#l may be the only person on this blog watching this old show or shipping these two

[drrav3nb]

[yeolmae-s]

a chanbaek analysis from a veteran exo-l (part 2)

CLICK HERE TO READ PART ONE

Writing this was a bit harder in comparison to the first part, because I wanted to organize things into a neat timeline, but I ended up not having enough patience for it lol specially because both of ChanBaek's main archive blogs seem to have deleted their pages documenting each date of EXO's early years. Therefore I apologize in advance if this part is a bit more messy. Also, please don't forget that all of this is my opinion and I don't mean for any of it to be taken as truth!

I kind of want to jump from MAMA era directly into Wolf era, since we don't really have a lot of cover regarding their debut phase besides Chanyeol's overeagerness and Baekhyun's awkwardness towards it, so to sum it up, I felt as if Chanyeol was more confident and consistent on what he thought an idol should act like, while Baekhyun (sweet, innocent Baekhyun who was a trainee for less than a year!) was still unsure on how to act on camera.

On the few early variety shows/interviews EXO appeared on, the members always pointed out how funny Baekhyun was, how good he'd be at variety and at doing imitations, but he never really lived up to all the praise on camera, although off of it, he most likely was as good as his members claimed.

He was a bit stiff on his early days in comparison to what we see today, and that's normal, I guess, since he debuted really quickly, but when you compare him to Chanyeol the contrast is so interesting, because the latter was able to latch on to a persona as soon as the public gave him one, while to me, Baekhyun was still doubtful regarding what to put on display. In the end, deep inside, Baekhyun is a private person, and was even more so when he wasn't confident enough to talk to fans like he does today.

Once again, I’m sorry for not being able to upload the gifs directly into the post, so I’ll just link them like I did on my last one.

This is another one of the moments where Baek appears to tell Chanyeol to just. Hold on for a bit.

There's another one similar to this where Chanyeol does the same thing (try to whisper on Baekhyun's ear) and Baekhyun fake laughs and stares at a fan's camera right after. Then, his expression just goes blank. It's really interesting to watch because you can just see the gears spinning on Chanyeol's brain as he stares at Baekhyun for a second and clearly thinks alright, fanservice time, and leans in to whisper something: it happens so fast you just know it wasn't genuine whispering, just a playful interaction for the fans, and Baekhyun's direct stare to the camera as soon as it happens just confirms this for me. 

1: Chanyeol spots his target.

2: He’s really thinking this through.

3: Baek's in a perfect position for whispering-time, so he leans in and does his thing.

4: Baekhyun laughs.

5: And stares directly at a fan's camera.

6: Immediately regrets his life choices. Chanyeol looks pleased.

It's actually better to watch the whole thing, so I'll leave it here. (starts on 0:28!)

(Random note: on this date EXO perfomed a cover of H.O.T's We Are The Future, and I feel like a lot of new EXO-Ls have not seem it and I adore this performance, so I'll link it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1-z4s3fdgo)

Now let's jump on to Wolf era, shall we?

Wolf era

I can't help but laugh when I think about how wild 2013 was for both EXO and EXO-Ls. They had their first hit song (which was Growl, not Wolf) the fandom grew considerably, shippers where just discovering the cute ISAC moments between "BaekYeol" and "HunHan"... Or at least that's how everyone remembers most of what happened during that year.

Are we forgetting the rumoured ChanBaek fight?

Considering their past interactions on airports, SMTOWN concerts, ISAC and other events, ChanBaek was now widely known to be close to each other. Baekhyun even said Chanyeol was the one who made him open up, and both of them mentioned feeling this "connection" to each other as soon as they met (although jokingly).

After Mama, the fandom was content-less for a considerable period of time, and what most people did was sharing around old performances and repeat overused memes.  I think that in every fandom there is a period where fans establish their main inside jokes and basically just get together to create a collective line of thought for perceiving their idols. That being said, one of the most well established facts in the fandom was that Chanyeol and Baekhyun were close. That was a fact.But then Wolf came, and they suddenly were not. 

This gif is a good example of how awkward their interactions were. Not even my delusional shipping brain in 2013 was able to come up with an explanation for it.

They simply did not acknowledge each other at all, and Chanyeol appeared to be closer to Kyungsoo (I think Baekhyun interacted a lot with Tao, but that may have been during the Growl era, not Wolf. As I said before, I'm a Chanyeol stan guys, sorry lmao).

Point is, these two boys who seemed to be best friends suddenly were clearly distant from one another.

What added fuel to the fire of the rumours was their appearance on Sukira, a radio show, where Sehun cried because the members sometimes had fights. Here's a fanacc:

[130530] EXO at Sukira

Sehun cried because the members sometimes fight.

Sehun: "Let's be loyal to each other, don't fight, and go until the end"

D.O: "We've been under a lot of stress lately because of the comeback, so I wish we won't fight in the future and do our best"

Here's a video cut of this part of their interview. 

I think this ask on lets-talk-baekyeol, a popular ChanBaek analysis blog from back in the day, shows how curious a lot of fans were.

What happened back then?

There's really no answer for that. On my opinion, not even Chanyeol or Baekhyun could give us a concrete answer on it, because I don't think an actual fight happened. For me, it was most likely a personality clash, a disagreement that probably wasn't even voiced out loud, just both of them noticing how uncomfortable things got, if Baekhyun's reactions to Chanyeol's fanservice is any indication. I somehow doubt there was a specific episode that created this distance between them, specially because during Growl, they went back to being friends, although not as touchy on camera as before, as if one of them had established their limits (oh, I wonder who!), but I still have this feeling that all of this was unspoken, because unspoken things seem to be a pattern on ChanBaek's relationship (something I'll touch on later, hopefully).

But it was during Growl era that I noticed something else about Baekhyun.

Wolf era

EXO'S Showtime was a such a gift. I recommend reading lets-talk-baekyeol's blog for this. I don't really agree with everything they say they do present a lot of relevant points. I may repeat them here, since I noticed them myself as well, but credits for them nonetheless.

I remember finding the lack of ChanBaek interactions during the episodes really dissappointing, but considering the Wolf Era drought, this was better than nothing.

My 13 year old self was devastated when Baekhyun appeared so quiet during Chanyeol's birthday episode, and during a recent rewatch of it, I think realized why.

Baekhyun doesn't like superficial things. It's not that Chanyeol is insincere, but he's just better than Baekhyun is at handling people pleasing, even when he doesn't really mean what's he saying/doing. The Chanyeol birthday episode was heavily centered on Chanyeol's random admiration for Kai, which I think we can all agree that it was a little bit scripted or a really spur of the moment thing that they just ran along with and oh man. Baekhyun did not want to be part of it.

During ChanKai's hug, this is what he looked like on the background, and the poor boy even refused to eat cake. He's just in the back, which is weird, because he's such a talkative person and Chanyeol is one of his closest friends. The only moment where he seems to be genuinely comfortable is when Chanyeol blows the candle and it's really cute. To me, it seems that he was kind of embarrassed to witness so much acting from everyone else and was unable to participate because he struggles with things like this, but the moment Chanyeol blows his candles to comemorate his birthday seems sincere enough for him to fondly smile.

This ties in so well with everything from Mama Era. He's just unable to keep acting/people pleasing on the same easy way that Chanyeol does, but this time he's not as nervous about it as he was on his earlier-early days, where he probably felt pressured to actually do stuff. Now he just doesn't do **it, he just doesn't do something that he dislikes doing, and that sadly creates a distance between them on camera and probably on a deeper level in their relationship as well, because both are just realizing how different their perceptions over their jobs is.

There's also this moment that the mods on lets-talk-baekyeol pointed out.

On the Christmas episode, when the members leave the couch to go get their presents, Chanyeol stays seated while Baekhyun gets up to fetch his. This is the sitting arrangement before (almost) everyone got up:

But when Baekhyun comes back, there's free space next to Chanyeol, however he's hesitant to sit by his side. He actually hesitates and doesn't sit down. Jongdae even gives him a little push right after.

Baek just seems hesitant to do things on camera, to interact with Chanyeol in front of an audience. For this moment, I feel like he's afraid to sit next to Chanyeol and end up having to over act. It's not that Chanyeol himself makes him uncomfortable, but the image of the friendship that they ended up creating for fans demands a lot from him.

And when I say hesitant to do things on camera, I really do mean it, because when Baekhyun thinks he is not being recorded/seen, here's what he does:

Here and here.

Their relationship clearly changed, and I think the reason for it is actually simple: both of them were under the impression that they were compatible with each other when they actually were not. Their personalities are extremely different, even if the way they present themselves is sometimes similar. Wolf and Growl era was our way, as fans, of watching them navigate around each other and finding out how their relationship was supposed to work.

And you know what's nice about that? The members watched all of it unfold. Their reactions to some of ChanBaek's interaction is a gold mine when it comes to analyzing them, because they clearly know, just as we do, that their relationship is kind of complicated. But I want to talk about it on the next part.

I am sorry for cutting this off again! I don't know if the next part is going to be the last, because after Growl there's Overdose and we all know what happened on 2014 [coughs] dating scandal [coughs] god help me I don't want to talk about it [coughs] so there's a lot to uncover and I need time to organize stuff.

Thank you for reading!

[lucky-sevens]

mechanisms basics & lore

welcome to my updated mechanisms intro post! this post will cover both the topics discussed in my mechanisms basics post, which is geared towards people who don’t know what the mechanisms are, and my deep lore post, which aimed to be a comprehensive compilation of all the important character and world lore. this post should serve the above group, but it’s geared towards people who have listened but feel there’s a lot of lore that seems to be common knowledge they’re missing. we’ll start out with a basic introduction, and then go into crew lore and a semi-comprehensive guide on where to go for further information.

basics

the mechanisms were a steampunk concept band, known for their queer representation and their tragic stories. they are no longer together, their last performance being january 2020, but several of their members are still creating related spinoff content.

they follow the trope many steampunk bands do, which is albums that tell a story; think similar to listening to a musical soundtrack, but geared to a visual-less experience. what distinguishes them is 1) narration tracks between each song, making the plot very easy to follow, and 2) being meant to be watched live, meaning there’s layers of meta that are more easily understood by watching recorded gigs rather than studio recordings of albums. specifically, there’s a focus on the narrators, known as the mechanisms or the crew of the aurora, who are immortal space pirates telling the stories and occasionally inserting themselves into them. though they are tragic figures themselves, their banter serves the purpose of bringing a lightheartedness and dark humor to the stories. if there’s an aspect of the lore you’re confused on, it’s probably related to the narrators!

to watch the mechanisms live, you can find recordings on youtube, dropbox, google drive, soundcloud, or vimeo, which are all compiled in this post (including transcripts!). if visuals aren’t your thing, i’ve linked the studio recordings later on in this post when they come up, and here are the mechanisms’ official spotify, bandcamp, and youtube, as well as an unofficial comprehensive lyric videos channel. 

the albums

regarding the albums specifically, there are 4 main ones (once upon a time (in space), ulysses dies at dawn, high noon over camelot, and the bifrost incident), 2 that are compilations of miscellaneous songs (tales to be told 1 & 2), 1 single (frankenstein), and 1 album that’s a high-quality recording of their last live show, including an alternative performance of the bifrost incident, 2 songs only performed at live shows, and 'the deathsong’, which details how they all eventually die (death to the mechanisms).

as you might have been able to tell from the titles, they’re all based off of various myths, folklore, literature, and/or fairy tales, using different genres on top of a sci-fi setting to add a fresh twist to them! for example, high noon over camelot is a western based on arthurian mythos, set on a space station. (the albums are known for all ending in tragedy, so be careful if that isn’t your cup of tea!) if your goal is to get into the mechanisms, i’d suggest sitting down and listening to them all in full; links will be provided below, or alternatively you can watch once upon a time (in space) live here, ulysses dies at dawn live here, or the bifrost incident live here. (there is no full live recording with visuals of high noon over camelot, sadly, but there are partial and audio only recordings.)

once upon a time (in space) - spotify/bandcamp/youtube

ulysses dies at dawn - spotify/bandcamp/youtube

high noon over camelot - spotify/bandcamp/youtube

the bifrost incident - spotify/bandcamp/youtube

tales to be told, volume 1 -  spotify/bandcamp/youtube

tales to be told, volume 2 - spotify/bandcamp/youtube

frankenstein - spotify/bandcamp/youtube

death to the mechanisms - edited video with the stream corruption fixed + subtitles / stream / spotify / bandcamp / youtube / transcript pt. 1 / transcript pt. 2

reading the fiction is integral to understanding both the albums and the mechanisms themselves. the fiction is a collection of short stories set in the mechanisms universe posted on their website here and compiled by me here, with an extra high noon over camelot story here. (there are also audio versions for ‘mirror mirror’ and ‘a rebel yell’ included on both the website and the compilation).

the crew of the aurora

as for the crew, at their peak there were nine members played by people, as well as the ex-member dr carmilla, who has extensive solo lore and is still active (which we’ll touch on in a few paragraphs). there is also their ship, the aurora, who is sentient and has her own lore. in fact, every member of the crew has their own backstory, set in a different genre or historical period; for example, nastya rasputina's is historical, jonny d’ville’s is a western and marius von raum’s is a mecha anime. however, they’re all still different flavors of steampunk! below, i’ll list each member, their performer, and the main sources of lore about them. for the majority of them, they have their own song in tales to be told, but there are a few outliers. everyone also has their own bio up on the website, which can all be found here. 

the aurora (n/a, ship)- on aurora (meta)

jonny d’ville (jonny sims)- one eyed jacks (song), jonny before he was mechanized (meta)

nastya rasputina (anonymous)- cyberian demons (song)

ivy alexandria (morgan wilkinson)- archive footage (fiction), crew bio

ashes o’reilly (frank voss)- lucky sevens (song)

drumbot brian (ben below)- lost in the cosmos (song), crew bio

the toy soldier (jessica law)- the story of the toy soldier (fiction)

gunpowder tim (tim ledsam)- gunpowder tim vs the moon kaiser (song/minialbum)

marius von raum (kofi young)- the death of byron von raum summary (blog post)

raphaella la cognizi (r l hughes)- crew bio

if you’ve noticed the crew bio doesn’t say much about raphaella, that’s because we know little to nothing about her backstory. the only thing we have to go on is a quote from the tv tropes page, which looking at the edit history, was likely written by one of the mechanisms. the quote is ‘Science officer who may or may not have cheated her way onto the ship after becoming a little too interested.‘ and the page is here.

the majority of fandom content is about the crew, working off of what we get from the tales to be told songs, the live gigs, and the fiction.

dr carmilla

speaking of characters with obscure lore, let’s talk about dr carmilla! rather than linger, i’ll just link my carmilla basics post, which is a comprehensive summary of who she is in and out of universe. to summarize, she’s a character based on the novella ‘carmilla’ by sheridan le fanu, commonly regarded as the first vampire novel, but her lore has diverged heavily from that original starting point since then. she is the oldest out of all of the crew, and made the majority of the other crew members immortal. she, as well as aurora, is from a planet called terra, which was destroyed partially as a result of her actions. her character is defined by her immortality and how she deals with it, her experiences on terra, her relationship with the mechanisms, and her dysfunctional relationship with her ex-girlfriend loreli, the last of which is the most covered by her songs. out of universe, she is played by maki yamazaki. all her lore lines up with what happened out of universe, and ties to the fact the mechanisms were originally dr carmilla and the mechanisms. she has two solo albums and two singles, which i’ll link below.

ageha (prototype edition) (album)- bandcamp | youtube

exhumed and {un}plugged (album)- bandcamp | youtube

the city {nex:type mix} (single, in-character cover)- bandcamp | youtube

eleven (single)- bandcamp | youtube

the majority of her lore is still to be officially revealed, and will be in the trilogy of albums maki yamazaki is working on.

further reading

if you’d like to delve further into the lore, there are a few sources i use! there are official, in-character, blogs, as well as things that are harder to dredge up; i won’t link them here, but some sources include @/thedreadvampy (the band’s artist, as well as morgan wilkinson’s sister and kofi young’s partner; don’t bother her for lore or anything, but she’s previously made posts sharing previously unknown information), old websites and deleted content found on the wayback machine, the tv tropes pages, and most notably the lore doc.

the ‘maki forbidden lore doc’ is an archive of all the lore maki yamazaki has shared on the mechscord, the official mechanisms discord which she’s on, and her own personal server, where she’s running an arg (alternate reality game) as a way of relaying more lore about the dr carmilla universe. for an idea of the scale, the doc is currently 91 pages and 28346 words, and recontextualizes much of what is known about dr carmilla and maki’s canon of the mechanisms universe. it is confidential to anyone not in her discord or the mechscord, as she’s said that this lore isn’t thought out nearly as much as the albums and is subject to change, so she’d rather it not be out in the open. however, information on how to join the mechscord can be found here. there is also a non-canonical fan project based on the arg in progress, but information on it is also confidential for now.

with regards to the above phrase ‘maki’s canon’ it’s worth noting that all of the individual band members have their own idea of what counts as canon and what doesn’t, and as you foray deeper into lore that division becomes more and more apparent.

with that, here are the mechanisms’ blogs. they are all both run in-character by the main nine band members and inactive unless i note otherwise.

twitter

tumblr

facebook

website/wordpress (run ic by tereshkova’s ghost, the blogbot, for the most part)

carmilla twitter (active, run ic by dr carmilla)

conclusion

now that we’re coming to the end of this, i’d like to thank whoever got this far, and to say a few words. my interest in the mechanisms has been slowly fading, and i’ve been writing less and less meta and lapsing in keeping up with new lore myself. honestly, i’m pretty worn out by how much i’ve done on this blog and in this fandom, and the commitments i’ve assigned myself. i do have plans for future meta, but it’s unlikely they’ll come to fruition. so, i thought i’d do a new version of my two oldest posts on this blog, and hopefully enable other people to look into the lore and theorize themselves with the new information.

to find more information, remember there’s a mechanisms wiki, and that my askbox is always open.

thanks for reading!

[stuckinapatriarchalbullshitland]

There is a light at the end of the tunnel

Hello, Stuck. Sorry, I don’t know your real name.

I wrote this long ass post to bring some light into the fandom and between the CSs, and I hope you can post it? I’m new in the Tumblr world, but not in the 5H fandom. I don’t quite know how it works yet and, for the moment, I only know your blog and those of @emisonme, @karlaswine, @sun-to-my-luna, @underthatimpression, and @mentesimploria because, in one way or another, you’re all connected to each other. I just wanted to tell you guys how much I appreciate every single one of you, the passion you have, and the hope you keep alive among those who, like me, love the girls. Also, the patience you guys have, especially against the haters, is admirable. I love the fact that you keep going. Because this is your sacred place, as it should be.

This is the very first time I’ve ever done anything like this. I’m what can be defined as a ‘silent fan’. I never commented on anything in the girls’ posts, not even on the fan accounts I follow. I don’t have Twitter. I have Facebook but it’s like I don’t have it because I don’t use it. I have Wattpad (obviously). I recently registered here on Tumblr, and I have Instagram. That’s what I use. It’s the only app along with YouTube that I use daily to keep up with the rest of the world. Especially the American part of the world. I’m Italian, but I speak American English well, and I apologize in advance if my lazy ass hasn’t noticed possible grammatical errors. I saw that a lot of you are into this stuff, so I thought I’d add it just because. I’m a Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon, and Virgo rising.

I’m gonna turn 29 on December 22, and this is a BIG fuck off to all the people who have attacked you lately for your age. This is personal information that I give freely to make ignorant and small-minded people understand that, in this context especially, age is irrelevant. As you, little fucker who hides behind a computer to attack people just to feel stronger, have a life, we have it too. Like you, we have a life, a job, friends, etc. We also have passions. Passions that yes, my dear haters, also include shipping people. I don’t know why in your stupid brain we’re too old to ship people we love and to give opinions about it. I didn’t know it was something reserved only for those who still smell like mommy’s milk. But anyway…

I became aware of 5H existence just before summer 2015 thanks to ‘Worth It’. Being Italian, however, I had no idea who they were, and to be honest, I didn’t go searching for them. Randomly one day then, I ran into Camren on YouTube. I can’t remember which video I was watching, but I know for sure it was about ‘Heya/Brittana’ (Heather Morris and Naya Rivera/Brittany and Santana, my very first hard LGBT ship). And among the suggested videos, there they are. As ridiculous as it sounds, and although I liked them as soon as I saw them, I didn’t go searching for them. I did it when ‘Work from Home’ came out though. From there, I connected that they were the same ‘Worth It’ group and the same two girls I liked from those YouTube videos. I had officially become a fan. I was screwed. Screwed because, I’d officially entered one of the most messed up and yet most beautiful fandoms ever.

As I initially said, this is the very first time I’ve ever done anything like this. But after the recent events, seeing how many people gave up, it made me a little angry and gave me the strength to speak for the first time. I thought the first time would’ve been through the fanfiction I’ve been working on for over two years, but no. Lauren and her beautiful mouth had to terrorize, disappoint, panic, and make angry 80% of CS, thus fueling the hatred of all the other fandom towards us. So I decided to speak now. Maybe, just maybe, this very long ass post of mine is gonna help struggling CS. Maybe, just maybe, it’s gonna make them reason and bring them to their senses.

So. This, as I think you’ve understood, is about Lauren and what she said in the podcast. This is a reminder of the Laucy situation. These are things we already know and that I want to remind you of because apparently, my lovely fellows CS, either you have a short-term memory, or Lauren has the power to create amnesia in people’s minds and I knew nothing about it. Surely this power of hers didn’t work on me and a few others.

Oh and, before starting: 1) You may disagree with me. It’s normal to have different opinions. 2) You can search for information such as dates, easily on the internet. 3) I’m gonna use nicknames on PRs for fun. That doesn’t mean I hate them. I have my reasons for dislike each one of them as people, but I can assure you it has nothing to do with the fact that they were or are the Camren beards. An example to make you understand what I mean is Ty. I’m a huge Ari fan and I’ve been listening to ‘safety net’ non-stop for two days straight. I really dislike Ty as a person, but I separate the art from the artist.

Okay, that said, I can start.

Lauren said: “I knew I was queer because I fell in love with my best friend when I was like 15.” – “Her and I started to have a physical connection when I was 15.”

Lauren and Lucid Vivisectionist met when L moved to Carrollton in 7th grade. Lucille moved back to Puerto Rico in February 2012, returning to visit Miami occasionally (this explains the fetus pictures with Lucy and Camren at L’s house). In February 2012, Lauren was 15, Camila 14, and Lucy 16. And who did Lauren meet when she was 15? Oh yeah, Camila. C and L did the first phase of the audition, the ‘cattle call’, on May 1, 2012 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Audition where Camila took courage to speak at the (“Oh my God that girl is) literally so beautiful” girl from which she felt intimidated by starting that adorable brief conversation “Hi, I like your shirt”, “Thanks. I like your jacket” just before it was her turn to get in for her audition. In May 2012, Lauren and Camila were both 15 years old. Lauren and Camila saw each other again for the first time on July 25th, two months later, in Miami on the first day of boot camp, and it was Lauren herself who went to Camila: “You’re the Cuban girl!”. In July 2012, Lauren was 16 and Camila was 15.

Lauren said: “She came back into my life when I was 18. I was on tour and I was in my room in a hotel somewhere, and she called me.” Let me explain to you why I think this is true.

Lauren and Luxy reconnected with each other after Lucy’s car accident that took place on May 15, 2015. Lauren was really 18 in May 2015, and we can rule out The Reflection Tour dates because it started on February 27, 2015, and ended April 6, 2015. We can also rule out these other show dates that 5H did: April 11 in Jackson Township, New Jersey - April 13 at Live! with Kelly and Michael in New York - April 19 Lauren was at Coachella with Keana, Britt, and other friends - April 22 at the Worldwide Radio Summit in Hollywood - April 25 at Radio Disney Music Awards 2015 in Los Angeles - May 8 at Channel 93.3 Summer Kickoff 2015 in Chula Vista, San Diego - May 9 at Wango Tango 2015 in Carson, Los Angeles (May 9, rumors about Camila and Louis Tomlinson just because paparazzi believed they were together when Louis was actually together with Liam outside the Project Club L.A., and C who was at the club next door) - May 15 at KDWB Radio Show in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The rest of their program and possible date: May 16 at Kiss Concert 2015 in Mansfield, Massachusetts - May 19 at Dancing with the Stars in Los Angeles - May 30 at G-A-Y in London (rumors about Lauren and Louis Tomlinson this time, born because 5H went to Libertine nightclub with Louis and Niall) - May 31 at Britain’s Got More Talent in London - June 2 at Capital FM in Birmingham, England - June 5 at Good Morning Britain in London - June 6 at Capital FM Summertime Ball 2015 in London - June 12 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii - June 14 at LA Pride 2015 - June 18 at Jimmy Kimmel Live in Los Angeles - June 20 at B96 Pepsi Summer Bash 2015 in Bridgeview, Illinois - June 23 at San Diego County Fair 2015 - 28 June at Show Of The Summer 2015 in Hershey, Pennsylvania - July 10 at Rockefeller Plaza in New York. July 15, 2015, beginning of Reflection: The Summer Tour.

June 27, 2015 Lauren turned 19, and do you guys remember the events of those days? Because I do.

On June 24, 2015, Lauren celebrated her birthday in advance at the famous sushi restaurant ‘Katsuya’. Among the guests were the girls, her mom Clara, some friends, including Jill (the same Jill/Jillian Gutowitz who worked with Zack Sang and who 5H met on April 22, 2015, at the Worldwide Radio Summit, which lasted for three days but they were present for two: 22 and 23. The same Jill who wrote the article for AfterEllen on January 25, 2016, about her experiences with women who denied their sexuality. Remember the story of Lauren Jordan, right?), and Noah Benardout (may he rest in peace). Still no Lucia, not even on the days when Lauren returned to Miami to celebrate with her family before resuming the program from the 28. As I already said, The Reflection Summer Tour began on July 15, 2015, and Lucy’s first public reappearance took place on one of the tour dates, that is, July 27 at Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

From that moment on, we saw Lucille appear on multiple occasions in hops through time. After the July 27th date, we saw her during the trip to Hawaii with Lauren and Keana in September, followed by the concert that the girls had on October 10 in the Bahamas, where they stayed with their families and friends for a few days. After the Bahamas, the mess happened between 5H because they found out about Camila’s departure from the group which initially should’ve been immediate, but for which they fought and gained another year. That, was also the time when Laucy signed their PR contract. As we know from Lauren herself, that was the worst and darkest time for her. That was the beginning of her numbness.

On October 23, they were on their way to Italy and Lauren wrote on her dark diary, the one shown to us in Episode 8 of her Attunements. On October 24, they arrived in Milan for the MTV Europe Music Awards 2015 occurred on October 25, and on October 28, in Madrid instead, there was the interview with Alyson Eckmann, the journalist Camila flirted with while Lauren was sitting right next to her.

Going forward, in November we have:

- Rumors about Lauren and Julius Dein (his friend who is a YouTube magician).

-The release of IKWYDLS including the rumors about Camila and Shawn and Michael Clifford (who was already in the picture) who were ‘vying for her’.

- Beginning of Lauren’s coming out plan which included: 1) The release of The Vamps’ album on November 23rd, that is, a week after the release of IKWYDLS, and which included the track ‘I Found A Girl’. Joe O'Neill, the manager of The Vamps, liked that famous tweet. Despite the efforts to make us believe that Bleahren (sorry for the Italian pun I made here, but ‘bleah’ in Italian is equivalent to the ‘eww’ to indicate something gross, and therefore Bleah-Ren) Brauren was real and that the girl involved was Lucille and not Camila, they’ve miscalculated since Lauren and Brad ‘dated’ in 2014 when Lucy had not yet returned into Lauren’s life. But since the album and consequently the song came out on November 23, 2015, they tried to manipulate people’s minds as usual. 2) Jill’s article that served to connect and more or less ‘confirm’ the story between this Jordan and her childhood friend, Lauren-Lucy.

- December: completion of the 7/27 album + Dina LaPolt’s entry + renegotiation of the contracts (mostly DNA’s contracts) + FIFTH HARMONY MUSIC, INC. created by LAND on December 21 to prepare for the transfer of the 5H trademark, the FIFTH HARMONY PARTNERSHIP, of which they became owners from April 27, 2016 + change of management from Faculty Management: Jared Paul and Janelle Lopez, to Maverick Management: Larry Rudolph, Dan Dymtrow, and Tara Beikae. [All things that were possible ONLY THANKS to the exit of C from the group]

- January 2016, we have Lauren and Lucrezia who came back from Colombia to then taking a road trip for Lucy’s birthday week.

- Jill’s article came out and coincidentally, by pure chance, exactly two days later, on January 27, 2016, Camila and Dinah were hacked.

- On March 9, 2016, Lauren, Normani, Andrea, Dinah, and Keana went to pierce their ears, or rather, Laurmainah pierced their ears, mama Dre and Keana just accompanied them. During her turn, Lauren asked Keana to take her phone to make a video. In the meantime, Mani was filming Lauren, and again by pure chance, Keana, who was in the heart of the frame, took Lauren’s phone as she’d asked, and both the lock screen and the home screen portrayed a picture of Lucania during a photoshoot. Same picture Lucy herself posted on Instagram on April 10th to leave no doubt.

- April 24, 2016, Coachella together.

- Luciana went with 5H in London, in May, during the promotion of the 7/27 album. (+ Camren video of May 28, 2016)

- She was present during the start of the tour in South America on June 26th (in the evening during the concert, L danced Big Bad Wolf for her, but that’s not the famous video, that was on September 5) and 27th to celebrate L’s birthday together (picture of the 27th of them in Buenos Aires).

- June 27, 2016, on L’s birthday, Jill posted a picture with L from the birthday dinner of the year before, further confirming the story of ‘Jordan’.

- August 1, the national girlfriend day, L posted a picture of her and Lucy.

- From August 12 to 21, Lucy was with them. The night after the concert on the 13th in Rochester Hills, Michigan, videos in which Lucilla appeared during Lauren Fuller’s birthday celebration at the hotel for dinner. On the 14th in Noblesville, Indiana, during Gonna Get Better and Big Bad Wolf Lauren smiled in Lucy’s direction who was in the audience. On the 18th in Virginia Beach, Virginia, a fan met Laucy in a movie theater restroom, taking a selfie with Lauren (C posted a picture of her in the dark with the words of Bad Things “don’t think that I can explain it” the same night).

- On September 4 and 5 Lucippe returned. On the 5th in Houston, Texas, the famous ‘super HD’ video took place in which Lauren danced Big Bad Wolf for Lucy, even pointing to her during her verse. [On September 6, Midland, Texas, during the Q&A, Lauren wore the same dress that Lucy was wearing to the concert the night before, and at the same time, she sat next to C and got jealous when C complimented a fan by sending her flying kisses. Ahh… The irony]

Now. Let’s move on to the part of the podcast where Lauren explains about the kiss with Lucza at her uncle and aunt’s wedding, how her aunt “super innocently” posted the pictures on Facebook that her “unreal invasive fans” found and posted, how Perez Hilton outed her to the world by posting an article with those pictures, how she did nothing for a week, and that after thinking “Ok, it happened. People know. What am I gonna do?”, she wrote that letter against Trump as her own way of coming out.

On November 4, 2016, Lauren and Lucynda did the ‘famous’ photoshoot in New Orleans called ‘Bare With Me’. Lauren flew to NOLA right after Halloween, got back to Miami to vote, then returned to New Orleans on the 10th along with her family for the wedding. Lucianna was also with her on the 10th for the rehearsal/bowling with all of Lauren’s relatives. Meanwhile Orange Trumpeter was elected on the 8th, and many celebrities were preparing to write a letter through Billboard against him and his supporters. Labels and management saw it as a perfect opportunity to get her to come out also considering how much Lauren has always been vocal on the subject, and THEY contacted Billboard to get her to participate in exchange of the exclusive of her coming out. All that was missing was the evidence to make sure that there had been no connection with Camila, and that was the reason for the kiss at the wedding on the 11th.

On November 13, the wedding photographer posted those pictures on his website, including the one of the kiss. And I’m sorry, Lolo, I love you but, really? Who are you kidding? The pictures didn’t start spreading because her ‘unreal invasive fans’ found them on her aunt’s Facebook page where she’d posted them ‘super innocently’. The pictures started spreading after the photographer posted them! And you know what’s even more funny? That to see those pictures on the website, you needed an access password. So what are you saying here, Lo? That your ‘unreal invasive fans’ were so good, to even have hacked their way into the website for pictures they didn’t even know existed? It wasn’t your team, was it? Oh, okay. My bad.

Sarcasm aside. The pictures started to spread, Perez tweeted about it on the 14th, and in the meantime Lauren had time to write the letter that was approved by the labels and sent to Billboard (on the 14th), who approved it a couple of days after it was sent (on the 16th), and which they then published it in the article two days later (on the 18th). In all of this, on November 15, 2016, the girls all went to Epic’s party. Since we know very well that most of the cases of coming out as bisexual in the industry made by a female celebrity occur in succession with the connection with a guy, that night there was the PR proposal between Typo Dolour Signal and Lauren that he obviously accepted, and in fact, he was there that night at that party too (Picture of C with a tear mark on her cheek).

Now, the icing on the cake of the Laucy’s PR: Nicole Cartolano. Nicole is a friend of Lecy’s with whom she had already worked together and who also posted pictures of Lauren on November 17 and 22, 2016, one on December 31, 2016, together with Marian Hill taken backstage after Lauren’s performance with them on the 30th, the night before, for the Snow Globe Festival in South Lake Tahoe, California, and the one of Laucy (with the piñata) on January 10, taken the same night to celebrate Lucilia’s birthday at midnight and that Lauren also used to post it for wish her a happy birthday. That was the last public interaction between the two. *Slow entry of Tympans Dollhouse Signalized in the picture from January 4, 2017, thanks to that tweet*.

On January 21, 2017, Lauren and Lucy were at the same Women’s March, but separately (single), and we haven’t seen them together anymore. LuBYE. On March 22, 2017, both ‘Bare With Me’ and the interview article Nicole did with MTV News (she confirmed that Laucy had been together by having an on-again, off-again for years and also said a lot of other bullshit like the fact that the girls were nervous because they didn’t know how their parents would’ve responded) came out. On August 13, 2018, Nicole officially apologized to Lucy for being angry with her for posting the pictures and therefore for having outed her and for having taken part in the MTV interview without their permission. There was also the screenplay made by Nicole’s mom to make everything even more true.

Bullshit on bullshit on bullshit. Number 1, Lauren herself confirmed in this podcast that her parents knew about her, and said how much she loved Lucre’s ‘I’m out and proud’ part.

Number 2, Nicole posted a preview of the pictures on March 18, 2017, so if she really wanted to stop her before the publication on the 22nd, she would’ve had time to do so.

Number 3, Lucita came out publicly on her own with that Spanish post on Instagram on November 20, 2016, saying in summary that she was anything but straight because she didn’t want to label herself (she did it years later by saying she was a lesbian).

Number 4, as Lusia also confirmed in that post where Nicole’s mom left that comment, Nicole signed a non-disclosure agreement form. If she had actually violated it without having had a release and written consent form, she would’ve been sued.

Number 5, if Luciferase really wanted to have that conversation in private with Nicole’s mom, she might very well have done so. She could’ve contacted her and answered her IN PRIVATE for real, and not via IG where EVERYONE saw and took the side of poor, poor Luckless.

Number 6, the biggest proof that shows the hypocrisy of all this, Lucasta continued to work with Nicole. Their last work dates back to November 25, 2019.

Okaay, sure… sure, because it was normal for her to continue working with the person who outed her, wasn’t it? People’s lies never cease to amaze me. For that matter, Nicole also posted a picture of their ‘adventure’ as they made their way to the photoshoot location on November 1, 2017, and continued to wish them both a happy birthday with posts every year.

And lastly, on June 6, 2020, we have the Lucerne’s video leaked (+ old pictures and videos of 5H) where she burned pictures of Lauren and of the two of them together in 2017, accompanied by the tweets occurred two days later, in which she explained that she was hacked and that she burned the pictures for a closure. Then, exactly 20 days later, that is on June 26, 2020, the PAPER Magazine article of Lauren’s interview came out. What a coincidence! In that article, Lauren explained, along with other things, that she’d been in love with her best friend for 7 years.

Lauren, honey, the maths, the maths… If according to your words you fell in love with her at 15, got together with her at 18, and broken up at 20, how can these be 7 years? It’s 5 years… And as if it wasn’t enough, still according to your words, after 1 year and 8 months (from mid-May 2015 to mid-January 2017), 2 months of which public because of the wedding pictures, of the relationship you wanted at all costs, “all in” and “now we’re gonna be in this relationship”, you broke up with her because she was really toxic, and after less than a month, you started dating an even more toxic person without the proper time to heal?? How do you expect me to believe you? And I’m putting aside the fact that I know they’re both PR relationships. I’m speaking out of logic. How? How can I believe you? How does this make any sense?

Personally, yes, I believe Lauren and Lucy have a past. Lauren’s first kiss was when she was 13 (8th grade) with her boyfriend at the time, Dominic, but I think Lucy was her first kiss with a girl. And I think it happened when she was 15, but in 2011, so long before Lucy left. Lauren dated Paul Martinez from June 4, 2011, to the end of July (around 23/24). From after Paul, until her very first PR at X-Factor, Keaton Stromberg, she was single. I truly believe that before she met Camila, Lauren and Lucy did everything Lauren said. I really believe Lauren experimented with her in secret, but I don’t believe in anything else she said at all.

This is my opinion. And in my opinion, Lauren always knew she was queer, and Lucy was the first with whom she could experience the attraction and the feelings towards girls she had always felt and concealed deep inside herself. But they were friends. Just friends. Friends who messed around and experimented together in secret given the environment that surrounded them. Lucy then returned to live in Puerto Rico and they simply drifted apart because of the distance and Lauren’s busy schedule with 5H. When she came back into Lauren’s life, they rekindled their friendship. Just that. Also because, Camila, hello? Camila entered Lauren’s heart the same year Lucy left and never get out of it. Not to mention that Lucy had a girlfriend, Sarah Scott Narcise, before getting together with Nicole Marie Rendón in March 2017. I honestly think that Lucy was also giving advice to Lauren about her relationship with Camila, and I also think that now they really aren’t friends anymore for something we don’t know about, even though I have my theories… But anyway. Lauren needed a beard to be able to come out, Lucy needed visibility for her modeling career and, at the time, also for her music which, however, never saw the light of day. The labels approved because they would’ve done anything to keep their chosen one out of the gay light. Camila also approved. Boom, PR.

I don’t believe all the other bullshit she said during the podcast. Because if they’d been true, they would’ve made logical sense. A sense they’ve been trying, and failing, to give for years. If Lauren really didn’t want to come out, she wouldn’t have done a photoshoot with Lucy a week before the wedding with the intention of using that same photoshoot to come out. She would not have kissed Lucy in a public place during the wedding pictures in front of a professional photographer hired for the event, knowing full well that those pictures would eventually have been published by the bride and groom, her aunt and uncle, and the photographer himself. If she wanted so badly a picture of her kissing her girlfriend, drunk or not, she would’ve taken her fucking phone and take selfies. It wasn’t the fans’ or Perez’s fault. It was the management that was following the plan.

And I’m supposed to, what exactly? Forget all these things, things that have been proofed multiple times in the past, because Lauren, or Camila, or management, or labels, or their contracts, must continue with their stupid narrative? Because Camila must continue to look straight and continue to look in love with Shalt Menstruated because the señorito is about to release his documentary and his album? Because Camila’s movie is about to come out? Because Lauren’s own album is about to be released and because the subject matter of her female-pronounced songs must only and exclusively be related to Lucy? (Although I think her album will be out next year. I think a song with female pronunciation is coming out soon. And no, I’m sorry, I don’t think it’s Burning)

Guys, come on…

Think about it. She used Lucy as a shield to tell part of her story with Camila that happened in 2014. It all fits. Even the story told through songs from Camila’s cocky POV, including ‘Like Friends Do’, ‘Eyes on You’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Leave for Good’, and a couple from her last album like ‘Should’ve Said It’ and ‘Feel It Twice’.

I understand why many of you have been hurt by this podcast and by Lauren herself. I understand why a lot of you are angry about the things she said. I see you, I understand, I really do. And everyone is free to feel whatever they want, I’m not saying otherwise. But I really don’t understand why you’re hiding or why you’re abandoning the ship. Authors who don’t wanna write anymore. Accounts closed. Names changed. Hope lost. This, all this, makes me angry and hurt. Because you fell for it. And you know why you fell for it? Because Lauren changed her approach. Leaving aside the part just before when she said: “Even when I talk about it, and I don’t talk about it because I’ve learned to just ignore it because-” and there, I swear I had to pause because I burst out laughing, and I was like: “Bitch, you’re the one who pulled this out of your ass out of nowhere right this second, what are you saying?”. She went on by saying, and she knows us so well because of this: “I just chose to ignore it at a certain point because getting angry to them would it mean that it was real and validate it more for them”.

And it’s true. This non-angry approach of hers, worked like a charm. Lauren’s older, she’s more mature than before. Although she was very nervous, she managed to explain everything calmly. The fact that she was emotional and almost cried in many parts, it really gave an extra boost to what she tried to sell. And I’m not saying she faked almost crying. Hell, no. That was super true and hard for her. I’m saying though, that it’s really easy to manipulate people’s minds, and Lauren used her real pain, the real suffering she has gone through over the years to tell this charade. That’s why it seemed so real. And I’m supposed to fall for that shit just because that’s what they’ve wanted for years, right? Convenient much?

Guys, please. You’re smarter than that, use those beautiful brains. For example, the fact that Lauren said: “I was queer, but she was not”, wrong as you want it to be, and “Camila and I were just really good friends at that time”, yeah, sure, Jan. Doesn’t the very fact that she used the past tense make you realize that it was done to completely detach herself from her IN THE PRESENT? Everything she said was for something. Everything had a purpose. And the goal is always the same. Make us stop shipping ‘em. Putting a label on C only served the Shoestoremila purpose, nothing else. And those were words that came out of the mouth of the one who says she doesn’t like labeling people. The same one who was pissed that someone had outed her before she wanted to. Do you really think she’s that hypocritical?

The fact that she put all the CS in the same box, especially when she talked about the Daddy situation, WAS DONE ON PURPOSE. She couldn’t fail to generalize because their purpose is, and will be for a long time to come, to kill Camren. That means the whole fandom. Not just invasive elements. But really all the CS. The purpose was to make us feel guilty. The purpose is to make us accept that it was never real, and since we care about them, to make us continue to support them individually and not as a couple, even though she knows that the real CS do it regardless. This, is called manipulation, guys.

Think about everything else too. The inconsistency. The holes in her story. The lack of explanations. And the fact that during the story of how it all happened, she jumped from one theme to another and therefore managed to deflect and not completely finish one before moving on to the other, doesn’t it make you understand that she didn’t want to give too many details? And when does that usually happen? She knew we’d analyze her. She knew she couldn’t say too much. When she talked about Lucy, she knew that WE know she was talking about Camila, and with too many details, it would also have been obvious to the others because WE would’ve pointed it out to everyone. I mean, it’s obvious enough in itself, imagine if she’d fed us more information that we would’ve compared in the timeline.

Please, guys. I know that it feels like something’s changed, but it’s not. It’s really not. I’m appealing to all of you. Open your eyes. Reason. I know many of you still have conflicting emotions and feelings, and that’s okay. If you’re still upset, if you still wanna cry, then cry. Do whatever helps you feel better because, especially after the haters have come to bite your asses, you’re entitled to feel the way you do. But please, please, don’t give up. If you give up, you just play their game. You just do them a favor. You guys had invested so much of your time, so much of your passion, so much of yourselves to just, give up. Think of all we’ve been through, especially those who’ve been in the fandom for years. Think about how happy Camren makes you. They were there for you when you needed them. When you were going through hard times. I know they’ve helped a lotta people.

And think about this too. Lauren herself said at the beginning of the podcast: “The news and the media are constantly spinning narratives for your clicks so they can make money”. And what do you think this podcast was for? It’s always the same shit. Have you not noticed how the very same news and media have ALL talked about them? Didn’t you notice how My Oh My magically returned into the charts? How 50ft surpassed the 9 million streams on Spotify? And you still have doubts?

This is instead for the CS who get often angry about their actions. I personally think it’s pointless to blame Lauren and Camila for every single thing they do that has been PLANNED for them. Especially Camila as far as Shonas is concerned. There’s a pattern here too. Lauren had her light PR with Lucia. Lauren then had her heavy PR with Typic Dole Sight while Camila had a light one with Eatchu. And now Camila’s having a heavy one. C’s one is heavier simply because they’re much more famous than PRen (Tyren) were. So, guys, be patient. There’s really no point in getting angry and blaming them. It’s a waste of energy. It’s useless to blame them if they’re gonna continue to do so over the years to come. They’re just still trying to get past their original contracts and survive in the industry at the same time. Sooner or later, I HOPE, they will be free to tell the truth or the truth will come out on its own.

Well, I’m done. Jeez, that was long, wasn’t it? But I hope it was worth it. I hope I’ve cleared your heads a little bit and instilled some hope again. I also hope I made you smile with all those nicknames and my sarcasm. I especially hope that wherever you are, you’re having a good day, and if not, then I hope it has improved at least a little bit with this post. And thank you so much, Stuck. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to use my voice for the first time publicly/virtually. You, above all, keep on being one of the lights and NEVER let them turn you off. I love you guys. Stay safe. Stay strong. Stay patient. With love, F.

I leave you with these two pearls:

Number 1. Lauren said something else too. She said: “Don’t trust me. Go research. Go look this shit up yourself”. I know she said it for a completely different context, but I found it really funny given the situation.

Number 2. This is a small scene that automatically created itself in my head as soon as I finished listening to Wonder. I titled it: The sad and short story of the making of ‘Wonder’.

Enjoy:

*on the phone*

Shawl Mendicant: “Hey, buddy. I know you were a huge Fifth Harmony fan and I know you love my fake girlfriend, so I was thinking… could you help me? You know, I need her to stay relevant, but to do that, I also need to release music and completely take all the credit from other people because, you know, the most I do is change a sentence or two in my style to make people think that I wrote all my songs.”

Sam Smith: “………okay?”

Shawnita Menorrhagia: “So, I was wondering, can I copy your homework? You can totally refuse if you want to, but I’m hoping to appeal to the love you have for 5H and Camila, and maybe help a friend out?”

Sam Smith: “Yeah, sure, you can copy my homework. Anything for my girls. Just, change it up a bit so it doesn’t sound too obvious you just copied it.”

Shonas Mended: “Don’t worry. I’ve got this. Thanks, man.” - *ends the call*

Sam Smith looking at the phone with an incredulous expression and one hand over his heart: “I came out as a non-binary, you insensitive asshole!”

Shoes Mentionable from the other room: “Cameeela! He said yes!” *reaching then Camila and Lauren in the living room where Lauren is lying with her head resting on Camila’s legs who’s running her fingers through her hair with one hand and holding the book that she’s reading with the other one* “You were right, all I had to do was mention you girls.”

Lauren chuckling and continuing to pet Cleo who’s lying at the foot of the couch with one hand: “Told you”, to then adding: “And please, I know you’re excited because of the news but keep your voice down”, continuing to caress Sofi’s head who’s sleeping on top of her with the other one.

Shapeless Mentality: “Oh, sorry.”

Camila without looking away from her book: “Sam’s really nice. I’m sure they would’ve said yes even without the need of mentioning us.”

Lauren: “Hmm, I’m not so sure about that, babe. Yes, they’re very nice, but we’re powerful in their minds, so it was an added incentive for them to say yes.”

Shaved Mentholated: “Who are they? Weren’t we talking about Sam?”

Camila who was giggling at her girlfriend’s words:

Lauren:

Sinu from the kitchen:

Cleo who was nibbling her toy:

Even Thunder, Leo, and Eugene from outside into the yard:

*the end*

Chon Mendable: ‘Wonder’ - Sam Smith: ‘One Last Song’

____

OMG I am speechless. I’m really still digesting this whole story because it’s amazing but I wanted to start by saying hello to you and telling you my name, my name is Marite. It is a pleasure to meet you dear friend. I don’t want to write too much because your words are much more important than mine but I wanted to thank you for trusting me and my blog to tell me your story. That side of the story that, being new and not having been a harmonizer from the beginning, I never learned. I intended to ask for more information about Laucy’s Timeline but what you have told is a gem. A gem that shows that the bastards of the industry cannot fool the fans because we pay attention to everything and it is not easy for us to fall for their shit. I think the power we fans have is so great that if we all came together, we could bring down this whole fucking fake empire that they have created. That said, Laucy’s story is surprising. As planned and how each person involved had to do their part on the chessboard. Incredible. Now that you tell me that story, I think it fits the one I wrote in my once upon a time post. Sure, yours is true and has everything that mine doesn’t. I have tried to keep this blog open for all who wish to come and air their ideas, their thoughts, their tea. And you dear friend, you have been one of the best so far. You’ve given us that support that the fandom so badly needed and I really appreciate it. I also appreciate your humor, the nicknames have been so hilarious and I’m still laughing. Thank you for daring to tell this part of the story and reopen the can of worms of a PR that right now resurfaces with that Lauren interview. With a purpose, it’s true. And something tells me that we will see much more very soon. Thank you for your support, my friend. And you know, you have my blog at your disposal for whatever you need. And if you need to talk or anything else. I greatly appreciate that we can continue to keep this ship afloat among ourselves. Among a group of intelligent people who have been hurt by someone we have always loved very much even though we know the reason for all that. We can’t give up now because if we do it like you say they will win and I personally don’t plan to indulge them in that. Thank you very much for all dear friend and I hope you have a nice day. I send you a hug and I hope you stay safe.

[hailbop1701]

@lauraaan182 picked prompt #74!

Welcome Aboard

Word Count: 804

BonesXReader (Star Trek AOS)

Welcome to the first pick-a-prompt! Once again if you didn't catch my PSA: the rules are simple, every Tuesday I will pick at random a person who hearted a previous work of mine to choose a number between 1 and 100. I'll show you the prompt and you then decide if you want an X reader or a gen (Friendship) fic! Right now I'm doing Doom (2005), Almost Human, and Star Trek AOS. Once I'm a bit more comfortable with other fandoms I'll at to my list. 😁 but for now please enjoy!

(No beta. There will be typos)

-H❤🖖

The ship tilted and shuddered as it was being barraged by enemy fire; the nurses of sickbay scrambled to tether their patients down and deal with the influx of incoming wounded. Doctor Leonard McCoy cursed angrily in one of the ship’s surgical suites, 

“Damnit Jim!” he hollered trying to keeping his balance. 

Leonard glanced up so he could see out the observation window into the rest of the bay, he saw you scurrying between crewmen a medical tricorder clutched in your hands. He jerked his head in the direction of the comm unit on the wall and a nurse rushed over to turn it on, “How are you doing darlin’?” 

You turned to look at him with a scowl on your face, “Some first day!” you shouted blowing a strand of stray hair from your eyes. Leonard chuckled, 

“Welcome to the Enterprise Doctor (Y/L/N),” 

You may have huffed in annoyance but a smile slipped into place as you gently eased a young ensign off of the sickbay floor. “Here you go sweetheart,” you soothed brushing the hair back on their head. You administered a pain reliever and gestured for the nurse who had been shadowing you to start healing the young man’s leg. 

“Get his leg started, and let’s monitor him. I don’t like the concussion he’s got,” you said eyes scanning the rest of the room. Just about everyone has been attended to, 

“Doctor!” a voice rang out causing you to whip your head in the direction of the sickbay doors. Someone from security was lugging in a young woman from engineering, her blonde head bloody and burns cascaded up and down her arms. Rushing over you pulled the girl’s other arm around your shoulder to get her to a free biobed. 

The ship gave a violent jerk, yelping you caught the engineer as you were all tossed to the side. Crashing onto the floor painfully you quickly yet carefully lowered the girl to the ground beside you. Checking her pulse you whistled getting a nurse’s attention, one looked over and saw you. She rushed stumbling over fallen crewmen and equipment a spare medical tricorder in her hand. 

“Nurse Chapel, right?” you asked and the woman nodded giving you a small smile. “We need to get her into surgery,” you murmured checking the tricorder readings. A stretcher appeared beside you and the young girl was lifted on and whisked away to be Leonard’s next customer. 

It was four hours later when things finally quieted down. You sat sprawled on the couch in Leonard’s office with an arm draped over your eyes. 

“So how was your first day?” a voice asked crouched by your side. You lifted your arm and stuck your tongue out at the offender. Leonard smirked as you rolled your eyes, 

“It was eventful, a lot more action than Starbase nine,” you snorted. Leonard smiled ruefully, groaning as he got up from the crouched position by your head. He lifted your legs and sat down beside you before lowering them again over his lap. “So when you said you needed my brilliant psychology skills on this ship…” you trailed off with a chuckle. 

Leonard hummed leaning his head back against the wall behind the couch, “Well (Y/N) I think your expertise with trauma certainly helps. That and when Jim gave the okay to bring on another Doctor you were the first person I thought of,” 

“Admit Len, you missed me,” you teased with a wink. He looked over at you and took your hand in his, 

“Damn straight Yankee Girl,” 

You scoffed at the old moniker, “you’re never gonna let that go,” you grumbled squeezing his hand. Leonard snickered remember the good old days in med school, 

“My god my momma would beg me to bring you home during vacations,” he sighed and grimaced. You bit your lip to keep the sad smile from showing, “It’s in the past Len, leave it there,” 

Leonard pinched the bridge of his nose, “I don’t regret my baby girl at all. But I do have some regrets when it came between you and Joslyn,” 

“How do we keep getting into these situations?” you murmured the little spark you both felt years ago flared to life again like it was only yesterday that you were pretending to study in your dorm. Leonard let out a dry laugh, 

“Eleven years of friendship and I still don’t know,” 

You grinned as your heart sank a little bit; Leonard watched as you sank further into the couch your legs curling around him. “Eleven years…” he breathed, rubbing his thumb over the back of your hand as you drifted off. “We both sort of fucked up in the love department,” you mumbled sleepily, making Leonard click his tongue.

 “Maybe I’ll get it right this time around,” 

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Star Trek X Reader: @lumar014ad

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[imitationpersonne]

Get to Know the Blogger

Can be used for RP and non-RP blogs to get to know a bit about the person behind the screen! Repost, don’t reblog!

1. FIRST NAME:  My alias is KumaraDosha, and you can call me that, Kumara, Mara, or something else you have learned I go by. :3c

2. STRANGE FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: I have an extra half a vertebra in my lumbar spine, bigger on the left side, that makes my back less stable and more susceptible to pain and injury, and part of the reason I had to change my career from being a surgical technologist was because of that wear and tear.

3. TOP THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE ON A PERSON: ...I really don’t know how to answer this. Attraction is so finicky for me, and “aesthetically pleasing” really just depends on the person. I guess all I can say is the most identifiable “type” of person I’d be attracted to are sort of...waifish women? Maybe Scandinavian features, IDK. Something vaguely similar to Anya Taylor-Joy’s soft looks, any hair color.

4. A FOOD YOU COULD EAT FOREVER AND NOT GET BORED OF: Ice cream/shakes.

5. A FOOD YOU HATE: Olives.

6. GUILTY PLEASURE: Assigning characters of different fandoms Homestuck godtier classes and aspects.

7. WHAT DO YOU SLEEP IN: Usually an old, big shirt and pajama pants.

8. SERIOUS RELATIONSHIPS OR FLINGS: Serious relationships only, if not neither.

9. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN THE PAST AND CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOU AND WHAT WOULD IT BE: I might go back and pick sonography as my major first, instead of trying nursing school, getting psychologically abused and mistreated by nursing teachers, having a breakdown and quitting, getting a surgical technology degree after being treated poorly by teachers/students/staff, quitting surgical tech work after 3 years due to depression/anxiety and physical strain, then coming back to school for a third time with past healthcare-school trauma and trying to get a bachelor’s in sonography. Then again, I learned a whole lot--educationally, about life, about the behaviors and cultures of healthcare workers, and about how people are--in those other schools/professions, so I’m not sure that’s worth giving up? I’d be very much richer right now, though, and not dependent on family or in debt. Plus, surgical technology is actually really cool (and still very much a passion of mine), and I don’t want to give those experiences and memories up. So maybe I’d just nix the nursing school, do surgical tech for a few years, and then go for sonography. Who knows, man; life and its consequences are so unpredictable.

10. ARE YOU AN AFFECTIONATE PERSON: Probably not. I am very sensitive to rejection if I’ve been honest or vulnerable, so I usually only gush over people I trust and honestly feel that way about.

11. A MOVIE YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN: I really don’t know if there’s any like that for me?? But I guess The Signal is a movie I like to show people and watch with them, because many haven’t seen it, and I find it fascinating. I also love Tron Legacy a whole lot.

13. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP ANY ANIMAL AS A PET, WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE: I would choose a Samoyed dog, if I were able to have it well-taken-care-of (which I can’t do at this point, which is why I don’t have one).

14. TOP FIVE FICTIONAL SHIPS: Oh boy, uh. At the moment? It’s hard for me to give any ultimate lists, because they can all be terribly mishandled or cringe depending on how they’re portrayed, which often somehow turns out to be popular in the fandom, and that spoils it for me a little bit... You know what, screw the rules; I’ma throw out a bunch--six from BNHA that I favor atm and then a diverse cast of some oldies I still like that will be more than five. Not particularly in order of rank...

From BNHA, Monoma Neito x Shinsou Hitoshi; Monoma Neito x Midoriya Izuku; Monoma Neito x Kuroiro Shihai (there may or may not be huge RP bias here); Bakugou Katsuki x Uraraka Ochaco; Bakugou Katsuki x Todoroki Shouto; Shigaraki Tomura x Dabi.

From other fandoms... Kuja x Terra (Dissidia Final Fantasy), Genos x Sonic (One Punch Man), Akabane Karma x Asano Gakushu (Assassination Classroom), Beyond Birthday x L Lawliet (Death Note, but ONLY from an epic-long series of canon-divergent fanfictions that nobody’s going to have heard of), Yami Bakura x Yami Yugi (Yu-Gi-Oh!), Aoba x Noiz (Dramatical Murder), Matsuoka Rin x Nanase Haruka (Free!), Eridan Ampora x Sollux Captor (Homestuck), Caliborn x Dirk Strider (Homestuck), The Batter x Zacharie (OFF), Sniper x Spy (Team Fortress 2). ...The hate/enemies/rivals ships are kind of a theme, aren’t they.

15. PIE OR CAKE: Cake.

16. FAVORITE SCENT: At the moment, I really like the Snowflakes and Cashmere body wash at Bath and Body Works. Also Butterfly Flower. Also give me baking cookies or blueberry muffins.

17. CELEBRITY CRUSH: They all disappoint me. They’re just human beings, often not very good ones.

18. IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD YOU GO: Heaven, bitch. (Okay, maybe an island resort or a cruise or something.)

19. INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT:  Introvert who can appear extremely extrovert in comfortable company. I guess ambivert fits better.

20. DO YOU SCARE EASILY: Depends. In real life, I’d say not really, but if you can find a way to trigger my imaginative paranoia, then maybe. I can’t play scary video games, because they make me way too tense, but I absolutely love watching other people play them, and I get very scared, especially by jumpscares (but in a fun way, LOL). I also love watching horror movies (though most are embarrassingly un-scary). I do not like jumpscares in movies. Cheap. I also love reading/hearing creepy stories that are presumably true (that’s usually what triggers my imaginative paranoia and puts me in a bad headspace, but whoops, still interesting to me).

21. IPHONE OR ANDROID: I’ve only ever had iPhone.

22. DO YOU PLAY ANY VIDEO GAMES: Yeah. I wish I played more, but I seem to procrastinate a lot on playing games for some reason, and I’m not that good besides. I prefer PC to consoles, and I have tons and tons of games on Steam (many that I haven’t gotten around to trying yet), but I also have a PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Games of note that I have played a decent bit are Zelda Breath of the Wild, Fallout 4, Skyrim, Darkest Dungeon, Smash, Saints Row 3 and 4, many of the Final Fantasy games... And a heck ton more, uh.

24. WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH A MILLION DOLLARS: Pay off debts, share with family/friends, charity, invest in rich people stocks or whatever, and also live a nice-ass life. Honestly not sure if I’d quit working entirely...? I tend to get depressed if my life doesn’t have meaning like that. I have to give something back to the world. Besides, a million dollars literally lasts like under 20 years in normal circumstances...? That’s not something you retire on as a young person, unless you’re investing well...which I would need help figuring out how to do. I hate managing money.

25. FICTIONAL CHARACTER YOU HATE: Off the top of my head, probably Jane Crocker and Aranea from Homestuck.

26. FANDOM THAT YOU WERE ONCE A PART OF BUT AREN’T ANY LONGER: Trigun fandom! I still love that series...!

tagged by: @galaxythixf

tagging: You, but only if you like me, even if from afar. :3c

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Hey, I recently found your blog and I love your writing! Is it okay if I ask for some headcanons of Daughter of Hephaestus!MC from that one L&L/PJO crossover post? I know that it was it’s an older post.

OF COURSE, IT IS. Old posts or not, I definitely have ideas. I am super pumped people like my writing. Like… it super motivates me to keep going.

Alright, given that this is about a specific MC, I’m naming her… *looks up Greek Heroes* Atlanta. Atlanta Copperfield. As well, we’re going to have some general headcanons before going into the other ones.

LONG ASS POST

General

Atlanta fought in both wars. She’s not the best smith of the cabin or anything, but she was really good with armor and weapons. 

All Hephaestus kids have a Spark that lets them build amazing things. It’s part of their gift from their dad.

Has one of those enchanted belts you can put anything in

Is wicked strong. Like scary, scary strong.

Is semi-immune to fire- not like Leo but can withstand very high temps.

Has a lot of scars from the battles and has a hard time being anything but a fighter.

Left camp due to her PTSD and hatred of herself as she did have to kill siblings during the war. 

May or may not secretly hate the Gods.

Does love her dad but in a very distant way. 

Her mother died protecting her from a monster when she was six. She really hates Hyrdas. 

Witch Queen spell went wonky and the soul latched onto baby Atlanta. Her body changed to match the WQ appearance but no one really notices because God Genes are WEIRD. Seriously- her sister has purple hair. It’s weird.

Atlanta fully accepts she’s in a whole new world because she is used to weird shit.

Reiner

Reiner shows Atlanta around and she just freaks about the not so great armor some of the guards are wearing. Insists on making new ones for them. He shows her to the smithery.

Atlanta becomes a huge help in the castle. Reiner finds himself often sitting with her in the evenings as she designs things. The two build a strong friendship this way.

Thing is the generals don’t realize she looks like the WQ for a while. Mostly cause Atlanta isn’t thin and with long hair hanging down. She’s quite muscular and has her hair in a bun or a ponytail like 99% of the time.

They only figure it out when Atlanta lets her hair down while going for a walk with Reiner in the village, who all now know Atlanta isn’t the WQ cause she’s so nice and builds stuff for them.

Everyone ships her and Reiner. It’s adorable.

Demigods have super quick relationships because most die by like thirty so she is down for a wedding. Yep, oooh, can she make armor for them as their wedding outfits?

Atlanta being semiposessed by the WQ is really fucking scary cause of her demigod blood making her more sturdy and her Spark.

Now, it turns out the Gods are watching and when she gets possessed also get worried because even they feel the WQ is a big fucking deal. Soooooooo… they come to that world. 

Yep, Gods appear in Reiner’s castle and don’t care they see them. (Zeus may actually like the fact they believe)

Atlanta loses her Spark to protect it from the WQ until she is either free or dead. Atlanta as well goes into a heavy depression and is very much a zombie during this time because a Spark is part of her soul.

Reiner is literally the only thing keeping her from giving in.

(Wow this is getting long) Being free gives her Spark back and she throws herself into building weapons and armor. It actually takes Solaire yelling at her to have her realize that Oh shit, Reiner is not acting like himself because she was in a giant fog of working.

Big fight with her and Reiner. Both are really bad at acting like adults with their work because he was worrying over her thanks to Ryland and she was worrying over him…

Atlanta is fucking scary with a shield. She is very strong and can even knock down a wall thanks to a strange metal that appeared in her belt one day. She thinks it might be an apology from her dad…

She totally takes him to Camp while in her original world before they leave. Sophie comes to now that she remembers. Chiron likes him and with his help they create a stable portal.

Her siblings approve.They do make them recite a blessing for Hera and jump over a fire but that’s it. They’re married.

Atlanta makes him a crossbow that is enchanted to shoot fire or ice arrows. 

August

August totally thinks she’s the WQ for five minutes and then she starts ranting about his sword.

Nope, no longer WQ, now she is a sword buddy. They get along fantastic after that.

Atlanta doesn’t run off beginning season2, instead, she stays because running off would be stupid. 

Atlanta dislikes sword fighting. She’s good at it and likes swords but she’s wicked strong so she likes to try and have her fighting resemble that. 

She ends up making a wicked heavy sword that lets her smash all she wants. August is appauled.

“Look, I used to ride a pegasus. Horses do not have wings. That is why i suck at this.” “No, you are simply bad at it because you are to stiff-” “I RODE A FLYING HORSE. OF COURSE I AM STIFF.”

August’s mom loves her when she ends up like fixing everything in their inn because her hands just won’t stop. Asta is like “Marry that woman.” August blushes.

The Gods come to yell when they’re in council. Apparently this is her quest and she must defeat the WQ because *some reason*. Her Spark is removed for a year as punishment for letting her gain a body.

It’s awful. August is terrified for her, she’s a zombie. He prays to the Gods, begging. Eventually Hep is like: fuck this and gives her back her Spark early. Just in time for battle.

Atlanta brings Sophie to the Camp. They all pitch in but still Sophie has to stay for now. She hates it but now knows other magic people!!

Atlanta also brings back necter and stuff but still ends up cursed in the end. 

August Dad is eh about her. Heard rumors but didn’t believe until she lifted a tree off him and did some pretty cool stuff.

Also again, let her at the broken stuff. She’s good at it.

When August’s sword breaks she offers to make a new one but like… for some reason she can never make the right one. it’s super frustrating for the both of them and she is wicked upset about it. And then they meet Aisetha.

“I could make a better sword.” “No you cannot.” “I’m making one that talks to.”

Aisetha does let Atlanta make the armor to it’s wishes but it does look badass so fine.

These two fuckin hate each other, it’s the best.

The wedding has traditional vows and Chiron, as well as a bunch of siblings, come through a portal to party.

Saerys

Saerys does not think this girl is the WQ. It’s obvious she uses physical strength and the WQ is pure magic.

Atlanta does not go to his room in the beginning- she knows this shit is real. But she and Saerys bond over being really strong and soon they end up having contests with picking shit up.

Atlanta picked up Saerys who was picking up Reiner once. 

Atlanta fixes everything still. Also builds random shit everywhere. Eventually, she has to stay with Saerys in his room cause Ryland and Solaire get annoyed when she takes stuff apart.

She can’t help it. Literally. She actually confesses she’s a demigod to Saerys because she feels alone here without any siblings. She may have left camp but she had called them. 

Saerys gets being alone.

Atlanta ends up dropkicking Lennox out of town after she gives everyone a speech about his armor and how they’re all idiots for not realizing it was WQ general armor.

Atlanta isn’t affected by Saery’s heat or strength in Turbo Mode and can hold him down. 

Dying at the hand of the Witch Queen but being brought back removes half of her Spark. She has a harder time making things and thinking. Saerys is there to help though.

Saerys and Atlanta spar a lot.

Chicago also brings them to find the camp and Saerys realizes they will be in danger no matter where. 

The demon gods team up with the Greek Gods to bring Saerys back to life and restore the full of Atlanta’s soul. This also reveals that Atlanta is a demigod to everyone.

Atlanta’s Spark is twisted a little and talks now to her, urging her to create and build weapons. Like messed up weapons of mass destruction.

Saerys and Atlanta struggle a lot with the demon souls possessing Saerys- it’s hard to control them when you also have a nutjob Spark yelling to build things.

At least the stupid Souls like her now, thanks to the Spark giving them ideas.

They warn the Camps about the WQ maybe invading and they get ready.

Atlanta whispers a wedding blessing when they pass each other the rings because they’re already married demon style. Let’s do it demigod.

Altea

Okay, like Saerys she figures that Atlanta is not WQ quick thanks to Atlanta being shit with any magic that is not building things.

Atlanta is given scrap metal because of her need to build things. She doesn’t realize she’s making jewlery with one person in mind until she makes a pretty pair of pink earing and oh.

Atlanta’s crush on tiny Altea is hilarious. Everyone does given Atlanta is the type to give pretty things to her object of affection. Altea is very happy.

Only once did Altea ever agree to be picked up by Atlanta in battle. Never again. Very undignified!

“But fun.” “Stop it my raven.”

Altea meets her family in Chicago and they figure that Iris Messaging still works in the other world afterwards so they chat a lot.

Atlanta’s demigod status is revealed to Altea in Chicago and the two worship Hep and like Athena and stuff but it’s revealed to everyone when Hep comes to give her this special metal so she can make a sword for herself to fight the witch queen.

Atlea compares the Spark to Magic.

Meeting Mireille and finding out Altea’s a princess makes Atlanta feel scruffy. Sure, she’s a demigod but… princess. She’s just a smith.

Altea makes sure she doesn’t feel that way for long. 

Atlanta makes a ring for Altea as a proposal thing. She loves it.

seeing her go fully Magical Girl Mode makes Atlanta fall for her all over again.

Meeting her family is hard, given she is very much a smith, but they do warm up. They also Iris Message some friends so that the Queen and King realize they’re telling the truth about Atlanta being from another world and the demigod stuff.

Lional now wants to learn to smith. Atlanta just wants him to stop poking at the fire.

Iseul

Okay, Iseul does not think she’s the WQ because she doesn’t have the right feel.

Atlanta may have punched him once in annoyance.

they may end up in a fight a few times. They just irritate each other to much.

Their first kiss is during a fight. Everyone was betting on it.

Atlanta’s Spark goes into haywire at seeing the bow Iseul has because she has SO MANY IDEAS

Iseul loves it. Every bit. He is always bragging about this girl to everyone in the village when she goes to get fun stuff to play with.

Imohn ends up liking her when she comes up with an arrow that when fired goes into a dragon made out of fire.

atlanta and Iseul are the worst together. Seriously. No, do not… Atlanta, do not make that! Iseul says it’s okay! NO!

The whole demigod thing comes out when the Gods come during a council meeting to yell at Atlanta for letting the WQ out. She points out she did not know what would happen and no one said this was a quest.

Zeus is not pleased but she lives. Barely. Her Spark is taken from her and she falls into a deep depression.

Iseul is struggling to help her and get his mother to accept her. It all really goes to shit when Ishara ends up in a coma without accepting Atlanta.

Atlanta manages to fight through the depression and help Iseul. They wake up Ishara who accepts her. She also gets her Spark back because that was a lesson she had to learn.

 “It was a fucking shitty lesson.”

Chicago is nuts. “How on earth… you were supposed to be created only a few years ago!” “Go bug Chiron for that… or maybe like Hecate or something.” Camp is a nightmare.

Magnus is horrified the rumors of her being a demigod are true. Ha, fuck you buddy.

“I’m pregnant!!! OH! I HAVE IDEAS FOR THE NURSERY!!!” “NO ATLANTA!” “YES MY LOVE!”

Just these two idiots are awful.

[johnpodlaski]

Wikipedia describes Nose art as a decorative painting or design on the fuselage of a military aircraft, usually chalked up on the front fuselage, and is a form of aircraft graffiti.

While begun for practical reasons of identifying friendly units, the practice evolved to express the individuality often constrained by the uniformity of the military, to evoke memories of home and peacetime life, and as a kind of psychological protection against the stresses of war and the probability of death. The appeal, in part, came from nose art not being officially approved, even when the regulations against it were not enforced.

I’ve attached hundreds of unique color photos Huey’s, Chinooks, and more, showing how soldiers decorated their helicopters during the Vietnam War.  Most are elaborate, colorful, and often comical art inspired by Sixties and Seventies pop culture, music, cartoons and comics, psychedelia, and politics, as well as sex and booze.  The artwork personalizes an aircraft for its crew, because it is the crew members who name the aircraft and create the art, christening it with an identity of its own.

I’d like to offer a special “Thank You” to John Conway for allowing me to share many of these pictures from his Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) Museum – donors of individual pictures are credited below.  The museum website is chock full of pictures, stories and other aviation information from the Vietnam War. The museum continues to grow and John welcomes any donations of images, stories or memorabilia for inclusion into the website and live exhibits. Please make it a point to visit the museum in the near future at http://www.vhpamuseum.org  

Quite a few pictures in the SLIDE SHOW below are not identified by unit or have additional info about the artwork.  If you can identify and provide that information, please get back to me.  Also, if anyone wants to contribute personal pictures of their ship’s artwork (Vietnam era) and back-up information, I’d be honored to add them to this article.  You can also mention whether or not I can forward copies to John Conway for the museum.

I hope you enjoy the 200+ photos!

Legend:

AHC – Assault Helicopter Company AML – Air Mobile Light ASH –  Assault Support Helicopter AWC – Aerial Weapons Company CAC – Corp Aviation Company HH – Heavy Helicopter

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Hank Llewellyn Interestingly, the photo, “71 AHC Rattlers – Image courtesy of Jim Adams, 1st Platoon Leader, Dec 68 – Dec 69” is of Medal of Honor recipient Col. Bruce Crandall’s door art. It was painted by CWO Sid Cowen. The doors adorned, then Major Crandall, Huey into the battle of the Ia Drang Valley, Nov 1965. The blue triangle indicates Alpha Company of the 229th AHB. The coiled serpent is formed in the shape of a “6” re: “Serpent 6” Crandall’s call sign. Photo is on display in the Pentagon “Hall of Hero’s”. Bruce returned to VN in1967 but was unable to locate the old doors that were refitted to each Huey he flew.

The 174th Dolphins, the “slicks,” adopted the above nose-art logo in mid-1967 that became a standard for several years. While there were a few individualized drawings used for nose-art on Dolphins, both before and after the ones depicted here, none were known to have been used on more than one aircraft at a time.  Photo by Jim McDaniel, 1967.

Warlord 043 donated by Charles H. Hallett Jr. 123rd AVN Bn Co B Aero Scouts – Americal Division.  Supported troops in Happy Valley and A Shau Valley.

We used the Griffin call sign for the UH-1’s and the Little Griffin call sign for the LOH’s. I recall, some time before I left in 69, that we had to give up the Griffin call sign because some other unit was using it. One of the nose paintings was “Virgin Eater”. Another was “Cherry Popper.” This was based upon the logic that the mythical griffin only ate virgins – a perfect theme for young male pilots. Pilots’ names in this shot are; left as you face the chopper – CWO Bruce Sutton, and right as you face the chopper – CWO Richard Vonhatten.  Image courtesy of Pete Rzeminski, CW2 (8/68 – 12/69), HHC (Avn Det), 1st Brigade, 101st Abn Div.

“The Incredible Hulk” of the 121st AHC – This ship had some reason to be slung back to Soc Trang. On down wind it began to oscillate and the Chinook had to punch him off at about 300 feet. With about 40 guys watching including the AC. I had my camera and for the life of me don’t know why I wasn’t taking pic’s. Dam! makes me sick everytime I think about it. Image courtesy of Lowell L. Eneix.

D 3/5 OH-23 “Raven” featuring nose art of the “Spooks” Scout platoon (circa 1967). The “Spooks” were the predecessors of the Warwagons and possibly the only unit to fly the Raven in combat.  Image courtesy of Richard Bench

This piece of Nose art lasted less than a month. This helicopter’s crew chief was the pilot NCOIC for the Aero rilfle plt’s birds. His name was SFC John R Rock. (AT this time the Sgt Rock Comics were hot). D/1/1 had deployed from Fort Hood to join with our parent squadron 1/1 Armored Squadron assigned to the American Div in Chu Lai. Enroute our orders were changed attaching the troop to 2/17 Cav, 101st. This was the period of time when the division went from Airbone, to Airmobile and back to Airborne (Airmoble) in less than 2 months. We had the first Cobras attached to the division and 1st Avn Bde units supporting the 101st were redesignated as 101 units . The Division had become the Army’s second Airmobile Division As soon as the change was “Officially Completed” The word came down from Division Hqs there would be no Nose Art in the division and Sgt Rock disappeared. Image courtesy of Ray Knight

“Strawberry Bitch” of the 121st AHC (Namesake of the B-24 now in the US Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio – ” I am pretty sure the pilot of that AC was the SON of the pilot who flew the B-24 on display at Wright-Patterson. Our company commander made him change it from “bitch” to “blonde” didn’t want any “nasty words” being displayed. So this just might be the only picture of the original “Strawberry Bitch” of the 121st” – Lowell Eneix     Image courtesy of Lowell L. Eneix

Casper Aviation Platoon was the only separate aviation platoon in the United States Army during the Vietnam War.  Casper was organized with the 173d Airborne Brigade on Okinawa in 1963 and arrived in country with the Brigade on May 5, 1965 becoming the first United States Army ground unit committed to the Vietnam War. Casper Platoon supported the Brigade until they all left Vietnam in August 1971.

“The nose art is basically the standard design of several of our Huey’s but I added the name “Tumbleweed”. That’s what I called my ship.   The door art was a take off of a Sunday morning cartoon character. My CE at that point was a Sergeant John Sulfridge. We had to sneak the parts down town and have the art work done. I sent him in while I waited in the jeep. That was a mistake as you see my last name is misspelled. I was with D-Troop 3/5th From Sept ’70 to ’71. We changed our Unit to C 3/17 sometime before I left. I was the “Slick” Platoon Commander “Long Knife 26”.  Image courtesy of Mike Rokey

Don’t forget to visit the VHPA museum in the near future at http://www.vhpamuseum.org

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response.

If you want to learn more about the Vietnam War and its Warriors, then subscribe to this blog and get notified by email or your feed reader every time a new story, picture, video or changes occur on this website – the button is located at the top right of this page.

I’ve also created a poll to help identify my website audience – before leaving, can you please click HERE and choose the one item best describing you. Thank you in advance!

  Nose Art during the Vietnam War Wikipedia describes Nose art as a decorative painting or design on the fuselage of a military aircraft, usually chalked up on the front fuselage, and is a form of aircraft graffiti.

[zandyin]

Don’t mind me - I’m reposting some old posts from another blog here cause it’s... relevant. :y This post is from 2016 l m a o

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I got up too early today and have a lot of time to kill, so here’s a rambling of my Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha ship headcanon/mechanics. Yeah. Talking about Louis->Raidou, Raidou/Dahn, and why I’ll probably never draw the obvious slash ship most people have.

This is seriously not going to be interesting if you haven’t played DSRK2 and/or don’t ship any of those.

LOUIS –> RAIDOU

Anyone who follows my art blog probably knows I draw quite a bit of Louis -> Raidou, lmao. It’s been a while since I played DSRK2 (and I have a very shoddy memory in general), but I’ve always seen Louis’ interest in Raidou as very… curiously amused? It’s not a romantic attraction in any sense of the word, and (in my headcanons) Raidou does not reciprocate the feeling at all, haha.

I just like to think grand ol’ Louis Cyphre just wants to have some fun by flirting with a cute boy who may or may not actually be a challenge to take on in a fight. Maybe Louis kinda likes the idea that someone like Raidou can subdue him, if only for a little while. Plus DSRK2 doesn’t hold back on mentioning how beautiful Raidou is – and he is! – so I think even Louis would fall a little for the sideburn detective. :v He sees a lot of potential in Raidou. Iirc, he was interested in seeing Raidou again after the events of the second game for… whatever reason.

Louis doesn’t flirt with the intention to get the goods from Raidou, but at the same time, he probably wouldn’t mind if it went that way. :’^) It’s very one-sided, though. Which is why I’m always writing it as Louis -> Raidou. You could say I like the aesthetic of a one-sided flirting prince of hell towards a beautiful yet unobtainable detective swordsman.

In most of my headcanons, law Raidou just finds it annoying, while chaos Raidou doesn’t reciprocate either but does use it to his advantage. And Louis knows! But Louis always feels like he is in control or he IS in control, so he lets it happen. Anything that happens, Louis has allowed it or knew it would be an outcome. He’s fine with pretty much anything as long as he can watch Raidou do his thing.

Still, I draw too much Louis->Raidou when the main pairing I really love is…

RAIDOU/DAHN

Yes, in that order! This one I’m a bit more serious about. I doubt my words can accurately convey that feeling, but I will try my best!!

Alright, so… where to begin. I was one of those hopeless fools who was easily lead on by a fujoshi seamstress in Mannen-Cho to consider these two as a ship. I used to have the screenshots somewhere, ah!!! I googled it and she asks Raidou if Dahn is “an old lover” and if he came to Mannen-Cho to be with him. Ah… I’m so impressionable.

Anyways, pushing canon aside, I started to really dig the contrast between Raidou and Dahn. Raidou being a very proper looking city boy and Dahn being an unruly looking country boy. Before I burn holes into my own head from rolling my eyes, let’s keep going!

If you play as law Raidou, up to this point he does what he’s told. Usually I think his best interest aligns with those of the Capital. I like to think that… over the course of DSRK2, lmao, Raidou gets to know Dahn. From guy he’s supposed to track down to guy he starts helping to undo the major mistake he made (don’t trust any blond young men!), I think Raidou would start to see the other side of life – going after what you personally want, circumstance and expectations be damned. Dahn has a wild aura about him. I want Raidou to be intrigued by it. I want Dahn to start seeing the other side, too. His rashness led to quite the string of incidents that he clearly did not want to happen, haha. Raidou inspired by Dahn to be a bit more selfish, while Dahn inspired by Raidou to be a bit more selfless…! I know Dahn was doing what he wanted for Akane, but Akane was sort of okay with doing it “for the greater good”, so I do feel Dahn was acting selfishly. That’s what a big brother’s gonna do, tho.

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR END OF DSRK2, which you’ve probably played and finished if you’re even reading this!

“You made me realize you can shape your own future if you take action for what you believe in… Even a stubborn jackass like me was able to change… I’m sure the ones who see you in action will [also change]” – Dahn, right before the Shinado Dahn fight.

Haha, I forgot how much Dahn changes so much towards the end of the game. He hasn’t completely changed, but he starts seeing things the way Raidou does… tragic that he doesn’t get to continue living and show that change. Law Raidou strikes him down, as that’s his duty and promise. From Raidou’s side, I like to imagine he started to think about doing things for himself. Not… unleash a swarm of bugs kinda things for his own means and ends, but just being a bit more-!! Selfish!

Okay, through all of that, you’re probably wondering, “The hell? Where is the ‘ship’ aspect to this?” It’s pretty basic. I love Raidou and Dahn’s dynamic sans shipping as well, however I think Raidou’s new found “selfishness” would manifest itself in – wait for it – slowly being attracted to Dahn.

Big surprise there.

Going even further away from canon, Raidou being intrigued by Dahn!! And the way he does things. Maybe he finds Dahn’s accent cute, as Raidou is no stranger to interesting accents. His demons have all sorts of accents, I’m sure. I wanted Dahn to be that one thing, that one person he could be sort of selfish about – and in Chaos end headcanoning, that’s the Raidou who gives into that selfishness. Law Raidou… well, he still feels that attraction, but he doesn’t let it stop him from doing what he has to do.

Then just completely forget canon after this point, but I’ve thought of too many cute headcanons that make me ship this ship beyond help lmaooooo like you can stop reading here

Dahn’s aware Raidou’s a looker at first, but it doesn’t really start to get to him till they start working together post-Chaos end. Suddenly he finds himself looking at Raidou more often, feeling ‘weird’, and in general wanting to be closer to Raidou as they become friends. I like to imagine this kind of Dahn would even slip heavily into his implied Tohoku-ben(?) accent when Raidou’s really close to him. :’^))))

Raidou always lowkey being into Dahn’s wild look. Doing things on purpose to make Dahn’s accent really apparent like ‘accidentally’ brushing up against him… in whatever situation. Raidou happily staring at Dahn all while being quiet. It makes Dahn uncomfortable to be looked at with such a kind/hungry look, but he likes it. :v  Raidou enjoying his new found selfishness with Dahn while still doing his job to protect the people of the Capital….Wow, I’m going to stop.

And honestly, as with most ships, I have a friend who loves Dahn as much as I love Raidou. We’re always bound to pair our favs together. I shipped Raidou/Dahn before we met, but having someone else to share with definitely strengthens the feelings towards it, haha. [Note from present me: Aw, sad, I’m not friends with that person anymore. :d It was a messy split and I got custody over Raidou/Dahn in the end LMAO I’m kidding]

SO THAT’S WHY I DRAW LOUIS -> RAIDOU WITH THAT SORT OF “FLAVOR”, yet I never draw Raidou/Dahn. Maybe because I’m too lazy to draw Dahn’s outfit. That’s definitely it.

NARUMI/RAIDOU

I just don’t feel it. That’s basically it. I see all the fodder for it, but somehow… I was not taken in. Life would be easier if I shipped only this because I can find a toooooon of art and doujinshi for them.

Try looking for Raidou/Dahn doujinshi where Raidou’s the top! GOOD LUCK!! I own two of them and am still hunting down one I saw the cover of last year. If you… find any…………….. lmk. [Note: I FINALLY FOUND THAT DJ AT THE END OF 2017, I HAD BEEN LOOKING SINCE 2015 Y’ALL!!!]

Since this is my personal blog, feel free to ask me questions and I’ll reply publicly (or privately if that’s what you want) if you wanna talk shop. Send me headcanons for Louis -> Raidou or Raidou/Dahn.

[inkycrowwrites]

Imagine being the fianceé of Captain Salazar (Part three)

Pairing: Armando Salazar x reader

A/N: I’M SO SORRY TO LEAVE YOU ALL HANGING LIKE THIS! As an apology part three is way longer than the other ones. Where i’ve been? Some heavy personal stuff came up, but i’ve felt a little better now, getting through it with a lot of support! Shout out to Mod Demon for helping me with grammar once again! Thank you sis! & @salmicka1!!! i’m so sorry for worrying you dear :(. Once again if you notice any errors i encourage you to notify me via message at my personal blog @regipumpkin. (f/n) = first name, (l/n) = last name. Thank you so much for your patience! Again, sorry. ~ Mod Pumpkin.

Warnings: Angsts and violence.

Your crew was awoken by the thud of the last bag of provisions hitting the floor of the boat. They turned to look at you as you panted, all of the boats were ready to go.

“Miss (l/n)? what are you doing?” a sailor asked as he stood up. You looked back “oh! sorry to wake you up, but the sun is already rising so I guess it does not matter”.

They approached the boats “you loaded all of this by yourself, miss?”

“Well, I honestly couldn’t sleep and i wish to leave this island as soon as possible”

Angelica stared at you “so you didn’t sleep at all?”

“Probably just a couple of hours, but i assure you it was enough” the bags under your eyes showed that you were clearly lying.

Angelica placed a hand in your back “listen (f/n), as soon as we board the ship i want you to head straight to your chambers and rest, you did great”

“Alright” you smiled.

She turned to the crew “What are you waiting for? Let’s get out of here! To the ship!”. Everyone either retrieved the blankets they were resting on or pushed the boats out of shore, you and Angelica hoped in one and allowed yourselves to be transported back.

You offered on helping them carry the provisions back on board or at least set the course but Angelica insisted that you needed to rest. As you walked away you looked back, she had a funny look in her face, staring at the sword that never left your side.

The door of your chambers was violently open and a man was casted down the stairs. You jumped out of bed and rushed to aid him only to discover it was the captain.

“Are you alright? what happened?”

A set of steps descended towards you. It was Angelica followed by two of your crew members. She was wearing the captain’s hat and a grin on her face, “did you sleep well, princess?”. You realized what was going on, a mutiny just as she predicted, the only thing you didn’t count on was that she would be the one leading it.

You tried to reach the sword resting against the wall next to the bed, but the click of a gun stopped you in your tracks. You turned around carefully, she was pointing the gun at the captain still on the floor. You walked back to him slowly and helped him stand. He rose his hands up surrendering, you had no option but to mimic his gesture.

“Now you’re getting it!” Angelica exclaimed, “follow me” she guided you to the center of the ship and tied you to the mast.

The sailors looked down at you, relieved that they were finally getting rid of you. You stared back with a hard look on your eyes, making sure to remember each one of their faces for later.

“Angelica!” you spoke with a stern voice, “Angelica we saved you! If it weren’t for me you could still be dying on that island!”

“I know princess and i’m very thankful for that, which is why I won’t let these men kill you. They think you’re a walking curse. Instead we’ll set you free on an island, let’s see if your beloved captain comes back for you after all”

Tears formed in the corners of your eyes “And what if he does come back? You think he’ll spare any of you?! Remember when we encountered his ship! If it weren’t for me each and everyone of you would be dead!” Some of them backed away with concerned looks on their faces.

“Miss (l/n), please be quiet” the humiliated captain spoke behind you. You ignored him and continued to rant, “after Captain Salazar is done hunting that disgusting Sparrow pirate, he will unleash hell upon you!”.

Something changed in Angelica’s eyes “A Sparrow pirate?”. A crew member lost his temper and stepped forward waving a gun at your face “shut up! Shut up witch!” Angelica stepped in front of you “put that down before you hurt yourself, sailor!” he obeyed reluctantly.

She kneeled in front of you “you mentioned a Sparrow pirate, what did you mean by that?”

“...The man he’s chasing, they told me that’s what they called him”

“What’s the name of that man?”

“J-Jack Sparrow” she stood up and chuckled at your words “oh Jack, what did you do now?” She turned over to the crew and ordered them to untie you, the same sailor from a moment ago replied to her command “but we can’t trust her! she-”

“She’ll do as i say, believe me”.

They released your wrists, you contemplated the red marks that the rope had left on them. Angelica was quick to point a sword at your chest, just like you did back there at the beach “let me offer you a deal. I take you to your prince charming, we forget that all of this happened and he helps me catch him, are you interested?”

“It’s not like I had any other option”

“Your other option is to receive a bullet to the head and spill your pretty brains”

You stood up never breaking eye contact “I’ll take your first deal, miss Teach”

“Wise choice”.

It took three days, three tense days of not knowing if your food would be poisoned or at least spit on, three days of not being able to even close your eyes at night, or having water denied until you begged for it, but the moment you spotted the Silent Mary all of the suffering disappeared and was replaced with hope.

“Are you sure that’s his, princess?” asked Angelica as she inspected the ship with a spyglass.

“Every time he left i would stay at the docks and watch his ship until it got lost in the horizon, I could recognize the Silent Mary anywhere”

Angelica grinned “you’re so dramatic!”, her grin fell almost as fast as it came “I don’t see anyone”

“W-what do you mean?” Angelica handed the spyglass over to you “the ship is empty”. It was true, there was no soul around, at least in your sights.

“I-I don’t understand”

“Maybe they kidnapped them”

“No, that’s impossible. Armando would never let himself get captured by pirates, he would rather... Angelica, we must search the ship!”

“It’s too dangerous, it could be a trap”

“We had a deal, you were supposed to take me to him, remember?”

Angelica sighed “prepare a longboat, i need five men to come with us” she turned to you “if this is some kind of ambush you planned since the beginning your miserable first mate dies”

“I assure you i’m as clueless as you are”.

You were the first to board the ship. It was as beautiful and awing as you remembered, but just as you feared there was no one on deck except for the seven of you. It couldn’t be! You ran across the deck shouting names of loyal soldiers you remembered, begging for an answer from anyone. Finally the creak of wood caught your attention as a man emerged from the cabin “miss (l/n)?”. You ran over to him without hesitation “where’s the crew?” you questioned him immediately “where’s your captain?”. Behind him were four men, each as weak and malnourished as the others.

“They followed after that pirate, we stayed behind to guard the ship. That was four days ago”

“And what else?! Please, there must be something else you know”.

They looked over at each other, not being able to talk, almost as if it physically hurt. “We found some of their corpses floating” one of them finally broke the silence.

And just like the last time, they ripped him away from you. After all you had been through in the end it was worthless. Your knees gave up, you cupped your face in your hands and let out a shriek. As you crumbled down something caught the eye of Angelica, she picked it up from the floor and went over to you. She gently patted your shoulder as you looked over to her, trying to collect yourself. Angelica placed the object in your hand. It was an old medal your father, the venerated war hero, gave to your fiancé the day he asked for your hand in marriage.

The way it shined in the sunlight got you lost in a trance and slowly calmed your sobs. Was this truly the end? Were you willing to return to Spain empty handed and with a shattered heart? Madness took over you, this wasn’t over, you couldn’t just let his memory die like this, that pirate couldn’t just walk away like that! You fiercely stood up, Angelica backed away a little “We had a deal, didn’t we, miss Teach? you would take me here and he would help you catch him. But I’ll do it for him, we shall hunt this pirate together even if I die trying!” Angelica huffed and shook her head “you lost your mind, but i guess it’ll come in handy. The deal is on”.

The other ship arrived next to the Silent Mary, you climbed the ratline to catch their attention “Listen up sailors!” Angelica stared at you slightly concerned “get down from there”, you ignored her, “The crew of Captain Salazar is gone, you may feel relieved as your memories of them were those of demons out of hell, but you forget that they were once men just like you, some of us even knew them. They were our soldiers, our friends, part of our families! We shall avenge them. Those brave enough step into the Silent Mary, the rest can leave without any consequences. I sincerely wish you luck on your way back to Spain”. For a moment nobody seemed to follow, until four men boarded your ship, ready with provisions and weapons.

“Welcome” you smiled at them as you climbed down: Your loyal first mate handed you the sword you had lost and saluted you.

“Gabriel?” he turned around to the voice that called at him “¿father?” he ran towards one of the last survivors of Salazar’s crew and hugged him “Gabriel! My boy!”. You couldn’t help but smile at the scene, at least someone had a happy ending.

The man approached you and handed you something “miss (l/n), we found it in the great cabin” It was Armando’s Jacket, or at least one of them. You thanked him and retrieved to the tween deck as you felt more tears coming. You glanced at the departing ship one last time before it left, none of the men dared to look into your face.

You lovingly pinned the old medal that Angelica gave you back to its rightful place and kept staring at it, quick steps caught your attention but as you turned around someone pushed you against the wall behind you. It was Angelica, clearly angered “we lost two thirds of the crew!”

“You’re right” you answered emotionless “the provisions are going to last for weeks”

“This ship is massive! It needs at least thirty men to operate it! There’s only eleven of us, what do you think we’re going to do?!”

“I can’t survive another mutiny, Angelica. We shall all do our best until we reach-”

“A crew? You need a crew, miss?” a voice with a heavy scottish accent spoke from the darkest point of the chamber, startling you both. Angelica rose her pistol at the same time you unsheathed your sword.

“Worry not misses” the voice was getting closer “I assure you I only came here with benign intentions”

“Step into the light then, show yourself” you commanded, the intruder cackled but followed. The man could only be described as a monster, with a crab claw instead of a left arm, twisting tentacles as a beard and the right leg of a crab resembling a pegleg. The sight obviously disturbed you but you weren’t as shaken as your ally.

“Davy Jones” Angelica whispered, she lowered down her pistol alongside your sword, she knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to fight him.

“Wise choice”

“Why are you here?” you interrogated him “I heard you’re hunting down Sparrow”

“We are” you replied proud.

“Is your accent Spanish? huh, it’s funny since i’ve recently fished a certain spaniard captain’s soul from the bottom of the sea” Your eyes widened and your breathing grew heavier “Only now i caught your attention?” he chuckled and continued “When you finally trap Sparrow, what do you plan to do to that pest?”

“Collect vengeance”

“Perfect!” he grinned “would you ladies be interested in a transaction?” Angelica and you stared at each other, then back at Davy Jones “I’ll provide you with a crew, 25 strong and loyal men deprived from their free will a long time ago. You catch the sparrow and do as you want with him, but leave his soul to me. Once you hand him over I’ll let your captain go”

“We’ll do it” answered your partner before you could, almost as if she was reading your mind.

“Until next time, ladies” and just like that he banished back into the shadows. You just sealed a deal with the devil alongside a pirate, something not even in your wildest dreams you thought you could accomplish.

A bunch of heavy foot steps broke you out of your thoughts as the voices of the crew went silent with fear, Jones had just carried out the first part of his deal

“That was fast!” spoke Angelica, “there’s your crew” you exhaled, still trying to process what just happened. The two of you climbed the stairs to meet with the new staff.

Angelica stared as you walked at her side “what’s that?” she pointed at your hand “oh! it’s Armando’s jacket, they found it and gave it to me”

“Why don’t you wear it?”

“I shouldn’t, i’m not a soldier”

“Use it as a symbol then” she took it and helped you put it on, the jacket was way longer than what you needed, it suited you more like a coat.

“There! Now you look like a captain”.

[faithandfairies]

This Chapter

So...I wasn’t going to make this post. I was just going to end this blog the way I started it and leave it at that. But, Tumblr has been sort of a chapter in my life and I think I do need to make this post.

Many of you probably don’t know this but this blog of mine started out in 2013 as a Castle blog. 

It was at a time in my life when I was depressed-looking back I think I had a full on mental break- and figuring out what I was going to do with my life next. I had a lot on my plate academically, I still do, but at that time I was in transition, so to speak, and looking for something to distract me from the academic stress causing my depression.

I found Castle, the TV Show. I told myself I’d give it 5 episodes, but in the end I was sold after 1. As with all the things I love, I then wanted to talk about it. I did on a forum, but didn’t enjoy it, until I met @writingonthecastlewalls there and she pretty much introduced me to the wonderful, more positive, world of Tumblr. You wouldn’t think spending time on a website could be a journey, but it has been for me and one I’m eternally grateful for.  For the past 4 years Tumblr has been a constant in this forever changing life of mine. I’ve especially loved discussing the things, especially the shows, I love with other, interesting, positive, respectful, opinionated people.

It mostly started with Castle and after Castle ended it shifted to Once Upon a Time. Now my blog is a full fledged Once Upon a Time(OUAT) blog. Even though I have talked about pretty much every show, movie and anything else that captured my attention on it. 

My url is the only real indicator left that I come from the Castle fandom, although strictly OUAT fans may not realize it given it has “fairytale” in it.

It’s actually from the episode “The Blue Butterfly” on Castle. Where after Beckett and Castle a.k.a. Caskett discover a P.I’s diary, Castle re-imagines the decades-old love story found within its pages with Beckett and himself as the main characters. Lanie, Beckett’s best friend, is cast in the role of the singer covering for Beckett, when she’s almost caught cheating on her mob boss boyfriend with the P.I., Castle. 

Lanie basically asks Beckett whether their love is worth it and Beckett says yes. Saying “He’s the cream in my coffee.” a reference to Castle’s way of telling her he loved her for years before he actually said it.

And Lanie’s response is “You’re a walking fairytale, good lord.” which became my url.

Yesterday, OUAT’s season 7 started. I haven’t watched the season premiere and don’t plan to any time soon. I thought I would because I’m a huge Lana Parrilla fan and I have loved the show, but now I realize that I simply don’t want to. At least not at this point.

My feelings on the show haven’t changed and yet they have. I still think it’s a love story about Swan Queen and their beautiful son. I still expect them to happen. Part of me thinks they already have, then grew apart and Once Upon a Time is really a love story about them finding their way back to each other. But I also don’t think I care enough to stick around for it anymore. At least not on a weekly basis.

On Castle the writers made Caskett happen when it did because they said it didn’t feel right, honest, to drag it out any longer. That is part of what Once Upon a Time did wrong, I think. They waited too long, at least in my opinion. And didn’t address the wait at all like was done on Castle. And I’m not sure any ending they may give us in the future could ever make up for that. But to me, the other, way worse thing they did is presenting a heterosexual abusive relationship as a dream come true, something to aspire to have, complete in a musical on a show that draws from Disney fairytales, the current foundation of everyone’s childhood and a company that has evolved into something that actually produces content that teaches children morals. It’s not something I support.

But I’ve still learned a lot about myself through this show. Or more by discussing it with people on Tumblr and reading what they had to say. It’s been a way for me to reflect on my own life, something I never expected it to help me do. I started it simply expecting it to represent everything I love about Disney, from the uplifting messages to the standard love story between a man and a woman of old. And I ended it believing two women, Swan Queen, to be the love story. I think I’ll always ship Swan Queen. And watching The L Word has made me believe even more that Emma and Regina’s relationship probably was and will be romantic since I’m convinced that the writers used Bette and Tina (and in lesser quantity probably Jenny and Shane) from The L Word to model Emma and Regina after. From their characterization to their story line and even costuming, when it comes to Bette and Regina, I see Once Upon a Time in part as its writers’ interpretation of The L Word’s in-world book, Lez Girls based on the actual show, adapted for TV and focused on Bette and Tina re-imagined. And just like on The L Word, the in-world book on OUAT detailing the actual show is written by a in-world character. Even the name of half of OUAT’s world, “The Enchanted Forest”, is mentioned by Rachel Shelley’s character, Helena, on The L Word to her children as the name of a toy store.

Having said that, it should also be noted that I personally don’t believe Bette and Tina on The L Word are right for each other. It’s obvious that they love each other more than life itself and they refuse to be happy without each other. And that makes part of me ship them together. But they’re not happy with each other either. They keep growing apart due to lack of communication and hurting each other, disrespecting, lying to and cheating on each other only to inevitably be drawn to each other again. Finding each other again. But to me that doesn’t mean they belong together. Which really begs the question whether Emma and Regina belong together. Although they may use alter egos and such to do it, just like Bette and Tina they hurt each other in very significant and unnecessary ways. And I’d like to believe that if you really and truly love someone, that translates to respect for them as well and you find a way to put that love and respect for the other person into action. I’d like to think that there’s hope for Swan Queen though. Since unlike with Bette and Tina who seem to repeat the same destructive behaviors without fail or the slightest change, I do notice growth in Swan Queen.

But in the end, I watch TV mostly for my enjoyment and lately I’ve found that I simply haven’t enjoyed OUAT. So, for now at least, I won’t be a weekly spectator of it. Maybe I’ll revisit that decision at some point. But today is not that day. And since my main reason for keeping this blog at this point is now non-existent and just in case I ever do want to come back to the show, I think it’s a good idea to leave Tumblr now. 

Thank you all for making my experience here wonderful. And if I leave you with anything it’s to always do what you love and love what you do. Life’s too short for anything else. :)

[moonshroooms]

Random Fandom Questions Oh My

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

Currently the other ships I like right now are Human Bill Cipher and Dipper (a big guilty pleasure). If there are any Billdip shippers reading this may I humbly recommend Defining Bill Cipher, cause it’s 100% fantastic with plot, characterization, and some uh, heated moments if ya get what I mean. 

I always enjoy Frisk x Sans from Undertale, though I’ve been lagging behind on fanfics. I also like Sans and Toriel (which honestly, I like Frisk and Sans better for fanfics, but I’d want Sans and Toriel to be canon), and Frisk and Asriel are super cute too.

I’ve started reading Owari no Seraph (like, I think I’m only like ch 5), and I already knew about Mika x Yuu long before I ever started reading so I’m absolutely shipping them right now A++

I also ship Gon and Killua from Hunter x Hunter, though I don’t read a lot of fanfics for them. I just kinda annoy my friend with it when we watch the show XD

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

You know, I actually don’t think I do

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will.

Ciel and Sebastian from Black Butler. And it’s weird cause like, they are absolutely ripe for shipping and there are plenty of other ships in like, nearly the same position I like but just. He doesn’t love-love Ciel man. He don’t even friendship-love him. Sebastian wants to eat his soul like literally and that’s it he’s just food. For whatever reason I just can’t get into that pairing. Please just let Ciel be with Elizabeth she’s such a cutie and let them be happy forever on okay good okay

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t.

Ichigo and Masaya from Tokyo Mew Mew. I am 100% a Kisshu x Ichigo shipper and I know Ichigo x Masaya is like, oddly, one of the healthiest relationships you could have in an anime and Masaya would be a boy I’d fall head-over-heels for myself if he was real like honestly everything about him is basically perfect but I just. He’s so boring. He’s a really boring character to watch. And he gets more interesting near the end of the show, but it was just kinda too little too late, yanno? If they’d put more hints at the darker side of his wonderful personality then I’d probably would have shipped them, but I saw Kishigo first and that’s who I glommed onto srry

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

 I don’t contribute anything to society let alone a fandom XD

  F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

 I mean, that’s under the idea I’m actually in a fandom? Do I have to do something to be in a fandom? Can I just enjoy content? Does that count? If it do then I’ve been in the Tokyo Mew Mew fandom for like, 10 years or more. It’s like 99% dead so it’s not like I’ve searched up anything recently, but believe me if it ever gets a good remake I will be there 100%

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it?

 My first OTP back before I ever knew what an OTP was was Kisshu and Ichigo from Tokyo Mew Mew. And that fandom is super dead and I’ll probably never read a new good fanfic ever again but I’ll probably never let them go. I still consider them my OTP, and I’ve never found anyone that tops it XD They’re also completely toxic but just. Ah. I love them so much I just want them in a cute relationship plz

H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)?

 Ennething. I guess anime is the easiest one to find though. I think I like Western animation better than anime, if only for comedy that hits home a little bit more, since I grew up in that culture and whatnot

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?

 Nah. I avoid the Discourse by never joining the conversation e v e r. And most of the time I don’t really follow fandom blogs specifically, just blogs that happen to post some fandom stuff, so I probably don’t see any sort of annoying people or awful environments or anything. I don’t understand how people can get so annoyed I feel like discourse is just so easy to avoid/ignore??? But maybe that’s just me

J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.)

 Voltron. I didn’t even know it existed until some of the funny blogs I follow started posting stuff about it. I don’t even know what Voltron’s about, other than the name sounded really familiar, like it’s an old anime being remade or something.

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

 Peridot from Steven Universe. No wait, Rinna from Forest Born. Forest Born is one of my favorite books (from the Books of Bayern series by Shannon Hale, I highly recommend them). When I was younger I related to Rinna a lot (and I’m like, nothing like her now but that’s beside the point), and I loved her development her slow development towards not hating herself so much. It’s wonderful and steady and feels real

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.)

 Jackie from Star vs. is a really nice girl A+ girlfriend material and if I didn’t ship Marco and Star she’d be next up for the Marco ship train. I absolutely don’t hate her and she’s a fun and nice character, but sorry you can’t be Marco’s girlfriend the bloodmoon and also me said so

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend.

 Isi from the Goose Girl. She already reminds me a lot of my friend, so maybe I’m a little biased, but she seems like an absolutely wonderful person to be friends with and I’d 100% love that. I’d also like Dasha from River Secrets and Enna from Enna Burning. Just. Any of the main girls from the Books of Bayern. I love them all

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

 Since I don’t have a main fandom, I’ll just choose one:

 From Steven Universe I want more funny comics, dumb memes, and Stevonnie anything. And that’s considering there’s already a shitton of all of that. There’s never enough

  O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

 He’s Hurting Me by Maria Mena. And Kisshu x Ichigo, mostly because I’ve seen an AMV with them and that song XD

  P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).

 Active Fandom for Tokyo Mew Mew AU!

 Okay fine, that doesn’t count. But oh geez I can’t think of any good ideas though. I don’t know but anything but a coffee shop AU. Give me something with adventure man. Uhh *spins wheel* Siren AU with *rolls dice* Pokémon. Make it happen, people

  Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why.

 Eh, considering I’m never an active part of any fandom, I can’t say I’ve abandoned anything. I’ll even go back to really old fandoms and try to find something I haven’t read before

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

 Do Steven and Connie and Star and Marco count even though I ship them? Because I value their friendship just as much if not more than their shipping capabilities. If not then, Sailor Moon and the other sailor scouts from Sailor Moon (from the original anime). I just really like that they joke and roast and support each other. A lot of the episodes focus a lot on their random interactions and it’s a joy to watch.

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

 I have none honestly XD I’m not usually a person that gets into headcanons much. I ship plenty of people that aren’t together but I wouldn’t really call them headcanons, I dunno. Gon and Killua end up married. There, there’s your headcanon.

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending?

 Kisshu returns to Earth for Whatever reason (any reason that means more battles and adventures is good), Ichigo ends up falling in love with him, Pudding and Tart end up together, Lettuce and Pie are together, Masaya is just fine and not dead, and everyone’s happy the end

 That’s the best I got XD

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

 Kisshu from Tokyo Mew Mew: Other than the fact he’s from my long-standing OTP, he’s just really fun to watch. He’s probably the reason I have an immediate attachment to character that are slightly crazy and shit tons of dangerous. He’s cheeky and flirty and gawd I luv it A+

 Peridot and Lapis from Steven Universe. I couldn’t choose really. Peridot is such a trash gremlin and Lapis is amazing when it’s not complete angst she is just Ultimate Emo Child.

 Willis from Awful Hospital (I highly recommend this comic by the way. It’s weird and wonderful). So far he’s just the cutest little thing and I love watching him it’s great

  V - Which character do you relate to most?

 I used to relate to Rinna from Forest Born a whole bunch, especially when I was younger. Nowadays I relate much more to her older brother Razo from River Secrets. He’s self-concious, but always cracking jokes and always in the mood for eating. I think he’s hilarious and honestly I hope I can be as funny as him. He’s got a lot of talents he just never notices. I hope that gets to be me, too.

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.

 Characters with no personality. And I think this is mostly just in the otome and harem anime’s that this kind of thing is rampant, cause you gotta make a character that people can slip into but just. My god. I tried playing an otome once and I couldn’t even finish it it was so awful and infuriating. Watching Diabolik Lovers was so painful this girl just L E T everything happen she didn’t even try putting up a fight even when some dude GAVE HER A KNIFE TO STAB HER VAMPIRE WHATEVERS WITH. MY GOD. I hated everything I wanted to cry. And don’t even get me started on the manga Black Bird I hate it so much they just rinse repeat everything. ‘No love interest don’t do sexy things at me I don’t want it’ ‘I’m doing it as punishment for you doing/not doing Whatever’ ‘Noooo’ and then proceeds to just continue to love the assbag. Just stop oh my goooood

  X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom.

 Enemies to Lovers. Or enemies being in love in general. Or forbidden romances of any kind. Basically I want a shit ton of angst and a happy ending.

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?

 I know a little bit about Homestuck, which I tried to read once and got bored. I keep wanting to pick it back up but just… aaaah the beginning is so boring I can hardly tell what’s going on. And I hate the 1 panel thing. I’m sure it was good while it was being posted, but it just takes so long to load the next page. I need a multi-page version please.

 I also know a tad bit about Madoka Magic, which I’m not entirely sure how. I just kinda. Read stuff I came across, despite never being interested in the show myself.

  Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.)

 Dear god please let Star and Marco be together (they probably will).

 I want at the very least a cute cheek kiss from Steven and Connie, also, can Stevonnie fuse with other gems??? That’d be wild.

 Danny Phantom needed to be longer also he needed to be with Valerie I loved her why the flip flap did they give her such a crappy reason to not be with Danny AAAH

 I haven’t been able to watch the Legend of Korra because I tear up anytime I see something about the old gang being old or dead like legit if I ever see Aang being all dead and spiritual and shit I will cry

 The Amazing World of Gumball is hilarious and I want more people to watch it

 I tried watching Bob’s Burger’s for just like, a funny show without a plot and I got bored eventually. Thankfully Gumball saved the day

 I think Ni no Kuni is an adorable game and I love their little definitely-not-Pokémon monsters and I’ll probably rant about who’s on my team one day

  I ship Link and Midna 100% but like, only the TP incarnation of Link. Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild and Spirit Tracks Link can be with Zelda. Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass Link can be with Tetra (specifically Tetra).

 Speaking of Tetra, why the flip flap SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T PLAYED WIND WAKER BUT LIKE, IT’S REALLY OLD AND HAS A REMAKE SO I GUESS THAT’S MOSTLY YOUR FAULT BEWAAAAAAAAAARE. ALSO THE BEGINNING OF BREATH OF THE WILD I GUESS? THOUGH IT’S NOT REALLY A BIG IMPORTANT SPOILER. 

does she get pale when she turns into Zelda? Like, bam you’re royalty also kiss your tan goodbye. Same thing happens to the mysterious old man when he becomes the king. Do bluebloods just not get tan or something like, the flip?

[the-barn-rat]

Projects Meme

@wheelofdawn tagged me in this on her writing blog and apparently the point is just to list/describe your current projects be they writing, art, etc. and I’m just going to do writing aight cool

Active Right Now

Outwitch High fantasy. Born as a reaction to my dislike of Dragon Age’s treatment of magic, and also my love of a good “lost princess” story but with lots of trope subversion/inversion. Dagny is a royal bastard and very much non-magical, and her journey takes her from self-interested survivalist to Fighting For the Common Good by way of ancient magic that may or may not be a metaphor for relationship dynamics, the morality of power, and also lots of witch hunters. There are dragons in this. And a bunch of scenes that are pure visceral delight in terms of shit I love to read in a book/see in a movie/show.

Advanced Planning Stage

Threshold Lift Space opera. Initially a collection of trope inversions and disconnected ideas that I’ve been working to make coherent. Centred on three viewpoint characters, only one of whom is human: Lydiana “Steeler” Rime, a deserter and former space marine. She was the first thing to exist in this universe, frankly--the female version of a grizzled, jaded old soldier with a recon bot named Rottweiler. The other two viewpoints are Notch Inna Hul Ondji, an escaped cybernetic test subject, and Iskain Kallawinsri, first mate of the mercenary ship that captures Notch. The setting is a centuries-old galactic war in which the two sides have begun to uplift civilizations before they hit the threshold where they’re considered advanced enough for galactic society. That’s what happened to Earth in this world, incidentally. Got picked up and launched into a Big War essentially as cannon fodder. Steeler is fucked up about it. Very much a Found Family thing with Firefly/Guardians of the Galaxy influences, as well as notes of Mass Effect because I’m me. I may even expand my viewpoints to include mercenary captain Promise Esther “One Size” Okimaw and shady underground doctor Arturo “Arty” Alvarez, but also I’m really into having majority alien POVs, so.

Sparrowhawk Science fiction/romance? Space gladiators, okay. No sentient aliens in this one, but lots of alien beasties for space gladiators to fight. A strict caste system, space slavery (a la Rome, naturally) and inversions of power dynamics feature in this one, because I can’t do any genre straight-fuckin-forward okay I’m a mess. Obviously the plot running through this one is abolitionism/slave rebellion because I heckin love rebellion stories, but it’s probably the most overt Rrrrrromance story I’ve ever developed this far and it’s really about dynamics of power in relationships aight.

The Galahad Construct Science fiction novella (?). Artificial intelligence as a sympathetic person, without erasing its potential for annihilation. A team of dedicated scientists has created a sentient computer, the core directive of which is to emulate the best of humanity. The team’s resident psychologist has the task of actually speaking to the computer, acting as the mouthpiece for all of the developers. Over the course of the story, she watches the computer--which they call Galahad, after he asks a peculiar question--develop into a fully formed person. And actually like makes friends with a thinking computer. Anyway there’s a lot of psychological stuff and examination of the human condition and blah blah blah eventually Galahad enters into conflict with an Unfriendly AI and there’s drama and stuff happens and without spoiling it the ending is v v bittersweet.

Concept

Machina Ludens Science fiction. A short story/novella idea about an amoral AI and some people who don’t realize they’re its lab rats.

Skylight sequels: Skywalk, Skyborne etc. Oh yes I have ideas.

If I wanted to be a real troll I’d tag @crowsinspace l m a o

Uhhhh I tag @gay-skywalker tho. And anybody else who wants to post this. I will straight up edit this post to tag you if you want.

[thefandomscontrol-blog]

Decisions (Rip Hunter x Reader, Ray Palmer x Reader)

Prompt: stephyra17 said:

I have recently found your blog and I absolutly love it!! I would like to request a one shot, on how both Ray and Rip (legends of tomorrow universe) have a crush on you and try to impress you with history facts, nerd facts since you're a historian\time related powers and a nerd (fangirl). They try to make references ect. It's a competiton between the 2. Could you also included 2 ending, one wehre you choose Ray & the other you choose Rip? Thanks so much, I love you for existing & making me smile

Pairing: Ray Palmer x Reader, Rip Hunter x Reader

Words: 1581

Warnings: Nerdiness, geekiness, possible fangirling. Don’t know if you mean historian and/or time related powers, so she’s going to have both.

Notes: I’m sorry it’s taken so long. I have so much school work I’m drowning in it, but I wanted to write a little anyway to try and relieve some stress (even though I should be writing an essay right now...oh well). I hope you like it! And thank you, you sending me this brightened my day! Since Nate is a historian, she and Nate are going to be best friends. :)

It wasn’t until your best friend Nate pointed it out that you realized why Ray and Rip were always surrounding you and telling you history facts and anything about the Marvel Universe or Supernatural that made you fangirl (and let’s just say you fangirl very hard). They were trying to flirt with you. “Nate, you can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I’m deadly serious,” the historian replied. “They alway come around with more history facts that you either know little about or that you have worked on persistently. Rip shares future history with you. They try and make you laugh with jokes about certain characters that you like in your Marvel Comics. They even have movie nights just for you to watch your favorite movies or binge watch Supernatural. Hell, you’ve seen future seasons of Supernatural that haven’t aired because they come after 2016. They fight for your attention and alway glare at the other who has taken your attention away from them. You still don’t believe they both like you,” Nate smirked.

You opened and closed your mouth a couple of times before just staring at Nate. You immediately wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. “So what? They both like me. That’s their problem. Let them figure it out. Until one of them asks me out, I’m staying off that boat.”

“Care to tell that to them? Here they come.”

“Can I rewind and leave before they show up,” you whispered to Nate.

He laughed, “no.”

“I hate you, you know that,” you whispered back.

“(Y/N)! So I was thinking about how you said one of the things you regretted before leaving 2016 was the fact that you were never able to see Deadpool. I have the movie, we could watch it sometime, whenever you want to. I mean, if you don’t want to watch it, that’s fine. I just thought that you would want to because-”

“Ray,” you interrupted him. Inside, you were jumping up and down like a hyper seven year old, but you knew you needed to keep a calm exterior with this new information in your head. “That is very sweet of you to offer. I would appreciate watching Deadpool, maybe the whole team can watch it. I bet I can even convince Sara to dress in Pajamas,” you laughed.

“I did-”

“(Y/N), did you know that Adolf Hitler’s name would have been Adolf Schicklgruber had his father not changed his name in 1877? Or that a British soldier during World War I spared Hitler’s life as he was wounded? As a child, Hitler wanted to be a Priest. He planned to collect loads of artifacts of Jewish descent to make a museum for an extinct race after the war. Funny concept was he was afraid of cats. Hitler never learned to drive,” Rip smiled as he went behind his desk and sat down, watching your face lightly light up at some of the facts you didn’t know about Hitler. You had done your thesis paper on Adolf Hitler’s rise to Kaiser, starting from his early childhood and following to his death (you had even traveled back in time to get a closer look at Hitler...but your history professor didn’t need to know that).

“Some of that I did know, but others...that’s astonishing. Thank you for adding to my collection of facts on Adolf Hitler. Now, on a more serious note, do we have any aberrations to fix,” you looked at Nate specifically, hoping he would say yes to help take the focus off of you.

As Nate was about to answer, his machine whirled to life, “that would be a yes.” He took a look at the machine and looked up looking shocked, “it’s in 2016,” he replied.

Your eyes widened but a small smile made its way to your face, “I’ll go and look around. What’s the day?”

“May twenty-ninth,” he responded.

“Alright, meet me there,” and with a ripple in the air, you were gone, already in 2016.

“Bloody hell, how many times have I told her not to do that,” Rip mumbled.

“How many times have I told her to stop doing that before she gets hurt,” Ray grumbled as Rip called the team to the bridge to prepare for the time jump.

_______________________________________

Before the Timeship showed up, you had time to think. What would you do? Rip and Ray both liked you and you like them...but it wasn’t anything romantic, was it? Nate said it was obvious but you had a hard time believing that. You just couldn’t wrap your mind around two of the handsome men on board the Waverider were into you.

When you got these powers, the ability to travel through time, you never thought that you would meet people like this. Sure, you knew about The A.T.O.M., Firestorm, Heatwave, et cetera, but you never thought you’d get to meet them, let alone fall for any of them. You never thought that with your powers, you would meet someone as brave and bold as Rip Hunter and you never expected to fall for him either. You didn’t know what to do.

You didn’t want to hurt either of them, but you knew you would have to decide by the time that this aberration was finished...you couldn’t let them continue to fight over you because you knew it was ineffectual and that you didn’t need them preoccupied with the mission.

Maybe it would be best to tell them both you weren’t interested in a relationship...but that would end up hurting them both...and it might distract them both and that would be bad considering they need to fully be in the game. But if you chose one of them, you knew that the other would be out of it afterwards.

Damn it! Why couldn’t the Universe just throw a new person on board that you’re destined to be with and have Rip and Ray as two of your greatest friends? You quite honestly believed that the Universe hated you. What did you do to deserve that? Well, you can travel through time...maybe it’s Time’s way of telling you it doesn’t like you being able to travel at free will without the help of the Waverider.

You groaned slightly as a headache began to form. You shook your head. Aberration first, love life later, you reminded yourself.

______________________________________

After a semi-successive mission, you were back on the Waverider watching as Rip paced. Ray had gotten hurt as well as Sara. You walked away from the bridge and to the infirmary. You walked in, seeing both Sara and Ray resting. They were quietly talking as Gideon fixed them up. “I’m sorry, I should have seen it coming,” you stated after standing in the doorway for a couple of minutes, “I could have stopped Thawne and Merlin. Could have rewound a couple of seconds to stick my foot out in front of Thawne. Something...Then you both wouldn’t have been hurt.”

“It’s not your fault-”

“But it is. I didn’t check everything out when I got here. I stood in one spot thinking about Rip and you, Ray, because I didn’t know how to choose between both of you because you both like me. I see that now and I want to make sure I don’t hurt either one of you. I didn’t check the perimeter because I was so caught up in thought and then Sara tackled me, taking the bullet meant for me. It is my fault, don’t try to say it isn’t because I will always blame myself for not checking sooner and letting both you and Sara get hurt,” the first tear slid down your face and you quickly wiped it away. “I just don’t like seeing the people I care about get hurt because of me...especially not a man I’ve come to care about quite a lot.��

You watched Ray’s face and saw his expression lighten. “I believe there’s a way you can make it up to me.”

“How’s that?”

“Let me take you on a date,” he replied.

You smiled, “I would love to go on a date with you.”

ALTERNATE ENDING

After a semi-successive mission, you were back on the Waverider watching as Rip paced. Ray had gotten hurt as well as Sara. You were sitting in one of the chairs on the Bridge, watching him pace back and forth in his office.

After another second of thought, you got up and walked over to his office and leaned on the frame of the entrance. “You shouldn’t beat yourself up about this mission. It was my fault. I was too preoccupied to check the perimeter.”

“It is not your fault, (Y/N), I should have guessed they would be expecting us.”

“And I should have guessed they would have sensed my arrival before the ship’s.”

“I should have advised the team to be extra cautious.”

“I should have searched the perimeter.”

“I should have-”

“We could do this all day, Rip. Why? We need to move on and figure out our next move against the Legion of Doom...and maybe we could fit in some time to get to know each other better,” you held your breath. This was not the way you wanted to tell him.

“Are you asking me on a date, Ms. (Y/L/N),” he looked at you, smirking.

“Only if you say yes.”

“Well then, I accept.”

[springbender-blog]

RULES: Always post the rules. Answer the questions asked, then write 11 new ones. Tag 11 people to answer your questions, as well as the person who tagged you.

I was tagged to do this FMA-centered tag by both @greedoda and @ladywiltshire, thank you soooooooo much!!

I kinda don’t want to do this twice though, so I’m going to take my favorite 5 questions from each of yours and answer those - I hope that’s okay! There are also two questions you both had that were the same so I’ll do those too - a total of 12! You lucky nuggets.

Okay, so, the questions under a read more!.......I WROTE WAY TOO MUCH and there’s a lot of analysis....I got really really carried away. :B

Greedoda’s questions:

1. Which two characters do you think have the best dynamic in the series?

Personally, I have to say I love Ed and Ling’s dynamic? They make a great team and they’re such dorks! The couple of episodes where they’re stuck together in Gluttony’s stomach are two of my favorite episodes. As well as just, how they go from Ling pissing Ed off monumentally (I mean, he does set his “goons” and/or “lackeys” on Ed during their first meeting XD) to being just the closest bros, looking out for each other to the end (which I guess definitely includes Greed as well)! It’s a dynamic I wish we saw more of in the show, if I’m being totally honest. They’re two of my favorite characters, and all of their interactions were hysterical.

2. Would ed like milkshakes?

Actually I think it’s canon that he does!! During the episode where he’s trying to get Scar’s attention by going around and fixing things with alchemy, he’s shown afterwards drinking a milkshake with Al and laughing about how he’s “pretty sure everyone in Central knows his name by now”.

3. Favorite character development?

SCAR’S. OKAY??? SCAR’S. Don’t even get me started, holy shit. We, as the audience, start by thinking of him as just this cold blooded murderer, then we realize he’s Ishvalan, which gives him motive, but we still don’t particularly like him, you know? But that’s only in episode five! 

Throughout the whole show we learn more and more about him, we watch him falter for killing Ed when he throws himself in front of Winry, remembering his own brother doing that for him. We see him bring along Yoki, for apparently no reason at all?? Like, Yoki just runs after him and he could kill him, especially since Yoki caused him trouble! But, he doesn’t? And then May comes along and you can see him accepting her and starting to care about her and listening to her and making sure she’s safe. You see him fight alongside Ed and Al because he HAS to, You see him bring along Marcoh despite all the things Marcoh had done to his people - despite Marcoh begging him to kill him. You see how Winry’s binding of his wound (though not forgiving him) affects him because he doesn’t think he deserves it. You see how his attitude is changed further by Miles, until, by the end, he’s honestly one of Ed and Al’s strongest allies. He rallies a group of Ishvalans to help during the Promised Day. And then joins Miles in trying to reform Amestrian’s view of his culture - HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE SCAR I DON’T EVEN. !!!!???

4. Favorite villain?

Okay, I’m honestly not sure if Greed counts, so other than him, definitely Envy. I just love that good-for-nothing garbage lizard. *shaking head* They’re so complex!! I think a lot of has to do with their attitude - the sarcasm and condescending yet cheery tone of voice they always sport makes them oddly endearing and funny, despite how much a terrible person they are. And then to find out all of this hides tons of insecurities because they’re jealous of humans. They pretend to be so much and so powerful and unstoppable but they feel like the most inferior worm (and they are - literally). I just...yeah I love their character!

5. What fma merch do you want, or wish existed?

I REALLY WANT AN FMA BLANKET. Like, just something simple, like red with the main crest on it, or something. I know they exist! I also really want a poster!

And now for the Lady’s:

1. Do you remember your first time watching or reading Fullmetal Alchemist? What was your first impression? 

I remember the first time I ever saw it (not watched), I was passing my sister on our home computer. I distinctly remember seeing a young girl in pink with a lot of braids and a tiny panda bear making something glow like blue lighting (*choking noises*) and I asked my sister what it was and she said “Fullmetal Alchemist” and I was like “Oh” and brushed it off because she’d talked about it before but I wasn’t interested? (wtf was my problem??). But maybe a few months later my friend watched it and at that point I just had to. The hype was real when I finally started, and the hype was even bigger for Brotherhood. I remember being halfway through 03 and watching the first FMAB opening and just getting chills, I couldn’t wait to get to it, and boy did it live up to my expectations and more from episode one.

2. Tell me about a scene that really touched your or made you realize something about yourself.

My first thought is immediately the episode “Interlude Party”. I mean, I know that episode is pretty much just a summary of what’s happened so far, but the bits in between with Hohenheim talking to Pinako, to baby Trisha, to especially the part with Hohenheim getting overwhelmed by Father, who stands there laughing at the “puny foolish humans” who live only to die, so they may as well use them - and we can see the shadows of the dancing morphing and turning into something...else - followed by Trisha interrupting this train of thought by that’s what makes humans strong. The fact that we die. The fact that we change. And the fact that that’s what makes us so undefeatable, because we don’t give up. And this is followed up later with Envy being jealous of humans, because of this very same reason - our resilience and determination against all the forces against us, including ourselves. 

And I think that that’s so true. And that gives me strength to keep going.

3. Funniest headcanon you’ve ever seen. Go!

Okay this is definitely a tie. The first is the one where huge rumors sprout up about Ed after the Promised Day and everyone bombarding Fuhrer Mustang about all these far fetched things until Mustang finally says something like “Edward Elric is a 30-something-year-old-man living in Resembool teaching his daughter how to make apple pies” or something like that. The other is the one where Ed is in Xingese history books as “the man who fed the emperor a shoe”, for obvious reasons. That’s just. GREAT.

4. What spurred you to join the fandom?

Actually, it was totally on accident! There was a long, long part of me and my tumblr experience that believed FMAB was NOT my favorite anime. And then I started realizing, I posted a lot of it on my blog? Like, instead of random FMAB between the multifandom mash of cringe and zero tagging systems, it started to become FMA that I saw the most of on my dash and blog. And I realized, like someone had flicked me in the face, that wtf, this show is actually so important to me and where would I be without it??? 

5. Have a fandom meltdown here and tell me why you love your fandom or show/comic so much!

AAAHHH everyone here is SO nice and I’ve managed to keep my dash (mostly) discourse free! Everyone is so supportive of each other and have the same passion as I do for this show. There are SO MANY talented artists, including musical artists, which is amazing, and SO MANY funny things and funny memes that come from this fandom. I’m honestly so glad I’m a part of it, even if I don’t contribute much myself other than screeching in my tags!

And here, the two you both asked!!

1. OTPs! Who are they? Edwin is top of the list!! I’ve shipped them all the way from the beginning, and to see them come together in canon - and in such a NERD WAY - I just love them so much. I also ship Lingfan, Almei, and Royai!

2. Favorite opening/ending number and why?

My favorite opening is Opening 3, Golden Time Lover, for a L O T of reasons. The way it goes from the soft melody in the background to the much harsher tones above just convey all my feelings for it, because this opening is both soft, and rough and to me it just perfectly conveys the stories’ struggle, and the journey forward. The elements of the zooming in and out, the sweeping camera angles, and the sudden changes in the action between teasingly slow and choppily fast. There is SO much contrast in this song, and in the animation to match it. Literally, this opening is a masterpiece and thinking about it makes my heart race.

My favorite ending is Ending 2, Let It All Out. GOD THIS SONG. Wow. It just, tears at my heartstrings a little. A lot. First of all the animation is stunning. Secondly, the lyrics are just, amazing. “There’s no need to pretend you’re so strong” and “Let’s turn our pain and tears into stars”??? Jesus christ, how lovely is that?! And how it changes from half screen to full screen with the climax of the chorus. The emphasis on Ling, Lan Fan, and Fu, and  then on May, as well as Ed and Al and Winry. The way it STARTS with Winry. It just symbolizes strength in such a simple way - through the fear of what living has done, what it could do, and still being able to move forward. It’s a very powerful song to me.

OKAY! And since that took me over an hour to answer (I regret nothing and thank you both so much for giving me the opportunity to gush without restraint...) I’m not going to tag anyone or make new questions myself. Frankly, I’m too tired and my imagination is spent. XD 

I hope you all enjoyed reading this! Thanks again! Love you all!

[keratonin]

I was tagged by @hesitantlyhuman in 3 different tags :D so I’m gonna put them under the cut! b/c they’re l o n g. thank you!!

i am tagging: @mydazedandconfusedworld @galacticcactus @intergalacticbattleweasel and if you want to do it and haven’t been tagged just do it and say i tagged you :)

1.

Five Things You’ll Find In My Bag:

1. cinnamon gum

2. keys

3. old show tickets (because i always shove them in my bag and forget to take them out again. currently i have the king and i and finding neverland. there may be more. who knows.)

4. those nylon fake sock things that you get at shoe stores

5. a pen

Five Things You’ll Find In My Bedroom:

1. bookshelf #1 (bookshelf for novels and psych books)

2. bookshelf #2 (bookshelf for notebooks/journals and scripts and language/writing books)

3. assorted sweatshirts and shirts from different shows

4. a lot of turtle figurines

5. ceiling mobiles :)

Five Things I Want To Do With My Life:

1. get an a+ in my math class this year out of spite

2. perform and get paid for it

3. publish another novel since i Do Not Like the first one i published

4. live abroad for a while

5. join an a cappella group

Five Things That Make Me Happy:

1. cats

2. sparkly nail polish

3. color coding

4. post-its that actually stick for longer than a couple minutes

5. choirs that blend perfectly

Five Things On My To-Do List:

1. writing ficlets for sharp zero

2. check obsessively to see if the roster for a show choir i auditioned for is up yet

3. rewrite an essay so it’s better

4. watch the voice

5. prepare for musical rehearsal

Five Things People May Not Know About Me:

1. i hate anything and everything produced by heinz

2. i’ve been dancing since i was two and somehow i’m still not that great

3. i really like wrapping gifts

4. i played my choir director once in a school musical

5. sometimes i can’t read my own writing so i just guess

2.

nicknames: emmy (my name is amelia), but people also call me various nicknames such as em, mel, birl, and earhart lol

star sign: pisces

height: 5'6″

sexual orientation: honestly?? just question marks all around. i’m gray-ace & all about that aesthetic attraction but other than that?????? idk

ethnicity: white

current time: 7:49 PM

last thing i googled: durga puja

favorite music artist(s): two steps from hell, i guess? idk i don’t think about that much

song stuck in my head: guns and ships (from hamilton yay)

last movie i watched: idk if this counts but the live broadcast of newsies? it was in a movie theater so i’m gonna say it counts as a movie

last tv show i watched: the voice

what i’m wearing rn: jeans, a pink and gray shirt, school sweatshirt, gray converse, lots of jewelry

blog created: like 2.5 years ago or something like that

follower count: 422 but i have no idea how many of those are porn blogs, sometimes i go through and block them but i haven’t done that in a while

why did i choose my url: bc i wanted to change my url and i didn’t have the faintest idea what it might be

gender: female

hogwarts house: ravenclaw :)))))

average hours of sleep: like 7 or something

lucky number: probably 8

favorite characters: SO MANY OK

dream job: either working as an editor/in a publishing house or performing

number of blankets i sleep with: a sheet, a light blanket, and a comforter

favorite fruit: mandarin oranges

favorite season: winter

favorite book: don’t make me choose

favorite flower: i really like calla lilies & azaleas

favorite scent: vanilla

favorite color: idk i like pastels and also dark colors

favorite animal: crow

coffee, tea, or hot cocoa: tea

cat or dog person: mmmmm cats

dream trip: some city where i can short-term rent an apartment and just not be productive

3.

1: Are you named after someone?

my mother wanted to name me after amelia earhart, my father wanted to name me after a book character whose first name was amelia, they came to an agreement :)

2: When was the last time you cried?

two days ago lol

3: Do you like your handwriting?

i do... except when it’s illegible

4: What is your favorite lunch meat?

nah

5: Do you have kids?

nope

6: If you were another person, would you be friends with you?

i think so? i would at least respect me, which is good

7: Do you use sarcasm?

??? is this a trick question??

8: Do you still have your tonsils?

yes unless something happened to them that i’m unaware of, which i doubt

9: Would you bungee jump?

no thanks

10: What is your favorite kind of cereal?

i am a big fan of cheerios

11: Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?

yes, but after they’re off (so that i won’t have to untie them when i have to put them back on, since i’ve tried and failed to put them on with them tied already)

12: Do you think you’re a strong person?

depends

13: What is your favourite ice cream? Ever, ever?

coffee!!!! from haagen dasz!!!! or dazs? however you spell that

14: What is the first thing you notice about people?

how energetic they are

15: What is the least favorite physical thing you like about yourself?

i feel like there’s not much you can do if you have unattractive ears besides get surgery so i’m glad that my ears are unremarkable? i guess?

16: What color pants and shoes are you wearing now?

blue jeans, gray shoes

17: What are you listening to right now?

.............hamilton

18: If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

i think i’d be either a bright green or light gray idk

19: Favorite smell?

vanilla

20: Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?

my dad telling him i actually did have rehearsal that day

21: Favorite sport to watch?

...hockey? i don’t really watch sports but the one i’m most likely to watch is hockey without a doubt

22: Hair color?

dark blond, but i’ve got like browner areas and blonder areas

23: Eye color?

grayish blue

24: Do you wear contacts?

yes, but only in my right eye

25: Favorite food to eat?

well made bagels

26: Scary movies or comedy?

comedy omg i can barely handle the wimpiest of jump scares

27: Last movie you watched?

broadcast of the revival of newsies

28: What color of shirt are you wearing?

pink and gray

29: Summer or winter?

winter

30: Hugs or kisses?

hugs

31: What book are you currently reading?

i’m not reading any original fic rn because i am DEVOTING myself to finishing way down we go by nekojita, it’s an aftg fic and it’s 621k and i’ve been reading it for over a week and i’m just over halfway but it’s soooo good

32: Who do you miss right now?

zach, probably, but i still see him from time to time sooo

33: What is on your mouse pad?

nothing. nonexistence.

34: What is the last TV program you watched?

the voice

35: What is the best sound?

a kick drum!!!! and a resonating bass line

36: Rolling stones or The Beatles

beatles

37: What is the furthest you have ever traveled?

shanghai

38: Do you have a special talent?

i can do a decent duck quack and it’s great for surprising people (although it’s less of a duck quack than a HHHCHCHCCKCCKKKK sound but w/e)

39: Where were you born?

california :)