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[sonofgold]

So I decided to try and educate myself before FanPort, since celebrity culture wasn't really a thing where I came from, but there's a few things I'm still confused on.

I get the gist of what fanfiction is, but I still can't work out what AU means, and why so many of them involve coffee shops. "aegis force coffee shop au" is apparently a popular topic, for example.

Also, why are there pieces of art and plush dolls of imPorts as cats? Don't get me wrong, cats are great, but it'd be a little hard to do heroics as a cat, right?

Comments

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[drivesadesk]

I don't know. Humans are weird.

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[sonofgold]

That we are. Ultimately it's harmless, but I wish I could figure out what's so compelling about a coffeeshop.

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[drivesadesk]

Yeah, can't figure that out. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love going to coffee shops. Coffee is delicious. But still, it's not exactly the most exciting place.

[sonofgold]

I might have to do some firsthand research. Spend a bit of time in one. There has to be something I'm missing.

[drivesadesk]

I don't know. I spent time in coffee shops and I still don't get it.

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[kidsmenu]

I think it's because of the concept of cute.

Cuteness.

Have you got such a word in your world?

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[sonofgold]

We do! And if anything is cute, it's cats. I don't usually equate them with fierceness, though.

[kidsmenu]

I think that's why they pick cats. Turning fierce things into cute things— it helps people feel more comfortable. Much about heroics is rather violent and off-putting, you know. Do you know? But if you turn your heroes into cats, it's harder to remember that.

[sonofgold]

That's a good way of putting it! It's hard to think of cats flying around and stopping villains as anything but cute.

Even the villains become cute, when you put a cat in an evil-looking outfit.

[kidsmenu]

I agree!

What color of a cat would you be if you could be a cat?

[versusseeker]

cats r gr8

[You answered this yourself, Alphonse.]

[sonofgold]

they are! and I guess the cuteness is part of it

this also made me realize I can adopt one of my own here

[versusseeker]

ofc
i hav 2

[sonofgold]

ofc means "of course", right? I'm still learning all the abbreviations.

I kinda want to have a house full of cats now.

[versusseeker]

y
yes**

do it

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[eloquentness]

LOL, the fans who write about coffee shops have the wrong idea.
My days as a barista were some of the most stressful I've had, and I work at a /hospital/ now.

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[sonofgold]

It's a lot more knowledge than you'd think, isn't it? Plus customers wanting everything just so. I looked around the internet a bit, and there are people who talk about secret menus... it's a bit much.

A lot of these coffee shop stories seem to involve romance, too. It's a strange place to find love in.

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[eloquentness]

God yeah, customers were something else. :(

I kind of get the appeal.
I mean, I was just trying to work, not get asked out, but coffee shops are popular places to hang out and get work done.
Maybe that's what they're thinking?

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[sonofgold]

That's something else I read on the internet- horrible customer stories. It's appalling. Mom, Granny and Teacher all raised me to be a gentleman.

That does make sense, though. We didn't have coffee shops like this in my world, so it's all new to me.

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[eloquentness]

Right?? Well, they raised you well.

If you've never been, I can take you after work sometime. :) Might as well buy some coffee that I /didn't/ conjure up.

[codeoracle]

AU, alternate universe. A reimagining of characters (or well imPorts) in alternate settings than what we find ourselves in.

Coffee shops are insanely popular, mostly for their backdrop as a place for conversation and personal interactions.

Also, the internet is for cats. It was bound to happen.

[sonofgold]

Thanks for the explanation! That makes more sense, though I guess coffee shops strike me as an odd choice when there are endless other possibilities.

It is? We didn't have the internet yet in my world, but was it really developed to share cat pictures?

[codeoracle]

Some people like the simple things. You'd be surprised what can happen in a quiet coffee shop... [And she would definitely be one to know.]

It probably wasn't the intent, but that's what it's become, even in my world. Cats, memes, and cat memes.

[sonofgold]

I clearly need to spend more time in them. They weren't really a thing in my world.

Cats really do rule the world. Or at least, know how to manipulate humans so we give them admiration.

[codeoracle]

I might be opening a cafe with a friend from home? Just keep an eye out for LeBlanc. We'll probably announce something on the network.

Also: Isn't unquestioning admiration the same as world domination?