ren: i think we're in the wrong team, martyn martyn: no, we're exactly where we need to be martyn: just you and me, together, forever. that's all we need ren: forevER martyn: [laughs] forever.

can you do a ship prompt for polypie but like mission goes super wrong and one actually dies for like real and,,, sadnesss

(First of all, I just wanna apologize to anon for how long this took?? I kept forgetting to take my medicine because I was off my medicine,,,It literally only took a few hours to write I was just too busy procrastinating and being gay (also adhd but shh.))

The Asylum Case

Rating: PG-13, SFW

Ship: Poly P.I.E. (Ghost/Toast/Spooker/Colon)

Warnings: Lots of angst, Major Character Death, Descriptions of intense pain, Sadness >:3 (Tell me if I missed anything!)

Summary: Ghost recounts exactly how he got into his current predicament, which is dying.

Word Count: 1,829

They’re approximately 30 minutes into the investigation when everything, in Ghost’s humble opinion, goes to shit. “But every P.I.E. investigation goes to shit!” you say. Yes, that is, in fact, true, but Ghost has decided that bleeding out on the floor - very slowly, might he add, which is decidedly not fun - constitutes the creation of a new category of “gone to shit”. “But,” you say, “Why not just respawn?” and again, usually, Ghost would do just that - but there’s just one issue; he can’t. Let’s rewind.

They entered the decrepit asylum, joking and teasing and generally enjoying each other’s company - unsuspecting of the horrors yet to come. Once they were inside, the ghost wasted no time in introducing itself; it screamed its sob-story from nowhere in particular, voice bouncing off the walls and echoing down each corridor, all lined with empty cells. Ghost thought he heard sobbing from the one beside him, and so, using the keys the caretaker - who had been the one to call them to investigate, and who looked about as old and decrepit as the asylum - had given him, unlocked the door and (ignoring the disapproving sigh from Toast, and the alarmed yelps from the other two) entered. A girl sat huddled in the corner, long, matted, black hair cascading over her small form, blocking her face. Her tattered white dress hung loosely, and one sleeve slid from her small trembling shoulder as he approached and knelt down. A familiar dread washed over Ghost as he gently asked, “K-Katrina?”

Abruptly, the girl stopped shaking, before giggling once, twice, and then, neck cracking violently, her head shot up and she stared into his eyes with a wide, manic smile. He edged away, wondering why the others hadn’t entered, hadn’t said anything, hadn’t even made a sound since he’d approached Katrina, but he couldn’t look back, not now, because when he stumbled to his feet, backing away, she followed, neck craning oddly to one side. “Katrina-” he started, pleading, “Kat, hey, it’s me, Johnny! Remember?” He fumbled for the door handle, careening into the hall when it opened. No one else was there.

“Yessssss,” Katrina hissed, drawling, “I remember youuuu…” but she didn’t slow her advance; instead, she just kept hurtling towards him. As he ducked beneath a wild swing of her claw, he glimpsed it - the small, red, rope-pattern lines wrapping around her neck, exposed by its unnatural angle - and choked back a sob. “God, Kat, I’m sorry - I’m so sorry!” he heard himself plead. She didn’t seem to hear him, only muttered, “Johnny, Johnny, I remember, yes I remember Johnny. Johnny!” and took another swing. He scrambled back, gritting his teeth when a razor nail clipped his shoulder, and Katrina’s crazed grin widened. Something inside Ghost twitched at the sight, but he pushed it down, he didn’t have time to panic. “Toast?” he called as he scrambled down the empty hallways, “Spook? Colon?!”

No one answered, and Ghost felt his heart sink.

He fumbled with the keyring, detached it from his belt loop - which proved to be much more difficult while his hands shook violently - and jammed a key into the first lock he came across, throwing open the cell door and slamming it behind him, locking it back.

The old door’s hinges creaked dangerously with the force of Katrina’s hands slamming against it, and Johnny could only pray they didn’t give out under the stress. Slowly, the banging subsided and, hand over heart, he sighed in relief. Pulling out his phone, he hit Toast’s contact, and pulled the phone to his ear, listening to it ring. It clicked, and Toast’s blurted in a near-shout, “Sir, where the fuck are you?!” in the background he heard a short hysterical laugh, and Ghost felt one of his own bubble out past the tightness in his chest and the burning in his shoulder. “Just getting chased by a murderous vision from the past - you know, the usual.”

“Are you injured?”

“She nicked me, but its nothing serious.”

“Don’t do anything dangerous,” Spooker said in the background, “A ghost said we can’t respawn here and we don’t want to chance them being right.”

“Where are you, Sir? We’ll come find you.”

“Er,” Ghost muttered, trying to recall where he was, “I’m in a locked cell right now, not sure what floor - I think it’s B-hall though, so first floor probably,” he paused, putting on a cheery, guide-like voice, “Just follow the sounds of screeching and growling, and you should see a crazy lady pacing outside the door,” he said peeking through the small, barred window. Katrina spotted him and slammed a palm against the door, snarling. “take a sharp turn there and - remember this step because it is crucial okay? - sock her right in the face.”

Toast barked out a sharp, brittle laugh, “We’ll do our best.”

“I’ll see you in a few, I’m gonna hang up now because I don’t want to attract too much attention - these ancient hinges don’t exactly appreciate the abuse we’re putting them through.”

“Alright Sir, be careful.”

And careful he was, but you can’t exactly count on ghosts to obey the laws of physics, or even manners, really, because out of the blue, there was the caretaker, and boy did he look smug. “What a lovely reunion between old friends,” he croaked, “It’s almost enough to warm my cold, dead heart!” then cackled wildly. When Ghost didn’t so much as blink in surprise, he sobered, snapping at him, “Why aren’t you surprised? Everything went perfectly, none of you suspected a thing!”

“Dude, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I hunt ghosts for a living; this plot-twist happens every other week.”

“Damn! Well, either way, you’re gonna die here, so I guess it doesn’t really matter. Dead men tell no tales and all that.”

“Again, hate to do this, but literally every case a ghost says something along the lines of “Ohohoho you’re gonna die anyway, so it doesn’t really matter!” and here I am, alive and only slightly harmed.” Another bang reverberated around the room, and Ghost shuffled uncomfortably but couldn’t look away from the immediate threat.

“Oh, uh, exactly how many cases have you done?”

“Dunno,” Ghost shoved his hands into his pockets, “I’ve been doing this since I was like, sixteen, and our schedule’s kinda all over the place because you can’t really predict when a ghost is gonna show up, but we get at least three to seven cases a week, and about half of them are real.” Another slam, followed by creaking and a final loud rattling sound.

“Huh, half, really?”

“Yeah, people are stupid.”

“Agreed. Speaking of stupid, you let your guard down.”

“Oh.” Things seemed to slow down, a sharp pain stabbing through his back. He looked down, watching three claw-like fingers withdraw from his chest, leaving three little holes all the way through. He collapsed, head falling to the side as he coughed wetly, tasting iron. Almost calmly, he watched as blood pooled around him, before glancing up to the doorway, where the door had been ripped open, and now teetered ominously on its hinges. Katrina loomed over him, blood coating her claws.

And that’s it, that’s how he got here. Seconds later, he hears someone shout his name, and he feels the caretaker’s presence vanish. Katrina glances back, but it doesn’t give her enough time to react before a bullet rips through her solid form, followed by another, then another. She screeches and stumbles back, blindly tripping over the lump of Ghost while trying to shield herself from the incoming bullets. He groans as she falls over him, kicking his wounds. The puddle beneath him ripples, blood traveling in tiny rivers through the imperfections in the concrete floor. Absently, Ghost notes that his sight has gone fuzzy at the edges, and black static is creeping in. Katrina lets out one last screech before disappearing, and as soon as she’s gone Toast, Spooker, and Colon all rush to his side. He smiles weakly as Colon pulls his head into his lap, eyes watery. The other two looked similarly panicked, and Ghost finds himself wheezing, “Hey, it’s really not that bad, okay? You guys can just carry me out of here and I can respawn.” Blood bubbles in his throat as he speaks, and he has to turn to the side to cough it up when it scratches at his throat.

The others glance at each other and Ghost frowns, confused. “What?”

“If we moved you now,” Spooker explains, chewing his lip, “you’d probably die of blood loss before we got outside. And I’m not a doctor but I’m pretty sure you have a punctured lung.”

Ghost’s brows furrow and he laughs sadly. “Sucks to be me I guess…” he ignores the liquid gathering in the back of his mouth, swallowing. “Anybody here magically know first aid?”

They all grimace, shaking their heads. “Ah, well, worth a shot,” he rasps. He feels a tear drip down, catching on his jaw. His chest burns; a hot-cold sensation that tears through him every time he breathes. He can’t focus his eyes anymore, but he looks at the blurry figures he knows are his closest companions - the loves of his life - and smiles, even as more tears follow and he chokes down a gasp of pain. Someone’s holding his face and speaking to him gently, and he can’t understand the words, but he thinks it might be Colon, so he looks up at him. At the same time as a pair of lips meet his temple, and then again and again, until he’s being peppered with kisses. He can feel the body under him shaking now, and through the white-hot burning and the growing ringing in his ears, he makes out stammered apologies and ‘I-love-you’s, and he feels it aching in his bones because it’s not their fault, he did this, and he wishes all the way down to his core that he could go back, that he could undo the pain he knows paints their faces, but he can’t - he’s going to die here, slowly, painfully. The ringing is piercing now and the black static has spread to cover most of his vision, and he thinks he might be screaming, or apologizing, saying goodbye, but he can’t hear anything over the ringing so it’s possible that when he tries to tell them “I love you too” it comes out garbled and incomprehensible. His throat is raw now so he must be screaming, and it’s all so loud until suddenly everything stops.

There’s no ringing, or panic, or crying, or pain. Just empty blackness and total silence. He can’t move, because there’s nowhere to go, there’s nothing here, there’s only void. That is, until the sound of a single raindrop, followed by another, then another, breaks the silence, and like waking up, Ghost blinks, and finds himself standing in front of a grave.

ABSOLUTE CHAOS WITH PRETTYMUCH (Walmart Ver.)

• the boys are wild enough as is so things are bound to get worse when it's obscenely late at night and their minds and bodies aren't quite synced • like, the day has been long and they know that they should sleep but their minds are racing and it's prettymuch (hehe) straight adrenaline coursing through their veins • when they're by themselves it really isn't that much of an issue and it probably makes them more productive than usual, but when you throw them all in the same room, one of three things happen • ‎they're either collectively more productive and churn out a surprising amount of work, they're as cracked out as they come and prettymuch (sksks) destroy the house, or some combination of the two • ‎tonight its the second option • ‎you showed up around eight for a movie marathon, and as the night progressed things got more and more chaotic • ‎obscene amounts of caffeine and sugar had been consumed, and by the time you got around to the third movie in your list, it had been noted that you guys had run out of snacks • ‎and what kind of movie marathon doesn't have quality snacks? • ‎an absolute trash marathon, that's what kind • ‎you had offered to run to the store on your own to buy some more, but the boys were quick to interject, stating that you wouldn't be able to get everything that everyone wanted • ‎before you had the opportunity to point out that you cOULD if you made a list, everyone was getting up and growing on their jackets and shoes, filing out to the car • ‎let's just say that the drive to the store was not an easy one. how do out get six people from point a to point b in a vehicle that can really only comfortably fit four or five people? magic, that's how • ‎given the tight fit, you figured it would be best to stop at the nearest store • ‎which just so happened to be walmart • ‎things were fine enough at first. everyone had taken off in separate directions so that they could find their favorite snacks, and it truly seemed as if you'd be able to get in and out without issue • ‎it wasn't long before this notion fell flat on its face, though • ‎you were in the chip aisle, silently mulling over what you wanted when something rather large and oddly shaped moved in your peripheral • ‎you turned to see what it was but saw nothing. when you turned back to the array of chips that lay before you, you saw that same strange object passed once more • ‎when you turned this time, you kept tour gaze forces on the end of the aisle, determined to see whatever it was that passing by • ‎ sure enough, the strange object passed by again mere moments later you were surprised to see that it wasn't, in fact, some strange machine or some sort of monster, but a shopping cart filled with humans • ‎and by humans, I mean zion and edwin • ‎you know that vine where that dude is pushing his friends around in the shopping cart?? the one where they're mimicking the infamous titanic pose while "my heart will go on" plays in the background? • ‎yeah, that's exactly what's going on here.  Austin is pushing them around and singing very loudly and very off key • the real kicker?‎ • zion was rose in this situation • ‎you chased after them, frantically whisper yelling for them to get out of the cart. cameras were everywhere and getting thrown out of walmart at 2:30 wasn't on your list of things to do • ‎it went without saying that they weren't exactly complying with your wishes • ‎in fact, they ran from you. • ‎zion and edwin sat, shifting about so both of their bodies kind of fit in the basket. austin was nearly sprinting at this point, laughing through labored breaths • ‎it wasn't until they went to turn the corner at the end of the aisle that they stopped • ‎and even then it wasn't by choice • ‎when they moved to go down the next aisle, austin clipped a small piece of metal that protruded from one of the shelves. it was an easily correctable mistake, but the combined weight of zion and edwin had shifted to the left and forced the handle of the cart out of austin's grasp. • ‎it hit the ground with a thud so loud that you were sure everyone within a twenty aisle radius had heard it. • ‎the boys didn't stick around for long, scrambling off the minute they gained their footing to avoid your wrath. • ‎you stopped near the frozen foods, doubling over as you tried to catch your breath. a familiar voice caught your attention, and before you knew it you were off again, trying to find one of your - hopefully behaving - friends • ‎your hopes were dashed rather quickly • ‎you had come to conclude that the voice you heard belonged to brandon, but it began to fade rather quickly • ‎hoping to talk to him, you followed the sound, eventually finding yourself in the clothing section • he went quiet, and you were afraid that you had lost him until you heard some suspicious rustling and the slap of clothing hitting the floor • ‎you silently inched closer, peaking between racks to see what was going on • ‎it was brandon, sure enough • ‎what was he doing, you ask? • ‎redressing some of the mannequins • ‎let's just say it's a good thing he decided to do music and not fashion. • he had just stripped one the mannequins and was now beginning to redress it, pulling different items from nearby sections. • he attempted to had slipped a pair of shorts that were easily four sizes too small up its legs. they didn't even come close to fitting. • brandon had also tried throwing a flannel on the oversized doll that stood before him, but something had gone seriously wrong, and the arms of the mannequin slipped out of place and down the sleeves, making them look horrendously long • a nightmare on wheels, man. • or heels, rather. he must have stopped in the shoe section before making his way over here because the mannequin was sporting some neck-breaking heels. well...one heel the other was a flat •  the heel was strappy and blue, by all means, a very cute shoe the other shoes, a flat, was far too large and looked like something his grandmother would wear • it was so large, in fact, that the only thing keeping it in place was the fact that the mannequins foot was slightly curved at the toe. • to complete the look, he had opened a wig (from where he had got it, you would never know) and had placed it on the mannequins head, a large cowboy hat resting on top of the matty red locks. • brandon stood back, hands on his hips as he admired his work •  "beautiful." • "absolutely stunning," you snickered • he whirled to face you, eyes blowing wide. a slightly embarrassed flush dusted itself across his cheeks. • "how long have you been here?" • "long enough." • wanting to avoid any more awkwardness, he slowly backed away. when there was a sufficient amount of distance between the two of you, he turned and booked it. • at this point, you could only imagine where nick was and what he was doing • honestly, you didn't even want to question it • you shook your head, making your way back toward the front of the store so that you could pay for the snacks you had managed to grab and go wait in the car • you had almost made it to the registers when the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps reached your ears • before you could do so much as turn and see who was coming up behind you, you were being picked up and thrown over someones' shoulder, snacks hitting the floor • you went to scream, but nick's voice rang out before you could, setting you somewhat at ease. • "come on, we need your help with something." • "with what?" • "something." • that alone was enough to have your anxiety kicking into overdrive again • he carried you to the front of the store and, given that you were so close to the doors, you assumed he was going to carry you back out to the door • it became apparent very quickly that this was nOT the case. • he stopped just short of the doors, depositing you in the basket of the electric carts housed near them. • you immediately went to climb out, but one of your belt loops had snagged on something and had rendered you immobile • nick made himself comfortable on the seat, pretending to rev the cart up. • he was zooming off in no time, weaving through foot traffic as he made his way toward the camping section • the rest of the boys had already collected there, two more carts resting nearby. they were chatting amongst themselves as they looked through the fishing gear • after a bit of deliberation, several rods were picked out. given that you were still unable to get out of the cart, nick had to pick one out for you. • after handing it over, he returned to his seat • the others partnered up, brandon and edwin climbing in their respective cart baskets while zion and austin sat down and got to driving. • you, of course, still had no idea what the heck was going on but saw no reason to complain • this wasn't the weirdest thing that had happened tonight, after all • the six of you drove up and down nearby isles, getting a feel for everything that was there • when it felt as if you had a pretty good idea of what was there and where it was, the real fun began • the boys began to "fish" for things, judging one another on who managed to bring in the best haul (or knock over the most stuff because there weren't real hooks on the end of the lines and it was surprisingly difficult to grab anything with the plastic ones that they had found) • figuring this was the least chaotic thing that had happened thus far (and you had done a lot more observing than participating) you figured you might as well join in • the six of you continued on like this for nearly fifteen minutes, screaming as you tried to haul things over the shelves and into the car. • by the time security got over to you guys, the aisles were littered with various boxes and odd items (clothing, accessories, decorations, stuffed animals...you name it, it was on the floor) • seeing the officer coming down the aisle, you all scrambled • you were still stuck though...so zion practically had to yank you out of the cart and then sprint out of the store with you balanced precariously in his arms • you all piled breathlessly back into the car, silence falling over the six of you • after a few moments, you all burst out laughing, the intensity of it making your stomach hurt and your eyes begin to water • the trek back home was shirt yet fun, full of jokes and you poking fun at one another • when you finally got back to the house, you all trekked back inside and collapsed onto the couches, feeling significantly less energized than you had at the store • you grabbed the television remote, ready to pick up where you had left off in your marathon • then it hit you • "did anyone manage to grab some snacks?" • "no..." came austin's timid response • "should we go back?" brandon chimed • "do you think they'd ever let any of us step foot in there again?" edwin snorted • "....no...." • "we'll just postmates something," zion said simply, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "what do y'all want?' • when you finally agreed on what to buy and the food and been delivered, you fell back into your movie, relishing in one another's company as you half-watched what was playing

Shance Fic Recs (Part three)

More Shance! With Kuro and Sven too. 

82- Mysteries Become Reality by FullmetalDude1 [M/M/M/M, Sven and Kuro]

The world is full of mythical creatures that are slowly but surely being integrated and accepted into society, but a couple of hate crimes and BS still happens.

Lance is a human in this world, doing his best to help Mythics out even if he's got a bad history.

Then he meets 4 super hot Mythics in collage and he is gone, but he'll never admit that.

At least, not until he's been held for ransom by a gang of haters.

83- i don't have too much but i know enough by quiddative

Lance shot a panicked look at Keith but the asshole just laid there uselessly. “Don’t look at me like that,” he snorted. “They’re your kids, after all.”

What?

“What?” Lance and Allura yelled.

Allura turned to Kolivan with narrowed eyes. “Explain,” she demanded.

Kolivan looked very much like he wanted a drink. “The two of them appear to be the Red and Black Paladins’ children from the future.”

(Or: Lance and Shiro's children appear from the future and emotions ensue.)

85- Remember Me by boredomsMuse

Back before Kerberos, Lance and Shiro had been close. Boyfriends, type close. Boyfriends who'd meet each other's parents, all of them, type close.

Except, none of the Paladins know that. Not even Shiro.

86- Starlight Starshine by stirlingphoenix

'He’s beautiful', was the only thought Shiro’s mind could process as he watched Lance in person for the very first time. Those two little words repeated themselves on a loop over and over, making sure he’d never forget this moment. He’d always thought Lance to be exceedingly attractive, but seeing him in real life, as opposed to the TV screen or a movie poster nearly blew his mind.

Shiro had every intention of getting out of there before he ended up doing something embarrassing. Nevermind the fact that Lance wouldn’t know who he was, he still wasn’t too keen on potentially making a fool of himself. But just before he could make a beeline for the exit, the sound of his proper last name echoed throughout the air, forcing him to stop dead in his tracks.

“Excuse me, Mr. Shirogane?” The nervousness that plagued his caller’s voice hit Shiro’s ears wrong, yet it was still oddly familiar to him, as if he’d heard that same tone over a hundred times before.

As it turned out, he had, just never like this. Turning around, he came face-to-face with the lead of the production, the one and only Lance McClain himself, standing before him with a curious, perhaps even anxious expression covering his face.

87- Hi by Nevermoree

"in a world where you have your soulmates’ first words tattooed in your skin, he, obviously, has… well, that."

88- Te prefiero a ti by Nevermoree [Explicit and only spanish]

Lance has been in love with Shiro since he can remember, so when he have the opportunity to spend the night with Shiro, he have decided not to waste it. It's supposed to be a one-night deal, but things do not always work out the way you plan.

89- How to get a hot, shape-shifting dragon-man to fall in love with you by charlotteXOyates [Explicit]

Discovering a new species is a dream every reptile expert can relate to, so Lance's excitement upon meeting Shiro, a man with scales and a dragon tail, is understandably through the roof. What's less understandable, however, is Lance's sudden desire to help the dragon-man with his rut…

90- Daycare, Toddlers, and a bit of Love by starryrosez

Lance falls in love with the father of a boy he looks after in daycare.

91- Claws by AshesTheTerrible [Explicit and omegaverse] Lance had clawed his way through the Galra military ranks. This was the most important day of his entire existence. He was being assigned to a commander. One of the most ruthless commanders in the Empire. He had to make a good impression.

It would be just his luck that he'd be stricken with the beginnings of a ruthless heat. He knew the suppressants made him sick, but he took them anyway. Anything was better than a fucking stupid heat. He couldn't very well look strong with his heat boring down on his shoulders.

But puking at the feet of your new commander doesn't exactly make you look like a model Galra either… hindsight Lance supposes. 92- Lance's Guide on How to Embarrass Yourself in Front of Your Insurance Adjuster by Eilera

“This is for my mama, Hunk. She was so worried about this whole thing. They just finished renovating. I’m not gonna let her down. If my name isn’t Lance fucking Hernandez Martine-holy fuck he’s gorgeous.”

“Oh no. No. Lance do-“

Lance didn’t even hear him because there was a fucking gorgeous god walking up the path to the front door.

(In which Lance is helping his mama with an insurance claim and he was not prepared for the smoking hot insurance adjuster.)

93- designated drivers anonymous by kalakauuas

"It’s halfway through his sixth attempt at a puppy-filter pic that the bathroom door whooshes open wider than Lance’s mouth trying to prompt the puppy tongue onto the screen. Right when Lance screeches in surprised terror, he takes the picture.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t know it was occupied,” says the person who threw the door open, his hands rushing to cover his eyes quicker than Lance would run from his mom’s chancla.

The good thing is, aside from vaguely humiliating selfie poses, there’s nothing to see here."

Lance and Shiro meet through a shared hobby, if you consider hiding in bathrooms during house parties a hobby.

94- Tris for Guys by quiddative

“Um, my name is Lance McClain-Reyes and I have a personal training session,” Lance said, though it came out as more of a question than a statement.

The girl hummed and typed something on the computer. “Ah, right on time,” she said. “Looks like you’ve been paired up with Shiro. If you’ll just take a seat, he should be out in a few minutes.”

Shiro?, Lance thought as all the gears in his brain suddenly screeched to a halt. I must have heard wrong. There’s no way—

“That’s okay, Pidge, I’m already here,” said a deep and familiar voice just behind Lance.

(Or: What do you do when the guy you've been crushing on turns out to be your personal trainer for the day?)

95- easier to lose by quiddative [Explicit]

Shiro is at the peak of his NHL career. Unfortunately, being famous has its downsides, particularly when it comes to dating. And that’s on top of the fact that he’s still in the closet. However, a chance meeting with college student Lance, who seems to be the only person in the entire city who doesn’t know who he is, gives him hope that maybe he won’t die alone after all. Just as long as he can keep his identity a secret.

96- A Halloween Tail by Cathwren

Lance just wanted to have a fun Halloween night, but when homophobic idiots give him trouble he makes a new friend in the dashing young knight that swoops in to save the day. Secrets are shared and Lance can easily say he got a night to remember...and maybe even a boyfriend.

97- 13 stories for Halloween by liddie [Explicit]

A collection of 13 Shance stories for the month of October featuring (but not limited to): vampires, kitsune, werewolves, demons, cursed scarecrows, ghosts, merpeople, oni and whatever else comes to mind!

98- Head Start by SuccubustyKisses [Explicit]

Werewolves. If there was one scent Lance knew above all else, it was Werewolves. Being born from a werewolf father and a human mother Lance knew werewolves. So when he got to the Galaxy Garrison and smelled werewolf in his class his first thought was to make peace with the other wolf.

Sure, Lance was only a half blood, and the closest to transformation he'd ever gotten was sharpened canines and claws during a full moon, but he was still wolf. As such, wolves should stick together. He left his family pack behind to come to the Garrison, maybe he'd be able to form a new pack here.

99- Forgotten Gods and Scales Like Jewels by keir [Explicit and Dubious Consent]

Lance has spent his entire career searching for the elusive and forgotten god of war and lust, a god made of part man, part snake. The pieces are there, and once Lance puts them together, he and his team discover the long forgotten temple dedicated to the naga god, but more lies in store for Lance than he could have ever dreamed of discovering.

100- Of God's and Fae's by MommaVanillaBear

A fae of the ocean, casted aside and alone made the dangerous trek to the festival of lights, and though the way back should have been easy, his steps become lost and the ocean he searches for is replaced by thick foliage and towering trees. Caught by a creature that claims to be an Earth fae, the one of the ocean must spend a month living in the forest or else the God who watches the forest will become aware of him. And there was no way the ocean fae could fight or hope to escape the wrath of a god.

101- Pornstar Lance by Ryuani [Explicit]

Lance used to work as a pornstar but space kinda stopped that.

102- Take a Chance by nuuuge [Fem!Shance]

Lance really just wants the hot Basketball prodigy to notice her.

103- Yearning Touch by CirqueBordello (CircusTalia) [Explicit and Sven]

Sven volunteers to be part of an experiment. But when that experiment makes a change in his body, Lance is there to support him but also realizes he likes the new Sven.

104- The Shirogane Triplets by MermaidLance [Explicit, Trans Lance and the title]

Three Boys

One Lance

He's in for an adventure.

105- Next Time, Pack Them Separately by Quiddity

“So, uh, you in Detroit on business?” Lance asks. The guy glances at him and for a second Lance thinks that he’s terribly misread his mood and he’s about to be snubbed in the worst way. Then he notices the dark circles under his eyes. The man’s totally exhausted. “No,” the man says, shuffling together his papers and securing them together with a wicked looking alligator clip. “I’m headed to New York.” Lance perks up. “Oh! Me too! I’m headed there to meet up with- uh…” Lance is cut off when his neighbor unbuckles himself, stands, and pushes into the line of passengers with a muttered apology. Lance sits there, dumbfounded as the man opens the overhead compartment and pulls down his- Nope. That’s Lance’s bag he’s strapping over his shoulder. That’s his palm tree name tag, that’s his laptop, that’s his senior film project he’s been working on for the past six months and his external hard drive with only back up of three hundred hours of work just shambling down the aisle and off the plane. Oh no.

106- The Knotty Omega by keir [Explicit, omegaverse and little All/Lance]

Lance never saw himself doing porn, but the opportunity fell in his lap with a wicked smile and the smooth talk of Lotor, a producer. The omega finds himself at the center of attention for many horny alphas as he does the most taboo and engages in heat sex for the camera.

107- Double Trouble by liddie [Explicit, Kuro and Shiro]

When Lance agreed to help out at his grandma's flower shop during summer break, he didn't know that it meant managing the shop singlehandedly for months while she went adventuring off to Europe.

Sure, he needs to practice his magic with living things...and yes, plants are a good way to do that without bodies stacking up if something went wrong. But Lance can't even keep a dandelion alive to save his life, so how the hell is he going to keep the entire stock of his grandma's enchanted flower shop alive and healthy for four months?

The answer is simple. He's going to summon himself some help using the dusty old spell book he found in the attic.

It's too bad Lance's handwriting looks like chicken scratch on a good day…

108- To Drown In You by Val_Creative [Explicit and Trans Lance]

Humans are a fearful race, unable to conjure anything other than simpler, volatile emotions, or so Shiro’s mer-clan has taught him. Lance’s compassion and his openhearted empathy deepens Shiro’s need for more. And he’s only know Lance for the turn of a moon.

109- How Deep is the Love We Think We Know by mizufallsfromkumo [omegaverse]

It had been a considerable while since Shiro nested.

So long in fact he didn’t even realize he was doing it.

Until he yanked one of the Castle’s lounge couch cushions out from behind Pidge. No regard for the fact that she was using it. He just knew he needed that one because it was the softest of all the other cushions. Pidge’s surprised squeak as she toppled to the side didn’t even register with him for a moment.

Or at least not till Keith called him out.

110- Repayment by SuccubustyKisses [Explicit and omegaverse]

“I need you to do me a favor Coran.”

“Anything for you, son.”

Lance stepped forward, digging his wallet out of his pocket and slamming it down on the desk in front of him. “There is a man here, an alpha named Shiro. He lost his arm in a car accident.”

“Yes, Takashi Shirogane. It’s a shame what happened to him.” Coran looked away sadly.

“I want you to take this credit card and give him everything he needs. The best, top of the line products.” Coran looked down at the credit card pressed between Lance’s hand and his desk then back up at Lance. “Please?”

111- Dream a Little Dream by thinkpink [Explicit]

Shiro is an adult- he knows how feelings work. He definitely knows his own feelings. Right?

112- Telltale Blush by thinkpink [Explicit and Dubious Consent]

“So why don’t we just skip the part where you throw lines at me and I pretend not to be interested, and you can suck my dick instead.”

113- Dress to Impress by thinkpink

How did Shiro even get sweatpants in space? And why are they so god damn thin!

114- A Dragon by liddie [Explicit]

On the day of his wedding, Prince Lance is carried away by a fearsome creature of old. The remote island is a prison and the dragon his keeper, although Lance is not completely alone. A mysterious man named Shiro is also a prisoner of the dragon, but as Lance learns just who he is, he comes to realize there is more to Shiro than he first thought.

115- In Flagrante Delicto by gwendy1

in flagrante delicto (adverb)

Definition of in flagrante delicto: 1 : in the very act of committing a misdeed : red-handed 2 : in the midst of sexual activity

116- Black's Deal by SuccubustyKisses [Explicit and little Klance]

I’ll give you what you need to get what you want, but you only get two quintent. Do you agree?

“Yes.”

Or the story of Shiro taking over Keith's body in the time of his disappearance between seasons 2 and 3.

117- The Beast Of Pirate's Bay by SuccubustyKisses [Explicit and Major character death, but don't scary you. Happy ending]

A loud shriek filled the air, causing him to fall back onto the damp metal of the ship floor. “I’m sorry.” He whimpered, covering his ears as the sound continued to ring out.

As instant as the sound came it quickly disappeared, leaving Lance to tentatively uncover his ears. “Please,” he begged, tears escaping his eyes as he looked over the side of the boat again. “I won’t even enter your territory if you just bring me a juniberry flower!”.

118- The Lion, The Witch, and the Cursed Ghost by SuccubustyKisses [Explicit]

When lance goes to Kogane forest in search of the cat he saw plastered all over the news he ends up with a lot more than he bargained for. But he's not complaining.

The ghost floated up, arms crossed as he looked over the trees. “I’ll make you a deal.” Lance’s eyes brightened, he knew his excitement was obvious. But, he didn’t care. “If you can find me in this forest before the sun sets, I’ll take you to see Shiro. If not, you will leave this forest without a fight.” He turned and lowered down to Lance’s level again, holding out his transparent hand. “Do we have a deal?”

Shiro must be the cat.

Lance reached out, taking the hand, surprised when he actually felt contact. “Deal.” Before he could even shake the hand properly it was gone, along with its owner, only the flutter of leaves in the air showing he had even been there. Snatching up one of the leaves, Lance grinned. This ghost vastly underestimated him.

119- That's not a phone by CrypticGabriel [Explicit and Trans Lance]

Lance had a part-time job at the movie theater. During his job, he liked ogling at a frequent flyer named Shiro. But he never expected to catch him doing the unthinkable while watching a movie. And no. It didn't involve a phone.

120- Let's Play A Game by liddie [Explicit]

About to leave for a little vacation time at his grandfather's seaside cottage, Shiro gets a text from Allura asking if he can drop her friend Lance off at the beach on his way. He agrees, but is entirely unprepared for everything that Lance is.

121- How Do I "Casual"? by The_Busy_Beee

Sometimes Lance loves living in the same building as his best friends.

Sometimes he hates it with a passion.

Usually only when Keith's involved, however.

Or:

Lance brings home a guy and isn't sure how to handle the "morning after" situation. Keith is exhausted and thinks Lance has murdered somebody.

122- Spilling Secrets by The_Busy_Beee

Everyone knows the past never stays in the past.

Or:

Shiro finally meets the Blue Lane crew, Lotor is a shit, and Lance really just wants today to go well.

123- Good Girl by strawberrylovely [Explicit and Fem!Lance]

Shiro hears Lance masturbating in the team bathroom. He’s not sure whether to help or run away, so Lance makes the decision for him.

124- Beautiful Breed by Blue_Queen662 [Fem!Lance]

Kept in captivity for years, Lance had not had any contact with others like herself in a long while.

Shiro had been gone from the sea for years. From being separated from his pod for a long time, he had forgotten how it feels to be loved by a mate.

Shiro has been chosen to be Lance’s mate. For his strangth, speed and intellect; it was decided amongst guests at a dinner party that the Champion will mate with Zarkon’s prize pet.

125- my boyfriend's back (and you're gonna be in trouble) by heavenlyrare

The Galra and the Alteans haven't been at each other's throats, thanks to Prince Lance's and Commander Shiro's relationship.

Unfortunately, the rest of the universe doesn't seem to know that.

126- Missing Pieces by AshesTheTerrible [Explicit]

Shiro comes back from two tours overseas a changed man. He has one less arm and a lot more nightmares. His best friend Keith convinces him Yoga is the perfect form of meditation to help with his PTSD and he's skeptical at best....that is until he sees the instructor and is instantly in love.

127- Full Moons and the Mornings After by Impetus

Lance really needs to stop letting stray wolves into his apartment.

128- My Best Friend's Brother? How Cliche by orphan_account

Lance has been pining after Shiro since he was 14, and the last time he saw him before Shiro left to go to veterinary school had been embarrassing as hell. But, things were different now. 3 years had passed, Shiro was back, and Lance was a new and improved version of himself. This time, Lance wasn't afraid to do what he wanted to.

OR that one where Lance hasn't seen Shiro in years but when he goes to drop some food off at Keith's house he walks in on Shiro working out.

129- How To Use a Long Rest by avoidingavoidance [Explicit]

In which the team's game of Monsters and Mana isn't actually a game, and Lance takes good care of Shiro. Several times.

130- Just Take That Breath in Your Lungs by mizufallsfromkumo [Omegaverse]

When Shiro was younger, and freshly presented as an Alpha, he use to think about how things would be when he claimed his mate for himself.

Ideally it would be their wedding night, but it wasn’t a necessity. Shiro was fine with whenever moment arose and felt right. And when his intended mate would find it, Shiro would turn on soft music. They’d maybe dance a little, or speak soft words of love. Then the night would progress in a slow, gentle, and loving path towards claiming.

Because yeah, Shiro was a hopeless romantic at times.

Sue him.

But that was the furthest thing that was happening, Shiro thought as he and Lance flopped into the nest both of them had constructed over two weeks ago.

131- Can You Find the Path that Leads Back to My Heart by mizufallsfromkumo

Lance was just left to sulk in the cockpit. And wonder just where his relationship stood with his mate, who had his soul transferred and fused into a clone's body. A clone Lance had just continued on courting like nothing ever happened, because he didn’t know his mate had even died in the first place.

Lance never thought going to space would be filled with so much drama.

Much less, drama that made his life sound like really bad telenovela plot line.

132- Some Good Shooting by AshesTheTerrible [Explicit and Trans Lance]

Lance and Shiro had been nothing but a hurricane of spats and frustration since the switching of lions. And then quite suddenly...they weren't anymore. Hunk couldn't figure out what had changed between the blue and black paladins but the rest of the team just seemed happy the two were working together. Maybe a little too well in fact.

Unbeknownst to the others, really all it took to change the two paladin's attitudes toward each other was one hard kiss in the hangar doors.

Parts 1 / 2 / 3 

Cutie Reviews: YumeTwins March 19

Okay, so here I am with the real March YumeTwins box.

This months theme: Spring Companions

“The cold and harsh Winter Season is drawing to a close and Spring is coming! There’s so many things we love about Spring here at YumeTwins, like the fresh buds and flowers appearing and of course all the cute baby animals that are born in Springtime! But the absolute best part of Spring in Japan is the Cherry Blossom or Sakura! There’s nothing more we love than to sit under the Cherry Blossoms and have a picnic, if you have the chance to no matter where you are in the world you should try too! To get everyone excited for Spring we decided to go with the theme Spring Companions for March’s box! In this Spring Companions box you’ll find a couple of kawaii fluffy companions as well as some more useful companions with lots of pastel and vivid Spring colors, so we hope you’ll enjoy them!“

Contest Prize

Yume Prize

Disney Dreamy Plushie

Our first item is this really cute, fluffy plushie of Marie, from Arisocats (an older Disney movie, which I LOVED when I was a child). Besides Marie we could also get Dumbo, Minnie Mouse, and Miss Bunny (the girl bunny from bambi, she is extremely popular in Japan). Each character features a lovely pastel color scheme and adorable flowers, pearls, and/or star accents.

Marie is also my favorite Disney character, along with Minnie Mouse and Piglet. So I was very happy to see/get her, although the Minnie Mouse was pink so I this would have been my second choice.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Well we all know how much I like plushies and stuffed dolls/toys, especially when they’re huggable and soft~ This one is perfect with that in mind, it’s shape fitting right in my arms for full snuggles~

Besides that, the detail on this is really nice. Not only does it add to the dreamy aesthetic, but its done very cleanly. I just wish there was a little bit more, like maybe they could have added a few tiny stars/flowers or more pearls? It’s only a suggestion though, I still think they’re plenty cute.

I did notice a few tiny little minuscule details that bothered me though. Such as the fact they collect hair and whatever else like nobody’s business. Besides that, they also have that obnoxious seam around the middle, the one where the material is a lot thinner and stands out in comparison to the rest of the plush? I also found a few small loose yarn strands...

Anyway, none of this changes how much I like the plush. The yarns can be fixed, it won’t be hard to keep it cleaned. It’s so sweet and even though it is essentially just a head, I think it’s very nice.

Animal Face Pouch

Our next equally fluffy cuteness is this pouch, shaped like a bear, puppy, or cats head; in 7 different styles! They each have a different leather strap color and inside patterned fabric; like my bear, who has a pink dot print.

Besides being a great, small size to fit into objects, you can also attach it to your bag or items if you lack room, or even carry it around your wrist or a strap.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

As many pouches as I have now because of these boxes, I think this one would be one of my top favorites. It’s very fluffy and cuddly-soft, and very cute too. I love how versatile it is and it’s pretty fun, using it as a hand held purse one day to a purse accessory the next. It has decent room on the inside for being a smaller pouch, and it’s very light weight.

Cutesy Organizer Folder

If you’re a long-time reader of this blog then you will probably recognize this design; if you’re new though, then welcome :D this design/pattern is on a Tuxedo Sam cup I got (From a YumeTwins box like a year ago), and still use now.

Besides this adorable design, there is also 2 different Kirby, and a Pompompurin available.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

As much as I complain about getting these (due to my belief I no longer need them), I will acknowledge that they are useful- and I’m sure at some point I will need something to put important documents in, or just letters, pictures, coloring pages, or drawings I want to save and have no where else to put them.

Anyway, I love how this matches my cup, even if I realistically wouldn’t have a reason to put them together. So as you can probably tell it is bent, but at the same time I’ve been feeling this material and it’s a lot less stiff than my other files have been. I can’t really explain it but it feels really nice.

Kawaii Key Holder

Our next item is this key holder, which was available in 5 different colors and themes: this brown Rilakkuma, a pink and white Korilakkuma, 2 Sumikko Gurashi (one light blue, one light green), and a yellow gudetama.

The key holder has two clips, one for each key, as well as a two other loops to connect it to various things. The string is 65cm long.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

At the time I don’t personally have keys of my own (I can’t be the only one right?? I know I probably should...), but I still think this is a cute and creative item. It could also be used for other things though, and it also just makes a cute accessory.

Disney Highlighter Pen

Our next item is this cutesy double-sided highlighter featuring black and white drawings of Disney pairs; like this pink and purple one features Donald and Daisy. There was also a lime and peach one featuring Mickey and Minnie, and a blue and yellow Chip and Dale one. There are 2 other sets but they’re not in the picture.

With that in mind... I’m not a big Daisy fan and I love Minnie Mouse, so I kind of wish I got that one. But I prefer the colors on this one, so I’m not really sure which one I would have wanted if I got the choice...

This is how they look when used. They’re brighter than they look on here/in the pic though.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

It’s small and smooth shape makes it easy to carry in a variety of items, and highlighters can be pretty handy, so I like how it’s dual sided rather than being several separates.The quality of the highlighter is great, and I like the color contrast to the black and white design.

Tumbler Set

Our final item is this 3-set of Tumbler cups, available in either a cute pastel Rilakkuma theme, or a colorful and bright Splatoon theme (oddly enough both sets feature the same base colors but different tones, and come with yellow straws). These Tumblers come in the shape of a fast-food cup with 3 included plastic, re-usable straws, and when not being used, the cups and lids can be stacked to take up less storage space.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

I like Splatoon and Rilakkuma, so I would have been fine with either set. I have a bunch of lidded cups I really like to use, but I always love to add to my “collection“ so I really like these :3 the designs are unique and very fun to look at, and they seem to be really sturdy so I feel like unless you’re really careless it shouldn’t be that easy to spill using them.

I also like that you get a set of 3, so you could easily share these.

♡ Cutie Ranking ♡

Content - 4.5 out of 5. I don’t sound super-ecstatic or anything, but I actually really, really liked these items. As usual, I feel like half of it will be useful to me, while the other half might not be (for now), but I felt like all of the items are really nice quality and well thought out.

Theme: 4 out of 5. The theme is Spring Companions, and yes, I’d say in that sense these items greatly count as a companion, as you would bring them with you. But when I think spring, besides pretty pastels I think flowers play a pretty big role and I kind of wish they would have included more flowery items.

Total Rank: 9 out of 10. Like I said, I’m not 100% sold on how they carried out the theme but I do really like the items, and they offer a lot of practicality. I don’t know if I’m a bit biased because of how disgruntled the last box left me, or if I really just like this one that much more.

♡ Cutie Scale ♡

1. Animal Pouch - It’s so ultra-fluffy, I just want to cuddle it~

2. Disney Plushie - I love how soft it is, and it’s dreamy inspired design and detail is very pretty~

3. Highlighter Pen - I mentioned this above, but I really like how the white and black tube contrast the colorful ink. It’s very fun to look at.

4. Tumbler Set - I love how the bright colors contrast the rest of the items, and who doesn’t like Splatoon? I love how you get a set of them, and I like how we have 2 stylish designs based on the game, and a cutesy one covered in adorable colorful squid~

5. Key Holder - I like all the metal bits on it :3 I also think this would be a lot of fun to wear as an accessory until I actually find a more practical use with it.

6. Organizer File - This one is really cute, but out of all the items I feel like this one would either get no use, or very little use.

Introduction to Digital Music Techniques: Final Assessment

For the final assessment, I chose ‘option 3,’ that is, to extend my “cataplexy” inspired piece from the first assessment. I chose this because for the first assessment I was unable to sing (due to Laryngitis) and it forced me to explore a genre/style and techniques that I have never considered before whilst writing or recording my music. I found it really enjoyable to create something so different but still somewhat pleasant to take in (from my point of view). After making this decision I began binge listening to so many different sub-genres of EDM, ranging from deep house to Psychedelic trance. I listened to several tracks by Armin Van Burren, Bryan Kearney, Gorgon City, Above and Beyond and many more (EDM mixes). I did this not only to get some structural insight and understanding of contrast with smooth transitions but to listen out for techniques and effects that are prominent in EDM. Like the previous two assessments, I completed this piece using Logic Pro X in the Studios (1025) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. 

INTENTION:

With my original piece I completed for the first assessment, I wanted the track to lean more toward the sub genre of ‘deep house’. But this time around I really didn’t want to be limited, as I was inspired by the wide range of EDM I had been consuming. But before even considering the ideas I had for the two new sections, the first thing I wanted to do was to rectify that which was suggested in the feedback for the first assessment. 

SECTION B REVAMP:

I began with section b, adding a few cross-rhythms and slightly spicing up the MIDI drum track with a pitched rhythmic movement (MIDI sound called animated swirls which I looped playing two chords) to accompany it. This allowed me to create more interest whist still staying true to my ‘breakdown/simple drum’ vision for section b from the first time. I also added panning in the ‘breakdown,’ where the only thing that is present is the chords and hi-hat (build up). I then added a melody, hitting record once I completely improvised and just ran with it! I didn’t hesitate to quantise this though, I used several plugins and effects (shown below).I also added a dirty toned yet simple bass line which sort of stays true to the ‘deep house vibe’ whist the melody and chords are more true of house. Overall this section sounds so much more complete then my first attempt, the feedback was really helpful. 

MIDI drum track:

Melody:

Hi-hat panning:

Section A Revamp:

Oddly enough, I made slight alterations to this section after section b. Not too much was changed here besides the addition of a quick vocal phrase and a rhythmic MIDI melody added over the chords (with panning). I recorded myself singing the word “crossover” and then added a tape delay, increasing the feedback rate (progressively) to give a sort of ‘dreamy’ but ‘dark’ ambience. This is to reflect the ‘dreamy’ MIDI effect which the track begins with, followed by the dark simple bass line. After discovering the ‘touch’ feature in automation on logic, I was able to speed up the delay/feedback in real time to create a build in pitch/temp for anticipation. 

vocal delay and automation:

VISION: 

In terms of artistic vision, I really wanted this track to catalyse colourful imagery with the listener’s mind. Almost like a VR experience, from a dreamy colourful landscape to a dark alley and even some what of a rave in the last section. I guess the inspiration came from the feeling I experienced whilst listening to different types of EDM, so I wanted that to be the focus of this track. Section b almost reminds me of video game music, and that was intentional as I wanted this to be the sound track to an alternate place/experience, consistently travelling in somewhat of a trance. This also correlates with the ‘crossover’ theme.

NEW SECTIONS:

Section A returns 

This time section A returns but rather than a synthesised rhythmic melody, a vocal melody takes hold. Before the ‘verse’ begins, I recorded myself taking a breath out and put a heavy tape delay over it, once again altering the delay in real time to create a build up. I again improvised the lyrics for this section, really wanting it to sound fun and catchy but still have relevance to both the title and previous sections. I double tracked my voice for the first half of the verse as I felt it gave more of a full effect to the section after the build up. I also did subtle harmonies over some words using the telephone vocal filter. I used various plugins under Izotope in Logic such as de-clip, de-click and de-ess to reduce noise as well as EQ and adequate trimming. I also used ‘Chroma’ reverb ever so slightly just to make the vocals sound a bit more warm.

Section C:

Unlike the previous sections, section c begins with a complete drop out of all drum tracks, only vocals and chords. The inspiration for this section came from the vocal phrase that I manipulated, I build the whole section around this phrase. This sort of happened by accident….I was trying to figure out how to automate reverb and came across the ‘real time’ feature under ‘read’  called ‘touch’ in automation which allows you to play with the EQ of a track in real time. This obviously led to the discovery of automating individual plugins rather than just the entire track which is selected. I realised I found something quite interesting and instantly got a ton of ideas, noticing the resemblance in the EDM I had been listening to. But this wasn’t so easy to achieve, it took a plethora of trial and error and some youtube Logic tutorials to get this done. In fact I nearly scraped it at one point out of frustration (and pain due to back issues) but felt persistent to finish what I had started. I trimmed one tiny vocal phrase from some improvised lyrics I recorded and copied and pasted them in line with the bar lines. I couldn’t loop the track as for some reason when I did it was out of time. I then began with the EQ on the far left (screenshots below) and slowly dragged the EQ, going from a muted to a clear sound. This seems to be ever so present in EDM music as it aids the build up. I then added a tape delay and reverb then individually automated these effects, altering feedback rate and delay time. Working on this took up more time than anything else for my piece ! But I think it sounds really cool and I’m glad I pushed through it and produced something different.This section also includes a simple kick that I recorded on the midi and looped but adjusted the EQ to make it sound sort of ‘muted’ and deep house like. 

Chords:

VOCAL EDIT:

EQ gradual movement.

SECTION D: variation of section A

For this section, the chords in section A return but are varied, played both descending and ascending. The filter (MIDI sound) that is used for the section b melody returns but with just a long sustained chord for the entire section. But before this the ‘heavenly sound’ returns from the songs intro, contributing to the dreamy ambience. This MIDI chord paired with the muted kick give a sort of ‘club’ or ‘dark’ feel. I also included what I like to call a ‘trance cry,’ I recorded myself singing “ahhh” with some heavy delays again. Paired with the bass line it sounds  both dark and dreamy (the vibe). It took time to get the delay/feedback in TIME with the rest of the piece ! I like that the kick remains for this section contributing  to the trance-rave-dreamy sort of vibe. At the very end I recorded myself singing crossover a few times over ‘telephone vocal filter’ and in real time played with the EQ to make it sound muted at first then kind of robot like. I felt the end of the track needed this as it sort of addressed/revisits what happened in section one. (below)

vocal delay:

Telephone ending:

Throughout the ENTIRE track automation was CRUCIal so it was used a lot:

Overall I am satisfied with the completed track. I am really keen to understand and learn more techniques and skills in different DAWS as well.

https://soundcloud.com/jasmin-mourad-698719626

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 24th November 2019

I know I say this every week but we finally did get a cooldown week and as I say whenever we don’t have many new tracks to review, this will actually be a short week, despite a pretty big debut. I don’t have much time to write this at all so I’m just going to flash past everything here, I apologise if I miss any detail.

Top 10

It’s Tones and I’s eighth week at the top with “Dance Monkey”, still stable at #1.

Similarly not moving at all is “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa at number-two, which I actually have qualms about considering it could potentially not hit #1 and just stall at the runner-up spot.

The number-three spot goes to a debut from Billie Eilish, with “everything i wanted”, which peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, and is Eilish’s fifth UK Top 40 hit and third top 10 entry. We’ll talk more about it later.

Sadly, that means “Ride It” by Regard featuring Jay Sean is down one spot to number-four. I’m surprised that song’s not already on its way out.

“Memories” by Maroon 5 makes its way up one spot to number-five.

Unfortunately, it takes Lewis Capaldi’s trite “Bruises” up with it, moving up four spaces to number-six.

“South of the Border” by Ed Sheeran featuring Camila Cabello and Cardi B seems to struggle down three spots to number-seven.

“Good as Hell” by Lizzo featuring Ariana Grande is up a spot to number-eight.

“Lose You to Love Me” by Selena Gomez, on the other hand, is down a spot to number-nine.

Notably, and quite to my dismay, off of its debut last week, we have “ROXANNE” by Arizona Zervas up 14 spots to #10, becoming his first entry in the top 10... why?!

Climbers

There are none. Okay, no, I’m being insincere, there are some but they’re pretty unremarkable to say the least. “Pump it Up” by DJ Endor is up seven spaces off of the debut last week to #29, and seemingly due to album hype, “Lights Up” by Harry Styles is also up seven spots, rebounding back into the top 20 at #16.

Fallers

I know, this is where I usually say that the fallers are more plentiful, but they actually weren’t, well, they were to an extent but it’s a pretty miniscule amount this time. At #36, “Follow God” by Kanye West continues to flop down nine spaces, “Paper Cuts” by Dave does the same off of the debut down a whopping 15 down to #30, whilst “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM” by Travis Scott and “Outnumbered” by Dermot Kennedy start off their downward spirals, down seven and nine spaces respectively to #24 and #23. “Buss Down” by Aitch featuring ZieZie may as well be doing the same down five to #21, and sadly, off of the top five debut from last week, “Must Be” by J Hus is now at #13, down eight spaces from the week prior.

Dropouts & Returning Entries

We almost always have dropouts, but it’s very uncommon for us to really have any returning entries since we only cover the top 40, however we do in fact have a returning entry this week with “Lover” by Taylor Swift returning to #38 thanks to the remix featuring Shawn Mendes. That’s all we have for returning entries – dropouts, on the other hand, we have a few of. First of all, “Be Honest” by Jorja Smith and Burna Boy experiences streaming cuts that lead it off of the charts from #25, while the others are just remnants of songs that kind of flopped. “The Last Time” by the Script is out from #32, “10,000 Hours” by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber is out from #35, “Tell Me” by Krept & Konan featuring D-Block Europe and Ling Hussle is out from #37 and “Floss” by AJ Tracey featuring MoStack and Not3s is out from #39 as well. These aren’t very remarkable or good songs (Apart from “10,000 Hours”, which is good but not particularly notable or really anything worth discussing too in-depth), so not even the drop-outs here could be big stories. We could have a featured single even, this week is so boring, but alas, I have little time. Let’s get to the new arrivals.

#35 – “Watermelon Sugar” – Harry Styles

Produced by Tyler Johnson and Kid Harpoon – Peaked at #10 in Lithuania and #60 in the US

So, this is Harry Styles’ second single from the upcoming sophomore solo effort, Fine Line, where he seems to be continuing the classic rock formula he touched upon in his self-titled debut record, although from what we can gather, this album seems to be more focused on replicating the anthemic indie stomper than the slow, 70s soft rock ballad. I didn’t like the lead single, and it soon dropped down the charts pretty quickly before rebounding this week, so I’m curious and hopeful to see if this is any good. This is only Styles’ third UK Top 40 hit as a solo artist and that number would be a lot bigger if I counted the singles with One Direction... but is it any good? I mean, I wish it was. The riff here is pretty catchy and fun, and the production is appropriately lush, but the sheer amount of synth overdubs does cause a lot of clipping towards the end, and Harry Styles just sounds bored out of his mind here. I like the guitars here, especially in the second verse, but the transition to the chorus is abrupt and awkward, and the chorus is mind-numbing. It doesn’t work as an anthemic single because it acts as such as a lightweight, fluffy wasteful song, with a lacklustre performance from Styles, inorganic drum loops and a pathetic post-chorus where Styles reaches into his... vocodered falsetto? Yeah, whatever this is going for, it’s clearly failing for me. Sorry, but much like “Lights Up”, I don’t care for this at all.

#32 – “Jerry Sprunger” – Tory Lanez featuring T-Pain

Produced by Tory Lanez, Play Picasso and Papi Yerr – Peaked at #34 in Canada and #44 in the US

Tory Lanez is perhaps my least favourite rapper. He’s so infuriatingly boring and generic, more often than not he sounds nasal and gross whilst being completely inoffensive content-wise and sometimes just straight-up ripping off his influences like Kendrick Lamar, which Joyner Lucas pointed out and they had the whole diss track exchange that was supposed to prove Lanez as a “lyrical” rapper when really all it did was embarrass both parties, but I digress. Tory Lanez is aggravating and I hate near everything he’s put out, and he just happens to be oddly successful in the UK, but to an extent where I’m confused by it. He’s not a big artist in the UK – well, not really, he’s had only one top 10 album although hip-hop albums tend to suffer here anyway, and never a UK Top 40 hit on his own (He did get one with 6ix9ine last year, so this is his second and T-Pain’s 11th), despite appearing on Good Morning Britain to be interviewed about... nothing since he didn’t have an album coming out. Guess who finally got him that British breakout single? Freaking T-Pain. I have a lot of respect for the guy but even he knows he’s more than 50% a punchline the majority of the time, and plays to that by being a jokester. This is from Tory Lanez’s concept album (Yes, concept album) Chixtape 5. The loose concept is that he takes samples from mid-2000s R&B songs, makes beats from them, and puts the original R&B singers on them, which just sounds like a massive waste of sample clearance money to me, but again, I digress. I’ve heard one other song off of this album and it was as musically incompetent as a Goddamn washing machine so, is this one any better? Well, I like T-Pain’s verse, but I knew I would already, check out his album he released in January, 1UP, it’s actually pretty decent, especially “RIP to the Parking Lot”. This is actually his first UK Top 40 hit “5 O’Clock” featuring Wiz Khalifa and Lily Allen peaked at #6 in 2011. So, “I’m Sprung” was released in 2004 and it was T-Pain’s debut single, becoming his first top 10 in the US, and a Dizzee Rascal remix helped it get to #30 here in the UK too. I don’t really like that song in all honesty, it still sounds really primitive in comparison to his later compositions, and sometimes he just straight-up sounds offbeat.”Jerry Sprunger” might be worse, taking one loop from the little faux-acapella section of “I’m Sprung” and making a tone-deaf trap beat out of it. Tory Lanez, when he’s not mumbling, he’s making a gross and weedy Chris Brown impression, with no content whatsoever. The chorus just feels overwhelming and cluttered with so many layers of multi-tracked T-Pain. T-Pain is still incredibly charismatic, with carefree, easy flows that still sound impressive, and a random beatboxing break that’s hilarious. Oh, yeah, and for a straight minute, the sample is reversed and we just have some unnecessary Tory Lanez vocal riffing. Gross. This might have made me appreciate “I’m Sprung” more, actually.

#19 – “Before You Go” – Lewis Capaldi

Produced by TMS – Peaked at #1 in Scotland and Ireland

...First Tory Lanez, a man who makes music I despise but I never expected to show up, and now Lewis Capaldi, an enemy to both democracy and REVIEWING THE CHARTS, shows up to spite me with a late deluxe edition single... even though that’s what “Bruises” is. I mean, okay, maybe they’re pushing this one to the US – oh, wait, lol it didn’t chart anywhere outside of Europe... or New Zealand, but I doubt Capaldi is desperately looking for his big Kiwi crossover. Capaldi himself has been very vague about his fifth UK Top 40 hit... and so will I, in fact, I will just recount my thoughts on Capaldi and detail my history with the man. I first met Capaldi on the 13th of January this year, when “Grace” debuted at #33 on the UK Singles Chart, and I referred to him breezily as a “Scottish dude” – such a simpler time, and admittedly had very little to say about the song, but I did come to the conclusion that he sounded like a Scottish post-hardcore vocalist trying to re-write “Fight Song”, which is the type of analogy I used to make earlier in this show, whilst now I just cynically ramble. The song dropped out the next week, 20th January, replaced by “Someone You Loved” at #29, and I made my first truly scathing review of the man, branding him as a boring person who doesn’t understand how music works. I continued on my analogy from “Grace”, stating he sounded out of place, and half-asleep on the droning, piano melody that “Someone You Loved” presents. I noticed his resemblance with James Arthur in terms of how they both strain their vocals, although I mistakenly declared Capaldi was a better vocalist, which is plainly untrue to me now. I said he was lacking in compelling content (Surprise, surprise, he still is), and that the UK outside of Scotland does not care about Lewis Capaldi or his music, since we made his hits interchangeable. I asked Lewis Capaldi directly, and I don’t often plead to the artists, to leave me alone. On both occasions, however, they were not granted Worst of the Week or even Dishonourable Mention (Although I did include him in the 20th’s “toss-up”, asking the reader to pick their own poison). On the 27th of January, “Someone You Loved” rose to #13 and I simply, quite politely said, I could not see this appeal. The following weeks, I would track Capaldi’s rise to the top (To my chagrin, of course). On 3rd February, “Someone You Loved” hit the top 10 and I said just that, not commenting on the success of the single. Despite this, the next week on the 10th, “Grace” returned at #40 and I felt the need to attack it again, saying that it sucks and, in parenthesis, “Who cares?”. On 17th February, I made my first prediction for Capaldi’s career as “Someone You Loved” rose to #3, saying that you should expect the song to reach the top, making no further comment. Again, I continued to follow the rise of both songs until 3rd of March, when “Someone You Loved” reaches #1, although I referred to the song as “some lame [...] song I heard once”, despite being slightly thankful for Capaldi as he was giving me less work by contributing to how dry the charts were. I would not be thankful for Capaldi ever again. I did not expect the song to stay at #1, saying on 10th of March that it was “hanging on”. On the 17th, I incorrectly reported it was its second week at #1 while it was actually its third. On 24th March, I ventured onto a full-on rant, saying, and I quote, verbatim:

““Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi is still at the top for its fourth or fifth week and really? US pop music has been getting weirder, darker and more interesting, whilst the UK is lagging behind with boring pop ballads staying at the top for no reason other than the intense label push and some kind of pseudo-emotional strength that the track seems to be emitting to people. That’s not how it’s supposed to work, it’s supposed to be the other way around. This song is just lazy and feels like a total waste of studio time.”

Jesus, cactus. Here, I was comparing it to other more interesting songs still, and didn’t seem outright hatred for the man yet. On the 7th April, I made public my wishes for the song to be overthrown on its sixth week because I thought the song was painful and didn’t bear well with me after overplay. Then my situation continued to worsen as the prospect of more Lewis Capaldi songs debuting and lasting just as long as “Someone You Loved” is scary but perhaps too real. On 12th of May, “Hold Me While You Wait” debuted and in my review I not only called Capaldi the devil, but also a talentless putrid hack and, and I quote, verbatim, “a frog sobbing over its grandfather that had just flatlined”.

This new track is surprisingly okay, actually. I don’t care to analyse it any further, though, I mean after all it’s Lewis Capaldi and “okay” for him is the worst song ever made for most artists.

#3 – “everything i wanted” – Billie Eilish

Produced by FINNEAS – Peaked at #1 in Latvia and Lithuania, and #8 in the US

No introduction needed for this song or Billie herself, let’s just talk about the song, and it’s no surprise that it is pretty good. It’s been a while since I’ve talked about a song from Eilish, but the melancholy piano chords paired with the almost dissonant whispery, reverb-heavy vocals create an eerie, almost paranoid atmosphere, one so good I think I forgive the bass clipping. The claps and percussion in general initially seem pretty unfitting but when the chorus hits, it gets pretty obvious that that’s on purpose, as the reverb drowns them in a form of distance, making sense for the song thematically. In the second verse, her saying “underwater” has some sort of vocoder effect that makes it sound like it’s being said underwater... and I like pointless touches like that. The panning airy synths in the chorus are gorgeous, and FINNEAS’ harmonies with Billie actually sound pretty great, although it’s odd to hear him so clearly on a Billie Eilish track. I like the song overall, but it does feel a tad underwhelming, or perhaps just too whelming, as it does go on for four minutes, which might be one too many, and I would have preferred more experimentation within the song, as its dry, minimalism does run... well, dry, by the end of the song. I respect the song’s lyrical matter though, as it works as a love letter to FINNEAS, her brother, and depicts a suicide attempt made by Eilish in a nightmare in which her fans turn their backs on her due to her attempt, which is actually really haunting to think about and the song reflects that – so, yeah, it’s pretty decent, and still miles ahead anything else from this week.

Conclusion

Worst of the Week is definitely going to Tory Lanez and, unfortunately, T-Pain for “Jerry Sprunger”, whilst Best of the Week should obviously be going to Billie Eilish for “everything i wanted”. Not a particularly good week, but hey, we’ll see what happens next week. “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey re-entered at #59 this week... it’s any minute now. Follow me on Twitter @cactusinthebank and see you next week – it might start getting a bit Christmassy in here.