#just to be like 'she's OURS NOW i am putting an uchiwa on her back AS WE SPEAK this is NOT an alliance you MAY NOT CONTACT HER'

[mixelation]

would itachi meet toris old clan? how would that go?

no, i can't see that happening. she doesn't consider herself one of them, and they effectively kicked her out as a very small child, meaning THEY don't consider her one of them either. plus by the time itachi is in the picture, they're mostly. uh. dead?

[kuriquinn]

Evil Author Day - WIP # 5

I’ve been planning a Tales of the Uchiha series for ages now. And I keep getting distracted by all the research that goes into it. On the off chance I never get around to it, here’s my early draft of the first bit, starring our Karma ‘Verse baby Uchiwa with special mention of big sis Nirami.

Enjoy!

[...]

[...]

[...]

Smoke blackens the sky of the battlefield, poisoning the air with the smell of charred flesh and burning bones.  

Uchiwa lies in the rubble of what was once a village, struggling to catch his breath. His chest aches as if it has been trampled upon by a thousand horses, and his face is sticky. Blood weeps from his eyes, but it doesn’t blind him to the carrion birds circling above him.  

Am I to become their next meal?

He is not the first of his family to die on a battlefield, but it seems likely he will be the first to die unburied. He wonders if that will make it more difficult for his spirit to find his ancestors.  

There’s a flicker of movement off to his left, a shadow rippling behind the billowing smoke.  

Summoning his strength, Uchiwa tightens his grip on his sword, preparing himself with his last breath to do battle with the god of death himself.

“Ōtsutsuki Uchiwa,” a familiar voice intones, echoing across the whistling wind. “You just don’t know how to die, do you?”

The smoke and fog disperse as the figure strides forward, and the owner of the voice takes shape. A tall man, muscular and weather-tanned, with hair like a bird’s nest and a familiar grin.  

“Tadashi,” Uchiwa whispers, the syllables searing his throat even as they herald gladness. “You survived.”

“You know I’m too stubborn to die,” the other man says, striding forward and looping his arms behind Uchiwa’s back.  

It’s embarrassing the ease with which he is lifted to his feet, and he tries desperately to hold himself up on his own once he’s standing. He manages for half a moment, before the wet, rasping cough racks his body again. He’d stumble if Tadashi didn’t reach out to steady him.

Uchiwa waves him away with one hand, the other covering his mouth. The gesture isn’t enough to hide the truth, however, because Tadashi’s grin fades into concern.

“Were you wounded?” he asks, scanning bloodstained clothing for a sign of torn flesh.

Uchiwa shakes his head, but this doesn’t alleviate the concern; if anything, it makes Tadashi look grimmer.

“Let’s go,” he tells him. “I’m bringing you home.”

“Home,” Uchiwa repeats, gazing down at his bloodstained palm.  

He wonders if he’ll make it.  

֍

They didn’t want him to leave.  

“It is a journey I must take,” Uchiwa stated calmly, emulating the same firmness his father had always used. There was an edge to it, one that warned against argument. “And it is one I must take alone.”

“Be reasonable, young master,” his brother-in-law, Tsuyoshi demanded, wild-eyed and sly-tongued.  

“I have to see this world with my own eyes, much as my father once did,” Uchiwa replied. “Only then can I know the true path to changing this world.”

“Yes, of course, that is not in doubt,” Tsuyoshi assured him, a little more harried than usual. “But without us? You must have some protectors with you. Your father’s enemies have allies beyond this place.”

“If you speak of my uncle, you know I have no fear of him, nor any of his line.”

“Easy words for a boy of fourteen,” his cousin Kaguyo snorted, despite only being a few years older than he was. “Even with your abilities, for you to go alone would jeopardise the Master’s teachings—”

“I am the vessel of my father’s teachings,” Uchiwa reminded him, tone quiet, but a red film bled into his eyes in warning. “And it is I who must discern the best manner to continue them. I cannot do that with your voices constantly in my ear.”

“Have a care, boy—we are the most loyal of your father’s disciples. He taught us his craft before you were even a thought!” Tsuyoshi cried. “You would be wise to learn by our experiences.”

“And you would be wise to listen to the Master’s son,” a lone feminine voice retorted. The crowd of relatives and villagers parted, revealing Uchiwa’s heavily pregnant older sister Nirami. “He alone received the last of my father’s teachings, and he alone knows his final wish.”

“This doesn’t concern you—”

“Mind your tongue, husband,” Nirami cut Tsuyoshi off, earning immediate silence from the older man. “The matter has been decided already.”

Low murmuring broke out within the crowd, the growing sense of unease still palpable despite Nirami’s commanding presence.  

A woman in her mid-twenties, she looked much older, prematurely grey and with eyes hardened by loss. Though everyone in the village looked to Uchiwa to succeed his father in doctrine, it was Nirami that had inherited his qualities of leadership.  

“Uchiwa must go,” she continued. “It was the Master’s wish, and it is his purpose that all of us serve. In fact, it is not just my brother who must leave this place. You others, who learned from my father. Your time has come as well

While the others argued back and forth, Uchiwa slipped away and headed for his family’s home. Now that he had made the decision, it would be best to leave as soon as possible. Delays might mean stronger objections, and the idea of saying goodbye to his sister…

“You’re not leaving without saying goodbye first, are you?”

He winced and turned around.

Nirami stood there, hands on her hips and smile sharp. “Did you truly think I’d allow that?”

“I thought it would be easier.”

“Easier for whom?”  

She moved forward, a little slower with her heavier girth, and seized him around the shoulders.  

“There were nine of us, once; now, you and I are the only ones who remain,” she told him heavily. “Your leaving is just as final to me as death.”

“Nirami…”

He expected her, of all people to understand; she had been the one to encourage him to leave as they both sat mourning by their parents’ grave. He can hear tears in her voice, and it’s exactly the reaction he was hoping to avoid.  

When he places a comforting hand on her shoulder, she waved him away.

“Don’t mind me,” she said. “It’s the baby putting me in an odd humour.” She reached up to brush his cheek. “Go. Travel the world. Seek out the weak and teach them to be strong. Pass on Father’s ways and make this world better. Become a legend so that his enemies tremble and that even here, we will hear stories of you.”  

“You are the only brother I have left,” she said quietly. “The only family. Mother and Father’s legacy runs through your veins. Protect it, even while you seek to do it justice.”  

“I will,” he promised.

֍

Hours, days and eternity pass.

Uchiwa is barely conscious for most of it, slipping in and out of delirium-filled dreams. He is distantly aware of water being fed through his cracked lips, and then only because it makes him cough wet and painfully.

Once he manages to open his eyes, and watches Tadashi pour water from his flagon into a rag. He uses it to mop Uchiwa’s face, and the cold is both refreshing and tortuous at the same time. The gesture itself is gentle, and that tempts him to smile.

“This is…not the sort of thing…I would have expected…from you,” he rasps, startling the other man even though his words are barely above a whisper.

Tadashi snorts. “Well, it’s your fault. Traipsing around after you all these years made me soft.”

They both pretend not to notice the rag comes away red.  

֍

Uchiwa wandered for years, carrying out his sister’s words and his father’s will.

He first sought out his uncle’s sons, the ones who had inherited the puzzling teachings of his grandfather, but the place where they once resided was empty and ravaged by fire. The trail they escaped with was too well-hidden for even his quick eyes to find.  

After that, he sought the weak but talented and taught them to be strong. From them he elicited solemn vows in return to spread the way of Indra across the continent and beyond.

The journey was not straightforward, of course.  

Human beings were not so easily given to change, and every land Uchiwa travelled to suffered under ignorance and tradition that did not wish to yield to new teachings. Especially not teachings that could potentially allow even the poor soons of a fdarmer to be equal to or greater in ability than the sons of the gentry.  

Lords and bandit alike would gather forces to challenge Uchiwa if he remained in a region for too long, and he would be forced to deal with them. He always did so with quick and ruthless efficiency, further securing his legacy. Before a full year passed, he had earned a reputation and a name: The Demon Uchiwa.

He never settled in any one place for very long. None of them offered a sense of belonging, or of…something else. The settlement where he was raised had always held comforting familiarity, in a sheltered kind of way, but he had never considered it home. There was something unnameable lacking that made it impossible to call it that.  

This same lack existed wherever he set foot.

It was just as well, he supposed. If he was to succeed in spreading his father’s teachings as far as possible, he could not remain tied down.  Life without connection, lived at a distance, that was his destiny.

At least that’s what he believed.

Something whispered at him from the beyond, chiding him that he was not yet where he was meant to be. That he had not yet found what he was seeking.

It was in his fourth year of wandering that he found his path blocked by a tall, scruffy-looking young man. He carried a giant sword and grinned at him with teeth that had been filed to points.

“So, you’re the Demon, huh?” he jeered, eyes flicking over Uchiwa’s form in a judgemental manner. “I’m starting to think the stories are all talk. You look about as threatening as a rice stalk.”

Uchiwa did not reply, instead taking a step to one side and beginning to walk around the stranger. Just because he could make quick work out of an opponent did not mean that he sought them out for not other reason than to test himself. He could tell that was this one’s prerogative.

Predictably, the man stepped aside as well, barring Uchiwa’s path. His grin widened.

“Let me pass,” Uchiwa said, voice soft and without threat, though his mouth tightened slightly.

“‘Let me pass’?” the other youth mocked. “That’s it? I expected at least a threat attached to that.” He hefted his sword on his shoulder, expectant, and then scowled. “Really? Nothing?”

Uchiwa once again tried to shoulder past him, but the man moved suddenly, swinging his sword out to its full length and once again barring the way. As it sliced down, millimetres from Uchiwa’s face, a single hair was severed.

Uchiwa narrowed his eyes. If the man’s control over the blade had not been more precise, it might have lobbed off his nose.  

His eyes trailed from the blade to the man’s face, levelling a glare at the wolfish grin.

As the strand of hair touched the ground, they both moved.

*ACTION SCENE*

Hours later, the two warriors faced one another, breathing raggedly.

“You have skill,” Uchiha admitted at last, the first words he had spoken since the encounter began. “I could have use for a man with such ability.”

“Heh. I’m not a joiner,” his erstwhile opponent replied, shoving his broken nose back into place with no more than a small wince. “And hokey religions aren’t my style.”

Uchiwa frowned, both at the descriptor and the refusal. Those he fought either died, or submitted, begging him to teach his secrets.  

He could tell this man fell into neither category.

“Then this is where we will part,” he said, cautious.

“Seems so.”

Uchiwa nodded, feeling a little remorseful. He had to kill the man; if he did not become a follower of his teachings, he was a powerful potential enemy.

It will not be easy. This one individual may yet be my equal…

“Although,” the man said a beat later, a considering look breaking out on his face. “Now that I think on it, you must run into a lot of trouble. People who don’t like your way of doing things. I bet some of them even put up a hell of a fight.”

Uchiwa raised an eyebrow, not understanding the point being made. “Sometimes.”

“Well, I’m always up for a fight,” the man said, cheerful, and scrambled to his feet. Uchiwa wondered where he had found the energy. “Maybe I’ll tag along and see if there’s anyone else out there who might put up a fight.” He smiled coldly at Uchiwa. “At least until I decided whether to kill you or not.”

This tie, Uchiwa could not help the smirk tugging at his lips. “You still believe you can?”

“Who knows? But won’t it be interesting to find out?

“Interesting is a word for it.” Uchiwa got to his feet. “Very well. Though if you ever do decide to kill me, I would take it as a kindness if you did not attempt it while I sleep. I don’t like to have my sleep disturbed.”  

The man actually laughed this time. “Where would the fun be in killing you in your sleep? Listen, Demon, I can promise you that if I ever kill you, you’ll be awake, you’ll be facing me and you’ll have a blade in your hands.”

“Then I will extend you the same courtesy.” He bowed his head politely. “And my name is Uchiwa.”

“Tadashi,” the other youth said

[...]

[...]

[...]

[betustamorla]

I have to go

General Audience Sasuke/Sakura & Sarada Feelings, Bittersweet

      "I'm leaving."

"Sasuke." His wife said softly, she was sad and it was his fault, as always he was the one to crush her heart. It had been four years since he was in Konoha with his family, he wouldn't deny it had been the happiest years of his life. Yet a shadow had lingered in his mind since he started his travels and now its roots where embeded deep into his awareness. He couldn't sleep, he barely eat and it was killing Sakura to see him like this without being able to help. "I-" Sakura stopped and went silent again, she didn't know what to say.

"I won't be able to come back for some time." He continued, it was best to say everything in one go than to prolong the inevitable hurt his decision will cause.

Sakura eyes jumped to his, her hurt, confusion and anger where all there, she didn't need to utter a word for him to understand.

"The danger I have been feeling... It's real and getting closer, Naruto can feel it too. I've waited too much to act."

"That doesn't mean you have to go and not being able to come home...!" She choked.

Sasuke wanted to reach for her, to embrace her taking all of the hurt and fear away. But doing so would just give her false hope, so he stayed his hand and took a slow breath. "It does. What I'm about to do will not just take me around the five countries, I'll have to jump through realities and other worlds. I don't know what I might find and what could follow. Mi rinnegan is like a beacon to all those other dimensions, if I'm not careful enough I could put you and Sarada in danger." He stated calmly.

Sakura fist clenched, he only hoped she wouldn't hit anything or the whole house would come down. It had already happen once. "Even if you say that...! It sounds like you're going to go for years and not come back."

Sasuke didn't answer, because she was right. When she realized his silence was a confirmation she made a dismayed moan followed by a sob. "You could still come from time to time, if not, Sarada might even...even..." She couldn't finish, her tears too many and he knew her throat was constricted.

"She will forget how I look, the sound of my voice." He finished for her.

Now her eyes sharpened and fury was starting to burn in them. "How can you be so calm saying things like that! Don't you feel anything when you're about to leave us? Or is it that you don't care anymore?" She screamed.

Sasuke should know better than to lose his temper, specially because she was speaking without thinking and she was hurting. But even after all this years he still wasn't a master to his emotions. He moved in a flash in front of her and grabed her wrist forcefully. "How could you know how I feel?" He hissed. "Do you think I want to lose my family again? To wake every morning alone and go to sleep without feeling the warmth of my wife and daughter through out the whole day? To have to choose between hurting the ones I love again or risk to lose them forever? Sakura. You have never known what any of that is like. You haven't tasted true loneliness." He finished, his voice cold and his heart stoned.

Sakura watched him with wide eyes, tears marrying her face. Then she grabbed him by the front of the shirt and brought him closer to her eyes. "You're an asshole Uchiha Sasuke! Not for even a second think I don't care how you're going to feel. Don't you see? I hurt when you hurt, it'll kill me when our Sarada cries for her dad and you won't be able to soothe her!" He felt his heart squeeze painfully. Why did he have to cause so much hurt and pain to those he loved? Maybe it had been better to leave Sakura to find someone else who could make her happy without stealing it away shortly after. But he had been selfish, he had wanted to embrace the woman he loved, he had wanted to see a small child running around Konoha with the uchiwa symbol in their back.

Sasuke teared away his wife's hand away from his shirt violently. It was the wrong move, Sakura reciprocated his move by taking him by the arm and throwing him through the glass backyard door. The glass made a strenuous sound and he grunted when the impact of earth against his back rushed the air out of his lungs. Before he could regain some focus Sakura straddled him and punched the earth besides his head, it broke the earth and some debris flew around them. His wife was panting, more in deep emotion than in exertion, he instead was trying to get a normal breath pattern that let him think straight. The silence around them grew longer and strained.

When he was able to focus his gaze again he watched the furious frowned face of the woman he loved atop of him. Sasuke covered his eyes with his arm, an almost hysteric laugh erupted from his mouth. He only guessed what expression Sakura could have now, maybe he finally had convinced her that he was absolutely crazy and broken beyond repair.

"Sasuke." He heard her sweet voice contorted with emotion. He realized too late that he was crying, Sakura moved his arm out of the way and buried her hand in his hair drawing their foreheads together. He closed his eyes again as more tears fell down, their breaths mingled together and he felt droplets fall into his cheeks. Tears over tears, hurt over hurt, helplessness with hopelessness.

"I'm sorry Sakura. I should have never-"

"Don't say it!" She stopped him. "I knew who you where when we started this, I knew the dangers and the troubles it would bring. But still I would choose to face all the hurts and perils of this world by your side than none by someone else's side."

Sasuke breathed and pulled her into an embrace. Her face rested by his neck and her hands in his chest. He didn't deserve her nor Sarada, but she had warned him to stop saying such foolish things or she would have to punch some sense into him, so he didn't say it. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest it calmed and soothed his mind into a blank state. "I wish I could be better." He whispered. "I wish I didn't have to go, that whenever I'm with my daughter in the Village people wouldn't step back in fear nor pull their children away from Sarada for who her father is. I wish too, that my anger against them wasn't growing again and be the father Sarada needs. If I stay how I currently am, I'll hurt the two of you." There it was, another reason for why he was leaving, it wasn't the prime reason but it had weighted heavy on his mind as well. He didn't want to be a catalyst for their daughter to be ostracized and make her resentment grow like it easily sprouted in him.

Sakura took a shaky breath but replied sadly "I know."

"I still can't-can't let all of my hate go. It's there always, waiting for something to latch into."

Sakura raised from his chest, smiled mournfully and tenderly moved some of his hair out of his face. "Someday you won't have to worry about it anymore." She said with conviction, he could only wonder what she saw in him, but he believed her because he couldn't do anything else.

"But not today."

"Not today." She agreed.

They both started to get up, but he suddenly stopped when pain broke through his shoulder. Sakura noticed immediately, not two seconds later her chakra was flowing in his shoulder repairing the damage she had caused with her burst of anger.

"Sorry for losing my temper." She said sheepishly.

"Hn." You don't have to apologize. She smiled understanding what he meant.

...............................................

He watched as Sarada squished her mothers face and giggled and Sakura smiled right back at her and cooed, but her attention changed quickly at him. "Papa!" Sarada called to him making grabby hands. His face softened and walked closer to take their daughter from his wife's arms. "Why are you sad papa?" Sarada took his face between her tiny hands, Sakura saw him turn an his Sharingan, he wanted to remember perfectly his last moments with Sarada. Sakura's heart twisted painfully in her chest when her husband smiled sadly at his hope and greatest accomplishment. He had said so when he had seen her walk on her own for the first time.

 "She represents all the good in my life...And you gave her to me." She had smiled watching at their sleeping daughter in her lap, she had exausted herself after taking her first steps. They were seated in their garden enjoying a warm spring afternoon.  "Sakura." He called. She turned her gaze from her daughter to her husband. Their eyes met and it surprised her to see so much love in there, for he had always left his feelings locked away from others, he still rarely showed them so freely, even to her. "Thank you." He said softly, it was said so earnestly and lovingly she couldn't help some tears to drop down her cheeks.

 Sasuke had smirked bemusedly and turned to see the sky again. "Crybaby." He teased.

 Sakura giggled drying her tears. "Sheesh. Sasuke, don't go saying those things out of the blue."

"Hn." A gust of wind swirled their hair, his bangs moved back and she could see the smile still present in his face, she caresed Sarada's hair a big smile stretching her face, she had never been more happy and she knew neither had Sasuke..

"Don't be sad papa! Or mama will get sad too!" Sarada pouted.

Sasuke put her down and stayed at her eye level, then put a hand on her head. "It will be okay Sarada, your mom is strong." She will take care of you. "You will have to watch after her for me while I'm away." I'm sorry. All the things he left unsaid Sakura could pick and it added to her heartache.

"When will you be back papa? I don't want you to go!" Sarada wined.

Sasuke stayed silent, his face impassive but Sakura knew it was killing him to hear that. He rested his forehead against her tiny one. Her cheeks puffed when he moved back and she buried her face into his neck.

"I won't let you go!" She declared strongly.

Sakura smiled sadly. Knowing her daughter she wouldn't release her papa until she fell sleep, which she would do soon for it was past her usual sleep time.

...............................................

Sasuke was in his travel clothes a grim look in his face.

"Take care Sasuke, don't make me have to travel half the world to heal you." She said teasing.

"Hn." As if. She had gotten pretty good at translating his short answers, she giggled. When she looked into his eyes she was surprised to see his sharingan was on, her heart fluttered again like the first time he had done it and she could feel a small blush rise into her face and she saw a small smirk appear in his face.

But then she remembered where they were and what was about to happen and sobered up as inevitability catch up to them, so she put her hand over his chest and pressed a soft kiss into his mouth, they parted millimeters so their lips brushed when she spoke. "You will come back."

She stated it with strength, then she moved back and her hand dropped down to her side again. "Now go, don't linger anymore." It hurt to say it, but she didn't want him to suffer more of what a long goodbye would entail.

He stared at her for some time. "Sakura..."

Sakura sighed, raised her hand and tapped his forehead. "You can tell me next time." She didn't let him say anymore, it wouldn't help.

He looked surprised at her then huffed and deactivated his Sharingan. "Hn."

He turned and started to walk away, he didn't falter nor turned back because if he did Sakura knew he wouldn't be able to keep going. But she stayed there until his figure had long disappeared in the road. A warm wind ruffled her hair and she closed her eyes remembering his warm smile in a not so long afternoon and the small girl sleeping in her room right now. "Thank you, Sasuke."

[aerisosweet]

170428 EXO’rDIUM IN LA (tl;dr)

*Note: I’m such a high-key fan (is this the correct term?) that I spazz over EVERYTHING. If you heard @captivatesme​ videos you would hear me either yelling, laughing, flailing, or talking. I even cried so... yeah, warning.

So when they announced that EXO was coming to LA, I managed to get @captivatesme to agree on doing Global Package for the twin room and so that we could sit together. I had done GP in 2015 when EXO went to Japan and loved the seat (it was actually in the pit!) and the fact I got a hotel and transportation to the venue. And for this concert, I wanted good seats, and if we were going to go up there (down here for her case) and staying in a hotel, I wanted it to be taken care of because tbh, driving in LA scares me. We only had to add an extra day to our stay so that we can have a non-concert hang out day :) This is really long, so skip towards the middle to read about the actual concert lol otherwise it’s like things that happened before the concert lol 

170427

So, I actually worked this day. I was hoping to leave early but since I had conferences all day, I had to wait until my last student came, which was actually after I was supposed to leave, but it was the only time they could do it. But right after, I left. I went and got cash because I didn’t want to keep using my card if I didn’t have to, got gas, and then was on my way to go to LA. I did make a short stop to the Daiso in San Diego because I wanted to make an uchiwa/fan for Baekhyun’s birthday and for Lay as support even though he wasn’t going to be there. After getting that and a few supplies, I was on my way!

The only thing is... it took me an hour extra then it should have because of traffic. But if you know anything about LA ... and coming from SD, like nearly the border, it’ll take awhile to get up there.

Anyways, long story short... I made it to our hotel and met up with @captivatesme in the lobby. We checked in and went upstairs because the drawing of the tickets wasn’t going to happen for like an hour or so.

When it was time to get our tickets, we went downstairs and waited for our contact person to come down... when it was time, we got to draw our tickets. So the tickets are in envelopes and you would pick one, thus the tickets are given at random. When our contact person laid them out, I immediately looked at the one that had a 1, but then there was one that had a 4 and being both @captivatesme and my favorite number, she picked it. Upon opening it, we saw that we were in section 127, which was to the left (if looking at the stage) of the stage. Alongside with our tickets, we got our name badges that we had to wear to show that we were part of the Global Package and then two eco bags. They’re fairly nice and has the symbols at the bottom of the bag.

After settling down everything, we went to eat at BCD. The one I usually go to on Wilshire was actually closed and I was super surprised because it’s never closed. BCD is actually 24 hours. I jokingly was saying that if it’s closed, then there’s like someone in there. Someone being a celebrity. I tried peeking in as there were people inside but couldn’t recognize anyone. We ended up going to the other one which seemed a bit pack -- probably because the Wilshire one was closed -- but we didn’t wait too long :)

After we ate we went back to our hotel so that we could sleep and get ready for the next day.

170428

Pre-concert activities

Sadly, when I say sleep for the next day, it was more like naps for me. I’m having trouble sleeping -- especially since coming back from Japan a week prior so adjusting to time and in just in general has been hard. So I woke up every 2 hours and then finally around 6ish, I stayed awake. I ended up making my banner for Baekhyun and Lay. I used this puffed up board paper for Baekhyun and Lay’s name and the hearts, but I wasn’t too confident on how it was because it was hard to cut and my glue wasn’t very strong. But I was determined and managed to finish before 8am.

Afterward, when @captivatesme​ woke up, we went down for breakfast and ran into a few people who were also there for global. It was a lil nice set up. Food could’ve been better but hey, it’s free, so can’t complain, right! Then after that, we went back up to get ready for our mini LA tour. And me being panicked and overthinking LA traffic, I had made @captivatesme give me her con outfit and lightstick and I stuffed my sign into my bag. BIG MISTAKE because all the puffy letters were coming off T_T and I was like AHH! But tried to be calm about it. I had put the glue stick in my bag just in case something happened.

The tour took us to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. To be honest, the area kinda creeps me out. I didn’t have anything really I wanted to do so we went to Muji and looked all the awesome Japanese things. I got this high moisturizer lotion, a few pens, and socks haha We actually stayed there for most of our time and then we went to get food at a nearby place. We took the food out so that we could eat on the bus.

From there, and scarfing down my street tacos (lol), we went to the Griffith Park to see the Observatory. It was super windy so I kept blaming Sehun, but @captivatesme​ kept saying it was her haha It can be both :P Anyway, we were able to see the Hollywood sign from there, teeny tiny, but still there. And then we went inside! That was fun because I actually didn’t go in last time with my parents. And being the science teacher that I am, I was like !!! because I had taught some things that were on display haha *nerd alert*

Afterward, we went outside and just walked around a bit until we ended up by another girl from global package. We started talking to her about EXO and the concert and things. She had go to the NJ con too (but not global) and was telling us a few things. After a few minutes, we walked back to our bus so that we can get ready for the concert!

I was actually in constant communication with a friend who was already at the venue. She actually had been waiting since early that morning and she told me things were not going well. This was also another reason why I opted to do Global because the wait at the venue is ridic, even if we had a seated section and all. Things can still get crazy~

Anyway, we went back to our hotel and @captivatesme and I got ready for the concert. Because of my lovely EXO-L Japan FC perks, I was able to get us the Japanese jerseys (and they had a different size than M) and we put those on. It was funny because our guide was surprised when we came downstairs in a different outfit. She was like “You changed?” And we were like “Yes” hahaha of course! Earlier we didn’t have anything EXO on! LOL For me, I was quite surprised that not a lot of people were wearing EXO things. But I guess that’s part of me being a !!! type fan and needing to wear things for support.

We boarded the bus and I noticed that it suddenly got a lot more fuller than it was earlier. Apparently, the Japanese fans (and Chinese? Korean?) fans had come! There were a few that were actually coming in from the concert in Mexico as there was now two contacts for our group. The one that came from Mexico actually has better English but I was still partial to ours as she was trying her best, especially in speaking. Her Japanese was a bit more confident than her English, but still understandable :)

At the venue; still pre-con

As we pulled up to the venue, you can hear a collective “Oh” and gasp as we saw the huge lines to get into the venue. It was wrapped around so much already! This was another reason why I was glad for global package. After we parked, we walked over to a section and we were lined up by our section -- seating v.s. standing. There were people who were confused and were trying to get in our line but because we had the badges, it was easy to tell who was part of our group. We actually waited quite a bit outside and our contact I think we getting frustrated. She had passed out goods to people who pre-ordered. I wasn’t sure what we were waiting for but they kept talking to each other and then standing got their wrist bands. There was another group who were the Tastemakers that got to go in for standing too.We were finally allowed to go inside and while they took the standing to the area, we had to wait a long time before we were actually allowed to our seats. We actually were on the opposite side and our contact was getting frustrated more because we were global and she kept contacting someone. But one of the staff was like “leave them” kinda thing while the guy helping us was determined to get us to where we had to be but he was of course following orders so yeah. We were by the club section and I noticed a lot of people coming in and out and it was like ??? haha like.. WHO ARE YOU hahahaAnyway, finally we were able to go to our seats and as we walked, you can see all the staff holding in the people... that was quite scary because at any moment they were gonna let them in and we still hadn’t gotten to our seats. I was almost to our section when they did let them in and there was yelling and a lot of people filling in. The only thing is... if you’re seated.. You HAVE a seat. You don’t necessarily need to fight your way to it. But probably from all the excitement and waiting people were !!! I did get separated a bit from @captivatesme but made my way to our section and our seats had such a great view! It was a way better view from last year and tbh, I don’t think I would have gotten it on our own. I know the seats below us must have been some type of VIP because there was staff that would order food and then bring it to them! And so once again, WHO ARE YOU? Lol 

Anyway, we finally settled down and we were ready for the concert

VTR #1 - They showed each of the members powers and of course I was really excited to see LAY (will be interchangeably called Yixing throughout) even if it’s on the screen.

Mama

Monster - It was really fun to hear all the fans sing along to Monster. I’m not entirely sure if everyone did the fanchant because I was doing it so loud lol that I only heard myself hahaha And then Baek’s solo dance for Monster was so good (since Yixing wasn’t here, I was pretty much screaming for Baek, but in actuality I screamed for all the members, it’s really hard not to)

Wolf Remix - I had told @captivatesme that I really wanted to record when Yeol did Chogiwa, which I did but once again, because I was so excited, my fancam has me yelling it over Yeol T_T but still really fun. I’ll post it because I got super close-up view of Yeol. And then omg, when they went to do the dance remix part!!! There was the obvious space for Yixing next to Xiumin and I was so happy *_* And then the BaekChen duet was to die for! I really was excited to see that live and really hope there will be a studio version one day.

Ment (Talk) #1 - First of all, the translator this year was SO much better than last years. There were times where she didn’t translate right away but it was so much more... it flowed much better. Suho spoke so much English and it was really good! I was really proud of it. He spoke a bit to say they were going to do introductions. It went:

Chanyeol > D.O. > Kai >  Chen > Xiumin > Baekhyun > Sehun > Suho

I did not get any videos of this because @captivatesme​ was capturing it and so I think this was the only talk part that I didn’t record them. But that’s okay. I was holding my sign wishing Baekhyun “Happy Birthday” and I really think he saw it. I know we were a bit further up than pit and like the VIP section, but my friend in pit was able to see it, so I can only hope that he saw it before it was destroyed. The puffy letters I had used were coming off and I didn’t have my glue stick. I had left it back at the hotel :(

Xiumin went “It’s showtime”

When it was Baek’s turn, I went crazy with my sign XD

Suho was able to say “EXO’rDIUM” instead of “EXO’luXion” which he done at the previous North American concerts heheheKai went over to his spot before Suho was done and so he walked back and then Suho also said “It’s Showtime” and they started the next round of songs

White Noise - Soo was facing towards us but we also had Sehun lol

Thunder - Chensoo in the beginning was *_* Xiumin was also towards our side (side stage) and (because I like to think that whenever they pointed in our direction, it was towards me, but I know i KNOW) he pointed in my direction (haha -- but it’s in my video!)

Playboy - On our side we had Suho/Kai and Chanyeol/Sehun doing the dance together. And then when they go around the sage, Suho was the closest to us and he “pointed” at me (haha)

Artificial Love - Freakin’ cane dance. Suho/Chen was on our side and then in the middle of the main stage was Kaibaek (omg I can hear Yixing in the backtrack T_T) And Suchen with the cane T____T like could they not. Is it really necessary for this. I believe it was Xiumin/Chanyeol who did the cane dance together. Then Kai’s dance in the middle of the stage and the blindfold (I’ll upload this in a bit, it’s pretty good but it’s a side view)

VTR #2 (Invitation) - They started with Yixing and then went to each of the members but I feel this had a lot of Yixing in comparison to the other members. Baekhyun and his lightstick was so cute. At one point though, I think when they started hanging out together and Yixing and Chanyeol were playing around and I started to cry. It wasn’t even sad! But I guess them being playful and of course Yixing not being at the concert made it even harder. So I ended up crying hahaha But it’s okay, I knew I was gonna cry at some point of the concert LOL

Acoustic Medley - Suho kept trying to get those in the pit to “Step back for your own safety” (in English) and if they didn’t step back they couldn’t start the performance. After the ones in pit stepped back and filled out fuller than how it was earlier. It was actually nicer to look at. Anyway, then Chanyeol played some blues riff on the guitar (this is where it probably should have been Monodrama T____T) and then they started with the actual songs.

My Lady - Soo’s voice is so nice to listen to <3

My Turn to Cry - Vocal line is so killin’ it

Moonlight - Kai would of course start dancing along haha <3 And Suho hahaha

After Moonlight, they had a short talk and Baek mentioned how we’re from LA but all the songs are in Korean and it must be hard but I guess the fans said “No” and Baek said something that made the translator say, “It’s not?” which he then repeated in English haha Then said we would know the next song

Call Me Baby - the chants though were so good <33333 And Kai of course would start dancing along to it while sitting lol

Love, Love, Love - Awww Kai’s part and then Soo holding the mic for Chanyeol <333333 hahahaha My Chansoo But seriously who said they can’t sing? They’re so good T___T And then Chen starts and you’re like omggggggg Love, Love, Love gesture

Lady Luck - Then as Baek said, the “Dancing Machine” (Kai) goes out to dance and then Sehun goes to join Kai to dance in the middle.

Tender Love - Everyone was doing the lightstick dance for it and was so fun. I know I probably did it wrong but it’s okay, it was super a lot of fun. Soo was on the side closest to us and then they moved around and we got Sehun lol While in front of us was Suho who was super into it at the “Tender Love” part haha then Soo was in front of us again

Love Me Right - I love LMR and it’s dance so I was super !!! And then the uniformity for Sehun’s line “Shawty, Imma party till the sun down” was so strong hahahaha

Stronger - Vocal line <3

VTR #3 (Lucky) - This was super, super cute. Where they split to be 3 members in a group and did silly things with those cone hats and shoes lol Soo kept trying to sleep and xiumin would be like “Nope!” hahaha Then it was SeChanXing and their characters just kept laughing at each other XD then Chanyeol and Yixing composing music while Sehun would be such the maknae lol This is actually one of my favorite songs :)

Heaven - I completely forgot they were gonna do this song! So they came out with their elf shoes and haha I heard “Hello Angel” I flipped out lol I really like this song <3

G x Friend - Kai was on the side part by us at one point and he was waving towards our section (so naturally in my fancam, it looks like he’s waving to us hahaha). Then there was a slight XiuChen moment that I was trying to get for @chenrrerorocher hahaha and he too “waved” towards us haha

3.6.5 - This was one of my favorites from the XOXO album and I get so excited when they sing it (although I miss the m version cuz I know it more, it’s okay) And everyone just having so much fun. Baek was on our side <3 I think this is where he went crazy with his arm waving hahaha he was holding the light stick When he walked away he was holding on to his arm aha Yep haha I went back to check my fancam lol  Then Chanyeol came to our side <3 It’s always so funny to see the tallest member in shorts lol

VTR #4 - Chanyeol/Sehun doing that one thing they do and then dance line dancing and gah Yixing so good <3 And the screams for him just makes me so happy

Overdose

Transformer - YESSSSSS! EXO, LET’S GO! I heard about in Mexico it stopped so I was hoping everything would be okay for ours and it was! They’re such good performers gah Then Xiumin’s dance in the middle <3 Everything about it was so good

Lightsaber - Not gonna lie, whenever this song goes, all I remember is Baekyeol doing the lightsaber thing in the car haha and using the flashlight from the cell phone lol But for this we had Baekchen on our side <3

Ment (Talk) #2 - I don’t even know where to start with this one. It was just super crazy altogether lol A lot of laughter and fun :) It was D.O., Suho, Chen, and Kai who were left while Baekhyun, Xiumin, Chanyeol, and Sehun left to go get changed. Suho mentioned how the energy was much stronger than last years and was like “Stronger than last year” in English. His English was so good, accented, but really good. He mentioned how L.A. was his favorite place so he was really happy to be there and kept mentioning that but said besides his home in South Korea (lol) And also mentioned “La La Land” I was confused because I didn’t know if he meant the movie or the store by the Hollywood Walk of Fame haha but I knew the movie lol Then they had D.O. sing a bit of “City of Stars” and Chen mentioned how he was practicing it on the piano too. Then for some reason Suho got super excited and ended up dancing to it. He even went as far as to sitting down and then dancing lol His shoes looked so big in comparison to his skinny legs lol And then as @captivatesme mentioned, at this point one of the staff members, she was taking care of the section by us that I think were handicap/VIP as they would order things and they would get the food and stuff and she was like “YOU’RE CUTE! YOU’ER SO CUTE!” and then was asking who the “cute” one is. And not sure about @captivatesme but I was like “uhhhh” cuz all of them are “cute” haha We assumed it was Kai and when she said he has “brown hair” (which I went “uhhh” again because lol we all know about hair color and exo lol). So when it panned to Kai we were like, “Him?” She immediately was like ‘He’s alright, the other one” and then it panned to Chen and she was like “Him!” and I was like “His name is Chen! C-H-E-N!” LOL so it was quite interesting to see that haha The next thing I know, Suho was mentioning about different beaches like Santa Monica (TOTAL NAME DROP AS HE WAS ACTUALLY THERE ON SATURDAY WITH SEHUN), Malibu, etc. but then also mentioned you had to be careful with the pronunciation (of beaches lol) and was saying like “You know that?” but chen was like “I don’t know that”. Then they asked Soo what he liked about L.A. and he mentioned “Hollywood” but I guess that answer wasn’t good enough so they got him talking about food like “hot dog” WHICH SUHO WAS LIKE “PINK’S HOT DOG” (AND IF YOU’VE BEEN FOLLOWING ME AND/OR ARE AN ARASHI FAN, YOU KNOW THAT HE’S A MATSUJUN FANBOY AND LIKE OHNO/MATSUJUN WENT TO PINK’S HOT DOG A FEW YEARS BACK AND HE TALKED ABOUT PINK’S HOT DOG LAST YEAR TOO ANDFL KAJFKLSADJFASLKFJALKFJADLF) and then Soo also mentioned eating “In-N-Out” and how we should eat hamburger for dinner (lol) and like how Chen wants to eat In-N-Out too lol Then Suho tried to make another joke but most of us didn’t understand it (but @captivatesme says he was trying to talk about BOCA lol which is a veggie burger?)

After Kai was trying to talk about how they flew 3 hours from Mexico and was talking more things but then the other boys came out so they did a switch -- well all but Sehun came out at this time (Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Xiumin)

Chanyeol then mentions about Baekhyun’s hair is like he just woke up. And Baek did something cute haha Then after a few more minutes of them talking, Sehun came out and then sat down and tied his shoe lol

Chanyeol said we had to do 3 things: 1) how loud we can be (cue the screaming), how well we could jump, and how well we could dance (which Sehun and Xiumin showed by “Erotic” and “Goofy” lol)

Gacchi Gacchi - I don’t really care much for this song but seemed pretty fun regardless

Full Moon

Drop That - At this point lol I noticed the staff member standing there with her mouth opened and all I could think about was “Yep!” Anyway, But gah Chen’s high note was so beautiful and I can’t even ;fjalskfjalkfjalkfjalfkjafkl lol

Lucky - Gah they performed this even though the earlier VTR had it and I was like YES <3

Run - One of my favorites from Overdose album aldkfjaskldfj Chanyeol and Chen was on our side for this song and then the streamers came out (T__T too far to get any).

After this song they said their “goodbyes”

VTR #5 - The first VTR that we watched is connected to this but like it was so weird with the random family in this lol But definitely screamed for Yixing’s parts lol At this point too the bg song was Sing For You. I personally don’t know the lyrics much but someone started singing, or a group of fans did and it kinda started everyone to sing too. It was really nice <3

Growl - They were so casual with this song. I’m not sure if too many people knew the fanchant as it wasn’t as loud as the other song, but I definitely did it lol Kai and Chen was on our side and of course Kai would be the only one to do the actual Growl dance lol (I’ll gif later). At this time people started throwing gifts and I know at one point Chanyeol threw it back -- a lot of the gifts hit the boys too T_T

Lucky One - Yay! And we all know whose favorite song this is (D.O.) lol They always seem to pan on Soo during this part especially with him doing that head thing lol

Ment (Talk) #3 - At this point, there were so many gifts on the stage and the boys were getting lined up. Chanyeol did manage to find a Deadpool mask which he proceeded to wear; also at this point the fans started to sing Happy Birthday to Baek (they tried doing it at every other time they talked) but I think it wasn’t until Suho took out his earpiece that he finally understood what was going on and they started to sing it to him but Baek ended it by going “and Suho~” hahaha awww Subaek lol Baek was really cute like saying thank you and throwing out hearts and stuff haha <33333 and by then Yeol had the Deadpool mask fully on. And he even went on the floor like his computer wallpaper lol but also managed to pick up these ears that he wore over the Deadpool mask. And then Sehun put on this tiara for Baekhyun lol And then lol Chanyeol was wearing the owl mask. Lol Suho asked Chanyeol to “focus” in English he was like “Chanyeol, focus, FOCUS!” and Chanyeol responded by cooing back like an owl (I cry from laughter) and then Suho kept calling Chanyeol again and at this point Chanyeol took off the owl mask and had the Deadpool one still on and was like “I’m not Chanyeol” (ROFL, these are the boys I love haha). After, D.O. found these tiny doll fingers. He proceeded to wear them and then even play around with them and he got a foot and was like “OH MY FOOT!” and was pointing to his foot. At this point Chanyeol and Kai are like dying from laughing. Chanyeol ends up holding one and putting his hoodie over it so that it looks like it’s his hand and was like just being so cute about it. And that’s when Baekhyun was like “OH! OH! NICE TO MEET YOU!” and they proceeded to shake hands. Suho then was like “Don’t throw this” I think about the gifts because it kept hitting them and then he was like “IT’S OVER!” lol But it was so funny and cute but please don’t throw them at them directly T_T  Suho did mention about a new album and that they’d be back. They did also find Tony Testa and they kept hollering for him and like were like “Handsome guy” lol And yeah... I don’t remember the order of that but the highlight was definitely Chansoo lol

Angel (Into Your World) - Of course Kai would be the only one that was dancing to the song haha while everyone was waving to the fans and then we have Chanyeol and his tiny hand lol And then they went away but not before Baekhyun started singing Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You while they were all just being so cute gahh and they were gone T___T

Post-con

At this point our whole row were taking pictures and decided to walk back to the bus together. Luckily since we were on the other side from where we initially started, we were closer to our bus. @captivatesme and I walked to our bus and waited til we got back to our hotel. Despite being tired we were hungry so we ended up going to BCD again but I just got the hot bimbimbap instead of the soup lol Then we went back to the hotel and I gifed a few things before I forgot lol But yeah... then we slept cuz the next day we were going to go to Universal Studios (HARRY POTTER!!!)

**And actually we found a fancam from pit that showed where we were seated and I would definitely like to think that Baekhyun saw my sign during the first ment heehehe

Overall the concert was such a great experience, especially spending it with @captivates me. And as she said in her own fan account, it’s a personal decision on whether or not it was worth it. We definitely had to budget, still have to budget for this. I had the best time ever. Last year, we were super far back and then I even got a headache towards the end so I felt like I was a party-pooper lol not as fun as this year.

**I have a ton of videos and pictures that I might post later, especially the HQ ones lol but considering I’m not in pit and my camera doesn’t go that far, it’s not as nice as all them fansites haha but it’s still something I treasure <3