#vic feng

[kaknewsdotcom]

Stonebwoy And Vic Mensa Represent Ghana At Paris Fashion Week

Ghanaian music sensation Stonebwoy and American rapper of Ghanaian descent Vic Mensa made a stylish appearance at Paris Fashion Week, attending Feng Chen Wang’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection showcase. The two artists proudly repped Ghanaian culture on the international fashion stage. Stonebwoy, known for his Afro-Dancehall rhythms and energetic performances, and Vic Mensa, with his genre-bending…

[tokiro07]

Undead Unluck ch.230 thoughts

[Big VIC is Back in Town!]

(Topics: art - visual metaphors, thematic analysis - perspective/tragedy, character analysis - Victor, lore analysis - Negators)

Reunited and It Feels So Good

Artistically, I think this might be the most beautiful chapter in the entire series. The imagery of Julia literally entering Victor's soul through the wound she inflicted, his happiest memories floating by on hazy film screens until finally she arrives at the start of it all, only for the screen to shatter and reveal the stairway of Victor's descent into isolation and despair, with a young Victor, his true self, waiting at the bottom, flanked by the motivations of his and Juiz's mutual love...what else is there to say about that sequence than simply that it's gorgeous??

And for this younger Victor to look at Julia, see how much Juiz has changed, but still smile and call her partner, is proof that the most fundamental aspects of Juiz have not been lost. After all, who would know Juiz better than Victor?

This new Juiz, with no connection to all of the joy and pain that her past self had experienced and endured, went out of her way to find her way to Victor and tell him that even here, when it seems like he can finally die, that she wants the ending to their story to be a happy one...of course he realizes that this is still Juiz. The Juiz that he doesn't know yet does know

I've talked before about how one's soul is telling of how the view themselves - Fuuko is still her short-haired self with Gina's jacket tied around her waist, Haruka is still the little girl who lost her grandfather, etc., but this is the first time we've seen someone update that sense of self. When Julia takes Victor's hand, his young, thin arm immediately bulks up, accepting all of the struggles that made him as strong as he'd become over the eons so that he could use that strength to continue fighting for his partner, but this time retaining the glowing grin he used to sport when around her

This is what I mean when I talk about this cast becoming complete. The best traits of his past self and the best traits of current self have come together to make Victor's absolute best self. Gina's philosophy on change becoming flexible rather than reversing, Feng's acceptance of age while still striving to reach the peak; Undead Unluck's reverse character development style is not about undoing what has been done, but finding the balance between one's old and new perspectives

What's particularly fun about this is that, in Victor's case specifically, perspective is a major part of his character arc

A New Take on an Old Classic

It was during the Andy vs Victor fight that we first learned that Negator abilities could be altered through interpretation; in Andy's words, the key to Negator abilities is "all a matter of how we perceive the Rules," and for Andy, Victor was the embodiment of that concept, as the two of them had different takes on what it means to die in the first place

Victor is, quite literally, Andy with a different perspective. They both clearly have the same core personality, but that personality was shaped by radically different experiences, which in turn gave birth to radically different philosophies

Back then, the dividing line between these philosophies was in the sense of logic they used for manipulating Undead; for Victor, he used it to manipulate his body, the part of a person that can die, but for Andy, he used it to manipulate his soul, the part of a person that can't die. However, this still wasn't the key difference in their approach; where Andy realized it was a matter of recontextualizing the Rule itself, Victor simply moved his body as he pleased. Victor wasn't thinking about the implications of his Rule, he wasn't saying "technically that drop of blood is still my dying body," it was all just a matter of course

Victor evolved his ability through sheer brute force and experience using it, not self-reflection and careful introspection. In all of his eons of existence, Victor's soul is still the child from 460 billion years ago; he never let that base interpretation of himself change, never challenged himself to become anything more or anything else. Until now

Now Victor understands that the Rules aren't set in stone, that they aren't matters of fact. And as it happens, it's not just the Rules that can be examined, deconstructed and recontextualized, it's also the tragedies that make Negators and all people who they are

Tragic Origins

When Fuuko said that the world of L001 was too different from L101 for Unjustice to manifest, I thought she meant it in the sense that the structure was too fundamentally different, like the lack of UMA Sex or what have you. Instead, it seems that it's because of the context that Unjustice itself was originally given to Juiz under: as the first Negator, Juiz wasn't chosen by a predecessor, but by Justice itself

Moreover, the accompanying tragedy was surprisingly subtle, to the point that I'm not sure anyone involved even realized at the time what the cause was. While Victor was resolving to die, forget, and eventually remember Juiz, Juiz accidentally used Unjustice on him, forcing him to declare that he would instead become Undead, and thus cursing him to live forever

That context really was near-impossible to recreate in L101; all Negators have already been selected, and it is no longer within Unjustice's power to assign new Vessels. I suppose Unjustice could still manifest by forcing someone to commit an act they wouldn't, but the scale would be so different that it may not successfully resonate with Juiz's latent soul

Which is why Victor went out of his way to reframe Julia's actions

If I Could Do It All Again

As Victor said, he was about to fade away forever. Presumably, Andy and Fuuko used Unluck to target Victor with Death's scythe, separating the piece of Andy's soul that still held Victor's within it from Undead. Since they were two separate entities, Victor was no longer Undead, and thus susceptible to Death in the fading piece of Andy's body

By reviving Victor, though, pulling his soul back to the forefront of the Andy fragment, Julia forced him to lose his opportunity to finally die and thus continue his unending life. This is the moment that reawakened Unjustice, allowing both Julia to stop Soul's final attack and Victor to become Undead once again. The difference this time, though, is that Victor can live with a smile

Just like Andy, Victor now has something to live for again, a beacon of hope guiding him to a goal he once thought unreachable. It's tragic that he didn't get to die, but while tragedies are unfortunate, they aren't always bad. After all, remember what Fuuko said in ch.122? She was only able to meet Andy because she endured hardship. The same goes for Victor now: he is only able to experience this hope and happiness because of his repeating tragedy

Everyone experiences tragedy and hardship, but it's what we do afterward that defines us. Losses hurt, but it's our decision whether we allow them to break us or make us stronger. We can give up, we can pick up the pieces to fit them back together, or we can throw them out and build something new from scratch, but no matter which we choose, it's our choice

In L100, Victor gave up. He was broken and thought everything was unsalvagable, so he tried to force Juiz to give up too. But now in L101, even after her death, Juiz was able to start anew as Julia, and still fights to make something better. After seeing that, how could Victor not pick up the pieces and start again?

How could he not take the eternal tragedy of his immortality and negate it?

The Exception that Proves the Rule

While Luna's first appearance to Juiz and Victor was oddly underwhelming, her words were simply fascinating: Negator abilities were a glitch in Sun's Rule system, an unintended side effect to the creation of the UMAs. For Death to exist, then so too must its inverse: Life. For Movement to exist, then so too must Stillness; for Luck, Misfortune; for Justice, Amorality. These Rules are defined by how their states differ from and compare to their inverse, and those inversions needed to manifest somewhere

Presumably, Luna could have created her own set of UMAs, but instead she chose to implant these anti-Rules into the side effects of her own creation, Soul: humanity. This became the basis of the Gods' game: the UMAs that govern the Rules vs. the humans that negate the Rules

From there, humanity negated every expectation placed upon them. They found ways to extend their lives, to manipulate their fortunes, to grow beyond their tragedies. Humanity was always going to rebel against the Rules that God placed upon them, so it was simply perfect that Luna bestowed the Negator glitch upon them - it merely crystallized their nature into a more directly applicable form

Victor's ability to see his tragedy from a new perspective is the final evolution of this concept - the thing that makes him a Negator, the curse that has been put upon him, is now his hope for the future. Other Negators have taken this to heart as well, like Shen legitimately enjoying Untruth or Nico deliberately accepting Unforgettable to see the path to victory, but Victor is the first to look at the tragedy itself as a blessing, thus completely freeing the Union from the last element of the Negator system that was tying them down

Now all that's left to do is overcome the Rules themselves

Of course, that doesn't mean that this is the end already. I've mentioned before that Soul is certain to enter Phase 3, which will turn the tide back in the favor of the Master Rules, but the return of Undead Unjustice is a huge milestone moment for the Union. I sense the Bad News phase is coming soon, but no matter what happens, I know that the Union will overcome it

Until next time, let's enjoy life!

[mvsicinthedvrk]

i'm doing something a little different for my event prep-- because i'm on hiatus the rest of the month, i don't really have the ability to do much reaching out to plot (though if you pop into my dms unprompted to plot, feel free, as i'll definitely get back to you to chat when i'm able) and i need to make sure i keep my threads to a manageable number. but i still want to be able to be active during the event when i can! especially since other threads will be paused!

so below is my list of event threads; i'm limiting myself to 3ish per character for the time being with the understanding that i'm also willing to stretch it to more if there's pairings i really want to write for.

if you want me to write a starter, please request one below (limit 2 per member for now, please). i probably won't pre-plot with you much but i'll roll for the situation on my end as soon as u request them & add that info below so you have a general idea of what the conflict in the thread will be.

**and then this is the untraditional part of the starter call: there's obviously no obligation, but if you want to volunteer to write any starter(s) for a pairing, please also feel free to let me know below, so i can add that to my total thread count. i would love that. i likely won't be going through your starter calls to request things, not because i don't want to write with you all, but because i don't want to impose when there's a high chance i won't be around as much as usual

i'll also note that i don't think i'll be killing off any of my characters during this event, even temporarily, and if you want to kill off any of your muses, i'd honestly prefer you do it in a thread that's not with one of mine, but if you feel really strongly about it, we can definitely plot, i just need a heads up. thank u for understanding!

total thread count (list last updated saturday 10/14 at 9am):

bold is for my notes; means i need to write it still and strikethrough is that it's already written (written 19/20)

wei wuxian-- SLOTS FULL

one: writing wei wuxian and dream for alex (rolled: rat with a gun)

two: wei wuxian & yanli (aria writing)

three: wei wuxian & vic for swan (rolled: children with pumpkins for heads)

four: wei wuxian & cangse sanren (rolled: living corn attempting to eat u but it's still the size of regular corn)

five: wei wuxian & han solo (rolled: skeletons)

xie lian-- SLOTS FULL

one: writing hualian for mia (rolled: crossing stream)

two: xie lian & feng xin (kasey writing)

three: writing xie lian & mu qing for june (rolled: quicksand mud)

four: xie lian & shen qiao (june writing)

five: xie lian & sophie (rolled: a hoard of geese)

wen kexing-- 1 slot available

one: wenzhou (atlas writing)

two:

he xuan-- SLOTS FULL

one: writing beefleaf for sunny (rolled: poisonous gas)

two: writing he xuan & chunyu for kasey (rolled: giant spiders)

sha hualing-- SLOTS FULL

one: writing sha hualing & shang qinghua for sunny (rolled: murderous clown)

two: writing sha hualing & tina for risa (rolled: gritty)

liu qingge-- 1 slot available

one: liu qingge & anya (violet writing)

two:

loid forger-- SLOTS FULL

one: writing loid & anya for mia (rolled: werewolf)

two: writing loid & yor for kasey (rolled: giant table and feast)

dongfang qingcang-- 1 slot available

one: dongfang qingcang & xiao lanhua (kasey writing)

two:

chu wanning-- 1 slot available

one: ranwan (kasey writing)

two:

filippa kosta-- 1 slot available

one: writing filippa & cordelia for alex (rolled: high winds)

two:

qi yan-- 1 slot available

one: qi yan & laudna for cassie (rolled: giant spiderweb)

two:

kaz brekker-- SLOTS FULL

one: kaz & inej (sunny writing)

two: kaz & ninoma (alex writing)

three: writing kaz & wylan for aria (rolled: dead end/spores/drunk)

mo xi-- 1 slot available pls give him some love

one: june writing a surprise starter for mo xi and somebody

two:

pei ming-- 1 slot available

one: pei ming & bond (risa writing)

two: pei ming & heidi for swan (rolled: werewolf)

three:

lee rang-- SLOTS FULL

one: rang & yeon (atlas writing)

two: also lee rang & jang yeo hee (atlas writing)

two: lee rang & yuri for violet (rolled: whispering plant life)

xiao chiye-- SLOTS FULL

one: writing chiye & zechuan for june (rolled: werewolf, followed by truth zone)

two: chiye & qi zhuyin (june writing)

lu junyi -- 1 slot available

one: writing junyi & jasmine for moon (rolled: frozen tundra of corn)

two:

[silverstar70]

Fandom: NCIS Character: Alden Parker & Jessica Knight (father/daughter relationship)

Author’s note: English is not my first language so I apologise for any mistakes.

Warnings: father/daughter relationship, Parker stepping in for Knight, listens to her, and gives advice.

Summary: Inspired by episode 21x5. A missing scene between Jess and Parker, and between Parker and Feng

Words: 2,720k

The plan

Knight sat alone in the break room, her thoughts swirling like a storm. The usual bustle of the NCIS office had quieted down to a gentle hum. It was one of those rare moments when she found herself truly alone, with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company.

She poked at the bag of chips in front of her, eating them with chopsticks as a means of distraction. The room was quiet, a temporary refuge from the pressures of the outside world, a place where she could pretend, if only for a few moments, that everything was under control. But deep down, she knew that wasn’t the case.

She was hiding—hiding from the expectations, the plan, and more immediately, from the conversation she knew she needed to have with her father. It was easier to stay in this room, avoiding the confrontation, than to face the disappointment she feared was inevitable.

Parker walked in, his expression softening when he saw her sitting there alone. He didn’t say anything at first, just grabbed a cup of coffee and made his way over to her. "You’re hiding from your father, Knight?" he asked, his voice tinged with sarcasm but also genuine.

Jess scoffed, trying to brush off the truth in his words. "Maybe," she replied, popping another chip into her mouth with the chopsticks.

Parker, ever the observer, pulled out a chair and sat down across from her, feeling that something was bothering her but didn’t push her. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the kind that spoke of understanding. Jess appreciated it; Parker wasn’t one to push unless he felt it was necessary.

After a while, the silence became too heavy for her to bear. She glanced up at Parker, her eyes filled with uncertainty, her voice low. "Do you think I’m a bad girlfriend?"

Parker paused mid-sip, surprised by the question. He looked at her, trying to gauge the depth of her concern. "For not telling your father about you and Jimmy?" he asked, unsure of what she was referring to.

She nodded, still avoiding his gaze, as if afraid to see judgment in his eyes. "There must be a reason why you didn’t," he said gently. "The question is, Is it a good one?"

Jess mulled over his words, the conflict within her surfacing. She loved Jimmy Palmer. He was her light after the darkness of losing her REACT team. He made her laugh and brought joy back into her life, and she adored his daughter, Victoria, who was like a mini version of him. Jess had never imagined herself as a mother figure, but with Vic, it felt natural, right even.

But then there was the plan—the plan she and her father had meticulously crafted over the years. A plan that had been ingrained in her since childhood, before she even understood what it meant to have a choice in her own life. Her father was her hero, but his expectations had always been a weight she carried.

"They're bad for the plan," she confessed quietly. "Jimmy and Vic."

Parker frowned slightly. "What plan?"

Jess sighed, knowing she had to explain further. "Ever since I was a kid, my father and I planned my career. Team leader, field office SAC, assistant director, and then NCIS director. It was all mapped out. But when I lost my team, everything changed. I joined this team, and I found a family. I found Jimmy. Suddenly, the idea of changing the plan didn’t seem so bad."

Her voice wavered, and Parker noticed the tears brimming in her eyes. It was rare to see her this vulnerable, and he felt out of his depth. He could handle crime scenes and tough decisions all day long, but emotional advice wasn’t his forte. Still, he knew what it felt like to be a disappointment in your father’s eyes.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tissue, handing it to her with a soft smile. "You know, your father and mine are very similar," he began, catching her attention. "My father had our careers all planned out, too. But I ruined his plan when I ended up in juvie. As a Parker, I was supposed to join the Navy and wear the uniform. But I had other interests, and he hated me for years because of it. Joining the FBI didn’t help either."

Jess listened intently, surprised by his admission. Parker wasn’t one to share personal stories often, so when he did, it meant something. "But now your father is proud of you," she pointed out.

"Yeah, now," Parker agreed. "But it took years for us to get there. Every family dinner was a minefield of frustration and unspoken resentment. But I’m more than sure your father won’t hate you if you choose not to follow the plan."

Jess wasn’t convinced. "Are you sure? Because he already thinks that Jimmy, Vic, you and the team are a distraction."

Parker leaned back in his chair, studying her carefully. "What do you think, Jessica?"

The use of her full name caught her off guard. It was the first time he’d called her that since joining the team, and it made her pause. What did she think? She had spent so long focused on what her father wanted that she had never really considered her own desires.

"I love being a part of this team," she said slowly, almost as if she were discovering the truth as she spoke it. "It’s a blast, and I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. My father knows that—I’ve told him how much I enjoy working with all of you, how lucky I am to be here."

"But you love your father too, and you don’t want to let him down, right?" Parker asked gently.

She nodded, not needing to say the words aloud. He understood.

"Do you love Jimmy?" Parker continued.

"Yes," she answered without hesitation this time.

The truth was, she didn’t just love Jimmy—she was in love with him. It was a love that had grown gradually, naturally, rooted in shared experiences, late-night conversations, and the simple joy of being together. It was a love she hadn’t expected to find, especially not after the trauma of losing her REACT team.

"Do you see a future with him?"

"I hope so," Jess said, her voice filled with a mix of hope and uncertainty. "Right now, it feels right to be with him. But I don’t know what the future has in store for us."

Parker nodded, appreciating her honesty. "No one does. You like living in the present, but Jimmy wants stability, and you can’t blame him for that. He’s been through a lot, and he doesn’t want to lose you too."

Jess felt a pang of guilt. She knew Parker was right. Jimmy had endured so much, and she didn’t want to be the one to cause him more pain. She felt ashamed of the way she had been handling things, torn between her father’s expectations and her own happiness.

"As for your father," Parker continued, "just talk to him. Tell him everything you’ve told me. If he loves you, and I’m sure he does, he’ll trust your decision and be happy for you."

Jess smiled softly, feeling a bit lighter. "Thank you, Parker."

"But in case he doesn’t," Parker added with a small grin, "I’ll gladly have a little chat with the guy."

Jess blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected that. "You’d do that for me?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Of course," Parker replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You are part of my team, and so is Jimmy. Besides, I promised Gibbs I’d take care of the team. We have joint custody, as he put it, and you were included in that deal."

She laughed, the tension easing as she did. It was a genuine laugh, one that felt good after the heaviness of their conversation.

"Thank you," she said again, her voice filled with sincerity. "It means a lot to me."

"Anytime," Parker replied, his tone warm and reassuring.

They sat in silence once more, but this time it was a silence filled with understanding and mutual respect. Jess felt a new sense of clarity. She knew what she had to do—talk to her father, be honest about what she wanted, and trust that he would understand. And if he didn’t, she had Parker and the rest of the team to support her.

As they finished their break, Jess felt closer to Parker than ever before. He had shown her a side of himself she hadn’t seen, and in doing so, had helped her see a way forward. She realized that she was truly lucky to be part of this team—a team that felt like family. And for the first time in a long while, she felt at peace with the idea of breaking the plan and forging her own path.

Later that day, the NCIS office was abuzz with the usual activity as Parker made his way to the elevator. He had just finished a meeting with Director Vance when he noticed Feng Zhao waiting for the elevator. From her desk, Knight could see the interaction between the two men and wondered what could happen.

"Feng, mind if I join you?" Parker asked, stepping into the elevator.

"Of course, Alden," Zhao replied, a hint of curiosity in his voice, hitting the button for the floor he knew Parker was heading to.

But instead of letting the elevator continue its descent, Parker reached over and pressed the emergency stop button, bringing the elevator to a sudden halt.

Zhao raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “I see you’ve learned some old tricks.”

Parker smiled, recalling how Gibbs used to do the same thing whenever he needed to have a serious talk with someone. “Sometimes the old ways are the best ways,” Parker said, leaning against the elevator wall. “I wanted to have a word with you, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.”

Zhao crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. “I assume this is about Jessica.”

“It is,” Parker confirmed. “We all notice the tension between you, her, and Jimmy. She told me about the plan, and I get that you want what’s best for her. I just wanted to make sure that whatever problems you have, it’s not affecting the job.”

Feng didn’t respond and Parker studied him for a moment, understanding the struggle of a father watching his child grow up and make their own choices. It was a universal conflict—one that transcended careers and positions. But Parker also knew that Jess was no longer a child. She was a capable, intelligent woman who had earned her place in the agency and his team.

“Knight is one of the best agents I’ve ever worked with and an essential part of my team,” Parker said sincerely. “We’re on the same page when you say she could have more—no doubt about that. But she’s an adult, and she can make her own decisions. She’s happy with the team, and she’s happy with Jimmy, but she doesn’t want to let you down.”

Feng’s face softened further, the tough exterior cracking just a bit. “She could never let me down. I just want what’s best for her.”

Parker nodded, sensing the genuine care behind Feng’s words. “Then start listening to her. She knows what she’s doing.”

Feng was silent for a moment, considering Parker’s advice. To his eyes, Jess would always be his little girl, and it was hard to accept that she was now a grown woman with her own life, her own dreams.

“I’ve always wanted her to succeed, to be the best. I just… I don’t want her to lose sight of her potential.”

“And she won’t,” Parker assured him. “But potential isn’t just about titles or positions. It’s about finding fulfillment in what you do. She’s happy with where she is, and she’s with someone who cares about her deeply and I’m not talking just about Jimmy.”

“Thank you, Alden,” Feng finally said, his voice carrying a note of gratitude. “It’s good to see that you have her back.”

Parker offered a small, reassuring smile. “We’re a team. We have each other’s backs.”

Parker’s mind drifted back to his early days with the team. The day he had officially joined NCIS felt like a lifetime ago, and he could still remember the cautious, almost skeptical looks from the other agents. Taking Gibbs’ place was no small task, and he knew they had all been measuring him against their former leader. But among the wary faces, Jessica Knight had stood out as different.

Jess had been the first to extend a hand of trust, understanding what it was like to be the new addition to a close-knit group. She hadn’t hesitated to defend him when Torres or others crossed the line, and for that, Parker had always been grateful. Their bond had grown from that initial solidarity, and over time, Parker had come to see Jess as not just a valuable team member, but as a friend and on some level, the daughter he never had.

“I know it wasn’t easy for you at first,” Feng said as they walked toward the exit, his tone more conversational now. “Taking Gibbs’ place and all. But Jessica always spoke highly of you, and from what I’ve seen, your team respects you and trusts you.”

Parker glanced at Feng, a hint of surprise in his eyes. It wasn’t often that he received such straightforward praise, especially from someone as accomplished as Feng. “It’s all on them,” Parker replied humbly. “They’re good to work with and make a great team.”

Feng smiled slightly, the kind of smile that spoke of hard-earned respect. “I can see that. It’s clear that you’ve earned their trust, and that’s not an easy thing to do, especially with a team that was so close to Gibbs.”

Parker nodded, appreciating the recognition. “We’ve all found our rhythm now.”

“And Jimmy? How does he fit into all of this?”

Parker could hear the underlying concern in Feng’s voice. The protective father in him was trying to reconcile the plan with the reality of his daughter’s relationship. “Jimmy’s a good man,” Parker said firmly. “He cares about Knight deeply, and he’s been through a lot. They make each other happy, and that’s what matters.”

Feng nodded, processing Parker’s words. It was clear that he was still struggling with the idea of his daughter’s life diverging from the path they had laid out. But as he looked into Parker’s eyes, he saw something that gave him comfort—a deep, unwavering respect for his daughter and her choices.

“I’ll listen to what Jessica has to say,” Feng said finally, his voice carrying a note of resolve.

Parker smiled, knowing that this was the first step toward understanding. “That’s all she needs.” He said releasing the emergency stop, allowing the elevator to resume its descent.

As the elevator doors opened, they stepped out and Feng reached out to shake Parker’s hand, a gesture of mutual respect and understanding. “Thank you, Alden. I appreciate you looking out for her.”

“We’re a team,” Parker reiterated his grip firm. “And that includes making sure everyone has the support they need, on and off the field.”

Parker and Feng returned to the squad room, the tension from earlier had eased, replaced by mutual respect. They both knew there was still a case to solve. Knight was at her desk, reviewing files when she looked up and saw Parker and her father approaching. She noticed the subtle shift in their demeanor but neither of them said anything.

She had been anxiously wondering how their encounter might unfold. When her gaze met Parker’s, she gave him a sympathetic smile, filled with gratitude. It was clear that whatever was said in that elevator was all in her favor. “Thank you,” she muttered in his direction.

Parker returned the smile, offering a reassuring look that said, “Everything’s going to be okay”. He moved to his desk and started reviewing the latest updates on the case, but the warmth from Jessica’s smile lingered, grounding him.

[homestuck-human-generator]

Name: Mx. Yara Lowell Color: Bubblegum #Fd5da8 Symbol: Blood Orange Strife Specibus: razorkind Handle: tangibleCollegiate Animal: alligator Pronouns: vi/vic/vics/vicself Age: 16 Birthday: May 12, which was a monday. Sexuality: situational Interests: wargaming and feng shui decorating Dream Moon: derse Classpect: Heir of Time Land: Land of Cities and Skeletons, an itchy place, with troubled Texas Map Turtle consorts. It is a place full of stranded ships and mountains like dragon's talons. Hephaestus hungers. Instrument: phorminx

[iggy-nko]

EN IMMERSION À LA FASHION WEEK DE PARIS ⏯🎧🔊

Full immersion à la Fashion Week de Paris, mode masculine automne-hiver 2024. Jour 3, certainement le plus froid de la semaine 🥶 ! On brave la neige pour assister au défilé FenG CHen WANG. Assis en face de moi : A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Vic Mensa et Tion Wayne. Mixage et habillage sonore par le talentueux David TSH (⁠⁠@david_tszn⁠⁠).

[tonin-terets]

Nike_World of Warmth from HAMLET on Vimeo.

Credits:

Nike China Brand Creative Senior Director: Simon Lee, Che Lin Narrative Director: Seven Yang Senior Narrative Manager: Yuling Yao Narrative: Elaine Weng, Phoenix Zhao Senior Copywriter: Yi Qi Art Director: Diana Tang Designer: Cyan Wang, Xiaojing Li, Cathy Shang-Kuan Production Director: Kelly Zhan Senior Producer: Cora Liu Producer: Monika Jiang

Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai Chief Creative Officer: Ian Toombs / Vivian Yong Head of Creative: Matt Meszaros Creative Director: Zhong How Associate Creative Director: Ruby Li Senior Art Director: Alex Litovka Art Director: Edmund Chang Copywriter: Pat Cholavit Head of Production: Fang Yuan Senior Producer: Iris Li/ Jazzy Zhao Head of Planning: Summer Yang Associate Planning Director: Alan Wu Strategist: Katie Li Group Brand Director: Qinna Ye Brand Director: Esther Choi Senior Brand Executive: Wayne Zhang/ Louise Cai Business Affairs: Jessica Deng, Hui Ye, Gloria Ji Head of Design: Juni Hsu Designer: Qi Zhang Junior Designer: Chumeng Design Producer: Vic Zhang Senior Retoucher: Changqing Lee FA Artist: Dennis Chen

Production Company: Hamlet China MD/EP: Yimeng Zhang EP: Ruben Goots, Jason Felstead Hamlet Producers: Claire Qin, Duffy Du Production Manager: Winson Wang Line Producer: Wang Zhiyuan, Sun Ying Production Coordinator: Selene Xu

Director: Henry Scholfield

DOP: Pat Aldinger 1st AD: Stella Gui 2nd AD: Yan 1st AC: Terry Yan Assistant Camera: Ma Chao, He Xiaohu, Cao Cheng, Zhang Hongming, Zhang Zhaoyu, Ou Wentao B-Cam: Ben Kang

Gaffer: Dickson Lim Lighting crew: Sun Zhanchao, Yu Puping, Tang Yichun, Gao Binbin, Wang Yongcheng, Chang Dan, Ma Chong, Wang Jie, An Dongdong, Jing Deliang, Jing Xudong, Li Yaohui, JIn Xin Production Designer: Maruxa Alvar

Art Director: A-Liang Assistant Art Director: Alec Wei, Tziyi Yu, Kuo Hung Tsun Prop Master: Guan Guowu Prop Assistant: Lian Guanglong, Zhang Lei, Liang Jiancong, Li Zhao, Li Xiaolong, Liu Ruijie, Guan Weiwei, Sun Haoyu, Li Bo, Wang Xian, Ding Jun, Huang Yanfei, Gao Xiuquan, Zhao Bangyin Special Props: Julius Mak Special Props Assistant: Tang Cheng, Zhang Zhipeng, Zhai Heguang, Yang Jun, Zhang Bo, Yin Rongliang

Key Grip: Sun Weibin, Wang Hengru, Nan Ben, Xiang Yang, Zhang Po, Wang Weitao Stylist: Cheyuan Lee

Wadrobe/HMU: Alice Hsu, Sunny Chen, Dong Hongjuan, Qin Mengyao, Cao Chenyi, Huang Yu, Chen Weikang, Tian Zhao, Gao Qi, Dong Lulu Casting: Baiwen Zhang, Feifei Zhou Storyboard Artist: Vince Wei DIT: Luo Dong Q-take: Sun Haichen Runner: Yan Baowei, Jiao Qiqi, Xie Jun, Liu Gaochen, Shi Chenhuang, Jia Youpeng, Kong Shaogen, Wu Junqian Chaperone: Joyce Sun

Post Production Post Producer: Joy Chiang Offline Editing (UK): Sam Bould Offline Editing (Shanghai): Bing Feng CG & Online Editing: Wicked Pixel VFX Lead Artist: Eddie Van Rensberg, Carl Jeppe Post Producer @ Wicked Pixels: Kamila Kelly, Leigh Human, Leticha Kisting On-set Supervisor: Schalk van der Merwe, Paolo Gnoni Music Studio (Composition, SD, Mixing): Mr.Pape Colorist: Marina Starke

Special Thanks to: Art Director: YETI Art Studio Online Editing: HUE, Bottles Color Grading Studio: MZ Studio, Fin Design Mixing: Hush Studios

[scorpiotrait]

...speaking of our new place, Mom and i moved out of the old house so Granny could convert it to a live-in yoga studio. we moved in with Uncle Vic in Windenburg, so you could say Mom and him are getting serious. i think? they're super mushy and gross around each other. am i allowed to say that my mom is acting like a teenager when i'm a teenager? 

Mom has also been really stressed with work lately. she's nearing a promotion, but she keeps joking that this job is what's making her grow grey hair. 

sometimes i think she's not really joking.

[javatrait]

The family record player that has been passed down from Aya & Vic has made its way back home with Gen 4. Haven visits Aya daily since her parents passed, I like to think her visiting her childhood home makes her feel close to Hakim and Xoie<3

*Haven was the cutest toddler I can’t believe my girl turned into a Elder today:(

[spannersims]

Sapphire got bored of their games and left Vic attempting to flirt with Victor Feng in full view of Lily, his wife... She headed towards the food stalls in search of a drink and spotted a familiar face behind the counter!

Sapphire: *sigh* Ain't nobody got time for that... Especially not me! Wait a second... Isn't that...?

[ommsims]

⌛ Lily & Victor 15/15 - Photo Op ⌛

[chinesemovieposter]

天生不对（2017）

[killerandhealerqueen]

Its 7am. You just finish with some tests on a body that's nearly too damaged to know the gender.

Shen Yi and Du Cheng has been looking for a suspect for three months and has been frustrated. Du jiejie teases that Du Cheng has grown grey hairs. It's not until you visit, which is out of blue cuz you have no reason to visit, that they know where to find the suspect. One look at the portrait, after some tea cuz yeah that's what you're here for (Du jiejie got you some expensive tea.) and you realizes that the man's been in the fridge for 2 months, never IDed until a few hours ago when a 'relative' comes in to claim it. Suspicious of him too.

Your reaction?

It’s 7 am…it’s 7 am and there’s already a case.  Just my fucking luck too

Not that I’m ungrateful, of course, cuz I love my job but why at 7 am?!

As I looked over the body, I frowned; it’s far too decomposed to tell the gender of the body, so I’ll have to wait for an anthropologist or the medical examiner to tell me what to put on the death certificate

‘Great…they’re too decomposed which means I can’t get fingerprints…and there was no ID on them either…gonna have to get DNA from their teeth’

Just then, my phone rang, causing me to frown before I reached into my pocket and pulled it out, looking at the caller ID before I smiled and placed the phone to my ear

“Du Jiejie”

“Sun Tian Li.  How are you?”

“Oh you know, busy.  The usual.  But what’s up?”

“Think you can swing by the department?  Shen Yi and Du Cheng have been stressing over this case for the past few months and they’re nowhere close to finding a suspect”

“Yeah, sure, I can swing by, see if I can help”

“Thank you.  Du Cheng’s grown grey hairs because of this case”

I laughed

“I’ll make sure to tease him about it”

I then hung up before I looked at my body and sighed

‘Alright bud, let’s get you into the freezer before you start decomposing on me more’

After I put the body in the freezer, I headed down to the Beijiang Sub Bureau, stepping inside before heading to the Crime Division, much to everyone’s shock

“Ah!  Ms. Sun!  What are you doing here?”

“Helping.  Now where’s Captain Du and Professor Shen?”

Jiang Feng frowned

“Uh, they’re in Captain Du’s office right now”

I nodded before I headed to the office, knocking on the door before stepping inside

“So, heard you boys were in a bit of a slump”

Du Cheng and Shen Yi looked up at me in surprise before Du Cheng huffed

“Jie called you, didn’t she?”

“Yup.  Now, what are we dealing with here?”

Shen Yi tilted his head

“Do you want some tea?”

I smiled

“I think there’s some white tea in the break room labeled “Sun – Don’t Touch”.  If you could brew that for me, that’d be great”

Shen Yi nodded and headed out to make it as Du Cheng sighed

“You didn’t have to come all the way down here”

I smiled

“I was promised fancy, expensive tea if I help.  I don’t turn down fancy, expensive tea”

Du Cheng rolled his eyes, just as Shen Yi came back with the cup of tea, holding it out to me

“Here, Ms. Sun”

I smiled and took the tea, blowing on it before I looked at him and Du Cheng

“So, what’ve we got?  We got a body or something for me to look at?”

Du Cheng shook his head

“Nope.  All we’ve got is Shen Yi’s drawing of the victim”

“Ha?  No body?”

Shen Yi shook his head

“Apparently the person was reported missing but there’s no missing person’s report filed…all we got was a description”

I hummed

“I see…well, can I see the drawing?”

Shen Yi nodded and headed to his office to get the drawing as I took a sip of the slightly cooled (but still pretty hot) tea

He then came back and handed me the drawing and the minute I saw it, I sat up straight, eyes widening as tea sloshed onto my legs

“Ah, fuck, shit, that’s hot!”

I then placed the cup down as I looked at the drawing

“The hell, this is my vic!”

Du Cheng and Shen Yi looked at me in confusion

“Huh?”

I looked up at them

“I had a vic this morning brough in, super decomposed, like, I’m going to have to get dental records kind…HOW THE FUCK DO YOU HAVE A DRAWING OF MY VICTIM?!”

Du Cheng and Shen Yi looked at me in shock

“It’s your victim?!”

I nodded as I looked at the drawing

“Yeah…yup, no doubt about it, that’s my vic”

Shen Yi looked at me

“Can we see the body?”

I nodded

“Yeah, come on”

However, before we left, I picked up the cup of tea and chugged it, Du Cheng and Shen Yi looking at me with wide eyes

“Wasn’t that tea hot?!”

I smiled

“Yeah, but it’s fine.  It cooled enough for me to drink it.  Now come on”

We then rushed out of the bureau and headed for my car, driving back to the medical examiner’s office, heading downstairs to the morgue freezers

I then slipped on a mask before I opened the freezer and stepped inside, searching the bodies before I found the one I was looking for and pulled it out, dragging it into the morgue for Shen Yi and Du Cheng to look at

At the sight of the victim, Du Cheng and Shen Yi’s eyes widened before Du Cheng covered his mouth, looking at little green

“I suggest going home and showering after this, you two.  The smell of decomp kind of sticks to you and your clothing”

I then grabbed some gloves and masks, handing it to both of them before we all looked at the body

“I’ve never seen decomposition like this…”

I nodded

“Yeah…bodies don’t decompose this fast unless…”

My eyes then widened in realization

“Oh…I get it now”

Du Cheng frowned

“Get what?”

“This body was probably stuffed in a freezer and then dumped.  You know, the rapid change in temperatures and environments probably caused the body to deteriorate a lot quicker than normal”

Shen Yi raised an eyebrow

“How long do you think the body was in the freezer?”

I shrugged

“Depends on the freezer.  But I’m gonna go with a deep freezer, like the kind you can keep meat in at your house…I’d say probably a month or two”

Du Cheng frowned

“Where was the body found?”

“Hmm…if I remember correctly, it was found on the side of the road.  Someone thought it was like a deer carcass or something”

Just then, one of the other investigators stepped into the office

“Hey, Tian Li, someone’s here for you”

Shen Yi, Du Cheng, and I looked up in surprise before I quickly put the body back in the freezer before the three of us headed out of the morgue and upstairs to see a man waiting for us

“Can I help you?”

The man turned to look at us and smiled weakly

“Um…I had heard that a body had just recently come in…and I was wondering if I could see it”

I frowned and glanced at Du Cheng and Shen Yi; how the fuck did this dude know about the body…oh wait.  There was a news crew that morning when the body was being picked up…

“Yes, sir.  This way”

I then guided him, Shen Yi, and Du Cheng over to the viewing window before I headed back downstairs and got the body ready, quickly pushing it into the viewing area before opening the blinds to reveal the body

The man stared at the body before he shook his head

“I was so careless…I thought…I thought you would be gone by now…but you’re still here!  You’re still here!  Damn it, why didn’t I dump you farther!”

Shen Yi and Du Cheng looked at each other before they both grabbed the man, much to my confusion

I then headed out of the viewing area, leaving the body with the other nurses, before I headed back outside to see Du Cheng and Shen Yi dragging the man away

“Yah!  Where are you going?!”

“We caught our suspect!  Thanks!”

I blinked in confusion before I sighed

“Well…at least that solves both of our cases…but fuck now I gotta write the report.  Damn it!”

[tomorrowsdrama]

A random conversation with @dangermousie about Wallace Chung’s upcoming drama with Crystal Yuan and Lin Gengxin got me thinking about how rare it is to see a leading man in a romantic role in a cdrama who was over 40, let alone over 45 like Wallace. So I decided to look into how many actors there are around/over 40 who are still actively booked for romantic lead roles in cdramas.

Over 40 daddies

Wallace Chung (47)

Jerry Yan (45! This shocked me since he’s perpetually in his mid 30s in my head for some reason)

Chen Kun (45)

Huang Xiaoming (44)

Dylan Kuo (44)

Feng Shao Feng (43)

Wallace Huo (42)

Luo Jin (40)

Vic Zhou (40)

Just under 40

Hu Ge (39)

Eddie Peng (39)

Ethan Ruan (39)

Zhou Yiwei (39)

Yuan Hong (39)

Vengo Gao (39)

Over 35

Mark Chao (37)

William Chan (36)

Jeremy Tsui (36)

And that’s as far as I got before the effort outweighed my initial curiosity lol. I specifically looked for actors who were still regularly booked as romantic leads since it seems like in cdrama land, you’re no longer romantically desirable if you’re over 40 and are relegated to dad (stark difference from daddy), mentor, or advisor roles. Surprisingly, it was harder to find actors over 35 who were regularly booked in romantic lead roles. Or maybe that’s just because that’s when I started getting too lazy to look too hard haha.

[brassclaws-of-oddworld]

[Start of Act III] | [Rescue Mission: Briefing] | [Rescue Mission: Start] | [Next]

The beginnings of a calamity were kicking up underground, and on the ground floor of the Magog Muscles for Hire Headquarters.  After Abe and the Brass Claw Cartel worked to shut down security, that was when the Brass Claws who were on the prowl struck.  Sligs, other Interns, even Shinju and Lee were raising absolute hell for the armored Interns.  Even worse for the enemy lines, many of their own guards were turning against them!  While most of the defecting Interns had fled to safety, some had gotten the jump on the squads who were trying to shoot down the escapees and Brass Claw Cartel’s advancing agents.  All while this was going on, Wayne was snoring heavily, fast asleep in his airship parked upon the roof where it was high above the chaos.  That is, until he awoke to the sound of a vase shattering on the floor, jolting him right out of a dream.

“What the− WHO’S THERE?!” He demanded, launching himself out from under the covers, bulky arms tensed.

Wayne let out a gasp as he saw what caused the noise without having to turn the lights on, and within the darkness, three Brass Claw Sligs’ LED light “eyes” fixated on him as an awkward silence fell between them.

“Object obtained!  RETREAT!” One of the Sligs called out, holding up Wayne’s favorite pair of shiny faux leather loafers in their paws before they practically dove back into the open air vent they entered through.

‘Calling all units, the Head Honcho is awake!  Repeat!  The Head Honcho is awake!�� Another one of the agents began to telepathically broadcast while the trio made their great escape from the blimp, all while they could hear an immensely furious Glukkon yelling obscenities at them.

‘We have obtained the main triggers for the shock rocker shackles, boss!  Wayne won’t be callin’ the shots on who’s gettin’ zapped anymore,’ The third Slig added with a proud grin forming under their tendrils.

‘Good work, agents.  Return to safety and we’ll have someone take a closer look at those contraptions.  Relaying the update to Agent Dane and Vic,’ Feng nodded approvingly at the news, relieved to know that the Stealth Squad was able to eliminate at least one of the aces Wayne had up his sleeve.