#yes there are other villains but you can only have 10 poll options

[verycharismaticdragon]

On Air Island - chapter 3 - part 7

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catching up: ch.1 [full video] - ch.2 p.1 - story so far [transcript]

other: [character guide] - [to avoid sp⊘ilers]

(the transcript is available below the poll, under keep reading)

Thanks to certain people 😑 (my beloved make no mistake) we need another translation note today.

So, the concept Ezra is talking about here is what we would call having an 'alter ego' or a 'persona' in English. Like how Batman is Bruce Wayne's alter ego. Or how drag performers usually embody a persona on stage, that can be slightly or very different from how they act when not in drag. Now, if I was only translating character lines, I would do it like this:

Ezra: Hmm~ Actually, I never told my colleagues, but I’m interested in an alter ego. Jin: Alter ego? Ezra: Yes. Another word for it is 'persona'. Ezra: It refers to the concept of doing something different as a person separate from my current self.

The problem is the chat replies, as they react to specific words used in Korean. So, Ezra first calls it 부캐, which is the word that was originally used for alt characters in games, and only somewhat recently has been adopted by entertainment industry - hence "This is not even a game?" reply. Then, he uses 멀티 페르소나 - which is just english words 'multi-persona' spelled in korean - which is a more classic way to refer to the same concept. And then the chat, ofc, goes "멀티 what?" - "멀티 페르소나" - "but what is 페르소나" - which just does not work if you translate it as 'persona' in the first place. So I um... did my best at mixing and matching both approaches, let's say 😑

Ah, right, and tl note 2: changing the chat message "thank you speedwagon!" -> "thanks wikipedia!" Apparently Speedwagon, as in a character from JJBA, is a korean meme - something about him explaining things and people adopting his manner of doing so. I first thought of translating the reply as 'thanks cap', but as far as i can tell, the meme doesn't have a sarcastic undertone in korean, so i went for a more neutral option.

Whew, now that I got my translation woes out,

Transcript legend:

In-game text

Character speaking: dialogue line

regular chat message Donation: donation message

available donation messages

{ Alternative translation }

|| 🏅 award (achievement) collected ||

———— ———— ————

Alice: Heh, heh, heh! I was worried about you!

[player] donated 10 Touching Clover: This is exciting. Let's pop some popcorn.

Hanse: Really? Boo, I feel uneasy… { Really? I, I'm nervous…… }

Ezra: Hanse, you don't look okay.

Rolling: Anxious Hanse  Villain: Anxious Hanse dumdum: That’s Ezra

Ezra: Are you that worried? You're not drying up. { Are you that worried? Though you aren’t stopping them. }

Hanse: Mmm, yes...... That's........

Ezra: Hmph, then let me show you something new. { Hmm, then I’ll show you something amazing. }

Elvis: ? Carat: Wait what? Galchi19: Is that some kind of magic?

Hanse: Something new? { Amazing, you say? }

bechill: For me… I really amused of your face… How can someone’s face look so pretty? { For me… this oppa’s face is the most amazing… how… can a human face be this beautiful…? } cutesnah: Is Ezra a charm? A perfect charm? Or is he the happiness and blessing of a lifetime that won’t come again?

Ezra: Yes. It's a magic trick to divert Alice's attention.

honeyhan: ? dl61300: LMAO 1ofEvery: Magic he said hahahahaha YDD: Pardon? Army: The magic’s effect is real… I got dizzy and my heart flutters  JoseonRc: LOL LOL

Ezra: How did you get involved? { Alice, why did you decide to participate? }

Alice: I mean......! Hmmm! I will make this show as my debutante! { As for me...! Ahem! I chose this show as my debutante! }

ottse: LMAO iceice33: It is working? clover30: ???: Bite! SaMSiKi: Ezra trains Alice im_thief: I feel like I’m under a spell too… I want to leave here, I can’t stand seeing Ezra anymore. He starts to look like a man in my eyes and I think I fell for him CatProf: But what is debutante? 

Hanse: De, debutante?

ThiefJin: Debutante refers to the official debut event of a young noblewoman of the upper class, where they are introduced to high society… TENFAN: Thank you speedwagon! { thanks wikipedia! } Miracle: Thumbs up! lalala99: Good

Alice: That's right, I can't stay under my parents protection forever, after all!

DUMMY: Ooho Meu1: she got a deep mind { her thoughts were deeper than expected } ASHA: Your future will be brighter than my facial features… Hsworld: Wasn’t it the opposite? HsWAVE: This is also true.

Jin: Ah……

Jin: Ezra. What about you?

Ezra: Well, I haven't told anyone at work, but I'm interested in side character! { Hmm~ Actually, I never told my colleagues, but I’m interested in having an alt. }

Kard: Huh? c'monya: Side character? { An alt? } Minplant: This is not even a game? 97amy: How many times have you reincarnated in life?

Jin: Multi-persona? { Alt? }

Ezra: Yes. Another way to say it is multi-persona. { Yes. In entertainment, it's also called 'multi-persona'. }

island: Multi… what? boksunga: Multi-persona dauni: But what is persona? cnbuild: Look for it on the internet if you are curious HeIsHot: Someone keeps asking…

Ezra: It's the concept of having a persona that's separate from the person I am now. { It refers to the concept of doing something different as a person separate from my current self. }

Fearless: So that’s why it’s called side character {Ah, that’s why it’s called an alt.} 1ilthree: Why does everyone use difficult words? Imcrazy: He seems smart since he is researcher { He must be smart since he is a researcher. } BeASolo: Well, persona can be considered general knowledge

Alice: Even though you seem to have more fun the way you are?

Ezra: Oh, me?

nazang12: His expression… Minplant: Uneasy… onmang: o_o What?

Hanse: … … … … …?

Alice: Hanse! Hanse, say something!

hanse1se: Ah BabyKing: Hanse, let’s stop mc-ing and talk BurBur: Oh I’m curious HeIsUgly: Well, I am not that interested

I am all ears

I'm not really interested, so move on.

[blaperile]

Homestuck Epilogues - Meat - Page 1 & 2

[seventeen-teen-teen-trash]

-tw: guns, death, minimal violence-

Seungcheol doesn’t look back as he leaves the food court, the image of Jeonghan’s worried face etched into his mind. Despite the other’s tendency to cover everything up with a veil of nonchalance, Seungcheol could easily see through the cracks.

His mind is running a mile an hour, clinging to the little details like Jeonghan’s stiff shoulders and the unprecedented amount of fear in Vernon’s voice. If he were to slow down and actually process the current situation- that Mingyu is dead and Minghao has lost his mind- he’d break down, too.

You can grieve for him if you make it out alive.

Gently, he touches the bracelet around his wrist and picks up his speed as he runs toward Best Buy. He doesn’t get very far, though, before the sound of shrill screams stop him. Minghao’s voice is instantly recognizable, even from a considerable distance, and despite his most recent state, Seungcheol feels a pang in his chest at the thought of his former friend in danger. He shakes his head in exasperation as he turns back around toward the food court, despite the small voice warning him that if he doesn’t escape soon, he might not escape at all.

“Minhao, I’m coming!” he screams, fear rapidly settling in. He doesn’t think Vernon or Jeonghan would have it in them to hurt Minghao to the point where he’d make that frightened of a scream, leaving only one other option. Someone else is involved here.

He spies a broken rod lying on the floor near one of the empty shop entrances, probably from a clothes rack or something, and picks it up just in case the situation calls for defense.

Another round of screams, clearly belonging to Jeonghan and Vernon.

Seungcheol nearly drops the rod at the sound, too intense to be out of mere panic. Without hesitation, he runs toward the food court, shoving away the gnawing thoughts of guilt and anxiety about his own safety and instead focusing on the feeling of the worn tile floor beneath his feet, every step bringing him closer and closer.

“C-Cheol!” a weak voice cries out.

Immediately, he freezes and surveys the area for anyone nearby.

“Seung-” the voice erupts into a coughing fit, punctuated with sharp gasps and choking sounds. “P-please… Help me… Right-” more violent coughs, “Across from you.”

Seungcheol turns around to look in that direction and immediately sees a dark silhouette huddled in the back corner of the store across from him. He bites his lip, eyes flickering back and forth from the distant entrance to the food court to the shadowed figure across from him. “Are you okay?” he calls, subconsciously tightening his grip on the rod.

Between coughs, the person replies, “Cheol, I-I’m… I’m gonna d-die. I don’t wa… wanna. Pl-please.”

“Can you…” Seungcheol lets out a frustrated exhale, slowly stepping closer to the abandoned store, “Can you hang on a few minutes? Will you be okay?”

“Don’t l-leave me, Cheol…”

That voice… “I’m coming! Hold on,” he says, firmly deciding that Jeonghan, Vernon, and Minghao will have to be okay for a few minutes. Carefully, but quickly, he makes his way inside the store, holding out his rod in front of him. He squeezes between fallen racks and shelves until he reaches the back of the store, drawing in a gasp as he sees the body laying on the floor. It’s dark, but he can still make out that there’s blood all over Joshua’s body and clothes, and his hair is slick with something wet. His heart breaks at the sight of his friend, and suddenly he understands Minghao’s pain, anguish, and fear. Tentative fingers reach out to brush Joshua’s hair away from his face. “Who…” Seungcheol says softly as he crouches down, “Who did this to you, Joshua?”

“Oh, Seungcheol,” Joshua sighs as he sits up effortlessly, voice suddenly devoid of the terror from moments before. In an instant, he grabs something from his pocket and stands up, Seungcheol still on his knees. He laughs, sickeningly sweet, as he presses the barrel of his gun to the other’s forehead. “You did.”

Seungcheol’s throat goes dry. His pulse rattles his skull as he looks up at Joshua, catlike eyes challenging him in an indulgent grin. “W-what,” he chokes. “What’s going on? Joshua, please…”

“It’s been quite the show, this whole game,” he hums, pacing in a circle around Seungcheol, gun still trained at his head. “I must say, I didn’t envision you to be the final contestant, but I suppose it makes for a thrilling finale. You were, after all, one of the many catalysts that led me to devise this brilliant plan.” He crouches down to Seungcheol’s eye level and smiles contently. “So thank you for that.”

A furious mixture of confusion and anger courses through his blood as he stares Joshua dead in the eye. “What are you talking about?” he whispers, careful not to speak too loudly so as to set off Joshua (and his gun).

“Hm,” Joshua stands up again. “You have a very inefficient memory, then. Care for me to refresh it?”

“Yes, please,” Seungcheol grunts, trying to locate the rod as inconspicuously as he can.

But, of course, Joshua notices. He kicks the metal rod across the store to the point where it would be impossible for Seungcheol to retrieve it now. “Can’t have you getting any ideas,” he chuckles. “Now, where were we? Oh, yes. You see, our little group at Pembroke was so lovely at first. The richest boys in the school… We practically had the entire school under our feet. But among ourselves, there were definitely a few members who were consistently overlooked, forgotten, ignored.” His smug expression morphs into a bitter scowl. “Namely, myself.”

“You all gave me popularity and status above the other students at Pembroke, but I was never more than a bank account number or an empty house to host parties. Really, it was draining.” Joshua shrugs and continues his pacing. “And then came my golden opportunity, when your father lost his job, and you dropped out. When you left, I checked Wonwoo’s father’s company’s website, and when I saw your father was removed, it wasn’t hard to put two and two together. I told a few students, and quickly word spread like wildfire until it reached our group. You obviously assumed it was Wonwoo, deflecting suspicion from me and hurting Wonwoo’s reputation within the group. I thought it was the perfect plan. Without their boisterous, attention-seeking leader, the group would be able to focus on its other members.” He pauses again, momentarily lowering his gun. “Unfortunately, that was not the case.”

“This,” Seungcheol breathes, tensing his shoulders in anger, “Was all because you felt left ou-”

The cold feeling of Joshua’s gun between his eyes stops him from saying anything more. “Shut up!” Joshua hisses. “You’re going to let me finish my monologue!”

Clearing his throat, Joshua resumes. “As I was saying… Even my best efforts to dismantle our group’s hierarchy failed. Me, Joshua Hong, son of the second-richest businessman in South Korea, reduced to nothing? I just couldn’t let that happen. So when Soonyoung suggested this bonding trip, I slowly developed the perfect plan. If I couldn’t rise to the top on my own, I’d make sure to knock everyone else down, peg by peg.”

“How the fuck did you… You’re psychotic, Joshua!” Seungcheol shouts, unable to bridle his fury any longer.

“No.” Joshua clicks his tongue and pets Seungcheol’s hair gently. “You’re just mean.”

“You… YOU did all of this?! You killed Mingyu? Where is everyone else, what’s going on, Joshua?!”

The younger purses his lips, edges still curled in a smirk. “I’ll admit, I couldn’t have done this without Seokmin’s help. Faithful until the end, he was,” he sighs, shaking his head ruefully. “Ah, well. I didn’t call all the shots here. You all picked who was going to die. I just carried out the deed.”

Seungcheol’s eyes widen in shock, body trembling under Joshua’s piercing gaze. “You… They’re all… T-they’re dead…?”

“Yes, Seungcheol. They’re dead.” He taps a finger to his lips in thought. “But as a prize for being the last man standing, I suppose I’ll give you a special offer. You see, I didn’t install the keypads- they were, however, a pleasant surprise- but you could have easily broken a window to escape. I’ll let you take that opportunity. You can leave this mall with all the pride and satisfaction of knowing that out of all your dead friends, you, Choi Seungcheol, survived.” Joshua leans in to whisper in Seungcheol’s ear. “What a fascinating story to tell,” he says. “Or, in the ultimate sign of solidarity, you could join your friends. No guilt, no trauma, no lasting nightmares… The choice is yours, Cheol. What will it be? All? Or alone?”

__________________

part 10 of the dead mall series

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(a/n) ....ok first of all this is NOT how I view Joshua (or any of the members) at all! I just needed a bad guy for this story, and I felt he would make an interesting villain. so, how did your theories stack up? ending is tomorrow at 7pm cst. see you then ;) -mimi