home!” Neon presses her lips against her cheek over-dramatically, causing you to let out a laugh. “Salamat mahal! How’d you know I was feeling homesick?”

Tipping your shoulder in a shrug, you reply, “I know you like the back of my hand, bebe. I had a feeling. Now, aren’t you gonna show me around?”

Neon beams, and before you know it, you’re sweeped up into her arms and she sprints off.

It’s an afternoon filled with delights and adventure. With Neon, you’re taken through practically every single nook and cranny of Manila. She shows you her old stomping grounds and even the old neighborhood she would play in as a child. Her enthusiasm and happiness of being home is infectious— you’re more than happy to let her take you wherever she wants.

Even if it means being lapped fifteen times at the old track she used to run circles on. Granted, you’re walking, but it’s still demoralizing to witness your girlfriend running some of the fastest miles anyone could possibly manage. And still has energy left over when she’s done.

Eventually, you two end up along the Manila Baywalk, watching dozens of people come and go across the beachwalk, doing the same thing you and Neon are. Neon walks beside you, her hand intertwined with yours and her other wrapped around your bicep. She leans her head on your shoulder, making exaggerated steps to keep up with your stride.

“I’m a little hungry,” you say offhandedly, looking at the dozen or so street food stalls you pass by. Neon perks up.

“Wait here! I’ll be right back!” Before you can think to say anything, Neon zooms off in the direction of the food vendors, leaving you by yourself on the Baywalk. With a sigh, you resign yourself to sitting on a bench, passing the time by observing some kids play with a kite.

You smile— this is a nice place. A pleasant train of thought runs through your mind. Maybe we could settle down here one day, once everything is over and done with. Maybe it’s a bit too much to hold that hope; you don’t sense the crisis that formed the VALORANT Protocol to be over anytime soon.

You’re pulled from your thoughts when a body slides into the bench, tucking up snugly beside you. To your relief, it’s your girlfriend, holding a plethora of food in her arms.

“Okay, I got us some kwek kwek, they’re fried quail eggs! They were also doing a barbecue, so I got your favorite,” Neon says, pushing a skewer of orange fried balls into your hand. You’re genuinely curious, so you take one of the small balls off and pop it into your mouth.

“Shit, this is great!” You say, pointing to the skewer. Neon beams, and there’s nothing quite like seeing your girlfriend in her element— sure, you can still see residual tension and worry (a constant fear of losing control), but this is Neon’s home. This is where she always felt at home, surrounded by her people and her culture.

It makes you beyond delighted to be here with her. You slide your arm around her shoulder, leaning in for a bite of her mais, which is simply corn cooked over a grill and marinated with margarine. Neon got enough food to choke a donkey, but she devours nearly seventy percent of it. You eat the other thirty, teasing her about her insatiable appetite. In her defense, she did run fifteen laps earlier.

“You’re still hungry? I just watched you eat four barbecue sticks, two kwek kwek skewers, and a cup of taho. How is your stomach not exploding?” You say, ruffling your hand in her hair once she throws all her trash away. Neon groans, turning into you and placing her head against your chest.

“Do you know how hungry I am all the time! Mahal, I swear I could eat an entire food stall and still be hungry!” Neon says, slapping your shoulder when she pulls away. Before she can go too far, though, you grab her by the waist and spin her momentum right back into you. You wrap your arms around her middle, grinning like a fool.

A fool in love, really.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Neon says, resting her arms over your shoulders. The sunlight, orange and bright, shines like gold across Neon’s skin. Her deep brown eyes turn into pools of warmth that curl around your body. It’s a strange, deep-seated euphoria that you’ve never quite experienced before, not until you met Neon and she came into your life like a firecracker.

“Nothing. Mahal kita, my little star,” You say, prompting Neon to crack a wide grin. She slides her arms tighter around your neck, standing on her tiptoes to give you a kiss. Electricity crackles down your spine, and there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.

“I love you more,” Neon murmurs into your mouth. You hold her tight, kissing her tenderly as the sun falls over the ocean and lights the sky with blazes of gold.

~~~~~ A/N: NEON BEST GIRL!!!

#neon x reader #valorant neon x reader #neon #neon valorant #tala nicole dimaapi valdez #neon imagines #valorant x reader #valorant fanfiction #valorant #valorant imagines

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purecantarella · 3 years ago

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The Photographer

belated happy lia day! i worked on this with the hwasa fic i'm about gonna post tomorrow but yeah, i hope you all enjoy and happy birthday to lia 😁💗this is short but i think it's nice AHAHHHA disclaimer/s : none, this is just pure fluff 😇

The way you lived was unorthodox to some people but it was just the way you preferred to exist. You were a free-lance photographer and loved the feeling of not being tethered; to any place or any person. Being free to do what you wanted without judgement or consequences.

While you'd grown acquainted with different kinds of people, grew close with a few locals, and took many personalities to your bed, no one had been able to keep you tied down for more than a few days. No one.

After your 22nd birthday, you found yourself exploring the bustling city of Seoul, as per a recommendation by someone you'd met in Japan. It was a beautiful country with rich culture and a new adventure. You thought it'd be a nice stop-over before you continued to the Philippines.

At first, you were lost. Not a lot of people spoke the English and if you didn't know the language a lot of the locals couldn't help or understand you. Instead, you wondered around the busy and loud city. Enjoying the sights and taking still shots of whatever you found interesting. It was nice.

The cold night air began nipping at you as you walked around looking for somewhere to eat. You were slowly becoming frustrated because of the language barrier. As you were about to just call it a night and maybe just find some instant ramen noodles at a nearby convenience store for you to eat at your rented room, a girl, one of the most beautiful you'd seen in a while, walked up to you.

"Are you okay? You seem a tad bit lost." She asked you in English. You sighed in relief and laughed softly. The brunette raised a brow curiously. You waved your hand, "I'm just glad to understand someone. I've never actually spoken a lick of Korean." You said, relief and a bit of comfort washed over you.

You'd found it a bit odd though, that sense of familiarity with this stranger. None of your friends or your hook-ups had made you feel this way. Deciding it was nothing you shook it off. You offered your hand to the girl, "I'm Y/F/N. Nice to meet you Miss...?"

She was rather surprised. While it was a welcomed surprise, she still found it odd that you didn't know her. The brunette gave you her signature smile, taking your extended hand. "Julia, but just call me Lia." You nodded, biting your lower lip excitedly. The warmth of her hand radiated onto your cold one. The touch lingered for a while, your eyes not breaking contact with one another. Her crescent eyes and radiant smile made it hard to turn away. The moment could have lasted forever until you heard a soft cough from behind you.

Lia snapped her head behind her, a hot rush painting her cheeks as she stammered some things in Korean to her friends behind her. You stood behind her, the words they spoke just deflecting off of you. Your eyes trailed down to your hand. How it tingled and sent shocks through your body.

'This is new...' You thought to yourself as your gaze returned to the newly acquainted friend. She seemed to still be in a heated debate with the other girls as you shifted from the back of your foot to the tip of it. Their voices had hushed a little as Lia walked back to you.

A smile had returned to your face before you pointed to the group behind her. "Your friends seem fun." You said awkwardly, a soft laugh following after. She scoffed and rolled her eyes before the faux annoyed expression melted into an adorable little grin. Once again, you felt your heart unexpectedly skipping a beat.

"I should leave you to it and—" You were instantly cut off by her shaking her head profusely and spitting out a fast-paced series of "no's". "It seemed like you didn't know anyone and I wanted to lend a hand." You were taken aback. It wasn't the first time a local had offered this sort of thing in your life. A lot of people were like this girl, friendly and wanted to show the tourist around. But there was just something about this girl.

You let out a soundless laugh while nodding your head. "I'd really like that, maybe not tonight though. I wouldn't want you to stay out too late." You said sheepishly, rubbing the back of your neck. Lia looked up at you before pulling out her phone, staring and scrolling through it intently. "I'd love to but would..." She paused before settling on a day. "...Thursday be good?" You chuckled softly at her hopeful face.

While you knew that your flight was early Tuesday, you nodded confidently. You two exchanged numbers before she'd disappeared with her friends and two tall men. You tried not to raise a brow at the latter though. That night your thoughts were flooded by the gorgeous girl, her pale complexion, moon-shaped eyes, the smile on her face, her overall form. Like all the sights in the world you'd seen were nothing compared to her, to Lia.

You tried to shake off the feelings that began to creep up on you though at the same time you awaited Thursday to arrive anxiously. You two texted between your sightseeing in the city. In all honesty, her silly texts and updates had been the highlight of your trip. You found yourself waiting for her replies to each of the photos you sent her.

On the day you'd set to meet, you thought that you'd had a stronger bond with her. And yes that was a good thing, but it just made you feel even more terrified of this foreign territory. You sat at the park she'd told you about, your leg bouncing as you eyed the scenery. "She's just a girl, Y/n...Calm down..." You muttered to yourself, leaning back into the bench. You continue to gather your thoughts when your suddenly jolted and someone yells, "Boo!"

You jumped and were just about ready to fight the perpetrator. You softened seeing Lia laughing hysterically. "You're adorable, Y/n!" She cooed softly before circling around to wrap her arms around your neck comfortably.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting." She said as she pulled away enough to see your, now flushing, face. You shook your head, a dopey smile gracing your features. Lia's embrace lingered for a moment. Your heart pounded against your chest. "So miss Lia, where are you taking me?" Your body becoming more and more tense under her touch. She took your hand hers, dragging you to some location in the outskirts of the city.

By the time you'd got there it was around lunch time. You'd learned a few of the important phrases and ordered something. Lia looked at you impressed, even making a point by clapping. The afternoon flew by quickly, she told you all about her being an idol, her intense lifestyle while you shared all of your adventures in different countries and taking stolen and posed photos of her. With every story, you found her more and more intriguing. She was a mystery that you wanted to solve, the polaroid you patiently waited for to dry.

"Come on!" The brunette said suddenly, pulling you up from the grass that you'd been sitting on as you scrolled through your camera's photos. You laughed as you jumped onto your feet, blindly following her. "Choi Lia where are you taking m—Woah..." The orange glow of the sunset painted over the city, the lights of building providing the perfect accent, and greenery in the city was perfectly set.

"Holy crap." You whispered under your breath. Your hands falling from the camera's sides instead weighing over your neck. Lia watched your amazed face before locking her arm in yours. She giggled at the dumbfounded face. A big smile grew on your face. For the first time in years, you're heart felt full.

You took a few steps back, taking shots of the view. Before continuously muttering out profanities and comments on the different aspects and features. Lia watched you get lost in your passion and smiled. She looked out into the scenery. In the few days she knew you, she knew that you'd be one of the people who could appreciate the beauty of simplicity. She turned her head back t the veiw.

"It's beautiful." You mumbled, still in awe. You took a glance at Lia's distracted expression. Your shoulders fell and a fleeting, small smile grew on your face. Lifting the camera back, you took her silhouette against the dimming orange. "Out of all the places I've ever been, this has to be the best." You added, catching her attention. Your E/C eyes glued onto Lia's face, her aura, everything. Her pale cheeks adding an extra glow. For a second, a sparkle in both your eyes could be seen by anyone who passed. When you finally said,

"It would make anyone want to stay, wouldn't you say?"

i thought it was cute HAAHAHAHAH what do you guys think 😅also, probably a hwasa fic tomorrow! i hope this was good for everyone and that you all enjoyed it...even if it was kinda predictable HAHAHA anyway, remember that requests are open and criticism is 1000% accepted and even welcomed. i hope you're all safe and i will see you all very soon 😊💗 taglist: @labrachrosite

#itzy #itzy x reader #itzy imagines #itzy fluff #itzy reactions #choi jisu #lia itzy #choi lia #lia x reader #lia imagines #lia fluff #kpop x reader #girl group imagines #kpop idol x reader #kpop reactions #happy lia day

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kyeomunism · 4 years ago

Text

The Phoenix Ymbryne || Millard Nullings

Pairing: Millard Nullings x Fem!Reader

Devil’s Acre Era (includes events in TDODA)

Word Count: 2.3k words

Summary: You are a peculiar who can take the form of a Phoenix. Wights were a constant threat until an invisible boy takes you to your new home. Getting to know him made you realize your purpose and the worth of all you’ve been through.

A/n: this fic includes South-East Asian references and i wrote it in a way you’ll learn easily. so whatever your race is, step inside Y/n’s boots and enjoy this adventure fluff.

︵‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・༺❀༻・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ︵‿︵‿︵

1900, Manila

The gust of wind rustling the forest almost silenced your pounding heart, but not quite. You transformed into a blazing bird and shoot through the bright sky, searching the brown earthen hues below. Your bird form made you an easy target, knowing that the wights after you have hunting guns; but your bird form also allowed you to scan the forest with your peculiar intuition. You could detect souls and sense their objectives. As you fly towards the outskirts of the woods, you located the two wights running away.

Suddenly, you felt another soul wandering through the thickets. A lone, pure heart, a good aura that you wouldn’t expect right after getting chased by blank-eyed monsters. Driven by curiosity, you roamed above the trees where you felt the presence. It was a floating map. You perched on a branch and watched the huge map turn, as if being held by a person. You looked from another angle at it revealed a floating suit and trousers. Carefully eyeing the subject and its pavement shoes leaving a calculated trail, there was only one word you can fathom: peculiar.

It had been over half a century since you’ve seen another peculiar, and it fascinated you how you couldn’t actually see this one. You continued watching the invisible who seem to be looking for something; a landmark? a person? a girl who can turn into a two-feet-tall fiery bird? If it was the latter, you knew you couldn’t easily trust someone, even if your intuition screamed this person’s good intentions.

You flew towards your house by the river, and judging by the angle of the floating clothes below, you knew you’ve been spotted. The moment you reached your home, you transformed back to your sixteen year-old body and slipped in a floor length skirt, a white sleeved shirt made from pineapple fabrics, and a scarf around your neck. You prepared hot chocolate in case that invisible peculiar pays a visit.

It only took a few minutes until you heard a knock on your door. Reluctantly, you opened it to reveal the same floating clothes that seemed to belong to the western world.

"Who are you?"

"Millard Nullings, at your service." A voice of a teenage boy spoke up. You moved aside to allow him enter your home, saying your name as you lead him to the drawing room. At first, you thought it was going to be painfully awkward, but it immediately changed into a pleasant, curious atmosphere when his body headed straight towards the ancient maps on your walls, as if being pulled by a magnet.

"Thank you, this place is incredibly interesting. For the longest time I thought these maps were never to be found again," Millard said as he took the hot chocolate from your hand while staring at the walls.

"These are from my old ymbryne. She was a real treasure," you said, standing beside him. "It shows hundreds of ancient loops across Asia. I wouldn't have found my current home without these maps. Oh, and Millard... may I ask how did you get here?"

"The wights after you were caught a while ago. This loop is marked empty in A Map of Days, so catching two of Caul's followers in here is intriguing. It wasn't long until I found the entrance after leapfrogging through a parallel loop nearby."

Brushing off more questions in your head, you offered him a seat and took sips of hot chocolate.

"Perplexus wasn't wrong when he marked this loop empty," you said. Millard's head most likely whipped up at the mention of the famous cartographer.

You smiled at this and continued. "When my old loop was raided, my ymbryne suggested this small loop. It was an empty peculiar menagerie. I suspect a dozen peculiar animals used to live here with all the traces I've found. But for over fifty years, I haven't seen any peculiarity in this area." You turn your head towards the window. "Past those Cacao trees is the membrane of the loop. A small provincial village with normal people, normal chickens, and a normal carabao. So seeing you here feels more surreal than it sounds," you admitted.

"What about your bird?" he asked, "that tall phoenix flying around the woods?"

A twinge of realization came over you and you sigh, reluctant to admit your peculiarity.

"That was me," you say finally.

"What! You can turn into a phoenix? You're an ymbryne?" Millard's voice was a mix of astonishment and confusion.

"How else did you think I manage to revive this loop?" You smiled.

"I just thought ymbrynes' bird forms are supposed to be inconspicuous. But you were...incredibly remarkable."

Your cheeks heated up at the comment and you divert your gaze with a soft chuckle.

"That baffled me as well, that's why I only transform in important situations. Locals believed me to be a magical bird, thus driving many hunters' attention. My bird form is known as Adarna. Similar to a phoenix, but distinct in certain features."

"Adarna? I've never heard of that kind of bird before."

"It is a famous folklore bird in the Philippines. There are stories about it, even in the Tales of the Peculiar." You stood and picked up an old children's book on the bookshelf across the room. You handed it to Millard, which you assume, made him smile.

"This is an ancient version indeed. I annotate many of the Tales but I've never seen this before. Would you mind letting me borrow this?" You couldn't bring yourself to say no to him, so you insisted he could keep it. Stating that you didn't need a copy, having memorized it for the longest time.

After minutes of discussion, you noticed how he got so excited in the topic of maps, history and his friends. It felt like you were listening to a teacher who loved his work, and you weren't complaining as you found this adorable. You were both having good laughs with Millard's stories, until he finally said, "I trust you expect a reassurance that the wights wouldn't trouble you anymore, but we can't be certain."

Your eyebrows furrowed at this, "what are you planning?"

"To take you to Devil's Acre."

You were surprised and slightly taken aback. He must've seen the faraway look on your face so he continues, "Y/n, you don't have to go now. I can just leave you a detailed map to help you reach the panloopticon anytime."

You paced around the drawing room. "So you're letting me go there alone?"

“If that's what you like, yes. I don't want to rush you into leaving your home, but I’ll feel much better if you let me take you there myself." His British drawl made your throat dry, you could only nod.

"I'll take my time to think about it, but as soon as the wights come near this area, I'll head to your loop for safety." You decided it's only smart to stay home until real danger emerge, despite how much you'd like to go with Millard. "Why don't you stay here for a while?"

"That can be a problem. You see, my ymbryne left me with strict rules..."

"You weren't supposed to be here, aren't you?"

You both just laughed at this.

A while later, a loud commotion started in the other side of the loop membrane. Villagers were screaming and animals were flocking away.

"Was that a regular noise within your loop?"

"For fifty years of living this exact same day over and over again, I can assure you that was most unnatural." You got up and pocketed an old but sharp dagger as Millard packed the maps and the book you gave him.

"Those are certainly Wights looking for their other comrades. We ought to flee this place now," he said.

You both slipped through the backdoor towards the river, careful not to trip into the mud. When you reach the bamboo raft, he held your hand and made sure you wouldn't lose balance. This gesture, however, made you lose your composure instead.

"You seem nervous, is it the raft? Should I let you cross the river first?"

"No, no, it's safe," you said as you both stood on the either side of the raft, trying not to slip as you crossed the river holding tall pieces of bamboo to keep yourselves steady. "I guess I just feel sad that I'm leaving home for good," you say. It was true, but you couldn't bring yourself to admit that he made you flustered.

"I understand that this loop may close permanently as you leave," he said, "but in the Devil's Acre, you may train with other ymbrynes ang get the chance to create new loops, have wards of your own—"

"Train with other ymbrynes?" You exclaimed as the raft reached the other side of the river.

"Yes, they're rather lovely. Miss Avocet and all the other ymbrynes would love to guide you. I also believe my friends will celebrate your company. Horace will cook feast, Olive and Claire will surely entertain you, oh," he said, clearly excited, "the celebration will never be enough!"

"Are you kidding me?" You laughed soundlessly as you headed towards the forest. "Your presence alone is more than enough."

He did not reply anything for a moment and you bit your lip. Millard lead the way to another loop that was connected to the panloopticon. It was a silent but surprisingly comfortable walk. He told you to watch your steps in some parts of the forest and you give every useful information you had about your homeland.

"There it is, come here, y/n." He spotted the portal door propped amongst the old trenches of the place that was once bloodstained by war.

Shivers crawled down your spine as you paced forward. Millard noticed your uneasy expression and ran circles on your knuckles. "You can tell me if you don't want to come," he whispered gently, "we'll figure out another way if you're ever uncomfortable."

"Thank you, but I really want to go with you. I want to meet your family and read your books." A smile painted its way on your face just thinking about it.

Without another question, he lead you through the door while gripping your hand. You held your breath and let him guide your steps. His fingers traced your forehead and you opened your eyes.

═ ∘◦ ❉ ◦∘ ═

1886, London

"Where are we?" You stare at the plain, unfamiliar bedroom infront of you.

"The third floor of panloopticon," Millard said with a relieved sigh. "We just crossed half the world in a matter of seconds, I trust the kitchen will have something to ease our loop-lag."

Without even thinking about it, you pulled him in a hug. He caught his breath and wrapped his arms around you as you feel tears streaming down your face. You missed your country but don't regret being with this boy at all. "Thank you," you managed to whisper.

It had been less than a week since you first arrived. Millard's friends were the kindest people you have ever met. The first time you saw Miss Peregrine, she was furious at Millard for running off without permission, but her mood changed when she met you and realized you were an ymbryne too. You were immediately recruited in Miss Avocet's academy and made friends with many other people in the Acre. You get along very well with Miss Wren who was interested in your peculiarity and the fact that you lived in a menagerie loop in Asia.

Desolations came and you stayed in the Ditch House with Millard reading books for you. While it was raining blood, bones and ashes outside, you were having the time of your life with your new family.

You stayed in the Academy while the rest of Miss Peregrine's wards take on their adventure to France, giving all your best wishes for Millard.

You fought in the battle of the Devil's Acre and tended to the injured with the other ymbrynes-in-training. When you heard the news that Caul was defeated, you were elated and incredibly happy.

You were one of the ninety-five peculiars who broke loop-bound in Jacob's house. You could finally go anywhere you like without the fear of aging forward rapidly, and Millard promised many trips with you, you could only shut him up with a peck on the cheek.

═ ∘◦ ❉ ◦∘ ═

1940, Cairnholm

So many good things happened to you that week, but nothing could beat the joy you felt when you found out that the ymbrynes-in-training are to live with Miss Cuckoo, and Miss Peregrine and her wards in Cairnholm.

You stare at the dog roses in Fiona's garden, you were filled with mixed emotions and wanted a quiet time. All of them are celebrating inside the house; all except Millard, who was wearing a velvet smoking jacket for the occasion.

"It's beautiful here," you said while watching his clothes head your way, "you must be happy that you're home."

"You are my home," he said sincerely, now standing in front of you.

You couldn't grab any witty reply, in fact, you couldn't find any words at all. You knew you were blushing ferociously by now.

"Mind if I talk to you about something that's been bothering me for a while?" He broke the silence and you nod at him.

"With everything we went through these past weeks, I found myself hoping to stay alive."

You stifled a laugh. "Isn't that a good thing? Wishing you'd survive?"

"That's the point, I wanted to stay alive, not just because we ought to take surviving as a priority, but because I can't get you out of my mind."

Your face went blank. "What do you mean, Millard?"

"I wish it was a choice, but it wasn't. I fell in love with you, Y/n. I'd love you for as long as time."

"And we have time," you reassured him, "I love you too," and with that, he kissed you.

Both smiling into the kiss, you leaned against each other, swaying in the breeze of the garden and basking in each other's presence forevermore.

#miss peregrines home for peculiar children #MPHFPC fanfic #millard nullings #millard nullings x reader #horace somnusson #miss peregrine #the desolations of devils acre #ransom riggs what did you do to me #ymbrynes #filipino #ibong adarna #fiona frauenfeld

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love-amihan · 3 years ago

Text

✧ masterlists ✧

IT’S MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES // JJK

word count: 2.0k+

collab with: @okakamaki

event: piliin mo ang pilipinas by @lumpiang-toge

warning: bad edit of pictures T-T mention and pictures of foods

disclaimer: photos used are not mine

amihan’s note: surprise! i didn’t forget about this fbhsjrhf also, you made it to part 3! how are you liking it so far? let me know your thoughts~ this feels like a filler jsbfsgh happy reading!

| ⤷ ʜᴄ | ⤷ ᴘᴛ 1 | ⤷ ᴘᴛ 2 | ⤷ ᴘᴛ 3 | ⤷ ᴘᴛ 4 | ⤷ ᴘᴛ 5 |

jjk + filo tour guide!reader aka satoru hitting on you, every chance he gets

just like the first day you met them, the four days came past like a blur. they grew fond of you, forcing making you drop the formalities, no more miss and mister. they love you and want you to be included in every adventure you set up for them.

it's now officially their fifth day in the philippines. the previous days, you gave them the basic tourist things such as bringing them to tourist spots and sight-see for a little bit.

island hopping is around the corner and satoru wants to plan for today. you put your trust in him, letting him take over the schedule for a day.

as quoted from him “today’s gonna be fun!” the tall man looks at his companions. “doubt it,” nobara mutters, satoru pouts, “that’s not the spirit.”

satoru stands in front of the group while he exaggeratedly gestures at the store, “ta da~!” while the group except you stares back at him with boredom written all over their face. you peek at the store as your mouth forms an ‘oh.’

“tayo’y magiging makabayan…” (we are gonna be patriotic...” satoru says, his english accent making it hard to understand, you encourage him to continue with a polite smile. he looks at you, wracking through his mind for that one particular word but soon gives up, “today!” he smiles proudly.

you chuckle and give him a pat on the head, “you did great,” he beams at you and sticks his tongue out to his friends as if to say that he’s your favorite. now, the teenagers don't get dragged to satoru’s pace that much but this does take the cake.

going inside, you are bombarded with different filipino traditional clothes. ranging from baro’t saya to filipinianas, from traditional to modern ones.

“woah, there’s so many!” yuji exclaims breathlessly, his hand holding his phone that’s recording. he turns the camera, showing the different types of clothing.

for visualization;

nobara squeals from excitement, you approach her and see that she’s eyeing a big puffy dress that’s on display, or as the locals would be familiar as the dress usually used in sagala.

“you’ll look beautiful in it, mis- nobara” you smile at her while she circles around the mannequin, “you think so? can i try this?” she looks at you with hopeful eyes, you stare at her for a while, in awe of her beauty before nodding. “i’ll go ask the saleslady,” nobara gives you a small bow of gratitude.

megumi comes out of the fitting room and yuji quickly pans the camera towards him, “that suits you! you look so good, fushiguro” the pink-haired shows a thumbs up within camera range.

once the group’s all dressed in filipino traditional clothing, they did a mini-runway show for you. “ang popogi at ang gaganda naman!” (so handsome and beautiful!) you hear the owner exclaim and slip a small giggle. you can’t help but hold your chin up high, weirdly proud to be their tour guide.

murmurs and admiration can be heard distinctly, they gathered a little audience just from trying clothes on. though, megumi and satoru garner most of the people’s attention.

satoru straightens up and holds up a hand, “i have an idea,” his eyes glistening in enthusiasm.

“oh no, his ideas are never good,” megumi mutters to yuta, who in return pats him in the back, “i’m sure, it’s nothing bad this time.” you patiently wait for the blue-eyed man to voice out his thoughts, “let’s wear this for the rest of the day!”

you inhale sharply, glancing outside and then looking at them one by one, “i don’t know about that,” your tone skeptical with the idea. “where’s satoru?!” your eyes frantically trying to find the tall man.

“huh? you saying something?” satoru answers from the counter already handing the rent money. you facepalm and hold your hands up in defeat, “alright, everything’s fine.”you assure the group, well more like yourself.

you can’t believe that you really put this day in satoru’s hands, you should have known better. you sigh looking at them but you gotta admit, a few small laughs did come past your lips seeing them fan themselves. good thing you didn't get talked into wearing one yourself.

satoru stands on the sidewalk with his hands resting on his hips, “who would’ve thought it’ll be the hottest day today?” he utters out with a smile on his face. maki’s eyes twitches, “the clothes literally covered most of our skins, dumbass!”

toge shrugs, “it’s really not that hot actually,” yuta scoffs and points to his off-white hair. “lucky bastard, you don’t have dark hair, that’s why!” the raven-haired snatches the fan from him and turns it to its highest option.

yuji takes a bite of his milo-flavored ice candy and looks at toge, “i agree with you though, it’s not even that hot.” toge nods, “they’re just overacting,” maki glares at the boy and holds him in a headlock, “say that again.”

meanwhile, you stand a little far away from them, standing still watching the scene unfold. surprisingly, with the little time you've spent with them you quickly got used to their antics.

“ba’t sila nakaganyan? sobrang init ngayon ha..” (why are they wearing those? it’s so hot today..) the passer-by mumbles in concern.

you wave at them, telling them it’s nothing to be worried about. “everything’s fine, everyone’s normal” you say to yourself, smiling politely to people doing double-takes.

in order to channel their inner filipino, satoru suggested that they try filipino cuisine, they might as well since they rented the clothes for the rest of the day. you lead them to the closest filipino-based restaurant.

after some convincing, they let you surprise them with the dishes, putting their full trust on you. you help yuji with propelling the camera so it’s angled to have the whole group in frame,

“this is gonna be fun and interesting,” you mutter, yuji turns to look at you, “why?” you ruffle his hair “you’ll see,” you sit down at the seat he held out for you, “thank you.” the boy leans on his elbows which you quickly swat away, “sorry,” he chuckles.

minutes pass by, the food arrives and is being set down on the table one by one. “oh that’s a lot,” maki says while eyeing the dishes, “don’t worry, we’ll all share,” you assure her. once all the foods are laid out, you wait for them as they thank for the food in chorus.

for visuals;

it seems like they all have the same thoughts as they reach out for the meat marinated in soy sauce containing vinegar and garlic or also known as adobo. you chuckle and glance at yuji’s camera, “seems like we have a favorite.”

you look at each of their reactions as they munch on their portion, their eyes lighting up in delight. “i love this, what is it called?” nobara’s eyes finding yours.

“adobo, i’m glad you loved it,” you offer more of the dish for her, a little bit worried that she might not enjoy the trip considering the food here easily upsets her stomach.

while holding the plate for nobara, maki looks at you, silently asking for permission to also dig in which you nod at her, encouraging her to get more.

toge looks at you with eagerness, he points at the yellow stew, “you like kare-kare?” you ask him while he nods in interest.

remembering the ingredients, you look around the table in slight panic, “no one’s allergic to peanuts here, right?” which they shake their head to.

you sigh in relief but soon interrupted by yuji shyly tapping your shoulder, “what is this called?” his words slow and unsure, you follow where he’s pointing and tilt your head to the side, “wanna try balut next?”

he nods at you with a smile, “are you sure? because not all foreigners like those,” you tell him while reaching out to prep it for him, “i can eat anything,” his mouth watering as you give him the balut with a fork.. just in case.

yuji shows the food to the camera before devouring it, megumi who’s sitting beside you scrunches up in disgust seeing the duckling that yuji puts in his mouth.

maki covers her mouth and quickly looks away, the mental image of yuji munching replaying in her head.

you giggle at the different reaction they give and wait for yuji’s opinion, he looks at his camera with two thumbs up before turning to you while nodding.

“oh you liked it?” you eyebrows up in surprise, “can i… have more?” he asks while wiping the excess soup from the balut. you gladly assist him, giving him more baluts.

satoru can’t help but scrunch his nose from the smell, “y/n, what is this?” pointing at the dish in front of him, “that’s sisig! be careful with it, it can be spicy for some,” you motion for them to dig in but they all look at you with hesitant eyes.

you blink back at them, “..that’s actually my favorite, it’s not as bad as it smells i promise” but they just stare back at you, you were about to tell them how hurt you are when yuji reaches out to take a bite, humming in delight.

“i don’t trust the black hole, he eats everything” nobara is quick to comment. you laugh at her comment and clasp your hands together, pleading for them to at least take a bite, swatting yuji’s hand away before he could finish it.

you look at yuji’s camera with a smug smile, “look at them dig in,” you say in a commentary voice, laughing as maki smacks yuta’s hand away from the dish. to say the least, they love adobo, kare-kare, and sisig.

for visuals;

“is it dessert time?” satoru’s eyes twinkles in delight, “yes, i’m sure you’ll enjoy all of them.” the waiter sets down halo-halo on the table, the proportion covers half of the group only. “i ordered half because the next dessert is pretty heavy on the stomach,” you explain to them.

you smile at the way they instantly share with the person beside them. they are even doing the newlywed tradition, eating from each other’s spoon with their arms crossed. satoru, however, solos one cup of halo-halo, already half-way done with his.

“this is so good,” you chuckle and nod at him, “isn’t it too sweet for your liking?” yuta looks at you after you drop the question, “no food is ever sweet for him,” he pipes in, you raise a brow seeing satoru try to sneak a bite from toge and yuta’s cup.

“see?” yuta adds while slapping satoru’s hand away, “don’t worry, we have more sweets coming,” satoru’s head snaps in your direction, “really?” which you nod your head to.

“he’s gonna be on a sugar rush any moment now huh?” toge mutters while biting on his spoon staring at the older’s direction.

after clearing the table, satoru’s all giddy on his seat, the highly anticipated sweets are the only thing swirling in his mind. “these are called kakanins, almost all of them are made out of sticky rice and coconut milk.”

the group nods along with the information given to them, they try each of the kakanins, satisfied with the tastes. “can we get a lot of these?” satoru looks at you with wide eyes, you can see the slight shakiness in them.

“i-” you’re cut off by megumi, helping you out. “we’ll get some whenever you like but let’s set that aside first okay?” his tone is like talking to a child, the tall man pouts but agrees with the teenager regardless.

you look around the table, no one seems to be bothered by this, if anything they seem to be used to it.

you cover your mouth, laughing a little, not wanting to come out rude. “you okay?” you turn to yuji and nod, “it’s just, all of you are interesting and never fail to surprise me.”

let’s just say that your last statement lives up to its expectation, they indeed never fail to surprise you as days pass by.

taglist; @foxxtrot-116 @tendo-sxtori @milkteeboba @lumpiang-toge @fiona782 @chibishae34 @simplyrosesxr @arrianao @milkteeboba @cosmiclvsh @kenmakeii @omega1142 @sushi-guro @i-am-the-unknown0916 @themrsgojo @peachiikichu @crybabyjabby

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imaginepirates · 3 years ago

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The Lady Washington

This weekend, I went for a sail on the Lady Washington, aka the Interceptor from Pirates of the Caribbean. I had a great time, learned a lot, and made many observations of my own. Below are my learnings, observations, and pictures from the sail.

1. The Sails

The first thing I noticed as we approached the ship were her sails. She flew 4, but I only remember what 3 of them are. As the state tall ship of Washington State (west coast of America), she flew both the American and Washington state flags. More interesting, though, was her pride flag. I was surprised, given that it's past pride month, and many people/businesses take down their flags after the end of the month because they're really just used for advertising and fake inclusion. Not so with this ship. (Mrs. Norrington, if you ever read this, your husband's ship openly supports gay rights.)

2. The Crew

The first thing both my mother and I noticed upon boarding was the crew. Most of them were women. (I don't have pictures because it seems intrusive). This came as a bit of a surprise to both of us; these were young women, too, in their early to mid 20s. The captain, first mate, and events coordinator were all female or female presenting, along with the majority of the volunteer crew. Many of them had nautical themed tattoos, though my favorites were the Lord of the Rings tats one sailor sported (we geeked out over them together, it was cute). They were also mostly noticeably queer. That explained the pride flag better. Apparently, it's quite common that on these older models of ships, the crew is mostly, if not entirely, female.

3. Interactive!

That's me! I know I have little on here about myself, but now you know how I look. I was wearing a Jack Sparrow shirt, too, because I went prepared.

I went on what they call an "Adventure Sail" where they let you handle some of the ropes. There are two pictures of me here where I'm hoisting the fore staysail. It's actually not as hard as you think, though I did have to put my bodyweight into it. I wasn't allowed to climb the rigging, but I noticed that the crew had safety harnesses and clips for when they were out on the masts. The ropes really hurt your hands, though, and now I understand why sailors got blisters so easily. That rope burn sucks. In any case, I was so enthusiastic, they offered me a two week volunteering position! I'm looking into it for next summer, because if you think I'm not going to work on the honest-to-god Interceptor, you're wrong. Which brings me to:

4. Volunteering.

They have 2 week volunteering positions for a season of, right now, six months. This runs from spring until autumn, as they do ship repairs in winter. It sounds like they sail the full coast of Washington over the six month span. You live on the ship, sleeping in a room that can house up to 10 people, though I don't think it ever gets that full. There's also a cook, so you don't have to worry about food. Volunteers are allowed to work all parts of the ship, including climbing the rigging, though they don't have to if they don't want.

5. The History

The Lady Washington is a re-build of her original. The original ship (brig) served in the American revolutionary war, and was used as a shipping vessel afterwards. She was the first American ship to go around the tip of Cape Horn, and also the first American ship to land on the west coast. She opened the trans Atlantic trade as the first American ship in Japan, Honolulu, and Hong Kong. Also, according to the site: "Lady Washington opened the black pearl and sandalwood trade between Hawaii and Asia". Interesting that she began the black pearl trade, isn't it? She was eventually lost in the Philippines.

The replica was made in 1989 and launched as part of the Washington State Centennial celebration. Her current model is almost an exact replica of the original, save for the more modern fittings in her hull to make living on ship easier (they have a generator). She also has an engine to make her easier to maneuver in and out of harbor. Currently, she's a teaching vessel meant to educate people on the lives of sailors and trade. She has been in multiple films and TV shows, including our dear PoTC, Star Trek: Generations, and Once Upon A Time.

6. Little Observations

I made lots of little observations about the sailors and the sail in general. One thing was made very obvious: every time you were given an order, you were to repeat it back aloud. This both fixes any confusion about orders, and lets the rest of the crew know what was going on. There were many instances where the captain gave orders only one person could hear, though the order was meant for "all hands available".

Another thing was how they got lines taut. They did this maneuver where they had two people on major ropes when trying to secure them. This is hard to explain without a visual, but I'll try. Basically, they would have the rope wrapped under the bottom of a belaying pin, and one person would lean into the rope before quickly pulling back into a squat and letting their bodyweight pull the line taut. The other person would then secure the rope to the belaying pin.

Speaking of belaying pins, they're just that: pins. I didn't realize that you can really just....pull one out of the little hole it goes in. They're fairly loose until a rope is secured around them. The ropes, depending on size and what they were supporting, were sometimes wrapped around multiple pins. Many ropes were wrapped in a sort of figure-eight pattern. For those of us who write, it's absolutely possible for a character to use a belaying pin as a weapon. That being said, they're a little smaller than you think, and it would take a bit more force to knock someone over the head with than you would imagine. They aren't a bat, they don't have that range. Otherwise, solid weapon if you put some strength behind it. (You can see them for size in the pictures of me above. Keep in mind I’m about 5′9″.)

Ropes on a ship are a major tripping hazard. There are six miles of rigging on the Lady Washington, so the air above your head is a frickin maze. Every rope that touches the ground gets coiled. Every one. It doesn't matter if there's only three feet of it touching the deck: it gets coiled. There are all sorts of coiling methods, though I didn't quite pick up on names, except for the Flemish coil pictured below. It really isn't practical, except when you have completely loose ropes or huge strands of rope touching the ground.

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dweemeister · 4 years ago

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NOTE: This is the third film released theatrically during the COVID-19 pandemic that I am reviewing – I saw Raya and the Last Dragon at the Regency Theatres Directors Cut Cinema’s drive-in operation in Laguna Niguel, California. Because moviegoing carries risks at this time, please remember to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined by your local, regional, and national health officials.

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

As Raya and the Last Dragon, directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada and written by Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim, made its theatrical and streaming bow, the United States was grappling with a wave of highly-publicized hate incidents towards Asian-Americans in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This spike in racially-motivated verbal abuse, assaults, and homicides began with the pandemic and, frustratingly, had only been receiving national attention in these last few weeks. Despite the nation’s racist origins entwined with chattel slavery of black people and its continued unequal treatment of minorities including Asian-Americans, I am not qualified to say if the U.S. is “more” or “less racist” than other countries. But I can hardly think of any other people that interrogate racial inequality and oppression as much (and as publicly) as Americans – an undeniable strength. There was no way Raya and the Last Dragon’s cast and crew could have anticipated the film’s fraught timing, but the film provides a much-needed, positive, and heavily flawed, action-adventure romp drawn from Southeast Asian cultures.

The very notion that Walt Disney Animation Studios was attempting to craft a film using an amalgam of Southeast Asian cultures stoked my excitement and dread. Southeast Asian cultures – including, but not limited to, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam – are often lumped into those of East Asia (China, Korea, Japan), which dominate Asian-American depictions or Asian-influenced media in the United States. What gave me pause is that Disney’s track record in films featuring non-European-inspired characters and places inspired by non-European cultures is mixed. Aladdin (1992) and Pocahontas (1995) are aggregations of (and indulge in stereotypes towards) Arabs and indigenous Americans alike, especially in their presentations of “savagery” (Pocahontas in particular is guilty of false equivalences).

Cultural aggregations in fictional settings are not insensitive, per se. Yet, Disney’s stated intentions on this film are undermined by a voice cast ensemble almost entirely composed of actors of Chinese and Korean descent – you can bring up Adele Lim’s response to the voice casting controversy all you want, but her response contradicts the film’s promotion. Amid its gorgeous production and character design, Raya manages to avoid the worst mistakes of its Disney Renaissance predecessors. But its hero’s journey is too cluttered and too littered with the anachronistic and metatextual jokes plaguing the last decade’s Disney animated features.

Five centuries before the events of Raya and the Last Dragon, the land of Kumandra saw its people live in harmony with dragons. That relationship, however, would be devastated by the appearance of the Druun – a swirling, purple vortex that turns living beings into stone. In the conflict against the Druun, the last dragon, Sisu (Awkwafina), makes a fateful sacrifice to save Kumandra by concentrating the dragons’ collective power into a magical orb. Soon after, Kumandra’s five tribes – Fang, Heart, Spine, Tail, and Talon (named after parts of a dragon) – fight amongst each other for control of the orb (Heart eventually gains possession of it), effectively partitioning the land. In the present day, the Heart tribe’s Chief Benja (Daniel Dae Kim) proposes and hosts a feast-summit to discuss and heal Kumandra’s divisions. Benja has taught his daughter, Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), the ways of a warrior and the necessity for Kumandra’s tribes to realize their oneness. At the feast-summit, Raya befriends Namaari (Gemma Chan; Jona Xiao as young Namaari), the daughter of Fang Chief Virana (Sandra Oh). Predictably, Namaari betrays her new friend in an orchestrated ploy to pilfer the dragons’ orb for Fang. Just as the Druun make a surprise invasion of Heart, the botched heist sees the orb break into five, and each of the tribes makes off with part of the orb. It will be up to Raya to recover the other four pieces of the orb, lest Kumandra succumb to the Druun.

The film’s screenplay is, charitably, a mess. Though Qui Nguyen (primarily a playwright) and Adele Lim (2018’s Crazy Rich Asians) are the credited screenwriters, Raya’s phalanx of story credits (mostly full-time, white employees at the Disney studios) suggest studio interference. Raya seems as if it is trying to cleanly differentiate certain tribes as based on a certain Southeast Asian nation. Instead, it comes off as a brew of mish-mashed parts (this problem extends to the otherwise stunning animation). With the exception of those from the militant Fang, the bit characters from the various tribes do not behave any differently from the members of other tribes. The partition of Kumandra, five hundred years before the events of Raya, feels like as if it had never existed for lengthy stretches in this film.

After Kelly Marie Tran, as Raya, narrates the mythology and history of Kumandra in the opening minutes, the film’s structure tethers itself predictably to the monomyth. The fracturing of the dragon’s orb into five parts sends Raya onto a tedious adventure: the physical travel to a new part of Kumandra, introduction of a sidekick (all of them are comic reliefs), an action setpiece involving a necessary assist from new sidekick, and the integration of that sidekick into Raya’s ever-growing party. Lather, rinse, repeat. To squeeze the four other tribes into the film’s 107-minute runtime and set up a climax and resolving actions results in a frantically-paced movie. Almost all of the film’s dialogue is subservient to its structure, the hero’s journey. This disallows the viewer to learn more about our lead and her fellow adventurers. In arguably the most important example in how the dedication to story structure undermines the characters, take Raya’s repeated mentions to her newfound confidants that she has difficulty trusting others. Six years have passed since the day of Namaari’s betrayal and Raya’s discovery of Sisu. How has Raya’s sense of distrust evolved over time, and how does it manifest towards those of other tribes? Does it appear in moments without consequence to her quest, in gusts of casual cruelty? In terms of characterization, Raya is showing too little and telling just the basics – a dynamic that also applies to the film’s most important supporting characters.

Ever since Tangled (2010), the films of the Disney animated canon have increased their use of metatextual and anachronistic humor (e.g. Kristoff’s comment about Anna’s engagement to a person she just met in 2013’s Frozen and Maui’s Twitter joke in 2016’s Moana that still makes me gnash my teeth when I think about it). Invariably, the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has seen its brand of pathos-destroying humor bleed into the Disney animated canon and Star Wars. Like so many films in the Disney animated canon, Raya takes place in a fantastical location in a never-time far removed from the present. From the moment Raya meets Sisu, the circa-2020s humor is ceaseless. For Disney animated movies set in fantastical worlds, this sort of humor suits films that are principally comedies, such as The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) – a work that owes more to Looney Tunes than anything Disney has created. Instead, Raya’s comedy will suit viewers who frequent certain corners of the Internet, “for the memes.” Do Disney’s animation filmmakers believe the adults and children viewing their films so impatient and unintelligent about human emotions? That they will not accept a scene that deals honestly with betrayal, disappointment, heartbreak, or loss unless there is a snide remark or visual gag inserted within said scene or shortly afterward?

Raya seems like a film set to portray its scenarios with the gravity they require. But overusing Awkwafina’s Awkwafina-esque jokes and a DreamWorks- or Illumination Entertainment-inspired infant causing meaningless havoc will subvert whatever emotions Nguyen and Lim are attempting to evoke. These statements are not arguing that Raya and Disney’s animated films should be humorless, that Disney should stop casting an Awkwafina or an Eddie Murphy as comic relief. Instead, Raya is another case study in how Disney’s brand of ultramodern humor is overtaking their films’ integral dramatics. Raya is noisy, clamorous – no different than anything Disney has released in the last decade, save Winnie the Pooh (2011).

Production designers Helen Mingjue Chen, Paul A. Felix, and Cory Loftis have worked on films like Wreck-It Ralph (2012), Big Hero 6 (2014), or Zootopia (2016). Each of these films feature glamorous, near-future metropolises or sleek digital worlds. Where the tribespeople of Kumandra might not be behaviorally-differentiated, the color coding, lighting, and biomes of each of the five lands comprising Kumandra ably distinguishes Fang, Heart, Spine, Tail, and Talon from each other. As if taking cues from the production designs of Big Hero 6’s San Fransokyo and, to some extent, The King and I (1956), it is difficult to pin down specific influences on the clashing architectural styles within the lands, in addition to the unusually empty and cavernous palaces and temples and varying costumes. As picturesque as some of these lands are, the art direction does not help to empower the characteristic of the tribes and their native lands. Nor does James Newton Howard’s thickly-synthesized grind of an action score, which prefers to accompany the film’s excellent combat scenes rather than stake a clearer thematic identity for its own. Howard uses East and Southeast Asian instrumentations and influences in his music, but, disappointingly, they are heavily processed through synthetic elements and are played underneath the film’s sound mix.

Character art directors Shiyoon Kim (Tangled, 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and Ami Thompson (2017’s MFKZ, 2018’s Ralph Breaks the Internet) embrace the (generally) darker and varying skin complexions of Southeast Asian peoples. The skin textures are among the best ever produced in a Disney CGI-animated feature, and the variety of face shapes – although still paling in comparison to the best hand-drawn features – is a pleasure to witness.

The number of films starring actors/voice actors of Asian descent (all-Asian or majority-Asian), animated or otherwise, and released by a major Hollywood studio makes for a brief list. Raya and the Last Dragon joins an exclusive club that includes the likes of The Dragon Painter (1919), Go for Broke! (1951), Flower Drum Song (1961), The Joy Luck Club (1993), and Crazy Rich Asians (2018). Among those movies, Raya is the only entry specifically influenced by Southeast Asian cultures. Its cast may be headlined by Kelly Marie Tran (whose skill as a voice actor is one of the film’s most pleasant surprises), but most of the roles went to those of Chinese or Korean descent. No disrespect intended towards Gemma Chan, Sandra Oh, or veteran actress Lucille Soong, but the majority East Asian cast only serves to further monolithize Asians – as the amalgamated story, plot details, and production design have already done. I will not second-guess any fellow person of Southeast Asian descent if they feel “seen” through Raya. What a compliment that would be for this film. How empowering for that person. But the life experiences of those of East Asian and Southeast Asian descent are markedly different. Disney’s casting decisions in Raya – all in the wake of the disastrous Western and Eastern reception of the live-action Mulan (2020) – have revealed a fundamental lack of effort or understanding about the possibilities of a sincere attempt at representation.

To this classic film buff, the discourse surrounding Raya strikes historical chords. When Flower Drum Song was released to theaters, the film was labeled by the American mainstream as the definitive Asian-American movie. Opening during the height of the American Civil Rights Movement, the film (and the musical it adapts) looked like nothing released by Hollywood (and on Broadway) at that time. In that midcentury era of rising racial consciousness and the lack of opportunities for Asian-Americans in Hollywood, the marking of Flower Drum Song as the absolute pan-Asian celebration was bound to happen – however unfair the distinction. Even though Rodgers and Hammerstein (two white Jewish men who made well-meaning, problematic attempts to craft musicals decrying racial prejudice and social injustices) composed the musical and zero Asian people worked behind the camera, those labels remained. With some differences in who wrote the source material, The Joy Luck Club and Crazy Rich Asians have followed Flower Drum Song’s fate in their categorizations. Will Raya? Time will be the judge, the only judge.

Before time passes judgment, we have some present-day hints. Though not released by major studios, the quick succession of The Farewell (2019) and Minari (2020) point to an experiential specificity that Raya attempts, but never comes close to achieving. Whether through aggregation or specificity, Hollywood benefits from the perspectives of underrepresented groups. Widespread claims that Raya too closely copies Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008) reflect that dearth of East Asian and Southeast Asian representation in American media. For too many, ATLA is the Asian fantasy. These simplistic observations and bad-faith criticisms (one could rebuke Disney’s vaguely-European princess films on the same principles, but I find this as lazy as the bad-faith ATLA criticisms) also suggest a lack of understanding that Asian-inspired stories are drawing from similar tropes codified by Asian folklore and narratives centuries old. If one reads through this reviewer’s write-ups, you will find an abiding faith in the major Hollywood studios – past, present, and future – to be artistically daring and to genuinely represent long-excluded persons. Many might see this faith as misplaced. But even in the major studios’ flawed attempts to depict underrepresented groups, like Raya, they concoct astonishing sights and form moving links to the cinematic past.

Assuming you have not skipped to this paragraph, the write-up that you have read may seem scathing to your eyes. Raya is no Disney classic – there has not been one for some time. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my first viewing of Raya. After a few weeks’ worth of keeping my agony private over the recent uproar over attacks on persons of Asian descent in America, it was a surreal experience to see even an amalgamated celebration of Southeast Asian culture. Over this last year, we have lost people and things that emboldened us and ennobled us. In this season of unbelonging and otherizing feelings for Asians in America, Raya’s timing is fortuitous. It is emboldening and ennobling.

My rating: 6/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. Half-points are always rounded down. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

#Raya and the Last Dragon #Don Hall #Carlos López Estrada #Kelly Marie Tran #Awkwafina #Izaac Wang #Gemma Chan #Daniel Dae Kim #Benedict Wong #Sandra Oh #Thalia Tran #Lucille Soong #Alan Tudyk #Qui Nguyen #Adele Lim #James Newton Howard #Disney #My Movie Odyssey

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pick-and-shovel-laborer · 4 years ago

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// About the finale //

Just a few of my assorted thoughts below.

I’m kinda mixed about the Donald/Della subplot. On the one hand, it’s kinda nice to see her want to spend more time with him, but then again, she’s been back for what, two years now? A part of me feels it’s too little too late. I do have to wonder if he even told the boys and what their reactions would be.

Ludwig von Drake is still alive? Well great, and not at all surprising if you’ve seen that season 3 poster. Too busy too die though? Really? That’s the best explanation these writers could come up with? Come on, that’s B.S. everybody knows that. He could’ve just created a secret formula for immortality, or froze himself, something. Then again Bradford must be at least a couple of centuries old considering he’s Isabella Finch’s grandson and Scrooge grew up reading Finch’s adventures, and the writers didn’t even bother explaining that one at all. Even El Capitan from the original DuckTales pilot was several centuries old and just stayed alive through “sheer will.” That’s something, and still a better explanation than “too busy.” Anyway my personal headcanon for this series’ Ludwig: he lived with Matilda in the walls of Castle McDuck for a while, which of course extended his life.

While I’m on that. slightly off the subject, I also headcanon that Quackmore in this series was actually a scientist who created Donald and Della as clones from Hortense much like Webby was created from Scrooge. Why he would do that I have no idea - he obviously couldn’t have been with F.O.W.L since it wasn’t even in existence before Scrooge had his first adventure with Donald and Della, I don’t think, and even if it was it logically would’ve been for a different purpose than the papyrus, but anyway it just makes more sense than Hortense laying eggs in her hundred-tens. Granted cartoon duck physiology is probably different from real human or duck physiology but still... I know plenty of comic purists probably hate me for that headcanon, but for this series I just think it makes more sense.

Also speaking of comic purists, I can understand why some had a problem with the whole Webby/April thing but I personally didn’t. Just a necessary change for this show’s story, and appropriate since the original Webby was sort of an amalgamated character of April, May and June. (EDIT/UPDATE: Now that I think of it, considering the whole Webby is actually April and Scrooge’s clone thing was probably a long-term plan, I wonder if that’s a reason why it took so long for “Legends of the Three Caballeros” so long to air in the U.S. - so DuckTales fans could think of it as a spinoff featuring Webby, May and June, while maybe in the Philippines, where “Three Caballeros” aired before the U.S., DuckTales wasn't as popular so their audience wouldn’t care about Webby? Idk, just a guess.)

The interaction between Darkwing and Fenton cracked me up. Just a pretty hilarious superhero trope, where the hero’s secret identity is compromised and the other person can’t figure it out despite all the evidence staring them in the face. I guess he just didn’t want to believe it.

Gosalyn said that Fenton tried to help her get her people back? I’m guessing she’s referring to “Let’s Get Dangerous” when he tried to help get her grandfather back. Well yes he did but Gosalyn gives absolutely no credit to Drake? I think Drake did more for her. It was Drake who took her under his (dark) wing and gave her a new home after she had no family. I mean we never got to see them between “Let’s Get Dangerous” and “The Last Adventure” but... Maybe Gosalyn’s referring to a deleted scene between just her and Fenton?

I did love the Scrooge/Donald scene when Scrooge signs the contract to give up adventure. If Don Rosa did a scene like this it would’ve been a joke. And Donald by this time had grown out of adventure. He just wants his uncle to keep doing what he loves, and for Scrooge to say Donald’s life isn’t worth the risk, great character development for both of them. “Family is the greatest adventure of all” though? Yeah I’m with Bradford on this. That was a ridiculously stupid, forced way of getting out of the contract.

I have to question what was the point of F.O.W.L. capturing everyone Scrooge has ever met, even some we’ve never even seen him interact with. They even got the guy with the superbeard from Ragnarok. Why...and how? Besides the writers and animators just wanting to cram in as many characters as possible that appeared on the show before, it just makes no sense. And then why stop there? I kinda wish they snuck in some familiar characters who NEVER managed to fit into any actual episode before, like Gideon McDuck, Dickie Duck, Brigitta MacBridge and Grandma Duck (who did at least make a small background cameo in the original series.)

Anyway later towards the end he calls almost everyone his family, and Webby too had a few people on her “family” board that she’s only met once as far as shown. That being the case, I have to question their definition of “family.” Now that I feel like sorta took away from the new Scrooge/Webby family dynamic.

That I honestly didn’t have a problem with. I know some fans say the revelation could’ve used more buildup, well yeah but then it wouldn’t have the surprise effect that it did. Anyway of course Webby’s always emulated Scrooge, and then she is Scrooge. I’m glad she forgave Beakley too toward the end, since she was her literal found family, while Scrooge was the actual biological family. Part of me feels the whole “daughter”/”dad” thing was a little weird. I mean couldn’t they have just said “clone?” I wonder what was going through Scrooge’s head. All the women he met 12 years ago? But anyway it was fine and cute IMHO and I guess after the episode ends they’re going to grow closer and more affectionate.

So Huey’s smarter than the smarties, Dewey’s tougher than the toughies, Louie’s sharper than the sharpies, but Webby earning her way square? I guess she must’ve done something for Scrooge to consider her as an heir, before he even knew they were genetically related (I think) but knowing that she is his biological daughter I feel makes whatever she accomplishes from this point on feel like a birthright. Yes she’s certainly proven herself capable, but she’s inherited the traits of her greatness from her family, whereas before she seemed to be entirely “self-made,” which I feel made her more impressive (that being said Beakley was always a pretty smart, tough, sharp woman herself), and, I don’t know...may have even been a factor which led to Scrooge considering as an heir in the first place.

Why would Donald start caring for May and June? Well, I get because he’s a natural father figure, but still I feel like Scrooge should’ve taken responsibility for all three of his clones. But then again, if you think about it, it’s Donald that gets to raise Scrooge this time. Kind of a nice irony.

A few more scenes I would’ve added:

Lena and Violet becoming friends with May and June on-screen, and some on-screen resolution to their fight with Webby earlier in the episode. It can only be guessed that they reconciled after they came to save her. I understand why they had to cut it for time but still...

Webby making a birthday wish in the opening party scene, something to the effect of “I wish I knew my parents” or “I wish I was (or was like) Scrooge McDuck.” Just might’ve been some good foreshadowing.

Anyway I would say it was a pretty decent way to close out the series overall. Despite my criticism, I’d rate a solid 7/10.

#dt spoilers

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nad-zeta · 4 years ago

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Match up! (ᵔᴥᵔ)

Hi hi! May I please have a matchup for IkeSen? I’ve been reading through all the ones you’ve posted and I love how much thought and consideration you put into them! ☺️

A little about me; I’m just about to turn 23, 5’4”, a Leo, and my MBTI is ENFJ. Blue eyes, blonde hair, but ya girl is about to become a redhead and I can’t remember the last time I was so excited for a change like that lol 🤩 I’m pretty confident in myself, and sometimes that pride gets in the way of asking for help, but I can understand when it’s needed and put it to the side (temporarily).

I love love looove to read 😍 Lately I’ve been really into contemporary romance but I’m also a big fan of YA and adult fantasy! Oh, and academic texts, the reasoning for which I touch on below.

Learning is honestly one of passions, but it has to be on my schedule and the subjects I’m actually interested in. I just finished my BaH in History, and it’s cool because I can go off about fertility treatments in 17th century England or notable female figures in the Philippine Revolution of 1896, but I don’t know shit about much of WW1 🤷🏼‍♀️

I’m also super social, so I love going to parties and events (or better yet hosting parties and events). Social interaction is what keeps me going, and the side of me that loves quiet reading time comes out when i need to recharge. I also need something to do to keep busy, so I tend to alternative creative hobbies pretty frequently. And I’m always trying new recipes! Mainly baking different things, but really I’m willing to try cooking anything that piques my interest at least once.

I love to travel too! I’m a broke uni graduate so I can’t exactly afford to go anywhere rn, but I’d love to be able to travel the world and visit historical sites. They would have to be long trips though, because I have a habit of sleeping in and staying up late into the night, so I end up limiting how many daylight hours I have to get things done 😅

I think that’s about it? Me in a bubble lol. I’m so looking forward to seeing who you’d think I’d mesh with, thank you so much! 🥰

Hi hi, love! 🔥Thank you so much for the request! Awww I’m so happy you have been enjoying my matchups! ❤😆Sorry for taking sooo long! I hope you enjoy and I hope you have the best day!❤🌻 @ohno-0tome

So I match you with……….Shingen

It had been a few weeks since you arrived in Azuchi and you were starting to fit in pretty nicely. I’ll admit when you first arrived the warlords were extremely cold and suspicious towards you, but soon they got to know you and had adopted you as their dearest little sister.

You work incredibly hard for the castle and its people and all the warlords absolutely adored your bubbly personality. One of your closest friends was Mitsunari, as he like you was a fellow bookworm and scholar. You had also come to become quick friends with Masamune as the two of you would often swap out recipes and spend the day cooking delicious food for the Mitsus

Mitisunari had introduced you to the town library, where he too spent most of his time absorbing the knowledge from any and every book he could get his hands on. In just 2 weeks of being in Azuchi you had managed to read almost every book in the castle archives. So you would often accompany Mitsunari on his trips to the library to quench your own thirst for knowledge.

You loved going into town and just spending the day in the library, it was every book lovers ideal setting. Quiet, comfy chairs and a small teahouse in the furthest corner of the library, that sold the most amazing pastries and tea you have ever tasted. It had become somewhat a tradition for you to quickly finish all your chores and then make your way to the library, to sit in your usual sunny spot by the window. You had gone to the place so often that everyone knew you there, even the teahouse owner would keep your teacup full as you spent the day reading in the sun.

One day as you sat in your usual spot, a man walked past the library window and saw the most enchanting person he had ever seen. The way you red hair shimmered in the sunlight absolutely enchanted Shingen. Boy oh, boy did Shingen lose his heart to you the second your beautiful blue eyes met his. You gave him a small smile and went back to the young adult romance book you were reading. As you carried on reading your mind couldn’t help but drift to the mysterious man that you had seen through the window. You wondered if you would ever get a chance to see him again, and if hearing your thoughts, fate intervened

The next day you went to the library after work as per usual, the owner had told you that they had just gotten in a new shipment of YA books, and gestured to the top shelf. Honestly, you weren’t the tallest of people so you opted to climb a few of the shelves, so you could reach the books. You had no intention of asking anyone for help, as you were a strong independent woman. You carefully made your way to the top, gripping the small groves between the shelves for support. Just as you reached out to grab a book, your footing slipped, and you went tumbling down. You braced yourself for impact, yet it never came. When you cracked open your eyes, you saw two deep brown eyes and a gorgeous smile staring back at you, “Careful my angel, can’t have you falling down and injuring yourself, now can we.”

He gently set you down on the ground, and the two of you got to chatting. You were incredibly social, and you loved meeting and chatting to new people. You couldn’t help but laugh and Shingen’s cheesy pick-up lines and his flirtatious way of talking. He definitely caught your interest, especially when you spotted him holding a book about history, and not just any history, English history. That afternoon was spent with the two of you excitingly talking about the historical events and figure of all the different places the two of you had read about.

The next day you took up residence in your usual spot, when Shinegn walked into the library and took a seat next to you, to read a book of his own. This had become somewhat of a daily occurrence. You and Shingen would sit in your usual spot in the library near each other and just read.

Some days the two of you would just sit and read without saying a single word, yet other days the two of you would sit for hours and hours in the tea-house discussing everything and anything, from new books read, to the most random of topics.

Shingen wasn't the only friend you had managed to make when leaving the castle to spend the day in the markets. You had soon after your arrival also met Yukimura and Sasuke, and the three of you became quick friends. You absolutely loved to banter and bicker with Yuki and completely geek out with Sasuke over history. Honestly, the three of you acted like a siblings.

One day while you stopped by at Yuki’s stall for your daily bickering match, he let it slip that Sasuke’s birthday was coming up. Your eyes gleamed in delight at the mention of your friend’s birthday, “Yuki, I know just how we can celebrate his birthday!” You and Yuki spent many afternoons together planning a birthday surprise for Sasuke. You absolutely loved parties and hosting events, so you were absolutely in your element, planning out every detail. You, of course, left the guest list up to Yukimura cause he had told you that Sasuke had many friends that didn’t exactly live in Azuchi.

The night of the party, you were having the best time, Sasuke was so surprised that you and Yuki had managed to pull off such a big bash right under his nose. You were walking around mingling with all his friends when a familiar man caught your attention, was that…. Shingen? You walked up to the gorgeous man, “well well well fancy meeting you here.” You smiled at the sight of Shingen being caught off guard, “I was wondering what kind of celestial being would be able to pull off such a big bash right under our enemies noses, and I must say to find out that it was all your doing doesn’t surprise me.” Before you could answer Yuki and Sasuke came up to the two of you. Sasuke and Yuki were busy introducing Shingen to you when you, shocked them both with the revelation that the two of you had actually been spending the past few months together, reading and chatting in the library. You and Shingen spent the whole party together just chatting and joking away

Shingen realized that night that he had long ago fallen in love with you. He loved your bubbly social personality, he loved the way the two of you could just sit in comfortable silence for hours and hours not talking but just simply enjoying the presence of each other. He loved how confident and intelligent you were and how you hated asking for assistance/help of any kind. He just simply loved you. He was determined after that night to tell you exactly how he felt.

He knew from the many conversations the two of you had shared that you loved to travel and explore historical sites. So a few weeks after Sasuke’s party, he met you at your usual spot in the book shop. He gently took your hand in his, and lead you outside to a waiting horse. The two of you rode for what felt like hours, when you finally arrived at Kasugayama Castle. Sasuke had suggested to Shingen that he show you his home, as Sasuke knew you would absolutely love to see the home of another warlord, as it is low key considered a historical site in the future. The last stop of your sightseeing visit was Shingen’s room, which was full of the coolest historical artefacts.

He made the two of you some tea, and you sat down across from him slightly exhausted from a full day of fun adventures. After tea, Shingen walked you to your room, as it was already too late to take you back home. The two of you stopped in front of the door, neither one wanting to part from the other just yet. That’s when Shingen took your hands in his and leaned in close and confessed his feeling for you. He couldn’t even finish his cheesy flirty confession, as before he knew it your arms were wrapped around his neck and you had captured his lips in a sweet kiss.

You decided to stay in Kasugayama Castle for a little while longer, sending word to Nobunaga and the other to let them know you were safe. Shingen loved finding our new thing about you every day. Like your love for baking, he had quite the sweet tooth and to find out that his goddess could satisfy that sweet tooth with delicious pastries, made his heart soar. He loved it when you would surprise him with your latest creation, after being inspired to try out a cool new recipe that piqued your interest. He loved how you could never sit still and always had something to keep you busy.

The two of you continued your tradition of reading together, expect the only difference was, now that you were together Shingen would insist you sit in his lap and read so that he could hold his goddess in his arms.

This man will shower you in endless amounts of affection and attention. THB you loved it at Kasugayama Castle, as there was a social gathering almost every night. Whenever you would need to recharge your social battery, Shingen would be by your side in an instant, silently leading you away from the banquet so that the two of you could spent the rest of the evening in peace.

What did Shingen love the most about you? Well that easy, he loved that you would sleep in late into the mornings, especially if the two of you had had a late night staying up together. He loved to just lay there and watch that beautiful sleeping face of yours, while he gently rubs small circles on your back.

He loved how you would wake up slowly and turn around in his arms while nuzzling into his chest to shield your eyes from the sun streaming into the room, to give your self 5 more minutes of sleep. He would tighten his embrace and trail small kisses from the top of your head, making his way down to your forehead, each of your eyelids, nose and finally lips, while whispering a sweet good morning. These quiet, warm moments with you every morning were beyond compare his favourite.

Other potential matches……………. Nobunaga

I hope you enjoyed this dear❤🌻!

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