#and nearly destroyed me...

[atangledfate]

"Yeah you're right." And it was never easy for Sonic to admit Jet was right about anything. But he had actually respected his skills too. "I took the title because i beat you i don't deny that is what happened and yes i'm not a Babylon. I don't know about you or anything about being a Babylon. But it doesn't mean i wanted to be the reason you are angry and can't show up back home." Again Sonic couldn't help but try being kinder - to see it from the other's point of view. "I don't go easy in any race next time or you'll kill me for sure." Turning away now to avoid Jet own reactions or words. "Thought you hated me anyway.." A mutter awkwardly. he would not admit he saw Jet as the only fastest Babylon he did rule the skies and it wasnt fair Sonic took that away from hin. Any anger he had originally felt towards Jet was gone.

The Babylon didn't respond as he turned away from Sonic mostly because he didn't want to make amends. He liked having a reason to be angry, and let his rage push him to new heights. In a way Sonic beating him made him go beyond what he was capable of. Pushed him to be better far better then he ever was. But the shame of losing followed him like a dark shadow--- his Father would never let him live it down.

" Sonic, you don't get it--- Before you came along i ... was the King of the Skies! no one could touch me... no one could hope to match me! race after race i was King... hell i never even tried..."

He clenched his fists tightly as he locked eyes with sonic.

" But then you came along... and i pushed myself to my limits! and beyond! but there you were, born with a natural talent far beyond my own! and no amount of training could ever hope to close the gap between us! ... and it was made painfully clear the day you crushed m in that race... "

" Do you know what that's like--- to realize to your shock and horror that no matter how hard you try you CAN never catch up! The Prince of the Babylon's! forever in the god damn shadow! of some clown pretending to be hero! you got no idea what that is like for me!?! what it meant to me! to be on top, and be knocked off by some blue boyscout! My pride was all i had left! and all i could think about was BEATING YOU! "

He sighed glancing off to one side as if letting his momentary rage go.

" ... But then the War happened... Infinite came along--- it became less about me and... shit just snowballed after. Here i was running secret missions for Knuckles... gaining intel where i could... ya know watching the world burn sure changes your perspective... "

He placed a hand on his hip

" Then the Zombots... fuck that was just messed the fuck up... like what the hell was i suppose to do? Never felt so damn helpless... So when amy called--- fuck i couldn't just say yes. Had to make it hard for her but maybe i shouldn't have... what ever--- "

" What ever anger i had for you died a long time ago... you still took something from me though. One day i want that back--- but i have to do it my way... No tricks, no games... no under handed bullshit, just me and you and the sky is the limit... so no i dun hate you... "

[egophiliac]

this is the moment that broke me

[planetvries]

smoke break 🚬

[benevolenterrancy]

("Always. Continuously. With increasing apprehension, and decreasing hope. I will love you if I never see you again, and I will love you if I see you every Tuesday. I will love you as a corpse loves the beak of the vulture. I will love you no matter what happens to you, and no matter how I discover what happens to you, and no matter what happens to me as I discover this." -- paraphrased from The Beatrice Letters, Lemony Snicket)

[sothischickshe]

Shattering your silence; passing round the chalice - Chapter 8 - s_t_c_s - Good Girls (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/51674809/chapters/164360035

Shattering chapter 8 exists! 😱😅♻️

Ft:

a little over 6k of word units

Rio/rhea

Lightish brio

Explicit sexual content

A lil rio & mick, and even less rio & nick

Guilt

Massage

Drinking 🍷🍷🍷

An overabundance of sevens

Light beth/mick, beth/dean mentioned, maybe v light beth/rhea and rio/dean if you byo squinting

A sweater, a belt, in fact varied clothing

Drunk driving

More incentive chat

Pizza

Punctuation (mentions)

Generalised idiocy

[bretwalda-lamnguin]

I know it’s a woobification thing but it’s so weird seeing posts about how Faramir is this poor victim of abuse who Éowyn has to look after and protect. 

She’s had it so much worse than he has! She would have killed to have Faramir’s life. Faramir is taken seriously and accorded his due honour by his father. He is given positions of command and authority and always taken seriously. At all times he maintains his agency.

His relationship with Denethor is very toxic and unhealthy, but Denethor never forgets him and takes him seriously enough to argue with him rather than dismissing or ignoring him. Faramir has never had to live under constant threat of violence as a result of abuse or neglect from his immediate family. 

The same cannot be said for Éowyn. By the time we meet her she is chronically depressed and approaching suicidal. She has lived for years under the threat of sexual violence at the hands of Grima and has been consistently failed by the men in her family. 

She has had to put aside her own life for years to care for Théoden, an increasingly thankless and demeaning task, and when he no longer needs her he almost forgets she exists until he’s dying. Háma has to remind Théoden of her existence at one point. 

This isn’t a call to woobify Éowyn-she wouldn’t want your pity! But we should acknowledge just how horrible her life has been up to that point, and people like Théoden let that happen.

[meagancandraw]

You ever think about how neither of them got to say goodbye?

[jaydenism]

『Let's stay together, Mizuki.』

mizuena nation are we still breathing

[something-random18]

We've waited so long for twp that at this point I swear we have our own self-written version of the book with things and scenarios that'll never happen (but keep us alive and our sanity intact, so i support)

[windcarvedlyre]

I've been following @druidposting's DR2 playthrough on discord and we just had a really good discussion about DR's Closing Arguments. Specifically the way the murderer is depicted as grey and featureless, which until now I found a bit annoying.

In Danganronpa it's repeatedly the case that we don't have the full picture until the talking actually stops- which always goes beyond the end of the trial. We generally vote first and come to understand what the murderer's actual motive was, sometimes filling in important pieces of the timeline in the process, afterwards.

But none of that matters for the killing game because characters' emotions aren't directly relevant to who was the 'blackened'- the only thing that matters to Monokuma- so it comes out afterwards and does nothing to change their execution. It doesn't matter how sympathetic they are (basically everyone) or whether other people share responsibility for the situation (eg. Hanamura, Pekoyama, Momota) or whether they intended to murder at all (Nanami). They objectively pulled the trigger and nothing else matters. Nothing about them as a person matters.

The Closing Argument mechanic might illustrate that problem- literally. They're a dramatic, conclusive summary of the entire case... constructed before the vote even happens, before we know if we're actually right, and they're missing something really important:

The actual perpetrator.

We quite literally don't even begin to see the real person behind the crime, any real exploration of their mental state, anything besides the cold, hard facts of the murder that are necessary to convict them, until the comic finishes and the protagonist makes their final accusation- replacing the grey figure with their real appearance in a shot that's often intensely emotional.

And these comics lack crucial parts of the case's timeline and sometimes important parts of the very scenes they depict that we only find out about afterwards. And those are what we know; characters may die with some pieces of the truth and prevent us from ever learning them. These aren't objective depictions of the murder, they're the protagonist's subjective attempt to connect the facts they have. A join-the-dots portrait of someone with missing dots and no colour.

Even characters' expressions may not match how they truly feel, with the grey placeholder potentially looking way more confident and sinister than they were in reality. Pasting Falter's commentary here since they put it well.

For obvious reasons this could especially be a problem for characters that die before the trial- the ones we never get a post-vote testimony from. DR1 chapter 4 really highlighted that in the way Asahina's huge misinterpretation of Oogami's feelings took up a lot of the post-trial discussion, only for Monokuma to reveal Oogami's real suicide note and recontextualise everything.

It might really be a problem for how Komaeda's depicted in DR2 chapter 5. While he isn't greyed out, we get panel after panel where he's either level-headed or maniacally evil, and even the depictions of his self-torture and death don't humanise him:

But we know that his real feelings were more complicated than that. We have his actual corpse to compare the last page to.

He died afraid.

If we approach the comic as Hinata's mental image of him instead of reality, he died without anyone truly understanding him. He was alarming, very hard to relate to, actively fought against people doing so, ensured even the killer didn't watch him die, and the survivors couldn't begin to understand his motive until a chapter later. The Closing Argument reflects that.

Early in DR1 Togami calls out the rest of his class for judging others by their own standards. However, he, too, is doing this, maybe more so than many other characters; his inability to view other people through anything but the cold, brutal logic of the killing game bites him in the ass in chapter 4. In DR2 chapter 2 voting without a good understanding of Pekoyama's motive or Kuzuryuu's involvement nearly got everyone killed. Komaeda's a walking embodiment of the problems with flattening people into caricatures and not empathising with them, suffered from people doing that back to him, and his case- the Closing Argument for which turned everyone else into grey placeholders- was impossible to solve with objective facts. It was only survivable because the survivors cooperated and one person tried to analyse things the way he would.

The games have always been a critique of the justice system and Japanese society and push us to care about others as individuals, not reduce them to- and judge their right to exist by- something they've done or their net impact on society. There are always consequences when someone neglects to do that, and the above might be yet another way the games explore that theme.

[lulu2992]

Today is the fourth anniversary of HITMAN 3, the last game in the World of Assassination trilogy!

I’ve wanted to write something about it for a while because I love it, but as much as I enjoyed playing it, taking my time exploring the levels, finding useful objects, taking notes, completing challenges, listening to conversations, following my targets, and being as stealthy as I could to reach “perfection” in each mission, what I’d like to talk about today is the scenario. Indeed, this trilogy doesn’t just have good gameplay, a nice soundtrack, and pretty visuals, it also has a great story.

My favorite thing about Hitman, at least in the most recent games (the first I played was the divisive Hitman: Absolution), also happens to be one of the main focuses of this trilogy: the relationship between the protagonist, Agent 47, and his handler (I would even say the deuteragonist), Diana Burnwood.

To me, their bond is just so special, unique, and compelling, so nearly four years after finishing HITMAN 3, I decided to write this post as an attempt to finally organize my many thoughts about it, but also and mostly, about them.

My relationship with theirs: how it started vs. how it’s going.

When I want to summarize what’s going on between Diana and 47, I usually like to describe their connection as “platonic, but more in the French acceptation of the term”... which must sound rather confusing or boring to most of you, especially if you’re a native English speaker, but I’m not, so let me explain what it means to me.

I must digress for a moment here but, the first few times I saw people use the term “platonic” in English to talk about friends or even family, I was quite confused. In French, if we say a relationship is “platonique”, there’s only a small chance that what we mean is, “They’re just friends” and a much higher probability that what we’re actually saying is, “They’re having a soulmates-level of romance so deep and spiritual that carnality is completely unnecessary” instead. I’d find it weird to use that word to describe relationships that are inherently not sexual; it mostly refers to a “special” kind of romance in French.

And this is what Diana and 47’s relationship is to me: something powerful and unconventional that I don’t think can reasonably be described as definitely romantic but that simultaneously manages to be, somehow, the ultimate form of romance.

So, as a fan of this unusual and seemingly unbreakable bond, playing through the entire trilogy was a delight. There were a few scenes in the first two games that made me smile like an idiot (such as this one), but in HITMAN 3 in particular, there were even more moments to enjoy.

I was pleased to see 47 get a bit upset when he realized Lucas didn’t fully trust Diana and to hear him affirm she would make things right because “she always does”, felt vindicated when she told Edwards he was “delusional” if he thought she could betray 47, was touched when Olivia said she understood why he wanted to “protect her”, then both surprised by the bluntness and happy with the assertiveness of 47’s “You don’t know her” after she questioned Diana’s allegiance, and I even pretty much turned into that “excited Kermit” reaction GIF when Diana explained she was 47’s only weakness even though that was exactly what I expected her to say.

Finally, in Mendoza, the most exciting mission for me despite its worrying name (“The Farewell”), I loved their conversation at the beginning, was glad to hear that he was right about her true intentions and loyalty all along, and much like he clearly was, caught off guard when she touched his hand. In the rest of the level, I enjoyed following her around and found their banter and synergy quite delightful, especially at the end. Then, of course, there was also the tango.

But when the “Necessary Evil” cutscene happened, I was… upset. Well, the first time I saw it, at least, because there is so, so much more depth and beauty to this scene than I initially realized, as concerned as part of me was that yet another franchise I love had forgotten its own lore and was collapsing in on itself before my eyes, ripping away from me what I loved most about it. Thankfully, that was not what was happening.

Looking at what I know of their history, I was and still am very much confident that Diana and 47 would rather turn against the rest of the world (and do it together) than be disloyal to each other, so even though I kept telling myself that her betrayal was fake and she had a plan, I was disappointed to see that, contrary to what I thought, they weren’t past the point of pretending to deceive and/or kill each other as a way to fool and bring down powerful people and organizations. She “killed” him in Blood Money, he “killed” her in Absolution; they were even. She most likely thought things had to happen this way to truly work, but I hoped they were done keeping secrets from one another. I’m still sad she had to trick him, and even more so that, even for just a moment, he genuinely thought she was serious and that he had lost her too.

In the toxin-induced and introspective hallucination that follows, 47 faces his worst fears... and some happen to be Diana deriding, belittling, and abandoning him. This was painful to watch because those are distressing thoughts for him, but to be honest, I also liked seeing just how much she meant to him. When he watches her dancing with Edwards, I couldn’t help but think of that scene in Polarized, the fifth episode of Life is Strange, in which Max, also drugged, has a nightmare and sees her “special friend” Chloe criticizing and replacing her. Fortunately, 47 quickly reconsiders the situation, talking some sense into himself with the help of “Lucas”. The other voice in his mind, Diana’s, encourages him to trust his intuition, and so he finally understands what he has to do.

Although she partly left him in the dark about her strategy and there are certain things she didn’t say, rewatching “Necessary Evil” made me appreciate how much Diana did say and how significant all of that was. Indeed, despite the apparent disingenuity of her act, the context suggesting, at first glance, that she’s either backstabbing him or purely playing a character, and the rather contemptuous tone she made sure to use to fool her audience, it’s since become apparent to me that she meant every single word she said.

She makes it sound like she’s turning against him and doesn’t want to see him anymore, but what she’s actually saying is that he, like everyone else, should be free to forge his own path. Even though she meant no harm and believed it was what he needed when she recruited him, she felt she used him, that he was only a tool, a weapon she controlled, and it was not right. He didn’t object when she chose him as her agent 20 years earlier, but had he not lost his memory and been truly able to make an informed decision, what would he have chosen?

And when she says she knows it was 47 who killed her parents, which is something he (and the players) only recently discovered, although she doesn’t even blame him for it, he apologizes. He sincerely apologizes, with an unusual and palpable pain in his voice. He’s genuinely sorry for what happened (so much so that he thinks that’s reason enough for her to want him dead), and maybe also for not having had the courage to tell her the horrifying truth. She deserved to know, but maybe out of shame, because he didn’t want her to suffer or for their relationship to be affected, he chose not to say anything. Had she known the full story sooner, though, what would she have chosen?

Diana’s last words before she leaves and he loses consciousness are, “This is a kindness. Goodbye... agent”. “Goodbye”, not “farewell”. “Agent”, not “47”. This is the end of the partnership she realized she imposed on him, but whether or not it’s also the end of the friendship they nonetheless built along the way is up to him. She’s been the one making most of the choices this whole time, and now it’s his turn. Calling what she’s just done a “kindness” isn’t a lie or emotional manipulation; it’s a fact. In their “own special way”, they care about each other, deeply and earnestly, but both of them also made selfish decisions they convinced themselves were in the other’s best interest. In that scene, they’re finally facing their past(s) and accepting the truth, freeing themselves and each other in the process.

“Necessary Evil” was initially worrying to watch, but what it shows isn’t the brutal and grim end of a 20-year partnership; it’s a moment of pure honesty, maybe even the most heart-to-heart conversation Diana and 47 have ever had. After this “last tango”, she sets him free, allowing him to live the life he wants. At last.

Although, again, I would have preferred her to do things differently and spare him that suffering, I also absolutely love the fact she didn’t even need to reveal her full plan for him to figure out what it was and carry it out exactly the way she expected him to. I suppose it’s not that surprising since he’s already demonstrated many times in many ways that he knows her better than anyone else does (and vice versa, probably), but it’s still fascinating. They don’t need words to communicate anymore, yet the few they exchanged before leaving Mendoza were salutary. A necessary evil, indeed.

In the last scene of the game, one year later, 47 recontacts Diana and informs her of his decision to go back to doing his former job, but this time by choice and on his own terms. “It’s good to be back”, he says with a smile (yes, a smile) on his face. There was one on mine too as I realized this was a callback to the very first “Announcement Trailer” for the World of Assassination trilogy. In the video, however, it was Diana who said, “Good to have you back” while he remained silent the whole time. In more than one way, the trilogy ends the way it started, but the major difference is that 47 now truly has a voice.

“I choose him”, confidently said Diana in the prologue, thus starting their productive partnership. More than 20 years later, he’s back in business, not because he has to but because he wants to, believing his mission is not done and wishing to continue it… but not alone. Finally free to do whatever he pleases and having had time to decide what he wanted his life to be, 47 came to a conclusion, and what he tells Diana in the epilogue, implicitly but assuredly, is, “I choose you.”

Almost six years after it was first announced, the trilogy has come full circle, and it feels like IO Interactive had it all planned out from the start. Diana and 47 are back to being partners, and by embracing their past, they can build their future on better, stronger, and healthier foundations. Now, more than ever, it’s them together against the rest of the world. As a fan of their duo, as well as nicely wrapped-up and carefully written stories in general, I don’t know if I could have dreamt of a more satisfying ending.

Perfectly executed.

[monsters-demons-and-heralds-ohmy]

Someone: “I don’t get Jayce fans they act like he’s done no wrong but he literally almost doomed the world trying to save Viktor and ignoring Heimerdinger’s warnings.”

Me: “Bold of you too assume that doesn’t make him 10 times hotter.”

[wilting-fl0wer]

Sol, our beloved time god

[benevolenterrancy]

May your hardened heart be woken By the soft and distant song Of all you left here unspoken All the shards we keep stepping on - Take this body home Take this body home Call the wind, and let her know Take this life outgrown Take this broken soul Call the stars, call them all And take it high, take it far, take it home

[kalolasart]

Arcane style Noelle

[kittycatred]

heyyy uhm.. Red, was your name? I know I kind of stabbed you to death and all once but uh. you got some spunk in ya, kid, cant say I dont appreciate that. Id even say I could tolerate you the most out of all your annoying friends. so, no harsh feelings?

and I dont like asking for much but if you could, Ill have the coolest goverment assigned cat you can offer.

- @avasts-nightmare (sorry, please or thank you isnt in his vocabularly so I hope this is ok dksjdji)

ohhh....its you hmmm.... (≖︿≖ )?

well, i cant say im not flattered !! (ㅅ´ ˘ `)

annd its been...years i think now...? i don't know what exactly happened that day, but you haven't ran back or been a threat to me and my friends since so.....i guess no hard feelings ? for now atleast ( ˊ~` ; )

i still dont forgive you yet, and i cant promise i wont be petty about the whole....yknow you stabbing me thing, but sure why not, anyone can get a free government assigned cat ! ┐(￣>￣)┌

heree you go !! (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

KIDDING kidding, sorry i had to !! ┐(´∇｀'')┌

okay, FOR REAL, heres your actual government assigned cats ദ്ദി´▽`)

although i only knew you for a few minutes, (before you know you stabbed me...) so i tried my best here ! (˘ŏ⩊ŏ)