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9worldstales · 3 years

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MCU Loki Ep 2 “The Variant” intensive analysis

So, the 2nd “Loki” episode come out and, again, I couldn’t stop myself from talking about it.

Beware about spoilers!

After a brief summary that’s basically made by showing us the most relevant scenes of Episode 1 we’ve the Marvel opening, this time with its usual music… though the Marvel studios logo is still in green and gold.

We start this episode in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 1985, the year of “Back of the future”, only there’s no Martin or Doc or the DeLorean, but just some sort of medieval fair.

Pity.

Anyway Minutemen get on the place and didn’t care at all about how they’re attracting the general attention with their look. We know why, because they think to reset the timeline before leaving so it’s not like their magical apparition might change something.

They believe they’ve detected the Variant so they enter in a tent thinking they can capture them… only to fall straight in a trap, as the Variant was waiting for them, starting a registration as soon as they are where the Variant wants them to be.

Yeah, the registration was meant to be for the show that should have taken place there but the Minutemen are smart enough to get it’s a trap.

After a recorded message that seem to imply in that tent there was meant to happen some sort of contest or show about saving a princess…

My lords, my ladies, welcome and thank you for joining us, here at the castle. Please, settle into your seats for a great battle is about to commence. The prize? Our princess. Will evil prevail, or are we holding out for a hero?

…the song by Bonnie Tyler “Holding Out For A Hero” starts and, as it does Hunter C-20 gets possessed by the Variant (we can see a hand touching her head, green magic on the tip of its finger, and then Hunter C-20’s eyes take an odd green colouring for a moment, a sign she’s possessed) and starts murdering out her own men in a joint effort with the Loki Variant. However while she fights she suddenly drops unconscious and a figure in a cape, clearly our Variant, stabs with her sword the last minuteman. Then, as usual, the Variant steals from the Minuteman what she needs and, this time, also kidnaps Hunter C-20 before disappearing.

Many have seen in the scene a reference to the Shrek 2 scene in which Shrek and his friends storm the castle in order to stop Fiona from kissing Charming, disguised as Shrek.

Me, I would just want to know if the princess is meant to be Hunter C-20 or this Loki Variant.

We’ll see.

Well, anyway we get the Loki title and them we find ourselves with Loki reading a jet ski magazine when Miss Minute would want him to review what he had learnt instead. She tries to quiz him but, although Loki seems to know the answers, he’s not interested in being quizzed, defining it boring.

His attention focuses on Miss Minute, asking her if she’s a recording or alive. She explains she’s both.

Loki looks around then tries to test it, rolling the magazine and attempting to use it to hit Miss Minute, who jumps around in an effort to avoid his blows. He seems to have fun. If this is idea of venting for the mistreatment he suffered at the hands of the TVA or he’s just being playful that’s up to speculation.

Miss Minute escapes inside the pc, complaining he’s being a jerk.

Mobius joins him and from his dialogue we discover the magazine is actually Mobius’ not Loki’s. The guy gives him a package, telling him they’ve to go and that he has to wear what’s inside it, which is actually a jacket, which Loki wears.

They join the others and Hunter B-15 explains how C-20 and her team disappeared in 1885 and they expect it to be an ambush by a Loki Variant, although they don’t know which kind of Loki Variant it can be. Loki suggests they’re the lesser kind, lesser than him, of course.

Hunter B-15 demands to see the back of his jacket on which we can see the writing Variant. She laughs seeing the writing, mockingly, the way one would when he has managed to put an insulting sign on someone’s back without them realizing.

Loki points out she was very subtle in it and she explains she doesn’t want anyone to forget who he is… which, I guess, means Hunter B-15 found yellow, star shaped badges too subtle or maybe not fitting to everyone they deemed a less human to prune away.

Still Loki asks her back if she means they shouldn’t forger he’s their only hope of capturing a murderer.

B-15, who never believed him to be capable of something, correct him saying they should never forget he’s ‘a cosmic mistake’. In short the writing is there to make him recognizable, to ostracize and to humiliate him. He’s not like them, he’s a Variant.

She’s not doing this because he’s dangerous and they should be wary of him, just because he shouldn’t exist.

Mobius states that this is enough… which hints he’s not enjoying this, but he allowed it to happen and didn’t even warn or prepare Loki about it.

Long story short he’s clearly different from B-15 who relishes in all this (and mind you, this is not a critic to Wunmi Mosaku, who’s awesome in the part, just to her character) but he still doesn’t really take a big stance against it as he stopped it only when it dragged on too long.

Mobius brings them back to business, telling everyone they’re looking for a Loki, a variation of the guy with them. He reminds them they should be familiar with Loki because they had pruned more Loki Variants than any other Variant and they’re all different, in appearances.

As Mobius speak we’re shown some Loki Variations with their numbers. Our Loki is the Variant L1130.

I wanted to check the numbers near the Lokis but it seems there had been a mistake in the handling of the numbers

Jotun Loki appears to have first the number L1247 but in the close up it switches to L6792

Cyclist Loki is L1247 and the hulking one is L6792 while the green dressed one is L8914 and the last one with the big helmet is L7803.

Long story short Jotun Loki has probably 2 wrong numbers pasted on himself as they belong to other variations but all the Lokis’ numbers has in common the letter L at the beginning which I guess, stands for Loki.

The visual makes something interesting, projecting the various variants on Loki, which makes us immediately aware of the differences but also reminds us they’re all still Loki.

What leaves me perplex is how those Variants became so different from the original Loki. I mean, our Loki was caught few minutes after he escaped. Unless those Loki managed to escape to the TVA for a while (which would risk the timeline to reach a red line so it seems unlikely it happened) how did they manage to deviate so much from how they were meant to be in the Sacred Timeline?

I mean cyclist Loki would have needed the time to take part to a race to in that cup!

It’s true that in this episode it will turn out the TVA worries only of deviations that impact the timeline, so maybe the TVA started worrying late in their case but it’s still weird.

Anyway Mobius starts digging into the powers they’ve in common which are shape-shifting, illusion-projection, duplication-casting and Mobius’ favourite, which we don’t get to hear as Loki interrupts Mobius saying he got one of the names of his power wrong, it’s Duplication-casting, not Illusion-projection and explains the differences between the two, finishing with:

“But you already knew that.”

… which they didn’t. In short it’s Loki’s turn to point out they act as if they know him when they don’t know him and his powers as well as they think and that he’s actually of some use.

On a sidenote there’s to wonder which one is Mobius’ Loki’s favourite power and if it’s meant to be relevant. This Variant showed it could posses people, and I wonder if what happened to Selvig at the end of “Thor” is a hint our Loki can as well. Our Loki could travel through the secret paths… in “Thor” he could spell his knives, which we know he can make appear out of nowhere. In deleted scenes we learn he could cause mist to appear. “Thor: Ragnarok” said Loki turned Thor into a frog. I wouldn’t mind if he were to start turn people of the TVA into frogs.

Anyway Mobius accepts his explanation and tells the others they’re gonna break in two teams, one of which will include himself and ‘professor Loki’.

B-15’s words about Loki being a cosmic failure clearly made an impression as one of the minutemen question the idea and Mobius is forced to admit since they can’t find this Loki Variant they need an ‘expert’.

Loki takes his chance to remind everyone that by expert Mobius means him. He’s there because he has a use, an importance, a role and they shouldn’t look down on him.

The scene switches.

Loki and Mobius are walking toward the door that will bring them in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 1985.

Loki, repeating a pattern seen in “Thor: The Dark World” asks for a weapon…

Loki (Thor: The Dark World): “You could at least furnish me with a weapon. My dagger, something!”

Loki (Loki): “Do I get a weapon?”

…which Mobius refuses to give him. Loki though points out once out of the TVA he’ll have his magic back and asks Mobius if no one is worried he’ll betray them.

Loki: “Well, I'll have my magic back. Is no one concerned about that?”

Mobius: “Of what?”

Loki: “Me betraying you.”

This also is something we saw in “Thor: The Dark World”.

Loki: “You must be truly desperate to come to me for help. What makes you think you can trust me?”

Mobius can’t say Frigga did trust him or that he promises him vengeance in exchange of loyalty so he tries to go for something he knew Loki wanted, a meeting with the Time-Keepers. Considering Renslayer, who’s above Mobius, couldn’t grant Loki that, if I were in Loki I would genuinely doubt Mobius can. He just tries to dangle in front of his eyes something Loki might want to win him over.

Loki pauses as Mobius mentions he could meet the Time-Keepers and asks if that’s what’s on the table. Mobius doesn’t really give him a straight answer, just a ‘Keep that focus’.

I wonder if Loki really wants to meet the three space lizards or he just let Mobius believe so because, by acting that way, he made clear he’s interested.

Oh, now that I look at it behind the helmets of the minutemen there are codes which could be their identification codes or names, since they don’t seem to use names.

B-15 has obviously written B-15 while other minutemen had much longer codes.

The group arrives in 1985 and Loki makes a relevant question:

“Let me ask you this, why don't we just travel back to before the attack, when the Variant first arrives?”

It’s something many viewers have been wondering and it turns out that the answer is:

“Nexus events destabilize the time flow. This branch is still changing and growing, so you gotta show up in real time.”

In short the authors knew this could feel like a dumb plot hole so they made a rule to explain why this couldn’t be done. It’s still not perfert… I mean, what it means to show up in real time? They aren’t in the same time as 1985, when itìs real time for them? But whatever, it’s nice they tried to fix this problem.

Mobius asks Loki if he watched all the explicative videos he was supposed to watch and Loki replied only as many as he could stand because he find that their ‘TVA propaganda is exhausting’.

I’m glad Loki and I see things in the same way. Most of the TVA babbling is propaganda meant to brainwash people’s mind.

A Minuteman then asks Loki what ‘these’ (these being the Time Charges) do.

Loki knows perfectly and gives us the confirmation to the thing I, and many others, suspected in the past episode.

Time Charges…

“Reset charges prune the affected radius of a branched timeline, allowing time to heal all its wounds. Which sounds like a nice way of saying disintegrate everything in its vicinity.”

So yeah, it’s genocide or total destruction of that timeline and all the people in it.

But also yeah, Loki studied all he was supposed to study although he insists he watched only some of the videos. I’m not surprised though, a wizard had to be good at studying things and Loki clearly wanted to know how that world worked so of course he would have watched the video even if he’s downplaying it.

They reach the place in which the TVA fought Loki and discover the Loki Variant kidnapped C-20. It turns out that it’s the first time that Variant kidnapped someone. A minuteman suggests the Variant might have pruned (aka killed but the TVA doesn’t use that word) C-20.

B-15 acts defensively, saying a Loki couldn’t have beaten C-20. She clearly views the Lokis, the whole of them as this time she’s not even saying Variants, as inferior. She should probably remember she got collared by one Loki.

Loki tries to warn her saying she’s underestimating the Variant… which she’s doing as the Variant could have very well ‘pruned’ C-20 had the Variant wanted to.

B-15 isn’t interested in hearing him out as she interrupt him and tells the other to fan out and starts searching for C-20 fast as they’re approaching the red line.

Loki stops them, telling them if they’ll leave the tent they’ll end up killed. B-15 thinks it’s a waste of time but Mobius is willing to hear him out.

Loki launches himself in a long explanation, the gist of it being he thinks there’s a scheme behind the Variant’s actions, that they should be aware of their surrounding, listen more (like he does) and less prone to underestimate him or the ‘lesser Loki’.

Now… he’s not completely wrong, the TVA underestimates him, and they has underestimated the other Loki Variant, which we saw lead to some of their losses.

Loki claims the Variant wants him because they know he’s the stronger Loki and so wants to join forces with him to overthrown and rule the TVA. I’m not sure how the Variant would have known there’s a Loki working with the TVA but let’s assume they do and that Loki’s reasoning could make sense… or could be explained with him trying to paint himself as more important than he is.

But then he goes saying that this isn’t what he wants as he’s now a servant of the Sacred Timeline… which is patently untrue and hard to believe… who can hand them the Variant but what assurances he won’t be disintegrated once the job is done.

And okay, his own is a legitimate worry and a legitimate request.

It’s actually clever to ask for reassurances the TVA won’t dispose of him once the job is done… though it’s not like there’s an actual bargaining ground because, if Loki isn’t cooperative and therefore is useless, the TVA will dispose of him anyway.

It’s not so clever he would try to pass himself for a servant of the timeline when he clearly didn’t play the part well. Of course since he said Asgardians were fundamentally naïve, maybe that’s the kind of people he’s used to deal with… but he has experienced distrust in Asgard in “Thor”, proof his own people isn’t so naïve… and he should have figured out Mobius isn’t either.

And then he presses for urgently meeting the Time-Keepers saying they’re in grave danger… and this jump isn’t smooth.

Mobius knows Loki wants to meet the Time-Keepers, so of course if Loki pushes the issue in this way he’s going to be prone to assume it’s a trick. The speech doesn’t even keep a logical flow because Loki first presented himself as better than the Variant and capable to handle it but reluctant to do so for fear of being erased… but now he’s presenting the Variant as a grave threat that requires them to urgently talk with the Time-Keepers.

So from one side it’s pushing for too much when he hadn’t even shown himself to be useful yet and for another it makes for a weak argument if he’s really as superior as he claims to be.

So… hum… the speech seems to tumble down in an unsatisfactory manner, ‘seems’ being the operative word because, if there’s a goal behind its weak points, then they still have a reason to exist.

I’m actually not quite sure which game Loki is playing with the TVA.

He’s for sure trying to survive but then what else does he want to get? I don’t believe he aims to control the universe but I’m pretty sure he’s not swallowing the TVA propaganda and he doesn’t enjoy to be there.

His timeline was pruned so he can’t go back there. Does he want to save Frigga? Is that what he aims to do? Does he want to go into the timeline after… let’s call it ‘canon Loki’ died so as to replace him?

Prior to it?

I don’t know.

Is he saying all those things for the Loki Variant’s benefit? He hopes the Variant is out there hearing him and his speech would make the Variant interested in joining forces?

I don’t know. We’ll see.

Anyway as expected Mobius figures it’s a trick and, since there’s no more time to do anything else, they just reset the timeline and leave.

On another note I like how Loki uses an Asgardian way to say. Way too often in movies even aliens feel compelled to use English ways to say instead than way to say from the world they belong to.

We also see how a time charge works. Loki hurries to move away as soon as he sees them starting it.

They… do something with the top part of it, I’m not sure if they push a button or pulled some sort of safety pin. We see something yellowish being released in the fluid inside the time charge which then turns purplish. The purple colour expands to the whole glass of the time charge until from below it something like a coloured expanding pool comes out. Everything that gets touched by that pool ends up being disintegrated.

At the TVA the monitors show that the ‘reset’ (read ‘disintegration’) of the timeline is done and that C-20 ended up MIA.

A music that’s half sad half… disquieting, start being played and we move into Renslayer’s office.

Mobius is complimenting for her office, pointing out how there’s a new snow globe in it and how he doesn’t remember bringing it to her.

She replies he’s not the only analyst working for her, which seems to imply analysts working for her are meant to bring her souvenirs from their missions. Or better… not quite. Mobius asks her why she gets to keep all the trophies from his cases, which seems to imply they weren’t given willingly.

Still, he tries to get her to admit he’s her favourite analyst.

I’m not really sure what’s going on between these two. They don’t seem to be in a relationship and I’m not sure if Mobius’ attempts at flattering her are because he’d like to be in a relationship with her but doesn’t dare to push the issue or because he’s currying her favours.

We’ll see.

Renslayer moves the discussion to the mission Mobius just botched and I don’t know if I would define it as such. Okay, so they didn’t find C-20 nor the other Loki Variant but chances here are two:

- the Loki Variant was out there using C-20 as bait as Loki said, setting a trap for them, and they successfully avoided it

- the Loki Variant wasn’t out there and so wasn’t C-20 and therefore was nothing for them to find.

Either way the mission wasn’t botched as they came back and successfully disintegrated… pardon, the TVA doesn’t like that word, they prefer ‘purged’ the branched timeline and any living being inside it.

Renslayer, referring to Loki as just ‘this Variant’ complains he’s insubordinate, stubborn and unpredictable like Mobius.

Honestly I think the whole series is trying to draw parallels between Loki and Mobius, where Mobius is however the one who chose to submit to the system where Loki just can’t stand it and wants to break it down.

So, although Mobius should be ‘all lawful’ we can see there’s a bit of ‘chaotic’ inside him.

It’s probably worth to remember that ‘lawful’ and ‘chaotic’ are nothing else but the two opposite extreme on the Ethical axis used for RPG alignment where Lawful represents obedience to the law and Chaotic leans toward personal freedom, without regards to the law.

There’s another sign Mobius isn’t fully lawful, the fact he has the bad habit to leave the glass rest on Renslayer’s furniture, leaving rings, and then insisting he’s not who caused them as they were already there… when Renslayer points out they’re all there due to him.

I know a part of the fandom loves Mobius but I wonder if he’s in the story not only to interact with Loki but also to work in contraposition to him. There are two paths for him, either he chooses the same path as Loki or the opposite. We’ll see.

Mobius tries to blame the ring on Renslayer’s other favourite analyst. I wonder if such person exists and is meant to have a relevance in the story. It’ll be interesting if it’s the other Loki Variant in disguise.

I mean… the other Loki Variant knows plenty of things about the TVA which hints at how they should have a previous and prolonged contact with them because the TVA explains nearly nothing about how their things work to their captives but the other Loki Variant knows what Reset charges are and how they work or how to use a TemPad to open Timedoors.

Yet Mobius doesn’t seem to have info on when they captured that Variant, carried it to the TVA and then let them escape, so again, how did the Variant learnt so much about the TVA?

From another escaping Variant?

Hard to say?

Did they saw the TVA and tailed them till the TVA unnoticed?

I can’t really tell, we’ll see.

Anyway, back to their conversation, Renslayer points out the issue isn’t Mobius’ methods with Loki, but the fact he towed a dangerous Variant into the field… meaning they consider Loki dangerous.

Mobius claims that from that they had learnt ‘the Variant’ likes to stall for time, so the other Variant might end up doing the same, because, to Mobius, understanding one Loki leads to understand the other.

And I’m:

- actually you didn’t need to bring Loki to the field to learn this, didn’t you notice that’s what he did in other circumstances?

- if the two Lokis are different, no, understanding one doesn’t mean understand the other. I mean you had a Loki who was fine living as a Jotun while this one was traumatized by the idea he was a Jotun, Loki can be pretty different about them, enough to be complete opposite so no, nobody said they’ll surely share that particular trait.

Whatever, let’s go on.

Renslayer says Mobius has a soft spot for broken things (which Mobius denies because he’s a bit like Loki and doesn’t want to show weakness), which acknowledges this Loki is broken… but gains him no sympathy from Renslayer as she said that ‘Loki is an evil, lying scourge’. Because he attacked New York? Nope, just because this is the part he plays on the sacred timeline and he can change only if the Time-Keepers decree so, not because he wants to.

Renslayer is big on the predeterminism when it’s about Loki (who’s a Variant by the way and therefore already out of the Sacred Timeline) but why doesn’t she apply it to the TVA as well? They’ll take the Variant only if the Time-Keepers will so.

I think the TVA’s faith in the Time-Keepers has plenty of weak points and is hypocritical. I wonder if the show will explore this.

Mobius switches topic asking how the Time-Keepers are and it turns out he NEVER met them. So he basically can’t even be sure they exist or not, yet he’s pouring all his faith in those three space lizard.

Mobius seems kind of glad he hadn’t met them, which seems to hit they’re either dangerous to meet or he doesn’t have a good opinion of them.

Renslayer says:

“The Time-Keepers are monitoring every aspect of this case. I've never seen them so involved. They want that Variant caught.”

…which seems a way to put Mobius under pressure but really, if they decide the flow of time, shouldn’t the decide if Mobius will catch the Variant or not? They can decide if a Variant Loki can change or not but they can’t control the other?

Anyway Mobius signs the event report Renslayer already signed. We can see Renslayer signs R Slayer while Mobius signs M. M. M.

Mobius notices the pen he used for signing has the writing ‘Franklyn D. Roosvelt High School’ on it and complains that pen too should be from the other analyst Renslayer favoured. And I wonder again, who they are? They’re meant to be relevant? Or they’re only a plot device to make Mobius jealous?

Renslayer only tells him to stay focused. As he’s about to leave though, she stops him asking him if he believes in that Variant. Mobius doesn’t confirm this, saying Loki believes in himself enough for the both of them, complaining Loki is really arrogant and that he will delete him himself if this doesn’t work.

Of course these might be just words he tells to Renslayer but we saw him taking part to erasing timelines and even if he showed sympathy and kindness to the French boy he met in the cathedral in the very first episode, he let him be reset.

“Don't worry, that devil's afraid of us. We're gonna take care of him. And we're gonna put you back where you belong.”

This apparently kind sentence meant they disintegrate him and his timeline so the place the boy belong is basically oblivion.

But I’ll dig on Mobius and Loki in a moment.

For now let me pause a moment on the pen, another gift of Renslayer’s mysterious over analyst, with written on it ‘Franklyn D. Roosvelt High School’.

Franklyn D. Roosvelt, ex-president of the united state is also relevant for the MCU.

In 1940 Roosevelt ordered the formation of the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) to fight the Nazi Party, even though the United States was still at peace with Germany. To ensure that only the greatest scientists work for the SSR, Roosevelt ordered Chester Phillips to recruit Howard Stark into the agency. SSR works in the creation of the Super Soldier Sierum, which ‘gives birth’ to Captain America then it is the re-tasked to fight Hydra. Later it will become part of S.H.I.E.L.D.

So yeah, maybe it’s a coincidence but it’s interesting.

Back to the story.

Mobius leaves Renslayer and we discover Loki has been left outside Renslayer’s office to wait.

Mobius whistles and also motions to Loki to follow him.

Some has compared this with how one would act to a dog. It’s possible they’re not so off track.

The TVA is a world that discriminates Variants and find them worth only being erased. They shouldn’t exist, they’re cosmic jokes, no one should forget someone is a Variant.

Mobius too in his discussion with Renslayer referred to Loki as just “the Variant”. Yet Mobius also feels some sympathy for Loki. Renslayer says he has a soft spot for broken things, if can mean she acknowledges Loki was broken by his experience… but she might also refer to the mere fact he’s a Variant and Variants, in a way, can be seen as ‘broken’ as they didn’t function properly but followed their own path instead than the one the Time-Keepers traced for them.

So the idea Mobius sees Loki as some sort of pet can be fitting. Mobius is growing fond of Loki… but he’s still imbued in all the TVA’s beliefs and teachings about predeterminism and how Variants are bad.

He doesn’t want to be needlessly mean to Loki, but the latter isn’t equal to him, he’s a tool, as everyone reminds him and as he has to remind to everyone else.

Variants has no rights in the TVA, they just exist to be pruned, reset, or, in less pretty but more realistic words, disintegrated.

And Mobius is a guy in the middle.

While he doesn’t want to be a jerk to Variants… or to people in the Sacred Timeline who’re going to die, he’s not really willing to fully fight against the system because he has faith in the system and a side of him he thinks Loki should just accept his place.

We see it in their discussion.

Loki is somewhat nervous… which, I’ll be honest, feels a little weird to me because he’s being openly nervous when usually Loki can keep controlled and hide this sort of things.

He had played a high risk bet during the mission and lost, he had time to think at what to say to Mobius while Mobius was discussing with Renslayer yet what he comes up isn’t really worth of someone who’s supposed to have a silver-tongue.

Okay, so it’s not like we were shown him using his silver-tongue in the movies, as people tended to do the opposite of what Loki asked them or not listen him at all, with the exception of Malekith and the Grandmaster… but we don’t get to see how Loki won the Grandmaster over.

Whatever, maybe there’s a reason, maybe not, we’ll see.

When facing the Variant later, Loki will say he kept the TVA vulnerable at the Renaissance Fair for some time and also that he has been working on gaining their trust. Presenting himself as openly insecure to Mobius, instead than hiding it as he would usually do, might be part of winning him over. As I said in the past commentary for ep 1, sometimes there are more benefits in being honest than in lying, so it can be that it’s not that Loki isn’t nervous, it can be he sees more benefits in showing it to Mobius.

We’ll see.

Mobius is in a bad mood. Although it didn’t seem Renslayer had given him a earful for his failure, it can be his failure burns. He tells Loki to show up, reminding him in the elevator he said he didn’t like to talk… which is something else that makes me think Loki is trying to give Mobius EXACTLY what Mobius asked for, so as to fulfil his expectations and lower his guard.

The following conversation is relevant.

Mobius: Okay. Just shut up! Please. What happened to the guy I met on the elevator? Who didn't like to talk. Remember him? Now I'm stuck with this guy who won't stop yacking away about what makes a Loki tick!

Loki: What? Isn't that precisely why I'm here?

Mobius: No. I don't care what makes you tick. You're here to help me catch the superior version of yourself. That's it!

Only Mobius in the previous episode told him he wanted exactly this from him.

Mobius: I'm serious. All I seek is a deeper understanding of the fearsome God of Mischief. What makes Loki tick?

This is the problem of an unequal partnership like their own. Loki isn’t there because he’s Mobius’ partner and equal, Loki is there to serve a purpose, capturing the other Loki. Renslayer might be right and Mobius might have a soft spot with him, but in the end Mobius ends up reminding Loki his place in the TVA, he’s there to be useful.

Loki takes offence by Mobius calling the other Variant “superior”.

Mobius gives us a slice of his mind… and Loki calls him out on his attempt of manipulation.

Mobius: See? There it is. Right there. I believed, stupidly, that insecure need for validation would motivate you to find the killer. Not 'cause you care about the TVA mission or bein' a hero, but because you know this Variant is better than you and you can't take it.

Loki: Very nice. I mean, it is adorable that you think you could possibly manipulate me. I'm ten steps ahead of you. I've been playing a game of my own all along.

But there’s something else worth pointing out. Mobius clearly believes working for the TVA equates at being a hero… and also that Loki would be so prideful he would serve the TVA merely to show them he’s better than the other without caring of how the TVA then might dispose of him.

And again Loki shows his cards way too openly so Mobius calls him out.

Mobius: What, charm your way in front of the Time-Keepers, hustle them, and seize control of the TVA? Am I getting warm? A double cross by history's most reliable liar.

Is really this what Loki aims at? This is what he’s telling around but is really this? Maybe but it seems so obvious, even Mobius could guess it in 5 minutes so… I don’t know, it seems too predictable for someone who’s supposedly smart.

The discussion goes on. Loki has figured since Mobius didn’t have him erased after that failure he is sticking his neck out for him so he asks him why.

Mobius: I'll give you two options, and you can believe whichever one you want. A, because I see a scared little boy, shivering in the cold. And you kinda feel bad for that ice runt. Or B, I just wanna catch this guy, and I'll tell you whatever I need to tell you.

I think both options are true, although usually, when proposing two options, the implication is the speaker is telling us to chose the last one… and it makes sense because this is the main motive Mobius is helping Loki. He could do nothing for him if it wasn’t because Loki could be useful… but this doesn’t men Mobius has no sympathy for him.

On another note it’s the second time the scripts hints at Loki as being young

Loki: I was young (in 1971), and I lost a bet to Thor. Where was the TVA when I was meddling with these affairs of men?

I really wonder if the idea is that Loki is young for Asgard standards.

Anyway Loki points out he doesn’t need Mobius’ sympathy, at which Mobius replies that’s good because he’s running out of it.

And again in itself there’s a problem. Mobius probably sees himself as a good person, because the fact he’s using Loki also means he’s sparing Loki from being pruned but, of course, if he has no use for Loki, this wouldn’t save him any longer.

If sympathy is tied to personal convenience, it’s not really sympathy.

As soon as they caught this Loki Mobius ran there to get him for himself because he thought it would be useful. He could have grown fond and it’s fine because it happens… but the key is still Loki has to be useful to him in order to be kept. So he’s not a really selfless act.

That’s why Mobius is no hero, who selflessly sacrifice for Loki, because he hopes in personal gain and… and it’s absolutely human. Mobius might have studied Loki but he basically just met him. Mobius has his own life. Why should he sacrifice it for Loki?

He’s planning for their allegiance to offer mutual benefits, Loki helps Mobius to wipe another Loki out of existence and Loki gets to live a little longer even though, being a Variant, Loki should have been already disposed of.

Mobius probably feels very kind and the other at the TVA would probably agree with him, because he’s giving a chance to someone who is lesser and has no right to chances and this is how their world work.

But we, viewers should be capable to understand their world works in the wrong way.

Loki: What's this? Next step of your manipulation...

Mobius: This is the final step. Your last chance.

Loki: Oh, and what does my desperate last chance require?

At this point Loki has moved back into keeping distance. He calls what’s Mobius is doing as manipulation and sounds flippant as he talks of his ‘desperate last chance’.

Mobius might have sympathy for him but Loki has likely figured out Mobius wouldn’t save him from the TVA beyond a certain point. The very best Mobius can offer him is to remain there working for the TVA to catch other Lokis, all while wearing a jacket that points out he’s a Variant as well, a cosmic joke.

Maybe Mobius might manage to have him dismiss wearing that jacket. Still, all this is tied to how much useful he can be. Mobius though can’t offer him freedom or a way back home.

Anyway Loki’s last chance is to work, to go over each and every one of the Variant's case files, and then, give him his unique Loki perspective and find something. All this while Mobius goes to eat something and keeping in mind his life depends on him proving to be of some use.

Again we’re reminded that Loki isn’t free to drop this work, he’s forced to cooperate, his life depends on it.

Loki starts looking through the documents which basically cover the various cases in which the Variant ambushed the Minutemen and stole their reset charge, clearly not finding them interesting. A woman hush him and he hush her back.

Loki tries going to the one who seems a librarian… but who’s actually so mechanical she feels more like a robot who can’t stop typing to pay attention to those who call her if they don’t ring at her first.

Loki asks her for more files. No, not files on the case, files pertaining to the creation of the TVA… but they’re all classified. The same goes for files pertaining to the beginning of time and the end of the time.

Exasperated Loki asks which files he can have and he’s handed a handful of them which, merely cover his case as a Variant and the life of his alternate self in the sacred timeline.

Loki reads them anyway and discovers of the destruction of Asgard.

As he does he can’t help but shed a tear for his former planet, before noticing the TVA also noted that during the event there was zero variance energy detected.

This causes him to connect some important dots and so he rushes to join Mobius to the restaurant.

At first Mobius doesn’t want to listen him, claiming he told him not to bother him until he read all the files which Loki claims to have done.

Honestly he didn’t seem particularly interested in them but he might have done it as someone who practices magic should have been good at studying. Mobius insists and Loki points out what they’re searching isn’t in the files but in the timeline as the Variant is hiding in the apocalypse.

Mobius asks which one and Loki mentions Ragnarok, asking him if he’s familiar to it. And I wonder if Loki wanted an answer to this one question, if he wanted to know if Mobius knew his homeland was wiped away, that this is something the TVA allowed.

Mobius confirms he knows about it and apologizes to him.

Loki pretends not to care and goes on discussing how a Nexus event is the result of someone doing something he’s not supposed to that causes a chain reaction of things that aren’t supposed to happen.

Mobius confirms.

At this point Loki steals the salad Mobius was eating for his example and decides in his metaphor that salad will represent Asgard.

And tell me whatever you want but, as far as I’m involved this is Loki paying back Mobius for letting him to work while he went to eat.

Mobius gets immediately that his lunch is going to meet an abrupt demise but Loki doesn’t let this deter him.

Loki suggests if he were to go on Asgard before Ragnarok he could do whatever he wants, even push Hulk off the Rainbow bridge, and to prove his point, he adds more salt to the salad. He then says he could also set fire to the place. I don’t know what he adds to Mobius’ salad as he says so, maybe pepper, but this is enough to make Mobius beg not to set fire to the place, which I find hilarious. Loki continues to put salt and… pepper? Into Mobius’ salad commenting that he can do whatever he wants without going against the dictates of the timeline.

He then picks up Mobius’ drink only to find it empty so he goes to get the drink from the nearby’s table, Casey’s table. He then pours it into Mobius’ salad, likely making it impossible to eat, explaining how the drink represents Surtur who will destroy Asgard no matter what Loki does so what he does doesn’t matter.

In short, in addition to making his point, Loki let Mobius too without lunch.

Fair since Loki didn’t have lunch at all.

Mobius still doesn’t get it so Loki goes further on explaining if they have an apocalypse of whatever kind it doesn’t matter what one would do in it because everything would get destroyed so the Variant has to be hiding in an apocalypse, doing whatever they want without them noticing.

Mobius is forced to admit it’s not a bad theory and Loki tells him to bring him to an apocalypse and he’ll show him.

Mobius accuses him of wanting to run back to his homeland and Loki says whatever apocalypse will do. Mobius makes clear he’s afraid to bring Loki around and Loki insists they’ve to test his theory. Mobius makes clear he’s afraid Loki would want to test how stabbable is his back.

Loki complains stabbing someone in the back is a boring form of betrayal. Mobius said he has done it 50 times… which is really not much for someone who lived as long as Loki especially since most of those stabbing if not all took place during battle, because Mobius is talking of literal stabbing here, not metaphorical one.

Loki is not really interested in arguing this one though and just says he won’t do it again because it got old which causes Mobius to laugh. Loki insists that he understands Mobius doesn’t trust him but he should trust something else, Loki loves to be right… and this seals the deal.

So the guys are at Pompeii, Italy – 78 AD, though it would be more correct to say they’re at Pompeii, ROMAN EMPIRE – AD 78 or 78 CE.

Eruption day.

While Mobius is absolutely scared they might mess up the timeline Loki is as overexcited like a kid on a sugar rush.

Loki cried reading of the destruction of Asgard but here he seems pretty giddy.

To Mobius scolding him because ‘it’s just not in good taste’ he replies ‘they’re gonna die anyway’.

And in itself is interesting. Mobius said he’s sorry for Asgard destruction, now he worries about ‘good taste’ but in the end he’s not going to do anything to spare those people’s lives.

The dead count will be of over 2.000 a good part of it dying a horrible albeit fast death as they’ll be literally vaporized by the heat of the pyroclastic flow.

In face of so many people about to die Mobius worrying Loki’s behaviour isn’t in good taste feels hypocritical, a mere care for the form, in fact he agrees with Loki it’s ‘cool’ the whole city will be wiped off the planet and his main worry is they shouldn’t create a huge branch.

Anyway, while Mobius insist they should start creating only a very small disturbance, Loki ends up freeing animals and announcing the eruption and the following death of everyone to the people.

Loki making all that chaos feels as if this is way to distance from the apocalypse that hit Asgard. Honestly I don’t think he wanted to go there during Ragnarok if there was nothing he could have done to save it.

However his speech is also an interesting way for Loki to try and pry info from Mobius about the TVA

Loki: ( Speaking latin ) You’re all about to die. That volcano is about to erupt! I would know, because I’m from the future. ( In english ) We are from the future, right? What is the TVA? I mean, it's from the future. It sounds from the future. It's pretty future-y.

Mobius won’t reply to him but the eruption will start right there, the Tempad continuing to sign zero variance energy, proving Loki was right. I wonder if this was also Loki’s way to try and see if an apocalypse could be prevented.

Oh, Loki talks Latin here but I’ve already talked about the language problem in the MCU and how the TVA seems to have a tv series version of Allspeak which, evidently passed to Loki too as he showed he previously couldn’t talk to Mongolian people.

On another note… the eruption, as depicted in the show, is not historically accurate.

Around 1:00 p.m., Mount Vesuvius violently erupted, spewing up a high-altitude column (the column supposedly as high as 30 km) from which ash and pumice began to fall, blanketing the area. Rescues and escapes occurred during this time.

It’s only much later, in the night or during the day after that the pyroclastic flows began and it Pompeei 4 minutes later, murdering everyone there.

The show instead seems to mix up the first eruption with the beginning of the pyroclastic flow (which is the one we see approaching from behind Loki), skipping the fall of ash and pumice.

Of course from a storytelling point of view it works a lot better, so it’s not a big deal and it’s just artistic freedom, it’s just my history lover’s heart which is bleeding.

If you want to enjoy how the eruption looked like there’s a nice video on Youtube “A Day in Pompeii - Full-length animation”.

The switch between Pompeii and back to the TVA feels a little abrupt, as if the Pompeii scene was meant to last more and they cut it.

Anyway they’re back on TVA and Mobius is summarizing Loki’s theory. Loki tells him he’s welcome, which, I take, is Loki’s clue he’d like to be thanked for his contribution. Mobius though is more focused on the mechanics of their new discovery.

He believes for Loki’s theory to hold the disasters have to be naturally-occurring, sudden, no warning, no survivors. So Ragnarok wouldn’t be okay because Loki and Thor triggered it and there were survivors. That is unless the TVA retconned “Thor: Ragnarok”.

Anyway, they decide they’ll have to find out how many of those natural disasters there are… but in the end Loki falls asleep on all the documents they’re checking.

I know there’s a debate if this proves he trusts Mobius or not… but the point is, he just proved himself he was of great help, so Mobius who has shown to have some measures of sympathy toward him despite his strict adherence to the TVA code and that make him capable to disintegrate him should need arise, has really no reason to harm him, quite the opposite.

Also he’s likely quite exhausted, both physically and emotionally otherwise he clearly wouldn’t fall asleep on an uncomfortable position over a stack of papers.

And differently from Mobius he supposedly didn’t even had lunch.

Mobius yawns which shows he’s clearly worn out as well, wakes him and tells him they’re going for a walk. So no bed, they’ll only take a small break.

I take they end up in the TVA version of a cafeteria where Loki asks Mobius about the jet ski magazine. Mobius ends up showing his total love for jet skis.

“Yeah. You know, some things... Actually, most things in history are kinda dumb, and everything gets ruined eventually. But in the early 1990s, for a brief, shining moment, there was a beautiful union of form and function, which we call the jet ski, and a reasonable man cannot differ.”

Actually he sounds like a fanboy, dismissive of everything he doesn’t like and imposing his own likes claiming no one could have a different opinion from him. It’s not a complain, it’s human. I like how the TVA members, despite their dystopian setting and their fanatic faith to the TVA religion have characteristics, both good and bad, that made them human.

However, at Loki’s question if he has ever tried a Jet Ski, Mobius admits he never been on one because if a TVA agent were to show up on a jet ski that would create a branch. It’s a poor excuse since they show up in timelines in their everyday clothes in time periods in which those clothes aren’t appropriate and anyway, who cares since they reset the branches so they could even show up naked and everything would get erased?

In this Mobius is the opposite of Loki, although he too has wishes that make him similar to Loki he doesn’t dare to fulfil them, he completely focuses on his work, he claims to read the magazines because they remind him what he’s fighting for… jet skis appearing in the Sacred Timeline in early 1990s apparently.

Okay, it’s more that he believes if the Sacred Timeline gets destroyed everything would but people who were believing to be heroes like he does would say they would fight for people, not for a beautiful vehicle that could be enjoyed only for a brief amount of time.

Mobius in a way is disconnected by the people on the sacred timeline, maybe because he never met them, he met the Variants, which are considered something to be pruned and nothing more and he actively help in pruning them.

So maybe he can’t work for people, because as soon as those people become variants, bang, they need to be wiped away. I think Mobius would like to be a decent person, I think he doesn’t want to harm people so he keeps distance and blindly swallows the TVA teaching and this discussion further proves it.

Loki asks if he really believes in all the TVA preaches and Mobius replies:

Mobius: I don't get hung up on, "Believe, not believe." I just accept what is.

It reminds me of a discussion he had with Loki in the past episode:

Loki: So that had the Time-Keepers' seal of approval, did it?

Mobius: Well, I wouldn't think of it in terms of approval and disapproval. That's sort of a... Let's get back to escapes...

Mobius just accepts things as they are presented. But why he accepts them?

Loki goes on summarizing how the TVA’s beliefs are that three magic lizards created the TVA and everyone in it including Mobius, which for Loki is clearly something dumb to believe.

Loki: Every time I start to admire your intelligence, you say something like that.

Mobius tries to retort it by turning tables on Loki.

Mobius: Okay, who created you, Loki?

Loki: A Frost Giant of Jotunheim.

Mobius: And who raised you?

Loki: Odin of Asgard.

Mobius: Odin, God of the Heavens. Asgard, mystical realm, beyond the stars. Frost Giants. Listen to yourself...

Loki: It's not the same. It's completely different. No. It's not the same.

Mobius: It's exactly the same thing.

The HUGE problem in Mobius’ reasoning is that he’s mixing up what Loki has experienced, his skin turning blue, proving he’s a Jotun, living his whole life with Odin, believing him to be his father, with Mobius merely believes as Mobius has no knowledge of what the Time-Keepers are since he never met them and likely doesn’t even remember when he was created or things like that.

Loki believes in what he lived though because he touched and sampled it and, in fact, he had a breakdown when he discovered part of it, the part he had no memory about but embraced out of faith was a lie (Loki couldn’t remember his Jotun heritage or his birth so he accepted what he was told, that Odin and Frigga were his parents). This likely makes even harder for him to accept that Mobius would just blindly believe in something he hadn’t experienced in the slightest.

Mobius had said:

Mobius: I don't get hung up on, "Believe, not believe." I just accept what is.

But at the end of it what motivates him is blind belief.

Mobius: Because if you think too hard about where any of us came from, who we truly are, it sounds kinda ridiculous. Existence is chaos. Nothing makes any sense, so we try to make some sense of it. And I'm just lucky that the chaos I emerged into gave me all this... My own glorious purpose. Cause the TVA is my life. And it's real because I believe it's real.

The TVA is real because he believes so. It has to be or his own ‘glorious purpose’ would mean nothing. Loki got burned by the truth. Mobius doesn’t want to end up the same, he doesn’t want to think at the absurdity the TVA feds him, he doesn’t want to question if what he does is right or wrong because the truth might disappoint it, it might be ridiculous, in bad taste, like being excited as Pompeii is about to be buried by the volcano.

The TVA is Mobius’ religion, and, to paraphrase Karl Marx faith in the TVA ‘is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.’

But this kind of mindset is also the mindset of whose who represent the ‘banality of evil’ of those who indulge in the capital vice of Acedia, whose who do not care, who do nothing to stop evil empower it and support it.

“...morally speaking, there is no limit to the concern one must feel for the suffering of human beings, that indifference to evil is worse than evil itself, that in a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible.” ― Abraham Heschel

And, after all, Mobius works to support it, to support the TVA as they prune/reset countless lives.

There’s something else that’s interesting.

Mobius is supposed to be a lawful character… yet he doesn’t believe existence is order. Existence is chaos. And, in the same way as he’s afraid to try out a jet ski and making excuses for why he doesn’t do so, I think Mobius deep down is scared by chaos. Fascinated by it but scared by it as well. In fact he’ll later says that he believes when it all will end and the Time-Keepers will have finished untangling the timeline all that will emerge will be order.

Loki: Ah, I see. So, when they're finished, what happens then?

Mobius: So are we. No more nexus events. Just order. And we meet in peace at the end of time. Nice, right?

Loki: Only order?

Mobius: Mmm-hmm.

Loki: No chaos? It sounds boring.

Mobius: I'm sure it does to you.

Order is reassuring, it gives people a sense, a purpose, order is explainable. Order follows laws so it’s lawful. But order, like Loki points out, is also boring, predictable. No bad surprise would come out of it, true, but no good surprise either. No change. No possibility to get worse… but no possibility to get better either. Order is static where chaos is always changing. You need a mixture of both to make a worthy life.

Besides the idea they ‘meet in peace at the end of time’ to me feels more like an attempt to use a different wording to say ‘we’re all dead’ or ‘we’ll be all pruned/reset’. So not particularly encouraging.

But I’m running ahead a bit. When Mobius says Loki that the TVA is real because he believes so, Loki accepts it. For the moment.

Loki: Fair enough. You believe it's real.

And I wonder if, in a way, Loki can understand. Because the chaos, the unpredictable, is what made him discover he wasn’t an Odinson. If he hadn’t questioned Odin’s words, if he hadn’t gone and taken the Casket of Ancient Winters in his hands but just turned his eyes away when his skin turned blue, if, like Mobius said, he hadn’t thought to hard at it, or at how bad Thor could be as a kind, if he just had shrugged everything off and said ‘yeah, I’m sorry Thor will be a poor kind but that’s what meant to be, who cares?’ and ‘yeah, it’s weird my skin turned blue but Odin said I’m his son so who am I to question him?’ he would have spared himself many unpleasant things.

He would be at Asgard, thinking to be Odin’s son, trying to help Thor, who prior to his banning to Earth was completely unfit to rule, not ruin completely the planet. That would be his own glorious purpose. Nothing more.

And while it wouldn’t be a great purpose… well, it would have spared him of a lot of pain so I think Loki can see the charm of it… but at the same time he can see the danger of it. If we’ll blindly follow the rules we give up on our free will.

Loki: So everything is written. Past, present, future. There's no such thing as free will.

Mobius: Well, I mean, you know, it's an oversimplification...

Mobius thinks it’s an oversimplification but it’s not. He’s probably telling himself since he submits to the rules willingly, well, that’s his free will. But we’ve seen that the other option is being reset. The Variants are nothing else but people who didn’t follow the dictation of the Time-keepers, a dictation they didn’t even know existed, but merely followed their free will. And the TVA erases them.

It’s true, the ones that follow the Sacred Timeline, not knowing they’re following the dictation of the Time-keepers, are still, in a way, following their free will, but it’s actually a pretty tricky situation because their options get pruned by the TVA.

People don’t exist in a vacuum. We take decisions according to what happens around us.

Now think to a world in which Odin tells Loki the truth right from the start. This would lead Loki to get very different decisions… only that Odin, if it ever existed, got pruned.

Think to a Thor who’s ready to rule when he’s about to be crowned so that Loki doesn’t have to disrupt the coronation. Well, think twice because that Thor got pruned.

Think to a Frigga who hands the crown to Loki but also sits next to him instead than next to Odin to support him while he’s going through his worst crisis. Pruned again.

Think to the Warriors Three and Sif not attempting to go fetch Thor after he’s banned. Sorry, they got pruned.

Think to Heimdall not allowing Thor to go to Jotunheim. Never mind he got pruned.

Loki made his choices. It was his free will. But his choices were tied to all that happened around him, and since all that happened around him was decided he was channelled toward certain decisions, everything working to make him take such decision.

Actually, each time he tried to take a different decision he too got pruned.

The resulting Loki that inhabits the Sacred Timeline, more than the result of his own free will, is the result of manipulation of the events and TVA selection. Which is kind of creepy.

But okay, it’s interesting how, in a way, Loki tries to connect with Mobius.

Maybe it’s Stockholm syndrome as Loki was someone held captive and sentenced to death and then Mobius came in and made clear that Loki’s survival depended on him, maybe it’s just that Mobius showed him some measure of kindness and appreciation and it doesn’t matter if he was being manipulative or not, Loki was so starved for it he fell for it, or he caught up on some similarities between them.

Sure, it can be that by connecting with him he can better use him but I don’t think that’s just it.

Mobius is someone Loki can connect with on an intellectual level, where Thor was just ‘let’s hit things’ and the Warriors Three and Sif were just, let’s do what Thor says.

And after Thor and his friends there were Thanos and the Other and clearly Loki couldn’t connect with them. So it doesn’t matter how screwed up the situation is and how Mobius manipulated Loki in their first meeting and what he told him, fundamentally Mobius is the only one Loki, who’s forced to go around with a jacket saying ‘Variant’ because no one has to forget he’s a cosmic joke, has in that setting.

So yes, it’s VERY screwed up but it makes sense Loki would partially latch on him. It’s human.

On another note I’m not really fond of the idea of Mobius using the French ‘au contraire’ while talking with Loki. Maybe it’s an ad-lib but since there’s already enough mess on how the TVA can talk all the languages and Asgardian somehow don’t have Allspeak, I would have preferred if they hadn’t mixed English and French now. Whatever, maybe that’s just me.

Loki goes on.

Loki: You called me a scared little boy.

Mobius: I called you a lotta things.

I wonder what Mobius means here, if he’s just telling Loki he shouldn’t focus on that (as calling him as such was Mobius’ attempt at showing him sympathy), but Loki nails another relevant topic.

Loki: You did. You're wrong, though. You see, I know something children don't.

Mobius: What's that?

Loki: That no one bad is ever truly bad. And no one good is ever truly good.

It’s interesting it’s coming from Loki because it means, differently from how sometimes Marvel movies seems to depict a world in black and white, Loki could see the shades of grey.

In his family. In the Avengers. In Thanos and the Other. Maybe even in the TVA people. And this means in himself as well.

And we go back to what he said in Ep 1:

Loki: I can't go back, can I? Back to my timeline. I don't enjoy hurting people. I... ( Sighs ) I don't enjoy it. I do it because I have to, because I've had to.

Mobius: Okay, explain that to me.

Loki: Because it's part of the illusion. It's the cruel, elaborate trick conjured by the weak to inspire fear.

Mobius: A desperate play for control. You do know yourself.

Loki: A villain. ( Sighs )

He painted himself as a villain, as someone all black, to show as if he was someone in control… in “Thor” when he was in an emotional storm, in “The Avengers” when he actually was working for Thanos.

But if we consider Loki’s words solely for their tie to the present discussion, he’s trying to tell Mobius that the black and white vision Mobius is trying to adopt doesn’t work. If there’s good in bad and bad in good, the perfect world Mobius thinks he can archive doesn’t exist and his glorious purpose is not so glorious.

Nothing is perfect and so no perfect order or perfect chaos can exist and trying to paint things or people black and white as the Time-Keepers are doing and the TVA as well, is a mistake.

Loki’s words though cause Mobius to remember the boy he met in the cathedral before going to Loki’s trial and how he had a candy box left by the Loki Variant. And I’ve always wondered WHY did the Loki Variant left that candy box behind? Is like she’s leaving breadcrumbs for the TVA or someone working with them to track her down.

Kablooie was only sold regionally on Earth from 2047 to 2051. While it wouldn’t be easy to track the Variant with just this, the Variant limits the place they’ve to search for them to only 4 years.

On an interesting note although Mobius claimed to know everything about Loki’s life he evidently had no idea if Asgardians had candies or not. So yeah, I think Mobius didn’t exactly knew EVERYTHING about Loki’s life, only what the TVA deemed relevant.

Anyway Mobius decides since they now know the Variant is hiding in an apocalyptic event in which Kablooie are involved they can cross-reference the two things.

Mobius has probably more clearance than Loki as he gets the files and then gives Loki a half, encouraging him to search fast through them by making it a competition… which actually is dumb, because the Variant can only be in one place so only the one who got that file among them can find it, no matter if he’s fast or slow… but whatever, Loki is motivated enough by this because he likes to win.

However, although Mobius asks him if he wants to bet on something, then he demands they’ll play for pride.

Anyway, as Mobius realizes it’s one apocalyptic event after another (all in 5 years) Loki finds what they’re searching for in an apocalyptic event in Alabama, 2050.

This gains him Mobius’ praise as he tells him he’ll take his job if he’s not careful.

I remember reading some interviews suggested Loki and Mobius had a mentor/student type of relation. Well, Mobius definitely feels like the mentor, one who takes care of Loki and teaches him how it works at the TVA, completely not focusing on how Loki was basically kidnapped by the place, doesn’t aim to stay there and people look down at him and is always ready to dispose of him because he’s a Variant… and what’s worse, the Variant of someone who, according to the Time-Keepers is meant to be ‘an evil, lying scourge’.

On the other side… working for the TVA is Loki’s only option to survive in that setting so Mobius likely sees it as Loki having to stop ‘thinking too hard’ and also make the TVA his life. In short he should just be like him and submit to the Time-Keepers.

So yeah, his point of view make sense but… it’s terrible, it’s actually telling people not to resist to wrong conditions but submit to them. It’s the typical mindsetting of a bureaucratic huge corporation or system, where no one matters and everyone obeys without worrying to much about what they’re obeying at.

But back to the story Mobius goes to Renslayer to asks her ‘to approve deployment of a fully-armed task force to the Variant's potential hiding spot’.

By the way said hising spot is in ‘Haven Hills, Alabama, corporate town owned by Roxxcart until it's wiped out by a hurricane’.

The name Roxxcart might remember to who read the comic or watched “Agent Carter” of the Roxxon Corporation, one of the world's largest conglomerates, founded in the 1940s. It also appeared in Marvel “Cloak & Dagger” and “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”, with vague references at it in “Iron Man”, “Iron Man 2”, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer”, “Iron Man 3” and the MCU comic “The Avengers Prelude: Fury's Big Week”. It’s hard to say if this will be another vague reference or there will be more.

Renslayer is prejudiced against our Loki as she continues to call him a Variant and tries dismissing the whole thing merely because HE suggested it and the other time he ‘blew up’ the previous mission. Which he didn’t but of this I’ve already talked.

Mobius is all happy Loki proved himself useful and his idea to use him was right but Renslayer instead insists on not trusting him, even though he just discovered a huge hole in their security system.

Now, okay, Loki isn’t to be trusted blindly, but Renslayer isn’t really giving a rational reason why this theory, which actually makes a lot of sense and is supported by some evidence Mobius collected, would be wrong. If they’re going to shot down any theory Loki comes up just because he’s Loki then she shouldn’t have even given him to Mobius.

In fact when Mobius point out how Loki HELPED discovering the hole in the security she’s only more worried.

Anyway Mobius is so excited he manages to get her to agree, although she warns him she won’t be able to help him if this doesn’t work out.

They kind of repeat something that was included in the video/commercial of the TVA Miss Minute showed Loki in the previous episode.

Mobius: For all time.

Ravonna Renslayer: Always.

I wonder if this is actually meant to be the TVA catchphrase.

Anyway Mobius leaves Renslayer and we see Loki is out of the room, nervous, waiting for him. He seems quite satisfied when Mobius says they’ve got permission.

Mobius is still all excited… and make a vague promise that amounts to… basically nothing, to Loki.

Mobius: I'm tellin' you. You actually help us catch this Variant, and who knows, my friend.

Loki: What, good enough for a face-to-face with the Time-Keepers?

Mobius: I didn't say that. One step at a time.

Loki: All right. One step at a time.

He actually promises nothing to him, because, as he said, he said nothing. ‘Who knows’ can mean anything, even that after they catch the Variant they’ll prune him, or they’ll merely allow him to live at the TVA, forcing him to work for them. Who knows what ‘who knows’ mean!

Loki tries to have some more solid confirmation and basically gets nothing, which is not very promising.

As far as I’m involved I think Mobius is doing this promise more because he’s trying to keep Loki loyal than because he has something solid to offer to him. In fact he hadn’t bargained with Renslayer for this. Loki is there to catch the Variant, catching the Variant would end their need to use Loki but, as soon as Mobius got permission for the mission he left without insuring if they were to succeed he could keep him.

Does Loki really want to meet the Time-Keepers? What he aims to get from them?

Anyway Mobius is so excited he tries to give knives to Loki.

Enters Hunter B-15, who strongly despise Loki who takes them away from him (I wonder if Loki managed to steal them back unknown to her. I would love if he did). She briefs her men for the mission, which also allows us viewers to get some info and orders them to prune Loki at sight. Clearly she doesn’t even believe in putting him to that mock trials the TVA offers to its captive Variants.

Loki makes present they should preferably prune the bad Loki, not him and then the scene moves to Haven Hills and I love how this time they had introduced it not by writing it on the screen but by showing us a sign saying we’re in Haven Hills, Alabama… before having it destroyed.

I really love this scene.

The TVA arrives at Roxxcart and they’ve the good sense to open their Timedoors outside of it.

It’s interesting how Loki looks up at the storming sky. I wonder if he’s searching for thunders (we saw one hitting the ground before the TVA appeared) as a way to check if Thor is around, even though it’s clear Thor wouldn’t cause such destruction.

To Hunter B-15’s surprise Loki uses his magic to dry up, which somehow seems to make her even more suspicious of him. Because yeah, drying yourself is such a sinister act.

Mobius would like to go with Loki at the Green House but Hunter B-15 forbids it, wanting to part them. Mobius has to go with Hunter D-90 while Loki has to stay with her.

And I’ve the personal suspicion that’s because she hopes in a not to obvious chance to prune him too away from Mobius’ eyes.

B-15 tells Mobius if he’s not fine with it, he can go argue with Renslayer about it.

It’s interesting how they’re arguing. I wonder if Hunters and Analysts actually form two different and opposite classes in TVA who argue against each other despite a poster depicting them as working together.

Anyway Loki gets in between and tells Mobius it’s fine, that he can trust him and that he’ll understand trust has to be gained so he’ll gain it.

Honestly the way Loki puts it makes him even more suspicious for me, but I wonder if the key is it has to work for B-15.

Mobius complains about how is always the people you can’t trust that tell you ‘trust me’. Well, the people you trust wouldn’t need to ask you your trust so they won’t tell it to you.

Mobius though at this surrender as well, he’s so excited to get the Variant he doesn’t consider he could ask to stay with B-15 as well, or that he could say B-15 is asking this because she wants to try to harm Loki. He just let the issue go after a jab about how the past time B-15 ended up wearing the Time Collar.

Meanwhile the Loki Variant has noticed they’re in thanks to all the cameras in the place, as if they were waiting for the TVA. Again I wonder if the Loki Variant has someone supporting them in the TVA because they seem to know too much, later they’ll even show knowing the other Loki was brought in by the TVA to capture them.

We see the Loki Variant leaving down a tempad on which there’s a countdown that’s at 20 minutes.

Back to Loki he’s in the greenhouse with B-15, trying to chat with her… which could be a genuine attempt at communication or an attempt at warning the Variant they’re there. I’m not sure on which side Loki is… but I wonder if his goal is to stall things.

He might suspect if they get the Variant he’ll be disposed off so his aim might be to show he’s useful but also to stall the capture of the Variant. This might be what he was trying to do in the previous mission as well. So it’s not exactly he’s trying to help the Variant, he’s trying to gain time for himself.

B-15 doesn’t feel like talking with him but then they find a guy who claims to be shopping for plants despite the hurricane.

B-15 asks Loki if the guy could be him and Loki points out he ‘probably would have worn a suit, but, yes, maybe’, hinting at how Loki cares about how he looks.

B-15 gets too close to the guy who manages to grab her. We see some green magic pass to B-15 and then the guy faints. Loki asks if he’s dead but ‘B-15’ tells him ‘they usually survive’, making clear she’s no more B-15 but the Variant possessing her, who also recognizes Loki for who he is:

“So, you're the fool the TVA brought in to hunt me down.”

As I said this sentence gives me the feeling the Variant knew the TVA brought him someone to hunt them, in short they’ve inside intel about the TVA and I would love to know how.

Now possessing B-15 is a good move as she’s a good fighter with a weapon in her hands and this also leaves Loki on her own.

Loki recognizes the speaker for what they are, the Loki Variant possessing B-15, in short himself.

The Variant points out:

“Please. If anyone's anyone, you're me.”

Implying the Variant saw themselves as the better/original Loki version.

Wunmi Mosaku does a good work at playing the Loki Variant here, really.

Back in the shelter people is clearly in deep distress and a guy thinks the TVA is there to help them.

I think Mobius is torn, a side of him would just search for the Variant, the other is being affected by the situation but he tries to suppress it.

D-90 instead doesn’t care and pushes the man away as if he didn’t even exist. Which he doesn’t for him.

Mobius: What are you doing? Hey! These people are scared.

Hunter D-90: They're about to die. They should be scared.

Mobius: Okay. Not of us.

Even though those people aren’t Variants as they’re going to die the TVA doesn’t acknowledge them right. Like the Loki Variant they don’t care what they do because everything will be erased, either by a reset charge or by the apocalypse.

Mobius doesn’t like this… but again it’s not like he’s trying to save those people, he’ll let them die because the Time-Keepers dictate so.

Hunters in the TVA are somehow all jerks. Again they would work well as stand in for police brutality but I don’t know if the series wants to go this way.

Mobius and D-90 are interrupted when a Minuteman informs them they had found a tied C-20 who’s in state of shock and repeating over and over ‘it’s real’.

So C-20’s role isn’t to be a bait, I think it’s possible the Variant wants to use her to deliver a message to the TVA.

Back to Loki he comments on the spell used.

“Enchantment is a clever trick. Cowardly, a bit amateur-ish, but clever.”

The fact enchantment was used seems to be a nod to how the Variant might be Sylvie Lushton, who also went under the alias of enchantress.

In the comics Sylvie is not the original enchantress, that one was Amora, sister of Lorelei who appeared in “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”. Sylvie was supposedly a human created by Loki who also gave her her magical powers. Although she has no training she has amazing magical powers and moved from wanting to be an Avenger to trying to become a Villain.

We��ll see what this Variant will turn out to be.

Anyway the Variant blames Loki of being the coward one because he works for the TVA. She mocks this asking him if he really believes that, which he confirms so she dismisses him:

Hunter B-15 (possessed): ( The variant chuckles ) And here I was worried that they'd found a better version of me.

And this again seems to imply the Variant KNEW the TVA got themselves a Loki but who told them? They just discovered it at the fair?

A person, Randy, appear and B-15 touches him then faint. Loki almost hurries to help her before realizing what had happened.

Well, the Variant could have disintegrate Randy instead she preferred to transfer themselves into him. This is interesting because it seems although they’ve no hesitation in killing TVA people they’re against harming normal people.

Loki still go to check B-15… or can it be he placed something in one of her pockets? Like a message for Mobius? Loki touches his jacket before bending down on B-15 and this time we don’t see what he touches as she’s cut off the screen which is odd.

The Variant thinks he’s trying to search a transmitting device to call the others for help. Loki tails the Variant, challenging them to face him and then explaining how he had gained the TVA confidence.

The Variant is not that much impressed but they continue to give Loki their back. Not that it matter as that back isn’t really the Variant’s back.

Loki explains his plan… which I don’t know if it’s really his plan or a trick.

Loki: I'm going to overthrow the Time-Keepers. And, uh, cards on the table, I could use a qualified lieutenant.

It’s relevant how Loki, talking with the Variant, uses a more polite and Asgard like language.

The Variant is clearly not interested in working for Loki but what hits me is that they don’t want to be called ‘Loki’ which could be because they aren’t Loki after all.

Loki: What say you... Loki?

Randy (possessed): Ugh. Don't call me that. You can call me... Randy.

I love how this meeting helps Loki to realize why Thor found these techniques annoying.

Loki: God. Now I understand why Thor found this so annoying.

Loki claims he has helped the Variant at the fair so yes, apparently he has played that risky bet back then for a reason. I really would love to know which game Loki is playing.

Loki: Listen. Enough with your games. I've been trying to help you. I kept them vulnerable at the Renaissance Fair for some time.

The Variant still isn’t interested in joining him as they don’t care about ruling the TVA.

We see that there are Time charges placed all around, partially hidden from sight which don’t promise anything good and someone, likely the Variant, is tweaking with them while ‘Randy’ keeps Loki distracted. So yes, this Variant too is good at stalling.

C-20 is still babbling, while Mobius tries to get something out of her.

D-90 just waves her off saying she’s off the dial and showing a worrying lack of a care for a companion.

Although C-20 says she wants to go home when Mobius offers to send them back she says she can’t as she gave away the position of the Time-Keepers.

Oh, so C-20 knew it? Did she, differently from Mobius met them?

D-90 tries to contact B-15 causing her to wake up.

Loki tries to get what the Variant wants but the Variant refuses to explain themselves saying Loki is too late. Loki counters he’s ahead as he found the Variant’s hiding place, then notices the Time charges and thinks the Variant lead them there to blow the place up.

As he turns his gaze Randy has disappeared and the Variant has possessed a big guy who starts beating Loki. Loki is not really fighting back. Are possessed people really so powerful or Loki is trying to pass himself for weak?

Anyway, after pointing out:

Loki: I would never treat me like this.

Which might be our clue the Variant isn’t really a Loki but someone pretending to be one, Loki starts more actively to try to avoid blows and even use his magic to get something he can use as shield.

The Variant’s language is nowhere near as polite as Loki and the possessed guy manages to send Loki on the ground. The idea of a toy dachshund bumping against him is cute.

B-15 manages to find Mobius and she’s forced to confess she lost Loki. Likely she thinks it’s due to Loki but doesn’t know how to explain it while D-90 just says Mobius’ favourite Loki betrayed him as they run to search for him.

The possessed guy is using another tempad connecting it to another mechanism. Although Loki couldn’t move he hadn’t tried to kill him and now Loki wakes up and demands to know what the Variants wants from him and what is this about. He’s clearly angry.

The possessed guy stands up and then tells him to brace himself before fainting, a sign the Variant isn’t possessing him anymore.

A recording keeps on repeating Loki’s last two sentences ‘What do you want from me? What is this about?’.

I’m not sure why the Variant would record those two sentences and play them over unless we’re to assume they’re actually only playing in Loki’s head.

The Variant appears, removes their hood to reveal it hid a blond woman face then in an unfriendly tone she states:

“This isn't about you.”

Loki’s surprise lasts only few seconds before he says ‘right’.

Meanwhile the countdown has reached 0, the light shot down, the time charges, tons of them, turn on but then below them timedoors appear, sending them away.

Mobius notices what’s going on and worries about where the Time charges are going.

Back at the TVA we assist to the sudden formation of LOTS of branches. The Analysts come to the conclusion someone ‘bombed’ the Sacred Timeline.

Renslayer, who has a hunter helmet that starts with A-25… which might mean she was one of the first hunters of the place, grabs her weapon as Minuteman spun to action.

Loki sees the Variant grabbing the Tempad again and using it to open a human size timedoor as she watches him. She waves at him the way he did at the Hulk when he went on the lift and goes through the Timedoor. Loki considers following but stalls for a moment. Mobius is running there, telling him to wait. Loki sees him but decides to go through the timedoor anyway and, as he does the timedoor disappears, leaving Mobius and the hunters outside.

The episode ends here.

People had been wondering what was Loki thinking when he went through the Timedoor and Tom Hiddleston explained it in an interview:

There's a very big moment at the end where Loki steps through that portal. From your perspective what is going through Loki's mind when he looks back at Mobius and then decides to go through the door anyway? Is he feeling any remorse there at all?

I think certainly there's conflict. I think he… you know, Mobius is someone who, perhaps for the first time in his life, he thinks he might be able to trust, and perhaps trusts him, and he doesn't want to betray that trust, but at the same time he has to go and see what that's what's going on, he has to do that. I think it was he can't help himself but follow… uh… because it's too strange and to, you know, provoke so much curiosity within him. So there is a huge conflict there, he thinks “I probably shouldn't do this, maybe there can be repercussions down the line, but I have to see what that's about”. ['Loki' - Tom Hiddleston & Owen Wilson Talk Ep 2 Twist! _ TVLine Interview]

Now this might be not the full truth because Tom might have been forced to withhold information in order not to give away the plot of future episodes but it’s worth considering it.

Undoubtedly following the other Loki is a risk. It’s clear the other is challenging him to follow… and he knows next to nothing about the other Loki so, if the TVA is bad for him, the other Loki could be worse and he might be trading a bad place for a pure hell. Who says the other Loki doesn’t work for Thanos for example?

In the TVA he has Mobius as some sort of interested ally, with the other Loki he has no one. You know, "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know". At the same time it makes sense he wants to try following the other Loki because he’s not the type to stagnate and remain there. He has to see, he has to try. Where Mobius wouldn’t risk, Loki does. I hope for him the bet will be worth it.

Last but not least it’s worth to mention in the ending theme they’ve replaced two photos of Loki with one of the Loki Variant and another with just a different image of Loki with the TVA jacket.

So anyway we’ve gotten to the end of it. I still wonder if the Loki Variant as an insider in the TVA passing her info and if she’s really a Loki or she just pretends to be. How she came to make all this big plan? Why she had looked like she wanted Loki to tail her?

We’ll see.

#loki #loki odinson #loki laufeyson #mobius m mobius #hunter b 15 #hunter c 20 #ravonna renslayer #casey #mcu loki #tom hiddleston #9 worlds study #9 worlds study mcu loki

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a-freaking-diary · 3 years

Text

25 sep 2021

Sexual fluidity, conditional relationships and gender identity

Just gonna put this for myself

Genetic research doesn't have a very strong support that sexual orientation is present when the child is born. When a child is born it's neither straight, gay or lesbian. Majority love the touch of human WHEN done with consent (which is another broad topic). Everyone is pan or bi but they are on a spectrum and that sexual preference is created in early stages of a person and also based on hormones as well and many other things and further research needs to be done.

Also there was this psychologystudy done in which brain activation was observed between same gender and opposite gender romantic partners and the conclusion was that, the same brain parts were activated as for the opposite genders so this shows that these people love each other and aren't lieing or anything else.

But then soemone would say this is against nature waghera waghers which is complete bullshit. I dont really know the evolutionary explanation for sex but I think it goes like human are genetically coded to spread their seed everywhere because survival is innate in us. This idea that birth is a must. This idea that sex is pleasurable because it is genetically coded in us to give birth and spread or dna. I mean so what if it is. Genes aren't brain, they dont think, soem express themselves soem dotn. Sex is pleasurable. Not alot of People want to have sex because they want to have children but because it is pleasurable. And also sex is alot more than penis and vagina coercion. That's a very limited view of what sex is. That's why contraceptives exist. Some people find sex pleasurable with people of same gender or opposite wavhera waghera. I mean people are freaking stupid. Also they aren't hurting anyone, they are living their lives with someone just like opposite gender cpuples and aren't causing any harm. They are just literally existing like anyone else and just simply living their lives. Being straight is a social conditioning. Idk the Islamic viewpoint of it is and I don't care. I am not a Muslim and it doesn't concern me. However, I do know that Islam is a not a monolith, it has its own multiple interpretations and ideas which is evident by the multiple groups present within the community; the main one being Shia and sunni. Thus I know and have met people that are Muslims and lesbians or gays with their own interpretation of the texts and hadith. Soo that is sowmthing as well. But the religion argument does not apply to me because I am not a Muslim and any argument created based on religion doesn't hold any value to me. Sorry not sorry ig

Heteronormativity is just a social construct created (for ig survival but we are no longer in that position anymore, we actually have overpopulation and which is the cause of poverty and stuff) and practiced for so many years by the strict Christianity values which through colonialism effected southasian (pk) countries as well. As they brought in conservative ass victorian rules here.

No society is perfect. Cultures and societies are forevermore evolving. The norms change. All the good and bad norms which in itself are subjective.

Sexuality is fluid. It changes alot more for females than guys interestingly enough. If Bring honest everyone is bi or pan. All of us are on a spectrum.

I would say ke labeling ki waja se apne ap ko insaan poore tareeke se explore nahi kar sakta. Apna human experience limit karne ki koshish kiyo kar rahe ho. Labels ko chodo aur bas logo ko deko or try maro. Ha wo alag bat hai ke becareful kiyo ke yaha par log samaj te nahi hai. Jo be karna hai wo ik mehfooz jaga aur insaan ke sath karo. Don't be in a hurry. Experience ko poora absorb karo aur analyse karo insaan aur setting ko.

Aur ooper se colonialist ke lafz istemal kar ke yaha par log cheezo ko aur be demonise karte hai e.g gay ya orgy. Ajeeb log ajeeb duniya.

Seeing homosexuality as a demonising thing is just soo stupid. Ut's just really messed up the sort of perception people here specifically have towards sex. It's such a sex negative society and yet everything is about sex. If a girl wears jeans to uni, it's about sex, if two opposite genders are talking it's about sex etc etc. It makes the people in convo also weird and awkward. There are such high rates of rape and etc etc and yet there is no talk about it. Our mind as people of this society need to to desensitise ourselves with these concepts about sexuality, sex, penis, vagina, mastirbation, casual sex, consent, sexual needs and waghera waghera. So much shame is attached to it. And this concept of khandan ki izat ghar ki ladki ke sath hai is so fucked up.

Marital rape is so mornalixaed that people dont report it to police bcuz its not rape its just between the man and the woman. Fucking jahaliat.

Also gender is performative. It doesn't exist actually and it is forever evolving. Don't mix private part (sex, chromosomes) with gender expression.

If you go by that logic na they, she, he pronouns fotn really matter. Like people call you by a specific pronoun based on how you look not what you have in your pants.

I mean people can call me whatever they want. By any pronoun. It doesn't matter to me because gender expressions are different in many places around the world and is mostly for people who speak English and for people living in English speaking countries.

It depends on you what criterias you have set for yourself in terms of what makes you a woman.

Clothes, speaking, behaviour; all of these thigns are performative which evolve with time. What make syou a full woman depends on the criteria you have set for what being a complete woman is. If it is sex organ as well ok then go ahead. But you will never be able to change your chromosomes. Gender is a performance amd nothing else (it does serve a societal structure which in alot of societies around the world is heteronirmative and patriaechal (which initself has alot of problems). The provate parts and sex organs are seperate from gender but people in alot of society and mostly in western nation and ig post colonial societies e.g here assume that they are bio-essential and it is NOT.

Khawaja sira as far as I have learned is more inclusive, it doesn't take wheather your intersex or waghera (I am not sure I will do my reader h a bit more later).

These ambiguous and queer people have existed for more than 4000 years. And such groups have existed in different societies around the world for millennium in a similar version.

These words such as queer and transgender whghera have been coined only in last century whilst they were already given names in different societies multitude years before. Waghera waghera.

Written info sourced from muhammad moiz orf ms pudina chutney orf achi insaan

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incidentreport31 · 3 years

Text

Episode One: In the Middle of the Street TRANSCRIPT

[You can listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.]

[Intro music players.]

ANNOUNCER:

Three-Eyed Frog Presents: Incident Report Number 31.

[Theme song fades to a stop.]

[click recorder on]

ARCHIVIST:

Test. Test. One, two, three. (mutters) Bloody hell, why does it smell like something died in here? Well, guess we can’t prove something didn’t, eh? The recorder seems to be working, at least.

My name is Val West. I’m the newly appointed head archivist at The [REDACTED] Institute, which documents people’s possible experiences with the supernatural for both emotional support purposes and to get recovery time off of work, school, et cetera if the trauma is deemed severe enough by their employers or other supervisory staff.[beat as they scoff] Supernatural doctor’s note, innit...

The Head of the Institute, Mr. Neil Banks, has asked me to record these accounts because, well, there actually isn’t really a good reason. [mutters] Didn’t spend eight years getting a masters in library sciences to read stories into a dusty tape recorder, but, we all have to get by.

I do, at least, have people to assist me: two researchers: Zach Zamuel-Imogen Baker, and Christine Lewis, along with, I’m told, a very well-respected psychologist: one [hesitant] Dr. Oliver Possum, who will be advising me on any cases where there is necessary psychological follow up. I haven’t actually met any of them yet, but hopefully they will be helpful.

I was also explicitly told not to look behind the bookshelf to my left, so I will be looking behind the bookshelf later today...right. Guess I should get started, then.

[Sound of papers tapped on desk to organize them]

ARCHIVIST:

[They clear their throat.] For the consideration of Ortolan Bunting Law Firm: Ayla Stephenson’s encounter with a house that did not exist and her subsequent request for thirty hours of paid time off. No date given. Fine by me. Not gonna lose sleep over improperly filled out paperwork. Well. Start? I suppose? Yes.

[ACCOUNT.]

I feel the need to start with this, so you fully understand what I’m trying to say. I have a feeling you’ll just dismiss my story otherwise. I’ve lived here going on ten years now. Moved here on the promise of a job from the same company that I still work for today: Ortolan Bunting Law Firm. I drive the same route to work every day. I mean, I looked up the quickest way on the map when I first moved to town, and hey, who am I to question that? If it works it works. No need to make something difficult when the map’ll just figure it for you that first day, right?

I guess I’m getting a bit off topic here, but my point is that I’ve been going the same way for a decade, which is to say that I know the route to and from work like the back of my hand. Sure, maybe I don’t pay attention to every detail every day, I mean after ten years, the drive is almost an unconscious thing-

ARCHIVIST:

(mutters) Not a great way to build up your story’s credibility but, I digress.

[ACCOUNT.]

-but I still know all the road’s quirks, even if they don’t stick out to me after all this time. I know that the first left turn light on the way lasts for about two seconds and if you’re more than two cars behind in line, you’ll have to wait a whole cycle to go. I know there’s a business center that, god knows why, has their logo done in comic sans just off to the right before I merge onto the highway. Once I’m on that freeway for about fifteen minutes, I can see this drive through coffee place on one of the adjacent streets. Every single morning the line’s backed up out to the street- you’d think there’d be a better way to do that, but that’s more of a personal gripe and certainly not the point. On my way back from work, I take a few side streets to avoid rush hour traffic on the main road- just the way the map recommended on my first day, of course, I’m not looking to get lost in the backroads. There’s a few old houses, sometimes I see elderly couples sitting out on their porches. Sometimes they wave and I do have the decency to wave back, though some of my colleagues might not believe you… I’m afraid I’ve been a bit put off by this whole experience and have been taking it out on some of my coworkers. All the more reason to give me the [THE ARCHIVIST sighs this last part out as they are once again pulled out of the story] time off that I so kindly requested.

ARCHIVIST:

That last line is crossed out. It appears that Ms. Stephenson was reluctant for her Firm to read that bit if this ever got back around to them. To be honest, the way that this is going, I’m not so sure that plea would have done anything for her, but I am, of course, to remain the impartial academic in my work here, so I suppose I’ll allow the defacing of Institute paperwork just this once, even if the scribbles are rather unprofessional.

[ACCOUNT.]

There're a few empty lots there too. I think at one point, the city wanted to buy them up and make a park, but I don’t think they ever got around to it. Really don’t think they will now. I’m getting ahead of myself. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’ve been going the same way day in and day out for ten years… I’d notice if something was different.

ARCHIVIST:

I’m assuming… that is the point of this report yes? [beat] Continuing on.

[ACCOUNT.]

Nothing that day was really any different, I’d say. Just drove to work, hit all the usual landmarks: waiting to turn at the light, glancing at the comic sans sign, thinking that that coffee shop is definitely obstructing traffic, the usual. Went to work, got through the day with… minor amounts of stress… I mean it’s legal work, it isn’t fun, but somebody’s gotta do it. Got off right at five, gathered up my things and left. I took my usual streets, not really minding anything, but I noticed no one was out on the porches. That’s not unusual, I know, people can be inconsistent, it’s not a big deal, but looking back? Maybe they knew something was off… I mean if I’d lived in that neighborhood I certainly would have.

[Eerie music begins playing.]

I always drive with the radio on, can’t stand being alone with my thoughts on a busy street where road rage can make its way into my thoughts. Guess I should’ve mentioned that earlier, huh? Either way it seems important that I say it’s part of my daily life. I do it every day, and I’ve never had a problem with reception in that area, so when the sound started to glitch out, I thought something was wrong with my car. It was frustrating, sure, but not a big deal, even if I don’t necessarily enjoy the sound of static more than the average person.

I went through the usual useless attempts to fix it, of course. Smacked it a few times, turned it off and on again, but nothing changed. In the end, I just turned it off as I kept driving. Figured my own thoughts were better than the white noise that faded in and out of my speaker at an unpredictable volume. Things were fine for a few minutes. I’d almost gotten to the end of the street when I realized something wasn’t quite right.

At first, I thought maybe the light was just reflecting into my eyes weird. Maybe I’d just seen something out of the corner of my eye that there was a fine explanation for. Because… I knew this road. And there had never been a house there before. I was sure of it. A whole house isn’t something that could go up in a night, but you know that, you aren’t an idiot.

[Record scratch, cutting the music off.]

ARCHIVIST:

[pretentious bastard] I’d certainly like to think so, yes.

[ACCOUNT.]

But there it was. It wasn’t right next to the other houses, a few lots down the road instead. Other than my knowledge that it wasn’t there before, though, it could have blended into the neighborhood without anyone noticing.All things considered, it was a pretty nice house. Sure, it was done up in that fancy Victorian style and therefore inherently a little unnerving, you know how those old places just seem a little haunted even if they’re perfectly put together?

Still, beyond that, it was fine. Not broken down in that sort of creepy ghost way that you see in movies, or anything. The paint was pretty well done, only a little aged from the sun, and all the wood on the wrap-around porch was together. I mean if I was building a murder house, I would’ve splintered the boards and peeled up the exterior wall a bit, something along those lines, you know? It looked like someone could have been living out of it. Totally normal.

I know what you’re thinking, that I got out and had a look, but I can’t say I did. As the sun was going down? While I was all of a sudden unsure of my own thoughts? Really? No way in hell. I’m not an idiot either. So I kept driving. As I passed by, I got this strange feeling… like I wasn’t alone on the street. I don’t know if I imagined it or not, but with how much I was already questioning what I knew, I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer, and I sped away, not wanting to stick around any longer than I had to. Now, when I got home, I went through stages of denial before realizing that, hey, it wasn’t my damn neighborhood, and therefore not actually a problem that I would have to deal with.

At least until I was driving back from work the next afternoon. Funny how that works… your problems don’t just disappear because you’ve chosen to ignore them. Although ignore is a strong word considering I spent all day at work worrying about whether or not I should trust myself and whether or not I would see the house again when I drove home… I could’ve gone another route, of course. Could’ve gone even one street over and left it at that.

But that isn’t how it works, is it? I was so unsure of my own thoughts that I’d rather put myself in a situation that seemed potentially harmful than not know if I was wrong or not. [beat] So I went down the same route, just like I’d been conditioned to for the last decade. Once again, the couples were inside. They had to know something was wrong, I mean I was able to realize the house shouldn’t have been there and I didn’t even live in the neighborhood. I slowed my car to a snail’s pace as I inspected all about the street that I could. Not really sure what I was looking for if I’m being honest, but when I got to the house, I’d convinced myself that, yes, in fact, it was as real as the rest of the places on the block.

I don’t think it was really a conscious decision when I stopped the car. I’d just been going so slow already and… well I’d reached my target, hadn’t I? I sat and gazed over the house for a few moments. Looking over the perfect condition it seemed to be in, to no avail. It seemed to be perfectly normal. Maybe… Maybe I was really just in my head about all of this. Was it really that hard to believe? I should’ve just left, stopped staring at this place. Sitting there wasn’t going to change the fact that it was there, whether or not I could really trust my mind.

But… then I saw the curtains in the front window move. I snapped my gaze over to where I’d seen the motion and there was a little boy staring at me through the glass. He looked off to something behind the curtain before looking back over and waving, grinning a gap toothed smile at me. I... Well I wasn’t quite sure what to do with that so… I waved back. What else was I supposed to do? In an instance, I became convinced that I’d really just made the whole thing up. If there really was someone inside and nothing untoward seemed to be going on, the kid had seemed perfectly happy after all, then it had to be a real house. And really, if it had been some big spooky master plan, then why would he have acknowledged me? I’ve been to the movie theatre. I know children in horror flicks can be creepy, but just straight up waving at me like I was just another neighbor and nothing was going on? Didn’t exactly set up the sinister mood that I figured would have come from the place.

And then a hand shot out and. The kid recoiled as it shut, looking disappointed that he’d been caught doing something it was evident he wasn't supposed to. And I snapped back into trusting myself and sticking with my gut. I didn’t like the look of that. At all. Unfortunately, my whole life, I’ve generally been prone to the third fear response rather than either of the useful ones: I freeze. This time was no different. I couldn’t bring myself to drive away.

[In the background, eerie music begins playing.]

I sat there in dead silence for what felt like hours with a vague feeling of unease hanging in the air when the door opened. A man stepped out, wearing this fine tailored suit that I’d seen clients wealthier than I would ever be wear into my office and carried himself with the confidence of a person that knows no one is going to cross them. Despite all that, his face was soft. Approachable. Kind, even. Seemed like the kind of guy that knew he had money, but was willing to help you if you’d just say thank you afterwards.

As he approached my car he called out to me: “Hello there!”

Nice and friendly. Even with the strangeness of a few moments ago and my lingering unease, I could hardly bring myself to believe that this man would do anything to me. Sure, I was still stuck to my seat in fear, but he seemed perfectly safe. Maybe that’s just what it’s like to be charismatic though, looking back. I wasn’t sure what to do at that point, but my pre-programmed social response got the better of me and I rolled down my window to meet him.

“Hi.” I said. Just a simple greeting until I could really figure out what was happening.

He put one hand on the top of my car and leaned down to meet my eyes. As he spoke, his smile never faded: “So… I take it… you can see this place?”

Well, I was so taken aback I wasn’t really sure what to say, so I just nodded. And the next thing he said, well… threw me a bit off. He stood up, brushed off his pants calmly, turned back to the house, began walking, and he just said-

[Record scratch, cutting the music off.]

ARCHIVIST:

Now there’s a profanity here that I will not repeat, but it seems Ayla’s statement finishes there.

[The Archivist sighs and shuffles their papers.]

ARCHIVIST:

There’s not much followup to be done here. Ayla gave us a street address, but didn’t actually tell us which house it was. [mutters] Perhaps she’s more of an idiot than she claims to be.

Regardless, upon investigating the street, nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary, though none of our staff were familiar enough with the area to tell which houses should and shouldn’t be there. In my personal opinion, this is a mere case of a poor attention span. I can’t blame Ayla, I suppose, but was it really worth coming here and telling a whole dramatic story over it?

[scoff] There are some other areas of this statement that leave room for questioning and research, such as the radio static and the house’s residents. For now, however, I will be filing this one under “Irrelevant” in my mind. End recording.

[Recorder clicks on.]

[Recorder clicks back on.]

[There’s footsteps as HR walks down the hall. They knock on the Archivist’s office door. Meanwhile, the Archivist can be heard moving something.]

HR:

[muffled] Uh, hello? I’ve got something for the Archivist.

ARCHIVIST:

Oh, uh, yes, of course. Just let me— [They curse as they are heard tripping over piles of statements.]

[A pause.]

HR:

...should I come back at a later time, or—?

[The door suddenly swings open.]

ARCHIVIST:

Right. Blimey. Sorry about that, mate. What’s all this, then?

HR:

Er, are you the head archivist?

ARCHIVIST:

That depends, who’s asking?

HR:

Your HR. I’m also an intern under Mr. Banks, which brings about a whole array of other useless titles, but for your purposes, I’m just HR. My name is Luca.

ARCHIVIST:

Oh! Lovely. Mr. Banks told me I’d be seeing you. Um, pleasure to meet you.

HR:

Thanks, you—wait, wh—?

ARCHIVIST:

[trying to change the subject] Say, why are you here, Luca? Any plans for after your internship? I mean, surely, you have a field of study, a career plan?

HR:

[slowly, growing increasingly confused] Oh, um, yeah. I, um—well, I started here—um, yeah, after my internship, I. Uh.

ARCHIVIST:

It’s alright if you don’t have a plan, y��know. Took me a while to figure all my stuff out, and, well, I got out alive, didn’t I?

HR:

No, it’s just—I know I have something, I just. Um. [desperately trying to change the subject] What are you doing in there, exactly?

ARCHIVIST:

[beat] Oh, just some housekeeping.

HR:

...and that required you to move an entire bookshelf?

[A long pause.]

ARCHIVIST:

Listen, I know what this looks like.

HR:

Doesn’t he have a weird thing about that?

ARCHIVIST:

[passionate] Which is exactly why I did it! I mean, they’re not the heaviest bookshelves in the world, so it’s certainly not a matter of safety.

HR:

[mutters] As if Mr. Banks has ever valued the life and safety of his employees.

[Both are heard walking back into the office towards where the bookshelf was.]

ARCHIVIST:

[cont.] Which means there must have been something weird about the bookshelf—and I was right. See, look, there’s like a weird...hole. Thing.

HR:

...I’m guessing that’s why Mr. Banks made me bring you a shovel?

ARCHIVIST:

Hm? Oh, right, the shovel. Kind of forgot I had asked for that.

HR:

How did you not notice I was carrying it when I came here?

ARCHIVIST:

You see, within the hole, there’s this big mound of dirt, and I have reason to believe that there’s something hidden beneath.

HR:

[They sniff, then, disgusted] Oh god, why does it smell like something died in there?

ARCHIVIST:

That’s what I’m trying to find out.

HR:

Look, can’t you just...I don’t know, leave it? Like, just put the bookshelf back, spray some air freshener, and then be done with it? I really don’t want to have to write this up.

ARCHIVIST:

You expect me to work under these conditions? Having a mysterious hole in my wall with no idea what’s lurking within?

HR:

Look, I just think this is a really stupid idea. If Mr. Banks finds out—

ARCHIVIST:

He’s not going to! You— [they huff a sigh.] Would you just hand me my shovel? I’m going in!

HR:

Whatever you say.

[HR hands the Archivist the shovel.]

ARCHIVIST:

Thank you.

[They are heard shoveling for some time, before the Archivist finally seems to hit something.]

HR:

Is...is that…?

ARCHIVIST:

My god.

HR:

That’s a dead body.

ARCHIVIST:

Appears to be. [beat.] Do you know who it is?

HR:

I mean, they’re sort of hard to recognize now.

ARCHIVIST:

Perhaps the previous archivist?

HR:

I dunno, I never knew them.

[A long pause.]

ARCHIVIST:

Right, then. Back to work. Mind helping me move this bookshelf?

HR:

(under their breath) God, I’m gonna have to write this up, aren’t I?

[Recorder clicks off.]

[Theme music plays.]

[CREDITS.]

Incident Report Number 31 is a podcast made by Three-Eyed Frog Presents. This episode, “In the Middle of the Street,” was written, directed, and produced by Val West and Luka Miller with sound design by Luka Miller. This episode featured Val West as the Archivist and Luka Miller as HR. Music is produced by Luka Miller. To keep up with the show and find transcripts, make sure to follow us on our Twitter at @IR31Pod and on tumblr at @IncidentReport31. To contact us with any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at [email protected]. Thanks so much for listening!

#ir31pod transcripts

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renaerys · 4 years

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20. “Have you slept?” (Brick/Blossom)

February Fic Prompt #20 originally requested by the lovely philosophicwax.

Summary: It's finals week at college, and Brick has hardly slept in two days while studying. A weird monster attacks because of course it does, and he has to team up with Blossom to bring it down while all he really wants to do is take a nap.

xxx

The great thing about college was that Brick was on his own, living his life, nine months out of the year completely on his terms. No brothers nagging him for shit, no cleaning up after anyone but himself, and no disruptions during study time. His life, his rules, quiet and tranquil.

Except for the giant, sentient hairball currently terrorizing north campus that some poor asshole (Brick) would have to deal with.

Because the worst thing about college was that he was on his own, living his life, nine months out of the year without his brothers around to follow his lead without question.

“Evacuate to Prospect Avenue!” Blossom’s clear, commanding voice rang out over the shouts and screams of fleeing students.

Which, cool. Drunk, sleep-deprived twenty-year-olds in their pajamas at three in the morning were totally going to listen to the imperious Super flying above them in her pink camisole and Ivy University logo sweatpants.

Spoiler: they didn’t, and Brick was forced to abandon his warm, solitary room and his physics textbook in only a pair of old basketball shorts and his favorite red T-shirt in favor of saving a hysterical Freshman from split ends that would have literally split her end to end.

Crimson afterglow marked Brick’s path and singed the sentient tresses that crawled like tentacles after the panicking Freshman. Pudgy and cute and in the throes of a panic attack, she clung to Brick’s shirt even after he set her down a safe distance from the monstrous hairball.

“Please don’t leave me!” she sobbed.

Brick pushed her off him. “Get a grip, you’re not dead.”

She reached for him again, frightened and unable to defend herself against the supernatural monster and yes, okay, logically he knew it wasn’t her fault but fuuuuuuuuck what a pain in the ass this was.

He sidestepped her and she stumbled, almost falling, until he caught her by the elbow so she wouldn’t break her nose on the concrete. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

“Please,” she sobbed, genuinely frightened.

Brick winced. “Just get to Prospect Avenue. It’s that way.”

And with that, he left her to follow the screams of her fellow fleeing students because she was not his problem. If Blossom had already decided on a proper evacuation plan, then that meant less work for him. Lord knew he was too tired for this shit running on three hours of sleep in the last 50 hours courtesy of two finals in as many days back to back. He had four left. He did not have time for whatever the hell was going on tonight.

Crack!

Blossom crash-landed in the green not four feet from where Brick stood. Her sweatpants were streaked in grass stains and her mane of wild, red hair was swept up in a very messy bun.

“Brick,” she said, a bit breathless, a bit pissed off.

“Blossom,” he returned.

Their passive-aggressive greeting was cut short when a lash of prehensile hair came slamming down on top of them. They bolted in opposite directions, nothing but pink and red vapor, and reconvened high up in the air. Brick got an eyeful of the creature steamrolling through campus and wondered why, even so far from Townsville, he still had to deal with this weird crap.

Talk about a bad hair day, Boomer would have said if he was here. He wasn’t, and Brick just scowled.

“It’s growing,” Blossom said grimly.

Son of a bitch, she was right. The thing was sprouting more arms to help it crawl overland and tangling around the gothic architecture like the ivy this elite college was named for. It slithered through windows and drain pipes, as though searching for life hiding inside.

“Cool,” Brick said.

He was so tired.

“Can you try—”

“Not unless you want me to burn down all of Balin Hall in the process,” he interrupted her, already knowing what she’d ask. Ignoring her frown he said, “What about your—”

“Same problem, opposite outcome. These old buildings will crumble if I freeze them,” she said.

Brick matched her frown. “Fine. Then we split up.”

She looked at him far too gravely for three in the goddamn morning. “That’s not a plan.”

“It’s the best you’re getting from me right now, so stop complaining.”

That earned him a scathing glare. “Brick—”

But she didn’t get her chance to chastise him because a massive hair tentacle shot toward them with deadly accuracy and exploded into nine smaller tentacles when it was upon them. Brick darted away from the mutant tresses, but he wasn’t quick enough. Thick, black hair wrapped around his ankle and yanked him down hard enough to send his jaw rattling.

The stone shingles of a Sophomore dorm building came rushing close. He twisted, tried to get away before impact, but the thing was fast and strong and those shingles couldn’t break him but hell if they didn’t hurt on impact. Brick grunted as he gasped for breath. His back roared with pain, but the Chemical X bonded to his bones was quick to mitigate the damage, leaving him breathless with the brief, phantom memory of it. He gathered scarlet energy in his palms and blasted the hair tentacle shackling him, but the damn thing only quivered like water wherever his energy blasts hit it.

He felt it before he saw it, a cold so unnatural it grabbed him like a vice and squeezed until he nearly choked. Ice crystals bloomed upon the hair, slowing and freezing it until it lost all sentience and cracked like dry pasta under Brick’s immense strength. He blasted out of there and pulled up alongside his savior.

“You said you weren’t going to use your ice breath,” he snapped.

“Thanks for your help, Blossom, I really appreciate it,” she said, flying alongside him in a swoop back around toward north campus.

Brick rolled his eyes and immediately regretted it. Exhausted and severely sleep-deprived, he briefly saw double and faltered. A warm hand steadied his arm.

“Hey, are you okay?” Her voice lacked the smarmy edge this time and she looked at him with a measure of concern.

Brick was about to tell her to focus on the monster instead of him, but he didn’t get the chance when more hair lashes shot after them with the persistence and speed of homing missiles. Brick grabbed Blossom and flew, but he didn’t make it ten feet with her in his arms before a mass of writhing hair surrounded them and constricted.

Blossom gasped for air as she tried in vain to extricate herself, but between Brick’s ironclad hold around her and the hair shackling them together, neither of them could move. The hair squeezed tighter, and Brick gagged.

“B-Brick,” she said, her voice raspy against his neck. Her hands were flat against his chest and they were pressed so tightly together that he could hear his own heartbeat thundering under her fingertips. Even now, he could feel her trembling as they slowly, painfully suffocated.

And now he was good and furious.

Acrid, black smoke swirled in his lungs, hot and building. As little as he could move, he fisted the back of Blossom’s camisole in a silent plea. But three months and change here without either of their siblings around gave them ample time to learn each other free of distraction, and words were hardly necessary anymore. She ducked her head against his shoulder as close as she could get, and he turned his head as far from hers as he could manage before opening his mouth and releasing a concentrated inferno upon the hair binding them.

The effects were instantaneous. The fire gorged on the evil strands with abandon and drew a chilling scream from deep within them. Soon Brick and Blossom were suffocating from the smoke and heat rather than constriction. But it lasted only a moment; the second he felt the pressure around them slacken, he took off as fast as he could before the fire could consume them too.

So much for not burning down north campus, he thought, resigned.

Blossom coughed against him, and he realized he was still holding on to her. Rose met red as she looked up at him. “Thank you,” she said.

He as so tired that all he could do was stare at her for a minute. He was pretty sure she’d never looked at him like that before, without a trace of suspicion or superiority, genuinely happy to have him there.

The hair shrieked again, and both of them looked down on the burning mass below. Except, it wasn’t burning much anymore. The hairball somehow managed to sever the huge chunk lost to Brick’s fire and save itself from burning up entirely. The melted mass stank and smoked and made Brick’s bloodshot eyes water as he watched it turn to ash in mere seconds. Unfortunately, the rest of the hair that had escaped the conflagration was resilient and began to gather and engorge as it angled for Brick and Blossom, like it knew they were a threat it needed to eliminate.

“That hair is psychotic,” Blossom said with such gravitas that under different circumstances, he probably would have laughed at the lunacy of it all.

“Yeah,” he said. There wasn’t much else to say.

She’d pulled away as they hovered, sharp eyes narrowed in thought. Brick, head buzzing with adrenaline keeping him excruciatingly awake, also racked his brain for something that might help him. It came to him like lightning, and Blossom glanced at him in the same moment with the same conclusion.

“What if we led it—” she began.

“—to Tower Lake?” he finished.

She smirked. “Genius.”

“Efficient,” he agreed, managing a tired but determined grin of his own.

The great thing about college was that Brick was on his own, living his life, nine months out of the year with the only person on the planet who was sharp enough to understand him and his thought processes without the added annoyance of explanation.

She took off in a burst of pink, and he flew in the opposite direction, knowing he could trust her to move and adapt with him without the extra guidance their siblings often required.

Her laser eye beams drew the hair monster’s attention eastward, and it roiled like a thundercloud as it scrambled up the side of Balin Hall and launched into the air after her. But Brick was there and ready to blast it with his own laser eye beams, enabling Blossom to slip away from the grabby tentacles. Something within the tangled mass roared, animalistic, and soon it was tearing after him.

Just as it was about to grab him, there was Blossom with a burst of icy wind. They tag teamed the monster, leading it ever closer to the lake where the rowing team practiced, remote and clear of students at this hour. Enraged, the hairball clambered after them, determined to swat them out of the sky until they rebuffed it with fire or ice, only to draw it in again with their lasers.

The giant hairball was not smart, to the surprise of absolutely no one, and when it reached the shore it went tumbling into the dark water, unable to slow its momentum. Screeching, the mass writhed and tried to backtrack to save itself, but the water sapped it of its supernatural strength and the tentacles fell limp and lifeless the wetter they got, until it was nothing but a normal, extremely disgusting hairball.

Brick and Blossom stood an arm’s length apart on the shore watching the mass slowly sink to the bottom. It was an oddly hypnotic sight, and he couldn’t look away even as his eyes began to droop.

“Well. We’re going to need a lot of Draino to clear this out,” Blossom quipped.

Brick, half aware of his bare toes sinking into the damp soft sand, laughed at that one. And then he fell.

“Brick!” she shouted, far away.

He blacked out for all of three seconds, just long enough for her to grab him before he could lose what was left of his dignity by falling flat on his ass. Sluggish, he was slow to react to her looping his arm over her shoulders so she could bear his weight and fly them back toward campus.

“Have you slept?” she demanded in that snobbish way she had.

“Think I just did,” he said, barely able to stay awake despite the ignominy of being half carried like an invalid. That thought ignited something in him and he jerked, making them swerve.

“Watch it! Oh, for heaven’s sake.”

He rubbed his stinging eyes and didn’t really fight her as she led him back through the window to his single dorm room. Luckily, the hair monster hadn’t infiltrated his building, so his room was in the same state as he’d left it.

She let go of him and he landed on his twin bed against the wall. And then he realized what had just happened.

“What the fuck, Blossom?” he growled and staggered to his feet.

He didn’t take even a step from his bed before she pushed him back down with her strength.

“Have you slept?” she asked him again, but it came out sounding more like a threat this time.

“I’m vaguely familiar with the concept,” he snapped and tried to get up again.

She pushed him down again and pressed her hands down on his shoulder so he couldn’t get up again. Red eyes glared up at her, seething, but she matched his venom with her own, and the sight made him falter.

“They say sarcasm is the lowest form of humor. You need to sleep.”

“I need to study.”

Her hands squeezed his shoulders, and her expression softened. “Is that why you’re so tired?”

“No, I’m always tired after dealing with you.” Absurd, every minute of this. He couldn’t even stand up with her weighing him down and blocking him.

Her hands sparked with her power, pissed off at him as usual. Brick wasn’t one to believe in fate or some higher plan, but it was times like this that he seriously suspected the universe was fucking with him by giving him a literal perfect match with the most annoying personality he had ever encountered.

He sighed and rested his weight on his hands on the bed. The power she channeled to her fingers had a lovely, soporific effect as it danced over his neck and shoulders, though he would never, ever admit this to her. “What are you even doing here?”

Her fingers clenched and slackened, like she couldn’t decide, and he bit his lip to stifle a groan. God, that felt good.

“Rest,” she said, much closer than she’d been before.

Her tempting fingers moved from his shoulders along his neck and threaded through his short, red hair. Her nails were clipped but not so short that he couldn’t feel them scrape pleasantly along his scalp.

Sleep-deprived going on his third all-nighter and utterly drained after the adrenaline burst of having to fight a monster tonight in the midst of finals season, Brick finally gave up and leaned into her touch with a needy sigh.

“Blossom,” he mumbled. She smelled faintly of smoke and of him, and the heady scent made him smile to himself. His hand found the hem of her camisole and clenched it gently, a silent, delirious plea to bring her closer.

So smoothly he barely even realized it was happening, she laid him down on the bed, her hands heavy on his chest as if to push him down deep enough for the covers to swallow him whole. Her hair fell around his face, slipped free from its precarious bun, and he breathed her in.

“Rest now,” she whispered, those magical hands still dowsing him in her cool, calming power like waves over his skin.

Unable to resist her, he finally nodded off into a deep, dreamless slumber and didn’t wake again for another twelve hours.

The worst thing about college was that he was on his own, living his life, nine months out of the year with the one girl he could never seem to escape, and whom he’d never managed to keep.

xxx

Blossom gently played with his hair as he lulled to sleep at last, the last vestiges of his controlled resistance finally spent. His fingers remained curled around the hem of her shirt, warm against her waist. Sitting next to him on his bed, she watched his face slacken, at peace as his breathing evened out.

“Why are you so stubborn?” she murmured, running her fingers over his freckled cheek.

He had the determination and purpose of an avalanche, inevitable and absolutely crushing. It had given him the power to catch up to her in school as kids, to challenge her at every turn like no one else could, and to motivate her to try harder, to be better, to give him a challenge worth rising to. She couldn’t say when her feelings had changed. There was not a day, or a moment, or even a sudden epiphany that revealed her deep and tranquil affection for him.

It was as gradual as the changing tides, deep waters hiding truths that had always been there, quietly waiting. She’d been accepted Early Admission to Ivy University, the culmination of her high school efforts, and he wasn’t even sold on college when they went their separate ways for the holiday break. And then, in passing, he mentioned the pre-Frosh weekend in April for new admits; he’d be going, and could he borrow her notes for missed classes since she probably wasn’t?

She couldn’t pinpoint when or how, but maybe that was why. As much as he preferred to remain ineffable and unknowable, he had failed with her. Rather spectacularly, though she would never expose him like that. Not until he was ready.

Carefully so as not to disturb him, Blossom leaned close and kissed his forehead. Ice crystals melted upon his skin, and his fingers unconsciously closed tighter around her shirt.

Stupid, stubborn boy.

But there was time.

The best thing about college was that she was on her own, living her life, nine months out of the year with the boy she’d never been able to leave behind, and never would.

#Blossick #Reds #Blossom #Brick #Powerpuff Girls #PPG #Powerpuff Girls fanfiction #PPG fic #February Fic Prompts #repost

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ramblefang · 4 years

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The End

When I watched the ending of Homestuck for the first time a couple of months ago, I was surprised that the fight with Lord English was left unresolved. My thoughts had quickly went to wondering how people would have felt about it back when the ending was released. I imagined that some people may have been a bit annoyed by it. I didn’t put too much thought into how I felt about it since I had the epilogues to jump right into (which are their whole can of worms that I’ve written a bit about before). I’ve since had the past couple of months to really digest the ending, thinking about why Lord English was left undefeated, what meaning that could have.

Spite

What I first thought of was something that could explain the ending in-universe. (Relatively speaking, considering how meta Homestuck gets.) Hussie could have left that fight unresolved out of spite towards Caliborn/Lord English. And by “Hussie” I mean the in-universe author-insert. Lord English killed him after all.

How does that work as revenge against Lord English? Well, to me, it always felt like Caliborn was trying to force himself into relevance in the story. His little Act Act Acts that hijacked the narrative only ever had the barest connections and relevance to everything else. He really wanted to be the center of attention. Having the fight with Lord English as the climactic final battle of the story is pretty much what Caliborn wanted. So of course Hussie would deny him that honor.

Irrelevance

From noticing how it felt like Caliborn was forcing himself into the story, it occurred to me how irrelevant he felt in the grand scheme of things. He didn’t really fit into any of the kids’ journeys. Dave even expresses that feeling himself to Grimbark!Jade: there’s that prophecy about how he would be the one to land the killing blow to Lord English, but it just doesn’t feel personally important to him.

Caliborn does attempt to retroactively show how the story had been influenced the whole time with the whole Lil’ Cal juju business, but even that felt cheap to me. Everything that Caliborn supposedly influenced through Lil’ Cal had perfectly plausible explanations already. Gamzee stopped eating the sopor slime that was chilling him out, and we had been given enough information about Highbloods and the subjugglators to understand that this sort of thing is what was expected of him. Lil’ Cal’s influence supposedly explained Bro being an abusive guardian, but Bro’s behavior wasn’t too far off from Dirk’s, and, if I understand things correctly, Lil’ Cal was an “empty” juju when Dirk had it, free from Caliborn’s influence.

Moving away from Caliborn a bit, it would be simpler to just think about what really did matter in the story. To me, the main goal was always to complete the game and create a new universe. All of the villains that were properly defeated in [S] Collide stood against that goal. Lord English never cared about that new universe: only destroying the ones that already existed. He was intent on destroying the Medium. And that really didn’t matter when everyone would just be safe from him by making that new universe. It’s why the game’s completion was the main focus of Act 7: it’s what really mattered. Lord English being left undefeated was, in a way, an expression of how he never really mattered.

Symbols

Now I want to get a bit more metaphorical and talk about what Lord English represented.

First, I suppose we can start with Caliborn being the “Lord of Time.” What does that mean? Well, as I had put in a list before, I understand the aspect of “Time” to mean the aspect of “Death,” in much the same way Heart means Soul or Light means Fortune. One of Dave’s major struggles is with his own mortality (especially when Terezi tests him with a coin flip). Aradia is dead for much of the time we know her, and she’s also able to control the spirits of the dead. The Handmaid is a servant to Lord English as a sort of grim reaper. And while we know little about Damara, one of the main things we learn about her is that she killed some of the members of their group.

And the Lord of Time threatens the death of everything, of all universes. The Medium itself. But have you ever thought about what the “Medium” really is? It’s the storytelling medium. It’s the very means through which the story is told. For the world of Homestuck, it is the metaphysical paradox space that everything can happen in. Without the Medium, nothing can happen. The story cannot be told. The story ends. Lord English represents The End of the story.

So if Lord English represents The End, what does it mean to defeat him? It means the Medium is saved and the story can continue. And without an end, the story would continue indefinitely. But end the story must, so it simply ends partially, leaving that particular part of The End unresolved and not quite finished.

Glitch

On multiple occasions it is mentioned that Lord English is an indestructible demon. On one such occasion, Aranea explains that it would take a “glitch” to defeat him, a bending of the rules.

We’re also introduced to the “weapon,” which sports the appearance of the Sburb logo. We know that it gave John his retcon powers, the power to change the story itself. From that, we can imagine how it could cause some sort of “glitch.”

But the “weapon” doesn’t only take the form of the Sburb logo. The Sburb logo represents Homestuck as a whole: not only the original story, but everything that comes out of it, from semi-canon stuff that extends the franchise to—most significantly to my point—the fan community, the fandom. This isn’t too crazy to think because of how closely tied the fans of Homestuck are to the story, down to the way the story is presented: things move forward through “commands” that supposedly come from the audience. Also, if I understand correctly, readers literally suggested those commands at some point. (or maybe that was just for earlier MSPA stories.)

Essentially, the “weapon” is a portal to everything that exists outside of “canon”. It’s a portal to fanfiction. This is the nature of the “glitch” that can defeat Lord English. The rules of the canon story say that he cannot be defeated, that he’s indestructible. But fan authors need not abide by the rules of canon. A fan can defeat Lord English however they please.

And what a playground fans were given to finish the fight! The ghosts of AU versions of all the characters, and even the ghosts of OCs. You can have anyone you want become part of the final battle to defeat Lord English. At the head of it all is Vriska: someone that any fan is bound to have some sort of opinion on. She’s someone perfect to springboard the action from. Then there’s the Beta kids who were supposedly sealed in the “weapon,” including Dave, the one prophesied to defeat Lord English.

Lord English being undefeated in canon did strike me as a challenge to fans to complete the story themselves, but this may have been the intent from the very beginning. He was never going to be defeated in the story because there isn’t really any way to “glitch” things and bend the rules. Anything that happens in the story just become part of the rules.

Lastly, I suppose I’ll address his defeat in the epilogues. It’s technically still outside of “canon;” despite the assertions of the Meat epilogue being “more canon”, the epilogues are still only sort-of canon at best. But I think this semi-canon nature is part of why Lord English’s defeat in the epilogues was so dreary. Really, the epilogues as a whole were dark and dreary, and maybe one could say that that was how they “changed the rules” to be able to defeat Lord English. But it was also a declaration that if you wanted a happy ending, you’d have to write it yourself. I like to think that the inside of the “weapon” in the epilogues was an empty void because it was disconnected from the influence of the larger community of fans: meek and empty compared to what fans would have done with it.

#homestuck #homestuck epilogue #lord english

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spoooky-bee · 4 years

Note

ACCEPTING ANXIETY, Part 1/2: Excepting Anxiety!

[Thomas]: Uh, hey…uh- this is Thomas, and, uh--this is usually where I start off, uh- by saying something quick and witty to begin the video. Yeah.

*logo*

[Thomas]: So yeah! Another video. This is awesome! Oh wait, actually, I usually start off this video by saying “What is up, everybody!” But you know, I don’t actually hear your responses. And, strangely enough, I’m not concerned about consistency today. You know what I wanna talk about? Eatin’ food. Or you know what, actually? Maybe about that TV show I just watched. Or maybe I should just watch another TV show and eat some food. That’s it. Alright, until next time. Take it easy, guys, gals, and non-binary pals--

[Logan]: Uh, if I may… I’m going to step in for a second.

[Thomas]: Ahh, Logan’s here, so I probably did something wrong.

[Logan]: What? No. You just seem to be a little… uncharacteristically… careless.

[Thomas]: Hm. I hadn’t cared to notice. Ah- pfft, that’s it, there it is, that’s what you were saying.

[Logan]: Yes… I mean you tend to start the video with at least some sort of direction before the inevitable internal conflict.

[Thomas]: They do usually follow that story arc. But, maybe, that’s a good thing. You know, like, changing it up.

[Logan]: No. I mean… maybe. I don’t know, you’re confusing me. I think I have a vocab word for this. Uh. You good, fahm?

[Thomas]: Wow. That was bad, but like, you’re a really good try-er, Logan. You’re really good.

[Logan]: Thanks.

[Thomas]: ...If anybody, like, texted me… ooh!

[Logan]: Thomas, you didn’t answer the question.

[Thomas]: Your question about whether or not I’m good, fam?

[Logan]: That’s the one.

[Thomas]: You’d probably know if something is up because you usually provide, you know, the explanatory exposition in my videos because all the other characters are too zany or relatable.

[Logan]: Okay, I’m at a loss here. Should we check on the others?

[Thomas]: If you want.

[Logan]: I do. I do want… that. Are you going to-

[Thomas]: Morality! Creativity!

[Roman]: Wow. Rude.

[Patton]: You too cool to call us by our names, kiddo?

[Thomas]: Nah. That was just the easiest way to, you know, quickly establish what you guys generally represent, in case there are any new viewers watching.

[Logan]: Jeez. Okay, I- consider taking a more nuanced approach with that explanation next time.

[Thomas]: He’s my logical side. He’s my logical side.

[Roman]: Uh… is everything Gucci, Thomas?

[Logan]: I suppose I could’ve posed the question that way as well, but that is precisely why I wanted you two here.

[Patton]: You mean us three?

[Logan]: Oh, did I say three?

[Patton]: No.

[Logan]: Then I guess I didn’t mean three.

[Patton]: He’s made mistakes before.

[Logan]: An uncommon occurrence.

[Patton]: Well then you might say the amount of mistakes you’ve made is... infinitesimal?

[Logan]: You make ONE MISTAKE, and THIS is what happens!

[Roman]: Okay, time out for thee and time out for thee, focus on issues or focus on me.

[Logan]: -groans- Okay, you’re right. Let’s get down to business.

[Thomas]: To defeat…

[Thomas and Roman]: The Huns!

[Logan]: Please stop. Stop, please.

[Thomas]: Come on!

[Roman]: I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

[Thomas]: Mulan!

[Logan]: Thomas, that aloofness that you are displaying is highly… unproductive.

[Thomas]: You mean I can’t make babies? What? Just kidding. Uh...

[Logan]: Can someone else please- some whe- le- Flames. On the side of my face. See- Seething… Seething fire.

[Patton]: Is something bothering you buddy?

[Roman]: An unattainable dream? A hopeless romance?

[Logan]: Lack of sleep, a- a puzzling situation.

[Patton]: Having trouble with adultery?

[Thomas]: Oh yeah, you always say that instead of ‘becoming an adult’ or ‘adulthood’. As if you didn’t know the troubling definition of the word you’re using, which actually means, you know, when a-

[Roman]: Wait! Pumbaa, not in front of the kids.

[Patton]: Well, I don’t know what you two are talking about, but something definitely seems to be off.

[Thomas]: You keep saying that, but honestly, I’m good… fam.

[Patton]: Now, don’t you go shortening the word family by cutting out my three favorite letters: I L Y.

[Logan]: Okay, well, Patton definitely seems to be doing okay. How ‘bout you, Roman?

[Roman]: Let’s see, uh… Disney references, regal appearance, general awareness that I’m better than you two… Uhh, I’m feeling pretty good.

[Logan]: Then what could be wrong here?

[Patton]: Boy, you both always act like you know all the answers… So, it’s surprising that you keep overlooking something so simple.

[Roman]: Oh, is that so, Patton? You're so cute.

[Logan]: And, uh- what might that be?

[Patton]: Where is Anxiety?

[Logan]: Hmm, do you honestly think it’s necessary to have him here?

[Roman]: To offer his mopey, dopey input? I- I don’t like him.

[Thomas]: I’m still hungry.

[Logan]: No- No.

[Roman]: S-Stop him. Stop him!

[Thomas]: *Singing to himself while looking in the kitchen*

[Logan]: Thomas, this is highly… -sighs- We can’t afford these detours… anymore.

[Thomas]: Ooh! I found some granola!

[Roman]: We’re try- we’re doing a- we’re doing a vid here, buddy.

[Logan]: Alright. Well, at least it’s something healthy.

[Roman]: Thomas, isn’t there a more important thing that you should be focusing on right now? Oh, you’re just getting it all over the carpet, aren’t ya? Alright, well…

[Logan]: Wh- What if you have guests over?

[Thomas]: That wouldn’t happen for a while so it’s not really a big deal.

[Patton]: Well, he’s definitely inviting some ants over. -chuckles-

[Logan]: Just aunts? No uncles?

[Roman]: Can you at least- Can you take off the hoodie? Like, you look like a hot mess. Nay, not hot, cool. Nay, not cool, uncool. An uncool mess.

[Thomas]: If you want me to. *takes of hood revealing very messy untamed hair*

[Roman]: Oh, dear, sweet MOTHER of hairbrushes, what IS your hair?!

[Thomas]: I’m just letting it do it’s thing.

[Roman]: There’s a… lot of viewers that are going to see you like this so-

[Thomas]: Eh, they’ve seen me on better days, so it evens out.

[Logan]: You know, Thomas, I don’t know if that makes sense.

[Patton]: You have kind hair.

[Thomas]: Oh, thanks I guess.

[Patton]: Kinda hair that grows on a dog’s butt! *laughs*

[Thomas]: That’s probably an accurate comparison.

[Roman]: Ugh, just put your hood back on.

[Thomas]: *snaps his fingers* You’re the boss, Hoss.

[Roman]: What does that even mean? I’m not… Hoss. I’m Prince Roman. Ugh, okay. Well, better bring in Count Woe-laf. Any input is better than what Mr. T is contributing.

[Thomas]: Roman brought the clever nicknames to the table, I brought the oats and honey clusters to the table.

[Roman]: Put them down!

[Thomas]: Okay.

[Logan]: Fine. Let’s get him in here. Anxiety? Hm. That’s odd.

[Roman]: He’s probably listening to that PG-13 music again. Anxiety! *tries to summon Anxiety* Ugh. How dare he? What?

[Patton]: Now, now, try to be a little more loving. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Anxiety! Come on up here, kiddo. Come on up here so everyone can see that cool makeup! Welp, love has failed me.

[Thomas]: Ho-ho-ho! That can be applied to many instances in my life. The first being-

[Roman]: Steady now, Thomas. Are we really going down that road? Uh, you usually don’t like talking about that kind of stuff.

[Logan]: You’ve got no shame.

[Patton]: Definitely not much of a filter.

[Roman]: Yes, and no fear…

[Logan, Patton, and Roman]: You have no-

[Thomas]: I have no anxiety, is that what you guys are trying to say?

[Roman]: Okay… Well, he also has no sense of tension build-up. That’s disappointing.

[Logan]: This is very disconcerting.

[Roman]: I don’t know. Shouldn’t a lack of fear be a good thing?

[Patton]: -gasp- Roman, I’m surprised at you.

[Roman]: What?

[Patton]: Anxiety can be a gloomy goober sometimes, but he’s still one of us.

[Roman]: Is he though? Check it out. Morality, Logic, Creativity. We three, are the most important facets of Thomas’ personality. Plus we all contribute a little extra stuff too. We got along just fine without him in the first two Sanders Sides videos.

[Logan]: He may not have had a physical presence, but he was always there within Thomas, to some extent. And he contributes more than what you credit him. Plus, he too, may represent more than just anxiety, even though it is a significant part of who he is.

[Roman]: Even still, I just don’t see why he’s necessary. If Anxiety is gone, what do we have to lose?

[Thomas]: I don’t fear death.

[Patton]: Wow.

[Roman]: So, you’re super brave. That’s good.

[Logan]: There’s a difference between bravery and acting without caution. Think fast! *Chucks a laptop which hits Thomas in the back of the head*

[Roman]: Oh, my- sweet Cole Sprouse, what-

[Thomas]: That really hurt. Was that a laptop? That, like, hurt real bad. Woah…

[Logan]: Unalert, and without his natural defensive reflexes. Yes, it seems that Anxiety has officially clocked out.

[Roman]: Okay. Well, he can work on that.

[Logan]: Thomas, did you remember to lock your motor vehicle earlier today?

[Thomas]: I probably did, I’m not sure, but probably.

[Logan]: Weaker memory.

[Roman]: Wh- that’s not a symptom of a lack of anxiety.

[Logan]: Not directly, but with the anxiety over leaving his car unlocked… Thomas always double checks to make sure, securing that memory in place.

[Thomas and Patton]: I doubt anyone will go looking through my [his] car- oh my gosh [goodness]!

[Patton]: You just see the best in people.

[Logan]: But he can’t always afford to.

[Patton]: Ugh, yeah… I guess you’re right.

[Thomas]: Well, it sounds like I’m in trouble or something.

[Roman]: No, it sounds like these two are worrying too much.

[Logan]: That’s the thing- is anyone among us worried?

[Patton]: It’s because he isn’t worried and that doesn’t seem right, Roman.

[Thomas]: Princey’s never liked Anxiety, that’s his problem!

[Roman]: That’s not true.

[Thomas]: Mmm…

-flash back-

[Anxiety]: Hey there, Princey.

[Roman]: Ohhkay, I can’t stand that guy.

-switch flashback-

[Roman]: (as Valerie) I’m trying REALLY hard not to like you right now.

-switch flashback-

[Roman]: Still don’t like you.

[Anxiety]: What was that?

[Roman]: Uh- chim chim cheroo!

-switch flashback-

[Roman]: To offer his mopey, dopey input? I- I don’t like him.

-end flashback-

[Roman]: Oh, now your memory works… That’s convenient.

[Logan]: It is interesting to note that Patton and I have both had our moments of seeing eye to eye with Anxiety… But you seem to remain resolute as ever in how you perceive him.

[Roman]: Look, I am the dreamer, and the one BIG thing that gets in the way of pursuing any new adventure, is fear.

[Thomas]: *holds up a pair of jeans* Took my pants off!

[Roman]: Why?!

[Patton]: Hey, now.

[Thomas]: No one can see, I don’t care.

[Logan]: Yup, we are getting your anxiety and shame back. I cannot deal with any more of this ridiculousness.

[Patton]: You put them back. Right now.

[Thomas]: Alright, fine. Well, if Anxiety’s not here, where is he?

[Roman]: Ugh, probably in his room.

[Thomas]: His room?

[Logan]: Technically, it’s the corner of your mind that you go to if you wanted to enhance your anxiety, for some reason… Or if you wanted to cathartically indulge in typically troubling emotions. Think, “the mind palace,” but specifically for Anxiety.

[Roman]: Where else do you think we come from? Where do we go?

[Patton]: Where did you come from Cotton-Eye Joe?

[Thomas]: So, you all have one? Oh, my goodness- more stuff I’m learning about myself. Uh, I’d rather go to Patton’s. Can we go there?

[Logan]: Nope. We need to go to Anxiety’s room to check on Anxiety. This is the priority, do you remember what we just... were talking about?

[Thomas]: Ah, okay.

[Roman]: So we’re all going to Anxiety’s room? Who knows what THAT tragic kingdom looks like? Hhmm…

[Patton]: Are you going to join us on this Thomas? ‘Cause we need you to get us all there.

[Thomas]: Yeah, it sounds fun or whatever.

[Logan]: Ohhkay. I thought I would like you without your… never-ending assembly line of predicaments, but this is truly, truly bothersome.

[Roman]: Just focus on the things that would normally make you anxious. That is the corner of your mind where we need to go. It may be difficult to go down that road-

[Thomas]: Got it.

[Roman]: ...Yeah, okay. There is no drama in this today.

[Logan]: Ugh. Into the unknown. Here we go.

[Patton]: ♪ Again on my own, going down Anxiety’s corner in Thomas’ mind… ♪

[Thomas]: Oh, I guess I’m doing this too. This is new.

-in Anxiety’s room-

[Thomas]: Woah. -chuckles- I knew I should’ve taken that left turn at Albuquerque. *snaps his fingers*

[Logan]: Uh, no. This is where we needed to go.

[Thomas]: I know, I- it was- it was just a- uhm… a joke.

*To be continued Guys, gals, and non-binary pals…*

*end card*

[Roman]: Wh- are- are you serious? A cliffhanger for a YouTube video??

[Logan]: Highly unusual… and frustrating.

[Patton]: Oh, I’m sure it won’t be that bad. How long do we have to wait?

[Logan]: According to Thomas’s schedule, just a couple of days.

[Patton]: Yay! And knowing Thomas, he’ll get this video out when he says he will, right on time.

[Logan and Roman]: Riiiight…

Oh my stars. I read this whole thing btw. I didn't actually expect you to do it. Dang.

#asks #Lee!!#reading this made me really happy for some reason #probably the memories #i love the AA ark sm

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syncogon · 5 years

Text

[RS] on shu definitely being og milong’s long-lost little sister

Now that the next installment will be upon us imminently (!!), I need to get this out there. The line of thinking was inspired by someone mentioning it, but the reasoning is my own.

Someone noted that shu’s gears are kinda reminiscent of one of the logos next to Planet Miduo on that released map… I thought “this girl is miji” was v much a stretch, but like, her name “shu” “forgiveness,” plus the logo, plus her eyes I think (we never see miji’s in rs1 (thus also can’t confirm the mole under left eye) but her eyes here look to be pink? Possibly the same as both milongs?? At least ml2… So hard to tell), plus the pink part of her hair, plus the fact that milong2 is indeed here… (plus the first time we see her she’s eating food just like first time we see milong2!! coincidence I THINK NOT) (god I want this so badly now I’ll be so disappointed if it’s wrong) (the flower is the flowers that milong 1 grew with miji, and upper right seems to be milong 1’s glasses and (blackened?) nunchucks?)

…wait no huyipo then said “世界观地图上的线索只是与米龙有关” …DAMN I was really excited for a second there Wait but maybe I'm misunderstanding, maybe he meant not that “the stuff on the poster is only relevant to milong (no other char)” but “the stuff on the poster is only relevant to milong (but he gets an actual appearance in the movie)” … hm might be biased but I think this interpretation is correct…

(she looks badass, cmon please give us more of her in the new movie either way)

Anyway so after that I wrote this shortly after the first movie came out almost 3 years ago. Forgive the rather clumsy writing, it was intended as more of a justification/explanation for myself rather than an actual piece.

Milong’s story was always the one that affected me the most ;_;

When Milong returns to the residential building that night, he finds a figure unexpectedly waiting for him outside the entrance. As he approaches, they step forward into the light, arms crossed. Black hair cut in an asymmetrical style, a black and purple tracksuit with silver gear-shaped emblems.

“… It’s Shu, right?” he asks cautiously. He recognizes her as one of the few female team captains in this competition, and even though they’re on different sides of the tournament bracket, he recalls seeing her team as one of the ones advancing to the semifinals.

Shu doesn’t look like she’s here for a fight, not that it’d be allowed under the strict rules of the Medici Group. Still, Milong can’t help but feel a little intimidated by her fierce aura, and it’s with some difficulty that he stops himself from gripping the handle of his weapon.

She walks closer until they’re less than a meter apart, and then she stops, eyeing him up and down, before narrowing her eyes. “You’re not my brother.”

“What?” He’s never even seen this young woman before this competition, and anyway, he’s just a nameless orphan, he doesn’t have any family.

And so he opens his mouth again. “Of course I’m n-” But the words catch in his throat as he looks at her, really looks at her. And though the chopped black hair is distracting, he sees the scornful, almost self-mocking twist of her lips, the glint of her eyes, and… there's something familiar there.

Memories begin to surface in his mind, from the day his life changed forever. He remembers every word, every detail of what that man told him, the moments embedded in his mind so thoroughly that he could recite the conversation word for word and paint the scene on canvas.

And so, looking into the young woman's eyes, so strangely familiar, he takes a breath and says, "...Miji?"

Now it's the woman's turn to flinch back. "So you're not just some foolish..." she mutters, half to herself, then demands harshly, "Who are you?"

“I'm...” He hesitates. “I don't know,” he answers honestly.

Shu – Miji – snorts derisively. “That’s not an answer and you know it.”

Milong, meanwhile, can hardly believe this is happening. Was this it? The sister that the original Milong had sacrificed his life and principles to find, only to ultimately fail? And now he coincidentally stumbles upon her, just like this? What does he say? What does he tell her? Where can he even begin?

“I’m still waiting, Mr. Imposter.” There’s no malice in the nickname, but it stings a bit regardless, a reminder that even after all these years he hardly has an identity of his own.

“…Let’s take a walk,” he replies. It wouldn’t do to have their conversation interrupted or eavesdropped upon.

So they walk along the streets of the city, and, haltlingly at first, then with more confidence, Milong begins to recount his past – his status as a nameless orphan, his escape from the Black Flag pirates thanks to the then-hero, his idolization of the hero, and then, the role he’d played the day the universe learned of the hero’s deception. He tells her the decision he’d made, after hearing the hero’s story, and then how he had changed thanks to an encounter on Mars.

At the end of it all, Milong’s mouth is dry and his heart’s pounding in his chest, but he forces himself to wait patiently for her response.

“Shu,” she says, finally, wearing an inscrutable expression. “The name I’m using now. It’s a word from an ancient language. Do you know what it means?”

Milong shakes his head, confused as to where she’s taking the conversation.

“Forgiveness.”

In a flash, Milong recalls the words the hero had spoken as he held a knife above the trembling, defenseless boy. In those moments before his seemingly-imminent death, the boy had been hyper-aware of his surroundings, including the terrible figure of the supposed hero looming over him. So, even though the words had been a mere whisper, Milong had heard them crystal-clear.

“Miji, I no longer deserve your forgiveness.”

On his deathbed, the hero had told the boy about the lies he’d told and the innocents he’d doomed, all in the name of finding his lost sister. The current Milong spares Shu from the details of the confession, but she seems to already have a strong grasp of what her brother had done.

“I was rescued by the Alliance after our planet was attacked, and grew up on a safe planet,” says Shu. “But I didn’t know what had happened to my brother, and I gave up on ever reuniting with my brother. Until one day, news spread to us of this mysterious, powerful, golden hero, a hero named Milong.

“And you’d think I’d be excited, right? And I was. But at the same time, I was scared. I barely recognized him in those videos they showed, and there was no sign he was searching for anyone. He probably thought I was dead. For all I knew, he’d forgotten all about his poor, pathetic, weak little sister. I considered sending him fan mail like everyone else wanted to, but then I thought, what’s the point? This hero probably gets thousands a day. He might not even get the letter, let alone read it.

“Then, of course, there was the revelation. After that, there was no hope of anything.” She smiles bitterly. “The biggest scam since Rainbow Sea, they called it. Which is sort of silly, since it hadn’t even been that long, but whatever. He became a mockery, as you know.

“Poor little me gets the news, but what could I do about it? Part of me was resigned to never getting answers, but the other part still wanted the truth of who this hero was, and why he did what he did. But I knew if I wanted to chase after that, I’d have to get stronger.

“I thought a lot about what he did. Terrible things out of my imagination. But the way he knelt down… I rewatched that so many times, and I believed he regretted what he did. It might have been wishful thinking, but I felt there was more to the story that we didn’t know, that he might have deceived us all, but for a noble reason. What he did couldn’t be forgotten, but it could be forgiven. We’ve all made mistakes doing what we think is right. I know I have, and from your story it seems like you have too. Of course, we should remember these mistakes so we don’t mess up again, but it’d be a better world if we could all learn to forgive.

“And I thought, my brother’s public ideals were admirable. Saving those in need… Even if it was all an act, it was an image I wanted to live up to. Obviously I’d need to train for that too. So I did, and here I am.

“So... Thank you for telling me this. Forgiveness… I forgive my brother for what he did.” After speaking at length, she closes her eyes and takes a breath.

Before Milong can say anything else, though, she fixes him with a sharp look. “But this doesn't change anything between us. If we meet in the tournament, I won’t go easy on you.”

Milong was about to thank her in turn, but instead he swallows the words and merely nods. “I know. I’d expect nothing less.” After taking a circle, they’ve arrived back at the residential building, and Shu departs to her room.

With this exchange, he feels a weight being lifted, a weight that he’s carried for over nine years now. He thinks of his mentor, his namesake, but ultimately does not know the words he would like to send, and so he shakes his head and heads inside as well.

They will fly onward.

#rainbow sea #mine #synco talks #synco writes

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cy-fi-theansweris42 · 6 years

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The Good, the Bad, and the IDK How To Feel About That of: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016) (Part 2)

(Continuing from where we left off)

Good: THE ENTIRE BIT WITH CASEY V. SPLINTER! How you see Raph and Mikey look at each other with mischief in their eyes before trying to look serious, how Leo laughs for just a moment before trying to be the serious leader again and trying to get them to stop, and then how they all just look on in amusement when Casey charges Splinter, it’s all wonderful! Plus with Splinter’s “giant rat one, new guy zero” YOU KNOW he heard them and played along. I love it all.

Bad: Casey only ever saw the truck from the front, so how would he recognize the Tartaruga Brothers logo?

Good: Just give me an entire movie of Donnie doing science stuff, it’s all I need in life.

Good: Leo’s head shake and smile when Donnie’s rambling about science stuff (I’m ignoring the initial eye roll)

Good: AUGH, HOW DONNIE INSTANTLY STOPS BEING EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BECOMING HUMAN, COMING UP WITH REASONS WHY WHAT LEO’S SAYING MAKES SENSE, IT HURTS MY HEART SO GOOD JOB MESSING WITH MY EMOTIONS

Good: Leo’s sword training is AWESOME (I’m jealous, high-key jealous)

IDK: You guys haven’t finished that Christmas album yet? It’s been a year, lol

Good: I really like how instead of just charging in, yelling about how Leo didn’t tell them about the ooze, Raph leads up to it, talking about honor which he knows is important to all of them.

Good: THE LOOK ON RAPH’S FACE, LOOKING AT LEO LIKE “Did you really think we wouldn’t find out”

Good: YOU CAN SEE THE EXACT MOMENT LEO REALIZED WHAT RAPH IS TALKING ABOUT AND IT JUST SCREAMS “oh shit” THIS BOY KNOWS HE DONE MESSED UP

Bad: You tell people about this stuff Leo

Bad: You did not consult with Donnie, you told him what to do

Bad: “There’s only one vote that counts in this family, mine.” LEO NO

Good: Donnie nerding out about the museum, same

Good: Donnie rambling on about science, his mind whirling at a mile a minute while he figures out what’s going on, freaking heck they did so well with Donnie in this movie

Good: Knowing that portals work both ways (it’s like Hawkeye from Avengers all over again)

Good: April knowing something is up with Raph and Mikey doing stuff without Leo and Donnie, but rolling with it

** “Who you calling chicken, turtle?” Oooooh, sick comeback Jones (not)

Good: I feel like all the comments about Casey not being buff or anything is them joking about Amell’s role in Arrow, because at this point the shows been going on for like…4 years, and he’s freaking jacked in that show, plus I’ve seen this guy run through an American Ninja Warrior obstacle course like it’s nothing. If this is them making jabs at that, then that’s hilarious.

Good: I love Raph and Mikey trying to get through police headquarters by themselves, like A for effort you guys, you’re doing so well.

Good: ‘Heroes in a half-shell’ jingle again and Donnie sounding happy that Mikey’s calling him and then instantly going into big brother mode and telling Mikey that they’re on their way.

IDK: THEY’RE NOT MONSTERS AND I KNOW THIS IS JUST HAMMERING HOME THE WHOLE ‘they wouldn’t be accepted’ THING WHICH IS WHY I’M NOT MARKING THIS AS BAD BUT HOLY FREAKING HECK AM I PISSED AT THAT COP!!!

Good: Mikey’s soft “we’re not monsters” SOMEONE GIVE THIS RAY OF SUNSHINE A HUG, HE DOESN’T DESERVE THIS

IDK: I really don’t know how to feel about Leo’s reaction to Mikey feeling hurt by what the cop said. I really don’t.

Good: Mikey sounding genuinely happy for Bebop and Rocksteady “achieving the power of flight”, lol, pure bean.

IDK: Is Raph only afraid of jumping because of the lack of things to grab on to or something, he jumps around New York and off of buildings no problem.

Good: DONNIE JUST CASUALLY WALKING OUT OF THE PLANE

Good: All of their reactions to Donnie just jumping, lol

Good: “Prepare for the ouch!” AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY SAY OUCH WHEN THEY HIT THE PLANE, LOL XD

Good: Mikey’s reaction to seeing a giant warthog and rhinoceros that he knows they’re going to have to fight is just the single “HEH” awkward laugh, I love it

Good: Donnie just holding onto the part of the Arc Capacitor and telling everyone who’s fighting around him to watch it, lol

Good: IF YOU LOOK IN THE BACKGROUND AFTER ROCKSTEADY FIRES THE TANK, YOU CAN SEE LEO JUST GIVING HIM THIS LOOK AND THEN HE JUST RAISES HIS ARMS LIKE “are you serious right now”

Good: Donnie’s “I’m doing awesome”, yeets the control stick away, lol

**Bebop, don’t tell me you’re thinking you can outswim a turtle, please

Bad: I hate how much wire was used to run the camera feed to the box, it’s so inefficient and an absolute waste of wire.

Good: Once again ‘heroes in a half-shell’ jingle being used because the job was successful, I love how much Donnie uses this little ring tone for things.

Good: I hate conflict but it’s very well done right here and I just want them to stop fighting, so bravo making me feel emotions again.

Good: Donnie instantly jumping to Mikey’s defense with a “how could you!”

Good: The Chief just says “well-played” in response to Casey having picked her pocket to steal her phone, big mood

IDK: I want to know how Donnie hacked the Technodrome, like is it just one giant Wi-Fi hotspot, how did he even connect to it?

IDK: How does he know the atmosphere is toxic, just give me a little explanation, please

**I want to know how that ooze works, full injection causes full permanent mutation, drops of slightly re-engineered version causes very temporary changes lasting only a few seconds, and apparently one sip changes external appearance but not internal systems. Does it have to physically enter the body via injection or ingestion in order to make permanent changes? (assuming it would permanently change their appearance, that could also be temporary, but if it was then wouldn’t Donnie say that?) Why would it start externally and work inwards when it would first make contact with internal systems? (so many questions, I just want to know how it works, I love science stuff)

IDK: And Raph just made the decision for everyone without asking…just like Leo did

Bad: PUT DOWN THOSE GUNS I SWEAR

Bad: EVEN AFTER SHE SAYS TO HOLD THEIR FIRE THERE’S STILL COPS POINTING THEIR GUNS, STOP IT

Good: I LOVE THEIR LITTLE TEAM UP THING ACKNOWLEDING EACH OF THEIR DIFFERENCES!

**A footnote in the history of the Foot clan, ba-dum tss

Good: “When something bad happens, you want to be with the turtles!” Lol, Vern’s got it figured out

Bad: Why is Shredder surprised about being betrayed by Krang when he just betrayed Stockman?

Good: I’m pretty sure in the area where Krang puts Shredder, you can see a Triceraton and I love the reference.

Good: I love Casey’s “well do you wanna switch?”, he sounds so done

Good: “chewed up piece of gum with a face” is the best description of Krang that I’ve ever heard

Bad: The way Vern jumps down on that Foot ninja, like come on, the dude saw him and still didn’t do anything!

Good: “He is literally re-arming” Lol, very true

Good: Excellent use of momentum when Leo nearly gets thrown off the Technodrome and just swings back around, I love it

Good: When Donnie finds the beacon, just slowly realizing that it’s way out of reach, lol

**I’m so sorry, more science rambling: Would removing the beacon from its spot instantly start messing with the construction of the Technodrome, like are each of the pieces set to assemble in a certain order at certain distances from the beacon, meaning that once assembly has begun and the beacon gets moved, the pieces would suddenly try to readjust? Or is it a more general signal and the pieces know where they’re supposed to connect with room for error, which is why the signal needs to be outside the Technodrome in order for assembly to stop? (I just want to know how it works 😭)

Good: I LOVE how instantly they’re all each going after Krang the moment he has Mikey, saying how nobody messes with Mikey, and I swear, there’s a little bit of extra sass with how they move their weapons after taking Krang down, like a “that’s what you freaking get”. Like, at the end of the day, they’re protective of their baby brother and heaven help anyone that tries to hurt him.

Good: THEY GET KEYS TO THE CITY

Bad: “I think you should give people more credit, they’ll accept you now.” SAYS THE PERSON THAT WAS INITIALLY CALLING THEM MONSTERS WHILE HER OFFICERS POINTED GUNS AT THEM. “You could live a normal life, like the rest of us.” YOU KNOW HOW PEOPLE ARE, STOP GIVING THEM FALSE HOPE!

Alright, that’s the entire movie. Honestly, I love it a lot more than the first, there’s so much good stuff in this movie, you can see how they’re teenagers, so much more Donnie (after a severe lack in the first one…I’m also very biased since he’s my favorite, lol), and the sibling relationships between the turtles is great. Time for a tally.

Good: 69.90% (72 goods) Bad: 20.39% (21 bads) IDK: 9.71% (10 IDKs)

(I hear there’s plans for another one…I can’t wait to see how that turns out, lol)

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flynn-science · 6 years

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Ryan Reacts to Kingdom Hearts 3

Okay, so this is a mix of live reactions and post-world reactions. Lot of live reactions in the beginning and end, more sporadic in between. You can probably guess what I’m reacting to most of the time from the sequence of events.

Mmm dat orchestral Don’t Think Twice Needed a minute on the menu. Finally seeing it say KH3 was A Lot. HOLY FUCK WHAT A COOL INTRO The speed is the same as 0.2, with that sprint that kicks in. Will take some getting used to. The stained glass looks gorgeous though Nice touch of KH1 Sora’s jump animation changing to KH2 Sora’s Making choices again like the original. Vitality is probably health, Wisdom is probably magic, and Balance is, well, balanced. I’ll go balanced. (I’m on Proud, btw) Guardian, Warrior, Mystic. Same as the weapons in KH1. In that case, I’ll make the same choice I do there: Guardian. SORA HAS AN IDLE ANIMATION OH MY GOD BLOCK AND DODGE FROM THE START! Also this sky place is new for a Dive to the Heart (AND THOSE HOOOORNS, LISTEN TO THEM) The water looks great A four-hit combo instead of the usual three? Huh Scan from the start too Nice detail of Sora’s head angling towards the locked on target All this music sounds SO GOOD I’MMA NEED THIS SOUNDTRACK ONCE I’M DONE Ahhh that little soft version of Sora’s theme WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS KINGDOM HEARTS II.9 SHIT These Instagram-style posts on loading screens are adorable Oh damn, we get a LOT of abilities from the start. And this is on Proud! Dodge Roll, Air Slide, Aerial Dodge (formerly a Master Form ability), plus all the Flowmotion stuff Wow, THREE shortcut menus! 12 total! Wow, and a LOT more control over how allies use items. That can be very useful! Sweet, synthesis materials are back! Water is an interesting new spell. And being able to reorder the Magic menu is nice (though I only use shortcuts). Kinda glad the item art has stayed the same. Also hey, Wellspring is from BBS. And first AP Boost of course goes into Sora, as will they all. WOW USING THOSE IS WAY FASTER NOW Yooo that Underworld music with the Titans’ appearance Take a shot every time someone says “Sora, Donald, Goofy” Sora, Donald, Goofy counter: 1 HERCULES HAS JOINED THE PARTY “Team Effort: Always start battles with a team attack command.” Damn, what are those that this ability is FIFTY AP?! (Are team attacks that move we saw Sora and Goofy do in a trailer? The throw?) I like that tutorials are playable at any time Also I was worried Save Points might not return with that auto save message at the start ALSO THIS IS NIGHT OF FATE PLAYING IN THE COMBAT TUTORIAL Ooh, Panacea art is nice. (Panacea has only appeared as a command in games like BBS and re:coded, so it hasn’t had art before) *reads Ability Ring* Damn, if 10 AP is a SMALL boost, I can’t imagine how expensive abilities are gonna get (well, Herc does have that one 50 AP ability) Ultima Weapon returns, looks like Synthesis recipes are based more on collector’s goals than finding them. Looks like there’s 60 synthesis materials, sounds about right. Ooh, synthesis item rarities, types: soothing and pulsing are from BBS, writhing, betwixt, sinister are new. Looks like everything goes in Shards, Stones, and Gems. Ooh that’s a lot of Heartless. Hey when is Jiminy gonna show up? Gonna need to complete that Journal again. Oooh battle music has bits of the old Coliseum battle music. Sora, Donald, Goofy counter: 2 Environmental fire damage followed by Sora’s butt on fire limiting my actions. Neat. Okay, these have been live reactions so far, but I’m gonna stop doing that because it’s slowing my progress. “What the heck is Rage Form?” “OH. OH THAT’S A THING.” I keep seeing hidden Mickeys, I bet those are gonna be a thing with the camera once I get it. Also damn are they giving me a lot of ingredients for the cooking minigame I can’t play yet. So the biggest thing I’ve noticed about the new combat is that because they give you so many really powerful abilities (grand magic at higher levels, formchanges, attractions, team attacks) that are all basically free (are you hitting things with your keyblade or magic? Can you hit this specific enemy once? Can you wait for your teammate to give you a prompt?), the number of enemies in each fight seems to have SIGNIFICANTLY increased from previous entries. KH2’s level design this is NOT. Lots more nooks and crannies to search. Me approaching the gates of Olympus: “Is this Anor Londo?” Yay nostalgic Coliseum music! And oooh little environmental puzzles are back! Like from KH1! I forged Goofy a new shield! Aaaand playable Riku. I have no idea why they were so dodgy about the second playable character. This is only the third time Riku’s been playable. Anyway, gotta fight the Demon Tower again. Damn, Riku is WAY stronger than Sora right now. Wish I could have read his abilities (and moved shortcuts). Nice emulation of the death screen. Also hot damn, is that Repliku talking??? I guess Riku’s “other me” really could be Repliku. Awwwww yeah, Lea’s getting new clothes too! YEAH JIMINY! “Dream Heartbinder” So Heartbinders must be this game’s summon gems, and this one lets me use Dream Eaters. SORA’S THEME IS THE RINGTONE!!! Ienzo’s here, with a bit of OrgXIII music from CoM. HOLY SHIT THE GUMMI SHIP IS THE BEST IT’S EVER BEEN UPGRADEABLE KEYBLADES?! I guess that makes sense, considering they all have different formchanges. They want all of them to stay viable throughout the game. OH MY GOD, DEMON TIDE HAS SO MUCH HEALTH I guess the bosses have to with all these powerful attacks I have Does Hayner have a new voice? Olette sounds different too. Checked the wiki, all three have different actors. Pence sounds closest to his original though. So judging by the Dusks and Snipers, no more enemy-specific reaction commands. The Ducklings sell Gummi blocks now?? Huh. Whoa wait, the road out of Twilight Town’s Tram Common leads back to the world map? Can I NOT go to the clock tower in this game?? Man, Twilight Town felt really small. Hope the remaining worlds don’t, though they’ve certainly seemed significantly larger than the two I’ve been to so far. Also, totally called the Lucky Emblems, though I’m gonna keep calling them hidden Mickeys. I think Tou Story is my favorite world. Granted, I’ve only been to three, but still. The Gigas are super fun, Woody and Buzz look amazing, and I can’t stop whistling/humming along! AHHH CREEPY DOLL Lol, the Verum Nox poster even has a Square Enix logo. First death, the Gigas battle in the video game. GOD DAMN! WOODY dropping an amazing “The Reason You Suck” speech to Xehanort! “Unless you’re in the ~real~ Organization too? Good for you!” Damn, Sora! Also love hearing that music from Chain of Memories every so often Glad flowmotion’s jump isn’t as level-breaking as it was in DDD. Same goes for the attacks. Wow, so Rapunzel permanently leaves the party. Was wondering they’d just give her a different moveset like with Mulan/“Ping”. This is the first time a character permanently leaves your party. And of course, Marluxia. Who I didn’t think could or would return. And Vexen who rejoined willingly, which is, man. Not something I’d have done. Both Norted of course. And was Saïx missing his scar? Maybe he’s just Isa now. I could tell it was Unversed, and Flood specifically, in that first Monstropolis cutscene just from the sound of them spawning. That’s how I know I’ve put a lot of hours into this series. Monstropolis feels the most linear so far. Arendelle’s ice labyrinth is awesome, the level design gives me some light Dark Souls vibes. I like how there’s zero explanation for Sora, Donald, and Goofy being able to breathe underwater in The Caribbean. And by that I mean I would have liked even just one line to explain it. The ship combat isn’t as good as AC3’s and AC4’s, but it’s still pretty good for a one-world mechanic! The ship is a LOT more responsive than the AC ones. And damn, is this world open. Okay, San Fransokyo is gonna be a pain to search for chests and Mickeys. PRESS TRIANGLE TO SORA IS THE BEST REACTION COMMAND I HAVE EVER SEEN Jiminy telling people about summaries on the gummiphone is Square Enix saying “IF YOU DIDN’T PLAY THE GAMES, READ THE FUCKING SUMMARIES” Giant battle at the start of Keyblade Graveyard was cool, but hurt the frames, especially on the fake shadows. And just as I was getting hyped at the possibility of having Riku and Aqua as party members. Oh hey, just realized Riku’s keyblade has a Mickey keychain now too. “And so, as legend foretold, darkness prevailed and light expired...” “Your hearts will be torn from your bodies” “To move through time, you must leave your body behind.” THE FINAL WORLD?! Wait, Sora’s been here MULTIPLE times?? Okay, so the star talking about the person who’d miss them, whose heart has been taken by another’s? Strelitzia? Talking about Lauriam? Love and hate? Going back for fight after fight? Hm. Cloud or Sephiroth maybe? (Longshot, but it doesn’t sound like a khux character, or anyone else) Identical pair? There’s no twins in this series. Like walking alongside a mirror... maybe it’s not an literal identical nature? Same clothes, same food, maybe Xion?? “Nothing left to teach you”? Damn, that’s not much to go on. Maybe Eraqus’ and Xehanort’s master?? “Just friends... stepped back” Skuld maybe? “I’m gone... they’ve added another member” Could that be Xion? Wait, no, how could Xion be here, she’s still within Sora’s heart. Are these actual named characters we’ve met before? Or not? The one who was defeated and supposed to fade... Repliku?? But he’s with Riku now... Someone searching for their Papa??? Most of the characters in this series don’t have parents at all, so my only guess here is Pinocchio?? No way a Disney character ends up here though. I don’t think all of these are characters we know. Someone holding onto a sliver of memory, and a servant?? Yeah, these could all just have been ordinary people. Naminé?! What happened to Kairi??? Okay, so the darkness split them. KAIRI IS KEEPING SORA FROM FADING AWAY OH MY HEART “GO TO HER” SHE SAYS "That's not the official thank-you!" Lol Damn, this area is fuckin huge, why is it so huge?? A PORTAL?! A DDD PORTAL HERE?! Well this place is rad. I better see that weird Darkside at some point here OOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH OH IT ROTATES THAT'S FUCKIN SICK God damn, this game's got some of the best level design of the series! Is... is this OUR Chirithy? “He doesn’t remember the past”? Although I guess it could be Marluxia/Luxord/Demyx’s too. Or Ven’s. My bet is that it’s Ven’s. DID SORA JUST TIME JUMP BACK A FEW MINUTES??? Aaaand did nothing different. So now we’re world-hopping like we did back in End of the World. OH WHAT IS THIS DIVING INTO STATIONS TO PICK A WORLD?!?! YOOOOOOOO Just Kairi and Lea are left. Haven’t hit San Fransokyo or Twilight Town yet. Guess they must be in those two. Last one is San Fransokyo. Lea must be here. Kairi’s probably gonna be the last. “Traversing hearts to reach worlds” That must be what I’ve been doing here. Not jumping between worlds, jumping between HEARTS. Was Sora just considering telling her he loves her? He should have. Wait, am I back in time? This already happened... OH SHIT! THE LINGERING WILL IS HERE! EPHEMER! OHHHHHHH HO HO WOW! OHHHHHH FUCK! YOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Congrats to all the lucky people who got their names in the game! PRESS TRIANGLE TO UNION X GIANT SHADOW MASTER XEHANORT IS TERRIFYING I like how Axel is holding his keyblade by the guard instead of the handle OH SHIT MASTER YEN SID! YOOOOOO! Okay KH3, I want to fight thirteen bosses now, you hear me? DAMN that Ancient Light finisher on Starlight’s Second Form is STRONG YOOOOOOO THREE BOSSES AT ONCE??? (I really hope this is as tough as they were before, but seeing as Xemnas was harder in 1 than in 2, doubt it) Went to help Mickey first, so I’m taking on Marluxia, Luxord, and Larxene Oh come ooooon, I barely got to fight them! Luxord’s out, 12 to go OH SHIT THE OTHER TWO Larxene’s done, 11 to go. With XI conveniently up next. Marluxia’s defeated once again. 10 left. Hey whatever happened with that comment of their ancient keyblade legacy...? Xigbar... might be gone? So maybe 9 left. Dark Repliku is defeated, and light Repliku gave himself up so the Replica could be used for Namine. That’s sweet. 8 left. YO actual time of day change! I like the door switches. Nice having little environmental things like this. Hm, Kairi and Lea one way, Aqua and Ven the other. Well that’s no contest, gotta go back up my girl Kairi! Mysterious new hooded figure??? Oh. Oh no. I think it’s Xion. D: Yeah. It’s her. *Xion stops Xemnas “YEYEYEYEYEYEYEYEYEYYE YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH” *Roxas shows up “OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH FUCK” THE WHOLE GANG’S HERE YOOOOOOOOOOO Shout outs to Ienzo, Ansem, Vexen, and Demyx for helping Roxas return! WHY THE FUCK IS KAIRI GETTING KIDNAPPED A-FUCKING-GAIN, NOMURA WHY WAS SHE EVEN TRAINING, FUCK Okay, so Kairi and Lea/Axel are out, BUT ROXAS AND XION ARE IN OH HOLY SHIT, SORA SQUAD FORM UP!!!! I HAD TO STOP AND LISTEN TO THE MUSIC FOR A MINUTE It’s all three of their themes! (Plus a bit of Another Side) THIS IS THE HYPEST SHIT Aww, Saix’s death mirrors Xion’s. AND THE SEA-SALT TRIO REUNITE! Saix is out, 7 left. Xion turned, 6 left. Vanitas fades again, 5 left. I know some people had hoped for a heel-face turn, but I knew it wasn’t likely. WHAT TERRA’S HEART WAS IN ANSEM’S GUARDIAN THIS WHOLE TIME. THAT THEORY WAS RIGHT! Terra-nort’s back to just Terra. 4 left. Just wanna say, I love that it’s Sora who gets to turn the tides of all these fights. Who’s dull and ordinary NOW, huh?? AND he’s still going! Oh boy, time for a triple Xehanort fight! UMMM NINE KEYS (but why are they No Name and not the X-blade?) OOOOOOOHHHHHHH THIS BLEND OF ANSEM, XEMNAS, AND YOUNG XEHANORT'S THEMES Guardando Nel Buio, Darkness of the Unknown, and Impeto l’Oscurito 1V3 ME, I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON Young Xehanort returns to his time. 3 left. I like how we all agree to pause the fight whenever someone falls. Xemnas fades. 2 left. Ansem as well. Just 1 darkness left. WHAT THE FUCK, KAIRI NOOOOOOOOOOOO AH SHIT HE’S GOT THE X-BLADE AH SHIT HE’S GOT KINGDOM HEARTS Oh hey, everyone’s caught up. Donald: “You can’t do anything without us, Sora.” Me: “Donald, shut the FUCK UP.” Xion: “Kairi will be alright.” Me: “OH THANK GOD” Scala ad Caelum. Stairway to Heaven. It looks like a proto-Land of Departure. But the music is Case of the Foretellers from X Back Cover. Could this place and Land of Departure once have been Daybreak Town? Damn, Dark Kingdom Hearts is over the ENTIRE Keyblade Graveyard now Spooky twelve figures are spooky Why do they have the Organization’s weapons?! I love this return of Destati though They all had a shared HP bar? Scala ad Caelum’s world icon is kinda shaped like a heart Oh wow, full Inception Weird hearing Rage Awakened without the Lingering Will here “There is one sky, one destiny!” “DEEEESTAAAATI!” Ohhhhh shit Shout out to the heart in the floor design though And the figure in the middle has 7 points Classic Xehanort pose from the KH2 secret ending Aaaaand now he’s got ANOTHER Kingdom Hearts! GREAT WHOA HE FORCED ME INTO RAGE FORM DESTATI IN FULL FORCE WHAT A RAD FINISHING BLOW! The canon death screen, the heartbeat, Donald and Goofy calling from my controller! ONE BIG BLAST! So Xehanort sees himself as some sort of white knight? A templar to guide the masses with an iron fist? Yeah, no dice dude. Sora’s right, not your choice to make, and destiny is beyond your control. So Eraqus really WAS with Terra all this time. MARK HAMILL IS BACK!!! Xehanort just hands it over, huh? Wow, closure between Eraqus and his apprentices after all these years Eraqus and Xehanort mimic Sora and Riku from KH2, and pass on. Go get her, Sora. HIKARI ORCHESTRAL Ven met his Chirithy! Lea’s finally wearing his new outfit. Aw, Xion looks good too! And Isa’s here! Naminé is back too! And I bet the Namine/Riku shippers are happy! AWWW They’re all hanging out at Destiny Islands! Look at them all being friends!!! THERE THEY ARE! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT

Epilogue: XIGBAR HAS BEEN LUXU THIS WHOLE TIME?! WHAT WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?! You know while watching Back Cover I was like “Man, the Master of Masters really talks like Xigbar for some reason.” BOY DOES THAT MAKE SENSE NOW So what was it about Ava’s role with the Dandelions that led to her absence here? AND WHAT’S IN THE GODDAMN BOX Is it a Book of Prophecies? Something else entirely? In any case, I doubt Maleficent and Pete would be able to get it away from them all. Secret Ending, “Yozora”: Ooh, “Another Side, Another Story” vibes right off the bat. SORA! And... Riku? Well this is just Japan. Wait, the guy from Verum Rex? And a black coat, who’s probably Xigbar/Luxu or the Master of Masters? After watching, a friend informed me that Riku is in Verum Rex. And Sora’s dead. Cause he’s in TWEWY’s version of Shibuya, since that one building said “104.” But which one is the black coat in? It could be the Master of Masters dead, in Sora’s world. Or Xigbar/Luxu, still watching things.

I have no idea what comes next. But I am excited.

#kingdom hearts 3 #kh3 #kh3 spoilers #kh spoilers

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mezingo12-blog · 5 years

Text

Getting Google Reviews for Your Business in 2019

Everyone knows that “it takes money to make money”. Especially when it comes to marketing our businesses. Chances are good that you get calls every day from someone wanting to sell you ads on Google, Yelp, Angie’s List, radio, T.V., Yellow Pages, newspapers, magazines, restaurant table tops, grocery basket ads or even wrapping your truck.

Let’s assume that you are just sticking to an online presence. Search engine optimization, Pay Per Click advertising, and social media are expensive and time-consuming. Getting a top local ranking doesn’t guarantee leads or sales.

Being seen by the right people at the right time is only half the challenge. Even if you’re the top listing, you’re still competing with all the other listings on the page.

Over 86% of consumers say they read reviews for local businesses and they read an average of 10 reviews before they feel like they trust the business. And trust they do. Over 85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

The question is; who do they trust more. You or your competitors?

Your Business has a Problem.

Why is a handful of your competitor's businesses booming?

Building your brand is becoming more important than ever. When you build your brand online and off, you get more love from Google. The more love you get from Google the more people find you. Brands have more weight because a brand is perceived as being trusted. This is one of the ways the search engines and social media platforms are fighting fake news. In theory, brands are less likely to push out fake news.

Another explanation lies within the following statistics.

86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses (including 95% of people aged 18-34) *

Consumers read an average of 10 online reviews before feeling able to trust a local business *

40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past 2 weeks – up from 18% last year *

57% of consumers will only use a business if it has 4 or more stars *

80% of 18-34-year-olds have written online reviews compared to just 41% of consumers over 55 *

91% of 18-34-year-old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations *

89% of consumers read businesses’ responses to reviews *

People trust your successful competitors more than they trust you.

I know it sucks to hear that. You can do everything right. You can deliver exactly what you promise – even over-deliver and your customers just don’t tell enough people to make much of a difference.

Consider this.

None of us leave home without three things. Our keys, wallet/purse and our phone. At our fingertips, we have “the Google machine” to find answers to our questions. Everything from “how to get rid of bunions” to “dentist near me” to “Bob’s plumbing”. We type with our thumbs or ask with our voices. Either way, Google delivers an answer. And the secret to online success lies within these results.

Depending on the keywords that your business should be found under and the industry you are in, you may not be ranked high in Google. You may not be able to afford to be in the top paid ads on the page. There are a lot of competitors all fighting for one of the 3 spots that are featured on the map and a couple of expensive pay per click ads.

You need something to make you stand out and get noticed.

None of this has anything to do with your website. In fact, most people who search find local business listings on the maps at a property called Google My Business. This is as far as a majority of people go in their search for who to do business with. Why? Because everything they need to judge you is right there. Contact information, service area or a map to your location and your REPUTATION.

You may be paying for some of the new customers your competition does business with.

Wait. What? I know, right. Let me give you a couple examples.

We all know that word of mouth marketing is the very best form of advertising you can get. But it is not always free. You go to networking meetings. You pay dues, take a couple of hours out of your day so you can eat the same meal week after week. The skincare salesperson gives the same “a good lead for me is anyone with skin” 60 second commercial every damn week. You tell the same people your story in hopes that they will run across someone at the moment they are looking for you. Hopefully, they will pass your name on.

You have a magnetic sign on your vehicle or even have your truck wrapped. You drive down the street and a lot of people see it. You have your phone number and web address in a HUGE font. Your business name is memorable and you have an awesome logo.

What these examples have in common is that when people see or hear about a business they remember the name. They don’t remember the web address or phone number. So when it is time to look you up later, they search for your name or your industry related words.

They use Google to look up your name because they need a phone number to call or an address to go to your shop.

Anyone who searches for your business sees what other people’s perception of it is. The good, the bad or the meh, no one even bother to write about it. These days the customer’s voice is louder and has more of an effect than ever. Customer reviews are trusted and are spread around the internet.

This IS your reputation and this IS the critical moment where new business is first won or lost. Online ratings and reviews are the number one deciding factor when looking for local products and services. In fact, 86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses (including 95% of people aged 18-34) *.

Do You Stand Out from the Crowd?

If you have nothing that stands out and encourages the potential customer to call you, why would they? At a glance, they look for your Google or Yelp or TripAdvisor or any industry-specific site that has a bunch of gold stars. Not only do the stars catch the eye, but they also give an instant vote of confidence in your business. Without the gold Stars, a lot of people will simply change their opinion of you and search for someone else. Now instead of searching for your name, they search for something like “water extraction near me” or “water damage repair in Chandler”. The search results will show them a competitor with a reputation that other people TRUST. A competitor of yours that has a better, more trustworthy reputation than you do.

What just happened is that you spent the money to attract the potential new customer and your reputation drove them right into the open and embracing arms of your competitor.

Reviews are so important that the search engines have made them a part of the ranking factors. Just having a lot of good, reviews isn’t all it takes to get to the top of the local search results page but it is one of the pieces that’s required. Google likes brands that people are talking about.

As frustrating as it can be, it makes a lot of sense. Who would you rather do business with? One whose customers only think they should be rated 2.3 stars or one that has 4.5 stars. This is especially true if the business with a higher rating has more reviews. Of course the more current the reviews the more confidence it instills in potential new customers that the rating is accurate. 40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past 2 weeks – up from 18% last year *

What’s the first impression of your business?

It doesn’t matter what kind of business you have, if you don’t have at least 6-10 recent reviews you are either getting crushed by competitors or you will be as soon as they get a clue. Consumers read an average of 10 online reviews before feeling able to trust a local business *

Even if you have a lot of reviews, if they are not current – in the consumer’s mind, a lot can happen to a business in a couple months or even weeks. New owners, new management, new employees… or whatever. It’s worth repeating, 40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past 2 weeks – up from 18% last year * and this number is bound to keep growing. Why your customers don’t leave reviews Even if you have a lot of reviews, if they are not current – in the consumer’s mind, a lot can happen to a business in a couple months or even weeks. New owners, new management, new employees… or whatever. It’s worth repeating, 40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past 2 weeks – up from 18% last year * and this number is bound to keep growing.

How do you deal with bad reviews?

Look, everyone gets a bad review. You can’t make everyone happy all the time. And let’s face it, when people are pissed off they are most likely to write a review. Have you ever “done what you do” for a customer and then find out from a bad review that for some reason the customer was not happy? Rather than talk to you, they wrote a bad review?

The point is, people are people. They may be taking their frustration of the moment out on you. If they are angry or in some way feel slighted at the moment they are much more likely to write a bad review. And chances are very good that the review is not going to get removed. Not unless the review includes personal attacks or is filled with hate language. Hiring a lawyer is really hit and miss as well as expensive.

57% of consumers will only use a business if it has 4 or more stars *. The best way to deal with OLD complaints may be to do nothing but get good new reviews to dilute their value. If you have 20, 30 or 50 reviews and one of them is bad it gives the customer a better overall impression of the business than if you have three reviews and one of them is bad.

Ok, so it’s hard to get reviews. It can be uncomfortable for some business owners and their employees to ask for a review. It might be that you are just not comfortable asking to be judged. The truth of the matter is that if you just consistently ask your customers to review you, some of them will. And we know that the benefits of getting reviews are great. They bring in new customers from people who don’t trust your competitor based on their reputation. They help you get found on the maps. Did I mention that recent studies show 91% of the people in their “buying years” trust online reviews from strangers almost as much as from friends and family?

Why your customers don’t leave reviews

According to our most recent study of a cross-section of consumers, even if you ask for reviews, there are three good reasons why they don’t write a review for you.

They forget to

The process to review is too hard

They are too busy and it takes too much time

So let’s take a look at each of these one at a time.

They forget to write a review- We all do it. Once the work is completed to our satisfaction we go on with our lives. Out of sight, out of mind.

The process of writing a review is too hard to do. I don’t know any review sites that allow a customer to post a review without an account. This means that even if someone wants to give you a review and they don’t have a Yelp or Google or Facebook account they have to sign up for one. Then they have to learn how to use the site, find your company and write a review. Even if they do have an account it can be a learning experience to try and figure out how to leave a review. Most of the time, Yelp won’t even show the review because the account is new. It’s really frustrating for you and maddening for the customer.

They are busy and it takes too much time to be bothered with writing a review. Just like the process is too hard it can also take too much time. I know for me, It’s rare that I get home at the end of the day and look back on the transactions I had during the day, squeezed in between appointments, errands, and work. Even if I do think of the transaction, chances are really good that I am not going to take the time away from family to figure out how to write a review.

The simple answer to getting more reviews is to ask for them right when the job’s completed. No matter if you just served a rebuilt a house or cleaned the carpet, the ideal time is while it is fresh on their mind. Just asking for reviews will get you more reviews than you have been getting.

A lot of people are uncomfortable asking for a review. Many employees are uncomfortable or forget to ask. Usually, it is because they are not held accountable for asking for reviews and no one keeps track of them. Keep asking because if you don’t ask chances are really good that you won’t get a review – Unless the customer is unhappy. Unhappy customers are emotionally charged and are much more likely to write a bad review than a customer who is just satisfied.

The trick to getting new customers to call or walk in the door is to maximize all the advertising you do by making it the most effective it can be. The ONLY way to make your paid ads, organic listings, offline advertising and word of mouth marketing perform to their highest level is by building an excellent online reputation. Nothing is more powerful than visual proof! The trick to getting new customers to call or walk in the door is to maximize all the advertising you do by making it the most effective it can be. The ONLY way to make your paid ads, organic listings, offline advertising and word of mouth marketing perform to their highest level is by building an excellent online reputation.

How do I build a reputation that is 100% trustworthy?

I started out by saying we have all been sold on the concept of it takes money to make money. Yes, it is very important to market and advertise our businesses. But hopefully, you can see that your reputation doesn’t really cost you anything in additional funds but it could be costing you a lot of money if you ignore it. Building and protecting your reputation can cost you a lot of time and effort.

mezinGO puts trust-building into your control. Your reputation instills trust with your potential customers even before they contact you. Trust that can’t be bought by any form of advertising.

mezinGO makes it as easy and comfortable as sending a text to ask for a review. It even tracks the requested reviews by the employee so you can see who is asking and how they are performing.

Your customers are much more likely to leave you a review since they don’t have to download an app. or join anything.

When you ask the customer to review you they are one click away from the review page on your site. If they choose to leave you a positive review they are greeted with a video of you or a professional actor, who thanks them for their review and quickly instructs them on how to easily leave a review.

If they were unsatisfied they have presented a video message of concern from you asking for their feedback so you can address the issue. This helps keep negative reviews off public sites like Yelp for all the world to see. Because the form is sent directly to you, you can quickly respond and demonstrate how much you really care about them and their business.

One side benefit to getting reviews this way is that the more people that come to your site and the longer they engage with the site the more the search engines like you. It helps them determine that you have something that interests people. This is a contributor to better rankings in the search engine results pages.

Nothing is more powerful than visual proof!

Let’s deal with the issue of how hard it is to leave a review. Sometimes it is hard because people don’t know what to write. For some people, typing a message using the little keyboard on a phone is difficult.

Some people would rather talk about you than write a message. We have built-in a one-click process that will open a camera on your customer’s phone without installing anything, so they can leave a video message. And when you get people talking, they leave longer more detailed messages. Some folks may even use this to show off the great work you have just finished.

#marketing businesses #Businesses advertisement

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djgwritings · 4 years

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Revisiting my longwinded DJG is DONE ... as it was written in 2011.

It's best to pass the torch while it's still burning ...

Ten years ago I started a design odyssey. I knew going in my intent to be quite foolish financially, but I trusted my heart. After telling a great designer my scheme he coldly told me to starve, and to do it many times over. And I did. I have. Authentic advice served cold even when paid in food at times! But, the art has heart, I told myself, and that is much more rewarding. I truly believe it still has something pumping beneath as I find this when I'm left alone to my relationship radioing in to something higher. And it means the world when others find and feel that with me in the cluttered world we're in. But, sometimes the heart and life have other things in mind. I love making art. It's the only thing I really can do and feel like I should do. Unfortunately, I just can't really do it as a business or as a full throttle self-promoter, at least not the way I have been and in these always fast changing times. It sucks something from me every time I try. And to the best of my abilities, I've given it a good try.

But, it's not just that. The industry of graphic design has swept me under it's fast flying digital magic carpet, causing me to question what I'm doing and why I'm still doing it as the stuff I really want to do is lagging behind. Heck, anyone who can work a computer now is a designer and it's gotten to the point where I'm no longer needed. Not a bad thing, but I'm in a position where my work prefers a street life, not a screen one. Also, as we all know, the music landscape has changed drastic since I started and that was my initial plug. Not without benefit in proper hands, but computers and computer things have me less and less enthused as does the vast majority of graphic arts in the digital age. It's neat to share but ultimately I feel I missed a step in evolution. iDon't have it in me. I've felt distant from many things my whole life and began feeling distant to art and design when I was first put on a computer. But, I found a way back to finding my reason for making in the first place and used the computer as just another tool in the toy box. All of this isn't a bad thing and has lent itself to my make table, but it has also hindered me in certain areas to act upon professionally, to do this for other people, to keep trying to do this for a living as computers and people become one. Recently, I've never felt more disenfranchised by all of this as well as simply by the changing of the design guard and what I'm saying on the inside. Where others would build strength in the form of some little neck of their own woods (and maybe I have thus far), I'm better off changing things up than adapting.

I whispered behind a broom at 22 that if I gave graphic design a good push to 30 and still couldn't break over the day job hump, then it might be time to hang it up or to really go solo with my own art thing. Trying to make art for others while working full time day jobs (and at times night jobs on top of those) and trying to keep it all even at the game of life has caused a boil in me. There have even been times where it's been detrimental to my health and relationships. At 32, and in my tenth year of doing what it is I do, I now feel I need to reinvent myself artistically. A voice in me feels finalized after several years of struggling with this. Just yesterday, it felt right for me to admit this and sign the inner dotted dangled line.

I've never considered myself a quitter, rather a listener to what is changing inside of me. Ultimately, this has been more challenging to me than the state of design. Though, graphic design hasn't come without it's challenges in certain areas. To be quite truthful, a lack of creativity has never been one of these. I just can't find enough valuable resources of time and energy to do it for anyone other than myself. Trying to devote what little time I've got to thinly butter others' bread has become the constant burden for me. I do the most with what I can yet it's never enough, it can also lead to disappointed parties. And all the while I have to keep extending a leash to the personal projects I'd rather be doing. With certain freedoms I have managed to make every project somewhat personal, however there is still a responsibility to client, and even viewer, that I feel can't be fulfilled if I keep it dragging on as I am. There is great disappointment in not fulfilling another man's dream, let alone your own.

This is all not to say I haven't fulfilled for others nor have been fulfilled personally in the past 10 years. I think it's fair to admit I've done a pretty good job given my circumstances and conditions. I've met many amazing people who've offered many amazing opportunities. Thank you for bobbing for me and at times believing in me more than I do. Thank you to the few bad apples too. I've worked (somewhat) hard and produced a pile of work that I'm proud of. And a pile of work possibly contained within it's own little footnote of a footnote. The work has traveled more than it's creator. I'm thankful for those who have found something worthwhile, even to the extent of a smile, and those who have expressed great interest around the globe via publishing, interview, exhibition or simply kind words of encouragement. I will continue to honor these areas of the work. I will continue to showcase the work that has brought me to this point in the journey and beyond. I am currently seeking exhibition and self-publishing to get the collective work out and about in new ways.

So, why the long-winded explanation? I stink at editing and I've been tinkering with this thing for weeks. Partly so, but I feel obligated to those who have stuck with me so they know where I'm at (and if you're in need of a designer for a project, I know some good ones). I feel good with my decision and transformation as if something has been lifted and feel best putting it out in the open. My nature could easily just walk away without a peep, but I don't want to do that to you. I will continue to create and thread my voice as a visual artist. I'm extremely excited about this and have already completed many new pieces, which for now will pile up for me and be featured publicly at a later date. All of the design work I have accomplished has pointed towards more of a working artist since day one making original art that then transformed into design, so it's nothing really new. My new endeavors may even trickle to choice personal projects with others where and whom I see fit, but nothing will be forced. Design will always be there even as it frustrates me in every confusing restaurant menu, updated logo or new technology. It's a lovely poison like that. But, it's one I need to quit nursing on for a while or at least fuse it into my expression elsewhere. Trying to make it as a working artist with a day job and life stuff is no doubt as challenging as designer, but I'll just leave it to the mercy of the day to day. And if that never takes off, then so be it. I will still have my art and time for me and it will be easier. It opens up time to commit to myself rather than keep others waiting. This new work will be made and released under my real name or at times another. I just know I'll do my best and continue to be me, whom I'm trying to work on daily.

-Danny Joe Gibson / Feb. 2011

Photos: DJG, 2021

For the Record: The “great designer” who told me to starve was Art Chantry!

#djgdesign

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sfw-haikyuu-nsfw · 7 years

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Letting Go

This is kinda all over the place, sorry about that. There’s no specific timeline, each piece jumps in at various times throughout the relationship. And some are mundane but also important to the type of relationship we had, while others are bigger moments.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy.

This is one of my first steps in putting it all behind me and trying to press forward.

They were in a nightmare.

There was no other explanation with the sudden and abrupt disjointing of their entire life.

Something had felt off all day; that Thursday. It began with excitement though, the birth of a child was to happen just hours later. The mother checked in at eight that morning. And the birth of that small, precious girl was supposed to be the focus of the day; that happy day.

But then Oikawa called, their hands full of paint as they answered. Maybe it was the tone of his voice or maybe it was the anxiety attacking again, but the air around them changed. A constricting band around their heart that wasn’t connected to any valid reason.

Everything was perfect; they had just told their mother so two days prior.

They wished someone had told them that it was otherwise. Apparently had been for nearly a month with their oblivious smile living blissfully through it all.

It was surreal to watch his car drive away, the remnants of an embrace that wasn’t tight enough and the lingering touch of his lips to the corner of their own. Left only with a note. His way of making up for whatever words he couldn’t force out in the moment.

You have been absolutely wonderful to me and it tears me apart to know I caused you so much pain, because you don’t deserve that.

Then stay; the answer seemed so easy to them. He should’ve stayed to prevent the very pain he caused.

I had to take a hard and honest look at myself and where I am emotionally and I realized that as much as I care about you, my heart is not in the same place.

And why realize that now?

Legs gave out beneath them, that paper clenched in their trembling hands and the grass scratched against their skin. Numb; everything around them felt like a numb abyss that opened underneath them.

You have been my best friend and are truly one of the most beautiful souls I have ever encountered and I am so grateful I met you.

And although I know this means I may lose our friendship and you may never want to talk to me again, I want you to know that if you ever need anything I will always be there for you.

You will always be a part of my soul.

Love, Oikawa

Yes, that extraordinary baby girl was born into a crumbling world.

Loud, pulsing, reverberating.

One could get lost in the crowd, lost in the music.

Bodies were too close, the air was too warm. But everyone moved in sync, their hearts beating in unison and their hands all reaching towards the same sky.

They only had one goal: to lose themselves within it all. To forget who they were for just a moment and be the person they always dreamed of being.

A touch - warm and soft - to their shoulder brought their gaze away from the dancing lights at the front. Eyes locked with milk chocolate ones, a smile accompanying them. He was beautiful - they noted instantly - within those flashing lights and they smile they returned was rightfully earned.

He was leaning forward, his lips touching lightly at their ear before he was speaking, voice working at being louder than the speakers around them.

“You’re insanely pretty,” the words were simple, effective, “can I give you a bracelet?”

Ah, the bracelets. Only that morning they had discovered the meaning and culture behind the very objects that covered his arms. The simple things sparking a contest between them and the two friends - Bokuto and Kuroo - they brought along with them. Who could obtain the most before the night was up, this was an immediate jackpop for them.

Smiles grew as they nodded, their hands rising to perform the simple ritual before their fingers laced for the trade. Touches traveled from their hand along their arm as he situated the bracelet in place, his gaze completely the journey along their skin until he was meeting with their eyes again.

It was their turn to lean, his hand ghosting above their waist. “Dance with me,” it was bold, a command they would never have given in a previous life. One that pays off when his hands find their hips. One that more than pays off when their bodies are too close for complete strangers. One that they would never regret when they find their mouth slotting together with his.

They lost themselves in that night, in the arms of that stranger by the name of Oikawa, in everything that would come from that single chance meeting.

“It just doesn’t make any sense,” they found themselves mumbling again. Surely both boys were tired of hearing the comment. It was all they could say, though, without diving too deep into the underlying meanings, without breaking down again.

Bokuto’s fingers gently dug into their hair, carefully pressing into their scalp before dragging them through the strands. “Whether it makes sense or not, the dude’s a dick.”

A foot nudged against theirs and they raised their legs to allow Kuroo his place on the couch before dropping them across his lap. “Yeah, I mean, talk about a slap in the face,” he added, handing them the glass of red wine they had asked for.

“Feels more like a sledgehammer to the stomach,” they revised before taking a long drink.

There was nowhere for them to rip the reasons apart. Perhaps they were just as Oikawa said: he couldn’t emotionally provide the future he felt they deserved. But it didn’t feel right, didn’t feel complete.

Laying their head back down to Bokuto’s lap, they let out a heavy breath, finding comfort in the presence of her two best friends.

“Ya know, my brother is still single,” Kuroo teased, earning a laugh and a nudge to his stomach. It definitely helped to laugh.

A kiss. A press of warm hands to bare skin. A voice.

“Morning,” Oikawa whispered, his mouth to their shoulder, his arms pulling them back against his chest, “we have to get up.”

“You have to get up,” they countered, body folding into the warmth his provided. It was still dark, a fact that felt disgusting in just knowing it. “It’s too early,” they complained, shifting until they were facing him to shove their face against his chest and feel his fingers dig into their hair.

“You’re the one that wanted to come to work with me,” it was true. But the idea had sounded more appealing the night before. ‘Seizing the opportunity’ they had claimed when they suggested it. They spent so little time together as it was, they couldn’t pass up the opportunities given whenever possible.

“Skip work,” they breathed him in, body relaxing into him, “money is the devil anyway.”

Oikawa huffed a laugh, but didn’t fight it, his own body easing back into slumber. “Just a bit longer.”

And it would only be that bit before he was coaxing them from the blankets. The air cold in the early spring. Their body sought the heat he offered as they trudged to the bathroom together, a comment of ‘fix your windows’ leaving them as he started the water to the shower.

It was warm and his wet skin was comforting against their own. Head resting against his shoulder as they allowed the water spray to arouse their consciousness, their fingers dipping into the muscles of his back. He hummed, a sound that was surprisingly rare as he leaned into the touch.

“Thank you,” he breathed and they knew he didn’t just mean for that morning.

They stared at the screen of the computer. Their eyes taking in the detailed lines of the logo before them. Oikawa sat with them on his lap, waiting for their response. The logo was his own, one that would represent who he was as a designer. And he cared about their opinion, wanted them to critique it for him.

And while they might not have been the right one for the job, they took it seriously. Working hard to remember every conversation they had ever had about the art of graphic design, every complaint he had ever had about any other piece he’d shone them.

“I like the fingerprint,” they finally said, “it brings a personal touch to it without completely breaking away from the professionalism.” And while no one else would know, it was his own print incorporated into the design. “And it is round for a reason? Does the seventeen represent what year it was made?”

“No,” there was a slight hesitation as he spoke, considering, “making it round was just for aesthetic appeal. But I might try something square just to see. And I kinda threw the number in to balance it. Didn’t think anyone would question it.”

“Well, I’m questioning,” they responded as they leaned back against his chest, his arms taking their place around their waist.

He laughed, his nose pressing into their shoulder as his gaze stared hard at the design. “Good, then I’ve taught you well.”

They could tease that he more forced the information on them. He was nearly inconsolable whenever they came across anything that was ill-designed. Hands would rise and he’d groan before asking ‘but why?’ Smiles were always their response, their own eyes taking in the image they would normally take for granted as he listed every possible way it could’ve been made better.

He was always trying to make things better.

Alcohol hummed through their veins, making their head light as they sprawled across the surface of his bed. They were giddy and tired, body sunburnt and salt clung to their hair. A shower sounded refreshing, but above that they wanted him.

“Come ‘ere,” they coaxed when he shut the bedroom door behind him, their arms reaching out to him. He obliged instantly, never one to keep them waiting for long, fitting himself perfectly above them. Fingers traced through his hair and down his back, clinging to the fabric of his shirt lightly.

Lips found theirs, lulling easily into the pattern they were both familiar with since the first day they met. Each time feeling like the bliss they were always meant to find.

“Oh,” his lips parted from theirs as his eyes searched for his phone, “I forgot to text Iwa-chan about tomorrow.”

“Again?” they laughed, hands clinging to him as long as possible before he was entirely out of their reach. Despite being one that always needed a plan, Oikawa proved again and again that he was terrible at actually making them.

Sitting at the edge of his bed, his gaze remained on his phone, only giving them a small nudge for the tease. They shifted and stared; his back hunched slightly as his head bent to watch his fingers move across the surface. And it didn’t take much convincing from their tipsy brain to wedge themselves in his lap, ignoring the small ‘babe’ of complaint as they settled themselves.

Desperate lips found his and their hands pulled at the back of his neck, holding him tight against him. “All you’d have to do is ask,” the words were spilling out before they had time to really think about them, “and I’d marry you tomorrow.” They couldn’t remember what conjured them - a conversation they had earlier that beach day, surely - but they couldn’t stop them; maybe they didn’t want to.

“Babe,” there was a lilt to his voice, one that they had a hard time placing in their slightly intoxicated state - maybe regret? “I’m not ready for that.”

“When you are,” it was an easy answer despite the tears that pricked at their eyes “whenever you are.”

First times moved quick for them, they were finding. It was exciting and terrifying all at once. They didn’t know how to properly respond when he was peeling their jeans from their hips, his gaze drinking in the flesh exposed. Many thing were clear to them when he threw the article to the floor and traveled back up the mattress to kiss them greedily.

One: date number two might be too soon to be jumping into this kind of relationship. This wasn’t usual for them and the closer it got, the more they felt the panic ebbing at their heart.

Two: it could all end tomorrow. They had only known him three weeks at most and they didn’t exactly have the ‘what are your intentions’ talk. For all they knew, this could be what he was investing his time in and that would be it.

Three: they wanted it so fucking bad.

Oikawa’s breath shuddered against their neck, their hands dragging along the expanse of his back. Lust crowded any rational thought beyond that. So when his voice broke through the thick air to ask, “Can I? Is it okay?” they didn’t hesitate with their consent.

A gasp, a groan, and hips rutting together. It was awkward and messy, they were two people discovering each other for the first time, but they had never thought the act could feel this was before.

And they knew, they knew right then that this wasn’t meant to end. Two pieces of the same soul had finally come together.

“Hey,” Oikawa’s voice was soft when he opened the door, eyes already red.

“Hi,” they hoped he heard it, cause they weren’t sure if they could make their voice any louder.

A silence, one that had never been present between them before. It felt strange, unnatural and tainted. They desperately wanted to break it, but they didn’t know how. Didn’t know if they could.

“Are you okay?” again soft and they suddenly became aware of the space that was between them. It was wrong, it shouldn’t be there, it had no right separating them.

Damn the promise to themselves of staying composed. They couldn’t, not when everything was so thinly on the line, not when this was the last time they would see his face. “No,” their voice shook, but they didn’t care, “I’m not okay.” Teary eyes met with his, their jaw clenched and their posture stiff. “Because what you did was unfair and out of fucking nowhere.”

“I know,” they didn’t want him to agree. They wanted him to break, to cry and beg for them to take him back. “I know it was.”

The two talked, never closing that damn space between them and shorter than they would’ve liked. Tears fell and hands grasped for something they couldn’t hold onto anymore. They had gone there knowing they couldn’t change anything; he was too stubborn for that. But they had hoped for some clarity and they walked away unsure they had obtained it.

Because when you loved someone weren’t you supposed to hold on to them?

Anniversaries. A fresh couple coming into their first was the purest celebration of love that they had ever known. Though they knew it was only the first year mark, they felt as though they had known him their entire life. It was a mystery how they had gotten on before he came along.

“Presents now or on the actual date?” Oikawa questioned, his head resting in their lap upon the floor of his bedroom, his hands idly tugging at the few cords that strayed across the carpet.

“I don’t care,” they answered, “it’s up to you.” Gifts were nice but not their focus that weekend. They wanted to head out, marvel in the festival that brought them together and make love long after it's over.

He pondered this for a moment before pushing himself to his feet. “Now, yours might melt.”

“What?”

A laugh, but no more answer than that was given as he made his way out of the room. They shuffled in his absence, hands grabbing for the rectangular box they had wrapped only that morning. The gift itself was cheesy, really. A poorly made paper mache box - each image if lights, owls, and galaxy stars all a reminder of him - with a speaker and T-shirt tucked away inside.

In some ways they wondered if it was too much. In others they wondered if it wasn’t enough.

His return was accompanied with a box of his own. This one a perfect cube with a lid that pops off and a thick paper sticking from the top. “You first,” he insists and their hands reach out for the owl printed item, “pull the top.”

The grin was irrepressible, their fingers tugging at the top to pull more of the paper free, text written across it white letters.

For all those times spent kissing you, And all those times that I couldn’t. For the precious times spent with you, And those times spent apart. For every smile I’ve experienced, And those times I had to go without. For every happy tear that was shed, And those that fell with sorrow. For every day I heard you laugh, And the days only memory could serve. This is for all the wonderful moments spent with you, And the moments still yet to come! Here is 365 days worth of kisses… In case I missed one.

Water swam in their eyes, their smile to wide to contain. They barely caught the guidance to pull as they took in the length of words. “Huh?” they asked when they brought their eyes up to him.

“Pull,” Oikawa laughed, tapping the top of the box.

Taking hold of the edges, they tugged upward, the top freeing the sides of the box which fell under the weight of the mass amount of Hershey kisses it contained. They gaped, a surprised laugh coming from their lips. “What…?”

“Kisses,” he chuckled along with them, “365 of them!”

“You counted?”

“Yes, actually.”

“I believe you,” they leaned across the space between them in order to bring their mouths together.

“There’s more,” he spoke once they parted, fingers pointing to the barely revealed red heart shape box at the center.

Pulling it free from the chocolate avalanche, they opened it, eyes falling on the glittering silver and green bracelet within. They cooed, finger dipping in to run along the edge of the precious metal, eyes quickly catching sight of the note in the center: I love you.

“Why’d you make me go first?” they were instantly complaining, pulling on the piece of jewelry in order to admire it against their skin, “mine gift is shit compared to yours!” They both laughed, lips finding each other again.

“Doubt it,” he answered, tugging the wrapped box towards him, “if it’s anywhere as pretty as you I’ve already won.”

That box never left his bedside table since that day.

“Can I ask you a question?” Nerves buzzed underneath their skin and they silently wondered if Oikawa could feel their heart pounding against the side of his chest. They could hear his, after all, beating beneath their ear of his chest. It was the steady bu-bum that they tried to follow.

“Of course.”

Here goes nothing. “What do you think about maybe moving in together after I graduate?” It was a dream they’ve had for a long time now, but waiting for him to suggest it was taking too long for their liking. To build a future, they had to move forward together, they figured this would be the next step.

A pause, a shift in body as he turned away from the television to meet with their gaze. It was an important conversation, one that required his full attention and he wouldn’t deny them that. “I just…” he stopped, thinking. But they could already feel the cracks forming across their heart, “it’s always been a dream of mine to live on my own first, ya know?”

It was them that looked away, eyes resettling on the TV screen. “I know,” and they did. He had spent most of his post college life providing support to his mother. He deserved a space of his own for a change.

“Hey,” his fingers tapped at their chin, coaxing their gaze to him again, “it’s not that I don’t want to. There are just some personal goals that I think are important to fulfill.”

“Yeah,” tears were unpreventable now, their head dipping again before they were standing, back to him, “be right back.” They didn’t want him to see them cry over this, didn’t want him to think that they didn’t support his dreams or goals. But they felt that small break, felt the way those words stung under the surface.

Maybe if they had known then that it was never to be a dream of his some part of them could have been spared.

But they walked back into that room, fell into those comforting arms and accepted the small apologizes, the ‘I love you’s with an aching soul. And they drifted off to sleep that night with the fantasy that it would come one day.

The first weekend without him was empty. They didn’t entirely know what to do with themselves, didn’t know how to fall asleep without his body next to theirs, didn’t know how to go through their day without hoping every text on their phone was from him.

So they sat, textbook in hand, silently hoping that the new amount of free time would give them the chance to stop procrastinating - they would be wrong but at least they tried. Anything they could do to keep their mind busy enough not to think about him. They tried to pretend they didn’t care if he was eating or sleeping well or getting home at a decent hour from work. They tried so goddamn hard.

And he may never realize, but their world stopped that day he made his decision. It fell and tumbled and left a black void.

They tried to smile more, to pretend that the something better was coming. But it felt empty compared to everything they had gathered and lost. And they wanted to hate the fact they still loved him, wanted to hate that they still clung to hope that this wasn’t really the end.

But Oikawa had made the decision to move forward without them.

It was time they did too.

#it's long #my feelings out in the open #Oikawa #oikawa tooru #oikawa x reader #tooru #enjoy #haikyuu!!#haikyuu #HQ!!

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