#junior chaos trio

[sammys-magical-au]

*the kids exploring Palpatine’s old abandoned office at the senate building, which has just been sealed off and left untouched for years*

Ben, poking Palpatine’s skull with her lightsaber: so we find this fucking skull here. It has a FULL set of teeth.

Leia: and Luke here-

Ben, pointing her lightsaber at Luke: and this dumbass goes; “yA tHinK iT’s A bIrD?!?!”

[the-carlos-cow-eyes]

Jake and Junior in an argument be like

Jake: I HATE YOU!

Junior: YEAH, WELL, I HATE ME TOO!

Jake:

Junior:

Jake: Dude, we’ve talked about this…

Oml, Jake and Lydia are fr just Junior's therapy family members that he has no choice but to listen to😭

[cvnticon]

drifting-𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭

dividers/@bernardsbendystraws

a/n: first angst! love all of you and feel free to leave feedback, or suggestions!

contains: bsf!matt, angst, and crying

“𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲.” - mitski

You’ve known Matt since before you knew the words to describe friendship. His house was three doors down from yours, the one with the creaky porch swing that seemed to sing a song in the wind. You can’t remember a time he wasn’t in your life. The two of you grew up together—Matt and Y/N, the duo everyone knew. If you were there, Matt wasn’t far behind. If Matt had an idea, you were the one egging him on.

Matt wasn’t just Matt, though. He was part of the trio, the sturniolo triplets: Matt, Chris, and Nick. Chris was the loudest, always ready to crack a joke or stir up trouble. Nick was a bit loud and had some anger issues, he and chris would always bicker over everything. Then there was Matt, who was quieter, softer, the one who stayed back and observed the chaos with a small smile.

But you? You were his shadow, and he was yours. Together, you were invincible. Or so you thought.

When you were kids, the world felt endless. Summers meant long days spent chasing fireflies in the fields behind your houses and daring each other to jump into the freezing creek. Winters were for sledding down the hill near the school and warming up with mugs of cocoa in Matt’s kitchen, his mom fussing over you like you were one of her own.

“Promise me something,” Matt had said once, lying on his back in the grass next to you. The stars were scattered across the sky like someone had spilled glitter on black velvet.

“What?” you asked, turning your head to look at him. His face was half-shadowed in the moonlight, but his eyes were serious, almost solemn.

“Promise we’ll always be friends. No matter what.”

You laughed, thinking it was a silly thing to ask. Of course, you’d always be friends. How could you not?

“I promise,” you said. And he grinned like you’d given him the moon.

But life has a way of breaking promises.

High school came, and with it, changes you weren’t prepared for. Matt grew taller, his shoulders broader. His voice deepened, and his laugh became something richer, something that sent a shiver down your spine when you heard it. He wasn’t just your best friend anymore. He was Matt, the boy who made your chest ache in a way you didn’t understand at first.

You tried to ignore it. He was your best friend; he’d always been your best friend. You couldn’t ruin that. So you buried those feelings deep and told yourself they didn’t matter.

But then came junior year, when he started dating Megan Thompson. Megan, with her perfect smile and effortless laugh, who seemed to glide through life with a confidence you envied.

“She’s nice,” you said when he asked what you thought of her. You meant it, but the words tasted bitter on your tongue.

“Yeah, she is,” he said, and the way his face lit up when he talked about her felt like a knife twisting in your chest.

You wanted to be happy for him. You told yourself you were happy for him. But late at night, when you were alone in your room, you couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

Matt was still your best friend, but things weren’t the same. There was a distance between you now, one you didn’t know how to close. He was still there, still Matt, but there were parts of his life you weren’t a part of anymore. He didn’t tell you everything like he used to. He didn’t show up at your window in the middle of the night to talk about the stars or the future or whatever random thought had popped into his head.

And you? You let it happen. Because you didn’t know how to hold on to him without breaking your own heart.

Senior year, Nick came out to you first.

It was late, and you were sitting on the porch swing at Matt’s house, waiting for him to come back from his shift at the diner. Nick sat next to you, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his sweater.

“I need to tell you something,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“What’s up?” you asked, glancing at him.

“I’m gay,” he said, the words tumbling out in a rush. He looked at you like he was bracing for impact.

You blinked, caught off guard, but then you smiled. “Okay. I’m proud of you for telling me.”

His shoulders sagged with relief, and for a moment, he just sat there, staring at the stars. “I haven’t told Matt yet,” he admitted.

“Why not?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s Matt, you know? He’s… everything to everyone. What if he doesn’t understand?”

“He will,” you said, even though you weren’t entirely sure. But you wanted to believe it. You wanted to believe Matt could still be the boy who promised he’d always be there for the people he loved.

It wasn’t until the night of graduation that everything fell apart.

The party was at Chris’s insistence, a rager at the Sturniolo house with half the senior class crammed into the living room and spilling out onto the lawn. You weren’t much of a drinker, but tonight felt like an exception.

Matt found you on the back porch, a beer in his hand and a lazy smile on his face. “There you are,” he said, flopping down next to you.

“Here I am,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady.

He looked at you for a long moment, his smile fading. “You’ve been different lately,” he said. “Distant.”

You froze, your heart hammering in your chest. “I’m not—”

“You are,” he interrupted. “And I don’t get it. Did I do something?”

“No,” you said quickly. “It’s not you.”

“Then what is it?” he asked, his voice soft but insistent.

You couldn’t look at him. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing,” he said, and there was a note of desperation in his voice now. “Talk to me, Y/N. Please.”

But you couldn’t. The words were stuck in your throat, choking you. You couldn’t tell him the truth. That you loved him in a way you weren’t supposed to. That every time you saw him with Megan, it felt like you were losing a piece of yourself.

So you stayed silent.

And Matt? Matt stood up, hurt flashing in his eyes. “Fine,” he said. “If you don’t want to tell me, I won’t push you. But don’t expect me to keep waiting forever.”

He walked away, and you let him.

The summer after graduation passed in a blur. Matt left for LA with his brothers, and you stayed behind, working at the local bookstore and pretending you were fine.

You weren’t fine. You missed him more than you thought possible, and every day felt emptier without him.

You told yourself you’d reach out eventually. That you’d fix things. But eventually turned into weeks, then months, then years.

And by the time you saw Matt again, everything had changed.

a/n: ive been working on this for quite awhile. i really want to make a part 2 but thats just if anyone truly likes it! message me to be on taglist!!

[salty-dracon]

Astral Express Sunday thoughts, bonding with the trio:

Sunday and March's friendship is surprisingly wholesome once they get the formalities out of the way. She's a cute girl who loves all sorts of girly things (just like his sister) and she needs someone to practice her manicure skills on. Sunday himself has some nail painting skills, having used them to entertain Robin in her youth.

There have been at least a couple of incidents now where Himeko opens the door to March's room and finds March and Sunday doing each other's hair, painting each others' nails, or just chatting together. March really does remind him of Robin before she became a star- she has many little dreams and is always full of smiles, but hidden behind her laughter and joy is the darkness of the void. Does she know? Sunday wonders, having seen what was inside her mind. But March's next quips break him out of his stupor, and he goes back to chatting with her.

Caelus and Stelle seem okay with Sunday's presence- in a sardonic sort of way. Actually, it's more accurate to say they've been testing him ever since he got here. One time, Stelle dared him to drink a whole cup of Himeko's coffee. Another time, Caelus dragged him to Jarilo-VI and tried to enter him in a cage match under the name "Cold Dragon Youngest Junior". Another time, the twins brought him to the Luofu and challenged him to a soda-based Russian Roulette. Somehow, their crazy ideas never end.

In fact, over time, they become more pleasant. The twins convince Arlan to take the group on a tour of Herta Space Station, pointing out all of their favorite curios and introducing him to Ruan Mei's little dumpling dogs and cat cakes. They order massive platters of food from every locale they can think of, encouraging him to try a bite of everything. And of course, the siblings love to swing their bats at anything bigger than them, and he finds great joy in lending them his power. They really are like animals, Sunday thinks, watching them try to tag-team a Warp Trotter and fail spectacularly. Adorable little bundles of chaos.

There's something weird about Dan Heng when Sunday first spends a night in the Express. His unwavering eyes watch him closely, hunting for any semblance of betrayal. His offers to use his Harmony powers during missions are quickly shot down, and his suggestions to split up with the others during particularly time-sensitive conflicts are denied. Sunday eventually realizes what the issue is- a lack of trust. And who would trust him, after what he did to Dan Heng's closest friends? So Sunday spends a week proving himself. He offers to make coffee and tea for Himeko and Welt, and chats with them openly about his thoughts. He battles earnestly alongside the group, without using too many underhanded tactics such as the Harmony's brand. When Pom-Pom needs someone to help mop up the floors, he's the first to volunteer. He spends time with March and the twins, and even chats about literature and the archives with Dan Heng, who appreciates that they share an interest in books. In time, they grow accustomed to each other.

When two pairs of hands are needed to deal with the antics the rest of the crew causes, Dan Heng goes to Sunday before anyone else. More than once, Sunday has been reading in his room when he hears a knock at the door. "Caelus and Stelle fell asleep in the parlor car again," Dan Heng says. "Could you help me move them?" Sunday's happy to oblige- they're his precious family, after all.

[ivanttakethis]

End of Round 29 - Tov’s Log

Tov (50) vs. Jae (49) -> Tov Win

————————————————————

Tov only saw the final scores for a fraction of second before the lights cut out.

50 - 49

She won.

Barely.

Again.

Emergency sirens blared to life.

The crowd, consumed by the darkness, began to panic.

Two guards rushed the stage, barreling past Tov and snatching Jae up by both his arms.

One of her heels snagged in a groove on the stage and she stumbled back, but someone caught her before she could fall and a gloved hand took hold of her arm.

She flinched at the unwanted contact, trying to pull away.

“Tov, we need to go. Now.”

Familiarity prickled at the back of Tov’s mind. She stopped struggling.

As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could make out a medic patch faintly glowing on the guard’s sleeve.

Elias?

She bit her tongue to keep from saying his name aloud, drawing blood.

Another guard took Tov’s other arm and quickly led her off stage. They were shorter than Elias, with a smaller build.

The slope of their shoulders was a dead giveaway.

Prem.

“What’s going on?” She shouted over the ensuing chaos.

“Not sure yet, but we need to secure your safety first.” Prem said, cutting through the throngs of frightened backstage staff.

He ushered her and Elias to a door that led into a stairwell. The same stairwell Tov had used to get to Himei and Tallis before their rounds.

How long ago was that?

She shook free of her thoughts, forcing herself to stay in the present as they exited the stairwell into the tunnels.

It was quieter underground, the wailing of the sirens above them muffled by the thick layers of concrete.

After a few turns left and right, the number of aliens the trio passed grew fewer and fewer, until they turned onto an empty hallway that deadened.

Prem stopped and looked over his shoulder behind them before locking the set of doors they just came through.

“Okay, I think we’re far enough away now.” He exhaled like he’d been holding his breath. “Find any new info, Eli?”

Tov turned to Elias, who was tapping away at a device with a small screen attached to his left sleeve.

“The alarms going off are meant for intruders, but I don’t see any alerts about security breaches.” Elias said, removing his helmet. “Something’s off about this whole thing. I don’t like it.”

“Whatever it is, we should be safe here.”

Prem pulled off his helmet in turn and shook his curly hair loose.

It was Tov’s first time seeing what he looked like.

He was a bit paler than her and Elias, dark hair and dark eyes, with a scar running from the bottom of his right eye to his chin. It looked old and somewhat faded, likely from his childhood.

Based on his youthful appearance, she guessed he was closer in age to Nyx than he was to her.

Prem noticed Tov’s assessment of him and flushed at the tips of his ears, “Oh, yeah, I guess we haven’t really met before.” He let out an awkward chuckle before extending a hand to her. “I’m Prem, Elias’s junior.”

“Nice to meet you, officially.” She said, shaking his outstretched hand in the formal manner Cassio taught her. “I assume you also know my benefactor?”

“Yep! Not as well as Eli, since I’m younger, but I know them all the same. I offered to help out with delivering the messages.”

If Prem also knows this person, they’d have to be rather young, right? Maybe around my age?

But how would they know Alien Stage guard medics?

Are they a medic too? Or perhaps another guard?

“Shit.” Elias hissed.

Both Prem and Tov turned to face him as he furiously tapped the screen, his expression pinched.

“What’s wrong?” Prem asked, a slight edge in his voice.

“Subject-010625 escaped.”

Tov inhaled sharply.

Jae escaped?

“What?!” Prem’s voice pitched upwards. “How?”

“The announcement said he was taken by two rogue guards.” Elias said.

“Those must’ve been the guards that rushed the stage.” Tov said. “I thought they were taking him someplace safe like you two did.”

Prem groaned, running his hands down his face. “I thought so too.”

“It’s being reported that the guards are highly violent. They think it’s the same pair that took Subject-010420 after Round 11.”

Evon?

The room started to spin.

Tov stumbled over to a wall to brace herself.

“Evon is still alive?” She asked faintly. “She escaped too?”

There was a pressure building in her chest.

Something wanted out.

Elias nodded. “Yes, we believe that’s the case.”

A loud bark of laughter punched its way out of Tov’s diaphragm and echoed off the concrete walls, startling the two guards and herself.

Before she could open her mouth to explain or express concern, a stream of thready, hysterical giggles bubbled up from her chest and strangled the words halfway up her throat.

Tov laughed until her sides hurt, until she couldn’t breathe, until tears blurred her vision and the laughing became crying.

She sunk to the floor on weak knees, doubled over from the emotional overstimulation.

Relief. Joy. Envy. Anger. Grief. Sadness.

All caught in a swirling storm racking her blood and bones.

Tov expected questions.

What’s wrong? Are you alright? How can we help?

She didn’t have any answers.

I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know.

But the questions never came.

Instead, strong but gentle hands guided her to rest her back against the wall.

Elias sat down next to her on her left and Prem sat down on her right.

Neither said anything as she struggled to pull herself together.

The sirens continued to blare in the distance.

Tov felt wrung out.

Her head was too heavy to hold up on her own, so she leaned over to let it rest on Elias’s shoulder.

He didn’t seem to mind.

Prem handed her a tissue from his side pocket kit.

She wiped her nose as best she could.

A few more moments passed in silence before Tov spoke.

“What now?” She asked, her voice thick.

“Now, we wait.” Elias said. “It’ll all be over before you know it.”

As Tov closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, she couldn’t help but think he meant more than just the lockdown.

————————————————————

Tov won and Jae escaped!! Everything should be good now, right?

… Right?

Well, Tov has some complicated feelings about it. She’s relieved Jae escaped and that Evon is alive because she really doesn’t want anyone else to die.

But part of her is almost envious that they were saved when so many others weren’t, including some of the people Tov was closest to (Himei, Moran, Flor, etc.). She’s also angry that any of them had to be in this position to die like this in the first place.

At least Elias and Prem were there to comfort her. I think Tov would’ve spiraled even worse if they didn’t stay with her. I lobe my boys 🥹

Jae and Evon belong to @kofeedoggo.

Nyx belongs to @rockwgooglyeyes.

[lokeefe19]

Uzi’s Streamer life - Information about the main cast.

Here are some of The information about The main trio within my Modern Au series fic that I have for them. I will give the information on the recurring cast members on another post but for now it just the main gang.

Uzi Doorman

20 Years Old

Height - 4.3

Has been Dating N for 2 years and has been living with him in her Apartment for One.

Met N on her Junior year of high School while she was trying to find a way to change up her routine.

After Having a struggle with getting a coffee for the day N gave some of his dollars to her so she could get it.

Then she asked him if he could hang out with her at some point and he said yes and the rest Was history.

Works at a hot topic for the Day and Streams Monday,Wednesday and Friday night.

Teenage her Thought That the Adult life would be easy. How native.

Can’t go without a Coffee with her in the morning.

Major big Dead Batteries Fan.

N Elliot

21 years Old

Height is 5.5

Is the Youngest of all the Elliot kid’s

Is Accident Prone sometimes.

Doesn’t understand The internet slang and things that Uzi sometimes uses.

Despite all of the annoyance and years of pranks she still cares for his sister V because family doesn’t give up on each other.

Hates scary Movies but reads “The Drones from Copper Nine.” To the confusion of Uzi.

V Elliot

19 Years Old.

Height is 4.8

Is the Chaotic Middle Sibling of the Elliot’s and has cause the most stain to the name aside from Tessa.

James and Lousina sent her to Boot Camp for a summer to try and sort her out which she took advantage of and basically ruled the place and her personality changed not so ever.

She Causes all of this chaos in rebellion of the lifestyle of her parents try to force upon them all.

Constantly Messes with N with her Pranks and her plans to rebel.

Lived by herself for a while until N suggested that She can live with him and Uzi until she can figure out what she wants to do.

Has Middle Child syndrome.

[t1oui]

muggle high school au where harry, hermione, and ron bond over being queer simps (in my mind it’s harry crushing on cedric, hermione crushing on cho, and ron crushing on viktor, but it can also be draco, pansy, and blaise).

if it’s ced, cho, and viktor they’re all juniors and viktor and fleur (who’s also friends of them ofc) are exchange students (the golden trio are sophomores)

everyone is bi except fleur who’s aroace and likes watching the chaos

there’s a school dance or something (like the yule ball) and while harry and ron have no plans to ask ced and viktor (cowards) hermione is planning to ask cho

and fleur helps cedric and viktor ask out harry and ron (fleur goes with rodger davies, who is another aroace person who also thinks this whole thing is funny as hell)

hermione asks cho first and then cedric asks harry and meanwhile viktor and ron are both awkward as hell

they start playing chess together and eventually viktor is just like “please go to the dance with me” and after multiple heart attacks ron says yes

yeah.

[housesunstone]

Tell me more abt lucy and ruben 👀👀

You dont have to ask me twice!!!

Again this is all my own personal headcanon as semi-influenced by what we know as canon (this might also be used in a fic i might or might not be working on) I do not speak for official rat grinders lore

Lucy and Ruben first met in middle school (I think that is what it is called, not a thing where I am from). They were both partnered up in some class assignment. Lucy invited Ruben over so they could work on it after school, Ruben, being super chill and laid back, agreed. About half the project got done that night they just talked the rest of the time

After that, it was weird to see Lucy and Ruben without each other; they were a duo: her soft, kind, deeply caring soul and her laid-back, go-with-the-flow, caring best friend. Everyone just knew wherever Lucy was; Ruben wasn't far behind. If Ruben was somewhere, you could be sure Lucy was also there

When Ruben started his band, it was just him playing his ukulele; he was known for making a song out of anything. One day during lunch he just made a song up about Lucy on the spot. The better he got the more people wanted to make music with him, and Lucy was his number one fan since day 1.

Lucy would always go to all of his band practices, hang out in his basement and cheer the band on between songs. All of the others who were allowed to watch band practice shared a bowl and vibe. But it was always Lucy who cheered the loudest. She was the first one to have merch, it may have been just a t-shirt with some sharpie on it, but she wore it proudly and told everyone, "Just you watch; my best friend is going to be a star"

This was their last year in middle school before high school, and the duo became a trio. Kipperlilly came, and Lucy and her became close.

Ruben and Lucy didn't live too far from one another, they would often go to each others house in the middle of the night to just talk

Ruben took a keen interest into Ruvina and based on the conversations he and Lucy had, a lot of that went into his music

Lucy is first caught by Ruben when she brings the rats back, it is at that moment Lucy shares her more intimate beliefs about Runina that mortals were made to keep each other warm

Ruben doesn't tell anyone about this. Not until the bigger monsters get involved

Lucy becomes distant with Ruben towards the end of junior year before they go to the mountains of chaos. When Ruben tries to ask her why, she just brushes it off with faith stuff

Lucy is the last of her friends to be killed for Porter to shatter Star; she watches Ivy go down first, followed by Mary Ann, then Oisin, and Ruben. The horrified look on his face sends fear through her entire body. Before Kipperlilly goes down, she tells Lucy that things are going to be okay they can all be better this way. It's when Kipperlilly drops that Lucy looks at Porter and tells him she won't do this. She refuses to do this. Porter just laughs and tells her he never planned on bringing her back

Ruben is one of the last to wake up. He is met by Kipperlilly, who looks frantic, as Lucy still isn't moving. He runs over and screams and cries and pleads that she wake up. Hours go by, and she never does.

Ruben is the first to take the devil's honey, not to lie to some god but to himself, and no matter what, the devil's honey doesn't take away the anger, sadness, the hurt that he feels about Lucy. The devil's honey may be able to make him lie to himself, but those feelings never leave. Lucy's presence never leaves

Even with her gone and Ruben's new band, traces of the impression Lucy made on Ruben linger in every song. With Lucy gone, Ruben tries to ignore how empty he feels and how much he regrets not telling her his feelings

I think I need to stop here because I will keep going, and i already had to edit this down

[twistedappletree]

i’m crying I just thought of an Alice in Wonderland AU with the junior trio where Jin Ling is Alice, Lan Sizhui is the white rabbit, Lan Jingyi is the Cheshire cat, Lan Wangji is the caterpillar, Wei Wuxian is the mad hatter and Jiang Cheng is the Red Queen

except Wonderland’s creatures and environment are all based on Chinese mythology, flora/fauna, ancient architecture, etc.

like the absolute chaos of this situation, i’m gonna s c r e a m

[angevinyaoiz]

Asking purely out of curiosity, but also for the sake of familial chaos. Are you planning to do anything with Richard's sisters (Marie and Alix included)?

Familial Chaos is ALWAYS welcome!!

For Burger King AU I don't really have anything for the direct sisters since I know little Abt Eleanor jr and Matilda, so for simplicity's sake mostly sticking w the boys. I have thought Abt doing something w/ Joan, since it could lead to some goofy situations though (road trip drama....Henry makes Richard and Junior drive her 2 school on time without getting in trouble) but I waffle on it. Overall my BK thoughts operate on sitcom or looney tunes logic where sometimes people exist and then they don't and then do depending on an imaginary hand writing this (my indecisive brain), and mostly they exist according to 1) what fits the Canon Events (lmao) in my head and 2) what makes the situation funniest

I did actually have a concept for Marie (and to a lesser extent, Alix) being in the timeline, tho as like. Professional adults with their own families and lives that dip in and out to say hi and have weird relationship with the extended step family haha

Regarding normal Actual Era fanarts I did want to do something at some point since it seems I rarely draw ladies these days 😂 I have some silly concepts for the Berengaria/Joan/Isaac Comnenus' captured daughter awkward Cyprus trio since I think there's goofy possibilities there, and in general id like to do more stuff w the young kids era in general it's fun

[wrestlingisfake]

Wrestle Kingdom 17 preview

Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okada - White is the fifth IWGP world champion, making his third defense since winning the title from Okada on June 12. Okada won the G1 Climax tournament to earn this rematch.

Okada recruited White into his CHAOS faction in 2018, but within a few months White betrayed him and took over Bullet Club. Since then, White has been a thorn in Okada's side that he can't quite remove. For all his accolades and accomplishments, Okada is 1-4 against White in one-on-one matches, and White is the kind of pecker that will remind you at every opportunity.

I'm not counting on seeing the best match either of these guys can deliver. White's performances at Wrestle Kingdom in 2020 and 2021 were effective for getting heel heat but nearly put me to sleep with all the stalling and shenanigans. I though the June 12 match was better, but the bottom line is I've seen this match five times already and I don't feel like there's anything new to cover.

It's basic Booking 101 to have the top babyface beat the top heel to regain the world title to close the biggest show of the year. Of course, that simple logic has burned me before when it comes to Jay White--that 4-1 record against Okada says it all. It's almost unthinkable that a non-Japanese wrestler (especially a heel) could win in the main event at Wrestle Kingdom. But White's career is full of moments where I didn't think they'd go there but they did anyway. If nothing else, they've got me believing he doesn't have to lose, which is good enough. I always bet on Okada, but I wouldn't bet the farm this time.

Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Omega - This is Ospreay's fifth defense of the IWGP United States title. Omega is making his first appearance in New Japan since leaving the promotion in January 2019 to become an executive vice-president in AEW. Since then Ospreay has been staking his claim to being Omega's replacement as the top gaijin in the promotion. Needless to say, a lot has changed since their previous singles encounter, at a PWG show in 2015.

Both men started planting seeds for this back in the summer, with passive-aggressive comments and T-shirts and what-not. They finally squared off in October, in an AEW trios match; after Omega's team won, Ospreay's team laid them out in a vicious beatdown.

In theory the hype for this match is supposed to be two of this generation's best in-ring workers tearing it up on the big stage. In practice, all the buzz is just about Omega returning to New Japan, and the Kota Ibushi shirt he was wearing last week in AEW. I get where people want another chapter in the Golden Lovers saga, but Omega has been constantly throwing out teases for that for years, so no one hint can give us a timetable for when it'll go down.

In most promotions I think a returning megastar has to win his first match back, 99 times out of a hundred. In New Japan, I'm not as confident. They're comfortable telling stories where a guy loses his return match, to illustrate that he's not quite warmed up yet, or that he hasn't acclimated to facing the best in the world again. On the other hand, Ospreay's US title reign feels like it's run its course, and we're probably due for a new champion. Moving the belt to Omega would be a clear sign that he'll stick around for more NJPW dates, and I can see where the promotion wants to send that message loud and clear.

Taiji Ishimori vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado vs. Master Wato - This is a four-way for Ishimori's IWGP junior heavyweight title, so the first man to score a fall on any opponent will be the champion. Ishimori won the title from Desperado on May 11, and successfully defended it against Hiromu on June 12. KUSHIDA returned for a title chase, but that got derailed due to illness. Master Wato subbed for Kushida and pinned Ishimori in a non-title match on October 10. You'd expect this to set up a one-on-one rematch for the belt, but no one actually cares about Wato, so Despy and Hiromu interjected themselves, making it a four-way.

I assume the long-term direction is to get Kushida back in the title picture, but I don't know if it matters which guy is champion when that happens. The safe bet in a four-way title match is to pick the defending champion or the heel to retain. Ishimori is both, so it's looking good for him.

Keiji Mutoh & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Shota Umino vs. Tetsuya Naito & SANADA & BUSHI - Mutoh, who just turned 60, will be retiring on a NOAH show in February, so this is his final match in NJPW. Note that this is just his standard regular guy gimmick, as opposed to his Great Muta character, that made his final NJPW appearance a couple of months ago.

There isn't much of a story here for the other five guys in the match. Tanahashi, Naito, and Sanada ought to have something more important going on at Wrestle Kingdom, but they don't, so here they are. It's a great spot for Umino, however, as he's surrounded by bigger names and under a bigger spotlight for it. Bushi is lucky this match needed a sixth guy, or he'd be in the prelim battle royale.

Unless Mutoh is going to do the job on his way out, I would expect Tanahashi to pin Bushi to end this one.

Karl Anderson vs. Tama Tonga - Anderson won the NEVER openweight title from Tama on June 12, so this is the rematch, even though Anderson signed with WWE months ago. Anderson's WWE deal caused him to pull out of a title defense against Tonga's brother Hikuleo, which got rescheduled to December 14. Anderson beat Hikuleo and then got into it with Tonga, so here we are.

I have to think this is Anderson's last night in New Japan, and dropping the belt to Tama is merely a formality at this point. I sort of expected the same thing with the December 14 bout, but it makes sense for Anderson to want a Wrestle Kingdom payday if he can get it. So I'm picking Tonga to win, but if that doesn't happen I'll be real intrigued with whatever they have planned next.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ren Narita - This is a tournament final to determine the first NJPW World television champion. (The name is a little confusing; the winner will not be the world TV champion of NJPW, but rather the TV champion of NJPW's streaming service, which is named NJPW World.) Per the rules of the new title, this match has a 15 minute time limit; it's not clear what happens to the belt if there's a time limit draw.

Narita is fresh off returning from his US excursion, and he's already scored a huge win against Tomohiro Ishii in this tournament. Beating Sabre in the Tokyo Dome for a new championship would establish him as a fast-rising superstar. But it's more plausible that New Japan will try to get him over with a tough loss so he can valiantly overcome the heartbreak.

Another wrinkle here is that this is Sabre's first match since his faction, Suzuki-gun, peacefully disbanded a couple of weeks ago. It's not clear yet what's next for the former members, but winning this TV title would be a big statement about Sabre's future. Something tells me that's the direction we're heading in here, and Sabre will win.

Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI - FTR (Dax and Cash) are the defending IWGP heavyweight tag team champions. Bishamon won the World Tag League tournament, which put them in line for this title shot. FTR have been on top of the world for most of the past year, but they're currently in a 0-4 slump that cost them the ROH and AAA tag team titles. The IWGP belts are the only gold they have left.

A title change seems inevitable. I'm sure New Japan liked having their tag title in a major US promotion for a few months, and FTR are thrilled to work the Tokyo Dome, but it's high time the belts come home. If FTR retains there's no telling when they'll be available for another title defense, and Goto and Yoshi are the strongest challengers available (at least until Tanga Loa returns to resume his team with Tama Tonga). I'm picking Bishamon to win, and the FTR losing streak to continue.

KAIRI vs. Tam Nakano - Kairi became the first IWGP women's champion on November 20; this is her first title defense. Western fans will know her best as Kairi Sane in WWE, where she held the NXT women's title. Nakano spent most of 2022 as the Wonder of Stardom champion (basically STARDOM's #2 singles belt), until she was defeated for it on December 29.

I don't have much info on Nakano except that New Japan's website says she has a kawaii aesthetic and an "intense predilection for violence," and she's promised "a special kind of hell" for Kairi here. Looking forward to that!

Obviously this match has been overshadowed by reports that Sasha Banks has exited WWE and will be at this show. If she's going to appear, the logical place to do it is after this match to challenge the winner. So it's a tough spot for these ladies, as most of the attention on this match will be people waiting just to find out if Banks will even be there. My guess is that Kairi will retain, and Kairi vs. Banks will be a big match down the line. But ideally, the layout of the match will keep us focused on the present, not the future.

Francesco Akira & TJP vs. Lio Rush & YOH - This is the first match on the main card, scheduled for 5pm JST (3am EST). Lio and Yoh won the Super Jr. Tag League tournament, putting them next in line for Catch 2/2's IWGP junior tag team championship. Yoh has been in this high pressure situation before with his ex-partner SHO, but he's only been teaming with Rush for a couple of months. Catch 2/2, on the other hand, have been teaming since Akira joined NJPW in June.

I could see this one going either way, but I'm leaning a bit towards doing a title change. There's a lot of storyline potential in having Yoh emerge from the Roppongi 3K breakup with a successful new team, while Sho has little to show for his betrayal.

Tatsumi Fujinami & Minoru Suzuki & Tiger Mask vs. Yuji Nagata & Satoshi Kojima & Togi Makabe - This is the Antonio Inoki memorial match, to honor the founder of New Japan, who passed away in October. It'll air before the main show at 4:20pm JST (2:20am EST).

Fujinami (68) was a teenager when he joined his trainer Inoki in leaving the JWA to start a new promotion. Suzuki (54) trained in New Japan's dojo in the 1980s, and wrestled Inoki as a young boy in 1989. Another key Inoki protege was Satoru Sayama (65), who became the original Tiger Mask in 1981; Yoshihiro Yamazaki (52), the fourth Tiger, appears here in his honor. Nagata (54), Kojima (52), and Makabe (50) were all around in the 1990s as Inoki's in-ring career drew to a close.

Aside from seeing the old-timers fight to commemorate Inoki, the most interesting thing going on here is long-time scoundrel Suzuki teaming with good guys like Fujinami and Tiger Mask. After the Suzuki-gun breakup, I'm curious if he'll settle into tag matches with the older guys in the undercard, or if he'll still be a giant dick and pick fights with everybody. I doubt we'll get a clear sense of that here, since the main idea will be to pay respects to Inoki. For similar reasons, I don't think it'll make much difference who wins the match.

New Japan Ranbo - This is a gauntlet battle royale billed as a "KOPW 2023 qualifier." Two men will start the match, and the remaining participants will enter one-by-one in timed intervals. Elimination can occur at any time via pinfall, submission, or exiting the ring over the top rope to the floor. The match ends once all but four participants have been eliminated; these finalists advance to a match on January 5 for the KOPW title belt.

No participants have been announced for the match, but I think we can assume any NJPW regular that isn't already booked could be in this. The biggest names to look for would be Shingo Takagi, EVIL, Tomohiro Ishii, Taichi, Jeff Cobb, Toru Yano, Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Kushida, Sho, and Kenta. Obviously there are many more wrestlers available, depending on whether they're in town that day, but you get the idea.

I assume someone halfway important will win the KOPW belt, but the other three finalists can be literally anyone, so this match is hard to predict. It's also hard to watch; New Japan's ranbos never seem as well planned or produced as WWE's Royal Rumble.

Ryohei Oiwa vs. Boltin Oleg - This is a three-minute exhibition match, scheduled for 3:20pm JST (1:20am EST), so I'm not even sure it will be broadcast on the live stream. Oiwa is currently a Young Lion who jobs in prelim matches during his training. Oleg is a standout amateur wrestler from Kazakhstan that New Japan made a big deal about recruiting a few months ago. So I guess this is meant as a showcase for Oleg, but the format makes it seem like they aren't sure he's ready for a full-fledged pro wrestling match. It's possible this will just go to the time limit, but I assume the point is for Oleg to win.

[sammys-magical-au]

In which Han-bisexual-Solo tries flirting with the entire Junior Chaos Trio, and is largely unsuccessful

[yiifu]

compilation of mdzs fridge moments over the past few weeks:

1) all 3 characters who dabbled with demonic cultivation in some way (wwx, xy, jgy) all died and each one of them was in some sort of friendship/relationship/companionship (whether platonic or romantic or enemies) with a tall graceful dude, like look at this: wwx & lwj (lovers), xy & xxc (enemies), jgy & lxc (friends till the bitter end to enemies ????) idk it’s just something something the other r/ships are parallels or dark AUs of wangxian and maybe what could have happened to them if wwx hadn’t gotten lucky with mxy & nhs bringing him back from the dead. u know like how some ppl say jgy and xy are foils or mirrors to wwx yeah i think the r/ships they form are foils or mirrors to wangxian too ;-;

2) i’m so stupid dude like i’m so used to eating lotus root soup every saturday that when i saw yanli’s lotus pork rib soup in mdzs i was just like ‘oh cute i eat that too it’s good stuff’ and im only just realizing that she’s making this soup cos they literally live in lotus pier, like, they’re surrounded by the stuff ofc she would have had lots of chances to make it 

3) reading a bunch of fanfic (fix it, alt-timeline) and i started to sympathise so much more with jgy (i mean i alrdy did without reading ff but now i like him a lot more idk) and also the juniors trio ships are literally so cute, whether it’s platonic/romantic ships their dynamics are really good. sizhui and jingyi? the sweet guy and the sassy guy (blue oni red oni), childhood friends to field partners/lovers. sizhui and jin ling? angry brat and sassy brat, enemies/rivals to friends/lovers. sizhui and jin ling? blue oni red oni acquaintances to friends/lovers. love them so much.

4) ALSO there was this reddit thread that was like ‘what single event could have prevented most of the shit in mdzs from happening’ and it was so eye-opening i loved all the answers and wish there was more. but what i got out of it was that essentially jin and wen clans were to blame for their greed. jin guangshan/wen ruohan/wen chao dying would have fixed most of it. jin guangshan dead = no jgy. also depends on how early he died. but then again jgy’s descent into villainy also came about because of the wens and the war and also what they did to wwx to cause him to invent demonic cultivation. so like everything is so interconnected. all i know is that the three yunmeng siblings could have actually lived a pretty okay life at lotus pier post-sunshot campaign if the jins had treated the wen remnants better and didn’t trying to frame wwx as the public enemy. remember that jiang cheng and wwx didn’t fall out until it came to the issue of the wen remnants. jiang yanli’s death was the straw that broke the camel’s back and put a nail in the coffin of their r/ship. 

like, wwx could have just continued to study or practice demonic cultivation while living in yunmengjiang, jiang cheng as sect leader with his two siblings by his side would have helped him deal with the sudden huge responsibility a lot better, mentally and emotionally at least, and yanli would have probably married out anyway but she and zixuan wouldn’t be dead, and they’d probably be ok bringing jin ling to lotus pier to visit once in a while. and hey, maybe over time wwx and jiang cheng and jin zixuan could even warm up to each other slowly as they all mature and get over the past. even for wangxian - without the desperation of having to protect the wen remnants, wwx wouldn’t have been so adamant on demonic cultivation and so convinced that lwj hated him. lwj could probably have talked him out of it - stuff like, hey, the war is over and you don’t have to use this anymore. wwx could have just used it from time to time to solve little issues with the dead, like he does in post-canon mdzs. they’d have had a lot more time to spend with each other in wwx’s first life.

not that i’m saying that mdzs was unsatisfactory - in fact it’s probably the only story i’ve ever read where i love all the characters and all the story arcs - it’s just so fun to think about what could have been.

[silvershewolf247]

NOOOOOOOO.

Okay, just let me tell about it anyway, okay?

The story goes: Kamome Academy is famous for its rumors regarding its Seven Wonders and supernatural occurrences. Nene Yashiro, a first-year high-school student who loves the occult and wishes for a boyfriend, summons the Seventh and most famous Wonder, "Hanako-san of the Toilet", the spirit of a girl who allegedly haunts the bathroom and can grant wishes for the right price. Upon summoning her, Nene discovers that "Hanako-san" is nothing like the rumors say; Hanako-san is a boy. With a turn of events, she is spiritually bound to Hanako and becomes his assistant, helping him destroy evil supernaturals and change rumors in order to maintain the balance between the spirit world and the human world. Along the way, Nene learns about her connection to the spirit world and the dark secrets regarding Hanako and his past.

And there’s a boy named Kou who comes from a long line of Ghost Exorcists.

So it’s a cool anime, and I’m thinking: Yk what, this trio reminds me of a certain other trio.

And that’s where the idea came from.

Now with casting, Jake is gonna be Yashrio, Devon is gonna be Hanako and Lexy is gonna be Kou.

I’m struggling between Jake’s wish being to get a boyfriend or to get rid of his anxiety, idk which one.

Wait, the anxiety is good. The anxiety is great.

And Hanako has a brother who has his own trio that are hellbent on causing disruptions and chaos among the 7 wonders of the school.

And Yashiro has a best friend that fills her in on scary stories, that’s gonna be Junior.

And in this AU, Chucky was one of Devon’s friends that he snapped and ended up killing. Grant’s apart of that circle too and he’s Chucky’s assistant, but who else will be apart of that trio? Time will tell, Silver.

Any questions? Comments? Concerns?

Sounds like you've got the start of another fun au.

[elithebest0o0]

It was a typical Tuesday afternoon at Lincoln High School, and the cafeteria was buzzing with activity. The aroma of grilled cheese and pizza filled the air, while students chatted with friends and scrolled through their phones.

But then, everything changed.

Michael, a popular football player, stormed into the cafeteria with a look of fury on his face. He was holding his lunch tray tightly, his fingers digging into the plastic.

"Where is he?" Michael roared, scanning the room with his eyes.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out near the far end of the cafeteria. It was Alex, a lanky sophomore with glasses, surrounded by a group of students who were egging him on.

Michael stormed over to the group, pushing students out of his way.

"I can't believe you would do this, man," Michael growled, his eyes locked onto Alex's.

Alex shrank back, his eyes flickering with fear. "Do what?" he stuttered.

"You know exactly what!" Michael yelled, his voice echoing across the crowded room. "You stole Eliza from me!"

A hush fell over the cafeteria, and all eyes turned to the trio. Eliza, a pretty junior with long brown hair and a shy smile, had been the center of attention for weeks. Both Michael and Alex had been vying for her attention, and it seemed as though she had finally made a choice.

Alex bristled, his face flushing with anger. "I didn't steal her," he spat. "She chose me. You can't handle that I'm better for her than you are."

Michael's fist slammed against the table, causing trays to rattle and food to spill. "Are you kidding me?" he snarled. "You're nothing compared to me, man. I'm the star quarterback - I have everything going for me. You're just a skinny nerd."

Alex's eyes flashed with fury. In one swift motion, he knocked over his own tray and lunged at Michael, gripping his shirt with both hands.

The two boys tumbled backwards, crashing into the table behind them. Dishes fell and food flew everywhere as the students around them shouted and cheered.

Michael and Alex grappled on the ground, punching and kicking each other in a frenzy. Despite Michael's strength and size, Alex seemed to be holding his own. His glasses were askew on his face, and his hair was mussed, but he didn't give up.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a group of teachers arrived and pulled the boys apart. Michael had a black eye and bruises on his arms, while Alex had a bloody nose and a split lip.

The cafeteria was in chaos - food was smeared on the floor, and students were cheering or booing. But all eyes were on Eliza, who had been watching the whole thing with a mixture of shock and horror.

She walked over to the two boys, her eyes filling with tears.

"I never wanted this to happen," she whispered. "I never wanted you to fight over me."

The boys didn't say anything, but both of them knew that things would never be the same again. The fight had changed everything - for them, for Eliza, and for everyone who was there to witness it.

[rarealdcresults]

Sheer Talent, in Pittsburgh [Appolonia Leake Dance Company & ALDC] (February 3rd, 2018) [INCOMPLETE]:

Small Wonder Solo:

Jaelyn Ward - “Flatline” (Contemporary) - 1st Place / Diamond

Jaelyn Ward - “Queen Bee” (Jazz) - 3rd Place / Titanium

Kya Cooley - “The Winds” (Contemporary) - 5th Place / Titanium

Riley Kirshop - “The Notebook” (Lyrical) - Did Not Place / Titanium

Alexa Pratt - ? (Acrobatic) - Did Not Place / Platinum

Small Wonder Duet:

“Shelter” (Contemporary) - 2nd Place / Titanium

Alexa Pratt & Sydney - “Super Mario Bros” (Acrobatic) - 3rd Place / Titanium

Gianna McDade & Ivana Huey - “Falling In Love” (Lyrical) - 4th Place / Titanium

Small Wonder Trio:

Kya Cooley, Riley Kirshop & Jaelyn Ward - “Vampires” (Jazz) - Did Not Place / Gold

Small Wonder Group:

“Gangster Paradise” (Musical Theater) - 2nd Place / Titanium

“Meadow” (Contemporary) - 3rd Place / Titanium

“Superheros” (Musical Theater) - 5th Place / Platinum

Junior Solo:

Dustana Roberts-Kelly - “Master Of Time” (Contemporary) - 1st Place / Diamond

Rylee Pratt - “The Chain” (Lyrical) - 3rd Place / Titanium

Junior Duet:

“Tempest” (Contemporary) - 1st Place / Titanium

“Yin & Yang” (Contemporary) - 2nd Place / Titanium

Junior Group:

“Paranoia” (Contemporary) - 1st Place / Titanium

Junior Production:

“Eat Sleep Rave Repeat” (Contemporary) - 1st Place / Diamond

Preteen Solo:

“Breathe” (Lyrical) - 1st Place / Diamond

Ava Hales - “Breathe Underwater” (Contemporary) - 2nd Place / Diamond

Alaina Scarbora - “Hurricane” (Contemporary) - 3rd Place / Diamond

Summer Kacvinsky - “Teardrop” (Contemporary) - 4th Place / Diamond

Nina Cergnilia - “Black Mermaid” (Contemporary) - Did Not Place / Sheer Control Award / Titanium

Sarah Hunt - “Blurr” (Lyrical) - Did Not Place / Titanium

Preteen Trio:

“Psychosis” (Contemporary) - 1st Place / Diamond

Preteen Group:

“Chained” (Lyrical) - 1st Place / Diamond

Preteen Production:

“Chaos” (Contemporary) - 1st Place / Titanium

Teen Solo:

Gretchen Calder - “The Lights” (Jazz) - 3rd Place / Diamond

Teen Group:

“Follow Me” (Lyrical) - 2nd Place / Diamond

“Biology” (Contemporary) - 3rd Place / Titanium

Senior Solo:

“Dreams” (Lyrical) - 5th Place / Diamond

Senior Trio:

“Breathe” (Lyrical) - 1st Place / Diamond