#rayden talks

[choicesficwriterscreations]

May MC of the Month: Daenarya of Riverbend

Please welcome our fourth MC of the month! Each month, we will highlight one MC or OC that is currently on our Meet My MC / OC List. The MC / OC is selected randomly on the Wheel of Names, and eligibility requirements can be found here. We accept MC / OC profiles on an ongoing basis. Please feel free to send yours in!

This month's MC of the month is...

@storyofmychoices 's Daenarya of Riverbend!

Learn more about Daenarya and her creator, Dani, below.

In your words, tell us what you like most about your MC.  Daenarya is fun. She is crazy and exciting and silly and just amazing. Daenarya speaks her mind and goes after what she wants. She doesn’t let the troubles of her past hinder her future. She never forgets what happened, but she still is able to live in the moment and find enjoyment in all she does.

Do you feel your MC is like you at all? How are you alike or different? I have so much fun writing Daenarya because she is not like me at all. Daenarya goes after what she wants and takes it. I would need to make a pros and cons list, imagine every possible scenario, do some research, make another list, and then maybe, just maybe, I could make a decision to go after something. Daenarya takes risks without a second thought. She lives in the moment. She isn’t hindered by anxiety or other mental health issues. She just is who she is, and she is confident in herself. She embraces her good, bad, and ugly. She has no shame in being who she is, and I greatly admire that. 

What is most important to your MC? What is their motivation in life? Daenarya never wants to let a day pass without making the most of it. Her parents died young, and they never got to do a lot of the things that they talked about. She doesn’t want that to be her life. She is willing to take risks if there is a chance for a reward. I think that is her biggest motivation. Just to live. Carpe Diem.  Later, her biggest motivation is protecting her family. They are the most important thing to her. She will do anything to make sure they are safe. She is a fierce mama bear. You wouldn’t want to mess with her. 

What are their biggest pet peeves/dislikes?  Daenarya’s biggest pet peeve is probably when Mal wins. With these two, everything is a game, and Daenarya is always playing to win. She also gets frustrated when Threep eats the last of the sweets. Also, people who chew loudly and/or with their mouths open

If your MC could change one thing - anything - what would it be?  Daenarya thinks about this a lot. She wonders if she ever had this choice of what she would do. She would want to change the death of her parents. She loved them more than anything, and they had a beautiful life together. However, had her parents never died, she might never have met (and grown up with) Kade and then later Nia, Mal, Tyril, and Imtura. Had she not met them, they might not have saved the realm. Had she not met them, she wouldn’t have her two boys (Lydo and Rayden) and her unborn daughter. (In my writing, that’s as far as she is, but she has two more kids coming in the future). All that to say, Daenarya wouldn’t change a thing. All of the pain from her youth brought her a life of love and joy, and she wouldn’t risk that for anything.

What is your MC’s favorite quote or song?  Some quotes that represent Daenarya: "The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for the newer and richer experience." - Eleanor Roosevelt "As soon as I saw you, I knew a grand adventure was about to happen." - A.A. Milne "Home is not where you are from, it is where you belong. Some of us travel the whole world to find it. Others find it in a person." Beau Taplin

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your MC: I love Daenarya because we are so different. I get to live vicariously through some of her adventures. But I also love the life I’ve created for her. I have a really soft spot for children, especially those who are overlooked, forgotten, or mistreated. Yes, there are many people who want to adopt, but there are so many kids on their own, in and out of foster care, and/or in bad situations. I often wish I had enough money to open an orphanage. I know it’s not as good as a family, but it is better than some of the conditions children face. I want to do more to help children, and I love that Mal and Daenarya can do that at their orphanage. I admire her and Mal for all they do and how big their hearts are. I never expected Choices to make Mal’s orphanage canon when I started writing it and pitching it early in the book, but I love it. I think it is the most perfect path for Mal. He will be such an incredible mentor to those children, and I’m glad Daenarya, and I get to help him in that adventure. Mal’s Orphanage Series is my favorite of my Blades stories, and I am very grateful to everyone who has ever supported it! Thank you! 

Visit Daenarya's full profile to learn more!

#cfwc mc of the month #mc of the month #daenarya of riverbend #blades of light and shadow #storyofmychoices #playchoices #choices fic writers creations #choices fanfic #playchoices fanfic

[storyofmychoices]

Okay... with only one chapter in, I'm already having a lot of thoughts and feelings about Blades 2. I'm hesitant to add any of my Blades 2 posts to either my Mal x Daenarya (Blades 1 + Extended Universe) Masterlist or Mal's Orphanage Masterlist because it doesn't seem like things will work out timeline wise. So for now I'm dumping EVERYTHING Blades 2 related here. As we get more info from the book, I'll try to organize things better in relation to my other Masterlists [My Timelines + Universes explained]

In my original timeline, all fics that take place during Book 1 ("Beyond Riverbend" to "A Rose by Any Other Name") exist in this AU as well.

🖤 Shadows of Hope: She was there, and then she was gone. Mal would move heaven and earth to bring her back, but what happens when he can't? [Blades 2, Chapter 1] Mal's 5 stages of grief

🖤 Her Legacy: She may be gone, but she could never be forgotten. She lives on in the stories he tells and the hope he inspires. [Blades 2, Chapter 2] HC for why Mal is smiling

🖤 A Quest for Daenarya: After hearing her stories, Thalassa, Ovisa, and Lysander decide it is their quest to bring Daenarya back to Mal, they just never imagined it would be so easy. [Blades 2, Chapter 3] Reimagining Mal's reunion with Daenarya

🖤 The Promise of Today: Mal and Daenarya share a moment together the morning after her return. [This follows The Quest for Daenarya] [Blades 2, Chapter 3]

🖤 Torn: Daenarya is back and trying to process what happened. [Blades 2, Chapter 4/5ish]

🖤 Sculpting Desires: Daenarya considers a possible future as a sculptor with a very willing model. [Blades 2, Chapter 5] Also featuring Tyril x Maiele and Mal x Tyril

🖤 The Rogue's Embrace + Art 🎨 (Mal x Tyril): Mal loves talking. Tyril is tired of listening and has found a good way to shut him up, even if just for a moment. [Blades 2, Chapter 7ish]

🖤 The Princess of Parnassus and The Trophy Husband + Art 🎨: Daenarya and Mal enjoy a much needed relaxing afternoon while contemplating what comes next. [Blades 2, several months post book]

Book 2 Prequel: The Adventures of a Young Mal Volari

🖤 Mal the Magnificent: Young Mal Volari gets a bucket stuck on his head.

Book 2 Inspired Stories written before its release so I don't know how they fit into the timeline right now

🖤 Old Hair, New Look: Daenarya has a few thoughts about Mal’s new armor

🖤 The Cutest Goof: Daenarya has some thoughts on Mal’s new armor.

🖤 Go On, Feel It: Mal makes an offer Daenarya can't refuse.

Daenarya is pregnant and was in book one

Iliana Maria Volari: Mal and Daenarya's realm walker daughter

A year without her: Mal + the five stages of grief

Mal seeing Daenarya for the first time

Saving Rayden and Lydo in this AU /The Orphanage

"Mine" + love bites

Mal's hair: the lice conundrum

Daenarya's flirting (chapter 2)

Mal smiling (chapter 2)

Imtura, the pirate queen, deserves a mermaid queen

Mal would use the linked minds magic in Chapter 5 to make Tyril and Nia blush

Mal : new armor, old hair [Edit]

Party Together Edit with Mal's old hair [Edit]

Mal + Daenarya Orphanage CG Edit [Edit]

Daenarya enjoying Mal's new armor I [Art]

Daenarya enjoying Mal's new armor II [Art]

Mal x Daenarya x Nia art [Art]

Mal x Daenarya fae/goblin forest [Edit]

Mal x Daenarya neck kisses [Art]

Mal x Daenarya head kiss [Art]

Mal x Daenarya flower crowns [Art]

Mal x Tyril Kiss [Art]

Group CG from promo video

Blades 2 Recap of Book 1 video

Blades 2 Promo Video [Mobile Video]

Mentions of our orphanage in the dream state

It's been a year?!?!

Shadow Threep + Loola cuteness

Deadwood vs Whimseywood Maps

Chapter Two: Threep wanting Daenarya to bring him souvenirs aka snacks

Chapter Two: Mal's Cameo

Chapter Four: the best of Mal teasing Tyril

Chapter Four: Mal wanting Daeny

Chapter Five: Daenarya's "Insight" Inspiration Speech

Chapter Five: Mal + Tyril moment

Chapter Five: Handsome Sculpture

Chapter Five: Mal x Daeny play with magic wolves

Chapter Five: Kiss all the mermaids

Chapter Six: the gang reacts to Daenarya's new outfit

Chapter Six: Daenarya's reaction to the shadow court

Chapter Seven: "not living" moment rewrite

Chapter Seven: Mal x Daenarya moment alone

Chapter Eight: Mal reminisces about mazes as a kid + Lydo and Rayden adoption idea

Chapter Eight: Mal doesn't beg

Chapter Eight: Mal x Tyril (aka boyfriends)

Chapter One Reaction

The Missing Year for other LIs

How does Daenarya feel about using magic as a human

MC's new dress inspiration/fashion

Choices Irony

Realm Time Difference Question

Blades 2 Insider Blog

[Mal Volari x Daenarya:Masterlist : Book One + Beyond]  [Mal’s Orphanage (the original /precanon orphanage)]

#mal volari #mal volari x mc #mal volari x oc #malarya #daenarya #mal x daenarya #blades of light and shadow #bolas #choices #playchoices #choices game #choices book club #fan fiction #lovealexhunt #mal's orphanage #the orphanage #blades 2 #bolas 2 #blades of light and shadow 2 #dani cries over blades 2 #dani plays blades 2

[lilyoffandoms]

Blades AU Drabble - Tyril x Maiele, Mal x Daenarya

Warnings & A/N: No warnings. Just a silly little cool down of these two families for @storyofmychoices.

“Mamma! Mamma! Guess what!” Lydo shouted as he slid to a breathless stop in front of them.

“What baby?” Daenarya smiled sweetly at him, turning from Maiele to look at her son standing before them grinning.

“Papa!” Ihsan’s shout came moments behind Lydo’s own.

“Lydo gets to go first,” Maiele said.

“That’s not fair!” Ihsan pouted. “He’s got longer feet.”

“Legs,” Tyril corrected from across the room.

“His legs can run longer,” Ihsan tried to correct himself.

“Faster,” Tyril corrected.

“He’s five, elf boy,” Mal laughed. “Let him speak.”

Tyril rolled his eyes.

“You may have no issue with your children talking in such a manner-“

“You mean talking like children?” Mal grinned.

“I meant talking like you,” Tyril shot back with a smirk.

Daenarya and Maiele shot them both the same look and Tyril immediately went back to reading. Mal, reaching over and pulling the book up to try and hide behind.

“Go ahead, Lydo,” Maiele said.

“I saw it first!” Ihsan crossed his arms and slumped down onto the coffee table.

Lydo ignored his play cousin and his face lit up with the brightest smile.

“We were playing in your room, mamma. And I thought it was mud-“

“Nah-uh,” Ihsan interrupted. “You thought it was Threep’s hairball.”

“Wait!” Mal pulled down the book suddenly interested in the conversation. “Did that mangy thing puke on my pillow?”

“We though Threep had a sick tummy but that it wasn’t that bad,” Lydo went on with a bright smile now that he had gained the attention of the entire room.

“Well, I see he takes after his father,” Tyril sighed after a long moment’s hesitation.

“What’s that suppose to mean?” Mal asked.

“I assume you taught him the value of a dramatic pause,” Tyril winked.

“Well, I mean I’ve always had a certain flair-“

“Lydo, go on,” Daenarya interrupted the two bickering.

“So then we thought it was mud but it wasn’t,” Lydo continued.

“That woulda been gross,” Ihsan made a face.

“Yeah, it woulda been super gross,” Lydo agreed. “But it was just a frog.”

“Wait! What?” Mal jumped up. “How’s that any better?”

“How did a frog get in the house?” Tyril asked.

“Rayden,” Lydo and Ihsan said in unison.

#choices blades #tyril x maiele #mal x daenarya #my drabble #i like to live dangerously and so do not edit please forgive any mistakes

[invissiblesblog]

Música que me hizo sentir que no estoy sola:

1. Te tienes a ti - Rafa Espino

2. De mí para mí - Rafa Espino ft David Parejo

3. Cree en ti - Porta

4. Espíritu - Porta

5. Heridas abiertas - MC CAN

6. Versos de un suicida - MC CAN

7. Depresión - MC CAN

8. Soledad - MC CAN

9. Worthless - Eli

10. Perfect - Simple plan

11. Vacío - Porta

12. Así son las cosas - Porta

13. Welcome to my life - Simple plan

14. Warrior (spanish version) - Kevin y Karla

15. If you knew - Joel Faviere

16. Silencio - Rafa Espino

17. Sufrir es crecer - Shé

18. Carta a mi ansiedad - Subze

19. Paralyzed - NF

20. Fade away - Xam

21. Broken again - Eli

22. Oh Lord - NF

23. Ojalá - Beret

24. Nadie me comprende - Shé

25. Arrullo de estrellas - Zoé

26. Códice - Beret

27. Diez mil porqués - Beret

28. Durmiendo con la luna - Elefante

29. El camino más largo - Rafa Espino

30. El día menos pensado - Beret

31. En guerra - Sebastián Yatra ft Camilo

32. En mi propia piel - Mila

33. Haz de luz - Rayden

34. Imperfecto - Porta

35. Llegará - Beret

36. Me ahogo - Alan Navarro

37. A mi yo de ayer - Rayden

38. Nota de suicidio - Porta

39. Ojos en la espalda - Cumbia Ninja

40. Óyeme - Mónica Naranjo

41. Ser - Porta

42. Si tú no vuelves - Amaral, Chetes

43. Love hurts - Nazareth

44. What do I do - JISUN

45. Stay - Miley Cyrus

46. Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars

47. All of the stars - Ed Sheeran

48. Suben al cielo - Porta

49. Subiré al infierno - Ricardo Abarca, Brenda Asnicar

50. Te echo de menos - Beret

51. Tela de araña - Porta, Shinoflow

52. Tras el cristal - Porta

53. Víctima y verdugo - Porta, Isusko, Belen Alarcon

54. The Climb - Miley Cyrus

55. Impossible - James Arthur

56. Nothing to Lose - Billy Talent

57. Fantasmas - Humbe

#mente suicidia #dolor #mente trastornada #trastornos de personalidad #trastornos mentales #vacio emocional #ansiedad #depresion

[theboost]

I recently discovered that the people who made the kick ass edm mortal kombat movie theme made individual tracks for all the original game characters and I’m so obsessed with them. Some of my favorite details:

Most songs have a narrator just telling you how cool the person is, some mention moves the character can do. Kano’s song is a woman just belting about how she wants to fuck him. It’s amazing. “You are wanted and you're hunted / You're the bad guy, but I feel for you / You're a danger, a fallen angel /But I like you / You're the strongest of them all” like none of these things are true

Sonya is the only one whose song is in first person and it is her talking about girl power. The chorus includes the line “women power tonight”

Every song is named Character Name (Characteristic/Repeated Line in Song). Like for example rayden’s song is called Rayden (Eternal Life). Lui Kangs is Lui Kang (Born in China) and Sub Zero is Sub Zero (Chinese Ninja Warrior)

Johnny Cage’s song (prepare yourself) tells us the following things about Johnny: he has blue eyes, he’s from Venice, California, he’s 29, he’s in great shape, he’s not afraid to die. And this information is relayed by a man who sounds like dj crazy times

Sub Zero (Chinese Ninja Warrior) includes an honest to god riff on the song good vibrations by marky mark and the funky bunch by having a woman sing the phrase “cold vibrations”

There’s a weird obsession with ages? They tell us Johnny Cage is 29 as mentioned earlier but they specify that Sonya is 26, that Goro was born 2000 years ago, that Rayden has eternal life, and that Liu Kang is the youngest warrior in the tournament (but the fastest)

Anyway they’re great. Listen to them 👍

[euroquision]

Creative or Copycat: The SloMo Dancebreak

Three countries came to the 2023 competition with a SloMo-inspired dancebreak to share with the world. Whether you're a fan or not of these songs, my question applies to all of them: Are these dancebreaks a creative take on Chanel's trend? Or are they lackluster copycats? Let's find out in the latest EuroQuision essay!

Written and Researched by Beatrice Quinn

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. I, for one, consider large sums of riches or compliments about my cheekbones more flattering, thank you. In Eurovision, however, sharing truly is caring as it is no secret to anyone that trends, ideas, staging elements, and even songs themselves are imitated amongst countries the following years – for better and for worse. Should any country pull off anything impressive that manages to have a lasting impact on the viewers, be prepared to see redo’s, redux, and remixes of that very same idea. If you thought the visuals of Mans’ ‘lil balloon child army was “neat,” be prepared for one loud Russian man to get sent hurtling through the depths of space while somehow still inside an arena in Sweden. If this reference means something to you: cool! Please stick around for a later edition of this series where I talk about how 2016 was plagued with “Heroes”-VFX ripoffs. For this first edition of “Creative or Copycat,” we’re gonna watch some dance moves in slow mo-mo-mo, and decide whether the decadent dancebreaks of Eurovision 2023 were creative or copycats.

Where were you when Chanel first performed “SloMo” at Benidorm Fest on January 26th, 2022? After having had access to the songs for Spain’s golden goose egg of a National Final since Dec. 21st, 2021. In that month, fans were treated to early standouts like Tanxugueiras’ “TERRA,” Rigoberta’s “Ay Mama,” and Rayden’s “Calle de la lloreria.” Of the 14 total songs, there was a dembow pop gem called “SloMo” by debut-artist Chanel. Previously a regular face in the Spanish musical theater scene, the Cuban-born singer’s song was catchy, fun, and quite the earworm. However, the song itself sonically didn’t stand out as other selections. Without visuals, it was easy for many fans to overlook Chanel’s potential. By no means did people hate her song – until she did well in Eurovision, but that’s a different essay – but it simply didn’t get as much “hype” as some other songs did. That was, until the first live show…

Chanel takes to Havana-esque stage and begins what can only be described as a meticulously staged, choreographed, and executed ensemble dance routine to what is still just a solo female pop song. As she interacts with the drop-dead-gorgeous dancers around her, we launch into the first chorus. As we’re hit with the “mo-mo-mo” of the chorus, the lights strobe to create an attempt at a “slo-mo” effect before the dance resumes with impressive synchronicity. Chanel continues to dominate all corners of the stage, letting her hair down and repeating the same dance routine as the second chorus hits us. Now remember: for the last month we had only been hearing this song where the second chorus just repeats the same words identically once more; not a very creative direction, but it’s fine, I guess. So as the song gears up to continue as expected, Chanel’s jacket comes off and the music drops. Before you have any moment to prepare, Chanel and her dancers whip their entire upper bodies to the floor and back up as the most impeccable, well-oiled, show-stopping dance break captures our attention and doesn’t let go until Chanel has gone from shaking every angle of her body, collapsing to the floor, high-kicking, flipping her hair some more, and getting back up before singing the rest of the motherfuckin’ song.

So. It was unsurprising when Chanel won the jury vote and ended up winning Benidorm Fest and taking “SloMo” to Eurovision. But now there was an issue presented: Chanel surprised us by saving the dancebreak until the last minute, ensuring that people who had already been listening to the song were surprised with something new, while the dancebreak on its own was still thrilling enough to capture the attention of first-time viewers. But now everyone has seen the dancebreak, and really I mean seen it. Every ESC Pre-party, on Instagram, TikTok, Chanel’s publicity team was going nutso in the buttso with this dance. How was it still going to impress come the night of the Grand Final? Surely would it not have worn itself out? Lucky for the viewing audience, Chanel proved to still have more to give on the night of the final. No, it sadly wasn’t a super-secret-surprise 2nd dancebreak, but there were sparks falling from the ceiling, a fan being tossed across the stage, a new vocal run, and new choreo for Chanel herself where she proceeds to do another vocal run while being dipped.

Naturally, this impressed juries and televoters alike and placed it right up on the podium with a flashy bronze medal. And the success didn’t stop there: on Dec. 31st, 2022, “SloMo” dethroned “Euphoria” [SWE’12] at #1 on the Eurovision Top 250 – the annual radio show where everyone around the world votes on every ESC song in existence – which hadn’t placed lower than #1 since its victory in 2012. So why am I using two full pages and some change of my article to sing the praises of Chanel like she was the second coming of Christ? Because she may as well have been! Spain went from colonizing the Americas to colonizing the Bottom 5 of Eurovision finals ever since they started qualifying for said-final. Out of the 19 editions of ESC Spain has been in since the introduction of semis, 12 of those were in the Btm. 5, with one being dead last in ‘17. Compare that to their Top 10 finishes: a whopping 3. Then: in a brand new National Final format, a Cuban-born singer takes her debut single to ESC and get Spain on the podium. Spain couldn’t even get back in the Top 10 for nearly a decade without getting an artist from a land they colonized, performing a song in a genre of the country Spain colonized–

"Hello!"

"My name is Lynda Woodruff, and I’m the official spokesperson of the EBU. I’m here to remind you all, along with Ms. Beaches Quilt, that Eurovision is a non-political song contest. Now, back to EuroQuizzin– EuroQuestion– Quision! EuroQuision."

Sigh.

Lynda, you get a pass because you’re universally loveable. But we’re not gonna pretend that an international song contest with audiences and artists from countries that have significant histories of geopolitical conflicts, while also at most times actively having geopolitical conflicts, sometimes with other competing countries, is somehow “apolitical.”

However, Spain and colonization isn’t what we’re here for. We’re here to remind ourselves why this is called The SloMo Dancebreak. This is by far not the first dancebreak in this contest’s history, but this song’s dancebreak is associated with a legacy, a redemption after taking a risk and crafting an amazing live performance featuring a stellar new artist. And on top of that, what did we get in 2023? A whopping three acts that contain what we can qualify as a SloMo Dancebreak, and thus we get to decipher: was it creative or copycat?

Ok I promise: I’ll shut up about SloMo after this and talk about 2023. You’ve been so great and so patient, get yourself a treat. I’ll give you a sec.

*waits patiently*

Got a snack?...Great! So the last thing we need to get in writing is what actually “characterizes” the SloMo dancebreak. Like I said, people have danced here before. Other than the legacy and why people like it so much, what’s unique about the SloMo dancebreak/what rules a SloMo or non-SloMo dancebreak? And this is what I love about the concept of “rules” in Eurovision is that there are none – other than the legal ones and ones the producers make up and other rules thereof. But in a spiritual sense, there are no “rules.” Therefore, some rules can be bent and reconstructed. Anyway, my general rule about what makes a SloMo Dancebreak is its essence, and the execution of said dancebreak is up for interpretation. If we were to look at the SloMo dancebreak structurally and how it works in the song, the break itself occurs around the metaphorical 3/4ths point of the song. That is, typically: after the 2nd chorus and either during/part of or in place of the bridge, all occurring before the final chorus. Performance-wise, a SloMo dancebreak is when the lead artist is the unobstructed focal point of the dancebreak. Additionally, the dancebreak is intended to be a noticeable break from lyrics/lead vocals, as Chanel performs no “vocals” during her break. Another important note is that the SloMo dancebreak was not a solo, even though Chanel was the focal point. She had her heavily-involved backup dancers all up in her business from start to finish; her dancebreak was like the one moment where it was just mostly Chanel herself in focus. What comes with this is a certain attitude about the dancebreak – remember how this is more essence than execution. SloMo’s dancebreak commands attention, performing choreography that at minimum looks very impressive to the Eurovision audience, and typically carries a sense of “Should I stunt on the hoes? I think I’m gonna stunt on the hoes.”

So! Are we all agreed on why this dancebreak is significant and what qualifies it? Amazing! Then let’s get to our three acts in question. The SloMo Dancebreaks of Eurovision 2023 are, as I’m sure you already know:

“Solo” [POL] by Blanka

“Unicorn” [ISR] by Noa Kirel

“Future Lover” [ARM] by Brunette

And while I hope this reminder goes for every article I publish, keep in mind I will genuinely attempt to be as objective as possible. In theory, that’s what all of these articles are about: objective deconstruction of Eurovision songs/acts. While I can and will happily share personal opinions where I think appropriately/most comically advantageous, the topic at hand is one that I think merits detail, context, and scrutiny no matter my personal preferences. With that being said, we’ll start by going alphabetically by country. So let’s all decide to be good, do good, and look good with “Future Lover.”

PART I: FUTURE LOVER

After 2022, where a simple folk pop song that finished 20th landed on the fast track to soon hit a billion Spotify streams, Armenia had quite the shoes to fill. Instead of trying the same thing twice, “SNAP” and “Future Lover” are jarringly different songs, especially in the case of composition. Even compared to the 2023 line-up as a whole, Brunette’s dynamic ballad about the anxieties, insecurities, and passionate wants about love is scored with an orchestra that creates a truly dynamic journey through just three minutes. Chilling vocals over a solitary piano soon becomes a soundscape of strings, light percussion, and a noticeable build that ends up thrusting us into a spoken-word verse. Not only is this a unique song for 2023, this is unique in comparison to many Eurovision songs of recent years. On top of this, Brunette is alone on stage while singing atop of a flat, angled, white pane as projected lights and graphics transform the pane into a morphing panel or lights and images. All of this put together creates a truly unique and memorable Eurovision entry, but I know what you’re thinking:

"Where's the dancebreak?"

Well don’t worry! Even though the song in studio/the music video was released without any such dancebreaks, so when Brunette put down her microphone and the song momentarily dropped, audiences were in for a surprise as she began what I personally describe as an abstract contemporary dancebreak. Important note: while I do my best to take it upon myself to research the cultural relevance behind many Eurovision entries, I am not an expert on everything! So, if there’s any cultural context behind Brunette’s choreo, anyone who knows more than myself is free to let me know!

Whether or not you were wondering, hoping, or jonesing for a dancebreak, we got one! Let’s compare and contrast, shall we? Brunette’s dancebreak is similar to Chanel’s in its location in the song, at about the 3/4ths marker. It contains no lyrics (other than amorphous “Oh-oh’s” we’ve already heard) and served to us by Brunette with a distinct “Stunting on the hoes” vibe from her commanding eye-work and fluidity in her routine. Her moves also bring her from standing positions, down to the floor, and back up by the end, similar to Chanel’s choreo. Taking another page out of the dancebreak handbook, Brunette’s dancebreak was kept a secret until the live performance, which we didn’t see until Eurovision itself as opposed to Spain’s NF. The dancebreaks of each song are even the same length: 8 measures of music/8 counts of 4. Of course we can’t overlook the glaring differences. Noticeably, Brunette is all by herself on stage with her emotional-support ambiguous white panel. No sexy backup dancers are there to lift Brunette off the ground and perform other such tasks that Chanel’s team did for her. Brunette’s dance also does not come after a 2nd chorus; “Future Lover” has a slightly unique form in that the song goes Verse - Chorus - Verse - Dance/Bridge - Final Chorus, so simply there’s no 2nd chorus to be found. In my opinion, putting a dancebreak into a song that already has an unconventional structure and exists in a genre that’s much more ethereal ballad than pop power is a risky move, despite it being an enjoyable dancebreak regardless. Another risk Armenia took was the fact that there’s multiple instances during the dancebreak where the screen goes dark and obscures Brunette’s dancing; something that “SloMo” does not do.

Perhaps this is what kept Armenia away from a higher result overall. Coming 12th and 13th in the jury and televote, respectively, this may not have had the same success as Spain had the year prior because “Future Lover” by all accounts is just so much more unconventional for the choices it’s making. It already exists as a song that’s hard to dance to, and doesn’t seem like it would be enhanced by a dancebreak. This is one of the biggest factors as to what makes this dance creative or copycat: does it enhance the performance in any meaningful way? It’s also very important to note that something doesn’t need to be “necessary” to enhance the act. This is Eurovision, people; if we start asking “But is this necessary?” we’ll undo the very fabric of Eurovision. Australia has a DeLorean on stage, Austria is singing about Edgar Allen Poe, and I have seen more elderly Croatian men in their underwear than I ever anticipated seeing in my life; none of this is “necessary,” and that’s why we love Eurovision. Moving on.

“Future Lover” is a very hard one to decipher. A good result does not make one dancebreak better than the other if we’re just trying to judge the dancebreak itself and how it functions in the song/performance. In the case of Armenia, I would argue Brunette’s dancebreak is a creative interpretation of the SloMo Dancebreak. Nothing about Chanel’s performance felt like it was copy-pasted into “Future Lover,” and Brunette herself is clearly a capable and confident dancer. The song already being unconventional can be a risk to appeal to juries and televoters for different reasons, but that didn’t stop Brunette from adding some creative and unexpected flare to the performance. In my thoughtful opinion, I could’ve seen Armenia finishing Top 10 with juries, but alas, the points given have been given. Ultimately, what I think saves “Future Lover” from being a copycat dancebreak is the fact that it is a song that attempts to create a dancebreak unique to the song and performer; there aren’t many other songs and dancebreaks that sound/look like “Future Lover.”

RESULT: CREATIVE!

PART II: UNICORN

Free Palestine.

Anyway! With the important business out of the way, let’s talk about Israel’s song. And no, I’m not gonna waste your time asking you if “you wanna see me” talk about my Eurovision hyperfixation for another essay. You’re already here, you’re already on part two, I know you wanna see me talk about Eurovision. However, if I were to ask you three times if you wanted to read my article, I wouldn’t be surprised if you just said no. Anyway, I’ll touch on this lil bit soon. Let’s talk about the song!

I need to begin by talking about the musical horse in the room which is the fact that “Unicorn” is clearly three different songs stitched together, three songs I call “DNA,” “Watch Me,” and finally “Unicorn.” These songs exist within three different parts of the song. “DNA” are verses one and two, including the earworm of “Phenomen- Phenomen- Phenomenal.” “Watch Me” is my nicer name for the dancebreak section, as the first draft name “Black Pink Is Calling Their Lawyers” was too wordy. Lastly, “Unicorn” itself exists in the chorus where the lyrical simile of “stand[ing] like a Unicorn” occurs. While the dissection of “Unicorn” could/probably will be an essay all on its own, I promise you this is important. To give you the SparkNotes edition, here’s what makes me think “Unicorn” is three different songs:

Musically: the instrumentation of the verses, choruses, and dancebreak are all almost completely different. The verses have an electronic composition beat with crisp, punchy music that has no connection or transition into the sudden power ballad it becomes in the chorus. This difference is especially jarring considering that “real” instruments are used in the chorus primarily, whereas the verses have some percussive string instruments here and there as embellishments. The dancebreak is the most egregious offense where this sudden electronic build comes out of nowhere and uses a meter/beat that we haven’t yet heard and could not sound more different from the chorus if it tried. The song jumps genres and compositions with no connecting motifs or callbacks.

Lyrically: We start by singing about our DNA and if you’re gonna do it (spoiler: don’t do it). Then we start singing about…unicorns? And how they stand? And the power of said unicorn? My point here being: the lyrics of the verses and the chorus literally have nothing to do with each other. In verses about writing a new book and how phenomenal it will be, we go back to these comparisons to a unicorn that don’t really mean anything. “I got the power of a unicorn.” What “powers” does a unicorn have? Jesus I’m tired.

So what does this have to do with the dancebreak? I’ll finish explaining once we do a quick compare and contrast. These two dancebreaks are more similar than “Future Lover” was to “SloMo.” No main vocals, a small costume change/reveal, lead act supported by attractive and skilled dancers, the hoes and their impending stunting, and many dance moves that involve impressive stretching and posing of various limbs. However, “Unicorn” goes to numerous lengths to differentiate itself from “SloMo” by doing things such as announcing the dancebreak before it begins; again, the offer seems pretty hollow given the fact that you’re probably gonna start dancing even though I’ve given you a clear “NO” in response. The dancebreak also falls at a notably different point in the song: the end! When you look at the time stamps of the song, Noa stops “singing” at 2:15, meaning the last 45 seconds of that 3-minute Eurovision window has her not singing at all. 45 whole seconds! So where the SloMo break lasts 8 counts of 4, “Unicorn” (starting from “Watch me” and not “You wanna see me dance” because, well, she’s not dancing yet) lasts a whopping 16 counts of 4; literally twice as long as the break in “SloMo.” The routine itself, once you’ve watched it upwards of twelve times like I have (because I take my research seriously, dammit!) you begin to notice these dance moves are more akin to…poses?

Roll with me here: the dancebreak starts, Noa hits that impressive backbend into a frontwards drop, bringing her to the stage floor. So naturally, her next set of moves consist of a backwards roll, some yoga-like poses where she continues to impress with her control by lifting her legs and kicking, then whipping her hair in time with the beat of the song. Up to this point, I’m genuinely impressed. Then, she hits what is literally a downward-facing dog position, and then goes back down onto her knees and slides to the floor to do the splits over her own body. So I don’t think it’s totally unreasonable for a viewer to at this point start to think “Yeah this is really cool, but like, there’s not so much dancing going on.” Then once poor Noa is finally allowed to stand upright, her dancers join back in and they perform a series of synchronized moves to the “U-NI-CORN!” blasting into our ears. So why are we suddenly in this new genre with a new rhythm, new instrumentation, and new pacing while Noa performs a series of admittedly challenging moves but are ultimately glorified “poses.” Also: an assisted backflip at the end? Another thing I didn’t ask for.

So as you can see, “Unicorn” is not an easy one to pin down. Going back to my analysis of the song and how disjointed it feels, I think the dancebreak itself is the most alienating way to end this song, especially because we don’t hear Noa sing literally anything else after she starts dancing. The fact that we’ve just dealt with two sets of verses and choruses that sound like two different songs, this Black Pink homage dancebreak looks flashy but doesn’t actually provide character or flavor to the song as a whole. It brings ah flavor, yes, but I don’t know what I’ve been tasting for the last 2 minutes and 15 seconds, I don’t know what I’m tasting now. Therefore, I shall be labeling “Unicorn” as a hybrid creative copycat. It is definitely creative in the sense that it didn’t attempt to do the same exact thing “SloMo” did in terms of execution, song style, dance style, etc etc. However, what makes it also part copycat is the fact that I don’t know why or how this dancebreak even made it into this song. To me, it almost feels as if the dancebreak was something they knew they wanted to do from the beginning, but then wrote a song that didn’t have natural space for a dancebreak. So they then compressed the verses and choruses to the first 2/3rds of the song and slapped the dance in at the end and called it a day. This reads as fairly inauthentic and ill-considered. Compare this to “Future Lover” and how yes, that song also didn’t “need” a dancebreak, but remember: necessity does not dictate something working or not working. “Future Lover” carved out a natural space and time within the song to create a dancebreak that sonically fits in with the rest of the song and provides a solid build of momentum to the final chorus. “Unicorn” and their K-Pop-influenced dance (which was more posing than anything) sticks out like a sore thumb and attempts to distract from that by being incredibly flashy.

RESULT: CREATIVE COPYCAT

Anyway, creative copycat is what I’m stickin’ with. I’ve already wasted enough of my own time listening to and watching this song several times over. Please tell me I don’t have anything worse waiting for me after this song—

PART III: SOLO

Son of a BITCH--

“Solo” is a song. By definition. And I too found myself asking the wrong question of “Why is this dancebreak here? Was it really needed?” a couple times. And in full transparency, yes: Poland is 37th in my ranking of 2023. However! Let the record here and now show that I will attempt to give this dancebreak a fair shot just as I did for the two prior. In fact, let’s start with a guessing game! I’m going to list out some key characteristics about a dancebreak, and it’s up to you to guess if I’m talking about “SloMo” or “Solo”! Ready? Go! GUESS! THAT! DANCEBREAK!

This dancebreak in question starts with a costume change/reveal and the lead performer flips her hair vivaciously. The music of this dancebreak is nearly entirely percussion; drums, rhythmic clapping, and maybe including one or two musical highlights that exist elsewhere in the song. There’s a quick one-two beat where the dancer thrusts a part of her body in time with the beat, the dancebreak lasts for 8 counts of 4, and it ends with the lead performer being handed her mic from a backup dancer. So now you guess: which dancebreak am I talking about?

…Got a guess? WRONG, it’s: both of them. Here’s the thing: initially I was going to start with a compare and contrast list like I’ve been doing, but I quickly realized that this is all “compare” and no “contrast.” The only thing that might noticeably be different is that Blanka is doing significantly less dancing than Chanel was. This is not an attempt to say that Blanka can’t dance or wasn’t dancing at all. I saw her up there in those heels hitting some moves, she definitely danced. But did she stunt on them hoes? While Chanel was going from upright and down to the floor and back up again, Blanka had no moves that were anywhere near as complex or physically demanding as Chanel. Meanwhile, everything else seems lifted right out of “SloMo” and given an off-orange coat of spray paint and messily slapped together. For fuck’s sake, one song is called “SloMo” and the other is “Solo.” The names literally rhyme and use the same letters, minus a singular “M.” I know, I promised I would be fair and objective about this analysis, but I’m also genuinely just working with the information I’ve been given. If I close my eyes and just listen to the dancebreak, it sounds like I’m listening to a demo of “SloMo.” And if I open my eyes to the onslaught of on-screen effects Poland is treating me to, I see what I interpret as an intermediate backup dancer version of “SloMo.” This dancebreak is almost unapologetically a copycat of “SloMo.”

RESULT: COPYCAT

I’m almost sad that this is the shortest section of the three analyses, but sadly it’s just the most obvious offender. I’ll end this section by sharing two things. First: I don’t harbor any hatred or resentment towards Blanka, she’s just a performer doing what I’m sure is her best. My disappointment is at the greater picture of Poland in Eurovision and how I feel they have incredibly unique things to offer, just like they have in the past. We don’t need this kind of thing from Poland or any other country for that matter. Second: in the second verse, I had always heard the lyric “Bet you regret how” as “Bet you’re a Grey Hound” and I didn’t realize that until the writing of this essay. In my defense, the next line goes “What goes around comes around” which actually rhymes. Whereas “how” and “around” are near rhymes, “hound” is a perfect rhyme, that’s all I’m saying.

PART IV: CONCLUSION

So there we have it. Three different dancebreaks, three different results. I think it would be most helpful to end this essay with re-examining why this question of “creative or copycat” exists, specifically in relation to something like the SloMo Dancebreak. Trends and the recreation of them have always been and forever will be core to the essence of Eurovision. In the process of uniting Europe through music and participating in a cultural exchange, countries trying to put their own spin on successful trends will be inevitable. So let this certainty be a reminder that simply trying to emulate a trend or anything of the sort is never an inherently bad thing. It is not something to be looked down upon or just labeled as unoriginal without thought or consideration. Inside every Eurovision song and performance exists artistic value and intention, to varying degrees, and that is what should decide whether emulating a trend is a positive or negative thing.

If I could somehow magically communicate this message to the artists and delegations of not only Armenia/Israel/Poland, but to all Eurovision competitors, it would be this: Following a trend will simply never be enough. What proves most effective is doing something that elevates and enhances the performance. Despite the fact I think Israel’s dancebreak is a “creative copycat,” I also can’t deny that it objectively did its job the best out of the three we’ve discussed here. But this is also another flawed line of thinking: If a song got a good result, that must mean it did everything creatively, right? Not always! One day when I make a “Unicorn” deconstruction essay, I’ll elaborate on my theory that the song did so well because it’s the most “Eurovision Movie”-sounding of all the 2023 songs, but I digress. Until that essay, thank you for joining me in another EuroQuision think piece! Truly hope this one was phenomen- phenomen- phenomenal for you all to read.

#eurovision #esc #eurovision song contest #spain #israel #poland #armenia #chanel #slomo #noa kirel #unicorn #brunette #future lover #blanka #solo #eurovision 2022 #eurovision 2023 #free palestine #dance #dance break #essay #think piece

[alienoutsiderxeno]

Rayden, The Sweetheart of the Family

One Addi design down, three more to go.

Headcanons about Rayden:

Is the eldest brother of the family and the first to earn his wings from reaching success. Which is a natural metamorphosis type of system if an Addison is successful enough. They're capable to have their own wings.

Has his own little personal garden by the apartment rooftop to relax and at times talk to his plants. Cherishing his little garden as his personal escapism.

Dusk did lived with Rayden before in the past. Often been seen as a mentor and comforting sibling. Yet Rayden is mostly experienced to lend his advice to him.

Experience past relationships to confirm as Pansexual. Although he just bashful to comfort his crush. Being able to relate how Dusk feels about Volteria/Glitch.

#artists on tumblr #oc artist #drawing #my art #deltarune #my ocs #original character #deltarune oc #deltarune chapter 2 #addison oc #pink addison

[fenharel-enaste]

hiii 2022 ask game!

1 - Your personal theme song of the year

3 - Fashion trend you hated

Hii! 💖

1. I've discovered many new songs this year and I love plenty of them. But this one has been a mood for the whole year. It was one of the several candidate songs to represent Spain in Eurovision 2022. The lyrics are in spanish and are difficult to translate, but it's a message to toxic and selfish people who won't stop talking shit about others. The song tells them something like "pls go whine somewhere else and let us live in peace" in a very funny way. So yes, it's been such a mood this year for me 😂

3. I can't really remember a fashion trend that I hated because I barely notice trends at all 😂😂 But I think low waist jeans are becoming trendy again here and I fear the moment they only sell those in shops because I find them really uncomfortable.

#ask game

[irrealismora]

Unashamed Adoration Tag Game!

I was tagged by @druidx! I really loved the idea of this, especially because I haven't even properly done a wip intro for TBOD (whoopsies) but I WANNA TALK ABOUT IT SO THANK YOU!

Rules: Pick lines from your WIPs out of context that you love

[All of these lines are from The Book of Daemon.]

---

It's a simple story, really. I don't make it.

---

Vey nods slowly, then stabs a piece of tofu with her skewer. “I’m guessing you’re in the same boat?” She pops the tofu cube into her mouth. “Eh,” she says around it. “Same lake, different boat. I’m just a little further out in the water from you.”

---

The guy meets Will’s eyes, and his hand closes around Will’s fist, squeezing it. Will hisses, then forces a laugh. “You aren’t joking, are you?” “Up until this point,” the guy says, “you have been nothing but an unruly pest to my clan. Now, you have made an enemy of me.” The guy closes his hand. Crunch. Blood splatters on the concrete. Will cries out, his scream slicing through the air. Blood runs down his arm in thick rivulets. No no no no no “Tell me, Wilthiem,” the guy says. “Do I look like I am joking?”

---

“Good. ‘Cause you don’t wanna get fried.” He looks me up and down. “And good on you. No metal in your bones.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Um.” Rayden smacks him. “Oh,” and he suddenly looks apologetic. “I’m sorry, I’m taken. And you’re like my brother so–” Rayden smacks him again, glaring at him. “Jesus, what the fuck do you want me to say?” She hits him again. Bludbone’s face goes completely neutral. “The FitnessGram pacer test is an aerobic–” “Bludbone,” Dante says.

---

“And so,” [Father] continued. “You need not blink. In combat, in affairs both personal and diplomatic, if you blink, you will undoubtedly fail to see that which will bring you, and most importantly your clan, harm. Is that understood?” I nodded. “Yes, Fa–” A flash of white, and something struck the left side of my face, the bridge of my brow collapsing. Then, like an afterthought or aftershock, pain blossomed like fire through my left eye socket. A sickening pull, a searing snap. I fell to my knees, my screams spilling across the mesa, carried by the wind. My hands were pressed to my face, my left eye, warmth seeping through my fingers. Bleeding, I thought, stupidly. I am bleeding. “You blinked, Dante.”

---

He laughs, shaking his head. “Only Bludbone could drag you to a bar and not get thrown out of a moving plane.” “I only accompanied him because he had accused me of being ‘depressing.’” I sigh. “He said, ‘Well, if you’re not depressing, then go to a bar with me. I need a drink.’” Daemon raises an eyebrow. “He was very distressed about the war.” “I can imagine.” “He had also asked me to eat. I was not interested in the food at this particular bar. In addition, before that bar, I had not eaten since–” “If you say ‘World War II,’ I’m gonna kick you.” I say nothing. He pauses his sweeping. “Really? World War II?” “I was going to say, ‘the development of the internal combustion engine,’ however I did not think you–” He kicks my foot, albeit lightly. I chuckle. “You are a man of your word.”

---

“Stairs,” I say. “Stairs. Seriously, who thought stairs were a good idea?” Dante frowns. “I apologize. I suppose it was an oversight on my part. However, it is very simple to entia to the top. The opposite is intended to be difficult.” I glance at him, an eyebrow raised. “Wanna race?” He glances back at me, and he’s gone. My jaw drops. “Oh, you mother–” I entia to the top of the staircase and Dante’s waiting out in the hallway, just outside the door. “You’re a cheating bastard,” I say, fighting off the buzz of entia. “You are accusing me of cheating?” he says, eyes wide. “I would never.” I shove him and he laughs, shaking his head.

Tagging: @bardic-tales @cedar-west @author-a-holme @writingonesdreams-main @indecentpause @kittensartswriting @aalinaaaaaa

#tag games #writeblr stuff #tbod #tbodserial #cw swearing #cw gore

[guardians-of-blood]

As promised, some things I found while looking back on my Twitter account.

1. The worst Bloody War names

- Kayda (and his nickname Kay) is meant to be pronounced like KAIda. I dont know why I didn't just go with that because KAYda doesn't look like it should be pronounced that way.

- Veridis should technically be Viridis but Viri is the nickname for Virineya so I guess I changed the first i to an e so he could be Veri instead.

- Tamesis is apparently ALSO the name of a water goddess and not just a gender neutral name meaning dark one (I probably found it by looking up cool names or something). The only watery thing about Tamesis Regalia is that he lives on the Gemsea Isles which is the water + gem/mineral themed country and goes to the water themed school

- My way of naming countries and places within them usually involves google translating words that fit the theming into the language(s) of the cultures they are

inspired by but its also fucking google translate and I'm Fucking Stupid so I misread or some shit half the time (see the next section) and Acallmagi is combined from magic and  'acall', which i thought was french for lull.

It's not. Accalmie is lull. So It's close enough even if its missing an extra c + unfortunately it feels too late to change it because Acallmagi has been said so many times and its always been spelled that way.

Bonus: Names that I fixed.

- For some time I spelled Rayden as Raydon (after I made a typo and like confused myself) but I realized I hated it so I changed it back.

- Vetersvist, which it was originally written down as, somehow got an extra s in there (Vestervist). I probably need to go back and edit things to remove that s. It may be because the two dont look too different but Accalmagi looks weird to me compared to Acallmagi which ive been looking at forever. I guess removing 1 letter doesnt make autism brain that hates change angry but changing a letter and swapping its place does.

BONUS 2: Fun Vian Fact

I wanted to be called Via when i was younger (my full name is Victoria so I just like removed the ctori from it) and I made a genderbent version named vVan who became his own character. (This is who Cicely's brother Nettle is loosely based off of) Vian was made during the rp BW was inspired by and I just wanted a guy named Vian so Vian was his name. He was a lot more mean and aggressive and had more common sense back then but I love my silly dense naive fool now <3

2. The 'TLDR' backstory of Rene Lyon and Lukariah 'Luk' Durand, featuring Aether Lightseeker

Rene and Luk were besties during elementary school. During middle school, Luk had a bunch of anger issues and they got into a fight. They decided that they hated each other, and got it physical until they both had to be tutored by Aether at the same time. Aether made them talk shit out and then they did things as a trio. (Luk mellowed out during it)

In high school, Luk and rene started dating and Rene got obsessed with money and also become the most annoying person ever (to the rest of the magic school gang - which is Mars, Pluto, and Seraphim).

Rene proceeded to also mellow out during the summer before going to Frost's Guidance. He's still chaotic and a little annoying but less so. And also he dies of cringe when he thinks of anything his younger self did ever. This may continue on in his life. Just Like Me.

3. Kenny's scar (Old. Funny?)

Azelf: How did you get that scar on your hand Kenny?

Kenny: I fought a teros with my bare hands!!!

*Reality*

Kenny: Hey Frey! Do you think I can catch this knife if I throw it in the air?

*He could not.*

Present Tori's thoughts: Honestly I'd replace Freyja with her sister in being the one Kenny asks but it also leaves room for interpretation of it being very recent if it's Freyja because well... Severa's dead.

4. The origin of the characters with Pokemon names

This is stupid. I wanted to use a faceclaim with blue hair and I joked about naming him Azelf bc I was max lair hunting for a shiny Azelf in Pokemon Shield at the time. A friend said to do it - but give him the most normal last name ever. So I did and it was so funny to me that when I added him to the story and made Shaymin, Mesprit, Uxie, and their families, I stuck too it. Though, Mesprit's surname was made fancier because he's nobility now. (I should figure things out about nobility because really they're just rich and prominent families at the moment, save for the Spooks.)

5. Various comic / doodle ideas

I can't anatomy or color well but these are funny doodke ideas I've had.

- Pyrrhus works at KFC and vVan comes to annoy him

- Hibiki babysits a tamagotchi except it was designed specifically to torment him

- Various bodyswap shenanigans

- Lian as Big the Cat

- Celeste pushing Basil down the stairs

- Ray having a dream about Tsubasa growing around a foot and becoming taller than him, and waking up thinking 'Thank the Gods we're fully grown! No surprise growth spurts!' and then it either cuts to Tsubasa wishing on a star that he was over 6 foot and the star winks at him or there's a timeskip where all his friends, who were shorter than him, are at least an inch taller than him and Tsubasa has gone from 5'5" to 6'4". (Everyone getting taller than Ray after he prided himself on being the tallest throughout childhood is literally canon. Sorry Ray.)

6. Seidel siblings and avoidance

One thing that all 4 Seidel siblings have in common is that they will bottle things up until they can't anymore and, if able, avoid the root of a problem. But, when it comes to others and their problems, they wont stand by and will face the root for/with them if needed.

Ray's a very good actor - it's hard to tell how he's truly feeling but he is a crybaby and emotional so his tolerance for bottling things up is lower than the others'. Before the breaking point, however, only those really close to him can SOMETIMES see past the act.

Em wears his heart on his sleeve, so despite his insistence that everything is okay, it's not hard to tell when hes bottling something up because he's fidgety and his cheer is oftentimes forced.

Jo is less expressive, but when shes upset she does waver a bit, enough that its noticable to those paying attention. The longer it goes on, the more cracks start to appear. A sign is that she sighs a lot more and spaces out.

Leni, like Jo, isn't the most expressive, but she tends to be a bit more hotheaded when upset - she's a bit argumentative and defensive. At her breaking point she's prone to shouting and screaming in frustration. That said, if its extreme enough, she will sort of just shut down.

7. Should he kiss his boyfriend?

Hibiki: My boyfriend has poison breath, should I kiss him?

Miaki, his sister: It depends on how much control he has over his ability.

Mira, avid hater of the boyfriend: No. It might kill you, and to be honest, I really don't know what you see in him.

Rayden, his boyfriend: YES?!?!

Hibiki obviously goes with yes, kiss the boyfriend.

Rayden has good control over his powers.

Miaki is happy for them.

Mira still doesnt understand what's appealing about Rayden after she argues with him for nth time.

8. Ray facts

- Doesnt like to be touched without warning unless he trusts a person ir they are a small child. Trusted people include his family, KR-RA, some members of KR-RA's families, and close friends.

- Bites when not warned by people he isn't close to about being touched.

- Very affectionate person with those he is close to only.

- Actually a shy and emotional person, usually doesn't act unless someone he cares about is threatened. Very passive.

- When he's at a very low-low, instead of his looser clothes that reveal a shoulder, he covers himself up.

- Very hard to monitor because hes the type to act like everything fine - even his family and KR-RA have trouble seeing past the act until he cant hide it anymore

- Very anxious. not much self confidence

- Very very self concious about his looks and illnesses and being underweight

- Will neglect his own well being during low points

- Introverted

- Cannot stand being completely alone with his loved ones nowhere nearby fir prolonged periods of time

- Likes mmos and farming sims

- Alongside their whirlwind of a medical history, the Seidel family's teeth are very sharp despite being human and not creatura. Sometimes he bites during combat

- Heavy sleeper. Pain to wake up, even from a nightmare. Will bite if someone he isnt close to is waking him - especially up after a nightmare or night terror

- Soft spot for children

- Likes gardening, also likes painting + other arts and crafts

- 5 seperate medical professionals could tell him that it's okay for him to indulge himself and that he doesn't have to be so strict, especially since he's underweight and he would ignore it because he HATES medical talk. Even if they location of the conversation is far away from any medical facility. He's very afraid of death and losing his life due to his condition like Em and Jo.

9. A very sweet Tsubasa and Ray moment from the past

Sometimes Ray gets really anxious and shaky, though it's usually around the days the Em and Jo died or their birthday. It's not too hard to discern from whether or not its his sugar because when it happens he tends to cling onto those he cares about.

The twins were both 19 when they died, and Em died around Ray's birthday.

On Ray"s 19th birthday, Tsubasa comes over to the Seidel's house and had been planning on just giving Ray a gift and leaving. Ray's moms welcome him in but warn him that Ray might not want to see him and that he hasn't left his room ever since he went back upstairs. Tsubasa forces his way in, and there is no sign of Ray, save for the shivering form hiding underneath a blanket. Ray pokes his head out and Tsubasa sits by him and asks what was wrong.

It's obvious Ray has been crying before but when words start gushing out of his mouth, tears come too. He has been fearing getting older since he was little and after what happened to Em and Jo, it made those fears even worse because he's the same age as they were when it all happened and it's bound to happen to him eventually and so on and so forth..He rambles about everything he struggles with, especially with being extremely self conscious of his own body image and mannerisms

Tsubasa listenes. Ray hardly talks about how he really feels. If he does, it's usually because its obvious something is bugging him. But he's a great actor, and great at hiding things. so to hear him pour everything out like this, completely unprompted, with no prodding on Tsubasa's end, he knows that this has been kept inside for a looong time.

But he isn't good with words of comfort. Tsubasa dlesn't sugarcoat things unless absolutely necessary. He gives everyone mean nicknames. People are AFRAID of him! So, he doesn't say anything. But, if there is one thing he knows, it is that actions spoke louder than words. He may not know what to say, but he sure as hell knows what to do. He lies down, he wraps Ray in a hug, and tries to lure him into sleep.

It works, but against all the odds, Tsubasa also lures himself to sleep. Tsubasa Amanogawa, who has so much trouble falling asleep that sleeping medicines are oftentimes ineffective and many nights he just pulls an all nighter, falls asleep in his best friend's bed, cuddling him.

When he wakes up, it's to Kiku shaking him awake while Rin desperately tells her not to do so. She has a whole sob story about how she thought he was dead. Rin just sighs and apologizedls. They're cousins who are as close as siblings and Kiku is prone to overreacting, so he should have expected it, but Tsubasa can't help but feel angry at her for waking him up. The warmth of someone else is comforting and it is the best sleep he has had in years. But it's Kiku, so he holds back.

He doesn't want to leave but Adette wants him to come home for dinner, so he begrudgingly leaves Ray a note apologizing for leaving him so suddenly and promising to make it up to him when KRRRA (though not officially a team yet) gets together to celebrate both his and Renata's birthdays. Before they leave, Leni pulls him aside and thanks him, but she never tells him why before he leaves.

When Ray wakes up, he refuses to wash his sheets until Tsubasa's scent fades away because it helps him calm his anxieties and fall asleep. He keeps the note pressed in a highschool yearbook, and smiles every time he finds it while reminiscing.

#original character #original story #ocs #oc #my writing #kayda starshatter #veridis verlice #tamesis regalia #rayden lane #vian sapphirus #rene lyon #lukariah durand #aether lightseeker #azelf doe #kenny rekin #raymond seidel #magdalene seidel #emmerich seidel #johanna seidel #miaki amemori #hibiki kageyama #mira naverre #tsubasa amanogawa #facts #scenarios #sillies

[storyofmychoices]

A Little Game

[Mal Volari x Daenarya Masterlist] [Mal's Orphanage]

Pairings: Mal Volari x Daenarya (F!OC) Other Characters: Rayden (M!OC), Lydo (M!OC) Book: Blades of Light and Shadow Word Count: <800 Rating: Teen (some suggestive nsft bits because it's these two and it's just who they are, but also fluffy family goodness)

Setting: This takes place at Mal's orphanage and is after Mal and Daenarya decide to adopt Rayden and Lydo but before they know she's expecting.

Synopsis: Daenarya and Mal are playing a little game of their own when their boys ask to join in.

"Daenarya!" He attempted to scold, his words lighter than he meant as a laugh rumbled in his chest. 

"Shh," she warned, softly kissing above his hipbone, taunting him with her soft lips.

"Kit! That tickles!" He complained, trying to shift away from her unrelenting kisses. "This isn't what I meant," he choked out between chuckles.

"It's not?" She questioned. Her brown eyes widened, and her lashes batted softly, feigning innocence for a moment before she returned to her endeavors.

Her teasing tongue trailed lower, meandering over every sensitive spot she had come to know and love.

His moan filled the room as his fingers tangled in her hair, begging her further.

"So loud today, Mal Volari." She repeatedly kissed over his pants, tantalizing him in a whole new way. "What ever are we to do about that?" She rested her chin on his thigh, denying him of his growing desire for her. She glanced curiously up at him, searching for an answer to her question. His darkened gaze met hers, a low growl rumbling on his lips. 

"Hmm," she hummed, ignoring his lustful gaze. Her fingers caressed soft circles on his inner thigh, both tickling and teasing him as his body bucked under her practiced touch. 

"You're going to be the death of me one day."

"Is that such a bad thing?" She nipped playfully at the exposed skin of his abdomen, her palm stroking his growing length, earning her a low moan. "I can think of worse ways to go." 

His hips bucked into her caress as his torso twisted away from her tickling kisses. The delightful mix of pleasure of play overwhelmed his senses. A guttural sound left his lips, somewhere between a groan and laughter.

Daenarya quickly covered his mouth with hers, trying to quiet the Rogue, but it was too late.

A faint knock sounded at the door. "Is Mr. Mal okay?" came Rayden's little voice. His words were muffled most likely from quite literally attempting to talk through the door. 

Mal threw his head back, groaning further in frustration at the interruption.

Daenarya bit her lower lip, fighting back her mischievous grin and laughter. 

Lydo's attempt to pull his little brother away did little to deter him. The young boy knocked again. "Mr. Mal?"

"One minute," Daenarya finally replied, leaning on Mal's chest. "This is what you wanted—what we wanted—a family."

"Our family—" His fingers threaded gingerly through her hair, tucking a loose strand behind her ears. "—and I wouldn't have it any other way." 

She kissed him softly, the pads of her fingertips stroking his beard as he straightened his light tunic. "To be continued, my love."

"Come in, boys," Mal offered.

"Wait—" Lydo attempted to stall his brother, but Rayden stormed in, looking to see what the matter was.

"Are you okay? I heard a noise... You didn't sound okay," he decided, innocently shaking his head to the sides.

The older boy took a more hesitant step into the bedroom. "We can go."

"There's no need for that." Daenarya patted the bed beside her, ushering them to join. 

Rayden hopped up, nestling into her lap. "What were you doing?" He questioned with bright eyes filled with curiosity.

"Playing a little game," Daenarya smirked. Her gaze drifted to the strategically placed pillow that now covered Mal's lap to hide the course their little game took moments earlier. 

"What's the game?"

"Tickle Mal!"

"Ooo, I wanna play," Rayden begged, his eyes widening impossibly large. "Can we play, please?!"

"Sure, but—" Daenarya's brow arched. "Then, I get to tickle you next!" She kissed his forehead, offering a few teasing tickles on his side, sending the young boy into a fit of laughter as he squirmed and wiggled in her grasp. 

"Stop," he giggled, happy for the attention. "Mr. Mal first."

"Fine," Daenarya relented. She pulled Rayden closer, whispering in his ear. He nodded and turned to Lydo. 

"Ready?"

The boys nodded.

"3... 2... 1!"

As Daenarya's countdown ended, the three attacked Mal. Daenarya on his sides, Lydo to his feet, and Rayden under his arms, rendering the Rogue at their mercy (and he wouldn't have had it any other way). 

Their roars of laughter filled the room. 

What once was a derelict building in a forgotten part of town was now a beacon of hope. What once was an empty room was now a home. When they started this journey, the pair had set out to help young children find a better life. They never expected that their first two rescues would rescue them in return. It was the one thing they had all always craved and longed for, and by some chance of fate, they found it in each other—family.

Prompts: @choicesmonthlychallenge "that tickles"

A/N #1: I couldn't think of a better title for this fic and I finally wrote something I wasn't about to stress over a title. This is kind of random and mostly unedited/unrevised. I just wanted to write and not worry about trying to make it "good". So please excuse any mistakes. I hope it's still enjoyable.

A/N#2" I don't know why Rayden calls Mal "Mr Mal" but in my head it's adorable when he says it, like he's looking up to Mal as this super important special hero person, he'll definitely transition away from it eventually. I'm super excited for him to call Daenarya "Mama" , but Mal will be "Mr Mal" for a while

A/N #3: If you are still reading, hi! I hope you enjoyed this random story and all my subsequent ramblings. You have no idea how much you reading my writing means to me. Likes, comments, and reblogs are so very much appreciated. Thank you for reading.

Tags in a reblog, let me know if you'd like to be added or removed.

#mal volari #mal volari x mc #mal x mc #blades of light and shadow #bolas #blades of light & shadow #choices #playchoices #choices game #fan fiction #mal x daenarya #daenarya #rayden #the orphanage #baby volari #lydo #Rayden (OC) #Lydo (OC) #the orphanage series #lovealexhunt #may2022 #fanfiction

[vonlipvig]

"Here to talk about his new show, we're joined by national treasure Tommy Harris, the national theatre's Phillipa Rayden, and national deficit Geoff Algebra."

Jeremy's blatant contemp for Geoff is the funniest fucking thing dkdjsjj.

#UNDERRATED LINE IT KILLS MEEE #megan gets a lot more bold with her hatred as time goes on which i love you for that bb #but still when she very cutely avoids shaking geoff's hand? kdjdjdj QUEE #jules plays not for broadcast

[freehugsbear]

so as of today i have a real estate agent 0_o

#rayden talks #words #we like to move it move it

[unsuccesscr]

Rayden’s answer to that death ask really hit home god bless.

I’ve stated this before but Deku is not popular with other pro heroes or the media. He’s often painted as an extremist , toeing the line between hero and villain (even though all he does is help people lmao) especially given that a lot of his supporters /are/ villains or are otherwise unwanted by society

In the event of his death I do believe the first reaction of some people would be to try and discredit him and his career since he wouldn’t be able to defend himself any longer. So it’s not a stretch to think there would be an interruption to his funeral service/cameras there

These same people would also , in all likelihood, try to undo the things he did in his lifetime. Like re establish a ranking system and trying to get Blue Garden closed. Because people Suck

I also don’t think they’d succeed bc while Izuku himself is very influential he’s not alone! Blue Garden is a team and they’d be able to continue on slowly changing the world. And the general public agrees w/ him for the most part, so they would continue to fight for change as well

#v;; they say i talk too proud: i say im too profound (pro hero) #even posthumously izukus a pain in the ass for the establishment #veroxins #thank u rayden for killing me like this