#and i only used Mako but that drawing also had Aria and Cass! but i wanted to stick to one per image so i chose mako

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

some faces!!!

#faceyourart #nadiart #fanadiart #and #not fanart #shiny art #i was looking at this like man not a lot of variety with these twinks #but that's fine they don't reflect everything i've drawn in the past six months by any means #i was mostly adding recent stuff that's mostly polished or at least not super duper rough #so no qela and none of the characters from that lineup i did recently #and no fran or theo haha it's been a bit since i drew them #and i only used Mako but that drawing also had Aria and Cass! but i wanted to stick to one per image so i chose mako #cause i think his face came out my favorite of the pic (along with audy's screen face) #anyway

[humanmorph]

C/W (01-05) thoughts

Finished the first C/W arc + first faction game (which really took me a while. I'm blaming PALISADE and also the bad weather and ALSO getting obsessed with finishing a bigass drawing in 2 weeks)!

I've said this in a different post already when I had just started listening, but I had like, way lower expectations on this, which seems silly in hindsight. I think I just have a tougher time relistening to podcasts (it's not an issue with rereading books or rewatching movies, really), and often stop about halfway... But it's just really fun to look at C/W again having listened to the rest of the Divine Cycle (and also the other seasons, because it's fun to look at the different player characters throughout). And like. They've gotten better at this over the years so by comparison C/W is 'worse' but it's still fucking good. When it hits it hits, and it honestly hasn't even really started hitting yet (though there's some good moments already for sure. Mako buying a bunch of robots was exactly as funny as I remembered it being)! I'm pretty much just excited for everything, but the Kingdom Game expecially. Something else I'm enjoying (and he'll always continue to do this, but it's so Present in C/W) is how Austin describes scenes. He uses film making language SO much (Counter/WEIGHT is an anime, right)! It's good stuff. I'm trying to not get too used to the system because I know they'll switch. I know WHY they switched and stuff & agree with that decision but I still think it's a cool system & am enjoying the time with it, even if some scenes do drag on quite a bit (which isn't only because of the system, but it also isn't helping).

Some character stuff, I guess: AuDy: They were my favourite at the start last time I listened and I think that pretty much holds up. They're just good. They don't even do that much in this first arc (although dropping from the ceiling as a distraction is pretty fucking great), & I think most of the really good AuDy moments are still coming up, so it speaks to the fact that it's just a good concept for a character that I immediately enjoy. I'm pretty sure they continued to be my favourite pretty much until September? I guess l'll can talk more on it when I get there, though.

Mako: I'm gonna be honest I remembered Mako as way more annoying than he is. At least in this beginning arc. He's literally fine. His whole fogging robots deal is kind of weird to listen to now, since it's something they'd either not do now or actively adress in the story since it's a kind of way to take away agency that's pretty uncomfortable when you look at it longer. I wonder if there's a way that'll come up in the first Chime mission mini-arc? Their hands are a bit tied there since it's a prequel I guess, but there's probably a way to do it. Anyways, Mako ends up as my favourite by the end of the season, and I actually don't quite remember how he got there? But same with AuDy, I'll talk more on it when I get to September (it's possible it was the clone reveal. I love those).

Cass & Aria: They have to share a paragraph because I don't have an extremely strong opinion on them either from my last listen at this point in the story, nor do I now. I'm excited for Aria stuff expecially though. I've mentioned this before, but I'm definitly better at listening and actually processing information now, and it's extremely possible that I just missed things about both Aria and Cass that were just kind of mentioned in a sentence but are actually very important to their characters. (Looking back, I listened to C/W right after I had covid, so some sort of brainfog might also be at fault.) Expecially because Ali isn't very. I can't think of the right word now. But she's just quieter in play (not audio! that's Art.). It's nice seeing everyone get better at this, but for Ali expecially I'm super excited to see her go back to Aria for that mini-arc.

Re: the faction game - it's really good that I know that they cut back on factions later / consolidate them because it is. Not overwhelming necessarily but it's easy to get confused? I feel like I need to take notes on what factions do or like, also have a list of all of them to check to keep track. It's probably a good idea to check out the summaries on the wiki after I listen to these & see if I missed anything. (I keep zoning out because I'm thinking about different, later Counter/WEIGHT stuff, usually related to something they just mentioned.)

All that aside: with the scenes and also just ideas generally they are pretty much immediately crushing it. Like oh my god that first Snowtrak scene just rules so much. That's critical worldbuilding, smart characterization, and fun interaction between good friends right there.

I definitly didn't draw fanart when I was listening in 2020, and I don't know if I will now, but I'm at least in more of a mindset to even want to do it. (& actually, there is ONE scene I was extremely wanting to draw even back then, I just thought I couldn't do it. I do think I can do it now! And I will at the very least try.) But speaking of art, here's a Hudson Thorne for your troubles if you read to the end:

#i should take more notes while listening im so sure i forgot something i was thinking about mentioning. whatever itll come back to me. #or not #counterweightposting

[littleladymab]

what’s up losers I don’t post in god knows how long and now i reappear with some cassmako smut because Joanie was making me sad. 

fun fact! I hand wrote this while on vacation and even wrote it while on the plane. Set post-september, in the same canon fic as this bit was, only I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not going to finish this fic because the fandom needs only one canon compliant cassmako and erin can have that title I’m too sad to write it

obviously, nsfw

also, i’m still no good at this so just take it for what it is

Cass pushes open the door to Mako’s quarters, and finds him curled up on his bed -- knees to his chest, face to the wall, trying to make himself as small as possible. Cass breathes a sigh of relief and closes the door behind them.

They shrug off their jacket, toe off their boots, and climb into the bed as well. Their arms curl around Mako, feeling him tense at first, then relax into their chest. “Hey,” they mutter.

Mako makes a sound in the back of his throat, but it’s faint and doesn’t make it that far.

“I’m sorry. About everything.”

This time, Mako manages, “It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not. A lot happened. I don’t need to tell you, because I’m sure you won’t be able to stop thinking about it.” They press their face to the curve of Mako’s neck, tightening their grip. “You’re not going to be okay for awhile. It’s been years since the war, and I’m still haunted by aspects of it. Those were things that didn’t even happen to me -- I saw the results of them in the trauma wing, but I was never directly involved.”

Mako is silent, but still listening.

“This is something that affects you. Your life, your history. Mako -- Aria told me you climbed inside Rigour.” Cass pulls him in closer still, tangling their legs together and trying to reconcile the warmth of Mako’s body against the memory of him cold, pale, trembling on the operating table after they first escaped September. “And I’m not just saying this as a medical expert--” they start, and are rewarded with a dry chuckle. “I’m saying this as someone who cares about you deeply.”

There’s a silence, then Mako completely relaxes into Cass’ embrace. “I saved some of the me’s. Well, Larry did. But I asked him to. I…” He pauses, licks his lips, tries to catch his breath. “After seeing what happened to Maritime, I’m terrified. Why was I the one lucky enough to be let go? What happened to the ones before me -- were there ones before me? I’d like to think that I’m the first, but…”

“It’s a valid fear to have.”

“I don’t want it to be a fear. Because I’m me and that’s what matters. But then I think about… what if they had people that cared about them? What if they had someone they were crazy about, and then one day they just… weren’t? And everyone they loved couldn’t know, or they would find each other again and… they wouldn’t know.”

When Mako starts to curl back up on himself, Cass follows, pressing their lips to the lines of his neck. “The here and now, Mako. That’s what we have. I’m here with you.” They press their hand to his chest, feeling the erratic heartbeat beneath it. “The memories of us, the memories of the Chime--”

“Cass, you saw first hand how easily those could be manipulated.”

“And going forward?”

Mako hesitates, then shifts in the circle of Cass’ arms. His eyes are rimmed with red, but wide with fear. Exhaustion lines every inch of his face, and Cass lifts a hand to brush it away. “Do you remember… back just before we left Counterweight?”

It was barely over a month, but it feels so long ago now.

“What about it?”

“How I took you out dancing. I made you look human.”

Cass’ brow furrows. “Of course. That’s when I kissed you. Those are real memories.”

Something shifts in Mako’s expression, and he surges forward to capture Cass’ lips. There’s a moment when the kiss doesn’t quite line up, but then Cass puts a hand to the base of Mako’s skull and tilts his head for a better position. There’s something frantic and uncertain in the kiss that puts Cass on edge, but they push it to the back of their mind.

Mako draws back, slowly, barely far enough to speak with their lips still brushing. “Can you do something for me?”

“What?” Cass asks, a small laugh tickling the back of their throat. “I don’t think we can find a club in deep space, and I can’t manipulate the Mesh like you can.”

But Mako’s not laughing. He gives Cass a desperate look before dropping his gaze. “No. I want to forget for a moment. I want…” He bites his lip, and Cass presses their thumb to the point, trying to free it. “I feel like I’m losing myself to Rigour, to September. I want to lose myself to you, Cass. I want you to fuck me.”

They immediately sit up, staring down at him with wide eyes. “Mako--”

“Please, Cass.” His hands lift, half-heartedly extending up, then fall to cover his face. “I keep seeing the inside of Rigour every time I close my eyes. That pulsing, the hum. It’s in me. I don’t know how to get rid of it. I just--” His voice hitches and Cass’ heart breaks.

They reach out, carefully pulling Mako’s hands from his face. “Are you sure?”

There’s a flicker of hesitation, and that’s all the answer that Cass needs. They sigh, reaching out to run their fingers through Mako’s hair. “Ask me for anything else.”

Mako looks away, but he doesn’t protest. “Distract me. Take my mind off these memories that I don’t want.”

Cass rolls over and props themselves up over Mako. “You tell me if you need me to stop, okay?” Once they receive a nod, they lean down and press their lips to the hollow beneath his ear. There’s a small constellation of freckles there, and they trace its pattern with the tip of their tongue. Enough to cause Mako’s breath to hitch. With a scrape of teeth, they kiss their way down his neck and jaw.

Their hands move to Mako’s hips and slip under the tshirt. As they kiss lower, hard enough to bruise, their hands ruck the shirt up higher on Mako’s chest until they’re forced to pause long enough to tug it free.

Cass drops the shirt over the edge of the bed and settles back onto their heels, studying the scars on Mako’s chest.

They look until suddenly there’s something blocking their view. It takes a second to realize that Mako’s hands are covering their eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” Cass takes Mako’s wrists and pulls them away, pressing a kiss to each swatch of skin.

“You get these wrinkles on the corners of your eyes when you’re sad. Don’t look at me like you’re sad.”

Cass drops their hands and smooths their palm up Mako’s chest, brushing their fingers over the scattering of scars. They receive a shiver and a quickening of breath in response. “I’m upset because I couldn’t help you. Both times. Mako, I was… terrified.” They press the palm of their hand to the new scar, the one that’s angry and red and a few inches above Mako’s heart. “I had her in my sights and I hesitated. And she shot you, and you could have died.”

They don’t dare mention the other scars, the ones that he did die from.

Mako lifts his hands to tangle his fingers in Cass’ hair, guiding them down for a kiss. “Then don’t look.”

“They’re a part of what has shaped you. A part I couldn’t save you from.” They speak in between kisses. The protest dies on their lips as soon as Mako slips his tongue into their mouth.

Cass makes a small sound in the back of their throat, and Mako eagerly swallows it. He cants his hips up, arching his back as Cass’ hands tick down the knobs of his spine.

They fumble with the latch on the belt, not helped in the slightest by Mako’s stupidly intricate buckle in the name of fashion, or the way that he wriggles beneath the touch. Cass palms Mako’s growing erection, applying the slightest pressure and curling their fingers around the shape of it.

Lips pressed to the curve of Mako’s neck, Cass breathes a soft sigh against his skin and pulls the belt free -- dropping it to join the shirt. “Going forward. I don’t know…”

“Shut up,” Mako returns, nails scraping against Cass’ skull and his hips thrusting into their hand. “Shut up. I don’t want to think about it.”

“Tell me what you want, and if it’s within my power, I will give it to you.” Distantly, they’re aware of the Apokine hovering alongside the Kingdom Come.

“You,” Mako says, voice barely a whisper. “I want you.”

Their heart aches, knowing that they don’t know how much longer they can.

Mako must sense the hesitation, because his touch brushes back through their hair, then traces the lines on Cass’ face. “Here and now, right? Fuck tomorrow or whatever, and fuck the past. I have you here and now and I want you so bad, Cass, so please stop talking and put your mouth to something more productive before I lose my shit.”

Cass surprises themselves by bursting into laughter. They kiss the smirk on Mako’s lips until they feel it slip into a smile. “I was trying to be romantic.”

“Save it for a candlelit dinner and rose petals scattered over your bed, not with your hand being a goddamn tease down my pants.” He squirms just so, and Cass’ fingers automatically move to stroke him.

Cass kisses him again, hard and deep, using their free hand to press Mako back into the mattress. When they pull away, it’s only long enough to see the dazed look on his face, content half-smile curling his lips, cheeks flushed.

They kiss his neck, biting into the tender curves and drawing a breathy sound from him. They work their way down his chest, his torso, kissing each of the now-pale scars hard enough to leave a new constellation of bruises in their wake.

Mako’s soft, breathy gasps turn to small moans, and he wriggles beneath the attention.

Cass takes their time, lips and tongue and teeth working to draw any sound, no matter how muffled. They pull his shorts free, and scrap their nails along the clothed shape of his dick, teasing it with gentle strokes and the slightest pressure.

They reach out, mapping the shape of Mako’s hips, his waist, the way his ribs stick out just a little too much. The moan he makes as Cass’ thumb circles his stiff nipple is loud and throaty, so they do it one more time to hear it again.

Their searching fingers find his heartbeat, and they press their palm to the pulse. They can feel the ugly puckered skin from the bullet wound.

With their other hand, they pull Mako’s underwear free. A shudder runs through his body, and Cass feels it where they are pressed together. They trace the line of his hips with their fingers, and their lips follow.

They leave a bite-mark on the joint of his pelvis before placing a kiss to the tender skin just above the soft hairs. They tilt their head, licking the trace of pre-cum from the length of Mako’s dick. They run their tongue across it a second and a third time before finally closing their lips around the swollen tip.

Mako’s voice comes out as a strangled gasp, and his hips buck forward, pushing himself deeper into Cass’ mouth.

They clutch at his hip, holding it still, keeping their slow, teasing pace.

“Cass--” He cuts himself off with a low moan, straining against the grip on his hip.

They respond by scraping their teeth up the shaft and sucking lightly at the tip.

Mako’s hand works back through their hair with a pointed scrape of nails, and Cass groans as they work their way back down, the rumble in their chest and throat echoed by Mako.

They start to move a bit faster, taking him deeper and savoring his taste. Their name is a stumbled litany from Mako, who manages it between breathy moans and sighs of pleasure.

Mako’s second hand, which had been clutching at the bedsheets, lifts. For a moment, Cass thinks that it will also wander to their hair, a small demand from the man beneath them. They never liked people playing with their hair until Mako, who seemed to know all the ways to tease small sounds of encouragement from them as his fingers worked through the curls.

But instead, the hand covers the one they have pressed to his heart, twining their fingers together in a tight grip.

“Cass,” he gasps again, and they love the way their name sounds on his lips. “Cass, please. I’m so close--”

They know. They can taste it, and they dip their head lower, taking him as deep as they can. They work their tongue against every inch of him as they pull back up -- mouth coming free from the tip with a satisfying sound.

They take Mako’s cock in their hand, fingers already working on slick skin as they catch their breath.

Mako’s hand slips from their hair and traces down their jaw, catching beneath their chin.

Cass’ fingers tighten over Mako’s heart, the frantic beat jumping to meet their palm, and Mako’s tightens in return.

They lift their gaze, and everything falls still. Mako’s body, stretched out before them, is flushed and perfect. The bruises have already darkened across his chest, leaving a map of their progress.

Before they can ask if something is wrong, Mako pulls them up to capture their mouth in a sharp, desperate kiss.

Cass’ hand gives a gentle squeeze to his dick before dragging their nails down the length and back up again.

Mako clings to Cass, one hand back in their hand, the other clutching the hand over his heart. His hips stutter and jerk in time with the grip on his cock.

He comes with a sharp thrust, Cass’ name falling from his lips in a muffled cry.

They eagerly lick the sound of their name from his mouth, their hand helping him through the waves of his orgasm.

Mako’s grip finally loosens, and Cass can feel his body tremble slightly.

They press their lips to his forehead, and slide their hand up his neck, cradling the back of his head.

He drapes his arms around Cass’ neck, pulling him in to bury his face in the crook of their neck. “Apparently your slender fingers and pretty mouth aren’t just for serious things like surgeries and making plans.

Cass’ laugh is muffled against the side of his head. “Shut up.”

“I can’t because now I’m wondering why I never asked you for a blowjob before.” His fingers work absently through Cass’ hair in the way they like, and their objection is lost to a hum of pleasure. Mako’s voice is distant when he finally asks, “Should I--”

Cass shakes their head. Yes, they’re very turned on, and if Mako keeps playing with their hair, they might give in. “Not now. This is me taking care of you.”

“I feel like you did a much better job of it than I did. I left you alone to dance with strangers.”

“I still got to kiss you for the first time, so that was worth it.”

Mako makes a sound in response and pulls them in for a slow, deep kiss.

“Still,” he says, when they finally break apart. “It’s very unfair that you’re still completely dressed and I’m as naked as those other me’s in vats.”

The warmth of the moment is pushed away as Cass starts to sit up. “Hey--”

Mako follows, his hair hair completely tousled and lips still swollen from the kiss. The bite marks are darkening by the second, and Cass can’t stop staring at them despite their desire to be concerned.

“Hey,” Mako mimics. “I’m kidding. I didn’t mean it like that. Stay with me a bit longer? Just… get down to my level, alright?”

They huff, and they aren’t sure if it’s in annoyance or amusement. Still, they obey by unbuttoning their shirt.

Mako rolls his eyes as they undress. “Oh my God, this is the most boring strip show I’ve ever been to. It’s a good thing you’re hot.”

Cass pauses, struggling on one foot to pull off their pants. This isn’t the first time Mako has said something like that, but they’ve never pushed it. “Do you really find me attractive?”

“Of course!” Mako looks a little shocked. “I certainly don’t keep you around for the charming conversation.”

Their stomach drops, and they think if maybe they should just move to the Apokine for the rest of the month, to avoid the fact that they think their heart might be breaking a little. “Oh.”

Mako’s expression shifts from a shit eating grin to a look of genuine surprise. “Cass--shit, Cass, I was kidding.” He scrambles up on his knees and catches them by the belt loops. He doesn’t lean in for a kiss, which is good, because they aren’t sure they would give it to him. “I love our chats. I love being with you. You’re so… God, you’re so smart and serious and I know I might not act like it, but I need that from you. I rely on you to keep me focused and steady.”

Cass’ nervousness abates at the earnest tone and Mako’s wide eyes. They relax into his embrace, and he wraps them into his arms for a hug.

And then, with another tug, they tumble back down onto the bed. Cass barely manages to catch themselves -- one hand on the mattress, the other against the wall.

Mako’s grin is back, bright and brilliant, and all Cass can hear is his voice repeating, “I love, I love--”

He gives an impatient tug to the pants. “Now finish stripping for me, fish man, because I need you naked and in my bed a full five minutes ago.”

Dazed, but more certain than they had been in awhile, Cass wriggles out of their pants and underwear (with Mako’s hands a bit more of a hindrance than a help).

The two of them move at the same time, folding into each other’s embrace, and for the first time since leaving Counterweight, Cass feels themselves relax.

#counter/weight #friends at the table #uh #i have no other words #cassmako #a lil miss fic #lil miss writings

[humanmorph]

C/W 06-09 thoughts : ]

Boy this took me a bit!!! I made the post for the first set of episodes on August 12. I said then I should take more notes while listening, & I think I in fact took LESS notes. edit: and wrote... more??? ok.whatever

Summary (short)

There's a food crisis. Orth gets kidnapped! The Chime gets an automated message to find him and they track him down to some train tracks where the train Orth was on (with a food delivery) got derailed. They get in a really long fight some people from a group called the Iron Choir (they have Orth!) and also some Apostolosians (only really due to bad phrasing on AuDy's part) . And then don't really win but do get away with Orth, so everything's fine I guess?

(more on faction game down below. too much happens in those to summarize here.)

Ground Game

This is the second (and last!) arc they play using MechNoir. I only just started the episode where they switch the characters over to The Sprawl, and I'm counting that towards the next bunch of episodes rather than this one... Anyways, this arc is like a good argument for that switch. It kind of stands out as a "oh they switch after this, right?" thing now. BUT!

The fight was honestly not as much of a slog as I remembered. Like they've done wayyy better fights since ofc especially with mechs (for me personally PZN is still the standout but PAL has had some Good Shit too) but this is like. It's ok! There's fun bits! I like Aria's mech! Part of it might absolutely be that I like. Give a fuck about mechs now and as a result am able to also imagine them better. I think in 2021, when I first listened, I was like. I guess there's Big Robots. Like transformers? (isn't even familiar with transformers) (really doesn't have a touchpoint for this at all)

I liked the snooping around bit before they got to this 2 episode long fight. I already mentioned it in an earlier post briefly, but we learn some minor details about Orth (they are looking through his office), that now really delight me because I love Orth! But when I first listened I don't think I cared very much at all about him at this point. This time around, his and AuDy's relationship intrigues me expecially with how Jack has been playing them.

Player character update...: AuDy is still my favourite. I still don't quite know what to do with Cass, but maybe I'll get there soon? Mako's funny. Though, and I thought I posted about this? But I can't find it now, an arc this episode also brings the morality of fogging robots onscreen for a bit. AuDy's upset by it. I think the notion of the robot he fogs getting more sentient is interesting...? Expecially if you draw a connection to what gives Mako the ability to do it in the first place. ... I won't say more here because I'm not actually sure but it's definitly running via Rightenousness a little bit, right? No clue if those facts are actually connected or not though. Uhm. I like Aria : ). Not many notes there so far, pretty much just the same stuff I said last time (I'm paying more attention to her where I feel like I hadn't as much on my first listen due to Ali being a little more reserved as a player this early on).

Further up I already talked about the switch to The Sprawl & I know the reasons and agree. however. I do think it's fun when they come up with adjectives, even if it messed with the pacing a bit because it took some time to do well. There's still a bit of this with other games they play later, too, like naming risks in Armor Astir or... whatever it was called to take something in Scum & Villainy (I recently relistened to the bit where Gig gets crushed and blown up and is VERY upset by it. It's still very funny).

Another thing I'm noticing more is that I'm occasionally a bit wonky on the factions, even super major ones ( OriCon vs. the Diaspora). I think it's because I didn't listen to the worldbuilding ep... I remember it having pretty rough audio (though probably not worse than that epispde of AiH where you couldn't hear Art at all), and also I skipped it back when I first listened, too (I'd bounced off before. I feel like I've mentioned this). It made some stuff in these episodes a bit hard to keep track of, expecially talking about the food crisis, and who is affected, and who is blamed, etc. (& I very much enjoyed all that! Like oh! We're getting into it now! Space factions and their politics and their effect on the world our characters move in! This rules. Friends at the Table rules)

Faction Game

Sylvi is so ON it with the faction game it's crazy. The other day while listening I remembered this was her first season on the show, like... damn!!! Just a ton of great ideas. It's really fun seeing them all be so enthusiastic about this.

Really good and fun faction game. I'm enjoying these a ton. A lot of my favourite scenes (or very memorable ones) from my first listen is faction game stuff, so I knew I'd like it, but I'm like REALLY really enjoying it. I've already said this in my other post, but I'm pretty sure it's due to the fact I can pay attention better & parse information.

It's a real big one too with a ton stuff getting set up. RIGOUR, Ibex, the Hands of Grace (hi Vicuna), some first September Institute stuff (like how fogging works!), and Loyalty gets introduced in that episode (hi Kobus, also). A lot of Divines, really! I'll get to this very big and important thing first: Rigour getting dug up!!! I totally didn't remember Austin immediately namedrops it at the end of the episode, lol. That probably wouldn't happen now, but these early seasons are more. informal? just less produced? And I really don't dislike it, it's simply a different vibe. And I'm liking it. (The rough-ish audio is also part of it IMO. Love to hear the static white noise if a mediocre mic under their voices.) I do still really like that scene though. Very effective. The image of a worker getting out of his mech to dig the last bit with his hands... It's good shit. Also just. RIGOUR. It maybe even hits more this second time around, because I know just What has been uncovered here and the consequences it will have.

Another is Ibex getting introduced! Hi!!!! : ) Apparently he's something called a "seductress" (or well. seductor) in the games rules, which I extremely forgot and made me laugh when I heard it. And then they proceed to come up with pretty much his whole deal, which Austin's performance is gonna finetune & shape more later on. I'm just excited! I like this guy! (Something I'm trying to do more this time around is take notes to look stuff up later, like what animals the Candidates are named after. I didn't do this for Ibex until sometime last year! Cool animal.)

This faction game also has the first appearance of Diego Rose who I have in mind as sort of Sylvi's special little guy? He's a pretty important guy in the faction that she plays, so I'm just gonna assume he'll show up way more in the future. But really I just loved that scene of him offering a prisoner they took after he shot their ships down to join the Odama Fleet while also threatening him. And he's soooo cunty about it it's so funny to me. Great job.

Tacking this on the end here: I had to look up the summary on the fatt.wiki because it's really been a while since I started this ep vs. finishing it, and this is like the first scene they play through. (The new season got in the way...!) But yeah this episode also has Grace's first real major appearance (& her Candidates, Vicuna). And it's a great scene! I think it's the first Divine onscreen? And showing one's influence on people ("People in the crowd, some of them begin crying and wailing. It is a religious experience for many."). It's good shit!!! I love Divines!!! They've never stopped being cool as fuck as a concept and there really wasn't a point when they weren't. It's just SO good and it'll only ever get pushed further and in even more interesting directions. And it's nice to be back here, at the start.

????

This is neither here nor there. Not anywhere really. But at some point Jack says "no that's undertale" (I didn't note down what about.) %& it really threw me for some reason like ik the years match up. But I just have C/W in mind as like... ages ago... (it was) and Undertale. Is Undertale. /I/ played Undertale! And that wasn't ages ago (lie) (it was)! Like I was probably playing Undertale when they made this season! Strange to think about.

Grace's arrival(?)

I want to try and draw a little image for each of these sets (though this one took me a bit longer than I would've liked). Here's Grace('s feet, because she's so big) and the sculpture park on Gemm

I'm not actually sure why (I don't think it gets mentioned in the episode???) but I've always imagined that planet (Gemm) as like, really foggy. Maybe because fog + ruined statue park looks really cool? + Graces light through the fog? Yeah, I don't know. The park is also empty here, when of course there's a whole parade and stuff in the episode, but this is just an image (an approximation of it.) I have in my head...

#i wrote the most on the faction game bc i finished the last few mins Today. and listened to about half yesterday #counterweightposting #i like counterweightblogging better it sounds more right but for the sake of being consistent..... #i structured this but I don't know if I'll keep that. though it does look nice!