#it's sort of like ai no beat but more dramatic LMAO | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thenightdayblogger · 3 years

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📚📚📚📚!

us rn glkrksdkds

OKAY, in this case im seizing the opportunity to talk about (one of many) @shepherds-of-haven aus, featuring android!blade and scientist!salinde, in a sort of cyberpunk/crime noir/mystery about what makes a person a person/androids whatever . I've written one snippet of this—that and the general summary are below the read more.

"This time, it wasn't Doctor Ittai who meets him at the door. Instead, a tall man with a shock of red hair opens the door—he startles before he smiles, Blade’s sensors registering it as—mostly—genuine. His crisp white lab coat is rolled up to the elbow—a clear violation of safety regulations. He laughs awkwardly when Blade points this out.

“Ah, yes.” He says, all easy good humor, not chastised in the slightest. “Slipped my mind, thank you.”

He sets to prodding and rearranging Blade's under-wiring, inputting data points with the care of a seasoned professional. He muses aloud over points of data, or exclaims over a particular reading on the diagnostic, before pausing expectantly, as if waiting for a reply.

Blade does not respond. That too, does not seem to faze him—he simply smiles and continues without skipping a beat, chatting aimlessly as he runs through the battery of tests. He is cheerful, professional, attentive.

Blade hates him."

Anyway, this is a cyberpunk universe where the Autarchy (a tech company in this case) exerts significant control over the country at large, and are the dominant creators of androids, which range drastically in everything from form to function, and play an essential role in everyday society. Blade is a member of one of the most elite android groups, tasked as bodyguards/black ops to the most powerful people in the city—because they are just so vital (and expensive to make) the Autarchy, which generally goes for a "throw it away if it's broken" stance for its androids, keeps scientists and engineers on retainer to keep them working smoothly.

Enter Dr Salinde Ittai, a brilliant computer scientist with a background in AI, who has mysteriously pivoted to computer and electrical engineering. How and why she started working for the notoriously Autarchy is anybody's guess, although she goes pretty tight-lipped if you mention it. Unlike many of her co-workers, she has a healthy respect for the concept of android personhood, and treats the androids under her care with respect and compassion, even when the others sneer at it, equating it with being nice to a toaster—despite their jeering, she gets results—she's got the best success rate, so of course they'll entrust her with one of their most top-of-the-line android, Blade.

Blade's maintenance suddenly gets a lot more personal then "handler plugging into system and picking out the configuration for him"—suddenly, he is given choices, and there are things happening to him (especially when Salinde is around heh heh) that are not in his programming but apparently nobody told his programming that his heart cannot technically race. Disaster strikes, however, when Blade fails in a mission, his protectee killed by a mysterious shadowy figure—but rather then allow himself to be decommissioned, he goes rogue, intent on finding whoever bested him. Salinde, coming home from a long day, flicks on the light to blade sitting on her living room floor. (full and complete credit to @emeraldgreavess for that particular mental image basically serving as the jumping off point of this entire thing). Anyway, they run off into cyberpunk city to figure out who murdered the man, the identity of the mysterious figure who killed Blade's protectee—and uncover dark secrets about the Autarchy (well, darker then their already pretty blatantly corrupt reality) and the city itself.

...I don't know why that ended up sounding like a dramatic movie trailer LMAO. But yeah that's the android blade au! Funnily enough this was created independently and before I read We Have Always Been Here, but that book slaps and if you're reading this and haven't read it you should go do that right now. go and drive to a bookstore and buy it, and if that bookstore doesn't have it you are going to try again. Hopefully I'll actually do something with this. eventually...

#android blade au #my au #shepherds of haven #salinde ittai #blade bronwyn #blade x salinde #Blade Bronwyn x Salinde Ittai #I need a good name for it #anyway that snippet is bc blade always hates red no matter what and that is endlessly amusing to me #no matter what universe. the vibes are just off

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kinetic-elaboration · 4 years

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October 30: 1x21 The Return of the Archons

Took a break from Halloween-ing to watch TOS with my mom. Today’s ep, the rather lackluster Return of the Archons.

A very in media res beginning! Unsurprisingly since a lot of the drama of this episode hangs on the audience not knowing the whole story.

Sulu is looking damn fine. These weird outfits really do it for him.

Maybe O’Neill had the right idea in running instead of waiting for the transporter. (Or maybe not, seeing as we later find out they caught him too.)

Look at the heels on their boots lol. I always forget about that.

Today’s official adventure: looking for the missing ship Archon.

“Sulu’s mysterious condition requires that I, the Captain, collect all of the most important people on board the ship and beam down into a planet we already know to be full of dangers.”

“Materialization completed.” Uh good to know Kirk.

Why is Spock wearing that dramatic-ass cloak? (I know it’s because he needs a hood to cover his ears but he still looks very much not of a piece.)

Whereas McCoy looks like a down-home Georgia gentleman. He looks like he’s returned to his natural habitat.

I bet these are the sort of outfits AOS Kirk wished he was wearing when he was sighing wearily at his closet filled with uniforms.

I love that this planet is clearly the set of a Western. Or... Maybury. Or also Miri.

Not only did The 100 steal S3 from this episode, it also stole the Red Sun from it, didn’t it?

They keep saying they came for the festival and yet it is VERY clear they don’t know what the festival is. This disguise is not working.

It got dark damn fast. They’re outside, it’s almost 12--one would assume that’s 12 noon--and then they go inside, talk for about 3 minutes, go to another room, and it’s pitch black out!

Is this like The Purge? (I asked myself this while we were watching and--spoiler alert!--it is! The Purge was based, perhaps subconsciously, on this ep.)

Kirk looks very handsome in this ep. Like whoever directed it looks like he’s in love with him.

“Crewmen, here are your various assignments... Mr. Spock... come with me, somewhere private. To talk.”

Spock sleeping with his eyes open. (Meditating, my mom says.)

Oh look, it’s the secret police, in their brown robes.

Landru doesn’t seem too gentle lmao. “No dissent is allowed. You will be absorbed.” Randomly killing that guy who kinda said “maybe, uh, the festival...isn’t great??”

Kirk makes one comment about how everyone’s slow on the uptake here, and slow to respond to questions and denials, and Spock goes heart eyes. “Captain, how are you so smart and logical?”

“Fascinating, this is merely a hollow tube, Captain.” And uh I guess we’re never going to explain how that hollow tube kills people then?

They’re communing...

Love that Spock points out that the people are being communicated with through telepathy. Though... I remain sightly perplexed how the computer can do that. The next stage in Apple computing I guess.

Why isn’t Reger affected by all this? Like they imply that some people are spared the “festival” festivities because of their age, but that doesn’t seem to explain why he’s not “of the body.” Like being of the body isn’t a choice that people make, you’re ether absorbed or you’re not. They say later that he’s immune--but that in itself requires explanation. Like idk it seems a major plot hole that there can even be a resistance when the computer has controlled the society for thousands of years.

So I guess the backstory on the Archon ship is that they were all either absorbed or killed when they objected to the computer and its creepiness.

I do think the little hints that the society used to be way more advanced are intriguing.

“What should we do about this body that’s going to act as a tracking beacon right to us?” / “Uh, knock him out again.”

This planet is so peaceful.. no war or crime... except for people occasionally beating and raping each other nbd.

Was that Starfleet Officer really just going to shoot that projection? Not the best and the brightest being recruited nowadays I guess.

“The creature called Landru.”

“Enough analysis.” Spock always wants to talk through the whole backstory of the weird situations they’re in, while Kirk is a man of action!

Bones is really not being used to full capacity in this ep. He’s just kinda there in the background, until he’s absorbed.

Spock is very concerned about what will happen to the Captain, but also kind of... skeptical about this whole thing. For someone in control of his emotions he exhibits a lot of emotions imo.

“Happy communing!” Just gonna say this all the time now.

Time for another mind meld. So casual about it now.

Spock’s face during Kirk’s Landru-imitating speech is HILARIOUS. That eyebrow! The eye roll! I really think he’s amused by all of this.

He’s not very good at pretending to be absorbed. He sees Jim and he’s immediately like “Captain...!” all normal like.

“The peace of the factory, the tranquility of the machine.”

“You’re thinking the same thing I am. Mr. Spock... I love you.”

It’s pretty awesome that the same ep that introduces the Prime Directive also immediately finds Kirk forming loopholes in it. “We’re not supposed to interfere.... in living, growing cultures, which this isn’t! Moral conundrum solved.”

Spock actually straight up punched a man in the face lol.

Interesting that the communicators work like that--Spock is talking to the Enterprise on his, and Kirk just slides into the conversation on his device, without Spock abandoning his call. I think because they became cell phones irl that I think of them as cells but they’re not. It’s just weird to see them casually used in these totally bonkers ways.

Lol he returned them to a simpler, easier time. I guess you could say Landru made Beta III great again.

So Reger had second thoughts about actually destroying Supreme Leader once it got too real?

Interesting how Landru’s lair is so much more sci-fi-y in aesthetic than the town. Another hint of what the society used to look like.

Spock without the cloak. Damn son.

“We do not intend to die.” That’s a good attitude.

Revealing the Wizard behind the curtain...

“The whole society is a machine’s concept of perfection.”

A man programming himself into an all knowing machine that lives forever really does remind me of Becca and ALIE except with a 60s aesthetic--a large, physical computer rather than an AI.

“The good of the body is the Prime Directive.” Tbh I feel like what this whole ep is saying is that sometimes Prime Directives need to be bent if the reality of the situation doesn’t square with the spirit of the directive.

I love when Kirk destroys computers using Extreme Logic.

That should be a presidential debate question "What have you done to do justice to the full potential of every individual of the body?"

“Well, now that that’s done, we’re going to go. Have fun rebuilding your entire society from nothing. We’ll leave you a single sociologist to help out.”

So Mr. Sulu is back to normal, and he immediately returns to the bridge to give a little, goofy sitcom smile-and-shrug and kick some random extra outta his chair.

Why do they assume Landru was a good guy lol? I mean he solved their extreme violence problem but he instituted a plenty of other problems instead. Also he was clearly a megalomaniac.

This society’s backstory sounds an awful lot like pre-reform Vulcan. Maybe they should just send a Vulcan to teach them Surak’s ways.

Honestly they were left alone for like an hour and had a handful of fist fights. I think they really were a very violent people! Maybe destroying the dictator-computer was a bad idea!

I find it very odd that the whole festival thing was never actually explained. I guess it must have been a purge idea--that because they are so naturally violent and terrible aliens, they need to let off that steam in some way every now and again, and they do this through a “festival” of no-holds-barred violence. Still kinda wish they’d explicitly circled back on that in some way though.

I think the most interesting part of this episode was the planet’s back story. Kirk acts in the end as if they were basically human, but they’re not. Also, I got the impression that Landru convinced people to follow him first, and then only when he died, set himself up as an eternal God/Computer. So he must have been a very interesting, charismatic person. And that one of his ideas was to return to a “simpler time” in everything from dress to architecture, as if that had any real correlation with levels of violence is... fascinating. Was that the hook that he hung his reform on?

Overall, as I said, not a super strong S1 episode, but not bad at all. Next week is Space Seed, a classic episode that unfortunately was absolutely wrung dry by too many repeats over the course of the franchise. (...Yes I am referring specifically to STID obviously.) Still that shouldn’t take away from the brilliance of the original!

#star trek tos #the year 2020 #2020: fandom thoughts #2020: star trek

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vrainsrewatch · 5 years

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episode 8 thoughts

i was gonna watch later, since i’ve got other things to do, but i burnt the shit out of my hands making hot chocolate like an idiot so i watched an episode first LOL.

this episode starts out with that really strong fairy tale scenery i absolutely adore, with yusaku and ai trying their hardest to get blue angel to wake up.

i seriously could talk about the imagery in this scene for days lmao. i love the sleeping beauty aesthetic, but i also really love the colors. LV goes through so many different color palettes through the series, but i love the purples and blues of this area here. i’m not sure if the intention was to make blue angel seem like she was meant to be there, while in contrast playmaker stands out due to his hair, but i seriously replayed this section twice because it looked so nice.

i have a lot to say about this episode, and it will also be my most screenshot heavy post so far lol, so once again, buckle up!

this episode starts to really build up yusaku as a character - his sense of justice, his core values, etc etc. on top of that, it takes its time to flesh out akira, and to show his worse qualities, which we’ll get into in a minute.

first, though, is one of my favorite awkward exchanges in the series lmao:

i’m surprised he even caught onto what akira was getting at, tbh with y’all. vrains started out ship teasing yusaku/aoi really hard these episodes, but drop it almost completely up until the minimal tease we get in s3, which i find really funny. i was always really invested in them becoming friends, though, so while i’m happy we had that happen in s3, i would’ve really liked to see it happen earlier. not this early, though - yusaku’s nowhere near ready for that.

I HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN VYRA WAS HERE. yugioh hair makes it known that she’s going to be an important character, but i had really completely forgotten she was working as one of aoi’s doctors during this part lmao. i love this so much, actually.

moving onto everyone talking shit about blue angel on forums and stuff. this kinda shit:

would be really awful to deal with. it’s very real, though - cancel culture, anyone? but seriously, this is so brutal. on top of that, does this imply that she’s never really lost before? she is the number 2 charisma duelist in LV, so i wouldn’t be terribly surprised if that meant that she hadn’t really lost since starting to make it big as an idol. once again showing off how good of a duelist aoi actually is, even if the show makes her lose a lot. tbf, her loss/win ratio isn’t that bad looking at the other main girls - 5 wins, 5 losses on screen, and considering the kind of opponents she faced (soulburner, bohman, ai), that’s seriously not bad.

next up we get the chess pieces again, and boy howdy, does this conversation make me seethe.

i understand it’s partially a cultural difference thing, but i can’t help but get angry about it LOL.

i didn’t remember how often the chess pieces were actually utilized in these first few episodes, either. i guess i can understand why people were irritated they were just dropped, but i don’t really see them as a plot point, more like... just a kind of weird way to run a company? just show your faces and have normal meetings like everyone else, y’all don’t have to be so extra.

the akira/emma meeting is nice because it shows you more of emma’s character, but it also gives you more of akira’s stupider (and ruthless) side.

you don’t see him like this very often, but honestly, when you think about all the unsavory jobs he was doing to keep him and aoi afloat way back when, it kind of makes sense. even if he was originally a gentle person, you don’t last doing... any of the jobs he’s done, being that way. even a higher up in a company like SOL tech would have to be a bit harsher to get to that point imo. i don’t see a lot of people talk about this side of akira’s character tbh which makes me kind of sad.

also, seriously, he’s an idiot. how did he arrive at this conclusion? when he saw that it was aoi who was baiting him into the duel? no matter what direction i approach this from, i can’t understand how he ended up on that conclusion lol.

also, the worst father ever award goes to....

seriously! i hate that man so much lmao. to say that directly to your own child, on top of everything else...

it’s a nice look into revolver, too, though you wouldn’t know it at first glance. his reply says everything, though. he fully accepts his role in his father’s life and has an incredibly toxic attachment to him, and wants his approval more than anything. we never see him get physically abused by kogami or anything of the sort, but you can’t deny the mental anguish he must’ve been going through in order to keep on his father’s good side.

i know a lot of people like to say that revolver is kind of not a great guy, seeing the tower of hanoi arc, and how he probably should’ve went to jail etc etc but really, he was manipulated hard core. and extremely suicidal. i could really talk a lot about this all day, but i’ll cut myself off and instead say how much i love how vrains sets up revolver as a character. this, combined with “i’ll fulfill your wishes, father” from episode 3 gives you his motivations nice and clearly, but this specific scene also gives a bit of a hint as to where his character arc goes and what he has to work through. just thinking about this makes me so excited to get to 116 again lmao.

anyways, though. another excellent exchange comes up. seriously, lmao, ai being like “waaaah that’s illegal !!!!” and kusanagi’s just very casual

makes me laugh every time i see it. they are criminals, even if what they’re doing is for the greater good. they’re not exactly innocent here lmao.

then there’s the talk about the virus infecting her, and it’s a nice way to bring up how that works before the another arc comes up in.. a couple of episodes, right? tbh it’s the arc i remember the least about, so i’m looking forward to rewatching it.

actually though, the idea of viruses in LV being able to infect someone’s body is so, so interesting. i really, really wish they had done more with the whole LV/rl merge idea, but guess i’ll just have to write more fanfic instead lol.

i mentioned at the beginning of this post we get into yusaku as a character more here, and this is one of the lines that really made him interesting to me originally:

he has such a strong sense of justice, but what sets him apart from other ygo protags is that he is not defined by it. he’s not the classic, stereotypical do-gooder who gets caught up in something and has to make it right, his justice is more so that he is not okay with seeing other people hurt because of what happened to him. his justice is driven by his trauma, almost entirely.

revolver even brings it up this episode:

where he talks about how some rando wouldn’t have done them any good because it wouldn’t have been public enough. yusaku doesn’t really care about the little people, not in the same way, say, yugi would. it’s not that he wants them to be hurt or see them get hurt or anything, it’s just that unless it effects him directly, it’s not on his radar. but once he gets involved, he feels fully responsible.

while he didn’t plant the hanoi virus into her, he probably knows it was to intentionally draw him out thanks to ai (and the fact that he beats them up all the time). he feels fully responsible for what happened to her, and he’s prepared to do what is needed to make it right again.

i really like yusaku for this. i find those kinds of characters really interesting, and yusaku is no exception.

we get the whole emma/blue angel/yusaku scene, which is pretty sick tbh looking at it again - just shoot a church straight up from the ground for dramatic effect! - and i’ll bring up more of akira’s ruthlessness here.

seriously, this is not a line from someone who is just angry about his sister. and it’s also him being fuckin DUMB. playmaker willingly lets himself get caught into your trap, and he tells akira straight up what he has to do to save his sister - no sugar coating it, no trying to make it cryptic or difficult despite being caught in that hand and in that trap. he’s incredibly honest, and akira still does this lmao.

then it’s probably the wildest turn of events in all of vrains:

where’s that post that’s like, “remember when playmaker gets caught in a gothic looking church while he’s getting tormented by a giant demon hand controlled by his classmate’s brother and then his rival who he hasn’t met yet shows up in a lightning bolt to save him”? bc really LMAO what the fuck. it was so hype watching it the first time, and it’s still awesome watching it back.

and why is this never really??? brought up again later???? and when he leaves in that datastorm to go prepare to fight playmaker LMAO i know it’s supposed to look cool but the animation is so dorky, i love it.

more on yusaku, though. before playmaker goes to fight revolver, who he’s been gearing towards for awhile now, we get this exchange:

to which playmaker responds with “i don’t hate you. i only hate the knights of hanoi”. which is another really good moment for his early characterization and very, very consistent with his backstory that we find out in about 12 episodes.

everyone who wasn’t involved in the LI in any way just... exists to him. they’re completely neutral. if something happens to them because of him, he feels directly responsible, because he feels like he got them tangled up in a mess that nobody should be in. i mentioned that briefly earlier, but this really drives that point home.

he doesn’t even hate akira for torturing him mere minutes ago. because he’s been through worse. because akira was doing what he thought was right by his sister, no matter how stupid he was being.

and even more so than that, he’s not seeing this as fighting for akira. he feels responsible for blue angel, but also, here’s his chance to fight revolver. it’s a two birds one stone situation here for him.

anyways, i’m gonna stop myself there lol this is really long OOPS. gotta take care of a few things, and then onto the first rev vs playmaker duel!

#vrains #episode 8

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rpchive · 6 years

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117th Encounter-- Talk To Me

pretty straightforward

Daedalus steps into the kitchen and glances around for a second before he heads for a cabinet to sift through. Seated at the table is Jay, who has likely been there for hours. Several large, empty bottles of various fruit juice litter the table around him, some even on the floor. Occasionally, his humanoid form flickers to his light based form, but for the most part, nothing else seems different.

Jay gets krunk, the log

Daedalus arches one eyebrow as he takes a second look in Jay's direction. "Yikes. You're lookin' a bit like Maya right now. Everything alright there, champ?" alienrabitt: I'm fine ... Daedalus: Theeen what is the problem? alienrabitt: ...Where do I even start... Daedalus: Ah hell, hang on.

He snags a package of crackers from the cabinet and then pulls up a chair. He sits down on it sideways and leans on the table, knocking a juice bottle out of the way in the process. "Guess I'm playing therapist again somehow. What's got ya down, starshine?" alienrabitt: I don't need you of all people talking to me...

hey don’t be an ass even if you are drunk

A beat of silence passes, broken by Daedalus making a clicking sound with his tongue. "Alright, 'fuck off', hear you loud and clear. I'll see myself out then."

Without waiting for a response, he pushes himself back up and strides out of the kitchen with a strangely neutral expression. A minute or two later, Fawkes curiously pokes his head through the doorway.

Fawkes: Is... everything alright in here? alienrabitt: ...I just...I don't think I can keep doing this...over and over and over...this is always my fault... Fawkes slowly steps inside and approaches the opposite side of the table. "Now now, that's not true. Sometimes bad things just happen. Why don't you tell me what's troubling you? I've never seen you drink so much..."

He picks up a bottle and glances at the label. "... orange juice before."

you didn’t know him in middle school, lmao

he practically drank entire cartons in a day

alienrabitt: ...Everything builds up. It just keeps happening. He keeps getting hurt; he's blaming himself, but...but it isn't him...what happened wasn't just because of him... Fawkes: I assume you're referring to Collin? You should know by now that he has a tendency to blame himself when things go wrong. It's arguably his worst trait, which... technically isn't the worst "worst" trait to have, but- Sorry, I'm getting sidetracked. Regardless, that casino incident was due to a variety of factors. There's no singular point of blame. alienrabitt: Bandit wouldn't have hurt him if I hadn't done anything...I shouldn't have offered something like that to a devil; what was I thinking...?! ...I...don't even think that I did... Fawkes: You think Tori made that offer? alienrabitt: No. She can do something similar, but...she wouldn't have needed Bandit. Fawkes: ... Is it possible that maybe Bandit influenced you, then? He is a devil after all, so that doesn't seem impossible. alienrabitt: ...No; they kept to themself. I just...I wanted to keep Collin safe, so I did something stupid again... Fawkes: In fairness, it was probably the only thing that would've interested Bandit enough to consider giving up the mirror world. Not that it justifies the rashness of it all, but it was either that, start a fight, or leave empty-handed. I guess in moments like these, all you can do is try to learn from what went wrong and try to do better next time. alienrabitt: ...Everything went wrong. Bandit just kept tearing things apart; setting us up like dominos; that was just a game to them...!!

Slamming his fists upon the table, Jay's form flickers again. This time, however, it looks like Tori is trying to shove her way out of them. Frantically, the pair pulls back together, and Jay collapses onto the table.

"...I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND; I'M SUPPOSED TO BE HELPING HIM...!!"

I very vividly know exactly how that’s supposed to look and sound and that concerns me greatly

Fawkes pauses for a moment and then makes his way around the table to be next to Jay. He kneels down to be closer to eye level with him and puts one hand on the table. "Jay, you have been helping him. You've protected him, been his backup in danger, and a constant in a life that constantly changes. Collin and I have spent a fair amount of time talking to each other, particularly back in the day when it was just the three of us and you were out cold for almost a month. You've been his reason to look forward, and his support when he couldn't keep on alone.

Your job was never to be perfect for him. Perfection is unobtainable, and you'll tear yourself apart trying to reach it. You just need to do your best for him. Yes, you'll stumble, just as we all have, but that doesn't mean that you're flawed. He loves you with all of his heart, and he's just as stubborn as you are when it comes to trying to be the best for each other. As long as you try to be the best that you can be for one another, I know you'll both be fine." Breathing heavily, Jay barely shifts his position as he responds. "...He just keeps getting hurt...he keeps getting hurt...he was hurting for so long...he doesn't deserve it..." Fawkes: No, he doesn't. No one deserves to get hurt. But Jay, you need to remember that despite what's happened in our time here, Collin has never been happier than he is here with you, and me, and everyone else on this ship. In his eyes, protecting this new life is worth whatever dangers we face. And it's our job as his friends to face whatever comes our way with him, wouldn't you agree? alienrabitt: ...It is...I just wish this would stop... Fawkes: Well, that's our decision to make, isn't it? At the very least we could probably use a vacation once this is all said and done. We're probably long overdue for one, if I'm being honest. alienrabitt: ...Yeah...you're right...I'm sorry... Fawkes: There's no need to apologize. It's been a stressful few days, it's only natural to get strung out. Are you going to be alright? I've never seen you drink so much before. alienrabitt: ...Maybe tomorrow...not right now...

Fawkes: Is there anything else I can do for you? Anything you need out of your system? Aside from the copious amounts of fruit juice, of course... alienrabitt: ...No. I'm gonna be alright...thank you... Fawkes: Alright, just let me know if you need anything. I know we haven't talked as much recently, but I'm always available. You know where to find me.

Fawkes pushes himself up and casually picks up the empty bottles from the table. He deposits them in a proper container and then makes his way out, pausing only to give one gentle, reassuring pat on Jay's back. [Meanwhile...]

Demo hears a quiet knock from the other side of her door. Letting out a tired sigh, Demo answers her door. "...What now?" Daedalus returns an almost equally exhausted look her way. "You too, huh?" Demo: What happened with you? Daedalus: Oh, people in bad moods not wanting me around, so almost business as usual. What's got you down? Demo: Jay's getting drunk in the kitchen; I...tried to talk to him, but it didn't go so great... Daedalus: Oh, so it wasn't just me. That's almost a relief. Whatever, maybe someone else can get through his juice binging enough to calm him down, but it sure as hell ain't gonna be us apparently. Demo: He doesn't listen to anybody but--...whatever. I'm sick of him...he does this all the time... Daedalus: You wouldn't think he'd have such a flair for dramatic expressions, but surprises never cease here. Whatever, how're you holding up? Demo: I'm...getting there. I can kinda recognize everybody again; it's just hard lining stuff up... Daedalus: Like, memory wise? Demo: Yeah...but I'll figure it out...it's not that bad... Daedalus: Well, if you have questions I can at least try to answer them. Can't make any promises since there's... a lot I missed, but y'know... Demo: I think it's alright; it's just that things get a little weird for me when it comes to a few people. Jay; Collin; Nydins; and, well, you... Daedalus: No big surprises there, frankly. Anything I can do to help? Demo: I don't know...it's not really like I'm forgetting something, it feels more like I'm not remembering something right... Daedalus: ... I'm starting to feel like you're stringing me around in a circle here, hon. Demo: Ehh, look, it's whatever. Whatever's happening, we don't need any more problems than we already have right now... Daedalus: You're not wrong, but ignoring what we've already got probably- Bah, nevermind, I'm just stressing about nothing now. Just let me know if you need help with something. It's the least I can do for you. Demo: ...I just don't understand how you're out here. Or...me, really... Daedalus: From what I know, you're here by a combination of the IT making some kind of weird ghost of you and a healthy dose of that kleivenn wish magic mumbo jumbo. I'm here because you wanted me to be when you took a swing at Collin with your candy cane thing. Yanked me out of him like the universe's most impressive scarf trick. Demo: Seriously? I wasn't a ghost, though; I...I don't know what I was... Daedalus: I wasn't around for that much either, so don't look at me for that answer. Maybe you were some sort of weird AI thing again for a while? Demo: ...I just feel so...displaced, I guess. Something about all this feels wrong. Daedalus: Believe me, I know the feeling. I think you'll feel more at home once you recover a bit more. Demo: ...Yeah, maybe so. ...What about you? Daedalus: I've... got a lot on my mind, but what else is new? More than anything, I'm just trying to come up with a plan to cram Bandit's entire casino straight up their ass for everything that they pulled on us.

Demo: They deserve it. They deserve a lot worse than that, frankly. I would've kicked their ass myself, but, well...everybody saw how that went.

oh right bandit is a they, my bad

Daedalus: Well, not everybody. I didn't do too well myself, to be fair. I don't think we were really ready for that level of dickbaggery... Demo: I didn't realize my...anubis were gonna drag that along... Daedalus: Guess it pays to try out powers ahead of time, huh? Demo: I haven't really done that before...aside from maybe once. Daedalus: When would that have been? I don't think I've ever seen you do that before. Demo: Something about a wolf, I think...? Daedalus: Wait... Was that when you dragged my ass out of that pseudo-Aperture bullshit not too long ago? Demo: ...Yeah, that! Daedalus: I remember you turning into something, but I was stuffed in your mouth and halfway out of my mind, so it's just a little bit hazy. I guess if you get pissed enough, you... turn into giant sand animals? Demo: I have no idea what I can do half the time. I still don't even know what my powers are outside of whatever my anubis can do and unlocking stuff...

RGBY; but I don’t think we’ve seen GBY yet

not really separate as much as they are very circumstantially exclusive

Daedalus: Sounds like we've both got a bit of work to do then, huh? Shame having superpowers doesn't come with a damn manual or anything. Demo: All three of us, honestly. Clair's still figuring out her stuff too. Daedalus: True. So far she's got "simple healing" and "weird mind trickery". Bit of a weird combination there, frankly... Demo: Her powers are pretty weird. I'm not sure what kind of help she was hoping to provide when she...tried not to die? Daedalus: I'm really not sure either. I asked her about it a while ago, but her exact wording escapes me now. Something about "not wanting to hurt people" or "just wanting to help"? I'd have to ask again, honestly. Demo: With Karumet gone, we're even more in the dark about this kleivenn shit too... Daedalus: No kidding. I'm wondering how much longer until we can pick her back up from... whatever it is she's doing in that world where Lobotomy was. Demo: Who knows? As long as she and Azreldeh don't pop out of the corners anywhere, I don't care where she is. Daedalus: No kidding. I hate how she just "pops in" out of nowhere. Like, can you please just walk around like a normal person for once? Demo: Careful, she might show up if you talk about her too much...

Azreldeh: ...And then I'll hit on you! Daedalus jumps and practically slams against the door frame as he spins around to look for her. "Fucking shit, I'm gonna suck you into a fucking vacuum if you pull that again, you horny poltergeist!"

LMAO, please don’t give her the succ

Azreldeh: Well hey, do unto others, sweetheart~. Daedalus: That doesn't even make sense! And don't call me sweetheart! Shouldn't you be making passes at my twin or something? Azreldeh: I'm more of an equal opportunity kinda gal. Daedalus: Well I'm more of a "guys" kinda guy, and you're no exception. Sorry to break it to ya. Azreldeh: Says the man with two girlfriends... Daedalus: Not my fault the only other guys here are my brother, his boyfriend, and a giant tin can.

BI BI BI

BI BI

Azreldeh: Well, there's plenty of fish in the sea...ehh, though I can't see you falling in love with somethin' like Silky. Daedalus: I prefer people that look a little more like my species than that, yeah.

no shape of water for you, huh?

Azreldeh: Fair enough. But you two oughta know better than to say a demon's name out loud; we can hear you every time you do. ...Though, I guess that kinda counts towards the devil too, so maybe you shouldn't say the name you gave em unless you want their attention... Daedalus: ... Y'know, that probably would've been good to know a while ago. Azreldeh: At least you weren't running a tactics meeting? Daedalus: I guess, but I'm gonna have to pass that little tidbit along before they hear something they really shouldn't. Azreldeh: I think the real thing you should watch out for is Collin, frankly. He's basically like a constantly active walkie talkie. Daedalus: ... Why? Azreldeh: Because the devil's interested in their investments. Daedalus: The hell is that supposed to mean? Azreldeh: It means that the devil you've provoked wants to know when Jay's ready to try again as soon as he can. And they probably want to know if you're trying to stop them too... Daedalus: ... You seem pretty fucking casual about this, don't you think? Azreldeh: Well, Collin hasn't exactly been moving around a lot recently, but...I think he's arguably in a worse position now than before anyone tried helping. Devils don't need magic from their hosts, or even permission. They're so strong that they don't even need to physically be with their hosts...that means they can't be hurt from our end, though. Basically, what I'm saying is, Collin's uhh...well, maybe don't clue him in on any of this stuff. He's not in any danger; I mean, if the devil wants to know about Jay, they can't hurt Collin, but once they have Jay...well, I can't really say they'll let Collin go...

Demo: So what, they're just gonna toss him like a used napkin?

Azreldeh: Well, no; by that point he'll have either brought Jay himself, or he'll still be powerless. If that's the case, he won't be able to fight off a devil; so they'll probably try to use him as leverage...or worse, if they don't get their way. Either way, I don't think Casino's gonna be making any moves until Collin or Jay are in a position where they can take advantage. To them, this whole thing's just a game, and they won't play a losing game. Daedalus: ... In. Fucking. Credible. Azreldeh: I just wish you guys had asked me about this stuff before you started, uhh...drawing with chalk and hitting bottles. At least now some of you know what we're in for... Daedalus: Maybe be a little more proactive next time if you actually know something and tell us before we dig this hole any fucking deeper than it already is. Azreldeh: I couldn't say anything around Collin! Not without letting the devil find out... Daedalus: You can talk into peoples' fucking minds! You didn't have to wait for shit! Azreldeh starts to protest, but quietly degrades into a frustrated nod. Taking a moment to reflect on things, she lets out a sigh before shaking her head. "...All we can do now is pass along what we know to whoever can hear it. Let's just hope Collin doesn't try to form Seras any time soon either..." Daedalus: I sure fucking hope he's not that goddamn stupid, but who fucking knows at this point? Azreldeh: Are you okay...? I mean, clearly you're upset, but... Daedalus: Oh gee, what fucking tipped you off? Was it the uncontrollable swearing, or the fact that I'm about a hair's width away from incinerating this entire fucking vending machine and every stupid motherf-

A roar of flame bursts behind Daedalus as Voltarus forms abruptly. He clamps one large, armored hand over the lower half of Daedalus' face and hoists him up in the air with the other arm.

Voltarus: You'll have to excuse us. The recent stress and current situation, along with his... condition, require direct intervention. Farewell for now.

The god turns and marches down the hall as Daedalus kicks out streaks of flame as he tries to break free from Voltarus' grip unsuccessfully. The door to the training room swings open in front of them, allowing Voltarus to calmly stride inside, then just as quickly swings back shut and locks. Azreldeh: ...This is so not looking good...

man it’s weird seeing this as like...flashbacks...

anyway I guess we’re kicking Bandit’s ass soon-ish? I can’t remember how many logs this ass has

#[S4]

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