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#i love them both and i love their characters both and yeah we're blessed folks
aweecrush · 2 years
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lizardlicks · 3 months
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one vague ATLA idea I have in mind for AU stuff is less specific but more of a broad AU spectrum and the general point is that instead of Team Avatar being a fairly small central group, they pick up people as they go along so that the folk who join them in the Zuko Friendship Arc and flee at the begining of the Southern Raiders stick around since their introduction; Haru, maybe a few members of Jet's crew, perhaps Jee from Zuko's crew following the end of Book Water, Chit Sang after the boiling rock, maybe even Iroh throughout Book One as a more extreme AU where Aang accidentally incapacitates Zuko and takes him hostage early on and Iroh and Zuko's crew go 'oh nooooo you have captured us and we're with you now I guess' while Iroh low key attempts to provide Aang perspective on the Fire Nation for dealing with them and some basics on Firebending philosophy, but anyway who else do you think would be interesting to see in this kind of AU joining up with Aang and his mission to free the world
Answering this TEN DAYS LATER OOPS
Personally I haven't thought about anyone else joining the gaang outside of Zuko joining the gaang early plots. First, I wouldn't include any of the adults. While yeah, there's something wrong with their world in the fact that actual teenagers have to save it from a century of war, if we actually stuck one of the adults into the group dynamics, they would alter the story and themes in a way I don't find satisfying. Too many of their own motivations and personal hang ups. Iroh works for Zuko because Zuko doesn't really have friends or any other social support, but even so to get to the core of Zuko, we have to separate Iroh's direct influence on him.
So for the other kids: NGL I think Haru as a character is boring. he's dry wheat toast. He exists only as a vessel for katara's hero complex. Teo could be a lot of fun; him and Aang play off each other really well, and it would give us more non-bender rep.
Jet I could not see willingly giving up his leadership role and joining the gaang. He might butt heads with Sokka first, but eventually he would piss off "everyone works together and does their fair share" katara, "I don't respect any form of authority" toph, and even "we're all friends and equals here" aang when he won't give any slack to the reigns-- metaphorically but also possibly literally. Similarly, I don't think smellerbee or longshot would willingly leave jet.
I love The Duke and Toph's relationship. I would have thought of anyone in the gaang for him to latch onto he would have gone with Aang or Sokka, but him looking up to and becoming really good friends with Toph is just really good. And him and Pipsqueak are more non bender rep too!
Suki joining the gaang earlier than canon would be great, especially if she brought a couple other kyoshi warriors along with and we got to see more of their dynamic as a group! Plus more sukka, and Sokka in the kw outfit.
Yue. Alright I apparently lied above, Yue is definitely one that I've thought about joining the gaang. In AUs where Yue lives, her getting out of the North and coming into her own as a person who can assert her expertise and authority is a big deal for her. Might also add some fascinating conflict: did she leave with Arnook's blessing or did she see an opportunity and leap??
Thousands of words have been devoted to the "zuko joins the gaang early" tag, but here's mine:
Zuko knows Azula. He knows not to trust when she puts her hands up and claims defeat. It's an old, old trick, not even a clever one, and they both know it. When her smile falls on uncle, Zuko doesn't even think twice. He's burned before. He knows how. Sinks into that familiar pain like an embrace from an old friend.
Iroh is horrified when Zuko drops like a stone (sick with guilt that he has to see this again, again, it never seems to end). Zuko stays down. His nephew never stays down. He begs the gaang for help, pleads for a mercy he knows neither of them have yet earned. They hesitate, but Toph also insists; Mushi, Iroh, whoever he is, he was kind to her. Whatever his nephew did, the other kids are alive and whole enough to bitch about him, so it couldn't have been so bad as to deserve a slow, painful death.
Katara pulls back his clothes, revealing the burns, the deep purple-black bruises from his fight with the earthbender soldiers, his starvation and exhaustion. It's abundantly clear to everyone that Zuko needs more help than they can give just standing around in an abandoned desert town, and the kids are exhausted. Iroh asks one more favor, a big one: watch over his nephew and keep him out of trouble while Iroh tracks down some old friends who will help find someplace safe for them to hide.
It's only supposed to be temporary, but now the gaang have to deal with wrangling a cranky, ornery firebender who's ass much a threat to himself as he is to them.
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Random Things Overheard On Site
Ah, my coworkers. The weird, wacky, wonderful folks who keep the wheels turning. They're a real cast of oddballs, but no one normal ever works at the Foundation, excluding Doctor Glass, of course. Dude's totally got his head on straight, and welded in place. The rest of us... yeah, we're all nuts. Even Site Command has a few loose screws, in Jack Bright's case it's every last blessed one of them. Hold on to your hope, abandon sanity all those who enter here.
On 049:
"Sure, he can kill you with a touch, but at least he'll apologize as it happens, and unlike some people, his hands are clean."
On 076-2:
"Wow. Uh... where were you keeping that axe, buddy?" A pause. "Huh. After training, mind checking over a few weapon designs? I'm doing a new character in D&D."
On the Foundation, to the new hires:
"No, you don't have to be crazy to work here. Clef and Bright will train you in that."
At target practice:
"Come on, ladies! I've seen senior citizens shoot better their first time playing Call of Duty. Eyes on the target, fingers on the trigger. Let's try this once more, with accuracy."
On 053, playing with 682:
"Aw... it's actually really cute how 682 lets her draw flowers all over him."
"Yeah. Remember the 'ballet lessons' last week? Who knew they even made tutus in his size?"
"Not me. Uh, any chance of photos?"
"Sorry, Benji... kinda dropped my camera in the scaly jerk's acid bath."
On 073:
"He's smart, funny, sweet, a total Arabic fox... why not ask him out, Sarah?"
"One. He's an anomaly, and off the approved list. Two, even if I were allowed to date him, isn't he gay?"
"Oh. Yeah. Got a brother?"
On Doctor Gears:
"Can't stop, gotta get the coffee to the Doc."
"He's out? Shit. Caffeine emergency, out of the way people! Do not block the intern, he has Gears' coffee."
On some anomalous weaponry Agent Strelnikof found:
"It took the door out. And the door behind it. And the door behind that door. And half the target range. I think the Insurgency would sooner meet 682 than face one of these guns. And I think both Doctor Clef and I are in love. With the gun."
During a Keter Breach:
"Do you HAVE to follow the anomaly while blasting 'Gangster's Paradise' by Coolio?"
"You'd prefer 'How I Can Just Kill a Man' by Rage Against the Machine?"
"I'd prefer it if you just did your job, Doctor Bright!"
On 079:
"Not sure who's more annoying... the Old Man AI or the homicidal bitch in 'System Shock'"
"Shodan doesn't have 079's sense of humor."
"And neither of them trump the Red Queen in the Andersonverse 'Resident Evil' movies in terms of creepiness."
"Kid AIs are the worst. And she is a creepy little psycho."
During training with 076-2:
"You threw a sword at my head, Abel!"
"But... did you die?"
And... finally, some Multiverse hijinks. A bit of background here: one of the reality warpers pulled a villain, well HE said he was a villain, from a place called Central City in the other universe. He has some ice powers, but... it wasn't Mr. Snart. Nope, we got an incompetent wannabe cryomancer with a stupid name. And... Iris being Iris, she told him off.
"Chillblaine? You call yourself... Chillblaine? Do you even know what a chillblain is? It's a flu symptom. What are ya gonna do, asshole, sneeze on us? Worse, it sounds like a rich spoiled white uni bro trying to get his jerkwad buddy to calm the fuck down. 'Chill, Blaine. She ain't worth it, bro.' Fuck off until you come up with something we can take seriously." Dude looks like he's gonna cry. I look over, and the rest of the team, even Big Brother, are trying not to laugh at this loser. I have no idea who the hell this Flash dude is, but he's got one pathetic nemesis here. Fifty bucks says he couldn't even steal a wallet.
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appledotcodotuk · 3 years
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why the hive fckin suck at its job: a rant
spoilers for tgwdlm ahead!
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first of all, it's important to consider what exactly the hive's job is. my answer is... who the fuck knows. literally. what is the hive's aim. what do you want Paul? more like, what do you want hive? let's find out!
it kinda evolves, as the play progresses. the intial aim of the hive, and one that does actually remain consistent is the constant burning need to grow and devour and gain more and more (insert capitalism metaphor here).
however, this is distorted by the people it possess who influence that aim, as we'll see later.
also the fact it crashes into a theatre displaying Mamma Mia gives the hive the motive it need to fit the world around it to the structure of the musical. having no originality of its own, the hive instead just picks up what is given to it. kinda like an evil baby.
it wants uniformity, that is indeed its ultimate goal and desire, no duh. it thinks it can achieve that through musical theatre, shame that the hive is dead wrong. cause the hive fucking sucks at its own job / aim / ultimate purpose / one concrete goal that motivates all its actions.
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can't maintain control over its subjects
okay, so, the hive wants uniformity. it wants everyone to be dancing to the beat of its own tune. right? yeah. shame it literally can't keep its own possessed subjects in line at all. at the risk of sounding like the 10th doctor waxing lyrical abt humanity for the 50th time, humans are really difficult to control cause we're not really motivated by an altruistic allegiance to one primary good. we've got icky emotions that often move us to do stupid unpredictable stuff way more. it makes me wonder if the reason the hive wanted to use musical theatre to try and persuade ppl was cause it seems to think that is how theyll get emotive humans; through emotive songs. anyways. let's look at some examples shall weeeee?
Mr Davidson:
so, Mr Davidson. funnily enough, he's the guy whose in part acting as the hive trying to figure out what it wants through his interactions w/ Paul. every person it possess gives it just a bit more humanity and curiosity abt the world it is currently taking over. at least I think so. hence why as the musical develops u get character's like possessed!Alice wondering 'why does it hurt to love?' - the change in music and mood to something much more introspective really suggests to me that the hive is beginning to question the thoughts and emotions of its human hosts.
Mr Davidson is a family man through and through, he loves his wife Carol. she's his muse, his source of light. his feelings for her are not concrete or easy to explain and solve - hence why his sudden ahem demand of her is so hilarious and also jarring. it completely clashes with the 'I want song' which is simple, and often pushes forward a wider cause. not so with Mr Davidson, he just really loves his wife man. enough to break a frickin alien possession.
tbh I think its hilarious that (at least to me) the hive has to force him to forget and continue with the song, like, he straight up is just talking to his wife in that phone call, talking, not singing. so, no possession until he reverts back into song. ergo, the hive cannot maintain the uniformity it wants. even from the get go when theoretically its control should be stronger cause it has less ppl to co-ordinate. bad. at. its. job.
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Paul:
this one hurts folks. yes, I know it's generally agreed, though somewhat debated that the state of Paul by the end of the tgwdlm is not purely possessed. I agree. once again, the hive is unable to truly enforce uniformity.
at this point, the motives of Paul and the hive are kinda just mixed, neither fully human nor fully alien. hence the constant shifts between pleeing for her to get away, to hide, to stay safe: 'what if the only choice is you have to sing to survive' and just full on old style hive nastiness 'let me puke in your mouth and just open your food bin girl' (so romantic 🥰 /j).
the hive has gone away from its original aim, and become something... different. no longer stuck to just one type of genre or style of song, it's really clever to show the developing complexity of the hive by showing how it is now juggling lots of different motifs with references to all the old songs from before recontextualised in a new way - its learning. evil baby... no longer uniform.
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general miscommunication:
there are several instances of the hive not fully having uniform control over its subjects. for instance, right after not your seed with the three teens having to like... calibrate. they aren't just completely connected then?? also, this is a very small thing, but uhhhh at the end of inevitable when Paul is about to say the apotheosis is upon... the chorus interrupts him with USSSSSSS. interruptions??? not very in sync of u hive.
I think this inability to exert uniformity is also shown in the contrast between genre of musical theatre. my alien abomination cannot decide whether it wants to be the more modern edgy rock musical (join us (and die), not your seed ) or super happy go lucky old style musical theatre (lah dee dah dah day, and inevitable). it tries to do both, even while trying to encourage union, and sticking to one thing. hypocrite!!!!!
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2. aims are guided by the people it possess
so, I mentioned this a bit already, but the hive isn't only mutating the humans, the humans are mutating the hive right back. this is more an interesting observation than any actual analysis but let's goooo.
greenpeace girl:
I think it's very likely that greenpeace girl is one of the first to be possessed. This is probably easily debunkable but whatever this analysis is flying by the seat or its pants anywayyyyy. why? cause where else would it pick up that whole 'this planet needs fixing' thing? it's interesting too, cause it morphs from expressing the desire to join hands and sing together, unity and peace with no actual action behind it. this then goes right to the other end, with the hive going 'fine I'll do it myself' and trying to save things by enforcing a dictatorship on the world. it develops and changes, and strays from its original means of accomplishing its aims! speaking oooooof...
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3. inconsistent in means of accomplishing aims
okay, ur an evil hive mind. u think musicals are the way to win over these silly humans cause they're all weak and emotive and seem to respond to them. but, wait! schwoopsie! you haven't realised that for emotional depth and growth to mean anything, you need there to be established development and well... growth. otherwise the sentiments are as vague as the ones expressed in What Do You Want, Paul?
this show has genuine emotional moments, just not really during the musical numbers WITH EXCEPTIONS. any strife is smoothed over quickly, and so the development and change that would have to go into such growth is just gone. (see, You Tied Up My Heart) all so it can achieve its own desire to grow and grow and grow, maybe a metaphor for art being killed under late stage capitalism??
what actually matters is the impact the songs have afterwards, in causing a death - because we have a bond and care abt these characters. those short scenes between Paul and Emma are actually way more resonant than any song. except... inevitable, and also not your seed a bit. at this point the hive has learnt a thing or two, and can actually twist human emotion a little. but for it to do that, it has to reject the uniformity it prizes, and be adaptable. point towards being more human than it first thought? methinks so. and yet it's just not enough...
it's also why let it out, to me, feels really ingenuine. Paul has expressed himself in much better ways already. what they're doing is clearly paining him, and hurting the guy. he's terrified bless.
you can't force someone into being emotional vulnerable, man.
it's why all the deaths for the characters who are forced to express themselves are really violent, involving them being ripped open - literally forcing them to expose themselves from the 'inside out' as Alice reflects in Not Your Seed. you can't force genuine emotional connection, it has to be fostered, shown in the much more affecting relationship of Paul and Emma. the only reason the hive actually has power over our characters is because of these genuine emotional connections, which it tries and often fails to take advantage of, resulting in just resorting to brute violence. messy hive, very messy.
at the core, the musical's a kinda attack on that toxic positivity mindst: trying to force people to reach the sort of easy solutions by sharing feelings in a way that feels pretty invasive and deciding you are instantly fixed. the problems these characters face are jarringly not really what you'd expect a character in a musical to face, cheating, a lot of it, mid-life crisis. problems that are bland, or wayyyy too real. this is purposefully done, to reveal just how silly the hive's aim to use musical theatre to solve everyone's problem is. life is more complex than that smh.
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4. a human can write a much more expressive, and genuine song than they ever could lol
u know which song I'm talking abt. what more is there to say. so much for making persuasive songs to tempt people over.
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5. make me sad cause they took some perfectly nice ppl and funked them up 😭
this was a stupid point lol. basically I'm just bitter that this hive took a bunch of perfectly okay ppl and gave them hive brain. screw u hive. I swear I'm gonna watch Black Friday soon, cause I'm sure it's gonna completely destroy every thought I've had so far, but whateve,,, just take this as a look at tgwdlm like it's a stand-alone piece.
these guys are supposed to all be 'individuals' on one level, but also 'appendages of a much larger organism'. there's a little too much individualism and fracturing to be cohesive enough to do that I feel. the hive to me is not an infallible, unstoppable force, in fact, every human it takes over only brings it closer to understanding us. so that's maybe a slight positive note??? idk ?! I just have lots of thoughts and feelings abt this musical even if this doesn't make sense I'm proud i wrote it down hehe.
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EXSOMNIS
Chapter 5 Respect all, trust few
Exsomnis: Wakeful, Vigilant
Summary: Fresh Doctor out of residency you didn't expect Conyers to be this uneventful until everything happened at the same time. From the outset, an odd meeting with what seems like a steadfast Detective but it was only the beginning.
Notes: English is not my native language, I'm trying to get better at it, please be indulgent ^^
Based on the movie Prisoners by Denis Villeneuve (so I don't own any of the OG characters) if you haven't seen it, I recommend you do (maybe before reading) :) The story takes place before and through the event in the movie.
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A bunch of folks gathered in front of the Birch’s house that night. People were murmuring about the disappearances, their curiosity sometimes being way too intrusive. Plush and toys disposed on the grass between candles, sobbings were heard. 4 days had passed since the abduction, as a doctor, you knew they could still be alive even without water and food, but children are delicate, the thought of someone hurting a child made you sick. The first suspect, Alex Jones, had been released but was now missing too it was a big mess. Your internal ranting got interrupted as you catch a glimpse of a familiar face.
Loki was there, scanning the little crowd, you wondered if he had seen you. Still watching him out the corner of your eye, he started to make his way into the mass, your heart rate accelerated seeing his determined features, for a second thinking he’d seen you and come to you but instead he kept going forward, your eyes following his figure intently until he started running towards the houses. You gasped slightly.
“what the…” your body faced the way he ran, you felt Erin’s hand on yours.
“What is it...?” she glanced beside you trying to see what got your attention but failed to.
You didn’t want to alarm her as you didn’t know what you had just witnessed. “Nothing, damn it’s cold,” you hushed up, blowing warm air on your gloves’ hand.
 Erin had begged you to stay with them tonight, a good bottle of wine seemed like a good idea to somehow cheer up the three of you.
Erin sat on her carpet. “What do you think happened to that kid, the Jones kid?”
“Must have run away,” Rachel answered, grabbing a candle off a shelf. You just shrugged.
“Hey what did you see back there?” Erin inquired eyeing the candle Rach just light on.
“Oh nothing,…just Detective Loki was there. Surely in case, the culprit showed up to satisfy any perverse desire.” You three shuddered at the thought of the kidnapper being there in the crowd.
“Did he see you? He could have come over.” Rach propped herself up on the couch.
“Yeah, I could have invited him tonight.” Erin nodded.
“I don’t think a community gathering, especially for two missing girls, is the right place to banter. Plus he was certainly on duty. “
They both grimaced sipping on the red liquid.
 Calls were the only way to talk with him at least for a few minutes but this night’s call with Loki ended up quite tense...
“Are you sleeping?” your voice was a bit sluggish because of the wine,  his however not at all. 
“I don’t have time for that” he retorqued.
“I know but ..., you have to rest!” you begged
“Is it the doctor talking? I don’t need sleep advice right now. I have to go!” He hung up immediately.
“what the…” you look at your phone in disbelief, "moron...”
 And this is who police are saying is a person of interest in the investigation of the two missing girls. Now, this unidentified man who was last seen at last night's candlelight vigil, fled on foot when the investigating detective attempted to question him. Police caution the public not to approach this man, but call police immediatly if they do see him.
 You came by the station on your day off, to kind of get things right with Loki. Quietly stepping in the open space where you knew his desk was, he wasn't there.
“Can I help you?” An officer asked lifting his head from a cubicle.
“I'm looking for Detective Loki?” Clenching the coffee cups on your chest a little bit.
“He went to the archive, he should ... well never mind.” he pointed behind you. Turning on your heels, Loki stopped at the door, your hand lifted a little from the coffee lids as a wave. A little smile appeared on your lips, he didn't smile back.
“Come with me.” He said not showing any emotions at all. You followed him to a room, all the blinds were done, a large table with a few chairs in the middle, you put the coffee on it and turned to him, he closed the door and leaned on it, crossing his arms. You breathed in.
“It's really not the right time.” He finally talked. At first, you were baffled but you knew better.
“I thought a good coffee and some support would help…” you answered comprehensive and stepped forward to go, but he didn't budge from the door. He blinked a few times and for the first time you entered the room, he looked at you.
He shook his head, “sit”, he gestures to the chairs, it was more like a shy demand than an order though. You leaned on the edge of the table.
“Coffee?” You proposed glancing beside you at the two steaming black coffee, his demeanour changed as he approached the table, planting himself right before you. He was unnecessarily close yet it was definitely not unpleasant, his body warmth radiating around your own. He had rolled up his sleeves, you could see he had another tattoo on his right arm.
He reached out for the coffee, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the burning caffeine going down his throat, you watched him all along in silence.
“Talk to me. I know it's a difficult time right now, you reached for his hand, but I need you to take care of you.”
His rolled his eyes taking a few steps backwards, his hands on his hips, turning his back to you. You continued keeping a soft voice.
“You can't go around sleep-deprived, you might miss something Loki!“ 
“What do you want me to do, hm?” He turned back. “Go home, sleep 8hours straight and come back like that, we're counting hours,” his finger pointing to the ground.
“I’m not saying holidays, all I’m saying is to take some time, at least 2-3 hours of sleep each day, you're not the only Detective here, they know the case.”
“How would you know!?“ he waved his hand at you.
You didn't answer, the point wasn't to argue or lecture him but to make him aware that he had to look after himself.
“You won't be of any help if you keep on going like that. I'm telling you because I care, for the girls, the families and you!”
“Don't you think I care?” His voice went up.
“That's the point, you surprised yourself as your voice rose a notch, caring is what makes you the effin good Detective you are! Unless you're caring beyond your own good and senses. You're looking for answers, but if you neglect yourself you might not find some.”
A silence fell, he stayed leaned on the blinds crushing them, revealing the open space behind, your mind drift there for a minute watching a woman officer bringing in a man in handcuffs. 
You didn't felt him approached until he was nudging at your knee. His left-hand slide on the table reaching your own, he rested his other hand on the table on the other side of you, his head hanging low, you bet his eyes were shut. The silence was necessary, he needed calm to escape, just for a moment, the mess outside that room, to assess your discussion. 
Lightly moving your left hand onto his tattooed skin, to finally brushed the nape of his neck you felt him tense at your touch. He leaned in his temple against yours.
“I'll try. he inhaled, forgive me …I wish I could be there...”  
“Hey, you whispered back feeling his cheek on yours, some stubble prickling at the softness of your skin, out of sight, not out of mind.”
He looked at you then, your eyes bouncing between his blue ones as he stared at you, his hand caressed your cheek then slide down your neck.
"Loving the sight tho" he smirked a little.
You chuckled at the cheesiness although it made you fluttered, your hand slide from the back of his neck to his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his thorax. His other hand slightly brushed the skin over your knee, you blessed yourself for wearing a dress today. The tension between you two was perceptible, his eyes on your lips as he leaned closer, you force yourself to swallow, finding it hard to breathe now that he was so close. 
“Loki, the chef is asking...for you”
The door opened in a flash, you hastily retrieved your hand and rubbed it with your thumb, looking away. Loki took a step backwards, his hands back on his hips. 
“I’ll be right there.” he nodded at the officer whom left confused, before looking back at you. Standing further away from him now, he frowned at the distance you had put between you two. 
Without saying much you walked to him, stopping to kiss his jaw languidly. His hand snaked around your waist resting on your low back, you sighed slightly resting your lips near his.
“Call me whenever you need.” you whispered before slowly pushing yourself away.
“Take care and be careful out there, please.” he pleaded, you winked.
Chapter 6 - The Void screams back
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