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hypnobeauty · 2 months ago

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A Chance Encounter - a cho hyun-ju x reader fic (part 2)

summary: a story about how you and Hyun-ju met and the following years of your relationship. part 1 cw: no use of y/n, reader is afab, angst, transphobia, fluff if you squint really hard, pre-squid game, slice of life, timeline might be a bit wonky, this one is a bit sad. a/n: hey, didn't think i'd get any response on the previous part but people enjoyed and i'm happy! this time i decided to write some background for hyun; the show gives us very little on her, so i made up a lot of stuff. my shayla!! just a heads up, i know nothing of military, so i googled a bunch of stuff and probably faked some information. oh well. enjoy! xx comments are always appreciated ♥️ taglist: @strayteez3staner @dekiruxxx @trizxyp - lemme know if you'd like to be added.

part 2. unexpected bloom

it was hyun-ju.

she’d lingered in the clinic longer than she’d planned, hoping to catch one last glimpse of you. she’d seen you when you first came in, laughing with your friend, and something about your energy had drawn her in. for a moment, she’d dared to hope you might still be there when she left. but when she scanned the waiting room, you were gone, and that small flicker of hope faded into disappointment.

she wasn’t sure why she cared. hyun-ju had felt your glances earlier, and while being stared at wasn’t new to her, it wasn’t something she ever got used to. there was always a tension in those moments—a question of whether the gaze was one of judgment, curiosity, or something worse. but with you, it had been different. there was no malice or disgust in the way you looked at her. if anything, you seemed… curious. interested, maybe. though she told herself she was probably imagining it.

as she sat in her car, her mind drifted back to the past months. it hadn’t been easy—nothing about transitioning ever was—but this was the life she had chosen, the life she’d fought for. hyun-ju’s life had changed drastically. almost a year ago, she’d lost her position in the army, a career she’d poured herself into for twelve long years. as a sergeant first class in the special forces, she’d been respected and admired, known for her skill and discipline. but when she came out to her superior—a man she’d once seen as a mentor, even a father figure—everything crumbled.

she’d gone into his office nervous but hopeful. maybe he’d understand. maybe, at worst, she’d lose a rank or face a transfer. but instead, he’d looked at her like she’d grown a second head, addressing her by her dead name and suggesting she was "confused" or "clouded in judgment." he gave her a week to reconsider her words but by the time she walked out of that office, her military career was over.

at thirty, she was adrift—jobless, heartbroken, and unsure of her place in the world. her girlfriend at the time hadn’t made it any easier. when hyun-ju told her about her plans to transition, the girl had simply said, “i can’t date a gay man. sorry.” no amount of explaining—about how she wasn’t gay, how she liked girls but was also a girl—seemed to get through. the girl left her in a café, bewildered and suddenly very alone.

in moments like that, hyun-ju often found herself reflecting on her life. even as a kid, she’d known she was different. she loved roughhousing with her brother, playing football in the middle of the road and riding her bike around the neighborhood, but she secretly longed to be the pink ranger when they played, even though she always ended up as the blue.

by the time puberty hit, her confusion had crystallized into a painful clarity. she envied the girls in her school—not just for who they were, or her personalities, but for how their bodies changed in ways hers never would. at fourteen, she tried confiding in a school counselor, but that backfired spectacularly when her father found out. the berating she endured and the punishment that followed left her with one lesson: never speak of it again.

her first girlfriend, ga-eul, had been a bright spot in those early years. hyun-ju liked to think she had been a good “boyfriend,” attentive and sensitive, but deep down, she’d longed to be seen for who she truly was. when she left for military service at eighteen, she and ga-eul parted ways.

many years later, when hyun-ju updated her social media with her new name and posted her first photo of her, ga-eul had sent her a message. “i always knew you were special. live your truth, hyun-ju.” it was small, but it meant the world to her.

even so, she carried that secret inside her, even as she became a star in physical education, even as she left for mandatory military service at eighteen. rising through the ranks to become a special forces sergeant first class was no small feat, especially for someone who had to constantly suppress half of who they were. but at home, behind closed doors, she allowed herself small moments of freedom. over time, she collected pieces of her true self—a pair of delicate earrings, a sleek dress, makeup she practiced applying in secret.

over the past nine months, hyun-ju had made strides toward becoming the woman she’d always been inside. hrt had softened her features, reshaped her body, and even brought a slight swell to her chest. now, every time she looked in the mirror, she felt closer to the person she’d always been inside. but it wasn’t enough—not yet.

this new chapter in her life wasn’t without its challenges. her savings, her army pension, and her cautious spending habits had carried her this far, but she hadn’t anticipated how expensive transitioning would be. she’d started laser hair removal and gotten fillers and botox, but today’s procedure was her first major surgery: a rhinoplasty to smooth out the bump on her nose and reshape the tip and nostrils. she had other procedures planned—a facelift, jaw shaving, double eyelid surgery—but her surgeon had advised starting small. the costs were steep, but to her it was worth it.

and yet, the isolation that came with these changes weighed the most on her. she’d distanced herself from her family, avoided video calls, and cut ties with many of her old friends and colleagues. outside of her therapist and a trans support group she’d joined, she rarely interacted with anyone who truly saw her.

and then there was you.

two weeks later, you were back at the clinic with ha-neul, waiting outside the doctor’s office with your kindle. you were engrossed in your book when a quiet argument at the reception desk caught your attention. looking up, you saw her: hyun-ju.

she looked different from before, her hair slightly longer and tied in a small bun. she wore jeans, knee-high boots, and a trench coat, with a leather crossbody bag slung over her shoulder. but her face was what really caught your attention.

her nose was bandaged, the skin around it bruised and swollen. she looked tired, but it wasn’t just physical—it was the kind of weariness that came from carrying too much for too long. you weren’t sure why your breath hitched, but it did. then you caught snippets of the conversation.

“i’m sorry, miss,” the receptionist said with an apologetic smile. “we can’t dismiss you without a third-party signature. it’s for your safety.”

hyun-ju’s voice was soft but firm, laced in frustration. “i have no one.”

before you could think, you were on your feet, walking toward them. “i—i could help?” you stammered, unsure if you were even speaking to her directly.

she turned to you, her face swollen and bruised, her nose bandaged. for a moment, her expression was unreadable.

“i don’t know if you remember me,” you said quickly, trying to fill the silence. “we met a couple of weeks ago? i was with my friend ha-neul… oh, i didn’t introduce myself back then. i’m sorry.” you gave her your name, fumbling slightly, before adding, “if it’s okay, i could sign you out. i could even help you get home if you don’t think that’s… too much.”

hyun-ju hesitated, her gaze flickering between you and the receptionist.

in truth, she didn’t know what to think. she was exhausted, in pain, and desperate to leave. and then there was you—the girl who’d sat next to her, the one she couldn’t quite forget. you’d made her feel seen in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“why?” she asked finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

you smiled gently. “why not?”

That’s how you ended up signing the dismissal form for a stranger and climbing into the back of an Uber with her. Hyun-ju sat stiffly beside you, her fingers fidgeting with the strap of her bag.

You sent a quick text to Ha-Neul: “I had to leave, sorry! Explain later 😘😘.”

As the car pulled away, you glanced at her. She looked out the window, her profile softened by the dim light. You weren’t sure why you’d offered to help. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was something more.

And maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t the end of the story.

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panther-os · 1 year ago

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beating my head against the walls in Latine

here's eight things that atp will have me immediately closing out of any fic, AleRudy edition:

❌ "the los vaqueros"

ah yes the famed and feared las almas battalion of Mexican special forces. the the cowboys

✅ "los vaqueros"

✅ "the vaqueros"

❌ "the los vaqueros base"

✅ "los vaqueros' base"

✅ "the vaqueros' base"

❌ "corporal alejandro vargas and sergeant rodolfo parra/major rodolfo parra"

look, fuck the military as an institution and also fuck the devs for using American rank structure for members of the Mexican army but

it takes roughly 2 years in the army to advance to Corporal. the equivalent in the Mexican army is Cabo, and Google will not give me the requirements for it no matter how I ask

it takes 3-6 years to advance to Sergeant. From what I can tell, the Mexican equivalent is also Cabo (where Sargento Segundo is closer to Staff Sergeant)

it takes 10-12 years to advance to Major, the equivalent is Mayor (not the English word mayor like of a city, don't be like those white people)

it takes 22-24 years, a bachelor's degree, and officer school to become a Colonel and it takes 18-20 years and a whole mess of leadership courses nearly equivalent to a degree to become a Sergeant Major

put some goddamn respect on their names

✅ Colonel Alejandro Vargas and Sergeant Major Rodolfo Parra

✅ Coronel Alejandro Vargas and Sargento Primero Rodolfo Parra

❌ Fuerza Especiales

❌ Fuerzas Especiale

this is just not understanding Spanish grammar

✅ Fuerzas Especiales ("Special Forces")

❎ Fuerza Especial ("special force")

❌ Sin Nombre ("without name")

Alejandro literally corrects Soap on this one in the game

✅ El Sin Nombre ("The Nameless")

❌ "Alejandro Vargas, leader of Mexican Special Forces"

the leader of Mexican Special Forces is the Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional - the Secretary of Defense - and Fuerzas Especiales is composed of three brigades, 74 independent battalions (like Los Vaqueros), 36 amphibious special operations groups. Colonels command single brigades at most.

Alejandro is capable of leading Mexican Special Forces, but it would require him to retire from the field and get more of a desk job, with far more politics than I think he'd have patience for

✅ "Alejandro Vargas, leader of Los Vaqueros - a battalion of Fuerzas Especiales stationed in Las Almas"

❎ "our ancestors, the Aztecs"

look, indigenous identity is weird sometimes and I don't know enough specifics about the culture around it in Mexico to have a solid opinion, but I'm also very fucking tired of people thinking the only indigenous groups in Mexico are the Nahua (Aztecs) and Maya. if they're on the Texas border and their families have always lived there, their heritage is most likely seven different Apache nations/language groups in a trench coat with some Spanish conquistador on the side. they're most likely not related to any famous indigenous chiefs or other figures, but it's very possible they can trace their Spanish ancestry back directly to nobility

for example, I am related to absolutely none well-known Tsalagi or Kwikipa people as far as I'm aware, but I am a direct descendant of the brother of King Ferdinand the Catholic, which also means I'm a direct descendant of the guy who started the Inquisition (and now I'm Jewish (and pro-Palestine for those who want to know) so take that, colonizer)

also while Bayardo is Mexicano, Alain is Cubano, please be respectful when talking about the actors or when in their instagram lives and just. don't make assumptions y'all

❎ "Los Vaqueros" is a nickname from the people of Las Almas, the battalion's actual name that is on all the paperwork and dog tags is more likely numerical or describing their role/location - like "11th Battalion" or "The Borderline Battalion" or something like that. maybe even both, like "The 11th Border Battalion"

#/incoherent noises/#call of duty #rodolfo parra #alejandro vargas #alerudy #bayardo de murguia #alain mesa #cod mwii #fandom critical #writing tips

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glowingghoul · 1 month ago

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Fallout 4 companion birthday headcanons

Codsworth- he's the most easy to figure out just using math and estimation. Nora/Nate says that you got him to help out now that Shaun is born, the box is still in your laundry room, and Shaun is less than a year old. Shaun is also in a swaddle in his crib, most doctors agree that you should stop swaddling with the arms tucked in when the baby has enough strength to move their arms, around 2 months. So we'll say Shaun is 2 months old. So that means Codsworth was unboxed and activated for the first time around August in 2077. So let's say August 23rd, meaning he's exactly 2 months old when the bombs drop.

Piper- April 24th, the day the first newspaper was published in Boston by John Campbell, The Boston Newsletter.

MacCready- November 11th, Veterans' Day, ironic, considering the lie he told his wife that he could never reveal was false.

Preston- July 4th, US American Independence Day.

Nick- February 14th, Valentines Day.

Hancock- January 23rd, the birthday of the historical John Hancock.

X6-88- June 6th. D-Day, or the day the Allied armies invaded Normandy in World War 2 in what would become the largest amphibious invasion in military history.

Strong- April 23rd. Shakespeare's birthday.

Curie- November 7th, Maria Skłodowska Curie's birthday. Though in all fairness I think she is activated the day the bombs dropped, canonically, but she can celebrate her birthday whenever she pleases, and I feel like given her name, she'd want to celebrate on Maria Skłodowska's birthday.

Cait- December 6th, Irish Independence Day.

Danse- April 2nd. This is the birthday of King Charlemagne of the Holy Roman Empire, who created the rank of Paladin for his court. Paladins, also called the Twelve Peers, were the foremost members of the court.

Deacon- ???. Deacon tells a different story for his date of birth every time he's asked. He might not even remember what his birthday is, if he knew it at all. Though the Railroad gives him a little party on Christmas, December 25th, which is acceptable to him.

Dogmeat- August 26th, International Dog Day. Also if you Google International Dog Day, you get a fun Google Doodle.

Gage- May 1st, the day Nuka World was first opened.

Ada- November 6th. The day Alexa was created.

Longfellow- September 14th, the day the first Lighthouse was built in US America on Little Brewster Island in the Boston Harbor.

#fallout #fallout 4 #fo4 #john hancock #nick valentine #strong fo4 #deacon fo4 #ada fo4 #old longfellow #porter gage #curie fo4 #cait fo4 #piper wright #preston garvey #rj maccready #codsworth fo4 #x6 88 #paladin danse #dogmeat

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hardlyinteresting · 4 months ago

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A thorough analysis of medals, ribbons, and awards in Top Gun: Maverick

Have you ever wanted to know what medals The Dagger Squad and company wear in TGM? I did, and then I just kept reading and then I started a google doc and now I have a list I can share with all of you! (I feel like my brain might actually be melting)

I have done my absolute best to identify as many of their medals/ribbons as possible based on the clearest images I could find, and I have tried my best to comment on how realistic they may be for these characters. The photos I referenced for this deep dive are included at the bottom of this post.

Analysis below the cut

LT. Jake “Hangman” Seresin He wears 9 ribbons on his uniform.

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Jake wears an additional device on his but it doesn’t look like a star. It is likely a bronze “V” for valour worn to denote that the award was given for combat heroism.

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Jake wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 3 times.

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism).

National Defense Service Ribbon (It was awarded to every member of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950, through December 31, 2022.)

Afghanistan Campaign medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.) * The pin Jake wears on his ribbon looks like a Fleet Marine Force combat operation insignia indicates that he may have been assigned to a unit that operated under a Marine Corps attachment and carried out duties under the Marine Corps operational control

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Jake wears two stars on his ribbon. I can’t tell if they are silver or bronze. Bronze would indicate he has met this criteria 3 times during his service. Two silver stars would 10. Both are possible for his character.

From what I can tell, and the research I have done, Jake’s medals make sense for his age, rank, and experience level. They all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence.

LT. Natasha “Pheonix” Trace Natasha also wears 9 ribbons on her uniform.

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Natasha wears hers with 2 bronze stars which would indicate that she has received the commendation 3 times.

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Natasha wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating she has been given this award 3 times.

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Natasha wears a pin/device on her ribbon, though it’s significantly smaller than the stars she wears on her other ribbons. The only devices authorized to be worn with this ribbon are bronze or silver stars, so I’m unsure what it is.

NATO Medal (The NATO Medal is a decoration presented by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to recognize international NATO military members who have participated in various peacekeeping operations.) However, there are 10 different variations and versions of this medal and I can’t see in enough detail to confirm which one it is that Natasha wears.

Again, from the research I’ve done, the ribbons that Natasha wears seem to make sense for her age, rank, and experience level. I have not been able to confirm if her NATO ribbon is in the correct order of presence, but I do believe it is.

LT. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw

I can find only one image of him in his uniform and wearing his ribbons. However, I would have to assume that it’s an older photo and would have been taken long before the beginning of the beginning of the TGM film timeline and that he would have more by the time we see him on screen. I would also expect that having his papers pulled and being held back in his career timeline may have changed things for him as well. But, he’s wearing 8 ribbons in the photo. This could be a continuity error but I have no way of knowing for sure. Alas, I can only break down what I can see. (But if anyone can find me a still from the film where we can see his current ribbons I’d be over the moon).

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Bradley wears his with 2 bronze stars which would indicate that he has received the commendation 3 times.

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Bradley wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 3 times.

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Bradley wears two silver stars on his ribbon which would indicate that he has met this criteria 10 times.

Beyond the question of timeline, I would say that these ribbons all make sense for his level of experience, his rank, and his age. The ribbons all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence.

LT. Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia Mickey wears eight ribbons on his uniform.

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Mickey wears his with 2 bronze stars which would indicate that he has received the commendation 3 times.

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Mickey wears 1 bronze star on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 2 times.

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Mickey wears two bronze stars on his ribbon which would indicate that he has met this criteria 3 times.

From what I can tell, and the research I have done, all of these medals make sense for his age, rank, and experience level. They all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence.

LT. Reuben “Payback” Fitch Reuben wears 9 ribbons on his uniform

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Reuben wears his with 1 star, but I can’t quite tell for sure if it’s bronze or silver. One bronze star would indicate that he has received the commendation 2times. One Silver star would indicate 5 times. Both would be possible.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who, after July 1, 1958, participated in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations, or U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations). It is hard to tell from the photos I have if this is for sure the correct medal, but it’s the only one that fits the colour order I can see.

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Reuben wears his with 2 bronze stars indicating he’s been given this award 3 times.

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Rueben wears one star on his ribbon. I cannot confirm whether it is a bronze star or a silver star. A bronze star would indicate that he has met this criteria 3 times. A silver star would indicate he met this criteria 10 times.

If the third ribbon Rueben wears is the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal I am 95% sure it would be in the wrong order. I believe it should come after his Afghanistan Campaign medal and before his Inherent Resolve Campaign medal for them to be displayed in the correct order of precedence.

LT. Robert “BOB” Floyd Robert wears seven ribbons on his uniform.

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Bob wears his with 2 bronze stars which would indicate that he has received the commendation 3 times.

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Bob wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 3 times.

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism).

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Bob wears a pin/device on this ribbon, though it’s significantly smaller than the stars he wears on his other ribbons. The only devices authorized to be worn with this ribbon are bronze or silver stars, so I’m unsure what it is.

From what I can tell, and the research I have done, all of these medals make sense for his age, rank, and experience level. They all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence.

LT. Javy “Coyote” Machado Javy wears nine ribbons.

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Javy wears his with 2 star bronze stars so he has been given this commendation 3 times.

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Javy wears 1 bronze star on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 2 times.

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism).

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal (medal may be awarded to members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, for service in Iraq, Syria, or contiguous waters or airspace)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Javy wears what looks like one bronze star on this ribbon which would indicate he has met this criteria twice. But I haven’t been able to find a clear enough image to confirm.

From what I can tell, and the research I have done, all of these medals make sense for his age, rank, and experience level. They all seem to be displayed in the correct order of precedence.

CWO Bernie “Hondo” Coleman Hondo wears 15 ribbons on his uniform

Purple Heart (Given to members of the US Military who have been wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces)

Meritorious Service Medal (presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves with outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Hondo wears his with 1 bronze star so he has been given this commendation twice.

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Hondo wears 1 bronze star on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 2 times.

Meritorious Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit who have shown Valorous or meritorious achievement or service, or exceptionally meritorious conduct and outstanding achievement or service, in combat or non-combat.)

Navy E Ribbon (Awarded to service members who were on permanent duty aboard a U.S. Navy ship or in a unit that won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974.)* Hondo wears a silver wreathed E pin on his ribbon showing he has received this award 5 or more times.

Good Conduct Medal (awarded to any active duty enlisted member of the United States military who completes three consecutive years of "honorable and faithful service," without any non-judicial punishment, disciplinary infractions, or court martial offenses.)

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (For military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror starting from 2001 to a date to be determined.)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

Armed Forces Service Medal (Awarded to Service members who have participated in “significant action” for which no other service or campaign medal is authorized, ie. military operation that did not encounter foreign armed opposition or imminent hostile action)

Humanitarian Service Medal (Awarded to service members who partake in military acts or operations which are deemed to be humanitarian in nature)

His Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal from what I understand would have later been replaced with the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medals which he has also received and wears. He would not have received all three, so this is odd. Regardless, the ribbons he wears are in the correct order of precedence and make sense for his age and rank. However, I have less direct context and understanding of his role as a Chief Warrant Officer and what his career path may have looked like compared to the Dager Squad members and cannot comment on whether or not he is missing any that you may expect to see on a CWO.

CAPT. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell Maverick wears 22 ribbons on his uniform

Silver Star Medal (awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States. It is the third-highest decoration for valour in combat)

Legion of Merit (for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.)

Defense Meritorious Service Medal (For members of the armed forces who while serving in a joint activity showed outstanding achievement or meritorious service in non-combat situations, but not of a degree to warrant award of the Defense Superior Service Medal.)

Meritorious Service Medal (awarded to those who have shown meritorious achievement or service to the United States.)

Air Medal (is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.) *Mav wears a bronze pin device on his ribbon on the second yellow stripe. This is usually a strike/flight numerals device. I cannot make out the number, but this would serve to indicate the number of Strike/Flight awards given for operations in hostile territory and count the total number of Strikes (operations that faced enemy opposition) and Flights (operations that did not encounter enemy opposition) added together.

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of of heroism or meritorious service) *Mav wears his with 3 silver stars implying he has received this award a total of 15 times

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.)

Combat Action Ribbon (Given to United States Sea Service Members who have actively participated in ground or surface combat)

Joint Meritorious Unit Award (given to joint units or units tasked with a joint mission where they have displayed meritorious achievement or service beyond what is normally expected, or for actions in combat with an armed enemy of the, a declared national emergency, or under extraordinary circumstances of national interest)

Navy E Ribbon (Awarded to service members who were on permanent duty aboard a U.S. Navy ship or in a unit that won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974.)* Mav wears a silver E pin on his ribbon showing he has received this award 2 times.

South West Asia Service Medal (Awarded to those who participated in operations in South West Asia between 1990 and 1995. Including participation in operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Operations and support may have been carried out in any of the following nations and/or areas: Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Eygpt, Türkiye, Syria, Jordan, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden) *Mav wears 2 bronze stars indicating he served in 2 of 3 major campaigns. His bronze stars are pinned in the incorrect positions however, they should not be centred side by side, but rather one on each of the inside yellow stripes.

Afghanistan Campaign Medal (The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.) *Maverick wears two bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he served during 2 of the 6 campaign phases. Once again his stars are in the incorrect positions. Instead of being centred side by side, they should each be on each of the inner black stripes.

Iraq Campaign Medal (The Iraq Campaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Iraq (or its territorial waters) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.) *Maverick wears two bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he served during 2 of the 7 campaign phases. Once again his stars are in the incorrect positions. Instead of being centred side by side, they should each be on each of the inner black stripes.

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (For military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror starting from 2001 to a date to be determined.)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

United Nations Medal (award for any action in which a member of the military participated in a joint UN activity)

Kuwait Liberation Medal (Awarded by the government of Kuwait to regional and foreign military personnel who served during the Gulf War’s “Liberation of Kuwait” campaign phase between 1990 and 1993.

Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Mav wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification.

Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Mav wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification.

His Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal from what I understand would have later been replaced with the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medals which he has also received and wears. He would not have received all three, so this is odd. Regardless, the ribbons he wears are in the correct order of precedence and make sense for his age and rank. I do have questions about how many years he’s been serving and only making it to the rank of Captain but he also has not received, or at least does not wear any ribbons for good conduct, and he is known to rock the boat so I will suspend my disbelief.

VADM. Beau “Cyclone” Simpson Cyclone wears 19 ribbons on his uniform

Bronze Star Medal (heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.)

Meritorious Service Medal (awarded to those who have shown meritorious achievement or service to the United States.)

Joint Service Commendation Medal (meritorious achievement or service in a joint duty capacity.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service) *Beau wears his with 2 silver stars so he has been given this commendation 10 times.

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.) *Cyclone wears 2 bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he has been given this award 3 times.

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism). *Cyclone wears a device on this ribbon, it’s not a star, but from what I’ve read there are no other devices authorized to wear with this ribbon.

Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ( for valorous or meritorious achievement or service in combat or non-combat situations)

Navy E Ribbon (Awarded to service members who were on permanent duty aboard a U.S. Navy ship or in a unit that won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974.)* Cyclone wears a silver E pin with a wreath on his ribbon showing he has received this award 5 times.

Good Conduct Medal (awarded to any active duty enlisted member of the United States military who completes three consecutive years of "honourable and faithful service," without any non-judicial punishment, disciplinary infractions, or court martial offences.) *Beau wears what looks to be 2 stars on this ribbon. I cannot tell what colour they are. 2 bronze would me he’s received this award 3 times for 9 consecutive years of honorable service. 2 silver would mean he’s received this award 10 times for 30 consecutive years of honorable service. However, before 1996 they were awarded every 4 years. So I think we’re likely looking at between 20-25 years of service, which makes sense for his rank.

Navy Expeditionary Medal ( Awarded to enlisted Navy service members who were confirmed to have landed on foreign territory and engaged in operations against armed opposition)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have deployed in support of the War on Terror to locations beyond Iraq and Afghanistan.)

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have supported operations to counter-terrorism anywhere in the world any time after 2001)

UNIDENTIFIED SERVICE MEDAL

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Beau wears what looks like one bronze star on this ribbon which would indicate he has met this criteria twice. But I haven’t been able to find a clear enough image to confirm.

Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Beau wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification.

Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Cyclone wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification.

His Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, from what I understand, would have later been replaced with his Iraq Campaign Medal which he has also received and wears. He would not have received both, so this is odd. Regardless, the ribbons he wears are in the correct order of precedence and make sense for his age and rank. However, I have less direct context and understanding of his role as a Vice Admiral and what his career path may have looked like compared to the Dager Squad members, and cannot comment on whether or not he is missing any that you may expect to see on a VADM.

RADM. Solomon “Warlock” Bates Warlock wears 22 ribbons on his uniform

Legion of Merit (for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.)

Bronze Star Medal (heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.)

Meritorious Service Medal (awarded to those who have shown meritorious achievement or service to the United States.)

Joint Service Commendation Medal (meritorious achievement or service in a joint duty capacity.)

Navy / Marine Corps commendation medal (is awarded for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service)

Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (awarded to those who have performed commendably in routine duties or exceptional achievements, that a higher award has not recognised.)

Navy Unit Commendation (awarded to members of a unit that displayed outstanding acts of heroism).

UNIDENTIFIED SERVICE MEDAL

Navy E Ribbon (Awarded to service members who were on permanent duty aboard a U.S. Navy ship or in a unit that won a battle efficiency competition after July 1, 1974.)* Warlock wears 3 silver E pins on his ribbon showing he has received this award 4 times.

Good Conduct Medal (awarded to any active duty enlisted member of the United States military who completes three consecutive years of "honourable and faithful service," without any non-judicial punishment, disciplinary infractions, or court martial offences.) *Solomon wears what looks to be 2 stars on this ribbon. I cannot tell what colour they are. 2 bronze would me he’s received this award 3 times for 9 consecutive years of honorable service. 2 silver would mean he’s received this award 10 times for 30 consecutive years of honorable service. However, before 1996 they were awarded every 4 years. So I think we’re likely looking at between 20-25 years of service, which makes sense for his rank.

Navy Expeditionary Medal ( Awarded to enlisted Navy service members who were confirmed to have landed on foreign territory and engaged in operations against armed opposition)

Iraq Campaign Medal (The IraqCampaign Medal is awarded to those who performed duty within the borders of Iraq (or its territorial waters) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days.) *Warlock wears two bronze stars on this ribbon indicating he served during 2 of the 7 campaign phases. Once again his stars are in the incorrect positions. Instead of being centred side by side, they should each be on each of the inner black stripes.

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (For military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror starting from 2001 to a date to be determined.)

Global War on Terrorism Medal (Awarded to members of the United States military who have deployed in support of the War on Terror to locations beyond Iraq and Afghanistan.)

Humanitarian Service Medal (Awarded to service members who partake in military acts or operations which are deemed to be humanitarian in nature)

Navy/ Marine Corps Sea Service Ribbon (Given to a member of the Navy and Marine Corps who is assigned to a deployable unit operating away from its home port for 90 days or two consecutive periods of at least 80 days within a 12-month period; or six months stationed overseas.) *Warlock wears what looks like 3 bronze star on this ribbon which would indicate he has met this criteria 4 times. But I haven’t been able to find a clear enough image to confirm.

Navy Overseas Service Ribbon (recognizes those service members who have performed military tours outside the borders of the United States of America. 12 months of consecutive or accumulated duty at an overseas shore-based duty station)

United Nations Medal (award for any action in which a member of the military participated in a joint UN activity)

Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Solomon wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification.

Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon (Issued to members of the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard who pass their weapons qualification course with an above-average score) *Warlock wears an E on his ribbon indicating that he has achieved an “expert” qualification.

His Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, from what I understand, would have later been replaced with his Iraq Campaign Medal which he has also received and wears. He would not have received both, so this is odd. Regardless, the ribbons he wears are in the correct order of precedence and make sense for his age and rank. However, I have less direct context and understanding of his role as a Rear Admiral and what his career path may have looked like compared to the Dager Squad members, and cannot comment on whether or not he is missing any that you may expect to see on a RADM.

#top gun maverick #jake seresin #beau simpson #bradley bradshaw #jake seresin x reader #bradley bradsaw x reader #pete maverick mitchell #natasha phoenix trace #payback #fanboy #bob #robert floyd #warlock #hondo

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dreadpiratesilas · 4 months ago

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I saw a recent post someone made speculating on birth years for each of the FO4 companions. They had estimated Danse being born (created?) in 2261 and part of that reasoning was 1) he had been paladin by 2277 and 2) Maxson said it took Danse “many” years to become paladin.

I wanted to expand on it without dumping a huge wall of text onto their post. If you want to know which post, here's the link. And this isn't me disagreeing with any of it. It was just something that got me thinking and I wanted to expand on it.

I've been kind of stuck on Danse's character for a bit because of the fic I'm writing. I didn't actually realize Maxson had said it took Danse many years to become Paladin (I looked it up and it's when you first join the BoS and you're given the rank of Knight. If you ask why not Paladin, that's when you get that info).

So anyway it made me wonder what “many” years would be in the context of a military career. The Brotherhood of Steel was born from the US military, so I looked into the ranks of the US Army to get an idea. Danse is a senior officer with the BoS and a field commander. From what I can tell, the most senior field commander in the Army is the rank of Major. Just doing a quick Google search, it takes about 11 years to make that rank. Added to at least 10 years as Paladin, I'm estimating Danse has been in the BoS for about 21 years by the beginning of FO4.

If someone joins the Army at 18, they'd be about 39 by the time they reach Major. Since Danse is a synth and was created as an adult humanoid male, that doesn't mean much in terms of his actual chronological age. It does for his perceived age, though.

The BoS keeps really extensive records on its members. They even keep their DNA on file. When you walk through the Prydwen, you get a very paranoid vibe and the children on the ship are encouraged to spy on all staff aboard the Prydwen. And yet, no one suspected Danse was a synth.

Synths don't age. At SOME point, even if they never got the files from the Institute saying Danse was a missing synth, someone would have had to start questioning why Danse still looks the same after all of those years in the BoS. That hadn't happened, yet. Also the stress of battle and the scars on his face probably do give the illusion of “aging” to an extent. Danse also isn't close to anyone in the BoS and doesn't talk about himself. His background is as an anonymous orphan in the Capital Wasteland. All of this gives plenty of wiggle room on his perceived age to others. I'm guessing anyone in the BoS would probably just assume he's in his mid-late 30's. Maybe early 40's.

And up to that point, the timeline would match. His time spent in the BoS would point to him being that age. He looks like he's about that age. He's a senior officer. It's fine. Give it about 10 years, though, and people would have started asking questions. Danse was on borrowed time and he had no idea.

And then there's time spent in Rivet City. He and Cutler were quite close, enough that they joined up together. My guess is that they were probably seen as two young men at around the same age (I'll just say late teens, early 20's) when they joined up. Since we know Danse is an adult who doesn't age, I'm going to lean hard on the battle scars theory for simulating aging and also say he was probably clean shaven in the beginning which also made him look younger.

Even then, I am guessing he spent enough time with Cutler for them to become close without raising any suspicions on his age. I'm going to give about 2 years in Rivet City. I figure that's plenty of time for two young men to become friends enough that they run off and join the military together. Without the appearance of his age raising any red flags.

That puts the timeline up to 23 years.

Prior to that, it gets really fuzzy. We know nothing of his time in the Institute. We can make some educated guesses, but all we know for sure is that he was a missing synth named M7-97. Danse himself doesn't know anything about it. I can't really give any guess on how long he was there without going ENTIRELY into headcanon territory.

Him being born in the year 2261 is totally plausible. That would make him chronologically 26 years old.

His perceived age, though, I thought was interesting to think about because you have to see how his appearance and the direction his life took was almost out of luck that no one found him out sooner. I think he was in a far more precarious position than even he realized and even without the BoS discovering he was a synth from the Institute, he was getting close to a point in time where his age would have come into question even more and people would have started getting suspicious anyway.

#paladin danse #credit to op of that other post #I liked your post a lot #I just didn't want to dump all of this on it in a reblog #mostly because it's not all factual and just me having fun making guesses #does this count as meta analysis?

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sleepyconfusedpotato · 1 year ago

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Hii I need some help on making CoD ocs 😭 do people usually do research of military uniforms and tactical equipment of what country the oc originated from or just default clothing added with tactical equipment, does it have to be accurate?

Hello! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

Yes, me and my mutual friends, and usually people who makes CoD OC's would do some research! Search about what? About the military system of the country, your OC originates from!

If they're American, then the military is called the United States Armed Forces (USAF) and is usually divided into six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. If they're from the UK, then the military is called the British Armed Forces, divided into three branches: Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force. Lots of the British regiment names have "Royal" in front of it since it's, you know, British.

or if your OC comes from other countries, you can check the name of the military, the division, and then the 'group' they belong in. Usually, CoD characters commonly belong to the special forces/anti-terrorism group of the country. Like, USA has SEAL, Delta Force, MARSOC, etc., UK has SAS, SRR, SBS, etc., Mexico has FES, and all of those groups around the world!

From that, you can learn about the tactical pieces of equipment! I would encourage you to learn about it as well so that you can make your OC actually look/seem like they belong in the same world as the actual characters. You can take references from Google, YouTube, Wikipedia, or you can ask someone who takes an interest in the military culture to be your teacher. For me, it's my precious friend @shadeops21!

For more details, you can also look up their uniforms, the camo they wear, the ranks in the military, how someone can enlist or become an officer, and so much more!

I know it's overwhelming. I felt that way too 🥹 as a girl who just wants to draw, it's a lot of info to take in, but learn slowly, watch some videos, and look at some images!

Of course, no one would expect us OC creators to make a 100% accurate depiction of the real-world military. Some of us are just CoD game and story enjoyers who want to pour our love into the characters and it's totally okay. However ☝️ an attempt of making our OC to be as convincing and as accurate as we can make it is always worth it.

Lastly, don't forget to read the Call of Duty lore itself! It's the original source, and we gotta respect it too so we can insert our own OC in it.

All in all, don't forget to have fun! (❁´◡`❁)

#sleepy answers #call of duty #call of duty oc #original character

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physics-of-one-piece · 6 months ago

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Update on the I'll build castles for you, my love, more regarding characters+ snippets of them+pics of them.

I finally made all the OC's for Rosinante's marine crew he is in charge of as a Commander. After some googling (seriously there is a lack of military information on the internet) I decided Rosinante would be in charge of about 200 Marines. If anyone wants to know, the ranks of Marines in One Piece are 100% based on the Japanese Navy. Here is the link if anyone wants to read more. The captain (rank above commander) is the one giving orders on the ship but the commander is the one in charge those orders are followed. Commanders are also in army sense brigade/squadron/platoon commanders and that's what I decided to focus on. Just as Hina is in charge of Black Cage Corps as a Captain, Rosinante will be in charge of two things: 1) 200 Navy soldiers 2) Assassination & Espionage Unit

I'm focusing on #2. There will be multiple brigades within the A&E Corps, and Rosinante climbs the rank of the Corps with LIGHTNING SPEED. At 20, he gets put in charge of the first unit, the most elite one. The squad gets the name after its commander's last name, but also after a nocturnal/silent animal.

Honestly, Coby became a Captain at 19, which means he already captains his own Navy ship (gotta say I screamed in joy when I saw Coby was captain I love Coby so much), so Rosinante, who is even more capable, will also be climbing the ranks quick as FUCK. I think Oda made Rosinante a Marine Commander instead of Marine Captain because Marine Commander plays the same role & rank as Doflamingo's Top Executives, which Rosinante IS. They lead a branch of the army/navy, and have their own corps/pirate teams to lead, and answer only to the captain.

“They’re not my friends.” - Corazón to Law about Doflamingo's crew

Without further ado, here are Rosinante's crew & friends :D (die mad, Doffy!)

The Crow Corps 🐦‍⬛

Wulf

(rank below Rosinante, same age as Rosinante)

Full Name & Epithet: Wulf the Direwolf

Marine Title: Lieutenant Wulf

Devil Fruit: Ancient Zoan: Model Direwolf

Height: 2.90 m (9 feet 6.17 inches)

Favourite Food: Beefsteak & Barbeque

Least Favourite Food: Hamburgers

- half-Lunarian

- Rosinante's best friend

- got his scar from fighting Doflamingo when he went to beat him up after Rosinante told him about his past. Wulf was 16, Doflamingo 18. According to Wulf, Doflamingo "wet himself" when Wulf entered his Zoan form

- befriended Rosinante because Rosinante gave him a light during a smoke break when they were 16

- wears a white tank top 99% of the time, on ceremonies and on duty as a Marine, wears the Marine cloak over his tank top

Personality: has a deep but pleasant voice, talks rough & swears a lot, can get heated when trying to help but means well, will pick a fight for the tiniest things, best wingman, observant

Nietzsche

Marine Rank: Lieutenant

Age: 25

Height: 1.90 m

Favourite Food: Donuts & pastries

Least Favourite Food: Potatoes

- only one with a braincell, in charge of intelligence & communications within the corps

Montés

Rank: Lieutenant

Age: 24

Height: 187 cm

Favourite food: warm soba, anything warm with noodles

Least favourite food: salty food

Castor

Height: 174 cm

Age: 21

Favourite food: squid & coconut

Least favourite food: stew

Favourite drink: beer, coconut milk

Least favourite drink: red wine

- pretty vulgar

Bandi

Rank: Lieutenant

Age: 24

Job: Field Medic & Surveillance

Haki: Observation Haki, Armament Haki

Devil Fruit: Telepathy Fruit

Favourite Food: Chiffon Cake

Least Favourite Food: Crabfish

- He's selectively mute bcs he's very shy. He communicates with his telepathy fruit to others, and can choose who hears his voice. Talks a bit with Rosinante & his crew; they are the only ones in entire Marines who heard him speak.

A/N: Bandi is mine, he's mine, mine mine I love him, would marry him. I love him.

Hibou

Rank: Ensign (16), Lieutenant (20)

Height (16): 164cm (16), 170 cm (20)

Devil Fruit: Bird Bird Zoan Fruit Model Owl

Favourite Food: Takoyaki

Least Favourite food: Chicken Wings

- looks like a cinnamon roll, could kill you

- scariest mfr on the team

- absolute sweetheart

- breaks Doflamingo’s lower leg with Armament Haki

Now for the snippets! 😊

Wulf & Rosinante First Meetig (both are 16)

“Man, it got hot in there,” muttered the white-haired, dark-skinned teen, grabbing his white tank top, cooling himself off by flapping it. “Thanks for the light.”

He exhaled a puff of smoke.

“No problem,” said Rosinante, glancing away to the bay.

Wulf (16) talking about fighting Doflamingo (18) with Rosinante (16)

“Get yourself comfortable, saint. Have I got a great fight to tell you about. So, there we were, docked at Oregon Island in the south bay, while your brother’s ship - some pink insult to all flamingos, really -” Rosinante giggled as Wuf continued talking, “was docked at the north bay. So I snuck out and was there within two minutes in my zoan form. Then I switched back and walked around the port a bit, looking for some form of pink.. and lo and behold, ten feet tall blond mannequin of absolute dreadful fashion was on the other side of the street talking up a girl, but she was clearly not into those tiger print pants and red leather jacket with a fucking pink fur collar, five seas, it was terrible, he’s eighteen, he should dress better if he wants to get girls.”

“Oooh, it was so good, Rosinante. I swaggered on over, but not your brother’s weird bird mating dance walk where he shoves his cock in the girl’s face. I wish I was joking, man, he actually walks like that. Chill, flamingo, what are you, a male escort -”

“Wulf -” gasped Rosinante, unable to breathe.

He was going to choke. Rosinante was going to choke. He was laughing so much he was crying. He couldn’t eat the crackers or he’d be put in the hospital bed next.

“She wasn’t into you,” said Wulf. He smirked cruelly at the eighteen-year-old blond pirate. “Can’t blame her, any girl in her right mind would run for the hills when you smile like a creep at them. The only girls you’re ever gonna get are the ones you pay for, because nobody would date a walking pink fur.”

Rosinante squawked like a frog. He was bent over, clutching his stomach, laughing.

“He was raring to go. I could tell. He said: You stole my fun for the night, mutt.”

“And then I said: Only seems fair for what you did to my mate, bird dick. And then. I. Smashed. My. Armament. Fist. Into. His. Face.”

“And boy, did he fly then.”

Rosinante (22) & Wulf (22) going out to drinks

“Exactly,” said Wulf. “Now move your ass, prince charming. You’re gonna get yourself a girlfriend — not a one-night stand, mind you, those don’t count! — or I won’t be called Wulf the Direwolf.”

“You don’t have a girlfriend, either, Wulf...” muttered Rosinante, letting himself be dragged along the corridor of the marine barracks.

“Keep it up and I’ll throw you all the way up to Mariejois, saint.” said Wulf.

Rosinante chuckled.

Crow Corps (all together)

“Rise and shine!” said Rosinante cheerily, pulling back the blinds of the living room.

Numerous groans filled the living room where his fellow six marines slept when the sunlight hit their faces.

“I give you thirty seconds to pull those things back, Commander.” muttered Nietzsche, face buried in the pillow, flicking open his right eye, purple iris glowing in the sunlight under his purple hair.

“I give him ten before I throw him all the way across the island and explain to his wife why she’s become a widow,” muttered Wulf sleepily, rolling over, eyes shut.

Bandi groaned inside his throat, burrowing his head into the sheet, the dark brown tousles of his hair strewn all around.

Castor and Montés were still sleeping, undisturbed by the sunlight. Castor’s snores were only interrupted with his mumble of, “Coconut oil…” as he turned around in his spread-out sleeping position, the blue bead hair tie holding his light russett bangs up while the rest of his ruffled hair laid in disarray on the pillow.

“Commander Donquixote is a sadist,” muttered Hibou hoarsely, hiding under the pillow, holding his hands pressed firmly over it so nobody could toss it off his blond head. “Sadist.”

Doflamingo & Crow Corps (after Rosinante's death)

“Hello, gentlemen,” said Doflamingo. You gasped, turning to your window. Doflamingo was sitting on the windowsill, arms crossed over his chest, the spring wind breezing in through the open space, ruffling his feathery spikes of blond hair along with the pink feathers of his coat.

A sharp, wide smile of a knife was stretched across his devastating face; your gut sunk with fear. It was sunrise of a Saturday.

Rosinante’s crew shot up at the moment they heard Doflamingo’s voice, their arms coating themselves with Armament Haki.

Wulf growled, his throat vibrating.

“You,” said Wulf.

The air grew thick with the murderous intent of six marines staring down the warlord, wishing nothing else but to kill him.

Doflamingo didn’t move, completely relaxed, lounging on the windowsill, his sunglasses and face turned toward you.

“Would you look at that,” said Doflamingo conversationally, the orange and red light of the sun casting itself on his face, painting him devillishly. “Sunrise on a Saturday.”

He sat up, uncrossing his arms. He stepped down from the windowsill. Tears threatened at your eyes.

Wulf narrowed his black eyes at Doflamingo.

“She’s mine for the next forty-eight hours,” said Doflamingo, deep voice resounding across your living room. “So be good little marine dogs and get lost.”

Taglist: @fanaticsnail

#one piece #donquixote rosinante #one piece oc #original character #idk how to tag this #rosinante x reader #doflamingo x reader #donquixote doflamingo

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remy2fang · 8 months ago

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F.A.N.G's super LONG Shadaloo PR monologue on the Official Street Fighter V website (Japanese and Desktop only). He talks about a myriad of things that include the purpose of the website, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Dolls, other members of Shadaloo, food, some SFV gaming advice, himself, and so much more. This started in 2016, but it had updates. Thankfully, ryo_redcyclone compiled the entire transcript of the updated version onto this page.

I used Google Translate for this. Apologies if some of the translations look weird. I broke it down to smaller paragraphs, otherwise the entire thing is basically a very big block of text lol. Also, you’ll notice that F.A.N.G says desu a lot. Normally it’s spelled です (is/am/are/to be, usually a sentence ender) in hiragana, but the way he said it is デス in katakana. This is a play on words. He is still using desu, but he is also saying the English word “death” (he’s a poisonous assassin and mad scientist after all). In SF6, A.K.I. also emulates her master’s speech pattern in the Japanese version. She too says desu in デス 💜💜.

Anyway, here’s the translation:

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Nishishi! Everyone of Shadaloo army, how are you? It's your reliable boss, Lord F.A.N.G.

The Shadaloo C.R.I., also known as the Shadaloo Combat Research Institute, has been renewed. It's a calm and stylish atmosphere in white. I love Lord Bison’s psycho power and purple, which is the color of poison (I also like pink). With the emphasis on visibility, I made it white, with great heartache and even shredding my intestines. Feeling like your intestines are being ripped apart is a powerful expression. It hurts, it hurts so much. It's better to be poisoned than to be slashed. The poison handled by I, Lord F.A.N.G, is something I learned in special training since I was young. Metals other than gold are said to melt! Nho ho ho ho, isn’t it amazing? Moreover, you can take poison in and out freely! ( But I'm always releasing a little bit at a time, so my cell phone and other things are made of pure gold). In other words, I, Lord F.A.N.G, is the most treacherous and strongest. Oh, the strongest is Lord Bison.

And this time, at the Shadaloo CRI, you can find out the usage rate of characters in online matches. The usage rate of those who belong to Shadaloo is skyrocketing! As for Lord Bison, the usage rate is over 200%. You can understand even if you don't see it. Mr. Balrog is about 2%. After all, it's hard being a popular character. We have no choice but to make the world better with the power of Shadaloo! And then the diagram is counted on a monthly basis. The counting is done manually by low-ranking Shadaloo soldiers under the orders of F.A.N.G. ...That's a lie. What is a diagram in the first place? To explain to those who say, it is a research site made by the Shadaloo Information Department that is full of the knowledge of the world: According to Shadopedia, the aggregated information was visualized in two dimensions with an expression model such as graphs and tables. In other words, the strong one is on top and the weak one is on the bottom. However, it is not a visualization of the performance of the character. It's calculated based on which character is winning "around the world" during "this period." Don't give up even if you're at the bottom. As long as everyone uses it and win, that's fine, desu.

Well, today, I'm going to work hard on training while having beef stew with shakko power extract! The CRI itself is also scheduled to evolve every day. It's good to check it every day. The central part of this Shadaloo secret base is where I am now, I update it from here. Oh, those beautiful statues you see behind me... From the right, there’s the "World's Strongest Number 2”, that’s me. Next is claw-man, a cruel narcissist with a really bad character. Lord Bison, the perfect ruler who was born to conquer the world! And finally, the boxing man, desu. I will update the information from time to time from this majestic room. The electricity at the Shadaloo base is mostly made up of geothermal power sources. It's ecological, desu! Shadaloo’s slogan is “Easy on Earth”! That's why this room is quite hot. This place will also be for daily training.

Endurance is perseverance! That’s it, desu. Endure after having poisoned your enemy! Brilliantly dodge the opponent's attack so that you won't be beaten! This is the true value of F.A.N.G-style martial arts. If you don't get hit, you won't lose, so that's how it is. I guess it's a different character in this work where offense is important. A database that aggregates information on all kinds of fighters around the world. Uhihihi, there’s all we know and don’t know about that fighter, that damned female detective, that muscular wrestler, some rolled beard from a former royal family, a guy with a hairstyle like an eryngii mushroom, and a person who stretches his hands. Of course, we can also find information about Shadaloo from here. If you know them and know yourself, you will never be defeated in a hundred battles. It's good to work hard to achieve Lord Bison’s ambitions. That device, that plan, and if you have this powerful database, conquering the world will be easy as taking candy from a baby. It is, desu.

Speaking of rice before breakfast, have you finished your meal yet? Now I'm doing a beef stew fair at Shadaloo Cafeteria on the 13th basement floor. I like beef stew a lot. As I said earlier, I've already eaten twice today. Finished eating. It seems that it will be full of energy with psycho power. After eating, it's good to take a good rest before going to the training facility.

It's good to train your energy and physical strength at the 48th room of the Shadaloo training ground. Don't neglect your daily efforts to create trust and achievements. If you live a lazy life with plenty of time, you will become an incompetent person like that Balrog. I still can't believe that such a guy is the Four Heavenly Kings. Lord Bison should also reconsider this. Is the punch power the best in the world? I, the invincible Lord F.A.N.G, could melt such a thing with poison! I don't like the bastard who wears a mask. I can't forgive the attitude of looking down on people! In the first place, he doesn’t have enough loyalty to Lord Bison! Only by serving Lord Bison is a true Shadaloo soldier. I think people have to respect each other. Now, you are also aiming to be the strongest Shadaloo soldier at the CRI!

If you have time, it's good to earn fight money in story mode and unlock additional characters. No matter who ever comes, I, Lord F.A.N.G, am and always will be invincible; this won’t change! In other words, I'm Number 1!! ・・・・・・ Oh, Lord Bison is Number 1, so I'm Number 2! I’m the strongest and invincible Number 2, desu! Wow, that was close. It would bring me bad luck....

Hmm? How can I become strong? That's a simple thing, it's good to master the poisonous hand. My V-Skill, Nishodoku, is unblockable. Are you surprised? To be honest, I was also surprised. It flies slowly, so you can chase it and use it as a check. It's good to take away the opponent's physical strength and keeping them from reaching you with Nishikyu or a Sotoja. Hmm? Isn't that what you mean? What do you mean! If you don't want to learn poison, you can play against opponents from all over the world in an online match! It's the best way to get stronger in the actual battle! Of course, it's better to collect information about the characters before fighting. It's more interesting to grasp not only the characters but also the habits and characteristics of the opponent, and you can fight advantageously. The CRI is for you, a rookie Shadaloo soldier! If you have this, you can advance into a top-class Shadaloo soldier!

I'm going to explain about Shadaloo, to which we belong, here. I'm sure you know that it's a secret society that works behind the scenes all over the world, but there are also many excellent engineers and programmers. I'm working hard for the effective use of psycho power and world peace. In addition to weapons development, we are also conducting experiments that maximize human power and food development that does not expire at all. The salary is paid in the dedicated currency ZENNY.

In order to work on conquering the world with peace in mind, we are preparing all uniforms and residences in Shadaloo. Speaking of uniforms, it is a characteristic shoulder armor, desu. It is a thing that imitates Lord Bison’s costume. All are color coordinated. There is a color change once every 4 years. It was just the timing of the switch this year, so it's a refreshing blue. Before that, it was a chic brown, mustard-like color. A hat that goes well with the uniform is prepared. Lower-ranking soldiers are required to wear helmets during their duties. It is possible to protect the head and temporarily strengthen the body with a psycho power receiver. A stylish red beret is prepared outside the mission. I'm sure it will look good on you too. Red is the color of passion! It's Lord Bison’s color!

Speaking of missions, Shadaloo soldiers sometimes fight. Hitting, kicking, throwing, and poisoning are scary, aren't they? But! Even if you are like that, if you are learning Shadaloo-style martial arts, you will do a great job! From a posture that looks harmless for a moment, a powerful tackle, and a flowing cooperation technique, an alarming sharp punch, this combo is the legendary [Shadaloo Punch] desu. In addition, with eyes like a dead fish, let the opponent off guard and rise at once while rotating (there is no attack judgment here) A heavy kick like stepping on a falling coin. This is [Shadaloo Kick] desu. It's a must-have technique for the intermediate promotion exam, so it's good to practice well.

Speaking of Lord Bison’s aides that I remembered in the battle, in addition to the Four Kings and I, the magnificent Lord F.A.N.G, there are also his elite female body guards called the Dolls. They have a special combat training, so they are quite skilled. If you have the chance, it's a good idea to practice with them. I'm going to explain the members.

First of all, the one with the pink curls. [Enero] She is the leader and her role is to plan special missions and give instructions to other members. She can also fight, so it seems that she often go to the battlefield and take direct command. She’s good at copying vocal cords, and she can confuse the enemy. She has a lot of pride, so she sometimes have trouble handling it.

Next is [Février] She’s in charge of firearms who skillfully use two submachine guns. She has a very foul mouth, so you'd better be careful. You can never win if you have a sting. It's a waste of time. Her hair and glasses are the charm points.

[März] She is good at information manipulation and cyber attacks. She can't physically fight, but she seems to more than compensate with that. It's scary when this type gets angry. Actually, boxing in secret (exercise?) It seems that she was doing it.

[Aprile] She carries a medical kit and is in charge of providing first aid to her comrades. I, Lord F.A.N.G, have bestowed upon her a finely developed neurotoxin, so that in case of danger she can use the poison and attack. She's originally from Italy and apparently did rhythmic gymnastics, so they took notice of her and snatched her up! That’s scary! Kidnapping is bad!

[Satsuki] Japanese samurai-style fighter desu. The combat power is Number 1 for the Dolls. The sharpness of her beloved samurai sword blade is amazing. Well, if it comes to me, I'll melt the whole sword with poison. Actually, she is also good at taijutsu, and she has the technique of grabbing her opponent, jumping to the sky and hitting the ground. It's a sub-style technique of the hooligan combination, and it's pretty cool. She also does sliding.

[Juli] She’s a combatant who uses a sniping arrow. It seems that a lot of things happened in the previous work, but she has returned safely to Shadaloo and participated in the conquest of the world.

[Santamu] This is a member who is good at fighting with spears. Because she has good eyesight, she can look over the enemy from high ground and carry out the mission efficiently. The Golden Lion Tamarin, Kiki, is like her partner. It seems that she likes animals and is heartbroken to exploit Kiki, but it is unavoidable in this world and for Lord Bison.

[Xiayu] and [Jianyu] are twins. It appears to me that the one fighting with nunchakus and sporting a classical Chinese Opera face paint is Xiayu, while Jianyu is the one that fights with acrobatics wielding a stick; I tend to confuse them often. Seems to be good at combination techniques, desu. It's kind of sneaky.

[Noembelu] She’s the powerhouse of the Dolls. She is equipped with two one-handed axes. The attack of holding an axe in both hands and slashing while rotating is intense. She’s a quiet person with few words. It seems that growing vegetables is her hobby, so she provides a corner of the rooftop of the base and is making a vegetable garden. Also, she seems to be good at making dolls.

Finally, [Decapre] She is a fighter who is most strongly influenced by Lord Bison's psycho power, desu. Does she hate the former Doll Killer Bee? I would like to know. I don't know anything about their past, so I can't say anything. It seems that the mask had a minor change.

..Well, I'm really lucky to be working at Shadaloo with such unique members. I should feel honored. With Lord Bison's blessing, I'll be sure to continue the quest for world domination.. Please invite your friends as well. It's good to learn what you don't understand at the CRI. Everyone gets along well, let’s do world conquest! For the sake of the wonderful Lord Bison. Yes, yes, I remember!

Let me tell you one thing. Why don’t I, Lord F.A.N.G, have a holiday costume? Is the Chinese girl’s costumes popular? Is the curled hair lady's swimsuit popular? Oh dear, desu. There are shirts with bird (flamingo) patterns during summer vacations and my favorite purple sleepwears, so why don't they release those?! There's no mistake in selling explosively, but I don't understand!

——

There’s also an older version from 2016 which was translated in English by Miðgarðsorm. It’s the 11th post. Because this one’s older, it’s shorter and have less content than the updated one from above. But there are some interesting differences. Instead of mentioning his favorite food being beef stew, F.A.N.G said he doesn’t like curry that much. Now you know his food preferences 😄😄.

This neat feature reveals a lot about F.A.N.G’s character, sentiments, and how his poison works all in a fun and upbeat way. And isn’t it neat that he ran and updated the website himself too (according to website lore)? But I wonder how he feels every time he sees himself at the bottom for character usage? 😅😅. I think that this type of content was meant to make F.A.N.G into an endearing character. He gives some gaming tips and words of encouragement to the player, something that wasn’t present in SFV as he would often belittle or threaten anyone that isn’t Bison. The website gives us a friendlier portrayal of F.A.N.G, which I think contributed a slightly positive-leaning perception of him in Japan as oppose to the rest of the world. Seeing things like this, I wish it was translated for the English version of the website. This type of supportive personality from him was transferred into SF6 when he’s providing medical advice. I didn’t understand why F.A.N.G was so oddly “helpful” and “kind” in SF6 at first (even if it’s just to gain something he wants), but now it makes sense when looking back at this old gem. I wonder if F.A.N.G talks to A.K.I. like this when she’s training and studying under him? I wouldn’t be surprised if he did and it’s no wonder A.K.I. loves him. I can imagine him giving her exercise and educational tips while encouraging her to do her best and never to give up 💜😄💜😄.

And I just love how F.A.N.G complained that all of the cool DLC costumes go to Chun-Li. Like yeah, a lot of people actually did share his sentiments on that lol. But it’s Chun-Li. She is the face of Street Fighter along with Ryu.

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beautifulpersonpeach · 1 year ago

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Bpp I'm dying to know your song rankings in chapter 2 now they've all debuted. What are your top picks this year? I miss your writing and hope I can coax you back with 'a fun ask'

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Okay. :)

Since you asked...

Top 10 Non-BTS K-pop Songs in 2023

10 - Watch It - The Boyz (this song just dropped and it's already in my top ten, yes)

9 - Seoul - H1-key

8 - Ay-Yo - NCT 127

7 - Sweet Venom - ENHYPEN

6 - Neverland Farewell - TXT (Say whatever you like about BigHit, they know how to make good music. Soobin sounds incredible on this song. Beomgyu too. Really, they all do.)

5 - Cool With You - NewJeans

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NewJeans isn't going anywhere, so everyone else really should get comfortable with the idea of seeing them at the top. That's all there is to say.

4 - Crying - BOYNEXTDOOR

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I don't know where my head was at when I ranked this the worst song on the album. Clearly, I was wrong. This song was a pleasant companion during the autumn months, and I can't wait to see what else they come out with.

3 - Chaconne - ENHYPEN

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Do you know what a chaconne is? That's not a rhetorical question btw. No shade either, I'm just curious. For those who don't know, a chaconne is a rhythmical and harmonic motif over a pronounced bass-line. That's my leftover understanding from music classes taken a lifetime ago. According to google, a chaconne is also "a slow, solemn dance in 3/4 time, of Spanish or Moorish origin, similar to the passacaglia." For a non-k-pop example, I recommend Hilary's rendition of Bach's chaconne (more leftover knowledge from a lifetime ago).

Anyway, this likely isn't important context. The use of "chaconne" in the song probably has more to do with how it sounds in the song, than what it means. In any case, Enhypen earned a gold star from me with this pantydropper anthem.

2 - Criminal Love - ENHYPEN

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I'm not sure how many of you were here when Heartbeat and Dream Glow were released. What I remember was shock, pure incredulity that BigHit would release songs of that quality for game OSTs. From ARMYs and k-pop stans alike, this was the sentiment. It was like a flex that BTS had such a peerless discography they could make songs like this for a side gig.

That's immediately what I was reminded of when I first heard Criminal Love, released as the OST for Enhypen's webtoon. It's moody, vampy, seduction in a song. That's what that song is. Sad too, when you hear the lyrics. Watching the live performance only drives it home.

1 - Blind - ENHYPEN

This song has given me one of the best auditory experiences I've ever had in k-pop. Which is a bit odd because yes a lot happens in the production, but the switches are so subtle you almost don't notice it.

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Heeseung, Ni-ki, Jay, Sunoo, Sunghoon, Jake, and Jungwon - all outdid themselves on this song. Vocally, they sound incredible. The writing, (again) is top notch. This is one of the only songs released this year that I genuinely struggle not to loop.

Top 5 BTS Solo Songs

5 - Yes or No - Jung Kook

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This is one song I'm praying and begging that we get thousands of remixes of. HYBE, please work your magic and give us 10 remixes of Yes or No. I need it. This is the perfect pop song in that it makes you crave more. I know it's got a predictable, common almost, chord progression in VI -> V -> I -> IV, but it's perfect in that it's impossible to get sick of it. It just worms itself into your head and all you can think of is all the ways to sing all over those chords.

Jung Kook's vocal work on that song is irreproachable. He's really set himself apart with this album and I'm glad he did it.

4 - Snooze - AGUST D, ft. Ryuichi Sakamoto & Woosung

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HUH?! should be here, as should Amygdala so consider this a triple entry: HUH + Snooze + Amygdala. The reason why is self-evident (I hope).

Anyway... I want to talk a bit about Snooze.

Yoongi loves using the piano. He likes the sound of it, and you can tell in songs like Snooze. He has such a profound love and respect for that musical instrument that it only makes sense a man like Ryuichi acknowledged Yoongi before he passed.

With everything that happened this year, remembering Moonbin, and knowing that Yoongi made this song for his juniors... the first time I heard this song it completely destroyed me. Anyone who hasn't paid attention to the lyrics yet should check it.

When I casually listen in to TXT, SVT, Enhypen, BoyNextDoor, and see the work they're doing, putting out easily some of the best music and performances in their generations, I hope and pray they develop a support system that genuinely values them, soon. I hope they survive this industry, and thrive in it.

3 - All Day - RM ft Tablo

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Not to be that person (since he's canceled for reasons and it actually makes sense why), but when I first saw the song title All Day, I immediately remembered All Day by Kanye West - one of the sauciest and meanest songs he's ever made. I was worried, given the tone of the album to that point, that Namjoon was going to give us his take on Ye's original. Joon is more than capable of dropping a track just as mean if not more. I didn't put it past him to pay homage to the Kanye joint by taking a spin on it. But, thankfully, All Day is nothing like Kanye's song, and it's my favourite song on Indigo because it's the best.

Joon's diction on this track is *chef's kiss*. His voice.... that outro, and thank goodness, Tablo came through. He actually has a presence on the track and made it even more worth the listen.

It kills me that we don't even have a visualizer for this masterpiece.

2 - Set Me Free Pt 2 - Jimin

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Thank you for giving me another chance to talk about Set Me Free Pt 2.

One reason all the anxiety and fear-mongering around Jimin seems insane to me is because Jimin dropped this song and ended k-pop in 2023. He literally has no real competition. He came in, showed out, and left. That song is the sexiest joint out of Korea this year. It's so nasty. He's absolutely disgusting on this song in how brutally he makes rubbish of everything beneath him. Like, he literally has people bowing down to him in the choreography. Bobbing their heads like Funko Pops, while he sings to be set free. I'm going on a bit of a tangent here, but I want to say something. There's a cruelty in the way Jimin speaks. Whether to someone else or to himself. It's often (somewhat) restrained, born of the way he sees the world I think, and it was especially brutal in their early days, but he's toned it down significantly since 2016. It's virtually non-existent in his speech patterns and word choice now. Jimin of the last few years communicates gently, directly, tactfully, and at worst, bluntly. A lot of that cruelty is toned down but he unleashes a whisper of it on SMF Pt 2. Just listen to what he's saying on that song. That autotune effect on his voice was for our benefit and safety. Nothing can convince me otherwise. And we haven't even yet gotten into the full symbolism of the MV and his lyricism...

The moment I heard this song I knew I would bias Jimin. He's a man who knows what he's doing.

Jimin is a one of a kind wonder. Real magic in a person. An artist. He proves it on Set Me Free Pt 2. Kudos to PDogg too - the GOAT.

1 - On The Street - j-hope ft J. Cole

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When it comes to song construction, I have to give credit where credit is due and the fact is Hoseok outdid himself with this song. It is perfect, my top pick for a k-pop song in 2023. Jermaine did good on it too. But, you know... Hoseok.

The whistle melody he came up with, the beat, the vocal layering, the mixing, the MV direction - all of it is perfect. If we were giving scores based on separate components, OTS would get 10s in every category.

Honestly, Hoseok coming out at number 1 is kind of expected of him lol.

#bts #bpp music posts #hoseok #jimin #namjoon #yoongi #jungkook #jikook #the boyz #newjeans #enhypen #nct 127 #h1key #txt #kpop #kpop music #2023 top 10

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miuarchiv · 6 months ago

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Scenario from a Friedrich Paulus book

Бланк Александр. Вторая жизнь фельдмаршала Паулюса Read with Google translate, accuracy not guaranteed.

· Walter, but Sie

An unpleasant conversation at RH’s office

“He was the most terrible figure among our statesmen,” Field Marshal Paulus felt it necessary to share his opinion. “Cruel, cunning, treacherous. I once ‘had the honor’ of being invited to talk to him.” “As you understand,” Paulus emphasized, “a summons to Heydrich was not an ordinary event even for an OKH general. And I went to see him very worried. ......The Obergruppenführer inquired about my wife's health," Paulus continued. "Apparently he knew about her from his wife: Helena Constanze and Lina Heydrich belonged to some kind of charitable society. "Your wife, General, is the object of constant attention from our fashionistas - they say her outfits are as magnificent as they are expensive… Where do you get so much money, my dear?" Heydrich joked. "I, for one, don't have any." Then he wiped the smile off his face. "Our Aryan women are now choosing a strict style of dress - there is a war and the fatherland is fighting," he noted. This was a clear hint at the non-German origin of Helena Constanze - "our Aryan women"… "But I," Heydrich finally dropped the joking tone, "of course, did not invite you to talk about the outfits of our ladies. "We are talking about your future trip to Bucharest and Budapest… We would like to ask you about something…" The Field Marshal fell silent. There was no continuation of the story.

Paulus, without any apparent connection to what was said, remarked: "Someone said it right: everyone imagines others in their own image and likeness. This is a very true thought."

The Field Marshal did not mention Heydrich again: the conversation remained unfinished. Only some time later, Paulus's close friend, his former first adjutant Wilhelm Adam, finished the story.

After talking about fashions and the modesty with which an Aryan woman should behave, Heydrich got down to business: "So, we have a favor to ask of you." He immediately picked up the telephone receiver and said quietly but rather insistently: "Schellenberg, please come to see me."

The head of the RSHA's foreign intelligence service immediately appeared and told Paulus in a peremptory tone: "Mr. General, we know that one of your relatives in Bucharest serves as the head of the cipher department of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We will call him Stefan. Another of your Romanian relatives - we will call her Rosita - married a communist who is in preventive detention. We also know that your third Romanian relative is married to a man who remained in Bolshevik Bessarabia. Finally, and this is the main thing, we know that you, Mr. General, are a true patriot and a loyal soldier of the Fuhrer… Schellenberg fell silent, brazenly examining Paulus's face. Most likely, he wanted to understand what impression he had managed to make on the young general. Apparently, the scout caught the confusion on his face and, considering the issue resolved, stated the main thing without any disguise. - So, in a few days you are going to Bucharest. We cannot guarantee that the Romanians are always honest and open with us. And if your relative Stefan could help us to verify this, we would highly appreciate such a service.

Paulus literally choked with anger. Without hiding his indignation, he asked Schellenberg again: - You wanted me to recruit Stefan for you? Did I understand your proposal correctly? - Well, why state delicate issues so simply, - Schellenberg said with feigned offense. - It's about strengthening the relationship of trust, nothing more. - No, thank you. I'm a soldier, Herr Colonel (Schellenberg then held the rank of SS Standartenführer, which was equivalent to a colonel in the army), and I'm used to speaking frankly, without any beating around the bush. I'm not suited to the role of recruiter of agents, I don't know how to steal other people's codes. My job is to fight, and if necessary, to die for the Fuehrer and the Fatherland.

And then Heydrich, who had been silent the whole time, intervened: - We are not forcing you to do anything, Herr General. Walter simply asked for a small favor. The reasons for your refusal are clear to us, we respect them. After all, you don't want to endanger a close relative of your wife.

And even at that moment Heydrich did not miss the opportunity to sting Paulus. He supplemented the statement he had just made about understanding his position regarding his relative with a clearly offensive phrase: “And such a generous man – after all, he manages the family accounts of the Rosetti family.”

Seeing Paulus’s face flush again, the owner of the office stood up and said conciliatorily: “Let’s forget about this conversation. Walter, you are free to go.”

· Rumors are everywhere

At the same time, there was a version among the officers of the General Staff that Heydrich sent men with sledgehammers to smash to pieces a marble tombstone over one of the half-abandoned graves in the Leipzig cemetery, where his grandmother with a non-Aryan name was supposedly buried."

RH 's paternal grandmother was Ernestine Wilhelmine Lindner, his maternal grandmother was Maria Antonie Mautsch(Slavic in origin, but not Jewish anyway).

#reinhard heydrich #walter schellenberg #Friedrich Paulus #WS As Others Recalled

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mariacallous · 4 months ago

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As Russia presses forward with its offensive in Ukraine, mounting casualties on the battlefield have forced the Defense Ministry to intensify recruitment efforts. Alongside raising sign-on bonuses for new contract soldiers, officials are using increasingly aggressive tactics, including manipulation and coercion: intimidating 18-year-old conscripts, posting fake job ads, and pressuring people under criminal investigation to sign contracts. The independent outlet Holod spoke with human rights advocates to uncover the extreme lengths the Russian authorities are going to replenish the army’s ranks. Meduza shares a summary of their main findings.

Over nearly three years of war, at least 77,000 Russian soldiers have died fighting in Ukraine, based on a list of confirmed casualties compiled by Mediazona and the BBC. Meduza’s analysis of inheritance case data suggests the true number could exceed 120,000. The number of wounded may be up to three times higher, taking an additional 360,000 soldiers off the battlefield. Even these figures likely understate the scale of Russia’s losses, given the government’s continued secrecy around casualty data.

To sustain their offensive in Ukraine, Russian officials have had to aggressively and continuously recruit more troops. According to Western intelligence agencies, by spring 2024, Russia was losing up to 1,000 soldiers per day, or roughly 30,000 per month. U.S. officials believe Russia is enlisting between 25,000 and 30,000 contract soldiers monthly to offset these losses.

Ruslan Leviev, founder of the independent investigative group Conflict Intelligence Team, thinks these figures are accurate. He points to Russia’s rapid advances on the battlefield as indirect proof of the recruitment rate. “Maybe it’s 25,000, maybe it’s 35,000,” Leviev said, adding that it’s difficult to give a precise estimate but “the tempo is undeniably high.”

Still, as the war grinds on, recruiting new volunteers has become increasingly difficult. Ivan Chuvilyaev of Get Lost, an organization assisting Russian deserters, noted that voluntary sign-ups had nearly dried up by late 2023. Sergey Krivenko, head of the human rights group Citizen. Army. Law., echoed this, saying that recent mobilization efforts revealed how few Russians are willing to volunteer.

The recruitment struggle is evident in the ever-increasing sign-on bonuses offered by both federal and regional authorities. But even more concerning are reports of heavy-handed recruitment tactics, including manipulation and psychological and administrative pressure.

Before 2023, recruitment efforts were less aggressive, Chuvilyaev explained, as Wagner Group mercenaries were filling the front lines by recruiting prisoners. But after Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin’s ill-fated mutiny and subsequent fall from grace (and later, the sky), the Defense Ministry ramped up its efforts with underhanded tactics like fake job ads and police coercion. Chuvilyaev warns that these methods are likely to become even more sophisticated as the war continues, with the ministry constantly evolving its strategies to meet recruitment demands.

Bait-and-switch

When one St. Petersburg man who’d applied for an engineering job googled the address for his interview, he discovered it was a military base. This is a common tactic, says Ivan Chuvilyaev from Get Lost. Had the man gone to the interview, recruiters would’ve assured him that the job involved only drone production and had nothing to do with combat. But if he signed any paperwork, he’d have been deployed straight to the front.

“I trusted them,” said another man, who’d been promised a civilian construction job by local authorities. When he arrived for the interview, he was met by a military official who insisted he’d be working on infrastructure projects, with no risk of deployment. “And I fell for it,” he said, explaining how the official seemed credible and rushed him to sign before the end of the workday. It wasn’t until he was taken to a military training ground that he realized he’d been tricked into combat service.

Recruitment has grown more subversive as the conflict drags on, said Sergey Krivenko from Citizen. Army. Law. Krivenko described cases where company employees were asked to sign military contracts supposedly just to show their bosses, with assurances that they could be annulled later. In reality, however, contracts with the Defense Ministry are essentially indefinite — and the signatories have no say over where or how they serve. Most end up as front-line fighters, regardless of what they were promised.

Former prisoners are also being targeted. Fyodor Sorokin (name changed) told Holod that after serving time for drug possession, he received a WhatsApp message notifying him of new charges. He was instructed to turn himself in to the police, but the address led to a military enlistment office. Sorokin ignored the summons, but the authorities tracked him down and arrested him. “They gave me a choice: ‘Either you sign the contract now, or a bag of drugs will end up in your pocket,’” Sorokin said. He signed.

Regional employment centers are also involved in illegal recruitment practices. Krivenko recounted how a man in Novosibirsk, registered as unemployed, was offered a job as an infantryman. He emphasized that these centers have no legal authority to direct people to enlistment offices, and those who receive such referrals aren’t obligated to report. Additionally, Krivenko noted that many recruits, misled and manipulated, would’ve never signed up if they’d known they’d be sent straight to the front lines.

False promises

Before 2023, Wagner Group largely handled the recruitment of prisoners for the war effort. Later, the Defense Ministry took over. In spring 2024, a new law expanded eligibility, allowing individuals charged with crimes to enlist, suspending their trials, and lifting pre-trial restrictions if they signed a military contract. In October, this was broadened to include defendants whose trials were already underway, meaning accused individuals could be sent directly to the front from pre-trial detention or house arrest.

Ivan Chuvilyaev described the scale of this system: “When I speak with deserters who are former prisoners, I always ask how many people from their correctional facility were sent to the front. They tell me it was anywhere from 50 to 75, and such groups are leaving almost every prison regularly.” Now, he said, recruitment has even extended to those merely under investigation — potentially affecting anyone, even someone arrested over a planted packet of drugs.

Many recruits are verbally promised freedom after a year of service, Chuvilyaev said, and reassured that prosecutors will push for their cases to be dropped in exchange for fighting on the front lines. Legally, however, expunging a criminal record remains extremely difficult and requires meeting strict criteria. And leaving military service is nearly impossible, even for those with severe injuries.

‘They threatened him’

To fill the army’s ranks, the Russian authorities have been pressuring conscripts to sign up for contract service during their 12-month mandatory military duty. Human rights advocates report that conscripts are told contract service is more lucrative, promised non-combat roles, or warned that mobilization is inevitable, so they might as well sign up now and earn money. Some are assured that contracts can be short-term or that signing will allow them to stay at their current unit. Those who refuse, however, are often threatened with deployment to combat zones — despite official claims that non-mobilized conscripts only serve “outside the conflict zone.”

In some cases, conscripts have been threatened with criminal charges if they don’t sign. Lacking legal knowledge and cut off from their families, many are vulnerable to these tactics. One mother told “Citizen. Army. Rights” that her son called her in tears, saying he never planned to volunteer. “They threatened him with five to seven years in prison if he didn’t sign,” she said. “Now, they’re saying he’ll take the oath immediately, head to a training ground, and be sent to an assault unit in three months.”

In early November, three conscripts from Russia’s Chelyabinsk region reported being intimidated a month into their mandatory service. Their parents recounted how they were threatened with deployment to Belgorod and warned it would be a death sentence. One mother said the young men were told they’d come back in “body bags” if they didn’t sign, and were subjected to graphic descriptions of how their mothers would see them “torn apart and dismembered.”

Human rights advocates say these coercive tactics are now widespread. Previously, conscripts needed to complete higher education or serve at least three months before signing contracts. Since spring 2023, however, even recent high school graduates can be recruited immediately. Promises of easier service or specific assignments rarely hold up — once a contract is signed, recruits are considered volunteers for the duration of the war and can be sent anywhere, including the front lines.

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