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#I don’t know what my art style is DOING I’ve been struggling with comms for ages
calamity-aims · 1 year
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apparently it’s quinfox week??
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lilysdaydreams · 3 years
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Praise Bingus (No fucking way)
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→  I do not claim to know corpse- therefore please don't think that this is what he would actually act like, or that any details about his life are actually true. this is fiction.
→ Pairing: Corpse Husband X Fem!Reader
→ Genre: Angst and fluff. (FLUFF IS COMING I SWEAR)
→ Words: 3.9k
→ In a world where everyone is born with a mark on their wrist, two souls come together over the power of bingus.
→ (this isnt crack lol)
→ Warnings: Lots of swearing, um self-depreciation? rejection (kinda) and negative thoughts overall. Sorry im new to warnings.
→ Authors Note: this is the first time im doing like angst so please tell me if I did well? Um also, I’ve already started on the part 2 so keep your eyes out for that. If you wanna be tagged for part two please comment and lemme know. Also check out my other fics if you want!
→ Buy me a coffee
Part two  →    
~~~
Soulmates were a phenomenon. They'd been there for ages, drawn into the Egyptian tomb paintings, seen in the cave paintings from millions of years ago, talked about in stories passed down from generation to generation. They could be matching drawings, first words, names; all black before the soulmates met and turning gold the moment they talked to each other. There wasn't a scientist in the world who could explain the phenomenon.
You'd received your mark at birth just like everyone else, a sentence running around your wrist,
"No fucking way."
Your parents weren't that happy when you asked at the age of 4 what "fucking" meant but it wasn't that bad. You were happy that you had something unique, something other than the "Hi," or "Excuse me," that was on every other arm.
When you were 13, a little girl on the train pointed to your wrist and asked her mom what it meant. Ever since then, you'd taken to wearing bracelets over it. This had turned out to be a good idea because a few years later you started making Youtube videos. At the age of 16, you started a Youtube channel where you focused on a variety of things; makeup, fashion, games, art, skits and a whole lot more.
At the age of 20, you had a steady following of a little more than a million subscribers, and you had moved to LA to be closer to all your Youtube friends. You hadn't just grown on Youtube, you'd also started a lot of side projects. You were known for the art that you did on the side, along with the makeup palette you'd come out with a year ago. Soon you were planning to release a merch collection, one that you had been working on for a whole year now.
You hadn't met your soulmate at this point but honestly, you didn't really mind. Balancing Youtube and study (along with all your other side projects) was hard. There was no need to add the struggle of love into it... Or that's what you told yourself anyways.
There were days though, days where you wished you had someone to hug, someone to cuddle in bed with, someone to go on long walks with. You didn't let yourself wallow on it that long though. Crying about it was gonna do absolutely nothing.
It started on a rainy day. The story of you and him. You were editing your soon to be uploaded video, an e-girl outfits lookbook, which had been requested by your followers. Your personal style was all over the place and your previous soft girl and cottage care look books had done well, so you decided to continue the series.
You eyes blurred as you looked at the same point of the video, and you sighed, removing your glasses and rubbing your eyes. Your editor was sick and had let you know that they wouldn't be able to edit it by the deadline so here you were, editing it yourself. You stretched in your chair letting out a yawn. You were contemplating on whether to make coffee or not when your phone pinged.
"Nooooo" you whined when you noticed it was on the coffee table that was just a little out of your reach. Stretching your foot out, you tried to grab it between your toes and then sighed when the phone fell.
"I have zero luck, I swear" you muttered to yourself, bending to pick up the phone.
The text was from Rae, asking you to join a game of Among Us. You and Rae had been friends for a bit now, which all started when she came across your art and decided to order something from you. You had chatted and clicked immediately, immediately becoming fast friends. Ever since the lockdown started, she often asked you to join in on Among us games and your friendship had really grown over these past few months.
You sent a quick "sure!" and then went to your table, waiting for the PC to turn on. Quickly tweeting out that you were streaming, you opened up Youtube and turned on the stream, saying a quick hello and letting them know what you'd be doing.
"Rae just invited me guys, I don't really know who's there," you mumbled, replying to a comment asking you who you were playing with.
You squinted your eyes, joining the voice chat and then opening your phone camera to quickly check that you didn't look horrible. Sure you didn't really care about how you looked but it was always good to check that you didn't have anything stuck between your teeth before you turned on the camera.
There was already a conversation going on, between who you thought was Corpse and Sykkuno, judging by their voices.
"Yeah I could totally do that. Get a cat and name it Bingus. I wonder if th-"
You gasped when you heard what they were talking about and unmuted yourself immediately yelling "PRAISE LORD BINGUS" and effectively shocking everyone in the chat.
A moment of silence and then Rae yelled: "OH MY FUCKING GOD Y/N, YOU SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME."
You giggled as everyone groaned and whined, saying hi as they realised who it was. You had played with Sykkuno and the others a few times before but you'd never met Corpse before. You'd heard his voice though, as he was trending on twitter constantly over the past few weeks. Once they all quietened down, you realised Corpse hadn't said anything. Since you knew everyone else in the lobby, you introduced yourself, wondering if you'd scared him a bit too hard.
"Hey Corpse, I'm Y/N from Y/C/N, its so nice to finally meet you," you said gritting your teeth at you awkward introduction. For a second there was no response and then three words were said that made your jaw drop to the floor.
"No fucking way"
He had whispered it, obviously still in shock, and your eyes widened in surprise as a tingle spread all over your body. So this was what everyone meant by "you'll just know," when you asked them about how you would recognize your soulmate.
"Holy shit" you thought frozen in your seat.
Never had you been more glad that you hadn't turned the camera on yet.
"Uhhhh-" you started, but stopped now knowing what to say.
What the fuck were you supposed to do now.
"Wha- Whats wrong?" Rae asked after a moment passed.
Corpse cleared his throat and started "Its um, shes my -" and you cut him off, heart beating in your chest.
"Nothing. Its nothing." you said talking over him. "Who else are we waiting for Rae?" you asked joining the lobby quickly and choosing red as your colour.
"Uh one more person," she said slowly, still a bit confused.
"Oh awesome!" you said fake enthusiasm prevalent in your voice. "So Sykkuno," you started, wanting to keep the conversation going. "How's Bimbus doing?"
Sykkuno launched into a story of Bimbus and you blew out a sigh of relief, mind still numb over the revelation.
Corpse was your soulmate.
The guy who had literally went viral the past few weeks was your soulmate.
You'd finally found him.
You heard Rae cut Sykkuno off, telling everyone she was starting the game and muttered a "Thank god" when the words "CREWMATE" appeared on your screen. You would not have been able to play imposter at the moment, your mind pretty much stuck on the fact that Corpse was your fucking soulmate.
Heading down to admin, you realised you hadn't said anything yet to the stream so you quickly turned on your cam, saying a quick sorry to the viewers.
"Sorry guys, I forgot to put the camera on," you smiled focusing on card swipe.
"I hope everyone's been okay, I know this was quite sudden, but Rae invited me and I was like why not you know," you said rambling as you moved to comms and did the task there.
Lights were called and you moved to electrical, arriving there just as Leslie fixed them. You moved into the back of electrical doing the three tasks you had there when Sykkuno suddenly came in and went straight to standing on top of the vent.
You giggled already knowing his trick.
"Okay guys," you mumbled watching Sykkuno wiggle on the vent. "do we trust Sykkuno or not?"
"You know what," you said making a split second decision. "Its the first game, we might as well."
Joining him on the vent, you stilled for a second and then breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't automatically kill you.
"See, what did I tell you guys huh?" you question smiling straight at the camera. "I knew Sykkuno could be trusted."
You decided to follow Sykkuno going into reactor with him and starting 'Simon says' and just as you were on the last part, a body was found making you let a whine out.
"Guysss," you whined to the camera as Rae started talking about how she had found Daves body in admin.
"Um, I havent been in admin since the start of the game," you said, "also I can clear Sykkuno, for the last part of the round, he's been with me since lights went out."
Sykkuno confirmed it, "Yup that's right, also I can hard clear Y/N cuz guess what? She stood on the vent with me and none of us died."
Everyone chuckled as he said "Thats good enough for me."
"Uh, I was in navigation mostly." said Lily.
"Poki, can I just ask what you were doing?" said Sean, an undercurrent of mirth present.
"Me?" asked Poki speaking for the first time. "What was I doing?"
"You weren't doing any tasks, you were literally just walking from one side of medbay to the other when I peeked in."
Poki started laughing, trying to get her words out at the same time.
"Okay so-" a giggle. "okay okay- I was just, I was trying to um do the beep test," she said finally breaking down and making everyone else laugh as well.
"What the fuck?" you said, laughing at the image in your mind.
"My chat told me to do it last game so I decided to do it now, I was literally just playing around," she said finally, adding "I swear I'm not imposter" at the end.
"Hmmm," you hummed, bringing a hand up to stroke your chin. "Are you sure it was last game Poki... hm...."
Giggling at Poki indignant "YES it was last game", you quickly skipped voting like everyone else as the timer went into the last ten seconds.
Humming a tune under your breath, you went back to reactor, taking a minute to carefully do Simon says and then moved to the other task counting out one two three as you pressed on the numbers. Humming, you moved out of reactor, only to come face to face with Corpse. You paused for a second, and then moved ahead, refusing to show anything on camera. For some reason he followed you as you went to storage, looking at you while you did the trash.
"Why is he just staring?" you mumbled, biting your lip. God, you really didn't wanna think of him right now. You started walking to shields, him still walking with you when lights were called and not a second later a body was reported.
Suddenly there was screaming your ears as Toast and Rae both started accusing each other.
"Wait- Wait WAIT" yelled Poki trying to get them to stop. "What happened?"
"I'll explain" declared Rae, not letting toast get a word in. "We were in navigation okay, me, Toast and Leslie. Lights went out, and suddenly a report buttons there. It's either Toast or someone came in just as lights went out and killed but that doesn't seem likely because I didn't see anyone anywhere near us at all. Anyways I'm fucking telling the truth guys, its Toast, he's the one who did it."
"Toast, do you have anything to say for yourself?" asked Corpse, his voice making your insides shiver.
"Holy shit, this is my soulmate", you thought for the fiftieth time.
"Uh yeah," replied toast. "I didn't do it."
Everyone laughed as he continued.
"Like seriously, I wouldn't do anything like this because it'd be a stupid move from my own part, and I think Raes smart enough to not do this as well. I think someone else came in just as lights went down and killed immediately, which to be honest, was pretty smart of them."
"Okay so I can clear Corpse," you cut in noticing the timer was close. "he was with me in weapons when it happened, he wouldn't have had time to go all the way up, or even vent there because we were literally walking in."
"Yup that's right," confirmed corpse.
"I'm in cafeteria" said Poki.
"Yeah, I saw her on my way to weapons," said Sykkuno, "and I'm in weapons right now,"
"I'm in lower engine" said Sean, and Lily said she was in reactor.
"I think it's Toast," you mumbled and then rose your voice to talk over everyone. "Look okay fine, maybe he said it was a stupid move and he wouldn't do it but maybe he did it for that exact reason. He thought he could get away with it because no one would expect him to do something like that."
As the timer started going down by 10, you voted for Toast and it turned out 3 had skipped the vote while five had voted for him.
damn.
"Guys you actually voted for him?" you said in a high voice, re-enacting one of Sykkunos most said lines.
You heard a "oh for gods sake" from Rae before everyone went silent and you giggled as you moved back down to weapons to do your tasks.
You finished all your tasks and decided to go to security to check where everyone is. Humming as you moved through the electrical hallway, you narrowed your eyes as Corpse came out of electrical and went towards storage. Quickly ducking in you didn't see a body so you headed back out, going into cams and gasping as you saw the body. Reporting immediately you were shocked to see the four kills that had happened. Now only you, Corpse, Sean and Rae were left.
"Oh my god," you mumbled confused. Either there were still two imposters, and Toast wasn't the imposter or the imposter literally killed and did nothing else. Now either that could mean that its definitely Rae if Toast wasn't the imposter, or that it was Corpse as the only imposter left. That was a bit weird though becuase he could have totally killed you at the start of the game. You didn't suspect Sean at all.
"What the fuck?" mumbled Corpse, and Rae made her animal noises expressing her shock.
"Okay," you said taking charge and relaying the kill and your theory to everyone. "So either it was Toast and there's only one other imposter, who is Corpse. Or Toast wasn't an imposter and there's two of them left. I-" you took a deep breath in at the end, very confused. " I don't know anymore,"
"I think its Corpse as well,"
Corpse who hadn't said anything up till this moment suddenly started stammering out "hey-hey uh let-lets not gang up on me okay. It's not-"
"No, wait, its because Y/N said you came out of electrical right, and I saw you in upper engine literally a bit ago and you went down. I went towards cafeteria so I don't know exactly where you went but its totally possible that you killed."
You voted form him after that, convinced it was Corpse, and the other followed quickly.
"Guys what the fuck, at least give me a chance to explain my self" he whined when his body was thrown off the ship seconds later. You cheered when the "VICTORY" sign was displayed across the screen, bringing up your chat and laughing at Toast as he pretended to be angry at me.
"That was a great round, good work Y/N"
"Thankyou" you mumbled staring at your chat. You were confused when you saw the absolute influx of messages on there, and you were barely able to read them because they were going so fast. You scrolled up, and read through the few of the messages;
"You've made corpse sad."
"Corpse has literally been so quite since you came in, can you leave."
"Omg stop with the hate messages, its not her fault if corpse isn't talking to you"
"are you his ex or something? What was that reaction at the start?"
"what did you do? Corpse literally hasn't said a word since you came in."
"Um..."
Corpse POV
Corpses heart stopped for a minute, his breath catching. The words on his wrist glowed gold, and he stared at the little red character standing there.
This person was the reason that he had "PRAISE BINGUS" stretched across his wrist.
They were the only reason that he had searched "Bingus" on google for all of his life. The only reason Corpse knew about the meme before anyone else was because he was constantly monitoring the word online. Ever since March, he had been waiting with bated breath, anxious that he could meet his soulmate at any moment. and here you were.
For some reason, he had never expected that he would meet you in among us, or while he was on stream. He always thought it'd be someone outside. It was a bit stupid in hindsight as all he did nowadays was play among us.
He heard you introduce yourself to him but the only thing that came out of his mouth was “No fucking way”.
Immediately after he wanted to slap himself.
“Idiot” he thought to himself. “At least try to make a good impression.”
When Rae asked what was wrong, heat sprung to his cheeks as he started revealing that they were soulmates, but Y/N cut him off, saying that it was nothing.
Corpse’s heart sank a little then.
'Maybe she’s just a private person,' he reasoned with himself.
'I shouldn’t have tried to say it on stream either. God, I’m a fucking idiot, if I said it, literally everyone would know and not only would I have hated the attention, she probabaly would have as well.'
Convincing himself that she was right, he reassured himself that it wasn’t because of him. She wasn’t revealing it because she probably didn't want all the attention.
For some reason though, his heart sank even more when Y/N didnt talk to him, instead talking to sykkuno about his dog. Like sure he could understand not wanting to reveal they were soulmates but shouldn’t she at least wanna talk to him? At this point he wouldn’t even mind if she talked about his voice like everyone else.
He groaned when the word "Imposter" came across his screen, his and Toasts character standing together. He was not in the right mindset right now to be able to be a good imposter. Breathing in deeply he continued in the game, with the first round passing by quick. The second round, he saw Y/N and stood with her for a bit wondering if he should kill her. Her red character moved to weapons and he sighed moving the mouse over the kill button. Just as he was thinking of clicking a body was found. Corpse swore as Toast flew off the ship. Deciding he needed to speed it up he killed four people in the round, hissing when the meeting was called. The moment Y/N accused him, he knew it was over. He didn't even bother defending himself much, just hoping the game would end soon.
When they were in the lobby, he quickly told everyone that he was going to leave because his internet was acting up. Turning off the stream after saying a quick thank you to everyone, he leaned back in his seat breathing through his nose.
What the fuck was his life.
Even his soulmate didnt want him. Honestly, he should have expected this. Abandoned at 12 with no one around him, why did his expect his soulmate to even give a fuck about him. Tears pricked his eyes and he blinked trying to get rid of them. He breathed in deeply, grabbing the water on the table and taking a big gulp. He had never hated himself more than he did right now. Why couldnt he have an easier life.
“Why cant I just fucking be NORMAL” he yelled throwing the empty bottle of water at the wall.
Throwing himself into bed, he scrunched up his eyes, hoping that sleep would come today, not noticing as his phone lit up with a single message.
Your POV
You stayed for another game and then ducked out apologizing and making an excuse up.
"Sorry it was such a short stream, everyone," you said pouting at the camera. "It was fun though so hopefully I get to do it again." Waving goodbye, you turned off the camera and leaned your head back staring at the ceiling.
What the actual fuck.
Grabbing your phone, you stared at it for a bit. Everything that you had pushed to the back of your mind in the game, was suddenly in the forefront.
The only thing you knew about Corpse was that he had a really deep voice, he narrated horror movies, and he maybe did music?
'Rae mentioned that once right?' you thought to yourself.
You unlocked the phone and then locked it again, too scared to actually do anything.
Unlocked.
Locked.
Unlocked.
Locked.
"Oh get a grip," you muttered to yourself, opening the phone and sending a text to Rae.
‘Hey Rae, do you have corpses number? Do you mind sending it to me, I need to tell him something.’
A reply came in a minute,
‘umm, why. he's pretty private so idk i don't rlly wanna give his number if he doesn't want someone to have it’
You sighed, and decided you might as well tell her. You knew Rae wouldn't betray your trust.
‘He's my soulmate’
Immediately a ‘AHDJHAKJKAGDAK’ came as a reply and you giggled at the string of emojis after it.
‘Don't tell anyone,’ you sent quickly, trying to calm her down.
‘Okay okay, its XXX - XXX - XXXX, ASHAGDH IM DYING OMG. GO TALK TO HIM.’
Biting your lip you added Corpse into your contacts hesitating before putting a small black heart next to his name.
"Already simping," you mumbled under your breath, hands hovering over the keyboard as you struggled to think of what to write.
You finally decided on 'Hey, its Y/N, can I call?' thinking that something short would be the best way to go. Hand hovering over the send button, you sucked in a breath and pressed it, waiting with bated breath.
A minute passed.
And then five.
And then, without you even you realising, it'd been half an hour of you just looking at your phone.
An hour later, you were slumped on your desk, eyes closed and snoring lightly, the phone still open, the message you sent lighting up the screen.
tbc.
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countessofbiscuit · 4 years
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What are your Bobasoka headcanons? I've already gone through all of the (criminally little) fic on ao3 and I especially loved Smothered and Covered, and I saw the majority of the fics in the tag were gifted to you so I'm assuming you're the OG shipper. Feel free to essay if you like!!
Thanks for the ask and kind words about that fic :3 
Oh, Bobasoka … where to begin? It’s a pairing that’s been bumping around in exchange requests for a few years — I figure it’d be easy for anyone invested in Ahsoka’s relationship with the clones to be compelled by the idea. Lledra used to draw Boba and Ahsoka interacting, and it was probably a few panels of their incredible Destinies comic that set my Bobasoka wheels turning. I’m also drawn to them because their journeys traverse so much canon; there’s not just a sandbox to play in, but a whole goddamn stretch of beach, stretching far out into the horizon ...  (#AhsokaLives #BobaSurvived :D)
I have to lead with the proviso that almost everything I write/daydream about/headcanon has a groundsheet of Rexsoka. Ahsoka’s interest in Boba, in my head, is intimately tied up with her attraction to and/or relationship with Rex — or, at the bare minimum, her intimate fellowship with the clones. She went through puberty (maybe with heats!) surrounded by a literal army of handsome, roughly college-aged dudes; that must’ve been a heady mix of heaven and hell. If she didn’t quench her thirst before war’s end and her (eventual) separation from Rex, she’d probably be pretty dehydrated when stumbling across Boba. As for Boba’s attraction to Ahsoka, well ... she’s very pretty, she’s potentially useful, she’s not likely to skewer him in his sleep (+2) on account of being a Jedi (-1), and now she’s the one down on her luck; if he falls in bed with anyone, why not this girl who isn’t afraid of him and stares a lot at his lips?                         
And Boba is like a hot shipping potato — satisfying, hard to fuck up, goes well (read: makes for an intriguing story) with almost everyone. And I think it has everything to do with his liminality, something he shares with Ahsoka and probably recognizes.          
Their neither-this-nor-that-ness overlap in such interesting ways, and they each bring their identity issues to the table — Ahsoka as an on-again, off-again Jedi; Boba as a clone who isn’t a Clone™, a Mandalorian by birth and bearing, but not by the book. At different points in their stories, they identify as different things, and that would affect their headspace and color their view of the other. They wrestle with themselves and each other. Force-user and bounty hunter; privileged topsider and orphaned juvenile delinquent fugitive; GAR commander and outcast clone; Jedi and Mandalorian; Disillusioned veteran and disaffected army brat; Rebellion agent and Imperial contractor.
And as much conflict is baked into these dynamics, it also generates a certain magnetism; and I believe they recognize, on some level, their shared trauma and the symmetry in their experiences. Boba and Ahsoka both have happy childhoods with very little to distress or vex them (beyond the art, I do not jive with Age of Republic: Jango Fett, a Disney-canon comic that not only doubles-down on the Jango-wasn’t-Mando nonsense, but shows him being rather cavalier about Boba’s life); Geonosis happens and their adolescent lives are dominated by war (which is how they came to actively threaten each other as space!secondary-schoolers — whaaaaatf!); they are both dubiously (even wrongfully) imprisoned; and they both suffer alienation and incredible personal loss.  
Boba was set apart from the clones before he was even pulled him from the jar, othered and elevated from the beginning. He never bonded with brothers, he does not identify as a clone. And while there are examples of clones making overtures to him, canonically his relationship with them is fraught and probably made worse when he gets banged up in Republic Central at the tender age of eleven or twelve — and of course, Ahsoka is an accessory to this, the second chapter in his tragedy at the hands of the Jedi. He needed help (whether he wanted it or not), it was not given by clones or Jedi alike (hamstrung by bureaucracy, sure, but surely some other means of intervention might have been lobbied for?), and Boba becomes a right teenage disaster, well-balanced only in the sense that he has a chip on both shoulders.
(n.b. Putting my RepComm hat on for a second, I can’t help but sniffle-laugh at the idea that the Alphas watched him get thrown in a maximum-security slammer and were like “Ah, there he is, the feral vod’ika. First time, we’ll let the little snot earn his stripes. Second time, we’ll bust him out and send him on a tough love retreat with A’den or Jaing.”)
Ahsoka, meanwhile, is part-and-parcel of the institutions that Boba sets himself against, even after she too has been cast out by circumstances beyond her control. She grows up in a supportive Jedi community and then spends some seriously formative years with a whole slew of brothers — brothers that should have been Boba’s! 
Boba, on the other hand, is a great example of the proverb that a child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth. (As he tells Hondo, “Why should I help anybody? I’ve got no one.”) 
The resentment that must create! But also, later, the quiet empathy too — maybe when Boba’s having one of his better days and Ahsoka’s obviously not. 
And all of the above is interesting enough, without also touching upon the wildcard that is Mandalore.
Boba’s relationship with Mandalore .... well, that’s contested in- and out-of-universe and I won’t allow myself to essay overmuch. I subscribe firmly to a Mandalorian Fetts construction of canon, even though Boba must be someone who struggles mightily with Mandalorian identity. He’s raised by a bona fide Mando, a solicitous, loving father who’d have no reason not to pass on his language and beliefs; but at the same time, it takes that village, and when Boba’s clan of two is shattered, he has no one else. The loss of his dad unmoors him from his only anchor to Mandalorian culture and clan.
If Boba had been close to the Cuy’val Dar, one would think he’d have turned to them rather than fall in with Jango’s criminal acquaintances; or maybe the bounty hunters just scooped him up first, and troubled lil’ Boba was shepherded through bereavement by folks who enabled and encouraged him to externalize his anger in a way that gave him a (false) feeling of agency and strength. 
Whatever the reasons, Boba does not repatriate himself to Mandalore (much to Fenn Shysa’s melodramatic dismay). He strikes me as a lapsed Mandalorian; he doesn’t exactly follow the creed besides wearing the armor (scavenged? his dad’s sans helmet? canon is confused on this point, but he doesn’t go Mando until the unfinished arcs at the end of TCW, either for lack of stature, lack of armor, or lack of enthusiasm). I feel like if someone rocked up to Boba in a cantina and had the balls to ask “hey, so you a Mandalorian?” Boba would be like “<ominously slow helmet tilt> who’s asking” and never give you a straight answer.
Meanwhile, Ahsoka gets a crash course on Mandalore from none other than someone who, at one point, belonged to a sect that wanted to expunge Jaster’s legacy from the galaxy — and at the very least, had reason to dislike clones. This isn’t the place to explore my Boba/Bo-Katan feelings, but know that they are fathomless, and I would pay good money to be a fly on the wall of that Kom’rk when Bo-Katan gives Ahsoka Mando History 101 with her own special sauce. Ahsoka is probably more up-to-speed on Mandalore than Boba, and at one point, she may even own more beskar than him! (n.b. After the crash, I think one of the first places Rex and Ahsoka bounce is just inside Mando space, to scope out the Sundari situation and maybe try to scramble a signal to Bo-Katan; she’d have the goodwill to at least get them back on their feet if she can’t help them lay low herself. For a variety of reasons worth maybe ficcing down the line, they aren’t successful.)
I don’t really have a concluding statement except, I just think Bobasoka’s neat :) They hit all my depressed-Millennial buttons.
Headcanon by bullet-point isn’t really my style, but this is tumblr so ... tl;dr:
They recognize a lot in each other, even if they’re slow to admit it, if ever. Boba’s a cagey bastard and Ahsoka doesn’t ever like him enough to be emotionally honest.
They bump into each other during Ahsoka’s walkabout(s) ‘cause Coruscant’s Underworld ain’t big enough for the two of them. Without Slave-1, Boba couchsurfs at Nyx Okami’s garage, but he does his laundry at Rafa’s. He might even borrow the Martez’s new, useful friend for a job or two. 
Ahsoka eventually matures enough to be sensitive about her use of the Force on and around clones, and she definitely doesn’t use it around Boba. Definitely not during sex.
Boba is privately weirded out every time Ahsoka uses Mando slang she picked up off the clones or the Nite Owls.
Boba absolutely kills Cad Bane in that shoot-out, keeps the hat, and lets Ahsoka have it. She shoves it out the airlock and uses it for target practice. 
So many great smut flavours! Hatesex. Acquaintances with benefits. “You’re traumatized and touch-starved and you look just like him/them, and I know how to be gentle and what to do, so maybe we could … ?” They’re both privately comfortable with their bodies and sexuality, but Boba’s got trust issues a parsec long and Ahsoka’s lost confidence; it’s always an awkward affair, but desperation wins out.
They exchange comm codes every time they run into each other, which is kind of pointless because they both use burners.
Ahsoka hitches a ride on Slave-1 more than once. There really is only one bed, so it’s either sleep upright, sleep in a pokey prisoner hold, or sleep with him.
For a few years, Boba can pass as a last-generation clone — the ones that got sold off in bulk units to slavers before Kamino sunk another three years’ food, board, and training into them. Boba pretends he doesn’t notice, easy to really, since he tells himself his helmet is his face. But occasionally, when Ahsoka can convince him there’s profit in it, he agrees to play sleeper agent and assists in liberating a few here and there. 
They don’t talk about Aurra Sing.
When an Imp really crosses him, Boba passes on intel to Ahsoka to ruin their day.
Once, when they’re both super skint, Ahsoka volunteers to get handed in to some relatively minor and out-of-the-way Imperial garrison, so Boba can collect, bust her out, and split the pot with her. It’s the closest she ever comes to telling him “I trust you” — and when he brushes the idea aside, citing something about risk, it’s the closest he ever comes to telling her “I love you.”
Boba sees Inquisitors as muscling in on his game. There are so many lousy Force-users around nowadays, it should be easy pickings, but Inquisitors get privileged information. So he makes sport out of misdirecting them, especially from Ahsoka. 
When he pisses her off, Ahsoka fantasizes about Bo-Katan taking Boba down a peg or two while she watches :)))
Boba experienced Ahsoka’s heat once, secondhand through a cabin wall. He thought he was being clever by shooting Rex up with some Nevoota stim pollen, locking him in with Ahsoka, and hijacking their locked ships. Longest three days of his life, limping on broken hyperdrives and shared fuel stores to the nearest waystation to a soundtrack of violent lovemaking : \
Bounty hunters invariably bump into spies and agents because they work in the same areas. The agents pretend to be bounty hunters, eccentric business people, sex workers, or a range of other things. Sometimes each party knows all about the other, but it’s only polite not to mention it. This happens to Ahsoka and Boba A LOT, especially once she becomes Fulcrum; rebel cells and Imperials often want the same people. Occasionally they exchange fire. A couple times Boba gets imprisoned in Ahsoka’s own brig. Once, Boba blows her cover and definitely lives to regret it. 
(this essay was originally punctuated with pics, but replies with images won’t show up tumblr tags so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) 
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ladyanput · 4 years
Text
Seeing Green Ch.9
Alright, here’s the chapter where you all find out I can’t write action scenes worth crap.
Chat Noir had left her alone, shivering in the cold as freezing air blew in through the warehouse's broken windows. Her limbs were beginning to feel numb, and her wrists were raw and bloodied from all of her vicious tugging to try and get free.
She faintly heard the sounds of footsteps and Chat Noir appeared in her vision once again, holding a small plastic bag. He smiled as he knelt beside her once again, blissfully unaware of her growing shivering.
"I got you the perfect outfit now, my lady." Chat grinned excitedly, reminding Marinette of a toddler about to show their messy art to their parents. A very deranged toddler, that is. He pulled a red mask out of the plastic bag, it was obviously made of some felt material and had crudely drawn on black dots. She flinched when Chat put it on her. "There we go, now you're perfect, Ladybug."
"Chat, no, Adrien, please let me go. I- I can't feel my fingers." She begged, then flinched when he got close. He kissed her without even listening to what she said, and when his tongue invaded her mouth, a sob left her.
This was supposed to be her partner, someone she could rely on and fight with until the end. They had been through so much together, yet here he was, lost in some sick fantasy that he refused to let go of. When he pulled back, he had a look of euphoria on his face as he stroked her cheek.
"You taste so sweet, but I alway knew you would be. You're my beautiful Ladybug after all." Chat hummed, reaching into the plastic bag again. He withdrew a pair of silver rings, sliding one onto Marinette's left ring finger, the other onto his own.  "There we go… Our own perfect happily ever after."
"What?" She croaked out, her voice dry. She shivered as another cool breeze swept over them.
"I dreamt of us having a big house, three beautiful children… I always knew you were meant for me when you stood up to Hawkmoth on our first day as heroes." He nuzzled her cheek gently, then nuzzled her cold, grey earrings. "I'd rather you be yourself right now, but I can pretend. I always know how to play pretend really well."
"Adrien…" She felt the bile rise in her throat, thoughts of Adrien's past nightly activities flashing in her mind and fear flooded her further. She squirmed when his body pressed close to hers as he cuddled close. Her voice rose in pitch as hysterics set in. "Please..  Please, don't!"
"What?" Chat stopped his kisses on her neck and his green eyes studied her, before widening, looking almost hurt. "Ladybug, I'd never do that to you… I'd never hurt my precious Ladybug."
Marinette closed her eyes and tried to think of Damian, of her friends back at the hotel, of Eva. They must be looking for her, they had to be. They wouldn't leave her alone here, would they? Surely they cared. Right…?
Chat was looming over her face once again, his smile wide. Marinette tried to turn her head away from him, but he forced her chin over and his lips were on hers once again.
---
Nightwing watched helplessly as Robin savagely beat up a thug that had mentioned to them that he had seen a guy in black leather carrying a girl towards the warehouse district. 
There was obvious frustration and anger radiating off of Robin, his desperation to find Marinette clear to the rest of the team. They all felt the same, but they couldn't afford to go in rashly and end up getting the girl hurt, especially with the black cat's destructive powers that Tim told him about.
"Robin, that's enough." Batman stepped forward and grabbed Robin's shoulder, pulling him back roughly, leaving the thug curled up in fetal position on the ground. "Killing him won't help us get to her faster."
"He has her. I know the police couldn't find anything, but who the fuck else would have her?!" Robin turned on his father, his body trembling with the rage that just kept bubbling inside of him. Usually he was good with his emotions, of being able to control them, but when Marinette was in trouble all of that training seemed to go out the window. "If he's such a fucking creep that he spies on her at night, what else could he do to her?!"
"Yes, but keep in mind he's most likely transformed, and from what Red Robin saw in those videos, these Miraculous' powers can withstand a lot of damage." Batman shook his head and turned towards the direction of the warehouse district. "Everyone, move. If you see Chat Noir, proceed with extreme caution, we don't want casualties today."
The team made their way towards the warehouse district, eyes peeled for any signs of movement. It was a cold winter's night, the air biting deep and cruel. Worry spiked dramatically as Robin thought of how cold Marinette must be. He was sure the stupid tomcat was too much of an idiot to even think about bringing her winter coat, especially since it was snowing outside.
"I don't see anything down at the south end." Red Hood reported over his comm as he looked into every warehouse that he could. Lots of abandoned warehouses, but no Marinette, and no furry freak.
"Guys, I think I've got something." Black Bat's voice sounded slightly strained as she watched the scene inside of the warehouse from her perch by one of the windows. Marinette tied to a pole by her wrists, shivering hard with her lips looking rather blue. When Batwoman dropped in beside her, she grimaced at the sight of the crude mask put on the young woman's face, or the cat themed hero forcing kisses on the barely conscious girl.
"I want to skin him.." Batwoman hissed through clenched teeth as she watched Chat adjust a bridal style veil onto Marinette's head. "She can barely keep her head up."
Black Bat couldn't respond due to Robin shoving his way past them and rushing his way into the warehouse, sword drawn, a look of murderous intent on his face, Nightwing hot on his heels.
"Robin, wait!"
Chat looked up at the sound of commotion, only to be knocked back and sent flying across the room by a superb kick from Robin. Batman cursed under his breath and when he accepted the planned surprise attack was compromised, went in and joined the rest of them.
Chat got to his feet and brushed off the kick as if he had been swatted with a damp towel. His green eyes narrowed furiously at the sight of the Gotham heroes, his clawed hands curling into fists.
"What are you all doing here? Get away from my Lady!" He snarled when he noticed Red Robin knelt beside Marinette, cutting away the ropes that had cut so deep into her wrists. He made his way towards them, but was intercepted by Black Bat who tackled him. "I'll fucking kill all of you!"
"You had no right to kidnap her!" Black Bat snapped back as she struggled with him, getting right in his face as they both strain in their fighting. "She's not some toy you keep around to play with, pervert!"
She didn't get a chance to react when he wrenched her arm and it popped out of its socket, the air leaving her lungs. Chat then grabbed the back of her head and slammed it down onto the concrete floor, making her see stars.
Red Robin carefully helped Marinette stand, though the shivering girl pressed into him, desperate for any trace of warmth. With a soft curse, he took off his cape and draped it over her shoulders. 
"Did he hurt you, Marinette?" He whispered, watching as Robin wailed on Chat, their weapons meeting with loud clashes. Carefully he began moving her towards the entrance of the warehouse. 
"No, but… but he…" She swallowed thickly, reaching up and taking off the crude mask and the cheap wedding veil. Red Robin felt disgust at the sight of the ring on her left hand. He slid it off of her finger and tossed it onto the floor. "Just kissing, that was it."
"Let's get you out of here, you're freezing." He whispered, but frowned when she struggled against him.
"No… I need Tikki… to take Chat's ring." Her words slurred, her lashes fluttering as her lids felt heavy, but she took a step towards where Chat was currently trying to strangle Batman.
Chat's gaze rose and he snarled when he saw Marinette was untied. He took a threatening step towards her, but Robin stepped into his path, swinging his sword. The black cat met the sword with his staff and hissed at him.
"You're trying to take her away from me. She's mine, she belongs to me, not some pretty boy spoiled brat." Chat hissed, shoving Robin back only to charge at him. The two struggled as Robin kept getting knocked back by the inhumanly strong cat themed hero, but that only fueled the young assassin's anger.
"She's not property! She doesn't belong to anyone!" Robin snapped, aiming for Chat's head, but stopping short when the cat reached out and grabbed his wrist. This was Ladybug's partner? A guy who acted like he was owed the girl he had feelings for? That he automatically got her because of some stupid delusion of soulmates? "I'll cut your fucking hands off for what you did."
Chat stared at him, before grinning. Then in a swift move, he crushed Robin's hand, then reared back and smashed his head into his.
---
Marinette stumbled her way towards the exit, shivering wildly as Tim supported her. She went to thank him, but he was ripped away from her and sent flying across the room, slamming into one of the concrete poles.
Chat wrapped an arm around her waist and held her against him, his expression one of deranged fury.
"If any of you come near us, I'll destroy her. Cataclysm!" Marinette felt the blood drain from her face as he held his powered up hand inches from her face. "If I can't have her, I'll never let anyone else! She's mine, and if I can only join her in the afterlife, so be it!"
"Adrien!" Marinette let out a shrill scream, drawing the attention of the remaining conscious heroes. She struggled, mentally begging for Tikki to hurry and find her. "Adrien, please stop!"
"No!" Chat snarled right in her face, his grip tightening on her, making her wince. "You're mine, Ladybug!"
"She's not Ladybug."
All eyes turned to the warehouse doors as they were thrown open, a strong wind bursting in, filling the place with flurried snow.
And there stood Ladybug, hands on her hands and a furious expression on her face.
"M- my Lady. But how..?" Chat began to tremble, dropping Marinette in his shock, sending her sprawling across the floor. "Ladybug, you're here!"
"I can't believe you, Chat? Kidnapping a civilian? Threatening to kill her? And here I thought you were my partner, a superhero!" Ladybug shook her head sadly, hugging herself. "And here I thought I was falling in love with you…"
"No, wait, Ladybug, please!" He stepped away from Marinette and made his way towards his Ladybug, reaching out towards her. "I thought you were being stolen away from me! You do love me, you know you do! You see? I was doing this for us!"
"Oh Chat…" Ladybug gave a thin smile, then narrowed her eyes. "I'll have fun kicking your scrawny ass."
Ladybug burst into orange smoke and a pair of feet planted themselves firmly on Chat's chest, making him sprawl onto his back. Everyone stared at the woman standing on Chat's chest.
Her violet eyes sparkled with amusement, body clad in an orange bodysuit, what looked to be a black collar around her throat, the Fox Miraculous dangling. Her fox ears twitched every so slightly, her fluffy tail curled up tight.
"Hello kitty cat. You know, what you did was highly illegal." She purred, then stomped hard on his throat.
"Are those high heels?" Marinette hissed, narrowing her eyes as she watched Chat throw the fox heroine across the warehouse, then him spreading after her, claws unsheathed as he went at her with his Cataclysm. 
"Hey Sugar Cookie, I think this belongs to you!" The fox unfurled her tail, Tikki darting out and rushing towards her Chosen.
"Marinette! You're safe!" Tikki cuddled to her chosen, only to flinch back when she felt how cold she was. "Hurry, transform and take Chat's ring!"
"Tikki, spots on!"
---
Chat swiped furiously at the mysterious fox, maddening fury pumping through his veins. This bitch used Ladybug's persona against him. He couldn't wait to turn her to ash.
"You're getting rusty, Tomcat. Must be all of those times you'd laze around and let Ladybug do all of the work." She taunted, running backwards as Chat kept trying to swipe at her with his Cataclysm. But Chat managed to trip her by smashing the back of her knees with his staff, and he grabbed her by the throat. He inched his powered hand closer, but it halted when a familiar spotted yo-yo wrapped around his wrist.
"Not so fast, Chat Noir! You're not hurting anyone." Ladybug smirked and ripped the black cat backwards, while Red Hood appeared and tossed one of the boomerangs. He tossed it at Chat, who instinctively caught it with his free hand, and it crumpled into dust.
"Looks like you've lost the upper hand." The fox grinned and bore her claws, slashing at Chat's face, blood splattering and he was sent stumbling back. Batwoman ran up and slammed her fist right into his face, hearing the satisfying crunch of bone. "Ladybug, now!"
As Batwoman, Red Hood, and the fox combined barely pinned down Chat Noir, Ladybug rushed forward and grabbed his wrist, plucking the black cat ring from his finger.
"Adrien Agreste." Ladybug's voice was cold as his transformation slid away, leaving the bleeding teen glaring up at her with furious green eyes. "As the Guardian of the Miraculous, you are hereby retired as the Black Cat holder."
"You can't do this to me! I am the Black Cat, you can't take my ring!" Adrien snapped and struggled, only to freeze when Red Hood took out a gun and held it to his head.
"Move a fucking inch and I'll fucking end you, you disgusting creep." He snarled, body tense. He was itching to end this kid.
"I contacted the police. They'll be here soon." Red Robin made his way over to them, his arm hanging at an odd angle at his side. He eyed the fallen Batman, Black Bat, Robin, and Nightwing. "Jesus, we all practically have military training and he took out over half of us."
"Oh!" Ladybug's eyes widened a fraction, before she stepped back and threw her yo-yo into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!"
---
Robin's eyes slowly opened, and he saw an angel. Marinette smiled down at him, before taking his hands, now perfectly healed, into his own and helping him stand. Without a word, they tightly embraced and she wept softly into his chest.
"I'm glad you're safe, Angel." He whispered, stepping back and wiping the tears away. She was still shivering, but it had subsided some. "You're safe though?" 
"I'm fine. He didn't do anything to me." She assured him, before turning back to the entire Bat squad who had gathered around, everyone's wounds miraculously healed. "Where's the perv?"
The fox lady, who stood off to the side, pointed to the entrance, where Adrien was tied up, his nose broken. He then noticed Marinette cradling her right hand and the bloodied knuckles and smiled. 
"So…" Marinette turned and crossed her arms, smirking at the fox. "What do I call the heroine who decided shoulder pads and high heels were a smart choice for a superhero costume?"
"I managed to do flips and cartwheels in these heels, so you don't get to judge." The fox pointed a cautious finger at the young teen, smiling. "But I guess you can call me Lady Vixen."
There was a high pitched beeping and soon as the flash of light disappeared, Evangeline stood there, hands on hips.
There was silence for a moment, then a clattering sound. Red Hood had dropped his gun. 
In a swift move, he took off his hood and tossed it aside, his messy dark  hair framing his face. Suddenly, Eva's eyes widened in alarm.
"What the fuck? Jaso-" Before Eva could say anything else, Jason grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her. Marinette felt her cheeks heat up and an uncomfortable giggle left her as she shied her eyes away. How long had this been going on?
"You're a fucking crazy woman." Jason muttered, resting his forehead against Eva's.
"I had to save Marinette. She couldn't transform without that red fairy." Eva shrugged, though she seemed to have a rather dreamy smile on her face.
"Yeah, but your form was terrible." Jason grabbed her by the waist and tossed her over his shoulder like she was a sack of flour, before he began striding towards the entrance past Adrien. "You and I need to work on that flexibility of yours."
"Jason, what the fuck are you talking about?" Eva struggled in Jason's tight grip, and Marinette watched as her expression went from confusion, to realization, then to a cherry red eagerness. "Oh.. OH!"
Marinette felt her own cheeks heat up, but she quickly turned back to Batman, clearing her throat.
"Thank you all for saving me. I really appreciate it." She smiled, snuggling into Robin's warmth as they heard sirens in the distance. 
"That power of yours comes in handy. I was sure I'd be in the hospital for months." Black Bat grinned, gingerly touching her healed shoulder.
The police quickly arrived, and Adrien was hauled off to Gotham Prison, with a call being sent out to his father.
Marinette was taken back to the hotel, where the entire class was waiting for her in the lobby. Juleka, Rose, Kim, Alix, and Nino all rushed forward and gathered the shivering girl into a tight hug, allowing her to leech off of their warmth, all the while Commissioner Gordon explained everything to Miss Bustier.
"There must be some mistake." Miss Bustier shook her head, looking rather frazzled. She couldn't let this get back to the parents, back to the school board. "Adrien is just a child, you can't arrest him. He just made a mistake, that's all!"
"A mistake?" Gordon's brows shot up in bewilderment before he shook his head. "Listen, Miss, kidnapping isn't a mistake. Holding a terrified girl captive for several hours isn't a mistake. Keeping her bound, in the cold and letting her starve isn't a mistake."
"Marinette probably coerced him into doing it!" Lila spoke up, stepping forward with tears in her eyes.
"She's been obsessed with him for years, he probably couldn't take it anymore. She blackmailed him into some sick fetish game or something to finally get her to stop. Marinette always did like getting all of the attention!"
Alya crossed her arms and glowered over at Marinette. She just had to go and get kidnapped and ruin the entire trip! If Marinette hadn't come, she'd still have her boyfriend, would still have money, and her phone wouldn't be off after her parents decided to cancel her cell subscription. Now she couldn't even update the Ladyblog!
"Why you little…" Alix took a threatening step towards her, but froze in her tracks when she saw Bruce Wayne and Damian making their way into the hotel.
"Good evening, Commissioner Gordon. I heard Marinette was found and we rushed over as fast as we could." Bruce smiled as he shook the Commissioner's hand, watching as his son gathered Marinette into his arms and hugged her tight. "I contacted her parents. Funny thing, they were never told their daughter had been kidnapped."
The glares the adults in the room sent Bustier made her go pale. Eva would certainly have a field day when she got wind of this.
"And I believe that she isn't really safe under the care of such a… mediocre caretaker." Bruce's smile was kind, but his eyes were deadly. "Her parents gave permission for her to stay with us until they get here to take her home."
The class was quiet as Damian guided Marinette over to the elevator, before Alix began laughing, practically doubling over from it.
"Fuck, this is too perfect! Marinette gets to live that pretty princess life you're always boasting about having, Lie-la." She taunted, and the Italian's hands curled into fists as she glared after Marinette and the Wayne heir.
Once in the privacy of her hotel room, Marinette took a seat and gingerly touched her hurt wrists. Plagg hovered over her, looking guilty before he floated down and sadly nuzzled her hand.
"I'm sorry, Gumdrop… I should have reined him in better. I could have stopped him." He whispered, tearing up as he looked down, eyeing her wounded wrists. "I could have stopped him from doing this. But he learned how… how to control me."
"Don't blame yourself. I know he wasn't a true Black Cat." Marinette smiled, scratching the kwami gently between his ears, causing him to purr. Tikki went and hugged Plagg close, the two of them settling on one of the pillows. "But… I think that this madness that overtook him, it was always within him. He chose which path to take."
"We'll find you a new cat, don't worry.." Tikki whispered, hugging Plagg tightly. But Plagg wasn't paying attention, he was staring straight at Damian.
"Well.. We should get you back to the mansion. You'll need all the rest you can get." Damian gathered up Marinette's luggage, eyeing the red and black box she picked up and putting it back into it's secret compartment.  Once it was all gathered up, he kissed her. "Let's go home."
"Home…" Marinette smiled and nuzzled him, having a feeling she was finally where she was meant to be.
---
"Nathalie. Get us some tickets…" Gabriel glanced back at his secretary. "We are going to Gotham to get my foolish son."
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zrtranscripts · 3 years
Text
Radio Abel, Season Eight
Part 5 of 5
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: I don't know if it's just because New Canton's at the center of the government in the UK -
ZOE CRICK: I'm still getting used to that.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: - but now that I think about it, people do seem to be putting more effort into the way they dress these days.
ZOE CRICK: I've noticed that. For a while, I thought it was because people wanted to spruce themselves up for the royal visits, but King Jamie hasn't been visiting as much since Amelia left for... for whatever it is she's doing, and people are still looking rather flamboyant.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: One of the cooks makes his own hats out of food wrappers.
ZOE CRICK: Exactly. People are having fun, and they're less worried about looking cool than they were before the apocalypse.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: I think those hats are cool!
ZOE CRICK: That's the point. Taste is much more subjective now. [laughs] We don't have TV or newspapers, and it still takes half an hour to send a picture over ROFFLEnet, so it's harder to follow trends. People are using their imaginations instead.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Speaking of imagination, here's a track by someone with lots of it.
~
ZOE CRICK: Maybe Z-Day’s made self-expression more important, not less. We can't control the V-types, and we might be confined to our settlements most of the time, but we can decide how we look, so people go to great lengths to execute their vision. It's like how women in pre-apocalyptic prisons used to improvise cosmetics out of Smarties and shoe polish.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: How do you know what women used to do in prison?
ZOE CRICK: Oh, I was talking to Maxine about it.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Dr. Maxine has been to prison?!
ZOE CRICK: No, she... [sighs] That's not the point. I'm saying that for a lot of people, clothes, hair, and makeup are important creative outlets now that we're restricted in other ways. They also help people feel normal, now that -
PHIL CHEESEMAN: - now that V-types are roaming across the UK.
ZOE CRICK: Exactly.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: [sighs] Here's a song to make us all feel a bit more normal.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Imagine if Vogue was still in print. Do you think they'd employ zombie models?
ZOE CRICK: Yeah, with headlines like, “Gray is the New Black.” [laughs] They might struggle to find advertisers.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Okay, business side might be a bit tricky to sort out. What about the editorial?
ZOE CRICK: They'd have post-apocalyptic fashion tips.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: “The Best Looks to Scavenge this Season.”
ZOE CRICK: “Make Your Own Makeup.”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: “10 Ways to Wear a Sports Bra.”
ZOE CRICK: Not sure about that one, Phil.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Okay, yeah, there’s probably just one way to wear a sports bra.
ZOE CRICK: As far as I know.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: The other ideas were good, though. Well, maybe we should think of other style tips for our listeners.
ZOE CRICK: Why not? [laughs] Here's a song to get our creative juices flowing.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Listeners, Zoe and I tried to come up with fashion tips, but this isn't our area of expertise.
ZOE CRICK: Speak for yourself.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: All your ideas involve drawing cats on things.
ZOE CRICK: That's not true. I also suggested embroidering cats on things.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: My point, listeners, is that maybe Zoe and I could use your help. Send us your post-apocalyptic fashion tips.
ZOE CRICK: We'll be sharing them right after this.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Welcome back to Radio New Hope, where we're sharing tips on how to stay stylish in the zombie apocalypse.
ZOE CRICK: A lot of the suggestions we've had so far come from runners who need to be able to move quickly, evade zoms, and stay comfortable on long runs.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: You might think, as I did only a few minutes ago, that running is not compatible with expressing yourself through fashion, but you'd be wrong.
ZOE CRICK: Indeed, there are lots of ways to have fun with your running gear that don't affect speed or safety. Even if you're out by yourself and no one else can see you, a little bit of flare can lift your mood and make you feel more like yourself.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Running On Sunshine suggests, “Novelty shoe laces are a fun way of adding color to your running outfit. You can often loot them from the children's section of sports or shoe shops, but they're also easy to make from a sturdy ribbon. Use a bit of tape or wax for the aglet.”
ZOE CRICK: Just be sure to tuck your new laces into your shoes the next time you visit the kitten pen.
~
ZOE CRICK: Today on Radio New Hope, we're taking suggestions on how to jazz up your running gear.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: This next step is one for more creative runners, and it comes from Art Rate.
ZOE CRICK: Art Rate?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Yeah, like heart rate, because they're a runner, but also an artist.
ZOE CRICK: [sighs] I don't know if we should be reading out people's usernames. We're just encouraging bad puns.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: This episode is about self-expression, Zoe, whatever form it takes, even terrible puns.
ZOE CRICK: Hmm. What does Art Rate have to say for themselves?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: “Decorate your running outfit with permanent marker, embroidery, and whatever embellishments you can get your hands on. As long as your number is still clearly visible to your comms operator, there's no limit to what you can do. Wearing something that truly reflects your personality can give you motivation on the most difficult runs.”
ZOE CRICK: That's a nice idea. I'll forgive the pun.
~
ZOE CRICK: Progressive Runner writes, “Hi Phil, where did you get a Dream Theater T-shirt? I'm also a fan of prog metal and have been on several runs to find old gig venues to see if there are any T-shirts left. Unfortunately, all I've found are hordes of zombified metal heads. I used to love a good mosh pit before the apocalypse, but it's just not the same when everyone's trying to bite you.”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Uh, first off Progressive Runner, please stop putting your life at risk in pursuit of merch. It's not worth it, and that's not what the bands would have wanted.
ZOE CRICK: Especially since they no longer make money from T-shirt sales.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Exactly, which is why I don't mind letting you know that my T-shirt is a fake. Before the apocalypse, touring musicians relied on the merch stand to support themselves, but now that most of them are dead, it's no longer unethical to make knock-offs.
ZOE CRICK: Did you make your T-shirt, Phil?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: One of Amelia's stylists did. She's very handy with the fabric paints.
ZOE CRICK: Oh? What did you give her in exchange?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: I had to promise to play this next song.
~
ZOE CRICK: What's our next fashion tip, Phil?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Uh, it's more of a PSA. “Hi Phil and Zoe, I run Support Network, a sports bra exchange service. We travel between settlements to provide runners with the best fitting sports bras. Simply visit our message board on ROFFLEnet, tell us which sizes your settlement has and which they need. It might take us a while to get to you, but we have a huge selection of style and color in every size. For some reason, post-apocalyptic Britain has no shortage of sports bras.” That's a great initiative, don't you think, Zoe? [keyboard clicks] Zoe?
ZOE CRICK: Sorry. I was just posting a request to their message board. Fellow sports bra wearers of New Canton, I suggest you do the same.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: And while you do that, here's a song about sharing.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Our next post-apocalyptic style tip comes from In Stitches, who says, “Here are just a few reasons why knitting is one of the most valuable skills you can learn in the post apocalypse.”
ZOE CRICK: “One, you don't necessarily need to send runners off in search of equipment. Knitting needles can be whittled from sticks, and if your settlement has sheep, wool is a renewable resource.”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: “Two, the act of knitting has many cognitive, therapeutic, and - if you join a knitting circle - social benefits.”
ZOE CRICK: “Three, designing knitting patterns can be a great creative outlet, and since they can be conveyed using just symbols, they can be quickly shared over ROFFLEnet.”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: “Four, larger needles can double as anti-zom weapons, as long as you aim for the eyes and remember to clean the blood off them before you get back to your knitting. The last thing you want is to make an infectious jumper by mistake.”
ZOE CRICK: That's, uh, resourceful. We'll be back with more fashion right after this.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: If knitting's not your thing, our next correspondent has a great idea for making some stylish winter clothes. “Next time you're out on a supply run, make a detour to a toy shop and pick up some plushies. A little reverse taxidermy - "
ZOE CRICK: Oh no!
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Plushies aren't real animals, Zoe.
ZOE CRICK: I know, but I couldn't look one in the eye and take out its stuffing.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Uh... our less sensitive listeners can use this method to generate bundles of fake fur, a versatile fabric that'll help you stay warm and, thanks to the pre-apocalyptic trend for cuddly unicorns, colorful.
ZOE CRICK: I think I'll stick with the knitting.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: If it makes you feel any better, no plushies were harmed in the making of this next song.
~
ZOE CRICK: Polished in the Apocalypse says that a manicure adds a splash of color to your running look without impeding your movement.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: I'm surprised we didn't think of that one ourselves. One of Amelia's first acts as prime minister was to open a nail bar at New Canton.
ZOE CRICK: She was accused of extravagance at first, but it's actually become a community hub. People go there to relax and come away feeling a little more, well, polished.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: I've only just noticed, Zoe, each one of your nails is a different color.
ZOE CRICK: I couldn't choose. Amelia reserves all the Chanel nail polish for herself, but there are still plenty of other varieties for the rest of us.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Well, the rest of us in New Canton, maybe. What about everyone else?
ZOE CRICK: Until Amelia makes nail bars mandatory for all settlements, why not grab a few bottles of nail polish the next time you're on a low stakes meds run to a chemist? Just be sure to apply it in a well-ventilated area.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: A word of caution now from Nine Fingers, who says, “Jewelry adds sparkle to any outfit and can be a great way of expressing your individuality, especially if you make your own. However, think twice before wearing it on a run. Necklaces are easy for zoms to grab, earrings can be torn out, and rings are a risk if you're using weapons. Trust me.”
ZOE CRICK: Oh dear.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Listeners, if you're fond of jewelry, maybe keep it for when you're safe in your settlement.
ZOE CRICK: That’s sound advice. Also - naming no names, Runner Thirty-Seven - don't scavenge jewelry off dead zombies, no matter how on fleek it is. You're asking to get infected. And on that note...
~
ZOE CRICK: It's not just jewelry that you can enjoy when you're not at risk of zombie attacks.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Loads of our listeners have written in to suggest items you can use if you'd like a more flamboyant settlement look.
ZOE CRICK: Silk flowers.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Craft supplies.
ZOE CRICK: Stickers.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Fridge magnets.
ZOE CRICK: Christmas decorations.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Basically, listeners, as long as you're not using something that might be better deployed for a more practical purpose, there's no limit to the fun you can have with your personal style.
ZOE CRICK: Speaking of fun, here's a song that always puts a smile on my face.
~
ZOE CRICK: Our last suggestion comes from Fairy Zom Mother, who writes, “No one has space for a large wardrobe anymore. That doesn't mean you can't wear something special if the occasion demands. It's nice to dress up once in a while, so why not implement a share and swap system at your settlement so people can borrow clothes, shoes, and accessories?”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Wonder how long it would take to get that set up in New Canton. I've actually got a special evening planned soon.
ZOE CRICK: Ooh, is it a date?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Maybe? I'll tell you all about it during this next song.
~
ZOE CRICK: Um, I think the orange ones might be a bit much.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Oh, and we're live.
ZOE CRICK: Sorry about that, listeners. Recently we've learned that there's a way for everyone to express themselves through fashion, even in the post-apocalypse, but we'd like to add that not everyone has to.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: That's right. Some people don't even bother to brush the cat hair off their jumper before they come to work, and that's just fine.
ZOE CRICK: The cat hair is a deliberate part of my aesthetic, Phil. Our point is that everyone's priorities have changed. Most dress codes died with the apocalypse and few of us mourn them. You're no longer likely to be turned down for a job because you couldn't get your hands on an expensive suit for the interview. Nowadays, people are valued for doing what they do best.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: And on that note, let Zoe and I do what we do best and play you a song.
ZOE CRICK: Until next time, listeners.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Hello again, citizens.
ZOE CRICK: Phil, before you say anything else, there's something important we need to discuss.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Is this about getting a pet for the show again? Because I thought we settled that.
ZOE CRICK: We haven't, but no, this is about something very upsetting I found on ROFFLEnet today.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Oh, the Radio New Hope fanfic? Hmm. There's one of you and me being turned into zoms on air that is both deeply disturbing and shockingly well-written.
ZOE CRICK: Again, no. What I found is a thread on ROFFLEnet called “Radio New Hope Has Changed” full of people - well, full of two people - who think we've lost our touch. Look, Just_Saying_108 says, “It breaks my heart. Zoe and Phil aren't what they used to be.” And then Radio_No_Hope says, “It all started when they got into bed with Amelia.”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: I'm assuming in my case they mean metaphorically.
ZOE CRICK: Phil, we need to take this seriously. If our listeners aren't happy, we're not happy.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: It's only two people, Zoe.
ZOE CRICK: That's two too many.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Actually, I've got an idea.
ZOE CRICK: Wonderful, I knew you'd think of something. Tell me right after this.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Listeners, some of you think we've changed, and while change can be good, we want to make sure we're still giving you the content you deserve.
ZOE CRICK: That sounds vaguely threatening.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: That's why we're going to crowdsource our content again. I have reopened our inbox for suggestions on what Radio New Hope should do next. We're open to anything. Except turning zom on air.
ZOE CRICK: Phil, nobody's going to ask for that.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: You haven't seen the comments on that Radio New Hope fanfic. Anyway, listeners, please send in your thoughts. Who knows? Your idea might become our next segment.
ZOE CRICK: We did get some great suggestions last time. It'll be good to round up some new ones.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Exactly! Now everyone put your thinking caps on, and here's a song to get you in a creative mood.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: All right, listeners, it's time to open the suggestion box and find out what you'd like to hear on Radio New Hope... Huh.
ZOE CRICK: Is that it? I thought we'd get a few more suggestions.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Well, maybe it's a sign we're not so bad after all.
ZOE CRICK: No, we can't get complacent. Some listeners aren't happy with us.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Two listeners.
ZOE CRICK: It's just that with all that ROFFLEnet talk of us having changed, I thought we'd get a bit more feedback. Still, we'll go with what we've got.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: We need to drumroll first.
ZOE CRICK: Seriously?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: There are few things in life that can’t be improved with a drumroll. Scientific fact.
ZOE CRICK: Fine. Drumroll, please.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: [mutters rapidly] Drumroll drumroll drumroll drum drum drum drum drum cymbal!
ZOE CRICK: [laughs] Zom_Truther writes, “What if you ate some of that red fungus live on air? We know the prime minister is lying about the danger and hoarding it for herself.”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Well, that's a bad idea. What did I say about us not turning zom on air?
ZOE CRICK: Yeah, Truther, we're not going to eat red fungus. Amelia isn't lying... about that, at least.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: That's right. And uh, please don't test your theory out for yourself.
ZOE CRICK: We'll be back with more of your hopefully less reckless suggestions after this song.
~
ZOE CRICK: Time for another look at our surprisingly meager suggestion box. Come on now, we know you have great ideas, so send them in. This one from Zombologist. “I love that doctor advice show - ”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: The Drs. Maxine and Paula one? Us, too. Listeners, if you're not tuning in to that show as well as ours, you're missing out.
ZOE CRICK: Definitely. Anyway, the letter says, “I love that doctor advice show, but they only focus on the bodies and minds of the living. What about the study of zombies? I think you should bring a zombie into the studio and do some tests. I have a few experiments in mind. See attached for details.”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Oh... Oh, that's... Was that diagram the right way up? How would that even work?
ZOE CRICK: I'm not sure, but I think those are electrodes, or possibly poisonous snakes? Either way, Zombologist, we have a pretty strict no zoms in the studio policy.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: What can we do? Hands tied.
ZOE CRICK: Much like the zom in that illustration, I think.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Yeah, that's about as close as I want to come to that scenario. Let's clear it from our minds with this song.
~
ZOE CRICK: Well listeners, a few more suggestions trickled in during that last song.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: We are seriously considering some of the less extreme ones, such as an interview with King Jamie or a Z-Day retrospective.
ZOE CRICK: This one is from Inquiring_Mindz - with a Z, naturally. “What about a show that gives a look at the human side of politics?”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: So far, so good. At least there are no zombies involved.
ZOE CRICK: “I'd love for us to get a closer look at Prime Minister Spens’ flat. It must be lovely. She has marvelous taste, after all.”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Let me see that. [paper rustles] “You could describe the art, the architecture, any documents that are lying around, the paint, the paint colors, any plans you might find in the drawers...”
ZOE CRICK: Come on now, Inquiring, you're asking us to spy on Amelia. Even if I did do that - which, of course, I wouldn't - there's no way I'd out myself by sharing it on air.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: How restrained of you.
ZOE CRICK: What can I say? I prefer not to incur the wrath of the most powerful woman in the country. Nice try, Inquiring, but we're broadcasters, not espionage agents. And that's all of them, right?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Right. Right, thanks to everyone for your suggestions. Uh, even the more... creative ones. Let's celebrate your ingenuity with this next number.
~
ZOE CRICK: You'll never guess what.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: I'm sure I won't.
ZOE CRICK: You weren't a very funny child, were you? I went back on ROFFLEnet to see if that thread had more positive things to say about us now that we've been through the suggestion box. However, turns out I misinterpreted the whole thing.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: So people don't think Radio New Hope has changed for the worse?
ZOE CRICK: They do, but it's not the broadcasts they think have changed, it's us. They think we're doppelgängers.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Like Zoe and Phil's evil twins?
ZOE CRICK: Exactly. It's not clear if they think we've been brainwashed into thinking we're real Zoe and Phil or if we're in on it, but Radio_No_Hope says, “There's no way Amelia would allow a free press unless she could control it, and that means controlling Phil and Zoe.”
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Well, they do have a point, but ci-ti-zens, do not fear, we have not been replaced by ourselves.
ZOE CRICK: How do you know?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: What do you mean, how do I know? I know who I am.
ZOE CRICK: Or do you? What if you just think you do? Listeners, we'll get to the bottom of it right after this next song.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Let me get this straight. You think I could have been replaced by a double without you noticing? You noticed when I changed my hair parting last month.
ZOE CRICK: Now that I think about it, that could have been a sign you were Phil 2.0.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Hmm. If that's the case, anything could be a sign. How do I know you're not Evil Zoe?
ZOE CRICK: My name's still spelled with a Z. Evil Zoe would definitely swap out the Z for an X... I think.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: You're not sure?
ZOE CRICK: Radio No Hope said it. There could be brainwashing involved.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: So let me get this straight. You think Amelia found doppelgängers of us?
ZOE CRICK: Or cloned us. Always a possibility.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Of course, and then she brainwashed said doppel-clones because - ?
ZOE CRICK: Because she wants to control the press. Although there might be an even more devious reason. We are talking about Amelia, after all. I'll think it over during this next song.
~
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Have you figured out why Amelia might possibly want to replace us with brainwashed clones?
ZOE CRICK: No. I mean, yes, but one of the reasons only works if we meet the clones, and the other one requires mint and a trampoline. I wonder if the fact that I can't figure it out is a symptom of the brainwashing.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: That's convenient.
ZOE CRICK: And I wonder when it began. Do you think it all started when Amelia gave us this hideous red furniture?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Green.
ZOE CRICK: What?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Hideous green furniture.
ZOE CRICK: I don't know what you're talking about. The furniture is red. Maybe new Phil is colorblind?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: You're kidding, right? It’s green.
ZOE CRICK: Am I kidding, or are you different now?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: You know what? There's an easy way to settle this. I'm going to ask someone who has been in here what color the furniture is. Don't you move. Just, uh, play a song and I'll be right back.
[door opens]
ZOE CRICK: [giggles] Now that he's gone, listeners, between you and me, the couches are definitely green. I know that was a tiny bit rotten of me, but I couldn't resist. While we wait for Phil's triumphant return, here's a song that any version of me would love.
~
[door opens]
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Oh my God, you're right.
ZOE CRICK: Right about what?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: About the doppelgängers. Everyone confirmed it. The furniture in here's red, but I see green, so I must be colorblind now. Maybe all clones are.
ZOE CRICK: Wait, who did you ask?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Uh, Nadia, Runner Thirty-Seven. They said it's red. Now that I'm a clone, I wonder if I still like the same foods. Remind me, how do I feel about jam?
ZOE CRICK: You're... you're joking, right? Because the couches are green. I was just pulling your leg.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Wait, so you see them as green, too? Maybe we're both clones.
ZOE CRICK: I guess. I -
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Or maybe we're from an alternate reality, one where people don't play pranks on their lovely radio cohosts because they might get paid back in spades!
ZOE CRICK: [laughs] You - you almost had me going there! [sighs] Well, I guess I might have deserved it. A little.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: A little?
ZOE CRICK: Oh, no comment. All I can say is that I'm happy in this universe with the best cohost ever. This next song is for you, Phil, because you're one of a kind.
~
ZOE CRICK: That whole business with the doppelgängers has got me thinking, Phil.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Not again.
ZOE CRICK: No, not that we're clones or anything like that. I've been thinking about conspiracy theories. Do you think there are more of them now after Z-Day?
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Probably. Look at all the things we've gone through. Uh, Sigrid, Moonchild, the Curly Wurly shortage. That's enough to make anyone a little paranoid.
ZOE CRICK: I don't know. I think maybe it's the opposite. All of the conspiracies since Z-Day were eventually exposed. Even if we were replaced by clones, someone would find out and tell people about it.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: You have a point. Kind of reassuring in a way.
ZOE CRICK: I hope so. For the concerned ROFFLEnet folks, don't worry. If Phil and I are ever replaced by clones, you'll find out about it soon enough, probably from someone at Abel.
PHIL CHEESEMAN: Very true. We're counting on you, Runner Five.
ZOE CRICK: And if the worst should occur, avenge us!
PHIL CHEESEMAN: But in the meantime, we hope all of you carry on enjoying Radio New Hope with the real Phil and Zoe. This one's for everyone who's dedicated to staying true to themselves.
~
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mahou-queen · 4 years
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♡52 Weeks of Lolita Questionnaire♡
In a recent Lovely Lor video, Lor answered questions from Loliprompts’ questionnaire “52 weeks of lolita”. It seems like a fun list of questions and I thought I would answer them too~ ♡
1. What is your favorite brand, and why? What’s its history? ♡  I guess my favorite brand would have to be Angelic Pretty. I love a lot of other brands, but the majority of dresses in my wish list right now are Angelic Pretty. As for their history? I don’t really know haha, I guess I should research that a bit.
2. How would you describe lolita fashion to a curious person you met in passing? ♡ I always just say I am apart of a fashion club? People don’t generally require more than that but if they did I would probably tell them that it’s an alternative fashion based on Victorian fashion and we have a fashion club and we get dressed up and meet for tea and stuff.
3. What style do you think is the most underrated, and why? ♡ qi and wa lolita. I almost never see them, or see interest in them which is a shame because there are some really beautiful dresses out there that are suited for these styles.
4. What does the phrase “lolita lifestyle” mean to you, and do you, or would you like to, adhere to it? ♡ lolita lifestyle is when you try to bring lolita or lolita-esque aesthetics into every aspect of your life. Maybe wearing lolita every or most days, and having a very “loliable” home/room. I could never be a lifestyler because I have other fashion interests. Also lolita is not appropriate at my workplace.
5. What do you think constitutes lolita etiquette or good manners? ♡ I don’t believe there is any “lolita etiquette” I think you should just be yourself. Good manner are good manners, don’t be rude to your comm members, don’t dance on the tables at a tea party. But that’s just commonsense I don’t think there is a way to behave that is lolita.
6. Does your style change with the seasons, or do you dress the same and try to bear the cold/heat? ♡ I try, but admittedly I am awful at it. I try to keep berets in the cooler months, as well as long sleeves. BUT I’m a sucker for ankle socks and I wear them all year despite the cold and I do freeze my legs off at winter meets. 
7. Do you have a fashion role-model? What do you admire most about them? ♡ I actually have several! I will list them and their instagrams here: sleepyriri  - Her coords are so dreamy looking, very light floaty aesthetic which I love. She also has her own lolita brand! Le_verger_sucre - Her coords are so pink and princess-y. I find myself sharing her photos a lot. Fannyrosie - the classic lolita queen. Need I say more? Tokimeki.bunny - I love the cuteness of her coords. They always have a lot of extra elements and are so well balanced. She’s also really good at coordinating printed tights which I am awful at. Tsumikko - Lavender QUEEN! I love her use of aprons, layering, and color balancing. Very light, floaty vibes.  Milkcircus - Print QUEEN. Her use of prints and patterns absolutely inspires me. Coords are always very multi-dimensional  Cursed.Kaiser - They’re coords are honestly so cool, there’s a kind of drama in them that I really like. Darkxdelirium - She almost made me want honey cake with her impeccable coording skills. 
8. What are the top 10 things you love most about lolita? Can you also compile a list of things you hate? ♡ I don’t think I can come up with 10 but I’ll do my best. ♡ Loves: The community aspect, the ability to reclaim my femininity through lolita, the creativity that goes into building coords, crafting to make one of a kind pieces, being able to feel beautiful without being “sexy”, having a hobby to focus on when I need something to escape to.
♡ Hates: Second-hand market price fluctuation, brands still releasing dresses with a max 96cm bust, buying petticoats, storing my stuff (especially purses), brands who charge astronomical prices for low quality materials (AP purses, Q-pot jewelry, etc).
9. How strict are you in applying the rules to yourself? To others? ♡  I am pretty strict on myself. For a long time I was terrified to be seen as ita. I was even afraid to wear bodyline for fear of being ”ita” even though my coord was good. These days I am less strict on myself and worry much less about these things, but I still struggle to get out of the strict mindset from time to time. others? I love experimentation even if I am afraid to do so so I am really not too strict on others, if it works, it works, and I am not going to criticize anyone. 
10. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever incorporated into a coord, or the weirdest material you’ve ever worn? ♡ The weirdest thing I think I have ever worn in a coord were a pair of korilakkuma bell earrings. As you can imagine, bells on your ears? not great.
11. What’s the story behind your discovery of lolita fashion? ♡ When I was a senior in high school, a new girl started attending my school. She wore fairy kei and sweet lolita to school. We became friends through art class and eventually she ended up teaching me about the fashion. She sold me my first dress, and later my first brand piece. I am really glad to have met her and to have been exposed to lolita. You can follow her on instagram here
12. What is the one item that you’ve owned the longest? ♡ I still own my very first dress I got in 2012. Bodyline Squirrel Party. However, I am planning to sell it since I’ve worn it in everyway I can think of.
13. Do you think lolita is only about clothes, or does it also encompass a certain attitude or mindset? ♡ Lolita is about the fashion. All kinds of people are lolitas and they like it or wear it for different reasons. 
14. Have you ever decorated a room or other space (car?) with lolita aesthetics in mind? ♡ My old bedroom used to be very “kawaii”. I love pink so my car stuff, my desk, as much as I can get away with, is pink. 
15. Is it possible to be too obsessed with lolita? ♡ If lolita is interfering with your ability to pay your bills, or to be happy, or to focus on school or work or family then you should probably pull back. Some people do get very absorbed by things and in those cases it can become too much.
16. What are you favorite and least favorite trends? Do you think it’s important to follow them, or to do as you like regardless of them? ♡ My favorite trend ever is the chiffon half blouse. So comfortable, affordable, light, cute, and much more size inclusive. Least favorite trend? mis-matched shoes from the 2010 era. I like my shoes to get equal wear. I think these days more than ever, you can really just do whatever you want. Wear the fashion is right now is like anything goes which I think is great,
17. How do you define “lolita cosplay” and how do you feel about it? ♡ Lolita cosplay is stupid. sorry
18. Are there other fashions that you wear regularly, or are you an everyday lolita? ♡ I don't wear other street fashions anymore. I used to wear fairy kei and himekaji but these days I just dress regular outside of lolita.
19. Do you look for bargains to save as much money as possible, or are you willing to make sacrifices for high-quality products? ♡ I try to find the best prices when applicable but if I am in love with something I’ll do what I have to do.
20. When was the last time you wore lolita, and what did you do that day? If you wear it daily, when was the last time you went OTT or extra-fancy? ♡ The last time I wore lolita was in April lmao. For a virtual meet-up with my comm.
21. If you were to combine lolita fashion with an unrelated style or theme, what would your new creation be? ♡uhhhh I honestly have no idea at all. 
22. What is your favorite accessory, and why is it your favorite? ♡ I have 2, 2-way bow clips from back when bodyline had a massive “sundries” section. They're no longer available and haven't been for a long time. I am really glad I got them, I wish I had bought more sundries when that section was still there.
23. What’s your favorite online lolita community or forum? Are there any that you avoid?  ♡ I don’t have a favorite tbh. I have never been on 4chan and I never will be.
24. What is your favorite theme (e.g. school loli, pirate loli, nurse loli) or motif (e.g. deer, music notes, stars/constellations)? ♡ black and gold stars! Valentines day! fruits! gingham!
25. Is there any music that you associate with lolita? ♡ orange caramel lol
26. Will you ever be too old for lolita? ♡  never
27. Do you enjoy sewing? Why or why not? ♡ I don’t know how to sew :(
28. How does your location affect your involvement in the local lolita community? Would you like to move elsewhere to be closer, or perhaps farther away? ♡ I drive about 1.5 hours for meetups because that’s the closest active comm. I do not mind so much. I’d like to maybe be closer.
29. Does your sleepwear resemble lolita at all? ♡  not at all. I sleep in oversized t-shirts
30. Can you admit to any unpopular opinions regarding lolita? ♡ I hate peeking bloomers. I’m sorry :(
31. How do you feel about Visual kei or Jrock, and do you feel it’s related to lolita, or not? ♡ Love it, and absolutely. Visual Kei is like lolitas relative. 
32. Whether or not you wear them (looking at you, Ouji), do you prefer the look of skirts, JSKs, and OPs with or without prints? ♡ I like both, but these days I am appreciating non-printed items more.
33. How has your style evolved over time? ♡ It hasn't really, just gotten more refined. 
34. If applicable, what other communities do you belong to? What other identities do you adopt? ♡ I’m queer, so the LGBTQ community is important to me.
35. What are your favorite shoes to wear with your style, or what’s your dream pair? ♡ I love heels. I do not like flat shoes because I like to elongate my legs. I don’t have a dream pair.
36. Would you, or have you ever, dressed your pets in lolita? ♡ lol I’d try but I don't think it would work.
37. How do you feel about people who wear lolita for Halloween? Does it depend on whether that person is already a lolita? ♡ Wearing lolita for Halloween as a lolita is fine, but wearing it as a costume is kind of meh.
38. Excluding fashion shows, what’s the most amount of outfits you’ve ever worn in a day? ♡ just 1 haha
39. What’s your worst lolita horror story? ♡  I don’t really have any. I one time went with some of my college friends to a con and I left my dorm building in full sweet early in the morning. I was afraid my dormmates would see me cause I did not want to explain but luckily no one was awake and I made it to the van unscathed. 
40. Do you like sweets? If so, what’s your favorite dessert? ♡ I love angel food cake 
41. Do you have any beauty products, health routines, or special diet to keep you at your best? ♡ I take co-q-10 for my eczema, I like laneige lip sleeping mask, especially in the winter.
42. What were the best and worst meetups you’ve hosted? If you haven’t hosted, would you like to someday? ♡ I wanted to host a garden meet this summer but covid ruined that. Maybe next year.
43. Who is your favorite artist? If not famous for lolita art, do you think they have lolita appeal? ♡ I love a lot of artists, some of them I think are lolita-adjacent because their style is kawaii. I’ll list some here: jisaaaa!  ubokhee MISOART_ meowwniz gojio_ hanavbara Fancy Surprise Arcade Healer Yurie Sekiya and many many more. Go stalk my following on instagram for lots of kawaii artists.
44. How do you feel about wigs? Do you wear any, or style your natural hair? ♡ I used to wear wigs, but my hair is too long now so I use my natural hair with fake bangs.
45. What’s your favorite animal motif? ♡ bears?
46. Have you ever visited a brand’s shop/boutique? If so, what was your reaction? If not, what shop would you most like to visit? ♡ I want to visit AP San Francisco 
47. Do you think posting photos of your coord online is a crucial part of belonging to the community? ♡ YES, it’s how we all stay connected and inspired 
48. How has the lolita community changed since you became a part of it? Where do you see lolita heading in the future in terms of community and networking? ♡ I think it’s become way more accepting and accessible. When I got into lolita there were virtually no legit resellers, the community was entirely on livejournal, buying second hand was a nightmare. Buying anything! was a nightmare. There was so much stress around looking “ita”, and the superiority of brand. These days its just not like that. So much amazing taobao brands have really helped even the field for lolita. We have so much more access to the clothes, the community, everything. It’s great. I only see it getting better as years go on.
49. What advice would you give someone who is nervous about starting lolita? Or do you think they should learn their own lessons? ♡ I think too many lolitas today rely on seasoned lolitas to tell them everything. I would say, go watch lovely lor, read @lolita-tips and look at other peoples coordinates. Lolita Tips tumblr taught me basically everything I know back in the day and it a wealth of info and concrit. Part of what makes the lolita journey so great is the research, the learning, the mistakes. You don’t wanna be like someone else, you wanna be you. So you really need to do the work yourself so you can put your personal flair into the fashion. That’s when it’s at its best. 
50. What’s your dream dress/garment? Is it a faraway goal or have you obtained it? ♡ My dream dress was AP sweetie violet jsk in lavender. Which I got in 2019. My new dream dress is AP rose tea garden jsk in navy. It’ll probably be a while before I can afford to buy one.
51. How do you feel about the stereotype that lolitas are full of drama? What’s the worst drama you’ve ever witnessed or been involved in? ♡ I think any and all groups of people are bound to have drama. I don’t believe that’s specific to lolita at all. I personally have not been involved in any lolita drama.
52. Are you loyal to any particular makeup brands? ♡ I am very particular about my makeup because I do not like to use certain ingredients. I really like Pacifica. But I also like some Korean brands like The Saem, MISSHA, and TonyMoly.
This was super long but I had fun answering all the questions. Have you done this questionnaire? I’d love to see your answers~
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renonsprints · 5 years
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Guys, I want to casually discuss a thing that's started to pop up for me- being polite when an artist tells you 'no' when you want them to do a commission or some kind of work for you.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that it's probably a good problem to have in some ways, and that other people struggle to find clients. I don't want it to sound like a humblebrag or something. But I had to close commissions down before Christmas last year and ever since, I've gotten a lot of asks about it.
Most of them are perfectly nice and fine! "Let me know when you're open!" And those people are great and deserve all the love for being gracious and kind about it. This is not about those people.
I had one person become extremely judgemental about the pieces I was doing, kept asking me when I would be done working 'for myself' (lol everything I do is focused towards conventions and not for me, but OK), basically breathing down my neck like I owed them art.. Except I didn't. I've had others try to guilt trip me into taking their work via various means. I had someone demand that I find other artists for them then, if I was SO BUSY. Not ask nicely for recommendations.. Demand I help find someone else.
Like a lot of artists, I'm a people pleaser, and I hate telling people 'no'. I like how happy people are when they receive art from me. I'm not saying no because I'm a jerk, or hateful, or whatever some of these folks are assuming. It's not a personal rejection. It's because I literally don't have the time to do them.
Let's be frank, there's a ton of reasons artists might stop taking comms. Maybe they've been screwed over and ripped off so much that they're not comfortable doing it anymore. Maybe they're burnt out. Maybe they need to stop for physical or mental reasons. Maybe they got a job in the art industry and have to focus on careers. The reasons why are endless! So please, be kind when someone has to tell you 'no'.
Sometimes I even wonder if it's my fault, because I'm a pretty private individual on social media, usually- I don't talk about what's going on day to day, I just share art and dog photos and go on about my life. It's nothing dramatic, I assure y'all, it's just normal life eating up my time. I spin a lot of plates these days, that's all.
To turn this around, if anyone wants me to add them to a list of folks who would willingly take comms, let me add your name and preferred social media down so I can send people your way! I have a handful already but more is always better, so I can have a catalogue of styles for people to check out. ❤️
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sinbadexposition · 4 years
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Exposition Proposal and Outline
Your Name: Sinbad Timoteo
Title (working): Embracing the Interstitial
Short description of topic or What does this piece of writing set out to achieve?(100 words):
We live in a predetermined world of reductive binary opposition. Dualistic thinking is rooted in predetermination. This piece of writing will explore, unpack and document my own understanding of the space between distinctions. To embrace ambiguity, the interstitial (in-between) as the means for deeper understanding. I think the big overall reason is to exemplify and inspire. I don't wish to abolish dualistic thinking, as I recognise the hidden complexities that do exist.
For this piece of writing I’m still not quite sure if I want to focus on a single distinction, I’m currently looking into the glass/dish and print/digital. I want whatever I write about to hold a sense of restraint, something poetic rather than something quite big.
What form(s) of exposition do you intend on using and why? (thick description, review/critique, manifesto/speech, instructional, scholarly/catalogue)
Currently I’m thinking of using both thick description and hybrid forms of writing. I want to use thick description to paint an image through words. It would be useful to describe certain explorations that I do through this type of writing. It is something that I want to get better at, visualising through words alone. I like the poetry of this form. With the hybrid form, I feel it is a good match to this topic just in its nature and I feel it is an all encompassing approach to tackle my topic. I want to have a balance between exploratory writing and critical writing.
Does this topic interface or relate to your 454 Major Project, and if so, how? (In what ways might it augment, expand, critique, interpret, contextualise, or accompany your design or art work?)
Yes, I want this piece of writing to accompany and broaden my 454 Major Project. I've struggled with properly articulating the whole project and I hope that through this I'll craft quite a strong backbone to my project. I’m creating a sort of ‘designer as author’ editorial offering, that will document my exploration of the interstitial, through the Japanese concept of Ma and transposition theory. I’m looking to explore print/digital and the glass/dish distinction, which I came across in this anecdote from designer Kenya Hara in his book ‘Designing Design’
“Suppose there’s a glass here. You might know about a glass. But what if you need to design one? The moment a glass is proposed as an object to be designed, you start thinking about what kind of glass you want to design, and you lose a little bit of your understanding of ‘glass.’ Arrayed in order before you are dozens of glass vessels of gradually varying depths, from ‘glass’ to ‘dish.’ What if you are asked to clarify the exact boundary point between one and the other? Faced with the objects you’re at a loss. However, this doesn’t mean that your knowledge has been overturned. Indeed, it’s just the opposite. You’ve become more keenly conscious of glasses than before, when you understood them simply unconsciously calling them all by the term ‘glass.’ Now you actually understand glasses more realistically” (Hara, 19).
Hara, Kenya. Designing Design, Lars Müller Publishers, 2011.
What specific research is needed for you to conduct this piece of writing (eg. Archival or site research, precedent examples, historical research, subjective and phenomenological research, observation etc.)?
I’ve been told by my lecturers that we’ve been here before, and my project is a very postmodern thing. But then that becomes the point and the issue, what makes this time distinct? I think this would be a good starting point. To explore what has been, what didn’t work and why it is worthwhile exploring now.
Using APA or MLA citation style, list three key references on your topic and three examples of writing that operate in ways that you would like your exposition to.
References - Apart from that excerpt from Kenya Haras book, that included above
Bolton, Andrew. Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between, The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2017. 
Braidotti, Rosi. “Transformations.” Transpositions: Aesthetico-Epistemic Operators in Artistic Research, Edited by Micheal Schwab, Leuven UP, 2018, pp. 23- 31.
Isozaki, Arata. “Ma (Interstice) and Rubble.” Japan-ness in Architecture, Edited by David B. Stewart, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006, pp. 81-101.
Examples
Tanizaki, Jun’ichiro. In Praise of Shadows. Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1977
Sontag, Susan. “Notes on Camp.” Against Interpretation and Other Essays, Penguin Group, 2009, pp. 275-293.
Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. Penguin Group, 1972.
How will images, figures or illustrations play a part in this exposition, if any?
At this time I’m not too sure if I want to use any type of visual in my exposition, as I do want to focus on writing and articulating. However I am open to using graphic illustration when designing the booklet format it will be in.
Where would you imagine your exposition to be published? Who is it written for or to? 
For the most part it will be written for myself, but I also would want it to exist in a space that would spark contemplation for others and hopefully inspire others about the principles I look to in my writing. I’d like to imagine it in a bookstore or a decor store. For it to be able to exist on its own and also with my major 454 project.
Write up a rough outline of your exposition which reveals a working structure
Introduction
Context: Of the topic, area, precedents, what’s happening now
Theoretical Analysis, What I’m bringing to the discussion
Section on graphic explorations that I have done/will do
Conclusion
#7
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