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mysteryshoptls · 8 months ago

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2024-2025 Player Birthday Login Message Lines

These are all the messages that you get from the boys when you log in on the birthday that you set in-game from 18 Mar 2024 to 17 Mar 2025! For those that want to hear them, you can find them in the Archive, under the tab その他　→　監督生バースデー④. (This will not be in your game archives until the birthday you set passes.)

You can find the 2021-2022 Birthday Login Message Lines here! You can find the 2022-2023 Birthday Login Message Lines here! You can find the 2023-2024 Birthday Login Message Lines here!

HEARTSLABYUL

Riddle

Happy Birthday, [Yuu]. Thanks for always looking out for those two dorm students of mine. Actually, we're planning on hosting a reception this weekend at our dorm. I would like to invite you, as part of your birthday celebration. Heh. My apologies. Looks like that has caused you a little anxiety. No worries, I'll be beside you teaching you the proper manners the whole time.

Ace

Yo, [Yuu]. Happy Birthday― Mmkay, so let's get started on the birthday party. I'm just gonna pop on over to this one restaurant in town and nab some tasty-lookin' stuff! Just chill and wait here at Ramshackle... Hey, c'mon, I ain't tryin' to pull anything over on ya. Sometimes I just want to have a normal celebration too, y'know!

Deuce

[Yuu], Happy Birthday! Let me take you to go buy a prese... Eh? You're saying that I've already given you a present because I fixed the broken lights in Ramshackle the other day...? No way, you don't gotta hold back like that! I want to go all out for my pal's special day. That's what makes me happy.

Cater

[Yuu]-chan, Happy Birthday―☆ Did ya post on Magicam that it's your birthday? Oh, not yet? Then, let Cay-kun here with all his power and wisdom write a post for you! We'll attach a cool photo and some slammin' hashtags... Whaddya think? A perfect gift from me, or what?

Trey

Happy Birthday. So, about your present... I do have one. It's just... I was asking around for what to gift you and in the end, I couldn't really figure out what I should get... So in the end, after being at a loss, I ended up getting you this shirt. I look at it now and wonder what possessed me to pick this pattern... Yeah, I know, it's just laughable.

SAVANACLAW

Leona

Yeah, yeah. Your birthday's come 'round again, hooray. ...What're you doing, setting up a chessboard on the floor like that? You practiced just to win a game against me? Oho, so you're challenging me, then. Look at the pluck on this herbivore. So, what're you willing to bet, then? No way you're gettin' away with just a simple game after throwin' down the gauntlet at me like this.

Jack

So, it's your birthday today. Have you set up any new goals yet? What, you're going to surpass me in our classes? Heh, that's a hilarious joke. You really think you can beat me? But I'll take you on. If you get a better score on our next test, I'll get you some kind of present.

Ruggie

Happy Birthday―! 'N that means, I got you somethin' that's fittin' comin' from an upperclassman like me. Ta-da! A homemade fishing rod～ ...Ah, you totally just thought it's a cheap gift, didn'tcha! But this totally works! I know what it's like to go hungry too, y'know～ You're probably always goin' through things, so if you're ever in a pinch, make sure you use this!

OCTAVINELLE

Azul

A very Happy Birthday to you. Have you thought of a gift you'd like to get for yourself? Please, allow me to procure it for you... ...Oho, you have a keen eye to request something of that caliber. It may be considerably difficult to just anyone to acquire. HOW-EV-ER! If I were to handle it, that is a different situation altogether. I shall definitely make sure to retrieve it for you. Please wait expectantly.

Jade

Happy tidings for your birthday. I do hope this year will be another fruitful year for you. By the way, [Yuu]-san. Have you eaten yet? Oh, not yet, how wonderful. As a matter of fact, I thought I would treat you to something in my own little way. I only offer this with the best of intentions, of course. Fufu.

Floyd

Oh hey, Shrimpy-chan. It's your birthday today, huh. Mmkay, then I'll give you some snacks. I got these strange tastin' gummies, these wicked hard cookies, and some squishy jerky. Awesome, right? I got a ton, but all of them expire today, so. These are my presents to you, so you better eat them all without wastin' any, 'kay?

SCARABIA

Kalim

[Yuu], Happy Birthday! Here's your present, from me to you. Ahaha, did that surprise you? I tried making a pop up birthday card just for you. I also tried making a ton of paper flowers that we use during celebrations back in the Scalding Sands. Don'tcha think they came out real pretty?

Jamil

Happy Birthday, [Yuu]. It isn't much, but here's your present. Ramshackle is a fairly old building. I'm sure there are bugs that will find their way in and try to settle down here. However, if you use this, you can rid yourself of all of them in an instant. I can vouch for its effectiveness. Use it as soon as you can.

POMEFIORE

Vil

Happy Birthday, [Yuu]. ...You wish for me to come to your party here, at Ramshackle? And to top it all off, you've prepared a healthy menu just for me... Heh, how considerate of you. Very well. I suppose I can make an appearance out of respect for your enthusiasm. I do hope you're honored that I'll be there to celebrate with you.

Epel

Happy Birthday! I put in a lot of thought picking out a present for you. Here ya go, fingerless gloves! Nice design, right? Makes using your phone a lot easier, too. It'll make you look super cool, and the more you use it, the more comfy it'll feel. I hope you use it tons!

Rook

I've been waiting, Trickster. Waiting, that is, to celebrate your birthday with you. A spectacular day requires a spectacular memory. That is why I've come up with a wonderful plan of my own. First, we watch two back-to-back theater performances, then attend a poetry reading, and finally, watch a movie in the evening. There will be no time to rest. Come, we must quickly fly towards the theater!

IGNIHYDE

Idia

Kk, time to pretend we all get along and celebrate a birthday again... Eep!? D-Did you hear that just now...? Uh, so... Happy B-day, I guess... Soz, I don't have a present for you. Didn't even know it was your birthday... What, you're seriously just happy hearing me wish you a happy b-day? [siiigh] Nah, I'll order something small online and have it shipped to Ramshackle sometime later.

Ortho

Happy Birthday! Here's your present. Go ahead and open it! Hehe, you see what I did? I used a laser to engrave a birthday message on a glass tumbler for you. It was a little difficult fine tuning the power adjustment for the more detailed parts, but it came out pretty good, don't you think? I really hope you like it!

DIASOMNIA

Malleus

Child of Man, I see today is your birthday. ...Hm? What's the matter? You look a tad glum. Ah, I see, you are struggling to carry all your presents. Well, allow me to deliver them to Ramshackle with magic in your stead. No need to protest, this is an effortless task for someone like me. You should enjoy your special day to the utmost.

Silver

Happy Birthday. You're curious about this braided cord? It is your present. Lilia-senpai explained it to me thusly... If a string wrapped around your wrist or ankle snaps off on its own, then your wish will be granted. I strung this cord together in hopes that you may have your wishes come true. It may be a tad ill-shaped, but if it pleases you, it is yours.

Sebek

As I recall, today is your birthday... Hm? You want me to come to your birthday party? What poor semblance of a joke. I don't have the spare time to waltz into some human gathering like... WHAT!? MY LIEGE HIMSELF WILL ALSO BE THERE!? THEN SAY THAT FIRST! For goodness' sake, humans like you are just... so thoroughly thoughtless. Hurry and provide me the location and commencement time!

Lilia

Ooh, nice. So today's your birthday. Just look at how big you're getting. ...Khee hee hee. Don't look so downtrodden. It's just me pretending to be a doting gramps. The other guys in my dorm don't ever let me joke with them like that. And so, I have a present for you. Here, a CD of my performances, specially made! Take this and enjoy my raging screamo music with your whole heart and body.

OTHERS

Crowley and Rollo do not have new lines. Theirs are repeated from last year's.

Grim

Today's your birthday, huh. Happy Birthday to you! ...Huh? Do I got a gift for ya? What're ya even saying? Shouldn't ya be happy enough that you're my number one favorite henchie? Fiiine. Guess I can use my paws to pad you a massage sometime. Wouldn't want to hafta sit in a hard and uncomfy lap, after all!

Crowley

Ta-daaa! What do you suppose this could be? That’s correct, it’s an exchange coupon for use at the Mystery Shop! You have been a consistent helping hand, so… This is a special gift for you. Happy Birthday. Incidentally, that is only worth 500 madol (5 Thaumarks). It cannot be exchanged for something pricier than that. Please don’t hold it against me.

Crewel

It seemed rather rowdy in here, but now I see it was just you, pup. Are you excited simply because its your birthday? I see, well, in that case, I have a special present just for you. As for what it is... It is a special alchemy homework assignment. You should be happy; you'll be able to improve your skills even further with this, don't you think? Haha, Happy Birthday.

Rollo

Whatever is the matter, [Yuu]-kun? There is a strange glimmer in your eyes… ...Ah, I see. Today is your birthday. A present? Hmph. I hardly think that it should be something you request of others… But no matter. Indeed, birthdays should be treasured. However, what would be an acceptable gift…? I am afraid I’m rather unaccustomed to this. I would hope I do not disappoint you with a poor gift choice.

Fellow

Oh, my, hello there, my learned scholar! I've been searching, and finally, I've found you! I was fervently hoping to wish you well for your birthday. Here, your present. ...As fellows lacking in magical abilities, we should get along together, don'tcha think? Happy Birthday! Fwahaha!

Requested by Anonymous.

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lilacmingi · 8 months ago

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NIFFLER NABBING

My works are 14+ ONLY. If you’re under 14 DO NOT interact with me or any of my works

Pairing: Slytherin!Mingi x Hufflepuff!fem reader

Word count: 5,861

Note: Reminder that this is an imagine from my Wattpad from 2023 so there will not be extra parts or continuations

Mingi pushed his food around on his plate, eyes fixed on the peas that rolled across the saucer and into his mashed potatoes.

"Mingi?" You inquired softly, tapping your index finger on the table to gain his attention.

He blinked a few times, looking up at you with those heart-melting sparkly brown eyes of his.

"Hm?" He hummed.

"What's got you so distracted? You've barely touched your steak. It's your favorite."

"I was just thinking."

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

He hummed, nodding his head.

"Then, what's weighing on your mind?"

"What if I end up as an evil wizard?" He questioned worriedly. "Most of the bad wizards are from Slytherin."

Your expression softened and settled into a gentle smile as you let out a chortle. "Mingi, you don't have anything to worry about."

"That's easy for you to say. You're in one of the nicest houses in Hogwarts."

"Your house doesn't define you, you know. For instance, you. You're so friendly and kind to everyone you meet. Slytherins aren't always mean."

He blinked a few times, his eyes shimmering as he took in every word you said.

"You know, I've come across some awfully mean Hufflepuffs."

His eyes became wide at this.

"Really?"

"Mhm." You nodded. "Some meaner than any Slytherin I've met."

"Ah." His brows raised. "That makes me feel better."

"Good." You gave a nod of finality before finishing your meal.

You waited patiently for Mingi to eat, sipping on the remainder of your drink until he was done.

"Ah." You sighed contently as the both of you left the dining hall. "Nothing like a good meal to end the day."

"Yeah." Mingi agreed.

Your gaze moved to the windows of the school seeing the evening sky outside. Classes were over for the day and this was usually when students would go to their respective dormitories and hang out in the common room or spend time in the study hall, but you wanted to do something with Mingi. You thought back to what he had said just a few minutes ago at dinner about being a Slytherin. Though your words seemed to bring some comfort and relief to him, you felt he needed something else to cheer him up.

"Hey, I know something we could do." You spoke up as an idea popped into your head.

There was one thing that was 100% guaranteed to cheer Mingi up.

"What?"

"We could stop by Hagrid's hut to see what new creatures he's taking care of."

Mingi's eyes lit up, glimmering with excitement as he nodded vigorously. "Let's go!"

With his confirmation, the two of you took off across the quad and exited the area, waking together across the school grounds. Hagrid's hut was just a small, dark lump in the distance as he lived quite a ways away from the castle.

"You remember those things we learned about in our care of magical creatures class? Ah. What are they called?" You murmured. "Oh! Mooncalves. Do you think Hagrid will be caring for any of those?"

"I hope so. The pictures in our textbooks look so cute. I'd love to see one in person." Mingi gushed.

You approached the small hut, giving a knock on the weathered wood of the front door, watching as plumes of smoke escaped the chimney meaning Hagrid was home.

The door swung open moments later revealing the jovial half-giant, but before he could even greet you, his dog, Fang, came running by his feet, jumping up to greet you and Mingi.

"Fang!" You cooed, scratching the massive dog's ears, his droopy face looking too cute.

"Hey kiddos." Hagrid greeted once Fang had calmed down. "What brings you here?"

"It's the end of the day and Mingi and I wanted to see if you had any new creatures you were taking care of." You told him, rocking back and forth on your heels in anticipation.

A small grin pulled at Hagrid's features.

"I just got a new little fella yesterday, actually. Would you like to see him?"

"Yes, please!" You and Mingi both piped up, speaking at the same time.

Hagrid gave a hearty chuckle before stepping aside. "Well, come on in, then."

The two of you entered his cozy hut, both looking around trying to find this so-called "little fella."

"You two are excited, aren't ya?"

You and Mingi nodded vigorously, earning a chuckle from him.

"Alright." He sighed out, rummaging in a corner where a basket sat. Hagrid pulled a cloth off the top of the weaved container and reached inside. "Well, here he is."

When he turned around he was cradling a small creature in his arms, which was curled in on itself slightly.

Both you and Mingi let out gasps in response.

"A niffler." Mingi squeaked.

"That it is." Hagrid nodded. "You don't have any jewelry on, do you?"

"No sir." You shook your head along with Mingi.

"Good. This guy goes crazy for that stuff."

"Yes, we know. He's so adorable though, you can't help but wanna give him shiny stuff." You cooed.

"It's very tempting, but as soon as he sees something shiny he goes mad and won't stop until he has whatever eye-catching object grabbed his attention. And catching one of these is no easy task. Newt Scamander, the author of yer textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, had a niffler along with many other creatures and one of these guys got out. Ended up in a jewelry store stuffing his pouch with gold and silver."

Your eyes widened along with Mingi's.

"Really?"

Hagrid nodded.

"What happened?" Mingi inquired. "Did he catch the niffler?"

"He did, but it was difficult."

Your gaze moved to the creature still tucked in Hagrid's arms. He noticed your eyes lingering on the niffler, prompting him to hold the little guy out to you.

"Would you like to hold him?"

You nodded eagerly, gingerly taking the creature, cradling him in your arms. Mingi leaned over your shoulder to watch, slowly bringing his hand up to run along the niffler's tummy. He stretched out in your arms in response to Mingi's affectionate actions making you chuckle.

"He likes that." You commented.

"You can brush him if you'd like." Hagrid spoke up.

Mingi nodded eagerly as Hagrid handed him a small oval brush. He began running the bristled object along the niffler's tummy until he rolled over in your arms, allowing Mingi to brush along his back, his eyelids slowly drooping.

"He's closing his eyes." You whispered. "I think he's about to fall asleep."

Mingi's endearing giggles reached your ears, the sound making your heart do flips. He's the biggest softie you'd ever met and everything he does makes you melt. His sweet personality was a big contrast from his deep voice and six foot tall stature. On the outside he (sometimes) looks intimidating but he's really just a big softie who loves to give hugs and gets scared easily.

The both of you moved over to sit on the couch in Hagrid's quaint and cozy hut, Mingi continuing to brush the fuzzy niffler that was slowly starting to doze off in your arms. The atmosphere was pleasant as you watched the little creature's eyes slide shut, the sound of the cracking fire filling the air.

"Can I offer you two somethin' to drink? I can put a pot of tea on." Hagrid offered.

You and Mingi shared a glance before nodding.

He got to work placing a kettle of water over the fire to boil while you continued watching the niffler in your arms. Being close with Hagrid had its perks, one being moments like these where you could spend your free time caring for any creatures that he happened to have.

Mingi's eyes glimmered with unadulterated joy, a toothy grin plastered on his face while gingerly stroking the niffler's back with the brush.

Hagrid poured you both a cup of steaming hot tea, placing them on the wooden table by the couch. When the warm beverages were served, Mingi stopped what he was doing and took a sip of the tea while you did your best to reach for your cup without waking the snoozing niffler curled up in your lap.

You thanked the kind half-giant for the beverage before giving it a taste, offering him a thumbs up in response.

You and Mingi stayed long enough to finish your tea and chat with Hagrid about how your other classes were going as well as learning more about nifflers, finding out things about them that your textbooks didn't cover.

Hagrid glanced out the small window of his hut, noting how low the sun was hanging in the sky.

"You two best be getting off. Don't want to get in trouble."

You stood up, reluctantly handing the niffler off to Hagrid.

"Is it okay if we come back to see him again?" Mingi asked, glistening eyes darting down to the creature who had started to stir.

"Of course. You're both welcome back whenever. You know that."

"Yes sir." You nodded with a grin.

The both of you waved goodbye to Hagrid while leaving his small home and started your brief journey back to the school, not realizing how dark it had gotten outside.

"I want to take him with us." You pouted, making grabby hands towards the hut as you walked away from it.

"Me too." Mingi clutched his chest. "I've never seen a real niffler before. I didn't realize they were so cute."

"They're irresistible." You gushed. "I want one as a pet."

Your Slytherin friend chuckled in response. "Do you think you could handle caring for one?"

"Maybe. Though that story Hagrid told us about Newt Scamander makes me a bit skeptical. They must be really drawn to shiny things. I'd have to keep it on a leash or something." You spoke your thoughts aloud. "Maybe I just like being around them for a little while."

"Me too." Mingi agreed. "I don't think I could take care of one. Imagine how difficult it would be to keep one from going after anything shiny it laid eyes on."

You pictured it for a moment, imagining utter chaos.

"Yeah. Being a niffler mom might not be for me." You laughed.

Once back inside the school, you and Mingi went your separate ways, waving goodbye to each other while heading off in the direction of your respective dormitories. Leaving Mingi was always difficult for you because you enjoyed his company and wanted to spend as much time around him as possible.

One thing you hated about being in separate houses was not being able to live in the same dorms. Yes, boys and girls were separated but at the very least, you both could hang out together in the common room and prolong your time together.

Mingi made his way to the Grand Staircase, descending the seemingly endless stairs that led to the dungeon where the Slytherin dormitories were located. His mind was clouded with thoughts of you, as usual. You had been friends for years yet every time he was around you his heart raced like crazy. He was so in love with you it was almost embarrassing. What's even more embarrassing is how he still hadn't confessed yet. With how long the both of you have known each other, one would assume he already confessed, but he was too afraid of rejection, or worse, making things awkward between the both of you and ruining your friendship.

If only there was a way he could ease into confessing, maybe test the waters a bit and see if you might be interested in him the way he was with you.

Mingi's hands were clammy as he held the small velvet box between his palms. He spent so long choosing this piece for you and hoped you would like it. As soon as his eyes landed on the item he knew he had to get it for you, clearly imagining how nice you would look wearing it.

He took a series of deep breaths, letting them out slowly in a futile attempt to calm his nerves as he approached the place where you stood, not noticing his presence.

"Hi." He announced himself by greeting you, hiding the box behind his back.

"Hi." You flashed that heart-melting smile of yours that he loved so much.

"You look pretty." Saying the compliment aloud made Mingi's cheeks flush. "Did you do something different to your hair?"

"I styled it a little, but I hardly did anything. How'd you notice?"

I notice everything. Is what he wanted to say, but he just shrugged.

"So, why'd you want to meet here?"

"I wanted to give you something."

Your face lit up at his statement, clearly not expecting the gesture.

"What is it?" You inquired.

Mingi revealed the velvet box he had concealed behind his back and held it out for you. He noticed the way your eyes became wide at the sight, carefully taking the box from his hands to open it up.

You gasped upon seeing the necklace displayed inside.

He stood nervously as you removed the jewelry, examining the silver chain that had a single pendant hanging at the end; your favorite stone encased in silver.

"Mingi." You gaped. "This is beautiful."

The design of the piece was simple, which you loved, silently vowing to wear it all the time.

"You like it?" He asked quietly.

"I love it. What's the occasion?"

He shrugged. "Just because."

That was a lie. Getting you the necklace was just one way he could attempt to convey just how much you meant to him without actually confessing.

"Would you like me to put it on you?" He asked with pink cheeks.

"Yes please."

You allowed him to take the necklace while you turned around and let him clasp it around your neck. Your hand reached up to gently touch the pendant hanging perfectly between your collarbones, your heart leaping in response.

Just because, huh? You thought, holding back a smile.

No one buys their best friend jewelry just because. You knew there had to be another reason behind it and you hoped your suspicions were correct.

"Thank you."

"Yeah." His eyes were cast upon the ground, unable to meet your gaze. "You're welcome."

Your fingers unconsciously fiddled with the pendant.

"It's very beautiful."

"So, you like it?"

"I love it." You smiled.

Those three words were enough to fill Mingi with a feeling of adoration, his heart beating with joy. Seeing your reaction to the necklace gave him a small glimmer of hope that maybe you did like him the way he liked you.

It was nearly impossible to stay away from the lovable niffler you and Mingi met a few days prior. As soon as you had time to slip away, the both of you took off to Hagrid's hut once again, hoping to see the magical creature that captured your hearts.

"Oh. I should take this off." You paused, reaching up to unclasp the necklace Mingi had given you. "Don't want the little guy to snatch it."

"Smart." Mingi nodded, watching as you slipped it into your pocket.

You hadn't taken the necklace off not once since Mingi had gifted it to you. The piece of jewelry meant the world to you and you had no intentions on losing it or having it taken by a magical creature, so it was best to pocket it for the duration of your visit at Hagrid's.

Mingi gave a few knocks to the large wooden door, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as it creaked open.

"Hey you two. Didn't expect you back so soon."

"We couldn't stay away." You responded.

"Yeah we wanted to see the niffler again, if you don't mind." Mingi added, looking up at the half-giant with hopeful eyes.

"'Course you can." He bellowed cheerfully, stepping aside so the both of you could enter his cozy home.

The niffler was up and skittering about the hut this time instead of being curled up in his basket. Fang, who was lying peacefully by the fireplace, sat upright when the creature skittered past his paws, startling him a bit.

"He's got what I believe muggles call zoomies." Hagrid said with a hearty chuckle.

You squeaked gleefully as the creature scurried over to you and Mingi.

"I think he remembers us." You chuckled, leaning down to pick him up.

Mingi reached over and started to lightly scratch the top of the niffler's head before going down his back, the creature letting out small chitters of approval.

"You wanna hold him?"

Mingi nodded vigorously, gently taking the niffler from your arms and cradling him in his own, gazing fondly at him. His fingers came up to give the little guy some belly scratches which he seemed to really enjoy, for a few moments anyway. He didn't stay still for long before he was squirming in the Slytherin's arms, trying his best to wiggle his way out. Mingi got the message and placed the creature on the ground allowing him to run about to his heart's content.

"He's got a lot of energy today."

"He does." Hagrid chuckled. "Excited little thing, he is."

You and Mingi watched him in amusement and adoration as he skittered about.

"Would you like to feed him?" Hagrid asked, making the both of you look up at him.

"Yes please." Mingi nodded.

Hagrid stood up from his seat and went rummaging through some of his belongings before pulling out a bucket.

"You'll have to do some work, if you don't mind gettin' yer hands dirty."

You and your friend shared a look before you put forth a question.

"What do we have to do?"

"Nifflers are herbivores so this fella only eats grass and weeds. I haven't had the chance to gather any food for him so if you're both willing to do that you can feed him."

"Of course we are." You agreed straight away, Mingi nodding in agreement.

"Great." He handed the bucket over to you, making sure the niffler didn't run out while you and Mingi stepped outside.

"Here." Your friend pointed to a cluster of grass near an old wheelbarrow.

Wrenching the blades from the ground, you tossed them into the bucket you had been given and began to slowly fill it up. The two of you made your way around Hagrid's property yanking handfuls of grass up out of the earth. Eventually, the bucket was nearly full to the top.

"Should we stop?" Mingi questioned. "He's a small creature and this is probably plenty of food."

"You're right."

Hagrid was impressed with the work you two had done, bringing you back over to the couch so you could feed the magical creature.

Mingi held some grass in his hand, the niffler crawling over to him right away to start chowing down. His little hands held onto the blades of grass while he ate, making him look oh-so-adorable.

You decided to join in and pulled a handful of grass from the bucket, holding it out for the niffler who scurried across the small space between you and Mingi on the couch to eat the grass you had presented to him.

Your palm was emptied in no time and you found yourself reaching back into the bucket for more grass.

"Oh. Did I ever tell you two about that one time I raised blast-ended skrewts?"

Mingi turned to share a look with you before you both shook your heads.

"I don't recommend it. They're very ill tempered when they get to two months."

"What are they?" Mingi inquired.

"They're a mix between a manticore and a fire crab. The look like a giant faceless scorpion mixed with a crab."

"Scary." Mingi shivered.

Your brows raised. "That sounds dangerous."

"It was. Bought 'em from an illegal breeder."

"Makes sense." You muttered in amusement.

Hagrid was always getting himself into some sort of trouble and caring for incredibly dangerous creatures that he probably shouldn't have contact with.

"Let me show you a picture." He got up and started skimming through a pile of books before pulling one out of the stack and flipping through the pages. "Ah. Here we are."

"No thanks." Mingi declined, covering his eyes.

You peered at the drawing in the book, your face scrunching in response. Mingi made the mistake of peeking through his fingers and catching a glimpse of the image.

"Ah!" He squeaked. "That's terrifying. Who would want those?"

"Me, of course!" Hagrid gave a hearty belly laugh.

After another fun-filled visit at Hagrid's hut you headed back to the castle to spend the rest of the evening.

"I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow." You waved goodbye to Mingi while parting ways.

Once you were out of sight, Mingi decided to wander the halls with no particular destination in mind. He merely felt the need to take a walk, maybe think about some things that had been weighing on his mind.

During his stroll, he noticed a familiar-looking lump sitting amongst some sculptures and set of armor lining the hallways. He had been down that hall hundreds of times throughout his years attending Hogwarts and whatever was on the floor wasn't supposed to be there. He took a few steps towards the lump until he was able to make out what it was.

The niffler.

"Oh. What are you doing here?" He asked, unsure of how the creature had followed the both of you all the way back to the school. "How did you get h-" His question was cut off when he saw something silver gleaming in the niffler's hand.

"Hey. That's Y/n's necklace!" Mingi gasped, wondering how the little guy managed to snag it without either of you noticing. "Give that to me."

The niffler took off as soon as Mingi attempted to advance towards him.

"No." The Slytherin groaned, taking off down the halls towards him.

Mingi kept his eyes on the magical creature as he skittered down the corridors, rounding corners and leaping onto pedestals housing sculptures that Mingi had to catch and keep from toppling over after the little guy jumped off them.

This is the worst. He though to himself miserably.

Despite how much he was struggling, that necklace was far too important. There's no way Mingi would let the niffler have it, at least not without a fight.

Finally, after what felt like ages, he came to a halt, sitting near one of the large arched windows.

Finally. Mingi thought, his chest heaving up and down while he attempted to catch his breath. It was a miracle he didn't get caught by any professors running down the halls or he would've been in big trouble.

Choosing to take a different approach, Mingi decided to advance towards the creature with the utmost caution, sneaking up behind him while he stared at your necklace in his tiny hands. Just before he could slip it into his pouch, Mingi grabbed a hold of it, thinking he had managed to get the precious item from the creature, until he felt a tug on the opposite end.

You reached up to mindlessly fiddle with the pendant Mingi had given you, freezing when you didn't feel it around your neck.

Before you could fully begin to panic you remembered you had put the necklace in your pocket before going to Hagrid's place. However, when you reached into your pocket, you didn't feel the necklace. You heart dropped to your feet.

"Oh no."

Slipping out of the Hufflepuff dormitory, you made your way down the halls in the direction you had come earlier, hoping to find the silver necklace lying on the stone floors of the hallway. It meant so much to you and the fact that you lost it made your heart shatter. The necklace could have slipped out of your pocket at Hagrid's or in the grass on the walk back to the school. The only possible solution was to retrace your steps.

You went down the corridors, keeping your eyes glued to the floor as you scanned the area. As time passed and your necklace didn't show up, a feeling of hopelessness slowly started taking over. At that point, you started thinking that maybe you should just tell Mingi what happened and be honest. Then, maybe the both of you could look outside on the school grounds tomorrow. Changing directions, you started making your way to the Slytherin dorms, hoping you'd run into Mingi along the way.

Your search came to an abrupt halt when you spotted the man you were looking for playing tug of war with a niffler. You could barely question how the creature had gotten all the way to the school when you spotted a familiar silver chain gleaming in the lantern lights. Your necklace.

"Mingi?"

"Y/n!" He jerked his head towards you, eyes wide like a deer in the headlights. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. He took your necklace. I don't know how."

Giving one final tug, the niffler released the jewelry and Mingi fell on his bottom, letting out a grunt when he hit the floor.

Mingi let out a huff, clutching the piece of jewelry in his hands.

You scrambled to grab the niffler before he could scurry off, holding him closely. His tiny clawed hands reached towards your necklace in Mingi's hand as he squirmed in your hold, trying to reach the jewelry.

The Slytherin pushed himself up off the ground and pocketed your necklace for temporary safe keeping.

"We need to return him to Hagrid before he causes any more trouble." You told Mingi.

He took a glance at a large clock on the wall.

"It's a couple hours until curfew. We've got time."

With that, you and Mingi set off towards Hagrid's hut for the second time that day. It was 8:00 PM and the sky was a deep blue color that was so dark it was almost black. Once outside the quad and away from the torches that provided light, Mingi pulled out his wand.

"Lumos."

The tip of his wand lit up, allowing you two to see where you were going as you hiked across the grass. The niffler had calmed down at bit after the necklace was put away, but still squirmed every so often, clearly wanting to be put down.

"Sorry buddy." You apologized. "I can't set you down until you're back home."

"I'm sorry he got a hold of your necklace."

"You have no need to apologize. It was no one's fault. I'm just trying to figure out how he got it. Maybe it fell out of my pocket or was about to fall out and he spotted it and that's what led him to follow us."

"That seems plausible." Mingi nodded.

You gave a few knocks to Hagrid's door as Mingi extinguished the light on his wand, the door creaking open just a few seconds later.

"Niffler delivery." You joked, forcing a laugh.

"I've been wondering where he wandered off to." Hagrid responded. "Been lookin' everywhere for him."

"He followed us back to the school. I think he might've seen the necklace I had in my pocket because he had it earlier."

"Oh, yes." He responded, taking the creature from you. "One glance at something shiny and these little fellas will go after it."

"He's stronger than he looks." Mingi commented. "I spent nearly five minutes playing tug of war with him over that necklace."

The half-giant chuckled at the image.

"That they are." He nodded. "Well, thank you for bringing him back."

"Of course. We couldn't have him roaming the school all night." You chuckled.

"I feel like you two need a reward or somethin'."

Before either of you could deny, he reached into a wooden bowl on his round dining table, holding out two dragon scales.

"Here ya go. Genuine dragon scales."

Both your's and Mingi's brows raised as you each took a shiny scale.

"Woah." You gaped. "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do to show my appreciation."

"So cool." Mingi murmured in awe.

"You two best be heading back so you don't miss curfew."

Thanking Hagrid again for the incredibly special gift, you parted ways, waving goodbye as you started back towards the castle. Holding your wands out, you and Mingi illuminated the ends of them, using the light to guide you back to the school.

"We've had an eventful evening, haven't we? You more so than me. After all, you're the one who chased the niffler and pried the necklace away from him."

"I wasn't kidding when I said he's stronger than he looks."

"I believe you." You chuckled. "It seemed like he had quite the grip on that necklace."

"You have no idea."

You passed by the study hall, catching sight of a few students hitting the books before curfew. The halls were mostly empty, not many people were roaming around at this hour as most students preferred to hang out in the common room of their dormitories.

"Thank you for getting the necklace back." You spoke up, wondering how long he had been chasing the niffler before he was able to catch him and successfully pry the chain from him.

"Oh. That reminds me." Mingi paused, pulling the precious piece of jewelry out of his pocket. "Here you go."

A soft smile graced your lips at the sight of it and you moved your hair to the side, turning around.

"Could you put it on me?"

Mingi stepped forward and clasped the necklace just as he did when he had first gifted it to you. You thanked him, turning around to gaze up at him while your fingers unconsciously toyed with the pendant.

The light from the flickering torches on the wall danced across Mingi's sharp features and illuminated his cheekbones. For a moment, all you could do was stare, entranced by his hypnotizing features.

"Can I tell you something?" He inquired softly, cutting through the silence hanging in the air.

You hummed, prompting him to continue.

"There's a reason I gave you that necklace."

As much as you wanted to smile because you were right, you held back and stayed silent, waiting for him to go on.

"The truth is, I like you, Y/n." Mingi bravely stepped forward, feeling nervous as ever. "I was too afraid to confess and to be honest, I didn't even know what I would say. So I decided to buy you something nice in hopes that the message would get across without me having to confess."

This time you couldn't hold back your smile.

"I knew there had to be a reason." You grinned. "I just didn't want to get my hopes up about any possibilities."

"Possibilities of what?" Mingi pressed.

"That you like me."

In the blink of an eye, Mingi grabbed your face with both his hands and closed the gap between your faces, pressing his lips against yours.

Fireworks exploded in your stomach upon contact, your eyelids fluttering closed in response. You'd always imagined what it would feel like to kiss Mingi and feel his pretty, plush lips against yours. Now, you can happily say it feels like a dream come true—because it is.

Your palms slid up his chest, slowly finding their way to his lengthy hair, tangling your fingers in the strands. Mingi sighed softly at the feeling, his head tilting for better access while he slotted your mouths closer together.

His cheeks burned and were more than likely sporting a deep pink color, but he didn't care. He was finally kissing you and that's all that mattered to him. He had imagined this so many times and none of the fake scenarios came close to the real thing.

He stepped forward, backing you against the wall while his arms caged you in, his lips moving at a more rapid pace. Your closed eyelids fluttered at the feeling of his plush lips encasing your bottom one, sending you into a foggy daze. It was as if he was letting himself go completely, putting in all of the emotions he had been holding back into the kiss: desperation, passion, longing.

You were vaguely concerned that a teacher would catch you two, the worry being pushed to the back of your mind as soon as it surfaced.

Your fingers pulled away from his hair and relocated to his green and white tie, using it to tug him closer to you. Mingi let out a small noise at your bold action, his heart rate speeding up in response. He was already very close to you, his body pressed flush against yours, but it wasn't enough. His hands, which were previously anchored on the wall on either side of you, had moved to your waist, squeezing it tightly as if to ground himself. Your fingers curled around the collar of his school robes, tightening your grip every time he kneaded your hips. It was all so overwhelming, the way he kissed you with such longing paired with the feeling of his hands sent you into a daze.

Just when you thought you couldn't take it anymore, Mingi parted ways and rested his forehead against yours, his eyes still closed as he tried to process what had just happened. Both of you huffed and panted, trying to catch your breaths that had been taken by the passionate make-out session.

Your hands came up to cup Mingi's cheeks, holding his face between your palms, soaking up the moment. When he finally pulled back and opened his eyes he felt like he had just been punched in the gut. You stared up at him with glossy half-lidded eyes and puffy lips; your appearance reflecting just how the kiss had affected you.

"You're so pretty." He blurted, too caught up in the moment to consider the words coming from his mouth.

You gave him a drunken smile, letting out a giggle or two, your thumb running across his swollen lips which had became puffier due to the kiss.

"So are you."

He held back a grin, turning his gaze to the stone floor. Though his mind was still reeling from the events that occurred just moments ago, he was still able to ask one question that was begging to be asked.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes, of course I will." You grinned from ear to ear, pulling him into a hug.

Mingi felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders as he rested his head on top of yours, his arms giving you a light squeeze to make sure this wasn't all a dream.

"I don't want to leave." You admitted, your voice muffled from being buried in his chest.

"Me either." You could hear the pout in his voice. "We don't want to miss curfew though."

The both of you reluctantly parted ways, saying your goodbyes.

"See you tomorrow at breakfast." You told Mingi.

He nodded with a small smile. "See you tomorrow... girlfriend."

Hongjoong ⟡ Seonghwa ⟡ Yunho ⟡ Yeosang ⟡ San ⟡ Wooyoung ⟡ Jongho

Masterlist ᝰ — enjoyed this imagine? reblogs & comments are very much appreciated!

DO NOT steal, plagiarize, copy, repost, alter, or translate my works in any way

🏷 @h3arteyes4mingi @weird-bookworm @poppy2007 @parkjennykim @evidive @mxlly143 @lizzymizzy-blogg @minhanbyeol @dinossaurz @laylasbunbunny

#mingi x reader #song mingi x reader #mingi x you #song mingi x you #mingi x y/n #song mingi x y/n #ateez hogwarts au #ateez imagines #ateez oneshot #ateez scenarios #kpop imagines #kpop oneshots #kpop scenarios

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911bts · 8 months ago

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#911 abc #ratings #s7 #7x04

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mxltifxnd0m · 2 months ago

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heaven knows ❥ i. lahey

summary: social media/ college au with the pack [can be read as a non supernatural au, but its implied]

pairings: established isaac lahey x reader, isaac lahey x fem! reader

warnings: none really, no use of 'y/n', fluff, slice of life, some cursing

a/n: made this instead of my homework bc i wanted to make a smau for isaac :) also emmyparker is an oc based on my friend loll

reblog and comment! i love to see your thoughts on my fics (even if this isn’t technically a fic lol)

𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘢𝘤 𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵

yourusername

liked by mccallmescott, emmyparker, and 2023 others

yourusername a lil photo dump of college so far ;P (not included: mental breakdowns)

tagged: kirakitsune, lyds.martin, silverallison, isaaclahey14 + 3 more

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lyds.martin you wouldn't have the breakdowns if you didn't procrastinate ↳ yourusername you know what lydia stfu ↳ emmyparker @/yourusername shes not wrong ↳ yourusername WTH IS WITH THIS DOGPILING 😭😭

mccallmescott why do i have the feeling that your study sessions don't end up being study sessions ↳ yourusername what makes you think that scotty? ↳ kirakitsune @/mccallmescott they usually devolve into yap sessions ↳ silverallison SHHH kira!! they aren't supposed to know ↳ 24stiles is that why we aren't invited?? ↳ emmyparker that's a secret we'll never tell 🤫 xoxo gossip girl 😘 ↳ 24stiles 😐😑😐

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lyds.martin

liked by stilesss, kirakitsune, and 1923 others

lyds.martin girls night in! 🥂

tagged: yourusername, emmyparker, silverallison, + 2 more

view all 1002 comments

yourusername wheres my pic creds 🤨 ↳ lyds.martin you're tagged, isn't that enough ↳ yourusername no 🥰 ↳ lyds.martin 🙄

24stiles i see my invite was lost in the mail ↳ emmyparker it can't be lost if it wasn't sent 😊 ↳ lyds.martin you weren't invited bc you aren't a girl, hence why it's called a girls night

silverallison we need to do this more often, it was so fun !! ↳ kirakitsune 100% agree, especially with finals kicking our asses rn 😭 ↳ lyds.martin heard, but @/yourusername has to host next time ↳ yourusername thanks for volunteering me lyds 🙃

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24stiles

liked by yourusername, isaaclahey14, and 1120 others

24stiles boyz night 😤💪💯 (and theo is here too ig)

tagged: mccallmescott, isaaclahey14, liam.dunbar + 2 more

view all 782 comments

lyds.martin wow someone was bitter about us hanging out with out them ↳ 24stiles whatever do you mean? ↳ lyds.martin you're an idiot

yourusername i know damn well you didn't use my apartment as a fire hazard ↳ 24stiles ...its technically not just your apartment, it's isaac's... ↳ isaaclahey14 @/24stiles are you trying to get me killed?! ↳ yourusername @/24stiles @/isaaclahey14 stilinksi you're first on my list, lahey you'll be next ↳ 24stiles what about scott??? ↳ mccallmescott DUDE??

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yourusername

liked by kirakitsune, silverallison, and 2009 others

yourusername love you wolf boy 🥰 🩵

tagged: isaaclahey14

view all 1014 comments

24stiles ew i didn't need to see this first thing in the morning ↳ yourusername you jealous i nabbed him in high school when you had the chance? ↳ 24stiles pffhh absolutely not, besides im in a happy relationship with em ↳ yourusername that's what you think :) ↳ 24stiles EM?? EXPLAIN NOW @/emmyparker

silverallison this is disgustingly cute ughh ↳ yourusername feel free to join us if you want ;) ↳ silverallison don't tempt a girl with a good time 😏

kirakitsune for research purposes, i need to know where isaac's shirt is from ↳ emmyparker same... for research purposes ↳ yourusername i sent you guys the link 🤭

isaaclahey14 love you lots babe ↳ yourusername love you more 🫶

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isaaclahey14

liked by emmyparker, 24stiles, and 1923 others

isaaclahey14 love you sweetheart ❤️

tagged: yourusername

view all 863 comments

emmyparker wait are these candids of her actually good? ↳ issaclahey14 do you doubt my abilities? ↳ emmyparker yes 😁 also @/24stiles take notes ↳ 24stiles how do i keep getting attacked in posts that aren't even mine 😭

silverallison @/isaaclahey14 im gonna steal your girl ↳ isaaclahey i'd like to see you try ↳ yourusername guys noo don't fight over me (please do it does wonders for my ego) ↳ silverallison nevermind you can keep her

yourusername this is actually so cute, love you so much honey <33 ↳ isaaclahey14 i swear you always underestimate me ↳ yourusername aren’t you forgetting something 🤨 ↳ isaaclahey14 i love you too ❤️

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weirdmarioenemies · 8 months ago

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On October 4th, 2023, Mario Kart Tour received its final content update. After this day, no more new tours would come to the game, with it instead cycling through past tours. I didn't respect the game all that much, but I do think it's a bit sad we won't get to see any new racers or alternate outfits for a while now...

Or will we?

We've received intel from an anonymous source that this spring, something BIG is coming to Mario Kart Tour. A brand new tour, with new content, to commemorate the season! I'll let the leaked description speak for itself...

"He is risen, and so is #MarioKartTour! Celebrate Easter with the all-new Vatican Tour! Race through the sacred streets of the pontiff's home turf in the new Vatican Velodrome track, and save up your Rubies to nab Kamek (Pope) in the Spotlight Shop- along with a whole host of communion-tastic goodies! This heavenly tour is set to grace your mobile device this season!"

We even got an early look at Kamek's new Pope alt! A miter really suits him, don't you think? Our sources tell us that his unique trick animations include performing the sign of the cross, and sprinkling holy water around him! Even in the heat of a race, Kamek (Pope) loves his neighbor and blesses his fellow competitors!

Kamek (Pope)'s signature kart is the Turbo Tabernacle! What, did you expect a Popemobile? Don't you know the Vatican doesn't like that nickname? I can't believe you would expect such blasphemy here. Our leaker was kind enough to provide this mockup, showing its wafer wheels as well as the new glider, the INRI Scroll! With this glider, you can feel like YOU'RE the one being crucified!

We hope you're as excited as we are for the upcoming Vatican Tour! It would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it would be to resist playing Mario Kart Tour this Easter season!

#mario kart tour #kamek #kamek (pope)#vatican tour #vatican velodrome #turbo tabernacle #inri #easter #mario #april fools

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coimbrabertone · 11 days ago

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A Postmortem on the Competitive Era of MotoGP

Okay, that is a very dramatic title, and hopefully, a year from now I'll be able to look at this and say I was wrong, but...I think MotoGP's competitive era is over.

First let me explain what I mean by competitive era.

Grand Prix motorcycle racing, more so than other forms of motorsport, I think, is prone to eras of complete dominance. Agostini in the 60s and 70s, Doohan in the 90s, Rossi in the 2000s, and Marc Marquez in the 2010s. Marc Marquez's run of dominance, however, came to an abrupt end at the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix.

Here, Marquez crashed riding maniacally to make his way to the lead. Marc broke his right arm and started a multi-year struggle with injury that would impact his 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 seasons. This would also ultimately end Marc's relationship with Honda, as at the end of 2023, he decided to move to a Gresini Ducati.

In the meantime, MotoGP was wide open.

Joan Mir on a Suzuki won the 2020 championship on consistency over the Petronas Yamaha of Franco Morbidelli, with teammate Alex Rins in third.

Fabio Quartararo on a factory Yamaha won 2021 over the raw speed of Ducati's Pecco Bagnaia and Suzuki's Joan Mir.

Pecco Bagnaia got the upper hand over Fabio Quartararo in 2022, with additional challenges from the Gresini Ducati of Enea Bastianini and the Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro.

Bagnaia won again in 2023, but it was a new cast of characters around him. Instead of being pressured from outside, he was being pressured from within as the Pramac Ducati of Jorge Martin and the VR46 Ducati of Marco Bezzecchi challenged him for the championship.

2024, however, is when things started getting stale. Jorge Martin won the championship over Pecco Bagnaia - the same top two from last year, just in a different order - whilst Marc Marquez on the Gresini Ducati was third, and Enea Bastianini on the factory Ducati was in fourth.

Five years with four different champions.

Suzuki riders, Yamaha riders, factory Ducati riders, and satellite Ducati riders.

It was variety, it was amazing.

However...it was already getting stale this year.

Ducati has been the strongest for a few years now, I admit that even as someone who initially was in favor of Ducati dominance - my logic being that Honda and Yamaha have dominated MotoGP for so long that it was nice to see a European bike take a turn on top - and they've really mastered it this year.

KTM didn't win anything this year.

Aprilia only won two sprints and a single race.

The entire winning constructor column on Wikipedia is a sea of Italian flags without interruption.

And I fear it's only going to get worse for 2025, because Marc Marquez will be on a factory Ducati. After four years of being broken and one year of being on year old machinery, I fear that we may be seeing the Marquez revenge tour for the next few years.

Now, I'm sure for Marquez fans, they'll have a lot of fun.

But...I'm not a Marquez fan.

I'm a Ducati fan, I suppose, but even then, I'm more of a competition fan. The last few years I've found myself turning away from Ducati and becoming an Aprilia fan. The problem with Aprilia, however, is that Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales are good riders, sure, but they're not the kind of riders Aprilia needs to take the fight to the Bolognese.

So Aprilia has made a change for 2025.

Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi.

I think this is a good change. I don't like Martin, his personality rubs me the wrong way and I've spent the last two years rooting against him, but hey, it's Aprilia nabbing the reigning champion, so I understand why they'd want that.

Marco Bezzecchi I'm more excited about. I like him more as a rider, and while I expect Martin to be faster, I hope Marco gets some success too, because then I could at least enjoy some of Aprilia's successes.

Assuming, of course, that Marquez doesn't go and win everything next year.

Will KTM be able to provide any resistance? Maybe. Pedro Acosta is impressive, and Brad Binder has put on some performances at the end of this year to finish ahead of Acosta in the standings, but neither of them have finished any higher than second, so...what they can do depends on where the 2025 KTM is.

The same goes for the new Tech3 KTM lineup of Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini, two riders I like - I was glad to see Vinales succeed at the USGP, while Enea has been the rider I've rooted for in MotoGP ever since I became an active fan - they're both moody riders. On their day, they're invincible, problem is that their day doesn't come around nearly often enough to mark a consistent challenge.

And to add insult to injury, Pierer Mobility Group is suffering poor sales globally.

This is why Tech3 is going to be a KTM team instead of a GasGas team, because Pierer is refocusing their marketing on their core brand to try and regain stock value.

So...maybe they can challenge, but I'm not particularly optimistic.

Yamaha? They're gonna need a hell of a lot more speed if they want to challenge.

Honda? Look, yesterday at the Solidarity GP, Joan Mir crashed on the Honda and Neil Hodgson went "oh it's Mir time" so...the less said about Honda right now, the better.

Especially with Repsol gone.

How about the rest of Ducati?

Well, Bagnaia still won eleven races this year, so he's certainly still a force, but is he capable of beating Marc Marquez on equal machinery? I hope so, but given that Bagnaia just got beat by Jorge Martin on equal machinery, I'm not sure if I'm optimistic.

There is also only going to be one more factory-spec Ducati in 2024. Pramac has gone over to Yamaha, while Ducati has given a single GP25 to VR46, putting it in the hands of Fabio Di Giannantonio.

I think Digia will be good on the GP25 this year, and maybe he'll win a couple of races, but I expect him to finish somewhere between third and fifth. Third if no one else can challenge Ducati, fourth or fifth if the likes of Aprilia or KTM can start to pressure the Ducatis.

So overall, I think most races next year will finish with Marquez and Bagnaia in the top two slots, and everyone else fighting for third. The bright side for everyone else, I suppose, is that both Marc and Pecco can be crash prone, so maybe that's where all the other wins will come from.

Will that be good?

We'll see.

Was this competitive era good?

Yes.

Hearing about 2020 and 2021 and paying attention to the very end of the 2022 season is what made me want to become a MotoGP fan. I watched the entire 2023 season on janky streams, I was relieved as hell to see the 2024 season come onto Max so that I could watch MotoGP legally and safely - and share it with my racing friends - so for me, this competitive era has been great.

The entire reason I'm writing this blogpost is because I'm scared that MotoGP is turning for the worse just as I've become a fan.

So what era do I think is most comparable to this competitive era?

The early 2000s. Let's say 1999-2003 for instance.

1999, Mick Doohan gets injured and suddenly the best 500cc GP rider is out of the picture. Alex Crivillé on a Repsol Honda and Kenny Roberts Jr. on a Suzuki battled for the title, with occasional appearances by the other two Repsol Hondas of Tadayuki Odaka and Sete Gibernau, as well as Max Biaggi who was dragging that Marlboro Yamaha forward.

2000 continued the trends, with Kenny Roberts Jr. winning on the Suzuki, Valentino Rossi pressuring him on a Nastro Azzurro Honda run by Mick Doohan's former crew. Max Biaggi on the Marlboro Yamaha was third, with a huge variety of satellite riders involving themselves as well. The Emerson Hondas of Alex Barros and Loris Capirossi, the Red Bull and Antena3 Yamahas of Garry McCoy and Norifumi Abe, Carlos Checa on the other Marlboro Yamaha, and Alex Crivillé struggling on the overpowered - no literally, it had too much power - Repsol Honda, only taking one win in his title defense.

2001 was a turn towards dominance with Valentino Rossi on that Nastro Azzurro Honda, but we still saw wins from Max Biaggi on the Yamaha. We saw the Pons team - now West Honda - continue to pressure the front with Capirossi and Barros, and Sete Gibernau won a single race on the Suzuki. Interesting how that happened twice in a row. In 1999, Crivillé on the Repsol Honda won the title just to win a single race in 2000, while in 2000, Roberts on the Suzuki won just for Suzuki to only take a single win in 2001 with Sete Gibernau at Valencia.

2002 I think lines up with 2022. Valentino Rossi, now brought into Repsol Honda, wins the first 990cc title over Max Biaggi on the Marlboro Yamaha. Tohru Ukawa on the Repsol Honda and Alex Barros on that West Honda also challenge for wins on the same bike as the champion, playing that Enea Bastianini role.

2003 then, is the Honda show much like 2024 was the Ducati show. Valentino Rossi on the Repsol Honda, Sete Gibernau on the Telefonica Gresini Honda, and Max Biaggi, now on the Camel Honda - Pons with a new title sponsor - with Loris Capirossi at Catalunya playing that Maverick Vinales at COTA role as the sole win for a different manufacturer.

2004, however, marked the end of that era. Valentino Rossi went to Yamaha and still won the title in dominant fashion. Five Hondas in the top six but it was Rossi on top with nine wins on a bike that hadn't won since 2002. That shattered the idea that Valentino Rossi was simply the best of the Hondas, instead, he was the best in the world, perhaps the best ever.

And maybe on an optimistic note, in 2025, his protege, Pecco Bagnaia, will prove that he is more than just the Ducati champion. Perhaps Bagnaia will weather the storm of Marc Marquez as his teammate and win the championship anyway.

MotoGP seems to be in a bad way, with Ducati dominant, Bagnaia having been beat by Martin, and Marc Marquez coming into Ducati and threatening to dominate.

But in 2003, everyone swore up and down that the 990cc five-cylinder Honda was the best bike in the world, only for Rossi to go onto the Yamaha and win anyway.

Honda seemed invincible in 2003, but Yamaha beat them in 2004.

Marquez seems inevitable in 2024, but maybe someone can stop him in 2025.

Maybe Pecco, maybe Martin on the Aprilia, or maybe the Japanese will shock everyone and somehow bounce back.

It's unlikely, but...maybe there's still hope.

#motorsports #racing #motogp #pecco bagnaia #jorge martin #marc marquez #valentino rossi #max biaggi #sete gibernau

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