#also what do you mean that having the traveller tell kaveh about his father is a bad ending and that alhaitham

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

hi! i was thinking about the difference in kaveh’s reaction in a parade of providence’s ending when it is alhaitham vs the traveler telling him about his father with relation to sachin. with traveler, kaveh readily and openly admits that he still feels guilty anyway. with alhaitham, he curiously doesn’t, and I wonder if that’s conscious or unconscious. Does he know, however subconsciously, that alhaitham disagrees with him feeling guilty over his father’s death, or that alhaitham was trying to help him overcome that guilt? but he is not ready to let go of it so he specifically doesn’t mention it to not provoke a discussion and give alhaitham the chance to further show him reasons why he shouldn’t feel guilty? both to avoid being swayed and more arguing about a painful topic… (or maybe he just got distracted by alhaitham’s teasing about ‘thank you’s. or maybe the teasing was alhaitham’s olive branch and a way to go back to their usual banter because he knew the new info was still not enough and kaveh wasn’t ready yet…)

anyway, just wondering about how kaveh, while having no problem discussing delicate and private matters with alhaitham (this conversation, and then when he was homeless at the tavern) presumably because he trusts him and still feels close to him in a familiar way, is very, very careful to not mention his guilt still… could also be trauma after their final thesis argument, maybe?

hiya!! thank you so much for this ask!! HAPPY ONE YEAR TO A PARADE OF PROVIDENCE!! <333

you raise extremely valid and scrummy points, thank you for giving me an opportunity to talk about this event hehehe

i think it's deliberately ambiguous as to kaveh's thinking here, as you've said, with the traveler, kaveh openly admits that although his father's depressive slump after the interdarshan championship and him joining a research project in the desert wasn't directly connected to him, rather it was sachin's influence, kaveh still believes he was the catalyst for this chain of events, and therefore he believes he is still to blame

with alhaitham, however, this mention of guilt is omitted, and kaveh thanks alhaitham for letting him know about 'all this', which reads not only as alhaitham letting kaveh know about sachin's influence over his father, but also as a reference to their discussion about their respective philosophies - with alhaitham concluding that their issue is not who is right or wrong in their approach to life, because as is concluded within this event - 'correctness' is a subjective way of thinking; alhaitham being 'right' about egoism, or kaveh being 'right' about altruism, ultimately doesn't matter, but, to alhaitham, what does matter is sacrificing oneself for the sake of a subjective ideal - this is a fate he does not want for kaveh

the difference in context between the traveller telling kaveh about sachin versus alhaitham, is that kaveh knows that alhaitham is looking into sachin but he doesn't know why alhaitham is specifically interested as he (rightfully) knows that alhaitham isn't interested in nihilism. this contradiction in alhaitham's behaviour is such an issue for kaveh that he repeatedly questions it within the remainder of the event after discovering alhaitham's note, seemingly about sachin, but addressed to kaveh in a language only they know. when the traveller reveals the news to kaveh, this context is removed, and the connection between the discovery and alhaitham is severed. the element of personal has been omitted.

when alhaitham tells kaveh the news, however, kaveh questions why alhaitham is interested in sachin's research, only for alhaitham to tell him that it isn't because of philosophies at all - it's due to sachin's connection to kaveh's father. this is personal. alhaitham is the only one who knows about the source of kaveh's guilt, in comparison to the traveller and paimon, who kaveh evaded confiding in. it's revealed to kaveh here that alhaitham has personally looked into this matter for kaveh's sake - but the question left unanswered is why?

in terms of kaveh's understanding of alhaitham, this is a pretty big deal, since kaveh interprets alhaitham as constantly criticising his ideals and his philosophies (whereas, alhaitham is actually highlighting the detriment of kaveh's pursuit of his ideals). alhaitham openly stating that they have moved on from asserting 'correctness' over each other, and that this isn't the issue, actively prompts the question of what the actual issue is - coupled with this is the impact of alhaitham's actions in this event. alhaitham leaves kaveh a cryptic note about the idealist never being able to accomplish happiness for themselves if they detriment themselves for the sake of achieving happiness for others, which kaveh (rightfully) doesn't understand in relation to sachin. and then alhaitham reveals to kaveh that he looked into his father's disappearance, and kaveh is not the sole instigator as he believes himself to be.

your point about kaveh's guilt never openly being discussed is crucial here i think in terms of subtext. the source of his guilt, being his belief he lead to his father's passing, is questioned by paimon and the traveler, to which kaveh evades telling them. alhaitham is the only person who does know the reason kaveh detriments himself in his altruism, as shown in their argument in their akademiya days. alhaitham looking into sachin must tell kaveh something, but again, it isn't revealed exactly what kaveh thinks, and alhaitham never reveals the reasons why he looked into it, and what he hopes to achieve.

although i think this is more due to narrative reasons, the wounds left from their argument are definitely a factor in this evasion of mentioning kaveh's guilt - a parade of providence deliberately highlights the miscommunication between alhaitham and kaveh, and this is solely due to their past argument. kaveh not mentioning his guilt could be because he doesn't fully understand why alhaitham has looked into this incident for his sake, and alhaitham says nothing more about it because he knows it's still too early for kaveh to process - narratively, i think this is what's at play here

alhaitham teasing him is definitely a way to revert back to their normalcy, however, i also think it serves as a distraction - and it works!! kaveh is relatively cheery in comparison to how upset (as described by paimon) he is when the traveler tells him the news. narratively wise, i think it's a good place to leave it as nothing is inherently confirmed - the potentiality for kaveh and alhaitham separating is eradicated; kaveh and alhaitham continue living with each other, and kaveh is seemingly no longer intent on moving out of alhaitham's house, having thanked alhaitham for his words, rather than finding them 'infuriating'. this is an open ending and gives their narrative arcs freedom to potentially (hopefully) be developed in the future

(from the leaks, i'm going to say that the 'good' ending, or the ending that coincides with the arc that these characters are undertaking, is the ending in which it is alhaitham who tells kaveh of sachin's involvement with his father - i'll have more to say about this at another time!!)

Thank you again for your ask?? Your points were really insightful into their messy little psyches!! Everything you said rings true <333

[celestemona]

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘’𝐑𝐄 𝐇𝐔𝐒𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒

and their wives were asked the mostly random places where they did it.

pairing: husband! alhaitham, cyno, kaedehara kazuha, kaveh, lyney, neuvillette, wriothesley x fem! reader(s)

cw: they're just talking about places they had/have sex. mdi. not beta-read.

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀 𝐈 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐔𝐏 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐄𝐍'𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒 (𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐌𝐘 𝐀𝐔) 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆.

𝐍𝐕!𝐖: His main seat in the court at the Opera Epiclese. We also do it in his office but Neuvi prefers to do it at home... Although I must say that in our dating days, there wasn't a single room in our house that hadn't remained... untouchable.

𝐖𝐑!𝐖: Our office. Whenever we can, of course. We've fucked several times at some expeditions to the abandoned zone of ​​the fortress as well. We were never caught. But if we're going to talk about our most unusual experiences, I can only think of the memorable time Wrio pressed me against the wall behind Wolsey's cafeteria during dinner time. We had to silence one of the guards that night.

𝐍𝐕!𝐖: My my. That's so scandalous. I like that.

𝐊𝐙!𝐖: During my husband's pirate days, we used to escape to the crow's nest a lot. If there were some goods to be transported, he’d pull me behind its boxes. I have to say that living a nomadic life taught me to overcome the fear and shyness of having sex outdoors and enjoy the excitement the environment provides. Liyue has some perfect hiding spots for this. 

𝐊𝐕!𝐖: I agree. Although I haven't had any crazy adventures like you, I must say that it was quite thrilling to seduce Kaveh while we stayed at my sister's Jade Chamber. She had given us the suite with the biggest balcony and… well… You can imagine what happened after that. The height and high exposure help to increase the adrenaline. 

𝐂𝐘!𝐖: Now I understand why you guys have such exhibitionist nighttime adventures. Thank you for enlightening us, my dear. But anyway. Just like our dear friend Lady Kaedehara, it isn’t uncommon for Cyno and I to have our intimate moments outdoors since we travel to the desert quite often. You can say that we already know the right caves and ruins where we can make it without getting caught in any inconvenience. However, my favorite adventure of ours would be that one where I rode him in the Grand Sage’s office. 

𝐊𝐕!𝐖: Damn girl, you are just as shameless if not more than me. 

𝐀𝐇!𝐖: I'd say the two of you are more similar with each other than you let on. Well, you see, Alhaitham prefers to have sex in environments where we won't be caught much less interrupted. That doesn't mean we haven't had our intimate moments outside of our bedroom, of course. I think the most frequented ones in this regard would be his office, my classroom, and the restricted book aisle in the House of Daena. Oh, and there was also that time we escaped out of the tavern to somewhere outdoors when we had that group dinner. 

𝐊𝐕!𝐖: I told you she wasn't feeling sick. 

𝐂𝐘!𝐖: It surprises me how you can say such filthy things with that innocent face of yours. 

𝐖𝐑!𝐖: And you, my dear? I believe that Lyney is a very romantic partner just because of the way he looks at you. 

𝐋𝐍!𝐖: He is. Although he is also a little… unpredictable. I believe it won't even surprise you if I say that we've fucked several times behind the stage or in our dressing room. Plus, Lyney likes to eat me out in places we visit for the first time so not even the office at his Father's orphanage escaped that. 

𝐍𝐕!𝐖: My goodness. Appearances really can be deceiving. 

𝐋𝐍!𝐖: Tell me about it. I couldn't have a proper conversation with his Father for an entire month without remembering her showing up at her own office and finding her son with his head between her daughter-in-law's thighs. 

𝐊𝐙!𝐖: Her? 

𝐋𝐍!𝐖: Long story short his father is a woman. 

𝐀𝐇!𝐖: Interesting.

𝐖𝐑!𝐖: Well. Needless to say we're having a pleasant talk here. I must say though that we had some very unusual experiences and others full of twists. I think we should make a toast. To our passionate adventures and for those yet to come!

𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒

𝐖𝐑: The girls are quite noisy today, huh.

𝐂𝐘: Definitely they are. What do you think they're giggling about? 

𝐊𝐕 & 𝐊𝐙: You'd rather not know.

[zorkaya-moved]

Plots in Genshin with Zarina that would slap:

1) Exchanging information about Fatui. [  -Why do you know so much about them?    -Well, I was rebellious enough to go against the whole system and learn exactly how they operate. ] 2) Meeting before the performance for a moment and after performance where Zarina also takes part in performing, be it singing or dancing; most likely singing.  3) Fighting side by side, analyzing each other’s skillset and fighting side by side, seeing how they work side by side and etc.  4) Zarina post-fighting with your muse just starts to cough out blood and collapses to her knees. What’s wrong? Oh boy, the injuries from the rebellion are acting up once again! Will your muse try to bring her to medics/doctors? Will your muse just brush it off if she tells them it’s not the first time? Will they inquire what’s going on? Up to you to decide! 5) The story of the rebellion being told to someone who had never heard it. The censorship from Snezhnaya being strong enough to conceal such a massive internal conflict from 3-4 years ago. Recognizing that Zarina is actually the very person who started the rebellion only after she finishes her story. Will your muse call her a monster for leading people against an Archon? Will they inquire the reason for it? Will they understand her?  5) Zarina tries to seduce your muse. Will your muse answers to it or will they - if especially observant - note on her VOID that can be felt when she tries to get them to have fun with her? Calling out the hollow gleam in her golden gaze, asking if it’ll really make her happy. Basically, uno reverse the sexy into something deep and interesting. I mean, it’d also be cool to uno reverse in trying to seduce her back, challenge her.  6) Meeting Zarina when she needs to [work] as a bodyguard, showing more of her true self and your muse notices the slip ups of that deadly and beastly aura. The intimidating look of an apex predator, the death itself. Calling Zarina out if she acts funny and all after your character notices that! Calling her out that a ‘bodyguard’ wouldn’t be able to fight like she does! CALL HER OUT!  7) PRE ESTABLISHED MEETINGS PRIOR TO MAJOR INTERACTIONS! Zarina’s been traveling across Teyvat for years even BEFORE the rebellion which means up to 10-15 years ago (she’s currently 28-29 years old, so when she was 13-18 years old). 

MONDSTADT, LIYUE: Spent there a couple of months when she was 14 and 15 years old, so 13 years ago. Could’ve met people like Kaeya, Lisa, Jean, Diluc, etc. Could’ve also met Thoma depending when your Thoma travels out of Inazuma. Zarina has spent there a shorter amount of time, around 5 months for each region.  SUMERU: Spent there 4-5 months when she was 16 (so 12-13 years ago), could’ve met different characters like Dehya, Al-Haitham, Kaveh, Nahida, etc. Zarina was meeting Oleg’s (her father’s) best friend there who is a professor at the Akademiya. The said professor noticed Zarina’s talent for knowledge and her intelligence, offering her to stay in Sumeru and become a scholar, but she refused as she didn’t wish to be separated from her family.  INAZUMA: Spent there the longest time due to travel and business, around 5-6 months when she was 16-17 years old, so 11-12 years ago. Could’ve met characters like Ayato, little Ayaka, Shinobu, Itto, etc.   FONTAINE: Spent there 3-4 months and has met [Mistress Serebro] who becomes a major figure in her plans and in her future.  NATLAN: Spent only a month in Natlan for business her uncle was finishing up there and assisting his friends with. 

[colp76-blog]

Air Date: 12th March 2018 Director: Alan Taylor Writers: Kalen Egan, Travis Sentell, Philip K. Dick.

Story.

A single car drives through an old decaying urban area, leading to a bridge that shows an advanced city skyline. In the car are Irene Lee Maura Tierney and her daughter Foster Annalise Basso who have travelled from a low-tech bubble in the west to discuss some of the invasive procedures this advanced society seem to be involved in. As wonderful as this utopia looks, Irene is pretty sure that the freedom of the people is far more important. Foster, on the other hand, seems to be impressed with what the city has to offer.

The next day Foster attends school for the first time and already alarm bells are ringing as she enters the building, only because she isn’t wearing a DEX, a tech bracelet and tracking device. Foster is pulled to one side, searched and assigned a red band for her arm. In class, she starts to understand how different she is from the other students and realises some actually fear her. Before she leaves, Kaveh Algee Smith a student says he can get her a DEX if she really wanted to fit in with the others.

Back home, Foster tells Irene about the DEX and she refuses to let her daughter have one, there is a difference between safety and comfort and Foster would be giving up her freedom with this device. Foster, has different plans and the next day she asks Kaveh to get her a DEX bracelet using her mum’s credits. Once the purchase has been made, Kaveh goes to kiss Foster and she declines, saying she only wanted his help! Kaveh takes offence and tells Foster to wait on her own for the DEX. Foster waits and eventually, a delivery drone appears and drops the device to the ground, before taking the box home. As Foster opens the box, she is asked to put a device into her ear (Hear Gel) and put on a bracelet which then opens up a holographic display. Struggling to close the DEX down, Foster starts to hear a voice, its customer support. An employee for the DEX kindly takes her through the tutorial of the bracelet, also telling her she is a natural. Foster asks the employee his name but he says it’s against company policy to disclose such information and the chat ends.

In school, the next day the students are watching a video of a terrorist attack and the teacher asks one of the students to point out who the suspect is? Foster notices a man in the crowd who is wearing a badge from her bubble and before she has a chance to tell anyone, it’s him who ignites the bomb! The video says that the terrorists used mind-control on this suspect. Things go from bad to worse for Foster as she finds out Kaveh is about to ruin her because she didn’t have sex with him the day earlier. In order to put things right, she offers herself to him and he declines. Foster has a panic attack and runs to the toilet and as she becomes more upset, the voice from customer support is back again. He says that her vitals are going through the roof and he is worried about her, then he offers to help her situation by looking into Kaveh’s background. It’s not legal, it’s just a favour, he also reveals his name is Ethan Connor Paola.

Breaking news a terrorist attack has been stopped in the city!!! Irene is in the middle a video link discussion with a government official when Foster returns home, she believes the attack is a set up by the government because of her presence there. Ethan contacts Foster again but he sounds startled this time. Ethan believes Kaveh is up to something far suspicious after looking into his DEX, he asks Foster for her help and will she follow him before he can go to his boss with any evidence and she agrees. As Foster is following Kaveh through the school and talking with Ethan, a concerned student walks up to her and ask’s if she is okay, only because she is talking to herself? Foster explains that it’s her Hear Gel, but the student looks confused and walks away. Ethan says that she is one of the first people to use that technology but he suddenly changes the subject by telling Foster she has a new target now, it’s Milena Alice Lee a girl who she first met at the school. Foster follows Milena which eventually leads to a library containing real books, something this society doesn’t appreciate anymore as everything is digital. Foster asks Milena about Kaveh and what they get up to together but Ethan says she is lying, which causes her to have another panic attack. Milena calms Foster down by giving her a drink and telling her about her family background. Ethan starts to scream into Foster’s ear, she must go to the bathroom and purge herself, the drink she had could be poison. Ethan now believes something bigger is going on at the school and it’s now Milena’s father who is the target. Ethan says she cannot trust anyone now, including her own mother, who finally comes to pick her up from school. In the car, Irene confronts her daughter about her breakdown and what is going on. Irene also mentions Foster’s father which causing more hostility and anxiety between the pair just as Foster’s DEX lights up in front of them. Irene says that the DEX would have been paid for with her verified credits and that’s what this mess could all be about, as the car drives away, the bracelet drops out of the car window.

Annalise Basso as Foster Lee

PHILIP K. DICK’S ELECTRIC DREAMS – SEASON 1 – EPISODE 106 – “Safe and Sound”

Maybe things will get better now, maybe not! The school is put on red alert as a terrorist attack is imminent. Foster tries to follow the other students as the steel shutters start to cover the windows as the alarm lights flash. The only problem is, she doesn’t have her DEX, so the teacher says security will be along soon to detain her!!? Ethan’s back again and he instructs her to escape the building. At this point Foster is feeling really burnt out as Ethan describes even more bizarre conspiracy theories; she asks for a Doctor. Ethan’s tone dramatically changes as he tells her to “Shut the Fuck Up” He explains that her mum and others want to change this way of life, even if it means using her own daughter. Ethan explains that there are twelve more children out there that are ready to attack, she must follow their instructions in order to cut the head of the snake.

Foster is back home and Irene says she is sorry for being too harsh on her, not only that, she hands her back the DEX and says she is just worried she is giving up her independence too easily. Irene thinks the state is trying to fear people into giving up their freedom and free thoughts. Foster says she will give the DEX up for a day or so to see how it goes. Unfortunately, she is also in her bedroom making a makeshift bomb. The next morning Foster leaves early whilst her mum in bed. As she walks towards the gates at school with the bomb in her bag, Milena tries to catches her attention. Foster speeds up towards the security gates but Milena catches her as the alarm starts to scream as both students go to the ground. As Foster is apprehended by security she notices a message in the sky, “Thank you Foster”.

Afterwards, Irene is arrested for brainwashing her own daughter and the state announces that new tech is going to be distributed in order to make the city a safer place, including Hear Gel. Foster walks to the podium and now looks like everyone else, her individuality gone. She reads a speech from autocue about how safety and comfort might not be the same thing but people need them both, then starts to ramble before been led away from the stage. Ethan is there to hold her hand as they leave.

Production and Design.

I think this episode was pretty basic compared to some of the others in this series. Basic, but effective as I thought the locations used really helped to carry the story perfectly. I do like how the writers of the show are trying to look at the next big technological advance in society. We looked at the delivery drone last time in Autofac but the holographic display used by the DEX is now becoming a possibility as well. I guess the question is, did I believe in this world? and the answer is yes.

Conclusion.

I really enjoyed this episode and I can’t wait to read the original story by Philip K. Dick. The pace of the dialogue is relentless and makes you feel very uncomfortable throughout. One of the little touches I enjoyed was the fear the security guards shown on the bridge when Irene threw her papers to them. At first, they acted tough but they started to act like frightened children when she left her car, it’s very brief but it tells you a lot about this story, very good directing. Mental health, well there’s an issue I didn’t really think about when you talk about brainwashing but it’s quite scary just how vulnerable people can actually be in those circumstances. And finally, at the end of the episode, there is a scene that shows you Ethan and his boss Odin interacting with Foster and manipulating her at each point through the episode. I found this very pointless as the clues are in the episode and I think they should have treated the viewer with a bit more respect. I think there are so many issues in real life that you can compare this story with but I believe fans of science-fiction have their eye on the ball pretty well when it comes down to technology and freedom. All I can say is stay safe and thanks for reading.

So what are your thoughts on Safe and Sound? What did it mean to you? I would love to hear your views about this episode. Thanks for reading and I will be back soon.

http://talesfromtheneonbeach.com/the-philip-k-dick-archives/

Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams: Episode 9, Safe and Sound. Air Date: 12th March 2018 Director: Alan Taylor Writers: Kalen Egan, Travis Sentell