#((that I’m Extremely Tempted to create a verse))

[timebranded]

((One of these days, I’m going to make a Star.Dew verse for Lucas.))

#a step out of time (ooc) #wanna waste some time? there’s an app for that (mobile) #((I’ve been playing it almost nightly since the update dropped on PC)) #((and I’m having SO MUCH FUN)) #((that I’m Extremely Tempted to create a verse))

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

A for the first step of kintsugi/pottery shards

A: How did you come up with the title to [insert fic]?

So, for those who don’t know, kintsugi is this:

It’s a Japanese method of repairing broken pottery with a usually-gold lacquer so as to turn an otherwise broken piece into something that’s quite frankly sick as fuck.

And the first step of kintsugi is, of course, to smash some fucking pottery.

The pottery shards verse is really one of those “it will get worse so it can get better” kind of things. (For the record? We’re still in the get worse period.) There’s one very specific thing of Peter Parker’s that I think canon constantly risked breaking that it never really explored, so I’m doing it for it. The goal is to smash it and rebuild it into something that’s different but hopefully beautiful.

The other thing about kintsugi is that it’s not always the result of accidents. Sometimes, it’s meant to repair pottery that’s otherwise been lost, but sometimes it’s just for the sake of the end goal. Specifically, pottery that’s seen as defective or not good enough on its own is usually targeted.

porcelain chips is the prelude, and it’s not really meant to be a cohesive narrative. It’s just all the things that stacked up to culminate into who peter Parker is today. It’s a bunch of little chips on a piece of once-pristine porcelain that may lead to its smashing. He’s been building towards a break for a long time, and it didn’t start with uncle ben or Germany or Frank. Peters inherently a child who has gone to frankly extreme lengths at a very young age. You don’t do that lightly, and you don’t do it because everything’s okay mentally. He’s the culmination of every little injustice he was meant to quietly bear.

glaze defects is an interlude character study thing of matt murdock and where he was during chapter seven. Glaze defects happen in the process of creating the pottery. Something gets fucked when you’re doing the firing or there’s an incompatibility between the body and the glaze and you end up with bumps or cracks or lines in the surface. People may be tempted to just smash a pot with a glaze defect.

I picked this title because there’s a lot of similarities between how we talk about the disabled and marginalized and how we talk about a fucked up pot.

Usually there’s a conversation of they should be this but instead they’re this. We act as if their existence is something that went wrong in the manufacturing process and it should be eradicated. As if there was a mistake in the process of creation, and we need to do better next time to make sure we don’t end up with a similar mistake. Which is bullshit. Which is exactly the mindset which led to the Supreme Court case Buck v Bell, which plays a central role in the study.

Marvel has tended to make superpowers a point of marginalization—mostly with the X-Men, but then we also see it with the Accords, and with scenes like in Jessica Jones where bitter people try to kill her after the Battle of New York. Whether or not it’s a fair comparison to draw an analogue between communities that traditionally face discrimination and like, superpowers is a different discussion. The language used is the same, so that’s the premise we’re left to operate from.

We inherently devalue things that we perceive as defective or different. I am more willing to break a fucked up pot than i am willing to break a beautiful pot. But a person isn’t a pot, and there is no standard to draw from that’s like “this is the model person, everything deviating is a manufacturing error.” People will pretend that there is—that’s how we ended up with eugenics in the first place.

A core trend in the anti-canon in that we tend to try and get around rights and liberties we’ve already decided to give to everyone. We made broad statements about how all men are created equal right off the fucking bat and ever since then we’ve been finding increasingly elaborate ways of saying “but not those men.”

Buck v Bell said that the disabled were a burden, and their ability to reproduce was a small sacrifice in comparison to their drain on society. Korematsu said that racial profiling, segregation, and forced internment was okay because the threat of wartime was such that it was necessary for public safety, and ergo not about race. Dred Scott said a slave being held in a free state could not sue for his freedom because he was property and had no rights. We qualify the shit out of things the second we see others as a problem as ourselves and we mitigate and we talk about burden and risks and what they really are and we have always, always done this. We hate fucking admitting that it’s okay that other people exist in ways we don’t like. We always make it about the danger they pose us, the burden they place on us, the fact that they’re really not a person if you think about it.

The thing about a glaze defect is that there’s not actually anything wrong with the pot. It doesn’t look the way you thought it would, but it’s still a pot. A lot of the disappointment in having a glaze defect is based in how you think it should have been made. Which is a fine consideration to make when you’re an outside observer. When you’re the pot? It’s a reason for people to break you. 

so glaze defects is called glaze defects because it involves two parallel stories of things that people may perceive as a problem in the actual form of the thing, and thereby discount the thing itself--disability, and how we’ve historically dealt with it, and on the flip side, superpowers, and the fact that the presence of powers tends to be a more valuable consideration than the person who has them. 

#pottery shards verse #ask games #the first step of kintsugi

[casualcatte]

[LFRP] FFXIV: Gospel Lightfaith

Age: Adult (late 30′s approx.)

Race: Hyur, Midlander - Ul’dahnian

Gender: Female

Hair: Silver

Eyes: Blue

Height: 5′9″

Build: Fit and well-muscled but not bulky.

Common Accessories: She keeps a rosary-like set of prayer beads on her person, though never worn. A silver sigil of Thaliak is attached to them.

Server: Balmung

Profession: Free Paladin, Mercenary-for-Hire

Hobbies & Interests: Dancing, helping others, reading, writing, painting, art, music

Residence: The Mist, Ward 23, The Topmast, Room 50

Birthplace: Ul’dah, Thanalan, Eorzea

Religion: Thaliak, the Scholar

Fears: Higher Voidsent, abandonment (by those she cares about), failure (in a number of things)

Smoking Habit: Never. She keeps her body in peak physical condition.

Drugs:  A few times in her youth, but after a few bad experiences she hasn’t bothered with them since.

Alcohol:  Yes. A nightcap to relax after a hard day’s work.  Or sometimes excessively when stressed or in pain.

Food: She can cook fair, basic meals, but nothing extravagantly gourmet. Humble, simple food like what she grew up with as a merchant’s daughter.

Status:  Single

Sexuality: Demiromantic, Heterosexual Do not expect to get involved with my character without significant investment.  No one night stands, no love at first sight. 

Spouse: None.

Children: None.

Parents: Elspeth and Alexander Lightfaith

Siblings: None that she is aware of.

Other Relatives/Close Friends: Valeria Camena  @thehouseofvs​ 

Enemies/Rivals Zerey Zeyad @therpperson​

Animal Companions: Venator, her gryphon mount.

Extroverted / In Between / Introverted

Disorganized / In Between / Organized

Close Minded / In Between / Open Minded

Calm / In Between / Anxious

Disagreeable / In Between / Agreeable

Cautious / In Between / Reckless

Patient / In Between /  Impatient

Outspoken / In Between / Reserved

Leader / In Between / Follower

Empathetic / In Between / Apathetic

Optimistic / In Between / Pessimistic

Traditional / In Between / Modern

Hard-working / In Between / Lazy

Cultured / In Between / Uncultured

Honest / In Between / Dishonest

Loyal / In Between / Disloyal

Faithful / In Between / Unfaithful

You need something killed. Gospel is a mercenary-for-hire, though typically to common smallfolk and tradesmen primarily. She has an extremely moralistic code that doesn’t allow her perform duties that she finds morally repugnant, like harming the innocent.  Expect questions.

You need protection. Her shield is also for hire, if you find yourself in need of one. Again, she prefers to work with lower class citizens, but isn’t above working for the occasional noble or entertainer. 

You are an Ul’dahnian merchant. Gospel’s family are a generational line of armor and weaponsmiths, primarily focused on metalworking. Merchant-folk are welcome to have heard of Lightfaith Arms & Armory either directly or in a tertiary sense. They’re known for swords and plate armor, as well as household common items like pots, pans, and wagon wheels. Their Maker’s Mark is a radiant sun stamped in gold foil on their items.

You are an Ul’dahnian resident. Gospel worked for a number of years for her family’s smithy, mostly as their Public Relations / Advertising / Salesperson. Residents of Ul’dah are welcome to know her directly or in passing as a woman often seen about town trying to tempt adventurers and common folk into buying their wares.  She also later became known for her mercenary-for-hire and protection services.

You are/were a member of the Maelstrom. A former captain of the Maelstrom, Gospel earned her notoriety as a bulwark against the tides of battle, oftentimes defending and protecting wounded soldiers as they waited for evacuation from the field. A friend to mages and healers, she was especially protective of them in battle. After her retirement and return to Ul’dah, members of her regiment often spun tall tales of her exploits in the tavern.  The Knight of the Lily is a name often bandied about in such cases.

Friends, acquaintances, and adventuring buddies, age 21+. Nothing against younger players, I’m just a 40-year old lady and enjoy playing the game with other like-minded adults.

People who like growing things organically, particularly relationships. I don’t like making things up out of thin air and I don’t like  friendships and romances that flourish overnight. Put time and effort into creating things!

In-game RP sessions, primarily!  (Discord available for OOC coordination.)  I’ve had pretty bad luck with keeping Discord threads and the like active, so I prefer in-game sessions whenever possible. Not to say those methods are completely off the table, but reserved for folks who are genuinely interested in upkeeping and maintaining them.

Lore flexibility. I’m not as well-versed in FFXIV lore and I don’t need/want people around me who want to hammer the Nth of the lore and make roleplay feel more like homework. As long as it’s a good story and an engaging character, that should be enough!

Story and Character-driven Plotlines.  I love a good epic story.  I love long-term connections, be it friendship or rivalry. Slice-of-life and general hanging out is fine on occasion, but I truly thrive in a story-driven environment.

Late Night/Overnight Friends. I tend to keep late hours, so people who are around/available between 8pm and 8am (Central US Time) are ideal.

People who aren’t afraid of OOC communication.  Seriously, this is a big one.  If you can’t talk to me OOC about a session, what you like, don’t like, or have issues with then please don’t seek me out.  I view roleplay as collaborative storytelling that we should all have fun with and a large part of that is talking things through OOC to ensure we’re all on the same page and having fun.

IC/OOC Blending. If you’re a person that can’t keep your IC and OOC separate, don’t seek me out.  I am not my character.  My character is not me.  Whatever interactions you have with my character are not a reflection of my views/personality as the Player.  Do not conflate them.

ERP, gore, extreme violence, torture, horror, et cetera. I have a pretty stressful life, I RP and play games to relax and these topics don’t contribute to that. At the very least, please ASK me before starting anything involving these themes.

These first two, especially, are deal breakers and I will cease contact with people that can’t respect these boundaries (which is why OOC communication is a MUST with me.) If you aren’t sure – please ASK!

Most roll-based system RP.  I’m a big fan of D&D-style systems, if they incorporate character sheets that allow Characters to have aspects to them that shine and fail.  Being subject to random RNG without attributing bonuses for character skill and experience feels imbalance to me.  (And RNG generally hates me, so... XD)

Mundane-focused RP.  Slice of life, hanging out, and less-active scenes are fine, but only in moderation. If that’s all you care to do, Gospel and I are probably not a good fit, because we both are adventuresome souls that like getting involved in things!  

Experienced Roleplayer.  I’ve been roleplaying for almost 30 years now. I love discussing roleplay ideas and implementing them. I’m not worried about “spoilers” or ruining immersion by discussing and planning storylines OOC. Planning ensures that everyone has a chance to contribute ideas that are fun for *them* so everyone has a good experience.

Patient and Understanding. I tend to be patient with people of all roleplay styles and experiences. Just be courteous if you need to AFK mid-RP for an extended period or reschedule the scene. I understand well that Real Life and your own well-being come first, so just be up-front with me about things. 

Special Information.   I am a 40+ year old woman with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis. This means I may need to cancel plans last-minute depending on my pain levels/fatigue or I may need to leave mid-scene. This is NOT an indicator of interest – or lack thereof – I have a disease that needs careful tending and I have to listen to the needs of my body before anything else.

Availability/Contact Information –––

Timezone: GMT/UTC -5 or Central (US) Time. I’m mostly avaliable from 8pm to 8am, Sunday through Tuesday. Beyond that, my schedule gets pretty unpredictable, but I’ll do my best to let you know ahead of time if I have any conflicts and what my availability is.

Discord: casualcatte#1384

In-Game:  Gospel Lightfaith@Balmung

Last Updated: May 1, 2021

#Gospel Lightfaith #FFXIV #FFXIV RP #FFXIV Roleplay #FFXIV Roleplayer #FFXIV Balmung #Balmung #Balmung rp #Balmung roleplayer #FFXIV Crystal #Crystal RP #Crystal Roleplay #Crystal Roleplayer #balmung roleplay #ffxiv lfrp #lfrp #looking for rp #looking for roleplay #cast of characters

[passionate-reply]

Great Albums is back! This week, we’ll take a look at one of the greatest electronic albums of all time, Kraftwerk’s The Man-Machine, and try to avoid getting sued by Ralf Huetter! Full transcript for the video can be found below the break. Enjoy!

Growing up, my main genre of choice was 80s synth-pop, and while the deep influence of Kraftwerk is as significant there as it is everywhere else in electronic music, I was one of those people who initially saw them as somewhat "intimidating." Today, moreso than ever, Kraftwerk are held up as one of those more high-brow or cerebral groups with a philosophy that transcends mere pop or dance music, which makes them seem respectable, a kind of “model minority” in the world of music outside rock. While I don’t buy into the judgmental quality of that sort of praise, which damns so many of Kraftwerk’s greatest fans and imitators, I did get the sense, as a child, that these hoity-toity Germans, working with primitive equipment way back in the 1970s, might not be what I was looking for in a new favourite band. That was before I heard The Man-Machine.

While it’s certainly true that Kraftwerk were a highly experimental band in their own time, they’re one of those acts whose ideas have deeply permeated contemporary music, to the point where their actual work is extremely approachable and listenable to today’s ears. Of all the fairly early electronic acts, who started making this kind of music before it began to become mainstream in the late 70s, Kraftwerk are almost certainly the ones people nowadays listen to for pleasure the most, and that’s no accident. While their earlier albums like Trans-Europe Express took more overt inspiration from classical music, The Man-Machine was their first great foray into the arena of pop, which I think is key to why it resonates with people. For evidence of that, look no further than the biggest mainstream hit of Kraftwerk’s career, “The Model.”

I think it’s easy to see why “The Model'' became a hit single. Sure, it may not have the most traditional pop song structure, let alone instrumentation, but unlike a lot of what Kraftwerk had done before, it’s got a lot of lyrics and a real sense of narrative. Plus, that narrative we get is about a person and not a machine--a good-looking person, in whom the narrator is sexually interested. It’s the perfect pop material. Of course, I would be remiss to mention that “The Model” didn’t achieve all of its success until the single was re-released in many markets in 1981, and in those few years, the idea of “synth-pop” advanced significantly in the charts and popular consciousness. By the time “The Model” was a hit, Kraftwerk admirers were already taking over: look no further than Gary Numan’s "Cars” or OMD’s "Enola Gay,” two synth-pop classics that, it must be said, are still about vehicles!

That aside, though, not everything on The Man-Machine sounds like “The Model”--in fact, it’s surrounded by tracks that have much more in common with Kraftwerk’s earlier LPs. Literally surrounded, in the track listing. I think that adds to this album’s appeal as an ideal entry point into their catalogue: it has some things that sound familiar, while also preparing you for what else you’ll encounter if you choose to probe deeper into the band. The Man-Machine has the least homogeneous profile of any Kraftwerk album. While most of their other classic albums are highly cohesive “song cycles” that almost blend into one long song when you listen to them in full, The Man-Machine doesn’t really have those repeated melodies and motifs that tie its tracks together. While many people, especially fans of psychedelic and progressive rock, really like those cohesive albums, I think this change is a welcome one. It gives the individual tracks a bit more room to breathe and express distinctive identities, and makes the album feel a bit more pop, even if the material itself isn’t always all that poppy. *The Man-Machine* actually only has six individual tracks; they range in length from the three-minute pop stylings of “The Model” to the urban sprawl of “Neon Lights,” which luxuriates in an almost nine-minute runtime.

Given that the average track length is around six minutes, I’m almost tempted to think of The Man-Machine as six tiny Kraftwerk albums, or at least, musical ideas that could have been expanded into full LPs in another universe. “Neon Lights” and “Spacelab” feel dreamy and easy-going, with floating melodies that draw from the “cosmic music” scene, one of the many emergent styles that began as something uniquely German and spread throughout the world--in this case, becoming an important forerunner to ambient electronic music through acts like Tangerine Dream. Meanwhile, the hard, tick-tocking rhythms of “Metropolis” and the title track point to the newfound focus on rhythm and the so-called motorik beat that made the music of Neu! so compelling.

The Man-Machine can serve not only as an introduction to Kraftwerk, but also as a sort of crash course in this entire period of electronic music, showcasing some of the most distinctive and influential features of the German scene, as well as the shape of synth-pop to come. It’s a complex and busy historical moment with huge ramifications for almost all of subsequent electronic music, and The Man-Machine really creates a microcosm of that whole environment. There’s also the fact that each side of the record has one track from each of my three broad groups, like an expertly-designed sushi platter or charcuterie board for us to sample from, and they both follow the same formula: a pop appetizer, a cosmic *entree,* and motorik for dessert.

*The Man-Machine* also has what is almost certainly the most iconic cover of any of Kraftwerk’s LPs. This is how lots of us still picture them in our minds, and it’s inspired tons of parodies and riffs over the years. I think all of that acclaim is deserved! Emil Schult’s graphic design for the album was heavily inspired by avant-garde Soviet artists of the 10s and 20s, chiefly El Lissitzky. These visual artists used their art to express their hope for a new world, defined by the promise of technology, and their literally revolutionary philosophy--so what could be a better match for Kraftwerk’s electronic revolution in music? Lissitzky used bright, primary colours, straight lines, and geometric shapes to convey the “built environment” of modern cities and man-made architecture, and you’ve got all the same sentiment on display here. The use of strong diagonals really draws the eye and lends this image a lot of continued visual interest. It’s also worth noting the extent to which Kraftwerk’s aesthetics inspired later electronic acts almost as powerfully as their sound. When you picture an electronic band, and get a mental image of stiff and stone-faced musicians behind synthesisers wearing shirts and ties, you can certainly thank Kraftwerk for that, as well.

I also love the title of The Man-Machine! The relationship between people and technology is one of, if not the, most central themes in Kraftwerk’s entire discography, which is full of references to anthropomorphic machines as well as mechanically-mediated humans. The particular choice of the phrase “man-machine,” as opposed to words like “android,” has a fun vintage flair to it, which matches the use of early 20th Century visual art quite nicely.

As might be expected from the album’s stylistic diversity, *The Man-Machine* would prove to be something of a transition point in Kraftwerk’s career. Their 1981 follow-up, Computer World, would return to the song cycle format, but with increasing emphasis on ideas from the pop sphere, championed by percussionist Karl Bartos. By the time of the last classic-lineup Kraftwerk LP, 1986’s Electric Cafe, they had not only amped up the pop, but also incorporated influence from the electronic dance music of the time. Ultimately, Bartos would leave the group, chiefly due to discontent with his treatment by founding members Ralf Huetter and Florian Schneider-Esleben, and their persistent lack of musical productivity.

On a somewhat lighter note, my personal favourite track on this album is its opener, “The Robots.” Per my typology from earlier, I classified this as a pop-oriented song, and it certainly is an approachable one that’s proven to be quite popular. But it’s got just enough more experimental touches to keep things quite interesting. From an ominous, dissonant intro, a slightly more pop form, hinting at a verse/chorus structure, soon emerges and contrasts. I love the groove of the rhythm and percussion here, as well as the very heavy vocoder, rich in texture and certainly a Kraftwerk staple.

While the lyrics can be read as sort of light and silly, I like to think that the robots in question might also be dangerous. The track “Metropolis” seems to reference the seminal 1927 silent film of the same name, which is famous for its portrayal of an evil, mechanical doppelganger. Likewise, the choice to translate the lyrics of the song’s interlude into Russian is likely inspired by another great work of art from this era: the stage play R.U.R.--Rossum’s Universal Robots. Written by Karel Čapek in 1922, it’s the progenitor of the “robot revolution” trope in science fiction, the source of the word “robot” for autonomous machines in almost every human language, and one of the first entries in the illustrious career of an author who helped make Czech a true literary language. While the titular robots take time to assure us that they’re programmed to do what we humans want, should we really trust them...?

#music #kraftwerk #great albums

[sha3thehunter]

Cold

Pairings - Mainly Demus/Dukeceit with background Logicality and Prinxiety

Au - None

Summary - It's no secret that Janus hates the cold and that he gets cold easy. So what happens when the twins decided to turn the Imagination into a winter wonderland? What could possibly go wrong?

Prompt - Snow day/Cold

---------------------------------------------------

"Are you serious?" Janus hissed out as he shoved his hands in his pockets to try and keep them warm. He was walking with the other sides in the Imagination since the twins had decided to create a winter wonderland for them. He could feel the cold starting to nip at his ears but he did his best to brush it off for the time being.

"Come on Janus," Patton said as he walked alongside the deceitful side. "I'm sure that it will be a lot of fun and they worked so hard to create the snow."

"And you did agree to come with us," Logan stated. "If I am not mistaken in that fact."

"And it will be fun," Virgil commented. "It'll be worth it so just enjoy yourself, would ya?"

Janus sighed as he continued to walk with the others but he couldn't help shivering slightly at the cold air that was nipping at his skin. It was no secret that he hated the cold since he was cold-blooded and he never liked been out in the cold. So why was he out in the snow with the other sides? Remus had begged him to come to the Imagination to see what the twins had created and he couldn't say no. He knew that he could leave at any time if he needed to but he did admit that he was curious to see what the twins had done. Remus knew that he didn't do well in the cold and he had told Janus that he could leave if he had to. He was aiming to stay outside with the others as much as possible so he didn't miss anything too important.

It felt nice to be included and it wasn't as if Janus had anything better to do with his time. He would probably sit on the couch and read like he usually did when he wasn't included by the others. Remus changed that massively and the snake-like side hasn't had a quiet day since. He doesn't know exactly happened since his boyfriend wouldn't share details but he had a feeling of what might have happened. He didn't ask anyone about what Remus had said to them and by this point, he was too afraid to ask. Remus had his reason for what he did and it was worth it to see his boyfriend smile. The others didn't know that Remus cared so deeply until he expressed how disgusted he was over the fact that Janus was being shunned by them. Patton later invited Janus to bake some cookies with him and they had the chance to bond while they were baking. It was an eye-opener for them and it showed what Remus saw in the dishonest side.

The whole Imagination was completely covered in beautiful white snow that was untouched. They could see Remus and Roman throwing snowballs at each other a little ways ahead. It seemed like they were enjoying themselves until Virgil suggested that they join in which wasn't a bad idea. Janus was tempted to say that he would watch but Patton suggested they had a snowball match and he couldn't say no to the idea. It sounded like a fun idea. The teams were Logan, Roman and Patton verse Remus, Virgil and Janus. Everyone was enjoying themselves and they were laughing every time someone got hit since it was all in good fun. Remus' team had an advantage since Janus had six arms instead of two so he made a lot of the snowballs. Virgil and Remus ganged up on Roman which wasn't fair but it was hilarious to watch for the remaining three. It even managed to get a laugh out of Logan which was rare but they had to save Roman from having snow shoved down his coat by the pair.

The snowball fight went on for quite a while until Patton accidentally hit Janus in the face which caused him to fall into a large pile of snow. The morality side immediately began to apologise but Janus just laugh it off and that's when he felt a sharp shiver shake his whole body. He quickly wrapped his arms around himself and soon realised that he was getting too cold. Patton had knelt down in front him and he had wrapped his scarf around the other side's neck in a vain attempt to warm him up. Remus ran over to where the pair was with Logan, Roman and Virgil close behind him. Patton was trying his best to keep the other side warm but it was a fruitless effort but Remus was certainly grateful. The last thing they wanted was Janus turning into his snake form because he got too cold. They need to get him inside and fast before that happened. 

"We need to get him inside," Remus said as he scooped Janus up as if he weighed nothing. It was evident by his shivering that he had been outside longer than he intended to. They must have forgotten that Janus doesn't do well in the cold and he was moving around a lot during the snowball fight. The cold must have just caught up to him when they weren't expecting.

"I'll run ahead and get some spare blankets ready," Virgil suggested before he and Roman started to run back towards the cabin that had been created for them. It was surprising when the pair moved quickly despite the snow and it wasn't long before Patton began to follow the pair.

The logical side took off Janus' hat and replaced it with his own woollen hat to help keep what little there was inside. Logan stayed with Remus as they made their way back and Janus was grateful that his boyfriend was like a furnace. The shivering hadn't stopped and it was still rather concerning but they weren't far from the cabin. Logan kept Janus talking, despite how lethargic he was, while they made their way back to the cabin and the body heat from Remus seemed to be helping. All of them made it back to cabin safely and Patton had managed to get the fire going in the living room so the cabin was warm enough for the cold snake. Virgil and Roman had found all of the blankets that they could find which were quite a few. Everything had been gathered into the living room and Remus placed Janus down onto the couch so he could warm him up.

Remus had managed to get Janus out of his outdoor wear and had wrapped his boyfriend up in quite a few of the blankets. Everyone was concerned about Janus but they didn't voice their worries since the snake-like side had fallen asleep. Janus was curled up on his boyfriend's lap under the blankets that he had been wrapped up in. They were just relieved that he was safe and sound. It was decided that they would spend the rest of the day inside and they decided to watch some movies. They all decided to watch some of the old classic slasher films despite what Roman said but the others had voted against watching Disney movies. Patton had made some hot chocolate for everyone and everyone had snuggled against each other. Their worry never left their minds and they felt bad for forgetting about Janus being cold-blooded since they were having so much fun. 

Virgil and Roman were cuddling on the floor with a blanket draped over their shoulders while Patton snuggled into Logan's side. They were enjoying the movie night and Janus woke up halfway through Halloween. He was confused until he realised that they were inside and he couldn't remember how they got inside. He could remember that he felt extremely cold and he remembered being carried by Remus but that was about it. He was grateful for been wrapped up in blankets and he was enjoying the warmth that surrounded him. He snuggled deeper into the blanket burrito and he could hear his boyfriend's heartbeat which was soothing to him. He could feel the arms wrapped around him in a secure manner and he felt completely safe.

He could hear the others talking about the movie they were watching and Remus was giving his usual input. It was nice and everyone was enjoying what they were watching despite how afraid Patton was. Janus let his eyes flutter open and he noticed that he was in the cabin which made him sigh in relief. Patton untangled himself from Logan and made his way to the kitchen so he could make some food for everyone. It was beginning to get late and everyone was starting to get hungry as well.

"Does anyone fancy some pancakes?" Patton asked from the kitchen and everyone cheered in response. Janus let out a yawn which seemed to catch everyone's attention since they thought that he was still asleep.

"Looks who's awake," Virgil commented as he glanced over towards the snake in the blanket burrito. "How are you feeling Dee?"

"I'm feeling better," Janus answered the questioned and he lifted his head out of the blanket burrito. "How did I get here? I don't remember much after the snowball fight."

"Remus carried you back here," Logan stated as he kept his eyes on the screen in front of him. "I did my best to keep you talking while we walked back but you fell asleep when we were near the cabin."

"Me, Ro and Pat went on ahead so we get everything warmed up," The anxious said said. "You really scared me for a moment there and I was beginning to panic for a while when Remus carried you in."

"I'm sorry," Janus mumbled and he truly meant it. He didn't mean to ruin the day and he did have fun outside in the snow with everyone.

"Hey now," Remus said as he ran his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. "It's not your fault and I think that we may have forgotten about you being cold-blooded."

"We were running around a lot," Roman commented. "We didn't start to feel how cold it was until we stopped running around."

"Where's Patton?" Janus asked.

"He went to make some pancakes for us," The logical side answered. "We will be most likely heading back once you feel better."

Janus smiled slightly and snuggled down into his blanket burrito, enjoying the feeling of Remus' fingers in his hair. It was going to take a while before they could leave the cabin but no one seemed to mind and their host was managing without them. It was nice to feel included and he did enjoy himself while he was out in the cold.

#romantic dukeceit #dukeceit #sanders sides #logan sanders #virgil sanders #janus sanders #sympathetic remus #remus sanders #sympathetic deceit #patton sanders #roman sanders #fluff

[olympusnerd]

Zeus VS Aphrodite

Carnal desires.  

Insatiable urges. 

Sensual satisfaction. 

There were many ways to describe the gripping effect of Aphrodite’s power, and the Greecian goddess of all things beautiful and erotic had experienced every kind known to exist. She prided herself on knowing just how to invoke her powers, charm the body, and push mortals and god’s alike to the edge of ecstasy.  

That’s not to say that there weren’t complications with her gifts. 

Sometimes- not all the time, but sometimes- there were those who could be numb to her powers. They would never know the joys of yearning or the tender caresses of a lover. 

Then, as often as light needs a day, there was the other extreme. Those who could filled with such an uncontrollable hunger for flesh that even Aphrodite felt disgusted by the act. 

Zeus was such a man. 

The times Zeus sought after young mortals and goddesses had been insurmountable long before the goddess received the honor of the name Olympian. As the last daughter of Uranus, she was fortunate to make an alliance with the children of Cronus and Rhea just before he and his siblings took down the Titans and Primordial gods alike. With this alliance she was granted a prestigious title: goddess of all things beautiful, sensual and passion related.

But now because of one uncontrollable man she was losing face in her own doman. 

What could the goddess of love do against the king of the gods?

Feeling such a way, of course she would deny the audacious King when he tried his hand at seducing the goddess. 

"I only make love for pleasure, for myself and my partner. You, mighty king of Olympus, seek only your own satisfaction. I won't be used like the other women you play with, and I will certainly not be another victim of your wife's spite. I may tempt married men, but I respect Hera too much to lower myself for you."

Hera, his wife. His poor, poor wife. She had grown resentful over the years for all of his affairs, to the women who received his seed as well as to the children unfortunate enough to be born out of these unions. To the goddess's annoyance, the queen blamed her for her husband's many indiscretions. 

Marriages are so bothersome, Aphrodite thought. Her own wasn't, as Hephaestus learned early on that the goddess would not be restrained by the monotonies of a monogamous relationship, but that sort of marriages only worked if both couples agreed. And though one would suspect she would sympathize with Zeus’s need to let one loose, so to speak, it instead sickened her. 

The love making most of the time lacked love at all. He plowed through mortals and goddess alike, and to her displeasure, he did so either in disguise to trick his poor victims or without consent. 

It enraged her. 

Yet even still, when she inevitably denied the king of gods the satisfaction of bedding her, she was relieved when he didn’t press the matter further. 

The goddess went on about her business without another thought. She refused lovers all the time and she was, more or less, equal to Zeus in this matter. Even if he wanted to take her without her approval, her powers over all things sex related could go just as terribly against him as his thunderbolt against another god. She could just as likely curse him with impotence. 

And he was lucky, she surmised, that she hadn’t already cursed him with a dysfunction for irritating her.

One evening, while the Olympians were all gathered together for a feast- as they did on numerous occasions- food was not the only appetite that was brought up over the food. 

“You’re quite possibly the most sexually appealing creature in all of the universe,” Dionysis complemented, leaving a trail of kisses along the goddess’s foot. “I cannot think of a god, goddess or titan that could even remotely compare to the bliss that lies in your bedchamber.” 

Though Ares and Hephaestus both looked equally annoyed by the comment, there was no argument to be made. Even the goddesses had to concede that Aphrodite was incredibly, unmistakably, insurmountably sexy. 

But one god’s voice dashed the complement like a pest. “I’d disagree.”

All of the heads turned to see Zeus, nonchalantly biting into a fig as if he hadn’t insulted another of his court. “While I’m sure the goddess of love is fine in bed, maybe even sometimes commendable, there’s a far more better sight beneath a man than someone who’s slept around.”

“I beg your pardon?” Aphrodite couldn’t believe her perfect ears. 

Was he joking?

What sort of idiot would make such a joke?

“I’m not saying anything against you in particular, sweet Ditey, I only mean that, well,  nothing you could offer could measure up to the cunt of… well, a young virgin,” Zeus went on much to everyone’s discomfort.

Prudish Hera looked aghast at such words coming from her own husband. Demeter nearly spit out his ambrosia. Hades stared awkwardly at his food like he hadn’t heard. Dionysis, Ares, Hephaestus and Posiedon, all past lovers of the goddess of sex, felt a sting in their own stomachs at the sour words. Even the blessed virgins Hestia, Athena and Artemis were surprised by the abysmal blasphemy.

 Every part of what he said was meant to dig into the sex icon’s pride. 

Fine. Sometimes commendable. Young. Virgin. 

Each one was as sharp as a knife in her gut, but the goddess, never one to shy away from a battle of tongues, only smiled. 

“I’m afraid I would have to politely disagree. While I will admit there is nothing quite like the feel of an innocent young woman, many think the tightness of a virgin cunt is the most pleasure a man can feel. But those people are wrong. The loss of virginity in itself isn’t supposed to be exciting. It’s supposed to be tender. Affectionate. Warm,” she retorted gently to her king. “A woman entering into womanhood is not a moment to be taken lightly or without conscience. The worst sin a man can do, in my humble opinion, is take a girl’s flower without the intention of so much as holding her afterwards. Or to leave her with a child she must fend for alone. Sure, an inexperienced girl can feel good for a moment up until her hymen is broken, but that’s only because some men cannot handle a woman with an appetite or strength that matches their own. They crave taking that innocence and then once they have snatched it up, poof. The desires are gone. They fail to see the potential of a well versed, mature, hungry woman that is fed just the right amount of love and attention. I’ve had sex countless times, with countless men and women. It is a language in itself, the movement of one body against another. Sometimes several bodies. But to me, someone who is truly experienced in the art of love making doesn't need a certain type of cock or cunt to feel satisfied. They create satisfaction wherever their affections are returned."

The room was dead silent, the cupbearer Ganymede not daring to refill the golden goblets in fear for becoming a target of whatever animosity was sure to fly out at any moment.

Zeus, whose face was notably red at the onslaught of pretty words used to undermine his sexual prowess, was just about to speak when Hera instead stood up. "Well this has been an… enlightening course, but I do believe its getting late. I think we'll turn in for the night. Good evening to you all."

When Zeus opened his mouth, the sharp, spiteful gaze of his wife made him rethink. "Yes," he answered through a clenched jaw. "Good evening."  

Aphrodite, not one to be a rude guest, offered her sweetest smile as she and the other patrons rose from their chairs to depart. "Goodnight."

Game. Set. Match. 

#zeus #aphrodite #Olympus #olympians #mount olympus #sins of gods #virginity #writing #original

[jokertrap-ran]

(未定事件簿) 莫弈 [剧情: 第1章] [Tears of Themis] Mo Yi Private Story Translations (Chapter 1-5)

*Tears of Themis Masterlist / Mo Yi’s Masterlist is under construction. *Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut *In which, Ran attempts Chinese… *(y/n) is your name when in direct referral; otherwise referred to as MC.

Location: Mall

Mo Yi: (Y/n). You're here.

I had just walked into the entrance of the mall when I caught sight of Mo Yi, standing on the stairs.

The sunlight refracted strangely on his silvery hair and his golden eyes were full of happy mirth, as intoxicating as champagne itself.

MC: Sorry to keep you waiting, Doctor Mo.

I had actively pursued the term PUA yesterday but came up pretty short, with a bucket full of questions. I had originally planned to give him a call, in a bid to have him explain the foreign term to me. However, I didn't expect him to be one step ahead of me, calling first.

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

MC: Doctor Mo? Did something happen for you to be calling me this early?

Mo Yi: I apologise for having disturbed you during your rest.

Mo Yi: I've subjected Lin Yunyun to Sand-play Therapy, proceeding your findings. There's been results.

Mo Yi: She has unconsciously selected a couple of tools which has a strong aggressive image whilst laying them out.

Mo Yi: However, her aggression is a form of self-protection. Her heart is one that's extremely fragile. Hence, she is doubting the value of her existence.

MC: ...She doubts her own existence? Is this why she turned to self-harming?

Mo Yi: That's right. Based on the results of this, we can say that Lin Yunyun has suffered mental abuse from that boyfriend of hers. And that she has lost the ability to save herself from her own person.

Mo Yi: She is like that of typical PUA victims. Most of their Sandboxes tend to turn out the same way.

MC: PUA stands for Pick-up Artists, right? I've researched about it, but I'm not entirely clear about what it entails...

Mo Yi: Some things are hard to explain in just a mere line or two. How about we meet up if you've got the time to spare?

MC: Sure. How does the mall sound? It's along the way for both of us.

Mo Yi: Alright. I'll get ready to leave immediately.

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

I thought that I'd be the one to arrive first since I lived closer to the place, but Mo Yi was already there before me.

Mo Yi: I've only just reached as well. I apologize; I couldn't really explain everything to you over the phone call this morning.

Perhaps the topic he was about to approach next was a grave one, for the gentle expression on his face darkened.

Mo Yi: Lin Yunyun's boyfriend utilized the typical techniques of PUAs. I thought they had already broken off with each other.

MC: I looked it up yesterday, but isn't PUA just a way for introverted boys to improve their emotional intelligence?

Mo Yi: At first, yes. Back when it was first founded.

Mo Yi: However, PUA started diverging from its original intention along the way as it developed; from a method of actively changing oneself to a means of satisfying one's selfish desires.

Mo Yi: Men who find themselves unpopular in real life use PUA to create different personalities for themselves. Emperors, Prodigal Sons, Poets...

Mo Yi: Equipped with a complete set of varying personalities, it is easy for one to build up a facade in the virtual world.

MC: Prodigal Sons and Poets are easy enough to understand on their own, but what exactly is an Emperor?

Mo Yi and I were walking alongside each other and I could occasionally feel the eyes of the passerbys on us.

He only smiled at my question.

Mo Yi: The Emperor persona in the harmful version of PUA is something that's different from the well-known concept that the public attributes it to.

Mo Yi: They look as if they're doing well for themselves on the outside. But after successfully netting a girl, they'll reveal that they didn't come from a good family background, and that they've always been looked down by others.

Mo Yi: A hardworking, motivated man who has suffered but yet succeeded in life. This image is one that simple girls will fall for with no problem at all.

MC: But it's not like girls are stupid either. Why would they fall for something so obviously fishy and flimsy?

Mo Yi: This might come as something rather sudden, but I wish to hear your thoughts on me, (y/n).

MC: Huh? My thoughts...? Someone with a successful career...a very good and talented Psychiatrist? I don't think any ordinary person can live up to what you have.

Mo Yi: I see...so that's what you think of me.

A lonely look suddenly appeared on his face.

Mo Yi: I'm not as great as you think I am. I am but a stupid bird that had flown the nest too early.

Mo Yi: No one really appreciated me in the past, but their attitudes all changed once I worked hard and got some achievements under my name.

Mo Yi: The title of being a genius has never belonged to one like me. I can only hope that there'll be someone who doesn't care about titles by my side. Someone who appreciates me from the bottom of their heart, supports me and sees me for who I am.

MC: ...Doctor Mo...I...I didn't know that you came from such a situation.

I didn't know how to react to his unexpected revelation.

MC: I cannot become the person by your side...but you'll always have my support; so you're definitely not alone.

After hearing my answer, Mo Yi's saddened expression of loneliness faded and morphed into that of a quiet smile.

Mo Yi: And you've just fallen for the trap of immoral PUA schematics.

MC: Huh!? Wait, you...you were just acting???

Mo Yi: That's right. People tend to feel a kind of compassion, wanting to help those in a disadvantaged position. This is especially so when a mature person shows their fragility in front of them.

Mo Yi: This immoral version of PUA takes advantage of this kind of mentality, using it as a way to score.

MC: ...And here I thought I definitely wouldn't fall for something like that.

Mo Yi: Now, if I were to carry on with this method that the immoral PUAs use, I'll continuously try to demean your self-confidence. And eventually, deny you of your own value and self-worth.

Mo Yi: And when you feel worthless before me, working so very hard to gain recognition...

Mo Yi: You'll become a complete puppet in the palm of my hand.

MC: A puppet in the palm of your hand...You mean, Lin Yunyun also fell for something like that; that's why she's slowly edging towards suicide?

Mo Yi: Yes.

MC: ......

The "Person" will lose their sense of self and forgo their own opinions; entrusting themselves to a fake person and would choose to sacrifice themselves on a single command. This wasn't love; this was voluntarily lowering oneself to a slave towards the other party.

Mo Yi: This twisted form of PUA causes devastation. It turns a girl, brimming full of life, into that of a puppet, or even a pet. One that satisfies their own selfish desires.

Mo Yi: It leaves them begging the other party for mercy under the facade of this so-called love.

He suddenly lowered his voice and bent down slightly. The couple of silvery, moonlight-like strands fell out of place as he bent down. Seeing them dangling before my eyes made me tempted to reach out and grab onto those scattered strands of moonlight.

Mo Yi: True love will bring hope and light into a person's life. It'll turn them into a much, much better person than before.

The distance between us was so close that I could catch a whiff of the scent that lingered on his clothes without even trying.

Mo Yi: You might meet the one that'll turn you into a better person at any point in your life, but you might not realize it at the time.

Raising my head, I could clearly see the looks of warmth and gentleness that resided within his eyes. And reflected in those depths, was me.

MC: ......

I patted myself on the cheek, trying to snap my slightly confused brain that had found itself momentarily attracted to Mo Yi out of it.

MC: What if the girl manages to see the man's true colours? We might be able to put a stop to it before it goes too far.

MC: Is there a way to deal with men who are PUA? I want to help Lin Yunyun get rid of him.

Mo Yi: Men who utilize the methods of immoral PUA are normally not satisfied with having just fulfilled a single goal.

Mo Yi: They're well-versed in hunting for targets. Especially young girls who've never fallen in love or those who've been emotionally hurt before.

MC: That's to say that I can chat him up and pretend to be interested in him?

Mo Yi: I am still unable to ascertain just how far Lin Yunyun's boyfriend has taken the PUA methods to. Thus, it'll be dangerous if you choose to take action now.

I couldn't help but to feel a little embarrassed at my insistence of wanting to take the initiative when I had just fallen for Mo Yi's invitation of immoral PUA not too long ago.

MC: ......

Just as I was thinking how to approach this mysterious boyfriend of Lin Yunyun's, Mo Yi suddenly spoke up.

Mo Yi: How about we act as a couple, (y/n)? That way, it'll be easier to lead the snake out of the hole.

Mo Yi: And I'll have a reason to stay by your side and watch the other party's every move, effectively preventing you from facing any danger whatsoever.

MC: P-Pretending to be a fake couple!?

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Previous Part: (Chapter 1-3) | Next Part: (Chapter 1-6)

#Tears of Themis #Mo Yi #Translations #Otome #未定事件簿 #莫弈 #Mo Yi Private Story #Tears of a Personal Psychiatrist

[hellzyeahwebwielingessays]

The Not-So-Amazing Mary Jane Part 17: MJ is LYING to Peter (when she knows she shouldn’t)

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One of the most egregious elements to AMJ is the incredible casualness in which the story treats MJ lying to Peter. In this post I will unpack just why this is seriously out of character.

Let’s be clear. Lying to your partner is in general just not a great thing to do, especially when you’ve only recently gotten back together. Lying to your partner about potential risks to your safety, other people’s safety and crimes that have been/are being committed, really, really not a great thing to do; and that’s when your partner’s job isn’t fighting crime.

Now in fairness MJ has lied to Peter about various things over the years. However these occasions (to my recollection anyway) have rarely included Mary Jane withholding information about out-and-out criminal activities from Peter. As I’ve exhaustively demonstrated, Mary Jane understands Peter’s ‘original sin’ and shares his sense of justice.

There were two notable exceptions though, the first occurring in ASM #286.

To fill the vacuum left by the departure of the Kingpin NYC’s mobsters engaged in a humungous gang war. The war involved various costumed types including Hammerhead, Jack Lantern, the Hobgoblin, Daredevil, the Falcon, the Punisher and of course Spider-Man.

Physically and mentally exhausted from putting out fires throughout the city (as well as his recent tussle with the Punisher), Peter returned to his apartment where Mary Jane helped him somewhat recover. As he slept Lance Bannon dropped by, intending to pass on a hot tip about a major gang meet that was to happen that night.

MJ took the message but out of concern for Peter deliberately chose to not tell him about the meeting.

The meeting turned violent causing a distraught MJ to finally tell Peter about it. She was horrified by the extreme violence and placed the blame squarely upon herself.

At the end of the story an even more exhausted Peter once again returned to his apartment. MJ admitted that whilst she was frightened for his safety she also acknowledged that his heroic acts were wonderful. However as Peter collapses on the coach MJ tries to point out to him one person who did in fact die in the incident, a young rookie cop.

This incident, being unique even amidst MJ’s unique life, would stick out in her memory.

It’s a huge lesson for MJ about the horrible consequences of lying to him about potential criminal activities. Noticeably in this situation MJ knew criminals were simply going to meet up and talk to one another, which isn’t (to my knowledge) actually a crime unto itself. And yet in AMJ #1 Mysterio and his crew collectively are actively  committing various crimes (evading the law, identity theft, fraud, etc.) but MJ still lies about them.

The other example where MJ lying had horrible consequences is admittedly much more contentious.  During Howard Mackie and John Byrne’s run on both ASM v2 and Peter Parker: Spider-Man v2 they initiated two subplots regarding Peter and MJ lying to one another. In Peter’s case he lied to Mary Jane about resuming his role as Spider-Man following his seemingly permanent retirement.

In MJ’s case she lied to Peter about a mysterious stalker who had begun making threatening phone calls to her. The stalker aggressively professed ownership of her and also threatened Peter. MJ presumed (for some reason?????) that the stalker was one of Peter’s enemies and thus kept him in the dark in order to protect him and maintain the normal life she believed they had. I admit this doesn’t make much sense but that’s a discussion for another time.

These lies (from both parties) majorly contributed to a creating a big schism in Peter and MJ’s marriage. They also, obviously, harmed MJ’s mental and emotional health through scaring and upsetting her, rendering her terrified of the phone.

MJ’s upset and horror at the situation escalated when her stalker went from threatening phone calls to invading her workplace to leave similarly threatening written messages.

This was very quickly followed by more violent acts like the stalker triggering explosions in the road where MJ’s limo was driving. It is implied several cars are totalled in the explosions, potentially injuring or killing innocent people and leaving MJ’s friend Jill Stacy scared and potentially mentally traumatised.

By this time Peter and MJ had independently learned they were deceiving one another. Peter rescued MJ from the stalker’s attack prompting the couple to briefly argue over their deceptions. It was clear that during this argument they held one another in poor favour for never fessing up, further damaging their marriage.

Not long after MJ’s stalker escalated things again, this time by causing various bombings near MJ’s home and around the city. He even publicly announced he was doing it to ‘have’ Mary Jane and that more attacks would follow. The situation became so serious that the authorities became involved and confirmed that there were innocent casualties resulting from the bombings.

The stalker was so extreme though he even attacked the police station MJ was being kept at for her safety, injuring yet more people and prompting MJ to flee for her life.

Unbeknownst to her, the stalker, posing as a cab driver, picked her up. MJ realized the truth when the stalker took her to the Bugle and locked the doors. Revealing another bomb counting down, he began to ramble about ‘proving his love’ to her and made moves to touch her. MJ escaped and yelled for civilians to clear the area. She escaped just in time as the cab exploded, seemingly killing the stalker.

Obviously such an experience would be upsetting enough, but it got worse because the stalker wasn’t actually dead!

When MJ boarded a plane the stalker (posing as a civilian) drugged her, took her off the plane, then faked her death by causing the plane to explode mid-flight and murdering everyone on board.

The stalker then held Mary Jane prisoner for six months. It was implied that in that time she was confined to a singular room. Even if that wasn’t strictly speaking the case it was confirmed that in all that time MJ was totally denied human contact, the stalker not even talking to her.

She was driven to such desperation that she practically begged her captor to just speak to her. When he did she exclaimed her thanks to him in spite of the situation.

After this the stalker revealed the details of his origin, motivations and plan (which aren’t really relevant right now). These details horrified MJ, none more so than the revelation that he killed everyone on her plane and that Peter was the stalker’s real target.

When Peter showed up the stalker used his psychic abilities to place MJ into a coma, one that would’ve been permanent had he not died shortly thereafter.

MJ barely survived and was seemingly intent upon restarting her normal life. However, she was left (temporarily) traumatised by the experience. She was frightened of phones when they rang and practically had a panic attack when the door to the attic wouldn’t easily open.

In part due to this trauma MJ opted to separate from Peter, eventually heading out to L.A.

In a much later story MJ would reflect that the time they were separated was one of the worst in her life.

The entire saga of the stalker…well actually it doesn’t make sense. 

For various reasons Peter and MJ simply would never have lied to one another in the first place. Even excusing this many of their actions within that context didn’t add up.

Nevertheless it provided the foundation that later (much better) Spider-Man stories built off of and nevertheless provides at least food for thought.

Those thoughts being how the experience clearly illustrated to MJ that she made a mistake in lying to Peter.

Innocent people, her friends, her family and her husband, were physically, mentally or emotionally harmed by her stalker and her 'death'. At the very least the passengers on her plane lost their lives, though other victims of the stalker’s bombings might also have died.

MJ herself suffered a shitton of harm and emerged from the events with outright PTSD.

ALL of this likely would’ve been avoided if Mary Jane had simply told Peter or the authorities about the phone calls earlier than she did.

Whilst Mysterio and his crew might not do anything as bad to her as the stalker, it’s all too possible that they could harm someone if remained unchecked. And lying to her romantic partner is a HUGE part of enabling them to remain unchecked!

Not to mention on the most basic of levels, lying to your romantic partner is 9/10 simply bad for any healthy romantic relationship. Indeed, the stalker saga illustrated that in it’s own clumsy way but its just common sense. Outside of exceptional circumstances couples should be honest with one another. Peter has to routinely lie as a matter of practicality and yet even he  knows that in general it’s something that should be avoided, as evidenced by ASM #310.

I’m not saying there aren’t times where withholding the truth is ultimately the best option for everyone involved but AMJ is obviously not one of those times. There is a huge difference between MJ deciding to not mention that she was briefly tempted to sleep with another man when nothing actually happened...

…verses not telling him the guy who faked his Aunt May’s death is walking free.

One avoids awkward or hurtful feelings in a romantic relationship. One potentially seriously endangers innocent people.

There is a counterargument to all this though. Couldn’t MJ be lying out of concern for Peter?

Answer: Definitely not. But that’s a topic big enough to justify it’s own instalment.

P.S. I am aware MJ has at times lied to Peter about other things. But my point is there is a huge difference between a little white lie or a lie that is intended to not rock their marital boat (e.g. not telling him about Jason Jerome) compared to potential life and death stuff like the above or AMJ #1.

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#Amazing Mary Jane #Leah Williams #Peter Parker #Spider-Man #mjwatsonedit #mary jane watson #Mary Jane Watson Parker #MJ Watson #Mysterio #Quentin Beck

[rwby-redux]

Deconstruction

Worldbuilding: Dust II

If Part 1 was the nuclear response, then Part 2 is death by a thousand paper cuts. Rather than focusing on just one massive problem with Dust, this time we’ll be discussing the smaller, albeit more numerous problems. Tempting as it is to keep our crosshairs on the obvious target, it’s important to remember that all of the subtle discrepancies—a throwaway line here, a contradiction there—eventually add up.

Today is all about what happens when those small problems get out of control.

Second verse, same as the first. Before we get started, I want to briefly revisit that list of traits so we’re all on the same page.

There are four basic types of Dust. They can be combined either naturally or artificially to produce new types that have their own specific characteristics.

Dust can be triggered by the Aura of humans and Faunus.

The default state of Dust is crystalline. The powdered form sold in shops is the result of processing and refinement.

The color of the Dust denotes what type it is.

Dust becomes functionally inert outside of Remnant’s atmosphere and no longer exhibits its inherent elemental properties.

Dust can be injected into the body in order for the wielder to use its effects more directly. Doing so requires a certain amount of discipline, and can be extremely painful without taking the necessary precautions.

Dust can be imbued into weapons like swords, or woven into clothes.

Dust can be used as a fuel source, to the end that Remnant’s technology is almost exclusively powered by it.

Semblances can interact with Dust in such a way that their skills are augmented, resulting in the temporary acquisition of new subskills or secondary characteristics.

Dust is volatile and prone to explode when subjected to certain stimuli.

Seeing as we’ve got a lot of ground to cover, I’m gonna keep my main talking points under neat little headings, so everything stays nice and organized.

Treating Dust as a Fossil Fuel Analog, and How It Relates to Technology

To say that Dust is a parallel for coal, natural gas, or petroleum is to miss the point entirely. Dust isn’t like these things—Dust is these things. For everyone who’s been watching the show since it first aired, this isn’t anything new. RWBY hasn’t exactly been subtle about establishing those comparisons. Dust is a natural resource that’s scarce, finite in quantity, found in underground deposits, reliant on minority labor in order to be mined, monopolized by a single supplier, and environmentally hazardous due to the extraction process.

A Dust drilling rig and refinement factory owned by the SDC. Excavating Dust resulted in anthropogenic pollution that destroyed Vacuo’s ecosystems, and depleted its natural resources. | Source: World of Remnant, Volume 4, Episode 4: “Vacuo.”

Like I said, it’s not exactly subtle.

The reason why I bring this up is because, to the best of my knowledge, the show has never concisely explained how Dust works as a fuel. When coal is burned, for example, it produces heat, and releases nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide into the air. Like, the coal doesn’t just stay coal when it’s being used up—as it’s being burned the coal is physically being reduced into the form of byproducts, like fly ash and slag. Similarly, when you operate a vehicle with gasoline, the fuel gets converted into exhaust gas by the 4-stroke engine. The compressed air-and-fuel mixture partakes in a combustion reaction when the spark plug ignites it. The byproducts of this process are carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water.

See where I’m going with this?

If Dust is a fuel source, then we need to understand what physical changes are taking place when it’s reacting/being consumed by various technology.

And the series…really, really doesn’t show us that.

Does the Dust get broken down when used? Is the elemental energy inside only released when the Dust is subjected to mechanical stress? Is that why Dust is sensitive to small amounts of energy and explodes when someone so much as sneezes at it? [1] Are all Dust types equally as volatile? Is there a threshold for the amount of energy Dust can be exposed to before it explodes?

Let’s assume, for the moment, that all of the aforementioned are true. Physically breaking a Dust crystal is analogous to burning a chunk of coal, in that mechanical stress is the catalyst for releasing its elemental energy. If we follow that thread of logic, then it means that Dust powder is the result of breaking down Dust crystals into finer particulate matter.

Keeping the analogy in mind, this means that Dust crystals are to coal what Dust powder is to fly ash. A byproduct. Leftovers from the initial fuel consumption process.

So why is powder Dust considered a “refined” form of fuel? How is a byproduct energetically more efficient than the initial source that it’s derived from?

If I had to hazard a guess, I’d argue that Dust as a fuel source is more like a combination between burning coal and splitting an atom. Maybe when Dust companies “refine” Dust, what they’re doing is preemptively grinding the Dust down into a powder, and then—what, flash-freezing it somehow in the middle of it releasing its energy during the breakdown process? And then the flash-frozen powder Dust is stored in some sort of canister, or cartridge, or battery that can indefinitely suspend Dust in its energy-release state until it’s ready to be used? That way the refined version (the powder) cuts out the step that requires a person to physically destroy the crystal in order to release its energy.

It’s not an unsound proposition, and with enough well-presented pseudoscience, I’m sure viewers would be willing to give it a pass. The problem is that the canon ostensibly refuses to tell us any of this. Having your fandom do your homework for you so you don’t have to explain your magical fuel isn’t good storytelling. And the more RWBY continues to withhold its lore—or worse, refuse to develop it entirely—the less credible the setting feels. There’s only so much an audience is willing to suspend its disbelief before pedants like me come along and start poking holes in it.

While we’re still on the topic, I want to quickly touch upon the second issue I have with Dust being Remnant’s de facto fuel source.

Although the show did its best to visually emphasize Remnant’s reliance on Dust, it wasn’t until World of Remnant, Volume 2, Episode 1: “Dust” that we got our first concrete evidence of just how extensively it was integrated into everyday life:

“Since its discovery, man has concocted a multitude of ways in which to harness these mysterious crystals. From airships to androids, Dust has made its way into practically every facet of technology. […] Dust ammunition serves as a more practical application in today's modern society. With the technological advancements in weapon design, warriors need merely choose the right cartridge for the job and pull the trigger.”

We don’t have to question the validity of this under the assumption that Salem is an unreliable narrator, because Qrow says more or less the same thing in later episodes.

“The cold climate of Solitas forced its settlers to adapt. It developed a more advanced technology—and they did it faster than the rest of the world—because they had to, to survive. But it was the Great War that really kicked things off. New forms of Dust application and weaponry allowed Mantle to expand. More and more territory was set aside for Dust mining and research. The territory beside the Kingdom's combat school, Alsius, was the most opportune area to construct a new R&D facility.” | Source: World of Remnant, Volume 4, Episode 3: “Atlas.”

While this conclusively established Dust as the predominant fuel source, there was still some lingering ambiguity of whether or not other sources of energy—petroleum, natural gas, coal, solar, wind, geothermal, hydro—were as developed, or whether they existed at all.

Our first tentative answer to this question came up during Rooster Teeth’s 2015 Extra Life livestream: [2]

Gray Haddock: Is all technology, including scrolls, everything in the world of Remnant powered by Dust? Is all technology Dust-based?

Kerry Shawcross: You’re making me commit to this right now?

Gray Haddock: No, no, no.

Kerry Shawcross: Okay.

Gray Haddock: Most? Some? A lot?

Kerry Shawcross: I would say that a lot is.

Gray Haddock: But there might be some alternate stuff out there. Maybe. Ish.

Kerry Shawcross: Yes. Unless I change my mind later.

Take a moment to let that sink in. At the time this aired, Volume 3 had already been written and animated, and the third episode had just been released on the website. This is one of RWBY’s lead writers admitting that they didn’t have a definitive answer, and the answer that he gave could be subjected to change later down the road. 

Words cannot begin to describe how insane that sounds. That’s like J. K. Rowling deciding after Prisoner of Azkaban, you know what, I’m tired of wizards using wands to cast spells. From now on, everyone’s going to use human femurs!

You can’t just change the show’s rules on a whim. A lack of consistency and adherence to worldbuilding kills any believability your story might’ve had. And more importantly, why didn’t you figure this shit out before the series first began?

Sorry. I’m getting sidetracked.

Instead, let’s look at how well the answer he gave held up. Did RWBY give us any evidence of other fuel sources existing apart from Dust?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Yes, but I have to qualify that statement, so bear with me for a moment.

The next time we’re given another direct answer, it comes to us from The World of RWBY: The Official Companion.

From Part 1: Origins of Remnant - Types of Dust:

“This technology doesn’t use our fuel,” explains Patrick Rodriguez. “Dust makes everything work. We take tech, put Dust into it, and go with that aesthetic. When I was creating cars for Volume 1, Monty told me to design the motor for how they’d work. I diagrammed a whole engine that ran on Dust, and we never even showed it!” [3]

And then again in Part 2: The Characters - Yang Xiao Long:

“There’s no gas [in Remnant], just Dust,” says art director Patrick Rodriguez, “and Yang’s motorcycle works using combustion Dust.” [4]

It looks like we have our answer at last. An answer that’s infuriating and rife with contradiction, but there it is, plain as day: not only is Dust Remnant’s sole fuel, but alternatives don’t exist. Period.

If that’s the case, then why did I say earlier that they did?

Because throughout the entire course of the series, from Volume 1 onward, the artists have included one very important thing: Plastic. Polyamides used in toothbrushes, polycarbonates used in eyeglasses, polystyrenes used in plastic cups—every one of these things exists in the show. And do you know what plastic is made from?

NATURAL GAS AND FUCKING CRUDE OIL.

So unless RWBY wants to introduce yet another fictional substance to the show, then it needs to reconcile with the fact that yes, oil and petroleum exist, and yes, they’re potential alternatives to Dust.

Look, if the show insists on having plastic products, but not have oil or gas be fuel sources, then there’s a very easy way to get around that. The show has already gone to lengths to establish the SDC as Remnant’s version of BP, right down to both companies using acronyms instead of their full names. Just like real-life oil tycoons, you could have the SDC use resources like lobbyists, lien, and government influence to stymie the alternative fuel industry. Like any morally-bankrupt monopoly, the SDC would be threatened by competitors in the energy sector, especially if those competitors were developing technology based on renewable resources, like solar or wind. In a world where a limited resource like Dust has a stranglehold on the kingdoms, Jacques Schnee would do his damndest to ensure those alternatives never saw the light of day.

See? Problem solved.

Treating Dust as a Gemstone Analog (and Some Other Minor Nitpicks)

Okay, this complaint isn’t as important in the grand scheme of things, but I have to ask: why are Dust crystals treated like gemstones? No, seriously. Look at how the gems on display in this shop

A display case full of various crystal Dust types in From Dust Till Dawn. | Source: Volume 1, Episode 1: “Ruby Rose.”

differ from the ones seen in unharvested deposits.

Large, jagged deposits of unmined Fire Dust embedded in the ceiling of a cave. | Source: Volume 7, Episode 3: “Ace Operatives.”

The Dust for sale was likely cut, as evidenced by the additional facets not present on the unmined deposits. Then again, if you look at the Gravity Dust found at Lake Matsu, Dust might actually belong to the hexagonal crystal system (with and without pyramidal terminations), so a few of those facets could be natural. Regardless, the implication seems to be that on some level, the Dust was treated post-production.

An unmined Gravity Dust deposit found on one of Lake Matsu’s floating islands. | Source: Volume 5, Episode 2: “Dread in the Air.”

Why I bring this up at all is because if Dust crystals are only going to get broken down while being used as a consumable fuel source, then why waste time cutting and polishing them? It doesn’t really make any sense.

While we’re on that subject, how the hell does a person cut a Dust crystal without blowing their fingers off? Seriously. This shit’s like azidoazide azide. You could fart at it from halfway across a room and it would still somehow find a way to explode.

Which also begs the question of how Hazel isn’t dead from repeatedly jabbing what is basically a stick of dynamite into his arms every time he goes berserk. At the very least, shouldn’t he be suffering from severe health complications? His Semblance nullifies pain, but there’s no way it can skirt around the ramifications of what would basically be acute chronic Dust poisoning.

Dust, and How It Relates to Aura

Like any hardcore fantasy enthusiast, I’m a sucker for floating islands. I don’t care if they’re overused and cliché. That is peak aesthetic, and nothing you say will ever convince me otherwise.

That being said…

Remember how the show repeatedly tells us that Dust can only be triggered by humans and Faunus? Meaning that its effects can only be activated in the presence of Aura?

If that’s the case, then how are any of Matsu’s islands floating? If Aura (or mechanical stress, I suppose) is a prerequisite for activating the elemental properties of Dust, then shouldn’t the islands all have fallen into the lake? It’s not like there are people hanging around out there to keep them passively airborne.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Remnant is some sort of genius loci à la Gaia hypothesis, and the planet generates its own Aura (which would explain why Dust becomes inert when leaving the atmosphere—it’s no longer within range of an Aura). But without more information to go on, we’re left scratching our heads at how this contradiction of nature can exist.

At the very least, consider this: If this ambiguity managed to generate a discussion in the fandom on what the hell is up with Lake Matsu, then shouldn’t that have also generated an in-world discussion between the characters? Fantasy setting or not, people are people, and we are an inherently curious bunch that love to ask questions about the unknown. Given that we had three volumes dedicated to the cast going to school, it always struck me as a weirdly wasted opportunity. An academic setting is the perfect place to script conversations like that, simply because it organically allows the story to teach the audience alongside its characters without everything feeling contrived.

But I digress. At the end of the day, this is far from my biggest grievance with Dust, but I felt it was still important enough to warrant being mentioned.

Cultural Aspects of Dust

There were a lot of ideas I wanted to talk about concerning Dust and its impact on culture—like if there was specific terminology for people who worked with Dust (like a Dust-cutter being called a “lapidary,” or “collier” being used as a slur for Faunus). Or if there were Dust-specific idioms or sayings. Or if there were superstitions and folk stories about Dust that still get passed along.

But we’re almost 3,000 words in and I want to try and keep things concise. For now, I’m choosing to focus on just one of those ideas instead, one which has always weirdly fascinated me: weaving Dust into clothing.

Fun fact: Did you know that in the 1700s, people used to wear clothing made with a green pigment that was derived from arsenic? Contact with the skin would give the wearer extreme chemical burns. Similarly, in the 1850s, aniline (a poisonous compound from the indigo plant) was used to create a dye that, when it was absorbed through the skin, would cause skin irritation, nausea, and dizziness. And well before we figured out that asbestos was carcinogenic, fibers made from it were often used for uniforms in professions that dealt with fire. Apparently, it’s really heat-resistant. And let’s not forget lead face paint, the skin-melting makeup that was all the rage in sixteenth-century Europe. [5]

The reason why I bring up all of these comically awful fashion trends is because, to reiterate, Dust is really explosive.

And people on Remnant used to just casually sew it into their clothes. Like, no big deal, I’m just going to wear my jacket with the custom Fire Dust sequins on the lapels and pray to god that no one bumps into me while I’m at the market. Maybe tomorrow night I’ll wear my hat with the Ice Dust embroidery to the banquet. I just hope I can avoid physical contact with another human being so my head doesn’t get encased in a block of ice.

Believe it or not, none of this is meant as a criticism, strictly speaking. On the contrary, I wish the show had taken the time to explore this neat little bit of lore, rather than consign it to a throwaway line. Because I think it would be fucking hilarious if Dust-woven clothing was the equivalent of radioactive and carcinogenic fashion trends. Not only would it enrich the history of Remnant and expand upon its worldbuilding (which it sorely needs), but it would be an organic way to explain to the audience one of the inherent dangers of unmanufactured Dust.

And just like that, we’ve finished covering Dust. Mostly, anyway. I have a few minor gripes, but nothing that can’t wait. Next time we’ll be discussing the topic near and dear to my heart, the thing I’ve been waiting for weeks to talk about: the Grimm.

-

[1] Volume 1, Episode 2: “The Shining Beacon - Part 1.”

[2] “Rooster Teeth's Extra Life Stream 2015 Hour 3-RWBY Crew & Matt/Jeremy Kiss.” YouTube video, uploaded by John Green. November 09, 2015. 51:44 - 52:09. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFCK-OwGoLA&t=51m44s]

[3] Wallace, Daniel. The World of RWBY: The Official Companion. VIZ Media LLC, 2019, page 36.

[4] Wallace, Daniel. The World of RWBY: The Official Companion. VIZ Media LLC, 2019, page 71.

[5] SciShow. “10 Dangerous Fashion Trends.” YouTube video. March 20, 2016. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhXeUQOuRaw]

#deconstruction #worldbuilding #writing #dust

[gossipgirldefined]

Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl’s Heart: Ch. 9-10

These chapters are about “inner purity” which amounts to how to control your thoughts. This is too far, man. There’s an important movement trying to eradicate the shame of purity teachings; meanwhile, these two are actively doubling down by encouraging and normalizing it. Kristen said in a live stream the other day, “it’s a lie of our culture that guilt is a bad thing. Guilt is actually a good thing,” and a similar statement about shame, as they continue to add to the list of things you need to be ashamed of. Thought policing is a recipe for extreme paranoia and unbearable self-hatred. I'm disgusted that there’s a subculture where they’re praised for spreading this abuse. 

Battling Temptation Their “Three Step Process of Temptation” is: 1. Listen, 2. Ponder, 3. Accept. That’s right, listening is a slippery slope to sin. They break it down this much to show how many opportunities you have to turn around before you sin. Eve was wrong for walking near the tree, for responding to the serpent's question, and for thinking about what he had to say. They quote Nancy Demoss saying, “Eve’s first mistake was not eating the fruit; her first mistake was listening to the serpent.” Well doesn’t that ruin your entire theology if Eve could make mistakes and indulge in tempting thoughts (showing that she had sinful nature) before that critical moment? You can’t evaluate whether something is right or wrong before you’ve listened, but they’re preparing girls to fear all new information. 

“[Temptation] starts slow. It gets us to think. To question. To reconsider what God might have said.”

Then there’s this obvious manipulation/self-fulfilling prophecy:

“Think about what happens after you indulge in lust. Does that action bring you life? Does it satisfy you long term? It can’t. It leaves you feeling broken, depressed, alone, guilty, ashamed, and wishing you had never given in.”

Their counter example to Eve is Joseph who literally ran from Pharaoh's wife seducing him, reiterating “run” over and over as how we should react in potentially compromising situations. 

The Secret Struggle Within Your Mind They quote their anguishing fans who have said things like, “Keeping my thoughts pure is the most challenging thing about pursuing purity,” and “the battle for purity in my mind and heart is constant.” So of course Bethany is here to confirm that yes, having a crush is very hazardous, but luckily there are plenty of strategies to think about God 24/7 so you don’t have time to fantasize:

Bethany evaluated every item in her room and threw out books, movies, music, clothes, and “anything that wasn’t aiding me in my fight for purity... Don’t leave anything that’s even a slight temptation. Get rid of everything and don’t look back.” This was as an adult, BTW.

She realized she was most tempted to fantasize in the evening, so she’d pray, write out Bible verses, and journal to block out the thoughts. 

Memorize Scripture and recite until hypnotized, basically.

Pray for others, because it gives you lots of material:

“Your mind can only do so much at one time. If you’re praying for other people, you won’t have room to focus on your fantasy.” 

They also give a biblical counseling theory of “the heart” which says the mind informs the affections which inform the will. It’s so oversimplified that it was surely created as another slippery slope warning about the dangers of thinking.

#i'm posting the whole thing w/o a cut bc i want y'all to read this #it keeps getting worse how tf #girl defined #sex purity and the longings of a girl's heart #sex purity and longings #purity culture #the purity movement #Christianity #religion #book review

[beneaththetangles]

Untangled: Christians Blogging about Yaoi and Yuri

Recently on Anime Pop Heart, we received the following anonymous question:

Why do you repost/blog about anime that are clearly homosexual in nature, such as Given? It could send the wrong message to people who do not know or are confused about whether homosexuality is a sin or not. I’m not trying to cause anything, but I just wanted you to be aware. Thank you! I really appreciate the wonderful posts y’all write!

Thanks, Anon! I appreciate the question, and it’s an important one—so much so, that I decided to address it here on Beneath the Tangles, which is a better platform for a long form comment. I also hope this can lead to some discussion—it was already taken up on Anime Pop Heart, where another Anon came in full force, inferring that posting about Given indicates an acceptance of sinful lifestyle. Let’s pull back for a second here, though, and take a wide-angle look.

Anime is an art form created almost exclusively by non-Christians, filled with material that doesn’t reflect a Christian view and often glorying in themes and ideas that scripture might condemn. We find, for instance, that Puella Magi Madoka Magica makes for a brilliant allegory of Christ’s sacrifice, but it also exists in a world without the Christian God with a story that is more properly aligned to Buddhism than Christianity. A refusal to acknowledge God, and even put characters in the place of God, seems a weightier issue than a show espousing same-sex relationships. Yet, Madoka has become a “classic” among Christian audiences.

Whether with thought and critical thinking or not, Christian otaku have already accepted that these series are made outside of their faith’s scope and often contradict or are otherwise at odds with a Christian worldview. So, should you trash all your anime DVDs and cancel your Crunchyroll subscription? I would recommend you stay your hand and keep those Evangelion DVDs from the trash can, and instead spend some time considering media in general. I think we all understand that western media, even steeped in a culture where Christianity is the main religion, often challenges the faith more frequently and purposely than eastern media does. I’ve also made the argument that even “Christian programming” is off the mark, often lacking the creativity that should be associated with our God and filled with imperfections since they are made by sinners like you and me. There is no perfect, holy programming.

That doesn’t mean we need to be all in or all out—sometimes we need to draw a line. A typical Christian response may be to say no to yuri and yaoi anime, just as it would say no to hentai. But what of very violent shows? What of ecchi series? 

We recently asked about the latter on Facebook:

63% of respondents believe that ecchi anime are generally or never a compromise to their faith. Think about this for a minute—shows which glorify sex and are full of fanservice meant to elicit lust don’t cause one to sin, but a yaoi series that may contain none of those elements does? I think that some of what I see as a dichotomy here can be explained by the personal lines we each draw when it comes to what we consume. For instance, series that are overly dark and contain gore are no-no’s for me, because they affect me personally and tempt me to sin far more than ecchi series, even though I generally stay away from those as well. However, others may not be affected by either splatter anime or highly sexualized ones. When it comes to yaoi, a series may tempt you to sin, in which case Christ tells us to take extreme measure. But if it does not, you may be missing something special by just skipping out on shows because they’re classified as yaoi and yuri.

I watch anime not just for entertainment, but because I love the ability for these stories to reveal something about humanity, the world, and ultimately, God. No, Trigun isn’t about worshiping Yahweh, but the grace of God has been reemphasized to me over and over by Vash’s actions. And no, Daikichi and Rin don’t ever attend church, but their relationship (at least in the Usagi Drop anime) serves as a modern day parable illustrating God’s adoption of us into his family. And while I haven’t personally watched Given, I’ve heard that it has a lot of goodness to show us as well, as long as we have eyes to see and as long as other elements in the series don’t draw us away from Christ.

Hourou Musuko is a show featuring transgender, homosexual, and even Christian characters—and it is wonderful.

And that returns us to the idea that each of us needs to be very aware of what our “lines” are when it comes to entertainment—movies, books, and anime. What doesn’t harm one may harm another. The original Anon inferred this as well when she says we might be sending the “wrong message.” This is an important point, and one again stressed in scripture about what our responsibility is to our brothers and sisters:

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. (full passage)

Going by this verse, I could easily make a justification to avoid any yaoi or yuri series. I’ve explained already that such series don’t necessarily lead to sin, so my conscience is clean in having freedom to try such shows. But others may stumble just by knowing that we don’t necessarily shy away from them. This could lead some to make the assessment that yaoi is okay and the jump to homosexuality isn’t a sin.

However, I trust our readers and followers are more critical in their assessments than that, that they don’t take our views so blindly and instead are careful in how they approach their faith and how they weigh what the world says (including what we say) against what God tells us through scripture. And even if not, we here at Beneath the Tangles simply cannot write for all audiences. Yaoi would be inappropriate, in my view, to introduce to elementary-aged students in a Christian household—they’re not ready to make such decisions. But I’m not writing for those kids, even though some of them will read our blog. I’m writing to those at a certain level of maturity, give or take, and trusting you to let the Holy Spirit convict, guide, and lead you to grow. If yuri series aren’t for you, if they cause you to sin, if you just believe they’re abhorrent to God, then exhort you to avoid any blog posts we have about such shows (which, to be fair, are rare or non-existent any way); and if you can partake of those series without sinning and want to draw in content that helps you grow in your faith, then read our posts. Make the decision, and allow us to function as a resource than can help you with your faith.

Ultimately, that’s what we’re here for you—to help Christians grow in their faith through use of anime, and to lead non-Christians to Christ through the same. And I believe it’s a testimony to God’s power than even in this crazy day and age, even through a weird art form created in a land that persecuted Christians to near extinction in their country, even in shows emphasizing themes and ideas contrary to scripture, God can and will work.

-----

Note: All this said, we remain careful in choosing which series we “recommend,” as opposed to watch we simply write about. We’ll make best use of our judgment and prayerfully when it comes to challenging topics. Also, our staff has varying views and will not all agree with my on this assessment—we agree, rather, on our mission, vision, and values, and on several statements of faith that are a requirement to join the team.

#Anime #Christianity #Yaoi #Yuri #Articles #Author: TWWK

[iamjjmmma]

Down the Rabbit Hole: Jack Chick

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Islam&ShowCount=12 (NOTE: THIS IS NOT AFFILIATED IN ANY WAY TO “DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE” BY FREDERICK KNUDSEN. I ALSO DON’T HAVE ANY COOL HURDY GURDY MUSIC FOR MY INTRO.

 I AM NOT MEANING TO SAY THAT I HAVE A PERSECUTION COMPLEX (I AM CATHOLIC). BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE SOUTH IN A PRETTY RURAL AREA, I’VE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF PREJUDICE BECAUSE OF THE PROTESTANTS AROUND ME. FOR MEDICAL AND VERY PERSONAL REASONS, I’M NOT PLANNING TO LEAVE, ALTHOUGH THE PROSPECT OF GOING TO MARYLAND IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS OR SO SOUNDS VERY TEMPTING.

 I WANTED TO FIND AN EXPLANATION FOR WHAT I’D BEEN FACING SINCE I WAS A CHILDHOOD, AND I FOUND THIS MAN: JACK CHICK. 

IF YOU WANT TO GO DOWN THE HELLHOLE OF THE TRACTS HE WRITE, WHICH WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE REST OF MY RESEARCH, HERE YOU GO. 

https://www.chick.com/products/tract?stk=16&ue=d

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Catholicism&ShowCount=12  THIS IS THE MAIN ONE, CHECK THIS OUT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO CHECK OUT ANY OF THE OTHERS!

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Communism&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Ecumenism&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Evolution&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=False+Religions&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/tract?stk=1075&ue=d

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Halloween&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/tract?stk=70&ue=d

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Homosexuality&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Islam&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Jehovahs+Witness&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Masonry&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/tract?stk=61&ue=d

https://www.chick.com/products/category?type=tracts#&&Language=English&Status=All&SortBy=A-Z&PageNumber=1&Category=Occult&ShowCount=12

https://www.chick.com/products/tract?stk=1078&ue=d

https://www.chick.com/products/tract?stk=52&ue=d (this one’s especially sickening)

NEEDLESS TO SAY, A LOT OF PROTESTANTS ARE GREAT PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST AS SHOCKED AS I AM THAT THIS WOULD EVER HAPPEN. I’VE MET SOME OF THOSE PROTESTANTS, AND A LITTLE UNDER HALF MY FRIENDS ARE PROTESTANT.

I AM NOT MEANING TO VICTIMIZE CATHOLICS OR TO MAKE PROTESTANTS LOOK EVIL. I AM ONLY TRYING TO MAKE A RESEARCH-FILLED INVESTIGATION INTO A MAN WHO’S INDIRECTLY HAD A LOT OF INFLUENCE IN MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MILLIONS. IF I DO SO, I AM SORRY.

WITHOUT FURHTER ADO, LET’S BEGIN.)

Down the Rabbit Hole: Jack Chick

Starting in 1971, a devastating icon began to appear all across America. Although it was only a comic, it served to solidify traditional fundamentalist beliefs.and contributing to much of the cultural sentiments that some Christians, especially those living in the South, tend to hold now. 

Jack Chick, the author of these comics, produce them with a wide variety of topics, ranging from gentle retellings of Bible stories for children to blatantly Catholiphobic, Islamophobic, and homophobic propaganda derived mostly from suspicion and Bible verses taken largely out of context.

By the time he died at the age of 92 in 2016, he had sold 400 million comics, and by now, his company has distributed over 1 billion of these all across the United States. It has spawned an entire style of pamphlet writing, as well has spawned a number of viral Youtube readings of his pamphlets, often with a sickening number if likes. This is the story of the most prolific American theologian author we have seen so far.

This is the story of Jack Chick.

Chapter 1: Chick’s Pre-Comic Days

Jack Chick was born on April 13, 1924, in a neighborhood called Boyle Heights in Los Angeles. Surprisingly, he was not born or raised in any faith. 

Yet despite his lack of religion in childhood, his family was largely traditional, living in a typical suburban house. His mother and father were devoted to each other, and his father was known to others as a tirelessly hard worker.

However, any psychological harms Chick may have contracted may have began here. His mother and father were distant from him, preferring to pay attention to his younger sister, Doris. Chick often reported to his coworkers that while his dad only spoke to him about work and hobbies, his mother rarely spoke to him at all. This could start Chick’s hatred for everyone around him and everyone who didn’t share his beliefs. 

He very quickly developed an ability to draw, spending most of his time making comics of his own by the time he was in school. He quickly became relentlessly interested in the craft, having to repeat first grade because of the time he spent drawing airplanes in class instead of paying attention. 

When he was 18, he decided to enter into World War II in 1942. He spent the next three years in the Army, where he was no doubt subjected to the polarization of war, which may have contributed even further to his psychological mentality of “us vs. them.” Until 1945, he spent his days fighting in a single division, staying in countries such as New Guinea, Australia, the Philippines, and Japan. He applied to another division once, but was rejected. However, that seemed to be a lucky stroke on his part, as every single member of the division he wanted to join was killed, whereas he never so much as saw one person fire a gun at another person. 

He was finally dispatched on January 28, 1946.

On March 22, 1948, Chick married Lois Lynn Priddle, where he started 50-year long marriage as devoted as his parents’. That night, a radio program on his honeymoon would change the course of his life forever. 

Priddle’s mother insisted that he listen with her to a program called Charles E. Fuller’s Old-Fashioned Revival. In this program, he discovered Christianity and became converted to evangelicalism. He would never deviate from this path. 

Shortly afterwards, Chick decided to use his artistic talent professionally. Putting off having children because of a slim salary, he worked from 1953 to 1960 advertising for Aerojet-Global Corporation, which created rocket engines and assisted in the Space Race. It was here that his hatred, along with America’s collective hatred, of communism began to skyrocket. 

In 1961, Chick’s professional and psychological agenda began to change even further. While having a work break one day, he began reading a book called “Power from on High”, which solidified his suspicions that hypocrisy was destroying the evangelical church. A new resolution began to develop in him to convert others and, for the first time, he had the idea to unite his extreme ideas and his artistic talent. 

Chapter 2: The Early Days

It started as a hobby with a few sketches, which started off as corny, yet gentle by modern standards. He ended up making a book of his own called “Why No Revival?”, which critiqued the church. For 800 dollars that he borrowed from the credit union, he published it.

Later, after being moved to tears after being under the suspicion that teenagers who were performing rebellious acts on the road he was driving down were condemning themselves to Hell, he produced a second tract called “A Demon’s Nightmare.”

He brought both of his comics to his boss named George Otis, a fellow Christian, asking him to help him publish it. Before “Why No Revival?” was read by Otis, Otis’ secretary read it and called Chick into his office, telling him that he was a “man of God” and that he was more than happy to fund his project. In addition, he went to meetings hosted by the Christian Businessmens’ Connection, asking its members for help and often getting it.

However, after this success, Chick’s next move was both disturbing and hypocritical compared to what he had done before. Bob Hammond, the broadcaster for The Voice of China and Asia, a missionary organization devoted to spreading Christianity in that area, called Chick and told him that millions of people in China had been brought to Communism through short pamphlets. While Hammond told Chick this as a distress call of sorts, Chick got the idea to create short pamphlets of his own to win people to Christianity. By doing so, he used the tactic used by the same people he’d hated for decades and that he would continue to hate until the end of his life.

Chapter 3: The Fire Spreads

After this realization, Chick released his most infamous track entitled, “This Is Your Life!”. In the comic, a man dies, is taken to Heaven, realizes all of his actions had been broadcasted and replayed to him, and watches in horror as God, as the form of a faceless, mannequin-looking figure on a throne, condemns him to Hell. For a test audience, Chick went to his local jail and distributed the pamphlet to eleven non-Christian inmates, upon which nine inmates reportedly converted to Christianity. Bolstered by this successful test, he published it, and it very quickly became popular. To this day, it is still Chick’s most popular track, and it has been translated to over 100 languages so far and has spawned dozens of parodies, including one on Youtube published shortly after Chick’s death featuring him being faced by God at the end of his own life and then being sent to Hell after God exposes his Catholiphobic, homophobic, Islamophobic, and racist tracts. 

After “This Was Your Life”, Chick received the income necessary to support his family and to make his comic-drawing a full-time career. He would continue this career until 2016, creating over 200 tracts in his lifetime. Despite his overwhelming success, Chick still faced some justifiable backlash after bookstores realized the intolerant and sometimes violent nature of his comics. Still, other bookstores were even more traditional than Chick was, thinking of expressing fundamentalist Christian ideas in comic form as “sacreligious”. 

As the years went by, an important factor in the development of the Southern United States, and fundamentalism as a whole, began with the next generation. Children, starting with Baby Boomers, were growing up reading Chick Tracts in their homes, in schools, in public places, and were solidified with these ideas. In fact, there are numerous testimonies online of childhoods littered with Chick Tracts. One woman from California named Amy remembers holding Chick Tracts and attempting to read them before she was old enough to read, and then reading them as soon as she learned how to. Starting in junior high, she would start distributing these tracts to her friends and all around the school. Another man named Don discovered his first Chick Tract in seventh grade, and now, in his thirties, he still continues to distribute Chick Tracts. Furthermore, a parent named Tawni reads Chick Tracts to her seven-year-old son Steven in lieu of bedtime stories each night. While Bible stories were being spread, intolerant ideas were also spread.

However, his comics did have some merit. They were praised for presenting complex ideas in a simple format anyone could understand, and inspired other cartoonists to draw in the same format. 

Chapter 4: Chick’s Death and the Information Overload

Surprisingly, Chick wasn’t met with much backlash until after his death in October 23, 2016, when he died at the age of 92 in his sleep. Until now, Chick’s tracts hadn’t been met with much curiosity other than theologically, and while Chick had faced backlash since 1989, most of it was from non-Christians. However, interest in Chick piqued after his death, where some Christians started to critique his work. Catholic Answers voiced in that Chick was “savagely anti-Catholic”. After his death, heaps of information began to leak to the public, whether they were given by Chick Publications or discovered via the readers.

Some of this information told of a priest named Alberto Rivera, a notorious anti-Catholic from Spain. Claiming to be a Jesuit priest before suddenly becoming a fundamentalist Protestant, he was one of Chick’s confidants and created dozens of conspiracy theories about the Vatican and the Catholic Church in general. These ideas took ahold of Chick. Much of Chick’s tracts revealed the nature of Rivera’s conspiracy theories, which were mostly single Bible verses taken out of context, which is a widely-used tactic for reinforcing or degrading a stance on an issue. When Rivera was a child, he was taken into a seminary at the age of seven after his mother died, Rivera claiming that his mother saw “ugly creatures” just before her death, her last words expressing fear of a “Christless future” for herself. He claimed to have been brought up as a Catholic apologetic and claimed to have been sent out to destroy various Protestant churches. With all his claims, however, there was one fact that was certain: in 1965 in an ecumenical council in Guatemala, he denounced the Catholic Church in front of an audience of 50,000 people.

After this denunciation, the claims started again, beginning with that he was shortly sent to a “top-secret” psychiatric hospital that attempted to brainwash him into becoming Catholic again, claiming to be tortured until he nearly died. While he claims to have been put into an iron lung because of the abuse he claimed to have suffered, he shows no signs of damage now, and when Chick asked why, Rivera replied that Jesus miraculously healed him. At the end of it all, he claimed that a fellow Jesuit freed him and gave him a passport so that he could flee from Spain and emigrate to England. While in England, he claimed to have save his sister Maria from a convent where she was dying for an unspecified reason, and he claimed that both of them fled to the United States, moving to El Paso, Texas. However, further research into his life by magazine Cornerstone paints a very different picture of his life.

According to Cornerstone, Rivera had a long history of “legal financial entanglements”, including not paying off his credit card loans, fraud, credit card theft, and writing multiple bad checks, leading him to be wanted by the Spanish police force. This, according to Cornerstone, was the reason he fled into the United States. While Cornerstone discovered that Rivera’d had two arrest attempts, one in New Jersey and one in Florida, Rivera, in a 1967 investigation, claimed that no such thing happened. While he claimed that the only financially extraordinary thing he’d done was send money to a colleague back in Spain, the colleague reported that he’d never received any money, nor knew of any plans for Rivera to send him any. 

During this time, Cornerstone also observed some contradictions in his religious claims. In its investigation, they found that in 1964, he claimed he left the Catholic Church in 1952, while later, he claimed he left in 1967. Furthermore, while he said that he was taken to the top-secret hospital in 1965 and was held there for three months, he claimed his colleague had released him in 1967. They also observed that despite his strongly anti-Catholic beliefs, he was supporting a Spanish Catholic magazine. 

Cornerstone’s most prominent discovery, however, was discovering Rivera’s papers claiming he was a Jesuit priest, which turned out to be fraudulent. They also discovered that Maria never lived in a convent.

Cornerstone also discovered that Rivera claimed he had three degrees: a doctorate in theology, a doctorate in medicine, and a doctorate in psychology, all of which also claimed to be untrue, as no such proof was found. In addition, from the time Rivera entered into college until the time he fled to the United States, Cornerstone calculated that it would have been impossible to have enough time for him to attain all three degrees. 

For years, Rivera claimed that he had a wife, which he met in Costa Rica. While Cornerstone’s investigations found that Rivera was in a relationship with a woman from that country in the 1950’s, they were never legally married. 

In the investigation, the woman’s name was found: Carmen Lydia Torres. Carmen and Rivera had a child together named Juan in 1967-1968, whom Rivera never mentioned, who sadly died when he was only a year old. On an even more tragic note, one of Rivera’s colleagues in the United States, Reverend Edson Lewis, stated that Rivera abused both Carmen and Juan, which may have led to Juan’s early death. However, Carmen and Rivera had another child, also named Alberto. Cornerstone stated that the whereabouts of where Alberto was at the time of the investigation were “difficult to determine”, but a welfare manager in Tennessee did come forward and say that Alberto was placed in a foster home, leading evidence that he was abused along with Carmen and Juan. 

Cornerstone found that Juan and Alberto were born at the same time that Rivera claimed to be a celibate Jesuit priest in Spain. 

Carmen and Rivera had one more child, named Luis. Reverend Abrego, Rivera’s former friend and roomate while Rivera was living in Spain, said that he was in touch with Luis and found that Luis was also mistreated. Luis’ fate is unknown, but when the couple moved from Florida to Seattle, Luis wasn’t with them, indicating that he may have been taken in by Reverend Abrego, taken to a foster home like his brother, abandoned, or even murdered.

In 1977 in the investigation, Rivera divorced Carmen and married Nury Frias, a woman from the Dominican Republic. 

In 1987, Cornerstone presented this entire investigation to Jack Chick, who then defended Rivera by claiming he was “the most godly person he knew” and that he knew Rivera’s story was true because “he prayed about it”. Furthermore, Chick said he expected to be murdered by Jesuits, only to die 30 years later in his sleep. 

Cornerstone then presented the investigation to Rivera himself, whose only comment was his “only wrongdoings before 1967 were made because the Jesuits forced me to do them, and any wrongdoings after were lies told by the Jesuits.” 

To conclude this presentation, Cornerstone said in its investigation that “because of Chick, sadly, many Protestants still hold the same view of Catholics that whites held of blacks in the early 20th century.”

Chapter 5: Chick’s Impression on the American South

Chick’s influence didn’t stop when he died, and a large amount of influence can be seen today. While fundamentalist ideas actually began in the 20th century, Chick’s comics solidified fundamentalist ideas. Because of the isolated, rural nature of many places in the American South, the ideas that circulated there stayed there, and any opposition or attempts of change were either ridiculed or never reached these places at all.

One of the prime examples of Chick’s effect on not only the American South, but of the entire country is a video on Youtube entitled “Catholic Man Dies and Finds Out by Jesus Christ that Catholicism Leads Straight to Hell for All Eternity”, featuring one of Chick’s tracts, has reached 1,250,251 views and a like-to-dislike ratio of 3.33:1, making it 5,800 dislikes and 18,000 likes. The comments section, which has 3,693 comments so far, has the top comments revealing people who affirmed the tract.

One article published by the Smithsonian states that Jack Chick was “the outspoken crusader of fundamentalist Christianity.” Another article, published by the Daily Beast, states that Jack Chick was “the Doctor Seuss of hate lit.” 

To conclude this presentation, Cornerstone said in its investigation that “because of Chick, sadly, many Protestants still hold the same view of Catholics that whites held of blacks in the early 20th century.”

Sources:

https://www.chick.com/battle-cry/article?id=dr-rivera%60s-15-year-old-claims-verified-by-current-events

https://www.chick.com/information/article?id=answer-to-critics-of-alberto-rivera-by-houston

https://spirituallysmart.com/alberto.html

“The Alberto Story,” Cornerstone, vol. 9, no. 53, 1981, pp. 29-31.

http://www.whosoever.org/v6i4/bear.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yptbDYKmFc

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/five-things-know-about-jack-chick-evangelical-cartoonist-180960917/

https://www.thedailybeast.com/evangelical-cartoonist-jack-chick-was-the-dr-seuss-of-hate-lit

#christianity #jack chick #catholicism

[rakuyokoyo]

Romance Dawn Notes: Chapter 13 - Love & Prayer

You can read Romance Dawn I: Bearer of the Silver Flames, Chapter 13 - Love & Prayer here.

—

Where do I even begin with this chapter?

I guess I should start by saying that I was tempted to omit an author’s note altogether (even on Tumblr) to just let the mood sink in. But then I thought that some of you might wander here to find an explanation, so I’m writing this just in case.

To be clear, I’m not fully removing A/N’s on published chapters. It’ll be more or less like Chapter 12, where there’s a short note in the beginning/end, with Tumblr only meant to give a lengthier explanation for those who want more details. I just didn’t want to ruin the mood for Chapter 13.

I actually had to write several drafts for this note alone because it was so emotionally exhausting to write about Amare, and to make sure that I wasn’t spoiling anything major.

God, I miss her already.

There are actually two notes for this chapter. This is just explaining and clearing up what happened (which I don’t usually need to do, but this one’s an exception), and the next one will just be me, ranting about the usual.

—

So, Love & Prayer.

If you haven’t seen Amare’s death being foreshadowed from miles away, I don’t even know what to tell you. It’s probably not the way that you expected her to die, but I’ve built this up from the very start. I don’t normally spoil my own stories by leaving such obvious clues, but I did it for Amare because I really wanted everyone to know that she’s not a character who’s meant to be here for long.

Unfortunately, I can’t say much about who she is or what her intentions were because that will spoil everything, but I’ll talk a bit about how I created her in the second Romance Dawn Notes if anyone’s curious.

—

A quick recap of the chapter, in case you missed anything:

Falco wonders who Amare is, and I think we all have the same question as her. She’s definitely strange (even for me), but she has a weird attachment to Ace and Falco, from the day that the latter joined the crew.

I do apologize if the rescue mission wasn’t as good or as exciting as you expected it to be, especially to those who have been waiting since 2017 (or maybe even earlier). I’m not sure who came first between Carlos and Amare, but she was always destined to die during the rescue.

If the mission was confusing, it was basically supposed to be an infiltration (not a fight). Because Carlos is a relatively new member who became a vice-commander quite quickly, he doesn’t have a tattoo yet. If the Marines knew that he was part of the crew, that’d be grounds for execution (like what happens to Ace). Based on Jozu and Moire’s information, Ace betted that the Marines didn’t know Carlos was actually part of the crew and opted to just sneak in and fight their way out.

Unfortunately, we see that the Marines were several steps ahead. Despite being unknown pirates, the base executed five out of the six from Carlos’ platoon, using torture to extort information and finding out that they were indeed part of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Akainu then sets up a trap not just to defeat the Whitebeard Pirates, but to essentially cage Falco. Instead of heading to Enies Lobby or Marineford to launch a large-scaled battle, he betted that several important figures from the Whitebeard Pirates would come to Base 113, and they would be able to surround them there, where they’d obviously have the upper hand. They waited for the day that the Whitebeard Pirates would come, noticed Jozu and Moire’s infiltration, made it look like the base wasn’t well-guarded (so that the two wouldn’t get suspicious), then made sure that Carlos was kept in a jail with only one exit in order to trap the rescue team.

But Carlos knows this which is why he dreaded seeing Falco’s group and yelled at her to leave. Ace’s plan would’ve worked if it wasn’t for the fact that Akainu was literally ten steps ahead.

Basically, everyone underestimated how cruel the Marines could be.

Ace trusted that Carlos’ platoon would not get tortured or killed because there’s no evidence showing that they’re part of the Whitebeard Pirates. Think about it—why would they go out of their way to execute a small group of (seemingly) rookie pirates?

But what he didn’t consider was the fact that Base 113 is under Akainu’s jurisdiction, and Akainu’s sense of Absolute Justice is to execute the unlawful as fast as possible. By torturing the five, the Marines eventually learn that they’re part of the Whitebeard Pirates, and the trap was set.

—

The infiltration itself isn’t anything interesting. Both pairs run into a young petty officer, who’s actually a spy to check how many pirates are present. I did this because I realized that there are probably no CCTV cameras in the One Piece world, so they’d have no idea as to who’s infiltrated unless someone could check. He reports his findings to the higher-up, and Amare is the first to realize that this is actually a trap once she sees the six battleships head their way.

As for the skirmish, I had to incapacitate Ace/Thatch/Carlos to make sure that they couldn’t fight. Marco and Falco got plot armour, sure, but give me a break QAQ they have to get out somehow, right?

And then shit really hits the fan once Amare shows up.

After realizing that this was all a trap, she makes her way to the viewing room to help the platoon escape. The room is small and cramped so the Marines can’t freely shoot, and she takes the opportunity to open the gates.

Doing this is obviously extremely risky. She knew she would die by doing this, but her love for Ace and Falco didn’t even make her hesitate.

In the moment of chaos, Amare is fatally shot.

I wasn’t sure how graphic I wanted her death to be considering she’s very young, but I didn’t want how she died to be what’s important. The action moves very, very quickly starting from when she gets shot to the end of the chapter, so it won’t be easy to take in and remember every detail. There were only two things I wanted to make sure I could portray:

1. Amare has died for sure (none of this ‘a Marine took her and helped her recover’ bullshit). 2. How much she loved Ace and Falco until the bitter end.

To be honest, there was a brief moment when I considered keeping Amare alive (without Ace and Falco’s knowledge), but that’s such a cop-out and I hate it when that happens in other books or shows. But at the same time, I didn’t want her death to simply be a plot device to make readers sad. Her death is something much more symbolic for Romance Dawn. You can say that this chapter is the ‘true’ beginning of the story.

The last thing Amare sees is Falco’s outstretched hand as Marco sacks her over his shoulder and runs to escape. He makes this decision because he knows that if they don’t get out, her death would have been for naught. 

In her last breaths, she thinks of the two vice-commanders who were her roommates, friends, siblings, and parents. A verse from an old lullaby flashes through her mind:

I pray that our love will never waver Even as I fly towards the dark I won’t know what lies ahead But even now, you are my light.

—

The final section is an absolute disaster, so let me try to organize it.

Falco hears four main things: all these voices from both the outside world and her memories, a flatline, some awful screaming, and something that continuously gets shattered. She’s trying to figure out where they’re coming from, but it’s extremely disorienting and she’s in a lot of pain.

The flatline isn’t the sound of Amare’s death, but rather her own heart stopping from being broken.

The awful screaming is coming from her (which she initially doesn’t realize).

The shattering noise is weird because to the readers, it’s supposed to symbolize Amare’s death (as it was foreshadowed last chapter and the start of this one), but Falco believes that it’s her heart. Once she wakes up though, she thinks it’s actually Ace’s after seeing how utterly broken the man is.

The reason why Falco was in this semi-comatose state where she couldn’t wake up was because she let her Devil Fruit ability loose from the shock of Amare dying. Previously, it was just her wings and a few scales that made her look like a dragon. Now she has fangs, larger wings, and hands/legs with talons. That’s why her teeth (and body) were hurting so much.

How they actually escaped will come up next chapter, as well as the series of events that led to her going berserk.

For Falco and Amare who loved the stars, the sky is cloudy by the time they head home. The Marines don’t pursue them further.

—

Writing this note was honestly so emotionally draining. I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved Amare. It’s weird because from the many, many OC’s I’ve created, the most minor little girl that I created solely to die was the one I ended up loving the most.

Her death won’t be in vain though.

Thank you so much for reading the chapter and the note. Thanks for loving the story and most of all, for giving so much attention to Amare. She would’ve relished in the attention, I’m sure.

I will likely be returning in January with a new chapter! Going to spend some time with TBE, fixing inconsistencies in Romance Dawn, sketching, hanging out with family, and travel a bit.

B U T, I did say you guys can request prompts if you want to! There’s a lot of slice-of-life stuff with Ace/Falco/Amare that I didn’t get to show, so if there’s a specific scenario you’d like for me to write, just send it in my ask box and I’ll do it! You guys will probably come up with things better than me anyways. :D

-Koyo

#rd #rdnotes #ace #portgas d. ace #falco #falco d. mihawk #ace x oc #acexoc #fanfic #original character #one piece #pirates #chapter 13 #whitebeard

[tapewormking]

tagged: I stole it from @ofimaginarybeings​ on my dash tagging: @hcldmybreath​ @envencm​ @telegion​ @theprofesscr​ @notthescarsyoucansee​ @themerrymutants​

WEALTH

$  FINANCIAL : wealthy / moderate / poor / in poverty ✚  MEDICAL : fit / moderate / sickly / disabled / disadvantaged / non applicable ✪  CLASS OR CASTE : upper / middle / working / street trash / slave / unsure ✔  EDUCATION : qualified / unqualified / studying / other Amahl was taught the basics at a maktab, but his education fell apart circa WWI; once he got control of his powers, he read widely and on a variety of subjects, particularly philosophy, poetry, history, and linguistics. His knowledge of technology and science is pretty limited, largely due to a lack of interest. (Who needs science when you can change the laws of nature on a whim?) ✖  CRIMINAL RECORD : yes, for major crimes / yes, for minor crimes / no / hasn’t been caught.

FAMILY

◒  CHILDREN : has a child or children / has no children / wants children / verse dependent I just feel like this is not a man who’s diligent about birth control.  ◑  RELATIONSHIP WITH FAMILY : close with sibling(s) / not close with sibling(s) / has no siblings / sibling(s) is deceased ◔  AFFILIATION : orphaned / adopted / disowned / raised by birth parent(s) / not applicable

TRAITS + TENDENCIES

♦  extroverted / introverted / in between ♦  disorganized / organized / in between ♦  close-minded / open-minded / in between ♦ calm / anxious / in between ♦  disagreeable / agreeable / in between / extremely creepy  ♦ cautious / reckless / in between ♦ patient / impatient / in between ♦ outspoken / reserved / in between ♦  leader / follower / in between ♦ empathetic / unempathetic / in between ♦  optimistic / pessimistic / in between ♦  traditional / modern / in between Probably was pretty modern in like 1940 something, but has not quite moved with the times.  ♦ hard-working / lazy / in between ♦  cultured / uncultured / in between / unknown ♦  loyal / disloyal / unknown ♦  faithful / unfaithful / unknown If this is about faithfulness in relationships - in most cases, he would never agree to a monogamous relationship in the first place. There are a few exceptions - the big one would be the OT3 verse(s) with @telegion​ & @hcldmybreath​ - but even then, I’m not sure he could be trusted to be “faithful” to Syd & David if presented with someone very tempting.

BELIEFS

★  FAITH : monotheist / polytheist / atheist / agnostic / it’s complicated Farouk sees himself (and, sometimes, other mutants) as a God; he also often has a solipsistic belief that other people aren’t real/are figments of his imaginations. ☆  BELIEF IN GHOSTS OR SPIRITS : yes / no / don’t know / don’t care / is a ghost ✮  BELIEF IN AN AFTERLIFE : yes / no / don’t know / don’t care/ has died before ✯  BELIEF IN REINCARNATION : yes / no / don’t know / don’t care ❃  BELIEF IN ALIENS : yes / no / don’t know / don’t care ✧  RELIGIOUS : orthodox / liberal / in between / not religious ❀  PHILOSOPHICAL : yes / no

SEXUALITY + ROMANTIC INCLINATION

❤  SEXUALITY : heterosexual / homosexual / bisexual / asexual / pansexual / demisexual ❥  SEX : sex repulsed / sex neutral / sex favorable / naive and clueless ♥  ROMANCE : romance repulsed / romance neutral / romance favorable / naive and clueless Can you describe someone as “romance repulsed” if they’re not aro? I wouldn’t say Farouk is aro. He’s biromantic where he can experience the necessary level of connection to other people - rarely - but has some . . . frankly immature edgelord ideas about how much romance sucks.  ❣  SEXUALLY : adventurous / experienced / naive / inexperienced / curious / inhibited ⚧  POTENTIAL SEXUAL PARTNERS : male / female / agender / other / none / all ⚧  POTENTIAL ROMANTIC PARTNERS : male / female / agender / other / none /all

ABILITIES

☠  COMBAT SKILLS :  excellent / good / moderate / poor / none I feel like he hasn’t got into a physical fight since like. Since he hit puberty, really. And I imagine he could hold his own in scraps with other boys back then, but it’s been a LONG time.   ≡  LITERACY SKILLS :  excellent / good / moderate / poor / none ✍  ARTISTIC SKILLS : excellent / good / moderate / poor / none  I never thought about Farouk creating art! I imagine it would be technically skilled but curiously empty - the work of someone who’s studied all of the great works of the past, but has very little of his own to add.  ✂  TECHNICAL SKILLS :  excellent / good / moderate / poor / none I’ve never gotten a chance to write this, but I feel like Farouk is suspicious of modern technology, in part because his powers don’t give him a benefit in using it, in part because he’s an old man who doesn’t get what the kids these days are doing. It’s not him who’s self-absorbed, it’s these damn kids on their phones all day! 

HABITS

☕  DRINKING ALCOHOL :  never / sometimes / frequently / to excess ☁  SMOKING : never / sometimes / frequently / to excess ✿  OTHER NARCOTICS : never / sometimes / frequently / to excess Farouk’s first experiences with mind-altering substances were probably opium; he still has a fondness for it. He also enjoys having his victims take mind-altering drugs and enjoying the effects from a safe distance, filtered through someone else’s mind. He has some mixed feelings about the loss of control that the heavy use of drugs would entail, though, so he tends to save using drugs himself for special occasions.  ✌  MEDICINAL DRUGS : never / sometimes / frequently / to excess Like, he has no problem taking antibiotics or whatever, but he’s freaked out by psychiatric drugs - the drugs David took, in addition to not being good for David, also had a dulling effect on Farouk’s ability to affect David. ☻  INDULGENT FOOD : never / sometimes / frequently / to excess Farouk has some unspecified Food Issues.  $  SPLURGE SPENDING : never / sometimes / frequently / to excess ’Excess’ is a strong word, because he has pretty much never had to worry about money since his powers developed. If he runs out, well, he can always get more. Why not spend? ♣  GAMBLING : never / sometimes / frequently / to excess Not his favorite vice, but if there’s something to be gambled that actually matters to him, he enjoys the thrill. But he also cheats, so. 

#(HEADCANON) behind blue eyes

[cjostrander]

The Devin Townsend Project: Sky Blue

Hello guys! Thank you for the response on my latest reviews. It tempts me to continue putting the newer ones out but today i am going to tackle a curiosity album that is also due for an anniversary review. I just started listening to this musician a few months ago and have taken quite a strong liking to his overall work. This album is by one of his full band projects and is technically part of a double release. The first being this disc and the second one being the follow up solo album to Ziltoid the Omniscient. I reviewed that one a month ago and found it to be a surprisingly solid release so here’s to hoping this is another solid review. It’s reached five years old so let’s see how its aged.

Rejoice: We begin with some metallica futuristic effects to set up an interesting ambiance. Muffled female vocals in the background begin over a rough rhythm section before Devin arrives with a nice sense of grit in his voice. The aggressive instrumentals will do well for fans of standard metal that focuses on rhythm. It does lack in terms of melodic catchiness since it lacks a full chorus. As an opener it doesn’t ease listeners in casually and takes them on very bluntly; risking losing a casual listener. I could see decent live potential due to its experimentation with backing vocal choirs and a rhythm focus that could keep an audience entertained. Aside from that it feels like its missing something to really latch onto the listener this early on in the album. 6/10

Fallout: The guitars begin with a more melodic tone over computerized female vocals. It takes its time in warming up before the female singer arrives to deliver some rather engaging vocals. She brings a sense of melodic catchiness that the previous track lacked. Devin does a solid job of delivering complex high notes that never seem to wear down. Its a nice dual role between him and the female vocalist that seems to be a common staple on his work with the Devin Townsend Project. It does a good job of avoiding the risk of smothering the listener with overproduction and really brings a sense of climatic ambition to the album; which will surely stand a strong chance of convincing the listener to continue on with their listen. 8/10

Midnight Sun: Acoustic riffs begin this track with an interesting surprise because based on his prior work i was expected some much heavier work; but this album seems to be showcasing a more classically melodic focus. Devin experiments with heavily layered harmonies that mesh with the full feeling instrumental melodies to create a strong sense of atmospheric depth. It certainly shifts a bit more towards the ballad side of music but does offer the listener a risky experiment that does well and showcases Devin’s consistent level of complexity; even if he goes overboard at times. The thing that i do appreciate about him is that he is fully indie with owning his own label and writes pretty much everything that he has released. It showcases a true sense of honesty and what his true vision in his music is; with all its positives and shortcomings attached. It makes it easier to connect with these tracks when looked at it as such. 8/10

A New Reign: Devin begins with a slightly darker but equally holistic set of vocal harmonies. The instrumentals bring forth a decent showing of melody while Devin and his female vocalist work together to create an emotionally powerful vocal duo. Their layered atmosphere is very beautiful and will do a great job of providing a therapeutic outlet to the listener during a time of frustration. They do bring in some tense moments in here with gloomy keys and guitar work and some spaced out growl vocals for added emphasis. I do wish that the drums had a little more complexity in the album so far since past albums have really showcased that guy’s talent; but these kind of songs are simplistic enough instrumentally to be understandable in that regard. It helps keep some smothering out of the mix and doesn’t throw off the tempo in it as well. 8/10

Universal Flame: This is a highlight track and as close to a single as there is on here. It begins with an immediate shout of powerful bliss and energetic instrumentals to proper it even higher. The backing female vocals give it a nice sense of beauty while avoiding smothering things. Devin takes on a slightly different style vocally and uses softer harmonies to create a nice texture for the listener to soak into. The lyrics will stick out a little bit more this time and should be nice to sing along during the chorus; which actually sticks out this time firmly. This would make for a decent live track and is a nice one to get slowly energized to; after waking up in the morning. Devin really showcases some power during the mid section with growl vocals that actually add emotional urgency to the vocals as opposed to direct aggression. The guitar solo is a great focal point that will further enhance it’s live appeal as well. Definitely recommend this track if you are just browsing; though his albums typically seem best enjoyed in sequence verses shuffle; due to their very complex structure. 9/10

Warrior: This middle track begins with more cheery guitar melodies and powerful vocal harmonies. The female vocallist arrive for slightly rougher instrumentals in the background. They create an interestingly chaotic rhythm that is nice to focus on for a bit before they shift into softer atmospheric melodies. As with the majority of the other tracks; the vocals are too layered to really make out what she is saying so unfortunately lyrics rarely seem to get the chance to ponder over and appreciate. It’s not a bad piece but definitely is a bit bumpier with just the female vocalist featured as opposed to her and Devin working together to strengthen each other up evenly. 7/10

Sky Blue: Devin arrives over a soft bass line to deliver low harmonies that will be easy to appreciate as the instrumentals slowly wake up in an effective manner. It’s a more electronically subtle track that gives the minimal instrumentation a nice sense of interest that outweighs the risk effectively. The female vocals continue to do a good job when focused on but this relaxing piece focuses pretty strongly on a sense of melodic bliss instrumentally. I could see it being an interesting piece to see played live since it would be a good piece to wind things down after more his heavily ambitious work. Not bad at all for a title track! 8.5/10

Silent Militia: A solo vocal call to arms begins over heavily muffled samples before the drums arrive with the guitars to slowly begin to energize the listener. It contains a more aggressive yet cautious rhythm that will showcase interestingly live. It uses softer transition segments to showcase the subtle electronic effects; bass lines; and female harmonies. Devin delivers a pretty powerful chorus that makes effective use of his growl vocals and could make this one of the heavier tracks on the album. It still isn’t heavy by the standards of his older solo work; but provides a gradual change of pace that still manages to fit neatly with the tone and focus of the previous tracks. 8/10

Rain City: This nearly 8 minute song begins with a shift towards calming key work that provides a soothing support for Devin’s gradual entry. He focuses on soft harmonies that gradually grow in emotional urgency as the electronic drums grow. The female vocals combine for a layered effect that will develop a strong level of complexity that is beautiful and extremely relaxing. This song brings forth a strong sense of melody that shaping it up to be one of the most interestingly effect tracks on the album; which will make its longer runtime eagerly worth the sit through. I’d be interested to see this live but considering it’s heavily dominance on electronica in the background and atmospheric flair; it’d be a challenge to reach this level of strength. 9/10

Forever: Devin begins with a layered vocal style that works over a soothing yet spaced key presence. It provides a holistic feeling that will continue to provide a sense of relaxation that helps to make this album different form most of his previous ones. It feels very heavily like a suitable pick for an album closer so considering there are two more tracks and one is 8 and a half minutes long; i’m curious how this is going to effect the flow of the album. 8/10

Before We Die: Drums begin this track with a nice sense of powerful ambition that makes the previous track understandable. It has a nice sense of emotional beauty and motivational energy to get the listener compelled to resolve whatever issue is troubling their mind. The drums deliver a slightly more energetic presence in the mix but remain in the background firmly still. choir vocals are used to a very pleasing effect that delivers a strong sense of emotional complexity to the track. They are a smart trait to add more interest to the listener this late into an hour long album. It also shapes it up to be another of the album’s highlight tracks. I could see it being a very solid live track that would deliver an ambitious performance while using the choir segment to garner a sing along moment with the audience. It would actually be a very beautiful sight to see live so i’ll have to look for live videos  when i get a chance. 10/10

The Ones Who Love: This finale track is only a minute and a half long and is basically a choir closing that feels like a continuation of the previous song. 0/0

Overall album rating: 8.1/10

Not a bad score for this album and it’s a good pick for when you want something that is softer while energetic verses his more aggressive material. It does a good job of avoiding the risk of being overdone; so i could see this being one of his more mainstream friendly albums that is a decent length listen but a smooth one at that. Other than that i hope you guys enjoyed the review; now i have to head out and get ready for a wine festival today.

#rock #music #review #metal #pop #punk #grunge #devin townsend #the devin townsend project #strapping young lad #korn #thirty seconds to mars #queen #freddie mercury #nine inch nails #trent reznor #bohemian rhapshody #elton john #the killers #jimmy eat world #taking back sunday #brand new #william control #tool #slipknot #slayer #metallica #godsmack #motley crue #buckcherry

[thetakenpokemon]

Act 2 - ‘Gas’ Station

[PoV: Bladesong]

Back before I was a cyborg, I used to be able to walk for a little while before needing to rest. Sure everyone can walk quite a distance, but eventually your feet will start aching to the point where you really need to sit down.

Now a few miles? I admit that my feet weren’t really tough enough for something that far, especially since it takes about an hour to walk that. Now that I’m a cyborg though, walking that is laughable since I can travel several miles at a full sprint and not feel an ounce of exhaustion - the travel time being far less than an hour I might also add.

Chimera’s the same way in this regard, due to his Deoxys genes he experiences exhaustion on a level different from us. So trekking several miles is simple to us two. Velvett however? Not quite as simple. We had to make a brief stop for her to rest her feet, but it didn’t take very long since she was ready to continue after around ten minutes.

For the walk itself? It wasn’t until we were getting close to our destination I began to see traces of Progrian life - the most noticeable being the roads.

I’ve seen asphalt roads before, since some cities and places in Evolutia have cars. But these roads? They’re different. It’s white with glistening yellow lines on it, the road being so smooth that it only seems like metal. Lining it are countless metal lamps, their similarly white bodies strangely not reflecting any sunlight.

Not a single car though.

“The station is over there~” Velvett says, pointing towards a small building in the distance. “Once we get into my car, I’ll take us straight to my place in New Falkhom City.”

“Sounds good.” Chimera responds neutrally.

His mood still hasn’t improved much since the name fiasco, sadly.

The rest of the walk was in relative silence, although not quite as uncomfortable - from what I can tell at least. I spent a lot of my time observing the road mostly, the whole shininess of it making it incredibly tempting to just walk up and touch it. I didn’t do this though, since Chimera gave me several rundowns on Progrian laws involving traffic and what-not.

‘Unless during an emergency or if there’s no assigned walkways, pedestrians aren’t allowed to walk on the roads where vehicles drive.’

Well, honestly that sounds less like an actual law and more of a personal rule of his. I didn’t argue though, and I won’t do that now - especially since there’s a sidewalk beside the road for us.

Once we arrive at this gas station, I notice that the place really is...rather tiny. It’s just a small convenience mart, and it only has enough fuel dispensers to house up to two cars.

Sheesh, I guess this area doesn’t get much traffic.

As I’m checking the place out, the second thing I notice is that the fuel dispensers look...very different. Back in Evolutia I’m used to seeing the standard gasoline pumps - with the nozzle and all, but these? They look akin to that of generators, and their ‘nozzles’ share a strong resemblance to plugs.

Then I saw the sign.

"Zach’s Charge Shack?” I say aloud, reading the prices for how much it costs to charge vehicles. “Wasn’t this supposed to be a gas station?”

Velvett shrugs. “That’s what the people in Progria still call them, although they’ve long since switched from gasoline to electricity for their cars.” She taps her lip with a finger. “They’ve massively increased the efficiency of electrical cars from what I remember. That and combining the fact that they’ve found far superior methods of producing power? Fossil fuels are practically nonexistent in Progria now.”

Chimera nods his head. “Various corporations realized how profitable it was to sell electrical power instead of gasoline, so the switch was relatively fast.” He crosses his arms, his expression becoming thoughtful. “This was also due to the fact that vast amounts of technology being made also depended on electricity, and with nuclear fusion now being a staple for power plants? It’s-”

“Wait wait wait wait!” I interrupt him. “Nuclear fusion?! They’ve succeeded in creating fusion reactors?!”

He looks at me with confusion. The look didn’t last though since he realized that I’m not well-versed in Progria - besides the essential stuff he told me. “I don’t remember the exact date, but I do know that it was around twenty years ago that fusion reactors were being produced wide-spread for commercial use within Progria.” He cups his chin with a hand. “I often forget that us Progrians tend to guard our knowledge on technology, not only from Pokemon of Evolutia but also from the rest of the outside world.”

“Us Progrians?” Velvett repeats, stopping and turning to him with her own confused look. “Are you saying that you’re a Progrian?”

Both Chimera and I blink.

Hold on, she doesn’t know that he was originally a Human? I kinda thought that the GoT might’ve informed her about this, since...well...that’s kinda important since we’re right in the middle of a country consisting ENTIRELY of Humans.

Chimera looks at her for a long while before shaking his head. “Forget it.” He mutters. “We need to keep going, we’ve hung around long enough.”

Velvett didn’t look very happy with this response, but she wisely chose not to press the issue. Instead she turns and walks towards one of the corners of the lot in the ‘gas’ station, in which I see a black car.

Now, I’ve seen a few cars when I’ve went to the more advanced towns and cities of Evolutia. They looked pretty cool and all, ranging from ‘SUVs’ to ‘trucks’.

But this car? Damn.

It has a very smooth and sleek design, reminding me that of the rare Sports Car in Evolutia. However this thing looks much bigger than those - since said Sports Cars tend to be rather cramped for size. But besides that, I have a strong feeling that this car would easily beat any regular Sports Car in a race tenfold.

Velvett reaches behind her back and pulls a set of keys seemingly out of thin-air. The only explanation I could give would be that they were hidden in her extremely long hair - which is currently disguised to be very short from her illusion. With the keys in hand she presses a button on it, and the car immediately lights up with several flashes from its headlights.

“Alright, time to load up!” She says, pressing another button that causes the trunk to open.

The trunk was surprisingly spacious, being big enough for us to fit the numerous stuff we brought with us. Once everything was packed away we all climbed into the car - carefully in my case due to my extremely heavy weight. Much to my surprise though the car didn’t even budge when I got in - nor is it even slightly leaning towards the side I’m sitting in. All this can tell me is that this thing is built to carry heavy loads - whether this is a specialized trait though I’m not sure.

Also...damn... The inside looks just as nice as the outside too.

The seats are very soft and comfortable, being made of a black fabric that I don’t recognize. There’s lots of buttons and knobs around the place as well, allowing the people inside to adjust the interior to make themselves more comfortable.

Currently I’m sitting in the right-rear side of the vehicle while the suit-case holding Trojan is on the left, Chimera is currently in the passenger seat while Velvett is obviously in the driver’s.

“Buckle your seatbelts!” She says, tapping the keys against a glowing blue light on the side of her steering wheel. Upon contact the car starts up, unlike the normally loud rumbles that a gasoline engine makes, the sound coming from this car is instead soft hum.

It took me a little bit to figure out how to put on a seat belt - to my embarrassment, but I managed to wrestle the thing into the slot.

With all of us secured in our seats, Velvett shifts the vehicle in drive...

...and then we were off.

#bladesonggothitelle #velvettdelphoroark #chimera??? #guardiansoftwilight #plot #act 2-3