#we got some tough matches coming up in round 2 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

andy-15-07 · 4 days ago

Text

Everything Felt Right

request sent by @lloydmustache: Pedro Pascal x reader, dating for a few months reader finally decided to introduce her kids to Pedro. (Older around 10/11, and a little girl around 2). The reader is nervous to bring Pedro in her kids's life, he's her first relationship since her divorce.Pedro is nervous to meet the kids too. The older one knows Pedro has The Mandalorian but the little girl has no clue who he is.

PAIRING:Pedro Pascal x reader

WORD COUNT: 1160| requests are open (send requests, I will gladly answer them all)

Pedro Pascal Masterlist

The soft hum of your car’s engine filled the silence as you drove toward your house, glancing at Pedro sitting in the passenger seat. His fingers drummed nervously on his knee, a staccato rhythm against the quiet hum of the car. You couldn’t help but smile at the sight, a mixture of amusement and affection swirling within you.

“You okay over there?” you asked, reaching over and squeezing his thigh gently. His leg was tense beneath your touch.

Pedro chuckled, a dry, raspy sound that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that seemed to betray his inner turmoil. “I’m about to meet your kids. It’s a big deal. I feel like I’m going for an audition for the most important role of my life.”

Your heart swelled at his words. It had been a few months since you started dating, a whirlwind of shared laughter and quiet moments of connection. This was the first serious relationship you’d had since your divorce, and introducing Pedro to your kids felt like a monumental step—one that both excited and terrified you in equal measure. You understood his nervousness.

“They’re gonna love you,” you assured him softly, hoping the confidence in your voice was contagious. “Liam’s been curious ever since he figured out you’re The Mandalorian. He’s seen every episode at least three times. And Emma… well, she’s two. She’ll probably just want to know if you can play with her blocks. Or if you have snacks.”

Pedro laughed, a genuine, warm sound this time, and some of the tension visibly eased from his shoulders. “I can handle blocks. And I always carry snacks. It’s the older one I’m worried about. Ten is a tough age.”

You pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine, the sudden silence amplifying the thump-thump of your own heart. You sat in the quiet for a moment, gathering your courage. “We’ll take it slow. No pressure. If it feels like too much, we can always step back. We can just have pizza and watch a movie. No big deal.”

Pedro reached over, taking your hand in his. His grip was firm, reassuring. “I want this. I want them to know me. I want to know them.”

With a deep breath, you both stepped out of the car and walked to the front door. The moment you opened it, Liam’s voice rang out from the living room.

“Mom! You’re back!”

Your ten-year-old rounded the corner, a blur of energy, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw Pedro standing beside you. His eyes widened, flicking from you to Pedro and back again, like he was watching a tennis match.

“Hey, Liam,” you greeted, ruffling his hair. “This is Pedro.”

Liam’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, no words coming out. He just stared.

“Hey Liam,” Pedro said, crouching down to Liam’s level, a warm, genuine smile on his face. “I’m Pedro.”

Liam blinked, still processing. Then, the question that had clearly been burning in his mind burst out. “You’re… you’re The Mandalorian.”

Pedro chuckled. “I am. But you can just call me Pedro. Unless you want to call me Mando. I answer to both.”

Liam’s eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. “Do you have the helmet?”

Pedro laughed. “Not with me, buddy. It’s a bit cumbersome to carry around. But maybe I can show you some cool behind-the-scenes stuff sometime. I’ve got some pictures and videos I could share.”

Liam’s jaw dropped. “That would be awesome!”

Just then, Emma toddled in, clutching her favorite stuffed bunny, a fluffy, one-eared creature named Mr. Snuggles. She looked up at Pedro with big, curious eyes, then at you, her brow furrowed in a cute little frown.

“Mama, who dat?” she asked, pointing a tiny finger at Pedro.

You crouched beside her. “This is Mommy’s friend, Pedro. Can you say hi?”

Emma stared for a moment longer, assessing the newcomer, before shyly hiding her face in your leg.

Pedro smiled, slowly settling onto the floor at her level. “Hey there, Emma. That’s a cute bunny you’ve got. What’s his name?”

Emma peeked out from behind your leg, still a little wary. After a few more moments of observation, she toddled over and thrust Mr. Snuggles into Pedro’s hands.

“You hold,” she said simply, her voice barely a whisper.

Your heart melted at the sight of Pedro gently cradling the stuffed animal, his eyes soft with affection. He looked at Emma with such tenderness.

“Thank you, pequeña,” he whispered, using a Spanish endearment that made your heart flutter.

The evening unfolded naturally after that, a comfortable rhythm settling in. Pedro and Liam bonded over video games, their laughter echoing through the house. Pedro patiently answered Liam’s rapid-fire questions about Star Wars, even indulging him in a detailed explanation of the Darksaber. Emma, meanwhile, decided Pedro was her new best friend and insisted he help her build a block tower—which promptly collapsed, sending her into a fit of giggles.

After dinner, Pedro helped Liam with his homework, patiently explaining complex math problems and cheering him on when he finally got the answers right. Emma clung to Pedro’s leg as they moved around the house, giggling every time he made funny faces at her.

As bedtime approached, you watched Pedro carry Emma up the stairs, her tiny arms wrapped around his neck. He settled her into bed, reading her favorite bedtime story, a whimsical tale about a princess and a dragon, with a soft, soothing voice. When he finished, Emma sleepily pressed a kiss to his cheek before snuggling into her blanket.

Meanwhile, Liam, emboldened by the evening’s camaraderie, pulled Pedro into his room, eager to show off his collection of Star Wars posters and action figures. They spent a few minutes arranging them on his shelves, debating the merits of different characters. Just before turning off the lights, Liam, his voice suddenly shy, whispered, “I’m glad you’re here, Pedro.”

Pedro ruffled his hair, his voice thick with emotion. “Me too, buddy.”

Later that night, after the kids were asleep, you and Pedro sat on the couch, his arm draped around your shoulders. The house was quiet, filled with a peaceful contentment.

“They’re amazing,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to your temple.

“You’re pretty amazing yourself,” you whispered back, leaning into him.

Pedro turned to face you, his eyes filled with warmth and something deeper—something that felt like home.

“I’m in this for the long haul,” he said softly, his gaze locking with yours. “With you. With them.”

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, but you didn’t try to stop them. They were tears of happiness, of relief, of hope. You just leaned in, pressing your lips to his, feeling the promise of a beautiful future in his kiss.

For the first time in a long time, everything felt right. It felt like the beginning of something truly special.

199 notes · View notes

sexydoffyman · 5 months ago

Text

FRIENDS TO LOVERS P.5

genre: romance/fluff

characters: Kyle “Gaz” Garrick

P.1 P.2 P.3 P.4 P.5

@depressedpansexual @romanceloverrrr <- Taglist

You woke up by yourself this time. No one was trying to see how tough you are. You were able to brush your teeth and change your clothes. You hoped that today the only thing you’ll be doing is wrestling. But you wouldn’t put it past Ghost if he were waiting for you in front of your door.

You walked out of your room. No Ghost in sight. On your way to get some food you stumbled upon Gaz. “Hey!” He said. “Hey! I’m surprised Ghost wasn’t waiting for me in the shadows.” Gaz laughed.

You hung out with him, teaching him some good techniques you use when gathering intel. He taught you about the 141 so you could understand their personalities better. Gaz seemed like a really nice guy. “Hey, just a heads up. Don’t be too sad when I beat you.” You chuckled “We will see.” You told him and walked off.

You went to your room to stretch and warm up before the fight. When you walked in you saw a message on your phone from an unknown number. “At the gym in one hour.”

time pass

It was time. You were telling yourself that even if you lose you will find out what they think about you. You walked to the gym nervously. Sweat was already forming on your skin. “I have to be overthinking it.” You thought to yourself.

You walked into the gym. Soap and Gaz were talking to each other. Ghost was sitting on a bench already judging you. You knew that Gaz wasn’t lying when you noticed that Price was also in the room. You remembered that he thinks that the guys wrestling each other is childish. He must be as curious as you.

Gaz noticed you immediately. “There’s still ten minutes so just relax.” You kept walking to an empty bench. “You still have a few minutes before your end comes.” Ghost glared at you intensely. “Don’t stress the man out, Simon. He must know already.”Price chuckled.

“This isn’t going to be easy.” You thought.

You waited the ten minutes. In these ten minutes, Ghost didn’t stop looking at you. He understands that he is intimidating. And he used it to his advantage a lot.

First round: You and Soap

You weren’t surprised that you got picked to go first. Before your match began you were introduced to the rules. You can win if your opponent taps out, is on the ground for four seconds or gets knocked out. The timer is set for five minutes. If it runs out and neither player wins or loses then it’s a draw.

You didn’t know Gaz’s fighting style so you just kept your distance. It wasn’t easy keeping up, but staying defensive let you get a draw. “Just so you know, I went easy on you.” Gaz laughed. You laughed alongside him. You sat next to him to watch the next match unroll.

Second round: Ghost and Soap

You and Gaz watched them intensely. It was a rough fight. Ghost relied on brute strength and Soap relied on his stamina. While Soap was switching from offence to defence all the time Ghost kept going offensively.

You noticed that they both switched their fighting styles from last night. “Did they know that you were there? Do they switch fighting styles all the time? Which one will they use?” Thoughts flew through your head at a hundred miles per hour.

Their fight ended with Ghost winning in the last minute. He managed to keep Soap on the ground long enough. You chatted with Gaz about the fight for a few minutes after the fight was over. You froze when Price announced.

Third round: Ghost and reader name

#requests are open #requests open #cod x reader #cod x you #call of duty #cod x male reader #cod x female reader #cod x gn!reader #kyle gaz x female reader #kyle gaz x you #kyle gaz x reader #kyle gaz x male reader #gaz x female reader #gaz x male reader #gaz x reader #gaz x you #gaz x gn!reader

36 notes · View notes

welcometothejianghu · 1 year ago

Text

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 君子盟/A League of Nobleman

A League of Nobleman is the unfortunately translated English title of a 2023 historical drama about an idealistic country boy/genius detective/noodle seller, and a wealthy minister on a mission to exonerate his late father from charges of treason, even if he himself has to commit some treason in the process.

I watched this one not too long after it came out, and I was expecting there would be a lot of buzz as soon as fandom got hold of it. There wasn't, but I can understand why. The show is a lovely, ethereal drama that has some genuinely moving moments, stunning visuals, and charming character interactions.

It is, however, kiiiiiiiind of a hot mess.

What follows is an incredibly qualified rec. Unlike most of the previous shows I've recommended, this show is not something you could just throw at your Average American Television Enjoyer. Censorship got its claws into this one, and what's left is ... okay, imagine fliming all of Hannibal just like you want it, and then right before it airs, NBC comes in and says, okay, now we're just going to take out all the parts that are gay and violent and gory! You know what you'd have left? You'd have a League of Nobleman, is what.

(If you want a little more explanation of what's awkward about it, here's a take based on the first ten episodes. Note that not everything that bothers AvenueX bothers me, but they're fair critiques.)

Therefore, I'd have a tough time recommending this to someone who hasn't already built up a tolerance for the experience of seeing a scene end nearly mid-sentence, or hearing described something that happened just offscreen (while seeing no one's lips move). You need to be prepared to look through the jank to see the show we could have had beneath the show that actually arrived.

Even so, I have five reasons I think you should at least give it a shot!

1. That precious baby boy

Look at him. Look at his precious face. Don't you just want to stuff him down the front of your shirt and take him home with you?

That is Zhang Ping. He is the hero and he is a good boy.

He is a darling dumpling who grows up reading novels about how members of the judiciary nobly solve crimes and punish the unjust, so he decides that he wants to move to the big city and become a member of the judiciary to nobly solve crimes and punish the unjust! ...Until he gets there and realizes, no, baby, that was fiction. But gosh darn it, he's going to try anyway.

I have seen people say they read Zhang Ping as autistic. While I'm not sure that's specifically what the show itself was going for, that's kind of the effect -- which, I think, is why I've also seen a lot of people say they don't like Song Weilong's performance. I don't think he's wooden or unemotional; I think he just made a choice to play the character as not always real good about understanding why the people around him are having the emotions they're having. Similarly, I think what makes him read as anachronistic is mostly how he doesn't engage well with the rules of social convention that are such important parts of this historical setting.

Like, you see that picture above, with him and Lan Jue whispering at one another? Zhang Ping is doing this because he is absolutely convinced that this is appropriate subterfuge behavior. Lan Jue is matching him because he thinks Zhang Ping is adorable.

Just the goodest boy. A baby. Please care him.

2. the aesthetic

The show is beautiful. It looks and sounds amazing. For some reason I can't find a clip of just the opening credits, but here's a (strangely bloody) trailer that gives a sense of its general vibe:

As you can see a couple times in there, the show makes great use of tilt-shift photography -- you know, the thing where you change the focal length until everything starts to look fake? It creates a weird, dreamlike effect where parts of the frame are out of focus for no reason, or actual locations start to look like model-train miniatures. Many of the shots are framed like this, giving the entire thing a very pretty, very uncanny look.

And speaking of the dreamlike: If there's one thing I've come to expect from C-dramas, it's bad CGI. That is not the case here! The CG is used so sparingly that it's unobtrusive and actually quite nice. Much more of the weight of the show's look relies on practical effects that are supported and amplified by CG, which is the optimal combo. When it does go all in on CG, it's in the service of dreamscapes that are supposed to look unreal anyway.

The show does admittedly have a mild problem of using a cool effect and then largely forgetting that effect exists. For example, the first episode has a really neat "freeze time and walk through a crime scene" bit! And then we barely ever see that ability again. But the show's doing so many other lovely things that you don't really feel the absence until you stop to think about it all later. So don't stop to think about things! That's my motto! (It really isn't.)

The directors also just have a lovely eye for things -- which is extra-surprising considering that both of them are first-time directors. That can be fun, though, when you get people who haven't gotten stuck in their ways get, so they're still being new and weird with it. ...Of course, I bet that's also some of why so much of the show quite obviously got cut to ribbons, if you're also working with directors who also haven't figured out how to get away with things just yet.

Overall, the production values are very high. This show clearly had a fairly solid amount of funding behind it, but it also used its resources smartly. Most costumes are elegant but not extravagant. Detailed sets are small and beautiful locations are contained. While I have great respect for productions that try to create epics on a shoestring budget, there's something to be said for a project that sets its sights on the achievable, then puts its effort into doing what it can, well.

3. A ship for everyone!

There are so many potential ways to pair up them boys. The show's main pair dynamic is between country mouse Zhang Ping and city mouse Lan Jue, but it surely does not stop there. In fact, I've made a helpful chart that shows you all the potential flavors of gay you can enjoy at this particular danmei buffet:

(And yes, if you've seen the show, you know there's at least one more line that I could've drawn here, but I don't want to spoil anything.)

Now, whether you do read any of these dynamics as sexual/romantic is up to you. The point is that you could. For example, I personally am not that into Lan Jue/Xu Dong, but if you lose your shit when a competent sword guy owes a life debt to the defenseless noble he works for? You could have a lot of fun with what the show gives you.

Obviously, because this is a censored c-drama, there are no canon gay romances. However, a couple of them are more textual than others, especially the ones that center Lan Jue, because everyone clearly wants a piece of that fancy flat ass.

One of AvenueX's comments from the video I linked earlier is that the main couple has less sparkle together than each of them has individually with the man that's supposed to be his bestie. While that changes as the show goes on, these two side pairs never cease to be enjoyable. Whether you read them as sexual or not is up to you! Romantically or platonically, they're still a delight to watch bounce off of one another.

And Lan Jue/Gu Qingzhang (that one terrible ex from the chart) is, uh, basically textual? It's miles into "there is no straight explanation for this" territory. Again, avoiding spoilers here, but trust me. You get to see their secluded love nest and everything. Shit's real gay.

Then, of course, there's the main pair:

This is clearly the one that got hit real hard by cuts to the material. It's a damn shame, because this is clearly meant to be the core of the whole narrative. Despite that, the two of them have a fascinating dynamic that changes over the series from outright suspicion to cautious care to absolute trust. It's a great combo of someone who is too honest for his own good and someone so used to court politics that he lies as easily as breathing.

Ironically, the source material is Not Gay, to the point where the author has basically disowned this series as being so different from her original work as to be unrecognizable. You sort of have to wonder about the creative thought processes that led to taking a gen work and deciding to BL it up for the live-action adatation. I'm not complaining, mind you, but it is a little bit of an unforced error.

So whatever flavor of gay it is you're into, the odds are very good that this drama will have at least enough of it to keep you interested!

4. A very charming cast

I got to gush about Song Weilong's Zhang Ping earlier, but honestly I think everybody's pretty enjoyable, from the main cast to the recurring side characters to the one-off extras who show up for a single episode. Everybody's playing it weird and theatrical, so I get it if that's not your cup of tea. However, I feel all the performances are well-suited to the slightly surreal style of the production.

Here's just a couple of the real gems:

Jing Boran's Lan Jue has the perfect regal bearing of a fussy gentleman, but with a very endearing softness underneath. He spends half his time with eyes brimming with unshed tears, and the other half making heart-eyes at his boyfriends. You understand why everybody in the empire wants to ride him like they stole him, and that's even before he lets his hair down and starts dressing in slutty sheer robes. (I'm not entirely sure either he or the show knew how to play the character in the first few episodes, but he gets way better once he stops being so sinister and mysterious and gets to be cute and/or unhinged.)

There is one female character who shows up in more than one arc, and she is the Empress Dowager, and she is such a wonderful awful bitch. What a monster. Shi Yueling eats up every scene she's in by being the perfect mix of reprehensible and fascinating.

I was already primed to like Wang Duo because I liked watching him be a pretty snake boy in Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity. Well, now he gets to be a pretty metaphorical snake boy here. I'm not spoiling anything by telling you he's bad news. He shows up damn near the end of the show and you know immediately he's bad news. But you don't know what kind of bad news he is, and that's fun to find out.

And speaking of actors I already liked from other places! Guo Cheng has mastered the art of acting with his mouth full. His Chen Chou is a sweet, earnest anchor in a world of tricksy boys.

There is something about Hong Yao's handsome face that makes Wang Yan perpetually look a little red-eyed, like he's trying hard to pretend that he wasn't just crying in his office. It's the perfect soft touch to his incredibly wonderful chad of a character. I'm usually not into the cocky jocks, but I will make such an exception for him.

I love you, fortune-telling gremlin grandpa.

5. Raw materials

Look, I assume if you've made it this far in the rec and you're still hanging on, you're interested for one of two reasons. The more normie reason is that you're into c-dramas in general (and probably period dramas in particular), and gay stuff is a selling point, so you see the appeal of turning on a drama where cute boys have emotions at other cute boys. That is a perfectly good reason to watch this drama, and if this is you, I hope you have fun!

The other reason is that you like making fan stuff, and you need some new blorbos to blorb in new and exciting combinations. Friend, I have that stuff for you right here.

A League of Nobleman has problems -- but they are problems that may be appealing to people who enjoy fixing things. There are literal holes in the series where actual, planned, filmed scenes were deleted! If you're looking for source material that's just begging you to fill in the gaps, look no further.

Of course I'm partial to the number of queer DIY romance options there are (see point 3), but that's not the extent of it. The setting is fascinating: an unspecified premodern Chinese dynasty magical enough to have a Bureau of Incantations, where the emperor is (for once) a cool dude, secluded village people live in semi-communal families, and one of the main characters can play Inception with people's heads. I'll say it plainly: If you are into kinky dream sex, this is the drama for you.

I should note that one of the things that doesn't need fixing is the overall shape of the series. The individual little case incidents seem disconnected, but they all weave together at the end as part of a (let's be real, ridiculously complicated) plot, giving the whole thing a pretty satisfying wrap-up. The show does not just fall off a cliff like Moriarty; it resolves in a way that's more than a little convoluted, but still overall satisfying. Also, a lot of those ships from the chart above, when it's all over, are still together. Some days that's all you need from an ending.

Maybe I sound like a broken record at this point, but to give you a sense of how heavy the hand of censorship clearly was, understand several of these episodes don't even break the 35-minute mark, and only four are even over 40 minutes long, when ~45 minutes is about the episode standard for this genre. (For comparison, every Untamed episode at least 42 minutes long.) I think it's important to realize just how much actual connective tissue got removed, way more than just individual censored shots or single redubbed lines.

And speaking of redubbed lines, the last episode of this show contains possibly the funniest NO HOMO in BL history. You have to see it to believe it -- or, rather, to not believe it, because the first time I watched, I didn't even understand what the hell the show was implying. I'll say no more.

Where to watch it!

I hope I've convinced you to at least give it a try! It's not a perfect show by any means, but it's a show with many good elements, and if you can embrace what's there without getting too hung up on what's not, it's a pretty good time.

If you're up for it, you can find it on this YouTube playlist -- though be prepared that it often mutes the opening music. It's also available on Viki (with ads, but less muting).

Just look at those precious, pinchable cheeks. Adorable.

#a league of nobleman #a league of boyfriends #君子盟 #rec post #i made this

122 notes · View notes

l0serg1rls · 5 days ago

Text

the problem with making axel and zara too overpowered (OP) in part 2 of cobra kai.

going into part 2 my biggest worry was that they were going to make axel and zara too OP- like never losing a fight in the tournament, and unfortunately that’s exactly what happened.

the issue with making them too OP is that it messes with the balance of our existing characters. when you introduce new characters and have them win every fight without losing not even one it cheapens the tournament and it also screws over our existing characters.

axel and zara could have been strong, shown as threatening without the need to make them bulldoze throughout all of their matches.

by never letting them lose, it sets up absolute annoying and ridiculous discourse like this:

‘it doesn’t make sense for this person to beat this person’

‘they were nerfed’

‘they only won because of plot armour’

and let’s be honest. the ‘plot armour’ discourse is fucking stupid. every character in the show has plot to some extent. if they didn’t, they wouldn’t have made it this far in the show. but also, why would they have 2 characters who were introduced in part 2 of the last season win over sam, miguel and robby who have been here since season 1 and tory who has been here since season 2. that literally wouldn’t make any sense.

moving on, if our existing characters had lost to the new characters that wouldn’t been fine. like that is not the issue here. the issue is that axel and zara completely dominated the tournament. it should have been balanced.

axel and zara should have been shown to be beatable by actually losing matches in the tournament. and if the writers didn’t want them losing matches, the least they could’ve down was allow them to take hits in their matches. here’s how:

1. zara vs another competitor in different dojo (like tiger strike or redentores) in an early round OR vs tory or sam | let zara lose a match to one of them but come back stronger later in the tournament, showing she can adapt easy from a loss.

2. axel vs competitor | have axel lose a match against the competitor in a very close match, only after giving the person he is fighting against a really tough time, pushing his competitor to his limits.

3. injures and exhaustion playing a role here | show them both struggling with fatigue, and having minor injuries, proving that they aren’t fucking invincible and the tournament is tough for everyone involved.

but instead, we got axel and zara just bulldozing their way through the tournament like it was nothing. the big brawl too. in the big brawl, no one landed a hit on axel. zara beat tory in the opening fight with cobra kai vs iron dragons and in the big brawl tory only managed to land one kick on zara before zara regained control. it’s sooo frustrating that they were made out to be so untouchable and invincible.

what makes this worse is learning that choreography was cut that actually showed them both taking hits. i’ve posted this on my blog here a bit ago but there was choreo cut in which tory was getting the upper hand on zara but that didn’t make the cut.

zara was also supposed to take hits in the semi finals against maria. this comes from the woman who plays maria (jewels) in an interview on youtube.

and axel was also meant to take hits from kwon in the big brawl. this also came from an interview with brandon who plays kwon.

like.. that’s still not ideal but it’s at least better than making them untouchable.

this has been sitting in my drafts for a while now and i’m posting this ahead of part 3 since that drops in a few days, also the fact that we know someone is gonna be beating axel and zara in the sekai taikai.

i can’t believe i have to sit through ‘axel/zara was nerfed’ and ‘it doesn’t make sense for zara/axel to loose to..’ ‘… beating axel/zara is unrealistic’

like dude cobra kai was never a realistic show in the first place, don’t piss me off. ‘in reality this character would win’ no shit dude. like that argument is so stupid and irrelevant. like thank you so much for pointing out the obvious ??

as if those people who say this aren’t insufferable enough they’re gonna be even more insufferable now that they’ve basically been given the ammo to say all of this shit.

like i’m truly so annoyed about it, but hey. what can you doooo?

cobra kai writers you had ONE JOB! ONE!

big big sigh.

#cobra kai #cobra kai season 6 #cobra kai part 2 #ck season 6 #axel kovacevic #zara malik #ck writers i do not like y’all at all #ck negativity #so stupid i’m crine #like i’m so pissed you guys #ck rambles #ck s6

10 notes · View notes

tgrailwar-zero · 7 months ago

Note

Is there a way we can figure out who our first opponent is gonna be? Information is key after all.

NERO: "It has to be listed somewhere."

CONSTANTINE: "You'll most likely have a listing down in the waiting areas for the fighters. Antecessor Nero, the little one, and I will look around topside."

That seemed like a good cue to head down.

The process seemed simple enough. You flashed a ticket to a guard, and he led you and MUSASHI down into a wide room. It was simplistic, but also advanced simultaneously. It didn't seem to be the locker room proper, but a waiting room that led to various amenities-- and the locker room, if need be.

You saw various fighters either chatting, or lounging about.

You saw a few new faces, and a few familiar ones. Most notably, you saw THRUD looking at a large, holographic board. Before you had much of a chance to say hello, as soon as you and MUSASHI approached, a figure intercepted.

'ADAMANT': "Well hello, ladies (and accompanying party). Allow me to introduce myself. I got signed up under the stage-name 'Adamant', 'cause I'm tough as diamond. And you are…?"

THRUD: "I'm getting the sense that this'll be annoying, I was given the stage name 'the Thunderer'. A pleasure, I hope."

MUSASHI: "My Masters picked the 'Null Zero Samurai', but you can just call me Saber."

'ADAMANT': "Thunder, huh? Strong, tough, I'm a big fan of that. And you know Saber, I'm a big fan of 'zero' myself. One of my favorite numbers, actually…"

THRUD: "Put your shirt back on."

You genuinely didn't see when he had a chance to take it off. Especially with all those straps. Amazing.

MUSASHI: "Wait, wait... Hang on. I want to see where this goes."

…

…You looked over at the board with the day's battles.

ROUND 1, DAY 1 -

SET 1

MOBY DICK v. THE WATERSIDE REVENANT

NULL ZERO SAMURAI v. WINTER PRINCE JERAN

SET 2

CHAJIN v. THE FLESH-TWISTER

THE THUNDERER v. THE WANDERING BLADE

Don't be late or I'll rip you shreds! - Jaguar ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ)

MUSASHI was in the first set of matches. Either JAGUAR MAN had a lot of hope to have you both kick things off, you were being treated as an 'opening act'... or she just did it on a whim. It was really difficult to tell with her.

Looking at how the 'sets' operated, it seemed like only two fights could occur simultaneously… Which meant that you'd probably have downtime whenever you weren't fighting. You looked at the table under the board, and noticed some more things.

Most notably, there were a few book-shaped devices laying under the holographic screen. MUSASHI picked one up, and it seemed to respond to her touch, blinking to life.

You received: [ 'Flame Pad - Null Zero Samurai' ]!

THRUD, having completely tuned 'ADAMANT' (who seemed to have stopped stripping at her behest) out, turned to you both.

THRUD: "You're new, right? Let me give you some advice, then."

She pointed to the board with the 'Set Times' listed on it.

THRUD: "You'll have availability, but your Pad will let you know when your call times are. Still, you'll have to spend that time in-between wisely, so it's best to section your time into blocks. You may have enough time to do one thing in the morning, then one or two things in the evening, depending on whether you're fighting or not. There's a pretty strict curfew on fighters, too. So once night falls, you'll have to come back here."

THRUD: "Oh, the Pad. Outside of alerting you of your time, you'll also be able to contact other fighters, if you want to spend time with them if they aren't fighting. Of course, you can always do things on your own."

A message popped up on MUSASHI's 'Flame Pad'. There was a tiny, neutral-faced, chibi-shaped THRUD next to the message.

--{THUNDR}: -- [ Like this. ]

She seemed like a very dry texter. MUSASHI looked down at the Pad, before nodding sagely.

MUSASHI: "I see. This is our dating sim era."

THRUD: "What in the world are you talking about?"

As THRUD tried to process that comment, you heard a sigh behind you.

???: "Ah… I'm up against you. Oh, darn it, I'm totally gonna lose, aren't I?"

Turning around, you saw PRETENDER, chuckling wryly.

PRETENDER: "Well, I'll just have to try my best. Let's have a fair, fun match, okay?"

With a wave, he walked off to another part of the room. It seemed like there was still some time before your match... why not find someone to chat with? You looked around the room, to see who's available.

#thgw story #endless whispers #main post #thgw: chapter 6

10 notes · View notes

boysplanetrecaps · 1 year ago

Text

Build Up, Episode 3: Sherlock and End of the Day

Welcome back to another recap of MNET’s Build Up! In the previous post, we introduced the next mission, the 2 vs 2 rival mission. In this post, we’ll cover the first two performances, both performing excellent songs. We’ll also see a member of A.C.E. and a member of Up10tion. So let’s go!

We start with Dahee reviewing the rules.

Each judge will give a score between 0 and 100 (practically speaking, most if not all scores will be between 70 and 100), and since there are 7 judges (Seungkwan from Seventeen; Solar from Mamamoo; Wendy from Red Velvet; Eunkwang from BtoB; Jaehwan from Wanna One; Baekho from Nu’est; and Vocal Coach Guy from Every MNET Show Ever) the total score is out of 700.

Jaehwan says, “it’s starting to feel like a MNET show because it’s cruel!” Jaehwan is a lot of fun.

Dahee asks how the judges will evaluate everyone, and Wendy says that she’ll evaluate them based on how they care about your partner and how they show their charms.

Seungkwan says he’ll evaluated based on how they perform under pressure.

The guys are getting nervous, but so are the judges. It’s nice to see that they’re taking it seriously -- they know people are going to be eliminated. It’s especially tough to evaluate the first stage, since they don’t want to grade too high out of the gate in case someone else comes along who’s better.

The first group really challenges that notion, though, since there are some very strong singers here. It’s Park Jeup and Choi Suhwan as the first duo, and Detective Donghun from A.C.E. and sweet Sunyoul from Up10tion. Seungkwan says he knows Sunyoul and Donghun, since they’ve all performed at the same M-Countdown style shows together for years. You can tell that Seungkwan feels terrible. His group, Seventeen, is from a relatively small agency compared to SM or JYP, so their massive success is almost a miracle. He must be able to empathize with how Sunyoul and Donghun must feel.

In the first round, Park Jeup from Team One and Donghun from Team Two performed together in Kajima, Kajima (Don’t Go), and Choi Suhwan from Team One and Sunyoul from Team Two performed together in Decalcomanie, so there’s a bit of criss-cross rearranging going on here.

Jeup and Suhwan do a cheesy opening where they combine their names into “Je-Su” -- ie, Jesus.

Everyone laughs.

The other team can barely do theirs because they’re laughing and cringing so hard, but they introduce themselves as Hunyoul. They explain a bit of bantering and trash talk back and forth, and their lightness of tone barely hides how nervous and anxious they actually all are.

Backstage, Jo Hwanji asks teammate Hwanhee if Hwanhee is nervous for Sunyoul, since they’re on Up10tion together. Hwanhee says he’s not nervous at all. Is it because he has faith in Sunyoul? Is it because they secretly hate each other? You be the judge!

We hop back to a brief flashback of the two teams matching up as rivals. We never officially learn how the matching up process took place, as far as I know. At time of writing this post, I’ve watched this whole episode and half of episode 4 and I still don’t know. However, my best guess is that a particular team is either chosen at random (perhaps by pulling a name out of a hat?) or volunteers to go to the rival choosing platform area -- let’s call them Team A. At that point, any teams who want to call them out as rivals could come down and challenge them. If more than one team wants to challenge them,Team A can choose among them. But if no one challenges them, Team A can choose their rival from all the teams. Then, the next team is chosen (or volunteers) to go to the platform and the process starts over. If I got any part of that wrong, please let me know.

So, the show doesn’t really explain this, but looks like Jeup and Suhwan have gone to the rival-making platform and no one has come to challenge them, so they get to choose who they want to go against. Sunyoul unwisely yells out to them telling them not to not pick his own team -- so of course, Jeup and Suhwan do in fact challenge Sunyoul’s team. Everyone’s like, oh no, these are two strong teams.

Jeup and Suhwan meet in a conference room to talk strategy. They think the other team will do a ballad, so they think that going energetic might be a good balance. If we arrange a non band song into a band song, it could have a new feeling. Jeup looks especially good in his pale pink, tight fitting cable knit s-w-e-a-t-e-r.

Ultimately, they decide on Sherlock by SHINee. Sherlock is about a mysterious stranger who draws the singer in. There’s this suggestion that the mysterious stranger is a thief -- did they steal the singer’s heart????

Ok, so Sherlock was one of the first Kpop songs I ever liked. It was like, Electric Shock by f(x), I Am the Best by 2NE1, Fantastic Baby by Big Bang, Russian Roulette by Spica, and Sherlock by SHINee. All of those songs are amazing and I stand by them to this day, but Sherlock especially is one of those songs that I can’t imagine not liking. It’s just timeless. It’s not any obvious genre or style; it just sort of is itself. Fun fact: at the time of the song’s release -- March of 2012 -- the choreography for the song was the most expensive choreography ever seen in Kpop!

Side note: did you ever wonder why the song is called Sherlock (Clue + Note) -- like, what’s the “Clue + Note” part about? Well, Sherlock is actually a mashup of two other songs -- Clue and Note. Listening to Clue and Note is so weird, because both songs are Sherlock, and yet, neither song is Sherlock. It’s really wild.

Anyway, you know that I’m going to be biased about this performance -- one of my favorite Kpop songs ever, sung by this lovely man we see above in his soft sweater.

Back to performance night. Park Jeup is warming up, and even his warmups are intimidating. “He’s got an electric guitar in his voice,” Kim Seohyung says about him. (Seohyung was one of the ones who performed “Shall I Love You Again” with Yeo One.) The judges notice Jeup too. Jaehwan wonders, “If I had muscles like that, would I have a vocal range like that?”

So, let’s see their performance!

Full version without reactions.

My thoughts:

Damn, this was great. I l loved it. 10/10. I loved the arrangement and I loved the performance. I had issues with Suhwan in other performances of his, but not here. He wasn’t pitchy or nasal or close throated, at least not that I noticed. He had lovely vocal texture, just right for the song (though I do think he got slightly ahead of the beat at one point). And while in the past I’ve not always loved Jeup’s vocal color, I loved it here. Also, their two voices blended well. They laid out some really gorgeous harmonies and executed them well. Like, I have no real criticism. This was so good. I could talk about vocal specifics but I really don’t have anything to say except they did it all correctly.

It’s going to be tough for me to like any performance this much. Between the song choice, my personal bias toward Jeup, and their vocal skills on display, I mean. Chef’s kiss.

One question, though. Does this count as a sweater?

I mean, my eyes say no, but my heart says yes.

In the MNET edit, we can see everyone reacting with delight. Everyone seems to love this song, and this performance, just as much as I do.

Eunkwang enjoying the singing. I think. I guess? Maybe he’s just trying not to sneeze.

When they’re done, the judges give them a standing ovation. Jaehwan shouts “rock and roll, baby!” Backstage, the guys applaud too. Wumuti says it was perfect, and Neon calls it a “high pitch party.”

It was so good, but the judges don’t know what to do in terms of grading -- should they leave room in their scoring in case someone is even better? But this was really good!

Then we see Dahee sneaking over to the guys to tell them something…

She softly tells them she liked it better than the original version. She may not be a judge, but she’s a beautiful movie star and they’re pretty stunned by the compliment.

The scoring is ready.

We find out that the highest score was 96, coming from Solar, and the lowest score was 88, coming from Eunkwang.

Solar says she loves how they sang “shine and disappear” then disappeared in the dark stage. Ok, noted, Solar likes lighting tricks!

Eunkwang said since the expectations were high, he was more picky in terms of grading, but adds that he thinks Suhwan was a “discovery.” Eunkwang also compliments Jeup’s breath control and how he varied his dynamics (volume).

Seungkwan from Seventeen says something that is definitely lost in translation. He says “this is perverted.” He means it as a complement, and it must make sense in Korean, but the other judges tease him, “Are you saying Jesus is a pervert??”

After the judges speak their peace, and the MNET editors let us see 5% of what they said, It’s time for the second team to perform. Detective Donghun and Sweet Sunyoul come out, and everyone says that they have a tough act to follow. Donghun manages to still look like a haggard NYC detective ready to say “I’m too old for this shit” at any moment despite his change in outfit.

Dahee asks them if they’re nervous, and Sunyoul replies, “The most valuable moment in a song is the moment it resonates, so I will make you resonate with this song and concentrate on the stage.” The judges like that answer.

Seungkwan points out that this group is also singing SHINee, which they kind of are; they’re singing End of a Day, written by and originally performed by Jonghyun, former member of SHINee. I say former member because he passed away in 2017.

So, let me pause for a moment and say that if you know about Jonghyun, and you know how and why he died, and what this song is about, the performance that Sunyoul and Donghun are about to do is so impossibly sad that it might be difficult to watch. If you don’t know about it, you might want to stay not knowing…? I mean, how hard do you feel like crying today?

I really don’t want to bum all of you out, so I decided to post my sad thoughts about this song and performance (and industry? And blog?) in a separate post that I’ll link to at the end of this one.

We head into a flashback. The guys are at one of their agencies, and Sunyoul is wearing an enormous, fur lined leather coat. Do they not heat these places?

Donghun says, “you know Suhwan and I know Jeup, so this will be an advantage for us!” Sunyoul says that if the other team is going to have a high pitch party, they themselves should go toward consolation and empathy. So Donghyun suggests Jonghyun’s song.

Some time later, Sunyoul has put on a lovely cream colored cable knit s w e a t e r.

Sunyoul asks Donghyun who he imagines himself singing to, and Donghyun says simply, “I sing to myself.” Sunyoul says, after a brief pause, “I do, too.” He seems kind of stunned by the revelation that they have that in common, but Donghyun takes it in stride. “You did a good job,” he says. “Good job. Something like that.” Sunyoul says he hopes he can be able to comfort himself.

We have a flashback to a pre-production meeting, where Sunyoul has shown up in another s w e a t e r and looks great, but he isn’t feeling great. He talks about how this is his fifth (!!!!) survival show, and though his motto is “he who endures, wins,” he’s not so sure anymore. “I think this program is my own judgment on whether or not I will be able to sing in the future,” he says, through tears. Oh no! Sweet Sunyoul! “Thinking it’s my last chance, I need to fill this stage with desperation,” he says, as they head in to the performance.

Donghyun has shown up in what looks like a collared button down shirt made of frayed sweater material, with a blazer over it. He’s just taking the Build Up fashion trends and combining them in new ways, and I’m here for it.

Original version, sung live by Jonghyun with English subtitles

Full version without reactions.

My thoughts:

It’s hard to evaluate this, because they’re both so emotional. Sunyoul in particular sounds like he might be actually crying. Donghyun is occasionally a little ahead of the beat and doesn’t support some of his longer notes, but I think that might be a stylistic choice on his part. Donghyun’s gruff, textured vocals blend nicely with Sunyoul’s lighter, sweeter tones, and their harmonies work well as a result. There aren’t any pitch problems that I noticed, and no one sounds particularly nasal. Overall, it’s a simple, lovely, heartfelt performance. If I were a judge, I don’t know what I’d do in terms of ranking it with the other performance.

In the MNET edit, we can see that everyone finds the performance pretty touching. Backstage, Hwang Inhyuk tells partner Choi Haram, “I heard two lines and I already want to cry.”

Seungkwan is enjoying the singing. I think. I guess?

Vocal Coach Guy is enjoying the singing. I think. I guess?

When they’re done, there’s quiet, thoughtful applause from the judges.

Teary Wendy says, “I loved it.”

Backstage, the guys all say that they were touched by it. Even Park Jeup says, “That was good. We’re going to lose.”

Teammate Suhwan says, “Why would you say that? Don’t say that!” But you can tell that Jeup was sincerely touched by the performance.

The judges have to grade it, and it’s so hard after such a touching performance. Finally, we find out the high and low scores -- 97 and 75. As a reminder, Jeup and Suhwan’s high and low scores were 96 and 88, so Sunyoul and Donghun scored both higher and lower than their rivals. That lower score, though, is much lower.

Seungkwan from Seventeen is the judge who gave the score of 97, and explains that they did an excellent job of putting the emotions of the song on stage. Then he says to both of them, “We have been around together since 2015. I always thought, ‘These guys are such great singers.’ Today, I think you’ve really proven your potential and that really touched my heart.”

Aww, that’s nice feedback from a colleague, and you can tell it really touches Sunyoul.

VCG says, “It’s really difficult to put into words, but when I listened to the song, I felt a bit overwhelmed and emotional. I felt like I would burst into tears as soon as someone next to me asked ‘are you ok?’? The message the two of you conveyed was delivered to me wholly. Just like the lyrics, I got a feeling of warm comfort and I felt very good. As I was watching the stage, I thought you two were the one the final debut teams no matter what. I thought that no matter which team you go to, you can sing one part convincingly.” He had assumed he’d give the highest score, so he must have graded them pretty high too, maybe a 95.

Jaehwan is the judge who gave them their low score. He explains himself by saying, “Honestly, Sunyoul’s vocal was very persuasive. I felt like I was listening to it with my heart. But Donghun’s performance was disappointing. It was a bit too much, as if you had a lot of thoughts while singing. It felt a bit unstable because of that. That was how I personally felt.”

VCG is like, “that’s soooo different from what I thought.”

Meanwhile, Donghyun is gutted. That low score is looking bad for them, and now he knows it’s because of him.

I get what Jaehwan is saying, in that yes, their performance was emotional, and there were times that Donghyun was a bit off rhythm, and some notes felt short that probably should have been longer, but I never noticed him off pitch. To me that all felt like a stylistic choice that worked.

The judges lament that these two teams had to go against each other when they’re both so strong. Poor Donghyun looks like he’s already crying.

It’s revealed that overall, Jeup and Suhwan got a 645 overall, meaning that in addition to the 96 and 88. the average score given by the other five judges was 92. Meanwhile, Donghyun and Sunyoul got a 624 overall, which means that in addition to the 97 and 75, the average score given by the other five judges was about 90. So it wasn’t just Jaehwan dragging them down. But still, these are all some very high scores.

Sunyoul and Donghyun learn that they are up for elimination, and the judges are bummed too, wishing that the final four could just be these four.

Sunyoul says, in a voice thick with emotion, “Thank you for saying so many nice things today. I was really hungry for those words. Thank you so much for your sympathy.” Wendy wipes her eyes.

Jeup says, “Since they were on the same team with us, I feel really bad. I just want to keep supporting each other. You did a great job today -- it was so cool.”

Dahee tells Jeup and Suhwan that they won, but they don’t look too happy. And as Donghyun and Sunyoul walk off stage, arm in arm, we can hear Sunyoul say, “Why are you crying? You did a great job.”

But there’s basically no consoling Donghyun.

And uh, that’s where we leave it for now. I’m sorry, gang, I think this show is going to be kind of sad. :(

And I have some more things to say that are even sadder, but I’m going to leave them for another post because there’s some trigger warnings and stuff for that post, and you’re not obligated to read it. I’ll see you in the next post, when we see Neon and Seunghun take on Yoon Inhwan and Ma Jaekyung. Take care and be well, my loves!

#A.CE.#Up10tion #MNET build up #build up mnet #build up #shinee #jonghyun

3 notes · View notes

thisbluespirit · 2 years ago

Note

Sapphire, Silver and Steel for the character meme, please.

Oh and Harry & Ruth, too, if you feel like it! 💙

Thank you! <3

1. Who would you rather swap aesthetics/outfits with for a day?

Okay, well, this time I'll have the sparkly waistcoat!!

2. Who do you team up with in a 2v2 volleyball match? Which side wins?

Silver. I suspect that Sapphire and Steel will win in this (obviously life or death) game, but who else?

3. If each of them got one million dollars, who would waste/spend their money the fastest?

They are all looking at this question. It does not apply to them.

However, if for some reason they had to dispose of 1 million dollars each because it was, maybe, Evil Money, Silver would be fastest, because that's Silver's nature. More confetti!

4. Who would die first in a horror movie? Who would be the survivor?

Silver. Sapphire and Steel would both survive. To be honest, all three of them would probably make it. They exist in permanent horror movie land and they're all still around. Even after things we shan't mention, they were still surviving.

5. They're all on the run from the law! What crimes did each commit and who is most likely to get caught?

lol. Again, not applicable, and none of them will be caught unless they want to be caught or it somehow happens temporarily because time has sort of made people think they've committed crimes in the middle of an assignment.

Crimes are something they leave to humans. If they committed a crime by their standards, they'd be on the other side, and all three of them have personally turned that proposition down already.

For Harry & Ruth:

1. You have to choose one to erase from their series! Who do you pick?

Look, if I pick Ruth, I'm not watching any more. If I pick Harry, there probably is no Spooks anyway. I'll pick Harry because I feel sure somehow he'd come back. Ruth would manage it at any cost, even without memory of him. She just would.

2. Who would you rather run into in a dark alley at night?

Ruth Evershed! At least there are significantly better odds on my not being assassinated next.

3. Who would you save from a burning building? Who would be more likely to save you from a burning building?

Ruth! I mean, if Harry wasn't there already. And for the other way around, Harry, I think, probably? He was once a field officer.

Mind you, it's Spooks. The odds are I'd probably burn to death tragically in the bomb that detonated before they could stop it.

4. Who would win in a dance-off?

Good question. This is a scenario they would avoid, but I feel Harry would win. But you never know with Ruth. She has hidden depths, likes performing and it doesn't pay to underestimate her.

Best to just enter a dancing competition undercover as partners and stay in via spy tricks.

5. They swap bodies for 24 hours! How badly do they mess up (or improve) each other's lives?

Ruth would probably pull off a reasonably good Harry impression for a day, although she would look at loads of Eyes Only documents she shouldn't be looking at, and she would have to go through a full half hour of panicking first. If she had to make the tough decisions, I think she'd actually be much better than usual, because she likes acting, so once in character as 'Harry' she'd probably just go for it, but it could go either way. Could be fine, could be the end of the world.

Harry OTOH would struggle with not being able to bark orders at people without everyone staring, everyone expecting him to be the sympathetic one and being supposed to know how all the computer systems work, and he's better at dry wit and assassinating his enemies than doing the weekly round up report.

Ruth would have to cover for him a lot.

Alternatively, they just come in, carry on with their respective usual roles while looking like each other and let the rest of Section D worry about what the hell is going on and then tell them all it was a psych test, and at least one of them failed.

However it goes, I don't think anybody's life is improved.

#replies #character ask meme #sapphire #silver #steel #pers-books #asks #harry pearce #ruth evershed

11 notes · View notes

news365timesindia · 2 months ago

Text

[ad_1] Deandra Dottin in action for West Indies in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 (PC: ICC/X) The three-match ODI series between India Women and West Indies Women begins today in Vadodara. The Windies lost the T20I series 2-1 and are now aiming for a strong start in the 50-over format. Deandra Dottin will play a crucial role in their efforts. Despite the team’s struggles, Dottin stood out in the T20I series with her all-round performance. With the bat, she scored 77 runs in two innings at a strike rate of 171.11. She also took four wickets in three innings. In the recent Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 mini-auction held in Bengaluru, Gujarat Giants signed her for a whopping Rs 1.70 crore. Ahead of the ODI series, Dottin spoke exclusively to RevSportz. She shared her thoughts on the importance of the series, the lessons from the T20I games, her excitement about joining the WPL, and much more. Q: What went wrong in the T20I series despite the comeback in the second game? Dottin: I think our bowling. When we got hit for one boundary, we started to bowl a couple of bad balls. I do not think our feeling was up to par. In the second innings, that is what we saw with India. They fielded better than us and I think that is what actually made the big difference. Q: How crucial is this ODI series considering the next ODI World Cup is in India in less than one year and currently WI are kind of outside the automatic spots? Dottin: I think this ODI series is very important. We at least want to win two games whereas we know that it is going to be tough. They are not going to sit down and just give us the game. We are going to have to play some good cricket but it is really important. For the Latest Sports News: Click Here Deandra Dottin taking a stunner in the T20I series against India (PC: X) Q: Words on Hayley Matthews as a skipper, what traits of her impress you? Dottin: I think her leadership. Putting her hands up and leading from the front as captain. Her personality, her sense of humour along with her belief in wanting to always win. She always reminds me of me when I was younger. I think she has a really good future in West Indies cricket and also as a captain. I see her actually captaining for a couple more years to be honest. It is always good to play alongside her and actually under her as a senior player when she is the captain. Q: We all know your power-hitting skills and know you are doing the job with the ball as well. Death overs, in the middle, or where do you prefer to bowl? Dottin: I can actually bowl wherever, whenever. I mostly bowl in the death overs and I bowl some crucial overs as well. It really does not matter to me. It is what is important to me at the time and what is best for the team. Q: Any word on Richa Ghosh’s knock in the last game and Smriti Mandhana’s consistency? Dottin: To be honest, they are really good players. They are actually a force to reckon with when it comes to when you are playing against them and they are actually in the nick or they actually get into the game. Those are actually players that you need to get early wickets from. But like I said, it is not going to be an easy game. We have to work hard and we have to be smart as well. Q: A word on getting picked by the Gujarat Giants for WPL 2025. How excited are you? Dottin: I am really excited. I do not want to get too excited. It is really good to be a part of the Gujarat team in the WPL 2025. I am just looking forward to playing good cricket and hopefully, getting them across the line to win the trophy next year. Also Read: Hayley storm blows away India in Second Women’s T20I The post “India not going to just give us the game”: Deandra Dottin ahead of ODI series appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

0 notes

news365times · 2 months ago

Text

0 notes

maguro13-2 · 5 months ago

Text

The Dark Picture Repaint ~ Origins of the Ink Demon : Operation Drawcia PT.18 ~

"The Next Day"

Andy : All of this fixing, all of this training, yep.

Max : Hardly recognized that being a trio is not that easy. Today's a big for our exercises.

Andy : And which is always a leg day, am I right, fellas.

Max : Not much. *lifts up with his strength* No doubt about it!

Andy : Hey, has anyone done CQC?

Max : No...Why is that?

Andy : I mean look at her.

*They look at Sami training without her boots on*

Andy : She's hardly training without boots or socks, and we're the only ones who can do all the exercise with all of this sweat.

Max : Of course, nothing but protein itself. She will be the one does CQC.

Hawke : Attention! All!

Strumm : Today from the world of all Wars, I would like to know someone who participated in the world of Metal Gear with the basics of Close-Quarters Combat known as the CQC. And Hawke will show you how to use that he learned from Big Boss's mentor the Boss. I choose...Sami to be in training ground.

Sami : Hmph.

Lash : Oi, Orange girl, you're up!

*Sami walks up*

Strumm : Hmmm...I heard that you are famous for martial arts stuff that knows about the basics of CQC, quite professional for being commander of the special forces.

Sami : Sir, Yes, sir.

Hawke : Well, Commander of Orange Star. I'll be your opponent. If it's fine by me, Let me show how much CQC can hold up against my Black Storm? (removes jacket to show his abs)

Andy : Oh no! He's hot!

Sami : Sure, why not.

Hawke : And oh, show me your repsonse as in "Sir, Yes, Sir" or "Ma'am, yes, ma'am"

Sami : S-Sir! Yes sir!

Andy : This fight's going to be amazing.

Max : Hope we dont' mind bringing some popcorn.

Eagle : No need to spectate, she's going in for the ring.

Hawke : [To Sami] You gon' squeal like a b*tch, motherf*cker.

Sami : Is that so, how about listening to yourself when you open your mouth.

Strumm : Begin the match!

[Burning Combat by Sota Fujimori]

Sami : You're on. *goes into fighting stance*

Hawke : Bet you won't go easily on me. May the best soldier win.

Strumm : En Garde...Aliez!

*starts the battle*

Sami : Haaaaaah!

*Fighting sounds by Hidenori Arai*

Andy : Wow! Sami's good at this! Didn't know that CQC could be a real thing!

Hawke : Not bad!

Sami : I haven't got this much fight from a soldier like you! I wanted to face my own ways in battle, but can you handle the pressure!

Hawke : Not bad! CQC is not just your thing, but you're no match for the powers of my Black Storm!

*Fighting Sounds by Hidenori Arai*

Hawke : Incredible, what speed, what stamina, I see you learned the basics of CQC, your super power is far superior that Eagle's Lighting Strike.

Sami : Basically, you're basically good!

Hawke : Bet you're finally using against your own will.

Strumm : What could be more rational than a strong female fighter capable of using combat with martial arts, this is quite prove to be entertaining.

Lash : [To Strumm] You think.

Strumm : Just begging for it, I'm beginning that her ways as a hero, would be a great start for all in the Multiverse. But I like to see her try.

Hawke : Had enough yet?

Sami : *panting* No. I'm alright with that! This will be your last chance! I'm not giving up yet.

Hawke : Good. This is just your beginning.

Eagle : [in mind] Sami's tiring out from that man. I have to do something about her, if it's her that needs something from the help of her comrades, they are supporting to tire out. I've got to do something like this.

Sami : Alright. Back to square one.

Hawke : With honor.

[Ring by Masamichi Amano]

Sami : ...Ready for round 2?

Hawke : Come on, Tough Girl! Show me what you got!

Sami : Hmph! HAAAAAAAH!!!

Hawke : Hmph!

*Grab*

Sami : What!? *grunting+straining*

Hawke : You think that all of that CQC would do the basic military training? I also happened to learn it from the boss itself. Here, let me help with that.

*PUNCH*

Sami : Ittai!

*WHACK*

Sami : Ugh!

*SMASH*

Sami : Yamero!

Hawke : So...What will you do now, give up or surrender?

Sami : [V/O] It can't be stopped, but I must not give in to myself. [To Hawke out loud] Sir! No sir!

Andy : Sami! I think you had enough!

Sami : Don't worry! I can still fight!

*Fighting sounds by Hidenori Arai*

Sami : Please...Just don't go easy on me!

Hawke : Is that all you got?

*Smash Bros Fighting sounds*

Hawke : Come on, give me a little more of that CQC!

Max : Hey, man! I think she had enough!

Sami : Oi, Yamete! Yamete wo!

*Eagle stops Hawke fighting over*

Hawke : What the-? Who are...?

Eagle : Sorry, she had enough already, but I am honored to take her place as commander and leader of one's faction. But if you're interested a fighter that can kick a man's ass, then I'm all yours to deal with!

Hawke : You cocky little freak! I will make you hesitate and take the the fall of a villain's wrath!

Eagle : Scumbag...LIGHTING STRIKE!

*DBZ SFX : ELECTRIC ZAPPING+Strong Punch X3*

Hawke : (groans in pain)

*DBZ SFX : Shocked*

Strumm : No way! He...He took out Hawke! Lighting Strike has no effect on Hawke's black storm!

Eagle : Just to remind you...I only happened to be using my greatest punching charging with a million volts. Now then, what to do with you, Orange Girl.

Sami : Eagle...Are you...helping me? *passes out*

*later*

Sami : ....Eto...Eh? Wh...Who...?

*Eagle is healing her bruises*

Sami : Oh, ummm....Are you actually...

Eagle : Ah, you're finally awake.

Sami : Hold on, where...

Eagle : Hold still, don't move an inch. Just to making you feel better to get back on your feet.

*cues Legend of the Blue Wolves opening song*

Sami : Oh...Okay.

Eagle : Heh. Black Hole scum, can't believe that they did a number on ya. It's gonna take more bruises to heal from, can't forgive them.

Sami : *blushes* ...Eagle...I thought you were holding no grudges on Andy or me, but...I guess that I misjudged you, even though you might not be a bad guy after all.

Eagle : Yeah, kinda figured that I would face Andy all this time, but I took it a little too much after our first conflict. Don't worry, this should heal you up. Just right about it.

Sami : I...Thought so...

"Nothing's personally too bad...it's like he's nursing me to heal on my injuries, Andy told me that he faced him as rivals, but I doubt he has no temper on me, but I never doubt it that he has done something for me good."

"But I wonder...If his body..."

Sami : [gasps in awe]

"After all of the fighting...I realized that I had a sudden heart beat. It feels like that I'm drowning in with all the love that I carried too far. But it so clear, that I can feel it beating inside me."

"But this sudden realization it made me realize, who I felt for..."

"All of a sudden, I see that I found an inspiration or aspiration from the men that I see."

"As I felt like that it was nothing, but why do I feel so strange...?"

"That dream of a figure having a perfect body that I ever imagined, but I was feeling jealous over a man's body."

"A perfect man with a beautiful form..."

*flashback ends with Eagle continue to heal her*

"Just like that, Eagle would be the perfect thing for a man's body, it's not like that I was too reckless to be sturdy enough to man, but I...I knew that I would..."

*later this evening*

Andy : Here you go, guys. Bon Appetit!

Max : Ah thanks! I'm starving!

Andy : Dig in!

*Andy and Max Starts eating*

Andy : [To Sami while eating] Hey, Sami. You haven't finish your seconds, don't wanna spoil your appetite.

Sami : Yeah, yeah. I kinda felt borish since I had a fight with Black Hole officer Hawke. That guy was such a pain. Andy...Max...I have something to tell you. Eagle isn't such a bad person, But he clearly thinks that he misjudged after our first encounter with him four years ago. I realized that he wasn't a bad person after all.

Andy : Oh really? I thought that he never had a second chance, it looks like that Eagle fella are like rivals to me and him, but you and him as lovers, that's a sudden relief, is he like your boyfriend?

Sami : *blushes* Ah...!?

*Smash Bros. SFX : Heavy Hit*

*Dragon Ball SFX : Boing*

Andy : Ow! Jeez, Sami! Couldn't you least be more respectful, I was just lighten up!

Sami : He's not just my boyfriend, he's a friend like friend person, he maybe an enemy to us for four years, but I can tell you that he's not a bad guy. Andy, sorry about that. But...I've known him for four years and It's our obvious reason that Black Hole Army is making a missile launch, but I got a bad feeling that this might not end well for Black Hole Army, but they say that the Blob had the potential...I mean the potential to be Black Hole Army's ultimate weapon, wonder what's that Blob's name called? Oozium 238. That's the name of the Blob-thing that Black Hole was developing. Thanks to stopping it, the Blob is no more and now, There's a new blob on the frontlines. Somewhere in the outskirts of this land.

Max : Your guess is good as mine.

Sami : I'll be definitely fine with you guys. Being a Nintendo veteran is such a big deal, I mean here's what something from the Segaverse.

Andy : What is this?

*NEWSPAPER : PAROLED FROM 10 YEARS IN THE JOINT*

Sami : Local Ex-Yakuza paroled from 10 years in the slammers?

Max : Yeah, some dude in Tokyo just shot the "Oyabun" by front, but it was the family member who said 10 years in the joint, and that got him 10 years in the joint as well.

Andy : You mean "Prison".

Sami : Man...Prison is literally a hardship place full of dangerous criminals and tough bodies men, but I would avoided that if I gone AWOL with Eagle. Not to worry, but I won't let you down guys, I'm a girl with action and spirit.

Andy : That's news to you, Sami.

Sami : Yep.

Eagle : Hey there, sweet cheeks. I see you're feeling better.

Sami : Thanks so much, I can finally get the Special Forces on their feet. Hopefully yours about the Black Hole Army's satisfactory would have the uprising beginning their conquest on taking over the front lines, but if your men could be our help, I could help you out, who says that love can bloom on a battlefield?

Eagle : Could be.

Sami : If you're thinking about it. I wouldn't think that there's no such thing as love, if you could do that a promise, I make it a promise, an oath to a soldier as well. Remember, we are soldiers and we are told what we must do for ourselves. Even if it takes forever to do that to bloom. Love can bloom on the field. That was a phrase said by Hal Emmerich, he said that Love can Bloom on the flood and if it's possible that may have a suggestion, do you think that there will be love or no love at all? It's your decisions or what I decided what to think of it.

Eagle : That's true. If you're so clever about that, I decided to leave you something for good. Here...It's a letter for you.

Sami : A letter...for me? Thanks I might want to show this later on. But I don't know if I can open it, it's not a love letter of a confession that I probably knew about.

Eagle : It's a promise that I made. Well, enjoy your time working on the troops, commander of Orange Star. See ya. *leaves*

Andy : Just what was that all about. Cool guy, Eagle. Maybe he was right about you all along, guess he misjudged me on that one, don't what to tell you, but I think it's all clear that we have finally done something new for us. Blue Moon, Yellow Imperial, Green Earth, I think these colors should represent the colors of all factions in the world of all Wars.

Max : Yeah, it's nothing but propaganda and political division! Who says Monopolizing political stuff would be all such a big baloney?

Sami : ...Mhm.

*later*

*crickets chirping+owl hooting*

Sami : This letter that Eagle gave this to me. Was it something special? A promise is a promise, I mustn't let my comrades to see it. Just don't go on a show to probably who wanted a love letter. Maybe there's something about love blooming on the battlefield. It'a all too worth it. [she looks at the full moon] It's so clear, the moon is at it's brightness that could be, hopefully, there will be love blooming on the battlefield.

[Standing in the Sunset Glow (1st Movement) by Taku Iwasaki]

Sami : Just as I Imagined, there might be a chance to make love bloom it all, or even to blossom it, just to see the difference that love will bloom on a battlefield. If only I could see love in the light of day, and the darkest of nights. It makes me realize that I truly never felt alone, nor was I too careless, that's what I am when loving someone by heart, these hardships are nothing to be bound to me anymore, But I can feel that I'm falling in love, bathed in the moonlight of it's own. I truly how I felt love by somebody that I could cherish about. Let's see what's inside this letter?

*opens envelope to receive letter*

Sami : This is...truly a love letter? I need to know where he is.

*Scene changes*

Sami : Where could he possibly right now? He should be here, otherwise, it's no difference that all love have gone to waste. Guess no hard feelings that being alone is such a big deal.

Eagle : No you are not alone.

Sami : Huh? [sees Eagle on top of the Tank] Eagle?

Eagle : Glad that you finally made it.

Sami : I'm so worried! I never thought that I would see you at night, what a coincidence of seeing you here. But...

Eagle : Chill. Everyone's asleep. So we're all alone in the middle in the night.

Sami : Of course.

Eagle : Let me get you up.

Sami : O-Okay. *takes Eagle's hand as he lifts her up* Eh? Gee, you're quite the strong lifter. Too close for comfort, ain't it?

Eagle : Yeah.

Sami : I'm kinda feel nervous that's all.

*Sami sits down*

Sami : Take a look of it. It's so beautiful. It's sure great out here.

Eagle : It's just me and you, all alone on top of the tank.

Sami : I see stars, they're countless stars that I see in the night sky.

Eagle : I've always dreamed that I wanted to fly under the moonlight, there's no simple reason that I, an expert in commanding the aerial grounds, my boys fly through the night like a flock of birds.

Sami : Truly is. I wanted to walk under the moonlight. It feels like nostalgic that I'm not even careful, I made my day, I made my promise, a promise to my comrades. I could never fail them. Day after Day, we first met around four years ago...that was the promise that we made...you really wanted not to force anyone to hold any grudges. Is that what you think?

Eagle : If so...then I have a feeling that my suggestions that it's never useless to resist that quaint feeling of yours about part of the life of a soldier.

Sami : Really? So I'm guessing that this point of being a hero could find some development with a lot chemistry...Who says anything about no...Eagle...Our promise, I finally remembered...it was our destiny, it was our independence. That's how I truly felt since the world of all Wars have gone to waste, when this Black Hole Faction is about creating something about a weapon that is capable of ending all. If I say so, would it just to make Love Blossom?

Eagle : Indeed.

Sami : So...About something what I need to know in the multiverse, every being knows that a universe called the Ohkuboverse, was targeted by the Time Eater for spreading an outcome in the multiverse's borders, it's about a boy's influence...Shinra...That name we will never forget. Time Eater had scolded him for creating a new world and his man-made son Death. Shinra's influence would make everyone the follow the same hardships as heroes and would risk their lives of saving the world. Eventually, after the loss of his body and, The Time Eater erased the Ohkuboverse and expunged it's inhabitants. Shinra's son death told us that the witches who had been wreaking havoc in the real world part of the Multiverse, said their magic would be dangerous and could be the end of humanity itself.

*Music stops for a moment*

Sami : And I realize that the Ohkuboverse was targeted because...

Eagle : It wasn't the witche neither of the Ohkuboverse, it was the Mashimaverse...The Devil of the Ohkuboverse has been spreading lies to his man-mad son based on the wrong details, all make-believes, all about spreading influence.

Sami : How did you know that by now?

Eagle : It's his fault, he brought that to himself. His influence was the spread of everything, that's why the Time Eater scolded him. The Mashimaverse was responisble for wreaking havoc with their magic and the Time Eater had to destory the Ohkuboverse for it's influence along with it's inhabitants. But after it annihilated Shinra, his beloved Iris, and everyone, The Time Eater helped a human that could expunge all of it's inhabitants by annihilating them as well in the future. And that girl...I think she's from the future is well, probably from the year 2011 A.D.

*During the Ohkuboverse's destruction*

Soul Evans : What do you mean, it was the Mashimaverse? So it wasn't the witches that wreaked sh*t with their magic, it was them all along and we've been living in this lie! Why you! I'm gonna destroy along with this universe!

Homura Akemi : Silence you! You'll be in a nasty surprise, all the Gods, all of the inhabitants, are nothing but arrogant fools of this universe which shall be no more, and you humans of this "Ohkuboverse" shall be the ones to put the fault on yourselves, taking the blame on all of you as a bunch of stubborn fools.

Soul Evans : All this time...It was the Mashimaverse...This whole Soul Eater thing, was Shinra's fault. We could've taken the blame...I let him down, we let him down...*looks up into the sky* SHINRAAAAAAAAA!!!

*changes back to Sami and Eagle*

*music continues*

Sami : Now I do believe so...All those people, all of those witches, they...They were only trying to let truth to expose them...They're the ones who did all of it, all for the sake of one hero that did it all. And this girl who followed his footsteps, what is it "Maka Albarn".

Eagle : Yes, I'm afraid so.

Maka's voice : If only I was never a hero to my own tale, I would never believe in Shinra for the rest of my life, even if it means to risk our lives as a hero.

Sami : She did all of that for Shinra, all for the sake of everything that devoted to follow the footsteps in the same way...And I realize they had been pawns to his lies all this time in the multiverse. And now in Real World, Maka came to finally got a chance to see Shinra at the garden where he resides as a lifeform they called it "Chaos".

Eagle : Sounds like "God" to me.

Sami : So here's what we're gonna do, we're going to start another war, but if war happens to us, our love can't be bounded and I would the cherish fact that I wanted to know about you. One last time, shall we blosssom our selves with love?

Eagle : Why yes. It's always a pleasure, I do.

Sami : After what those awful things you said to Andy, I thought you would've hated me for real.

Eagle : No...I would never do that to you. You all I have what you are.

Sami : *nods* Mm. Eh?

Eagle : Here, don't wanna catch a cold. Take my coat.

*Puts his coat around Sami*

Sami : Wow! I feel very blessed.

Eagle : You're welcome.

Sami : *sleeps on Eagle's shoulder* Eagle...Suki desu.

Eagle : Hmph.

"I see...so this is love. Love bounded between us..."

"We could share this ever lasting fate of ours for a better tomorrow"

"Loves from a distance could trace our steps"

"That's how we all felt"

*A Shooting Star appears*

Andy : Hey, look. A shooting star.

Max : Nice try, Andy. That's just someone riding on a warp star. Okay maybe it is a shooting star. No need to ruin the moment tho.

~ Mission 17 : Soldiers Bounded with Love ~

0 notes

linuxgamenews · 5 months ago

Text

Discover Fealty: A New Approach to Tactical Turn-Based Strategy

Fealty tactical turn-based strategy game has support plans for Linux with Windows PC and Mac. Thanks to the creativity of Legacy Gameworks. Working to make its way onto Steam soon. Looking for a tactical turn-based strategy that doesn’t take hours to play but still packs a punch? Check out Fealty, the latest tactical turn-based strategy from indie developer Legacy Gameworks. Due to release on September 12, 2024, for Windows and Mac, this release is all about giving you that epic strategy vibe without the usual time commitment. Here are the support details:

Currently, there are no plans for an official Linux build of the game. However, we have tested running it under linux via Steam's Proton compatibility layer. And it seems to run very well in that environment. I won’t rule out a proper linux version post-launch

Legacy Gameworks shared that while they couldn’t create an official Linux build due to an issue with the fog of war shaders, the game works just fine via Proton. Fog of war is a key feature in a title like this, but they didn’t encounter any problems during our Proton testing. Plus, the Unity engine is being used for development. So perhaps a native build is still in the cards post launch.

Release Trailer - Fealty

youtube

Fealty is a turn-based strategy where you can either go solo or team up with friends. The best part? You can finish a game in just an hour or two! No more getting stuck in endless rounds of micromanaging resources or spending hours on complex 4X mechanics. Instead, Fealty brings you the fun of planning your moves, outsmarting your opponents, and climbing your way to the top in a kingdom that’s different every time you play. If you’ve ever played Risk or Civilization, you’ll feel right at home. But Fealty takes what you like about those titles and trims down the complexity, so you get straight to the good stuff: strategy, tactics, and outplaying your friends.

Here are some of the features that make it a must-play:

Quick 4X Fun: You get all the strategic depth of a 4X title but in a package that you can play through in about an hour or two. No need to worry about managing tons of resources—just focus on your strategy and tactics.

Unique Maps Every Time: With procedurally generated maps, each game feels fresh and exciting. The chances of playing the same map twice are slim, so you’ll always be on your toes.

Easy to Learn, Hard to Master: Fealty is design has simple rules that anyone can pick up, but it’s tough to master. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned strategist, there’s always a new challenge waiting.

Diplomacy with a Twist: You can demand loyalty from your enemies and make them your vassals. But watch your back—they might betray you when you least expect it!

Online Multiplayer: Battle it out with 2-6 players in competitive online matches. Whether you want to play together in real-time or take turns at your own pace, Fealty’s got you covered.

Get Ready for Battle Fealty is all set to shake up the tactical turn-based strategy scene, and it’s perfect for players who like a good challenge without the long haul. If you’re ready to conquer kingdoms and outwit your friends, head over to the Steam and Wishlist it. Coming to Linux via Proton with Windows PC and Mac. No word on Steam Deck support. Due to be available for $14.99 USD / £12.49 / 14,99. Mark your calendar for September 12th, and get ready to show the world your tactical genius!

#fealty #tactical #turn-based strategy #linux #gaming news #legacy gameworks #ubuntu #mac #windows #pc #unity #Youtube

0 notes

trivial-pokemon-ramblings · 5 months ago

Text

I personally think Cynthia is overrated. I like her as much as the next person, but I think she’s overhyped. I played DPPt, and, yeah, she was hard, but is she worthy of having a whole section of the fandom worshipping every step she takes? No. I can’t really speak on the manga counterpart because I haven’t got to those chapters, so I’ll talk about the anime. I think the anime opened up a lot more of her character. She likes sweets. She is indecisive, warm, gentle, etc.

I heard about what happened in M8 in JN, but I myself refuse to watch JN until I find a subbed version for it because I like sub over dub. As for my very heated opinions on JN, I think M8 added on to my strong disliking of JN. I think I like BW more. As for the handling of Cynthia, I think we needed more time with her to really understand why she decided to retire I guess. Idk if it’s stated explicitly or I’m just pulling info out my ass. I think Cynthia is okay in the anime. Honestly, all the champions kinda suck in the anime imo. Diantha is probably the best out of all them.

In PMEX, the only side game I played other than Go, Cynthia gets way too much treatment. I saw there was an Aura alt for Cynthia. I will say, I am VERY biased since my no. 2 fav character is Riley. Like, do you know a character who is heavily associated with aura? Riley! No! It’s Cynthia! Uh?!?!? No? Riley fits the bill perfectly. It would’ve been cool to see Riley debut in PMEX through that event or smth idk. I’m not up to date with Masters.

I also think Cynthia is an easy scapegoat for people to hate characters. That doesn’t make any sense at all. What I’m saying is Cynthia is used to explain why people hate certain characters. For example, people meme on Diantha for being super easy, which is fair. What I don’t think is fair is to compare her boss fight to Cynthia. Cynthia is one of the hardest trainers in the series period. Comparing Diantha to the likes of, idk Lance(?) would be an easier connection.

Coming back to the M8, I heard of discourse about Cynthia vs Ash. As for the match itself, I think 1) that matchup is bullshit. 2) Steven or Iris should’ve fought her. Maybe Alain. As for what I’ve heard, I heard people say it was sexist that Ash won against Cynthia. I personally don’t see it. Cynthia, a woman, lost to a boy. Therefore it’s sexist doesn’t make sense to me. Don’t get me wrong. I think Cynthia losing to ASH of all people is stupid, but I wouldn’t go so far to call it sexist. What I will call sexist is if all the female trainers lost round 1, but that didn’t happen.

When I think of strong trainers, I think of Whitney, Norman (because I was a stupid kid), Winona, Sabrina, Morty, Lenora, Steven, Elesa, absolutely no one in XY, and Red. Cynthia too, but those trainers come to mind first. Cynthia is strong and tough to beat, but is she on the levels of Steven Stone for me personally? No.

Also, I think Volo’s character actively fails in regard to Cynthia. Like, Volo can’t really stand without context of Cynthia. The theme doesn’t make sense, nor the team without Cynthia. And I get that most if not all of P:LA doesn’t stand without context of DPPt, but I think all the characters stand on their own without their descendants as context. All but Volo, and even Cogita for that matter. Who is Cogita but a woman who lives in fuck off some where in Hisui? Well, she gives directions to legendary mons! Other than that, what else? Nothing. Kamado was a cool guy. He had a fear of Pokemon due to traumatic experiences in the past. He’s protective of the town he calls home. That is somewhat of a far departure from Rowan. I want the same for Volo.

#rant post #pokemon cynthia #cynthia rant

1 note · View note

jrpneblog · 6 months ago

Text

Heck of a job on his hands

A new era starts at Deepdale on Saturday afternoon as Paul Heckingbottom takes charge of his first game as North End manager with a tough looking tie against Luton. Heck has only been here since Tuesday so we must give our new man plenty of tme to sort out the wheat from the chaff and make the side look something like his own. There may well be one or two ins and outs next week as North End charge towards the transfer deadline joint bottom of the Championship with those two defeats against Sheffield United and Swansea, the latter seeing the hasty departure of Mike Marsh as interim manager. There is no doubt that Paul has got a hell of a job on his hands turning round a toxic Deepdale and a playing squad who have known nothing but defeat since early April under the guidance of the previous manager.

Last Saturday was just about as bad as it has been for the last six months with a shocker of a defeat 0-3 at Swansea with North End looking relegation candidates from the first kick to the last. We started ok, we always do, however the home side got on top and took the lead via a needless penalty conceded by Lindsay. After the break we once again started brightly and it was fairly even up to the hour mark when Swansea made it two with a deflected shot and from that moment on North End were down and out and although the third goal came near the end it had looked on the cards for a while with North End looking all at Sea. The players felt the wrath of the fans at the end and it is a very long time since I have seen the loyal away following as angry as that at the end of the game.

So the new dawn breaks with a visit from the Hatters who were relegated from the Premiership in May after putting up a fairly decent show in their time in the top flight. Having said all that the vistors come to Deepdale with just one point on the board from their first two games having been thumped 1-4 at home by Burnley in their opening fixture before playing out a 0-0 draw at Fratton Park last week against Portsmouth. However they should not be underestimated and North End will do well to take something from the game with all the upheaval at Deepdale over the last few weeks. All eyes will be on the new manager and what players and formation he selects but I think, whatever happens, that we should give him and the boys 100% backing as the blackboard was wiped clean on Tuesday morning.

Following on from the game against Luton we visit the Exercise Stadium on Tuesday evening and our first ever meeting against Harrogate Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup. It is a game that North End should win but it will also be a chance for Heck to have a look at some of the players not involved against Luton as he starts to paint the picture of what his squad looks like and who he wants to stay and who he wants to go. Harrogate will no doubt welocme North End to West Yorkshire but it will be a tough encounter agaisnt the Sulphurites and North End will need to treat them with the respect they deserve if they are to move into the last 32 of the competition.

And finally this week:- I make no apology for re-iterating the need to give the manager the time he deserves to sort this mess out left by Lowe and his methods, or lack of them. If North End can sort themselves out and be in mid-table by Christmas then that would be progress in my book. The January transfer window may well be busier than usual for North End with thirteen players out of contract next Summer and plenty of ins and outs on the horizon. It is a long time since I looked forward to a game as much as the Luton one but after all the garbage we have watch in 2024 I feel re-invigorated and ready to go again. Good luck to Paul Heckingbottom and Stuart McCall and lets hope yours are the names that people talk about in Preston in 50 years time.

MATCH PREDICTION -

LUTON TOWN (H) League - Score draw

HARROGATE TOWN (A) Carabao Cup - Away win

JR`s HIGH FIVES

Hull to beat Millwall 29/20

A £5 Stake returns £12.25 on bet365

SEASONS STATS

Returns £00.00 Stake £10.00

Percentage profit+/-loss - 100.00%

Predictions 2 won 0 lost 2

0 notes

thehappybaker · 1 year ago

Text

@monthly-challenge 2024 | Banter

This features my original characters!

Mikayla sat at her chair in the school library, reading a mystery novel that had caught her eye.

She didn't read often, but when she found a book she thought looked interesting, she could read for hours.

Across from her Dawn was typing away on a essay for English class. She looked like she was constructing hard, and for good reason. Mrs Sandy's English class was known for tough essays. A bad grade on it was considered bad for your overall grade, so many students in her class really focused hard on making sure their essays were great and passable.

Unfortunately Dawn hated essays. She often complained about having to do them, and started on them late. Mikayla often scolded Dawn on starting late on assignments. Dawn was notorious for rushing and and making bad mistakes when late for things, a fact she signed about.

So when Dawn complicated and promised to not be late on the essay, Mikayla rolled her eyes and counted down the weeks when Dawn would not do her essay and then rush the last 2 days it was due.

Cue Dawn panicking during lunch that she hadn't even started it, made a excuse that she was busy (doing other school work, baking, and training as a magical girl Mikayla noted, much to Dawn's ire) and was now busy typing away to finish it before the coming Thursday.

Dawn had begged Mikayla to join her in the library so she could help make sure she got it done. Mikayla signed, telling Dawn that a jelly cookie was going to be needed afterwards, Dawn sighed, a small smile on her face and agreed.

So this was where she was now. It wasn't bad, the after school library was peaceful and Mikayla often tried to come here for peace and quiet after school.

Since she became a magical girl 2 weeks ago, she hadn't had time to come to the library. So today was a lucky day for it.

She had searched the shelves for a book to pass the time. A mystery novel cover caught her eye, the main characters look appealing to her tastes, and she had sat down to read.

It was a great book too. She loved mystery novels. They were one of her favorite genres of literature.

Suddenly Dawn gave out a grown.

Mikayla put a bookmark in the page she was reading and headed over to Dawn.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"The computer froze, now I've lost half my work!" Dawn complained.

"I'll never get this essay done on time!" She wailed.

"This wouldn't have happened if you started it earlier.."

"I know, I know!" Dawn argued back, putting her head over her arms in defeat.

Mikayla crossed her arms in thought, smiling mischievously.

"I can help you finish it at my house...if."

"If? Dawn questioned, raising her head up, one eyebrow raised.

"We play a round of card guess."

Dawn gave a look of annoyance, but sighed a small smile appearing on her face.

"Yeah that's fair." She explained.

Card game is where you had to match two cards for each player. It was Mikayla's favorite game.

Dawn was never good at it, losing often.

("Awww I almost won! Best outta 3!" She declared after losing a 2 time. Mikayla laughed. "Sure, but I'm still gonna win!" She declared back, shuffling the cards for the next round. Dawn gave a big grin. "Your on!")

They had fun with it, despite Dawn losing often. It was a fun game to them when they didn't know what else to do during the times they hung out. Mikayla smiled at the memory.

" And...I get 3 of your jelly cookies at lunch tomorrow!" Mikayla declared.

Dawn gave a pretend shocked face and gave a dramatic "Not my jelly cookies!" Then gave a grin.

Dawn had gotten Mikayla to love jelly cookies when they went to their local town's bakery. She had said they were really good, and Mikayla wanted to try some new baked goods, it had been a long time since she went out to a bakery for sweets. They bought some and Mikayla had fallen in love with them ever since.

Something about the taste of the jelly mixed with the soft dough tasted delicious to her, Dawn smirking all the while Mikayla ate the cookies in joy.

Dawn often made jelly cookies at home, using a recipe her grandmother had made. She brought them to lunch for dessert often. When Dawn went off somewhere, Mikayla would grab a few to snack on. Dawn would never really notice, until she came back to their lunch and caught her in the middle of taking a few.

Dawn didn't yell or tell her to stop, she had instead rolled her eyes and just laughed, much to her relief. Mikayla had apologized, but Dawn said it was fine. It wasn't like it was crime and they were delicious, she had stated.

So this was just common knowledge at this point, to get a few extra jelly cookies for helping Dawn out. Both were fine with it. If it made them both happy then it was fine.

"Yeah I'll make that a deal with you. Thanks for your help." Dawn explained.

"It's no problem, you'd do the same for me" Mikayla explained.

"Yeah you make the best blueberry muffins..ever!" Dawn explained.

It was true, her grandpa had taught her how to make them as a kid, and it had stuck ever since.

"Hehe, see?"

"Yeah.." Dawn said laughing awkwardly.

Dawn turned the computer off, grabbed her stuff, and they walked out of the computer room, Mikayla grabbing her stuff on the way out of the library.

As they walked down the hall, Mikayla had another thought come into her mind.

"If we finish this in 2 hours, we play 5 rounds of card quess, and you give me 8 of your jelly cookies"

Dawn signed but gave a smile along with it.

"Sure... but you give me 4 of your blueberry muffins in return."

Mikayla laughed. "Deal"

They walked out of the school together, two friends helping the other out.

Mikayla couldn't have wished for anything more she wanted to do than this.

#februfluff2024 #friendship

0 notes

my-weird-news · 1 year ago

Text

📺 2023-2024 TV Shows: Who's In, Who's Out?! 🤔

Netflix's Show Rollercoaster 🎬🎢 So, I stumbled upon this Netflix show list like I was raiding the back of the fridge for leftover pizza. And let me tell you, it's like a TV series soap opera on steroids, but with more cancellations and renewals than a cat's indecisiveness when faced with an open door. First up, we've got a show named "1899." And guess what? It got canceled faster than a squirrel on an espresso binge after just one season. Talk about a historical speed run! 🏃‍♂️💨 Then there's "Big Mouth." It's apparently ending with season 8. They must've realized that puberty jokes have an expiration date, and it's about time to let those animated hormones rest in peace. 🙅‍♂️🤦‍♀️ Now, let's dive into the world of Bling Empire. Brace yourselves, because this show got canceled after season 2. I guess the empire wasn't as blingy as they thought, and someone had to pawn off the reality TV tiaras. 👑💍 Hold on tight, folks, because we've got a spin-off – Bling Empire: New York! And guess what? It hit the chopping block after just one season. New York can be ruthless, but canceling a show that fast? That's a new level of speed dating. 💔🗽 But fear not, because "Buying Beverly Hills" is coming back for round two! Apparently, Beverly Hills is still in vogue, and these buyers just can't resist the allure of multi-million dollar homes and mandatory drama. 🏠🤑 Cobra Kai fans, rejoice! The show is getting renewed for a sixth and final season. You know what they say, "Wax on, wax off, and end with a bang." Time to savor those last karate kicks! 🥋💥 And oh, Elite, you're like the Energizer Bunny of Netflix. Renewed for season 8? Seriously, by that point, these high schoolers will probably have more drama than a Kardashian family reunion. 🎭🎉 Then we have Fubar... renewed for season 2! I guess they figured out how to keep the party going. Somebody pass me a glittery confetti cannon, stat! 🎉✨ But hold your horses because Freeridge got the boot after just one season. It's like Netflix's version of a one-hit-wonder – here today, canceled tomorrow. 🎵👋 Now, Inside Job took the exit after season 2. I guess the secret conspiracies couldn't keep up with the real-life ones. Maybe they should've asked Siri for some tips on staying relevant. 🤖💼 Lockwood & Co.? Canceled after season 1. I bet even the locksmiths couldn't figure out how to unlock a second season for this one. 🔒🔑 And remember Mindhunter? Yeah, it got canceled after season 2. The minds behind that show must've had a tough time profiling Netflix's cancel-happy tendencies. 🕵️‍♂️🚫 Mo is coming back for a second and final season. Mo, you better make this one count – the grand finale needs to be more epic than a roller coaster drop! 🎢🎤 Night Agent got the green light for season 2. Guess they'll continue moonlighting as secret agents and keeping us hooked on their late-night shenanigans. 🌙🕶️ Oh, and speaking of riding the wave, Outer Banks is back for season 4. These teenagers are probably on their way to discovering the lost city of Atlantis by now. 🌊🏝️ Perfect Match found its match – a renewal for season 2! I guess true love really does conquer all, including Netflix's ax of cancellation. 💘📺 Physical 100 got pumped up for a second season. These fitness buffs must be sweating more from the suspense of renewal than from their actual workouts. 💪😅 Selling the OC is selling like hotcakes with not one but two renewals! Orange County real estate drama? Sign me up for a prime beachfront seat! 🏖️🏠 Sweet Tooth is satisfying our cravings with a third and final season. Maybe they'll reveal the secret recipe for hybrid human-deer snacks. 🦌🍫 Can you believe they're giving us more of That ‘90s Show? Apparently, nostalgia is like the gift that keeps on giving, even if it's in the form of old flannel shirts and dial-up internet. 🕰️📟 The Diplomat is getting diplomatic with a renewal for season 2. Maybe they'll broker world peace in between plot twists. 🌍🕊️ And don't even get me started on The Mole. It's back for season 2, which means there's a whole new season of trying to spot that sneaky saboteur. 🔍🕵️ The Recruit got recruited for a second season. It's like a reality TV boot camp that just can't stop enlisting more contestants for the drama battlefield. 🏕️🎖️ Too Hot to Handle is heating things up for a fifth season. Seriously, these contestants need a lesson in emotional regulation more than a reality dating show. 🔥❌💑 Uncoupled got uncoupled from Netflix after just one season. That's faster than my WiFi disconnecting during a video call. 📶👫 And finally, Wednesday is giving us more of her spooky charm in season 2. It's like the Addams Family meets Netflix's addiction to renewals. 👻🖤 You thought it was over? Nope! It's renewed for a fifth and final season. This stalker might finally get the closure they've been... well, stalking. 🕵️‍♂️🔍 And last but not least, we've got Sex/Life – canceled after season 2. It seems like the writers couldn't quite keep the spark alive for another round. 🔥😴 Oh, and before I wrap this up, shoutout to Ginny & Georgia for scoring renewals like they're getting free samples at a Costco. Two more seasons? These guys are binge-watching their own lives! 🍿📚 And finally, in the cozy corner, we've got Virgin River – renewed for Season 6. I guess they're gonna keep milking that small-town drama like it's a cow with a golden udder. 🐄💰 So there you have it, folks! A wild Netflix ride with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster made of spaghetti. 🍝🎢 Buckle up, cancel buttons and renewals are at the ready, and remember – if you can't handle the heat, just binge-watch another show! 📺# Netflix's Show Rollercoaster 🎬🎢 So, I stumbled upon this Netflix show list like I was raiding the back of the fridge for leftover pizza. And let me tell you, it's like a TV series soap opera on steroids, but with more cancellations and renewals than a cat's indecisiveness when faced with an open door. First up, we've got a show named "1899." And guess what? It got canceled faster than a squirrel on an espresso binge after just one season. Talk about a historical speed run! 🏃‍♂️💨 Then there's "Big Mouth." It's apparently ending with season 8. They must've realized that puberty jokes have an expiration date, and it's about time to let those animated hormones rest in peace. 🙅‍♂️🤦‍♀️ Now, let's dive into the world of Bling Empire. Brace yourselves, because this show got canceled after season 2. I guess the empire wasn't as blingy as they thought, and someone had to pawn off the reality TV tiaras. 👑💍 Hold on tight, folks, because we've got a spin-off – Bling Empire: New York! And guess what? It hit the chopping block after just one season. New York can be ruthless, but canceling a show that fast? That's a new level of speed dating. 💔🗽 But fear not, because "Buying Beverly Hills" is coming back for round two! Apparently, Beverly Hills is still in vogue, and these buyers just can't resist the allure of multi-million dollar homes and mandatory drama. 🏠🤑 Cobra Kai fans, rejoice! The show is getting renewed for a sixth and final season. You know what they say, "Wax on, wax off, and end with a bang." Time to savor those last karate kicks! 🥋💥 And oh, Elite, you're like the Energizer Bunny of Netflix. Renewed for season 8? Seriously, by that point, these high schoolers will probably have more drama than a Kardashian family reunion. 🎭🎉 Then we have Fubar... renewed for season 2! I guess they figured out how to keep the party going. Somebody pass me a glittery confetti cannon, stat! 🎉✨ But hold your horses because Freeridge got the boot after just one season. It's like Netflix's version of a one-hit-wonder – here today, canceled tomorrow. 🎵👋 Now, Inside Job took the exit after season 2. I guess the secret conspiracies couldn't keep up with the real-life ones. Maybe they should've asked Siri for some tips on staying relevant. 🤖💼 Lockwood & Co.? Canceled after season 1. I bet even the locksmiths couldn't figure out how to unlock a second season for this one. 🔒🔑 And remember Mindhunter? Yeah, it got canceled after season 2. The minds behind that show must've had a tough time profiling Netflix's cancel-happy tendencies. 🕵️‍♂️🚫 Mo is coming back for a second and final season. Mo, you better make this one count – the grand finale needs to be more epic than a roller coaster drop! 🎢🎤 Night Agent got the green light for season 2. Guess they'll continue moonlighting as secret agents and keeping us hooked on their late-night shenanigans. 🌙🕶️ Oh, and speaking of riding the wave, Outer Banks is back for season 4. These teenagers are probably on their way to discovering the lost city of Atlantis by now. 🌊🏝️ Perfect Match found its match – a renewal for season 2! I guess true love really does conquer all, including Netflix's ax of cancellation. 💘📺 Physical 100 got pumped up for a second season. These fitness buffs must be sweating more from the suspense of renewal than from their actual workouts. 💪😅 Selling the OC is selling like hotcakes with not one but two renewals! Orange County real estate drama? Sign me up for a prime beachfront seat! 🏖️🏠 Sweet Tooth is satisfying our cravings with a third and final season. Maybe they'll reveal the secret recipe for hybrid human-deer snacks. 🦌🍫 Can you believe they're giving us more of That ‘90s Show? Apparently, nostalgia is like the gift that keeps on giving, even if it's in the form of old flannel shirts and dial-up internet. 🕰️📟 The Diplomat is getting diplomatic with a renewal for season 2. Maybe they'll broker world peace in between plot twists. 🌍🕊️ And don't even get me started on The Mole. It's back for season 2, which means there's a whole new season of trying to spot that sneaky saboteur. 🔍🕵️ The Recruit got recruited for a second season. It's like a reality TV boot camp that just can't stop enlisting more contestants for the drama battlefield. 🏕️🎖️ Too Hot to Handle is heating things up for a fifth season. Seriously, these contestants need a lesson in emotional regulation more than a reality dating show. 🔥❌💑 Uncoupled got uncoupled from Netflix after just one season. That's faster than my WiFi disconnecting during a video call. 📶👫 And finally, Wednesday is giving us more of her spooky charm in season 2. It's like the Addams Family meets Netflix's addiction to renewals. 👻🖤 You thought it was over? Nope! It's renewed for a fifth and final season. This stalker might finally get the closure they've been... well, stalking. 🕵️‍♂️🔍 And last but not least, we've got Sex/Life – canceled after season 2. It seems like the writers couldn't quite keep the spark alive for another round. 🔥😴 Oh, and before I wrap this up, shoutout to Ginny & Georgia for scoring renewals like they're getting free samples at a Costco. Two more seasons? These guys are binge-watching their own lives! 🍿📚 And finally, in the cozy corner, we've got Virgin River – renewed for Season 6. I guess they're gonna keep milking that small-town drama like it's a cow with a golden udder. 🐄💰 So there you have it, folks! A wild Netflix ride with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster made of spaghetti. 🍝🎢 Buckle up, cancel buttons and renewals are at the ready, and remember – if you can't handle the heat, just binge-watch another show! 📺 Read the full article

0 notes