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wordsandrobots · 7 months ago

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Wishing on Space Hardware: Trivia and the cutting room floor

Having finished the single longest writing project I've ever done, I find myself with a number of bits and pieces left over.

To be fair, I also invite you to contribute to the pile by letting me know if there are any extra scenes you'd like to see based on my truly excessive amount of Iron-Blooded Orphans fanfic. The ask box is open for that and anything else you'd like to prompt me to write about.

However, there remains a bunch of stuff that never made it into the final story and a lot of little details I feel are worth commenting on. So as I luxuriate in not having to spend the week editing chapters any more, I thought I'd share a couple of quick lists regarding the process and what got cut out of it. For posterity, at least.

Spoilers for the fics, obviously, and since they're post-canon, spoilers for IBO as well (go watch it if you have not, it is very, very good, hence the 656,000 words I wrote as a direct consequence [not counting the essays. Jeepers, I'll have to tot it all up some day and get the grand total).

Ahem. Anyway. Trivia!

First up, I must publicly credit penitence_road (on Tumblr as @stillness-in-green)’s excellent IBO fics for inspiring one of the major threads in WoSH (I've mentioned this in author notes but the debt cannot be overstated). The phrase 'Almiria's Adolescent Apocalypse' lodged in my brain and became a mission statement. I did try to steer in a completely different direction regarding the specifics (hence why Todo is very much not a part of the core gang), but the main thrust was all about taking that description and seeing how I could flesh it out. (Go read these fics, my goodness.)

Second, there are, of course, mythology gags referencing the wider Gundam franchise sprinkled liberally throughout. Some I've already called out in author notes, but I believe managed to reference Gundam 79, Zeta Gundam, Gundam ZZ, Char's Counterattack, Gundam Wing, Turn A Gundam, Gundam SEED, Gundam 00, and Reconguista in G in more or less explicit ways. See if you can spot them all!

I named Skoll and Hati with specific reference to their roles in the Poetic Eda. That is, I thought of them as 'the moon-hunter Gundam' and 'the sun-killed Schwalbe', respectively, in reference to their rolls harassing the Arianrhod Fleet (formally the Outer Lunar Orbit Joint Fleet) and destroying the Ahab reactor factory. But also they reflect their pilots' temperaments, with Skoll 'the mocker' being flown by Embi and Hati 'the hater' by Lin.

Spaceships Baldr and the Váli were named in a similar fashion, for their connections to Ragnarök (Váli is Vidar's brother, another of the gods who survive the final battle), and I chose to describe the finale as 'Ragnarök' in the first place because in the sagas, it represents a renewal of the world, rather than a complete end. Quite apart from the Norse influence on Gjallarhorn's whole deal, the cyclical nature dovetailed nicely with what I was trying to do with the story.

I had a very near miss with Skoll in that I wrote it as being based on ASW-G-15 Eligos, named after a demon that took the form of a handsome knight who can see the future. Some months later, the IBO-G app would reveal ASW-G-16 Zepar, the very next Gundam in the sequence, whose namesake's appearance as a red-garbed soldier seems to have been muddled with Eligos in some of the sources I checked. I am really quite relieved I didn't have to rework anything there, but it was close!

Visually, the deconstructed Char-clone that is Almiria's gang channel aspects of other iterations of the trope, with Asher obviously replicating Montag, Embi settling vaguely in the region of Quattro (that is, a more civilian-mode masked man), and Almira assaying McGillis in a way that probably lands not a millions miles from Rau. But I was primarily thinking of Relena's Sanc Kingdom outfit for her, so the 'general's' coat is a lot fancier.

The media-savvy ally to Victor Handa in Revolution for Beginners... is the same cameraman who filmed Kudelia's pivotal broadcast at the conclusion of Season 1's Dort arc. Those events seemed like they would have consequences for the journalists involved and in Hajime's case, that involved being swayed fully over to the workers' movement.

I invented Alessio as a character to counter-balance Iverson and ensure I had some non-villainous non-binary rep. That I picked the stoutest background character model I could find was not unrelated to this, though it's also an *interesting* model, especially coupled to the ones around him/them in the big group shot.

Doc Chaifin, meanwhile, just sort of happened. Sometimes characters do that.

I wrote a significant chunk of the sex scene (well, post-sex scene) in To Catch a Falling Star while sitting in a car park, waiting for my partner to come back from an appointment. This was mainly because the fic was absolutely consuming my brain and I'd discovered the joys of using a mobile phone to write notes (I put off getting a smart phone for a long, long time).

With respect to the Calamity War recording segments of Eugene Sevenstark and the Hesperus Treasure, my working head-canon is that Agnika Kaieru had a science/engineering background. Or, well, I think he moved in a social circle full of scientists and engineers before getting started on the war effort. I also have this notion that his parents at least were part of the corporate class, distinct from the aristocratic class from which people like the Bauduins and Fareeds emerged. But I never sat down to work it all out in full, as that wasn't required for the story.

Regarding Hesperus, I kind of fudged a lot to get the story to work. I'd sort of assumed Radonitsa Colony was a post-War construct rather than something pre-existing, which isn't really supported by the Urdr Hunt game. So the idea of it being a composite of different space platforms bolted around a space elevator terminal is perhaps a bit of a stretch. I still like it though, the basic concept of doing archaeology on space stations.

There's a lot of stuff I did in the moment, to get an individual fic to work, that I was later able to basically repurpose as long-term plot-points. I didn't actually intend for the 'There are three things you need to know to understand what comes next' bit to set up the salvager ship in the finale, or the pluma in Let Sleeping Angels Lie to set-up for what the McGillis faction would do with the leftovers of Season 2's events. But having those things set up gave me some wonderful 'ah ha' moments as I marshalled the overall plot. If nothing else, I got quite a rush out of realising both Gaelio's weaponised wheelchair and the beach house's lethal defences were there to use.

...try not to think too hard about how excited I got figuring out a convoluted assassination method. I'm certainly going to try not to.

The plot really kicked into gear for me with The Ares Affair. Up to then, I'd been coasting on character interactions and fix-its. But then all the consequences suddenly coalesced in my brain and I went, 'oh, this is what we're doing, is it?'

In addition to the playlists I've already put up, grown-up!Almiria's theme is Bach's Polonaise in G Minor on the harpsichord because it is *precisely* what you'd get if you pitched Rustal Elion's theme higher and more playful.

I still have no proper explanation for why A New England stuck in my head so hard when I was writing th first few fics. But I'm glad it did because it gave me a killer series title, if I do say so myself.

I tried extremely hard to make sure everyone in the anime cast got some kind of moment in the spotlight or at least a mention. Think I did a pretty good job on that front, overall.

And to wrap up on that point, yes, the narrator who occasionally addresses you directly is a character from the show. I'd be terribly interested to hear if any of you've worked out who. (It might not be strictly guessable, since there isn't anything gesturing at it per se; I just imagined it being their voice and it kind of fits, thematically.)

Now let's open the door to the cutting room!

The big one is that when I originally planned out the plot of Revolution for Beginners and Polyamory for Dumbasses, a key part of the uprising in the Dort Colonies was going to be the hackers allied with Ride knocking out the nearby Ariadne beacons in order to blind Earth to what was happening. Gjallarhorn would then have analysed the computer virus they used, and that would have been the basis for them messing about with the Network in the final stretch of fics. In the end, there simply wasn't enough room to fit any more threads into that fic and the more I thought it over, the more I decided this would be weighting the balance of power wrong. It'd be too much of a flat-out win for the colonists. Joshua's appearance on Ariadne One -- which had been intended to set things up for the beacon-hacking -- remained, just recontextualised as a clue to who was responsible for the attack in Frozen Sunlight, and a small bit of character development for this OC. I repurposed the remainder of this plot as a way to tie Ride's arc into Almiria's (she taps him for the hacking resources as a result of them messing with Ariadne One's sensors instead) and made 'Höðr' an entirely Gjallarhorn project.

The delay to the release of the Urdr Hunt mobile game drastically changed the opening to arc 4 and had knock-on effects for how the grand finale worked. Because I thought I'd have more to work with in terms of plot and characters of the game when it came time to do the writing, I'd assumed I'd be able to work in appearances from Urdr Hunt's cast. I'd planned a much bigger pay off to the idea of Radonitsa Colony's tourist board trying to get the Martain Chairperson to visit, which was that Atra and Akatsuki would have gone alone with Eugene and Sri. The whole 'let's pretend we're here to assess the facilities on behalf of the Martian government' would have been more than a passing joke and instead been a full-on cover story, with Wistario and the his friends scrambling to put on a good show. This would, I admit, mainly have existed to set up a rather dumb gag whereby Sri and Akatsuki would have been the only ones not distracted by Nanao Narolina's everything in a room full of straight male or bisexual adults. But with the delayed release of the game, I needed a drastic rethink, hence bringing in Zaza and having the whole adventure take place with the Urdr Hunt characters off-screen (I even made it vague as to whether they were the ones running the colony, just in case I needed to swing it as someone else taking over following a tragic or failed ending). Ultimately I am very happy this happened, since I didn't especially gel with the protagonists of the game and it gave me greater opportunity to play with my beloved manga cast. But it did mean my idea of having both spin-off heroes come to the rescue at a dramatic juncture never materialised.

This proved to be single biggest alteration to my plotting for the final arc, too. Initially, the escape from Earth was going to be a lot more dramatic. For one thing, I was planning for the whole 'Yamagi gets left behind' element to happen in orbit, with Shino and Eugene actually present. Some sort of ship to ship transfer going wrong, people going adrift in space, that kind of thing. For another, I had the idea of bringing both Gundams Astaroth and Hajiroboshi into play, for a proper 'fight our way through the blockade' moment. Wistario was going to swoop to the rescue as the shuttle broke atmosphere, there'd be pursuit, and I'd wreck as many cop cars Grazes as I could get away with in some protracted chase sequence before we got to the big NOOOO moment. Yeah. But obviously without knowing Wistario's real personality or situation post-game, I didn't have enough material to work with and plans changed. For the better, I think, given the characters moments it allowed me to have and given that Wiz's character is one of my least favourite parts of IBO's extended media. But yeah. I was aiming for a proper team-up, the kind where you could have different people's theme music kicking in as they swooped into view, and it was not to be.

History of a Catastrophe. Oh boy. As I noted at the time, this one got away from me a lot in terms of length. I ended up cutting three complete scenes in an effort to contain the sprawl. The first to go was one focused on Ville Klaassen, (main?) villain of the Moon Steel manga, who I'd already had cameo in Of Obsessions and Erotemes. I wanted to gesture more towards a conclusion for the manga's story, extending from what I'd laid down previously, but ultimately that was too low a priority to justify adding to the word count, so out it went. Given the alternating structure of this fic (it switches between what is broadly 'Julieta's strand' and 'Almiria's strand), that meant cutting a later scene as well and I opted to ditch a brief cutaway to Embi, mainly because it just repeated stuff I'd already establish in A Handful of Rusted Petals. And possibly because of this cut, or because I'd just mucked up the ordering at some point, I also had to get rid of a scene between two of Gjallarhorn's high command that, while cute from an office politics point of view, didn't really contribute much else.

Actually, since these are all quite short, I might as well put them in here so you can see what you weren't missing!

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P.D. 327 – In the middle of entirely unrelated events; Gjallarhorn branch office, Prague

“I'm sorry, is this a bad time?”

Ville Klaassen pushes his briefcase and hat across the desk, out of sight of the terminal screen. “Not at all. I'm just in the middle of preparing for a business trip.”

The Police Bureau officer's eyebrow twitches. “Hopefully this shouldn't take up much of your time. I'm calling regarding two cases you worked on in the aftermath of the McGillis Fareed Incident.”

That explains the highly-secured channel, which demanded Ville confirm he was alone before it would establish an encrypted link. “Oh yes?”

“I'm specifically referring to events at Research Station AD-5, and the investigation into the Fareed Charitable School.”

“The Alaya-Vijnana research? Of course.” The murdered scientists, the destroyed data – evidence of a zealot's self-mutilation turned to so much ash and broken glass. “What of it?”

“This is your official notification that information on these cases has been deemed deleterious to the public good and will henceforth be restricted to category five clearance.”

Interesting. The research Ville can understand, but a school –? Oh, that's right. Those rumours concerning Lord Iznario's predilections. “I was only peripheral to the second investigation. I wouldn't even have been on the ground for the first, had internal affairs not been so short-handed.”

Clearly the exact details of the involvement are irrelevant. “Please sign the forms now being sent to your inbox to confirm you have received this notification. Since you only hold level four clearance, you are not permitted to discuss the indicated cases unless ordered to do so by a superior with level five clearance or above. I am additionally required to run a remote-access search on your Gjallarhorn-issue devices to purge any data pertaining to these cases.”

“Remote access?” Ville asks, a drop of sweat forming at the top of his spine and seeming to fall right the way down it. “Now?”

“The scan must be run as soon as is viable.” There is an overly-deliberate pause. “Do you object?”

Such a rookie error. Ville curses himself inwardly. “Naturally not.” He casts a glance at the pad on the other side of his desk, still displaying the surveillance feed from this morning. “Will you need to scan my personal devices as well?”

“I am not authorised to do so, since under level four clearance, you will not have been permitted to take personal copies of relevant information.”

“Forgive me, I merely wished to be certain.” Opening the security menu on the terminal, he checks his settings. Shouldn't be too much of a risk since he isn't amateur enough to conduct his outside dealings using work equipment. “Please go ahead.”

“Thank you,” says the officer once the progress bar has run its course. “No excisions required.”

“I try to keep things tidy.”

“Please sign the forms promptly. Good day.”

Doing as instructed, Ville wonders what will become of the staff and 'students' of the school. They must surely know plenty of juicy details that would be deleterious to Gjallarhorn's good name… on any other day, he'd consider stretching feelers in that direction, just to see what he might find…

The pad twitters. Fresh footage of two people on a street corner, a skinny blonde with a crutch beside a big, white-haired man, both huddled in cheap anoraks.

Ville snarls, grabbing his hat and dialling furiously. “Nanao,” he snaps as soon as the comm connects, “the Warren boy and his employer's pet thug are right outside the building! I cannot have them causing a scene here. Where the hell are you?”

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P.D. 327 – More than two years after Tekkadan's last battle; Chryse, Mars

First time Embi takes Fly-Away, he doesn't stop giggling for four hours.

He floats on a cloud of painlessness, the ghosts and memories lost somewhere way below him as the vapour swirls happily inside his head. His brother is dead. He's constantly surrounded by the people Elgar died for. And right now, he doesn't care. About any of it! It feels so good!

Crashing afterwards sucks. Not getting the shakes bad. It just stinks to be stuck with all the usual feelings. He has fucked-up nightmares about carrying Elgar through the desert, a dead weight clinging tight to his back. Barely gets through the day without starting a fight. Tries to punch Hirume for asking what's wrong.

The solution is obvious. Embi gets some more Fly-Away and the second time is even better.

So it becomes a pattern. Get the money to buy what he needs to make things a little less shit for a while. Burn through that. Rinse. Repeat.

Everyone keeps telling him he needs to find something to live for, right? He guesses this is it.

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P.D. 329 – Some time later; a private dining room at The Blue Horn, Vingolf

The Director General of the Inspection Bureau sniffs, as he is wont to do whenever he wishes to delay speaking. “Lord Iznario's death is being ruled misadventure. As… anticipated.”

The Regulatory Chief of Staff eyes him from across the table, fingernails digging ever so slightly into the white cloth laid between them. “Indeed it is.”

There is a heavy pause, the kind filled with common understandings that cannot be said aloud.

“You don't think…”

“I wouldn't know.” The Chief of Staff adjusts her forks. “That falls in your purview, not mine.”

“The Police Bureau is… not my bag either. Unless there's evidence of misdemeanour, the investigation is beyond our scope.”

“Is there? Evidence?”

The Director General fiddles with the cuffs of his tunic. “Seems the old man just muddled his tablets and didn't care about watching his diet.”

“The Seven Stars always thought they were above mere mortals.”

“Yes. Yes…”

Another, heavily pause.

“Convenient, at least,” concludes the Chief of Staff. “One less remnant of the old order, hanging around.”

The Director General coughs. “You know I'll be retiring in the new year? Lord – I mean, Commander Elion has some up-and-coming young fellow picked out to replace me.”

“I heard. Is he up to the job?”

“Mm. Probably. Didn't… get much say in the decision.”

“How democratic.”

“Hm.”

A waiter glides into the third silence, bowing obsequiously. “Madam, sir? Your entrées.”

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As I said, nothing especially mind-blowing. I also had a slightly different opening to the segment featuring the pluma, which I again cut for length, but that I rather liked, as a conceit.

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Can a machine remember?

It is possible for a machine to record. Pluma ASW-A-H-011_sub:27 can access data on its previous combat deployments at any time, to support its tactical algorithms. It can return the dimensions of the space freighter it disabled on its last activation, the topography of the desert it traversed during the battle before that, or images of the colossal detonation that led to it becoming buried for ERROR: UNABLE_TO_SYNC years.

But that is not remembering as you would understand it. Memory is imperfect, riddled with loss of clarity and skewed by emotional prejudice. A machine records raw, uncaring facts, free from conscious understanding of why they occur. Even if it performs tasks based on the patterns it detects, even if that performance resembles intelligence, it is most likely nothing more than a cascade of hollow logic, as insensible to wider context as a pebble dropping into the sea.

These, then, are the facts.

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On the subject of aborted starts, here is something I sketched for a putative 'Wistario segment' of the Arc 4 opening story, which as discussed never materialised:

Wisterio Afam is having a bad day. That is to say, he's not having a good day. In the grand scheme of things it probably doesn't count as truly terrible given that nothing is presently on fire and as far as he knows the colony isn't being attacked right this minute. He personally is being assailed from all sides but that largely seems to be on the scale of a cosmic joke whereby all his carefully laid plans are coming apart at the stitching.

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And finally, just because I thought it was clever at the time, a reprise segment from Love, Death and Cannoli that I again cut for length, but that would have repeated the echoing memory trick from To Catch a Falling Star chapter 11, with Yamagi recalling lines of dialogue with Shino that were (mostly) from my fics rather than the anime:

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Suns turn into black holes if they get too big and die. So it is with his feelings. Gravitationally crushing.

I don't want perfect. I want you.

What a dumb thing to say.

(There's something wrong with me.)

But isn't it better to be wrong together than apart?

Do you think if we're both worrying it's our fault, that's a sign of something?

At least there are similarities in how they're screwed up, for whatever comfort that is.

(You're here and you're – you're mine.)

And Yamagi will hold on with hands and teeth and everything he's got.

Jeez, you're so uptight sometimes.

He can be fierce too, if it's necessary.

(Of course I want to be out there with you.)

Right to the very end.

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I've a few more partial scenes in my planning document, but they're mostly things I reworked for the actual posted versions, rather than cutting entirely. Stuff like some of the flashbacks Shino has to his pre-Tekkadan days were originally in different places and the conversation between Yamagi and Ordsley wound up requiring a lot of changes as the story developed. I think that about covers all the major deviations from my original outline.

Oh, except for Gundam Paimon. I swear I meant to figure out what to do with that thing, eventually, but in the end it just remained hanging on the wall. Ah well.

#wishing on space hardware #fanfic #my fic #gundam #gundam ibo #gundam iron blooded orphans #g tekketsu #tekketsu no orphans #notes #writing #a peek at the process #there's probably a bunch more stuff I could have listed by this is all I can think of for the moment

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starkidblogs · 2 years ago

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The Revenge Of The Spider Queen

A/n: Hi there! This chapter is much shorter because I cannot work on it as much due to work and family matters. I hope you can still enjoy it.

Chapter Eight 1/2

It was only a few days after the attack of Demon Bull King, and now it was the lunar New Year. A time to celebrate by spending time with family and friends, but you couldn't. Not with everything on your mind. Your fingers fidget with your necklace as you drown out the noises of the crowds.

~After DBK attack~

After the attack of the Demon Bull King and the bull clones, the city was a chaotic mess. During this time, the gang helps the citizens with the disaster mess. As for you, you had gone to check in on Bai He and her family. You were worried that something terrible happened to them.

Before you left to see them, you went back home. When you enter the boutique, you realize something missing. Chief's suit wasn't on the mannequin. You were worried and wondering if you had miss placed it, but found a bright blue note. You raised an eyebrow as you read it.

'My dear, (Y/n),

I'm glad to see that my clothes have been tailored, to fit me perfectly. Unfortunately, I had to leave before thanking you properly due to urgent matters that needed my attention. However, I promise to express my gratitude when I see you again.

Sincerely your Chief'

You smiled as your face had a pink glow on your cheek. You felt happy to read he liked the suit, but something was off. You couldn't understand why it felt like you were reading a different person's penmanship. You assume it was simply due to lack of sleep and ignore the idea.

Once you hit the road, you hoped Bai He and her family had escaped the bull clone invasions and were far away from the city. Luckily, you discovered that they had just returned home.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Upon arriving at Bai He's house, you were greeted by her distressed parents rushing towards you. After you got out of the car, you spoke with them and inquired about the situation. Their tear-filled explanation painted a bleak picture.

Bai He had gone missing.

Her parents explained how she went after the cat after it escaped the house before DBK's attack, but she never returned home. They checked with the police, but she wasn't there. They were hoping that she was with you, but they noticed that you arrived there alone. As you listened, you became stunned, and your gut twisted with fear about what might have happened to her.

A report was made about a missing child, but the police were occupied with handling multiple emergencies resulting from the attack. The only thing you and your group could do was search for the child. You put up missing posters at your boutique and Pigsy's noodles. You went to her favorite but nothing. As time went by without any leads, it became apparent that you were struggling. Your friends noticed that you were not getting enough sleep and had poor eating habits. To ease your mind, even momentarily, Sandy and Mei suggested taking you to the festival.

~Present~

You sighed in frustration as you sat in Pigsy's food van as the festival became more lively with each passing minute. You were too deep in thought to notice the bowl of noodles in front of you. It wasn't until Pigsy snapped you out of it, "Kid, your noodles are going to go soggy if you keep staring at them." He said as he started to make another bowl. "Oh yeah... Sorry, Pigsy." You said as you ate.

"I understand you are not feeling well, but if you don't take care of yourself, you can't give your best to help her." The demon pig said as you finished the bowl of noodles, staring down at the leftover broth, seeing your hazy reflection. "You're right." you said, "I need to get better before I find more problems or create them." You say, with a sigh, as Pigsy served another patron.

Your attention turned to the struggle of the dragon horse girl. Looking up to see Mei struggling to fold the dumplings, you could have sworn you heard her say something about how difficult it is without fingers. You chuckled as you offered to help. Mei smiled and gave you a few to fold.

Tang ate his noodles as he saw his husband becoming more stressed. "Mei, (Y/n). Is it me, or does Pigsy seem more stressed than normal?" He said to you. Making all three see the demon pig forcing a smile and sweating. You can feel the tension coming off of him."Yeah, isn't Mk suppose to be working?" You asked them, but as you said, Mk's name caused Pigsy to snap.

"YES! (Y/N), HE IS! " He yelled at the three of you, as he continued, "WHERE IS THAT PUNK! CAUSE HE'S SURE AIN'T HERE!" You and Tang held your breath cause you didn't know where Mk was until Mei spoke up. "He's training with the Monkey King!" She casually said to Pigsy. " He said, 'NEW YEAR, NEW MK! I'm going to take my training to a whole new level!'" She finished, posing like Mk and using a mop on the counter. You laughed as a frustrated Pigsy seized the mop from Mei and snapped it in half. "Gimme that!"

"NeW yEaR nEw Mk! Keep going like this, he'll be newly unemployed!" Pigsy said as he created another bowl. "I mean it! If mk don't get here soon, I'm gonna," Before he could finished, he was interrupted by a looming shadow. He screamed, causing you to turn towards the figure. You saw a very festive Sandy, his arms filled with treats, toys, red envelopes, and candy. "Good cheer and Happy New Year!" Sandy grinned as he dropped his haul on the counter and some on Pigsy. "Look at all these delicious little goodies! I got enough to share." He proudly said.

Tang, You, and Mei were impressed, "Oooh! Thanks, Sandy." Mei thanked the blue man. You picked up an orange from the pile and started to peel it. "Yeah, Thank you, Sandy." you smiled at him.

"No problem! So um. Where's Mk?" Sandy said as he scratched his head. Pigsy burst out of the treats and toy he was under. He shouted, "WOULD YOU GUYS, PLEASE, SCREW AROUND SOMEWHERE ELSE!" Making you flinch and drop the half-peeled orange. "If you ain't going to help, go bothered somewhere else!"

"Aw... My orange." You playful pouted, seeing it go down the drain. Mei and Sandy laughed while Tang ate more noodles, and you peeled another orange. Pigsy moves the treats and toy from the counter, "At least clear the counter!" He said.

Sandy sat down next to you while you ate your orange. "You okay? You seem to be doing better." He asked, as you nod your head and gave him a piece of your orange. " I am doing a little better now that I'm here with you guys." You sigh with a soft smile. Sandy pats your back as he accepts your offer. "That's good to hear. Don't worry, we'll find her," he reassured you.

"Thanks, guys." You smiled. Time flies by as you guys made your way to the lunar new year parade. Sandy carries Tang and Mei to get an amazing view of the floats. They were incredible as you watch the dancers, the dragons, and the fireworks. All of you were in awe as you saw it pass by. "Man, Mk is surely missing this!" Mei said as you agreed. "Yeah, look at all these cool floats!" You chirped with joy.

"There's the dragon one, and there's the spider one," Sandy said, confusing the gang. "What? There's no spider in the zodiac. It's probably just an eight-legged roster-" Tang said as he turned to the floats. "An eight-legged roster, Tang? I don't think they would mess up that bad-" you responded, but you saw the float.

It was a spider float, a machine-like spider with bright purple and green colors. Everyone was shocked and confused about the strange float, the whole parade stopped in its track. "What's happening?" You questioned as you felt your gut turn.

To be continued.

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#lego monkie kid x reader #lego monkie kid #starkidwritings #lmk mayor x reader #lmk mayor #lmk mk #lmk bai he #lmk tang #lmk sandy #lmk pigsy #lmk mei #lmk x reader #lmk spider queen

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deepmoonquotes · 2 years ago

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10 Best Deep Moon Quotes

The moon has captivated humanity for centuries with its enigmatic beauty and mysterious allure. As Earth's closest celestial companion, it holds a special place in our collective imagination. In this article, we delve into the depths of the moon, unraveling its secrets, and reflecting on its profound symbolism. Through a series of deep moon quotes, we explore the moon's impact on our emotions, spirituality, and the human quest for discovery.

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The Moon's Mystical Aura

The moon possesses a mystical aura that has inspired poets, artists, and dreamers throughout history. Its ethereal glow casts a spell on the night sky, evoking a sense of wonder and enchantment. As we gaze at its serene visage, we are reminded of the vastness of the cosmos and our own infinitesimal place within it.

Deep Moon Quote 1: "In the depths of the moon, secrets lie waiting to be discovered."

Deep Moon Quote 2: "The moon's silver light whispers secrets to those who dare to listen."

A Gateway to Self-Reflection

The moon's gentle presence provides a sacred space for self-reflection and introspection. Its tranquil beauty encourages us to delve into the depths of our own souls, shedding light on our hopes, fears, and aspirations. Under the moon's watchful gaze, we find solace and clarity amidst life's chaotic tapestry.

Deep Moon Quote 3: "In the silence of the moon, introspection finds its true home."

Deep Moon Quote 4: "The moon's tranquil presence reassures us that we are never alone."

The Moon's Emotional Tides

Just as the moon exerts its gravitational pull on Earth's tides, it also stirs the tides of our emotions. The moon's phases symbolize the ever-changing nature of human experiences—joy, sorrow, love, and longing. Its radiant glow acts as a mirror, reflecting the depth and complexity of our inner emotional landscapes.

Deep Moon Quote 5: "Like the moon, we have hidden sides that deserve to be embraced."

Deep Moon Quote 6: "Just as the moon influences tides, it also stirs the tides of our emotions."

Unveiling the Secrets of the Moon's Surface

Exploring the moon's surface unveils a rugged and desolate landscape, adorned with countless craters and scars. Each crater tells a story of cosmic collisions and the resilience of celestial bodies. These lunar markings become symbols of strength and remind us that even in the face of adversity, beauty can emerge.

Deep Moon Quote 7: "The moon's craters symbolize resilience amidst life's scars."

Deep Moon Quote 8: "The moon's craters are the footprints of countless cosmic stories."

The Moon's Spiritual Significance

Paragraph: The moon holds profound spiritual significance across cultures and religions. It serves as a celestial guide, inviting us to connect with the divine and explore the mysteries of the universe. The moon's serene radiance transcends earthly boundaries, uniting humanity under a shared celestial canvas.

Deep Moon Quote 9: "Beneath the moon's gentle light, we find solace and healing."

Deep Moon Quote 10: "The moon's celestial dance reminds us of the interconnectedness of the universe."

The deep moon quotes explored above take us on a poetic journey into the heart of the moon's profound symbolism. From its mystical aura to its role in self-reflection, emotional tides, lunar landscapes, and spiritual significance, the moon continues to inspire and captivate us. As we gaze upon the moon's serene visage, we are reminded of the vastness of the cosmos and our own place within it. The moon's beauty is not merely a celestial spectacle but a reflection of our own inner worlds, inviting us to explore the depths of our emotions, contemplate the mysteries of existence, and embrace the resilience that lies within us.

Whether we find solace in the moon's tranquil presence, draw inspiration from its ethereal glow, or embark on a journey of self-discovery beneath its watchful gaze, the moon holds a profound significance in our lives. It is a symbol of transformation, reminding us of the constant change that shapes our journey and urging us to embrace the unknown with courage and curiosity.

The moon's impact extends beyond its physical presence in the night sky. It resonates deeply with our emotions, aligning with the ebb and flow of our feelings. Just as the moon influences the tides, it stirs the tides of our own emotions, reminding us of the interconnectedness of all things and the ever-changing nature of our inner landscapes.

Exploring the moon's surface reveals a rugged terrain marked by craters and scars. Each crater tells a story of resilience and adaptation, reminding us that even in the face of challenges, there is beauty to be found. The moon's desolate landscapes become a canvas for our imagination, a reminder of the vastness of the universe and the limitless possibilities that lie within us.

The moon's spiritual significance is woven into the fabric of human history and culture. It has been revered as a celestial guide, a source of wisdom, and a symbol of enlightenment. Under the moon's gentle light, we find solace and healing, connecting with something greater than ourselves and experiencing a profound sense of unity with the cosmos.

In conclusion, the deep moon quotes shared throughout this article invite us to embark on a journey of exploration, reflection, and self-discovery. The moon's enigmatic beauty, its emotional resonance, its rugged landscapes, and its spiritual significance all remind us of the profound interconnectedness of the universe and our place within it. As we contemplate the deep moon, may we be inspired to embrace the depths of our own being, to navigate the ever-changing tides of life with grace, and to find solace, inspiration, and inner strength in the moon's serene presence.

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homoirrealis · 2 years ago

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"The way some science fiction does"...

Loved a recent post from @drinkingbitterboy where he is talking about Hillsborough Park posters and how they look a bit like voyager golden record... Check it out here. And it got me thinking... Consciously or subconsciously, his music oozes sci-fi and space references... Not only with TBHC, which is in a category of its own... but across years of his work and interviews: - "She's made of outer space/And her lips are like the galaxy's edge/And her kiss the color of a constellation falling into place" - "The lunar surface is what my friends nicknamed the room in my house in L.A" Alex said - "And as we gaze skyward, ain't it dark early?" And more... use comments to add your favourite - there is definitely more... But coming back to the point made in the post linked above, the line "no matter who or what it meets and what wonders it sees, it carries a piece of home with it and a map of how to get there" got me thinking about how he uses sci-fi main ploy, creating other worlds in order to comment on this one... Alex seems to be always teetering between a notion of: a) creating a record to preserve a moment in time, to travel to it like through the Stargate. After this I more and more think about it as the keys on a device, a portal, a dial to travel between time and space, to a better future or a comforting past... Alex said:"I like the idea that records can sometimes feel like places the listener can go and get lost." that you trevel to at warp speed chic, of course, and staying for a little while... Thanks, mahaonthegram for cementing the idea of Stargate in my mind - credit on visual below to her.

b) Lamenting a future with dreams of heading skyward to outer space, but the reality seemingly earthbound and fixated on what it's in our hands and newsfeeds. Part reflecting on human nature, part resentfully Amusing ourselves to death... - To begin with, "TBHC" and "The Car" give me very strong Solaris by Stanisław Lem vibes... In Lem's own words: "Man has gone out to explore other worlds and other civilisations without having explored his own labyrinth of dark passages and secret chambers, and without finding what lies behind doorways that he himself has sealed” Alex always seem to be saying - we look skywards, we are dreaming about better future, we travel bloody space, yet we always stuck with "rocket-ship grease down the cracks of my knuckles"... In the book, while being surrounded by beauty of space, in his head he is grounded on Earth by his problems, fears, hopes, secret desires and longings... Lem, similar to Alex, makes a point that human obsessions and desires are as strong as any gravitational force, and it only takes a vision of one’s beloved for man to lose himself completely, let alone recover from that and then have strength to discover some external fascinating aspect of the universe... For Alex it might be his creative process, when all of the demons come out to play... it might be creative somebody that he feels gravitational pull to... or a lover... - Furthermore, references to the cheap thrill of social media, "stackable party guests", "hitchhiking with a monogrammed suitcase", even "weekly chats with God" being video calls... He is enjoying some parts of his life no doubt, but there is a strong sense of resentment too... and longing... because, well, he "Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am". His main mantra to himself being "dance little liar monkey", " stayin' strong for the crew/Wardrobe's lint-rollin' your velveteen suit/And smudgin' dubbin' on your dancin' shoes"...

The sad part is that he says that he needs to be reminded that "it ain't a race when my invincible streak turns onto the final straight"... Like worrying that there is nothing more to it... Scary thought that...

Technological advances really bloody get him in the mood indeed.... It was a very long one, let me know what you guys think....

#homoirrealis #alex turner #am7 #tbhc

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danituiran · 25 days ago

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Week 2

Hey...

So this week has been insane (happy post lunar new year celebration! dani lore is that i have been working at a chinese school for almost 2 years now) but I was able to hit my milestones, in one way or another !!!

dance/video branch, adding more to the narrative

yeah nothing too crazy here. as mentioned before i changed STEM to dance, and i am just currently working on that narrative! I haven't had time to fully develop it right now but I have notes on ideas that I will use during studio time.

TV Discussion + Material stuff and Fab Lab

Aleks if you are reading this ily. Anyways Aleks had previously offered me a TV to use for the project, but there was an issue about transportation and storage, so I ended up looking to see other ways I could get a TV and reached out to Ashwin, who graduated last year. He told me that Mana let the students use their TVS! So now I have that cleared up :)

And speaking of more materials, I was able to rent an iMac, keyboard, and mouse from the FabLab. It's currently in the bunker and I will set it up during Capstone studio time!

Font stuff

okay so. i really wanted to figure out how to embed the font on the game so no matter what device uses it, the font will be the same BUT I CANNOT FIND AN ANSWER ANYWHERE!!!!! for capstone, at least I will not worry about it, because it will be downloaded onto the desktop, but I would LOVE to figure this out so when I end up putting it on my portfolio, it is all good.

List of posters/gifs/graphics

i actually did this last week! It's pretty simple but it helped me brainstorm what I need

In addtion, I created a website that I will be using to link my gifs and photos!

Overall testing

nothing crazy to add here, just constantly playing through to see if it runs smoothly

Other thoughts:

I decided to abandon the idea of the slideshow. It's cute! But I didn't think it would be necessary. Instead, it will jsut be the game on the iMac, HDMI'ed to the TV so others can also view!

Another thing, I recieved a response from Itch.io about storage capacity and they upgraded me! Now I have a 2GB limit on all of my projects!

Overall reflection

As I mentioned before it was a very busy week, but I am proud of the stuff I was able to get done. Now, I will use the studio time to keep working, I even created a list of goals I wanted to work on during my time, of course aligned with the weekly schedule, and some extra things if I am even able to..

Thanks for reading!

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buzz-headlines · 1 month ago

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2025: The Year of the Snake and the Rich Culture of Chinese Zodiac

The year 2025 marks the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac, the sixth animal in a 12-year cycle. In Chinese culture, the snake symbolizes wisdom, mystery, and calmness. Those born in the Year of the Snake are often thought to possess sharp intuition and a thoughtful, composed nature. As we welcome the Snake Year, it’s the perfect time to dive into the fascinating world of the Chinese zodiac—its origins, meanings, and how it influences people’s lives. In this article, we’ll explore the order of the zodiac animals, how to calculate your zodiac sign, the cultural significance of the zodiac, its practical applications, and the legendary tales behind it. We’ll also touch on the differences between the lunar and solar calendars before wrapping up with some final thoughts.

The 12 Zodiac Animals and Their Order

The Chinese zodiac is made up of 12 animals, which follow a fixed order:

Rat: Clever and resourceful

Ox: Hardworking and reliable

Tiger: Brave and confident

Rabbit: Gentle and kind

Dragon: Energetic and charismatic

Snake: Wise and mysterious

Horse: Passionate and free-spirited

Goat (or Sheep): Caring and empathetic

Monkey: Quick-witted and sharp

Rooster: Diligent and punctual

Dog: Loyal and trustworthy

Pig: Honest and generous

Each animal is thought to represent specific personality traits and characteristics. For centuries, these animals have been used not only to mark the passage of time but also to reflect people’s personalities and shape cultural beliefs.

How to Determine Your Zodiac Sign

Your zodiac sign is based on the year you were born, but it follows the lunar calendar (not the Gregorian calendar most of the world uses). The Chinese New Year typically falls between late January and mid-February. If you were born before the Chinese New Year in a given year, your zodiac sign would actually align with the previous year.

For example:

The Year of the Snake in 2025 begins on February 1, 2025.

Someone born in January 2025 would still belong to the Year of the Dragon (2024’s zodiac sign).

If you’re unsure, it’s always a good idea to check a Chinese zodiac chart to confirm.

The Cultural Significance of the Zodiac

The Chinese zodiac is deeply ingrained in cultural traditions and beliefs. Its influence goes far beyond just marking the years—it’s tied to personality, relationships, and even luck.

Personality and Fate Each zodiac sign is believed to shape a person’s character and destiny. For example, those born in a Snake year are thought to be intelligent, calm, and strategic thinkers, though they may also appear reserved or secretive.

Marriage and Compatibility Zodiac signs are often used to gauge compatibility in relationships. Some signs are considered highly compatible (e.g., Dragon and Rat), while others may “clash” (e.g., Snake and Tiger).

Luck and Fortune Every year, fortune-tellers predict how each zodiac sign will fare. Some signs may face challenges during certain years due to astrological conflicts, such as “offending Tai Sui” (the Grand Duke of Jupiter), which is believed to bring misfortune.

The Zodiac in Daily Life

The zodiac isn’t just a cultural relic—it plays an active role in modern Chinese life:

Naming and Blessings Parents often choose names for their children that reflect the positive traits of their zodiac sign or are meant to bring good fortune.

Festivals and Decorations During the Lunar New Year, zodiac-themed decorations, such as red posters or figurines, are displayed to celebrate the year’s animal. For the Snake Year, you might see a lot of snake motifs symbolizing wisdom and prosperity.

Business and Marketing Many companies release zodiac-themed products or campaigns to align with the year’s animal. For example, Snake Year merchandise often emphasizes elegance, intelligence, and strength.

The Legend Behind the Zodiac

One of the most famous stories about the Chinese zodiac is the Great Race, a mythical competition organized by the Jade Emperor to determine the order of the 12 animals.

According to legend, the animals had to cross a river to win their place in the zodiac. The clever Rat hitched a ride on the Ox and jumped ahead at the finish line, earning first place. The Ox came second, followed by the courageous Tiger and the swift Rabbit. The majestic Dragon arrived fifth, and the cunning Snake slithered in sixth. The rest of the animals followed in order of their arrival.

This story not only explains the sequence of the zodiac but also reflects traits associated with each animal, such as the Rat’s cleverness or the Ox’s diligence.

The Lunar Calendar vs. The Solar Calendar

Understanding the Chinese zodiac also means understanding the lunar calendar, which is different from the solar or Gregorian calendar widely used today.

Lunar Calendar: Based on the cycles of the moon, the lunar calendar has 12 months of roughly 29.5 days each, totaling about 354 days a year. This is why the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year, usually between late January and mid-February.

Solar Calendar: The solar calendar, used globally, is based on the Earth’s orbit around the sun and has a fixed year length of 365 days (or 366 in leap years).

Because of these differences, people born near the start of the year should check the lunar calendar to confirm their zodiac sign.

Conclusion: Embracing the Year of the Snake

As 2025 ushers in the Year of the Snake, it’s a chance to reflect on the rich history and cultural significance of the Chinese zodiac. These 12 animals represent far more than a way to mark time—they embody the values, beliefs, and traditions passed down through generations.

Whether you’re looking to understand your personality, strengthen relationships, or simply enjoy the festive spirit of the Lunar New Year, the zodiac offers something for everyone. As we step into the Snake Year, may its wisdom and calmness inspire us all to approach life’s challenges with thoughtfulness and grace.

Here’s to a prosperous and meaningful Year of the Snake! 🐍

#buzzheadlines #CNY

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chxjarrr · 5 months ago

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Week 2 - Connecting Theory and Practice

In week 2, we were taught about “identity”. To me, self identity is the knowledge and understanding of oneself. It is also defined by our values and character, or sometimes our interest and preferences which reflect our identity as a person. There is also social identity which is the social definition of who we are which includes religion, race, socioeconomic status and more.(Odyssey)

In class, we have to create a collage with five images and words that best describes our self-identity, and share it with the class. For my collage, I used images that resonate with me during my current moment and the words that I used to describe are introvert, adulting, I like dogs, graphic design and fashion.

The meaning behind those images was basically describing my personality as an introvert who is also currently entering into adulthood. On top of that, I described my love for dogs and my passion for fashion, as well as my interest in graphic design, which inspired me to create great poster designs.

Moving on, we have to sketch a self protrait that describes our identity as a designer.

From my sketch, I try to express how I feel as a designer. Basically, expressing my struggles as a designer. There are times where I am inspired with ideas and there are days where I struggled and had a mind block. After this activity, I discovered that life is art and art is life. Sometimes life does imitate art and vice versa. The creativity in us helps us to create work to express ourselves and tell a story. A person’s creative work can influence and shape people’s understanding or perspective of the world. (Memoirs Life imitates art)

Word Count : 279

References :

Odyssey, Destiny’s. “Self Identity - How You Define Yourself Self Development.” Destiny’s Odyssey, destinysodyssey.com/personal-development/self-development-2/self-concepts-self-constructs/self-identity/. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.

Memoirs, Lunar. “Life Imitates Art.” Medium, Medium, 22 Aug. 2023, medium.com/@lunarmemoirs/life-imitates-art-3c6a871f79a5.

#Self-Identity #designer #personality

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trendtrackershq · 10 months ago

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Unveiling the Cultural Canvas: How Culture Shapes Vietnam Graphic Design Market

Introduction:

Vietnam, with its rich tapestry of culture, traditions, and history, serves as an abundant source of inspiration for graphic designers. In this comprehensive exploration, we delve into the profound impact of Vietnamese culture on graphic design, unveiling how traditions, folklore, culinary arts, and architectural marvels weave themselves into the vibrant designs that emerge from this dynamic nation.

According to the study by Next Move Strategy Consulting, the global Vietnam Graphic Design Market size is predicted to reach USD 1.84 billion with a CAGR of 5.0% by 2030.

Request for a sample, here: https://www.nextmsc.com/vietnam-graphic-design-market/request-sample

Vietnamese Folklore:

A Well of Inspiration Vietnam's folklore, steeped in centuries-old tales and legends, provides an endless well of inspiration for graphic designers. Stories of mythical creatures such as the dragon, phoenix, and turtle find their way into graphic designs, symbolizing strength, resilience, and prosperity. These motifs often adorn packaging, posters, and branding materials, infusing them with a sense of mystique and cultural significance.

For example, the image of the "Long Mạch" - a legendary dragon from Vietnamese mythology - might be stylized and incorporated into a company logo, symbolizing power and auspiciousness. Similarly, the graceful silhouette of the "Hồ" (Vietnamese phoenix) could inspire intricate patterns in textile designs or digital illustrations, evoking a sense of elegance and beauty.

In addition to mythical creatures, Vietnamese folklore is replete with tales of heroic figures, ancient battles, and timeless love stories, all of which provide rich material for graphic designers to draw upon. Whether it's the legendary Trưng Sisters who led a rebellion against Chinese domination or the tragic romance of the fairy couple, Chử Đồng Tử and Mỵ Nương, these narratives offer a wealth of themes and motifs that resonate with audiences of all ages.

Inquire before buying, here: https://www.nextmsc.com/vietnam-graphic-design-market/inquire-before-buying

Cuisine as a Design Palette Vietnamese cuisine, renowned for its bold flavors and vibrant colors, serves as a delightful palette for graphic designers. From the iconic "áo dài" (traditional Vietnamese dress) to the intricate patterns found in ceramic dishes, the culinary arts offer a treasure trove of visual inspiration.

Graphic designers often draw upon the rich hues of ingredients including turmeric, pandan leaves, and dragon fruit to create eye-catching color schemes for branding and packaging. Moreover, the artful presentation of dishes, such as the meticulous arrangement of herbs and garnishes in a bowl of "phở" (Vietnamese noodle soup), inspires designers to explore concepts of symmetry, balance, and harmony in their compositions.

Furthermore, the cultural significance of certain dishes adds layers of meaning to graphic designs. For instance, the "bánh chưng" (square glutinous rice cake) and "bánh dày" (round glutinous rice cake), traditionally eaten during the Lunar New Year (Tết), symbolize the earth and the sky respectively, representing the harmonious balance of yin and yang. Incorporating these motifs into design elements can evoke feelings of tradition, celebration, and cultural pride.

Architecture: Reflecting Heritage and Modernity Vietnam's architectural landscape is a testament to its diverse history and cultural heritage. From ancient temples and pagodas to French colonial villas and contemporary skyscrapers, the country’s environment offers a visual feast for graphic designers.

Traditional Vietnamese architecture, characterized by its emphasis on wooden structures, sloping roofs, and intricate carvings, inspires designers to incorporate elements of texture, symmetry, and symbolism into their work. For instance, the ornate patterns found in the façade of the "One Pillar Pagoda" in Hanoi might inspire a graphic designer to create intricate line art for a promotional poster or brochure.

Conversely, the sleek lines and futuristic aesthetic of modern Vietnamese architecture, as seen in landmarks such as the Bitexco Financial Tower in Ho Chi Minh City, provide a canvas for designers to explore concepts of innovation, progress, and urbanization. This juxtaposition of old and new, tradition and modernity, lends a dynamic energy to graphic designs in Vietnam, reflecting the country's evolving identity on the global stage.

Impact of Vietnamese History and Traditions on Graphic Design In addition to folklore, cuisine, and architecture, Vietnam's history and traditions play a significant role in shaping graphic design in the country. From ancient dynasties and colonial rule to wars and revolutions, the nation's tumultuous past has left an indelible mark on its visual culture.

For example, motifs from Vietnam's imperial era, such as the "longevity symbol" (bát tràng) or the "five blessings" (ngũ phúc), are often incorporated into graphic designs to evoke a sense of heritage and cultural continuity. Similarly, images of national heroes including Hồ Chí Minh or symbols of resistance and liberation, such as the hammer and sickle, serve as potent visual symbols in propaganda posters and political graphics.

Moreover, traditional crafts and artistic practices, such as lacquer painting, silk weaving, and woodblock printing, continue to inspire contemporary graphic designers in Vietnam. By reinterpreting these time-honored techniques through a modern lens, designers can create visually stunning and culturally resonant artworks that bridge the gap between the past and present.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Vietnamese Graphic Design Market While Vietnamese graphic designers draw inspiration from their rich cultural heritage, they also face a unique set of challenges and opportunities in the competitive global market. Limited access to resources, outdated infrastructure, and a lack of formal design education programs are among the hurdles that designers must navigate.

However, the rapid growth of Vietnam's economy, coupled with advancements in technology and connectivity, has created new opportunities for graphic designers to showcase their talents on a global stage. With the rise of e-commerce platforms, social media marketing, and digital publishing, designers have more avenues than ever before to reach international audiences and collaborate with clients from around the world.

Furthermore, initiatives such as design competitions, art festivals, and creative hubs are helping to foster a vibrant design community in Vietnam, providing support, mentorship, and networking opportunities for emerging talent. By harnessing the power of collaboration, innovation, and cultural exchange, Vietnamese graphic designers are poised to make their mark on the global design scene.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Vietnamese culture serves as a boundless source of inspiration for graphic designers, shaping the visual landscape of the nation with its rich tapestry of folklore, cuisine, architecture, history, and traditions. By drawing upon these cultural elements, designers can infuse their creations with depth, meaning, and a distinct sense of identity that resonates with audiences both at home and abroad.

As Vietnam continues to embrace its cultural heritage while forging ahead into the future, graphic design remains a powerful medium through which the essence of this vibrant nation is celebrated and shared with the world. By honoring the past, embracing the present, and envisioning the future, Vietnamese graphic designers are charting a bold course toward creative excellence and cultural relevance on the global stage.

#graphic design #construction #manufacturing #market research #market trends #business insights #market analysis #article

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mandyjane-lifedesign · 1 year ago

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NEW YEAR FOR MOON LOVERS

The beautiful Moon 2024 collection, including phases and full moons, from Driftwood Designs The Moon 2024 collection from Driftwood Designs is perfect for fans of the moon. The moon affects our lives in many ways and keeping track of the cycles is one way to live in harmony with the moon’s influence. Perhaps, you are a ‘lunar-tic’? Is your family member a Selenophile (Greek for moon lover)? Is your best friend obsessed with the night sky? Do you love to follow the phases of the moon and watch their impact on our natural world? Then the Moon 2024 collection is well worth checking out. Whether it’s last-minute Christmas gift idea, a thank you for a favour rendered over the festive period or just because you can, this range means you can treat yourself or a loved one to some stunning fine art by Welsh artist and illustrator Lizzie Spikes, with an affordable price tag. Lizzie’s passion is creating colourful illustrations that can be translated to homewares, cards, prints and so much more. This means her art can be incorporated into people’s everyday lives in the form of practical objects, including oven gloves, lamp shades, coasters, aprons and even clocks. The Moon 2024 collection includes calendars, diaries and tea towels that show some of the many names that our Full Moons have been given by different cultures over the centuries, along with the dates of the forthcoming full moons in 2024. The paintings, like the Moon names (including snow moon, flower moon, moon of horses and singing moon), beautifully capture the changing of the seasons and the passing of the year, while becoming part of day-to-day life. If functional is not what you’re looking for, though, perhaps you just want something to hang on your wall, refer to and admire. In which case, the good news is that for a great value £12.00 you can get an A3 portrait Full Moons 2024 poster print. And, reflecting the brand’s Welsh heritage, you can even get a poster with the names of the full moons and the dates in Welsh. And if that is not enough to tempt you, there’s more! For those who are interested in the phases of the moon there are also posters available showing the phases by month, with the dates of each phase. Again, each month has a superb background scene portraying the month. Whether you and / or yours are interested in the moon phases for scientific or aesthetic purposes (or both), from first quarter to full moon, and back again, this chart serves as a beautiful and informative reference for tracking the Moon’s changing shape. So, you have two designs to choose from in various forms for a great gift or as a personal treat to cheer you up for the new year. And, if you love the sound of these designs and want to spread the lunar love more widely, the designs are also available on very reasonably-priced greetings cards. So, there is plenty available from Driftwood Designs to keep any ‘moonatic’ happy! See the full range here: https://driftwooddesigns.co.uk/product-category/moons-2024/ Read the full article

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viscomgeorge · 2 years ago

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Fresh Lemon Print created this typographic poster to celebrate the first lunar landing of 1969. It centres around the infamous quote “The eagle has landed” and is overlaid with technical data from the mission: timings, dates and coordinates. It was letterpress printed using traditional techniques and vintage wood block type.

This is something I wish to explore within my work. The use of overlaying screen printed type can reflect upon the chants and the dialogue overlapping within the football match.

#research #screenprinting #conceptsofvisuallanguage

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bizarrequazar · 2 years ago

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GJ and ZZH Updates — January 22-28

<<< previous week || all posts || following week >>>

This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

01-22 → Zhang Su posted a douyin a few minutes before midnight, leaving the comment on it, “New Year's Eve~ Those who spit at me are really meaningless, I have never hurt him, so you can spit whatever you want~ If you still support him, go support his new songs and trendy brand~ As his friend of 18 years, it’s not that you make friends just for show, there are some things you can’t help if you don’t believe it, time will prove it” [screenshot] (I’m not linking the douyin itself because I don’t want to give him traffic, DM me if you want the link) This was well timed, as Flora finished the wiki page for him the following day, which outlines exactly what a good “friend of 18 years” he’s been.

→ #GongJun and #HappyJunZhe2023 trended on Twitter.

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted three photos of him from 12-31 holding Lunar New Year’s items. Caption: “At the beginning of the new year, window stenciles are posted, the red envelopes are full of blessings, and spring comes. Chinese New Year's Day is destined to be the beginning of good luck, remember to turn on the TV today and watch the boss @ Gong Jun Simon!”

→ The Weibo account for Fox Spirit Matchmaker posted a new poster for the show featuring Gong Jun and the female lead Yang Mi.

→ Gong Jun posted a promotional image for the Youth Exhibition program he would appear in on 01-24. Caption: “In the new year, I hope to jump out of my comfort zone and see more scenery that I’ve never seen before. In the brand-new Year of the Rabbit, I also wish you a bright future and to not to shrink back. On January 24th at 20:00 on the third day of the Chinese New Year, I will take you into a special ‘Youth Exhibition’, remember to come and see it!”

→ 361° posted two photo ads [here] and [here] featuring Gong Jun.

→ The Instagram posted a video of “Zhang Zhehan”, “Zhang Mama”, and “Zhang Zhehan’s nephew” sending New Year’s greetings.

→ Gong Jun’s studio reposted a video by People’s Daily of Gong Jun’s Dragon TV appearance that would air later (full videos linked below) with the added caption: “Fighting with swords in the jianghu, living a bold life, watch boss @ Gong Jun Simon's chivalrous transformation tonight! In the coming year, I wish everyone good luck and a happy New Year!”

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted sixteen photos from his Dragon TV appearance. Caption: “The whirling chivalrous man, willful and dashing, boss @ Gong Jun Simon is free and unrestrained, happily singing a song of the jianghu.”

→ Gong Jun posted a douyin of himself in his outfit from his later Beijing TV performance. Caption: “There are a lot of ‘skins’ in the New Year!🤓” BGM is Rollin by Calvin Harris.

→ Gong Jun appeared on Dragon TV’s Spring Festival Gala, where he performed 刀剑如梦 originally by Wakin Chau and did some magic tricks. [performance] [translated lyrics] [subbed magic tricks] (cw a bunny falls, no obvious signs that it was hurt) Fan Observations: - The hanfu worn by some of the backup dancers (below) is the same one that Zhang Zhehan wore on 2021-07-14. At that time, fans of another artist whom I will refrain from naming slandered Zhang Zhehan online, claiming that the outfit had been made exclusively for that artist who had worn it previously. The use of the hanfu here—and for multiple backup dancers nonetheless—is pretty much spitting in the faces of those people. - During the first part of the performance, there’s an illustrated cherry tree with a single white blossom.

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted nine photos of Gong Jun in the outfit from his later Beijing TV performance. Caption: “The green shirt welcomes the spring, smelling the snow on the branches. Boss @ Gong Jun Simon is going to the Chinese New Year appointment at the #Beijing TV Spring Festival Gala# tonight!”

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted a douyin of him from the above photoshoot. Caption: “Snow is falling, green shirts are fluttering, and boss @ Gong Jun Simon starts the first work diary of the lunar calendar 🐰 year!” BGM is 探窗 (钢琴版) by 汐音社.

→ Gong Jun appeared on Beijing TV’s Spring Festival Gala, performing the song Blood Actor originally by HITA. [performance] [lyric video with contextual info] Fan Observations: - Some drew parallels between the lyrics of this song and those of the song Zhang Zhehan recited part of on 2021-07-26. - As mentioned in last week’s post, HITA is openly and actively a CPF. [Here] is a song she wrote specifically for them. 😊

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted nine photos from his Beijing TV performance. Caption: “The rhyme of the opera is melodious, and the music and shadow overlap. Boss @ Gong Jun Simon's green shirt appeared, tasting the meaning of rhythm and leading the elegance of the country.”

→ #Gong Jun sings beautifully# trended at #9 on Weibo hotsearch, and #GongJun, #龚俊Simon, and Junjun trended on Twitter.

01-23 → Hsu Fu Chi posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Fresh posted four gifs of Gong Jun.

01-24 → Hsu Fu Chi posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun. Fan Observation: Someone mentioned that they’ve been using these same photos for ages, so I checked and they've been using this specific one since literally the first day of their endorsement on 2021-10-29. 🤡 Judging by hairstyles, I would guess he hasn’t done more than MAYBE three photoshoots for them, if I’m being generous.

→ Fresh posted four more gifs of Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun’s studio posted two photos of him from the 2023 Online Audio-Visual Ceremony he would appear in that evening. Caption: “Firm and proud, hard-blooded. Tonight at 20:00 boss @ Gong Jun Simon stars in ‘Youth History’, recalling the heroic years of the past and expressing the spirit of the times.”

→ Gong Jun appeared in the 2023 Online Audio-Visual Ceremony, performing in a group song and acting in a skit. [full performance] (no subs yet)

01-25 → The Instagram posted a video of a clip from a fourth stolen song that would be released the following day. This was 洪荒剧场, the same song mentioned above that the real Zhang Zhehan had recited some of during his livestream on 2021-07-26, which was intended to debut it at the cancelled concert. (Quite coincidental timing, if you ask me.) Fan Observation: The photos used were leaked by August 2022, and the song demo was leaked in October 2021.

Also, the Instagram’s pfp was changed again, now to one of the most recent white haired photos. This might have happened a day or two earlier before I noticed.

→ Gong Jun made a post promoting the new drama Turn on the Right Way of Life. Caption: “Support Bo-ge's new drama! ... Catch up tonight!”

01-26 → The fourth stolen song was released. In the credits, it lists only Zhang Zhehan as the lyricist despite the real Zhang Zhehan having mentioned that it was written by Tang Tian.

→ Hsu Fu Chi posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun posted nine illustrations of the God of Wealth. Caption: “God of Wealth, God of Wealth, look at me! ! !” Fan Observation: The eighth picture was used by Zhang Zhehan as a pfp when he first made the Super3 Instagram account.

→ #ZhangZhehan trended on Twitter.

01-27 → #ZhangZhehan continued to trend on Twitter, #TheRealZhangZhehan also trended.

→ Wang Yixu, the CEO of STELLAR Pictures responded to a question on Weibo, saying that both Rising with the Wind and Fox Spirit Matchmaker will include songs performed by Gong Jun.

→ The Instagram posted a video of “Zhang Zhehan” playing basketball.

01-28 → #TheRealZhangZhehan continued to trend on Twitter.

→ MARRSGREEN posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Kangshifu posted three photo ads featuring Gong Jun.

→ Addition 01-29: The Instagram posted a video of “Zhang Zhehan” playing with fireworks; this video had been posted to Weibo the previous day. [Here] is a video highlighting a glitch in the deepfake.

Additional Reading: → Flora’s daily fan news → Flora also finished the wiki page for Xie Yihua this week.

<<< previous week || all posts || following week >>>

This post was last edited 2023-01-29.

#Zhang Zhehan #Gong Jun #Word of Honor #woh cast #lld timeline

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billinthemeantime · 3 years ago

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No Ghost, Just A Shell

- A multi-author project initiated by Pierre Huyghe and Philippe Parreno, 13 artists over a three year period were invited to collaborate

-Takes its name from the manga Ghost in the Shell, where a cyborg questions her existence as a part human part program - “ghost” refers to her sentient consciousness while the “shell” is the cybernetic body

- A generic virtual avatar was bought from a company and used as the protagonist for the collection of works, who they named AnnLee

- The narratives expressed through a variety of mediums—animated films, sculptures, paintings, neon works, screenprint posters, and wallpapers. Each artist’s project is a “chapter” in the evolving story of the character filling its empty “shell.”

- Skin of Light (2001) by Parreno and Huyghe - A neon light portrait of AnnLee looking dejected

- Huyghe’s six-minute animation One Million Kingdoms (2001), in which AnnLee walks a lunar landscape while contemplating her existence as a character or sign.

- Parreno’s Anywhere Out of the World (2000), a 3D animated version of AnnLee further reflects on her identity as a generic, cheaply bought character and how this artistic project might be a form of liberation: “I am a product. A product freed from the marketplace I was supposed to fill. . . I was bought but strangely enough, I do not belong to anybody. I belong to whomever is able to fill me with any kind of imaginary material anywhere out of the world. I am an imaginary character. I am no ghost, just a shell.”

- The projected ended with the artists legally transferring the ownership of AnnLee’s image to AnnLee, creating a closed circuit of production and distribution.

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randomidiocyncrazies · 4 years ago

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the Liu Yao posters come with a few lines of poetry that serves as character introductions on the official weibo, so obviously I had to try my hand at translating them!

... that said, I’m well aware that my knowledge of Chinese literature is somewhat lacking, and there’s a lot of room for improvement in both my Chinese and English writing skills. If there are any suggestions regarding accuracy/wording/flow etc, please feel free to let me know!

attempted translations under the cut:

嚴爭鳴 & 程潛 Yan Zhengming and Cheng Qian

陌上花開早，踏歌江水平。春風潛入夜，萬物始爭鳴。 Flowers bloom early along the field paths, Joyous songs travel along calm waters. As spring breeze crept in through the night, All things under heaven begin to crow.

poor Yan Zhengming and Cheng Qian, they didn’t get quotes like the other characters... it’s kinda cute that they sneaked their names into the last line, with Cheng Qian’s 潛 (“to creep in”) and Yan Zhengming’s 爭鳴 (“to crow”) for the line that is essentially about new beginnings—Yan Zhengming is the First Disciple, and the leader of the revitalized Fuyao’s new generation, so the imagery of the last line is really neat!

ngl, this text gave me quite a lot of trouble... i could tell there are things going on here that is way beyond my knowledge of Chinese literature lol (the line about joyous songs travelling along calm waters? pretty sure that’s an allusion to a love poem lol, but since the theme of the poem is about the ambiguity of courtship it doesn’t super fit MingQian’s dynamic imo?)

韓淵 Han Yuan

“师兄给的松子糖，最甜了！” “The pine candies from shixiong are the best!”

四月花載酒，少年不識愁。一朝畫魂杳，歸來山音舊。 April brings flowers and wine, And the youth did not yet know sorrow. His soul drawn on the morrow, Returning to the mountain’s familiar sounds.

tbh I’m not entirely sure why April (四月, “the 4th month”) is referenced in the text; my best guess is that it’s an allusion to the Tomb Sweeping Festival（清明節）where you pay respects to your family who passed, which is typically held on 4/4 or 4/5 on the lunar calendar. i mean, Liu Yao and especially Han Yuan’s arc concerns the theme of “family” and all...

but yeah, this boy deserved So Much Better... 一道畫魂，讓神仙般快活的日子一去不復返（“不過不算晚，還能讓我看看扶搖山”）... 韓淵你真的好冤啊！！

李筠 Li Yun

那少年名如翠竹，身也如翠竹：“师父，什么是剑意？” The youth is like the verdant bamboo in both name and shape. “Master, what is swordwill?”

翠竹新雨後，浮生歲月閒。心有抱樸志，巧解九連環。 Like verdant bamboo after rain, Living life leisurely. With a heart of modest ambitions, He solved the Nine Links cleverly.

Li Yun is the only character so far who got a description in addition to a quote, which was kind of interesting—they picked the quote from the flashback in which Li Yun was prepared to lay down his life to protect his little sister, and it’s one of the only scenes where we see him interact with Master, so the quote automatically gets me fired up lol

韓木椿 Han Muchun (Master)

“李生大路无人摘，必苦。小潜啊，你心里有数，为师愿你‘自在’。” “Things that seem too good to be true have hidden dangers, Xiao-Qian, you know that already. I wish you a life without undue restraints.”

識得乾坤大，猶憐草木青。相思豈無益，百花共酒行。 Know the vastness of the universe, Yet cherish the lush greenery. Could no good come from mutual pining? A hundred flowers and jugs of wine as company.

there are a few interpretations for 自在 imo, and in the end i went with ‘unrestrained’ because Master could tell that Cheng Qian is the type of child who places a lot of unnecessary constraints on himself out of a sense of pretentiousness and superiority (child Cheng Qian is judgmental af lol)

there’s also the fact that, at this point, Master thought Cheng Qian was Tong Ru’s reincarnation—and given how Tong Ru never acted on his feelings for Master (with very good reasons) before tragedy struck, Master wanted Cheng Qian to attain happiness in this life

北冥君 Lord Beiming

“我早知萬事不得圓滿，但為求一綫生機，不悔！” “I’ve known from the start that nothing is perfect. But for the sake of finding a way out, I have no regrets!”

私心成妄念，但忆苦与甜。众生皆草木，唯你是青山。 Delusion born from selfish desires, Memories both bitter and sweet. All beings are but lowly weeds, But not you, the only evergreen mountain.

the fact that Tong Ru’s labelled as “Lord Beiming” strongly implies the donghua is only going to cover up to Cheng Qian’s [redacted], if even that.

the rhyme schemes of these poems are also quite interesting: the poems for YZM & CQ, HY and LY has an ABCB scheme in Cantonese (but no significant pattern in Mandarin that I can discern); Master’s poem has an ABCB scheme in Mandarin, and Lord Beiming’s has an AABC scheme in both Mandarin and Cantonese. Hopefully we’ll get Shuikeng and see if her poem also has a ABCB scheme in Canto to fit with the other Fuyao kids?

EDIT: SHUIKENG IS HERE!!! what a cutie ^_^

韓潭（水坑）Han Tan (Shuikeng)

“叫一声‘师兄’就有四个人来救我，唉，烦死啦~” “As soon as the word ‘Shixiong’ leaves my mouth, I have four guys clambering over themselves to save me... Ugh, so annoying~”

星辰坠烟火，寒潭空照影。雏凤乘风起，天高万里云。 Stars fall onto the mortal world, A cool pool reflecting shadows. The young phoenix rides the wind, Rising higher than the skies.

ahhhh Shuikeng is so cute! i almost wish the feathers were more obviously stuck in her hair tho... (i thought they were earrings at first lol)

#liu yao #六爻

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barnesandco · 5 years ago

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Nikah: July

Story Masterlist

Nikah: noun, Arabic, meaning the contract of marriage.

Bucky marries Peter’s former tutor because her student visa’s about to expire and the government isn’t granting her a green card. Can she find a way to permanent residence by marriage, and if so, will it be at the cost of their hearts?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: Very mild angst.

A/N: Written under the Arranged/Accidental Marriage trope for @mermaidxatxheart ‘s writing challenge. I don’t know how much you’ll like this one, but bear with me, people. I promise tomorrow’s is going to be worth it.

The aftermath of tragedy is difficult to navigate. Lost in treacherous seas and the thunderstorm of her trauma, Bucky finds himself drifting away. Distance comes in many shapes and forms, and his manifests itself in the millimeters between his thigh and hers, occasionally brushing together as the subway car moves. The tunnels of the New York Underground zoom past in a blur of black and the reflections of the carriage’s pasty interior, and Bucky wonders how much longer this journey will last.

She hasn’t told him where they’re going, and now sits next to him with one earbud in, humming to a song he doesn’t understand but at this point is very familiar with. The melody to Mere Rashke Qamar rumbles lowly from her throat, only enough for his enhanced ears to enjoy. As if she hasn’t vehemently but secretively insisted that they go out. After the kidnapping, he has been careful. Protective, he would say if he didn’t feel that cowardly was more appropriate. She has been everything but.

Shy smiles replaced by bluntness, those tears he witnessed the night they found her the only ones he has seen since, his wife is now red-hot, flaming, furious. Contradictions and pre-emptive strikes wrapped in silk and fed to her surroundings like cotton candy, sweet and dangerous. The burning anger juxtaposed by cool unforgiveness for the world, she has responded to his efforts at distance by moving closer. Any silence between them is now tender and cautious, a lover’s spring, in spite of the mountains he is trying to put between them.

Such silences are now plentiful, part and parcel of his attempts to salvage their hearts. Let what is left of them after this bushfire regrow, and hopefully, one day, someone else can reside in the forests of their souls, because they evidently cannot reside in each other’s. Yet she is trying.

He dares a brief glance at her to see that she has, again, fallen silent, again. Eyes closed, dark lashes resting on her cheeks. She is trying. The further away he moves, the closer she magnetically gets. It’s a dangerous game, the one they are playing. Her reflection in the window opens its eyes as they arrive at another stop and the next moment is a flurry of motions as Bucky gets yanked out of his seat and onto the platform. A meek apology as she starts walking, still holding his hand. Her unabashed hold on him contrasts strongly with her demeanor on their wedding night.

She stumbles briefly on the front step of the apartment building, action aided by ruthless black ice, and Bucky instinctively reaches forward to grab her arm. Receives a nod in thanks before she once again evades his gaze, but Bucky has seen enough.

The fleeting lightning flash of a moment was enough to unveil the collection of tears pooling in her eyes. Tears that she now fights to bury, exposed from all angles by the mirrors in the elevator. His keys are the only sound in the carpeted hallway, his home deadly silent.

She brushes past him to grab the bag containing priority items - toiletries and a change of clothes - from amongst the other luggage in his - their - apartment, and Bucky shows her around in the numbing silence of the snow storm outside. Goes to sit on his bed in wait, as the shower starts, the silence weighing heavier on his heart than the wedding ring.

The July sunlight is brutal, but she takes it in her stride like she is the moon, somehow glowing brighter even in the golden summer day. Her hand squeezes his tighter while they weave through the weekend crowds, New York City pulsating with life and smell and sound around them.

“Where are we going?” “Patience is a virtue,” She answers smugly, and Bucky wants to tell her he knows. By God, he knows. Sometimes, he thinks he knows patience a little to well to appreciate its value. A man who has spent his whole life waiting takes it for granted.

“How much further?” He tries.

“What are you, two?”

“Try a hundred-and-two, sweetheart.” The endearment - his first in weeks - slips off his tongue unbidden, tastes new and familiar at the same time. The tension is heavier than the humidity, but lightens when she recovers from his change of pace.

“Try acting like it,” She quips back, continuing on her way. Mere minutes of gruelling patience pass before they arrive at their apparent destination.

The New York Hall of Science greets them with a gleaming facade and cheery posters announcing the featured exhibits. Bucky is at a loss, confused, bewildered.

“A science museum?” He says, mostly to himself, but she - closely observing his reaction - responds nonetheless.

“Sam told me that Steve told him about your love for science before… well. Everything, I guess,” She explains. “About the Stark exhibit and the fair you went to the last night before shipping out. I thought this would be fun. I’m sorry if I’m overstepping, or you aren’t into this anymore, you aren’t the same person. I just thought-”

“Doll, doll, this is perfect,” He reassures, quelling her sudden nerves. Part of him hates that he can’t read her as well as he thought he could. The other part is still pushing to get away from her. He knows this isn’t sustainable, and yet he insists, when she asks: “You sure?”

“Yeah. I bet it’ll be fun. Come on.”

The first place she takes him to is the planetarium. Constellations have been projected onto the spherical night sky around them, and Bucky’s neck aches after only minutes, trying to count them all. Her hand is the anchor holding him to earth, but for the time that they are inside, he knows nothing else of the world. Her thumb rubbing warmly against the back of his hand is all the worldly feeling he has, his other senses fully consumed by the glimmering stars displayed around them. He’s barely aware of her gaze on him, is sure he must look a fool, but does not care.

“That’s Sirius, right?” He says eventually, pointing at Canis Major.

“Yeah. Do you have a favorite constellation?” She asks, and Bucky weighs the question.

“I’ve never thought about it,” He answers, looking around again. The planetarium is half-empty, quiet and distant, a spaceship on earth, everyone relishing in the universe around them.

“I like Carina,” She says, directing him towards the constellation she’s referring to. “The ship.” He hums in answer, starting to wander, and after several more minutes of observation, they leave for the next exhibit.

The next one is a continuation of the space theme, this one about the moon landing, a model of the lunar module in the centre of it all. They read the plaques, the screens detailing the journey, the race to the moon, blue glow of the room a calming draught. Until they get to the image of Kennedy delivering his speech on the landing, his comments on the space race, his contributions to pushing space exploration, and Bucky’s breath shortens. She seems to remember, pulling him aside and holding his free hand in hers so they’re nose to nose.

“Hey, hey.” She murmurs softly. “You going to be okay?” Her breath smells like the summer strawberries they had with their pancakes that morning, draws him back in and he sits on a nearby bench, hands slipping out of hers. Clenches them around his knees instead, pushing to breath like he’s trying to resurface, like he’s lifting his head from the snow he’s buried in. She watches anxiously, even when he gets up again, grabs her hand and moves forward. Moves on. The past is in the past.

The end up in an exhibit called the Sultans of Science, showcasing the fundamental contributions of Muslim scientists that created the foundation for modern science. Muslim scientists, their portraits, their acheivements, written proudly all around them.

“Abū Rayḥān Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad Al-Bīrūnī, the Persian man considered to have founded geology,” Bucky reads, marvelling at all the information now accessible that never was before. Wonders if he could have done something like this, without the war in the picture. Without Hydra.

“Ibn Sīnā, father of modern medicine,” She reads from next to him. The man in question stares straight ahead, his portrait not doing justice to the man he must have been. “We read about him in 9th grade bio class in Pakistan,” She tells him, laughing at the school memory, the fleeting glimpse of knowledge made useful like this. Bucky knows she’s a woman of literature, of writing and reading, and this isn’t her element, but to see someone embrace difference in this manner is so gratifying. But then, it’s impossible not to when difference is all you know. Where others see uniqueness as paths diverging, she will see commonality. The one thing we all have in common is that we are different.

“He was a philosopher too, you know,” She snaps him out of his reverie, still looking at the portrait. “We owe him a lot of scientific development, but he was one of the great thinkers of the Islamic Golden Age. Pioneered neuropsychiatry, considered thought experiments, theology, everything. A true multi-tasker.” Her ring glints in the soft lighting of the museum as she lifts her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and Bucky thinks: the only thought experiment he needs is the one where they succeed.

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#ayesha writes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes fluff #bucky x reader fluff #bucky barnes angst #bucky x reader angst #bucky barnes x desi!reader #bucky x desi!reader

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