#i hope the timecode WORKS

[liltaireissocute]

[PERC'ILDAN]

A phrase said by Vax in ep 29 3:50:30 had absolutely shattered my mind and soul with how much care, understanding and concern for Percy are in those words

+ version without subtitles

[sitp-recs]

HI Liv. I hope u are having a great day.

I was wondering if u have well written fics with not a lot of smut? I don't want T rated fics. I want M and E rated, but I'm not in the mood for reading A LOT of smut recently (I don't know why tbh). I really really need good fics in my life rn

and thank you so much

Hi anon! Sure thing, here are some M/E plot-oriented fics with less focus on the smut. I tried to include different lengths, hope these work for you:

Still Life (M, 3k)

Between the Power Lines by @tackytigerfic (M, 3k)

For Harry Potter, all roads eventually lead to Draco Malfoy. Or: this is not an AU! It's just Harry and Draco meeting by chance in an imported food shop in Connecticut and going on a road trip together. Featuring motels, cacti, Americana, and a hefty dose of pining.

Harmony (Left-Handed Melody Remix) by mindabbles (M, 6k)

He is the last person Draco was expecting, but then again, this is not a place Draco ever expected to be.

Clear As Mud by scoradh (M, 10k)

Set post-war and post-Harry's-conscience...

Two Zinnias and the Scent of Lemon by @the-starryknight (M, 16k)

The Ministry didn’t turn bad overnight. Harry didn’t suddenly turn rogue either. Between covert Legilimency links and Polyjuice disguises and running and running and running, Draco has forgotten what it is like to have a safe harbor that isn’t a person. If there’s an art to fighting back, then they’ll find it hand in hand.

Nice Things by aideomai (M, 22k)

The first thing that happened was Theodore Nott came back from France.

Open For Repairs by @drarrytrash (M, 35k)

After the war, Draco works at a tv repair shop and Harry breaks things. feat. sad boys in jumpers and more ABBA than is probably necessary

Turn From Stone by @harryromper (M, 45k)

Harry knows there’s nothing he can do to stop Hermione (war hero, historian, author of the reissued “Hogwarts: A History”) once she sets her mind to something. Even an extremely risky last-ditch effort to restore the ancient castle and lay its newest ghosts to rest. What he wasn’t counting on was her insistence that Draco Malfoy be part of the plan.

Here's The Pencil, Make It Work by ignatiustrout (M, 49k)

Harry thinks "Why is Malfoy working in a coffee shop in muggle London?" is a much simpler question than, "Are you going to accept that auror offer and, if you don't, what will you do?"

Take the Air by dysonrules (M, 51k)

Someone or something is attacking Muggles and leaving them for dead. Auror Harry Potter is assigned to the case, but with his usual partner unavailable, he is stuck with the most annoying Auror ever to walk the halls of the Ministry.

Timecode by Rasborealis (M, 73k)

Harry Potter has been dead for two years, and Draco would laugh in the face of anyone claiming differently. Well, anyone but Hermione Granger.

Among Ancient Pines by @graymatters (M, 74k)

A fic about challenging assumptions, discovering self-worth, the silver lining in failing to meet expectations, and finding friendship, love, and purpose in a small Alaskan town that’s steeped in magic.

What We Pretend We Can't See by gyzym (M, 131k)

Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.

The Ordeal of Being Known by @lou-isfake (M, 146k)

When Auror Potter is anonymously cursed with silence by being forced to hide his own voice inside his mind, there's unfortunately only one person in the country with the qualifications to fix it: Certified and Licensed Healer Legilimens, Draco Malfoy, specialist in Mind Curses and Afflictions. It's obviously a terrible idea, a disaster waiting to happen, but Draco's never been able to back down from a challenge... especially from Potter.

The Secret Keeper by @the-fools-errand (M, 225k)

On Halloween 1981, Albus Dumbledore made a decision that would change the course of history, concealing Harry Potter’s survival at the hands of Lord Voldemort underneath a Fidelius Charm. But when Harry comes of age in the Muggle world, Dumbledore realises too late that the fate of the world may depend on a boy who has never held a wand.

[staticintone]

To reap the benefits of what you sow is one thing.

But there are some things that cannot be recreated, no matter how hard you work. No matter what adjustments you can make.

If one does not think in words—in phrases and sentences and paragraphs—participles and gerunds and infinitives—all lost in the fray.

The Radio Demon, at a loss for words, silly but possible. Easy to improvise, always listening in.

Even now, the sound is all consuming. Or would be, to an untrained ear. There might be luck involved, keeping him from repeating whole cloth what is heard.

Tick tick.

The ever present metronome in the form of his timecode.

Tick tick.

The first sound he heard upon arrival.

Perhaps that is what makes up his inner monologue. The constant beat. Never moving, never speeding or slowing. Just like him. Time comes for us all.

Does it match his heartbeat? Does his heart still beat? If it did, it would sound like that.

Tick tick.

He hopes it does, at least. Beautiful consistency.

The static followed. But this one he knew to quiet. Fuzz in his head was not ideal. An itch he couldn’t scratch. He wanted to run his hands through the waves then. Tear streaks in the snow. As if it were tangible or even visible. Watching the world through his ears.

With power came frequencies untouched. There are so many now. From lower intensities in the atmosphere and the microwaves to the incessant chatter of mobile devices and various broadcasters.

He used to hunt those down.

What a surprise that Vox ruined that too.

Now they echoed around him; passing through his core and going to the other side. He could coil them if he so pleased. Make it nearly impossible to reach their destinations. But when it was hundreds and thousands… Ahh, let them be.

—the War of the Roses, after this commercial—

—is DJ Deondre, here with a long requested remix of the album—

—with the extermination of mankind imminent, once can only hope that the progression will slow, but until then—

Blocked out or worked around. There were a few to count on, the music channels with little interference. If he was truly lucky he might find a voice or two he liked hearing. Ignore their words, just enjoy the sound.

Oh, but there was a dying one.

—[hiss] …you can’t… tell… [crack]—

Sludge across the air waves. Most of the time trimmed without a second thought. But there it was, attempting to make contact with anything or anyone it could reach.

This happened. Interests would wane and the waves would rot. He could cut it at the source; Atropos of the Moirai with her trusty scissors. But it still breathed.

It was almost endearing. Hearing it push in and out through the static.

It didn’t mean much. Most likely a technical-based Sinner with an unfortunate injury that would either regenerate or die off. He found himself hoping for the former. Tenacity had its merits.

Intervention was possible. Once observed, a signal could be tracked. Not always easily, but it could be done. But what use was that? To have another soul, another contract? Or another failed attempt at compassion or companionship? Please.

Better to stay behind, hear it die of natural causes.

1 hour, 38 minutes, 55 seconds.

Dead air.

Deformed lips tightened. How sad. He had expected it to hold out a little longer than that. Even assuring himself that he would step in after twenty four hours.

Irritation. Distaste. Disappointment.

SNIP.

The sudden quiet could have been filled by anything. Avoid the silence. Find anything to fill that sudden void. Preferably something that doesn’t grate on the senses, doesn’t squeal or scratch or drag across his nerves—

“Alastor! What do you think?”

“Charlie my dear! Come again, I wasn’t listening.”

[hospitalterrorizer]

diary556

4/8-9/25

tuesday - wednesday

director got back to me today,

and i feel like i have to do some bitching!!! before i get to work on this thing. it's just so annoying to not hear anything for a while, and then be hit with a week to do something somewhat complex and irritating, or a series of things that become complex and irritating. it's like, a lot of... i don't know. i send over all the songs, he's had them for a while, they're all 'in there' now, and instead of this stage being me ironing like, fades, releases, song lengths by tiny bits, some of the notes i received are fucking, can this start here. like buddy, drag the wav file there in the timeline in your editing software. you have the ability. you can do anything. you can pitch it down by 5000 semitones if you want i bet. instead i now have to manage songs starting and ending 'on time,' hitting beats re: editing, all in ableton, every song consolidated down into one file, which means for songs he now wants alterations to re: timing in the songs regarding certain beats, which is so annoying by the way, one week, i have no way to watch this thing while i make the music, i did the best i could last time by taking arduous notes, which was like several pages in this tiny notebook i have of timecodes, second by second on some of those things, trying to attenuate when something should happen, and then composing with that as reference. which is insane!!! but i did it!! hoping that i would not be here now, 10 fucking days before the sound guy wants to do the final mix!! sending me an aaf that has everything but i don't use those at any point. they used a royalty free thing to open the short (that's fine (the more i think about the more annoyed i am, this song is like freaking youtube top ten brainblast epic synthwave arpeggio music like what the hell)), but like they need me to clean up a transition and make the title hit 'punchier' like jesus. this feels less like music and more like technical support!!

but whatever. my gf woke up and as she was getting ready to go i talked about this all with her and she finds it funny and basically agrees. i also got more of it done that i figured i would. kind of hitting some of these with no effort shifts. one thing he wanted to hit at a different time is now longer in a boring way but it gives me time to fade it in longer so the thing hits where i think he wants it to hit. i say think, i know when he wants it to hit, but i am stuck using imprecise means. which is soooo annoying. but whatever. i'll get there. i just find it so annoying, especially, the time it took.

some listening. no other music stuff done. i did something really dumb today, it's a creative thing but i probably shouldn't post it. it's kind of disgusting and mostly a joke for a friend, i drew over a photo of him, getting cummed on, excessively. i don't know why, other than i saw it when i was waking up, when i saw the funny photo he posted of himself, or someone posted it of him, and the phantasm was so strong i had to make it real. i spent not a ton of time on it but probably more than necessary for a joke. but i have the separate layers, of the drawing. so maybe i can cannibalize it into something else, though, i can't imagine what, since it's such an unsightly thing.

i guess some music stuff did happen today, i had an idea for lyrics, i don't know if they'll work at all in a song but i like them, they're just a series of images orbiting a thought almost, so i'm happy with it as a piece of writing, just when i get to the stage of editing/recording, that'll be a pain to balance with whatever the song is... probably some 56 second nightmare to solve. a better problem to have than... the dumb soundtrack thing. i can't complain so much, because at least this is coming with extra money on top of what's already owed. it just feels so goofy.

wrote a riff on guitar just now too.., yay...

it's very late now again. ha ha. i thought today was thursday until i started writing this. i'm so confused. i think i must really be stupid or something. i don't know. i feel that way often. but maybe i'm not. i don't know what i am. i guess tired. ha ha. another day i wanted to watch anime and didn't because of a bunch of little things. i just need to finish out this job, which feels like it's taken an insanely long time, what a crazy thing. it's taken a long time and really i've done very little and i'm going to make okay money, so i can' really be bothered about that, also.

so,

byebye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kingshunkawakan]

On the first day of the Gregorian Calendar in the year of our Saint Gregory The Great responsible for organizing time in such a fashion that led to the creation of computational systems based on a shared GTC timecode, a stamp taking into consideration the 1/4 day per year often overlooked calculation often is also overlooked by way of technology that cannot adjust for this minut detail in the difference between reality and a far far far way off alternate reality we now call computers, the ancient people would look to the trees for time yet they would not cut down the tree, just touch it and sit near it and learn from it's wisdom.

The tree people were so fortunate to be able express themselves in the language of the receiver that even knowledge itself became associated with the tree of wisdom, the burning bush, the tree of life and the herb tree mon.

The example of humans communicating with plants was proven using small diodes and electrodes that naturally allowed the plants to prove their ability to communicate for hundreds of thousands of years before the invention of even binary code. This communication would allow us native people to know where the hunting was good, shelter, what to invest for what purpose and what not to do under the stars alongside what to do. They sheltered us from rain and the elements.

Today humanity has the audacity to be anti-tree hugger.

clearly hugging trees is the most loving way we can stand when we cry 😢 it is the most in touch we can be with the ones that live in one spot their whole lives and root down, grow up, grow out, give birds homes and shed their branches for us to make dream catchers, staffs, swords, spoons, forks.

"We stick the fork in it" which refers to an ending and with every beautiful greatful wise ending we reflect and with our reflection like when seeing a dog walker behind you in the glass while staring at your front door, we live in a space of respect.

Respect is something that is shared. When given it is felt. It is a cause for empathy, when false it is a cause for war, but when we know true respect we learn from the trees that some spaces can only be inhabited by those who put their roots down there for only can trees be where they are and only with great uprooting can the move healthily, so it is with great suggestion I remind our evil alien brethren whom seek to destroy all we know and have their hands on the trigger, that at least one of us on earth understands you and wishes you well and wants to communicate and believes we will work this out and without force you will get what you deserve and came for and are owed and the taxes for having watched this earth and losses you injured be respected.

I personally respect the losses and the wins, the dedication and the follow through you provided to watch over earth for so long and when it is your time to go I hope our dolphins say, "thank you for increasing the number of fish, cleaning the waters and respecting our habitat."

Evil aliens bros and whatever you are... I hope you guys get some rest. It's a holiday here on earth, so try something new. Try to watch how families hang out and do vacations and enjoy them. It won't get in the way of your plans, it will only help you learn better why will work to find peace.

May you all be blessed and may you all have a good night morning afternoon evening and party hard.

[dannieh366]

Just finished up going back through a ~90 minute episode conforming the timecodes and merging onscreen text because the episode was previously two 42 minute episodes some producer decided to merge together, for a fun time, I guess 😐��

What bothers me the most is that the work was already done and I had to go through it and spend my time on it. It was already finished and they decided to make unnecessary adjustments, and then I had to work on it. I hate going through old work that's already completed and submitted, regardless if I did it or someone else.

Anyways, that was one of three episodes I got dumped on me Friday, all due back to back this week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday). The next episode is another ~90 minute episode that is going to take me several hours because I work slowly and my attention wanders in the midst 😅 This one is due mid day Tuesday, but I sincerely hope it will be completed by then.

[goldenpixelcoop-en]

GPC Lab 2024-2025

Timecodes. Temporality and Consequences Dramaturgical support for innovative/experimental film, video and moving image work

We are very pleased to present the participants of this year's GPC Lab and their projects. Anna Barbieri, Malena Martínez Cabrera and Kristina Leidenfrostova each explore, reflect on and construct the representation of time in unique ways in their respective projects. They will be mentored while developing their projects through individual meetings with dramaturges, workshops, and group feedback sessions. We would like to thank our jury, consisting of Anne Faucheret (Vienna) and Pınar Öğrenci (Berlin).

Anna Barbieri, Ebene 12 Position 4  (Level 12, Position 4) , essay film, approximately 20 min Mentor: Christine Moderbacher

In sterile corridors, a camera pans steadily, meditatively, punctuated by snapshots. Still images and a narrative voice contrast a neonatologist's explanations about complications related to premature birth. Somewhere amidst breast pumps, incubators, ventilators and feeding tubes, I found time to write.

Malena Martínez Cabrera: The Windows. A Virtual Encounter with the Beyond, approximately 77 min Mentor: Chloé Galibert-Laîné

In an altered state of consciousness, Aura finally understands the last letter her best friend Stella left ten years ago. Stranded in a virtual exile called Malhdad, Aura does everything within her mind's reach to reconnect with Stella, who is also searching for her.

Kristina Leidenfrostova: Our Last Hot Summer, short film, approximately 16 min Mentor: Angela Anderson

A fluid is found in the pericardium as a result of a viral infection. A lake dries up due to persistent drought. The film builds an interplay around the “disease of time”, where the hope for the healing of the body poetically contrasts with the incurable effects of climate change. 

Image credits:

Kristina Leidenfrostova: Our Last Hot Summer, video stills from work in progress

[ostebee]

And one very important thing! Unfortunately can't attach video but her two small chuckles (here at 0:10, no promises that timecode works), showing Hornet not from traumatised girl perspective but also a sister, someone who can feel genuine fun perhaps? I don't think that she's mocking us, it sounds too joyful to be such. That might explain why people were a bit rusty about more harsh depiction of Hornet. And yeah it's hard to keep that grief-trauma-joy balance, I can just to shake your hand as a writer ✌️😭. She's really complicated character with many sides and I genuinely love how different authors choose different angles of Hornet, she seems alive and really well-written. I do hope in Silksong we'll get even more proper depiction of her and have I told that I love Hornet so much? Then I'm saying it — I love her much. She deserves to be imperfect and accepted by some bunch of bugs 🙏🙏🙏

I'm seriously in love with your thoughts on Hornet. Not only women rights but also women wrongs ✌️.

It makes really so much sense because she's still an alive person, not the Vessel or Wyrm, she definitely has her dark thoughts like being angry at Hollow for taking her mom, angry for Quirrel and Tiso and damn. What if deeply inside she's scared to seem not what everyone thinks of her and she thinks that they immediately will hate her for being selfish? Like yeah, facade is handsome in every possible meaning but underneath is just... An abandoned child? Who needs friends, support and love after all.

Shout-out when I got accused of writing Hornet as abusive not once but twice

I think Hornet is a deeply traumatized individual who never had the chance or time to process these feelings and emotions (because survival takes priority there) and now she bottles that shit up and tries to focus on her role as Protector and caring for her Siblings-Who-Almost-Died because if she tries to think about her situation for even a little bit I think she'd immediately fucking crumple

I also think she struggles hard with being social and having friends and having others actually care about her, and she was absolutely prickly about it. She's not good with 'kindness' and probably lashed out a little. But to echo your sentiment, she still deserves love and support and kindness

[lulu2992]

In this video (at 3h28m24s), they speak with Far Cry 6’s Narrative Director, Navid Khavari, and he talks about his job, the game, and Giancarlo Esposito. They also show some gameplay and how Chorizo can be used to kill people!

[superlinguo]

Gestures in podcasting

Podcasts are an audio-based genre. As someone who works with gesture, and often talks about gesture on podcasts, I’m acutely aware of the lack of visuals in podcasting. Audio-only communication is a radical departure from the way humans have communicated for most of human history, and while it is possible to communicate just using speech, this doesn’t mean that gestures are not contributing; people podcasting, doing radio or speaking on the phone will still gesticulate as they speak.

Occasionally I’ll notice that gestures ‘break through’, and will be explicitly mentioned as the person is talking. I’ve given three examples that I’ve noticed in podcasts, but I’m sure there are many more. I also have a hunch that gestures that are specifically mentioned during a podcast are of a specific kind, in that they’re important enough in the mind of the speaker to be worthy of comment. My guess is that these are gestures that are particularly illustrative, or they’re backchanneling gestures done by the other participants in the conversation.

If you also hear examples of people speaking about gesture in a podcast, let me know! I’ve set up a very short google form to collect examples: https://forms.gle/f1LbWEAWUTcX9uFq5

One of the biggest challenges of collecting examples of this is the fact that many podcasts still don’t make transcripts available, so it’s hard to pull together a large corpus to search. I hope to eventually do something with this, but if you’d like to use this as a research project, please get in touch!

Example 1: The Culture Episode: The Kardashians: Saying goodbye to America’s Royal Family (July 2nd 2021)

Brodie Lancaster, while talking about the mutual rise of the Kardashian family and the popularity of Kimye: "I'm making a motion of like braiding something together" (timecode: 28:54) [no transcript] Listening to this episode of The Culture on a long walk, it was this example that made me realise this was a thing I’d been thinking about long enough that it was time to turn it into a post. Example 2: The Vocal Fries Episode: Between Iraq and a Hard Place Transcript (12th December 2019)

Zach Jaggers: “We also see cases where there’s a loanword from another language used in a borrowing language where it’s not because there was some kind of, quote – hand quotes. Sorry, I gesture a lot. [Laughs]” [transcript]

In this episode there’s a string of examples where Jaggers uses tone of voice to indicate quotation, but also overtly marks that he’s doing handquotes as well. I like the reflexivity of acknowledging the limits of podcasting in this example.

Example 3: Lingthusiasm Episode: Why spelling is hard — but also hard to change (June 20th 2019)

Gretchen McCulloch: “This is what the primary function of the French accent circonflexe, which is the one that looks like a little hat – I’m making the little hat sign with my hands as I say this because that was how we always talked about it in school is you have to make the hat sign with your hands” [transcript]

Gretchen and I gesture all the time while we’re recording Lingthusiasm, but here Gretchen felt particularly compelled to share her gesture with everyone, because it’s so much a part of the story of the circonflexe for her.

Thoughts for now

Each of these examples shows the person who is speaking feels compelled to draw attention to what their gestures are contributing to the content of what they are saying. I’m sure there are other ways in which gestures manifest themselves in the final product of a podcast. There are also other features of face-to-face communication that have the potential to make themselves known in podcasts and other voice-only media. Liveshow audiences are something that particularly come to mind, especially since there has been so little opportunity for live recordings in the last 18 months.

Cite this blog post

All original content on Superlinguo is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. If this post has inspired you to think and write about gestures in podcasts, please let me know! You can also cite this blog post:

Gawne, Lauren. 2021. Gestures in podcasting. Superlinguo. https://www.superlinguo.com/post/659622302480318464/gestures-in-podcasting Accessed DATE.

A stable URL for this page at The Internet Archive will be generated shortly.

[cgmayra]

I know you did a prompt a while ago about Amy having a fan and Sonic told him to basically get lost. So could you do something like that but make the guy feel more entitled to Amy and she owes him her love. And when she rejects him he gets really aggressive so it justifies Sonic being more aggressive in turn? I love how your depict protective Sonic soooo cute!

So, I have MANY jealous and protective Sonamy stories XD Shifting through them, I think you meant this one? (x) For future reference, if any of you lovely Anons want to maybe just... link?... the actual prompt I would be very much appreciative since I have over 900+ lol

(Preview prompt image provided by ArtsyAnnieRose (x) Please support the artist :)b)

As I mentioned when reviewing this Prompt on my youtube --> Pajama Blogs Ep. 1 Prompt Requests (x) Timecode: - 54:21 - I try and not do the same prompt twice, which means I like to rewrite things so that I don’t just keep making the same stories for different requests. So with this one, I’ve thought a lot about how to present it, and I think this will be fun! (Also, side note: I’m not making this cute and parody-like, I’ve changed my mind XD I have the right to do that! lol)

***TRIGGER WARNING***: (now you know it’s gonna get good.) I have subtly littered red flags throughout this story, if you have experienced stalking or manipulation strategies in your life please be aware they will be showing up in this fic. Due to the subtle nature of these traits, please be informed that I am in no way trying to downplay the danger of these situations, but showing that to the main character currently in these situations, her view of them is naïve and she sees no danger. Therefore, the gravity of the situation seems friendly and kind, but in no form am I saying these techniques are alright or acceptable. The ‘stranger’ character in this story is a creep, no matter how ‘charming’ or ‘sweet’ he may be portrayed in the innocent main character’s view. (If I write this correctly, hopefully, that message will be more clearer towards the end of the story.) I encourage any who recognize these toxic behaviors to please question your relationship with that individual and find safe, healthy relationships to pursue/keep instead. Whether your relationship with these kinds of people are platonic, friendship, or romantic in nature--please keep yourselves, families, friends, and other such loved ones safe. I will not be listing or detailing all occurrences of these moments within the story; however, with some psychology basics or google searching, you can find these common red flags or complexed manipulation strategies and how to better identify them.

Prompts are on shutdown! Do not send in any prompt requests at this time. Thank you!

Okay... let’s dive right in.

                                                 DIVE, DIVE, DIVE.

Note: This is another unconventional, more mature-themed story that I- well...

But my hope is that it’s still a story worth telling, so if you choose to, please enjoy.

Prompt:

Upon a rather dark and greying sky, as though the mentions of brief rainfall and storm weren’t apparent, many citizens in this bustling city were making their usual rounds around the mall. Carrying a thin jacket with an umbrella’s strap swinging at her side, Amy light-heartedly mused over a recent magazine’s article on the most eligible men, and read the chatty writer’s remarks on how Sonic The Hedgehog seemed to be away when the interviews for them were called.

She thought that so like Sonic, always away, but secretly just close enough to still keep tabs on what’s going on with the many locations in the world.

Eggman seemed to have a base everywhere, and while things had been pretty quiet as of late, she looked up from her magazine and once again wondered where in the wide, blue world he could be.

Was he bored? Off on another adventure? ... Napping? Eating? Was he eating enough?

She sighed with a dreamy look on her face, lost in her thoughts before a stranger flicked his wrist as he approached her, and a charging wind blasted in her direction. Blowing her back, it swiftly hit against her loosely closed umbrella, since Amy wanted to be prepared for any sudden downpour, and triggered it’s spring to further yank her back.

“Ah!” Amy tried to turn around to catch herself, the strap around her wrist forcing the sudden about-face as she grabbed her umbrella’s long steel pole to try and counter the pull.

“Woah!” the stranger that was passing her from the front suddenly stumbled at the sight and quickly rushed behind her, leaning over and grabbing where her hand was on the open umbrella as the wind suddenly stopped. His hand lingered by her side as though to brace with her and help, before noticing the wind stop and looking dumbfounded at the umbrella.

There was a silence as Amy felt the stranger was almost holding her, and turned to him with blinks, “Heh-heh... umm... Thank you.” her body was bent as she tried to use her heels against the pavement to counter-force the sudden rush of heavy wind, but with it’s immediate halt, she stepped forward and away from the strange, intimate moment to close her umbrella.

He stood more straighter, fixing himself up too before smiling kindly to her, “Does this happen to you often? Sudden, emmmm...” He swirled his palm-facing upwards hands around as he held the long, hummed note. “Bursts of photo-aesthetic air through your hair?”

Amy chuckled lightly, briefly looking back at him before continuing to fix her umbrella, worried it may be broken as the spring wasn’t going down well enough. Realizing it was probably jammed, she blew up some air to her bangs, figuring the worst, “Yeah, real convenient for a photoshoot. Maybe the photographer will settle for a water effect?” she gestured humorously up to the clouds, “All I need is a chair,” she teased, “Thanks again for the help. Really! You came out of nowhere!”

“Much like wind.” He joked back, putting his hands in his pockets, tilting his head to her. “You... wouldn’t mind if I take in the view of that shot, would you?”

“Huh?” she didn’t quite understand what he was making reference to.

He smiled as if realizing she didn’t get it and shook his head, “Nothing, nevermind. I’m clearly wasting your time,” he took out his own umbrella, looked at her a moment, then back to it. His long, brown and heavy jacket then flopped back to his side as he offered her it, “No offense, but I did just meet you. I would offer you my umbrella, but I’m worried I may never see it again. However, I have a solution,” He opened the umbrella and then gestured his hand to a restaurant near him. “So that we’re not strangers anymore, and I can trust you with something so dearly precious to me as an old, fifty cent umbrella I literally picked up from a second-hand store... might I entreat you to a meal?”

Amy smiled, relieved he was being so gentlemanly. “I wouldn’t mind at all!” she cheerily perked up, looking at her umbrella and tossing it in a garbage can. “I’m Amy,” She took his hand, curtseying. “Amy Rose.”

She did notice he was probably older than her, but he did a little bow and she realized she hadn’t notice his real height until his eyes matched her level. He held his eyes with her sights... and she wondered why he was pausing so long, “I know...” He finally whispered out, tilting his umbrella over her head, “You’re pretty famous, you know. Anyone would be lucky to help you out in a pinch. I’m Oscar, I work around here.”

Guiding her into the outdoor restaurant, he sat her at one of the white tables with it’s own umbrella on it and closed his, settling down on the opposite side of her. “Well, then! Do you mind this spot?”

“Oh, it’s my favorite, actually!” Amy chimed, knowing the location very well.

“Really?” He seemed a little less intrigued at that than Amy would have normally supposed someone would, but then after putting his umbrella away, leaned forward as though very attentive and putting his fingers together, his elbows on the wooden round table of white and letting his nose press down against his hands. He had gotten comfortable, and Amy, thinking this was his way of showing interest in what she meant, continued to sweetly respond.

“This is so funny, but I come here almost every Thursday and Friday for the new deals at my favorite store! I usually order the same thing too,... I really love ice cream.” Amy felt a strange new energy at meeting someone for the first time, and continued to feel refresh at this new-found friendship.

“Ice cream? No way! That’s my favorite too!” Oscar parted his fingers as though excited to hear this. “I have a sweet tooth. I know, I know, so silly of a man like me.”

“Oh, no! Not at all!” Amy waved her hands out, “What’s your favorite kind?”

“Well,...” He thought a moment, before smiling back to her and holding a wink, “I have an idea, you tell me yours first. I bet it’s probably very different.”

“I’m a simple girl, Vanilla is mostly my cup of tea. But... whenever I’m feeling adventurous, I go for it! Scoops of Vanilla and Chocolate with some random new flavor of mint or cookie flavored and then I top it with all sorts of stuff!”

He coughed as though shocked, “...That’s literally my favorite too!”

“What!?” Amy was excited to hear this, “I thought I was the only one that eccentric!”

“I know! That’s why I thought your answer would be completely different!” As Oscar continued to review Amy’s interests, he kept nodding along and reaffirming that they shared many similar interest and hobbies before the waiter appeared. “I love to chase certain thrills and excitements. I’m sure, being an adventurer, I figured that may be the reason why you place yourself in such perilous circumstances as well.”

“Your orders, lady? Sir?” The waiter asked, trying to kindly cut in as Oscar pulled out his wallet.

“Strawberry sunday with a hint of vanilla, you?” he looked back to her.

“Ha! That’s my Thursday order!” she giggled into her hand, “Same here, please!”

He shook his head, a little theatrically, “It’s almost like... where have you been all my life?”

“I mean, I know, right!? And you work around here! That’s so weird that I’ve never seen you before... where-”

“Ah, there’s really nothing interesting about me. I’m much more fascinated in the adventures you take. What with your friends always weighing you down and everything.” He basically ignored the waiter as he tried to ask any follow-up questions, and Amy just looked between the two and then smiled politely to the waiter, showing that that was all they were going to have.

“Weighing me down..? Oh no, without Sonic and the others, I couldn’t do anything as big as saving the world! We all need each other, you know?” She happily confirmed before he spoke again, sighing.

“I guess they would have you think that way, huh?” a offhanded comment that made Amy’s eyebrows furrow, but she just continued to speak about the wonderful traits and abilities of her friends, in which case, he kept shaking his head as though she was wrong.

“What?” She finally asked, “You don’t seem to like Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles...”

“I just think you could do with some different friends.” He shrugged, “Some that wouldn’t constantly leave you behind or undergrade your merit.” In that moment, the waiter came back to place down their orders.

“U-undergrade..?” She looked down a moment, “N-no, no one’s holding me back or anything. I choose how I help out, I can’t always keep up with Sonic and the others so-” she stopped a second and shook her head, getting frustrated, “I-I mean, I can go with them whenever I want!” she retorted, and noticing her shift in demeanor, he took some ice cream and then held out his hand.

“Oh no, no, no. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to imply you couldn’t keep up. I meant that you’re invaluable and they don’t treat you as such. But don’t worry, I’m here now, and I’ll show you how a true heroine should be treated. This meal is on me.” he gestured to her ice cream, “After this, I’ll show you some places that you probably haven’t been to before.”

“O-oh... T-That does sounds exciting!”

For a few weeks after that, Amy began to hang out with Oscar frequently. They would text back and forth, and she couldn’t help but smile when he always called her beautiful and made her feel so special. However, although the places they first went to weren’t so bad... he started showing her back alleyways with clubs and other ‘themed’ places that made her slightly uneasy.

She knew he was older than her, but would decline any invitation if he stated, “But I know a guy, he’ll let you in.” and continued to protest and remind him of her age.

That being said, the parks were lovely though!

He would often bring her little gifts and flowers too, stating that the next time she came with him, he’d bring some home-made food and had a habit of patting her head or brushing something off her hair if it landed on her. Though, Amy never noticed the ‘leaf’ that had fallen on her shoulder, or the ‘bug’ that was buzzing around her headband.

He also would usually lead her when they walked and talked, if they came to a corner, he would lightly put his hand to her back, until one time she mentioned his hand went just slightly lower than normal and he apologized profusely.

All was going very well, he even carried her bags and offered to take them home with her, but she insisted she would take the train and that he needn’t worry.

Finally, on a Friday when she was heading down for her sale, texting Oscar, a familiar wind picked up and almost brought up her dress.

“Oh, look out!” Oscar appeared and grabbed her dress, pushing it down. “Phew! Close one, aye?”

“W-where did you come from?” Amy adjusted her dress as he held his hands to the rim of her dress still, but when she looked up at him, he immediately released them.

“I suppose I just naturally come when you need me.” he scratched the back of his head, looking away as though shy. “I don’t know... sometimes, I can’t sit still, I get this feeling like you need me, and lo and behold!” He gestured to her, “You really do need someone looking after you twenty-four seven, huh?” he squatted down to look up at her, then his face turned to concern. “It’s a shame you don’t have anyone to look after you... especially in moments like this.”

“W-what are you talking about? I have Sonic!” Amy placed her Miles-Electric away and gestured for him to stand upright, but instead, he took her hands and placed them on his cheeks, acting cute but a lot younger than he actually was.

“But he didn’t save you, I did~” he whined, squishing her hands to his cheeks and rotating them around as she thought him slightly weird and took them away, pushing him back as he stumbled. “H-hey!”

“Oh, you! Sonic is just the same way! He can’t sit still when he senses someone needs him... hey, that reminds me of my article...” Amy remembered the magazine she was subscribed too, and looked over to see that within his usual trench coat, was a page of that article sticking out. “Ah!” She pointed to it, amazed, “You read ‘Famous Quips’ too!?!”

“Doesn’t everyone?” he seemed to speak quickly, before shoving the magazine back in deeper. “Ehem, kinda a girlie magazine... promise not to tell anyone? I don’t wanna lose my street-cred!”

She laughed, “You are like Sonic! Always acting so cool...” she shook her head and took his arm, what she had started doing since he offered it so many times, and they walked down the street.

He bought anything her eye rested on, which made her beg him to at least let her pay for food, as he mentioned a concert happening at the club he kept trying to get her to go to.

“Come on, you’ll love this band! We adore the same music too! I know a perfect spot in the back where no one will see us and the bouncer is my friend!” his voice was enthusiastic, nudging her every now and then with his elbow as she looked away and rolled her eyes. “You’re not a babe anymore, Amy! You’re gonna end up going to clubs eventually, might as well be with someone you know, right?”

“I don’t know...” Amy looked down,... and he gently stopped walking to look away from her.

“...Do you not trust me?”

“W-what?” Amy let go of his arm, “What do you mean? Of course I do!” she was very hurt by his accusation, “I mean, we’ve hung out so much, I just don’t really think clubbing is my thing...”

“You never want to do what I suggest.” He looked down, “I go to your favorite store with you and help you bargain hunt, I take you around the park... I’m just saying, the one time I want to go and do something, you keep saying no.” he folded his arms, and Amy began to panic that he was really offended by her.

“T-that’s not true, Oscar! I...” she looked away a moment, and he looked back at her.

“...Ah, I can’t stay mad at you.” He pulled her into a hug, holding her there. He took a deep breath, “I’m sorry, hey, let’s go get ice cream and talk about it later, okay? I’ll pay again.”

Her eyes shifted about, not sure what that was all about. “N-no, I’ll pay.” she tried to move away but kept an arm around her and led her on.

“I wouldn’t be considered a man if I let the woman pay!” he insisted, and ended up paying for the meal.

As it got late, he offered to carry her bags home again, and whined in a goofy way when she kept saying it was too late to have guests over, but maybe sometime.

“If you won’t see the concert with me, at least take me to your place sometime. It’s the least you could do for me.” He gave her the bags, then stroked her hair again, “You really shouldn’t be taking the train at night, you never know what sicko might be on it. You’re tough, Amy dear, but you’re still a girl and you know how you’re prone to cause problems.” he laughed, but that stung Amy’s pride a bit.

She held her bags and looked away a moment, “...Is that... how I come off to people?”

“Oh sure!” he then continued to stroke her head, “...You ... didn’t notice?”

“...That I look weak?” Amy shook her head and he instinctively removed his hand.

He held it in the air a moment, before letting it rest on Amy’s head again, as though realizing she wasn’t doing that to make him stop.

“No... the part where I... gave you a new nickname.” He smiled, tenderly and squatted down to her level again, keeping his hand on her head. “Amy dear. I think it’s cute!”

“...O-oh, I mean, I don’t really like how it could appear though.” Amy had a bead of sweat form and he abruptly got up, looking upset.

“Don’t like how it could appear!? What does that mean!?” He snapped.

She flinched at his sudden uproar, as he grabbed a bag from her, “I’ve been wanting to introduce the nickname to you all day! And that’s how you think about it!?” he looked as though he was going to either smash or rip the bag, but just looked furiously away from her, “I thought about it a lot, you know! It was suppose to mean something!”

Amy grew slightly afraid, but not taking this sudden mood-swing again, she opened her mouth to say something.

He interjected and looked dead in her face, “You really don’t trust me, do you, Amy?”

Thinking she didn’t want to hurt him, she shook her head, “I-I never said that!”

“Don’t yell at me,” he looked downhearted suddenly, even though she wasn’t raising her voice that much, not like he was.

“I’m not-”

“You are, and it’s really making me feel like you’re just... you don’t consider me a friend. I told you people usually reject me,... I was vulnerable to you!”

“Oscar, calm down a moment and-”

“You’re the one who’s not ‘calming down’ you can’t do a single thing I want to do! You’re being... selfish!” he flopped the bag down in front of her, startling her as he took off stomps and a hissy-fit.

Not able to process that sudden shift in behavior, Amy was lost to her thoughts and... slowly... proceeded to get the bag and head to the train station.

Numerous texts came flooding in that week as she hadn’t gone back to the plaza and mall, and she kept wondering how he knew she wasn’t there. They had hung out multiple times, maybe he was just expecting another hang out without actually asking this time...

Still, she felt somewhat obliged to text back: Sorry, I’ll see you Friday. This Thursday, I just felt sick.

Oscar: Do you need anything? Send me your address, I’ll bring you medicine and make you some food! I really am sorry if I scared you, I shouldn’t have done that. You’re beautiful and I’m just insecure. You know how I can be, just like you, I get really attached to people and just want to be accepted. I’m really sorry, please don’t not see me again! I promise I’ll get myself under control, we’ll do whatever you want to do this time! Honest!

Amy didn’t text back...

Oscar: The concert is next Friday, I won’t mention it again but... it would be really awesome if we could see Pop Pinkies together... I know it’s my favorite band and our favorite music is what they play so... just think about it at least, alright?

That Friday, Amy was wearing something that made her almost blend in with the crowd. Unlike her usual bubbly skip in the streets, she was hiding beneath her umbrella and coat, as though not wanting to be spotted.

A sudden burst of wind and she panicked, darting behind a corner and putting her umbrella away. “Dumb wind.” she mumbled, looking around to make sure Oscar wasn’t there...

The wind suddenly shifted as she poked her head out, “That’s odd, wind doesn’t usually change direction unless...” she turned and gasped as she saw Sonic, leaning his head towards her and looking confused.

“...Since when did you start taking the back-alley ways? Don’t you know that’s dangerous, Amy?” He blinked, furrowing his brow as he straightened up and folded his arms, “Heh, long time no-”

Amy’s mind was suddenly triggered by something Oscar had said, and she tuned out Sonic completely, her world going dark...

“I just think you could do with some different friends. Some that wouldn’t constantly leave you behind or undergrade your merit.”

“You’re tough, Amy dear, but you’re still a girl and you know how you’re prone to cause problems.“

“Is that... really how I appear to you?” Amy’s voice quaked as she spoke it, “Do I really look weak... even to you?”

Sonic was taken aback by the tears forming in her eyes, and immediately dropped the friendly banter, “Amy? What’s wrong? Weak?” he didn’t know where she got that notion from. “N-no, I-... Amy, is something wrong?” he moved forward to reach for her but pulled away, something Amy wasn’t used to as she really did--for a brief moment--think he was going to place his hand on her head.

Almost as if expecting that, she leaned her head in a strange way and then back, not sure why she did that.

He didn’t notice the action though, but she hugged herself, also remembering that after the light head pats was usually a strong and forceful embrace...

“...Amy?” she hadn’t responded to him, and now, Sonic was noticing a very clear change in Amy.

“N-no, of course you wouldn’t think that... I’m sorry, I really don’t... I don’t want to be around people right now.” she looked away, “I... I made someone feel really bad and I don’t know what to do.”

“Really? What did you do?” Sonic lifted his hand and she immediately looked at it, which made him pause. “...Umm... I was just gesturing... Amy...” His ears bent back, not sure why she looked so squarely at his hand. “Is everything okay?”

She really thought he was offering her hand, but she didn’t want to take it... not this time.

“I made a new friend, and he’s mad at me. I’m worried... if I hurt him again, he’ll really be in a bad emotional state, and it’ll be all my fault.” Amy put her umbrella up and started to walk away from Sonic, “I want to take a new route, I didn’t even want to come out today...”

“...Amy, you don’t control this new friend’s behavior, they do.” Sonic corrected her and walked beside her, focusing heavily on the signs of uncomfortability Amy was showing. “...What happened with this ‘new friend’ of yours?” He directly asked, and Amy relayed to him how she met him, then how he liked all the things she liked and agreed with everything in the beginning, how charming he was before the more time she spent with him, he seemed to change and start acting funny... but not in the good way.

“...He likes everything you like?” Sonic lowered his head a little, honing in on some things Amy briefly mentioned.

“Yeah, isn’t that crazy? He’s a guy but he totally loves sweet things and a popular girl’s magazine I enjoy.” Amy smiled, closing her eyes as though cheering up when thinking about it.

“...And he knew your order before you even made it?” Sonic folded his arms, putting two and two together.

“Yeah...” Amy suddenly slowed down in her steps, her eyes widening.

Sonic closed his eyes, matching her speed as he began to help her focus on the more important parts of her story, “And this... strange wind that passes by here... only comes at you and blows your dress up or opens your umbrella?”

She stopped.

He continued to walk, “And you say he works around here... which means he may have seen you come and go multiple times... and probably watched you ordered and heard what you liked, and saw what you read, and knew about you from the news and press... he disliked your friends and took you places and then entitled himself to being in charge over your Thursday and Friday venues... then, to really top it all off with the icing on the cake and all that jazz... he’s been insisting you go to a adult-themed club with him and throws a tissy-fit when you say no?”

Sonic stopped, his fists had already tightened into such hard balls of fury that he had to take silent deep breaths just to contain himself.

“And worst of all... he’s tried to copy me and put it in your mind that your friends don’t respect you the way we should... isolating you,” He put out a finger, “Grooming and manipulating you... Amy, you should have written this guy the moment he snapped at you... and probably sooner, but I’ll take that as you were just seeing the best sides of him... and not the dirty kind.” he didn’t turn around, but he felt Amy lingering behind him and knew if he said anymore, she may just start crying. “...Where do you think this creep is now?”

“He... He’s not a creep.” Amy lied, feeling in her heart that she just did lie, for Oscar’s sake...

Sonic tsk’ed and turned around, “How can you stand there and defend him!? Do you even know what Grooming is!?”

“...I... I don’t.” she wiped her eyes, “I don’t think I know anything...”

The manipulation had really set in on Amy, she was denying something she knew was true and didn’t know why. She was defending a man who clearly was up to no good, and yet... she cared about him still.

“Sonic... I think... I think I’m sick.” she held her stomach, the realization setting in. “You don’t think... he wanted me to take him to my house to..?”

“He wanted to what!?” Sonic lunged forward, holding his fists back and to his sides as he tried to remain level-headed, pulling away from her. “Amy, you know the truth now, it’s time to end this... ‘friendship’ you two have.��

Amy fell to her knees, “That’ll kill him!”

Sonic immediately looked behind him, Amy almost begging him not to make her do it as Sonic couldn’t stand to see her this broken and twisted up from Oscar’s scheming.

“Amy...” he wanted to say so many things..! But instead, just turned around and held a strong look, “You have to face this... but you won’t be alone.” He offered her his hand, “I won’t leave your side, and I’ll be there the whole way through. You deserve to go out and have fun without someone telling you that it can only be ‘their’ way of fun.” He looked so serious... but she felt a peace wash over her at how she knew his words were never lies or deceits for something devious. His words were for her and her well-being... not once did Sonic ever yell or enforce his way about things at all. He listened to her, even though she knew he must be raging inside at his friend’s predicament... it’s not like she purposefully got herself into this mess.

“You know how you’re prone to cause problems.“

She placed her hands up against her eyes, crying. “Am I... being a burden to my friends, Sonic?”

He immediately scooped her up into a bridal-style hold, “Which store did you want to visit today, Amy? Or do you want to just go home?”

“Please, I want to go home.” Amy held onto him as without a second word, he zoomed off.

The next few days, Sonic instructed that Amy block the number, but text messages seemed to not be the only thing Oscar knew... He called her home number, which surprised both of them, and the phone never stopped ringing.

That next Thursday, Sonic accompanied Amy everywhere she went, and they didn’t spot Oscar anywhere. But come that Friday...

Sonic was carrying some of Amy’s bags, she didn’t look fully recovered from anything, but at least she was wearing brighter colors in her coat she wore that day, and a nice sun hat as Sonic held the umbrella up for her.

He looked a little bored, but kept his eyes peeled when a sudden wind shoved him to the pavement.

“Ah! Sonic!” Amy turned around but was immediately grabbed around the waist, pulled back. “Gah!”

“I can’t believe you let him back into your life!!!”

Amy’s ears rang with Oscar’s voice, before shoving him back and falling down beside Sonic, who quickly shook off the wind blast and spun around to pick up Amy’s things, placing the bags by the store’s window.

“So, this is the wind-manipulator, eh?” Sonic rotated his shoulder out, having landed on it pretty roughly, “Look, I don’t know anything about you, and neither does Amy, really! So either get the hint and quit bothering Amy, or I’ll have to take matters into my own hands!” he hunkered down, getting ready for a fight, but... he also seemed not to be putting on airs or a show.

Sonic... although smiling a bit as he spoke to him, suddenly took a darker and more focused attention on how Oscar was holding himself.

Oscar looked to Amy, not even talking to Sonic, “I told you everything about me... What does that lying Sonic know about you!? I’m the one that’s been with you this whole time while he’s been off, probably with some other girl!”

Amy thought that ridiculous, and seeing him in a new light, she was able to at last come to fact with this pervert in front of her. “You... you were never my friend... were you, Oscar?”

He bit his teeth down, “Is that what he made you think?!”

“No, that’s what he made he realize!” She threw up her hammer and blasted wind at her.

She was forced to slide against the concrete, “I don’t mean to hurt you, Amy dear!” he cried out, “We’ll settle this when he isn’t around!”

“I think you’ve got it backwards, Oz!” Sonic, seeing that his hands controlled the wind, kicked it away from Amy’s direction and then spun in a rotation within the air to punch him down.

He stumbled, as though not used to physical fighting and tumbled all the way over into the street.

“I’ve known Amy much longer and deeper than you have! You’re just some creep who takes advantage of little girls!” Sonic’s fists was shaking, clearly, he didn’t want to just leave it at one blow. “Amy, get behind me!” He gestured out his hand and Amy immediately got up and moved behind him.

“I can... I think I can fight him!” She tried to state, but Sonic looked behind his shoulder and she put her head down. “I... I want to but...”

“...You still care about me, don’t you, Amy dear?”

“Quit calling me that!” Amy threw her arms down, “You used me! You weren’t my friend! I can’t believe I trusted you!”

Sonic turned to the man, “Why are you even answering him, Amy? He’s not talking to you, he’s talking to some Amy Dear girl he’s been building in his mind. You were never anything to him... it was the girl he was crafting that he was interested in.” Sonic slowly walked towards him as the man started to scoot back, clearly not able to fight Sonic The Hedgehog.

“Let’s play a new game...” Sonic suddenly lifted up a device, “Is your real name Warner Windstrom? You’ve got a bounty on your head that the cops are just dying to claim...” he pressed the button as suddenly an alarm went out, and from around the corners, police vehicles blocked his way of escape. “Oh, and that club? A typical place where your old ‘hostages’ claimed they were drugged. Trust me, pal, I’ll personally make sure you don’t get out of jail again.” Sonic let the police start moving in but Warner immediately shoved air beneath him and flew into the sky, shocking everyone as Sonic held up a arm over his eyes and moved back to Amy, shielding her as well.

She was in shock, that kind man she knew was suddenly a criminal and had previously hurt and abused other women... She didn’t know Sonic set this all up, but she probably wouldn’t have let him if she had known.

“I thought we were just gonna talk to him!” she cried out, putting her hand on his shoulder before shaking her head, “I’m defending him again... aren’t I?”

“Amy shouldn’t be with a loser like you, Sonic!” Warner cried out, “You can’t always save her! You can’t always be around to-!”

Before he could finish, a hammer slammed into his gut.

“Nice one, Amy.” Sonic complimented, as Amy stood up beside him.

She didn’t say anything, but judging from the neutral expression... and tears streaming down her eyes...

He just looked back at Warner, “I know this is a lot to take in... but trust me on this one... You’ll be alright.”

Amy summoned another hammer, “Want to give me a lift?”

“Certainly.” Sonic spun into a ball that lifted him up into the wind, then uncurled to reach out for Amy as she jumped, “Hit him hard!” he encouraged as he threw her up the rest of the length.

She pushed her dress down as he extended his arms to her, “Amy, please! You know me! I love-!”

She just growled and let out a piercing war-cry, slamming her hammer down on his face, “I’m not your friend, I’m not your anything, buzz off!!!!”

He slammed to the ground, and as the wind ceased, Sonic landed and caught her immediately, and the two watched as the police immediately took him.

He kept trying to call out to Amy but she didn’t say anything back, just ducking her head into Sonic’s shoulder.

Sonic’s eyes never left Warner’s face... but leaving the scattered bags around, he took her to the park near by and sat her down.

He waited there... as Amy was just frozen in her thoughts... unable to speak.

After some time, she got up and walked to stand beside him, “What about the bags?”

“Not concerned.” Sonic stated, then looked back to her, “You okay?”

“No,” Amy admitted, “You were right. It’s gonna take time... but I wish it would all just go away now.” she placed her hands on the side of her arms, “How... how did you know? When I was telling you about him... how did you know he was no good?”

Sonic tilted his head back and forth, then tapped his head. “When you’ve been around the block a few times... helping justice here and there... you learn a thing or two about red flags, Amy... you don’t have a lot of dating experience--or just knowing bad dudes are like that--in general! I don’t blame you... but I do think that you should be careful who your friends are.”

She scooted closer to him... then tilted her head to his shoulder.

“..Can you help me get better?”

“No,” he lightly tilted his head to hers, “But I can be with you while you figure it out.”

There was a long moment of silence as they held that comforting moment...

“Will I ever be me again?” she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

“...No,” He responded, tenderly, as though a whisper as he looked up at the rain being to slowly drop all around them. “But I can be with you as you learn to accept her.”

Amy closed her eyes, feeling the small drops of rain before it all at once, speedily came down on them.

“...Will you still love me? At the end of it all?”

Silence...

“I already do.”

Rain scattered as Sonic held his eyes straight up into the clouds... the storm in his heart subsiding as Amy cried and her shoulder’s bounced beside him.

[sitp-recs]

Hi Liv! This might be a bit of an odd ask/sos hehe

My younger brother (huge hp fan - has never read ffs before) recently asked me for fic recs that have canon-divergence/time travel and I'd love to ease him into ffs (without freaking him out forever) but am desperately in need of ideas. He's particular about characterization and would prefer gen fics (tho he says he's open to any pairing if well-written). As someone who reads mostly drarry, I was hoping you or your followers would have some other suggestions. Ik it's v different from your usual recs, so pls don't be pressured to replyy!! Thank you so much 🤗

Hi anon! Not an odd ask at all, I’m excited to see you gently guiding him into Drarry lands 😂 one of my personal favorites in terms of characterization is WWPWCS but that one is quite romantic, so I’m listing below fics that could be a great entry point if you’re looking for Gen, plot-focused fics. I also have a rec list with G and T works and a Drarry for beginners list (although this is quite shippy so maybe something to explore later on!). I hope you find them helpful and pls let me know how the Drarry agenda goes 🌝

Turn From Stone by harryromper (M, 45k)

Harry knows there’s nothing he can do to stop Hermione (war hero, historian, author of the reissued “Hogwarts: A History”) once she sets her mind to something. Even an extremely risky last-ditch effort to restore the ancient castle and lay its newest ghosts to rest. What he wasn’t counting on was her insistence that Draco Malfoy be part of the plan.

Heal Thyself by astolat (T, 47k)

"Are you going for the course?" Lovegood asked. "You have the NEWTs.” “What course?” Draco said, then, “No, don’t be ridiculous,” when he realized she meant the notice pinned up on the board he’d been staring at: Applicants To The Introductory Mediwizard Course For The Coming Term Shall Present Themselves In The Chief Mediwizard’s Office By August 24th.

The Pure and Simple Truth by lettered (G, 65k)

Harry, Draco, and Hermione go to a pub. Harry, Draco, and Pansy go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Pansy, and Hermione go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Hermione and Ron go to a pub. Harry, Draco, Hermione, Ron, and Pansy―you guessed it―go to a pub. I could go on. In fact, I did. Harry, Draco, Hermione, Pansy, Ron, Blaise, Luna, Goyle, Neville, and Theodore Nott go to a pub. In various combinations.

A Young Radical's Guide to Love by blamebrampton (T, 66k)

Memories of the war are still fresh, which is all the excuse Decent People need to do appalling things. In this quietly waged conflict, Draco Malfoy is happy to be on the right side of things for once, and even happier to find he’s not alone.

Timecode by Rasborealis (M, 73k)

Harry Potter has been dead for two years, and Draco would laugh in the face of anyone claiming differently. Well, anyone but Hermione Granger.

Hermione Granger's Hogwarts Crammer for Delinquents on the Run by waspabi (T, 93k)

'You're a wizard, Harry' is easier to hear from a half-giant when you're eleven, rather than from some kids on a tube platform when you're seventeen and late for work.

The Secret Keeper by fools_errand (M, 225k)

On Halloween 1981, Albus Dumbledore made a decision that would change the course of history, concealing Harry Potter’s survival at the hands of Lord Voldemort underneath a Fidelius Charm. But when Harry comes of age in the Muggle world, Dumbledore realises too late that the fate of the world may depend on a boy who has never held a wand.

Eclipse by Mijan (T, 287k)

Draco swore his revenge on Harry for Lucius's imprisonment, and Harry all but laughed at him. But Draco is planning more than schoolyard pranks this time. The old rivalry turns deadly when Draco abducts Harry for Voldemort. It's the perfect plan, guaranteeing revenge, power, and prestige, all in one blow. But when Draco's world turns upside down, the fight to save himself and Harry begins, and the battle will take them both through hell and back. If they come back.

[canary3d-obsessed]

hi! I hope this is not a dumb question but how do you save songs after buying them on itunes?? >>

It's not a dumb question! First, go find the song in your library.

When you look at the song there will be a timecode at the far right, that will turn into a three-dots icon when you select the song. If you haven't downloaded it yet, there will also be a cloud with an arrow next to the three-dots icon. Click the cloud to download it.

Then click the three-dots icon and you'll get a little menu. On Windows 10, "show in windows explorer" is the option you want. On Mac it should have something similar. That will pop open a file explorer window and you can copy the files from there to an alternate location.

This might be different in different versions, but the concept should stay working across versions. If yours doesn't have this option, you can look at your preferences to find your library location, then browse to it and go through the library folders to find the file - this way is quicker, though.

[eagles-translated]

Im very intrigued by ur subtitling process. Do u watch it through once then subtitle or just do it as your watching it. Ps thanks for all you do. Much appreciated 🥰

I have to say I loved this question! As a result I might've gone a little overboard with my answer, but I hope that's okay. It got a little long so I put a keep reading line on it.

The first time I watch the episode is when I'm writing out the English transcript, so I'll translate everything they say and write it down. It's pretty useful since you can just copy over the lines later on when doing subtitles, plus you're prepared for all the scenes and know what's coming.

I also like the added benefit you get of going through an episode twice (once for the transcript and once for subtitling) because the second time around I can usually spot errors in my translation and find better words/expressions to use that sound more natural. There are also a bunch of small words here and there you might pick up on that you missed the first time.

This definitely varies, though! When subtitling a short clip I won't type out a whole transcript in advance—I just play the clip, listen to the first sentence, and then pause to write out the translated subtitle. And then rinse and repeat.

I use Adobe Premiere Pro even though I'm sure there are way better alternatives for subtitling. I'm just used to that software for video editing, so it's the one I picked for subtitling. It's not exactly fast but I like the familiarity and it's easy to use.

I should also mention SRT files (a text file containing information of finished subtitles, such as their timecodes). With the right software you can download such a file off SVT Play and it can make the subtitling process SO much quicker, but I personally don't do this.

SVT (Sweden's national broadcaster) has pretty strict rules on how they do their closed captions. Their main goal is for people to be able to read them easily, so one-line subtitles have to stay on screen for 2-4 seconds and two-line subs for 4-6 seconds. To achieve this, it's very common to cut out entire sentences and only write down the important stuff. So the way SVT does their subtitles would be totally out of sync with the way I do it.

I understand the reasoning behind readability being the first priority, but I feel like you miss out on a lot of small details this way. I personally like to do subtitles verbatim so you can get an authentic sense of what a character is expressing even if you don't speak the language. Sometimes, this means the subtitles will pass by too fast if characters are speaking rapidly. I try to work around that but it's not always easy when characters are in, say, an argument scene and they're yelling over each other, interrupting, and speaking very quickly.

Side note here: Monologue scenes (like Klara's speech at her father's funeral or Felicia talking about her anxieties over the future) are like my favorite to do! They're usually speaking very clearly and there's no other character interrupting. It's even better if they're speaking with pauses in-between each line, because the audio waveform gets super easy to follow (I used to rely on audio waveforms way more in the beginning, but now I just listen instead because I don't want a subtitle to start when someone is just coughing or something).

Oh, and also. Long sections in an episode where nobody is talking are just a godsend because you don't have to subtitle anything. Like, transitions from one scene to the other or just an awkward silence. I love that.

Looking back on my subtitling for season 1, it was definitely pretty awkward. A lot of translations were way too literal and I'd end subtitles right when a character had finished speaking which means it would disappear too quickly. Now I'll usually leave a subtitle on-screen for a little while longer to have some breathing room and make sure people can actually read it in time. I'm still not the best at judging how long people need to finish reading a subtitle (this is why SVT's system at least has some perks), but I think I've gotten a little better at it.

I also think the subtitling in season 1 was trash because the text was so small! I just used the default size and I didn't really realize how small the subtitles actually were. I think it's gotten a little better now, but I'm of course always open to suggestions concerning the subtitles!

If you read this far on a boring post about my subtitling process, here's a cookie! 🍪

[fangs-bugging-log-2021]

iPhone Facial UE4 & Metahuman  | Debugged

The UE4 official video gives a very good and complete overview of the facial mocap applied on MetaHuman, although there are some details not mentioned in the official video. There are more detailed explanations in this tutorial, or if need to understand hand or body tracking later this may be useful.

The brief workflow is

1, create MetaHuman model (can be personalized) and export it to UE4. 

2, iPhone Live Link Face set up

3, The plugins installs and settings in UE4

Here's what I think is easy to overlook or where I've made mistakes:

① metahuman model needs to add the live link animation skeleton to make it play in real-time as follow.

② the LLink Face Subj in the face Rigging Blueprint, which need to change Animation mode to use Animation Blueprint first.

③ I spent a long time solving only recording one frame problem. Although it is a stupid mistake, because I didn't think it was a mobile problem at all. The timecode on the iPhone has to match the UE4 timecode, just change the timecode setting to NTP that will work.

[Mocap Data]

The blendshape data can be exported directly from the iPhone with csv file, and recording in UE4 will also give a range of the whole head and face animation data.

[The final look]

The playback in UE4 is here

[Tomorrow Task]

Try to solve the Vive eye-tracking problem, spend some time to figure out why my computer can not run Vive. Hope luckily do something on Vive MoCap data.

[admiralty-xfd]

This is chapter 6, to start at the beginning go here for A03 and here for Tumblr. Thanks for reading!

Chapter Six: Thick and thin

The weeks passed in a blur; a daze of improbable happiness. It seemed every day their relationship was getting even better, which he’d thought wasn’t possible considering how perfect it felt that very first night.

As for the X-Files, Scully seemed to be enjoying herself on their cases, perhaps even more so than before. It was entirely possible his own mood was having an effect upon the way he saw hers, and he acknowledged that to himself, but he couldn’t deny that things were going well, really well.

Something they’d agreed upon verbally was a certain amount of discretion as far as the bureau was concerned. He respected her boundaries at the office (mostly) and her fraternizing rules in the field (sort of). She certainly never complained or pushed him away whenever he stole a kiss or a touch.

One day in mid-April, all of that changed.

Skinner called both of them into his office and closed the door. From the look on his face Mulder knew they were in trouble; he’d seen that look before. But he couldn’t recall so much as a missed report. He wondered what on earth this could possibly be about.

“Is there something you two want to share with me?” Skinner asked bluntly.

“What do you mean?” Mulder asked.

“The producers at FOX sent the raw footage of your case in Los Angeles for me to review and approve before airing. Is there anything on this tape I shouldn’t have seen?”

Mulder looked at Scully, and she was just as confused as he was. Was this about the case? Was Skinner as embarrassed by Mulder’s behavior as Scully had been?

“I thought you told us the FBI had nothing to hide,” Mulder said carefully. Besides the fact that the case remained unsolved, surely there was nothing on that tape any crazier than half of the theories he had espoused to Skinner in this very office.

“I’m not talking about the case,” he said, looking at them meaningfully. “I’m talking about you two. Having something to hide.”

Mulder suddenly felt all the oxygen leave the room. Was there something incriminating on that tape? He replayed the events over in his mind, recalling that he and Scully had remained entirely professional while working that case. Sure, they’d gone back to her motel room afterwards and engaged in some unpartnerly behavior, but that was well after they’d left the cameras behind.

Scully hadn’t uttered a word, and didn’t seem to be planning on it, either.

Mulder called Skinner’s bluff. “I can’t imagine what you’re referring to, sir,” he said.

Skinner’s face echoed that of a bedraggled father as he stood, removed a VHS tape from its sleeve, and inserted it into a nearby VCR.

The grainy footage showed the exterior of their Los Angeles motel. He heard a sharp intake of breath from Scully next to him and feared the worst. Surely the camera crews hadn’t followed them back to their room. This was some kind of trick, it had to be. Skinner suspected something was up and was probably feeling them out.

The camera zoomed towards the window, which was mercifully covered by curtains. Skinner fast-forwarded and there was nothing to see but a closed door and the timecode ticking up. Two hours, three hours. Four hours. Just when Mulder was certain there would be nothing incriminating, he saw the door open, and Scully emerged, followed closely by himself. That was it. The image turned to static.

Skinner set the remote down and leaned against his desk, looking at them expectantly.

“...Well?” he said pointedly.

Mulder looked at him, confused. “Am I missing something?”

“What were you doing in Agent Scully’s room for four and a half hours, Mulder?” Skinner asked with the slow enunciation of a teacher explaining something to a four-year-old.

Scully’s face turned white. She was the worst poker player ever.

“Um. Sleeping?” Mulder tried. It wasn’t really a lie. Technically.

Skinner eyed them both. “Look,” he said, leaning forward. “I’m aware of what’s going on between you two, okay? I’ve known for a while. This is just the first time I’ve got any physical evidence.”

“Evidence of what, sir?” Mulder asked, ignoring his ‘known for a while’ comment. “So we were hanging out together. What’s the problem?”

“Mulder,” Skinner warned. “I’ve been able to get ahold of this tape before it got to the higher-ups. But I’m not the only one who’s seen it. And word travels fast around here.”

“This is a violation of our privacy, sir,” Mulder declared, pointing at the tape. “This was well after the case was over. They had no right or reason to follow us.”

“You and Agent Scully signed a 24-hour release,” Skinner explained. “If they found you interesting enough to follow, they were well within their rights.”

“I think we’re done here,” Mulder said, standing up. “Scully, we don’t have to listen to this.”

She wouldn’t look at him, instead staring pleadingly at Skinner. “You won’t let anyone else see this, will you?”

Mulder’s jaw dropped. He didn’t understand. They still had plausible deniability. Why was she outing them to Skinner like this?

“I promise I won’t,” he told her. “But you two need to be more careful. They’re out to put an end to the X-Files, and any excuse will do.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said simply, and stood. “Let’s go, Mulder.”

He watched her leave, gobsmacked. “But… this is ridiculous,” he said. “They’ve got nothing!”

“Let’s go, Mulder,” she said, warningly.

He glanced at Skinner again, annoyed, but Skinner looked deadly serious. Mulder didn’t want to make this a bigger deal than it was, so he obeyed, following her out of the room. She didn’t look at him the entire journey from Skinner’s office to their own, and when they got there, she closed the door behind him.

“I knew we shouldn’t have done that, I knew it,” she said to herself, her hands going over her face.

“What’s the big deal, Scully?” Mulder asked, honestly. “It’s not like they have any actual proof.”

“They don’t need proof to destroy us, Mulder!” she said firmly. “To destroy me!”

“You?” he asked. “Scully, this isn’t about you. It’s about the X-Files. It’s about me.”

She shook her head. “You don’t get it, do you?” He didn’t. “This is most definitely not about you, Mulder. If word of this gets out…” she looked around the office frantically, moving away from him, standing behind his chair. She bit her lip, thinking hard. Her expression was inscrutable.

She looked so upset he immediately backed down. “Scully, tell me,” he said. “Tell me what you're worried about.”

“It’s not the same for you, Mulder,” she explained. “You could sleep with anyone you want to in this building and the worst that would happen would be a clap on the back and a high five.”

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay,” he said, walking over to her. He pulled her in close, knowing full well it was probably the last thing he should be doing right now, but making her feel better any way he could was all he wanted. Luckily, she let him. He wrapped his arms around her and laid his head on top of hers. She took a deep breath against his chest and he could feel her calming down.

It gave him pause that she was so concerned about this. Surely anyone who found out would have to know this wasn’t about how it looked on the outside, but about what they were to each other. Did she think this was just a game to him? Just a temporary situation?

They both stood in the middle of the basement office, arms around one another in silence for a long time. It felt like there were things they both needed to say, but as usual, they were struggling to make themselves heard.

She leaned back and looked up at him. “We need to be more careful, okay?”

He nodded. “Whatever you need, Scully.”

“No more consorting on assignments,” she said firmly. “I mean it.”

He nodded, as dreams of any future late-night case rendezvous flitted away like a frightened flock of birds. “Okay.”

She looked at him for a minute, then turned to grab her coat. “I think I’m going to go home for the day.”

He blinked. “Why?” He looked at his watch, which said 4:19. They’d be leaving in less than an hour anyway, presumably together.

“I just need to get out of here.”

“All right,” he said dubiously. “Do you want me to turn in our field reports?”

She shook her head and took the neatly stacked pile from the desk. “No, I’ll do it.”

“Will you… still come over later?” They’d had plans to stay at his place.

She looked thoughtful. “Yes, just… let’s be careful, okay?”

He’d never seen Scully behave like this. He wondered where all this paranoia was back when they’d been bugged by the NSA, or the DOD, or all manner of government agencies that had tailed them for far more diabolical reasons.

“Okay, I’ll make sure there are no camera crews outside my place.”

She looked at him. “I’m serious, Mulder.”

He nodded. Now wasn’t the time for jokes, clearly. “Sorry. Message received.”

She turned to go, and when she was gone he felt the first stirrings of real concern that this relationship was not going to be the smooth sailing he’d hoped it would be.

In any event, he was prepared to do whatever she needed to make her comfortable. To get them to a place where they could move forward, truly forward.

***

Scully stepped into the elevator after turning in the reports. She hit the down button, backed up against the wall, and as the doors slowly closed a hand darted between them, followed closely by a male agent she didn’t know. He was blond and tall and sweaty.

He stepped into the elevator and glanced over at Scully as he pressed his own floor. The doors closed and they were alone with the quiet whine of descent.

The man did a double take and something like recognition crossed his face.

“Agent Scully, right?” he asked her.

She wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries, much less inside an elevator, so she nodded politely and stared straight ahead.

“Yeah,” he said in a long, drawn-out voice. “I thought it was you.”

“Excuse me?” she asked, not really wanting to engage, but at the same time mildly curious as to his meaning.

“Oh, nothing.” He stepped closer, too close, until he was standing right beside her. She shifted slightly away from him, but there wasn’t much room for her to move. “Just heard something about you.”

A chill went up her spine and her cheeks felt hot. She wasn’t an idiot, she knew exactly what this was.

“I like what I heard,” he drawled. He was breathing heavily. She felt bile rising in the back of her throat.

She looked up at the indicator lights as they ticked down floor by floor. Just a few seconds to go…

A few seconds was all the man needed to reach an arm out behind her and grab her backside.

*ding*

She didn’t have the time or the wherewithal to look for a badge before the elevator doors opened, granting her the sweet relief of escape. She charged forward, not wanting to cause a scene that would surely uncover everything she’d been trying so hard to hide, and brushed past the people waiting to step in.

She had no idea what floor she was on, so she waited around the corner for the elevator to depart, then decided to take the stairs instead.

The tears didn’t come until she was safely inside her car.

to be continued...