essbeejay | And if I'm flying solo

I love you guys so much. Thank you.

Carrot-raisin muffins are on the to-do list for today. I wish I could send some to every one of you. (They are delicious carrot raisin muffins, despite what aversions you may have.)

Continuing TEF ch4 trivia from here.

It still sounded like flowers blooming, like a shift in planetary revolutions when he heard her sing... Boomer stood still for a moment or two, listening as she sang and the world lazily spun in the opposite direction. - This is one of those things of beauty that I can't quite believe came out of me. The muse was kind to me the day I wrote this.
She felt Mitch's eyes on her as Butch shone the apple on his sleeve and bit into it... Idiot, she thought bitterly to herself. - "Idiot" could be referring to either of the boys here. The ambiguity is intentional.
"As my sister!" Boomer cried. "And for the stupidest reason! Just because we look alike!" - PpG/RrB fics always tend to ignore the fact that the boys and girls could pass for twins. This whole reasoning for Bubbles being cast as Boomer's sister in the musical is one of my deliberate attempts at Lampshade Hanging, though the hanging doesn't really occur until Bubbles' line.
She laughed and opened the door to the choir room. "I guess everyone's got a dark side, huh?" - Foooooooooreshadowing on multiple levels
In Faust's bid for perfection, she tended to come up with better ideas all the time, right down to the wire. She also had a knack for throwing a person waaaaay out of their comfort zone. - I should hope this goes without saying, but none of the people in this fic whose names are drawn from rl people involved with the PpG bear any resemblance to their rl counterparts.
Boomer suddenly burst into the studio, skidding on his knees across the slick hardwood to the front of the room, stopping in front of Blossom. He threw his arms into the air. "Big zombie dance number! How awesome is this going to be?" - I think I've mentioned this before, but the big zombie dance number? Totally set to Love Me Dead by Ludo. Which you should listen to, because it's fucking brill. One of those times I wish I was a choreographer, because I even have a Thriller dance reference in the choreo. THAT'S RIGHT YOU HEARD ME
She set up the CD and turned, pausing as Brick tugged off his button-down shirt and hung it on one of the hooks along the back wall. - Clever/observant readers might have noted (or maybe just suspected) that this was my setup for Blossom discovering Brick's shirt in ch5.
He extended a detention slip to Amy, to Buttercup's immense delight. "What's this for?" Amy cried. "PDA," Mr. Bean said flatly. - This minor character's shining moment.
A handful of girls were changed, ready for their opening performance. Then Blossom and Brick were going on for the ballroom piece, and then they'd have about five seconds to change for the closing number. - My head version of the songs they dance to is, in this order: Mercy by Duffy for the girls (which involves a mannequin), Come Away With Me by Norah Jones for Brick and Blossom's ballroom dance, and No Air by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. I was never really happy with the No Air selection, but it never changed in my head and since it wasn't a story point I never thought to do anything else with it.
They both spotted Brick just ahead of them, approaching his car and glaring at a cluster of middle schoolers who had wandered outside and were examining his Coil from too short a distance. They scattered as they saw him coming, though two boys lingered a little longer than necessary. - In my first draft of this chapter, Brick overheard those two boys making fun of him in the middle school hall for being in Dance (even though he technically isn't) and instead of clubbing their heads in he blows some unsuspecting dancers' skirts up, then smirks at the boys with a "Fuck you guys" look on his face. mathkid talked me out of it, and I'm glad she did.
"This weather is nuts," she griped. "Freakin' ninety degrees all day and now it's dropped below sixty! I need a jacket." - There's that crazy ~~L.A.~~ Townsville weather for you.
Fucking Harry and the twins, getting stuck in traffic. - There's that crazy ~~L.A.~~ Townsville traffic for you.
"Guys, sorry! Parking was a bitch!" - PARKING REALLY DOES IN ~~L.A.~~ TOWNSVILLE
"Say, this is a really nice place. I don't think Townsville's ever done a Prom at a hotel, ever." - In my high school experience, we always did our dances at a hotel, so when I refer to the school gym being the "more typical" location for Prom, I actually am talking out of my ass. Is the high school gym still the norm?
The type who would wear a stupid, childish baseball cap to Prom? - Note of potential interest: in my head, Buttercup never changes her hair. Or doesn't like to, save for a significant event. Blossom usually does not change her hair; she usually keeps it back, in her bow. Bubbles changes her hair more frequently; she wears pigtails most of the time, but she also wears it down and pulled back and whatever else. The boys' hairstyles don't really change, though they do grow out. And Brick never, ever takes his cap off if he can help it. The Brick in my head is wearing his cap all the time. Slightly symbolic.
There was that whole not wanting someone who invited Ignorance and Drama and Immaturity into a relationship, and high school wasn't exactly an ideal place to date and avoid those things. - Close readers might have caught that this is echoing what goes through her head in ch1 right before the girls enter the Principal's office and come face to face with the boys.
She rolled her eyes, but followed suit, placing her free hand on his shoulder. It was a bit of a mistake, she realized, because at his height and even in heels she had to get closer to him to do it, and she hastily shifted her hand down to his upper arm, trying not to let it feel too much like a caress. - This is the scene I was referring to in the last trivia post re: why I ultimately left Blossom's height alone.
Before she had a moment to make a face or feel repulsed at his typical arrogance, he led her into a slow waltz step, keeping their movements small to avoid knocking into everyone else—a remarkable accomplishment, she later reflected, considering the number of people that were crowded around them. - The song that is always in my head during Blosson and Brick's dance at Prom is Fascination by Nat King Cole (admittedly lifted from the waltz scene in Take the Lead, but whatever, Nat King Cole is fucking awesome you guys). Actually, during the beta process for this chapter the question came up of what modern songs in 3/4 time exist that Blossom and Brick could potentially be dancing to. There's quite a few! (Including "Keep Holding On" by AVRIL LAVIGNE, BOOMER GOIN' YEAH BABY!) I told Team Awesome to pretend it's an Alicia Keys song, so that's what I'm telling you guys, but ~~despite how appropriate the Alicia Keys song may be~~ in my heart it's always going to be Nat King Cole.
"A-a hook isn't technically a waltz thing," Blossom said nervously. - I always get concerned about my very limited dance knowledge while writing these dance scenes; I haven't been called out on anything yet so I can only assume either what research I've managed has paid off or I'm just really good at bullshitting. Probably some combination of both, heavily skewed in the latter's direction.
She was ridiculously giddy as the song ended and they came to a slow stop, her dress whispering about their legs. - I actually have an entire playlist dedicated to Brick/Blossom dance scenes to help put particular images in my brain, and this one of her dress enveloping both their legs at the end of a dance came from one of my favorite songs of all time.
"Bubbles!" She looked around to find Mike at her shoulder. "Hey, how's it going? I was wondering, have you seen—" - At this point I think only my betas can guess who Mike was looking for 8]
Cindy's voice was meek, her eyes meeker. - Have I mentioned this before? Originally Cindy was named Cathy, after Blossom's astonishing voice actress, but then it started to weird me out, so I changed it.
… there was Doric, Corinthian, what else… Tuscan? - THANK YOU ART HISTORY, THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS I REMEMBERED
Suddenly there was a flurry of legs that zipped past her... - I suspect I may have lifted this particular wording from one of Maya's H/D fics, but I don't know for sure. Figured it couldn't hurt to be safe and say so!
Kris, upon seeing her draw close then shy away, face flushed, steeled his resolve, took her chin in his hand, and did it himself. - Originally Blossom was the one to kiss Kris, not the other way around. The final version works a lot better (once again, thank Team Awesome).
...and if Blossom didn't stop… draining the life force out of her date Brick was going to— - Everybody gets that Brick is an unreliable narrator here, yes? (Even though it's 3rd person POV.) Brick is exaggerating because, well. Well you know.
"Stand on the corner and stick your pretty little thumb out. Someone's bound to pick up a looker like you." "What did you call me?" Amy screeched, livid. "Looker!" Butch bellowed back. "I said, 'looker!'" - This is such an easy, stupid joke, and yet I am SO PROUD OF IT ♥
Ever since Mitch had told her, she couldn't figure out whether the guys were her friends because they really wanted to be friends, or because they really like-liked her. - The whole "like-like" thing came from Hey Arnold!, didn't it? I don't recall hearing it anywhere else before that show.
He offered it to her, and she shook her head. "I don't like the smell." - The way Buttercup feels about pot is pretty much my feelings exactly. Just in case anyone was wondering.
"Oh. Great," he said, voice rife with sarcasm. "My morning's off to a good start." - I always picture Brick delivering this line with an eyeroll so hard he hurts his neck.
He was so fucking sick of this city. He was so fucking sick of her. - I love Brick. I love Buttercup and Brick. Getting their scenes just right matter a lot to me.
>"It's been three days," Buttercup announced at the end of the day Tuesday, and Bubbles glanced up from the dinner table where they were doing their homework. - This is based on a policy my friend's mom would enact when my friend endured a breakup. (She didn't endure many, but the policy stood nonetheless.)
Bubbles bit her lip and shrugged. "You remembered." - ~~Foreshadowing~~ Not really foreshadowing. Backshadowing?
"... We're just meeting for dessert and then going to the bookstore..." - My ideal date. Except mine would probably switch the two events around, because once sweets are within arm's reach good fucking luck getting my ass to move anywhere.
"You can stand under my umbrella," he offered. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "Ella, ella, eh..." - Hey guys this is a reference to a song, you might have heard of it

I love you that guys came to me with youtubes and macros and gee-eye-effs and PONIES and love in your hearts for me. Thank you. Thank you so, so much.

xoxo