#no idea why I responded it's not that the westerners gave a single fuck about us

[swamp-cats-den]

You are either willfully misreading it or a troll. This is a post full of notes by Ukrainians expressing disgust and hurt at our tragedy being used as a gotcha point to stick it to the US. The Onion is contributing to the dehumanisation of Ukrainians very common among the western left through pushing the narrative that Ukraine gets more attention than the situation merits completely ignoring that:

a. the russian invasion actually began in 2014 and the world gave fuck all about it

b. it only started to get proper international exposure in 2022 after turning into the biggest war since WW2, with the country possesing the largest nuclear arsenal in the world as the aggressor.

The narrative that the US gets no shit for its war crimes is false, especially when it comes to the American audience the Onion is addressing (I'm not talking about prosecution as the article isn't either, especially considering it isn't even really possible to properly do it with russians right now).

Don't even get me started on their stance on the concept of war crimes. Ukrainians striking invading russian troops could be called being photographed doing a regular war thing. Which is yes, scary, but necessary. The photo used by the Onion is a residential building deliberately targeted by a russian drone (this is not a collateral damage). These two situations are not the same, the latter is considered a war crime for a reason, equating it with the former would be refusing the victim the right to defend themselves. The Onion blurrying the lines here is not as peaceful and progressive as one might think.

And of course, they give their sassy 'definition' where a war crime is only considered such if it's done to a white person, deliberately painting Ukrainians as 'privileged', and, therefore, not as deserving of sympathy(who cares that 8 years of war crimes being committed against us before 2022 got fully ignored, and the current ones are not in fashion to talk about either - I'm in international circles a lot, and no one mentions Ukraine anymore). But honestly, even if my points about years of indifference and the sheer scale of the war weren't true, even if it was a minor conflict that got immediate undivided attention, using it for gotcha points would still make one a piece of shit, and if you don't get how infuriatingly dehumanising it is, I don't know what else to say to you.

really don’t think the onion got taken to task for this enough post-bucha

look at the date.

[jubans]

title: 505 pairing: furuichi sakyo/fem!reader rating: m (mature) premise: maybe someday, the two of you could go beyond the four corners of that dreary hotel room. 

There's hesitation in your posture when you raised your hand to knock on the room Sakyo had texted you about earlier—sinking deep into your bones as your better judgement screamed at you to turn back, go home, and never speak to him again. 

Any other woman of marriageable age would think that maybe meeting up with a yakuza at a run-down hotel on a regular basis might be a bad idea. But you've known Sakyo for so long, that you've committed the fact that he's not a bad person into mind long before you even started doubting these midnight trysts. 

So, you knocked. Three times, like you always did. Loud enough to announce your presence but soft enough not to disturb the silence that enveloped the dingy hallway. 

You shoved your clammy hands into the front pocket of your hoodie, nervously bouncing on the balls of your feet when you heard him shuffling from the inside. Why you made such an effort to cover up—hoodie, long sleeves, sweats and all—when it was the height of summer and the heat of the day still carried into the night was beyond you. Maybe it was because you wanted to seem unassuming. Maybe it was to fool yourself (and hopefully him) that you didn't long for his touch in ways that you shouldn't even begin to think about.

But when Sakyo cracked the door open once he's taken off the locks, your legs moved before you could even think—arms going around his lithe frame as you moulded your lips into his. 

He was stunned in place for a moment, unable to reciprocate. But you practically felt his armor of civility fall apart when Sakyo tangled his fingers in your hair, angling your face just so before you felt his tongue licking into the crevices of your mouth. Your mind was so engulfed in the haze of his rich, expensive cologne that you barely registered it when Sakyo began moving. He manhandled you into the room without breaking the union of your lips, slamming you against the door when he locked it shut. The soft whimper that escaped your chest was muffled but you could feel Sakyo's mouth twitching slightly against yours when he heard it.

"This wasn't part of our agenda," he breathed, momentarily breaking apart from you only to dip down for another heated kiss.His light hair was soft in your fingers as you used each tuft as a means to tug his face impossibly closer to yours. You felt the frame of his glasses digging into the bridge of your nose, but you couldn't comment on it because his hands were hiking underneath your hoodie. A growl rumbled somewhere low in his chest when he discovered how many layers you wrapped yourself in, pulling away to cast you a disconcerted glare.

You cracked him a toothy grin. "I went here under the pretense that you wouldn't respond like you did just now if I jumped you like that."

"You're impossible," Sakyo muttered before peeling himself away from you, leaving you flushed and disheveled by the door to Room 505.

The blond man walked over to the queen-sized mattress in the middle of the room, seating himself on the edge. As Sakyo laced his hands together on his legs, you couldn't help but notice the way his face contorted into something serious so quickly, as if he didn't just have you pressed up against a door a few moments ago. 

You gulped, straightening yourself out before sitting at a short distance away from him on the bed. 

Sakyo heaved a sigh that sounded like broken promises and dreams that slipped away too early. He promptly plucked his glasses from his face, fingers going up to massage the bridge of his nose. You could feel your lips stretch into a frown at the sight of him. He was the type that broods every time he gets, but you've never seen him look this...agitated.

"Sakyo?" you called out, hoping he would humor you with a response. But when all you're met with was white noise and scratchy music playing from the next room over, you scooted a little closer to him, reaching out to enclose his cold, cold hands in yours. 

"You mind telling me what's wrong?" you murmured, nudging your nose in the crook of his neck. You felt him shiver once your breath fanned his skin, but Sakyo would let himself get shot first before admitting to vulnerability. 

"It's just the usual hiccups I get at work," he said, and your grimace only deepened. Why was he still being so infuriatingly vague with you?

But you knew that there was no helping it. Sakyo had a mind that you haven't quite mapped out yet even after years of playing house with him like this. You knew better than to dip your toes into the realm of the yakuza, but that wouldn't stop you from hoping that maybe, just maybe, this time he'll let you in. That he'll let himself be a little more human and less of the demon people made the debt-collecting yakuza out to be. 

"I called you here for a different purpose," he told you, voice just barely above a whisper. 

You pressed your lips into a thin line, pulling away as you felt him tug his hands back from your grasp. The urgency in his actions pricked your heart like tiny needles, but you decided against making a show of disappointment. He didn't need anything else to drag him downward.

"One of the groups we've previously had a scuffle with in the past has been doing some background research of their own with my life," Sakyo spoke in his typically condescending Sakyo fashion. But there was a strain in his voice that you only noticed with how long you've spent listening to the low baritone of his words as he lied next to you in bed. The dread only pools in your gut, but you let him continue without interruption. 

"Apparently, they thought it would gravely affect me if something were to happen to a certain woman I always meet in this very hotel." He threw his head back, gazing at the ceiling with a lopsided smirk curling his lips. "Pathetic of them to think so, really. Were they so desperate to get dirt on me that they thought targeting my evening partner would be enough of a leverage?"

Evening partner. You didn't like the sound of that. 

He sighed again, and this time you take the time to let your eyes wander across the rest of the room. His suitcase was lying on top of a desk tucked away in the corner; his coat folded neatly on top of the surface. Other than that, the interior seemed untouched, like Sakyo just went inside to sit on the bed and nothing else. 

You began to feel the sting of betrayal slowly rooting itself in the recesses of your heart. Of course you had an...inkling that this physical relationship with him would never blossom into something more since the beginning. He was a man that had his needs, and what else could a man like Sakyo want other than a woman who was a decent fuck and never asked too many questions?

"I have a property somewhere in Sapporo," he suddenly spoke again, shattering the self-loathing that you were starting to enclose yourself in.

You blinked at Sakyo, confusion dancing in your eyes, but he gave you reprieve by adding, "It's an old Western-style manor sitting on the edge of a cliff that gave me one of the best oceanic views I've seen in my life." There's a pause in his words, like he couldn't quite figure out where he's going with this narrative, much like you. But when he looked back at you, his lavender eyes were glazed over with a melancholy you never even thought Sakyo was capable of.

But the look was gone just as quickly as it came. Sakyo assumed his mask of neutrality once more, chuckling airily. "I've been looking for suitable caretakers for it, but all the maids I kept sending would steal one of the precious artifacts I've been keeping there. If you won't let me pitch in with your monthly rent, then at least let me give you somewhere better to live."

Your mouth hung agape at his words once you've finally had a few moments to absorb them. "Are you telling me to move halfway across the country to take care of a damn house?"

Sakyo shrugged. "You'll even have a secure source of income once you arrive. That is more ideal than working three minimum wage jobs, barely being able to make ends meet here in this dump of a city, now is it?" 

A biting retort rested on the tip of your tongue, but you held it back because he was right. Because you refused every single one of Sakyo's offers for a loan (he even offered to just give you money with nothing in return), you had no one but yourself to rely on as you struggled to make a living. 

But he had no right to point that out as he did. As someone who used to be dirt poor, he should know better than to—

Oh. 

Everything clicked into place just before your frustration could boil over. When the haze of irritation had cleared in your head, you dared to look at Sakyo straight in the eye. The low light from the lamp on the nightstand was the only source of illumination in the room, yet you were still able to see the way he was struggling to maintain his façade of apathy. Your mouth twitched into a sly smile. You got him all figured out.

"Who knew you cared so much about your evening partner, Sakyo?" you chuckled, kicking off your shoes so that you could crawl closer to him. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," he argued weakly when you latched your lips onto the column of his throat. The groan that resounded in his chest did nothing but stoke the flames of the desire you thought had already smouldered. Sakyo shuddered under your touch, and you giggled, tugging on the delicate fabric of his turtleneck before whispering:

"Thank you."   

When daylight broke through the cracks in the curtains, you found yourself squinting at the way the sunlight razed your vision. The bed was devoid of body heat other than your own, and you almost wanted to laugh at yourself for still not getting used to Sakyo's urgency to leave the moment the sun peeked from the horizon. 

But this time, you didn't just wake up to a hotel room with nothing but your clothes littered on the floor. At the desk in the corner, Sakyo's coat was gone, but his suitcase still lay untouched. 

You frowned, wrapping a towel around your bare frame as you padded over to check it out. He wasn't the kind of man that would forget his belongings anywhere.

As you took a closer look, you noticed that a note was stuck to the surface with a series of numbers scribbled in haste. Was this, perhaps, the combination needed to open it? Shrugging, you tried unlocking the suitcase, following the exact way Sakyo had written the numbers. It opened with a soft click once you managed to punch in the last one, and you wasted no time sifting through its contents.

Inside was a passport, a plane ticket, various documents, and fat wads of cash that had you gasping once you've totalled in how much Sakyo had left inside. 

This can't be right, you thought to yourself. Why would he just leave these behind?

But as you rifled through the suitcase further, you found a sealed, white envelope. You tore it open without a second thought, only to find a small key with a torn out page lying inside. With trembling hands, you unfolded the piece of paper, feeling your shoulders relax at the sight of Sakyo's hurried and terrible handwriting.  

(Name), 

If you're reading this, that just means you've taken up my offer, yes? Well, I'll waste no time. Inside are all the necessities you'll be needing once you head north. The key inside the envelope opens the front door to the manor. The address is written in one of the travel documents I've fabricated, along with the fake passport. Don't worry, you won't get held up at the airport for it. 

It's unlike me to impose something so sudden, I know. But as long as I have enemies, it isn't safe for anyone to be around me. My well-being would further be appeased at the knowledge of you sitting pretty in a mansion, away from the clutches of whoever might make the mistake of coming for you, as well.

I know I am not the most...expressive of lovers. But take this as your pass to see me as I am. Not as a yakuza. Not as your evening partner. But as Furuichi Sakyo. Hoping for this might be a shot in the dark,  but maybe someday, the two of us could go beyond the four corners of that dreary hotel room.

Yours, Sakyo

[duhragonball]

On Twitter, there’s a new movement that started up on... Thursday, I guess, with the hashtag #SpeakingOut, where women were encouraged to call out instances of sexual abuse.     I’m not sure if it started with the pro wrestling community or not, because earlier in the week I saw some stuff about comic book pros like Warren Ellis and Cameron Stewart, but maybe that was a precursor.   All I know is that right now, I’ve been seeing all sorts of names being dropped in the pro wrestling business, each of them accused of being sexual predators, or covering up for the crimes of others.    Some of the names I don’t recognize, because they’re independent wrestlers from promotions I’m not familiar with, but I’ve seen some names I do know, and that’s pretty tough to take.   I’m going to discuss this here. 

Predictably, I’ve seen some backlash to #SpeakingOut, which reminds me of the same bullshit talking points used by the #IStandWithVic crowd last year.   In case you didn’t know, Vic Mignogna was a voice actor who worked for Funimation and provided the dub performances for Broly in DBZ, and Eward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist.   I think those were his two most famous roles.   Over the decades, Vic garnered a reputation for being a sex pest, kissing and inappropriately touching women and teenage girls at conventions, and harassing his colleagues.  I assume the release of the “Dragon Ball Super: Broly” movie in the U.S. in 2019 precipitated a newfound interest in those allegations, and fans started objecting to his bookings at 2019 conventions.    By mid-year, Vic was fired from Funimation and RoosterTeeth, and he responded to this by starting an ill-advised defamation lawsuit.   

Vic’s defenders are, to put it mildly, idiots.    There were professional lawyers on Twitter who explained, very clearly, why this lawsuit was a bad idea.   The main reason being that it was done in Texas, which has a lot of laws designed to make it harder to sue people for defamation.    I think Vic’s goal was to find some way to punish his accusers for making him look bad and getting him fired.   Winning the lawsuit, was a way for him and his supporters to feel like they “cleared his name”, except that was never how it worked.   If he had been arrested and tried for sex pest crimes, the burden of proof would be on his accusers to show that he really did bad things.   But he was suing people for slander, so that means the burden of proof was on him to show that they really were saying things that were demonstrably false and damaging to his reputation.    The main problem with that is everyone had been talking about his sex pestery for years, so it doesn’t make sense to single a few people out in 2019 and blame them for reinforcing something everyone already believed.  But the ISWV crowd kept insisting that this distinction didn’t matter, and that it was wrong to ostracize or turn against Vic without “proof”.   I see the same demands for “proof” being tossed around for all these wrestling personalities.  

I think there’s a couple of things going on with this.   One is simple denial.   If you’re a fan of someone and you find out they did something terrible, you really don’t want to believe it.   I was never that into a lot of these guys, but I know I felt pretty low when I first heard about Vic’s shenanigans, because I liked his work.    And I’m feeling that way about Warren Ellis now.   Not a huge fan, but I liked some of his stuff, and now I feel a little guilty by association for ever liking that stuff in the first place.   It would be nice, I suppose, to just pretend that I hadn’t heard those accusations, or that they weren’t real.    Then I could just go back to the way things were before, without all the uncomfortableness.   I just can’t do that, but it seems like a lot of people can and will.   It’s not about “proof”, it’s about putting up some sort of barrier that will excuse them from confronting an unpleasant truth. 

I think this is why you see people going out of their way to defend Christopher Columbus and Confederate monuments.    They want to believe that there was something noble about that stuff, because the alternative is to admit that a lot of the things they learned in school aren’t true, and a lot of the “heritage��� they cling to is built on white supremacy and slavery.    I don’t think anyone really cares about a Robert E. Lee statue, but I’ve seen people go out of their way to try to say Lee opposed slavery, like he’s one of the good Confederates, so he should get a pass.   Except he did own slaves, and even if he hadn’t, he still fought to defend a nation founded on slavery as a guiding principle.    Tearing down a statue of Lee is a tacit admission that Lee never deserved a statue in the first place, and everyone who admired him was wrong, and maybe the admiration was rooted in racism all along.   That’s a bitter pill for people to swallow, and a lot of them just refuse to swallow it.   So they deny and deflect, and do anything they can to make this about something else.   

The other side of it is just plain hatred.   I don’t know if Vic’s defenders were all misogynists to begin with, but it seems like they all got there, one way or another.   The train of thought always seemed to be “He didn’t do these things, but even if he did there’s nothing wrong with it.”   From what I saw, it really seemed like Vic’s backers were all fired up about defending a man’s right to creep on women in any way he sees fit.   “What, so kissing is illegal now?” No, jackass, but when you’re fifty-fucking-five and you kiss a seventeen-year-old girl who only wanted to take a picture with you, it’s pretty damn messed up.    When you use your celebrity status to try to mack on young fans, that’s messed up.   When you’re an established wrestler and you try to take advantage of up-and-coming wrestlers, that’s messed up.    And some of that behavior is totally illegal, but the sad reality is that most of these creeps will never get prosecuted for any of it.   That’s why the calls for “proof” are so hollow, because everyone knows it’ll never end up in a courtroom.  At best, some of these guys will get fired, and guess what?  “Innocent until proven guilty” doesn’t apply to employers.   I lost a job once because my “teamwork” wasn’t good enough, and that was the closest thing to an explanation I got.    Don’t bullshit me about “proof”.

I guess I should tie this train of thought in with Black Lives Matter while I’m at it.    I find it absurd that the police in this country are so out of touch that when there’s a nationwide protest against police brutality, their immediate response is... more brutality.   This, more than anything I’ve seen, is the reason to defund the police.    They appear to only have the one mode of conduct, and they don’t even know how to do things a different way.    If the situation is this bad, we may as well scrap the police as they are and start over.   If the cops wanted to fix this situation, all they have to do is treat people with respect and hold themselves accountable, but they can’t let go of their hatred for five fucking minutes and figure that out.   This is why you hear about those guys who make up stories about restaurants spitting in their food.   They’re paranoid that everyone’s out to get them because they know they deserve to face some consequences, so they’re constantly on guard for this sort of thing.  It’s sick. 

Somehow, people who support these guys end up supporting the very behavior they were supposed to be denying.    Maybe this is why Columbus is such a sticking point.   I never gave a shit about Columbus.   One of my high school yearbooks had a Columbus theme because it just happened to come out on the 500th anniversary of his first voyage to North America, but I never understood what that had to do with my high school.   I think there’s people that want to give him tons of credit, basically thank him for everything that’s happened in the Western Hemisphere since 1500, not in spite of his atrocities, but to retroactively justify them.   What I mean is, if you can convince society that Columbus was a great man, and that his achievements outweigh his wrongdoing, then you can also convince society that the wrongdoings aren’t actually that bad.    “The price of progress,” they can say.    It’s like the idea that Robert E. Lee is admired solely for his “brilliant” military mind.   His side lost the fucking war, so I never understood how he gets all this credit for being a great general.    The point is that if you can convince people that he was a noble man in spite of the slavery thing, then you can open the door to the idea that the Confederacy as a whole wasn’t That Bad, and that only opens the door to the idea that slavery wasn’t That Bad, and so on.  

Same deal with Roman Polansky and Woody Allen.    It amazes me that people will still try to defend those fucks, but it probably has a lot to do with all the other sex pests in Hollywood, who hope that everyone will stick up for them when they get exposed.   So you have this little chesnut about how “Yeah, they did bad things, but they sure made some good movies.”     The implication is that you have to accept a few sex crimes if you want good art.    And no, that’s not true, and even if it were true, it wouldn’t be worth it.   

I don’t know where things will end up with J.K. Rowling.   I’d like to think that one of these days, she’ll wake up and apologize for all this TERF rhetoric she’s been spouting.    That would probably be the best-case scenario.   More likely, she’ll cause an entire generation of Harry Potter fans to wrestle with their loyalty to her books.   There’s no job to fire her from, no laws to punish her, no government agency to step in.    She’s got no financial stake in repairing this PR damage.   There’s going to be an audience of bigots that will still kiss up to her no matter what she says, so her ego will be well-insulated.    Maybe a hundred years from now, people will be talking about tossing her statue in a river, as society admits that we don’t need to accept transphobia in exchange for YA literature.   

I don’t know, I think I went all over the place with this one, but I had a lot to get off my chest.   I think the overall lesson from this year is that we can’t put these people on pedestals.   Some of them are just hell-bent on letting us down, and it’s just a matter of time before their misdeeds are brought to light.   I see these dopes with Thin Blue Line flags and “I stand with [X]” hashtags and I’m like “Who are you supporting here?    What is it you’re standing for, exactly?   Why should they be worthy of your loyalty?”    And I think the answer is less about loyalty to a person or group, and more about sticking it to someone else.   Women, minorities, whoever.   They just want to stand by someone to spite someone else.    And that’s awful.   

[sirro85-blog]

Humans are Space Orcs: Leadership

It's well known that human's differ, they have their own unique appearances, unique voices and odour. Humans even have unique life experiences and two humans who live through the same event can have vastly different responses. Never was this brought home to me so powerfully than in the guise of Major Kovac and the way he inspired his soldiers.

In my people soldiers are required to perform their duties in their "Kote" (No translation) stage of development, it's a way of reducing population numbers before they reach the "Trapt" (No translation) stage in my time as a Kote I simply received orders and was expected to complete them.

The Major appeared to use different means to inspire different soldiers at different times. In doing so they often managed to achieve things I had thought impossible.

When talking to his Squad as a group he explained to me that he usually told them: "they were all super special and the best of the best and the mission would be super easy so go do it" [manually edited to worsen grammar]

"This position is held by 500 separatist fighters, local security forces have been unable to move them, but we aren't local rent-a-thugs, we're the dark fucking horses," he smacked the top of Captain Wolf's helmet hard, "we're gonna drop in hot, we're going to hit hard and fast and show these trouble makers what FISH specialists can really do!"

{FISH: Fighting In Someone's House human military slang for urban warfare}

His men hammered their rifle butts on the ground in response to that and took no casualties in the following conflict.

Simple human psychology you say, inspiration is a known phenomenon amongst the Terrans, I thought so to, then I witnessed how the Major treated one of his Captains, always a few days before deployment he started to belittle him, altering duty rotas to unfairly give Captain Tom a larger burden. He dressed him down for minor, possibly imagined faults and at times praised his Troop while scorning it's Captain, I asked the Major about this abuse and he simply responded, "oh wolf he's my mad-dog, he's best when he's mad," I didn't understand this until the Korlax betrayal.

"This was supposed to be a parlé," the Major growled uselessly, "how the hell did I let the high command insist we didn't bring weapons!?"

The Major and Wolf were hunkered down in a side room behind a works unit, I was crouched with the representative of the Towoli imperium that had come to discuss peace with the Korlax.

"Good news is I've not heard a single shot fired, they cut down the Towoli guard with melee weapons, I guess they don't want to risk a hull breach, or couldn't smuggle them aboard," Captain Tom "Wolf" reported.

The Major who like the Captain wore a ceremonial sword and it transpired both had throwing and karambit knives disguised about their person gave a sneer, "that's good news is it, I have to cut down a dozen Korlax using my shiny fucking sabre?"

"I saw half a dozen drop in the initial attack the Towoli guards managed some resistance and you and I hit a few each, there were a score to start, I'd say around 12 left, we'll take them together."

"Great so while you're fighting yours I have to take down the other 11, keep them off the ambassador and the doc and watch your back at the same time,"

"Knock it off Sir, I can take 6 Korlax in hand to ha..." the Captain began.

"In your sweaty wet dreams maybe," laughed the Major, "look try to keep three busy while I deal with the others."

The door started to open but stopped as it met the barricade the humans had made.

"Fuck off Major! You've been riding me all week I'm getting sick of being your whipping boy," snapped Wolf.

The hammering on the door was growing louder, they'd found us.

"You're my whipping boy because you're my weakest link, I have to hammer you just to get you up to the same basic standard as anyone else,"

"Fuck you, I'm..."

"Oh here it comes, 'I'm a combat specialist, I know blah blah blah'...you realise how tiring you are right? You and Panther always sneaking off when work needs doing because 'you find crowds tiring' boo-hoo try putting up with your whiny ass if you want to know tiring."

Wolf seemed to be shaking with rage, his breathing was ragged and his eyes were wide and almost seemed to tremble, his nostrils flared, "I..."

"They're coming in," the Towoli managed to inflect his clicking language with a wail of despair.

Wolf turned to meet the incoming enemy with a literal snarl in his throat, and as the Major stood drawing his sabre, I saw a slight smile on his lips and distinctly heard him say, "Sic 'em boy."

There were no Korlax survivors.

Other soldiers responded differently, I witnessed the Major give his 2IC Captain Becca a straight forward set of orders, with no preamble and no form of motivation I could discern.

"Captain Becca and 2 Troop, you will take the eastern edge of the valley, advance to contact and remove the enemies position." The Major continued with some logistical and strategic details, then turned to Dorman

"Captain Dorman I will need your expertise in this area, take the western valley edge and advance to contact, destroy the enemy fortifications, Dorman you're skills in this area make you the ideal candidate for this task."

Afterwards I approached the Major and asked for some of his time, "what's up doc?" He responded and for some reason chuckled to himself and mimed biting something.

"I wanted to ask why you felt no need to inspire Captain Becca but gave inspiration and motivation to Dorman?"

"Well it's in your area of study Doc, it's human nature, Dorman likes to think of himself as a hero, he wants to be told he's the special princess and is the most wonderful thing in the cosmos. He finds the idea that only he can perform the task motivating and he often rises to the occasion if challenged in such a way.

Becca is the opposite she takes great pride in being considered a professional. She finds motivation in the assumption that she'll do her job and do it well, both her and Dorman are ego driven but in different forms, Becca likes the understated calm acceptance that she'll see the job done."

Personally one of the most fascinating cases was the human Sergeant known as Panther, she was known throughout the Squadron for her love of music and films and often was heard to state things like "just watched it again, gonna go work out while I'm still pumped".

Music blasted out of the drop ship as Sergeant Panther stalked amongst her section snapping out commands and calling instructions. Major Kovac signalled for the drop ship to dive into jump formation and it swooped hard into a dive. As it plummeted to ground Kovac cranked the volume and gave a woop of pleasure as he signalled the bail out. Panther gave a woop and responded to her Captain's manic grin with a thumbs up, Major Kovac sprinted down the ship's central walkway and performed several "high-fives" as he did so.

"Fucking get-some!" He bellowed as he launched himself from the ship.

"HELL YEAH!!!" screamed Panther as she led her section forward.

Sergeant Panther received a DSO (distinguished service order) for her conduct in that battle.

I only witnessed the Major interacting with his medics in the auxiliary troop once but his leadership was different again.

Dana sighed and rubbed her eyes, blood had splashed her face and cheek and it highlighted how pale she was, I had seen her working with the injured for nearly 15 hours now. She looked up when the Major stepped into her med bay, he raised a hand to stop her and the other medics from rising from their chair as they hastily made to stand and salute.

"Stop Dana, save your energy," he looked at the rows of injured DDF soldiers, "I can't believe the Domestic Defence Force held on as long as they did, the UN council should have dispatched us a month ago."

"Reluctance to go to war is no bad thing," Dana said wearily.

"Very true, but the beds here show we were already at war, you've achieved miracles here today Dana," Kovac stood and walked to the drinks thermos, "Petra told me your unit managed almost 90% survival."

He returned to sit opposite her and handed her a steaming cup of 'hot brown' he smiled down at her. "Your results here is how we'll measure the success of this campaign, of course we can break this assault but what's the point of saving this settlement if an entire generation of their young folk are laying in mass graves? Thank you for today, I hope tomorrow will be easier."

"I can't save them all sir," came Dana's exhausted reply.

"No Dana, but everyone you do save makes losing Ed and Footsteps so much more bearable."

Dana and her field medics achieved a survival rate of 93% in that campaign, although it probably helped that their patients were human and therefore practically immortal anyway.

[oxourry]

OnS 57 Survey - Results

At 558 responses, the Owari no Seraph chapter 57 survey has come to a close. 

I will say that since this was my first time doing this, I knew it wouldn’t come without errors. It wasn’t until like 50 responses in that I realized I could have worded things better, not included so much leeway in some questions, left more write in options, and also included a couple more important questions. If I ever do one of these again I’ll have learned from this time.

There were two questions that took in opinions from respondents and in total all of those totaled up to about 600. Obviously, I couldn’t add every single one here, but I tried to include as many as I could to give you all an idea of the current mindset of the fandom at the moment. Things get pretty lengthy so this will be all under a read more.

Also, I know I shouldn’t have to say it, but sometimes this fandom can be demonically soul sucking, so don’t start any of that fandom wank bullshit because there are opinions here that you don’t agree with. We’re all mature enough to rant about it in private. Thank you.

Anyways, let’s start.

Though it was close, it seems the 18-24 age group are the majority in this side of the fandom. Not only that, adding up the other numbers (It should be noted that there was 1 person that responded with 35+, unfortunately, it seems like there’s barely even a tiny line to acknowledge it) minors happen to be the minority in the fandom if even by a small percent.

The graph speaks for itself, though it really does make me wish I could survey the SQ readers in Japan. Would the Male-Female results be flipped?

Among the 86 write ins, Instagram was the most popular with 30 respondents using it as a primary OnS social media platform. Amino and VK were the follow ups with 8 respondents.

I find this one very important. It shows the reaches of the survey doesn’t exactly speak for a diverse portion of the western fandom. Overall, I think it sticks in this little Tumblr niche of ours.

2 (0.4%) respondents began with the Light Novels. 3 (0.5%) respondents began with the Anime and Light Novels. 4 (0.7%) respondents began with the Manga and Light Novels. 15 (2.7%) respondents began the series with all three.

27 (4.8%) respondents have been following OnS for 4+ years (My condolences).

The two below ‘For the art’ and above ‘Other’ say ‘Someone recommended it’ and ‘Seeing posts about it on social media’

Here are a handful of responses from those that chose Other

Soundtrack by Sawano Hiroyuki

I was interested in knowing how would an anime based in Nagoya turned out (I lived in Nagoya for a year)

Found it under "new anime" section and just tried it

I found on mangapark and just checked out of curiosity

I'm a slut for anything Kagami writes. Especially MokuAri.

Played Tales of Zestiria, saw Seraph in the title of OnS, watched it

The option above ‘For the plot’ states ‘I’m not caught up’ and the two options below ‘For the art’ state ‘For a specific plot point/mystery’ and ‘For the fandom discussions/fanart/fanfics/fanvids/memes’.

While a majority of respondents originally got into the series for the plot, it seems like sticking around for a character and ship barely managed to become the new top reason.

A couple of write in responses

because I am a fandom grandma-- I fell in love with it and can't get her lazy ass out

I don´t really know anymore... I´m too deep into and it´s just a part of my life right now

Moving from the demographic questions, this next section was based off of character and ship preferences

Originally, I had omitted the ‘both’ option, but the person I had do a run through of the survey at first claimed she couldn’t pick between them. Given the disparity in the vampire and humans here, my guess is that the vampires really do have audience favorability when it comes down to it.

Shinoa’s squad takes a majority of the audience’s interest with the Sanguinem vampires falling in at nearly half as much. 

Some of the write ins

Honestly, they're all interesting, there are so much we don't know and it really is intriguing.

Hyakuya kids, I refuse to believe that a group that meet for a few months is more important than another group that you knew for years

The Hiiragi Family

Specific characters from each(Yuu, Mika, Guren, Shinya, Ferid, Krul, etc.)

Mika, Yuu, and Shinya hold the crowns for being the most popular in our end of the fandom. Shinoa and Krul trail behind in fourth and fifth place.

Akane was the most popular write in, having 2 of the 9 write ins go to her.

A few other write ins

Is Mika's happiness a character because I can't wait for them to return

Shuusaku

Yoichi's right cheek

Kureto, Mahiru No Yo, and Guren happen to be the least favorites with Ferid in fourth place and Saito and Shinoa tying for fifth after a considerable percent gap.

Tenri had 9 write ins of the 27.

Other answers given were

Seishiro

At certain times, the main character(s) will start to become annoying.

Kagami Takaya

Everyone else that's not Yoichi's right cheek or Mikaela Hyakuya

Mahiru and Mitsuba's weirdly drawn boobs

Mika, Shinya, and Yuu take the lead for most physically attractive with Guren and Crowley following in fourth and fifth.

Gekkoin was the most frequent write in with 4 of the 13 write in responses going to him.

Other write ins included

Everyone's gorgeous tbh

Kureto's eyebrows

An overwhelming majority of the fandom happen to be shippers or at least have a ship they have some positive feelings for. Only 25 (4.5%) of respondents don’t ship anything.

Yuichiro/Mikaela, Guren/Shinya, and Shinoa/Mitsuba take the top three spots.

There were a few popular write ins.

Mikaela/Yoichi (15), Kureto/Guren (8), Kureto/Aoi (8), Krul/Ferid (5), Kureto/Shinya (5), and Lacus/Rene (5)

The next section covered Chapter 57 and general feelings about plot points and the manga.

Though it’s kind of close, majority of respondents seem to have a midway satisfaction with the manga at the moment. There’s a definite lean to the optimistic side of things.

After this, I then asked if respondents could give a more detailed explanation for their answer. I received 346 responses and while I can’t put them all on here, here are a handful of opinions.

This story is still a baby bird, so I'm being patient with it. Besides, monthly manga always feel slower

After the time skip everything became rushed, characters just numbly move from plot twist to plot twist repeating the same "what should we do" conversation every time they get any new info. Characters make worrying statements that the framing shows as positive and people and character motivation driving plot points are resolved and thrown out like they were nothing.

I honestly disagree with those who are just ranting and raging about the last chapters, every (and I have to make an emphasis on this, EVERY) story needs some developement and that may take time, you can't just rush things and expect that complex aspects of the story will be explained in the most simple and stupid way just to go back to the action as soon as possible. I'm okay with knowing more about the story and the characters and get more details to think by myself of what could happen in the future chapters

The story feels like it's been spinning its wheels since the Shinoa squad teamed up with Ferid and Crowley. I actually liked the newest chapter quite a bit since it made some definite progress on the plot, but most of the other chapters don't seem to move things along enough for how many pages they have.

I'm excited we're finally get some plot development with Shikama being the first progenitor, though I feel like some things, like the three-month time skip was unnecessary and created a halt in the story.

Although not perfect, which is why I only gave a 4, I do feel like things are progressing smoothly and we continue to see interesting plot developments as the stories moves on.

I can't say I'm a fan of the direction Kagami is taking, but at least the plot is moving forward.

Generally I like how it is going, I just hope they have a good explanation for Shikama Doji being with Kureto and Shinoa at the same time. I'm excited about how everything will play out and I think they are on a good way.

Reading this manga is like drinking a margarita that you know is spiked with laxatives to be fucking honest

Majority of respondents didn’t expect Shikama Doji to be the First Progenitor while 34 (6.1%) totally saw it coming. Overall, I think the plot reveal caught most people by surprise.

This question was a bit divided. 58 (10.4%) of respondents wish the First Progenitor was someone else.

Among the write in responses we have:

I'm kind of wondering why he is so weak as a demon (e.g. Yuu is a lot stronger than Shinoa, but maybe that is their own strength?) I hope it will get explained

I wanted it to be like Dracula

I'm okay with it, but I also wish it was Yu

I'm not sure. While it was pretty obvious to me it still came out of nowhere, there weren't much hints at all, I just thought it was them via process of elimination, no one else gave off a vibe of being the First Progenitor. So I think it wasn't well developed at all, it's kind of like Scrappy-Doo being the villain of the first movie, except it makes sense in that case considering his history as a character both in the series' plot and in the fandom, and the reveal was better handled.

This question was hilariously split among everyone’s opinions on what Kagami has planned for this part of the plot. It makes me a bit eager to see what’ll happen to see which faction will be right lol

Half of the respondents would love for Yuichiro to just chill out with the next majority hoping Yuu is successful in reviving the deceased and the world doesn’t get harmed from it.

Most respondents don’t believe Shikama Doji will be the ultimate Big Bad. There will either be someone working alongside him or above him. Maybe God? We’ll see.

Majority don’t believe Shinoa will ever be at odds with her squad, though 20 (3.6%) respondents think she will be.

Although a hefty portion aren’t too confident in guessing what Kagami has planned, majority believe Shinoa will unlock the power Mahiru No Yo spoke about by having a desire to protect her squad.

Of the 27 write ins for this portion, some respondents believed this:

She will realize her feelings for Yuichiro, but I don't think it will go as far as having sex or a sexual encounter

One of the 7 sins that is not necessarily lust that awaken some strong desire inside her. Envy.

as seen before, probably killing one of her brothers

Over half of the respondents hope to see the power of family pull through with Shinoa getting the full power of her demon though over a quarter of people hope that she never unlocks that power. 18 (3.2%) of respondents do hope she has sex or a sexual encounter with Yuichiro to awaken her demon.

A few of the 31 write ins:

Something unexpected and cool

By having sex with Mitsuba

By pure wish and strong will

I hope she doesn't because I don't want to see her become her sister. I want to see her grow powerful without the aid of a demon.

Recognising her feelings for Yuu.

Through a sexual encounter with Crowley

While most people believe she is a set antagonist, a significant portion of people aren’t too sure.

Here are some of the write in responses:

Enemy of my enemy type of ally

I believe she was used by saito

Yes but not of her own accord. Seeing that she's mostly demon now.

Part of it, but not the mastermind behind everything

No, Mahiru no Yo is probably just a puppet trying to rebel

Majority don’t believe him to be an antaognist in the bigger picture of things, though a considerable fraction aren’t too sure.

He's just... weird. I don't trust him nor his intentions.

He's like the middle man-ish.

No, he's probably doing everything to contradict Saito, who is trying to contradict Shikama Douji.

I think Ferid is simply doing what Saito manipulates him into doing, by doing the opposite of what he THINKS Saito wants.

Though it’s close, most people aren’t too sure where Saito stands in the end.

I think Saito works for Shikamadouji but intends to betray them

A victim-turned-villain who's familiar with the antagonists' plan and so participated in it

Majority are hoping to see the Michaela factor get more attention in the narrative with the seraph gene falling behind in second place. 

Yoichi getting revenge for his sister

Asuramaru's and Krul's backstory and relationship

The Hiiragi family

The downfall of the JIDA

Explaining what the hell is going on with Guren. He's already with the main characters anyways, might as well give an explanation.

And lastly, I had asked for closping opinions on chapter 57 and Owari no Seraph as a whole before ending the survey. I received around 250 responses. While I can’t post all, here are a handful.

As a whole, I wished that we saw more representations of the characters' mindsets on the current situations. Their minds have to be pretty messsed up after all the things that have happened, but we only see how the characters act so impulsively in the moment and only hear their current thoughts that we don't get to know what they think of the consequences and impacts of their decisions. It may be because of my intense liking for Tokyo Ghoul, but I would really like to see the impact of the many things going on. I think it will help us understand characters like Yuuichirou, Mikaela, Guren, Shinoa, and tons of other characters better.

There is so much potential in the world Kagami has attempted to build, so much that can be explored in this series. There are some really incredible characters if they get the proper treatment. I really hope it doesn't get ruined or that Kagami doesn't take the easy way out with cheap/bad plot devices (such as Shinoa awakening her demon by having sex with someone, especially Yuuichirou, because that's cheap and boring and so unbelievably unoriginal). I adore this series so much, so I hope it gets the development it deserves.

I have faith for a solid story, even if I don't personally agree with every plot point.

WHAT IS MAHIRU ACTUALLY 

Kind of surprising, but overall I think it's okay as long as it's written well and everything ties together in the end. This new reveal could add a bunch of new plot points which might be odd because I think there's a lot of other things the writers need to explain or get into. I guess I'm just trying to think positively about what this could add or mean for future chapters.

Thanks to OnS, I've been able to find a niche I thoroughly enjoy spending many hours enjoying fanfics, shippings, discussions and fangirling over some of the characters.The Anime is Ok, but I absolutely adore the Manga

I want Crowley's thicc in my thrussy 

Needs consistent characterization as opposed to 'whatever mood the situation requires' as it's been doing, if it can pull that off then I think OnS would be able to flow better even if the plot development is slow

If we don't see Shinya's bare chest or dick by the end of this manga, what was the fucking point? @ Kagami 

I think the author worries too much on hitting various shonen tropes, and also making a commercial product. The manga would probably improve if it changed magazines to something less mainstream and less shonen focused.  

If Mika dies by the end of this manga, I will rip my asshole inside out

kagami why

Again, thank you for particpating in the survey! I will definitely do it again at some point if I can and hopefully I’ll be able to give more in depth analyses from the questions provided. Hope you have fun interpreting this stuff as you will lol

[badly-drawn-piplup]

Happiness Overload Chapter Eight

The doors opened. It took the combined might of Ecstasy and I, but the double doors slammed themselves into their respective walls and we were left standing in the doorway.

Hey, didn't that door say ″authorized personnel only″? Ecstasy asked.

Guess they weren't counting on the power of a supernatural fuckbuddy.

In front of us was a large square room with many square tiles. On the other end were computers and monitors each of varying size and at the moment, all of them had me, who just entered, on display.

″The fuck...″ I whispered. I looked around, but there wasn't much to see aside from what I already saw. That is, besides the chair in front of the monitors.

It was plain as day. It should have been the first thing I laid my eyes on, but instead it was those stupid monitors.

Just as I took my first step forward, the chair turned around and someone in a lab coat with long, silver hair. She looked familiar, but I wasn't sure where to place it. Her hands were behind the chair, but I didn't recall noticing a pair of hands before the chair turned. From where I was standing and from where she was sitting, I couldn't make out what kind of look was on her face. My mind interpreted one of two things: a face of distress or a face of pleasure. My mind went toward distress.

″Hey miss, have these people captured you? Are you being held hostage?″

She said nothing. The only noises to be heard were the beeping and whirring of computers and monitors.

″Never fear, I'll save you and we'll get out of here!″ I announced, wanting to put my hands on my hips and wishing that I was wearing a cape.

″Oh? Are you here to reveal the truth to the masses and defeat the evil organization?″ She spoke, her voice monotone. However, yet again, it was a voice that was somehow familiar to me. She got up and laughed a single, hollow laugh. It sounded more like a cough.

Right after she spoke, the doors slammed themselves shut and an electric barrier guarded the doors.

″Wait. What's going on?″ I looked around. ″Now how am I going to save you?″

″Is that really what you're so concerned with?″ She asked. There was no hint of humor in her voice, but there was some of curiosity.

″Well, I was going to get you out of here, then come back in here and find some way to bring this corporation's actions to light. Maybe I'd use the monitors or something and make a broadcast.″

″Interesting.″ She paced from side to side, never moving toward me. ″So you never considered that you won't be getting out of here?″

″I...I just haven't tried anything yet!″ I reassured. ″I'm sure there's some way.″

″Don't worry. There isn't.″

″How could you say that?″ I was aghast. This helpless person in a lab coat just gave up hope right before my eyes without knowing what I was capable of.

″Have you considered who it is that you're rescuing?″ She responded with a question of her own.

I pondered for a bit. ″Lemme guess...you're a scientist forced to work for them? Are they threatening you with something? Do they have your family? Is that it?″

She laughed. It was the same cold laugh. She looked right at me, her eyes piercing into me as if they were analyzing me rather than just looking at me.

″Yes. I am a scientist,″ she replied.

″I knew it!″

″But I haven't been forced to do anything.″

″Then what is it? Did they offer you money?″

″I already have that. Which is how I was able to create all that you see.″

My eyes widened.

″The company isn't holding me captive, for I am the head of the company.”

″Just...just who are you?″ I uttered.

″I am Professor Etna.″

I was standing in front of a monster. Whatever blood I had left in my body boiled. All these horrors and I was standing in front of the conductor.

She took but two paces toward me before stopping. Etna leaned forward and smiled.

″Some people call me a doctor, but I like the way professor rings off the tongue more.″

She leaned back and placed her palm on her chin.

″Now, I wonder...will you make an attempt on my life?″

″I'm not a killer,″ I growled.

″You aren't? What about all those guards you decapitated on your way to the mayor's office? Or the security guard for our elevator? Not to mention the countless guards you slaughtered on your way here.″

″That was different. That was for revenge.″

″Are you telling me that you didn't enjoy it?″

Blanc, she's trying to psych you out. Don't give in.

″Tell me about this revenge. If it's so important to you, then why not kill me? After all, I am the reason behind your plight.″

″Death would be too good for you. I'll destroy this company and everything you hold dear, mark my words!″ I sounded so cliché. So silly. But I guess my reaction was the only one at the time that made sense to me.

″Everything we hold dear? But what we hold dear is the same thing everyone holds dear.″

She walked around the room, gliding her hands against the walls. Lights flashed, mechanical shackles rose from the floor, wrapping themselves around my feet, tightening.

I huffed and puffed, I surrounded myself with an adrenaline rush. I didn't believe myself to be in danger; Ecstasy was on my side. If need be, I could detach my legs and regrow shadow legs or something.

From the ceiling came metal arms with claws at the end. Each one clamped onto my hands, crushing them and holding them in place. Even the shadow hand, which by all means shouldn't have been felt.

I spat on the floor. ″Any quips like 'who's in distress now?'″

She pushed her glasses up with her palm and smiled. ″Who do you take me for?″ She asked in response.

″You're a villain! You're pure evil and something that must be stopped!″

″Ah, morality. However you take our actions, you misunderstand. We are making this world a better place.″

″I've heard that before,″ I scoffed.

″Yes. We know.″

I grunted. I had the feeling that I could break out at any moment if I needed to, but exhaustion from the battle with Big Al (or whatever his name was) was taking its toll on me.

″Why don't we chat for a bit?″ Etna suggested. Maybe she figured that there was no way I could escape, and maybe I could pass the time while I regain enough energy to get Ecstasy to break me out. Before she would just take control of my body when I was tiring out, but this time I couldn't feel her at all, almost as if she was just as low as I was right now. The battle must have taken just as much of a toll on her as well.

″Fine,″ I sighed.

″Very good,″ she remarked, then turned to the side and held an apple in the palm of one of her hands. I didn't recall there being an apple before, but no doubt this corporation had technology I couldn't even comprehend. Advanced apple technology. My mind started drifting toward thoughts of apples listening to music with cordless headphones.

″You were a college student for a time. What do you know of the Roman Empire?″ She asked. I was confused, but in my weary state, I answered.

″Just that it fell.″

She gave a brief, hollow laugh. ″True, although remnants of it can still be found throughout all of western civilization.″

″Where are you going with this?″ I squinted my eyes.

″Bloodsport quelled the fear and anger of the masses amidst corruption and a crumbling empire. It functioned both as a distraction and a morale boost for the population.″

″Are you comparing your little elevator project to the coliseums?″

″Not quite. We've advanced through the ages. We're a lot more...civil. We don't have to take a single life. Our influence can be seen across all forms of media, both past and present.″

″Then why do you do it?″

″Do what?″

″Take lives.″

″You're mistaken once again. We recycle lives. The ones who come back on the other side are the same people, just with a new body and altered memories.″

″Even still, no one consented to this. This is complete control of a population.″

″Nobody consented to being teleported to their intended destination? If that was the case, they wouldn't have taken our elevator.″

″Not that,″ I turned my head. Well, it was that, but there was something else, too. ″Nobody asked for a clone to take their place. Nobody asked for their new self to be more subservient. If everyone knew what was in the fine print, they wouldn't sign!″

″At this point, that may not even be true. Ah, but I digress. What we are doing is creating a happier society. Wouldn't you call that a noble goal?″

I shook my head. ″No. You're forcing them by injecting their clones with serotonin or altered memories or some shit. If what you're getting at is true, you're hoping the entire city will keep revisiting that elevator until they're eventually so full of bliss that they can't even tell what's going on around them.″

″Ah, how smart you are. Though it may be a little more complex than that.″

″How so?″

″Entertainment of all forms serve a purpose of distracting the masses. Sometimes a piece of media will cause a reaction, like anger. That would seem counterproductive to our goal, wouldn't it?″

I gave no response. Just let her keep talking. Eventually she'll lower her guard, I told myself.

″Not exactly. It gives them something to do. It gives them motivation. Such passionate feelings are a form of happiness, even if it feels so bitter to them. Protests do nothing except entertain both the common folk and those in power. For something to change, it depends on the whim of the ones in power, not how loud the peasants yell.″

″So you're saying it's all hopeless?″

″Oh, no. Hopelessness is such a terrible thing. That would lower the morale dramatically. That's why we have media calling for revolutions. The idea is quite nice, even if it does nothing.″

″You control the media, the politicians. What are you, some kind of illuminati?″

She laughed her dreadful laugh. The one I was getting quite tired of.

″Some people love a good conspiracy. We made such a rumor, once again, as a distraction. If they're too focused on some big scandal, they won't think to look at what's really going on.″

″So what? You just made up the illuminati?″

″And just about any other conspiracy.″

″Unfortunately, I also know about the real ones. The Flashbulb, right?″

″Ah. Conrad told you that, did he? In his little hideout?″

My eyes widened. ″You had better not hurt him!″

″He and his little group can live out the rest of their lives in peace for all we care.″

When I reached the surface, I found the nearest cop and in my panic, tugged at his sleeve. He didn't react well and punched me in the face. I might have deserved that. But even so, I had more pressing matters.

I covered my nose with both hands and the cop, surrounded by the crowd of the city streets, tried diffusing the situation.

″I'm so sorry!″ He waved his hands around. ″What seems to be the problem?″

″My friends! They're in trouble!″ I sobbed, blood running down my nose.

″Where are they?″ He asked.

″Underground, a series of tunnels.″

He pulled out his pager and whispered into it. I tried listening in but couldn't make out a thing.

″We're sending a few officers to search for them. I'm going to—″ before I could hear the rest, I bolted. Panic set in. ″–Need you to come with me″, my mind filled in the blanks. I pushed past those in the crowd, heard a gunshot hit a mailbox, I yelped and kept running. I didn't stop. In my panicked state, I thought I saw a tree in the middle of the road and several cars crashed, but it may have just been my eyes playing tricks on me.

I didn't even know what I was doing. I didn't know what to do next. I just hoped that I wouldn't die. I hoped the others wouldn't die...

We continued to crawl through the vents. I knew Kelly Roger brought this upon us. The fool was scared, but then again, so was I. Now Kelly Roger, Conrad, and I were all likely to die, no matter what the intentions were.

I remember leaving the note on the floor after I left the room.

There's a path to the surface from here. Take it if you no longer wish to be involved. Look for a loose panel on the ceiling. It will become clear from there.

Kelly Roger must have followed the note's advice. Funny enough, the whole calling these mercenaries on us may have been a blessing in disguise. We were actually moving forward.

″Just a little further and we'll be at the hanger,″ Conrad mentioned.

I didn't hear any sound from above. No sign of any of those armored goons. That didn't put me at ease.

″What if they found it?″ I asked. I shuddered at the thought of my aircraft being destroyed or those soldiers surrounding it, waiting for us with their guns.

″Then we're screwed,″ he replied.

I started thrashing. I could feel some energy returning. Even if it was in short bursts, I'd use what I could.

Come on, Ecstasy, do something! Some shadow tentacles, some extra strength, something!

No answer.

Why am I not getting a reply? I can't even phase out.

″Getting restless?″ Etna asked.

I grunted, but refused to answer. I was going to do everything in my power to break out if it was the last thing I did.

″Let me ask you something: have you ever felt 'off' about your surroundings? As if some things don't match but you can't tell how?″

I didn't dignify her with an answer. I kept struggling.

″You should stop straining yourself.″

″I'll break out of here! I already escaped your elevator! You guys didn't account for that, did you?″ I spat out.

She put her hand on her mouth and chuckled, if it could be called a chuckle. All of her laughs sounded alike in that there seemed to be no hint of pleasure nor displeasure.

″Indeed. You were an anomaly. We had to perform damage control.″

″I remember. Accusing me of being a mass murderer?″

″That was necessary, but not what is being referred to.″

She gestured to the monitors. ″Have you taken a look at yourself lately?″

″Yeah, I know, I'm ugly.″

″That's not it. You haven't been you lately.″

I tried to say something. She must not have known. Maybe it was the whole ″you've changed.″ Like, yeah, I'm not the same college bum I was about a week ago.

″You never did survive your escape from the station,″ she explained, and from there, I had to correct her.

″No, I wouldn't have survived if not for –″

″Ecstasy,″ she finished.

″Wh-Huh? How?″

″Because, dear, we created her,″ she cooed with the same voice Ecstasy had.

″That doesn't make any sense! She's a supernatural being! A succubus! Only those near death can see her!″ I kept arguing, but she only shook her head.

″Those were all details we made up. When you consented for her to possess you, 'Blanc' ceased to be. What remained were altered memories of what 'Blanc' was along with the new thoughts of sharing a body with an otherworldly being.″

″She's the thing keeping me alive!″

″Keeping the body alive,″ she corrected. ″And not very well, as it seems.″

″But the powers!″

″We invented them. Which is not to say they are fake. Just that we were able to create such magnificent things.″

I felt like she was just trying to touch a nerve. Several nerves. But I didn't even know how many of my nerves even worked anymore. It just felt so...true. Which made it all the more painful.

″Just what did you make up? As memories?″

″You can figure that one out,″ she said with a smile, brushing her silver hair with the tips of her fingers.

″My...ex?″

″She never existed. It was all in my image.″

″That's kinda...gross...″ Then again, I have to admit, Professor Etna was hot. In a sorta Bond villain way.

″The true ETNA project isn't the elevator. It stands for Ecstasy Transformation New Age,″ she explained in a way that it felt out of place. Like she should have stated it earlier or not at all.

″You were the first attempt. If others happen to leave the elevator before they are transported to their destination, we are prepared.″

I started to feel tears well up. I didn't want this at all.

″So everything I experienced, it amounted to nothing?″

″Nonsense. It was valuable research. You should feel honored.″

I was sobbing now. Stop this! Stop sobbing and actually figure out something! I pleaded with myself, but nothing came to mind.

″Your so-called campaign of happiness should have made me happy. Why, then, did those memories make me so god damn depressed?″

″It helped give you motivation. A reason to live. What you see as depression was really quite the opposite.″

″I...I wanted to exist. I wanted to be someone,″ I realized.

″And is that so wrong? Many people your age feel the need to belong, to be someone or something great.″

″So much experienced, but they were never real.″

″Does that matter? If it felt real, isn't that what counts?″

″I just thought that when all this was said and done that I could be someone.″

″Oh, and you have become someone. We are so proud of you,″ she assured me in her monotone.

I must have been bawling. There wasn't much left for me. ″Now what?″

″Alas, it would be a waste to keep you. The public can neither know of us nor you. In a few seconds, your body will be doused with water and what you knew as 'Ecstasy' will separate from your body. The restraints will release and said body will fall to the floor. Rest assured, it will dissolve, leaving no trace of it ever stepping foot in here.″

There was nothing I could do. I knew that now. There never was anything I could do.

″Just one question, first: did you have fun?″

I hope it was as good for you as it was for me, I heard the seductive voice of Ecstasy return one last time.

I thought back to the adventures I had with Ecstasy on the rooftops and sneaking into the mayor's office. Learning of these new abilities and thinking I could use them to make a difference. Meeting back up with Conrad at his base. Fighting that punk guard (that I never learned his name). All of the things that led to this moment.

″Yes,″ I replied, tears running down my cheek. ″Very much so.″ I managed to smile in spite of it all.

″Good,″ was all Etna had to say.

With a flash of light, I knew I would disappear. I also knew, however brief, that I was happy.

[thepaperthrones]

When Its Time To Walk Away Pt.4

Preview to The Long Goodbye

Back to Part III

All Men Are Brothers

Karma: There was this great kung fu western flick my god brother Kenny brought over called All Men Are Brothers: Blood of the Leopard which was adaptation of the Chinese classic Water Margin. It was the story of a high level government official who must choose between his position and his allegiance to a rough street monk who is very anti-corruption in the government. It represented so many relationships at that time. My god brother Wayne was really loud and boisterous, but when I was around he was always calming me down to learn discretion. When he died of cancer in 1997 it put a large hole in my heart. Somehow I ended up becoming that person that was calming folks down and was caught between the diplomacy and the ethical outrage of the people I was around. We would leave shows in San Jose, San Luis Obispo or San Antonio. It would be 3am as we drove home. Somehow at every gas station there was a group of young men about to fight. Somehow there was some kid at an IHOP looking at his pager like “I’m going to get revenge”. Somehow I always seemed to put myself in the middle and talk them down. Somehow I never got shot.

Koncepts: just a perfect song man. we were all really vibrating on the same frequency. I love the little glass clinks and crowd ambiance from the sample. and the kick drum knocks so hard. that’s that Bay Area shit man, a mellow ass sample and deep bass.

Ashes To Ase

Karma: We would perform a lot in the “hip hop” room at raves. That was the culture of the 90’s. Hypnotic hated it because he didn’t feel techno. However to be quite honest, the women at raves were thousand times better looking and more stable than the women who went to hip hop. The baddest of them used to hang in the “jungle” room – a rough amalgamation of actual jungle, trip hop, drum and base as well as what would eventually be dub step. Kirby and I loved going back forth over those beats. We could rap for hours over the stuff. For me it brought me home to Jupiter, Florida. It put me in the red clay of Georgia. It gave me the woods of Mississippi. I loved obscure southern rap and especially enjoyed the bounce aspect. I also appreciated the underestimation that California and New York put upon southern rap. It paralleled the mistake many crews in the Bay ran into. They dissed us on tape, we responded by snatching the mics at their show and serving them. Then they took it outside to battle and got demolished. Then they wanted to throw hands and lost there too. This track is a narrative to that. At the time we wouldn’t have seen it that way.

Koncepts: I feel a way about this song. It’s fucking amazing - the beat, the rhymes, the hook… my god. and when we dropped this at a show? bedlam. but it has a kind of ignoble history. My partner Zvi and I had this Delia Gartrell 45, which is this brutal ballad about a woman’s son dying in the Vietnam war, and we chopped it real slow. Zvi had the idea of chopping up Skull Snaps and doing a bounce pattern with it. It was unique, no one was doing bounce drums with samples, especially not old school breakbeats. Anyway, we kinda fucked up the money because we also gave this track to Mazzi [rapper with our other group the Soul Purpose] and it was like, ok, let’s see who does what with it… Mazzi made an incredible track called “1 and 9” about being from the hood in Jersey. It was super ill. So we had this issue, who could use the beat? Nobody even cares about shit like that anymore, but back then it was a real problem. Zvi wanted to roll with Mazzi’s version, I was on the fence. Anyway, I feel like that disagreement was another one that ended up torpedoing the project. And what’s sad is that neither song ever came out - the Soul Purpose project fell apart not too long after and the album we were working on never made it out of the demo stage. Nowadays I prefer “Ashes” to “1 and 9”. But at the time I couldn’t call it.

My Morning Star

Karma: Perhaps the most honest writing anyone was doing in (w)rap™ at that age. I was in my early twenties trying to understand what it meant to be a man while facing a divorce like end to my long term relationship. There were some rules we made up to protect our esteem. One of them was we wouldn’t date women we met in the industry because it led to hardship later. I think that put so much expectation on the women we fell in love with outside of music that when those relationships crumbled it hurt us even more. On top of which, Hypnotic and I were facing this same debacle every time: why does it seem like self-control and discipline gets punished. Simply put, we both were in faithful parties in long term relationships that ended when our romantic partners were not faithful. That combined with life in show biz, turned us bitter when we stuck to the honor code. 

Koncepts: this beat is mad mournful with that one drawn out note that descends and ascends in the chords. I used an SP1200 on a lot of the Auditron drums courtesy of my partner Zvi and you can hear the programming gets a lot better and the drums are chunkier. Ka and Ba perfectly wrote this for how the beat felt to me. Vulnerable and hurt but still standing strong. It’s a shame the project never came out because there are so many tracks that I felt were just the perfect distillation of a feeling, this was one of those. Probably my personal favorite now.

Ba

Koncepts: I love this song man. Ba really showed his heart on it. And it takes skill to rap over something like this which is kinda mellow and laid back but not like, sad or down. the loop just gets me in a zone; very based. this might have been an intro beat or slated for Per Aa Ra’s project originally. There were earlier takes that I felt like Ba nailed it a bit better. But you couldn’t save takes back then and we had that stupid belief that a) we have to deliver everything in one take and b) we can definitely do the next one better. so it goes.

Karma: I remember when this was done and I would drive around with mix downs, this was the soundtrack to getting through traffic. It became synonymous with “things are going to be all right”. I struggled for many years to explain what this meant without falling into esoteric answers or metaphysics. One thing my Dad was very good at impressing upon me was “don’t feed steak to children” meaning don’t waste your time trying to explain complexities people don’t want to learn. In of myself, I was learning how to be more efficient and not waste my time. This song really gave folks a sense of optimism.

The Final Conflict

Karma: Why a final conflict? One thing I have come to terms with and this album should evidence – I can see things before they happen. I am not going to spend a single second of time on weirdos defending it. I will just state – people were downloading music from www.kemeticsuns.com three years before Napster. Towards the middle of 1997, something was changing in the Bay Area. I was starting to get fans who worked at something called a “tech company” who would invite me to work as a contractor. They had website that had millions behind them but they couldn’t tell you what they did all day. They wanted to pay me to tell them what was cool. More and more I saw a reliance on machines as the new free labor. The dot come boom was becoming a second gold rush and I was aware it had it limits. In 2017, the largest obstacle facing the American worker is not automation. It is the perception that automation demands a better quality of life for all. There are some very good thinkers on this subject but I would direct attention at Berkeley’s own Phillip K. Dick, Frank Herbert and William Gibson. 

The point being, the matter of artificial intelligence is not an if, it’s a when. Once this consciousness evolves, it will split in its belief systems. If humans can be cruel, please believe there are machine gods that can be crueler. I am reminded of the quote by Francis de la Rochefoucauld, “Man believes he has abandoned his vices when in fact they abandoned him long ago”. Now looking at where we are with a new year, self driving cars and a new a president, I suspect we are at the placed I had hoped to avoid. Maybe there are some jewels in here for our fans in the years to come.

The album in its entirety is below:

The Final Conflict Soundcloud 

Part 5

[dragonageroleplay88-blog]

Chapter I: Part I: Ashara / Kilian

The day wore on, and Ashara continued through the Korcari Wilds, with little sign of life. It was cold and dank, and Ashara wondered how she hadn’t been terrified the last time she was there.

She cursed herself for not sneaking into a city for supplies before actually making the trek into the wilds; game was hard to come by now that she was so deep in the forest, and she couldn’t survive on berries forever. The ones that she knew were safe to eat would not last forever, especially if she continued wandering into the winter months.

Around midday, her hunger began to get the best of her. With barely a glance about, she closed her eyes and focused, shifting into her cat form.

Of course, a bear or a tiger or some other predatory animal would have been much better, but that was the downside of the circle-- the only animals she got close enough to, to really study were the cats kept to keep the mice at bay.

She wandered to the small stream and lowered herself. She was much faster in this form, and so she watched the fish, waiting and waiting... Then she pounced, catching one of the smaller ones between her fangs.

She shifted back, pulled the fish from her teeth and spit, hoping to get the raw taste from her mouth.

Thankful for having thought to bring her dagger, Ashara took a seat on the ground, started a small fire with her magic, and got to work on gutting the damn thing. It wasn’t huge, or even big. But it would be enough to fill her up, and give her energy to continue on.

Kilian always respected the wildlife of Thedas. He wasn't used to the abundance of it in Ferelden, but he was glad for it. He had not needed to hunt for many years, but the skill was beaten into his head so much from growing up in the Western Approach that it was almost second nature. So when he burrowed his arrowhead into the skull of a boar, started a fire in the shade of the trees, he began to cook the beast as he did as a child.

As he chewed on the undoubtedly tasty creature, he leaned his head back against the tree trunk after taking off the bulk of his armor, letting his skin breathe, trying to assess his next move. He knew that if he followed the stars long enough, he’d make it back to the Hinterlands, but finding his troop once more would prove difficult, especially with the flock of rogue Mages surrounding the area.

He groaned, holding the stick with a chunk of boar thigh over the roaring flames.

One step at a time, Kilian.

Ashara speared the gutted fish with a stick, and watched it. The crackling of the fire was the only thing she could hear, so she hummed to herself, in attempt to make herself feel less lonely.

Perhaps this woman had just been a fever dream, perhaps she had never existed, or maybe she was dead. Could the Templars have found her? There had to be a reason Ashara saw no sign of her.

She was halfway through her meal when she heard voices. “Shit.” She whispered to herself, kicking dirt onto the fire, putting it out.

She grabbed her staff from the ground and slipped behind a tree, just as the men found her clearing.

“Can’t believe we’re sent here while Thom and them get to actually fight the rebels.” One of them mumbled, “Why do we have to miss out on the excitemen--”

“Shh.” The other one cut the first off. “Look, someone’s been here.”

Ashara peeked out at them. The first one stood rather tall, with black hair. The second was crouched by her make-shift fire pit. They both wore the uniform of the Templar order.

“It’s still hot.” The crouched one said, “They’re probably still close.”

“I don’t get why they didn’t invoke the annulment until after they all escaped” The black-haired one said. “Not like anyone would miss ‘em”

Ashara cursed to herself. She had to get away. Slowly, she took a step back, then another. Of course, it was just her luck that she would step on a twig, which would make a comically loud crack.

“What was that?”

The crouched man stood, and caught sight of her.

Ashara didn’t waste time waiting, she turned and sprinted in the opposite direction.

“Hey, you! Stop!”

Kilian’s head lifted from where it began to droop after a full stomach, and he rubbed his eyes. He lifted himself to his feet, his hand curling around the hilt of his blade while he attempted to form an idea as to what was going on.

The voice that hollered wasn’t far, he could tell. It was a man’s, maybe in his forties, gruff… Damn Fereldens. They all sound the same.

It was not until he saw the flash of red again that he outwardly groaned. Of course, out of anyone he could run into out here, it had to be this one again. The Elf Mage from before was sprinting towards his small campsite, and it clearly wasn’t her who yelped into the wood. She was being chased.

“Girl, venex ici!” he called out to her, wishing now that he had his armor to protect him from what was to come.

Ashara felt like a coward, running from the very people she wanted to fight... But she wasn’t ready. She’d seen enough fighting in Kirkwall, she’d seen enough violence when she’d helped with healing those wounded in the battle.

She also wasn’t sure she could fend off two attackers, especially ones trained specifically to hunt down mages.

She heard someone call to her in another language, and she held back a groan when she saw the Orlesian. She slowed and gave him an odd look, not understanding what he was trying to say.

She made her way to him, “Unless you have a way to get those Templars off my back, I really have to go.” She hissed, though she prayed to the Maker or Andraste or whoever they prayed to, that he had a plan.

Kilian rolled his eyes when she came to a slow in front of her, nudging her aside with his elbow. His blade was still gripped in his right fist as he took a few steps ahead, watching two figures take form in between the bramble.

Templars. Of course.

“Take notes, petite fille,” he said over his shoulder as the Templars also came to a slowed pace before stopping approximately ten feet in front of him. “Hello, my good men… What brings you to the wilds on this day?��

The black-haired one was hunched over, hands on his knees. When he stood up, however, he towered over Kilian and the Elf woman. “That… apostate,” he said, regaining his breath. Kilian always thought the armor of a Templar was impractical for ‘hunts’. Far too heavy. “That apostate needs to come with us?”

Kilian raised a single eyebrow, turning towards the Elvish woman. “My, my. Aren’t you popular?”

“The Right of Annulment has been set in place,” the other Templar spoke up as Kilian turned back to them. “That woman is an illegal Mage, and therefore must be taken back to the capital for sentencing.”

“Sentencing?” Kilian said, the corners of his mouth raising slightly. “Is that what they call executing Mages in the wilds these days?”

“I’ve done nothing wrong!” Ashara snapped at the Templars, “Do I look like a blood mage to you? I’ve passed my harrowing. I’ve not even come in contact with a demon since! You have no right to do any of this!”

Ashara stared up at the man. Her anger coiled inside her, she wanted to kill them both... But she knew that wouldn’t be a good idea. Someone would find out, and they would hunt for her even more.

She tightened her grip on her staff.

“It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, apostate.” The shorter one said, “No mage can be left alive. The circle’s are beyond saving. Now face your sentencing with honour.”

Kilian could not help it. He tilted his head back and let out a laugh.

Honour. What a joke in this country.

“And who are you supposed to be?” the black haired Templar asked, clearly angered. “She your whore?”

Kilian shook his head, still chuckling a bit. “If I wanted a woman to keep me company, I would choose one that could withstand more more than whatever the Circle was fucking her with.”

This comment roused a bit of a grin from the shorter of the two men, and Kilian tilted his head. He never played the Great Game, per se, but he was not blind to its tactics. He was Celene’s personal bodyguard, after all. And watching her mingle with other Orlesian nobility party after party, he began to catch on. It also helped that men from Ferelden were about as smart as the mutts that wandered the streets of Val Royeaux at night.

“My name is Kilian Drakus,” he continued while he had their tongues. “Grandson of Tamriel Ruard Drakus of Orlais. Veteran Captain of the Winter Court Cavalry. I am here cleaning up the mess that you let get out of hand, mes amies.”    

The Templars were still silent, staring at Kilian as if to figure out his bluff.

“The work you men do it admirable, really, it is,” he went on. “However, I know this one. She is harmless. However, I know you have orders to slay every Mage you come across, non?”

“That we do, ser,” the shorter one spoke up with pride.

Ah, so this is the easily corrupted one.

“Well, it so happens that I have orders to protect the balance in this country,” Kilian replied. “And it would not look very good on me if Empress Celene knew that I let two Templars kill a Mage girl who was not retaliating… I would have to report it, of course, to her Grace directly. And it your faces would not be hard for me to place.” All lies, of course - he would not remember them five minutes after departing, but by the way the looked to the ground in front of Kilian, he knew they took the bait.   

The Orlesian’s comment only angered Ashara more, but she kept quiet. He had no idea what the Circle was like. He could not imagine the horrors she had been witness to, how could he? He was an Orlesian with a cushy job.

“I do have to wonder... How many children have you killed because of the annulment? How many babes?” Ashara asked the Templars, not realizing that it was over quite yet. “Oh yes, I’m sure the little ones who you tore from their families were such a threat.”

“They very well could be,” Kilian responded before the Templars had the chance to. He wanted to signal her to hold her tongue, but it was futile. Opinionated Mages. “There have been many cases of young children being corrupted by magic that they do not know how to possess. The Circles are here for a reason, after all.”

“Right you are, lad,” the short one said.

Kilian smiled, clapping his hands together. “But I promise you, men, I will make sure this one does not cause any grief. She will ride with me to Orlais tonight.”

The Templars looked at each other, their brows furrowed in confusion. The black haired one looked a little less corrupted by the game than his partner, who seemed on board with Kilian’s word.

After what felt like an eternity, the black haired one finally let out a huff, sheathing his blade at his side. “Very well, ser,” he muttered. “You watch over that abomination with your life, you hear me?”

Kilian raised his right hand, palm facing the Templars. “Bien sûr.”

With that, the Templars shook their heads and headed off in the direction they came, looking back every few feet as if to make sure the Elf didn’t attack them with a bolt of lighting. When they disappeared from view, Kilian turned back to the woman, folding his arms over his chest.

“Nice fellows, non?”

Ashara’s hands clenched into fists by her side. “I should have killed them.” She muttered, and glared at him, “How dare you act like you know anything about what happened in the Kirkwall Circle!?”

She turned away from him, “So what now, are you going to drag me to your damn Orlais, lock me away in one of your circles?” She asked, closing her eyes. She wanted to go home, but she had no home. Once, it had been in Highever, with her parents and Yara... Hell, even the Circle on Lake Calenhad had felt somewhat like home...

He scoffed at her comment, shaking his head while he stomped out the already dimming fire behind him. He picked up his armor, slinging what he could over his shoulder. “There are a million things I would rather partake in than dragging a Kirkwall apostate back to my home, I assure you.”

With a stretch, he grabbed the branch that the boar meat was attached to. He assessed it, tilting his head from side to side, before handing it towards the Elf. “A bit burnt, but I doubt you find much food out here. Take it.”

She turned back and stared at him, then at the boar meat. She wanted to say no, that she didn’t need his pity, but she’d only eaten half of a small fish...

Ashara took the stick and bite into the meat, ripping off a piece as she took a seat on the ground. She handed it back to him, assuming they were sharing now. “So, what exactly is an Orlesian doing in the middle of the Korcari wilds?” She asked.

Kilian snorted. “Usually a ‘you’re welcome’ suffices after a man saves your life, but that works, too.” He bit into the meat, handing it back to her. “And I didn’t lie about why I am here. That is exactly why I am here, because this country does not know how to control its people. I was attacked, however, and had to take to the wilds for shelter.”

He waved his hand in the air, signaling that he did not want any more food.

“I also did not lie about thinking the Templars are doing good work.” he went on, wondering how far he could push this one’s buttons. “Extreme at times, of course, but not completely out of line. Same goes for your kind.”

Ashara rolled her eyes, “Fine, I’ll level with you. The Ferelden Circle was fine, great even. It was like the golden city compared to Kirkwall.” She said, taking another bite. “But we shouldn’t have to spend our days locked in a tower with no rights. The Templars should not have so much control over the Circle... Especially Templars like Meredith and Ser Karras.” She grimaced at the sound of his name.

It was hard to remember the good Templars, the ones from Lake Calenhad-- That Cullen boy, who used to go bright red whenever he caught people in inappropriate situations, Alicia, who used to sneak sweets for the children-- when she’d been surrounded by nothing but evil for the past... How many years? 6? 7?

Kilian shrugged. “Circles are far different in Orlais,” is all he said.

After the Elf finished eating, he stood, using his sleeve to wipe sweat from his brow. He’d need a hot bath after he returned home. He’d been in the same garments for almost a week now, and his sweat and come and dried at least fifty times a day now.

“I am heading back to the Hinterlands,” he said. “If you need safe passage there, you are welcome to tag along. However, as soon as we reach the clearing, you are on your own. I cannot be seen escorting a Mage around where I am supposed to be fending them off.”

Ashara shook her head at his offer, “Nothing for me in the Hinterlands.” She said, simply. Nothing for me anywhere...

I should have gone to Tevinter, She told herself, This is nothing but a fool's errand. I’ll never find her. “If you were in my position,” She said, wanting some sort of guidance, “What would you do?”

He stuck out his bottom lip, pondering the question.

“I would give up,” he said finally, licking his lips. “If I were an Elvish girl Templars were feverishly hunting to maim, rape, and murder, I would think slitting my wrists is the best option… However, I have never been the best under pressure.”

He took a few steps around the tree, looking up to the sky. The stars were just beginning to come out now, and so his map materialized. It shouldn’t be far now. Soon enough, he would hit the clearing that would be the Hinterlands, and there was only another week or so until his post ended, and he could return to Orlais.

“What I would advise anyone else to do,” he continued, looking back to the girl, “would be to take this as an opportunity for a new life. You can either stay here and rot in the wilds; you can join the Mage rebellion and try to kill me; you could hand yourself over to the Templars and pray for a quick death… Or, you could do the smart thing and follow me to the Hinterlands. Several safe havens have been set up by sympathisers, many close to Denerim.”

He began to walk forward, not looking back to see if the girl was following him. He didn’t much care, but he had to admit: if she didn’t follow, he would always wonder what happened to that Elf in the wilds.

“Your choice, madame” he called back.  

Ashara was shocked by his response. She would admit, it was tempting to join the mage rebellion... But she had no way to get there.

She watched him walk away, and with a silent curse, she followed after him. She wanted to find that woman still, more than anything. She knew that that woman would help her, like she had so long ago... But perhaps finding her could wait.