#no I don't think about the metaphor of digging yourself out of your own grave and then there's nothing left but you and everything you

[1-800-internal-damnation]

Neurotically downloading images of jason todd muttering "he's just like me fr. just like me. just like me fr"

[huskynotwolf]

Metaphor

-song by the Crane Wives

-fanfic by The Crazy Husky

No. 3

(Drums: Impulse)

(This is a project I made for Crane Wives x Life Series. Scott basically enjoys singing here and plans to do a project to sing every song by the Crane Wives. All lyrics belong to Crane Wives, and I own the fanfic.)

Scott was carving a new guitar for Pearl when Impulse barged in.

“Dude, what song is that? That was wicked!” He said excitedly. Pearl, who was sulking in the corner, rolled her eyeballs and snickered. Scott and Impulse glared at her. “It’s called Tongues and Teeth. Thought it would be the perfect one for them.” Scott said, sanding the corner and edges of the guitar.

“I do know how to play the drums.” Impulse said, watching as Scott tune the guitar properly and fiddle with the strings. “You do?” Pearl asked, suddenly appearing behind Impulse. “Oh, yeah. You have any songs about that? That I think I can play to, I mean.” He said. Pearl didn’t say anything for a moment, then said, “I think I have one. One second. You gotta listen to it first. Crane Wives’s songs are real hard.” She said, bounding over to her corner. She handed Impulse a pair of headphones and handed her an iPod.

“Since when did you have an iPod? I though those were all way too old.” Scott said when he noticed it. Pearl giggled sheepishly and watched as Impulse began mock-playing the drums. Scott handed Pearl her newly made guitar and growled, “Break it again and you’re gonna have to buy a new one yourself.”

Pearl looked at the guitar, nodded, then walked over to put it down. Then she went over to her pillow, stared at it for a while then attacked it and reduced it to shreds. Scott winced then saw Impulse give her a thumbs up. She stormed over again, grabbed his shoulders then shook him, saying stuff like, “How was it?” “You think you can play it?” “Do you like it?” Impulse looked shell-shocked, cleared up then said, “Yeah, I think so.”

Pearl went hyper and squealed. Scott sighed, then asked, “Which one?” Pearl abruptly jerked her head around then said, “Metaphor. We’re gonna prank Scar with that one.”

Scott let out a slight smile when he heard that. “Sure. Impulse, get the drums ready. I’ll get the idiot couple.”

~~~

Scott had set Scar and Grian down on two bean bags. Skizz and Bdubs had noticed all their equipment (mainly Impulse’s drums) and had gotten their own bean bags as well. Cleo, who upon noticing Pearl with her new guitar (she spray-painted Tilly on it), had called anyone nearby to watch.

Scott cleared his throat. He gave Pearl a nudge to signal her and Impulse, and they began. Impulse fired up his drum, and Scott began gently singing the first verses. “Uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uh, uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uh, uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uh, uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uh~” Pearl began strumming out at the guitar. She knew they also needed an electric guitar, but she just settled on using her normal one (yes, she has an electric one).

“I've gotten good at leaning on metaphors,” Scott sung, while eyeing Scar. “I've gotten good at living on someone else's page. I cut my teeth on second-hand sentiments, you can't trust a single thing I say.” Impulse kept up perfectly, like he’d practised before. Scott noticed Grian hide a smile from Scar.

“Uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uh, uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uhh.” Pearl sung while going at the guitar. “I keep my closet free of skeletons, 'cause I'm much better at digging graves. But I always dig up bones in your sympathy, I can't trust a single thing you say.” She then swiped a glance at Scott, and they both continued on, singing together. Impulse hid his sniggers and kept going. “Uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uh, uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uh.”

Scar casted confused glances at the three, but they took no notice. Martyn, in the audience, clapped his hand over his mouth and shook violently, while Skizz glared at him.

“Don't look too hard 'cause you won't like the scars he left in me~” Scott fingered his jacket, like he does when he’s nervous. “~~~” Pearl did her best to mimic the louder voices on the track.

“I've gotten good at making up metaphors. I've gotten good at stretching the truth out of shape,” Pearl sung, not giving notice of Cleo, Grian and Martyn letting out fits of silent laughter while Scar watched, way confused than before.

“And all these words are sweet and meaningless. You can't trust a single thing I say.” Scott smiled, knowing that his friends below finally understood the song’s meaning. He knew it wasn’t his, it never was, but being able to preform it, to sing it was a really good experience, and he would keep going. “Uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uh~���

“You can't trust a single thing I say (“uh-uh-uh-uhh-uh-uh”),” Pearl sang while Scott played the background sound. “You can't trust a single thing I say (“I've gotten good at leaning on metaphors”). You can't trust a single thing I say (“I've gotten good at making up metaphors”)~”

By the time Impulse and Pearl finished, almost everyone except for Joel, Ren and Lizzie were there, applauding. Skizz let out a whistle while the three who were holding it in the whole time burst out laughing so hard. Grian actually fell over.

“Yeaaaahhh!” Pearl whooped, then hi-fived Impulse. Scott sighed with relief while Scar began questioning Grian and Martyn about what they were laughing at. They didn’t seem to give it in and were both sniggering. Scar finally slapped Grian and it ended up as a fistfight between Scar and winged Grian.

As Scott helped Pearl and Impulse put the his drums back in his room, Scott felt joy surging through him. They could play all of the Crane Wives songs, after all, with Impulse. This would be a massive project, but at least his friends are content with it.

Next

Previous

[areyoudreaminof]

For the final day of @nestaarcheronweek, I've curated a playlist for our music loving girl. I wanted to showcase Nesta's complexities and her deep love for music with songs of strength, anger, loss, and love. Listen to it here! And come for a lyrical deep dive behind the cut!

Fresh Laundry-Allie X

You said you're always on my side But what if my side has changed too much? Then tell me, who am I? You said you're always on my side But what if my side has lived too long? Something has to die Who am I?

Fury Oh Fury-Nico Vega

Fury, oh fury don't you misguide me I need my wits to set me free Fury, oh fury don't you misguide me I need my wits to set me free

Little Dark Age-MGMT

Breathing in the dark, lying on its side The ruins of the dead painted with a scar And the more I straighten out, the less it wants to try The feelings start to rot one wink at a time Forgiving who you are for what you stand to gain Just know that if you hide, it doesn't go away

I Love You, But I Need Another Year-Liza Anne

I don't think enough Before I say too much I'm digging my own grave With all the shit I say I keep my head high Kinda like a lie I say I'm doing fine Even when I'm losing my mind

The Fruits-Paris Paloma

As you eat it up whole My body and my blood You've claimed it now, so come drink up And there's no need to be concerned About what's left when you are done because You've got me on my knees to pray Or play some other pleasing role But never wonder Where I must have learnt it all

Alpha Shallows-Laura Marling

But the grey in this city is too much to bear The grey in this city is too much to bear And I believe you are meant to be seen but not to be understood

It's going to be pretty tough when you leave You'll help to take a little part of me To make sure you don't treat yourself mean And I want to see all that you'll see

What's Wrong-PVRIS

I know it's so wrong but I'm so far gone Don't need you to tell me I'm so cynical Quit being so over-skeptical Don't need a metaphor for you to know I'm miserable

Peacemaker-Jesca Hoop

Put down your peacemaker blue Warrior Warrior Beaten and broken and bruised Warrior Warrior Come and I'll unlock your chain link armour Seven baths absolve your blood stained honor Your honor Tell the water of

Human-Oh Land

I don't love you human You remind me of the things I hate in me I don't love you human Cause You show me how imperfect I can be Human You're so lonely lonely lonely

Smokestacks-LAYLA

You got eyes so azure You got blood orange skin And there's a spark in your centre that's piercing me in I got a night-time shudder and a lion within I got a brain-tricked hunger and you're pulling me in

Willow Tree March-The Paper Kites

You fall through the trees And you pray with your knees on the ground For the things that you need With your lust and your greed weighing down And you weaken your love And you hold it above your head Success is a song of the heart, not a song of your head

Mountain at My Gates-Foals

I see a mountain in my way It's looming larger by the day I see a darkness in my fate I'll drive my car without the brakes

Oh, gimme some time Show me the foothold from which I can climb Yeah, when I feel low You show me a signpost for where I should go

Rabbit Will Run-Iron and Wine

We've all traded lovers and woke up alone And we've clapped for the king though our fingers were cold And I still have a prayer 'cause I love what I cannot control

Water Water-Empress Of

You're just a heart to hold, you're easy to impress I want to care much more, but I'm feeling less awake You're just a heart to break, easy to manipulate I want to care much more, but I'm feeling less and less

Hold On, Hold On-Neko Case

The most tender place in my heart is for strangers I know it's unkind, but my own blood is much too dangerous Hangin' round the ceiling half the time

Shake it Out-Florence + the Machine

And I am done with my graceless heart So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart 'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn It's always darkest before the dawn

[misstrashchan]

The Man With Two Souls, Pt. 2

Okay, so this ended up being a fucking long part 2 to my previous meta post. There was a lot I wanted to get down, and if it doesn't make sense or you don't agree with it, that's fine, I'd just be happy if you read it. Now I can rest until the finale comes and beats me up.

So, there's a few more Salem and Adam parallels to start off with like

(8) Having the same reaction to hearing someone mention Blake and Oz and the possibility of them getting the upper hand against them

(9) Chronologically after this happens (we see Adam destroy the throne room in Volume 6 episode 2, but we see him lose his mask at the end of the Adam trailer) deciding to go after Blake on his own while Salem creates the winged Beringel grimm and plans to go to Atlas herself, presumably to go after Oscar/Ozpin so he doesn't get in the way of her plans (as well as Ruby since she clearly needs her as well)

"If you want something done right, you do it yourself" - Volume 6 Chapter 13

(10) Adam and Salem telling Blake and Oz about how they're going to destroy them and those around them

"The ability to derive strength from hope is undoubtedly mankind's greatest attribute. Which is why I will focus all of my effort to snuff it out. How does it feel? Knowing that all your time and effort has been for nothing. That your guardians have failed you. That everything you've built will be torn down before your very eyes."

"So you send your guardians, your huntsman and huntresses. And when they fail and you turn to your smaller soul, know that you send her to the same pitiful demise. This is the beginning of the end, Ozpin. And I can't wait to watch you burn." - Salem, Volume 3 Chapter 12

"What you want is impossible! But I understand. Because all I want is you, Blake. And as I set out and deliver the justice mankind so greatly deserves, I will make it my mission to destroy everything you love. Starting with her." - Adam, Volume 3 Chapter 11

(11) Salem and Adam's perception of Oz and Blake affecting their perspective of themselves... and the audience.

Okay, this one's honestly kind of weird. For so, so long there were a lot of people who bought into the idea that Ozpin was secretly evil or somehow worse than Salem, or that he'd done something terrible and unforgivable to Salem. I fully admit, I was one of those people. I mean, I didn't think he was evil, but the way Salem talked to him at the end of volume 3, listening to the song Divide, I thought, he must have done something bad to Salem, right? How could she hate him so much otherwise?

And the worst thing he did... was leave her. When he couldn't go along with being a genocidal dictator of the whole world alongside Salem, and didn't want their children to be a part of that either.

And as for Adam, he tells Blake that she hurt him more than anybody because she left him.

"All sorts of people hurt me in all sorts of different ways. But no one hurt me quite like you, Blake. You didn't leave scars. You just left me alone." - Adam, Volume 6 Chapter 12

And Salem would also have been hurt from Ozma trying to leave her. Especially when you think about her backstory, how she was kept isolated in a tower, and instead of finding freedom in the outside world, found it in Ozma. And then he died, and she was alone again. And then the Gods destroyed humanity, and Salem is left alone one again for god knows how long.

"Once again, Salem was alone." - Volume 6 Chapter 3

And weirdly, similar to Ozpin there were people who bought into Adam's false perception of Blake too. That Blake is somehow the one who hurt Adam more than he hurt her (which is, completely insane).

And Salem and Adam want Oz and Blake to feel that way. To be paralyzed with self hatred and doubt, to be stuck in the past, and feel as if everything is their fault. That Salem and Adam are their responsibility, at first to save them, and then to stop them.

You see it with Adam's gaslighting, trying to paint her as an unfaithful coward. And I mean, just listen to the song Divide. The whole song is Salem trying to make out Ozpin to be the villain, that she's killing people but the real murderer is him for trying to give people hope, even if it was hope based on a desperate lie.

"It was you who ended their lives! Made them to dig their own graves! With your dark, sick, cruel design, convinced them their world could be saved." - Divide

And there were a lot of people convinced by Salem's song Divide that Ozpin was far worse than he really was, to the point it was surprising that he hadn't wronged Salem in some way like most people were expecting.

And Adam tries to make Blake believe that she's a coward, that she's selfish and weak, that running away from her problems is all she knows how to do.

And for a long while, Blake believed he was right. That she was toxic to the people around her, that she made things worse for them. And there were some people in the fandom who thought that she really was this toxic person.

It's actually kind of scary, but Salem and Adam managed to manipulate not only Blake and Oz's perception of themselves, but also the audience as well in how they saw them.

I don't doubt for a moment this is going to extend to Oscar as well if she meets him, that she'll likely try to convince him that he's just Ozpin and that he, Oscar, doesn't matter, and he'll fail and make the same mistakes as their past lives. Which undoubtedly parts of the fandom are going to take Salem's false perception of Oscar to heart as well and believe her.

Which brings me to move on from Blake's parallels with her first "soul" and Ozpin, to her second "soul" and Oscar.

Now Blake alluding to the Man with Two Souls is metaphorical, while in Oscar's case it's very literal, and it's no coincidence she's the one who first introduces us to the concept to us with the book she's reading during the Shining Beacon.

"...It's about a man with two souls. Each fighting for control over his body"

(It's important to note that the conflict between the two souls is not one of Good vs Evil)

Blake's conflict of her two metaphorical souls fighting for control, is the false perception Adam had of Blake and who she used to be with him, her past that she can't escape, and the struggle for her smaller, more honest soul, trying to define herself and decide who she wants to be. And for Oscar, he's struggling to define himself and decide who he wants to be, because of the merge with Ozpin, and that his past will become Oscar's too.

Both of them want to do the right thing and rise to their challenges, but it seems like such an impossible task to them that they're afraid to meet it.

"I'm... scared. I'm more scared than I've ever been. Than I ever thought was possible. I always knew I wanted to be more than a farmhand. But this? Who would ask for this?" - Oscar, Volume 5 Chapter 5

"I joined the Academy because I knew that Huntsman and Huntresses were regarded as the most noble warriors in the world. Always fighting for good. But I never really thought past that. When I leave the Academy what will I... How can I undo so many years of hate?" - Blake, Volume 2, Chapter 10

But the person who sees Blake's "other soul" the person she's truly capable of being, who she really is, even when she can't herself, is Yang.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out. You're not one to back down from a challenge Blake." - Yang, Volume 2 Chapter 10

And the one who sees Oscar and who he's capable of being even when he can't himself, is Ruby.

"Hey Oscar? I know this isn't going to be easy. But the fact that you're trying says a lot about you. You're braver than you think." - Ruby, Volume 5 Chapter 5

Blake and Oscar are also the first people we see Yang and Ruby open up to about their past trauma. The difference between the two being that in the Burning the Candle scene Yang is more willing to be vulnerable around Blake, to let her guard down and open up to her about her abandonment issues and how they've affected her.

Because as a more emotionally mature character she understands she needs to do that in order to properly relate to Blake so she can offer her support. She gets frustrated however when Blake still refuses her support, and so she has to give her a push to accept it.

Ruby, however, isn't as emotionally mature as Yang, and doesn't find it easy to let down her guard and talk about her emotions. Her mentality being described as "I don't have time for my emotions, I've got to make sure everybody else is okay" - RWBY Rewind: Ruby Rose Rewinds With Us

She feels like she constantly needs to be a pillar of strength and support for everyone around her as a leader. She has a hard time opening up about her own feelings and being vulnerable around others. For her, it seems much more natural to internalize those feelings rather than face them head on. As a leader, she feels she isn't supposed to show fear or doubt. If she admits how she's hurting or how scared she is, she'd be afraid of those around her losing faith.

Ironically, it's Ozpin's words of advice to her that enforce this mentality

"But if you aren't constantly performing at your best, what reason do you give others to follow you?"

So even though only a minute ago Oscar saw that Ruby was clearly upset over something (being reminded of Penny's death)

Ruby then goes on to act like nothing's wrong when she then attempts to reassure Oscar. And it feels like a performance, and though Ruby genuinely does want to reassure him, it comes across as insincere to him. He's frustrated because Ruby isn't being honest about how she's feeling, and is only concerned with his feelings.

So in the Dojo scene we have Oscar start to push Ruby past that flawed mentality that Ozpin enforced, to be more honest about how she's feeling, to talk about how the Fall of Beacon and the loss of Phyrra and Penny affected her, how she's afraid of Salem killing people she cares about, and that she'd kill anyone regardless.

And with both Ruby and Yang opening up about their past experiences they can relate to Blake and Oscar's own fears, doubts and insecurities. Blake's need for answers and Oscar's fear of the fight with Salem, and Yang's need for answers and Ruby's fear of the fight with Salem.

"I told you! I'm not telling you to stop! I haven't. To this day I still want to know what happened to my mother and why she left me. But I will never let that search control me. We're going to find the answers we're looking for Blake. But if we destroy ourselves in the process what good are we?" - Yang, Volume 2 Chapter 6

"I am scared! But not just for me. What happened at Beacon shows that Salem doesn't care if you're standing against her or not. She'll kill anybody. And that, scares me most of all. Phyrra... Penny... I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt. That I didn't think about them every day since I lost them. That I didn't wish I had spent more time with them. If it had been me instead, I know they would have kept fighting too. No matter how dangerous it was. So that's what I choose to do. To keep moving forward." - Ruby, Volume 5 Chapter 5

And by demonstrating their own resolve, as well as their belief in the kind of people Blake and Oscar are capable of being that inspires them to be that person.

"I'm. Not. Running."

"You. Will." - Blake and Adam, Volume 3 Chapter 11

"She made a choice. To put others before herself. And so do I."

"Then you've chosen death." - Oscar and Hazel, Volume 5 Chapter 12

There's also Blake expressing her doubt in Yang during volume 3 after she attacked Mecury, causing Yang to question her own judgement.

She compares it to how Adam used to attack people, and of course she knows Yang wouldn't do something like that without good reason, but she can't but feel like the situation is very familiar. And Blake knows Yang isn't Adam, and makes it clear that she's decided to trust Yang.

"I want to trust you. I will trust you." - Volume 3 Chapter 8

But despite that, Blake's words do still weigh on her mind even when she's alone, where Qrow comes to talk to her about what happened and reassure her, and then they end up talking about her mum.

And then with Ruby in volume 7, Oscar expresses his doubt in Ruby in her decision to lie and hide the truth from Ironwood, comparing it to how Ozpin did the same to them, which, similar to Yang, causes Ruby to question her own judgement. And obviously he knows Ruby isn't Ozpin, that she probably had a good reason for lying. But again, the situation just feels so familiar.

But ultimately he decides to put his trust in Ruby, even before Ironwood.

"I do believe in you. But not only you." - Volume 7 Chapter 7

And by episode 9 they're both on the same page in deciding to choose the truth over fear. (if only James could have stayed on that page too)

Similarly to Yang, we see Ruby alone in episode 4 of volume 7, and you can tell Oscar's words are still weighing on her mind, as Qrow comes over to talk to her and she asks him if she is like Ozpin, and he reassures her that she's not, and then they end up talking about her mother.

Okay, so I'm going to go out on a limb here, and you can call me out on my bullshit if you like, but I'm making a prediction (like, 12 hours from the finale, but hey, it might happen later in the series for all I know)

If we're going full in on the parallels here, remember how Yang lost an arm trying to protect Blake from Adam, and afterwards Blake ends up leaving Yang like Raven, believing she'd be better off without her?

And how Salem is on her way to Atlas after hearing Ozpin had reincarnated, the foreshadowing for Ruby losing an eye and them bringing up her trauma around Summer in Chapter 11?

On top of her wanting Ruby alive?

I'm gonna guess Ruby loses an eye trying to protect Oscar, and then afterwards either Oscar or Ruby tries to sacrifice and give themselves up to Salem, except it ends up being a hollow sacrifice like Summer's

"I didn't have a choice I did what I had to do I made a sacrifice but forced a bigger sacrifice on you!" - Red like Roses Part 2

Because Salem would end up taking both of them either way. I actually can't imagine a scenario where she doesn't, because she needs both of them. But one of them has a worse fate, a "bigger sacrifice" in store for them when they reach Evernight (which I'm still thinking is Ruby)