#so I thought 'ehh while I have some materials I may as well give him a little something'

[solvicrafts]

My favorite thing about accidentally remaking my Vhaeraun plush is that originally...

THIS GUY

was gonna be a standalone plush of Rai'gy to pair up with Kimmuriel

I was waiting on some spider web fabric to put over the red robe as an overlay, but it got lost in the mail. So while I was waiting on the replacement I decided to test out the starry tulle before using it on my Kimmuriel plushies.

I thought 'hey that looks pretty good' and started going through all of my pre-cut plush hair, only to find that I didn't have any left that weren't already set aside for the Kimmuriel line.

EXCEPT FOR ONE. The red one. The last red one.

So I used it, fell hopelessly in love with the look, and gave up and decided to let Vhaeraun have his way.

[itsmoonphobic]

Elemental Souls (SBI+Tommy 4 elements au)

(🌿) ♡ (🔥) ♡ (🌊) ♡ (🌬)

Techno Blade -Fire:

"Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products."

You can either see Techno as rude,cocky and egoistic or you can see him as loyal,determined and smart.

Becouse of his cold facade,Techno can scare poeple off easily.The fact that he gets aggressive easily doesn't make it any better.He tends to be very sarcastic and loves to tease/ignore people badly which is another reason poeple tend to stay away from him.

Techno can be described as terrifying.Becouse he is very intelligent and silent poeple around him can only wonder what he is thinking and if he is planning on killing someone soon.Of course Techno never killed anyone and he would never do so but his scary aura makes people believe he did and would do it again.

He doesn't take things very seriously and will only get invested if he is deeply committed and interested in them or if he gets something out of it.Techno may say that he isn't a competitive person but god is this man lying to himself.

Challenging Techno to something is probably the most dumbest move you could make.Not only will he destroy you and win but he will make a whole ass war out of it.This guy won't sleep,eat or talk to another human being until he's won.And you can bet your ass he will totally humiliate you and rub it in till it burns-

That's what Techno can be seen as from the outside. But on the inside he is anything but confident,cocky and unbeatable.He is very shy and socially awkward. He only picks out certain people who he will let take part in his life.On some days his insecurities will get the best of him and he won't come out of his room for weeks-

Hours and hours spent on crying only then become evident once he leaves his room and reveals this mess of red and puffy eyes,dark valleys and pale skin.The vibes he gives off basically scream "back of and leave me the fuck alone or I will burn you to death"

Others may think that a fiery person like him has to have exciting and risky hobbies-When in reality Techno loves peaceful and quiet activities like reading or studying.May I add that in his free time Techno absolutely loves to be outside and farm potatoes on a daily-

Sure Techno does fighting and skill upgrading from time to time but when he is left alone with his head full of thoughts he will scurry to the local library and spend the rest of his day there.Nobody questions why he goes there or makes fun of him that such a tough guy reads books-Becouse they very well know he will personally beat them up and burn down their houses.

Techno's best friend Phil is the only person who he truly trusts with everything and anything.The two of them grew up together and developed a really strong emotional and family like bond.Techno only allows Phil to see his vulnerable and fragile side,he will cry infront of him and even let Phil hug him while he reassures him that everything will work out and be fine.

Techno isn'a touchy guy,for him pda is disgusting and unnecessary-like,why the fuck would you put your hands on another person?What kind of person enjoys sharing physical contact?Not Techno that's for sure.

Over time Techno became more open and extroverted so he agreed to meeting two of Phil's friends,both of them having different elements.Phil commented something about how he thinks that opposite friendships are way more exciting and fun!Techno didn't think much of it,he simply rolled his eyes and went along with it.

That was the day Techno met Wilbur and Tommy.He could immediately tell that Tommy would be annoying as fuck and really hard to deal with-I mean the kid was only twelve when they first got introduced.Wilbur on the other hand sparked some sort of feeling inside of Techno that made him feel welcomed in his presence.

So yeah over the course of the next four years the four element benders became really close.Yes even grumpy Techno had to live with the fact that he would die for all of them-even Tommy.And speaking of Tommy,he and Techno do everything together-

If you would to make fun of Tommy or tease/annoy him in any be it negative or positive way-Techno would hunt you down and burn you-If it isn't intense he will stick to only a threat-but if you actually physically or mentally hurt Tommy??Oh boy-I may have said that Techno never did and never would kill somebody,but in this case there is a high chance of an angry Techno being after you.

Techno sees his friend group as family members.Phil represents a huge father figure,Wilbur his younger brother and Tommy his youngest brother.He is very overprotective of them all,especially over Tommy if you couldn't already tell.With how much shit he gets himself into and the fact that he is only sixteen years young and his braincells are still producing he can't but worry for him and take care of him,even if he does bully the fuck out of him :)

Wilbur and Techno have the best moments.The two of them both enjoy reading so you can occasionally discover them in the local town library where they are just enjoying the peace shared between eachother. Although Wilbur does have a chaotic and wild side to him which he lets out when he's around Tommy,he becomes quite and relaxed when around the fire bender.Techno knew from the moment he met Wilbur that the two of them would get along great.

Techno isn't really good with showing his feelings or dealing with his emotions-Like I said apart from pride and anger he doesn't reveal much to the world.Phil used to be the only person Techno trusted but now with the whole gang on his side he earned himself more poeple to rely on.Of course it took time for him to open up and really let himself go infront of Tommy and Wilbur but the waiting definitely paid off.

When Techno practices,for example his weapon usage and fire bending it is best to leave him alone and stay a safe distance away from him.There is a chance for him to attack you,though he will most likely just snap at you and tell you to piss off if you don't wanna burn alive and if you wanna keep all your fingers in place.

Also not to mention,Techno is on the way of becoming a vegetarian.At the start he only hated eating anything related to pigs,like bacon or pork chops.But after developing his love for farming he noticed just how unnecessary eating meat is.Sure he still consumes meat from time to time but in most of the cases he will turn it down and eat a baked potato instead :D

Squid and Dream(A water bender and a earth bender) are both in a rivalry with him.Techno is probably the one who started randomly picking on Squid at one point and from there on out they kind of grew close?Not too close but most definitely a form of friendship.

Dream on the other hand is hundred percent the one who constantly competes with Techno.Be it in element bending or grades in school.If Dream manages to get even half a point more on an exam he would literally celebrate.The most annoying part is the fact that Techno doesn't even acknowledge Dream. Just to see Dream's face when Techno only shrugs and lets out a small "ehh" while saying that it doesn't matter and he sees no point in anyone trying to be as good as him or better,makes it more entertaining ;D

To sum it all up: Techno is a natural born leader.His dedication and determination along with his loyalty are a healthy base for a powerful soul.The reason behind his aggressive,confident and somewhat rude side is due to the fact that he is a fire bender and his element is naturally fierce.He fights for what he thinks is important and right and never lets anything happen to the poeple he deeply loves and cares about.He is not the best when it comes to showing sympathy and affection and he doesn't seek it from anyone else.He has to deal with major mental health issues but he's more than thankful for his friends that are by his side and help him out on his journey.Once Techno opens up to you more you know he likes you,like I said to earn Techno's respect and trust you have to meet his expectations and show him that you actually care for him and his well being.He needs some love guys <3

Like fire itself, fire benders tend to be passionate, dynamic, and temperamental. Fire can keep you warm, or it can do great destruction. While fire burns out quickly without fuel to keep it going, it can also regenerate its power from the ashes. A single spark can set off a forest fire. As a result, fire benders need to be nurtured and managed carefully.

Phil Watson - Air:

"Air refers to the Earth's atmosphere. Air is a mixture of many gases and dust particles. It is the clear gas in which living things live and breathe. It has an indefinite shape and volume. It has mass and weight, because it is matter."

The most hardworking,kind and caring guy you will ever encounter.Phil is the definition of wholesome :)

Phil is a very understanding and empathetic person. He patiently listens and respects people's boundaries and insecurities.He is a great comfort to many poeple with phobias and mental health issues.A part of his element is care and gentleness.Phil is very careful and elegant with his words and actions.He tends to not be hasty and obnoxious around people he first meets or knows who don't like that type of behavior.

He and Techno are very close.Phil trusts Techno with his eyes closed and the same goes for Techno.The way the two of them interact with eachother suprises people all the time.How could such a gentle soul deal with a feisty one like Techno's??Outsiders and even familiars wonder if the two share some sort of telepathic connection.All in all they share an unbreakable and strong family like bond.

Not only did Phil introduce his other really good friends to Techno and managed to get him to open up more and trust other people apart from him,but he also helped Techno realize that there are other poeple out there who care about him and want to give him nothing but undeniable love <3

Techno may be close with Wilbur and Tommy but the only person who knows about Techno's struggles and his biggest fears is Phil.He knows exactly in which way he needs to talk to him and how to act around him.Phil knows Techno doesn't like affection like hugs and holding hands but as a sign of appreciation and gratefulness Techno allows Phil to hug him while he calms him down and takes care of him.

The way he acts with such precision and grace makes anyone feel welcomed and comfortable around Phil. Phil is very helpful.He doesn't wait for poeple to come up to him and ask him for something,he goes up to them and asks if he can help them out with anything.

He stands up for justice and always does the right things.Phil has a big heart,if he sees anyone who is hurt or feeling down his parent like instincts will activate and he will immediately comfort them.

All three of his best friends(Techno,Wilbur,Tommy) look up to him as a father figure,which warms Phil's heart and he honestly he thinks it's super cute <3 So naturally Phil can't but see them as his three polar opposite,chaotic sons.He would do anything for the three of them,even risking his own life.

Tommy and Phil's relationship is probably the most cutest one.When Phil tells Tommy to quit it or to stop fighting with Wilbur or Techno(mostly Wilbur),Tommy instantly goes quiet and apologises for it.Phil's air bending is something that Tommy loves about him.He will always ask the elder if he can twirl him around in the air and make him fly.Phil gladly does so and he will tickle him with the wind he creates until Tommy is a giggling mess :D

Wilbur and Phil on the other hand are a completely different dynamic than Techno & Phil or Tommy & Phil. Most think that Phil would be scared of Techno like any other person is but it's actually Wilbur who genuinely scares Phil from time to time.Sure anyone who sees him doesn't think that something like "I just wanna fucking murder everyone around me and drag them to the bottom of the ocean-" would come out of his mouth.It's not only what he says it's how and when he says horrifying things like that.They could be out on a walk and Wilbur would just have the most blank expression while he says sentences like that.Phil is pretty sure that he even caught Tommy holding onto Techno's hand once while Techno shivered slightly with wide eyes.

Phil is known for being very respectful and polite.He doesn't like to be mean and angry towards anyone!He is a big pacifist(unlike other poeple 👀)who likes to sort things out with a nice and peaceful conversation instead of turning to immediate violence.He will argument with someone,but only when he has a good reason to do so.If he sees people arguing or fighting he will confront them about it and make sure they settle down and put their differences aside.

He's affectionate and really interested in the problems of others,as if they were his own.He will always be there if you are stuck with something and need help solving or overcoming said problem.He'll make sure that both of you find a way to get rid of it! <3

Air benders are also the most forgiving element benders,so Phil can tell the difference between acting out and just plain old meanness,and he understands that in moments of strong emotion, people can say and do things to can hurt others. Not that he'd ever do the same!His cool, collected vibe helps him navigate the drama and analyze it throughly.

Phil is a master of both small talk and deep convos, and he knows how to use his wit to get him out of awkward moments.That's another way Phil instantly gets the hang of strangers he just met!!He knows what subjects to bring up and what topics to talk about that they are interested in!

Also I quickly wanna say that Phil's laugh is super contagious!He could be out with Techno,Wil and Tommy while the three of them rant on and on about their days and just talk about random,shit.Phil will silently listen to every detail in the background while he uncontrollably laughs.He will let out a small "What?" or "No way dude" but apart from those small phrases he just prefers listening and cackling.He loves to see other people laugh and smile and is even more happy when he is the reason they do so :3

Phil is generous and selfless.He puts the health and safety of others before his own.He doesn't require many things to be satisfied in his life.As long as he has his family and friends he couldn't be more grateful <3

He definitely has a love for birds such as pigeons and doves.One time about two years ago Tommy brought Phil a beautiful silver feathered bird for his birthday. Even with his element being air,Phil sometimes wishes and dreams of flying himself,being able to feel that freedom for himself you know?He sees birds as lucky to have a gift such as flying.

Air benders are all about action, ideas, and motion—they are the “winds of change.” When a strong gust hits you, you can’t help but move. While some within their ranks may be true-life “airheads,” others are as powerful as a gravity-defying G-force. Air benders bring everyone a breath of fresh air when things start to get stale. Like the breeze, you can’t quite catch them, and you never know where they’ll drop you once they sweep you up. It will almost always been an adventure, though

Wilbur Soot - Water:

"Water is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms. It is vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients."

Charming,suave and flirty in a way that can only be from fiction.Do men like that even exist?Apparently they do and they go by the name of Wilbur Soot.

Ever stand under a waterfall? That’s what it’s like when a Wilbur is feeling an intense emotion.

Intuitive, emotional and ultra-sensitive,Wilbur can be as mysterious as the ocean itself. Like water,he can be refreshing,or he can drown you in his depths.Security is important to him,after all, water needs a container, or it dries up and disappears.

He tends to hold on to people and items long past their expiration dates,and his emotions are always flowing like the waves of the oceans.Wilbur has intense dreams,visions,and an intuition so strong that it’s basically a psychic power.He can see situations happening from a mile away before they occur.

He might intentionally seek out sad music or movies, and he probably has childhood photos framed in his room.Emotional and creative,he relays on his heart and gut to make a decision.Logic and reason are second to his feelings which is how he navigates the material world.Wilbur also longs for security at all times,which makes sense as he's protective of his loved ones and himself.He'll do everything he can to help the ones he cares about,even if it’s at his own expense.

However, like most things beautiful, below the surface many complexities often arise and the same is true when talking about water benders.

Wilbur is notoriously perceptive and he possesses instincts when it comes to sussing out people and situations.He's guided by his gut feelings and more often than not his first instinct about a person are dead on.He can get a feel for whether someones intentions are honorable or not just by observing their body language and general demeanor.

Like a river filling in every crevice of its path,Wilbur covers every detail and often picks up on things that others miss.No riverbed is left to dry as the water flows through each and every intricacy.

The water signs are no stranger to emotion, in fact, they often feel things rather intensely.

On one hand,his emotional side can provide him with a lot of insight and wisdom into the human experience which he can even then pass on to others.On top of this,it allows him to be incredibly empathetic which helps him form strong bonds with others.

But sometimes he can get so overcome by his emotions that it feels like a giant tidal wave just hitting him all at once. When he feels overwhelmed like this he can find it tough to think straight and make rational decisions.

Because he is so prone to analyzing absolutely everything he can sometimes overthink things a little too much and make life more complicated for himself then it needs to be.He has a bad habit of coming up with problems and obstacles in his mind that don’t actually exist or aren’t nearly as bad as he's talked himself into them being.

Sometimes you might catch Wilbur acting withdrawn or shy but the truth is he's probably just deep in thought and mentally a million miles away.He often finds his thoughts are racing at a million miles an hour and that he's powerless to do anything about it.

Just like a bustling river,Wilbur can be a bit wishy washy and kinda all over the place… especially when it comes to making important decisions.Too many options can sometimes leave him overwhelmed and struggling to make any decision at all.

He's also known for being easily distracted and can go from paying close attention in one moment to being totally away with the fairies the next.He doesn't do it out of rudeness he just can’t help himself sometimes!

Wilbur has a very private and mysterious side,he doesn’t like to reveal all of his cards at once.He's known for putting up walls and can be particularly guarded when he's around people he doesn't trust.

From time to time he needs space to himself to think and unwind. As much as he loves his friends and family there’s just some times where he's gotta have some alone time to spend by himself.

Wilbur sure has a unique way of looking at the world. His perspective combined with his vivid imagination makes him naturally gifted in music or anything involving a creative flare.He is a dreamer at heart whose ideas aren't limited by pesky rules or conventions.

He has a big musical talent,his voice is a perfect balance between rough and velvety.It's not too high and not too low,not too loud and not too quiet.The moment he strums his guitar strings he can wrap anybody around his finger.

Wilbur is emotionally manipulative.He can make you feel bad for something you didn't even do.He can make you regret things or certaint actions that aren't supposed to make you feel regretful.He will only use this "talent" of his in a worst case scenario.If you ever hurt his friends or loved ones he will make your life a living hell,wouldn't even wonder if you never decided to show your face to the public ever again.

Techno's and his relationship is wonderful.Wilbur has helped Techno so much to open up more and come out of his shell.They both enjoy the peaceful and quiet times in their life.Reading,going on walks or strolling along the beach while watching a sunset is just some of the many things they love doing together.He isn't as close to Techno like Phil is but he is close second. He sees him as his older and stronger brother who will always be there for him when he needs him.Honestly the two of them have such a beneficial dynamic <3

Now Tommy's and Wilbur's interactions are something absolutely opposite.When the two of them spent time together,they become these chaotic and annoying siblings that go around town and fuck with people. There was this one time where they flooded a barn which belonged to Phil's neighbors and the two reckless idiots ran away laughing.Sure Tommy steals Phil's stuff all the time or uses it without permission but Wilbur,just like Techno,is very overprotective of Tommy.If he finds out that somebody hurt Tommy in any way or made fun of him he will beat them up. Literally he will call in Techno for help to go and pay the little fuckers who messed with Tommy a visit.The only ones who are allowed to tease and bully Tommy are Techno and Wilbur,no one else.

Phil and Wilbur have some of the best moments when spending time with eachother.Not only is Phil a great source of reassurance and comfort but he knows that Phil will seal his mouth shut if Wilbur speaks to him about his insecurities and problems.He loves that Phil listens to him and never judges him about anything. Like the other two Wilbur sees Phil as a father figure. A great and inspiring role model he can look up to.

He likes to collect sea shells and old treasures he finds scattered over the sand at the beach.He doesn't like swimming or diving,which is really unrealistic to not only other water benders but benders in general.It's not that Wilbur is scared,he simply likes to admire it from the shore.He will do it from time to time must mostly he will just sit down and let his legs and feet rest in the cold liquid.

I can imagine that when he was a kid he used to pretend to be a pirate.He still has his old eye patch and hook that were part of his costume.Now,even after thirteen years he still likes to go up to the harbor when the fishermen arrive with a freshly caught catch and watch the ships glide across the indigo waves.

Tommy Simons - Earth:

"Earth materials are vital resources that provide the basic components for life, agriculture and industry. Earth materials can also include metals and precious rocks."

Tommy is outgoing,energetic and he isn't afraid to speak up and share his thoughts with others.A very openminded and positive guy.He always looks on the bright side of every situation he finds himself in.

He is down to earth.He doesn't believe in having dreams,he only believes and accepts things the way they are and how they are portrayed in his eyes.

People don't realize it but they are seriously underestimating Tommy.When you first see him you don't expect him to have good strategies and the ability of leadership like Techno clearly has.But that's the thing.One of the many things Tommy picks up while being in a friendship with the fire bender is experience.Techno will lazily teach the young earth bender how to protect himself and lead a team. Without Techno's guidance Tommy would have been in trouble countless times.So you could say that Techno is Tommy's mentor :)

He's a great mood booster!If there is awkward tension in a room or between others he will make it up by just being there and doing what Tommy does the best, brighten up the atmosphere!He will start random conversations and just try to get everyone else to do something fun like play a game or watch a movie.

Techno may help Tommy with things like self defense and how to establish dominance but the earth bender helps him with his potato farming!He will hurry up the process of their growth and make sure they are perfect before they are harvested.He keeps track of the amount of soil and vitamins the earth their roots grow in receives.

Speaking of Techno's and his relationship: The two of them are so close it's insane.They do everything with eachother!They train,upgrade their skills in bending and fighting,they go out to eat or have a drink,they go around town and fuck things up-the two of them are huge pranksters.Tommy always tries to prove himself infront of Techno and impress him in any way.Tommy loves spending time with Techno,the blond earth bender admires him in so many different ways- They don't have to be doing much together,it can be mindless talking or simply being in the same room.

Wilbur and Tommy are ehhh- special?On one side they are funny and entertaining together but on the other side they can be insulting eachother with such vulgarity that you could think they are about to commit murder any moment.Tommy talks so much shit about Wilbur.If you're dumb enough and actually choose to listen to him,he will ramble on about how Wilbur thinks he's so smart and good with the ladies- Yoo would think that after trash talking him that Tommy hates Wilbur's guts but it's the opposite!!If he catches you talking bad about Wilbur behind his back he will call Techno and they will hunt you down.

Tommy like everyone else sees Phil as his very caring and cool dad!Phil somehow always finds out about all the shit Tommy does and he gets scolded for it.Like most people,if Tommy ever has a problem he's dealing with or he's in a uncomfortable situation,Phil is the first person who crosses his mind and therefore the one he turns to.

The way Tommy goes around their town and picks fights with others is so stupid.At the end he comes home with bruises and wounds all over his skin.One time his best friend Toby brought him to Phil with a bloody nose and Phil's reaction was screeching-

He is extremely curious and stubborn.He doesn't really think before he acts and dives into unknown things he's not familiar with head first.Techno is the one who laughs at him and teases him about how clumsy he is.

Earth benders keep it real. They are the “grounded” people on the planet, the ones who bring us down to earth and remind us to start with a solid foundation. Slow and steady, these “builders” are loyal and stable, and stick by their people through hard times. On good days, they’re practical; at worst, they can be materialistic or too focused on the surface of things to dig into the depths.

Hope you enjoyed this au!!I am currently writing MULTIPLE stories and au's so bare with me guys!I don't like working fast becouse my work afterwards doesn't feel completed:( I hope all of you have a wonderful day/night <3 Love ya!!!

[colaloli]

A Rare Sight

It's Lico/Kasumi but doesn't necessarily need to be a romantic ship... I wrote this drabble 3am and forgot about it (but might as well post it lol)

It's in Kasumi POV. (Warning: Dumb fluff... and Lico Language)

What a rare sight. He's here. I opened the door to the reha room and found that this person who always ditches his job is right here with me today. Team B's Lico. Well, how should I describe him… He's good to look at with that solemn face… until he opens his mouth. How he consistently spit garbage from those lips has been like a charm on its own. As detestable as it sounds, once you get used to it, it just becomes like a cute running gag.

Today, our job is to clean up. He has his bucket of soapy water and a mop, but aside from that, no cleaning has progressed. Lico is quite busy… on his phone.

“Ah~ Isn't this a miracle~” I said as I approached him. “Lico is actually here to do his job~”

“Uwaah— what the hell, Kasumi! Every. Single. Time. You do that, it starts to get annoying! Can't you do something about that thin presence of yours? Honestly, it's gross” he said back. What a pleasant greeting.

“Ahaha, sorry~ I can't help it since I'm a mob character~” I said as I unpacked some cleaning materials. “But really, why are you here?” I may have not meant to say that out loud, in that condescending kind of tone at that, but there goes those words flying out of my mouth.

“Hahh??!!” as expected, that ticked Lico off. His sharp shriek pierced through my eardrums.

“Ahaha~ I mean, usually you skip work on shifts when we are together so I can't help but be amused that you showed up today~” I said in a cooing manner to avoid making him more pissed.

“Tch— shut up”

“Not like there will be any difference if you're here or not~” I muttered, but since it's just the two of us in here in the reha room, my voice is still audible.

“What do you mean by that? Are you saying that I can't do my job properly? Give me that rug!” he grabbed the rag in my hand and started wiping the mirrors.

Pfft— what an easy person. His mouth may be trash, but he isn't that bad. Well… he's bad, but compared to some other people in this place, Lico is just normal. At least, in this restaurant, he's not in the category of “possibly killed someone already”.

If he'd be in an otome game trope he's that. A narcissist playboy with (surprise— not really) a sad backstory. Only... his redemption arc seems to be still very, very far away.

“You know what, this silence is unbearable. I'm gonna take a break” Lico mumbled, tossing the rag to the bucket. It literally hasn't been five minutes. He pulled a chair, sat down and proceeded to fiddle with his phone. “Hey” he said after a short while, my cleaning progress already at seventy percent.

“Hmm?” I said without turning around to him.

“I don't really care that much but it's so bothersome and creepy” he began. Tsundere translator app: I'm curious about it. “What's with the bangs?”

“Ehh… It's only natural for a mob character though~” I played it off with my typical response. “That’s so mean to call it bothersome and creepy~”

“That's why— what's with the ‘mob chara’ this and that? Seriously, this store is full of weirdos but those I can ignore, but that suspicious hair is just— tch” Tsun tsun translation: I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT IT.

“Well… That's personal info” I flatly responded.

“Hmph, so you're running away through that, huh?” he said in his usual haughty tone. “Ah, I know. You're probably veryyyyyy ugly. Sickening. Unbearably hideous”

“Wah— no, I'd say my face is normal. Bland. Just mob character material” it almost got to me. This guy… it’s a talent to have that shit of a mouth. I almost slipped out of character...

“Ehhh then why are you hiding it for?” he taunted.

“I'm… just a mob chara~” Uwahh, he’s really pushing. Isn’t it better when he ditches work? That is peaceful compared to this. One huge pile of trash less to clean up.

“Hehh, so? What is it? Ah, dark bags worse that Heath's? That's right, you work in the daytime, too, so you probably have those, huh???” He continued to be 'Lico'.

“N-No, it's not—”

“Ahh, wrinkles? Right, you're an old man after all. Was time mean to you???”

“I'm still in my thirties…” I said with a sigh. “It's really not that. I told you already that it's just normal. Now—”

“If it isn't that—” suddenly, he strikes my bangs away from my eyes. Ah… I got careless. How did I let my guard down? This person’s obnoxiously terrible mouth actually got to me so bad that I let him have the opportunity to slap my mob character hairstyle away. “Hahh!” he yelled as if he's so victorious. He had that very pleased smirk as he looked at my exposed face. His expression slowly warps into a frustrated frown. I looked at him, waiting for what else can come out of that potty mouth, but Lico completely became quiet.

“... So?” I said after a while of awkward silence. “I told you, there's nothing special about it”

“....... WHAT THE FUCK” he finally spoke up. Really, this person’s mouth...

“Hey, if you have a problem with my face, I'll quickly cover it back right now. Sorry—”

“It's beautiful. So fucking beautiful, are you kidding me?! ‘Normal’ my ass!” Lico exclaimed.

“Ah… but it's just… normal” I said with a blank stare of awe. He is still being the Lico he is but he’s actually… complimenting me.

“Tch, you are so used to your pretty little face that it's normal, huh? Wow, this just makes it ten times more annoying. What a waste, hiding that with that dirty looking mop”

“Hey…” to be saying nice comments and being annoying at the same time is a talent in itself...

“I’ve always thought that it doesn't suit you to be in a team of beauties but it turns out you fit in just fine, huh”

“... Well thank you, I guess. That's a compliment, right? Am I right?”

“Of course it is! And it's from me! My judgement for appearances is superb. You should be reallyyyy thankful” he said proudly.

“Uwah, thanks” I said in a monotone. This person is really unbelievable… “Beautiful, huh… the truth is, I don't find my face unpleasant but to be called beautiful… M-Multiple times in a row at that. Now that it sank into my brain, that's really… embarrassing” my face began growing red and hot.

“Hahh?! Don't make it sound weird! How gross! You're making it seem like I'm interested in you or something!” Lico said back, his bright blush competing with mine.

“Well maybe you are? You were so curious on how I look like~” finally, I can fire comebacks at him.

“Eww, shut up! Give me that rag so we can finish this and I can leave!!”

“Ehh… fufu, you can just leave anytime you want though. For someone often ditching work, what's stopping you~?”

“Stop making me look like an evil person or like I'm staying here for you. Stupid! So annoying! Gross! I really hate you!”

“Ahaha~ Really, your mouth ruins it...”

“Hahh???!!!”

“...... Your beautiful face~”

[afterspark-podcast]

G1 Episode 28: Transcript

Episode Show Notes

[This can also be found on AO3!]

[Stinger]

S: Okay, it's not actually a saber, it's a short saber, but-

O: Oh, yes, because that makes it better!

[Into Music] 

O: Hello, and welcome to the Afterspark Podcast, an episode by episode recap of the Generation 1 Transformers cartoon. I'm Owls!

S: And I'm Specs!

O: Today we're gonna be talking about episode 28: The Master Builder. Let's talk about giant robots today, shall we?

S: Sure. So we open with Powerglide, ace of the air, flying through the sky.

O: Skywarp fires on him with Starscream following close behind.

S: Now here's our main characters for this episode: Hoist and Grapple. They build stuff.

O: Theoretically. How much stuff  have  they been able to build during a war, exactly?

S: That is the question. Very much so.

O: Not enough, probably. [laughs]

S: Yeah. Grapple is an orange and yellow crane and Hoist as a boxy, green tow truck who sounds, you know, slightly like Shakespeare.

O: Dinobot called, he'd like his shtick back. 

S: They're building a model for a solar power tower to uh, harness the power of the Sun. 

O: It sparkles. 

S: Yaaaayyyyy [softly]

O: Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle.

S: Then they wheel their little model over to the main room to show Optimus.

O: Who is played basketball with Spike.

S: And, somehow, not completely murdering him or accidentally committing manslaughter which, you know, always a good thing.

O: Yeah. He is still getting the lingo, though, as he calls it “drooling” instead of “dribbling”. 

S: Well, he’s attempting it.

O: He's trying. Dad- dad-bot’s trying. 

S: Yup. 

O: Dadimus prime, if you will. [Laughter] 

S: When Hoist and Grapple enter the room, Optimus does the Optimus equivalent of “think fast!” and tosses the ball at Spike, who, when he catches it, you know just-

O: Falls over.

S: -Falls over. 

O: [Laughter] They attempt to sell Prime on their tower idea but he doesn't approve because it could cause problems if it fell into Decepticon hands.

S: It's a valid point. 

O: It is. Uh, so while this is going on Teletraan-1 declares condition ‘magenta’ because Powerglide has been shot down.

S: Do you think that's a Powerglide specific, you know, condition or something, or is just specific for that type of Decepticon attack? Any Autobot being shot down? 

O: We don't know. I don't know if they'll ever use this again. Somehow, I doubt it. Grapple, however, is dejected by Prime's react- rejection. Uh, they are sent to Powerglide’s location to fix him up.

S: So both, um, Hoist and Grapple only have one hand. They- they really, really need to be working together.

O: There’s only two hands between them. And poor Grapple wonders if he shouldn't just give up on building things and become a grease monkey.

S: Poor dude. Powerglide is able to take off again after, you know, the two guys work on him and get him up and running and then, um, our two trucks are two, uh, two trucks head back to base via a canyon.

O: They stop and chat about, you know, their mutual disappointment but are overheard by a sneaky Scrapper.

S: Wait. No, no, it's just all the Constructicons sneaking on them.

O: All of them! And poor Grapple is the saddest crane in the world. 

S: He's so dejected, man. Hoist does not like the vibrations in this location and suggests rolling out before, you know, they spot the Constructicons.

O: You know, lending credence to, they probably should have left before they spotted the Constructicons. Scavenger knocks a boulder in front of them to block their exit before they can escape, though, so… eh?

S: And then Mixmaster seals their other exit with concrete. 

O: That's gotta be some really fast setting concrete. 

S: He's a chemist. 

O: [Laughter]

S: He can presumably do that shit. 

O: See, this is what I'm talking about, though. The Decepticons just need to patent half their shit. They'll make enough money, they could  buy  a power plant or something. 

S: Yes, but that would be too sane and logical.

O: Again, they should just listen to Soundwave. You cannot tell me Soundwave hasn't had this thought.

S: Yeah but they probably have to purchase through a company but let's- let’s-

O: [laughs] Moving on! Or heading to commercial.

S: Yeah, as the two- as the two Autobots are buried in a landslide caused by Bonecrusher, um-

O: Don't worry, they're mostly fine. The Constructicons just wanted to talk, apparently. 

S: Ah, the relations between the factions. 

O: You know, that's a totally normal thing that Decepticons just want to talk.

S: Mm-hmm.

O: But with the amount of time Megatron shows up at their base wanting to talk, maybe I shouldn't make that joke. [laughter]  Eh?

S: So the Constructicons say that they've left Megatron and they want to help Grapple and Hoist build this solar power tower that they have literally just heard about.

O: Yes. Megatron and Starscream are watching this at the Decepticon base by way of a hidden camera that's inside of a rock, though. 

S: How did the Decepticons know to place that camera there?

O: I don't know. I'm so confused how that camera got there. It would be one thing if Laserbeak was spying on them but I don't even think it was that. Like, I’m pretty sure it’s a camera that pops out of a rock.

S: It's absurd. This show is absurd. Starscream continues to be a blazing hypocrite as he starts screeching about the “Traitors!!” but Megatron says to leave them to him. 

O: Hoist and Grapple are definitely tempted, but the Constructicons offer proof of their good intentions by letting them go.

S: Which, I don't know how much I'd believe that after being, you know, buried under a pile of rocks but I guess they weren't any worse for wear. 

O: I mean, they are giant robots. Maybe that's equivalent of being pushed into a sandbox, for all we know. [Laughter]

S: Maybe, oh god. So, Meg- when the Constructicons show up, Megatron proceeds to give them shit, but they manage to convince him that they were doing it just to get the solar power tower. They’re- they're tricking them.

O: I mean, seems legit. The Constructicons do need to offer further proof to Grapple and Hoist, though. so Megatron's like, “Then you must give them my most precious possession!” before laughing maniacally. So Starscream's aft, then? [Laughter]

S: [Softly] His-his Optimus Prime clone?

O: [Laughter] His Optimus Prime blow-up doll, you say? 

S: [Laughter]

O: Ehh… how many of those does he got? Really, I want to know. 

S: Costumes.

O: Costumes. That copy of him he had floating around. The clone he had made. [Laughter]

S: Yeah, there's so many options.

O: Yeah, I just- why? Why? I know why, but why? [Laughter]

S: The Constructicons return to Grapple and Hoist with, you know, metric fuckton of Energon in tow. You know, I think probably in Longhaul’s bed because poor Longhaul is just the hauler-monkey.

O: I’m still weirded out that this is his most precious possession. Like, if nothing else shouldn’t it be his fusion cannon, or something? 

S: He cares more about food than anything else, I guess.

O: I mean, okay, not starving is important. I don't know, it's still weird. 

S: Yeah, I don’t know. But, no, this is enough Energon to build Grapple’s Tower!

O: Grapple is now the happiest crane in the world.

S: He's a very- a very trusting dude.

O: Yeah. The Constructicons burst into a construction site and steal a bunch of building materials.

S: And here you see a human with a sense of self-preservation.

O: He doesn't argue with the giant robots stealing stuff. Smart man.

S: I think he just tears up the blueprints while crying.

O: He does! He does! He’s like, “Heargh...” [Laughter]

S: Poor guy. And so work begins on the tower. 

O: But back at the Ark, Optimus is playing basketball with folks more to his scale, as Spike coaches them from the sidelines. 

S: That's much safer, Spike.

O: Much. [Laughter] 

S: And oh hey, Tracks is here!

O: And then immediately injured while playing basketball, may we remind you, and Prime says it’s time for a checkup.

S: But apparently Hoist hasn't been around much lately. 

O: Gee, I wonder why? 

S: He's off having an affair with the Constructicons, with Grapple, and it's... gonna be awkward.

O: Very. Meanwhile, back with our illegal Tower, the Constructicons are stroking the fuck out of Grapple’s ego. 

S: Yep and due to the fact that Hoist is- Hoist and Grapple are missing, Powerglide has been sent out to find them. And find them he does, and their little construction site. And this little tete-a-tete-

O: [Laughter]

S: [Laughter] With the uh, Constructicons.

O: Their little home away from home, if you know what I mean. [Laughter]

S: Yeah.

O: And then Megs- wow, I'm reading the entirely wrong section. I'm serious, why am I miss-reading all the parts? Umm, [clears throat] Powerglide relays this back to Prime.

S: Who then says, “Code Blue.” Which, I mean, what the fuck does that mean?

O: Consorting with the enemy?

S: We’re- we're learning so much about the color codes- coding system today and nothing makes sense.

O: No, it doesn't. Construction vehicles fly through the air as the Constructicons form Devastator.

S: This is to, like, put the finishing touch on the tower. And then Megatron shows up and shoots both Grapple and Hoist, who were just like, “Ah, we're betrayed.” 

O: [Singing] Did we mention we're betrayed? 

S: Yeah. Megatron does call their tower magnificent, though. 

O: Is it just me, or does he really seem to appreciate well bit- built shit?

S: What's not to appreciate about well built shit? 

O: I mean, you've got a point. [Laughter]

S: Cutting to the Autobots, we see Optimus leading the charge, with a group of Autobots in tow. With Spike riding shotgun in Prime's cab.

O: Because that's always a good idea. Ah, the Autobots shoot at the tower, a fight ensues.

S: The Constructicons reform Devastator in order to fight the Autobots.

O: Devastator now shoots eye beams. 

S: Let's just give all of these robots more powers when it's convenient, I guess. 

O: Remember, kids, when you're playing with your Devastator toy he can attack with eye beams.

S: After you've bought all six of the Constructicons. So you got to get all six of them to have Devastator, remember, kids.

O: You don't want him to be missing an arm, or a head, or any legs now, would you?

S: Or the torso. 

O: Well, they couldn't really connect there was no torso so I was going with their limbs, but yes.

S: That's true but, I mean, you can stick all of them in a potato. [Laughter]

O: Welcome to the world's weirdest Mr. Potato Head. Mr. Potato Head Constructor- Devastator. I- wait, he needs a better name but-but, Potate-dader or some- Potato-nader?

S: Devas-tater?

O: Devas-tator? Yes. [Laughter]

S: Devas-tater, god, with a hyphen. Okay, so Cliffjumper attempts to shoot his, ah, patented glass gas but it's just slapped away.

O: Megatron then pulls some binoculars out of his boobs to get a closer look at what's going on.

S: Titty-noculars?

O: At least they're not titty guns, I guess? 

S: How- I mean, why doesn't he use these-?

O: Ever again? Because we know what we're watching.

S: Powerglide it takes to the air but is met with Ramjet, who's almost immediately knocked out by Devastator, because Powerglide, if nothing else, is at least good at maneuvering. 

O: True and then we have Warpath, wham-powing with his way into battle.

S: Smokescreen then gets Devastator's attention and gets him to kick the tower by, I think, using his patented smokescreen thing?

O: Or being like, “Nananananana, I’m over here.” Something like that.

S: Yeah.

O: But Prime narrates this the entire time.

S: It really seems like Smokescreen shouldn't need to be told what to do.

O: He didn't, but the kids did. 

S: That is an accurate-

O: The Autobots shoot Devastator who falls onto the remains of the tower, and then it explodes. 

S: Megatron is very disappointed in this. He didn't- I mean, he- the guy didn't even do anything to get the tower, aside from turn up afterwards, but you know. 

O: He's upper management, Specs, he takes credit for  everything,  remember?

S: True.

O: [Laughter] 

S: Oh and don't worry, all the Constructicons are perfectly fine, despite the exploding tower because it totally exploded.

O: The Autobots dig through the rubble to find Hoist and Grapple, who are also perfectly fine, albeit a little Han Solo’d at the moment. Like, they look like they're frozen in carbonite.

S: Yeah, yeah that's pretty... yeah.

O: [Laughter] 

S: But don't worry, Brawn punches them to freedom. 

O: Ah, yes, we found another good use for Brawn. Grapple and Hoist apologize which Optimus accepts immediately, unlike when Grimlock apologizes about a good 90 percent of the time.

S: [Sighs] But he does punish them. And their punishment is to go clean up the mess they made, all by themselves.

O: Everyone heads back towards home.

S: Grapple picks up what remains of this original model which, I guess, he took there?

O: He must have.

S: Yeah. He and Hoist uh, commiserate a little before they, too, head out.

O: Including tossing the model on top of the scrap heap to deal with later. 

S: Avoidance. It’s a tactic. 

O: That's where our episode cuts, so join us next time for bugs! Bugs! BUGS!! Big bugs!!! Also, mind control.

S: So much mind control.

O: So much mind control. I believe we have some fic recommendations for today?

S: Yes, we do. Ok, so our first recommendation for today is “Waiting for a World to Rebuild” by Caius. It's in the G1 continuity, it's rated G. It’s... got some shippy implications. Pairings are Grapple and Hoist. Our characters are Grapple, Hoist, and Rodimus Prime. And, in summary, “Grapple’s been waiting and designing and redesigning. When did he have a chance to build? Written for the TF speed writing prompt ‘setting the world to rights.’ It's about 300 words written in about a half an hour, revised and reposted per the authors’ summary.” The theme is Grapple and Hoist, and it's a complete- complete fanfic.

S: Our second recommendation for today is, “And the Walls Came Tumbling Down,” written by Pteropoda (SilentP). It's also in the G1 continuity, it's rated T, it's not Gen, so there's some Shippy stuff. Yeah, that's more than Shippy stuff this it's very overt, it is the subject matter in today’s-

O: Grapple and Hoist are definitely definitely, definitely in a relationship in this fic.

S: Yes. So there are obvious pairings, and the characters are Hoist, Grapple, Ratchet, Bluestreak and Red Alert, and, in summary, “Hoist has said the wrong thing and he knows it, but it's difficult to apologize when Grapple seems determined to never look him in the face plates again. Of course, the rest of the Ark knows better. According to them, those two have been together since the dawn of Cybertron and they will continue to be a couple until the end of time. All they need to do is to get those two to realize it.” And, again, the theme is Grapple and Hoist, this time very specifically as a pairing, and it's also complete.

O: That one sounds good, I haven't read these yet but I really want to read that one. 

S: Yup, they were both good. And that just about wraps it up for us today.  Remember to check us out on Tumblr or Pillowfort as Afterspark-Podcast for any additional information, show notes, or links we may have mentioned.  You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter @AftersparkPod (all one word), and various other locations by searching for, “Afterspark Podcast,” such as AO3, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Youtube, just to name a few.  Until next time, I'm Specs.

O: And I'm Owls.

S: Toodles!

[Outro Music]

[nanigma]

Leon Fanbook Translation: Special Interview

Link to the Takumi Fanbook

Introduction

Profile

Famous Lines

Relationships

Leon&Kamui + Words of Love

Daily Routine + Cooking Showdown

Fashion Check

Dream Change

Only two more updates to go. It’s hard to believe that I am almost finished with this. And it didn’t take me half as long as I feared to translate this. Probably because of a distinct lack of Odin speech..

Meanwhile I’ve finally gotten another part-time job, so that’s helped me feel better about my situation and I can focus on this project more than I did before. It’ll be a while before my first payment, so it would still be really nice if you could help me out a little until then. Here’s a link to my Ko-fi account. Thank you to the generous people who have helped me so far!

- All the photos on this post were taken by the lovely @zaziki7

My comments are in italics

I’ll be using Japanese names

Pages 36-37

Special Interview/ Leon

An interview sprung on the younger prince of Nohr! Listen to what this one young man keeps inside his heart!

Anna: Good day to you, fans of Leon!! I am Anna, the traveling merchant! Today we've successfully gotten a hold of a Prince Leon from right after the conclusion of the „Invisible Kingdom“ Arc, and will now confront him with some rapid fire questions!! (In English) Don't miss it!!

Topic 1 – About being Nohrian Royalty

Anna: Prince Leon, thank you for your time. It must be tough being recognized by everyone every single day. You do have a lot of fans after all.

Leon: A member of the Nohrian royal family must never embarass themselves, be firm of mind, and always remember to present themselves with grace. However, I sometimes end up wearing my clothes inside out for some reason. I really should be more careful... By the way, have we met somewhere before... ?

Topic 2 – About Kamui

Anna: So, what do you think of Kamui precisely? Also, if Kamui were below you in age, would you rather have them as a younger brother or sister?

Leon: They do have their talents, but I guess no matter how old they get, they are so unreliable it always makes me want to help them out. It seems I just can't leave them on their own. As for if Kamui were younger than me, I'd prefer to have them as a younger sister. A younger brother would likely mean more competition, you see.

Topic 3 – About his siblings

Anna: I see... So you would prefer another little sister. Well, how do you feel about your older brother and sister?

Leon: In many ways, Marx is the strongest man in Nohr. It shows in how he embodies the ideal of the Nohrian crown prince, his skill with the sword...  how as an older brother, he shows a special kindness only to his siblings. However, there are ways in which he can be just too stubborn. Although we are currently amicable with each other, his unbending nature has caused us to quarrel in the past, to the point he even hit me once.

This refers to the Drama CDs

Anna: Ehh! Prince Marx might have just made himself the enemy of 50 million Leon fans around the whole world.

Leon: As you may know, in the whole kingdom of Nohr, Camilla's beauty and the depth of her affection is unmatched. The way she coldly dispatches of her enemies is also more than befitting of Nohrian royalty. Although it seems she doesn't pay much attention, she has actually been focusing on me quite a bit... Her offer to share a bath has been troubling for me though.

Leon, your siscon tendencies are showing.

Anna: Mhm mhm... //Taking a bath with Camilla... Now that's some good material.// So how about your younger sister, Elise?

Leon: I'll just say this here, but I feel like she's a great help in a lot different ways. This isn't just me, all of us siblings have come to truly rely on her. I just wish she would stop tackling me with all her strength whenever we met. *laughs*  I also want her to stop drumming her fists against my back so relentlessly. It actually hurts a lot...

Topic 4 – About parent-child relations

Anna: You won't like this question, but what about your father, King Garon, and also... your mother?

Leon: My father used to be a kind man. I still remember him keeping me company during study time or letting me ride on his shoulders. Having him pat my head with his huge hand is something I used to love. He may have become an entirely different person since that incident in the past, but I would still like to meet and be able to talk to the father from my childhood just one more time.

Tagging @agoddamn here because we’ve recently discussed the extent of Leon’s memorys of the real Garon. Still a bit vague, but it seems he already had an education/training (the kanji could mean both) going before Garon died, though with his mom being so ambitious he may have started quite young still.

Leon: As far as my mother is concerned, I don't have any special memories. That woman only ever thought of me as a tool that would bind her to the king, so I couldn't bring myself to love her either. … Is that enough?

Anna: Th- Thank you. A- Anyway, your son also seems to be rather... how to put this? Quirky... //Oh jeez! I brough up another topic he hates!!//

Leon: This is about Foleo, I see. At first I also mistook his intentions, but it turns out he is simply sticking to his own personal aesthetic. Just knowing about his convictions, I can honestly say I'm fine with it. Someday though he'll have to make a decision regarding the calling passed down through his blood, what it means to be Nohrian royalty at it’s core. … When the time comes, I hope his courage will help him make the right choice.

Not sure I like how “mistook his intentions” is phrased... What other intentions could Foleo have had that wouldn’t have been okay in Leon’s eyes? 

Topic 5- About himself

Anna: What do you think about being called cold-blooded? If you could give your own estimation of yourself, what would it be?

Leon: Although I'm not about to point out specific things I like about myself, I can say that I do have confidence in myself. Otherwise I wouldn't be fit to be royalty. That means even when I am sometimes insecure, I at least have to seem confident. My flaws are in those areas I don't have sufficent knowledge of. It's not that I ever neglect my studies, but I am fully aware it's still not entirely good enough.  

Topic 6 – About taste in women

Anna: I am pretty sure I am asking this in the name of all your female fans, but could you share what you like in a girl? Let's give an example! You like, say, the open-minded type, or...

Leon: Well, I have never experienced a mother's love. But when it comes to choosing a partner, it's wrong to say I only long for someone to give me the love my mother never did, so I want to name a another criteria. Let's see, I'd say I like strength, but I mean that as being intelligent. Not just someone who is well-studied, but one who doesn't let their guard down around an enemy, who is able to accurately assess any given situation. That's the kind of intelligence I like.

SPECIAL GUEST TAKUMI

Takumi: Huh, it's strange seeing you two together.

Anna: Ah, it's the Prince who loves the Southern Islands! … Er, rather the Prince of Hoshido, Lord Takumi!

Leon: Prince Takumi? I thought you were staying in the southern islands right now.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think this is the first time (or one of the few times) Leon has used the ending zo (ぞ) to a sentence in Japanese. Usually his style of speech is already pretty casual and „boyish“ in the anime-sense (it doesn't work exactly like that in real life), with him ending many sentences in „da“ (だ). It's makes it sound a bit harder.. ぞ can be seen as a step up in that, really „decisive“ sounding. It's something you would only use with friends or people of lower social standing, but we can guess which one he means here.~

Takumi: …? What are you two on about?

Leon: Speaking of, thank you for sending me that miso supply the other day. I am grateful for it.

Anna: Lord Leon actually ended up cooking the soup for himself. Suprisingly though...

Leon: That's right. I understand what I like best after all. This time I decided to try putting some tomatoes in it.

Takumi: T- Tomatoes!? You put tomatoes in miso soup!?  Please stop joking. This is why you are Nohr's tomato prince...

Leon: Who are you calling tomato prince!? I think it's terrible how you Hoshidans always cling to your old traditions.

Anna: Uh.. Haha. Looks like I got between them~!

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

Again, sorry for the small images in places. I have tried finding a fix for it, but no luck. At least it’s not most pictures again like last time. Anyway, hope you enjoyed.

The next update will include all the poll results, and as you could see with the Takumi translation... that’s huge. I overestimated how long it would take me this time, but I can safely say the next one will be a long one. Hope you look forward to it.

[dcarevu]

Batman TAS: Heart of Steel (Part 1)

“I do wish you wouldn’t be so rough with your toys, Master Bruce.”

Episode: 38 Robin: No Writers: Brynne Stephens (Brynne Chandler) Director: Kevin Altieri Animator: Sunrise Airdate: November 16, 1992 Grade: A

Mixing the world of Batman TAS with heavy science fiction elements, particularly those related to computers, could have equated a heavily dated disaster. Even Batman’s bat-computer rubs me the wrong way sometimes, it sometimes seems out of place. I don’t think the decade helped much. I am not nostalgic at all for the computers of the 90’s and early 2000’s. They were a pain in the ass and they were ugly. Batman’s computer may be super advanced, but it was still a 90’s vision. Compare this to the futuristic world of The Jetsons. The Jetsons certainly had advanced technology, but it was also contained to what we already understood about technology. Because of that, it has not aged unnoticeably despite some aspects of that future still being a ways off from today. In many cases, we simply found different ways to advance, and things like the smart phone or the tablet were hugely instrumental in determining the way our technology would wander come the late-2000’s.

Heart of Steel isn’t set in the future, though, and this helps. Sure, the show was meant to be as timeless as possible, and therefore should somewhat translate to our modern times… Right? Ehh… I don’t think that “timeless” necessarily needs to mean that. The purposely dated aspects of the show (such as black and white TV’s) are now not much more retro than some of the technology and ideas featured in this episode. Eventually we will be at a place where the space between black and white TV’s and the Internet will be significantly smaller than the space between the Internet and present-day. Because of this technology in this episode seems less 90’s, and more like it fits in with the show’s atmosphere, blending together elements of the past and present. What do you get when you put together archaic technology with present-day technology? Something kinda in the middle. So we have weird, hybrid-era computers, black and white TV’s, and many other things that mostly existed decades apart, and it works. It’s all like a stew. A good story aids as well, and what Heart of Steel delivers is pretty interesting, incredibly creepy, and cunningly suspenseful.

When the episode starts, right off the bat, we can see that it’s unusually dirty-looking. The Blu Ray release features no such quirk, but goodness gracious, how did this much film-dirt pollute so many of the frames? Char thought it only added to the look, and I definitely won’t argue that. But a little film dirt goes a long way for me. When it’s looking this grubby, to the point where it could be god damn snowing, I see it as a little bit of a problem. Nothing I can’t look past, though. While we’re on the topic of animation, Sunrise is back, a lesser-used studio who, so far, as done a sufficient job, but not much beyond that. They have a style that I don’t recognize until I know it’s them. Hindsight bias? Maybe. But they’re kinda in between Dong Yang’s best work and Akom’s standard-to-best. They typically have some really weird shots every episode, and we get one here that is displayed down below in the section for screengrabs. They did a damn fine job at animating the suitcase robot, which was certainly not something you have to practice drawing every day, and the more dramatic scenes that popped up near the end. They were also able to give us an absolutely gorgeous Barbara and Randa. I have to call special attention to Randa’s design. Apparently she was modeled after Marilyn Monroe, and it shows. Char and I both briefly discussed how attractive she is. Too bad she’s a big ol’ bitch, right? At least Barbara is adorable inside and out.

So we start at Wayne Enterprises, and this mysterious blonde woman (who turns out to be Randa) leaves a suitcase inside, leaving immediately afterward. A guard picks it up and starts messing with it, which seems a little stupid. I mean, god, that scenario has “bomb” written all over it. The guard gets the suitcase open, and it seems ordinary, so he leaves it for the night in case anyone decides to come back for it the next day. Big mistake, because once the suitcase is alone, it grows metallic limbs, a robotic eyeball, and starts scurrying around the building, making its way up to a vault containing some microchips. The microchips are one piece to the puzzle of free-thinking AI, so obviously they are incredibly valuable. The guard and Bruce Wayne take notice on their way out, and after an action sequence between security and the spindly, little robot, Batman follows it to a car being driven by the blonde lady we saw earlier. Unfortunately she is able to stop Batman from following, ending the action for the night.

After talking to Lucius Fox and Commissioner Gordon (who has Barbara with him, her first appearance), Bruce visits a place called Cybertron Industries. Optimus Prime is nowhere to be seen, but a guy named Karl Rossum is running the company, and has a sweet, delicious southern accent. Seriously, this guy’s voice is really good. Like many of the mainstays, it exudes so much character and sounds incredibly natural at the same time. Rossum shows Bruce around, introducing him to some of his mechanical inventions, and then shows him his masterpiece, a giant computer named HARDAC (Holographic, Analytical, Reciprocating, Digital Computer). Oh, and his assistant, who has her hair covered up so that the audience doesn’t recognize her as the same woman who left the suitcase. It is pretty obvious that this is her, though, and when Rossum refuses to reveal the purpose of HARDAC, this whole operation gets even fishier. Hell, when Commissioner Gordon earlier mentioned that the only team (that’s not Wayne Enterprises) researching this type of AI was Cybertron, we might as well have taken it as, “So Karl Rossum is the villain.” I don’t actually remember if he is the villain or not, it’s been too long since I’ve seen the episode, but I’m going to remain suspicious. I do remember another big detail, though, and I’m going to avoid mentioning it for the sake of spoilers. You’re welcome.

Bruce Wayne convinces Rossum’s assistant (Randa) to go on a date with him in order to squeeze information out of her. “Well… Squeeze might not be the best word.” as Bruce put it. I couldn’t even believe I heard that. Huge innuendo! But after leaving, Randa makes her way to a section in Rossum’s lab where she begins an incriminating conversation with HARDAC, and a machine spits out a copy of Commissioner Gordon, naked as a jaybird. This copy makes its way to his house, along with Randa, and takes his place, unbeknownst to Barbara. She can tell something is different with him, though, as he won’t talk to her like he normally does, he stops calling her “Princess”, and he nastily swats her stuffed bear onto the floor, despite the real Gordon seemingly being more attached to it than Barbara is. It’s a very startling moment, actually, and it jumped Char. It made me audibly gasp, and it also made me a little sad. You don’t mistreat stuffed animals like that, you monster!

At the same time, Randa and Bruce are on their date at Wayne Manor. Bruce has to leave for a little while in the middle of it, due to an information theft at Wayne Industries, and while he’s gone, Randa communicates with HARDAC again, seemingly with the aid of an earpiece. Because the information stolen was actually decoy information, HARDAC instructs her to search the house, and she happens to stumble across the Batcave in the search. This makes for the first major time anyone has figured out that Bruce and Batman are the same exact person (Hugo Strange’s efforts didn’t amount to anything), and it ends up being much more dramatic. During the search, Alfred is put unconscious, and when Bruce finally gets back, things are quiet. Randa is nowhere to be seen, and Alfred doesn’t seem to recall what happened. Is this the real Alfred? I can’t recall. He seems to act pretty normal, but he also has no idea what is going on. He could have hit his head, but it leaves me concerned. Another element to the story that I cannot remember from several years back. Batman heads down to the Batcave to investigate, but his computer starts going absolutely haywire. Some mechanical arms from above grab him, and drag him up, ending the episode. The techno-freak-out is just as frightening as the bear-swat from earlier with “Gordon”, and it makes for a great end to the episode. In general, the episode picks up as we get closer and closer to the end. The beginning is B-material, and the end is A-material easily. Because of this, I eventually went with an A, succumbing to the peer pressure supplied by Char (that’s a joke). We’ll look at Part 2 soon (the post for Perchance to Dream may be up first), where we’ll hopefully get a thrilling conclusion. So far, the second parts of the two-parters have been inferior, with the hard exception being Feat of Clay.

Some various moments of the suitcase robot. The eyeball is the one thing that adds a little bit of camp, so they could have done without that. Wouldn’t a little seeing sensor work a bit better? 

The guard fiddling with the key while Bruce patiently waits. Clearly this is here to show the imperfect qualities of man when compared to machine (being totally serious here, without any sarcasm).

And here’s our Sunrise weirdness of the episode. What the hell am I looking at? 

Batman is looking a little husky, but overall it’s a good drawing. Better than that scary monstrosity above it.

Also a decent looking fire. The key is to avoid too many (if any) black lines if you don’t have the chops to really make them look awesome. 

Batman whips out his binoculars for a second to get a better look at the rocket (filled with the microchips) that leaves the suitcase. It’s quick.

Being a Wayne-owned building, Batman has a few secrets hidden around.

Actually, here’s another one I forgot to add earlier. Clever! 

No one pours anything into a bag like this, the shit will spill all over the place. 

Okay, I need one of these in my trunk for tail-gaters. 

More Sunrise weirdness. We can see through the wave, and there’s no Batman. When the wave comes back down, he’s there again. 

Nice water running over Batman’s costume.

Followed by a gross face that we hold on for a few frames. 

Here we see Alfred dusting Batman’s computer system, but Char at first thought that he was playing with a ball. I thought that was so amusing I had to include it. 

As Batman and Alfred discuss AI, we get this detailed shot of Alfred’s mop. I don’t get it. 

BARBARA!!! 

I love Jim and this bear. He takes it to the airport every time he picks up Barbara. “Well, he knows the way better than I.” That’s adorable. 

As Jim leaves, he realizes that Bruce is still holding onto it. He then says, “Barbara forgot her bear.”

Barbara’s first appearance is a strong one, since we have already gotten to know Gordon. She feels like an extension of him.

A little bit Jetsons, and that’s not the color I would have chosen, but a cute robot.

This one is my favorite. It makes music (that sounded like some sort of brass instrument). 

This big red button is for making cappuccinos. Brilliant. 

I’m sorry, but this looked like the worst foot-rub ever. 

This is HARDCAC. Jesus, how much did that run you, buddy? I’d spend more than double what’s in my bank account for a Macintosh laptop.

Seeing the construction of the Gordonbot was eerie. Before we see the face, we have no idea who it’s supposed to look like, so it leaves us in a bit of suspense. Also, HARDAC refers to this as the next duplicate. That has to mean there are others already out there.

Total 2001 vibes. HARDAC has a great voice. 

Isn’t she beautiful? I can see the Monroe-influence. I wonder why, though?

Really disturbing as Gordon answers the door, seeing himself cloaked in shadow. The stuff of nightmares. Basically a futuristic version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. 

The sound it makes too is so violent when you’re not expecting it. 

I feel like this scene represents that space that is suddenly between them. There is one point where the Gordonbot says, “I said I’m fine.” in a really aggressive tone that gives me the willies. Replacements/copies of humans are such a scary concept. 

A really well-composed screengrab. Could be an album cover. 

So is the Batcave entrance behind the clock, or behind this bookshelf..? Not both, there’s only one staircase. Inconsistencies! 

Oddly-proportioned Batman. 

So, why exactly does Batman keep his work files on his Batcave computer? Although I suppose this files this secretive, it’s not a bad plan. Until we run into situations like this, anyway!

Char’s grade: A Next time: Heart of Steel (Part 2)

Full episode list here!

[brett-keane-watch]

“Brett Keane Dead” Transcript (of Latest Brett Keane Video)

Hello ladies and gentlemen my name is Brett Keane from god-TV-radio-dot-com.

mheeef (breathing)

ummm... I'm going to be... getting off the internet, and I am in'erested in doing X-box one ecksss. Yesss...

mheeef (breathing)

That's coming out in November sev-seventh two-thousand seventeen. Yes, yes; four ninety-nine. (Italicized text indicates some retarded impersonation).

Heaahk (breathing)

If anyone would like to help me get the ecks-box, you can do some donations, do some support-short gasp- and send money veai (VIA) my paypal and that'l help me get my machine in November. Short gasp I'm gonna be giving my old computer over to my wife, so I won't be making videos anymore, I won't be working orn my website any further- that'l be that.

mhfff (breathing)

I had planed aurn (on) leaving youtube just a little while back, gasp, I didn't have nothing to do. Short breath , I was bored- whenever I'm not going out places with my family or watching movies or reading a book...

mhfff (breathing)

...umm, besides video games... I had nothing that I could do that was fun or exciting-quick breath, my brother- he's constantly doing his thing, so I wasn't able to do music with 'im.

mheefff (breathing)

So I got bored and from time to time every once in a blue moon I'd upload a video and put it up, short breath, and that was that.

mfheeef (breathing)

Once I get my ecks box one, I have some games in mind that I am looking forward to playin' short breath, and, uh, that will be that.

mhff (breathing)

Some people might wanna know why is it that I wanna leave youtube. Well, it is pretty obvious but, for those who might be new, who see this last video short breath, this will be the last video uploaded.

mheefff (quiet breathing)

Youtube is, quick exhale, for me is not a social place anymore. I originally came so I could make friends, talk to people, bla bla blah. Quick breath- but I've had to turn my comment section off becuz popular youtubers have decided to...

mheefff (breathing)

...uuh, make me their pincushion, their punching bag. Umm, as well as other people- 'course I'm no special snowflake.

mheefff (breathing)

...but becuz of dis, people who supported me, people who are my friends, decided that they don't wanna leave comments anymore- because if they did, then they got insulted or attacked.

mheefff (breathing)

So I just ended up turning off comments for the longest time, and since then I had not been able to have good conversations with people or talk, chat, which is what I like to do.

mheefff (breathing)

People trolled me non-stop in my live rooms...exhale...uhhh, either by yelling or screaming at me or putting up live porn.

mheefff (breathing)

And that was that...

mheefff (breathing)

...I guess we can talk a little bit about some of the issues orn why it is that Brett Keane has had such a hard time orn, ahhh, youtube.

mheefff (breathing)

To throw it out there...

mheefff (breathing)

...when I originally started orn youtube one of the things that I did that annoyed the piss out of people is asking for donations...

mheefff (breathing)

...asking for people to subscribe to my channel... I had people who would make over twenty videos within a month...

mheefff (breathing)

...about me sayin dat people like me shouldn't be asking for support. People like me shouldn't be for money, people like me

shouldn't be lip smack alongside breath, aoooh... asking for people to like up a video or subscribe and bla bla blah.

mheefff (breathing)

Now it's ten years later and everybody orn the fuckin' planet is doing the exactly the same thing that I did that everybody got to hate me for.

exhale mheefff (breathing)

Some people actually listened and took my advice and now they're making a living orn the internet and making a living off their videos...

mheefff (breathing)

...some of them, exhale, people who've made themselves to be my enemy...

mheefff (breathing)

...I had no choice in the matter...

mheefff (breathing)

...but that's pretty much the big reason, that's the big reason why a lot of people started orn me...

... mheefff (breathing)

...also they enjoy making fun of my voice and my accent and such. At one point in time they used to think I had a radio voice- but not anymore!

mhhff (breathing), placing something on table

Now we just make fun of every fuckin' word I say and big deal out of it and fab-rikate and eksajerate everything I say.

matress sounds,mheefff (breathing)

So that's it. That'sss going to be the end of it...

MHEFFF (loud breathing)

umm..., I guess I'll talk about some things that...

mheefff (breathing)

uhhh..., annoy me. That I've been wanting to get off my chest. Really nothing to do with youtube or internet social media anymore...

mheefff (breathing)

...I've gotten tired of Sony... quick exhale...ummm, as you guys know I was runnin' an old PS4 back in here that I'mma be givin' to mah boi...

mheefff (breathing)

...ummm, I originally got Sony exhale...because they announced that Fallout and games like Skyrim were going to have mods...

mheefff (breathing)

...but then Sony, basically took a shit orn that.

mheefff (breathing)

And now only Pee-C and ecks box gets the decent mods. So that angered me. Sony has refused to refund money for games that they sold me that are fuckin' broke...

... mheefff (breathing)

...and uh, quick exhale, also Sony seems to be very greedy.

mheefff (breathing)

They have PS4 and almost ummidietly after started selling slim and den a PS4 pro...

mheefff (breathing)

...and uh ecks box is gonna end up blowin' dem up out of da fuckin' water. Ecks box seems like it's progressing more towards...

mheefff (breathing)

...things that we want.

mheefff (breathing)

I'm not gonna be playing elder scrolls online anymore.

mhff (breathing)

I feel like the company, Bethesda, had plenty of time to...

mheefff (breathing)

...add more in'eresting features for the game. I thought that they were going to attempt to do like Skyrim and Fallout...

mheefff (breathing)

... where it feels like an actual world but they haven't...

mheefff (breathing)

...it's almost been five years now and they still haven't even gotten around to adding children into the game.

mheefff (breathing)

If you play Fallout...

mheefff (breathing)

...you'll realize right away that you've got children that are settlers, you got children that run around in diamond city...

mheefff (breathing)

...and Skyrim, you got kids who are asking you for help running around in the cities. Whiterun and all that shit.

mheefff (breathing)

Elder scrolls does not have this. Exhale ummm....

...(fan in background) mheefff (breathing)

...the game doesn't have too many random events...

mheefff (breathing)

...and the...game seems like it has ten enemies in the entire vast world that you're runnin' around in.

mheefff (breathing)

ummm...exhale I don't know, it's just- it seems dead. Uhhh, the environments are nice but the...

mheefff (breathing)

...characters...ehh...just...it-it lost it's steam, no fun to it anymore.

mheefff (breathing)

SniffSo yeah, exhale yep, I got some ideas and I've got my eye out orn some games- so if anybody wants to support me...

mheefff (breathing)

...I would like to get a-the ecks box for mah birtday comming up as well as christmas... and that will be all that I want.

mheefff (breathing)

I don't really want anything else...

exhale

...Sniff, my brother he may still every once in a while upload some music videos to his channel. Make sure you check him out, subscribe to 'im.

mheefff (breathing)

Whenever, some people are gonna be like Brett- but aren't you a christian? Aren't you supposed to be sowing seeds and talking about god and all that? I think that I've got enough material about god orn my twitter, my facebook. I...uhhh...my youtube channel...

mheefff (breathing)

...ummm...as well as website for all you guys to look at. I'm gonna leave all my god videos up...

mheefff (breathing)

...I've said everything I'm gonna possibly say about god and religion and all this. Inaudible, right now this is more of...

mheefff (breathing)

...umm... if you ever wanna change or get saved or find god and everything this is something you're gonna have to do orn your own. You can't be talked into god.

lip smack, mheefff (breathing)

You have to be in'erested in truth...

mheefff (breathing)

...and I feel like I've said and done everything I possibly can quick breath- and to be honest with you, that's one of the reasons why I'm leaving youtube because...I'm tired of talking to other christians and trying to be friendly with them...

mheefff (breathing)

...make friends with people of other religion...

mheefff (breathing)

...and then find out that because their views are so diffrent from my own about god that they refuse to hang out or talk or socialize. They don't want to be around anybody...

mheefff (breathing)

...who is religious or spiritual but has a different walk than them- and of course there's atheists. I can't get along with any of these fuckin' people... becausee they don't want to be around people who don't think like them or agree with them on things. If you don't then you're stupid in their eyes...

tumbling around in bed

...and when it comes to other people's religion...

sniff...mheefff (breathing)

...but the, the two out there that I find myself getting along with the most are, belive it or not, satanists and pagans- but I don't plan orn becoming a satanist or pagan...

mheefff (breathing)

...I'm just sayin' when it comes to respectful quick exhale demeanor or behavior these folks...tend to give me the respect that is deserved.

...sniff...mheefff (breathing)

...And that's that. Umm,breathing some people be like "what if drunken peasants wants you to get orn the show"?...

mheefff (breathing)

...Well even if they offered me ten billion dollars I'm not gonna have a computer anymore- I'm going to give my microphone, my computer microphone, over to my brother...

mheefff (breathing)

...and my Pee-C is going to go over to my wife. She's gonna, have...

mheefff (breathing) ...fun and do whatever the hell she wants to do with it.

mheefff (breathing)

She'll most likely have no intrest in uploading videos or doing anything like that. See, you will not be hearing from the Keane family- Justin is the only one...

mheefff (breathing)

...and that's if he even feels like botherin' with it.

mheefff (breathing)

He's got a... baby daughter now...

mheefff (breathing)

...so...

mheefff (breathing)

...he's got his hands full and between takin' care of his child and hanging out with his woman and working...

mheefff (breathing)

...he's uh... you know, he's a vey busy man exhale; and that's that.

... mheefff (breathing)

All right, well anybody that wants to help support... or uh, help get the machine...

mheefff (breathing)

...some of you've been very fucking nasty to me. Other's you've emailed me and you've apologized for your behavior and all that...

mheefff (breathing)

...well that's nice and wonderful, but many of you out there have fucked up my interests in youtube.

mhff (breathing)

But it's not just the people, it's not just the constant trolling or the annoyances- it's also youtube has demonitized every one of my fuckin' videos and they say that they will not review any of my videos unless I hit a thousand views.

mheefff (breathing)

A lot of people have left youtube, both nonbeliver and religious because of that.

mheefff (breathing)

They've made it almost impossible to advertize yourself of promote your work in any kind of way. It's, uh, only the people out there that are fuckin' rich who got the money to sit around and pay for advertisment and all that shit or the ones that are stickin' around...

mheh (breathing)

...who actually think they can still make a job or buisness of it. As for me, there is no social outcome.

mheefff (breathing)

There's, there's nothing. I'm outta here, I've got plenty of cool shit to do in my real life...

mheefff (breathing)

...I hope that you all find god... and I hope that you all have a happy life, gaud bless.

[whimstories]

Grocery time flirt

A/N: I knew I wanted to do another fluff month piece and I suffer with dialogue so I did a pure dialogue exercise! I rewrote this four times and now I put it on queue and I have until it posts to edit it. 

Comments and critiques are super helpful!

(Adrien/Mari)

“Handwritten grocery list. I didn’t know adults were allowed to do that publicly anymore.”

“Adults aren’t allowed to make bad puns without children around either.”

“Well, I guess neither of us are adults.”

“Oh shoot, now how will I buy all this alcoho—OOH HELLO!”

“Um, hi? I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“You—nah! I S-saw you and realized you’re more intoxicating than my basket of liquor. No, wait—I mean.”

“Wow, that was a fast recovery.”

“Girls tell me  that in more intimate settings. No, shit, I did not say that.”

“Nuh-uh, I heard you loud and clear. Do you wait in this aisle just to test out new material on strangers?”

“What? No way! I don’t usually blurt those out, I’m sorry. I’m a well behaved French citizen, man’s honor.”

“No, no, I’m afraid your cover is blown. I haven’t laughed that hard in a while, I have to thank you.”

“You didn’t find it cheesy?”

“Oh it was completely cheesy, but it takes guts to say that out loud. In a grocery store. In the wine section.”

“I was surprised…”

“By my intoxication?”

“Hey! You’re sassier than I thought.”

“I may be short, but I am fierce with my words.”

“You’re not short, you’re—.”

“Fun-sized? I’ve heard that before.”

“I wouldn’t mind having some fun with you.”

“Oh brother. When I pass the last stack of beer bottles will your flirting powers magically disappear?”

“Well then we’d enter the baking aisle, and you’d turn from intoxicating to a cutie-pie.”

“Woow.”

“Are my powers too much for you?”

“Not at all. In fact, this is a very educational experience.”

“On what?”

“Which isle will it take to make a man stop flirting?”

“The wedding aisle?”

“Cute, tomcat.”

“Wait, where are we going? The store suddenly turned a particular shade of pink.”

“I’m guessing you’ve never had a serious girlfriend before. Such a shame.”

“What are you implyin—oh I see. Hey I’ve bought my share of feminine items before.”

“Like what?”

“Your feminine charm.”

“Isn’t that more like an insult?”

“What?”

“You bought my charms. Like I tricked you?”

“You know what they say, with a trick comes a few treats.”

“I don’t feed stray tomcats.”

“You don’t chase them away either.”

“Well, you’re not the worst I’ve seen. And don’t look over my shoulder as I pick up tampons. Only the strays I find in the lingerie aisle are that special. ”

“I’m not special yet?”

“They say special is subjective.”

“I’ll take whatever you give me, princess.”

“Don’t you need to finish your shopping? I have two men calling my name in the frozen section.”

“I didn’t realize I was making you too hot.”

“Direct me to your off button.”

“Oh, princess, I’m hurt.”

“It’s Marinette, tomcat.”

“And I’m Adrien. I knew you were eager to learn my name.”

“Kissing my hand is blocking the aisle.”

“And a kiss from you would silence me forever.”

“Oh so, thats the off switch.”

“Would you like to test it out?”

“You’re cute, but not that cute.”

“But I am cute?”

“You have to have something going for you.”

“I made you laugh! You admitted it earlier.”

“You’re occasionally funny.”

“I’m also a physics professor, fyi. Smart, funny, and cute. I’m too good to be true.”

“Maybe a bit. I almost think my friend planted you here…making asian food tonight?”

“Huh? Oh—uh, yeah. It’s for someone special, actually.”

“Oooh? Smart, funny, cute but not available. There’s the catch.”

“What? It’s not like—well it is, but its—“

“Don’t freak out. I’m joking with you. We had fun. I have to head home anyway. It’s my only day off and my friend is waiting for her booze. It was nice meeting you, Adrien.”

“Umm, yeah…I’ll see you later, maybe?”

“Yeah, it’s possible.”

******

(Mari/Alya)

“Hello, Miss. A message left for you at the front desk.”

“Thank you.”

“Mari, what’s that?”

“Maybe a client. The doormen always have something for me when I get home.”

“Oh my gosh, it’s your day off. You’re not allowed to even think about work.”

“Hey, Alya! Give that—”

“No way! You only get to read it if it meets my approval. Lets see—well look what we have here.”

“What?”

“Gurl! I did not know Adrien Agreste lived in your building!”

“Who? Adrien…Agreste. Like Gabriel’s son, Agreste?”

“Yes! You’re the luckiest girl I know, how did you even snag him. He sounds head over heels for you.”

“Wait, what are you talking about? Give me that.”

“You said you met an Adrien at the store…holy shit, was that him? How did you not know it was THE Agreste?”

“You know how focused I get on design. I honestly forgot Gabriel had a son…”

“He was completely home schooled, but his face was still plastered all over Paris for the better part of his teen years. Did his face fill out from angel to sex-demon or something? I swear, you are so scatterbrained sometimes.”

“You’re the journalist, not me. Wow, look at this poem though. He says he wants a date at his apartment. What should I say? I wasn’t ready for this.”

“Look, he said, ‘Never a second glance, but love takes a chance’. He’s kept tabs on you living here and you never noticed?”

“It’s a big building. Give me some credit.”

“Well, you met him. You said he was pretty great earlier.”

“Yeah, but when I left he said he had someone special—“

“Catch up! It was you!”

“You think so?”

“Oh gosh, you’re killing me. It’s you. He’s asking you out; say yes. Easy? How are you going to respond?”

“It’s for tomorrow so…I can respond with a message too I guess? A response poem?”

“That’s my girl.”

**************

(Adrien/Mari)

“You know, even with your letter, I was scared you wouldn’t show.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Hmm, we’ve lived in the same building for almost a year? I’m the son of the biggest fashion brand in France while you’re a fashion designer, yet you didn’t recognize me once? My face was once plastered all over France? If I didn’t have your attention back then, what’s so different now.”

“Ehh, to be fair, I’m surrounded by beautiful people all the time. I’m more focused on the finished product.”

“Well, I certainly feel special now. You know, I was really surprised to see you at the store.”

“I remember.”

“No, I mean, really surprised. You know that list on my hand? One of the doormen on the front desk wrote it down for me right after talking to you.”

“Why?”

“Well, I know you have a habit of ordering a lot of takeout. The doormen happen to mention it. I thought ‘maybe she would be impressed by a guy that can cook for her’.”

“No way.”

“Yeah. So, please, act overly impressed by my considerate gesture.”

“You really do like me.”

“You’re just catching on, princess?”

“I didn’t think—-well I had no idea. I know I can be slow at times but, how did I not know?!”

“I don’t mind. You’ll be falling just as hard in no time.”

“Are you saying I’m fast attracted to your magnetic pull, Mr Physics Professor?”

“See, we’re already speaking the same language. You can’t deny science.”

“How about I experiment on that off button of yours, for a start.”

“I’ll take what I can get, princess.”

[ex-empire-adventures]

What are you doing in my house

Rome has broken into Emil’s house for some reason... (rp with @ask-the-icelandic-little)

What are you doing in my house?

---------- The sudden question startled Rome and he nearly hit his head to the cupboard door. “I was…” He needed a moment to find the right words, english ones. “Well you know…” It didn’t help he was a little drunk, nothing worth mentioning ofcourse. “Hmn…” He sighed. What was he doing in this house again? “Oh yes I remember! I cut myself see when I climbed this stupid fence… because of the dogs chasing me…” he took a deep breath “Sooo, I’m going to need some bandages. No need to stay up for me.” He opened the fridge to continue his search.

---------- He raised his eyebrows slightly, but just sighed after hearing him, and sighed louder when he watched him. “You do know that bandages are not kept in a fridge, right?” He shook his head and showed to the couch. “Sit down, I will get them for you.”

---------- “Right, I knew that!..” steel closets are fridges, check! He sat down and looked around carefull not to bleed on anything. “You’ve got a nice house”

---------- He chuckled lightly as he got the bandages and walked back. “That are just these four rooms though, just a small apartment. Thanks though.” He sat beside him and rolled the bandages out, looking to Romulus to see where the wound was in the first place.

---------- “Ah, but you don’t need a lot of space when you don’t have a wife! Don’t ever get married. They have a way to re-order everything and you’ll never find any of your things ever again. They need to know where you are and what you’re doing and where you are going and for how long and with who… pffff” Romulus showed his hand that got cut, or rather pierced pretty bad “Don’t bother stitching it I’m sure it will be just fine for now. At least that dog didn’t got me XD”

---------- He laughed ironically as he carefully patched up the wound, looking out that he wouldnt hurt the other. “Thanks for the hint, but I dont think anyone would want to marry me in the first place. So dont worry, I dont think I will ever have that issue. I didnt had a roomate ever either, so…” He looks at the wound, but since the other said he wouldnt need to bother with stitching, he instead just hummed “Nadel and Faden” to himself. “If it would have been a dogbite, it would have been more difficult. We would need to disinfect it, then stitch it up, then bandage it. For now it should be okay though, I guess.”

---------- Rome fell silent for a while. “Are you lonely? I mean there’s nothing wrong being by yourself but being lonely can get under your skin and suck the life out of you. You are a handsome young man and really caring too! Most would have kicked me out, you know? Do you know there’s lots of girls out there who are dreaming to meet a guy like you! You are not shy are you?”

---------- He smiled lightly at the others worried voice, blushed slightly though when he was suddenly complimented. “I am… Just not really used to people. Not shy… Anyways, I am used to being alone, so its fine. And… I mean, I like girls too, but…” He slowly started to stutter, he didnt knew how to talk about such things, and much less how to talk with a completly stranger about such things.

---------- “HA HA Ha!!!” Rome started laughing really loud at Ice’s stuttering. “So you like men better, good for you! Ah man, I should have got me a boyfriend when I was young. Most my bosses did. I never had the time. Sure you can have sex at every streetcorner but that’s not the same, right? You want the full package deal i bet! Waiting for the right one are you?” he pat the other on his shoulder “Don’t wait forever, go out and get him instead” Romulus smirked at him

---------- He blushed bright at the others bluntness and looked embarrassed to the ground. Though the others open talk and friendly tone made him feel better, not as uncomfortable as he would have usually been. He even smiled lightly as he responded. “Well, yeah, sort of. It would be nice to have someone by your side who stays with you. Though… I wouldnt really know where to search. The places that I know here arent the best searching material.” He chuckled lightly and looked up to him again. “And who knows, its never too late. You seem really nice too, I dont think it would be difficult for you to find someone!”

---------- “Oh no, never go for locals, that’s boring! Broaden your horizon!… Oh I… well finding someone fitting for me could proof to be more difficult than it would seem at first sight, I suppose.” Rome looked at his hand, clearly the other had done this before. “Thank you. Ah, I must have lost my manners somewhere” He grinned, as he stuck out his hand “People call me Romulus.”

---------- “Well, it isnt easy to get away here, but I will try.” He smiled slightly in a try to cheer the other up. “And if you need to, I can always help. I may not be the best, but I could try.” He lightly grinned back at the other as he also reached out to shake his hand. “Name is Emil, nice to meet you. Even though that is a rather… unique way to meet someone for the first time.”

---------- "IT IS! Ha ha. I don't break into peoples houses on a daily basis, heh?! But it could be worse. We could have met on the battlefield or at a slavemarket or even a circus..." Rome stopped talking as if he remembered something. "That is kind of you. But I really do think it's not for me. Truth be told I don't think i'll ever get over my first crush, see?" He stood up a little out balanced.

---------- “It would have actually been nice to meet at a circus. I always wanted to join the circus when I was a kid…” He thoughtout loud to himself, smiling lightly as he guessed the other things had just been a joke. He looked just the slightest bit gloomy when he listened to the rest he had to say. “Thats alright. I sort of know that feel… In any case. If you need any help, now you know where to find me.” He smirked slightly. “That counts for every issue by the way. If you ever run into another fence again, as example.”

---------- He thanked again “Actually if you can give me directions to a taverne cause I’m not half as drunk as I should be on a friday night and I’ll be needing a bed also.”

---------- He slightly raised his eyebrows, then shrugged. “I have some drinks if thats all. Amaretto is pretty good, or licorice liquor. And I am pretty sure you cant sleep in any bar close by here, except you maybe know the bartender. Which I doubt though, since you ask.” You thought for a moment. “Wanna stay here? I mean I dont have anything better to do and its kinda nice to have someone around.”

---------- "Are you serious?! I snore pretty loud, HA HA HA!!!" Rome was really happy by the turn of events. "I don't know anything about this country. I just got here. Im glad you speak english because I don't speak that many lanquages really."

---------- “I only speak three languages, got here around two years ago though, so I guess its rather lucky. Or else I would have amde weird handsigns or asked google translate. And its fine, I mean its already loud outside around here, so I am used to sleeping with noise in the background.” He shrugged. “I dont mind, really.”

---------- “Great! Then you got yourself a roommate for tonight. I can tell you some epic stories from way back. Oh and I’ll teach you some drinking songs! I know lot’s! Let me get my bag I left it outside” he run off to the bathroom and climbed out the window. Appearantly that’s also how he came in. He returned with a ikea bag that seemed heavy but it didnt bother him. “There, id hate it if it starts raining and it gets all wet see?”

---------- He just looked briefly over the game, and then decided that is just how the other was. The words, the armor in the bag, the way he had come into the house, it probably made perfect sense for him. So why bother to worry? “It doesnt rain that often here, but just put the bag behind the couch. Should be okay there. And I really should learn some drinking songs, I never listen to enough music anyways. I havent heard a good story in a while either!” He almost was exited. Maybe it was his strong desire to just talk to someone nice again and be not completly alone as he had been in weeks. Maybe it was boredom. However, he seemed to like his new short term roommate.

---------- “Alright have you got some small glasses? Anything will do really. Shells are also good. The point is you drink after the ehh… What’s the word… when the song repeats? Anyway, the song gets better as you go! HAHAHA!!!” Rome kicked out his shoes, he wasnt wearing socks. “They look pretty but you can’t wiggle your toes that much. Im not used to them. Same for these skinny jeans. Whoever invented those should be hanged with one… Don’t give me that look I know Im old fashioned. You’ll be having trouble adjusting accordingly when you are ancient like me”

---------- “It’s fine, I prefer jogging pants and such too. Jeans can be pretty uncomfortable.” He shrugged. “And you don’t look ancient. Mid 40 at best, that’s not ancient at all!” He smiled lightly to him, before getting a bottle of alcohol and two glasses. “Do you mean when the refrain repeats?”

---------- Romulus giggled “flattering will get you nowhere.” he filled the shots. “the refrain, yes i guess that’s it! So, i’ll start with this one. It’s pretty old it’s latin but the words are easy so don’t worry” he started singing.

---------- “Hey, I can try!” He smiled, then thought for a moment. “Just like I once tried learning latin a bit.” He chuckled slightly embarrassed. “Was kicked out after half a year. I wasnt good with languages when I was a kid.” He just chuckled and listened at first, soon trying his best to join.

---------- “Hey, you’re doing great! Your pronounciation is a little off but you’ve got a beautifull voice. You should train it so you can reach more… This drink is really sweet, i like it!” Rome was really to get tipsy now and it was showing. “… Uhh yes… Where were we?… A song to my new friend and a drink on your health!”

---------- He clincked glasses with him before drinking again himself, slowly getting more comfortable with the singing, though not much better. “A drink to both our health!” He joined with a slight smile in the others speech pattern.

---------- “Oh,… This one is empty. How unfortunate they should make bigger ones” Rome put the bottle on the table. “Why is it there still aint wine coming out of tubs? Mankind have invented so many things. We have candycrush but we can’t have running wine, it’s a pity!” He took another bottle and pulled the other with him down on the couch. He had trouble opening the next drink so handed it over.

---------- He fell comfortably into the cushions, and, while he figured out through his slightly clouded mind how to open the bottle himself, answered his question. “Well, we do have hot chocolate out of fountains. I haven’t ever seen one, but there is probably something like that with wine too, though I think that would be something extra fancy.” To let the “fancy” stick out he flipped his hair to demonstrate. “For things like charity parties or marriages for the richest of rich I’d guess. We normal folks”, he handed over the open bottle, “Need to manage with this.”

---------- Rome giggled and lazily run his fingers over the others hair. “You got such beautifull smooth hair ever thought about growing it out?” He flustered suddenly realising he shouldnt have done that and looked away changing the subject. “I used to be rich. I gave it all away. I thought power and wealth was something that stayed forever. But at some point I realised I felt dead inside. Im a selfmade man, only fitting I got rid of it myself also. Well sort of anyway. The boys who took over changed everything and i suppose that’s a good thing.”

---------- He got quiet for a moment, just listening to the other calmly. He thought for a while about what he said, and nodded. “Seems like we both didnt have it easy, even if in different ways. I never had much, and at some point, I was willing to do everything to be able to call at least something my own. No matter if things or relationships. If I needed to be someone else so I wouldnt be completly alone or have at least something around me, I could deal with it.” He stayed quiet for a short moment. “I guess I still do that sometimes.” He looked at him, a bit curious. “Did you ever moved on from that?” He paused for a moment, not sure if he should have asked that. “Uhm… Just ignore that. Yeah, maybe I should grow my hair out, that sounds pretty nice actually.” He smiled lightly to him, hopingit would make the mood a bit less awkward.

---------- Rome returned a boyish smile “Ah I always wanted to grow my hair out when I was young because of my friends see. But I couldn’t… cause of the military? And I suppose it wouldn’t look nice on me anyway because I got thick curly hair it’s a curse… Uh oh, no it’s ok. Yes, I think I did move on. In this sense that when I was still working I was travelling abroad a great deal for my boss. And I made a lot of friends but my boss would always screw them over at some point and I’m looking like a complete dick. It didn’t really came as a surprise even my best friend wanted to stab me. So well… Not being able to do the things you like and having to fuck people over you like sucks the life out of you. That’s what I mean by feeling dead inside. Getting stabbed was an eye opener to me, I suppose. Everything just tumbled down from there and I… retired…. Are you still following me, because I’m a little drunk. Anyway so now I’m not bound by all that anymore and I hope to make some new friends now. And maybe try to restore some of the bitter old ones. If they’ll have me I don’t know.”

---------- “I can follow.” Emil stayed silent for a while, not really knowing how to respond. He couldnt completly understand the situation, not knowing what job this guy could have done that would have made him to such things. Maybe a retired criminal? Well, Emil thought he shouldnt just. HIs vest sure wasnt white either. “I am sure you can explain it to them in some way… It doesnt seem likeit was your fault in the first place.” He thought for a moment again, not really being good at such things. “If it cheers you up, you can see me as a new friend.” He gave him a light smile, hoping that wouldnt come off as insensitive. “And I think you wouldnt look bad with longer hair. Maybe not like, going to the ellbows, but a short ponytail could suit you. I could see that.”

---------- “You really think so?!” Rome was tearing up. He combed his curls out of his face and back trying to imaging having a manbun “Id love to be friends with you. But you must promiss me to be yourself to me. I’ll help you to get your life back on track, i promiss. I don’t want you to go hungry ever again.”

---------- Emil looked slightly panicked and quickly got out a handkerchief, holding it to him. “Yes, I think so! If they see you as sincere as you are now it will all be okay! Please don’t cry!” He awkwardly patted his head, just knowing that usually cheered him up a bit. “And I promise, I will do my best to be myself!” Despite his irritation at seeing the other cry, he couldn’t help but still smile at his words. “Thank you. I really appreciate the help.”

---------- “If you say so… I’ll try…” He wiped away his tears seeing it made Emil uncomfortable. “sorry, it’s been a rough week really. Working late and never knowing where i’ll sleep next. That’s why i travel light, see?”

---------- “Its alright… Sorry for commanding you…” He calmed down a bit again, taking a deep breath. He took a look to the others bag, and couldnt help but smile ironically. “I would call that traveling light though, it looks like anything but light.” He slighty patted his back, trying to cheer him up a bit again. “And if you like, you can stay here for a few days without issue. I am often out anyways, and you seem to be alright. I mean… There really isnt anything to rob here in the first place…”

---------- Rome started laughing “Robbing you? HA HA HA. There is just that much you can take with you on board. And theyll nitpick over everything, they even took my shampoo and sword at the airport.” he looked at his back “Im attached to that old stuff, they don’t make them the way they used to. But because i can’t pack that much I need to rent clothes for work to look a bit professional. What do you do if I may ask?”

---------- “I will take tour word for that then.” He smiled lightly and thought for a moment. “And I think you can carry sharp objects… like… swords? Anyways. I think you can carry then with you if you keep them seperate. As long as you don’t bring them on the plane personally it should be alright.” He shrugged. “Not sure, haven’t travelled in years. And I understand that attachment.” He wanted to make another comment, then got quiet for a while at the others last question. “Well… As for my work, I look the most professional if I wear nothing, at least most of the time.” He sighed before he answered. “I sell my body, to say it like that. And if I find someone serious my work is being a sugar baby, then more often selling simply my company…” He fidgeted around with the keychain, wanting to be honest, but obviously a bit uncomfortable with that theme.

---------- “Ah, I see…” Romulus said as he filled both their glasses again. Pity to let it go to waste, right? “So we’re both the biz, then? Man Id do the fucking for free, but Im basically a professional dad, Ha Ha! You wont believe how many lonely stewardesses are out there. They just want to talk about their day. Once they open up to me they talk all night long and I charge by the hour.” he shakes his head “The hard part is not to fall asleep”

---------- At first he was surprised that the other took it so easily, but when he listened he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Need to admit, can’t really blame them. You are easy to talk to, and pretty nice on top! And if you feel like nobody will listen to you, I probably wouldn’t mind either if it costs.” He shrugged and leaned back on the couch, taking another sip of the alcohol, and showing a light grin. “So, a sweet, professional dad? A true "sugar daddy”, how convenient for me!“ He giggled lightlt at his own pun.

---------- "The joke’s on you, you owe me 200,-” Rome joked “In different times I’d bought you a villa, now I’m pretty much broke. Im saving some money because Id like to get a degree to be a teacher. But I need to learn how to work with the computer first. I just want to spoil the kids rotten.” Rome couldnt resist to show pictures “This is my youngest, isnt he cute! I haven’t got a picture of my eldest, sadly, he doesn’t want his picture taken.” He looked real proud. “But sure i’ll get you sweets too, dear boy” he smirked

---------- “ITs alright. I wouldnt let you buy me a villa anyways.” He chuckled. “I would be happy with a small house on the countryside already ~ Really now, I need to save money too, and for now I would prefer to stick to small apartments. By the way.” He looked over curious to him. “Did you ever thought about getting a roommate? If you live somewhere together you both could ssave more money, it would be really convenient.” His thoughts where quickly distracted again when the other suddenly held some pictures in front of his face, and couldnt help but smile. “Okay, yes. They do look really cute!” He chuckled lightly, happy about the others enthusiasm. “And if you really want to, I like licorice best. It looks like candy, but its not sweet! Its deceiving candy!”

---------- “Roommates heh? Sounds nice but Im constantly on the move for now so that isnt very practical at the moment. I sometimes stay at ikea. Only got caught twice and then you can stay the night in a cel where they have beds also… Ahh have you heard in Reykjavik Ikea is going to built apartments for staff”