#and like what does it mean a triangle with 4 3 and 9 as edge lengths

[tchaikovskym]

Man this day sucked balls

[lilycutesmith]

to actually expand on gameplay differences and whatnot: 7th Dragon DS has a 4 Party System, with a front and back row and is probably the most like EO in terms of gameplay; however there's a mechanic known as React Turns which show up in some skill trees. We'll talk about that in the PSP section. But in general the game's randoms will body you until you get a few levels at which point you'll bulldoze the randoms pretty effectively. The REAL meat of the combat is in fighting DRAGONS. You got a global counter for dragons in this one and its kinda sick. Bloom is actually more annoying then a threat, its just damage tiles but obnoxious and you can mow them down its very funny (this affects dragon damage! not significantly but it DOES affect it and can give you an edge!) I didn't get too far but like yeah its a solid RPG from what I played and I do recommend checking it out. 7th Dragon 2020 and 2020-II are similar in gameplay, with 2020-II introducing the Idol class (havent played it yet; got to the like 4th? chapter in 2020 and stopped playing it for ??? reasons). However, the party size in these games is just 3 characters. HOWEVER, ALL CLASSES ARE EXTREMELY VIABLE AND YOU CAN DO SICKNASTY STUFF WITH IT. You may also note that these games, unlike the previous game, take place in modern times! These games are extremely good at selling how fucked up Dragons are and it rules. This is when the game takes the React Turn concept and turns it into much more of a main mechanic. So the way it works is that you put a buff on yourself and whenever you fulfill those conditions you will gain an extra turn, up to 3 for each character! *This will become almost essential* as you will quickly realize, having anyone go down very seriously eats into your action economy with the 3 party member size. Also because of the party size the classes don't really fall into a proper "role triangle" instead each class can do its own fucked up thing and it's pretty good! Just like last game, the randoms are rough until you gain a few levels and then its largely just rolling over them. Dragons are rough! They act twice! Did I mention that? That's true for all games. This DOES mean they get affected by status ailments twice though! Poison is strong in these games for this reason, and ailments are stackable so ailment builds are extremely pog.

7th Dragon VFD for the 3DS was made when the company making it went out of business most of the way thru development so Sega ended up finishing it and I guess decided it was worth bringing over to the west unlike the rest of the series???? Anyways *IT FUCKING SHOWS DUUUUUUDE* you dont realize how dire it is until you play the other games and learn about weird story stuff that you're like "oh god". I need to say tho that it is still a very fun game, some uhhhhh questionable stuff aside. You can break the game very easily and while you have a 3 party size, there's a whole like union system that you can abuse that also gets you free turns and it goes up to like 9 characters and buddy that is a LOT of free turns it's very silly; you also unlock more classes as you play thru the story but this isnt as much of an issue as you'd expect. Fun game probably best to do first because of how the other games change your perspective on this game lol.

overall fun series if you're itching for fun rpgs they're definitely good; you'll need english patches for most of them but like you can find those.

it's honestly about as etrian as it can be without being a first person dungeon crawler. it's got the same director as EO1, which really shows; there's a lot of stuff just straight lifted from it in the classes, the samurai uses a stance system, knight has a LOT of protector DNA, the princess straight up has hexer's fear tree. Yuzo Koshiro also composed for the game, so it honestly ends up being pretty close to The Etrian Odyssey 2 They Don't Tell You About

[arachnes-weaver]

Rating how well I think jjk men would do in squid game

pls request a part 2 with the ladies if u want one

Imma put this in a no powers au so this is just based on personality

Gojo: 5/10

His habit of annoying people to make friends has left him with fewer teammates than he’d like

Definitely got in with Getou’s crew through some…. light seduction (naw but there’s some emotional value there too, they’re soulmates in every au)

Decent at the games, he’s physically fit and not afraid to get his hands dirty when absolutely necessary but like I said earlier, less people on his team than he’d like

Would probably get too cocky and die during marbles by betting it all on one guess

Getou: 9/10

I love him but we all know he can be MERCILESS when pushed to the edge, which I think would happen after gojo’s death

Definitely kills a couple people (likely a weaker team than his own) during the nighttime brawl with a knife he snuck in like a clever king

Gathers a pretty strong team by making himself a big contender early on

Physically fit, good at thinking strategically and able to get his hands dirty

Surprisingly compassionate about a couple of underlings who he takes into his team, nobody gets it

Makes it to the last game for sure

Nanami: 7/10

Doesn’t enjoy working in a team but will do it as a means of survival

Refuses to kill anyone, which lowers his chances

Would ace red light, green light, the honeycomb game and marbles

Picked umbrella and still is one of the first done

Strategic skill brings him from the brink of defeat in tug of war (like Sang-Woo)

Dies in a fight between players protecting his teammates

Yuuji: 6/10

Physical prowess makes him a desirable teammate and capable player

Followed Megumi who chose triangle in the honeycomb game, thank god

Absolutely carries his team in tug of war

Not a strategic genius so is likely to die or sacrifice himself during marbles, because much like nanami he doesn’t want to kill anyone

If he survives marbles I reckon he dies during glass panes

Megumi: 4/10

Definitely crawled through the vents to see what was up, this helped him and yuuji during honeycomb

Will get his hands dirty if he needs to

He only has a low rating because he would sacrifice himself early on

Also he’d be bad in a team

Toji: 3/10

So scary to other players so good with forming a strong team, even if none actually want to be his lackeys

Hands were too big for honeycomb game

Rip

Alternatively he survives that and makes it to the end, in which case i give him 10/10

Choso: 5/10

Either wins the whole thing without blinking an eye or sacrifices himself for Yuuji during marbles

you choose which

Yuuta: 1/10

Moves during red light, green light

i’m sorry i love him but i just know he would

still best boy though

Inumaki: 10/10

Wins

No further questions please

Sukuna: 7/10

Once again his physical prowess makes him desirable in a team

But his personality does the opposite

Teammates are ready to turn on him at any given moment

Probably makes marbles into a test of strength so he can win

Definitely started the fights between players

Dies in tug of war after all his lackeys get sick of him and form a group without him, leaving him with a weaker group

Mahito: 0/10

Thinks it’s a joke

dies in red light, green light trying to kick someone’s body whilst they’re down

dickhead

Naoya: 3/10

Tries to get into Getou’s team, fails

Makes his own “team”

they kill him

[daddychims]

Offside Pt 11

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11

Series Masterlist!

Genre: Smut, Soccer AU, College AU

Pairings: Soccer Player! Jungkook X Sports Trainer! Reader

Word Count: 2k

Other BTS members all make a cameo as well because I’m an OT7 Trash!

You work as a sports trainer, providing basic first aid and injury management for the Hanguk University’s soccer team. Going with your mundane life of caring for the dozen of guys hurting themselves in the soccer game takes a turn when one of the guys catches your eyes. It’s not his breathtakingly good looks or his muscular athletic body usually seducing girls at the campus that catches your eyes. But the action plan in your kit, indicating he is diagnosed with Asthma is what draws your eyes time and time again to the Golden Boy of Hanguk University.

Warning: Slow burn, eventual smut, Taehyung being a freaking tease the whole time, Also Jimin not letting the female MC live for one day, Fuckboy!Jungkook, Asthmatic! Jungkook , mentions of episodes of Asthma, Take your Ventolin kids, Take your medications kids!

You watch the three guys who are standing at three corners of the table, chalking their cues as they have the most intense stare battle of their life. The girl sitting beside you offers you a cigarette which you reject with a forced smile but quickly grab one of the bottles of beer that is sitting idly on the table and press it against your mouth to take a sip.

"So what's the bet of the night," Jimin asks, gaze travelling between the two guys "Don’t tell me you called me here without a bet."

"Of course not Park," Taehyung scoffs "I've got a good one for now. "

You furrow your eyebrows when he shifts his gaze to you, and you immediately choke on your beer staring between him and the two other guys "W-What?" You ask defensively

"The bet's on you, Sugar!" Taehyung offers and Jungkook nods confirming his words

"W-What?" you ask with lost eyes "What do you mean?"

"Whoever wins this game will get to drive you home!" Taehyung declares firmly as he glances back at Jimin

"Ooh creative," Jimin smirks "I like that!"

"Wait no," you quickly stand up to object "Joonie said he'll will be drop me off-" you turn around to have a look at the table where you last seen Jiwoo and Namjoon but your voice trails off as you find out about your bestfriend's betrayal

"They left the place 10 minutes ago," Jungkook states looking at you "While you were too busy …" he points at the table Jimin was grinding on you earlier and your cheeks turn red immediately

"I can get home on my own." you declare 

"Joonie Hyung will probably kill me if he knows I didn’t take you home," Jimin immediately rejects shaking his head "Also where is the fun in that?

"Am I here to entertain you?" You ask in disblief

"We're set," Jimin ignores your question as he looks at the other two

"Hey Hey," You call as you as you walk closer to the table "but I have a condition." The three of them nod in union and you're surprised that for the first time you see them agreeing on something. "You'll drop me at my place," you glance over Taehyung to Jungkook as you add "No funny business," you then bring your eyes to Jimin "No messing around!"

"Can I get a complementary neck massage?" Jimin raises his hand as if he's asking for permission with an excited tone

"Park," you sneer at the guy and he immediately laughs in response

"Fine, " Jimin replies before looking at the two other guys "I'm calling dibs on 10-15."

"That’s not fair," Taehyung pouts "13 is my lucky number!"

"You should work on your speed if you don’t want your things taken!" He smirks before pointing at you 

"Park," You hiss realising the "things" he's mentioning is a metaphore for you "I'm standing right here!"

"Sorry babe," he sends a wink your way "Just trying to teach the kids some life lesson here!"

"You better watch your mouth," Taehyung hisses "before I stick that cue up your ass and teach you a life lesson!"

"Ooh didn’t know you're into toys," Jimin laughs "Is that your way of compensating for your 3 seconds stamina?"

Taehyung is about to jump over the table to throw a punch when Jungkook finally speaks up

"Lets get this over and done with," he glances at Taehyung in an attempt distract the heated guy "1 to 5 or 5 to 10 Tae?"

"1 to 5," Taehyung replies through gritted teeth

"Alright!" Jungkook nods as he sets the small balls in the triangle before lifting the case up, the balls organized in a triangle ready for the game to start

You watch as Taehyung lean over the table, throwing a glare at Jimin across the table before breaking the balls.

"Nice shot!" Jimin compliments with a mischievous smile

Taehyung smirks as he walks away changing his angle, aiming for the number 13 which belongs to Jimin. As the cue hits the ball, it starts dancing around the table but misses its path into a pocket.

"Not so lucky hey," Jimin smirks as he watches Taehyung's defeated expression "What does it even stand for? 13 … 13 seconds?" he pauses as if he discovered something brilliant in his head "Is that the most you lasted boning someone?"

Taehyung clenches his jaw watching Jungkook walk past him, brushing an arm over his shoulder to calm him "Its for the time your dad lasted when he made you!" Taehyung spits back in response 

Jimin's expression immediately hardens and he's about to charge towards the guy when you quickly intervene 

"Hey, Hey," you scold as you knock on the wooden surface of the table "you two stop fighting right now!"

"He started!" Taehyung points at the guy across the table with a pout, as if he's wrongly accused 

“I don’t have all night for you two to fight,” you cross your arms across your chest, putting an end to their pointless banter “Now do you wanna continue playing or should I call Joonie?”

You don’t miss how Jungkook’s lips tug into a faint smile as the two guys pout in union like two kids scolded by their mom

“I guess I’m playing next!” He offers looking at you before leaning down and play his turn

The rest of the game goes on not much different than it started, Taehyung and Jimin constantly bickering while Jungkook silently plays, all his attention on the balls he scores in the holes one after another.

You can’t help but notice his familiar tactic he always uses on the field. Barely wasting any time to bluff or bicker with others but ends up owning the game in the end. And of course, this game is no exception.

“I guess the hiatus affected your skills, Park!”  Taehyung smirks as he high fives Jungkook “Aren’t you losing too often?”

Jimin rolls his eyes at the remark “You speak as if you’re any better, 13 seconds!” " his mocks as he scores another point, crushing Taehyung's ego

You run your finger to your temple giving it a slight massage. It’s a headache to be in the same room as the three guys. They are at each other’s throat whether it is soccer or just playing a stupid game like billiard and they make everything seem like their lives are at stake if they don’t claim the throne. There is always an unnecessary amount of men ego floating in the air for everyone around them including you.  

You watch how Jungkook's slender fingers moved slowly caressing the edge of the table as he watches Taehyung and Jimin play to win over the second and third spot, reassured that he’s scored his throne already like always.

You have to consciously stop yourself from imagining how many girls those fingers may have broken into pieces to build the guy’s reputation as the Hanguk’s golden boy.

“Looks like I won’t be getting any placebo effect tonight!” Jimin finally brings his eyes to you from the game, a bitter smirk tugging on the corner of his lips

You gulp, not losing the double meaning of his words considering earlier he elaborated on how exactly he wanted to squeeze the placebo effect out of you.

“I guess life doesn’t always go your way Park!” Jungkook speaks up this time, as he places his cue on the table and grabs his jacket  looking at you “Ready to go?”

“Y-Yeah!” you stutter, looking at his piercing eyes fixed on you

“I’ll see you next week,” Jimin calls waving at you with a smirk “Save up some of your placebo effect for then,” he warns, his smirk faltering as his demeanour changes to a more stern one “Be a good girl and don’t use it all up yeah?”

“W-What-“ you ask with a confused tone but before you can receive your answer Jungkook grabs your arm and pulls you to the stairs behind himself.

“Bye Sugar!” 

You hear Tae’s voice behind you but Jungkook walks so fast that you don’t even get the chance to turn around and bid him goodbye.

“You don’t have to drop me off,” You finally pause when you’re both outside the building, reaching his car “I can just take a taxi!” you suggest

“Why? Are you disappointed?” He asks, bringing his annoyed eyes to you “Did you want Jimin to drop you off?

“What? No! Of course not-“

“We made a bet, I won, so get in!” He orders before opening the door to his side and getting in the car

You furrow your eyebrows, pulling the handle of the passenger side and getting in the car. You watch as they guy starts the engine and starts driving off the parking while he reaches in the dashboard and grabs a small pen shaped object and presses it against his lips. You heart starts drumming faster in rage as the smoke circles around his face like a halo and you realise, he’s vaping.

“Are you serious?” You blurt out without even thinking  

He glances at you before inhaling deeply on the device and exhaling it out skilfully “What?”

“N-Nothing …” you immediately retract, realising the last time you commented on his smoking habits, things didn’t go very well

“No go on,” he nods “What are you judging me for this time?”

“I said nothing!” You insist lowering the window to avoid inhaling the secondhand smoke

“Now what? Are you so upset that Jimin lost the bet that you don’t wanna talk to me?” He asks and you finally lose you patience

“I’m judging you for that vape,” you snap in rage finally looking at him “and no, I’m actually happy Jimin didn’t win the bet …” you blurt out and his eyes widen, momentarily meeting yours and you immediately regret your words

“Really?” he asks intrigued, puffing a substantial amount of smoke out of his lungs

“Y-Yes, but that’s not important …” you quickly interject “Are you seriously smoking AND vaping? Are you really that desperate for lung cancer?”

“I told you before, my lungs are already fucked, they were since I was like 2,” he replies through gritted teeth “this wouldn’t really make a huge difference anyways.”

“Fine,” you roll your eyes frustrated at his response “Just smoke until you choke and die!”

“As if you care!” he murmurs barely audible, but you immediately pick it up and look at him

“Really? So now I don’t care?”

“Well obviously grinding on Park is much more of a priority for you right now,” he scoffs in rage “considering how you managed to break our promise in like two days!”

“W-What … I did not-“

“Oh right, I should have known you’d play smart,” he nods with a mocking tone “you promised you’d block him but didn’t promise you wouldn’t fuck him!”

“Jungkook,” you interrupt, blood boiling from his accusation “I wasn’t planning on fucking anyone! He was only there because Joon brought him along.”

“and that was probably me humping him in a room full of people around,” He scoffs “If only Tae didn’t suggest the game-“ He immediately stops and goes silent, pressing the vape on his lips and inhaling deeply before puffing the air out in frustration “Whatever …” 

You sigh watching him for a few seconds “I don’t really get why you and Tae overact about Park?” you finally break the silence

“I don’t get why you always have to be around him!” he spits back questioning you instead “Is he really worth it? The guys is like barely 4 inches,” he says in an enraged tone “and if he’s sent you dick pics that show otherwise, I have to burst your bubble! there are rumours that he photoshops his dick all the time!”

“What- how …” you stutter, cheeks blushing with every word that he speaks” How is Jimin’s genital coming into this!”

“Because his dick somehow is significant enough for you to break the Hanguk’s code and betray your team!”  

"You're so fucking dramatic, Oh My God!"  You sigh in defeat and look away, hoping this torturous car ride that resembles an interrogation room comes to an end soon 

Meanwhile Jungkook presses his foot on the pedal and speeds up the car, exhibiting his anger in a way other than yelling at you. You finally release a sigh in relief as your house comes to view and you reach to  unbuckle your belt as Jungkook’s car comes to stop. You’re struggling with the clip when a small gasp leaves your throat as he turns over to you and hovers against your body

“Jeon-“

“Look, We had a deal,” he states sternly as he rests his hand on yours stopping your fiddle with the belt “I take my medications until the finals, you stay away from Park Jimin,” his tongue pokes to the corner of his cheek as he stares at you with a disappointed look “You can’t play dirty!”

“W-well if you actually listened to me-”

“Fine, tonight wasn’t your choice, I got it,” he nods in a frustrated tone “but next time you see that punk, you need to turn around and walk the opposite way, Alright?”

You want to agree with his suggestion immediately, its not like you’re dying to hang around SNU’s famous Casanova anyways. but your eyes glaze over the object in his hand and immediately you change your mind “This wasn’t part of the deal,” you mutter in a firm tone

“What?” he furrows his eyebrows looking at you

“If you’re gonna add conditions to our deal, I should add conditions too!”

“What condition?” He asks, a bit taken off guard by your sudden proposition

“No smoking or vaping till the games,” you reply with a stern tone “Or I wont promise I wont be hanging around Park.”

“What- “he scoffs in disbelief

“The medication will be more effective if you stop smoking!” You explain with a serious tone

“That’s what you want in return?” He asks with a lost tone

“Yes!” you nod determined

Jungkook gulps, a tint of amusement colouring his gaze on you. He rests his weight against your body in silence before unclipping your seatbelt and finally pulling away from your seat

“Fine!” he nods, avoiding making any eye contact with you

“Really?” your lips curve into a smile “you said it,” you raise your point finger at him “no going back on this! If I find out you’ve been smoking behind my back, our deal is gone okay?”

He finally glances at you, squinting his eyes as if he’s trying to figure you out “I said fine,” he mutters in a flustered tone “I don’t break my deals like someone!”

“Of course you don’t,” you roll your eyes at his remark “Thanks for the ride!” you turn around to leave his car as you add

“Wait,” he calls, and you turn around but immediately regret as he travels the space between you and cages you between himself and your seat again “This isn’t the only ride you can thank me for, you know!” he flashes a suggestive smirk 

“W-What …”

“If you want, I’ll let you ride me this time,” he traps his bottom lips between his teeth with a seductive smile “You just have to be a good girl and ask for it!”

“J-Jeon,” you speak up, trying to compose yourself against his seductive remarks “I said no funny business!”

“I’m sure it’ll be one hell of a ride,” He murmurs in a husky tone, eyes darkening in lust “Why don’t you give it a try?”

You blink rapidly, hating your drumming heart and the fact that you consider his offer for a second before finally muttering “Thank you for the offer,” you flash a fake smile “But this will be the last ride I ever had with you Jeon!” you then push him aside and open the door as you run towards your house, missing his final words

“We’ll see about that …”

Hey guys!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please like and reblog!

Love ya’ll! 

[bluescreening]

Practical GCSE Advice

Tips From A New Year 12 Who Somehow Got All 9s

Don’t worry, I’m not becoming a studyblr. I’m writing this on results day as a sort of farewell to GCSEs and to impart some “wisdom” upon the youngsters before I move on to A-levels. I’m going to keep this to specific, practical things you can do to improve, none of that vague nonsense. Subject-specific tips for maths, geography, triple science, language, literature, graphic comms and comp sci under the fold because this is too bloody long already.

General Tips:

Don’t go revision crazy. People will always emphasize revision, but so long as you’re revising effectively (see below) you’re safe to start revising about a month before mocks, and two months before your final exams. In terms of a revision schedule during those months, I worked with one or two hours per day, with a free day on Friday and Sunday. 

Use apps to stay organised. Put your school timetable and exam dates in your calendar of choice with appropriate reminders and colour coding. To keep track of homework and revision, use Adapt - you can put in your GCSEs and it tracks which topics you have covered and how many times, as well as allowing you to input homework and your school timetable. During study time use Forest (free on Android) to lock yourself out of your phone for a certain amount of time.

Pay attention to lessons from the start. From the beginning of Year 10 every lesson is a GCSE lesson, and everything you learn could come up in an exam. Follow along with your teacher, make the best notes you can, do the work and understand the concepts as early as you can. You’ll thank yourself in a year as you watch the rest of your class wonder what a ribosome is when revision time comes.

Revise effectively. Use Adapt or a textbook to keep track of your confidence level on every topic, so when you’re revising you can focus on the ones you don’t understand whatsoever. Also, don’t just read stuff when revising. You have to train your brain to retrieve the information. Memorise vocabulary and basic facts using flashcards, then answer exam questions. Lots and lots of exam questions.

Use your teachers. They want you to succeed because it reflects well on them! If you don’t understand something after a lesson, pop back at break or lunch, or shoot them an email and they will help. Don’t just bank on it not showing up in the test because Sod’s Law dictates that it will. After Christmas in Year 11 they will often start revision sessions or intervention. Attend them for any subjects you’re even slightly shaky on. They’ll boost your grade like nothing else, even if it does take up some of your chill out time.

Buy textbooks and study materials through school. If your school offers you textbooks and workbooks it’s likely that will be the best deal for them, since they’re purchased in bulk. Grab all you can in Year 10 and talk to the school if you can’t afford many - they may be willing to help. If you know any higher-level teachers see if they have any sample study materials from CGP and the like. My English teacher gave me a lovely set of sample CGP Macbeth flashcards that would have proved really useful.

Make flashcards at the end of every topic. Stay on top of them. You want a term on one side and a definition on the other, or a quote and analysis etc. If you don’t like endless bits of card floating around use Quizlet - you might not even need to make them yourself as many people have shared GCSE flashcards there.

And finally - don’t forget you’re a human! Humans need regular sleep, healthy food including breakfasts, hydration, fun and social time. Make time in your day to take care of yourself. Your brain works better when you’re healthy so often an extra hour of sleep will do more for your grade than an extra hour of revision. Hanging out with your friends and keeping up with your hobbies reduces stress. 

Feel free to ask me any questions you may have about any of this stuff, or if you just need advice I’m here too! I’ve done it before, I can help you out.

Subject Specific Tips:

Edexcel Maths:

Use CorbettMaths. All the time. If you haven’t done every one of his worksheets at least once you’re not grinding hard enough. Jk, but seriously this guy used to teach me in real life and he’s awesome. He makes flashcard packs, videos on every aspect of GCSE maths, daily challenges, textbook exercises, practice exam questions... literally everything you could ever need.

Practice everything until you’re sick of it, and then do ten more questions.

You’ll need to memorise some trig identities. Don’t memorise them as a table, that’s hard. Memorise them as these triangles, sketch them out in an exam and work it out on the spot. Easy.

AQA Geography:

Don’t goof off during your fieldwork. Don’t make the same mistake as me. If I ever had to do the fieldwork paper I would not have got a 9. Even though it’s a field trip, even though you’re with your friends, this will directly impact your GCSEs and you need to treat it like an exam.

Memorise vocabulary then move onto exam questions. Geography is very formulaic and exam questions repeat themselves - take advantage of that.

Memorise. Your. Case. Studies.

AQA Biology, Chemistry and Physics:

A l l  h a i l  f r e e s c i e n c e l e s s o n s .

Practice those reading comprehension questions where you’re presented with information and have to answer questions about them. A surprising amount of people get overwhelmed because they haven’t revised it. You can’t! You have to read and understand it within the exam.

Memorise your bloody equations for physics or you will fail. Use Quizlet, learn them all by the end of year 10 even if you don’t know what they’re about yet, practice using them.

Buy the CGP workbooks and complete them! Make sure to buy the answers too, because CGP are scammers.

AQA English Language and Literature:

Identify 10-20 brief quotes from each piece of literature so you have a few for each character and theme. They can overlap! Also, memorise the author’s intentions for each one. With poems (for those of you who have to do them... I’m not salty, I promise) ask your teacher to recommend 5 that match up with the most themes and memorise 3 quotes from each. Remember to analyse the rest of the poems too - any of them could come up so it’s good to have an understanding.

Memorise structures for every question. The examiners will tell you not to use structures. Shut up, I got all 9s. Structures are the best way for slow writers to ensure they get everything they need to in. TETAAC (topic, evidence, terminology, analysis, alternative interpretation, context) works for lit essays and can be modified for every other question. Work out how many paragraphs you can write in 40 minutes and take that into account when planning. Once the plan is done it’s just a matter of making it sound frilly. English: hacked. My normal plan for a lit essay is a one-sentence thesis statement for an intro, 3xTETAAC paragraphs and a conclusion which reiterates everything but better.

Don’t worry if your grade is terrifyingly low to begin with. That’s just how English rolls. You’ll slowly develop the skills you need and start to make 3 or 4 grades of progress throughout year 11.

OCR Art and Design - Graphic Communication:

Think long and hard about whether you want to do graphics or fine art, if your school offers both. Graphics is designing logos, fine art is whatever you want. I should have taken fine art in retrospect.

Make as much work as possible from the very start, even if you haven’t decided on your portfolio project yet. Everything, and I mean everything, can be shoehorned. If you make a lot of work you have some leeway and can leave out your early stuff so your overall portfolio looks better.

Annotate as you go and store all your thoughts digitally. Even if you have no clue what you’re supposed to write in annotations, put down your thought process. It’s easy to tidy up something you wrote a year ago, but it’s really hard to stare at a letter F made out of newspaper and remember where on earth you were going with it.

To make enough work you will need to stay after school often and give up a lot of lunch times. That’s just how it goes. At least with the right crew it can be fun - the combo of my friends and the very chaotic art teachers at my school made my Thursday graphics sessions something to look forward to.

OCR Computer Science:

Use Quizlet flashcards to memorise terms. Being able to correctly define terms is half the battle, literally. You’ll basically get an instant 9 on the first paper if you memorise every term defined in the textbook. Luckily, someone beautiful and generous by the name of sporkified (wink wink) on Quizlet has created two sets with everything you need to know for the entire qualification.

Practice programming in your chosen language before your programming project starts. Learn to do everything mentioned in the textbook and try it out on a sample project. Many will tell you to not bother about the programming project, it doesn’t matter. That’s true to some extent, but excelling in the programming project can tip you up a grade as well as making the algorithm questions on paper 2 easier for you.

Take part in Cyber Discovery. Give it a Google, sign up. It’s really hard if you have no practical computer experience but doing it gave me a real edge with paper 2 which is where you want to focus your energy as it’s weighted more. Also it’s fun.

[mtvswatches]

Wynonna Earp 2x12 I Hope You Dance

Click here for previous recaps!

Stray thoughts

1) Waverly confronts Bobo and the widows, certain that Bobo won’t hurt her. He admits he might not, but he won’t help her either. In an uncharacteristically honest moment, he admits that caring about her has only brought him pain. Waverly quips that no one said parenthood was easy. And I’M FREAKING OUT? IS THIS HER WAY OF CONFIRMING BOBO IS HER FATHER?!

2) Thankfully, Wynonna arrives on time, but Peacemaker is completely useless now that the seal is broken and this MOFO is waking up…

Shit is about to go down and I’M NOT READY. I’m really curious to see what Clootie looks like, though, I feel he’ll look something like the Master.

3) The sisters take a breather before all hell breaks loose, and I appreciate it…

You know what else I appreciate? Wynonna’s top priority – making sure Doc is not dead.

4) Well, Dolls is not dead, which is good, but not the answer I was expecting.

5) I truly appreciate the brief moment of levity…

6) So, this is what she had figured out before she went poof…

7) Wynonna is terrified that Doc might be dead now that the ring is broken. I’m Jeremy, btw.

8) I’m sorry, but is there anything more badass than trying to save the world while you’re about to give FUCKING BIRTH?!

9) WTF! Clootie is going to have Wynonna’s baby for dessert???!!

10) Oooh, I kind of saw this coming but I didn’t want to get my hopes up!

MERCEDES: Actually, I want a separation.

MERCEDES: Chopped my way into the 21st century. The world has changed. Hell, look at Wynonna Earp. She is 10 times the gunslinger Wyatt ever was and he put Bulshar in the ground! I want that ring!

I’m really into this new form of empowerment? Evil ladies also need to break free from the misogynistic ties to their evil lords. You go, Glenn Coco! Or Elsa, I guess…

She just took off and buried Bobo, Clootie and her sister. Does this mean that the season’s Big Bad was Mercedes all along? And not Clootie! Damn, I really love that plot twist!

11) The Iron Witch says the plate only works as a shield, and these two badass motherfuckers are not having it…

Can they look any more badass?! And I really wish they had allowed Wynonna to say fucking!

12) Dolls finds Doc at his home…

He’s having an existential crisis over being mortal and he’s basically contemplating suicide. And I almost believed he couldn’t take not being ageless anymore, but it was the possibility of living a mortal life in a Wynonna-less world that was pushing him over the edge because the second he heard she was still alive…

It’s like his soul returned to his body… and now he’s willing to die but for an entirely different reason, and I swear to God, I choked up during this whole scene. Does that make sense? Am I an idiot?

13) I guess there’s no better time for confessions than when facing the possibility of absolute and total obliteration. In a few seconds, Waverly breaks the news to Wynonna that Nicole is married and that she’s not Wynonna’s sister. Wynonna’s reply is quick and certain…

A lot of emphasis is placed on the bloodline in this show, considering the whole hereditary curse. But nothing as volatile as blood would ever get in the way of Waverly and Wynonna. They are sisters if ever sisters there were.

I truly love how there was no hesitation. At the same time, I wonder if the lack of hesitation means Wynonna had considered this possibility before?

14) Okay, Wynonna literally has one shot to kill Clootie, get rid of the Widows, and break the curse. Cool. Cool cool cool cool.

15) Jeremy and Nicole are having this super sweet moment…

JEREMY: And, uh, I stay because I don't fit in here. But none of you ask me to. I'm allowed to be me. NICOLE: You're part of the family. And being part of the family means...

AND THEN THIS FUCKING ELSA FROM HELL BURST INTO THE ROOM AND NEARLY GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK…

And please don’t tell me that we’re using the “put Nicole in peril” schtick again! And we’re adding Jeremy into the mix! Just great!

16) THE BABY IS FUCKING COMING AMIDST ALL THIS DEBACLE!

17) I’M FUCKING DEAD.

She’s my queen, I love her, I’d sell my soul for Wynonna Earp, I’ve said it.

18) Oh, the other McBitch just arrived and is threatening Waverly while Elsa says Wynonna is the weapon she’s been looking for, and what the fuck is going on?

19) Wynonna’s sigh of relief and barely noticeable smile when she sees Doc is alive, though…

I leave for these moments.

20) NOT THESE FUCKING MOMENTS, THOUGH! WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING?!

21) UGH THESE TWO MOTHERFUCKERS ALMOST GOT ME!

Two birds, one stone. These two! They could convey their plan using a code they could only understand! Why aren’t they together?!

But there’s still Clootie and Bobo, right…

And the baby is coming…

22) Ugh the fire-assholes have shown up, they offed Wynonna’s doctor and they’re coming after the baby!

23) WHAT’S THE FUCKING PLAN? WHAT WILL THEY DO WITH THE BABY? IS NICOLE GOING TO TAKE THE BABY AWAY? They’re talking about crossing the triangle…

24) WTF ROSITA!!!!!!!

THIS FUCKING EPISODE DOESN’T LET UP!

25) Bobo has gone Spike…

So Clootie or Bulshar or whoever sucked something out of Bobo and Bobo offered up Waverly as the Big Bad’s new bride WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!

26) Great. JUST FUCKING GREAT.

27) Oh, thank god, something worked out!

Wynonna basically willed Peacemaker into accepting Waverly as an Earp!

28) Brendan Fehr is saying that Wynonna is going to corrupt the baby and screw it up and I’m like… Brendan Fehr, I was rooting for you!

29) Damn, Dolls!

At least they died in their element. Get it?

30) When you try to come up with a good comeback and you just…

31) I guess I’ll just have to get used to Bobo never being back for more than two episodes…

32) I’m not crying, you are…

I'm the Earp heir. They're always coming for me and everything I love. I don't want to. I didn't realise how much I wouldn't want to. You're the coolest thing I ever did. You're going to have it much better than me. I promise.

And Waverly is taking the baby away and Wynonna is asking her to make sure that Doc gets a moment with him and I’m here, dying.

33) Waverly and the baby just crossed over the border and neither of them burnt, which means that the baby is Doc’s and the revenants don’t have any claim over it. But what does this mean for Waverly? Whose daughter is she, then?

34) Wynonna just offed the whole gang of revenants, but it doesn’t really feel satisfying at all when her baby is being sent away minutes after being born…

35) Did Jeremy just used Waverly and Nicole’s ship name?! HE FUCKING DID!

36) Perry is taking the baby as a way to thank Wynonna for saving his life. Cool dude.

37) And now Doc is meeting the baby and I WON’T SURVIVE THIS SHIT!

I CAN’T BREATHE. EVERYTHING HURTS.

38) Bobo just got a holiday for one in the well, and he admits that he never said Waverly was his daughter, just kin. I repeat, what does this mean for Waverly? Who is her father? Doc confesses that when Dolls shot him, he was sent to hell. It remains to be seen how long he was there - if it was a few hours or a few centuries, and what impact this will have on him���

39) Wynonna named the baby after both of their mothers and I’m a mess…

This is not the happy ending I wanted for these two.

40) There’s so much I don’t understand…

The woman narrating is Wynonna’s mother? And she’s ALIVE? Has she been alive this whole time? What about the secretive look between Dolls and Nicole? Is she having second thoughts about her divorce? And what about the folder she was holding with info about Bulshar? Is she working with Dolls behind Waverly’s back? And how can Jeremy and Waverly be acting so carefree when everything is a mess?

If Wynonna’s mom is alive, there’d better be an explanation as to why this was never brought up before. It doesn’t make any sense!

I need Alice in Wynonna and Doc’s life, okay? This can’t be the end of that storyline, I just won’t accept it.

41) Amazing season finale, full of plot twists and emotional moments. I’ll admit I shed more than one tear. I truly can’t believe how the show continues to be so fast-paced and engaging. There never is one minute, one line, one scene wasted – everything has meaning and is relevant to the plot, and it never lets up and I’m so excited to see what they have to offer in season 3, and hopefully, I’ll catch up before season 4 premieres!

This show is quickly climbing up the ladder of my very short and exclusive list of favorite shows, I swear. I’m already looking forward to rewatching it and discovering things I’d missed the first time around.

42) Hope you enjoyed my recap, and, as usual, if you’ve got this far, thank you for reading! If you enjoy my recaps and my blog, please consider supporting it on ko-fi.Thanks!

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Aniplex Fugou Keiji Livestream | Fugou Keiji 2 | Kitsutsuki 2 - 4 | Arte 3 - 12 (FINAL) | Fruits Basket 27 - 32

During the Millionaire Detective: Unmissable livestream (part of FunimationCon and Aniplex Online Fest), I watched and took notes, so you might find these handy upon retrospect. To be honest, this is how I do the posts for magicalgirlsandcerulean’s livestreams as well, but there hasn’t been one of those in a while...

Otherwise, these are all normal notes.

Aniplex Fugou Keiji Livestream

Look out for the dancer from the OP

Onuki was the model for the dancing for the anime – he was told to do it out of the blue

Episode 11 might have one of these^ be relevant

Daisuke’s cup ramen has shark fin in it and he made the packaging from scratch – that’s why it’s so expensive!

The director Tomohiko Ito omits important information, allowing people to decide for themselves what happened. (Miyano) – This might be why the series is stylish. (MC)

Attractiveness of character design is important! (for adapting Fugou Keiji to modern day)

I’ve never watched a livestream where the stars were so conscious of their English and Chinese audiences! This was interesting, especially because Onuki is not normally known as a VA!

“We still have a little bit of recording to do.”

Fugou Keiji 2

I keep misunderstanding my own instructions…this starts again in July after ep 2.

Todai = Tokyo Daigaku (Uni).

I believe this is the 2nd time I’ve seen a rich person like commoner’s instant noodles, although I forget where I saw the 1stinstance.

Kambe switched to the back seat now, huh?

Ah! Now I remember! The first time was seeing spoilers for this episode on Twitter! (LOL)

I see Suzue has a sensible naming scheme for her data.

Hmm…judging by the Google hits, the name visible in the background (Betbeto bin Abura) is the Arabic prince from last time.

SYN-ACK. I see these guys did their work – that’s the final stage of the 3 stage handshake required for things like internet sockets (used to send “packets” of data).

Way to crash a party, Kambe siblings…(LOL)

I really wanna see someone draw Kato slapping (Daisuke) Kambe in the face with a wad of cash…or a “shut up and take my money” meme with Kambe in it.

I like how “special cup ramen” is on the purchases list and it costs 100000 yen. I also like how the reporter Mita was bought out for 5000000 yen (bigger than all the other individual costs except for buying out the Tower)…that’s how he showed up.

Kitsutsuki 2

I gotta finish this show and then pause it…3 shows in my normal lineup are safe.

Did Kindaichi take the bones of the fish out for Ishikawa…? Like a child would have had done for them?

Why is Ishikawa being referred to as “Hajime”…?

Draw this prostitute like one of your French girls…(LOL?)

Ishikawa clearly dropped those coins into that book earlier.

Way to diss the potential asexuality/celibacy in the house. I mean, it’s the 1800s – early 1900s, so there was less LGBTIQ+ stuff then and certainly the further back you go, the more sexual prowess becomes a sign of masculinity, but still, if the guy doesn’t want to go through with it, don’t force him.

Notice how the borders were pink for Ishikawa’s version and blue for Kindaichi’s.

Notably, Otaki didn’t seem to have that hairpin…but maybe that’s because we saw things from Ishikawa’s perspective.

Ooh…who are these bois? Also, crab.

Kitsutsuki 3

…cat? Now there’s a new perspective. That’s like saying the butler did it.

Yay! Hagiwara is Ume!

Notice Hagiwara’s version has a purple frame, while Yoshii (?) has yellow and another person has dark blue.

I think “consumption” was tuberculosis, once upon a time.

I love how the crowd is fed up with Ishikawa’s bulls***.

Ooh, chuuni Akutagawa…

In a Grove is the Rashomon story.

Tarou Hirai = Rampo Edogawa.

You stalker, future Rampo!

I kinda suspected Otaki when I thought through the possibilities…Ishikawa, Kindaichi, an outsider, Otaki (and as of this ep, Rampo too).

Gaiheikan? Is that Ishikawa and co.’s lodging?

Did they have pencils back in that day?

Kitsutsuki 4

Humouresques.

Kabayaki.

I think it was in Detective Conan that I learnt (one of) the only way(s) a man can get his nails done is by his wife doing it for him, possibly as a prank or to indicate he’s “taken”. Note this was early Detective Conan, so it’s very much a 90s attitude…considering the widespread acceptance of drag queens and the LGBTIQ+ movement these days.

Kozukata.

Lace flower.

Maichou seems to be a hybrid of Asahi Shinbun and Mainichi Shinbun.

[Monkfish/dictionary/going home] - Is this how Ishikawa shows consideration…?

The purple letterrboxing is back but this time with Ishikawa…meaning that’s just an aesthetic thing for all flashbacks after all.

Just from vaguely hearing it (I’ve got the volume on low), the words are nodo tsuki/nodo zuki. “Throat moon/throat wound” works just as well, if not better.

Balsam flower.

Update: Since enough anime fulfilled the special COVID-19 criteria, Kitsutsuki was put on hold after this.

Fruits Basket 2 2 (27)

I’ve read Another, remember?…so I kind of know what happens.

Uo’s got purple nails…that’s surprisingly cute of her.

Aw, Kureno! Another Ume role!

Why is “shisho” (master) not translated…? A weird Tokyopop-era translation quirk?

Aw, Shisho cut his hair…? Bummer.

Who was that? Shigure…?(!) Update: We find out his name later in this ep.

“If you continue to change, I’ll continue to protect you.” – Another quote for the archive.

Great…I feel personally called out by this ep.

Fruits Basket 2 3 (28)

It seems all male designers wear their designs if they have no one else to wear them…at least, that’s what I’ve gathered from Hajime (Runway de Waratte) and Ayame.

I remember Ayame stood in for Yuki’s parents in the manga at one point. This must be it.

(Spoilers for later!) I also remember Mine and Ayame get married at the end…This is the prelude to that.

Dang, Ayame, you moment-ruiner!

Fruits Basket 2 4 (29)

Did anyone in the doorway hear about Hatsuharu turning into an ox?

To quote Sailor Mercury, “Douse yourself in water and repent!”

Ooh, window splitting Yuki and Haru. Nice cinematography going on here.

I bet all people think they only think about themselves, in one way or another.

Arashiyama tofu.

Yatsuhashi are great. They’re these sweet triangle things like samosas that come in various flavours. Mitarashi dango are sticky brown skewered balls of glutinous rice…which I’ve never had, but I’ve seen them in enough anime to know what they are.

I only just realised this, but Yuki’s hairstyle isn’t even on both sides, like Atsushi from BSD’s.

Huh…you can see a copy of Mogeta and Ari (as it turns out, “Ari” is the name of a character and not “ant” at all in this case) on Haru’s bed. There’s also an article in one of the magazines discussing how denim is the popular thing now and which types are in right now.

Fruits Basket 2 5 (30)

I realised Yuki isn’t calling Tohru by her first name – he’s going against Haru’s advice.

Hmm? Why should anyone ask a rabbit to hold their horses…? (LOL)

CGI cars…*sigh*

Tororo is grated yam, IIRC.

I learnt recently that nanban means “savage” or “uncivilised”…for a potato and chicken dish, the name and the contents don’t really match…Update: Nanban means “savage” (noun) or “barbarian”. Close enough.

17-26…age gap 9 years…yikes…

The words “(a happy, yet) caged bird” come to mind when Kureno describes himself. Also, Kureno is an Ume role! Yippee!

Ahh…young love…even if it has a bit of an awkward edge to it. Mind the (age) gap!

Me being the Ume stan, of course I want to hear those sweet nothings in his voice, even if it has to be via a proxy like Uotani…I wouldn’t be an Ume stan if I didn’t.

…Ah, I see. Uotani reminds me of Minare from Wave and vice versa.

Oh, I just remembered Akito is 20 or thereabouts. Kureno/Akito is only a bit more legal than Uotani and Kureno.

Arte 3

Notice Leo never once uses Arte’s name in the lady’s presence. Her name does have some infamy to it, after all.

“She’s got some guts.” – You say that at a live dissection…LOL.

Is this love~? What’s the age gap between Leo and Arte, anyway? Update: We know for sure Arte is older than 13…that’s it.

Make the things you want prominent with perspective and such. I thought that much was obvious, but for someone straightforward like Arte, I guess it ain’t so. (Maybe it’s because I’m self-taught to some degree when it comes to art.)

*sketching by candlelight* - You’re gonna ruin your eyes, Arte!

Arte, ma girl! You’re getting’ a raise! Good job!

Arte 4

Anime makes this courtesan stuff sound like a host club…(?)

I thought Leo was saying “Aria” for a second instead of Arte, LOL. I’m getting too used to that being my alias…

Arte 5

The speech bubble said “so annoying I could die”.

Arte 6

The video’s gone all pixelated…at least, the subs have…

I bet she’s going to fall over…Update: Nup, she didn’t.

Arte 7

I thought Yuri was a Russian name…or a Japanese one.

This is basically Oushitsu Kyoushi Heine all over again! (LOL)

I thought Yuri would be pushy…like, “Here’s an offer you can’t refuse.” That kind of thing. Likewise, I didn’t think Arte would refuse.

Leo? *dun-dun-DUN!*

Siena is apparently in Tuscany. Also, I did see the Silent Manga Audition page had a chapter on a pregnant woman, so this is ch. 17 or thereabouts.

Is Ruthanna not getting the money because she’s pregnant…?

Epidemic? The Black Death?...Speaking of which, Arte is very much of that ganbaru spirit. By being progressive for her time, she becomes ordinary in our time.

Ohhhhhhh! It’s a reverse harem in progress here!...This would be a good otome game, come to think of it. It’s framed the same way.

Leo can be surprisingly childish at times, don’t you think?

Arte 8

…Really? She fell overboard? *raises eyebrow*

Ooh, china (with and without capitalisation).

Is this another sarcastic child…? Oh, bother. Still, I can see why Hamefura crossed over with Arte now…Katarina vs. Catarina!

Arte 9

Bigoli is a type of pasta, as can be guessed from context.

The kanji for the episode title literally translate to “bad child”! Like the Tones and I song, LOL!

Mikata (ally).

Arte 10

This episode is giving off a Katarina x Gimo ship vibe…but with how young they are, I’m not sure I should ship it. They’re 6, aren’t they…?

Oh, you can see Katarina and Sofia’s hug in one of the ED frames.

Arte 11

Arte’s let her hair grow out…

An Italian man…bowed. In Renaissance Italy. Now I understand what all the ANN complaints are for.

What’s up with that kid’s face…? *grumbles*

Leo’s just being Leo, I see.

That’s right, Angelo and Leo never met.

Instead of a father or a brother overly cherishing his daughter, it’s the uncle…I never thought I’d see the day I saw something like that.

Arte 12 (FINAL)

Is this like Orientalism, but with gender…? (What would you call that?)

Lemme guess…Leo is working on the church mural and so he’s away?

Was that Leo, in the middle of the mural somewhere…?

Another Japanese bow in this anime, which is set in Italy.

But where is Arte herself in that mural?

Fine = end.

Fruits Basket 31

The word Momiji is using is “hisso” or something like that. Hissho is secretary, so the translator made it “secret getaway” to make it work.

That hat! *laser stare*

*one of the textbooks has “high school chemistry” on it* Tohru can do chemistry?! I suck at chemistry!

The episode title is translated as “Are you really this stupid?” It seems the real line for that was “Are you an idiot?”

Something about high school girls appeared in my head when Haru mentioned Shigure wanting to see Tohru in her tight swimsuit…*mumbles grumpily about pervs*

Kyo’s not wet, even though he got in the water! Amazing!

I think it’s sad that Tohru responds to “stupid girl” like it’s her own name.

“…that makes you suspect me?” seems better.

The Akito and Shigure age gap is somewhere between 6 and 8 years, IIRC.

Fruits Basket 32

Tohru switched from okaasan (mother) to okattekita (a formal past tense verb meaning either “bought”, “lent” or “won” based on the characters…which I don’t have a reference for). I assume because it was so off the mark, the subbers chose a similarly off the mark word.

“When I was a kid, I thought watermelons would sprout in my stomach if I ate the seeds.”

We only know about Kyo’s dad so far…hmm…what about the mother? Update: (TW: suicide) I think it was at this point we already knew that Kyo’s mother didn’t love him and committed suicide, but it’s not certain until later.

Why do doctors always use scalpels and syringes as weapons…? I mean, even Jakurai’s symbol in ARB is a syringe!

I’ve been wondering…how big is the Sohma family? Is it diluted enough that Haru and Rin can love each other without genetic problems for their child/ren? (From Another, I would say the answer is “yes”, but shoujo normally doesn’t care about this sort of thing, which is why I ask in the first place.)

Shigure seems like the type to say, “U mad, bro?”

The mansion looks like the one in Haruhi Suzumiya, if I remember the appearance of that one correctly.

[periodicreviews]

Uncharted 1-3

With the release of the Uncharted trilogy for free, I decided to finally make my way through them. When I bought my PS4 in 2017, it came with a copy of Uncharted 4 that I’ve left untouched until now. I go into specifics for Uncharted 1-3, then talk a little about the series as a whole.

  Uncharted 1

My biggest complaint with this game was the platforming. It was not only tough to figure out which ledges were “grabbable” but even after my 9 hours in the game, I couldn’t accurately judge distances.

Some ledges appear to be close enough, but there’s actually a different side path the developers want you to take. Drake as a character seems to have a variable jump distance depending on if the game detects you are trying to land on a grabbable ledge.

If you jump too soon or at the wrong angle, you’ll execute a short “hop” and fall to your death. I haven’t done any digging on whether such a system exists, that’s just what it appears like.

I died over and over on one of the later levels where there is a series of platforms in the rafters of a church. I just kept misjudging distances and jumping too early.

My primary cause of death had to have been just been falling as opposed to any enemy NPC.

As I say that, I’m reminded of one particular shootout in a courtyard. At the time I remember being really frustrated that being in cover didn’t mean that you were safe from bullets. There was so much gunfire that I couldn’t get anywhere near the people who were shooting at me especially with the number of grenades they were shooting at me. It was tough to have to unlearn everything I know about cover from Gears of War, where you are safe if you don’t peek out from people shooting towards you.

 Uncharted 2

Uncharted 2 in some ways felt like a step back and a step forward.

The remastering team on U1 maybe did too good of a job because I felt the eyes of the characters in U2 felt a lot more lifeless.

The step forward was obviously in the improved platforming. I had less and less trouble judging distances. I can’t tell if that’s just because I had 9 hours of practice from the previous game, but I feel like the system judging character movement was also greatly improved.

I died 10 or more times in a single sequence when a helicopter is firing missiles at a building. The building begins to tip over and collapse and you are supposed to jump through a window on a neighboring building to escape.

Fail to jump and you die. Jump at the wrong angle, and you fall between the collapsing building and are crushed. Before I realized I was supposed to go through the window, I thought I was supposed to grab onto the ledge of the neighboring building.

Right after you jump at the exact spot, Drake says “Jump”. But for me, this audio cue always came after I was supposed to jump. I’m not sure if they intended that audio cue to be the cue for the user or not.

This particular scene is a symptom of the root problem in my opinion of the game trying to be too cinematic. I say that, even as a fan of Quantic Dream games. I know there’s a very fine line between cinematic and game. Go too far and you can confuse the player on when they are required to interact and/or make it feel like their actions have no impact. Uncharted 2 had a few such sequences for me. I never wanted to see another train by the end of it.

 Uncharted 3

The beginning of the game had me a little worried about the collision detection. It might have just been a side effect of playing with a smaller character model and the collision requirements being slightly different than the regular sized character. There were a few moments when I would get stuck in the chase sequence on corners or edges of geometry.

U3 also put a lot more importance on the melee combat system. I personally prefer to stick with the gunplay but for certain enemies like the shotgun/bulletproof vest guy and the giant brawler types, it felt like a requirement to engage them melee combat. The ability to return grenades and dropdown on enemies in silent takedowns was a welcome addition though.

I really hated the “drug trip” levels. It was very uncomfortable to look at the screen as it distorts and I started to panic during the first level because I was worried I was going in circles and causing this level to last longer than it should. Though to the developers’ credit, that’s really the point of these sequences.

There was one segment I was intent on getting through on all stealth as you infiltrate the airport to stowaway on the cargo plane to the desert. Two enemies at the end guard a door and you can’t shoot either without triggering the “alert”. You had to catch their attention, one at a time, to lure them away from the door and take them out. I really wished I could use the rock mechanic from Horizon Zero Dawn to even get them to spread out on a patrol as they searched for the noise. Ultimately, I was able to remain in the shadows enough to grab their attention but not to fully alert them.

General

I think story-wise, I enjoyed the first game the most, despite it being a little cliché that the Nazis appeared. But gameplay-wise, I probably prefer U2. I enjoyed Elena being presented as someone who didn’t have to rely on Drake to save her. The scene where Elena breaks Drake out of jail in particular was well executed and it was fun to watch these actors perform it.

In U2, although realistic that there would be some animosity between Chloe and Elena, I wished the two could be there as part of a team, not just as two sides of the love triangle. Thankfully they do warm up to each other.

In U2 and U3, characters ask Drake “what’s the point?” and I felt like Drake never successfully answered that. In U1, the driving motivation is rescuing Sully and Elena, then later on it’s in preventing the destructive power from leaving the island. In U2, despite Elena being on death’s doorstep, Drake still decides to face Lazarevic. In U3, especially after getting the warning that Francis Drake himself is alleged to have written. Drake wants to continue on. I guess that just speaks to who he is as a character but the 2nd and 3rd games lost me in that regard as to knowing when to quit. To be fair, he did want to quit in U2 until Schafer convinced him otherwise with the power of the Cintamani stone.

Music

Given Uncharted’s inclusion on stuff like Video Games Live, I expected there to be more to the soundtrack. The main theme is notable but unfortunately that’s the only track that stands out. There are no bad tracks so to speak, but nothing that made me want to listen to it again.

 Hints

The hint system was hit and miss at times. I imagine they did a lot of testing to figure out what’s the average time it takes for someone to figure out a particular puzzle and then use that time for how long it takes for the hint to appear. Frequently, the hint would appear when I was already well on my way to finishing the puzzle or when I had just figured it out.

Sometimes the hints would take the form of pressing up on the D-pad and that’s great because I have the option to not press it. It was frustrating when character dialog would tell me what to do instead of letting me figure it out. I know I could’ve turned off the hints in the menu, but I think that would have only worked for the D-pad. It would’ve been nice if that extra character dialog wouldn’t give it all away or could be triggered optionally by the D-pad.

Take a break

It’s probably my fault for trying to rush through these games. But I couldn’t help but notice how high the body count is as you kill non-descript enemy after non-descript enemy. In the first game, they’re just trying to find El Dorado and yet these people are throwing their lives away. In U2, it’s maybe a little more believable because Lazarevic is a warlord basically. And in U3, I guess it’s also believable that this secret society has vast sums of money and influence. Everyone has a price as they say.

At times, I just felt fatigued at having to mow through a whole other squadron of enemies. I know that sounds strange from someone who has played his fair share of Halo, Call of Duty, and Gears of War, where there are no puzzles or exploration, it’s just killing.

In two of those, you’re fighting aliens or “monsters”. I wonder if I played through the 3 Call of Duty Modern Warfare games back to back, would I feel the same way about them? Or maybe it’s merely because Uncharted is not sold to me as being a soldier on a battlefield, you’re just a treasure hunter against mercenaries hired by some rich guy who are just looking for a paycheck (though to be fair, that’s many soldiers as well). Maybe it’s just my personal tastes changing over the years.

This endless warzone type combat also made me yearn for one or two scene where Drake takes it easy. Even just like stopping to eat or sleep would’ve been good. The puzzle and vehicle sections are there to break up the standard run and gun action but I just feel like as a person, it would feel more realistic to see Drake take a nap some time.

Granted, Uncharted is not necessarily aiming for realism. Chances are very low that any person would be able to climb up a train car as it teeters on the edge of a cliff in Tibet. Or escape from a collapsing building that has been shot with rockets from a helicopter gunship. Or survive days walking through the Rub' al Khali with no water and still have the stamina to survive waves of troops in a gun battle. And keep doing it all over and over again.

He does take 1 nap in Uncharted 3 for like 3 hours and I welcomed every second of it. Uncharted 2 opens at a bar where he takes several sips of a drink and of course he takes several sips of the poisoned water in Uncharted 3. But in excluding all of these normal human activities, Drake feels less and less like a human and more like a god.

 I feel like maybe I’m missing something that all of these 10/10 and 9/10 reviewers saw. Part of that is probably the time that has passed. I started with The Last of Us and moved on to other games, like Death Stranding, that have built upon the motion capture acting format. Part of it is probably due to me trying to beat these games too quickly, especially when it comes to 2 and 3. I feel like as a whole they are more an 8/10.

I’ve since moved on to Uncharted 4 and so far it feels like a very different game, which I’m not sure if that is a good or a bad thing yet.

[notoriously-blonde]

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The Forgotten Chapter Ten: The Forgotten 

Read on AO3 here

[Summary] In which Tikki spends time in a place not meant for anyone, so... why is there a girl there? And why does she know Tikki's name?Emotions are a rollercoaster. Memories are found and lost, and life gets a bit more chaotic.

--------

...

Tikki cocks her head slightly. ‘Who is this girl?’

“What are you doing here, Tikki?” The girl takes a step closer, her eyes filling with tears.

Why-how does she know her name? ‘Who is she?'

“Tikki?” The girl takes another step closer and her features seem so very familiar. Round cheeks, fair skin, fierce blue eyes (but they seem too dull and full of depression to be described as fierce), raven blue hair, pulled into pigtails by red ribbons. The girl strikes a funny feeling in the back of Tikki’s brain. Like when you’ve forgotten someone, and you know them but remember nothing about them.

The clothes are familiar too! A gray blazer, white shirt with a big floral print next to her right collar bone, pink jeans that stop mid-calf, with tan/pink flats. It’s so familiar.

“Tikki?!” Her voice. Oh lord, she knows this girl.

She knows this girl! Why can’t she remember this girl?!

A realization hits her. This girl knows her.

Then it hits her, and it hits her hard, like a 50-ton boulder. (Yes, she can make that analogy, it’s happened to her before. Well, technically, not to her, per se, but she takes most of the force when her chosen are transformed; so, it’s close enough.) Tikki’s eyes widen and her throat goes dry as memories start to bombard her brain.

“Mari-nette!” Tikki is unable to stop her voice from cracking and she zips over to her chosen, her eyes beginning to leak tears.

Then, just before she collides with Marinette, she disappears and Tikki tries to stop herself from slamming into a wall while also shaking off a piercing headache.

… Her eyes are burning... why are they burning? Tikki reaches a paw up to her cheeks and when she retracts her paw; it’s wet.

...Why is she crying?

Why is she next to a wall, wasn’t she just laying by Plagg a second ago...?

But... no, that’s not right... there’s a blip in her memory. Covering up a span of time that something supernatural doesn’t want her to remember. And she can’t remember. Not really. Only a name, one that brings emotions that make no sense: Marinette.

She knows that she knows this Marinette, but nothing is coming to mind. It’s like when you see an actor in a tv show and you know for a fact that you’ve seen them, but can’t for the life of you remember where, or what their name is.

Anything that has this much emotion attached with it should not be forgotten, so, as it starts to slip from her mental grasp, she clamps down harder. She will not lose it. She knows it’s important, but she just doesn’t know why.

So, shaking the headache from her head, Tikki turns to head back to cuddle some more with Plagg. She needs her counterpart’s comfort. But what meets her gaze confuses her. She’s by his side again... Adrien and Master Fu have continued their conversation, and Plagg is nuzzling her cheek again...

Again...? Why again? Why does it seem like Adrien and Fu had stopped their conversation, and have this continued? She hasn’t missed that much, right?

Suddenly, a vague memory of Plagg screeching her name, looking utterly horrified, then turning confused and clutching his head, as well as Adrien and Fu doubled over in pain comes to mind.

Something is off, something is very, very off. But the memory quickly dissipates, so she shrugs it off and cuddles Plagg back. Only this time, she can’t fall asleep. She just can’t get over the feeling that something is off. She just can’t figure out why.

Not wanting to focus on that feeling, Tikki decides to try and focus on the conversation Adrien and Master Fu are having. They are right in front of her, and she can see them talking but no matter how hard she tries, she just can’t register what they’re saying.

Periodically, she would catch the very end of her paw or antenna disappear, then reappear a second later. That’s normal enough. It’s been happening for at least a week now.

Now, what isn’t normal is the very, very, very vague outline of a person just outside her peripheral vision that would disappear the second she moves her head even the slightest bit. Sometimes it would appear by Adrien and Master Fu, and she would freak out, then calm down a bit, then freak out harder when the outline is gone, and an entire arm disappears for a second.

The only things keeping her from cleansing the entire parlor is Plagg purring next to her, Adrien and Fu talking to each other and occasionally looking over at her, and the reminder that there is a trapped person (who is also called Marinette) that is waiting on them to bring her back.

“-Marinette-“ That name catches Tikki’s attention. Yes, they are trying to bring a trapped Marinette back to this realm, but why does it matter so much?

It niggles at the back of her head, setting off all kinds of alarms, but no protocols are triggering.

Master Fu and Adrien carefully lay the dusty baby crib on its side and the older man draws a triangle in the dust. At the top, he writes ‘maybe’, the left corner ‘No’ and has Adrien write ‘Yes’ in the right corner.

For the next ten minutes, they ask simple questions out loud. Questions like, “Do you go to ____ school.” But, for some reason, something is blocking out words/phrases/the entire question. It’s extremely infuriating.

It’s even blocking out the answers that this Marinette girl is giving. Tikki tries so hard to focus in on the conversation, but whenever a word or phrase would catch her attention, a searing headache would appear, and she would forget the last few seconds. Each and every time.

It sparks a very strong sense of Deja Vu. Every. Single. Time.

Then, something happens. The niggling at the back of her head becomes stronger, like when you see a movie character and you know that you’ve seen them before but have absolutely no idea where or when, or even what their name is. It is supremely annoying. But stronger. Much, much stronger. Incomprehensibly stronger.

Like memories were ripped from her head.

Despite the headache that is rearing its ugly head, Tikki focuses on this feeling of Lost Memory. It has to be tied to something... maybe this Marinette girl...?

Tikki closes her eyes tight, losing the battle against focus as the combination of a painful headache and Plagg’s purring eggs her close to sleep.

As the relaxing grip of sleep closes around her being, Tikki relaxes into her counterpart, letting all the tension deep from her. She lets Plagg gently destroy the tension. He’s always been good at that...

After what seems like hours later, Tikki jolts awake, all feeling receptors being ripped from her, like she’s being ripped apart from her wielder. Like she’s being torn apart, little by little; until nothing is left. Her eyes snap open, but it’s all black, the pain leaving her eyes nonfunctional. It leaves all her emotional receivers dulled. No sleepiness, no comfortability, no relaxation, no cold. But she also isn’t awake, or uncomfortable, or on edge, or warm.

She’s just there... just in a state of being.

Finally, her eyes receive light again, the dark reaches of pain release their grip on her eyes and she’s right where she was before.

Plagg hasn’t moved an inch either, but he isn’t the same. His purring had stopped, his furry, adorable face contorted into an ugly mix of confusion and hurt. But not pain... just hurt. She isn’t sure if it is possible to separate those two words, they mostly mean the same thing... but Plagg is great at dissolving the rules.

Master Fu is cradling his head in a hand, face slightly pinched in pain. Adrien is keeled over, clutching his head in both his hands, his face a flurry of several severe emotions, going too fast to identify as more than negative emotions. Like he has just been hit with several psychic blasts.

Tikki furrows her brows (or, rather, the skin on her forehead crinkles like how a human’s would when they’re furrowing their brows), in confusion; thinking hard, reaching as far into her mind as possible.

‘... This has happened before...’ The thought is unchecked, random, like a Ladybug’s Lucky Charm.

And, just like her Ladybug’s she must figure out what to do with it...

It’s a sense of Deja Vu that is happening inside another sense of Deja Vu.

Tikki shakes her head, trying to rid her mind of such paradoxes, that’s for Plagg to unravel, Tikki doesn’t unravel things... she builds them up.

She turns around, and The Outline appears again. This time, it fades away into a person. Details coming into focus. The Outline is Marinette, Master Fu and Adrien have said as much. But now she can finally see this Marinette in person.

Confusion hits Tikki for a split second, ‘Wait, Marinette... the name is familiar...’ flits through her thoughts before it comes rushing back.

The puzzle pieces click into place, creating a picture that was covered up and jumbled. Memories come flooding in, occupying her brain and vision completely.

Memories of laughing with Marinette, of being melded to this girl while they fight Akumatized victims. Of watching Marinette freak out over small things. Of life with Marinette.

While her memories of Marinette coming returning to her, she’s overcome with emotion, and with an almighty “thunk” (that should have been impossible for such a small creature to make) Tikki collides into Marinette’s chest, sobbing all the way.

This is Marinette, her Marinette. Her chosen, her little bug... her Ladybug. Thought to have been lost to time.

Marinette staggers with the unnatural force, but immediately wraps Tikki up in her hands, pulling her against her chest. Sobs are soon coming from where Marinette’s mouth should be located, and tears are rolling down Tikki’s face with extreme prejudice.

Like they deserve to be all over the tiny goddess’s face, like they rule her face. Tikki’ll allow it for now, if only to relish in the feel of her chosen’s embrace for even a second more.

Then, after a few seconds, Marinette freezes, concerning Tikki enough to make her pry apart Marinette’s fingers, with some great effort, and peek up at her.

“What’s wrong, Marinette?” She can guess why almost immediately after asking.

There’s warmth. Warmth radiating between two entities stuck in a place of imbalance and nothingness. By all means, this warmth should not exist here. But here it is, warming up them both. Tikki supposes that’s the purpose of being creation incarnate itself, to make the impossible possible.

If Tikki isn’t mistaken, Marinette hasn’t been able to feel anything physically for nearly two weeks. Tikki has only been like this for two minutes and she’s already dreading spending more than another minute like this, she cannot even imagine what it would be like to feel nothing for two weeks...

So, when Marinette crumbles to the ground, sobbing incomprehensibly and uncontrollably, Tikki understands why; and only seeks to comfort her little bug.

Snuggling closer into Marinette’s chest, Tikki lets out a small hum. Relishing in this moment of intimacy, or reconnecting, of becoming closer to a whole. Of being able to comfort someone who hasn’t been able to find comfort in a long while.

Then, suddenly, Marinette vanishes from sight, and a headache unlike any other forms inside her skull, enveloping her entire brain in pain; numbing it beyond explanation.

‘What-what was I... why am... w-what... what happened...?’ All her thoughts are broken, her brain incapable of completing a single train of thought. Not due to lack of trying, just lack of competence.

‘I-I was... I...’

When the pain dies down, and her brain can function normally again, feeling returns to her being. She’s cold, incredibly cold. Too cold. How... why-why is she cold. She’s inside a heated building, is she not...?

A scan of the room reveals that she is, in fact inside a room. Whether it’s heated is yet to be tested.

Then, as her brain tries to keep up with her confusion, something leaks in. This Marinette, they’re extremely familiar... she- Tikki should know this Marinette. She can feel is deep within her being, deep into the unknown that brought her into existence. She- she does know Marinette. Marinette, well, she’s a girl... just about 5’5” tall... Asian, blue/black hair... Bluebell eyes... she- her voice sounds like a normal teenage human female... if a bit hollow.

But... who- who is Marinette? What’s she like? What does she do? Why can’t she remember?!

Tikki tries, and tries to dig into her memories, to try to find Marinette among them; but nothing comes up...

The Outline appears, breaking Tikki from her thoughts. The Outline, a mysterious thing that has been following her for a while now... but, The Outline is different... it- it clearly shows a girl. The curves, the pigtails...

Then, something in her brain clicks, and a name leaks in. It’s a name that shouldn’t be in her memories... She was never with this person... right? She- she doesn’t even know an Eve...

Upon repeating the name Eve, the flood gates open; memories previously forgotten replaying like an old childhood movie.

Eve, Eve is more than a name. Eve was powerful. Eve was beautiful. Eve was the first woman. Eve was the first match. Eve was the first Ladybug.

But Eve went through something terrible. Eve was ripped from existence, like what Marinette is fighting against. Like what they are trying to prevent Tikki from having to fight against. Eve’s own son... Cain... what he did was despicable. Erasing Adam and Eve from existence...

Well, not quite anymore. As long as a memory exists, they will exist. Is it too late? To- to bring them back. Creation can do that, right? Creation is powerful enough, right? Not enough to bring their bodies back, nor would she want them, but maybe powerful enough to bring back their souls? To allow past Ladybugs to communicate with the first, most powerful Ladybug. To learn?

... Ladybug... there’s something missing...

There- there should be a Ladybug here, at this moment... right?

Tikki turns to The Outline, and it gains color, just not a normal color... The Outline is red, with black spots...

Ladybug, The Outline... The Outline is Ladybug. The Outline... which, according to Adrien and Plagg, is a girl by the name of Marinette, is Ladybug.

Marinette... is Ladybug...

Marinette...-

Another dam breaks, the pressure of an unforeseen headache becoming null and void. Because- because Marinette is Ladybug. And she can... Tikki can remember!

The memories play in her head; while, before her eyes, The Outline becomes more pronounced. Revealing a semi-small, teenaged, Asian girl with raven black colored hair that reflects the light in such a way as to make her hair seem blue. Her hair, it’s pulled back into pigtails. Her eyes are the most captivating blue, and wide with confusion, Hope, and sadness. Freckles dot her nose and cheeks. She’s wearing a white shirt with a floral pattern on the upper-right quadrant, a dark grey blazer pulled on over it; the sleeves rolled up to reveal white fabric, with small pink polka dots. Pink jeans cover most of Marinette’s legs, rolled up to stop just below her calves. Tan/pink flats are her style of footwear.

And, most importantly, two black studs rest in her ear lobes, the light reflected off in a slight red.

The ladybug miraculous.

Tikki should not be able to remember any of any of these memories. Eve should have been lost to oblivion for all eternity, and Marinette should have either lost the battle against the magic, or Tikki should have... this is unprecedented.

But she isn’t complaining. This just makes things a bit easier.

So, she starts to hatch a plan.

--------

Oh, the universe is an awful, awful, awful thing. First, she becomes a ghost that no one remembers. Then, she gets to see how life would have been without her.

Suddenly, her reckless, thoughtful, loving, loyal and pun loving partner is her big-time crush! And he gets severely hurt.

Her parents are plagued by the memory that their only child had a disease that would claim her before she even lived for more than a month past the age of 8. Life seems to be so dull.

Next thing she knows, she’s being “interrogated” by an old man and her crush, who are using her baby crib as a Ouija board!

Marinette definitely wasn’t expecting her life to get better for even a brief moment, then crash into oblivion, then somehow be reborn from the flames, only to be torn apart by the atoms again.

She definitely wasn’t ready to feel the warmth from Tikki again. Emotionally speaking, she hasn’t felt like more of an amusement park in her entire life than she has in the past ten minutes.

Physically, she hasn’t felt this... absent. Ever. Before two weeks ago. She doesn’t want to get used to it, despite already being used to it. Being in limbo. It’s too evil a punishment. Not even Hawkmoth deserves this punishment, no matter what the vile man has done.

This is all Marinette can think of while she’s sitting, crumpled on the floor, her sobbing increasing to the point where it sounds like the world is ripping apart by the seams.

Tikki had, for the second time, entered into limbo; though this time they were able to touch each other. She hasn’t physically felt anything until Tikki slammed into her. Then, she felt the warmth from Tikki, and she had broken down on the spot. Her hopes haven’t risen like that in a very long time. So, consequently, her hopes also haven’t been torn apart so viciously than they had when Tikki exited limbo into the real world again.

Adrien and Master Fu had immediately stopped cradling their heads when Tikki re-appeared. Adrien, Master Fu, and Plagg frantically call to Tikki, Plagg zipping up to her. They didn’t get any reaction. All Tikki had done is look confused at first. Then it morphed into a deeper expression of confusion; if that’s even possible. Her tiny face then morphed into a look that seemed like she couldn’t believe what just happened, then it morphed into a kind of determination she had never seen before. Like Tikki has just seen someone murder all the kwami, and the world right in front of her face, and she was going to utterly destroy them.

Master Fu and Adrien had both called for her again, Plagg shaking her slightly, after a second of complete bafflement. Tikki startles at being shaken and looks Plagg in the eyes. Plagg backs off after a second, nodding in silent understanding. Tikki turns to Adrien, her determination so bright it seems like it will burst from her eyes in righteous flames at any second. All but Marinette scoot away slightly.

Because Marinette knows that look. She’s had that look in her own eyes many times before. She’s scared many a person and akuma with that very same look. It’s the look of s plan forming. Clicking into place.

Master Fu calls to Tikki, and she whips around to look at the old man. Her lips are drawn into a tight line, but her eyes are burning brighter with thoughts. Her plan is gaining more traction.

Adrien calls to Tikki with a question that Marinette couldn’t quite catch, and Tikki responds; once again not reaching her ears. But, what Tikki says next, that she gets.

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course!” Adrien and Master Fu reply instantly.

“Do you know about Adam and Eve?” She starts.

“Yeah, they are believed to be the first humans on earth by the Christian religion.” Adrien replies.

“Well, they’re right.” Tikki looks into his eyes, the determination dimming slightly. “Hundreds of millennia ago, there was a garden. This garden was extremely sacred. There was a fruit that if they ate it, even just took a single bite, they would be cast out of this garden, of the only place where they were safe. But this fruit was extremely powerful. Upon partaking of it, they would gain knowledge of all good and evil.

“Long story short, they ate the fruit, and were cast out of the garden to wander the earth.

“Eve gave birth to children, and many, many years later, one of her children got ahold of the butterfly miraculous, (I can’t tell you how it came to be right now, it’s much too long of a story), and gave himself the power to completely erase a person from existence and all the memories of them. Adam and Eve were the holders of the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous at the time, (part of the story I can’t tell you at the moment), this child managed to take the miraculous from Adam and Eve, and then erase all memories of them and the miraculous. Everyone forgot about the miraculous except for that child. The only person who could remember them is long gone.

Adrien and Master Fu nod, sorrow in their eyes.

“This is where it gets a bit tricky.” Tikki closes her eyes for a moment. “Do you remember the akuma two weeks ago?”

Master Fu and Adrien both nods.

Tikki continues. “Hawkmoth gave him the same power that the child of Adam and Eve had. The power to erase a person completely from a timeline. Cats have an unnatural ability to see spirits, and, seeing as Plagg is essentially a cat kwami, he can see further beyond that. Can see the spirits who are suffering, who are stuck. The spirits in limbo.” Tikki looks to Marinette and smiles at her.

“Then, for some unknown reason, just a moment ago, I recovered my memories of Eve. And, along with those, I recovered my memories of Marinette... her name, what she looks like, what she sounds like, how she sounds, what she’s like...” Tikki pauses here, making the boys lean in slightly.

“I know where the Ladybug miraculous are...” she pauses again when Marinette shrieks with utter joy and relief. ‘It’s happening, it’s happening, it’s happening!’

Master Fu looks about done with Tikki’s pauses, and Adrien is completely immersed in Tikki’s tale. “Marinette, she’s my current wielder, and the Miraculous are in her ears!”

Adrien sits back, dumbfounded, with a gasp.

Master Fu slaps a palm to his forehead.

Tikki zips over to cup Master Fu’s cheeks, her eyes burning with the determination that Marinette saw before, “We will get her back. We will not lose her like we lost Adam and Eve. Got it.”

Tikki’s “Got it,” is not a question. It is a statement. They will get her back, and they will not rest until they do.

“She is a teenager.” Tikki continues. “A teenager! She will not be subjected to the same fate that Adam and Eve experienced! She will live the rest of her life.”

Another statement, one that is laced with such a tone that lets everyone know that she isn’t going to accept anything other than what she’s stating. Her tone is so intense that it even Plagg backs further away.

Master Fu and Adrien sit in stunned silence.

Tikki continues once more, “The only thing that is keeping her from fading completely is me. Both the earrings are gone and since I’m not in them, she’s not going to be forgotten completely. There is a chance we can get her back.”

Tikki waits for this to sink in, when it does, both Adrien’s and Master Fu’s eyes widen, as well as her own. The only thing keeping her alive is Tikki. Subconsciously, Marinette covers her ears, where the miraculous are sitting.

The earrings, they- she thought that they were what was keeping her grounded. But... it’s Tikki. And Tikki has been fading a lot more recently. Hopefully they can get her back faster...

Tikki continues her rant. “If Marinette were able to transform, and purify an akuma, then release the Miraculous Cure; she should be brought back, since it was the magic of the akuma that caused this to happen. Now, there will have to be something in the real world to keep her from fading completely, that’ll have to be an earring.” She takes a breath, before continuing, cutting off whatever Master Fu opened his mouth to say. “I should be able to transform her and sustain the transformation long enough for her to capture, purify and then release the Cure.”

“You can?! Let’s do it!” Adrien agrees.

Tikki and Adrien turn to Master Fu.

“Okay, I’ll follow your lead on this. I think it’s too risky, but I’m not going to argue.” Master Fu agrees, after a minute of thought.

“Perfect!” Tikki rubs her paws together. “Now, before I leave, you need to write down, or record what I’ve just said.” She looks to Adrien. He scrambles to pull his phone out and pull up a recording app. Tikki repeats her plan into the phone recorder.

“I’ll be back.” She says, her voice completely devoid of any of her personality, and full of angry determination. She then closes her eyes and seems to focus. After a second, Adrien and Master Fu both keel over clutching their heads in pain, but it doesn’t seem to be as bad as it was before with Adrien.

Tikki looks to her, and recognition fills Tikki’s eyes, replacing her anger. She zips over to nuzzle her cheeks before reassuring her that, “Yes, she completely believes that she can transform her with one earring. Just take out one earring and place it into the crib.”

Reluctantly, she complies to Tikki’s plan, and she sees, as her hand retracts from the earring, that the earring materializes from limbo and is sitting in the crib, fully available for anyone to grab.

She and Tikki watch with some level of amusement as Adrien and Master Fu look at it in confusion.

“Try the transformation, Marinette!” Tikki urges.

‘It can’t hurt, right? It's just going to look weird...’

Right?

Deciding to try it out, Marinette takes a deep breath, and upon releasing it, calls for her transformation.

The rush of magic washes over her for the first time in two weeks. Her muscles increase in density, increasing her strength. Her body becomes lighter. Her mind sharpens. Her eyes take in more, making it seem like she can see so much more.

She closes her eyes and just stands still for a few seconds, relishing in the familiar feeling of being covered by Tikki’s magic.

After a second, Marinette furrows her brows. Something is different... her hair! It’s pulled back into a ponytail, it’s slightly uncomfortable, but not as much as it would be if she had never pulled her hair back at all.

The magic is still slightly off from what she remembers it to be...

There doesn’t seem to be a mask... she brings a hand up to touch her face and... yep, no mask!

Opening her eyes, Marinette takes in the rest of her new suit, wanting to see what else is different.

Firstly, her hand is not fully gloved, instead the fingers are exposed, and the glove itself ends just barely behind her wrist. The glove is maroon, with a black stripe running from each knuckle to the wrist.

Looking up her arm, she finds that it’s bare.

From her arm, she inspects her torso... she- she’s wearing a maroon sports bra with black spots.

Looking further down her body, she finds that she’s wearing maroon, form fitting cargo shorts. On the side of the shorts, a black stripe runs from her hip to the bottom of the shorts. The rest of her legs are bare.

Upon her feet are black, skintight boots, not too dissimilar to how her feet are adorned in her normal transformation. Three maroon stripes run diagonally upward just above her ankles.

Where her yo-yo should be, rest a slightly heavier object. Looking to if, she finds... a jar! But wait, this isn’t just any jar! It has a lid! As well as a metal clip for the jar to hang from a belt loop on her shorts!

Oh, who is she kidding, she can’t make it sound cool. It’s just a red and black spotted jar.

This is obviously not something for combat. Or anything really. This should never see the light of day ever again. But even though it is completely horrendous, there are some design elements she’d like to implement into her normal suit, since it’s just so bland.

The fingerless gloves for instance. Now, with her actual suit, they won’t be fingerless (she’ll have black magic spandex start where the maroon ends so that her fingers can be covered, as well as making the fire truck red of her suit a darker color.)

And the sock/boots. She likes those too. But she’ll change them to combat boots.

She could also use some protective padding on her arms, shoulders, legs and hips. Walls are not fun to slam into.

Nodding to herself, making sure she remembers what she’d like to incorporate into her normal ladybug suit, she releases her transformation

Not wanting to let her design changes leave her mind, she tells Tikki all about them. Hopefully Tikki has a better memory than she herself does.

After making sure that Tikki remembers what she’d like for her normal suit, she allows Tikki to return to the normal world and recharge. She’ll need Tikki at her best when she transforms to purify the akuma from beyond the natural world

When Tikki materializes in front of Adrien and Master Fu again, she chuckles lightly at their looks of confusion. It never gets old. Even though it’s only happened a few times.

Just as Master Fu opens his mouth to ask something, Tikki cuts him off with her own question.

“Where’s the akuma? The one from the mind bender villain.”

“Mind Bender!” Adrien suddenly exclaims, “Tikki you’re a genius. I’ve been trying to get a name for him for ages!”

“O… Kay?” Tikki says, raising an eyebrow. “Anyway, where is it?”

Instead of answering her, Master Fu and Adrien look to each other. Their eyes going wide. It looks like they’re having a concerned, silent conversation.

It appears to end when both Master Fu’s and Adrien’s expressions change from concern to utter disbelief. Adrien slaps a hand to his forehead and groans.

“Please answer me. I can’t read minds.” Tikki levels them both with a stare.

Before Adrien or Master Fu get a chance to tell her, Plagg speaks for the first time in at least 15 minutes.

“It’s in Adrien’s room.” He sounds so done with these humans. It’s highly amusing.

Tikki sighs, letting everyone know that she is for once, on the same page as Plagg. “Okay, let’s go to Adrien’s.”

Adrien sighs and stands up; he turns to Master Fu. “Stay here, we’ll be back shortly.” He looks over to Plagg and Plagg lets out a whine, but sighs in defeat. Without uttering a single word, Plagg is sucked into the miraculous and Chat Noir replaces Adrien.

She catches Adrien say “I just had to forget to bring the jar here before I left. Thanks, Plagg.” as he walks out the door.

About ten minutes of awkward silence later Marinette decides that it’s taking too long for Adrien to get the jar. It should be a quick in and out. It’s his house for Tikki’s sake! She starts to pace and mutter darkly to herself.

About 20 minutes later, Chat Noir finally walks back into the parlor, with a black butterfly inside a jar, labeled, ‘Failure; Fate to be Determined’.

“Adrien... what took so long? And! Why is the jar labeled like that?”

Chat Noir stiffens, then he releases his transformation, saying: “Long story short, it got misfiled.”

She wants to ask more about it, but when he turns from her it’s clear he isn’t going to elaborate.

He sets the jar down on the coffee table. Tikki zips over, and as she does, Master Fu tells them that he needs to retire to bed, he’s “An old man without a miraculous, he needs his sleep.”

With Master Fu off to bed, Tikki looks to Chat. “Okay, Adrien, you’ll need to hold the other earring, so that it doesn’t spontaneously disappear- “

“That would be bad, I’ll make sure that it does not spontaneously disappear.”

Tikki purses her lips but continues. “You’ll need to transform to do so. Once Marinette is transformed, you’ll need to open the jar.

Nodding solemnly, Adrien grabs the earring from the baby crib and calls up his transformation.

Seeing that Chat Noir has the earring securely in his grasp, Tikki closes her eyes. A second later, she’s in limbo with Marinette again. ‘Tikki’s been getting really good at that.’ Tikki nods, and Marinette nods. She calls for her transformation, and for the first time that day, someone sees her glorious jungle-ready ladybug outfit.

She looks over to Chat Noir and sees him gawking at her. “I guess Tikki forgot that you can see me when you’re transformed.” She says, then looks pointedly at the akuma in the jar.

Chat Noir clears his throat and uncaps the jar. The akuma flies out, and just hovers above the jar, like it doesn’t know what to do with its newfound freedom. Marinette doesn’t give it a chance to decide as she uncaps her Miraculous Jar and lunges at the akuma. It doesn’t stand a chance as she has moved far too fast for it to move out of the way.

As she slides the lid back on, she pauses. Did she really just try to hype up a capture of a disoriented akuma with a jar? Shaking her head, and a second later, the jar emits a “Ding!” She looks to Chat Noir to give him a look that clearly means ‘don’t laugh!’ but that doesn’t work, as he just bursts out laughing. Sighing, Marinette releases the purified akuma, and lifts the open part of the jar to the sky, shouting “Miraculous Ladybug!”

The thousands of Ladybugs rush over the entire city, going to and through every house, then coming back to engulf Chat Noir and her.

When the ladybugs disperse, everything goes black. When her vision returns, she looks into her partner’s eyes hopefully. He smiles at her, and detransforms.

When the green light fades, Adrien’s eyes dim, and his smile falls...

“I don’t see her, Plagg. Why didn’t it work?!” A devastated Adrien turns to a distressed Plagg.

Then, it all goes black again. Leaving her to wonder why it had failed, and if Tikki is gone forever with her. She fails to register the hands around her back and head or the warmth of another body.

[splendidlyimperfect]

Gray hasn’t seen Natsu in years - not since he moved away with his boyfriend Joel and Natsu stopped texting him. A chance run-in at a bar brings Natsu back into Gray’s life, but the encounter puts Gray in danger when Joel finds out. Natsu quickly realizes that Gray’s stuck in a cycle of violence, and wants to help him escape. But leaving isn’t that easy, and sometimes loving someone might not be enough.

Chapter Summary: Gray's trying to be okay, but he still feels like he's falling apart.

Chapters (21/24):  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Gray Fullbuster, Gray Fullbuster/Original Male Character(s) Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rape Aftermath, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Natsu just wants to help, but Gray feels like he can’t leave, Non-Linear Narrative, Trans Character, Tumblr: FTLGBTales, ftlgbtpride2019, Coming Out, First Love, Angst with a Happy Ending, I promise

** TW for mentions of drinking/alcoholism and self-harm 

-----  

they mean everything to me

sup·port | \ sə-ˈpȯrt transitive verb : to keep from yielding or losing courage

.

xx november .

Sting is right, and Joel doesn’t get out on bail. Instead, words like ‘arraignment’ and ‘preliminary hearing’ and ‘testimony’ get tossed around while Gray curls up in the bedroom and refuses to talk to anyone.

Natsu sits with him, sometimes, running his fingers through Gray’s hair and telling him that he’s brave, he’s safe, he’s going to be okay. Gray wants to believe him, but he feels like a scared, stupid little boy, and he’s so, so tired.

Three days after the hospital, Kelly comes back to take more pictures for evidence. Gray can’t even look at her, just stares dully at a crack in the baseboard as the camera shutter clicks again and again and again.

After she leaves, he can’t stop crying. When he tries to lock himself in the bathroom, he realizes that he can’t, because someone took the lock out of the handle. He knows why and he wants to scream in frustration, but instead just stares at his reflection in the mirror – red and black and blue and broken.

When Natsu finds Gray curled up in the shower, fully dressed with the water running as hot as possible, he doesn’t yell or cry or lecture. He just turns off the water and slips into the tub next to Gray, ignoring the dampness spreading through his jeans. He wraps his arms around Gray and holds him close, running his fingers over the bright red skin of Gray’s arms.  

“It hurts,” Gray whispers, tears hot on his cheeks. “I... I wish he’d...”

He can’t say it, but he knows that Natsu knows what he means. Neither of them says anything, and Natsu just sits there, steady and calm, while Gray cries and cries.

Continue reading on AO3

That night, Gray can’t sleep. Natsu is unbearably hot next to him, the sheets scratch his skin, and every time he closes his eyes, he feels Joel. Joel’s lips on Gray’s, Joel’s fingers around Gray’s throat, Joel’s hand scrabbling at Gray’s pants.

Gray can’t remove the thoughts, so he tries to replace them. He tries to think of Natsu, kissing him at the lake. Natsu, touching Gray in the back seat of his dad’s car. Natsu, pressing against him in the alley behind the bar.

Suddenly Gray really, really wants a drink.

He carefully slips out from under Natsu’s arm, patting Bella’s head reassuringly before closing the bedroom door behind him. Nobody else is up, and Gray wanders into the kitchen. A thin ray of moonlight spills through the curtains and across the countertop, and Gray traces it with his fingers before looking up at the cupboards.

“We don’t have any alcohol.”

Gray jumps at Sting’s voice, spinning around and grunting in pain when he hits his hip on the edge of the counter. Sting is next to him immediately, but when he reaches out for Gray’s arm, Gray pulls away, shaking his head.

It’s hard to see in the dark, and Gray is suddenly terrified that Sting is angry. His heart leaps into his throat and he takes a step back, wrapping his arms around his stomach. Sting must read his mind because he slowly reaches behind him and flips on the light.

When Gray looks up, he realizes that Sting’s still in uniform, and he’s yawning and rubbing his eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Sting says. “I just got home. You hungry?”

Gray shrugs. He hasn’t been eating much – both because it hurts like hell to swallow and because he just doesn’t really care. Sting gestures to the fridge before moving carefully past Gray.

A few minutes later, they’re both sitting on the couch with bowls of ice cream – Sting now dressed in sweatpants and a faded Star Trek t-shirt. Gray’s trying to eat slowly, but as soon as he takes a bite, he realizes how hungry he really is. Sting doesn’t say anything when Gray finishes his own ice cream, then accepts Sting’s offer of the rest of his, too.

A comfortable silence settles between the two of them after a while, broken only by Frosch and Lector hopping up onto the couch, drawn by the promise of food. Gray lets Frsoch lick some of the melted ice cream from his fingertips, while Lector shoves his face in Sting’s bowl much less delicately.

“Don‘t tell Rogue,” Sting says, grinning as he scratches Lector behind the ears. Gray laughs, setting his bowl down on the coffee table and then curling up in the corner with Frosch settled into a purring ball in his lap.

“Catch.” Sting reaches into his pocket and tosses something over to Gray. Gray’s too slow to grab it, and when it bounces onto the couch, Frosch immediately bats at it. Gray nudges her away, then picks up the item and examines it.

It’s a small, bronze coin with a triangle in the center, and the letter ‘V’ surrounded by the words unity, service and recovery. Around the border it says, ‘to thine own self be true.’

“It’s a sobriety chip,” Sting explains. Gray’s eyes widen as he realizes that it’s not the letter ‘V,’ it’s the roman numeral for ‘5.’

“You...” Gray runs his thumb over the coin, then looks back up at Sting, who gives him a small half-smile.

“I know it fucking hurts like hell,” Sting says gently, “but I promise that drinking will just make it hurt worse.”

“I don’t think it can hurt worse,” Gray whispers, running his thumb over the chip.

“You’d be surprised,” Sting says. “Ask Natsu about the first time he met me.” Gray raises an eyebrow. “I threw up on his shoes,” Sting adds, and Gray’s pretty sure his cheeks turn a bit pink.

“Really?” Gray has a hard time picturing Sting drunk.

“Mm.” Sting tips his head back, staring up at the ceiling. “I was a wreck.” He’s quiet for bit, then adds, “none of it helped – drinking, drugs, hurting myself.” He holds out his arms and Gray can see thin, white scars running across his freckled skin. “I thought that maybe I could hurt myself worse than he hurt me, and then I’d be in control, but… that’s not how it works.”

Gray thinks about the broken glass, the torn flower petals, the tiny red beads of blood across the bruises.

“I feel stupid,” Gray says, rolling the coin between his fingers. “I… you all tried to help me. Before. And I just—I didn’t listen, and I should have, and now it’s just… and there’s this stupid part of me that doesn’t want him to get in trouble, that’s still scared that he’ll get angry at me.”

Sting reaches out and nudges Gray’s foot with his own. “You can be scared and still go on,” he says. “I haven’t seen my dad in ten years and I’m still terrified of him.”

Gray frowns. “That’s… not very reassuring.”

“No, I didn’t…” Sting shakes his head, still looking up at the ceiling. “I just meant you’re not stupid. It doesn’t matter how long it took, you left, and even if you hadn’t, you still wouldn’t be stupid. I know it’s not that easy.”

“If…” Gray focuses on running his finger over Frosch’s nose. “If I hadn’t left, he…” He sighs, shaking his head. “What if I’m never okay?”

Sting’s foot touches Gray’s again, but Gray can’t look up at him. Instead he focuses on the ridges of the coin under his fingers.

“’Okay’ isn’t really a thing,” Sting says after a while. “I still…” He pauses. “Does it help, if I tell you this stuff? Or does it make it worse?”

“It helps,” Gray says, so quiet that he’s not sure Sting can hear him.

Lector has settled onto Sting’s chest and Sting scratches behind his ears. “I still have nightmares,” Sting says softly. “There’s still things that set me off – little, stupid things, and suddenly it’s like I’m this…” He swallows, and Gray’s stomach twists when he realizes that Sting’s got tears in his eyes. “I feel small. Helpless. Trying to figure out what I did wrong so I can make it right, even though nobody’s really angry.”

Gray’s torn between relief that Sting understands, and grief for the little boy that experienced so much hurt.

“That doesn’t go away,” Sting continues eventually, wiping at his cheeks. “But you get better at living with it. At recognizing when your brain is lying to you. At trusting people. And you can’t do that if you’re drunk or high or hurting yourself.”

Gray lets out a shaky breath, staring down at his hands. He feels a bit unreal, like this is all happening to someone else and he’s watching it from far away. Part of him wants to let go, but Sting is brave, and Rogue is kind, and Natsu is safe, so maybe Gray can stay.

“You should sleep.” Sting sits up, nudging Lector onto the floor and pushing himself to his feet. He reaches out to Gray, helping him up and then gesturing toward the bedroom where Gray can hear Natsu snoring softly.

“It’ll get better,” Sting says, squeezing Gray’s hand as he takes the chip back. “But right now… it’s okay to not be okay.”

-----

After a week, Gray’s able to recognize himself in the mirror. His eye isn’t so swollen, and the mottled purplish bruises have faded to a yellowed green. The marks around his neck are still there – a faded red handprint – but Natsu lends him a hoodie that zips all the way up to his chin, and Gray wears it everywhere.

“How’d you sleep?” Natsu asks. It’s Saturday morning and they’re curled up on the couch in the living room while Sting and Rogue clean up after breakfast. Gray’s leaning back against Natsu’s chest, eyes closed while Natsu combs his fingers through Gray’s hair.

“Okay,” Gray says, and he’s surprised to find that he’s not lying. The little white pills that the hospital gave him are helping. They make everything light and soft, and let him close his eyes without being ripped apart by memories. Rogue keeps them locked up in the medicine cabinet, and while it makes Gray feel like a child, he’s also glad that he doesn’t have to deal with the temptation.

Natsu kisses the top of Gray’s head and whispers, “good.”

The doorbell rings and Gray immediately flinches, but Natsu’s gentle hands and whispered, “it’s okay,” are reassuring. Gray keeps his eyes trained on the hole in the knee of his jeans as Bella hops down from the couch and trots after Rogue to see who it is.

“Joel’s still in jail,” Natsu says, running his hands up and down Gray’s arms as if trying to brush away the tension. “You’re safe.”

Gray nods, then freezes as he hears a familiar voice in the hallway. When he looks up, Erza is standing in the entrance to the living room.  

“Hey, you,” she says softly, giving Gray a small, sad smile.

Gray just stares. She’s cut her hair shorter, and she’s wearing more makeup than he remembers, but it’s her – the girl he used to have slumber parties with, who kicked her legs out the window when they drove around town, who put too much sugar in her coffee.

The girl who warned him that Joel wasn’t good for him, and Gray didn’t fucking listen.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, looking down at Natsu’s hands on his arms.

Erza settles down on the couch near him, reaching out hesitantly and resting a hand on his knee. He can’t look at her – doesn’t want to see the pity or frustration in her eyes.

“Gray,” she says, voice gentle and kind. “I missed you.”

“I’m sorry,” he says again, but he can see her hair bob as she shakes her head.

“No, I’m sorry,” she says, shifting a bit closer and reaching out her hand. He stares at it hesitantly, then reaches out and takes it, a warm sense of comfort flooding through him when their fingers touch. “I wish I could have helped sooner, I…”

Natsu nudges Gray until he’s sitting up, and when Gray finally looks at Erza, the only thing in her eyes is relief.

“I missed you so much,” she says, reaching out and pulling him into a hug.

Gray stiffens for a second, then relaxes against her, pressing his forehead against her shoulder and letting out a shaky breath. He doesn’t have any more tears, just an exhausted sense of grief and regret.

“I…” His voice is rough, but he has to say it, has to explain, has to tell her that he wishes he’d listened, that she was right. “I th-thought you guys—he told me that you—”

“It’s okay,” Erza says, shifting on the couch until Gray is wrapped up between her and Natsu, and Gray thinks of that day at the beach all those years ago when they said, we know, we love you, we were waiting for you to be ready.

“I just…”

“I’m not mad,” Erza says, and Gray wants so badly to believe her. “I’m just so happy that you’re alive.” She leans back and cups his cheek in her hand, running her thumb gently over the healing bruises. “I want to kill that fucking asshole.”

There’s a tiny voice in Gray’s head that whispers, he didn’t mean it, he’s not a bad person, he just had too much to drink. He bites his tongue and tells it to shut up.

“I’m sorry I missed your wedding,” Gray says, trying to keep shame from creeping into his cheeks. Erza squeezes his hand, and he hesitantly adds, “Natsu, um… he told me about the thing with Loke’s… date.”

Erza snorts, shaking her head. “Yeah, he’s still a piece of work,” she says. The tightness in Gray’s chest eases a bit at her familiar smile. “Did he show you the pictures?”

They spend a while looking at photos on Erza’s phone, and Gray slowly relaxes between them. Being curled up in Natsu’s lap with Erza’s arm around him feels like home. Eventually Sting and Rogue join them with cookies and coffee, and for a while, Gray starts to feel normal. Like this is how his life was supposed to be.

He’s not okay now, but maybe one day he can be.

[heysnowflake]

20 Questions Book Tag

1. How many books are too many for a series? 

Honestly, if you’re really invested in the story, the universe and the characters, you can never have enough. However, I would say that J.K. Rowling- for example- got it right with 7 books. Going from one book to the next, it didn’t feel dragged out at all. I mean my favourite trilogy of all time, The Dark Elements trilogy, whilst I was left wanting more, I also felt that Jennifer L. Armentrout spaced out the entire plot satisfactorily; keeping it well paced. However, I am bloody excited to dive back into the world again with her new book Storm and Fury. So, all in all, it does vary depending on the quality of the series and the story being told, but I’d say 7 is a good number. 

2. How do you feel about cliffhangers? 

Whilst they can be BLOODY PAINFUL AT TIMES, I love when a book has me on edge like that- just throw my lifeless body off that cliff baby and let me dangle. But yeah, I would need to read the next book soon or lest my peers feel my wrath. 

3. Hardcover or Paperback? 

Whilst I do really love the look and aesthetic of a hardcover, especially in my flatlays, I prefer reading from a paperback. I find a book bounding in hardback too constricting and I can’t bend the book as much as I’d like. Plus, paperback are softer to hold in the hand and lighter in weight. If I really love a book, I’ll have them in both paperback and hardback, if available. 

4. Favourite Book? 

Oh for fuck sake, I knew this was coming! Let me at least give you a list: 

- Goblet of Fire by J.K . Rowling (probs my favourite of all time as I’ve read it 17 times and still want to read it again) 

- Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (read it 7 times and still thinking about reading it again, what a damn book) 

- The entire Dark Elements trilogy (White Hot Kiss, Stone Cold Touch and Every Last Breath) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (read the whole trilogy twice and will be re-reading now to prepare for Storm and Fury)

- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (I’ve read it every Christmas for 6 years now) 

- Catching Fire by Susanne Collins (favourite from the trilogy, it built up so much from The Hunger Games)

- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (Jaaaaaaaaamie, my god! But also Claire is one of the strongest characters I’ve ever read in any book) 

- Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardobe (a childhood fave, love me some Aslan)

5. Least Favourite Book? 

Easily Vampire Diaries 1. LOOK, I absolutely bloody love The Vampire Diaries television series, it’s in my top 5 favourite TV shows of all time. However, the show really took all the potential that the story had from the books and made it 1000 x better. This is one of the rare cases when the book/books are far worse than their screen adaptation. I mean, no spoilers for anyone interested in reading the books still but, Elena in the books is just so unlikable which is hard to think of when you see her in the show. Nina Dobrev’s portrayal of Elena is the complete opposite of the written word and thank god it is, and she does it brilliantly. Major respect for all the actors, writers, producers, etc. in the show, they did a wonderful job. 

6. Love Triangles, yes or no? 

When done well, abso-bloody-lutely! Most of my favourite books have a love triangle in them and they always keep me turning the page (and no Twilight does not technically count because it’s very obvious in the books that Edward was always the choice for Bella, the movies only changed it slightly to sell the story and strengthen the fanbase which, to be fair to them, worked and I went along with it xD). I would like to see a new version of the trope being done though, like the two fighting for the protagonist’s affection end up falling in love with each other or something, not THAT would be interesting. 

7. The most recent book you couldn’t finish? 

Probably Vampire Diaries actually, I just... I don’t like wasting time on books that I’m not enjoying. 

8. A book you’re currently reading? 

Literally just started reading 13 Reasons Why because I’m hungover from the series on Netflix. I am one of those idiots that actually like to watch the movie first (if available) before the book as I can visualize it better that way (other than that, I love dream-casting when reading a new book). Additionally, the Netflix series... oh my god. I have never physically and emotionally reacted to a show more. That season 2 finale, my jaw was LITERALLY to my chest and i had to pause at certain moments because I couldn’t believe what happened. Wow. 

9. Last book you recommended to someone? 

I think it was A Court of Thorns and Roses to my mother, she absolutely loves all the YAs, it’s a great thing to share with her. She’s now read all of the Court books so far. The bitch is further ahead than me! 

10. Oldest book you’ve read by publication date? 

Does the Bible count? xD I kid- kinda. I used to be slightly religious when I was younger, didn’t help that I was brought up in a primary church school. Now that I’m 22 going on 57, I label myself as more of an agnostic. I believe everything has the possibility to exist until proven otherwise, and I fully respect everyone’s opinions and beliefs on the matter (though people who deny the existence of aliens and ghosts perplex me). Anyway, to actually answer the question (I’m not a concise person), probably Frankenstein published in 1818. 

11. Newest book you’ve read by publication date? 

Probably When The Curtain Falls by Carrie Hope Fletcher, released in 2018. 

12. Favourite Author? 

Ugggh it’s between Cassandra Clare, J. K. Rowling and Jennifer L. Armentrout. Don’t make me choose. 

13. Buying or borrowing books? 

Buying always buying, I want to own my own library, which I’m starting off well now with around 400 and odd books. 

14. A book you dislike that everyone seems to love? 

The only book I’ve ever disliked is Vampire Diaries and I think a few people are obsessed with them so I’ll say that. 

15. Bookmarks or Dog Ears? 

Are... are you kidding me? Please tell me other people are using bookmarks? PLEASE!!

16. A book you can always re-read? 

Goblet of Fire, and I know I can re-read it because I’ve read that beautiful bugger 17 times! Still not bored of it. 

17. Can you read while listening to music? 

Oh hell no, I have to read in complete silence so that I can fully focus and enjoy each word. 

18. One POV or multiple? 

I personally prefer one POV, however one of my favourite fan fictions is written in a couple or more POV’s and it really added to the story and suspense and mystery. But, generally speaking, I prefer POV. 

19. Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days? 

Over multiple weeks more like xD I mean, it depends on my mood and how much I’m enjoying the book. The quickest I’ve read a book is in two days. The longest I’ve ever taken to read a book is three months. 

20. Book boyfriend? 

Multiple... but my main man has to be Roth from Dark Elements trilogy. 

[jonathankatwhatever]

As I left it, I was talking about translating the concept of ‘motivation’ from the mathematical to the physical through the conception of 1space. Say you are at some fD cross, then I can see the following: grid squares emanate (and imanate, if you remember that concept, because that is now true as well), and the 1 to which they count extends to some prime value, and that seems to how factoring works because we’re describing dimensionality within that grid square or constraining to that grid square, and that connects across rows. This means multiples of one value on one ‘line’ of Hexagons, with different values in rows. Is that correct? It’s certainly an attractive idea.

This means a value exists in a sort of cloud of dimensions that break into prime factors. That makes a ton of sense.

I’m sensing a resistance, which means I’ve missed some material in there. I can see the count along a Hex row because there isn’t just a row: there are always three rows, which means Triangular appears over. Let’s see if I can get that idea out. It’s slippery: these three rows are inversions, and Triangular is the inversion of an End to a 1segment and 2 Ends to 1 End, and back. And further, each row direction goes by halves: to invert entirely at Hex requires inverting first into a Hex shared between the original and the inverted Hex. That’s yet another triangle. Now to say that these are in fact Triangular, which requires identifying the inversion better, I think.

First, note that this is straight forward lookback and overlay counting. That’s fairly clear. And that’s true because we’re literally counting along 1segments. And I almost to say this follows the ambiguous pathways which are necessary, meaning the Between of the intermediate Hexagonal row is 2Hex, so the progression is 1-2-1 if you constrain. That’s obviously 1-0-1 where the 0 is portrayed closer up as the 2 of Between.

So, to count over rows, you see the 1segment that divides an fD, then the two 1segments that connect through the Hex, then the 1segment.

To count along a row is different: the sharing of the linked Hexagons is a single fD, which is one less bT, and that makes a point at the tip of the Hexagon, so the fully inverted Hexagon only touches at that shared End. This means that you count the 1segment past the tip and that makes an intermediate Hex that is actually 2 Hexes which share that fD. So the 1-2-1 process runs along the row too.

In other words, as fT’s invert across rows, along rows alternate fD and HG.

If I imagine a really simple count, then I think what happens is the count moves along a row and each count is a collector. This allows you to factor so there’s one 2 and a bunch of 3’s or 5’s or whatever, because the fT inversions link over the rows and you shift location, and the dimensionality attached to that shift of location actually maps as movement.

This builds because the patterns repeat. Wait. I never tested that they do. I did one form of movement of the combined shape but not this one. Let me see. The question may be like finding irrationals. Let’s see: the Ghost 1segment rows count by 1, while the Orthogonal ‘distance’ is root ¾, which is irrational. No, back off for a second and try to think conceptually. The ideal would be for the pattern to repeat the same way, which is 1-2-1, so 1 Hex, then 2 Hex, then 1 Hex. That’s a span of five 1segments from tip to tip along a row. That would be the inversion of fD as 1, HG as 0 so 1-0-1-0-1-0-1-0-1, for five 1segments and 4 Ends, which counts 9, which means this bridges to SBE3. And this is the inversion of a Hex over fD to a Hex.

Now, does that work? It looks like it does. But that should be an illusion, right? It’s the length of 2fD, which is 4 if by 1segment, meaning around the edges, and it’s 4*¾ or 3, which is the Orthogonal 1segment count. So, yes. I don’t know why that was so hard. I was confused by the countings: if you add or multiply the value of root ¾, it’s irrational and the answer won’t be an integer. And yet it works if I pick the one way it could work, and that may not be fair. I know this is dumb, but humor me. Note this counts 1 Hex row, then another Hex row, then to a third, so it’s 1-0-1 in Hexes, though the count of 3 is from the center of each end Hex, so it’s the center of each Hex, over an intermediate Hex.

This is also the inversion we described once as the next step past fT, meaning another row. Don’t remember what we called that other than SBE3. So did we just find SBE3 here? That would be perfect. Just got it: the entire thing recreates the original, so that’s why 4 times. That is, it scales, so SBE3 repeats when we map the Orthogonal. If this work is correct, that’s enormous. In fact, that would be the connection needed regarding motivation because, bluntly, that maps to base10 in (1+(SBE3)+1).

I need to take a break.

[eris0330]

The human weapon | Part four

Pairing: JungkookxReader

AU: Robot!Cyborg, Sci-fi

Genre: Angst - Romance

Word count: 4.7k

☽M. List☾ ; 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 [END]

The atmosphere became thick and awkward, but Jungkook didn’t understand this kind of thing. Examining you for answers, didn’t help in finding a solution for this man’s remark. Your own good, was already facepalming at the Star Wars reference, that only enjoyed Namjoon even more.

“Did you really have to use that line??” You muttered, finally getting the man inside. His dimples flashing, bringing a shadow ball to curve on the side of his cheek, walking to stand in front of his creation.

“It’s not like I get another chance like this.” He chuckled, rubbing his chin. His big round modern glasses barely sat perfectly on his nose bridge, looking at the features of Jungkook. You noticed the tense muscles form under his shirt, bringing you to cough for Namjoon’s attention.

“Care to explain? Before confusing the boy even more”

“He’s a robot, Y/N.”

“Does that make him less of a boy?” Your eyebrow raised, crossing your arms in defence. Namjoon couldn’t help but smile and sigh in a loss, standing with a hand approaching to greet.

“I’m Namjoon, your creator.” Jungkook didn’t seem impressed, but still intrigued to reach a hand out to meet. The warmth of Namjoon’s palm, reminded of yours. Vibrations of his blood rushing underneath the soft skin, tilting his head for memories.

“Master Kim Namjoon?” The boy muttered in question, getting yourself to hold back a laughter.

“You’re right Y/N, it sounds ridiculous… Yup, it’s me” Namjoon’s hand flew into the air, with thumbs pointed at himself.

“What are you doing here anyways?” You questioned, walking towards the kitchen to have Jungkook follow slowly behind. Namjoon’s eyes followed, finding the way of the robot’s behaviour interesting.

“I’m here to make a follow up. I wanted to see how my robot is doing” He explained, settling himself on a bar chair. Elbows on the counter, with hands comforting his chin while watching you pour out some cereal.

“Call him a ‘boy’, Namjoon. He may be made from metal, but you made him way too human like. Could at least make gears on his limbs or something” You spoke, munching on the milk-covered wheat.

“It looks like I chose the right thing then”

“What do you mean?”

“People aren’t supposed to think he is a robot.” You hated when he tried to use his mind, tricking you into his play. But he was right, Jungkook didn’t seem like something made of metal, or was created for the worse. Even his vocabulary sounded like angels singing, making it all too unreal with his perfection.

“How far have you come with the training?”

“I think we got a hang of the strategy and Martial art techniques. The rest is his build in weapons that could highly blow my skull off” You scoffed, walking towards the coffee brewer, waiting for the last drop to fall.

“Any particular skills in Martial arts?” Namjoon continued to ask, but you didn’t know if it was out of curiosity, or the fact he could see the nervous drops of water hanging from your forehead. You acted as if you didn’t hear anything, before Jungkook blurted out the answer;

“Basics and learned a new trick called ‘Inverted triangle’” He spoke proudly, making Namjoon’s mouth gab. Your muscles tensed, putting the cup away getting ready with the puppy eyes.

“ARE YOU ABSOLOUTELY INSANE Y/N????” Despite the pretty dimples and innocent looking face, your friend did have the voice of a demon, when it came to speaking loudly. You gave him a crooked smile, making him facepalm in defeat.

“I asked you to teach him how to fight… not try to get yourself killed.” He muttered into his palm, while you handed him a fresh cup of black coffee.

“I’m not dead yet-“

“Did you get injured while teaching him?” Namjoon was faster than your head could process, looking back and forth between the two men. Your lips trembling, debating if the truth is the best thing to do, or lie. But, you knew deep inside, Namjoon could see with a blindfold, when you were lying.

“I-I- Yes.” You sighed, settling yourself on the bar stool across him.

“Y/N, you seriously need to take care of yourself. What were you even thinking??” It was like getting scolded, for stealing a piece of candy from your parent’s bowl. But, Namjoon was only caring for your health.

“She wanted to teach me to get better… I didn’t know how, even though she tried explaining it, so she showed me instead. It’s my fault.” Your eyes followed the voice, of an insecure boy. His posture shaken and unable to feel comfortable in his own shoes, as Namjoon looked skittish on the robot in front.

“Jungkook saved me” You blurted out, making the dimple boy relax. Shrugging once on his shoulders, he looked back at your innocent posture. Your hands folded and eyes burning, making another argument go in defeat.

“She didn’t tell you, did she?” Namjoon continued to pursue for whatever made him feel safe, feeling a tight grip burn on his covered arm. Your head shaking lightly, catching his eyes while Jungkook only looked lost. It wasn’t that he was trying to ruin you, but he has always been like this. You were always so secretive, that he needed to push hard enough, getting what you wanted, what you needed. Whatever it was, he promised himself not to let you go, in the dips of darkness again. Namjoon followed suit with shaking his head, leaving a sigh slip on the edge of his lips.

“Never mind, another time. Today is a lovely day, let’s go to the park. Then Jungkook can show me his tricks and we can talk further about his weapons.” He blurted out, standing up to walk towards the exit. Your eyebrows furrowed at the sight, but was more stunned that he let go this time. Jungkook stepped with curious feet around you, standing on your side to lay a hand on your shoulder. Instinctively, you put your cold hand upon his. The feel of his warm skin relaxes your muscles, made your mind clearer of everything. His tired eyes shining like diamonds, catching a shy smile on his lips.

“Did I do anything wrong?” He questioned, making your head turn towards Namjoon. Occupied by a phone call, you couldn’t help but chuckle.

“No, he is, like he has always been.” You explained tapping him once on the hand, securing him for your answer. His facial expression softened, before retreating his hand. Your shoulder turning from a warm summer beach, to a frosty winter. It has only been a second, and you already miss the touch of his body. The atmosphere of safety and something else, that you couldn’t describe. Joy? No. It was bigger, and words weren’t enough worth for it.

“Should we go?” The boy turned, catching you off guard. Flushed cheeks and stuttering sore throat, made him look confused.

“Y-Yeah. Sure, let’s go.” Trying to get away from his gaze, making you feel like being stuck in an oven. You ran towards your bedroom, searching for clothes, hoping that being alone, you could cool off. The way Jungkook looked at you, was the same innocent eyes, that Taehyung gave. It broke your heart, but continued to make it beat like it was the first.

“Good boy!!” Namjoon clapped his hands, unable to keep still. Watching Jungkook moves just meters away, showing off the things he was taught on a dummy. You were internally proud, and rather occupied and disturbed by his “father”.

“Did you know. That dogs learn tricks by getting praised?” You were stopped in taking another sip of your cold coffee, grimacing while shaking your head.

“What? But he’s not a dog, Namjoon” You muttered, looking over to see Jungkook sparkle with sweat.

“Does it make any difference? He knows when he does things right, and when he does things wrong. Didn’t you do something and get scolded? By the end of the day, when you did things right, you got praised by your father? Making you continue do the thing.” Baffled and confused, you shook his statement off with a shrug. Processing his words, you threw the empty coffee cup in the trash can. Scoring a good 10-point, your attention fell on the man with glasses.

“Wait?? Did you just call me a DOG??” You spoke with a heavy voice, watching a smile creep on his lips.

“Prepare to die, ‘Master Kim Namjoon’” Your arms rising from your side, getting a heavy gulp from him. A nervous laughter and defensive hands up front, looking for an exit.

“Hey, hey, no need for violence Y/N” You could hear his nervousness by the stuttering, making it seem hilarious. Stepping away from your seat, you began walking closer to your prey.

“Don’t mess with a dog, if you don’t want to get bitten” You whispered, making his nervous laughter louder. A sly smirk growing, watching his fear cluster his face.

“Y/N think what you’re doing. I’m your friend!” He pleaded, with puppy eyes of pure black. A pout formed with his big full lips, while praying for being saved.

“Guys I though- What’s going on?” Your plan of destroying the scientist was interrupted by a sweaty boy, watching the two of you in an odd posture. Your fist in the air as Namjoon was begging, as if it depended his life. Because it was.

“Namjoon was being bad” You excused, relaxing your fist after seeing Jungkook smile.

“How was I being bad?? I didn’t directly call you a do-“

“Be careful on what you’re saying. I did teach Jungkook to fight on my commands” You whispered, getting Namjoon’s attention. His explanation coming to another defeat, receiving another heavy sigh.

“I was bad…” He finished, giving up on trying. Jungkook’s smile developed to laughter, realising the close relationship you and Namjoon had. The family type, but never too much. He loved seeing you being fierce, but he didn’t know a lot of human relationships. Watching you talk and understand by a single look, amazed him.

“What’s up Jungkook?” You asked, reaching out to touch his wet forehead. “You’re burning.” You added, watching his smile falter with a red hue taking over his cheeks.

“Yeah… I thought about buying some drinks. But I haven’t done it before, so I would ask one of you to go with me.” Jungkook explained, avoiding eye contact as if he was embarrassed, making your smile rise once more. It was weird, as if he was a kid. But that’s what also gave you butterflies in the stomach, getting to teach him these insignificant things. You, and Namjoon, were important to function properly.

“I’ll go” Namjoon spoke, making your grip stop him from moving away from his seat. Shaking your head in denial, you took this opportunity, for something special.

“No, I’ll go. Jungkook needs to know about his nerdy father. Talk to him, I’ll fetch the drinks.” You chimed, pushing Jungkook to sit on the bench across from Namjoon. Waving goodbye, you saw the confused expression grow on the dimple guy. You decided, letting Jungkook get to know whatever question he had. Because, the only one to give him the answers he needed, was Namjoon. The creator himself.

“Are you mad at me?” Jungkook fiddling with his thumbs, looking upon the empty table, separating him from another threat. Namjoon was astonished, but curious of what the robot meant.

“Why would you think I’m angry at you?”

“Because I let her teach me the inverted triangle.” A stern answer, of what the problem could be. That’s how Namjoon programmed him to be, forward and clear with him. Correcting his position of his glasses, he chuckled lighter at the boy.

“I’m not angry. I am just worried.” Namjoon lifted the mood, by simple words. The atmosphere of creator and creation demolished, by the sight of Jungkook’s eyes soften. The nervous strings running along his veins, he seemed to relax more.

“Did she tell you why she isn’t fighting anymore?” Namjoon’s smile fading at the remembrance of the hours he spent, waiting for you in the hospital hall. The white soundless shoes and blue coats running along, with words that couldn’t be processed. Jungkook shook his head, while thinking of the room filled with prizes of your victory.

“She got hurt, by her component because of the inverted triangle. Y/N was unfocused, because of struggles in her daily life. Landing on her back improperly, she was rushed to the hospital. The screams of her pain, still echoes in my ear. They drugged her so she wouldn’t feel the electricity of death, run through her body. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours. Her spinal cord, was almost ripped apart. Luckily, they were able to screw bolts in to keep it stable. But, it also meant she had to give up her career. Her life. If it wasn’t for the miracle that happened, she could be paralyzed forever.” Jungkook’s mouth gapped and the sound of Namjoon’s deep voice and pain, felt like swords stabbing in his back.

“Do you understand, why I was worried?”

“Why didn’t she tell me…” Jungkook muttered unbelievable words, of the thought that he could have killed you, if he wasn’t fast enough. The thought of your smile disappearing into the darkness, unable to bring it back to light.

“Because she doesn’t like to talk about these kinds of things. After Taehyung’s mess, she closed off completely. What she felt, thought or any kind of memories she knows that will bring pain, is a taboo.”

“Does she feel the same as me?”

“She probably does.” Namjoon was maybe too quick to answer, when he saw the expression of a red tomato, clear out in his vision.

“Does she see the same as me?” Another question, that felt abnormal to get Namjoon to scrunch his brows.

“What do you mean?” Jungkook shrugged his shoulders, while looking around. Still amazed how long it took you to grab drinks, hoping you wouldn’t arrive while he confessed.

“When I sleep, I see things.”

“What things?”

“Her.” It was merely a whisper, when Jungkook exposed the way he continuously saw you when he closed his eyes. Different areas in the world, or with new people. Voice he has never heard before, but with you holding his hand. Telling him, everything is going to be okay. Your hair, smell and smile was the same as always.

“Interesting… You’re dreaming.” Namjoon scratched his chin in amazement, watching Jungkook look lost and confused. It was like, the boy didn’t have any other expressions for the day.

“I thought ‘dreaming’ was supposed to be good things.” Jungkook mumbled, getting a head tilt in return.

“It is. Didn’t you dream about Y/N?”

“Not always.” Jungkook looked upon the scenery of running kids and the sun beaming, blinding himself at the green grass.

“I sometimes dream of a different world. This world, but uglier. Dead bodies, fire and people with weapons. Me, with blood on my hands. The worst is… Y/N is a part of the crowd of dead bodies. I can see her, wounds along her body. Blood, and lifeless eyes.” Tears dwelled in his eyes, remembering the dreams that continued to erupt his mind. Waking up in sweat and chills, panicking if you would still be in the room next to him.

“That, Jungkook, is not a dream. That’s a nightmare, it shows our biggest fear.”

“When will it stop?” Biting upon his lip, he dried away the tears in the corner of his eyes. Jungkook didn’t wish to see you like this again, never.

“It probably won’t. We can’t control what our mind decides to show us, while we’re vulnerable.” The answer giving Jungkook chills down his spine, thinking of the next days, debating if he should keep himself awake.

“I studied this once, back in college. Some people has less nightmares, sleeping with someone. Their embrace, is like a psychological shield. It’s sort of, like a human dream catcher” Finally, something that gave him hope. Though, now his problem was, would you let him sleep with you? What if, you were more scared of what he could do. Sometimes, Jungkook was his own fear.

“Guys, you won’t believe how many people were in the grocery store. My patience was set on a test” You huffed, putting the bottles of drinks on the table. A plastic bag filled with snacks, turning you hungry from waiting at the cashier. Seating yourself beside Jungkook, you handed him a cold cola.

“So, got to talk a bit?” You questioned with a smile, while twisting the cap off from your drink. Namjoon looked at Jungkook, which was too fascinated by the amazing taste of sugar.

“We talked about dreams” Namjoon blurted out, but was quickly watching Jungkook shocking stare and light shaking.

“Oh? Why?” Munching on your bread, you felt your stomach cheer for joy. Namjoon looked upon Jungkook again, which murmured words that wasn’t recognisable. But it seemed, that he understood the message. Acting at his finest, he decided to sacrifice himself.

“I dreamt about walking along Gangnam street, crossdressing.”

“That’s a dream?” You chuckled, imagining Namjoon in a pretty dress and wig. Though, you would probably think he looked pretty. But knowing him, it wouldn’t be a surprise seeing him do it.

“That’s a goo-“ His sentence was cut off, by a familiar buzzing sound. With perplexed eyebrows, Namjoon looked at the new message. Watching his facial expression change from confusion, to laughter, you looked at Jungkook which mirrored your own.

“Did you look through your mail today?” Considering his question, you shook your head. Checking your mail was rare, since going outside and pick out the bills, wasn’t what should start your day.

“Not unless Jungkook did” You spoke, watching Jungkook shake his head. Shrugging your shoulders, you looked back to Namjoon, which had his phone close to your face.

“Because I got this text from your sister” He chuckled, letting you take the phone in yours. Jungkook read on the side, while you processed the text with furrowed brows.

“SHE INVITED TAEHYUNG?? IS SHE INSANE???” You yelled, handing Namjoon his phone back. Jungkook bit on his lip, knowing your past with your ex-boyfriend.

“you’re not going?” Namjoon asked, putting his phone away. Clutching his hands together, he stared at you in worry.

“Of course, I’m going… it’s my sister’s wedding… But I don’t want to look like I never moved on, with him around.” You muttered in agony, thinking about the devilish smile. The way he could turn you into a doll, doing whatever he asked you to.

“I can go with you” Jungkook suggested with a light smile, making you look up. His face turning reddish, at your sudden embrace.

“Would you? That would be amazing Jungkook” You smiled against his bare neck, making his arms naturally find way around you.

“Anything for you” He whispered, letting you go.

“Do you know how to dance?” Namjoon questioned, trying to remember if he programmed a couple dance in his chip.

“No…”

“Namjoon will teach you” You giggled, catching the man’s attention.

“I will what?” He spoke with gabbed mouth, getting Jungkook to laugh.

“Jungkook needs to know how to dance, as the male perspective. It doesn’t work out, that he takes the girl’s place, does it?” You explained, waiting for another comeback. Namjoon could oddly enough, understand your reasoning. It has been ages, since he had only been able to understand your logic.

“Then, Jungkook, watch and learn…. Ask me, if I want to dance with you” Namjoon suggested, folding him arms at the absurd moment. You giggled loudly, pushing Jungkook forward. Showing him the way to ask for a dance, you stood on the side line, whispering him the guide.

“May I have this dance?” Namjoon’s eyes grew larger, by his charm. The familiar smile that he created, more of all, he was asking for a dance. Chuckling in a sigh, he took the hand in his. Both men walked only a few metres away, getting lots of space. You could see how they laughed together, making you record it all. Jungkook’s laughter booming from afar, giving your ears a piece of candy.  Even though it was filled with happiness, you couldn’t stop worrying about Taehyung at the wedding. Has he changed?

“Jungkook you’re the guy, LEAD ME!!!”

“Y/N, it’s okay. You’re okay!” Jungkook doesn’t remember how it ended with a brutal attack in the park, did he use his weapons? Everything seemed so cloudy, but one thing was for sure, he needed you in the hospital. Trying to remember the direction, how you told him it was easy to see. But everything is so dark, people are running, kids are crying and there is blood everywhere.

“Jungkook?” Your voice, so bittersweet and fatal. Your hand cupping his, feeling the warm blood smudge against his cheek. Your eyes diluting to nothing but darkness, with the same kind of smile.

“Y/N, I’m going to take you to a hospital. I’ll save you” With all his might, he tried to scream. But nothing came out, it was like he was mute. You couldn’t hear him, understand what he was trying to do. Why was everything so complicated, that he couldn’t speak. He tried to dry away your dirty tears, but they wouldn’t disappear. Your voice calling out to him, as he ran towards a building. It was white, it had to be the hospital.

“We’re here! Hold on a little longer” Every nurse, doctor or help person, was busy. People had been rushing inside and out, with open wounds and death beds. No one had time, to look for the one in his arms. Your skin getting colder, and smile fading. Your smile, wasn’t allowed to fade. Jungkook yelled for help, for someone to save you. Tears dwelled in his eyes and everything became mute, while the people disappeared from the hallway like dust.

“Jungkook?” His attention fell on your body in his arms, your blood staining the floor. Your heart beating inside his ears, feeling every beat slow down by the second.

“You’re okay, I promise. You’re going to be fine” Jungkook could only hear his voice break down, seeing your faded smile grow wider. Seating himself in a chair, your head was close to his robotic heart. Your blinking becoming slower, as if you were sleepy. Jungkook couldn’t help, but brush away the strand of hair, watching your face as if it was the first time you met.

“I will save you, I promise” Choking on the words, and feeling your fingers intertwine with his. The last pinch of strength, as he locked his eyes with yours.

“I know, Jungkook. You’re always there to save me” You chuckled, resting against his chest. Your heart beat weakening in his ears, only feeling his arms shake as your weight became heavier.

“Y/N?”

“Y/N…?” Nothing. Not a simple beat, a sound of breath. Nothing. The glint in your ears faded away, as the same for your smile. Cupping your face, he imagined the same grow back. Your laughter filling his ears, like it always did.

“Y/N…”

“No… Y/N…”

Your repeated names, didn’t wake you up. His voice disappeared, like your body. He was alone, the thing he feared the most. No remembrance of his existence, or you with him. He didn’t know, if he believed in the afterlife. Will you stand, and wait for him? His sorrowful cries, turned to screams.

“Y/N!”

Bathing in sweat and deep exhales, Jungkook’s eyelids finally opened. Feeling dizzy and a heavy body, he recognised the room. It was your guest room, the room he has always slept in. Your scent of flowers, and paintings. Exhaling of relief.

“It was just a nightmare…” Keeping the light off, he walked out of the room. Your door at a creek, letting your night light shine out to the darkened phase. You’re still awake, reading the invitation repeatedly. Your legs folded, protecting your heart from danger, when realising the words affected you.

“Y/N…?” A soft knock, disturbing you from imagining the worst. Jungkook standing in the doorway, with glossy hair from the aftermath of a nightmare.

“Jungkook? I thought you went to bed already?” You questioned, putting the envelope away in your drawer. Your hand patting along the side of your bed, gesturing him to come further.

“I couldn’t sleep. I had a nightmare” He confessed, seating himself on the edge of your bed. With your tired eyes, you smiled softly before brushing your fingers through his hair. Oh, how he loved that smile.

“That’s probably the first time you ever used the term ‘nightmare’. You always use ‘visions of death’, whenever you try to explain it.” You chuckled, getting him to smile back. You noticed his tense muscles, were dancing at the thought of the nightmare.

“Did Namjoon tell you what it meant?” You questioned, getting him to nod. Exhaling at the sight of his half naked body, you restrained yourself from touching. His honey skin, glowing at the light of your night lamp.

“If you want, you can sleep in my bed. I know how Nightmares, can turn your night inside-out. Also, I know Namjoon studied this ‘nightmare’ thing about sleeping with someone else, should help. So, I’m hoping, it works” You suggested, getting him to look you in the eyes. Biting onto his lip, he considered what you asked. It could be dangerous, but knowing you’re safe, is what could make him get at least, one good night of sleep.

“I would like that” He exhaled with a shy smile, seeing you get under the blankets. Ruffling your pillow to perfection, you saw Jungkook slip under the same warm piece of cloth. Your nose catching up on the significant smell, tickling every sense. Your bed wasn’t the biggest, therefore your arm, was already touching his. You wanted to wrap your arms around him, tug him into your embrace of warmth. But it would be unacceptable. Just because he is a robot, didn’t mean you could do what you wanted with him. Even though how tempting it is. Closing your eyes, you tried to ignore the handsome boy on your side. It was weird, feeling the weight that was gone months ago. You had almost gotten used to, no one being there.

“Thank you, Y/N.” A silent whisper, catching your ears. Turning your head, Jungkook had shifted his body to the side, watching you. If it wasn’t for the darkness, he could probably see your red shining cheeks. Your heart beating louder, unsure if he could hear it.

“Always… Jungkook.” You muttered, trying to calm yourself.

“Do you still miss him?” Your caught his eyes in the dark, feeling his fingers brush along your jawline. A piece of hair disappearing from your sight, making your stomach get filled with butterflies.

“Who? Taehyung?” You asked, biting upon your lip. A simple hum of approval, you took a deep breath. Taehyung’s eyes, smile and familiar laugh, was still imprinted in your head. He was never forgotten, but you didn’t know if you missed him. After what he did to you.

“I don’t know… I shouldn’t” You answered with a muffled voice, feeling a rustling on your side. A pair of strong arms surrounding, as your body was pressed against something warm. You were surprised and rather shocked, but the feel of him being close, was too good to resist.

“It’s okay if you miss him… he was important” You heard his voice and lips against the top of your head. His breath crossing your hair, and heart beat syncing with your own. His hands stroking your back, threatening to brush under your shirt. Your fingers traced along his skin, feeling every vein and muscle responding. The thought about that this could be Taehyung, gave you a bad feeling. Seeing Jungkook and hearing his voice, was the only thing you needed. You couldn’t answer him, but dig your face into the crook of his neck. The feel of protection and warmth, erasing your worries in seconds. Jungkook could barely keep calm, feeling your nose press against his neck. Your breath syncing with his chest, and the smell of your shampoo tickling his nostrils. He was a mess, a happy mess.

“It’s okay, because now I have you.”

[ramajmedia]

Warehouse 13: The 10 Most Powerful Artifacts, Ranked | ScreenRant

Warehouse 13 blended comedy, drama and history to become one of the most unique sci-fi/fantasy series we’ve seen in a while. It followed secret government agents as they secured historical artifacts imbued with amazing and sometimes dangerous powers.

Despite the fact that many of these artifacts looked like regular everyday objects, they were also extremely powerful and valuable. A mug, button or pair of glasses can maim, kill or even destroy the world. Bingeing it now, we can see how ahead of its time it was, so these are the 10 most powerful artifacts on Warehouse 13.

10 42ND STREET FILM MARQUEE

The idea of being in a big Hollywood musical sounds like fun, but in Warehouse 13, it turns out it can be fatal. Once again, Pete’s curiosity gets everyone in trouble when he activates this marquee from the theater 42nd Street premiered at.

RELATED: 10 Recent TV Shows With The Worst Special Effects

An army of showgirls floods the Warehouse, forcing everyone to tap along until they die, or the team can blow out all the bulbs. Thanks to Claudia’s dancing, the team uses other artifacts to destroy the marquee with a big musical finish. As dangerous as it is, this is one of those moments where the team enjoys how great their job really is.

9 ORIGINAL STICKY STRING

Anyone who’s played with sticky string at a party knows that the clean up isn’t always worth the fun. Multiply that by a million and you have the original sticky string from the Warehouse. Not only does it get everywhere, but it also expands, traps and clogs.

It almost destroyed the Warehouse when it was accidentally released in the neutralizing processing center, causing artifacts to come to life, and attack Pete and Myka. Thankfully, the team is able to freeze the string and get the neutralizer back online. We’ll remember that trick at the next birthday party we go to.  

8 ANALOG PASSWORD DECODER

Artie has a rotating list of artifacts that he carries in his ever-present bag. One of the regular ones he likes to use is the Analog Password Decoder. We’ve seen him and the agents use it several times during the show’s five seasons. It breaks the password or code of any digital device.

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When the show premiered in 2009, this was a super cool, cutting edge tool to have. Nowadays, where basically the whole world runs on computers, this would make someone unstoppable, and possibly all-powerful.

7 SYLVIA PLATH’S TYPEWRITER

Kept in the Dark Vault with the deadliest, most dangerous artifacts, Sylvia Plath’s typewriter drains the life from the affected person. It causes a depression that can’t be broken. When the sticky string shuts down the neutralizer pumping through the Warehouse, Pete gets trapped in its spell. 

Ultimately, Myka resorts to just pushing Pete out of the typewriter’s containment field to free him, which tells us if someone gets stuck in its path, there’s really no way to convince them to come back from their despair.

6 HARRIET TUBMAN’S THIMBLE

Over the course of the show, some artifacts pop up more than others. Harriet Tubman’s thimble plays a role in a few critical Warehouse moments. Since it has the power to give the wearer the appearance of someone else, it’s often used to trick the agents. However, they occasionally use it to catch bad guys.

For example, H.G. Wells uses it to fool and capture Jack the Ripper, while Myka uses it to impersonate H.G. and finally stop MacPherson. Considering how dangerous this can be in the wrong hands, the thimble is one of the most important artifacts in the Warehouse.

5 HONJO MASAMUNE

This ancient Samurai sword is more than just a beautiful masterpiece. In fact, it’s so perfect, it splits light and makes the user invisible. It first appeared in season one when Pete and Myka were sent to switch it with a replica.

RELATED: 10 Characters we Hope Appear in She-Hulk

The tsuba, another piece of the sword, is what will complete it and make someone invisible. Turns out an invisible criminal mastermind with a sword is an extremely formidable foe. Artie ends up getting stabbed, and the sword is recovered, with a note to keep the two pieces apart.

4 TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FACTORY DOORKNOB

There are a lot of artifacts connected to fire, but none are more deadly than the doorknob from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Imbued with the pain of the women who fell victim to the infamous disaster, it causes serious burns when touched, and spontaneous combustion with long exposure.

It’s so powerful that neutralizing gloves can’t contain it. The few times we see it, it’s being used by evil agents to torture someone. Once the team bags it in the current timeline, it stays in the Warehouse, hopefully in the Dark Vault.

3 SPINE OF THE SARACEN

In “Burnout,” the Spine of the Saracen highlights just how dangerous it is to be a Warehouse agent. The Spine attaches to a person, then uses their electrical impulses to enhance speed and strength, essentially making them a superhero. Unfortunately, it also fills them with anger and they go on violent rage sprees.

RELATED: Supernatural: 10 Hidden Details About the Main Characters Everyone Missed

Pete and Myka come across it when they find the body of a former Warehouse agent. While chasing the artifact, it attached itself to him and he sealed himself off, so no one else would be infected. Pete and Myka finally destroy the Spine, giving his former partner some closure, but it’s a sad victory.

2 DARK VAULT

There are some artifacts so awful they can’t be kept in the regular Warehouse. These are stored in the Dark Vault, where each has its own containment field. Since the artifacts affect a person’s mental state, it’s the most secure section of the Warehouse.

Though we never found out what many of the objects do, some of the more fascinating inclusions are William Shakespeare’s chair, Miles Davis’ first trumpet, and ruby slippers, that click three times and have a witch’s laugh.

1 JOHANN MAELZEL’S METRONOME

 The metronome became the most important artifact in the Warehouse when Claudia used it to bring Steve back to life. As long as the metronome ticked, Steve lived. An unfortunate side effect meant Claudia would suffer Steve’s pain until they could break the spell.

In the end, he had to start fresh with a pure heart, meaning he had to let go of an old hurt between him and his mom. Once Steve destroyed the metronome to save his mother, he was free from the connection. Though Steve was a late addition to the team, we really liked him and was glad they found a way to keep him in the Warehouse.

NEXT: The Matrix 4: 5 Fan Theories That Are Too Crazy To Work (& 5 That Could Actually Happen)

source https://screenrant.com/warehouse-13-powerful-artifacts-ranked/

[tajagnayouthclub-blog]

Why circle has 360 degrees?

Have you ever thought about how it’s kind of weird that a circle has 360 degrees? At first thought, it seems like a rather random number to have chosen—why not 100, or 500, or 720 degrees? Was it really a random choice? Or was there actually some good reason that 360 was chosen to be the number of divisions in a circle? As we’ll find out today, there was indeed a good reason. What was it? We’re not entirely sure. But we do have some pretty good ideas. And those ideas are exactly what we’re going to be talking about. Reason #1: The Length of the Year Even if you have absolutely no idea right at this instant why there are 360 degrees in a circle, I bet that if you stop and think for a few minutes you can figure out one possibility. If after those few minutes you’re still not sure, think about where else you’ve seen a number that’s close to 360 in your life. And if you’re still stuck after that, think about the Sun … the Earth … orbits … and calendars. Got it? You might conclude that the Sun moves about 1/360 of the way along this circle every day. The Earth takes one year to orbit the Sun. And a year is just a little more than 365 days. That means that the Earth rotates on its axis a little more than 365 times every year. And it means that every day the Sun appears to move about 1/365 of the way along a huge circle projected onto the sky that extends all the way around the Earth (called the ecliptic). If you lived a few millennia ago and didn’t have modern instruments to accurately record the positions of objects in the sky, you might conclude that the Sun moves about 1/360 of the way along this circle every day, which is exactly what ancient astronomers did. And they then made a leap and decided to divide this circle on the sky—and all circles—into 360 even parts so that the Sun would move through 1 part per day. Each of these parts was dubbed 1 degree, thus giving us the idea that a circle contains 360 degrees. Makes sense, right? And given that the ancient Babylonian and Persian calendars were both based upon 360-day years, it seems likely that this simple astronomical observation is the reason a circle contains 360 degrees. Reason #2: Babylonians and Base-60 Numbers But that’s not the end of the story. Because there are other reasonable ideas out there as to the origin of the 360 degree convention. As we saw earlier, the Babylonians used a 360 day calendar. And, as it turns out, the Babylonians also used a base-60 number system (called the sexagesimal system). Just as we use 10 different symbols to represent numbers in our base 10 decimal system, the ancient Babylonians used 60 symbols to represent numbers. Why does this matter? Well, 60 x 6 = 360. This means that 360 is a nice even multiple of the number base in the Babylonian system (which would have had the same aesthetic value to their brains that a nice even multiple of 10 has to ours). But there’s more to it than that. The Babylonians knew about equilateral triangles. And they knew that if you arranged 6 of these equilateral triangles in a certain way with the edge of one aligned on top of the edge of the next, the last one would end up meeting back up with the first. In other words, the total angle formed by 6 of these equilateral triangles would be the same as the angle around a circle. Given the Babylonian usage of 60 as their number base, they decided that each of the angles of an equilateral triangle would be 60 degrees. And thus, when you multiply these 60 degrees by the 6 equilateral triangles that combine to create a sort of circle, you get 6 x 60 = 360 degrees. And thus, 360 degrees in a circle. So, there’s that. Reason #3: The Many Factors of 360 But that’s still not the end of the story … because there’s another reason to love the number 360. Namely, it’s evenly divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 24, 30, 36, 40, 45, 60, 72, 90, 120, and 180. That's a lot of factors! And that makes 360 a really convenient number because it means we can divide a circle into 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, and so on even parts. It makes solving problems by hand—which, mind you, was the only way to solve problems thousands of years ago—much easier. While this alone doesn’t seem like enough reason to have swayed people to define a circle as having 360 degrees, it certainly wouldn’t have hurt. And it’s entirely possible that it was a combination of all three reasons (and possibly others as well) that ultimately lead us to the definition of a degree that we still use today. Read the full article

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #168 - X2

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) The opening monologue is given a little extra this time around, with one line in particular standing out to me:

Xavier: “Sharing the world has never been humanity’s defining attribute.”

2) John Ottman replaces Michael Kamen as the series’ composer this time around, which makes sense considering he is Bryan Singer’s go to composer/editor. The main theme he crafts for X2 is probably the best in the series (although my personal favorite has to be Henry Jackman’s score for X-Men: First Class), capturing the sense of fun and excitement that comes with a comic book film while also being a tad foreboding. With Singer’s return to the series in 2014′s Days of Future Past, Ottman returned as well and made the theme from X2 really the theme for the X-Men series.

3) The White House attack is a strong opening set piece. It has incredible action, using the character of Nightcrawler and specifically the visuals his powers have remarkably well. It pulls the audience in with immediate conflict and kickstarts the film wonderfully.

4) The school field trip early in the film is also another strong start to the film, but for different reasons. It’s been three years in our time between X-Men and X2, meaning for those of us who haven’t watched the film again (and who have poor memories) we need a little reminder of who these characters are. The field trip does that well, reminding us not only of the Xavier school’s characters and dynamic but also establishing new ones elegantly like Bobby & Rogue’s relationship/Bobby & John’s rivalry.

5) Jean has a bit more to do in this film, and I like that.

Although it can occasionally take a backseat to the main plot with Logan and Stryker, Jean has much more internal conflict in this film. Something has changed in her since Stryker’s island, something is off not only with her powers but her as well. Giving her a much more internal and personal conflict to deal with than she had the first time around. It’s a treat to watch.

6) Aaron Stanford as John Allerdyce/Pyro.

Pyro serves more as a foil to Bobby’s Iceman in this film, but that doesn’t mean he’s not well written. There are moments as the film progresses where you can see his fear, his vulnerability. You come to understand why he is the Xavier’s school obligatory psychotic jackass, while he also forms an interesting trio with Bobby and Rogue that does NOT equal a shoddily written love triangle. This is a strong introduction to Pyro, with hints that there’s more to him under the surface. Too bad he wasn’t further explored in The Last Stand.

7)

Xavier [after Pyro lights up a cigarette and Bobby has to freeze it]: “Now the next time you feel like showing off, don’t.”

He’s talking to Pyro, right? Because it always seems like he’s looking at Bobby when he says that which is INCREDIBLY shitty of him because Bobby was trying to solve the problem. It makes more sense if that’s directed at Pyro.

8) Brian Cox as William Stryker.

Brian Cox is absolutely phenomenal as William Stryker, a villain who is much more outright despicable than Magneto. There’s a surprising charisma to him, something about his performance that just makes him interesting to watch. You understand his bigotry but you still hate him for it. He’s also wildly intimidating as the baddie, less for his physical prowess and more for his intellect/his determination. You know you do not want to get in his way. The true villain of this piece (with Magneto working more as an ally this time around), Stryker raises the stakes incredibly in this film and I love that.

9) Rogue + Bobby

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

The relationship between Rogue and Bobby is actually one of the highlights of this film, largely based on the chemistry Anna Paquin and Shawn Ashmore have with each other. There is also an inherent conflict with Rogue being in a relationship with ANYBODY due to the nature of her powers, and the exploration of that conflict here is done well. It shows that even as she grows more comfortable with who she is there’s a problem there. She still is isolated, a conflict which will come to a head in The Last Stand (although not exactly as well as I had hoped).

10) The abuse Magneto goes through by the hands of Stryker becomes all the more horrifying when you remember that her survived the Holocaust. He has already been through this kind of torture and treated like an animal as a child. The saddest thing about that is Magneto was justified in his fears. Not necessarily his plan for murder, but fears.

11) Logan’s personal conflict is really at the forefront of this film.

Logan [after visiting Alkali Lake]: “I need you to read my mind again.”

It is his conflict, his stakes, which are the emotional bedrock for this film. This question of exactly who he is, what he’s done, what he’s capable of doing, and if that will effect the relationships he has formed with the team now, these relate to everything else and are put sharply into focus by the presence of Stryker.

12) So. Many. Easter eggs!

13) Kelly Hu as Lady Deathstrike.

Unfortunately Deathstrike isn’t really much of a character in this film. She has only one line of dialogue and spends the entire film under what we can probably now call “Hawkeye Syndrome” (where a character loses their personality because they are under the mind control of a villain). She is as much a victim of Stryker’s as Magneto, Cyclops, or even Wolverine (ESPECIALLY Wolverine, considering the fact she went through the same procedure he did) but these things are hardly explored. Kelly Hu brings a great physicality and intimidation to the performance role, making you believe she is someone who can take on Wolverine and possibly win. But unfortunately the writing doesn’t support any sort of individual character.

14) Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler.

Possibly the best new addition to the film, Cumming gives a remarkable performance as the blue skinned teleporter. He is able to take the physicality inherent with being something a little different than human, a little more animalistic, and make Nightcrawler totally believable. The ever constant sorrow of Nightcrawler is also always present through Cumming’s performance, but this doesn’t keep him from being warm and funny when he needs to be. Cumming’s Nightcrawler I think is my favorite part of this film and it was a shame to see him absent in future films.

15) Logan being in charge of the kids is absolutely great. It puts him in a situation he is not all that comfortable with and shows (both to the audience and himself) who he is when others actually depend on him (an idea/conflict which will be present for the character throughout the film).

16) Well if this isn’t one of the main themes of the film:

Bobby [about Rogue]: “It’s not easy when you want to be close to someone but you can’t.”

With them it’s because of Rogue’s mutations, with Logan it’s because of his own desires to figure out the past outweighing any desire to be with someone.

17) If you replace “mutant” with any other minority which faces oppression in America (the LGBT community, the muslim community, the black community, etc.) the actions by William Stryker and the government which okayed it are a little too close to reality for comfort. He brought guns into a school full of mutants to keep them down. In 1957 the governor of Arkansas refused to let black kids into a school (The Little Rock Nine) and used the national guard to do so, for example. During WW2 Japanese families - just because they LOOKED like people who attacked Pearl Harbor - were hauled into concentration camps just for things outside of their control. This is not fiction, unfortunately. This is all too close to reality.

18) Seeing Wolverine tear through the gunmen at the school is not only cathartic but an excellent showcase of his abilities as a fight. ESPECIALLY when he comes flying off of the balcony towards the end.

19) I touched briefly upon the conflict that comes from the relationship with Logan and Stryker, but I think it’s worth mentioning again. Suddenly all the answers Logan is seeking are right in front of him and he is DESPERATE to get at them. But he ends up choosing his responsibility to Rogue, Bobby and John over his need for answers. I think that speaks greatly to the kind of character he is but also keeps that conflict strong for the rest of the film.

20) Nothing sets me on edge more than this.

Stryker [to Xavier, about Cyclops]: “I’m just giving him a little re-education.”

That word turns my stomach, re-education. It’s never used well. The fact that Stryker GAVE HIS SON A LOBOTOMY doesn’t make me like him anymore. I’m rooting for this bastard to die.

21) One of the key moments where we begin to sense that there’s more to John than what’s on the surface is when he looks longingly at Bobby’s family photos. That’s a side to him we never really explore, here or in The Last Stand, unfortunately. But it’s there. That painful past.

22) Bobby’s coming out to his family.

One notable line that happens outside of the clip (but while he’s coming out) is:

Mrs. Drake: “Have you ever tried not being a mutant?”

The filmmakers worked with Ian McKellen (who is openly gay) to help make the scene more like a "typical” coming out scene to a family. That makes the reactions Bobby’s family has all the more heartbreaking, particularly how quickly his brother gives into fear. Suddenly - because Bobby is different - he’s no longer his brother. He’s an “other”. He’s a danger. Their entire relationship is undone by that fear and it’s heartbreaking.

23) This always felt wrong to me.

Nightcrawler [after Storm says they can be safe at Xavier’s school]: “Save from what?”

Storm: “Everyone else...Sometimes anger can help you survive.”

Nightcrawler: “So can faith.”

I may be wrong, but Storm never strikes me as someone who has relied on anger to survive in the comics. She has it, sure. She’s a human being with human emotions. But I’ve never understood it to be a driving factor.

24) The police respond with EXCESSIVE force when coming to Bobby’s home. His brother tells them there are mutants there who won’t let them leave, and they break out the swat units. Before they even know their powers, before they know if they’re an actual threat, mutant/different = dangerous. One police officer shots Logan point blank in the head, straight up murdering him if it weren’t for his mutation. Again, a little too close to real life for comfort.

25) When Pyro attacks the police he is acting out of fear more than self defense. Self defense would have been knocking the guns out of their hands not causing big Michael Bay explosions. It’s a key difference that helps us understand his character.

26) Similar to the note I made in #24, the fighter jets are incredibly eager to shoot down a jet they know has children on it. One that they do not know if it has weapons capabilities or is even a threat. All they know is that mutants are on it and mutant/different = dangerous/afraid. As I said in #24, a little too close to real life than it should be (which is not a criticism against the film but against real life).

27) The camp scene is the calm before the storm. It is pure character development/conflict and I freaking love it. Logan makes his move on Jean while she addresses his isolation and inability to stay, Mystique makes a move on Logan and addresses his motivations, and we even get this moment with Nightcrawler and Mystique which is an incredibly powerful message.

(GIFs originally posted by @sbstianstans)

28) Go get them Rogue. Please.

(GIFs originally posted by @nojillnolife)

29) You want further proof that William Stryker is a despicable piece of shit? He wants to test his mutant murder machine on children. Because they’re not children to him. They’re animals. They’re others. So fuck Stryker.

30) I love Mystique’s attitude right here.

31) I mentioned before that Lady Deathstrike is a character who’s just sort of there, and it gets to the fact that some of the smaller problems this film has will just become overwhelming by the time The Last Stand comes around. Notably the fact that Cyclops - leader of the X-Men in the comics - has probably about 10 to 15 minutes of screen time in an over two hour long film, and for a lot of that he spends it under Hawkeye-syndrome. It’s fine in this film, I think, because it makes room for a more interesting plot. But then nothing happened with him in The Last Stand. The same can be said of Rogue, who is this badass heroine in the comics who can fly. And over X-Men and X2 she’s growing into that but then by the time The Last Stand rolls around she doesn���t do anything. I have to watch myself right now or else I’m going to get into notes I should really talk about in my The Last Stand recap.

32) I mentioned before that - despite how she’s not much of an individual - Kelly Hu brings a great physicality to Lady Deathstrike. This is best seen in her fight with Wolverine at the film’s climax, which is an amazing set piece. And you can see that Logan KNOWS she’s a victim right after he kills her, but we never got to see much more than that.

33)

Stryker: “If you really knew about your past, what kind of person you were, the work we did...”

Um, buddy. You’re a boldfaced liar, as seen by X-Men Origins: Wolverine (but more on that in recap #170).

34) Logan has the choice to go with Stryker and get the answers he so desperately seeks, to learn about his past, but he choses to stay with the others. He choses their needs over his own and that’s what makes him a hero. That is what resolves his conflict in this film. The decision that he doesn’t need to know who he was as long as he figures out who he is NOW.

35) So...Jean’s death.

I have some mixed feelings about Jean’s death. I don’t think it’s a bad story decision by any means, in fact quite the opposite. I think it makes sense for her character and is a totally selfless act with real emotional consequences, I think it’s a good decision. But also if I think about it...I don’t really know how (if?) it ties into her personal arc throughout the film. But I’m also someone who puts characters over plot usually so that is very much a personal taste for me.

36) What Charles says when he meets the president:

Xavier: “My names is Charles Xavier.”

What I wish Charles had said when he met the president:

Xavier: “You authorized a military operation to invade my school.”

37) According to IMDb:

The final scene in Xavier's mansion with Cyclops, Wolverine, and Professor X was shot at Shepperton Studios in London, simply because Hugh Jackman was shooting Van Helsing (2004) at the time, and the producers released him for only one day to do the final shooting of X-Men. The reason Wolverine's hair looks higher than usual in this scene is because Jackman had long hair for Van Helsing, and had to wear the Wolverine wig over a lot of hair.

38)

Student: “Professor? Is everything alright?”

Xavier: “Yes, I think it will be.”

X2 is the strongest film out of the original X-Men trilogy and - in a lot of ways - still the film all other X-Men films are judged against (well, not Logan or Deadpool). It does well to develop most of its original characters while also including the wonderful introduction of Nightcrawler and Stryker. Whatever small issues I may have with the characterizations of Cyclops and Lady Deathstrike are not enough to undermine the excellence of this film. It is well paced with strong character writing, has an intriguing plot, while also holding some truly great action set pieces. In my opinion it is one of the standout films of the superhero genre.