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#my 4th post is literally not even good. why does it have that many notes
echotunes · 3 years
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I posted 4.555 times in 2021
650 posts created (14%)
3905 posts reblogged (86%)
For every post I created, I reblogged 6.0 posts.
I added 12.172 tags in 2021
#mcyt - 3917 posts
#text - 1635 posts
#fanart - 1618 posts
#dream smp - 1042 posts
#echo.txt - 1012 posts
#tubbo - 756 posts
#ranboo - 603 posts
#tommyinnit - 587 posts
#last life smp - 519 posts
#video - 483 posts
Longest Tag: 140 characters
#jack manefol 🥴💖 jack manefol 😏❤️aww jack manefol 😳💫 jack manefol-foll off bridge 🤪✋🏼 jack mani-foll off bridge 🤔‼️ jack manidrown 😔
#5
i am so proud of grian. look at how his last dodgebolt went. look at this. i'm just. holy SHIT i'm SO happy right now that was so so so deserved. he came 6th overall. he absolutely killed it in dodgebolt. orange did so so well the whole time. absolute king shit from all of them in build mart. grian never left top 10. i'm so. aaaa
2249 notes • Posted 2021-09-18 21:51:36 GMT
#4
tubbo: nuke test time!!!!
jack manifold: frantically trying to delay the nuke test
niki: tommy stop talking to sam nook i want to lead you to your death
tommy: SAM NOOK THERE IS A TYPO ON THIS SIGN
(bonus: ranboo and foolish)
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2311 notes • Posted 2021-01-26 21:24:16 GMT
#3
i genuinely do not understand why people dislike c!tubbo. he's such a good character. he has nukes. he is gay married. he has a son. he canonically goes nonverbal in stressful situations. he represses his emotions. he has really interesting relationships with a bunch of other characters. cc!tubbo can voice act really well. he's really funny. he has a sword named checkmate. he wants to learn about the political climate of berlin. what is there not to love
2483 notes • Posted 2021-05-28 22:47:52 GMT
#2
My best screenshots of DSMP in-game chat
[removed the images so tumblr would let me actually post this kekw]
2828 notes • Posted 2021-04-29 13:10:54 GMT
#1
[removed the video so tumblr would let me post but you all know the one]
tubbo & jack manifold vs kpoptwt
5379 notes • Posted 2021-07-23 19:05:05 GMT
Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →
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autie-j · 4 years
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30 Days of Autism Acceptance 2021
Rules: Answer the prompt of the day on your own separate post. You can answer as many or as few of these as you like. Answer with as much or as little detail as you wish. Some questions this year have an alternative option that you can do if you prefer. You can answer just one or both of them. And make sure to tag it as #30daysofautismacceptance and #2021. And feel free to do this on any other social media platform that you want as well. Please help me spread this before the start of April!
Note: This year for the prompts I collaborated with my friend @lesmiserabby to make them. Half of the prompts were made by her and the other half were made by me.
April 1st: Introduce yourself. Talk about who you are as a person. Your age, hobbies, special interests, family, etc. Anything you feel comfortable sharing.
April 2nd: Post your redinstead photos today. Alternatively, you could talk about what autistic pride/autism acceptance month means to you.
April 3rd: How do you feel about dating/romantic relationships? Have you dated in the past/are you currently in a relationship/do you eventually want one? Do you feel that your experience of autism/stereotypes around autism and relationships impacts this?
April 4th: Are there any topics regarding autism that you feel don't get discussed enough?
April 5th: What was school like for you, or what is it currently like for you if you are still in school? Elementary, high school, post-secondary?
April 6th: Are you able to drive? If so, was it difficult to learn? What was difficult about it? If not, do you use any alternatives?
April 7th: How are you with sarcasm and/or metaphors/figures of speech? Do you interpret things very literally?
April 8th: Talk about friendship. How important are friends to you? Do you find it hard to make and maintain friendships? Are your friends generally supportive? Is there anything about having friends that confuses you?
April 9th: How has the pandemic impacted you? Has it changed routines? Do you like or dislike masks? What do you wish allistics and neurotypicals knew/understood about how the pandemic is impacting autistic people?
April 10th: How important is representation to you? Is the representation that is out there generally good or bad? What is your favorite piece of representation? What you like to see more of in autism representation? What would you like to see less of?
April 11th: What are your thoughts/feelings about masking (a term for when autistic people hide their autistic traits)? Do you mask?
April 12th: Is there anything you find hard to do because of being autistic? Is there anything that you find easy?
April 13th: How much preparation and planning do you need before doing new things, or even for familiar things? Do you need to be totally prepared ahead of time or are you more comfortable with being spontaneous/just going for it? Does it vary for you depending on the thing or the day?
April 14th: What do you like about being autistic?
April 15th: Do you work? If so, what is that like for you? Are you open about being autistic at work? Alternatively, how open are you about being autistic? Do you tell a lot of people? Or just a select few? How do people normally react when you tell them? If you don't tell people, then why?
April 16th: What did it feel like when you interacted with other autistic people for the first time? What does the autistic community mean to you? How important is it?
April 17th: How do you feel about terms like "special needs"?
April 18th: Talk about identity. Is being autistic an important part of your identity? What does being autistic mean to you? Which do you prefer: identity first or person first language and why?
April 19th: Do you enjoy music, or do you find it overstimulating? If you do like music, what kind of music do you prefer?
April 20th: What are some things that allistic people do that you find confusing?
April 21st: Do you stim? If so, what are your favourite ways of stimming? What does stimming feel like for you?
April 22nd: What are some things allistic people can do to better support/accommodate autistic people?
April 23rd: How specific is your routine? Does it vary slightly from day to day? Do things have to be at the exact same time, or does just the order matter? How important is having a routine to you?
April 24th: Are there things that seemed to come naturally to others that you had to try to learn over time?
April 25th: Do you experience executive dysfunction? If so, how often? What is it like for you? What do you wish neurotypicals understood about it?
April 26th: Talk about special interests. Do you have special interests? If not do you wish you did? What do your special interests mean to you? What are your current special interests? What are your past special interests?
April 27th: What is your favourite form of media? For example, do you enjoy books? What format do you prefer for books (physical, e-book, audiobook)? Did you love reading as a kid but find it challenging as you got older? How about movies, tv, or video games? Do you have a favourite series?
April 28th: If you could give advice to someone who just found out that they are autistic, what advice would you give?
April 29th: How do you feel about shoes? Are they good sensory? Bad sensory? Are there certain types of shoes that you find more or less comfortable? Do you struggle with replacing shoes when they're worn out?
April 30th: What would you like your overall message for autism acceptance month to be?
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raviposting · 3 years
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Okay so I’ve seen a lot of conflicting responses to Buddie this episode, from it being clear to people that they’re getting together, to thinking the writers have unintentionally messed things up to thinking it’s purely queerbait.
And I get the different responses, I do - tbh I’m somehow in two camps, where I simultaneously believe it’s a slowburn but I also think it’s bait. And those are two very different opinions to have and it got me thinking about why we have these different responses as fans to the possibility of a queer ship (namely two men who would presumably be bi/pan) being canon. 
While people talk about how it’s just people wanting two characters to kiss or entitled fans - sure, that’s existent in every fandom, but I think there’s also a very real fear from queer fans who don’t want to get their hopes up and I d on’t love how the conversation has shifted to calling queer fans stupid for having hope, so I kind of wanted to break it down into 3 aspects that I’ve noticed: 
How writers portray bi characters and why that makes fans hesitant to have hope
What queerbait actually means as a concept
How much “slowburn” has changed in procedurals
1. How writers portray bi characters
Something I’ve thought about a lot are the bi characters I’ve seen on TV - Darryl (CEG), Sara Lance (Arrow), Lucifer (Lucifer), just to name a few. These are great characters imo and I think you’d have a fun time watching but a thing to note is that all these characters were established as bi within the first season of their respective shows and they all fairly quickly fell into a clear romantic ship as well (with the exception of Sara as she spanned multiple shows). It may have taken time for them to say the word bisexual, but it was still clear these characters were queer fairly quickly on. You could maybe argue that Lucifer was a slowburn, but then (while it does not take away from him being bi/pan so do not use this as an excuse to be shitty about him) it’s a m/f ship which is still not the point of my post, to find a m/m or f/f ship that has that same treatment.
Some writers have done it - like for Valencia in CEG, or Petra in JTV - when they saw that fans read them this way, but trying to find those characters were few and far between, and when I looked at popular queerbait ships (whether or not they actually are queerbait) it’s usually ships where the characters are largely viewed as bisexual. A lot of times this also comes with pushback from both straight and to be frank, other queer fans as well. Straight fans don’t always see the signs that queer fans do, so to them a queer character who hasn’t been explicitly clear from the start comes out of nowhere. And what I’ve seen from certain queer fans are concerns that people aren’t appreciating the canon queer characters in a show - and I think there is a conversation to be had about that, but I don’t think the response should also be about then demanding less representation for people either. 
If we go back to 911, people talk a lot about how it has canon queer characters, which it definitely does - Michael, Hen, Josh, Karen, and David are all canonically gay/lesbian and that’s awesome, and we absolutely should talk about fans (white fans in particular) ignoring these characters. It also does not change the fact that none of these characters are bisexual and that is the representation people are looking for. Both of these things are true - these characters are often under appreciated in canon AND people deserve bisexual representation. They don’t contradict each other and to act like one negates the other does a huge disservice.
And even if a character was made bisexual in the canon text we don’t get that slowburn. This may be true for things like Leverage, or LOK, but there’s also a real fact of censorship that affected these shows and the fact that general audiences may not understand the queer text tjat the writers intended. It doesn’t make the writing any less wonderful or the ships any less poignant or beautiful or important, and there’s ofc shows like She Ra that made this more obvious (or the.....mess that was Supernatural that made it. Half true?) but these are still real things that should be acknowledged on why people are so hesitant to call it slowburn - because it’s something most queer fans haven’t SEEN DONE, because m/f ships will get that care for slowburn when it’s done but it’s not done for m/m or f/f ships in that same capacity.
2. What queerbait is
This one’s fun because I don’t think many people understand what it is, but queerbait is very dependent on the intentions of the writers/creators/etc. - which tbh can be hard to gauge, because a genuine intention that ended up not happening or someone baiting fans or someone trying to support all ships and not be rude all have very different intentions but to a fan who only sees bits and pieces of this person on social media, it can be hard to gauge.
Honestly with how much the 4th wall gets broken because of social media now I’d personally say we’ve probably moved into a different definition of queerbait - unintentional vs intentional - because we’re at a point where a show knows what ships are popular and at what level of excitement fans are for it - but that being said, there’s still a clear spectrum of intent. And imo? I don’t think 911 has that intent of queerbait - whether it’s a slowburn or they have a different vision for buddie that I (probably) won’t agree with remains to be seen, but this show usually treats its storylines with care. Are they perfect at it? No, definitely not, I definitely think that they’ve dropped the ball a few times (especially with just how many characters they have lmao), but they also clearly do their storylines with earnest and with genuine care for these characters.
Is 911 getting them together? I want to say yes. I don’t think this was always the plan, just something that they decided along the way, but I also don’t think that changes anything about the ship. A lot of people point to Tim Minear being vague about the ship, or the actors and their interpretations, but 1. We have no idea what they’ve been told about Buddie moving forward and 2. No show runner is going to spoil their show that much. 911 may be keeping quiet because they have a different plan for buddie, sure, but also maybe because they’re still figuring out how exactly they want to do this and/or they want to make this slowburn and don’t want to give it away.
3. Slowburn in procedurals
I feel like this is something that procedurals have started shying away from, but slowburns used to be very common - Bones, Castle, their ships didn’t get together for literal years, but that’s just not something that many shows do nowadays, even for m/f ships. Even things like Deckerstar will have the characters get together after ~3 seasons and explore the relationship onwards, whereas a few years ago, y ou’d pr obably be watching a sh ow and it’d take them 7 seasons to get together. My assumption for this is that shows are afraid  of getting canceled, but there’s been a pretty big shift in getting a couple together after say, 6 seasons to now getting them together about halfway through the show. I don’t think either one is bad or good - in good writers’ hands, either can be amazing - but that shift has made it so that a lot of younger fans in particular, I think, don’t fully recognize slowburn when they see it.
911 as a show tends to run pretty fast - it kind of has to with its depth of characters they have - but when they do have slower running storylines they really do make use of that as well. Bobby’s addiction is something that’s always going to be present in his character, May’s suicide attempt was brought up again front and center after 3 seasons, even Chim’s dynamic with the Lees was brought up again and it was reinforced again that they’re his family. There are certain storylines that have to be continuous and aren’t a one and done type of thing, and that includes Buck and Eddie, especially if you want to establish them as queer to a general audience who doesn’t think about these things.
And honestly, despite my fears, I think they are laying groundwork there. We have Buck learning to be more confident in his relationships, we have Eddie ready to date and learning to follow his own heart, we have Buck and Eddie both establishing that Buck is family and will always be there for Christopher. These are pretty big steps to do for a ship and we’ll obviously have to see how the show goes forward but they’ve already insinuated Eddie and Ana are breaking up, I’m sure Taylor and Buck may last a season and be over, but we do have to see what this next season brings. Do I think they’d say this? No, definitely not.
tl;dr: 
911 is a show with good viewership, but there’s always a possibility they can’t continue with their season and then their promises would feel like a lie. Or they may still be hammering out the details as this season hasn’t been written. Or they may just simply not want to spoil their show,  or they don’t want people criticizing a story before it’s finished, all of these could be reasons. The showrunners, writers, actors, ultimately they owe nothing to us as a fandom to potentially spoil their series, or do something, change it or their schedule for it, and get accused of bait. 
But it also doesn’t change why fans are wary of this storyline either, and I wish people would have more nuance and compassion for fans who are worried about queerbait (whether they think it’s not queerbait and dislike people worrying about it or if they do and are calling people idiots for believing it). There’s a lot of reasons why fans are wary and don’t want to have hope, and it’s not necessarily about 911 specifically as it is a pattern of writing seen in other pieces that have fans worried. These things can all coexist and I wish we as fandom in general could acknowledge that, because pretending that they don’t and criticizing each other/people’s intentions or knowledge when they have certain expectations also doesn’t do much to help.
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steve0discusses · 3 years
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Yugioh S5 Ep 20: Pharaoh’s Cool New Trick
Digging my way through quite a pile of commission work (funny how these things only come all at once or not at all), nearing the light at the end of the tunnel, was looking forward to some free time to catch up on my many little side projects when I was asked to take off for a weekend to do some cat-sitting to which I would NEVER say no to a cat, so like...Rip this blog I guess, we only update like once a week nowadays, but what do you do?
That’s right, play Puzzles and Dragons! The only phone game worth paying any attention to! Where they just released Pegasus on their Yugioh Collab and he looks pretty great!
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So I’m just gonna take a second for some art appreciation, because the Puzzles and Dragons art team is just A++++ honestly, and yes, I did pull 13 times to get a Pegasus in my monster box, and yes, he is a completely insane team leader that is absolutely broken when paired with Yugi (the numbers are so satisfying) but...look at him. He looks so good!
(also I finally got Joey Wheeler, and so now my gatcha cravings are settled. And, don’t worry, I play this game so much that I was there during Christmas when they offered like a bajillion stones for free so I didn’t actually use real money on this.)
Now PAD also released a Weevil and Rex, and I don’t know why, and neither does the art team because they still look pretty good but in comparison to all the mains, they sure do looks like just some shorty guys in some casuals.
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though I gotta admit, I want to learn how the hell this art team does swooshy effects, because man, that would make my art so much better to just have flames violently exploding out of all my art. Why am I not doing that more often? I have the technology.
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anyway, I didn’t bother trying to pull them. Maybe I’ll accidentally pull them when they eventually release a Duke Devlin. (also, RIP to the fact that Roland will probably never be in Puzzles and Dragons but like...I can only send them so many polite letters covered in stickers pretending I’m some 10 year old child and writing in my broken Hiragana “Roland in PAD?”. Thems the breaks. (They also might not remember who Roland is.))
Shoutouts to the card that Weevil is holding that is censoring this nipple on the booby spider, PS.
So because this is not actually a Puzzles and Dragons blog, and it’s been ten eons since I regularly updated so I could remember episode to episode...where the hell were we?
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That’s right, we’re on an island now. This show’s wonderful obsession with evil islands (and spoiler, this is one of the few Yugioh Islands that doesn’t explode at the end. Mostly because Kaiba isn’t here to do it or this place would be cinder)
(read more island stuff under the cut)
Anyway, after announcing “hey guys! Screw islands!” Yugi immediately collapses and without any warning.
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Apparently the armor is a big ol parasite, which is something that Yugi is so used to at this point that he refuses to admit that this is a problem. Just normal Muto stuff, refusing to tell anyone that he has a serious illness going on underneath that giant mass of hair.
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(the sailor moon vibes coming off this weird orb energy)
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Sort of feels like a call back to S1 when Yugi was clearly possessed and everyone else was like “He acting weird to you?” except it’s S5 and everyone has learned to never trust Yugi when he says he’s fine and they are responding like he is about to die. Which is correct.
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Outside of the cave falls this scroll that is...glowing, I guess. So they open it up and get a bunch of hieroglyphs that give them the “riddle of light” and like youknow...it’s riddle stuff.
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They’re doing this riddle for “wings.” And it’s like...everyone’s monster here has a set of wings or an ability to fly. Every single monster except for I dunno, flaming swordsman? Hell, Yugi himself had two sets of wings when he fused with Dark Magician (which was weird, and I still don’t like to think about what technically was going on there.) But we have to go and get ourselves even more wings.
Weirdly, Joey turns to Tea and does something that in any other show would be completely normal. He was like “you want to stay here with Yugi, don’t you?” and it was the first time Joey has ever actually addressed the fact that Tea and Yugi are close. Uncharted territory. I was amazed at the amount of casual shipping that is happening here. It’s almost like a normal ass relationship.
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So the boys decide to go off, and be boys and tackle this themselves. And they shouldn’t have, because Tea is smart for this group, and also has the only healing spell.
Like if you’re playing D+D you wouldn’t typically leave your only healer behind. Just saying.
Also like...Grandpa Muto went with them? I guess he’d have to since he’s the translator but also...kind of weird to leave your grandson dying in a cave, but maybe that’s just the Muto lifestyle.
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Do not be fooled by my caps, no one has addressed the Bakura in the puzzle for 3 seasons. I��m starting to think this show will never address the Bakura in the puzzle. Which honestly, that would be hilarious if they made a big deal out of that plot point and then couldn’t use it in the end.
And speaking of plot points that kind of come out of nowhere and don’t make full sense with the continuity of the show--Joey has regressed back to the 4th grade.
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Hey show? What?
So like if you love Joey, this is not the arc for you, because this arc he is reduced to a Himbo and nothing else. Straight up didn’t know what an echo is, but is very strong and pretty, I guess.
This inevitably happens with any TV show becuase different people make different parts, and I’ve brought up before that sometimes it feels like some teams only have loose post-it notes of what any character should be like at any given point (ESPECIALLY with Seto Kaiba’s timeline) but like...
...Personally I’m mot so fond of this interpretation of Joey, kind of ignores Joey’s best traits, and makes Tristan look way too smart in comparison (and like I always pinned Tristan to be the Himbo of the group, but maybe it’s because they give Tristan so little else to do?)
And like don’t get me wrong, Joey’s a dumbass a lot of the time and needs to get corrected by his pals...but...to the point he doesn’t know what an echo is? He’s a dumbass in a High School student sort of way, youknow?
Anyway, they get down to this big ravine, and they have to destroy this stone while the light passes over it. Kind of feels like a Breath of the Wild shrine quest, actually. In fact, I think Breath of the Wild recycled the shadow/sunlight pathing quest like 4 or 5 times. (I love Breath of the Wild to death but boy did they run out of ideas at the end there.)
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They have to fight a glass monster and it’s kind of like...do you know the game Balls 3D? probably not, but it looked like a bunch of random shapes stuck together like a 90′s animation. They basically went to war with shapes.
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Pure Himbo energy, has several pokemon, but punches for his pokemon instead of using them. A power move if I ever saw one.
Youknow that would make pokemon a lot more interesting if you could like throw out your pikachu, and then choose to just physically run up to your opponents Eevee and sock it in the jaw. Raise of hands--I know you all would love a version of pokemon like that. Let Ash Ketchum punch a Ratata.
Bro has informed me that Ash does do something like this in the anime. But I’m not talking about the anime, I’m talking about the video game. Give me the option to physically combat my rival. This is what I want, Pokemon.
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They discover a way to break the monolith, and the show thinks we’re like actually 7 years old (because the show is Y7, although I forget because it deals with so many dark themes) so the show is going to hold on to this puzzle for a while...just to fill time. And it’s fine because we gotta switch over to Pharaoh anyway.
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Yami has this dream again. He attempts to fuse with Dark magician to overcome the dream, but alas, he is still not strong enough.
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Yugi wakes up in this murky cave while Tea is out washing out like...some rag? (he’s also still got a rag, so I guess multiple rags were required for how sweaty Yugi is.)
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Yugi says “I feel like I’m a new man!” a lot in this episode, and every time he calls himself a man like he’s some sort of adult it’s very funny to me.
And then this plot lore dropped.
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I mean I guess inevitably it had to happen...
But man, end of an era. It was freakin hilarious while it lasted: that Pharaoh refused to read ancient Egyptian because it’s like 2002 and he is a High Schooler living in Japan and he actually doesn’t WANT to resolve the mystery of the puzzle. Maybe the people who made this arc don’t know about how in S2 and S3, the fact Pharaoh couldn’t read Marik’s back tatt was like...a really big issue. He couldn’t read the God card, he couldn’t even read that massive tablet that read “HEY PHARAOH THIS IS LITERALLY YOU”. KAIBA had to tell him how to read the God card for him. Freakin Seto “Magic is a lie” Kaiba had to tell him how to use the God Card because Pharaoh couldn’t read it.
But like...Pharaoh finally gave in at some point after the world was devoured by the Leviathan, and before Kaiba finished building Kaibaland (which was already built in S1 but wtv)
The timelines on this show have always been a mishmash...but this one is just like...
...show are you trying to convince me that at any point in this show after season Zero, Pharaoh had any idea what he was doing? Did he sap that brain energy straight out of Joey Wheeler so he could do this?
Wow.
(secretly hoping he forgets how to read Egyptian after this arc is over and the show goes back to the other development team)
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Pharaohs reasoning is that, if this is the riddle of the light.....
....then where is the riddle of darkness????????????
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and when Tea was like “Pharaoh that is not even remotely logic. Omg it’s so bright outside, lets go back to gross cave.” and Pharaoh was like “Tea! You got it!” and she was like “What the hell are you talking about?”
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Not gonna lie, I saw the Orichalcos green, and I got concerned.
Anyway, Yugi gets very frustrated and was like “ugh, lets go save em. They’re gonna die (again.)” and marches down there as if he didn’t pass out an hour ago.
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And he fuses with Dark Magician again while everyone else (including his grandpa) was like “Yugi are you freakin kidding me? The suit freakin kills you omg! Tea you had one freakin job!”
And then we get the plot twist that...I mean it makes sense but it was choreographed in a confusing way.
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And out of no where this guy shows up again:
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So this mysterious man shows up and says “If you don’t succeed you have to live here forever” which...nice...that would probably save the world a lot of problems if Yami got locked away and took his OP puzzle with him. And then this man also says “if you do succeed you become VERY POWERFUL” and Yami was like. “...”
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This whole episode had a theme to it, where Tristan and Joey were trying to prove that they could do things on their own and without Yugi’s help. And honestly...felt a little bit misplaced. Yami’s the same guy who murdered Yugi last season with the Orichalcos so like...
...I mean he is probably more reliable than Tristan who once died and turned into a robot monkey for 10ish episodes.
and then they flew into a glowing door.
Folks, this was wild to look at.
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This is wild.
And at this point I closed Photoshop and thought I was done. But then I looked at my timeline on the video and was like...wait...there’s more?
and I’m really glad I kept watching because it went back to Alex, who...is apparently just still at those steps in this haunted ass Pyramid.
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Now we’re watching Yugioh.
I forgot for a second when they turned Joey into a Himbo and made Pharaoh literate, but we’re back. I mean...
...look at the liner art on this adult man.
So...I posit the question...has Alex spent the last 2-3 episodes doing nothing but applying eyeliner to his face in the dark? Because he absolutely has. And honestly, the vibe of being in a spooky haunted pyramid with barely any light, just applying eyeliner down the edge of your face...that’s a Yugioh vibe, if I ever saw one.
This arc is wild. Anyway, next episode we do even more fetch quests and riddles? Just going to guess now that we probably will.
(and for those new here, this is a link so you can read them from the top. Which, since we’re in S5, means you got like...hours of Yugioh content to read through. Enjoy the rewards of my weird hobby.)
https://steve0discusses.tumblr.com/tagged/yugioh/chrono
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taeyaxx · 4 years
Note
How would the Haikyuu Captains spend Christmas with you? Like, what gift would they get you and the activities y’all would do? (Bokuto, Oikawa, Daichi, Kuroo, Ushijima, and Terushima)
tae’s notes: aaaaaaah!! ok so i love my nsfw but sfw like this makes my heart go 🥺🥰🥰 i really love hc’s like this too because all these boys are DORKS!!! thank you so much for the ask!! <3
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tags: sfw, fluff, bokuto is the biggest nerd when it comes to the holidays, holiday fun, cozy winter’s, warm sweaters, longer post, hc’s, mention of nsfw, mention of alcohol, just mostly sweet hc’s okay 🥺
⫸ ━━━━━━━━ ♥ ━━━━━━━━ ⫷
taglist: @kaaidalupita @ushiwakajimas @lunarkawa
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okay so for bokuto i imagine him as the BIGGEST holiday person
like he goes above and beyond for the holidays 
especially Christmas!!! 
will go all out and i mean it!!
brings home a billion decertations and makes it a competition to see who can hang up the most in ten minutes
he always wins somehow 
buys you two ugly ass sweaters too
like i mean those really really ugly sweaters that he knows are ugly but it’s become a tradition between you two 
just wearing.......the ugliest sweaters as you two put the tree up 
as for gifts i think bokuto isn’t one to put like....a lot of money into them?
feel like he’s the type of guy to buy you something that hits you in the heart and makes you want to smother him in kisses
nothing too expensive but it’s the sentimental thought that counts
as for party games or activities i think bo would be into the cuter ones like gingerbread houses or just baking in general 
not that he knows how to bake but he likes to help you make cookies okay
(by help i mean he’s got his arms wrapped around your waist and chin on your shoulder and watching you bake and occasionally handing you things)
he’d sweep you under the mistletoe and kiss you until you both started laughing
picking you up he’d carry you off to the bedroom, sharing a chuckle with you for no other reason than just how in love he is with you
and then he’d quiet down and make the slowest, sweetest love to you 🥺
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alright the next boy is the lovely oikawa!
feel like he isn’t the BIGGEST holiday person
for no reason i just think he’d be like “eh it’s another day”
but that DEF changes when he meets you
his attitude starts to go from “it’s a Tuesday” to slowly looking forward to every holiday he can celebrate with you
especially Christmas because it’s the one day he can spoil you in gifts and you can’t really get mad at him
like bokuto tho, he wouldn’t be the most expensive gifts
he’d get a bunch of things he had noticed you spoke of or the things your eyes lingered on just a little longer than others when you two were out
def the type to wake you up with breakfast in bed 
like isn’t the GREATEST cook in the world but he knows how to make some decent food
and he makes sure everything is perfect for your holiday morning
he’d pull out your favorite sweater of his and he’d wear it all day
bring you warm fuzzy socks and his favorite sweater for you and a cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate
his main gift is probably that one pair of shoes you had wanted for awhile but could never bring yourself to buy
or just any similar gift
for activities, oikawa is ALL about the games
he sets up every holiday game he can think of 
does that stupid thing where he wraps a specific gift in like 12 layers of duct tape and 8 layers of bubble wrap and 5 layers of zip ties
like is an ASS abt it but it’s always funny having to beg him to get a pair of scissors for you because he went overboard again
after gifts he’d pull you off to the bedroom and kiss you slowly before 
giving you all the pleasure in the world 🥰
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next is daichi! let’s just say....
MY BOY!!!
daichi here isn’t into any other holiday EXCEPT for Christmas 
mans does everything for Christmas
he’s buying the decorations and hanging them up with your help
setting the tree up IN NOVEMBER !!
goes crazy with the lights outside too
like y’all are def known for being THAT house on the street just 
full blown Christmas lights
when Christmas morning comes tho, he’d wake you up nice and early (not anymore so than normal tho) and take you into the kitchen where he’s made the BIGGEST breakfast for you
i’m talking every breakfast food is out on the tabel and you can’t help but shake your head
cause who’s gonna eat it all? 
somehow you two finish up whatever you can before he’s moving onto doing some small activities 
he doesn’t go crazy with them but likes to do some stuff with you
somehow got into painting? 
don’t know how it happened but i feel like he sets up an entire thing in one of the spare rooms
and you two just paint the silliest things you can think of 
and at some point you two def play drunk roulette and try to guess what alcohol was what in each cup  
as for gifts the man is stupid when it comes to buying things 
he goes so overboard when spending money on you 
doesn’t buy like 15 million gifts but will buy you 3 or 4 SUPER expensive gifts 
and you sit there, opening them up and knew he would spend too much money so you also had to buy more expensive gifts 
that he would use everyday just because you paid for them of course
by the end of the night you two end up on the couch, cuddling under a giant blanket, and watching some hallmark Christmas movies smh 
and if you want something a little more exciting, because daichi is That gentleman, he waits for you to ask
and when you do? y’all don’t even move to the bed 
he’d kiss you all slow and dim the lights and let the movie behind you play out as you two focus on the more intimate parts of the holiday
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kuroo my baby.....my life....my heart I love him
mans is so cute during the holidays he’s just 🥺
baby boy doesn’t wake up super early at all
he’d wake up a little bit but you two know it’s too cold so you just cuddle in closer and fall asleep until noon
when you two finally get up tho, he’s sluggish pulling you out of bed and giving you a sweater to wear and that’s all he wants you to wear
pulling you into the living room to reveal his gift for you and it’s gotta be like a dog or cat or something istg 
you’d just walk into a new cat sitting on the couch just sleeping away and you just SIGH 
“kuroo...it’s adorable but this will be the 4th cat we have”
“BAAAABE it’s so cute tho 🥺”
so you get another cat lol Which is fine cause…..it is cute 🥺
can’t decide if kuroo would wait until night to get into the sexc or if he would just start the entire day off with little whispers and lazy sex and then it’s just all daaaaay baby 
pulls you into the bath together
like srsly would fuck you all day long as a gift too 
and god if it isn’t a great gift tho smh 
finally you both decide to get dressed and go out to any open place for dinner 
being too tired from the rest of the activities you had done all day
which is probably why you guys don’t play any games at all lol you just end up being too tired
so no traditional activities other than being bent over every surface in your house 
after it gets too dark i’m sure you two would just cuddle into bed, legs tangled up in a mess and just whisper all the things you love abt each other yk how it be 🥺🥺
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NOW THIS IS MY MAAAAAAN UGH 
ushi doesn’t really see the desire of the entire holiday
like giving gifts and eating a good dinner should be EVERY NIGHT he thinks
Christmas eve you two would visit his family (cause uwu farm boi) so that way he’d have you all to himself Christmas day
probs has a tradition on like baking pie together or some kind of sweets
makes it a little competition to see who can bake the best pie tbh
you always win somehow
other than that he really isn’t into too many games?
he just enjoys your company and usually places you and himself in front of the fireplace and you two cuddle for the entire day
you read books and joke and laugh and paint your nails and do just mundane things together
at some point in the night tho he’d turn on some music and would slow dance with you in the kitchen 🥺
as for gifts?
BRUH
that’s all i’m gonna say sjksjd 
ok ok but no this man buys you SO MUCH
like yeah he doesn’t see the reason to buy you gifts only for this one day (cause let’s tbh he buys you gifts constantly)
but for Christmas? he just..... “oh this is a thing everyone else does so i must do it too” but in the kindest way
buys you an entire new wardrobe because he notices you wanting some new shirts
buys you new purses or wallets or jewelry
would surprise you with a trip to some vacation home somewhere
like he is all god giving on Christmas 
lowkey would def surprise you with an entire new wardrobe just for lingerie and you can’t fight me on this
it makes you a little sad you only buy him a few new watches and new ties or whatever else he might have mentioned over a few lunches or dinners
he doesn’t mind tho since he’s literally all abt pleasuring you yk
for the later activities tho, i feel like he’d be more like daichi?
like def would bend you over the counter as you two cooked dinner or in front of the fireplace but he waits for you
waits until you’re calling for him to make love to you
and when he does? UGH
let’s just say he has you crying later 
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baby boy....baby....
much like kuroo i feel like he’d wanna make love ALL DAY 
wakes you up early just to have morning sex
after the third round you have to tell him they need to eat something
and tbh feel like he might lowkey forget to get you a gift until the LAST DAY 
like he def just bought this gift last night and wrapped it while you slept 
and tbh....it’s so cute of him to do that jkjks
he seems like the type to buy you jewelry or socks or both lol
like buys you a new necklace and some rings
def doesn’t try to talk you into getting a matching tongue piecing yk
also feel like he’d buy a new set of “bedroom toys” for you two to try out
and at first it’s like “of course he would” but you thank him later after using them
also a HUGE fan of ugly sweaters
but makes it a game to see who can MAKE the ugliest sweater like 
you will not see this man spend money on an ugly sweater but he will buy a bunch of ugly accessories just so you two can have fun making them
so it’s a tradition now that you two a week before Christmas begin making ugly sweaters
usually it ends up being a tie smh
feel like he would be into a bunch of other games tho
like the white elephant games or caramel apples and ginger bread houses
he just wants to spend all his time with you so he looks up a bunch of games you two can play 
he almost seems like the type to do puzzles? so maybe you two would work on a 2,000 piece puzzle together 
watch really old and bad movies together too
for some reason i feel like he’d be the best cook out of all the boys??? for no reason really i just...imagine he knows how to cook so well
so he def makes this big ass dinner of anything you wanted even if it’s not traditional food
like the one year you guys literally had PIZZA just because it sounded good
also talk abt snow ball fights and building all sorts of things outta the snow
and y’all can fight me on this............after a few years he’d be that cliche guy to propose to you and confess his entire heart out for you 
(of course you say yes becausae you’re so in love with him 🥰)
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tes-trash-blog · 3 years
Note
So Gelebor has belief there are other Snow Elf groups in hiding if not Skyrim, then other areas of Tamriel. Part of me is hopeful this is true because I would love for that to be a possibility but what is your opinion on this? I love your Snow Elf/Falmer lord btw <3
I've touched on this a bit in a previous writing (x) and I know other users have as well but I can't quite find those posts right now.
BUT! Yes, I am of the persuasion that non-corrupt Falmer survive in small groups as late as the 4th Era. On a meta level, I guess you can say it's so then people can make as many Snowy Folks as they want to without worry of breaking canon or Tumblr user tes-trash-blog's idea of canon. Even if (for some reason) someone's deferring to my scribbled notes, there's plenty of wiggle room for why a group of Falmer wouldn't even be in Skyrim during the genocide: "We were beseeching the Maormer for aid", "We were expelled for Daedra worship thousands of years ago and now we roam as nomads", "We jumped into a Phynastic weaving and have been chilling in there for the past 4,000 years", "We chanted the Holysong so precisely we literally sang ourselves into the future", "We escaped to the one place that hasn't been corrupted by capitalism: SPAAACE"
The list goes on, and is open for anyone else to contribute to. This is a universe where alien trees wage war against nth-dimensional Vaguely-Dragon-Shapes using math and you can turn into a baby by walking backwards.
Still speaking in the meta, in my opinion, the way canon treats the extinction of the Snow Elves, which is to say "justified and good until the Dwarves corrupted them that part is sad :(" is bad writing at best and shouldn't be taken at face value.
As far as the established canon, (and this is a painful opinion, even for me) I hope the Elder Scrolls series never touches another living Snow Elf, and remain effectively extinct in-game. The writers already did them dirty, and it would take a level of finesse that Emil Pagliarulo simply does not have to rectify it.
In short: Fanfic? YES! In-game? Maybe if they got better writers i would be happy to throw my language notes at them and have done so before, but at present, Gelebor's enough thanks.
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galacticlamps · 3 years
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im sorry im sorry im sorry i know it’s been well over a year but i accidentally thought about Short Trips: Deleted Scenes (again) and it’s killing me (again) so i think im just gonna go ahead and post all these stupid thoughts that have been plaguing me about it since i first heard it & maybe that’ll help clear up some space in my head for like, real life things.
Spoilers I guess? It’s like a year and a half old but also high key the most recent 2nd doctor content i believe we’ve gotten which is like, the only negative thing I can say about it
The TLDR version is this:
I literally cant believe how sweet it is? Painful, but sweet. Like. I don’t honestly know what’s more likely - did they set out to write Jamie a nice little straight love interest and just fail miserably at it by constantly likening her to the Doctor AND paralleling the Doctor’s perspective with her ex’s AND putting Jamie’s relationships with both of them in direct tension with each other while constantly letting his with the Doctor win out?
OR - did they do a very 1960s thing and say hey we’re gonna write what’s essentially a story about how much Jamie and the Doctor love each other and release it on Valentine’s Day thinly disguised as a one-off romance with a french lady?
Now, as a general rule, my attitude toward questions like that is usually “don’t know, don’t care, doesn’t matter” - and while I 100% stand by that, I also have to admit that this particular audio seems to pay enough attention to detail that I’d kind of think I was selling it short if I assumed too many of these things were just meaningless coincidences, you know?
Anyway, that’s the most coherent/overarching thought. And here’s a disorganized list of things I absolutely cannot get over about it (they don’t form any kind of argument, mind, they just all happen to live rent free in my head):
- Celine is first taken in by Jamie being an idiot (specifically him claiming not to speak French, in perfect French); likewise, her entrance in the scene where they actually kiss is marked with a little anecdote about her hat getting stuck on a doornail and her scolding it as she attempts to fix her un-tameable appearance, and the narration says Celine “would often clown for Jamie like this” - all of which, while undeniably adorable, don’t exactly strike me as entirely original traits to have been assigned to Jamie’s love-interest (but also Celine is so cool and her perspective on film/media/time is an excellent addition to the long list of dr who characters)
- When they’re in the present, describing Jamie’s relationship with Celine in 1908, they call him her “companion” and highlight his going nearly everywhere with her, which earns a laugh from the 4th doctor (and me as well, though probably for slightly different reasons - but like, is that really all it takes to have a fling with someone in 60′s era who? bc if so...)
- Celine’s ex-fiance is still in love with her and is jealously watching when she kisses Jamie ... and then the Doctor appears beside him, evidently doing the exact. same. thing. They have the following conversation:
“You know, it’s not prudent to spy on people. But then, people in pain can’t be expected to act prudently.”
“Pain, monsieur? You mistake me.”
“Ah, do I? Good, because I rather thought you’d lost something.”
“What would you know about loss monsieur?”
- I’m sorry doc but who do you think you are, saying stuff like that and smiling sadly at the floor to boot? I 100% had to pause it here the first time I listened, just to not throw my laptop across the room. 
- Then when I recovered continued, the Doctor closes the door so they can’t watch anymore and explains “Possessing things comes so terribly easily to some men that losing them can feel cruel, intolerably cruel. In my experience, only the very best of men cannot be tempted to answer that cruelty with more - I do sincerely hope that you are the best of men.” (guess who gets described as the best of men by the end of the audio?)
- Jamie and the Doctor apparently develop a habit of walking along the river in Paris in silence
- During one such walk, Jamie suggests Celine come with them since she already figured out about the Tardis - and when the Doctor’s worried by this, he says he only allowed Jamie & Celine to grow closer “because of Victoria.” Jamie takes offense at the ‘allowing it’ comment and also refuses to admit he knows what the Doctor means about Victoria, which leads the Doctor to say that he knows how fond Jamie was of her - he was too, of course, but with him, “it was different, wasn’t it?” Jamie only says maybe that’s true and maybe that’s not, but his voice catches until he changes the subject
- Jamie doesn’t see Celine for days both times that she’s recovering from the shock and depression of her work being destroyed. In contrast, when the Doctor’s not well, Jamie’s "afraid” and “guilty” and hardly seems to leave his side at all, if his being there “rushing to embrace him” the second he wakes up - after a period Jamie describes as “at least a week” - is anything to go by, anyway. so either bf writers need to learn how to write a committed straight relationship or admit that’s not what they ever intended in the first place
- Oh yeah, and the Doctor spends that week "asleep” in Jamie’s bedroom - no, there’s no explanation as to if that’s where he was when he first collapsed or if it’s where Jamie decided to take him bc why would they feel the need to explain him being there? why was it even relevant to tell us it was Jamie’s room in the first place?
- The Doctor somehow manages to control the Tardis enough to take Celine on one trip to an alien planet and then return to the correct time & place for her to use the footage she recorded there in her new film - and while the audio doesn’t do very much to explain how that was possible, it does treat this as A Pretty Big Deal, and immediately afterward the Doctor has to spend a week communing with his past self (and/or the Tardis?) debating how likely it is that the Time Lords could use this to trace him. When he decides it’s not worth the risk and they have to stop the film from ever being shown to the public, Jamie asks why he agreed to it in the first place, and all he can say is “Because, Jamie, you asked me to!” earning awkward stares from the crowd.
- Oh, but, lest we forget, that little outburst is also immediately followed by him putting his arm around Jamie’s shoulders, and, shockingly, apparently beginning to actually explain the truth about the danger from the Time Lords - until they’re interrupted, of course idk why exactly but the idea of a 60s dr wanting to come clean with a companion but not being allowed to bc the show demands the war games be something of a reveal hurts me in a very good way
- The mental image of “the Doctor and Jamie, resplendent in borrowed evening wear”
- The audio admitting that Jamie’s not very good at subterfuge, and the Doctor asking if he’s going to be alright with them having to steal the film back from Celine - and Jamie’s little “Aye, Doctor” as he feels a ‘glass arrow piercing his chest’ glad to see bf is reading all my letters about exactly how i feel any time something sad happens to james robert mccrimmon
- The Doctor’s anxious to get out of there for obvious reasons, but he hangs around bc Jamie wants to see Celine again - which doesn’t happen, because of her aforementioned shock & depression, but she does leave Jamie a note that ends “you and that Doctor of yours - look after him Jamie, he loves you dearly, as do I.” yeah, if you didn’t want people to draw a parallel there, you could’ve picked, like, any other wording in the world.
- In case you weren’t fully convinced I’ve been reading too much into this whole audio already, consider this: Celine dies in Long Island in 1968, three days before her birthday - 1968 is when this story would’ve taken place in the show’s history (between Fury & Wheel), and dying three days before/after a birthday in America seems a bit... well I had some deja vu from it, anyway
- Four of all people being the one to bring back the film - I know he does it bc Sarah Jane makes him, but personally, I often feel like despite the length of his run, 4 is the Doctor with which we might’ve gotten the fewest glimpses into his interiority, so the fact that it’s him and not one of the more overtly sentimental Doctors makes it feel like it carries even more weight somehow, to me anyway. I think I wrote a post saying roughly the same thing about 4 & Fate of Krelos/Return to Telos but maybe I only did that inside my own head lol. Still, I’m all for any opportunities for Jamie to be one of the few characters to draw some noticeable emotion out of Four, but in fairness I haven’t touched too much of his EU stuff to really be able to compare the frequency with which this happens with other past companions
- Is Four referring to Two or Jamie when he says he got the film from “an old family friend”? Two did the actual stealing, but he probably means Jamie’s involvement - either way, it’s an interesting way of describing old companions - or selves?
- When Jemima goes to call Jamie a thief, Four is “roused” to defend him: “he really was the very best of men” again, any time four freely shows he cares about someone, im over the moon about it
- Oh ha ha, there’s an audio called “Deleted Scenes” featuring the Doctor who’s most affected by junked episodes. And at the end of it, a character who’s spent her life researching and lecturing about a lost film gets to watch it be ‘rediscovered’ after it’s gone unseen for decades. I feel marginally less stupid for reading into the other details of a story like this when it ends up deciding to be to be clever & slightly meta like that
But yeah
all in all, it’s kind of amazing to me that this genuinely reads like they sat down and said okay boys it’s valentines day, let’s write an audio where jamie kisses a girl, since that hasn’t happened except as a plot device in one story in 1967 - but then when they got down to business they accidentally(?) wrote a story all about how important his bond with the Doctor is and how easily that can be compared to a legitimate love interest (even if the love interest in question is a one off character & the extent of the relationship appears to be like one kiss & then having Jamie spend most of his time around the Doctor instead)
I realize there’s something slightly illogical about writing the words “shipping aside” after a post like this but seriously - no matter how many categories you’re able to see two & jamie’s relationship fitting into, this is 40 minutes of big finish just hitting you over the head with how powerful/special/important that relationship is, and with them being two of my favorite characters, i really haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since
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scorpiosanssexy · 4 years
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Pick a card reading: What makes you so attractive to others + bnha characters who would highkey simp for you
Hiya i am back, this spread basically highlights all of your attractive qualities about yourself (and yes you do have them) with the added additon of a hidden talent and how you can better love yourself. 
My favourite part of this reading is at the bottom I have included My hero characters that would very much swoon if you even spoke to them (in other words they have a crush). 
I was going to do 4 piles for this reading but everytime i tried to do the 4th one i kept getting really bad headaches so i decided against it. 
All you need to do is look at the anime food photos infront of you and pick the one you were first drawn to and then scroll below to your reading. I hope you enjoy it and that this reading does reasonate with you.
Stay safe and healthy
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Pile 1 (Watermelon)
Why you are so amazing
The traits and simply make you, you. 
The Sun: I literally squealed when this card came out of the deck, like chaotic babies unite. This card represents all things happy, you just have this cheerful personality that brings so much joy to others like even with the doom and gloom around us you still manage to keep on smiling which is honestly a massive talent. For some reason (if there are any MHA fans in the building) I thought of Mirio who is always so upbeat and ready to help others in need, I feel like this is definitely you. To me, the idea of being a really good storyteller came into my mind like the sun represents the performative aspects of life so just naturally grabbing that audience's attention is something you are so good at and I am never ever bored in your company. Looking at the picture of the card there is a little child riding a horse, you have this childlike innocence and curiosity which is the most adorable thing ever but I feel like sometimes people underestimate your intelligence and capabilities. I would like to say that the child on the card is sitting in a very confident manner and is controlling the horse with ease which suggests to me that you do have this deep maturity about you too which people tend to forget, the fact you can go from loud and upbeat to quiet and introspective is so cool and amazing as Hannah Montana says “you got to live the best of both worlds”. One final message is that it is ok to feel sad and that you don’t have to be optimistic all the time, you are not a burden and many people will rush towards you full of love and support. 
Page of Swords: seeing this card after drawing the sun made a lot of sense in my mind, the page represents youthful energy and the swords are all to do with our intellect and abstract concepts (like of like air in astrology) so you might be a bit of a bookworm or you like to learn more about things like tarot or astrology. What I can say is that you know a little about a lot which is super amazing because you always have some random fact tucked into your brain, you would be great on a quiz team. You are so witty and funny too like I can imagine people are always bent over laughing whenever they are in your company and if you do not believe me then I can guarantee that is what they say to other people when talking about how cool you are. Quite the chatterbox on your school reports I can imagine the teacher said that you may have “talked a bit too much” but you can’t help it, you do love to socialise. Looking at the picture on the card the page is surrounded with clouds so I can imagine you are a little bit of a daydreamer which is very endearing and sweet you can’t help it physics the last thing on a Friday is just so incredibly boring, you come up with the grandest ideas and no one knows how like why didn’t they think of that you are a natural outside the box thinker. Lastly, I think the Page of Swords is a very good problem solver sure it might not be the most straightforward solution if you solve your problems in a way which works for you, you do not follow convention and are proud to be an innovator and that deserves a reward in itself. 
The Lovers: the most romantic card in the whole deck, my goodness you are a hopeless romantic, you love to daydream about all the possibilities and you might also believe in soulmates, personally I think it is very sweet and we need more idealist in this world because sometimes reality can seem so bleak. I just know in my heart that you would be one of the best s/o ‘s ever like you would do all the cute romantic gestures like buying roses and leaving cute notes around their room like I am actually gonna go and squeal in a pillow because of how precious you are. The Lovers also indicate that you know who you are and you know what your morals are, whilst you may be an idealist you don’t let people walk all over you that’s for sure, you stand up for yourselves and for others and are the voice for the people who cannot be heard. You make a very good public speaker too (you should give it a go deffo) and are very clever with your words as the Lovers are ruled by Gemini. A scenario which popped into my head was somebody thinking you flirted with them but in actual fact, you were just being friendly. Looking at the picture of the card the background appears to look like the garden of Eden for some odd reason the first kind of trait is you being able to make yourself at home anywhere. The Garden of Eden represents paradise so like you can naturally find your “paradise” in a different location or with a group of people perhaps the word I am looking for is spontaneous whatever it is I feel like that is something you can do. My last message is that you sometimes doubt yourself and your decision-making skills. What I have to say is that trust your intuition and go for it, don’t get too caught up in your head because you do not need to, you have excellent observation skills already. 
Hidden Talent
Perhaps something you might not have been aware of 
Knight of Swords: You are very ambitious, I feel like many people do not see that due to your sunny exterior but once you have a goal in mind there is no stopping you. You remind me of the Queen song “Don’t stop me now” like your life is always so fast-paced. When the situation calls for it you can leave that page of sword persona and step up into the role of the knight and take charge of the situation. You are assertive and direct as I think some of you reading this reading today may feel like you are a bit of a doormat but I can confidently say you are not. Also, you are extremely intellectual, you may not be academically intelligent but it’s more that you are very eloquent and can debate with ease, like you can break down someone else’s point and explain how they contradict one another or how they don’t add up. On the card itself, the knight is wearing the colour blue, according to colour theory blue is representative of Logic and wisdom. Another big indicator of how smart you really are not a himbo by any means. You do have a very logical side to yourself that perhaps you don’t even realise you are using like you are very good reasoning out things (sorry that this is so vague my mind had gone all foggy). Blue is also a very calm colour so you are definitely a very tranquil kind of person too, you do not stress out often and you don’t let high-pressure situations get the better of you. You truly are cool as a cucumber. Writing this currently, I feel so peaceful, like you create a sanctuary for people. 
How to love yourself
We all have our down days so here are some tips and tricks to make you feel better 
2 of Coins: I feel like the universe here has kind of given you two options here. Usually, this card indicates a need to be flexible and have to juggle things around if in this case I do not believe it is your message. I wanted to look at the image, especially the two pictures inside the coins. The first one is the weighing scales which are perfectly balanced which I interpreted as being the symbol of Libra. Being patient with yourself and saying kind words to yourself can be very healing, a tactic could maybe leave post notes in nice places so whenever you walk around the room. Definitely pamper yourself when you deserve it. The message I am getting from this card is that you are too harsh on yourself and never give yourself the self care you deserve, get that face mask and blast a bit of Megan, be the princess/prince you deserve to be. On the other part of the coin is a picture of a big moon with a tiny sun in the middle, my interpretation comes back to the sun card and you feel like you always have to hold this cheery facade. The moon represents our emotions specifically our anxieties and fears with it being bigger so with it being the bigger image I feel like in order to love yourself you are going to need to express your emotions in a healthy way whatever mechanism works best for you, for me ranting to a close friend always helps but other people prefer to journal or use a creative outlet which is fine too. Lastly, as I mentioned at the top the 2 of coins indicates that you have lots of projects in your life so maybe if you immerse yourself in those you can unlock the true path to good self esteem. 
Bnha characters who highkey have a crush on you 
Bakugou, Jirou, Shindo, Shigaraki and Midnight (maybe sir nighteye) 
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Pile 2 (Ramen)
Why you are so amazing 
The traits that simply make you, you
The Star with the 2 of Swords: these cards both fell out at the exact same time with the star on top and the 2 of swords behind so I decided to use the swords card as a clarifier one. I say this about a lot of the cards but i can tell that the star is one of my faves 100% it represents hope, creativity and calm. The first kind of trait that came into my head when this card popped out is that you always shine wherever you go, you are just gifted at everything, some of you think you may be the burnt out gifted child but you are not, you still glow even if you can’t see it yourself and people are in awe (and somewhat intimidated by you) because of your success and achievements. Looking into the actual meaning you are the type of person to never give up, the star is a sign that your wishes are coming into fruition, if something doesn’t go according to plan you do not dwell on it too much and brush yourself up again and carry on which is amazing considering the circumstances we are in. The word I was looking for is resilient and persistent. You don’t let the haters stop you from doing your thing. You have a calming disposition and I imagine your role is the mediator of the friendship, like you just have the most soothing presence. I want to go into more detail about the fact the star is ruled by Aquarius because that fact seems to keep sticking out for me, I trait we never talk about in regards to aquarius is that they can in fact be great leaders, they are the trendsetters of the zodiac so I feel like you prefer to live life your own way rather than copy others which I admire you for because going against the current is hard. Because of your actions I feel like  you inspire others whenever you know this or not (spoiler alert you do). Another thing that has sprung to my mind is that I feel like you can be quite mysterious. Everybody is so intrigued by you wanting to know what is going on in your mind. With the 2 of swords being there too, it usually indicates that a decision needs to be made however looking at the picture the lady is confidently holding the 2 swords which suggests to me that you are a very decisive person and once you set your mind to something there is no stopping you. You are much more talented than you give yourself credit for so never stop shining.
The Hierophant: this made me very intrigued about your reading when this card fell because the star and the hierophant kind of have contrasting energies since the H is ruled by Taurus. The Hierophant stands for knowledge and education, you probably take your studies quite seriously or you naturally maintain good grades throughout the year (which i think is so cool), you are the person who forms a study group to help their dumbass friends  so that they don’t fail the finals and honestly as someone who is a member of the dumbass friend squad without people like you in the world I wouldn’t have any educational qualifications. Helping others is second nature to you, always quick to give a helping hand with those in need. The Hierophant is a responsible figure so that in turn means so are you, you always make sure that everything is done on time and that your drunk friends get home safely, others may say you can be a little bit too serious but I have to disagree, your organisation skills are amazing and if I ever met you you will probably be my idol. Looking at this cards ruling sign Taurus, not a lot of people realise how ambitious a taurus can be (most people think quite the latter but remember there is a reason that taurus is an earth sign), you have big plans for yourself and I feel like you definitely prioritise your career over other aspects of yourlife, your drive and commitment to yourself and others is truly amazing and promise me you won’t be too hard on yourself because as some random kardashian once said “you are doing amazing sweetie”. 
Knight of Pentacles: this card is the CEO of detail, the knight is a figure who is very happy to serve the king and with it being in the suits of pentacles no detail will be missed out. You are incredibly observant of others one example that popped into my head is that you can tell what others are thinking through either body language or just how they communicate (take this if it resonates with you) or maybe you are simply very organised. Either way your amazing perception is something that goes unnoticed by others so I believe this card fell from the deck as a chance to give you the credit you deserve. You are incredibly hard working, the knight is always alert and on duty so no matter the day of the week you are working, it can be school work or passion projects you are constantly trying to achieve the best version of yourself, make sure you have a break and have a kit kat y’know. The knight is patient who works diligently towards his goals which I think you very much channel, like you are so kind and patient towards anyone, always offering to listen to other people’s problems and offering them first class advice (which is something I am very jelly of in a good way). The message I get from this is that you are so patient with others so please be patient with yourself, don’t push yourself so hard that your self esteem begins to suffer because you do not deserve that. 
Hidden Talents
Perhaps something you might not have been aware of 
The High Priestess: this card is such a badass card, like the high priestess is the CEO of intuition and all that jazz, your bullshit detector is off the radar and the even cooler thing you don’t even know it. This isn’t to say you should be distrustful of every single person you meet but if you have a gut feeling I say you should stick with it as mother nature has blessed you out of this world intuition. The high priestess represents having inner power, the picture on the card shows her sitting in her chair very assured. To other people you come across as having this quiet confidence, you do not boast about your talents through words however you bring them forward with actions, I feel like people are secretly in awe of you. Coming back to the picture the high priestess is mostly wearing teal (including her dress and her accessories), typically the colour teal represents elegance and politeness which is something you 100% possess ( a true lady/gentlemen) however reading more into the psychology behind this colour one line really stuck out to me - “Teal is a slightly unconventional colour, you value your uniqueness and don’t wish to fit in the crowd”, whilst you may have a serious demeanor it doesn’t me you are boring by any means, it could be the way your express your style via clothing that is unique or perhaps you have a secret niche interest that not many people know about. Whatever it is, you are a very interesting and complex person and you are definitely a lot more than meets the eye. 
How to love yourself
We all have our off days, so here is some tips and tricks on how to feel better
The Star: I found it so amazing that this card came out again in a different deck, the message when I saw the 2 star cards just confirmed to me that you don’t realise how amazing you are, like you are constantly downplaying yourself because you are so incredible modest, like you are so much better than you think you are and you deserve all the joy in the world. The star in tarot represents hope and affirmations, somebody praising you definitely makes your day. (this message just came to me when i was writing this), society constantly tells us not to out looking for external praise and to be happy with ourselves it has to come from within but I slightly disagree on this standpoint, I believe you guys lack that external validation in your life, so when someone does praise you it really has a big impact. Getting complimented is a good thing and you deserve every single one of them. Getting back on track, looking closely at the picture the lady is pretty much naked except for a blue ribbon covering her “private parts”, to me this is an indication that you should show off, like put on a pretty dress (or whatever clothing makes you feel the most comfortable) and get some beyonce on and pretend you are a victoria secrets angel, release the inner diva, do something bougie, get your nails done. Honestly you guys deserve the spotlight (if you want that) or either the right to feel confident, like just go dancing and let all that negative energy out through your movements. I wanted to have a look at the blue ribbon in more detail, blue is a colour that represents calmness and tranquility, so any activities that make you in a calm or soothing state will really help you too. It could be the classical calming activities such as guided meditation or a really nice hot bubble bath but my sister says she finds shopping to be very relaxing, so whatever hobby or thing makes you fall into this state could also really help increase the self-esteem here. 
Bnha characters who highkey have a crush on you
Monoma, Uraraka, Hawks, Mina and Sero 
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Pile 3 (Pasta)
Why are you so amazing
What traits make you, you
The Emperor: the emperor card represents structure, stability and authority. I feel like a lot of you picking this reading are quite shocked that this card came out, like I feel like you might not think of yourself as the most stable person (especially during these uncertain times) however I do not think you give yourself enough credit. You thrive under following a strict schedule and always follow through on your goals (for some reason I feel like you might have a very extensive writing blog, like your masterlists are all extremely organised). You naturally bring stability to others though, I keep getting the phrase “you are my rock” and you are always there if anyone needs you. Of course this doesn’t make you a doormat by any means in fact quite the latter, the emperor is a man of action and leadership, you are a natural leader and always know the exact action to take in regards to a situation, a problem solver, people come to you for when they need to seek answers and get stuff done. The emperor serves the kingdom fairly thus he facts rationally in regards to making decisions. You are perhaps on the more logical side and are not too rash when it comes to your emotions, an aloof and calculated person, many people are in awe of your authoritative aura you have around you. You are extremely fair and just too, not a cold person at all, if someone wrongs you or your loved ones they are getting the treatment they deserve, we are so blessed to have you as an incredibly loyal person in this world. For some of you I highkey think you are into things that involve strategies or methodical thinking a couple of things that came to mind were Jigsaw puzzles, chess or solving rubik's cubes but sports and other hobbies do use this critical thinking as well, also I feel like you might be extremely passionate about it too. The emperor is ruled by aries so you are a person of action, you hate the idea of sitting around and I feel like you are never afraid to take on a challenge which is extremely admirable because many people are afraid of failure but you don’t see it as that, you see it has another chance to prove yourself and honestly as I am typing this out I am feeling so motivated to do something badass. Best hype man period. (Also i couldn’t help but think of commander erwin smith when i was writing this so maybe you kin this man a little bit) 
Seven of Swords: now this card in tarot is basically referring to someone being a backstabbing little shit but actually I think this highkey is a very badass card to come out of the deck in regards to what makes you so amazing. This card indicates scheming and coming up with a strategy which to me empathises how intelligent you are. You have some extremely high IQ or you naturally incredibly street smart either way your intellect is something to be marveled. Unlike pile number 2 I would not say you are studious but are the type of person who can have like 2 hours sleep and come in and do a test and still pass with flying colours. With this card, I feel like you are two steps ahead of everyone else, I can imagine that you sort of go into this mind palace like sherlock holmes where you connect all the loose threads, out of this world deduction skills, like how do you do it I will never know??? Definitely very good actors, like you can turn on the charm if need be and honestly you guys are super badass, you are the one person I believe who could actually survive animes such as Attack on Titan or the promised neverland.
Seven of Pentacles: Whenever I see this card in a personal reading of me it’s the universe’s way of telling me to stop being an impatient bitch and keep working. You sure do put up with a lot of shit, I 100% think that within your friendship you are the voice of reason and honestly you deserve a nobel peace prize. Seven of Pentacles indicates a need for looking more into the future, a long term perspective, you deffo play the long game, thinking before you leap and taking into consideration the consequences of your actions. You know where to invest your time in and make excellent planners, the archetype that has come into my brain is the chess master, you just know how to move each piece or in this instance know exactly what endeavours to pursue in life. The lady on the card looks very at rest despite all the work she has done, to me this indicates that you make a lot of things look really easy, perhaps you have a niche hobby that you have perfected over the years or maybe you are naturally an elegant person. What I can tell you is that whatever sort of work you present is bougie as fuck, wherever it be a writing for tumblr or some artwork it always looks so damn professional (your talent makes me go on all starry eyed). Lastly, I feel like your motto is “slow and steady is the race”, you would rather take slightly longer on a project then finish it quickly with lots of errors, definitely a perfectionist. 
Hidden Talent
 Perhaps something you might have not been aware of 
The Chariot: the first thoughts that came to mind is that you are incredibly hard working and have lots of self discipline, many people believe you were always just naturally good at stuff not seeing the sweat and tears that has got you to your amazing level now, for instance you are extremely charming however this wasn’t a gift you were born with but something you learnt. The lady pictured on the card was wearing gold armour, the colour gold was really standing out to me so I decided to include this within the interpretation. The colour gold means triumph and success, to me this shows that when you put your talents to good use (towards a goal) the world becomes your oyster, the universe has gifted you the resources now you just have to pick up and use them. Also within the picture, there were 2 horses white and black, to me the colours represent divine feminie energy (emotions) and divine masculine energy (logic), the lady has control of the horses which shows that you have good control over both logic and emotions and don’t let one over power the other one. The spiritual guide of the horse shows that you are actually an extremely passionate person, I feel like you may have a slightly apathetic appearance so people can get quite shocked when they see you all fired up and ready to go, but you are. You look towards the future and never let the past hold you back, you are always ready for battle and just like the chariot you charge on ahead never looking back. The chariot card is ruled by Cancer, I feel like you are a very good listener, people are surprised at how comforting you can actually be, you do look out for your friends and just want to make sure they are healthy and well. You truly treasure those close around you and will take the bullet for any of them, I literally feel so emotionally writing this and honestly words cannot describe how amazing you are.
How to love yourself
We all have our down days, so here are some tips and tricks to help us feel better
10 of Cups: this is literally the happy ending card (that's my nickname for it). 10 of cups represents family and emotional fulfilment. The first message that came to mind in regards to loving yourself was listing things that you are grateful for, as someone who has low self esteem issues I know this can be extremely difficult but you need to dig deep. If you have trouble starting off taking personality quizzes can be a good start, my personal faves our the myer briggs (do not take 16personalities it isn’t accurate) and the jungian archetypes (i got the Jester), you can see some good traits from these quiz results which could help you start your list. What was really prominent on this card was the peace sign that was in the background, this could be an indication that may need to find peace with yourself or perhaps try to find peace around you, with the chaos that has been COVID you may have lost your balance in life, the cups aren’t standing up right. Perhaps your sleep schedule has gone out the window or you are skipping lunch most days ( I am guilty of doing this too), try by fixing your daily routine, this could be by going to bed 1 hour earlier or maybe making sure you go outside at least once a day. I definitely think that will increase your overall morale and thus the confidence will make a comeback. Spending time with your family is another theme of this card, I understand that some family members can be a pain however talking to them just having a normal conversation could really help forge better relationships with them. Be happy with the here and now because contentment is right under your nose. 
BNHA characters that would highkey have a crush on you  
Deku, Toga, Iida, Miriko and Dabi
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Hello! I saw that you posted about working with Cernunnos, and I'm interested in working with him honestly, but there's one problem. I'm Chronically Ill, and have been bed bound almost all day, so I'm worried about how good of a devotee I can be when fatigued or depressed. Do you think Cernunnos would be alright with a Chronically Ill follower, and how he might even be able to help? And do you have any ideas for how to worship him while having little energy? Thanks so much, I appreciate it!
Hi! I get this question a lot from people actually. I'll post this one publically so ppl can see. This is going to be long! I apologize for that.
First and foremost: disabilities/chronic illness are NOT an issue for most deities/spirits that help guide is. There are some who are very old and quite unwilling to interact with humans due to past grievances or trauma that these souls have endured, but it's not a disability thing.
This is something that many many many of us here on earth experience (myself included, I am autistic with adhd, major depressive disorder, PTSD and major anxiety alongside IBS, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). I get this question a lot, and I've had this question myself.
Cernunnos (link to my long post about it which also mentions this) actually has a soft spot for chronically ill people and adores helping comfort them and bringing them guidance. You do not need to worry about this being a burden within your work. Theres SO many ways to practice magick, ritual, meditation and be a devotee to a god even when this way. I'm a dark forest/green witch (non wiccan) and I'm also a kitchen witch. These forms of magick bring me the most comfort and work best for me. Find the types you are drawn to, and incorporate them into your day. It doesnt need to be big. Divination, for example, is a good way to communicate with your gods when you are unable to meditate. Little things are just as impactful as the large ones and require minimal effort. Make tea with certain ingredients and enchant a spell for it....etc.
The first piece of advice I can give you is to get yourself into the mindset that you are, and shall always be good enough for a god to help guide you. This will not only raise your vibrations but will also set you on the path that you need to be. I fall back on this sometimes. This doesnt mean become conceited. We still need to show respect to these divine beings and when they offer guidance, be nice. DO NOT demand things.
Second, meditation is INCREDIBLE. it does NOT need to be some in depth 'find your soul' type meditation. With adhd, I have an awful time trying to concentrate. One thing Cernunnos has told me is that I must take my own time, and be patient. Even 5 min a day helps. Meditation opens you up to spirit more, grounds you, and makes it easier to do spirit work the more you do it and the longer tou do it. It is also VERY good way to cope with disabilities as it calms our mind down as well as body.
Third, grounding is 100% needed. This is why I mention meditation, through this you can learn to ground. Grounding is an exercise which literally 'grounds' your soul into your body, calming you and giving you a better base for when you start doing more magick. It's very easy to learn and takes minimal effort.
4th, learn divination. This can be tarot, oracle, pendulum...whatever YOU feel is best. This is the way I normally talk to Cernunnos when my hearing is blocked.
5th, learn how to put up wards. This is mentioned in my Cernunnos post that I put up. A lot of people on here will state you do not need them. Heres the thing, you do. It's not because Gods cant protect us, it's because Gods have SO many people that they work with and theres so much that we as humans? We dont know about. As someone whose been attacked BY a malicious spirit, I can concur you do need wards when you do magick. They also are essential because they teach you defensive magick which Gods would want you to know anyway when you get to the point of travelling in the astral, but that's more advance magick. Anyway how to wards is in that link!
6th, in my link I shared it talks about a lot of ways to get in contact with Cernunnos but I'd like to mention some ways I do it as a chronically Ill person myself. I'll also list ways I personally offer him things.
Meditation outside (not during winter)
Dancing (he adores dancing)
Listening to irish/celtic music
Cooking with his favorite foods
Tarot
Telling him about my day out loud
Telling him I love him, thanking him for his guidance
Wearing his pendant.
Singing in irish
I'd also like to note that Cernunnos has such a soft spot for his disabled devotees, he will literally yell at you sometimes if you are pushing yourself too hard or being disrespectful to your body in anyway. And some warnings: if you choose to work with him you HAVE to be respectful to nature. This doesnt mean be vegan. Cernunnos adores meat, you just need to honor it. Always give an offering or ask a plant prior to picking. Make friends with your local fae (just offer them things to keep the peace), talk with your trees. Be kind to the earth. That is his #1 rule when working with him. I've seen him get furious over trees be cut down too soon. He hates how corrupt our world has become.
He loves us, but he wants us to respect ourselves, our home, and so forth.
Again I hope this helps and you guys are always welcome to reach out to me about him!
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azaffranist · 4 years
Text
Frozen 2 deleted/early content
On the road to F2 there were tons of leaks and I saved as many of them as I could in the fear that Disney would delete them (because they loved to shut down whole websites because of that back in the day). As a result I have a lot of pictures saved on my phone and looking back on them... some don’t sound quite right because it’s definitely not what I saw in the movie. So here’s everythinggg I have. I did my best to organize stuff a bit but there are so many things it was... hard. Feel free to add more stuff in reblogs, replies and such!
Something to note is that we won’t take into account the “officially” released deleted content, which would include everything that’s in the Blu-ray, because basically everyone already saw that (Home, I Seek the Truth, Get This Right, Unmeltable Me, the Secret Room scene, Hard Nokks, etc). Generally, we won’t be analyzing deleted scenes from the official trailers, either, because of this very reason. Something “official” that we will consider, though, are the deleted clips animators have been releasing on Instagram and other sites, because those aren’t that popular.
Before starting here’s the link to all the deleted F2 lines I could find as well as some other additions. The post itself has even more links to other posts containing deleted content so have fun clicking on links. 
Last thing to mention, none of the merch photos here are taken by me. I got most of them from the leaks channel of the Arendelle Kingdom server during 2019. If any image in this post belongs to someone here and you want to be credited please let me know and I’ll edit the post.
This post is long. Like really, really, lagging-my-browser-as-I’m-writing-it long. So grab some popcorn and get comfortable or just take a look at what interests you.
So without further ado, let’s get started!
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Deleted Artbook Content
One of the most exciting leaks we got were definitely these sample artbook excerpts. None of these pages made it into the final artbook, though.
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This piece definitely belongs in Iduna and Agnarr’s backstory, in which the Northuldra leader wasn’t an ordinary man but a shapeshifter.
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The biggest picture in this page points to yet another version of Iduna and Agnarr’s backstory. It’s possible to deduce Bruni hadn’t been fully developed yet or created at all since the fire isn’t pink.
The one on the bottom right seems to be an earlier version of the “forest freed” scene in the final movie, or maybe it happened in another moment altogether.
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The most interesting of the three, though, is this one. Nothing in the movie points to the existence of a place like this. It’s interesting to note that this peculiar house looks very similar to Iceland’s “elf houses”, tied to the myth of the Huldufólk, “hidden people”, who were said to be small and live in a parallel world, being able to make themselves visible at will.
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These are definitely the inhabitants of the Enchanted Lands, who look completely different than in the final movie with their long cloaks, hoods and staves. They look like mages. Were these the very first concepts of the Northuldra, or another group of characters altogether that ended up being scrapped? Only Ahtohallan knows...
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Even though the tree and the vegetation illustration is in the book, there’s one missing and that one is the bottom left. One of the most popular theories in the fandom regarding that illustration is that it was an Arendellian military camp tied to the expedition to the Enchanted Lands. I think what we got in the movie is a watered down version of a much more violent and sinister endeavor to invade the Northuldra. The above mentioned deleted scene of the battle of Arendellians agains Northuldrans is proof of that.
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This one shows the Arendellian gang and most likely Mattias looking at the walls of a cave with drawings on it depicting the Nokk among other things that I can’t quite make out. I’ve heard people say that an earlier version of F2 involved the gang encountering Mattias in a volcanic cave and that’s where this scene would go, but I don’t know if those are rumors or there’s an actual source. If someone happens to have knowledge on this topic in particular please let me know and I’ll update the post.
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Incomplete Frozen Fan Fest books and their alternate scenes
As I’ve mentioned in another post, Frozen Fan Fest happened on October 4th, 2019, and it was the official release of the movie’s first merchandise. We were all super excited to look at the storybooks and read the ending!
Except there was no ending and the books ended abruptly right before Olaf’s death, completely skipping over Show Yourself.
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You hear that? “Elsa bravely dives into the Dark Sea”. We know the Dark Sea scene was shortened and that’s more proof.
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This section of a Frozen 2 storybook explains how it went a bit better. After Elsa was defeated twice by the ferocious waves she climbed up some giant rocks and dove back in. Only Ahtohallan knows how that would be effective in this situation and not a waste of strength, but hey, I’m sure it looked super cool and I’d be down to see it.
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”Elsa trudged through terrible winds and thick snow”... um... she didn’t? This might’ve been created when Show Yourself wasn’t a thing yet and her path through Ahtohallan was just that, trudging through terrible winds and snow, and not an inspiring song about self-love and finding yourself. I wonder how that scene would’ve looked.
Maybe we can find something relating to that “unused” section of Ahtohallan in a book called “Anna, Elsa and the Secret River”. Basically Iduna tells them that there’s a secret river out there and after the lullaby Elsa and Anna go nuts and try to look for the river outside. Seems like it was all a shared acid trip because next morning they seriously consider it was a dream.
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Maybe here they didn’t realize they were in front of a river, because “Glaciers are rivers of ice” and this is what that Ahtohallan Elsa ventured into originally would’ve looked like? The white river doesn’t know...
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This is by far one of my favorite ones. I wouldn’t exactly describe post-Show Yourself as a moment of calm and peace. Maybe peace but definitely not calm. Then it says that the signal meant that “she managed to cross the sea”. That’s a really weird way to describe “horrifying ice statue of colonialist grandpa killing an innocent native man”. I don’t know if they’re hiding the actual plot here of if they hadn’t yet worked out all the details of SY and the moment Elsa found the truth.
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Anna has her cloak on as she finds the truth. Readers have no idea what this enlightening truth is because the ice statue is indistinguishable.
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As it shows here, the original Iduna being Northuldra reveal was going to happen in a different way. I’m glad we got that final version... Because wow, Elsa and Anna are completely unable to connect the dots here. Anna was smart enough to figure out what to do after receiving Elsa’s message, c’mon! This should’ve been piece of cake...
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 Iduna called Elsa “Little Snow”. This points to an alternate All is Found scene and we’ll talk about that more in depth later.
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Same scene. Translation is: 
“While tucking the little princesses in, Queen Iduna sang them a lullaby about a far-away river called Ahtohallan, which holds all the answers about the past.
“Does Ahtohallan know why I have powers?” asked Elsa her mother.
“If it exists, it definitely knows that and much more,” answered the Queen.
So in this earlier version, Elsa has always asked herself if Ahtohallan had the answer to her powers... Doesn’t this make Show Yourself work even better? Here she always looked for that answer and she’d learn that she is the answer. I wonder why they took it out because it makes a lot of sense and would give buildup to Show Yourself.
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Here what really matters are the squares with text. Olaf never ran through moss or became covered in it. Olaf never looks down a brook to be met by Nokk’s gaze from below. Maybe it’s an alternate When I’m Older?
And relating to that particular piece of merch:
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Seems like in an earlier version, the Nokk was associated with waterfalls.
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Everyone shut up there’s SWORD ANNA here. Found in a coloring book. I don’t speak Italian but Google Translate says: 
“Anna is a brave one: she does not hesitate to draw her sword to defend her sister Elsa and her friends from any new threat.”
GOOD FOR HER! This is definitely from the version we were shown in the teaser, when Anna wielding an actual sword and slicing someone with it was still a thing. Man, how I wanted that to happen...
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Alternate fully animated scenes found in animators’ posts
After the release of Frozen 2, animators started to post scenes they had worked on and showing the process behind them. Some of them were deleted, are different in the final movie, or have a completely different score accompanying them.
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A post shared by Adam Green (@agreenster) on Apr 6, 2020 at 5:31pm PDT
A completely different dialogue during the boat scene. Pretty heartbreaking and it’s even more buildup for TNRT, when Anna was left by literally everyone she loved in the planet.
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A post shared by Trent Correy (@trentanimation) on Apr 14, 2020 at 8:50am PDT
Apparently, for whatever reason, Gale was going to appear in the castle first.
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A post shared by Trent Correy (@trentanimation) on Mar 29, 2020 at 10:51am PDT
Olaf’s revival was going to be way different, and this implies that his death might’ve been different, too. Maybe his snow just dissipated and didn’t go anywhere? Maybe instead of being neatly placed by a waterfall, it fell all over the Enchanted Lands? I have no idea.
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A post shared by Mariusz Furmanczyk (@mariofurmanczyk) on Mar 21, 2020 at 7:11pm PDT
I absolutely LOVE this one, okay, and I have no idea why they’d leave it out. Turn your sound on and listen to the much more tragic alternate score. But more importantly, pay attention when she turns to solid ice: just like in F1 with Anna, her last breath is visible. Beautiful parallels, poetic cinema, and I’m hurt and confused and I want it in the movie. Excuse me while I call the police.
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A post shared by Mariusz Furmanczyk (@mariofurmanczyk) on Feb 26, 2020 at 5:47pm PST
Here the only change is the different score as she unfreezes. I love it so much. It’s so tragic, heavy and powerful. You can basically hear the fragility of Elsa’s fate as the ice breaks and she falls. Help. Here, here, and here, you can see other glimpses of this beautiful alternate score. Once again I’m calling the police and telling them Disney hurt my feelings by leaving this out.
I’ve hit the 5 videos limit already, but here is a link to an animation by jdublish. The change isn’t the scene itself but the completely different siren call Elsa hears. Much more ominous and creepy and I also love it, even though I have to admit the final siren call sounds catchier and more iconic. Also, kids under five won’t start crying of fear when they hear it.
Then there were also plenty of changes in the Elsa vs Nokk scene and we got to see one. Thanks to @justlookatthosesausages for pointing this out and letting me use her gif! The original video was set to private for some reason so I can’t post a Youtube link, but this is @justlookatthosesausages‘ gif:
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Elsa struggled way more in the original version. Go to her post to see a comparison with the final version.
And now the awaited All is Found alternate scene! Thanks a lot to @lovewillthaw-j who helped me collect all the scenes. 
First two scenes from the trailers: the Official one, Elsa looks up and Iduna gazes at the northern lights.
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The Japanese one, in which Iduna kisses Elsa’s hands. @catloafs pointed that out after F2′s release so thanks!
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And the last two were found by @antoineharrakblog, so thanks for that! Here and here.
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BUT there’s no need to click a bazillion links because @lovewillthaw-j‘s post reconstructs in a single video what the original scene would’ve been like. Go watch it!
UPDATE: Additions by @antoineharrakblog​. Thanks a lot!
Here we can see that originally, as the elements fled and Kristoff held Olaf, he yelled, “Wow, you’re heavy!”. Don’t know why this would be removed. Maybe they wanted to keep the scene serious? Maybe they needed to shorten the movie so that it didn’t exceed 100 minutes and cut little jokes like that?
 And here, showing Elsa seeing how Iduna saved her father, there’s some deleted dialogue: “Get the prince out of here!” “King Runeard, what did you decide?” in addition to a much more tense score in general.
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UPDATE: Screencaps of deleted/alternate scenes
Thanks a lot to @antoineharrakblog for bringing all of these pictures to my attention! Multiples screencaps have appeared in different magazines or books that clearly didn’t make it to the movie.
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Anna never makes that movement in the final movie. There’s more proof of an alternate/extended “Elsa and Anna talk” scene.
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This is another one. There exists a lower quality version of this picture which I can’t find right now, but it shows that Anna and Elsa are sharing kransekake in this particular scene (the particular food that we can see at the beginning of OFA).
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These are all part of the All is Found scene we’ve been talking about. In the final movie we can see that All is Found serves as a sort of “bridge” between the past and the present, as it transitions from Iduna singing the song to Elsa to Elsa in the castle, reminiscing. But originally, Iduna finished singing All is Found in the past. There’s proof of this here. 
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UPDATE: Novelization deleted content
This information was provided by @theupsidedownpyramid​ so thanks a lot! There are some really interesting deleted scenes in the novelization.
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In this one, Elsa felt the urge to release her magic after hearing the voice at the end of All is Found.
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In the novelization Mattias and Yelena’s (or Yelana? Disney will never decide) relationship was a lot deeper than what was shown in the movie.
For more information and a more thorough analysis, read @theupsidedownpyramid​‘s reblog!
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Miscellaneous
So there’s only one image in this section but believe me, it’s so worth it. 
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An animator casually mentioned that there was going to be a head kiss scene. Process it. Can’t? I can’t either.
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Wow I’m TIRED. I must’ve missed something but that’s all my brain can handle as of now. Thank quarantine for giving me the opportunity to work on this post all day.
Disney committed war crimes when they deleted some of these scenes. I have only one question: Why in the world would they do that? And more information might see the light of day in the future. I’ll never get tired of trying to piece together the convoluted puzzle that is the original Frozen 2.
I will update this post if I remember something else or if someone else has more content to share. Let’s reconstruct F2 together to visualize that movie Disney deemed too cool for us!
UPDATE: Into the Unknown: the Making of Frozen 2 Documentary finally has a concrete release date, June 26th. Let’s hope we can see more stuff then!
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gaylorlyrics · 4 years
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Folklore Songs - what are they about??
This is a developing thread, but I’ve been listening all day so I’m taking a stab at it.
1."The 1"  
Common consensus is that this is about Dianna Agron and what they could have been. Telling lyrics are the general idea that the relationship wasn’t truly given a chance (”it would've been sweet, If it could've been me”) and “Roaring Twenties”, referring to the below circus themed party pics with Diana dressed like a flapper
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tbh im not totally sold on this - most because it seems more recent with lyrics like, “In my defense, I have none for never leaving well enough alone” sounds like a reference to ME! and “Roaring twenties” sounds like a reference to something that happened this year (2020). Also “throwing pennies in the pool” could be a reference to throwing Penni (Karlie’s agent) in the pool. Finally, Route 1 is the road along California’s coast, where Tay & Karlie drove on their legendary road trip...this makes my lil Kaylor heart worry. 
2. Cardigan
This is the first installment in the Teenage Trio, which also includes August and Betty, and is told from the perspective of Betty. It’s about feeling so loved by someone but then being betrayed by them (”Chase two girls [Betty + August’s narrator] lose one”). The line ”And you'd be standin' in my front porch light” foreshadows to James professing love in “Betty”. Potentially Taylor is Betty - but I’m still thinking about that theory.
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3."The Last Great American Dynasty"  
We <3 a Rhode Island throwback. Here Taylor tells the story of her house in Rhode Island that Rebekah “Betty” (??!?!??!! more on that later) Harkness used to live in. Rebekah married an heir to Standard Oil which made her one of the wealthiest women in the USA at the time. She was also known for making a scene (”She had a marvelous time ruining everything”). Additionally, she founded the Harkness Ballet (”And blew through the money on the boys and the ballet”). After Rebekah’s death Taylor purchased the house and it is now best known as the place of many epic 4th of July parties.
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4. Exile
Such a sad song! This is a duet between Taylor and Bon Iver, telling the story of a failed relationship that they have tried to mend many many times. Interestingly, this is also about a love triangle (like the teenage trio) -  "I can see you starin' honey/Like he's just your understudy." This line specifically feels like it could be about bearding, and seeing someone else with the person you love, but feeling like - or knowing - it’s fake. “You were my town Now I'm in exile seein' you out” references and end to the relationship Taylor discussed in False God “Staring out the window like I'm not your favorite town I'm New York City”. To me this indicates that it is about Karlie and them breaking up or going through a rough patch - continually trying to fix things - and eventually being unsure that it could ever be repaired.
5."My Tears Ricochet"
This is pretty clearly about Scott & Scooter - “And if I'm dead to you, why are you at the wake? Cursing my name, wishing I stayed” and “You had to kill me, but it killed you just the same” seem to be a reference to them trying to exploit her work and how her leaving Big Machine really ruined the business - plus there’s some LWYMMD imagery. “You wear the same jewels that I gave you as you bury me” also seems to be a clear reference for trying to use Taylor’s own work against her, taking the profits, and pushing her out of the deal. As if we needed more evidence “You hear my stolen lullabies” clearly references her stolen masters.
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6."Mirrorball"  
Big 80s prom vibes from this song. Mirrorball is about being famous and all of her work - her most personal thoughts and dreams - just becoming different ways for other people to see themselves once she releases her music into the world. Part of being an artist is knowing that your work will reflect more of who the viewer is than who you are yourself. Here she uses the metaphor of a disco ball to explore that idea, and worries that she is losing her own identity through it “I'm still trying everything to keep you looking at me”. She also alludes to her fears that she will age out of relevancy “I know they said the end is near”, something she discussed in her documentary Miss Americana. Obviously this is internalized misogyny because we love Taylor and will listen to her music always and do not subscribe to the belief that women need to be young to be relevant because if they were a man then they'd be the man, and tay’s the man <3 
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7. “Seven”
Personally, this is one of my favorite songs on the album. It’s so sweet and pure and lovely. This is about young love, with imagery of summer, toys, and child’s dreams to runaway together. Many people have speculated that it is about the same girl that the two unreleased Taylor songs “Sweet Tea and Gods Graces” and “Me & Britney” are about. 
[Side note: initially I wondered if Me & Britney was about Britany Maack, Taylor’s long time friend who recently got married, but the names are spelled differently. Also the line in Seven “I can’t recall your face” indicates that this is about someone who Taylor is not currently in touch with.] 
Both M&B and STAAG seem to be about the Seven relationship because there are general parallels with outdoor scenery, childlike wonder, and ( in the case of STAGG) sweet tea. Also all three songs indicate a gay relationship: STAGG - “And you can love like a sinner and lose like a winner”, M&B - “That boy she went ran off with, well, I thought he was crazy. Maybe I was just jealous that he'd come between me and Britney”, and Seven - “You won't have to cry or hide in the closet And just like a folk song our love will be passed on”.
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8. “August”
This is the second installment in the Teenage Trio, told from the perspective of the “other woman” who James meets while on summer vacation. The other woman (she doesn’t seem to have a name...unless it is August...which it could be? idk) is in love, but realizes that James isn’t in love with her - “Will you call when you're back at school? I remember thinkin' I had you”. The line “Remember when I pulled up and said "Get in the car" references the same incident which is retold in Betty, but this time with James telling Betty it was just a summer fling that didn’t mean anything.
9. This Is Me Trying
Here we have a break up song, about Taylor trying to win her lover back and feeling completely lost without them, unable to concentrate or be around people, and turning to self sabotage. It’s about the general loneliness that one feels when they’ve lost someone they truly love, and the miscommunication that can happen in a relationship when you’re not understanding each other or receiving love in the same way (hence the song’s title). I think this could be about Karlie, it seems clear that their relationship has not been smooth and that they have had many on-and-off times. It could also be serving a purpose of building the Joe break up narrative, but only time will tell for that.
10. “Illicit Affairs”
Taylor loves her secret love - this song reads like a sad version of “I Know Places”. It seems clear that this is about Karlie Kloss. “Tell your friends you're out for a run” is one of my favorite lines because Karlie started Klossy run club, where you commit to running a certain distance in a month - and she posts about it on instagram CONSTANTLY. But overall, the song details a relationship of a woman being with someone she doesn’t love (kushnerd) and sneaking around to meet up with the person she does love (tay!). The line “Tell yourself you can always stop” is so sad to me, the idea that Karlie got into this and keeps telling herself that it will only be a little longer and she can leave when she wants, but staying in her fake marriage anyway.
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11. Invisible String
This is pretty much the only pure love song on the album - about feeling connected to someone throughout your whole life, knowing that that somebody is out there, and then finally finding them. Taylor talks about being in Centennial Park in Nashville as a teen, and then eventually showing her lover around. The song is really self referential, with lots of easter eggs for her past work, including Bad Blood and Delicate. She also references Joe Jonas with the line “Cold was the steel of my axe to grind For the boys who broke my heart Now I send their babies presents”.
Some people have pointed out that there is a similar idea presented in Jane Eyre - when the protagonist says to her love interest “I have a strange feeling with regard to you. As if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly knotted to a similar string in you."
12."Mad Woman"  
Another Scooter one - “It's obvious that wanting me dead has really brought you two together”. “The master of spin” is word play referencing the masters records scandal. “Watching you climb over people like me” points out that agents and labels are making money off the performers they find and pushing them around. There’s also a reference to Scooter’s wife Yael and how he cheats all the time, but she doesn’t do anything likely because of her own internalized misogyny - “has a couple side flings. Good wives always know. She should be mad, should be scathing like me”.
13. “Epiphany”
The first verse of this touching ballad is about Taylor’s grandfather in WW2, storming the beaches at Normandy - “Crawling up the beaches now "Sir, I think he's bleeding out"”. The second verse is about a nurse helping patients with Covid-19 - “Holds your hand through plastic now "Doc, I think she's crashing out"”. The bridge here talks about wishing there was some great epiphany, some magical solution for the suffering in the world. The chorus refers to experiencing trauma with others and staying loyal even in the hardest times, even if it means literally dying. Although this seems like a departure from the themes of rest of the album, the whole album examines loyalty and considering what you would do for the people you love - so I really don’t think it’s a departure at all.
14. “Betty”
Obviously this is the gayest song on the album and an early fan favorite. It is the final song in the teenage trio, told from the point of view of James, going to win Betty back after betraying her and sleeping with someone else (August!?) over the summer. The line "Will you kiss me on the porch in front of all your stupid friends?”, a line that is very clearly about wanting to kiss a woman, is especially striking (& gay!) when sung by Taylor. The clearest version of this plot is someone begging for forgiveness after betraying the person they love.
There is also a bit of a nod to a line in “Picture to Burn”, a break up song off Taylor’s first album. In PTB Taylor says “So go and tell your friends that I'm obsessive and crazy that's fine, I’ll tell mine you’re gay”. This lyric has since been changed in versions available online, but on the original album that's what it was. This is interesting because she’s calling attention to knowing that someone is gay and hasn’t told their friends...which you would definitely know if you had dated them.
The names “James” and “Inez” are both mentioned in the song, which are the names of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynold’s daughters. James was already featured on a Taylor Swift album, as the lil baby voice at the beginning of “Gorgeous”. Worth noting that “James” is traditional a male name, but that this character is named after a female.
ALSO I have this theory I’m working on that Taylor is Betty and this whole album is in the same world with the same people, but WILL POST MORE ON THIS LATER.
15."Peace"  
Ok - this is Archer 2.0 for me, about how she is worried about how no one will ever love her or stay with her because its too much work - “the rain is always gonna come if you're standin' with me” and “No, I could never give you peace” are pretty telling lines about her concerns that people will think it is not worth it to be friends with or in a relationship with her due to all of the baggage that comes with it. 
The opening lines - “Our coming-of-age has come and gone Suddenly this summer, it's clear” feed into my emerging theory that all of these songs exist in the same universe and are about the same three characters...but I’m still figuring that one out. The line “And you know that I'd swing with you for the fences Sit with you in the trenches” reference Seven and Epiphany, respectively - further supporting that all of these songs are in the same world.
16. “Hoax”
Out of all of the songs that make my little Kaylor heart ache - this is the most heartbreaking. Specifically the line “My eclipsed sun” refers to Karlie, who Taylor has called “sunshine” on multiple occasions, and her light being covered up by her contract with Kushnerd and Scooter. The line “Don't want no other shade of blue But you” makes it clear that this song is in reference to the muse for the album “Lover” - aka Karlie. 
However, this is a song about betrayal and completely trusting someone, only to find that they stabbed you in the back, as is clear by the line ”Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in”.
Additionally, the line“You knew it still hurts underneath my scars” seems to again feed into the idea that all of the songs on the album involve the same characters. This one is a bit more clear, it seems that - if this theory is correct - Betty is the narrator of this song, as she referenced her scars before “Drew stars around my scars” in Cardigan.
OK- I'm going to go deep into song by song later, but I just wanted to get something out there!!! Also def interested in hearing what everyone else thinks!
EDIT: I just found some lyrics from The Lakes in an article from Billboard. I wanted to add them in even though we don’t have the full song because I felt like we really ended on a sad note with hoax and then when I saw these I was like there is hope!!
SO the lyric Billboard included in their review was “A red rose grew up out of ice frozen ground / With no one around to tweet it” which is a continuation from the line from “Hoax” - “ This has frozen my ground”. What I’m taking from this is that in the final song Taylor finds hope <3
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sanstropfremir · 3 years
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it's kingdom time for real!!! the first episode is here and mnet finally uploaded the stages from like a month ago so i can actually watch them more than once to review.
happy to see them all actually performing. not the most interesting stages overall, but it was the 100sec one-take so i wasn’t expecting anything crazy. like the performance stages, this is about what i expected at this point in the show.
ranking under the cut, i have Opinions(tm) and they are not all pretty.
(anyone that’s seeing this for the first time, i’m a trained performance designer with over 30 credits and a decade of experience, yes i can talk about this with authority)
a few general notes:
this type of stage that mnet has built is called a traverse, or alley, stage. named exactly for the reason you think. it’s characterized by a narrow playing space with audience on opposite sides, and two entrances on either end. so mnet had a pretty typical setup. there are some advantages to this type of stage:
because of the narrow stage space and usually smaller audience capacity, the performer and audience are in much closer proximity
because of the shape of the space, blocking (choreography but for not-dance) can travel well and be very dynamic
it’s uncommon outside of midsize/small productions so there’s some novelty for the casual theatre goer
however! there are some pitfalls with this type of stage. the hardest type of stage to work with is (theatre) in the round. theatre in the round is characterized by being....in the round. that means the audience is placed 360 degrees around the playing space. which means that they can see everything; every entrance, every exit, every performer’s back, 360 degree sightlines means there is nowhere to hide. and in a medium that relies on concealment to create magic, it’s a tough stage to work with. not saying it doesn’t work. some of the most incredible shows i’ve been to have been theatre in the round, but when you go to those type of shows, as an audience member you understand that there will be some scenes where you only see the actors’ backs. there is no perfect seat in the round. the reverse is true as well, the actors can only act to those in front of them. and like i stated previously, on the production end it becomes difficult to hide things like props/set/costume changes that you might have been able to in another type of theatre. why am i talking about theatre in the round? because traverse works on exactly the same principle. even though the audience is only on two sides, the same issues still arise. directionality is key: a director has to be careful of how exactly the stage gets blocked.
why am i talking about stage formats? because the space always informs the performance, that’s why. i think mnet made a sort of smart choice to build a traverse stage. since the ‘audience’ is a video camera, that eliminates the need to play to the opposing seating banks, and opens up more staging opportunities. it’s a fancy looking stage that does what they need it to. 
now here’s my gripes. if you’re going to specifically orient a stage so that it is by nature directional, why are you broadcasting in a format where direction doesn’t matter? if the camera has no fixed position, then you’ve just skipped directly into in the round staging without taking into account the function of the space. it's a round peg in a square hole; yes it fits, but you can see the spaces where it doesn’t quite match up. for a very obvious example, any shot that is not staring directly down the barrel of the stage from left or right has audience in it. and not enough to be worthy of a reaction shots (because those are just cut in in post), but enough to just be there. why would you do that when you could just.....not? just go properly in the round and then you wouldn’t have that distraction. especially when the audience is wearing white. also, there are only so many ways you can stage on a traverse, you’re pretty much limited to directional points on a compass, because there are literal risers in the way. because of the way most groups are choreographed, the member layouts lean more towards having the members in a line than they do layering the members deep. this configuration is fine on a proscenium stage (which is what most stages are), and would even be fine on a traverse stage if you were playing to the risers. you could even do some interesting choreo alterations. but! because mnet has decided that the camera is perpendicular to the risers, that means that most of the formations are not optimized for the stage dimensions and are in fact the opposite dimensions. most of these groups are doing their longest blocking across the shortest area of stage, which is dumb. although it isn't much of a problem because the stage is still very large, but it's still a bizarre choice on behalf of mnet. why would you not arrange the stage so you have more clearance for the camera, the audience, and also the performers? i would have to check back over the rtk performances, but im pretty sure at one point they switch to an in the round stage. why are you not doing that from the start? this would also allow for more built setpieces. although it does remain to be seen if they do switch after this episode, since this particular challenge was a one-take with minimal props/set pieces. which segues to my next point: these groups barely took up the parameters of the challenge, or utilized them effectively! this is also mnet’s fault, mnet if you say that you’re gonna do a one-take, don't cut between seven other cameras!! show us the power of that single point of view! let the groups actually do some interesting blocking with the path of the camera! there’s so many interesting things they could have done, but no!! had to be boring!! i know this is technically an introductory stage, but i also don't care. these groups have (relatively) competent ADs and stylists, they can think outside the box.
ok now here’s my actual rankings:
1. btob
sorry babies, none of you can match them vocally. love you ateez but you sure fucked up picking them to go after you because they blew you out of the fucking water. and everyone else, but ateez cumulatively is the weakest vocally. more on that later. like the performance stage they showcased their strengths and the experience (and training) shows. good use of the directional stage having three vs one that came together in the middle. loved the white suit variations, im especially a sucker for a belted suit jacket. loved peniel's gigantic trench and massive earrings, very mid 90s, his stylist definitely took a lesson in how to accessorize very short hair. always love good use of fog. uniform colour theme, all elements were there to support the vocals. no complaints, chef’s kiss.
2. ikon
hey baby groups? see bobby having fun? do that more. i know you think performance face is sexy and serious but none of you know how to act and you all look dead inside on stage. the lights may be on but nobody’s home. anyways. excellent beginning formation, excellent ending formation, no complicated position changes that make the camera give you motion sickness. fun choreo that they are obviously having fun performing, which goes sooooo far in the success of a performance. only group so far to use silence as an effective device, and the arrangement was interesting and suited to the song+performance. i think it was smart of them not to deploy bobby right away, although it would have been funny to watch after whatever it was that stray kids was trying to do. again, like btob and also sf9, sticking to their strengths. costumes fun and fitting, indicative of both the colour of the group and of the song. nice detail in the monochrome and the black accent details.
3. sf9
taeyang is that bitch and they only way this would have been better is if he had actually grabbed the ties of those two other members (if you think i am going to remember anyone's names other than the people i already know you are wrong). love the confidence to waste a good chunk of your 90 seconds for walking and standing in formation. actual good use of one-take directional camera, even though they ruined it once they started dancing. choreo perfectly fine, lighting good complementary colour scheme, costumes nothing to write home about, surprisingly good projection design? wasn’t expecting that. im not the biggest fan white suit jackets over black shirts but ill give it a pass for the proper suit accessorizing.
4. ateez
i applaud your dedication to the pirate gimmick but boys you don't need that anymore, i promise. hongjoong's lil bloody cough was a fun gag that didn't draw too much attention but fit with the theme. came out of the gate strong with an actual clear narrative, which can be a challenge to do in 100 seconds, and the only group to have a narrative. also actual camera choreo! that was interesting! mnet stop fucking cutting to overhead shots! apparently im destined to always be beefing with the ateez stylists because what was the point of all that? very little variation in texture or pattern on matte all black just made any relevant details disappear. torch gimmick and end formation fun, and the arrangement had an obvious climax. weird and kinda fun projection design, but not helped by concert-style stage lighting. pick one or the other lighting designer, don't make them fight like that! props to them for actually having their mics on the whole time, even though they are probably the weakest group vocally. im also going to be beefing with the choreographer because they are always making seonghwa sing while doing ridiculous moves that make him go offkey. ateez has some of the stronger 4th gen vocals, but they're at a disadvantage because a) none of them have proper vocal training, and b) their main vocal is not actually a skilled singer and is destroying his voice.not a lot of vocals for them to showcase this stage and that was probably for the best. hanya (@changdyke) is in charge of vocals critique and will have more to say about this than me, even though i am also trained. im just here to talk about the production.
5. the boyz
im neutral to positive on tbz because i did really like their danger stage from rtk. this performance is just....fine. I don’t like the arrangement, but that's mostly personal opinion. but it doesn't have a conclusive end and the whole dissonance thing isn't really working for me in this instance. the choreo is quite flippy and tricking is not necessary for an interesting choreo. i did like the throwback/use of modern choreo, i think that's a strong choice for them and it's not something that many other groups are doing, so they should stick more to that than to tricking. the camera choreo is also not good. here’s where the clearance issues and fighting against the stage layout happen! stop making a handheld do a 180! are you trying to make us motion sick? to be fair, this is not the most egregious one, but at least ateez got it right by having a person lead the camera in a particular pattern. also, what even is the theme here? leatherclad boys in the forest? nobody give me any shit saying it's based off one of their music videos or whatever, that shouldn't matter. there should be a clear theme that can be easily identified without prior knowledge of the group, especially when this is an introductory stage and they are a relatively young group. none of the other groups have this issue. that being said, at least the costumes were interesting to look at, although thematically confusing. good use of accessories, texture, and bedazzling to make the black stand out against the stage. the hands in front of the camera were kind of fun but didnt really mean anything? again, back to the lack of clear concept. i did like them reaching out to pull that member forward, it would have been better if they had just left it at that.
6. stray kids
the more i watch this the more i hate it. im not even sorry about it anymore. starters, and i will admit this upfront: i do not like most 4th gen music, so the spiderman meme groups are already operating on a deficit in my point of view. and i particularly did not like this arrangement. same as with tbz, why did it not have a conclusive end? also overuse of sound effects. and stop saying your fucking band name! the only musician that’s allowed to do that is jason derulo and thats because hes a meme now. but twice in 100 seconds? no. and what was the point of that logo/crown reveal? im tired of crown reveals we have seen them so many times by now, we don't need to see it again. was it meant to be that they were carving it into the ground?? very unclear. there was an attempt with camera choreo, and i will admit that the pan up and then back down to the ‘wolf pack’ was probably the strongest moment in the whole performance. the lights were in their mouths, by the way. however, the rest of the choreo is all over the map, quite literally. as with tbz there’s a lot of members in the group and so in order for everyone to get their screen time they break down into smaller groups, which i don't disagree with on principle, but here.........the breakdowns are just tricking, which although eyecatching, does not a very compelling or cohesive choreo make. even the unison choreo is weird, obviously its stylized horror but it just looks awkward and strange. you can make awkward/unattractive choreo work (see taemin’s want, or even move, to some extent)***, but skz doesn't have an ounce of the charisma that taemin has so it just looks awkward. also, that rapid switch between opposite sides of the stage? nausea inducing. ateez was the one with the pirate concept but skz apparently trying to make us seasick. im not gonna say anything about that rap other than it was bad, why was that allowed on stage. the sparkthrower was fun but that's like the 14th gimmick in this 100 second stage and that’s too many gimmicks. costumes are truly nothing to write home about, extremely unclear relation to the theme. if you're gonna be wolves then at least have some fur accents or something. the makeup effects were a bit over the top and not necessary in the actual performance. a hairdresser needs to thin out felix’s hair because he looks like he's wearing one of those lego hair helmets. oh, i did like that one guy’s shirt with the collarbone cutout, but again: how is that relevant to the theme? cmon people!!!! design the whole experience!! im sure there’s more i could write but holy shit this is long and im tired and also i don't want to watch this stage anymore.
ok im done. jesus this is long. again, this is just the intro stage so i suspect that some of my complaints will become null next week, but we’ll have to see! well, what i actually want to see is changmin insulting children but i’m not holding out hope for that to happen. hopefully we see some more spectacle-y stages and i can really go in.
***this is not me saying that taemin has a bad choreo that he’s making the best of. want is purposefully choreographed that way in order to showcase taemin’s ability. same with move. the point of want is that it IS awkward and should not be seductive or appealing and yet it still is. almost like....it’s in the name of the song or something.....
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ober-affen-geil · 4 years
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You know I’ve talked a lot about consent in Roswell (enough that I’m not going to link anything specific here, it’s literally its own section on my meta page) but I don’t think I’ve ever directly addressed the scene with the most explicit example of giving a verbal “yes” so I’m going to take the time to do that now.
Obviously, CW for discussion of consent.
As I said I’ve talked about consent in Roswell a lot because, in my opinion, it’s handled really, really well. With a few exceptions that are, again in my opinion, deliberate character markers (Noah post 4th alien reveal, Max high on lightning and death, Liz with her science, and literally everyone involved with Project Shepherd). Roswell is very good at working positive consent checks into scenes naturally and in a large variety of ways, because consent can be given in many shades of “yes”.
I’ve covered a lot of them before; Liz with Kyle in the car in the pilot (use me, use me absolutely), Kyle with Liz in her bedroom (when he waits for her to start undressing too before he kisses her), and Michael with Alex at the reunion (giving him plenty of time to back away and waiting until he steps forward to kiss him). There’s been several more in season two; Michael with Maria when he talks to her in the parking lot (respecting her initial rejection of contact and waiting for her to allow him into her space before he kisses her) and Alex literally asking Forrest if he can kiss him at the Wild Pony (waiting for the nod and “yeah” before he does).
What I want to talk about here is specifically the flashback scene in 1x06 where Liz and Max are slowdancing and there’s a moment of confusion/apparent miscommunication that Max attempts to resolve by giving Liz a literal verbal “yes”.
There are. A lot. Of things about consent I could point out in this one tiny interaction; how Max immediately backs off the second Liz shows hesitation, the way he apologizes for apparently misreading her desire to kiss him, or the way that Max still doesn’t kiss her even when she tells him she DOES want to because she also gives him a “no” at the same time, or the “levels” of consent to contact in the overall interaction. But what I want to focus on is “Oh, okay, yes.”
A quick blow-by-blow:  -Max and Liz are slowdancing. This was clearly a mutually agreed upon activity. -There is a moment where Liz seems to reach up for a kiss at the same moment Max reaches down, again a mutual movement. -Liz pulls away suddenly (withdrawing consent) and Max also pulls away, appropriately understanding that Liz doesn’t want to kiss him. -Max apologizes for trying to kiss Liz when she apparently didn’t want to, assuming that he misunderstood her level of comfort with their contact. -Liz interrupts him with “I really want to kiss you”, informing him that he did NOT misread. -At this point, Max’s only explanation for why Liz would pull away from a kiss when she clearly stated she did want to kiss him is that she misunderstood his level of comfort with their contact, so he gives her explicit consent to kiss him (Oh, ok, yes). -Liz explains that while she does want to kiss him she is not comfortable doing so, firmly drawing a line of “no kissing” in her consent to contact. -Max respects her “no”, but as she does not otherwise pull away he makes the correct assumption she is still comfortable with slowdancing and they keep swaying together as she tucks under his chin.
The bold part is the important section. Max is reacting to sudden confusion, he was under the impression that they were both comfortable with and consenting to the slow escalation of physical contact. Liz suddenly pulling away and removing her consent makes him think he was wrong.
(Note that rather than asking her about it he jumps straight to “I was definitely wrong and I should apologize”.)
When she clarifies her intent (I really want to kiss you) he moves immediately to “oh SHE must be confused” and acts to counter that with giving her a literal verbal “yes”. He does not, as he could have, take her apparent verbal consent as an invitation to kiss her anyway. He instead takes the time to clarify that yes, HE is on board with kissing too and ok that is definitely something we could do.
Max is making the effort here to ensure that everyone is fully aware of what’s going on and is giving enthusiastic consent (thank you season two for that phrase) to any and all proceedings. And I absolutely love him for it.
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gifsbysimplysonia · 4 years
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Fleeting Connection
Pairing: Bisexual TJ Hammond (Political Animals) x Female 
Word Count:  3,544
Warning(s): fingering (female receiving), hand job, oral sex (male receiving), t!tty f*cking, badly written smut (but yeah?)
Summary: She is on the hunt for some alcohol and stumbles onto so much more. If you've seen Political Animals, this story opens in a familiar scene from the series and I use a direct TJ quote in the story.
Author’s Notes: it's July 4th. This time last year I posted some smut so I wanted to do so again this year. Also available on AO3. Thanks to @jillybean1217​ for always reading my stuff before anyone else, once again making me a graphic to go along with the story, and cuz she adores Teej. 
I apologize for this mess 😋 Very unexpectedly, Hamilton brought up a lot of emotions in me. I was listening to songs about what a prolific writer he was and how he seemed to live to write. I remember that feeling and have been trying so hard to get back to it and I suspect the only way to do it is to post the stinkers too. Gotta stop being afraid!
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She needed a drink. And when she heard the party raging across the hall, she figured there was no better place to get one since her supply was depleted. Plus, her neighbor wouldn't care if she issued her own invite, went over and helped herself. He was generous that way, although she supposed it probably helped that his parents footed his bills. That was how she found herself in her current predicament, quite literally caught by her neighbor whom she had not even seen as she was walking by the couch on the hunt for alcohol. But a hand grasped hers, stopping her in her tracks, drawing her attention to him where he was sat on the couch, another young man to his left.
His eyes pleaded with her as he pulled her onto his lap. As her knees framed his hips, she saw the sadness he tried so hard to hide with booze and drugs. Now he thought he would pull her into his tangled web. She would allow it, for the moment, only because his perfect rosy lips looked tastier than the cherry candy she had been sucking on. 
She slipped that same candy out of her mouth and raised her eyebrows at him expectantly. His right hand cupped the back of her neck and pulled her forward. She opened her mouth to say something, exactly what she didn't know, but he took the opportunity to taste her. His tongue tangled with hers while his firm lips pressed up into her mouth. He tasted of cheap beer which she never had a problem with. But as his teeth bit at her bottom lip and she heard a little growl from him, she felt light headed. His kisses were big and wet and left her breathless. 
She put her hand on his chest and pushed him away. She watched his closed eyes open in surprise and the way his swollen mouth gasped for air as he looked at her with longing made her want to rock her body against him. Just as she thought she might go in for a second helping, the hand at the nape of her neck tried to push her towards the man next to him on the couch. As the other man leaned in, she shoved her lollipop into his mouth. He didn't look pleased and neither did TJ as she climbed off of him. 
"What the fuck?" Ah, there was the petulant spoiled young man she was familiar with. Immediately aggravated when he didn't get what he wanted. She tilted her head and looked down at him with a smirk she knew would piss him off more. 
"Just because you two like to share doesn't mean I do," she answered with a shrug. His face screwed up and she knew he was upset, but that's how she felt when he tried to push her off on some strange dude. He owed her for that. So without warning she bent over, grabbed his head in her hands and made him motorboat her. She had heard jokes that he appreciated a good pair of breasts and her top tonight certainly left nothing to anyone's imagination. It was no doubt why he caught her hand and tried to pull her into his game. Well, too bad for him, when she decided to play with anyone it was only by her own rules. She pushed him away from her and she laughed out loud at his disheveled hair and dazed expression. Served him right.
"Y'all enjoy the rest of your evening." She tipped her imaginary hat to them before she turned and disappeared into the crowd. She grabbed a couple of those cheap beers before she found the door and took her leave. She walked straight across the hall to her place. 
Before she closed the door, she took a pull off of one of the beers. Her eyes drifted shut as the taste invoked the memory of his kiss. It made her shudder. For his many many faults … at least she knew for sure now that he could kiss. When she opened her eyes, she saw him. He stood in his own doorway, forearm leaning on the doorframe. He stared at her, and the look in his eyes made her feel like prey, but she liked it. She swallowed slowly, not wanting to give herself away too quickly. 
She calmed herself by taking another swig of beer. He stepped forward and closed the door behind him. Alright then. She moved to close the door but stopped short of closing it all the way. She made her way towards her bedroom, wondering if he would accept her silent invitation. Once in her bathroom, she heard the very deliberate slam of her front door and knew the answer.
She was just finishing her beer when he appeared in the doorway behind her. They locked eyes in the long rectangular mirror over her sink. He raised his arms over his head, grasping at the top of the door frame with his fingertips. He tilted his head and she saw the faintest of smirks appear on his lips. And he noticed when her eyes focused on his mouth because he tantalizingly licked at his upper lip with just the very tip of his tongue. Feeling her heartbeat jump, she broke the spell with a few fast blinks and a shake of her head. She focused on the act of dropping her now empty bottle into the waste basket to her left, wondering what she had gotten herself into. As if he heard her mind racing with the question, he spoke, his voice raspy. 
“Take off your shirt,” he softly commanded. Her eyes widen at the demand and goosebumps popped up all over her skin. His lips slowly curved up into a smile and his teeth dug into his lower lip as he watched; as he waited. She crossed her arms in front of her, grasped the hem of her blouse, took a deep breath, and did as he told her. 
She shivered at the feel of cool air on her newly exposed skin. Her nipples peaked at the rush of sensation, poking through her lacy bra. Daring a look at him in the mirror, she saw that one of his hands now palmed the front of his dark wash jeans. She nodded at his action.
"Does that mean that you like what you see?" Her voice came out breathier than she intended. She felt warmth crawl up her neck and into her cheeks as he answered by meeting her eyes in the mirror. With slow measured steps, he entered the bathroom and walked right up behind her. His presence behind her was teasingly close but he did not touch her.
"More," he demanded. His breath was so hot against the back of her neck and yet, she shivered at the feel of it. He was not looking at her now. She saw in the mirror that his head was bowed, his eyes glued to her back. When she made no move to acquiesce, it was a few quickened heartbeats before she felt the tips of his fingers on her skin. He started at her shoulder blades and ever-so-slowly dragged them downward. She tried so hard to remain still, her own head bowed so he couldn't see how she bit her own lip or the hunger reflected in her own gaze. But her skin once again erupted with anticipation and he noticed, humming his approval.
His fingers undid the clasp of her bra with one snap. The holder slipped forward, and she lowered her arms until it met her shirt at her feet. She raised her head to see him staring at her over her right shoulder. Her nipples puckered to hard nubs. She felt a heavy ache in her breasts under his gaze. His gaze, his expression was so eager it made her tremble. 
Feeling bashful under the force of that look, she raised her arms to cover herself. His response was a pointed, "Tsk, tsk, tsk" as he repeatedly popped his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He swept her hair back and over her left shoulder so when he turned towards her, his breath tickled her right ear and side of her neck. 
"Your tits are much too beautiful to hide, " he whispered. His whisper held a note of awe and he slowly circled her with his arms so his hands could carefully pry her cover away. When her arms hung at her sides again, his hands moved towards her breasts.
“Is this what you want?” he practically purred. She could feel the heat of his hands hovering near her tits. She tried to lean forward to force herself into his touch, but he pulled his hands back. When she groaned her frustration, she heard his low tone laugh. Her eyes snapped up at his reflection and the smile on his face was radiant, one of pure delight. How does he do that? she wondered.
"Use your words," he said, leaning his face toward her, using his teeth to nibble her earlobe. She inhaled sharply. "I don't move until I hear you say it." Her neck snapped forward so her head could hang. She did not want to have to voice her desire.
Suddenly, she felt whisper soft touches at her lower back. He had his knuckles barely brushing her skin, but just enough contact to tickle slightly as he dragged them upward. She swayed backward, wanting to lean into him. His hands turned and she felt the heat of them against her upper back, keeping her body from his.
"Tell me what you want," he said. She sighed heavily. 
"I want you to touch me. Touch...my tits." He immediately molded himself to her, his hips against her ass, his chest to her back, and his arms hugging hers as his hands finally cupped her in the way she wanted.
His fingers curved around her breasts, weighing them then massaging them. His hands moved from underneath to over them, his slightly roughened palms rubbing against her stiff nipples. He moaned and the vibration against her back caused her eyes to drift shut. Her body arched, ass grinding against his crotch. The friction caused his hands to tighten around her tits; he abruptly squeezed. 
"Mmm, fuck yes," she hissed, grinding harder, hands covering his to encourage him. 
"Slow down," he whispered. Her head leaned back onto his left shoulder but she kept her eyes shut. He teased her with a hot, wet kiss at the junction of her neck and right shoulder. The warm suction was delicious, tingles raced up her spine. He continued the moist trail, lapping at her skin and sucking different spots into his mouth. She vaguely hoped he did so hard enough to leave some marks behind; arousing reminders that this actually happened. 
She was torn from her thoughts by his fingers pinching at her stiff nipples. Her eyes flew open and met his in the mirror. His expression was one of wicked enjoyment as he played with her breasts. His lips were wet and parted as he watched himself tease her body, and she felt him press his erection against her, his body moving in a way that let her know he was just as affected as she was. He eased up the pressure on her tits before he palmed them and dug his fingers in. He pressed them together, all the while as she gasped and panted and moaned. She caught his gaze in the mirror.
"I think I wanna fuck them," he whispered into her ear. "Would you like that? Would you like it if I slid my cock between your lips, made you taste me, only so I could put you on your knees and I put my hard wet dick in between your tits?" She could not form coherent words; the best she could do was groan. He smirked in response. "You would let me do that?" She was nodding frantically without hesitation, surprised when his answer was a soft kiss against her cheek. "Well, then...if you're going to be so generous with me…"
One hand abandoned her chest to make its way down. He managed to get underneath her billowy skirt with ease. His dark chuckle in her ear as he found her panties soaked with arousal caused a whine to bubble up her throat and out of her mouth.
"Jesus, the sounds you make," he whispered, sounding wrecked. Her gaze cut to his quickly. The intensity of his stare shook her to her core, literally. He hugged her entire body tighter when he felt it. "I should be embarrassed that I'm so close to cumming just from those God damn sounds and how you're trembling in my arms."
"TJ…" His name was a desperate cry torn from her lungs and she punctuated it when she turned her head and captured his mouth. Teeth clashed as he stole her breath with the kiss; if there was one thing he knew how to do, it was kiss. 
The moment his fingers worked their way past her panties and touched her slick flesh, her mouth was torn from his as her body pitched forward. She braced herself on her sink, and felt his teeth nip at the nape of her neck as he followed. His left arm moved between her breasts so his hand could lightly clasp the bottom of her neck. His other hand was busy, thumb circling but not touching her clit as two fingers penetrated her. There was a vague thought somewhere in her mind that she should be embarrassed at the wet sound of him fucking her with his fingers. Then he drew his fingers completely out of her and used them to finally touch her clit, and all thought vanished from her mind. Her body snapped back against his. Her hands went to his forearm, clinging, and his grip on her throat tightened just enough. 
"I'm gonna...I'm gonna…" she tried to warn him but he knew. 
"Look in the mirror," he growled. Their reflections were wild and crazy, him fully dressed with his hands on her half naked body, his hand furiously working under her clothes. Somehow not being able to see what he did but feeling it intensified the experience. 
"I want you to watch me take you apart." With no warning, he plunged his fingers back into her and her pussy clenched as her orgasm crashed into her. The tension in her veins finally snapped, warmth spreading throughout her limbs, electricity racing up her spine. Her head fell back, face turned to him and he covered her mouth with his. His tongue mimicked what his fingers now did and all she could do was melt against him. She gasped when his thumb lightly teased her clit once, twice as she came back to herself. Her body was covered in a light sheen of sweat and there was still an energy that tickled the base of her neck.
She didn't want to lose her nerve so when her knees were solid again, she peeled his hands off of her and turned. He didn't give her a chance to act on her desires as he immediately began licking and sucking at her decolletage. His clever mouth moved lower as his hands cupped her breasts. He was generous with his wet and sloppy attention as he licked his way between her tits, sucking and teasing them, moving quickly from one to the other and back again. 
After enough attention, she dropped to her knees. Beating her to the punch, his hands quickly undid his jeans. When he hesitated with the zipper in his fingers, she shifted her eyes to his face. His smirk made her throb and she could hear the slow descent of his zipper as he finally dragged it down. Eagerly, she grabbed his open jeans and the band of his boxer briefs and yanked them to his knees. His erection sprang free, and he wrapped his hand around it, fucking his fist.
"Play with your tits," he demanded. The broken low tone of his voice made her shiver as she tipped her head back to look up at him. She bit at her own lips as her fingers spread his spit around, tugged at her nipples, and pushed her tits together the way he seemed to like. When she did, he growled and positioned his dick between them. He moved his hips and fucked her tits, sliding easily between them as she kept the pressure surrounding his dick as tight as she could. 
"Yes...YES…" he muttered. "I'm already…" she pulled herself away from him to take his cock into her hand, twisting as she stroked him firmly again and again. She licked at and around the head while maintaining eye contact. 
"Let me have it," she pleaded, popping the tip in between her lips and sucking. Her name fell from his lips and she pulled back, aiming his dick at her chest and felt his hot cum paint her chest. His head was back and she watched the muscles in his neck work as the veins in his neck stood out, as if they wanted to break through the skin. TJ groaned in a way that made her want to get off all over again, knowing she made him make those sounds. 
He panted and moaned until the very last drop had been drained from him, only to sigh at the very end. She watched his shoulders rise and fall on that sigh and found herself sighing too. She released him and he moved to lean back against her sink. His head fell forward and his whole body slumped. Seeing that, her own body finally released tension and she felt her own shoulders fall and her eyes drifted shut. 
It was a while before there was anything but the sound of their own heavy breathing and her heartbeat in her ears. When she heard the water running, she opened her eyes to watch him clean up. When he had himself put away, he looked into the mirror and she watched his eyes roam over her own disheveled appearance. 
"Breasts…" he paused to smirk at her in that way that set her on fire, "are awesome." She laughed at his declaration, looking down shyly, which was dumb after what they had just done. He surprised her by crouching down and wiping his mess off of her with a warm washcloth. 
"YOUR breasts are particularly…" his sentence fell off and she looked up to see his gaze focused on where he was cleaning. The way his lips were parted and he looked almost...hungry...took her off guard. When he felt her heart thud harder in her chest, he looked back at her face and instead of a sexy smirk, it was an unexpectedly soft smile. 
"It's already done, TJ, you don't have to compliment me now," she told him, taking the tiny towel from him and finishing what he started. He inhaled sharply, as if to say something in response, but the sound of heavy knocking interrupted. 
"I know you're in there, TJ!" The male voice was muffled but they both heard it. She cocked an eyebrow at him as reached up to get a grip on the sink to help her stand. Her body protested but she managed to make it to her feet. 
"Your date is mad," she told him. "You better go put a leash on him cuz it won't be pretty if I gotta deal with him doing any damage to my door." She threw the washcloth in the hamper and retrieved her clothes off the floor. She folded the bra up and put it on the sink but put her shirt back on. They both faced the mirror again. 
"He's not my date," he explained. She was not sure why he felt the need to clarify, nor why she felt a tiny hint of satisfaction at the information. She shrugged as nonchalantly as she could at him. He walked up behind her and rested his chin on her shoulder. 
"Later?" he asked. She lightly shrugged again, bouncing his chin off of her shoulder. 
"Never can tell," she answered, hoping her tone was as noncommittal as the words she chose. That damn smile reappeared and he kissed her cheek before he departed. 
She heard him trying to calm down whoever the guy was at her door before she heard it softly shut behind him. That sound was like a trigger and the night caught up with her all at once. She leaned heavily on her sink and stared at herself in the mirror. Everything about her reflection told the story of what had just happened. 
When she caught the look in her own eyes, she snorted out loud. One part satisfaction, one part wanting more, and maybe another part… She rolled her eyes at herself and sighed. Where was that other beer she had swiped from his place? Cuz whatever she didn't know about what had just happened, the one thing she knew for sure? She needed a drink. 
Author’s Notes Part 2: if you have not seen Political Animals before, HERE​ is the scene that inspired this story. Hopefully it is familiar now that you read the fic. If not, I did not paint as good of a picture as I wanted to!
As for the direct TJ quote I used:
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By @bobbiemorley HERE
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Kdrama recs Part 2
Hello @camsthisky and anyone else who cares! I do apologize for the delay on this post--it has only been 84 years since Part I of my kdrama recs, I know, and I thought about going for a full century but this is me finding a way to de-stress after watching the first episode of I-Land alkdjfadlksj I’m gonna die of heartbreak but whatever
Speaking of heartbreak, there is a lot to be found in Korea’s wonderful historical dramas, so like, be warned—or, if you are an angst-loving monster like me, settle down for hot guys and good cries
Let us begin! (or, if you want romantic modern dramas see Part 1)
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1. Scarlet Heart Ryeo/Moonlovers: 
aha ahahahahahaha *weeps* You may have heard people talk about this show. You may have heard ME talk about this show. This thing was my first kdrama ever and it RUINED ME 
Disclaimer: I have seen this show once and rewatched it twice and on the rewatches I can never quite make myself watch the last 4 or 5 episodes because things get tragic and messy and I get mad. HOWEVER there is a lot of good in the first part of the show and because this thing was all the rage in everywhere but Korea itself, there’s like over 300 fanfic for it and several good fix-its, including one by my good friend @thelonelybrilliance
Ok so anyway this show which could also be called An Abundance of Princes starts with a young woman from modern times getting thrown back into ancient Goryeo during an eclipse and finds herself in the body of Hae Soo, the cousin of the wife of one of the princes, and thus she gets embroiled in royal affairs which are, quite frankly, a mess. See, the evil eyeliner prince (whom I love even when he’s the worst) is plotting with his mom to get the Crown Prince out of the way aka dead BUT who should return to the Palace but the 4th Prince, Wang So, who has spent at least half his life living as hostage to a powerful family. 
So has a scar that cuts across his eye and which in this society makes him a horror to look at or smthing idk he just looks extra hot to me but anyway he wears a mask and is known as the wolf dog (or as the MURDER ANGST CUPCAKE thanks @abadpoetwithdreams). He might seem a little rough around the edges at first because his life has been hell but he really just wants to love and be loved okay people need to be nice to him wtf
Other princes include: 
    1.  the Crown Prince, Wang Mu, a good egg, not particularly charismatic but he tried to protect his lil bro when no one else would
    2.  the 8th prince, Wang Wook, who reminds me of a fellow named Shane and I don’t mean the cowboy
    3.  the 10th prince, Wang Eun, a dumb adorable spoiled bby (played by Baekhyun from EXO)
    4.  the 13th prince, Baek Ah, a tol soft boi, an artist, a BAE, a BRO, a SHIPPER ON DECK
    5.  the 14th prince, Wang Jung this son will fight everyone he’ll fight himself he just loves to fight! Not always wise but he’s a good boy and I like him a lot 
    6.  just realized I skipped the 9th prince but nobody cares 
One quick note is that IU plays Hae Soo, and I enjoy her a lot in the first half of the show where she is still spunky and rebellious...sadly her character kind of falls apart/gets too weak for my liking as the episodes progress
The MAIN reason why I feel it my duty to recommend this show to everyone despite the fact I have never met anyone who wasn’t traumatized by it is LEE JOON GI
Yes, this man:
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 I mentioned him in the previous rec post—he played Bong Sang Pil in Lawless Lawyer (AND IS NOW CURRENTLY STARRING IN FLOWER OF EVIL WHICH WILL BE ON ANOTHER POST AHDFOIASDHGALDSKJF FRIQ I AM IN LOVE WITH THAT MAN) 
BUT SERIOUSLY LOOK AT HIS PHOENIX EYES!!! HIS RAZOR SHARP FEATURES! HIS BIG ADORABLE EARS! HIS BEAUTIFUL EXCESSIVE BANGS! 4TH PRINCE WANG SO LOVE OF MY LIFE
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SOMEONE PROTECT THIS BBY
2. Hwarang: Ok so right off the bat I am going to smack down a disclaimer that I can’t stand the female lead. TRULY CANNOT. Thus, I don’t like the romance, and only care about the love triangle as far as it just shows how sad and lonely one of the guys is. (Also there are scenes of dumb old men plotting and I don’t like them either). At the end of the show, I am happy that the one guy is NOT stuck with the female lead as his wife. Good for you sir
Sounds like a show to steer clear of then, right? WRONG. This is a show that you skip through because the scenes that are good? Are GREAT
Picture this: It is the Silla era of Korea, and the queen is ruling as regent in place of her son, who has been hiding all his life because everyone wants to kill him. Well, son is now grown and must soon come into the light and take the throne. Queen who both wants her son as king but also really likes being queen decides to do everyone a favor and form an elite fighting squad out of all the prettiest and most talented sons of nobles in the land, with the idea that they will be loyal only to the throne, and thereby keep their dads from plotting to destroy everything. 
Let me tell you something, these ARE the prettiest boys in the land. Good hair, good jawlines, beautiful smiles—the cast lineup includes Park Hyung Sik and his cute lil elf ear, Park Seo Joon, Taehyung (yes from BTS!), and Choi Minho from Shinee, plus two other actors who are lesser known but who are drop-dead gorgeous. Anyway. Sorry, but they really are all beautiful. 
The fun thing is they don’t all get along right away, a few of them are VERY much opposed to the other for various reasons, but they all have to bond and become brothers in arms. And what they don’t know is that the real king snuck in and is one of them. 10/10 I would die for the boys! (also Tae has an older half-brother who is a lower rank than him but whom he looks up to and that makes for cuteness and pain) Once you skip the boring or annoying parts of the show, the rest has so much delight, laughter, and oops pain, lots of pain. I want to go re-watch. 
Two other things I should mention about the show: a super soft side romance between secondary characters and a game of, as they call it in the show, HOT SOCCER 
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^pretty boy 1 (with the cute elf ear sadly on the other side of his head)
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^pretty boy 2 (sad cheekbone bby) and pretty boy 3 (happy cheekbone bby)
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^pretty boy 4 (the prettiest of them all, and he knows it!)
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^pretty boy 5 (aka Taehyung danced around the set of a historical drama and made everyone adopt him as their bby) 
3. Faith/The Great Doctor: This is a longer kdrama at 24 episodes and they didn’t have much of a budget so special effects aren’t the best or anything but I just got really attached to all the characters? This is another modern girl goes back in time but UNLIKE SHR it actually has a happy ending, so if you need a historical drama cleanse after that tearjerker/enrager, this could be it for you
Eun Soo has to navigate the ancient kingdom, keep people believing she is a heavenly doctor with special powers, and keep Choi Young alive so he can fulfill his promise of returning her to her own time. The problem with that is Choi Young does have kind of a death wish because of reasons—
Eun Soo is a plastic surgeon who would really like a rich handsome husband one day but them’s the breaks for you, aka she has had no luck in that department. Back in ancient Korea, Choi Young (played by Lee Minho in sadly the only role I really love him in) is a high-ranking beloved captain who can fall asleep anywhere. Oh he can also make electricity with his hands! :D
The story begins when the sleepy sad captain tries to escort the new king and queen to their palace. This was during the time period when ancient Korea was basically a puppet kingdom/tributary of ancient China (Yuan). The king (who is very smol and lacks confidence, but still has a good heart for his country) lived as a hostage in Yuan for many years, and his wise tol queen is a princess of that land, and someone needs to sit them down and make them talk because they actually love each other a lot. Anyway, when the queen gets injured by assassins, Choi Young goes searching for a legendary doctor, winds up in modern Korea, and steals both Eun Soo and a SWAT shield, because hey, it looked cool I guess
Lots of fun things in the show: Choi Young has a crew of soldiers who are BEYOND loyal to him, and while he doesn’t think much of the king at first because he’s been burned by kings before, they slowly become bros and shippers on deck for each other. Eun Soo does not lose her spunk or loyalty unlike other people I could mention *cough*HaeSoofromScarletHeartRyeo*, and it cracks me up when she curses people out. There are also a bunch of people (mostly bad guys) running around with special powers or gifts, including a flame lady and a flute boy, and the latter wears delightful anime wigs, keeps his sword in his flute, and plays his flute to kill—literally! I love flute boy very much 
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sorry it’s black and white but DO YOU SEE THE SWAT SHIELD
4. My Country: A New Age:
ANGST ANGST ANGST PAAAAAIN BUT ALSO BEST INTRO BEST FAVES BEST ACTORS
Picture this: two young men, who both hail from childhoods of trauma, who grew up together and are best friends, and who are tragically forced apart and end up on opposite sides of a conflict that threatens to upend the current rule of the kingdom. This IS the star-crossed brotp you’ve been waiting for!
Seo Hwi is the son of a general who died a criminal, and all he wants is to live simply and earn enough rice take care of his younger sister, who has seizures and a sweet crush on Hwi’s bestie. Hwi is the best softest most loyal boy with a good and true heart, a great deal of courage, and a talent for wielding a sword, and just wait till you see the best one-shot fight scene ever of him in battle, it is INCREDIBLE! (He is played by Yang Se Jong, who I now want to see more of) Hwi has an abundance of charisma points in that he picks up a small band of loyal soldier friends and they become the best little found family, lots of brotp-ness in this crew—do not mess with any of them because they will all FIGHT you
Seon Ho meanwhile is the illegitimate despised son of a powerful nobleman, only tolerated because the legitimate son died. Seon Ho loves his friend and is very protective of his friend’s little sister who crushes on him but his dad is a high class grade A power-hungry jerk and that causes complications of course. Seon Ho also has a good heart, he’s a gentle soul really, but he always gets stuck in bad positions and unfortunately makes a couple of difficult/bad choices so he hardens himself as much as he can but the consequences always kill him and he just wants to save his friends and destroy his dad and the stupid hierarchy that treats bastards as lesser. WHY IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? 
Seon Ho he is played by Woo Do Hwan who has so much talent I die so many times over in this show just because of the way he portrays Seon Ho like that sad sad boy is one of my favorite characters evER! Is he problematic? At times maybe but I am HERE for him he just needs LOVE AND AFFECTION AND AN ABUNDANCE OF GOOD FRIENDS BUT INSTEAD (SOMETIMES THRU HIS OWN FAULT BUT HE ADMITS THAT) HE JUST SUFFERS AND SO I SUFFERRRR
*grabs a towel and dries up my tears*
Hwi also falls in love with a woman named Hui Jae (or was it Hee Jae i can’t remember) and they are very cute together, she’s pretty cool but the show’s one failing is arguably that they kind of underuse her in the plot as the story goes on? But I still like her and she still has a good role, and she is both brave and kind and not afraid to step in or tell people off, also keep a weather eye open for patching up scenes! 
Oh yeah, eVERYONE in this gets hurt/stabbed/shot/bloody, such a shame they have to take their shirts off to clean and bandage the wounds ;)
Last character I must mention is Bang Won, played by Jang Hyuk in his second interpretation of the historical figure. Bang Won is the fifth? son of the guy who becomes emperor/king, and he has his own plans for the country, so when Hwi catches his eye, he recruits him to his cause.  What you need to know about him is that he has issues with his dad, is slightly unhinged, and cannot and should not be parted from the fan that he constantly carries around with him. Gotta say, Jang Hyuk is FANTASTIC (heheheheheheh) in the role, able to convey all kinds of emotion in the rise and fall of his voice, in the tilt of his head, the tears of his eyes, the flick of his fan. Give this actor all the awards! 
To sum up: if you like to cry for days after watching a drama, if you like excellent heart-wrenching brotps, if you like conflicted characters, if you like amazing music and setting and plot, if you like guys with good hair and arm muscles (and 
abs, thank you shirtless scenes what) this show is a Must Watch 
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DID I SAY STAR-CROSSED BROTP I MEANT SWORD-CROSSED BROTP ADKJFADLSKJFLKJDFALKDGKLJL </3
~
Ok I was going to leave the historical drama post at this for now but...I’m going to cheat a little and include the one historical C!drama I just finished.Yes folks I am talking about:
5. Nirvana in Fire:
Ok so maybe the switch from kdrama to cdrama makes you uncertain. Maybe the fact that this show has FIFTY-FOUR EPISODES makes you go hell no I don’t have enough time for that. Well if you overlook this show for those reasons, you are making, and I do not exaggerate, the greatest mistake of your show-watching life!
Look, first, this drama has one of the best, most intricate, most satisfying plots in history, with like 20 characters you would die for, and second, the episodes are only about 42 minutes each, which is shorter than most kdrama episodes, so you can deal.
Once upon a time there was a general/family who were just too good to exist in corrupt old China, so naturally they were framed for treason and there was a giant massacre and everybody died, including the eldest prince who was like um dad maybe this is all a horrible mistake and the king was like no u are the mistake. Sad times.
One of the many younger princes named Jing (A NOBLE HEART, if not always the cleverest) returns home from wherever he was, finds out that not only did his prince brother die, but so did his best friend/brother in the whole wide world, Lin Shu, son of the general. Because he insists on the innocence of said bros/family, Jing becomes an outcast prince and is shuffled off to fight in wars where he can’t cause any trouble. Meanwhile, Princess Nihuang, Lin Shu’s brave, awesome, amazing, wise, incredible girlfriend, refuses to marry anyone else, and because she is too cool to be messed with, nobody tries to banish her
Cut to I think eleven years later, when the two most powerful princes are vying to be the crown prince and heir to the throne. They both try to recruit the aid of a renowned clever and sassy strategist named Mei Changsu, to help them with plotting and PR and such.
Well little do they know that Mei Changsu is actually the not-dead Lin Shu, with a completely new face (for reasons), and that Mei Changsu is a chess master setting up a long con for the dual purpose of obtaining revenge/justice for the dead and of raising Prince Jing to the throne, since Prince Jing is the only man with a good enough heart and strong enough will to make China a better place for all the people. But just to make it hard on everybody, Mei Changsu is dead set on not telling anyone who he really is—again, for reasons. He is not always successful in keeping his secret.
I literally don’t know what else to say because there is so MUCH to say, so many characters to love, and I mean LOVE. How do you get a cast this good? How is everyone so different yet so important? How do you feel bad for the emperor even when he’s slimy? How do you have to stop yourself from rooting for the prince who would destroy some of your faves? I can’t praise the charisma and acting talent in this show enough! And the music! IS GORGEOUS!
1 strategist too sassy for his own good and too clever for everyone else’s good + 1 prince who loves his mom and his dead best friend and his dead older brother more than anything else in the world + 1 gentle wise mom + 1 eternally loyal princess who would defend her loved ones with the sword if necessary + 1 sassy Elrond healer man + 1 grumpy sulky baby who loves being a better fighter than almost everyone + 1 loyal to the death, brave badass general who is going to have a stress breakdown if the strategist doesn’t take better care of himself + not 1 but 2 good boys who deserve to be protected but who are willing to throw themselves into battle if necessary + 1 antagonist tiger prince who I love and am not ashamed to say it = THE BEST OF TIMES
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^he hardly ever wears his hair down but when he does <33333333
*checks calendar* how soon is too soon rewatch something, asking for a friend
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gyakutengagotoku · 4 years
Text
GS4 vs AJ:AA - Episode 1, Part 1
Look, guys! I’m being productive again! Hooray, it feels exhausting just as I remember it did!
As done before, every post I make will contain differences between the source Japanese and localized English versions of the same game, as well as further details about them, up to the following “To be continued...” screens and eventually the ending credits. As always, there are so many ways the localization can dress up certain lines in the original script to make them into jokes or at least more colorful, so I’m not going to pick out every one. It would take us an eternity longer than my hiatuses to finish otherwise.
To think it took a freakin’ indie game that's like Mafia but with astronauts and tasks to bring me back to the Ace Attorney community and back to my blog’s roots. Is this what they mean by “Circle of Life”? All I know is that I’m constantly running around in circles, both metaphorically and literally.
--
> Court Lobby
<Kristoph> やれやれ。ずいぶんカタくなってる みたいだね。 You look tense, Justice. Wound up tight.
<Apollo> そ。そんなコトないです! カンゼンに大丈夫ですから、オレ! W-Wound up, sir? No! I'm loose! I'm fine!
<Kristoph> 声がウラ返ってるよ‥‥ まあ。ムリもないかな。 That screeching noise... Is that your voice? I suppose it's to be expected...
初めての法廷が、殺人事件とは。 まさしく“オドロキ”ってヤツだね。 Your first trial, and it's a homicide. I guess "Justice" doesn't start small, eh?
Enter Apollo's signature "I'm fine!" catchphrase, or as it's originally known, "Daijobu desu!"
In the third box, "ウラ返ってる" from 裏返る (uragaeru) in this context is translated fairly, though it specifically refers to a "crack in falsetto" kind of squeak or screech. (Yes, squeaky Apollo.) Now, it's interesting to note uragaeru in a different context can also mean "to double-cross". To be fair, it's also a common phrase, like being "betrayed" by your own cracking voice, but the foreshadowing power...
In the fourth box, yes, they changed the name puns to suit the localized name. Kirihito (Kristoph) is just saying what a "surprise" it is for his first trial to be a murder case.
>
<???> たしか、きみは‥‥ So, you're...
<Apollo> あ、ハイ! オレ、大丈夫ですッ! Fine! I-I'm fine!
<???> ああ‥‥“大丈夫くん”か。 Ah... Mr. Fine, is it?
<Apollo> え。 Uh.
<???> 変わった名前だとは覚えていた。 I did remember you having an odd name.
<Apollo> (さっそく、ゴカイされちまった) (Well, we're off to a great start.)
I'm just putting this here to assure everyone that Nick does first call him "Daijobu-kun".
>
<???> そろそろ時間だ。‥‥行こうか。 It's time. Shall we?
<Apollo> は、はいッ! Y-Yes, sir!
<Apollo> (‥‥そうさ。  今は、とにかく集中するんだ) (...OK. I need to focus.)
(オレの‥‥王泥喜 法介の、  初めての法廷に!) (First trial, here comes Justice!)
I want to comment on how catchy Apollo's other lesser-known catchphrase is. Poor Odoroki doesn't have anything as cool as this.
> Courtroom
<Kristoph> 弁護士は、依頼人の希望を最優先 させなければなりません。 A defense attorney must always cede to his client's wishes.
この王泥喜くんは、依��人の ご指名なのですよ。 And my client specifically requested Mr. Justice.
<Judge> ふむう‥‥わかりませんな。 Well, of course he wants justice!
現在、最高の弁護士と言われる 牙琉 霧人(がりゅうきりひと)。 But to entrust his case to this greenhorn... Why?
それをさしおいて、 こんなワカモノがねえ‥‥ I do not exaggerate when I say that you're the best defense attorney in town, Mr. Gavin.
<Apollo> (だ、大丈夫。発声練習の量なら、  先生にも負けないさ!) (OK, so Gavin's got trial experience, fine. But does he have Chords of Steel!?)
I just love this line from Apollo. Perfect timing and delivery. Odoroki's line is good too, though comes off as a tad more innocent: "I-It's fine. When it comes to  vocal training, even Sensei can't beat me!" Though I have to say the image of Kristoph screaming during voice training is too funny to pass up.
> Enter Defendant
<Judge> まことにザンネンです。 This is truly an unfortunate turn of events.
ひさしぶりの対面が、 このようなカタチになるとは。 I'm sorry we had to meet again under these circumstances.
‥‥成歩堂 龍一 (なるほどうりゅういち)くん。 Long time no see, Mr. Wright.
<Phoenix> 忘れてほしいですね、 ムカシのことは。 Let's put the past behind us, shall we?
今のぼくは‥‥そう。 しがないピアニスト、ですから。 These days, I'm merely Phoenix Wright, piano player.
I may have mentioned it before, but I'll make a note here that the Hobohodo meme has its own version in the JP fandom: "ピアニート" (piani-to or pia-NEET), which is portmanteau of pianist and NEET, the most famous of Japanese government welfare programs for the unemployed. It's also slang for "hobo".
>
<Payne> これが、被害者の命を奪った凶器。 ‥‥グレープジュースのボトルです。 This is the weapon that took the victim's life. A bottle of grape juice.
彼のお気に入りで、 いつも飲んでいるようですな。 Grape juice is apparently our defendant's drink of choice.
Many of you already know, but just in case: The localizers never censored Nick's fave drink. It was the JP devs who had to work with such censors back home, but eventually they just kept it as a running gag to put non-alcoholic fruit juices in fancy wine bottles. It wasn't until SoJ when the devs could get away with featuring a bit of alcohol. Their previous game was slapped with a CERO-C (15+) due to graphic images, so Eshiro and co. were pleasantly surprised to see SoJ get the classic CERO-B (12+) again.
Not to mention, very expensive high-quality fancy fruit juices do exist in Japan and can cost way more than your usual middle-grade wines. Japan and their fancy fruit culture and all. (I forget exactly, but I recall there were plenty of group pictures of the devs on their blogs and Twitters over the years where someone had gotten them fancy bottles of fruit juice as Christmas gifts. The memes live on.)
> After 1st testimony, decline tutorial
<Apollo> 先生が出るにはおよびません! ここは、オレでじゅうぶんッ! No need for help here, sir! I think I've got this one covered!
<Kristoph> ‥‥“手下”みたいなセリフだね。 大丈夫ですか? I think you'd better do more than think. You know it, or you do not.
<Apollo> (大丈夫!   発声練習は積んできた!) (I'm fine! The Chords of Steel are ready for battle!)
The differences here are subtle enough that I hesitated on including this, but Kirihito straight-up calls out Odoroki: "Sensei, you won't need to step up here. I'm enough for this!" "...Sounds like something someone unreliable would say. Are you going to be fine?"
> Press 4th statement
<Judge> ふむう‥‥ Hmm...
ポーカーといえば、5枚のカードで “役”を作って勝負するゲーム。 As I recall, in poker you make five-card "hands".
たしかに、イカサマが 起こりやすいのでしょう。 I can see how it would be easy to cheat.
<Phoenix> フッ‥‥ “役”を作るゲーム、ねえ‥‥ Heh... Yes. A game of "hands".
<Apollo> ‥‥? ...?
Now that I find this dialogue again, it's even deeper than I'd ever thought. In both JP and EN, Phoenix's line works just as well as the other despite having different double entendres. In EN, he makes a pun between the poker hands and people's hands; while in JP, the term used is "yaku", which is normally used to refer to hands in a card/mahjong game, but in more general cases, it means "role" or "responsibility". Naturally, in this case, there are a lot of hands and roles being exchanged rather quickly.
This case is dang amazing and I regret forgetting so much of what made it spectacular.
> Press 5th statement
<Phoenix> 賭けていたのは、ただひとつ。 おのれの“プライド”だけだよ。 The only thing at stake in our game... was pride itself.
<Judge> ほほう。 なんだか、カッコイイですな! Ho ho! Well put, Mr. Wright.
私も“ポーカー”で ヒト勝負したくなってきました。 I've got a mind to play a hand of poker myself...
<Judge> あなたの“有罪”を賭けてッ! The stakes: your fate!
<Apollo> (“ヒト勝負”感覚で  決められてたまるかッ!) (Um... Can we get back to the trial now?)
For once, I'm gonna go with Odoroki's line as the cooler one: "(As if we're going to decide this trial like a game of "life-or-death"!)"
> 1st witness, before testimony
<Olga> 逆居 雅香(さかいまさか) ‥‥と申します。 My name... is Olga Orly.
レストラン《ボルハチ》で ウエイトレス‥‥していますの。 I am employed as waitress in Borscht Bowl Club restaurant.
<Judge> しかし‥‥なぜ、カメラを? Then... why the camera?
<Olga> もちろん、《ボルハチ》ジマンの ボルシチもお運びいたします。 Of course, it is my pride to serve borscht that is naming restaurant.
でも、ワタシ。他にも、いろいろ サービスをいたしますのよ。 But I also perform -- how it is said? Other service.
Just making a note here on how well Olga's lines are written. They really make it obvious that she's "not a native speaker" (for now). While in EN, they just made her English a little broken, in JP, she speaks in a very stiff and formal Japanese, as she is a waitress, but also on the occasion can sound a little off to a native speaker without being broken, per se. She also has a distinct "watashi" among a few other common words that are written in katakana to show a sort of accent.
>
<Payne> さて、証人。 事件当時は、どこに‥‥? Now, witness. Where were you at the time of the murder?
<Olga> ワタシ、あの部屋にいたんです。 ‥‥《ナラズモの間》。 I was in room. The Hydeout, we call it.
<Apollo> “ならずものま”? Excuse me? The Hydeout?
<Olga> 伝説のギャング“ナラズモ”が タイホされたというお部屋。 It is room where famous gangster "Badgai" was arrested.
‥‥事件があった小部屋ですの。 Is room where murder took place.
<Apollo> なんだってェェェ! Whaaaaat!?
<Olga> ‥‥そのビックリしたカオ、 ステキです。 Your look of utter surprise... It is lovely.
あとで法廷の前に 張り出しておきますので‥‥ I will post by courtroom door later for you!
ほしい写真の番号を、みなさま お書きくださいね。 Dah, dah, photos will be numbered, and you will write which ones you want copy of.
Okay, everyone knows how bad/obvious/cringe the name puns can be in Khura'in or certain ones from AAI, but please, does anyone not remember "Badgai" here? (Tbf, I forgot too, so I'm not one to talk...)
Btw, his original name is "Narazumo", literally "ruffian", and it's completely in katakana, which makes me think it's a codename or alias. She also specifies that he was a "gangster", not yakuza as we'd assume. Japanese gangs are a bit closer to gangs that we know of in the West, especially that they're more known for foreign influence to their styles than the much more traditional yakuza.
Also, I'm disappointed there was no Odoroki pun here. Sure, she doesn't know him, so it wouldn't make sense, but still a missed opportunity. Also also, she actually talks to the rest of the court when she says "you", so she's selling photos of Apollo's freakout to everyone. Classy...
> 1st Witness Testimony, press 3rd statement
<Apollo> “ロケット”‥‥? His "locket"...?
<Olga> あのお客さまにとっては 大切な“お守り”のようでした。 I believe it was good-luck charm, dah?
何度か握りしめながら、 勝負をされていましたから。 He gripped it many times as he played that night.
<Judge> なるほど‥‥大空へ飛び立つ チカラがみなぎるのでしょう。 Yes, he must have felt as though it might carry him to the moon and the stars!
なにしろ《ロケット》ですからな。 Though if it were small enough to fit around his neck, it wouldn't have much lift...
<Apollo> ‥‥あの。ちなみに “ロケット”というのは‥‥ Um... The defense would like a clarification: this is a locket we're talking about?
写真を入れたペンダントのコト、 なんですけどね。 I mean, a pendant with a picture in it, right? Not a "rocket"?
<Judge> 知ってます! Of course! I knew that!
ロケットのカタチをした アレでしょう。 It was probably a pendant shaped like a rocket. That's why she called it that.
<Apollo> ちがいますよ! カタチはカンケイないんです No, a locket's a locket! It doesn't matter what shape it is!
<Kristoph> ‥‥深追いしてはいけない。 それが、社会のルールです。 It's considered bad form to poke fun at the hard-of- hearing in our society.
<Apollo> (モヤモヤするなあ) (Hard of hearing, or hard of understanding?)
This entire conversation is just a joke on how "locket" and "rocket" are written the same way in Japanese, and I'm surprised how well it still works in English.
To clarify, Kirihito's line at the end is a bit different: "...Refraining from pursuing a line too far is a well-known rule in our society." "(Doesn't make me feel any better.)"
> After 1st Present, just before new statement added
<Apollo> (ヤレヤレ‥‥  慎重すぎるんだよな、先生は) (There's such a thing as thinking too much...)
(イシバシを叩いて  コワすタイプ?) (This horse is dead, let's stop beating it!)
<Kristoph> 聞こえてますよ、オドロキくん。 There's such a thing as thinking aloud too much, too.
It's conversations like this that make me wonder if characters can actually hear what the MC is saying/whispering or if they're breaking the 4th wall to hear their thoughts. Here, it's even more ambiguous in JP than the usual between Nick and Maya in prior games. Or are they suggesting that even when Apollo is thinking, he's still loud?
> After 2nd Witness Testimony, before cross-exam
<Judge> なるほど‥‥ Ah, how many times have I heard these words:
『むしゃくしゃしてやった。  今は後悔している』‥‥ "I done it in a fit of anger, Yer Honor, and now I regret what I done".
‥‥の、パターンですな。 ...A common tale, but true.
<Apollo> (成歩堂さんは、ハッキリ言った。  『7年間、負けたことがない』) (Methinks the judge watches too many old court movies.)
(‥‥この証言には、ゼッタイ  “何か”あるはずだ!) (Mr. Wright said he hasn't lost in seven years, so this testimony must be wrong!)
I don't usually include entries for examples where the localizers dress up the text from the original, but this one here really bugs me. I'm not sure if it's a reference to some classic film or just a tip of the hat to classic American court drama movies in general.
If someone could help me pinpoint this one, please do.
> Press 2nd statement, press further
<Apollo> チップについて、くわしく 話していただけますか? Maybe you could explain a bit about these "chips"?
<Olga> そ。そう言われましても‥‥ E-Explain? What is there to be explained?
<Objection!>
<Payne> チップはチップです。 Poker chips are poker chips.
いつまで待っても‥‥ キップにはなりませんぞ! They're not fish and chips, not a chip off the old block, not a motorcycle cop, not a...
Okay, the "motorcycle cop" bit got me. I swear this was a popculture reference (was it a song? It sounds so familiar), but I don't remember exactly where it was from! Someone plz help.
As for the original script, Auchi makes a silly pun. "[Poker] chips are [poker] chips. No matter how long you wait... they won't become tickets!" (chips = chippu, ticket = kippu)
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<Apollo> ‥‥はあ。 ...Thanks.
(セッカクだ。  なにか聞かないとソンだな) (Now that I've pressed her I'd better ask something...)
たとえば‥‥そのチップ。 “円”ですか? “ドル”ですか? What are these chips worth? Are they in dollars? Or rubles, even?
<Olga> ‥‥あの。 先ほども申しましたけれど‥‥ ...Nyet. As I have been saying before, it was game, not gambling.
ギャンブルでは ございませんでしたから‥‥ Hard perhaps for capitalist to understand.
<Olga> “1000点”と “100点”の2種類。 Two types of chip: 100 points chip and 1,000 points chip.
おカネではございませんの。 It is not money, dah.
<Kristoph> ‥‥オドロキくん。 ...Justice.
<Apollo> はいッ! Sir!
<Kristoph> 今の証言‥‥ ちょっと、おもしろいですね。 Don't you find her comment... interesting?
<Apollo> え‥‥ In more ways than one, sir.
<Kristoph> 私ならば‥‥そう。 証言に加えていただくところですが。 I'd have it added to her testimony, myself.
As funny as that capitalist line is, it's not found in the source, sorry, guys. Her text in Japanese is very formal, so it takes an extra box just to complete her sentence.
Also, worth to note that Odoroki here mentions yen and dollars, but not rubles, despite the restaurant being Russian-themed. Whether it's writer oversight or just Odoroki being uncultured will remain a mystery.
Lastly, Apollo's last line here makes him seem quite confident, but in the original, he seems just as confused as ever. This is made clearer when Apollo later presses the new statement.
> Press new statement
<Apollo> あの。小さい方が100点、 大きい方が1000点‥‥ Um. The small ones are 100, and the big ones 1,000...
で、いいんですよね。やっぱり。 Uh? Right? Right. Of course.
<Payne> フン!  聞くまでもないでしょう。 Hah! Don't waste our time!
<Apollo> はあ‥‥ *sigh*
‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ ...
<Judge> 終わりですか? それで。 Is that all?
<Apollo> ええ、まあ。 Um... Yeah. *gulp*
(くそ。牙琉先生のせいで  ハジをかいちまったぞ‥‥) (Great. Mr. Gavin made me stop her, and now I'm the one who looks dumb.)
<Kristoph> オドロキくん。 Oh, Justice?
<Kristoph> 私にハジをかかせないで もらえますか? Please try not to embarrass me like that.
<Apollo> え! オレがですか! Huh? Who? Me!?
The subtleties of this joke conversation were lost in translation. After Apollo wastes time with that question, he grumbles to himself: "(Damn. Thanks to Garyu-sensei, I've made a fool of myself.)" "Odoroki-kun. Would you please not pin this embarassment on me?" "Huh! Me!?"
> After Present, select "Number of chips"
<Apollo> おかしいのは、チップの枚数‥‥ ですよね、先生? The odd thing here is the number of chips... Right, Mr. Gavin?
<Kristoph> ‥‥なぜ、私に? ...Why are you asking me?
<Apollo> その。念のため、というか! Uh... Just in case?
<Kristoph> ‥‥オドロキくん。 もう少し、キチンと考えましょう。 Justice... It's your case I'm concerned about.
チップなら、写真を見れば すべて、写っています。 If you're wondering about the chips, just look at the photograph. It's all there.
老眼の裁判長さんでも カンタンに数えられますよ。 Even our judge with his failing eyesight could count them.
<Apollo> (‥‥あの裁判長なら、それでも  まちがえるような気がする‥‥) (That's not the only thing failing the judge.)
Damn, what a burn. Odoroki in the OG script simply went: "(...Knowing this judge, he could get even that wrong...)" which is a fair effort, but not a wildfire level of damage.
> 3rd Witness Testimony, press 4th
<Apollo> 口論の内容は、おぼえてますか? Do you recall what the men were arguing about?
<Olga> そうですね。たしか‥‥ Dah, I believe so...
被害者サマが『イカサマだッ!』と 叫びましたの。それに対して‥‥ The victim, he shouts, "you are cheater!" and then...
“異議がある”というようなコトを 被告人さまが‥‥ ...the defendant shouts something like, "I have objection!"
<Payne> ‥‥出ましたな。 おトクイの《異議あり!》が。 Shouting objection, eh? Old habits are hard to break!
まったく‥‥ハッタリづくしの 人生ですからな。被告人は。 First he bluffed his way through the courtroom, now he bluffs his way through life!
<Objection!>
<Apollo> しかし! 勝負の結果は、 成歩堂さんが“負けている”! However! Mr. Wright lost the hand!
むしろ、アヤシイのは、 勝った被害者・浦伏さんでしょう! That seems to cast the shadow of doubt on Mr. Smith!
<Olga> “イカサマをやった上、  勝負にも負けた”‥‥ Humiliation from losing even when cheating...
そのクツジョクが、被告人の方の ココロに、火をつけたのですの。 That is what set fire to defendant's heart!
<Judge> ‥‥そして、火のついた 被告人は、どうしたのですかな? So what did the flaming defendant do next?
Oh my God, as soon as I saw that "異議がある" (igi ga aru) my mind flashed back to those ridiculous Google Translated trailers of Gyakuten Saiban & Kenji on Nico Douga. Imagine if the devs at the time decided to play with Google Translate to see how "異議あり!" would look after switching it from Japanese to English and back. It would be one of the biggest brain plays by a game developer ever... which probably means it wasn't how it went, but it's fun to think about.
Anyway, I also like this snippet of dialogue for the judge's "flaming defendant", clearly alluding to "Phoenix" Wright. In JP, the bit about setting fire to his heart is just a common idiom in the first place, but who knows? “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney” had been selling fast in the West, so they could have been inspired.
> After Present, point out on the cards, examine victim's hand
<Apollo> 裁判長! 見てください! 被害者のカードには、1枚‥‥ Your Honor! Look at this! One of the victim's cards...
ウラの色がちがうカードが まぎれこんでいますッ! The back is a different color!
<Payne> え‥‥ええええッ! Eh...? Ehhhhhh!?
<Olga> そ。そんなバカなッ! Th-That's impossible!
アタシがシカケたのは、 成歩堂のほうなのに‥‥ But I put that card in Wright's hand...
あッ! Ack!
<Kristoph> ‥‥今、なんと言いましたか、証人。 ...What was that, Ms. Orly?
<Olga> い‥‥いえ‥‥その。 アタシ‥‥わ、私は、ええと‥‥ No... Ny-Nyet! Er, I merely said, eh... Dah, I have, eek!
It's at this point when Olga's cover is blown, and in JP, it's more obvious because she stammers between using "atashi" vs "watashi". It's not very common to hear beginner Japanese students refer to themselves as the cutesy "atashi", though one who's a bit more well versed in the language or in anime may pick up on it.
> After Phoenix takes over the court, select when the cards were swapped, select "Olga Orly" who swapped them
<Phoenix> たしかに、あのゲームでは赤・青の 2種類のカードを使っていた。 Mixing a card from the wrong deck... when the backs are different colors?
しかし‥‥逆居 雅香は、 カードを配っていた張本人。 Remember that you're talking about Olga Orly... She was the dealer.
‥‥そんなミスを すると思うかい? Do you really think she would make such a novice mistake?
<Apollo> (まあ‥‥オレでも  まちがわないだろうな) (Actually, I have trouble imagining even the judge making that mistake.)
This is another case of the localizers dressing it up. Odoroki says here: "(Well... even I wouldn't make such a mistake.)" as if implying that he's the lowest common denominator here, haha!
> Back to Court Lobby
<Phoenix> 人間の思考・感情というものは ‥‥かならず。 Try as they might to conceal it, everyone reveals their true thoughts in the end.
身体から“情報”として 発信されている。 Their body language can become a valuable source of information.
<Apollo> そ。そんなバカな‥‥ You're kidding!
<Phoenix> たとえば。あの証人‥‥ 逆居 雅香を思い出してごらん。 That witness, for instance, Ms. Orly.
<Phoenix> 彼女は、ある証言をするとき‥‥ かならず“首筋をさする”。 She would touch the back of her neck during certain parts of her testimony.
‥‥気がついていたかい? Did you notice?
<Apollo> い。いえ‥‥ (それどころじゃないよ、フツー) Uh... No. (C'mon, who'd notice that!?)
<Phoenix> “クセ”“コトバ”‥‥ それらが発する情報を読み解くこと。 Words, habits, twitches... It's all information for the reading.
それが、勝負に勝つ “鉄則”だよ、オドロキくん。 That's the secret to winning, Apollo.
まあ‥‥ぼくも“ある人物”に 教わったんだけどね。 Someone taught me, and now, I pass the secret on to you.
It's this quiet moment between the two of them that really parallels with how Mia used to talk with Phoenix, and it's beautifully poetic. And I'd like to note that even Phoenix's speech pattern throughout this convo is quite reminiscent of how Mia talked, but with a bit of Phoenix's own style. Though in that last line, he could possibly have meant Mia, but more likely meant a certain someone with a similar power to Apollo. Ya'll know who I mean, (W)right?
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<Phoenix> ああ。それから、もうひとつ。 今回の事件だけどね。 Ah, almost forgot. One more thing. About this case...
ぼくはまだ、誰にも “本当のコト”を話してないんだよ。 You should know, I haven't told the truth to anyone yet.
<Apollo> えええええッ! (や、やっぱり‥‥) Whaaaaaaaa--!? (I knew it!)
<Phoenix> もちろん、“理由”がある。 これからアキラカになるだろう。 I have my reasons, of course. All shall be revealed.
そして、ぼくの作戦には‥‥ きみが必要なんだよ。 And Apollo... I need you to be there, defending me.
きみの“能力”が、ね。 I need your power.
<Apollo> オレの、のうりょく‥‥ (声のデカさ、か‥‥?) My, um, power? (I had no idea my Chords of Steel were that special...)
The translation here is close enough, really, but Odoroki specifically describes it as the "intensity" of his voice and it's only the best answer.
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Welp, I guess it’s back to the drafting board again and I may make this out as a daily or every-other-daily upload. We’ll see. I assure you, you won’t be waiting until next month, though!
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