#tactical pants 2024

[safetyall]

CQR Men's Flex Ripstop Tactical Pants, Water Resistant Stretch Cargo Pants, Lightweight EDC Hiking Work Pants

#WaterResistantPants #StretchCargoPants

#OutdoorApparel

#AdventureReady

#FunctionalFashion

#VersatileWear

#ComfortInMotion

#DurableDesign

#TravelEssentials

#StylishUtility

[arieslost]

you have pushed me to ask so here I go

I present my idea of motorcyclist!oscar and his gf who is afraid of motorcycles. He convinces her to try it onc3 and BOOM hands around him holding on the dear life.

I want to hold on to him

I can't stop thinking about that tiktok

here's a ss I took from the tiktok edit

what a yummy man

the entire time i wrote this i kept coming back to look at this picture because oh my goodness gracious. i hope this lives up to ur expectations <33 definitely wanna write more biker!osc after this

© arieslost 2024. DO NOT REPOST WITHOUT PERMISSION.

hold on tight | op81

“Just one time?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No way.”

“Do you even love me at all?” Oscar asks dramatically, jutting his lower lip out for extra effect. 

“That’s not going to work on me, Piastri.” You shake your head vehemently. “I refuse to get on that death machine. It’s bad enough that you ride it all the time.”

“Come onnnn,” he whines, tugging you up off of the bed and into his arms. 

The two of you look like polar opposites— him with his leather jacket and riding gloves still on, smelling faintly of exhaust, and you in plaid pajama pants and one of his worn out t-shirts. You suppose that’s what makes your relationship work so well, opposites attract and whatever. All relationships take compromise though, and this is one “compromise” that, thus far, you’ve refused to make. 

In your eyes, it’s not a compromise. But Oscar has been asking you to be his “backpack” practically since the two of you met. 

“What do I have to do to convince you?” He’s asking, pressing a chaste kiss to your forehead. 

“Hmm, nothing.” You smile up at him, and it fades just as fast when you see the excitement in his eyes. “Because it’s never going to happen. I like being alive, thank you very much.”

“Baby, you know you’ll be safe with me. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.” He says sincerely, his pleading tone now gone. “I’ve been riding my entire life. I did all the crashing before I got my license. Haven’t crashed since.”

“Yeah, that makes me feel better.” You mutter, hiding your face in his chest so he can’t see your resolve slowly starting to crumble. 

“It would be so fun,” he continues, arms tightening around your frame as he starts to sway you both side to side a little. “All you’d have to do is hold on to me. I’ll do all the work. You trust me, don’t you?” 

“With all things except the death machine,” you say, voice muffled by the material of his jacket. 

“I love you, but I’m gonna need you to stop calling her ‘the death machine,’ honey.”

“Her?” You look up at him, affronted. “I’m definitely not doing it now. Wouldn’t want to get between you and the other woman in your life.” 

Oscar laughs. His laugh has always been more of a giggle around you, which is such a contrast to his outward appearance that it never fails to make you melt. 

“You’re the only woman for me, which is why you’re the only woman I’ve ever asked to be my backpack.” He says. 

“Don’t try to butter me up with the whole backpack thing again.” You roll your eyes and try to pull away from him, but he somehow manages to twirl you and bring you right back into him. 

“It’s not me buttering you up, I’m just telling the truth. Come on, baby.” he leans in and gives you a long kiss that leaves your head spinning a little. “One time. And if you don’t like it, I promise I won’t ask again.” 

You let out a frustrated groan, because he has to know that he’s won at this point. That kiss was nothing but tactical. “Fine. Fine. But you can’t just kiss me like that every time you want something from me, it’s unfair.” 

“Yes, yes!” He squeezes you into him, kissing the top of your head over and over. “You won’t regret this.”

“I already am a little bit.” You grumble. 

That’s how you find yourself standing on the sidewalk with Oscar in front of you adjusting a helmet on your head. 

“This is making me claustrophobic,” you complain as he flips the visor up so he can see your face. 

“I’m just making sure you’re safe, baby.” When you furrow your eyebrows, he sighs and drops his hands to his sides. “If you really don’t want to do this, you don’t have to, okay?”

This makes you relent a little bit. “Osc, I’m sorry. I’m just scared. I don’t like motorcycles, like, at all.” You smile as best you can with the helmet on, hoping it goes to your eyes so he can see it. “I want to do this. You just… you really have to help me.” 

He nods, the tension in his shoulders dissipating. “Of course, honey. C’mon.”

He takes your hand and leads you over to his motorcycle. While you’re terrified just looking at it, you can’t deny that it’s absolutely beautiful. Streamlined and sleek, like he literally just bought it, even though you know he’d already had it for a year when you first met him. 

He looks almost the same as he did when you first met— all black getup, signature leather jacket, riding gloves, and of course, his strangely colorful helmet that doesn’t match the rest of him. His hair was long when you met him, and you still remember being absolutely starstruck when you saw his face for the first time. It had felt like everything went into slow motion when he took his helmet off, pushed his hair back, and instantly made eye contact with you from where you were just exiting the bookstore. 

Needless to say, you were done for. And now here you are, a year later, letting him help you onto the death machine. 

He never said you had to stop calling it (sorry, her) that if you were thinking it to yourself. 

“You okay? Comfy?” Oscar asks, reaching to adjust your helmet one more time. 

“Yup. Mhmm. Totally.” You nod, not even trying to sound convincing considering your heart is in your throat and he hasn’t even started the engine yet. 

“Great,” he kisses the top of your helmet and smiles at you cutely before climbing onto the bike so he’s seated in front of you. “Just hold on tight, okay baby? Like this.” 

He reaches behind him, grabbing your hands that had been anxiously scratching at the material of your jeans and pulling you forward so your arms are wrapped around his waist. He doesn’t have to say anything else– you’re quick to tighten your hold around him, fingers clutching at the material of his open jacket. You immediately feel your anxieties begin to dissipate as soon as you’re holding onto him, and you shift your whole body forward on the seat so your front is pressed as close as it can be to his back. When he lets out a quiet grunt, you release your grip a little. 

“I’m sorry! Am I holding you too tight?” “No, no,” he huffs out a laugh, patting your thigh. “Do whatever you need to do. Just warn me if you’re planning to suffocate me at all.”

“Listen, Piastri–” you begin, and he cuts you off by twisting around to look at you.

“Okay, I get it, I’m sorry.” He’s giggling now, and you let go of him to smack his helmet. “I’m done, I promise. As long as you feel safe, honey.”

“Come on, let’s go before I chicken out.” You say, quickly reassuming your hold.

It’s times like these where you appreciate just how buff your boyfriend is. He has something of a sleeper build, so one quick glance at him wouldn’t really reveal much, but when you’re pressed up against him like this, you can feel the muscles in his back and shoulders and his abs through his shirt when your hand slips past his jacket. He’s warm and solid against you, and that in itself is comforting enough that you don’t go flying off the seat when he starts up the engine and you instantly feel your whole body start to vibrate from the force of it.

“I’ll check in with you, okay?” He says over the loud rumbling. “Hit me in the head or something and I’ll pull over. Sound good?” Having him to hold on to is nice, but your throat is still dry thinking about all the dastardly possibilities that could occur when the bike starts moving, so you have to swallow a couple times in order for him to hear you over the engine. “Yeah, sounds good.”

Your heart falls out of your ass and lands on the pavement when he pulls out onto the road, the engine roaring as he accelerates. 

“God, please spare me,” you say out loud, grateful that Oscar can’t hear you over the engine. 

As soon as he gets onto the freeway, that’s when you realize just how much fun you’ve been missing out on.

It’s never been a secret to you that Oscar loves going fast. There have been plenty of occasions where you’ll drive somewhere, do whatever it is you have planned, and then you’ll turn to him and ask if he wants to drive home just to give him some peace of mind knowing that the journey back will be cut down by a few minutes at least. Being in the car is fun enough, but being on the back of his motorcycle is different.

You thought you’d be more scared. You’re terrified, sure, but even though you can feel the wind whipping against your clothes and you’re flying past cars on either side of the freeway, you’re holding on to Oscar, and you could easily do that forever. You’re quickly warming up to the concept of being his backpack, and you can feel yourself relaxing your death grip around him. This is actually kind of fun. Okay, really fun. You actually can’t believe you were so adamantly refusing to do this this whole time. 

Every so often, he reaches back with one hand and rubs your thigh, or holds one of your hands that is now tucked comfortably into his jacket pocket. You thought you’d be freaking out about him taking a hand off the handlebars, but he exudes confidence on the bike, and he never wavers no matter what he’s doing with his hands. 

He doesn’t go very far; the whole ride lasts maybe 20 minutes, but it feels like half that with how quick the bike is. Your arms ache from all the muscles in them working the whole time, and when he helps you off the back of the bike your legs feel like jello.

“How was it?” He asks, helping you pull the bulky helmet off your head. 

Your hair falls in your face and he brushes it away for you before you can even lift your hands. He cups your cheeks, a small smile on his face as he admires you.

“We are definitely doing that again.” 

His smile grows, and he places a sweet, adoring kiss on your lips. “I knew I finally found my backpack.” 

word count: 1,787

masterlist — join my tag list here!

note: writing this has me thinking up a whole biker au for multiple drivers... thank you for this gold mine of a request <33

requests are OPEN, and my inbox is always open for comments, criticism, and conversation! feel free to pop in!

reblogs are always appreciated <33

dividers by @/saradika

tags: @venusacrossthestars @67-angelofthelordme-67 @emails-i-can-send @nelly187 @cixrosie @fangirl-dot-com @sainzluvrr @imheretoread @mellowarcadefun @yourbane @monsieurbacteria6 @c-losur3 @papayatori @ssprayberrythings @namgification @maih23 @evlkking @witchycarmen @ilovethispookie @maxverstappenfan79 @sya-skies @sweatrevenge5436-blog @kimis-gloves @mia-rrrs @decafmickey @customsbyjcg-blog @bigheartsthings

[luminalunii97]

Update on the Iranian university student, Ahou Daryaei:

Tw: violence, misogyny

[Tweet made by Iranian journalist/human rights activist, Masih Alinejad (Nov 3, 2024):

Breaking: The authorities in Iran are now claiming that a young woman, who courageously removed her clothes in protest against harassment by the morality, police at her university, suffers from psychological illness and has been admitted to a mental health hospital.

This accusation of mental instability is a familiar tactic by the Islamic Republic. In 2014, when I launched the My Stealthy Freedom campaign against compulsory hijab, the regime used similar lies against me, claiming I had a mental breakdown, undressed myself on the London subway and was raped by three men.

This is how they attempt to undermine those who resist their oppression.

I believe her life is now in serious danger. I urge international media, human rights organizations, and the international community to see through these lies and support her before is too late.

Stand up for Iranian women who have had enough of this regime’s gender apartheid.

This woman has been forcibly hospitalized under psychiatric supervision—marking the start of torture and, soon after, the cycle of forced confessions.

One student who witnessed the entire incident says:

“On Saturday, November 2, we saw the university’s security and Basij forces trying to forcibly drag a female student into the security room, under the pretext of her not wearing a proper hijab. She resisted, and in the struggle, her hoodie was pulled off, leaving her with only her undergarments underneath. Shocked, the security officers let her go, after which, in a moment of rage, she removed her pants and threw them at the officers.”

This eyewitness account directly contradicts the regime’s narrative and shows the extent of brutality Iranian women face for the most basic acts of defiance.

Let’s be her voice. /End of tweet]

Women being labled "witches", "hysterical", "mentally unstable" and "psychotic" by repressive men in charge any time they dare to stand up for themselves, in defiance of injustice and inequality, is an old tale in patriarchy book. Risking your safety and life in protest against a regime that is known for femicide is an act of incredible bravery #woman life freedom

[catiuskaa]

just hold on, darling.

SUMMARY: there’s a will and a way when waiting for him to log off work seems a lot… just hold on, darling.

WC: 0.7k

CW: lowercase, explicit and suggestive. thigh riding!

REQ! by anonnie right here. pookie, there was no question, and yet this was the correct fucking answer. ult taste, 10/10. slay.

[🎀 ★ ⛓️ ★ 🎀]

“just hold on, darling,” he says again, pressing on his glasses once more, still sat in front of the laptop.

you roll your eyes, because he’s been saying the same thing for the past ten minutes. and it had all been a-ok during the rest of the day, a lucky one, that is, because after the last photoshoot of today’s schedule, he had been allowed to take the outfit back home.

the typing noise he’s making, along with how he pushes the bridge of his thick black glasses back does not match the biker vibes he has going on. the idea had been to take it off once you both arrived home, but it had taken a mere phone call for him to make a beeline to his computer to deal with whatever he had been told to.

and there he was.

typing.

“so unfair.” you pout, exaggerating a frown. he snickers, not adding further comments.

“why are you in such a hurry, bubs?” he finally says something different, even if his eyes can’t seem to leave the screen.

a blush threatens to creep up from your neck, but there was no trace of shame or bashfulness when you sigh, crossing your arms over your chest.

“you kept winking and smirking while you were taking your photos.” you shrug, as if the thought is just that simple to you.

and it is. changbin is hot. very hot.

there are no further comments required.

his sheepish chuckle makes you roll your eyes again. “what do you mean?” he smiles. “i was just taking the photos, darling.”

the audacity to tease you on and on and then not doing anything about it makes heat pool in your belly. what the fuck is he playing?

you make your way towards him from the doorframe, separating the chair from the table, your hand grabbing the back of his chair, forcing him to look at you.

the way changbin finally looks at you shoots up the tension in the room, his chocolate-colored eyes turning darker as they travel along the seams of the new lingerie you’re wearing.

“what’s this?” he smirks, but you quickly shoo his hands away, a sly grin discernible in your features.

he bites his lip when you sit on his lap. “that depends,” you grin cheekily. his hand travels to your neck, and he hums when you let him, settling yours over his.

“i need to finish this,” he says, but his hands move you to sit over his thigh.

“i want to finish too,” you tease, kissing his cheeks, the corner of his lips, his neck. his sighs and grunts make you snicker, knowing that your convincements tactics are working.

but then, he bites his lip. “finish, then.” his hand finds home on your hip. you blink, certainly interested in what he has to say.

“if you can do as i say and finish right here on my thigh, maybe i won’t be as mean as you are being right now,” he faked annoyance, much to your amusement. “looking so edible when i need to work… what a tease, bubs.”

you bite your lip. “you mean it?”

he grins, kissing your collarbone. “of course. just hold on, mmh?” he teases, his hand on your hip lowering to your butt. “hold on to me.”

the way he fails to go back to his work makes you bite your lip to hold back a smile. his hands grow restless, grabbing and touching, helping you roll your hips as he tenses his thigh.

“that’s it, bunny.” he licks your neck, then blows on it, just how you like it, making you shiver over him. “i can feel you getting wet. that what you wanted, mmh?” he nibbles and pecks kisses on your chest, enticingly lowering the straps of your bra.

he doesn’t take it off, merely stares at you from below, his eyes captured in the way you pant and moan.

“bin…”

fuck it.

work can wait.

[🎀 ★ ⛓️ ★ 🎀]

~kats, who ultimately missed posting about dearest [finest] binnie boy <3

catiuskaa, july 2024 ©

[ad-caelestia]

Common Misconceptions about Witchcraft

You have to be a Wiccan to be a witch

I literally thought this until I was 23 years old and started practicing magic again. It’s hard not to believe when nearly every book, guide, and tutorial you come across is geared towards Wicca. Wicca is a religion in which its followers may practice witchcraft. Witchcraft is a practice that may or may not involve religion.

Witches don’t cast curses and if you do, you’re a terrible person

No, stop. The idea that cursing is “bad” stems from the Wiccan “threefold law,” you know, the whole “whatever you do will come back at you three times as much” thing. Not everyone is Wiccan, not everyone follows that belief.

Witchcraft is a religious practice

Witchcraft itself has no religious basis. You can be pretty much whatever religion you want and still practice magic. You can practice witchcraft with no religious preference whatsoever. You can choose to work with deities, or keep your craft entirely secular. Up to you.

Witchcraft is the work of the devil and if you practice witchcraft you’re going to hell

A Christian concept and scare tactic. Not everyone is Christian or even believe in the Christian devil or Christian version of hell.

You have to dress the part

I practice magic in sweat pants and a t-shirt. I find that I work best when I am dressed comfortably, not in some flowy black dress and pointy hat. You don’t have to dress a certain way to be a witch or cast spells. Some witches or magicians have ceremonial clothing that is worn during various rituals but for your every day spell, it’s really not a requirement.

You can call yourself a witch without actually practicing witchcraft

No, I’m not referring to those with chronic or mental illness who practice magic in a minimalistic manner. I’m referring to those who call themselves a witch for the aesthetic and don’t actually practice magic. You don’t have to constantly do spells or even involve magic in your life on a daily basis but you do have to practice magic at some point in order to call yourself a witch.

Witchcraft is inherently dangerous

Practicing witchcraft itself is said by some to invite spirits and entities into your life that are sensitive to the energy we give off, but that may not be true for everyone. Learn how to protect yourself from these kinds of things and you’ll be golden.

You can cherry pick from closed cultures and use those practices in your craft

You don’t have a “gypsy soul,” pizza isn’t your “spirit animal,” having a bundle of white sage doesn’t automatically mean it’s a “smudge stick,” and you should probably throw away that shirt that says “namaste in bed.” A lot of terms we see folks using these days are being appropriated, at best. In terms of witchcraft, well yes, some cultures and religions are open or partially open but please don't disrespect those that aren’t just to sound trendy.

You have to choose one path of witchcraft and stick to it

You can incorporate many types of magic into your craft and it’s really not a problem. Some witches get overwhelmed trying to choose a “type” but it's not required, at all. 

You have to be a woman/straight/cis, whatever, to be a witch

Heck nope. Anyone can practice witchcraft and please don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

You have to be born into a family of witches to be a “true witch”

Witchcraft is a learned practice, not something embedded in our DNA. Even if everyone else in your family is a witch, you can choose not to follow that path. The same goes for those who don’t have any witches in their family history.

© 2024 ad-caelestia

[thesilliestrovingalive]

Updated: December 24, 2024

Reworked Character #1: Marco Rossi

POTENTIAL TRIGGER: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to neglect, self-harm, alcoholism, SA, death, and torture.

Real name: Marchrius Dennis Rossi

Alias: Intelligent Soldier

Occupation: Major of the P.F. Squad

Retirement plans: Become a mechatronics engineer, foster a bunch of kittens, and start a company that designs and develops functional computer models, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity programs for both military and civilian usage

Special skills: Proficiency in lightweight firearms and handling military technology, mechatronics engineering, computer science, intimidation tactics, and drunken-style boxing

Hobbies: Creating artificial intelligence and technological viruses from scratch, calculating complex mathematical equations and running times of computer programs in his head, taking naps at his desk, completing crossword puzzles, and stargazing

Likes: His quick mental calculation, those he considers to be friends, going on smoke breaks with Tarma, Eri, and Tequila, visiting cat cafes to play and snuggle with the kitties, and subway rides where there are little to no people around him

Dislikes: Unnecessary distractions, large lines in front of restaurants, being put in a vulnerable position, computer crashes paired with slow internet connectivity, and witnessing the torture and brutal executions of comrades

Favourite food: Chinese noodles (preferably its mildly spicy) and barbecued burgers and hotdogs with onions and honey-flavoured carrots

Sexuality: Sex-repulsed, aromantic asexual

Gender: Male

Age: 17 (in 2022), 23 (in 2028), 25 (in 2030), 27 (in 2032), 29 (in 2034), 36 (in 2041), 38 (in 2043), 39 (in 2044), and 42 (in 2047)

Blood type: A-

Weight: 162 lbs. (73.48 cm)

Design: He's a 5' 7" (170.18 cm) Italian-American ectomorph with an average musculature, broad shoulders, ivory skin, a cleft chin, and dull turquoise eyes. Marco sports wavy strawberry blonde hair, characterised by a large forelock that falls to the tip of his nose on the right side. On the left, two short, thick strands with subtle waves curve gracefully above his eyebrow. His features are further accentuated by well-groomed sideburns and a neatly trimmed chinstrap beard.

He bears occasional dark circles under his eyes and a distinctive glass left eye in a lighter turquoise hue. He has accumulated several battle scars: a few stab wounds on his right shoulder; vertical cuts on his chest; a deep slice mark extending from the left side of his nose bridge to the back of his trapezius muscle; multiple lacerations and severe burns on his back; a large patch of scar tissue on his right lumbar region; and bullet wounds on both calves and one on his left thigh. To cope with his emotional pain, he has a history of self-harm, which has resulted in the horizontal scars visible on his right forearm, hips, and inner thighs.

He's well-known for his cutting-edge, cybernetic left arm crafted from sleek, high-strength metallic alloys and advanced, artificially intelligent flexi-circuits, allowing for enhanced strength, agility, dexterity, and precision. It also has micro-sensors and neural interfaces seamlessly integrating with Marco’s nervous system for intuitive control. It possesses a high-strength, serrated blade made of tungsten, capable of extending up to 12 inches (30.48 cm) from the forearm. It can temporarily deploy an energy shield that surrounds him, providing protection from incoming attacks. This shield is powered by advanced capacitors and optimised for maximum efficiency using AI technology.

Marco's military gear consists of a white headband, a metal dog tag necklace with his name, and a platinum grey sleeveless shirt. He wears a crimson vest with four pockets and an embroidered logo of the P.F. Squad on the back, alongside khaki-green army cargo pants tucked into his olive green paratrooper boots. He also wears a leather belt with a snap-on silver buckle, mahogany gloves, a sheath for his combat knife, and a gun holster for his trusty handgun. The pockets of Marco's army cargo pants carry two boxes of cigars, while his vest contains a gilded lighter he found in Gerhardt City, a black case for his garnet-hued reading glasses, and an old photograph of pre-teen him, his father, and his childhood cat on a leash at a park during autumn.

Over his shirt, he wears a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) with a MultiCam pattern, which carries his walkie-talkie and ammo for other firearms. His right forearm is wrapped in worn gauze, and he wears two black bandoliers that form an X-shape, holding bullets for his handgun. Marco carries a khaki-green load-bearing backpack containing camping equipment, tactical explosives, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, a Gatling shot, and a thunder shot. He's always carrying around a red-orange laptop adorned with a bronze circle on the lid, housing a black six-pointed star at its centre. This custom laptop serves as his mobile command centre, where he develops malware to breach enemy cybersecurity, tackles various classified technological assignments for the military, and works on personal software projects.

He wears his father's circular, gilded watch on his right wrist, using it to check the time as a reminder of his father's enduring presence and an opportunity to seek guidance from the past. The timepiece features an ivory dial with burgundy hands and black Roman numerals from I to XII, interspersed with four thin etchings. Additional details include a secondary display bar showing the time and AM/PM indicator, while a leather strap is secured with a matching gold buckle.

Character summary: He's a charismatic and cautious leader who takes immense pride in his high intellect, computer expertise, and masculinity. He's a self-reliant introvert who prefers to accept help and emotional support from others when absolutely necessary. His stoic demeanour is a constant, making it challenging for him to show humour or vulnerability. Due to being a workaholic, he has developed a harmful habit of neglecting his own basic needs, including eating when necessary. He mainly struggles with loneliness because he finds it difficult to form meaningful connections due to his exceptionally high intellect, which can make it challenging for others who may not be able to keep up with his level of understanding. He also struggles with major depressive disorder, trust issues, a fear of abandonment, and unresolved trauma stemming from past experiences. While Marco tends to internalise his emotions, he has learned to open up to trusted individuals when his burdens become too overwhelming to bear alone.

Despite his gentle and taciturn nature, he's capable of being ruthless and will fly into a deep rage when General Morden's name is mentioned near him. When interrogating others, he employs a menacing tone, his aloof demeanour making those on the receiving end feel uneasy and intimidated. He doesn't hesitate to wield threats of violence or exploit vulnerabilities, and with Trevor by his side, his intimidation factor is amplified. He's a socially awkward loner who doesn't tolerate distractions and has a strong fear of losing his current friends.

When experiencing great distress in relation to past trauma, he's prone to having a full-blown mental breakdown and indulging in suicidal ideation. Marco tends to get stressed easily, which has led to him developing a chain-smoking habit. He privately grapples with self-harm and binge drinking, often consuming multiple beers at once, while concealing his struggles with alcoholism and suicidal thoughts from those around him. He attempts to conceal his struggles with alcoholism by either excessively partying or withdrawing socially, and privately harms himself due to his reluctance to burden others or cause unnecessary concern. Additionally, he struggles with denial, finding it difficult to accept the loss of his father and former war comrades, and resisting the idea that he needs professional mental health support.

He has a dry sense of humour that he rarely showcases, and when he does, his witty remarks often blend English and Italian. Having learned some Japanese from Tarma and Eri, he occasionally sprinkles Japanese phrases into his jokes. He deeply cares about his friends and will stop at nothing to protect them, even if it means putting his own life at risk. He finds great comfort in the presence of his best friend, Tarma, thanks to his breezy and optimistic attitude. Although he doesn't always show it, he genuinely enjoys Tarma's jokes and appreciates listening to them, even if they occasionally test his patience. He often mistakes Sophia Greenville for his mother due to their similar appearance, and he's always embarrassed when he accidentally calls her "mommy”. Nevertheless, he's deeply grateful for the maternal affection she shows him, treating him like a son and unknowingly becoming the kind of mother he wishes he had.

He cherishes his flamboyant and extremely cuddly Domestic Shorthair, Perifa. Perifa boasts copper eyes and a blue-black, reddish-orange, and white calico coat, which he diligently brushes. She was a heartwarming birthday gift from Tarma, received prior to the Survival Island Occupation. He finds comfort in spending quality time with his cat, affectionately referred to as his "dramatic little princess”. He enjoys engaging in playtime, giving gentle pets, and even using soothing baby talk to calm his feline companion. He's easily offended by people who rudely insult cats, going as far as to comfort the insulted feline and silently glaring at the person who uttered such words.

He’s in a polyamorous queerplatonic relationship with Fio and Tarma, a bond that satisfies his deep-seated longing for emotional intimacy. He’s close friends with Trevor, regularly mentoring him in computer skills like reading binary code and enjoying social time together, but their occasional marijuana use has raised concerns due to Marco's pre-existing unhealthy smoking habits. He holds Tequila in high esteem, recognizing his pivotal contributions to the success of the Regular Army and S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. special forces unit. He deeply values his wisdom, open-mindedness, fatherly demeanour, and exceptional covert agent skills. He dislikes accompanying Nadia on shopping trips because her constant meddling and overly inquisitive nature frustrate him.

He once had a vision of creating an artificial intelligence, dubbed Alice, that could mimic human development, emotion, and personality. However, he abandoned the project due to concerns that it could become rogue if provoked incorrectly, and he felt uneasy about the notion of being a "father" to such a being. He views his computer programs solely as practical tools, designed to fulfill specific purposes, rather than as "children" with distinct identities. As a result, he developed a skeptical view of artificial intelligence being fully human. This stems from his understanding that the emotions and unique personalities exhibited by AI are the result of intense programming. In his opinion, genuine emotion and personality require the physical and mental growth that comes with human ageing and development, something AI systems lack.

Having never experienced raising children, he had always doubted his ability to provide love and be a good parental figure because he was consumed by his own interests and mental health issues. But everything changed when he adopted an abandoned baby girl and felt an obligation to provide parental care for the child. With the guidance and support of his friends, he discovered valuable parenting skills and named his new daughter Midori. He transformed into a loving, supportive, and overprotective father, dedicated to ensuring her happiness and safety. He made it a point to offer wise advice, hoping to spare her from his own past mistakes.

He found immense joy in watching Midori form close bonds with his friends, affectionately regarding them as uncles, aunts, and grandparents. Her friendship with Pocke, Walter's adoptive son and a Martian infant, brought him equal delight. He was particularly grateful for the ways his friends nurtured Midori's passions: Tarma and Alisa encouraged her interest in engineering, while Walter and Trevor fostered her love of music. He can't imagine a world without his adoptive daughter, who has brought him a new sense of purpose and motivated him to overcome his personal hardships.

Whenever he's had too much to drink, he starts to act rowdy, easy-going, overly affectionate, and clingy. When sexual activity is mentioned, he reacts with extreme discomfort as he finds it to be disgusting. He’ll either become nauseous or start gagging, displaying expressions of strong distaste towards the person discussing the topic. If he unexpectedly encounters someone engaging in sexual activity, he often experiences a panic attack, feeling lightheaded and overwhelmed. In such situations, he usually tries to seek comfort and support from a trusted individual to talk to and receive a reassuring hug. This experience may also trigger unpleasant thoughts related to sexual matters, leading him to fear that he's somehow perverted and disgusting. He'll only lose his temper with others if they say something extremely rude to him or his friends, intend to hurt his loved ones or tell him blatant lies. Although he tends to have a pessimistic outlook on life, he sometimes manages to see the brighter side of things. 

He has a sleepwalking habit, often accompanied by vivid dreams of fighting or killing someone, which greatly annoys and frightens Tarma, who’s frequently the target of these nocturnal episodes. He resents being hailed as a war hero due to his intense aversion to fame and his conviction that conflict should prompt sombre reflection, not glorification. He dislikes flirtatious advances and has low tolerance for complaining, bullying, and excessive talking, which can trigger irritability and extreme defensiveness. He feels uneasy with romantic inquiries and is secretly intimidated by Gimlet, whose relentless verbal aggression and frequent heated confrontations leave him on edge. He has a commanding presence that demands respect, and his consistently serious demeanour can make him seem intimidating and unapproachable to others.

He's incredibly introspective and prone to questioning the intentions of his friends and his own worthiness of having meaningful friendships. He defines his masculinity by embodying traits like physical strength, courage, independence, leadership, and assertiveness. However, he makes a conscious effort to avoid toxic masculinity by ensuring his behaviour doesn't harm others' feelings or self-worth. Despite this balanced approach, he admits to having some vanity regarding specific issues he considers unbefitting of his ideal masculinity, such as sagging pants and carrying toys, as he sees these as detrimental to personal dignity. Whenever he encounters a pair of glowing red eyes, he's either deeply unsettled or irresistibly drawn to them, captivated by their aura of curiosity and command. This hesitant fascination occasionally leads him to wander aimlessly until it directs him to a destination of its choosing.

He’s a consequentialist who believes people's actions are judged by their consequences. He thinks it's more logical for individuals to prioritise not causing harm to others and maximising the welfare of both themselves and others over personal gain. In his view, everyone should act in ways that benefit themselves and others, taking into account fully informed and rational preferences. He believes that all conflicts are gradually moving towards equitable unification and collective strength for humanity, paving the way for a new era free from violence, hate, and political corruption. From his perspective, all life forms have the capacity for destruction, and if their creative drive is surpassed, it can lead to severe consequences, ultimately undermining the act of creation.

Backstory: Marchrius Dennis Rossi was born on April 13, 2005 in Twin Falls, Idaho, United States. Marco's mother, Katalina, was a researcher for a secret government project, and his father, Salvatore Rossi, was stuck in a dead-end office job. His parents had a distant relationship and had Marco, hoping that a child would bring them closer together and fix their broken marriage, but they often ignored each other and argued. Katalina had never wanted Marco, viewing him as an unplanned consequence and a responsibility that hindered her career. His father provided unwavering support and care, while his mother was neglectful and emotionally absent, hiding her true behaviour behind closed doors. But despite this, Marco shocked his parents by exhibiting a fast-growing intelligence at a very young age.

From the moment he opened his eyes, he muttered his first word, "daddy". He learned how to walk at 3 months old and showed advanced motor skills by 5 and a half months. He skipped object permanence altogether and completed his first crossword puzzle at just 1 year old, astonishingly understanding political terms. By the age of 2, he had memorised all 50 U.S. states and read two books in their entirety, demonstrating a profound understanding of their documented subjects: moral philosophy and psychoanalysis. By 4, he was answering calculus-level questions and describing his feelings about endangered animals in zoos with sophisticated vocabulary.

From the age of 2, he would occasionally see a pair of glowing red eyes in darkened corners or places drenched in darkness. He described them as always watching him and swore that they belonged to a living, breathing creature that seamlessly blended into the darkness. When he turned 5, he created an imaginary friend as an excuse to enjoy his alone time and avoid befriending the children who frequented the local park. This imaginary friend was named "Jubby", and Marco often drew him, depicting him as an anthropomorphic snow leopard with golden eagle wings, Komodo dragon legs, and a face covered in a ball of black scribbles.

Before he turned 6, his neglectful mother, Katalina, grew fed up with how "weird" he was. She was also annoyed by his persistent fear of a glowing pair of red eyes that watched him occasionally and his uninterested attitude towards forming connections. While Salvatore was away from home, Katalina took matters into her own hands and packed her belongings. Before leaving, she noticed Marco standing before the basement door, which was wide open. She investigated and saw the same glowing pair of red eyes, which terrified her.

Believing that Marco was attracting an evil spirit, she pushed him down the basement stairs and locked the door, hoping to contain the perceived threat. Abandoning Marco, she left the house, leaving him absolutely terrified. Marco attempted to cope with the trauma by conjuring up Jubby, but he claimed that his imaginary friend never came to his aid. This painful realisation marked the day he began to harbour resentment towards his mother, feeling unappreciated, unloved, and viewed as a burdensome presence in her life. When Salvatore returned home and discovered that Marco was trapped in the basement by Katalina, he was infuriated. His father attempted to track down Katalina, but it was too late. This traumatic event instilled in him a lasting fear of heading down into dark basements alone.

During his time in grade 1, Marco struggled to make friends and often looked sad when he saw other children with their mothers, a concern his father noticed. To cheer him up, his father brought home a Turkish Angora with a black, orange, and white fur coat, which sparked Marco's love for felines. As a result of his childhood cat's fondness for eating bugs, he affectionately named her Grubley. At the age of five, his father introduced him to the world of computing, igniting a passion for computer science that would last a lifetime. Salvatore was always supportive of Marco and his passions, encouraging him to excel in school, chase his dreams, and make the most of the opportunities life has to offer.

Marco knew he had an uncle, but his father forbade him from seeing him. Salvatore had warned him that his uncle was untrustworthy due to his con artist lifestyle and struggled with alcoholism. However, he was permitted to visit his aunt and grandparents, who were incredibly kind. They encouraged him to appreciate nature and the simple things in life, rather than spending all his time on the computer. He has fond memories of his grandfather teaching him how to barbecue. His grandmother, an immigrant from Italy, taught him some Italian and often shared photographs she had taken in her home country before moving to the United States.

His father unknowingly sparked his interest in the Tuatha Dé Danann, an ancient race of demigods that existed before all life, and two antediluvian places, Atlantis and Ultima Thule. He would silently observe his father spend a short amount of time researching these fascinating topics when not working. Marco would eventually discover that he has a slight hint of Tuatha Dé Danann DNA, leading him to wonder if others might also have ancestral ties tracing back to the Hadean Eon.

He was bullied by many students for being perceived as "friendless" and for having an abnormally high intelligence, leaving him feeling isolated. A few students attempted to befriend him, but he rebuffed their efforts, fearing they would eventually abandon him. He also struggled to connect with them on an intellectual level, feeling like an outsider. During high school, he was involved in a few physical altercations, but he typically managed to defuse the situations with his words or, if necessary, defend himself relentlessly. In his spare time, he mastered the unconventional art of drunken-style boxing, giving him an edge in self-defence. Despite his school troubles, he excelled in all his classes and achieved outstanding grades in mathematics and computer science courses.

Before graduating from a state technical high school, Salvatore died due to health complications caused by Huntington's disease. Shortly after, Marco's beloved cat, Grubley, peacefully passed away in her sleep. Marco was devastated by these losses, compounded by the shocking revelation that his father had been secretly battling Huntington's disease without ever sharing his struggle with him. The last gift his father gave him was a red-orange laptop, which was intended to be a graduation present. Rather than letting the tragedy consume him, he transformed his grief into a driving force, cultivating resilience and independence. To move forward, he made the difficult decision to distance himself from his remaining family, seeking to leave the past behind and forge a new path.

He began developing artificial intelligence to engage in online debates and sophisticated computer software, including anti-viruses and error-checking tools, as a means to earn a living and hone his programming skills. He went so far as to meticulously rebuild and upgrade the desktop computer in his father's old office at home, enhancing both its design and performance. Marco decided to attend officer's school at the Academy of Special Technologies and subsequently joined the prestigious Peregrine Falcons Squad shortly after graduation.

Once he joined, he was trained under Colonel Hart of the Peregrine Falcons Squad, a well-respected technique instructor in the Regular Army, and Chun Yutetsu, a combat school instructor. Marco feels immense regret for destroying the Iron Nokana because Chun Yutetsu was inside, suffering a horrific death of being burned and crushed alive. To make matters worse, Colonel Hart revealed to him that Chun Yutetsu had joined the Rebel Army after General Morden held his daughter hostage and threatened to kill her unless he piloted the Iron Nokana and provided them with crucial data on the SV-001. Marco describes Colonel Hart as a golf enthusiast and a good friend of President Marx who will never forgive General Morden as a human being and only wishes to take his last breath.

Unlike many of his peers, he quickly distinguished himself through his exceptional leadership skills and computer expertise, earning him a spot as 1st Lieutenant of the P.F. Squad. This was also when he met Tarma, forming a fast friendship after discussing their interests, reminiscing on their childhoods, and having a couple of beers. Tarma was his first real friend, whom he holds dear, despite viewing him as a “maniacal gearhead”. Through his friendship with Tarma, he discovered the value of having friends and stepped out of his comfort zone to befriend the other members of the P.F. Squad and Regular Army. He would also gradually develop a queerplatonic relationship with Tarma as he deeply cherished their friendship and came to realise that it filled a void of emotional intimacy left by his father's passing.

When the Amadeus Syndicate served as the scientific and medical branch of the Regular Army, Marco met Doctor Amadeus, the organisation's founder and Nadia's clone mother. They had a cordial relationship, and Doctor Amadeus was particularly impressed by Marco's exceptional computer skills. She wanted to utilise his talents for a bioengineering experiment, aiming to create super soldiers using abandoned Martian and Invader technology.

During a battle against a terrorist attack, Marco suffered severe injuries and was taken to one of the original Amadeus Syndicate's medical facilities to recover. Doctor Amadeus seized this opportunity to force herself upon him to collect semen and DNA samples, leaving him deeply traumatised. The experience was so distressing that Marco tried to suppress the memory, inadvertently forgetting much of the history and purpose of the Amadeus Syndicate in the process. He also swore his revenge to kill Doctor Amadeus one day for what she did to him. As a result of this event, he began to act strangely anxious and slightly aggressive when in a hospital or near Nadia for prolonged periods of time.

During the first coup led by General Morden, he scraped together the remnants of the Regular Army government forces to reassemble the P.F. Squad and S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. He became the leader of the governmental resistance against General Morden but at a great cost. As he, his comrades, and his friends were approaching the last known base of the Rebel Army, disaster struck. General Morden and his soldiers ambushed them, seizing the opportunity to decimate the remnants of the P.F. Squad and S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S, leaving Marco with mental and physical scars that would haunt him forever.

Marco endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of General Morden, Allen O'Neil, and the Rebel soldiers, who brutally tortured him, gouged out his left eye, and severed his left arm. After experiencing a strange tingling sensation of familiarity, General Morden realised that Marco possessed Tuatha Dé Danann heritage. Intrigued, he discreetly collected DNA samples from Marco, which would later be utilised by the Amadeus Syndicate for experimentation in bioengineering and advanced military technology. The cruelty continued as Morden forced Marco to witness the slaughter and torture of his comrades and friends. Devastated by the losses and horrors he experienced, Marco teetered on the brink of giving up. He was even convinced that his best friend, Tarma, had perished, plunging him into a deep depression. 

However, Tarma managed to escape the Rebel Army's clutches and staged a daring rescue, reuniting with Marco. With Tarma's emotional support and his own newfound rage, Marco found the strength to keep fighting. Before confronting General Morden, Tarma constructed his prosthetic left arm using technological debris and cutting-edge medical technology available to the Regular Army. However, it took him a couple of weeks to adapt to his new limb. Together, they became legendary heroes, ultimately defeating Morden and restoring world peace. Marco's bravery earned him the rank of Major, but he soon grew to resent his war hero status as he realised that the media often glorifies conflict.

Shortly after the Great Morden War, Marco created a computer virus for fun, which inadvertently spread to the Regular Army's mainframe server. The virus destroyed several security systems, compromised the lowest echelons of the Regular Army, and nearly triggered the launch of a nuclear missile. Fortunately, a military scout named Trevor, whom Marco would meet years later during his recruitment into the P.F. Squad, managed to stop it. Marco refuses to discuss this potentially disastrous incident, even after a few too many beers.

Marco continued to lead the P.F. Squad together with Tarma, who is the true linchpin of the elite task force of the Regular Army. Marco joined forces with Tarma, Fio, and Eri for a second mission to thwart General Morden's second coup. Although the mission technically failed, as they captured a Martian troop from the Pipovulaj Army disguised as General Morden, the Regular Army's higher-ups deemed it a success nonetheless. This moment got on Marco's nerves as he deeply desired to see General Morden brought to justice and face the full consequences of his actions.

Following this success, Marco attempted to resign, but his higher-ups quickly denied his request. They insisted on his participation in a mission to eliminate the remaining remnants of the Rebel Army and other operations addressing threats to global peace such as the Pipovulaj Army.

[sonkitty]

The Pocket Chain Rainbow Connection Part 4 (Good Omens 2)

Last Updated: 04/18/2024

(For reference, start here: The Pocket Trick - Basics | The Pocket Trick Visual Representation | GIFs | The Pocket Trick - Tied Hands)

Main post:

The Pocket Chain Rainbow Connection

Here are Parts 1-3:

The Pocket Chain Rainbow Connection Part 1

The Pocket Chain Rainbow Connection Part 2

The Pocket Chain Rainbow Connection Part 3

This part covers The Door Trick and The Door Catch.

Theory. So much theory.

Problems

I will admit freely, my understanding of what is happening here is quite limited.

Still, I will share it as I think it's enough to hold some value nonetheless.

There are two left hands with desirable traits that pass by Crowley's right.

One left hand has a left thumb joint touching a lapel edge. Another left hand has a full set of visible digits. Both of these things are requirements in The Pocket Trick touches of a similar nature.

I believe using both of them requires a full 360-degree flip of the imaginary mirror for the Tied Hands while at the same time trying to make sure that Orange goes to Yellow and Yellow is what connects first, not Green or any other color. That means hitting Yellow twice in a row.

Because of such complications, there is something akin to a color wheel with humans and their bags fully pocket-framing the "Life begins after coffee" sign. It's not a full color wheel because it lacks green and has such limited blue, but one human who is probably representing the Tied Hands in Crowley's place with her arm swinging, has a blue-green strap on one of her bags and blue-green stripes, of a lighter shade the than the bag strap, on part of her shirt.

There are 4 non-rainbow shades around that do various things in this Rainbow Connection mechanic. They are Black, Brown, Gray, and White. I think there is a findable poem that goes:

Black blocks.

Brown borrows.

Gray shades.

White keeps.

I'll go over it more with the elevator itself later.

As things are now, I don't know the precise mechanics for how colors shift, but I believe the result is changing the direction of the connection with a skip to Purple and back up to Yellow.

Orange does get to Yellow, but then because of the skip-and-back to hit Yellow a second time, the next intended color is Orange again instead of Green. The goal for the main characters is not Orange again. The goal is to hold onto Yellow until Crowley's Green is ready. So, that requires a deflection that lets the connection redirect back down instead of up.

Such a thing is inadvertently resolved by the Metatron. It took some time for me to get it, but there is a hidden message about him in this part of the game when considering the word play mechanics: "The Metatron makes mistakes". That's alliteration and a rhyme. Without that message, I've described the Metatron's play as feeling like "cheating without realizing it or the story is not letting him play fully, just partly."

Without meaning to, he sets the connection back on track. That's why Aziraphale is stuck at Yellow for so long and what the blinking red lights mean. Aziraphale himself doesn't seem aware through his voice and manner of what is happening, but the actions he takes do otherwise look like an effective stalling tactic for the Rainbow Connection.

I am pleasantly taken aback by that hidden message, but I still think it's there since it fits within this puzzle.

Alright, here goes...

The Door Trick

Orange.

Crowley's pants are reflected in the Bentley, I think. Although Orange is not visibly reflected in the Bentley's surface yet, it will be. At the start of the cut, the Orange of an orange bag is visually touched by one of the Bentley's mirrors. I think Car Mirrors is Crowley's Pocket Frame for this Trick and contributing to so much of what is happening. The hood ornament looks like it's trying to be important for its role to play as well.

I think the Tied Hands' imaginary mirror flips, here, based on the right thumb CMC joint of the human furthest to the camera's left, the orange reflected in the Bentley, and the overall positions of the shoes on the background humans.

In the initial two touches of The Pocket Trick, each has something I consider over-the-rainbow touches, and I have long struggled to find the over-the-rainbow touches here.

Here, there is at least one of the car mirrors touching over the Orange at the start of the cut. Crowley's legs are crossed with one of his shoes over the shoe of a different human behind Crowley's shoe.

For my guess on that flip, the human walking behind the one holding the orange bag has his leg over the shoe of another human going the other way, toward the camera.

So, these tactics are considered sufficient, along with anything else I missed.

Crowley's left hand fingers look to be claiming Yellow, Green, and Black for use. The index finger is visually over a Green and Yellow sign. Zoomed in, I can't actually tell if the index fingertip is on one more than the other. His other fingers are visually over a human's Black attire.

Because of how things work out, that's to help Crowley's use of Black do things other than block and what he wants from his own imagination.

The human holding the Orange bag might be the "Fish" in looking for Bullet Catch magic word references. The pattern on her skirt looks like scales. My instincts had been to look at the cars and a human on a scooter, but visually, this pattern still looks like the closest match. I can't find the fish anywhere else. Because of the other guesses and references I found, I also think these are all supposed to be done no later than Aziraphale being linked into the Pocket Chain. The "dash of nutmeg" will be last even though the order before it will not match the exact order the words are said in the 1941 minisode.

...

There is an actual rainbow found between the left side of Crowley's torso and his left forearm. The rainbow places itself over closed rear car window, the open front car window and well past the edge of the left forearm, questionably all the way to the other edge. This rainbow helped emphasize something happening with the shoes I will not cover here, but this part also looks to be the game's cue that this rainbow is either what allows the incoming flips or is telling an audience player that the over-the-rainbow touches are due to how Crowley's apparel-to-car pocket is structured.

According to this post, the rainbow "doubles up," and there is two of them. Honestly, that's not what I see. The second seeming-rainbow is almost certainly contributing for whatever it is because great care is taken with the lighting overall, but I personally would not fully qualify it as an "official" rainbow because I can't distinguish its color set well enough, even with some tweaks in trying to edit the screenshot with brightness or saturation. Still, there is going to be a link to the Pocket Chain, and two characters are going "up" later.

...

Red alert. Although a red alert is given, the available Yellow is limited. The car itself blocked the nearby yellow lines to it before the red alert was on. The main Yellow on screen is like an Orange-Yellow on a license plate to further add to the confusion. More clearly later within this Trick, Gray will be shown as what can shade a color to a proper form in the Rainbow Connection. There is no nearby solid Gray to this license plate.

Otherwise, there are some yellow lines near the pub and the letters for The Dirty Donkey. I don't know which factors are keeping them at bay, but I do believe that's happening and can at least point out a few things. For instance, there is a human on a scooter between the car giving the red alert and the one with the orange-yellow license plate. This human is making a pocket with their legs and hinting at whatever is going on with the shoes. They have a patterned shirt and black pants.

The human with the black hat is who I call "Nutmeg" though her colors are strongly associated with Black and some Red. She is who is going to link the Pocket Chain to Aziraphale later. I'm making this Bullet Catch reference based on the color of her bag strap and the small part of that strap that will link to a pocket user near Aziraphale.

Since I suspect Yellow is hit twice later, it is my very uncertain hope that something here is delaying the switch long enough for what needs to be done. That most likely seems to be the red alert being boxed in by Nutmeg and humans on the other side of it. Black can block under the right circumstances, and Nutmeg has notable Black. There's a human wearing purple in front of the car with the red alert. He's probably important here for the eventual skip-to-Purple-and-back, and he is definitely important later for Aziraphale's part.

If you look behind the human girl with the cell phone and a light pink sweater and the man with a cell phone next to her, you can catch glimpse of another human with a Black hat. I don't know if she contributed to this Connection part or not, but she is, I believe, the "Gorilla" in Bullet Catch magic word references due to her movement within this cut itself. She wears mostly Black and was hunched over as she hurried along early on into the cut. Every other found reference contributes, so I would think she does too.

As she passes by, the human who I suspect will help with the Tied Hands and representing more flips visually passes "Gorilla". Using my imagination and playing with the words, I'll go with the play of associating "Gorilla" with "Tarzan," and then "Tarzan" with the name, "Jane." I'll name the human with the swinging arm, "Jane."

Orange. The human with the orange jacket has a lovely touch between her left thumb joint and the lapel edge of her jacket. The blur thing on the car is probably putting in a pass for her, so we can take that touch in with the first hit to Yellow. I believe she is "Shoelace" when searching for magic word Bullet Catch references. She is relevant to the non-rainbow thing happening with the shoes. Her shoelaces aren't visible here, but they are visible later. If the shoe links to the Rainbow Connection, I haven't figured out how, and it's a lot to go over. So, for now, I've set it aside. But it is happening, and it is relevant to something I'll mention further down.

While Shoelace is by Crowley, a pocket user wearing a yellow shirt and dark gray open vest is in a window pane reflection near Crowley and Yawning Yellow. His reflection is going to appear again in the upcoming window pane for him. The main clue his reflection isn't causing the switch here and now is there are no red alerts, and there is going to be something soon. So, this part is, just guessing as usual, preparing for that first switch to Yellow. Due to the shade of his yellow and visible left arm, I think of him as "Banana" when looking for Bullet Catch references.

The tie strands are never shown as moving with Crowley standing so still, but they do move while off camera between each of the three cuts given from in front of Crowley. That can be found through comparing screenshots of each cut.

Orange. This part is probably linking up the human fully blocking Crowley's left hand, who I named Jane earlier, with his tie strands, so she can represent their swinging in how her left arm swings.

Usually, a switch to a color and a mirror flip are not simultaneous, but given how the play goes, I've long assumed they are simultaneous for Yellow here without realizing I was doing such a thing. Still that's what I think happens, probably related to Crowley's Pocket Frame being Car Mirrors.

Yellow #1. Orange is reflected in the car with red alert lights at the same time. The earlier thumb joint touch is received with the switch. With the suspected 360-degree flip, this part is the 180-degree place in between, and something about the color wheel will finish the trickery rather fast. The human who seems to be most likely responsible for such trickery is the one wearing a purple jacket and holding a yellow bag. He has a little bit of blue visible in the collar of his shirt.

The visual cue for this being the 180 is mainly Yawning Yellow's right hand becoming visible, further supported by the nature of the arm-swinging happening by Jane.

For over-the-rainbow touches, the same mirror that was over the orange bag is now over the yellow jacket. While the actual rainbow from the first front-facing cut of Crowley is gone, this one does show the car hood ornament in front of Crowley, acting as the bottom of his top apparel-to-car pocket and being over a front edge of the car itself.

Yellow #2. Jane is pocketing the yellow of a yellow bag, holding the line for it and sending it over through the connection. If White is needed for that hold, it can be found with the visual touch on the white letters to the "Life begins after coffee" sign. Yawning Yellow has a lighter shade of Yellow in her jacket, and the Gray in her pants is compensating for it to still qualify as a proper Yellow. The black in her jacket may be doing something too. She is further assisted through Banana, whose reflection can now be found in the other window pane near her.

A human wearing Black and White, including a white turtleneck, is further solidifying things where they need to be. I am yet to find a relevant pun or word play with what a turtleneck does for pocket trickery, but I assume it does something because Crowley wore a Black turtleneck for the first two touches of The Pocket Trick. Conceptually, turtles are slow, so maybe it slows things down. Something probably worth mentioning is that in Terry Pratchett's Discworld, there is a very famous turtle, the Great A'Tuin, that the four elephants holding up the disc of Discworld stand on.

Anyway, Banana's reflection can be found in the window pane behind Yawning Yellow. The big blurry head on the right of the screen is probably giving Green a pass, so it's not sent too early. Yet another human has a mirrored-head thing happening behind Yawning Yellow that probably does something too.

The human most directly behind Crowley has a brown jacket and an excellent alignment of his arm with Crowley's existing pocket between himself and his car. That human's elbow is like the other side of a diamond from what can be seen of Crowley's left hand. I think of him as "Diamondback". He's also a pocket user himself.

So, if his Brown is necessary for the following wording to borrow, it's there:

Yawning Yellow lends Crowley a hand with a full set of visible digits.

Yellow. Here is the actual link to the Pocket Chain from Crowley to Aziraphale. It's through Nutmeg and the pocket user wearing a white fur coat. There isn't much yellow here, but there is a yellow light that is going to be Aziraphale's overhead light eventually...but not yet. The blue car goes on a stronger red alert after this part. Due to how things go, that alert is probably more for getting the Metatron linked in as well because he looks to be putting his hands in his pockets at that point.

There are also yellow lines touching Nutmeg, but as noted, Black can block under the right circumstances. Are those circumstances here? If they are, the overhead light makes up for it because there is going to be Yellow on display for quite a bit in the incoming cuts.

The "Donkey" sign is questionably yellow as well, but there's no nearby solid gray to assure that to be the case. The Metatron's coat could look dark gray in the lighting, but it's actually a dark brown.

So, given all of the surrounding circumstances, my own guess still looks to the overhead light as the Yellow of relevance for everything that's about to happen.

Please take a look at this post: More evidence.

I have a lot of thoughts I haven't fully processed on what that thing is, but I do believe it is generally relevant to this particular cut. I suspect Aziraphale puts it back in his mouth after Nutmeg passes by him visually and before the actual link to the Pocket Chain.

Yellow for both Aziraphale and the Metatron. They are sharing the connection. Each one is going to keep having a touch on Yellow for a bit. Aziraphale receives focus, but the Yellow is visually touched by the Metatron, not Aziraphale. The Metatron is allowing himself to be visually touching Aziraphale here.

Yellow for both Aziraphale and the Metatron. The Metatron receives focus. Aziraphale visually touches the Yellow, not the Metatron. Aziraphale is not visually touching the Metatron as the Metatron did for him. A human wearing orange passes by behind the Metatron though yet another human passes by more closely to the Metatron. The orange is gone from the cut by the time the cut itself finishes.

Yellow for Aziraphale. He has Green nearby and not ready. He also has some Orange up near his head. With both him and the Metatron having visually touched Yellow, Aziraphale now has yellow lights visible by his head. He's visually touching those this time

The Green is touching that Yellow too. Aziraphale's still stuck on Yellow for awhile though. A small bit of Yellow touches the Metatron during the cut. Meanwhile, someone wearing what seems to be Black is pocketed between the two by the end of the cut. I can't figure out what they might block in this moment. Instead, it might be relevant to how Crowley's touch will be on Black between edges in his own final cut for The Door Trick.

Yellow for both Aziraphale and the Metatron. The Metatron receives focus. Aziraphale visually touches Yellow without the Metatron again. He is not visually touching the Metatron again either. The Yellow starts to walk away.

Deflection. I suspect due to the nature of the game and the trick with the words that deflection happens first here, redirection happens in the next cut of the Metatron, and disconnection happens in the cut after that.

The red alert lights blink once, giving a warning about the status of things. The Metatron starts to turn around while they are blinking.

The Metatron has no Overhead Light. He was not seen with Green in his front view shots after being linked through the Pocket Chain. He doesn't block Aziraphale's head completely, but he does block Aziraphale's face. Aziraphale's right ear is still visible, which probably helps with Aziraphale's own overhead light later.

The shadows of the green leaves hit the Metatron's face. That's the front. Crowley had help from "Diamondback". Aziraphale was linked in with his back to Crowley. Aziraphale's back is what's going to get the shadows later.

The red alert lights blink again with their warning. The blink is done before the end of the cut with Orange still visibly on the screen. Hopefully, that's the deflection.

A switch to Orange for Aziraphale does not happen. Did it happen for the Metatron? I suspect not because they are still connected. It was technically on screen by the end of the cut, but the Metatron was making mistakes in the process.

Yellow. Aziraphale's still on Yellow himself thanks to the deflection. He's still not ready yet, so again, he probably needs a redirection. Two sets of red alert lights are on. There are yellow lights by Aziraphale's head and a human with blurry yellow clothing. This time, with the Metatron out of the way, the blurred clothing touches Aziraphale behind him. The first set of red alert lights go off with that blurred yellow behind Aziraphale. When the yellow reappears on the other side of Aziraphale, the second set of red alert lights go off. Yellow has been properly received or maintained. Aziraphale does his mixed emotions facial expression. The red alert is still off at the end of the cut.

Redirection, I hope. The Metatron is heavily lacking in rainbow colors. There is maybe a little blue in his tie, which is not enough, or with mechanics as complicated as these, is actually just blue enough to move things where they need to go for the incoming disconnection. The camera work and movement suggest that the redirection in this cut is from the patterned interior of the Metatron's coat. Look at those shadows on Aziraphale's coat that will somehow help keep Green later.

Disconnection. If the blue helps disconnect, it happens here. Another contributing factor could be the visible darker straight lines on the white shirt.

Yellow. Even though this cut does not have blurred yellow clothing as others have done, it still seems to be enough to maintain Yellow thanks to the Metatron. Orange passes and is gone. Another shade that's hard to really call yellow passes the other way. Due to its timing, it and the yellow lights near Aziraphale's head are enough. That might have been helped by the gray in the elevator and its more colorful buttons not being shown yet. Aziraphale's bow-tie being tartan probably helps something somewhere.

Aziraphale turns his head with the red alert light still on by the end of the cut. This time it's for the look to Crowley. I really don't think the Rainbow Connection switches to Green until after we see Crowley.

Yellow. Despite the nearby reddish clothing and orange-ish clothing, no switch happens here though Green is being gathered or kept for the incoming switch through the nearby humans. I assume Aziraphale is maintaining Yellow thanks to the Overhead Light.

The human with the white shirt and brown backpack is probably helping or the extra blurs from humans in the foreground are helping so that said brown-backpack human can help later. He's blocked in the shot I chose, but he is there.

I consider this moment, Ground Zero for The Door Catch. It has not truly started until we see Aziraphale's shoes on the ground. That's part of the shoes thing I mentioned earlier. A lot of effort is being put into the shoes not being shown to help communicate this Ground Zero moment.

The challenge from the game is to guess what he's thinking or saying, and many audience players will opt for "Trust me" because of The Bullet Catch. That's an understandable choice because this Magic Trick is so deeply inspired by The Bullet Catch. The sequences at the end are designed to give the audience that impression. You'll find it is one of the most commonly played puzzles people remark on in the entire thing.

But it's a Trick. So, the answer is not "Trust me". Crowley is already trusting Aziraphale by setting the stage for him. The answer is actually, "Here goes nothing."

Sure, that's still a guess, but it is one of my more certain guesses the more I play the game.

One of the rules I've noted in the Threshold Tricks is, "Never do the same trick twice."

So, "Trust me," was already done. Been there. Done that. It's a no-go move. Yes, I'm playing with the words on purpose here.

Here are some other reasons I grow more and more sure:

The concept of zero or null is showing up in my readings of Terry Pratchett's work. I suspect that particular line, "Nothing lasts forever," is significantly linked to this answer to the puzzle.

In one of the "Episode 0" Behind-The-Scenes specials for Good Omens 2, Neil Gaiman says something to the effect of he is trying his hardest to tell people "absolutely nothing" when they ask what's going to happen.

Moving past the hidden "Here goes nothing" line, Aziraphale's right ear is not visible. It was shown earlier with the deflection and the cut between the deflection and redirection. On the redirection, it was not clear. Aziraphale was blurred from the back. However, the Metatron had two because his right ear was shown and reflected in the window pane. Then for the disconnection, the Metatron's right ear disappeared from view. Meanwhile, Aziraphale's right ear was shown in the cut after the disconnection.

That last part was the cut before this Ground Zero moment.

In addition to all the ear things happening above, the two humans who pass over him both have their right ears available.

All of those things are supposed to help allow—or even require—Aziraphale to not show his right ear with the Overhead Light on screen.

Green. Crowley's Green is ready. Not long after this part, Crowley has an illusionary touch on Black to the bag being carried behind him. That touch will be between edges, which is unusual. That moment is Aziraphale's cue to begin.

...

The Door Catch

Green. Aziraphale's Green is ready. The overhead light is gone—or moved. There is some yellow light near his head, but it's not the same and through a different window. This cut is the official beginning of…The Door Catch.

Blue and Purple together. There was a small pocket of light that this pair of humans reached together. The one with the darker blue pants is who covered it fully with one of his legs. That light suggests that the blue and purple switch at the same time with these guys looking like they have three legs for two people.

The Blue connects to one of Aziraphale's shoes. The Purple connects over by Aziraphale's right hand and various parts of Aziraphale's clothing, including notably the edge where the coat meets the pants.

In the previous iterations, there was a double purple in The Pocket Trick's Double and then a possible double red in The Pocket Trick's Single. Since a skip-to-purple-and-back already happened with The Door Trick, connected to The Door Catch, my guess then is that a double purple to start going back up is not required.

I don't think the Rainbow Connection is at Red or Yellow despite those colors being on-screen in this cut.

This part is for Aziraphale to take a deep breath and make sure his bow-tie touches his skin.

Remember that thing from earlier that I said I thought Aziraphale put in his mouth?

My guess is it's a shrunken version of one of Crowley's own "thumb joints" of his Tied Hands, so that Aziraphale can have one here.

I don't know a lot about the logistics, but here are clues for why I think that. When I first saw that post, a clasp "thumb joint" was my first guess, but then I contemplated those things are too big.

However, in reviewing the minisodes for other reasons (my Sideburns Scheme posts), I noticed that Crowley uses his tongue when readying himself to make himself bigger in The Resurrectionists. He also used his tongue to make himself smaller in season 1. So, if he can shrink his general self, he could theoretically shrink this special part of himself.

This possible "thumb joint" lines up with the knot in Aziraphale's bow-tie. When the bow-tie touches the skin, that is when it is most shiny.

Since Aziraphale's not going to have his actual hands doing certain things on screen, he's going to have to rely on his own version of his own Tied Hands. This thing being where it is suggests Aziraphale's Tied Hands are going to need at least one thumb joint. He might even need only one thumb joint because the other hand is "tied behind his back" for word play silliness. Only his left hand was visible by the end of the preceding cut, for example.

For Crowley's touches, Crowley himself needs a clothing contact on his right-partly-pocketed hand for his own touches.

So, this is something like that. A crucial mistake the Metatron is going to make is not having a thumb joint visible in a particular cut.

If the Yellow serves a purpose, as well as the colors on Aziraphale's own clothes, it's to help reach for the Green from earlier.

The red alert is off before Aziraphale is shown to enter the elevator.

Green. Somehow, many things leading to this moment are letting Aziraphale keep his connection at Green, thanks to the shadows on his coat. The words that come to mind are "stretch" or "share". The "stretch" seems more likely because I think of it as Aziraphale reaching back for the Green. See, his back on screen is even telling me so. I mentioned other "back" things earlier.

Pocket Frame. This video frame contains Aziraphale's Pocket Frame. It also contains the Metatron's Pocket Frame.

However, thanks to the disconnection, the Pocket Frames themselves are different.

I believe Aziraphale's is Elevator Edges. Thanks to the Metatron's pocket use and finger being exactly where it is, he is such an edge himself.

Meanwhile, the Metatron's Pocket Frame is Doorknobs.

The Metatron is properly framed between doorknobs of the pub doors, but...the Heaven elevator buttons are the equivalent of doorknobs for its threshold. The framing from the scene itself is strongly suggesting that to be the case due to how the buttons are shown with the Hell button further to the camera's left and visually behind one of the doorknobs where they all generally are on the camera's right.

The Metatron's finger is on the Heaven button. He is touching his Pocket Frame with the tip of his index finger. I suspect that is a mistake on his part due to the implied message from the game that's what he's doing in general. While we're at it, he never revealed a thumb shown from his right hand on the clothing when using his right coat pocket.

In the window pane, there is a reflection of Aziraphale's head over the Metatron's.

I am missing some valuable words I wish I could tell you about this significance. I sense from the nature of the game and what is happening with this special Magic Trick, that reflection is supposed to be to Aziraphale's advantage and the Metatron's disadvantage.

During the cut, the reflection switched from the Metatron's head being on the window pane closest to him to being the one closest to Aziraphale. His reflection is caught in a specific place with the back of Aziraphale's head in a move called The Door Catch.

The manuals and tutorials this game provide are hard to read, especially in the later stages. At this point, I'm mainly looking to past patterns and precise framing to guess at these types of things. My imagination and my word play skills can only get me so far, and right now, that's as far as they get me.

As for why I'm talking so much about the framing here, it's because there is a little more to this Rainbow Connection, I am led to believe.

As a reminder, non-rainbow shades and colors do things. I don't get them as well as I would like and will go over that in further detail soon. For now, here is some of the older wording of this post before I add the newer stuff.

Black-and-white together seem to do something like a trap. Meanwhile, gray seems to allow some leniency on a lighter or darker shade counting for a proper color. Brown does something like borrow. Even though brown is in this screenshot, something about it is supposed to be wrong. That something is probably that the thumb joint of the hand seen—and the only hand seen in the cut, becomes extremely close to being seen and doesn't quite get there.

The elevator has plenty of Gray, but the Heaven button is a full circle Black filled with White and a Gold "H" button. That "H" would qualify as Yellow thanks to the Gray if it weren't for the black or black-and-white blocking it out.

So, when that button is pressed, the gold is disqualified as a yellow and trapped. Hence, the Rainbow Connection is further maintained at Green.

...

Now here's the newer stuff that is some review of the above in a lot more detail:

Well, it's been weeks and this bit is the best I've got, so here we go.

In the Heaven elevator with the Metatron, I do believe the following is supposed to apply:

Black blocks.

Brown borrows.

Gray shades.

White keeps.

I like "white keeps" in the rhythm better than "white holds," but that is the same general idea and why I've said I think Muriel's white helps hold things for assisting Crowley in other Threshold Tricks.

There are two huge problems I encounter with this idea, but I can't let it go. It still sticks with me.

The first one is that I cannot figure out what Black is blocking in Triple Part 3 and the Single of The Pocket Trick. Inside the elevator, the Black is blocking out the elevator's Gray. I am as sure as I can be that's the intent.

The White is holding the Gold to keep it as Gold.

Together, that allows the Black and White to effectively trap the Gold, so that it cannot be switched to Yellow despite so much Gray outside the Black circle.

There actually is a little Gray in the White but it's not enough or inaccessible because the Metatron makes the mistake of using a close-up touch and not showing either, or enough, of the two types of thumb joints he has on the hand doing the touch. So, the dark Brown he wears can't use the Gray to qualify the Gold as Yellow.

However, if I go and look at The Pocket Trick for what Black might do, I struggle to figure out what it's blocking. In Triple Part 2, I think it's helping trap the Green for eventual use in The Door Trick. It's part of how I got the idea that Black and White together can act as a trap. What needs to be blocked to make the trap? By now, I think it helps block in the rainbow.

Crowley and Aziraphale stall Blue switching to Purple for the Double, and the lighting is not setting Crowley's clothes to Black as obviously as it is in Triple Part 2. Maybe there is White helping that time but not Black.

The problems go on from there in similar ways. In Triple Part 3, that's where I got the idea because I was like "Okay, I guess the human wearing suspenders mean the Black and White suspend something". Well, they do in that part at least. Then the word is "suspend" instead of "block" though it's based on the idea of the trapping.

In The Door Trick, Crowley's illusionary touch is on a Black bag between edges and it essentially acting as a cue for Aziraphale to Begin. So, then, it doesn't seem to actually block anything. There are three other words other words that start with "b" around though! Between. Bag. Begin.

So, the Black's meaning itself switches, depending on what one's imagination requires it to do or I'm just incapable of finding what is being blocked.

That imagination part is the second huge problem. So long as I can see pockets in the right places and a goal in mind for what Crowley might want to accomplish, it doesn't seem to really matter. I mean, it does because I'm supposed to find the logic and the patterns. I wouldn't know these shades do what they do if they didn't show up in certain places at certain times.

But in both Triple Part 1 and the Double, I can say that the color didn't switch until a given time because of how Crowley and whatever assistance he got managed the timing, framing, and pocketing. If non-rainbow shades happen to be there, that's fine. I still don't know what Black is blocking or White is holding a lot of the time, if anything. I don't really think Brown is necessary to borrow either. Is there someone on-screen using pockets while Crowley himself has something he wants from his play in the game? Then it's done!

So, this poem:

Black blocks.

Brown borrows.

Gray shades.

White keeps.

This poem is more like a default with a limited imagination or limited available pocket assistance.

It's not exactly that way though because Aziraphale gets someone with White and Brown. What does that do? What does he need to borrow that needs a hold? The Green from the nearby humans in the preceding cut until the shadows on his coat can do the Trick?

I guess!

The thumb joints also matter. I can imagine what the Metatron would want—if he even knew this part of the game was being played—but since he's making mistakes, my imagination isn't going to fix it for him. He's not getting it done because I've progressed enough to figure out the pocket touches "hinge" on things for the thumb joints.

So, if my play further improves, I'll update accordingly.

I sincerely believe the 1941 minisode does actually give clues on these shades as well.

For Black, the miracle blocker blocks the turnip from turning into an inkwell. Ink is black. Black blocks. In this case, black is blocked, but I still think that's the clue. There are other colors involved, including a white handkerchief, but, again, I still think that's the clue for the Black.

For Brown, the clue is gross—and I am not a fan of gross things, so you're really going to have to use your own imagination because I am not going to spell it out completely. The old man the zombies kill is singing about farting. They kill him and one of them ends up borrowing that guy's voice to sing some more. You figure it out from there. Okay, fine, I will give you one more hint: it is a crappy joke. Nonetheless, Brown borrows.

For Gray, the clue is much more pleasant and is found near the end of the minisode at a lovely candlelit table while Crowley and Aziraphale are drinking wine. The "shades of gray" are mentioned in conversation, including darker shades and lighter shades. Gray shades.

I'm not as sure on the eventually named clue here for White. Aziraphale waves a white handkerchief around with "prestidigitation" in his dialogue when offering to help Crowley to Mrs. H. With the miracles being blocked later in the minisode, the problem keeps happening while he uses the white handkerchief over the turnip. White keeps.

And that concludes this updated part about these shades.

...

There is possibly some word play or joke in here to be made about leprechauns and their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I generally leave off the leprechauns part and just say it like this from the main post: "The Rainbow Connection ends at Green thanks to a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

Nonetheless, the button being pressed is theoretically the end of the The Door Catch despite the two extra cuts of the Metatron and Aziraphale after that moment.

If you missed my simplified post of notes, my theory is that the green leaves by both Crowley and Aziraphale represent Earth and their shared love for Earth.

The Green is shown to be a maintained connection because of the plants being on screen with Crowley while playing the nightingale song during The Window Trick, then again during the credits.

The emotions at the end are, I believe, still supposed to be real. There is supposed to be heartache. The message from the hidden games is that even with this heartache, things are not as bleak as they seem. There is a bigger plan happening in the background. These two have been doing things separately together during Good Omens 2, and they will keep doing that after. They have made and maintained a connection.

[missazurerose]

Glamtober 2024 - Another World

"Traveler, do you copy? You need to come back to base. You can't get caught poking around a Syndicate lab."

"Copy that Antecedent. You can write me up for insubordination later. I had friends stationed here. I'm going to find out what happened."

"I can't send anyone to help you..."

"That's fine. It doesn't look good...I wouldn't want anyone else to see it either..."

The only sound in the lab was the distant alarms that would go on until the power was finally cut...when this place would be demolished and everyone would pretend like it never existed. But that made it much more concerning when she most definitely heard footsteps behind her.

Drawing her weapon, the Traveler turned to face whoever was behind her. Ready for a fight, her mysterious shadow carried a vicious looking teksaber she was in no mood to tangle with but absolutely would if it meant continuing her quest for answers. They only clashed once before seeming to realize the same thing: neither one wore Syndicate colors or emblems.

Still cautious with her weapon ready, the Traveler noticed a different emblem on his armor. "You...you're the Shield of Halone...the Holy Consortium of Ishgard has an interest in a Syndicate disaster?"

"You're a Seventh Dawn Emissary...I don't think prowling around Syndicate territory qualifies for your organization's stance on being a neutral party among the systems..."

"Neither one of us is supposed to be here...are we blackmailing each other into silence?"

"Seems to be the look of it..." He looked her over. She seemed capable of handling herself if there was anything else still alive here. "At the risk of providing each other more blackmail...shall we look around this place together? In case something else is still alive?"

"There is safety in numbers...and perhaps sharing information."

"This...can't be what they were doing here...there's not a known system that would allow...that..."

"I was starting to suspect the Syndicate destroyed this lab themselves...for fear of their work getting out...I don't think I am wrong."

"No...I don't think you are...when this lab gets demoed we'll lose every trace of these experiments."

"There has to be some way to delay it...to collect more evidence..."

"I...have some contacts with Mythril Eye...if this...leaked...it might raise some questions."

"If you think you can do it without getting discovered...it might be the best bet..."

Master Post

Sometimes...I see an excuse to make another AU and brain goes brrrrrr. This time 'another world' meant dystopian sci fi. Is this going to go anywhere? Probably not. I got like 6 half formed AUs buzzing around my head. I don't think any of them are going anywhere.

Thanks and sorry if you read the whole thing.

Aymeric:

Lost Allagan Saber

Model B-2 Tactical Halfmask

Lost Allagan Surcoat and Gloves of Maiming

Late Allagan Bottoms and Sollerets of Fending (all in royal blue except the pants)

Riona: Gordian Rapier

Model A-1 Tactical Goggles

Late Allagan Coat of Casting

Valentione Forget-me-not Ribboned Gloves

Magitek Bottoms

Model C-2 Tactical Longboots

Head, body and feet royal blue otherwise undyed

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The Bezzle excerpt (Part III)

I'm on tour with my new novel The Bezzle! Catch me TOMORROW in SALT LAKE CITY (Feb 21, Weller Book Works) and then SAN DIEGO (Feb 22, Mysterious Galaxy). After that, it's LA, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix and more!

This week, I'm serializing part of chapter 14 from my new novel The Bezzle, which is out in stores TODAY (!!!):

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865878/thebezzle

The Bezzle is a Martin Hench novel, the followup to last year's Red Team Blues – though each book in the series is designed to be read in any order, and to stand alone (RTB just came out in paperback):

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865854/redteamblues

Hench is a two-fisted, high-tech forensic accountant whose career spans 40 years of busting high-tech scams, from the earliest days of the PC to the white-hot center of the cryptocurrency bubble. Each book revolves around a single, central scam (in The Bezzle, it's the unbelievably slimy prison-tech industry):

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/14/minnesota-nice/#shitty-technology-adoption-curve

But each book also features lots of subplots that unpick different kinds of fraud. In this serialized excerpt, we get to watch Marty unwind a music royalty theft scheme, the kind of thing that Rebecca Giblin and I pulled apart in our 2022 book, Chokepoint Capitalism (also now in paperback!):

https://chokepointcapitalism.com/

Today's installment gets into one of the major tactics of any semi-respectable scam – simply ignoring the victim in the hope that they'll get tired and go away. Any of us who've been ripped off by a big company can surely relate.

I'm leaving on my tour for this one tomorrow, starting with a gig in Salt Lake City at Weller Bookworks (Feb 21) at 630PM:

https://www.wellerbookworks.com/event/store-cory-doctorow-feb-21-630-pm

From there, it's on to LA (with Adam Conover), Seattle (with Neal Stephenson) and many, many more cities – maybe one near you!

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/16/narrative-capitalism/#bezzle-tour

Here's part one of the serial:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/17/the-steve-soul-caper/#lead-singer-disease

And part two:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/19/crad-kilodney-was-an-outlier/#copyright-termination

And now, onto part three!

Stefon cooked Jamal another dinner and Jamal wrote another letter, this one more forceful, and addressed to Gounder by name. Two weeks later, Jamal wrote another letter without needing dinner because “that motherfucker went to Harvard fucking law”—­Jamal had looked him up in the ALA directory—­“and he knows you can’t make legal problems go away just by ignoring them. Time for that piece of shit to put on his big-­boy pants and be a goddamned lawyer.”

The one thing Jamal wouldn’t do was file a lawsuit. “You need a lawyer for that,” he said. “I mean, I can help you with the paperwork, but a paralegal can’t file the suit. And you shouldn’t file your own suit, either. Those guys’ll just hire some blow-dried asshole from a big law firm and they’ll crush you like a cockroach.”

“Well, shit,” Stefon said. But it all made sense. Anyone doing business with Chuy Flores would do business like Chuy Flores—­that is, crooked as hell.

“What you need is a contingency lawyer,” Jamal said. “Someone who’ll take the job for a piece of the action.” Which is how Stefon ended up being represented by Benny Caetani II, son of Benedetto Caetani, who graduated at the top of his Yale class, won a string of spectacular class-­action suits, then got disbarred after someone leaked calls where he admitted moving money from one client trust account into another to cover a shortfall. No one seriously thought that Benedetto was stealing anyone’s money—­he’d had receivables due within a week that let him make the trust account whole—­but he was also clearly guilty.

Equally, no one seriously believed that the high-­powered surveillance that led to Benedetto’s downfall was random. Benedetto had transferred more than a hundred million dollars from the balance sheets of America’s largest, dirtiest corporations—­ poison-­peddling pharma giants, toxic-­waste-­dumping chemical companies, a global chain of botox parlors with some very loose syringes indeed—­and they were gunning for him.

Officially, Benedetto was out of the lawyer game. Unofficially, he was the brains behind Benny, and the two of them ran a squeaky-­clean shop, making sure that everything that an actual lawyer had to do, Benny did—­while Benedetto did ­everything else. Father and son got along well and they were a hell of a team. When Benedetto called me in to audit Inglewood Jams’ books, I jumped at the opportunity. They were a delight to work for.

“They played tough,” Benedetto said, as his minions arranged the bankers’ boxes on the steel kitchen shelves he’d had installed on the long walls of the storefront he’d rented for me to work out of for the month. “At first. Told me they didn’t owe Stefon a dime, and that they’d rather bankrupt themselves in court than pay some broken-­down, washed-­up disco king anything. Told me his problem was with Chuy, not Inglewood Jams.”

“Well, to be fair, that Chuy guy sounds like a class-­A piece of shit.”

“A broke piece of shit. Guy’s got a million-­dollar nose and an empty bank account.”

“So you had to go after Inglewood Jams.”

Benedetto twirled around in his Aeron chair. He’d sent over a pair of them, asking if I needed more, because he had a storage locker full of them that he’d gotten as part of a settlement with a broke Santa Monica crowdsourcing company that stiffed its workers when it folded.

“I did. I went after them. That Gounder lawyer tried to bluff, then when that didn’t work, he tried to dodge service. Which was such a kindergarten move. Plus he was no good at it. Caught him outside the rub-­and-­tug parlor he went to every Friday after work. Handed him the papers. Wore a bodycam. Didn’t mention his wife. Didn’t have to.”

“You think he settled because he didn’t want his wife to find out he was getting hand jobs at a massage parlor?”

“No, he held out awhile after that. But I could see it preying on him, every time I was face-­to-­face with him. Eventually, he musta told his bosses that they were gonna lose, and so they offered a settlement. It was trash. I laughed in his face. He tossed out some better offers, but none of them even in the ballpark of what we would get in court. Finally, I told him to get serious or send his court suit out to the dry cleaner’s. That’s when he offered to make Stefon whole and pay me a little for my trouble on top of things.”

I suppressed a snort. I was sure that a little on top amounted to some real folding money.

“Even then he tried to pull a fast one, told me he’d calculate Stefon’s royalties and send a check the next week. I was like, ‘Hold up, there is no way you’re going to be able to make an honest accounting for Stefon’s royalties in a week. The dude’s samples are in hundreds of songs. The mere fact that you claimed that you could come up with a fair amount in a week tells me you were planning to pull a lowball number out of your ass and pass it off as the audited total, so tell you what, I’m gonna get the best forensic accountant in the state of California to come down here to LA and crawl all over your papers, and you are going to send him everything he needs to do it, or we’re going to court, motherfucker.”

“And he agreed?”

“Hell no. He refused. We went to a preliminary hearing. Judge turned out to be a classic soul fan. It didn’t go well for Gounder or Inglewood. The next day, he was back in my office, and now, well, here we are.”

ETA: Here's part four!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/20/fore/#lawyer-up

[ze-land-fill]

Multifandom December Prompts 2024

Day 4. "Snow Fight"

Fandom: Beyblade Burst

Word Count: 1,014

Summary: The boys go out to play in the snow. Chaos ensues.

~ * ~

Wakiya crashed into the snow behind the wall. He panted heavily, somewhere along his run, his ponytail had come undone, and his hair stuck to his face, slick with sweat. He took a moment to lean his head on the wall. Just a quick break… 

His relief didn’t last long. He heard the crunch of footsteps in the snow. Slowly approaching the wall. He had to run. Now. 

He pulled himself up, dragging a handful of snow along the ground. When he was standing upright, he pressed his body against the wall, and packed the snow in his hands.

The steps got closer, he listened closely. The person was starting to get frantic. Stepping in circles, watching around themselves. He took a deep breath, stepped out of his hiding spot, and launched the snowball.

Ken turned around, just in time for the snowball to hit him right in the face. And he went falling backwards. Wakiya shot away, shouting mocking remarks as he ran. 

Though… Karma has a way of biting back. And before he knew it, he tripped on the curb, and fell head-first into a pile of freshly cleaned snow. In other words. Dirty snow. Snow that had just been cleaned off the roads. 

Ken laughed loudly, pointing at him and Wakiya glared at him through his snow-covered face.

~

Shu and Honcho stood on opposite sides of the bench. Neither had dared to make a move. Both of them had an armful of snowballs, a hand hovering above their pile. Ready to strike. 

Honcho weighed his options. Shu was smart. Freakishly so. And he was fast. If he tried to throw one, Shu would undoubtedly hit him right back with barely a second to spare. So that left a last tactic. He had to psych him out.

“So… Number 2. Worldwide, huh? Not bad… Not bad at all.” He started, while taking slow steps backwards, furthering the distance between them. He saw the way Shu’s hand twitched over one of the snowballs. And he smiled. Good. 

“Hey, are you sure you’re good to do this? I mean, it hasn’t been that long since the International Blader’s Cup. Is your arm okay?” He makes a look of concern, and gestures lightly at Shu’s right shoulder. “We can stop here, y’know. If it’s too much for you, wouldn’t want you to overwork yourself.” His voice was sickly sweet. It kinda felt like when he bargained with Ranjiro over the last candy in the jar. 

But to his surprise, and utter confusion, Shu actually sighs. “Yeah. You’re right. We’ve been doing this for a while. And, now that you mention it. My arm is petty tired, so…” He raises his eyebrow, as if to suggest something. “Truce?”

Honcho’s eyes are blown wide. He never thought he’d live to see the day when the Shu Kurenai, gave up on something. He was shocked, but wary. So he proposed an alternative. “How about, we put all the snowballs down on the count of three.” Shu nodded in reply. 

“Alright… 1… 2… 3!”

The snow made a muffled sound as about two-dozen snoballs hit the ground at once. After they watched the sad piles of snow for a few seconds, Shu walked over to him. “C’mon Rantaro, let’s go somewhere.” Honcho just turned, dumbfounded. He walked a few steps, and then it hit him. Literally .

A cold, wet, lump of snow was slowly sliding down his neck. And he whirled around, only to see Shu, snowball at hand, and aiming for him. “You didn’t believe I’d actually give up, did you?” He smirked. 

Honcho blinked, then he ran. And he cackled maniacally as Shu followed close behind. 

“You’ll never catch me alive!”

They laughed their way around the park benches.

~

“H-hey Valt- We can talk about this, right? Valt- Wa-wait!”

Daigo ran as fast as he could. Wildly changing directions. Valt followed close behind, ruthlessly pelting his friend with snowballs. How he managed to make and throw them so fast, was something that was completely beyond Daigo’s understanding.

He skidded to a halt at a bench, before turning around and shooting off just as fast in that direction. A snowball barely missing his head, grazed his cheek. At least the upside to being fast, was that Valt wasn’t very precise, and he was honestly missing more than half the shots he was making. 

“Any day now!” He shouted, as if some glorious being would descend from the heavens and take his side against Valt the Wonder Boy, the Ultimate SnowPelter. At this rate, he might drop dead from exhaustion. 

That would be embarrassing to have on a gravestone. ‘Here lies, Daigo Kurogami. Beloved Brother, Blader, and Friend. Couldn’t outrun the snow’

His imaginary funeral is cut short by a shout, a thud, and a sound that resembles pillows crashing into each other. He turns around, only to see Valt, buried under a pile of snow. Toko and Nika jump out of the tree they were hiding in, and give each other a high-five, before running to and doing the same thing to Daigo. 

“Hey! No fair! You two are supposed to be on my side!” Valt whined. 

Nika grinned, “Sorry Big bro! But Daigo made us an offer we couldn’t refuse.”

Toko stuck out his tongue, “He said we could play with his cat the next time we visit.”

Valt made a pout. “Betrayed! By my own blood! For a cat!” He shook his head in exaggerated distraught. But he laughed whole, heartedly. And so did the others.

~

“I’m beat!” Honcho slumped down into the booth. Sitting down next to Shu, who was sat between him, and Valt. Ken, Wakiya, and Daigo sat opposite them. Everyone had a tired air about them. Toko and Nika had gone inside the house to warm up. The others sat (slumped) at the table. 

Chiharu - like the absolute angel she is - brings out a tray of hot cocoa, and freshly baked beybread. That seems to bring some energy back. 

And pretty soon, they’re all talking and laughing animatedly about the day's events.

~ * ~

Thank You for reading! (COMMENTS ARE REALLY APPRECIATED!!!)

~ Remzy

[ghxstadventvres]

PINNED !!

my intros for my clowns will be divided into present-day / fun facts & a background portion. if you’re not interested in reading the background, you can skip it! trigger warnings will be listed before the background portion.

❀ *◦ kang seulgi. trans woman. she/her. pansexual panromantic. ⇝ hey, isn’t that salem jung? i think that the thirty year old from sleepy hollow, new york works as a paranormal investigator, but outside of that people describe them as cracked ballet slippers, a loud classical music overture covering up the sounds of an axe hacking away, liminal spaces that don’t feel real ( or maybe you aren’t real ), lit candelabras, pumpkin guts spilled over tabletops, a door slamming shut when you speak of the dead, packed boxes remaining in a lived-in home, nightmares of losing all your teeth, standing alone in the ballpit when all the lights go off, disembodied laughter in the halls. i hear they are off-putting & guileful, but they are also known to be gumptious & sensible. consider giving them a visit at their home in other ( rabbit creek ) and get to know why they’re called the bad omen.

PIN BOARD. / STATS.

PRESENT-DAY:

local nuisance. the kind of woman that walks into the room and the candles blow out on their own, and everyone turns their head, but not because she's the most stunning thing you ever saw. drawn means compelled

man-eater by hall and oates plays aggressively

taking on her sister's two year old, briar, has taken up a considerable amount of her time, but she still makes time to get her freak on

intersex and raised AMAB, but had the full workings of a female reproductive system. she was unaware of this until she began transitioning in her teens when they identified she was underdeveloped, despite a masculine presentation. she's had the good luck of everything still being functional as she wasn't forced to have any surgeries or supplements. learning about her body helped her find her identity after feeling she didn't fit in as a child

she still talks to people that aren't there — in any setting. think of her like long island medium without the scam tactics. but you can't usually tell if she's pulling it out of her ass to fuck with someone or if they're really there. you'll probably never know. she doesn't really give a shit if people think it's weird

she's pretty new to town, moved here in october 2024. she feels drawn to it for reasons inexplicable, and the scenery change wasn't such a bad idea. it helps that this is the home base of her paranormal investigating crew's host, alizka, so they don't have to coordinate their next trysts over the phone

box-dye job with the red streaks, short straight-cut bangs, and chokers for days

sleeps above her covers. four feet above her covers. not really. maybe

doesn't really play nice anymore after learning someone posed as her sister post-humous. doesn't know who to trust, so she doesn't give it out that easily. there's something off about what happened. but she hasn't figured out what that is yet

BACKGROUND!

TRIGGER WARNINGS: pregnancy & pregnancy-related death, mentions of devil worship (?), murder

what a pair you made, brother and sister. you were the apple of your father's eye in a family that would have been far bigger, had your mother not passed away from complications of eclampsia in childbirth with the two of you. he never remarried and devoted his life to the two of you

when you were three, your dad caught you talking to thin air while visiting your mother's grave. when you were eleven, you were still giggling at jokes that no one else in the room was clued in on. your father feared you for it but never said it in so many words. why would your mom's blood run down her legs in birth if it weren't to the devil?

you were rarely apart when you were kids, but siobhan never had much of a backbone, did she? she wet her pants when the wind blew the wrong way. you were fascinated by books, and your sister became homecoming queen

one of those books you discovered was a book of the occult, and you became fascinated with witchcraft. it preoccupied a great deal of your time. and yes, you saw the irony, born to a namesake of those afflicted with accusations. practicing made you feel like you weren't so strange

you skip college after graduation, and your sister skips town. you keep practicing ballet and you land yourself a spot in the new york city ballet while taking care of your father as he develops alzheimers. he accepts who you are when you come out and wish for transitioning to your true self, because at least you aren't conversing with ghosts

enter the real salem jung. she carries herself with power and confidence that she lacked in high school, round glasses and brown curls in her sister's shadow. when her sister moved back home after her master's program in chemistry, siobhan discovers her sister with a homemade haircut with a pair of sheer scissors, and her father in the grave two years ago after the phone calls she didn't have time for. they are twenty-four now

life seems normal for a few years or so. salem's hard work skyrocketed her to prima ballerina, and was the face of billboards in the city thanks to some offers from athletic wear companies

at the height of dance stardom, she was in the process of an audition for the paris opera ballet in an effort to be one of the five percent of dancers to be accepted, when everything changed

at twenty-eight, siobhan was a new mother when she disappeared. distraught, salem canceled her auditions and booked flights and made an effort to search for her sister. a year passed when siobhan appeared from nowhere, collapsing at the doors of the local hospital... but the person that returned was not the same, and it wasn't the siobhan she knew. there was a darkness within her that terrified salem, no longer the lovely, sweet and bubbly person she grew up with. it wasn't because of the disappearance. it was something else

she got her confirmation one night, overhearing a conversation she wasn't supposed to while her sister was on the phone: the real siobhan was dead in the ground, and this imposter now stood in her wake. she walked away quietly and picked up an axe out of the garden shed. witches in sleepy hollow tended to lose their heads ( maybe she lost hers too. )

you quit the new york city ballet on a rainy tuesday, with your one year old niece in your arms. press gathered outside to ask questions and circle like buzzards over the pandemonium you caused, but you got in your car and drove back to sleepy hollow

you learned how to make a profit off your gift. embarking on the road with a band of equally weird people, the television spot that you landed puts you all on the map, on top of word-of-mouth from alizka's cohosting spot on the podcast

eventually, your new way of life and endeavors scraped together enough cash for a new start. somewhere where you weren't sleeping in a ten foot radius from the garden shed you buried your sister under

are you the real one or did you kill her? you can't tell anymore, your hands are not yours, haven't been since you separated yourself from your other half. maybe you'll never know. maybe it's all an act

[pizzasteveofficial]

Hey real talk how come a bullying tactic is wedgies? Like I'm sorry but first of all thats a kink/fetish all over deviantart so you're already treading into some questionable waters. And then like, imagine, "I don't like you so I'm gonna reach MY HANDS into YOUR PANTS and PULL UP YOUR UNDERWEAR that is directly covering your ASS CHEEKS and other NETHER REGIONS." like is that not the gayest fucking thing you can think of?

"Haha heehee hoohoo I don't like you, nerd! Get ready for an atomic WEDGIE!" like bro just make out with him we all know you have a massive gay ass crush that you can't deal with it's 2024 just have sex with him

[thepiratedressing]

The Best Pirate-Inspired Fashion Trends for 2024

Pirate-inspired fashion is making waves in 2024! If you're ready to add a touch of swashbuckling adventure to your wardrobe, now’s the perfect time to dive into the latest trends. Whether you’re looking for a dramatic look for a themed event or want to spice up your everyday outfits, these pirate-inspired fashion trends will give you all the stylish swagger you need.

1. Pirate Shirts: A Modern Twist on a Classic

The iconic pirate shirt is a staple that’s still going strong in 2024. Think billowy sleeves, ruffled collars, and dramatic cuffs. This classic piece is now available in lightweight fabrics like cotton, satin, and linen, making it easy to wear for all kinds of occasions. Pair it with skinny jeans or tuck it into high-waisted trousers for a modern pirate look that feels fresh but still full of character.

2. Pirate Coats: A Sleek and Timeless Outerwear Piece

2024 is all about sleek, tailored pirate coats. Gone are the heavy, bulky designs—this year’s pirate coats are fitted and stylish with embroidered details and double-breasted cuts. They’re perfect for layering over any outfit, whether you’re dressing up for a themed event or adding a bold twist to your everyday wardrobe.

3. Embroidered Corsets & Waistcoats: Elegant and Fierce

Corsets aren’t just for the medieval or steampunk look anymore—embroidered corsets and waistcoats are an essential part of 2024 pirate fashion. These pieces are all about intricate details—think floral embroidery, lace-up backs, and structured designs that accentuate your silhouette. Pair with high-waisted trousers or a flowing skirt to balance out the edginess with softness.

4. Buccaneer Boots: Step Into Adventure

No pirate-inspired outfit is complete without the perfect pair of buccaneer boots. These knee-high leather boots are a must-have for 2024. Look for styles with metal accents, buckles, and lacing to add a rugged touch to your outfit. Whether you're attending a Renaissance Faire or just want to add some drama to your everyday style, buccaneer boots are the perfect footwear to complete any pirate look.

5. Accessories: Belts, Sashes, and Bandanas

Accessories are key to finishing off a great pirate-inspired outfit. Leather belts with brass buckles, wide sashes, and bandanas are all must-haves this year. These pieces are perfect for cinching your waist or adding a casual flair to your outfit. Don’t forget the little touches like gold hoop earrings, pocket watches, and necklaces with nautical designs (anchors, ships, etc.) to really channel that pirate energy.

6. Ruffled Collars & Billowy Sleeves

Ruffles are back in a big way. From ruffled collars to billowy sleeves, these details add movement and drama to your pirate-inspired looks. 2024 is bringing these features into more lightweight fabrics like chiffon and silk, making them easy to incorporate into your wardrobe. Add a ruffled blouse or billowy sleeve dress to your collection for a mix of bold and soft elements that perfectly capture the spirit of adventure.

7. Pirate Dresses: Perfect for Any Occasion

Pirate dresses have evolved into chic, versatile pieces for 2024. These dresses combine historical pirate influences with modern cuts and styles, making them suitable for everything from themed parties to casual outings. Look for dresses with off-the-shoulder designs, lace-up bodices, and corset-style silhouettes—these dresses exude the perfect balance of rebellion and elegance.

8. Tactical Pirate Fashion: Practical Meets Stylish

In 2024, tactical pirate fashion is taking over with functional yet fashionable pieces. Utility vests, cargo pants, and large pockets are all trending, offering a mix of pirate practicality and modern streetwear style. Look for leather utility vests and distressed cargo trousers that not only look great but can also hold your “treasure” (or phone, keys, etc.) in style.

Wrapping It Up

Pirate-inspired fashion is hotter than ever in 2024. From the classic pirate shirt to embellished corsets, buccaneer boots, and statement accessories, there are so many ways to add a touch of adventure to your wardrobe. Whether you’re dressing up for a Renaissance Faire or looking to add a bold twist to your everyday outfits, these trends will have you feeling like the star of your own pirate story.

So why not sail into 2024 with a wardrobe that’s ready for adventure? Pirate-inspired fashion is the way to go if you’re looking to make a statement this year. Ready to embrace the pirate spirit?

[attackcopterblog]

Limited Edition Crye G3 Combat Gear: Frogskin Beach

Tactical Distributors has teamed up with Crye Precision in the limited edition G3 Combat shirt and Pant in Frogskin Beach pattern. Tactical Distributors state “Now available in our 2024 Limited Edition print: Frogskin Beach. Frogskin Beach is one of the earliest camouflage patterns used by the U.S. military. It was developed during World War II, with its first widespread use in the Pacific…

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] Ajaz Patel won the player of the match award (Image: BCCI) Amid all the anger, the IPL is always a soft target. India have lost a home series – emphatically so – and hence it is time to blame the IPL. Blame the retention process, for that’s what must have occupied the players mind space’ before this Test. Nothing could be more wrong. Let’s deep dive to explore this a little. For a second, assume that the IPL retention was on the players’ minds. The one who was deeply involved in the retention drama and who decided at the last to put himself into the auction was Rishabh Pant. And needless to say, Pant was India’s best batter by a country mile in Mumbai. Clearly, it wasn’t about retention or any such thing. Rohit Sharma’s retention was never in doubt. Mumbai had taken these calls weeks earlier, and never was there any doubt over it. The same can be said of Virat Kohli. That RCB would retain him was never up for debate, so to say his mind was on the retention is pure nonsense. I would argue the same for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, who form the new core of India’s batting. And Sarfaraz Khan was never going to be retained, so he would also not have been influenced by the drama playing out in the background. To target the IPL retention is the easy way out. And by doing so, we are actually not addressing the elephant in the room. Had it been retention, it was a short-term thing. Now that the retention is done, the problem should also be sorted. This series could be passed off as an aberration. The truth is, it isn’t. Rather, this series is further evidence that India’s Test match batting is in decline and needs urgent correction. And that’s not because of the IPL retentions. Tactical shortcomings were a major reason behind India suffering their first-ever whitewash on home soil in a series of three or more Tests.@atreyom #INDvNZ #IndiaVsNewZealand @BCCI https://t.co/vzcTppCZPE — RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) November 3, 2024   The solution is staring us in the face. Prepare good batting wickets to get your confidence back. These slow turners or rank turners, however you want to describe them, aren’t helping. You are mentally scarred at the moment, and by repeating the same mistakes over and over again, you are only adding to your misery. And when such things start to happen, they always have a tendency to spiral out of control. Rohit won the toss in Bengaluru, and made a horrendous blunder in batting first. Then, in the next two, he did not win the toss and luck did not go his way either. His poor batting form did not help, and with each passing innings, things went from bad to worse. Interestingly, India play the next 10 Tests away from home – five in Australia and five in England. In both cases, India don’t prepare the decks and it is good that there will not be focus on such issues. Rather, they will have to play on the surfaces that are on offer, and that might just bring Jasprit Bumrah into play. Cricket is the most individual of all team sports, and that’s what India will need to bank on at the moment. Just like Ajinkya Rahane’s 116 in Melbourne in 2020, we need an inspirational effort from someone to make things happen. Sport always gives you a second chance, and now, the challenge for Rohit and Gautam Gambhir will be to forget this humiliation and move ahead. What’s done is done. The future is in their hands. “It is quite tough and it tells you nothing is easy in life,” Rohit said about the humiliating 0-3 series loss to New Zealand in the post-match press conference #INDvNZ #INDvsNZ@CricSubhayan https://t.co/ZAeykZNLeN — RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) November 3, 2024   The post IPL retention a red herring, when the real culprit is India getting trapped in a spin cycle appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] Ajaz Patel won the player of the match award (Image: BCCI) Amid all the anger, the IPL is always a soft target. India have lost a home series – emphatically so – and hence it is time to blame the IPL. Blame the retention process, for that’s what must have occupied the players mind space’ before this Test. Nothing could be more wrong. Let’s deep dive to explore this a little. For a second, assume that the IPL retention was on the players’ minds. The one who was deeply involved in the retention drama and who decided at the last to put himself into the auction was Rishabh Pant. And needless to say, Pant was India’s best batter by a country mile in Mumbai. Clearly, it wasn’t about retention or any such thing. Rohit Sharma’s retention was never in doubt. Mumbai had taken these calls weeks earlier, and never was there any doubt over it. The same can be said of Virat Kohli. That RCB would retain him was never up for debate, so to say his mind was on the retention is pure nonsense. I would argue the same for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, who form the new core of India’s batting. And Sarfaraz Khan was never going to be retained, so he would also not have been influenced by the drama playing out in the background. To target the IPL retention is the easy way out. And by doing so, we are actually not addressing the elephant in the room. Had it been retention, it was a short-term thing. Now that the retention is done, the problem should also be sorted. This series could be passed off as an aberration. The truth is, it isn’t. Rather, this series is further evidence that India’s Test match batting is in decline and needs urgent correction. And that’s not because of the IPL retentions. Tactical shortcomings were a major reason behind India suffering their first-ever whitewash on home soil in a series of three or more Tests.@atreyom #INDvNZ #IndiaVsNewZealand @BCCI https://t.co/vzcTppCZPE — RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) November 3, 2024   The solution is staring us in the face. Prepare good batting wickets to get your confidence back. These slow turners or rank turners, however you want to describe them, aren’t helping. You are mentally scarred at the moment, and by repeating the same mistakes over and over again, you are only adding to your misery. And when such things start to happen, they always have a tendency to spiral out of control. Rohit won the toss in Bengaluru, and made a horrendous blunder in batting first. Then, in the next two, he did not win the toss and luck did not go his way either. His poor batting form did not help, and with each passing innings, things went from bad to worse. Interestingly, India play the next 10 Tests away from home – five in Australia and five in England. In both cases, India don’t prepare the decks and it is good that there will not be focus on such issues. Rather, they will have to play on the surfaces that are on offer, and that might just bring Jasprit Bumrah into play. Cricket is the most individual of all team sports, and that’s what India will need to bank on at the moment. Just like Ajinkya Rahane’s 116 in Melbourne in 2020, we need an inspirational effort from someone to make things happen. Sport always gives you a second chance, and now, the challenge for Rohit and Gautam Gambhir will be to forget this humiliation and move ahead. What’s done is done. The future is in their hands. “It is quite tough and it tells you nothing is easy in life,” Rohit said about the humiliating 0-3 series loss to New Zealand in the post-match press conference #INDvNZ #INDvsNZ@CricSubhayan https://t.co/ZAeykZNLeN — RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) November 3, 2024   The post IPL retention a red herring, when the real culprit is India getting trapped in a spin cycle appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link