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asherlockstudy · 3 years

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Uncomfortable close-up to their Valentine Newlywed answers

Since Rhett was a tad reluctant to compliment Link sincerely I decided to use my psychoanalytical skills (anyway whatever) and seek the underlying honest answers they wanted to give. This could be a bit much at times and perhaps you shouldn't read if you are not a Rhink shipper, that's why I used a cut.

"What he loves about me" Link's expression is a little confusing - maybe an attempt at doubt or self-deprecation but it looks to me more like the embarrassment of the blushing bride.

"I love your..."

Who wants to bet that the first thing that came to Rhett's mind was ass but then he changed it to the first word that came to his mind after ass? A-ccent. Like, there's just no case accent was the first thing he thought because Link's accent isn't even that strong at this point. When Link got surprised at that, Rhett simply replied that he was trying to find something funny. But even so, like I said earlier, Rhett does love Link's accent. I am sure he is fond of it, he finds it adorable. And let's not forget he said "there was so much he could choose from"!

Link looks disappointed that it's not his guess, his eyes. An interesting thing here is that although he used a personality trait for Rhett, he expected / hoped for this physical trait for himself. But don't feel sorry - Rhett has talked about his baby blues and has even gone to the ridiculous extents of planning to make a blog exclusively for Link's eyes. So don't worry; it is known that Rhett at least acknowledges the beauty of Link's eyes. At least. And Link was expecting this from a place of knowledge and not as an attempt to be silly-sappy.

Things Rhett thinks Link loves about him:

voice (Link will later say he loves his laugh and this is close, he's also enchanted every time Rhett sings so...)

height (Link once said he is attracted to "people of extreme heights")

hair (we know that)

beard (lie detector test)

giving spirit (lol totally)

creativity (they've talked about this many times)

eyebrows (if Link has said he likes Rhett's eyelashes then liking his eyebrows is certain)

Rhett was guessing from a place of knowledge too.

Rhett then said he loves stories of Link's grandma doing weird things with him and I don't like being the weirdo to spell out the weird thing but Rhett's interest in that is vaguely associated to his weird mind being always in the gutter. I don't mean it turns him on of course but he loves hearing weird stuff that border on creepy. You know it's true. Sometimes he's like that. Link took revenge for the accent joke with the psoriasis.

Wow we saw some Rhett teeth. Link answered sincerely with a super cute "I love your laugh" but Rhett just said "I love the sound your mouth makes when you don't chew". Oh well. Link regretted being sincere and Rhett, after some good laughter, defended himself by saying "he (Link) walked himself into it". This makes exactly zero sense and I am wondering whether he meant Link walked himself into it by choosing the vulnerable / sincere way. Or if he just didn't know what he was talking about.

Rhett then asks for the next answer to be complimentary. He then repeats he has strong feelings about Link's accent. Again, I believe this! In a positive light. IDK, I do believe this. Link said he has strong positive feelings for Rhett's car which I found weird like Rhett because I thought it was established Link has the better car of the two. Who knows, maybe he lied about the positive thing. Unless he connects it in his mind with memories / experiences.

Link's guess a little later:

Link: If I wanted to, I could easily... start over.

Rhett: Start over?! Like, whole life?

L: ...Yeah, just like, get a re-do.

R: Huh.

L: And I would be like "Really? How?"

R: Mmkay. I said "If you wanted to, you could easily kill me".

Okay, this gets a little deeper. I think what initially Link meant was a joke about starting over regarding his relationship with Rhett. Rhett didn't get that and asked him if he meant his whole life. Link considered that "mmyeah..." and realised it wasn't that far off from what he meant, all jokes aside. Link does wish he could start over and redo many things in his life. This surely has A LOT to do with their religious upbringing. And maybe how it affected Link's choices. Stevie's laughter is so out of place sometimes. Rhett does not laugh and tries to rush this moment. Rhett's answer about Link killing him is not exactly weird or offensive or mean as I saw some people consider it. It shows, maybe subconsiously, several things; Link's intensity, Rhett's pliable nature especially to Link and it might be more indicative of how Rhett feels about Link than anything else, at least in this video.

And then, out of nowhere, or maybe so it seems to us, Rhett goes ballistic against everyone. He starts complaining about those complaining when they didn't give each other heartfelt compliments. Link joked he agrees with them. Rhett attempted to let this slip although it angered him. The crew laughed with Link's joke, meaning they kinda sided with him, and Rhett turned basically mad at Link.

He accused Link that he did the same that day and Link entirely deflected the conversation. All I'm gonna say is that don't think they don't communicate with each other about how they approach certain situations. I wonder if at times they misunderstand each other or one changes opinion suddenly and leaves the other hanging. Link tries to stop Rhett from going on but Rhett is unstoppable at this point.

You might say Rhett was straight out mean right there and I sure was like "whoa where did this all come from, man" but mean is not a reasonable explanation. He was angry and his words show he is in a pressured state. Unless you tend to have mood swings, which Rhett doesn't really have as far as I know, you don't go from all cutesy and mischievous to furious in milliseconds. Except if there is an underlying suppressed cause. And you may ask, okay does he feel pressured to say a compliment to Link? Is this such a big deal? Well, yes and no. I don't think Rhett meant "we're not gonna hold hands" or "compliment each other" when we ask it. I think we know what he means. I think he's talking about the - well, in his words - elephant in the room. The actually serious consideration that there is something more there. The expectation that it might get revealed at any point - whether intentionally or unintentionally. Rhett loses control at that moment, which is why Link, who knows him well, warns him to not go there but Rhett still does. And again, you might say: well, no fan asked them to kiss or to confirm anything! We asked them simple stuff that can be normal between platonic friends too. Yes, but there is something we don't take often into account. The mythical crew. The mythical crew are actually the ones who monitor closely what the fans believe, want and prefer to watch. This means that the crew has to inform and discuss with Rhett and Link how much they are gonna please the audience and in what ways. Which means that a crew of 50+ people have an elaborate opinion on what fans think of Rhett and Link's relationship (next to their own opinion of course) and this has to be communicated with them face to face. In short, Rhett and Link have their privacy invaded not only by the fans but by their employees and, moreover, they are forced to always have fun with it and take it lightly. Again, you could think: well, they could forbid any rhink reference to the crew from now on. And you would think this WOULDN'T make the crew MORE suspicious at this point? All I am saying, they are fine when they make rhink insinuations / jokes voluntarily but most of the time is forced upon them by both the fans and employees and this can be uncomfortable at best if they are just friends or tyrannical if there is something more there that they still keep for themselves. So, Rhett's frustration comes from a deeper place than being expected to give a compliment. If I were in their place as I imagine it (I could always be entirely wrong) I would feel like a muppet trying to balance all my reactions towards thousands of people, with several dozens of them being paid by me to scrutinize me and order me how exactly to act!

There is a cut following Rhett's vent and you can see that Rhett is trying to calm himself down.

He speaks to himself, mumbling "yeah alright yeah ok ok" and by the expressions I can tell he acknowledges he lost control. That doesn't mean he regretted what he said - just that he said more than it benefits him to say and apparently he said a lot more in the unedited video. Kudos then to Link, who actively tries to calm his friend down and make him feel more comfortable.

This might be unpleasant to some but from his stance I conclude that Link agrees with Rhett or at least understands him. He was just wise enough to not say it out loud. Link first warned Rhett to not speak and then stayed quiet as Rhett was venting. After the cut, we see him trying to help Rhett calm down and relax and he characteristically invites Rhett to focus his attention on him and find something he really loves about him. This is not a complaint - Link is smiling and is warm to Rhett. What he essentially does is trying to help Rhett forget he is being watched by thousands and his every word is weighted, which of course is Rhett's main problem. He just says "forget about them and focus on me and just say something you love, it's all good". I just love Link here. He's supportive and caring.

The next question is what Link loves when Rhett blanks his blank and Rhett is trying to picture it-

I have no doubt Link loves that. The ear thumbing, I mean.

So, then I am adding the stills that redeemed Rhett in the fandom:

But not to be that person, it's obvious that Rhett plays it up a ridiculous lot. And not even to appease the angry fans but probably to make fun of their anger. That's why Link laughs with his face and his answer "I love remembering the time we met".

This doesn't interest me at all. Instead, I am much more interested in Link's nonsensical answer "I love remembering the time we died" because what?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Link tends to say occasionally stuff that doesn't make sense but I don't think he would pass on the chance to say something even remotely meaningful in an opportunity like this and especially regarding his relationship with Rhett. Link clarifies: "...when we died. This is heaven". There are two possibilities and only two: a) this makes ZERO sense and it's the worst and most pointless joke ever and b) this is symbolic or something only Rhett could understand. Rhett does not dismiss this as stupid or silly with his usual done look. He asks questions about it and they discuss at length about how it happened that they died and why they went to heaven since it seems they killed each other. Well, it's because they killed each other in the exact same time with a prod-like tool and they escaped Good Ol' God's (in Link's words) notice. Okay. I'm just leaving this here and you can all draw your own conclusions. Personally, I am torn between a symbolical death and rebirth when they left their religious selves behind and death being used as a well known old metaphor of a certain physical state. It would work even more if it was both. Or Link was just talking nonsense. Let's not exclude that. So yeah. That's all I had to say................

#rhink #rhett mclaughlin #link neal #gmmore #good mythical more #don't read if you don't like rhink #mythical corner #mythical

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kolachess · 3 years

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DMBJ 2010 Nangongling Interview Translated

I’ve finally (poorly) translated the infamous Nangongling interview with Nanpai Sanshu (aka Xu Lei, author of DMBJ)!

This is where that famous quote, ‘My lifetime, in exchange for you a decade of innocence and purity’ comes from. More on that here.

Interview Context: First off, in case you don’t already know, NPSS started DMBJ off as a fanfiction. And more on that here. Hence, his style of engagement with fans will be much more direct and why he’s very... knowing of the fandom world. And why the interview does not hesitate to ask about pingxie.

This interview seems to have been conducted somewhere on the internet in 2010 or nearing it. Although I couldn’t find more confirmation on its ‘authenticity’ so to speak, I also haven’t seen anything to the contrary that this might be made up. (Chinese internet is a strange, strange place...)

Here’s the version I’m basing this off of.

Translation Context:

Ok first, I’m a native Chinese speaker, but grew up in the US and not fluent in reading / writing. I am not at all familiar with a lot of idioms, let alone internet slang and pop culture references (of which there are a lot in this interiew), so there will be a lot of guessing. Anyone who knows better, free free to point it out.

Text Legend:

Parenthesis indicate actions / reactions. E.g. (smiles awkwardly)

[TN: ...] are my notes

[??? some words ???] indicate major uncertainty in translations

== or =w= and such symbols are emojis from the interviewer

Original text sometimes had random forward slashes in between what seems should be one word / term. My guess is it might be to skirt censorship?

Names Context:

They use a lot of different ways to refer to the various characters and NPSS

The interviewer calls NPSS ‘Your Majesty’ or ‘Sanshu’ a lot. But Sanshu can also refer to Wu Sanxing... so it gets confusing a bit.

Zhang Qiling can be anything from Menyouping to Pingzi to Lao Meng to Meng... just... anytime there’s ‘Meng’ or ‘Ping’ or ‘Zhang’ it’s safe to assume they’re referring to ZQL.

Wu Xie is often just Wu Xie or Tianzhen

Nangongling is the name of the interviewer

Interviewer:

Interviewer: Your Majesty, come interview. After this, we’ve got to sleep.

NPSS: OK. Let’s go. Be gentle.

Interviewer: Oh Your Majesty, you’re so shy.

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Interviewer: If we may ask Sanshu, is DMBJ ultimately a tragic or happy ending?

NPSS: For some, a tragedy. For some, a regular drama. For some, a comedy. For some, an absurdity.

Interviewer: That’s no different from not answering! ==

NPSS: But that’s the correct answer.

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Interviewer: What’s the relationship between Tianzhen and ‘It’? Your Majesty, care to give a spoiler? ==

NPSS: No relationship. [TN: ‘No relationship’ and ‘No problem’ are the same phrase, hence the subsequent answer.]

Interviewer: Then go ahead and tell us. =w=

NPSS: No relationship.

Interviewer: … No relationship?

NPSS: Yup. No relationship.

Interviewer: … ==

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Interviewer: If we may ask Sanshu about the plan for DMBJ, when might you finish it?

NPSS: 2010.

NPSS: The problem is…

Interviewer: What?

NPSS: There is an unexpected situation.

Interviewer: Don’t give us cliffhanger sentences. Just tell us. ==

NPSS: Maybe [??? Something about being possessed ???]. I might work on it till 2050.

Interviewer: Hey!

NPSS: It’s great.

Interviewer: Might as well make it a Gundam series. [TN: Gundam is referring to the Japanese anime series. I guess they’re making a joke about how he should turn it into a never ending universe / entire franchise.]

NPSS: Conan never grows up. Wu Xie will never get old either. [TN: Conan is referring to Detective Conan, another Japanese anime series.]

NPSS: Even when you all become old, Wu Xie in the book will still be pursuing the answer to all the mysteries.

Interviewer: And if it’s with Lao Meng forever mutually loving and caring, then we have no objections.

NPSS: Fifty years, Golden Wedding [TN: Think he’s referring to Golden Wedding as the 50th anniversary].

Interviewer: Yes, yes. Don’t know if there will be a son. (Tea) (Silence) [TN: I guess the actions indicate ‘sipping tea awkwardly in silence’]

Interviewer: Alright, His Majesty has become shy. Let’s continue onto the next question.

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Interviewer: If we may ask what the Menyouping’s ending will be? Will he find his memories? Continue to live on? Your Majesty can’t because of Classmate 370 [TN: Rumors are this is NPSS’s classmate? Potential prototype for ZQL? See ref.] once scorned your [??? finger ???], you end up holding a grudge?

NPSS: Whether or not you can ‘fujoshi’ for 50 years is uncertain. [TN: Word is ‘fu’, which literal = ‘rotten’; but refers to fujoshi. AKA he’s questioning how long they’ll ship pingxie for.]

Interviewer: No worries. In the future, there will appear a lot of Li Yinhe grannies. [TN: Seems to refer to this LGBTQ activist.]

NPSS: Hands / feet have not fallen off, OK? [TN: I’m not sure what this is referring to lol. Maybe some play on the rotten nature of fujoshi.]

Interviewer: Hands / feet… the whole body?

NPSS: The meaning of ‘entirely not fallen off’ is ‘entirely not fallen off’. [TN: Idk I’m lost...]

Interviewer: … ==

Interviewer: Your Majesty, your resentment for 370 is too deep…

NPSS: Menyouping’s ending will definitely surprise you all. It’s definitely not something that can be conceptually considered at all.

Interviewer: Could it be that he really will be mutually loving and caring with Tianzhen? == It’s not in concept…

NPSS: Hn. That’s a nice thought. [TN: Tone reads a little like ‘ha, as if’.]

NPSS: Like, turn him into a woman or something. Or is it Wu Xie who turns into a woman?

NPSS: “Actually, I’m a flat-chested Mary Sue.” [TN: Lol, yes. They refer to Mary Sue omg.]

Interviewer: … hey now… == Speaking of Mary Sues, after Yun Cai is it Xiu Xiu? Your Majesty, you wouldn’t gift Yun Cai to Lao Meng, and Xiu Xiu to Wu Xie, right? ==

NPSS: Maybe I’ll write Lily stories. [TN: I think Lily stories refers to femslash / stories between two females.]

NPSS: Don’t underestimate my pervertedness.

Interviewer: I’ve never underestimated it… (serious)

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Interviewer: If we may ask what Sanshu’s current weight is? Are you losing weight? Hahahah (Hands akimbo)

NPSS: Now it’s probably a little less than 200 jin. [TN: ~220 pounds.] I’m always in the middle of losing weight, but fat really likes me.

Interviewer: Your Majesty, you should continue to make effort to cosplay Pangzi.

NPSS: I think I will exceed Pangzi’s category soon, cosplay a huge monster instead.

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Interviewer: When will the DMBJ movie be released? Who will play Pingzi? To be honest, I don't want to watch. ==

NPSS: Probably around 2015. I don’t know. Hope it’s not [??? black people ???]. [TN: Yeah that’s what it says, but idk if it’s a reference to type of personalities or it actually is referring to skin color. Wouldn’t surprise me if it were a racist remark. China, sigh.]

Interviewer: Could it be there really will be a movie?

NPSS: Probably.

Interviewer: In America?

NPSS: I can’t say I understand / know Hollywood’s situation.

Interviewer: So it’s America… (Tears running) Too tragic!

NPSS: Hei Xiaoge [TN: Lol I think he’s saying a black young lad] is also not bad.

Interviewer: No! No! No!

NPSS: A-ning has already been designated the female lead by a foreign scriptwriter.

Interviewer: Oooh ~~~ We don’t want to see ghosts ~~~ [TN: Idk what this expression is…]

NPSS: Little D might be able to accept. [TN: Idk who Little D is… might just be a slang way of writing ‘little brother’, in which case, I still don’t know if that’s referring to himself or someone else.]

Interviewer: I guess he will squeak along with me. [TN: Again… I’m lost.] Nope cannot anymore. Next question.

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Interviewer: Will there be romance?

NPSS: [??? Eloquent love ???] will have porn scenes.

Interviewer: … who and who?

NPSS: Not sure yet. One party should not be human.

Interviewer: Heavy tastes, Your Majesty.

NPSS: Tentacles.

Interviewer: …… Your Majesty, are you playing some XXOO games recently? [TN: I’m just gonna assume some hentai shit here.]

NPSS: Nope. Haven’t played in a long time. Got any good suggestions?

Interviewer: [??? The imperial doctor has ghost glasses ???] [TN: Guess it’s the title?] Try it (rubs hands).

NPSS: I’m currently still holding out strong.

Interviewer: Gee… what a pity.

NPSS: You can train your boyfriend.

Interviewer: He’s already very calm.

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Interviewer: Pingzi is so good to Wu Xie, any particular reason? I mean deep underlying reason? For example, knowing the truth about Wu Xie’s life / existence or something. Or being entrusted by Wu Xie’s family or something. Or he thinks he’s brought Wu Xie harm and wants to redeem himself or something.

NPSS: Just doesn’t want to disturb.

Interviewer: Huh? What?

NPSS: Don’t want to disturb.

Interviewer: Disturb what?

NPSS: Tianzhen Wu Xie [TN: Remember, this means ‘innocent, naive, and pure’]. The prompt is very deep now. [TN: Sounds like he’s saying he’s given a deep hint now.]

Interviewer: Oh (Actually someone who doesn’t really understand). [TN: GLAD I’M NOT ALONE! IT’S NOT A TRANSLATION ISSUE!]

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Interviewer: Are there new Lunar New Year Celebratory Extras this year? [TN: NPSS writes occasional extras, and often will publish on special occasions like Lunar New Year.]

NPSS: 2010’s publishing work was too heavy. Can’t celebrate. I even wrote the outline already.

Interviewer: That’s such a pity. What about Tibetan Sea Flower. I’m still waiting for the lama that has JQ with Lao Meng. [TN: They use the term JQ here… seems like slang for something like bromance.]

NPSS: Ah little living Buddha… probably can’t write. [TN: Yeah idk what that really means…] Due to religious issues, living Buddha’s chrysanthemum is very sensitive. Huge crawling creatures will come and bombard. [TN: IDK BUT CHRYSANTHEMUMS ARE OFTEN EUPHEMISMS FOR THE ANUS AND GAY BUTT SEX SO IDK.]

Interviewer: Hey… ==

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Interviewer: Qinling Sacred Tree arc was too mysterious. Will Sanshu later be connected to the Sacred Tree? If so, how will you do it? I think DMBJ is not as thrilling / exciting as before. Can you still return to that previous style?

NPSS: There are no plans at present to connect Qinling. I need to settle Meng first. The core of what’s being written is his business. The excitement of DMBJ is not found in the novel but in the heart of the reader. The reader will upgrade / improve while reading.

Interviewer: Is that so… (Eats late night food) [TN: Idk what this expression means.]

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Interviewer: Will you still publish new books and dig new plot holes? == Besides this official vest of Nanpai Sanshu, do you have anything else? Like diving party? == [TN: Yeah idk what that means…]

NPSS: Doesn’t returning to the original style of writing offer you some thrilling / excitement? Your heart has already upgraded, it’s just that the novel is still like that.

Interviewer: Heart! ==||| [TN: Yes, this is another face lol]

NPSS: There’s still some more. Like Nangongling. [TN: Name of the interviewer, but I have no idea what this means.]

Interviewer: The watch drags me underwater. [TN: I got nothing *shrugs*.]

NPSS: Actually are we answering our own questions?

Interviewer: Haha, fun right?

NPSS: Indeed. Could it be a split personality? Never thought my hidden personality is a Fujoshi. Tragedy.

Interviewer: Hey I didn’t say my hidden personality was a perverted uncle yet. (Two bored idiots stare in silence for a few seconds)

Interviewer: Enough. Next.

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Interviewer: Pingzi’s age… is it ‘uncle’ or ‘grandpa’? Anyway, I know it’s not ‘brother’. [TN: They’re referring to which generation basically.]

NPSS: Taizu Grandfather [TN: Basically hella old… great-great-great-great-great-grandfather?]

Interviewer: Wow… paleontology relic?

NPSS: Age must be in the triple digits.

Interviewer: Old monster! I like it! Just afraid that next to Tianzhen, he seems younger (talking to self)

NPSS: Tianzhen is even older. Quadruple digits.

Interviewer: Really is younger? ==

NPSS: They all end up in the museum display.

Interviewer: Does it cost anything to visit? Museums are now free / open to visit.

NPSS: After hour events charge fees. There are special programs, but the TV station will not allow them to be broadcasted.

Interviewer: Strip tease / dancing?

NPSS: No. It’s the old monster [TN: Probably referring to ZQL] performing Xiangsheng [TN: Some Chinese duo comedy schtick]. Xie Ling [TN: I think this is Wu Xie + Zhang Qiling?] social / not-famous Xiangsheng actors.

Interviewer: Looks like it will be Two-Person Turn Opera [TN: Idk if there is an English term for this… but another type of skit it seems.]

NPSS: Wear the dancing shoes. [TN: I think it’s just this?]

Interviewer: … It’s so cold… Your Majesty…

NPSS: Zhang Wenling, Wu Wenxie [TN: Lol I guess this would be their comedy stage names. It’s extra / intentionally stupid because all he did was insert ‘wen’ which means ‘literature’.]

Interviewer: Enough… Don’t worry about this anymore. I’m gonna move onto the next question.

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Interviewer: Is Wu Xie the most tragic character in the entire novel? Is it inevitable that, between him and Pingzi, one of them will have to die in the end?

NPSS: Wu Xie’s fate as the most tragic is a set tragedy, but Lao Zhang doesn’t have it easy either.

Interviewer: And then?

NPSS: Delayed the inevitable tragedy.

Interviewer: And then they encountered tragedy together?

NPSS: Using [his] own lifetime to exchange you another decade of innocence and purity.

Interviewer: … (wailing) (too stunned) Lao Meng [??? became the Virgin Mary???] (smashes wall)

NPSS: I also want to get a cult.

Interviewer: Does Lao Meng really not have a crush on Tianzhen? It can’t continue like this. DMBJ is still a serious / proper drama after all.

NPSS: Nah. It’s serious / proper.

Interviewer: But what you said is crooked.

NPSS: Alright. Then let’s put it this way.

Interviewer: How?

NPSS: Comrade Zhang Qiling sacrificed his own time to save and prevent the disillusionment of a youth who was about to go astray. [TN: Yeah… not too sure about the implications of this.]

Interviewer: …. Your Majesty, you [??? use soulmates ???] [TN: I’m really not sure about this… context and definitions I found seems to indicate it’s a soulmate like thing, but also used kind of queerbaity?]

NPSS: I’ve been working real closely with soulmate recently.

Interviewer: We can tell. Next question. Best leave some room for free thought.

NPSS: It’d be fine if you just don’t post it.

Interviewer: This is iron proof of JQ! [TN: Again, some internet slang for bromance / malexmale CPs or something.]

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Interviewer: Are all the incomprehensible things that happened so far man-made? Or will it be explained by the supernatural?

NPSS: There’s nothing incomprehensible.

Interviewer: Probably in reference to Qinling.

NPSS: Oh. Doesn’t that count as a spoiler?

Interviewer: … then let’s skip again. Actually, I thought you already forgot about Qinling.

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Interviewer: What is Pangzi’s little secret?

NPSS: Xiao Pang’s [TN: Little Fat’s] tragic past.

Interviewer: What… Pangzi is also quite tragic.

NPSS: Probably a ‘fought with his best friend over a woman and was hurt very badly’ kind of relationship. Pangzi had a very simple but tragic love.

Interviewer: Sad…. == You really can’t tell…

NPSS: A woman he promised to take care of for a lifetime and a brother he can’t help but save.

Interviewer: Pangzi has sublimed (victory fist] [TN: I assume ‘sublime’, which literally means converting from solid directly to gas, is just representative of a massive promotion or rise into awesomeness.]

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Interviewer: I’m always thinking of Ershu’s mysterious air. Does he know a lot of things that others don’t? I also want to know what Wu Xie’s dad does.

NPSS: [??? Location scouting ???]

Interviewer: Ershu?

NPSS: He knows some.

Interviewer: Then what about his dad.

NPSS: Location scouting. Totally innocent. Just like Jesus’s old man.

Interviewer: What kind analogy is that… == Next.

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Interviewer: Hey Sanshu, on Dec 9, 2009 at 02:58 in the morning I dreamt of you. Did you dream of me? …. == Your Majesty, your fans [TN: Yeah idk.]

NPSS: That night I seem to have pulled an all-nighter. I wouldn’t mind dreaming again tonight.

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Interviewer: Will Pingzi eventually return to being a normal human? Live on from the age of 18? Has he had a lover / children before? Yun Cai? Is Pangzi the boss or the person coming to supervise the boss (Tianzhen)?

Interviewer: Lao Meng… I’ve long since been speechless towards him. By the way, was he always this kind of stone in the latrine? [TN: I guess a saying about how he’s stuffy and expressionless per usual.]

NPSS: No. It used to be really bad.

Interviewer: …How bad…

NPSS: Like a Tibetan horse. [TN: Lol this is the literal translation but when I Googled it, Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho came up and hahaha I guess it kind of makes sense as an analogy?]

Interviewer: Your Majesty, your definition of really bad is Kurama’s level huh…= =|| So he wasn’t born latrine stone… [TN: Ok, so background on Kurama - an infamous fox demon thief escaped into the body of a newborn child because his spirit was weakened after being hunted, and so he cohabits the body with this boy… I’m not entirely sure of the reference jousting here.]

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Interviewer: What happens to Pangzi in the end?

NPSS: Dies of old age.

Interviewer: How mundane!

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Interviewer: We want to know when DMBJ 7 will be finished?

NPSS: 3/15-20 complete.

Interviewer: (Recommends to everyone not to believe… ==)

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Interviewer: Sanshu, will someone die at the end of DMBJ? (Alright I only care about MengMeng and Tianzhen and believe Pangzi will definitely not be killed off). Also, just how many volumes will there be?

Interviewer: How many die, I also want to know. [TN: Lol they also use the counter word not for humans, but… something else?].

NPSS: There will be someone half-dead. Because it’s a grave-robbing novel, dying completely will never happen. A-ning died and still comes around often, right? [TN: Lol I’m not entirely sure what this is in reference to… first part he’s making a joke that people can become zombies, but second part… I don’t really recall A-ning coming back? Unless he means in mentions? Then again I’m still making my way through the novels.] Just that you go from hero to villain. I still haven’t decided how many to kill off. Anyways for the last volume, with the exception of Wu Xie, [??? anyone can be killed ???].

Interviewer: …Just kill everyone why don’t you; it’s easier. (self-destruct) ==

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Interviewer: May we ask Sanshu, will Pingzi have emotional drama in the future?

NPSS: No. No time / effort for that, and communication skills are limited.

Interviewer: Ahaha….

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Interviewer: Normally, will Sanshu come check out our Tieba? [TN: Kind of like Chinese reddit I believe?] Do you know the Warm Fox? [TN: I did a quick search, seems like a big fandom name that interprets a lot of the DMBJ stuff.]

NPSS: Don’t know.

Interviewer: As expected…

NPSS: It’s your husband?

Interviewer: Hey don’t involve me in everything. (Flips table)

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Interviewer: Just out of personal interest… I really want to know if Xie Lianhuan likes Wenjin?

NPSS: Uh, yes. Very much so.

Interviewer: Then what about Wu Sanxing?

NPSS: Also likes her.

Interviewer: So it turns out to be a crime of passion… (awakened)

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Interviewer: Is Yun Cai just an inconsequential character? Those Huo family Forbidden Ladies won’t have some sort of emotional development with Pingxie, right? [TN: It does say Huo family Forbidden Ladies… I guess they might be referring to Huo Xiu Xiu, but not sure why there’s multiple. Also, recall that the Forbidden Lady is that tomb creature.]

NPSS: Huo family really did become Forbidden Lady professional household [TN: Maybe like a ‘firm’?]. Yun Cai’s ending is also quite tragic.

Interviewer: Indeed. If transmigrating, don’t transmigrate into DMBJ. [TN: Transmigrate is the common c-drama trope where someone in modern times / average suddenly wakes up in the body of some one in the past or something.] Female beings all have no good outcome.

NPSS: If you’ve already died once, then there’s no need to be afraid.

Interviewer: Oh yeah, will that pink-shirt show face again? (Xlaugh) [TN: Idk this expression, but I think pink-shirt is referring to Xiaohua.]

NPSS: Yes. [??? Young Lord of Solutions ???] Grave-Robbing Prince.

Interviewer: Ahhhhh~~great~~~ >///<~~ The Old Nine Gates [??? Admirals ???], right? … Then Xiao Hei [TN: Hei Xiazi / Hei Yanjing] also has a role?

NPSS: Yup.

Interviewer: The descendants of the Old Nine Gates [??? Admirals ???] are nine golden men? =w=

NPSS: One isn’t. 8 men. 1 woman.

Interviewer: The female is Huo family Forbidden Lady, right?

NPSS: Yup. Counting her.

Interviewer: So that means Tianzhen still has 7 in his harem… Damn, catching up to Cracked Pot’s bunch of shiny guardians. [TN: Idk what that is in reference to.]

NPSS: Cracked Pot? What’s that? [TN: Yay I’m not the only one!]

Interviewer: Cough Cough. Your Majesty, you don’t need to know.

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Interviewer: Will Sanshu come to Nanning for an autograph session?

NPSS: Nanning? Need a Nanning bookstore to invite me.

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Interviewer: If we may ask Lao San [TN: Still referring to NPSS], from Wu Xie’s (or Pangzi’s) perspective, where does Menyouping stand? Just a ‘person who stands on our side’? [TN: Refers to when ZQL told them he was a person on their side.]

NPSS: Now it should be like a son’s role / part.

Interviewer: What? Son? ==

NPSS: A very promising son.

Interviewer: Is Wu Xie having the ‘My son has grown up’ old mother mentality?

NPSS: Not really. More like, my son has bad memory or something.

Interviewer: Wu Xie he is indeed [??? person wife ???] [TN: Uh... term used was 人\妻 which when Googled had the first link to pornhub lol. But I think the slang used is actually this.]

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Interviewer: In Sanshu’s day to day, how often does you use code words? Or is it scrunching your feet and thinking on it for a month or two before coming up with something? [TN: I think they’re referring to Sanshu as in NPSS and not Wu Sanxing Sanshu?]

NPSS: It’s usually simultaneously [??? buckling ???] and eating and typing.

Interviewer: Does it taste good?

NPSS: Often get stomachaches.

Interviewer: …Very toxic huh…

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Interviewer: Can you fill the bit plothole of Sanshu’s storytelling? Your Majesty, do you have any filled pits? == (Hides face)

NPSS: I promised my father I would fill them before he turns 70.

NPSS: [??? New Year’s Eve pieces ???]

Interviewer: How old is his esteemed Majesty’s father?

NPSS: 60.

Interviewer: …. (speechless)

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Interviewer: What kind of person is Wu Xie’s mother?

NPSS: Wu Xie’s mother is probably a strong / great woman.

Interviewer: I think so too.

NPSS: Beautiful but strict and fierce, which is why Dad is rather pathetic / a good-for-nothing.

Interviewer: Queens are great. Queens usually marry good-for-nothings. [TN: The ‘queen’ here is literally ‘female king’, so more implies a female ruler.] ==

Interviewer: In the end, did Wu Xie inherit his dad’s genes?

NPSS: Wu Xie also has a very dark personality.

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NPSS: I’m nearly at my limit…

Interviewer: Same here… (sleepy)

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Interviewer: If we may ask Sanshu, if excluding psychological factors, in terms of human nature, do you think Pingxie is suitable?

NPSS: I think, the two of them together. Neither can earn money. Parents on both side would not agree.

Interviewer: Can it not be one steals and the other sells stolen goods?

NPSS: At the very least, Wu Xie needs to get admitted to a civil service position. [TN: These are stable job positions lol]

Interviewer: Looks like Lao Meng eats soft rice! [TN: A saying that refers to men who lives off of women lol. Basically that the woman supports the man instead of the expected vice versa.]

NPSS: And also will need to buy a house in Hangzhou.

Interviewer: … Too realistic… == [TN: Lol no joke this is exactly how couples get ‘permission’ to marry each other by the families… Hangzhou housing prices are not cheap either. I was born there and visit often… those prices have gone uuuuuuup.]

(And the two are dozing off)

NPSS: Let’s end it. I can’t hold on anymore.

Interviewer: Ok…

(The physically / mentally exhausted two rolled off to sleep, interview unfinished… ==)

~ End Interview

Whew that was a long ride. NPSS is such a troll lol... 😅I don’t know nearly enough Chinese slang / internet speak to parse this properly, but the general gist is there.

#dmbj #daomubiji #daomu biji #pingxie #interview #translation #the lost tomb #the lost tomb reboot #zhang qiling #wu xie #wang pangzi #ultimate note

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tellywoodtrash · 5 years

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Sanjivani - Weeks 4 + 5

Overall Plot

Heavy in terms of the background stories for Sid and Ishani and their deeply ingrained emotional issues. Their relationship though, phew; such highs and lows, that I'm almost dizzy with how quickly they fight and make up. Though the Juhi/Shashank/Anjali/Vardhan track remains good to watch on the basis of performance, not much progress on that front plot-wise, other than Shashank unwillingly approving the luxury ward and the fallout from that.

The Medical Stuff

Still boring for a medical procedural junkie like me; it seems like they just flip through a medical textbook and pick some two, three randomass illnesses, but then barely go into depth about it. It’s like they pick these things just for the novelty of the name and nothing else.

The Acting

Needless to say, the seniors reliably turn in the best performances. Namit continues to get better, fewer missteps each week than the last. Also nicely compelling in some scenes where he emotes quietly with his face. Surbhi on the other hand seems to be a see-saw; it's just bewildering for me to watch her all over the place like this, after seeing her be nicely measured in the first 1.5 years of IB. IDK if it's the character or the direction or what, but she seems so messily uncontrolled in this role compared to what I've seen of her as Haya/Anika. The supporting cast - Rashmi, Jason, Robin, Kunal, Rahul - got marginally more to do these weeks than previously, and they were pretty good; especially Rashmi who got some nice scenes to do.

The Characters

Sid: Still the character I'm most invested in. He has major existential angst about possibly being naajaayaz and not knowing who his father is. They also brought back Fuckboy Sid; well not really, but his "past" catches up with him when 3 girls he was seeing at the same time show up together to beat him up. He's definitely a charmer alright, seeing how he gets out of sticky situations like these. As a doctor, I truly like watching him in his element; he’s smart and focused and has wonderful bedside manner; gentle and compassionate, knows how to get patients to open up to him, and how to comfort them in turn. He's the best at his job among the residents, and we can see why Shashank likes him so much. Also, like Shashank he’s a good mentor, the way he guides his juniors not only in matters of medical stuff, but also in interpersonal stuff like self-esteem, and things like basic human empathy, that’s oft-forgotten in high-pressure situations. WRT the romance, I find how besotted/concerned he is for Ishani pretty adorable. Like it's an appropriate amount (for the time they’ve known each other) and comes from genuinely liking her as a person, even with all her quirks and unlikable traits. And thankfully there’s zero creepy slo-mo staring or having intrusive romantic thoughts while working or anything like that (side-eye at Armaan/Riddhima.) Like, he's in tune with her emotionally, despite all their innumerable differences and genuinely cares for her in a selfless manner, even with the constant ups and downs in their dynamic.

Ishani: Continues to be diagnostic genius but in the dumbest fucking way. A ex fling of Sid’s making a threatening gun gesture with her hand at him led Ishani to deduce that the kid had swallowed bullets and thus had lead poisoning???? She diagnosed a patient that NINE SPECIALISTS couldn't diagnose?!?!?!? (Like, either she's the best diagnostician in the goddamn world, or Rishabh was lying and/or Sanjivani's specialists are hella bad at their jobs.) Her diagnoses kinda come outta fucking nowhere; till date, only the Refsum Disease one seemed legit, coz she actually looked into a patient's chart AND ran multiple conclusive tests for it; nahi toh random tukkebaazi se hi chal rahi hai iski career. Also, I sympathise with her on the subject of her parents, but after a point, her reactions are so damn extra. Like, I’m not a fan of the fuckery that is organizational hierarchy, but she’s just TOO FUCKING MUCH, from slapping Sid, to getting some senior doctor suspended for sleeping on the job, to undermining senior specialists in front of their patients. Like god sis, you've barely been here for 2 weeks or so. Would it kill you to simmer down and lay low for a bit? You’re a first year resident for fuck’s sake; save this nonsense for at least the third year. Idk how or why anyone puts up with her, honestly.

Asha & Aman: Still genial, still best in small to medium amounts. Aman is kinda hilariously self-centered but pretty dumb (I have serious doubts as to how he got into med school/Sanjivani. He's rich, so maybe influence?) Asha is better knowledge-wise, but super competitive and always wanting to be on every single case, which gets annoying; but they gave her a good reason for being that way, which Rashmi performed quite compellingly. What I love most about Asha is that she doesn't carry her momentary irritations with Ishani into their overall relationship. That's work stuff and outside of it, she's very affectionate and fond of Ishani, even fiercely protective and supportive of her when the latter is rendered weak by the poster drama. Good. I'm here for tight friendships between girls. Aman's a pretty good friend too; misguided in his attempts coz of his dumb self-centeredness, but he's intrinsically a good dude whose heart's in the right place and tries his best to comfort his friends when they’re disturbed.

Dialogue of the Week:

Asha [re: Ishani/Sid]: Arre in dono ka jab dekho marad-lugaai jaisa jhagda hi chalta rehta hai; yeh ghar-grihasti waale jhagde baad mein na kar sakte?

Rishabh: Continues to be The Fucking Worst. Chalo, Ishani ke baare mein Vadhan fed him the gossip, but how the fuck does he know so much about Sid's personal life????? I'd forgive his fuckery if he was at least a good doctor, but he's not; he's just an annoying character with zero redeeming qualities whatsoever. I honestly wait for his biweekly roughing up by Sid, coz by god, bada mazzaa aata hai jab is kameene ke saath pitaai hoti hai.

Neil: Ok so it turns out he's a doctor who's just really really squeamish when it comes to blood. My question is, then why is he in an area that involves an abundance of it in the first place? There's plenty of specializations in medicine that don't involve seeing blood/other gross stuff (psychiatry, neurology, physiotherapy/physical rehab, radiology, nutrition, nuclear medicine......) Why not go for one of those? Like, the end of MBBS/internship should have been long enough to figure out this issue with blood and pick an appropriate specialization no? Is he a surgical resident too, like the others? In that case, it’s just truly bizarre how/why he chose this field. Other than that minor issue, I love him, he is softest and purest boy. Give him a dancing scene every few weeks, coz I wanna watch Jason groove!

Rahil: The most likable person on this show. WHY THE FUCK WON'T YOU GIVE US MORE OF HIM, HUH????? He's so sweet and genuine and soft (to the degree of stupidity - he took time off and became an ambulance driver to help Sid sort out his issues with Ishani???? Lol boo, I get he’s your best friend/boss, but yeh thoda too much ho gaya.) Hopefully he’ll be proving Rishabh is behind all the posters next week, and thus we all win - Sid coz his name is cleared, Ishani coz she’ll get the name of her culprit/learn to trust that she’s got friends who have her back here, and me coz I’ll get more smartypants cutiepie Rahil!!!!

Shashank: They're not really giving me any meaty Shashank/Anjali stuff (other than what they’ve already shown us in the last few weeks) so thank god they're giving me the next best thing: Shashank being an excellent “dadTor” (dad + mentor) to Juhi, Sid, and Ishani. Esp. with Sid & Ishani, I genuinely love how he minces no words and is always forthright with them, but never ever in an unkind way. He's always gentle and soft and puts it in a way that guides them to introspect and be better. That's what good parenting/teaching is; not solving the problems FOR your kids, but enabling them to come up with the solutions on their own, thus making a lasting impression/change in their psyche.

Juhi: They've kept her all tied up in admin stuff than medical, and I'm kinda ehhhhhh about that, but it's always a balm to my heart when she appears with her gentle smile and calming demeanor. I genuinely feel so bad for her that she’s stuck in between Shashank and Anjali, and feels responsible for fixing their relationship, even though it doesn’t really have anything to do with her. Also lol, the best scene in this fortnight was her ‘BITCH WTF????’ face when Vardhan was getting handsy with Anjali in front of her. BUT ALSO TELL US WHAT THE ISSUE WITH RAHUL IS ALREADY?!?!?!?!!!!

Anjali: I don't like this show's up/down writing of Anjali. On one hand they have her being compassionate towards that patient's husband who slapped her, but then she goes and makes multiple hurtful comments to Ishani? Surely she, of all people, whose biggest issue in life is being unable to break out from under the shadow of parents in the same profession, would understand and empathize with Ishani? Also, it’s clear that Ishani has a family connection with the Guptas and has been visiting them since she was a child, so why does Anjali have zero familiarity with her? Like, you’d have some kinda fondness for a kid you’ve known for 15-20 odd years no? I really don’t like the way they’re portraying her as a person who’s got no real human feelings for anyone or anything beyond her job/dad’s approval. #JUSTICE4ANJALI

Vardhan: Ugh, like Rishabh, continues to be a gross slimeball. Like honestly, doesn't a CFO of a major hospital have more to do than pettily making two residents keep fighting amongst themselves? Get a life, dude. Go visit that son of yours whom you're always talking to on the phone, or something. And for the love of god, please stop hitting on Anjali in this gross manner. (Guessing he’s divorced, and the wife has the kid, and thus these shenanigans.) Also another totally petty gripe, I really hate how the hair at the nape of his neck is always sticking out weird. Can someone put some gel on that shit for him????

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

#sanjivani #sanjivani (new)#tt reviews

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kirabook · 5 years

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that-thing-that-feeling replied to your post: *sigh* Watching this video now, I see why they...

it’s also crazy that the duffers let an actor paint over their characters that much. input is one thing, but it feels like what they did here is just give away their writing (including at the expense of protecting characters like max).

thequeenofshebasays replied to your post: *sigh* Watching this video now, I see why they...

So the cynical side of me is like “uh huh… you really wanna try to get those awards…” but then I’m like that’s too bad he went through that… but like you said… he shouldn’t conflate the two… since Billy abused max and attacked Lucas. Had he been more like Steve I Maybe would get forgiving him… but he’s very much NOT! So yeah… cool story… still murder.

Right. On the one hand, I’m like, “Well Dacre, it really sucks that you had to go through that and that you’re now playing the role of the same kind of person who did that stuff to you.”

On the other hand, I’ve always disliked this idea in general that you should show forgiveness and empathy towards the people who really did you wrong. Not just in tv, but in general. There’s always this narrative that you have to “understand”, “forgive”, and “move on” when someone has hurt you and I don’t feel that way about life at all.

“Forgive”. Sure. But I will never forget. I will always remember how I was wronged and do my best to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Whether that’s to leave a relationship (familial/platonic in this case, which I have done) or changing my whole routine to avoid something. That’s how I cope.

But, everyone copes differently. So if forgiving and sympathizing with his abusers is how Dacre has moved on in his life, ok I guess. But... it just doesn’t make sense for these characters. Dacre is not Max, and his abusers are not Billy.

I guess when all the actors had a wish granted for what they wanted this season (which is what I heard they do, call up the actors and ask what they want for their character each season), Dacre wanted Billy to be redeemed and they used Max for that (while Sadie probably asked to be friends with El, which was also granted)

It just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I get it Dacre, but this was not the place to paint your story on imo.

#text #dacre montgomery

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filmista · 7 years

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80′s favorite: ‘The Breakfast Club’ (1985)

“… And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They’re quite aware of what they’re going through…” - David Bowie

Ah, the 80’s! An era of some awesome music (totally irrelevant but in case anyone wondered my ultimate 80’s guilty pleasure song is ‘The Final Countdown’, also anything 80’s Madonna. Confession actually I just plain love Madonna, there secret’s out! Although these days her on stage acrobatics, are starting to slightly unsettle me) And crimes against fashion and excellent teen films.

Teen films were such a popular genre at the time that they almost could have been regarded as an industry within the film industry. And the driving force and brain of it was arguably John Hughes, (‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’,‘ Pretty in Pink’, ‘Sixteen Candles’ etc).

Hughes made multiple successful films in the 80’s but the most famous and the one that’s to this day still the most beloved for its timeless and universal relevance is ‘The Breakfast Club’.

These days despite the fact that I’m now quite past the age it’s characters were it’s one of those films that’s always a blast to watch, time quite literally flies, and there’s always the temptation to simply restart the film.

Not to sound dramatic and all, but sometimes I wish I had seen it during some of the more difficult times I had in high school, it might have brought some comfort, there’s a comfort in knowing: other people are unhappy too and they too sometimes occasionally have pretended they aren’t.

Despite the fact that the film is not without its flaws, I love almost everything about it. From the David Bowie quote at the beginning ( which I still consider as deep and as relevant, I think it’s so unbelievably powerful):

“… And these children  that you spit on  as they try to change their worlds  are immune to your consultations. They’re quite aware  of what they’re going through…”

To the Simple Mind’s ‘Don’t You forget about me’ playing in the ending scene as bad boy Bender raises his fist towards the sky. Even the switching between absurd or utterly brilliant dialogues, this is still one of my favorite dialogues in any film:

Vernon: What did you want to be when you were young?

Carl: When I was a kid, I wanted to be John Lennon. 

Vernon: Carl, don’t be a goof. I’m trying to make a serious point here. I’ve been teaching, for twenty-two years, and each year, these kids get more and more arrogant. 

Carl: Aw bullshit, man. Come on Vern, the kids haven’t changed, you have! You took a teaching position, ‘cause you thought it’d be fun, right? Thought you could have summer vacations off and then you found out it actually worked and that really bummed you out. 

Vernon: These kids turned on me. They think I’m a big fuckin’ joke.

 Carl: Come on…listen, Vern, if you were sixteen, what would you think of you, huh? 

Vernon: Hey, Carl, you think I give one rat’s ass what these kids think of me? 

Carl: Yes, I do.

 Vernon: You think about this…when you get old, these kids; when I get old, they’re gonna be runnin’ the country. 

Carl: Yeah? 

Vernon: Now this is the thought that wakes me up in the middle of the night; that when I get older, these kids are gonna take care of me. Carl: I wouldn’t count on it.

This particular dialogue shows something very simple, yet often overlooked fact: some adults simply forget what it’s like to be in a teenager’s shoes, and therefore have forgotten all the angst and difficult times, they can’t empathize anymore.

The teenager in question feels misunderstood, and it’s likely to gather two responses, either they rebel and lash out, or they withdraw even more into their own world, and so the vicious circle of miscommunication between adults and young people is strengthened.

But to return to mentioning everything that I love about the film, I also love everybody’s cliche clothing style (Claire Standish, made me discover the frilly feminine with leather and boots look, which was a total phase I went through for a while) detention rarely looked that stylish and fun.

Honestly, this film made me wish we had detention in my high school here in Europe too, but I was always slightly too well behaved to have even landed myself there in the first place.

Twice in my high school career, I’ve had to stand in the hallway, for not so serious misdeeds, let’s say that my sometimes somewhat big mouth got me in trouble, both times haunted me for an entire afternoon…

Still ‘The Breakfast Club’ was for me one of those films that I knew a lot of people love but that had to grow on me a little, there was a straightforwardness, such a collection of bizarre situations and such a plethora of cliches, that the first time I couldn’t get over them as more flaws.

Of course it’s now safe to say that the first time I saw the film I criminally misunderstood it, as it’s all about using cliché characterization to make a statement: “we’re all different, but we’re not all so different after all” all of us share fears and anxieties of some kind. I don’t blindly love the film it’s got a fair share of flaws and stuff that I simply don’t like about it.

But I can completely overlook these now, it’s one of those films that you just have to let wash over you.

It has as I mentioned quite the lack of subtlety and cohesion at times, it throws logic out the old for its own benefit, (the disappearing principal, the effects of the joint that wear off almost immediately after smoking it?!)

It’s just an at times plain lack of realism, that if you got too cynical and allowed it could ruin your whole viewing of the film. ‘Breakfast Club’ is deceptively simple and straightforward, and it’s in this that it is so smart, it shows things as it is, it shows what’s under the surface of the psyche of plenty a teen.

It solves everything for us, you don’t have to pull back any layers with any of its characters, you don’t gradually discover what’s wrong with each, they literally all fairly early on start shoving their problems in our face, quite literally throw them out there. And that during my first few viewings of the film bothered me to no end; it seemed to me like an easy way to go and one that’s not daring in the least, because you don’t have to think deeply about it.

As time went on I came to see that as part of the film’s charm. ‘Breakfast Club’ can literally be as deep as you want it to be, depending on what mood you happen to be in that day.

It can be a film that you watch just for fun, and just because you happen to like its humour and its atmosphere, or it could be a film that sets you to thinking about deep stuff such as the societal norm and our self-awareness, how we perceive ourselves VS the performance some of us put up each day toward the outside world.

The beauty of the film is that it can be any of those things anytime you want; which is why I find that each viewing of the film can be an entirely different one.

And what initially bothered me about it I now see as endearing and pretty smart. The plot can basically be resumed as this: Wildly different people that don’t particularly like each other are forced to spend a day together.

They slowly discover that each of them is as human, as unique and as flawed as they, every person has a world of their own in their mind.

Underneath the stereotype each of them hides behind, they realize each of them has problems, emotions, and feelings. That each is far more complex than any definition that can oh so easily be put on a person.

Now I don’t know what they do in detention in America, if you do your homework, or if you’re punished by not being allowed to study.

But in ‘The Breakfast Club’ it’s an entire day of free therapy. It shows a simple yet even nowadays very often overlooked fact, life would be a lot easier and pleasant to navigate, if we from time to time could all just sit our butts down and talk to each other (I fervently believe in this).

Exchanging a “how are you” that could instead of being answered with “fine” while your world is going to shit be answered with a genuine “listen, not good at all” and here’s why.

That’s what I’ve always found redeeming about the film despite some of its flaws, the fact that it humanizes characters that are to this day in a lot of American films, just grossly stereotyped. In some of these films, it’s like they all walked out of the same clone machine, disturbing…

‘Breakfast Club’ states that our interests do perhaps define us to some degree; and that we all fit a certain type (I guess I’m the sleazy European, just joking). All of us are either “the film geek” “the film snob”, “the comic geek” or the guy who’s got a permanent residence at the gym and that it’s ok, because each of is an individual, we are not our interests, not entirely at least.

All this is what I’ve come to see in the film over the years, but it took me as I said a while to get there. But while it was a film that I saw many problems with, it was simply one of those films that for whatever reason sucked me in again and again. Simple because the film had something, it’s a something that to this day I still can’t exactly point out, it’s a unique quality in its atmosphere, that pulls you in so much that you forget your surroundings and feel as though you are in that classroom.

I think that something is the relatability of a rainy Saturday, you get up in the morning, and the whole day is still stretched out before you, the day is still rife with possibility. And even if it’s a rainy bleak day and even if that day is going to be spent indoors, it still lends itself towards almost anything.

It’s that same magical feeling you have as a kid during Summer holiday, The Breakfast Club for me has that same quality: no matter how bizarre, how unlikely it is possible in this film.

Or maybe it’s the dialogues that become absurd on occasion, and that doesn’t always feel like the way a 16 or 17 year would talk.

But that is actually delightful in their sometimes sheer absurdity, my absolute favorite line is probably: “Does Barry Manilow know you steal his clothes?” absolutely delightful…

And yet even if they at times get very absurd, there’s sometimes also just an absurdity to life, people do have hilarious conversations that make no sense to an outsider.

‘The Breakfast Club’ actually does a pretty good job of capturing that sheer funnies of life. It’s a laugh at your own misery in the company of others, sorta humor, sometimes sharing your fears with others and laughing about them, is all that it takes to see clearly and no longer be afraid, or at least less.

It’s like when you’ve been having a shit day, let’s say that a pigeon shat on your head or your shoulder, it’s not gonna be funny at the time, but more of than not you end up being able to laugh about it, after you’ve taken a good long shower and you’ve had a nice hot meal.

Initially like I’ve mentioned my biggest problem with the film was the illogicalness of the plot at times, like how the principal so conveniently disappears so that the kids can bond, it would have been more realistic had he given them more grief…

Or how as I said when they smoke a joint; the effects wear off when it’s convenient for the plot. The film does whatever the fuck it wants when it wants. Even if it becomes a bit unreal, surrealists even.

A character jumps over bookcases like he’s in the gym. But hey it was the 80’s, maybe Jane Fonda did that in her spare time “don’t worry honey, just gettin’ some exercise… But now I find that there’s a beauty to it just doing whatever it wants when it wants. It gives a sort of authentic, good-hearted charm.

A charm that some films that make sense at all times don’t always have, they’re almost too perfect at times.

But that’s the thing about ‘The Breakfast Club’ it makes sense while it’s not making sense. The director really used these so-called flaws or things that don’t make sense at the service of his plot, some call this lazy filmmaking but in this case, it works out. As I’ve been mentioning a few times throughout, the film isn’t without it’s flawed to this day Ally Sheedy’s transformation from weird artsy ugly duckling to a beautiful angel, bugs me.

I mean yeah the girl had bad hygiene and all but such a drastic shift in style wasn’t necessary either, a new haircut and just washing it occasionally might have helped.

And there are a few other things, but the ‘The Breakfast Club’s is just in the end one of those films that simply charms me and I forgive it’s flaws, because as cheesy as it sounds (give me a toilet to lean over) it’s got a nice message at its heart.

Acting wise I’ve heard a lot about the film over the years about the quality of the acting, I’ve heard people call it bad and some people say that all of the actors had never been better than they were in this film.

And that’s maybe to some degree true. Molly Ringwald was the director’s darling and did multiple projects alongside Hughes, but not much was heard of Ringwald after the 80’s, apparently, she does mainly Broadway now. It pleases me to know that she’s doing something still in line with acting.

What is an absolute fact is that pretty much all of the actors had their New York minute of fame in the 80’s and I suppose nowadays they’re in some kind of acting wasteland, or you only see them in really bad soaps and films that play at unholy hours, until late at night?

But I’ve personally always thought that even if the acting in it, isn’t entirely without flaws either, it swindles in quality on occasion.

I’ve always loved it, I love every single character and every performance. Though I’ve got my favorites, my favorite character is “the princess”, Claire Standish. I don’t see Molly Ringwald when I see her here but Claire, she’s just perfectly in character the entire times and is natural and convincing throughout.

She’ll always be one of my favorite popular, mean girls, she’s seemingly a spoiled brat that’s actually a sweetheart. the original “poor little rich girl” her parents give her everything, and yet the perfect picture is tainted.

Even she misses something and that’s real contact with her parents, real affection, after all, what good is a pair of diamond earrings when you can’t have a good talk. I love the chemistry between Ringwald and Nelson, there’s a very natural, very authentic feeling chemistry (I was much dismayed when I found out a long kiss between the two was taken out).

Visually ‘The Breakfast Club’ couldn’t be more 80’s everything ranging from the excellent music (gotta love The Simple Minds) to the so highly coiffed hair that it looks like it could catch fire, upon entering into contact with a flame, and the clothes scream the 80's…

Yet ‘The Breakfast Club’ unlike some films of the same time, some also made by the same man. Has a much calmer and tranquil atmosphere, as it does primarily focus on the conversations between the characters.

A lot of ‘The Breakfast Club’ is actually hilarious close-ups of faces and the expressions on them as they react to something. It’s something I like very much as it makes you feel less detached as a viewer, it creates a real intimacy between the characters and the audience, you feel transported into the room.

‘The Breakfast Club’ is a true 80’s classic, that has stayed contemporary. Every once in a while it still makes appearances on both European and American channels.

As I said the unique thing about it is that you can take it as seriously as you wish, it can become philosophical if you warm and it can be good fun, if nothing else.

If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend doing so in hideous, flashy 80’s sportswear, usually to be found in an attic of an elderly family member, that keeps everything under the universal: “It’ll come back in fashion again” Adagio.

“Saturday, March 24, 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois, 60062. Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did was wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. What do you care? You see us as you want to see us - in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. Correct? That's the way we saw each other at 7:00 this morning. We were brainwashed.”

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tornrose24 · 7 years

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Only a Voice part 6 (A Moana fan fic/ Little Mermaid inspired AU)

Remember that this fan fic can also be found on fan fiction.net under my other name HolyMaiden24. Also the beginning A/N is slightly different here than in the fan fiction.net version.

This time:

-Moana sings a familiar song and we get to see her canoe

-Maui FINALLY recognizes Moana

-ominous trouble is hinted at for the future

-The author takes advantage of the A/N at the end to do something stupid that doubles as a shout out to another Disney film.

-*Somewhere on the edge of the fourth wall* Tamatoa stared in confusion at the writer, who looked like a blonde haired, green eyed version of Belle from Beauty and the Beast (that’s the closest we can get to describing the author’s actual appearance, unless you opted for Rapunzel). “Look,” The writer sighed as she held her hand out. “I know I take things too far, but I don’t want to anger a character that I really like to the point that I’m no longer on their good side. I just don’t want you going after the reviewers and I guess I wanted to express my affection at the same time. Plus trying to find your tsum-tsum is a pain in my rear so maybe that had something to do with this.” Tamatoa didn’t answer so the author took out her laptop. “Ok, there is only one way to redeem myself.” She typed something in and within seconds, there was a flash and the crab returned to his giant 50 ft tall self. “Is that better?” She asked. “I suppose I won’t kill you.” Tamatoa decided, though he was relieved to be turned back to normal. “Thanks!” The writer smiled and waved. “My gosh, I can’t believe that I would ever write a Disney fan fic. I even keep forgetting that you’re a Disney character. I thought I would at least write something for Beauty and the Beast since that’s my favorite film of them all... though funny enough I did have a mental image of a Beauty and the Beast AU for Tangled with Flynn as some sort of snake monster.” The writer added under her breath with a laugh before a thought struck her. “I’m writing a Disney fan fic.... I could do anything I want in the Disney universe.... Wait a minute, that means I could–! Hey, do you know where I can buy a bunch of tomatoes?!” The writer turned to Tamatoa who was now just confused. “Uh... no?” “Never mind, I can just write a bunch out for after this chapter!” The writer waved as she hurried off. -*back to our A/N*- I lucked on this in doing the most important section ahead of schedule which is why this came out so fast. Of course I might need to give myself another break since I got a paper I need to focus on. Anyway, I think this is a chapter where something that happens is bound to make my readers a little happy. Oh yeah and hopefully I don’t have to do a disclaimer on the song since you already know where it comes from.

Chapter 6: Compromise

Finally free to be herself in a place that very few were aware about, Moana allowed her spirit to escape through her singing as she walked down the dark tunnel with Pua beside her. She had no need for a torch as she knew where she was going after coming here so often. “We read the wind and the sky when the sun is high,” She sang the song of her ancestors as she hurried to get to the end of the tunnel where a faint light reflected onto the rocks and the sound of a nearby waterfall could be heard. “We sail the length of the ocean breeze.” Already she could feel her stress evaporate and she hurried the pace. “At night we name every star, we know who we are.” She finally reached the end of the tunnel to come across a large cave that seemed as if it could fit her entire village. Instead there were many great boats and canoes from an era long ago when voyaging was more of a way of life rather then staying in one place and occasionally visiting the other islands. Here was her heritage in all its glory and it was one that she was most proud to be a part of. Some of these boats were probably too old to be used again, but Moana felt that she knew better as they all still seemed to be alive and sturdy enough to go back on the ocean. “Who we are, who we are.” She sang as she broke into a big smile and ran towards the other side of the cave where a large body of water was connected to the ocean outside and the daylight filtered through a great waterfall and into the large cave to illuminate it. She raced towards the one boat that she treasured above them all; it was not as grand looking as the others, but it was just the right size for maybe one or two people to ride upon it and on its sail was a great spiral that reminded her of a whirlpool that could be found in the ocean. “I’m back!” Moana greeted the boat with a grin and got upon it. “I almost rode another boat a few days ago, but I still hope that it will be you that I get to ride out into the ocean!” She closed her eyes as she placed a hand on the sail cloth, while she could hear Pua catching up to her. “Can you remember it Pua?” Moana asked as she tried to recall how it felt to be on the ocean so many years ago. “Remember that one time we did go upon the ocean? How the surface below us rocked back and forth and eased our fears? Remember how the ocean smelled or how the wind blew against us? Remember what it was like to move without walking?” It had been so long, but that time when she got kidnapped was the only time where she was sure that she had ever truly experienced the ocean without being pulled away from it within seconds. She wanted more of it–what it felt like to ride over a great wave, to feel total control over a boat and move without walking, to let the sea and the winds guide her along her way. “Aue, aue,” She sang as she imagined this all in her mind. “We set a course to find a brand new island everywhere we roam. Aue, aue, we keep our island in our mind, and when its time to find home we know the way.” She wanted so badly to follow the path of her ancestors that her grandmother told her about so often. No one on this island seemed to like going out very far beyond the reef other than to meet with other islands, but she wanted more than that. She glanced down to find the oar that went with this boat and when she picked it up, she walked a little ways away from the sail but closed her eyes again as she allowed her daydreams to take over. “Aue, aue, we are explorers reading every sign,” She could envision the kakamora coming towards her upon their great ship and she pretended to paddle away from them as fast as she could. The wind was howling in her ears and caressing her long hair and the imaginary sun in the great blue sky warmed her body. If she could be pushing the oar through water instead of air then it would all feel a lot more real. “We tell the stories of our elders in a never ending chain.” She could see them coming towards her as they picked up the pace, but she stayed determined. She would never let herself be captured or bound against her will like last time. “Aue, aue,” She sang as she readied her oar. “Te fenua, te malie. Na heko hakilia,” The creatures were coming and getting on her boat. “We know the way.” She held her oar out and right when she got to the end of the last note, she took a mighty swing as she pretended to knock her imaginary foes away. What she didn’t plan was for the oar to not only make her spin around due to how much force she put into it, but she felt it collide into something that created a loud ‘SMACK!’ sound. The impact was strong enough that it made her stumble backwards and nearly trip over her own feet. “Huh?!” She opened her eyes to see that her oar had collided right into the man without a voice, who was practically kneeling over and clutching his stomach in pain. “Oh my gosh!” She quickly let go of the oar as she hurried towards him. “I am so sorry!” She apologized as she had a hand to her mouth. “Are you alright?!’ The man waved his hand in an ‘It’s ok, I’m fine’ sort of way without looking up. “I didn’t mean to do that, I was pretending to hit something else!” Moana tried to explain herself before she realized that he was in the cave with her. “Wait, how did you find–oh.” She groaned as she slumped her head back. “Of course you followed me here.” Can’t I ever just have one moment to myself? She bitterly thought. No of course not because someone must hate me. Maui didn’t bother to answer as he sat down on the canoe while clutching his stomach and winced as the stinging died down. That attack should not have been that painful to him and yet the little princess somehow managed it. He wanted to know what the heck she was pretending to hit at and how on earth she managed to pack so much force in that one swing. Was she preparing to go up against a monster in the future? The realm of monsters would be in deep trouble if she ever entered it, if that were the case. “You won’t tell my dad about this, will you?!” Moana pleaded. “This is the only other place near the ocean where I can be alone without him getting mad at me!” When the man finally looked up, he was still wincing in pain but he still gave her a raised eyebrow and an annoyed look that clearly said ‘Are you serious?!’ Moana tried to protest, but she realized it wouldn’t help. Trying to resist and fight had gotten neither of them anywhere and it made matters a lot worse than they should have. It made her all too aware of how much of an immature child she had been acting lately and she was just tired of it all. She gave up, let out a sigh, and sat down next to her companion. “Look, I’m sorry about all that I’ve done.” She began. “I know I’ve been acting like a spoiled brat instead of a chief like my father wants. And I know that some of the things I’ve done were unforgivable and I can’t take them back. Its just that being the next in line is a lot to take in sometimes and I just happen to find comfort in the very thing he hates.” She let out a frustrated laugh. “And I guess the way the things have been recently is clouding my judgement so I’d do anything to get a moment to myself.” As Moana shut her eyes and held her knees to her chest, Maui was finally starting to see the girl in all her vulnerability and not as the person he had known up until now. She was very spirited as well as being insanely stubborn, but when she was on that boat and singing her head off she became the happiest that he had ever seen her. It didn’t surprise him that much, considering who she had descended from, but he did find it odd that she (and to a certain extent, her own father) had to treat it as a forbidden delight. “I guess you heard me singing and saw me playing pretend on the boat, huh?” Moana asked. “The truth is that I don’t just go to the ocean to rebel against my father. I feel more like myself when I’m by it and I can relax after I have to deal with a lot of work. But more than anything–more than finally becoming a chief or getting my tattoos to mark my passage into womanhood–I want to take a boat out and sail upon the ocean. I want to do everything that my ancestors did and I want those simple things, like riding upon its surface. I know that sounds weird for someone like me, but I guess my parents just had to have a child who wanted to connect to the sea instead of the land.” She let out a weak laugh. “I try to, even if it isn’t easy at times. I take pride in the fact that I’m going to be the leader of my people and I want what’s best for them so I’m not as ungrateful as I must seem to be. I’ve tried to ignore the call of the ocean, but it still keeps calling for me.” She rested her head on her arms now. “Maybe you know what I’m talking about and maybe you don’t. Its ok if you don’t.” She added as she opened her eyes. There was a silence between the two as they reflected on the things that made them odd or out of place amongst the others. The only sound was that of the waterfall as it fell into the ocean below, and yet it was a comforting sound within what would have otherwise been a dead silence. Pua sat down upon the sand and observed the fact that, for one moment, there was no annoyance or amusement in Maui’s eyes towards Moana. Instead there was an unusual empathy within them that didn’t seem in character for him. It was interesting how, just within simple things like in the eyes, that there was more that could be revealed than within words or actions. And the truth was that he did understand that need to not be tied down in one place forever and that he did want to do what was best for the humans, even if it was difficult at times. “Father probably gave you a reason as to why he doesn’t want me to be near the ocean without an escort, let alone be in a boat, didn’t he?” Moana asked as she let go of her knees and let her legs hang off the boat. When Maui turned his head to nod at her, she continued. “One reason why my father doesn’t want me near the ocean is because his friend drowned in it when they were my age.” Moana began. “They tried to sneak out, but they took the wrong boat and the waves swallowed them up since it wasn’t designed to surpass them. Father obviously survived, but to this day he is afraid that mom and I could go the same way if we ever go out into the ocean. Yet there is also another reason that is a little more well known to the others,” She turned to Maui. “Did he tell you that I went missing when I was a child?” Maui nodded. “That’s the only part of the truth that he is open to sharing.” Moana prepared herself for this. “He doesn’t believe my story of what actually happened, so promise you won’t laugh when I tell you? I know it will be hard to believe when you hear it.” When Maui shook his head no, Moana told the story that only her grandmother believed in. “When I was a child, Pua and I also tried to sneak out in the dead of the night to get to the shore. What I didn’t expect was for these strange looking little creatures to come out of nowhere and kidnap the both of us. The next thing I knew, we were on the sea on a ship that was more like a large floating island of wood, debris, and who knows what else all tied together. Even the creatures looked as if they wore things that they collected throughout their lives.” Wait a minute... Maui frowned at this as he realized that Moana was describing the kakamora’s ship. She even confirmed it when she continued “Grandma told me later that the creatures were none other than the kakamora. You know, like in the stories? I know its hard to believe, but anyway they kidnapped me because they knew that my father would do anything to get me back and they wanted to get supplies from him. I was ok with it at first until they said that they were going to eat Pua.” This was starting to sound oddly familiar to him. Actually it was familiar enough that it was as if it happened not that long ago. But it hadn’t been that long ago, hadn’t it? Wasn’t it many years ago long before this girl was even born? “So I kicked one and Pua and I tried to run away before they could hold us down. I had my hands tied behind my back and I could only kick them away. They caught up to Pua and I went back to help him when one of them sprayed something into my eyes and I was blinded by it.” Moana shuddered at the worst part of this memory, unaware of what kind of images she was creating in her companion’s mind. “I was terrified and I couldn’t see anything but darkness. I could only scream for help as they tried to surround me.” “NO, NO, NO!” He heard a child scream as he soared through the skies. “FATHER! MOTHER! SOMEONE HELP!” He looked down and he could see that the kakamora were surrounding a child and a small pig upon their ship. He had no clue why the little pests kidnapped a child, but he would not let them get away with it. “The next thing I recall is that I heard a bird cry out and they quickly let me go. It must have been a really large bird if they reacted like that.” The second he let out a cry in his hawk form, the kakamora realized who he was and let go of the child, who stumbled around as if she couldn’t see where she was going. “But then I was hit by something and I feel overboard into the sea.” The child suddenly fell into the ocean in the chaos and the pig was squealing its head off as it hurried to the edge and cried for the child. Without even hesitating, he dived towards the water and shifted into the form of a man right before he hit the water. “I thought I was going to drown. I was so terrified and I couldn’t swim at that time. Whatever hit me was making me fall asleep and just when I thought that I was going to die, I felt a hand grab me and I was pulled to the surface.” He found the girl as she struggled to swim up, but the binds that held her hands together made it impossible, so he grabbed her and swam up as fast as he could until they both broke through to the surface. He only allowed himself enough time to look at the child and he saw that a purple-black substance had covered her eyelids and she had lucked out in closing them before it could have gotten right into her eyes. She also had a dart lodged somewhere around her shoulder, which must have knocked her out and he realized that he had saved her just in the nick of time. He quickly turned himself into a hawk again and held onto her with one of his talons while the other went to grab the pig, who was terrified out of its mind. He lucked out in getting them as far away as possible and was forced to dodge the spears that were thrown at him. “I got you, kid!” He yelled. “Just hang on, I’ll get you somewhere safe!” There was only one known human inhabited island nearby where this child could have been taken from, but he first needed to get her a salve on her eyes before something bad would happen to them. “I fell asleep, but when I woke up I couldn’t see anything except for this blurriness in my eyes.” Moana waved a hand over her eyes. “I heard a man’s voice and when I was afraid that I had lost my sight forever, he reassured me and said that I wouldn’t and he even put a salve over them. Obviously he was right.” She laughed. He remembered the child and how terrified she had been; it made him happy to reassure her that she would be alright and she got excited over her adventure, which was an odd reaction for someone who went through what should have been a traumatic experience. Was Moana really that same child he rescued?! The same Moana who not only found him on the shore but had also been giving him so much heck was also the same child he once saved and who had offered her friendship without knowing who he was? “I remember that he joked about having the same thing happen to him and he told me that he saved Pua as well as me. When I thanked him, he pretty much sang the words ‘You’re welcome!’” She beamed as she threw her arms out and sang those words that he so often said in nearly the exact same tone he would use if he chose to sang it. It was this little detail that helped confirm that the child and this girl were truly one and the same. “I couldn’t make him out in my blindness.” Moana’s smile dimmed a little. “I wish I could find him and thank him once more. He didn’t find it crazy that I would want to go back to the ocean after what happened, and he supported my desire. He even told me that I could make a great explorer and that I could probably find myself in Lalotai one day. He was possibly one of the few people to ever support me being out there on the sea.” Moana let out a more genuine laugh before she frowned. “But its weird, I had this sense that he was lonely and depressed for some reason. So I wanted to be his friend and that seemed to make him a little happy.” During this whole time, Moana was unaware that Maui had this incredibly wide eyed look on his face as he listened to the entire story. In fact, if she had bothered to look, she would have seen that his jaw was about ready to hit the ground. How the heck did he not see it before?! Even now he was starting to see that it was indeed the same girl with the same features, though they had changed and matured a little since then. He could even finally see her true eye color now, which was a warm shade of brown. The more he looked, the more he couldn’t deny that Moana was indeed the same girl. Oh gods, that was right–when the people were calling out to her they used her exact name! How could he have forgotten that?! How did he not make that connection sooner through that alone?! He wanted to slap his face a hundred times over for not realizing this before; it could have saved him so much trouble. But wait a minute, didn’t that mean–? Maui looked down to see Pua finishing up with drawing a familiar looking fish hook in the sand and the pig determinedly pointed to it when he looked him in the eye. This time, Maui was able to figure out what Pua was trying to say through that symbol. Even the pig remembered him! In fact the pig was the only living thing on this island that knew who he really was! How could he have missed that too?! No wonder the creature still kept kept trying to draw his fish hook in the sand! The shocked look on Maui’s own face was enough for Pua to let out a big smile and sigh as he himself finally confirmed that both the demi-god and the man before him were truly one and the same after all. All Maui could do was quickly nod his head and put a finger to his lips before Pua could do anything to alert Moana. The pig’s eyes widened in confusion and Maui quickly stopped what he was doing before Moana could continue. “Maybe one day I’ll find him again, because I remember his voice.” Moana continued with a smile. “Its one of those voices you can’t forget. Its warm like when the sun is at its highest point in the sky and you feel better when you hear it. It was deep, but it was a friendly voice that was a little smug sounding at one point, but when he laughed I could just imagine him to be this big, happy guy. Even when he hugged me it felt the same way. Its like if you were to hug a mountain and the mountain hugs you back and you feel safe because of it.” When she turned her head, she saw that the man beside her was giving the most awkward look imaginable, though it was quickly joined by an amused smirk. She had no idea why until she remembered what she said. Uh, wow kid. Maui couldn’t help but think, although he liked how she described his voice and how he gave out hugs. “Argh its not like that!” Moana frantically waved her hands as she felt herself blush with embarrassment. “He could have been my dad’s age or even my grandmother’s age! He might not have even been human or–I just don’t–I swear I’m not romantically interested in him, I just want to see what he looks like and say thank you again!” Moana blurted out before she cringed and held her face in her hands. “Oh gods, why did I say any of that?!” Her reaction made Maui smile, but it also hid just how much he was frustrated. Only one thing could have changed everything and Moana would have known that she was sitting right next to the person who saved her long before they were at each others necks. If he could only say the two words he liked to say the most to mortals, then this matter would have been cleared in an instant. Of all the times he wished he could of had his voice back and not taken up that offer in the first place, this currently had to top them all. Someone out there must have really hated him to allow this to happen. Oh wait yeah there was (he was probably having a laugh over it somewhere under the sea) and Maui just had to fall for it. Unfortunately, if Moana realized who he was, then there would have been a good chance that she would have seen him as just a character in her life rather than an actual person, which he had to avoid if he wanted to survive his current ordeal. If she was the person who was to help him get out of this, then she had to know him for who he was which meant that something needed to be changed in their interactions with each other. Maui glanced back to the sail as he realized that there was now another reason why he would need to get his voice back as soon as possible. Moana had opened up to him more in this day than in the majority of the time he knew her since he showed up and though he couldn’t flat out tell her who he was, there was perhaps something he could do instead for her if he was extremely careful. After all, he didn’t earn a reputation of being a trickster for nothing. He got back up onto the boat and picked up the oar to examine it and when Moana finally turned around and saw what he was doing, she was able to pick up the hint he was trying to give her. “Can you sail?” She asked as she tried to forget the awkwardness of the last moment. “Not just any boat, but this kind?” Maui looked up from the oar and smiled as he nodded in confirmation. “Could you–?!” Moana excitedly began but then she realized how eager she seemed and how fast this could go in another direction. “Could you teach me?” Her voice was a little less certain. Instead of answering, Maui weighed the oar in his hand at an agonizingly slow pace as he gave Moana a waiting look. It took her a couple of seconds to get why he wasn’t answering her. “You... you want me to stop fighting with you, right?” Moana asked. He nodded but he still did the same movement. “And I’ll have to do everything you tell–err, show me, right?” Same reaction. “Ok, granted that might be hard but I guess you’ll find a way. And you won’t let my dad find out right?” Moana asked as she frowned. “If he finds out, then we both get in trouble.” She warned him. This time he shook his head no. “And you better keep your promise and not tell him if you really mean to help me! I mean it, no take backs!” He nodded and Moana let out a relieved smile, though she was not fully convinced about this just yet. “Thanks.” Maui set the oar back down, got off the boat, and began to walk away. “Wait, not right now?” Moana asked as she hurried to get up and catch up to him. Maui only turned to give Moana a look she couldn’t read. “You’ll give me a sign or let me know though, right?” Maui nodded and turned around to head back. “By the way,” Moana added as she caught up to him as she realized she owed him something in return. “I–uh–thank you for helping us.” She finally said. “I don’t know what you’ve gone through and I don’t know where it is you need to go to or why when this is all over... but I just want to thank you for all your help and for putting up with me and the others in the meantime.” This made Maui hesitate and Moana waited to see how he would react. He turned around and gave her an appreciative smile as he placed his hand on her shoulder. She could once again feel the strength within his grip that matched his size, yet his hold now felt comforting. She watched as he mouthed something and she knew, without a doubt, what he was trying to say to her. ‘You’re welcome.’ Meanwhile, Pua was frustrated as he caught up to them. Why wouldn’t Maui allow Pua to let Moana know who he was? Did it have to do with his current appearance or why he couldn’t speak? He watched as Moana slipped out of Maui’s grasp and began to head back to the pathway that lead back to the island. As Maui turned around to follow her, the little creature let out a grunt of annoyance and trailed behind him while glaring at the former demi-god. But then, without any warning, something strange happened that caught Pua’s attention thanks to the amount of light that had managed to enter the cave through the waterfall. He thought he saw the ink on one of the tattoos on Maui’s arm waver for a moment like water rocking back and forth. Then the ink suddenly changed in shape and a small something that Pua could barely make out with what little light there was in the cave merged out of it. Whatever the thing was, it had a human shape and it gave Pua a quick wave before it merged back into the tattoo, just as Maui froze up and looked behind his shoulder. Maui moved his arm in a specific direction to try to see where he had felt the strangely familiar sensation upon his skin and even touched the spot with a hopeful look in his eyes. Maui looked at the spot for a couple of seconds before he gave up and walked away. Pua tried to comprehend what he just saw but he decided to save it for another time and continued to follow the others.

Later that night, Sina sighed in relief as she watched Moana speak to the man who she used to butt heads with until now from a distance near the fale. She was glad that her daughter was finally looking more at ease and that she seemed a little more confident now than she did this morning. She was also grateful that the tempest between the two had finally ended as it would make things much easier for everyone. “See, I told you so.” Sina felt Tui wrapped his arms around her and she placed her hands upon them. “I don’t know what happened since her practice, but its nice to see her smiling a genuine again.” He commented. “Well I suppose you were right this time.” Sina admitted. “What do you mean ‘this time’?” Sina snorted and let out a laugh. “Ok, you have been right more than once. Otherwise I doubt I’d have married you by now.” “And I would have had to rescue you from the big bad eel instead of trusting you to do it yourself.” “Oh gods,” Sina groaned but she appreciated her husband’s sense of humor. “I wouldn’t have minded a little adventure but luckily I wasn’t that Sina.” “While we are on the subject,” Tui began as he traced imaginary circles on his wife’s arm. “Are you feeling any better? Your illness has been going on for quite sometime.” “It comes and goes.” Sina sighed. “Usually in the mornings.” Tui stopped tracing the circles as a thought struck him. “You don’t think–?” He began. “I mean it sounds as if–” “That would be nice, wouldn’t it?” Sina smiled as she caught onto what he was trying to suggest. “But its been so long since it happened before and I don’t know if it could happen again at this rate.” “If it were, then I wouldn’t mind it.” Tui confessed. “That would be only one of two reasons why I would accept you being sick. The other is that I would get to tend to you.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Oh you tease!” Sina chuckled as she playfully swatted her husband on the arm. “You don’t really mean that!” Meanwhile, Moana waved farewell to her new friend and began to head back to the fale. Although she didn’t entirely trust him just yet, she was still hopeful that he would keep his word so now it was a matter of how this odd arrangement would work. As she walked to the fale, she saw her grandmother starring up into the sky some distance away. Confused as to why the woman was not at her home (and so far away at that) Moana headed towards her grandmother. As she got closer, she saw that her grandmother wore a very concerned look on her face and she was gripping her cane rather tightly. “Is something wrong?” Moana asked. “Are you considering a new tattoo?” She joked. Tala chuckled. “Ah, it would be fun, but no I’m afraid not.” She frowned at the dark night sky and the stars that illuminated it as well as a little of the moon that glowed brightly above them all. “Moana, I must ask you something that may sound odd. Does something about the sky seem out of place to you?” Moana took a moment to look at the night sky. “No?” “Look everywhere.” Moana obeyed and looked at the sky, but she couldn’t find anything out of place. “I don’t see anything.” “Not even above us?” Moana looked up. “Nothing seems wrong.” “Our ancestors used the stars to guide their way across the ocean to help them know where they were going.” Tala held her hand out in the position that the wayfinders used with all her effort. “As long as we had them, we could find our way. Yet there is a set of stars that has been missing for many nights, no matter how much I have looked. Up, down, left, right, I have looked everywhere and yet they are gone.” “Which ones?” Tala’s hand dropped. “That would be the ones that make the shape of Maui’s fish hook. It was said that following that constellation would lead you to him, no matter where he is, yet they have vanished without a trace.” The way Tala sounded concerned made Moana worried. It was never a good thing if her grandmother was deeply concerned about something. “What could that mean?” Moana asked. “Something must have happened to Maui and I fear that whatever it was, it was enough to make his stars vanish.” Tala bit her lip for a moment. “I doubt he is dead, but I have a bad feeling that whatever it was that caused the stars to vanish, it was not good. There’s no telling what will happen if this isn’t changed and I hope for Maui’s sake that this isn’t because he lost the favor of the gods or committed a terrible crime.” Tala shook her head and smiled. “Well, see you in the morning.” She made her way back to her fale and left Moana staring up at the night sky. “There would have to be a reason why his constellation has vanished.” Moana spoke to herself as a fear crept up inside her. “What could he have done to lose the favor of the gods, if there is no other reason?” She closed her eyes. “Please tell me that’s not the case.” She pleaded in hopes that the demi-god could hear her. “If you don’t live among us then you at least live on in our stories. You must know how much you mean to us so please don’t let us lose our faith in you. Otherwise I’d grab you by the ear and demand that you fix this.” She added with a scowl. She hoped that whatever had happened would be something that could be fixed and be done as soon as possible.

Well on one hand, Maui FINALLY knows who Moana is so now its a question of how soon SHE figures it out/learns who he is. On the other... well, we shall see since it looks like there still might be trouble on the horizon. And yeah, I confess that I wanted her to share Ariel’s role with Maui a little because it made too much sense. *laughs* I’ve rarely written out adorable married couple interactions, so I admit that the little interaction between Tui and Sina was enjoyable. Ok, ok. I better get this answered since I know you guys have asked me this a few times. So some of you wanted to know if I will make Tamatoa use Maui’s voice and some of you have probably been wondering that and haven’t asked in a review yet. If you don’t want any spoilers, I’d recommend avoiding this, but here is the answer. Ready? Ok? Alrighty then. Starting now. .....I’m horrible at this. Ok, NOW! You were warned. The answer is no. I’ve already hinted at it in the story a few times but I’m going ahead and confirming that Tamatoa is NOT going to use Maui’s voice because I cannot see him doing that. He’s a rather vain fellow and to him that would be stupid as he would rather use his own voice. I got something planned and I promise it will be good, but please be patient and try to avoid asking anymore about it because I don’t want to spoil anything that might be unique to this AU. Ok, then, I think I’ve gathered enough tomatoes now. Until next time, my readers. -*Somewhere in Renaissance era Paris, France*- What should have been an enjoyable festival was quickly ruined as the sky rained down an endless storm of tomatoes upon the heads of what was a mob of cruel and mocking party goers. “WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?!” One of them screamed. On a wooden contraption that was somehow spared by this rain and in front of a person who had been tied down to a wheel was an oddly dressed female who was manically laughing her head off as she threw her hands to the sky. “REVENGE! SWEET REVENGE!” She cried out in joy. “IT’S NOT SO FUNNY WHEN YOU ARE ON THE OTHER END, IS IT YOU SICKOS?!” She yelled out to the crowd. “WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THIS SOONER?!” She let out an evil sounding laugh. “GODS I LOVE BEING A FAN FIC WRITER!” “She is clearly an agent of the devil!” A creepy man in black pointed at her from his chair. “Grab her and burn her at the stake!” The female only let out a delighted grin and pulled a sword out. “FOR JUSTICE!” She screamed her head off as she leapt off the podium and ran towards the man. “THIS IS FOR THOSE WHO GET OPPRESSED BY PEOPLE LIKE YOU, YOU MISERABLE OLD-!” -*this scene is not to be continued as it deviates too much from the fan fic and we can’t afford a pointless filler chapter. The writer’s revenge fantasy in a Disney film is not as important as this fan fic and does not fit in with the fan fic in any shape or form. We apologize for any inconvenience and offer Disneyland balloons to make up for this.*-

#disney's moana #little mermaid au #remember this is still a platonic pairing #moana #maui #pua #sina #tui #tala #shout out to another disney film in A/N #moana fan fiction #we know the way

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