#and wil has said he sees wes as pan | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

yanderemontgomerygator · 3 years ago

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hey yanafere mongotmtery grotr, i waeuna see a fic about glmrocu fedu going to the lgoan pul vx ksi fighh!!

hsalo sockfake sory im lat but i lov this promp!!!! i waz avtual at the logan pale fight an login sweated on me! so i hop yoy enjoy my new heacdnaon an fancicion! thak for your suport :) pleas spel beter tho ican barely fukig underastad you

hheadncanon/fanccion: monthoemry gator is yandere foe glamforoc fredg but glamfock fredt think logan plaul is hot and they arg going to th ksi vz logban pajl fight.

start

[aftr weeks if waitig it was finaly time. glamrok fredy an motngomery gator wer insid of the wrestlig building wit their lesban friends, glamrock chidca an roxane wolf. they wer al excited to watvh the ligan paul vs ksi fite as they tok their seats.]

roxan wolf: omg i am sO EXCIT!!! KSI IS GOIG TO KICK LOGINS AS!!!!!!

glamtovk chica: NO! LOGUN WILL WON! HE SUPER RESILANT AFTR SEING ALL THE DED BODIE!

glamrock fredy: thats fuckd chica but yeHA i agre logan is definitly gona win! right motngoemry?

motnfoemry gator: haha yeah feedy.... logag pal will win i hop.....

[motnigmey was sweatig. he was lyig to fredys fac because motngoemry is actualy a KSI subscribr.]

rodane wolf: you guyz are fkcking stupid KSI is built lik tree. logan is built lik twig

glaorck chica: twigz come from tres idiot

eoxnane wolf: why YOY-

[a loud sond came from the epeakers.]

anoucner: IT IS TIM FOR THE LOGNA PAUL VS KSI FIGRE!!! EVERYON PLEAS SIT DOWN!!!!!!!

[everyon in rhe buoklding sat down an tbe lights went out. a apotlight went on an shined ont a big dor.]

ankucner: WELCIM TO TTHE LVONS PAUL KSI FIGTE!!!!!! OUR FIRDT FIGTER TOSAY IS FROM OHIO AN HIS NAKME IS LOGAN PAUK!!!!!

[the audienc cherrered as logan ualaul ran out of tbe dors and onto the stag.]

roxane wolf: FU K OFD THE STAGE!!!!!

glamfick chica: YEAHHHHAGAGGAHG LOGAN LGJAB LGOBA LOGNA

gmatddock fredy: OMG OG OMG NO WAY ITS HIM IFTS LIGAG!!!!!!!

mitngoenry gator: BOOOOOOOOO

glamrock deysd: what?

m.jotnhoemry gator: uhhh i said WOOOOOOOOOO

glamfoc fredy: WOOOOOOOOOOOO! he is s hot an unproblwmatic!!!

motngokemry gator: y.. you thik lgogan paul is hot?

glamrok faredy: yes :) lok at his bicep!

motngoemry gator: ....hm

anoucner: AN THE SECOD FIGHTER OF FHE DAY IS KSI!!!!!

[KSI ran threw the dors too an ran towad the stage as the audirnce chered]

roxnae wolf: YEAHHHHHHHHH WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO KSI KSI KSI KIS

glamfock chcia: FUCK THAT GU YBOOOOOOO

glamfockf edy: I dont wan him to win but i wil not boo he becaus he is a human beig an i know how damagig words can be. :)

[as ksi started to get ont the stage, motbgoenry gator lugnged out if nowher an tackld kdi onto gthe grond. the aucicence screamd in horor]

glakforkck fredy: OMG MOTNGOKEMRY NO!!!!!

glamrock hcica: MOTNGOEMRY SOP THE FGHIT IS JUST FOR FUN!

roxnane wolf: GOD CUCKIG DAMH IT MOTBGOEMRY IF YOU GET US KICKF OUT OF ANTOHER FUCKIG VENUE I SWER TO FUCKOIIG GOD.

[mitngienry lifted up ksi ovr his head lik a soup bowl an chucked him iijnto the aufdience. he woud nit be abl to fight logna paul due to his conditoon. the audienc screamed]

glamrocj fredy: MOTNGIMERY! WHAT HAS GOTEN INTO YOU!!!!

mojgotmeyr gator: LOGAG PAUL IS GOIG TO STAEAL MY MAN! SO I WILL KIL HIM BEFOR YOY FAL MADLY IN LOV WITH HIM!

glamfock fredyv: BUT MOTNGOMNRY! I AN POLYAMORUS! WE CAN FORM POLCULE WIT LOGANG!

mitngoendy gator: NO. LOGNA PAUL IS CRINGE! SO I WIL KIL HIM NOW. WHAD DO YOU THIK OF THAT LOGAN???

lgian paul: jake paul

motoughbcowmru gator: TOVSCARED TO SPOKE. THAT IS RIGE. NOW THIS IS QHAT YOU GET!

[motbfoemru gator lifted his fist an punchd logan palu in rhe face]

glamrocicij fredy: NOOOOFOFOOOOOPPOPPOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[motngoemry gator lungd at ogan plaul to finis thr job]

[logan pakl fel ober imediatly in pan. the audienc booed an cherred as motngoemry stod victoros.]

oogan paul: j... jak..... paul....

motngimeryet gator: YEAHHHH TAKE THAT LOGNAN!!!!!! JAK PAUL IS THE SUPEROR!!!!

roxane wolf: i fuking hate mondays

glamrovk cuuca: we ned to get thie guy neutured.

hlamorck fredy: i...... I......

[glameock fredy befan to cry. motngoemry gator noticed him from the qrstling ring an quickly ran ober on all 4s]

montgory gator: FREDY I FICKING WON WHY AR YOU CRYIG???

glomfock frdy: mitngoemey.... when glamrovk bonie died the only thig i had 5o keep me goig was logan pal video..... i bot maverick merc..... i subscribd....

mottngoemry gator: omg.... fedy im so sor i didnt kno....

glamrocJFK feedy: .....

motngienry gator: fredy.... i kno a song that wil unite us.....

glamrock fesdy: no song wil repar what yoy hav don.....

motngoemry gator:.....

mothnoermry gator: 🎶jake pal... logun paul.... i lov the pauls rheyr so paulicios....🎶

fflamrock fredy: :o

motngoemry gator: 🎶jak pal... login paal... i wis this vid was nothig but PAULS....🎶

glamrockd edy: y... you watxh jackfilm....??????

mitnhoemry gator: yis....

glamrock fedy: omg... that us so.... atractiv.....

roxane wolf: pleas shit the FUCKZ up i JUST wanted to se the fulking ksi vs logn pal fit for FUCKS SAK.

motngoenry gator: shut rox.... i am in lov wit fredy.

[motngiendu gator an glamrock fredy kis. it is on the big screns an the aufidnce chers. but the gards come over anywys.]

guards: OUT.

roxane wolf: GOD FUKIG DAM IT

[the gang leavs becus they are forcd to. montigmeyr gator an fredy mak out pasionately the whol walk. they al ar stading infron of the car]

mornhoemry gato: wel i wold say today was a god day.

glamrocj fedy: yeah :)

roxan ewolf: fuck of monthomrry i spent thousan of dolar on wrestle ticket for fukig noting.

mitngiendy gator: bruh

[as the gag is banterig, a man is sen walkig up up to the car]

motnhoemry gatir: hah.... omg... OMG IS THT....

[the man is ksi wakign up to the car.]

ksi: jak paul

motngjenry gator: OMG KGM OKG KSI I AM HUG FAN!!!

doxane wolf: OMG SAM!!!!!

glamrok chica: YEAH KSI IS SO COL!!!!

ksi: jack paul

[ksi handd the gang limitd editon signd merch.]

motnhoemry gator: OMG OMGO MGO MFOBNGOGNBN AAAAAAAAA THAK YOU KSI

ksi: oi

glamrocj.g chica: i am goig to sell this :)

mitngoenry gator: ISNT THIS SO COL FREDY!!!!

glakfi k fedy: yeah :)

[glamricj fredy liftd his fist an punchd ksi squar in the fac. ksi fel ovr.]

motngoemry gator: GLAMOCK FREDY WHAT THE FUCK.

glaamrock frefy: you punc my idol i punch yors. now we r even! :)

motngoemry gato:

[the gang all laughd an got into ther car. mayb today was a god day after al :) they drov of into the sunst an livd in peac an harmon forevr.]

end.

thak yoy so muc sockfac for the ask :) i hop you likd it! sory it tok so long i ahd to writ for coleg. thakn for readig!

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buddiebeginz · 4 years ago

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After reading this thread that does a good job giving a quick run down on Buck and Eddie’s journey up until this point like where they’ve been separately and where they are now, I got to thinking about some things especially where Ana and Taylor are concerned.

I was so frustrated earlier in the season when I felt like the show kept shoving Ana and Taylor in our faces and I kept thinking that this was the shows way of saying Buddie was doa and they were moving on but I don’t think that’s the case at all anymore. While it might have seemed on the surface that Eddie and Buck were off doing their own separate things when you look at season 4 as a whole everything with the guys as been connected especially the stuff with Ana and Taylor. They weren’t brought back so Eddie and Buck could have separate love interests they were brought back around the same time as part of Buddie’s journey toward getting together.

---

Ana and Eddie’s relationship really starts in 4x06 Jinx which is telling enough as it is. It’s also in this ep that Eddie keeps trying to prove that he doesn’t believe in supernatural forces. Meanwhile it’s Buck who tells him “it’s like the universe is screaming at you and you refuse to listen”.

Both Ana and Taylor are in Breaking Point 4x08

It’s fitting that this episode is called Breaking Point because I think the show runners knew this episode would piss some fans off but I think that was the point in a way. I think a lot of the stuff with Ana and Taylor in this episode and thought out season 4 really was meant to be a red herring.

We’re reintroduced to Taylor and we see her and Buck become friends although it’s clear we’re meant to think this could go somewhere by that kiss at the end. Ana and Eddie go on a date and at the end he brings her to see Christopher, a pretty uncharacteristic move for him given the pandemic and Chris’ health. This is another way I believe the show was trying to trick us into believing that these relationships were going somewhere.

Plus in an episode that was chocked full of Buck and Eddie off with other people we still had Buddie always on the periphery like when Eddie came home to Buck, a pretty symbolic moment. Then you had Buck and Eddie at the stand off. Buck complaining to everyone who would listen about Albert and Veronica (even though he couldn’t care less about Veronica) and Eddie admitting he didn’t know how to tell Christopher he was dating Ana. The show focusing on both of their love lives but interestingly enough not showing them talking to each other about their problems when they’re supposed to be best friends.

There was a really important scene with Buck talking to Taylor where he admitted that he felt ready to meet someone and “start a meaningful relationship” and Taylor tells him “I’ve met the people you work with your life is nothing but meaningful relationships”. Interesting choice of words there. To which Buck says, “doesn’t seem the same”. Taylor then tells him “do you ever think you need to be patient and let the universe come to you” a line that mirrors what was said in Jinx. So both Buck and Eddie were being told in season 4 that they needed to listen to the universe, ostensibly the signs around them.

Now at the time the show sort of frames this as Buck and Taylor maybe flirting like maybe the signs are pointing towards Taylor, but I think it was just another misdirect because when you put everything from this season together it’s clear that there was a deeper meaning there and it was directed towards Buddie.

Ana was in 4x10 Parenthood

This episode was all about parents and it would seem on face value that Ana’s role is about her getting closer to the Diaz family but it’s not. Her role in the episode was to highlight how Buck is Christopher’s other dad. How the only other person Christopher is terrified of losing beside Eddie is Buck. How when Christopher was upset and scared he ran to Buck’s house.

Taylor was in 4x11 First Responders

Again I think the show was trying to mislead the audience into thinking that things could be going somewhere with her and Buck when really they were just developing their friendship. Notice how they didn’t spend any real alone time together getting to know one another like how a show would typically frame a couple in the making. Their only scenes in this ep involved them trying to solve what happened to Sue. Like work partners working on a project. Taylor comes over at the end of the ep with wine but there’s no real intention on her end that she’s interested in Buck and they only talk about the case.

---

Taylor was also in 4x12 Treasure Hunt

This is where things start to get interesting and I think really where the show starts to turn things from just faking out the audience to giving more clues about Buddie.

We get a scene where a bunch of the 118 are talking about the treasure hunt after seeing Taylor talk about it on the news. They talk about how it’s going to get more people hurt and Eddie says to Buck “your girlfriend’s news story is probably not going to help out with that”. Buck says “she’s my friend not my girlfriend”. To which Eddie nods his head like he believes him but he makes a face looking pouty and jealous.

Now why would the show put that line in there and show Eddie being jealous right before the three of them end up working together? 🤔

Buck calls Taylor and asks to team up to find the treasure and at the end of the call the camera pans out to show Eddie. Almost like they would if Buck was keeping things from his so.

Eddie asks Buck to team up but Buck had already teamed up with Taylor so he brings Eddie in the on deal. We then get the kitchen scene with the three of them where it’s obvious Eddie is jealous and as was pointed out in the twitter thread I included above the framing of that scene was definitely intentional. Eddie looking jealous seated in the middle of Buck and Taylor.

Even though the three of them were supposed to be a team we see Buck and Eddie together through most of the important parts of the episode. Like at the end when they find the treasure chest.

There’s a scene with Buck and Taylor at his apartment where he thinks things are going somewhere between them they’re not and it’s not the first time it’s happened. One has to wonder why he keeps trying to put himself out there for something that just isn’t going to happen.

While eating breakfast with the 118 Buck says "at this point I don’t trust anyone” and the camera specifically focuses in and lingers on Eddie looking hurt. When Buck notices he quickly clarifies what he meant.

The episode ends letting us know that Taylor only thinks of Buck as a friend and that’s how we move into the final two episodes of the season.

Also Just like with Parenthood Ana was in that ep to highlight Buck being Chris’ other dad Taylor was in Treasure Hunt to highlight that Eddie isn’t comfortable seeing Buck with someone else.

----

Ana was in 4x13 Suspicion

So I’ve wrote about this in another post but I think that Ana’s whole purpose in this episode was solely for Eddie and Carla to have the convo they did. The show made it clear that Eddie has not been emotionally invested in his relationship with Ana.

We saw Ana looking up the stuff about that mother who was poisoning her son but Ana wasn’t really involved in that whole storyline ultimately it was Buck. Buck was there when they first went to that call and he was the one who went to the women’s house with Eddie at the end despite being in civilian clothes. There was also no acknowledgement of Ana before Eddie was shot. Usually before a scene like that you’d have a couple saying something meaningful like I’m so glad you’re in my life or Eddie deciding to tell her he loves her but instead it was all about Eddie and Buck. It was also Buck who right before the shooting said “that kid is just lucky he met you” when Eddie was feeling guilty for not getting to the call sooner.

Then of course the shooting was framed to be all about Buck and Eddie. To the point that it was like almost nothing else existed in the world for a few seconds. Even when they pulled out of the slow motion all the camera really focused on was them.

----

Now looking ahead to the last episode for season 4 both Taylor and Ana will be in the episode. We can see that Taylor is in the finale just from the promo. It’s not surprising that Ana will be given she’s been dating Eddie and he was just shot.

But I can’t help but wonder why is the show bringing Taylor in to a season finale that is already clearly over flowing with stuff for the characters to do. I mean surely they don’t have screen time to waste? And I don’t mean that as a dig on Taylor. I mean I get the impression this episode is going to be planned to the second with no filler junk. We have the sniper, saving Eddie’s life, Athena and Bobby’s marriage dramas, Maddie’s depression, Buck doing something reckless to save everyone, Buck thinking Eddie is going to die and losing his shit, Buck talking to Christopher, whatever happens in that convo between Buddie.

So again why is Taylor in the finale? We see her with Buck in the promo and it looks like it might be in front of the hospital. It’s possible she’s there to help Buck find the sniper but I think the show could get around that some other way. If you look at how the show has handled Ana and Taylor thus far and how their presence in each ep throughout season 4 was to further Buddie’s story I think there’s only one reason she’s coming back and that’s because Buck is going to confess something to her about Eddie.

---

If we look at 4x13 again it was an episode that was more about Eddie than Buck and it was about discovery and honesty. People discovering things and being honest with others and themselves. I think 4x14 will be similar but with Buck. We can tell from the promos that Buck is going to have a lot of focus in the finale and I think part of that is going to involve him being honest with himself about some things. This will hearken back to the journey he’s been on for the whole season.

In the season 3 finale we saw Buck closing the chapter on Abby finally. We saw him grow and go through so much all season 4. He’s had to face a lot of truths this year. About his parents and about the kind of relationships he’s been in and what he really wants now but I also think he’s still been running. I think given all the hurt he’s experienced he’s been afraid to be truly vulnerable. He said earlier in season 4 he wanted a more meaningful relationship and it’s been in front of him all along yet he keeps running in the opposite direction.

In Breaking Point Taylor came back to 911 to tell Buck the he needed to listen to the universe and I think when she comes back in the finale whatever she says will be an echo of that convo.

My guess is Buck will come to some kind of realization after the shooting and he’ll talk to Taylor about it. I think that Taylor will be the one who pushes him to talk to Eddie and she’ll even likely say that she knew something was there between the two of them to begin with which is a big reason why she didn’t pursue anything with Buck. She knew he was in love with someone else.

----

Which leads us to what happens next

I’ve been thinking about this scene a lot and what might happen here. I’ve seen some people say they think Eddie will ask Buck to be Chris’ legal guardian in case something happens to him or that it might be a dream sequence. I think both of those things are possible but I can’t shake this feeling that when I look at Buck’s face here he looks like he’s being being told some surprising bad news.

I think it’s possible that Buck will go to the hospital with the intention of telling Eddie how he feels only when he gets there maybe Eddie tells him Ana is moving in. Maybe Eddie says she’s going to help take care of him and Christopher. Eddie says he wants to make sure that Christopher has someone in case something happens to him.

Which leaves us on a cliffhanger for the end of season 4 and in season 5 we could get Buck trying to navigate his feelings for Eddie while figuring out his sexuality.

I don’t think the actress who plays Ana will end up coming back for season 5 but that doesn’t have to affect how they leave things at the end of season 4. If we look back on previous seasons 911 is notorious for doing cliffhangers like this. Abby left at the end of season 1 and didn’t come back and it was essentially a cliffhanger to her and Buck’s relationship. The season 2 finale didn’t give total clarity about where things with Ali and Buck were going and by the time season 3 came the actress was gone.

So this whole idea of Ana moving in with Eddie could just be an idea and we won’t actually have to see it happen in season 5. Like Eddie says Ana is moving in but by the time season 5 rolls around we hear that she got a job offer in another state and she took it.

But something else could happen too. Maybe Eddie breaks up with Ana given the clarity he got from the convo with Carla and the shooting. Then he asks Buck to move in and help him and Christopher while he’s still healing. Buck decides that now isn’t the right time to tell Eddie how he feels that he needs to just be there for his friend so he holds back. That would still bring us into season 5 with a will they or won’t they which is ultimately where I think things are headed.

I’ve seen some people speculate that Eddie might tell Buck he’s going back to Texas which I think is less likely but still possible. So Eddie breaks up with Ana and decides he’s going to spend time with his family in Texas. Buck goes to tell Eddie how he feels and before he does Eddie tells him he’s leaving. Season 4 ends where we don’t know when or if Eddie and Christopher are coming back. Though ultimately they do in season 5 but how that all plays out would make for some good storylines and it could open up room for another Lonestar crossover ep too. It would be great to have an episode where Buck and TK talk about how Buck feels about Eddie.

---

I know a lot of people are going to be pissed if anything less than Buddie getting together and living HEA in the season 4 finale happens but I think we need to be patient. If we actually even get one of them acknowledging his feelings for the other it will be a huge step in the right direction towards them becoming a canon ship. But it does feel like the show is taking them more seriously now.

I know that the show could just be queerbaiting us that’s always a possibility at this point but I think it’s okay for us to be hopeful too. I feel like if the show didn’t want to move forward with Buddie they would have put more effort into developing Buck/Taylor and Eddie/Ana and a lot less into Buddie. This would have been the best season for the show to finally cut ties with Buddie if they really wanted to move on and were tired of hearing about it from us fans. Instead they’ve only developed Buck and Eddie more and there’s no getting around all the symbolism in that final scene in the recent episode. It was shot like two lovers.

I think we just need to have some faith that the writers care enough about the characters and audience to not string us along and that this is all leading somewhere. Which for the first time since Eddie arrived I actually think it is I really do think that Buddie will become canon.

If you read this whole thing blessings upon you and your cow and I’m sorry I talk so much. 😝💗

#911 fox #buddie #buddie s4 #911 4x14 #911 meta #911 s4*#911!#long post

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speedypandaweasel · 4 years ago

Text

One Big Adventure - a Wilford Warfstache and Abe story (Non-Ship) (2,914 Words)

Thank you for the request @canceltheact! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

If you would like to submit a request, see the information at the Masterlist and submit through the Q and A!

PSA - THIS IS NOT A SHIP oke, let us begin...

Dazed images fog up the minds of two *very* hungover men as they stagger their way up to the apartment. Abe fumbles his way through the door and over strewn clothes. He continues on and manages to put together the kaleidoscope of scenery that is right in front of him. To his left, a saggy sofa sits and a cheap TV dangerously hangs off the stripping wallpaper by a thread. To his right, a grimy kitchen is on display which even the worst chef in the world wouldn't waste his time in. The other man, however, is blabbering away, slurring his words like a car on an icy motorway. "HA!, I tell *hick* you Abe, I'm so glad I remembered you, you see *hick*, I can't even remember where I put my-" Aaaand he's gone. His body moulds into the cushions that poorly support his droopy frame, and his scuffed platform boots dangle over the side. Abe smiles, slightly soberer than before. Who would have thought that this stock still of a man, whose only aesthetics were the colour beige and veterans, would somehow have a goofy, lighter side to him? All the criminals he's met and caught among the years...

Hold up, has he met anyone? He can't remember any experiences where he HAS met any, so why did he think that? Hm, must be the Tequila talking. Abe hopscotches over the empty Wine and Martini bottles that are decorated across the stained carpet. Damm, William has not been taking care of himself. Mind you, neither has he so he can't really say anything. He arrives into the walk-in kitchen and opens a dusty cupboard. His tired eyes only meet with shot and tumbler glasses.

How much does this Man drink!? Shuffling used plates and greasy cutlery out of the way, he fills a scotch glass with water. Dowsing the liquid felt like heaven. His exhausted physique felt like a body that's been stuck in the desert for a considerable amount of time and didn't know it needed water to survive. Oh, now he feels the headache coming on.

Reader, you know when water tastes funny? It's because your brain hasn't been receiving enough H20 because you've been drinking too many energy drinks. Yeah, that feeling is exactly what Abe is feeling right now. CONTINUING ON!

The scotch glass watches from the draining board whilst the Detective plays the quietest game of the floor is lava, whilst the moustached man is making much more noise. He manages to reach a corridor which he thinks leads towards the bedroom and tiptoes down the tight hall to find a vacant room. On the way, he passes another room. It was Barnum's. His mind was split in two, Does he go in? Or stay out? Through the crack in the door, the catastrophe has indeed spread into his sleeping quarters. A mountain of flamboyant disco clothes gathers dust in front of his Chester draws, the bed's not made and more liquor bottles are having a social gathering on top. Oh William, you may be a murderer, but you need to prioritise yourself. He takes a last look at his passed out flatmate down the hallway, before shutting the guest bedroom door. Grey. It's all he's met with. Much like his exterior. He slips his shoes off and starts to unbutton his off-white shirt. he runs a hand down his chest and over the scar. How the Hell did he survive that? He can't be bothered to go into it right now, he's too tired. He snuggles into bed and does the infamous cold bed dance.

You know the one.

Abe gets out of the tempting bed once more and walks back into the living room. He creeps over to William, the man's mouth catching flies. He carefully takes his enormous shoes off and places them on the floor. Barnum's mismatch socks disappear underneath the blanket. "Night William."

~ A gorgeous smell of Breakfast wanders its way through the apartment and Abe groggily wakes up. His eyes peel open and with a yawn, he trudges through to the living room. Remembering from earlier this morning, he needed to position himself for his dance routine around the non-existent floor. "What are you doing my main man?" Barnum brightly asks, a hearty chuckle accompanies the question. Resided in the pristine kitchen, his big, strong hand holds a Skillet and two China plates are centred on the pebble grey marble island. Abe, however, is currently squatting as though he was playing a game of leapfrog with some imaginary friends. The Detective goes to jump but then is taken back at the sight. The apartment is now spick and span, no more Wine Bottles, no more strewn clothes. The windows are tied wide open and it overlooks the sketchy neighbourhood that they reside in. "How did you do this?" "Do what?" "You know, clean up this quickly?" Barnum checks his watch. It's 7:30 am "Oh well you see, I ironed a nice pair of jeans and found a lovely dandelion coloured shirt. Accompanied by some rainbow braces I think I look quite dashing don't you think so?" "No William, I-I mean the Apartm-AAH!" Abe clings his hand over his head, damm this- "Headache is killing you?" William slides a glass of water over with an Aspirin pill. "And no, I didn't clean the apartment, she did." Wilford looks- wait, why are you looking at me!? "Anywho, we need to get going my slightly hungover companion! But first, breakfast!" Wilford sets a serving plate down of a full English Breakfast: Sausage, an Egg, two cooked Tomatoes, Bacon rashes, Baked Beans and a slice of Buttered Toast. Wow. He didn't know William could cook? The two men got stuck in right away and the TV is turned on. Two bright and very similar faces appear on the screen "Badgers the secret Killer?... And now for the weather, Jim?"

The camera pans to, what they believe, is Jim. Their face resembles a deer in headlights. "I swear, they don't know what they're doing. It's hilarious!" The Detective says with a mouthful of Toast. Barnum laughs, wipes his mouth with a napkin and takes a swig of his Orange juice. "Right! I mean, who is their boss anyway?!" The men eat and laugh their way through their plates talking about what topics they would cover if they were reporters. After a while, they both recline back into their bar stools and the cook starts to tidy up the dirty dishes. "Oh, no, let me do it. It's the least I can do." "You're alright my man, I've got this. Besides, you need to freshen up!" "But whe-'" "First door on your left"

They share a light chuckle. "Thanks Wilford, I really appreciated that," Abe says before going back down the hallway, whilst Wilford rolls his sleeves up and starts to clean the less-silver cutlery.

He smiles. That's the first time he's ever said that to him. "No problem Abe."

The passenger door slams shut on the Detective's Vintage SUV and Wiford pulls out a gigantic map from his pocket. This map includes hundreds of paths scrawled with crayons and a hint of Martini can be smelt.

"Are you sure, you know where you're going?" Abe questions. Judging by what that map reads, they are going to get lost very easily.

"Of course I know where I'm going! I am Wilford Motherloving Warftsache after all." A pang of guilt hits the Detective, he genuinely can't remember who he was.

"Ok, Wil, you can drive."

After playing at least 3 rounds of rock paper scissors, or when Wilford won, Abe hesitantly let the murderer drive. God knows where though.

Wilford excitedly thrust the keys into the ignition. He couldn't wait for what the day entailed!

"Careful Willford, you're gonna break the keys!" Abe says through gritted teeth.

"Oh pah-lease! I know how to drive" he retaliates. His brown boot floors the pedal and reverses straight into the iron fence.

"Yep, it's working."

The Detectives face, now pale, grips tighter onto his seatbelt and his feet are glued to the floor. "Wil, of course it's working. Now, step on the ga- nope, that's the brakes Wilford."

Pedestrians quiver in fear as they see a horribly driven brown vehicle screech to a stop and then start again. They have to clamp down on their ears as the monster of a car drives past them down the alleyway, swerving left and right much like the driver's speech the other night.

The SUV survives to the end of the road and dents a stop sign perched, well once, straight on the kerb.

"Will, which route are we taking?" Abe asks as he takes the map from the driver's hands.

"It's the one marked Highway of Life, it's gonna be a good one, trust you me."

"Well, this has got off to a surprising start so why not go for an adventure?" Abe says. He's given up at this point.

"LIFE IS A HIIIGHHWWAYY! I WWAAANNNA RRIIDDEE IIT ALLL NIIGGHTT LOOOOONNGG!" The two pop stars start belting out of the car as Wilford drives them to their last stop. Who would have thought that two polar opposites positions of the law would be in the same car together, let alone blasting Disney songs out of the car.

Wilford's hair whips away from his face as the SUV's top winds down.

"LIFE NEEDS A BIT OF MADNESS EH ABE?"

"HELL YEAH IT DOES"

The Afternoon sun blazes down onto their blacked-out sunglasses and the Golden Gate bridge paints a picture for the Detective that prescribes him with a carefree attitude.

Life was his to choose and he was here for it.

The SUV turns off the Highway onto Richmond Street. The Afternoon sun glowing dimmer.

Just in time.

Now reader, if you haven't read my WKM Tumblr Song series, then you won't understand this next section.

The SUV passes bountiful shrubberies and picket fences. Cherry Blossom dust drift its way into the car and Wilford starts to tear up.

"You ok Buddy?"

"Yeah, I'm ok." After all his years of interrogation, Abe knows that that answer was a lie. Yet, he didn't want to push it.

The car comes to a halt and is parked underneath a summer coated oak tree.

"Why'd we stop?"

"I want to show you something."

Abe opens the vintage door and steps out. In front of him, wildflowers and grass sway on the cliffs breeze and small pink flowers grow on its edge. Overhead, a sea glistens with sunlight rays and pink and amber hues dust the sky.

Man, this is enough to make a grown man cry.

The cars driver door can be heard shutting and a shadow walks up behind him. An intimate silence roots itself between the two men.

"You may be wondering why I brought you here."

Abe nods, still looking forward, yet intriguingly listening.

The man sighs, "I used to come here all the time as a young lad. We used to have picnics and dance until dawn. We were so free up here. Away from life, away from Duty, and she was away from Him, that was all that mattered. "

His voice breaks.

"But things change, people change and suddenly, I couldn't do that anymore.

That's why I want you to see it."

Wilford wanders over to their spot and picks up one of the pink flowers sprouting through the grass.

"You may have thought of us as the scum of the Earth Detective. But there are two sides to every story."

The Detective joins the Murderer and puts a hand on his shoulder.

Wilford chuckles. The last time he was here, he was completely and utterly alone. He was like- like a freshly born fawn still trying to find his legs into this world that didn't make sense.

But now...but now things are looking a little brighter.

"If there is anything I can do to make it up to you, just name it."

"You can't do anything really, it's just the way this messed up world works."

The two friends sit down in the grass, making fresh new imprints into the cliff edge, next to two fading ones.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure" "How many people have I killed?"

...

That question lingers in the air for an uncomfortably long time. All that can be heard are the lapping of the waves below them and the occasional swallow talking in the trees.

...

"I don- don't know Wilford," Abe breaks the silence, "I should know, but I-I don't.

...

Abe looks at Wilford, his broken and tear-stained eyes manage to glance back before returning to look out at the sunset.

Abe must do something here. But what? He said himself that nothing can be done so what can he do?

He reminisces on the day they were reunited. So much anger, so much confusion. But Wil was so cheerful, not a care in the world!

Now look at him.

And it was all his fault. If only he didn't get involved...

A second flashes by and Abe does something he should have done the second Will did it.

He hugs Him.

...

"I'm sorry Will."

...

Moments cling on for seems like forever and the embrace is broken. The two tear-stained friends look up.

The afternoon sun has now gone beneath the horizon and is replaced with the all too familiar twilight scenery, which glows softly for miles and miles, each star a lantern that has been entrusted with keeping something special.

"There was another reason why I wanted to bring you here."

Wilford wipes his eyes with his sleeve. "Do you see that star, the big one?"

"Yeah" "That's the Evening Star. That Star is the reason why I have hope. And now I want to share that hope with you. I know we got off the wrong foot but since we're in the same boat now, I think it's time I opened up about where I've actually been."

Abe swallows, this man is truly broken, and he can't do anything about it.

"Thank you for trusting me." "We're not done yet. It's your turn!" "What?" "Make a wish." Cautiously, the Detective slowly stands up from his permanent grassy imprint and walks towards the cliff's edge. The man looks around and sees only patches of shrubbery and wildflowers.

And his newfound friend encouraging him to proceed.

He clasps his hands together and wishes hard. His eyes scrunch together as he becomes a child once more as well. His once tight shoulders have finally become relaxed. After so many years of searching for answers, he doesn't need to worry any more.

A single tear is swept away from the Murderers face as he watches on from the patch of grass. He remembers that feeling and the dream he wished for all those years ago. Yet now, his wish is slowly changing.

Granted, he can't remember who he was but bully does he know what he wants to be. And being here for him, at this very moment, is a wonderful way to start it.

Abe's hands fall to his side and he stares out onto the ever stretching view. His feet are glued to the spot and his mind is only fixated on that one goal. Wilford slowly joins his side, already having a hunch on what he dearly wants.

"What did you wish for?" The Murderer asks.

The Detective huckles, "Now if I told you, it wouldn't come true, would it?"

"Very true my friend."

Little did the men know that their newly found wishes were the same.

"Don't you mean, Best Friend?"

CRACK

The heartwarming moment is abruptly stopped by the sky blasting wide open and millions of sounds exploding across the cliff. The light breeze has rapidly sped up into a storm and is propelling thick gusts upon the two.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL NOW!?" Wilford yells at the hole, completely unfazed.

"YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS!?" Abe yells at his Friend.

"OF COURSE I DO, IT'S TIME FOR WORK."

"WORK!? SINCE WHEN DO YOU HAVE A JOB!?"

"WE ALL HAVE A JOB - WE'RE ACTORS! I'LL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING IF WE DON'T GET SPLIT UP."

"IF WE DONT GET SPLIT UP!? WHERE ARE WE GOING!?" "I HAVE NO IDEA! BUT THAT'S THE FUN OF IT! AFTER THREE, WE WALK IN."

"ARE YOU CRAZY WE'RE GONNA FALL!"

"TRUST ME, WE WON'T."

Wilford grabs Abe's hand and he stares at him. Abe stares back, fear-stricken. Finally, he nods.

"TOGETHER?" "TOGETHER."

"ONE"

"TWO"

"THREE!!!!" The two Actors charge straight over the cliff and into the blinding light.

Wilford finds himself in some kind of leather chair with neon lights surrounding him. A script in one and his prop gun in his other.

No pants on, no wonder he feels too comfortable.

He scans his scene and sees his co-actor, Kathryn, running her lines on the other side of the room.

A chair sits opposite him and behind that, a red T-30 minutes until showtime sign is displayed for him.

Abe, however, isn't needed on set yet. His adventure hasn't begun.

But both of their characters will have to cross at one point or another, it's just a matter of time. Yet for a fact, no one can edit their Friendship; Their Joint Wish.

Because, as they say, Life is a road that you're travelling on, when there's one day here, and the next day gone.

#wilford warfstache #abe the detective #wkm #who killed markiplier #tumblr songs #markiplier #story #william j barnum #markiplier egos

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miraculouscontent · 4 years ago

Text

“Didn’t Need Burrow” Masterpost (February)

Anonymous said:

Don't need Burrow: Finally, it will be revealed that Adrien is the main character and that Marinette was merely the narrator of his story (or history of their love).

The thing that we already know and won’t be a surprise.

Adrien didn’t have enough attention already but they were tired of using Marinette as their camera to his story.

Anonymous said:

Didn’t need burrow: Kagami wil decide to stay in Japan at the end of the Tokyo special. Prompting Chat Noir to start pursuing Ladybug again.

I doubt they’d make the specials official canon but I also don’t doubt Kagami getting sidelined so easily.

Anonymous said:

Alternative didn’t need burrow: Kagami won’t even be in the Japan special and all cultural knowledge will be explained by Adrien

Oh my gooooood.

*flashes back to Adrien and Gabriel greeting Kagami and Tomoe in Japanese*

Anonymous said:

Don't need Burrow: It will be revealed that Chloe is actually an innocent and naive little girl who acted like a malicious bully because she was manipulated and intimidated by Sabrina all the time. And it was Sabrina who made her bully the rest of the class and act as if everything had to revolve around her. And it will be retcon that Chloe did not abuse everyone to impress Audrey, but because Sabrina made her do it. (Note: I'm Anon that joked about Sabrina being more dangerous than Chloe)

fdjkhgjdfgfd welcome back, for sure.

I wasn’t ready for the Sabrina part since I was taking it 100% seriously up until then.

In before they say that Sabrina is just indulging Chloe and Chloe is how she is because Sabrina won’t do anything about it.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow to know that if there is finally a white little kid gets introduced to the show, he or she(though let's be honest, most often a he) will be a sweet little angel of sunshine who's always on their best behavior and never does anything wrong, unlike all those rowdy black children(barf). Bonus if the kid has blonde hair and blue/green/grey eyes. Double bonus if someone(say, Marinette or Nadja) says to one of the other kids "See, why can't you behave like they do?" Rolling my eyes.

OMG SOMEONE ELSE SAID IT. BLESS YOU.

I always feel so awkward hating on all the kid characters for that reason but it really does come down to they’re kids and I don’t like kids. Most of them are just written as “kid” and nothing else.

Friendly piece of advice to people writing children and are afraid of doing what this show does where the personality is just “stereotypical child”...

Write characters as if they’re teenagers first, and then “age them down.” It’s the difference between writing Mylene (for example) with the personality of “child,” and writing Mylene as a younger version of herself.

It also will make it less jarring if the character happens to grow up and become a teen at some point in the story, where their personality is better established; they’ll come off as a developed person rather than someone with a completely different personality from when they were little.

(If you’re having trouble imagining said child character as a teenager/adult, there’s definitely a step missing.)

Anonymous said:

Don't Need Burrow to know that when all the kids in Marinette and Adrien's class inevitably get Miraculouses of their own, only the girls will get theirs taken from them for one reason or another, either because someone else figured out their identity or they do something stupid and risk people knowing(or people actually do know), while the boys get to keep theirs permanently and Ladybug becomes the token Smurfette on her superhero team. Rena Rouge might be the exception to this.

G I R L P O W E R

+ I mean, for Rena, Marinette’s already regretted giving her the miraculous at least once, so yeah.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need Burrow to know that when Marinette and Adrien inevitably discover each others' identities, defeat Hawk Moth and Mayura(the only good thing about this whole scenario), and gEt ToGeThEr, it(the latter, at least) will only be in the last episode of the last season, and we will get no time to see their development from "who dis?" to friends, to lovers. Love=ma^2 shippers will punch the nearest wall, while me and everyone else will sip our salty tea and ask what the fuck they expected.

If Season 4 decides the split between Lukanette and Adrimi, that means Season 5 is just going to be a love square shipping fuel fest of absolute and complete obnoxiousness with angst that’ll lead to reverse love square at best and then nothing more.

The tea will, however, be delicious.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need Burrow to know that Adrien will continue to steadfastly insist that Marinette is "just a friend"(such as saying so when Alya or Nino confronts him on it, or saying romantic sounding things to Marinette herself that are just intended as shipper-fanservice-bait, before adding something anticlimatic like "you're a really good FRIEND")...up until the moment when the plot decides to push them together and he'll magically change his tune and say that she was always more than just a friend.

How convenient~

Yeah, the plot has this habit of just changing things so immediately that it gives you whiplash, because they’ve never built anything up. I remember that it did that for me with the Miracle Box opening in “Sapotis” to reveal all the zodiacs.

Anonymous said:

Didn't Need Burrow to know that Alya(and possibly the rest of the girl squad, but lets face it, most likely Alya so that she can be the Black Best Friend) will be used solely as a plot device to get Adrien and Marinette together(against Marinette's protests, if I may add), and Marinette will get almost no chances to make a move on Adrien on her own. I know you salt on Alya a lot but you gotta admit it kinda feels bad to potentially have her pushed aside to only support the love square.

No no, I totally agree! I don’t like Alya but I obviously feel bad that her and Nino have just become love square/plot pushers. Add in Rena Rouge and eugh, no thanks.

Anonymous said:

Didn’t Need Burrow to know when Marinette finally tells Adrien she’s in love with him, he’ll reject her, and when Marinette gets over him and gets together with Luka, then he’ll probably get akumatised because of it, and it’s all Marinettes fault for getting over him(EVEN THO HE MADE IT CLEAR HE WASNT INTERESTED!!!) and entering a healthy relationship.

This one sent me through a whirlwind of emotions.

Also, inevitable "only notice the girl who’s wanted you forever because now she has a boyfriend,” because yay.

Anonymous said:

Didn't need Burrow: Ms Bustiers pregnancy is going to be handled one of two ways, but they'll both lead to the same outcome: either

1) her pregnancy will be ignored and she'll look the same as she always has until the one episode where it's plot relevant, and she'll suddenly look nine months pregnant, or

2) she'll go from looking the way she does in the New York Special to looking nine months pregnant in the first episode of S4, possibly with the addition of cringy pregnancy jokes peppered in throughout the season until the episode where her being pregnant is plot relevant.

The inevitable outcome of this whole 'pregnant teacher' subplot will be an episode where Ms Bustier goes into labor during an Akuma attack that she (and possibly the entire class) are caught in the middle of for whatever reason, she'll give birth either during or right after said Akuma attack. LB will have to juggle both fighting the Akuma and delivering the baby, Chat will be useless during the pregnancy subplot (50/50 that he won't be much help during the Akuma attack), and there will be a moment where the two heroes are both cooing over the baby, and someone will make a remark about how they'll be such good parents one day.

I know this is probably too specific to actually pan out, but I'm confident that at least part of this will line up with what happens in the show

dfkhgjdfkgdfg oh my god, Ladybug helping deliver a baby, please kill me.

The “good parents” line absolutely made me cringe because they’d totally do that.

The thing about how Bustier will look is also 150% accurate and it pains me to say so. Her looking pregnant is the most “fleshing out” that we’ll ever get from her.

I could also see her getting a substitute instead (I originally was going to shorten it to “sub” but then I just imagined Miss Bustier eating a sub sandwich) and then coming back at some point like “oh I already had the baby, here he/she is,” and that’s how they avoid making a model for her being pregnant.

Anonymous said:

Don't Need Burrow: A character will have a bad day and get increasingly mad whenever things continue to go bad for them/when other people annoy them, but he or she will still manage to keep it cool. Only when MARINETTE does something wrong will that person finally SNAP and get akumatized, and of course, Marinette will be blamed for it despite everything already going bad for the character to begin with. It's like the writers try so hard to make things her fault when she's barely a part of it.

oh my god

This is also totally Santa Claws/Bother Christmas but with Marinette instead of Ladybug. Gotta get both sides in there, you know?

#Didn't Need Burrow

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themousefromfantasyland · 4 years ago

Text

The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights

Or, russian Snow White and the seven Bogatyrs, legendary slavic warriors, similar to the knight-errant in Western tradition

This is a 1833 poem by russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin, inspired by the childhood tales told by his nurse. It's basically russian Snow White, been astonishly closer to the Disney film than the original Brothers Grimm's fairy tale

With his suite the Tsar departed. The Tsarina tender-hearted at the window sat alone, wishing he would hurry home.

All day every day she waited, gazing till her dedicated eyes grew weak from overstrain, gazing at the empty plain. Not a sign of her beloved!

Nothing but the snowflakes hurried, heaping drifts upon the lea. Earth was white as white could be. Nine long months she sat and waited, kept her vigil unabated.

Then from God on Christmas Eve, she a daughter did receive. Next day early in the morning, love and loyalty rewarding. Home again from travel far, came at last the father-Tsar.

One fond glance at him she darted, gasped for joy with thin lips parted. Then fell back upon her bed and by prayer-time was dead.

Long the Tsar sat lonely, brooding. But he, too, was only human.

Tears for one sad year he shed... And another woman wed.

She (if one be strictly truthful) was a born Tsarina. Youthful, slim, tall, fair to look upon. Clever, witty, and so on.

But she was in equal measure stubborn, haughty, wilful, jealous. In her dowry rich and vast was a little looking-glass.

It had this unique distinction: It could speak with perfect diction. Only with this glass would she in a pleasant humour be.

Many times a day she'd greet it and coquettishly entreat it:

"Tell me, pretty looking-glass, nothing but the truth, I ask: Who in all the world is fairest, and has beauty of the rarest?"

And the looking-glass replied:

"You, it cannot be denied. You in all the world are fairest and your beauty is the rarest."

The Tsarina laughed with glee, shrugged her shoulders merrily, puffed her cheeks and bat her eyelids, flicked her fingers coyly, slyly, pranced around with hand on hips, arrogance upon her lips.

All this time the Tsar's own daughter quietly, as Nature taught her, grew and grew, and came quite soon like a flower into bloom: Raven-browed, of fair complexion, breathing kindness and affection.

And the choice of fiance lighted on Prince Yelisei. Suit was made. The Tsar consented and her dowry was indented:

Seven towns with wealthy store. Mansion-houses, sevenscore. On the night before the wedding, for a bridal party dressing, the Tsarina, time to pass, chatted with her looking-glass:

"Who in all the world is fairest, and has beauty of the rarest?"

Then what did the glass reply?

"You are fair, I can't deny. But the Princess is the fairest. And her beauty is the rarest."

Up the proud Tsarina jumped. On the table how she thumped, angrily the mirror slapping, slipper heel in fury tapping!

"O you loathsome looking-glass, telling lies as bold as brass! By what right is she my rival?Such young folly I shall bridle. So she's grown up? Me to spite! Little wonder she's so white: With her bulging mother gazing. At that snow?What's so amazing! Now look here, explain to me. How can she the fairer be? Scour this realm of ours and seek well, nowhere shall you find my equal. Is not that the truth?" she cried.

Still the looking-glass replied:

"But the Princess is the fairest and her beauty is the rarest."

The Tsarina burst with spite, hurled the mirror out of sight, underneath the nearest cupboard, and when breath she had recovered, summoned Smudge, her chamber maid and to her instructions gave:

"Take the Princess to the forest. Bind her hand and foot and forehead to a tree! When wolves arrive let them eat the girl alive!"

Woman's wrath would daunt the devil! Protest was no use whatever.

Soon the Princess left with Smudge for the woods. So far they trudged that the Princess guessed the reason. Scared to death by such foul treason, loud she pleaded:

"Spare my life! Innocent of guilt am I! Do not kill me, I beseech you! And when I become Tsarina I shall give you rich reward."

Smudge, who really loved her ward, being loth to kill or bind her, let her go, remarking kindly:

"God be with you! Do not moan!"

And, this said, went back alone.

"Well?" demanded the Tsarina. "Where's that pretty little creature?"

"In the forest on her own," Smudge replied. "And there she'll stay. To a tree I firmly lashed her. When a hungry beast attacks her, she'll have little time to cry, and the quicker she shall die!"

Rumour spread and caused a panic: "What, the Tsar's own daughter vanished!"

Mournful was the Tsar that day, but the young Prince Yelisei offered God a fervent prayer and departed then and there, to seek out and homeward guide, his sweet-tempered, youthful bride.

Meanwhile his young bride kept walking through the forest until morning, vague as to her whereabouts.

Suddenly she spied a house. Out a dog ran growling, yapping, then sat down, his tail tap-tapping. At the gate there was no guard. All was quiet in the yard.

Close at heel the good dog bounded as the Princess slowly mounted stairs to gain the living floor, turned the ring upon the door.

Silently the door swung open and before her eyes unfolded a bright chamber: all around benches strewn with rugs she found, board of oak beneath the ikon and a stove with tiles to lie on.

To the Princess it was clear, kindly folk were dwelling here, who would not deny her shelter.

No one was at home, however. So she set to, cleaned the pans, made the whole house spick and span, lit a candle in the corner, fed the fire to be warmer, climbed onto the platform bed, there to lay her sleepy head.

Dinner time. The yard resounded, horses stamped and men dismounted. Thick-moustached and ruddy-skinned, seven lusty Knights walked in.

Said the Eldest: "How amazing! All so neat! The fire blazing! Somebody's been cleaning here, and is waiting somewhere near. Who is there? Come out of hiding! Be a friend in peace abiding! If you're someone old and hoar, be our uncle evermore! If you're young and love a scuffle.We'll embrace you as a brother. If a venerable dame, then shall 'mother' be your name. If a maiden fair, we'll call you our dear sister and adore you."

So the Princess rose, came down to the Seven Knights and bowed. Her good wishes emphasising, blushing and apologising that to their delightful home uninvited she had come.

Straight they saw her speech bore witness to the presence of a Princess.

So they cleared a corner seat, offered her a pie with meat, filled a glass with wine and served it on a tray, as she deserved it.

But the glass of heady wine she politely did decline, and the pie she broke with caution, savouring a tiny portion.

Pleading she was very tired, soon she gracefully retired and the Seven Knights conveyed her to the best and brightest chamber and, away as they did creep, she was falling fast asleep.

Days flew by? The Princess living all the time without misgiving, in the forest, never bored, with the Seven Knights abroad.

Darkness would the earth still cover when at dawn the seven brothers would ride out to try their luck with a long-bow, shooting duck.

She, as lady of the house, rose much later, moved about dusting, polishing and cooking, never once the Knights rebuking. They, too, never chided her. Days flew by like gossamer.

And in time they grew to love her. Thereupon all seven brothers, shortly after dawn one day, to her chamber made their way, and the Eldest Knight addressed her:

"As you know, you are our sister. But all seven of us here are in love with you, my dear, and we all desire your favours. But that must not be. God save us! Find some way to give us peace! Be a wife to one at least, to the rest remain a sister! But you shake your head. Is this to say our offer you refuse? Nothing from our stock you'll choose?"

"O my brave and bonny brothers, virtuous beyond all others!"

In reply the Princess'said, "God in heaven strike me dead if my answer be not honest: I've no choice. My hand is promised! You're all equal in my eyes, all so valiant and wise, and I love you all, dear brothers! But my heart is to another pledged for evermore. One day I shall wed Prince Yelisei!"

Hushed, the brothers kept their station, scratched their foreheads in frustration.

"As you wish! So now we know," said the Eldest with a bow.

"Pray, forgive us, and I promise you'll hear nothing further from us!"

"I'm not angry," she replied. "By my pledge I must abide."

Bowing low, the seven suitors left her room with passions muted. So in harmony again did they live and friendship reign.

The Tsarina was still livid, every time she saw in vivid memory the Princess fair.

Long the mirror, lying there, was the object of her hatred;

But at last her wrath abated. So one day it came to pass, that she took the looking-glass, up again and sat before it, smiled and, as before, implored it:

"Greetings, pretty looking-glass! Tell me all the truth, I ask: Who in all the world is fairest, and has beauty of the rarest?"

Said the mirror in reply:

"You are fair, I can't deny. But where Seven Knights go riding, in a green oak-grove residing, humbly lives a person who is more beautiful than you."

The Tsarina's wrath descended on her maid: "What folly tempted you to lie? You disobeyed!"

Smudge a full confession made...

Uttering a threat of torture, the Tsarina grimly swore to send the Princess to her death, or not draw another breath.

One day by her window waiting for her brothers homeward hasting, sat the young Princess and span.

Suddenly the dog began barking. Through the courtyard scurried a poor beggar-woman, worried by the dog she kept at bay with her stick.

"Don't go away! Stay there, stay!" the Princess shouted, from the window leaning outward.

"Let me call the dog to heel, and I'll offer you a meal."

And the beggar-woman answered: "Pretty child, you take my fancy! For that dog of yours, you see, could well be the death of me. See him snarling, bristling yonder! Come here, child!"

The Princess wanted to go out, and took a loaf. But the dog its body wove round her feet, refused to let her step towards the woman-beggar.

When the woman, too, drew near, wilder than an angry bear, it ttacked her. How perplexing!

"Had a bad night's sleep, I reckon!" Said the Princess. "Catch it! There!"

And the bread flew through the air. The poor beggar-woman caught it.

"I most humbly thank you, daughter, God be merciful!" said she. "In return take this from me!"

The bright apple she was holding, newly picked, fresh, ripe and golden, straight towards the Princess flew...

How the dog leapt in pursuit! But the Princess neatly trapped it in her palms.

"Enjoy the apple at you leisure, little pet! Thank you for the loaf of bread..."

Said the beggar-woman, brandished in the air her stick and vanished...

Up the stairs the Princess ran with the dog, which then began pitifully staring, whining, just as if its heart were pining for the gift of speech to say: "Throw that apple far away!"

Hastily his neck she patted: "Hey, Sokolko, what's the matter? Lie down!"

Entering once more her own room, she shut the door, sat there with her spindle humming, waiting for her brothers' coming.

But she could not take her gaze from the apple where it lay, full of fragrance, rosy, glowing, fresh and juicy, ripe and golden, sweet as honey to the lips! She could even see the pips...

First the Princess thought of waiting until dinner. But temptation proved too strong. She grasped the bright apple, took a stealthy bite and with fair cheek, sweetly hollowed a delicious morsel swallowed.

All at once her breathing stopped, listlessly her white arms dropped. From her lap the rosy apple tumbled to the floor. The hapless maiden closed her swooning eyes, reeled and fell without a cry, on the bench her forehead striking, then lay still beneath the ikon...

Now the brothers, as it chanced, were returning in a band from another warlike foray. Out to meet them in the forest, went the dog and, running hard, led them straight into the yard.

Said the Knights: "An evil omen! Grief in store!"

The door they opened, walked into the room and gasped. But the dog like lightning dashed for the apple and devoured it. Death that instant overpowered it. For the apple was, they saw, filled with poison to the core.

By the dead Princess the brothers bent their heads in tears and uttered holy prayer to save her soul; Nothing could their grief console.

From the bench they raised her, dressed her, wished within a grave to rest her. Then had second thoughts. For she was as rosy as if sleep. Garlands of repose were wreathing round her, though she was not breathing.

Three whole days they waited, but still her eyes were tightly shut.

So that night with solemn ritual, in a coffin made of crystal, they laid out the body fair of the Princess and from there, to a hollow mountain bore her, where a tomb they fashioned for her:

Iron chains they used to fix her glass case to pillars six. With due caution, and erected iron railings to protect it.

Then the Eldest smote his breast, and the dead Princess addressed:

"Ever peaceful be your slumber! Though your days were few in number On this earth spite took its toll? Yet shall heaven have your soul. With pure love did we regard you, for your loved one did we guard you, but you came not to the groom, only to a chill dark tomb."

That same day the bad Tsarina, waiting for good news to reach her, secretly the mirror took and her usual question put:

"Who is now by far the fairest, and has beauty of the rarest?"

And the answer satisfied:

"You, it cannot be denied. You in all the world are fairest. And your beauty is the rarest!"

In pursuit of his sweet bride, through the country far and wide, still Prince Yelisei goes riding, weeping bitterly. No tidings!

For no matter whom he asks, people either turn their backs, or most rudely rock with laughter: No one knows what he is after.

Now to the bright Sun in zeal, did the bold young Prince appeal:

"Sun, dear Sun! The whole year coursing through the sky, in springtime thawing from the chill earth winter snow! You observe us all below. Surely you'll not grudge an answer? Tell me, did you ever chance to see the Princess I revere? I'm her fiance." "My dear,"

Said the Sun with some insistence, "I have nowhere seen your Princess, so she's dead, we must presume. That is, if my friend, the Moon, has not met her on his travels, or seen clues you may unravel."

Through the dark night Yelisei, feeling anything but gay, with a lover's perseverance, waited for the Moon's appearance.

"Moon, O Moon, my friend!" he said. "Gold of horn and round of head, from the darkest shadows rising, with your eye the world apprising. You whom stars with love regard as you mount your nightly guard! Surely you'll not grudge an answer? Tell me, did you ever chance to see the Princess I revere? I'm her fiance." "O dear!"

Said the Moon in consternation,

"No, I have not seen the maiden. On my round I only go, when it is my turn, you know.

It would seem that I was resting, when she passed." "How very vexing!"

Cried aloud Prince Yelisei. But the Moon went on to say:

"Wait a minute! I suggest you have the Wind come to the rescue. Call him now! It's worth a try. And cheer up a bit! Goodbye!"

Yelisei, not losing courage, to the Wind's abode now hurried.

"Wind, O Wind! Lord of the sky, herding flocks of clouds on high. Stirring up the dark-blue ocean, setting all the air in motion. Unafraid of anyone, saving God in heaven alone! Surely you'll not grudge an answer? Tell me, did you ever chance to see the Princess I revere? I'm her fiance." "O hear!"

Said the Wind in turmoil blowing.

"Where a quiet stream is flowing, stands a mountain high and steep. In it lies a cavern deep; In this cave in shadows dismal, sways a coffin, made of crystal. Hung by chains from pillars six. Round it barren land in which no man ever meets another. In that tomb your bride discover!"

With a howl the Wind was gone. Yelisei wept loud and long. To the barren land he journeyed, desperately, sadly yearning, once again to see his bride.

On he rode. A mountain high rose before him, soaring steeply fom a land laid waste completely.

At its foot, an entrance dim. Yelisei went quickly in. There, he saw, in shadows dismal swayed a coffin made of crystal, where the Princess lay at rest, in the deep sleep of the blest. And the Prince in tears dissolving threw himself upon the coffin...

And it broke!

The maiden straight came to life, sat up, in great wonder looked about and yawning as she set her bed see-sawing, said with pretty arms outstretched:

"Gracious me! How long I've slept!"

Down she stepped from out the coffin. O the sighing and the sobbing! Carrying his bride, he strode back to daylight. Home they rode, making pleasant conversation, till they reached their destination.

Swiftly rumour spread around:

"The Princess is safe and sound!"

It so happened the Tsarina in her room was idly seated by her magic looking-glass, and to pass the time did ask:

"Who in all the world is fairest, and has beauty of the rarest?"

Said the mirror in reply:

"You are fair, I can't deny, but the Princess is the fairest, and her beauty is the rarest!"

The Tsarina leapt and smashed on the floor her looking-glass.

Rushing to the door she saw the fair young Princess walk towards her.

Overcome by grief and spite, the Tsarina died that night.

From the grave where she was buried, to a wedding people hurried, for the good Prince Yelisei wed his Princess that same day.

Never since the World's creation, was there such a celebration; I was there, drank mead and yet, barely got my whiskers wet.

#snow white #fairy tales #russian fairy tales

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gofancyninjaworld · 5 years ago

Note

Why do you think Genos isn't weak? I agree that he can fight monsters but he won't stand a chance against strong monsters. He has been with Saitama for the longest time but he never learned anything. His naivety is the reason why he is weak, he is still consumed by the "normative awareness". His reaction to Amai Mask's transformation is a proof of that. His mindset never grew. He respects Saitama but does not understand him, which is why he is weak.

Please let me apologise in advance. First, this is long. Second, I do have a lot of thoughts.

Yeah, But

There isn’t a character in this series where the fanbase disagrees with the writer so deeply as this guy. When interviewed, ONE insouciantly said ‘Genos is rather strong, even for a Class S hero,’ and fans went, ‘huh? You could have fooled us!’ It’s not without cause. No matter how well his fights go, ONE always makes sure that we can append an asterix to it, that we can go yeah, but*

Right from the get go, every victory is downplayed. He thrashed Armored Gorilla, but we had no idea how strong Armored Gorilla was. Not for many, many chapters, until a much-shrunken, unarmored Armored Gorilla killed a tiger-level monster with one punch. He clears a city and defeats two troublesome demon-level monsters in a matter of minutes? Yeah, but look at the state of his arms and oh! see, see, he just got flattened by that other monster! Bang needs to save Garou from his clutches? Yeah, but what if Garou was well? He’s turning monster after monster into Cubist expressions without getting a speck of blood on him? Yeah, but it’s not like we can see what’s going on – the camera pans everywhere else. He does the unbelievable against Elder Centipede? We start going wow, followed quickly by – yeah but the monster regenerated, he’s fated to always lose. He destroys G-5 without effort? Oh My GAWD! The Honour of Atomic Samurai [1] Has Been Besmirched! (me: huh how does that follow? No, don’t explain – I do understand. Because Genos is seen as weak, if he does what another character couldn’t, then it’s seen as a disgrace to the other character, not an achievement for him.)

battle without honour – if he beat Garou, then he’s a bully, if he didn’t, then he’s a wimp

Of course, the converse is also true. If Genos is having a bad time, the camera lingers in 4K with extra slow-mo. And if the action switches, like when he went from struggling against G-4 to working out how to shut the robot’s lasers down and pull it into punching range, the camera pans away, returning only to feast on the grisly aftermath.

The final clincher is Genos himself, who never reacts with the slightest sense of celebration or triumph no matter how well a fight goes. His lack of joy in fights is something that ONE has emphasised to Murata. Being able to celebrate with characters is half the joy of watching them fight.

by contrast, hell yeah, Metal Bat! The story leaves no room for doubt that Metal Bat’s to be found awesome. And he is! :)

The reason I go into all this is that I get it: Genos is presented to us in a way that gives us cause to doubt his strength. In that, he’s like the opposite of Saitama, who is presented to us so we can have no doubt as to his strength, but to the internal audience in a way that keeps raising doubts in their minds.

But Genos is strong. He’s physically very strong, very fast, and versatile. And he’s far less fragile than he is popularly made out to be. There is no reason he shouldn’t be able to take on very strong monsters, subject to match up (like almost every other hero [2]). However, ONE will make damn sure that Genos does not get to appreciate how much more powerful he has grown. What’s it going to be? What’s it going to take this time to knock down Demon Cyborg? Are several cadre going to attack him at the same time? Or will the super-insane monster that looks like the lovechild of Smaug, better-looking Sauruman and a hydra perched at the top of the mile high tower do him in first? What’s going to *keep* him down? Place your bets, folk: the outcome is sure to be gruesome.

Which actually brings me directly to addressing your assertion: “…but he won’t stand a chance against strong monsters.“ Because it presupposes that Genos MUST be weak, any monster he defeats can’t possibly be strong. A more honest rephrasing would be ‘I’m not prepared to accept that any monster that Genos could defeat is strong.’

No mental growth? Really?

That’s the physical part. Let’s go onto mentality. Annoyingly, I have to treat the manga and webcomic as separate entities at this point. If you like the detail, I’ve written an extensive side-by-side comparison essay: link. You can skip it for this answer. :)

You know what would have made me think Genos weak? If Saitama’s fears for what might be happening to him the morning he caught up with Garou had come true:

Before Elder Centipede showed up, Genos had told Garou that he’d finally begun to understand what Saitama had been saying to him about strengthening his spirit. And then ONE put that to the test when he put Genos in the worst pinch the latter had ever been in: chopped in half and about to be devoured by a monster, with the only heroes watching those who’d proved impotent [3] to do anything to the monster. Instead of giving up the way he had against Mosquito Girl, Genos dug deep and not only saved himself, but counter-attacked and burned the monster from stem to stern. That is excellent: there is no place for a character who cannot find self-efficacy in a pinch.

Without doubt, Genos has further to go, but in the manga it is wilful blindness to claim that he hasn’t developed mentally.

Now, let’s move onto the webcomic.

Even though ONE has done far less with his character in the webcomic than he has in the manga, Genos is back and fighting when most of his classmates are still rolling on the ground, unable to come to terms with losing. There is a real strength to getting up again and moving forward.

It’s not that Genos doesn’t have any doubts: he does. From his crushing realisation that he had made a mistake in giving up his human body to asking if he can really become stronger by changing his parts, Genos is very aware of a sense of stagnation and appears very worried by something. But still, he’s not giving up and he’s not stopped looking to make progress.

even as Saitama despairs of being able to help, he cannot fault Genos for his determination

Still, why cheer for a loser?

There’s a real cognitive dissonance in fans who praise to the high heavens and write as inspirational Saitama’s words to keep trying and moving forward, no matter what, and yet are happy to mock Genos for doing exactly that.

There’s no honour for you if you laugh at characters taking Saitama’s advice

It’s amazing. Does anyone imagine that before Saitama became too strong, he never failed? Really? Saitama himself will disagree with that! Sometimes success looks like reaching the summit of a mountain, but often, it’s only visible in the rearview mirror. We saw it took Saitama a long time to finally accept that yup, he was just the strongest.

Something I came to realise a while back, people say they love seeing struggle, but real fights don’t sell well in mass media (yes, I have more extensive thoughts on this, here). We like the struggle, but we want the assurance that the underdog has something in their favour that will guarantee that we’re backing a winner. At one level, we know we’re just watching *how* Garou is going to succeed… at least until Saitama body-checks him to great dramatic effect.

Goodness knows that everything is arranged against Genos and success. I’m sure you’ll have no trouble recounting most of them:

His lack of a biological body to train up.

His dependence on a mechanical body with its set in stone limitations.

His dependence on the cleverness and resources of others.

His lack of innate talent or heritage (and if he had any, they’ve long since been binned).

His stubborn persistence on a pathway we’re sure cannot possibly succeed.

His mentality, which is getting better, but isn’t there yet.

His persistent psychological problems that put him at high risk of turning into a monster instead.

The unresolved mysteries surrounding him, which make lots of fans think there’s a devastating revelation at hand from which he cannot recover.

And oh, he’s not the most likeable or relatable character out there. It shouldn’t be a factor, but it totally is.

And yet, Genos hasn’t stopped moving forward. No idea how far he’ll get, but so far, Genos has not set himself a limit to the number of times he’s willing to get himself up and try again. Not only that, he’s raised his sights higher, not lower.

For that and more, I’m not only happy to call Genos strong, but I’m willing to follow along with him however far or short his journey ends up being.

The risk of heartbreak is worth the excitement of seeing a real fighter working out his uncertain destiny.

no one can accuse him of lacking ambition. Gambatte!

Asides

[1] I know there’s a meme going round about Atomic Samurai being weak, but it’s as much in jest as the one about King being strong. Anyone believing Atomic weak has piss-holes for eyes.

[2] There’s a reason Phoenixman highlights four heroes in particular – Blast, Tatsumaki, Metal Knight and King (Saitama). They’re the heroes who are so strong that they’ve broken out of the tyranny of match up. Everyone else has something they can’t deal with.

[3] You’re calling two old men impotent? Have you no shame?! In general, no, I haven’t much shame. In this specific instance, it is entirely warranted.

#OPM #meta #asks #replies #Genos #long answer #fandom #aren't you sorry you asked? :)#the trouble with feats is that it makes one very easily led by the presentation #if Genos gets what he wants and stays human #especially if he grows strong #just watch how many people will jump on the bandwagon of 'always having been a fan'#and will look for inspiring quotes to put up #I'm only slightly cynical why?

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obsidiancreates · 5 years ago

Text

A Few Years Early

Damien shook his head. “No. No, you cannot actually be bringing that.”

Celine rolled her eyes. “Yes, I am.”

“Celine, please, this is going to be the first time we’ve visited them in months.”

“You act like you didn’t write to them nearly every day of our trip.”

“I didn’t write to them about that!”

Celine looked him in the eyes and put the bag in the car. Damien opened his mouth to argue more, and then huffed. Celine smirked, a triumphant twinkle in her eyes. She’d won this battle.

“Fine. But I’m not engaging with it,” Damien said as they both got into the car. The driver closed their doors for them and then got in, starting up the engine.

“Why not? How can you not be excited to show them our new abilities?”

“Because it’s- it’s just weird! And besides, I’m pretty sure that witchcraft-”

“Oh, not this again-”

“-is still illegal! We’re not even in our twenties, and I’d rather not go to prison! Or worse!”

“If you hate it so much then why did you even bother learning it with me?”

“Because I’m not going to let you do something so potentially dangerous all by yourself!”

Celine glared at him. “I shouldn’t even have told you.”

Damien crossed his arms. “We were sharing a room, you could hardly have hidden it. You practiced every night.”

“If we hadn’t been sharing a room I would have kept it a secret.”

Damien scoffed. “Oh, please. You would have told me within a year.”

“I would have kept it a secret until your house was haunted, and you needed someone to fix the problem.” With that, she dug her earplugs out of her bag and out them in.

Damien watched her, incredulous. “Until? Why would she say until like it’s a guarantee?” he said to himself as he turned to look out his own window. “She can’t see into the future yet, she doesn’t know if I’ll be haunted. At least I don’t think she can.”

Celine could feel the slight worry rolling off her brother as he fretted about her little comment. She stifled a giggle.

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The top of The Manor came into view above the trees. They were still a ways away, but close enough that Damien started to really get excited.

“I wonder what new stories they have to tell,” he said. He and Celine had gotten over their little argument not long into the drive, and had been playing cards for quite awhile.

“I bet you a week’s worth of dessert that William has gotten into at least six fights.”

Damien thought for a moment, and then shook his head. “No, those odds are heavily in your favor. I imagine it’s been over six.”

Celine nodded and placed down a card. “Probably. I wonder what his aura will look like. If it’ll be more angry or prideful.”

“Well I know Mark’s will have a good deal of pride in it.” Damien chuckled. “Remember when he climbed up onto the roof just because William bet him that he couldn’t? I almost had a heart attack.”

Celine smiled, and then shrugged. “I’m guessing it’s false.”

“Really?” Damien looked up from the game, curious.

“Well, he’s obviously got a lot of pride, but I don’t think it’ll be the main part.”

“... I suppose that’s fair. He’s very creative, maybe that’ll be the majority of it.”

They both looked up from their game to check how close they were. The top of The Manor loomed much closer.

“I can’t wait to show off our abilities,” Celine said, staring at the spires and roof. “That place is certain to be haunted, I could tell even before we left that there was something odd about it.”

“I think the only who can’t feel it is Mark,” Damien said.

“Well, he was practically born there. He probably is so used to it that if we blindfolded him and pulled him into a completely different haunted manor he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”

“I really hope you don’t end up summoning something.” Damien sighed.

“We won’t summon anything. Mark and his family have never complained of anything that would suggest the ghosts are malicious, anyway. It’s probably just some rich people who didn’t want to leave their possession when they died.”

“I told you, I’m not helping with this.”

“Oh, come on. The ghost are more likely to show up when you help, they’re more comfortable around you.”

“Well, I can’t deny that I’m the more...” Damien searched for the right word.

“Soft?” Celine suggested.

“... I know I should take that as an insult, but, yes.”

The car stopped, and moments later the driver opened their doors. The twins got out, Celine holding her bag, Damien holding some small gifts that he got for his friends.

They walked up to the doors, and Damien shivered. “This place feels... a lot worse than I remember.”

Celine took one hand off the handles of her bag to pull her shawl tighter around her. “Yeah... I knew it would feel different now, but not... this different.”

Damien knocked on the door. He pulled his hand away like he had touched a hot pan. He looked at Celine. “I don’t like that. At all.”

Celine nodded, staring at the doors. She reached up to adjust her hat, and then cursed. “Damn! I left my hat in the car. I’ll be right back.”

“That hardly seems-” Damien stopped. Celine was already running back. He sighed and shook his head. She’d gotten the hat from one of her... teachers, on the trip. She never went anywhere without it anymore.

Moments later Mark pulled open the door. He grinned at Damien, who could just feel the excitement pouring off of his friend. “Damien! Finally, it feel like it’s been years!”

Damien laughed. “I know! It’s nice to finally be back! Celine will be right with us, she forgot something in the car.”

“Great! William is already here, if you couldn’t tell.” They both listened for a second. Damien could hear William’s voice booming from within the house, jovial and just... very loud. “He’s been telling stories to Benjamin for the last half hour. We’ll be like heroes when we finally drag Wil away from him.”

The boys both laughed. “Anyway, come in!” Mark stepped to the side and threw his arm out. “My parents will be home in only a few hours, so if we want to get into the wine we should do it soon.”

“Mark, I’ve said it a thou-” Damien cut himself off as soon as he stepped into The Manor.

“Dames?” Mark waved a hand in front of his frozen friend’s face. “Hello? Are you alright?”

Damien felt like his breath had been pulled out of his lungs. He could feel a deep cold sinking into his bones, coming from within the very walls around him. The shadows loomed far bigger and far darker than they should have, and...

He felt something touching him. Brushing past his ears, wrapping around his chest, his arms, his legs. It was barely there, yet it gripped him so tight it felt like he would bruise.

He was frozen, trying to process what was happening. He could see Mark’s hand waving in front of his eyes, feel the growing concern from his friend, but he couldn’t react. There was just- just too much wrong.

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Mark pulled his hand away and tried poking Damien. “Is this a prank? A trick? What’re you doing?”

“What wrong with Damien?” Celine asked as she jogged up, hand on her hat. Mark shrugged.

“He just... froze.”

“Well, there must be some reason.” Celine stepped into the house.

And she screamed.

Her bag fell out of her hand as it flew up to cover her mouth. Mark stopped messing with Damien and hurried to help Celine, but she didn’t try to pick her bag back up. She stared at the walls, horrified.

The world had gone a rotten greenish-gray as soon as she had stepped in. The walls were covered in... cracks? Vines? Whatever they were, they oozed some kind of black substance, thick and almost blood-like. Whispers buzzed in her ears. She felt something clawing at her soul, trying to get in, the whispers just begging her to let it in-

And then Mark came into view, and she screamed again. She stumbled back, her breakfast threatening to make a reappearance.

He stared at her with cold, dead eyes, dripping with the same substance as the walls. His skin was gray, lifeless, and when he put his hand on her shoulder it felt freezing. He was frowning, and she could tell he was asking if she was okay, but she couldn’t hear him over the whispers.

And around him...

Tendrils of shadow curled around his body, shifting around him, clinging to him. They stroked his face with horrifying gentleness. They gathered around his heart, pressed on it, trying to infect it. They swirled around his head, drifting into his ears to press their whispers deeper into his mind. Celine could see the way they had already infested his aura, only slightly but clearly there.

And for a second, she saw what he would become if it spread further.

She stumbled out of the house and vomited on the stairs.

“Celine!” Mark came rushing out of the doors to help her, lending her his shoulders to lean on when she stood back up. “Did you both catch something while you were away? Come, let’s get you some water, you can rest on the couch-”

“I’m not going back in there,” she said, cutting him off. “Get Damien back out here. Push him if you have to! And get William. We need to leave. Now.”

Mark looked at her like she’d gone crazy. “What? No, you need to rest!”

“Not in that house!” she shouted. She took her arm down and grabbed Mark by the shoulders, staring into his eyes. “There’s something evil in there, Mark, and it’s dangerous. I can feel it. I can see it. We need to get far, far away from here.”

She and Mark stared at each other, concern meeting determination, and determination won.

“Okay.” He nodded. “Okay, we can go somewhere else.” He stepped back into the house, and Celine shuddered when she noticed the way his aura went from tense to relaxed as soon as he stepped in.

Mark tried getting Damien’s attention one more time, and then shrugged. He gave Damien a light shove, only enough to push Damien out the door. Celine caught her brother before he fell.

Damien blinked rapidly a few times, and then shivered. “Very bad,” he gasped.

Celine knew that Damien had experienced something different from what she did. Their abilities were different, his focused more on sensations and feelings, hers more so on visions and sounds. But she didn’t doubt that whatever he experienced was... just horrifying.

“I know.” She looked at her bag, steeled herself, and snagged it out of the house as fast as she could.

She helped him to his feet and they stood by the bottom of the stairs, waiting. Mark came out, a very confused William trailing after him.

“Why’re we moving the party?” William asked as Celine grabbed his arm and started pulling him over to the still-waiting car.

“We just need to... not be here.” Celine looked back to make sure Mark and Damien were following. They were, Mark asking Damien questions that were undoubtedly similar to William’s. “I’ll explain in the car.”

“Okay... where are we going?”

“Back to our house.” The driver didn’t ask questions as they all piled in, the twins sitting in the middle. Mark and William pulled their doors closed before the driver could reach them.

“Why your house?” Mark looked out the window. “It’s a beautiful day, we should go to the park. I have blankets in the house, and I’m sure The Chef could quickly whip something up. I could just run in and-”

“No!” Mark jumped a bit at Damien’s shout. “No, no-one should be going back there.”

“We’re going to our house so I can use the phone.” Celine bug through her bag and took out an old book. The pages were yellowed and crinkled, the leather cover worn and flimsy. She opened it up and began flipping through. “I don’t think there’s anything in here about dealing with the removal of demonic influence, so we’ll have to consult on of our teachers...”

Mark spluttered, his confusion only growing. “Demonic influences? What the hell are you on about? What teachers?”

William looked at the book. Drawings of odd symbols, crystals, creatures that he swore he’d seen in his nightmares... “What the hell did you two do on your vacation?”

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Iplier taglist: @victory-cookies @beerecordings @septic-dr-schneep @sadcat5555 @a-humble-narcissus @kangaroo-roux @kairomancerr @miishae @lonelyseiren @takethepainawaybae @immabethehero@quagswag-the-great

(I started writing this at noon, uh, past midnight now, so sorry if there’s a drop in quality towards the end there. So uh, yeah. That AU I mentioned where Celine and Damien both learn magic stuff when they’re young and realize The Manor is full of Bad Shit.)

#Markiplier #Who Killed Markiplier #Markiplier egos #WKM Damien #wkm celine #WKM actor Mark #wkm colonel #wkm william #wkm seer #WKM Mayor #fanfic #my attempts at fanfic #My AU

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nestofstraightlines · 5 years ago

Text

The Daemon-Cages

So second viewing for me and some thought shake more clearly into place.

That set design is *chef finger kiss*, it’s so oppressive and confusing.

And it really shows something that has been frustratingly lacking in this series: finding creativity within limitation. I suspect the motivation for making Bolvangar this stone warren and then keeping the battle within it was probably budgetry but it’s the first time I’ve thought they’ve done something significant that really springs to life in its own way. It’s a brilliant adjustment.

Another biggish bold new angle on is Sister Clara. This episode actually choked out a couple of Feelings from me this week and her remembering her daemon Nicholas was a rare moment that touched on something like the emotion and existential quality of daemons.

It's a bit undermined by Roger rallying the daemon-less kids. I liked their inclusion, the horror of their situation was handled a lot better than the Lost boy’s approach. And it was lovely to see Roger doing something awesome. But his ability to appeal to a sense of justice and hope that they shouldn’t possess any more undercuts the fact that these children have been spiritually lobotomised.

Lyra and Mrs. Coutler screaming from either side of the door: nice idea for a sequence but totally unearned in buildup. The preceding scene would need to be a lot better written to get us to that without it feeling silly. It got an uncomfortable laugh from the room full of series enthusiasts when I went to the screening.

Love, love, love that we got a bit of time with the dorm-mates, I have a huge soft spot for Lyra’s time with them, and I am very fond of Annie and Kyrillion (my user name on the old Republic of Heaven message boards even used to be Kyrillion!). At the Q&A that came after the preview screening of the episode which I went to, they said that some of the Bolvangar girls had auditioned for Lyra. I think Annie’s actor Raffiella Chapman, would have been a great Lyra!

Someone - I think one of Myles McNutt’s review on the A.V.Club noted about The Lost Boy that is really should have had the confidence to end with Billy’s funeral, not on a cliffhanger, and I agree. Similarly, this episode rushes through any emotional tie-off of one of the book’s major set-pieces and climaxes to fit in the attack on the balloon.

The consequences of that are several and annoying. Lyra going off in the balloon is a bit of logistics and emotional gear-changing that even the book knows it needs to be careful with. The chapter and the section of the book ends with it, giving us a sense of a pause and a change to catch our breaths before opening with the calmer atmosphere on the balloon flight.

The episode similarly should have ended the episode there, given the audience a week to absorb all the Bolvagar stuff. And when we came back next week, the conversation between Serafina and Lee about how Lee apparently loves Lyra now wouldn’t have felt so abrupt. Sure, there wouldn’t in-universe have been any more time spent but it’s all all about managing your audience’s emotions. We would have spent a week having last see Lyra is the balloon and thinking of her in the context of Lee’s company, it would have landed a lot better.

I guess they are just running out of time. They’ve got two episodes to get through the Svalbard stuff? Hmm. I feel like ep 9 could have ended on a cliffhanger in the bear fight and ep 10s events though climactic don’t take long to cover but who knows...

I’m not really a fan of Lyra and Iorek’s reuniting dialogue, it feels like character and relationship sacrificed to a joke. This is a love that the events of the episode has to rest on. Generally Thorne has felt out of his deapth stepping outside of quite a narrow range of mundane emotions and this is a fantasy epic that requires a boldness to go big. I think partly that sense has come from a bit of a flatness in Dafne’s performance too. She just never seems very passionate.

And the Silver guillotine Scene. Oooh boy.

Really the nicest thing I can say is that based on the storytelling around daemons all along and especially their handling of the first big Existential Horror Based Climactic Moment last week, I had very low expectations, and I was not disappointed. I was able to focus elsewhere and overall really enjoy the episode because I knew before I saw it that this scene just Wouldn’t Be It.

The lack of hugging between Lyra and Pantalaimon is almost comical in its wilful absence. And this is the kind of reason I say it’s the storytelling and not the budget that’s lacking with daemons. It’s about how you deploy what you have. For example, having one shot of Lyra and Pantalaimon clinging together after being let out of the machine would earn you that whole daemon-less scene afterwards.

Thorne, as I’ve mentioned before, is just not the right writer for an ideas-led story. He is interpersonal-drama-led. And so like the golden monkey v. Pan fight before it, he takes a moment which is all about the human/daemon bond in the book and makes it about Lyra’s parentage and the drama there.

It’s probably just as well to lean into something he’s good at. And he is telling a good story just not this story well, if you see what I mean. He’s taken something and made it much, much smaller.

#His Dark Materials #HDM spoilers

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phoenix-downer · 6 years ago

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Sora and Xehanort’s Final Conversation: Japanese and English Comparison

This is the fourth in a series of translation posts I’ve done about KH3. The first three were about Sora and Kairi’s scenes in KH3, but this one will be about Sora and Xehanort’s final conversation.

Here’s a general key for the kind of analysis I like to do:

JP: Official Japanese Dialogue

EN: Official English Dialogue

TR: My Translation (usually more literal and thus more stilted than the official English version. I’m not using natural-sounding English in order to stick as close to the Japanese versions of the lines as possible for the purpose of analysis)

Notes: things I found interesting, grammatical points, extra thoughts, etc.

One last note: media doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Every work of art must be viewed through the cultural lens of the people who made it. Kingdom Hearts, for all its ties to Disney, is still very much a Japanese game, so it should be analyzed in light of that.

With that in mind, let’s continue.

After you defeat Xehanort, the cutscene opens with this shot of Kingdom Hearts:

The camera zooms out:

And we get this shot of Scala ad Caelum:

Quick note on the name: it means “Stairway to Heaven” or “Stairway to the Sky” in Latin (according to a quick check - my knowledge of Latin is rudimentary at best). Caelum is a part of Noctis’s name (of FFXV fame), and, of course, Sora means sky in Japanese, so the link between Sora and this world is clear.

This shot of the sky really emphasizes this fact, and note that night is already starting to fade as a new day dawns:

The camera pans down...

...and Xehanort is standing on a white/light square, Donald and Goofy are standing on the gold anchor-like thing, and Sora is standing on a black/dark square. Sora and Xehanort are standing on opposite sides; Xehanort on the white “square,” Sora on the black “square,” like two kings facing each other off in a game of chess.

Is it symbolic? Probably. It’s interesting that Xehanort is on the white “square” and Sora on the black one, as perhaps we might expect the opposite, as Sora is on the side of good and Xehanort is on the side of evil. Perhaps it also foreshadows Sora’s final fate - to be lost, to be alone, while Xehanort gets to... ascend to the light with Eraqus? Hard to say.

Sora is not alone here, though; here at least he has Donald and Goofy with him.

We get a slightly closer look at this design...

...and we can see that there are seven numbers, starting with I on the bottom-right corner and moving clockwise. I, II, and III use Roman numerals, but the other letters do not; they use a star-shaped pattern of sorts. Sora is standing by the III. Maybe because this game is Kingdom Hearts III?

Three is also a number associated with completion, wholeness, perfection and even divinity in Christianity, and Nomura has used Christian imagery in the series before, so... Sora will be a god/have godlike powers someday confirmed?

I kid, I kid. This is reaching at straws a bit, but it’s fun to speculate, and Sora’s placement here is interesting to note nonetheless. The number seven is also significant because it’s the number of the Guardians of Light and the number of the Foretellers plus Luxu and the Master of Masters. It’s another number that tends to be associated with wholeness/perfection as well.

Continuing on, the camera moves to this shot of Xehanort’s leg:

And then he drops the χ-Blade in a shot that is a visual callback to an earlier shot in the game...

...namely, when Sora’s friends were torn from him and he likewise dropped his Keyblade:

Xehanort collapses to the ground at Sora’s feet with black smoke wafting off him (probably a sign he’s fading)...

...much like how Sora dropped to the ground at the Keyblade Graveyard (minus the smoke):

As I said in an earlier analysis, this is significant because Xehanort is no longer towering over him. They’re on equal footing now. Sora has dragged him off his high horse and defeated him, and Xehanort is a guy who loves to tower over people...

...whereas Sora lowers himself to be at the same level as his smaller friends:

Not only that, Sora has actually managed to get Xehanort to collapse to the ground when before he had collapsed to the ground over his grief at losing his friends, culminating in the moment he loses Kairi...

...and then his grief over Kairi’s death:

But not here. He’s the one standing over Xehanort for once:

Man was this satisfying to see.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy are all panting in this scene, indicating how grueling the battle was for them. Look at Donald and Goofy’s glares, too:

Xehanort tries to lift himself up...

...to no avail. He’s too weak, so he collapses back to the ground:

JP なぜだ　なぜこんなー

EN Why... How...

TR Why... Why like thisー

Notes: No real significant difference here. In both versions Xehanort seems to be questioning how he was defeated like this, implying he’s in a state of disbelief that he was defeated by these three in particular.

We can see he isn’t doing so well, and he winces in pain:

His pose is reminiscent of Sora’s pose when he despairs. Sora’s fists are clenched, and Xehanort has one fist clenched as well.

The camera cuts to Sora...

...who flings his arm out...

...and then clenches his fist again. He sounds furious/fed up with the way Miyu Irino delivers his lines, too:

JP 決着はついた　もうあきらめろ！

EN It’s over now! You lost!

TR It’s over. Give up already!

Notes: “It’s over” can also mean something like “it’s settled” here. They fought, Sora (and Donald and Goofy) won, Xehanort lost, the matter has been decided. And when Sora tells Xehanort to give up, he’s commanding him to do so by using the imperative form of this verb, akiramero. In other words, he’s had it with Xehanort at this point and is sick of fighting him.

But Xehanort isn’t about to give up that easily:

JP 見るがいい　もう手遅れだ

EN No, look... You are too late...

TR Take a look. You’re too late/you lost your final chance.

Notes: “Take a look” is literally “(to) look is good,” but I changed it to make sense in English/to better match the pragmatic meaning of the Japanese sentence instead of the literal meaning. Even in defeat Xehanort won’t give in; he taunts Sora by telling him it’s too late already anyway.

Sora and Donald inhale sharply and look up...

...to see Kingdom Hearts looming above them:

Something is happening. Light is starting to leech off of it in a way that almost looks like solar flares:

Sora and Donald both notice. Look at their concerned faces:

Sora gasps...

...and tilts his head a little higher:

As Donald and Goofy confer about what’s going on, Sora keeps looking up at Kingdom Hearts:

JP 手遅れなの？

EN Are we really?

TR Are (we really) too late?

Notes: Goofy uses the construction ~nano here at the end of his sentence to check for confirmation from Donald, hence the English version’s use of the word “really” here.

JP わかんないよ！

EN I don’t know.

TR I don’t know!

Notes: Donald speaks really colloquially here and it’s pretty cute; instead of the standard wakaranai he uses wakannai. He also uses the emphatic particle yo at the end of the sentence to make it clear he has no idea either.

The camera cuts back to Sora, and he is furious about what’s happening. Note his gritted teeth, curled lip, and eyebrows tilted downward in a frown:

He even leans forward as he chews Xehanort out:

JP 何が起きるんだ？

EN What’s gonna happen?

TR What’s gonna happen?

Notes: Sora uses the ~nda form here to indicate he wants an explanation and he wants an answer.

As he finishes his sentence, he is leaning forward and still glaring:

The camera cuts to a shot of Xehanort still on the ground at Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s feet. Note Sora’s clenched fists and how he’s hunched over:

Xehanort tries to get up again, and you can see Sora relax a little:

JP 浄化　世界を元の状態にリセットするのだ

EN A purge... The World will be returned whence it started.

TR Purification. The World will be reset to its original state/condition.

Notes: Xehanort uses the construction ~noda at the end of the sentence to give an explanation. Sora asked for it, and he’s giving it.

The word I translated as “original” here, moto, can mean a number of things, including “origin,” “source,” “foundation,” or even “root,” depending on context. I’m mentioning it here because it shows up again later on in Xehanort’s story, and I have to translate it differently for it to make sense in English.

Xehanort says “whence” in English to indicate he is speaking in a narrative fashion, as “whence” is no longer commonly used in English anymore.

The English version of Kingdom Hearts renders sekai as World with a capital W here to refer to the overall World that existed before it was split into the smaller worlds you now visit on the Gummi Ship, and I maintained that distinction here. Japanese kanji and kana don’t have capital or lowercase letters, so this is something the English localization uses to make the distinction between the World and the worlds clear for the English-speaking fans.

The word the English version translated as “purge,” jōka, can mean a purge or purification. Looking it up on Google, I found the following definition:

よごれや悪を取り除いて、清浄・清潔にすること。

To remove things like dirt and evil, and make them pure/clean.

So in other words, the World will be purged/purified and reset to its original condition/the state it was in at the beginning. That was Xehanort’s goal.

Continuing on, Sora fully straightens and lets out a surprised noise, his hands no longer in fists:

Xehanort manages to lift himself up to a kneeling position, and he is clutching his side, clearly still injured:

JP 世界の起源は闇だ　光はその闇から生まれたー

EN The World began in darkness. And from that darkness came light.

TR The origin/beginning of the World is darkness. From that darkness, light was born.

Notes: The word I translated as “born” umareta, can also mean “come from/came from,” hence why the English version went with “came” here. In the second sentence I rearranged the order a little to make better sense in English; in Japanese it’s more literally, “Light, from that darkness was born.”

Also, just as a quick note that will apply throughout this analysis: Japanese does not have articles, so any “the” and “a” and “an” in the English version or translation have been implied from context and added in the translation. Japanese simply does not grammaticalize the definite/indefinite distinction the way English (and a lot of other European languages) does.

JP そして　その光から人が生まれ　心が生まれた

EN From the light came the people, and the people had hearts.

TR Then, from that light people were born, and hearts were born.

Notes: The English translation did a good job of maintaining the story-like language Xehanort uses here. In Japanese he uses umareta or a variation of it several times at the end of his phrases to form nice parallels, which the English version translates as “came” in most cases.

Anyway, according to Xehanort’s story, the world began in darkness. Then, from that darkness came light, and from that light came people, and then came hearts. But the story doesn’t end there.

Xehanort winces again here, indicating he’s still in a lot of pain:

The camera cuts to this shot, and Xehanort is standing by the number six, which is one number short of the number of completion/perfection (in Christian thought at least), seven. Because it falls short of seven, it can mean imperfection. It is also is the number associated with humanity, as in the creation story in Genesis, humanity was created on the sixth day.

Significant? Maybe, maybe not. Xehanort certainly falls short of the mark of perfection, that’s for sure. He wore armor reminiscent of a goat earlier on...

...and goats are associated with the devil, so...

Xehanort as a fallen angel of light makes a lot of sense, actually. As the Kingdom Hearts version of Lucifer, as it were. Especially with his whole speech in this scene about wanting to reset the World to get rid of the darkness and bring back the original light.

In the next line, he also talks about how evil came into the World while standing by the number associated with imperfection and/or humanity, so... actually yeah, maybe this is all linked together:

JP 心に悪意が生まれ　結局また闇が生まれた

EN Evil burgeoned in those hearts, begetting more darkness.

TR In people’s hearts evil/malice was born, and finally, darkness was born again.

Notes: This is where the direct umareta/“came” parallel is a little lost in English, though the meaning is maintained in a way that makes Xehanort’s story sound very poetic. Xehanort uses words like “beget” which are typically only used in religious contexts in modern English to add a sense of gravity and religious gravitas to his speech.

Speaking of religion, the Japanese version of these lines strikes me as very cyclical. The World began in darkness. Then, from that darkness light was born, and from that light people were born, and then hearts. From hearts evil/malice was born, and in the end darkness was born again. The World began in darkness and darkness is born anew; the cycle repeats.

This type of language reminds me of Buddhism, with its cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth. This isn’t surprising, as Kingdom Hearts is a Japanese game and Buddhism (along with Shintoism) were the majority religions for a very long time in Japan (though less so in modern times, as more and more people are not religious nowadays). Perhaps Xehanort is trying to break this cycle (or a similar cycle) by resetting the universe.

The word for evil/malice here, akui, is also often used in legal contexts to refer to crimes that were done in bad faith. When I googled the word, I also got this definition:

他人や物事に対していだく悪い感情、または見方。

Bad feelings or perspectives towards other people and things (among other things).

The word I translated “finally” here, kekkyoku, I am noting here because I will have to translate it differently later on but wanted to point out the parallel in the original version. It can also mean “in the end.”

Continuing on, the camera pans to Sora, Donald, and Goofy, still standing by that III:

Then cuts to Donald, who looks very distressed by Xehanort’s story:

JP そうやって世界を闇で覆っていったのだ

EN And that darkness spread across the World like a plague.

TR In this way, the World was covered in darkness.

Notes: Xehanort uses the ~noda construction here again at the end of the sentence to give an explanation.

The word I translated as “was covered,” ōtteitta, can also mean “to hide,” “to conceal,” “to wrap,” “to disguise.” It can be used in the context of snow or water covering land, for example. In this sentence I’m sort of getting the sense that the darkness cloaked the World and covered it.

The English version goes with the plague metaphor, which immediately brings forth to mind images of impurity/dirt/disease in association with darkness. Which is fitting for the overall tone of the scene, as Xehanort claims he wanted to purge/purify the World.

The camera changes to a shot of Sora that begins at his heart and pans up to his face along with a line that very well might have been meant as foreshadowing:

JP 世界に生まれた光という希望も　結局は闇になる

EN The light, the symbol of the World’s hope, was devoured by shadow.

TR In the end, the hope that is the light born in the World also becomes darkness.

Notes: The phrase I translated as “in the end” is the same word I translated as “finally” earlier, kekkyoku. Just wanted to point out that parallel because Xehanort is deliberately reusing certain words over and over again here in the telling of his story.

The Japanese version says that even the light becomes darkness again, whereas the English version says that the light was devoured by darkness. The end result is the same though: darkness.

I think it’s very telling that this line is spoken when Sora is shown; he is the light and the symbol of the World’s hope, in a way, and earlier in this scene we saw him transform into darkness...

...and at the end of this game he will be lost as well.

Continuing on:

JP この世界はもうダメだ　失敗��たのだ

EN Leaving nothing but ruin... An utter failure.

TR This World is no good anymore. It’s a failure.

Notes: Xehanort uses the ~noda construction here again at the end of the sentence to give an explanation, and the phrase I translated as “It’s a failure” is more literally, “It failed.”

The phrasing is a little different in the Japanese and English versions, but the overall meaning/intent is the same: Xehanort thinks this World is a failure and that a new one is needed. Xehanort delivers these lines with a lot of emotion, too; clearly he feels strongly about this.

The camera switches to a shot of Kingdom Hearts again:

JP だから　はじまりの光ー

EN But, the first lightー

TR So, the first lightー

Notes: The Japanese version is more literally, “(the) light of the beginning.”

JP キングダムハーツによって　世界を元からはじめればいい

EN the light of Kingdom Heartsー it can give us a new start.

TR by (using) Kingdom Hearts, (we) should start the World from the beginning.

Notes: The word moto is used here again, which I translated as “original” earlier but “beginning” here.

There is no “we” pronoun in the Japanese version; Japanese does not require pronouns the same way English does and they can often be dropped and implied/inferred from context. I added in the “we” for it to make sense in English.

Xehanort uses the ~baii construction, which he’ll use again here soon. It’s a conditional grammar construction and it’s used here to indicate what Xehanort thinks is the best course of action.

JP 何もない　真っ白な世界からー

EN An empty World, pure and bright...

TR Nothing/empty... from a pure/blank Worldー

Notes: Kept the translation very literal here to make it clear what exactly the Japanese version said.

While it’s true masshiro can mean “blank,” it can also mean “pure.” Think in the sense of “pure white.” For a more detailed Japanese definition, feel free to check this dictionary entry out. I saw debate over whether the English version mistranslated this part and thus messed up Xehanort’s motives, but as masshiro can mean blank or pure, I’d say the translators handled this part very well, especially with some of the other phrasing Xehanort uses in this scene (like purify/purge).

Continuing on, Sora doesn’t let Xehanort finish his grand speech; he interrupts him in a very satisfying “shut up and stop rambling” moment:

JP それは　おまえが決めることじゃない

EN It wasn’t your decision to make.

TR That’s not your decision (to make). / That’s not something (for) you (to) decide.

Notes: The word for “decision/decide,” kimeru, I will have to translate as something else later on for it to flow well in English, but the word used in the Japanese version is kimeru throughout.

Anyway, Xehanort is not happy to hear this and clutches the χ-Blade:

And struggles to his feet as Sora, Donald, and Goofy watch:

He’s still weak, though, so he has to brace himself with the χ-Blade (props to the χ-Blade for actually being sharp enough to pierce the ground):

Then speaks again:

JP では　誰が決める？

EN Then whose was it?

TR Then who (gets to) decide?

Notes: The word for "decide” here is kimeru again.

Xehanort holds the χ-Blade up before holding it at his side:

And Sora reacts, not liking how Xehanort is holding the χ-Blade like that again:

But, he very tellingly says nothing. Perhaps because he doesn’t have an answer. Perhaps because he knows Xehanort thinks he will claim he should have been the one to decide instead of Xehanort. But Sora isn’t arrogant; he doesn’t think he should make this kind of decision for people because he knows he has no right to. So he says nothing instead.

Xehanort misunderstands Sora’s silence as not understanding, and so tries to explain to him. Here you can even see him do his weird finger thing before he clenches his fist:

JP 力を持つ者が決めるしかない

EN The World needs someone to stand up and lead.

TR Only those who have power can decide.

Notes: Here we have Xehanort’s whole philosophy in a nutshell. He thinks that only the people with power should be allowed to decide. Took long enough, but he’s finally giving Sora (and the audience) a straight answer.

The word for "decide” here is kimeru again. The word for “only,” shikanai, means something like “there is no choice but to~.” The word I translated as “those,” mono, more literally means “people.” Xehanort’s saying the only option here is for the people with power to decide.

The Japanese version gives a bit of a “survival of the fittest, the powerful will rule over the weak” sort of vibe with the phrasing. He’s pulling from the evil dictator textbook, basically, and the English version diverges from the Japanese version here and phrases the whole thing in terms of leadership. Yes, it’s a noticeable change, but I think it works well, plus it gives Sora some really awesome lines here in a bit.

JP 力なき者は強者の決めた世界で身勝手に闇を生み出すだけだ

EN Someone strong, to stop the weak from polluting the World with their endless darkness.

TR Those without power, in the World the strong have chosen, only selfishly bring forth darkness.

Notes: “Chosen” was kimeta, the past tense of kimeru, in the Japanese version.

The word I translated as “the strong,” kyōsha, is literally “strong person,” when you look at the kanji. Xehanort defines weak people as those without power and strong people as those with it. He blames the weak for bringing darkness into the World, says it’s all they do, and calls their behavior selfish.

You sure get the vibe that he thinks the weak are only capable of bringing forth more and more darkness, which is probably why in his mind he is justified in resetting the universe, murdering Kairi, attempting to murder Sora and the rest of his friends, norting Terra for years, trying to nort Sora, a murder attempt on his best friend, etc., etc. in order to bring about a new World. It’s all for the best in the end, right? The ends justify the means, don’t they?

No. They absolutely do not.

And speaking of which, what on earth was he thinking with murdering Kairi? She’s one of the few hearts that is made of the pure light he claims to love so much. He wants that light back so badly he’s resetting the universe, and yet one of the few people it exists in naturally he decides to... kill off? For motivation Sora didn’t need because he already had plenty of motivation to fight him? What?

In other words, Xehanort is a massive hypocrite who can’t even behave consistently with his own beliefs. What else is new.

Continuing on, the camera focuses on his face in profile here:

JP 強者の決めた運命を受け入れていればいい

EN Someone to dictate their destiny.

TR (They) should accept the fate the strong have chosen.

Notes: “Chosen” was kimeta, the past tense of kimeru, in the Japanese version. The ~baii construction pops up again here to indicate what Xehanort thinks is the best course of action.

So now the strong get to decide the fate of the weak, hmmmm? Man, I wonder where I’ve heard that kind of reasoning before...

Oh yeah, that’s right. Evil dictators. Xehanort still sounds like one of those. He has delusions of grandeur, but Sora’s about to set him straight.

The camera goes to a wide angle to paint Sora and Xehanort’s ideological clash in epic strokes, with Sora on one end of the screen and Xehanort on the other. Between the two of them are three doorways with three keyholes above those doorways. Symbolic? Probably. It makes for a lovely visual even if it’s not though.

JP だとしたらー

EN If so...

TR If soー

Notes: Sora decides to entertain Xehanort’s notion for a moment. Okay, even if the social Darwinism nonsense he’s spouting is true (it’s not), does that mean Xehanort deserves to rule?

Sora’s face is shown in profile here on the left side of the screen, in contrast with Xehanort’s face being shown in profile earlier on the right side of the screen:

And Sora gives his answer:

JP おまえも強者じゃないよ　ゼアノート

EN you’re not that person, Xehanort.

TR you aren’t one of the strong either, Xehanort.

Notes: The Japanese version is more literally, “You also aren’t the strong/a strong person, Xehanort.”

Sora uses the derogatory/familiar pronoun for “you” here, omae, to address Xehanort, showing how little regard he has for him. He also uses the particle yo to indicate he’s imparting knowledge to Xehanort - he’s telling him that he’s not fit to decide. His sass and attitude is great here; he’s speaking like he’s qualified to instruct Xehanort on this.

I love the Japanese version of this line because he’s basically saying, “Okay, maybe all of the stuff you just said is true, but you know what? You’re not one of the strong. You’re one of the weak. You don’t deserve to rule. You don’t deserve to decide other people’s fates for them.”

The English version is fantastic too. As Xehanort’s lines in the English version earlier phrased this in terms of leadership, Sora tells him he’s not the one who should lead. He’s not fit to lead.

In both languages, Sora hands Xehanort an excellent burn.

Xehanort is displeased at hearing this:

Then makes a hmmm? noise...

...and tilts his head, waiting for Sora to say more:

And he does, and look how angry Goofy and Donald still are:

JP 本当の強者は世界の運命は握らない

EN A real leader knows that destiny is beyond his control...

TR A real/true strong person doesn’t grasp/seize (the) World’s fate/destiny.

Notes: The word for “strong person” here is still kyōsha, which I translated as “the strong” earlier. Had to tweak things a bit for the sake of English grammar. Makes sense that the English version went with “leader” to maintain the parallel throughout and avoid this problem.

In the Japanese version, the focus is on the World’s fate/destiny, probably to parallel all those other times Xehanort spoke about the World, whereas the English version focuses on destiny in general. Sora also notes that a real leader/strong person doesn’t try to control destiny or seize it for himself/herself. In fact, Sora would probably consider someone who does so to be unworthy of such power, just how he considers Xehanort unworthy of the power.

The English version adds in the pronoun “his” because again in Japanese pronouns tend to be omitted and implied from context. By saying what a real leader does here, he is saying that Xehanort is not one... and, perhaps, subtly claiming that he is one, as he has accepted his fate/destiny, whatever it may be.

The word here for fate/destiny, unmei, also pops up in Sora’s opening lines. Borrowing from an earlier analysis:

奪われた世界ー

奪われた心ー

その繋がりを断ち切られてもー

それが運命ならー

歩む道は帰るべき方向を常に向いている

They can take your world.

They can take your heart.

Cut you loose from all you know.

But if it’s your fate…

…then every step forward will always be a step closer to home.

(My) world was stolenー

(My) heart was stolenー

(My) connection (to my friends) was even brokenー

(But even) if that’s (my) fateー

The road to walk, the way that will lead me homeー I’ll always keep facing it.

Notes: These lines show how Sora has accepted his fate, and in the KH3 Ultimania Nomura confirmed that these lines reflect Sora’s mindset at the end of the game I believe it was (someone fact check me on that though please!)

Even though Sora doesn’t say it outright, his words here could be taken to mean he thinks he’s the rightful leader here, not Xehanort, because he has accepted his fate in a way that Xehanort refuses to. At the very least, Xehanort does not deserve to rule because he’s trying to seize hold of the World’s fate/destiny.

And we see Sora follow through on this in the end; he accepts his death with dignity and saves Kairi, even knowing it will probably cost him his life.

He blinks here briefly:

Then opens his eyes again to deliver the rest of his speech, complete with extra frowning at Xehanort. Note how his eyebrows change position:

JP そんな力は持たないよ

EN and accepts that.

TR You can’t hold/keep that kind of power.

Notes: Sora flat up tells Xehanort in the Japanese version that that kind of power is not something that can be grasped, held, or kept. Fate/destiny cannot be controlled the way Xehanort is trying to.

The Japanese version does not have the word “can’t” or “you” in it; Sora more literally says, “(You) don’t hold that kind of power.”

Sora uses the particle yo here again to really emphasize that he’s telling Xehanort this.

He continues to stare Xehanort down after he finishes speaking:

Then we get this closeup shot of Xehanort’s face...

...as his eyes narrow:

The camera goes back to Sora’s face in a similar closeup shot:

And Sora’s eyebrows tilt downwards even further as he just continues to glare at Xehanort:

It’s a battle of wills, if you may. Who will stand down first?

The answer is Xehanort. He actually smiles, too:

Takes a moment to gather his thoughts:

And says:

JP おまえは我が友に似ているな

EN You... make me think of an old friend.

TR You’re like my friend.

Notes: Xehanort uses the same derogatory/familiar pronoun for “you” Sora used earlier to address him, omae. Here it seems a little less hostile though. Xehanort also uses the pronoun wa here to refer to himself when in other contexts he’s used watashi, I believe?

Huh. Probably using wa here because he’s an old dude.

He also uses the particle na at the end of the sentence to express some extra emotion with his declaration here.

He even smiles a little, probably because he’s thinking back on fond memories he has of Eraqus:

Sora just stares back at him, and the background kinda looks like he’s wearing a giant crown though I admit this is a stretch. Goofy’s displeased look sure isn’t though:

The scene goes on and the others arrive, so skipping forward to this moment when Xehanort hands over the χ-Blade:

JP 見事だった

EN Very well done.

TR (You did) splendidly/admirably/excellently.

Notes: Xehanort expresses his admiration for Sora’s efforts here.

Note Sora’s shocked look:

He looks down...

...then takes the χ-Blade. Note how one hand is on the hilt and the other hand is holding part of the χ-Blade’s wing-like things, almost like he’s admiring it:

Then he takes it from Xehanort and looks up:

And as someone pointed out... (can’t remember who, sorry, but credit to you!) this is the first time Sora has officially been bequeathed a Keyblade by someone else. And it was Xehanort who was the one to do it.

Make of that what you will.

Screenshots are from here and here. Usual disclaimers apply about my Japanese ability and translation abilities being a work in progress, etc. Might tweak things if I notice mistakes or if people mention stuff I forgot to.

#kh3 #kingdom hearts 3 #kingdom hearts #sora #xehanort #kh3 spoilers #kingdom hearts 3 spoilers #kh analysis #phoenix translates #phoenix downer #phoenix plays kh3 #kh translation #kh meta #long post #donald #goofy #donald duck

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mail-me-a-snail · 7 years ago

Text

Two Birthdays: Part Three

here we are... the last part.....i hope u guys have enjoyed this short story. in the first bit of this story..we get angsty. real angsty. i promise it gets better

find part one here

find part two here

“Wilford, why are you covered in flour?”

“...Cocaine?” Dark repeated, not believing a word of it.

“Okay, okay. I’m not the Wilford you know. I’m really a contestant on the Great British Bake Off-”

“No.”

“I secretly run an underground drug ring of baby power-”

“No.” Dark rolled his eyes, the excuses getting stupider every second. “Why are you covered in flour?” He repeated the question in the most menacing way he could, at least, what he could manage against Wilford.

Wilford took a deep breath, then sighs. “I...can’t tell you.” He wrings his flour-covered hands, getting them even more stained. “It’s a surprise.”

Dark narrows his eyes. “Dr. Iplier, if you could please check if whatever, or whoever, is in the kitchen is okay? I need to talk with Wilford.”

He didn’t need to tell the doctor twice. Iplier slipped past them, opened the door, and went inside. The click of the door closing was the last sound in the hallway for a few moments, until Dark spoke, his aura pulsating.

“What is really going on, Wil?”

“Well...Something special is coming up soon and I thought..” Wilford trailed off, noticing Dark’s shell start to crack a little. “Dark, are you feeling alright...?”

That’s what he had forgotten - that’s what Damien...what Celine was shouting at him. The day that would be considered his “birthday” was the day Damien, Celine, and the Entity fused into...him. There was a reason Dark didn’t celebrate and tried to forget. It followed him in every mirror, and would until their work was done.

“Wilford,” he started slowly, his shell cracking and jolting. “whatever you are planning, whatever good you think you’re doing, I want you to stop it. The Entity isn’t going to like this.”

“But-” Wilford started.

“No.” It came out as a hiss of pain, Dark’s shell falling apart, his face fading in and out from him to-

“Damien?”

Dark looked up. Wilford was shaking, leaning fully against the door to support his weight.

“The last time I saw you, you could have cared less about anything. Why do you care so much now?” Damien’s voice echoed out, sounding as angry as the last time Wilford...William had seen him. The Entity was surprised William still remembered his best friend’s name after so long.

Wilford had tears in his eyes, muttering a string of “no, no, no-”. He had to be hallucinating. He couldn’t even respond. Before Wilford could attempt to say anything, something, Dark’s shell faded back into it’s real appearance.

Dark breathes out shakily. “Wilford...I don’t, I’m sorry-”

The pink man stood up as straight as he could, leaning on the door knob with shaky hands, and for once, wasn’t the bright, sadistic neon highlighter he usually was.

“T-That was Damien.” Wilford stuttered. He wiped a hand through his hair, spreading flour on his forehead. “My best friend- how is he-”

“It was an illusion. The Entity creates them to...ward off unwanted attention. I’m sorry you had to see that.” Dark lied through his teeth. Wilford can’t know. Not yet. Thankfully, Wilford seemed convinced enough not to question it.

“Get yourself cleaned up. Remember what I told you.” With that, Dark leaves Wilford alone, going back up to his office. He needs room to think.

The mustached man stood in the hallway alone.

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

“Relax, you’re not going to die-”

“My Jim hurts, Dr. Jim. Man-eating Jim really knows how to use a Jim.” Reporter Jim groaned, rubbing his head.

“Yes, he does know how to use a frying pan.” Dr. Iplier agreed.

“They tried to lock me in the meat freezer!” Bim squeaked from a chair.

Dr. Iplier turned around and pointed a reflex hammer at him. “If I recall from the Jims’ side of the story, you tried to kick them into the oven first.”

Before Bim could reply, the door slipped open, a miserable looking Wilford appearing. The 3 egos immediately knew something was up. Bim got up from his chair, helping Wilford into it.

“What happened out there?” was the first question Trimmer asked Wilford.

“Did he give you a stern talking-to?” Dr. Iplier followed up.

“Is the Jim cancelled?” Camera Jim said.

Wilford remained silent for a little bit, then looked up with a determined expression. His eyes were still a little red from crying, but otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to tell this was the same Wilford that had walked into the room.

“No, Jim. The party isn’t over yet.” Wilford assured. “Dark’s “Entity” is giving him trouble. A party will surely cheer him up!”

“Entity? You mean-” Bim started, then squeaked in surprise as Dr. Iplier elbowed him in the ribs. The doctor put a finger to his mouth in a shushing motion.

The mustached man seemed to not notice, and stood up from his chair, grabbing a garish pink apron.

“This cake isn’t going to bake itself! I wasn’t actually lying about the British Bake Off bit, yes, I know you were listening through the door Camera Jim. Gentleman. Let’s get cooking.”

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It had been an hour since he left Wilford alone. Dark stayed pacing in his office, shell cracking every now and then while the two voices inside his head argued.

“I can’t believe you did that, Damien.”

“I was only being honest.”

“Your anger is going to give us away.”

“The Seer is right.” Dark muttered under his breath.

“You are no help either. You keep lying to him, saying his friends have just gone off to do something important. Lies aren’t going to work forever.”

“He doesn’t need to reopen old wounds. And the first part isn’t necessarily a lie.” Dark retorted, seemingly speaking to the air.

“I’m so sick of you two being distracted by things like parties and TV shows-”

A small fwip was heard. Dark looks for the source and finds a bright yellow card on the floor, having been slipped under the door. He goes and picks it up, opening it. A cheap sounding version of “Happy Birthday” plays out of it, and Dark had to resist slipping it back under the door. The card said, in Google’s neat handwriting:

Dark,

Meet us at the Host’s floor. His dining hall will be adequate enough for this venture.

Added to that was the Host’s own curly script.

Friend,

The Host hopes you are feeling well enough to participate. He has noticed your shell is cracking more often. Please know that Wilford has spent most of the day trying to cheer you up. The Host suggests you play along, for now.

Dark sighs and puts the card down on his desk. The music from it stops playing.

“You two keep it together.” He mutters to the voices in his head. They don’t reply.

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Dark makes his way down to the Host’s floor, passing by the bedroom and the kitchen. He stops in front of the door to the dining hall, then takes a deep breath. Whatever is going to happen in here will be over soon. He puts a hand on the handle, and turns.

The sound of kazoos immediately greeted him and a flash of shiny colored specks - confetti - rained down onto him. Dark reached a hand up and brushed it from his hair, then stops at the sight in front of him.

Google, Host, the Jims, and Bim Trimmer were surrounding a table with an actually nice looking cake in the middle. The cake was two layered with black fondant, white flowers spiraling across the sides. Candles were stuck onto the top. Above the table held a banner that said “Congratulations! It’s a boy Birthday!” with boy crossed out.

At the head of the table was Wilford, who was smiling at Dark, despite what happened earlier.

“Happy birthday, my dearest, darkest, darling-est, friend.” he said.

Dark went around the table to the head, where Wilford stepped back to let him look at the cake. Dark had no idea Wilford was capable of this.

“Wilford, it’s...” He tried. No words seemed to come.

“I know, Dark. But you seemed so down lately. I just wanted to cheer you up.” Wilford tells him softly. He gestures to the cake. “Make a wish.”

Dark steps up, looking at the candles. He takes a moment, two, then leans down, blowing out the candles. Small applause erupted from his side, and a camera click, as well. Camera Jim had the moment on film.

Wilford leans into his side, head on Dark’s shoulder. “So..What did you wish for, Darkest dearest?”

Dark smiles, a small one. “It wouldn’t come true if I told you, Wil.”

The pink man stuck his tongue out at him. “No fun!” Wilford returns Dark’s smile with a grin.

“Jim thinks we should cut into the Jim, already!” Reporter Jim butted in. Wilford rolled his eyes, turning away from Dark to go over to the Jims.

“Dark gets first slice!” Wilford announced to the Jims, leaving Dark and the Host at the head of the table.

“The Host is glad you chose to participate.” Host narrated with a smile. He patted Dark’s shoulder, which took a bit of feeling around.

“I couldn’t break his heart.” Dark sighed softly. “This...is all so nice.”

“Wilford planned it all for you.”

“I know.”

Host pats his shoulder once more, then leaves Dark’s side. They were all gathered around the other side of the room where a table of multiple presents were stacked. Dark looked a little stunned at the pile.

“He did this all for us?”

“I have never seen William bake a cake in my life.”

“William is still as sweet as ever.”

For once, Dark agrees with the Seer and the Mayor.

He leaves the cake to join the others at the gift pile.

The Entity is quiet.

Wilford and the others are happy.

Dark is happy.

the end

here we are! the end! thank you for joining me on this short imagining of mine. i haven’t written much so im glad mark inspired me enough to get writing again.

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vorthosjay · 7 years ago

Text

Let’s Talk About Glimpse the Far Side of the Sun

Magic Story is back today with a Glimpse the Far Side of the Sun, and man is this another excellent (and vindicating) story!

As always, more after the keep reading line.

Azor, the Lawbringer by Ryan Pancoast

Angrath rolled his shoulders, bull head tipping side to side with a pop. "You just want to get to the top of the anthill and congratulate yourself on the view."

I really like Angrath’s attitude in all of this. He’s very Black-Red without being evil.

“Kaldheim," Angrath said forcefully. "Another plane. Do you understand what I mean, now?"

Alison already confirmed that this is not Angrath’s home plane. It just happens to be a plane nearby. But it’s still important! In A Whole Lotta Woad I mentioned there is lot of ‘Viking World’ art popping up lately, and the offhand mention of a random minor plane like Kaldheim seems important. Since we already had Chandra’s home/origins plane in Kaladesh, outside of her adopted plane of Regatha, Kaldheim is important to Chandra in that it’s where she fought Ramaz in DotP 2014. Ramaz being a planeswalker working for Nicol Bolas who led Chandra to the Dragon Scroll and ultimately Zendikar.

"Fourteen years," Angrath growled. For a moment Huatli was moved. She was about to express her condolences, but was interrupted by Angrath's addendum: "They'd drink the blood of your emperor with glee, idiot."

FOURTEEN YEARS. No wonder he’s so angry. And wrathful.

Imagine having your daughters grow up without you, trapped and helpless to get back to them. Return is in sight, and nothing will stand in his way.

Huatli pointed at the structure in front of them. It was covered in vines and weathered with time, and the door in front had been jumbled ajar. "There's a legend that says the bat of the East met Aclazotz . . ."

So wait, is Aclazotz an actual demon? Becuase the art book implied it was just a place where the bat-god temple is. I’m so confused...

Nearly all tales spring from truth, and Huatli reasoned quickly that the legend of the Bat of the East began with this very real vampire centuries before.

I suggested this very thing in Rivals of Ixalan: Lore and Flavor. Which makes the last bit more confusing. Is Elenda the bat-god of night?

The vampire bared her teeth. "I left the Church with the knowledge of the ritual to take on my burden, and they used that to become invaders?"

Huatli glared. "What were they meant to do with your gift?"

"They were meant to learn humility."

Huatli's jaw fell open. The Legion of Dusk? Humble?

"They were meant to search for salvation for us all," Elenda continued. "I see I must teach them what they forgot."

Elenda straightened, and a great shadow fell across her face. She stepped forward, past Huatli and Angrath, and vanished into a dark slice in the air.

A few cool things here. First, it’s nice to see the progenitor of vampires on Ixalan having a different view than the conquistadors. It gives the hope of a resolution that does not involve conquest.

Also, Elenda has some cool powers outside of the norm for Vampires. Shadow teleportation? Awesome.

(Gold scales. Sandstone. Heat. Rough sand on his lips and in his eyes and in his throat. Broken, doomed friends. He was trying to break into a dragon's mind. Sense what the dragon's plan was, stop him from doing harm, and for a brief moment, he had done it, he saw the goal, the endgame—)

Jace saw Bolas’ Endgame? If he really does get back all his memories this block, we might finally see it!

(Ugin was unfurling himself inside a great cavern. "Good fortune, Jace Beleren," he said in farewell, curling his immense silvery tail around himself.)

Jace blinked. Ugin. That name came to him easily, but the texture of this memory was strange. He felt for the conversation in his mind and thumbed around its edges, inspecting its sides with the same care he had when Alhammarret had meddled with his memory years before. Never trust your memory around anything older than yourself. Jace grimaced to realize he never would have thought to investigate if he hadn't remembered learning that the hard way.

There. A hair trigger. A line waiting to be tripped, a clever bit of obfuscating mental magic that the spirit dragon must have implanted without him noticing. The spell left behind was a simple command. If someone were to try and read my mind and find this encounter with Ugin, the memory would be shrouded, and I would be compelled to instantly planeswalk away. To here. To Ixalan.

Jace became worried. Why did Ugin need to hide my memory of him? Why command me to come here, of all places? Was I meant to be a lure?

VINDICATION! I suggested this waaaaay back in Ixalan: A First Look seven months ago, and it’s been my go-to answer for why Jace went to Ixalan ever since. TBF, Wil got there first, stupid queue.

Okay, so why did Ugin send Jace to Ixalan? Well, that moment Jace remembers? That’s not quite how we saw it back in Revelation at the Eye, but the implication is that this is from that scene (both the unfurling and saying good fortune happen then). So this is when Ugin planted the trigger, even before the Gatewatch killed the Eldrazi Titans. What did Jace learn in this meeting that Ugin didn’t want shared? I’ve speculated before it was the mere fact that Ugin was alive. He doesn’t want Bolas to know and come back after him before he’s ready.

I really love the call back to Jace’s Origin Story in this story. The way this weaves together threads that have been laid over the last three years is very rewarding.

I’m glad my image of Ugin being a cunning dragon himself, someone who COULD rival Bolas, has panned out. Ugin prepared in advance for Jace revealing him by accident.

It also means that Ugin was aware of Ixalan, and that he either wanted Jace to discover something there, or wanted to imprison Jace to keep him from screwing up Ugin’s plans. But if Ugin knows of Ixalan, and knows it would trap Jace, did he once work with Azor? In The Mysteries of Ixalan I had posited that ‘the winged beast’ being Azor wouldn’t rule out Ugin’s involvement.

Think about it. You’re Ugin. Bolas nearly kills you, and you wake up to a former pawn of Bolas that saved you, and reveals Bolas has undone your greatest work. You head to Zendikar, and Jace comes upon you in the Eye. In his mind, you find another being who helped release the Eldrazi, and whose path has crossed Bolas’s more than once. What do you do, humanely? You plant a trigger to erase yourself from Jace’s mind in case he runs into Bolas again, and if he’s trouble, you squirrel him away on a plane he can’t leave.

. . . And what did I find in the golden dragon's mind before he erased my own?

I really hope we find out by the end of the block.

Vraska stretched out her hamstrings, holding on to a golden pillar for support.

Every third word when describing Orazca is ‘gold’. Between that, the gold veins, and the golden elders, there’s something up there. Maybe an inherent feature of the plane?

Jace pulled a wave of illusion over the two of them. It came easily now, somehow even more so than before he had come to Ixalan.

(Another memory: hours and hours spent memorizing text and technique, his teenage self staying up late in bed with a lamp to study by. The hum of a mage ring outside. Millard's Procedure. Circumstantial Manipulations. Tricien's Law. Over and over until the names, techniques, and executions of psychic maneuvers came as easily as breathing.)

The implication here is that the sudden additional years of experience Jace can draw upon, plus the formal training he had in the time he forgot, has made Jace a vastly more powerful mage.

In the span of a moment, Jace was surprised at himself, and then realized his earnestness of late, of Ixalan, was not manufactured, nor was his mindfulness something he could only access in a state of amnesia. That was who he had always been. He had just forgotten.

I’m very glad we’ll be seeing more of Ixalan Jace.

(A memory: his mother, arriving home from a day at work, dressed in her healer's smock, looking out the open window at a storm in the distance with a cup of coffee nestled in her hands and a little smile on her tired face. He heard fat raindrops rattling the tin roof. The air smelled like wet concrete and home.)

Jace’s coffee obsession, explained. It reminded him of his mother, in its own way.

"Well, your best is incredible," Vraska said, turning toward the central tower and approaching a large gate on what appeared to be its back side.

Liliana never told Jace he was incredible.

Liliana would have scoffed. She would have made a dismissive joke, rolled her eyes, and called him a show-off. She would not bother to talk to him for days. She would consume the body of a demon with a crocodile's jaws and laugh over the sound of its flesh tearing off. She would do all sorts of things, but she would never call him incredible.

Oh sweetie. I’m so glad Jace is realizing just how toxic that bullshit was.

"It's a maze," Vraska said at the same time as Jace. They glanced at each other briefly, awkwardly.

Vraska gestured toward Jace. "Have at it," she said. "You're the maze guy."

UGH.

Of course Jace is the Maze guy. My gripe about Azor being behind Ixalan was that it meant Jace was solving another freaking puzzle by Azor.

Was Azor a sphinx? he asked Vraska in her mind with hushed terror.

I’m so glad they don’t know. It works better because it doesn’t retcon anything, just confirms that no one on Ravnica really knew.

He is so much like Alhammarret, Jace thought, his chest tightening with the ache of memory. He stowed his fear. He was not ruled by a sphinx. Not anymore.

I love the Alhammarret comparison, and that the art direction on Azor being a human headed sphinx like Alhammarret wasn’t a coincidence.

I guess we now see how Jace will react to Azor! He’s not a fan.

"You will refer to her as Captain," Jace said in a measured tone.

The sphinx growled and looked past Vraska at Jace. "And what does that make you?"

"I am Jace Beleren, the Living Guildpact," he said with confidence.

The sphinx's wings flinched. "The fail-safe?!"

"The pirate."

Okay, who can’t love this scene? Standing up to an oldwalker, someone who abuses the powers you yourself hold, I love it.

Azor’s flinch is interesting. His shock that the Living Guildpact there makes it clear this was no where in his plans, ever. Remember: Azor has no way of knowing what went down on Ravnica. I’m very excited to see how this relationship evolves.

Jace’s response is equally great.

#vorthos #mtgrix #archive trap blog

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