#Spouts Closures

[yueyimold]

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[all-pacas]

no one asked me but here's my non specific list of ten things i adore about cameron actually!!

her terrible sense of humor! she's actually so silly but her jokes only land about 30% of the time. "i'd make an excellent step-mom" "i'm being house, it's funny," sexually harassing chase at the coffee machine, she thinks she is so funny

sexually harassing chase at the coffee machine. eagerly asking him what the patient's girlfriend said about the sex. how excited she is to hit on house. her blatant hr violations. her deeply canon exhibitionism. a threesome every seven years is good for a marriage. she does all these things in an office setting. she is such a freak

how quickly and immediately she falls in love!! her refusal to be cynical and worn down despite her traumas, the way she reacts with defiance and pushes past her fears every time. the way the show keeps proving her wrong, her idealism never, ever pays off--but she never surrenders or becomes a cynic. she always tries again, falls in love again, reaches out again. she's not a pushover, she's defiant. she's stubborn. she's!!

cameron can be kind of tricky sometimes and even a little for-your-own-good manipulative, but she is so bad at scheming in a very specific and funny way. she always overplays her hand. she reads self help books and comes to work all "what do you think, eric?", she almost puzzles out the trick in the jerk but takes it one step too far and accuses chase, she's very good at seeing through house's games but she's too honest/straight-forward to really play them herself. it's so funny of her though. she WANTS to play 5d chess so bad but she is incapable of subtlety

her wardrobe choices!! how she is constantly changing her look, how when she's dean for a week she dresses like cuddy, how the glimpses we see of her at-home wardrobe are girly and feminine compared to her strict business attire at work, how she takes the time to dress impeccably when she's stressed as hell. love when wardrobe is characterization

that cameron is willing to throw down with anyone at any time for any reason. deference to your boss? she's never heard of it. she's fought with house, wilson, cuddy, foreman, patients, probably the entire new team offscreen,

her insane martyrdom. how she has convinced herself it's her job to suffer on behalf of everyone, like, cameron, are you okay (she is not okay).

she is the most unreliable narrator on the planet. very girlboss of her. she doesn't tell house she likes him, she tells house he likes her. she is an atheist who constantly spouts off the most "god is loving and must be thanked" platitudes. she claims she was deeply in love with her dead husband but never says or implies one good memory. she gets so upset when she dumps chase, after two months of refusing to let him out of her sight, because he dared imply she had feelings for him. she's so funny

that she got out. like the show is 80% worse with cameron gone and i hate they wrote her off, but i love that she was able to recognize how toxic and insular things had gotten, how corrupting house is, and just... leave. especially since she's always struggled with letting go, with leaving, with closure. i still wish she'd stayed

her little moments where she's a smug know it all!! they're so funny. whenever she tries to flex on the new team (or more rarely the old) and she has this spring in her step, girl just wants to be in charge and the smartest and the best. i love her control freak tendencies and her mess and her silliness and how she does everything at 108%, from fighting people to patient care to love to running for the hills. she has never heard the word restraint and she NEVER SHOULD

[hertenskylarks]

More 2 Cents on S3

So, I know there’s already a lot of talk going around. Here’s my 2 cents. 

In light of the recent news, I keep hearing a lot of “Oh, I hope the third season doesn’t get canceled,” and “Oh, I hope it does. Fuck Gaiman,” and “Oh, what about Terry’s vision? What about the fans? What about closure?”

I have absolutely zero control as to whether or not season 3 is made. Many arguments for and against it have already been made. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I will offer this perspective from my own personal experience. 

I’m a swing dancer, and my rapist was my teacher and one of the first people who ever taught me how to dance. One of the things that made me hesitant to come forward was that he was one of the most likable characters in my scene. He was the funny, goofy guy who wore funky printed shirts, he was sooo nice, he couldn’t possibly be a rapist, right? Right?

Seeing people praise him, hearing people talk about how great he is when I knew what he did to me… It drove me absolutely mad. I just wanted to shake people and say, “No, you don’t understand! You don’t understand who he is!” But I felt like I just couldn't. I felt his reputation was too iron-clad to say anything.

Coming forward was one of the scariest things I ever did because I was so sure people either wouldn't believe me or wouldn't care. And, as predicted, that was the case for some. You can only imagine how I felt when someone I used to call my friend went on to have him officiate her wedding. You can only imagine how I felt when the response from the organizers of the dance scene was to ask me to avoid mentioning Y-Town Swing in social media posts (Oops) to protect their reputation. You can only imagine how I felt when they continued to have him as a teacher, or when they updated their safe space policy to say they are not responsible for anything that happens “outside a Y-Town swing event.” 

Oh, so if he raped me in the bathroom at the event instead it would have made a difference? Right, sorry, didn't realize the location or a rape mattered that much.

Anyway…

This was all in the confines of a small dance scene, in a small city, in a very niche hobby. Now, imagine how it must feel when your rapist and abuser is a fucking best selling author, praised as this ally to women and LGBT people, he’s the quirky guy who has a Tumblr and actually responds to his fans and he’s so cool, he’s one of us, he can’t possibly be a rapist, right? Right?

I can only imagine how fucking mad it drove his victims to know who he really is and see him put on such a high pedestal. 

So, however this all unfolds, I will say this. The people I care about most are the victims. I say this as someone who loved and still loves Good Omens, I say this as someone who was torn up about the final 15, as someone who rejoiced when S3 was originally announced, before all the allegations came to light. I care about the victims. 

But what about the fans? Listen, it’s a fucking TV show. Do you really mean to tell me the ending of a fictional fucking story is more important than the very real people he’s hurt? Not having an ending to your favorite show does not hold a candle to the trauma of being sexually assaulted. There’s no comparison. Not in the same ballpark. Not even in the same galaxy. 

But what about Terry?

Terry is dead and in his grave. I am sorry to say this, but whether his vision comes to life or not, he will never be the wiser. It makes no difference to him. If I could wave my magic wand and have Terry alive and well and Gaiman dead and in his grave, believe me, I definitely would, but that is not the hand we were dealt. 

So please, all I ask is this. Before you go spouting shit like, “I hope we don’t lose S3,” or “I just need to know how it ends,” put yourself in their shoes for just a second.

Imagine you are Claire, or Scarlett, or any of his other victims. Imagine you are sexually assaulted by someone whom the world just puts on a pedestal. You have to sit there and listen to him get praised as being “such a great ally to women and minorities” and “he’s one of us,” and “he’s so brilliant. He’s so cool. He really listens to his fans. Look at this quote of his I got tattooed on my body.” And for years you just sit there and take it, because you’re so fucking afraid that no one will believe you if you come forward, you’re told your story “isn’t enough,” you watch him get richer and richer while you’re stuck with the therapy bill for everyting this “great ally of women” did to you. 

Now imagine that you finally come forward. You finally muster up the will to speak your truth, and tell people what he did to you, and you find that you’re not the only person he’s hurt. The world is finally hearing your story and learning what a manipulative monster he is. 

And now, I want you to think very carefully about what it means if we still get S3. 

S3 means press tours. It means more reviews praising him as a genius. It means certain people being contractually obligated to say nice things about him, or at the very least, not say negative things about him. It means, once again, seeing his fucking horse face or his name everywhere, on Amazon, on billboards, on busses, on posters, in adverts. Only now, it's AFTER the world heard your side of the story.

Just imagine how that would feel. 

So, if it wasn't obvious by now, my stance on S3 is… I don't really want it to happen. Not out of spite or some deep seated hatred for Gaiman (although, ya know, fuck that guy) but out of consideration for the people he's hurt, as someone who knows exactly how it feels to see the person who hurt you get put on a pedestal. 

I understand that production is paused and people think he may be getting removed from the project. I'm not going to comment on that because "paused” can mean a lot of things and there's so much we don't know yet.

There will be other shows. 

There will be shows that DO have satisfying endings. 

Media and shows can be replaced. 

But there is no such thing as being un-raped. 

[skywalkr-nberrie]

No way I just saw an Anakin hater/Ewan/OW fan girl say that she’d “never forgive Padmé for choosing Anakin when OW was right there.” and even said how much it hurts that OW said he wishes he was “Leia’s” father so that means he was “in love with her” the whole time while he had to watch her be with Anakin.

Count on these antis to ignore batches of context to benefit their delusions.

1. Padmé didn’t care for OW, she didn’t choose him because she didn’t WANT him. She got the one she loved and desired. She won. Period.

(Side note: why do these weirdos pretend that Anakin/Hayden isn’t canonically and visibly super attractive? Or that OW/Ewan was unarguably more hotter than Anakin/Hayden?? Did you forget that “in universe” Anakin is canonically considered the “ladies man” and that’s actually acknowledged by OW twice? Once in the novel “Labyrinth of Evil” and again in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this… fact is that A LOT of girls would prefer Anakin over OW and Padmé is one of those girls, as we see 😬

I know why I chose Anakin over OW when I was only 8, and so does my niece who’s 10. And I know there’s many more that’s just like us, lol. If they’d stop projecting for a minute, they’d realize how it actually makes perfect sense why Padmé chose Anakin and not OW whom she never considered as an option for her, and never would be, regardless.)

Yes and I know it’s hard for misogynists to grasp this, because how dare a woman choose her own life partner. But I was never one (a misogynist) to begin with, so I can’t agree 🤷🏾‍♀️ and don’t even try with the “if Star Wars was written by a female” argument that’s tossed around. Because it’s not like most of the people who ship Anidala aren’t female??

And please be real for once, what’s more female gaze? The young and beautiful heroine ending up with someone she met as a kid while he an adult, who’s much older too, or her ending up with the younger (closer to her age) Prince Charming she didn’t even know she was dreaming of? If the self projection wasn’t so insane from thirsting over Ewan, they wouldn’t actually spout this crap.

2. OW didn’t say he “wishes” he was Leia’s father, lmao. He tells her he wishes that he could SAY he was. The two hold tremendously different meanings from each other, especially when you’re not ignoring “context.” The false one implies that OW wishes he was actually the real father instead (like the antis assume) and the correct one implies that he wished he could tell Leia in that specific moment that he was. And why does OW say this?

Well, I’ll let Ewan explain:

As stated in the video, OW only said that because he wishes he could bring Leia closure for not being able to know her real dad, and in that moment she was hoping OW was him. No where is it ever implied this was because he’s always had “secret harboured feelings” for Padmé (whom was his surrogate son/brother’s wife.) In Ewan’s words: there isn’t “any more to it than that.” Even went as far as to subtly mention how if there was any validity to this “OW and Padmé” theory, George would’ve put that in the script, or would’ve told that story. Which we’re all well aware he didn’t do of any sort. (And I should mention that Anakin’s seeds of doubt and mistrust in the deleted ROTS concepts, doesn’t count. Those were all planted by Palpatine to bring him closer to the dark side. It was never real.) So? Case closed.

Now stop blaming Padmé for falling in love with Anakin and choosing him over the guy she canonically doesn’t have any interest in and didn’t have any interest in her.

P.S: OW canonically only loves Satine. Anyways, Anidala is the superior ship. Hence why they’re canon. Pack it up, and go home, folks!

[pineapple-split]

Arcane S2 and what I Did Not Like:

1. THE MUSIC VIDEOS

2. The set up for dictator!Caitlyn and the failed follow-through. This could have been really interesting. You might even still be able to pull off a Caitvi endgame (I think… with a LOT more development and general care), but I see that as a secondary goal to really exploring how an otherwise well-meaning character can go off the deep end. She gassed Zaun using the system her mother wanted to use to clean their air, in her mother’s name!! Follow up on that!! Why give Caitlyn the Lady Macbeth imagery in the intro if it wasn’t actually going to show up?! Caitlyn did not answer for a single one of her actions, never reckoned with how Piltover oppresses Zaun and her role in it, and never took actions to right these wrongs or help the people of Zaun like she was set up to do in S1.

3. The massive fumbling of Jayce and Viktor’s relationship. I’m sorry Jayvik fans, but this was off the wall ridiculous in every respect. There’s a whole 2 minutes spent on Viktor deciding to leave and we, the audience, are meant to infer that he’s upset that Jayce didn’t destroy the Hexcore and/or is so fundamentally changed that he doesn’t feel the “affection (that) held us together”. Except that’s immediately undercut, because Viktor never expresses this again and repeatedly asks Jayce to work with him! If he felt betrayed enough to leave, why does he want Jayce with him again? If that was just a cover and this new Viktor simply doesn’t care like he used to… again why the focus on Jayce joining him? There’s never a textual reasoning given for either scenario.

Jayce is apparently destroyed by Viktor leaving, but there are no scenes to that effect. In fact Jayce doesn’t comment about their relationship until Act 3, when he swings wildly between “my partner is dead” to “I just want my real partner back” with no bridge between.

There’s no acknowledgement of Viktor’s story to this point, which is that he was dying of an illness brought on by the horrific conditions Zaunites live in, and he wanted to use Hextech to improve life in the undercity. Now he wants a glorious evolution for *reasons* that he doesn’t express out loud until Act 3. We the audience have to infer that he thinks he’s helping people, but he’s also speaking and acting so unlike Viktor that it makes us question who’s really in the pilot’s seat. And of course Jayce then undergoes the worst bit of character assassination I’ve seen in a long time and spouts some bullshit about how Viktor was always perfect the way he was (dying, brought on by Piltover’s literal poisoning of Zaun), that he should have accepted his “imperfections” (the illness that was killing him and harming his body). This is after trying to kill him mind you (was the plan to destroy him or try to reason him away from evolving everyone, bc we kept ping-ponging between the two). Also after Jayce’s entire motivation in the back half of S1 was saving Viktor’s life. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.

This is not a plot line you can squash into the margins of 9 episodes. If you want to get to this endpoint, you need at least an episode of Viktor coming to terms with being alive after the explosion before he leaves. You need to spend time with Jayce grieving and/or trying to find Viktor before he goes to the Hexcore. Jayce probably needs a full episode dedicated to his alt timeline adventure, AND THEN we need to see him wrestling with what he’s done after he shoots Viktor. If his relationship with Mel breaks down (😭) we need to see it. (And if not, there needs to be some goodbye or closure between them ffs). If Jayce is first “destroy Viktor” then ends up at “I want my partner back”, show us that journey! Jayce needs to have some emotional struggle with all this!

Through all this, if we’re to believe it’s still Viktor in there somewhere and not the Arcane talking through his re-animated body, we need more scenes explaining what Viktor wants as well, and how his actions may/may not be achieving this. If he’s angry at Jayce, why? If he’s not, why did he leave? Is Sky a manifestation of his guilt, the Arcane manipulating him, actually her, or some combination of the three? How does he feel about the developments between Piltover and Zaun? Explore these things!

4. Speaking of Piltover and Zaun, what in the fresh hell. I was afraid they would take this route (the oppression doesn’t matter, praise the cops, the Zaunites will be thrown scraps and they should be grateful for it, etc etc etc) but goddamn. I don’t even have the energy to expend the words expressing how fucked up this is, in today’s climate. if you don’t have the guts to address class conflict like this then maybe don’t even bring it up??? Fuck.

5. Ekko was set up to be a true advocate for Zaun in S1. Of the Zaunites in S1 Act 2 and onward, he alone expressed a willingness to take care of people, not just defeat his enemies. He’s shown to be wise beyond his years, empathetic, tough as nails when he needs to be - in short, a wonderful leader. Then they sent him off to a parallel universe to get time warp powers so he could end the show alone and depressed????? He had all of half of an episode for his trauma to be addressed and establish some connection with Jinx, and then it became very clear they only did that to manufacture angst. Again - if you want to get to this end point, you have to actually show us the character journey to get there. Why was he talking about forgetting to build a better future, when he literally never did????? He established the Firelights and the community oasis before hitting 20. He pulled back from killing Jinx on the bridge. He saw an outcast from Piltover and invited them to see his work. And it’s the tree dying that drives him to the Hexcore. HE LITERALLY NEVER LOST THAT FOCUS, so why did he apparently need alt!Powder to re-teach him??? I’m going insane.

6. We really should have seen Jinx emerge as a leader of the Zaunite uprising (and this is a whole season arc, let’s be clear). We also needed a LOT more push and pull between Vi and Jinx before they reconciled. If Isha was going to be important to Jinx, we needed more time with the two of them.

I actually have no problem with Warwick/Vander in Act 2, but I think it should only have come after an actual Zaunite revolt and after Jinx and Vi both had gone through some shit opposing each other. In short, it should not be been resolved with a single hair-pulling fight and then Warwick busting in. In fact, Jinx and Vi still should have been struggling to find footing all the way up to the point where Jayce shoots Viktor, imo. There should have been real consequences to Vi joining the enforcers besides Jinx snapping at her.

At the end of the day, this family was always the heart of the show and that should have been front and center throughout. The ideas and themes they introduced should have resonated through the B plots like they did in S1 before everyone came together in the finale.

7. I also don’t mind the flashbacks with younger Vander and Silco, but if they were going to do that they needed to spend much more time on it. Show the events that let to Vander trying to kill his brother, and use it to parallel the struggle between Vi and Jinx. Show it as a struggle between opposing ideologies as much as between siblings. OR, if you’re not willing to do that legwork simply don’t go down this route at all. 🤷🏻‍♀️

8. I love Ambessa but they could have cut her and the Noxians completely and lost nothing. Sorry, but it has to be said.

9. Which leads me to Mel. I actually loved about 90% of Mel’s story, BUT: she needed resolution with Jayce one way or the other (as he was the major emotional relationship she had in S1), if they were going to go the mage route we needed to see her journey of coming into her power, AND we needed her to NOT BECOME THE NEW NOXIAN COMMANDER. What the fuck!? Piltover is her city, the home she has put her blood and sweat into, the home she came to love and ultimately chose! She rejected the life of a military leader, why make her one now?? Because she can wield magic??? Because the only thing anyone can apparently imagine with that is being a battle mage???? NO.

I would also have loved a more coherent explanation of what the hell the Black Rose is, what they want, etc, but again - you could cut them completely and lose nothing. Mel’s abilities could just as easily be a result of the Arcane “waking up”.

—-

Anyway. Moral of the story is you need reasons and buildup for characters to do things, instead of just bouncing them from plot point to plot point. I really thought the team behind Arcane understood this, but evidently not. Even the most beautiful animation in the world doesn’t save you if there’s no substance backing it up.

The real kicker is I still think S1 of Arcane is damn near perfect. Time will tell if I’ll be able to go back and watch it without S2 affecting my enjoyment.

[theerurishipper]

What Marinette did at the end of season 5 is dangerous lesson to internalize to young children because if people are dissecting and going deeply in depth with s5 episodes like Derision and the final two parter episode and mind you these are adults or at least pass the age intended for this show demographic how are young kids living similar lives to adrian or chloe going to be affected? Kids brats or not react differently the whole good victim mentality narrative in this show is disgusting when it comes to the topic of akumas and how it relates to mental health. Like if there is a chloe or adrien child watching this show I feel horrible for them because what hope or closure do they really get from this show what lesson imparted in this show is actually being taught in goodwill like did the producers or whoever behind it not see how bad the messaging with their abuse apologist is how are parents not complaining or at the very least concerned?

I was whirl-winded by the finale in of itself and what I got was Marinette essentially following through with the villains plan and keeping it from her love interest while simultaneously gaslighting about his father decisions and making the parent abuser a hero and his victim Adrien in awe.

If adults are trying to rationalize or do whatever they can to scrap whatever integrity left in Marinette character decisions making theories to salvage the wreckage done in the finale two-parter how are children or middle-schoolers rationalizing this because I deeply sincerely hope they don't ever internalize anything from this show the message they impart especially in one of the episodes revolving from Chloe Father especially and the leak episodes they eventually had to scrap because of the backlash is so damn bad.

Like forget the potential what if or canons or annoyance the fandom didn't get their wants with this show because ultimately the show is for kids not them what lesson do we learn here?

I am actually worried. This is a magical girl cartoon aren't the lesson they're supposed to invoke about to teach love and their is hope to change like Digimon for instance they had a character named Ken and Daiki encouraging him and his belief in the mc made him changed so much into a better person. But no, instead Marinette being like Chloe can never change there is no hope from her mouth makes me want to wrangle the writers and people behind it I hope they aren't parents because wtf? Who behind the decisions there for children to consume this sort of trash messaging in forgiving abuse apologist like Gabe.

She's supposed to be a role model but no instead Astruc uses her as a tool to spout whatever grievances he has with the fandom onto the show and characters inside it especially Chloe. I really don't recommend a show like MLB to anyone honestly unless they are aware of this show dumb messaging and people buying into it.

Exactly. It's so obvious that Marinette just ended up becoming a mouthpiece for the writers to spout their own opinions towards the end, like having her go on numerous anti-Chloe tirades. And I'm not saying that Chloe doesn't deserve to be called out, but it's done so unnaturally, and it feels like the writers are just desperate to get us to hate her without acknowledging any of the character depth they gave her.

And I'm not a Chloe stan or anything, and I do think that it's okay to show that sometimes, people can't change and that victims of abuse can become abusers themselves. But we didn't get that. We got the show telling us, in no uncertain terms, that Chloe is bad because she's evil inside and not because of abuse that we see on screen, and that her father who enabled her and taught her how to be this way is a victim and is more redeemable than her. The fuck is this???

And it just gets worse, because Chloe is evil inside and irredeemable and deserves more abuse as her comeuppance, but the magical terrorist/child abuser gets off scott-free? Gabriel Agreste gets what he wanted and dies happy and content while leaving behind a favorable legacy? What the fuck?

So yeah. I feel bad for the abused children who are watching this show, who are being told that their abuse doesn't matter, that they are just being overly sensitive/are evil inside, and only deserve more abuse. What a wonderfully horrible message.

Thank you for your ask!

[victoriously-wicked]

OC 1x05. I WAS NOT READY.

Elliot... listen bro, when Ayanna told you to find someone else to "move on" from all your history with Olivia, she DID NOT mean you should go to the house of the ex-wife of the dude you're trying to arrest and MAKE OUT WITH HER?!?

Also, what tf does that decision imply about his feelings towards Liv?! 👀

Yeah, so I really feel like they're pushing for Bensler now that Kathy is no longer here (rip bestieee 😭). I won't lie, I liked the friendly dynamic between the ex-wifey Angela and Elliot... UNTIL THE ENDING OF THIS EPISODE 😱

But before we get to that, LIV FINALLY GOT CLOSURE ON SIMON!! Olivia, i'm just as relieved as you, babe. My boy died way too soon, and I agree Liv, I hope the dude is haunted by the thought of Simon for the rest of his life.

OKAY NOW THE MIND-FUCK AT THE END OF THE EPISODE-

The one who put the hit on Kathy WAS NOT the mob boss Wheatley. IT WAS THE EX-WIFEY ANGELA!??!?!

ELLIOT STABLER MADE OUT WITH THE WOMAN WHO INDIRECTLY KILLED HIS WIFE 😱

WHAT COULD HER MOTIVATION POSSIBLY BE?! ELLIOT DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO TF SHE WAS UNTIL INVESTIGATING KATHY'S DEATH, HE'S LITERALLY DONE JACK SHIT TO HURT HER!?

Wait... or was this all some batshit ploy by Angela to orchestrate Stabler getting with her? I mean, she did start spouting off some crap this episode about how Stabler "fell into her life" and everything.

I dunno. But one thing for sure, this bitch is either mental or sadistic. Maybe both 🤷🏻‍♀️

[yueyimold]

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[invinciblerodent]

yknow, no, i'm not done thinking/posting/being deeply angry about the whole "bbuuuhhh Astarion is gay and was made playersexual as a game mechanic bbbuuuhhhhhhh" garbage some people still spout.

like this type of sentiment is always annoying and wrong, but it's specifically this character for whom it's especially annoying to me, just because on top of all the regular host of issues, it also deeply contradicts what I believe is the central theme of his whole goddamn story.

(excuse the rant please.)

Like, my skin already crawls at that term, "playersexual". I hate it, and find its use either vaguely ignorant at best, or blatantly pan/biphobic at worst. but even just besides that....

This character is a man whose narrative intentionally shows his presentation of himself, and of his masculinity, as being contradictory with convention. This character is one whose entire arc is about discovering who he is beyond the boxes he was assigned: a spawn, a monster, a seducer, a tool, a predator, a plaything, a victim, a sexual object... these are all identities that were forced onto him. And if he's given space to discover them, turns out, none of them are things that he actually wants to be. if you give him space, and affection (romantic or otherwise), and acceptance, and help him attain closure and catharsis, he expresses desire to be... an adventurer, a lover, a friend, a protector, so many things, but all of them in his own way. That's the point of his story, control vs. autonomy.

How.... myopic does one have to be to see that story, to play that story, to play an active, participatory role in that subversion, that search for the self beneath the masks, and declare that actually, they made him this other box for him to fit into, so... it's fine, i guess, to ignore what he says?????? it's fine if they pick and choose among his expressed traits which ones to use and which to disregard, because they decided (based on frankly homophobic and rather misogynistic stereotypes) that he cannot be different from their perception, despite him literally saying otherwise????????

Astarion's entire figure is a succession of trope-subversions. I could write essays about all the ways in which, in the romanced spawn game, the narrative sets up tropes (primarily in act 1), only to then purposefully knock them down and contradict them as the game progresses.

Like..... He was to take revenge by taking power for himself (like he thought he wanted, like Cazador did to Vellioth): ended up taking his revenge and rejecting the power that could have come with it, and despite that having a price, being content and grateful for it (and realizing that the alternative would have had an even greater price he would have paid unknowingly). He starts out using sex and sexuality as a weapon, and a tool of manipulation, like he did for many decades: ends up expressing discomfort with being seen as a sex object, resuming his sex life by saying "I love you" before his partner would have, and proposing sex with them as a beautiful metaphor for his own rebirth.

His whole story starts out with him thinking he requires protection from the player and that the only way to get that is through using his body and looks as a bargaining chip: later he discovers in himself a desire to be the protector himself, which he talks about more than once, and expresses varying degrees of discomfort at the thoughts of both using his body to gain something, and needing a protector.

There's the "this is what I'm good for" type of attitude towards sex morphing into "I am so much more than a thing to be used". There's the whole thing about how important his looks were to both him and his "usefulness" back then, despite him not being able to even fucking see them, (which also kind of includes that silly lovely gremlin-face he sometimes makes), but those are just the ones off the top of my head.

The story, and the romance plot, is about... it's about him regaining ownership of himself, it's about autonomy, his whole recurring "what do you want" line is about respecting his choices and letting him find his way to them, it's about letting him show you who he is, believing him, and loving the man behind the facade.

how absolutely fucking short-sighted does one have to be to then take that incredibly reductive stereotype of "femme-leaning man with theatrical mannerisms who cares about his looks; must be exclusively homosexual and any attraction he shows to women is just a mechanic/fanservice/flattery" (which, that's so fucking insulting to gay men, and bi/pan men, an any man who might express masculinity in a less than conventional way, and to the women who may love them [eta: and of course nonbinary people, and the people to whom masculinity means something wholly different]), and assign it to this character on their own accord, despite him literally telling the player otherwise? despite him verbally expressing attraction to multiple women, and contradicting that stereotypical interpretation wholly and out of pocket??????

like, hello??????? did we play the same game????????? did we play the same fucking game??????????

like don't think for one second that it isn't the pan/biphobia that annoys me more, it absolutely is, but this character is such a particularly egregious example, it's almost fucking poetic.

[d-issent]

do nOT THROW SOULS

I think it’s pretty whacky that Madoka Magica was brought up recently, when Stanley pulling a PMMM episode 6 on Smudger was what started the series of unfortunate events on the Mid Sodor that eventually lead to its closure, and even later down the line, the effort to get some justice for the engines who fell victim to humanity’s lack of care way back when.

I’ve said before that Smudger was a prototype/test build that got sold for a decent price to Mid Sodor under the guise of him being a proper build, and the issues of his shoddy build didn’t become evident until later on. But I can’t remember if I’ve touched on what Stanley did before.

Stanley is, for all intents and purposes, the big catalyst of the conflict that started on Mid Sodor. For some weird reason, even though their numbers were still scarce, humans still decided to go to war with each other, but because they were few in number, engines like Stanley were built to assist with the war effort! Hence uh, Gun.

Needless to say our boy saw some crazy and upsetting shit during whatever war this was, and then he was sent off to work on the Mid Sodor without any consideration for what kinda mental state he was in. Crazy thing about giving robots sentience is that you kinda have to make sure they’re okay? Y’know? In any case, Stanley’s not okay. And as you could imagine it probably didn’t take this big, loud-mouth American loco to start spouting off to everyone else on Mid Sodor (Duke n Smudger and a couple others who will remain nameless) about how evil humans are and how unfairly some of their fellow engines are treated by them.

Duke doesn’t want to hear any of this of course because uhhh human based, My Grace is an outstanding man yadda yadda. Smudger’s keen to sit on the fence and try and keep the peace between the two uhhhh until the PMMM episode 6 shit happens.

I’ve mentioned before how that lil black box/chip you see on our friend there is Him. That’s his whole being, that’s anything and everything he’s ever done and said, that’s his personality, that’s his lil weirdo quirks, that’s eeeeeverything, and usually for a proper model, that’s stored inside of their bodywork so it’s protected. Smudger was most likely designed with his temporary build in mind, so that black box can be removed easily and destroyed or transferred into another prototype build to see how quickly that one breaks. It’s pretty brutal and I don’t imagine whoever built him meant for him to form any kind of personality, but he did anyway because,,, well, he’s Smudger.

(There is probably a reason but I’m too stoopid to think of it rn.)

All of this eventually comes into play when Stanley is yet again frothing at the mouth over humanity’s careless treatment of them, and the disagreement reaches a boiling point when he - having probably seen other test models like Smudger keel over and fall apart during the war effort, grabs hold of his chip aaaaand YOINK. And what does that do?

Womp womp:

Stanley is undoubtedly a dick for using Smudger as an example to prove a point (mostly to Duke) and he does apologise later down the line, but the damage is done, and while it doesn’t do much to Duke, that ordeal radically alters Smudger’s perception of the railway and their human manager. I think? At some point during the original plot of Dissent, he and Stanley try to just hightail it out of the railway to spread the word? But they got caught before they had the chance, and that paired with their poor performance on the railway lead to their decommission.

Aaaaand said decommission lead to the slow and eventual downfall of Mid Sodor and most things surrounding it. It didn’t do a whole lot at the time besides Duke repressing everything and mixing Smudger and Stanley together in his head to make into a story to scare Stuart and Falcon. But by the time Smudger is recovered and Stanley (now Bertram) skulks his way onto the Skarloey Railway, there is a proper effort with activists and engines who felt mistreated by humans, to seek out some form of justice.

And to think that all of this bs started because Stanley was a fan of Madoka Magica. Wild.

[charonyx]

*slams door down*

BWAHHH ONE LAST PREDICTION!!!

Before the last Book 7 update goes live!!!!

I think we'll either start or cut back to Lilia's dream (since Malleus put him to sleep again) and dream Maleanor may wake him up? At least, I think we'll get one last look at Maleanor pushing Lilia to wake up in a way or something. At the very least, I hope we'll get to see Lilia awake and interacting with others before Malleus returns back to normal. We know that Malleus breaks the "eternal slumber" AOE but that doesn't automatically mean that everyone will be awake. Maybe Lilia will need a final push to wake up from that deep slumber?

My speculation is dream Meleanor, but it could also be Silver in the real world. OR BOTH. BOTH WOULD BE GOOD. Just so Lilia can have a kind of closure on Maleanor, even if it's a dream/subconscious version of her.

Don't know if I'm spouting anything reasonable, just wanted to throw my hat into the ring since the book that's been going on for ALMOST 3 YEARS is about to end. So yeah.

Either way, oughhhhh I've been reading through people's theories and analysis and I've loved it. Hope this Book end can really tie this mammoth of a story well. And we can get that delicious Diasomnia angst, between father and sons, brother to brother, and just the intricate relationship that is the Diafam

[elkkiel]

fuck it I know I said yesterday I'm gonna hold on and wait but I just need to get some thoughts out of my head.

Content covered: love and empathy to Caiti, why he's taking so long to get his statement out, and frustrations with balancing personal mental health vs understanding that this isn't about *you*

1) Love to Caiti

I can't even imagine what she's going through right now. Regardless of if George had innocent or malicious intentions, it's obvious that this situation was incredibly traumatic for her. And I'm so glad that she has friends that are publicly willing to support her. I talked about it when Shelby spoke up so I won't bring it up again, but I get what she's going through and how much it fucking sucks. Hopefully, no matter the outcome, she can find peace and healing moving forward.

----------

2) Why he's taking so long

*I'll make statements empathizing with how difficult the self-defence process must be, but it in no way condones or excuses his potential behaviours or actions involved in this situation. He is a grown man and can deal with the consequences as such

The rush to get a statement and potentially closure to move on is understandable but still super stressful all the same. Given the severity of how this will impact his entire life moving forward, I wouldn't be surprised if he's seeking legal counsel or other advice before proceeding with a statement. Additionally, this is likely a situation where there may be little to no evidence that proves he didn't do anything, so whatever he presents has to be circumstantially rock solid with little room for doubt.

This isn't twitter drama where you can link a few screenshots and a twitlonger, or hop on stream quick to spout out your perspective. He stands to lose absolutely everything in his life today and it all depends on what he has to say and how he manages to say it. I know if I was in a situation like that (in the case that he legitimately believes he hasn't intentionally done anything wrong) I would be preparing in every way possible, short of a lawyer speaking for me, to clear my name to the best of my ability.

It makes sense that he's taking so long. He's probably not trying to ignore it and move on, but the lack of clarity on timelines certainly doesn't help him either. I wish he'll say something now too, but there's nothing wrong with taking longer than anticipated to detail out (probably with some fairly intimate detail that may be uncomfortable for anyone to share at such a scale) the most important stream of his life.

----------

3) Autism and grieving a special interest

There are (or were) a lot of neurodivergent people in this community. Like, a LOT. Some of us are able to drop hyperfixations or special interests and move on to something new with relative ease. Others struggle a hell of a lot more. You're not a bad person if you mourn the loss of a special interest in your life, it's just important that you keep the right perspective about it.

It's not as strong now as it was years ago, but the dream team have been a special interest for me since like July 2020. Emotionally, it honest to goodness feels like a loved one has died and I'm having a really hard time coping with it. Fuck, like I called in sick to work today because I the mental toll is so extreme I'm feeling physically ill.

Things will be okay and I'm so grateful to have Sleep Token right now, otherwise I don't know if I would be in a very safe place at the moment. It's really fucking hard and your pain is valid, despite what neurotypicals or neurodivergents with different experiences may say. The important thing to keep in mind is that your pain does not outweigh the pain of those genuinely hurt in this situation (Caiti in this case)

----------

4) Moving forward

I guess it all hinges on what's to come later today. Regardless of the outcome, things will never be the same here and I would be very surprised if any of the dream team carry on with their careers in the same capacity. I'm glad that people seem to be self-blaming less this time compared to the drituation. It still hurts to see this once-vibrant community crumble in such a short period of time.

I don't know what I'll do from here but I don't think the last 4 years were a waste. The dream team was a huge source of happiness during some of the darkest times of my life, and I don't think those memories could ever be tainted.

----------

Much love to everyone, whether you're still hanging around or not. I hope everyone finds happiness wherever they end up and that the truth will prevail in the end

[yohangaontdj]

I love your episode by episode commentary on TDJ. You have a nice eye for detail and a talent for weaving things together.

Do you have any more thoughts on when yohan reveals gaon's backstory to the public + their argument + the prison reveal? It's the scene I find most fascinating in TDJ because what yohan did was inexcusable. So the viewers get this reminder of how ruthless yohan is when his backstory with Elijah had softened him. It also complicates gahan's relationship nicely.

Hi. thanks for the ask. And I love talking about TDJ cause it isn't just Yohan and Gaon that I'm infatuated with. Its the details that had been put in, as well as how in-depth each character is. So much so that I just don't have the time to go into Sunah or even Jinjoo as well as Lawyer Ko and the PD, Hwaryong, who is also one of my favourites.

The reveal of Gaon's past on such a national scale in Ep 7. It's one of the parts that had me disliking Yohan for doing so. Cause he is clearly using it to advance his own agenda, which is to lend credibility to his report and attack the people he wanted to take revenge on.

But I also think that it's too simplistic to think of it as his only motive. Cause I'm sure Yohan, as smart as he is, he will have other means of doing so that will have been more credible than just using Gaon's backstory.

So why did he choose to do this then?

I think it's all about timing. Maybe he had already found out about the switch of the con-man in prison. And maybe that happened to coincide with his plan to reveal the embezzlement to the public.

And so Yohan had decided to kill two birds with one stone. Cause he knew, him telling Gaon the truth wouldn't work very well. Cause Gaon is easily suspicious of him. Already he had wrongly accused him twice - once for killing his brother and once for believing he had hurt Soohyun.

And Yohan also knows how much influence Soohyun and Professor Min have on Gaon. Look at his words during their argument when Gaon had insisted that the justice system had given the con-man, the due punishment he deserved.

It shows that Yohan hadn't buy into all that Gaon had spouted to him so far. Hadn't believed that Gaon was satisfied with just a mere 17 years prison sentence for the con-man.

Cause Gaon had told him before that even if he didn't understand anything else, he understood Yohan's anger very well. And if Gaon's anger is that similar to Yohan's who clearly wouldn't settle for anything less than death or worse to those who had crossed his path. How then could Gaon ever find closure with such a light punishment?

And Yohan, he probably have already predicted how Gaon's reaction will be like once he revealed Gaon's past to the public. Otherwise, the prison visit wouldn't have looked so pre-arranged. The guards all standing in a row to greet them. And chanting, 'we're power' like they belonged to Yohan's fan club.

It seems so extravagant and so unnecessary. And after re-watching ep8, I think it's all part of Yohan's scheme to provoke Gaon sufficiently so that he will be suspicious of Yohan, and whether he was the one who had done the switching out. Hence, prompting Gaon to launch his own investigation - which Yohan already knew Gaon was capable of, judging from the digging he had done into Yohan's old trials. And which also shows how well Yohan knows Gaon.

And the most important question we have to ask is - why will Yohan go to such lengths for Gaon?

The only time we see Yohan putting in so much effort, it was either for Elijah or for Isaac's revenge. And Gaon isn't family, so why was Yohan going all out to tear Gaon's skewed view of the justice system and make him see the truth - when there isn't much benefit to Yohan's schemes at all.

And maybe I'm wrong with how biased I am towards Yohan x Gaon. But I take this as a sign that Yohan has feelings for Gaon. And that Gaon isn't just a mere colleague working for him. He has a place in Yohan's heart that is special. Hence, his behaviour that seemed so out of place from his single-minded focus which had all been about revenge.

Yohan going out of the way for Gaon cause he really wanted him by his side. Not as a tool to advance his revenge. But as someone Yohan has a personal interest in.

And that is why Gaon is that one weakness Yohan could never let go of, no matter how many times he had told K he was prepared to get rid of him, if needed.

Hope this helps and thank you for the ask. 😄

[poisonpicked]

@ghostofaformerself continued from here

DEATH STRANDING / FINN KELLER – @poisonpicked​​ ❛ why are you here ❜ ( finn in prison when rayne visits him )

     GUILT? CLOSURE? she doesn’t really have an answer for him, but certainly she can’t go spouting that she’s the reason he’s not on death row. rayne can’t say much on the why of it all because she’s not sure, and saying the wrong thing can end her career before it even really starts. but how long can she even get away with visiting before someone starts to suspect something?      ❝i’m not sure.❞ well, it’s not a lie.      what else can she say without it sounding strange? they don’t really know each other; not in any way other than their long conversation in the interrogation room months ago. rayne feels dirty. it feels like she duped him somehow even though both of them knew why she was there, even though she went out of her way to help him without knowing him.      ❝i guess i thought you could use someone to talk to.❞ since his friends are dead, his brother is dead, and the only one alive took the money and ran.

well...she wasn't necessarily wrong. he was incredibly lonely in prison, especially since he generally didn't interact with the other inmates or guards unless absolutely necessary. it was easier that way since he tended to speak without a filter and it has gotten him into a few fights (and stints in isolation). as someone who had always been around people — his parents had always been very hands on and involved in his life up until their death, and then, later, the gang had become his new family — the lack of social contact was something he struggled with.

but here was rayne, the only person who had shown him any kindness since being arrested. upon sitting across from her, there had been a noticeable tension in his shoulders, unsure of what she was here for, but he found that tension slowly leaving.

he leans back in his chair, nodding in response to her assumption, and finally speaks, "...it's really good to see you again, rayne. i wasn't sure i ever would." why would he, after all? she had done her job before during their interrogations and really had no reason to have anything to do with him now.

yet here she was...

[harshnews]

IBC Cap Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth and Competitive Analysis

"IBC Cap Market – Industry Trends and Forecast to 2028

Global IBC Cap Market, By Product Type (Flange, Plugs, Vent-in Plug, Vent-out Plug and Screw closure), Type (Plastic IBC, Metal IBC and Composite IBCs), Material Type (Plastics, Metal, Aluminium and Steel), End Use (Chemicals & Fertilizers, Petroleum & Lubricants, Paints, Inks & Dyes, Food & Beverage, Agriculture, Building & Construction, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals and Mining), Application (Food And Drinks, Chemical Industry, Oil and Agriculture), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, Germany, France, Italy, U.K., Belgium, Spain, Russia, Turkey, Netherlands, Switzerland, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2028

Access Full 350 Pages PDF Report @

The global IBC cap market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to the increasing demand for intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) in various industries such as chemicals, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and others. The IBC caps play a crucial role in ensuring the safe storage and transportation of liquid products. The market growth is also being driven by technological advancements in IBC cap designs, such as tamper-evident seals and spouts for easy dispensing. Additionally, the growing focus on sustainability and recyclability of packaging materials is further boosting the adoption of IBC caps made from eco-friendly materials.

**Segments**

- Based on material type, the IBC cap market can be segmented into plastic, metal, and others. Plastic caps are widely used due to their lightweight nature and cost-effectiveness. - By cap type, the market can be categorized into screw caps, snap-on caps, and flip-top caps. Screw caps are preferred for their secure sealing properties. - On the basis of end-user industry, the market can be divided into chemicals, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and others. The chemicals segment is anticipated to hold a significant market share due to the widespread use of IBCs for storing chemical products.

**Market Players**

- TPS Industrial Srl - Schuetz GmbH & Co. KGaA - Mauser Packaging Solutions - Time Technoplast Ltd - Berry Global Inc. - THIELMANN UCON AG - Precision IBC, Inc. - Peninsula Packaging LLC

These market players are actively involved in strategic initiatives such as product launches, partnerships, and acquisitions to strengthen their market presence and expand their product offerings. The competitive landscape of the IBC cap market is characterized by intense competition, prompting companies to focus on innovation and quality to gain a competitive edge.

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness substantial growth in the IBC cap market, driven by the rapid industrialization and the increasing adoption of IBCsThe Asia-Pacific region represents a significant growth opportunity for the global IBC cap market due to several key factors. With rapid industrialization and the expanding manufacturing sector in countries like China, India, and Southeast Asia, there is a growing demand for efficient storage and transportation solutions, including IBCs and their associated caps. The increased focus on chemical production, food processing, and pharmaceutical manufacturing in the region further fuels the need for reliable packaging solutions like IBC caps. As these industries continue to grow, the adoption of IBC caps is expected to rise, driving market expansion in the Asia-Pacific region.

Moreover, the emphasis on enhancing safety standards and ensuring product integrity is a crucial factor contributing to the growth of the IBC cap market in Asia-Pacific. Regulations regarding the safe handling and transportation of hazardous chemicals and pharmaceuticals necessitate the use of high-quality caps that can effectively seal and protect the contents of IBCs. As companies in the region strive to comply with stringent regulatory requirements, the demand for advanced and secure IBC caps is projected to increase significantly.

Additionally, the shift towards sustainability and eco-friendly practices is another trend shaping the IBC cap market in Asia-Pacific. With growing environmental concerns and increasing awareness about plastic pollution, there is a rising preference for IBC caps made from recyclable and biodegradable materials. Market players in the region are focusing on developing sustainable packaging solutions to meet the evolving consumer demands and align with global sustainability goals. This shift towards eco-friendly IBC caps not only addresses environmental concerns but also presents market players with opportunities to differentiate their offerings and attract environmentally conscious customers.

Furthermore, the competitive landscape of the IBC cap market in Asia-Pacific is characterized by the presence of both local manufacturers and international players. Local companies often have a strong understanding of regional market dynamics and customer preferences, giving them a competitive advantage in catering to specific industry needs. On the other hand, multinational companies bring technological expertise and a wide product portfolio, which can appeal to a broader customer base seeking innovative and**Global IBC Cap Market, By Product Type**

- Flange - Plugs - Vent-in Plug - Vent-out Plug - Screw closure

**Type**

- Plastic IBC - Metal IBC - Composite IBCs

**Material Type**

- Plastics - Metal - Aluminium - Steel

**End Use**

- Chemicals & Fertilizers - Petroleum & Lubricants - Paints, Inks & Dyes - Food & Beverage - Agriculture - Building & Construction - Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals - Mining

**Application**

- Food And Drinks - Chemical Industry - Oil and Agriculture

The Global IBC Cap market is experiencing significant growth due to the rising demand for intermediate bulk containers across various industries. Plastic caps are increasingly preferred for their lightweight and cost-effective nature, driving market growth within the material type segment. Screw caps, known for their secure sealing properties, dominate the cap type category. The chemicals segment is anticipated to hold a substantial market share among end-user industries, attributed to the widespread use of IBCs for chemical storage. The market players in the industry are focusing on strategic initiatives like product launches and partnerships to enhance their market presence and offerings. The competitive landscape is intense, spurring companies to innovate and prioritize quality for a competitive advantage.

In Asia-Pacific, the IBC cap market is poised for robust growth fueled by rapid industrialization and the expanding manufacturing sector, particularly in countries like China,

Countries Studied:

North America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas)

Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe)

Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA)

Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Key Coverage in the IBC Cap Market Report:

Detailed analysis of IBC Cap Market by a thorough assessment of the technology, product type, application, and other key segments of the report

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market along with CAGR calculation for the forecast period

Investigative study of the market dynamics including drivers, opportunities, restraints, and limitations that can influence the market growth

Comprehensive analysis of the regions of the IBC Cap industry and their futuristic growth outlook

Competitive landscape benchmarking with key coverage of company profiles, product portfolio, and business expansion strategies

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part 01: Executive Summary

Part 02: Scope of the Report

Part 03: Research Methodology

Part 04: Market Landscape

Part 05: Pipeline Analysis

Part 06: Market Sizing

Part 07: Five Forces Analysis

Part 08: Market Segmentation

Part 09: Customer Landscape

Part 10: Regional Landscape

Part 11: Decision Framework

Part 12: Drivers and Challenges

Part 13: Market Trends

Part 14: Vendor Landscape

Part 15: Vendor Analysis

Part 16: Appendix

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Email: corporatesales@databridgemarketresearch.com"

[xiakha]

FFXIVWrite 2024 Prompt #26 - Zip

Everything powered down and all the electrope went dark. The beautiful landscape that was the Windspath Gardens was rendered a desolate, lifeless place. Almost all of its lushness and conservation proved to be no more than a simulated shell, no more real than the lava or rides or waterways of the previous sections.

Erenville did not look back to watch Cahciua disappear, so when he turned around, she was already gone. A hundred regrets arose unbidden from Erenville's gut and caught in his throat. Everyone else took a somber moment of reflection.

Everyone else save Xiao, who had already spun on her heel and was headed back before she snapped her fingers, "Right, zip lines won't work no more. Damn shame."

Something in Erenville cracked, "I just lost my mother, and all you can think of is the zip lines?"

Xiao turned, but didn't say anything. Wuk Lamat opened her mouth but got cut off.

"Look, I know you might not give two shites about your own mother, but for pity's sake—"

With a single bound, Xiao covered the distance between her and Erenville, corps-a-corps, but without the rapier. She took him by the collar and fluidly, handily, easily lifted him with a single arm. Wuk Lamat gasped and shouted and G'raha moved as if to separate the two, but both stopped as they saw Xiao's expression. It was not fury written on her face, but a look of discipline and gravity.

"Pity? Aye. More's the pity ye spent all but the last half bell saying nary a whit to the thing that resembled yer mother."

"Excuse me?"

Xiao shook him lightly, "Aye, the thing that resembled yer mother. The one that's been influencin' us to help it die since it noticed our presence in Heritage Found."

Erenville struggled against Xiao's arm to little effect, "Stop calling my mother a thing!" He was no stranger to tests of strength and endurance, but Xiao's arm was like a bar of iron.

"Oh? The stored and resurrected memories of your mother, the same ones that knew it was an artificial construct hardly different from a mammet, hardly different from the tasteless food, hardly different than the single sided facades they have instead o' buildings, was still your mother? Understand the need to say goodbyes, but 'tis a road too far when e'ery single thing we've seen and interacted with in Living Memory has been made from the same damn hollowness."

She set Erenville down, "We've not the time for yer hang ups, but if it's got ye so fooled even after interactin' with the lot o' them things that all work and act the same save the tidbits of information they spout about themselves, let this be a wake-up call."

Erenville patted himself down while looking for something to say, "...They're hollow?"

Xiao nodded at Wuk Lamat, "Namikka seem off to ye here?"

She looked to the others as if they could help her, "...Wellll, it was a little strange she seemed to keen to focus on my lot despite having lived the last third of her life making many new memories. I would hate to think she was only happiest while she was still caring for me."

Xiao turned to Krile, "And yer parents, ain't it strange they just happened to be around for ye?"

Krile frowned, disliking the implication greatly, "We're aware that Living Memory will unite people who had loose ends in life for a semblance of closure in death... It's not impossible the 'system' that must be monitoring us mistook us for the same, scanned our thoughts somehow, and staged similar reunions..."

G'raha rubbed his stomach, soothing a mixture of discomfort from the ice cream, and a sense of unease, "I remember the comment made about the play of Alexandrian history one of the children had made, that Otis had put on the play before, mayhap even constantly as they had all seen it several times. 'Twas only the novelty of Xiao and Wuk Lamat performing that drew a larger crowd. The rides were almost all empty in Yesterland. And though the children seemed to be greatly enjoying one another's company, they were playing the same games nearly on loop."

Krile nodded, "I noticed that too, the emptiness of the stadium and the zoo and the quiz exhibit, all of it spoke to how little anyone truly cared for Asyle Volcane, but I had put it down to the lack of aether, however what thrill is there to seek in all of that? Even the hot springs, which turned out to be no more than heated baths, were nearly lukewarm. Mayhap on the first go around there is something of interest to be had, but an unending and unchanging eternity of this?"

"Even the dustiest museums in Sharlayan change their exhibits every few years." Erenville said, his hands on his hips, his head tilted, "And yet that Milala exhibit seemed to be the only one that they've had in there with how affixed everything was, 'tis indeed quite strange."

Wuk Lamat hugged herself, "Even that moment with Namikka, I was able to say the words I didn't get to say when she was taken away, but in all honesty, I said them because I wanted to have those words said, no matter how Namikka would have taken them." She looked at Xiao with hardened eyes, "Those words could have been said to a grave, all the same."

Xiao nodded to all this, "Been thinking, despite the amount of Endless, despite their endless days, where is the conflict? Where are the grudges? Why is everyone pleasant?"

Erenville clenched his fists, "Because they're made to be, just as Sphene is made to care for the Endless. Otherwise, they're hollow. They're empty. The closest to a real person with how unpleasant she was was my mother, who seemed to have had her way addling and modifying the constructs, so 'tis not unlikely she modified herself."

"...Wasn't gonna say she was unpleasant."

"My mother always had that kind of pushy energy, but she did contain multitudes, nuances that this simulacrum lacked."

Xiao punched her palm, "So, we on the level?"

Erenville punched Xiao in the shoulder none too gently. He was pretty sure he hurt his hand more than he hurt Xiao any.

"On the level."