#just feels like the next natural step in my style evolution

[kellerybird]

i think it's finally time i gravitate away from lolita fashion

my interest has been waning in recent years anyway and it's been increasingly hard to find things that will fit me

i think it's time to fully embrace victorian/edwardian fashion

[scoops-aboy86]

Sssex

For the August @steddiemicrofic prompt plug! (also on ao3)

wc: 437 | rated: m | cw: monster eddie, vampire eddie, chubby eddie munson, sex, sex-related monster physiology, the word ‘mucous,’ kind of breeding kink

Look. I’m not, like, big on breeding kink. At all. Despite ending up reading a lot of it, whatever. But I looooove caretaking, and add in a dash of monster instincts and that’s kind of what we’ve got here. The caretaking part just didn’t fit within the word count is all, so… it didn’t get written. 

Anyway, if Dustin can label Dart as some sort of weird amphibian, I can decide that the demobats/Vampire Eddie have some traits in common with certain snakes, convergent evolution style.

As a vampire, Eddie is content to drink from the wrists of his friends rather than steal from the hospital. He takes less than the Red Cross would at a time and keeps a complicated rota in his head of who he’s fed from when, how much, relative to body mass and age, etc., to make absolutely sure he doesn’t end up hurting anyone. 

The only person he never turns down is Steve, who always tastes the richest (Dustin has a theory about a demobat-related third blood type factor) and seems to recover the fastest. And if Steve wants him to feed from places other than his wrists, who is Eddie to argue?

Maybe they get a little carried away. Maybe Eddie is starting to get a bit of a blood belly. But Steve is fine! Keeps asking for it, sometimes almost begging even. And then, one minute Eddie is sinking his teeth into Steve’s femoral artery, and the next he’s sinking his dick into Steve’s ass to just as much enthusiastic encouragement. 

There are some other steps in between, but none that really surprise either of them by this point. 

But the thing is, Eddie isn’t exactly a vampire, any more than demobats are exactly bats. There’s a lot about his physiology that they don’t know yet. 

So when he slips out of Steve, intending to thumb whatever drips out after him right back where something deep inside tells him it belongs, and nothing does… he just thinks, Huh.

“Um, Eds, I think you… left something.”

He’s already probing gently. “Uh-huh. Feels temporary, though.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know, Steve. Some replies leave a mucous plug in there… after, y’know?” Steve makes a noise that indicates he does not know, actually, and Eddie kisses his shoulder apologetically. “I think my fucked up biology is trying to make sure you get knocked up.”

They both pause for a moment, and then suddenly they’re laughing all the way down to their toes, Eddie still half sprawled over Steve’s back. 

“Think I’ll have… fuck what’s the word for double triplets?” Steve wheezes in between gusts of laughter. 

“Sextuplets,” Eddie supplies, and that sets them off even more because it’s got the word sex in it. Because they fucked for the first time and now Steve has a plug in his ass that’ll either dissipate naturally or be the cause of a truly awkward hospital visit, and this is just… what normal is like now. 

Then Eddie’s stomach rumbles, and Steve’s head automatically tips to bare his neck, and with a breathless kiss Eddie sinks in all over again.

Permanent tag list (ask to be added): @hotluncheddie @lawrencebshoggoth @sofadofax @whimsicalwadewinstonwilson @oatmilk-vampire

@wheneverfeasible @hamiltonswiftie @grtwdsmwhr @yesdangerpls

[seventeenlovesthree]

I havent watched the videos yet (i need more braincells for that than i have currently available) but the bit about the thing preventing evolution being on the moon and Yamato being chosen for that really rocked my boat! I always thought that in retrospect Yamato had enjoyed his adventures in the digital world and the exploring and wanted more of this explorer life style. So the next step was to became austronauts with Gabumon. And more on meta sphere i found it funny that they send the guy with the friendship crest out in space so he can make friends with potential extraterrastial life forms.

But this is why the adventure continuity is so precious to me. I know people are somewhat tired of it but the world of adventure has so much potential for many different stories, from a detective series with Ken and Iori, to political dramas with Taichi, to scifi with Yamato and Koushiro! Especially since they allowed the characters to age with its audience already, they easily make ovas about every character, their digimon and their struggle in this new half digital world. Maybe its a blessing in disguise they didnt make something like that, but damn... i would give a leg and an arm for a detective series with the 02 cast akin to the Cyber Sleuth games.

No worries, I haven't watched all of these videos either, but they're really fun for referencing, so please take all the time you need!

The interesting part with Yamato is that the writers of Tri onwards seemingly did not have these notes and tried their best to SOMEHOW make his career choices make sense. And while the course of the series STILL didn't really make it more plausible (at least in my eyes), we at least got a glimpse of his more investigative nature. And thus, what you described above could really have made for a super interesting third season of the Adventure verse. But for now, it's fun to think about all these headcanons and what they may lead to for each respective character.

I also agree, I would really love to see more of how the others would have developed. Who knows me also knows how much I dig Takeru's fanfic writing skills revolving around putting Taichi, Yamato and Koushirou in sci-fi related scenarios (because ever since Our War Game, they are basically predestined for that and Takeru KNOWS it). And yes, detective stories with Ken and Iori, political and investigative stuff with the three mentioned above could be super intriguing. I would obviously also REALLY know more about the girls, because they have been heavily underutilized (and I cannot die before I have seen Sora getting back on track again, similarly to how I physically and emotionally need to see Taichi finding happiness again). With Kakudou's notes, there are so many stories you could tell (Jyou working with Doctors Without Borders, hello???), all the struggles, growing pains, achievements and learnings, basically... Infinite potential so to speak.

We may really have to watch this as another timeline split in case it won't be congruent with the stories Tri, Kizuna and The Beginning have told, but I, just like you, really love how much variety Adventure offers. March is still so far away, but I am already feeling giddy about this PV.

[verflares]

hey!!!! i LOVE your totk fic and adore the way you write and was genuinely curious as to what your writing process is like?? i’m still trying to get to grips with writing but im stuck in the endless loop of editing while i write so i end up never finishing anything 😭😭

hello!! first of all, thank you so much! i get so ^_^ whenever someone tells me they enjoy my work, words can't express how much i appreciate it now, as to answer your question, i would say.... chaotic LMAO. it's a little difficult to put it into words, especially to describe it because like... how You do things feels natural, right? but umm... i usually have an idea of what i Want to happen in the chapter planned out before i start writing, so i'll divide it into chunks. i'll usually put a little synopsis of the scene in each to help both guide my direction and remind me of what i'm doing as i write. as someone who actually also prefers to edit as i write, i feel it's been a good method in making sure i don't get overwhelmed! especially if i'm having a slow or bad writing day. as for getting out of editing loops, my usual go-to is to just... leave it and move on. i'll do this either by putting a little comment next to it (something like, a very loose reminder or even an idea of how i want the paragraph or interaction to play out), or jumping ahead to a different part of the chapter entirely and chipping away at that instead. here's a little example (from a snippet of the next chapter i'm still working on lol):

by the time i come back to what was giving me trouble, i usually realise it's fine the way i left it, or writing ahead has given me some new ideas of how to pad it out properly! i feel what's most important and encouraging for me, personally, is Progress - and that can be non-linear, too! as long as i've chipped away at the chapter in some form or other, i feel happy.

this is what i mean by chaotic, because it's a bit... all over the place LOL. i also don't do first drafts for example 💀 (but this is also because editing as you go makes it mostly non-essential imo) but i dunno! everyone's creative process is different, and if you find yourself struggling with something, it may just be good to either step back or just chip away at something else for awhile! you may be surprised at what your brain will come up with in the meantime

finally, if i could offer one more piece of writing advice, it's Reading. read, read, read! whether it be fanfiction or published works, nothing - and i mean nothing - will help you more than reading. exposure to other people's styles, their prose, will genuinely help you so much in your approach to your own work, and even ideas for what you're struggling with! and i obviously don't mean plagiarism or anything like that either of course. i just mean that considering what you Enjoyed about that creator's work will help you develop your own, and in the process, creating your unique style and process. it's the same for art and music - the creative process, especially if you're still getting used to a hobby, is filled with evolution and finding out what you enjoy about it. try things out! see what works for you! have fun with it, and remember that you are creating for Yourself most of all. (reggie fils amie voice) because if its not fun, why bother

[neopuff]

title: networking word count: ~4000 ships: six/holiday summary: Holiday attends a gala and chats with other scientists. Six keeps an eye on her from afar. ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49625863

On the list of things that Agent Six did not like doing, sending Dr. Holiday into unknown territory without himself or another capable soldier by her side ranked very high. Though she was capable in her own right and carried a small pistol on her at all times, he couldn’t stop himself from feeling on edge when neither of them were really sure what dangers she could be facing.

“Dr. Holiday, that was a wonderful speech. Public support for Providence has certainly skyrocketed since your promotion, ah?”

“Oh, um…thank you. It certainly has.”

Six squeezed his hands around his binoculars, watching Holiday and the man she was chatting with closely. He didn’t trust a single person at the gala - aside from Holiday herself - and was uncomfortable keeping his distance.

He was stationed not terribly far away, on White Knight’s orders. Apparently, Six’s presence made Holiday ‘significantly less approachable’ and she needed to schmooze with potential donors and collaborators. He’d suggested sending her with another soldier, someone more sociable, but ultimately the safest plan seemed to involve Six and a small team keeping watch from around the building.

Still. Six was unhappy about the situation. 

Providence had grown into an international superpower of EVO containment and study, especially since they found Rex. But since they still wanted to keep Rex out of the public eye, Holiday and White Knight had to spread the good word of Providence’s new strategy without anything definitive to show. Holiday would talk about working towards a cure, and Knight would come on a screen and talk about how he was nanite-free and that was exactly what Providence wanted for the rest of the world - but they couldn’t cure anyone just yet.

It made a lot of people very angry. Not just the EVO supporters - groups who believed wholeheartedly that EVOs were the next step in natural human evolution - but people who felt that Providence was holding back and were just curing the one percent instead of helping everyone. These people were vocal and often there were threats made when Holiday went to big private events - which was why Six wanted to stay by her side.

That evening’s event - the 4th Annual Nanite Research Symposium and Gala - had not received any such threats. Not that Providence was aware of, anyway. But Six’s concerns couldn’t be swayed.

“Is this your first time attending the Symposium?”

“...my second, actually. I came with Dr. Fell last year.”

“Ahhh, Jonathan, yes. I’m sure he was not a very pleasant date.”

“No. Definitely not.”

Six could see she was uncomfortable. Another reason why he liked to be next to her was exactly the reason White didn’t allow him to be there - he intimidated people (mostly men) from talking her up too much. They didn’t want to deal with him, so they wouldn’t bother her.

“Excuse me for a minute, I’m going to get some air.”

He watched closely as Holiday stepped away from the conversation out onto the large balcony. She took a deep breath and leaned against the railing.

She went to a lot of conferences and galas and symposiums as Providence’s representative. Usually Six was by her side - keeping her safe and keeping her company. Tonight, she looked terribly bored. Six idly wondered if she was too used to having him around.

Holiday had styled her hair in a way that covered her ears - no one could see that she was wearing her usual communicator, but she could still hear anything they needed to say to her, and they could hear all of her conversations. At first she’d complained about the invasion of privacy, but after two years of these events, they were all very used to it.

“Think I can sneak out of here yet?” she asked quietly.

Six almost smirked, if not for the soldier on his left - Agent Jackson - who loved to make little comments about everything. Holiday wasn’t supposed to talk to them unless she absolutely needed to. “You haven’t even spoken to Dr. Wang yet.”

“I talked to him in Paris last month. There’s nothing new to discuss.”

He frowned at the memory. The conference in Paris had been going just fine until one of the speakers turned into an EVO in the middle of her speech. Though Six (and some bodyguards for other scientists there) had been able to subdue her, it soured the memory quite a bit. “Doctor,” he said cautiously. 

Dr. Wang’s company had been hinting at a new breakthrough in their nanite research that would decrease individual probability of turning EVO. White Knight wanted confirmation of that information and Holiday knew she was there to try and get it.

“Getting some fresh air, Dr. Holiday?”

Six watched as a man entered the balcony and walked up next to Holiday. Not too close, Six noted, but not far enough away. The man was Dr. Solomon Bekele - Ethiopian physicist and strong activist for the betterment of sentient EVOs. Not a dangerous man, but not a friend to Providence.

“Yes, um…it’s a little stuffy in there.”

“Perhaps some champagne would help?” The scientist held up one of the two flutes he’d been carrying.

“Don’t drink that,” Six said stiffly.

Holiday took the drink with a smile and used her free hand to twist her dangling earring around - a code they’d come up with that was her way of telling Six to shut up or calm down. Six didn’t appreciate the fact that she thought such a code was necessary.

“Thank you.”

Bekele stood next to her and looked out at the gardens below. “It is strange to see you alone at one of these events. Where is your, ah…enigmatic Agent Six?”

Jackson snickered and Six had to stop himself from glaring.

But Holiday was cool as ever. “We don’t need to talk about him,” she said quickly, taking a small sip of the champagne.

“I see - a breakup, ah?” Bekele nodded thoughtfully. “I promise not to bring him up again. Especially if you would join me for a dance.”

Six reflexively squeezed the binoculars tighter, not even realizing he was doing it until his fingers started to hurt. He was very used to Providence employees making assumptions about his and Dr. Holiday’s relationship, but hearing it from an outside source was…uncomfortable. He didn’t want his protectiveness to hurt her reputation, but even more than that…misinterpretation of their relationship could put her in a lot of danger. His enemies wouldn’t come after someone he only had a professional relationship with. A lover, though, would be a worthwhile target.

His mouth formed a thin, straight line as he considered the fact that she was already a target - simply by being one of the faces of Providence. He really didn’t like how much danger she was in everytime she left headquarters.

“...sure, Dr. Bekele. That sounds nice.”

“Solomon. Please.”

Six watched her smile politely and take the man’s arm - walking with him back into the main ballroom. He could tell she didn’t really want to dance with this man or anyone else for that matter, she just wanted to get back to HQ and get back to work.

When she accepted the promotion to Chief Research Officer, she knew what she was getting into. Working under Fell for a few years, she knew about the science symposiums and the stakeholder dinners and all the little events she’d have to get dressed up for. But Six was still fully prepared to hear her complain about the waste of time when they got back home.

“Don’t get too jealous, Six,” Jackson said with a smirk, not paying much attention to the scene at hand.

Six ignored him, keeping his focus entirely on Holiday. He wasn’t jealous - especially not when Holiday looked so unamused. But he was annoyed on her behalf, and his annoyance was exacerbated by Agent Jackson’s lack of concern. Six knew the agent well enough to know that if there was danger, he’d jump into action without a moment’s hesitation. But he’d never been good at waiting around.

Most Providence agents weren’t. A lot of them came from police or military backgrounds, especially in their US divisions. Jackson, if Six remembered his file correctly, had worked private security for over a decade before coming to Providence. In his opinion, that meant Jackson should’ve been used to sitting and waiting. But that clearly wasn’t the case.

“So is it all true?”

“Hm?”

“From your speech. Is Providence really so close to a cure?”

Holiday was ordered not to give too much away. Until they fully understood everything Rex could do, they weren’t going to talk about him publicly. And until they could reproduce Rex’s curing abilities somehow, they would continue to have all cured humans sign NDAs and keep their mouths shut.

“I’m-...we’re working on it. There’s been some significant progress.”

“That is tremendously exciting. Especially for you, I am sure."

"Excuse me?"

"Your, ah…your sister is an EVO, correct? I have heard she is in a particularly bad situation."

Holiday frowned and glanced to the right, thinking about the comm in her ear and Six listening on the other side. "That's true."

Six wasn't sure how Bekele had that information and he was extremely unhappy that something so personal of Holiday's had reached the public ear. Providence tried to be secretive and they had all employees sign NDA after NDA after NDA. But there'd already been one case of an honorably discharged soldier attempting to publish a book about the goings-on of Providence, so Six could not pretend he was terribly surprised.

"I am sure she will be the first person you cure when you have perfected it," Bekele said with a smile, seeming genuine.

Holiday and Six were both perfectly aware of her sister's incurable status. Holiday took Rex to cure Beverly within a week of his arrival, and she'd spent weeks after that attempting to understand why it didn't work. But they couldn't start officially labeling certain EVOs as incurable until they publicly acknowledged the existence of curables.

"Don't say anything, Doctor," Six said softly, purposefully avoiding the use of her name. "He doesn't need to know."

Holiday was very gracefully swaying in Bekele's arms while they spoke - her black dress ended just above her ankles and gave her plenty of room to dance around. She moved a hand to flick at her earring again, a gesture that made Six scowl slightly.

"I'd certainly like to get her back to normal," she answered quietly. "But it's not just about her."

"Of course." The physicist smiled like he was finally getting to the point of his line of questions. "And I do hope that, once you have found your cure, it will not be forced onto EVOs that prefer their new lives."

Six had expected the conversation to get to that topic eventually. It was exactly Bekele's MO, and her answer would determine how friendly he and his constituents would decide to be with Providence in the future.

Professional as ever, she smiled at him. “Even if Providence wanted that, I don’t think it would be feasible.”

“So it is not what Providence wants?”

“I’m very familiar with sentient EVOs, Dr. Be- um...Solomon. I’ve met some that can even pass as human. And I’m aware that some of them enjoy the abilities their nanites gave them, while others…don’t.”

“Of course. There is no hivemind amongst EVOs.”

“Exactly.” Holiday seemed to notice that the song was winding down, and took the opportunity to start pulling away from the dance. “Giving EVOs a choice is important to me. Which means it’s important to Providence.”

Six continued to watch them through the binoculars, fairly confident he knew what Bekele would say next.

“I hope you do not overestimate your influence, Dr. Holiday,” Bekele said softly, giving her a slight bow. “Thank you for the dance.”

“Of course.”

Holiday wandered back to her table, taking a sip of the water she’d had with her earlier meal she’d picked at before her speech. Six wondered if she was offended by what Dr. Bekele said. She was probably used to comments like that; they weren’t unwarranted. She did frequently overestimate her influence at Providence. White Knight and the committee above him held a certain level of control over Holiday because they held the life of her sister. And Six couldn’t do anything about it but watch.

He was just glad that his master wasn’t suffering the same fate as Beverly Holiday. It was the only relief he felt when it came to One’s condition.

It’d only been a few minutes since she quipped about leaving, but Six could see from the look on Holiday’s face that she was ready to ask again. He’d be annoyed with her if he wasn’t so busy being concerned about potential threats. She needed to keep her guard up just as much as he did.

“Seems like if someone wanted to attack her, they would’ve done it by now,” Jackson commented quietly.

Six huffed a breath through his nose. Jackson wasn’t wrong, but Six refused to let up just yet. If something happened to Holiday, he…he didn’t know what he’d do. He didn’t know what Rex would do, either. The kid was very attached to her. It would be a mess. And whoever was promoted to replace her would pale in comparison, Six was confident of that.

“Just keep your eyes peeled.”

Jackson stretched his arms. “I still think Knight should’ve let me go with her. Free food, free booze, dancing with Doc Holiday of all people…would’ve been nice.”

Six didn’t respond that time, keeping his eyes on Holiday as she chatted with some other scientists and celebrities and business owners. She had a fake smile plastered on her face while she schmoozed, and he wondered if anyone else could tell how much she didn’t want to be there.

“Who’s she talkin’ to now?”

“Hao Wang. Nanotechnologist from the Toronto NanoTech Group.”

“Isn’t that the guy that hates you?”

Six lifted his eyes from the binoculars for a moment to give Jackson a look. But…well. “Yes.” He wasn’t wrong.

Jackson huffed out a short laugh. “I’ll bet he’s glad she’s not hanging off of you tonight.”

Tired of the commentary, Six went back to his binoculars and stared down at the two scientists. Their chatter was very technical and he didn’t understand most of it - Wang was someone that Holiday spoke to at almost every nanotechnological function she attended. Providence and the TNTG did not collaborate so these were the only times they could really discuss their work with each other.

“Has anyone told you how lovely you look tonight?”

Six didn’t like him.

“You’re not looking so bad yourself, Hao.”

He thought back to earlier in the evening, when he first saw Holiday in her gala get-up. She looked lovely - Wang wasn’t wrong about that. But Six didn’t say anything, and he would continue to not say anything. He didn’t want to cross that line with her, especially not when they were still figuring out how to balance their professional relationship with raising a teenage boy together.

But still…Six didn’t have any interest in seeing her or hearing her flirt with someone else. He was tempted to take the comm out of his ear and give himself a break, but then felt ashamed that their conversation could make him even consider that.

Holiday giggled - giggled! - at something that Wang said and Six felt himself frown.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard her laugh like that before.”

Six made a mental note to request that he never be sent out on a mission with Agent Jackson again. The man talked way too much, and really enjoyed talking about things that weren’t any of his business. He would’ve much rather been stuck chasing around Rex and Bobo all evening instead of listening to Holiday’s attempts at networking and Jackson’s attempts at comedy.

At least they would go back to headquarters once she was done. San Diego was a quick flight from Providence HQ. The last symposium they’d attended was in France and lasted an entire weekend. Spending three days with Dr. Holiday had been…interesting. Not unpleasant at all. But returning to Providence and finding all the damage and chaos Rex had caused in their absence (combined with the previously mentioned EVO incident) made it hard to focus on the nicer memories. 

“TNTG could really use your genius, you know.”

“So you’ve mentioned.”

“You’ve never seemed very happy at Providence, is all I’m saying.”

Holiday made a noise that Six wasn’t sure how to define, but he was more interested than he should’ve been in their conversation. Her response made it seem like they’d had this discussion before, but Six was usually present and had no memory of Wang trying to convince her to leave her job.

“My happiness isn’t really a priority for me at the moment.”

Six continued to frown. That wasn’t news to him - Holiday was very comfortable complaining to him about how her life wasn’t anything like what she’d planned for it. But he’d never heard her say it exactly like that.

She wasn’t wrong, though. Neither of them had room in their lives to worry about whether they were happy. They could worry about things like that after they saved the world.

“That’s very sad to hear.”

“Yes, well…there’s no lack of funding or resources at Providence. I could be stuck somewhere much worse.”

“You have an interesting outlook on your situation.”

“I appreciate the outside perspective.”

Six could hear in her voice how much she wanted to leave. He knew that, technically, she should stick around for at least another hour and try networking with more scientists and CEOs and evologists. But they’d both had an especially long week and the evening wasn’t going to get any better by sticking around.

He made a decision at that moment and tossed the binoculars to Jackson, who easily caught them despite the fact that he’d been staring at his phone for the last ten minutes. Six stood up straight, adjusted his tie, and before Jackson could even ask what was happening - the ninja had disappeared.

X

Holiday had two more very brief conversations after her roller coaster of a chat with Dr. Wang - neither Dr. Rhodes (whose organization was about to be acquired by Providence) nor Dr. Williams (who made everyone uncomfortable with her incoherent ramblings) seemed interested in talking for more than a few minutes.

She knew perfectly well that she still had plenty of other people she was expected to talk to. She was one of the most highly renowned scientists at the gala - second only to Dr. Moses, maybe, but his company was relatively new and he’d left the party early. Lucky him.

In a much needed moment of solitude, Holiday counted her drinks. Since five-thirty, she’d had four glasses of champagne and a moscow mule. Only two glasses of water and definitely not enough to eat. She sighed and grabbed her glass, taking a long, slow sip. It wasn’t cold anymore. Very…tepid. Matched how she was feeling.

Until a shiver ran down her spine.

The chair next to her squeaked slightly as it was pulled out and someone sat down. Someone with a very familiar scent and a very familiar lack of friendly greeting and a very familiar pair of brown shoes peeking out under his very familiar green pants.

She smiled brightly and brought her water glass to her lips again, trying to decide if she wanted to acknowledge him or make him acknowledge her first. Normally she liked to force him out of his comfort zone a little bit, but she was feeling particularly grateful that he’d risk getting in trouble just to give her an excuse to leave.

At least, that’s what she assumed was happening.

So, with that in mind, Holiday finally turned and looked at him, water at her lips once more. “Oh hello, Agent Six.”

“Dr. Holiday,” he answered curtly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

The grumpy expression on his face was so consistent that Holiday found it comforting. She always knew that nothing was going wrong when Six looked at her with his signature quirked eyebrow and deep frown lines. And she lo-...and she was always happy to see them.

“I believe you were specifically ordered not to join me,” she said, still smiling.

Six stared at her for a moment, sunglasses hiding whether or not he rolled his eyes. “I think I gave you plenty of time to socialize.”

Holiday turned fully and leaned towards him, eyes shining brightly. “This means we can leave, right? I left Dr. Thoms to monitor the new nanobotanical EVO, but I’d really rather be there myself.”

He smirked for a brief moment. “You don’t trust Dr. Thoms?”

“Not for a second.” She playfully nudged Six’s arm and decided she really needed to eat something when they got back. “Let’s get out of here.”

Six stood up and scanned the room. Fortunately, he still didn’t see any threats. Nothing notable, anyway. “Shouldn’t you say your goodbyes first?”

“Nope,” she answered, standing up with him and brushing down her dress. “I’ll just Irish Goodbye my way out of here.”

Holiday grabbed her purse and started towards the door, Six trailing behind her. He made sure to stay close, and quickly pressed the comm in his ear to let Jackson and the two others in their team know that they were leaving. Everyone seemed happy to end the long, uneventful evening, and as the two of them made their way past the crowd, Six noticed that he’d caught the eyes of Drs. Bekele and Wang. He smirked slightly and walked even closer to Dr. Holiday as they exited the ballroom.

She started talking about Rex and about the EVO she was excited to work on, and Six found himself staring at the back of her head. Her hair was in a bun, like usual, but it was looser and lower on her head. It definitely wouldn’t be appropriate to wear her hair like that while working, but he had to admit that it looked very nice. Pretty, even.

The dress she was wearing was also quite pretty. He was glad that someone told her so, even if it was Dr. Wang.

Though their conversation had ended badly, the two of them seemed to be enjoying each other's company beforehand. Six had never noticed any sort of friendship between them, though he supposed Knight was right about Six intimidating people away from Holiday.

He quickly leaned forward to open a door for her, and Holiday smiled at him as they finally made their way out of the building.

"365 days until you have to do this again," he said casually, following her.

Holiday groaned as they got closer to the Providence Transport Vehicle. "Don't say that, Six! I've suffered enough for one evening, thank you very much."

Six rolled his eyes at her. “You’re being a bit dramatic, Dr. Holiday.”

“Of course I am,” she responded, smirking at him. “But these things are a lot more fun when you’re there, too.”

He stopped in place, watched her walk onto the transport vehicle, and took a few seconds to absorb that last sentence. Six couldn’t really remember the last time someone said they’d enjoyed his company. Especially not someone like Holiday.

“Oh. Hi, Agent Jackson,” she said as she entered.

“Hey there, Doc. Have a nice night?”

“Better than yours, I’m sure.”

“You got that right! Agent Six is a real chatterbox. Always distracting me when I'm trying to focus on the mission.”

Holiday laughed at that, and Six just glared.

He really did not like Jackson.

[ssaramoonn123]

Shaping the Ideal: Evolution of Human Representation in Greek Art (part 1)

Introduction

Hey history enthusiasts👑! My name is Sara Moon🌘 and for my Arhi 201 final project, I will be delving deep into the evolution of Greek art🏛️ and unveiling the marvels and the intricacies✨ of various pieces throughout history!

Let's kick things off with a ponderous question:

How did the representation of the human form in ancient Greek art evolve over time, and what cultural factors contributed to these changes?

We can already tell from these images that SOMETHING must have happened in history that warranted great changes to the art styles! Something went down within Greek civilization that brough breadth and depth into the Classical and Hellenistic art pieces that diverges from the traditional Archaic art pieces.

Sara's Hypothesis Adventure 🚀

I think ancient Greek art started with these idealized and stylized human figures in the Archaic days, but as time rolled on into the Classical and Hellenistic periods, things got more real and individual. It's like they went from "picture-perfect" to "real-life snapshots"! This switch-up happened because people were really into celebrating what humans could do, cultures were changing, and artists were leveling up their skills.

Meet Kouros: Our Archaic Buddy!

.... Yaaaa This dude's got that classic archaic vibe – you know, the stiff posture, the "I'm standing tall and proud" look. It's like he's frozen in time, giving off those serious, stoic vibes. His idealized features are all about that perfect, sculpted aesthetic. But hey, cut him some slack; it was the Archaic period, and they were all about that stylized perfection. Kouros might be a bit stiff, but he's the OG when it comes to setting the tone for ancient Greek art! 🏛️✨ #ArchaicStyle #KourosVibes

Next Stop - Aphrodite😍 of Knidos!

Praxiteles' "Aphrodite of Knidos" is a well known Classical period sculpture! During the Classical period, artists started making people look more real and lively. Praxiteles, one of those artists, was famous for giving his sculptures softer and more lifelike features.

As you can see from these sculptures, the Archaic to Classical period imitates more natural proportions and movements of the human body. Praxiteles was known for using a technique called contrapposto which involved placing the body weight on one leg. This technique brought a feeling of balance and natural motion to sculptures, giving them a dynamic and less stiff appearance.

The Hellenistic Era - Winged Victory of Samothrace

Ah, the Nike of Samothrace, the ultimate showstopper from the Hellenistic era! Imagine stepping into the Louvre and BAM, there she is, perched atop that grand staircase like she owns the joint. This iconic masterpiece is all about motion and drama – her flowing garments billow in the wind, and you can practically feel the energy of victory coursing through her wings. It's like she just descended from the heavens to announce some epic triumph. The Hellenistic era was all about pushing artistic boundaries, and Nike, well, she's the embodiment of that spirit. It's not just a statue; it's a breathtaking celebration of movement, power, and the sweet taste of victory. Who knew a sculpture could make you feel like you're witnessing history in the making? 🏛️🔥 #NikeOfSamothrace #HellenisticDrama

Citations for post 1

Marble statue of a kouros (youth) | Greek, Attic | Archaic. (n.d.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved December 4, 2023

Bauer, A. (n.d.). Aphrodite of Knidos. Brown University. Retrieved December 4, 2023

Meijer, C., & van Oppen, B. (n.d.). Winged Victory: the Nike of Samothrace. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved December 4, 2023

[fyeah-bangtan7]

This is BTS-pop!

Like the lyrics “side step left to my beat” in the chorus of “Butter” suggest, BTS make good use of steps in the performance for their new song. In the first verse, Jung Kook quickly runs out from the other members lined up back to front, who then change the pace of their own steps as they approach him. The chorus is composed primarily of various foot movements, like guiding the leg to draw a semicircle, walking forward or stepping in place. Following the chorus, the second verse also begins with steps, this time with V and Jimin side by side. Here, on the word “bad” as they sing “to remind you got it bad,” V, Jung Kook, Jimin and Jin turn themselves around once and move into a new position, and it’s at this moment that we see why “Butter” features steps as the centerpiece of its performance. In this repeating melody the note for “bad” is held a little longer and is a bit higher-pitched, at which time the change of steps visually expresses the melody as well. In the chorus, too, when the song becomes livelier (“side step”), the melody is expressed through a step that traces a large semicircle.

The running time of “Butter” is less than three minutes. On top of that, a simple drum beat starts at the beginning of the song and continues through to the end, while the melody repeats not only in the first and second verses, but in the chorus as well. The trends of short running times and repetitive elements emerged in American pop as we entered the streaming era, when it’s easy to hear any song, anytime, anywhere. While “Butter” musically goes with the current flow of the US music industry, the performance centers around steps to add a colorful and flashy edge to the song. In the chorus, after the members of BTS draw semicircles with their legs, they sidestep to the front and sing “high like the moon rock with my baby” as they gather in the center. In the next two verses that follow, Jimin and Jin each make small steps in place. Though the melody and beat continue to repeat, the choreography starts with sweeping movements that make use of the wider area of the stage and gradually shifts to smaller dance moves as the boys meet together in the middle. By doing so, BTS draws our attention to center stage when they gather there, and reflect the energetic, fluctuating style of “Butter” as they switch again to a choreography with larger-than-life actions and formations.

Although the group also used steps in “Dynamite” to show off all their movements, movement in the upper body makes up the core of their “Butter” performance. With actions like pretending to flip their hair with a comb, or reaching out to their sides and shaking their bodies, everything places emphasis on the way their upper bodies move while they’re standing. Naturally, they stand in place while performing leg kicks as well. On the other hand, there is an emphasis on the group’s different formations as they move with various steps. As “Butter” moves into its second verse, most of the members give way for V and Jimin to dance together in a formation that’s similar to the one that V and j-hope assume in “DNA.” Moreover, “Butter” opens with BTS scattering to the sides from their elongated front-to-back starting position, and as the performance continues through the first verse, the members increase from three, to five, and finally to seven at the center of the stage to help visualize the melody’s progressive climb to its climax. From “No More Dream” to “Butter,” BTS have constantly changed the style of their music. If, musically speaking, “Butter” is the point in that evolution where BTS have broken into the world of mainstream American pop, then the performance shows how BTS maintain but also fuse their unique feelings within a framework of constant change.

After the second verse, j-hope slowly walks out from the group, the rest of whom are spread out side to side. Beginning with him, the members dance without vocals for a while. In K-pop, a section that highlights the choreography this way is sometimes known as a dance break. In the case of “Butter,” though, it’s an interlude that naturally arises from the excitement of the melody in the chorus. It would be easy to gloss over j-hope’s slow steps as just another K-pop dance break that makes us start to concentrate on BTS’s dancing. Plus, SUGA and RM’s rap following the interlude adds something a bit jarring to the otherwise bright, airy atmosphere of the song. Both rapping parts in the latter half of the song begin with all the members slowly move forward. While the performance concentrated on various step-centric dance moves and formations earlier, the boys now guide the song once again to a climax through their slow walk. All of this amounts to a pop song that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere, but which has added energy and spectacle when watched for its performance. It’s possible to explain the song somewhat as an amalgamation of cheerful pop music, happy-go-lucky yet elaborate American teen musicals like Grease, and the kind of performances characteristic of K-pop boy bands, but it’s also something more than that, which doesn’t fit into any category. In that sense, “Butter” is BTS-pop—something that only BTS can pull off, and only now. Only a team that holds onto its Korean idol group roots while also topping the Billboard Hot 100 could possibly come up with “Butter.”

“Butter” opens with Jin kissing his hand, one of the actions that reminds us of his signature move of blowing a kiss and his nickname, Worldwide Handsome as BTS grew in popularity. V also puts on his sunglasses the same way he did in the video for “Dynamite.” The scene where j-hope walks out by himself in the second half of “Butter,” too, is similar to the dance breaks he has performed at many awards ceremonies, including the disco dance he did at last year’s MMA 2020. The performance for “Dynamite” was centered around disco, with many of the dance moves easily recognizable to those familiar with American pop culture. On the other hand, the performance for “Butter” reflects their individual styles, which have developed throughout the group’s history together. This may be one of the reasons they sing, “Got ARMY right behind us when we say so / Let’s go.” Officially recognized as the world’s most successful artist after last year’s Billboard Hot 100 number one hit, the team is now incorporating the seven individual styles that they’ve always shared with their fanbase ARMY, as well as the special relationship they have with their fans, into the most famous pop songs on Earth. All of this is now possible because everyone knows these pop icons BTS have themselves become as well as how important of a role their fans have played in the history of these iconic figures. They really have come a long way, this team that has always had ARMY behind them and shouts out to them to keep moving forward.

© source

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Emp-ire “The Angel On My Side.”

Hope everyone is having a good day. And I hope you all like seeing Ramirez a little more because he is going to be present a lot in these next stories. I hope you find this fun because I had fun writing it :)

“Relax would you, you look like…. Well you look like you're sitting in the dentist's office waiting for a root canal.”

Adam looked up from his hands as the shuttle rocked from side to side, “Sory, I just generally prefer to drive. This guy keeps dipping too shallow and it's making me nervous.”

Ramirez rolled his eyes and kicked back to take a look at the pamphlet he was reading, “Listen to this. I picked this up back on the station and it's  pretty interesting read.” He cleared his throat, “Within the last eighteen months GA xeno planetary analysts have green lit twenty potential colony planets for human habitation. According to xeno-scientific experts, these planets are all perfectly habitable, and unlikely to ever produce sentient life of its own. Each of these planets has a suitable climate for a large population though xeno experts will be  strictly limiting colonization in an effort to not destabilize the planetary ecosystem. Each colony will be heavily monitored by members of the xeno colonization taskforce. Efforts will be made to keep the natural landscapes of the planet as intact as possible. For these reasons the use of technology, and natural gasses are being strictly limited by the Interplanetary Energy Association. Some experts postulated that these limits on technological use might have a hand in deterring colonists, however this theory has proven to be false as slots for planetary habitation fill up quickly. Furthermore xeno cultural experts have been stunned at the sudden and rapid development of micro cultures within the colonies. The term they are using is called Rapid Microcultural Evolution, often these cultures are very specific and very niche to each planet often based on dead or outdated human cultures from history largely influenced by popular media.”

He set down the pamphlet, “Isn’t that cool, I was reading in here at it seems like there are “themed” Colonies now. Like the one we are going to is like wild west, but there is also a sort of greek/roman style one that popped up in the milky way, and even a victorian one out somewhere in andromeda.” Adam tilted his head, “Guess you and I are going to have to start a colony.”

“Alright, what theme are we gonna pick, can’t be sci fi because we live in that.”

Adam leaned back in his seat, “You ever stop to think that we only consider it sci fi because I watched too many space movies from the 2000s. Technically it's not sci fi its sci fact. I have a house on the moon, and fly a spaceship.”

“Good point.” He walked to sit over next to Adam, “So what time period do you think is cool.”

Adam tapped his foot on the ground, “how about…. Renaissance?”

“I was thinking vikings or WAIT Aztec.”

“Mmmm some of my ancestors were viking.

“And twenty bucks says some of my relatives were Aztec.”

Adam shrugged, “Just mix them together and make Aztec vikings and ‘bam’ you have the craziest space culture ever. Big ass viking men who drag you back to the ziggurat to pull your beating heart out of your chest for a good Maze harvist.”

The two of them laughed for a second until the shuttle dropped into upper atmosphere, and then the two of them went relatively silent as they prayed to make a safe landing as the shuttle rocked and bumped through the upper atmosphere. The sky on the planet was a very vibrant blue, almost more so than earth, and as they descended towards the barren open desert, they thought they might have seen a oup of horses riding north over the barren, rocky  landscape.

When they landed, Ramirez stumbled from the shuttle and out into sunlight throwing a hand up to protect hi face. 

It was hot, and the croaking of strange alien insects rose up around them. The site they were at was arid and mostly deserted with a single wooden building before them and a shiny new set of train tracks.

The two of them stared, “Awesome.”

Looking around, they could see miles and miles of open plane, mostly desert, but some tufts of strange looking scrub brush and more than a few rocky plateaus rising into the sky.

Then they looked around at the people.

They were not disappointed.

Men and women alike in jeans and suspenders, with wide brim hats and gun belts. Some of the women had on long skirts and decorative hats or even bonnets on a few occasions. There were a few horses tethered to the side of what they assumed to be the train station.

“I think we are a bit overdressed.” Ramirez said, leaning over to whisper to Adam.

He nodded, lets go change and then buy some train tickets to the capital. We have to find somewhere to get horses if we want to make this any sort of experience.”

Ramirez frowned as they made their way towards the train station, kicking up dirt in his wake, “Wait, horses, hold on I thought we were just going to kick up around town, go to the saloon, get drunk and maybe hit on a couple of bar maids or something.” 

Adam snorted, “Please we can’t go to the cowboy planet and not put our equipment to use.’

They shoulder their way through the double doors, their feet clattering on the wooden flooring. A few faces looked up at them from the waiting benches, but mostly they ignored the two strangers.

Adam motioned ramirez towards the bathrooms and the two of them made their way over, Glad that this was at least one modern convenience that they got to keep. Ramirez took a little while to get his gear on, and when he stepped out of the bathroom Adam was already waiting for him. 

Waiting for him leaned up against the wall, the brim of his hat low over his eyes. Ramirez was a bit surprised at how well the other man fit into the role. He was wearing a light blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows, and a black vest over that, his hat was black and he had blue jeans tucked into black boots. A brown leather gunbelt hung at a canted angle on his hips.

When he looked up Ramirez grinned And adam shook his head, “You dumbass, do you even know how to put that on.”

Ramirez looked down, “What!”

Adam walked over, “I thought you lived in texas.”

He grabbed Ramirez by the shoulders and began adjusting his clothes, “Come on, If you are making me spend time with you, the best you could do is not look like a dumbass.”

Ramirez held up his hands Grinning as Adam grabbed the pistol from his holster and adjusted the belt.

“Hey Adam, is that your gun belt or are you just happy to see me.” 

Adam looked up at him with a withering gaze, “I hate you you know that.”

Ramirez grinned, “I know.”

Adam flipped the gun around, “Holster Like this if you want to be authentic, now quit being a dumbass or we are going to find out what it feels like to get a bootheel to the balls.”

“Kinky.”

He didn’t see the short side handed slap that came for the side of his head but still felt it was worth it as he tugged on his hat.

His poison of choice was a white shirt and no vest with brown boots and the light tan hat from earlier. He thought he looked sexy as hell. In fact he would go so far as to say the both of them looked  pretty hot. Two eligible bachelors out on the town…. Well one eligible bachelor and a slightly less eligible bachelor with huge baggage issues still hung up on his one and only love, but that was more of a mouthful.

Adam left Ramirez standing by the door and walked over to buy some tickets, which were also being purchased using credits as anywhere else. When he walked, his boots clomped over the floor and jangled lightly. No one bothered to look up as he went past making it clear just how common that occurrence was around here.

He came back later with two train tickets and sat on the bench next to ramirez leaning his head back against the wall.

Adam crossed his arms over his chest and pretended to be asleep, while some alien insects buzzed around the room rather annoyingly.

It was hot and Ramirez tugged at the collar of his shirt.

They were there for probably thirty or forty minutes before a distant train whistle jolted the two of them back into wakefulness.

Adam stood and so did Ramirez, the two of them jogging noisily outside onto the wooden platform in order to watch the train.

Though the train had wheels and ran on tracks, big, black and impressive, it clearly wasn’t run on coal or natural gas. However, whoever had designed the thing had clearly put great emphasis into making it look as realistic as possible, and the thundering roar as it rolled over the tracks was something to behold, vibrating in their bones in a way that just wasn’t captured by the maglevs of earth.

“Damn, that is cool.”

Adam smirked a little, “hey think the train will get robbed on our way back to town.”

Ramirez grinned, “If we don’t, I want my money back.

The platform around them started to fill up some, and they stepped back as the train pulled to a stop, urged back by a few conductors as a couple of passengers stepped out carrying bags. Some of them were cleary tourists, though there were a fwe who looked like citizens.

Stepping onto the train, the two of them were ushered into a car in the back and sat in an uncomfortable wooden bench as they watched the other passengers slowly filter onto the train. No one even looked at them twice, except, Ramirez noticed, a very pretty cowgirl who stepped o second to last and sat a few rows behind.”

He grinned and elbowed Adam in the ribs, who looked over at him with a raised eyebrow.

“I think this planet is going to really benefit from….. A latin lover.” he whispered seductively.

Adam punched him in the leg.

He yelped, “Ouch, dude, no sense of humor.”

“I don’t know, I thought that was pretty funny.” The two of them shared a laugh as the train began to chug forward over the tracks, slow at first and then faster and faster until the landscape was rushing by below them.

The ride was rather bumpy and sort of loud, but they were ok with that. 

The sun inched towards the horizon as the train moved, and the sky faded from blue to a delicate violent towards the horizon.

At some point Adam drifted off at his side and ended up slumping against the window.

Ramirez let the poor guy sleep and sighed.

It had been a rough time for the crew, and for him, but he hoped he was doing the right thing by coming out here and taking him on some sort of adventure. Sure he had selfish motives, and wanted to see cool things, but he liked to think this was mostly for his friend.

The entire sky was almost purple now, and the light of a distant city sprung up before them.

He nudged Adam awake, and the other man sat up blinking owlishly as he looked around. Little lanterns on the carriage had been lit, illuminating the interior of the train with dim yellow light. The train began to slow, and then pulled to a stop as they got to their feet and stepped off.

Walking off the wooden planks of the train station and down into the muddied dirt road of the Bramble Colony Capital: Two Sun.

The streetlights had already been lit though horse drawn carts and carriages were still being pulled through the streets.

Dogs barked on occasion and voices rose up from houses and establishments on either side of the wooden boardwalk street.

“Where to?” Adam wondered/

“The Saloon!”

“You are such a dumbass.” Adam said, shaking his head, but he followed after Ramirez. Walking down the street their boots clattering voer wooden boards and through mud the leather of gun belts creaking slightly as they walked.

“Dude I feel like such a badass.”

Ramirez turned to look at Adam eyebrow raised, for the first time since their trip started, he seemed genuinely excited.

“Glad I’m not the only one!’

“Hey!”

The two of them drew to a halt in the mud turning to the side where they spotted a man sitting on one of the wooden porches. Ramirez’s eyes widened as he saw the shiny golden star on the left side of the man’s chest, “Sheriff!”

The man Raised an eyebrow probably not used to being greeted so enthusiastically.

“You two new around here?”

The two of them grinned at each other as the man’s exaggerated rural drawl fell over them.”

The man narrowed his eyes.

“Yes sir, just visiting.”

“Well you see this building behind me.”

“Yes sir.”

“You two fools get into any trouble and you'll be behind bars faster than a thoroughbred from the starting gate, you hear me.”

Ramirez jumped up and down in his boots turning to look at Adam, “Wild west jail.”

“Not a tourist attraction Ramirez.” He turned to look at the Sheriff who was still eying them and grabbed his friend by the shoulders steering them clear, “We’ll keep our noses out of trouble Sheriff.”

Ramirez was still grinning as they made their way down the street, “Do you have a death wish?”

“He won’t kill me, but wouldn’t going to cowboy jail be a great story.”

“Getting dragged would also be a great story when all my skin pealed off.”

“Dragged?”

“Old west form of punishment where you get dragged behind a horse till dead.”

Ramirez shook his head, “I will go with a no on that one, also not a big fan of hanging, but I could do a firing squad as long as I was allowed to make a really bad pun before I go.”

Adam snorted with some amusement as they made their way towards the loudest building on the street. From the sound of the out of tune piano on the inside and the drunken singing , they were in the right palace.

Adam Grabbed Ramirez by the back of the shirt and dragged him away from the swinging doors, “Hold on, hold on.”

Ramirez stopped, “What.’

“Ive always wanted to do ths.”

“Do what?”

Adam cracked his neck and his knuckles before stepping towards the door and pushing both open. The clatter of his boots was loud on the floor and Ramirez waited for that expected moment when all of the sound would stop and everyone would turn to look at them.

That…. Did not happen.

In fact, no one noticed the two young men as they made their way inside the hot, cramped room smelling of liquor and sweat.

“My disappointment is immeasurable and my day has been ruined.” Ramirez whispered.

Adam frowned, “yeah my expectations were, well, expecting something better than that.”

Together the two of them made their way over to the bar, both leaning against it in exaggerated nonchalance before bursting into laughter. The bartender, a stern looking redhead walked over, “And what do you boys want.”

Ramirez patted Adam on the back, “me and my friend are looking to get very drunk very quick, think you can help us.”

The woman sighed, but ducked behind the bar.

Adam tilted his head at Ramirez, “I thought you didn’t like it when I drank.”

“When you drink alone, yes, but when you drink with me, we have a party.”

“Sure we do.” Adam snorted 

The woman came back a moment later with two shot glasses and bottle which she set on the bar, “This will get you drunk.”

Adam flipped over the bottle to take a look, “Shit, Ramirez, this is practically paint thinner.”

“Tastes like to too.” The woman said as she poured two shots of the stuff and slid it over to them.”

Adam took it gingerly like it was a snake about to bite him.

Ramirez raised the glass, “Ready when you are, cowboy.”

“Don’t call me that.” Adam said raising the glass, and together they kicked it back bith grimacing and sputtering as they came back up to set the shots back on the bar. 

Adam wiped his eyes, “Damn, Like…. Rubbing alcohol.”

Ramirez waved a hand in front of his face “Makes my eyes burn just thinking about it. Another!”

“Sweet heavens above.”” Adam Implored, but slid his glass back to the bartender, who seemed very amused.

“Are we going to end up in jail by the time this is over.”

“Probably.”

They took another shot.

It was about ten or so minutes later when Adam started to feel the warm fuzzy sensation inside his chest. Ramirez had already vanished somewhere tryin to woo the local population. No one was safe.

He took a seat at the bar head down staring at his glass.

Why was he thinking about Sunny all of a sudden.

“Someone break your heart.” The bartender said dryly. When he looked up, he expected her to be wiping at the same greasy spot of counter with an even greasier rag, but she was simply leaned against the bar staring at him.

“That obvious?”

“Nine out of ten times its the best guess, besides, most of the time two shots from that bottle can lighten anyone’s mood.”

“You got something….. Strong but like…. Good tasting?”

“You mean something brightly colored and fruity?”

“Yeah, something brightly colored and fruity.” She Smirked, “You're braver than most men at this bar.”

“I knew we were dressing as cowboys, but I didn’t know the 1800s let us borrow their views on drinks too.”

She laughed, and returned a few second later with a martini glass full of bright green liquid, “There that should do for yah.”

He sipped at it a little, and satisfied it wasn’t going to peel the first layer of his insides began to drink.

“So, this girl of yours… she leave you.”

“No uh…. I sort of left her.”

“You some kind of simpleton…. Idiot maybe/”

He sighed and slumped down in his chair. “That’s what I’m told… I left her…. So I wouldn’t hurt her. I don’t think she understood but….. I’ve been pretty messed up since the war.”

“A soldier huh.”

“Not much of one.”

“ANd your friend over there, the one dancing on the table, is he a soldier too?”

Adam turned around to look towards where Ramirez was standing on a table and dancing around like a moron to the flight of the drunken crowd below, “He sighed, do you know what a synonym for moron is?”

“What/”

“A marine.” He stood, “Hold on a second while I go get him, “ 

He walked over to the table hands on hips and looked up,”Ramirez, Get down from there.”

“Or, or you could come up here.”

“Or I damn well won’t.”

He turned around in a circle stamping his boot and clapping his hands.

“Come on! Have some fun.” off in the corner the piano was going loudly getting faster and faster.”

“If you don’t come here I pull out the shoe.”

Adam looked back at the bartender who looked more amused than she did annoyed. So he sighed and held up a hand, “help me up.”

Ramirez grinned and grabbed him by the hand, helping to haul him into the table, where the two of them linked arms and began dancing around in a circle in some horrible tandem rendition of square dancing mixed with swing dancing. The table wobbled dangerously back and forth threatening to tip over as their weight distribution swayed around and around. Laughing and Drunken chanting started up as the piano started to go faster and faster.

Those who were able to sing along in time with the words, soon stumbled over them, their lips tripping over the words that spilled from their mouths.

Adam and Ramirez stomped their boots and kicked up their heels in a wild tornado, both of them having surprisingly good rhythm. The piano grew faster and faster and faster until they were simply spinning around in a wild circle.

And then the door slammed open.

The piano cut off, and Ramirez went tumbling into Adam causing the two of them to pitch backward off the table and hit the floor with a loud “thud”. The room was dead silent except for the sound of boots rattling over the ground.

Adam ad Ramirez groaned rolling into sitting positions as they looked up at the intruder.

The man they saw was…. Greasy and unkempt with a snarled black beard and a pockmarked face. He wore a tatty black leather jacket and grimy fingerless gloves. His clothing was travel stained and filthy. When he walked into the room, his smell was just as present as he was.

“Don’t stop on my account.” He said, “it looked like we were just getting to the fun part.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing back here Louis.” the bartender snarled,”I thought we made it very clear that you weren’t welcome last time.”

The man raised his hands innocently, “Oh please, I am just here to/...collect charitable donations.”

“Get out! Or we call the sherif.”

“Sheriff is busy…. Chasing outlaws outside of town.”

Adam and Ramirez exchanged looks as they slowly got to their feet.

The man reached towards his belt, “You boys stay right where you are.”

Adam raised his hands, “Woah, no harm done.”

Adam glanced towards Ramirez, giving him a look as he began to inch quietly to the side. Adam moved strategically in the opposite direction keeping his hands up.

He tried to look as shifty as possible to keep the man’s attention, “I think you should leave like the lady said.”

“Oh ho so one of the twinkle toes dancing boys thinks I should leave.”

“I do, so i am going to ask politely first.”

“And then what.” his hand inched down hovering over the grip of his gun. Adam did the same, though his fingers had gone numb. He was a good shot, but dueling! He knew he would fumble! He just knew it.

“I’m going to stop you.”

He laughed, “Oh you wil,l will you.”

Adam stared hard at the man’s face watching Ramirez move into position behind the man’s back, “I will…. I have the angel’s on my side.”

The man started to laugh.

Ramirez struck, grabbing a bottle from the nearest table and cracking the man across the back of the head with it. The man went down hard but Ramirez doubled over clutching his hand,”Fuck….. My hand! I thought those were so supposed to break! Shit.”

Adam leaped forward pinning the man to the ground.

A few other men and women rushed forward to help and soon enough they had him hog tied on the floor.

He stood up heart beating with exhilaration.

Ramirez rubbed his hand and groaned in pain.

Adam pressed his knee into the man’s back.

The bar tender came around from behind the bar, “That was a dumb move boys brave but dumb.”

Adam looked over to where ramirez was still nursing his wound, “yeah, I think that describes us pretty well doesn’t it. I got this guy, the rest of you can go back to drinking.” 

The bartender shook her head, “You buys drink free tonight.”

Ramirez grinned, “how can I say no to that! Drinks on me!”

Adam ignored the cheering of the bar for a moment, as he pulled the guns from the mn’s belt, and…. A very large knife. He noticed the decorative handle and, out of curiosity, pulled it out. It felt heavy in his grip, with good heft. He tested the edge against the hairs on the back of his arm, and they fell away smooth.

“Not bad.” he muttered.

Sunny would like…..

He paused

Looked down, looked around and then back down fighting with himself internally before.

Discreetly tucking the knife into his own, empty, knife sheath.”

Looking up he saw one of the serving girls staring at him.

He blushed and held up a finger to his lips.

She smiled, ruby red lips parting slightly, and winked at him, turning away exaggeratedly as if she hadn’t seen anything.

The door crashed open again a few moments later, and the Sheriff came barging into the room huffing and puffing like a bull, covered in dust, fingers stained with cordite. He paused in te doorway frowned at the scene before him and walked over, “Louis Grey.”

He looked down at Adam, and then Over at Ramirez who was taking advantage of his momentary glory.

“Thought I told you not to get into trouble.”

“You never told us not to stop it.”

He grunted and motioned to a few men to help him drag the body back to the jail, “Guess this is a thanks I owe you then. He has outstanding warrants in several counties, can never catch him though greasy little weasel.”

The unconscious man was dragged away only just beginning to stir. The sheriff shook his hand. “You boys be safe, and try not to do something so dumb next time.”

Adam touched the brim of his hat. “Yes sir.” He reached down to touch the knife at his belt, “We will make sure of it.”

[newmusickarl]

Album & EP Recommendations

If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power by Halsey

Halsey’s evolution across her career has been quite something to witness. Having begun her career in pure pop territory, her artistry has developed over time with each new record seeing the American singer-songwriter up the ambition and scope of her music. Now with this her fourth album, Halsey has gone bigger than ever, teaming up with Nine Inch Nails members and Oscar-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for her boldest work to date.

Produced entirely by Reznor and Ross, Halsey describes this new record as “a concept album about the joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth.” Naturally with any concept record there is going to be a cinematic feel, however Halsey has gone one step further and even delivered a full theatrical film to accompany the album, the trailer for which you can watch above. Although I am yet to see the film, there is no doubt that the musical portion is a mightily ambitious and accomplished project, with each song seamlessly segueing into the next despite the array of styles and genres across each track.

It may still be a pop record at the heart, but with the masterful touch of Reznor and Ross, Halsey also brings in some industrial rock elements, as well as a bit of pop punk in places too. However, it is not just sonically that Halsey pushes the boundaries but also thematically as well, using the album’s concept to press the issue of feminism and misogyny within the lyrics. Arguably what’s most striking about this record though is how tightly constructed everything is here – under the watchful eye of Reznor and Ross, the dramatic production is inch-perfect.

Most importantly, the songs here are just fantastic, from the religious imagery and glistening synths that lace the wonderful melody of Bells of Santa Fe, to the raw, grungy guitars of You asked for this. There’s also the atmospheric piano ballad 1121, where Halsey really flexes her impressive vocal cords. Pulsating, stylish electro-pop single I am not a woman, I’m a god is another standout. Once you have been amazed by all of this, the gentle plucking and raindrop like xylophone of stunning closer Ya’aburnee arrives to really blow things away.

In a year packed full of outstanding pop records, Halsey has delivered, for my money, one of the best of the lot. With Reznor and Ross holding the reigns, they help Halsey deliver on her epic vision with both style and control. It’s one thing to attempt a record like this, it’s another thing to pull it off as expertly and vibrantly as this – hats off for this one!

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Screen Violence by CHVRCHES

Also delivering their fourth album this week was Scottish synth-pop group CHVRCHES who, whilst predominantly maintaining their vintage sound, have lyrically pushed themselves into darker territory on this new record. Probably their finest work since their debut, frontwoman Lauren Mayberry takes no prisoners as she tackles sexism and misogyny, calling upon her own experiences within the industry to really illustrate the issues being put front and centre.  

This is highlighted best on electric single Good Girls, a track Mayberry wrote “after listening to some friends arguing about the present-day implications of loving certain problematic male artists – I was struck by the lengths that people would go to in order to excuse their heroes and how that was so juxtaposed to my own experiences in the world.”

Other highlights include He Said She Said, a glistening synth-driven pop banger that’s contrasted against razor-sharp lyrics with a defiant message at its core – catchy, but also powerful and thought-provoking. There’s also the superb collaboration with The Cure legend Robert Smith, How Not to Drown, which is a moody, atmospheric, and synth-soaked belter of a track. Although it is incredible right the way through, the real spine-tingling moment comes during the song’s outro thanks to the ghostly vocals of Smith being cast over some hauntingly melodic guitars. Outside of the singles, the rawness of heartbreaking closer Better If You Don’t leaves the biggest impression.

All in all, this album ranks amongst their best work and although it may not be quite as dramatic or impressionable as Halsey’s album, there’s still plenty to which you’ll want to digest and ultimately keep returning.

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How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last? By Big Red Machine

The National’s Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon have certainly kept themselves busy over lockdown. It seems they weren’t satisfied with just taking Taylor Swift’s music to incredible new heights on 2020’s folklore and evermore, as they have now also released their second album under their Big Red Machine guise. The most noticeable thing about this second record is that the duo have extended their collaboration further this time around, bringing in renowned artists such as Ben Howard, Sharon Van Etten, Lisa Hannigan and Fleet Foxes, as well as two more collaborations with Miss Swift herself.

Given the talent involved, it is no surprise that this makes for a really special and stunning collection of songs. There’s wonderful electro-folk track Mimi, which sees singer-songwriter Ilsey Juber join Justin Vernon on lead vocal duties. Phoenix sees Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes and Anaïs Mitchell join in for a wonderful, horn-backed number. This track in fact isn’t the only time Anaïs Mitchell steals the show, as her beautiful, soothing vocal performances on opener Latter Days and closer New Auburn arguably provide the two best moments of the entire album.

The two tracks with Taylor Swift are also fantastic, with Renegade offering a sweet, pop cut that wouldn’t be out of place on either of Swift’s last two records. The better of the two though is Birch, a piano-driven, string-tinged ballad which sees Swift simply providing back-up vocals to Vernon’s haunting folky croons. It’s stunning and possibly my new favourite collaboration between the three artists.

Ultimately this is just a superb album, with Dessner and Vernon thriving alongside their chosen collaborators for a collection of songs that will frequently both move and astound you.

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Donda by Kanye West

Easily the most talked about album of the week, after several launch events and many, many delays, Kanye West finally released his long-awaited tenth studio album, Donda. Now anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of excessive, bloated albums, so with Donda clocking in at almost 2 hours long it was always going to struggle to win me over.

As expected, this is another West project that struggles with inconsistency, with moments of brilliance balanced out with plenty of moments that ultimately underwhelm. Although it has more high points than Ye and the production is more polished than Jesus Is King, there is no track as good as Ghost Town and sonically I found it less inspired than Jesus Is King in many ways. I’m not sure just yet if this is indeed the worst West album, but it is certainly down there in the bottom half for me.

That said, there are still some great moments to be found here. Once you get passed the massively irritating Donda Chant opener (honestly, so painful!), the Jay-Z featuring Jail offers an anthemic rock-influenced gem to get the album started properly. From there The Weeknd featuring Hurricane, the Lauryn Hill sampling Believe What I Say, the heavenly melody of Kid Cudi feature Moon and the organ-backed closer No Child Left Behind provide some of the other highlights. However possibly the finest moment comes in the form of Jesus Lord, a 9-minute epic that sees West deliver some of his best bars in years, returning to the social-consciousness that made him a star in the first place.

If you are a fan of West’s recent gospel-influenced work, then this album will reward you for your patience if you stick with it. For me, although there are some moments I enjoyed, the length was just too much, with this album having the same inconsistency problem that The Life of Pablo had but without reaching the same heights as that album did when it was at its best. Disappointing, but still somewhat worthwhile.

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The Awesome Album by Mouse Rat

And finally on the albums front, if like me you are a big Parks & Recreation fan, you’ll be pleased to hear that Chris Pratt’s fictional band from the show, Mouse Rat, have finally released their debut album this week. Featuring classics such as 5,000 Candle In The Wind and The Pit, this one is a lot of fun for fans of the show.

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Tracks of the Week

Good Ones by Charli XCX

Coming off the back of the definitive lockdown album How I’m Feeling Now that earned her both a Mercury Prize nomination and a place in my Top 5 albums of 2020, Charli XCX has returned with a new synth-driven banger that packs in an insanely catchy hook and wonderful 80s vibes.

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Family Ties by Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar

Also making his return this week was King Kendrick who delivered a fantastic new collaboration with his cousin Baby Keem. Over a brilliant horn-driven beat, the two family members go toe-to-toe and bar-to-bar across this concise hip-hop banger.

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Alone by Rag N Bone Man & Nothing But Thieves

A remix of a track from Rory Graham’s latest album Life By Misadventure, this version sees Conor Mason of Nothing But Thieves join in on vocals, along with some triumphant rock production that replaces the stripped back nature of the album cut.

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Spirit Power & Soul by Johnny Marr

The brilliant first track from his forthcoming new EP, Spirit Power & Soul finds legendary guitarist Johnny Marr in fine form, sonically calling back to his days with Bernard Sumner in Electronic. Built on a masterful central riff, pulsating synths and a big anthemic chorus, it’s a belter!

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Nothing Else Matters by Chris Stapleton

And finally this week, we’ve had plenty of great, unique covers of Nothing Else Matters by Metallica already this year, with Miley Cyrus and Phoebe Bridgers already offering their own take on the classic song. However, I’ve always got time for another and this 8-minute epic from country singer Chris Stapleton is just as dazzling, thanks to some amazing bluesy guitars and his textured vocal performance.

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[popculturebuffet]

The Owl House: Enchanting Grom Fright: Happy Valentine’s Gays

Happy Valentine’s Day owl ladies, gentleman and non-binary folks! It’s time to finish off this holiday in proper style with a LONG overdue review of enchanting Grom Fright and even longer overdue coverage of the Owl House.  The Owl House was one of the best debuts of last year if not THE best, only in contention because Close Enough also started last year and looks to surpass regular show in terms of quality. But with stunning animation, tons of representation, and colossal worldbuilding. And given how i’m on record for thinking Star Vs went so far down the tubes they bumped into where Cthulu is sleeping, it’s nice to have another magic based show that seems to be on the right track: carefully building i’ts world, supporting cast and for today’s topic main romance. It also rather than just obliquely hint one character was bi and the other pan, actually goes out of it’s way to have a bisexual protaginst with a gay love intrest. As my good friend @jess-the-vampire has brought up quite a bit, star had plnety of options. .but no willingness to actually campaign for any queer rep, the way Gravity Falls head Alex Hirsch tried to, he still gets credit for trying, and Owl House creator Dana Terrace gets full credit for. 

Terrace got her start working on Gravity Falls in line production before working her way up to directing for ducktales, being instrumental in how Webby was animated and how she moves and acts, and being the director for several classic season one episodes including “Woo-Hoo!”, “The Spear of Selene” , “Day of the Only Child!” which was one of my faviorites from season 1 and “The Beagle Birthday Massacre!”. And while I can’t 100% confirm she’s the only part responsible for starting Weblena, given she was director on an episode where a lot of the romantic subtext was in the visuals, she certainly helped so thank you Dana. Thank you a lot. Their adorable. Point is she’s a talented lady and wasn’t satisfied with directing, so she pitched her own show, combining tons of ides and stuff including of all things, Pokemon Red. I checked the article wikipedia had sourced, it was one of her happy childhood memories as it was one of the last things her dad gave her. Awwwwwww. That’s as sweet as it is painful. She’s also currently dating Alex Hirsch, something I was entirely unaware of but find also adorable. Point is i’m glad I looked into her as she’s a very nice person, and very much my kind of weirdo and i’m happy for her sucess and her singuarly weird show that sprung from that sucess. 

Now that part of it’s out of the way the episode itself was an uphill battle as you’d expect. As anyone familiar with this blog is aware, but just in case your new, you tend to hear me bitching about Disney’s handling of queer represntation a LOT

For the most part Disney’s pretty bad at it: There was the string of “FIRST GAY CHARACTER IN AN X” they had going for a while.. that consisted of a character I dind’t realize was gay, a kiss I didn’t see, and a talk with a character who I honestly wouldn’t of been looking for had disney not patted themselves on the back with some giant sized hands because htey saved some pym particles for that occasion. Ducktales was unable to have Penumbra come out as gay more clearly because I don’t know Ducks can’t be day.. but they can be IMPLIED to be gay or pansexual as hard as the crew possibly can so they win anyway. Pixar was able to have a gay lead character for one of it’s sparks shorts out and even focused on him coming out of the closet and it’s very good and something I WILL give Pixar credit for... but not Disney Plus who go out of their way to not mention the lead being gay.. despite the fact the short opens with a gay space cat riding a gay space dog out of a rainbow and then it being revaled our lead is in a relationship not long into the short. My point is the idiots who won’t watch this for having gay characters are just going to turn it off, who cares what they think, why are you like this Disney. They need to do better, and be better and i’m getting tired of this shit.

That being said... this episode is a step in the right directoin as despite having to get past one obstructive asshole, not her words but damn if it isn’t the truth, as the rest of hte execs were fine with having a gay character, Terrace fought hard for it and WON, having a clearly gay character, and a clear road to a gay romace as the lead one, all because she wanted some representation in her works. So to honor this, I present this review in honor of love, effort and saying screw you to not having represntation because money. Join me under the cut and allt hat. 

We open in the owl house, in the owl house, duck dodge push and shove, it’s how we show our love in the.. you get the point. Luz is learning yet another Rune, this time plant runes.. and already something I love about the series pops up: the fact Luz’s rise in skill is gradual but noticable. Each spell noticably improves in potency with time,  going from simple lights to shaping them into simple constructs, and learning to control or time her spells and glpyhs so they launch she she says so, with each one getting more powerful the more she learns. And on top of that osmething I just noticed on rewatch of this episode is her tecnique in finding them evolved, something I dind’t notice the first time because I hadn’t fully caught up and checked this one out to see if Disney would actually let them go through with it.. and they did. Point is her first spell is found by accident, her second by realizing how her magic works fundemntally, both require skilled deduction and on the fly thinking and casting, so she’s already pretty skilled.. but now sh’es ACTIVELY seeking out a new spell here for the first time. She knows how she gets them, she knows each school is tied to a form, and she likely got the plant from williow since that’s her thing and she’s a saint. A demon but also a saint. They can have those too. It’s what I assume relicor is. 

I miss that goblin demon bat man. Point is it shows an evolution in Luz’s thinking: while it’s a subtle thing she took a more proactive approach this time even if it took a lot of practice.. and it pay soff as by the time of her next rune, while it’s once again sorta handed to her she has less time to learn it, almost none, and finds it singed onto a ball.. and learns it effortlessly to the point where by the next episode it’s a crucial plot point. IT’s subtle but clever character progression, and stuff I really enjoy, showing our hero going from a bit inept but not helpless or incomptient.. to a force to be reckconed with and far more clever and strategic than yo’ud expect given her sometimes reckless and almost always happy go lucky attitude. 

Luz worries teaching King about the internet was a bad idea because he gets excited about a literal cat fight which .. yeah... it was a bad idea but not because of that.. but because next he finds someone saying the earth is flat and she wisely yanks it away. It’s.. very sad that the absolutley maddening and easily debunked flat earth theory is still RELATIVLEY more sane than the stuff we’ve had pop up during the trump era and the cornoavirus pandemic. 

But one of the main conlficts of the episode pops up as Luz’s mom messages her and Luz can’t bring herself to tell her anything and just sends a thumbs up.  I do think this episode helps even things from the pilot a bit as it was a bit lopsided: While I got that Camillia was genuinely struggling with how to deal with Luz, and was offered an out and had to take it... the fact she sees NO problem with the normalcy camp, which comes off intentioanlly or not a sa parallel to conversion camps or camps to make autistic kids “Normal”. And as someone whose both bisexual and autistic, I naturally relate to luz way more as someone whose intrests sometimes just don’t quite fit with everyone else, and who dosen’t get how bad some of their actions were.  THat’s why this episode feels like a necessary course correction: Luz is shown to genuinely love her mama and feel guilty.. but we see camilia genuinlely loves and supports her daughter a bit more. While it was clear from the pilot this shows it more, with her genuinely just wanting to know her daughter’s okay and checking up on her, and giving me the feeling that possible consequences or no if something bad WAS happening or she didn’t hear from her for a long time, she would’ve drove up there to get her. It feels like the writers realized the implications they accidently created and wanted to fix it, though I can’t say for certain. But if so good on you for course correcting, not every show does that. 

But King encourages her, telling her she’s doing the right thing by lying and to “trust the demon on your shoulder”. Keep this in mind for later, but that joke is great on it’s own. But soon i’ts time for school and Hooty.. barfs out Luz’s books for her. 

I haven’t been this disturbed since.. (Looks at the clock) About 2 maybe three hours ago when I watched a man have, if apparently shorter than the oriiginal cut as I wanted to see everyone else’s reactions dammit, sex with hiis car which was possesed by the mad ghost of his dead wife. Because that’s the kind of stuff i’m into when i’m not reviewing stuff. And before that Tinky.. just everything about tinky. 

I do not have enough time to get into TInky here or why he exestially horrifies me. Or why Jeff blim is a living god. I will save that for a proper review if I have the time tomorrow. Point is I saw a lot today and that still tops it. Willow and Gus are likewise grossed out and want to leave. 

Cut to school where Luz wonders what’s with all the decorations.. that remind me of this honestly

And frankly given the whole state of the boiling isles it REALLY wouldn’t surprise me if the decorations were indeed well cooked faces. But i’ts Grom time, which means elaborate gromposals (Some Dude asks Skara out with a beating heart and an elaborate medical proposal.. which.. points for effort. And for using an actual heart. Couldn’t get one for mine. ), dancing and someone being chosen for Grom Queen. WHich Willow hints isn’t as nice as that sounds. Before we can get into that though Amity bumps into them and gets into a tizzy before meekly greeting “Luz.. and Co”. which.. not going to lie.. is my faviorite gag of the season. Just htw way she adds them and just the way Willow and Guz both smile widely at it as if to say “That’s us!”. Amity drops a note and snatches it back. This will be important later, you all know why, point is Amity becomes Grom Queen.. and is heavily depressed with Luz following her to find out why.  At the gym.. she does indeed ifnd out why: Turns out Grom is not some mutation of an earthname but is based around a horrifying entity lurking beneath the isles, Gromethious the Fear Bringer, who emerges from his slumber once a year and must be fought back and brings out his target’s greatest fears. Just like groundhog day only with less time loops and rodent abuse. Amity is scared of hers, and i’ll obviously get into this more later, and Luz simply suggests asking bump to opt out and Amity appricates the support. Awwww. 

Luz heads home and we find out Eda is chaperoning and King is mcing. Eda is also rocking a suit. Just damn girl, damn. But Luz considers taking her place.. and gets laughed at, with Eda assuming she’ll have to save her and King just being kind of a dick. I mean he’s a loveable thoroughly cuddly dick but he’s still a dick... just more like a stuffed plushie of one.  So basically exactly like Tinky. Look I mention him more than once in this review he dosen’t put me in the bastard box. It’s a great system.  Naturally this makes Luz more determined than ever to prove herself and she finds Amity in the night, with Amity having been unable to get out of it.. and Bumps a resonable guy, he just wants a substitute and no one wants the job.. except Luz who galdly volunteers and insists ntohing scares her before the giant spider on the back of her head proves otherwise. Because of course it does, spiders are fucking terrifying. Kill then all.. except the pokemon ones. Galvaltula are sweethearts. As are Ariadoses. Sweethearts who can elctorcute or poison you but still. 

So the next way Luz begins preparing.. and by that I mean it’s time for training. Sadly we don’t get an episode of Luz and Amity getting trapped in an 80′s fashion montage... I mean yes Rise of the TMNT also did that plot the same year, but we had two diffrent plots about someone getting trapped in an eldtrich sitcom and a THIRD this year, all entertaingly unique. Though we do get Luz pulling out an otter suit that’s adorable and she sadly still hasn’t worn yet. “This one says i’m an otter, with a dark side”. She also got thrown out of a school dance for.. wearing an otter suit. Okay the other things we saw in the pilot were understandable but htis is just.. baffling. Who cares what you wear to a dance as long as it isn’t horribly racist of nothing at all. 

Damn you flanders and your glorious ass. Point is Amity shows up and threatens hooty’s life because.. he’s hooty. The fact he isn’t dead already is a testiment to how badass he is and how much money he’d cost Eda to replace. Owl Tubes don’t come out of a stygian hole in the unvierse every day you know. That’s only every three years. It’s basic styigan owl tube science. 

But Amity wants her to be ready and that she’ll have to face her greatest fear.. and cue hooty popping up, poking amity in the face and asking if she wants to know her greatest fear. Really he can clearly hear everything in the house given he heard that, so he heard the death threat he just chose to ignore it. That.. was a mistake. And by mistake I mean we get a hilarious cut to the outside of the house as Luz tries to stop her love intrest from murdering her second mom’s tube monster. The result is some bandages and an eyepatch. To be fair that last one was just flaring up from a  previous beating. 

For this solem task of training, Amity has brought in her local disaster bisexuals.. aka her twin siblgins Eldric and Elmyra, whose greatest fears are dying alone and being stuck with Eldric. Both understandable. They conjur luz’s greatest fears which are.. some of the funniest shit I heard all year.. and also very relatable. Human souls in cat bodies, which is genuinely terrifying good job Luz, Jerks on the internet who mansplain things, relatable, and soy milk. 

But Amity knows this is just the openign act. it needs to be something deeper.. so while Luz dosen’t realize it’s probably her mom issues she brings up her issues with her other mom: that Eda dosen’t think she can do this. Hence we get a giant eda putting Luz in a babychair. Before we can unpack how wrong that sentence sounded, Eda comes out, and marvels at how hot giant her is. But she’s quickly distracted from sex with a giant version of herself, which is not an easy feat, by the relization “Wait Luz is going to fight grom isn’t she.. fuck i’m going to have to save her”, though Luz holds firm on doing it to prove she’s fine and dosen’t need to be saved constantly. it’s a good conflict. Eda IS right that Luz is not ready for this alone, that she’s overcompensating and that Eda would, in normal circumstances be the one to rescue her. As we’ll see it’s not her who does it but still, were this any other foe she probably would be. But Luz’s motivations are equally understandable: She wants to help her friend not have to do this and she wants to prove she can do it. She just wants her mentor, the only person in her life up to meeting her that GNEUINELY supported her in magic to respect her. To have faith in her and actually see how far she’s come. And given how her own mother writes off her dreams, if not unrealistically, and before this she had no friends or support system to speak of outside her mom, it’s easy to see why this is so improtant to Luz: she just wants to make the one person in her life whose ever support her actually think it was worth it when in truth Eda already thinks it does and just dosen’t want her to die. 

She’s just not good with talking to her or not condescending to her as her own ego is stacked sky high, probably because the whole curse thing meant Eda was an outcast by default and the system wants to either chain her to one form of magic and one only or shackle her to them as a hired goon. Her ego, while justified, is also a defense mechanism: a way to shield herself from the fact almost no one cares about her and one of the few people who DOES, dosen’t care what she wants or needs. Once the curse happened she lost just about everything and had to rebuild and thus build up walls around herself and kept everyone else at arms length till Luz changed her for the better. It’s just a tragic clash of two wills both with similar problems but both unwilling to talk about them. 

But with time up, our heroes need to get to the diggity dance. So they indeed do and we get some fun sight gags, Willow makes corsages,  that one girl with the cresent head somehow ended up with Mathomule and is not happy, as anyone who ends up with him should. And it’s time for Luz to face her destiny.. in a tux with a tutu because of course, and Amity likes it because also of course. 

IT’s time to rumble, with King getting nervous due to eda’s prodding about mcing since his co-mc gus is really good at it, and introducing our champion.

No wait sorry he’s still trapped in Mojoworld. no it’s still Luz who shows off a seasons worth of skill by easily dispatching the first few fears and saying to grom let’s finish it.. before grom puts a tentacle on her head. 

It’s to downlaod her fear.. which is Camillia. Granted we could all see it coming but still Luz obviously can’t fight her own mother or her own overwhelming guilt.. her mom did hurt her.. but she gets why and just loves her and wants her to be proud but dosen’t know what to do: tell her the trutha nd possibly loose a happy and fufilling life or wait until it all blows up. It’s a painful choice. So luz and king end up running. King runs first because he can’t handle it and Gus talks him back into the groove while Luz runs away because she can’t fight her own mom, understandable, and Gus encourages king to lead the crowd which he does. Amity and Eda follow Luz. 

So Luz is backed down, facing down a monster tha’ts going to go on to everyone else next if she fails... and Eda prepares to interfere.. but it’s AMITY who faces her fear and dives in. And we find out just what her fear was as grom turns into a humanoid shape and rips the letter in half.. it was a grom invitation. Though conviently the who it’s adressed to was ripped out. 

And yeah not going to save this one: It’s Luz. You know it I know it I didn’t even hide it in the intro. Even before the reveal in a bit it was obvious. But it also makes perfect sense. I’ve avoided talking about her character arc up to this point because I was waiting for now. Amity’s growth is the third major arc of the season behind Luz’s slow learning of magic and eventually induction into hexside and eda’s curse, which I lump in with Lilith chasing her since both were mildly entertwined and then entirely are once the reveal hits in the finale. When we meet her she’s an outright bully.. but we slowly see there’s more there. That she’s not really HAPPY or content, is contstantly under pressure by her family name, is outright bullied by her own siblings who don’t understand her. So Luz coming in, seemingly only being intrested in magic because i’ts neat.. understandably bothers her. She’s not a great person, bullying her old best friend because tha’ts what’s expected and being close with outright bullies because of that.. but it’s through Luz she starts to grow, realizing Luz is genuinely nice and genuinely sorry for any trouble she caused Amity, and evne then both cases were causaed by Amity’s own dickishness and outside forces, so it’s easy to see why she defrosts faster. Her siblings realize they’ve genuinely hurt her, and actually try to be good siblings from then on and help her, and slowly Amity learns to truth luz, trust in her, and accept her... and thus accept her feelings for her. There are gradual hints she’s growing attracted to her.. but her walls had to come down first, and it wouldn’t of worked from the outset. The show cleverly has the two build a genuine friendship, two opposities who work well together, so when feelings do happen it feels natural. It’s not “I’m in love with this person because I have to because you can’t be friends with someone your attracted to” bullshit or anything like that, cough star vs cough, it’s just well built catching feelings. I’ts how this kind of thing SHOULD go: niether went in intending for this to happen.. it’s just happening. 

And Amity’s reluctance is painfully understandable, as Luz is the ONLY friend and support she has. Sure she and willow are patching things up, but WIllow would understandably choose luz over her and she’s terrified of loosing the one good thing in her life. Of course Luz would either say yes, and probably will some day, or let her down gently, she’s nice.. but it’s also understandable to be afraid that someone won’t take the reveal well. I’ve been there trust me, it’s easier when you let it out even if you get rejected, but I get it being hard to let out because you don’t want to loose a friend. I did not, and niether would she, but I can see why she wouldn’t want ot take the plunge. At least not yet. We’ll see this summer hopefully. 

But we do get a shiptastic, gorgeously aniamted scene of the two dancing an fightin gin perfect synch, combinging luz’s new use of plant magic with amity’s mastery of abominations resulting in the two utterly decimating grom, likely in part because with two fast moving targets he can’t get a lock on and likely nees more fear and mass to attack multiple targets at once. Or just more tendrils. it’s a quick, beautful sequence that’s utterly glorious, being framed as romantic as any hetero scene of the type and rightfully so. A triumph and well deserving of this praise. 

Our heros have won, get crowns, and King gets praise. All is well.. except Luz drops the crown once she gets home because she feels like she failed and feels lost about her mom.. though at least king gets it “I’m king and queen, best of both things!”. You tell em sister. 

So we end with Luz genuinely responding to her mom, with some montage stuff as we see Gus and Willow poke a fear blob, willow fears bugs, understandable and Gus fears clowns... 

Also understandable. Though I didn’t put up a bug picture because

And Amity looks out folornly into the night. Camilla responds to Luz.. and mentions letters.. which while Luz brushes those off.. we see someone sent them. And by someone I probably mean king since we now know only eda and him had acess to the portal, and given he was actively encouraging her to lie.. yeah i’m supscious. But we’ll see next season. For now this episode is fan fucking tastic, showing off tons of character development, being representative and sweet as all hell.. and being really funny. Tons of great gags in this one including the turtle guy from an earlier episode being forced to be adisco ball.  This is easily the series best so far and if you haven’t checked it out, please do it’s fantastic as is this show. Check both out. Until the next rainbow i’ts been a pleasure. Tommorow more disney shenanigans this time with pete. And also more of this possibly we’ll see what I get done. 

Goodnight everybody!

[onestowatch]

REI AMI Proves Unpredictable and Unstoppable on ‘FOIL’ [Q&A]

Photo: Lauren Dunn

The first time I became familiar with REI AMI was at the tail end of an interview with FINNEAS, who played her debut single “MAKE IT MINE” in its entirety, noting the production change-ups and thematic juxtaposition with a childlike fascination. Now, some odd two years later, REI AMI is releasing her most ambitious project to date—FOIL, a ten-track mixtape that aims to capture the same distinctive mood shifts that defined her earliest singles while showcasing a marked evolution. 

It is a lofty goal that pays in dividends, as through FOIL’s ever-shifting run, REI AMI plays on the dual nature of her name—REI for the fiery Sailor Mars, AMI for empathic Sailor Mercury—to deliver a project that is rarely predictable and not lacking when it comes to standout moments. From brash, in-your-face hip-hop to quiet moments of introspection, the rapidly rising star gives credence to her self-described title of “hello kitty with a knife.”

I had the chance to chat with REI AMI via e-mail ahead of the release of FOIL, where we delved into all the run-of-the-mill conversation topics: catching up about the past year, falling in love, and her dog stepping into her role as supreme leader and commander of her devoted fanbase.

Who is REI and who is AMI?

REI is Sailor Mars and AMI is Sailor Mercury from the Japanese anime Sailor Moon. REI is more of a bold, lots of attitude, in your face kind of girl and AMI is more reserved and timid. Both REI and AMI are foil characters of each other, and I resonate with both characters so I like to play their personas in my music.

How does this dual identity inform REI AMI and your sound?

I think the duality aspect definitely helps me experiment more with my sounds and styles. Rather than sticking to just one specific thing, I get to play around with all kinds of sounds. I grew up listening to tons of different music, so having this dual aspect gives me the freedom to experiment.

The idea of a foil to the main character is a staple in most narratives. Are REI and AMI foils to one another? If so, do you consider either side of you to be more of a principal character?

REI and AMI are direct foils to each other because they are so different from each other. REI is represented by the color red and AMI is represented by the color blue. AMI represents the more shy, reserved side of me. REI is more in-your-face and she’s all about confidence and being proud of who you are. I don't think either is more of a principal character than the other. It's a Ying and Yang kind of thing; you can’t have one without the other.

Has this past year affected how you approach music, or more broadly, life in general?

I think that the past year affected my approach when it comes to music and life because it made me realize that literally anything can be taken away from you overnight. It can be gone instantly; the country literally shut down and then we couldn't leave. I feel like I gained a better sense of having gratitude for the things in my life and I didn't realize just how much easier music-making was pre-pandemic. Then, during the pandemic, everything was stressful, and I felt very lost sometimes because I think the whole world was feeling lost. It's kind of easy for you to feel directionless when you're in the middle of a fucking pandemic. So I would definitely agree and say that the past year affected my approach in music making and art.

Go-to hangover cure? Asking for a friend.

Wow, I'm so glad you asked me this question because I literally had my hangover cure this morning. Pho. It will cure you! It will revive the dead; I swear to God. Just put some sriracha in it and it will wake you right up.

What was it like collaborating with Aminé and Lolo Zouaï for FOIL?

Collabing with Aminé and Lolo was amazing. Just the fact that these incredible artists are on my project is a huge honor. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get in the studio together because of the pandemic but you know everything happened so organically so I can’t complain. With Aminé, we sent him a playlist of a bunch of unreleased songs and asked him to pick whatever one he resonated with the most. When he came back with “do it right,” we were just so taken back because I just never thought that that would be the song he chose since it's a slower, more reflective song. Regardless, I’m so glad that he chose “do it right” because he truly made that song so much bigger and better. 

With Lolo, she surprised me actually. I had been in New York during Winter 2019 and I was in the studio with Stelios, her primary collaborator, and we tracked “Cherry Chapstick” with an empty verse. I kind of forgot all about it up until November of 2020 when Lolo just randomly hit me with the dropbox link. It was crazy because I was in San Francisco, her hometown, when she sent it. I listened to the entire song with her verse and I was so thrilled because she absolutely BODIED it. Shout out Lolo for just making my day and making so many of our fans excited about it.

What do you hope people take away from FOIL?

I really hope that people realize that it’s okay to experiment; it’s okay to have more than one aesthetic, it’s okay to quit, it’s okay to start! Life is life, don’t be ashamed and try to hide certain parts of yourself. Whether they're pretty or ugly, those parts make you who you are so embrace every flaw, mistake, etc. I really hope my fans can listen to this project and know that it is OK to be you entirely.

You’ve gone from releasing your debut single, “Make it Mine,” inking a deal with Visionary Records / Sony Music Entertainment, to releasing your largest project to date, all within the span of two years. What’s the most significant thing you’ve learned about yourself in the process?

Good things take time. I was actually supposed to drop the project back in fall 2020 but I pulled the brakes because I felt that the project, at the time, didn’t accurately represent my life and headspace. I had just moved to LA, my team had grown significantly and… I fell in love! So instead, I took a couple months off to focus on the new music and I’m so glad I did. Those extra months gave me the time to live my life, it allowed me to reflect on my past and helped me learn so much about myself.

How is Kyo?

Kyo is amazing. She's really stepped into her role as the supreme leader and commander of the Reibies so I'm really proud. I think she's going to ask for a raise, but that's a conversation that we will have once the project drops. I'll keep you posted!

What’s next for REI AMI?

I think the most immediate thing for me would be taking a fucking nap…but like yeah, merch is coming, tour, shows, lots of exciting things for my Reibies!

Who are your Ones To Watch?

Iamdoechii. My friend Doc, who's also produced a couple tracks on FOIL, put 

FOIL is available everywhere you can stream it.

[mostlycompetentwriter]

God’s Menu (one-shot)

F/M Pairing: Y/N x Seo Changbin (SKZ)

Warnings: Language, and some mentions of smut

Genre: Enemies to Lovers AU

Word Count: 9K

Summary: Y/N is a critically-acclaimed chef at New York’s premier five-star restaurant, The JYP Organic Cafeteria. However, when a new restaurant across the street begins attracting attention (and paying customers) because of it’s young and handsome head chef, Seo Changbin, Y/N grows furious at her dwindling reviews. When she confronts this new chef, she’s appalled to realize that he’s nothing short of arrogant, and they both engage in a fierce competition to determine who the best chef really is in NY.

A/N: I wrote this in one day, such a crazy experience, and it’s all thanks to Changbin. Also, why not, I’ll dedicate this to @lordseochangbin​, the biggest Changbin Stan I know on this site.

The art of cooking involved a delicate sensibility that I had taken great pride in perfecting, especially after I graduated from culinary school. Thereafter, I worked tirelessly as an assistant for some of the greatest chefs in New York City, and I had the pleasure of working next to them under their great tutelage. Subsequently, their talents and well-intended advice shaped my own style of cooking, and my finely-tuned skills helped catapult me to the very top of our industry. 

Likewise, I gained instant fame when I became the head chef at JYP’s Organic Cafeteria in the heart of New York City. People from all over the state came to my restaurant to try my cooking, and word spread fast about my immediate rise to stardom. As such, I started modeling for cooking magazines while receiving warm reviews from even the staunchest food critics, and I had a legion of fans in the form of paying customers who often lined the sidewalk outside of the restaurant to wait for an available table.

I also had some of the most promising chefs working directly under me. For example, my sous-chef, Bang Chan, was a very skilled man when it came to experimenting with some of our more expensive offerings. He had a natural talent for measuring ingredients, even without the assistance of a recipe, and his taste was nothing short of exquisite. His assistant, Felix, was a captivating presence among the staff, and he moved around the kitchen like he had been born to cook for the hungry masses. Felix also had a knack for cutting with his impressive collection of knives and cutlery, and he enjoyed trying the recipes that Chan and I worked tirelessly to perfect. 

There was also Han Jisung, our kitchen’s pastry chef, whose delicious cakes and sweets were touted as some of the finest cuisine in North America. He prided himself on making the best cheesecakes, and our customers enjoyed a variety of unique flavors that could satisfy even the pickiest of palates. Jisung also never hesitated to include fun and interesting additions to our menu, even if that meant he had to stay up all night to prepare the ingredients. 

Finally, our saucier, Jeongin, brought a degree of youthful exuberance into the kitchen, and he was adept at evolving his soup recipes and incorporating the freshest ingredients from the local marketplaces. He was always smiling, despite the recurring dinner rush, and he was quick and efficient with his hands, especially when handling our ingredients.

Together, we formed an intimidating team, and I was excited to continue growing our successful restaurant while bringing our talents out of state and to the rest of the world. Of course, it was important to perfect ourselves at this stage in our evolution, and tonight would be another step in the right direction. As such, when I glanced out the window overlooking the main dining room, I immediately spotted the important food critic talking pleasantly with one of our waiters. “Jeongin!” I shouted to attract the younger’s attention.

“Yes, Chef,” he returned, pausing next to me at the revolving doors. 

“Tell everyone that the critic is here,” I said. “And make sure that I cook her order.”

“Of course, chef,” Jeongin agreed, and he addressed the rest of the kitchen with a commanding presence that made me feel proud because he had once been too shy to elevate his voice.

In the meantime, I started to prepare my station, ensuring that everything was clean. “Felix,” I said, turning to the silver-haired chef as he tossed up a pan of vegetables. “Get me the best ingredients and tools.”

Felix smirked, returning the plan to the stove before bowing slightly. “Right away, chef.”

Meanwhile, I carefully adjusted the sleeves of my apron, pulling them high above my elbows. For the most part, I was fairly consistent with my cooking, but I always put in extra effort when it came to potential reviews that would show-up in distinguished magazines. It was a well-known fact throughout the city that, in our competitive line of work, those reviews meant everything to the clientele we targeted. Thus, whenever a critic came into the restaurant, I liked to handle their meal preparation myself with the utmost attention.

“The order from the critic, chef,” Jeogin announced, following Felix with a bright smile.

I took it from him with a long exhale. “Garlic butter chicken,” I read. “I could do this blindfolded.”

However, I was somewhat relieved about the order because chicken happened to be a specialty of mine that I often took extra care in preparing. It was the first dish that I ever perfected in culinary school, and it often earned me the most acclaim when I was nothing more than an apprentice. And I’m sure the critic in question expected something truly mouth-watering, which is why I started immediately with every ounce of my concentration focused on the task at hand.

The first step was to clean the chicken thoroughly, and I usually requested that Jeongin wash the ingredients, but I was serious about preparing this dish myself. Next, I seasoned the chicken with an appropriate mixture of salt and pepper before allowing it to simmer on the stove while the butter melted in a separate skillet over medium heat. The familiarity of my movements was both exhilarating and reassuring.

Yet, despite just starting the early stages of the dish’s preparation, sweat was perspiring against my forehead, falling in long rivulets down the sides of my temples. It was a mixture of the kitchen’s oppressive warmth and my own nervous anxiety that combined together to create a fascinating effect on my person. But I was undeterred by any obstacle. 

Instead, I turned to the sauce, recounting the ingredients inside my head: garlic, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce (a special invention of mine). Afterward, I had to sauté the heady mixture for 30 seconds until the garlic became aromatic. I grinned triumphantly because the smell was nothing short of delectable, and I could practically taste it on my tongue as the flavors excited all five of my senses. Finally, I deglazed the skillet with the chicken broth and brought it to a much lower simmer. “Stand back,” I said, throwing the ingredients together inside a separate pan and tossing it above the heat to ensure that every piece of chicken was evenly coated with the delectable sauce. “Jeongin, it’s time for plating.”

“Yes, chef,” Jeongin said, hustling to the surrounding shelves of our finest decorative serving dishes, assisting me next to my station as we carefully plated the chicken specialty. I watched as the delicate lines of steam rose from the top before requesting that our waiter bring the food to the awaiting critic.

With a steady exhale, I joined the rest of the chefs as watched the waiter disappear out the revolving door before we all crowded together to observe the critic’s reaction from the window. “She looks impressed,” Jisung remarked, and I smiled at his comment.

In the proceeding moments, the critic unfolded her napkin over her lap and reached for her fork and knife, studying the dish with close scrutiny. I swallowed hard when she lifted a bite to her awaiting mouth, chewing thoughtfully as she appraised my offering. Thankfully, I knew that it was successful when her eyes lit with a familiar warm glow, looking down at her plate with evident pleasure. As if on cue, everyone around me started clapping at once, and their shouts of praise and encouragement certainly fed my ego while we watched the critic enjoy the remainder of her meal.

It was another successful evening.

In the mornings, I often walked to the restaurant because the weather was nice this time of year, and I was left alone with the company of my thoughts. However, after such a grueling night of dinner prep, I was also excited to see the fruits of my labors in the form of a new review that might appear at any moment courtesy of the satisfied critic who left the restaurant with a grateful salutation. My stomach was practically doing somersaults just thinking about it, and I was in a fairly good mood when I saw the JYP sign shimmering up ahead in the distance.

However, as I grew closer, I realized that there was also another sign for the previously empty building across the street, and it stood a little taller in comparison. Consequently, I paused outside the recently renovated space, peeking in through the glass window to discover a restaurant set-up waiting inside. “When did this get here?” I wondered, taking a step back to appraise the building. The enormous banner across the front spelled out the name of the establishment. “Dwekki.”

I released an exhausted sigh because I wasn’t ready to process the implications of what this might mean for JYP’s business. However, I was caught off-guard by the unexpected sound of approaching footsteps. “Doesn’t open for another hour, sweetheart,” came an unfamiliar voice.

I turned around to confront the man whose attitude clearly exposed his underlying arrogance. “Excuse, me?”

He smirked, and it made him look even more handsome. In contradiction to his dark-colored eyes, his blue-tinted hair glowed beneath the sunlight, and his arms crossed over his broad chest to experiment with the limits of his thin t-shirt. “We don’t start serving lunch until 11:00.”

“I’m not interested in eating here!” I glowered.

“That’s a shame,” he replied, and I was taken aback by his flirtatious tone, watching as his eyes appraised me.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Sweetheart, if you wanted an autograph, then you should’ve just asked,” he replied, and I instantly recoiled.

“I work over there,” I said, jutting my thumb behind me. “I’m the head chef for JYP.”

“Really?” Changbin asked, and his eyes reflected a newfound interest. “I’ll be more formal, then. My name is Seo Changbin, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I wish I could say the same,” I said. “I’m Y/N.”

Changbin chuckled. “It sounds like you don’t like me, Y/N, which doesn't seem right since we just met.”

“Well,” I huffed. “I always like to keep an eye on potential competition.”

“Competition?” Changbin snorted. “Sweetheart, there won’t be any competition when they taste my food.”

I bristled at the challenge. “Is that so?”

“I have the best cuisine,” Changbin said. “I’ve been told that my food is the best in New York City.”

I gasped at the insinuation. “Listen here, Changbin, I have the credentials to back up my food! I’ve been voted Food Critic Magazine’s most promising chef for three years in a row.”

“Well, it was a good streak while it lasted,” Changbin said, and he seemed amused by my inability to offer some kind of witty comeback in return.

“Fine!” I managed. “I’ll just have to prove it to you.”

“I look forward to it, sweetheart,” Changbin replied, and I held my breath when I pivoted around, storming away from the horrible man with a new purpose guiding my steps.

Graciously, I found Chan waiting outside of JYP, looking up at me with a bright smile that disappeared when he realized that I wasn’t happy. “What happened?”

“There’s a new restaurant opening across the street and its chef is a complete asshole!” I shouted, fumbling with the restaurant keys in my hand. “He thinks he can say those things to me? Nobody’s food is better than ours!”

Chan blinked twice. “What the hell is going on?”

“It’s a war, Mr. Bang!” I declared passionately, holding the door wide open. “We’re going to prove that man wrong!”

Chan sighed because he was already used to my dramatics. However, what he didn’t realize was that I was serious about the declaration, and I had no intention of holding up the white flag of surrender anytime soon!

Of course, despite my initial confidence, it was hard to maintain my earlier enthusiasm when, after a week of operation, I had started to notice that more people were wandering into Changbin’s restaurant and ignoring JYP. “His food must be killer,” Jisung remarked off-handedly one day, wincing when I slapped him on the back of his head. “What was that for?”

“He’s the competition,” I seethed, pacing back and forth in front of the open window at the front of the restaurant. “It’s just because he opened recently and people are curious.”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Jisung huffed, rubbing his head with a pout.

“We’ll just have to keep a lookout,” I insisted, and I knew that I sounded mad when Jisung hesitantly took a step back away from me.

“Aren’t you taking this too far, Y/N?”

“Too far?”

“Woah! You know that I’m just kidding!” Jisung chirped, anxiously power-walking his way back into the kitchen while I continued to maintain my post as JYP’s head chef and silent guardian.

Eventually, I returned to the kitchen since I was expecting the usual dinner rush to commence. However, the longer that I spent chopping way too many carrots without a ticket request for our finest appetizer soups, the more I began to realize that something was amiss. I reached for Felix’s arm and drug him away from the others. “Why aren’t we getting any ticket requests? Is the waitstaff missing people?”

“Not exactly,” Felix said, and his eyes darted back and forth as if he was withholding valuable information.

“Well?” I insisted. “What’s happening?”

“There’s not many people tonight,” Felix said, and he quickly tried to reassure me when he noticed my sharp intake of breath. “It’s Monday, Y/N, and most people don’t like to eat out when they have work the next day...”

But I ignored Felix’s attempts at rationality, leaving the kitchen with heavy steps to instigate some preemptive sleuthing of my own. “What the hell?” I grumbled, crossing my arms when I noticed that there was some sort of commotion going on outside. Yet, when I stood in front of the window, I still couldn’t believe what I was seeing. “What’s wrong with these people!” I exclaimed, watching as the line outside of Changbin’s restaurant continued to grow even longer.

“I heard it’s good,” Han offered unhelpfully, and I didn’t even notice his approach because I was too distracted by the horror-show playing right in front of me. My literal worst nightmare coming to life with one preemptive swoop!

“This is terrible!” I said. “We’re losing business t-to them!”

“Y/N, it’s okay,” Jisung said, laying one hand on my shoulder. “Most of our regulars are here.”

“It’s not okay!” I said, shaking off his hand aggressively. “We need to get to the bottom of this!”

Jisung flinched when I turned around sharply on my heel, finding my way back to the kitchen where I clapped my hands together loudly to attract everyone’s attention. “Listen up, people!” I started. “The place across the street has just become enemy number one. That means we need to investigate! We have to infiltrate the restaurant and figure out what the hell is going on!”

“Y/N,” Chan sighed. “Is this necessary?”

“Oh, it's completely necessary! We’re going undercover,” I said, pointing between Felix and Chan. “You two are coming with me.”

Chan shook his head. “Y/N, do we really have to do this?”

“Yeah,” Felix whined. “You’re just gonna do something embarrassing again.”

I offered them both a glare. “Do you like working here?”

“Yes, chef!” Felix immediately shouted, holding up his hand to his forehead in a military salute.

Chan rolled his eyes. “I think you’re making a big deal out of nothing.”

“We’re losing customers, Chan,” I said. “We need to figure out why.”

“But do we really have to go over there?”

“Can’t Jisung go instead of me?” Felix asked, jutting out his bottom lip like it might garner him some kind of sympathy.

However, I was completely set on my resolution. “You’re coming, Felix, and we’re going to get justice for JYP!”

“Justice for JYP!” Jeongin shouted while raising his fist in the air to demonstrate his solidarity with my outrageous claim.

In the meantime, I had removed my apron, dusting the flour from my jeans while grabbing my purse from the backroom. “Now!” I said, dragging a reluctant Chan and Felix behind me as we exited the restaurant through the back door.

I had never been more determined in my entire life!

“How many are in your party?” the hostess asked when we stepped inside Dwekki for the very first time.

“Three,” I replied while scrutinizing every feature of the interior.

“One moment please,” the hostess said, leaving her podium stand to enter the dining room. I stood on my toes to look inside, but I only caught a faint glimpse of an overhanging chandelier before the doors closed again.

“Fancy,” Felix remarked, but I ignored him while observing the main lobby.

“How pretentious,” I muttered, taking in the elegantly tiled marble floors and freshly painted white walls. 

“Says the person who charges 30 dollars for chicken,” Chan retorted.

“Whose side are you on?” I asked him, but a potential argument was quickly interrupted by the hostess who re-emerged from the dining room.

“Right this way,” she said, grabbing three menus before encouraging us to enter the literal lion’s den.

Immediately, I decided that I didn’t like Dwekki. It screamed money and finesse, and I wasn’t impressed with the elegant set-up, disregarding the shimmering fountain and the open kitchen that revealed dozens of chefs working tirelessly to prepare their dishes.

“Thank you,” Felix said politely when our hostess brought us to a small table near the kitchen’s entrance, offering us our menus before returning to her post outside the dining room. “You guys, it smells like chocolate in here,” Felix said, whining when I reached over to whack his arm with my menu.

“It smells like desperation to me,” I said. “Look at all this unnecessary decor. Who the hell needs a water fountain in the middle of their restaurant?”

“I think it’s nice,” Chan said with a sarcastic attitude on clear display.

“You’re the worst sous-chef,” I told him.

“But what would you do without me?”

“I’d put another ad in the paper,” I said, and he gasped in dramatic fashion that was clearly meant to mock me. 

Meanwhile, I had barely noticed the arrival of our waiter until his voice interrupted my playful banter with Chan. “Good evening, folks, welcome to Dwekki, my name is Hyunjin and I’ll be your server tonight. Would you like to start off with an appetizer.”

“What do you recommend?” I asked, taking note of Hyunjin’s taller stature and the way he tied back his long hair into a neat style. 

“Our chef’s choice is the scallops,” Hyunjin replied, and I inwardly groaned at the mention of the restaurant’s chef.

“Yes, that’s fine,” I said, and Hyunjin had barely left the table before Felix was opening his mouth again.

“He has literal angels working for him, Y/N,” Felix said. 

“Do you really have to say that?” I asked.

“He certainly has class,” Chan added, and I felt their betrayal deep inside the center of my chest. “Do you think he might recommend his decorator?”

“Our restaurant is more family-oriented,” I said, bringing my water glass to my lips because I was suddenly parched.

“He’s coming back,” Felix whispered, and I was taken aback by Hynjin’s reappearance, holding a bottle of wine in his hands.

“This is for you,” he said with a knowing smile.

“Pinot noir!” Felix gasped, snatching the bottle from Hyunjin who barely flinched.

“Compliments of the chef,” Hyunjin explained, and I hesitantly glanced over my shoulder to see Changbin watching us from the kitchen’s entrance. I returned my gaze to the table, fanning my flushed skin. “He also insisted that you should try tonight’s house specialty.”

“That’s fine,” I said, breathing a sigh of relief when he finally left us alone.

“Does he know who you are?” Felix asked curiously.

“I ran into him the other day,” I said.

“She nearly had a heart attack,” Chan said. “It was the day we declared war or something on this place.”

“Like battleship?” Felix asked, and I actually regretted not listening to his plea from earlier to have brought Jisung along instead. At least my pastry chef was entertaining.

“The food is probably mediocre,” I said. “Nobody can have an ego that big unless they’re compensating for something.”

“Y/N,” Felix teased, raising his eyebrows. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Not whatever you’re thinking,” I said, wincing at the idea. “Look, I know that you both think this whole thing is stupid, but the restaurant is really important to me, and I care when our customers start eating somewhere else.”

“Is it really about the customers or your pride?” Chan asked, and I hated it when his questions turned philosophical.

I tossed my menu in his direction. “Study the dishes, Chan. We’re here to gather important intel.”

Chan smirked, but obeyed my command, browsing quietly while Felix took his job too seriously and started capturing screenshots using his cellphone. Meanwhile, I leaned back in my chair with a heavy heart because it was starting to look like we were hopelessly outmatched. I mean, just the interior of the dining room itself was far more impressive than our cafeteria-style, and I was actually envious of that stupid fountain because it looked magical underneath the stupid chandelier.

Thankfully, the arrival of our food temporarily paused my morbid thoughts, and the smell of our appetizer scallops actually had my stomach grumbling. Felix and Chan immediately grabbed a scallop for themselves, and I forced myself to take one of the delicious smelling rations. My mouth started watering when I brought a small bite closer, and when I chewed against the tender meat, my entire facade cracked because it was absolutely wonderful.

Of course, to make matters even worse, the head chef had decided to leave the kitchen and gloat before I could even swallow my food. “What do we have here?” Changbin asked, and I trembled at his approach. “It can’t be the head chef of JYP! I’m honored.”

“Why are you out here?” I hissed.

“I saw you come inside,” Changbin replied. “I figured I should be nice to our new neighbors.”

I watched as Changbin took a step to the side, crooking a finger, and Hyunjin joined our table once more with the entrees. “The veal,” he said, placing a portion in front of the three of us.

“It’s one of my most popular dishes,” Changbin said with a tone laced with his smugness.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” I said, stuffing a bite into my mouth and immediately regretting the way that my body reacted positively to the food. Like I was suddenly back home and enjoying my mother’s home-cooked meals.

“Do you like it?” Changbin asked.

I gritted my teeth as I pushed the dish away from me. “It’s okay,�� I said, sighing when I noticed that Chan and Felix were practically devouring their dishes.

“You see that critic over there?” Changbin asked, and I followed his gaze to a strikingly familiar face. Because it was the same woman who had just eaten at our restaurant several nights ago, and she looked way too pleased with her current meal. “She told me that my chicken was the best she had ever tasted.”

I held my tongue to keep myself from retorting. “That’s impossible,” Felix said over a mouthful of his veal. “Y/N has the best chicken dish in New York.”

“Really?” Changbin asked, leaning down so that he was speaking right into my ear. “Maybe we should put that to the test.”

“What do you mean?” 

“There’s a food competition this weekend on Good Morning, New York,” Changbin said.

“I love that show!” Felix said, and I rolled my eyes at the unnecessary observation.

“They’re inviting local chefs to participate,” Changbin said. “I already reserved my spot, but maybe Y/N could try her luck as well.”

I slammed my fork down against the table. “You’re on, Seo. I haven’t lost a food competition since culinary school.”

“May the best chef win,” Changbin said with a pleased smile. “Enjoy the rest of your meal.”

“Whatever,” I grumbled, forcing another bite of veal into my mouth because I was growing more and more frustrated with my impending crisis.

The next morning, I walked inside the restaurant to see a group of my chefs crowded around one of the tables. “What’s going on?” I asked, and they immediately began to disperse. “Hold on!” I said, jogging over to grab Felix’s apron sleeve. “What are you holding?”

“It’s nothing!” Jisung squealed from further away, but I still jerked the magazine away from Felix’s hands. It was a copy of the Food Critic Monthly magazine, and they published reviews of the most popular restaurants in New York City. 

“Y/N,” Felix said, and his voice was unusually deep. “It’s one person’s opinion.”

I shook my head as I opened the magazine, flipping through the pages until I found our restaurant’s name in the heading. “JYP remains consistent, although they could certainly benefit from a change in their normal menu. I’ll give them a score of 9 out of 10,” I read aloud, fuming when I realized that Dwekki’s review was on the next page. “This hot new restaurant has some of the finest cuisine that I’ve ever tasted, and its head chef holds the potential to be the greatest in New York. My rating is a solid 10 out of 10.”

The room was quiet when I finished. “Y/N?” Jeongin tentatively inquired. “It doesn’t matter, we can impress them next time.”

“Next time?” I repeated with barely constrained rage. “It’s the opinion of one of the biggest food critics in the city!” I retorted. “Of course, it matters.”

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment to center myself. “Y/N?” Jisung said. “What are you gonna do?”

I looked at him with newfound determination. “Someone needs to schedule me for that Good Morning, New York show. I’m gonna beat him in front of the entire city!”

Jeongin nodded his head quickly. “I’ll make the call, Y/N.”

I rolled back my shoulders, pausing when I noticed that Chan had stopped in front of me. “You’re going too far this time, Y/N.”

“I need this, Chan,” I said, shoving my way past him. “I also need freaking break from this place!”

That afternoon, I sat behind the restaurant with a cigarette in hand, puffing smoke into the surrounding space. Unfortunately, whenever I felt particularly stressed, I turned to the nasty habit that I had trouble completely dismissing from my life. It was truly disgusting, but sometimes these situations forced me to do things that I normally wouldn’t even consider.

“You shouldn’t do that.”

I held the cancer stick up to my lips. “Why the hell do you care?”

“Maybe I think you’re too beautiful for bad lungs,” Changbin said, and I finally met his gaze from across the alley.

“What do you want?”

“To show off?” He shrugged, resuming a business-like demeanor when he walked in my direction.

“That doesn’t surprise me,” I said, watching him as he took a seat next to me.

“Look at this,” Changbin said, holding up a black folder. “We have reservations scheduled for the next month.”

“A month?” I spluttered, taking the folder from him. Sure enough, I ran my finger down the list of names occupying time slots that filled the remainder of June. As a result, I let my head fall back against the brick wall of my restaurant. “This is private property, you know.”

“Oh?” Changbin chuckled. “Look, Y/N, whatever I’ve done to offend you, I want to apologize.”

“Really?” I said. “It doesn’t feel like you care.”

“Actually, I really admire your work,” Changbin said. “I read some of your reviews when I had just graduated school, and I even based one of my dishes from your Parmesan.”

“Fuck that makes me feel old,” I complained, but there was no way that I was more than a few years older than Changbin. 

“You might feel younger if you stop with these things,” Changbin said, and I only frowned when he took the cigarette from me. 

“I booked myself on that show,” I said. “I hope I don’t offend you when I kick your ass.”

Changbin smirked, leaning in closer with a dangerous smile that somehow managed to send my heart fluttering inside my chest. “I look forward to it.”

Unsurprisingly, Jeongin was a cheerful presence even when the sun hadn’t quite risen above the New York City skyscrapers. He had previously agreed to come with me to the show as a support system, and I could use his infectious energy when it came to my biggest challenge to date. “I even made you a sign,” he said as I drove us along the crowded streets.

I laughed. “I don’t think you can bring those inside the studio.”

“I’ll still cheer the loudest!” he said, and I wanted nothing more than to wrap him into a secure hug.

However, I also had to resist the softer side that Jeongin always tended to bring out in me because I needed to focus solely on this competition. My entire reputation was hanging by a thread, and this show offered me the chance to redeem my dwindling reviews. 

Graciously, upon my arrival, I noticed that most of the other competitors weren’t nearly as intimidating, and I offered them polite greetings while doing my best to ignore Changbin and the ridiculous smile that he sent in my direction when I entered the studio. “Keep talking to me,” I instructed Jeongin. “Maybe that will keep Satan away.”

Jeongin nodded his head. “I believe in you, Y/N.”

“There’s a great evil threatening our existence,” I said solemnly. “I just need to focus.”

“Woah!” Jeongin suddenly cheered. “They have soft batch cookies.”

“Hey!” I said. “Are you really letting that distract you?”

“Sorry,” he whispered, bowing respectfully when the Good Morning hosts approached us.

“We’re excited to have you here, Y/N. It’s been a while since you’ve participated in something like this.”

“Well, I need a change every once in a while,” I told them.

“We’ve assigned your station next to Seo Changbin’s,” they said. “You two are the best in the kitchen, and our viewers will love it!”

“I bet they will,” I said, smiling sweetly while pulling Jeongin along next to me. “Let’s make sure it’s spotless,” I instructed him, and we both started cleaning the station with prompt attention.

“Oh, Y/N,” Changbin said from his station next to me. “I saw a comment on social media this morning. Someone said that I shouldn’t even bother wearing anything under my apron. What do you think?”

“Pervert,” I muttered under my breath, wiping down the counter with far more aggression than necessary considering how the surface was practically glimmering.

“Alright, everyone!” a producer suddenly announced. “The show starts in five minutes.”

However, I was unprepared for the way that my stomach twisted uncomfortably because I had never felt this nervous before in my entire life. “I can’t breathe,” I told Jeongin, and he immediately started fanning my overheated skin with one of the frying pans.

“You can do it, Y/N,” he said, and I only nodded in response while I watched him join the crowd gathered behind the cameras.

“3...2...1...action!”

Fuck, why was it so hot in here?

“Good morning, New York City!” one of the hosts began, holding out her arms in grandiose fashion. “We have six of New York’s hottest young chefs ready to cook for us this morning.”

“That’s right, Kathy, and when we get back from our commercial break, we’ll determine the best of the best in a fierce competition. Let’s introduce today’s chefs.”

Kathy smiled in our direction, holding up the microphone as she spoke briefly with each chef in turn, coming closer and closer in my direction. “Mr. Seo,” she said. “You’ve scored tremendous reviews with some of the city’s toughest critics! What inspires you to create such gourmet dishes?”

“Well, recently, I’ve been inspired by someone who managed to capture my heart,” he said, sending a discreet wink in my direction.

I scowled at his blatant sarcasm. “Oh, she must be a lucky lady, then,” Kathy said, taking a long stride to stand next to me at my station. “What about you, Y/N? You’ve been at the top of New York’s finest chef’s list for years!”

I found Jeongin at the back of the room whose sweet smile managed to lend me some semblance of confidence. “I’ve always been competitive,” I said, and the answer summoned a chuckle from Changbin.

“Well, I guess we get to see for ourselves right after these brief words from our sponsors!”

“Cut!” the producer yelled, and I sighed in relief.

But it was a short-lived reprieve, and Changbin leaned in closer to shorten the space separating our stations. “I don’t want to embarrass you, sweetheart,” Changbin grinned, and it took everything I had to resist the temptation to hit that perfect face.

“Shut the hell up,” I muttered, briefly glancing up to see Jeongin offering me a cheesy thumbs up from behind the camera.

Tragically, this time I didn’t feel any reassurance from his warm presence. Instead, I anxiously waited in profound expectation until the recording lights started to flash green, and I put on my best poker face for the camera. “Chefs, today you’ll be making your best dish to impress our judges! We’ll be looking at three categories: taste, presentation, and creativity. You have twenty minutes to finish your dish.”

Twenty minutes?! I was freaking out, running over my best chicken recipe inside my head while the hosts started a vicious countdown that slowly destroyed my resolve. “Go!”

I immediately launched myself into action, running to the fridge to pull out a package of freshly cut chicken. I was relying on years of experience to guide my actions, resorting to my most basic cooking instincts when I cleaned and seasoned the chicken while blocking out the commentary in the background. 

Sauté, sauté, sauté, I chanted inside my head while I heated the olive oil and tossed in the chicken strips to cook over the warm stove. Since I had such limited time, I gave each side exactly four minutes to cook before I was moving on to the next step, glancing over at Changbin’s station to watch him slice several ingredients with precision.

Jesus, he looked really hot doing that!

“Stop it, Y/N,” I whispered to myself, rolling up my sleeves while I grabbed my mixing bowl to prepare the honey and balsamic vinegar base for the sauce that I planned to glaze on top of the chicken. I added some garlic to my chicken skillet before stirring in the stock that would elevate the chicken’s natural flavoring.

“Ten minutes, chefs!”

My heart was pounding against my breastbone, and I decided to add rice at the last minute, even though it was a risk since it might not cook thoroughly in time. However, I also knew that it would add some color to the dish, and I was ready to pull out all the risks to reap the benefits. 

The kitchen was loud with the sound of sizzling skillets and boiling pots, and I was overheated and flushed because of the rising steam. The smells of intermingling dishes were overwhelming, and I resisted the urge to check on Changbin’s dish because I couldn't handle that pressure. 

“Five...four...three...two...one...stop!”

With a long exhale, I threw up my hands and retreated away from my plate. My nerves were still sending trembles along my spine, and I was pretty sure that I could pass out from exhaustion at any moment. Yet, beneath it all, I was also exhilarated from the challenge, and I couldn’t help but smile proudly at my dish sitting at the edge of the counter.

“We’ll let our judges decide,” Kathy said, and several assistants came to collect our plates, bringing them to the panel sitting somewhere off-screen.

I watched their reactions greedily, noting how they maintained neutral expressions for every dish with a certain degree of professionalism. “It was very close,” one of the judges said. “However, we made a decision.”

“The top three,” another continued. “Third place goes to Mr. Lee for his delicious pasta!”

I wasn’t sure if I should feel relieved or not, watching one of the hosts place a shiny bronze medal around the young chef’s neck. Surely, that meant Changbin and I were taking the top two positions, but I was desperate to hear them call out my name above his. 

“We’ll announce first place,” the judge began, and I was practically hanging from the edge of the counter. “Seo Changbin!”

Unfortunately, there were no words to describe the way my shoulders instantly deflated, and a feeling of existential dread gripped tightly to my heart because of my failure. “Second place goes to Y/N.”

I was shaking, but it wasn’t out of anger for once. I pretended to smile, accepting the medal with a bile taste at the back of my throat. I managed to hold myself together until the show went off air, and I slowly removed my apron while trying my best not to reveal just how affected I was by everything that had happened. “Hey, Y/N,” Changbin said, and I turned around with a sigh.

“Save it, Changbin,” I said. “I don’t need you to rub it in.”

“I’m not,” he said, sweeping his bangs away from his eyes. “Will you just look at me?”

I offered him my full attention. “Well?”

“It was really close,” he said. “You did a good job, and your dish was amazing.”

His words were earnest, and I saw the honesty in his expression. Yet, my pride was still wounded, and I wanted to creep away into the remote corners of my lonely apartment and lick my wounds. “You don’t really mean that.”

“Not everything has to be a competition, Y/N,” he said, giving me a meaningful look that I couldn’t quite understand.

However, if the competition could be considered another step towards my total demise, then I shouldn’t have been so surprised to see the next day’s issue of a popular magazine. “Food Critic Daily,” I screamed, snatching the magazine from a sheepish Jeongin. My eyes grew wider when I saw that Changbin had the privilege of gracing the front cover. “This reviewer insists that you listen to everyone who tells you that Seo Changbin’s dishes are some of the finest cuisine in New York City. Perhaps nobody can compare.”

I dramatically fell back against the counter because it was too much for me to handle. I took a deep breath, channeling that emotion into anger as I grabbed the magazine from the top, ripping it slowly in half while my chefs looked on with barely disguised horror. “The insanity stops now!”

“Are you sure about that?” Jisung asked.

“We just have to try something different,” I said, looking around at my gathered chefs.

“Maybe not right now, Y/N,” came Felix’s gentle response.

“Why?”

“Changbin’s here,” Felix whispered, pointing at the kitchen door.

“What?” I growled, immediately turning around to face my kitchen staff. “Listen up! We have to be on our best game tonight!” I pointed at Felix who immediately froze to the spot. “I’m cooking his meal. Send his order to me.”

Felix nodded, relaying the instructions to our waiter while I approached my station with malice. “Y/N,” Chan said softly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I grunted. “I can do this.”

“I didn’t say that I doubted you,” Chan said. “But I’m worried that you’re pushing yourself too much.”

“I can handle it,” I snapped, reaching for my discarded apron. 

“Here’s the order,” Felix said, returning promptly. “He asked for the garlic butter chicken.”

I snorted. “Of course he did.”

Nevertheless, I cracked my fingers and got to work, arranging the pots and ingredients across my station. I quietly sharpened my knife, glaring at the revolving kitchen door where I knew that Changbin waited outside in the dining room. Despite the repeated blows to my self-confidence, I was determined to impress him tonight.

After I had sent off Changbin’s order, I returned to the back office to try and rest after pushing myself to the limit. I resisted the familiar urge to grab a cigarette from my bag, looking up at the ceiling in an attempt to distract my mind. However, my efforts were in vain because Jeongin eventually started knocking on the door, looking at me with wide eyes. “Changbin said that he wanted to speak to the chef.”

I huffed an annoyed sigh. “That isn’t surprising.”

I slowly lifted myself from the chair, following Jeongin back into the kitchen. I was aware that the other chefs were watching me like I was some kind of wild animal ready to pounce. “Stay here,” I said to Jeongin, pushing my way through the revolving door to enter the dining room.

It wasn’t hard to find him, sitting with his waiter, Hyunjin, at one of the tables near the front entrance. I lowered my head when I started for his section, aware of the weight of his gaze on me the entire time. “You asked for me,” I said, looking down at Changbin with my eyes narrowed.

“My compliments to the chef,” Changbin said. “The food was surprisingly good.”

I chose not to react to his passive-aggressive comment. “Will there be anything else?”

“Just a moment,” Changbin said, reaching into his jacket pocket to produce a folded card. “What do you think?”

I snatched it from him ungracefully, smoothing out the surface before I caught the unforgettable name of Kim Seungmin listed across the card. “The Kim Seungmin?” I asked, and I didn’t bother to hide my excitement.

“I can get you an interview with him,” Changbin said. “What do you think?”

I frowned. “What’s the catch?”

Changbin laughed. “Maybe I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart.”

“Yeah, right,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Just tell me what you want.”

His smile was gone, replaced by a look that I could only describe as sobering. “You should go on a date with me, Y/N.”

It only took me a moment to start laughing. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Changbin sighed. “I’m being serious.”

“So am I,” I replied, watching him as he stood from the table.

“I don’t want you to see me as a competitor,” Changbin said. “I think you’re amazing, and we would be so much better as partners.”

Regardless of his kind words, it still felt like he was mocking me, even if his tone suggested otherwise, and I couldn’t swallow down my pride and bruised ego long enough to acknowledge the truth. Instead, I hardened my gaze, looking at him as someone who continued to ruin our business each day I prepared our menu selections in the kitchen. “I think you should leave.”

“Y/N-”

I took a step back, bowing in front of him before I returned to the kitchen with his eyes burning a hole into the back of my head.

After our regular closing hours, I lingered behind in the kitchen office, staring at the blank computer screen. I couldn’t stop thinking about Changbin, and that was a problem. It was his fault that I was feeling so defeated, and I couldn’t imagine allowing him access to my personal life. 

Thankfully, the familiar tone of my cell phone forced my attention elsewhere, and I answered the call with a distracted greeting. “Y/N!” an excited voice announced from the other end. “It’s Jeongin!”

“I have caller ID.”

“Oh, r-right,” he stuttered. “Anyway, I just got off the phone with one of my friends, and he said that his company was looking for a place to host their anniversary dinner this weekend. I mentioned our restaurant because I think the attention might help bring some interest back to JYP!”

I listened intently, feeling a familiar spark of hope. “What company?”

“It’s a huge TV network! The same one that programs Good Morning, New York!”

“How many people?”

“Uh, maybe like a couple hundred?”

I hesitated because I knew how difficult it would be to handle that many guests at one time, but I also knew that Jeongin had been right when he suggested that the publicity could be the push that we desperately required. “Tell them we would be more than happy to host.”

I hung up the phone with a loud exhale. What the hell was I doing?

The weekend approached fast, and I was slowly experiencing the numbing effects of panic when I realized that several of my chefs would be unable to help with dinner preparations for the party that we were hosting. “It might be pushing our limits, Y/N,” Chan said, and he stood next to me while I examined our depleted numbers.

“We can do it,” I said. “Everyone, let’s start preparing the main dishes!”

“Yes, chef!

I took a deep breath because we wouldn’t have a single moment of reprieve to accommodate the orders. But I had convinced myself that enough early preparation would help counter our severe lack of help in the kitchen. Subsequently, I was working my ass off to ensure that everything was progressing smoothly.

“Y/N,” Jeongin said. “People have started to arrive.”

“We can start serving soon,” I said. “Tell the waitstaff to get themselves ready.”

Jeongin nodded, but I could tell that he was nervous, and his lack of confidence was noticeably debilitating. Nevertheless, I encouraged everyone to work harder, trying to pay less attention to the accumulating orders. “Y/N, table eight has been waiting for twenty minutes on an appetizer.”

“I got it!” I shouted back, approaching the front counter with the shrimp plate in question.

“Y/N, what about the crab cakes?”

My heart was skyrocketing inside my chest. “It’s coming!”

“We need the chicken for table six!”

“Y/N, people are starting to ask me about the soup?”

“Y/N!”

“Fuck,” I cursed, trying to settle my breathing because there were dark spots building in my peripheral vision.

Chan graciously reached out for my arm, holding me steady with his strong hold. “We’re understaffed, Y/N, and Felix is crying in the bathroom!”

“Just hold on one second,” I said, pacing back and forth nervously across the kitchen floor.

“Y/N,” Chan said, shaking my shoulders. “We have to call Changbin for help.”

“Changbin!” I yelled, gripping the counter. “Are you serious?”

“We need extra hands,” Chan said. “Changbin told me the other night that he really wanted to support the restaurant.”

“He said that?”

“Call him,” Chan insisted, shoving the kitchen phone into my hand. “Please.”

I released a defeated sigh as I dialed his number, finding it listed in the phone book that we kept in the office. “Hello?” a gruff voice greeted me.

“Changbin,” I said, swallowing hard. “It’s Y/N.”

“Well, this is a surprise,” Changbin’s smooth voice responded from the other end. “Did you change your mind about our date, Y/N?”

I groaned. “No, but I actually have something to ask you.”

“Really?” Changbin said, and his tone was playful. “It’s always hard to resist you.”

“I need your help Changbin,” I said, but there was a nasty taste left in my mouth after the words had already come out. “I’m hosting an important party at the restaurant, but my staff can’t keep up.”

I held my breath, waiting impatiently when I heard nothing from the other man. “Give me ten minutes,” he replied before I was greeted with the sound of the dial tone.

Changbin’s arrival was, for once, a breath of fresh air, and I ushered him into the kitchen with eager hands. He had also brought half a dozen of his own chefs, and they fell into order with my staff like a well-oiled machine. It was reassuring, and I felt myself grow lighter on my feet as I moved through the kitchen, filling orders at a much faster speed.

“Let me handle that one,” I said, grabbing one of the tickets from Jisung before rushing back to my station. I started cutting vegetables with a speed that I hadn’t seen since my early culinary school days.

“You look sexy doing that,” Changbin remarked from next to me.

I grinned because the comment was strangely endearing. “You’re just saying that.”

“I really mean it,” Changbin said, and his presence was somewhat intoxicating.

“Focus on your work,” I said, but I could feel that I was blushing. 

“That’s cute, Y/N,” he said, reaching out to poke a finger against my cheek.

“Hands to yourself,” I added, and Changbin laughed before he grabbed the handle of his skillet to toss the contents of his dish.

“I think we’re finally caught up,” Jisung announced from the front of the kitchen and there was an audible sigh from my staff in the kitchen.

“What, is this a regular thing, Y/N?” Changbin asked. “How have you survived without me for all these years?”

“Perseverance,” I responded, turning up the heat on my grill and enjoying the accompanying sound of the chicken frying in the sauce mixture.

“Fuck, that’s hot,” he said, and I couldn’t help but shiver while I tried to figure out if he was talking about me or the dish.

Eventually, serving hours were completed, and most of the chefs had started to clean the mess that we had made of our dwindling supplies. Meanwhile, I studied the satisfied patrons from behind the revolving doors, and I felt proud of everything that had been accomplished. Even if that meant finding help in an unlikely ally who was engaged in polite conversation with Chan and Felix.

“Jeongin,” I said, drawing the younger’s attention.

“Yes, chef!” he saluted, and I bit back a smile.

“Find us some champagne from the back,” I said. “Bring glasses for everyone.”

“I’m on it!” he declared, and I watched him hurry to the back while I took one last look at the lingering party guests.

I wandered through the kitchen, occasionally offering to help clean one of the stations. At the same time, I couldn’t resist a persistent desire to glance at Changbin, watching him from the corner of my eye. For the first time since we had met, my attention wasn’t focused completely on the restaurant.

“I think it was a huge success, Y/N,” Jisung interrupted my musings when he returned from the dining hall. “I spoke to the CEO, and he said they would definitely consider us again as a future host!”

“Hopefully, we’ll have more help,” I said, reaching over to pat Jisung on the shoulder. “Thank you.”

Jisung’s eyes widened. “Are you sick, Y/N?”

“No,” I laughed, and my gaze immediately locked with Changbin’s. “I’m just grateful.”

Thereafter, Jeongin returned with a bottle of wine and several glasses. I quietly instructed him to give everyone some of the champagne. “Make sure the restaurant clears out,” I instructed Jisung who nodded obediently.

Meanwhile, I watched Jeongin flitter between the kitchen staff, holding out glasses and filling them to the very top with delicate bubbles. “Are we celebrating, Y/N?” Chan asked, pausing next to me.

I smiled. “I think everyone deserves it.”

Finally, Jisung made his return after sorting everything out with the CEO, carefully assisting our waitstaff in sorting out the evening’s conclusion. Thus, I held up a glass of champagne since the restaurant had finally cleared out, waiting patiently while the chefs gathered together for a short celebration. “Thank you,” I said. “To everyone because I was really in over my head.”

“That’s an understatement,” Chan snorted.

“Also, I’m glad that Changbin and his staff were able to help us,” I said. “We couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Cheers!” Jisung shouted, and I brought my glass to my lips to enjoy the cooling effects of the alcohol as it slid down my parched throat.

It was late when I started to send most of the chefs home. I made sure to thank everyone again, smiling brightly because I was incredibly proud of their efforts. “We’re almost done with clean-up, Y/N,” Jeongin said, approaching me with an exhausted yawn.

“I’ll clean the rest,” I told Jeongin. “Everyone else can go home.”

Jeongin nodded, looking up at me with sleepy eyes. I grinned as he trudged out of the kitchen, and I took his place at the counter to wipe down the surface until it was spotlessly clean. “This is very dedicated of you, Y/N.”

I smirked at Changbin’s comment. “It’s the least I can do after tonight.”

“Well, you seem like a very ambitious person,” Changbin said, and I could feel him behind me.

“It’s just...been hard lately.”

“Why?”

I closed my eyes. “Honestly? I was a little worked up because we were losing a lot of business to your restaurant. It hurt my pride.”

“The novelty will wear off,” Changbin said. “People enjoy new things, but they always eventually look for what they really like again.”

“Are you trying to be wise?”

“Maybe I’m still trying to impress you,” he said, and the deep tenor of his voice sent a shiver down my spine.

“What?”

“I really like you, Y/N,” he said, and I felt his lips right next to my ear and the warm sensation of his gentle breathing. 

His hands smoothed down the fabric of my apron, holding my waist with an unrelenting grip. I shivered when his lips found the sensitive skin of my throat, placing teasing kisses wherever he could find space. He eventually turned me around in his arms, and I was lost in the endless pools of his eyes. 

“Are you going to push me away?” he asked.

“Not anymore,” I replied, and it was nothing short of satisfying when he finally kissed me, and I could feel my head spin while my mind tried to process everything that was happening.

I could feel the counter digging into my lower back, and I hopped onto the clean surface while keeping our lips firmly attached. I also grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him between my legs to sear our lips together in a passionate display that stole every bit of oxygen from my burning lungs. He moaned when I let one hand tease the front of his dress pants through the fabric of his jeans and chef’s apron. “Does this mean I can have my date?”

I smiled, curling my fingers into his hair. “Whatever you want.”

“I just want you,” he said, and I seared our solemn declaration with another heart-fluttering kiss.

One Year Later

I had been dreaming, but there was one person who could always summon me from the clutches of my REM cycle. “Sweetheart,” his gentle voice whispered into my ear.

I groaned in protest, rolling over onto my side to avoid Changbin’s persistent wake-up call. However, it was hard to ignore him when I could feel him pull back the covers to settle between my legs. “Don’t do that,” I whined.

“What?”

“You’re trying to convince me to wake-up,” I said. “Let’s sleep longer.”

“Are we gonna skip the opening tonight?” Changbin asked with a husky chuckle.

I sighed, looking up at him with barely-opened eyes. “It’s still so far away.”

“That’s why I’m doing this,” he said, running his hands along my thighs, creeping past the barrier of my shirt.

“Binnie...”

“Y/N,” he said. “I’m gonna fuck this little pussy, and then we’re getting dressed for tonight.”

My eyes shot open immediately. “You better keep that promise.”

Changbin growled low in his chest, pressing a kiss to the front of my panties, and I curled my fingers into his hair because I wouldn’t be able to walk when he was finished with me.

Needless to say, it was a beautiful day for a grand opening, and I studied the front of our new restaurant with pride. It had been a while since the incident that brought us all together, but I enjoyed every day that I spent with Changbin by my side. I had also met so many interesting new people, and our staff finally felt like one giant family. Therefore, we had agreed to open a place together, equipped with a combination of our best staff and servers, and I was excited to welcome tonight’s guests.

“Y/N, should we start kitchen prep?” Jeongin asked, looking at me from inside the front entrance.

“Sure,” I told him with a nod. He clapped his hands together rapidly, disappearing behind the door with my favorite smile. 

“Are you not going to help them?”

His teasing voice only brightened my mood, and I felt his arms wrap around me from behind. “I just wanted to see everything before we opened.”

“What do you think?” Changbin asked, looking at me for approval.

I nodded my head with a smile. “It’s perfect.”

[agentofmischief]

What I want to see in future Sims Games (Discussion)

I was just watching a video on youtube by Plumbella about Sims 4′s failings at launch, and what still is lacking versus the previous games. A lot of it I agreed with, because I didn’t start playing Sims 4 until 2 years after it’s release because they didn’t have toddlers and pools, which to me was sacrilege. Why would I play a sims game that took a huge step back by removing toddlers? And what sims game doesn’t have a pool mechanic? How am I supposed to mass kill my sims?

Anyway, after watching it, I began thinking about what I’d like to see in the next generation. It’s likely not far off, as it’s been 8 years since the release of Sims 4, and usually each generation has run 5 years. And as a simmer since Sims 1, here’s a list of what I’d like to see in the next edition, or Sims 5. I’d like to discuss this, so if ya’ll have any additions or points, I’d like to read them.

For Sims 5, what I'd like to see:

-Better semi-open world, so we can go within a neighborhood lot to lot with ease, but load for a different part of town maybe.

-3D world/town maps

-Auto-age toggling (like we have in 4)

-Build/design neighborhood lots and locations (like in Sims 2). *This was one of my favorite parts of the sims 2, and I've been missing it in recent base games. It's not exactly world building like Sims 3 had in an expansion pack, because from what I heard it was a bit much. But maybe I'd like to turn the island in Brindleton Bay into a small community town with 4-5 15x20 lots or 3 varying lots. It could work with a semi-open world because while you’d control the lot sizes in a neighborhood to a point, the size of the neighborhood is still the same.

-Set life story for townies/npcs. *As an adult, I'm appreciating the lore around the sims more than I did as a kid.

-Color-wheel, at least for CAS. *I don't think it's necessary for build, because while it was fun in sims 3, it was also bit much. I am preferring the swatch options for build and buy. It's a lot more realistic. But hair color, eye color, skin color, and makeup are all highly different person to person. There is no reason not to have a color-wheel for those.

-Zodiac and better personality system. *In 4, we have 3 traits and a life goal, completely ignoring the zodiac scales in previous games, which provided better character personality for gameplay. In 3, we had 5 traits that essentially covered it, as the zodiac scales always had 5 sliders anyway, but it did mean we lost the base personality aspects, and those sliders. I can understand EA wanting to steer away from Zodiac signs, but maybe move to an MBTI slider scale instead, which would still add a lot more dynamic character personalities, with 3 additional traits for preferences, hobbies, and lifestyles.

-Gender toggling *we have it in sims 4, and it should continue in future editions.

-Memories and want/fears system over whims *These were in 2 and 3, and were so much better for storytelling reasons. Emotions are fun sometimes, but can be annoying. Especially when a neighbor dies during the welcome wagon, and your sim is sad for 5 days for mourning when they didn't even know them. Maybe an emotion system that works with memories and a wants/fears system.

-Extensive family trees *In sims 2 and 3, you could see a full family tree on one page, rather than just one sim’s immediate family tree.

-Sims Gallery system *easily best part of sims 4 for the community on the whole.

-Bendable stairs *amazing sims 4 addition that needs to continue

-Automatic roofs *I miss this from 2 & 3, because it took me years to figure out how to make good roofs, and I'm too lazy to put in 50 roof pieces.

-Terrain tools *These were in sims 2 & 3 base game on release, but were added way late in sims 4.

-Cars! *They were in 2&3. Why they were never put in 4 is beyond me.

-Risky Woohoos and Fertility toggling *MCC mod allows this, and makes for better story-telling in my opinion. With the evolution of woohooing since the first game, and the evolution of where sim babies come from (1st gen was kissing a lot until *boom* baby. Woohooing was only with one certain bed or jacuzzi, and did not make a baby. It wasn’t until Sims 2 did that change.), it feels like a natural progression for that mechanic. And thanks to MCC, we know its possible within the game mechanics.

Most of these we have now in sims 4, but if Sims 5 had all but one or two at launch, I feel like that would be a generation worth buying at release. Some fun additional ideas I have that I think would make the game fun, but maybe not doable for a while (or maybe at all) would be:

-Reboot Sims City as a fusion game with the sims to allow simmers to bring over towns/cities as a neighborhood base. *Like take sim city back to the bare bones idea it was when it came out of Super Nintendo of being the mayor and building one city, but allow players to also play as the sims within that town.

-Add 2 new ages: Preteen and Middle-Aged *I feel like this would add a lot of game-play value as well as storytelling to the game. Preteen could be used to really experiment with likes & dislikes and hobbies, since that time kids are really discovering who they are. It’s weird to see sims go from literal children to pretty much young adults with the teen styles. Personally, it feels like the age body-wise jumps from 6-10 to 16-19, which is a serious jump. And Middle-Aged would add so much elder gameplay. YA = 19-29 Adult = 30-70 now, when it should be 30-49. With an addition of Middle-Aged would be 50-69, and you could still have work-life, while losing the ability to try for baby when your sims are practically grandparents already. You could also have a mid-life crisis mechanic. All without worrying that your sim is going to die of old age after 2 days.

I know this has been a long-winded list. If you’ve read this far, thanks. Leave a comment on your thoughts. What should be in the next generation of Sims?

[fayewonglibrary]

Wong’s Way (2011)

An anomaly in the cookie-cutter world of Cantopop, FAYE WONG has paradoxically found success by playing against the rules. Prestige Hong Kong follows her down the road less travelled

FIVE YEARS MAY not seem like that long, but it can be a lifetime in an entertainment industry that feeds off the right-here and the right-now. So it came as a surprise when, half a decade ago, Faye Wong decided to step back from the limelight and resume as much of a normal life as might ever be possible for a woman whose music has sold in the millions and who has combined that side of her existence with an acclaimed acting career.

From an existence playing before tens of thousands, what the Beijing-born Wong longed for at that point in time was a life tucked away in the peace and tranquillity of home – and after almost 20 years in the spotlight, and with her every move followed by a fan base that can be tallied in the millions, who could really blame her?

But as an artist who in an age of corporate conformity flatly refuses to play to any predetermined stereotype, Wong has always preferred to play by her own rules. It may come as a surprise, then, to find out that Faye Wong was not always “Faye” – diehard fans will remember a period in which the artist was known as Shirley Wong Ching-man, an affectation suggested by her record company early in her career, because of the stigma associated with the hip factor (or lack thereof) of mainland Chinese artists and names.

Even Wong’s early hits weren’t what you would call “original” – her first few albums were filled with formulaic Cantopop: collections of saccharine, predictable tunes that failed to properly utilise her delicate, lilting soprano. When she broke out of that shell in 1992, after a short travel hiatus, she finally found success, initially with a cover of a Japanese chart-topper in Cantonese, “Fragile Woman.”

Despite her disinclination to be impacted by her local contemporaries, Wong was not without her influences. She covered songs by The Cranberries, took quirky style cues from Björk and collaborated with the Cocteau Twins. The further she strayed from Cantopop, the more fame she found, penning her own songs and admittedly self-indulgent lyrics. She rapped on “No Exit,” yodelled through “Di-Dar” and even won the hearts of nerds by wailing the English-language title track to the hit video-game Final Fantasy VIII, “Eyes On Me.”

Even when her albums weren’t critical or commercial successes, her fame continued to grow, exponentially and uncontrollably. Her handful of acting roles, including in Chungking Express and 2046, showcased a curious, simultaneous aloofness and magnetism, an infectious, ravishing oddness.

In 2005, two months before she married actor Li Yapeng, she announced that she would take a break from show business. And so for five years there have been sightings, the occasional public appearance and the work for her own charity, but otherwise it’s pretty much been silence from Wong, as her fans – and the world at large – waited.

With that in mind, we should not have been surprised at the reaction to the news that Wong would finally be reemerging, to stage comeback concerts that started in Beijing last October, then took in Shanghai and Taipei before coming to Hong Kong, the place where Wong’s career was launched, for a series of shows in March. Tickets – for all nights, at all venues – sold out in a matter of days and the critical response has been overwhelming.

The headlines said it all: “The Diva is Back.”

What the Wong faithful have found is that their idol has lost none of the passion for the music that forms, as she puts it herself, part of her fate. They’ve been treated to nights filled with the songs that have formed the soundtrack for the lives of a generation here in Hong Kong – and beyond.

When Prestige Hong Kong found the interview-shy 40-year-old, she was in between shows and letting that fate take its course. What Wong wants the world to know is that throughout her storied career there has, she says, never been any real plan. She’s simply a woman who lets the cards fall as they may.

Can you talk a little about your return to the stage and playing live? What brought about the decision to play your recent concerts? I consider this a natural move for me. I’ve been doing several commercials as well as releasing some new singles over the past few years. So this was a natural progression back to live performances. It’s all part of my career.

How did you go about deciding what form the concerts would take and the songs you played? There’s no special form or arrangement that’s deliberately conceived for my concert. I believe my singing is the main source of interaction between the audience and me. Every show is unique and my mood is different, depending on the atmosphere. It’s not my practice to talk much with people or have any planned speech in my concert, because I don’t want the conversation to ruin the whole integrity and mood of the arrangement of the concert. I hope my audiences can indulge themselves with my music, while also digesting the message my show is delivering.

After the recent concerts in Shanghai and Beijing, what’s your feeling about coming back on stage? It feels so good to see all my fans again.

Do you have any plans to work on a new album? If so, will you be writing songs yourself? There’s no plan to work on a whole new album. But there is a possibility to release singles, and maybe I’ll write some songs myself.

How different to you is the experience of playing live now as compared to when your career began? What have you learned and how much has the experience for you changed over the years? I’ve been working with different sets of crews, composers, producers etc since the beginning of my career. Each of these collaborations has opened up a whole new experience and been an amazing inspiration for me. Call it a fireworks feeling.

What was it that initially drew you to the music business? What was it that you found most exciting? I believe singing is my destiny, and it’s fate that this became my career. I find it gratifying that I’m able to touch people’s lives with my songs. It’s a form of good karma.

Have your musical tastes changed or evolved as you matured as a person and as an actress? I admire different types of music and things depending on the different stages of my life.

Did becoming a mother change how you approached both your singing and your career? There was no change. I still sing with the same commitment and feeling, and it’s the same with my career.

And how much, do you think, did this change you as a person? The process of raising a child is part of my evolution as a human being. If you’re not a parent or don’t fully involve yourself as a parent, you’ll never realise this traditional, fulfilling role of parenthood. As a parent, it’s natural to want to show your best side and provide the best example to your child. However, sometimes it’s hard to break habits that may surface from time to time. It’s a painful cycle, because even though you realise your own faults, to change yourself completely requires a lot of courage and determination.

We’re curious about a typical day for Faye Wong. What’s your routine when you’re not performing? What time do you go to bed, what’s your favourite meal and what activities do you share with your kids? Basically, I go to bed and wake up the same time as my kids do. I got used to enjoying the regular pattern of a healthy lifestyle, but that won’t happen coming back to work.

Frankly, there’s so much to do when you take charge of a whole household. My life in the past few years was completely occupied by family and there was no time for me ever to feel bored. Sometimes I feel that I was even busier than when I was working as a singer.

Do you think your children share the same character as you? When I look at my kids, it’s like looking into a mirror and seeing the deepest side of myself.

What are the things that make you most happy now, compared with when you were younger? What do you now cherish most? I cherish everyone and everything. I’m fortunate to appreciate what I have and the people I know.

How do you see your image now? Are you an artist who is careful to control her image, or is it more a case of come what may? The most effortless style suits me best. I aim to be the most natural, honest in my approach. I want it to be pure, not something that seems too contrived or created just to fit the latest trend.

What are you most passionate about? To find the real meaning of life, and share it with lots of people.

What about acting? Is this something you’re keen to pick up again as well? If so, what kinds of films and roles might interest you? Right now, I have no plans on filming.

What are the challenges you see ahead in the next few years? What can your audience expect? My life has no planning, and I’m not a person who conceives everything in advance. It always depends on what’s being offered and what I feel like doing at that moment. There’s no pressure on myself – I leave everything to chance and fate.

The Smile Angel Foundation was founded in Beijing in 2006 by you and your husband, Li Yapeng, after your own child was afflicted with a cleft lip. It’s helped a lot of other children suffering from cleft lips and palates. Has the foundation changed your life or your character in any way? My contribution to Smile Angel Foundation is not as much as my husband’s involvement. He’s very busy working on plans to support the foundation. For me, basically, I’ll attend annual charity events and activities to lend my support.

On this project, we started everything from scratch and are very gratified to see how much it has accomplished. My husband is definitely the driving force behind the foundation, and I really admire his passion, courage and capability.

At your current stage, do you think you have evolved in your perspective of things compared with when you were younger? Can you share your road of growth a little bit? I was a bit stubborn, objective and capricious when I was younger. I’m now more willing to be open-minded and flexible, and always try to remind myself about this. It’s quite difficult to stop old habits surfacing from time to time. But I’m trying hard to accomplish it.

Do you have any advice on how to maintain a woman’s beauty and charm after the age of 30? First of all, you have to accept your age. I believe everyone has their own unique way to create their own charm and maintain their beauty, which is sometimes a very personal approach. One should find one’s own best way; there really is no standard formula for everyone to maintain their beauty. I believe the most natural side of a person is the most beautiful.

You’re acclaimed as a pioneer of alternative music. Does that mean you won’t compromise with the commercial market? I never define my music as “mainstream” or “edgy” or “alternative.” I just do what I like.

Photography / Shameless Eye Production AG Styling / Titi Kwan Hair / Alain Pichon Make-up / Zing Wardrobe / Céline Spring 2011 collection

------------------------------------------------------------------  

SOURCE:  PRESTIGE HONG KONG

[miracleonice87]

Marry Me by Thomas Rhett - with Tyler Seguin (song fic)

summary: a Tyler Seguin imagine inspired by the song “Marry Me” by Thomas Rhett

a/n: So I’m still working on a Tyler Seguin series that I plan to release soon, but before that, I wanted to give anyone who might be interested a little taste of my writing style! I don’t plan to do these song imagines often, but this song obviously tells a great story, and this idea has been in my head for a while. Not much dialogue between Tyler and Kendall, but I’d definitely consider a part two later on. I hope you enjoy!

warnings: none — total and complete fluff

She wants to get married, she wants it perfect

She wants her granddaddy preaching the service

Yeah, she wants magnolias out in the country

Not too many people, save her daddy some money

Ooh, she got it all planned out

Yeah, I can see it all right now...

When I pictured growing up, settling down, getting married and raising a family, Kendall Chambers was the one I always envisioned by my side.

Kendall had been in my group of friends in Brampton since before I can even remember — sometime in grade school. She was one of the few who stuck around through the full evolution of the group, the transition from high school to the years some of us were in college and some of us were starting careers, mine being minor league and then professional hockey.

Kendall was the quintessential “mom” of the group. She fit the stereotype perfectly — she was always the one organizing birthday trips, planning weekend getaways. Hell, she even served as the grocery shopper, cook, and schedule coordinator when she and our other friends came to visit my place, whether in Dallas or Toronto. She was a caretaker, a nurturer. It came naturally to her.

She was a true beauty, which had never helped things for me. Her skin was a lovely olive tone which deepened quickly and easily when summer came around. Freckles dotted her cheeks and the bridge of her button nose. She had ocean blue eyes which often lingered on mine just a touch longer than necessary when we made conversation, making my blood run hot. Her long, honey blonde highlighted hair waved down her back perfectly, whether she had just coiffed it or whether she had been dancing in a hot club with our friends all night. Her nature was easy — comforting. She was the typical girl next door persona, so beautiful, down to earth, yet somehow unreachable. She was a family girl — her life revolved around extended family events and family dinners with her parents and siblings, and visits to her beloved grandparents’ houses. Kendall was, in a word, perfect.

I remember the night when I almost kissed her

Yeah, I kinda freaked out, we'd been friends for forever

And I always wondered if she felt the same way

When I got the invite, I knew it was too late

And I know her daddy's been dreading this day

Oh, but he don't know he ain't the only one giving her away

So I shouldn’t have been surprised when, one night, it was just the two of us in the hot tub in my backyard in Dallas, talking and laughing together long after all the others had gone to the guest rooms and drifted off to sleep, when I got the sudden, overwhelming urge to kiss her. We had been creeping toward each other in the water for hours now. Kendall knew what I was thinking — the way she quickly sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth told me that. I prepared myself to lean in, then I felt her hand firm on my chest.

“Ty...” Kendall whispered as I stopped short, the steam rolling off the top of the water clouding my vision of her. “I can’t. I’m kind of...seeing someone. He’s from Ottawa. It’s... new,” she explained, though she sounded neither excited nor convinced that she didn’t want to kiss me.

I nodded. “Yeah. Okay. I-I’m sorry, Ken,” I told her, backing into the opposite corner of the hot tub, though my instincts were screaming at me to just kiss her already, new boyfriend be damned. I respected her too much, though, to listen to my heart. Soon after, she excused herself politely and went up to bed in one of the guest rooms. Neither of us ever spoke of it again.

Which is why I am where I am.

I'll wear my black suit, black tie, hide out in the back

I'll do a strong shot of whiskey straight out the flask

I'll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees

Yeah, she wanna get married

But she don't wanna marry me

Dressed in one of my go-to suits, one that I felt confident in, with my hair slicked back according to my sister Candace’s suggestion, I pushed my sunglasses further up on my nose in hopes of hiding my eyes, which were sure to be bloodshot and swollen at this point. Not only had I been drinking for the last three nights with our friends who were in town for the wedding, trying to ease the pain of preparing to watch the girl of my dreams marry some loser real estate broker, but all day I had been tearing up involuntarily, which was completely unlike me. I hoped the thick, black Ray-Bans I wore disguised both problems.

I reluctantly accepted the wedding program handed to me by a young girl on the way to the seating area of the country club lawn. I glanced down and saw the words “Kendall Nicole and Taylor Van” and wanted to punch a wall. I felt my Adam’s apple quiver, and sniffled quietly behind my hand.

I made my way to one of the dozen or so high-top tables dotting the lawn behind the rows of chairs, where I could stand alone without being noticed — or at least, I hoped. Unable to exhibit any further self control in this moment, I let my fingers find the steel flask in my inside jacket pocket, pulling it out quickly, taking a long pull from the container as fast as I could, then screwing the cap back on and replacing the flask as I exhaled sharply, feeling the smooth burn. Not a moment later, I heard a throat clear behind me.

I turned to see Mr. Chambers, Kendall’s dad, approaching. He was a commanding presence — as tall as me, and almost just as in shape despite being in his late fifties. He stuck out a hand to greet me.

“Tyler,” he said warmly, with maybe the slightest hint of pity in his voice. Reluctantly, I lifted my sunglasses from my face and tucked them into my jacket pocket to give the man the polite greeting he deserved. “Mr. Chambers,” I said. “It’s nice to see you.”

“It’s nice to see you, too, Ty. Although, I must admit, I’m a bit surprised that you came. You’re a stronger man than I — this must be tough,” he said. I felt my brow furrow involuntarily. “Sir?” was the only thing I could manage to push from my throat.

“I just know that Kenny carried a torch for you for quite some time, and her mom and I always thought the feeling was mutual,” Mr. Chambers said. “To be honest, I always wondered if this would be you two on a day like this.”

My mouth went dry. I immediately straightened my posture, opening and closing my mouth a few times as I contemplated how to respond. Nothing appropriate came to mind. Mr. Chambers started again, and I feared what he might say next.

“Listen, Tyler... you and Kenny have been friends for so long. Now, maybe I should have said something earlier, or maybe I shouldn’t have said anything at all. But, here we are. Now, Kenny’s in the guest house with her mother putting on the finishing touches. I just... wouldn’t want you to walk away from today not having told Kendall how you really feel, if, in fact, you do have feelings for her. You owe that to her, and to yourself,” he told me firmly.

I began to protest. “Sir — but — I-“ I bumbled. Mr. Chambers put his hand on my shoulder and leaned in to offer one final sentence in my ear, one that I promised in the moments after I would never reveal.

With that, I thanked Mr. Chambers, turned away, and rushed through the crowds of wedding guests to the large brick house on the property, where Kendall was scheduled to begin her walk down the aisle in just a handful of minutes.

Bet she got on her dress now, welcoming the guests now

I could try to find her, get it off of my chest now...

I took a deep breath, trying my best to steady my racing pulse. I kept my head on a swivel, trying to monitor who might be watching, wanting to keep this as nonchalant and private as possible.

Finally, I reached the front door of the guest house and knocked firmly. Nothing. I waited a moment, then knocked again.

“Kendall?” I called out, trying to keep my voice low and calm. “Ken?”

I pushed down on the handle and found that the door was actually open, just slightly. My breath hitched. Should I really be doing this?

I couldn’t help myself. I pushed open the door, and after taking a few slow, silent steps across the black and white tiled floor, I saw an ethereal figure on the balcony above me, dressed in white.

“Kendall...”

“Tyler?”

Now or never...

[firstagent]

Review: Digimon Adventure: (2020) Episode 09: The Ultimate Digimon Attacks

In this episode, an intense, dramatic rematch between Ogremon and Greymon! They’re interrupted by a Coredramon fleet… then Kabuterimon… then MetalTyranomon… jeez, does nobody respect the art of the duel anymore?!

There’s no shortage of style here, filled with cool anime tricks and motifs and pacing that scream Dragonball as much as Digimon. The drawn-out duel between two rivals, the willpower thrown into each attack, the themes of pride and silent respect simmering underneath every blow. It’s a hell of a watch. But as striking as the visuals and fight scenes are, there’s also a sense that things don’t quite add up. Stylistically, it’s a fun tribute to a particular brand of storytelling. For its place in our serial, it tends to trip over itself as a Digimon entry.

For one thing, the episode trains us to get excited for one thing, then makes its highlights something out of left field. Not that that can’t work, but when the title of the episode promises Ultimate Digimon and the first few minutes foreshadow the enemy making its own beachhead invasion, we’re anticipating the worst. The kids don’t know where to go next to find the Holy Digimon, Yamato observes how the base was built to keep out attacks from the sea, and wants to extract information from an enemy. That all happens eventually, but they’re side notes, overshadowed by the only thing that matters, and initially the only thing that washes ashore: Ogremon.

Ogremon becomes one of those characters we’re expected to care about in a hurry. His work performance hasn’t been at all bad, using solid tactics in two fights and only barely edged out by narrow escapes, but Devimon has no patience and brings in the big guns. It’s a raw deal, and Ogremon stems his troubles back to his fight with Greymon. His urges and way of expressing them are rudimentary, but he gets his point across: he wants his rematch. The slow pace here sets the tone for the fight about to happen and the emotion thrown into it. It’s then quickly abandoned because there actually is a proper siege going on and those Coredramon aren’t going to wait for these two to settle their grudge.

The Coredramon almost make good on the episode’s premise, attacking the kids directly and overwhelming Garurumon. Enter another distraction: Koshiro has landed! Kabuterimon swats away the attacks and he and his kid get a quick word in before everyone realizes swatting the attacks doesn’t actually stop the Coredramon themselves. Ogremon takes care of that in order to steer everything back to his battle and leaving us with two clear takeaways. One is that Ogremon’s motives are entirely his, and his teetering standing with Devimon isn’t worth much next to the fight to salvage his own pride. The other is that Koshiro finally joining the team after five episodes adrift should be more than a distracting sidebar.

The battle between Greymon and Ogremon itself looks exactly the way you want it to, slow and charged with emotion, filled more with grapples and throws and only sparingly using moves from the Skill menu. It’s a more intimate battle than we’ve seen so far, which has plenty of appeal. But we’ve been spoiled by all this great action, and with the heavier attacks only punctuation, this feels like just another one, neither better nor worse, just kind of different. These slow fights also hinge on strong expression from its combatants, which is a challenge when one of them is bound by nature to have his mouth hanging open at all times. The replacement is commentary from the peanut gallery about how they seem to be enjoying this, which is just kind of weak.

Before we get any meaningful resolution, MetalTyranomon shows up and now everything’s on fire. It’s straight from the playbook of how to introduce the next level up, and damned if it isn’t effective. Nobody has an answer for this thing, and the outcome you’d expect would be all the good guys squished or char-broiled. There’s enough to appreciate how powerful the enemy can get and how the Chosen Ones aren’t anywhere near strong enough to fulfill their mission. At the same time it’s weird that the Ultimate we were promised feels like another interruption. At least Ogremon treats it as such.

Ogremon’s sacrifice is sold and executed well. He’s been disrespected and stepped on (literally) by his allies and if they won’t let him regain the honor he lost against Greymon, what good are they? At least Tai and Greymon were willing to entertain the idea, so helping them along becomes the most honorable thing he can do. Even this has its issues—there’s not much logic in MetalTyranomon acknowledging him when he had Tai and Agumon cornered and an attack charging—but it’s the sort of lucky intervention you need at this point. The sheer look and feel of the episode makes up for its underlying flaws, but their presence does suggest this sort of thing should be reserved for rare occasions.

My Grade: B+

Loose Data:

Apparently the subs have shifted the evolution terminology to the dub equivalents, going with Rookie-Champion-Ultimate-Mega rather than Child-Adult-Perfect-Ultimate. We’ll run with this as well.

One of the bigger issues of the episode on a macro level is the way it kills the nice run we’ve been on introducing the kids and seeing how the group evolves with them. There’s too much going on to take in everyone’s responses to Koshiro. For that matter, none of the six kids do much of anything this entire episode, even Taichi, who mostly cedes the spotlight to Greymon.

Not sure if it’s interesting or convenient that Taichi couldn’t interpret much of the tablet. The process seemed to allow him to understand the message almost telepathically, so it’s weird there would be confusion in the context to the point where he can’t even repeat it.

Last time Gabumon’s evolution sequence was exciting to see while Agumon’s slowed things down. This time Agumon’s was absolutely appropriate, even at full length, while Gabumon’s felt like cheap padding.

Considering how Kabuterimon only stopped the Coredramon attacks, that was an awfully long window before they tried attacking again to let him get his shtick in, which was apparently the substitute for a meaningful exchange. Still, it does need to be acknowledged that this might be the longest span for a Digimon to sustain an evolved form.

Joe having the audacity to call himself the leader was bold, but Gomamon’s enthusiastic clapping for him saved it.

Reinforcing why Ogremon was no long as hung up about his horn was losing both his other horn and an eye to MetalTyranomon’s foot.

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