#Quixote Lin

[id-element0]

That same night, another burglary attempt disturbs the household. But everyone is ready this time. Cash is guarding Fendi's Beast and we placed an alarm outside after the car theft.

This idiot cannot go any further.

Some midnight spectacle.

Bismarck finds it particularly amusing that someone dares to rob the future crime lord.

Not being able to sleep, he decides to go fishing in his new boat. Both brothers have developed a hobby of fishing before 6 am for some reason. Right across his mother's old resort, he sits in waiting.

The first fish doesn't come before sunrise. He keeps fishing until it's time for work.

After work he decides to visit the Spring Festival and gets a kiss from the lovely girl at the kissing boot.

And before coming home in the evening, he sees through that Satori's section at the Founder's Museum is complete.

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[snailratstupid]

Don loves the daguanyuan women huh…

[luray09]

🌟*The Courageous Knight With Long Golden Locks*🌟

*And some sketches*

I haven't gotten to part 2 yet but CantoVIII is SO PEAK!!!

idk if I got the height difference between Lin Daiyu and Hong Lu very accurately I'm sorry if its not accurate.

[thatwritererinoriordan]

Immigrants: They teach us math for liberal arts majors. Updated:

[dsknsk]

葬花吟 and its various translations

So. The name of the season, 葬花吟 (zàng huā yín, which can be translated as "Flower Burial Lament") is the name for a very famous passage from the original 紅樓夢. I've been going crazy over it for so long that I eventually ended up borrowing 紅樓夢 translated into my native language.

For context, 葬花吟 is a lament uttered by the character Lin Daiyu, who has relegated herself to burying blossom petals that have fallen off and then breaks out in poetry. This bit of poetry shows us a deeper look into Daiyu's inner state of mind, all wrapped up in some very nice traditional Chinese style of poetry. (Honestly, that's just about everywhere in the book). Daiyu is an extremely interesting, complex character, whose presence in the book forms an important role in the changes that take place. She is not just Baoyu's love interest; she's also the person of whose arrival to the Jia family and everything thereafter is followed. Having been sickly since her youth, she does things no one else does, like mourning the transcience of life and burying fallen blossoms, being acquainted with the frailty of existence. Even so, she does openly complain several times - not unlike Kurokumo Hong Lu - for example, her not being able to show off her poetry skills in public like the others can, or not being able to choose the flowers she gets, due to being given them last.

紅樓夢 has been translated several times - the David Hawkes translation is the most known. However, I will present here three variations, spearheaded by the original. I will not connect any sort of conclusions or analysis based on the translations, because certain people will not like that :)

Original

花谢花飞花满天，红消香断有谁怜？ 游丝软系飘春榭，落絮轻沾扑绣帘。 闺中女儿惜春暮，愁绪满怀无释处。 手把花锄出绣帘，忍踏落花来复去。 柳丝榆荚自芳菲，不管桃飘与李飞； 桃李明年能再发，明年闺中知有谁？ 三月香巢已垒成，梁间燕子太无情！ 明年花发虽可啄，却不道人去梁空巢也倾。 一年三百六十日，风刀霜剑严相逼； 明媚鲜妍能几时，一朝漂泊难寻觅。 花开易见落难寻，阶前愁杀葬花人， 独倚花锄泪暗洒，洒上空枝见血痕。 杜鹃无语正黄昏，荷锄归去掩重门； 青灯照壁人初睡，冷雨敲窗被未温。 怪奴底事倍伤神？半为怜春半恼春。 怜春忽至恼忽去，至又无言去未闻。 昨宵庭外悲歌发，知是花魂与鸟魂？ 花魂鸟魂总难留，鸟自无言花自羞； 愿侬此日生双翼，随花飞到天尽头。 天尽头，何处有香丘？ 未若锦囊收艳骨，一抔净土掩风流。 质本洁来还洁去，强于污淖陷渠沟。 尔今死去侬收葬，未卜侬身何日丧？ 侬今葬花人笑痴，他年葬侬知是谁？ 试看春残花渐落，便是红颜老死时； 一朝春尽红颜老，花落人亡两不知！

The original text above has been translated a few times, and the earliest one I've been able to find is one from 1763, by H. Bencraft Joly and Florence McHugh. This one has rhyme and it uses a bit archaic language - think of "what if Don Quixote translated this?".

1763 translation (H. Bencraft Joly & Florence McHugh)

Flowers wither and decay; and flowers do fleet; they fly all o'er the skies; Their bloom wanes; their smell dies; but who is there with them to sympathise? While vagrant gossamer soft doth on fluttering spring-bowers bind its coils, And drooping catkins lightly strike and cling on the embroidered screens,

A maiden in the inner rooms, I sore deplore the close of spring. Such ceaseless sorrow fills my breast, that solace nowhere can I find. Past the embroidered screen I issue forth, taking with me a hoe, And on the faded flowers to tread I needs must, as I come and go.

The willow fibres and elm seeds have each a fragrance of their own. What care I, peach blossoms may fall, pear flowers away be blown; Yet peach and pear will, when next year returns, burst out again in bloom, But can it e'er be told who will next year dwell in the inner room?

What time the third moon comes, the scented nests have been already built. And on the beams the swallows perch, excessive spiritless and staid; Next year, when the flowers bud, they may, it's true, have ample to feed on: But they know not that when I'm gone beams will be vacant and nests fall!

In a whole year, which doth consist of three hundred and sixty days, Winds sharp as swords and frost like unto spears each other rigorous press, So that how long can last their beauty bright; their fresh charm how long stays? Sudden they droop and fly; and whither they have flown, 'tis hard to guess.

Flowers, while in bloom, easy the eye attract; but, when they wither, hard they are to find. Now by the footsteps, I bury the flowers, but sorrow will slay me. Alone I stand, and as I clutch the hoe, silent tears trickle down, And drip on the bare twigs, leaving behind them the traces of blood.

The goatsucker hath sung his song, the shades lower of eventide, So with the lotus hoe I return home and shut the double doors. Upon the wall the green lamp sheds its rays just as I go to sleep. The cover is yet cold; against the window patters the bleak rain.

How strange! Why can it ever be that I feel so wounded at heart! Partly, because spring I regret; partly, because with spring I'm vexed! Regret for spring, because it sudden comes; vexed, for it sudden goes. For without warning, lo! it comes; and without asking it doth fleet.

Yesterday night, outside the hall sorrowful songs burst from my mouth, For I found out that flowers decay, and that birds also pass away. The soul of flowers, and the spirit of birds are both hard to restrain. Birds, to themselves when left, in silence plunge; and flowers, alone, they blush.

Oh! would that on my sides a pair of wings could grow, That to the end of heaven I may fly in the wake of flowers! Yea to the very end of heaven, Where I could find a fragrant grave!

For better, is it not, that an embroidered bag should hold my well-shaped bones, And that a heap of stainless earth should in its folds my winsome charms enshroud. For spotless once my frame did come, and spotless again it will go! Far better than that I, like filthy mire, should sink into some drain!

Ye flowers are now faded and gone, and, lo, I come to bury you. But as for me, what day I shall see death is not as yet divined! Here I am fain these flowers to inter; but humankind will laugh me as a fool. who knows, who will, in years to come, commit me to my grave!

Mark, and you'll find the close of spring, and the gradual decay of flowers, Resemble faithfully the time of death of maidens ripe in years! In a twinkle, spring time draws to a close, and maidens wax in age. Flowers fade and maidens die; and of either nought any more is known.

For the version in David Hughes' translation, arguably the most well-known translation of the book, I had to scour the net. For some reason, my translation ends its first book at chapter 30, but the David Hughes one does at chapter 25 - right before the poem in chapter 27. This one lacks one line because the previous one was erroneously repeated in the place I found it. It also rhymes but is a bit less archaic.

David Hawkes translation

The blossoms fade and falling fill the air, Of fragrance and bright hues bereft and bare. Floss drifts and flutters round the Maiden's bower, Or softly strikes against her curtained door.

The Maid, grieved by these signs of spring's decease, Seeking some means her sorrow to express, Has rake in hand into the garden gone, Before the fallen flowers are trampled on.

Elm-pods and willow-floss are fragrant too; Why care, Maid, where the fallen flowers blew? Next year, when peach and plum-tree bloom again, Which of your sweet companions will remain?

This spring the heartless swallow built his nest Beneath the eaves of mud with flowers compressed. Next year the flowers will blossom as before, But swallow, nest, and Maid will be no more.

Three hundred and three-score the year's full tale: From swords of frost and from the slaughtering gale How can the lovely flowers long stay intact, Or, once loosed, from their drifting fate draw back?

Blooming so stead fast, fallen so hard to find! Beside the flowers' grave, with sorrowing mind, The solitary Maid sheds many a tear, Which on the boughs as bloody drops appear.

At twilight, when the cuckoo sings no more, The Maiden with her rake goes in at door And lays her down between the lamplit walls, While a chill rain against the window falls.

I know not why my heart's so strangely sad, Half grieving for the spring and yet half glad: Glad that it came, grieved it so soon was spent. So soft it came, so silently it went!

Last night, outside, a mournful sound was heard: The spirits of the flowers and of the bird. But neither bird nor flowers would long delay,  Bird lacking speech, and flowers too shy to stay.

And then I wished that I had wings to fly Across the sky to the world’s farthest end, [Unfortunately, I have not been able to find this line in this specific translation.] The flowers' last fragrant resting-place to find.

But better their remains in silk to lay And bury underneath the wholesome clay, Pure substances the pure earth to enrich, Than leave to soak and stink in some foul ditch.

Can I, that these flowers’ obsequies attend, Divine how soon or late my life will end? Let others laugh flower-burial to see: Another year who will be burying me?

As petals drop and spring begins to fail, The bloom of youth, too, sickens and turns pale. One day, when spring has gone and youth has fled. The Maiden and the flowers will both be dead.

If you've made it to this point, I think I feel comfortable sharing my own translation. I have tried staying true to the original while also incorporating two new rhyming syllable each stanza.

My (cringy) translation

The beautiful blossoms, fallen on the green, their fragrance, nevermore to be sensed or seen The Spring Pavilion, smothered in cobwebs and rust, its curtains, covered in floss like faded gold dust

Inside, a maiden laments, for the spring has come to its end To what manner of solace shall she descend? With a rake in her hand, she treads into the backyard, But she dares not trample upon the flowers, by her own hesitation barred

How far the aroma of willows and elm trees may carry, or where the wind took the fallen flowers for me to bury The peach and plum bloom next year just like before, so why even ask? For who will remain in these inner rooms, and who will come to pass?

As early as March, the swallow prepares her nest, leaving the trees of their blossoms bereft Still, they will welcome them next year just the same, yet there won’t be any nest, swallow or maiden for anyone to name

Three hundred and sixty days is the length of a moon's year, the gale will cut and the frost will tear, breaking everything that’s dear How long will the flowers last before they inevitably come to fall? That answer is up to fate - one day they shall leave, so ephemeral

Blooming so graciously, yet once fallen, so hard to find, Clouded by those sorrows when standing at the flowers’ grave is her mind With nothing left to do but leaning on the rake, a tear runs down her face Leaving behind drips of blood on the branches, as despair's only trace

Sunset is here and the cuckoo's song is heard no more So she returns with the rake, her hand shutting the door Long after falling in dream's embrace, her lamp remains lit, her bed devoid of any warmth, as outside, the merciless rain hits

With blame and unfamiliar feelings, my inner self tears itself apart, Broken between sadness and joy is my heart Feeling glad when spring arrives, yet frustrated at how fast it leaves, Rejoicing as it’s suddenly here, yet when it goes, I grieve

A mournful song was heard last night, Perhaps it escaped from the flowers' and birds' souls in fright? Yet, neither of their spirits stay here for someone to keep, For the flowers are shy and the birds do not speak, nor do they ever weep

Oh, my sole wish to the heavens is a pair of wings, To the furthest ends of the worlds, the flowers I would bring Maybe, in the distance somewhere, is there a fragrant grave for the blossoms once so fair?

All these colored bones in this satchet, gathered in a mishmash [1] Under the earth, they will disappear, not even leaving ash As pure as they grew, as pure they will go of things like filthy water never to know

To these blooms, I have come to bury you For me, the day I will die is a mystery, but its existence rings true At least I may return the flowers to the soil, even though they shall call me a laughing fool And when the year comes for me to pass, is there anyone who will bury me without being cruel?

Behold, as spring leaves us behind and its flowers decay And the red bloom of youth shall also be gone one day That morning you will see that spring has come to a close - Not just the flowers but the maiden also, it will be over and done with those!

[1] The original makes her compare the petals in a satchet to how Buddhism views the body as a set of bones in a sack.

[mossy-green-aka-ferrythem]

I love how tragic Bloodfiends are.

Like you see a trend of desperation among them. They really want to live a normal life. It's just that they're... diseased.

I hate how the Bloodfiend Hunters go about stuff because like. They're monsters in some way, yes, but also, deeply, deeply human monsters. It would be wholly disingenuous to dehumanize them. Look at all the Bloodfiends we've encountered. Most recently, and most importantly, the Manchegan Bloodfiends. Look at all of them. They all have stories, and they're all so tragic. I could recount them all, but it's a lot of text, and the only ones that stuck in my brain were Papa Don, Sancho, and Dulcinea. Dulcinea really is quite tragic. Trapped in an oblivious state, going forever in a circle, her own personal hell, dressed up as a heaven. Beautiful, but much like the vampire nicknamed mircalla, she can never truly make contact with anyone. As a bloodfiend, she can only hurt humans, and as a bloodfiend, the other bloodfiends she shares a parade with are given the title of family. She really is a beautiful monument that stands for nothing, nothing but Oblivion, there in that eternal parade...

You also of course have Don Quixote. He truly hoped for so much, but his dream... is one he could never realize.

However, as Bloodfiends live doomed existences, there's still hope.

Sancho has taken on the title of her father. The one Bloodfiend she had the most special bond with. Father was no superficial title. Don truly was a father to her, and she, still loving him despite it all, wishes to carry out his dream. To see the world. To be a hero. To live alongside humans. To finally be untethered by that awful yearning for Blood... she will realize it one way or another. Even though it will be hard. Ever since Sancho has fully accepted the title of Don Quixote, her persona and true self have combined, leading to interesting results.

One thing that always made me really sad is that she needs bloodpack supplements to keep going. Subsisting off of donated human blood, because the curse of being a bloodfiend is so severe, that tragically, she can't even ignore it completely. Reminds me of a piece of fanart I've seen that really stuck with me. She's alone in her room, pajamas a bit loose, surrounded by Bloodbags scattered around the room, showing her melancholy that such a thing is even necessary to begin with. A very sad state of affairs. However, we must make merry, the adventure continues, and she still gallops on! Now, our dear Jia Baoyu's chapter is next! How shall he handle it? Will he and Lin Daiyu have a heartbreaking reunion? and how would he be able to handle her death? Who's to say! All that matters is that we all have hearts full of hope, and press onwards! Jia Baoyu will survive! He will even probably become better than ever, despite it all! No matter what he says, there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

[just-your-average-supervillain]

Nocturnal Sweeping: Some Thoughts

I think this is the first time an Intervallo has concluded not on the bus, but instead on the field, immediately going into the start of the next Canto. Indeed, following in the tradition of SEA, it seems that the upcoming Jia Family Hierarch Selection will be the main focus of Canto 8 - specifically, the conflict between Hong Lu's disinterest in the role of Jia family head and the fact that the Limbus Company higher-ups (and likely the Elders of the Jia Family) think of him as the best choice for family head. I highly doubt this situation will end similarly to Canto 6, with Heathcliff becoming the master of an empty manor, but I can't really tell who will become clan head - Hong Lu, Xichun, the really buff Jia guy at the end, maybe even Huan or other characters we haven't met yet.

So, some disjointed thoughts.

Of course, other than the obvious focus of Hong Lu, this Intervallo gives some more focus to Outis and Ryoshu. Outis is coming more into her supposed role as aide-de-camp, giving sound advice and collaborating with Dante and Faust in demystifying the intrigue set out for them. She seems quite shocked by being compared to Qingtao, and might lean back on the bootlicking in favor of giving specific contributions. Outis and Ryoshu collaborating to ensure Dante's safety without their notice is also pretty neat; naturally, they want to secure a valuable asset. Ryoshu's also has some moments of her own, like eavesdropping on Hong Lu and Dante with Sinclair, her confusion at his further elaboration on her acronyming (could he be reading her mind? He does have telepathy in the original book...), her frustration at being weaker during the fight, or the weirdness she had with Don Quixote after the Sweepers leave.

Don also has some points of interest here; Xichun's interest in recruiting her, or her smelling something unusual in regards to the Sweepers' blood. It's also neat to point out little things about how she changed from regaining her memories, like regaining tact.

The ambush and fight to protect Dante from the Heishou assassins is pretty neat in regards to who makes it to the fight; Don, Ryoshu, Outis, Meursault, and Gregor, the four strongest Sinners plus the one noted to have bizarre potential. Plus, the Sinners noted to have died in the ambush were Sinclair, Yi Sang, and Heathcliff, the three weakest, excluding the ever-vigilant Ishmael.

Faust's oddities continue to pile up. Indeed, right after the Sweepers finish their third wave, all the Sinners are wiped... except for her, who speaks as normal. She's also more upfront about when she's consulting Gesellschaft, with her naming the group when only speaking to Dante and censoring it as "Faust's knowledge" when also speaking to Outis. She's also clearly not in on all of the Company's plans, given that she OK'd the alliance to prop up Xichun instead of Hong Lu immediately before LCA declared that Hong Lu would be the chosen candidate.

It's kind of amusing to see the difference in how well Dante can read Faust vs how well they can read Outis. They pick up on a minute eyebrow tick on Faust and extrapolate her thought process, and then see Outis's very clear counterespionage signal and completely fail to understand what she means.

So, how about that Hong Lu conversation? Indeed, just as with his comment on the pointlessness of wrath, it seems that he has fully given up on having opinions or charting his own path. His cut-off comment about being placid in the face of the suffering of himself or those he cares about also definitely makes me think something horrible happened to Lin Daiyu to break his spirit. Kind of ironic that Heathcliff was the one to interrupt.

It's a bit bizarre but also maybe expected that the Sinners (other than Outis) don't react to Hong Lu being called by another name. Then again, maybe they're inoculated by Don Quixote vs Sancho or they're just not butting their noses into his business.

Also, hell yes - the Lord of Lusciousness, the Banisher of Bristliness, and the Man of the Middle, Ricardo, has returned. It seems that, as expected from the Middle, he's becoming a reoccurring issue. I suspect that we'll probably have one, maybe two more clashes in the future, but I think that chances are that his arc will be finished by the end of Canto 9. That said, he's still annoying as hell to fight.

Absolutely awesome to get to see an actual Night in the Backstreets in-game; the waves of Sweepers rushing by us really emphasizes how if they wanted to, they could dedicate themselves and wipe us out, but the sheer territory they need to cover and diminishing returns from just a few people makes it pointless to do so. Also, a mention of how the Sweepers are at the back and call of the Head!

It's neat to see how H Corp is modeled after the Walled City of Kowloon. It really re-emphasizes the cramped urban nature of the City, and doubles down on the idea of a capitalist hellscape.

It's neat to see Dante get a little bit meaner and more vicious - getting frustrated at the Sinners for eavesdropping on a private conversation with Hong Lu, commanding the Sinners to (even as a quote to motivate them) wipe out their enemies, and deciding to use a numbers advantage to jump an enemy to beat the secrets out of them... that, plus their focus on figuring out the situation with Outis and Faust, makes me think that they're definitely becoming more like their pre-amnesia self from the start of the game.

And, of course, the details clearly meant to foreshadow Canto 8 - the Bolus's life-returning properties, or Hong Lu's little detail of fighting ten duels a day. I'm kinda interested to see how the imagery of the Bolus is used in Canto 8's storu - Canto 5 got a lot of narrative mileage out of Whale and Mermaids, Canto 4 had the idea of healing through returning to the past, Canto 6 had the idea of being haunted... the blue color of the Bolus against Hong Lu's blue eye definitely gives me the vibes of this being imagery.

I can't really think of anything else to include in specific, beyond maybe Hong Lu's specialty in dueling and being a reactive fighter (Cinq ID anyone?), and how he wasn't promised a wish by the company. I really liked this Intervallo - aside from some of the harder fights - and am really hyped for The Surrendered Witnessing to be released.

[melliae]

A Potential Timeline for Project Moon Media (Spoilers for all media)

Note: This is mostly broad guesses based on certain interactions/lines across all the available media and common sense (i.e, the smallest or simplest possible time span), so there may be some spoilers from other games. I may also be misremembering some things and skipping others as well, so corrections/additions are welcome.

(I will be using the Day/Month/Year format)

1/985: Nocturnal Sweeping and Canto VIII occur. Lin Daiyu is almost 30, but not 30.

Hong Lu is older than Daiyu, and his birthday is 6/6. He is either 29 or 30.

1/984 to 12/984: Selva Oscura to LCB Check-Up occur.

Late 12/983 to Early 1/984: The Sinners finally meet each other and form the body of LCB.

24/12/983: Sinclair’s family is massacred by Kromer and N Corp.’s inquisition (upper limit).

If the Sinners’ number is connected to the order in which they were recruited, then Outis and Gregor joined Limbus after Sinclair, pushing the formation date of LCB to early January 984.

6/983 to 12/983: Considering the previous theory, all Sinners, from Don Quixote to Gregor, are recruited by Limbus.

Yi Sang is a mysterious case, but he was recruited before Aseah was “stolen” by the Ring (which was stated in Leviathan) or after he returned (end of Leviathan). I’m partial to him being recruited after Aseah returned, as Hermann mentioned him in Yi Sang’s flashback and Gubo didn’t make any reference to Yi Sang in Leviathan.

6/983: Leviathan (Chapter 2 onwards) occurs.

24/12/982: Chapter 1 of Leviathan happens.

Lower limit for Sinclair’s family to be killed.

Late 11/982 to Early 12/982: Angela releases the Light and the Library is exiled to the Outskirts.

The League of Nine collapses at some time before the release of Light, but within the same year and close to it (“Pierce of a Torn Winter” EGO gift). This is due to the Ring becoming obsessed with Vergilius’ orphans (his orphanage was attacked by the first Library’s guests to wake up), which is the likely reason for them to “steal” Aseah from Nagel und Hammer to begin with.

~981 to 982: Library of Ruina and Distortion Detective occur.

Timeline is unclear. It's unlikely the entire game took more than 2 years, especially due to the latter half and the SotC/Impuritas receptions.

Distortion Detective occurs on the early part (when the Library is an Urban Legend)

~978: Ayin releases the Light, but it is sabotaged by Angela and she creates the Library. An unknown time after, likely no more than a couple of months, the first Distortion incident happens: the Pianist.

Timeline is unclear. The ritual at Quercus Village (Distortion Detective) is monthly and produced 45 Distortions, meaning that between the release of Light and LoR’s Urban Legend status there are approximately 3 years and 8 months at most. For simplicity’s sake, let’s say there are 3 years between LC and LoR.

~968 to ~978: Lobotomy Corporation occurs.

Most of the incidents we know happen around this timeframe. It’s impossible to give them a proper place.

~965 to ~968: The Smoke War happens around this time (most likely in the 966-967 range), with the new L Corp. and its allies winning. 

Assuming Gregor is 35 in 984, he fought in the Smoke War as a teenager (17 to 18).

Similarly, assuming Myo is 29 during the last part of LoR, she fought in the War as a… 13- or 14-years-old girl.

~965: Hong Lu and Lin Daiyu are approximately 10 years old. The massacre of the Kong family happens and Garion cleans it, moving to destroy Carmen’s labs in the Outskirts afterward.

~955: Lin Daiyu is born, and possibly Hong Lu too.

~784: The Human-Bloodfiend occurs, with the Manchengan family joining the human side. La Manchaland amusement park is created by Don Quixote, but after some time it collapses.

[slothpower-central]

Here's my super early before everything Canto 8 bingo card

You all asked for it so I shall hand it over, keep in mind this is subject to change massively based on things like the intermissions, I want to be the first person to make a Bingo card for way in the future, call it a....long term investment Here is my super early Canto 8 Bingo card!!

Okay so I kinda wanna explain the board choices for funsies!

Hong Lu is a rock-.....obviously the big theory is on here!

Mothershu crumbs-So my friends and I refer to like character moments and hints as crumbs and mothershu is what we refer to as Ryoshu being a mother or like alluding to that(like with smth like Spider Bud)

Sinclair snaps-We get another moment similar to his shut the fuck up moment in Canto 7

Freak Lu- uhm this one is more of a silly one since with the number of times that man is tied up or smth and is chill with it (What do you mean it was a unique and fun experience?!?!) my friends and I think he's into it, so we included it for fun

No romance plotline-sigh. Wishful thinking on the part of a Hong Lu yume shipper(me) one of the original novels main plotlines is a whole romance love triangle thing goin on with Baoyu. My friend an I were going back and forth on if/how they could adapt that madness so to subvert expectations,we said no romance

We go to the Land of Illusion-Look if Baoyu goes there in the original, who's to say we won't go in Limbus

Outis Family crumbs- Outis saying anything about her family or home or Penelope or any of that

Uhm the Lin Daiyu space is self-explanatory aside from the descriptors, it's more in reference to my friend's bingo card she made for Canto 7, and it had "Dulcinea is a baddie" on there so I had to carry on the joke

That Grey Bastard appears-uhm.... that's in reference to Demian. My friend group is not a fan of him (I'm literally close friends with the real reincarnation of Emil Sinclair, of course we have conflicting feelings on Demian)

Levels copy the style of chapter names- So the names of levels last canto matched up with the way chapters in Don Quixote are titled and it was the same way in Canto 5 so Amia and I thought it might carry over to Canto 8 ^^

Heathcliff crumbs-We kinda threw his one in here but y'know more Heathcliff family moments or more Heathcath

Baoyu name reveal-Okay before you say, "But Sloth, they did reveal it to the sinners!" uhm no, look at who was in that convo. It was Wei, Xichun and Hong Lu, the other sinners do not know, or they just really decided to not comment on that

Chapter with the most npcs-This one is a prediction because guys. The original novel has like 400 characters in it.

Story Dungeon in Canto-So I always like to ask whether we'll get one since in Canto 6,we didn't get a dungeon,so we put it on there

Hong Lu is a "Charon situation"- I proposed some kind of crazy idea that Hong Lu was like overwriting Baoyu's personality/old self or smth and Amia responds with "Charon situation" since in Leviathan Lapis gets herself overwritten by one of her mirror worlds, that being Charon. So maybe something of a similar nature happened to Hong Lu (Yes this is different enough from rock theory to me)

Hong Lu doesn't distort- Ha you thought! Amia and I are like *convinced* the Hell's Chicken line is a red herring meant to throw us off. Like Quixote distortion was a big theory for a while and she didn't distort (Can bloodfiends distort? Idk) I know we're in the minority but like unless something changes my mind, I'm gonna keep being in the minority

[aabluedragon]

Canto 8 👍

Donposting inevitable

I’m glad she’s finally able to express her own experience just how cruel of an existence becoming a Bloodfiend entails in plain terms. By the end of LCB Check-up, she was ready to put that discussion down for good as taboo. She carries on in Limbus Company after participating in the genocide of her entire bloodline and promises that she remains the same, that she is different from her blood. I don’t think Dante understands just how much grace Sancho is affording them and the Sinners because they certainly do not treat her as they did before, nor do they afford her more care in respect to her illness, with Heathcliff, Hong Lu, and perhaps Ishmael as exceptions in the text. Maybe she’ll be one to find common ground with a certain Kong Qiu in later parts. Man, the Don Quixote train simply never stops.

YOU.

Remember when I was wondering about choosing to use the Buddhist name Ryōshū as a symbol of penance and prudence before I learned of the original Buddhist story of Ryōshū the artist? Anyways. That’s back on the table and I am. Unwell! So very excited to see what the next part brings now that we know of a direct Thumb connection and her “baby.”

SCREAMS

Ngl the only thing scarier than seeing Lin Daiyu is seeing Lin Daiyu alive

Deep inhale

We’re so fucked /lh

Coming in here with limited knowledge of HLM on purpose like “did they have Kong Qiu in there? Was he in there???”

Can’t stand the guy irl, very interested in the character

But they really did build atop the corpse of the old H Corp like Seattle atop its own ashes, huh? No family at the head of H Corp will again face this bloody end. I admittedly know little regarding the demise of the previous Nest, but I am certainly curious of just what taboo led an Arbiter to their door.

[idiomagic]

I love books. I've been reading fantasy and science fiction for 50 years. It makes me sad to see so many people on here who haven't read anything published before the 2000s. So. Here's are a few of my recommendations for some of the finest fantasy books ever written. It's not a complete list, by any means, and I'm old and don't know how to do links, so you'll have to look for them yourselves. Trust me, friends, it's worth the effort. The Hound and the Falcon trilogy by Judith Tarr

"Alfred of St. Ruan's Abbey is a monk and a scholar, a religious man whose vocation is beyond question. But Alfred is also, without a doubt, one of the fair folk, for though he is more than seventy years old by the Abbey's records, he seems to be only a youth.

But Alfred is drawn from the haven of his monastery into his dangerous currents of politics when an ambassador from the kingdom of Rhiyana to Richard Coeur de Leon is wounded and Alfred himself is sent to complete the mission. There he encounters the Hounds of God, who believe that the fair folk have no souls, and must be purged from the Church and from the world." Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart "When the children of his village were struck with a mysterious illness, Number Ten Ox sought a wiseman to save them. He found master Li Kao, a scholar with a slight flaw in his character. Together they set out to find the Great Root of Power, the only possible cure.

The quest led them to a host of truly memorable characters, multiple wonders, incredible adventures—and strange coincidences which were really not coincidences at all. And it involved them in an ancient crime that still perturbed the serenity of Heaven." Silverlock by John Myers Myers "Join an unlikely hero as he watches Moby-Dick sink the Pequod, dodges cannibals on Robinson Crusoe's island, raises a glass with Beowulf, and literally goes to Hell and back.

This rollicking adventure begins with a shipwreck on an island where notable characters of literature, history, and folklore coexist — Hamlet and Oedipus, Don Quixote and Doctor Faustus, Becky Sharp and Daniel Boone. From carousing with Robin Hood to crossing swords with the Green Knight and stealing a ride on Huck Finn's raft, our traveler, A. Clarence Shandon, undertakes a whirlwind tour of the classics." Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny

"Amber is the one real world, of which all others including our own Earth are but Shadows. Amber burns in Corwin's blood. Exiled on Shadow Earth for centuries, the prince is about to return to Amber to make a mad and desperate rush upon the throne.

From Arden to the Pattern deep in Castle Amber which defines the very structure of Reality, Corwin must contend with the powers of his eight immortal brothers, all Princes of Amber. " Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg "Valentine, a wanderer who knows nothing except his name, finds himself on the fringes of a great city, and joins a troupe of jugglers.

Valentine's journey is a long one, a tour through a series of magnificent environments. Fields of predatory plants give way to impossibly wide rivers, chalk-cliffed islands and unforgiving deserts. The prose is unrelentingly dreamlike—no accident given that on Majipoor, dreams rule the minds of great and humble alike." Tam Lin by Pamela Dean "In the ancient Scottish ballad "Tam Lin," headstrong Janet defies Tam Lin to walk in her own land of Carterhaugh . . . and then must battle the Queen of Faery for possession of her lover’s body and soul. In this version of "Tam Lin," masterfully crafted by Pamela Dean, Janet is a college student, "Carterhaugh" is Carter Hall at the university where her father teaches, and Tam Lin is a boy named Thomas Lane. Set against the backdrop of the early 1970s, imbued with wit, poetry, romance, and magic, Tam Lin has become a cult classic—and once you begin reading, you’ll know why. "

[id-element0]

Random Legacy All-in-one Update #4

Teenage delinquency alert! Well, this is not much different from what Satori and Bodhi did in their teens but Bismarck won't just stop at egging the neighbours. He HAS ideas.

Casually running away from the scene.

The next day Bismarck notices Autumn at school. She's a feisty little flirty thing that entices Bismarck immediately. So, he wants to kiss her. But what about Alecia? Well, that spark has died quickly. After they became BFFs they had two dates that ended inconclusively. So...

And of course just one kiss is not enough. Why don't we anchor it in your mother's bed? This is how Bismarck not only has his first kiss but also his first woohoo in the span of 15 minutes. All initiated by Autumn. I definitely did not miss the first kiss moment, of course not! 🤫

While he's exploring new horizons, the plant baby, Midori, -whom nobody cares about 😭- just grows up on her own, becoming the second child growing up without a cake after Prada. Also Satori being too hungry, moves towards the fridge upon arriving, unaware of what's happening in her bedroom.

Midori returns home after her visit to the clothing store. I guess she's just too boring for this household. I don't know why I put her in that dress. 😅

Meanwhile, Bismarck is on a mission. After their first woohoo, he just can't leave Autumn alone and as a result, Satori's bed gets desecrated again, just minutes later.

Of course, she's too busy to realise since Quixote wants to learn driving.

The night ends like that, and the morning comes. I wasn't exaggerating when I implied Midori was basically a nobody. Even the cat, still named Short Tail Cat, doesn't like her. I've never seen this interaction before and I was like 😲 😧 🥺 the whole time. The interaction is 'tackle' by the way.

Poor Midori, look at her.

Are you proud of yourself, you little monster whose name is a lie?

She's so sad. 😞 Two more days and she'll start living with Bodhi, Deedee and Christi. Hopefully, a much more stable and healthy household.

In the meantime she can find some solace in our lovely boy Cash who asked to be brushed just before the crazy cat antics. Midori has to cross paths with her teenage cousin who's in the middle of a meltdown for some reason. While her other teenage cousin is busy doing 'his thing' right across the pool. But it's worth it because she's now BFF with Cash.

Maybe this is why Quixote is having a meltdown: He's a Hopeless Romantic and still couldn't find his first love while Bismarck is quick to jump from one girl to another. Autumn spent the night in a sleeping bag next to pool and she isn't complaining.

prev | main | next

[soul-mates-podcast]

Okay surgery recovery tier list. I added the rest of the Limbus characters, sorry if the Mahjong Soul characters rankings are dumb and stupid I don't know a lot about them (Except Kallen why didn't I know you did a Kallen episode I'm so mad I haven't watched that).

Explanations from bottom up:

Sinclair dies obviously, will be extremely embarrassed when Dante brings him back. Miyu tiny small child will make it with help of her tiny small child friends, but will have a bad time. Anju is same as Miyu but even worse cause Chunibyo. Yi Sang will be sick constantly and will be musing on pain and death for the entire duration and will fuck up his post op-med routine, but he will make it for no other reason than his desire to experience the whole thing. Kuyo is similar to Miyu, but weird demon thing will make it slightly easier. Shirogane is a fairly heathy young man, but maintaining his strange love denial thing will get in the way of his recovery a lot. Hana is just a girl, she will be fine but it will suck. Faust fairs a bit better than Yi Sang because of the network telling her the best way to recover and is generally emotionless, but it will slow her down a lot. Lin would heal fast as a dragon, but they would have to do strange stuff during the surgery to get around the dragon thing and she would NOT take her medicine. Hannah would be top of B, but her anthro nature messes up her post op-meds and it will be unpleasant for her. Fu and Kaguyahime are just normal women, they're just innocent women. Iwao is old but will have adrenochrome and infant blood pumped into his veins until he gets better, will have a longer initial hospital stay but will still recover normally. Joe "Ron" Mike Wazowski's Dad is a strong healthy man but probably doesn't deal with chronic pain well. He will recover at a normal pace but will need to take an extend leave from television. Gregor is a war vet and has had drastic surgery before but he does have weird bug blood in the bug arm and is not in his prim (which was not much better in the first place). Also he chain smokes which is going to slow things down. Outis is a war vet, very healthy and will follow her med routine down to the dot, not quite enough for A due to age though. Lily and Nanaha both have great blood flow as tall heathy women, pain will be a little bit easier to bare as they are good at putting up a face, will heal a bit faster than other people. Rodion will curse under her breath about it a lot, will bring up that she needs to recover a lot, but she would still heal fairly quickly and can power through a lot if she really needs to. Hong Lu is a strange pervert about everything and is really tough for some reason? Kallen is canonically recovers quickly and is quite tough in general. Heathcliff will bitch more than the other s tiers, but he will be just fine and can still do things fine. meursault Ryoshu actively enjoys pain and is a Ring experiment freak, will recover in no time. Ishmael is self explanatory, literally can't die nor feel pain when she doesn't feel like it and is generally pretty stoic. I can't say anything about Don Quixote without spoilers, but I have no idea where to put her.

meursault

thank you for your participation in this important experiment. you're going to be so embarrassed listening to our kallen episode, i forget literally everything about her im sorry i havent watched code geass in YEARS

[squidfinch]

SENDING THESE TWO AT A TIME BABY LETS GO 🩹👥 ALL OF THEM

🩹

Matteo: Once again I need to read the Lord of Opium, but overall I think they’re doing better. They have closure for most of the things that were left open when they fled from O district. Despite being the CEO of O corp at this point, I think he’d still travel with Limbus Company for a while, at least until things really die down in O corp enough for him to really get into whatever’s left of the company. They drove their grand pappy’s company and life’s work into the ground and they’re proud of it /hj.

Luo Ji is doing pretty well initially. His great duty has been carried through, and he knows that Trisolaris isn’t stupid enough to try and kill him now. That doesn’t last too long though. Pretty soon he gets the official title as Swordholder, and from there he permanently moves to an Underground Bunker, as the initial shock of the deal is beginning to wear off on trisolarians, and they’re slowly becoming more bold. Along with that he doesn’t have the best connection with the Head, as he’s essentially on par with their power, at least within his district. He doesn’t use it for much, though. He ends up spending his time just staring at the displays in the bunker that report the state of the outside world. Slowly, he descends into paranoia once again, leading to him fearing that his body were to give out from all the stress he’s under. So, he eventually opts for a fully prosthetic body, an old style boxbot kind. When he meets with the sinners again during Cheng Xin’s canto everyone looks at him and goes Jesus Christ dude what happened. And all he can do is slightly chuckle.

Berlioz is overall doing better, though she did have an ego death from her walk through Actual Hell. It takes her a while to understand Who She Is outside of her life-long obsession with Harriet, and I don’t think she holds herself as highly as before. Once she’s confronted with her actions and understands how she had made Harriet’s life a living hell, she becomes a Bearable Person.

Roz is doing So Much Better holy shit. After her canto she leaves Limbus Company and is sent to the outskirts, specifically to her Island. She gets a new, more durable body, and remains a robot after her canto. She doesn’t turn organic in any sense, she’s Roz and she’s a Robot. Her canto isn’t about figuring who she is like Angela’s arc in Lor, it’s about her returning to her home. Before she leaves she tells the sinners that if a bird visits and presents them with a feather, then they know that she made it alright. It takes a few months, almost a year, but in a job near the outskirts, a goose comes down, plucks a feather from its back, gives it to the manager, and leaves.

Idk about Dorian tbh. I need to think about him more

Jay and Dove stay with the company after their canto, but they’re conflicted. They’ve fulfilled their duties but have lost both the sister that Jay thought was dead and their special abilities. They still have them through their EGO attacks but they’re more restricted in their use than before. They do feel like they don’t have much of a use anymore, but the best they can do is just to keep going forward. Overall, they’re doing better, but a little disappointed.

-------------------------------------------------------------

👥

I have played around with this a bit since I didn’t decide that my sinners are their own Division and not extra employees in the main one until recently.

Matteo: I feel like Matteo is surprisingly sociable with the main sinners. Their favorite would be Gregor, I think. He reminds them of their dad, Tam LIn, a bit. They can see the same trauma and tiredness in the veteran’s eyes as his adoptive father’s. As for least favorite, it’s a tie between Hong Lu and Don Quixote. Hong Lu reminds them of the members of the Alacran family they grew up with, and he just gets on their nerves. Don Quixote is a similar case to Hong Lu, but with the addition that she’s surprisingly similar to their originator. As a short list:

-Being a Real Life Vampire (Matteo’s originator, El Patron, was called The Vampire. As a metaphor because he was so Fucking Old and stole youth from others. In a sense)

-Living in an artificially maintained land

-Speaking Old Timey Spanish (Matteo’s is more Old Man than Valiant Knight but still)

Luo Ji would like Meursault I think, even if he just talks to him like a brick wall. Luo Ji is so fucking self-centered that he would talk to Mersault just so he can go on and on without interruption. His least favorite would be Faust I think. She knows Everything and he’s sexist so. /hj

Berlioz wants be on good terms with Faust because they’re kinda similar but it would fall apart rather quickly. I think she still tries to be her friend. In reality her favorite would be Ryoshu, I think they can bond over being former Ring members and talking about their views in art. Everyone keeps them separate though after Berlioz started talking in acronyms once. Her least favorite would be either Ishmael or Heathcliff. The former just doesn’t like her personality and the latter doesn’t care for her music.

Dorian and Hong Lu get along well. Hong Lu is genuinely having a good time and Dorian is taking advantage of him a little bit. Laughing at him rather than with him kind of thing. Dorian’s least favorite would be Yi Sang. He just sees him as a downer and party killer.

Roz’s favorite sinner would be Dante. She can’t really be Open about being sapient so she can really only observe the sinners from afar but she does feel comfortable around them. If she took the time I think she could eventually understand them, but she never gets the chance to talk beyond giving Reports. Among the traditional Sinners I think she likes Sinclair the most, only because he reminds her of her own son. She doesn’t really have a least favorite, but if pushed I think she’d like Faust the least.

Jay only likes Meursault, and it’s only because he’s silent most of the time. By virtue of being a Grumpy Old Man at heart, Jay doesn’t give anyone the chance to form a good relationship with him. The one he Detests the most though is Hong Lu. He can understand Don Quixote after the Ego Death of her canto, but he’d be sooooooooo pissed off at Hong Lu’s ignorance.

Dove is amicable toward most everyone on the bus. I think she’d like Ryoda the most though, she’s cool and who Dove sorta aspires to be. Her least favorite would be Otis, she’s too much of a bootlicker for her tastes. Even then, Dove can see right through it, and knows she’s hiding Something, but Dove can’t figure out what.

[auritracen]

Me: Donkey (someone from my ex-workplace) is literally like Don Quixote. Blind faith in his flop of a project [to be fair there are no reasonable projects coming out from there since 2018], picking fights with a windmill all over the place.

Friend: Don-keyxote.

Me: And his mate who sits next to him in the office. He leaves so fucking late every single day yet he didn't manage to get any meaningful data. He basically did nothing. I didn't even see him working in the lab. Is he chatting the entire time with Don-keyxote?

Friend: Seeing how close they are, I suppose so.

Me: That's his Dulcinea del Toboso!

Friend: No, he's Jia Baoyu. Because when his Lin Daiyu, i.e. Don-keyxote dies, he's gonna lose the will to continue.

[fredborges98]

*Tributo a Yuan Yuan Tan.*

Por: Fred Borges

Ela ingressou na Escola de Dança de Xangai aos 11 anos. Inicialmente, seu pai se opôs, pois queria que ela se tornasse médica. Sua mãe, no entanto, deu muito apoio. Seu destino foi decidido no sorteio - a moeda caiu em cara e Yuan Yuan Tan começou sua carreira de dançarina.

Ela ganhou vários prêmios internacionais ainda jovem; incluindo uma medalha de ouro e o Prêmio Nijinsky no 1º Concurso Internacional de Ballet e Dança Moderna do Japão (1993) e uma medalha de ouro no 5º Concurso Internacional de Ballet em Paris (1992). Aos 18 anos, tornou-se dançarina solista do San Francisco Ballet. Dois anos depois, em 1997, aos 20 anos, ela foi promovida a bailarina principal, alcançando a posição mais alta de bailarina, um caminho ascendente invulgarmente rápido.

Naquela época, ela era a dançarina principal mais jovem da história do San Francisco Ballet.

Hoje, ela é um nome marcante para a companhia, enquanto o próprio San Francisco Ballet é amplamente considerado um dos melhores do mundo e, nas palavras do coreógrafo Mark Morris, a "melhor companhia da América do Norte".

Ela dançou papéis femininos principais em Giselle de Helgi Tomasson, Lago dos Cisnes, Romeu e Julieta, Quebra-Nozes, Dom Quixote de Tomasson/Possokhov, Sylvia de Morris e Otelo de Lubovitch.

Ela criou papéis em The Fifth Season, Chi-Lin, Silver Ladders e 7 for Eight de Tomasson; Magrittomania, Amaldiçoado e Estudo em Movimento de Possokhov; Continuum e Quaternário de Wheeldon e Tu Tu de Welch. Seu repertório inclui Thaïs Pas de Deux de Ashton; Sinfonia em Dó de Balanchine, Tema e Variações, Concerto Barocco, Filho Pródigo e Apolo; Without Words de Duato, In the Night de Robbins, Dances at a Gathering e Dybbuk; e Paquita de Makarova.

Ela apareceu nas versões chinesas da Vogue, Esquire e Tatler. Atualmente ela também é embaixadora da marca Van Cleef & Arpels e Rolex.

Em 16 de outubro de 2013, Tan apareceu em Ghosts and Cinderella, de Christopher Wheeldon, no David H. Koch Theatre e no mesmo ano apareceu em Symphonic Dances, de Edwaard Liang.

Em 2020, após 7 meses fora dos palcos desde março de 2020 devido ao COVID-19, Tan apareceu na segunda temporada de Dance Smash, um show de talentos chinês produzido pela Hunan Satellite TV que apresenta tecnologia para capturar diversos estilos de dança em movimento.

Em janeiro de 2024, Tan anunciou sua aposentadoria da companhia San Francisco Ballet. Sua última apresentação foi como Marguerite em Marguerite and Armand, de Frederic Ashton, em 14 de fevereiro de 2024.

Três palavras - Três adjetivos alcançados por Yuan Yuan Tan:

*Transcendência.*

O termo Transcendência, pode ter diferentes significados: Como a superação de limites, por exemplo: um atleta que bate um recorde olímpico, superando uma marca jamais atingida por outro ser humano.

A transcendência trata-se daquilo que está além do mundo material, refere-se aos fenômenos de natureza metafísica. Tem origem na palavra latina "trancendere", que significa ultrapassar.

Compreender o sentido da vida sempre esteve dentre as mais importantes buscas do ser humano.

A transcendência tem a ver com a vida e a morte e com a possibilidade da existência de algo que vá além da vida terrena.

*Excelência.*

Excelência é um conceito que está presente em diversas áreas da vida, seja no âmbito pessoal ou profissional.

Trata-se de um padrão de qualidade superior, que vai além das expectativas e que se destaca pela sua eficiência, eficácia e resultados excepcionais.

*Equilíbrio.*

Uma pessoa equilibrada emocionalmente no trabalho é aquela que tem clareza e segurança para sair de problemas e conflitos, procurando sempre resolver da melhor forma possível e objetivando as decisões mais acertadas.

Estas três palavras são definidoras da identidade, personalidade e caráter de Yuan Yuan Tan ou YuanYuan Tan, poucas bailarinas se mantém no topo do ciclo de vida tão extenuante, sacrificante e debilitante como a de uma primeira bailarina de uma companhia de dança, disciplina é um dos pré requisitos, aliás o ballet é a escola que transfere conhecimento, técnica, harmonia, disciplina, competição, cooperação, visão de espaço, perspectiva, percepção e as palavras ou adjetivos que tanto caracterizam e foram incorporadas por esta bailarina.

Treinar de 08 a 12 horas por dia, chegar duas horas antes de cada apresentação, ter uma dieta rígida, equilíbrio físico, emocional e espiritual para não fazer da dança ou qualquer coisa na vida uma obsessão, ter prazer antes de tudo, amar, amar muito!

Sem dúvida ela é um exemplo de determinação, resiliência e paixão pelo que ela, durante 27 anos, fez, se mantendo Prima Bailerina do San Francisco Ballet.

Vida longa Yuan Yuan Tan!!!