#or the abscene of one

[eversea143]

December

It's the 31st of December, 23:58pm. You're at your place with friends and family, happily celbrating the end of the year and the arrival of next year. The air is abuzz with festive music and people chattering away merrily.

You're talking animatly with your sort-of crush from college, having a good time. Because of size constraint and the sheer turn up of part goers, you had to move into the kitchen in order to still be audible over the general din of the full apartment.

You have a glass in hand, the flute kind, topped up with the best champagne you could afford. You'd felt a little aghast at the price when you went to buy it, but for the holidays you're never averse to splurge a little. You'll make do with some warm up meals for a little while. Perhaps a nice thing to aim at for next year: saving up money.

Anyways, you're perhaps a little buzzed. Not full-on drunk, as the (only) responsible person at the party you're not about to start downing beers like some of the other guys. A couple actually already tapped out, snoring away on your couch with empty cans scattered about the floor. You at least hope they'll remember to clean up after themselves tomorrow.

A loud cheer rises up and your head snaps up before focusing on the digital clock of the kitchen oven. You look towards your friend and she seems to agree with your on-the-spot plan.

You both start counting down with everyone else.

It was a rough year, all the ups and downs making it not particularily difficult or easy. You remember the good memories fondly whilst hoping for better times conserning the bad ones.

On your little flat screen TV (a gift from your father after he saw the big box that came with the place) there's a livestream of some kind of public event, the calls of hundreds of thousands of people joining yours as you reach the end.

You aim to raise your glass right as you hit 1.

Then you pass out.

...

You awaken on the kitchen floor, eyes groggy and mind clouded. You aren't sure why you're on the floor, your memories of what had happened haven't yet cleared up. With some difficulty you get up, noticing shattered glass next to you and the pool of, presumably your drink, around it.

Your friend is almost right next to you, blessedly without a broken glass so close to her face. She's still out, like many others you notice when you begin to look around. You're the first to wake up from whatever affliction caused everyone to pass out.

You aren't terribly worried or concerned, strange as it is there doesn't seem to be anything else wrong. No one's dead, as far as you can tell, which is even better.

You check the time, not about to let this strange event faze you. Classes don't start until after winter break, but you have a part-time job that is rather stern about working hours.

It's only 8:05am, there's plenty of time to wake everyone up and send them on home.

Just as you look away, your head snaps back when you realize what else the digital clock is displaying.

32/12.

That can't be right, you think, frowning at the date. Dismissing it as an error, weird as it seems, you start rousing people in the living room.

But something in you has doubt, that oven clock never had the time wrong before after all. Against your better judgement you check the calender you bought for the new year and had hung up yesterday afternoon.

You blink and stare in utter befuddlement at the first page of the calender.

December.

Starting from 32 and going on until 62. It doesn't even say what proper day of the week any of them are, although you remember it being a Sunday yesterday, which makes today a Monday.

You reach out and start going through the pages, at first hoping and then silently begging for it to be a prank. Every one is similar, the month of December and numbers going up and up into the hundreds and beyond.

You pause when a part of you realizes how many pages you're holding up. You must have gone through over a dozen by now.

When you try to get a look at how many pages this cursed calander has, you find to your shock that they're a blur. You can't see how many, your vision there literally blurs into nothingness!

With a desperation for answers you turn to the TV, hoping there's some kind of news report on right now or something. This can't actually be happening, there's no way-

When you turn on the TV, which for some reason had turned off somewhere during the night, you find only one channel available to watch. And it shows only one message.

'December is here to stay. This year will never end. The worst is yet to come.'

You swallow nervously, then proceed to freak out.

The rest of the worlds is soon to follow.

[fiapple]

do i like jason todd? yes, i think about him far too often.

do i think the section of his fan-base who posit storylines, narrative positioning, & other writing choices for him that either aren't present or are deeply mismanaged/inconsistent in-text, & which have already been canonically given to comic-women (while often also being better written) should at least try branching the scope of their reading out a bit? oh, jesus fucking christ, absolutley.

[writers-potion]

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚

The Aims of Nautical Fights

Sink the other ship

Methods: ram, set on fire, blow a hole in the hull

Typical Contexts: out-and-out warfare, especially in the ancient Mediterranean

Advantages: fast, no person-to-person fighting

Drawbacks: getting close eough to the other ship exposes own ship, mass murder of the crew, no chance to get their cargo and provisions.

2. Plunder the Other Ship

Methods: disable the ship - damage mast/oars and other methods of propulsion - board the ship, get cargo and kill the crew - sink ship.

Typical Contexts: piracy, privateering

Advantges: valuable cargo sold for profit, much-needed drinking water and food sustain own crew for a while longer, selected captives can be ransomed or sold as slaves.

Drawbacks: dangerous, need to get close enought to gain access to the ship, crew unlikely to surrender, ferocious combat which poses significant risk to own men.

3. Capture the Other Ship

Methods: Capture ship while causing minimal damage and keeping the crew alove - put own officers in charge - add enemy ship to own fleet or collect prize money from the government (the ship will get a new flad, renamed and refitted)

Typical contexts: 18th-19th C Europe (Regency period inclusive)

Advantages: minimal losses of life, humane, gaining a ship

Drawbacks: difficult to capture a ship iwhtou firs samaging it captains may take foolish risks in the hope of prize money, captive crew needs feeding, captive crew may munity.

Weapons

The ship's weapons:-

a ram at the bow - for driving into the hull of another ship. There's the danger of going down together if the ram gets stuck in the body of the other ship.

Artillery - hurling fire at enemy ships to bring them down.

Warships with carry canons.

The crew's weapons:-

Sailors will almost always carry multi-purposes knives which can turn quickly into weapons.

The swords used by marines were always slashing swords (for cutting, slashing, slicing, very sharp, with a lightly curving blade)

Cutlasses are most often associated with nautical combat.

Ship or Boat?

Consider the follow factors when differentiating between a ship and a boat:

the historical period (different periods have different definitions)

the vessel's size

vessel's weight (ships are heavier)

the purpose (fishing vessels, ferries and submarine are typically boats, regardless of size)

the number of masts (three or more masts is a ship)

the number of decks (with more than one deck, it's a ship)

the shape (flat bottom means its a boat)

where most activity takes place (if on deck - boat)

where the bessel travels (if on a river, probably a boat)

Avoid using the words "ship" and "boat interchangeably just to avoid repeating the same word. They are not synonyms!

Use words like vessel, ferry, schooner, the brigantine, cutter, crusier, etc.

Propulsion and Steering

A ship cannot stop, start, swerve and reverse rapidly like a car.

Wind power - high speed, enables long distances, doesn't require the vessel to carry fuel.

Can't move in the abscene of wind

Can't carry out speedy manoeuvres in a battle.

Felling the mast will cripple the entire ship.

Oars (rowing) - allow for greater manoeuvrability, rapid direction changes, and relaively quick starts and stops.

Doesn't achieve great speed and isn't suitable for long distances.

Steam - creates speed, doesn't depend on wind.

Requires carry coal, which limits the amount of cargo that the ship can carry.

Vessels felled with oil or nuclear power can travel faster and vaster distances.

However, they still can't stop, start, swerve and reverse as quickly as a car.

Space

The deck of a ship/boat is a limited space where fighters can fall overboard, climb up a mast, jump down, or leap onto another deck.

It may be full of obstacles: the masts, coiled rops, possible clutter, crates and barrels of cargo and provisions.

There may be livestock, chickens in cages and goats tethered to the mast, intended to provide fresh meat on the long voyage.

Atmosphere

A sea battle will have interesting sounds like roaring canons, crashing masts, splintering wood, panicked chickens, waves crashing against the hull, the wind whipping the sails, the splashing of men overboard.

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸

[theroguequeen]

here we are only one day until the final officially airs and even if we got like three daemyra since in total and it was a hard time but they are still absolutely everything. They were apart and separated but still there was this connection. The bond that's pulling on both of them just enough to always be reminded of the abscene of the one person that can calm the storm inside both of them. Feed the hunger and stop the restlessness just for a few moments. like rhaenyra coming home destroyed and broken after finding what was left of luke in a room filled with people waiting for but in the end it's daemon she goes to and he is there and it's just them and the unspoken words packed in a little head bump and a soft whisper. and before that we had daemon going absolutely insane about not knowing where she is, if she is safe, struggling with the thought of losing her too and struggling with the idea of going after aemond alone and then going into action immediately after rhaenyras words and ordering blood and cheese. it's fucked up. brutal. dark. but it's also daemons love language, no endless monologs but doing something. And he fucked up. Hurt her. Made her feel like she had even less control about the whole situation than she thought she had. And she bites back. Scratches. She hits him right where she wants to. At his most vulnerable spots. And she cuts him deeper than any blade ever could. And she knows it. And he knows it. Because they know each other like no one else does. And they understand each other like no one else can. And it's what makes their relationship so beautiful and meaningful and consuming. But it's also their ruin. And they fight. And daemon leaves. And rhaenyra has to stay. Alone. But he did not left before he had touched her face and tried to reconnect with her, to get through to her. And they are both so hurt. And angry. But the minute he leaves she is everywhere. Haunting him at every step he takes, her words echoing in his mind tearing down the wall he has build up all this years but this time there is no way they can hold because it was rhaenyra saying those words. And she is on her own again. Trying to get him out of her head but being reminded of him not only by almost every person around her but also by the empty side of their bed. He is gone. And it hurts. It hurts. It hurts. And that she is not able to shake this nasty feeling of makes her even more angry. As it always did. But they are both so stubborn and there is a war that needs to be faced. So they do it. Both in their own ways but both always aware of the absence of the missing person. They are alone. But at the same time they are still so connected even so they both try to act like they are not. And daemon is confronted with his own darkness. the guilt. the shame. the anger. And she is not there but at the same time she is. She always is. Always was. And rhaenyra is so tired of hearing his name because she can not get a hold of him. not now. And at the same time she wants to scream those words. Daemon. Daemon. Daemon. And deep down they both know they can't do it without each other. That even if they try in the end it's always them. He always was hers. And she always was his. And he can not force himself away from her and she can not stay away from him. It's I may be capable of doing this without you but I just don't want to. I need you.

"I want Rhaenyra."

"I need you, uncle."

[ronnieannroyals1]

Anyone else still thinking about how no one bothered to look for Alastor after the final fight, they put up pictures and saluted to Sir Pentious and all that, but nothing for Alastor!! Charlie looked so mortified when she saw Adam and assumed Alastor fell, but no one else did a single thing about his abscene till he showed back up and yhey hugged him almost like they cared?? but do they?? It hurts to think about tbh

[ladymorghul]

This episode was as bad of not even worse as the previous one.

Criston completely destroyed. He's their punching bag at this point. Rhaenyra is a saint. We got to see Caraxes, not Sunfyre and Dreamfyre on Jaehaerys' funeral. Oh, and the funeral was mostly anti Rhaenyra propaganda and even that didn't work out when the carriage was stuck. Travesty.

Alicole ending, again?! Day after her grandson's funeral.

Aemond scene, disgusting and annoying. Wtf was that? And why he barely has any screentime? Zero scenes with his family or his reaction to bnc, but this bs Ilis ok. I hate this f**king show.

couldn't have said it better, i thought the same thing. people were saying this episode was better but was it..........it had good things like aegon's grief and anger but even that was stumped by how they portrayed his later actions (ratcatchers scene vs rhaenys' dragonpit scene). helaena was also great but they're not giving her much right now. the abscene of dreamfyre was terrible, we are SICK of caraxes. for goodness sake ENOUGH

aemond being absent through the entire episode and not mentioning b&c or helaena was i n s a n e.

[looseleafteeaves]

Letting Go/Non-Attachment

This will be taking place in the Desert Speaker Universe. I have shown and explored alot of how Obi-wan is trapped by his past, and what has happened. I think I would like to now explore the parts of Omi that they cannot let go of. The people Omi has lost.

WARNING: GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF INJURIES. PLEASE SKIP IF THIS WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT YOU.

Omi wakes up screaming.

Tears-a waste of water- pouring down their face. The face of Kereth as sand tore flesh from bone, trapped in their mind's eye, haunting them even awake.

Around the room, the delicate sand sculptures Omi had begun to craft with the force were floating, vibrating and cracking.

Every single beautiful thing that they had created, fracturing and promising pain.

The first sob breaks past Omi's teeth, and the sound cracks through the air. Every glass sculpture in the room shatters.

Omi, leg throbbing with pain- they can't quite tell if it is phantom or real this morning- struggles to their feet and drags themself out towards the canyon wall, weeping as quietly as they can.

'Kereth... What am I doing here? You were so much brighter than I, born to the suns and promised to them to. I was born to darkness... How could I ever think that I would escape it?'

"Omai? Padawan what is-"

Omi whirls, and snaps "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I LOST HIM. I LOVED HIM. I LOst him."

Marrat Ben Kenobi's eyes widen, the gray blue sharpening.

"Padawan. I need you come here. Sit with me, we should meditate on this."

"Marrat... Marrat I can't. He was my only light for so long- I ran from my master expecting, no, hoping to die. I knew that my chip was in a spot that promised death if I didn't get help. That's why I went into the wastes. I couldn't- I still feel as though I can't make it without him. How do I continue to walk in the suns, in the light, when my light has died. When he, the one who could think positive, who looked as who he could help, who gave and gave, and never once asked for his own freedom, sacrificed his life for me?"

Ben's wrinkled faces is sad, aging before Omi's eyes. "Omai, have I taught you of the jedi code?"

Omi's anger bursts higher, the apparently unrelated topic change making them mad enough that they pushed themselves up in a single smooth motion.

"Omai, listen. This is important. Have I taught you it?"

"Unless you are referencing 'do or do not, there is no try,' no you haven't taught me that."

"Come. Sit. Let me teach the foundation of the jedi. We learn this throughout our walk with the force, growing from the simple meditation chant we are taught a crechelings."

Omai begrudgingly takes a seat out is the cold sands, two crescent moons framing a full one in the sky.

"The jedi code is a study in duality, in the abscene of absolutes. In the existence of contradictory ones. The force is not something to be quantified. But it is not un-quantifiable. Does this sound confusing yet?" Ben smiles, a mischievous twinkle in his eye

Omi, disgruntled and frustrated, just huffs.

"There is no emotion, there is peace.//There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.//There is no passion, there is serenity.//there is no chaos, there is harmony.//There is no death, there is the Force."

Omi looks up sharply, mouth opening.

"This is not the jedi claiming the ability to raise the dead. This is jedi, and how we expeariance the wonderful universe that connects everyone and everything, and where our loved ones are once they are gone. They are part of the great cosmic soup. We can't pick out every single person who has joined it, but we can reach out and feel thier impact on our lives. We can know that when we join the force, we can mingle and exist alongside them again."

"So, before you say anything to me about how the person you lost wasn't a jedi- I never said only jedi join the force. We believe that everyone, force sensitive, or force null, are connected. The Force is in everyone. So letting go isn't forgetting. It isn't betraying them. It isn't spitting on thier memory. It is entrusting your loved one to the force who has cradled and cared for you with the care of a dear one. But you must let go of the grief of your lost, or you are trapped searching for a way to bring them back, to tear them from the safety you have always relyed on. There is no death..."

Omi takes those words and breathes, fully examining them.

'There is no emotion, there is peace' But emotions are a part of existing...and peace is something we strive and wish for- peace from our gut reactions, peace in a crazy world, peace in the face of soul wrenching pain.

It's not a striving for no emotions, but a state of peace alongside them so that my heart does not rule when a cool head is more beneficial.

'There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.' Ignorance is actively choosing to not learn, to not change from the expeariances that you have. There is only the learning and knowing based off the things that occur.

I should not strive to remain the same, I should strive to continue to learn from everything I experience, and not ignore what is coming due to pain.

'There is no passion, there is serenity.' There is no passion, there is serenity. Passion is a dangerous state to be in. Crimes of passion are some of the worst that can occur.

When emotions hit a high point, I should actively step back and seek out serenity, or calmness so I can observe and respond responsibly.

'There is no chaos, there is harmony.' Chaos is a state where so much is happening, that there is too much. Everything is fractured and insane, like the state of being inside a sandstorm, There is nothing but trying to survive in chaos. Harmony is providing a balance or dichotomy to the chaos. I should strive to actively observe my environment , and move through it with the intention of providing balance.

'There is no death, there is the Force.' Death is part of life. There is nothing that encourages people to want to forever exist on the earth, for the balance of life is death so that the resources are returned to the cycle. There is only to eternally connecting concept of the Force, which is life, death, and everything in between. Dying does not separate you from the world, for death is part of life, is part of the force.

"There is the force." Omi breathes more, tears slowing. "I have not lost Kereth, I have only lost his physical presence beside me. I have the Force, and Kereth is part of the force."

"Yes, precisly, my dear padawan. So, we let them go. We entrust thier luminous forms to the force who cares for us. Can you entrust Kereth to the Force, Omi?"

"I must, Marrat. Chaining Kereth here is a far worse fate for him to entrusting him to bright light that encompasses the universe I will not be seperated from him forever- I will not be lost to death, but returned to the force."

"Very good, Omi. That is the root of non-attachment. We release the people we love to the force- alive or dead."

"And we follow the force to new people who need us."

"Precisely."

[edgedgreatness]

ims are now open, i have made all my sideblogs be attached to one main blog drummerdaines thought you can als contact me on d!scord at localsatan - and i will hopefully gain muse back, sorry for the abscenes from these blogs

[kiaslana]

What is there to say? Should anything be said at all?

Murata Himeko wouldn't hesitate in the light of this opportunity. In this blessing of a reunion; to see the chance through, to see what she has become in abscene, to see give her a smile and express how even now her pride is an ever glowing flame

Yet, Himeko Murata should walk away. It is her very feet that betray, clicking heels and graceful strides that bring her to stand beside her and not meet her face. That young girl that is no longer so young is not hers to claim with any degree of pride, just as the autonomy of the woman that had paved the first steps for her in blood and flames.

'Those threestars have concluded their journey.' It is not for her to change that notion because of the woman that had gently banyered otherwise.

The emanator turns one heel, ember eyes turn from one singular shared moment to behind her where their paths undoubtly stray. Her intentions to leave all but clear yet she is not so cruel to not give that one gentle push as she does with all things.

It'll be enough, it has to be. Himeko does not need to ask her name, this will be their first and perhaps last meeting.

"You've travelled a long way. You should be proud of yourself for that.... Kiana."

There is little that makes sense within the universe she has found herself in ; Welt had tried his best to explain their situation , to catch up the Herrscher ( could she still be called that here ? ) on his time spent with the Astral Express .

Of course , such briefing would not be complete without preparing her for Miss Himeko : the scientist . The navigator . Kiana had listened intently to every detail Welt had shared , mentally noting the differences to remind herself this is not her Aunt Himeko .

No matter how she talked herself through it , prepared herself anxiously for their meeting ... the knots in her stomach failed to settle . It is difficult to remain composed when remembering Himeko — even now , while resting to recover from ... whatever happened , memories of Murata Himeko's final moments left eyes stinging with tears when she woke .

Kiana rises from the bed Welt had prepared for her , taking a long drink of water in hopes of calming her fluttering nerves once more . Her attention falls on Pom - Pom , sweeping away at a spot they had seemingly never left .

Her figure grows stiff the moment she feels Himeko's presence . She does not need to look — even if they are not the same , the scent of coffee does not manage to mask the familiar scent of rose petals .

Inhale . Exhale . Another breath to steady herself , calming Kiana just enough to allow her to face the woman when she begins to speak .

' Thank you , M - Miss Himeko ... ' She rises suddenly , tossing aside her blanket to offer a polite bow in greeting . ' And then she hears her name . A name that , once , was not her own , given meaning only by the connections she had made back home . Her eyes begin to burn , but she manages a smile .

' ... Did Mister Welt tell you about me ? ' She suddenly continues quickly , as if hoping to hide her sorrows . ' Eheh , thank you for helping to take care of me while I was out ... ! And ... thank you again for what you said before . It means a lot to me . '

While she may not be her Aunt Himeko , nothing would sway Kiana's interest in spending time together . To her surprise , she quickly finds herself comfortable , no longer worried emotions may threaten to ruin this moment . In a way , Miss Himeko lives on in this Trailblazer . That brings her joy . No matter what , Himeko's flame still burns brightly ... if a little distant from their home .

[collaredcanines]

[thenumberedloversofdukeellington]

Hark! Good News!

Sorry for my extended abscene but this year has been a whole hot mess of personal, familial, and financial issues.

I do come bearing Good News though...

MOMS FOR LIBERTY ARE LOSING THEIR SCHOOL BOARD POSITIONS LIKE CRAZY.

According to NPR, they're losing elections in Iowa, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Per the progressive institutional newsletter Mother Jones, they also lost key seats to Democrats in North Carolina and Minnesota.

That's not to say that the quasi-facist organization still isn't weilding power, and that the "parental rights" movement isn't quickly careening into a re-do of the 1980s Satanic Panic. Rural Anderson County, SC, a county where 15.8% of individuals live below the Federal poverty line and most do not have a Bachleor's degree, is currently holding a school board meeting to discuss firing certain school individuals. This frenzy comes after State Rep. Thomas Beach (R-10) posted an open letter to his Facebook page that Anderson District One librarians and teachers are grooming students, and hiding pornographic materials - a serious allegation that lacks substance, but nevertheless is being treated seriously.

At a time when college enrollment has been declining and the teacher shortage is so severe that certain South Carolina students are relying on online coursework, Carolinians need to keep focused. Vote. Not just in your school board elections, but in local, county, and state elections. The choice is clear: Robust literacy programs and quality educators, or shuttered libraries and asynchronous online learning?

[batllethinker]

Angsty Wandanat where Wanda is growing tired of Nats emotional abscene, her tenseness when they cuddled, how she would rather run for a hundred miles before being honest about her emotions.

So Wanda just gives up, it's a few months into their relationship when Wanda finally ends it with a simple "I can't be the only one carrying our emotions, I can't be alone like this anymore" because it's somehow worse feeling all alone when you have the person you love most next to you.

Nat barely reacts when Wanda is practically screaming at her, revealing everything she's been feeling for the last few months but Natashas' complete ignorance was honestly the last drop.

It isn't until Wanda leaves that Natasha allows herself to break down, realizing all that she's lost but also knowing that she could never give Wanda what she needed.

[sergeantsporks]

I also imagine Cherry is not taking Jason's abscene well, either. Like, we know Cherry cares about Hunter, but he doesn't really know Hunter either. For all intents and purposes, emotionally, Jason is his baby brother. You've stated before they have a special bond, Cherry and Jason. What's going on with Jason is stressing him out even more.

Oh, for SURE. He shut Phoenix down when he started talking about it because he doesn't want Phoenix to feel bad/worthless, but he is ABSOLUTELY missing Jason. Poor guy is going through it right now. Especially since he was one of the grims who went to the DoU. He DEFINITELY wishes he'd been there with them inside the head.

[writingfanficsfan]

I'm home sick with the flu this week. It started on Monday morning with just a bit of a painful throat and a bit of a cough but by Tuesday morning I had a fever and all the rest of the fun stuff that comes with flu.

This week has made me realise how we are just not allowed to rest in this world, in this society.

I have two doctors, they work together in the same building and, since I didn't hear from my female doctor (the one I prefer), I contacted my other doctor. He has know me for over I think 20 years now. So you'd think he would know me by now and also know that I don't contact him unless I am really sick.

Still, he only gave me one day off work for my flu. ONE DAY. For flu.

Mind you, I work in health care, I work wih elderly people with dementia. There is 99% chance I got the flu at work... But yet, somehow, my doctor, who has know me for so many years, knows I work in health care and knows I never take advanatge of being sick, only gave me one day to rest and get better from flu?!

It just baffles my mind and makes me angry.

How have we come to this place were we can't even get a week off from work to recover from flu?!

It's only today, Friday, that I have woken up and not have a fever. And yet, somehow, I was suppose to go back to work on Thursday?!

Thank god my female doctor got in touch with me and had more common sense so she have me leave of abscene for the whole week. (Also, my own boss said I better not come back to work this week).

It's just weird. Having to almost beg for a week off because I have the flu. We all know flu only goes away with rest and drinking enough water and maybe a paracetamol now and then. And yet my doctor made me feel like a weak person, a person who takes advantage of 'the system' because one day of rest wasn't enough.

Then experts and bosses wonder why so many people are home with burn out or depression or just chronic illness. What do you expect? When you don't even give people a week off when they have a fever, when they are sick, when they can't even stand up for 10 minutes without feeling dead tired.

Seriously, this whole sociaty needs to chance so much and I don't think it will but damn, it does make me realise that I need to look out for myself because the outside world certainly won't.

[whitleyschn33]

RWBY Volume 9 Episode 3 Liveblog Thoughts

I know I didn’t do episode 2, but there wasn’t really anything about it that caught my attention enough to make a post about - save 2 things, but those are better left to their own posts.

I’ve just finally gotten home from work, had dinner, and washed up, so I’m feeling very sleepy. If I miss something you think is worth being commented on or further discussed, let me know!

- “The Red King helped Alyx” I saw KitKat say this earlier, and it’s something that’s been in the back of my mind for a while as well - I wish we knew the story of The Girl Who Fell Through the World ourselves rather than having elements of it introduced basically right before they happen. I know working in another campfire storytime without being boring would be difficult (actually, side note, notice that we haven’t seen night here yet? No moon...), but I feel like something could have been worked out. A scene where the girls talk about the versions of the story that they grew up with (since myths and fairy tales often have multiple versions), arguing about the details and giving us as the audience a clearer understand of how the full story goes and how each kingdom/family of RWBY interprets and tells the story. Would have been nice to know this story from more than a couple lines in volume 8 (that I had to be reminded of existing) before we start living it.

-I got to give props to the sound design on the Prince so far, I really like the clinking noises as he moves, really helping sell that he’s a living puppet.

-Uhhhh, insulting the guy you’re expecting to help you probably isn’t a great idea, even if he is a brat.

- “The king would still be here if it wasn’t for your kind” - so the guards do recognize human beings. Did Alyx kill the Red King? (Insert Wreck it Ralph “Things are finally getting interesting around here” screencap)

-Weiss being this overly expressive in her poses still isn’t funny, please stop.

-I’m really digging the score, very fun and bouncy.

-”How could you” best voice work I’ve heard from Lindsey in a while, very nice~ Also, uh, kinda to be expected, Ruby. If someone’s entire gimmick is the color red, makes sense green isn’t their thing.

-Well uh... that’s kinda dark, but... they’re toys. Can they even die like that? I was half expecting their heads to roll out and still be talking to each other.

-Not sure I’d be too eager to play games with someone that just said they found beheadings fun.

-I feel like the butterfly must be connected to either Alyx or the shadow boy in the painting.

-Soldier coughing up sawdust - not funny, but a nice touch

-Ruby, do not play a game you don’t know how to play, you are going to lose bad

-Okay, really liking the score, I’m very glad that it’s back after a noticeable abscene.

-Also, was this just... not in the story? Did Alyx not play checkers/chess with the King? Chess is a pretty big deal in Through the Looking Glass, so I would’ve assumed it would be part of Alyx’s story as well. Guess the Red Prince is more sadistic.

-Okay, this is Risk, not Checkers.

-Uhhh, the rules were to move a pawn one space each turn - why does Weiss charge ahead multiple spaces? Also, what constitutes a turn if Ruby is allowed to move 5 pawns in a row?

-Annnnnd Weiss hasn’t moved from her starting spot on the board.

-So “turns” are just whenever the Prince thinks the turns are. Fair enough, this is Not-Wonderland.

-Ruby, I wouldn’t be so cavalier about your species. We don’t know Alyx’s story that well, but we do know she started a war and “lied and cheated her way” through Ever After, so it’s not likely that the people would have a good impression of her or anyone like her.

- “You’re humans! You must have cheated!” Yep, something tells me if Alyx played a game, she cheated her way through it.

- And there’s our cat

- I like the cracks. Nothing else, just a sucker for it.

- Also, really digging the song. I’m going to actually look forward to hearing the full version.

- OH MY GOD, SOMEONE FINALLY RUN OUT OF AMMUNITION. Have we ever seen this happen in RWBY before? 

- It’s nice to finally get some action. Not the best choreography, and some of the stunts have me cringing, but I appreciate the show of actually teamwork in the fights, combining semblances.

- I like the cat’s voice - still don’t like his design, even if I can appreciate it as meant to resemble a “texture not found” effect (I hope that’s what they were going for anyway, cause otherwise yikes), but I appreciate the smooth talking, soothing the prince to get his way. 

- “The one thing you were put on this acre to do” Oh?

- “They might not come back” - implying that the soldiers do.

- Ohhhh, slick line from the cat~

- “We’re in it’s stupid sequel” - Weiss is honestly a mood. I would enjoy her attitude towards this a lot more without the attempts at comedy, as this is the first time I’ve smiled at one of these lines.

- I, uh, really hate these “Blake exposits the plot of TGWFTTW (i got tired of typing it out) to the team”, because this is something the girls *should* know. Even people that haven’t read or watched any adaptations of Alice in Wonderland know the Cheshire Cat, and I know they’ve mentioned him in the last episode, so all four of the girls should instantly realize who this must be, and anyone watching the show would know what this is meant to parallel. Otherwise, what was the point of making TGWFTTW a story that all the girls knew? If you were going to have Blake explain everything anyway, why not make it a more obscure story? Maybe even a fairy tale among the Faunus specifically?

-And there’s our dear Neo. Odd that she fell so long after the others when we saw her falling with Ruby, but whatever, they’ve already lampshaded that.

-A one woman army now. Not sure how this is a progression of her semblance, but it does make me think that all the figures we see behind her in the opening are just clones she’s made, which I am far happier with than the idea of even more characters to keep track of and worry about this volume.

Overall? I actually enjoyed this episode - some fun action, good music and score. While some of the lines are cringe and none of the comedy really lands like it’s supposed to (I have no idea why they’re writing Weiss as though she’s RWBY Chibi Weiss, but it’s annoying, please stop), but I’ll take it. Definitely the most I’ve enjoyed an episode since Dark.

[da-millerrrrr]

"Papa!" Elena beamed.

Every ounce of rage within Osvald disappeared. His flames extinguished. The room dropped in tempurature at the abscene of a fire burning on five years of hatred.

"Elena," he breathed, "it's me. I-I-I'm so sorry I took so long."

He fell to his knees, arms outstretched and ready to hug Elena as tight as he could.

The tips of her hair and horn weren't black as they once were. It was amazing she could control her anger around Harvey. Perhaps he'd hurt her, forced her to be that way... It didn't matter right now. He could always ask her when they were safe.

Elena walked which turned to a run. She passed Osvald, instead running to Harvey.

"What experiments did you do, papa?" she asked.

Why did she call him that? Why did she smile at the sight of him? Why did she care for him?

"Nothing today, I was just catching up with an old friend," he smiled.

Elena turned to look at Osvald. For the briefest moment, her eyes met his. They were hazy with unfamiliarity. Bright with curiosity.

What did he do to her?

Her face distorted at the sight of his horn and hair. Even for fire resistant kirin hair, his looked half burnt. Strands flew in every direction and refused to behave no matter how much he brushed it.

"His hair is burnt," she muttered.

"Yes, he's crazy. We should leave now, lest he hurt us," Harvey said.

"Of course."

She took her "papa's" hand and walked out of the laboratory with a smile.

All of Osvald's friends had stayed silent. They did not want to interfere in his personal ordeal. But Castti stepped forward, placing a careful hand on his shoulder.

"You should rest. Let's all go back to the inn," she whispered.

For several moments, his voice failed him. All that came out was a choked sob. His tears wetted with cheeks as he felt that fiery rage return.

"Go without me, I want to be alone."

Castti wanted to argue, but she knew him. And she had just watched everything be taken from him. She made for the exit, gesturing for the rest of the group to leave with her.

When their footsteps became too faint to hear, it all came pouring out. His body was set ablaze as he sobbed. His little girl was alive and in the care of Harvey. She didn't know him. Not a single hint of recognition as she looked in his eyes.

"Oh gods, why would he do this!?" Osvald muttered as he made a mess of the room.

He scattered papers across the floor, burning every working surface and chymera he could get his hands on. Nearly everything had been turned to ash.

As he set the final notebook on fire, he fell to the ground. He just wanted to hold Elena. To see her smile, teach her math, watch her explain simple addition, hold her when she cried and laugh with her.

Far too late did he hear a creak. A support beam fell to the ground with a loud crack. An idea struck him.

He set every support beam on fire, watching as they collapsed one by one. Parts of the ceiling gave out without the extra support. Faintly, he heard screams from the floors above. He set the entire city ablaze. Anything to make his emotions bearable.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME PIE