#where is the seventh samurai

[tamayula-hl]

Headcanon about Sebastian and my mc, Sakurako

NOTE ･Sakurako is a Mary Sue-like character with an unrealistic personality. Reading is not recommended if you don't like Mary Sue-like OCs! ･It's very long. To be honest, all the descriptions of Sakurako are nothing more than a product of complacency for me. I am a little embarrassed to disclose my headcanon, which is filled with these particular settings and delusions...😳 ･Read from the top right in Japanese manga style. ･And again, please bear with my poor English🤣

Until admission to Hogwarts

In 1875, Sakurako was born into a former samurai family when the cherry trees (sakura) were in bloom. In Japan, the samurai society was abolished around 1868 and the samurai were forced to take the status of commoners. Sakurako's samurai-turned-commoner father became a successful trader and took young Sakurako and his family to Britain to get serious about the raw silk trade with Britain. (At the time, there was a thriving raw silk trade between the British and Japanese.)

Her father, who had a male-dominated mindset due to his birth in a samurai society, restricted her from academic opportunities that she did not need for a better marriage. Whenever she went out of the house, local children always made fun of her yellow skin. One day, after such a depressing life, with the sudden awakening of her magical powers, Sakurako received her Hogwarts acceptance letter and became a member of the Wizarding World, a place free of sexism and racism, where she had a fateful meeting with Sebastian and formed a warped love with him.

During the relationship quest with Sebastian

In my personal opinion, I consider Sebastian to be a very calculating character. Sebastian initially comes into contact with Sakurako as a means of breaking Anne's curse. Sakurako takes an early liking to the boy, Sebastian, who is very kind and helpful to her in her first time in the wizarding world, but it is around the 'In the shadow of the study' quest that Sebastian begins to take a liking to Sakurako. Having grown up watching her parents become arrogant new rich through their success in the trades, Sakurako has a desire to be a good person who is not conceited by her talents and luck. Impressed by the fact that the wizarding world is free from sexism and racism and that everyone treats her with openness, Sakurako is so excited that she takes on any request from anyone without refusal. Sakurako feels threatened by Sebastian's obsession with the relics after "In the shadow of the study", but she can't refuse Sebastian's request and continues to cooperate with him. Then came the tragedy of 'Avada Kedavra'.

After all is over, Sakurako realises how stupid she has been. She continued to help Sebastian (and the other students) out of kindness and goodwill, but as a result she realised that she was not a good person, but an arrogant monster with no sense of right and wrong. Sebastian's mistakes were all her fault, and she blamed herself from this moment until her death, and she would have lifelong thoughts of 'rewinding time and starting all over again'. Sakurako was deeply in love with Sebastian at this point, but out of remorse she tried to distance herself from him. However, Sebastian forcefully continued to contact Sakurako, confessed his fondness and they began dating.

About relationships

Elsewhere, Sakurako had established a friendship with Anne over a number of correspondence until tragedy struck, which was disrupted by Anne's disappearance after Solomon's death. In my headcanon, Sebastian heard the news of Anne's death in the seventh year, and Sakurako was also deeply saddened and even more remorseful when she heard of her death. Sakurako kept Anne's letters and the last letter she was unable to send to Anne for the rest of her life.

Subsequent relationship with Sebastian Since she and Sebastian have been seeing each other, Sakurako has been constantly worried that the love Sebastian has for her is not genuine love, but an obsession caused by the confusion and trauma of losing Anne. She was aware that their relationship was codependent, not healthy love, yet she spent her days loving Sebastian so much that she could not reject him. She dreads every day that one day Sebastian's love will disappear and he will instead resent her and saying 'Solomon's death was your fault'. When she is in the seventh year and thinking seriously about her future life, she finally decides to break up with Sebastian.

When Sebastian realised that Sakurako was acting strangely and that she wanted to break up with him, he asked her to marry him in The Great Hall at a crowded time, in front of many people watching, in a situation where she could not say 'no'. As per Sebastian's cunning intentions, Sakurako is unable to reject Sebastian and becomes engaged to him. However, even after her engagement, Sakurako's insecurities were not exhausted. Worried that she would never be happy even if she married him in an unhealthy codependent state, Sakurako finally came to her senses and, after secretly returning the engagement ring in Sebastian's bag after the graduation ceremony, disappeared without saying anything to him. Sakurako then went to Japan and spent her days learning about Japanese native magic, which she had long been interested in. However, after about a year, she is discovered by Sebastian. After Sebastian apologises for how selfish he had been, he asks Sakurako to marry him again. After a few days of deliberation and discussion with Sebastian, Sakurako accepts his engagement with a smile.

(This is an Illustration I drew for a previous Twitter post introducing the MC's image song) Afterwards, Sakurako returned to Britain and officially married Sebastian, giving birth to their first daughter the following year, and then to male and female twins the year after that.

About the death of Sakurako Sakurako became Unspeakable of the Department of Mysteries shortly after returning to Britain. https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Department_of_Mysteries#Early_history It is official canon in the Wizarding World that the Department of Mysteries conducted time travel experiments in the 1890s and then had a serious time accident in 1899. I have built on this canon to create a head canon in which Sakurako dies in 1899.

Ever since the tragedy of 1890, Sakurako had been harbouring a wish to 'go back in time and do it all over again so that Sebastian would not make the same mistakes'. Then, she is asked by the other Unspeakables to help them with a time travel experiment using her ancient magical powers. She understands that it is a dangerous experiment, but with a strong desire to redo the past, she accepts the request and takes part in the experiment.

Then one day in 1899, Sakurako was involved in a time accident with Madam Mintumble and her existence was lost. The Department of Mysteries determined that she had died in the chasm of time.

When Sebastian heard the news of his wife's death, he despaired violently, but had no time to grieve as he had the three young children Sakurako had left behind to look after. He vowed to raise them well on his own. After his wife's death, Sebastian, who had been active in the outside world as an Auror, moved inside work and, after the twins entered Hogwarts, became a Professor of Charm, watching over his precious children as they grew up.

The consequences for Sebastian and Sakurako I consider an even more specific headcanon for Sakurako: 'She survived only her soul by the power of an ancient magic, losing her memory and trapped in an endless loop of time'.

She loses her memory but somehow survives with only her soul and travels back in time to 1890 with only her soul for her obsessive wish to 'start all over again for Sebastian'. But because she has lost her memory, she ends up repeating the same mistakes and is unable to save Sebastian, despairing and wishing to 'start all over' again. Trapped in the Ouroboros circle of time and tormented by eternal guilt… is the headcanon about her. (I love novels and movies about time leaps and infinite loops… 😳) But I also have two possible outcomes when she is able to escape the endless loop. The first is route A. If Sakurako is able to time leap without losing her memories.

(I like Butterfly Effect soooooo much!!!!!!!!) During that fateful encounter with Sebastian at DADA on her first day of transfer, when he spoke to her after class, she rejected him and said terrible things to him. Sakurako thinks that that tragedy happens because she and Sebastian have become friends, so she tries to save him by making Sebastian hate her… and so the ending goes.

And Route B. If by the power of love she accidentally escapes from the infinite loop and travels back in time to a world 100 years later. (Never mind the details. The power of love is powerful in the Wizarding World, right?)

She is miraculously reunited with Sebastian, who has been surviving and waiting for her return for all of a hundred years… and that is the ending. Having fulfilled his purpose in life, Sebastian soon dies, and Sakurako's soul, weakened by multiple time slips, also ascends.

In any case, Sebastian and Sakurako do not end up completely happy… which is my preference. I love tragic love stories 😂 But it's nice to see these tragic couples having fun in extra episodes and so on!

(The drawing on the left is part of a cartoon I drew when the Sebastian T-shirt was decided to be launched. The drawing on the right is a parody/trace of a meme that used to be popular in Japan)

These are my headcanons on Sebastian and Sakurako! I'm honestly embarrassed to reveal my brain fantasies 😳. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this long post! 😭💓 The following are the Japanese versions!

[sparrowsong-7]

Character Dump Time!

Figured I'd keep an up to date primer on all my OCs, since some of their details have changed.

(Updated as of 12/24/2024)

Fayne dus Tempas

Age: 24

Race: Au Ra

Pronouns: She/Her

Gender: Cis Woman

Jobs: Machinist, Gunbreaker, Dark Knight, Viper

A victim of Garlemald's horrid war march, Fayne was inducted into the Imperial Military at the young age of 11 to serve as a test subject for what would eventually be the stepping stone for the Hypertuned project. Together with the other "volunteers", Fayne would be subjected to grueling training, abuse, and horrific experimentation all culminating in the perfect squad of highly trained yet ultimately expendable soldiers. As time went on, and as her comrades fell in pointless suicide missions, Fayne and the only other surviving member of the squad would break away from the Empire amidst the civil war, taking refuge in Terncliff after it's liberation at the hands of the Warrior of Light. From there Fayne would make a name for herself taking on highly dangerous jobs alone and coming back with nary a scratch. After receiving a mysterious job to track down a rogue voidsent Fayne would find herself in Tural, unwittingly walking to a new, brighter future.

Ayami Sparrowsong (formerly Ayami Ami)

(current main)

Age: 22 (post EW)

Race: Lala Ra (half Lalafell, half Au Ra)

Pronouns: She/Her

Gender: Trans Woman

Jobs: Black Mage, Red Mage, Summoner, Pictomancer, Reaper, Samurai

Born as an Au Ra to the Tsukimori Family, Ayami had a rather rough childhood, something that reached a head when she ran away from her home at the tender age of 11. Her lonesome journey took her to Ul'Dah, where she'd live on the streets until Cocobuki of the Thaumaturge's Guild took pity on the girl, bringing her inside and changing her life forever. Eventually she would hear the call of adventure and set out with her best friend Mel in search of glory.

Throughout her journey, Ayami has gone from a meek, unassuming adventure to a veritable force of nature. She would also transform from an awkward Au Ra to a confident Lalafell thanks to a rather potent Fantasia. Rather than seeking fame and fortune, Ayami instead used her new form to fake her death, leading the world to believe that Ayami Tsukimori perished during the Final Days.

Now going by the name Ayami Sparrowsong, she wanders where her heart may take her, taking in the sights and knowledge that she stumbles across.

Memello Sparrowsong (Formerly Memello Mello)

Age: 25 (post EW)

Race: Dunesfolk Lalafell

Pronouns: She/Her

Gender: Cis Woman

Jobs: Machinist, Gunbreaker, Dark Knight

A Sharlayan runaway, Memello (often simply Mel) grew up as a magitek prodigy in a family that had no care for the machines. In a fit of desperation, frustration, and fear Mel stole as many supplies and gadgets as she could from a gleaner store house and caught the quickest boat to Eorzea, hoping to start a new life using her skills. While Mel had nothing to her name her prowess made waves that would soon reach the ears of one Cid Garlond, who would quickly offer the young girl a job at the Garlond Ironworks.

She would eventually cross paths with Ayami Tsukimori, irrevocably changing the course of both their lives. Some years later, they would set out together in search of adventure, hoping to strike it big. What they never expected was to be recruited to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, eventually becoming Warriors of Light.

Unfortunately, after Zenos took her leg and her confidence in their climactic battle at the edge of existence, Mel was left unable to continue her adventuring. This, followed by the loss of her love Crescent, Mel spiraled into a deep depression, one that she had only recently recovered from.

Crescent Sparrowsong

Age: 20 (?)

Race: Elezen, Doll

Pronouns: They/them

Gender: Non-Binary

Jobs: Reaper, Paladin

Born to the Seventh Epopt of Troia 20 years before the Flood of Darkness, Crescent was seen as an enigma by their people. Eschewing from the traditional norms of Troian society, Crescent instead took up the blade, spending their life training to one day lead Troia's military. That day eventually came, and with it the Contramemoria...

When the dust had settled and the world was consumed, Crescent took to floating aimlessly in the abyss of their world, their memories slowly fading until one day they stumbled upon a void gate with a voice that beckoned them forward; Hear, Feel, Think

Crescent would find themself in the snows of Coerthas, body formed back into its original shape. From there, they would attempt to pick up the pieces and figure out just where they were and how they wound up here.

Years later they would fall to a great foe, seemingly leaving the mortal coil. In truth, a portion of their essence remained tethered to Ayami, allowing them to live on as a spirit. In time, through the combined efforts of Corin, Mel, and the Scions, Crescent's soul was tied to a custom Doll body, allowing them a second chance at a true life.

Corin Sparrowsong

Age: 27

Race: Vierafell (half Viera, half Lalafell)

Pronouns: She/They

Gender: Intersex Woman

Jobs: White Mage, Pictomancer

An orphan left for dead by the mages of Mhach, Corin was found by the enigmatic Lady Fay and brought in to study the arts of White Magic in kingdom of Amdapor. There, she wiled away the hours, growing closer with her fellow apprentice L'Vinia. All seemed right with the world.

But then Mhach attacked, sending legions of voidsent to attack Amdapor Keep during what would one day be called the War of the Magi. Panicked and afraid, Corin was shepherded along by Lady Fay into being the centerpiece of a ritual drawn up to fling her through time. Unfortunately, the ritual put Corin into a half stasis, locking her in the rift until the appropriate point in time had been reached. Now over 1500 years late, Corin awakes in a bed in Mel's cottage, bereft of memories.

Lithryn Willowbough

Age: 1467 (linear age), 7552 (total age)

Race: Kaldorei

Pronouns: she/her

Gender: cis woman

Class: Hunter

Hero of the Alliance, Huntsman of the Hidden Path, Champion of Azeroth…

The Knife Eared Drunk…

A hero very far from home, Lithryn has taken to forming bad habits, making enemies with anyone she can, and just generally being a nuisance to those around her. But underneath her rough exterior is a woman deeply broken by the loss of her home, desperately trying to find some semblance of normalcy in a world so different from her own.

Proficient in at least a dozen combat styles and wielding magicks the likes of which no one has seen on Etheirys, Lithryn is a veritable force of nature when she fights, quickly ending engagements before they can even really start. Perhaps as time wears on she can find a place and purpose in this new world.

[seekers-who-are-lovers]

Pretty in pink: Kazuki K & subversion (an homage)

Note: For Kazukiweek 2023: Acceptance

Pink is fresh. It is a happy color. It is positive. It is a sign of good health. That says a lot about Kazuki Kurusu. He has a bubbly personality, his optimism is brimming, especially after the seventh episode. It sure helps that Rei and Miri have become his ethos, have accepted to welcome the changes after five years of losing Yuzu. Usually, he wears his emotions on his sleeve. (But I think that’s only a front.) I love him. Right to the 11th episode, he has totally embraced the new life he’s been leading with Rei and Miri. The fact that he wanted it all along but was apprehensive because of his traumatic experiences made him cautious of the way he dealt with Rei and Miri. Rei’s determination on the second balcony scene was the catalyst because he knew how much K wanted it.

That fond looks K gives toward his family.

In the West, we are past that era where men cannot subvert pink’s gendered stereotype. You see men wear pink dress shirts, pink suits and other piece of clothing and they look spectacularly good. It is still a test of bravery for some though. Small boys still despise this color perceiving it as a girly stuff. New mothers try to veer their daughters away from this color by consciously not purchasing and introducing pink-coloured merchandise to their daughters’ color palette only to be disappointed because of peer pressure in the kindergartens. You know Elsa and Anna and the beautiful ladies of Disney and their association with pink? Too common, too banal.

However, “in contemporary Japanese culture, says (Barbara) Nemitz, pink is perceived as a masculine and mournful color that represents ‘young warriors who fall in battle while in the full bloom of life.’” Slain young samurai. All right. (Thanks to PA Works, it didn’t come to that though.)

It is also the color of sakura, cherry blossoms, which are the Japanese’s favourite flower. They do picnics just enjoying and gazing at the beauty of cherry blossoms (and later, peach blossoms). The Hanami. Some Japanese migrants adapted this ritual/event to their host countries and it is a sight to behold.

Different shades/nuances of pink worn by K and the moms

Pink has long been associated with homosexuality. The pink triangle. The lgbtq movement reclaimed the former badge of shame used by the Nazis incorporating it into the pride flag later. Though almost 70 per cent of the Japanese society supports it, it still is a huge problem to come out.

While there are no legal implications, coming out remains taboo for many in Japan for fear of being ostracized. A survey of young LGBTQ people published last year found high levels of mental anguish, including suicidal thoughts. More than 90% said they couldn’t talk about their sexuality with their guardians. Very few people in national politics or the corporate world are openly gay, although homosexual themes and LGBTQ celebrities are a staple of television and other forms of entertainment.

“Buddy Daddies” is not marketed as BL, but the show makers can write whatever about their characters. Sometimes implying them without direct confirmation. It depends how the viewers interpret it.

But K also symbolizes subversion. K’s characterization nonetheless goes against of what is perceived to be the norm in the Japanese society. He is both a nurturer and a protector, though Rei certainly will take over this “protector/saviour” task without any question. From the looks of it, he’d do anything for K and Miri.

Rei always in front to gauge the danger

An odd man out, K does the household chores while he can carry an adult man without any problem. We have seen him does it more than twice already. He’s loud and conspicuous. In Japan, you must never stand out. (<< - Shogo’s videos are highly recommended to watch btw!) He (and Rei) (go) goes against the rules. They blur the gender stereotyping in all aspects of life.

The crew presented the scenarios as if they were a matter of fact, normal, without making fun or light of it. No further commentary. One can say that it is subversive in a sense they want the audience to become aware of their thoughts on adoption, new family dynamics, the bureaucratic hurdles of enrolling your children and better access to daycare centres/schools to the ever-present mothers who have to give up their jobs and dedicate their lives to their kids, etc.

(It was unfortunate that they didn’t follow it up with Misaki Unasaka.)

Why do I get this feeling that one way or another “Buddy Daddies” had been the show makers’ thinly veiled social commentary on their society?

Anyway, I will miss his winking. Either way, I can still rewatch it.

Many happy returns, K!

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

Telling "The First Step" as Background NPCs

One of the interesting quirks of the FC I'm in is that we often help a Youtube Let's Player record his FFXIV videos. Last year is when he did the Stormblood patches, and when I and a dozen friends got together for a special project!

Since the Lodestone short story "The First Step" would otherwise not be in the Let's Play (nor would the SMN 80 quest) we wanted to convey the plot beats of that story in another way. Specifically, we designed a handful of "scenes" that the Let's Player would naturally run across as he progressed the 4.x MSQ.

The goal was to make it look as though "Arenvald," "Fordola," and the rest of our cast were overworld background NPCs who changed position after every patch, much like the B-Team Scions do in the Rising Stones!

Our first scene could be found in Rhalgr's Reach at the tail end of 4.3. Here, Fordola and a few other Garlean prisoners are being conscripted into the Ala Mhigan Resistance. The idea was Raubahn’s, so Arenvald and Pipin are on hand to pass along the details as various Resistance and Alliance soldiers chat and train nearby.

(Credit to @halcyonlioness - here playing a Meteor-lookalike Garlean prisoner - for the first screenshot!)

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Come 4.4, this same mix of soldiers could be seen early on in Ala Mhigo. The Resistance and the Alliance are collaborating on something, it appears...

(This screenshot by @shepspencil, with his character Anri as an Immortal Flames soldier! You can also see the Let's Player's Lalafell samurai in the background, where Alisaie and Thancred would appear for a quest at this point in the MSQ.)

Later in the same patch, more "NPCs" could be found by approaching the steps to the Royal Palace. Here, Fordola and Arenvald are being introduced to the Immortal Flames' Summoner squadron from the SMN 60-70 quests:

(More screenshots by @halcyonlioness!)

Of course, in the real short story, the scene where Fordola meets the summoners actually takes place outside Forgotten Springs. But the Let's Player wasn't going to pass through a random ARR village, so we picked a different location… albeit one that required getting our alts through a good chunk of the MSQ. It was quite the journey!

(Double Pipin shot by Pipin's player, who is a delight but does not have a tumblr!)

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By the 4.5(6) MSQ, things might be looking dire for the Warrior of Light, but our "background NPCs" managed to defeat Ifrit offscreen, so they could be found celebrating in the Seventh Heaven bar...

And what a celebration it is! A few people were called away for Savage raiding important military errands throughout the day 😉, and we also had some random other players go AFK in the middle of the Rising Stones. As a result, the tableau actually evolved quite a bit as the Let's Player ran in and out a few times for the patch quests.

Here's where we ended up by the finale!

Some fun little details I’d like to highlight (with thanks to @halcyonlioness once again for all these screenshots):

-The summoners and the thaumaturge are all using Ifrit weapon drops now, and Crispin has his Ifrit-egi out to further emphasize the point of what we were up to.

-The Resistance thaumaturge was wounded in the fight and saved by Fordola, so she and Pipin are checking up on him again here.

All in all, it was an extremely fun creative challenge to "adapt" a written story to this unusual storytelling format. It was also quite an intense undertaking to organize! Even before the actual Let's Play recordings, we had weeks of rehearsals where we worked together to come up with our "stage blocking" and determine when in the MSQ each scene would be visible.

Ultimately, while I might have been the instigator of these shenanigans, I couldn't have pulled any of it off without such an awesome and talented cast.

Some of whom are also on tumblr! In addition to @halcyonlioness (Hyal) and @shepspencil (Anri), I'd like to shout out @darquingdragon (Arenvald) and @newsiesgirl (Alexia)! Thanks for putting up with my wild ideas. :)

As for me, I haven't done a project this involved before or since... but who knows what the future might bring?

[likemosaic]

BASICS

full name. enishi chiyo; typically styled in reverse in the west. nicknames / aliases. goes by "chiyo kanshi" to distance herself from her family and few know her family name; playfully referred to as "chichi", though not by her preference. known as "the bard of light". referred to as "mistress kanshi", formally, due to unmarried nature. height. 4'11". age. verse dependent. is 23 in a realm reborn, though due to louisoix time fuckery, should actually be 28. zodiac. sagittarius. spoken languages. verse dependent. doman/hingan is her first language, common her second. due to the echo, can understand most languages, but even without it, is intelligent enough to learn new ones. in her modern verse, a polyglot with an ear for language, which is how she furthered her world-traveling career.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

hair colour. very blonde. eye colour. bright green. skin tone. darker skinned than most westerners due to doman heritage, but middlingly so when in the east. body type. short and rubenesque due to muscles. dominant hand. right. posture. holds a lot of tension in her body, generally, and usually keeps arms crossed subconsciously. was brought up to have good posture and keeps her shoulders back and back straight as a result. scars. post-stormblood, a scar across her chest where zenos cut her down; various other smalls scars from combat and various scuffles. tattoos. a kanji tattoo down her spine. birthmarks. n/a. most noticeable features. her blonde scales which match her hair; her prominent horns; her large, thick tail; bright, green eyes; generally very beautiful as well as curt and forward, and receives much unwanted attention as a result of it.

CHILDHOOD

place of birth. monzen, doma. siblings. enishi yoichi (alive, younger brother). her mother miscarried chiyo's other siblings due to her husband's older age. considers the fortemps sons to be brothers, of a sort, or at least treats them like brothers and is very protective of them. parents.

enishi suzume. alive; strongly resembles chiyo, but with long, well-cared for black hair. a very serious and no-nonsense shinobi spy who served the garleans in order to protect her family. was chosen by koichi in her twenties for marriage. though she was never necessarily happy in their marriage, suzume believes that happiness and marriage are incompatible--and that marriage to a powerful man is the best way for a woman to protect herself in doma, something she pressed upon her daughter. and as a result, chiyo ran away from home. her daughter going on to become a famed warrior was not something suzume anticipated nor wanted, and chiyo and suzume are at odds because of it. despite her lectures and cold nature, suzume does love chiyo deeply, and is secretly relieved that chiyo went on to become such a beloved success in eorzea. in certain verses, she's also very relieved that, by endwalker, chiyo's settled down to marry and have children.

enishi koichi. deceased, passed away of a heart attack shortly after chiyo ran away from home, due to the stress of worrying about her. koichi was a renowned samurai known for his good humor and his notable blonde hair, and who was exempt from garlean service due to his old age and poor health. chiyo was always the star of his world and suzume often accused him of "spoiling" their daughter. though he treated chiyo kindly, he had very high, unfair expectations for suzume and thus the two women have very different views on who he was. chiyo's younger brother was too young to form much of an opinion.

ADULT LIFE

occupation. verse dependent. in main verse, starts out as a paid assassin and becomes a scion of the seventh dawn and the bard of light; in her companion verse, goes on to become lady of doma. other verses include a bd star and actress (cyberpunk 2077), a diplomat/legal consultant (modern), an assassin (baldur's gate 3), and a legatus (baelsar au). chiyo likes to choose jobs that are physically active or exciting, as per her adventurer nature. current residence(s). has an apartment in ul'dah in ARR; after ARR, moves into the rising stones with the scions. technically has a room set aside for her with house fortemps. after endwalker, buys a massive house in thavnair and moves into it with her loved ones. close friends. in her main verse, her closest friend is j'tanga khilim (@windcovet) though chiyo would describe it more as a babysitting job. is also close with krile, tataru, nanamo, and yugiri. due to her friendly nature post-heavensward, most who know her (including other wols in shared wol verses) know her serious nature is a front, and consider her a friend in spite of it. relationship status. verse dependent. post-heavensward in main verse, various "situationships" with others. due to the open nature of her relationship with thancred, is willing to have one night stands and engage in flirtation as well as bring home "strays", so to speak. by endwalker, ends up married, in a polycule, with a surprise baby. whoops. in her companion verse, marries hien (for politics and for love) and the two have twins that factor into the endwalker plot. driver’s license. n/a. criminal record. attempted assassin of the sultana (cleared); should technically be under investigation for various deaths of men in ul'dah, but due to her close relationship with nanamo, nothing has ever come of that. vices. refusal to ask for help; chooses to solve problems with violence; very dark humor; flirtation and general promiscuity with various people (post-heavensward).

SEX & ROMANCE

sexual orientation. bi/pan. prefers men for one night stands but finds forming relationships (platonic or no) with women easier. preferred sexual role. very submissive, though it has to be earned by someone she trusts. prefers to be penetrated but will top every now and again, especially with a long term partner. libido. non-existent due to trauma during ARR; rising during heavensward and much higher afterwards. turn-ons. blondes and light hair, though it's not a requirement; competency, particularly in battle; due to traumatic history as well as the nature of sex in doma (that being between two married people and purely for children), chiyo loves to "break the rules of tradition", and have kinky, casual sex. also loves sex that can border on violent, ie hair pulling and urgency, though again, it has to be someone she trusts. chiyo may be a spoony bard, but she does need to trust that the person she's with won't hurt her or bring up her history, even if it's a one night stand. all of this applies to post heavensward chiyo who has had thancred teach her the "rules" of sex, including consent and kink; ARR chiyo is withdrawn and borderline asexual due to fear. turn-offs. drunkenness; a lack of dignity; maliciousness towards others, especially the helpless. love language. just like her mother, will fuss to show her worry, ie lecturing, picking at your appearance, seemingly random fits of temper, etc. though she can be a gift-giver now and then, is more prone to acts of service--ie, throwing herself in front of the metaphorical train to protect you and never bringing it up again. can be very protective and defensive, perhaps too much so, if she believes the one she loves is being slighted or is in danger. has also been known to write poetry or songs about those she loves, though whether she'll tell you it's about you is uncertain. relationship tendencies. see above.

MISCELLANEOUS

hobbies to pass time. a musical enthusiast who keeps a harp on her at all times to write music; an artist who loves to depict portraits of those she knows (like haurchefant and nanamo); very physically active, loves combat and learning new classes and ways to fight. mental illnesses. chronic depression that can be triggered by loss, as well as untreated PTSD due to her sexual assault and various deaths that she's suffered. self-confidence level. even during her lowest moments, chiyo is very self-confident, though there's an undercurrent of self-blame and doubt always ready to drag her back into depression given the chance. knows that she's beautiful and capable, but rather, believes she has an air of "bad luck" that destroys everything (and everyone) she touches, which is brought up in dark knight quest. "woe to those who join the warrior of light, and those who don't" quote, etc. by endwalker, chiyo has recognized this "bad luck" has nothing to do with her--it's just the way life is, and all you can do is fight to protect the ones you love, which she never plans to stop doing.

tagged by: @magicxecustos chiyo kanshi's number one fan <3 tagging: @strnza, @eclipsecrowned, @butnobodyhome, @clockwork---heart (for any of your blogs), @aeonsolitude <3

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki - Record of Curious Tales: Katana and Samurai #8, Kofuzumi Okitomo

well, this is the last of these that I can translate. sorry it's a bit late but I had a difficult time tracking down the sword name mentioned in this. Also, I won't be doing Sannan's since I got contacted for the raws... and I won't say no to not translating though I need to figure out what I'll do next.

Anyway, I ended up not working on this sooner than I would have liked... and I think the heat's getting to me again. (┬┬﹏┬┬) fucking hate summer.

This was originally published in 電撃Girl’s Style 2016年6月,

Hakuoki - Record of Curious Tales: Katana and Samurai #8, Kofuzumi Okitomo

Translation by KumoriYami

2nd year of Keiou, 4th month——

The Shinsengumi Seventh Division Captain, Tani Sanjuro died. The cause of death seemed to be the result of a personal fight, where he was unilaterally beheaded/sliced then killed, and the identity of the perpetrator was unknown. Although Hijikata Toshizou ordered the Watch to secretly investigate, there were ultimately no results. As a result, the real cause of Tani Sanjuro's death was never made public, and he was declared to have died suddenly.

Tani Sanjurou was the eldest son of three brothers in the Tani family, and in the fall of the third year of Bunkyuu, he enlisted with the second son Mantaro and the last son, Shuuhei. The Tani brothers had originally run a swordsmanship dojo in Osaka, but the eldest son, who usually practised Jikishin-ryu [I think?] and Shinkage-ryu [新陰流], served as the Shinsengumi's spearmanship instructor. Both of them participated in the Ikedaya Incident and were awarded for their outstanding contributions.

The members of the Shinsengumi were very troubled by Tani Sanjurou's murder. There was no way that a Captain of the Shinsengumi would get killed in a private fight while drunk. Due to how this matter could not be made public, the cause of Tani's death was buried in darkness.

After the incident was resolved, the second son, Tani Mantaro, decided to leave the Shinsengumi. Although the Shinsengumi was thought of as an organization that you couldn't leave after you joining, that wasn't the case. If a member had a reason that the executives could understand, they would be allowed to leave. That was to say that Mantaro's reason for leaving was sufficient to Vice-Commander, Hijikata Toshizou.

On the night Tani Mantaro left, Harada Sanosuke was summoned by Hijikata to his room.

"So does the reason you called me here have something to to with Tani Mantaro leaving? Let me tell you, I don't know anything about why he's quitting."

As soon as he entered the room, Harada sat down with a slightly dissatisfied expression as he spoke. Seeing Harada like this, HIjikata helplessly shrugged his shoulders.

I don't have the slightest doubts about you. That guy went back to the Matsuyama Domain [松山藩] instead [in place?] of his brother."

The unexpected answer made Harada somewhat bewildered.

"…Huh. So that's how it is. I thought he quit because he couldn't stand the way Sanjuro was treated. So is Shuuhei, the youngest son, going to go too?"

"No, I heard that his return goes smoothly, then Shuuhei will be called."

"I see… In that case, why did you allow him to leave so easily? Is that really okay? Won't our internal affairs leak out?"

"…Hmm. I don't want him to intentionally speak ill of the Shinsengumi to Lord Matsuyama when he returns and cause unnecessary difficulties. Besides, we can make something about our internal situation [I think…?]

"That's true. You're as shrewd as ever when it comes to those sorts of things. So exactly what did you call me here for?"

In response to this question, Hijikata stood up and took out a long spear from teh corner of the room, and placed it in front of Harada.

"Actually, when Tani Mantaro left, he left this spear for you."

"Ah… Is this… for me?"

"Although it's nameless, it looks like a good spear. It's workmanship and quality have already been checked out, but I don't know about spears. How about it, do you want to use it?"

"In the end, doing something like one who would act as a master... Then I'll gracefully accept it."

When Harada was younger, he briefly lived in Osaka and learned how to use the spear under the guidance of Tani Mantaro. It was that reason why the Tani brothers Shinsengumi wasn't because Harada was there or they wanted to rely on him, but because that of his experience as his former master made the eldest brother, Sanjurou, quite proud/bossy.

As Hijikata gazed at Harada holding the spear in his hands, he suddenly remembered something and asked.

"…Speaking of which, your sword. Didn't it break during the Ikedaya Incident? Are you still using it?"

"Yeah, though it looks like it'll still be usable if I sharpen/polish it. I mainly use the spear so that sword's enough for me."

"With your salary, you should be able to buy a better sword, right? If you don't have enough, I can lend you some. Sword are used to protect lives so even if they're a bit expensive, you need to have a good sword."

"While I appreciate you saying that..."

"What, do you have feelings for that sword?"

Harada didn't respond and instead let his eyes wander to look into the distance.

Kofuzumi Okitomo. [江府住興友]

It was a sword wielded by a man who was like a brother that he knew from Osaka. That person gave up the pursuit of his dreams with Harada to start a family with a woman. He said that he wouldn't fight anymore for his woman's sake ever again and he removed his katana from his waist and gave it to Harada.

It was said that Harada, who left by himself, decided to go to Edo after reading the inscription on the sword which said "Kofu".

"…Yeah, sort of. I received this sword from a very important guy."

As Harada spoke with a smile and Hijikata did not ask any further.

---end---

I had spent more than 30 minutes trying to find the name of Harda's sword. I couldn't tell what the raw said (I am extremely bad with stylized writing) so what I thought was the 3rd character was wrong and that kept getting me Chinese results which are not helpful when looking up Japanese names. Eventually, I just tried looking up 新選組 の愛刀 to get the names of them... which eventually got me 江府住興友 though finding something in English took a while since all the google translations of the name didn't get me results so I had to keep spelling the romancized text in different ways... then gave up and just tried Harada and Kofu a few times before pulling up the name.

references used (not in order):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkage-ry%C5%AB

https://samurai-archives.com/wiki/Harada_Sanosuke

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashima_Shinden_Jikishinkage-ryū

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iyo-Matsuyama_Domain

https://shinsengumi.net/index.php/welcome-to-shinsengumi-no-makoto/tani-sanjuro/

http://www.toshizo.com/nozoku/skatana2.html

got a headache will deal with other stuff later.

[truebluewhocanoe]

okay fine ill assign each doctor what ffxiv job they would main

First Doctor - Scholar. He’s by the book. He’s a little silly. He doesn’t need friends, he has a fairy right here!

Second Doctor - Bard. Explains itself. “Oh my word Jamie, it seems I must either let my Barrage cooldown drift, or overwrite my Straight Shot proc! Whatever shall I do?”

Third Doctor - Monk. Also quite self explanatory. He shouts IKEAAAAA every time he uses Perfect Rush.

Fourth Doctor - Dancer. He’s a free spirit. He likes hitting the colorful buttons. Sometimes he En Avants off of the arena.

Fifth Doctor - Paladin. This is the most basic white boy in the universe and you can bet your ass he is maining the basic white boy sword & board job. He’s the only player in the entire game who enjoyed the 6.3 Paladin adjustments.

Sixth Doctor - Red Mage. Dramatic, colorful, occasionally blinding. Saves your ass with a Verraise and never lets you forget it.

Seventh Doctor - Black Mage. Did you know that the Seventh Doctor’s umbrella is canonically a magic staff through which astral energies can be channeled? This man knows exactly where to place his leylines and when to use his Triplecasts. Don’t look at his parse. Don’t look. 

Eighth Doctor - Reaper. Purely for the gothic edgelord aesthetic. Also, the simple rotation is perfect for one of the more ADHD Doctors.

War Doctor - Dark Knight. A lone warrior fighting because he must. And now I want to see John Hurt with a big fucking sword.

Ninth Doctor - Astrologian. I’m going to be real with you guys this one was based on pure vibes and also that one scene where he shoots the playing cards all over the room.

Tenth Doctor - Gunbreaker. Something something 3 DPS in a trenchcoat. And no, it’s not a gun, it’s a gunblade, there’s a very big difference. 

Eleventh Doctor - White Mage. Healer with a god complex. This man could not do a rotation to save his life. He just wants to wave his glowing stick at things and impress people. Demons run when a Blood Lily goes to war.

Twelfth Doctor - Sage. But not the kind of Sage who overestimates Kardia healing and doesn’t realize Toxikon is a damage loss in single target. More like the kind of Sage who can solo high-end Stormblood duties. A true Doctor of War.

Thirteenth Doctor - Summoner. Nice simple rotation, cool glowy friends! You bet your ass she lets her Energy Drains drift and drops her Ruin IVs. 

Bonus round: companions!

Jo Grant is a Ninja. Her Hyoshi Ranyus are to be feared.

Peri Brown is canonically a samurai.

Ace is a Machinist. It comes with a flamethrower. Enough said.

Dan Lewis is a Warrior.

This is the end of the post. Are you a fan of both FFXIV and Doctor Who? (If yes, please be my friend.) Would you be interested in reading a semi-serious fusion of the canons of FFXIV and Doctor Who? If yes, feel free to check out my fic The Award-Winning Expansion of Rassilon.

[musicalpancakes77]

Extremely interested in Ghost AU (the title so nice you say it twice lmao)

Hi Indigo!! omg the ghost au... god I haven't thought about it in so long, but as soon as you asked this and i saw it this morning I did indeed have so many thoughts about it 🥰 Thank you for asking!! This is gonna be slightly long I'm so sorry but stick with me LMAO

So the Ghost AU is a rather generic AU based off the peanut gallery from the movie Stardust- you know, the 2007 hit movie Stardust?? Surely we all know the one- but I say generic because I'm pretty sure at least half of the Ace Attorney fandom has individually, on their own time, went "Hey, what if Phoenix could see ghosts??" so like. It's really not THAT unique LMAO

But that's kinda what it is when you boil it down: an AU where Mia dies, befriends Greg in the "ghost world", and together the two of them have fun peanut gallery moments over the course of the OG trilogy. This is all possible by the magatama that Phoenix carries around of course; at first it's just their hushed voices, maybe a cold touch, but it develops into something more. By the time Phoenix starts cases from game 3 he begins to develop a more literal Sight for the deceased- I don't think the magatama cares who is using it, it doesn't discriminate, hell if Miles had it on him for long enough I'm sure he would have developed an ability to see them too. But in this AU it's just Phoenix dealing with joyful heckling from two more experienced (albeit dead) lawyers, Maya who complains it's so unfair that she's the spirit medium but she can't see them, Miles who would never believe this if you told him, and Pearls who is so happy to just be here LMAO

I never wrote more than about 7 pages in my document for this one- I barely got past the end of Turnabout Sisters 😭 I do still love the idea; if I were to ever come back to it I think I'd write it on a smaller scale than what my brain typically tries to achieve with fanfic (cough slowburn 100k stories COUGH) and I'd put a heavier importance on dealing with grief between all the comedic heckling 🤔

This is already one of my longer posts, but since you asked so kindly I can even provide a snippet or two, since I haven't talked about this AU in so long and there is an unfortunate chance it may never see the light of day again,,,

She wakes up to adrenaline, buzzing through her veins, with breaths that shouldn’t be choking in lungs that don’t exist. Her mind screams that there’s supposed to be pain- a single, blooming, unbearable pain in her temple- but miraculously, there is none. It’s just her, sitting in the dark, feeling like she’s having an out-of-body experience as her mind reels and reels over why she thought she was in pain, what she remembers, why she remembers being scared.  It takes a few moments of hushed breathing for it to hit her.  A hallowed clock, a wiretap, and a snake. 

“I would ask how she can watch that episode for the seventh time in a row, but that would be redundant since I know for a fact that Miles has watched it at least twenty times.”  Mia raises an eyebrow while Mr. Edgeworth hovers over the Wright & Co. office couch. Miles Edgeworth? Watching the Steel Samurai? At the same interest level or more than her literally obsessed younger sister, Maya?  “Miles Edgeworth, your son, the Demon Prosecutor? Watching the acclaimed children's show The Steel Samurai? I’d sooner think he’d die than watch a show like that.”  “Objection, Miles would rather die than admit to watching a show like that.”  Mia sits on the statement. “... You’re fucking with me.”  Maybe it’s the bluntness, maybe it’s the uncharacteristic use of language, but Mr. Edgeworth laughs to the point his hand meets his chest. Mia can’t help but giggle herself. Miles Edgeworth likes the Steel Samurai, who would have known. 

That's about it; thank you again for asking!! It was a joy to explain <3

[cinlat]

Ghosts That Linger

Endwalker Spoilers Below the Cut

Word Count: 2505

Even in a world ravaged by blasphemies, the people of Eorzea found the time for a proper spectacle. Fynta stood in the back of the crowd that lined the harbors of Old Sharlayan. She watched the grieving faces of strangers and allies. Masses filled the courtyard and peered from the decks of ships. She didn’t know how many had come to mourn the vaulted Warrior of Light, but Fynta estimated it was most of what was left of their star.

“She’d ‘ave hated this.” Kirin inhaled through his nose, then let out a shaky breath. His eyes were fixed on the stern visage of a tiny Au Ra woman who’d proven herself to be larger than the gods. He shook his head. “Too many people.”

“Serves her right.” Fynta didn’t glance at her long-time friend when he looked at her. She allowed herself a respectful smile, then slid her gaze to meet his. “She shouldn’t have been so godsamned heroic.”

Kirin snorted, but there was no mirth in the sound. If not for him, Fynta wouldn’t have come. She hated memorials and the weeping of people who had nothing better to do. Their star had lost a hero, and there were too many people present to allow the ones who truly grieved a chance to do so.

True, Kirin and the Scions had been given time with Isashi's body. Fynta thought back to their first meeting in the pugilist’s guild. How she’d used her larger size and strength to overpower the smaller woman. Or, so she’d thought. It had taken a year to convince Isashi to teach Fynta the strike that had laid her out cold. Mostly because the au ra didn’t trust Fynta to use it responsibly.  All of that fire and discipline had drained away in those final moments aboard the ship between worlds, leaving Isashi a small, fragile husk with nothing to fill it.

According to Thancred, they’d almost revived her. Isashi’s eyes had fluttered open after her final match with Zenos and she’d spoken. No one had heard what she said, but Fynta bet it had something to do with the miqo’te standing next to her.

“You want to get out of here?” Fynta asked, staring at the platform where Lord Aymeric was no doubt giving a heartfelt speech. Isashi had been a regular fixture in Ishgard during her marriage to Harchefaunt, and she’d befriended many of the Elezen there. The Scions of the Seventh Dawn fanned out behind him, Estinien and G’raha included. Thancred’s keen eyes searched the crowd, but Fynta had positioned herself and Kirin in the shadow of a monolith.

“Soon,” Kirin answered. His ears perked forward, likely picking up on the speech that Fynta couldn’t hear. She nodded and leaned against the stone, searching the crowds for something to occupy her mind.

A red feather caught Fynta’s attention, and she smiled at the gaudy red mage beneath it. No doubt Arya was with him. Fynta was glad that X’rhun had made it. He and Isashi hadn’t dated long, but the worn-thin warrior had found new life during her time with him.

Loud sobs echoed from somewhere behind Fynta, and she didn’t need to turn to know that Hildebrand was mourning the loss of a dear friend too. She’d seen his father earlier, wearing a pair of black, cut-off breeches and a bow tie with little else. All throughout the area, Fynta spied familiar faces. A hulking samurai hovered near the spiky black hair of an eastern lord. The royal crest of the Fortemps family had been engraved into the wood surrounding Isashi’s portrait on the stage. Even the odd tuft of a moogle bounced in and out of view. They had all come to see Isashi into the aetherial sea.

Fynta glanced at Kirin, who had barely spoken since Isashi's body had been lowered from the ship hatch. She had witnessed their final conversation, though that hadn’t been her intent. Kirin had gathered the courage to kiss Isashi, who’d looked more annoyed about his piss-poor timing than the act itself. Isashi had promised to revisit the topic upon her return, as the ship’s great engines had already ignited and the primals were restless. He’d watched her depart from the shadows, never to finish that fateful conversation.

“Okay,” Kirin said, turning from the raised dais as Urianger took the podium. “I need a drink.”

Later that night, while Kirin snored in the bed next to Fynta’s, a knock tapped softly on their door. She ignored it, assuming someone was looking for a good time in the wrong place. Then, light bloomed in the crack beneath. Fynta raised onto an elbow, squinting until it faded. She trod softly, though it wouldn’t have mattered with how much Kirin had drank and pulled open the flimsy door. The hallway was dark, as empty as one would expect for such an ungodly hour, save for a pearlescent crystal on a gilded stand.

Fynta knew it on sight, though she’d never beheld one before. With one more glance up and down the hallway, she lifted the white auracite. It was both heavier and lighter than she expected, with red and blue crystals wrapped in a spiraling pattern. Fynta nudged the door shut and carried it to her bed where she studied it in the dying candlelight. No black smoke swirled out of it, nor did it radiate any sort of aether. For all purposes, it was a pretty rock.

Deciding it would be best to leave the study of such things to more intellectual, and admittedly, sober, minds than her own, Fynta placed the bauble on the rickety table that separated hers and Kirin’s beds and flopped back onto her pillow. She succumbed to the weight of liquor and emotion in minutes.

That was when the dreams began.

[seventhofcrows]

David Lore aka My Organized Autistic Ramblings

I don't feel the best unfortunately due to some life events, but I figured I'll give out some new information about David! He's one of the oldest Splatoon original characters that I ever created in a while!(Despite Jasmine, lol) He's also AUHD! (He has both autism and ADHD)

Without any further ado, here is a few things about my son!

Despite being a Octo Samurai, (I'm treating it as its own species because Nintendo has not given any sort of information regarding him or where he comes from) he doesn't really have much to do with the OG that much. Some could speculate that he was one of Octavio's offspring that decided he didn't want anything with the military.

Comparing to the OG, he's slightly taller. And his shoulders are not broad. He looks pretty small compared to the OG.

His special interests change a lot, but he's currently into psychiatry, pottery, caring for his two pets, and nature. He used to collect leaves and collect cacti.

He tends to mask his behaviors, but when he's around his pets at home he has LOTS of energy where he feels like running around the house. He has learned to exert that energy through playing football as well as golf. He has a GF too who loves playing sports and they go out on the trail sometimes.

He has anxiety.

The OG Octo Samurai has met David before, but they don't really talk much.

That was quite a lot of stuff. If you enjoyed any of it, please feel free to comment and maybe draw him if you want to. (Just mention me at @seventhofcrows when you do!) I'm AUHD myself (I think?) and my current interest is specifically Octo Samurai, analog horror, and whatever other stuff my friends are into. Also into certain music, but i don't really talk about it.

Feel free to HMU if you want! Thanks!

Seventh of Crows

[lukestarkillerisgay]

tiktoker i follow has found herself in a position that i would say is a party of the seventh circle of hell - she and her boyfriend made their living off of an only fans they ran together , now they’ve broken up , i wanna kill myself just Imagining having to like ? what split only fans royalties? with my ex ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, my money and rent is coming from graphic and intimate elements of the life we used to lead …,,,,,,, And HE DUMPED HER, like she’s SAD about it the way i would kill myself so fast it would be like where the samurai sword clicks and the person is cut in half but it’s me and i’m killing myself

[tixersdotcom]

Although a lot of us have entered the "John Wick" franchise thinking that it's its own thing, a mere peek into the history of cinema will show that action-packed series owes a lot to samurai films, Westerns, and of course, action films from the days of yore. And Chad Stahelski and his incredible team are well aware of that, and they wear their inspirations on their sleeves. All the "John Wick" films are filled with references, Easter eggs, and homages to films and literature, and "John Wick: Chapter 4" is no different. Since we probably have a long way to go, let's not waste any time and get on with it. Major Spoilers Ahead Dante's Inferno "John Wick: Chapter 4" opens with lines from Dante's Inferno. When John Wick met the Bowery King for the first time, he said that John's descent into Hell had begun, thereby referencing Dante's Inferno from "Divine Comedy," which involved Dante going to Hell via nine stages of suffering with a poet of Roman descent, Virgil. John technically has been through Hell; he has almost died, and he has returned to the world of the living. Now, he's about to unleash Hell on those who've wronged him. So, maybe the repurposing of the famous poem doesn't exactly mean that John is journeying into Hell. In fact, he's becoming the personification of Hell, and everyone has to pass through him to survive. BTW, out of all the action scenes in "John Wick 4," John personally appears in a total of 9 setpieces. So, the allegory makes sense. The first one is in Morocco, the second one is on the rooftop of the Osaka Continental, the third one is in the glass panes of the Osaka Continental, the fourth one is against Killa, the fifth one is at the 7th arrondissement of Paris, the sixth one is at the Arc de Triomphe, the seventh one is in that house, the eighth one is on the Montmartre stairs, and the ninth one is the duel at the Sacré Coeur. Lawrence Of Arabia David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" match cut a close-up shot of Peter O'Toole blowing out a burning matchstick with an extremely long shot of a sunrise. After lighting up a pentagon in John Wick's training room, the Bowery King takes a deep breath and then blows out the matchstick. That's when editor Nathan Orloff cut to a shot of the sunrise. I don't think that's where the references end because the horse riders of the High Table and John Wick riding in the distance, barely recognizable due to the heat shimmer, echo the shot of Sherif Ali arriving at his well.  Ned Kelly Ned Kelly's apparent last words are brought up multiple times to comment on accepting death because Wick and Winston are not just preparing themselves to confront death, but accept it as well. But, probably more interestingly, Kelly and his gang were synonymous with a bulletproof suit that protected their chest, shoulders, back, and crotch, along with a helmet that protected their head. That was all the way back in 1879. Meanwhile, "John Wick" imagines a future where assassins can wear a three-piece bulletproof suit that can even resist bullets from a shotgun. Marquis' Father Can Be A Follower Of Martha Beck When Winston and Charon meet Marquis Vincent de Gramont, he says that his father used to tell him that how one does anything is how one should do everything. Apparently, the aforementioned quote was coined by Martha Beck, who is an author, life coach, and public speaker with various degrees from Harvard University. So, it seems like one of the writers, or Chad himself, is a fan of Beck and, hence, has decided to include her teachings in this circus of violence. Zatoichi The first name that comes to everyone's mind upon seeing Donnie Yen's Caine, a blind, cane-sword-wielding mercenary, is Zatoichi. Created by Kan Shimozawa, the character made his first appearance in a 1948 essay and eventually went on to feature in 26 films while being portrayed by Shintaro Katsu, Takeshi Kitano, Show Aikawa, and Shingo Katori. Caine's penchant for not being interested in gambling is probably a subversion of Zatoichi's habit of gamb

ling. But since Yen is from Hong Kong and Zatoichi is Japanese, I am not sure if the comparison is fair. By the way, Yen has played a blind action hero before in "Rogue One." And going by the tease at the end of "John Wick 4," he'll be playing Caine for a long time now. The Menpo Mask The High Table soldiers from "John Wick 3" wore pretty generic-looking but bulletproof masks. The ones in "John Wick 4," though, wear bulletproof menpo since they are Japanese. Traditionally, the menpo was worn by samurai warriors in feudal Japan. But since this is modern Japan, you see gun-wielding soldiers wearing it, thereby keeping up with the times and staying in touch with their roots. Flash Point No, I'm not talking about the DC comic series, the DC animated film, or the upcoming "Flash" movie, which is based on "Flashpoint." I'm talking about the Hong Kong action film by Wilson Yip featuring Donnie Yen, marking the duo's second collaboration and paving the way for many future collaborations. Anyway, in a kinetic fighting scene in "Flash Point," Donnie Yen did a wind-up punch, something that's usually seen in animated fighting scenes. But he did it with such conviction that no one batted an eye, and it became instantly iconic. In "John Wick: Chapter 4," we see Yen do it again after displaying his other iconic move, i.e., the flurry of punches made famous in "Ip Man" (another film by Wilson Yip and starring Donnie Yen). Bruce Lee Although the origins of the nunchaku are iffy, if you mention that particular weapon, everyone associates it with Bruce Lee because he was the one who made it incredibly popular, at least in films. So, when John Wick starts using a nunchaku to bash anyone and everyone around him, you can feel the spirit of Bruce Lee flowing through that scene. In addition to that, Donnie Yen's black suit, white shirt, and black tie ensemble is probably an homage to Bruce Lee, something that Yen incorporated into the film to push back against the racist characterization of his role. This isn't the first time the franchise has referenced Lee because "Chapter 2" had an entire fight sequence set in a room full of mirrors, much like the one from "Enter the Dragon." Sammo Hung Scott Adkins as Killa in that purple three-piece suit is a very obvious homage to the legendary Sammo Hung's appearance in "SPL: Sha Po Lang." Guess who else was in that movie? That's right. Donnie Yen. Well, "John Wick: Chapter 4" isn't the first time that Adkins has appeared across Yen. Adkins has also worked with Yen in "Ip Man 4." Although Adkins doesn't share screen space with Marko Zaror (who plays Chidi) in this film, they've worked together before in "Undisputed III: Redemption” and "Savage Dog." By the way, if you are hearing the names of Scott Adkins and Sammo Hung, or even Donnie Yen, for the first time, there's no need to be ashamed. Just make a note of it and start watching all the incredible work they've done. I Am Klaus If the director, writers, and Keanu himself punch me for saying what I am about to say, I'll totally take it. But when Klaus kept saying, "I am Klaus," I was instantly reminded of this running gag from Craig Ferguson's era of "The Late Late Show," where he and his fellow robot skeleton, Geoff (Josh Robert Thompson), pretended to be German. Geoff dubbed himself Klaus and kept saying, "I am Klaus," at the end of every sentence. If not that, it can be a homage to Groot from "Guardians of the Galaxy," who can only say, "I am Groot." John Wick Self References The first "John Wick" film had the titular character running after Iosef in a club called the Red Circle while wading through a sea of people dancing between pulsating lights. After losing sight of him, Wick unleashed his gun-jutsu on Iosef's henchmen, and it ended with Wick being thrown off the balcony by Kirill, played by Daniel Bernhardt. Echoes of that scene are there in the fight sequence in Killa's nightclub (which is a

combo of Kraftwerk Berlin and the Alte Nationalgalerie), down to the rave, the music, and Wick's fall from a great height. There's no Bernhardt in this scene because Kirill was technically killed in "John Wick." But the actor has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo when the assassins in Paris prepare their guns because Bernhardt has a long working relationship with Keanu and Chad. Additionally, Winston repeats a line from "Parabellum" as he sees the commencement of the attack of the assassins on Jonathan. Eugène Delacroix The place where Winston meets the Marquis is filled with paintings. The ones that I noticed are "The Raft of the Medusa," "The Barque of Dante," "The Death of Sardanapalus," and "Liberty Leading the People," among many, many others. Winston says that the painting "Liberty Leading the People" represents the cost of tyranny. But, as per Delacroix, that's liberty personified, and she is leading the people to freedom. Given the context of the scene in "John Wick 4," it makes sense because John is looking to be free of the bindings of the High Table, while Winston is seeking the cessation of his exile.  When Winston begins to leave, Vincent reminds him that if Wick loses the duel, he has to die with him. Winston looks at the painting next to him, which is "The Raft of the Medusa" by Théodore Géricault, and repeats Ned Kelly's saying. I am not sure if there's any thematic significance there, but I don't think it'll be a stretch to say that there's a direct line between the painting's commentary on survival by cannibalizing one another and everything that's happening in "Chapter 4" for the sake of survival. On a side note, this scene and the conversation kind of reminded me of a similar scene set in an art museum in "Skyfall" between James Bond and his quartermaster. 'Mission: Impossible—Fallout' "John Wick 4" has a pivotal scene at the Trocadéro Square, where the location and time of the duel are decided, and an action scene at the Arc de Triomphe, where Wick is chased by a bunch of assassins. "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" had a pivotal scene at the Trocadéro Square, where Walker revealed his true intentions, and an action scene at the Arc de Triomphe, where Ethan Hunt was chased down by the French police. Given how "Mission: Impossible — Fallout" was one of the greatest action films of the past decade, it makes sense to tip one's hat to that film. Yes, it can be totally random. But given how prominent "Fallout" was, I think it was on Chad and the rest of the team's radar before going into their own film. The Matrix John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, sits in the Mairie des Lilas subway station and waits for the train to arrive. Subway stations and trains were a big part of Neo's (also played by Keanu Reeves) journey in "The Matrix" and "The Matrix Revolutions." The connections do not end there, of course. Laurence Fishburne has played the role of Morpheus in "The Matrix" franchise, and he also portrays the Bowery King in the "John Wick" films. Chad Stahelski, the genius behind the "John Wick" franchise, has also been a part of the stunt team in "The Matrix" movies along with David Leitch. Chad doubled for Keanu Reeves in "The Matrix" films and showed up as a major character named Chad in "The Matrix Resurrections." The subway scene in "John Wick 4" has Wick standing in front of a mirror, which is an object that's used to bring someone out of the Matrix and later used to travel between locations inside the Matrix. There's a long-running fan theory that the entirety of the "John Wick" series is a simulation that Neo is in. Caravaggio During the subway scene, the painting titled "The Incredulity of Saint Thomas" by Caravaggio shows up as the Bowery King hands over Wick's newly made suit. The painting depicts Thomas the Apostle's doubts about the resurrection of Jesus Christ as he wanted to know if Christ had been really killed and then resurrected. John Wick has a lot of Christia

n imagery. John Wick kind of looks like the most popular depiction of Jesus Christ. He technically dies in "Chapter 3" and is resurrected in "John Wick 4." I don't think anyone casts doubt on his return. But there's this underlying theme that if Wick manages to beat Caine and Vincent at the duel, he'll become a "sect," which is exactly what happened when Christ returned from the dead. So maybe that's the parallel that is being drawn here. 'The Warriors' This one is pretty simple. Walter Hill's "The Warriors" had a radio announcer updating the progress of the protagonists as they make their way through New York City while being attacked by the antagonists. The final act of "John Wick: Chapter 4" features Wick going all the way from the 7th arrondissement to the Sacré-Cur, while a radio jockey updates the assassins about Wick's location and plays songs like "Nowhere to Run" and "Marie Douceur, Marie Colère" to set the mood. It's kind of hilarious that the radio channel is named WUXIA, which is the genre that films like "14 Blades," "House of Flying Daggers," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Hero," and "Shadow" belong to. 'Constantine' Dragon's Breath! I can't believe that tons of people claim that they love Keanu Reeves' "Constantine" and that they want a sequel. And yet, when Dragon's Breath showed up, and Wick used it to shoot up a bunch of assassins, not a lot of people noticed the "Constantine" reference. Anyway, Dragon's Breath is a rare piece of weaponry that was given to John Constantine to fight off literal demons. Yes, both of those characters, played by Keanu Reeves, are named John. Both of those characters are associated with Christian imagery. And both of them have now used a firearm called "Dragon's Breath." Is John Wick secretly John Constantine? No, but you are free to use your imagination. 'Door,' 'Hotline Miami,' Or 'Malignant' After the bike chase and before climbing up the stairs, John Wick has to fight a bunch of assassins in an abandoned apartment. It's a single-take or one-take sequence. But instead of doing it the traditional way, with the camera following the character from behind and then inserting cuts whenever something crosses the frame, Chad and his team go for a top-down angle, likely with the help of a drone camera. Hence, we get an eagle's-eye view of the whole scene. There are similar scenes in the 1988 film "Door" by Banmei Takahashi and the 2021 James Wan film, "Malignant." At least, these are the two films that come to mind. In addition to that, there are tons of top-down shooter games, but the one that makes heavy use of a shotgun is "Hotline Miami." It can be either of them or none of them, but there's no doubt about the fact that it's a fantastic action sequence. 'Amélie' As per Letterboxd, Chad Stahelski loves "Amélie." That's what brought him to the Sacré-Cur. But during that process, he discovered the side steps leading up to the location. And that's why we got that painful but hugely enjoyable fight sequence on the Montmartre stairs. The Pencil John Wick is famous for using a pencil to kill people. We saw him actually do it in "Chapter 2." But in "Chapter 4," it's actually Donnie Yen's Caine who puts a pencil through Chidi's hand. Given Caine and John Wick's friendship, it's possible that Wick acquired the ability to use a pencil like a knife from Caine. 'The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly' Well, there are several references to "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," directed by one of the most prolific filmmakers, Sergio Leone. John Wick having echoes of the Man with No Name, played by Clint Eastwood, is as clear as day. Then there's Shamier Anderson's Mr. Nobody, who is literally a man without a name. Blondie, or The Man with No Name, possesses a pocket watch that plays music when opened. Caine possesses a similar pocket watch, which has a photo of his daughter in it. And then there's the duel between Caine and Wick, complete with Western-esque music mixed with Wic

k's theme. Conclusion These are just some of the references, Easter Eggs, and homages in "John Wick 4." Some of them have been purposefully inserted into the film by the makers, and the rest are parallels that I have observed. They can be correct, or they can be wrong. Either way, it greatly impacted my viewing experience. That said, if you notice any inspirations, hat tips, or details other than the aforementioned ones, please feel free to share them with "John Wick" fans.

[damientheionandroid]

Damien's 20 Favorite Pokémon

Ultra Beasts.

These monstrous marvels were introduced in the seventh generation games of Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. I adore these abominations due to how much they look like they are not from the Pokémon world with their outlandish designs: from the elegant Pheromossa, to the monstrous Guzzlord, to the ridiculously masculine Buzzwole, and even a stack of bricks!

But if I were to ask a question, it's this:

How the hell is a 5th grade arts project considered an Ultra Beast?!!

7. UB-04 Blade/Kartana

No, I'm serious. When it comes to absurdity, this looks pretty tame. I mean, this doesn't look like an inter-dimensional creature that invaded our world; this looks like something made by an origami enthusiast with way too much spare time on their hands.

Unnecessary tangent aside, Kartana is my personal favorite Ultra Beast due to various reasons. Firstly, I love its design, looking like a samurai or rōnin with the two white "horns" on its head resembling ones on a samurai helmet and the yellow protrusion behind it resembling a cape.

Secondly, despite being made out of paper, Kartana is extremely sharp; according to its PokéDex entry, its blades can cut through steel and solid rock in a single stroke! So yeah, this isn't no mere paper cut.

And thirdly, its domain of the Ultra Forest looks pretty neat: definitely looks like something out of an Asian forest, which ties to Kartana's origin based on the tale of the Japanese Bamboo Cutter and Princess Kaguya (and yes, this is why UB-04 consists of UB-04 Blade {Kartana} and UB-04 Blaster {Celesteela}).

As you can't tell by now: I love anything related to Feudal Japan, and Kartana really shows it in its design.

Fortunately, this pint size paper shredder is just as ruthless in battle as the Bushido warriors it is based on!

Kartana's stats lean extremely close on the glass cannon side: pitiful bulk (with the exception of 131 Base Defense, though a super effective attack will take a good chunk of health from it) that is compensated by obscenely high Offensive stats as well as a Speed stat high enough to outspeed just about half of its checks and counters. It has the highest Base Attack of all OU Pokémon and 108 Base Speed lets it beat the likes of Urshifu-Rapid Strike and Victini without the risk of getting knocked out first.

Grass and Steel make for a pretty good type combination: sure, a 4x weakness to the Fire Type means that any Pokémon with the move Flamethrower can OHKO Kartana, but the good thing is that 10 out of the 18 types will take neutral damage and being able to hit common types such as Water, Ground and Fairy for super effective damage is great for its time.

Kartana has the same Ability as its Ultra Brethren: Beast Boost. This Ability functions similar to Moxie; the only difference is that instead of giving a +1 boost to the Attack stat after knocking out an opponent, Beast Boost gives a +1 boost to ANY of its stats as long as it is the highest. Since Kartana's highest stat is Attack, dealing a knockout means snowballing into a devastating sweeper where even a non-effecttive hit will take a good chunk of HP without a high enough bulk.

Of course that astronomically high Attack stat needs to be put to good use, and Kartana's movepool certainly proves that: whether it's the high crit Leaf Blade, the accuracy ignoring Smart Strike, the Defense ignoring Sacred Sword, and the sheer utility of Knock Off. When it comes to items: Choice Band makes Kartana hit harder right out of the gate, Choice Scarf makes it able to get the jump on faster opponents, and Assault Vest means patching up your terrible Special Defense stat at the expense of being unable to boost your Attack with Swords Dance (though with Kartana having a very high Attack stat that is boosted even higher by Beast Boost, it was worth the sacrifice).

Glass cannons are my favorite archetype when it comes to battles; kicking butts and taking names while avoiding getting your butt kicked and your name taken very easily. This is how I describe UB-04 Blade a.k.a. Kartana: a Pokémon that is just as easy to clean house with, assuming it doesn't get 2 rounded on the way. Plus, it looks really cool with the samurai motif and the fact that it is a sentient origami creation that can cut cleanly through the hardest of materials; perfectly summing up how otherworldly Ultra Beasts are.

And this isn't going to be the last we see of a concept such as this in future generations.

[darknessillumina]

Outerversal

[Verse] Blood gushes from decapitation though I'm Sleepy Hollow Creeping follow cut you with glass shards from a broken whiskey bottle Leave me alone with dead zombies on Jeffrey Dahmer's apartment My group of vigilantes could raid the whole FBI department Jason Voorhees torn in pieces torturing aborted fetus The hellfire brimstone keep scorching people with the sport of evil I'm Genghis Khan strategic atheist and non-believer Like the demon in the sky that made you believe you talked to Jesus Fucked a corpse and bleeding inside his eye, the silence is fine No banshee screaming force-feed it and helicopter chop this creature into 40 pieces Pestilence horsemen about to fill you with AIDS diseases in Watch you suffocate with your throat stuffed with wet cement Make a statue of your last breath and shatter it all to pieces My heart pumps colder than the combinations of winter seasons Oh lemme guess you hate magic? I could peel your flesh and Stretch it into a straitjacket, your rapping is trash and the tape You made is a waste faggot, bash your brains and the bloods looking Like paint splashing I possess demonic entities and take 'em over Make sure my life is always at risk while I'm raising cobras Sitting lower under the effects of novocaine I'm lower Peep the flow, I go to Skid Row to announce cocaine is over Fucking Victoria Secret's models in kamasutra positions Channeled more demons than an Vatican inquisition Kidnap aliens in abductions and drag 'em through 10 dimensions Third-eye biomechanical with astro-projection lenses Beat you senseless, my seventh senses are enhanced Let's get demented, enter trenches and they're defenseless Rusty blades, I spank it with rusty barbwires fences Cut your tongue off like an dentist then rip your guts out And watch it fall into place like Tetris flashing visions I'm deathless hacking people headless get left in the Cecil Hotel in the room where Ramirez killed the Maries Open portals snatch the specimens from older ages Put them in the modern world though hahahahaha! Crack your bones with a jagged knife and a jackhammer Then smoke your bones in the crack pipe with the mad hatter Leave you stranded somewhere on an distant abandoned planet Then stream it live from a webcam that the feds planted it Lust gluttony envy fighting I'm trained by Ali and Mike Tyson Bruce Lee and Rocky Balboa so wait 'til the cal blow up Hahahahahaha! Henrique sadistic as I laugh crying Hahahahahaha! I'm so evil I blast cancers in the gas chambers What I'm radiating is fast silent and mad violent Body bags piling flying to Thanos the Mad Titan Caio the vigilante in an hockey mask wilding All black but half-serpent and half-lion Burn you with a shotty that's flamboyant and cast iron If I read pyrokinesis it enchants fire smirking in the smoke Taking off the hockey mask proceed to mumify the victims in an Body cast get your torso chopped in half like samurais invading Breaking in Karate class the radioactive wastelands after the rocket blast Razor Raisers army of mutated psychopaths we dash and smash But we bash and blast Cho Virginia Tech, my villain name is the Stormsuper While you're keep missing like Stormtroopers Doctor Satan giving octopus Tentacles to an barracuda Anonymous Legion will keep sending viruses to your Computers waiting until an volcano eruption just summon destruction Superhuman that can fly laughing 'cuz you can't survive never feeling Satisfied everlasting mastermind mighty hands blast the nine We Nirvana battle cry amplify the hands of time banging angels in the sky Hack-and-slash, I can't decide, pet insects or pesticide? Leaving whole eyes petrified, feel me as I laugh and cry Darkness Harkness trapped is like you would never rap these lines Polarize the Poltergeist with the coldest solar eyes

[Outro] Hehehehehehe….

[artsycervidae]

@vinnxav

It's right before bed but also I HAD to get a headstart on this because it's the usual 'side villain in a Shonen anime' story, man, you know me.

So Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) is set in the Taisho Era, in a universe where a secret war between demons (nocturnal cannibals with supernatural abilities called Blood Demon Arts) and the Demon Slayers Corps has been going on since ANCIENT times in Japan. It's all the fault of this one dude who achieved immortality with some caveats: demons are susceptible to sunlight, wisteria, and a sun-soaked alloy called 'nichirin' which is used to make swords and weapons. Because the thing you gotta do is lop their head off. Becoming a demon usually involves going wild with hunger and bloodlust, and family members are often the first ones to be hurt. Becoming a demon also comes with a lot of other obstacles specifically put in place to keep them in control: amnesia, conditional surveillance, etc etc. The series as a whole dabbles in grief, love, the supernatural, familial ties, and the duties we owe to each other.

Anyway. The characters I'm fixated on are demons in the second season (or 3rd? The 2nd season was a movie technically)-- they're a part of an elite force that serves directly under the big baddie. All of these characters have different themes of basically enforcing the status quo or otherwise "fuck you i got mine" reasons. But the characters I'm obsessed with are Gyutaro and Daki, designated as the 'Sixth Moon' (so basically seventh-in-command). Daki serves as the initial boss, and she lives as an alter ego: she's an oiran in Yoshiwara. Her Blood Demon Art is related to the obi she wears around her waist.

The final boss hiding literally under her skin is her brother Gyutaro. His Blood Demon Art is his blood, which can solidify into blood scythes.

Their tragic backstory: Gyutaro was born with congenital syphilis in the impoverished riverbanks of the entertainment district, and was thus ostracized from society. His mother actively did not care for him and eventually died, but not before giving birth to Ume-- Daki's former life. She was an incredibly beautiful child, and Gyutaro essentially became a menace from then on to protect her (which is hard as it is, given she was a child sex worker), working as a debt collector who was notorious for violence. But he raised her to be just as aggressive as him, and she ended up viciously defending herself against a samurai. She was tied up and burned alive while Gyutaro was away at work. When he returned, he was also attacked, but he killed them first. Before dying, he was found by another character who inducted them.

The fanart I've been making is just modern au stuff. Things playing in my brain and all that fun stuff.

OKAY I GOTTA GO TO BED but if you have any questions or you want me to infodump more then just shout my dude

[777wave]

77th edition.

May 14 - 25, 2024

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The Official Poster of the 77th Festival de Cannes

All the poetic beauty, hypnotic magic and apparent simplicity of the cinema emerge in this scene from Rhapsody in August, authored by the great Japanese master Akira Kurosawa, 81 at the time. In this film, presented Out of Competition in Cannes in 1991, a grandmother who was a victim of the Nagasaki bombing on August 9, 1945, passes on her faith in love and integrity as a bulwark against war to her grandchildren and her American nephew, with tenderness and contemplation. The next-to-last film by the director of Sanshiro Sugata,��Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Dersu Uzala and Dodes’ka-den reminds us of the importance of coming together, and seeking harmony in all things.

Mirroring the movie theater, this poster celebrates the Seventh Art, with naivety and wonder. Because it gives everyone a voice, it enables emancipation. Because it remembers wounds, it combats oblivion. Because it bears witness to perils, it calls for union. Because it soothes trauma, it helps repair the living. 

In a fragile world that constantly questions otherness, the Festival de Cannes reaffirms a conviction: cinema is a universal sanctuary for expression and sharing. A place where our humanity is written as much as our freedom.

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The Official Poster of the 77th Festival de Cannes was designed by Hartland Villa (Lionel Avignon and Stefan de Vivies).

Poster credits: © Shochiku Co., Ltd. – Rhapsody in August by Akira Kurosawa (1991) / Graphic creation © Hartland Villa

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#Cannes77