#6: bird flying out of an explosion
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sesamenom-misc · 11 months ago
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spuffybot · 7 months ago
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Ok was just having this debate with a friend who thinks Mission Impossible 2 is an abomination. And while I will give her that it is an anomaly within the MI canon and arguably is not a MI movie (Ethan doesn’t go rogue, he’s behaving OOC, the tone and vibe are off) I stand by the fact that it is a quintessential, iconic, and absolutely incredible Y2K movie.
1. The Soundtrack: much like the year 2000 classics Charlie’s Angels and Dracula 2000 this movie features Limp Bizkit, Metallica, Rob Zombie, Butthole Surfers, and Foo Fighters to name a few. It’s such an abrupt departure from the first film (the majority of songs on the first MI soundtrack aren’t even featured in the movie.)
There’s just something so utterly Y2K about Ethan throwing his glasses over the side of a mountain and them exploding to the sound of Limp Bizkit.
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2. Ethan: just Ethan Hunt in this movie. Listen there are 6 MI movies that show Ethan as a perpetually serious genius with a passionate dedication to his friends and his mission. But there is only one movie where Ethan hunt is a sexy playful badass and that’s MI2. I would go as far as to say that Tom Cruise has never looked better in his life and I know that’s blasphemy against our lord and savior Lestat. But Ethan in MI2 is just GIVING. The arms. The smile. The ridiculous blowout that both falls into his eyes and tousles in the wind. This is peak sex appeal Cruise (it’s also before we knew he was all culty and creepy so it feels less bad to be deep in my feels about how hot he is.)
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3. The John Woo of it all: John Woo said the year is 2000 and we will have DRAMA we will have FASHUN and we will have BIRDS. There is so. Much. Unnecessary. Slo. Mo. In. This. Film. SO MUCH. And the action sequences? I know this is a franchise known for its over the top action sequences but the ones in this film don’t even make sense.
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4. The Title Sequence: honestly if anything in this movie is a fever dream (even more than the doves that fly out of an explosion) it’s the title sequence which feels like a mashup of every Y2K music video and action movie combined.
5. The Birds: listen I wasn’t going to ignore this scene. THIS SCENE. What can be said? It’s iconic. It’s absurd. It’s the epitome of the decadence, drama, and corniness of the year 2000.
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Anyway, thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. MI2 may not deserve a place of honor in the official canon of Mission Impossible but it is hands down one of the best movies of 2000 and it deserves to be remembered as such.
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rapha-reads · 5 months ago
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[Still the last two episodes to watch, thoughts after episode 6]
See, the thing is, yes, Polin is explosive and passionate. But. Penelope is a self-made woman who could rely on her brains and skills to survive. Making her stop being Lady Whistledown would be cutting her wings. And we all know a caged bird does not sing. That would be confining her to a half-life. Even with Colin's love, she wouldn't be truly herself, truly free and happy.
So I am for her taking back her name and not backing down.
Now on the other hand, Cressida has been vilified and abandoned and caged for a long time. And it turns out that she is not all that catty and bitchy and mean. Or, rather, she can be, but to defend herself and make sure she isn't eaten alive. So I am all for her finding her own way out of the prison that is her life.
Man, this is hard. Pen is our main lead and she is excellent and she is Lady W, but Cressida also deserves some goodness and her own wings to fly away. I would actually hate to see one succeeds at the expense of the other.
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sonicasura · 9 months ago
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My mind for the last few days: Transformers x Weretoons idea go brrr.
I have an idea for three specific iterations of the franchise. Those are Prime/Rescue Bots, Animated, and Bayverse. Although the latter two choices I can't really got into depth as there is going to be involvement with a Weretoon OC not designed yet.
Luckily for you folks, Prime/Rescue Bots aren't in that category since there's two perfect characters to experiment with! Who you may ask? How about Miko Nakadai and Cody Burns!
The reason behind it is I can give them two completely different backgrounds for their respective Weretoon sides. Plus both sides of the continuity get dragged into Looney Tunes style mayhem. Transformers Prime shall not escape the insanity this time.
Let's start with the female member of the Jasper Trio. Miko is an afflicted Weretoon as she gotten into an incident at 6 years old. She had to get a blood transfusion to save her life with everyone unaware of what the donor actually is.
Her toon has two sides to it. Miko's usual appearance looks exactly like herself as a cartoon but with obvious differences. She shrinks to 4'8 in height, her fingers are mole claws, a pair of little black bat wings, a pink dragon tail, sharp teeth with two peeking out her upper lip, and two little pink tipped black horns on her head.
Her secondary toon form is a MOLE DRAGON. This is because of Miko's trope: Beast Among Us. A toon who possesses takes a mostly inconspicuous normal form to hide their true monster nature. Miko is no exception either.
Her beast form has a 22 ft long Eastern Dragon/Mole hybrid with 7 ft long arms/legs. Miko's fur covered hide is predominantly obsidian in color for the hot pink scaley underbelly, pink tips on her mane, silver whiskers, light brown muzzle, black bat wings, pink bushy tail tip, salmon(color) nose, pink lavender antler like horns and red back spikes. Her muzzle alongside long arms/legs are mole like in nature.
Despite being able to fly, Miko's more dangerous in the ground. She can dig up to 75 mph and spit out blasts of sand like a cannon. A feat that made her first shift a sheer nightmare. Miko ran away from home and later found herself under the loving care of a demolition worker Weretoon.
Cody Burns is a natural born Weretoon from his mother's side and came into his heritage at age 4. (Got it from his great great grandfather with his mother not inheriting it.) Griffin Rock houses a few Weretoons as the place's secluded but also whacky nature keeps them safe from hostile Cartoon Hunters.
Cody's toon form is (ironically) a 6 ft tall bipedal gryphon. His bird half being a Laughing Gull but his arms are hand like wings similar to the Rito from the Legend of Zelda specifically BotW/TotK. Instead of a lion, Cody's lower half is a Pallas Cat with thick fluffy fur and surprisingly eagle feet than said feline's.
He can fly but not for long as his wings aren't fully developed yet. At most Cody can glide without straining himself too much. His trope is Understudy which means he can learn any skill extremely fast if he witnesses in toon form.
Kade, Dani and Graham are his half siblings as he was born from a failed relationship. They love Cody all the same but being left out of everything hurts much more thanks to this common knowledge. He unconsciously clings to the Rescue Bots once they arrive on Griffin Rock.
Speaking of the bots, both sides are in for a wild ride especially the Prime cast. (Rescue Bots got more available knowledge plus Griffin Rock is already insane on it's own.) Toons don't follow the same laws that everyone else does and Weretoons bask in this unique privilege.
Decepticons will not look at humans the same again once Miko pulls out an ink bottle. She can back up her sass as Starscream is getting stared down by a mole dragon straight from a cartoon. And quickly learns that explosions don't do shit either.
What can I say other than I like chaos?
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thejonymyster · 11 months ago
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What's your favorite game you played this year?
2023 games i havent played many of them this year have played some more recently as i have started streaming on and off gives me permission to play games instead of not doing so mental health issue etc
Games that stand out
Mosa Lina:
Groundbreaking new indie physics based "puzzle" platformer / "immersive sim" featuring aggressive randomization which ends up being intrinsically rewarding as a result of no challenge feels artificial as none are designed they simply occur
Level editor support increases continued play value but replay value without is already very high dev currently still supporting with updates to main game
Premise simple there are 24(asofnow) Tools and (i dont know how many) levels. 9 tools are selected from the pool of 24, to be put into your "deck", and 9 levels are selected from the pool of many. Then, you are placed in one of the 9 levels at random, with 3 random tools from your deck. You must collect or destroy all fruits in level and make it to exit portal. if you win, level is removed from pool. if you lose, level remains in pool. Either way, you are sent to a random level in your pool with another random set of 3 tools from your deck. Go nuts. You win upon defeating all 9 levels.
Tools are clever and engaging level designs are varied Game feel is great soundtrack is ambient game is good go play
(costs money)
Trouble In Terrorist Town:
incredibly modular first person shooter turned social deduction game, fun to play if you can arrange with friends, have been playing with discord server for thekla's the witness Some issues in that gameplay can of course annoyingly devolve from logic but can be frustrating as there is no voting system - players vote by action you simply kill the "impostor" group. Recommend minimum 5 players, Ideally 6-8. Not much to say else. Funny premise. "You are an innocent terrorist."
(costs money)
I Wanna Be The Guy: Remastered and I Wanna Maker:
I wanna be the guy - famous "unfair" precision platformer long time one of my favorite games of all time remastered not my first time playing remaster but recently revisiting and greatly enjoying game again nice to have less crashes. need to dive into alternate characters. newfound appreciation for retro collage style art of game and booby trap idiosyncracies. Recently watching lots of kaizo mario rom hack play throughs newer hacks have strayed away from what i find ideal in genre in older entries like Kaizo Mario World 1.
I wanna maker custom level editor game for i wanna be the guy type games interesting but weirdly feels limiting in ways i didnt expect despite massive customization + simple scripting options - feels almost too clean rejoyced when they added blood splatter death previously was unsatisfying poof now i have my character set to visceral blood explosion upon defeat but everything else still feels wrong often find myself using (one of?) the only tilesets present in original iwbtg everything else feels inappropriate or misplaced not sure i think theres a different sort of charm to being hit by mario paint plane vs making fake version in copyright safe form. great game constant updates cool features but just makes me want to just program a full game...
(free)
Cat Planet and Super Cat Planet:
cat planet random indie game fun floaty "platformer" (you mostly fly around so its a platformer in the sense that flappy bird is a platformer or like underwater mario) collectathon, very good easy thing tbh go play. Super cat planet fan sequel made by unaffiliated group boosts difficulty and depth of gameplay introducing light "story" elements and many secrets to encourage more exploration
super cat planet MUCH hrder than cat planet by large margin definitely would consider it a *precision* platformer. cool that it exists at all, go play if you feel up for challenge
(free)
additional notes sorry i still havent played retrush it looks really good will add to my stream list will most likely motivate me to play it as previous barriers prevented most gameplay in general
played many paper puzzle genres which i would not consider video games
played celeste wasnt always what i was looking for but still solid
started playing dustforce havent gotten far in enough to really review but so far so good
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nocturnalghoul · 2 years ago
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Mushy May Day 6: Picnic
I submitted picnic to the list so it's only fair that I write an entry for it :D Enjoy this sweet taste of Sunny D lol.
Sometimes the chaos twins get to have a nice moment together… before the chaos :)
Words: 591
Rating: Gen/Everyone I guess but there is a curse word or two thrown in
Read below the cut or on AO3 here
When Sunny and Dew got together the result could sometimes be… explosive. Fire and air tend to play into each other anyways, but that combined with the two’s chaotic natures tended to worry the rest of the pack when they would hang out. 
Other times though there were moments like this. Far away into the woods tucked into a small clearing, the two laid out in a little patch of sun. They would eventually get back to the grand spread packed up on the blanket behind them, but for now they relished in the moment. Both took a deep breath, focusing on the feeling of light breeze blowing through the clearing, cooling their sun-warmed skin ever so slightly, and the weight of the other’s hand clasped in their own. 
Despite being a troublesome duo, the other’s presence had a calming effect sometimes. There was a feeling of resolution from connecting with the partnering element, all the ever-racing thoughts in the ghouls minds settling out. They had on several occasions tried to explain this to the rest of the pack, but were accused of trying to have an excuse to hang out alone and scheme up trouble. It doesn’t matter in the end, the semi-secret nature of these picnics in the woods only added to the fun.
Eventually Sunny feels the fire ghoul give her hand a gentle squeeze, indicating that he is ready to continue with the rest of their outing. “I was just about to do the same thing… twinsies” Sunny giggles as she sits up, crawling back over to the large picnic blanket she had swiped out of Mountain’s closet earlier that morning. 
The two unpack the basket of goodies in comfortable silence, the fresh fruit pilfered from the abbey gardens taking center stage as they surround it with the pastries they had convinced Mountain to bake for them, and the strawberry lemonade Dew prepared earlier that morning. Sunny had planned all the snacks but was still ecstatic to see the way in which Dew was able to execute it all. 
Once the pastries are gone, they go back and forth attempting to throw berries into the other's mouth, laughing uncontrollably whenever it hits their forehead instead. By the time the afternoon sun begins to fall below the treeline, all of the provisions are gone and their faces stained with faint little blotches of red and blue from the errant berries. 
They both lay back onto the blanket, looking up at the sky above and once again holding hands. Every once and a while one of the two gestures with their combined hands at a funny shaped cloud or weird bird flying overhead. For the most part though they simply bask in each other’s company.
“This has been really nice, sunbeam” Dew sighs contently, but Sunny knows there is something else there beneath the surface. A light hint of mischief sneaking into his tone that any of the others would have missed. The serene moment has reached its conclusion and the time for the two of them to tear across the grounds like a wildfire has returned.
“It really has been, but I get the feeling you have a new plan in mind” she prompts, smiling at Dew wickedly as she sits up. 
The fire ghoul pushes himself up, turning to look at her in the eye. “Wanna see if we can figure out how to combine our magics to make some sorta hot air balloon?” he propositions, eyes already glowing with barely contained magical energy.
“Oh fuck yeah!”
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gayrobos · 1 year ago
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misery misery hardship sticking your fingers in a friend's wound as friends do misery sadness
[ID: The Stunticons in: "Thinking With Your T-Cog." Dead End sits near the bottom of the ship's ramp with Mikki next to her. Breakdown is leaning against the ramp with her arms crossed. "I don't trust those... whoever they are," she says, "but we have to assume the worst." Wildrider is trying to reattach her arm cannon, ostentatiously unconcerned. "That the Mayhems are coming for us? So what? We'll fuck them up." She continues to pointedly ignore Breakdown as Breakdown leans forward angrily and says, "There are only three of us left! I know you're not that stupid." Mikki sits in sullen silence listening to them argue. "I don't have a fucking scratch," says Wildrider. "I'll fight them alone if you're too scared." Breakdown grabs Wildrider's face and digs her thumb into the gash on her cheek. "Not a scratch. Right." ("Fuck off," Wildrider mutters.) "Don't stay and get the whole city blown up as well as yourself." Breakdown turns to Mikki but doesn't look at them, instead examining the energon on her thumb. "I'm sorry, Mikki, but this is the only way we all live." Mikki's doodles are hearts, birds, and flying arrows. end ID]
marginalia
top right, next to Mikki's best attempt at a transformation cog: or whatever
left of panel 1: Dead End hasn't said one word since I came back
below panels 2-3, next to shitty Wildrider doodle: dumb bitch we all almost died ur only alive cos Motormaster thought it was funny
below panel 4: BLEGH this suuuucks
below panel 5, next to an explosion mushroom cloud: yay 🙃
around panel 6 is a series of pictures representing mikki holding out their heart, breakdown taking it, and smashing it flat with a hammer. to the right of the panel is "fuckin awesome" and a gravestone with a little dead face emoji like XXP (does this emoji exist?? I feel like it should)
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officialfoxsquadron · 9 months ago
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Home Stories: Chapter 6
In which Luke Skywalker reunites with old friends on a new home base, delivers a speech, and digs up dark secrets.
Read on AO3!
Full text under the cut:
“I still hate this shade of orange,” Luke called, stepping out of the Millennium Falcon’s bathroom in his flight suit.
“It’s great!” Leia said.
“It’s hideous,” Han said. Their voices clashed over each other, and Han and Leia exchanged annoyed glances.
At least some things don’t change, Luke thought to himself, smiling.
He was three days back in the larger fold of the Alliance as a whole, and today was the day the new recruits arrived.
He barely felt more than a new recruit himself, but apparently blowing up the Death Star came with a few unforeseen benefits, including a squadron, mostly full of greenhorn pilots, all who joined after seeing the explosion.
“They don’t know who I am, right?” Luke asked. “The recruits? They don’t know that I-”
“We don’t tell them,” Leia said, shrugging. “But you’ve seen how fast word travels around here. I hear there’s already a betting pool on whether…I can’t even say it.”
“Oh, the bet on you and Han?” Luke said.
“Ah,” Han said, all smirk and swagger as he approached Leia. “Got any insight on that, princess? I could stand to make some money here.”
“You flatter yourself,” Leia scoffed.
“I’m pretty sure it’s just a money-extortion scheme,” Luke said. (And he was pretty sure he knew who was behind it.)
“Still, it’s a nice thought.”
“It’s a revolting thought,” Leia insisted. “You look good, Luke.”
“Commander Skywalker.” Han said the words with a drawl.  “It suits you, kid, congrats.”
“Thanks, Han.” He knew his friend was being sincere. Han had played the cynical card, but it was hard for anyone to deny his loyalty after the Death Star. There were plenty of fighters like Han–drifters, people who came and went as they pleased, who were tied to the Rebellion in only the loosest of terms. There was a surprising lack of pressure from Alliance leadership for these fighters (mostly pilots) to join in a formal role; Luke suspected that the Alliance leadership knew they wouldn’t survive very far without them.
“I’m sure you’ll do great. It’s not that hard to fly an X-Wing, anyways. Not like flying the Falcon.”
“Here we go,” Luke grumbled, as Leia rolled her eyes.
“I could bore you with the specifics, but you two should get going. I can’t be hearing classified Alliance information, remember, Your Worship?”
Leia rolled her eyes, again. “See you soon, Han.”
“Bye, sweetheart.”
“Bye, Chewie!” Luke called. He heard the Wookiee’s grumble from the bowels of the ship. He smiled.
As soon as they stepped off the stairs of the Falcon, Leia let out a large sigh, shaking her head.
“He is so infuriating.”
“The most infuriating,” Luke agreed, although he was tempted to laugh at just how angry Han made Leia.
“You know he’s thirty-two?” Leia said, scrunching her nose. “How a life form reaches the age of thirty-two while being that stupid is honestly a medical miracle.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Nervous,” Luke said. He didn’t bother to hide his fidgeting. “This is…It’s a lot, Leia.” He sighed, straightening his collar again. “A lot of responsibility.”
“It is,” Leia said, stepping towards him. “Did I ever tell you about my first day in the Senate?”
Luke shook his head, curious. 
“When I started in the Senate, it felt like everyone was looking down on me. I was sixteen, and I’m not exactly tall now, so I felt like every senator had to bend over just to shake my hand. When I went to speak for the first time-this formality on opening day-my voice shook so bad, I thought I sounded like a bird.”
“Did you?”
“Mon Mothma said I sounded fine,” Leia laughed it off. “Being an Organa, a senator’s daughter, a princess, I’ve always had these expectations on me. To be more than what I was. And a lot of responsibility,” she added. “And yet, I was adopted. I was not the biological child of my parents. So, a lot of people looked at me sideways.”
Luke laughed, recalling uncomfortable memories of having to explain why he lived with his aunt and uncle to the other children at school. “I know that feeling.”
“So you know how deep it can bury inside you, that those doubts never go away.”
Luke breathed deep, in and out, Rostah’s crisp, cool air filling his lungs. “Yeah, I don’t think they do.”
“I didn’t give you this command because you blew up the Death Star, or you met a bunch of recruits, or anything like that. I gave you this command because you came from nowhere, saw a distress call from a woman half the galaxy away, and dropped everything to help her. That’s why I think you will make a great leader, Luke. Because you help others.”
Luke smiled, swelling with pride. “Thank you, Leia.” And then, smiling, “You were probably a really good Senator, huh?”
“The best,” Leia said. She clapped him on the shoulder. “Welcome to the Alliance, Commander Skywalker.”
The new home base for the Alliance was tucked away in a lush green mountain range, built upon the ruins of an ancient city. Rostah, a planet with few moons and fewer neighbors, was the perfect place to hide an army. The lights of hundreds of ships and thousands of living beings could hardly be seen amongst the snow-capped peaks of mountains, veins of lightning that cut the clouds in half.
At the center of the base was a temple, formerly the central feature of Villinvaru City, Rostah’s capital. The temple was a building of crumbling white stone that housed a golden bell tower, with precarious steps, outlined in red, spiraling their way on the outside. Each day, two or three monks chanted their way up the winding steps, holding colorful prayer flags. Once they ascended, the bell rang out, a deep gong of sound. The head monk’s high and reedy chants rose and carried on the wind. This happened every day, three times a day, morning, noon, and night. 
The meeting of the Rogue Squadron took place in a white and red stone house, part of the inner city that radiated from the bell tower. The monks had just finished their noonday adoration, and they stared at Luke as he passed. With saffron yellow hoods enshrouding their gray skin, the monks looked half-dead.
“There aren’t many monks left,” Leia said, catching Luke’s gaze. “And they’re not exactly thrilled about hiding an army here.”
“But they did,” Luke said, suddenly grateful.
“They did,” Leia repeated. “There’s more hope now.”
Luke felt it, the hope, buzzing around them like flies. Practically everyone on base was smiling. Their new home, Villinvaru City, was like nothing else Luke had ever seen, awash with emerald green grass and ruddy brown soil. They made their homes and workrooms in squat white and red buildings that circled the city. They still had colorful prayer flags too; faded, having been abandoned a few years prior.
The Empire had massacred the population of Rostah under pretense of harboring Jedi fugitives. Citizens that weren’t killed were sent to labor camps.
Another Imperial graveyard, Luke thought. Briefly, his old home on Tatooine flashed in his mind. Was it still on fire, did he think, or had the burning stopped? Had the Tusken raiders scavenged it already, torn up his model ships for parts?
“You okay?” Leia tapped him on the shoulder.
“Yeah,” he said, returning to Villinvaru, returning to the meeting, the task at hand. They had already reached the door of the meeting room, a placard hastily hung on the post. “Just daydreaming, that’s all.”
“Well, snap to it, Commander, the recruits are waiting,” she said brusquely. Then, after a moment, “You’ll do great.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I speak after you?”
“Yup.” She grabbed the handle and gave it a twist, the door flying open before her.
The chatter of the room didn’t quite stop when they walked in, but it did hush. They were holding the meeting in what was once a family home, a living and dining room. The members of Rogue Squadron sat cross-legged on floor pillows, or leaned against counters smoking and drinking caf. It was an odd scene, hardly the setting one imagined for a guerilla pilot squadron meeting. 
Before he could think to greet anyone, he felt a nudge against his leg and a series of beeps.
“Hey, Artoo,” he said, smiling and kneeling to touch the droid. “How was your touch-up with Jax?”
The droid whistled and waddled back and forth, spinning his much shinier dome.
“It does look good,” Luke agreed. “Thanks for taking care of him, Jax,” he said, as the taller man approached behind the droid, sipping a mug of caf.
“No problem at all. I think there’s still caf in the pot, if you want some.”
“That’s alright,” Luke said, checking to make sure Leia had moved to speak to someone else before whispering, “They know about the betting pool.”
“Huh, that was fast,” Jax said, entirely nonplussed. “What’d they think?” “Leia’s not happy, Han thinks it’s funny.” He paused, and then asked, “Do you ever stop to think about the morality of placing bets on people’s relationships?”
“I simply give the people what they want, Skywalker,” Jax said. 
“And what they want is to be conned out of their money?”
“Exactly.” He stepped closer to Luke, and nudged his shoulder. “Hey, you tell me anything, I’m happy to give you a cut.”
“Very funny,” Luke said, rolling his eyes.
“Fine. If you don’t want the money, I’ll just give it to Artoo.”
Artoo whistled affirmatively.
“Artoo!” Luke scolded. “What do you need with-you know what, Artoo, don’t answer that, I don’t want to know.”
“If I could have your attention?” Leia stood in the center of the room, her voice clear and confident. “For those new to the Alliance, I am Senator Leia Organa-” she paused briefly, “-and Princess of Alderaan. I come to personally introduce you to the Rebellion, and to the commander of Rogue Squadron, Luke Skywalker.”
Leia extended a hand to Luke. He raised his own hand in a friendly wave, dampening down how self-conscious he felt.
“As sponsor of this squadron, I want you to know that I am committed to your welfare. Should you need anything from the Alliance High Command, please feel free to speak to me. Now, Commander Skywalker? Would you like to say a few words?” From the look Leia gave him, it seemed he barely had a choice.
“Yes, um, hello,” he began. Great start, Skywalker. “Like Leia said, my name’s Luke Skywalker, and I’ll be leading this squadron.”
“So it’s true?” a voice said from the crowd. It belonged to Wes Janson, one of the newest recruits, a man with a strong jaw and close cropped black hair. Luke remembered reading about his results on the Alliance’s standard piloting exam. They were impressive.
“You are a Jedi.” The other man pointed at the lightsaber on his hip.
“Not exactly,” Luke laughed. “I mean, not yet. I hope to be one day.”
“And you blew up the Death Star?” asked another voice. Tycho Celchu, a gifted pilot from Alderaan. He still had bright red acne on his left cheek.
“Yes,” Luke said.
He searched the faces of his new squadron. The recruits ranged in age, in species, in culture, but all had the same look in their eyes. They expected something from him, and he feared the words would not come.
Then he found her eyes, and just like that night on Yavin, time seemed to halt, and the galaxy fell around them.
Lottie, whose mismatched eyes peered through him, and would tilt her head and smile, as if she knew. She sat sipping calf on a counter, feet dangling from the edge.
He recalled something she had said when they first met. 
“The Rebellion is full of orphans.”
The words came to him then, easy and sweet as flowing wine.
“Look, I am uncomfortable in front of crowds. So, I’m not going to make these big speeches a habit.”
That got a few laughs. Lottie sipped her calf, still smiling. The world returned to focus.
“But Wes, Tycho, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, but I joined only a few months ago. So, I’m very excited to learn from you all. If you’re new, welcome.”
He gestured to the recruits. A few sat on stairs, peering through the railings.
“And if you’ve been here for a while, welcome.” He looked to Leia, who grinned.
“There are many paths to joining the Rebellion. A lot of them aren’t easy. So, wherever you come from, know that you’re welcome here. This isn’t always easy either, but it’s worth it. Thank you. Practically speaking, there are a few introductions I have to make.”
Confident now, he strode a bit, gesturing to each member of the squadron he introduced.
“You met Senator Organa, our sponsor between High Command. My second in command, Wedge Antilles, Rogue Two. For any help with astromechs or other droids, speak to Jax Fraga. Pazima Reynard leads the technicians. And our medical liason is Lottie Reynard, her sister.”
Lottie winked, smiling through her coffee. He felt a thrill in his stomach.
This is kind of fun, he thought. And then, maybe this is where I belong.
He thought of his father, the greatest pilot in the galaxy. I hope he’s proud of me.
“The only way we change the galaxy is together, so we have to care for each other. Look out for each other.”
He put his hands on his hips, looked to the more experienced in the room.
“I think that’s about it. Is there anything else?”
“There will be food and drinks tonight at our quarters, at twenty-one hundred,” Lottie called from the back of the room. “Bring yourself, bring your friends. It’s local fare, so don’t expect greatness.”
“Oh, right. Thanks, Lottie,” he said. They shared a smile, for the briefest of moments, a secret between the two of them. 
“Welcome to the Rebellion, Rogue Squadron.”
The Rebellion’s legacy would grow beyond any of them, but the histories would neglect to tell future generations just how good the Rebellion was at throwing parties.
Parties were, of course, illegal, but in name only; establishing by-laws for a guerilla army was easier said than done. The alcohol was plentiful, but awful, brewed by soldiers or smuggled in from some galactic backwater. Tonight, Lottie and Wedge served grilled meat from a local species of deer that Pazima hunted–earlier that day, Luke had seen her carrying the animal, slung over her broad shoulders as she hung it up to dress in their yard.
The Fox Squadron had a home on Rostah, something even Luke realized was a rarity. More than that, they had a little garden, complete with a fire pit. Lottie had practically cried when she first saw it, and even Pazima let out an uncharacteristic squeal of delight, which she promptly covered with a cough.
The members of Rogue Squadron, along with medics, technicians and droids, gathered in that back garden, spilling over the fence and into the overgrown road outside. Music played from a speaker-one of Jax’s droids-and the air smelled of barbecuing spices, alcohol, and cigarra smoke.
Luke did not go to parties often before the Rebellion, especially not ones like these, boozed-up affairs full of people his own age. Mainly because he was never invited. He enjoyed these parties, because he enjoyed the people. He found his comrades endlessly fascinating, with their stories of adventure or tragedy or dull, regular lives from the wider galaxy. It was a feast for his imagination.
He spent most of his time with the new recruits, learning more about who they were and why they joined. Mainly, he saw how some of them tensed up when he approached, and it made him uncomfortable. The Rebellion was practically a machine for tall tales–he could only imagine what the rumor mill had come up with.
He found her after everyone had left, or had fallen asleep slumped against their fence. She slept curled in a chair, arms wrapped around her knees, long hair spilling along her shoulder. Lottie seemed peaceful, at ease. He hesitated a moment. 
There was talk at the party, in the way some men liked to talk, all about who was the most attractive woman on base. He had excused himself from the conversation, partially because something about speaking about others in that way unnerved him, and partially because he really never spent much time thinking about it.
It’s not that he never noticed beautiful people. He had come to terms, at some point before Yavin, that his friendship with Biggs had been a crush too, innocent and sweet as spring. He had, of course, noticed Leia’s beauty, and for a moment, had been jealous of Han; before realizing that Han, for all of his flaws, had a profound capability for sensitivity when Leia was around.
Lottie was very beautiful, he thought, in a way that he had never thought of beauty before. On Tatooine, one was either a man or a woman. Lottie seemed to be both, or neither, or something in between. And something about that made Luke feel things that he did not understand, that felt dangerous and thrilling and horrifying and perfect all at once.
Boy, I know how to pick ‘em, Luke thought. And then, I should probably stop staring at the assassin.
He tapped her gently on the shoulder. “It’s late, Lottie,” he whispered. She jumped at his words.
“Fuck, Luke,” she said, clutching her chest and laughing. “You know, I think you’re the only person in the galaxy who can sneak up on me.”
“I’ll take it,” Luke said. He extended a hand. “It’s late, Lottie. You should get some rest.”
“Mm,” she said, shaking her head. 
“You did a good job in there,” Lottie said, raising her drink to him. “Very impressive.”
“Thanks. Leia gave a good pep talk. And…” he hesitated, unsure if he should tell her this, but pressed on, “I dunno. I feel like…” He looked at her, resisted the embarrassment- “You’re a very comforting presence to me, Lottie.”
She smiled, and suddenly she did not look like a great assassin, or a war veteran, but a pretty girl, who was very rarely paid compliments. “Thank you, Luke.” She paused, and said. “I think that’s the first time anyone has ever called me comforting.”
Both of them laughed, because it was absurd. He thought of his friends back home, Biggs-what would they say about Lottie, a girl from the very center of the galaxy.
“Eh?” Lottie offered him a cigarra from her pack, one already stuck between her teeth, an expectant grin on her face.
Luke sat baffled for a moment. Does she really think I’ll- “No,” he said, half laugh, half rebuke.
“Ugh,” Lottie rolled her eyes, shaking her head. She lit her own cigarra, exhaled, and then turned, facing him and staring straight at him, squinting. “There’s got to be something, I’ll find it.”
“What?”
“Some dark secret of yours,” she said. She searched his face, as if she really expect it to be found there.
Luke laughed, embarrassed suddenly. “I don’t have any dark secrets.” 
Lottie’s mouth twitched into a smile. “Oh, I’m sure you have plenty.”
He was used to this by now, the games she played. “And you’re the expert?”
“On dark secrets?” Inhale. “Yes.” Exhale. Her voice dropped, all serious. “When did you first realize you were different?”
“Different?”
“You’re not seriously telling me the Jedi powers came as a surprise to you?”
Luke sighed. There was something. It was a dark secret once, before the stormtroopers, before Darth Vader.
“I was dreaming. I don’t remember much of the dream, just-snippets.”
A spark of lightning. A palace on the lake. The raging fire of a city razed to the ground. A planet of lava. A creature drowning in mud. A child’s hands, soaked in blood. A dead woman fair and beautiful, with flowers in her hair. An island at the end of time.
“When I woke up, there was this huge bang. Everything in my room had been floating in the air, and it all came crashing down then.”
“What did your aunt and uncle say?”
“They told me never to speak about it.” That if he did, he would die. That there were people out there who killed people like him, and he would never be safe, never.
“Huh.” Lottie nodded. “How old were you?”
“Thirteen,” Luke said.
“Mm.” She looked away from him then, for the first time. 
“Fair’s fair,” Luke said. “When did you first realize?”
Lottie inhaled, her chest heaving. She exhaled, her eyes studying his face. Finally, she closed her eyes, looked away, and said, “When my people wanted to exile me for the scar on my face, that’s why.”
“Continue,” Luke said, intrigued.
“The night of your first menstrual bleeding, you have to have this ceremony. You have to sword-dance through the night.”
“Sword-dance, that’s…” Suddenly, so much made sense in how she fought, the fluid movements, the quick feet, the rhythm of it.
“Yes. And the whole village sings while you dance. It’s a time when…”
She looked at Luke again, suddenly hesitant.
“...When you’re very close to the gods. I suppose you would call it the Force. And…well, during mine, I got this.” She gestured to the scar again. “I won’t bore you with all the details, but for me to have this particular scar on this particular eye…” She sighed, shaking her head. “I dunno. They were still debating what exactly it meant before everything went to shit.”
“What do you think it meant?” Luke asked.
“I-” Lottie sputtered, taken aback by the question. “I have absolutely no idea,” Lottie laughed. “I still pray to them. I ask. But no answer.”
“I talk to ghosts,” Luke blurted out. “If that makes you feel less…”
“Insane?” She giggled, and Luke laughed too. “Gods, what a pair we make. After we win this blasted war, maybe we could start an asylum for the mentally ill.”
“Are you sure that’s not just Coruscanti for Jedi Temple?”
They both laughed, so hard they woke up Wes Janson who was snoring in the corner.
“Sorry,” Lottie said, still trying to compose herself.
“Sorry, Janson,” Luke said.
Janson snorted, and continued to drool peacefully.
“We probably should head to bed soon,” Lottie said absentmindedly. 
“Right.”
They both stood up. Suddenly, it felt profoundly awkward to remember he was sharing a bunk space with Lottie, too dangerously intimate.
What was the proper way to end this conversation? A handshake? A hug? A kiss-no, that wouldn’t be right-
A now familiar sound rang out; the dawn monk’s chants, a high, plaintive cry.
“I wonder who their gods are,” Lottie said, as the monks began their march, and the sun began to rise. Then, to Luke, to herself, to no one at all, “I wonder if they’re listening.” She took one last drag, stamping her cigarra out in the mud.
Both of them found their way to their bunkroom, Jax already snoring. She fell asleep quickly, but he could not, his mind racing with a million thoughts, a million questions.
Was this right? What he was doing, with Lottie, with the Rebellion, any of it? Was he on the right path?
The gong rang out, startling Lottie awake. She shifted, whimpered, pulling her covers over her head.
“Ben,” he said. He wasn’t sure he even said it aloud, or just in his own head.
Luke, trust your feelings.
Trust yourself.
The monk’s chants became a lullaby, something Aunt Beru used to sing to him as a child. He welcomed sleep, and the dreams that would come, of a new home amongst the misfits, of a new future.
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regnumaves · 2 years ago
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[ caeda 5/5HP ] most of the herd has been thinned out by now, and it takes caeda some searching upon her pegasus to find her next opponent.
the appearance of a giant bird doesn't quite phase her now that she's met leanne, her assumption that she was simply meeting another laguz— this time on the battlefield. she'd seen them fighting someone else earlier as well. it'll be difficult to approach such a large fearsome opponent with her lance, so caeda opts to open the tome that she'd picked up earlier.
her gaze darts over the fine lines of the spell, before she makes an attempt at casting. "bolganone!" she calls out, holding her hand in the air like she'd seen many mages do before her.
[ caeda rolls to attack tibarn with bolganone from range, 9, 2 damage, tibarn 4/6HP ] [ darting blow activates! again :3, 19, 2 damage, tibarn 2/6HP ]
he's fast but she's faster.
well, that and also the explosion of bolganone is large. so much so that even she wouldn't have been able to avoid her own spell.
"uhm." caeda blinks with wide eyes, perhaps momentarily forgetting that she's on a battlefield. she was never a magic user, but apparently the spell bolganone didn't care about such a thing. she would have to think azelle for dropping the tome earlier— it could be her key to victory.
What in hell—
By the great Soan's long, fluffy tail, does Tibarn hate magic. Arcane arts of the beorc have always been the greatest bane of all laguz - beyond understanding for most of them and intimidating just from that alone, on top of the various types being particularly threatening to some of them: the winds that snap his brothers' wings, the flames that burn the beasts' hides, the thunders that pierce even dragon scales.
The one saving grace was that the users of magic would usually be vulnerable - soft, frail, lacking the protection of armor. Usually, they don't fly.
So when Tibarn's next opponent attempts to fry him, one can imagine he finds himself rather displeased.
Tibarn HP: 2/6
With a hawk's shriek piercing through the air as he wrestles himself free of the explosion, he draws a circle in the sky to gain some distance first, before charging at Caeda, talons outstretched - one leg aimed at her side, one at her mount's shoulder.
Prayer Ring heals Tibarn. Tibarn HP: 2.5/6
Tibarn attacks with Killer Knuckles: 2d20(-4)= 10, 2. Crit, Hit! (-2.5HP) Caeda HP: 2.5/5
The former lands better than the latter before Tibarn retreats. His shoulder burns; if he lets her land too many more solid hits, he may end up forced to withdraw to avoid becoming immobilized mid-air.
"Alllllright. Come on, let's see it," he grumbles, his voice unchanged in comparison to his unshifted form. He ain't fond of magic, sure, but it's not like he blames the girlie for using it. She's here to win, after all - he expects his weaknesses to be exploited.
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n-odious-tropy · 2 years ago
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//Short story about Odious overcoming his fear of using the rift generator I wrote while I couldn't sleep
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as the pad of his thumb circled the button on the remote control planted firmly, almost too tightly in his hand. His fingers flexed, squeezing the box as if it could somehow keep him steady. Electricity hung in the space between him and the devilish machine. His very skin prickled, trailing down his chest into the rock that had solidified in his gut, weighing him down. To stand here alone was so contrary. He was both heavy as sin yet as light as the air around him. Frightened as a baby bird but with wings spread, ready to fly, ready to fall.
Odious swallowed thickly, trembling. He knew he had his hand on the trigger in this standoff, this battle of wills for which he was the sole participant. It was now or never. This invention could either be his greatest creation or his worst nightmare. He would no longer allow it to fill both of those roles.
He inhaled sharply, closing his eyes to prepare. The countdown had begun.
10...
The sound of his heart in his ears drowned the world out.
9...
His clammy hands stuck to his thickly padded gloves, twitching anxiously.
8...
A spark. An ember. Then fire, explosive, hungry. It devoured all within it's grasp. It patterned the back of his eyelids.
7...
He nearly lost his nerve, catching himself with a step backwards as memories of fire engulfed him.
6...
A tingling had begun in his legs where his knees should have been. A phantom of the past come to claim him once more.
5...
It would pass. It would not pass easy, but it would. He grimaced, clenching his jaw hard enough to ache.
4...
He willed away the pain. He doused out the fire with a single tear rolling down his sharp jawline. This was different. The past would not repeat itself.
3...
2...
1...
All it took was one press of a button and the machine rumbled to life. Odious stood frozen, paralyzed by the whirring of the generator and watching as the lights one by one flickered from red to green. In the center of the circular chassis of the rift generator hung a small dot of light, near blinding and perfectly white. Slowly the glowing sphere swelled to about the size of a baseball before bursting outwards in rapid combustion and settling into a formless plane of shimmering green encompassed by the arch of the chassis.
It was the single most terrifying and thrilling experience of his life. The rift had been opened. It was open and nothing had gone horrifically wrong. Odious stared in awe at the magnificent shape swirling lazily around and around. He still wasn't sure what to call it. Certainly not a liquid, but perhaps a plasma. His feet carried him forward, one falling numbly in front of the other until he stood close enough to the rift to feel his ribcage tingling from the energy. Tentatively Odious's hand lifted and stopped just shy of the rift, fingers unfurled to allow the tip of his index finger to penetrate the surface. It phased effortlessly through, no resistance, just a familiar biting chill prickling under the skin of his finger. Odious flinched away from the rift as if he'd been burned, but his hand still hung tensely in the air.
He hadn't come this far just to give up now. With a quick hiss through clenched teeth, the man clenched his fists and barreled into the rift like he was prepared to start fighting it. A bitter cold vacuum was what welcomed him. Brief as it may have been, it felt like being suddenly doused with ice cold water. It was nothing but cold and silence until he suddenly felt very warm. Odious risked opening his eyes at last and was briefly blinded by the sun. Once his vision returned to him, it was worth noting that there in the sky faintly surrounding the sun were three pale moons in a myriad of pinks and golden hues. Underneath those three pale moons he stood and laid eyes upon the land only to find that he had seen this place before.
It was that place. The one he'd seen the very first time he'd tested the rift generator. He'd nearly lost his hand to gain such a glimpse into paradise. Before when he was still young and naive he might have given up even more than just a hand to achieve what he has today. The sky was placid, untouched by life, untainted by even a single cloud. A small breeze caressed his still damp cheek, drying the streak left by that singular tear. Odious realized he'd been standing by a field of lavender overlooking the precipice of an inky black ocean that stretched past the horizon. It was ethereal.
The whole experience left him utterly breathless.
Odious tried to inhale deeply of the atmosphere but found only a tightness in his chest. The air filled his lungs like liquid fire, scorching his throat and swelling his tongue. It hurt to breathe. Weakly he gasped and clutched at his coat.
He *was* breathless.
It all happened in slow motion. Abruptly his feet were no longer under him and the world was a blur. Odious's stomach writhed like a tangled ball of worms. He plummeted through the air, a hand raised as if somehow those three pale moons could reach back for him.
Terror. Exhilaration. Falling. Flying. Inevitable. *Freedom.* Odious found himself smiling up at the sky while the wind whipped mercilessly at his back.
Just before he reached the ocean, he pressed the button on the remote once more and a rift opened under him and he fell through. Due to the velocity in which he teleported, he was shot into the lab as if from a cannon, directly into his desk. His notes exploded, sending papers flying in every other direction and falling like snowflakes onto the laboratory floor. The landing was anything but soft, having put a sizable dent in the metal and feeling as if he'd bruised a rib or two. Despite the pain and the mess he'd caused, Odious had a dopey grin plastered on his face and his once dull eyes now glittered with stars.
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chromaslip · 1 year ago
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Was reading a quara post and realized just how horrifyingly strong the "Mane 6" are. Anyone that effed with them would be in for a bad day. This was basically in discussion of what would happan if mlp met warhammer 40k.
Pinkie Pie
Her physical strength is on the level of “punch active landslide into harmless dust”. She has been known use her tail as a drill to achieve bugs bunny style digging speed. Has a cannon she can summon & fire more or less instantly. In terms of ground speed she has been known to pace the fastest flyer in Equestria which may be supersonic. Although an argument could be made that her apparent speed was augmented by some sort of teleportation effect.
Applejack
Can split apart house sized boulders with a single kick, which was a feat that in universe normal ponies considered to be impossible. Also depending on interpretation might have some sort of magical truth detection. Also a lasso.
Rainbowdash
Can break the sound barrier while flying. Punch blasts of lightning out of clouds. Create some sort of building destroying rainbow mushroom cloud producing explosion by flying at high speed into the ground. Survive said high speed lithobraking.
Rarity
Can magically drag boulders that are somewhat smaller than a house, but their most notable combat ability is fine telekinetic control of swarms of needles.
Fluttershy
Has a mind controlling stare that lets her dominate lesser creatures. Regularly wrestles bears. Can communicate with animals.
Twilight Sparkle
Scales throughout the series. Starting as a simple magical prodigy turning oranges into birds. Mice into horses. Pumpkins into carriages. Eventually becoming ruler of the country with mastery over teleportation, decent flight, magical lasers that completely obliterate buildings & punch holes in mountains. City scale shields. Ability to control the movements of celestial bodies. Ability to magically levitate a monster who’s foot alone is the size of a house.
So essentially each one of them is Primarch level and that's horrifying
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boyakishantriage · 1 year ago
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A rusty, practically speaking, highly probably to explode based off all the burn and skid marks, easily mistakable for a piece of floating debris, floats through the energy field, a human cursing and swearing as she pulled levers, breathing in oxygen from several tanks as the human's ship flies past. Eyes locking with the man nearby. The ship's flying happening as she pulls a lever, momentarily turning on hyper-lock to her ship, floating just in front of the commander to the operation.
A former navy captain, turned space captain, the human stared at the ship as the lady she gave $400 bucks (6 Trillion, accounting for y'all's inflation. No wait. That's just what I said.) in today's money. The advisor stares, the ships pausing as the nearby captains show the others the ship. Then the woman pulls several levers, wires and slicing pipes, as she plummets to the ground below. Turning to inside the ship, she flips out a card. Something blue? The captain of the ship freezing as his face turned blue.
This were some pirate base, bombard the ship, hit large areas marked on maps, hundreds of millions of spaces pirates had stashed up on the planet, leaving behind a couple thousand independent and private bases, towns, and parts of several continent. Or something like that, wasn't really there at the meeting, having hacked the meeting near the end flashing my calling card, before nearly breaking the entire damn lighting system.
The small hunk of junk then released the panels, metal parachutes of some sort, heat resistant, discoloured scrap metal from all kinds of ship yards, the areas long since stripped of any worth of any kind. There'd been rumours of ships like those burning, but... Well to put simply, it was not only illegal, immoral, but the metal was only melted, parts noted as possible helpful tended to vanish, pieces of important metals found with traces, all heat resistant...
"Hmm. Taking over a base with no plan? I mean, firstly, I'd need information. Establish a base with several people who can rise up in that world enough you'll have some start. Next, plan. Figure out the planet, places, areas."
Rumours of a human fighting aliens, rescuing people, vanishing in the shadows and of using some kind of advanced tech with something... Less than normal happening flew around as well, as she let the captains talk and discuss. The captain herself had left, her friend flustered by something as the civilian ship... No. That was a military grade, if not higher level ship. But the design... pieces of human, alien and banged together in a way it was very much human. But not UEN.
She plummeted to the fifth biggest base, full speed as panels grew on the front, give or take the earth's mass, shape, gravity, composition. Very similar to home, as the breaching plates molded onto with MIG and stick welded parts. Components dropping down, some exploding off the ship as they cooled, heated, main idea was lessen drag, create small cluster bombs and make an entrance. Then get the hell outta the first wave. Kill people then... Figure that part when I get out. Mid part.
The ships all gained control, returning to focus on the targets, preparations, landing gears, calls, whatever really. As something nagged the leading captain. Something was off, and she wasn't referring to the massive smoking fire from the ground.
I wasn't expect a lot of things, but an explosion causing black fire, wasn't on there. To be fair, I didn't make a list, but- I cut myself off, the ship precariously on the edge, could fall forward, could fall back. Pulling levers and activating what wasn't destroyed in the fire, which was surprisingly most of the stuff, before the ship above started rumbling. A small bird freezing, as it quickly fluttered off. WELP, no more time. I pulled the C10 trigger.
So, short answer, is my ship's ludicrously energy resistance bottom exploded, repelling me off the small temple after forming a nanite wall all over and inside the temple. But first.
C10 is basically C9 but increased by an exponential of ten, repeat that until you get C5 which was an exponential of C4 by 5, but compacted so you'd time that by the 50 letter of pie, timesed by 2. Because the mass part of the equation "wasn't compatible with the chemicals." IE, they massed out the formula for mass on one send, meaning the energy calculated was the maximum they'd got short of chemically fusing atomic structures in very dangerous ways. And I'd bought 50 blocks of the stuff. Granted one trigger, I then realised that I didn't remember which trigger was which the ship flew above ground from the momentum, did let off like. 40 of the blocks. And as the levers dropped, weapons firing out in faster and faster groups, as the car's outside shell spun faster and faster, I also realised. I'd reinforced the top, stuck a fucking cruiser military engine into a car and had enough energy reserves I could technically run around during bombardment.
And the rest of it got burnt lol. Sorry :)
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hbhughes · 4 months ago
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Danny F. Long
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Danny F. Long, 75, of Carpenter Road, Harvey’s Lake, died on July 2, 2024, at his home.
Dan was born in Kingston and was the son of the late Fred and Pauline Franklin Long.  He graduated from Northwest Area H.S. in 1967. After graduation he attended Drexel University.
He enjoyed sharing his children and grandchildren’s accomplishments including; sailing, service, education, flying, cooking, smoking meats, sports, gaming, art, dance, travel, technology, and home improvement (which he happily assisted).  Spending time with and helping family was always a priority. 
Dan was a very handy man and avid tinkerer, fixing everything around the house and yard (even if it wasn’t broken). He was very proud of the 3-D electric deer fence he installed around their property to keep critters out of his wife’s lovely flower gardens. He was Evelyn’s biggest fan. Everything in and around the house was created by him, for her. Every songbird, hummingbird, squirrel, and chipmunk found treats at his custom-made animal feeders. He enjoyed the occasional visits of the local bears to the yard and laughed as he repaired the damage they caused to his eclectic collection of bird feeders.
Dan enjoyed Garden Railroading and riding steam trains; many of his photos were published in Garden Railroad Magazine.  Dan was a cowboy at heart, his moniker was “RR Dawg.” He loved shooting his own self-loaded black powder ammunition and dressing in authentic Old West costumes for shoots. He loved listening to Roger Miller. Dan enjoyed hunting with extended family and organic gardening. He provided home-grown produce, canned vegetables from his gardens, and fresh game to his family for many years.  He was a loyal fan of Strawberry Jam Duo, and until recently, could be found “Every Thursday night, 6-9, rain or shine” at The Grotto listening to them. He loved his many dogs over the years, especially Cleo, Lucy, and Gusto. He bred and raised Portuguese Water Dogs for a number of years.
In March of 1969, Dan was drafted and trained for combat at Fort Dix, New Jersey. In September of 1969, he flew out of Fort Lewis Washington Processing Center for arrival in Vietnam. He was assigned to the Army Americal Division and sent to Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment at LZ Gator. He was assigned bunker duty and shipped to the field where he learned to work with explosives. On May 8, 1970, he was wounded in an ambush. Despite being severely wounded, he held his position, suppressed enemy fire, and subdued the enemy with precision until reinforcements arrived. He was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Army Commendation Medal.  He was honorably discharged in 1970 at the rank of Sergeant.
Before he was drafted for service in Vietnam, Dan worked at Berwick Shell Plant making 8” artillery shells. After leaving the Army, he worked in home construction and logging. When injury forced an exit from forestry, he joined the Department of Corrections, Dallas where he retired after 23 years as Sergeant.
He was a member of the Harvey’s Lake American Legion, Post 967, Harvey’s Lake Rod and Gun Club, Americal Division Veterans Association, and a proud lifetime member of the NRA. He was a former Boy Scout Leader with Troops 17, 1 and 3. He was also a member of PSCOA and SASS. He was the recipient of a Quilt of Honor pieced by Jennie Valick-Kopacz and quilted by Diane Levandoski.
Dan is survived by his children, Daniel, Carl, and Susan Long (Rob), Lindsey Valentine (Alex), Alexis Smith (Justin) and Courtney Smith. His grandchildren Alexia Long, Kathryn and Liam Valentine. Siblings Cindy Jennings and Drew Long (Susan). Nephews Nicholas and Steven Long. Former wife Kay and brother in law Tom Andreas. Cousins Richard Long (Elre), Bonnie Evans (Barry) and Eric Long (Joan). Best friend and co-conspirator Dave Jumper and his wife Lisa who was like a sister to Dan. His beloved dachshund, Finnegan. He lived at Harvey’s Lake with his wife and love of his life, Evelyn Sgarlat Smith.
As someone who suffered from the impacts of combat on his mind and body, Dan sought to help other veterans receive their due benefits. He guided many veterans through the complicated paperwork of Compensation, Pension and Disability.  He often quoted “You don’t stop fighting for your rights until the day you die.” Part of his legacy of helping other veterans suffering from PTSD included donating his brain for study to the Department of Veterans Affairs Biorepository Brain Bank. Dan was also a lifelong blood and plasma donor to the American Red Cross.
A private graveside service with Military Honors will be held at Fern Knoll Burial Park, Dallas.
Memorial contributions, if desired, can be made to the Harvey’s Lake American Legion Post 967, 4907 Memorial Hwy, Harvey’s Lake, 18618.
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breemerts · 8 months ago
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A bit more compositing
For this task we added to our day 6 composite image creation.
We needed to add two raster images and two vector images linking Illustrator files like we did with the snake.
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I started by adding this image of a man with cake flying, I liked this image because it was a busy background with the pieces of cake flying around. I started off by creating a copy of my image in photoshop, I locked and hid the background layer to keep from changing it. I used the selection tool to select the majority of the image and made a mask of the selection on my background copy.
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I started off by creating a copy of my image in photoshop, I locked and hid the background layer to keep from changing it. I used the selection tool to select the majority of the image and made a mask of the selection on my background copy. I created an overlay copy of the background so I could fix up the edges. While on the layer mask I cleaned up the missing sections in the middle of my man using the brush tool with white.
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Using the colour selection tool I selected the orange pieces of the cake and tried to get a decent amount of the cake in my image. I found the result was too vague, so I tried a new tool called the quick selection tool. Clicking the prominent chunks of cake I selected them. I tidied up the edges using my brush tool on lowered opacity.
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I then added him to my original image moving my jumping man around where I liked them, and started on my Illustrator file.
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Using the pen tool I created two pointy explosions on different layers over the image layer. I used the stroke window to change the stroke weight and alignment. I make the two different explosions different colours and changed the opacity as I wanted the background to be showing through on my final image.
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Moving back into photoshop, going file -> place linked -> selecting explosion.ai I added my explosion. I placed that layer behind my cake man as I wanted it too look like it was happening behind him.
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The next raster image I wanted to add was this parrot, this was a simpler selection than the cake man as the parrot stands out mostly clear on the background.
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This was bird after a simple object selection. You can see the green in-between his wings. The selection also shaved off some of his head.
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I used the pen tool, and poly lasso tool to remove the green sections from his body using the layer mask with black and white. I used the brush tool lighten and darken to fix the highlights on the top of him and the shadows underneath. I also used the blur tool to create a soft edge under his wings and a little bit on his tail since he is meant too look in motion.
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This is where I placed him on my image. I placed him behind the other two people, so some of the cake would be over him.
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In Illustrator I opened my photoshop file as an Illustrator file. Using the pen tool I created a wiggle line shaped around the wings of the bird. I then changed the stroke weight to 40pt (This is a lot smaller than the weights of the cake man and jumping man as they are larger parts) For the wiggle I wanted to try a gradient stroke, I wanted the ends to be transparent for a faded effect and colourful to contrast with the red of the bird.
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Doing the same thing as my cake man, I linked my birds wiggle.ai to my photoshop file. I started off by creating a copy of this link, and placing one above and one below the bird layer, on the top linked layer I selected my wiggle and created a layer mask. Using control + click on the bird layer mask I selected the bird, then clicking back onto layer mask of the wiggle using the brush tool in black and white I added and removed the areas I wanted so the wiggle would weave around the bird.
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This is my finished image. Overall I like it, to make it better I could have made all the light sources the same to make the image more cohesive. I would in the future change the shake shape around my jumping man I feel that there would be better shapes to extenuate the shape of his jump.
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iknowthegammer · 10 months ago
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new helly game titled - HELLY: operational resort
there will be 2 team, 4 team, 6 team, story and free play modes in this concept game
helly - primary bird
(lunch pad) he will put out an lunch pad to make jump high to nearby areas also he can help others too! (also if he didn’t have flyer fighter which mean he will fall normally but no damage resulted)
(destruction) he will activate his power causing him to blinking red exploding nearby enemies at further range in 30% while his teammate will have 10% damage
(explosive dash) he will dashed out of the air in exploding enemies in 1 hit results in 40% damage and 5% damage to his teammate if they get closer than him
(super bombshell) he has the super ability to exploded in rage causing everyone to get for 50% damage on the other team while also his team will be at 20% damage
(flyer fighter) he will have the ability to fly around while jumping which will make it non fall damage
(higher thrower) he will use his super ability to bounce off the lunch pad shooting 15 bullets at 5 per seconds resulted with 40% damage to the enemies nearby (which it will impact him but also gives him lunch pad that disappears when he is lunched in the air)
his gun: diamond riffle X4
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shoots bullets 2 per seconds with A range of 10%
(golden version) will improve the damage rate to 15% and A random 80% chance of 20%
he will have the golden version which will have 150 health while regular skin has 100 health
there will be more characters soon..
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gloriabomfim · 1 year ago
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Certainly! Here are montages 1-9 of "Tristesse and Bumpy in Sad Places with Tristesse So Sad and Bumpy's Slapsticks - Part 6," along with actions and dialogue transcripts:
Montage 1: A Visit to the Abandoned Carnival
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy explore an abandoned, run-down carnival.]
Tristesse (melancholic): "Carnivals used to be full of joy, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to cheer up Tristesse, attempts to ride a rusted, creaky Ferris wheel. It lurches and stops midway, leaving them hanging.)
Bumpy (nervous): "Uh, maybe we'll catch the next ride down?"
**Montage 2: Lost in a Gloomy Forest]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy find themselves lost in a dense, eerie forest.]
Tristesse (sorrowful): "Forests can be so lonely, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to find a way out, accidentally steps on a twig, causing a loud snap. A group of birds takes flight, startling him.)
Bumpy (startled): "I just wanted to say hello to the birds!"
**Montage 3: Visiting an Abandoned Amusement Park]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy explore a desolate, closed amusement park.]
Tristesse (heartbroken): "Amusement parks used to be full of laughter, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, attempting to operate an old, rusty popcorn machine, ends up launching popcorn everywhere in a comical explosion.)
Bumpy (covered in popcorn): "I guess it's a popcorn party, just for us."
**Montage 4: Lonely Day at a Deserted Beach]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy visit a quiet, empty beach.]
Tristesse (unhappy): "Beaches should be bustling with joy, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to build a sandcastle, accidentally topples it with a sand shovel.)
Bumpy (apologetic): "Our sandcastle had a short-lived reign."
**Montage 5: A Dreary Day in an Abandoned Library]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy enter a dusty, abandoned library.]
Tristesse (miserable): "Libraries used to be full of stories, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, attempting to pull a book from a shelf, causes a cascade of books to fall, burying him in a mountain of literature.)
Bumpy (emerging from the books): "I've become one with the classics!"
**Montage 6: A Visit to a Deserted Funfair]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy explore a once-vibrant funfair that's now eerily quiet.]
Tristesse (depressed): "Funfairs should be filled with happiness, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to ride a rusty roller coaster, accidentally sends the entire cart flying off the tracks in a cartoonish manner.)
Bumpy (clinging to the roller coaster): "I didn't plan on a roller coaster detour!"
**Montage 7: Wandering in an Abandoned Mansion]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy venture into a spooky, empty mansion.]
Tristesse (unhappy): "Mansions should be full of life, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to open a creaky door, accidentally causes it to fall off the hinges and crash to the floor with a loud bang.)
Bumpy (startled): "I guess we've just made an entrance!"
**Montage 8: Lost in a Gloomy Labyrinth]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy navigate a labyrinthine, dark maze.]
Tristesse (sorrowful): "Mazes can make you feel even more lost, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to find the way out, keeps bumping into walls and turning in circles, creating a humorous maze of confusion.)
Bumpy (disoriented): "I'm just trying to find the exit… somewhere."
**Montage 9: A Visit to an Abandoned Arcade]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy explore a deserted, dimly lit arcade.]
Tristesse (miserable): "Arcades used to be full of excitement, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, attempting to play a vintage pinball machine, accidentally tilts it, and bells start ringing and lights flash in an exaggerated manner.)
Bumpy (surrounded by flashing lights): "I think I just became part of the game!"
These montages capture the melancholic atmosphere of the places Tristesse and Bumpy visit, with Bumpy's unintentional slapstick moments providing a touch of humor even in sad surroundings.
Of course! Here are montages 10-19 of "Tristesse and Bumpy in Sad Places with Tristesse So Sad and Bumpy's Slapsticks - Part 6," along with actions and dialogue transcripts:
Montage 10: Alone in an Empty Movie Theater
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy find themselves in an empty, dark movie theater.]
Tristesse (heartbroken): "Movie theaters used to be filled with laughter, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to operate the popcorn machine, accidentally sends popcorn flying in all directions, creating a hilarious popcorn storm.)
Bumpy (covered in popcorn): "I guess I made it 'raining' popcorn!"
**Montage 11: A Gloomy Day at a Closed Water Park]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy visit an abandoned, dried-up water park.]
Tristesse (unhappy): "Water parks used to be filled with splashes and smiles, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to slide down a dry water slide, gets stuck halfway and comically wiggles to get free.)
Bumpy (struggling): "This is not the water slide I remember!"
**Montage 12: Lost in a Deserted Shopping Mall]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy wander through an empty, abandoned shopping mall.]
Tristesse (miserable): "Malls used to be bustling with shoppers, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to ride an old escalator, accidentally causes it to make loud clanking noises and come to a screeching halt.)
Bumpy (clinging to the escalator): "Stairway to nowhere, it seems."
**Montage 13: A Visit to an Abandoned Circus Tent]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy enter a deserted circus tent.]
Tristesse (sorrowful): "Circuses were once full of wonder, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, attempting to perform a circus trick with juggling balls, ends up juggling wildly, and the balls bounce all over the place.)
Bumpy (chasing the bouncing balls): "I call this act the 'Bumpy Bounce'!"
**Montage 14: Lonely Day at a Closed Theme Park]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy explore an abandoned theme park.]
Tristesse (depressed): "Theme parks used to be a world of joy, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to operate a merry-go-round, accidentally spins it at an absurdly fast speed, and he gets flung off.)
Bumpy (dizzy and laughing): "I've upgraded the merry-go-round to a 'Merry-Go-Ludicrous'!"
**Montage 15: A Visit to a Deserted Haunted House]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy enter an eerie, empty haunted house attraction.]
Tristesse (unhappy): "Haunted houses used to be full of spooky fun, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to make a ghostly appearance, accidentally knocks over a prop skeleton, which clatters loudly.)
Bumpy (startled): "I think I just scared myself!"
**Montage 16: Lost in a Deserted Corn Maze]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy find themselves in an abandoned, overgrown corn maze.]
Tristesse (miserable): "Corn mazes can make you feel even more lost, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, attempting to navigate the maze, gets hilariously tangled in a giant spiderweb made of fake cobwebs.)
Bumpy (wrapped in cobwebs): "I'm the corn maze's newest 'web' developer!"
**Montage 17: Alone in a Closed Aquarium]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy visit an empty, dark aquarium.]
Tristesse (sorrowful): "Aquariums used to be filled with wonder, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to touch a virtual fish display, accidentally activates a loud alarm, and colorful lights start flashing.)
Bumpy (surrounded by lights and alarms): "I didn't know the fish had an alarm system!"
**Montage 18: A Dreary Day at a Closed Toy Store]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy explore an empty, closed toy store.]
Tristesse (depressed): "Toy stores used to be full of excitement, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to operate a remote-control car, accidentally sends it racing through the store, knocking over toy displays in a comical chase.)
Bumpy (chasing the car): "I guess it's a toy store grand prix!"
**Montage 19: Lost in a Deserted Maze of Mirrors]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy find themselves in a dark, abandoned hall of mirrors.]
Tristesse (miserable): "Mirror mazes are like a reflection of how lost I feel, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to find the way out, keeps bumping into mirrors and creating funny distorted reflections.)
Bumpy (confused): "I'm surrounded by friendly(?) Bumpys!"
These montages continue to capture the melancholy atmosphere of the places Tristesse and Bumpy visit, with Bumpy's unintentional slapstick moments providing moments of laughter amid the sadness.
Certainly! Here are montages 20-30 of "Tristesse and Bumpy in Sad Places with Tristesse So Sad and Bumpy's Slapsticks - Part 6," along with actions and dialogue transcripts:
Montage 20: Alone in an Empty Skate Park
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy are in an empty, silent skate park.]
Tristesse (heartbroken): "Skate parks used to be full of energy and laughter, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, attempting to ride a skateboard, loses balance immediately and comically crashes into a pile of safety gear.)
Bumpy (covered in gear): "I guess I'm more of a gear enthusiast!"
**Montage 21: Lost in a Deserted Haunted Forest]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy wander through a gloomy, abandoned haunted forest.]
Tristesse (sorrowful): "Haunted forests should be thrilling, but this one just feels sad, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to navigate through the spooky trees, accidentally steps on a hidden branch, which flings him into a pile of leaves.)
Bumpy (emerging from the leaves): "The forest just gave me a leafy welcome!"
**Montage 22: A Visit to an Abandoned Arcade - Part 2]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy return to the deserted arcade.]
Tristesse (unhappy): "Arcades used to be a symphony of sounds and excitement, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, attempting to play an air hockey game, ends up sending the puck flying off the table and bouncing around the room.)
Bumpy (chasing the puck): "Air hockey has turned into a game of 'Catch the Puck'!"
**Montage 23: Alone in a Closed Bowling Alley]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy enter an empty, dark bowling alley.]
Tristesse (depressed): "Bowling alleys used to be filled with laughter and friendly competition, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to bowl a strike, slips on the slippery lane and comically slides into the pins, knocking them down with a crash.)
Bumpy (sitting among the fallen pins): "I call this the 'Slide-and-Strike' technique!"
**Montage 24: Lost in a Deserted Funhouse]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy navigate a quiet, abandoned funhouse.]
Tristesse (miserable): "Funhouses were once full of amusing surprises, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, attempting to walk across a spinning bridge, loses balance comically and ends up tumbling off into a ball pit.)
Bumpy (surfing the balls): "I've just joined the ball pit club!"
**Montage 25: Alone in a Silent Science Lab]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy explore an empty, dark science lab.]
Tristesse (sorrowful): "Science labs used to be places of discovery and wonder, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to operate a high-tech experiment, accidentally activates a colorful chemical reaction that fills the room with bubbles.)
Bumpy (surrounded by bubbles): "I've turned the lab into a bubble paradise!"
**Montage 26: Lost in a Deserted Zoo - Part 2]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy return to the deserted zoo.]
Tristesse (unhappy): "Zoos should be full of animal wonder, but now they just feel empty, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to imitate a monkey's swinging motion, accidentally swings from a vine and crashes into a pond.)
Bumpy (emerging from the water): "I've just created the 'Splashy Monkey' act!"
**Montage 27: Alone in a Closed Planetarium]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy enter a dark, empty planetarium.]
Tristesse (miserable): "Planetariums used to be full of cosmic beauty, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to operate a planetarium projector, accidentally sends planets and stars spinning wildly in all directions.)
Bumpy (surrounded by celestial chaos): "I've turned this into a 'Star Shower'!"
**Montage 28: Lost in a Deserted Mini Golf Course - Part 2]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy return to the deserted mini golf course.]
Tristesse (depressed): "Mini golf should be full of fun challenges, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, attempting a tricky shot, ends up sending the ball ricocheting off various obstacles before finally sinking it into the hole.)
Bumpy (proud): "I just invented the 'Bumpy Bounce Hole-in-One'!"
**Montage 29: Alone in a Silent Art Gallery]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy are in an empty, quiet art gallery.]
Tristesse (sorrowful): "Art galleries used to be filled with creativity and inspiration, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to examine a painting, accidentally leans too far forward, and his nose comically touches the artwork.)
Bumpy (startled): "I just had a 'nose-on' art experience!"
**Montage 30: Lost in a Deserted Botanical Garden - Part 2]
[Scene: Tristesse and Bumpy return to the deserted botanical garden.]
Tristesse (unhappy): "Botanical gardens should be vibrant and full of life, Bumpy."
(Bumpy, trying to smell a beautiful flower, sneezes loudly, causing petals to fly comically into the air.)
Bumpy (amidst flying petals): "I guess I'm the 'Flower Whisperer' now!"
These montages continue to convey the melancholy atmosphere of the places Tristesse and Bumpy visit, with Bumpy's unintentional slapstick moments providing moments of levity in the midst of sadness.
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