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alltheselights · 2 years

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I am so tired for Louis. Look at all the articles because he made a flippant comment about Up All Night (which really is my least favourite 1D album, I like a couple of songs from it but I think the other albums were better overall) and also, Louis - and the other boys too, they have also said things that pointed at this - clearly didn’t completely love the direction of early 1D, hence why he fought for the boys to have more of a say, for them to write more and have more to do with the music side of things. Which they did. All these articles about that comment, yet none of them wrote about a world-record livestream with proceeds donated to charities and his crew, the Away From Home Festival from last year, the fact that the Away From Home Festival 2022 sold out in a few days, nothing really about Walls reaching #1 on iTunes a second time (which I think is actually pretty impressive), a successful solo world tour. And people outside of Louis’ fans think this is normal? It’s not. Niall had more articles about his livestream and he sold less tickets than Louis. I don’t want to compare the boys but doing so just tells you how rotten things are for Louis. I’m just sick of this entire thing and people are using those new articles to drag Louis again - and the comment happened over a week ago! The timing just seems off, but then they always do with negative press about Louis and actions against Louis. It gets disheartening. I also admire him so much for being able to keep moving forward and keep trying, because he knows what has been done to him and he still keeps going when it would be easy to give up and just completely lose faith. How do you deal with the anger towards and the disappointment in the industry which has not been kind to Louis in many ways, if it’s something you feel you can answer?

Yeah, I saw the negative articles and negative comments on ssome of them. Thankfully, despite those articles, it doesn’t seem to have gotten too much attention - not anything like what happened with Liam a couple of months ago. I also think while the general public is hating on him, fans overall agree with him and understand why he would say that. Billboard tried to post about it and fans just bombarded the quote RTs and replies saying he spilled. 😭

I’m not sure if it was a targeted effort or just the media acting like the media, but this yet again makes it very clear that Simon Jones does NOTHING for Louis to help him in the UK press and the rest of his team does nothing to help him elsewhere in the world. He has nobody trying to get him good press and nobody trying to lessen the impact of negative press. Like you mentioned with the livestream and the upcoming AFH Festival, there isn’t even a bare minimum of normal press coverage of those things, but any flippant comment that can be twisted to make Louis look bad, they’re on it. It’s ridiculous and not anything you see with any other artist at Louis’ level.

To criticize Louis slightly for a minute though (and his team again too) - I do think that he needs to go through a fresh round of media training. I don’t want him to be a robot in interviews, but I think it’s clear that after so much time away from having to do them (first with 1D ending, then with the long break from him releasing music after Miss You, then with the pandemic), he seems to struggle with them a bit. He seems very nervous and uncomfortable in many of them, and I actually think that contributes to him repeating the same phrases over and over (”do you know what I mean?” and “to be fair” are said like 10x per interview if not more). He swears even when it’s not appropriate - for example, on U.S. radio and TV shows where it’s not allowed. I have no issue with swearing, I do it all the time, but obviously there is a time and place. And comments like the UAN one - while yes, the media will absolutely always find something to criticize, I do think there are certain things that Louis says sometimes where it’s pretty obvious that it will be used to make him look bad and I think some fresh media training would help prevent him from saying those things or help him to say them in a better way where it’s less likely that it would be twisted.

A strong team that wanted the best for him would help Louis with these things so he would feel more comfortable in interviews AND better portray himself to the general public so he could gain a larger fanbase. Louis is so intelligent and kind and big-hearted and his interviews (and the subsequent press coverage, when it actually happens) rarely reflect that. It’s so frustrating.

#asks

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amazingphilza · 4 years

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maniac :: cc!tommy x reader

angst (?) , platonic (?) , gender neutral ! ib: conan gray’s maniac

this is satire & note that i write the reader to be a few months younger than tommy (besides that, i think it is fully inclusive !)

synopsis : you put all your hard work towards a useless crush. with no expectation for reciprocated feelings in the first place, it still all ends in a bittersweet slap to reality.

you grew up with minecraft and it was an understatement to say it was part of your childhood

even years later, you still maintained interested in the game

it wasn’t just a simple video game, the community inspired you to do many things

you aspired to be like the creators you watched at a young age like sky, dantdm, cupquake, stampy, and many more

making people happy and entertained was a dream

and when minecraft slowly began trending again in 2019, you started making your own content whenever you felt like it out of fun

you never got much views but it was an enjoyable experience nonetheless

but it wasn’t until the first minecraft monday you decided to push a bit more with your hobbies and worked hard to make it somewhere

however balancing your passions with school wasn’t the easiest

given, you were still only around 15 and your content wasn’t even that good

with not much of a goal or plan with your youtube channel, you fell out of interest eventually

you loved minecraft but you always a rocky relationship with it; getting back into it for a few months then pretending it never really existed for another few

besides the occasional videos you watched in your pass time, you didn’t stay that updated

then lockdown happened

it changed everything and even got you regressing back to old interests

soon enough you were back to minecraft

there was so much to catch up on

hermitcraft season 7 just started, there was minecraft championships, and smp earth and smp live, and so much more to look forward to watching

you were a bit late on both of the smps but your interest peaked specially towards smp earth and it didn’t stop you from watching the past videos

you first gravitated towards a certain youtuber’s videos first since you remember stumbling onto his videos before from your recommended page; wilbur soot

besides recognizing him from his you laugh you lose series and making parody-type of songs, you didn’t know much

however with a few clicks, you had binge watched his smp earth series effortlessly

you found yourself falling down the endless hole, finding more creators to watch through wilbur

one in particular caught your eye in an interesting way

tommyinnit

my god, how can someone be so annoying and pushy in these videos? like shut up already

and to find out he was barely months older than you frustrated you

you just wanted to be better in some way

if someone like him could be popular, why can’t you? yelling at others and causing problems didn’t seem that hard

and so you went back to working hard on your previously failed youtube channel but this time with a goal; be better than tommyinnit

it was a weird aspiration in your head but it worked

he was your age and successful, why need a better motivator?

tommy wasn’t the sole reason why you strive to make content since you truly did want to create videos to entertain people like the youtubers you originally grew up watching

and with the amount of free time you had, you thoroughly analyzed his content; what was the most popular, how he streamed, edited his videos, everything

you just completely studied the algorithm in general

along the way, tommy’s personality grew on you

tommy was undoubtedly a very loud and energetic person but you became fond of his ambitions

you understood why he was popular at such a young age; he was a natural entertainer

your spite towards the boy turned into a hope

a hope to be at par with him someday and even be mutuals

and it was like your dreams were suddenly manifested into existence

you gained a large following in the early months of lockdown and even was recognized to be apart of minecraft championships

it felt like yesterday that you were just watching your favorite youtubers livestream the same competition

and now you were situation in a team to play yourself for the first time instead of being a viewer for once

not to mention, with tommyinnit as a teammate

how did you manage to get so lucky?

under the excitement, you felt beyond never nervous waiting in the empty discord call for your team to join you to practice the mini-games

in the middle of gathering your thoughts together, you heard a sound from discord signaling someone joined the call

“uh, hello?”

you heard the familiar british accent you spent hours listening to from countless streams and videos

“h-hi! i’m y/n, how are you?”

you hoped tommy couldn’t hear the strain in your voice due to fighting your nerves, but you quietly celebrated that you didn’t freeze up altogether

“oh i’m good, thank you. and i’m tommy by the way, this is the first time we’re speaking, yeah?”

“yep! it’s nice to meet you”

“yeah, i’ve seen your name around the timeline a few times, you seem cool”

oh my god what?

“thanks! um i actually really enjoy your content not gonna lie”

“oh wow, good shit!”

and the conversation smoothly went on, bouncing back and forth between you two before your other two teammates joined the call

once everyone was situated, you decided to start streaming since it was your first mcc and you wanted a vod of you practicing to look at later on as a memory

your chat immediately noticed how much you were enjoying yourself, especially after all the short stories of talking about who inspired you in the past

the smile plastered on your face never left

after stream and your other teammates went offline, it was you and tommy left in the call once together again

“it was nice talking to you tommy! and the practice was really fun, i cant wait for the actual competition!”

“yeah definitely, we’ll for sure place high”

“hopefully. it’s my first time and i hope i don’t cost us the dub”

“nah, you think so? i mean rt and plumbella are also our team mates so you know, it’s all for fun in the end”

you knew tommy was implying the teamwork wasn’t going to be the best compared to the other teams but at least in the end you’ve both made a new friend

“yeah you’re right!”

“anyway it’s getting late imma hop off”

“okay tommy, talk to you soon?”

“yep!”

“alright byee”

“bye!”

the moment he left the call, you felt a sense of relief before a small wave of sadness took over

you wanted to continue talking to tommy but you knew you had other responsibilities to tend to

for the rest of the day, you couldn’t stop thinking of the call and mcc practice

the funny jokes, singing random songs, screaming for no reason, everything

it even kept you awake until the early morning

you buried your head in a pillow and screamed into it after realization hit

y/n no

no no no no no no no

you tried to recall anything that remotely related your other teammates which you remembered that didn’t include tommy

even if it was a few hours ago, you couldn’t pin point something specific

i must just be forgetful, right?

what the hell did rt and plumbella even say that whole call?

you vividly remembered everything with tommy and it was clear to you why

surely not

with putting a hand on your chest above your heart, you confirmed that you couldn’t lie to yourself based on the rapid speed

you liked tommy for a good while but it hadn’t clicked to you until now

eventually you fell asleep due to exhaustion but that’s to say you didn’t do so without imagining spending more time with tommy

ever since that day, time went by in a flash

your team didn’t do the best in mcc but it had been a while since then to have that as a concern

sadly you and tommy didn’t talk as often as you hoped but that didn’t make you have less feelings for him

on some days you felt bad since you thought you didn’t know enough about him to even be allowed to crush on him

it was a bit unprofessional but you were nearly 16, it’s normal to have these little crushes right?

eventually time came to rescue when tommy asked you if you wanted to accompany him in the dream smp

undoubtedly, you said yes

and for the few months during summer, it was where you two became even closer than before

however, once both of you two had to go back and attend school, it was harder to catch up with each other

even on calls together off stream, the occasional snapchat notification going off irked you in a way you couldn’t explain

only winter break was the small pause on your disappointment

but even then, it was a slow but steady hill of repressed sadness and frustration until early spring of the following year

you had hoped 2021 would be better than last year but after scrolling through twitter one day and seeing stans making rumors about how tommy had a crush on one of his classmates gave you the same pain you felt when school started last fall

you dreaded to look over at tommy’s most recent story time stream vod where all the gossip arose from; it was him stumbling over his words with the mention of a girl during a certain part

jealousy wasn’t the right word to describe the way you felt

you would never go out of your way to make tommy reciprocate the feelings you had for him

and if he liked someone else the way you saw him, you wouldn’t mind

having a crush is ecstatic, and if he has someone like that too, you should be happy

right?

you tried

what finally broke you was seeing a tiktok a few weeks later of tommy in college with eryn and another girl talking

you didn’t know how she looked like or anything but you wanted to sob

good for him

she didn’t even say much in the video and you dont know enough about tommy’s personal life to jump to conclusions like this

you knew you were acting irrational and you couldn’t be upset at tommy for something he couldn’t control

if anything, you never directly showed interest in him

you didn’t want to in the first place

it was a bad idea from the start

you looked back at the past year and all your intentions

what kind of sick fanfiction did you think you were living?

becoming a content creator, hoping to blow up, just to talk to a big youtuber you had a crush on?

oh my god

y/n what is wrong with you?

listen to yourself, y/n

you need to get some help

whether tommy was dating or even just had interest someone was none of your business

you had to move on no matter what it was and be good and supportive friend

it was dreadful to get over a stupid crush like this but after so much work you put in, you gave some sympathy for yourself

in a friend perspective, you were happy with whatever tommy did and was satisfied your friendship together, but you hadn’t realized how much you gambled from the beginning

and just for a crush?

you couldn’t comprehend how far you gone because you fancied someone

it wasn’t like anyone could get famous and become a popular content creator either

and now with you being on the dream smp along with a successful youtube channel at 16? you were grateful something pushed you enough to work this hard

but you’d never forget the fact everything that lead up to this point was a crush on no other than tommyinnit which first spurred from complete spite

“who’s the one better off now?” your thoughts mocked you from the complete irony

sigh

y/n, you maniac

#idk whether to actually call this platonic but it’s not exactly romance so #tommyinnit x reader #tommyinnit x y/n #tommyinnit x you #tommyinnit fanfic #tommyinnit imagine #mcyt x reader #mcyt x y/n #mcyt x you #mcyt fanfic #mcyt imagine

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gunsforcait · 4 years

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This has been explained many times since chapter 138 came out, but because even I am having a hard time processing it, I wanna talk about the many reasons why the dream wasn't only Mikasa's, and Eren has loved her for a long time.

The logical reasons: All the subtle hints that have been given through the series that Eren holds Mikasa dearly, and why he was obviously lying at the table scene. (He was an asshole for telling her all of those things but still)

Eren wouldn't lie to her like this if he really hated her, specially not this Eren, specially not after she'd given him the strength to keep fighting and not give up.

When he worried about her broken ribs in ch51, when he looked back at her and thought about getting back his home in rts, when he accepted her emotional support by opening grisha's books together, when he encouraged her to show her hizuru tattoo bc he knew it would be the best thing for her. Moments where he worried about her and supported her.

Then we have the chapter 123 scene. It would not make sense for Eren to ask that "what am I to you?" question if he wasn't seeking for a specific kind of answer. After all, it's been three years and by this point Eren was probably aware that what he felt for Mikasa wasn't just mere affection, and as a last resort before giving in to his future, he sought for something that wouldn't make him hate himself, even if it was just for a moment.

All because he knew that Mikasa cares for him a lot (even if his dense mind didn't know for sure that she loves him)

Then we get Eren and Zeke's conversation. Eren actively asked Zeke about her, wether the fact that she cared for him was something related to her bloodline or something else, because he doesn't believe he's worthy of being loved and cared for like Mikasa does.

Zeke answers that there's no such thing as an ackerbond and tells him that she probably just "likes you so much that she'd snap a titan's neck for you" but by that time, Eren knows it's too late for him, too late for them. So he shrugs it off and tells him he can't do anything about it bc he only has four years left.

This imo is another sign that he wants her to forget him bc he doesn't want to hurt her. He knows now that she loves him, but he cannot be selfish and have a future with her, so for her own sake, he tries his best to try to make her stop loving him or forget him.

It's been shown multiple times in the manga, with the table scene (sigh), when he told louise to throw the scarf away, and in their dream when they hugged and he told her to please forget him when he's gone, basically telling her to move on and live a long, happy life without him.

The memory shards. Normally I wouldn't have paid much attention to them, but the fact that Mikasa is in the biggest one's twice, and is the biggest focus on the third one isn't a coincidence.

(Also I'll just mention how they're shards of two of the most pivotal moments of their relationship but let's keep going)

This scene shows to me that he had a moment of weakness when he saw that innocent and beautiful moment between the two of them again, after so long. I think he understood fully why Mikasa clings so much to that moment for comfort.

And at last we get the shared dream, alternative universe, previous timeline or whatever it was. A different version of events where Mikasa told him she'd be happy by living the rest of his four years together in peace. He accepts her proposal and they run away together.

They spend the next four years getting closer and building their relationship, specially after knowing that they both share romantic feelings for the other. It gets to a point where they're so comfortable with each other that they're basically in a relationship, hence shown by the physical closeness that they show to each other in this dimension with that hug, and the way she held his head as he was about to die.

Which brings me to the main point of this post. This scenario was shared for one main reason: the very first time we see Eren and Mikasa together in the manga.

Not only Eren sees Mikasa saying goodbye to him in that au, but he realizes that her hair has grown longer compared to how it looked two minutes ago in that dream. He saw it. He was part of it.

Now, to Mikasa's pov. We don't know for sure what her headaches meant, but they're most likely related to that dream. Probably caused by Eren, trying to break through her Ackerman lineage to make her see this dream. It was heavily implied in 138.

In this very moment, Mikasa is finally seeing that dream too. She was able to remember everything that happened in it.

And I wanna put emphasis on the fact that this dream is fabricated by both Eren and Mikasa. Things happened the way they did in there because they were both free to choose the events of it, hence why Isayama said it was "Mikasa's ideal". Yes, her answer to his question in the refugee camp in that universe was her ideal. She has shown remorse about saying "you're family" to him. But that alternative answer was what she would've liked to say.

Eren, nevertheless, accepted that answer and ran away with her. He's the one leading their path in this panel which makes me think that he's the one who actually proposed to run away for real.

So, back to our reality in chapter 138, Mikasa has seen everything. Remembers everything. She's experienced four years of "married" life with Eren in seconds. And she knows that Eren has seen it, too. That he loves her back, and that he never hated her.

But she also knows that the Eren in this reality is too far gone. So she ends it. She kills him and ends it all, remembering the moment he died in their shared dream. She tells him "See you later, Eren" and then holds his head in her hands and kisses him goodbye.

She said goodbye to him in the exact same way that she did in their dream.

The Mikasa that hadn't experienced 4 years alone in a cabin with Eren would get nervous any time he got too close to her or get all red when he asked a romantically coded question. If she didn't have that closeness to him normalized, she would have never kissed him like that.

If Isayama had meant for that moment to be gruesome and hard to look at, he wouldn't have made Eren's expression look so peaceful when they kissed. He would've looked more like this.

We know Isayama isn't scared of showing impactful images like that, so if he had wanted to, he would have done it. But that wasn't what he was trying to convey.

In other words, eremika canon. Thanks for reading👍

#mikasa ackerman #eremika #eren jaeger #eren yeager #eren x mikasa #mikasa x eren #attack on titan #aot spoilers #aot manga spoilers #meta

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godofsexdrugsandrocknroll · 3 years

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Soul: Power Trip

Yang: *Stretches arms above head, draws classmates attention* So...anybody know why tall, blonde and goofy looks so chill up there?

Pyrrha: *Crosses arms* I'm...uncertain. Jaune was quite instrumental in our takedown of the Grimm at initiation and I have no doubt he'll impress us here as well, but...well perhaps--

Weiss: *Scoffs* Well if he 'flirts' *sarcastic airquotes* as well as he does fight then at least we won't have to wait long for that Winchester oaf to end this.

Pyrrha: *Glares but says nothing*

Ruby: I-I don't really wanna agree with Weiss on this one, but she might be right. Jaune doesn't even carry a weapon.

*Weiss throws up her hands and scowls*

Pyrrha: *Trying to defend Jaune* Even still, Jaune showed a good grasp of group tactics. *Uncertain* Maybe he fights differently than us?

Yang: *Immediately bored* Oh yay. So he's gonna talk his way to a win.

Blake: *Eyes on the stage as Glynda explains* There is more than one way to win a battle, Yang. And to be fair, he doesn't look like he's even remotely worried. *Eyes narrow* He almost looks bored. *To Nora and Ren* Did you two see how he fought in initiation?

Nora: *Grins* Nope! Way too busy crushing Grimm into paste and flyin' around!

Weiss: *Looking really grouchy* Lovely. How interesting--

Ren: *Quietly* He's fast.

Weiss: *Snaps at him* What?

Ren: Jaune. He was fast. Not as fast as Ruby but when the Deathstalker tried to get him with its stinger, Jaune only saw it about two seconds before it would have killed him and he dodged it and directed Pyrrha towards the stinger. *Looks back at the stage* The reflexes, reaction time and speed to pull that off is a bit unnerving, even for a future Huntsman, but it also suggests Jaune knows how to fight.

*The two teams are now quiet, even Weiss who is now actually looking at Jaune*

Cardin: *Sneers* Don't worry too much, Jauney boy. I can't make this painless but it'll definitely be quick. *RDL laughs nearby*

Jaune: *Says nothing, just stands there in his jeans and his bunny hoodie with a long sleeved orange shirt beneath it and white surgical gloves covering his hands, a white surgical mask over his face*

Glynda: --with that said, are there any questions from our combatants?

Jaune: *When Cardin remains silent* Is this an assessment of our skill or a display?

Glynda: *A bit taken aback at the blunt tone* Excuse me?

Jaune: *Sighs tiredly, puts dull blue eyes on Glynda* This fight.

Glynda: *Perturbed* Both, Mr. Arc. But we do not expect to see the full scope of your capabilities as a Huntsman in just one fight, if that's what you're asking.

Jaune: *Just looks back at Cardin, removes his right glove and holds it it in his other hand*

Glynda: If that is all *steps back* then begin!

Cardin: *Shoots forward* Don't worry, bunny boy, I'm sure next fight you'll get to show off all that 'skill' of yours!

*Despite being only a foot away and about to bring his mace down, Cardin isn't fast enough*

Jaune: *Inside only a second or two, Jaune crouches down and moves forward in the same instant and places two fingers on Cardin's neck*

Cardin: The fuck was tha--GGGKKKKKKKKKK!!!!! *Trails off into a scream as his flesh seems to suddenly grow large goosebumps, which rapidly become large bubbles*

*Shocked screams from the audience*

Cardin: *Explodes into a massive shower of gore, his upper half missing and leaving only his legs*

Glynda: *So shocked that she just stares in horror as the students start panicking*

Random Student: Oh gods, h-he killed him!

Random Student #2: Somebody call the headmaster, no the police!

Jaune: *Deeply irritated* Calm down. *People gape and Jaune sighs, leans forward and touches Cardin's blood*

*Instead of frantic screams of terror, disgust and anger there is now dead silence as Cardin brutally reforms and gasps, pales and falls on his ass, crabwalking backwards and beginning to hyperventilate while staring at Jaune*

Jaune: *Melancholy* Still so disgusting. *Puts on glove, to Glynda* That's my win. *Walks off*

Cardin: *Scampers closer to Glynda who's staring at her scroll and then at Cardin, Cardin is suddenly almost polite* T-the hell was that, Arc?

Jaune: *Shoulders slumped* My semblance. It's matter manipulation. Anything I touch I can disassemble or reassemble into anything I want. If I want to destroy, I destroy. If I want to create, I create. If I want to reshape matter into something else, the sky's the limit. *Stops before a pale Pyrrha, a solemn looking Ren with widened eyes and a fidgeting, nervous Nora* Or if I want to revive the dead, I revive the dead. *Shrugs* Family was attacked when I was young. I was hurt. Mother unlocked my aura just in time for me to see some White Fang asshole pulp her skull with his mace. When you're 6 years old and just watched your mother die, the only thing your soul wants is to save her.

*Blake shifts uneasily, looking away while Yang has an arm around a stunned, terrified Ruby's shoulders with a complicated look on her face and Weiss can't stop staring at the boy she dismissed, a hand over her mouth since she was close to vomiting*

Jaune: *Sighs again* Do whatever you want with that information. It makes no difference to me. I'm used to Overhaul.

Weiss: *Shakily* O-Overhaul?

Jaune: *Slouches into a seat* My semblance. It's called Overhaul.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One final post for the day. I like the idea of different semblances and the impact they would have on a character. For those unaware, this is a quirk from My Hero Academia called Overhaul, used by a character of the same name.

I'm well aware it doesn't really work as a semblance since semblances don't really work the same way as quirks; but this is just for fun.

And in this case, I think if Jaune had Overhaul as his semblance, his behavior makes sense. This would be a Jaune who's seen his mother die at a young age, revived her and then since his semblance is tied to his soul and his emotions can effect that (Yang getting angry and activating Burn), he's probably accidentally killed a lot of people, possibly including his family (hence the gloves). So he's just kind of depressed, a bit done with everything, has never really faced any challenges and is a little bit adverse to the messes he makes (I can't imagine getting blood in your mouth being a pleasant experience).

He's no Overhaul, but he's not a fan of the germs. He's also flippant, cold and aloof not to mention big with the reflexes/RT/speed and would be hard to get along with, I think, even if he's the same lovable goof he is in canon beneath layers of trauma.

I could picture either either Nora or Ruby really being the one to help Jaune the most, although I think Yang could be a good enough of a friend after a time to do the same.

#rwby #jaune arc #team jnpr #team rwby #cardin winchester #glynda goodwitch #my hero academia #mha #overhaul #kai chisaki #au #this is what happens when you let a drunk type #what's crack-a-lackin'#shitpost

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rebornthestage · 4 years

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Hayashida Kohei x Takasaki Shungo: New “Varia Quality” created from a literary adaptation; Vivid contrast between motion and stillness

[This is a translation of Xanxus & Squalo’s actors’ interview for Secret Bullet. They haven’t received the script at this point, so they mostly talk about their personal thoughts and views on the characters and the cast based on the VS Varia arc and the novel. Link to the original article can be found in the Content Source.]

A new “Varia quality” born from the novel

First off, how did you feel when your heard that “X-Fiamma” would be adapted into a stage play, and that Varia would be the main characters”? Takasaki Shungo (Squalo): I was in disbelief. Like, “Can we really have an RTS without Tsuna (Sawada Tsunayoshi)..” That’s why while I was happy (about the new play), I also wondered if it really was okay to do it. (laughs) Hayashida Kohei (Xanxus): I was like, “It’s headed in this direction, huh”. Storywise, I had assumed they would go with the Future arc next. Takasaki: For us though, it was very convenient timing since it’s right after we did the 2-part VS Varia arc. Hayashida: That’s true. We could do it again with the same cast. Takasaki: While we do feel some pressure at getting to do the prequel after we all had just finished fighting, we’re also happy about it.

This time, the play is adapted from the novel and not the manga. What did you think about the novel after reading it? Hayashida: It was interesting. Varia in the novel has a little different feel from the one in the Ring Battles. Perhaps it’s because the novel “X-Fiamma” was written after the manga’s Varia arc, but it had something that isn’t exactly “perfection”. Rather, it had a very clear idea of who the characters are. It was very fascinating. Takasaki: My impression is that it vividly showed parts that weren’t shown in the manga but readers were curious about. Reading the novel was very worthwhile to us because it clearly depicted the parts we were curious about and were unsure about when we played them in the previous plays. When I first read it, I felt that Xanxus was really cool-headed. Hayashida: Exactly! He felt really mature. I’m sure it’s thanks to it being written after the manga. Takasaki: We could feel his maturity thanks to it being in literary form. Hayashida: I realized that this was how Varia usually was. The Ring Battles was an irregular incident after all. It felt really refreshing when you realize that this is how the Varia is as an assassination squad.

What differences will we see between Varia in this play and Varia up until now? Takasaki: Personally, I’ll be trying to show Squalo as a commanding officer. In the Ring Battles, Varia was focused on Xanxus and operated with him as the head. In upcoming play however, the two of them are in different locations. Squalo is the one leading on the field while Xanxus is the one giving them directions. Squalo has not really been portrayed as a proper acting commanding officer in the stage plays up until now, so I hope people will see the upcoming play and think, “So this is how Squalo pulls a team together.” Hayashida: Meanwhile, you’ll see that Xanxus doesn’t immediately jump into the fray. (laughs) Takasaki: True. (laughs) He’s surprisingly nice. Hayashida: I don’t know if I would describe him as nice (laughs), but it was really refreshing to see him backing Ottavio into a corner using logic, and it made me feel once again that Xanxus really is smart. It was also refreshing to see Squalo and the others prattling away as they go about their tasks. Takasaki: The play is based on textual material so we have to imagine the scene ourselves, you know? So we read the novel while imagining the characters we play much more than we did in the plays based on the manga. Like, “That guy would probably move like this.” Hayashida: I agree. Since it’s adapted from the novel, this time we have a little bit more leeway on how we portray the characters.

Speaking of leeways, what differences arose in adapting a manga and adapting a novel from your experience? Takasaki: RTS has quite a lot of respect to the source material, and is determined to reenact everything faithfully to the source material. For example, some parts were produced with the manga’s depiction used as a reference for stunts or techniques. As we have no pictures as a basis this time, it does feel a little like we are coming up with them ourselves. Hayashida: Yes, that’s exactly what I wanted to say. Takasaki: Then let’s just say Kohei-san said it. (laughs)

What’s the link between Xanxus and Squalo?

Xanxus has scenes with Ottavio (played by Yamamoto Shouma), who appears for the first time on stage, doesn’t he. Hayashida: There’s mind games at play. Readers of the novel should know how it ends, but I hope to make it so that they would be on the edge of their seats even while knowing the ending. While our scenes have a more suspenseful mystery type of “stillness” with mind games unfolding, Squalo and the others have more “motion” with the action-packed missions. Hence once we manage to nail that contrast of motion and stillness, I think the end result would look artfully done. Since the majority of the Ring Battles stage plays were fight scenes, this time I too look forward to the scenes with mind games. However, there aren’t any scenes where I’ll be with the other members in the novel, so I’m a little sad… We’ve always been together up until now. (laughs) Still, we haven’t received the screenplay yet, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the stage play will deal with certain parts of the novel. Takasaki: Ottavio… How will he be portrayed? Hayashida: Right? I haven’t met Ottavio (played by Yamamoto Shouma) yet and it’s our first time working together, so I look forward to seeing how we will craft the play.

What about the role you’re playing catches your attention? Takasaki: “Voooi”, I guess.. No, I’m joking. (laughs) Although Squalo acts unrestrained, I believe there’s also a part of him that thinks it through calmly in his head. Still, his ability to straightforwardly express his feelings really makes him stand out in my opinion. Normally, our lives don’t always go as we want, does it. But he has lived his life as he liked to carry out the mission he wants to do, and that draws me in. Hayashida: Even though there are aspects of Xanxus that are unreadable and can’t be fully understood, I like that side of him which makes you suspect that he does have special feelings towards Squalo, the Vongola Nono and the Varia. He seems like he’d let out a laugh when he’s actually sad. Also, I usually waver a lot, so I like the unwavering side of him.

How have you portrayed Xanxus and Squalo’s relationship in the past 2 plays? Hayashida: It feels like Xanxus really, really dislikes him but still loves him. Xanxus came from the slums, didn’t he? But in the mafia, Squalo is an elite who is even said to be the next Varia Boss, so there’s a part of him that’s envious of that. Although Xanxus isn’t bullied at every turn for his origins, he is painfully aware of that fact. But in the end, Squalo is the one who acknowledges him and supports him the most, and I believe Xanxus himself sees that. That’s why even though Xanxus may view Squalo as a dumbass, I think part of him also feels saved by Squalo’s presence. I tried to portray their relationship with the idea that his cold attitude is probably his way of expressing his affection. Takasaki: The character Squalo has always believed that strength is everything, and I came up with my own theory to how he ended up with this belief. When you see people having something you yourself are lacking, don’t they seem brilliant in your eyes? I think what Squalo harbors for Xanxus is something close to that. They have been in Varia together for a very long time and Squalo even knows Xanxus’ past and the secret to his strength. He probably admires people who have qualities he lacks. Also, I think Squalo feels a little special to be the only who has been confided with his past.

A goldmine of contrasts? Introduction to the rest of the Varia cast

Now I’ll ask questions unrelated to your roles. What do you admire about each other as an actor? Hayashida: I’ve worked with Shungo once before RTS. Initially, I thought he seemed really serious, but he’s actually surprisingly easygoing. He always has a distinctive kind of adaptability that I really like. Takasaki: Thank you. (laughs) my impression of Kohei-san has always been the same since the start. He’s an acting nut in a good way. You can feel it in your bones that he really likes acting. It’s exciting, performing with him. I really respect him for thinking about acting around the clock. He’s a very good senior as an actor. Hayashida: Thank you~

By the way, are there things about the other person that changed your initial impression of him or you thought was surprising? Hayashida: As we worked together, he became more relaxed and it’s really nice. He’d soothe your nerves now and again. Takasaki: Kohei-san, are people usually intimidated by you when they first meet you? Hayashida: Meeting new people makes me tense. Takasaki: So you were nervous. (laughs)

Based on your interactions backstage and on SNS, the Varia cast seem to be a close-knit group. Can you introduce each of the cast in a few words? Start with Takagi Katsuya, who plays as Lussuria. Hayashida: (Lussuria’s actor Takagi) Katsuya-san has my full trust, truly. Takasaki: He’s a really good older brother to us and brings everyone together. He’s really nice. Hayashida: He’s so nice that it’s a little scary. After all, sometimes he’s being nice but his eyes look murderous at a glance. (laughs) Takasaki: He’s also well-versed in a lot of things, so he’s a stimulating person to converse with. Additionally, sometimes he’s become so into his role that it’s like he really is Lussuria in real life. It's scary. (laughs) Hayashida: That’s true. Every now and then he naturally does things that are quite like Lussuria. (laughs)

Next, can you tell us about Levi A. Than’s actor, Yamaki Takanori? Hayashida: He's also an interesting one. While he is knowledgeable and has a talkative side, he also has a sensitive, airheaded side to him. He’s the kind of guy that’s quick on the uptake. Takasaki: Yes, he also seems sensitive to me. We’re the same age so we talk often, he really felt like someone with an airheaded and mischievous side while also possessing a serious side. Hayashida: Sometimes he has a peculiar way of thinking, but then he also acts recklessly at times. (laughs) He has quite a mysterious vibe.

How about Belphegor’s actor, Oomi Shoichiro-san? Hayashida: Omi-chan… I want to say he’s funny, but he’ll be ecstatic when he hears about it, so I don’t want to actually say so. (laughs) Takasaki: They filmed the backstage footage for the previous play, and that kid is a genius. He puts on an amazing act for the camera. It’s really funny. Ah, I ended up saying he’s funny. (laughs) Hayashida: It was inevitable. He really is funny after all. Takasaki: He’s super stoic when it comes to acting though. Hayashida: He has a very high sense of professionalism. He’s hardcore like that. That’s why I believe Oomi is actually really manly. That side of him is very charming. But behind the scenes he’s always trying to make us laugh. Takasaki: I totally get what you mean when you said he was manly. He’s very stubborn on certain things when it comes to acting. But normally he’s really good at picking up on the mood, so I’m really glad he’s in Varia. Hayashida: When you’re troubled, all you have to do is talk about Oomi. He’ll react with “Not again!!” in a really shrill voice, and then you’ll end up fooling around with him before you know it. (laughs)

And how about Mammon’s actress Kai Chihiro-san, the sole woman in the Varia cast? Takasaki: We’re so close-knit with Kaichi that I feel like she could be in the same dressing room as us. She’ll definitely protest vehemently though. (laughs) She seems whimsical but she actually has a lot of thoughts in mind. Hayashida: And I think she may be the one who loves Varia the most. Takasaki: She’s the kind of person who gets attached to people. I think her ability to treat others with respect really stands out.

Lastly, how about Mosca’s actor Kudo Shoma-san? Hayashida: He’s very grounded, and feels as though he has a brazen side to him. He’s also got a strong sense of responsibility. Takasaki: He’s a suit actor, so he’s very well-versed and is meticulous when it comes to performing. Mosca has no lines, but he has great presence because he is being played by Shoma-san. While he is brazen as a pro, he actually has a delicate and adorable side to him once he’s not playing his role anymore. That contrast really gets me. Hayashida: Mosca was first played by Yokochin-san (Yokota Ryo), so Shoma inherited this role from his senior. He carried a great sense of professionalism in fulfilling his responsibilities. He could tell how meticulous he was from how he figured out what Mosca’s initial movements should be like.

In this play, Higuchi Yuta joined the cast as another actor for Belphegor. Takasaki: I’ve worked with him before, and he can handle anything that’s thrown to him so he’s very dependable. Hayashida: This is the first time we have a double casting, so we too are looking forward to it. Takasaki: Yuta will probably take a totally different approach from Omi-chan, so I think he’ll give us a fresh take on the role.

So both their performances are a must-see! Takasaki: (The 2 Belphegors) will without a doubt affect our acting too, in my opinion. I recommend watching both versions.

Since “Secret Bullet” is the title, what is your “trump card”? Hayashida: I adopted a kitten recently, and it’s so cute that it makes me care less about anything else. (laughs) That’s why I consider it a secret bullet. Takasaki: Wow, nice one! For me… I started cooking more recently and often use honey as a secret ingredient. I think honey really can be used anywhere. That’s why it’s a secret bullet… (laughs)

Lastly, is there anything else you would like to say about the play, and any messages for the fans? Hayashida: First off, as a Varia member, I truly appreciate all the support that’s been given to the 2 “VS Varia arc” plays. I will do my utmost best for this upcoming play to be a step in the right direction for the next one. The 2 stories may be unrelated, but we have a friendly rivalry going on. Given what’s currently happening in the world right now, we hope… no, we’ll definitely give an entertaining performance! By all means, please do look forward to it! Takasaki: There’s a big difference this time. Maru-san (Maruo Maruichirou) is not the director this time but Yoriko Jun-san since the play was based on the novel. Hence I think we’ll be able to depict the play in a totally different way from the previous plays. Of course there are still aspects of it that will remind you that this is still Reborn The Stage, but do look forward to a fresh take on some things. Given what’s currently happening in the world right now, it once again makes us very thankful that we were allowed to do a play. With all that into consideration, we hope you provide you all with some entertainment.

#katekyo hitman reborn #khr #reborn the stage #secret bullet #hayashida kohei #takasaki shungo #translation #finally posting this after ten thousand years #another one of those why did i translate this again translations #but it was interesting reading their meta about their characters #idk maybe its because the novels are less talked about #but we hear some insight that you dont usually hear in the fandom imo #they really went and said #when all else fails you can just poke fun at omi chan #lmao #here i am finally working on the to do list ive neglected for months lol

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kittyprincessofcats · 3 years

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RWBY Volume 8, Episode 14 - The Final Word

Thoughts on the final episode of RWBY Vol 8 under the cut.

Also, I will from now on reblog spoilers for Volume 8, which will be tagged with “RWBY v8 spoilers” if you want to blacklist them.

tw: Since the episode itself had the same content warning, I should mention that I will be discussing themes of suicide in this post.

Also, everything I’m about to say is *my* personal opinion. I’m not trying to tell anyone else that they’re supposed to feel the same way about anything in this episode. In turn, please don’t tell me how to feel about it either.

- I should start by bringing up what I said in my post about episode 13, because all of that is going to become relevant now:

So... that all aged... interestingly.

- Next, I should say that I actually did end up getting spoiled about Penny’s death. I was trying really hard and didn’t go into any tags, but literally one day before this episode was released to the public, Tumblr recommended me two blogs with the titles “Penny deserved better” and “Justice for Penny Polendina”… so I drew my conclusions from that. And while I think those blog titles are valid sentiments, I do wish people would wait a week before putting spoilers in a blog title. But then again, I was weirdly glad to get spoiled this time, because it meant I was more emotionally prepared.

- And now, on to my very controversial opinion about this finale: I… uhm… I actually liked it. There, I said it. I liked it. I’m seeing a lot of takes from people who hated it, and that’s totally fair, but personally, to my own surprise, I liked it. (It’s kind of interesting that last time I said it would be “awful writing” to kill Penny now, then it happened, now the whole fandom is complaining about it being awful writing… and I’m here going “actually… that wasn’t so bad”.) That’s not to say that I’m a fan of everything in this finale, especially re: Penny – but overall, the good outweighed the bad *for me*. (Stressing again that this is just how *I* feel.)

- I think the main reason I feel that way is because I honestly expected way worse. If you read that thing I wrote last week^, you see I expected multiple character deaths. I was incredibly nervous. And after I’d already spent a few minutes genuinely thinking Yang died (because of a badly worded episode 13 spoiler I accidently saw), I had to think about the kind of deaths that would be a dealbreaker for me and make me drop the show. (Let’s say it like this: If either of Bumbleby ever died for real, I would be done with this show immediately.) So, in short, I was terrified of the finale and expected it to be the kind of finale that ruins the show for me (which has happened in far too many fandoms so far) – and it wasn’t. I have mixed feelings about how they handled Penny’s story, too, but this finale didn’t ruin the show for me and I honestly felt way worse after the Volume 3 finale. Maybe that’s because I wasn’t prepared for it at the time, but this time I spent a whole week being super anxious, so when I’d actually finished the finale, I just felt overwhelming relief.

- Okay, so let’s talk Penny: Back in Episode 12, I already wasn’t a huge fan of the idea to make her human (if that even is what she was?), but I think I said I’d reserve judgment on it until we see where they go with it. Obviously, it feels unsatisfying to have the show just kill her off after everyone’s been trying to save her all volume. And of course, it’s never fun to see a favorite character of yours (and Penny is definitely a favorite of mine) get killed off. The way it happened (a character who’s been trying to sacrifice herself the whole volume finally doing so through assisted suicide, even though there could have been several potential ways to still save her) feels incredibly unsatisfying and depressing as well. The “heroic sacrifice” cliché isn’t new, but there’s still a difference between a sacrifice that feels necessary and like it really was the only way (Hazel, Vine) and one that feels more like a character being over-eager to sacrifice themselves even though there might have been alternatives (Penny). So really, I understand why people don’t like this, especially because the narrative, so far, seems to validate Penny’s choice by having her plan work. And that does send the opposite of the “fight for every life”, “no one is replaceable” message this volume had been going for until then.

- And this is why, I think Penny’s death is meant to be awful. Volume 9 might prove me wrong on this, but I think we haven’t seen the end of this storyline yet. For me personally, it’s too early to judge this plot-point by itself because it depends a lot on how they deal with it in the aftermath and how things go from here. (For instance: I hated Pyrrha’s death at first because going into a fight she knew she couldn’t win also felt like a needless heroic sacrifice to me. It was only how the aftermath of it was handled from there that made me be okay with it.) So basically, what I’m asking is: How will the other characters handle Penny’s death now? Will Ruby (or anyone else) get angry at Jaune for agreeing to kill her? How will Ruby grieve in general? And, most importantly: Will the narrative really treat Penny’s choice as the “right” one or will it challenge that view? (And was there maybe more going on that we know because I’ve been reading those “Penny is alive” theories and… oh boy.) So yeah – for me it depends on how it gets handled from here.

- Also, I just want to say that I really appreciate RT putting a suicide trigger warning in the beginning of the episode and I wish people wouldn’t twist that into a bad thing. (I’ve seen some takes along the lines of “If they had to put a warning, that means they were aware it’s a harmful message, so that makes it worse” and… please don’t do that. Content creators putting trigger warnings on things is a good thing. Also, this might be a controversial take, but I don’t think fiction always has to “send a good message and teach you a lesson.” The important thing is that RT were aware that this episode could be upsetting/distressing to people and that’s why they put a warning and the suicide hotline’s number in the description.)

- Anyway, I’ve been rambling for too long. My point is: I understand the criticisms and agree with some of them, but I hope the writers know what they’re doing here and I want to believe that they do. I also love all the theories about Penny coming back (in Winter’s mind, for example) and I think they’re not actually that unlikely. And if Penny doesn’t come back, then honestly, I’m okay with that, too. At the end of the day, she’s a fictional character. I can always go and read fanfictions where she’s alive and lives happily ever after with Ruby and nothing that happens in canon can ever take that away. Canon only has as much power as you want it to have. I can enjoy the canon show and the story they’re telling (even if Penny is dead for good this time), while still also enjoying my AUs where she’s fine. One doesn’t harm the other.

- (Also, let me take this moment to shamelessly promote my favorite cartoon show because I think this is relevant to the interests of anyone who hates the “person who’s been trying to sacrifice themselves the whole time ends up doing just that” story: The main character in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is self-sacrificial to the point of it being unhealthy, but the show explicitly doesn’t treat this as a good thing. When she tries to sacrifice herself for the greater good in the final arc and says it’s better that way, this is treated as a problem, and the lesson she ends up learning in the end is her life has value, too, and that she deserves to be happy. (The show’s also very gay.)

- I don’t know if brought any of this across properly. Basically… I’m not happy about where they went with Penny either, but I am okay with it. I still enjoyed the finale and will continue to enjoy the show. And I want to focus on the things that make me happy about RWBY and made me happy about the finale, so I’ll talk about the rest of the episode now (while rewatching it because I’ll forget stuff otherwise):

- Have I mentioned I really love the Volume 8 opening? Because I really do.

- That shot of the destroyed whale is still awesome.

- I love how the episode opens with all the fights we left off with (Winter vs. Ironwood, Penny vs. Cinder, Harriet vs. Qrow, Ruby vs. Neo) and cuts between them. Also, the music is amazing!

- Elm admitting that Harriet is their friend and that being what finally gets through to her was a nice conclusion to their little arc, I guess. Vine’s sacrifice and his admittance that they’re his friends and he’s doing this for them were touching. Honestly, Harriet is right to blame herself for his death. That said, while this volume made me strongly dislike her, I do hope she now gets an arc about actually dealing with her grief and changing. I think that would be way more interesting to see than still having her be bitter, especially after what happened in this episode.

- Qrow causing good luck to stop the bomb was a nice little moment and honestly makes sense. Good luck and bad luck are just a matter of perspective, after all. What’s bad luck for yourself will be good luck for your enemies and vice versa. So, maybe Qrow technically caused “bad luck” for the bomb? Either way, I like the idea of him realizing that his semblance is more than what he thought.

- Cinder breathing fire during the fight was awesome. I need GIFs of that.

- Blake was amazing in this episode! I love that she didn’t let her grief over Yang consume her, but got up and kept fighting, kicked Cinder in the face and told Weiss to get up. Good stuff!

- I wonder if Cinder’s “You should have never been born” line to Ruby was just a generic “I hate you” line or meant something more.

- Do people honestly think that Cinder betraying Neo was unexpected or like… super unreasonable for a villain? Neo did threaten her – most typical villains don’t react well to their underlings threatening them, so I really don’t see why some people are so shocked or downright offended about this (is it just because they like Neo?).

- Weiss being the last one standing and using Blake’s weapon in the fight was absolutely amazing.

- The tragedy of Jaune sending Nora to bring the Huntsmen and Huntresses back through the portal while not knowing the portal is a one-way deal…

- Cinder knowing that Salem is back because her Grimm arm started hurting was a super interesting moment. And Weiss’ shocked face in that moment was quite interesting, too.

- I wonder if Penny really meant dying when she said “Let me choose this one thing”. To me, it sounded more like she meant choosing the next Winter Maiden. Also, her “trust me” to Jaune is an interesting line. Between that and us not seeing how that conversation goes on, I wonder if there’s something we don’t know here. (*puts on my “Penny is alive” tinfoil hat*)

- I’m glad they at least didn’t graphically show Penny’s death – which is an interesting choice again, because this show doesn’t usually shy away from making deaths graphic and portraying them in all their brutality. So, the fact that we don’t see the act itself and then just cut to Penny’s conversation with Winter was interesting. (But I am glad about it because I didn’t want to see that.) It might honestly just be because of the nature of Penny’s death that they didn’t want to show it too much (and that’s fair).

- “You were my friend.” Gosh, this rewatch is making me cry now 😭. (I also think it’s interesting that Winter calls herself a machine and Penny is now the one who corrects her. It’s a nice callback to Ruby telling Penny she’s their friend and “not just a machine”.)

- I was also just reminded that Penny died thinking Ruby was dead… ouch. This possibly hurts me more than Penny’s death itself.

- People have also pointed out that when Penny transfers the powers to Winter, her aura looks yellow (like Jaune’s) with only some green sparks (like Penny’s). Hmm… I really wonder if there’s more going on here.

- “I won’t be gone. I’ll be part of you.” Who’s cutting onions in here?

- Honestly, the main reason I kind of forgave them for killing Penny was because THAT MOMENT of Winter opening her eyes with the powers while that epic music plays was just amazing to witness. And her fight with Cinder? EPIC. BREATHTAKING. BEAUTIFUL. I’m not even that into the idea of Winter as the Winter Maiden (I honestly thought Penny, the robot girl, becoming the Winter Maiden was a much more interesting plot), but the way it was done in this episode was great. I’m glad we’re finally getting that rivalry between Winter and Cinder, because their arcs parallel each other in so many ways. And I love the symbolism of Winter only getting the powers that Ironwood chose for her after she betrayed Ironwood. I like the idea that she only became worthy of them after turning on Ironwood (which does work well with her Volume 7 arc).

- Oh, by the way, I really hate the “Team RWBY will become the four maidens eventually” theory. Even if it didn’t require characters to die, I just think it would be cheap and way too obvious, and I think it’s boring to throw all the magic powers at the main characters. So, if they only made Winter the Winter Maiden so she can eventually die and pass it on to Weiss, I’ll be very annoyed. (But I hope that’s not where this is going.)

- I’m also just realizing that Cinder asking “How am I supposed to take her power if she’s dead?” about Penny a few episodes ago was foreshadowing… damn.

- Jaune’s sword breaking was a really cool and symbolic moment, too.

- Winter trying to save Weiss from falling and not reaching her in time really got to me. I’m mostly not that affected by any of Team RWBY falling into the void because… come on, we know they’ll be fine. But Winter thinking her little sister just died is… oof. Maybe it’s because I have two younger sisters, but stuff like that really gets to me.

- Also, Winter going through that portal and seeing her family after she just (as far as she knows) lost Weiss… ouch. They never got to all reunite with each other (yet).

- I absolutely LOVED that final scene between Salem and Cinder. They’re both such fascinating characters and I just live for their interactions. Cinder talking herself down (even though she got the relics, so she knows she succeeded at the most important part) was amazing on her part. She did learn from Salem! It’s also interesting that even though she got what Salem wanted, Cinder didn’t get what she herself wanted (the Maiden Powers). I feel like that’s eventually going to become important.

- I wonder if Salem believed Cinder’s lies or not. I’ve seen some interesting opinions in both directions here. (Also, again, I don’t get why some people are so shocked and offended about Cinder lying? I’ve seen so many “I hope she pays for her lies” takes and… really? That’s her biggest crime in your eyes? Lying to another villain?? I don’t think any of you villain-haters feel bad for Salem here, so why… oh. Oh, nevermind, I just understood. They’re not mad that Cinder lied, they’re mad because they wanted Salem to kill her. Gosh, that’s so dumb. Face it, people: That’s not going to happen because Salem still needs the Fall Maiden’s powers. She’s not going to kill Cinder anytime before Cinder opens the last vault.)

- Cinder killing Watts with the staff was kinda funny, tbh. Also Salem’s proud little smirk in that scene kills me.

- “And that’s checkmate.” THAT. Okay, THAT was the best line in the entire episode, I don’t make the rules. What an epic moment!! Gosh, have I mentioned I love Cinder to death? What a queen! This volume really completely changed my opinion on her. I’ve already said that she’s my standout character of the volume, and I stand by that. It was her volume in so many ways and it’s so fitting that she gets to say the last line. It’s also such an interesting line in so many ways: 1) Because this episode is called “The Final Word”, is the only episode in this volume that doesn’t have a one-word title, and the actual final word of the episode is “checkmate”, it implies that “Checkmate” is the real, hidden title of the episode. And that fits so well! They could have easily just named the episode “Checkmate”, but revealing it like this works even better. 2) I also love the chess symbolism in this volume in general. There was a really great analysis about it on here somewhere, but basically: Salem is the king, Cinder is the queen (the king can’t die and barely moves, the queen is out there getting rid of opposing player pieces). And the interesting thing about that here is that the king can’t actually checkmate anyone else, only other chess pieces can. So, it’s very fitting that Cinder is the one who says “checkmate”. Also, in a game of chess, you often have to sacrifice your own pieces to win, which is what Cinder did. 3) I also LOVE the realization on Ironwood’s face when he realizes that he’s been so paranoid about Salem, but he’s actually been playing Cinder all along. (Someone else on here pointed out that there’s something super poetic about Cinder, someone who was very much a victim of Atlas’ systemic problems, being the one to defeat Ironwood and destroy his kingdom. Ironwood was ready to sacrifice all the poor people from Mantle for his own goal, and a poor person who was hurt by people in Atlas is the one who destroyed him. Yeah, yeah, Cinder’s evil and all, but I love it! 4) It’s also really interesting to me that Salem said “This game is not yours to win, it’s mine” to Cinder in the first episode of this Volume, but in the end, Salem ended up being gone for the entire last part of the volume and Cinder is the one who got to say “checkmate.” IT’S JUST SO GOOD.

- And ngl, I’m super happy for Cinder. She really got it all. Yeah okay, she didn’t get the Maiden Powers (and I hope she never does, because one person being two maidens at once is lame), but she got the relics, got rid of her enemies and co-workers (or so she thinks), destroyed the kingdom that she was a slave to, got back into Salem’s good graces… good for her! And apparently one of the buildings that you see being flooded was the Glass Unicorn? Amazing. Love that.

- (Yes, I’m team “redemption for Cinder please”, but come on… it was never going to happen this volume. And if it never happens, that’s okay, too – I’m loving her as a villain as well!)

- Also, I hope that all the people who were specifically criticizing Cinder for not being a competent enough villain are very happy now. Because there you have the competent villain you said you wanted! I mean, I’m saying this as someone who used to criticize Cinder’s character for not being interesting/deep enough. I used to say that I’d like a backstory or something that makes her more interesting/compelling to me. But as soon as we got that backstory, I happily switched sides to team “I like Cinder now”. So, I better not hear any complaining from the “I just want her to be a more competent villain” faction now!

- Yeah, I admit I’m getting annoyed with the Cinder hate. Everyone has a right to their opinions, but it gets frustrating when you’re going through the tag of a character you like and half of the tag are people talking about how badly they want that character to die. (Maybe use a seperate tag for it?)

- (I’m just realizing that I said “Well, at least it was only one character death” earlier, but people like Ironwood and Watts actually did die… I just didn’t count those because I don’t care. Sorry not sorry.)

- We decimated Salem’s faction quite a bit this volume, didn’t we? There’s only Cinder, Tyrian, and Mercury left. I wonder if Salem will get some new people on her side.

- Overall, while I did like this episode, I feel like Volume 8 got weaker towards the end. Most Volumes were at their best towards the end, but I feel like episodes 8-11 were the strongest parts of Volume 8, while episodes 12-14 were still good, but not as good.

- My prediction is that Volume 9 will (of course) be Tearm RWBY’s way out of the void (or whatever that place where they ended up is called) – And I quite like the theory that we won’t see the other characters at all and it’ll be focused only on what’s happening in the void.

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terriblevocaloidshit · 3 years

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hi, mod mayu here! figured since we occasionally keep getting notifs for this blog thatd i do a small life update + an announcement

announcement: im sure this was obvious but i do want to make a formal statement for it. i will no longer be providing updates for this blog.

i will still keep everything i’ve posted up, as this blog was kinda a big part of my teenage years + still has a soft spot in my heart. genuinely, thank you to everyone who’s shared those years with me here! 🥺❤️ life update (under the cut for those that are interested):

although i dont post about it much anymore, i still love vocal synths + it remains a big chunk of music i currently listen to. tho the only producers i actively keep up with are maretu and kira... my current hyperfix (as of 3-4 yrs now) is cookie run im not as active on tumblr as i used to be, im mostly active on twitter now (public rt acct is @seraphiinamoon for those interested). additionally my tumblr main is moonlightcookie for those who still wanna keep up with me here overall i’d say my current life is pretty decent! i’ve got a job i genuinely enjoy doing and a lovely gf that i’ve been dating for a little over 2 years now + whom i hope to move in with within the next 5 years! she lives in canada tho, so immigrating there will likely be a Process. a Big Ordeal. idk, im really scared and nervous thinking about it but im also pretty excited! but yeah, this is the end of this small update. again, thank you so much to those who’ve been here from the start/early on in this blogs creation + keeping me company just talking about voice synths. those times really meant a lot to me 🥺❤️❤️

#mod mayu speaks #wonder how many ppl that still follow are still active enough to see this... Sobb

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skye-huntress · 4 years

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RWBY V8 Episode 13 “Worthy” Reactions

There is so much going on in this episode and naturally because it’s the penultimate episode, so much conflict still in progress. I may miss or forget things and this will take me a while to get out because I have so much nervous energy it took me half an hour just to start typing. So keep that in mind as you read on

People were saying the plan went so smoothly but as I pointed out in my last reaction, local comms going down was and has thrown the evacuation into disarray, we can see it. So already we have Jaune and Nora splitting off from their team to spread the message, leaving less people to secure the gathering point in Vacuo

Second complication, a sandstorm that cuts off local comms and makes it impossible to know where Vacuo is. And a growing number of terrified refugees just out in the open with less than a handful of fighters to protect them. No way back to relative shelter or to even warn the rest either because true to his nature Ambrosius built exactly what they ask for.

Third complication, I wondered why Cinder seemed to be prepared for their plan. I thought Watts somehow also intercepted comms between Winter and Weiss but it seemed a stretch. Using the last question is going to bite her in the arse later, but I suppose she is in a damned anyway if she can’t give Neo Ruby before Salem respawns

And now we can also confirm she knows of Emerald’s “betrayal” but unless she leaves or gets knocked through the Vacuo portal, we may not get a confrontation this volume. Hard to say what she makes of this, she’s only shown to treat Emerald as someone she can use, much like how Cinder herself was and is being used.

Also Jinn definitely looked remorseful, but just like Ambrosius and the other spirits, she has rules to follow. BTW, I thought of a possible loophole for Jinn’s question limit. She can only be asked three questions every 100 years but I find it curious one question was already used. So my question is would it be possible to ask Jinn the same question twice. Technically it would not be a fourth question, but is that technicality enough to at least allow Jinn to repeat information for new ears.

Watts has access to the Command Centre. Jimmy’s need to control everything has once again backfired and given the enemy everything they could possibly want to do as much damage as they desire

All those people that Cinder blasted off the edge just to get RWBY’s attention, this has always been who she was, which is why there will not be any form of redemption for her. Even if she turns against Salem, it will be for her own selfish reasons and it is why she’ll never truly be able to escape from her fate

Our first RWBY vs Cinder fight (and probably not the last). Not many places worse for them to fight (if at all), with little ground (not a problem for a flying enemy), no cover, civilians in the line of literal fire (and glass). Got knocked off, game over. Speaking of which...

And Neo. Fucking Neo. And of course, protective big sister to the rescue. And she is the first to fall.

I did find it interesting that she seemed to vanish at a certain point on the way down. I interpret as proof, it’s not some endless void, there is something down there. And of course, there has to be a way back. We’re talking the Y of RWBY here, not to mention half the show’s most prominent LGBT+ couple. Contrary to what some individuals claim, RT do not do “Bury Your Gays” or “Queerbaiting”, at least not intentionally. As I said for Penny when she got hacked, Yang is going to be just fine, eventually. She’s not fine right now, obviously, but this isn’t the end for her. RWBY isn’t that type of show.

Ruby seems to be just surviving, no time to think or process what happen unless she wants to end up dead-dead by her sister’s supposed murderer. In this case, it is somewhat fortunate that Ruby’s coping mechanism is through actions, but when she stops it’s going to catch up with her

As for Blake, who got over repressing all her emotions several volumes ago, is not only the one to lose it the most but has gone absolutely feral. Still, she is not so far gone that she isn’t completely unaware that Penny and Weiss are unless in danger. Dilemma, exact vengeance on Neo, or lose another person you love?

While I’m on this point though, this is an excellent example of the destructive nature of the cycle of vengeance. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. In her pursuit of vengeance, Neo has naturally made herself the target of the same type of vengeance. Precisely why killing often not actually a final solution, it also has consequences as well.

I fear for Penny but I’m still confident she’ll survive this somehow. She is something new and unique, a whole new chapter of her life has just started and it would be anti-climatic and a huge waste for the show not to explore that. Besides, if Cinder has learned anything than she knows the relics must take priority over her power lust. All the power of Maidens won’t save her from Salem if she doesn’t return with both of them.

Weiss seems to be the one in most trouble right now, and in most danger of falling next. Still, I’m curious to see if her Nevermore summon will come into play again. A finale seems like the best time for it, and could potentially be a tide turner, perhaps more so than the Queen Lancer summon in Volume 5. She could use more wins.

Back to the Loser Ops. Hoping Marrow is okay. But of course, Harriet is still set on delivering that bomb. Much like her boss, she seems incapable of admitting she is wrong or has lost. I don’t think most people expected Vine to be the next one to concede that Jimmy was not the one to follow, but it makes sense. At that point, blowing up a city for man who has already lost is the furthest thing from logical. It’s just spite at that point, and just a way to make sure everyone loses.

So the bomb is back in play, thanks to Harriet. And while everyone is focused on her, no one will notice Watts pulling the strings from behind the curtain. But what is his target? He wouldn’t waste such a thing on mere civilians. It could simply be to occupy and/or eliminate several powerful combatants, given the villains are currently outnumbered. Still, he’s in his element and the last person we want to underestimate now. If this is truly the end of Atlas, this may probably be his last great act of villainy before he truly falls into irrelevancy and expendability

Lastly, Jimmy F@#$ing Ironwood. Forcefield prisons are such a bad idea. And of course, we can’t forget Chekhov’s gun-gun-gun. We had to see it in action and what it can do to a person. He recovered extraordinarily quickly, but then his body is more machine than man at this point. Also, as I predicted, shattering his aura did not snap him out of it. Atlas the city, the idea, is everything to him. He stopped seeing the people in it a while ago. He’ll kill them all if it will keep the city afloat.

I have complicated feelings about Jacques Schnee. I don’t need to tell anyone how much of a terrible person he is but I can’t ignore the truth that not everything he touched turned to shit. Weiss is perhaps my favourite character in the show, and she would not only not exist if it weren’t for Jacques, she wouldn’t be the person she is that I love now if Jacques was any different as a father. Same goes for Whitley and Winter. It’s a reminder that some good can come from even the shittiest of people acting in the shittiest of ways. He was also right about Ironwood all along, can’t forget that.

That all said, Jacques did not deserve to be murdered like that, whatever his crimes. The man had nothing left, no threat to anyone anymore. He should have lived for the rest of his pathetic existence knowing what he lost.

So now Winter is facing Ironwood again, this time she is alone and he is armed. Neither are in the best shape. I only see this ending with one or both of them dying.

One final note, Yang may be gone but... what if instead of the others also falling... those still standing take a leap of faith to jump after her and whoever else falls

#rwby #rwby8 #rwby8 spoilers

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roemerschanze · 3 years

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I wrote a thing!

or rather it just fell out of my hand, beginning to end in one sitting... read on AO3 THE FREEDOM OF DECEIT - Qui/Obi Fic

PART I Obi-Wan woke on a hard daybed in what seemed to be the living area of a small starship. Confused.

He blinked, waiting for his vision to properly focus so he could hopefully see a sign of whether this was a republican ship or not.

It must be, why else would he not be restrained and locked up in the brigg ...or dead for that matter…

His muscles hurt. He was exhausted. But uninjured he realised as he rubbed the back of his head. With a groan he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the daybed.

The fight still sat deep in his bones.

It had gone on for what felt like hours and his angry attacks had drained all the energy from him until finally his former Master had made use of his slowing reaction to forceknock him into the wall.

He remembered the breath being pressed from his chest, then nothing.

Had his Master shown mercy for the sake of their joint past?

In fact Qui-Gon had only defended himself, never attacked ...until his first and final blow.

So his ability was still hopelessly inferior to that of his Master who had blocked his every strike withcalm concentration… efficient … graceful … showing no sign of exertion … or emotion … giving the impression of utter tranquillity even when he evaded Obi-Wan’s lightsaber at high speed. His face expressionlessand only his blue eyes always vigilant… He had felt naked under this piercing gaze, as if Qui-Gon knew his every thought, anticipated his every move…

His fists dug into the thin mattress.

It made him so angry! He had felt, no, still felt like a foolish Padawan attacking and attacking even though he never stood a chance!

… completely at his Master’s mercy…

His fist hit the table next to him as he briskly rose.

Enough of these useless thoughts! He was a Jedi! It wouldn’t bother him to lose to Masters Yoda or Windu, so why should it bother him to lose to Qui-Gon?

Obi-Wan took a deep breath to release his anger to the force.

Focus now.

He scanned the room for his lightsaber but it was nowhere in sight. Also no other hint on whose ship this might be.

He started towards one of the doors to go and find his presumed rescuer, who must have found him after Qui-Gon had left, as the door hissed open in front of him. Obi-Wan stopped dead in his tracks.

“You’re awake.”

The tall figure stayed in the passage to the bridge. A concerned look on his usually calm features.

“How do you feel?” He finally asked.

BETRAYED! Obi-Wan wanted to scream ...but he only gritted his teeth and stared at the man he had trusted so deeply for so many years, who hestill continuously and involuntarily called Master in his head.

Ire burned in his guts, seeing the Master he had always admired for his unshakeable integrity just standing there. As if nothing ever happened!! As if he had not betrayed everyone he knew and most of all himself! Infuriating!

Qui-Gon slowly entered and closed the door behind him. Paused.

Obi-Wan still stood there as rigid as a stone. Trying to reign in his wrath.

“You’re mad at me… and you have every reason to be...” Qui-Gon said quietly.

Obi-Wan’s fury cooled as fast as it had come and his stomach dropped. He felt as if a bucket of cold water had been emptied over his head.

Why did his Master suddenly look so weary?

“I missed you, Obi-Wan.”

The man’s voice was low, almost a whisper. No hint of tranquility anymore. Instead he looked slightly nervous, an inner turmoil clearly visible in his eyes and his posture giving the impression of a heavy weight pressing him down.

Obi-Wan had to fight the urge to run to his Master and throw his arms around him to offer comfort.

Never trust a Sith.

Nothing good could come of that.

He steeled himself.

“Why?” he asked, voice firm.

It was not a ‘why did you miss me?’

Qui-Gon understood.

He walked to one of the chairs at the table and sat down. Collapsed, more accurately.

“Sit with me, Obi-Wan. I’ll tell you.” He sounded exhausted.

Warily Obi-Wan went back to the daybed.

Don’t let him fool you, Kenobi, he’s a Sith now. Not the man you knew.

He sat down still staring mistrustfully at the Master who had meant so much to him for so long.

Not your Master! See through this mummery!

“No mummery, Obi-Wan.”

Qui-Gon must have read his mind… but their bond was cut! ...or wasn’t it?

“...not right now at least...”

He tried to read his Master’s face. Could he play this exhaustion? Had he always been such a good liar or had he only learned it as a Sith?

“Dooku is not he Sith we’re looking for. I’m sure you know that. He’s only the apprentice.”

Qui-Gons voice took him back to the present.

“Wha-” He hadn’t known. And what did he mean by ‘we’?

“But YOU’re the apprentice!” He blurted. “There can only be two!”

Qui-Gon smiled at him warmly. Foolish Padawan, it meant.

Obi-Wan clenched his fists again. Yeah, foolish he was, sitting here, listening to what was most probably a blatant lie.

“Eventually there will be only two. But a Sith does not wait until their Master dies of old age to try for power.”

‘…,my Padawan.’ Obi-Wan added in his mind, memory of many such cryptic explanations washing over him.

But the warm smile soon enough vanished from Qui-Gon’s face and gave way for a more serious expression as the tall man pulled back his broad shoulders and straightened in his chair, bracing.

“The council sent me to find the Master.”

The firm statement hit Obi-Wan like a brick. He had expected this lie, yet hearing the words from his Master’s lips knocked all the doubt from him.

“They sent me to join Dooku, to become his apprentice again and to ultimately find his Master and destroy them both.”

Obi-Wan stared at him, his mouth open.

“But Dooku is no fool. After all this time … he still hasn’t brought me anywhere near the identity of the Dark Lord.”

Qui-Gon exhaled, his broad frame collapsing in the chair again, while exhaustion returned to his voice.

“I suspect he keeps me mostly hidden to eventually try and kill the Master with my help. But who knows how long it will be before he sees his chance...”

Silence fell over the both of them, with Obi-Wan unable to decide whether he was hearing truth or lie.

“All the Jedi you killed...” he finally murmured.

“It was part of the assignment, Obi-Wan.” Qui-Gon sounded as if he needed to convince himself.

“And I should have killed you, too, indiscriminate...” His voice broke and his gaze fell to his hands in his lap.

He swallowed.

“I was not supposed to tell anyone about the mission, not even you, Obi-Wan. And I was to make it convincing...”

Was that desperation now?

“But when it was you I had to fight… I just couldn’t do it any longer.”

Qui-Gon’s gaze rose to meet his eyes again. A silent plea for forgiveness.

Obi-Wan remained still, fighting to not let any of the feelings he had buried deep inside himself so long ago come to the surface.

“I needed to tell you. ...To make you understand…” his voice trailed off, eyes roaming around, searching for the words he couldn’t seem to find until his gaze came to rest on Obi-Wan again.

“I love you, Obi-Wan.” he said simply.

“NO!”

Obi- Wan jumped up, screaming.

“NO!”

Qui-Gon rose as well, reaching out in a soothing gesture but Obi-Wan quickly stepped out of reach.

“You cant just throw that at me! After all these years! After all the….”

He had yelled but then the anger flowed from him as if a drain had been opened and gave way to the same exhaustion he had seen in Qui-Gon before.

“...the heartbreak your betrayal caused me… “ his voice broke and he had to stifle a sob.

This time he didn’t evade Qui-Gon’s touch as the tall man drew him into his arms and buried his face in the soft red hair.

PART II

For a short while he let his Master hold him and leaned his head against the broad shoulder while he tried to restore order to his thoughts and untie the knot in his chest. He reached for the force and let it calm him avoiding the warm presence that was his Master’s body and force signature but instead reaching further into the cool calm of space surrounding the small ship.

Finally he freed himself from Qui-Gon’s embrace and firmly looked the man in the eye.

“So what did you plan on doing now?” he asked down to business.

Qui-Gon drew a deep breath and took a step back to give him some space.

“I told Dooku you got the better of me and escaped.” He said after collecting himself for a moment. “Your fighter is in the loading bay.” He reached under his robe. “Here’s your lightsaber.”

“...You can leave anytime...”, he added hesitantly as if saying it would make Obi-Wan do it.

Obi-Wan took the lightsaber from Qui-Gon’s extended hand and started towards the door he supposed would lead to the loading bay.

“Good, I’ll better be on my way then before you’re caught in your lie.” He stated coldly. “I wouldn’t want to make your efforts to be in vain.”

Qui-Gon looked shattered as he watched Obi-Wan turn away offering nothing but brutal sarcasm.

“Obi-Wan wait!” He finally called out as the door slid open.

“No!” Obi-Wan said firmly without turning. “meditate it away or whatever it is you do these days. There’s no point in expanding this any further.” His voice never faltered as he dismissed Qui-Gon yet he felt his determination wane as he spoke. He turned around not wanting to be cruel.

His Master stood there stooped like a beaten dog.

“There is no point.” he continued softly. “All we could gain from this before your return to the temple is more heartbreak.”

It hurt him to see his Master defeated like this but it needed to be said. They were both Jedi, they both knew what it took.

“And even after your hopefully safe return...” He tried to swallow the big lump in his throat but to no avail. “There is really no room for attachments like this.”

Speaking the words made him want to throw up. His chest felt tight and his hands were covered in cold sweat. Part of him wished Qui-Gon had never said the words. There was a reason Obi-Wan had never spoken up about his feelings even after the knighting.

Qui-Gon came up to him now a wide warm smile on his face that seemed to say ‘I’m so proud of you, Padawan’. Oh, how he wished they could go back to being Master and Padawan, when being close had been so easy.

He didn’t back away as Qui-Gon slipped an arm around his waist and brushed an errand strand of hair from his face.

“You’re right, Padawan.”

Qui-Gon’s soft rumble gave him goosebumps.

“There really is no room for this in the Temple. But maybe then this right here is our place in space and time. Maybe this assignment, as hard and horrible as it is, finally gives me the liberty to do and say what I wanted to for so long.”

Warmth radiated from Qui-Gon. And warm was the smile on his face though his eyes were glossy wet.

“If this moment is all we’ve got, I want to savour it.” He paused. “All of it. The joy and the pain.”

He cupped his former Padawan’s face with both hands and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

Obi-Wan shut his eyes tightly to keep the tears from falling but it was no use. His fist curled into Qui-Gon’s tunic anger again boiling inside him. Why did his Master have to make him feel all these emotions that would be nothing but painful in the end?

Qui-Gon seemed to read his mind again as he kissed the tears from his face.

“Because every moment is precious with you, my Obi-Wan.”

#quiobi #fanfic #beware of the sap #drama #romance #qui-gon jinn #obi-wan kenobi #Roe_Writes #Roe_Draws

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