#what do you mean that was only in the recording bloopers

[waterfire1848]

ATLA AU where everything is the same, but now there's a live studio audience.

Hello, @wingchunwaterbender !!!!

A live studio audience means that there is no room for bloopers but they happen all the time. It is far from uncommon for the Gaang to go through some kind of blooper but just keep going because they have a live audience. Everyone has their own favorite bloopers and missteps or favorite moments that they had to pull off in record time. For Aang, his personal favorite moment was whenever they had Appa on screen. Not only was Appa an amazing co-star but he played his part better than some of the human actors. However, it was always iffy about whether he would actually do his part or not. One time, Aang got on Appa and he bucked him off and the group had to pretend that it was all part of the episode (also his favorite blooper because afterwards Appa licked his face to say sorry). Aang almost broke his arm but he still says working with Appa was one of the best parts of being on the show.

Katara's personal favorite blooper occurred during the Waterbending Scroll episode. It takes a lot for the fire effect to go off without a single issue but during that episode they were having so much trouble with Zuko's firebending effect. During the scene where Katara was tied up and Zuko threatened to burn the scroll, he almost did but it was saved thanks to a quick waterbending effect. Katara played it off like she had done it to try and attack Zuko and the episode went on as normal. She still brings it up though whenever she can. (Katara: We would have had the shortest episode of all time. Zuko: I didn't mean to almost burn the scroll. Sokka: Imagine you did. The episode would have been wrapped up a lot sooner! Katara: Azula would have never let you heart the end of it. Zuko: Now that’s definitely true). Her favorite thing to do on set is the waterbending effect because not only does it have to be timed perfectly with a live audience watching but she also feels like the coolest person alive when she’s able to “control” water.

Sokka’s favorite blooper happened during the DOBS episode. During the scene where he climbs up the rocks and Azula is supposed to fly over him and through the hole in the rock wall, she accidentally slammed face first into him. Aang, Toph and the Dai Li agents had to have a random fight while medical appeared behind the rock wall to make sure everyone was okay. Sokka had to wear makeup to cover some bruises and Azula’s injuries were covered by her clothes but it’s still Sokka’s favorite blooper because of how funny it is in hindsight. (Azula: I wouldn’t call almost broken bones funny. Sokka: But we didn’t break our bones which makes it hilarious). His favorite thing on set is having a live audience because now he has a group of people laughing at his jokes and who find him hilarious. Every joke he says, they laugh at. (Katara: You know they’re contractually obligated to laugh, right? Sokka: Don’t take this away from me.)

Toph’s favorite moment on set was the entire Ba Sing Se arc. Mostly because she loved how much set they got for those episodes and how much space they had to move around. Whenever people try to ask if she liked it because of the mystery of the city or the intensity of the episodes, she just shrugs and says “No. It was because we got a much better set. What? The blind girl can’t love the sets?”. Her favorite blooper is with her contacts. Toph is blind but wears contacts to make her eyes gray and make it clear to the audience that she is blind. One time, while doing a fight with Katara, one of the contacts came out when the water hit her in the face. No one noticed and Toph had to spend the rest of the scene looking away from the live audience despite her co-stars trying to get her to turn back towards them. (Toph: I wanted to scream out “My eye! My eye!” But the producers told me I couldn’t because it would ‘in sight panic and get medical on set and violate my contract’ so I had to play the scene as straight as I could).

(Combining Zuko and Azula). Zuko’s favorite blooper is also Azula’s favorite blooper oddly enough. When they do the volleyball scene in the Beach episode, they had to be careful to get all the moves down right. It almost went perfect but after Azula kicked the volleyball and caused the small fire she missed her mark of where she was supposed to land so Zuko had to catch her and prevent her from smashing into the stage. They played it off like it was the most normal thing. (Azula: He never lets me forget it. Zuko: And I never will). Azula’s favorite thing on set is her wardrobe. Because it’s a live audience changing consumes is very hard and Azula lives for the challenge. She desperately wanted to go back to her regular Fire Nation clothes in the final battle in BSS but they refused because no one thought Azula could get changed in that amount of time. Azula almost did it anyway but was kept from it because one of the Dai Li actors blocked her from getting her costume. (Sokka: That’s why? Azula: Yes. If he had just moved I would have had enough time to change clothes. Sokka:…..Azula always lies.). Zuko doesn’t really have a favorite thing on set but he is a big fan of not having to wear his bald cap anymore. (Sokka: You and every audience member, buddy).

[forabeatofadrum]

Hello, hello, hello and happy Sunday. Thank you @aroace-genderfluid-sheep, @confused-bi-queer, @bookish-bogwitch, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe and @coffeegleek for the tags.

Today, posting period for the Klaine Back-to-School challenge has started, but I am still stuck on the ending. Am I the only one who, like, tries to daydream fic scenario's first, just to see how it goes? The daydream unfortunately ends at Blaine taking Kurt to meet [REDACTED]. What happens next??? TELL ME, DREAMS!!

As the banner suggests, I am still finding my feet in this new podcast world. I figuratively threw out my old recordings and I rerecorded everything as a .wav file in an app recommended by @cutestkilla. I am going for the "keep your fuck ups in the recording and edit them out later" approach, since that does sound easier. @thnxforknowingme did offer to help with Audacity if I need it. And I will need it. I spent a long, long time getting these 25 seconds for this post:

(Oh, and yeah, I did claim the other fic. I am on a roll.)

Right, getting that little audio snippet was hell because I even had troubles with using the copy and paste options and then I had troubles saving it as a file. It also cut off a small part, cause the audio is supposed to end with "blooper reel or whatever", but that's mainly because I had to edit this... without sound on. Apparently Audacity doesn't like earphones and it just plays from my laptop speakers which is not fun in public, so I had to time it from the full audio and hope for the best. Well, it almost worked.

This will be a learning curve, or whatever it's called. But I said it before: I like how welcoming @caught-on-tape-fest is, because it is open to people with all sorts of experiences with podfics. I mean, I have none. Same with editing. I can make it as easy and comfortable as I want it to be. I see people in the Podfic thread talk about things that mean nothing to me, but I don't feel any pressure to do any editing magic. Well, I do want to add a kitten meowing to one of the files, but all the stuff about isolating sound or reverbing stuff or whatever (idek if I use the right terms here) or editing out certain sounds.... that is next level for me now, but yeah, it's great that I don't feel any pressure to do those things and that's an easy way to get into the podficcing world.

Although, while editing the file to get that snippet, I found out that there is a weird disruptive background noise in the later half of the file and I do not know what it is or how it got there, because my other files don't have it and I recorded the three fics in one go. Weird. Might redo it, if I don't figure out how to fix it. It was around 500 words, after all.

And now, the weather: @quizasvivamos @blurglesmurfklaine @esperantoauthor @otherworldsivelivedin @caramelcoffeeaddict @sillyunicorn @bazzybelle @dragoneggos @raenestee @tectonicduck @nightimedreamersworld @urban-sith @thnxforknowingme @captain-aralias @justgleekout @cerriddwenluna @tea-brigade @ivelovedhimthroughworse @moodandmist @whogaveyoupermission @ionlydrinkhotwater @1908jmd @special-bc-ur-part-of-it @larkral @chen-chen-chen-again-chen ​ @cutestkilla ​ @nausikaaa ​/@wellbelesbian ​ @artsyunderstudy ​ @martsonmars ​ @facewithoutheart ​ @shrekgogurt @boyinjeans @rockitmans @bitbybitwrites @blackberrysummerblog @whatevertheweather

[peacefulmultishipper]

To the strange people who say that Hbomber’s RWBY video is “damaging” and begging someone else to make a counter/response video to it.

Let me post a copy of what I wrote on Reddit when this came up over there with a few corrections.

——————————————————————————-

If they view the Hbomberguy video as “damaging” and are begging someone else to make a counter video to it then why doesn’t the user make it themselves, They probably don’t understand how long would likely take to make a video of that size that also has to be have a roughly three hours longs or how much effort goes into videos like that.

I’m shaking a the mere thought of all the resources from the Volume commentaries that can only be found on the DVD versions, possibly thousands of QnA interviews, informative tweets from CRWBY that are likely buried under more useless tweets if you don’t know what you are looking for, reading through books to see if there’s any information that be used for the video, rewatching Hbomber’s original video for your counter arguments against his along making notes of the time codes of when they were brought in his video that you need put into yours so view can double check the original video to make sure you actually did get the full context for point just to see you’re lying and trying to make Hbomer look bad which a massive no no for response videos, writing a script with your possible team, recording your lines that will likely leave to some bloopers and possibly losing the files that you have to redo if you accidentally forgot to save or an unexpected crash/freeze on your computer, having a good mic quality that you’ll likely need an very expensive one with a pop filters unless you’re fine to settle for a Snowball, a good editing software along with a few other apps/programs to make some possible effects, audio and of course your eye catching with a little bit of clickbait thumbnail, if you don’t have a team or even just a paid editor - having to edit all that for likely months or even years on your own while also changing and editing the script when you notice a mistake or wanting to add something on there to help support your points or even a new point that you could use which make the process even longer…just to make response/ “Why RWBY is good” video and upload it to the internet that you have no idea if it will do well or if many will even see specially if it’s posted on a the channel is not popular and only has a few subscribers…Your hard effort may never even be rewarded and will feel like it all went down the drain.

I’m not saying this to discourage others, just pointing out most of the process of a project of that size. if someone genuinely wants to tackle that video then by all means I can’t stop you, just know what you are in for.

Ummm….anyway I think the most damaging thing about the show is RoosterTeeth/CRWBY themselves besides the animators and editors but that’s just me.

[truetalesteam]

4 and 6?

4 - Who is a character that took you by surprise? Gosh, there are a lot of these actually. Our writing process (which is insane, we all meet weekly to hot-write into the same document) means that we frequently surprise one another, but let's focus on two of the main cast just for this response. Jackie and Dal both took us by surprise in different ways. When we were writing the very first episode of True Tales, we got to the end of the second or third draft and realized that there was something missing. We had Beck, Ishmael and Jackie running around in there, but there was some tension that we sorely needed. We were all working in Eric's apartment, and one of us - I think Kate? - said "What Beck needs is a foil" and Eric sprung up and came back holding Joseph Campbells Hero With A Thousand Faces, proclaiming "Of course! The shadow-self!" We worked out Dal there as Beck's opposite - violent, cynical, impatient - and all of a sudden we had this wonderful back and forth to play with. Jackie on the other hand was present in the scripts from the very first brainstorming session, but it wasn't until after season 1 was all written that we really locked into what her character was about, because that's when we had to cast her. We went through a number of auditions and found that the writing team all had different ideas of what Jackie's voice should sound like - was she clueless, was she bold, was she this or that - and when we had to pick someone, our two finalists had totally different energies. We had a long, intense conversation to figure out what exactly we all wanted from the character, and ended up finally finding the character there, with Julie Snyder's interpretation finally cementing just who this person was in our minds. Julie brings so much to the character that from there forward we wrote for her. Also for season 3, Denis Diderot surprised us - but that's not out yet and will have to wait for later. 6-If you are a voice actor or audio editor, what is your favorite blooper moment? So I do the dialogue edits for true tales, but also I act as director for when we record, which we do live at a local soundstage. There are a lot of bloopers which don't even make it to the booth, but I think my favorites are Jackie's songs. We write into each season now a little song for Jackie to sing, which we usually only write maybe a line of, and then in the script just say "Julie sings a little song", and let Julie just fucking run with it. Every time she comes up with the weirdest, funniest things to sing, and every take is different. She truly is a gem.

[the-empress-7]

So I’ve been digging through a blog on here, @valentinoqueen - it’s a bit of a mess and crazy, obviously not just a royal blog but also fanfics so must be a teen or something 🤣

But they’ve got impeccable records and reblogs from 2021 backwards on the Harkles.

Here’s some links I found before tumblr threw me out

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/the-bully-who-had-her-young-female-employees-in/ypvpyrg42ryd

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/boob-job-alert-it-could-just-be-the-baby/y6ybxjukdtdb

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/not-to-be-that-person-but-does-anyone-really-care/80g7withilmv

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/deniseandthefandoms-duchessofostergotlands-she/9kcxq1kfzc5o

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-think-the-window-for-lil-d-is-now-closed-i/ewbhd1rv7hda

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/future-smackdowns-list-additions-bullying/s93jrn31jr7u

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/the-royal-foundations-financial-report-pg-14/5g6cyy6mj3vq

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/meghan-thought-nottingham-cottage-wasnt-good/t7adowm3gpx9

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/omg-youre-so-right-about-the-blooper-reel/8a9cce5evqd5

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-still-cant-tell-what-the-eff-she-is-wearing-i/4cwkdwvxxhnv

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-dont-think-rose-flirting-with-harry-is-truth/lghwxyyajcuy

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/sassyfrassboss-the-empress-7-march-7th-2021/v042elmset28

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/the-empress-7/p32fyvwpr7ui

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/rumors-going-around-that-sunshine-sachs-is/swq2ee9hi5t9

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/their-separationdivorce-isnt-coming-anytime/ntylfn53hxlb

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/the-walk-in-the-woods-was-an-exact-recreation-of/cqhlonmut08v

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/it-amuses-me-when-their-sugars-go-on-and-on-about/konafqsr8noa

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-remember-in-that-orpah-interview-where-meghan/qm725xaoudwm

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/harry-and-meghan-are-going-to-solve-afghanistan/z0besydab4ys

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/662510339074719744/mt0l86cnm7oe

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-mean-when-you-hit-40-years-old-and-apparently/54xf8qwt5pzw

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/but-theyve-never-stood-up-for-her-ever-yep/3vf4sra2t0jh

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/he-is-100-the-reason-there-were-no-uniforms-at/pj03k1iulai6

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/jh-is-exactly-like-my-narcissistic-parents/wariibwbiq2m

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/hi-cc-so-this-was-posted-to-instagram-apparently/t9znklezxggl

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/unless-its-harry-doing-the-im-a-prince-my/w1l7x2nb7zll

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/she-cant-even-cry-authentically-or-at-least-look/jf3xdm6szt5y

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/hi-empress-ive-been-sitting-on-this-all-day-but/c4y5728ccvl0

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/hi-empress-is-this-the-only-tea-that-wimbledon/cxx88okljmfn

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/663207072407715840/ah3lh49qdiv5

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/wimbledon-anon-here-i-had-a-meeting-if-i-may/04e0vdfhwp7e

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/royals-have-lost-the-plot/0y5axf7u52ag

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-get-that-we-dont-like-mm-but-the-shes-fat-and/yzpos8qe7jy2

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/663251687471038464/wrwuy1o6b4ph

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/ive-heard-that-meghan-hates-aliz%25C3%25A9e-and-sees-her/v9ahrnd87sju

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/its-reassuring-to-read-and-hear-that-those-in-the/j9fw0vwn61vt

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/all-i-can-see-from-those-photos-is-she-can-not/2okybw7lkapp

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/so-what-is-this-documentary-going-to-be-about/bra54cdb3h0f

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/its-not-a-pack-of-cigarettes-in-hs-pocket-but-a/kwix0egr34m2

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/663420224303939584/ly2wd02csiho

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/hi-empress-im-not-sure-if-you-can-publish-this/rcrw2mse7f50

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/so-where-does-she-go-from-here-well-shes/i55xlbvll4rd

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/the-teachers-are-the-school-they-visited-in/becomjs9s2gx

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/the-reason-michelle-obama-or-beyonce-get-broad/awj1bxvveiez

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/meghan-is-stuck-in-the-90s-we-existed-in-a-time/6s81jydtfx20

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/she-wore-extremely-expensive-designer-clothes-but/ectczwiwk57c

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/regarding-mm-removing-her-jewelry-in-poor/kuk3mko0j9w6

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/so-every-time-she-is-in-predominantly-black/53171hl7ak2q

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/wait-a-minute-did-she-really-remove-her-pinky/tdjur7ahr1qo

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-worked-in-dc-in-the-2000s-angelina-was/2fz7afslptv3

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/perez-hilton-is-focusing-on-the-hypocrisy-of-the/c2uc4rhcw0a7

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/richard-palmer-continues-dealing-with-sugars/c5q2d8ms79og

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/imo-meghan-she-does-not-have-positive-views-of/qphvep4cwr6y

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/empress-did-you-notice-that-meghan-didnt-wear/jb41gsddtzfz

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/hold-on-a-minute-is-catherine-wearing-her/jbiqhi77jjpt

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/663687876666703872/lnm4s0znd8bi

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/when-do-you-think-well-see-lilibets-photo/3ymu8croeno8

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-sincerely-want-to-understand-how-people-think/804lnyieq4hu

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/katie-couric-her-new-book-she-recalled-that-the/2pzyp7x4hglj

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/katie-couric-is-out-here-really-confirming-harry/9wg00n8bfmo8

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/uuuweee-just-wait-for-the-netflix-show-the/n3gefe09bot8

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-have-a-crazy-idea-i-think-harkles-had-vaguely/smvrbhm99qcl

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/have-you-seen-what-katie-couric-is-saying-about/6duy8ndglurs

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/oh-that-will-be-against-harry-her-drunk-of-a/661kcfhv8faw

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/netflix-is-their-last-hope-and-even-then-comments/et53cjccmhu6

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/this-is-the-first-time-that-i-seriously-feel/9vkueusr09e4

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/it-should-be-harrys-problem-but-he-isnt-capable/qw8f8w6ui1n2

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/forget-about-ff-and-angry-camera-videos-she-has-on/gfzvfrp6xg5i

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/i-truly-think-one-of-the-most-nonsensical-thing/ik4x1biv31dk

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/the-world-knows-that-m-wants-money-for-the/9ipm1umtj29x

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/megan-wearing-thousands-of-dollars-worth-of/glurvlvn56br

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/this-is-how-desperate-he-is-he-is-spending-all/wt2ql1heombp

https://at.tumblr.com/valentinoqueen/the-fact-more-than-one-official-hash-tagged-in/p1k02u7ye4lw

Thank you for finding these. Odd but helpful in hindsight.

[rosemariad]

SPN Season 8

Dean & Cas ended up in purgatory 😨

But Cas had disappeared just before the end of the S7 finale, so its going to be interesting to see where he went. Dean, meanwhile is totally fucked up, which makes sense cuz he was stuck in purgatory for a year. To me, he's become more militant than ever, like his father was after John lost Mary. Doubt John would have worked with a vampire but it seems like new ally Benny was Dean's only way out of there so 🤷

Interesting that Dean said purgatory was pure to him. I guess it was basically simplifying his life down to fighting monsters and having someone at his side to help him through. Also I interpreted it as he was so far removed from normal life, for conventional norms and societal expectations. The rules were different in purgatory, which was basically to survive, no matter what, which Dean managed to do the whole time he was there. So anything else he did, didn't really matter, because everything/everyone else around him was a monster, supernatural creatures, who don't care about anything humans do. In a way, you could say Dean was free to be whoever he wanted to be, just you know in a place full of ravenous beasts.

Sam buddy, how could you neglect Kevin like that, smh 🙄, he was counting on you. Did his new ex-girlfriend die by the way? Cuz considering Sam's track record, my money's on dead.

When they were interrogating the prisoner and Dean flashbacked to his time in purgatory interrogating a monster, yikes. Yup, Dean is definitely fucked up. I mean more so than before.

Kevin's mom may be a tiger mom, but she is a total badass 😎

We finally see Cas again, it was cute seeing Dean hug Cas after finding him again. It made sense that Cas would be on the run to protect Dean, but it would be nicer to see them survive together. Maybe we'll see that in the next couple of episodes?

Garth came back! It was nice to see him again. I guess his Bobbyisms (that's what I'm calling it) were his way to honor Bobby since he's dead 😔 RIP Bobby.

Dean yelled at him :/ not cool Dean, but Garth stood up to him, good on you Garth!

Cas returned to the world finally. But I agree him just showing up again out of nowhere is hella shady, but of course heaven is behind it. We meet Naomi, who seems controlling and manipulative like all the other heavenly beings on the show, so greaaat!

Poor Samandriel 😔

Cas is still taking things so literally, its hilarious!

Cas wants to be a hunter like the Winchesters. But they were so mean to him, being all condescending like yeah we get it Cas is an odd fellow who doesn’t know how interact with humans or understand their behavior as only fellow humans do. The cartoon stuff was interesting, something new and funny.

Benny's a great grandpa? Are we just going to ignore that? Dean you think you slick not telling the vampire you hit on his descendant? That storyline had a tragic end, doubt we'll be seeing his great granddaughter again…

Sam and his overarching story with this latest girlfriend of his - I'm just waiting for the part where she dies - again nothing personal that’s just what I’ve come to expect. That was cold of Dean to make Sam think Amelia was in danger. Like dude the what the hell. If it had been Dean, worse shit would have popped off.

😭 Samandriel is still getting tortured, so again I say, poor Samandriel and then he gets killed by Cas who was getting mini flashbacks of being tortured himself by Naomi. Poor little angel dudes 🥺

The LARP episode! I was looking forward to this one! I know about Dean's actor falling in the blooper reel, they made it into a whole thing in the conventions around the time… 😂

Charlie’s back, and as the queen of the LARPing stuff. Cool! But she got her chances of getting with a fairy ruined by the Winchesters, of course!

When Charlie and Dean mentioned the same porn star by name 😂🤣🤣

That little Braveheart scene at the end was so corny 🤣

It was interesting and somewhat ironic that Sam and Dean meet their grandpa who they never knew of, since their dad lost contact with him when he was really young, and that he was part of this (club?) group called the Men of Letters who are apparently this organization with books on supernatural creatures, spells, etc. their grandpa had no respect for regular hunters 🤣🤣🤣🤣

RIP Grandpa Winchester. And we have a new villain – Abbadon

Kevin you poor bastard, all isolated and run ragged from your duties as a prophet. He really got a raw deal when Castiel plucked him into this shit.

Sarah noooooooo RIP 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

And Castiel, honey you should know better. I mean the minute that bitch ass Metatron was talking about trials and what has to be done, I knew he was playing you. Honey no!!!! 😔🤦🏾‍♀️

One last thing - y’all thought I’d forget didn’t you. I could never!!!

Dean buddy - wtf is up this season.

First you stay a whole ass year for an angel you were previously mad at.

You had some sort of intense relationship (I’m not even sure what to call it) with benny the vamp (I felt like there was so much more unseen)

A guy flirts with you when you’re acting as an FBI agent, and it flusters you completely, referring to it henceforth as ‘your gay thing’ in tones that make it seem commonplace. Is it commonplace, Dean? Cuz Sam wasn’t the only one who did a double-take

When Castiel beats you and has you on your knees, you beg him telling him you need him. OML!

You get all sad when Naomi says you’re expecting Cas to return to you UGH!

Seriously WTF Dean?!?!?!?!

[the-rewatch-rewind]

A day late and a little scratchy but we got there.

Script below the break

Hello and welcome back to The Rewatch Rewind! My name is Jane, and this is the podcast in which I count down my top 40 most frequently rewatched movies in 20 years. If you’re a regular listener, you may have noticed that this week’s episode is a day later than usual, and that’s partly because as you can probably tell I’m a bit sick, so I was trying to wait until my voice sounded better to record, and partly because it felt appropriate to release this episode on a Friday instead of the usual Thursday. So welcome to my late and somewhat scratchy-voiced discussion of number 24 on my list: Disney’s 2003 fantasy comedy Freaky Friday, directed by Mark Waters, written by Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon based on the novel by Mary Rodgers, and starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan.

Teenaged musician Anna Coleman (Lindsay Lohan) and her widowed therapist mother Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) seem to be in constant conflict, fueled partly by their generation gap and partly by Anna’s reluctance to accept Tess’s relationship with her fiancé Ryan (Mark Harmon). Anna’s band is offered an audition that conflicts with Tess and Ryan’s rehearsal dinner, which leads to a heated argument between Anna and Tess at a Chinese restaurant. Overhearing this, the restaurant proprietor’s mother (Lucille Soong) gives them fortune cookies with identical fortunes, causing an earthquake that only the two of them can feel. When they wake up the following morning, Anna and Tess have switched bodies. In trying to live each other’s lives, each finally begins to understand the other.

I feel like I might have seen this movie in theaters, but I don’t actually remember. I do know that it was one of the first DVDs my family got, and I have lots of memories of playing around with the interactive menu and watching the bloopers over and over. I saw the movie once in 2003, so that may have been in a theater, then four times in 2004 and three times in 2005, back when we didn’t own many other DVDs. Then I saw it once each in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018, and 2019, and twice each in 2020 and 2022.

I’ve only seen the 1976 version of Freaky Friday once, and that was in 2006, so I don’t remember much about it. From what I do recall, it’s a very silly, broad comedy, which is not a bad thing by any means, but one of the main things that I particularly appreciate about the 2003 version is that despite its wacky premise, it feels grounded. The characters feel like real people. Even the body-switching is almost believable. And that is almost entirely due to the phenomenal acting by the two main stars. Lindsay Lohan had already demonstrated her ability to play multiple characters in the same movie five years earlier in The Parent Trap (which unfortunately just barely missed my top 40 with 14 rewatches while I was keeping track), and she is thoroughly convincing as both a teenager and her mother here. Jamie Lee Curtis got arguably the more fun role and absolutely nailed it in every possible way, which is extraordinarily impressive given that she was only cast a few days before filming started. Originally the part was offered to Jodie Foster, who had played the daughter in the 1976 version, which she declined because she didn’t want stunt casting to become the main focus of the film. So Annette Bening was cast, but dropped out at basically the last minute and was replaced by Curtis, who proceeded to give one of my favorite performances of all time. She is the perfect blend of fun and serious, entirely believable as both Tess and Anna in Tess’s body. Neither Lohan nor Curtis seems to be trying to do an impression of the other, which potentially could have made the swap even more believable, but personally I’m glad they didn’t get hung up on trying to mimic each other’s mannerisms and instead focused on capturing the attitude of each other’s character. The movie isn’t about how Jamie Lee Curtis would act in Lindsay Lohan’s body or vice versa. It’s about people who are exasperated with each other learning that the other’s life is more complicated and difficult than they realized. And that could not have possibly been more perfectly portrayed.

While this movie is a comedy and has many very funny moments, the climax always makes me cry. After all their fighting and misunderstandings, it is so satisfying and beautiful to see Tess and Anna finally learn to feel and display the selfless love required to change them back. The series of beautiful moments starts when Anna’s friends show up at the rehearsal dinner to take Anna to their audition. Anna in Tess’s body explains the situation to Ryan, commenting that she knows he doesn’t care because Anna’s just some kid in a stupid rock band, and then Mark Harmon, who has spent most of the movie being politely confused, gets his big moment, when Ryan tells Anna (who is of course really Tess) to go to the audition, and then goes off on Tess (who is really Anna), saying he doesn’t intend to be an uncaring step-father, he very much does care about Tess’s children and wants to be part of their family, and encouraging Tess to go watch Anna’s audition. Jamie Lee Curtis perfectly conveys Anna’s realization that she has underestimated Ryan before rushing off to the concert, where she is desperately needed because Tess has no idea how to perform in a band. Side note: it would have been completely understandable for this teenage band to just be okay, but they are legitimately awesome, and their song slaps so much harder than it needed to for the purposes of this movie and I absolutely love that. Anyway, when they start to perform, Anna sees that Tess is petrified and makes her way backstage, reassures her mom that she just needs to fake it, and then Anna in Tess’s body plays her epic guitar solo offstage. That shot of Lindsay Lohan’s face when the solo starts and she turns in shock still gives me chills. That “Holy moly, my daughter is super talented, how did I not realize that until now?” look. Ugh, it’s so good. And then when the band finishes slaying, they both return to the rehearsal dinner, and Tess tells Anna to explain to Ryan that they need to postpone the wedding. Instead, Anna starts a toast about how even though she still misses her dad, she’s willing to welcome Ryan into their family because of how happy he makes her mom, and it’s in the middle of this that another earthquake hits and they switch back, and I just cannot even begin to explain how perfect it is. And of course, the only reason this pays off so well is because of how meticulously and realistically their relationship and individual objectives have been set up throughout the movie. We know that Anna cares about her music while Tess merely tolerates it, and we know that Tess is in love with Ryan while Anna only reluctantly accepts that he’s going to marry her mom. And seeing these two people who are so focused on their own objectives finally understand and acknowledge that the other’s are equally important is so thrilling to me because I desperately wish things like that would happen more in real life.

I admit to often finding it difficult to understand other people’s perspectives and motivations, no matter how much I want to. And in some ways this movie doesn’t really help because it implies that the only way to overcome that barrier is to literally switch bodies with someone else, which as far as I know is impossible. But I think that at least in Tess and Anna’s case, they could have reached a similar understanding without the magic if they’d just listened to each other. Early in the movie, Tess thinks Anna is being ridiculous when she says that certain people are out to get her, like her former best friend Stacey Hinkhouse (played by Julie Gonzalo) and her English teacher Mr. Bates (played by Stephen Tobolowsky, and apparently named in reference to the character who killed Jamie Lee Curtis’s mother Janet Leigh’s character in the movie Psycho). But once Tess attends school as Anna she learns that Stacey really is very mean to Anna, for no apparent reason, and that Mr. Bates really is grading her unfairly because he’s still bitter that Tess wouldn’t go to their high school prom with him. If Tess had taken Anna seriously to begin with, she wouldn’t have needed to literally live her life to learn that. So that’s the lesson I’ve tried to take from Freaky Friday: listen to people, give them the benefit of the doubt, and bear in mind that their lives are probably more difficult and complicated than they appear to you.

Surprisingly, an aspect of this movie that I think works remarkably well is the romance. This is unexpected both because of how much time I spend complaining that there is too much romance in movies in general, and because in this particular movie the two main characters aren’t who their love interests think they are for most of the story. Anna has a crush on Jake (played by Chad Michael Murray), but they’ve never spoken until the day before the switch. They have one kind of cute conversation that is interrupted by Mr. Bates, and then the next time they meet, Anna is Tess. Jake doesn’t like this version of Anna, but he runs into the real Anna (in Tess’s body) at the coffee shop where he works, and they have a great conversation about music. As someone who does not experience sexual or romantic attraction but does understand compatibility, watching people bond over shared music taste makes way more sense to me than watching people make out. This is a type of romance I can wrap my head around. Maybe it should seem a bit creepy for a middle-aged adult and a teenager to be flirting with each other, but the audience so thoroughly believes that Jamie Lee Curtis is Anna that it doesn’t come across as weird at all. Later, when Tess as Anna kisses Jake to try to get him to leave the person he believes is Tess alone, he says, “You’re beautiful, but you’re not her,” and it is so wonderful to see this deviation from the stereotype that teenaged boys just want to sleep with every girl they can get. Jake really likes Anna for who she is, and that makes so much more sense to me than something like Anna’s initial crush on Jake before they’ve even met. My brain needs there to be a reason why people like each other beyond “they’re attractive,” and “we have the exact same taste in music” fits that. So I support Anna and Jake’s romance, and I hope they’re happy together. And of course, I already mentioned that I love when Ryan makes it clear that he’s marrying Tess not only because he wants to be with her, but also because he wants to be part of her children’s lives. Given Disney’s typically negative portrayal of step-parents, this is huge. Ryan recognizes that this is a difficult situation for Anna and her brother Harry, and he’s doing his best to make the transition easier for them, and it’s so nice to see that. I feel like I can easily picture what Tess and Ryan’s life together will look like, which is more than I can say about a lot of couples who get married at the end of movies. I realize that romantic films are intended to be about the wooing and falling in love parts, but often I find it hard to believe that romantic leads will actually have a functional relationship going forward, so I appreciate that this movie doesn’t have that problem.

And of course I also appreciate that this movie heavily focuses on non-romantic relationships in the midst of romance. The main relationship is between Tess and Anna, but there are several side relationships that mirror this, including the conflicts between Pei-Pei (Rosalind Chao) and her mom (Lucille Soong) and between Anna’s brother Harry (Ryan Malgarini) and their grandpa (Harold Gould). I wish Pei-Pei and her mom were better developed characters, and the one aspect of this movie that doesn’t quite sit well with me is the whole fortune cookie thing. I appreciate that the filmmakers were trying to find a creative mechanism to initiate the switch, and maybe it would have worked better if the rest of the cast was more diverse, but something about the only Asian characters in the movie having mystical powers feels uncomfortably close to racist stereotypes of “exotic foreigners”. So I wish that had been portrayed differently. But I do like that there’s a mother-daughter conflict between Pei-Pei and her mom about how or whether to resolve the mother-daughter conflict between Tess and Anna. Pei-Pei wants her mom to stay out of it, but her mom can’t seem to help herself. Meanwhile, Harry and his grandpa are constantly teasing and misunderstanding each other throughout the movie, so at the wedding at the end, Pei-Pei’s mom offers them cookies. Three different endings of the movie were shot, two of which imply that Grandpa and Harry are about to switch bodies, but the one that made it to the final cut has Pei-Pei tackling them and successfully retrieving the unopened cookies before they have a chance to wreak more havoc. I hope this means that Harry and Grandpa (and for that matter Pei-Pei and her mother) will find a way to resolve their differences without magic.

The fact that a movie with this ridiculous of a premise manages to have characters that feel real enough that I care what happens to them after the events of the film is exactly what I love about it. If you’re a frequent listener of this podcast, you may have noticed that a lot of my favorite movies are based on ideas that don’t sound like they should work, but somehow turn out much more enjoyable than they have any right to be. In Freaky Friday’s case, the incredible writing and acting turned what could have been a mildly entertaining but forgettable romp into a moving, powerful crash course in empathy that I cannot stop revisiting.

Thank you for listening to my analysis of another of my most frequently rewatched films. Next week I will be returning to obscure Old Hollywood to discuss another movie with a ridiculous premise, which coincidentally also involves an adult pretending to be a child, although under very different circumstances than Freaky Friday. So follow or subscribe to stay tuned for that, and as always I will leave you with a quote from that next movie: “You should be very glad I’m not 12. I was a very straightforward child. I used to spit.”

[iconicfitnessae]

From China to CrossFit: Alice Piccioni’s Evolution

At Iconic Fitness, we’re thrilled to share the story of a woman whose life is a testament to passion, discipline, and ongoing evolution. Alice Piccioni, formerly a standout Italian soccer player on a local team in China, has always led a life marked by activity and challenge. Her transition from the soccer fields to intense hybrid/functional training sessions was already impressive, but it was her encounter with CrossFit that marked the beginning of a new era in her life. Alice wasn’t just looking to stay active; she craved something that would challenge her strength, endurance, and heart in a completely new way.

What drives an athlete experienced in the dynamic worlds of soccer and functional training to the doors of CrossFit? The answer lies in a mix of curiosity, a desire for improvement, and the search for a community that shares her passion for the limits of human performance. Join us as we dive into Alice’s journey within the world of CrossFit, an adventure that not only redefines what it means to be an athlete but also showcases the power of community, resilience, and personal transformation.

Welcome to Day One

Have you ever heard that CrossFit is for everyone, but not everyone is for CrossFit? Well, in this case, it was love at first sight (on both sides). After living in China for 9 years, fate brought Alice to the doorstep of the gym because someone mentioned there was a place to train near her new home, and that’s how she found what today is her training home. Without a clear idea of what CrossFit entailed, she expected a “Beast Mode” ambiance with everyone doing their own thing, but oh, surprise! It was completely the opposite; she made good friends, and here she was the one to bring Beast Mode to the table.

Resilience Paying Off

Until a few months ago, Double Unders were more of a punishment than an exercise for Alice. However, in the past Open 2024, she was one of the athletes with the best performance in the entire gym, proving that doubles aren’t as hard as they seem. The same story goes for “Handstands”; the first time we tried was an afternoon that, had we recorded every failed attempt, we could have made a viral blooper video. However, she probably feels more comfortable upside down than standing normally now. These are simply two movements she probably never thought she’d do and are no longer a challenge, and the list goes on.

When we asked her what the difference is between this new stage and the programs she’s followed before, she said:

“Is quite social and friendly space which is the environment I was in before and I wanted to keep. But is well balanced with the coaches’ technique level and there’s that spark of competition sometimes that pushes you a little more. I like that there are many techniques to learn and that gives you something to look forward and improve.”

From the Gym Floor to the Competition Floor

The CrossFit Open would take place the following month with three weeks of different types of workouts to measure the level of fitness worldwide, and even knowing there would be movements that would make her suffer, she entered fearlessly and did an incredible job. Less than a year after starting to train, she knows what the thrill of competing and giving it your all is like. A thrill that, I must admit, for many can be a fear of losing… not for her.

Goals to Conquer

Toes to Bar are the next goal, and we’re on the way to working on it. By the end of 2024, let’s hope to look back at this exercise the same way we now view a Handstand or D.U.

To wrap up this segment, we asked Alice what advice she would give to someone who is starting or wants to start, and this is what she said:

“To go with an open mind and not be intimidated. You’ll always find more technically skilled and advanced people around in any gym, but that can be the benchmark instead of making you feel uncomfortable. Everyone started somewhere. No pressure, keep pushing :)”.

If you liked this article or know someone who might be interested in starting their own CrossFit journey, feel free to share it. And remember, at Iconic Fitness, we’re here to support you every step of the way on your path to a healthier, more active life! Click here now and let Iconic Fitness help you make your own evolutionary story.

[liopleurodean]

Season 8, Episode 8: Hunteri Heroici

I have friends there

Interesting

A heartbeat

Something's up

That's so weird

Poor girl

Man, I miss Dean's ring

Right

Wow

Houseboat. Nice

Cas.

Wait, so Angel Radio is real radio?

Interesting choice

Yeah

I'd go

Also, was that supposed to be a White Christmas reference?

That sounds like a great idea!

I love his smile at that 😂

THIRD WHEEL no Cas

Oh, Cas...

Yeah, it does

You've gotta take the road trips, too

Sorry, Cas

Thanks, Cas

Whoo, boy

Right

Cas is really helpful

It's great!

Dean!

Huh.

Detective work!

Really witchy

Don't be mean

Probably, but it's Sam, so

Cowboys? Really

Irregardless I can understand, but I've never gotten the moist thing

Sam Winchester!

Oh. He meant the dog

Yeah, well

Almost?

For a while

Sure

It really doesn't, but okay

Ouch

Cas, no

AS COLUMBO

CAS NO

Yeah

So they were friends?

Cas!

Interesting

That's just whack

Dean.

Nice cutoff, but what?

Don't do it, dude

What.

That's just sick!

Ooh, that sucks

Oh! It's a cartoon! With the heart thumping, and the whole look-down-gravity thing!

That's what I was thinking!

No, Cas...

Yup!

Oh. cas

Right...

Whatever floats your boat, Cas

YEAH IM FREEEEEEEEEEE FREE FALLIIIIIING

He doesn't sleep

That sounds awesome

Dean. Honey. please sleep more

Listen, if angel radio is on a frequency, then it makes sense that Cas can hear fm

CAS AS STITCH IN THE ONE RECORD SCENE

Loony Tunes!

Anvils.

It flips.

Portals?

Of course!

Ew

X marks the spot

Ten Commandments of Road Runner, Cas, come on!

Great question

A lot of weird scene cuts today

I'm looking at that laptop with all the ports in the side, and I'm envious because my new one is "streamlined" and "modern" and "only has room for one USB slot and doesn't support micro-SD"

That's true

Actually, bad idea

Ouch

Oh, Cas...

And the guilt

Oh, Cas..!

It's likely

Triangles

I'm sure they did

Nice

Animaniacs!

More leads

Duck season!

Cas needs more education

I kinda grew up around nursing homes, so I'm cool with it

Like. Bing Crosby? White Christmas Bing Crosby (that's the second time)

Fun!

Dean, when it comes to flirting, it's you I worry about

Nice

Wow!

Oof

We can tell

THE CAT

Tom and Jerry

A little

Sam can relate

Sounds like a Winchester meal

Yeah, well. Sam wasn't a fan either

It didn't take a tour for that.

Sam. It's exactly what you're doing

Completely valid

Fred Jones? Like Scooby-Doo???

Nice

Wait, that explains a lot. Dean's first beer was given to him by the Mystery Machine dude

Worth a shot

INTERROGATING THE CAT

ASDFGHJKL

Well, he watches cartoons

Oop

It's possible

Whoa!

That was fun

No!

Dang it, Cas

That's true

THE BLOOPER

Uh oh

He's changing the channels

Oh no

That's horrible

Exploding firecracker

Suspicious

Probably

Interesting

Oh, that looks uncomfortable

Wow

They believe it

Scumbag

Poor guy

If something happens to Baby-

He's not wrong

Okay

Sort of. It's Dean's, but Sam keeps it

And he doesn't even mention Dean. I guess he's traumatized

Fair enough

Whack!

Yeah

Probably not

Cas probably can

What did he do?

Are they in his brain?

Nice

Fun

That's just weird

Yup

Mm, not really

That's a lot of dots

Not much, Bugs

Pretty much

Losing it

Pfft.

My great grandmother was in a nursing home because we simply didn't have the resources and ability to take care of her. Most people are in professional care for that reason. What a jerk

You get paid! You're fine!

THE BANG GIF

It's stabilizing?

Dean knows about that

HUNTERUS HEROICUS

And grotesques villainus 😭😭😭

Actually, it's really funny that he's called Dr. Mahoney, because there used to be a nursing home near me called the Mahoney House

Ouch

This is great

Nice

I love the error message background

Oh, Sam

Looks like he woke up

Go Fred!

Yikes

Gotta love quippy one-liners

Well see

Oh, Fred

Maybe Cas can turn off the psychic powers?

Okay

Define okay

Good song

Hey!

Have business to take care of?

So... she's got the St. Peter role?

Okay

Baby stories

That sucks

Yeah, he's great

Uh oh

He's alive, isn't he?

Nice

Peaceful

[icarusthelunarguard]

This Week’s Horrible-Scopes

It’s time for this week’s Horrible-Scopes! So for those of you that know your Astrological Signs, cool! If not, just pick one, roll a D12, or just make it up as you go along. It really doesn’t matter.

Aries 

There are a few old maxims in acting you should remember: First, Dying is Easy - Comedy is Hard, though we’re not sure who said it. Second is Never work on stage with children or animals. Again, no idea who said it. Last is, “Take my wife, please!” That one is Henny Youngman, of whom Milton Berle said, "The only thing funnier than Henny's jokes is his violin playing." This week, take up violin playing. It’ll be funnier than bagpipe practicing.

Taurus 

There’s a lot of food out there to try in lots of combinations. No matter how much you liked the movie, “Howard the Duck”, we have to really warn you off of “Cajun Sushi” served at a 1950’s-style diner. If the description alone hasn’t set you on the right path, might we remind you it was in Howard The Duck. You know what, you do you. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Gemini  

The older you get, the less hip you are; and the less hip you are, the more out of touch with current-day vernacular you’ve gotten. Did you know that there is an antonym for the word “YOINK”? It’s “YEET” - originating from the idea that you are YOINKING something off its FEET. Now that you know that one, enjoy swaggering your new-found knowledge with the youngsters out there, Shakespear!

Cancer Moon-Child 

Just because you don’t cry at movies today doesn’t mean you never have before. Remember Artax the horse? Optimus Prime? Carl & Ellie Fredricksen! You still have a heart under all those layers of protection, and that’s OK. This week don;t worry too much about your emotional well being. You’re doing OK. 

Leo 

The stars have a task for your old music tapes… Donate them. That’s right, donate them to a children’s hospital along with a personal tape player. Sign the outside with a glitter marker, “Star Lord’s. Hands Off.” And make sure you add a bunch of batteries. You won’t know how much fun those kid’s’ll have with it, but it’ll be a bunch. 

Virgo 

There was a PM Drivetime radio show in the late 90’s out of Washington D.C. called, “The Don & Mike Show”; a 4 hour “Morning Zoo in the Afternoon” kind of show. If you remember that show, then pay attention because we’re only going to say this once: “Cantaloupe Island” by Herbie Hancock. This week, hunt that track down. You’re welcome.

Libra 

You still have records in your collection that don’t seem to exist in any other format. Vinyl album soundtracks for Dune, West Side Story, and Camelot are all well and good. But how did you come by “Burlesque Show” from Blooper Enterprises in South Miami, Florida? It says you get Comics, Songs, Blackouts, Strippers, and Beautiful Girls. We’re pretty sure there were no video disks back then, so… enjoy your vivid imagination this week.

Scorpio 

Being the contrarian in the group isn’t winning you any points. Just because you can find some pedantic rule to wiggles doesn’t mean you should. Most people don’t know the difference between a Goatee and a Van Dyke, and truth be told they won’t care. Leave the personal grooming habits aside.

Sagittarius 

You don’t realize it, but you’d look killer in a Zoot Suit. The giant-wide shoulders, pocket watch chain, and spats? You’ll be able to strut to the head of the line and ask the bouncer to be let in ahead of everyone else. It’s totally possible they’ll let you in for pure chutzpah, but it’s not a foregone conclusion. Have a backup plan if you get turned away… and bring a bunch of the folks in line with you!

Capricorn 

It’s almost Spring. If you haven’t decided what plants to get into the soil yet, you better figure it out now. You could buy those paper packages full of seeds, or just try to grow your own items from the store. Tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers are usually safe bets. Pineapple, pear, and grapes are a little tougher to build up. This week, Eat Your Vegetables!  

Aquarius 

Yeah, Breaker-Breaker. Got some notable quotes for ya to ponder on. ‘Bout twenty minutes out from that choke-and-puke ‘cross the street from the bear den, gunna want to back-it-down for some alligators in the slammer lane. Don’t bother putin’ the hammer down ‘cause they got a Kojak with a Kodak just ‘round the bend from that. So brush your teeth and comb your hair out there. Nail the Double-Nickles and it’ll be a smooth ride out to the cash registers. So you keep the sunny side, the greasy side down, and we’ll catch you on the flip-flop. We’re the One Lone Wolf out your front door and we’re gone!

Pisces  

You need to get out more and stress less. There’s a few choices, but one of the most economical would be buying some booze. No, we’re not suggesting slamming rum or sipping brandy. How about something more gentle and fun - maybe wine, maybe cognac, maybe inexpensive champagne. Just enjoy some adult drinking for a change is all. And Irish Coffee isn’t off the table either.  

And THOSE are your Horrible-Scopes for this week! Remember if you liked what you got, we’re obviously not working hard enough at these. BUT! If you want a better or nastier one for your own sign or someone else’s, all you need to do to bribe me is just Let Me Know! These will be posted online at the end of each week via Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Discord.

[idv-sunsxin3]

Sun & Moon Behind the Scenes HCs (ft. Make-up Artist! S/O)

Header’s art via FNAF Security Breach Official Game

{Headcanons/Scenarios}

Note// Some AU that has taking place during the making of the game- where all the game plot and endings are all directed like a film. Also- GUESS WHO’S BACK FROM THE FNAF FANDOM HOLE- It’s been a while,,,- ;u;

I most likely will write more about these two,,, qwq

___

In this AU, Sun & Moon are not in the same body.

Yes, some might not like the idea but imagine-

They both act like stunt performers, as they switch roles in certain parts of the plot behind the scenes.

When scenes are fluffy and happy, Sun would take in charge of it.

But when scenes get scary, dark, or very violent- Moon knows how to handle that.

While recording cutscenes, there has been a couple of bloopers during the recording.

There was a time Monty accidentally put his tail in the corner of the camera’s sight-

There was also a time where Gregory got stuck in the ballpit after going in the slide, that the film staff (and a concerned papa bear who also got stuck in it somehow-) had to get the poor child out of it-

There was another blooper clip where Sun was screeching and fell out of the desk

but Moon didn’t appear.

The director says cut as the lights turned back on to see what’s going on-

Turns out that Moon was eating stolen ice cream while playing “Fly Me to The Moon” by Joo Won in a corner of the daycare-

The camera moved to his direction.

Moon just stares at it.

Crap.

———

Gregory once recorded a random short video for fun, which looks like Moon walking on fours while glaring at a spider as if he’s demanding for a fight-

The director scold them afterwards for childish, reckless behavior in the break room.

And for terrifying the poor Sun with a spider that appeared in the kitchen when he was trying to fetch for your coffee-

———

With the delayed release of the game, Sun and Moon took advantage to stretch themselves more and the staff gave them implements that allow them to twist, twirl, and jump higher and smoother.

Sun originally had to get tied in a string to be able to ‘fly’ like moon, but the director had other plans for him,,,, (which means he have to hop in the solid floor for the entire plot as Moon is experiencing the moment of his life up there. 😩)

Sun// They took my flying powers! D:

Moon// Nerf is a bish.

Sun// Moon, watch your language in this studio! >:0

———

In the game, Moon & Sun would get along well with Freddy,,,, sometimes-

As they both think of him as a cool person, but they don’t like how the bear helps the troublemaker escape-

But behind the scenes, they think of their relationship as a playing tag friendship- A competition.

To improve their acting performance in chase scenes with fellow actors, they make a little game that makes the chasing scene look more real. (Since they often get heated and very competitive with the game which gets a little too far lol-)

Once the other animatronics learned the technique when the little group shared it, they started to use it as well in the recordings.

It gets very interesting when more people join the game.

———

Do you know the screen close-up which makes it look like Sun is holding Gregory?

Turns out he was actually holding the camera-

Why?

Gregory doesn’t let anyone but Glamrock Freddy carry him by the armpits-

Sun & Moon are the last people Gregory wants to be carried by.

Because it reminds him of the “Simba being hold up towards the sun” reference-

(Cues Lion King music)

Moon// SHUT UP, BACKGROUND MUSIC-

Yet, I still imagine Glamrock Freddy carrying Gregory like that while Sun’s smiley face is in the air as the typical sun,,,,-

Someone draw this please- (CRAP, I’M CHANGING THE SUBJECT TOO QUICKLY-)

Gregory often holds a camera so the recording stays in one point of view as always.

It’s hard to hold the camera while running, so he had to wear a headband that has the camera stick to it. (So the only issue is that he can’t look down unless it’s necessary.

Gregory simply lets Sun grab the camera from his head and would try his best to stop himself from laughing since he had to see Sun talking to the camera like an idiot-

No Gregory, he’s not an idiot and he knows what he’s doing hdjsnwnwn- X’DD

———

{S/O related below]

As a make-up artist, you rarely don’t do much with the animatronics besides getting their costumes ready for the film as they don’t need makeup.

You mostly have to put some makeup on Gregory which can be quite a challenge… (he just can’t moving by how ticklish he is- 😅) Vanessa wasn’t much of a problem though!

Luckily, you’re not the only make-up artist in the studio, since you also have to paint a lot of service robots’ faces to make a scary effect. (Like those robots that look like they have creepy, wide smiles and black dripping eyes).

Besides that, you don’t get very busy, so it gives an advantage to the sun and moon animatronics to spend time with you during their breaks.

As an excuse to be with you, Sun would intentionally dirties his face with glitter glue and crayons and state that his orange, pointy parts of his head(I think they’re called the “corona”) are needed to be polished.

Sun likes to give you surprise hugs after filming, and offers to spend lunch time with him. (He may not be able to eat, but insists to offer you snacks and provide you great company,,,, 🥺)

Moon wouldn’t do a lot of excuses, but he would often try to sneak out of his resting space and spook you from behind-

Or watching you work from the ceiling….-

When Moon feels nice enough, he’ll bring your favorite drink from the studio’s cafe for staff,,,

[hopefullystillatheatrestudent]

i'm so excited about you taking asks again ahhhh okay so. if you'd absolutely had to choose. what would be your top 5 cockles moments, and why? thank you ily <3

here’s the thing: there are so many routes i could go down with this, because cockles moments come in all shapes and sizes and formats. these include moments from their panels, their bloopers, the footage we get when they don’t even know they’re being recorded, stories being passed down from photo ops & autographs(one of my personal favorite ways to get cockles, tbh, because they’re all insane), and social media(tweets to each other, instagram posts & comments, etc.). 

SO! since many a list like this has already been made, and i want to stand out from the crowd, what i’m gonna do is definitively give the number one spot to each of these five categories.(i might even throw in honourable mentions because they’re so despicably in love that they warrant that. i really put my whole pussy into this, guys, i hope you’re happy.) 

disclaimer: these are my own personal opinions. but that also means i’m right. so. enjoy. 

number one: top cockles panel moment

so we’re starting off with a bang, because how do you even BEGIN to rank what atrocities jensen and misha commit at jibcon. every single one they’ve had is damning in it’s own right, for different reasons.

however, considering just how much unabashed fuckery they’ve given us to sift through, it’s a good thing i do have a personal favorite despite it all. it’s heartwarming, the sweetest thing i’ve ever seen, AND it’s jarringly cinematic - mainly because it has a whole ass arc to it that was years in the making. it might even be surprising to some people, but my favorite cockles panel moment, and what i consider the one that encompasses their entire gut-wrenching journey from 2008-2013 in the most sweepingly romantic gesture possible, is this one.

i want this burned into my retinas. i am not even joking. when i'm through with my explanation, let me convince you why this is thee most romantic cockles moment of all time.

first, some history: people call this the resume off, but many seem to forget the botched attempt at a resume off a year prior. and yes, you guessed it: it's during their break up. it's a juicy time period for a reason, guys. it came across as exceedingly one-sided and VERY awkward. let me refresh your memory as to just how bad it was, and just how hard jensen was trying and ultimately failing at winning misha over: the funniest part of the whole resume off in 2013??? every joke/bit had literally already been made/done. they were just going through the motions again, but the difference THIS time...is that misha reciprocated jensen's energy. it. is. fascinating. i want to get into it more detail in another post, and i'll link it here when i'm done, but the main takeaway, i think, and the main difference that showcases how much they've grown in a year, is that in jib 3, misha flat out refused to do an accent, and this time around, he indulges jensen for literal minutes. when i tell you they're crazy, they're crazy. i can't wait to actually dive into it later.

ANYWAY, the resume off culminates in this moment here. and, like, a million things happen in this gifset. actually, more like a million and one. the music starts playingneediremindyouthatthesongissingingintherain(h e l p), misha starts dancing, jensen 'perpetually fake grumpy' ackles lets misha think he's not going to join, misha sits down defeated, but no!!! that was jensen's plan all along(look at his stupid fucking smirk) and he offers his arm to his dance partner who immediately grins like a fool, jensen then leads misha into their kick step, they perfectly synchronise and let loose, and are then very clearly having the time of their lives, hanging off of each other with joy and ease. from their expressions alone i can tell that this moment is so. so. so. so! much more than what initially meets the eye. i mean-misha is fighting back the biggest smile i've ever seen. to me, it reads like jensen is offering something to misha, something that misha kind of gave up on expecting, and him offering his arm like that is like, a surprise to him in the best possible way(and it's so not platonic, let me just say that.) as soon as jensen did that, it ushered in a new era of cockles. this panel is jensen and misha's favourite for a reason, and i think this moment is the biggest clue as to why.

whew!!! ok. that took a lot out of me and that was only point one. moving on,

number two: top cockles blooper moment

cockles bloopers hold an extremely special place in my heart, because it shows just how fucking disastrous jensen and misha are. they are so goddamn infatuated with each other that they HOLD UP PRODUCTION ALL THE TIME TO FLIRT WITH EACH OTHER(???). let me repeat. let it sink in. jensen ackles; arguably one of the most professional actors on that show who puts everything he has into each scene, with mountains and mountains of notes to prove it: would rather hold up production to flirt with misha collins. this sounds fake. it's not. he does it. all. the. time. and here's the thing guys!!! i'm gonna let you in on a secret!!! misha loves it. he loveesssss it. on top of that-misha collins: overlooked because he's pranked and people assume he's unprofessional as well, but his only pranks are in retaliation/off-set, and he rarely if EVER causes problems if he can help it....lets himself get carried away when it comes to jensen making kissy faces at him!!! are you actually kidding me!!! i mean. misha. it's just a face. you've seen it a million times. i don't buy that it triggers something in you that strongly....you like it, and you like jensen's reaction. you can't fool me!!! lisa berry's face in that one gifset shows just how fed up the crew is with their gross, coupley boyfriend antics.

i could pull up so many examples. sooooooo many. but my favourite was sealed since the moment i saw it.

i actually already wrote an analysis on it but i can't find it :(((( which SUCKS because i really unpacked the whole thing. i'll try to summarise.

basically, a backstory is part of this too!!! jensen and misha both had a really really hard time with this scene(because it's explicitly romantic there i said it), they sat down for hours and poured over their scripts together, they were super super nervous going into filming, both of them, jensen especially, were super hard on themselves for their performances not being true to their characters but they both complimented the other's work(boyfriend moments fr). so, yeah. they weren't confident going into shooting. and how do they get themselves to feel better???? by cuddling each other, apparently.

a lot. a LOT. happens in this specific blooper. to the point that i saw it years before i knew about cockles and it raised all sorts of flags for me.

1) stop pulling my face towards your crotch(as a thinly veiled request that misha would, in fact, move jensen's face towards his crotch, considering it was jensen moving himself there in the first place. also, why so comfy down there guys???) 2) you're my baby daddy i know(in the most intimate voice i've ever heard please) 3) i know, i know, i love you too i didn't say i love you i know but you wanted to say it etc. misha's right, of course. that's what jensen meant.

it just reeks of comfort, familiarity and intimacy between the two, and it's a moment that is extremely sweet and silly at the same time. they're so <3

number three: top cockles found footage moment

WONDERFUL category. truly the culmination of the cockles experience. many people have said that shipping cockles doesn't work because 'they're just onstage you dummies!! they're playing it up for the audience!!!' here's the thing, love. i could not disagree with you more. once you climb your way up the cockles ladder, you soon learn that they are, in fact, playing their dynamic DOWN, not up. they really are just Like That™, and they could not care less about the paying audience, if we're being honest, considering how much time they take to giggle with each other and refuse to let the audience in on the joke. and i love them for it <3

anyway, my point is that this category is for all you naysayers out there, all you 'jensen and misha's relationship is just for show and is real life queerbaiting'(?????lordhelp???) oh yeah? ok, explain this.

he. he. he calls jensen sweetheart. literally enough said. there's nothing to really add here, except, misha and jared then immediately engage in damage control. jared's method is distraction and misha's is retconning('get out of the car, dude') this was what got me to buy into the cockles dumpster for GOOD good. you don't call your buddy sweetheart accidentally and sound so completely earnest while doing it! especially not when that buddy is jensen ackles!!! you think he would let any of his friends call him that? do you?

one more thing; if it was a slip of the tongue, little mouth thing or whatever, you think jared wouldn't have jumped on it immediately??? i can hear it now. 'did you just call him SWEETHEART???' yeah. that's what i thought. you know why he didn't? because it was too revealing.

number four: top cockles autograph moment

i mean, i think we all know what it's gonna be, and if you don't, well, do i have the piece de cockles resistance that is gonna send you over the edge.

if you haven't heard of this story by now, as a cockles, truther, i'm gonna go ahead and get you to read it, because there is no possible heterosexual explanation for any of it, and you're fooling yourself if you think otherwise.

spoiler alert: it's the story where phones weren't allowed in an auto session, jensen nuzzles himself in misha's hair, leans his full body weight onto him, holds his hand, etc. etc. i'm imploding just repeating this back, actually. also, just, the sheer amount of stories from photo ops where they tackle hug each other or slap each other's asses or sing romantic songs to each other or almost kiss is, frankly, a lot. if i could wish for anything, it would be to witness them in person.

and finally,

number five: top cockles social media moment

this one is super difficult, because there's obviously a lot to choose from. but you know what? full send, i'm going with this one:

i just. what to say about this. how often do misha and jensen watch sunsets together for it to qualify as ‘always’ ??? why are sunsets synonymous with their relationship??? that’s like??? a very romantic thing????? ‘this guy’??? the fact that it’s a CANDID??? i don’t know guys.

that could have been better but i am TIRED so. there you go rose ily

[someone-worth-racing-for]

Hello! In the no strings attached video were Carlos and Lando present and did they kove the muppets, or was it some other people and Lando and Carlos only added the voice in post production? I don't know because the flow and spontanity of their conversation makes it looks as if they were present there!

No, what I know were neither Carlos nor Lando present, when they were filming the muppets - I even think that someone professional was doing the parts with the muppets.

I think that first of all, they recorded Carlos' and Lando's comments - funfact: you can tell the difference between when the two of them did read the text Henrik has given to them (at the beginning and the end of the video) and when it's just the two of them talking, the difference is so cute 😅

So after Henrik has recorded Carlos' and Lando's voices/reactions to the video, they were filming the muppets based on their reactions and the things they have said, you know what I mean?! 😉

And the fact that Henrik tried to copy their behavior to the muppets or make it really look like it was them and the real Carlos and Lando were so surprised about the muppets' behavior, is just the most hilarious thing ever 😂

Here you also have three links to the whole muppets martyrdom - first to the blooper video, one behind the scenes and Carlos', Lando's and Zak's reaction to the video 😉

I hope this helped!

[thesorcerersguild-quests]

Quest Flyer

Quest 5 – So, Where's The Crack?

Quest Dates: 28 July 2021 - 3 August 2021

*Please wait to post your entries until the fest begins! It makes running the fest much easier for our guild keepers.

Welcome to The Guild’s fifth Quest!

(Thank you to our lovely co-host, @oncefutureemrys for creating this gif for the fest!)

This week long mini fest is a Prompt Quest! There will be an overall, general theme to stick to, and then 7 Prompts (one for each day) will be provided centering around the theme, for you to use in your fanworks!

This weeks Theme: Crack! [Includes: Crack Treated Seriously]

Your Quest this week is to use the prompts below in your cracky fanworks!

You do not have to participate everyday, if a particular prompt does not resonate with you! If you wish to make a fanwork for each day, that is spectacular and we cannot wait to see what you do! If you only want to do a few days, or even just one, that is still great and we can’t wait to see what you do! You writers could even take all of the dialogue prompts and work them into one work if you’re feeling up to a challenge! 😉

Minimum Requirements

We aren’t very picky here at the guild, but we do ask that your fanworks meet these minimums before you turn them in, and post them to the collection if you use Ao3!

Fanfiction: 500 words minimum (no maxiumum!)

Artwork: 1 completed work minimum (when it comes to completed, we trust that whatever you create you believe is complete. That means that works do not have to have color or anything special. Whatever you believe is complete is good for us!)

Gifsets: 1 gifset containing 3 gifs minimum

Edits: 15 second minimum

Podfics: 5 minute minimum (with permission from writer, or clarification if you wrote the fic & recorded the podfic!)

For Writers - Daily Dialogue Prompts:

Day 1 – "I'm sorry—you made a bet about what?"

Day 2 – "Please, come down from there." "No!" "... You're stuck, aren't you?"

Day 3 - "I am almost impressed with how much chaos you were able to cause in one day. Almost."

Day 4 - "Stop. Why are you naked?"

Day 5 - "Please tell me you brought the horse dung."

Day 6 - "If you say 'nipple' one more time, I will impale myself."

Day 7 - Free Day

For Editors/Gif-Makers - Daily Suggestions:

Day 1 - Best Blooper

Day 2 - Funniest Scene

Day 3 - Most Chaotic Scene

Day 4 - Favourite Crack Ship

Day 5 - Underrated Crack Scene

Day 6 - Crack Quote Day

Day 7 - Free Day

We look forward to seeing all of your entries! Don’t forget to Turn In Your Quests & Add Them To Quest 5’s Collection (which opens on the first day of Questing Week!) if you use AO3 when you finish!

Good luck, Adventurers! - The Guild Keepers

[lonespektr]

Oct 16th The people under the stairs

This is a classic horror some might say a black classic that I missed growing up I didn't miss it I was aware of it but I never saw it

It is was craven

I knew my man's was a main character which is another weird reason why I never watched it

This Lil man was a legend

Long tarot reading

Gentrification

Triple 3 days late Wild kill that landlord mf right now

Damn why they mean to the child too

Heavy on the drama with the evil landlord but I feel it

Dang Ving being abusive ass

Lol treasure map

This is hilarious

Gold lol

Fool

Abusive mom

Not the girl feeding zombies

Not the n word

Omg boyscoout lolz not a whole costume

This is already so extra

Cerebral palsy omg

Another disguise

Lol legal right to come in

Xray eyeballs

Voo doo dolls?

Too old to get tit too young to get ass 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Rot!! The bad doggie of the day

Lol audio recording esque how can I help you

Interesting effect

I ain't stupid

I appreciate them stating flat out this may be a horror movie but I'm not white I'm outta hear

Locked in na

I'm clearly supposed to know what that film is but I don't

Already got

Got it

Not too worried about spence

Who you calling a theif? You young man are the theif

Ambush

Who are you avid TV watcher

They all look white

She back already

They parked in the drive???

2 adults

Just because a man is lying on the floor doesn't mean he is dead 😂

Size of Detroit 🤣🤣🤣

Kid just got FRIGGIN zapped

Dog did not want the kid

Bruh fool is bleeding

Everything on auto these people rich AF

With a laser scope

Damn what year is this???

Run fool

At least he gave a shit about the kid in the end

WTF puppets and candles

Casper the friendly zombies??

That's outside not in here

Lol fair point

He said nah I'm a whole other thing

Not a gimp suit

A very on the nose police assuring the safety of white mass murders while ignoring black children screams

He got dressed so fast to see the police

Just the assumption that the black child is after alice

FULL home alone hijinks

I recognize roach as well

He's still actually working at lot still

Full crackpot

Boil bath

Death sluge pit

It is all white dudes failed boy child's

Not magical white boy, that's first time in a horror movie ever seen a white kid die for a black kid might be the first time ever

Lol dick punch

More Christian imagery

They are so unstable it's a wonder they run anything

What the fuck murder house

Is that a hit wall of the tenants

This man have a beyonette?

They really have a child wrestling a dog

Is this a Jim Carrey impression

How could he get down stairs so fast

Brother and sister

Bruh you going back just call the police

Set it on fire so they have to come out

Why would the whole damn department

That's an obvs kids room

Bruh they are clearly suspect, that's the white supremacy angle that's Jeffrey dhamer

They're he is,

I thought he would have tried to get her out While the police were there due to the commotion like... They had to entertain the cops, that was the moment

Very home alone

Was that a blooper they left in?

Only direct reference to sexual assault

Broken glass and rocks??? Unhinged

Fool is on a mission now

I thought the girl could get out I thought that was the point

Sis?

Oooo I was right

They did mention the flash lights

Lol that's gramps

"there's no community here"

Not dropping from the ceiling

Pobrecito keep getting dragged

They changed their minds about fool?

Kid said look I'm a professional

That's scrooge mcduck status

What about the entire community

That was dumb they should have come up with a better way to do that

People finally came out from under the stairs

Where daddy

That's an old camera tirck but a excellent one

Not a whole skellington, 🤣🤣

Don't be crazy now isn't the thing to say

I don't like you much any way

F bomb

Bruh the lost boys in the house you in the house

He didn't actually know his sister was in the house and he assumed she got out

Money parade for the hood

Lol lost boys dipped they need medical attention

instant classic

EPIC

[drasin]

Day 18 - Roleplay

Johnny Cage x Erron Black

Prompts list -> [LINK]

NSFW extended version on Ao3 -> [LINK]  (non-explicit)

Erron doesn't think acting is a big challenge. Johnny takes it as a personal insult and suggests a little play to prove his point.

Tags  / Warning(s): none

Word Count:  3,220

It came out a little longer than I planned, but I had too much fun. This is my favorite so far.

"There's no place in this town for the two of us." Each word was spoken slowly with an imitation of a Western accent. Johnny twisted the revolver in his hand and used it to lift the hat he had borrowed from the cowboy. Squinted eyes passed his partner's with sinister intent, and after a brief moment of idleness, he suddenly aimed the barrel at him. "Last wish?"

Theoretically, he was addressing Black, but he wasn't listening to him much, busy looking through funny videos. Cassie had shown them an app a while ago, which turned out not to be as bad as he thought at first. Hearing some mumbling from his boyfriend, however, he lifted his gaze from the screen and furrowed his brow. "I hope the chamber is empty."

Cage sighed and stood back up normally. "Of course it is. Sometimes you could just play along."

"Thanks, but pass." Unlike the soldier, he wasn't very expressive, and fooling around, as he liked to call it, wasn't one of the hobbies they shared. Grabbing a pillow, he threw it to the other end of the couch making space next to him. "Sit down, I have something."

Without much protest, Cage did as he asked and put his arm around his shoulder. Black showed the video, and he didn't even have to pretend to please him, and genuinely burst into laughter. He could have guessed that for a cowboy the quintessential funny thing would be a compilation of failures by people who can't hold a gun properly. After that, Johnny started scrolling by himself. They spent a good few minutes laughing and commenting on the more dumb videos.

"Should I start recording TikTok myself?" And apparently he was asking himself, because a second later he nodded. "Yes, I definitely should."

Black looked at him with pity. "Aren't you a little old for that?"

"Hey! There are a lot of older people here." He replied almost immediately, somewhat indignantly. "And besides, I'm not that old. This app is mostly about a sense of humor and looks. And well... " He ran his fingers through the hair. "Let's not kid ourselves. I'll rock there."

He shook his head with a soft smile. "I won't stop you anyway, do what you want. But I say right away, I'm not going to mess around with you."

"Sure thing." He leaned down, kissing him on the cheek and then tilted back, adding much more quietly. "I'll be recording you in secret."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!" He laughed and focused on the smartphone. "Oh, go to his account." Without waiting, he started clicking on the screen. The owner of the profile was a young guy who recorded mostly comedy scenes. "He must have some bloopers in here somewhere. I love watching this."

Erron let him search, but after a while, without success, he began to get bored. "Maybe there aren't any?"

He moved his hand back disappointedly. "I mean, he certainly has, but I'm guessing he just doesn't publish."

"How are you so sure? Maybe he doesn't make mistakes? It's only a few seconds videos."

Johnny looked as if he had just said the dumbest thing in the world to him. "Very funny. He's recording it in the hundreds. Although no, numbers don't matter. Of course he's making mistakes, acting is hard as hell."

Erron barely suppressed a laugh. "Yeah, sure."

There was nothing but surprise on Cage's face. Not entirely sure if it was just a joke, but there was no indication that it was so. "Did you just..." He paused to take a breath and shook his head. "...laughed?"

Black probably sensed the change in atmosphere because he turned and put a hand on his knee. "Okay, sorry, I didn't mean to. I know you've put a lot of effort into your acting career in the past." And with a clear conscience, he went back to wasting time on teenage app.

However, the soldier stared at him with a sour expression. "I don't believe you." He muttered, to which the cowboy sighed. "You sound like you just want me to back off. You still think acting is easy."

"No, I just don't find it difficult. You're exaggerating a bit."

"Are you kidding me?" Johnny stood up to have more room to gesture, while Black rubbed his temple, knowing this was heading into a lecture. "I spent many years in Hollywood. I played in a huge number of movies. I've acted live and gotten Oscars! So I know what acting is. And you still want to argue with me? Please, now tell me what you know about this." He crossed arms on his chest.

And at this point, Erron could apologize again in an effort to end it, but somehow he couldn't. Johnny overstated his former job. That was his opinion. The current one was much more difficult, so he didn't know why he was so insistent about it. "I didn't have a problem yet when I had to pretend."

"Oh so we have a real star here!" He burst out with irony and a smile on his face. "No. Let me explain what is your pretend." He used an air quote with the last word. "Just because you sometimes lie to some guard to get somewhere, doesn't make you an actor. Pretending, lying, acting. Can you tell the difference?"

"No, because it's all the same thing."

"Wrong!" Cage growled, but it was actually even funny, so he just listened to him. "Anyone can lie, just like pretend. Real acting is something else entirely. You have a role. A character and a scene to perform. And it takes many years and practice to get good at it. You pour all of yourself and all of your emotions into it to make others believe in it as much as you do yourself. It's a damn hard job, and I'm not talking about playing it at a decent level, because you probably don't make that distinction either, you ignorant." He barked out, at which Black rolled his eyes. "Just about not breaking the character itself. Even professionals have trouble with that. And you, with your pretending, would fail at the simplest challenge already."

"I don't think it's any more difficult than what I do every day." This thesis was obvious to him. Although he didn't want to argue with his partner, comparing acting to their current jobs was ridiculous to say the least.

Cage didn't look even a bit convinced, and maybe a little disgusted. But suddenly he cheered up. "How about you prove it, then?" His smile was sly. 

It didn't bode well. But Black stretched out more comfortably on the couch, crossing his legs. "What's on your mind?"

"We're going to do a little roleplay." He linked his fingers together and took a few steps closer. "I'll give you a scene, and you'll have to play it. If you break character before the ten minutes are up, you will lose and have to admit that acting is beyond you."

"Ten minutes?" He propped himself up on his knees and stood up, facing the man. "Do you want to lose so badly, or do you just underestimate me?"

His smile turned into one of mischief as much as amusement. "I don't want to torment you, in fact I'd give you three at best. You're unskilled darling."

"Because I don't like fooling around like you do?"

"Exactly. That's why you're going to fail and have to take back everything you said."

"Okay, I'm in." Since Johnny, in his confidence, was going to neglect him, he would show him who was right. "But I don't enjoy the satisfaction alone, if I win you'll have to do what I want."

"Oh, you do have a fantasy though. I'm curious to know what's on your mind there, too bad I won't find out." He snorted, scratching his chin. "Okay we can do that. The loser will have to do the one thing the winner wants."

"Okay, to concretes. Give me the details and let's go with it." He rushed the soldier, not being stressed at all. He was confident in his victory, especially since it was only going to be a measly ten minutes. Cage was really underestimating him. But if that's how it was supposed to look, then he'd be happy to prove him wrong.

"Easy cowboy." Gritting his teeth, he rubbed his hands. "Okay then, your role will be... bounty hunter."

Erron furrowed his brows. "Johnny, I am the bounty hunter. What kind of challenge is that?"

Cage threw an arm around his neck, drawing him closer. "Well you see, unlike you, I am content with the pleasure of winning. And I'm about to prove that you can't even play yourself. That will be satisfying." Cocky bastard. He loved to pull this kind of stunt.

"We'll see who laughs last." He muttered close to his face.

Johnny returned the smile and reached for the hat, placing it back on his partner's head. "So you're the mercenary, and I'm your boss." He pointed at himself. Of course he had to have something of it. "The scene goes like this; you come back from a failed mission, but don't want to lose your job. Mostly improv, you think you can handle it?"

"Really?" He asked with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "Sorry, but I don't know if you know what stupid decisions you're making. I've been in the profession for over a hundred years. You want me to play something I've done more than once? You sure you want to lose this way?"

The soldier spread his hands with a shrug of his shoulders. "We'll see." He took a few steps back and grabbed the handle of the door leading to the home office. "If it suits you then we can get started."

"And where are you going? Can't we do it here?"

"A little scenery wouldn't hurt. Let's add some realism." He sent him a wink. It was obvious he was enjoying this situation. Well, actually, he had tried to talk him into roleplay many times before. Black refused cause it wasn't likely his form of fun, but that didn't mean he was going to lose now. "Come in when you're ready. Ten minutes and you win. Good luck." And after those words he disappeared inside."

Black sighed, correcting his hat. Ten minutes. That wasn't a problem. The sooner he did it, the sooner he'd get it over with. And most of all, he'd be happy to wipe that dorky grin off his boyfriend's face.

It was unbelievable how often their conversations led them to do such foolish things. The soldier had really made a difference in his life. However, he didn't want to delay and finally moved to grab the door handle.

After entering, he closed the door behind him. Cage was already sitting behind the desk, looking through the probably first papers that came into his hands. As usual, he did it all in an overdone way. Balck was used to the fact that when Johnny played, his whole demeanor and attitude changed.

Now his eyes were focused and a disgruntled grimace occupied his face. He had to admit, though, that there was always something... fascinating about it. Johnny wasn't someone who maintained neutrality like he did. He was beaming most of the time, and even when he got serious on occasions, it was nothing like this. He almost looked like a different person. Even more so when he finally raised his head and a cold stare pierced him with hostility.

"You forgot how to knock?" A hard, annoyed voice, as if he felt nothing but resentment towards him. He put down the papers placing his elbow on the armrest, and propped his chin against knuckles. "You must bring me good news finally if you allow yourself such audacity."

He was in a character, that's for sure. But if he could do it, Black could handle it too. Although, all in all, it was an uncommon position. He just had to think about what he typically said in these situations.

"No... there were complications on the way." That sounded sillier than he expected. The feeling he had now was a slight... discomfort? That was why he always refused Johnny in such playthings. This whole pretending not to know him was just dumb. However, it was enough to suppress it and he could deal with it. "But I'm close, I just need a little more time."

"And you come to me with something like that!" Unexpectedly, Cage raised his voice, changing his temper. That he could pull such a stunt with a serious face. Really, he lived completely without shame. "What "time"? This was your second attempt and you failed AGAIN!?" The chair wheeled back as he stood up, abruptly, hitting his palm on the desk. "Stop staring at me like an imbecile. Speak!"

Probably the worst part was coming up with everything on the fly. Well, yes, improvisation. His whole life was one big improvisation, so why was it suddenly a problem now? "I say, it will be done--"

"Okay, shut it. I don't have the energy for this." He rubbed his eyes, taking a breath. As he settled back into his chair, he went back to the documents. "Apparently the rumors about you were exaggerated, I'm not going to waste my time. You can go." He didn't even grace him with a passing glance, but merely waved his hand.

Erron wasn't quite sure what to do now. It wouldn't make sense if he left now. Cage was probably making it difficult for him on purpose.

"What?" A short question. A very neat one... But unfortunately, the only one that came to his mind.

"Are you deaf or dumb?" Angry eyes fell on him again. "You're fired. Get the fuck out of here!" He shouted, pointing at the door with his open hand.

And maybe he didn't have that exact situation, but there were several similar ones. He should know what to do; it always worked out somehow. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Why couldn't he say anything? And where did this sudden, overwhelming feeling of humiliation come from?

Johnny always looked like it was so easy; the truth was that he looked that way now, too. He acted like it was all real. In the past, Black had no problems with situations like this... Although, before, it was indeed real. Now he was standing in front of Johnny, and somehow he couldn't... he just couldn't look at him and utter this nonsense without feeling ashamed.

"You can't just--" At this point he was just trying to drag it out, saying the first words that passed his throat with the smallest resistance. He took a few steps closer, putting his hands on the desk when standing still became uneasy. But crossing his eyes with Cage was a big mistake. The pressure of his gaze was unbearably uncomfortable. "I..." His voice cracked. It wasn't a problem in itself. He could have kept going with something or even just said whatever, but he didn't. Now the only thing on his mind was, why the hell was it so difficult? Why was his partner's gaze so intimidating? As he opened and closed his mouth again, he knew he couldn't pull this off any longer. The tightness in his chest became unbearable as he wanted to escape his stare. With a silent curse he crouched down and leaned his head against the tabletop closing his eyes. "I can't."

The sudden relief relaxed his body. And when the pressure wore off, he had time to breathe more deeply. But when did his heart start beating like this? He didn't even notice this stress before.

The floorboards creaked under the weight of the soldier. He walked around the desk and sat on the edge. "Exactly... five minutes." He grabbed his hat and pulled it off to have access to stroke his hair. "I'm proud of you.”

"Fuck off." Black groaned, staring at the floor. But it wasn't worth dragging it out. He was, however, a man of honor. So since he didn't have to make a fool of himself anymore, he stood up with the rest of the dignity he had left. Johnny looked at him with a big, satisfied, smug grin. It took all his strength not to roll his eyes. "Okay. You were right. Acting is hard..." The worst words he'd had to say in a long time. “...and it's beyond me.”

Johnny suppressed a giggle with poor results. "Oh I know, I've seen it." He didn't let go of him, no longer hiding his amusement. "Can you repeat that? I'd like to record it."

"Don't push your luck." The feeling of losing was already quite unpleasant, and he knew that the man wouldn't let him forget about it for a long time yet. But in fact... he was wrong. Johnny, meanwhile, was still smiling, wallowing in his satisfaction. Oh right, there's still the matter of their bet. But he doubted it would be anything worse than what he had just experienced. "So what do you want? Can we settle this now?" He preferred not to give him something like that for any future use.

"Oh, actually, yes." Erron didn't like that smile. He looked like that whenever he thought of something stupid. "We'll continue this."

He hit the jackpot. This was stupid, even really stupid. Why would they even do this?

"For what? I think we've already established that I'm bad at this, yes?" He groaned, hoping to dissuade him from the idea. "I admitted it. I'm a shitty actor. You want to bully me?"

"There, there. Not at all." He lifted him up and grabbed the belt, pulling him close. "I just quite enjoyed the scene, and well..." His hand ran up over the mercenary's chest as he lowered his voice. "I just got a huge urge to take you on this desk right now.”

“You literally just can do it.”

“As your boss.”

Erron screwed up his face almost immediately. "Come on. Anything else. Or at least without this nonsense." He whined almost pleadingly.

"Nope." Cage didn't let himself be persuaded. Sometimes it annoyed him how stubborn the man was. He put arms around his waist, holding him close. "Sorry, it was your idea. And don't worry about your acting. You're cute when you're trying, and it's really freaking funny to watch."

"Glad you're having fun..." A self-satisfied asshole. He's having a great time, and Black had a look on his face like he just lost his life. "I hate you." He didn't know if this was a lesson not to underestimate, his boyfriend's stupid abilities. But if so, then he probably deserved it. So perhaps he had to grit the teeth and just swallow his pride. "Fine. This one time."

"Attaboy." He patted him on the chest contentedly. "Now, I'll take care of everything, and you... just play along."

And he may not have been particularly happy, but if he promised, he kept his word. Anyway, there weren't many things he wouldn't do for him. Who knows, maybe it's another thing that turns out to be not as bad as he supposes.