#hmmmm. what else. it was all very good. OH YEAH there was an exhibition of old instruments in one place

[danveresque]

SO! A while back I watched this smashing show called Guardian. Seeing as Twitter is imploding or something at the moment, here is that thread of tweets as I really did rather enjoy that show.

To begin my #Guardian thread, I'd just like to say, helloooooo motor-bike guy, I am already hoping you're going to be ruffling up that neat neat Shen Wei chap.

2. [enters the Special Investigations Department of the #Guardian]. Uh oh.

3. Just #GuardianEpisode1 and 2 dudes stroking a cat between them

4. Oh no

5. Ugh. Zhao Yunlan sitting on desks and sucking lollipops and being all heeey I'm so cool. Which he is. I'm already #teamthisguy. Dear Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan looks like the kind of person who is going to hear you call yourself ordinary and respond by assuming the opposite is true.

6. The opposite of that look is true

7. Unh??? 0.0 Hmmm

8. Whatwhatwhat???

9. Yeah, I mean, I'll just watch however many episodes of whatever's happening here

10. I like how the first ten minutes of #GuardianEpisode2 seem to be Zhao Yunlan trying to find out if Shen Wei is single and them arranging to go out on a date, or at least I think that's what happened. #Guardian

11. So #GuardianEpisode2 really gives me Merlin vibes, with Shen Wei disappearing in order to magic. Zhao Yunlan also has an Arthuresque leadership style (brash and confident). The episode plot with Li Qian and her grandmother tho. Very moving. Is Chu the Han Ying to SW's ZZS? :D

12. The only thing I care about in #GuardianEpisode3 is this scene. And all the other scenes with these two. #Guardian

13. Watching #GuardianEpisode4 (it's taking a while because I'm also watching the Hot Neighbour Does Mundane Things And Somehow Makes Them Hot show). Once again, it's making me think of Sanctuary a lot.

14. No need to walk that close, no need at all. #GuardianEpisode4

15. Exhibit A: Longing face #GuardianEpisode4

16. That was a very long walk in the park scene. I approve. #GuardianEpisode4

17. Me watching Zhao Yunlan tell Shen Wei off for pricking his finger: Gooood. Verry goood. #GuardianEpisode4

18. Oh noes, I made him mad face. Wonderful #GuardianEpisode4

19. This era, whenever it is, must be what all the fic is about, right? #GuardianEpisode4

20. In #GuardianEpisode5, a question the audience already has the answer to is asked.

21. Apparently this show has some pretty dodgy CGI, but watching #GuardianEpisode6, I didn't really notice that to be the case...

22. Every show has a bunch of episodes that are THE EPISODES, the ones that establish canon (as in an actual canon that fires heavy balls of fic-plotting into fandom). #GuardianEpisode7 must absolutely be one of those canon balls.

23. Oh man, I adore this scene. ADORE.

24. Okay. #GuardianEpisode8 is THE EPISODE of THE EPISODES. Shen Wei being so mad at Zhao Yunlan self-neglect is so gooood. Also, him trying not to hurl every time he opens the fridge is hi-larious.

25. This scene though is so SO good because only someone who loves you will ever get THAT mad at you for neglecting yourself. And therefore...Shen Wei has loved this man

26. Mmm yes, more #Guardian time. Now the bar has been set and it is called "my fave episode, episode 9". Even #GuardianEpisode10 doesn't raise the bar just yet. Also Zhao Yunlan is SO annoying I love him he is my favourite LOOK AFTER YOURSELF BETTER YOU IDIOT dreamboat

27. Ah yes, I has developed gut feelings about my fave, which is why as soon as I saw that jacket on him, I was like, hmmmm 🧐 And then I was like aaahhhh 🥰 And Shei Wen was like 😶

28. Yeah, #GuardianEpisode11 kicked the bar so hard it hit my face and gave me a nosebleed. Shen Wei drinking for Zhao Yunlan because who else is going to stop this idiot from being an idiot? 😭 And then and then and then 😭

29. Fucking hell I absolutely adore this show. #GuardianEpisode12 is all about known unknowns and a little dance of pretending and guessing. I love this scene. I have included my fanficcer reaction at the end.

30. Errmahgad. #GuardianEpisode13 was 😍 All those moments Shen Wei looked like he was going to crack under the strain of however many years he's been carrying around his secrets and his feelings. And Zhao Yunlan's frustration at the beginning of the ep was just 👌 Love this episode

31. Perfect. They're living across the hall *and* working together in #GuardianEpisode14. There must be at least a 1000 fics devoted to just this episode (please). I need that #Guardian translation yesterday.

32. Have glomped another 8 episodes of #Guardian. Fave bits upcoming. In #GuardianEpisode15 we have Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan hanging out glasses and shoes off all cozy like, and then Zhao Yunlan talking about repaying debts, making Shen Wei swallow nervously 😏

33. Also in this episode Old Chu brooding at Olympic level which was just lovely. I particularly liked tho that Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan feel even more joint at the hip in this episode.

34. In #GuardianEpisode16 Zhao Daddy turns up. Typical that carefree flippant guys are the product of dicks for dads. Loved the time in Dixing, which is an intense place. Particularly enjoyed Zhao Yunlan in peril the entire time he was in Dixing and loved the flirting pillar.

35. In #GuardianEpisode17 as sad as Zhao Yunlan's backstory was, my Ghostbusters related love of fireman's poles (shut up) was stoked by the fact that Zhao Yunlan has one that goes from the library to his office. I want that for my next job, a library-to-office pole.

36. As much as I do like Old Chu and his biceps and brooding, #GuardianEpisode18 was probably the first ep where my concentration wavered because I'm just 100% only obsessed with WeiLan and occasionally find catboy very amusing and obviously Chuceps and Chubrooding.

37. I do not remember anything about #GuardianEpisode19 other than this scene and it's because I don't want to or need to remember anything else about this episode except for how angry Shen Wei is with this idiot he clearly loves beyond measure.

38. AND THEN #GUARDIANEPISODE20. Omg. Ye Zun. [whispers] omg. Also, Zhao Yunlan may or may not have known how Shen Wei would come, but he knew Shen Wei would come. 🤗

39. In #GuardianEpisode21 Zhao Yunlan is blind and Shen Wei walks around looking even more of a pressure cooker than usual. 10,000 years of feelings clammed up inside him while he watches Zhao Yunlan act like a dick on the regular, probably wanting to both kiss and throttle him 😏

40. In #GuardianEpisode22 when the doctor asks Shen Wei to kneel 😶 Shen Wei doing this for Zhao Yunlan's sake says a lot. But kneeling is nothing. Shen Wei would probably do anything for Zhao Yunlan 😭

41. THIS SCENE in #GuardianEpisode23! I saw this scene floating around Twitter ages ago and wondered what gay movie it was from. Now I know which gay movie it's from. Also, OMG, THIS SCENE. Oh Shen Wei [sad-face sigh]. He would do anything for Zhao Yunlan [shakes head, searching AO3]

42. I'm over halfway through #Guardian now and very sad about it almost being over :( There's so much I love about this show: the main pair and their history, the team, the little team HQ, the weekly case. Top comfort telly. Also, I love this thread: https://twitter.com/ladysisyphus/status/1503784153178947591

43. So #GuardianEpisode24 felt very filler-ep but with some nice bits (Zhao Yunlan really defeated his mind-controlled team with a feather duster 😂). Love the fact Shen Wei just seems to be living with Zhao Yunlan these days. The bomb disposal scene was a nice moment too 😏

44. Ok. #GuardianEpisode25 was quite a wild ride. But at least Zhao Yunlan pointed out that Shen Wei practically lives with him. Also there was this.

45. There's a lot to talk about in #GuardianEpisode26 (Daqing remembering Kunlun, Shen Wei seeing someone he killed and being all 'oh, glad to see you alive'), but my brain pretty much ground to a halt here. He just gonna sit there and watch over him. Right 😭

45. I do like Lin Jing and this was a nice episode for his character (quite sweet actually). But I would be lying if I said I cared about anything in #GuardianEpisode27 other than this (whispers: because you are two sides of the same coiiin...maybeee?)

46. Poor Zhao Yunlan in #GuardianEpisode28 with his dad missing and omg Shen Wei is not healing, this is it, this is the road to the inevitable miserable ending. But at least Shen Wei is back to being a good bro watching over his stupid bro. I hate this show 😭

47. Oh it's all kicking off in #GuardianEpisode29. Ye Zun is gearing up to be a pain in the butt (also, I love me an energy monster promising peril for all, delicious). There's also this bro kiss before everything goes tits up I'm guessing.

48. Lin Jing nooooooooooooooooo ;_: Waaaaait a second. Has he gone double double agent? I can see Zhao Yunlan patting himself on the back for a plan like that. Also, Shen Wei nooooooooo. Everything is falling apart. Love it. Gowan Ye Zun. #GuardianEpisode30.

49. Aww #GuardianEpisode31 was good. Poor Zhu Hong. She said how she felt and Zhao Yunlun was not a jerk about it. I dunno, I really liked this episode, it was soft. Also the fact that she asked whether she could never take Shen Wei's place in his heart? That was wow.

50. Eps 32 & 33 of #Guardian were awesome. Chu is very much a Teal'c character. Strong & silent and any humour comes from his masculinity. But then on character-centric eps it's A game. Chu's grief and emotional chaos is devastating. I was glued to the screen. Mingyang Jiang is fab.

51. Just rewatching #GuardianEpisode33 and love this scene 🥰

52. Aw, #GuardianEpisode34 opens with some sad-sweet Chu/Xia Guo 😥 And they're shutting down the SID! Oh man, the unravelling continues. Of course Zhao Yunlan is going to go get the Hallows and get into peril. eye twitches at number of episodes remaining

53. Remarkable. Zhu Zhilong seems to with bare minimum effort create a whole new vibe with Ye Zun. The smile, the gait (me walking to A03 looking for Ye Zun/Zhao Yunlun). This bit tho 😆 Is this what Ye Zun thinks goes on between Shen Wei and his BF? Love it!

54. Has reached the end of #GuardianEpisode34 and Is unable to compose coherent tweet at this time without saying things like WHAT? WHAAAAAAAAAT? Is this less or more sad than what I had envisioned? Whaaaaaat...

55. Send help. I have been kniiiiiiived [sigh] Oh Shen Wei 😭

56. Me trying to work today: Oh man, I think Shen Wei took a total of five minutes to fall in love with Zhao Yunlun. And why not? I would have. Dropping through a wormhole made Zhao Yunlan about trillion times even more charming than usual. #Guardian has fucked up my whole week.

57. Just watched #GuardianEpisode35 and I think from here to the end I'm just going to be sighing and saying 'Shen Wei' alot. Also, Zhao Yunlan must have fallen in love twice. Once with Prof Shen Wei, and once with this sweet bebe envoy.

58. I am charmed by this show I tell you, charmed

59. This guy literally held onto a scrap of Zhao Yunlan. He literally gathered the dust from Yunlan's feet as a memento. 10,000 years of hero worship. [makes motion of knifing self]

60. Oh Ye Zun. #GuardianEpisode36 truly giveth with the cane wielding smirky villain. Absolute Loki vibes. [sighs] Can't believe I'll be reading all the Ye Zun/Zhao Yunlun fic before the Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlun/Kunlun fic. Actually, no, that's pretty on brand, I can believe it.

61. Xia Guo has the absolute most miserable super power poor thing. Of course Zhao Yunlun had the lantern amongst random tat. Lin Jing, world wide handsome of SID, literally somewhere inside of Ye Zun 🤣 Luvvit! #GuardianEpisode37

62. There's a lot of good stuff in #GuardianEpiside38 in terms of team and peripheral characters and overall arc. But do I give two fucks about this? No, because THIS

63. I love #GuardianEpiside39. There's so much good stuff in this from the opening with Zhao Yunlun just losing it over Shen Wei, then the good guy/bad guy tango between him and Ye Zun, ending with TeamSID back by his side. Below tho, I could watch two seasons of that back and forth.

64. Oh ffs Zhao Yunlun, we all know who would be so stupid. It's you! You are stupid! 😭

65. Well that's it, #GuardianEpisode40 is over. What to say. Okay, it's not the most polished thing ever. There are some things that clearly got changed in post-production for whatever reasons which stick out. The CGI, sure. But, I really have zero shits for any of that.

66. I love #Guardian whole-heartedly. I love the cast/characters. I love the format with a team and their cool HQ, and some mysterious guy becoming a kind of member of that team. The primary characters have so much charisma and chemistry to boot, you can't help but love them.

67. Though the overall arc is important and the cases drive the series forward, it was the interpersonal relationships that made me watch, and the fact that those relationships are given time. Characters being tender with each other is my kink ok? This show has a ton of it.

68. Then there is #WeiLan. I love the idea of Zhao Yunlun having some odd sense of the future (maybe it's a collapsing universe and things run backwards and remembers the future). Zhao Yunlun as Kunlun is just...I dunno, it just seems obvious that Shen Wei would be instantly besotted

69. I also have this obsessive thought that after meeting the sweet bebe envoy, Zhao Yunlun sees more of the man he left behind and less of the professor (whilst seeing both). It seems that Shen Wei charms him twice, but harder on the second first meeting.

70. Anyway, many thoughts, many fics to read, cannot wait. To reiterate, love the show. It gave me a lot of Merlin vibes as in all the flaws were more than made up for by performances. The ending was beautifully tragic, but it's ok, they will find each other again, right? Right??

71. And so ends my #Guardian thread. Some of my fave bits below.

[vgckwb]

P5R: Rebel Girl (A FeMC Story/P5R Rework) Chapter 29: Making a Plan

After school the next day, Ren messaged the group.

Ren: OK. Wanna meet at the access panel?

Ann: Wait, really?

Ren: Yeah. It’s our new hangout.

Ryuji: Wait, WHAT?!

Ren: Well, we can’t use the rooftop anymore.

Ren: Miss Nijima wouldn’t allow it.

Ren: And two of our members don’t even go to school here.

Sumire: Right. That makes sense.

Ryuji: OK, and why the access panel?

Ren: We’ve met there before, and we haven’t run into any problems really.

Ren: And I don’t think it’d be wise to meet at the diner constantly.

Ann: Yeah, I feel ya on that.

Ann: Always ordering food so it won’t get awkward.

Yusuke: I wouldn’t mind that though.

Ryuji: Of course you wouldn’t.

Jose: Did something happen?

Ryuji: Once he started eating last night, he was wolfing everything down like it was going out of style.

Yusuke: How dare you!

Ryuji: ...sorry

Yusuke: You make it sound like I was eating like a pig out of a trough.

Yuuke: When really, I was dining exquisitely.

Yusuke: Every bite had meaning.

Yusuke: I may have eaten fast, but I ate with flourish!

Ryuji: THAT’S what you’re upset about?

Yusuke: Indeed.

Sumire: Well, I also wouldn’t oppose going to a restaurant for the meeting place.

Sumire: But I can see how it would be a bit distracting.

Ren: Well then, it’s settled.

Ren: The access panel it is.

Ryuji: OK. Seeya there.

Ann: Later!

Sumire: Seeya.

Jose: We’ll meet you there.

Yusuke: Indeed.

The thieves gathered their things and left to meet at their new hideout. “Huh. So, this is the hideout” Yusuke said.

“That’s right” Ren replied nonchalantly.

Yusuke looked out the window. “How brazen.”

“Alright, so now what?” Ryuji said. “Do we take the palace today, or what?”

“Well,” Ren began, “I want to do a few things first.”

“OK then” Ryuji said.

“Like what?” Ann asked.

“Well, I called us here today to review the facts of the case before we begin,” Ren said. “This isn’t like Kamoshida where we were sure of everything.”

“The dude’s a dirtbag, what else is there to figure out?” Ryuji said bluntly.

“While that’s true, you all knew Kamoshida well enough to take on his palace” Sumire added. “However, while Jose and I seem to know bits and pieces, the one who knows Madarame the most is Yusuke-senpai.”

“She’s right,” Jose said. “If we understood Madarame better, we might have an advantage in his palace.”

“Plus, there’s also the matter of Kosuke,” Ren added. “Yusuke is the only one who knows him.” They all looked at him to his surprise. “Are you up for it?”

Yusuke got serious. “It’s time I face my inhibitions and awaken myself further.”

“Alright then” Ren said. “Where should we start? Madarame, or Kosuke?”

“I feel like we need to start with Madarame,” Ann said. “After all, Kosuke is only doing what he’s doing because of Madarame.”

“Very well,” Yusuke said. “To the general public, Madarame is an artist that is well-renowned for his mastery of various styles of art.”

“Yeah yeah, but he steals them from his students, we know this,” Ryuji said.

“Ryuji!” Ann said. “We’re doing this to help.”

“Sorry,” Ryuji said. “I just don’t see the point.”

“The point is to know your enemy,” Jose said. “That way, you can take them down more efficiently.”

“Oh. Is that so?” Ryuji said. “Well then, carry on, I guess.”

Ann sighed. “You’re just as much of a meathead as ever.”

“If I may,” Yusuke said. “As you said, Madarame’s public image differentiates from the Madarame I know. Madarame poses himself as a quiet and charming figure, but he has a tendency to unravel with his students.” Yusuke shuttered. “Still, the cruelty I’ve taken from Madarame pales in comparison to the Madarame we saw in the metaverse.”

“His shadow,” Morgana said. “I guess there are things he even hides from his students.”

“I’ll say,” Ryuji said. “That whole business of art is just a means to get rich or teaching the value of art to make people not oppose him makes me sick.”

“Yeah,” Sumire said. “If my coach believed in any of what Madarame said, it wouldn’t be long before we left.”

“Well, unfortunately, a lot of Madarame’s pupils don’t have that luxury” Yusuke said.

“Wait, couldn’t you just live in the dorms at Kosei Yusuke?” Jose asked.

“Ngh. Well, it’s true that I could” Yusuke said. “But… Madarame has been like a father to me my entire life. Giving that up would be one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. But since it’s come down to it, I’ll make that decision.”

The thieves smiled. “Way to go Yusuke!” Ann said. “But still… It pisses me off knowing that Madarame takes people like you under his wing. People with nothing in the world. Pretending to be a light in the darkness. And then he just takes it all away.”

“Is that how Kosuke came under the tutelage of Madarame?” Ren asked.

Yusuke hesitated a little bit. “Kosuke’s circumstances are… well… They’re not easy to listen to…”

“Well, I think we’re all used to that kind of thing…” Sumire lamented. “At least somewhat…”

“Very well,” Yusuke said. “Kosuke’s parents were murdered by the yakuza when he was a child. This has affected him greatly. In his teens, he was violent and rambunctious because he couldn’t trust anybody. No one wanted to adopt him, or be friends with him, and he would constantly be under watch by the police. It felt like nothing could reign him in.

However, his art teacher noticed he was quiet and dedicated during art. He happened to be friends with Madarame, and turned Kosuke to him. Eventually, Kosuke calmed down and stopped getting into fights over every little thing.

However, when Kosuke realized what Madarame was doing, he didn’t take it lightly. Most students are upset when they decide that they can’t handle the pressure anymore. But Kosuke took it to a whole new level.”

“I can understand why,” Ann said. “Your source of sanctuary being ripped away from you like that. It sounds just like what Kamoshida did to Shiho.”

“No wonder Kosuke wants Madarame dead so much,” Ryuji added.

“Was this when he found out about the Sayuri?” Ren asked. Everyone was surprised.

“Well, I wouldn’t know,” Yusuke said. “I only heard the Sayuri went missing. This whole ordeal is news to me.”

“Well, I bet the two at least correlated with each other” Jose said.

“So, what do you know about the Sayuri Jose?” Sumire asked. “It seems like it’s going to be the focal point of why Madarame is acting the way he is.”

“Wait, you’re saying the treasure is this Sayuri?” Ryuji asked.

“Huh?” Sumire responded.

“Did we not explain that to you guys? We’re sorry” Ann apologized.

Morgana jumped in. “The palace ruler’s treasure is the thing that distorts a person’s heart. It’s the reason they became who they are.”

“I see,” Jose said.

“So, what can you tell us about the Sayuri?” Ren asked.

Yusuke thought. “Well, it’s one of Madarame’s most well-known works. Its use of technique, as well as the subject matter itself, is nothing short of amazing. I know that whenever I look at it, I feel a wave of positive emotions flow through me. It’s what made me want to become an artist in the first place.”

“Is there a chance Madarame stole this one too?” Ren asked.

“Hmmmmm” Yusuke thought. “Well, from what I’ve heard, Madarame started stealing his student’s art a little bit after that, but I can’t be certain that Madarame stole the Sayuri.”

“I see,” Ren said.

“So, we have our facts in order,” Morgana said.

“Hold on” Ren silenced him. “There’s one other thing I need to know. Yusuke. Is there a chance that Kosuke would go back on his word?”

“What do you mean?” Yusuke said.

“He told us that he would do the deed on the final day of the exhibition” Ren explained. “Do you think he’d give us a false date?”

“I see,” Yusuke said. “In all honesty, no. Kosuke might be corrupted by this Eris person, but he is an artist at heart. He views him murdering Madarame as his masterpiece. He wouldn’t dare do anything to mess that up.”

“Hm. Interesting” Ren said.

“What’s up?” Ann asked.

“Well, I wanted to get a good time frame for how long we have,” Ren explained. “If possible, I’d like to make a few preparations before we raid the palace.”

“That’s a good idea,” Morgana said. “We don’t want to go in unprepared.”

“Plus, it’ll give some of us some breathing room,” Ren added. “I mean, we did just get done with midterms.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Ryuji said.

“So, now we have a schedule,” Ren said.

“Wait, when IS the last day of the exhibition?” Ann asked.

“Oh, right,” Yusuke said. “The last day is June 5th.”

“And today is May 17th, right?” Sumire said. “That gives us some time.”

“Alright, now that that’s settled, “ Ren began, “let’s start with one bit of prepwork we can do now. Yusuke. What do you want your codename to be?”

“Huh? Codename?” Yusuke said.

“Yeah,” Ann said. “We do it to conceal our identities. After all, we are in the minds and hearts of our enemies. We don’t want them to see us coming.”

“Plus, it’s kind of cute,” Sumire said.

“Hmmmm” Yusuke said. What are your guys' codenames? I don’t wish to break any particular pattern you have.”

“Well, I’m Skull,” Ryuji said. “She Joker, he’s Mona, he’s Sunshine, she’s Panther, and she’s Violet.”

“I see. English names” Yusuke said. “How delightful. Hm. I was going to call myself Kitsune between my outfit and my username, but maybe Fox is the better name.”

“Well, if you’re cool with that” Ryuji said.

“Fox it is” Yusuke said.

“Yeah!” Ryuji said. He glanced over. “Hm?”

“What’s wrong, Ryuji-senpai?” Sumire asked.

“Ah, nothin’. I just thought I saw something” Ryuji stated.

Ren looked over where Ryuji looked. She didn’t see anything. “Hm. Well, let’s try to keep our meetings a little shorter in the future, OK?” The thieves nodded.

Meanwhile, Makoto was hiding behind a wall after spying on the thieves. She sighed, relieved that they didn’t appear to catch her. “That was close.” She looked over again, only to find that they had since left.

Meanwhile, at Madarame’s exhibit, there was a knock on the door to the security office. “Come in,” Kosuke said. Madarame entered, face full of fury. “Ah, Madarame sir. Is there anything I could help you with?”

Madarame glared at him. “You know why I’m here,” he said. “I could report you to the police.

Kosuke sighed. “Really? We’re going straight into this? No formalities? No chit-chat? Nothing? Well if you’re going to, I say do it. Let’s see what the police have to say about what I stole.”

“I’d tell them you’re lying!” Madarame snapped back.

“That might work,” Kosuke said, “IF I didn’t have the proof they needed. And once we’re in a holding cell together, you KNOW I can overpower you.” Madarame scowled. “But hey, I’m a generous man. I’m giving you the opportunity to be the master of the art world one last time. After all, you wouldn’t do anything to sully your reputation during your own exhibit, would you?”

Madarame stared at him. “Hm” Kosuke gloated. “It seems like I’m right.” He turned back to his work. “We’re done here.” Madarame started to leave. “If you can think of a way out of all this, then by all means. Just remember who you’re dealing with.”

Madarame left the room and closed the door. “Bah! ‘Remember who you’re dealing with.’ I’m dealing with a petulant child who wants the world to be more fair. Well life isn’t fair. You just have to make it unfair in your advantage.” He got out his phone. “I better make some preparations, just to be sure.”

Meanwhile, Kosuke was watching this on the cameras. “Hm. I guess I can apply one of your lessons after all. You’re so used to making it unfair in your favor that when the ball is in someone else’s court, you can’t handle it. This is almost too easy.”