#like NEW scenarios? without existing conflict to build off of??

[wereshrew-admirer]

scratching at the walls

[justhereforqsmp]

QSMP Theories: What’s going to happen on Day 6?

Before the fated day arrives, here’s some theories and (possible) coping on how the eggs will return/ still be instrumental to the plot of QSMP in some way.

Scenario 1: The Most Messed Up Ever (probably not going to happen but I thought of it while theorizing and it broke my heart)

On the dawn of Day 6, the players log in and the egg task is a little different:

Take a life from another egg as a lethal task. (The eggs themselves or the parents for the original ticket families—so Phil killing an egg wouldn’t count for Tallulah, for example)

So if you refuse to do it, your egg loses a life.. but at the same time everyone else is pressured to hunt for eggs

THIS WOULD BE SO MESSED UP AND SO DEVASTATING. But it would be so interesting and so so angsty and build so much conflict. Perhaps the Binary Entity corrupted the code that gives the egg tasks, or this is just the final stage of the experiment

There are not enough lives to go around, so even if the eggs with double lives gave up one life for another egg, they would still need to take a life from another egg.

Those who refuse to kill would have to worry about those willing to kill to keep their egg. The possible betrayals. The possible sacrifices! And weirdly enough the parents without eggs may end up being neutral chaotic parties that can help or hurt the other families.

- Imagine Tallulah refusing to kill another egg, offering up her lives to others while her family would probably start murdering to protect her

- Bobby )::: he’s already done a little bit of forgiving, but he’s also all about combat. I think it would be incredibly meaningful if he refused to take another egg’s life in the end because he recognizes it’s meaningless. As an alternative Jaiden and Roier could suddenly turn on the others in order to save their beloved son.

- Imagine Gegg being exposed as Gegg because people tried to kill him to satisfy the requirement (Imagine if it works, and the loophole lets the eggs survive one more day?)

This would ensure there is a last survivor (unless somehow the last two eggs kill each other at the exact same time) for a family to win the “happiest egg” prize while the others receive punishment

Would break up and shake up the existing friendships, creating the possibility for new dynamics that the new players could more easily fit into! ….and also be super super tragic

Scenario 2: Missing

They just log on… and there are no eggs ): Deserted. Absolutely devastating. Gone not with a bang, but with a whimper. The signs left behind ): The gardens and houses and nurseries ):

But the announcement days that the Children will die so I doubt they’d just disappear. I think omelettes will be made.

(If the eggs are kidnapped/taken/dissapeared : What if Gegg goes too because the experimenters recognize him as an egg, and we het an interesting Charlie POV on behind the scrnes of the experiment?)

Scenario 3: The Mother Dragon arrives/Scenario 4: The Binary Entity

Maybe they can fight off the dragon/Binary Entity or maybe the babies perish in an impossible fight to stay by their caretakers side.

Scenario 5: The QSMP Federation

They’re definitely somehow involved?? It’s still unclear what the relationships between the entities of the island are, what their goals are, etc.

Scenario 6: Poison??

The eggs get weaker and weaker over the course of the day. No enemies to fight, just a slow, sad sort of thing. Lots of goodbyes ): No enemy to fight, just helpless despair

^^^ This could be because of the experimenters?? The eggs were created to, so maybe they just… are made to die after this stage of the experiment is over, like a slow decay. Who knows.

Scenario 7: (a little troll, but it leads into my next theory for what happens next)

The new members arrive in an airplane that crashlands onto Quesadilla Island. All the eggs are in one place when the airplane crashes and boom! All dead

Scenario 8 (added just today, based on Tallulah’s Nightmare…)

QSMP Federation? Binary Entity? An overwhelming number of mobs spawning on the island purposefully to overwhelm and turn the QSMP into tower defense simulator? Who knows?

(Source: QSMPEN updates on twitter, BadBoyHalo’s stream)

And hey it says all turns black which means MAYBE NOT DEATH

POST-DAY 6 Theories

While it would have been nice to stay in slice of life egg mode for forever, Philza and Wilbur’s sleep schedules are suffering with the obligation to log on and take care of the eggs, and likely streamers from different timezones will be joining so unless there are more eggs coming out of nowhere it’ll be weird to have some players with eggs and some players without (excepting… the ones who have already lost their eggs in rp)

ALSO I mean come on we as the audience live for the drama and new things happening in the story… even though it comes at the cost of the egg’s safety…there is much still to learn about Quesadilla Island.

And, since there will be more members, there won’t be as much of a need for a log on requirement for the server to be somewhat active every day.

BUT!! “Post-Egg Arc” kind of implies that the eggs are a self contained event, but I really do believe the eggs will still be super important to the future of the server— even if it wasn’t planned that everyone would get so attached at first, it’s clear they’ve become well beloved characters and most importantly, the majority of the players are attached and will do anything for them.

Like DMs and NPCs that the players will be motivated to keep safe, the eggs are a powerful tool to drive plot and for the players to ask questions and dig deeper. After the 6 days, even one CRUMB or HINT that the eggs could return, or that they’re being kept somewhere (like in the case in the 5 min period we get to see Juanaflippa, Tilin and Huevo Trump again), or how to revive them would like. The players would do anything to have more time with their eggs!! I doubt that the OOC storytellers or the in character overlords of the QSMP experiment would give up this method of control over player motivation.

But what if the egg plot and the new players are tied together? It’s happening on the same day…

APRIL 28TH UPDATE: that’s a shipping container. They’re in a plane or a boat??? Friends the eggs are going to be crushed by a shipping container (/j)

I welcome any and all fellow theory crafters to add their thoughts and predictions!!! Also I’m excited for the new players, unfortunately I know nothing about them— if any of you are fans or have heard of them, I’d like to hear of the,!

[cyberbenb]

I survived a Russian torture camp. So I had to see Assad's Sednaya prison

Editor’s Note: Stanislav Aseyev is a Ukrainian writer, journalist, veteran, and a survivor of the Izolyatsia prison in Russia-occupied Donetsk, infamous for its torture of prisoners. He was the first Ukrainian journalist to see to the Sednaya prison and death camp in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in 2024.

This piece was originally published in Ukrainian on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. It has been translated and republished with the author’s permission.

I conceived this piece as an attempt to compare the modern systems of dehumanization that still exist and function in different corners of the world.

After spending 2.5 years in Russia’s secret prison Izolyatsiya and enduring its torture regime, I felt it was essential, both as a survivor and a writer, to examine the elements of a similar system on another continent. Are these systems shaped by ethnic factors, or is the extreme cruelty humans inflict on one another simply a manifestation of our species’ inherent inclination for sadism? Syria’s Sednaya prison serves as yet another argument for the latter view, challenging the very notion of humanity’s ethical progress.

Through the valley, to the shadow of death

Beirut. It’s 18 degrees Celsius. The hum of an Israeli drone overhead, chaotic traffic, bombed-out buildings, yellow Hezbollah advertisements, checkpoints, and men with bright balloons against a backdrop of ruins.

I ask my guide who they are. “Refugees,” they say — Syrians and Palestinians trying to make a living, however meager, by selling balloons, fish, and birds — literally pushing them into car windows. Meanwhile, motorcyclists narrowly avoid collisions, cut off by dented cars: Finding a car without damage in Beirut is nearly impossible, and no one seems to care anymore.

This is where the road to Syria’s Sednaya prison begins — another of humanity’s grim discoveries in the realm of torture and executions.

An aerial photo shows people gathering at the Sednaya prison in Damascus, Syria on Dec. 9, 2024, following the fall of the ruling regime. (Omar Haj Kadour / AFP via Getty Images)

One can now enter Bashar al-Assad’s death camp only through Lebanon.

I arrived in the country accompanied by officers from Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR). They are tasked with evacuating Ukrainian citizens from Syria and simultaneously ensuring my safe passage to Sednaya with the highest possible level of security.

The issue of safety begins in the Beqaa Valley, where we must travel to reach the Syrian border. Like Beirut, the valley is fragmented into various zones of influence but in a more chaotic and informal way. The term “control” here is relative — no one controls anything completely in Beqaa.

The valley is divided between Hezbollah and local gangs involved in arms, drug, and human trafficking. It encompasses both small, ordinary towns and isolated hideouts in the mountains, where various groups take refuge. Additionally, some Russians have partially moved into Beqaa after fleeing Homs, which was the worst piece of news for me amid all the other risks. I was warned about this back when we were in Istanbul, heading here.

Crossing the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon on the way to Sednaya prison in Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Having received some guarantees of safety, we reach the Lebanese-Syrian border, where an unusual situation arises regarding our passports.

The issue is that Syria does not currently stamp passports for entry or exit due to the ongoing change of power. This creates a strange scenario: You leave Lebanon seemingly for nowhere and return as if from nowhere, judging by your passport stamps.

Before departing Beirut for the Syrian border, we had conflicting information about who controls the border, including the possibility that it might be entirely unguarded.

However, at the very first checkpoint, we encounter men in military uniforms — members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, effectively the new Syrian regime. The second checkpoint is under the same group’s control, though the scene is slightly different: About a dozen armed civilians rush to the vehicle, shouting and gesturing for us to move quickly.

At the Syrian border, entering from Lebanon, on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Syrian Border, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Upon entering Syria, the changes in the country become immediately apparent: Syrians have removed or painted over Bashar al-Assad’s portraits wherever possible, replaced the red stripe on the national flag with a green one, and added a star, and just outside Damascus, you come across burned-out tanks and even a destroyed Russian Pantsir air defense system.

L-C: Defaced portrait of Bashar al-Assad seen in Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. R: Destroyed Russian-made Pantsir air defense system seen in Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

‘The human slaughterhouse’

In Damascus, we are met by Ali, a representative of the new regime, who has agreed to accompany us to Sednaya. The prison is about a 30-minute drive from the capital.

Even as we approach this concentration camp, its scale is staggering. It resembles a small, enclosed city, surrounded by barbed-wire fences, watchtowers, and, reportedly, a perimeter laden with landmines.

During our visit, the prison caught fire, shrouding its grounds and buildings in acrid smoke.

One of the buildings of the Sednaya prison in Syria, seen on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Sednaya, Bashar al-Assad’s Prison, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Sednaya, Bashar al-Assad’s Prison, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Sednaya, Bashar al-Assad’s Prison, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

The first thing that catches your eye on the grounds of Sednaya is the haphazardly dug pits surrounding the camp. These are the results of searches for underground prison chambers, where the majority of the inmates were believed to have been held.

The pits dug around the Sednaya prison during the search for underground chambers, seen on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Searching for underground chambers, Sednaya, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Though we arrived in Sednaya late in the day, even at that hour, we encountered a Syrian family walking through the prison grounds, desperately searching for any trace of their relatives who had been detained there.

Every building had already been searched, but such families still hope to find hidden underground chambers whose entrances may have been overlooked.

Relatives post photographs of their loved ones around the grounds — people who disappeared behind the prison’s walls many years ago.

Of everything I witnessed in Sednaya, this was, for me personally, the most haunting sight.

Photos of prisoners sought by their families, posted on the territory of the Sednaya prison in Syria, seen on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Photos of prisoners sought by their families, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

After the prison administration seemingly vanished into thin air, abandoning thousands of inmates in their cells, no one can definitively say how many people were held here — or might still be here.

It is evident that if underground floors exist, no one has provided food or, worse, water to any prisoners there for weeks. This makes the likelihood of finding anyone alive in such chambers slim. The entire site feels like a cemetery, but one that still stirs with faint signs of life.

On our way back, Ukrainian citizens evacuated from Syria by the Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence recounted that in Latakia, nearly everyone has acquaintances or relatives who had been imprisoned during Assad’s regime.

One former prisoner recalled counting 72 stairs when he was led, hooded, up from his cell to another level, and then back.

The use of underground detention practices was prevalent here, much like it is in Russia.

What Russia’s army in Syria stands to lose after fall of Assad

The Kremlin confirmed on Dec. 11 that longtime Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad had fled to Moscow after rebels took the capital city of Damascus in a lightning offensive that shocked the world. Assad’s exile in Russia comes as little surprise. The Kremlin had invested heavily in propping up the

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Are they still in the dungeons or already executed?

However, the search for underground chambers at Sednaya yielded no results, and by the time of our visit, it had been called off. According to our guide, Ali, the theory of underground facilities is based on information from two sources.

Ali, a representative of the new Syrian regime, and Stanislav Aseyev (R) in Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

First, some of those released from Sednaya recount being held in windowless rooms for a time before being moved upstairs. Second, according to Syria’s Interior Ministry, the number of prisoners at Sednaya was estimated to be in the tens of thousands, while only about 2,000 have been freed. However, this argument is undermined by the torture and execution chambers at the prison, which had been set up for large-scale operations.

The discovery of a press used for crushing people, the so-called “acid room,” and systematic executions that human rights organizations have documented all these years suggest that the Assad regime has simply killed the missing prisoners.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London and monitoring the war in Syria, more than 30,000 prisoners were executed or died from starvation, medical neglect, or torture between 2011 and 2018.

Entrance to Sednaya’s administrative area, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Entrance to Sednaya’s administrative area, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Administrative area of Sednaya, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Cages where prisoners were held before filtration into cells, Sednaya, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Abandoned room of Sednaya’s administration, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

The first floor of Sednaya housed administrative facilities such as the kitchen. There was also something resembling a “temporary detention isolation unit,” where those recently brought to the camp were held in cages before being sent to the upper floors.

Above these areas was the prison’s administration’s offices. The administrative staff of Sendaya has fled, all of them.

The upper floors of Sednaya were designated for prisoners: Divided into three blocks, they housed thousands of inmates in nearly bare cells. Ali mentions that in some cells, up to 50 people were crammed in, forcing the prisoners to sleep on their sides, pressed together to fit on the floor. It’s important to note that this took place in a desert environment, with extreme temperature fluctuations: from scorching heat during the day to freezing cold at night.

I’ve heard of such sleeping arrangements from the criminals I met in the Izolyatsiya prison in Donetsk — a similar practice existed in various penal facilities in Ukraine and Russia in the early 1990s. In general, the survival tactics of prisoners often mirror the methods of control over them, so places like Sednaya, Izolyatsiya, or Abu Ghraib share many common elements.

Prison cells in Sednaya, Syria, as seen on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Sednaya prison cells, as seen on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

A corridor leading to prison cells in the Sednaya prison in Syria, as seen on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Sednaya corridor, Damascus, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

One of the cells, holding around 50 people in Sednaya prison, Damascus, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

A view from a secret compartment at Sednaya Prison after the fall of the Assad regime in Damascus, Syria on Dec.9, 2024. (Anagha Subhash Nair/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Cell with an open feeding hatch in Sednaya prison, Damascus, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

One of the cells, holding around 50 people in Sednaya prison, Damascus, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

What reminds about the executions in Sednaya now are the clothes of the condemned prisoners: their bright orange jumpsuits are scattered across the floor, hang from the ropes, and are intentionally placed near the prison building, for journalists to see.

L: Showers in the Sednaya prison in Syria, as seen on Dec. 20, 2024. R: Death row clothing in the Sednaya prison in Syria, as seen on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

In the final years of its existence, Sednaya became primarily a death camp, where the torture and execution of prisoners were systematic, earning it the grim name of “human slaughterhouse” among locals. Prisoners had their spines broken by special boards, were beaten, raped, starved, and executed, with their remains dissolved in acid.

Death row clothing seen on the floor of the Sednaya prison in Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Death row clothing in Sednaya prison, Damascus, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

Another eerie parallel with Izolyatsiya emerges: During Assad’s reign, Sednaya instilled such fear among Syrians that its name was often whispered in hushed tones to avoid attracting unwanted attention. This evokes comparisons to the infamous Izolyatsiya prison, where even public transport in Donetsk would avoid stopping near the facility due to the fear it inspired.

Today, Sednaya is a thing of the past.

Now, as with any other abandoned Syrian building, the sun shines through its empty cells, illuminating the walls for the cameras of countless journalists, for whom it is just another job.

Sunset at the Sednaya prison, north of Damascus, Syria on Dec. 20, 2024. (Stanislav Aseyev)

One can hope that the suffering here has ended — but only time will tell whether the Syrian people will truly leave it in the past.

Fall of Assad’s regime disrupts Russian army recruitment in Syria

The collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria following a lightning rebel offensive in November has shaken Assad-ally Russia’s near-decade of influence in the country. It has also had one other lesser-known consequence: disrupting Moscow’s ability to recruit Syrian fighters for its war in Ukr…

The Kyiv IndependentKostiantyn Nechyporenko

[its-no-biggie]

okay ive been thinking about this and. i really really like this theory but if i may build on it and take it in a slightly different direction - both kim dokja's and yoo joonghyuk's original split resolves an existing contradiction that is preventing them from moving forward. kim dokjas dissonance is between his two ■■s (or, more literally, whether to get off the subway or not), and yoo joonghyuks is about whether he wants to live or die. so what if, instead of one moment of immense psychological distress in han sooyoung that caused enough dissonance to lead to a split, it was instead a moment that forced her to confront a contradiction that existed in her already and left her torn on how to move forward?

my proposition is that the dissonance was her philosophy as a writer. the han sooyoung who only cares about appeasing the reader (3rd) and the han sooyoung who is determined to tell her own story no matter what anyone thinks (1863). the han sooyoung who plays into the constellations' interests and always goes for the most satisfying resolution, vs the han sooyoung who refined the 1863rd regression into something technically perfect that even kim dokja (who read 3000+ chapters of this terrible novel) didnt want to see. i mean 1863!hsy outright says it

its the conflict between catering to your audience with derivative story beats/cliches, and a well crafted narrative that ends precisely how you want it to regardless of how the reader feels.

in terms of the specific moment that wouldve caused the split, it would definitely be very very early in the scenarios - perhaps even triggered by the start of the scenarios. some struggle about how to proceed with her knowledge of wos and her talents as a writer - perhaps it had to do with her decision to seek out yoo joonghyuk? especially with the way they both treat yoo joonghyuk - 3rd tries to get him on her side asap because hes The Protagonist, but 1863 actively discards him. this also ties into 1863s overall goal, to have her own world to tell a new story, compared to 3rd going out of her way to kill off all the apostles to get back on track with the original wos (aka the safe predictable story she can easily derive from) as quickly as possible.

over and over their philosophies clash even if their methods are strikingly similar. you could even view this split as a sort of "cleansing" from both of their perspectives, which would explain why each of them asserts that they are the original - they have both discarded an annoying voice in the back of their head that prevented them from writing the way they wanted to.

this could even explain why authors are the only ones who get this attribute - this is an internal conflict that every artist has to contend with, but specifically where novels as a medium are so highly commercialized....... where you land on this issue will change the entire course of your career. no wonder 1863!hsy is so bitter - you think she was involved in the creation of sssss grade infinite regressor? that novel was a massive success BECAUSE it was highly derivative and pandered to the audience. hsys 1863rd round was very technically good but was firmly rejected by its audience (and even the star stream itself? given the probability storm immediately followed by [the star stream is looking at incarnation han sooyoung] - you could interpret that as a message from the universe that this kind of story will not be tolerated. something something the star stream is capitalism)

its also worth noting that 1863s ideal story is one that happens in isolation, while 3rd cares only about maximum viewership with no regard for actual quality. these are two extreme approaches that come together in a happy middle by the end (i.e write for yourself AND your audience), with 1863 writing wos for kim dokja and 3rd writing orv for kim dokja. its all about how a story cannot exist without a reader, so an author must have care and respect and love for their audience (which neither version of han sooyoung does at first).

actually i just noticed - 1863 demonstrates greater technical storytelling skill, while 3rd has high adaptability to what the reader wants. and one of them ends up writing a messy rushed serial novel highly responsive to audience feedback, while the other has to carefully weave together a complex story without any reader feedback at all....... another example of them meeting in the middle i suppose.

anyway im obviously extrapolating a lot since 1863!hsy doesnt spend that much time on the page. but i did reread the 1863 arc to make sure i wasnt making completely unsubstantiated claims so. i hope it holds up 👍

Okay. Long incoherent rambling theory post ahead. Specifically, I want to talk about how the Han Sooyoung 'split' happened/how Han Sooyoung got the avatar skill, extrapolating from canon where I can and headcanoning the rest.

Let's start from what she herself says on the topic. 3rd rounds Han Sooyoung tells Kim Dokja, in a conversation about how 'Avatar' works, that the very first time she made an avatar, she gave it too many memories and it 'went out of control' and ran off. This was a friendly conversation and hsy brought it up herself, so there's not really a reason for her to lie here - this is probably close to how she actually remembers the situation.

Which is interesting because 1863rd rounds Han Sooyoung denies this fact and says SHE is the main body and that she left an avatar behind to act as her. Now 1863 could be lying here to unbalance kdj, they were having a battle of words at the time with lying being an explicit part of the game, but she could also be telling the truth and maybe 3rd just doesn't know she's an avatar (like 49%). we don't get a comfirmation either way so that is left ambigous. So. That's a dead end.

Then, how does the Avatar skill evolve in general?

Kim Dokja says the requirements to evolve it is that you need to be in a creative field of some kind (so you have an 'Author' attribute) + under enough psychological distress for your mind to 'split' in a way that orv compares to DID (in not the most tactful way). It's a rare skill so I'm guessing it probably requires both of these to be true at the same time. A key hint is that we do actually get one other example of someone evolving the Avatar skill on screen. 1863rd rounds Yoo Joonghyuk. It goes like this:

So...not exactly a fun time. But actually I'm sensing a pattern here. Both Yoo Joonghyuk and Han Sooyoung, after evolving and using the avatar skill for the first time end up as two sepetate autonomous entities with their own free will - 1863rd!hsy and 3rd!hsy and white and black coat wearing yjh respectively (Kim Dokja too actually - with 49% 51%). So, I think this might be how the skill functions, spontaneously splitting you in half the first time and then both halves of you can make avatars at will after that. Let's assume this is true for the sake of the theory. This conflicts with the way both Han Sooyoungs describe it - they both say they 'created' an avatar the first time BUT I think neither of them were being entirely truthful.

Let's talk about that second parameter. 'Severe psychological distress' in a way similar to that of DID. How I interpret this, based on what we see of 1863rd!yjh, is that there needs to be some fundemental dissonance of core beliefs that cannot exist or be held at the same time, so requires the soul to split in half. For Yoo Joonghyuk it's 'I want to live/I want to die.' (Although Kim Dokja doesnt get the skill in the natural way, I think this concept still holds true. His dissonance is not so explicitly stated but maybe it's something along the lines of 'epilouge/eternity' i.e 'happily ever after OR atonement for his (percieved) sins'.)

But also there's an element of, how do I say this...'purifying self-destruction' to how we see our trio use Avatar. Yoo Joonghyuk takes the blackened and traumatized part of him that wants to die and kills it with a sword, leaving only the part of him that still has hope to regress to the 3rd round, free and unburdened by the weight of bad memories.

You could interpret 51%/49% this way too. The inherent act of Kim Dokja choosing to use this skill to split his soul in half means he did not see another way foward - that psychological distress and belief dissonance is an inherent part of this skill. 49%, the one who get's the 'happily ever after' does not remember needing Ways of Survival, maybe because Kim Dokja couldn't imagine himself having a happy ending with the weight of those specific memories.

But coming back to Han Sooyoung. Just look at the way she uses Avatar in kaizenix. She is a person who does not enjoy being emotionally vulnerable so in any heavy situation she clings to her dry and witty personality like a shield.

Let's just fully realize what she's saying here. When she says she erased the memories of her life deliberately, what she means is that she created an avatar, a sort of 'black coat wearing han sooyoung' and killed it again and again, every year, so she could keep that sarcastic and light hearted attiude. Otherwise she would have become someone like 1863rd rounds Han Sooyoung - hardened and unhappy. And I mean that she literally was on the path of becoming her - she even got 1863rds skill.

She deliberatley brushes off Kim Dokja and doesn't acknowledge the weight of her actions in kaizenix, both waiting for 50 years and killing parts of herself over and over.

And I think this is the sort of mindset she had while telling Kim Dokja about 'creating' an avatar for the first time. She doesn't see the point in potraying herself as vulnerable, so she probably would obscure some details of that story, for example if she was on her knees clutching her head a la 1863rd turns Yoo Joonghyuk at the time. This would seem like a pointless detail to add when the point of the story was that her avatar ran off.

So FINALLY, here's my headcanon on what I think the original belief dissonance was for Han Sooyoung and how she got the Avatar skill.

The split happened very early on in the scenarios. And well, there is one obvious Big Event that might cause someone to have a mental breakdown/identity crisis. The first scenario. I think whoever Han Sooyoung killed, she couldn't deal with the fact she had become a murderer and 'exorcised' those memories - and so 1863 was born, with blood on her hands, in an already destroyed world.

[ellesliterarycorner]

Writing Royals Part 2

 The last part was all tips about how to write royal characters. Writing royalty is probably one of my favorite things, and I love developing the royal court that surrounds my royal characters. Royal courts are honestly one of my favorite parts of history. All the different people crowding around the monarchs, maybe secretly vying for the throne. Every country with a monarchy or any similar system is gonna have a royal court around them. These people included advisors, favorites, ambassadors, and servants. Getting the dynamic of your royal court perfect often depends on how you write these characters, so Here are some basic questions that I asked myself when I was writing my royal court for my current, wip!

How big is the total court?- And when I mean court, I don’t just mean the nobles, I mean like everyone, the cooks, gardeners, everyone. I know I’m using Tudor England a lot as my example, but y’all know the Tudors and Henry Cavill own my heart. Henry the 8th’s official household could have up to 800 people at one time, and anyone of his various Queens could have another 200 people at their disposal. That’s a lot of people.

What factions exist within the court?- In the words of James Madison, factions forming is pretty much inevitable. Inevitably, people are gonna have similar interests and agendas, and those people will often band together to bring down other people who have the opposite agendas as them. Royal factions are some of the best ways to add some intrigue and spicy conflict to your story.

Where does the court meet?- All royal courts center around the Monarch, but where does the monarch live? Does the Monarch move around throughout the year? In my wip, all the Sovereigns live in their own territories during the summer months, but during the winter months, they all live together at Brookshire. The location of your court can play a big role in how power is consolidated in your world. 

Who all is in the court at any given time?- This questions is probably one of the most important questions when you’re building your royal court. The people close to the monarch who protect them, love them, or spy on them. These people, in some scenarios, might have more control over the country than the monarch themselves. They might scheme to control the monarch, marry them, or kill them. 

For your convenience, here is a list of people that might be at a royal court at any given time sourced from: https://ryanlanz.com

The monarch(s) – Regardless of what titles you give them, this person or duo is the center of a royal court; she defines the rest of the court. If the monarch consists of two people they are most likely either married or siblings, sometimes both depending on the culture and age.

The monarch’s family – people related to the monarch by blood, adoption or marriage fall into this category, and these people might or might not have their own titles and additional positions, though not necessarily always officially. Consider how younger royal siblings might be sent places to be married off, and be expected to function as ambassadors without the pay, or the many hats that a dowager queen might wear in her “retirement.”

Ambassadors – these men and women come from other kingdoms but they’re vital to functioning on a wider scale. They communicate their lady’s desires, intents and goals, as well as bring her insider news from the courts where they are appointed. When things are going well, they command a lot of respect and power, but if their two countries are on the outs, their lives are almost certainly in danger. Keep in mind too that ambassadors are likely to have their own households, and there might be a junior ambassador in play as well.

Nobles – At any given time, a royal court is bound to be packed with the country’s gentry, there to doing things such as discuss business, introduce a child for courting, serve the crown for their appointed time or because they are so active in politics because they make their home wherever the Queen does. Unlike ambassadors who are primarily going to be focused on inter-country negotiations, noblemen and women will have their own agendas to further their families, and while you’d like to think that they’re all loyal to the crown and their country, sometimes their own ambitions might get in the way.

Court Fool/Jester – We like to think of the court fool as someone who is, genuinely, a fool, but that’s often not the case. The Fool is a useful tool for the monarch because he distracts the court, and more often than not acts as a spy, passing along tidbits of overheard information or sightings–after all, who pays attention to the simpletons?

Courtiers – Courtiers are different from nobles in that they are people whose talents or ambition have brought them to court seeking the next rung on their ladder, rather than people whose daily business has brought them to the Queen’s presence. They are here to make a name for themselves, and can almost always be counted on to act in their own best interests, unless motivated by an exceptional force. These types are often at court on their own dime.

Resident military commanders – Military commanders are not likely to be regular fixtures at court, as they’re needed with their forces. But the highest ranking among them are going to be in nearly constant contact with the monarch (or the monarch’s representative, as is sometimes the case) and that will often necessitate being physically present at court.

Guests – Whether from outside of the country, rich or poor, landed or not, the royal court is ALWAYS going to have guests, and a well-established court is going to have provisions for housing and caring for a large number of them. A person’s station and/or possible value to the crown might determine wherein a castle they are housed and how they are treated, but if you write in a few guests consider that their perspective could be useful in defining the court as a whole.

Semi-permanent guests – These guests are people who don’t necessarily belong at court, and while their stay might be lengthy, it is well established that it will not be permanent. Examples of these kinds of people might be businessmen appointed to oversee some long term prospects, or the children of foreign nobles who have been sent to another country to be educated.

The monarch’s favorites – These could be really good characters for you to develop in depth. They’re essentially wild cards, and as they are favorites of the Queen, they have the potential to be outlandish or scandalous, hated or misunderstood, but the love and blind eye from the Queen keeps them nearby… tethered.

Royal lords and ladies – It will be rare for any ruler to find themselves alone; their personal attendants live to see to their needs and are never going to be far from hand. These politically powerful positions are likely to be jostled over a great deal, especially if the monarch is young, and might overlap somewhat with the royal favorites. Sometimes these people are lifelong companions and sometimes they are placed strategically close to the monarch for certain goals but regardless of how they came to be there, they are likely to share in the fine things, wealth, power and danger that surrounds a royal.

Sponsored artists – Sponsored artists could easily be labeled courtiers, except that it wasn’t usually their idea to come to court, and they’re not there for their own ambition. If the wealthy of your world are at all inclined to supporting the arts – drawing, painting, writing, performance, design, etc – they’re likely going to want to show off their investments, so in this regard these artists are usually nothing more than accessories. Though being a court is always a good way to increase one’s sales.

Guards – Any court is likely to have several levels of protective personnel, all the way from those hired by the royal household to keep the general peace and take care of grunt work  to personal, more elite bodyguards. This is another varied group that can include any number of peoples, skill level, objectives and professional capacity, but everybody who’s anybody is going to have one or two. Eunuchs might also fall into this category–those maimed men who have been conscripted in guarding typically women whose virtue is deemed vitally important.

Servants – Another highly varied group, but no less vital to the functioning of a royal castle and court. Servants might hold roles such as cooks, head cooks, librarians, messengers, laundresses, seamstresses, housekeeping, tasters, children’s nurses, ushers, grooms, heralds, and gardeners. If you world isn’t very progressive, some of these roles might also be filled with slaves or bonded servants.

Harem members – This again will depend largely on your story itself, but if the King or Queen is going to be flitting from bed to bed, there’s likely to be a group of bedmates hanging around for royal pleasure. Whether or not this group is well respected or received (or even publically visible) is up to you.

[endlich-allein]

Interview with Till about his life: he fought with his father, killed his beloved dog, swam on a wild river and worked on suffering. How Till Lindemann's mind works

"I will finish you off" and why you fought for the German army.

Werner Lindemann wanders around the room, interrupting the silence with strange questions, writing something down. His motive is to get to know his son and make him a friend. But it's complicated. Generational conflict.

"My island of tranquility is shaken every day. The day before yesterday, a guy pulled on my socks because his were torn. Yesterday he didn't put out a single lamp in the house. Now, with voluptuous delight, he spits cherry pits into the cat's fur. Is this grown boy really an adult?"

The apprenticeship in Rostock, where you have to do window production after graduation, is the limit of boredom. Till Lindemann moved to his father in the countryside so that he could forget about the hustle and bustle of the city and not fall under the article for anti-social attitudes. He thought of a new life, in which there was no pointless work, and arranged an attic in his father's house.

In the mornings over coffee, he scolded life that everything went according to schedule. And listened very loudly to music - electronics and metal. My father didn't understand and grumbled: “I matured late. Naturally, I wanted to listen to the music I liked, but I could not get my hands on these records. For example, my father did not understand when I bought the Alice Cooper record for a month's salary.

Werner Lindemann was a children's writer who went through the war.

At the height of his career he disappeared for weeks on literary tours - his fame spread to teachers and librarians across the country. His father pecked at Lindemann for refusing to work and promised to turn him in:

"My willful child. What doesn't fit his standards is rejected as nonsense or crap." So he took a job as a carpenter, where he made shovel cuttings and cart wheels. The head foreman constantly drank vodka during the day, didn't want to be annoyed with questions and addressed the long-haired Lindemann with the nickname: "Mozart!" This suited him.

Werner Lindemann talked about war, hard existence and limitations. For example, about a grenade splinter that remained in his body. Lindemann did not believe in all these stories - but categorically did not accept service, war and murder:

“After that I objected: “I would hide, I would not go to war. Why did you even let yourself be dragged into this? You could have hidden."

And he said: “It didn't work out. They searched for it and it took away."

Then I said: “I would rather go under arrest. Never in my life, I would go to the front line to shoot people. It's against my nature. It would be better if I went to jail."

Much of the time father and son were simply silent, even while watching television.

"He regularly made me feel guilty, to say the least, he placed himself on a pedestal towards me: I shouldn't complain. At your age, I ran barefoot through the stubble, and in my stomach - a potato in a uniform."

The only acceptance is Mike Oldfield's music: "One day my father came to grumble again. At that moment I was listening to Mike Oldfield, and he sat down and said: "That sounds interesting."

For me it was like a quantum leap: my father sits in my room, listens to my music and thinks it was good. Probably because of melancholy. He was sitting in a rocking chair that I made myself - at the time I was working as a carpenter on a farm. I, too, always sat in an armchair, immersed myself in music and smoked hand-rolled cigarettes."

The conflict was intensified by a fight. Lindemann bought a Trabant car, installed speakers in it and tested the sound - loud as usual. “Then my father came and I had to turn off this fucking music. It was kind of loud for him. He was then fiddling around his cases of flowers, and then suddenly the situation escalated. I think he slapped me while I was still in the car.

He leaned toward me and hit me with the back of his hand. I made some bullshit remarks like, "Leave me alone," something like that. That was a provocation to him, and he said: "If you do that again, I'll hit you for real." And I said, "Then you'll get it back. Because you're crazy. Don't you dare to hit me anymore."

And then he hit me with his palm again. He wasn't controlling himself.

He was exalting himself. Instantly he introduced himself as a boxer - he had boxed in the Hitler Youth - and I just... I thought I didn't hit him, I just pushed him away. And then he stood in front of me again, "Come on, I'll finish you, you haven't got a chance!" Somehow. After that, he went up to the attic and threw all my stuff out the window.

It happened over the weekend, my sister was there, a lot of screaming, serious drama. Then I packed my things, put them in the car, went to a friend's house and never went into his house again. At first I lived with this friend, and a week later I bought myself a house in the village."

His father's book is about his son, which the son will only open up after the death of the father.

Lindemann is a late child. He was born when his father was 36. The gap in their relationship was felt in everyday life and perception of the world. Werner Lindemann woke up early in the morning, worked with the circular saw under the windows and did not understand when his son slept until noon after a working week.

Lindemann's parents then lived separately, but kept in touch. Mom worked as a journalist and discussed her texts with his father. "She still lived in Rostock and always came to see him only on weekends. Mostly on Sundays she came back quite early, because she couldn't stand the stress of being with him, either."

In 1988, the book “Mike Oldfield im Schaukelstuhl Notizen eines Vaters" In this book, Lindemann Senior describes the relationship with his son (whom he calls Timm in the book), who settled with him at the age of 18. The book was written in the 80s and laid on the table until the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany were reunited.

Werner Lindemann wanted his son to take up writing too. But this only amused him, although as a child he wrote poetry. At the age of 13, little Till Lindemann and his father were returning home along the bumpy road to Mecklenburg. They talked about career self-determination:

"You should already have thoughts about what you want to become, boy." My answer: "I don't know yet, maybe a fisherman on the high seas."

But immediately, no matter what I said, objections arose: “But then you have to get a certificate of maturity. But then you will be away all the time. But then you won't be able to start a relationship."

There was always a “but”.

At some point it got on my nerves, as usual. And I said: "Worst case scenario, I'll just become a writer.

I still remember how alienated his face became. "And what do you think then, what do I do! It's a very hard job! In fact, it's not even a job, it's a passion. And it's a job that's supposed to be enjoyable."

I said, "I don't know anybody who works with pleasure."

"Yeah, that's the problem. You have to look for a job that gives you pleasure." Then I say again, "But some people never get to choose..." This gigantic discussion happened because I didn't take his profession seriously. At the same time, he was completely lost, funny!"

Lindemann thoughtfully read his father's book, in which he comprehends their relationship, after his death. Faked for hidden anger and indecision. For example, in a situation where their dog Kurt was bitten by a fox. The father was frightened because of rabies: “At the same time, we did not even know whether he was bitten by a fox or not. The father immediately called the huntsman. But I said: no one will enter this courtyard and shoot the dog. I'll do it myself if I really need it. At some point I really had to kill the dog."

Lindemann is not a monster. The animals he fiddled with are an important attribute of childhood. He had an aquarium and hamsters, brought mice and rats home, and was friends with dogs. “Like many children of new buildings, he felt the need for someone alive, in need of love,” said Werner Lindemann. Sometimes the appearance of an animal in the house was surprising:

“This guy will never say what he's up to. He appears on the doorstep at the same time as me. He gets out from his vehicle, throws his coat open and puts a young black shepherd in my hands. "Your Christmas present!"

Till's father is speechless. My son stands before me like the sun's little brother. Touchingly concerned, he directs me into the house, working out a plan for the animal husbandry, accommodation and diet of our new pet housemate.

With confusion, a question flies from my lips, "Wheredid you get the dog from?" "Timm" is gibbering, "Imagine, the mason in the barnyard wanted to hang him, simply wanted to strangle him with a rope, said he was a worthless eater..."

Werner Lindemann died of stomach cancer in 1993, when his son was 30. They didn't finally reconcile, but Till visited him in his last days and was there for him with his mother: "They couldn't be without each other, even though they lived apart. Unreal, but my mother never had another man afterwards. To this day she can't let go of him."

- Not going to the Olympics in Moscow and ending up in the German ghetto

Lindemann had the knowledge and the potential to be a swimmer. And a shyness that pounded harder three days before the competition than concerts in front of crowds of thousands. "I know how difficult it is to develop willpower and stamina and instill those attributes. In the GDR this was instilled in us by coaches and so-called functionaries."

Lindemann came to swimming at the age of eight and devoted his entire youth to the sport. He would get up for training at five in the morning and pass out in the evening. His grandmother watched him from the stands. At a competition in Leipzig she shouted at the coach, who told Lindemann off for a poor result. The grandmother took the coach by the ear and said: "How do you talk to my grandson?"

Sports tightened up his upbringing and developed self-discipline. “Drilling - probably the boy has already received this experience as a swimmer,” Lindemann's father wrote. - Once he had to take second place in a competition, but by no means first place. Of course, he got carried away, forgot about it, became the first, thanks to which he received a shouting for indiscipline. And whenever he lost in the future, his coach would torture him at practice for a long time and yelled at him: "Even if you win, you're not a winner yet!"

Lindemann swam the 1.5 km freestyle and could have gone to the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. Everything was ruined when he left the hotel without permission during a competition in Florence: "I didn't want to run, but just wanted to look at the city. Cars, bikes, girls. I was caught and kicked out of the team, but then I didn't give the required results either."

Lindemann competed at the European Junior Championships, but did not go any higher. After the story in Florence, his career in sport slipped away. Perhaps an abdominal injury influenced his departure. Lindemann is gone, but he doesn't yearn: "I was relatively young. There were no good [memories] left. I was glad it was over."

"The hardest part was getting back to normal. I fell into a real hole. My home was no longer a sports school, but a ghetto in Rostock. Now I stood out through drinking and fighting. I used to be surrounded only by beautiful ladies who were interested in swimming. Now I had fierce women standing in front of me asking, "How come you don't drink?" When I was shy about approaching a girl, it was interpreted as: "Are you gay?"

Lindemann now works with a coach and swims a few kilometers before his tours to get in shape: "When I exercise, I feel a certain lightness - not only physically, but also mentally. I just feel better. The main problem is staying in shape. That's where self-discipline comes into play. Teeth grinding is important."

- Three weeks in the wild and loneliness as a creative tool

Emotionally, concerts = sports:

"How do I go on tour? Hungry. And happy. It is good to compare concerts with sport. You don't want to do both at first. You don't want to go on stage. You don't want to go to the pool. You don't want to go to the boxing ring. It all happens with reluctance. It has to be accepted somehow, that's life: spring, summer, fall, winter.

When it's done, winter's gone, the blooming begins, greenery appears, it gets bright, and you start to get a taste for it. When it's over, you feel happy. Then the body produces a sea of chemistry, a lot of happiness hormones. I think the body rewards itself."

The stage, like sports, is an embarrassment, but a necessity. Lindemann wore dark glasses in order to collect fewer views from the audience. Therefore, a couple of steps before the water, he looked at the pool with a shiver. You need to cope with yourself in order to open up to new emotions.

Lindemann's gut requires solitude and moderate solitude. This is the point:

“Loneliness is always good for a creative push - you drink a glass of wine and you feel even shitier. Art is not complete without suffering; art exists to compensate for suffering."

With his friend Joey Kelly, Lindemann spent three weeks on the Yukon River. They paddled through the wilderness in a kayak for eight to 10 hours each and lived in a tent. Lindemann didn't take a tape recorder with him, so he transferred the lyrics wandering in his head on paper.

They were catching inspiration and atmosphere:

"There were times when we wouldn't say a word for hours, but then: look there, look there! It was breathtakingly beautiful. These relatively fast-changing panoramas and skies, layers of clouds, the colors.

Except for a few bears and wolves, it's hard to see anyone else out there, it's exhilarating. Along the way we saw two hunters setting traps. No one else.

I grew up in the countryside, and I have a very strong connection to nature. I love fishing, hunting. It's an archaic experience that I like to revisit over and over again. When I'm in the city for too long, I start to miss it."

To recreate situations in the Yukon, Lindemann and Kelly trained for nine months on the Rhine river in Germany because of its liveliness.

"We went down the Rhine to where the transport ships create huge bow waves. If we hadn't had a coach with us, we probably would have been sunk by the side wave impact already during our first attempt," Lindemann said.

Together with Kelly, he had four sessions with two coaches and swam from Cologne to Koblenz [more than 100 kilometers by car]. Lindemann trained separately each week on the lakes in Mecklenburg. It's both physically challenging and savage identical to being natural.

In 2015, Till started his solo project Lindemann. On the album Skills In Pills, the song Yukon was released, in which the lyrics appeared first, and then the music.

- "My lyrics come from pain rather than desire."

The country boy is big and not much of a talker. That's how the Rammstein members saw him at the start, when they were hanging out at home. "He looked cool, like a big peasant talking one sentence an hour," keyboard player Christian "Flake" Lorenz recalled. - He always had food and vodka. He'd just steal a couple of ducks somewhere and cook them on a tray. And then, frozen like in Sleeping Beauty, there were people lying in corners and on trunks in his house."

Lindemann loves and appreciates home gatherings. This came from my father, who always had guests. “In my opinion, this is the little bit that I inherited from him. Throwing parties and gathering people. Throwing parties and getting people together. He just enjoyed being a good host. The house was always full of guests from Leipzig, from Rostock, foreign guests, even from Kazakhstan.

It was always exciting for him. He stood at the stove, cooked, bought an abundance of wine, and there was always a fire in the garden. At some point he stopped drinking, then he left the party at 21:00 and the whole company continued to feast. And in the morning he got up at four, cleaned and tidied up."

Till Lindemann is about self-digging, overcoming and childish shyness, which is covered by a pumped-up figure of a swimmer. This is how Lindemann decrypts himself:

• “And I really am like a big child - ill-mannered, but harmless. People think that I am always strong, explosive. This is not true. I am sensitive and easily hurt, but in love I am romantic and passionate."

• “At the very beginning, you sit somewhere in a dark room, open a bottle of wine and figure out how to make the lyrics popular with the music. At first you only have a vague idea of ​​what it could be.

And when, three years after recording, mixing, and more mixing, developing the artwork, all this nonsense, then you stand on stage, and what you came up with then really works, when you manage to get 20 thousand people to raise their hands, then you experience incredible sensations."

• “Art is a kind of therapy.

When I feel that something is arising inside me, domineering and is most often dark, I need to give it a way out, otherwise it will simply crush me. So destruction and self-destruction are the two pillars on which my creativity is based.

But everyone chooses this for himself.

• “My lyrics arise from feelings and dreams, but still more from pain than by desire. I often have nightmares, and I wake up at night sweating, as I see terrible bloody scenes in my dreams. My lyrics are a kind of valve for the lava of feelings in my soul.

We are all struggling to hide behind good manners and outward decency, but in fact we are governed by instincts and feelings: hunger, thirst, horror, hatred, the desire for power and sex. Of course, there is also additional energy in us - this is love. Without it, all human feelings would fade away."

- "When you're constantly living someone else's life, it's very hard to get back into your own skin. I like that in principle, but sometimes you start to get confused - are you out of a role or not yet. You're already Till, or you're still a homicidal maniac."

- "I hate the noise. I hate the chatter. I expose myself to it, which is pure masochism. And then I have to protect myself from it. Noise makes you crazy. You die in it."

• “I think there is no God. And if he is and actually allows all the misfortunes on this earth, then he must punish me along with other sufferings. I will not pray to such a god."

This is how the members of Rammstein see Till - flexible and with a split personality:

Guitarist Paul Landers: "Till is so good that when you let him know that his lyrics should go in a different direction, the very next day he brings a new version of the song."

Guitarist Richard Kruspe: “He's a hell of an extreme man. He dives very deeply into situations where I cannot follow him. Everything he does is very extreme; I don't know anyone who does it. "

Drummer Christoph Schneider: "I would not want to be in Till's shoes: his soul is tormented by doubts and contradictions, he is equally a moralist and a monster."

June 1, 2021 - Translate by Lindemann Belgium

[bigskydreaming]

I know that you don't think there should be conflict between Dick and Jason because of Robin and I get that, but I was just wondering since it so often does happen that way or is referenced happening in the past what do you think the most ideal resolution for that would be?

I mean to be honest, I don't think there is any ideal resolution if its JUST between Dick and Jason, is the thing? Like its not even that I dislike the trope because its not canon based, its that it COULD be an okay conflict if it kept the right things centered instead of just casually bringing them up but without ever putting focus on them.

What I mean by that is like....the reason this trope is usually such a problem IMO beyond just being unnecessary, is that.....people always try and just address it as this issue that exists between Dick and JASON.....

Even while acknowledging - but just in passing - that the REAL issue is and always was between Dick and BRUCE.

So like, you can't EVER adequately resolve a conflict IMO, if you're not actually resolving it between the right parties. Its not something that can be 'fixed' just by Dick and Jason because it isn't something that was CAUSED by Dick and Jason. It wasn't even caused by Dick! The conflict in as much as it does exist, stems entirely from possible reactions Dick did or could have had to BRUCE's ACTIONS.

And people keep trying to erase Bruce from that equation on the back end, even while paying lip service to the acknowledgment that he's part of the equation on the front end, and that just doesn't work and it never can, IMO. You're retroactively making it a problem between the wrong people entirely, and it shouldn't be surprising then that resolutions that only involve those specific people don't ever fully adequately resolve the problem caused by another person entirely.

Like, the 'resolution' is almost ALWAYS just Dick saying he realizes he was an ass to Jason and it wasn't Jason's fault, and then makes it all about making it up to Jason. And there's soooooooo many ways to address this issue, that for that to be the one and ONLY resolution we pretty much ever see - and with it not even involving Bruce at all - that's a problem.

There are SO many ways to still have this as a kind of conflict to some degree or another and resolve it WITHOUT just throwing Dick under the bus and acting in PRACTICE like he's the one doing something wrong even while saying something else about Bruce.

But pretty much all of them involve BRUCE doing SOMETHING....because ultimately....it all goes back to Bruce and not Dick.

So if Dick is behaving like an ass to Jason in a story? Dick 'realizing this' and apologizing still isn't that strong a resolution, because either Dick explains his side of things and why he reacted that way, in which case there's a high likelihood that its going to still read to a lot of readers like him weakly making excuses for himself but not actually justifying anything he said or did to Jason in the story....or the other possibility is that Dick takes full responsibility so as to NOT come across as just trying to make excuses for himself, and dives into the reparations and accountability whole-heartedly, in which case Dick never actually gets his side of the story delved into and his emotions and reactions upheld as valid or even just understandable or sympathetic to any meaningful degree.

But the problem I have even here is then.....well, why is it treated like Dick is the only possible person who can even speak up on Dick's behalf? Why does he always have to self-advocate? Even if Bruce is still being obtuse about what he did wrong - Alfred was there, he knows what happened and is more than capable of grasping the real root of Dick being upset, you can have Barbara explain to Jason why this hit Dick so badly and how it really had nothing to do with Jason, one of the other Titans can step in on Dick's behalf, Clark or Diana can say something....

There's a dozen other characters who can advocate FOR Dick and speak up for him TO Jason, explain the FULL situation and try and put Dick in a better light so as not to sour Jason on his new brother and try and preserve whatever potential relationship they build in the future once Dick's better able to move past his hurt or make his peace with it, via Jason having just....more information and being in a position to be more sympathetic about it rather than just hurt and reactive on his OWN behalf - which is literally all Dick is doing in the first place, so Jason's more than capable of understanding that mindset!

Like, Jason's a very empathetic character, and he more than ANYONE else in the Batfam is capable of grasping the nuances of having barely anything left to remember your family by, anything good to hold on to, and to see THAT just given away to a total stranger by someone who has no right to give it away in the first place? Jason is the MOST likely person to be outraged on Dick's behalf if he hears the whole story from someone unlikely to downplay it the way Dick usually does in order to not make Jason feel worse about it. He'd be like...what the fuck, who the fuck thinks that's okay?

It is so, SO easy to preserve Dick and Jason's potential brotherly relationship by just....letting someone else speak for Dick and cast him in a positive light specifically because Dick DOES believe in accepting full accountability when he thinks he's done anything wrong to any degree. He's not someone who tries to spin his own mistakes, he takes more blame than he usually deserves.....so its kinda what I was saying earlier about how people tend to take advantage of him being an unreliable narrator. Why is his side of things so often limited to just HIM defending himself to others when its well established that a core part of his character is he doesn't really believe in going all in on defending himself in the first place? That he's more than willing to take the fall? (With this of course having a ton to do with his self-esteem issues and his uncertainty or lack of trust in the security of his place in his home or family, but I digress).

But you see what I mean? We KNOW Dick's not the best advocate for himself because of his well advertised guilt complex....so why is he so often left to be the only one to advocate for himself even in situations where there are many, MANY other onlookers with as full a grasp of the problem as he has himself, and no reason to pin the blame on Dick or cast him in a negative light?

And for me, it always comes back to fandom's tendency to try and divert attention away from Bruce's own accountability in this matter - because refusing to have anyone else speak up for Dick comes from the same place IMO as not having Bruce step up to volunteer his own accountability in the matter. People don't WANT Jason being mad at Bruce for this or resenting Bruce for getting his relationship with his new brother off to such a poor start by literally giving away the only thing Dick had left of HIS family, the one thing in the world he still had that didn't come from Bruce originally, the way Dick didn't himself.

So like....the answer to your question is I don't think there can ever be a true resolution between JUST Dick and Jason alone, because the second you make any kind of real conflict between them on this matter even if just initially, Jason IS valid in being hurt by ANY degree of distance or being treated coolly by Dick, because Jason did absolutely nothing wrong....so its not on Jason to resolve this......but by the same token, there is this tendency for Dick to default to being an unreliable narrator here and UNDERSELL how much he was actually HURT by this rather than just acting like an ass because of this specifically - which means the FOCUS is still always going to be on WHAT Dick did rather than WHY.....and thus ensures that there's never going to be a true focus on WHY Dick felt hurt and HOW Dick felt hurt.....and thus there's never going to ever be any real resolution to THAT specifically, either.

And THAT'S the ultimate problem. That addressing this conflict between Dick and Jason - its not enough to just have Dick 'get' that he's hurting Jason who doesn't deserve it, and apologize for that and do better, and thus things are resolved and made better for JASON.....but ONLY Jason. Dick still, in this scenario, has to essentially just get over it.

And if your conflict on any level acknowledges to any degree that Dick's attitude or whatever is still ultimately just coming from a place of hurt....

Dick 'getting over it' isn't good enough. That's not actually a resolution. That's writing Dick as settling for an acceptance that HE'S never going to get a resolution so the best he can hope for is to get over it himself in order to make things better for him and Jason instead of just spreading the hurt all around. And that sucks, pretty much.

So I'd say in any case, you're still better served in this conflict by having literally anyone OTHER than Dick broach the subject with Jason first and at least pave the way for Jason to be sympathetic and understanding, so that Dick's not just 'immature' or 'spoiled' or 'acting like an asshole' as the prime takeaway - no, he's a nineteen year old who's been on the outs with Bruce for well over a year by this point and he's hurt by Bruce's seeming thoughtlessness over how he'd be affected by not just giving away Robin, but adopting someone else without even notifying Dick himself of a new addition to their family, or even attempting to first clarify with Dick what the status of Dick in relation to this family actually even is.

But ultimately, I'm always going to fall back on saying that if you're going to make this a conflict between the brothers initially, to ANY degree....the only TRUE resolution requires BRUCE being the one to take the initiative and resolve things for ALL of them, by being frank and just saying hey, he fucked up here, and explaining to Jason why Dick was hurt by what he did and how it had nothing to do with Jason, which in the process of that demonstrates for Dick that Bruce actually GETS how what he did was wrong and how it hurt Dick and why Dick feels the way he does about it....thus allowing everyone to get on the same page via the resolving actions of the one party who ACTUALLY had the most to do with setting this particular conflict in motion in the first place.

Anything less will always read like a half measure IMO because like....the conflict began with Bruce and what he did.

It should end with Bruce and what he does too.

[dragon-grunkle]

star wars and flight rising are in the same universe and here’s why, a ted talk by stanley

in an effort to both 1. talk about my lore more often like i’ve been meaning to and 2. explain what i meant when i went off about it in the tags of my last post, i’m gonna attempt to explain my rationale for deciding star wars and flight rising can totally coexist in the same universe.

there’s a tldr at the very bottom! i do use rebels as a basis for some of this lore, since it basically just confirms concepts i was already thinking of before i even watched the show, but it IS a little spoilery sometimes.

SO. what do we know about sornieth? here’s a summary: it’s the fourth planet from its sun. it has at least one but possibly two or more moons. powerful beings of pure elemental energy sprung up in the early days of the planet’s formation. a darkness from beyond attacks the planet, and the gods build a pillar to keep it out. after this, humanoid races flourish and they learn to combine magic with technology, but eventually someone gets too arrogant and builds a big machine that blows up all of civilization. from this, the arcanist is born. he grows curious and encounters the shade, which breaks the pillar. the other gods see this and decide to go their separate ways. they create dragons.

this new society has reached a point roughly equivalent to the 1920s, and that’s as far as we’ve gotten. that’s it, that’s flight rising. no aliens mentioned, except for the shade (and possibly the forbidden portal enemies if you count those, but that’s for another time).

what about star wars? as we all know, it’s set ‘a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away’. there is a lot of history here that isn’t really relevant, so i’m just going to talk briefly about the layout of the galaxy: it isn’t named, but there are different sections to it that are, and they’re grouped according to how far away a planet is from the center of the galaxy. you have: the core worlds, the inner rim, the mid rim, the outer rim, and wild space. generally, planets are more densely populated towards the center of the galaxy and less as you go out. compare coruscant, a core world entirely covered by a city and inhabited by trillions of people, to tatooine, an outer rim planet that wookieepedia states has 200,000 inhabitants total. 

-----

where does sornieth fit in this map? the answer is simple: wild space. this region lies beyond the outer rim, where not many bother to travel because it’s just not worth it, and it’s where i’ve placed sornieth in this scenario. wookieepedia says:

Unlike other regions of the galaxy, Wild Space existed along the entire circumference of the galactic disk and on the borderlands of the Unknown Regions. It was inhabited by sentient species but not fully charted, explored, and civilized.

star wars: rebels touches on wild space a bit: one of its main characters is a lasat, a species thought to be wiped out by the empire. lasats come from lasan, but they have a legendary ancestral homeworld called lira san. except it turns out that lira san isn’t a myth: it’s real, it’s populated, and it’s in wild space.

the fact that an entire species believed their original homeworld was a myth means we can easily set sornieth there without ever having to worry about political groups such as the republic, the empire, and the rebellion coming across the planet and mucking up our established rule of No Aliens Besides Shade (And Maybe Arcanist). it’s conveniently out of the way AND protects the lore of both continuities very well, ensuring that they don’t interfere with each other by introducing a previously-unheard-of super-powerful flying magical race to the galaxy, or having stormtroopers invade the southern icefields, or something else fucky like that.

------

now that we’ve got location covered, we have to talk about the force, magic, and the gods. i’m gonna get a little handwavey here, but it’s also, i think, the most interesting part of this whole thing, so here we go.

first off, the force. what is it? here���s how obi-wan describes it in a new hope:

It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.

with that description in mind, i want to draw attention to one little throwaway line from the flight rising lorebook chapter 1: the first age: 

From this bedlam, the magical energies themselves began to concentrate and change. Similar particles receded into four great beings, each overwhelmingly dense with a different element. As if eager to proudly display their emergence to some unseen divinity, these beings took on the shapes of great wyrms.

that ‘unseen divinity’? yeah, that’s the force. you could even take the ‘similar particles’ bit to mean midi-chlorians, if you want to acknowledge the prequels’ interpretation of the force.

as we know, some people are stronger with the force than others. these people usually become jedi or sometimes sith, depending on whether they use the light or the dark side. but the jedi and sith aren’t the only force users out there: there are plenty of civilizations who have different names and explanations for it and how it manifests itself varies from person to person. in fact, the lasat people i mentioned earlier recognized the force as something called ‘the ashla’. so different concepts for the force exist across the galaxy, and it’s very possible that what we know as ‘elemental magic’ on sornieth is simply how dragons see different aspects of the force. as if that wasn’t enough, we also know some force users can use the force to manipulate the elements themselves, like how palpatine can use the dark side to create lightning.

so really: i don’t think it’s a stretch to say some intensely powerful creatures born of the universe itself could specialize in a specific aspect of the force and manifest entirely that way.

[billy mays voice] But Wait, There’s More! i’m gonna reference rebels again. yeah, i know. on the planet of atollon lives the bendu, a being of the force who is neither light nor dark. he’s powerful, and at one point, turns himself into a giant storm and strikes down ships with lightning to defend his planet. loth-wolves are a similar concept. they’re animals which are shown to have a deep connection to the force, but only as it relates to the planet they call home, lothal. at one point a character asks if the loth-wolves are on their side and the answer is "they're on lothal's side.” this is how i see the gods as existing in the greater star wars universe: powerful beings intrinsically linked to the planet they originate from. they’re capable of great feats on their own, but can guide others (like humans or dragons) to use the force / magic in their stead.

the gods are real inasmuch as the force is real, and act as extensions of one another. if we wanna go a step further, the deities could all be light-side users and the shade is their dark counterpart, which is a REALLY fun concept to explore.

-----

phew, that’s it. i’ve covered most of it except for how dragons get off sornieth and into the wider galaxy, which is...somewhat less essential than the stuff i talked about above, but i still want to address it, especially since we’ve established they have no outside contact and are limited to 1920s tech. to keep it brief, the easiest answer is...magic.

i don’t want to get tooooo deep into rebels stuff again, but space-time portals do exist in star wars, which is really exciting for me personally, and also a nice setup for dragons to get out into the galaxy - if they have access to them, that is; in rebels they only appear in a jedi temple, but i think it’s possible other access points exist, given that other force-societies also exist. the point is, being handwavey and saying ‘eh, portals’ is a valid excuse that doesn’t totally break either universe because they are canon to both universes. you could also go the route of magic experiments gone wrong, the deities picking off a few special individuals and sending them out, or crazy lighning-arcane tech mergers shooting dragons off into space, never to be heard from again.

there’s any number of possibilities here, ranging from crazy space wizard shenanigans to early spaceflight gone very very wrong.

-----

tldr: sornieth is located in the far reaches of the galaxy, away from major events, and has remained undiscovered. the deities are manifestations of the force channeled through the planet itself; the gods and the force are extensions of one another. sometimes dragons can get off sornieth, but not often, so dragons are rare in the wider galaxy. there is no conflict of lore that says these two things CAN’T exist in the same universe, and in fact, the lore sometimes even supports them coexisting.

or in other words: star wars and flight rising coexist because i want them to, but also because i have legitimate justification for it. i’m too powerful and nobody can stop me from making star wars dragons now.

[fuckyeahharryhart]

BECAUSE NO ONE ASKED ME, HERE IS MY DISSERTATION ON KINGSMAN THE GOLDEN CIRCLE AND WHY IT DIDN’T HAVE THE SAME MAGIC AS THE SECRET SERVICE

What do we want from a sequel? Personally, I want to see all the characters that I love again. I want them to be true to how they were in the first movie. I want consistency.  I want to know more about them. I want them to build stronger relationships with each other. I want to see them grow. Evolve. Change if they need to. I want good things for them. I want them to be able to face conflicts.

One of the great reasons to have sequels is that we want to see our favorite characters grow and develop.

In TGC, right away, we’ve lost Roxy. More on that later. We lose Merlin. More on THAT later. Right there, they’ve lost so much potential for the third movie. We’ve lost relationships that were meaningful and could have strengthened. So much could have happened within this core group. Their experience could build on experience and add so much history and depth. Their loss wasn’t even handled in a way that really made us feel like it was a crucial point of the movie. It was more like “That sucked, but oh well.” More on THAT, too.

We were introduced to new characters, but no relationships were developed between the Kingsman agents or the Statesman agents. There would be potential to create new relationships to replace the ones that were lost. But that never really happened either. We weren’t given a reason to REALLY care about Statesman. I mean, they were interesting and entertaining. But they weren’t even super helpful in the mission, and they mainly provided the resources that the Kingsman agents needed since the Kingsman HQ was blown up. And they saved Harry.

I can’t really name one close bond between the two agencies. Sure they sent over Tequila in the end, but we don’t even know anything about him other than he’s kind of a bad boy, does drugs and was from “the wrong side of the tracks”. Wouldn’t it have been more interesting if he and Eggsy developed a friendship? Both of them are from the wrong side of the tracks. It would make it more meaningful when Tequila got sick. We were supposed to care about him, but we weren’t even given the chance to. There was so much potential that was not taken advantage of. Basically, we met Tequila, he got sick, got better and then got sent to Kingsman.

There are so many other premises that could have worked for TGC. My main issue with THC it that it didn’t have “heart”. It didn’t have the same emotional impact that TSS did. We were invested in TSS in a way that we’d weren’t in TGC. They set up conflict, introduced new bad guys and new good guys, but there were no relationships between them, we had no particular reason to care about them or what happened to them. There wasn’t anything really behind the show, behind the action. No real character or relationship development. Everything that happened was a plot device or really had nothing to do with the story or the characters at all.

I understand that they wanted to keep things light and fun and entertaining and not be to serious, but that doesn’t mean that the movie can’t have depth and feeling. It was more like a group of kids got together and said “wouldn’t it be cool if we put this in a movie” and tried to build a movie around different scenes rather than starting from the heart. Like “wouldn’t it be cool if someone got tossed in a meat mincer? Or how about an out of control ski lift spins around and then then crashes into a tower? We can show it sliding down the side of a mountain!” And then the kids high five.

My point is that most of the action scenes were sort of superfluous, whereas the action scenes in TSS were crucial or at least connected to the plot or the main characters. Like the car chase scene in the beginning of TGS was cool and fun to watch, but would the movie be the same without it? Kind of. And it certainly didn’t need to be that long or drawn out. They got to show off cool gadgets, which seemed like the only purpose, other than Charlie’s robot arm hacking their computer.

I could start anywhere. So I’ll just start somewhere. Let’s say the beginning.

The movie starts out with Eggsy. He is now a Kingsman agent and seems to have his life together.

Immediately enters Charlie Hesketh, Kingsman reject. He had a beef with Eggsy. There was a huge car chase action scene. Charlie has a robot arm. They both survive and get away.  We get to see some old and new tech. Entertaining to watch,  but no real substance.

Bringing back Charlie would not have been my first choice. He was an asshole in the first movie and he’s more of on asshole in this movie. He had a satisfying comeuppance in the first movie and there were no loose ends in his case. We assume he died with the others from the exploding microchip. He had a complete character arch in TSS. He was established as an upper class asshole. Got kicked out of Kingsman for being a pussy. Still carried a grudge with Eggsy and held him at knife point in Valentine’s lair and ratted him out. Got shocked by Eggsy for his trouble. Assumed deceased and that was fine with us.

Eggsy never did anything mean to Charlie, certainly not enough to warrant serious violence. Apparently, Charlie was that much of an entitled asshole and sore loser that he took his rejection as a blow to his ego, especially being beaten by a pleb like Eggsy. I didn’t like Charlie. We weren’t supposed to like Charlie. We were fine with Charlie dying.

So why would they bring him back?  Well, I suppose it’s a way to link the two movies together. It provides a reason to rehash what happened at the end of TSS for people who did not see it. Introduced some old tech, the electrocuting signet ring, the shoe blade. The car chase was a way to show off all the old and new spy gadgets.

My problem with Charlie right off the bat was that they didn’t give him a reason to come back. How did he and Poppy find each other? How did he get mixed up with their group? We know he doesn’t like Eggsy and the Kingsman, he decides to blow all of them up? Was that Charlie’s idea or Poppy’s idea? Is Kingsman more of a threat to them than any other independent intelligence agency? Charlie no longer lives a life of privilege and considers himself a pleb. He is still bitter about Eggsy beating him.

We have no idea what happened to Charlie between TSS to TGC. We have not been given a reason to invest in him either as a threat or a source of conflict. There’s no complexity to his character. He was an asshole that came back a bigger asshole.

If they wanted to bring back Charlie, wouldn’t it have been more interesting for him to come back as an ally? Who after VDay and losing his family and life as he knows it, decides to change his ways and upon meeting Eggsy and he actually asks for his help? He doesn’t know anywhere else to go but Kingsman. They could  still have a car chase scene with an unknown enemy that attacks Eggsy, but Charlie helps Eggsy against the enemy and they have to work together to survive. Thus proving that Charlie has changed his ways.

BUT- PLOT TWIST - he’s a mole for Poppy to get inside Kingsman to take them out from within. And this is all part of their plan to destroy Kingsman. And then we have to see him struggle with his role as a double agent as he gets to know all the Kingsman better. They are accepting of him in a way he never accepted them when the roles were reversed. He was always just a competitive jerk. So he’s conflicted. And we want to know, well, will he turn out bad or good in the end? And of course, this is all off the top of my head. Just some examples of things that could have been done differently that would have made the movie more interesting (at least to me).

I’m going to be jumping around some and might go off on tangents. Sorry.

In TGC, I didn’t feel like the bad guy brought anything new or different to the table. The issue of a drug cartel taking over the world with hostages was too broad and general. For me, there was no real urgency. Other than blowing up Kingsman, there is no link between Kingsman and the Golden Circle.

Let’s say instead of Charlie, Poppy and the Golden Circle as the bad guys, well, we could still have something like the Golden Circle... but it’s an underground network of bad spies who want to take out all the good intelligence agencies. Like spy vs spy. Could be interesting. One of the problems I have is that the Golden Circle only blew up Kingsman? I’m assuming because Charlie had a beef with them? But what about all the other intelligence agencies around the world? I guess it would make sense if we knew Kingsman was a direct threat to TGC, but Kingsman didn’t even know they existed. My point is that TGC could have done everything they did, release the virus, hold the antidote hostage, without having to blow up Kingsman. Kingsman was not an obstacle that TGC had to get rid of. So for me, it didn’t make any sense. The only reason we have is that Charlie’s fragile ego couldn’t  stand that he was rejected. Would the biggest drug cartel in the world take the risk of blowing up a whole agency over some dudes hurt feelings?

So what are the alternatives? Well, other than double agent Charlie. Let say we have a scenario where Charlie has a little sister who survived VDay. She was on a retreat to save endangered animals on a remote island far from civilization so she was not affected by the SIM card transmissions. She survived to find everything and everyone she loved gone. We’ll call her Kay. Kay was genuinely a good,  kind, sweet person.  But her entire family was killed and she was devastated losing them, particularly her brother. She was the one person who Charlie didn’t treat like an asshole. She loved her big brother and had a close relationship and when he and her family died, her entire life changed. So we learned that Charlie was actually not an asshole ALL of the time and that his soft spot was his little sister. (Eggsy could relate to this as he is protective of his half sister)

So let’s say, she wants revenge. She wants to destroy Kingsman and take down Eggsy, Merlin and Roxy and everything they love. Just like they did to her. There doesn’t even need to be a Poppy. No drug cartel. Let’s bring the threat closer to home. In the first movie it was a “save the world” type situation. How about doing something different for this one? This time, Kingsman is being directly threatened.

Let say a mysterious group of people took Kay in the aftermath of V day, when no one else would. BUT she discovers they are actually an international syndicate- like Kingsman- but for bad instead of good. They can be called the Golden Circle.

Let’s say she’s super smart, both tech wise and with weaponry and she has mad skills that the syndicate can use. So she joins forces with them with an ulterior motive. Even though she doesn’t agree with everything they do, it’s a way for her to have the resources to get her revenge against Kingsman.

Let’s say this group wants to take out all the international intelligence agencies, since they are a threat, starting with Kingsman. The Statesman are next. Kay plans on only staying for Kingsman, so she can take them out and specifically Merlin, Eggs and Roxy. Then she plans on running away on her own. Because, as much as she wants her revenge, she isn’t essentially evil herself. She is just so angry and alone. She’s a complicated character, linked to Kingsman and the plot of the first movie through Charlie, but she presents new challenges. Unlike Charlie, whose issues just rehashed conflict from TSS.

Then there’s so many options from here. I’m just going to brainstorm so stick with me if you want.

Let say, the movie opens with Roxy and Eggsy both coming out of Kingsman, joking around and teasing each other after completing a dangerous mission and want to celebrate. Merlin is on the glasses comms, telling them to behave and not drink to much or get in trouble. They are about to get into the taxi to go get a drink but then Kay comes out holds gun on them with her underworld support. She knows who they are, calls them by both their code names and real names, but they have no idea who she is.

They try to identify her, but as there is no existing reference to her, their first scan comes up with nothing. So they don’t know who she is, they just know she is a threat and she has backup. The car chase and everything can be basically the same, but with Merlin’s help on the comms, they are able to get away.

So the main conflict is that Eggsy, Roxy and Merlin need to find out who is threatening them (the TGC evil syndicate) and at the same time find out specifically who Kay is. They don’t know she is Charlie’s sister yet. They find out later in the debrief where they compare her facial structure to their database and Charlie comes up as a match.

So how does Harry Hart come back into the picture? I’ll get to that soon.

Well, Kay/syndicate blow up all the Kingsman agents, but Roxy, Merlin and Eggsy survive. But now they have no resources. They can do the same doomsday scenario as in the movie,  but Roxy is still alive. (It was horrible how she was killed off for no reason. She deserved better.)

All three survive the explosion. Maybe even because they were doing something fun together, or bickering over something silly, showing how close they’ve become.  This way we can strengthen the relationships between the three of them before anything happens to any of them. I thought the “Roxy as my Best friend and she was killed” plot device was forced. She had a couple lines helping Eggsy with Tilde, and he calls her his best friend and agent. (At this point I’m not even sure if we need Tilde in the picture.) And then Roxy gets blown up. Sucks.

I’d forget about the whole Tilde relationship angle and focus on the friendship between Eggsy and Roxy instead. (Don’t worry, they’ll stay friends. They don’t get into a relationship together.)

There are so many other ways to show they are best friends and agents who rely on each other, so if or when one of them dies, it’s much more meaningful. We feel her loss as Eggsy or Merlin would. Her death in THC was essentially meaningless.

BACK TO THE FILM:

Kingsman HQ and the shop have been blown up. Roxy, Merlin and Eggsy are devastated but Merlin pulls himself together and takes charge. He says that they need to rely on their training. That they’ve lost people they love before and yet they keep on going, to honor their memory, because that’s what a Kingsman does. (Reference to Harry)

They go to the winery, proceed to get drunk, which would be funny with the three of them together, when they discover the Statesman logo on the whiskey bottle and go to Kentucky for help. All that is fine. It can be the same as the movie.

The three of them go to Statesman. They try to break in and are overtaken and tied up by Statesman agents.

This can be all the same as the movie as well. The three of them are tied up and Tequila is questioning them. He’s also flirting with Roxy at the same time because he’s a southern boy. But he still doesn’t believe them.

BUT WAIT!....(READ MY EXCERPT OF FAN FIC ON HOW HARRY RETURNED HERE: https://fuckyeahharryhart.tumblr.com/post/635251512219729920/kingsman-the-golden-circle

KEEP READING HERE IF YOU WANT THE SHORT VERSION:

Ok. I had a real issue with how they brought Harry back. Don’t get me wrong, I am sooo, sooo grateful that they brought him back at all, but the character that he became from the amnesia, for me, was not Harry at all, not even a young Harry.

I know some people liked the soft, timid, shy Harry. And that’s sweet. But he was the antithesis of the Harry I grew to love from the first movie. During the whole TGC movie, I didn’t really get the same energy and presence as the first Harry Hart. (Ok, I know this is kind of Eggsy’s movie, anyway.)

Sure, we got background on what Harry was like when younger. He wanted to become a lepidopterist. He had the choice of being one or joining the army. He joined the army and then Kingsman. This doesn’t really add anything to the film or to Harry personally. I don’t feel like I know him better. I know facts about him. I want to know what was behind the choices he made.

I want to know, why did Harry chose the Army? Did something significant happen that led him down that road? From the film, we know he missed his mother, but doesn’t mention a father. What happened to his father?

Maybe his father was military, and was away for most of his life. His father never understood Harry’s butterfly fascination and hoped that he would follow in his footsteps and become a military man, but loved him and supported him none the less. Let’s say his father was killed in action and that is why Harry joined the army and gave up Lepidoptery. For the memory of his father.  So when he mentions to Merlin that he wants to see “Mother” that is why there is no mention of the father, because he already died.

And then we find out that he relates to Eggsy so much because “what’!?!” Harry lost his own father the same way as Eggsy did! In action, on a mission. BUT, Harry feels even more guilt because HE was the reason Eggsy’s father was killed. It’s his fault that Eggsy had to go through the same loss that he did. So he knows exactly how Eggsy felt. He feels extra responsibility for him and wants to be his mentor and be the father figure neither of them had growing up! Now we understand Harry sooooo much more, what motivates him to be the person he is and the relationship that he has with Eggsy is that much more meaningful.

(WHAT!?! I would soooo watch this movie.)

So, at least it would be helpful to know what happened to Harry’s father. It would give us more motivation on why Harry is the way he is. Our dear Harry Hart. You are so quiet and so brave that we forget you are suffering. Our hearts go out to him. We imagine Harry as a young man who lost his father and joined the army to be close to him and honor him. Sigh.

How much weight has Harry Hart carried with him? Never complaining, never using it as an excuse. We only know through his actions that he wants to make up for his past mistakes. We love him that much more. Underneath his stoic polished exterior lies a young man who lost his father. But he also has to carry the guilt of being the reason another boy lost his own father, as Eggsy’s father was saving Harry’s life, while sacrificing his own.

So back to the movie. Amnesia Harry, to me, was not Harry Hart. I can’t believe this soft, timid man became the brave, sophisticated super spy that he is now. I think it would have been more effective for amnesia Harry to still have qualities of spy Harry, but the amnesia makes him forget KINGSMAN. And it’s painful for Eggsy Roxy and Merlin, because at first, he seems like the Harry they know and love. But to Harry, they are complete strangers. Imagine if your significant other lost the memory of you, but other than that they were still the same person. You had a whole life of memories that you shared. They wouldn’t know that you shared them. What would it be like to be so close to someone, yet at the same time, just out of reach? Harsh.

STAY WITH ME HERE. This is what I would have imagined for the return of Harry Hart. It would be fairly similar to what happened, but with some crucial differences. AGAIN: ONLY IF YOU WANT, REFER TO:

:https://fuckyeahharryhart.tumblr.com/post/635251512219729920/kingsman-the-golden-circle

Let’s go back to the scene where Merlin, Eggsy AND Roxy are tied in chairs getting grilled by Tequila, who is actually flirting with Roxy because that’s who Teauila is. And Roxy is having none of it because that is who she is. This dynamic could be pretty funny, with Eggsy teasing Roxy (but that’s for later).

So all three of them are saying they were only following clues from their doomsday scenario protocol. They lost everything and all they have left is their honor. They are still getting threatened by Tequila. They aren’t budging because that’s the truth, they aren’t lying about the circumstances that brought them to Statesman.

Teauila has to change this up a bit. And what does he do? Threatens to bring in their finest interrogator. Says how this agent is skilled in ways they can’t even imagine. He is not someone that they want to fuck around with. Nothing gets past him. If you don’t tell him what he wants to hear, don’t worry, he will make you. He is definitely someone who they don’t want on their bad side. They still don’t have anything else to say.

Tequila calls in the agent. And who is that agent?

IN WALKS HARRY HART, in all of his secret spy glory!!!! (OMG I WOULD DIE) He’s impeccable in his familiar suit, hair immaculately in place, posture perfect. The only real change are the shaded eyeglasses to protect the eye he lost and the Statesman issue gun he carries. Everything else is exactly the same from his pocket square to his cuff links.

Roxy, Merlin, and Eggsy are mindfucked.  They can’t believe this is THEIR Harry Hart. But Harry doesn’t recognise them, doesn’t remember them AT ALL, as he has lost all of his memory of Kingsman. BUT, he has retained all of his skill and personality as an agent and individual. The only thing different is that he doesn’t remember them.

They are confused and overjoyed at the same time. They don’t even know how to react when they try to get Harry to remember them and he doesn’t. We get all the delicious visuals of Kingsman Harry, but are faced with the fact that he actually doesn’t remember Kingsman at all.

Statesman Harry continues to interrogate them as if they are the unknown quantity and possible enemy, because to him, that’s exactly what they are. They are speechless at this point and don’t know what to do, or how to react, or how to get Harry to believe them. They don’t know how to prove they are who they say they are. They don’t know how to prove that Harry knows them, and that they know Harry.

Harry, not for wasting time, unholsters his revolver and points it at Eggy’s head. Are they ready to talk now? They yell for him to stop, not to shoot, to let them explain. Harry starts  to count down from three, and just as he gets to one, Ginger Ale comes in and throws Harry the umbrella. Their story checks out. Harry inspects the umbrella, sees the statesman’s logo and pauses. He looks over the umbrella turns it over, twirls it in his hands almost in a familiar way. Does it help him remember Kingsman and his friends? It looks like it might. He contemplates the umbrella for a moment, but then he says “not good enough” and aims his revolver at Eggsy and switches off the safety.

Eggsy and the others are beyond panic, when Eggsy throws a Hail Mary. He tried to look at Harrys right hand, but the gun is blocking his view and he doesn’t know for sure, but fuck it, takes the risk and yells to him that Harry wears a signet ring on his right pinkie finger. That gentleman are traditionally supposed to wear it on the left hand. But Harry wears it on his right hand because his right hand is dominant.

THIS makes Harry pause and slowly puts down his gun. Because he does wear a pinkie ring on his right hand. He was wearing it when he was shot and wanted to keep wearing it. He doesn’t know why, just that it feels right to him. He asks Eggsy, “how do you know that?”

“Eggsy says, “Because I’m wearing one too.”

(WHAAAT JUST HAPPENED!!!!????)

Statesman Harry holsters his weapon. He says, “It seems as if we have a lot to discuss.”

Ok, so that’s just an idea I came up with while writing this. Let’s see if I can continue.

Because TGC needed much, much more of the Harry Hart we know and love.

This cuts to the scene where they are in the Statesman HQ dining room. Harry is also there but sits on the Statesman side. Ginger and Tequila are there as well.

Merlin, Roxy and Eggsy sit opposite the Statesman.

They meet Champagne/Champs - who wants to know what’s going on.

Cut to when Ginger explains how Statesman got readings of low frequency waves from Valentine’s test in Kentucky. All of this can remain the same. Ginger Ale and Tequila save him by using the alpha gel, they help him recover. But when he does, he can’t remember anything from his past.  He knows his name, he has the same personality and all the same skills, which they discover when he wakes up.

When he wakes up for the first time, Ginger ale and Tequila are there. Harry is slowly coming to. We don’t know how he is though yet. As he is coming into consciousness, his agent reflexes kick in. He scans the room, finds the exit, determines any possible threats and locates the nearest weapon. In a flash, Harry sits up, grabs Tequila’s gun and points it at him. Harry asks them who they are and what is he doing there.

They look at each other and say that they have a lot to talk about.

I’m just gonna go with this and see how it plays out....

Statesman knew he was intelligence from his eye glasses, but they didn’t know whose. And Harry couldn’t tell them anything. They knew he was possibly British as he spoke the Queen’s English. But he could still be from a number of other places as well.

Obviously, international intelligence agencies are not going to be listed on the internet, but while Harry was recovering, they put out feelers for possible missing persons that matched his description, particularly in Europe and Great Britain, and then broadened their search to the commonwealth countries.

They scanned news on anything surrounding the Kentucky event, who was involved, but they only found information on Valentine and his cohorts. They even kept their ears open on the secret spy wire, to see if an agency was looking for an operative, or had an agent who had gone rogue, or had one go dark. They didn’t have any luck. It’s not like they could put out an “if missing an agent, please call” flyer.

But as Harry got better, they found out the extent of his abilities. They were far greater than Statesman expected.

—-here can be a montage of him going through his skills, slowly getting better and stronger until he is at full capacity.- plus it would be really hot and sexy to see Harry Hart’s repertoire of skills. (I heard that Colin Firth is pretty good at archery, too.)

For some reason he can’t explain, he insisted on only wearing suits, styled exactly the same as the one he was found in, shirt, tie, cuff links and his pinkie ring. The only thing he would carry is the Statesman issue pistol and the occasional custom weapon or flask. Or maybe a fedora.

He was grateful to Statesman for saving his life. We find out that Harry started working for Statesman, actually becoming close to them like he was with Roxy, Merlin, and Eggsy and becoming an integral part of their organisation.

His English mannerisms often pop up, much to the amusement of Statesman. They respect him and find him endearing at the same time. They still kept an eye out for someone matching his description gone missing, but without as much urgency since they liked having him around.

The others are overjoyed that he is alive, at the same time devastated that he doesn’t remember them. It’s like he’s almost there, but just out of reach.

(OMG, I NEED TO SEE THIS VERSION OF TGC.)

How does he get his memory back?

There are a number of ways. We could still do something similar to the puppy scenario, let’s say that Harry, for some reason he also can’t explain, wanted a cairn terrier. So he has one  that follows him around Statesman HQ.

This scenario could play out similarly as the movie. As a last resort, Eggsy threatens to shoot his dog, triggering the memory of Harry when he was a trainee having to shoot Mr. Pickle.

OR let’s say at a certain pivotal moment, something happens where Eggsy is tied to train tracks just like in TSS, but this time, there is no false floor. Eggsy is in a life or death situation and as seconds tick by, it’s looking more like death. Eggsy is yelling at Harry to please cut the ropes, when Harry’s memory is triggered. The combination of the bright lights of the train, the roar as it barrels down the tracks, Eggsy screaming, fearing for his life...Harry starts to remember the same circumstance during Eggsy’s training when he was almost hit by a train.

While Eggsy is struggling, Harry’s memory is flashing back to all the significant moments in his life, like a seizure he can’t control. His father. Butterflies. Harry joining the army. Eggsy’s father sacrificing his life to save Harry’s. Meeting Eggsy, training him, being a father figure to him. Everything to the point when he is shot by Valentine.  Harry is trying to process all of this when he hears Eggsy yelling to cut the ropes again and Harry comes to, just in time to save him.

As Eggsy recovers he notices something different about Harry. He stops and just waits, looking at him.

Out of the blue, Harry says “bloody well done” which is what he said to Eggsy when he passed the training. Harry pauses and then says with meaning “Eggsy” (not eggy as he’s been calling him)

“Hello Harry.” Eggsy says in return and goes up to hug him, which Harry returns. And he says Eggsy’s name again as memories return to him. Agent Galahad is back.

Eggsy finally had his chance to say I’m sorry to Harry and how much he meant to him and how devastated he was when he thought Harry had died. And how happy he was to find out he survived, and how devastated he was when Harry didn’t remember him. It doesn’t have to be all mushy and serious, it can just be simple and touching. Like Harry saying something like “It takes a lot more than a bullet to the head to kill Harry Hart.”

I had an issue with the dynamic between Harry and Eggsy on their first mission with Whiskey. Obviously having Harry back is the best thing in Eggsy’s life right now. What a gift to basically have him back from the dead. I personally would be extra considerate and caring of any lapses that he may be experiencing due to the gunshot. And knowing that he was still recovering (as depicted in the bar fight scene) I’d make a concerted effort to look out for his well being.

So when they are all trapped at the cabin in Italy and Harry out of the blue shoots Whiskey, my first reaction wouldn’t be “Harry you’re a fucking idiot! You’re out of control!” It was be “OMG, what’s wrong Harry? Why would you do that?” And make an effort to understand what Harry is going through. I know they’re in a life or death situation and they don’t have time to have a heart to heart. But if my best friend and mentor came back from the dead, like, days ago, I wouldn’t be calling him a fucking idiot. I first reaction would be worry and concern.

Back to my alternate scenario. This sets up a new conflict. The call of Kingsman is strong and wants to lure Harry back to Great Britain, with Eggsy and Merlin and Roxy, but he will be forever indebted to Statesman for saving his life, helping him find himself and giving him purpose and meaning within the Statesman family. He knows he will have to choose eventually, but at the moment, the pressing issue is the Golden Circle and to defeat them, the two agencies will have to work as one and who better to do lead them than Harry Hart. (I love Harry Hart so much)

What else is a possibility? Roxy is slowly won over by Agent Tequila’s charm, but she gets kidnapped by Kay and the Golden Circle. Now Agent Tequila and the others have to race to rescue Roxy before The Golden Circle blows up, because why? BECAUSE KINGSMAN HAD ALREADY SET UP EXPLOSIONS TO DESTROY THEM! So if Roxy dies in the blast, it’s basically because of Kingsman.

What else could Roxy’s story look like? Hmmm. Kay is the same age as Roxy. So despite each of their misgivings, they begin to relate to each other. Roxy is sorry about Kay’s loss and recognises that she isn’t an inherently bad person like the rest of Golden Circle. She’s just a sister, a daughter, a person like Roxy. She is just in pain and doesn’t know how to handle her grief. Kay realises that Roxy was just looking out for her friends and trying to do what’s right despite insurmountable odds. Without really realising it, they begin to bond. They really don’t want to hurt each other, but are afraid they are too far down the path of destruction and revenge to turn back.

Let’s throw in Whiskey, too. Because I don’t like how they utilised his character in TGC at all. First off, his reasoning behind wanting all the junkies to die was weak. Almost 22-23 years since the death of his wife and he was still willing to kill all the good people as well as the bad? He didn’t differentiate someone like Tequila, his fellow agent, from the meth heads that killed his wife?

I don’t think that an agent who has dedicated his life to save others would be that selfish as to want the deaths of all those people. So I’m going to throw that whole plot device in the can. Plus, the foreshadowing that Whiskey was a bad guy and that Harry was on to him and shot him was weak, of no fault of theirs, the story was bad.

Let’s say In this version, he is not a bad guy. Let’s say he’s a Statesman through and through. And he is very very protective of Statesman and is determined to protect it and the other agents at all costs, in a way he wasn’t able to protect his wife and unborn child.

As a result he is less welcoming to strangers and outsiders than the others. He has a long history of tradition within the Statesman family and wants to preserve that legacy. He is the one that was less than excited to have Harry join the agency. Whiskey was the one that continued to be suspicious, and at times could antagonise Harry, implying that no matter how good an agent he was, that he would never truly be a Statesman. That he would be an outsider. Which he now feels is justified because they discover Harry is actually a Kingsman. Whiskey avoids spending time with them, outside of the mission and continues to remain standoffish.

But slowly, as they all work together, the Kingsman agents especially being open and accepting and kind to their counter parts, Whiskey begins to slowly, begrudgingly come around. He begins to thaw and we realise what a cool guy whiskey really is, he is just ultra dedicated and loyal to Statesman and will do everything he can to protect and honor his agency. He gets to know everyone, realises that all of them have experienced their own personal loss and that their losses are what drives them to help others. And this common understanding of loss brings them together.

What if, instead of getting killed because he tried to double cross both Statesman and Kingsman, he ultimately shows his true self, when they are all trapped in the enemy HQ, by offering to stay behind, fight off bad guys, to give the others a chance to escape, including the Kingsman, at the risk of his own life.

Perhaps he asks Harry, Merlin and Eggsy to go and save Roxy and lead everyone out of danger. And to take care of Statesman, and Ginger and Tequila as Whiskey would and has his entire life, because they are ALL family now and families take care of each other.

(ALL THE FEELS. RIGHT HERE.)

What if Whiskey demands that they have to go and leave him behind to his own fate. That even if he gets overpowered, Whiskey won’t go down without a fight. They all do their agent handshake of brotherhood and leave him to fight the enemy. So Whiskey, instead of being put in the mincer, gets one last epic battle, fights harder than he ever has before because he wants to give the others a chance to survive. This is why Whiskey became a Statesman, to serve his fellow man, to protect his family. His whole life has led to this point.

The scene could be intercut with Whiskey battling the enemy, with the others making their way out of the enemy headquarters. Whiskey, the entire time fighting to keep the bad guys from following them. Let’s say that during Harry’s and Whiskeys handshake, Harry passes Whiskey his lighter grenade, as a message, agent to agent, never let the enemy capture you. If it gets to that point, use the grenade and take the bastards out with you.

The battle gets more and more hectic, Whiskey gets cornered. He’s out of options, save one. He triggers the grenade, but not before he says “this is for statesman”.  Or something else along those lines that’s super cool and badass. We don’t see the blast, but it cuts to the others who hear the bomb go off and they know that Whiskey did as much as he could and even though they are running for their lives, they take a moment to acknowledge his sacrifice.

(OMG- I’m going to make myself cry.)

How much of a better end would that be for Whiskey? Such a better part for him to play rather than the secret bad guy plot twist at the end of TGC. In this new version, we get to see his compete character arch. We feel compassion for him, we root for him, and we mourn his loss. Ugh. I just hate how so many of the characters deaths got the short shift.

Or if it’s not whiskey, If Merlin still has to die, (which I don’t think he does) he could be the one that stays behind. But death would be more than accidentally stepping on a landmine. There would be more at stake, more on the line. More urgency. If both Whiskey and Merlin had to die, what if they had to detonate a bomb, but the bomb had a fail safe where to detonate the it, two people have to trigger it at the same time, and the likelihood of survival is slim. But they offer to stay behind, one man from each agency. There can still be an epic battle, but this time Merlin gets a chance to fight, too. And he fights alongside Whiskey for as long and as hard as they can until they have to detonate the bomb. Merlin gets his moment.

In TGC, Merlin didn’t even get half the chance to be a bad ass in his own Kingsman suit and glasses. It wasn’t fair to him. He should have had more of a chance to be a part of things in the end. Merlin deserved a much more meaningful send off. There were so many other ways to handle his death.... if he had to die at all.

Let’s say in my version he survived the blast, we don’t know, there’s a chance he did. And that gives us hope. We really want him to be in the third movie with Eggsy and Harry, the three of them have such a good dynamic.

I felt like Merlins death in TGC should have been much more impactful. It seemed like an afterthought. After he died, his name was only mentioned 4 times. Eggsy said his name when he killed Charlie, Harry said his name and Rest In Peace, when explaining the heroin injection to Poppy. Whiskey said his name about putting pieces of him and Harry into a bucket, and lastly, that releasing the antidote was in Merlin’s honor. But emotionally, it didn’t feel like they felt his loss at all. They nodded their goodbyes, and then went dead in the eyes before they went after poppy’s men. That was the extent of it.

Merlin wasn’t recognized at all after the whole poppy ordeal. Not at the meeting at Statesman or at Eggsy’s wedding. I know they were planning on having Merlin survive the blast and be there when Eggsy got married, just with prosthetic legs. And at the last minute decided not to. I know Merlin and Ginger ale were supposed to kind of be into each other. We got a little of that with them working together. But that relationship was cut from the final version. As a result, it felt abrupt. We didn’t get her reaction when Merlin died. Or get their reaction when they found out that Whiskey had double crossed them.

Back to Kay and Roxy...

Let’s say Kay is ordered to take out Roxy. Kay actually begins to feel bad, begins to doubt herself, but is determined to stick to her plan. She is supposed to shoot Roxy and then join the rest of the Golden Circle bad guys to get the others.

As she points her gun at Roxy, Kay says something along the lines of “I’m sorry that this actually IS personal and it’s something that she has to do. For her family. For herself.”

To Kay’s surprise, Roxy is calm, collected and replies in understanding. Roxy can imagine how she is feeling, because if she lost her family like Kay did. If Eggsy, Merlin and Harry died, her own family now, she would feel the same way as Kay does. And she doesn’t blame her for wanting revenge. Roxy says simply, do what you need to do, so you can get over their deaths. I accept my fate. And closes her eyes.

Kay, switches off the safety and takes two shots at Roxy. Roxy flinches, but realizes that she is not dead. Kay has actually shot off her handcuffs that were binding Roxy to her chair. Roxy takes a moment to be impressed with Kay’s  sharp shooting skills.

Kay, feeling defeated and empty, tells Roxy to go. To hurry and find her friends and escape before the GC men return. Kay gives her the gun. Roxy is set to leave, but stops when she realizes that they will kill Kay when they realize that Kay didn’t kill Roxy, but instead set her free. She says so aloud to Kay.

Kay replies, “I know. It doesn’t matter anymore. I’d rather be with my family, anyway. Like you said, I accept my fate. Go. Now. Before it’s too late.”

Roxy hesitates before deciding. She asks Kay to come with her. That she truly doesn’t belong here. That she’s just lost and afraid. But that she doesn’t have to be alone.

Kay is taken aback at the offer and tells Roxy that Kay blew up Roxys headquarters and tried to kill them all and kidnapped her and was about to shoot her in the head. “I’m not the kind of person that you want to have around and I don’t think your friends will be to excited to see me again.”

Roxy says that it wasn’t really Kay, that it was TGC, that took advantage of her grief and skill. Kay is not a bad person. She’s just trying to deal with a bad set of circumstances, with bad company. Come with me. Instead.

Kay asks her how does she know that Kay is trustworthy. Roxy tosses her back the gun and says, I just do. Kay looks at the gun for a moment. Realizes she had nothing to lose, gives the gun back to Roxy and pulls a second one from behind her back. And tells Roxy “let’s go.”

Perhaps Kay can become a new agent to help fill all those they lost in the explosion. And Agent Tequila came to Kingsman to help as well AND because he likes Roxy.

So at the end of TGC, we have Harry, Eggsy, Roxy, and Merlin (he survived the blast. Excuse I wanted him to. RIP Agent Whiskey) and new agents Kay and Tequila. We have all of these characters for the 3rd instalment. How amazing would that be?

OK, NOW IM DONE. IF I WAS RICH I WOULD FUND THIS MOVIE JUST SO I COULD SEE IT. I’D PAY THEM (COLIN FIRTH) WHATEVER THEY WANTED SO THEY WOULD COME BACK (AND LOOK REALLY HOT AND SEXY IN A SUIT.)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE FOR THE NEXT/FINAL INSTALMENT OF KINGSMAN?



Sent from my iPhone

[phoenixtakaramono]

SUMMARY: Let it not be said that Shen Yuan didn’t know how to be an accomplished—arguably better—writer than Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky! A middle-aged author in his hubris, he’d unknowingly triggered his fate and had his consciousness whisked away into an unfathomable mystical world that he would later learn to be based on Proud Immortal Demon Way and his very own work-in-progress. When given the opportunity to customize his character’s stats and to design his one remaining Customizable Skill Slot, as a veteran reader of transmigration stories and their tropes, Shen Yuan demanded, “Grant me the protagonist’s halo of course!”The SYSTEM was silent all but for a minute. 

【Understood. Unique Skill "PROTAGONIST'S HALO" activated. Esteemed Host, you share the Unique Skill "PROTAGONIST'S HALO" with one other.】

“Who?”

【This world’s Luo Binghe. From the original novel series.】

“...Hold on, I need some time to process this.”

(Little did Shen Yuan know that this world’s Luo Binghe is the same sadistic “Bing gē” from the released Extra short story. It was also too bad that Shen Yuan, in his mortal form, resembled Shen Qingqiu by a good thirty-to-forty percent.)

There was an important takeaway to be had from tonight’s interaction: Shen Yuan had asserted his place as the lord of this residence and as Luo Binghe’s future ally.

Several thoughts had, however, been plaguing him ever since Shen Yuan gifted Luo Binghe the handscrolls, leaving like the composed gentleman he was while the half-demon pondered over the newfound revelations for the night. Those thoughts filled Shen Yuan’s brain with a renewed vigor that his exhausted body did not feel, roiling through him as he changed into his night clothes. Even now, lying down with his hands folded over his stomach, they consumed his mind as he stared up at the azure, gauzy canopy that looked eerily similar to the one in the guest bedchamber that Luo Binghe now slept in.

Wisps of hazy white rose from the lotus-shaped censer he’d brought to his bed. The coals within were still fresh in the copper, keeping him warm in the night, with the fragrance of sandalwood circulating within the room.

His unyielding companion, the blue text box, hovered above. Shen Yuan kept his gaze averted from it; he had read and reread the Chinese characters countless times that if he closed his eyes, he could still see the most recent notification engraved in his mind’s eye.

【Prediction! Future Event <<A NIGHT OF PASSION>> has been changed into <<LOADING CHEKHOV'S GUN>>. You have reached the conditions to clear the scenario. Countdown commencing. Reward: B-Points +50.】

The planes of his face were bathed in a soft blue glow as he ruminated. Shen Yuan couldn’t find it within him to feel any guilt or to throw blame at anyone other than himself. He’d unlocked the <<TRUE END>> main scenario and, judging by how the <<SYSTEM>> was not giving him a choice, he had to build that rapport between themselves and see that friendship through.

These are the seeds you’ve sown, he reminded himself. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. He could only dig his hands into the soil and watch the seeds slowly bear fruit.

Bing gē—or, rather, Luo Binghe—was not a 2D character on paper; he was now a real person who breathed and talked and had a will of his own. Even so, Shen Yuan didn’t know the extent of the ramifications if an extraordinary “prodigy” gained self-awareness that he was the male protagonist of a fictional erotica series.

It’d be interesting. If someone found out one day that they were a precious existence in a world which catered to them because of “narrative convenience,” they’d naturally become audacious. All the attractive people belonged to them, hearts were won over for no real reason, and enemies would be seen as less of a threat and more as an annoyance in the eyes of a protagonist with infinite power levels. Shen Yuan could envision it; Luo Binghe would probably behave more recklessly, bolstered by the certainty that he was protected by plot armor. He’d be a spoilt menace in a male power fantasy world—riding the power trip until the novelty wore off inevitably.

The corners of Shen Yuan’s mouth curved. He didn’t know how likeminded Luo Binghe was, but if he thought like he did, he’d exploit his advantages. A protagonist’s existence was akin to a cockroach, dragged from door’s death each time without fail.

This was not merely a case of schadenfreude—another difficult foreign term he’d learned during his pursuit as a novelist—where he reveled in another person’s misfortunes. It was a well-established trope in all forms of literature that when a person was casually dropped into a life-or-death situation, they would resurface as calamities. Since Luo Binghe was an important main character, he would naturally benefit.

...Sorry, youngster. Shen Yuan raised a white flag in commiseration for him in his heart. I didn’t mean to conscript you, but you must continue to work hard. Nationalistic pride exists among many Chinese writers.

Even pre-enlightened Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky had not been exempt from that.

In most narratives, a protagonist’s role was to rise above the rest and “smash the system.” They were akin to power kegs just waiting to be ignited.

Shen Yuan squinted up at the UI, his eyes beginning to water from its bright glow. He blinked rapidly, but the strain in his eyes refused to ease. This better not be the sort of tale where he and Luo Binghe had to compete to establish who was the one true protagonist, having to assert narrative dominance. Shen Yuan had no intention of pulling aggro to himself.

Raising a forearm up to shadow his vision, he groaned. He declared to no one, “Airplane brother, you’ve done your first son a great disservice.”

(He couldn’t help thinking the author had done a disservice to the original Shen Qingqiu and Yue Qingyuan among many others.)

The events that had played out tonight strengthened Shen Yuan’s conviction. He could now see how people easily fell for Luo Binghe’s act; the charisma of a stallion protagonist was potent. Even so, he had capitalized on his goodwill—and Luo Binghe’s strange fixation—hoping continuous acts of kindness being demonstrated toward him would soften him toward Shen Yuan and prove his intentions were sincere. His goal to leave a favorable impression was already well underway, with the endgame of establishing how it would be in Luo Binghe’s best interests to remember Shen Yuan’s acts of compassion and to return them tenfold in the future.

Should Shen Yuan prove himself to be of use, surely even a cutthroat person like Bing gē would not discard a loyal comrade—no, a valuable asset—during his rise to power?

Under no circumstances must Luo Binghe see the strange celestial fortuneteller as a threat or as a jealous rat. In the stories where the main character was an antihero, the few ways to survive their malice was by entering their harem, becoming the sole lover, being exiled—like Luo Binghe’s rival, the “second male lead” Gongyi Xiao—or becoming an indispensable friend or ally. Even though Shen Yuan was protected by plot armor, he should not assume its protection was absolute. His own transmigration here was proof that life was full of unknown variables.

But with Luo Binghe’s appearance here, his days of treating the other protagonist’s existence like colorless air were over.

To avoid future headaches, the only method Shen Yuan could foresee showing his fellow protagonist that his services were indispensable was by lending him his intelligence—and his predictions of the future. As the ancient proverb went, a friend who brings coal in the snow is most precious. If he availed to continue fostering goodwill and his undying support, those efforts would be rewarded handsomely. As a protagonist of the xianxia genre, Luo Binge followed a code of honor—even more so as a cultivator taught in the martial and mystical arts.

He recalled the last question Luo Binghe had asked of him before Shen Yuan left, regarding the compatibility of his fated person.

What he’d told Luo Binghe during the palm-reading was admittedly due to Shen Yuan’s own internal bias. It’d made Shen Yuan want to laugh at his own past naivety. He had to reevaluate everything he’d erroneously taken to be true and canon.

As a novelist, Peerless Cucumber wasn’t as generous as Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky who’d spoiled his stallion protagonist with far-too-easy conquests as a result of pandering to his audience with fanservice. While Shen Yuan’s unique stamp was focusing less on romance and more on worldbuilding, he developed his romances gradually; like reality, his characters had to learn to work with each other’s strengths and flaws, overcome challenges, mutually pine for each other, and to be able to see a future together.

Only then did the payoff seem all the more impactful in his storylines.

A conflicted expression descended upon Shen Yuan’s face.

While there was entertainment to be had following the adventures of a “blackened” antihero crushing his opponents under his foot, Shen Yuan couldn’t help but count his blessings again that he wasn’t a young woman who had been reincarnated in the body of the villainess or a side character. That archetype always seemed to hope to enjoy her new lavish life in the sidelines watching the romance unfold between the male and female leads, but was swept into the mechanisms of palace intrigue—secret schemes and political power struggles—when the male lead inevitably turned his attention towards her.

Shen Yuan also took solace in his good fortune of not having been transmigrated into the body of an antagonist or a cannon fodder—which meant it wasn’t necessary for him to embrace the plot device of hugging the protagonist’s golden thighs and painstakingly preserving the pretense of being another person.

There were two less flags to be concerned over.

His purpose here was to surpass his rival in the danmei genre. That meant there must be two male leads. But Luo Binghe didn’t come from his own intellectual properties; his creation had been birthed from Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky’s imagination.

In this case, since it was a crossover, didn’t that mean Shen Yuan had essentially adopted Luo Binghe as his male lead? So as his responsibility, wouldn’t that mean he’d have to find the xiǎo láng gǒu—little wolfdog—a love interest? Give him an OTP? Help him tie the knot?

...Would it truly be okay if this tired uncle wrote a predestined romance for once? As much as Shen Yuan favored defying expectations, there was a formulaic structure that made their literature different from those in the Western market whose shocking narratives could not only arouse pity in their audience, but also a sense of awe, excitement, fear, and suffering.

Chinese protagonists were not always someone of high society; they often hailed from humble origins as a device for the writer to underscore the merits of working hard and to criticize the system—a fictional one though, to avoid absolute censorship by the Chinese government. Their heroes began as nothing more than a windblown leaf in the social structure and years of ethical traditions set in place. They started on the bottom rungs of society to draw people’s attention to their lives, to the injustice and unfairness, which made their struggles and triumphs all the more impactful to the reader.

The fates of the leading characters were tied to the juxtaposition of the harmonious ideal of society and the reality of a flawed system. Chinese tales were inherently romantic oftentimes, with tragic conflicts written to emphasize the beauty of a bond and rousing sympathy and pity for their plight. The archetype of a tragic hero was meant to be presented so profoundly that great reverence would well up spontaneously in one’s heart.

In his opinion, Luo Binghe had suffered plenty in his role as the avenging, wronged hero.

Under normal circumstances, as Peerless Cucumber, Shen Yuan was the sort of novelist known for deconstructing unoriginal, formulaic conventions. He’d satirized enough classic and tired tropes in whichever genre he was writing for, it almost became expected of him to subvert expectations in all of his publications. It was just his contrarian nature to write something out of spite. It would therefore not be considered strange for him to challenge the established romantic convention of soulmates by emphasizing different degrees of compatibility, by making his leading characters come together as platonic comrades or as destined adversaries instead of the cliché as predestined lovers.

But this Luo Binghe is now a real person, Shen Yuan had to remind himself yet again, and is no longer an imaginary concept on paper.  

Peh, I never knew you were such a romantic, Protagonist A. To think I have to break the discipline I’ve kept for these past few decades of my life…. Who knew a little wolfdog like you would still yearn for a tacky “match made in heaven” even though you’ve been “dual cultivating” with so many beauties….

For the first time in a long while, guilt weighed heavily on Shen Yuan’s mind. He swallowed hard. While he understood the implicit reality of his situation, he still felt like he was, in some way, disappointing his audience by not living up to his reputation. The shame he felt was bizarre.

He cast his plea into the void, my cherished readers, please understand. Forgive this writer if I don’t subvert your expectations in this aspect just this once.

The harem was the closest Luo Binghe had to a family. After the parental kindness of the washerwoman was torn away from him early in his life, after having endured the unhealthy environment that followed, the only love and tenderness he received in his life came in the arms of beautiful women. Tokens of affection were given in the form of intimate acts. It was no wonder Bing gē ’s character had ended up twisted. With his inferiority complex, he collected beauties with a greed not unlike a hedonistic minister who expected tributes and bribes.

The shortcomings of a younger, less experienced Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky made Shen Yuan’s heart ache for all of the original cast of characters. Airplane brother couldn’t have known his own writing would give birth to fully-actualized, breathing persons. As a webnovel writer, there was pressure to meet the self-imposed deadlines set on the online platform of choice to earn virtual coins per chapter, oftentimes leading one to forsake their own creative integrity.

The appeal of an underdog overcoming the odds had been a timeless theme for many reasons. The young, pre-enlightened Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky must have felt obligated to make his protagonist suffer through every cliché in the book for angst points just so that when the love interests took care of him, the juxtaposition seemed “fluffier” and served their function as “healing element” in the story. But the setup was written clumsily, formulaically, like he’d written the angst first and rushed the payoffs.

There were so many women in the harem whose narrative potential stayed underdeveloped. Like cardboard cutouts, most didn’t have much of a personality other than looking beautiful. The heroines were trophies meant to stroke the male protagonist’s ego—who made him feel masculine, manly, and powerful—and to enable him to act in an unrestrained capacity. They were the author’s story device to show his cruel and brutal antihero still had a heart. In the presence of Luo Binghe, each one was gentle, kind, respectful, and submissive. To the other harem members, the once innocent maidens had to learn how to be shameless, who only knew to fight for a man’s favor.

But on a fundamental level, it was because his lovers were blinded by Luo Binghe’s bright, limitless future that nobody truly understood him beyond being a “main capture target.” They saw his worth as a strong, undefeatable husband material. And, in return, beneath the author’s veneer of romance, they were essentially relegated into the role not unlike that of “human cauldrons,” living furnaces that were drained of their vital energies to boost the protagonist’s longevity or cultivation powers through dual cultivation.

When Shen Yuan had read the original series, he came to recognize that the novelist must have wanted to create a dark, tragic antihero who obliterated obstacles to show how far he had come. Writing was supposed to be therapeutic, and Airplane brother must have wanted his story to stand out. The original Luo Binghe was a person motivated by his own grudges, by envy, and by pride—a hungry, ravenous young man fueled by the rage he’d been carrying for far too long. With his “origin story,” as somebody who had undergone the traumas that he had, after all the injustices he had suffered, after all the people and the society he’d been let down by, it was only natural that he carried a lot of emotional baggage.

What this Luo Binghe needed was somebody who was a foil to his temperament, patient, charismatic, and well-educated. Since he would be uniting the Three Realms, they also needed to be proactive keeping him in check from becoming a self-indulgent, fatuous ruler. A sensible head was needed on their shoulders to guide their merciless husband in understanding right from wrong, from succumbing to madness, and from any sycophants looking to lead him astray. It was integral to help Protagonist A maintain a harmonious empire so that, together, they could lead a golden age of reform.

When Cao Zijian first saw the Luò River Goddess, Shen Yuan abruptly recalled, he wrote a verse about her unrivaled beauty and charm.

Whether or not it was Liu Mingyan, a man, or somebody else, it would be poetic if Luo Binghe found his own Luo Shen in the form of somebody who understood him, a person who was well-versed in the language of his cues and subtleties. If Bing gē was truly interested in a man, then Shen Yuan will make sure to find him someone compatible. To draw a protagonist’s eye and maintain it, the candidate must be witty and gutsy, empathetic to a degree and with appropriate ambitions. To stand out from the beauties in the harem, one must not be passive or pretentious.

Their existence would be like a fairytale dream come true. A breath of fresh air. Were Luo Binghe to have intentions on somebody whose standards were significantly much more difficult to meet, he might realize he’d actually have to put in the extra effort to increase his favorability rating with them.

It was a common saying that a man’s personality will undergo change once he falls in love, arousing his desire to protect and provide.

If it was a level of deep love that was truly matchless in this age, a romance that transcended heaven and earth, ordained by fate, even an old man like himself would shed tears of emotion and wish the young newlyweds happy nuptials and an everlasting love in every lifetime.

Shen Yuan wondered if there even existed such an extraordinary person in this setting.

A fated match was bound by string even though a thousand miles. If such a person did not hail from Airplane brother’s imagination, then they must originate from Shen Yuan’s.

And if such a “child” did hail from himself, then Luo Binghe had more to prove to him, demonstrating that an emotionally-stunted half-demon as himself was capable of being sensitive and having a healthy relationship—lest Shen Yuan be forced to skewer him with Yue Ying if this “black-bellied” junior turned out to be overbearing, pursuing and pressuring this novelist’s precious “child” despite being refused. There must exist a chemistry between them, or a mutual romantic interest.

Luo Binghe’s reputation was already in tatters in the Mortal Realm on the account of having a demonic heritage and having razed down the great righteous sects. The current settings of the world defined anyone of demon blood as abominations to be exorcised or slayed without impunity. Whatever goodwill he’d originally cultivated with his deceptive “nice guy” act had to be regained. The elites of the upper class, staunch proponents of maintaining the status quo, would curse anyone of lowly background to be despicable persons who sought connections far above their status. Winning the war against the son of heaven and finding a match of great affinity would be integral in swaying public opinion to his favor.

In public, the lovers must persevere to present a united front, ruthless and fearless against their opposition but dependable and benevolent towards their subjects. They must accumulate enough reverence. It was only over time that the Sacred Rulers would prove themselves worthy of being beloved, idolized by the common people and giving the traditionalists found in high society—who held standards above the ceiling—no choice but to accept their reign lest they risk annihilation from their new rulers.

Until such a person was found, he supposed he could step into the role as his counsel if Luo Binghe ever sought him out.

There’s no medicine for regret, he thought with resolve. Although the <<SYSTEM>> made unsubtle prompts for him to make peace with Luo Binghe, as a direct result of his own decision-making, it had set Shen Yuan down the path of cooperation. He would try his hand at the impossible task of becoming Bing gē’s friend.

It would be an uphill battle, but he must broaden his view early on and engrave these words into his head: the once two-dimensional novel characters were now three-dimensional, multifaceted people.

Their upbringings were nothing alike, but destiny had come as a spring rain and brought them under the same roof.

Luo Binghe came from a destitute background. He’d witnessed firsthand, for himself, the injustices in life being born in abject poverty and with no background. After his stepmother, no one watered the mind of the tender sprout that was a young Luo Binghe, forcing the child to learn how to fend for himself. With his upbringing, it made sense why he had misanthropic tendencies. He’d seen for himself the wretchedness of people’s hearts, that those in high positions—whether it be the sons of noblemen, a Peak lord, or the emperor—had the power to push people around. Now in a similar position, he wouldn’t forget the harsh lessons. Grown up, he was a fearsome existence that very few—if any—could topple. He swore to make his enemies pay in blood.

On the other side of the spectrum, Shen Yuan was a son of entrepreneurs, born with a golden spoon in his mouth. He had the basic business acumen, brought up on Chinese pragmatism and the merit of achieving prosperity. Life might have led him down a different path as a profession, but he was educated in the principles of economics and had graduated from a reputable university focused on self-discipline and social commitment. A writer’s pastime was observing human behavior and implementing real world examples into the imaginary worlds they’ve constructed. From all the books he’d read and the programs he’d watched, he’d accumulated a wealth of random knowledge here and there, with a personal interest in reading up on tactical wartime strategies of the past.

As the older party, he could set the bare minimum standard Luo Binghe could emulate as the type of leader he could be, and to help him grow from his insecurities. The innovations and potential comforts of a technologically-advanced civilization were ingrained into a transmigrator’s brain. His handsome junior could be inspired by some of Shen Yuan’s “wisdom” and put them into practice for any of his policymaking.

Like the spring breeze that thawed the frozen soil, he would be someone who reached into the abyss and grabbed that bloodstained hand. Under his guise as a higher order of being, Shen Yuan would ensure the arrogant, domineering playboy matured into his full potential as a capable and virtuous ruler of the future.

In this world, his modern knowledge and his knowledge of both novel series were his cheats.

He’ll give him pointers so that he wouldn’t continue on the path of self-destruction. He’ll scathingly denounce and safeguard him from conniving shrews and from scheming aristocrats of unscrupulous greed, and from trope pitfalls and foolish mistakes, and to happily hand that duty off when Luo Binghe’s star-crossed lover—a nuanced person of honesty and integrity—inevitably turned up. And maybe, just maybe, even if Bing gē still curated a reputation as a fair but ruthless viper, the new reign might be salvageable and worthy of pride for generations to come.

Let us work together for the unification of the world, okay, Luo Binghe? I know you can do it. This old man will try to advise you during your prime.

It would be like tossing a peach and getting a plum back. It was a smart investment, in hopes of a great return.

“I’d redeemed you once,” Shen Yuan murmured, white lashes fanning against his cheeks. He closed his eyes in reminiscence of his own fanfiction, inhaling the light, woody scent of the censer nearby. “I can do it again.”

In the meantime, preparedness was quintessential. He reflected, I must collect more merits. I cannot be lazy and lag behind in accomplishments.

While Luo Binghe fought his battles, Shen Yuan should avail himself to avoid the fate of the Second Lead Syndrome. A bland comparison metric to be used against the protagonist, that archetype of the second male lead had everything stolen from him—from his time in the spotlight, even to his favorite woman—all to be handed over to the main character. It was a tragic fate. Shen Yuan did not wish to see his own successes being overshadowed by the radiant presence of a hardworking young man.

If his efforts bore fruit, he and Luo Binghe might even be comrades who respected each other, who trusted each other and would never dare to raise a blade at each other’s throat. They would unlock the epilogue together and find their star-crossed lovers. And once everything was set in stone, once the adults ground themselves to dust and were ready to step down to make way for the new generation, they could all live the rest of their lives in peaceful retirement.

And should fate permit them each to father their own child, should harmony blossom between the lovers they doted on and should such a good supportive relationship be maintained, as “uncles” they might even consider arranging an engagement for their descendants—a symbol of uniting the celestial, mortal, and demon bloodlines through marriage.

He could just weep from that beautiful imagery. May their lives be full of warmth and sweetness.

“...System?” he inquired drowsily, his voice barely above a whisper. Turning on his side, he stared at a faraway wall. The glazed white surface of the porcelain pillow felt cold against his cheek, its smoothness reminiscent of jade. “Can you hear me?”

Ping.

【This <<SYSTEM>> provides the Esteemed Host a 24-hour service.】

“I don’t remember Airplane brother going into detail about what the education system is like in this setting. Is it supposed to be historically accurate to the ancient feudal model or…?”

Ping.

As he listened to the long encyclopedic explanation, what he’d heard seemed to reconfirm his worst fears. Education was the privilege of the elites. With a cultivator’s narrow-minded focus on self-enlightenment, it made sense that the basic education curriculum of the twenty-first century could be seen as innovative in the pre-established setting of this strange world.

Wait a moment, wouldn’t this mean even a secondary school student would be seen as a prodigy in this world? ...Then what would a middle-aged uncle of university-level education be considered as?

...A wise sage?

Shen Yuan formed a complicated expression. Immortal cultivators prioritized studying matters of the “spiritual heart” and Qi refinement, in the martial and mystical arts, breaking through the bottleneck of each cultivation stage until their dedication allowed them to reach the pinnacle that was the Ninth Stage.

In the early webnovels, Bing gē had stagnated as a late-stage Core Formation expert. The constant sabotage in his early life had ensured that his education in the esoteric art of cultivation remained incomplete, ensuring that Luo Binghe’s cultivation remained rough around the edges and unpolished, with the end result being the gaps in his knowledge that had to be overcompensated by creativity and sheer determination.

Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky, in his laziness to research the many intricate nuances of the Cultivation World, had waved the illogicalness of the protagonist’s OPness away by attributing it to his ancient, heaven-fallen demonic heritage and to the deus ex machina that was his legendary sword. (Yet, even then, Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky still occasionally confused the Foundation Establishment with the Nascent Soul stages.)

It wouldn’t be until the end of the series—after the outcry of the netizens—that the unsatisfied Luo Binghe made the breakthrough into the proper Nascent Soul stage with the help of his wives and their many gratuitous papapa scenes.

Then in the epilogue, the author had infuriatingly time-skipped all the way to the penultimate Ninth Stage, describing how Luo Binghe somehow became a legend among legends who had finally attained eternal youth and aged back into his late twenties in his new immortal body after having miraculously passed the Heavenly Tribulations—disasters from heaven which were akin to nuclear radiation for those of demon blood. After an unspecified many years of rule, he’d left his legacy behind—with the uncountable size of his harem and a boundless number of his descendants “mourning the loss of a great and oftentimes misunderstood man.”

Just remembering it made Shen Yuan’s blood pressure spike dangerously. Taking deep, calming breaths, he rolled onto his back again as he forced himself to attain catharsis from listening to the mind-numbing exposition the <<SYSTEM>> was extolling to him like a history program. His fingers clenched the bed sheet.

Eventually he found himself feeling adrift, the words beginning to lose their coherency to him as he phased in and out of consciousness, his mind becoming wrapped in a haze of scented smoke. Tense muscles soon relaxed.

The countdown had reached 00:00:00 when sleep finally claimed him.

XXXXXXXXXX

He’d read and heard several accounts of people who have claimed to have had lucid dreams before, but this was the first time Shen Yuan was aware that he was having an “out-of-body” experience.

It’d felt like his “soul” was being lifted into the air. His head was spinning, a ringing in his ears. When he finally “opened his eyes,” he was floating upright in a world devoid of color. Iridescent grids pulsed in and out of existence in the fog below, running like gossamer lines of circuits which resembled the pre-rendered level of a video game.

In the desolate void of white mist, a single incomplete, dark brushstroke circled overhead in an endless rotation of a wheel. He stared up at it. “...Is...it buffering?” Clouds escaped his mouth as he spoke, tasting pure, winter frost with each breath.

Color was beginning to spread, like somebody had dipped a daub of green watercolor beneath his feet.

Ping.

【Answer! Welcome, lăoshī! This <<System>> begs the Esteemed Host’s patience. We have encountered a bug and are thusly limiting the open world configurations. Please be patient while we load the rest of the map assets.】

Alarm bells were blaring inside his head, and he swore he could hear the clanging manifested—but muffled. He began to think that there must have been something suppressive in the air, something that muted all normal sounds. Covering his ears to deafen the noise still, he demanded, “What bug?”

In his muffled hearing, the answering ping pierced through the quiet .

The <<SYSTEM>> spoke clearly and unobstructedly.【This is the world within a dream realm. To adhere to lăoshī’s traditional xianxia expectations, please be aware that celestials are considered the antithesis to every demon in the world. We have thusly isolated your divine presence in a barrier separate from the dream realm influence of Protagonist <<LUO BINGHE>> and Supporting Character <<MENG MO>>, sealing away the demonic Qi bordering lăoshī’s dream realm. You are expected to clear the important plot scenario before you are allowed to return to your waking state.】

That was as official of a “reality check” as he could perform.

Shen Yuan had to sit down.

From faraway, his countenance was of a man with legs dangling over the leafy green rim of a giant water lily. The paleness to his complexion lent him a deceptive image of fragility. His long white hair was down, and the loose white sleeves of his night garment billowed even though there was no wind. A garden pavilion was forming behind him, similar in design to the thirteen bordering the lotus pond he’d rescued Luo Binghe from.

Time stretched on. And on. In the accustomization period, it was as if the fog had stolen his senses, leaving him in a vacuum—with him staring at emptiness. Finally, after an interminable wait, the buffering wheel vanished.

Things were slowly beginning to take shape before his very eyes. He felt like he was watching a time lapse video of a painting master having finally taken their brush to paper.

Dark brushstrokes were painting the rest of the world unknown. He saw something resembling the jagged peaks of a mountainous landscape. The strong black lines, ink wash, and the dotted clusters eventually faded into softer, rubbed brushwork suggesting rolling hills and a river. Thin, delicate flicks took the shape of bamboo leaves. The once-empty world before him bled into a scenic vista not unlike that of the Wuyi Mountains he’d toured once in the Fujian province. Mist passed through the scenery like silkscreen, secreting whatever was beneath from his eyes.

The frigid air bit at his exposed neck. He glanced down and balked immediately at the eyeful of his chest. With a curse, he gripped the thin fabric and wrapped them tightly around himself. He breathed in deeply to reorient himself.

This setting was indeed a place that hid tigers and dragons, each one better than the other. Shen Yuan’s mind was still a half-awake jumbled mess as he tried to process that, whether unconsciously or on purpose, an attempt had been made to drag him into a dream world.

Him, Protagonist B—an uninvolved third-party. An innocent outsider. A stranger.

Ah, but dreams are a narrative convenience, is it not?

Memory was stirred of his halcyon days of youth. His time spent as an undergraduate was a fargone blip in his life, a bubble of time separate from everything that had happened before and after. Long ago, a younger Shen Yuan had the privilege of enrolling in throwaway lectures—one of them memorably being a class where he remembered writing detailed study guides about the phenomenology of dreams and imagination. (He faintly recalled his thought process, at the time, must have been: if he’d needed to fulfill his GE credits anyway, he might as well sign up for a few interesting courses pertaining to his hobbies.)

While he never once experienced a lucid dream, he was surprised by the amount of free thinking he seemed to be able to exercise at this present moment. While the lucid-dreamer could deliberately affect the nature of their hallucinatory experience, Shen Yuan dimly recalled the supposed restrictions on the hyperkinetic dream state—the loss of the capability to doubt, for one. Going with the nonsensical flow and the loss of impulse control, as another.

This was entirely uncharted territory.

He wanted to be angry but reaching for it, he found it slipping through the cracks of his fingers like water. The longer he stared down at the clouds of mist, the more that a sense of serenity seeped into him.

The chaos in his mind calming into a tranquil lake, Shen Yuan gazed up at the pair of moons sharing the same sky. A thin sliver of space existed between the two as though an invisible force was prying the two gravitational forces apart, preventing their collision.

In his daze, he could faintly hear the familiar traditional notes of the two-stringed fiddle of the erhu and the gentle plucking of the seven-stringed guqin ; it was as if there were an invisible troupe of musicians playing the essence of Chinese aestheticism and philosophy in the background for him, setting the mood.

In the context of the imaginary, he wasn’t necessarily at a disadvantage.

It was fortunate that the <<SYSTEM>> had preserved control of his consciousness for him, instead of him having to wrest it back.

Allowing his mind to wander, he studied the composition of the painterly world. While Shen Yuan wasn’t an artist himself, he could discern that the expressionistic brushwork and precise details were what art collectors might consider authentic. Enraptured by the flow of the brushwork, he asked, “System, please correct me if I’m wrong, but is the aesthetic of the Heavenly Realm meant to resemble traditional landscape paintings?”

Ping.

【Answer! Much of the open world has been configured to match the existing prerequisites of being ethereal and otherworldly. Would the Esteemed Host like to expend 1,000 B-Points to change the map skin?】

“No!” A dulled pain dug into his palms. The miser in him thought viciously, 1,000 B-Points! Just to change a skin? What a waste!

This abstract setting of celestials and the Heavenly Realm—and whatever else that followed—must have somehow originated from his own imagination. They couldn't have come from his competitor's unpublished drafts; none of this was Airplane brother's style.

Taking another deep breath, he spoke, “System, you said the scenario was called ‘Loading Chekhov’s Gun.’”

Setting aside his omniscient reader viewpoint and writer’s perspective, he supposed it made sense. Being a fortuneteller, his class skill was to divine the future. He didn’t have the whole picture quite just yet, but the <<SYSTEM>> seemed to have faith that he could begin to collect the threads.

“I’m guessing the criteria is discovering most—if not all—the big foreshadowing elements of my unwritten danmei for me to clear it.” Recalling the contents of both webnovels, he spoke carefully, “I was dragged here without my volition by demonic interference. So if I wish to escape, I will need to destroy the core of the illusion—but in a pacifist way?”

Ping.

【Both are correct. Completing the mission objective with an S-Rank will reward the Esteemed Host with 500 B-Points. Lăoshī, jiāyóu!】

There was no mercy in its vocabulary.

“...Yes. Jiāyóu." He repeated the encouragement wryly, dropping his gaze back at his surroundings. He could only thank lǎo tiān yé—god in heaven—that he’d maxed out his charisma.

Shen Yuan definitely needed all the good luck he could get.

Through the mist, the long, snaking river was a black serpent threading through the ashy grayscale of the valleys as far as the eye could see. And then he remembered. Seeing it, he felt a pang of emotion so strong, it exerted a physical pressure on his chest.

“What about Luo Binghe?” His knuckles were as white as his robe. “What has that little demon been up to now, System?”

...Ping!

【Begging the Esteemed Host’s pardon! This <<SYSTEM>> is keyed to Protagonist <<SHEN YUAN>>. If the Esteemed Host is willing to cross the boundary, there is an option to uncover the story with Protagonist <<LUO BINGHE>>. Providing him assistance will ensure Protagonist A’s Satisfaction points.】

The time has finally come.  

The water lily trembled under him as he straightened to his feet. From his high altitude, Shen Yuan can see where the mist hugged along the so-called boundary line that separated his dreamworld from Luo Binghe’s.

Since Luo Binghe evidently desired his company, Shen Yuan might as well take initiative and go to him on his own terms. If the mountain cannot come to him, then he will go to the mountain. Overall unity was important to maintain harmony between the protagonists.  

“I will store the past and compile a beautiful dream for you,” he promised. He was going to craft a story that was romantic and tangled, replete with heroes, villains, and a well-deserved conquest.

With one foot off the plant, the world spun and he suddenly found himself enclosed in thick walls. He glanced around. Everything had a rough, unfinished painterly quality resembling dried ink wash on paper. Bathed in the shadows, he marched forward in the fog, looking for the nearest exit. His head passed by a circular window, the ricepaper resembling the glow of the moon.

His gaze traveled past the miniature bonsai tree underneath the window’s wooden lattice. Frown lines formed on his face at how thin and small it was.

The visual of it abruptly reminded him of how Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky had described Bing gē to be as small and skinny as a carrot at fourteen years of age. In the earlier chapters that took place in his dreamscape, his diantian was a gnarled, black tree overlooking a meadow, with the scantest of flower buds blooming in a barren wasteland—very much indicative of the protagonist’s mindset at the time.

Shen Yuan’s hand drifted absently to his abdomen as he gracefully passed by the pedestal. The source of one’s ability to cultivate was located in the lower stomach, a natural center of the body’s spiritual energy. He could only wonder how his own diantian would appear. Would it reflect his inexperience as a sapling—frail and waning? Or would it have the appearance and bearing of an old, ancient tree—befitting an immortal celestial being?

Funny how it means “elixir field,” he mused to himself, but us authors somehow always depict it as a tree… .

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.

As he peered up at the origin of the noise, words suddenly materialized around him. They’d peeled off the building like black strips of paper, suspended midair around him as though they were a sea of constellations surrounding the moon. The small, densely-packed lines of Chinese characters blurred in his vision but he instantly understood.

They were a manifestation of all the predictions he was capable of.

A gust of wind blew. As bountiful as the leaves of a forest canopy, the bamboo scrolls strung overhead swayed with the wind, knocking into each other with crisp clunks.  

The long, narrow strips reminded him of the scrolls he had shelved in the Archives room. His servants had shown him how they’d cut and roasted the white bamboo stalks until they became dark, later binding the dried strips with durable thread. All were prepared for their master, to transcribe his manuscripts if not his oracles.

He heard the sloshing of water. Ripples formed beneath his stride as a pale hand reached up. The wide sleeve slipped down his forearm as his fingertips grazed the bottom of a random brown scroll that somehow called to him.

An opulent array of gold flooded his vision.  

The imperial palace was a splendor of the Mortal Realm that could not be described, a piece of history that inspired great awe and reverence. In the starry skies, Shen Yuan saw a resplendent celestial being, wearing a monocle of a pearlescent sheen, descend from the full moon. Upon their feet touching the secular world, white faded to black. His hair was tied back and as black as sable, his original facial features—although pale—presented to the world as he approached the solitary figure seated at his rightful place atop the dragon throne.

Like the sun in the skies, Luo Binghe shined with a bright light in one’s eyes. With eyes filled with a thousand words, he was a young emperor in formal black, his austere and distinguished presence instilling a sense of respect into others. An armored cloak decorated his shoulders; the thick white fur sewn into the collar of the embroidered brocade appeared familiar to Shen Yuan for an inexplicable reason.

There was a strange intensity to his expression. With a half-formed smile of indulgence, the newly crowned sovereign was watching how the visiting fortuneteller gazed upon him with immense pride. He genuflected to Luo Binghe in a proper bow.

Time had not left any residue on their faces; they were arguably as handsome as they had been when they’d first met at the beginning. Both held the innate ability to hold one’s eyes on their presence.

Earnest congratulations swelled in the air, stirring the hearts of those in the coronation ceremony when the wise-looking, austere guest gifted the Heavenly Demon official amnesty from the Heavens.

Suddenly Shen Yuan found himself outside.

A fragrance of flowers filled the imperial gardens during the eighth lunar month, a fresh scent that was quiet and distant but able to inspire heartfelt emotions. The courtyard bloomed with lush red and purple chrysanthemums.

He saw himself stopping in place below an osmanthus tree, with the oil-paper umbrella he’d carried shading him. Dancers ahead were moving with dainty steps to a stunning choreography, performing the tale of yearly weather from spring to summer, fall and winter.

Behind his reading monocle, his celestial gaze did not carry evil intent; it was pure and admiring of the beauties capable of overthrowing cities and kingdoms. Respectfully keeping his distance, he maintained a thick atmosphere of an educated appearance, dignified and decently conducted. Next to him were the pots of white blossoms—the sight of them naturally not being a joyous thing for one to gaze at without being reminded of funerals.

From the crowd of spectators appreciating the flowers, the dance, and poems being composed, four sets of eyes flitted over to him—one scarlet and one an overcast sky, and two that were pitch-black.

A Demon Saint, dressed in her infamous gauzy red silks and tiny bells, as coquettish as a temptress. Her complexion was naturally fair, with a type of rare grandeur and dignity in her brows.

A human cultivator who wore a veil over the lower half of her face, hiding the dazzling beauty that was like lilies blooming out of fresh water; a calm and composed beauty that snatched people’s souls.

A young mistress of wealthy bearing, willful and adorable with her childlike-face, wearing her long hair up in a flying fairy style, decorated with pink pearls to match her long, extravagant palace dress. A whip had been strapped to her willow waist.

And another young lady, as fair as a magnolia—and whose lovely mature face had turned ghastly. Became ashen. “It can’t be....” As though she were seeing a ghost from her past, she took an involuntary, compulsive step to him. “Shen Jiu…?”

Various emotions flashed over their fair countenances. Shock. Fear. Disbelief. Confusion. Then a reignited deep hostility formed between their brows, their unsettled eyes as dead as stagnant water—unable to tear like a dry well but filled with bottomless loathing.

A flurry of fabrics blurred in his sight. An arc of red sprayed widely over the flowers of the courtyard, the droplets scattering like crimson petals against the walls. The umbrella clattered to the ground.

A headless body collapsed heavily to its knees. Fell sideways like a log.

A round object soon tumbled over the hot, sticky blood seeping into the cracks of the paved limestone. Red began to stain the long, black roots that were fading back into the color of moonlight.

Through the music and shrill cries, one deep shout shook the Heavens. A howl of rage, there existed the unexpected raw sound of anguish that could chill the blood. There had been too many complicated emotions condensed into that single vocalization, it made everyone who heard this sound feel a stone in their throat.

The swift winds of calamity approached.

A faltering scream, or something like a scream was heard with the sound of numerous lives being extinguished. It was a demented, gut-wrenching retribution that didn’t end, a subjugation forever to be carved into the annals of history.

Shen Yuan broke free from the premonition, gasping like a dying man. His hand scrambled to his neck. Fear tasted like iron in his mouth, the muscles at the base of his throat working convulsively.

Cold sweat beaded down his face as he staggered forward. He felt as though he’d resurfaced from the deep depths of the sea he’d been drowning from. The water sloshed beneath his movements, his inner robe loosening from his abrupt movements.

Ping!

【Prediction! A Death Flag has been discovered. +44 Points. Future Events unlocked. Objectives <<INVITATION TO THE CHRYSANTHEMUM BANQUET>> and <<DEFEATING THE MECHANISMS OF THE PALACE COURT!>> will be available.】

System, why are you giving me so many inauspicious fours! He wanted to tear his hair out! He screamed in his head, The future me was helping your husband for the sake of securing your peace and prosperity! How did you not realize cutting the neck of a celestial immortal from the exalted Heavens would be considered an evil action? Did you think your actions were just and thus exempted from karmic, divine retribution?

Have they lost their minds? How can anyone mistake him for Shen Qingqiu? He was not Shen Jiu!

What a messy affair!

What a disaster!

To say he felt vexed was an understatement. Just now, everything had happened too suddenly. The tangled, chaotic mess of information was too shocking, too absurd. Just what happened to his invincible golden halo? Did inhabiting the mortal coil temporarily dispel it? Was this the stupid【Hidden Penalty】applied to his character creation?

Don’t tell him it was because he was the sort of cutthroat writer who’d kill off his own protagonists for shock value!

He smiled with a trace of bitterness. It was precisely in line with what he’d write. This was just the sort of first-draft content a writer like him might throw in just to be evil but would later put on the chopping block upon revision, when he was no longer fueled by spite.

If he had his laptop, in true keyboard warrior fashion, he’d finger-smash his frustrations in an unintelligible burst of Chinese characters. He’d signed up for a heartwarming, “feel good” pseudo-historical fantasy redemption story with blood-pumping battles and sworn brotherhoods. He did not sign up for angst and heavy subject matters like genocide.

Regaining his equilibrium, he shuddered. Abruptly he recalled a novel passage describing how those who die from a beheading were never to reincarnate. His hand clenched into a fist, his fighting spirit ignited. Shen Yuan resolved himself to trample that death flag. As a transmigrator, he would improve their attitudes toward him and rewrite fate!

He will survive in this world without fail and use whatever means necessary!

However much he didn’t wish to dwell on the vision, he knew he’d seen that monocle somewhere before. The Store inventory?

His heart racing, he threw his memory a little further back until he saw it—vivid and picture-clear in his mind’s eye. It was as if a scene from the distant past had superposed with the present.

<<MONOCLE OF DIVINE CLARITY>>

Wondrous item, legendary

A rare artifact once belonging to Xīwángmǔ, the enchanted crystal lens is rimmed with silver and has a fine chain attached to a jade earclip. Magical properties include Resist Mental Compulsion, True Sight, and enhancement of the wearer’s divination. Effects shall remain active as long as the owner wears it.

Cost: 500,000 B-Points

He’d remembered thinking, Just whose imagination did this goddess’ treasure originate from? So expensive! Monocles were a fashion statement used to highlight certain shrewd men in Chinese novels, but the eyewear was ultimately a Western 18th-century invention overseas and not of ancient China. Such historical inaccuracy! He’d wished to file a complaint! Shen Yuan remembered the grievances he’d lamented to the <<SYSTEM>>, only to be coolly rebuffed with the encouragement to continue to work hard.

But despite its exorbitant price-tag, he’d now received visual confirmation that he would eventually acquire ownership—whether the relic would be purchased by his own merit or it would enter his hands as a byproduct of the halo’s extraordinary luck. Although there was a sense of accomplishment in knowing, it paled in comparison against his newfound conviction.

Only the shallow groove between his brows betrayed his profound distress. There was no point dwelling on an omen that hadn’t happened yet. His counterattack would have to wait.

With a hand still shielding his throat, his breathing slowly, eventually, returning to a semblance of normalcy, Shen Yuan warily glanced around the painterly surroundings.

Somehow he’d found his way to the border. No words could capture the feeling he felt standing in the midst of a bamboo grove painted into existence from ground charcoal and ink wash. A retinue of monumental statues flanked him, weathered with time—and unrecognizable with their faceless features.

Walking by, he craned his neck to stare momentarily up at the features of two of them. A man and a woman. The man was of taller stature, with the suggestion of a goatee. The woman wore a headdress; an ominous hairline crack bisected her torso. Their placement indicated they were husband and wife, the intricate details carved on the white jade making them appear regal and imposing.

A sense of dejavú filled his thoughts. He couldn’t tell who they were meant to represent, but they felt familiar. Like he should know who they all were, but recognition of gods and the divine slipped through his fingers.

The misty ground had given way back to a transient void of white. He could see clearly where his dream realm ended and Luo Binghe’s dream realm started. It was as though a curtain had been drawn, an aurora of northern lights protecting a blank white canvas from being blotted. Across the boundary, he could see something up ahead in the eternal darkness. In the desolation that engulfed the night, an ominous shroud of miasma roiled overhead.

Like a soldier preparing for the battlefield, he steeled his resolve. With one firm slap to his cheeks, he bridged the gap.

The moment he crossed the threshold, a fierce demonic Qi surged toward him like a violent gale of desert wind which threatened to strip the skin from his bones. His knees nearly buckled under him as irony, sorrow, and bitterness besieged him. He had to resist all compulsion to turn back as the darkness caged him at once. He floated aimlessly in the darkened landscape, inexplicable feelings of loneliness arising within.

Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes, calming his inner turmoil.

He had to tell himself dreams did not reflect reality; they were merely a projection of someone’s subconscious. Even so, it painted a bleak picture of his xiōng dì's mental state.

Descending from the night skies, Shen Yuan was an ethereal figure dressed in white, the thin garment fluttering behind him as he took the invisible steps down into the foreign dream realm. In the infinite cosmos, he saw nothing but stars. He cast a cursory look over the bioluminescent glow rippling under him with each tread, like an otherworldly procession, until his feet finally touched the earth.

The sound of wings flapping caught his attention. Shen Yuan twisted his head, seeing a majestic fènghuáng burst free from his own heavenly realm. The immortal phoenix soared high overhead, the five sacred colors—red, blue, yellow, white, and black—of its serrated tail feathers trailing behind it. A beautiful cry escaped its throat like a song.

A mighty roar shattered the night. The air pressure shifted. As though answering the phoenix’s call, a fierce and powerful lóng ascended from the dark depths of the realm, brackish water trembling off its black scales as it shot up to give chase after the fènghuáng ’s vibrant plumage.

He watched their aerial dance in flight. Like yin and yang coming together, seeing their bodies twist and weave with one another in a harmonious sight made an intensity arise from the bottom of his heart.

The relief he felt was all-consuming. Every Chineseman knew of the dragon-and-phoenix metaphor of olden times. And if the mythical phoenix dared to take flight in this dream realm, in a demon’s home turf, surely it was an auspicious sign that Bing gē was not too far gone in darkness and corruption.

Feeling a renewed lightness on his feet, Shen Yuan went to follow.

The moment that the dragon surfaced, he had registered a faraway presence. It was a feeling of awareness, a slight prickling sensation of the scalp, making him feel self-conscious. He was hyper-aware that he was not alone. Even if Luo Binghe had been preoccupied, there was no way Protagonist A would not have sensed Protagonist B’s presence—and vice versa.

If Shen Yuan’s world had been representative of the heavenly air and water, much like the man himself Luo Binghe’s spirit root was aligned with the earth. His hand drifted back to his throat. The air was as arid as a desert. If memory served Shen Yuan correctly, Luo Binghe also had an innate affinity with the fire attribute. It’d been discovered during his time in the Endless Abyss arc once the demon seal had been broken, indicative of his high sensibility to the fire type of Qi.

Hearing noises behind him, he glanced over his shoulder. Leaves had sprung from the blackened branches, rustling in the wind. Moonlight dripped through the gaps in the canopy, reflecting mottled shadows. He had been following along a ravine which’d shimmered gold, curious where the running water led to. Presumably it would take him to wherever Luo Binghe—and Meng Mo?—wanted him to see.

Tucking the long strands of his hair behind an ear, he halted midstride when he heard, “...a...re...f...ul….”

He’d heard that quiet murmur before—that time at the pond, didn’t he? A woman’s cadence. Like the babbling of a brook, as faint as the wind, with accents of a beauty hitherto unknown. He glanced at the waters, keeping his expression impassive.

Ping.

【Do exercise caution, Esteemed Host! One should not turn their back on an opponent.】

Shen Yuan was silent. He cast his gaze sidelong to the trees for a fleeting moment. As though addressing someone in the prevailing shadows, he purposely stated aloud, “I don’t make mistakes in recognizing talent. I have no intention of making Luo Binghe my opponent.”  

Without another word, he resumed his stroll. His sight was fixed on the miasma ahead.

On the account of the premonition, it was at no fault of Luo Binghe’s that Shen Yuan would lose his head to the man’s wives. If anything, it’d sounded as though Protagonist A would seek to avenge him—even if the way he reacted was extreme and heartless.

Don’t you know, he wanted to tell his junior, if you do too many bad things, you will get retribution?

Truly, the future Shen Yuan must have maxed out his affection meter. Luo Binghe must have deeply treasured their friendship—or his counsel—to the point where he was capable of callously dismissing his former lovey-dovey attachments to help the dead deliver justice. However much pity Shen Yuan felt for the young women for how easily their husband detestably threw them aside, it was still an immensely heartfelt gesture he showed for the deceased. Even a rock would feel moved.

It made him remember the con-crit he’d left on the online forum, where he detailed how cool he felt the portrayal of a hateful and sinister Bing gē was—a refreshingly blackened hero who repaid debts of kindness and grudges. As expected of the “black-bellied” male lead, once the favorability meter was full, his inner protectiveness to the ones he held in high esteem would appear.

...Shen Yuan, you are putting the cart before the horse, he scolded himself. Stop thinking about something useless. Don’t meddle in his personal affairs too much.

Petals scattered, rolling along with no control whatsoever over their destiny, adrift and aimless. Strands of moonlit hair billowed with the breeze, leading his attention from his feet to across the distance. He focused on the sparse meadow that had wrapped itself in the embrace of the autumn equinox.

In the inky darkness, he saw a field of red spider lilies blooming in the hellish wasteland along a golden stream, leading to the gnarled tree—dark and twisted and silhouetted with demonic Qi.  

So this was Luo Binghe’s diantian.... It was as depressing of a sight as Shen Yuan had envisioned. The scent of death lingered in the air, an earthy perfume of graveyard soil and decay intermingling into the overwhelmingly floral fragrance, suffusing into the senses.

Under the swathe of demonic miasma drifting down from the sky like ash, the drooping red petals seemed ready to fall, swaying dreamily, but holding fast to their slim, strong stalks. The movement added something alive to the manjusaka’s fragility, to their ethereal quality, almost human in the way a flower could demonstrate both frailty and endurance at the same time.

He felt a faint sense of dread as he began to wander deeper into the crimson field, feeling a pressure over his head that was overbearing and suffocating. The flowers parted before him, the petals brushing his sleeves and hair like covetous fingers. He’d half-expected to see the heavenly flowers descending from the realm of the Gods, according to Buddhist scriptures. There was an old Chinese legend of two fairies who had been punished by the gods to be seperated for all eternity. As gods’ design, the petals could only blossom when the leaves were all withered away.

A flower of separation, and with its poisonous bulb, the red spider lily held a dark connotation that appealed to writers. They were well-known metaphors in eastern literature.

Memories poured in like the tide. Grown in Diyu—the realm of the dead or “hell” where souls were sent to repent and be purified—they were symbolic of guiding the dead into their next reincarnation. If anyone had asked him about what it meant in the language of flowers, Shen Yuan would say he associated the red spider lily with feelings of abandonment, longing, lost memories, and final parting. He’d referenced the symbolism before in a past work, underscoring its morbid resemblance to splashes of blood.

Shen Yuan stared with narrowed eyes. There was a certainty in him that he could not describe. But with how the dream realm had been described in the webnovels, there was absolutely no way Luo Binghe, or the elder Meng Mo, had a hand in this.

For any onlookers looking in from the outskirts, this scene must have presented a baffling sight. He remembered the pride displayed by both versions of the elder dream demon when it came to showing off their control over illusions to a young and impressionable disciple of mixed-blood. Shen Yuan wouldn’t be surprised if Meng Mo was presently frothing at the mouth, seeing a celestial being mess with his precious host’s control.

There was an indescribable eeriness permeating everywhere ever since he’d walked into the flower field.

System, he accused, this must be your doing. Just what are you trying to prove to this old man?  

There was no story without coincidences. When countless coincidences crashed altogether, the truth came to light.

Ping.

【Answering the Esteemed Host, the thousand year white resurrection lily is a gateway to the world of the deceased. It receives the memories of a departing soul before one crosses the Nai Ha bridge to pass into their next life, and can therefore be harvested to bring back the souls of the dead. Should Protagonist <<SHEN YUAN>> accept the quest, there is a resurrection subplot to bring back wronged supporting characters from the Earth Realm.】

Hearing the explanation, Shen Yuan’s mind leapt to the original Shen Qingqiu.

Even Shen Yuan, who’d originally called for the “scumbag’s” castration like many other fans, after having read the rebooted series, felt that the original Shen Qingqiu was deserving of sympathy points. At the mercy of his own duplicitous personality, the emotionally stunted character had adhered to the mensao archetype through and through—flopping between the two states of “hot and cold.” It had been revealed that many of the crimes Shen Qingqiu had been accused of had been the result of various egregious misunderstandings and miscommunications.

An ache wormed its way into his heart. There had been so many casualties, so many people who had their lives cut short. The Qing Jing Peak Lord, Shen Qingqiu; the Sect Master of the Qiong Ding Peak, Yue Qingyuan; the Bai Zhan Peak Lord and Liu Mingyan’s elder brother, Liu Qingge; Luo Binghe’s blood-related parents Su Xiyan and Tianlang jun….

They were good people. They weren’t his creations, but their roles as the small “mobs”—side characters—led to their potential being shorn woefully short.

It was perhaps pretentious and presumptuous of him to decide those to be allowed to come back from the dead—defying the natural order of things—but for someone to be essentially granted a second chance at life, to right regrets and live their rebirth to the fullest, who would refuse? Celestial beings were meant to have magnanimous hearts, moving the sky and earth for once-in-a-lifetime noble souls.

So wasn’t it just and righteous if such extreme action was taken?

Ping.

【Optional objective <<JOURNEY TO THE NETHERWORLD>> is available. Does the Esteemed Host wish to accept? Y/N?】

He glanced at the UI. Within that brief moment, Shen Yuan had already made many deliberations and judgements. Just as he was about to cement his decision, he heard the faintest trickle of music—and with it, murmurs.

“...P...le...ase….”  

His body instinctively tensed. A thick stench of blood pervaded the air, suffocating the floral fragrance with a metallic odor of iron.

...Why do I hear <<BOSS>> music?

Shen Yuan swatted the interface away from him, hissing beneath his breath, “Some other time.”

Whispers, male and female, crept through the silence. They drifted into his hearing, mournful and piteous, like wounded animals in close pursuit of their prey. Growing louder and louder.

“May...the Heavens...have mercy....”

“Save us.”

“Anyone….”

Under the night sky, he appeared calm, but his mind was already as turbulent as the storming seas.

At the sound of rustling, an archaic flight instinct had him spinning on his feet. A crack had formed in his expression. Skeletal arms were outstretched toward him from the crimson field.

Infinitely long, they dripped with blood, the droplets scattering onto the lilies like rain.

His hand instinctively reached for his sword as he watched the illusion crawl toward his ankles and the hem of his robe. His brows tightly-knitted, there was a chill to his face that was very different than during the daytime—as if he were a different person.

Some battles had to be fought another day. To avoid damaging his or Luo Binghe’s psyche, he’d have to beat a tactical retreat.

Just as he was about to soar away like a sparrow, he heard a distinct, metallic shnnk. He jerked in surprise when an arm abruptly materialized around his waist, embracing Shen Yuan from behind like an iron snare.

A black demonic blade swung in a wide arc.

The skeletal arms were obliterated in a torrent of midnight wildfire, limbs bursting open in wet splatters of blood.

The heat pressed against his back was as solid and grounding as a tree trunk, the strong and rapid heartbeat incomparably clear in his ears as the roaring flames extinguished themselves. All petals had been scattered from the mighty gust, strands of black and white hair flowing together in the wind.

In the blanket of darkness came the hysterical thought of a wild Bing gē having appeared. The culprit has, at last, deigned to show his guilty face.

“Shizun….”

The mere sound of him strummed the bowstring in his own heart with a loud tremor.

In a tone as soft as peach blossoms, silky and gentle, Luo Binghe whispered to Shen Yuan, “I’ve finally found you.”

The hoarseness of the man’s voice was albeit strange. Thrown off-kilter, Shen Yuan thought that there might have been something wrong, but he didn’t trust himself to say anything yet without it being misconstrued.

Hot puffs of air brushed against his cheek. That, with the scent of rice water and rose petals and something else masculine and unfamiliar, was distracting. Luo Binghe was quietly repeating the phrase, "I found you."

Mustering his courage, Shen Yuan peered over his shoulder. Both brows soared to his hairline when he saw a hallucination of a hundred flowers blooming at once.

A circle of red peeked out from the charcoal of Luo Binghe’s eyes. His attractive features were akin to the warmth of the early spring sunshine on flower petals that, for a moment, Shen Yuan could not differentiate between north and south.

Shen Yuan blinked once—twice, to clear the hallucination. It was only when he realized what he was seeing that Shen Yuan felt dumbstruck. He could feel his own facial muscles beginning to contort.

Unbelievable. The corners of his mouth launched upwards out of his control, but the ludicrous smile was suppressed by him before it could take flight completely. How utterly audacious.

Luo Binghe’s long, dark hair was let loose like a waterfall. And he was shamelessly wearing nothing but a thick, white pelt over his bare torso.

Having been the one to strike down the mythical beast, Shen Yuan instantly recognized the fur draped over broad shoulders. It was the divine báihǔ pelt the servants had laid out over the bed to help their guest conserve heat for the winter. Draped over bare skin, it’d lent the younger man a distinctly wild impression.

Luo Binghe’s breathing was a little unstable. Wrapping his other arm around Shen Yuan, he closed his eyes. Nosing the soft white hair, he remarked, "Shizun has a pleasant scent...."

Shen Yuan’s expression remained a frozen lake. What was with this ambience?

Faced with an unprecedented scenario, Shen Yuan didn’t know how to make it less awkward and help them both save face. The extent of his adult experience with hugging strangers had been starting conversations or meetings with a handshake, and ending it with a brisk hug whenever the whim hit. Even his own father, himself and his two brothers had communicated mostly with manly pats to the shoulder or the back. Perhaps such discomfort could be attributed to a cultural custom which persisted long after the death of Chairman Mao back in 1976. Initiating physical contact still remained somewhat of a learning curve among friends and family members, with some notable exceptions like the comforting touches given to a cute child or the hugs given by an overbearing grandparent.

Despite his current appearance, Shen Yuan was still a man; even though it was not the soft figure of a woman being pressed up against him, it was embarrassing being held by another man so fiercely.

Even knowing everything there was to know about Luo Binghe, he was essentially a stranger to Shen Yuan. The whole experience was surreal, like being hugged by a movie star who could just as easily change his mind and decide to crush his windpipe.

Shen Yuan didn’t dare to look down to confirm the extent of Luo Binghe’s undressed state. What if he accidentally bore witness to a wardrobe mishap and caught a glimpse of that legendary, heavenly sky pillar—or see a blinding tower of light? He wouldn’t be able to recover from such humiliation! To avoid that blow to his ego, he would be better off pretending everything was normal. I am a morally upright citizen with the heart of an angel, he chanted to himself like a sutra. I must remain patient and benevolent with today’s hot-blooded youth.  

With the two of them locked in a stalemate, Shen Yuan slowly felt his sanity returning to him. Standing as still as a statue, he ruminated on the best method to address this situation with an appropriateness that wouldn’t trigger a landmine.

He patted Luo Binghe’s forearm in a consoling manner, but it was also an unsubtle cue for him to release him.

The arms only tightened in persistence.

Shen Yuan frowned at his “stickiness.” He felt as though they were unintentionally stealing this particular romantic encounter from a youth’s passionate spring dreams. Since this was ancient China, it was truly lucky that he wasn’t being hugged by a young woman, or else he’d be worried about impacting her reputation—even if nothing had happened.

Traces of resignation formed between unpigmented brows. “...Xiōng dì, I am appreciative to you for having found your way to me.” Now that the arrow had been drawn, it had to be released. As exasperated as he felt, he asked with no small amount of concern, “Are you suffering from any mental backlash? I am aware of what happens when one retaliates at an illusion.”

A shaky exhalation of breath was heard. Instead of answering his question, Luo Binghe replied with much sorrow, “This lord deserves to die. However much this lord hastened to reunite with you the moment I saw your resplendent presence descending from the sky, it is unfortunate we met just as harm was about to befall upon Shizun.”

His voice had been mellow, with a hint of the liveliness to it that only young people had. It made it all the more easy for people to develop goodwill towards a valiant, dazzlingly handsome lord.

...I know of your tricks, little demon. Are you testing the sincerity of my well intentions? Furthermore, how do you manage to sound like a pitiful puppy...while your body...looks so erotic...? Bing gē, you truly have a duplicitous, villainous heart.

Shen Yuan refused to fall into the scheme of this little wolfdog. To avoid a perilous situation, he must go on the counterattack.

Instead, he turned in his arms. Luo Binghe’s eyes snapped open when Shen Yuan framed his face in his gloveless palms.

Shen Yuan inspected his features closely, putting on a stern look. He wiped away the big drops of sweat that flowed down the Heavenly Demon’s forehead, chastising, “You move me to tears, Luo Binghe. Did I not warn you to work on your bad habit of bearing everything silently?” Every word and sentence was leaden with camaraderie. His fingers drifted down to clasp him by the elbows. “You’ve forgotten this one is clairvoyant. Instead of concealing your intentions from me, this master shall willingly lend you his ear if you come bearing any troubling thoughts or concerns.”

What was the use of having a glib tongue if it couldn’t be put to good use? Time to wield his +20 CHARISMA to its full devastating potential!

“Although we are strangers, I hope, with time, you can be the truest version of yourself with me. I will not think any less of you at a sign of weakness.” The nature of heroic warriors emphasised on cultivating relationships and respect. Shen Yuan knew to repay a kind act with gratitude. Concentrating on his channels, he sent a pulse of his spirit energy to his yin -depleted companion through their point of contact.

Luo Binghe’s eyelids fluttered half-mast as gentle and clean spiritual power circulated throughout his meridians. The sensation was reminiscent of a cold spring drizzle watering the arid soil, the strain in his body receding for the time being.

Under a more impertinent tone, Shen Yuan told him, “Even if you willfully choose to disregard my reading, I cannot help but be concerned seeing how gallantly and recklessly you continue down this path of self-destruction. Just look at the state of your own diantian. Even the peerless ‘Luo Demon’ of the battlefield who is said to be able ‘to withstand the skies and earth’ should not be uncompromising regarding one’s own health.”

Shen Yuan knew from personal experience. However much the spirit was willing, the flesh was weak.

A hand slowly left his waist, moving to close over the back of Shen Yuan’s palm. Carefully sizing him up, his scarlet gaze, as he looked at Shen Yuan, held a few degrees more affection.

Ping.

【Protagonist A Satisfaction points +25.】

Twenty-five points instead of five or ten? You must have felt so good, you’d reached the heavens. Shen Yuan granted a lukewarm smile towards the future tyrant, patting the white fur over his shoulder in a friendly manner. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes. Many thanks to Shizun.” His line of sight drifted downward, and suddenly his attention was the ravenous gaze of a tiger.

Heat rushed in Shen Yuan’s body like the torrential flood. You’re a married husband who’s bedded countless beauties throughout the years , he’d nearly rebuked. What was so interesting about seeing an old man’s chest anyway? He averted his face. Forcing a calm and unwavering tone, he invited, “Since we’re here, walk with me, Luo Binghe.”

Perhaps it was due to the strange air of two men bonding that grinded down Luo Binghe’s stubborn temperament, but his iron hold had loosened, giving Shen Yuan ample opportunity to break free. Righting the night garment back into its proper place, he turned his feet in the direction toward his own dream realm.

“Luo Binghe…. My son….”

Shen Yuan glanced over his shoulder, his stride slowing. Somehow,  even as a figment of his imagination, he instantly knew whom this voice was supposed to belong to—maternal and lonely and sorrowful, full of regrets.

“I beg of you…. Help him….”

“Shizun?”

He gazed at the field of spider lilies with a considering look. With each step they’d taken, the blood-red color had faded into white. “...You do not hear anything?” he asked slowly.

Luo Binghe granted him an unfathomable look, before shaking his head. The fur of the báihǔ rustled with the small movements.

“So it’s like that.... May the elder dream demon who has taken this younger demon under his wing forgive my divine interference.” Sensing he’d captured Luo Binghe’s rapt attention from that frivolous declaration, Shen Yuan scrutinized the person who had been walking shoulder to shoulder with him.

To anyone looking in, they perhaps presented an incompatible image. Visually, as protagonists, they were as different as day and night—indicative of the two different writing styles of the two novelists.

As the celestial representative, there was a kind of romantic, quiet and unrestrained air of a distinguished literary person. Even with such mature looks, like the dark side of the moon, they paled in comparison to the blinding brilliance that was Luo Binghe whose presence was as bright as the sun in the sky. He personified those who walked with a dragon’s gait and firm tiger’s steps, with a vigour and prestige that unknowingly overflowed out; and with a cultivator’s valor, such presentation could make his opponent easily frightened. Shen Yuan could still recall his rough touch and that vise-like strength. Although Luo Binghe appeared innocent, he was actually enigmatic and difficult-to-predict. It made Shen Yuan want to test him.

Affecting an air of indifference, Shen Yuan mentioned as casually as he could, “That aside, I have a question for you. I was hoping you could satisfy my curiosity.”

Luo Binghe’s gaze was a dozen stones piled on the side of his face. He bade, “May Shizun speak candidly.”

“You must have given thought to my predictions. Knowing what xiōng dì knows now, what else does Luo Binghe intend to ask this one?” Seeing Luo Binghe was about to respond, Shen Yuan shook his head. “Don’t give me the answer you think I will want to hear. Be frank. For you to chase me in my dreams, you must be burdened with a thirst for knowledge.”

“...This lord wishes to learn more,” Luo Binghe confessed, looking unapologetic. “The strong prey on the weak; that is how the world works. As one who can get a glimpse of fate, Shizun is an indispensable source of guidance. Before this lord arrived here, I had been in a daze and felt helpless. Then elder Shen Yuan helped clear the fog in my head. The future has never been clearer.”

Shen Yuan hid the cynical smile in his heart.

Now we get to the crux of the matter…. Very well; he will fulfill the desperate wish of the imaginary Su Xiyan. He would help her son.

First, he had to establish a common enemy or obstacle.

“You are fortunate. Although it’s unorthodox, seeing as we are in a dream realm, seeing once is preferable to hearing a hundred times. You can do with the knowledge of your future later however you want.” He glanced forward, seeing the boundary line just across the barren wasteland. “Should you see intervening forces or hindrances to your survival or success, even if both parties once harbored goodwill, what will Luo Binghe do?”

There were countless variables on the chessboard. How he chose to answer him would decide where Shen Yuan will point the spear to.

Sensing the weight of his tone, Luo Binghe mulled over his words for a moment. A dark storm swirled in his eyes. Gazing at him as though he intended to test him, he spoke with severity, unfalteringly, “If one were to offend me, this lord will definitely exterminate the entire family.”

Shen Yuan somehow managed a serene expression despite hearing such a bloodthirsty declaration. A ferocious answer that has exceeded expectations, of course. Bing gē, your inferiority complex is showing.  

He knew just the perfect scapegoats.

One was the son of heaven—the current emperor of the Mortal Realm himself. His fate was sealed the moment he’d declared the exceptional demon lord to be a threat and that the middle kingdom would not be content with nothing short of his destruction.

Second was the Old Palace Master—the sect leader of the still-surviving Huan Hua Palace. That pervert was the poisonous snake that was entrenched in the grass, waiting for an opportunity to strike and bite his son-in-law to death.

And lastly, the most crucial, would be the symbol of everything that had gone wrong in Luo Binghe’s life. He was the ideal sacrificial pawn, for that person was an existence Luo Binghe would definitely not be able to touch even if he harbored resentment.

Ping!

【Warning! Allowing Protagonist <<LUO BINGHE>> knowledge of the powers that be is prohibited. A penalty will be imposed on the Esteemed Host should you continue!】

System, Shen Yuan roared in his head, must you undermine everything I do? Even as his fingers curled into fists, he resolutely maintained his mild forbearance as they approached the boundary. He thought viciously, If you’re so worried, then why don’t you activate a filter to edit what I’m saying into something that suits this world?

Ping.

【The Esteemed Host voluntarily wishes for censorship?】

Not censorship! Just filter any forbidden words into something of similar equivalence. I give you permission! Just don’t meddle! This is a critical stage toward jumpstarting Bing gē’s character development!

Now that he thought about it, naturally the main reason why many of the modern characters never admitted to being a transmigrator was out of fear of being seen as crazy. Shen Yuan could count on one hand the number of stories where the protagonist admitted to actually being one.

Wasn’t he in an optimal position where he could be believed? The intimate act of exchanging secrets brought people even closer. Shen Yuan was not above using the same emotional tricks to lure Luo Binghe to his side.

A sudden warmth jostled him out of his thoughts. Just as he heard the notification that the filter had been activated, he noticed Luo Binghe had stepped closer to him. Body heat transferred to Shen Yuan from their proximity. He could smell the scent of fur.

His smile was ferocious, as if he were a vicious wolf. “The ways of the heavens are merciless.” A hand lifted to play with the loose white strands. Luo Binghe seemed to have found his albinism curious. “While this lord is appreciative to elder Shen Yuan, I am aware that immense hatred and bad blood has existed between the moral sects and demonkind for generations. Yet you’ve magnanimously harbored me at your residence and shared with me my bright future. Aren’t you worried your celestial brethren will accuse you of collusion with this lord for your own benefit?”

Brows that were as pale as the snow rose at the provocative words. Although I haven’t met such “celestial brethren,” to think you would see the bigger picture of classism and discrimination.... Sighing in his heart, Shen Yuan realized he must have misjudged him. He hadn’t thought a formidable, blackhearted stallion protagonist like himself could be broad-sighted. Luo Binghe, I never thought you’d grow up overnight.

“...I don’t think you’re rotten.”

“Hm?”

“On account of you being half-demon,” he clarified. “Judging a person by their birth and social status is proof that a person is narrow-minded. I have seen with my own eyes how hard you work and I sincerely admire your potential.”

As the old saying went, one should never look down on youngsters. If they worked hard, the future of young people was boundless, and they will inevitably turn the situation around.

On the surface level, Luo Binghe spoke with a refreshing candor and treated others warmly and sincerely. He was not unreasonable, and he was as filial as they come—showing favoritism and loyalty toward those he held in high esteem. It was only when he faced adversity or found himself on the battlefield that he would be merciless—so no matter how much goodwill others showed him, it was useless if he held secret grievances toward them in his heart.

“Moreover, you’ve surely heard for all your life that an alliance between a human and a demon would truly be a laughingstock of this world.” He held Luo Binghe’s riveted stare. “...But I’m looking at that impossible unity right now.”

A brittle expression melted into existence. “...And what of the celestial gods and fairies of the Heavenly Realm?”

“What of them?”

“Do they hold the same broadmindedness as Shizun?”

Shen Yuan eyed him. When he remained silent, Luo Binghe understood he had gotten his answer.

“...Shizun is a precious existence,” Luo Binghe remarked. “The world has its own rules. And everything within it follows them.”

While it was true that good wordbuilding was kept within its sandbox, Shen Yuan didn’t think upholding such a limitation applied to individuals equipped with the protagonist’s halo. Protagonists were meant to break convention.

Shen Yuan corrected, “Just because a celestial is an immortal body of divinity does not mean I am beholden to share the same outdated values.【My way of thinking is modern and doesn’t suit the current times.】Knowing what I know, naturally there would be some deviation.”

He paused, realizing what had emerged from his mouth.

What he’d meant to say was that he was a transmigrator and that was why his way of thinking deviated from canon NPCs! This was supposed to be the moment he revealed to him his shocking identity!

Shen Yuan tried again, “It would be the height of folly to dismiss your capabilities just because of your birthright.【You are meant to stand at the peak of the dynasty overlooking all living beings.】Regardless, I will support you whether you choose to be the Sacred Ruler or if you decide to live a simpler life.”

His expression immediately sunk. It happened again! He’d meant to say, because Luo Binghe was the stallion protagonist, his meteoric rise was inevitable.

Luo Binghe had been keenly watching the byplay of emotions on Shen Yuan’s face as he spoke. As he saw the neutrality melt into heated frustration, Luo Binghe naturally formed his own assumptions from it. Under a softened tone, he repeated, “A simpler life?”

A stone had lodged itself in his throat. Shen Yuan had wanted to express to the young man that he didn’t want to pressure him into taking on the burden and responsibilities of a duty he wasn’t ready for, but he hadn’t expected to be hit with a burst of memories.

It made him remember his own family life. Before this madness.

“Being alive is actually a wonderful thing.” Nostalgia swept across his features. “...You are a grown man, Luo Binghe. Just because you have the potential to be great doesn’t mean you should be forced into something if it isn’t what you want to do.”

Wracking his brain for how to address the concept of Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky without having Shen Yuan’s original intention changed drastically, he confided, “I’m not like your creator. I don’t want to erase your agency; I wish to see if you can transcend your original settings.”

The mood changed in a flash. “My creator?” Luo Binghe’s tone was sharp. The white hair was released as he impulsively reached for Shen Yuan’s arms. “What does Shizun mean?”

He could see the vibrancy of the demon crest on Luo Binghe’s forehead, being this close to him. As though commenting on the weather, Shen Yuan remarked cavalierly, “Have you not found it strange that, despite not committing any wrongdoings, you’d perhaps suffered more misfortunes than anyone else—as though they’d been preordained? A storm tests the strength of a blade of grass. You were orphaned, twice, as a child. People picked on you when you were defenseless. A reputably famous immortal selected you as a disciple, but upon seeing your potential, swiftly went to undercut it. At just a young age, you’ve seen the duplicity of human hearts, fought countless tough opponents, and endured numerous betrayals and hardships.”

Luo Binghe’s expression had hardened.

“Your destiny has been【manipulated by a higher power】to hasten your growth.” Undergoing tribulations was not a foreign concept. In the Cultivation World, cultivators were expected to undergo tests from the Heavens to determine if they were worthy of ascension. “Most would be crushed under such trials, but your will to live is strong. Thus your rate of progress has been accelerated because of such painstaking efforts.”

You are indeed a far mightier man than I could ever be. With your head-start, even if I challenge you countless times, I will never be able to claim victory currently with how unfairly OP you are.

“You are claiming there has been a higher power who has caused this lord much grief and misery, all in accordance to a predestined plan he has prophesied for me?” Luo Binghe’s voice was deceptively gentle.

Shen Yuan hesitated.

“Shen Yuan.”

Seeing that all pretenses were already thrown to the wind, Shen Yuan had no inhibitions anymore. He could only apologize to Airplane brother in his heart, for turning his creation against him and making him an unfilial son.

Shen Yuan opened his mouth. “You aren’t【my creation.】It is frowned upon for【gods and immortals】to poach【extraordinary heroes】from their【patronage】without permission.”

Maintaining a genial facade, Luo Binghe expressed with a sincerity that rang a little false, “This lord simply wishes to know which deity to pay humble respects to for their gracious sponsorship.”

An enigmatic smile stole across Shen Yuan’s face. “One could say every living thing such as yourself and everything beautiful and evil in this world sprung from his imagination. His【name has been lost with time.】But I know him as elder Xiàng Tiān Dà Fēijī."

Those dark brows drew downward. “Xiàng Tiān Dà...Fēijī?”

Ah, of course you wouldn’t know what an airplane is. Shen Yuan ruminated for a moment before reaching up for Luo Binghe’s wrists. As though he were an older brother admonishing one’s insensible younger brother, he said graciously, “Fēijī gēis a controversial but well-respected figure within our circles. His writings are not without merit.”

His words were mostly self-serving, but had Airplane brother been in his shoes, Shen Yuan would have wanted him to elevate his standing in front of his “children.” Even if it was just by a little.

Under the same earnest tone, Shen Yuan insisted, “He might have lost his integrity in the past but he has always held well intentions and wants to see his【creations】flourish. You, especially, were his original written masterpiece.”

Luo Binghe’s gaze fell on the pale fingers encircled around his wrists. “And where does Shen Yuan fall into all this?”

In life, it was not possible to bloom bright flowers from lies. Try as he might to hide it, his smile became strained from the memories of his painful past—of how much time he’d wasted, how much rénmínbì he’d spent out of his own wallet. Shen Yuan confessed, “I was once an admirer of his before I grew disillusioned. Your life is full of tragic misunderstandings. That’s why I want to see if I can rewrite the travesty of the future you’ve been shoehorned into. Your journey has been of interest to me the moment he【birthed】you and this world.”

Luo Binghe’s hands refused to budge from him no matter how much force was exerted. Shen Yuan frowned.

“Is your remark real?” Seeing Shen Yuan’s confusion, he clarified, “That you would be willing to overstep boundaries and break from celestial tradition to offer your support to this lord?”

“I’m not being facetious.” Shen Yuan scrutinized his handsome features. “We know what you are meant to do. Fēijī gē had set you up for greatness. With your power, you will surely achieve justice and bring the evils of the Three Realms to judgement, and unify the realms as the Sacred Ruler. And once you’ve served your purpose, your story is at its end. I’ve seen your ending. Your great legacy will ultimately be remembered as nothing more than a tragic, bitter wastrel who, even with your accomplishments, had wasted away and perished under suspicious circumstances.”

Dark storm clouds gathered in Luo Binghe’s expression.

“But knowing all that, what does Luo Binghe want to do?” Shen Yuan spoke brusquely. “Don’t care what I think. You have free will, do you not? It’s one thing for me to advise you against the misfortunes you’ll encounter. But do you even want to be a Sacred Ruler? I would like to hear the input of his own creation.”

“...In the eyes of the virtuous, this lord will always be a wicked and unspeakable evil that must be slayed. In the eyes of aristocrats, I will never get ahead. To them, I will always be the son of a penniless washerwoman.” His voice had been calm and waveless, but there was a trace of heavy tension—and a fatalism that’d felt suffocating. With the air of a galvanized, hot-blooded warlord in battle, Luo Binghe declared, “This lord will not find peace until none would dare oppose me, and I attain everything that has been denied to me.”

How selfish, Shen Yuan couldn’t help but think. But he supposed it made sense. In the past, Luo Binghe had always been the one trampled underfoot, but now that the shoe was on the other foot, it was to be expected he’d want to take everything he thought to belong to him.

He asked Luo Binghe again, “Do you still want to honor Fēijī’s wishes for you and become his Sacred Ruler? Or do you want to travel a different path? The present is different from the past or future. I will respect whichever decision you make.”

Luo Binghe repeated the words “the present is different from the past or future” softly. Those charcoal eyes scrutinized him back.

Shen Yuan had a sudden realisation in his heart when Luo Binghe raised his palm reverently to the back of Shen Yuan’s hand. He kept his expression wooden when a beatific smile bloomed across Luo Binghe’s features, chasing away the prior shadows.

“This lord,” Luo Binghe announced with the finality of a man making a solemn vow, “will never accept Fēijī ’s patronage. Such a thoughtless, presumptuous, good-for-nothing creator is unfit to lick my boots.”

...I express my deepest apologies, Airplane brother. Please do not transmigrate into this world like your Self-Insert in the rebooted novels—or you will be made into mincemeat.

Ping.

【Protagonist A Satisfaction points +99.】

Shen Yuan nearly swallowed his tongue upon hearing it. It took everything in he not to reveal his astonishment. Although he had expected to have made a dent in Luo Binghe’s heart, it was staggering by how much impact his words had! In his incredulity, he’d almost missed what was declared next.

“Instead, this lord shall only truly accept Shen Yuan.” His dark lashes fluttered shut as he lifted their entwined fingers just below his jaw, his breath fanning across Shen Yuan’s knuckles. “My Shizun is honorable, honest, and foreseeing. None can compare. In return for guiding this lord with his oracles, I will ensure they come to pass, and swear to protect him from his back. You will achieve the results desired.”

Oh, my mother. A feeling arose in him that he had somehow enmeshed himself in a trap of his own devising.

“This lord understands. Your heart had suffered so long enduring the injustices this one had to suffer while I was weak and oppressed. Shen Yuan must have felt helpless being unable to directly interfere with matters of the secular world, retained at the residence of the Heavenly Realm and not being allowed to see me. It is because this lord has only now managed to find a way to Shizun that you have seized the opportunity.”

He’d just dealt him a fatal blow. You understand nothing , Shen Yuan wanted to bellow! If this were a tabletop game, then he had just rolled a Nat20 with his Charisma check. It was too good of a roll! Aren’t you just projecting your ideal Shizun onto me?

“Thanking Shizun for the lesson. Your insightfulness continues to impress this lord.”

Shen Yuan’s eyes shook when Luo Binghe lifted his head. And then he realized how close they’d gotten again. Close, too close! He could practically see the jut of his collarbones peeking above the soft fur.

His heart wavered for a moment. Pulling his hand away, he feigned a cough into his fist. Taking the time to regain his composure, he said, “You know, we might not be kinsmen, but helping each other should be just enough to be good friends.”

“An offer of friendship?” His tone was deceptively intimate and unpredictable. To Shen Yuan’s wide eyes, Luo Binghe went to cup his hand over a fist in a formal gesture. Bending the steel sword that was his spine, he proclaimed to him, “Then this lord shall avail to raise his reputation and prowess. To be regarded as worthy in Shen Yuan’s eyes and in the eyes of the Heavens, this one will surpass expectations.”

The soft waves of his dark hair fell over the white fur as Shen Yuan exasperatedly tugged at Luo Binghe’s arms, encouraging the demon lord to stand back up from his unnecessary display of supplication. He had the feeling they’d cleared some sort of checkpoint or hurdle.

How dangerous. The allure of Luo Binghe’s every word and smile were like spring waters trickling gently past Shen Yuan’s ironclad defenses. His own charisma made Shen Yuan, who had resolved to remain highly vigilant, want to believe his words just like that.

He noticed that Luo Binghe had stopped directly at the boundary. The demon lord was looking at the fog as though it had wronged him in some way.

Ping.

【Notifying the Esteemed Host! Skinship is required for Protagonist A to gain entry. Would Protagonist <<SHEN YUAN>> like to add Protagonist <<LUO BINGHE>> to his party? Y/N?】

Since it was like that, he could only comply. Secreting the weary sigh in his heart, Shen Yuan took the initiative. With one step into the swirling white mist, he twisted his body sideways and extended his palm. He gazed at him expectantly.

Without hesitation, Luo Binghe took his hand. And Shen Yuan pulled him into his world.

Ping.

【Congratulations! Protagonist <<LUO BINGHE>> has been successfully added to the party!】

Ping.

【Reloading the map! Loading...loading...success! The simulation has been reconfigured! Jiāyóu, lăoshī!】

[prokopetz]

Powering up in Gone to Hell

A common request for the next revision of Gone to Hell has been guidelines for using power-up and recovery actions. That’s definitely on the docket for the next revision, but since I don’t know how far out that is, I’m going to post a draft of that section now for the benefit of folks who are already running games using the current playtest version.

The provided examples are admittedly somewhat scanty, especially for Heavy Actions. I’m interested to know whether this format is helpful to anyone before I put a huge amount of effort into building out longer lists; please let me know in the notes whether it is or it isn’t, as well as whether there’s anything you’d like to see included in the finished version that you’re not seeing here.

Here we go:

Powering Up

Adding extra actions to the Slayer's playsheet using power-up and recovery actions can be tricky to handle, especially if Gone to Hell is your first exposure to the genre it's emulating. Some groups might not use extra actions at all, reserving power-ups and recoveries for restoring standard actions that have been crossed off, while other groups may use them extensively.

The exact nature of any extra actions will depend on both the Slayer's idiom and the nature of what they're up against, but there are some general guidelines you can follow. This section outlines those principles and gives practical examples. It also provides optional rules for handling common edge cases that are likely to come up for certain types of power-ups.

Combining Actions

If the question ever comes up, extra Routine Actions can generally be combined with other actions if it makes sense to do so, based on the way the extra action is described. For example, the Slayer could use short-range telekinesis to drop a car on a group of monsters, thereby combining it with their "destroy lesser threats" action.

Extra Heavy Actions are self-contained -- you either use them or you don't.

Limits on Powering Up

There's no formal cap on the number of actions that can be added to the Slayer playsheet in this way. For most games I recommend a soft limit of three or four such actions, with any new actions beyond that replacing an existing one that hasn't been used in a while. That's explicitly not a rule, though; for some scenarios (and some Slayers), accumulating a list of special tricks as long as your arm is totally appropriate!

In any event, I'd generally limit it to no more than one new action per scene, unless there's a really good explanation.

Starting Play With Power-ups

If there's a specific power-up that's so central to your group's Slayer concept that it literally can't work without it, as an optional rule you can fill in one extra action -- either Heavy or Routine -- before the start of the first scene.

Alternatively, if it makes sense to so, you can just list the gadget or technique in question as one of the Slayer's starting weapons. This doesn't confer some of the formal benefits of treating it as an extra action, like explicitly defining what it's capable of, or giving you the option of damaging it to score a token, but if you’re not worried about any of that stuff it's definitely the simpler way to go.

For Heavy Actions

Extra Heavy Actions need to follow a couple of rules: they need to be worth burning a token for, and they need to produce an effect that can plausibly end a scene if the Slayer happens to use one as their third Heavy Action. Like the standard Heavy Action, this often takes the form of a limited or circumstantial "I win" button, though they can also grant the Slayer's player a moment of GM-like authority or produce some other game-changing effect instead.

A few possibilities for extra Heavy Actions include:

Beast Mode

Spend a token to change the scale of the conflict for the rest of the scene. This might involve a bodily transformation (e.g., into a dragon, giant demon, or possibly some sort of werewolf), summoning a vehicle (a tank, a giant robot, a particularly scary horse), or something else that suits the Slayer's idiom. The primary effect of this action is descriptive, changing what counts as an obstacle or a threat from the Slayer's perspective, though it may also modify how certain Routine Actions work, at the Opposing Forces' discretion. If the Slayer powers up as a scene-ending Heavy Action, they receive the benefits of increased scale for the next scene instead.

Chaos Control

Spend a token to create a scene-wide environmental condition that's hostile to the Opposing Forces rather than to the Slayer. Weather manipulation is a classic; other options may be particular to the scenario at hand, like some sort of sunlight bomb if the Slayer is up against a vampire apocalypse. This option is usually most appropriate for magic-using Slayers, or for Slayers whose technology is so advanced it might as well be magic.

Power Bomb

Spend a token to take out all the lesser threats in the scene, regardless of whether they're within reach, as well as inflict variable amounts of collateral damage depending on how the action is described. This could represent a "smart" weapon, a swarm of hunter-killer drones, a superspeed or time-stop technique, or just a really big bomb.

Real-Time Strategy

Spend a token to take control of a whole bunch of lesser threats or non-Slayer characters, and have them serve as the Slayer's personal army for the rest of the scene. This represents the same sorts of things as Possession (below), though on a larger scale, and is subject to the same considerations. Like Beast Mode, above, if the Slayer commandeers an army with a scene-ending Heavy Action, they get to play with it for the next scene rather than the rest of the current one.

For Routine Actions

Extra Routine Actions, on the other hand, are more tools than declarations. They enable the Slayer to do something interesting, but it's up to the Slayer's player to make it useful!

Some possible extra Routine Actions include:

Alt Mode

Assume a smaller, more agile form that can get into places and manipulate objects the Slayer usually can't. The Slayer might transform into an animal, deploy some sort of drone, or just curl up into a ball and roll away. If the Slayer spends enough time fooling around in this form to invoke the "stalling for time" rule, the Opposing Forces can knock them out of it as a Routine Reaction.

Decoy

Set up some sort of distraction that keeps threats off the Slayer's back until the Opposing Forces burn a reaction to destroy it. Possible distractions includ holographic doubles, cognitohazardous brain hacks, and pictures of fuzzy kittens. The Opposing Forces may determine that certain threats -- generally greater ones -- can't be distracted in this way, or are distracted only briefly.

Gravity Gun

Gain a new way of manipulating the Slayer's environment. This should provide a new problem-solving approach or tool on par with the Slayer's second Routine Action in terms of scope and flexiblity. Some possibilities include:

A gauntlet that can telekinetically drag about any unsecured object the Slayer points it at, up to the size of a small car

A hacking module that lets the Slayer remotely control any non-hostile technology they can see

A shrink ray that lets the Slayer reduce anything that isn't a greater threat to one-tenth its normal size, then restore it later

A cybernetic upgrade package that allows the Slayer to transform their limbs into a variety of industrial tools

An earth-shaping martial art that lets the Slayer sculpt the terrain within ten feet of where they're standing

High-Jump Boots

Gain a new way of moving through the Slayer's environment. Like the previous entry, this should be equivalent to the Slayer's second Routine Action in terms of how much it enables. A few popular options:

A grapple gun that lets the Slayer reach distant vantage points and pull unsecured objects or creatures toward them

A jetpack that adds death-defying aerial stunts to the Slayer's mobility options

A phase module that grants the Slayer the ability to pass through walls and other thin barriers

A lightfoot technique that lets the Slayer run on water and balance on surfaces that couldn't possibly support their weight

A magic spell that conjures a pair of linked portals on any two surfaces within the Slayer's line of sight

PPE

Gain immunity to a specific danger or environmental condition -- fire, extreme cold, deadly acid, underwater, etc. -- for the rest of the scene. This could represent a protective suit, chemical treatment, fortifying magical glyph, or body-hardening meditative practice. Technically the Slayer needs to spend a Routine Action to activate this protection when it's needed, though in practice the Opposing Forces may give them a free pass and assume it's always active. Conversely, the Opposing Forces may decide as part of a Heavy Reaction that it's temporarily worn off or been overloaded!

Possession

Take control of a single lesser threat or non-Slayer character and play as them for a while. This could represent spiritual possession, a mind-control spell, or -- particularly against a robotic or technological threat -- good old-fashioned hacking. The Opposing Forces will decide if the Slayer gains access to any new or altered actions depending on what exactly has been possessed.

Scan Visor

Add a second question the Slayer can ask the Opposing Forces as a Routine Action and get a straight answer. This often represents some sort of technological scanner or extrasensory perception. The question will usually be something to the effect of one of the following:

"What am I missing here?"

"What's about to happen here?"

"What here is the biggest threat to me?"

"What's interesting about [the thing that I'm looking at]?"

"Where should I go next?"

Sniper Scope

Attack or destroy something that would normally be out of reach, as long as the Slayer has line of sight and it's not a greater threat. As the name suggests, this is usually going to be some kind of sniper rifle, or the space-magic equivalent thereof.

[pi-creates]

If they had decided to Make Kenny the season 2 villain and make him ‘the carver’ how do you think the season would’ve ended? Do you think they still should have made us choose between Kenny and someone else? Maybe between Kenny and Luke? Or do you think they should’ve gone a whole different direction?

Good point, anon - if Kenny was the “Carver” of season 2 and nothing else in the plot changes, then no I don’t think it really makes sense for the ending to still be part of the “choose your caregiver” ending thing. Because he’d be dead by one of the other characters... not sure who in this case, maybe Alvin.

I suppose they could still go through with that concept but with whichever characters are still around near the end... like a group of Bonnie, Mike, and Arvo(? maybe), or Luke and Jane?? I dunno, it’s hard since a lot of the characters aside from Kenny and Luke didn’t get much development in season 2, and even Luke’s development is a bit of a rollercoaster after Kenny shows up.

It would probably be better to have an entirely new ending scenario set up if Kenny was the antagonist from the start - though I’m not entirely sure what that would be.

But ya know what? I’m going to try to make this work with Kenny still being involved in the ending and keeping as many of the plot beats as possible - bear with me, I might have gotten a bit carried away...

So, Kenny as Carver cannot ever directly harm Clem. He needs to keep that ambiguity that says even if he has lost his way, he really is doing his best for Clem. Otherwise there never will be a realistic choice, you wouldn’t pick an absolute villain at the ending if a friend/ally was the other option. 

So like, I dunno, have Troy be more of a threat to Clem while at Howe’s, but keep Kenny as the main threat to the rest of the group. He can still murder Walter/Alvin at the ski lodge, and doesn’t know Clem is there until afterwards when Troy (who also was the one who talked to Clem in the cabin) points her out.

Kenny can have his moment where he sees her, gets this glimmer in his eye, but then he smothers it when Troy/Bonnie notices. Later on Kenny calls Clem to his office at Howe’s and tries to reminisce with her, but leave us little ominous details that remind us how aggressive he has been to the others - cut knuckles or something similar. He tries to steer the conversation to be only pleasant talk about how happy he is that she found her way back to him, and how he’ll make sure she’s safe from now on with him. And at this point Clem can appeal to Kenny or call him out on how she thinks he’s changed, but he still counters with something along the lines of: 

“I know it’s harsh, but these people would all die if someone doesn’t stop them from doing something stupid. Sometimes you just have to do that. And if one person fucks things up for everyone else, then we’re better off without them. You understand that, don’t you, Clem? You’re a smart girl, you’d never be like that.”

and if you happen to respond negatively to him, he’ll just say:

“You’re just not old enough to understand yet. It’s ok, I’ll teach you. You’ll get better.”

This also adds more reasoning behind why Clem has to be the one to sneak into the main office - the group can see that if Clem gets caught by Kenny then he’d probably not hurt her. He’s too preoccupied with trying to teach her and keep everyone else in line.

The failed escape attempt can still happen, but the target of Kenny’s aggression can be one of the others - Luke maybe, or Nick if he’s still around. But instead of Clem being there for the build-up - she should hear the argument happening from outside the courtyard. By the time she can see what’s happening Kenny is already hitting them. Clem can attempt to intervene but will get attacked by Troy. 

This gets Kenny’s attention and he blows up at Troy and leaves the injured parties in the courtyard without any snide comments. Whoever Kenny was punishing also doesn’t get quite as injured because Clem interrupts before things get that bad. 

Kenny leaves with a conflicted look on his face that says he doesn’t necessarily regret hurting the people trying to escape, but he does regret Clem seeing it.

Kenny then also cannot try to cut them off while escaping, show him on the roof doing his whole “no, no, NO” thing when he sees Clem walking through the herd with the others. Maybe even have him be responsible for shooting a walker trying to get to her or one of the others. We need to believe that his main priority the whole time was keeping his people alive.

Now we don’t see Kenny again through all of the next episode. We are left unknowing as to what happened to him. Also, Jane doesn’t leave the group after AJ is born (I know this seems unrelated, but give me a moment). Otherwise, this episode can progress in a similar way, and we’ll either have to assume one of the group knows enough to help Rebecca during the birth. Or we can be very charitable and say that Carlos got through unscathed with the help of Kenny taking a walker or two out of the herd - because if Kenny is “Carver”, then he wants that baby to be born safe.

Rebecca still dies when the Russian group shows up - whether this is from medical complications or the Russians themselves. Just to make things make more sense, maybe Carlos dies here too if he’s still around (to make the group even more desperate for help). At the start of the next episode, instead of Jane returning at the last moment to save the group it’s Kenny. Everyone is on edge but he immediately goes into dad mode and checks in with Clem and the baby. This needs to show some extreme concern and potentially even have him in tears. Anything to really solidify that his want to protect his family is by far his largest priority.

Have the group be scared of him, but then he starts pulling out supplies he managed to scrape together before he escaped Howe’s. He has at least some baby formula and medical supplies. Kenny barely acknowledges that the rest of the group exists or that his compound has fallen. It’s all about the baby and Clem.

The group reluctantly allows him to carry the baby in exchange for all of his weapons. Jane strongly disagrees with keeping him around, and lets say Bonnie says that if they want that baby to survive they need to cooperate and use his supplies. Clem can decide who she agrees with more, but regardless it is decided that Kenny can stay with Luke and Mike keeping him on constant watch. 

Kenny cannot raise his voice or do anything even mildly aggressive from here on. He behaves like the perfect parent, every word he says is in relation to AJ or Clem and their survival. He asks Clem what she think Rebecca would want to name the baby - he needs to show compassion to whatever she says before they settle for Alvin Junior. This is important as it would tell us that he doesn’t really care if he’s not the child’s father, he just wants someone to care for. Whether this is a genuine action or a calculated one is left up to the player.

Still, he has to be viewed as the absolute best caregiver to AJ, everyone else is useless with the baby. They can’t hold him right, he cries, and Kenny just knows how to calm him down when there’s walkers around. He’s experienced a baby before and had been preparing for the baby’s arrival for a while now.

Instead of Kenny getting aggro at Arvo, Mike is the one trying to talk to him. The betrayal later on comes from Mike and Bonnie putting trust in Arvo and turning tail when it seems they made the wrong choice.

Kenny is allowed to be angry again with whoever is left in the party - so at minimum Jane, but if we feel like making the decision more complicated we can include Luke here too. Kenny is pissed, he wants to hop in that truck and go with Clem and AJ - he couldn’t care less about Jane (and Luke) who refuses to split off alone at this point. 

Kenny drives recklessly in pursuit of the people who hurt Clem, maybe has a spinout and keeps going or barrels through obstacles he shouldn’t. When asked to calm down he blows up at everyone else in the car. Seeing how aggressively Kenny is making his decisions triggers Jane (and Luke) in to thinking that Kenny is about to repeat his cycle of behaviour if he sticks around. Before this point they tolerated him being around because it looked like he had calmed down and was trying his best to be good for the children - now they view it as obsession driving his actions. They worry what will happen if his obsession changes, or if Clem/AJ get between him and whatever obsession he is currently focussing on.

The same or similar drama can happen with the rest stop where we decide whether we can forgive Kenny’s behaviour towards others since he has never directed anything specifically at us, or if we think it is better to go with Jane - someone who isn’t as great with kids and is more inclined to be distrustful of others. 

I’m hesitant to say the same drama would happen if Luke was there, unless you now want to add the element of Luke also being in the dark of Jane’s plan. Like, maybe depending on your relationship with Luke he can decide whether to talk him in to staying with you (+ Jane or Kenny) in an ending, having a Luke ending where you stay with neither Jane or Kenny... or if you have a poor relationship with Luke he buggers off and you get the alone ending. But all of that might be getting a little too complicated and I’m not sure how in character it would be in this scenario for Luke to just leave Clem and AJ.

In any case, I think maybe all the changes might just make the ending choice somewhat logical even with Kenny being the “Carver” of the season. Like, he needs to still be an antagonist, but we have to question his conviction and intentions. I would still say going with Kenny isn’t really what I would consider a “good” choice here, but it would sow seeds of doubt as to whether Kenny could change for the better with Clem’s presence calming him down. Like, we have to feel like he’s already started to turn that corner after Howe’s fell - then it’s up to us whether or not we think he’ll continue that trend or not.

[vminity21]

Reparation | kth [Sneak Peek]

Pairing: PoliceOfficer!Taehyung x PrivateConsultant!Reader

Word Count: 3.5k (currently)

Genre: suspense/thriller/angst/smut/fluff

Inspired by: the book The Twin by Natasha Preston, basically a fanfiction of a fiction except with different scenarios

Warning(s): language use, mention of crime/death, mention of mental institution, angst, smut, mention of infidelity, stalking

Summary: As a Private Investigator with the rarity of consulting with the police force, you strive to sleuth any possible situation you can in order to find healing for your clients; and, with the help of your best friend, Kim Taehyung, the pair of you are a force to be reckoned with. When Jaehyun, the son of the chief of police, calls in desperation to save his girlfriend he claims has been wrongfully accused of strange incidents, you can’t seem to shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right. Little do you know, you are about to uncover the scariest crime you have ever encountered in your entire career, .... well, if the one truly guilty will let you get away with it first.

The slap of a manila folder hits the black table that sits daintily outside of a coffee shop before the sound of a skidding chair accepts the brisk flop of you taking a seat. The immediate arrival of the folder created a tiny gust of wind causing the nervous woman before you to jump slightly before her shoulders relax at the realization that it is you.

“Couldn’t be a bit more inconspicuous? God, you scared me,”

“I apologize, Mrs. Gwan,” Lifting your sunglasses to rest upon the top of your head, the wind picks up enough to cause the slight curls of your hair to tickle your cheeks. Mrs. Gwan waves a hand to dismiss your apology,

“Did you confirm my suspicions or not?” She hardly is wanting to make eye contact, but you know she is itching enough to know what information you have uncovered, even though the news, unfortunately, isn’t good. Swiping your tongue over your lips, you inhale quickly,

“I have. Now Mrs. Gwan I must warn you-”

“I don’t care. I’m ready to see that filthy bastard.”

Reluctantly, with pressed lips, you spin the folder closer to Mrs. Gwan, opening the first page to reveal the first out of many pictures you were able to snag of her unfaithful husband with his arm curled around the waist of a young brunette wearing a tight red dress heading into the building of a well-known bar centered in the city of Daegu. Her fingertips spread over the photo, mouth ajar as she stares at it, flipping through each one, anger welling in her focused gaze.

“Mrs.-” Her hand stops you- shaking her head as if to rid of any words she is wanting to say, but refrains, rather, she turns to dig into her purse for the check she now gestures in your direction, “Here’s the money I owe you,” hesitant, though pity resonates from your umber irises, you take it,

“Mrs. Gwan, I am so sorry,”

“You’re not the one who needs to be sorry.” Her sad eyes watch you for a minute as she tries to collect her words, but nothing forms. Holding up an index finger, you swiftly pull a card from your clutch, sliding it face up to her as her eyebrows scrunch.

“Monnie Min is the finest divorce lawyer I know,” you confidently pin the card with your finger until Mrs. Gwan flickers her gape between the card and your gentle grin in mere surprise. “And, you bet she’s going to make sure your husband is buried alive for his infidelity,”

One thing that you will say about being a private investigator is sometimes seeing that glimmer of hope in your client’s eyes despite having to be the bearer of bad news is the reason you know this was your calling from the beginning. “Thank you,” she murmurs, gripping the card in determination before giving a quick bow in goodbye. You watch until her frame blurs into the distance before compiling the contents back into the folder; you sigh in relief, squeezing your eyes shut before sliding your sunglasses back over your vision. “Another day, another success,” you proudly state, turning on a heel to trek to your car.

The next destination set in your path involves a place where your face is highly familiar amongst the officers of the law, but most definitely not in a negative way. Igniting the engine of your vehicle, you carefully back out of the parking spot and turn in the direction of the police station. Though some find it strange, you always keep it silent within your car due to the swarm of thoughts you have muddled across your brain which is what your best friends like to tease you about regarding your musical boundaries. Apparently, you have to ‘quiet’ the music in order to see while driving, though you swear up and down that you enjoy music in your downtime. Other cases are still in the process of being solved, though the main conflict you deal with are affairs, hence why your best friend Monnie comes into view because she handles the end of it all with fighting for the person who has been wronged in their marriage. The pair of you make the perfect team, and if clients aren’t completely healed from their situation, that’s when you and Monnie recommend your other mutual friend, LenLen Lee, who is a psychologist that works at a local high school but also takes sessions on weekends to work with other patients not related to the younger generation. As complex as each of your job fields can be, it is always nice to try different things to keep the routine from being completely the same.

Another reason why the police force is a huge fan of yours, or at least, your long-time friend, Kim Taehyung though you will never admit it or draw attention, but as many times as your friends have said it, you are the number one recommended in your field, yet you try to keep your identity on the down-low for safety precautions. Assisting criminal investigations have been rare, but something you agree to help with when they are stuck finding evidence to deem a culprit guilty. Reading people is your specialty which ignites how you proceed with any investigation, but sometimes people in all different work environments make mistakes even if it is something they can’t afford.

“Ah, miss [Y/N], welcome back! Couldn’t get enough of us, huh,” Jung Hoseok, the officer behind the front desk muses while you flash him a silly grin once entering the building.

“If I heard correctly from the whispers on the street, you bafoons can’t seem to get enough of me. Is Taehyung in?”

Hoseok lazily points toward the sea of desks hiding up the same hallway you cross when you visit, “Where you always find him,”

“Don’t know what I’d do without you, Officer! Thanks!” You turn enough to salute at Hoseok, him shaking his head at you playfully before you disappear to the immense number of testosterone either deeply concentrated on the screens of their electronics or throwing crumpled straw wrappers at each other when boredom strikes. And, what do you know, boredom strikes- Officer Park Jimin, hops to sit on a desk whilst attempting to throw what looks to be a wrapper to a mini chocolate bar at a fellow co-worker, grinning ear to ear before your gaze travels to the fluffy dark hair hunched in front of a computer screen. Files are sprawled with slews of colorful sticky notes to the point the top of his desk doesn’t look as if it exists leading you to raise an amused eyebrow.

Leaning against the doorway, you study the view before you, mumbled conversations are taking place, but attention is diverted enough to not notice your arrival. The faint smell of coffee wafts past your nostrils though your dear friend, who is dazed at whatever information he is scrolling through can only tolerate the liquid he deems as poison. The black uniform tugs nicely to his figure, the scuff of his shoe slides as he leans back in his seat, tapping his slim fingers in rhythm to a gallop on an extremely thick folder off to his right.

Clearing your throat, Taehyung jolts in his chair, whipping his head around with widened eyes that are partially shaded by the thick curls spread upon his forehead. “Scaring people must be my specialty today,” you ploy, hearing the gentle snickers of Officer Jimin who happened to witness the moment. Arms that were previously crossed, loosen to your sides while you walk closer to where Taehyung’s desk resides, your clutch still grasped in your hand.

“You have quite the tendency to sneak up on people, have you not heard the gossip?” Taehyung immediately stands to his feet to offer his swiveling chair that has comfortable cushioning compared to the wooden chairs set off to the side. Poking his ribcage, you collapse into the seat, eyes watching Taehyung as he slides his hands into his pockets, looking behind him briskly before leaning against his desk.

“No, I am not aware of how often I become a meddling kid, but if the town must talk, let them talk,”

“I’m pretty sure the talk of the town is for you to join our team,” voice belonging to Jimin, he rounds to stand beside Taehyung, popping a jolly rancher into his mouth while flattery blooms to your expression.

“By the talk of the town, you mean here where I am currently located,” you gesture around you, Jimin flashing you an incredulous look while the sound of the hard candy hits against his teeth.

“Do you not know how many stations want to take you on? Some of our best private detectives even want you to assist them. C’mon [Y/N], you know you’re meant for this,”

 “The honor is hard to reject, but I told you guys, it’s not a good idea,” your elbows dig into the armrests, posing your fingertips together before interlacing them.

“Do I need to remind you of the cases you’ve helped us break? Do you not recall the young girl whose uncle we were able to convict because you got him to confess?”

“Ah,” Taehyung nods once, “She was a missing persons- scene alluded that she may have known her kidnapper, being her car door was wide open, not to mention the items she left behind that were important to her,”

Moving your fingers to press to your lips, your eyes are zoned, “Or, the shoe,” you murmur, “her shoe she left behind indicated she lost it while running,” Or, from fighting the person she thought she could trust.

“It was only two years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday,” Jimin folds his arms across his chest, his lips dimming down at the memory.

“I just remember he said something that others would have brushed off, but for me, it just didn’t settle,” there was a Search team, you being one of the many volunteers, scoping the forest behind the parents’ country home, and when the uncle appeared to be nauseous on top of the statement he muttered, you paused in sheer horror at the realization of what you overwhelmingly pieced together.

“Settle is an understatement. You nearly punched the guy!” Jimin raises his eyebrows, rocking on his heels with how impressed he still is.

Shaking your head, a breathy laugh escapes your grin, “I would have done much worse if Taehyung hadn’t held me back,” you share a look with him as his petal lips grow into a smile, “All I know, is I am glad we brought her home to her parents. Alive,” LenLen was able to coach the girl through some rough times, recommending coping mechanisms to help her get past the traumatic experience she had as much as she could. Now, the girl and her mother are a part of a group who helps individuals who have gone through something similar- making a change in the world somehow, also talking about safety and that if anyone is hurting you in any way to reach out to someone who can help get you out of the situation.

“You mean you brought her home to her parents alive,” the gentle nature warmed in the eyes of both Jimin and Taehyung moves your heart, and you turn your head to avoid it. Deep down, solving crime and bringing down the bad guys is your passion, but a year ago something changed, and only Taehyung and your best friends outside of the police station know exactly what happened no matter how much you outwardly deny it.

“Well,” you slap the arms of the chair with your palms before grabbing your clutch from your lap to then hoisting yourself to your feet, shimmying the wrinkles from your pantsuit, “tracking down the disloyal is more of my cup of tea,” it’s a partial lie, but you wince when you can tell both men see right through you, yet you flash them a pointed look, “So, word of advice, don’t ever cheat on your significant other while I’m around because I will catch you in the act,” giving Jimin a quick boop to his nose, he scrunches his smiling face in reaction.

“Your confidence is astounding,”

“And may it always be,” you wink, effortlessly twirling on your boot heel to almost slam into a very broad chest. Eyes expanding mingled with the slight leap of your heartbeat, your gaze trails to the face of Kim Namjoon, Chief of Police, a face you always try to dodge when visiting your favorite male specimens. Panic courses through your veins in hopes that he didn’t hear the statement you just said, your eyes darting anywhere but Namjoon’s gaze as he awkwardly clears his throat. Yeah, he heard what you said.

“Hello, [Y/N]. Heard you were potentially considering taking the position we offered you here?” Namjoon’s demeanor as a leader is the utmost professional in ways you’ve never been able to equate. Especially when there was a time you knew him as the Namjoon who loved you at home, zipping from his leadership role and letting loose, finally letting the uptightness funnel down into peace. Sometimes, you miss Namjoon, but then you remind yourself-

“Potentially,” you say rather quickly, quite breathless which is not what you wanted to go for but here you are, and there he is, and there is Jimin and Taehyung, watching the uncomfortably tense scene without any popcorn to enjoy.

With a curt nod and a taut grin revealing his dimples, Namjoon places his hands behind his back and bows, “Well, we all really hope you have a decision soon. There are many opportunities awaiting.” His eyes shift from you to the men paused behind you, “Gentlemen.” And with that, Namjoon walks away, burying himself in the piles of papers he has pining for him in his office. Though your grin doesn’t reach your eyes, you look over your shoulder a fraction enough to see your friends who have yet to scatter, prompting you to throw a quick wave before scurrying out of the building.

Heels clicking onto the sidewalk, the bright sun gives your vision a moment to adjust, and you could kick yourself for leaving your sunglasses in your car. When a large hand lightly touches your back, you nearly squeal.

“Relax! Relax, it’s just me,” Taehyung holds his free hand out as if to steady you.

“Oh, I guess you’re out to take my specialty away from me, huh,” it’s the small, short laugh he does that makes you happy to hear especially when unwanted memories tend to overpower anything else you’d rather think about. “Chief is letting you escape?”

“It’s my lunchbreak,” Taehyung shrugs, “Figured that’s what you were doing as of right now,”

Eyeing him suspiciously with your mouth slightly ajar, you retort, “And what if I have more important matters to attend to?”

“Ouch,” he pats his large hand roughly to his chest, “Honestly, not sure what or who could be more important than me, but I guess,” he looks at his watch, “I can make my time more efficient without being your designated chauffer.”

“Wah!” You scoff, smacking his arm lightly, only to snatch the eyes of an elderly woman who is nearly appalled in thinking you were about to get arrested for ‘assaulting’ an officer as Hoseok would have referred it to. Smiling inelegantly at her, the lady scampers off leaving a chuckling Taehyung. “Oh, don’t get too amused, I’ll make you regret that statement.”

“You started it,” he leans in place a sweet kiss to your temple, your heart skipping immediately at the feel of the gesture, “Now c’mon, I could hear your stomach growling all the way in the office.”

Perks of having a close relationship with the police force is getting to ride in the passenger seat of their cars. Namjoon gave permission for you to be allowed inside them unless they were called to something serious. Otherwise, he wanted you in your own personal vehicle for your protection away from anyone they may have to arrest. Watching the pedestrians zoom past the car window, Taehyung leaves the music thudding just enough to fill the silence. You wonder what he could be thinking about, especially with the run in with Namjoon earlier. A buzz from your cellphone distracts you momentarily, unbuckling your clutch to retrieve the device, you peer at the screen to see it’s from Monnie.

Mo [12:30pm]: Just got off the phone with another one of your clients! I swear I want to take all the credit for my business, but surely, I have you to thank. Bringing me all the coins like you do, I might have to reconsider my marriage with Yoongi, and marry you instead ;P

Smiling to yourself, you notice Taehyung glancing at you curiously, yet keeping a steady focus on the road.

You [12:32pm]: …typing Oh please, he is the top detective at his station, more like the entire country, I’m sure his coins are as deep as the ocean compared to my holey pockets. Send.

“Let me guess. Another accomplishment you can add to the already numerous notches on your belt,” Taehyung’s deep voice serenades your ears enough to snap your gaze from your phone to take in the sight of his boxy smile.

“An accomplishment that I can share amongst my pals,” you confess, shifting slightly in the seat to ease your muscles. “I know you fuss at me about not giving myself enough credit, but you know you do the same thing.” Taehyung licks his lips as he always does- a prominent habit you noticed from day one when he entered your life. “You’ve solved so many cases just from your insane discoveries on evidence that has been overlooked. I may be a good people reader, but you tune into little details in the surroundings that I wouldn’t have even seen.”

“Hence why me and some of the rookies butt heads sometimes. There’s just some cases they rule out so fast, yet I’m doubting everything about the scene in general.” Tae runs a quick hand through his hair, “Especially deaths that appear to be accidents or even, suicides. I just-” he pauses, turning carefully into the parking lot of you and his most favorite restaurant, “I always have to be sure.”

“Hence why you deserve to be chief,” you mutter, though the tinge of bitterness causes you to flinch at yourself.

“And, you deserve to be a part of our station,” Taehyung parks the car, letting the air condition run, “Your faith in me is quite strong I’ll give you that. But, don’t pretend like I don’t know why you won’t accept the job the Chief offered you.”

You rub at your forehead, squeezing your eyes shut to try and block out an unwanted memory, “It was- it was a year ago. He only offered me the job of a lifetime to make me forgive him faster.”

Sadness clouds Taehyung’s eyes, because it bothers him that you’re still hurt, “[Y/N], it still doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve-”

“I couldn’t read him,” you swallow at the lump in your throat, “He was who I thought I was meant to be with and then…” You trail off, humiliation budding in red over your chest. “I caught him in bed with another woman. And, if I couldn’t read him then what’s the risk of me reading someone else incorrectly?”

“You couldn’t have known, sometimes shit happens,”

“Not to us,” you want to believe that everything happens for a reason, and inwardly within the deep crevices of your heart, you do. Gentle fingertips reach for the back of your hand in comfort.

“I also know that’s why you’re so determined on catching cheaters. You’re still angry,”

“I am,” you exhale softly, “But, mostly at myself.”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I know beef bulgogi will make you feel better.”

Though bravery can sometimes be your strong suit, when it comes to Taehyung, those nervous jitters that soar through your limbs like to try and get the best of you, “Or, you,” you whisper, him already out of the police car with no knowledge of what you just said. Once seated inside the restaurant, the bustle of many voices mingled with clinking silverware perk your eardrums enough to distract you, rattling off your drink order as well as your typical entrée, not giving Taehyung time to speak.

Smirking at his attempt of a playful glare, you almost miss the vibration of your cellphone signaling a call, “Oh, sorry I probably should-” Confusion shows in the immediate scrunch of your eyebrows prompting Taehyung to freeze in evident concern.

“[Y/N]? You alright? Is it another case?”

The name glowing on your screen is one you would have never expected not since… the breakup.

Before Taehyung can repeat your name, concern obvious in his expression, you meet his stare,

“It’s Jaehyun,” you whisper, “Namjoon’s son.”

[seaofthemind-art]

The “Abuse” Trope in MCU Spider-Man Fan Fiction: Part 2

In the first post, I provided a rec list looking at some of the major categories of stories which fall within these tropes. Now, lets breakdown some of the themes within the stories and those that are missing.

Please be aware that as I will be looking at the content of individual stories, there will be spoilers for them ahead.

Firstly, I do not intend to invalidate anyone's personal experiences, especially as I know that some stories are written by authors from personal experience. What one person may class as unbelievable will be another person's lived experience. The same as that what one person classes as abusive may be reasonable behaviour to another. On that note, although I don't go into detail about the stories, I may still mention things that are triggering to some people.

A few of the points I make below are currently short of examples: writing this I often ended up in that familiar situation of remembering the plot but unable to find the actual story to reference. I also have not linked the individual stories in this post, but you can find most of them listed on the rec list in Part 1.

I also haven’t really mentioned any of the Skip Wescott stories as these aren’t something that I usually read. Although, it would be interesting to know how these fit with the trends mentioned below.

The review below is split into a few key themes, followed by a brief look at some ideas which have only been glossed over in the fandom (to my knowledge).

On Peter's Reaction to Abusive Situations

I've seen discussion before regarding these types of stories where people state that they do not find the stories believable as they believe it goes against Peter's characterization. This is a fair point, and in the one example we have in comic canon he speaks up almost straight away regarding the abuse. However, on the other side, there is the truth that anyone can find themselves being abused, no matter how strong they may be. On the basis of this, the stories span a large range of reactions from Peter himself, on which readers mileage will vary.

There are several stories where Peter puts up with verbal and emotional abuse, but he draws the line at physical abuse: fighting back or reporting straight away when it occurs (”i get by (but it's eating me alive)”, “to this day”).

There are also stories where Peter puts up with it until someone else ends up being the target (“A Peter Parker Problem“). These are often the stories where he internalizes it as being fine if it only happens to him as "he can handle it" (following the same vein as many of the stories dealing with him being bullied at school).

The abuse trope is also a common origin for the "Homeless Peter" trope. This is where Peter's reaction to the abuse is to remove himself from the situation; usually this is when the abuse occurs in the foster family situation (“The Third Option”, “Unexpected Finds”). This may happen instead of reporting, or due to not being listened to when he tries to speak up about the abuse.

The most common situation, often linked with the scenarios listed above, is where the abuser manipulates Peter in to believing any of: 1) that the abuse is his fault (playing on guilt for being a burden/getting Ben killed/etc); 2) that things will be worse if he reports it (loss of financial support/loss of other characters' happiness); 3) that no one else cares (implying other characters are already aware of the situation/making it seem like other characters would agree with the abuser). All of these are real life situations which keep people in abusive relationships, and in this sense the stories do provide a range of different, potentially possible, scenarios.

These last points are sometimes extended to the point of Peter protecting his abuser: that when other characters suspect what is going on and confront him, he denies the situation (”Your Heart Changed (mine stayed the same)“). This can also include trying to return to the abuser after being removed from the situation (“Please, Understand“). The stories that take the trope to this point are usually the "Dark/Abusive May Parker" stories where his belief in the love of his Aunt overrules the truth of the situation, and Peter coming to terms with the reality of the situation is part of the conflict.

On Timescales within Stories

The build-up to the situations in the stories is one of the areas where there is a large variation between the stories.

For those stories which have May or Ben as the abusive person, most of the stories rely on the pre-existing relationship to build the story on. This can be either already happening from childhood (“the second law of thermodynamics”, “I told you I had issues”), or a development because of something which has happened within the movies (“Your Heart Changed (mine stayed the same)”, “Please, Understand”).

When it comes to the "May's Abusive Boyfriend" Trope, the stories cover a large amount of timescales: from those where the abuse starts from almost as soon as he meets the abuser (”Fear all else but never me. Please”, “The Black And The Blue (All That It Takes Out of You)”), to those stories which show a gradual build up in the abuse over months - generally mentioned as being between five months to a year (“to this day”, "i get by (but it's eating me alive", "promotions aren't always a good thing").

Since Endgame, there has now been the appearance of stories which use the time-skip as a way to build up a relationship off-screen which becomes the source of the abuse. Set in an AU where May wasn't dusted and created a new family in the time-skip, these stories use the five years as a way to build up the backstory off-screen, and use Peter's return as a factor in the abuse ("A Peter Parker Problem", "Your Heart Changed (mine stayed the same)", “Vertigo”). This also has the narrative advantage of giving an easy reason for other characters not to notice what is occurring due to the chaos post-Endgame.

On Abuser Redemption

In general, within the fandom abuse is shown as a bad thing, and that there is no redemption for abusers. Once the truth comes out, the abusers either face legal action and/or are banished from the characters' lives. The idea of forgiveness is consistently shown as a bad thing: Peter gives the benefit of the doubt to his abuser, and this is repaid in further abuse.

The major exception to this is stories where Tony is the abusive person. This generally falls into the area of neglectful parenting, rather than physical abuse. However, understandable with the popularity of "Irondad", this is usually played as a redemption arc (Ie: "Tony is trying to be better than Howard", "he didn't mean it"). By the end of the story, Tony realizes what he has done wrong and is forgiven by Peter providing a happy ending and father-son relationship.

Examples of this range from thoughtless one-off situations (”I Do Listen To You”), to neglectful Bio-Dad AUs where Tony's canon story arc stops him from being a good parent ("love dares you to change”), to AU-Endgame situations where he fails to balance having two children.

This does become rather jarring when compared to the "all abuse is wrong" standards of the fandom in general. This inconsistency is due to the main reason for the "abuse" trope being popular: in that it is a way for many authors to create the "found family" trope. This is Tony coming to the rescue, with the majority of stories having Peter either confiding in the abuse to Tony ("i get by (but its eating me alive)", "Who Saves The Hero") or Tony discovering what is occurring ("The Black And The Blue (All That It Takes Out of You)", "Promotions Aren't Always A Good Thing"); and in the case of either May or Foster Carers being the source of the abuse, providing a situation in which Tony adopts Peter. Whereas, when Tony is the abuser, the aim of the story tends to be the repair of the Irondad Dynamic.

Missing Stories

All of the examples above are stories revolving actual situations of abuse. Interestingly, one thing that I have seen very few stories dealing with is allegations of abuse. AKA: stories where outsiders believe there is abuse when there isn’t, and the issues this causes.

One of the stories that actually made me realize this is an area which hasn’t been explored was Everyday Superhero by  stoneage_woman. Within the story it is pointed out that teachers are mandated reporters, therefore that they are legally required to report possible cases of abuse  and are trained in how to spot them. With the amount of stories that  have Peter going to school with injuries due to Spider-Man, as well as  various stories dealing with the mental health effects of superhero-ing,  it seems plausible that an outsider may take the wrong idea about what  they see and report their suspicions. This could potentially cause a  snowball affect of problems: How does Peter prove he isn’t being abused without telling his secret? What are the effects when the legal spotlight turns on May and/or Tony?

There are a few stories that do touch on the idea:

Those where there is a situation of abuse and characters jump to the wrong conclusion, ending up accusing the wrong person (such as in "The Homes We Make" where, from what he sees, Flash believes that Tony is the one abusing Peter; however, he confronts Tony directly rather than go to a third party).

“Dead Aunt May” trope stories where Tony is refused, or loses, guardianship of Peter due to being viewed as being unfit ("Losing Home", "And Then You Saved Me"); or where the media (traditional or social) gets involved and speculates regarding their relationship to negative results.

There are several stories where Tony is accused (falsely) of being in a relationship with Peter, by either the media or via the bullying of Peter by Flash; however, these rumours are always shut down quickly in these stories.

Although these scenarios play with the ideas, it would be interesting to see the conflicts developed further.

Anyway, I’m interested to hear other people’s opinions or insights into what I’ve listed here.

[jackdawyt]

Dragon Age: Inquisition is one of my favourite games of all time. I love everything about this game, from the compelling hero’s journey, to the roster of lovable characters, to making the Inquisitor my very own unique protagonist. Few games compare to the experiences and tremendous moments that Inquisition provides, not to mention the Trespasser DLC which revealed the true intention of the game’s villain, and paved the story forward for future titles.  

I think it’s rather telling how good this game is, considering we’re still talking about it nearly 6 years later after launch, discovering new theories and mysterious hidden deep within the lore. Heck, if Dragon Age: Inquisition was a mediocre experience, I don’t think I’d have a YouTube channel today with thousands of recurring views weekly talking about the game, and where the story is going to go since the events of Inquisition.  

However, there is something critical that I feel is necessary to discuss regarding Dragon Age Inquisition’s original marketing demos and the expectations they set for the finished game.  

Following up to the launch of Dragon Age: Inquisition, I used to obsessively re-watch the first original gameplay demo shown at Pax Prime 2013. At the time the game was in its pre-alpha build, however, there were many impressive features and dynamics showing just a glimpse of what we’d come to expect once we got our hands on the game.  

In retrospect, these promises were scrapped before the finished project released.

This post is not meant to be a negative outlook, poking holes at BioWare’s effort, but an investigation and critique into BioWare’s game design, more specifically, the cuts the developers made tackling Inquisition’s complicated release, and how they’ve learned since.  

For the uninitiated, Dragon Age: Inquisition released in November, 2014, a month after the next generation of consoles launched. As the game was jammed in-between two gaming generations, it was designed to ship on both the previous generation of consoles (Xbox 360/PS3) and the current generation (XB1/PS4).

In order for the game to predominantly run on the lower spec consoles, many gameplay cuts, downgrades and setbacks were made to the final project.  

I’m not talking about conceptual ideas in pre-production that were drafted for the game, like The Architect making a cameo appearance in a “Here Lies The Abyss” alternative twist, or the Hero of Ferelden, Hawke and The Inquisitor meeting up in a potential drafted prologue. Of course, there were plenty of ideas, concepts and story threads that were canned and reworked because the developers had better, and frankly more relevant plans for the game.

I’m talking about actual features and mechanics that were incorporated and designed into the vertical slice demo that was shown off to the fans at Pax Prime 2013, and then were removed later on just before launch.

I would like to point out that the gameplay I’m going to show was alpha footage, and the developers made sure we all understood that it could easily change, nobody lied to us. If anything, BioWare were so eager to show off the next Dragon Age game, that perhaps this was the biggest detriment to the project.

I’ll have the full Pax gameplay demo linked for those who want to watch it fully. But without further ado, I’m going to be revealing the Dragon Age: Inquisition we almost got.  

Cut Content:  

The demo starts with a significant cut, originally Dragon Age: Inquisition would’ve featured stunning party member cutscenes when entering new areas for the first time.  We see Varric, Cassandra and Vivienne discussing how prepared they are since the Inquisition formed. Varric banters that he’s outnumbered by the ladies once again.  

We can assume that these dynamic banter cutscenes based on your party members were replaced with Scout Harding’s area report.  

The models and textures for the characters and armours look very different too. Cassandra has a more angled facial structure, like her original concept art. And, the Inquisitor’s armour and textures don’t even exist in the final game, I remember attempting to recreate this look, a thousand times over, however, no fabrics in the game have this orange texture.

Helmets also appear in conversations, which is a huge pet peeve of mine, I’m still upset to this day that we can’t see helmets in conversations and there’s no mod to fix it. However, they added this feature in Mass Effect: Andromeda, so maybe we’ll see it in the future.  

In general, this demo showed that there was going to be a lot more cutscenes when entering new areas, in party banter, and for minor conversations with smaller characters.  

Upon inspecting the gameplay, we can see the camera’s placement was significantly adjusted. The demo had a third-person feel, whereas the game ended up with a pulled back camera, probably to suite the tactical camera for combat. Fortunately, there are mods that actually fix this issue.  

The UI has evolved since the demo, there used to be a Skyrim-esqe navigation compass that was replaced with a radar. And the party member icons are different, but that’s just nit-picking.  

The combat is more or less the same, however, it does seem more reactive and heftier in the demo. Most likely because the camera is more zoomed into the action. There are some tweaks though, the enemies react more to the Inquisitor’s attacks, the stumble, flail and even run away, as opposed to just taking the damage and then attacking you back.  

However, minor these cuts may seem to you; they did change the game a fair amount adding more immersion to the overall experience.  

Even so, the most obvious and upsetting cut when watching this demo regards the entirety of Crestwood, the area has been dramatically reduced in the final game.  

In this demo, the Inquisitor is given a conflict. One of the Inquisition’s soldiers asks the player how does the Inquisitor want to handle their armies' movements throughout the area.  

The Inquisitor could send the Inquisition army to save the town of Crestwood.  

They could lead the soldiers to tend to the nearby wounded.

Or they could bolster every solider to the Keep, leaving both the wounded and the town of Crestwood.  

Each choice had a consequence, and both Mike Laidlaw and Mark Darrah spoke on having multiple ways to approach the situation. For instance, in the demo’s scenario the Inquisitor decides to leave the town while it’s under siege, instead, they find a secret entrance towards the Keep. Using Antivan Fire, they burn the invaders’ boats which would prevent them from escaping after their attack. The Inquisition take the Keep, and head back to the ransacked town filled with newly fresh corpses. A dynamic cutscene of Varric mourning the dead plays out, adding emotional impact and weight to the decision the Inquisitor just made.  

And this was just a side questline...

The demo ends with the developers reiterated the tactical and dynamic approaches when showing the Inquisition taking over the Keep at The Western Approach.  

According to Mark Darrah, you could weaken enemy defences by doing things like drawing out the troops or poisoning their wells.  

Then, once you claimed the keep for yourself, you’d get a quest called ‘This Water Tastes Funny’, in which your Keep's well was poisoned and you’d have to go find fresh water.

The Keep’s themselves were originally designed to have a lot more influence and reactivity throughout the world. Once captured, the Inquisitor could choose a dynamic choice for the Keep’s overall goal, if you had enough Inquisition agents. 

The Keep could be specialised based on the Inquisition’s advisors. You could choose to run your Keep as a Military outpost, boosting fortifications. It could be a Keep of espionage and secrets, for information gathering, or you could make it a Keep of connections and merchants for diplomatic purposes. Each different speciality had a different advantage and aesthetic to suit its purpose.  

Adding more choices and roleplaying values for making the Inquisition your own army, having a say in what aspects it should grow in.  

That sums up the majority of the cuts made since this demo. I will say it’s unfortunate seeing these unfinished features that shaped the game in a completely different direction, that inevitably couldn’t make it into the finished project.  

But I think it’s wrong to pin the blame of this cut content on anyone because the developers were tackling a console generation shift, and they wanted everyone to have the opportunity to play the game without having to get a new console. Can you really blame them for that?  

Perhaps many of these features may be designed into a future title since the developers wanted them so much in Inquisition? And speaking of the future title, at least the next Dragon Age game won’t be coming out in between a console generation, it is being designed strictly for next-gen, so there shouldn't be any console setbacks and limitations.  

Even still, when Dragon Age 4 does eventually get a gameplay reveal, don’t set your expectations in stone based on that reveal. The finished project will look very different. These days gameplay previews aren’t always accurate, and that’s just a dilemma of the entire games industry, not just EA and BioWare.  

Wrapping up on a positive note, BioWare have learned from this experience, and they’re approaching Dragon Age 4 with a “show, don’t tell” strategy. They will be proceeding with caution when marketing and revealing the next Dragon Age game, and that may play a part in why we haven't and won't see anything official for a while.  

I don’t think I could end on a better note then the Narrative Director, John Epler’s message about Inquisition’s development. John said: “A good 90% of 'bad' decisions are, in fact, the best decision at the time. Game dev is all about making the best decision you can at the time, with the resources you have. A lot of stuff you thought was weird or awkward came down to a gut call of 'this is the best I can make this and I trust it's good enough'. Sometimes we're right, sometimes not.”

BioWare decided to make these cuts to Inquisition because they realised it was the right thing to do for the entire project, perhaps they felt they couldn’t deliver these features to their full capacity, or they wanted a change of direction. They believe these decisions were made for the greater good of the game, and I commend them for that.  

Dragon Age Inquisition is an incredible RPG with tons of personality, that not many games can even mimic. Although the game had some minor setbacks with the fair amount of content that was cut, the game is just as amazing without those initial features.  

Like I said, perhaps we’ll see these mechanics in the next game, if not, then at least it has been a learning experience for BioWare, that they can utilise for the development of Dragon Age 4.  

In any regard, let me know your thoughts down below on this gameplay demo relating to the finished game, and don’t forget to check out my latest news update!

[itsclydebitches]

(1/?) I'm curious as to your thoughts: was there a good way to write Ironwood as CRWBY intended him, 'fundamentally good person shows signs of instability and a worrying commitment to the idea that everyone should be willing to make a sacrifice as long as he is, takes this to unacceptable extremes when a great sacrifice is called for'? I've been reading all these posts that actually make it seem like a coherent character arc, and I don't consider myself a 'bootlicker' or someone who

Always happy to explain my thoughts! Though Ironwood’s situation is incredibly complicated and I’m tired as hell right now, so apologies if this attempt at working through things is more than a little messy… 

You’re right that Salem herself fundamentally changes the heart of the “well-meaning but ultimately misguided general” setup. Meaning, normally when we see a character like Ironwood, someone military-minded and driven by pragmatism, whoever it is they’re fighting against is us. It’s a war against other humans, or at least another intelligent (and sympathetic) form of life. Ironwood’s attempted archetype here relies heavily on the assumption that he’s taking things too far when there are better, more peaceful options open to him. No, general, don’t nuke all those people even though we’re at war with them because they’re still people. No, general, don’t blow up the alien ship even though you perceive them as a threat because they feel just like we do and I, the protagonist, believe that I can make peace with them. Though RWBY doesn’t have quite that same conflict—everyone agrees that Salem needs to go—it’s nevertheless worth acknowledging that his archetype is built on a history of unsympathetic characters… who are unsympathetic because they’re choosing to harm others for needless reasons. The hardened military general is an antagonist because he takes the violent route either due to greed or a lust for power. He makes sacrifices not because they are truly necessary, but because they’re easier or better for him. He believes that this violence/sacrifice is the only answer when the audience can clearly see another, better route. Think characters like Miles Quaritch from Avatar whose goal is, ultimately, to force a peaceful people out of their home/outright kill them in order to gain access to a natural resource on their world. Even if there is, broadly speaking, a “good” reason for doing this (humanity needs that resource to solve their energy crisis) there’s no confusion that his reasons are far from justified and that he’s taken things way too far. Not only because gaining resources is, you know, not a reason to kill people, but also because Jake Sully, our hero, provides him with alternative routes that he then rejects. These people are peaceful. We can negotiate with them… but Quaritch says no. 

So this is, broadly speaking, the archetype Ironwood and Team RWBY are thrust into. He’s the general supposedly taking things too far and they’re the heroes standing in his way. Problem is, RWBY’s enemy isn’t a sympathetic, potential victim. The grimm are literally mindless beasts and Salem is a classic Big Bad. She might have a tragic backstory now, but that hasn’t impacted how we read her as a threat. She isn’t another group of humans we should be making peace with. She’s not an alien race who we just have to extend a hand to. Defeating her—in a literal way—is thus far the only possible route and that undermines the archetype Rooster Teeth wants to chuck Ironwood into. He can’t be the cold-hearted military man choosing violence over peace when peace is simply not an option.

So we have a setup where every single one of Ironwood’s decisions is automatically both sane and justified because there is an immortal grimm queen trying to kill them. And she cannot be reasoned with. Extra security? No duh you want that. Suspicious of others? No shit Beacon fell precisely because it was infiltrated. Making sacrifices? What else is there to do except roll over and let Salem win? The options presented to him were “make sacrifice” or “everyone absolutely dies” so no, in this case the sacrifice is not deemed “unnecessary” and therefore something that we can criticize him for. Ironwood is not fighting a powerful but also potentially sympathetic enemy, inviting a perspective that his actions may be too severe in the face of that threat. Salem isn’t a Darth Vader who is going to turn back to the light when she sees her child. She isn’t a Sauron with a convenient Achille’s heel (as of yet anyway) thereby inviting an easy solution that doesn’t risk too many lives. The grimm are not the Klingons who, if you just take the time to know their culture, you can find common ground with. They and Salem are more akin to the Borg: a relentless, unreachable, immortal force that seeks only to destroy everything. She is RWBY’s devil and thus by default any question along the lines of, “But should Ironwood really have..?” is answered with an emphatic “Yes.” Because the only other option is total annihilation for the entire world, not just the one city you’re worried about. RWBY’s villain is such a massive, unarguable threat that the setup doesn’t allow debate in regards to what’s going “too far.” By having Team RWBY and Oscar parrot those views from other stories they just come off as sounding naive, foolish, and arrogant. Salem is not an enemy that you just need to try really hard to beat in battle. She is currently immortal. She is not someone you just need to talk down. She will annihilate you and laugh while doing it. “Unnecessary sacrifice” only exists in a world where you have a chance of taking another route with success. RWBY hasn’t provided that route yet. 

Thus, most military archetypes don’t have to face the level of threat that Ironwood does. In fact, their status as antagonists largely relies on the belief that the threat isn’t severe enough to warrant whatever horrific order they’re giving. Rooster Teeth has written a character based on tropes that do not work within the scenario they’ve set up… and a good chunk of the fandom aren’t critical enough viewers to see the disconnect. They just watch that collection of tropes and characteristics and fill in the blank based on what they know from the rest of popular culture. Like a really messed up Mad Lib. “Ah! I recognize this character! He’s a military man. He’s strict at times. He’s taking control of a situation and achieving that with an army. This is all a Bad Thing and I know that because I’ve seen it a thousand times before in a thousand different stories. The powerful military man is the antagonist and the heroes are the ones who fight for the marginalized!” And thus the viewer is encouraged to prioritize that assumed reading over the actual context of this particular story. Few are willing to admit that “Leaving marginalized people behind because otherwise we will all be slaughtered” is not the same situation as something like “Outright attacking a marginalized people because I want something from them. Or abandoning them because I just don’t care.” They see the basic, surface characteristics and think they know the answer to this story. Team RWBY = good and Ironwood = bad. 

That’s only the tip of the problem though. It’s a big problem, but literally every step of the way Rooster Teeth would need to change things if they actually wanted to give Ironwood this arc in a way that made any sense: 

They would need to change how they portray Mantle going all the way back to Volume 4 because we knew straight out of the Fall that Mantle has had a lot of problems for a very long time. That’s not all on Ironwood—it’s not possible for it all to be on Ironwood—and thus it’s neither correct nor fair to paint Mantle’s dystopian-like state as his doing, as we saw at the beginning of Volume 7. 

They would need to convince us that Ironwood is actually paranoid/being overly cautious, rather than what we actually have which is… completely logical safety measures against everything that has done them in up until now. Everything Ironwood implements is in direct response to something that killed people or felled a school. 

The story would need to give Ironwood better solutions that he then rejects. Obviously this is crucial for the leaving Mantle situation. As I’ve said numerous times before, you can’t paint Ironwood as a horrific person for following the only plan they had. “Stay to die” is not a plan. If they wanted him to read as in the wrong for leaving, Team RWBY needed to give him a good reason to stay, one that doesn’t automatically equal everyone dying, especially when Ironwood’s own solution is “save at least some.” However, this also needed to happen in regards to Amity. The fandom keeps pointing out that Ironwood took resources from Mantle, painting it as this cruel and awful thing… without acknowledging the necessity of that. Or that our heroes likewise demanded that he finish. Ruby is equally responsible for taking those resources. Again, if they want to paint Ironwood as unhinged and cruel in his decision, they need to provide him with alternatives: “Hey, general! Why don’t we just use these other resources instead?” “No. They must come from Mantle.” or “Hey, general! We’re just going to let you know that finishing Amity is fundamentally useless because you can’t defeat Salem with a giant army. Maybe stop taking resources now.” “No. I don’t believe you. I’m going to forge ahead with my own plans, ignoring this new information.” Neither of these things happened. We weren’t told that there was another way to build Amity and Ironwood wasn’t told that his plan was flawed… making his decision both necessary and justified, given what he knew. To my mind, Team RWBY is far more responsible for Mantle’s state since they encouraged that drain on the resources while knowing the use of those resources wouldn’t achieve what Ironwood assumed it would. Which, while failing to paint them as heroic, likewise undermines Ironwood’s supposed villainy. Why do we hate him for this again…. when Ruby is doing the exact same thing…? 

They would need to have established, all the way back in Volume 2 and onward, a personality that allows for him to go to certain extremes, such as shooting Oscar. I don’t have the energy to dive into this one in great detail right now, but suffice to say the fandom has decided to horrendously miss-characterize Ironwood in an effort to justify an illogical action based on what we know about him. I’ve seen the “He once said he would shoot Qrow!” so often I’m literally astounded by the reach there, but I’m also seeing a lot of “Ironwood has never shown any sympathy towards children!” Which… okay. The absence of interaction is not proof of hatred. Meaning, having watched seven volumes in which Ironwood doesn’t interact with kids only tells us we don’t know how he feels about kids, not that he obviously despises them. A lack of scenes wherein Ironwood expresses his adoration for everyone under the age of twenty is not evidence for dislike, nor more than making a claim like, “Well Ruby obviously hates pears” would be. Why would she hate pears? Because we’ve never once, ever, heard her say that she likes them. She’s never spoken positively about them. Never stood up for them! So clearly they’re her least favorite food. Sound ridiculous? Same situation here. To say nothing of the fact that we do see Ironwood interacting positively with kids, if we define “kids” as “characters significantly younger than him.” We watched him desperately protect large groups of students at Beacon. Stand up for Weiss at the party despite how much that threatened his political situation with Jacques (as seen in Volume 7). Send Yang an expensive new arm purely because he knows what it’s like to lose a limb. The narrative has gone out of its way to demonstrate how kind and compassionate Ironwood is, all of which would need to be changed—if not outright erased—to give us someone capable of shooting Oscar like that. 

The fact that the fandom chooses to ignore characterization doesn’t mean it’s not there and that characterization, at its core, fundamentally hinders the “military man goes off the deep end” archetype. Because Ironwood is nothing like his parallels in popular culture. His situation is not one that he can resolve peacefully. He was not given better options that he then rejected. He has never been a cold, manipulative, cruel person. Honestly, if they wanted to write this arc then they needed someone other than James Ironwood living in the world of RWBY. We’d need a different kind of war and a different character introduced all those volumes ago. Because as it is, the story Rooster Teeth wanted to tell simply isn’t a story fit for the Ironwood and the Remnant they created.