#light shadow and reflection class 6 important questions

[rashmislearningplanet]

Light, Shadows and Reflection | Class 6 : SCIENCE | CBSE / NCERT | Light, Shadows and Reflection

[wedreamedlove]

(Price of) Freedom [Bai Qi Character Study]

JP finished their run of Bai Qi's Mystery Wings event and after reading everything I haven't been the same— LOL much like how I was after his Spring Festival Date, so now I'm subjecting you all to a rambly think piece.

Disclaimer: I use CN and JP quotes, so they'll differ from the ENG version. Spoilers up to Chapter 19 + unreleased ENG cards.

FREEDOM, WHAT IS IT?

I don't think it's a secret now that Bai Qi had a harsh childhood. But, for the sake of my think piece and to refresh everyone's memories, I'll go through it again.

[Rumors and Secrets: Little Guardian] His dad rarely came home, especially after it was confirmed that Bai Qi didn't have any Evol powers. Heck, Bai Qi even heard his parents arguing through a door and saw instances of his mom crying because of his dad.

[Seize SSR: Sad Thoughts Call] Bai Qi reveals that his dad was extremely strict on him and his mom would cry silently in the back for him. The one time his dad smiled Bai Qi felt chills down his spine for the rest of the day.

[Campus Date] Bai Qi thinks about how his dad, and others, would probably be happy to see him die and so, out of sheer spite, he rejects that and decides to live for himself (and MC because she woke his Evol) and not for the recognition of others or the world.

[Main Story 12-18] Bai Qi's mom died in a fire, which is why he's traumatized, and this was another point for his dad to hammer in his uselessness. But Bai Qi re-affirms here that his existence itself is not a point of shame.

[Main Story 15-24] In order to protect MC, Bai Qi makes a deal with the devil (aka. his dad) and his dad says that undergoing the NW Plan has always been Bai Qi's fate, along with his younger brother. In [Rumors and Secrets: Little Guardian] Bai Qi's mother tries to justify to Bai Qi that his dad bears the burden of protecting the country, but you don't sacrifice your family like that and make weapons out of them... lol.

Okay, knowing Bai Qi's past now, I'm going to bring up my header question. Freedom, what is it and how does it relate to Bai Qi? In this case, I think a lot of what Bai Qi is trying to escape is the confinement of his father. "His joining of the special forces symbolizes the difference of his justice compared to his father" [CN Profile].

It's not a coincidence that Bai Qi gets these symbols:

WIND: Classic symbol of something that is utterly free and cannot be controlled. Bai Qi literally controls the wind.

SKY: He's always flying around in the sky. He's not using his power on the ground. He also has a lot of scenes where he's looking up at the sky and contemplating freedom.

WOLF: Putting aside the propaganda about them being monsters that hunt livestock, they're seen as symbols of freedom, instinct, and the wild world. Bai Qi is often described as a wolf [CN Profile + Main Story 19-6].

To further support this, there were two distinct Mystery Wings event entries that referred to the sky too, one with yearning and the other with melancholy:

AMBER

The amber was illuminated by the sun and the sight of its transparent waves concealed a gentleness in their coolness.

She suddenly thought this amber was exactly like those eyes.

It was something that happened in late autumn.

She was walking in the hallway in front of the upper grades’ classes when her eyes unconsciously stopped on a certain classroom.

Shabby curtains blew in the breeze and, amongst them, there was a young man standing by the window and staring at the sky.

His features weren’t sharp, but a glimpse of an indifference and air which prevented people from getting close to him could be seen.

Light and shadow shone in both eyes. Those pure and clear eyes reflected the sunlight and it was as if they were luring travelers to that deep sea at the last stop of oblivion.

Those eyes glimmered far more than this amber.

BAI QI'S PIERCING

The face of the young man in the mirror was indifferent and there was a bruise beside his mouth. His hair, damp from the rain, stuck to his forehead. A dark shadow fell over those amber-like eyes.

He didn't find it painful the first time he put on earrings.

Instead, he felt exhilarated like whenever he raised his fists.

Bai Qi wiped at the blood around the edge of his piercing with his hand. The blood mixed with the crimson color on the back of his hand until a distinction couldn’t be made.

Rain, which fell increasingly harder, pounded at the window as if it were giving praise to a meaningless hero.

He quietly leaned against a wall and looked up at the dark sky.

Just how long would this rain continue for?

I posit that that Bai Qi and freedom are intrinsically linked. It's something he needs and is the bedrock of his character, much like his unwavering sense of justice. Does he get it? Yes! Like I mentioned above, he joined the special forces to separate from his dad.

But also, and what's most important, is that he finds freedom in making MC his home, his flag, and his convictions. If you don't have a place to call home then you're not roaming the world in freedom, you're just lost in the world.

I also like how this can be linked back to his wolf symbolism, because wolves are pack animals. Yes, the lone wolf imagery is romantic but lone wolves travel to find a place to belong because they tend to die when they're alone. "The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack."

In addition to being symbols of freedom, they're also charismatic symbols and social symbols. I feel like this also gets reflected by how inspiring Bai Qi is just from having an unwavering sense of justice. Han Ye and Gu Zheng's presence, and their respect for Bai Qi, reflect his charisma.

Admittedly, it's ironic that I love Bai Qi so much when one of my favorite poems, "For women who are 'difficult' to love" by Warsan Shire, has a line that goes "You can't make homes out of human beings". I'd understand if people who strongly agree with this sentiment don't find Bai Qi an interesting character, and that's a-okay!

But, and I can't stress this enough, we shouldn't deprive or devalue others of their life's choices if it's not actively harming others.

FREEDOM IS HER

For Bai Qi, MC represents his freedom because, without her, he wouldn't have a home to come back to and he'd be lost out in the world. Important things need to be reiterated.

[Endless Abyss SSR Beside You Call] Bai Qi returned from a mission but, instead of sleeping, the first thing he wants to do is go and pick up MC to send her to work.

[Brilliant Date] Bai Qi returns from a mission and, again, goes to see her immediately without returning home first because he made a promise.

[Loneliness SR Wind and Care Call] Bai Qi literally says "Because I have a place for my heart, I can fly anywhere."

Meanwhile, in one of the Mystery Wings event entries:

BAI QI'S BRACELET

Before Bai Qi went on a mission, he entrusted his own bracelet to her. She gripped his bracelet and prayed for his safety with a smile.

He looked at her and repeated the same words once, and then once more.

“Don’t worry. I’ll come back right away.”

Finishing his mission, he noticed he received calls and messages on his phone.

The city at dawn was still somewhat lonely.

He went to reply to the messages but, unlike before, he couldn’t find the words to say.

A night wind blew. Urged by that wind, he came to the window of her room as if possessed by something.

Illuminated by the faint moonlight, he could clearly see something shining in the corner of her eyes. Her brows were furrowed like she was having a nightmare.

His bracelet was firmly gripped in her hand.

Bai Qi recalled that fragile call history and messages and went to stand beside her. Then he gently wiped away the tears at her eyes with his hand.

“I’m sorry… I’m back.”

Look, I can't make it clearer that he goes to her because she's metaphorically his home. I'm also not going to repeat it here but if you look at my post about Bai Qi being in love, you'll see how much he focuses on MC in general because his being is attuned to her.

In a sense, Bai Qi is an extension of MC and it also supports how their sense of justice mirrors each other. Upholding good is engraved in their characters.

P-please, don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean he has no personality and has just built everything around her. He has hobbies on his own like basketball, tinkering with gadgets, growing succulents, treating injured animals, riding his motorbike, and astronomy.

Okay, the rest of this section is just going to be me gushing about the Mystery Wings event and the [Brilliant Date] that accompanies it because there was so much going on. First, let's tackle the date:

Ribbing about Bai Qi's naming sense and the play on words was lost in ENG. In CN the dove is called "Little White" which can be read "Little Bai", as in a small Bai Qi, because his name in CN has the character for white. This makes "Pearly" a literal symbol for Bai Qi, and they set the dove completely free at the end.

There's an exchange in this date where ENG goes "Does it mean I get your place?" and "I get your place. Now I give one back to you" but an interesting and cute thing here is that, in CN, the word he's using isn't as simple as just "giving". Bai Qi is specifically using a military word here that means "to occupy, intrude, or seize". He's such a nerd and it reflects his background LOL.

More on the above, because this uncommon verb is so interesting. It carries an aggressive connotation because it's implying military intrusion. The other person gives up all rights to their territory when you're occupying it. But Bai Qi gives the same rights to her for his room.

Freedom discussion and metaphors everywhere in this date, but when MC was talking about how all she needs is the wind and the sun (her monologue reveals that Bai Qi provides the wind and his presence beside her is her light) to feel freedom, Bai Qi never removes his eyes from her. He doesn't express his agreement or disagreement about what he thinks freedom is... he shows it with his actions of focusing his complete attention on her. She's his freedom!

Leaving the date now, I want to point out [Light Bath SSR: Tenderness Call] and how Bai Qi thinks he only shows his gentleness towards select people, for example his mother and MC. This is another mark of how he doesn't let anyone get close to him except for MC because he is her extension.

On that note, there is a reason I keep saying Bai Qi is MC's extension, but not that MC is his extension as well and that it's a two-way link. The reason I say this is, because, Bai Qi continues to need that freedom (MC) and yearns for that freedom (MC).

Below are four entries from the Mystery Wings event that showcase this longing for MC that Bai Qi experienced through high school, when his want for freedom was at its highest:

THE SECOND BUTTON

Life in high school came with romantic but illogical rumors. For example, things like if you confessed on the 7th step of the stairway in the corner of the 3rd floor then it’ll succeed, or if you carved your name and another person’s name on the 6th tree in the courtyard at the back then your misunderstandings will be resolved, of if a guy gave the girl he liked the second button of his uniform on graduation day then the two of them will end up happy together.

Generally, the guys acted as if they didn’t believe in these rumors, but they secretly held expectations inside their hearts.

But Bai Qi marked these all off as being stupid.

One day at lunch, a conversation between girls entered his ears.

“The rumors about the second button are romantic, aren’t they? Whoever gets one is sure to be happy~!”

There was a familiar voice mixed in amongst them. He glanced over abruptly and her face, full of yearning, leapt into his eyes.

“… Graduation, huh.”

He raised his head in thought. He suddenly couldn’t wait for graduation.

However, he didn’t give her the second button he tore off.

That button, together with a brisk air, was stored carefully inside a case.

PINK BANDAID

Bai Qi sat in the corner of the classroom. His lacked the spirit it had shown when he had been in the library.

He mussed his hair like he was at a complete loss and recalled how he had met her at the entrance of the library just now. Her startled and anxious expression floated into his mind.

“… Did I scare her again?”

After a while, Minor came bursting in.

"Bai Qi, Bai Qi!!!”

He waved the pink bandaid he was holding as if he was excited.

“This… Put this on!”

Bai Qi didn’t respond at all.

“She gave it!!”

Bai Qi startled when he heard those words and stared at the bandaid Minor was holding in a daze. The wound at his mouth stung. His fingers also prickled a little.

He carefully took that bandaid, treating it as if it was his world’s most precious treasure…

Later on, this pink bandaid was always taped on his heart and, every time he stepped into the swamp-like darkness of the night, it gave off a faint warmth.

GINGKO CHARM

After he learned about her identity, he went out personally to buy protection for her.

He desperately thought of a way to protect her.

Suddenly, when he saw a ginkgo leaf fall in front of him, a certain memory came back to his mind. The memory of that time when the wind blew and he was guided by the melody she played…

It was possible that, from that time on, they were bound tightly by a thread neither of them could see.

He decided to make her a ginkgo bracelet and made an effort to produce it day after day.

The small gold gingko leave brought trouble to him. The first three he made were all scratched and were a loss. On the fourth, he was finally able to make a perfect bracelet.

The sun had long hidden itself and the moon had appeared. Looking at the bracelet which shone faintly underneath the moonlight, he gave a satisfied smile.

He was sure she would like it.

PAST SCHOOL NEWSPAPER

There weren’t a lot of people who would seriously read something like the school newspaper. Notes were written on the underside of the paper’s surface, which wrote exaggeratedly about the awards of clubs and events within the school, and its fate was to be tossed into the garbage after being scribbled on all over.

Bai Qi also didn’t have much interest in the school newspaper.

On the rooftop, Minor bit into his bread and muttered as he stared at the school newspaper he happened to receive earlier.

“Honors student, huh… Bai Qi, you know, I also have good morals, I’m fit, my personality’s good, and my grades aren’t that bad. Maybe I can be the second honors student…”

Bai Qi didn’t respond and glanced over at the picture on the paper.

There, she was bashfully receiving an award on a stage with a happy smile.

“Honors student”… He digested those words in his heart and then stood up and headed towards the door.

“Bai Qi! Bai Qi! Are you going to a fight!? Please take me with you!”

“Class.”

“… Huh?”

I placed this newspaper one last because it also appeared last in the JP event and KOed me, but also reminded me of his [Love of My Life SSR] and how the CN version does not use plain "love" in the card's quote, and I go into more detail about this in my Bai Qi in Love post.

But, basically, the CN version uses a word that means "attachment or longing". It's a subtle difference because, yes, she is the love of his life but also his longing, desire, and aspiration. She keeps him in this world and is something he feels like he needs to strive towards.

I'm just going to bring up his 2019 birthday card, which ENG will be releasing this year, because there's this line that goes:

[CN Tide of Light SSR Chasing Dreams Date] "That year, I did want to give you that letter personally. But I gave myself a way out and left it up to luck. I knew that, at the time, I was still lacking a lot and so I decided that I had to meet you again with my best self."

THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

So, putting aside how one price is Bai Qi feeling like he needs to better himself, the other is that Papergames refuses to give us an easy happiness with this game and, as I mentioned in my Chinese archetype post, Bai Qi is a shoo-in for the Tragic Hero character.

The price exacted for trying to have this freedom is precisely that of his freedom. Unlike the other characters, he has a simple throughline because he literally doesn't care for anything but MC and his justice. Put in other words, he doesn't have anything to lose except MC and his sense of self.

And this is exactly what we see happen in the story:

[Chapter 12] was about losing MC and realizing that, despite all his intentions, perhaps HE is the one who will harm her and cannot protect her.

[Chapter 15] was about losing his sense of self, with another dose of fear of losing MC. Everything he thought he stood up for was a lie.

I might have mentioned elsewhere that it's tragic how he's constantly thrown into situations that try to break his principles. But, now that I'm thinking on this more, I think... he's actually giving up his principles of justice for the MC. Even more tragic is that he's also metaphorically letting his wings get clipped and losing his freedom to preserve MC's safety.

UGH, it's why his character is so tragic and why the end of [Main Story 15-24] was like an enormous blade being dropped on me when there was that descriptive line about how MC had never realized that the sight of someone being unable to stand upright could be so sorrowful.

Maybe I should have said that the price of preserving Bai Qi's home (MC) is his freedom and sense of justice being eroded.

Anyway, oops, I started this off to celebrate how amazingly gorgeous this event and date was and how much it developed Bai Qi's character. But then I just had to tie it back into all the angst LOL.

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale’s Top 10: Favorite Rivals

For this list, I will be picking my favorite Rival Character’s in Media. Video games, anime, manga, comics, etc.

Now the question is, What makes a character a rival?

For this list I will be making clarifications:

1. If one of the goals of one of the characters is to surpass another character, battle multiple times, state that this person is their rival, and/or have the same objective as a character but puts them in conflict.

2. Moral alignment doesn't mean anything. They can be friendly rivals or even hero/villain rivals as long as their main objective is to best their opponent.

3. Bonus points if the rival is equal in strength and find themselves on opposite sides.

4.There are differences between Archenemies and rivals. So likely Super villains, Like The Joker (who do exist to defeat batman, are more like nemesis rather then rivals).

5. One per franchise

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10. Dark Pit/ Pittwo ( Kid Icarus Uprising)

Dark Reflections are often seen as cliché when it comes to rivals, but I have a soft spot for this dark copy.

Dark Pit is a copy made by Pandora to be Pit’s equal and defeat him for the sake of the underworld. But the process of making him resulted in his obedience being... shattered.

Dark pit doesn't side with the underworld or Skyworld. He does his own thing and wants to be his own person. Even achieving unlimited flight for a brief period, making him superior to Pit.

Equal in strength, speed, power, and abilities. Dark pit is a pinnacle of dark copies. But he is even seen being more observant and smarter then Pit. Since he is more self reliant, he is shown to see things more objectively.

His connection to Pit is revealed that if Pit falls, He will fall as well. So it makes for an interesting dynamic that Dark pit wants to prove his superiority yet still bound to Pit. Which leads to an interesting dynamic.

(also if you have not played Kid Icarus Uprising, for the love of Palutena DO IT!)

9. Metal Sonic (Sonic the hedgehog)

Oh I can see the anger from the Shadow Fans. ‘Why did I pick Metal Sonic?’ ‘Why not Shadow?’ ‘Shadow and Sonic have more of a rivalry?’

Here is my response. Metal Sonic is Sonic’s greatest rival and vice versa.

Created by egg man to be Sonic’s equal, to learn and grow with each fight. Metal sonic always pushes Sonic to his limit.

There are even cases where Metal Sonic has Surpassed Sonic going so far as to have sonic need the help of others to best him.

His goal of defeating Sonic goes beyond programing. He will even find a way to break free of Eggman’s control just to achieve his goal of besting sonic.

Whether its the Comics, the games, movies. Metal Sonic is seen as Sonic’s most dangerous rival.

And proof? He is a character in the game Sonic Rivals! So that shows he is a rival of sonic.

Not to insult shadow, but the OG shadow wasn't focused on fighting sonic, he had his own goals and sonic just happened to be involved. While later renditions have him more of a vegeta knock off to sonic. I find these interpretations lame.

I also considered Scourge, but that would give acknowledgement to ken Penders and honestly I aint gonna do that.

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8. Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto/Naruto Shippuden)

Yes, cue the cliche gasps. Despite how obvious he was that he is on the list, it makes sense why he is here. His and Naruto’s dynamic is iconic. Best friends, rivals, enemies, brothers in arms.

The two went down two different paths, striving to surpass the other to achieve their dreams.

The main reason I put him on here is simple.

I could write several essays about why Sasuke is on this list, but that would be boring. You all know why he is here.

He is an iconic rival and that is a fact

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7. Kim Ban Phuong (Sun-Ken Rock)

Now I know what you are thinking. Who the f*** is this guy? Time for gale’s obscure pick.

And that is understandable, since this is a manga that wasn't made into an anime (despite DESERVING TO BE ONE) (though to be fair, it is MEGA DARK, a lot of messed up themes in this. Really nails how corrupt people can be)

A man that became a monster for the sake of surpassing Kitano Ken (the main character of the manga)

A man that was one of the only two people to have ever beaten the main character in a fight (and the only one to do so when the main character was trying to be a boss)

Formed an assassin guild to destroy Ken’s gang. 

The tragic backstory of this character is enough to give the reader the understanding on how he is Ken’s shadow. Why he is fighting against Ken so hard. All the way to the tragic end he faced. Something which I dare not spoil here.

The fight between him and Ken is nothing short of breath taking and this is written by the guy that did the Dr.Stone Manga.

Seriously, while the fan service can be grotesque at times, the plot of the story about Korean gangs, race relations and asian history are something to behold. The fact that its so underrated is a travesty. (but skip the idol arc, it does capture how messed up the entertainment industry can be.)

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6. Ryoga hibiki

The undisputed king of getting lost. The man of many misfortunes. The half piglet half man. Ryoga.

For those who have seen Ranma 1/2, What you see here is top tier best boy in the series.

If you go strictly by the anime, you would believe that he is a better match for akane (or Ranma depending on what side of the fandom you are on)

Ryoga puts Ranma as the focus of all the misfortune he has faced, he is mostly self taught and is acknowledged by Ranma as his only true rival.

When it comes down to it they are constantly on a seesaw on who is stronger. Despite all of the hardships, Ryoga does see Ranma in a friendlier light as the series goes on, even considering him a friend. They actually have helped each other on occasions, The manga showing times where Ranma tried to help Ryoga with his date with another girl. Or Ryoga putting his feelings for Akane aside to stop Brainwashed Ranma from marrying shampoo.

The back and forth between the two and the unspoken connection of having a jusenkyo curse has really made the two have a strong bond.

Ryoga deserves a spot on this list because of his strong character.

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5. Henry Cooldown (No more Heroes)

For those of you unfamiliar with the series of No More Heroes, Henry is the Scottish Half-brother of the main protagonist. Cool, confident, a kick ass accent, and a masterclass assassin. He is the final boss of the first No More Heroes.

The rivalry between the two really takes head when the main character, Travis, finds out that this cool customer that stole his kill and saved his life was his half brother and wants to settle it in a duel to the death. Henry was a rival that was always one step ahead of Travis. Travis wants to bang Silvia, (the woman that set up the assassin ranking system) She was Henry’s Ex-wife. Travis wanted to be the number one assassin, Henry was the original number one. Travis has a beam Katana, Henry has one that looks even cooler.

In terms of the cool rival/ brother rival archetype, Henry Cooldown is the best fit, and he even helps travis out again in the sequel.

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4. Paul (Pokemon Diamond and Pearl)

For those of you that have seen the anime, You understand EXACTLY why Paul is on this list.

In Ash’s journey through Sinnoh, there was a Pokemon trainer that always seemed to one up Ash, no it wasn't Gary Oak, it was Paul.

But what made Paul so different? Why not pick Gary?

Paul was Ash’s antithesis.

Ash loved his Pokemon and battled with instinct and trust.

Paul evaluated his pokemon’s potential, he released any that failed to meet his standards. He was focused on attaining power and would use any means necessary to attain it.

He saw how his older brother failed, and refused to give up like his brother did. Paul wanted to prove himself better.

Ash saw Paul as a strong trainer but HATED the way he treated his own Pokemon. Ash even ended up asking Paul’s Chimchar to join his team after Paul abandoned it, which allows for a more dynamic clash in their beliefs.

Battle after battle, Paul kept proving better then ash, until the Sinnoh League tournament. Where they faced off in the quarter finals.

(Which is personally my favorite anime Pokemon battle of all time)

Ash gets to show Paul the importance of Loving and respecting one’s Pokemon. And that is pretty beautiful.

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3.Shego

Shall we talk about my favorite character in Kim possible? About time we had a lovely Lady rival on here.

Yes, we shall.

The former Super powered Hero turned Villain, the Number two of Dr. Drakken.

Shego is a self interested individual that loves to pamper herself and to do bad.

Whenever she is involved, it is guaranteed that she and Kim are going to be fighting.

The fights are always intense and always show the capabilities of both fighters. In a way Shego is a dark reflection of Kim.

Capable, sassy, fashionable, and a total threat to anyone that gets in her way.

Not to mention, (I TOTALLY WAS CRUSHING ON HER AS A KID)

Shego’s only reason for not being the most evil villain out there is simply because she couldn't care less about actually ruling the world, Not that she wouldn't do it if she had the opportunity (a stitch in time showed she totally would) She is just more relaxed, even willing to help Kim.

There is even an episode where Shego turned good and she and Kim got along legendarily.

When it comes to rivals, Shego’s got sass, class and can whoop ass.

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2. Seto Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Don't act like you don't love this arrogant douche.

Seto Kaiba is one of the most iconic characters in Yu-gi-oh.

This Blue eyes dragon fetishist is the head of his own company and wants to prove that he is the greatest duelest in the world.

His obsession with besting the Pharaoh (Atem / Yami Yugi) is documented and the lengths he is willing to go.

He advanced the technology of the world so far just so he could find the long dead pharaoh who went back to his time/ spirit world and he nearly did it.

He even found a way to counter magic using technology.

Though despite his ego that could rival MOUNTAINS in size, Kaiba does care about his little brother mokuba, willingly sacrificing himself just to protect him. Even willing to put his life on the line to save him.

When it comes to showmanship, Seto Kaiba is number one, and likely the inspiration for EVERY BADASS ANIME OUTFIT TO EXIST

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1. Vegeta (Dragon ball Z and Dragon Ball Super)

When one thinks the word Rival, one man pops into my head. Bar none, the Prince of all Saiyans. Vegeta.

The prince of all Tsundere’s, the walking Napoleon complex. The genocidal warrior to defender of earth and father of two.

Vegeta’s goal was to be Number one, and Kakarot/ Goku is the one that stands in his way.

After Frieza’s defeat, Vegeta’s goal was to surpass Goku, to prove he is number one.

His actions and antics could hardly be considered good, not until the end of the Buu saga would he even be considered a good person.

But the reason why vegeta is number one is because of what happened during Super.

Vegeta has gained a LOT of character development during the sequel series. Especially in the super Manga.

Vegeta shows that he has grown to care about the planet that he has lived on, even feeling guilty of his actions back in the Namek saga, doing his best to make things right.

He still wants to beat Goku, but he has more reasons to fight then simply his pride.

Vegeta is arguably the most developed rival on this list.

There are other iconic rivals that could have hit number one, but Vegeta is the text book definition of Rival.

Thats why the Prince of all Saiyans is finally number one

[araitsume]

The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 188-200: Chapter (19) Jew and Gentile

This chapter is based on Acts 15:1-35.

On reaching Antioch in Syria, from which place they had been sent forth on their mission, Paul and Barnabas took advantage of an early opportunity to assemble the believers and rehearse “all that God had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” Acts 14:27. The church at Antioch was a large and growing one. A center of missionary activity, it was one of the most important of the groups of Christian believers. Its membership was made up of many classes of people from among both Jews and Gentiles.

While the apostles united with the ministers and lay members at Antioch in an earnest effort to win many souls to Christ, certain Jewish believers from Judea “of the sect of the Pharisees” succeeded in introducing a question that soon led to wide-spread controversy in the church and brought consternation to the believing Gentiles. With great assurance these Judaizing teachers asserted that in order to be saved, one must be circumcised and must keep the entire ceremonial law.

Paul and Barnabas met this false doctrine with promptness and opposed the introduction of the subject to the Gentiles. On the other hand, many of the believing Jews of Antioch favored the position of the brethren recently come from Judea.

The Jewish converts generally were not inclined to move as rapidly as the providence of God opened the way. From the result of the apostles’ labors among the Gentiles it was evident that the converts among the latter people would far exceed the Jewish converts in number. The Jews feared that if the restrictions and ceremonies of their law were not made obligatory upon the Gentiles as a condition of church fellowship, the national peculiarities of the Jews, which had hitherto kept them distinct from all other people, would finally disappear from among those who received the gospel message.

The Jews had always prided themselves upon their divinely appointed services, and many of those who had been converted to the faith of Christ still felt that since God had once clearly outlined the Hebrew manner of worship, it was improbable that He would ever authorize a change in any of its specifications. They insisted that the Jewish laws and ceremonies should be incorporated into the rites of the Christian religion. They were slow to discern that all the sacrificial offerings had but prefigured the death of the Son of God, in which type met antitype, and after which the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic dispensation were no longer binding.

Before his conversion Paul had regarded himself as blameless “touching the righteousness which is in the law.” Philippians 3:6. But since his change of heart he had gained a clear conception of the mission of the Saviour as the Redeemer of the entire race, Gentile as well as Jew, and had learned the difference between a living faith and a dead formalism. In the light of the gospel the ancient rites and ceremonies committed to Israel had gained a new and deeper significance. That which they shadowed forth had come to pass, and those who were living under the gospel dispensation had been freed from their observance. God's unchangeable law of Ten Commandments, however, Paul still kept in spirit as well as in letter.

In the church at Antioch the consideration of the question of circumcision resulted in much discussion and contention. Finally, the members of the church, fearing that a division among them would be the outcome of continued discussion, decided to send Paul and Barnabas, with some responsible men from the church, to Jerusalem to lay the matter before the apostles and elders. There they were to meet delegates from the different churches and those who had come to Jerusalem to attend the approaching festivals. Meanwhile all controversy was to cease until a final decision should be given in general council. This decision was then to be universally accepted by the different churches throughout the country.

On the way to Jerusalem the apostles visited the believers in the cities through which they passed, and encouraged them by relating their experience in the work of God and the conversion of the Gentiles.

At Jerusalem the delegates from Antioch met the brethren of the various churches, who had gathered for a general meeting, and to them they related the success that had attended their ministry among the Gentiles. They then gave a clear outline of the confusion that had resulted because certain converted Pharisees had gone to Antioch declaring that, in order to be saved, the Gentile converts must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses.

This question was warmly discussed in the assembly. Intimately connected with the question of circumcision were several others demanding careful study. One was the problem as to what attitude should be taken toward the use of meats offered to idols. Many of the Gentile converts were living among ignorant and superstitious people who made frequent sacrifices and offerings to idols. The priests of this heathen worship carried on an extensive merchandise with the offerings brought to them, and the Jews feared that the Gentile converts would bring Christianity into disrepute by purchasing that which had been offered to idols, thereby sanctioning, in some measure, idolatrous customs.

Again, the Gentiles were accustomed to eat the flesh of animals that had been strangled, while the Jews had been divinely instructed that when beasts were killed for food, particular care was to be taken that the blood should flow from the body; otherwise the meat would not be regarded as wholesome. God had given these injunctions to the Jews for the purpose of preserving their health. The Jews regarded it as sinful to use blood as an article of diet. They held that the blood was the life, and that the shedding of blood was in consequence of sin.

The Gentiles, on the contrary, practiced catching the blood that flowed from the sacrificial victim and using it in the preparation of food. The Jews could not believe that they ought to change the customs they had adopted under the special direction of God. Therefore, as things then stood, if Jew and Gentile should attempt to eat at the same table, the former would be shocked and outraged by the latter.

The Gentiles, and especially the Greeks, were extremely licentious, and there was danger that some, unconverted in heart, would make a profession of faith without renouncing their evil practices. The Jewish Christians could not tolerate the immorality that was not even regarded as criminal by the heathen. The Jews therefore held it as highly proper that circumcision and the observance of the ceremonial law should be enjoined on the Gentile converts as a test of their sincerity and devotion. This, they believed, would prevent the addition to the church of those who, adopting the faith without true conversion of heart, might afterward bring reproach upon the cause by immorality and excess.

The various points involved in the settlement of the main question at issue seemed to present before the council insurmountable difficulties. But the Holy Spirit had, in reality, already settled this question, upon the decision of which seemed to depend the prosperity, if not the very existence, of the Christian church.

“When there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.” He reasoned that the Holy Spirit had decided the matter under dispute by descending with equal power upon the uncircumcised Gentiles and the circumcised Jews. He recounted his vision, in which God had presented before him a sheet filled with all manner of four-footed beasts and had bidden him kill and eat. When he refused, affirming that he had never eaten that which was common or unclean, the answer had been, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” Acts 10:15.

Peter related the plain interpretation of these words, which was given him almost immediately in his summons to go to the centurion and instruct him in the faith of Christ. This message showed that God was no respecter of persons, but accepted and acknowledged all who feared Him. Peter told of his astonishment when, in speaking the words of truth to those assembled at the home of Cornelius, he witnessed the Holy Spirit taking possession of his hearers, Gentiles as well as Jews. The same light and glory that was reflected upon the circumcised Jews shone also upon the faces of the uncircumcised Gentiles. This was God's warning that Peter was not to regard one as inferior to the other, for the blood of Christ could cleanse from all uncleanness.

Once before, Peter had reasoned with his brethren concerning the conversion of Cornelius and his friends, and his fellowship with them. As he on that occasion related how the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles he declared, “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?” Acts 11:17. Now, with equal fervor and force, he said: “God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” This yoke was not the law of Ten Commandments, as some who oppose the binding claims of the law assert; Peter here referred to the law of ceremonies, which was made null and void by the crucifixion of Christ.

Peter's address brought the assembly to a point where they could listen with patience to Paul and Barnabas, who related their experience in working for the Gentiles. “All the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.”

James also bore his testimony with decision, declaring that it was God's purpose to bestow upon the Gentiles the same privileges and blessings that had been granted to the Jews.

The Holy Spirit saw good not to impose the ceremonial law on the Gentile converts, and the mind of the apostles regarding this matter was as the mind of the Spirit of God. James presided at the council, and his final decision was, “Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God.”

This ended the discussion. In this instance we have a refutation of the doctrine held by the Roman Catholic Church that Peter was the head of the church. Those who, as popes, have claimed to be his successors, have no Scriptural foundation for their pretensions. Nothing in the life of Peter gives sanction to the claim that he was elevated above his brethren as the vicegerent of the Most High. If those who are declared to be the successors of Peter had followed his example, they would always have been content to remain on an equality with their brethren.

In this instance James seems to have been chosen as the one to announce the decision arrived at by the council. It was his sentence that the ceremonial law, and especially the ordinance of circumcision, should not be urged upon the Gentiles, or even recommended to them. James sought to impress the minds of his brethren with the fact that, in turning to God, the Gentiles had made a great change in their lives and that much caution should be used not to trouble them with perplexing and doubtful questions of minor importance, lest they be discouraged in following Christ.

The Gentile converts, however, were to give up the customs that were inconsistent with the principles of Christianity. The apostles and elders therefore agreed to instruct the Gentiles by letter to abstain from meats offered to idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood. They were to be urged to keep the commandments and to lead holy lives. They were also to be assured that the men who had declared circumcision to be binding were not authorized to do so by the apostles.

Paul and Barnabas were recommended to them as men who had hazarded their lives for the Lord. Judas and Silas were sent with these apostles to declare to the Gentiles by word of mouth the decision of the council: “It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well.” The four servants of God were sent to Antioch with the epistle and message that was to put an end to all controversy; for it was the voice of the highest authority upon the earth.

The council which decided this case was composed of apostles and teachers who had been prominent in raising up the Jewish and Gentile Christian churches, with chosen delegates from various places. Elders from Jerusalem and deputies from Antioch were present, and the most influential churches were represented. The council moved in accordance with the dictates of enlightened judgment, and with the dignity of a church established by the divine will. As a result of their deliberations they all saw that God Himself had answered the question at issue by bestowing upon the Gentiles the Holy Ghost; and they realized that it was their part to follow the guidance of the Spirit.

The entire body of Christians was not called to vote upon the question. The “apostles and elders,” men of influence and judgment, framed and issued the decree, which was thereupon generally accepted by the Christian churches. Not all, however, were pleased with the decision; there was a faction of ambitious and self-confident brethren who disagreed with it. These men assumed to engage in the work on their own responsibility. They indulged in much murmuring and faultfinding, proposing new plans and seeking to pull down the work of the men whom God had ordained to teach the gospel message. From the first the church has had such obstacles to meet and ever will have till the close of time.

Jerusalem was the metropolis of the Jews, and it was there that the greatest exclusiveness and bigotry were found. The Jewish Christians living within sight of the temple naturally allowed their minds to revert to the peculiar privileges of the Jews as a nation. When they saw the Christian church departing from the ceremonies and traditions of Judaism, and perceived that the peculiar sacredness with which the Jewish customs had been invested would soon be lost sight of in the light of the new faith, many grew indignant with Paul as the one who had, in a large measure, caused this change. Even the disciples were not all prepared to accept willingly the decision of the council. Some were zealous for the ceremonial law, and they regarded Paul with disfavor because they thought that his principles in regard to the obligations of the Jewish law were lax.

The broad and far-reaching decisions of the general council brought confidence into the ranks of the Gentile believers, and the cause of God prospered. In Antioch the church was favored with the presence of Judas and Silas, the special messengers who had returned with the apostles from the meeting in Jerusalem. “Being prophets also themselves,” Judas and Silas, “exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.” These godly men tarried in Antioch for a time. “Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.”

When Peter, at a later date, visited Antioch, he won the confidence of many by his prudent conduct toward the Gentile converts. For a time he acted in accordance with the light given from heaven. He so far overcame his natural prejudice as to sit at table with the Gentile converts. But when certain Jews who were zealous for the ceremonial law, came from Jerusalem, Peter injudiciously changed his deportment toward the converts from paganism. A number of the Jews “dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.” This revelation of weakness on the part of those who had been respected and loved as leaders, left a most painful impression on the minds of the Gentile believers. The church was threatened with division. But Paul, who saw the subverting influence of the wrong done to the church through the double part acted by Peter, openly rebuked him for thus disguising his true sentiments. In the presence of the church, Paul inquired of Peter, “If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” Galatians 2:13, 14.

Peter saw the error into which he had fallen, and immediately set about repairing the evil that had been wrought, so far as was in his power. God, who knows the end from the beginning, permitted Peter to reveal this weakness of character in order that the tried apostle might see that there was nothing in himself whereof he might boast. Even the best of men, if left to themselves, will err in judgment. God also saw that in time to come some would be so deluded as to claim for Peter and his pretended successors the exalted prerogatives that belong to God alone. And this record of the apostle's weakness was to remain as a proof of his fallibility and of the fact that he stood in no way above the level of the other apostles.

The history of this departure from right principles stands as a solemn warning to men in positions of trust in the cause of God, that they may not fail in integrity, but firmly adhere to principle. The greater the responsibilities placed upon the human agent, and the larger his opportunities to dictate and control, the more harm he is sure to do if he does not carefully follow the way of the Lord and labor in harmony with the decisions arrived at by the general body of believers in united council.

After all Peter's failures; after his fall and restoration, his long course of service, his intimate acquaintance with Christ, his knowledge of the Saviour's straightforward practice of right principles; after all the instruction he had received, all the gifts and knowledge and influence he had gained by preaching and teaching the word—is it not strange that he should dissemble and evade the principles of the gospel through fear of man, or in order to gain esteem? Is it not strange that he should waver in his adherence to right? May God give every man a realization of his helplessness, his inability to steer his own vessel straight and safe into the harbor.

In his ministry, Paul was often compelled to stand alone. He was specially taught of God and dared make no concessions that would involve principle. At times the burden was heavy, but Paul stood firm for the right. He realized that the church must never be brought under the control of human power. The traditions and maxims of men must not take the place of revealed truth. The advance of the gospel message must not be hindered by the prejudices and preferences of men, whatever might be their position in the church.

Paul had dedicated himself and all his powers to the service of God. He had received the truths of the gospel direct from heaven, and throughout his ministry he maintained a vital connection with heavenly agencies. He had been taught by God regarding the binding of unnecessary burdens upon the Gentile Christians; thus when the Judaizing believers introduced into the Antioch church the question of circumcision, Paul knew the mind of the Spirit of God concerning such teaching and took a firm and unyielding position which brought to the churches freedom from Jewish rites and ceremonies.

Notwithstanding the fact that Paul was personally taught by God, he had no strained ideas of individual responsibility. While looking to God for direct guidance, he was ever ready to recognize the authority vested in the body of believers united in church fellowship. He felt the need of counsel, and when matters of importance arose, he was glad to lay these before the church and to unite with his brethren in seeking God for wisdom to make right decisions. Even “the spirits of the prophets,” he declared, “are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” 1 Corinthians 14:32, 33. With Peter, he taught that all united in church capacity should be “subject one to another.” 1 Peter 5:5.

[afterthelastreset]

Krisei Zodiac Event Aries Week

Aries Zodiac Sign Info Gotten From:

https://www.horoscope.com/zodiac-signs/aries

“The first sign of the Zodiac, Aries are the trailblazers. Passionate and independent, Aries will never do something just because everyone else is doing it—a Ram needs to be 100 percent committed to the task at hand. Competitive to the max, the best way to motivate an Aries is to turn something into a contest. Aries will put everything they have (and then some) into winning. Loyal, smart, and impulsive, they always have multiple projects on their mind, and won't be satisfied until their work, social life, and personal lives line up exactly with the dream life they've envisioned. Those who are drawn to magnetic Aries may have trouble keeping up—but if they can, they'll have a friend for life.”

🔥Aries Week

Day 1: *when Susie Dares you on a blind date*

The candlelights were lovely tonight. Shining brightly against the otherwise dark room, making shadows dance across the walls and adding a certain flare to the whole scene. The few rays of light that didn't make the darkness dance were shining off the small pile of food in front of them, making them hungry. But he couldn't care less about those food right now, right now he was more nervous about the real gem in front of himself.

The monster’s white fur sparkled against his beautiful  face, delicate pink eyes fluttered those lashes at him and if he wasn't already sitting down, he would've fallen over from nerves alone. Luckily being frozen meant he didn't have to worry about sweating in front of him. He had a whole new other set of worries though. Like did he put everything together ok? Did Susie warn him enough? Did she give him the right wine for this thing? Oh gosh he hoped she didn't give him apple juice. Not that the goat monster seemed to mind though. He was smiling that beautiful grin of his.

"I must say, Kris. I wasn’t expecting to be asked by Susie to meet a man in such a dashing suit.~" He glanced down to the wine bottle in his hand before back to him and giving a chuckle. Making him smile his nervous grin wider, "I never suspected you'd be one of such class.”

Kris chuckled nervously and pulled at the bowtie around his neck, "U-Uh. Y-Y-Yeah, I honesty didn't know if you'd agree to g-going out with a plain old human like me. ...UH! N-Not to say y-you're selfish or anything!" His face became more scared when he had realized what he had said. Holding his hands up. "I-I just meant that you might not have wanted to g-go with me since you're way out of my league...U-UM! N-Not saying you're one of s-s-shallow and stuck up nobles! Because obviously you're not!"

The monster chuckled at his obvious flustering. But not in a bad way, on the contrary. He thought this little scene was absolutely adorable. And the lengths he went through, though not as fancy as other dates he went on, it was still so sweet how he went through all the trouble of putting this all together just for him. Kris froze when he heard the dark prince chuckle but Ralsei didn't look mad in the slightest.

"It's quite alright.~ I must say the set up has been quite sweet thus far.~"

Kris stared at him in disbelief. "Y-You..You really m-mean it?"

He chuckled again. "Yes, and I can’t wait for this to happen again.”

“D-Don’t worry. That’s a promise.”

Day 2:*boldly taking the first kiss*

One moment.

That's all that it took. One small breath moment to have the two freezing up and staring at each other in silent shock. The two silently stared at each other for what seemed like forever- ....It wasn't supposed to happen you know. All this time just going through the steps together, gracefully gliding across the ballroom floor all alone..It was just supposed to help him learn, not to start gazing into each other's eyes for weeks on end in private after hours, admiring his strength. His booming laughter. His slowly steadying grace to the movements he was asked to teach the giant monarch. It was never supposed to come to a folly such as this. What cruel entity up above thought it'd be a great idea to push them together and set thing strange fate? If he had any sense, he would excuse himself, pretended it never happened, and move on with their lives...

But-

His paws slowly gripped tighter around him and one look already told him he couldn't get away even if he flung his whole body forward. Not that he wanted too anyways. Eyes slowly closing. The giant paws gently bringing them closer. And in a last flee from sane thinking or any other life boggling mysteries about this whole thing-

They kissed.

Day 3:*taking that bold leap forward and taking your relationship to the next level*

Bells toiled with the distance and blinding white decorations coated the entirety of Card Castle's halls. One could smell and taste the sweet smell of the decorative flowers and the amount of deserts on the table nearby. OH what a wonderful delight to the senses this fine day was. And it was all the better for the two who's the entire celebration was for. One couple who's hardships and difficulties were no match against their hope. WHo's love despite the impossibilities that should've been there to begin with, wasn't shattered or gone away. Oh! They were tested for sure. Thick and thin. With tears shed, labored sweat, and much fighting for it. But still gained none the less. A testament for the outstanding bravery they had faced all for this one important day they had only dreamt of until now.

But with the rings slipped on his fingers. The smile on his face. The happy tears making the make up drip down his cheeks. Happy sobbing and awes from watching crowds. There was only one thing he could possibly say to something like this-

"I do."

Day 4: *boldly choosing to leave your own world to live with the one you love*

The warm bed hugged their bodies as they curled up to each other. The soft pillows and mattress was supposed to bring one comfort along with the blankets in times of rest. That was their job. That's what they were supposed to do wasn't it? The comfort of sleep was supposed to be a relaxing experience to have for all. But unfortunately sleep didn't come easily tonight, not when the one next to you was tossing and turning, and eventually woke you up with his grumbling and kicking. Oh no it simple wouldn't do at all. Not just for his own sanity, oh he could worry about that later, but the giant next to him. He couldn't just leave that be. Oh that would simply not do at all.

Currently the supposed to be silent room was alive with soft humming and little mumbles of sobs and chokes. The larger of the two had himself buried within the comforting embrace of the much smaller man as he continued to let out the sorrows of that night.

"I miss him, Ralsei. I-....I sometimes f-feel like..I betrayed her with this!"

He shushed the human. Patting his back, "No, no thou didn't. he would've understood. he wouldn't have thought bad of you."

"I-I d-don't-..."

He shushed him again, letting the two of them slightly rock back and forth. “You’ll be alright. Im here to help you."

Day 5:* Ralsei makes a bold move to contact the human*

It'll be ok just breath. Everything was going to be alright. There was totally not a chance this was going to blow up in his face, and he had zero chance of really embarrassing himself again in front of a potential hero. Yep! All he had to do was relax and not do anything to embarrass himself as always. YES! EVERYTHING WOULD BE TOTALLY FINE!!! He gave a couple more big gulps of air into his lungs as his body did the usual totally not nervous habits of tapping his foot, and wringing his hands together as he nervously kept staring up at the large door awaiting the approaching two. There he was....The hero. Well heroes but he wasn’t looking at the tall lady. Instead at the handsome hero of sparkling red eyes and fair blue skin as he walked towards the dark Prince. Ralsei could barely speak. Thank goodness his embarrassed face was hidden by the cloak. He swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke.

“Greeting Heroes...”

Day 6:* Kris contemplates his own family and the one he grew up with*

How does one decide another's worth? How does one predict another's personality or their impact they leave behind? Well unless you can see into the future and know for sure what you're dealing with then you're in for surprises. Which is what happened to him not too long ago. He could admit(just to himself) that he never expected to be surprised by someone he originally perceived as an easy pawn to his own needs. He never expected to be the one drawn to something so opposite of himself. But here he was, one moment minding himself the next-

The small child happily laughed and hugged the other man who was holding him. A strange family to one seeing it from the outside, but one he was more comfortable and familiar with over time. One he had to learn to accept but it was worth it in the end. But that brings up another question. What exactly made up a family? Most would picture a small house with a picket fence, a mom and dad, and a little boy and girl running around. But truth is it's not always that simple. Family is beyond blood or marriage.

It's who's always making you smile and there for you.

Day 7: *A kiss during a play is a forward move*

*Highschool drama club au*

The bright lights on the stage was almost blinding to the eyes of the ones on stage, and the audience but they weren't important right now. The glowing white light reflected perfectly off the two as they stood there wrapped in each other's embrace. Of course to the audience this was just another act of the school drama clun, and the ridicules costumes they were wearing for said performance were uncomfortable, but the way they was being held. The way the dashing prince's outfit fitted him. The way the white light shined off his beautiful features, no matter how artificial this role was, was absolutely breathtaking to them.

His handsome smile and fluttering eyelashes were to die for.

"And so. The Princess was safely returned to the Kingdom of Monsters," the narrator shouted somewhere on the stage to their right, but they barely paid attention. They were more focused on what the last part of the play script meant for them and their beautiful goat prince afterwards. "And the brave Prince was rewarded with her hand in marriage. They spent the rest of their lives together and lived happily ever after!"

The audience cheered in celebration and internally so did they when the prince finally got the oh so awaited kiss that was so rightfully his. It seemed like years before they pulled apart staring into each other's smile.

"Happily ever after, My Prince.~"

"Happily Ever After to US, Kris.~"

@krisei-world

[the-seventh-mile]

Where do you even start a journey like this one? I’m a big fan of reflecting, often remembering chapters in my life and how they connect to who I am now. One memory that finds itself playing on a reel in my mind was of one of the houses that we lived in growing up. It was on the corner of a busy intersection directly behind a McDonalds. My sister and I used to rummage around the house looking for quarters and dimes to fill our little pockets with. We’d walk over to the McDonalds to get as many McChickens as our sweaty little fist fulls of coins would allow, and we eat them all before our mother got home with dinner. Most likely a pizza or Hamburger Helper.

Food was always such a comfort for me. it still is. There is a euphoria with food that noting else can touch. and it’s legal. you can get it from the comfort of your car window. you can have it delivered to your house. you can eat in your car while on the way to dinner and none of your friends know that you’ve already had nearly 2000 calories, and yes you are absolutely going to order dessert.

After food, I discovered alcohol. what a treat. The best treat about alcohol is how much better it made food taste. So I’d get my free beer after work. pay for a second. and go home to enjoy another in bed. Before likely getting up and making whatever snack i could conjur up with the ingredients in my kitchen.

The day after Thanksgiving I woke up differently. The woman who I’d been seeing off and on, had tied up our four year relationship with meeting someone new on tinder. After months and months of begging me to trust her and let her in and allow her the space to prove to me that we should be together. After four years of cheating, manipulating, lying. I was in a place where looking at her disgusted me, hearing from her annoyed me, touching her was no longer something that i looked foward to. and yet. i couldn’t let her go. And I would date other people and I would keep her there on the back burner. Knowing full well that we didn’t want the same things, and not only that, she wasn’t even good to me. she wasn’t nice or honest. she didn’t have any ambitions. she had this way of going from one extreme to the other within minutes and not having any explanation or care of how that affected me. Like literally kissing me and grabbing my face and telling me she was going to marry me and an hour later telling me that we were just best friends. it was terrible. it was truly the worst feeling. And what became worse, was how every single person in my life would beg me to walk away from her. They’d plead and plead with me to stop letting someone as abusive and manipulative crawl into my beautiful supreme space. casting shadows on my divine light.

What was more strange than that, was the actual logic that this wasn’t something that i wanted. i kept telling myself how obvious it was that this was a good thing. good. move on! you’ve been manipulating me and lying to me for literally four years. but all the logic in the world couldn’t surpass the things my body was feeling because of this. it felt like bricks stacked on my chest. i couldn’t breathe. i couldn’t focus. it was so hard to go to work and be good at my job. to show up in my current relationship that was deserving of that space and time that i was giving a toxic ex lover. i couldn’t sleep at night. i’d lay there wondering how in four years i didn’t deserve the respect that was being shown to this person she met two. fucking. weeks ago.

And that’s when I found it. My power.

I got a gym membership the day after Thanksgiving. Rather than having a drink at work, I’d bring my gym bag with me in the morning, and go after I had clocked off. No questions. My first night back, I found this quiet dark room that they obviously had cycling classes in. It was lined with mirrors, and had about 30 bikes in it. I got on a bike, with the lights off, in a quiet room and after about four minutes decided that was enough. I was pretty embarrassed but felt like I was proud for showing up. I went the next night, and the night after that. I’d wake up with excitement to get my gym bag together for after work. I got a great set of Nikes that made me feel confident in the gym. I went every night that I worked. on my days off, I rest or go on hikes with my girlfriend. She is a pretty experienced hiker and I get tired very quickly. but I haven’t quit. I keep pushing even if it’s really far behind her.

I’ll tell you something wild. I’ve always had partners in the past who felt jealous when I’d get into working out. They’d make me feel bad for getting up and leaving them. coax me to stay in the house and order a pizza. “come on, babe! don’t leave.” “salad again? let’s get burgers. i’ll pay.”

Suddenly I was dating this woman who would tell me how beautiful I was. She’d tell me how she wouldn’t change a thing about me. That every curve on my body was something that turned her on. BUT. If going to the gym made ME FEEL beautiful, she would always encourage me to go. She doesn’t try seeing me on gym nights. she doesn’t feel neglected when I say I can’t meet up after work because I want to go to the gym. She knows that this is important to my. self. worth. and she supports me.

yall. get someone who supports you.

fuck everything else.

I digress. The day after our big hikes, back to work, back to the gym. With the exception of Saturday. Giving me three days off and four days on. So on my 4th night, I’m in the cycling room that originally caught my eye. I had been riding for a little under twenty minutes. I reached 3.8 miles, and abruptly yelled out loud “You’ve got 4 miles in you. I know that you do!” and I got to 4.

The next night I got to 5.

The next night, at 5.5 i felt accomplished enough, but i wanted 6. So I got 6.

My chest throughout the last couple of days has been in genuine pain. I feel so exhausted and restless. I feel so upset with myself for allowing this, I feel so frustrated that I have a beautifully kind person in my life who is deserving, and I was letting someone who had spent 4 years taking advantage of me and using me, affect my mental and physical health. I was upset that no amount of reason or logic could help this.

So, tonight.

I get to the gym. and I’m listening to music. and I’m dancing every time that I get tired or want to give up. I’m cheering myself on and yelling along to Lizzo.

I hit seven. while only adding 3 minutes to my previous time.

and I. just. start sobbing.

I cried so hard that it scared me.

I cried and said out loud “Amber you can do anything that you want. Literally fucking anything.”

I sat on the floor of the cycle room for a few minutes just crying and letting myself finally feel everything that had been storing itself inside my ribcage.

And now laying here in bed afterward. I just know that this is the beginning to something really big. I know that I’m going to be cycling for a long time. I feel like I’m going to be teaching a cycling class in the next year. I feel like my story will empower. I feel like something really bright is on the horizon. And I really wanted to share that with you all from day 1. Keeping it to myself until I’m ready to share my journey.

Here we go, yall.

I’m Amber. And this is a story about how getting to the 7th mile allowed me to fully inhale for the first time in a long time. And what I did about it.

[ladylilithium]

Hans’ Redemption Arc PART 2: Rebuilding the True Self

Part 1 here

 4) The Shadow of a man that could have been.

“Listen my friend,” said the shadow to the learned man; “now that I am as fortunate and as powerful as any man can be, I will do something unusually good for you. You shall live in my palace, drive with me in the royal carriage, and have a hundred thousand dollars a year; but you must allow everyone to call you a shadow, and never venture to say that you have been a man. And once a year, when I sit in my balcony in the sunshine, you must lie at my feet as becomes a shadow to do; for I must tell you I am going to marry the princess, and our wedding will take place this evening.”

“Now, really, this is too ridiculous,” said the learned man. “I cannot, and will not, submit to such folly. It would be cheating the whole country, and the princess also. I will disclose everything, and say that I am the man, and that you are only a shadow dressed up in men’s clothes.”

“No one would believe you,” said the shadow; “be reasonable, now, or I will call the guards.”

“I will go straight to the princess,” said the learned man.

“But I shall be there first,” replied the shadow, “and you will be sent to prison.” And so it turned out, for the guards readily obeyed him, as they knew he was going to marry the king’s daughter.

“You tremble,” said the princess, when the shadow appeared before her. “Has anything happened? You must not be ill to-day, for this evening our wedding will take place.”

“I have gone through the most terrible affair that could possibly happen,” said the shadow; “only imagine, my shadow has gone mad; I suppose such a poor, shallow brain, could not bear much; he fancies that he has become a real man, and that I am his shadow.”

“How very terrible,” cried the princess; “is he locked up?”

“Oh yes, certainly; for I fear he will never recover.”

“Poor shadow!” said the princess; “it is very unfortunate for him; it would really be a good deed to free him from his frail existence; and, indeed, when I think how often people take the part of the lower class against the higher, in these days, it would be policy to put him out of the way quietly.”

“It is certainly rather hard upon him, for he was a faithful servant,” said the shadow; and he pretended to sigh.

“Yours is a noble character,” said the princess, and bowed herself before him.

In the evening the whole town was illuminated, and cannons fired “boom,” and the soldiers presented arms. It was indeed a grand wedding. The princess and the shadow stepped out on the balcony to show themselves, and to receive one cheer more. But the learned man heard nothing of all these festivities, for he had already been executed.

—Hans Christian Andersen, The Shadow.

[SIDENOTE; To read the complete story here]

When I was reading some of HCA stories, I stumbled with one called “The Shadow”, and I found it incredibly fascinating and relatable to our Prince Hans, somehow. I associate this story with Hans in particular, because both Mirror!Hans 

and the Shadow

are the distorted figures of a real man, hidden under superfluous appearances (that’s how I interpreted the Shadow story, at least). Regardless of the various interpretations that we can come up with this story, the comparison is still valid: 

Both “characters” are charming and very influential.

They start the story as humble and likeable, and by the end of it, they end up deceiving the other protagonist.

 Interestingly enough, both characters seduced and lied to a princess, who she believes they have a good of heart.

Both are prideful and entitled for their desires.

Both are very intelligent and educated.

I think is still coincidence, but nonetheless is very interesting to denote the parallels and imagine what Hans could have been if he actually ended up marrying Anna. Would he have still planned to kill Elsa? Would he still be playing them as Mirror!Hans? I think that the answer is yes. And as The Shadow story ends, the Man dies, and only the Shadow lives. If Hans actually achieved to kill Elsa, he would’ve also killed himself: no more Real!Hans, but only the reflection of what people perceive of him. No true identity whatsoever.

Would he have learnt to love Anna in time? Probably, but their relationship would still be founded in lies and manipulation. Also he wouldn’t have gotten away for far too long, as his actions were somewhat desperate, something that he even recognizes in A Frozen Heart novel. He’s smart, but his desperation for power and fear made him lose control over his scheming and emotions. Anna at some moment would’ve realized about his plans.

And here it comes into discussion if whether or not Hans has a True Self.

5) Break the Mirror to free the Man.

I really believe that if we took time to know the “Real Hans” instead of the Mirror Hans, we would find a hollow, empty person, uncertain of what to be or what role to play in life. The lack of self-identity, and the pressure that his family pushes in his mentality of becoming someone important, can be something very harmful.

What I mean by breaking the Mirror, is that there must be a certain point of defeat, the lowest point of Hans, where he’ll have two options to pick: give up and accept his misery, that he cannot change and be a shitty person forever. Or… tear apart his mirror persona. Learn. Grow. Fight against what’s conditioned onto him. Fight against that fear he has for honesty, to become a new man, a better man.

To become the Real Hans.

I want to see him suffer, I want to see him working hard to achieve forgiveness, to extract all the poison inside him. That’s how it is in real life, that’s what people do. That’s how it feels. that’s how Elsa should’ve been portrayed .🤷‍♀️

Here’s Hans in his redemption arc, 100% real no fake! 👇🏼😝

There’s an old German proverb that it says something like this: “What Hansel doesn't learn, Hans will never learn." Hansel is a variant German name, which means “little Hans.” The meaning of this proverb is that if we don’t learn something when we are children, we will never learn it once we are adults. But we are not here to agree with that proverb. We are here to call that proverb BULLSHIT! A person –Hans in our case- can always learn, if they are willing to do it.

6) Forgiveness and Hard-work: Valuing Love, and finding a new role in life.

If I could start again A million miles away I would keep myself I would find a way.

—Hurt by Nine Inch Nails.

[SIDENOTE 3: Or if you preffer Johnny Cash. Both versions are great]

As the movie implies -and extra sources of information-, Hans lives in an abusive and toxic environment, a similar situation as Elsa and Anna, but not quite. Both Anna and Elsa had the love and support from their parents, and while Elsa was distant with Anna, they still exchanged a silent support every time they could. Whereas Hans only had a limited support from his mother and Lars, the only brother that didn’t treat him horribly, it was still not enough. Hans not only was neglected, but also abused physically, and psychologically. Even body-shamed. How often do we see body shaming in men? I’m honestly asking, because I can’t come across any example of a movie or any media🤔

Anyways.

Showing Hans trying to understand, questioning with honesty the sisterly bond between Anna and Elsa would a step forward in his Redemption Arc. Being genuinely confused, since from his perspective, Elsa almost killed Anna. Perhaps a conversation between Hans and Olaf (the physical manifestation of the love between Anna and Elsa) will help him out to see life in a different light, in a more emotional level rather than materialistic. And also because it would be very cute and hilarious! 

Though I don’t want him to become 100% a passive goody two-shoes boy. Nope. He still has to have his jerkish, prideful, Draco Malfoyish attitude, that’s what makes him stand out from the rest of the cast in the first place! I have my priorities right, shut up.

His main goal and ambition would still be the same; being recognized and appreciated. Finding a place where he could belong, a place where his attributes and talents can be taken seriously and admired. Maybe a Queen’s Guard, or becoming part of Arendelle’s royal navy? An admiral, perhaps? Or maybe finding peace in other place that is not The Southern Isles or Arendelle, adventuring alone to find himself. That’s a bittersweet take, but could be possible… and I kinda like it.

7) Societal expectations of a man: A potential social commentary/critique.

“Srong. Female. Characters.” Such an overused statement, don’t you think? Now, now! Don’t crucify me just yet. I love strong female characters, I really do. And Disney certainly has their roster of strong female characters that are independent and loving, defiant of societal expectations like Merida, Mulan, Vanelope, Tiana, Belle, even Ariel (though sadly most of her independence and curiosity is overlooked and misinterpreted by a lazy GA). But what about male characters? True we have Aladdin, but that’s more the story of an underdog. Or Ralph? Hmm, could be, but not exactly.

What about telling a story of an apparently wealthy young man –a prince- that is mocked and belittled all his life for not achieving greater things? For not being as aggressive or masculine, as he is expected to be? Just think about it, all the stakes has been settled for a story like this. Besides the story of escaping an abusive family, is would also be useful a social critique about masculinity, in general.

What makes a man “man” for the Westergaards?

A father that values archetypical masculine strength: cruelty, violence, coldness, ambition, power, pride, social status, fear.

A mother that is undermined for being a woman and reduced to a baby factory. The same goes for the wives of the other princes.

Older brothers that abuse and pick on the smallest one for not being as strong as them.

Hans being mocked for being close to him mom, a typical approach to mock other men’s masculinity.

Hans want his father’s approval so much, even to a point where the only way to get it, is by harming others.

For the Westergaards, social status is seen as more important than love or affection.

Hans is body shamed for not being as big or strong as his other brothers.

These guys along with Hans’ father are the fathers of the year!

We as society reinforce those traits, even though is slowly changing now, the stigma is still there, and men are as much of victims of sexism as we are. Hans could be the perfect character to use and to point out these kind of “toxic masculinity” traits that we as society reinforce, and that we should change for better. 

Hans’ development would be about reconnecting with his feelings, instead of trying to fit a toxic archetype of masculinity that his father and brothers represent. His story not only would be about forgiveness, but also about a man reconnecting with his “feminine side”, his emotions and identity as a whole.

I know that this dialogue is played as funny or not taken seriously (that’s how I take it by the tone of it :_), but imagine an emotional scene of a male character manifesting his feelings with tears on screen. Maybe is just my wish-fulfillment of seeing Hans miserable and being pardoned (uhm... yeah… basically), but even still, it would also provide a new unexplored trait in him. And since we didn’t get to know him completely, I don’t think it would be too OOC. It just depends of how is delivered. And yeah! I WANT TO SEE A MALE CHARACTER CRY! And not played as a joke, but for real! ignore me.

PS: Part 3 will be the last one, and it will touch ships from a narrative POV, and character archetypes that could be used for Hans arc.

[stlplaybox]

Better late than never: my top 10 Transformers of 2017

Yes, yes. I know I’m about 7 months too late but it’s been a tough slog. I was 90% complete in January but have only snailed along since then. I love doing these to really collect my thoughts on a year of collecting but I ended up letting it slip way more than I intended to. Anyway, with that aside out of the way, let’s get cracking.  

Here we are again, that time of the year when everyone reflects on the best of the year that was.Twelve months on and the job of selecting my top 10 figures for 2017 was no less daunting than it was the last time. I found myself drawn to my closing remarks from last year as a starting point. 

“Hasbro and Takara look to be continuing their winning formula with a strong opening salvo in the form of Topspin, Quake and Krok. It’s also a movie year and I’m very curious how they’ll apply this design ethos to the movie line. The Masterpiece line will welcome more Beast Wars figures and will deliver arguably the most important release of the year: the despot we all want, but will it be the one we deserve?

Third party continue their onslaught of amazing product. MMC’s stable is ready to burst with Kultur on the cusp of release and IDW Megatron due later this year. Maketoys have MP Jazz and Targetmasters on the way whilst pushing the aesthetic and action figure boundaries of the franchise with their Cross Dimensions line. Master Made will turn their eye to their next project after they finish Scorponok and Fort Max. SparkToys will deliver the follow up to their War Within Optimus Prime with Megatron and maybe even the King. Having wow’d us with what they can do at Legends scale, Iron Factory will deliver combiners and a six changer.”

As it turned out, all these things happened. And more. The mantra of “there’s never been a better time to be a Transformers collector” has never been more true. It’s with this backdrop that I embark on disambiguating my own ever-changing proclivities.  

Some honourable mentions first because it feels like a transgression of the highest order to not acknowledge at least a slither the other amazing figures that did not make this list. 

First off, dear Iron Factory I love everything you guys do. It’s a travesty that nothing you guys made ended up on my list. But the bite-sized delight that you guys deliver time and time again cannot go unacknowledged. From Ultimate Commander to Sixshot, you guys pack an impossible amount of articulation, fun and detail that should not be possible at such a scale. 

Planet X Mors: Planet X has been a regular occupier in my lists over the years and as amazing as their Trypticon was, there’s nothing more ambitious than dethroning an official version of a toy. They did that with Grimlock and then repeated it with Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker. It’s a stunning toy that has not left the coffee table since it’s arrival and it was hard leaving it off this list.

MAS-01 Optimus Prime: I have an Ultimetal Optimus Prime. I should not need this. There’s only so many humungous, non-transforming toys one should have in an era that is delivering knockout citybot after citybot. But I succumbed and gratefully so. Whilst Ultimetal delivers an impeccable amount of diecast, detail and finish, MAS-01 delivers insane poseability that will never be possible in a transforming version of our favourite Autobot commander.

Titan Returns Black Shadow: It’s been awhile since an official leader class figure has been of interest to me. Black Shadow outshone the main course that he was an appetiser to. Beautiful headsculpt, wonderful colours, topped with an incredibly clever and satisfying transformation. 

Titan Returns Gnaw: It’s a rarity that Hasbro could outdo Takara but they did. Fun and so full of character, Gnaw was a wonderful addition to our fandom. You can see it in the amount of fun photos this little fella has graced. I’ve had a Legends figure in my top TFs in the last 3 years and it was really hard to not have one on the list this year.  

TAV-60 Bisk: A fading line that accompanied an uninspiring TV show, TAV managed to deliver some amazing Decepticons with unusual shapes and transformations. Bisk was the epitome of this. A muscle car that turns into a hyper articulated lobster, Bisk was a bundle of joy I found hard to put down for many months in front of the TV or on holiday.  

I’ll have to stop there as I’ll be here all year otherwise. Let’s rollout for the top 10.      

10: Beast Wars Optimal Optimus (Perfect Effect Beast Gorira) 

Never having owned a toy of this quintessential character, I drooled enviously while everyone picked this up at TFNation because it was too large to lug home. The FOMO factor egged me on to buy it on eBay at TFNation in the early hours of the morning. I ship it so it’d be there when I got home. However, upon arriving home after having been away for almost two months I allowed it to gather dust alongside my backlog of unopened toys. It led me to more than once question if I’d just been a sucker for convention hype. 

Finally opening it in December, I discovered the perfection that is Perfect Effect’s Beast Gorira. The sculpt is immaculate but what elevates this is the premium finish. Perfect Effect brought their trademark paint and attention to detail to the table and made this the ultimate representation of Beast Wars Optimal Optimus. As much as I love posing Gorira, what holds him back from climbing higher is the finicky transformation. 

9: Maketoys G1 Pointblank (Maketoys MTRM-06 Contact Shot)

A surefire way to my heart is a futuristic alt mode. The Autobot cars and Decepticon jet Targetmasters have always occupied a mystical spot in my head for that reason. When Maketoys dropped Pointblank, a Masterpiece of a toy I’d only known from the well-read pages of my G1 toy catalogue, I had high expectations. Those expectations were well and truly blown out of the water when I handled it for the first time. The way those legs compress, the way that chest works, the playability and detail of that cockpit, that insane articulation… it’s a stunning feat of engineering. So much so that it made not one but two trips as a holidaybot in 2017. Subjecting a masterpiece toy to the rigours of a holiday is something that makes most collector’s cringe. But it was that good. That’s a hell of an achievement for a Masterpiece toy. 

8. G1 Starscream (MTRM-11 Howling Meteor)

In a heated 3rd party masterpiece scene, if you were going to dislodge an official figure from being the preferred representation of a character, you’d go after the decrepit Seeker mould. But it’s a risk. There was no shortage of collector relief at having finished the Seekers this year so it makes Maketoys ambition all that more audacious. But if anyone was going to pull it off, it was Maketoys. They did. The presence, paint and peerless articulation of everyone’s favourite scheming whiner is a joy to behold, pose, and play. All that stopped it from usurping higher spots on this list was the lack of upwards head articulation and its unphotogenic dark face.

7. MP-32 Optimus Primal

I’ll confess to being one of those “Trukk not Monkey” people once upon a time. But Beast Wars was a show that I grew to love. It lacked the cast of thousands of G1 but it more than made up for that with a story and characterisation that still withstands the test of time. When I liberated this figure from its packaging, the love I felt was instantaneous. The CGI perfect blue, the multiple faces, the loving attention to the sculpt, I was sure I’d have to file for divorce. It went everywhere with me even to the distant fjords of Norway as seen in the picture I’m using here. But there was drama. Gutwrenching heartbreak ensued when I discovered I’d broken it in a fall on a climb in Husedalen. It was an expensive replacement but one I did at TFNation before returning downunder. My personal story with this figure would have catapulted it into the number one spot in any other year but such a time it is to be a collector that this was as high as it could climb.

6. MTMTE Rodimus (SXS R-04 Hot Flame) 

If you know me well, you know the place MTMTE and Lost Light holds in my heart. There was a crack at this by a more accomplished third party company that satisfied most. Not me though. SXS stepped up to the plate to deliver the perfect rendition of the cavalier Co-Captain of the Lost Light. It rendered MMC’s Calidus to a mediocre representation of a Hot Rod / Rodimus. The sci-fi vibe of the rugged alt mode, the perfection of the chest sculpt relative to the shoulders, and the exceptional articulation were exhilarating to experience. It’s a toy that will not leave the coffee table anytime soon.   

5 . War Within Megatron (SparkToys Spartacus)

It was the year of Megatron. Whichever line you look at, there was not just a good one but a great one. That’s why there are three on this list. War Within got me back into buying Transformers. It lit the spark that re-ignited that childhood love that I’d had for Transformers. Last year, SparkToys Optimus Prime almost took the top spot and they were always going to be in contention in 2017 again given how much nostalgia this plays up in me. Collectors talk about paint and finish but this is a whole different level. Not only is the detail of the sculpt exceptional, every nook and cranny of this pre-war despot is coated in loving layers of vibrant paint. Add the commanding presence of a gladiatorial Megatron and a generous armoury, this figure is packed with endless fun as well as beauty.

4. Titan Returns Decepticon Targetmasters: Triggerhappy, Slugslinger, Misfire 

This is a cheat as Triggerhappy had already made my list last year but there was an overwhelming sense of achievement unlocked when I completed this triplet of Targetmasters. All cut from the same cloth but each so uniquely distinct with tonnes of articulation, personality and clever little design decisions, I spent whole evenings playing and photographing these handsome lads. Another important factor was that I acquired all three of these locally and with my boy. As someone who largely imports these days, the fact I could experience the thrill of the hunt again chasing such great figures cemented their place in my memory banks.   

3. Chaos Theory Optimus Prime GT-03 Optimus

I mentioned the importance of James Roberts’ MTMTE to my love of Transformers. It’s fiction that elevates the characters and their journeys to a level that we haven’t experienced before. But before there was MTMTE, there was the two part story Chaos Theory. I remember reading it amid the Costa era of TF comics and knowing straightaway this was special. The gravitas with which it regarded the four million year old war and the relationship between the two diametrically opposed leaders gripped me like nothing else. It was not till much later that I realised it was the start of James Roberts’ meteoric rise in TF fiction.

It was only in October 2017 that I secured all the variant covers of those two issues of Chaos Theory (Transformers #22 and #23) after having stopped buying physical comics for many years. But to then obtain a Masterpiece version of that Optimus? With perfectly stunning articulation, paint and detail? A sculpt that oozes a sense of heroic gravity? That I did not expect.       

2. Chaos Theory Megatron (GT-02 Tyrant)

Chaos Theory was a tale in two parts. The covers represented the two halves of the story: Optimus Prime and Megatron in both their current day and youthful forms. Generations Toys completed the other half of that equation with their wonderful designed Chaos Theory Megatron. With transformation steps that evoke Masterpiece level ingenuity and a transformation that is a pleasure to switch back and forth between, it’s amazing how Generation Toys designed such a Megatron full of fearsome presence yet is also a stealth bomber at the same time.    . 

1. MTMTE Megatron (MMC R-28 Tyrantron)

This was a hard choice. On the one hand, of all the figures on this list, MMC’s MTMTE Megatron has the laziest of transformations on top of being a heavy partsformer. On the other hand, never has a character stepped off a page more than this. This wonderfully epic rendition of the tormented Megatron knocks it out of the park. Not only is the every part of the body sculpted to perfection but the head sculpt captures the grim introspection that dominated the former Decepticon leader’s tenure on the Lost Light. If that wasn’t enough, the figure does double duty and with a few bits of parts forming becomes pre-war Megatron from Chaos Theory. It’s a monumental effort from MMC and allowed me to round out 2017 with the 3 most important representations of Megatron to me.    

So there’s my list for another great year. 2017 was a special year for me. One dominated by the realisation of some of my favourite characters from my favourite Transformers fiction. It’s a reflection of how vibrant the transforming scene is at the moment that it supports not only a heavy masterpiece market but multiple TF canons as well. There’s truly never been a greater time to be a fan.

[saurabhblog7007]

NCERT Solutions For Class 6 Science

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   Science is all about gaining knowledge of the physical world in which we live. A student must be interested to learn this subject. NCERT Class 6th Science Solution prepared by Extramarks will help the students to easily figure out the concepts in the chapter and make the journey of learning enjoyable. Extramarks have prepared the solution so that the students can learn the chapters with less effort and these materials by Extramarks greatly help them in the process of learning.

  The syllabus of NCERT class 6  Science is covered in one textbook which comprises the chapters from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The chapters of Biology include- Food: where does it all come from, Components of food, Getting to know plants, body movements, The living organisms and their surroundings, Water and Garbage in, Garbage out. Chemistry consists of the following chapters- Fibre to fabric, sorting materials into groups, separation of substances changes around us and air around us. The chapters of physics include – motion and measurement of distances, Light, shadows and reflections, Electricity and circuits and Fun with magnets.

  It is important to study these chapters in detail as these will help the students to develop a scientific temperament. The solutions for NCERT  Class 6th Science prepared by the expert teachers of Extramarks has made sure to achieve the objectives of learning of the subject and become confident about the preparations in the exam. 

The study material of Extramarks can help the students in achieving the learning targets to a great extent.  Once a student does that, it is sure that he/she will perform well in the examination. Students can also take tests on this platform so that they are aware of their preparations for the exam and do well in the main Exam.

The subject of Science will play a great role in the overall performance of a student in an exam. The NCERT Class 6th Science Solution is a must-have for anyone willing to do well in exams.

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Tips & Strategies for Class 6 Exam Preparation1. Make a habit of making notes for your exam preparation.

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[theironbottomsound]

[REVIEW] Corpse Party: Blood Drive - The Finality

Makoto Kendouin has returned with yet another sequel of the Corpse Party series. The sequel known as Corpse Party: Blood Drive serves as the concluding tale of the Heavenly Host saga. New characters, new enemies, and a whole new Heavenly Host Elementary School await the unfortunate souls.

The game now comes with a full 3D rendered characters and environment, as well as new 2D sprites. New mechanics have been introduced which isn’t found in the previous games. Some mechanics also returned to full enhance the player experience.

Corpse Party: Blood Drive follows the story from Book of Shadows’ final chapter (it is highly recommended to play the first two games). Ayumi Shinozaki, stricken with grief and guilt at the loss of her dear friends and her sister, seeks out a way to revive her fallen friends. Armed with the Book of Shadows she found in the Shinozaki estate, Ayumi sets out on a journey to redeem herself and undo everything she’s done. But little did she know, a new curse is rapidly growing within the walls of Heavenly Host.

I tried to be as vague as possible with the synopsis to not spoil the story of the entire game to you. If you have no idea on the story of Corpse Party, I highly suggest you play at least the first game. Blood Drive is not an entry-game for players who are new to the series to pick up.

Story

The game is composed of 10 main chapters as well as 8 extra chapters. This is an upgrade from the previous games who only sort 5 and 8 main chapters respectively. Each chapter will give the players the ability to control certain characters and navigate their way into the halls of Heavenly Host. Ayumi is stricken with guilt at being responsible for the death of her friends: Suzumoto Mayu, Sakurato Morishige, Shishido Yui, and Shinohara Seiko, who all died during the events of the first game. It is said that those who died in Heavenly Host, their existence in the real world will be wiped out. It means that no one would be able to remember them except for the survivors.

New characters were introduced in Blood Drive. While they “may” be new to the main games, most of them have appeared in a spin-off game called Corpse Party: Anthology~ Sachiko’s Hysteric Birthday 2U.

Some of these new characters include Niwa Aiko, an intelligence agent and a student of the Paulownia Academy. As one of the characters who accompanied Ayumi in her journey, she is a cheerful person whose real intention is to extort information with the people around her. Her sister, Niwa Kuon, served as the homeroom teacher for Ayumi’s class into the game.

Another one would be Magari Mizuki, a transfer student from the Paulownia Academy. A girl who’s a part of an occult and has vast knowledge of the Book of Shadows. She helped Ayumi traverse the halls of the school in search for a way to revive her fallen friends.

The game also now sports a new antagonist under the name of Sachi. Sachi roams the halls of Heavenly Host. She poses a grave threat to those unfortunate souls who traverse the halls of the school.

It is also said that Blood Drive a lot of references from the other Corpse Party Media. It references heavily from the first two games, Corpse Party Cemetery0, and the anime OVA, Corpse Party Tortured Souls. If you have any idea on what the story of the mentioned media is, then I do hope you’d immediately get the reference after encountering them in the game.

I’d probably talk more about my insights of the story later in this post.

Gameplay

The gameplay vastly improved compared to the first two games. After the backlash that was Book of Shadows, the devs listened to the cries of fans and reverted back to an adventure-type of game. With the enhanced technology of the Playstation Vita, it gave Team GrisGris, the company responsible for the series, new abilities and mechanics that they can incorporate into the game.

Puzzle-solving has returned from the first game. Players get to solve the puzzle behind the story to unlock new areas, new CGs, and progress into the story. The puzzles have been fairly difficult compared to Blood Covered. Each action of the player will have its consequence whether it is good or bad.

The flashlight mechanic has been introduced to the player in this game. Players can use it in order to navigate the school safely. It comes with battery lifespan so players need to scavenge around for batteries to keep the light going. Upon the fans’ requests, the devs also placed in an “endless battery mode”.

Characters can now move diagonally into the world. This is really helpful when dodging traps, enemies, and other entities inside the school. Phantoms are also incorporated into the game to chase you around the school until you have successfully hid from them or purify them with talismans. This posed a problem because the game lags EVERY TIME a phantom appears. This kinda ruins the overall player experience for lagging on a console. Plus, they can be pretty annoying because they follow you wherever you go.

Graphics

The graphics of this game have improved. Gone were the days of pixel sprites and now comes the age of 3D models in the series. Blood Drive is the second game of the series to ever support 3D models (first being 2013 Corpse Party 2: Dead Patient). While the upgrade from pixel-art to 3D models is good, I think it doesn’t seem to fit well with the overall theme of the game. They looked cute but they’re supposed to be running for their lives, right?

The CGs returned to facilitate better experience for players upon reaching crucial parts of the story. I want to note also that the game is very very brutal. They took the liberty of not putting up CGs or torturing the character models for the sake of narrative execution of the story. This can be their way of “censoring” brutal moments that may deem unfit for their target audience.

Audio

The audio of the franchise is something that I really really enjoyed hearing. Each has been recorded and cued to play at important moments in order to provide the overall atmospheric feel of the current situation in the game. Even if the game doesn’t provide a CGI on some of the brutal murders, you couldn’t help but cringe at what the character is going through with the use of carefully executed sound effects.

The BGM feels great although for me, it doesn’t seem to sit well with the game. BGM now sports more techno-feel at some parts, unfit for a horror game. Kinda ruins the immersion that I have while playing the game. Unlike in the first two games, where the BGM can subtlely provide context on what’s the next thing that would happen, in Blood Drive, it’s almost impossible to decipher what’s next because of how the BGM is played. This isn’t a bad thing since it keeps players in their toes with what’s happening story-wise.

This time around, there are two opening themes that players can listen to. “In the Rain”, sung by Hara Yumi, is played all throughout the first 6 chapters of the game. I couldn’t help but feel that the song reflects Ayumi’s desire to regain her friends from the curse of the school.

The second opening theme is called “Keshin” (Trans: Incarnation) sung by Ayumi’s voice actress, Imai Asami. The song will start to play from Chapter 7 until the final chapter. The song basically reflects Ayumi’s determination and resolve after finding out the truth behind Heavenly Host. Knowing the dangers that she has to face, she steeled herself to face them head on and not run away anymore.

Note: The following below will contain MAJOR SPOILERS to the entire Corpse Party series. If you haven’t had any idea about the overall story of the game, turn away NOW.

Overall Insights

Blood Drive is (in my opinion) the scariest game out of the Corpse Party franchise. I was really scared while playing this game. Aside from the darkened view of the hallways, phantoms will start to chase you out of nowhere and I, as a player, really really hate things that chase you around in horror games. I’m fine with jumpscares just not something that will chase me around.

The story for me feels a bit weird. The inclusion of more depth in the occult-theme of the series kinda threw me off-guard. It kinda became a fantastical thing compared with Blood Covered. Though I’d admit, it was this storyline that gave answers to my questions ever since finishing the first two games. But upon clearing the game’s main story, it just popped out a lot of questions from me once more.

I hated Ayumi ever since the first game. Whiny, crybaby, and disregards other people’s feelings, she was the reason why my favourite character in this series is dead. However, in Blood Drive, I can see the toll of the stress from dealing with black magic have an effect with the blue-haired girl. Having lost her friends in the school, her sister in the Shinozaki estate after her meddling with a forbidden spell, with Naomi’s left eye being damaged because of it. She also tried to deal with everything’s that’s happened on her own so that her friends wouldn’t worry. She became desperate. It turns her into someone who’d trust anyone who has knowledge crucial to Heavenly Host. It was because of her willingness to trust anyone at this point that kickstarted the events of the game.

Her friends, the other survivors of the first game, are all worried about their beloved class-rep. So when they learned that Ayumi went back to Heavenly Host alone in order to atone for her wrongdoings, they took it upon themselves to bring her back to the real world. I felt each of the character’s struggle into thinking of coming back to the place where their friends met their demise once more.

I get to see Ayumi, distressed and emotionally unstable, which was used against her. Her distraught made me easily manipulated by some of the characters to do their goal. I think that Blood Drive expounded more on Ayumi’s character development as she comes to terms with what she has done. Her naiveness paved way for her to be more determined and resolved after going through harsh challenges and emotional stress.

So over the course of this game, I slowly started to like Ayumi. Her coming into terms and doing whatever it takes to bring the dead back to life amazes me. It keeps me on my toes on what’s the next thing that would happen. I was also secretly hoping she’ll be able to revive Seiko and the others and have the happy ending that they all so deserve.  For the first time in my playthroughs of the games, I hoped that finally, Ayumi’s desires would see the light.

Aside from Ayumi, my fondness of Yoshiki also grew in this game. It is still clear that he truly cares for Ayumi, even to the point of following her blindly into Heavenly Host. The girl used to brush off his antics and concerns but in the course of Blood Drive, the two of them managed to settle their differences...slightly. Ayumi still brushes off Yoshiki at times but acknowledges his presence more over the course of the game.

As for Heavenly Host itself, my first reaction to it is “what the hell happened in here?!” Red patches of blob are scattered all over the school. Tentacle-like tendrils wrap themselves in doors, preventing entry to those who wish to enter. When they say that the school is currently unstable, I was expecting jumbled dimensions and all but not those tentacle...things. It’s disgusting.  It doesn’t help that later in the game, the school will once again change its layout, making it even more disgusting! There’s even a poop-shaped thing in the middle of the room!

Another thing I really loved about this series is that the game leaves what is happening to your imagination. Certain parts of the game do not have anything going on in them but the descriptive narrative and the audio enhances the story for the player. While this may be their way of censoring “brutal” happenings in the story, it is also a way for players to let their imagination run wild as to what is currently happening to the game. If you have a wild imagination then I hope you’d be able to sleep at night.

The phantoms are the only thing that I really hate with the new Heavenly Host. I tend to suck at the hiding mechanic of the game so I mostly avoid places with phantoms lurking around unless I have a talisman for them. They also made my game lag so much every time they spawn, which incites panic to me. The lag is a result of poor optimization on the developers’ end since it happens 100% of the time.

Speaking of development, there was a game-crashing bug that I encountered in between chapters 3 and 4. Upon reaching a certain part of the game, it will crash. This is a known bug in the Japanese release and the developers made a patch to fix it. But I’m not sure if the patch got carried over to the West when they did their localisation.

All in all, Corpse Party: Blood Drive serves as a sick, twisted, but overall the best way to end the Heavenly Host saga once and for all. The ending of Blood Drive has been referenced in Corpse Party 2: Dead Patient. The game is set 5 years after the events of Blood Drive and for those who have seen or played the game, the introduction of the game finally made sense once you’ve completed Blood Drive. I highly highly recommend this title for anyone who is a fan of the horror genre as well as a fan of the Corpse Party series. Setting aside the technology problems, its well-written story and characters will be enough to keep you up at night.

Make sure to play this at night with your headphones on for a much better and thrilling experience!

[visualskills2]

Exercise 1. 2: Good working Habits

1.       What do you need to be creative?

My notebook (No the sketchbook but the notebook I use for writing). I did this for the first-time last assignment, and it did work well. I not only got an idea for the assignment but also a couple of other that are quite interesting

My own space and music.

Sketchbook

Magazines

Cheap paper or a table (not often)

 Art materials. Lot and lots of them (It is funny because I always use the same, but I feel safe is I have gouache or acrylic even though I do not use them. This is like Charly Brown and the blanket).

Pinterest and box of reference

2.       Are these certain factors that are important for you to develop your work?

I prefer to work from home. I want to join drawing and painting classes, but I feel ashamed of my work.  I think feeling safe is important.

3.1 When, where and how do you work?

I cannot work in two different things at the same time. If I have a personal project or even a sketch book and university work, I get overwhelm. Although I ma not sure if this is just before I have the new space because before was exceedingly difficult to have to projects at the same time.

I am a late person, so I do normally work better at night. I think I like the quiet time.

3.2 How might you develop this approach further?

Improving sketching is paramount because I always can have ideas, but I always feels that my ideas are too complicated to illustrate. This will change is I sketch every day. First, I need to see the kind of things I can do (type of registration). Last year I did a sketchbook of madness where I used every technique, subject and mix and much with styles. I had a couple of drawings that I love so I took one of those (ink with brush and nibs) and I started a sketchbook that follow that illustration.

This idea worked well. First allowed me to know the medium better but also, I explore subject matters and ideas that were similar. I will love to finish the ink sketchbook and start a new sketchbook and start this process again.

I also want to add a new step. There is a couple of pages that I did not like and I want to go back and add pastel or oil pastel. I think this will enrich my imagination and can complement the journal I keep.

4.       How do I best document my work?

Photos and videos. I need to learn how to take better pictures and videos for this purpose.

5.       What kind of questions do you use to reflect on your work?

Did I achieve what I was looking forward? Did I put effort? Do I like? Was it as interesting as I thought was going to be? Do I like? Do I hate it?

I think time is also important when you are looking into something that you did. Allowed you to be objective.

6.       How important is the reflection in your process?

It is important but I do it mostly at the beginning and at the end. I think I am a bit rigid in the middle of it.

7.       Can you develop new questions and prompts?

Yes. I can. I have been writing since I was 16 so I do normally extrapolate this process to my illustration process. When I write, I have a couple of places to go for a new idea. Fee writing, what if, something that I am reading at that moment. Something that bothers me (normally politics) and I had used this process when I am looking for ideas to illustrate. The problems with these are the complexity of my ideas. When you write the sky is the limit, but I am not sure I have the skill to translate my ideas to drawings (sad)

8.       How does this reflection help feedback into your making?

It depends on the reflection. It is easy to improve on a technique or research on a particular type of perspective but sometimes the reflection is ambiguous, and it is difficult to translate in a appropriate behaviour.

9.       How would you describe your creative process?

A bit messy. I do not have a consistent creative process.

10.   What sort of stages do you go through initiate and develop your ideas and work?

First: I have the exercise prompt and come with a draft of an idea. Follow by a lot of thoughts, adding and changing the original idea.

Secondly: I start working of the project, doing the first sketches, changing the general idea

Third: At this stage I do normally have an idea of the style and colours I want for the piece. I might do research on a technique that I want to use.

Fourth: I think this is the problematic part. Even when I know something is off, I move on. I do not change the idea or perspective. I always running against time.

11.   How important are restrictions to your process?

I always work with a restricted palette of colour, but I do it naturally. I have never tried other type of restrictions to see. Perhaps size. I did that when I work in the tomato project and that was fun and worked well. In summary, I do not think I have done it enough times to be more than anecdotal.

12.   Do you start with an idea or proposal, start making and see where it takes you or work in a different way?

It seems that I am rigid. At the beginning I can adapt, to change from one idea to the next but after I invest a bit into an idea, even when I do not like it, I do not seem to be able to change. That has happened a couple of time. The first time, I could not start again. The second time, I continue, and it was nice, but I think it would have been nicer the other idea or perhaps to test it.

13.   Do you have any strategies to deal with creative blocks or obstacles?

I have never experience creative blocks. I guess it is because I always thinking about staff, reading, or looking to other people’s work and these things are inspiring. I also free write that also trigger ideas. No all of them are usable but many are.

I do suffer other type of obstacles and this is more related with self-doubt. I criticise everything that I do too much too soon. I have notice that paralyze me and I am not able to solve problems that I will normally be able to.

14.   What does experimentation look like to you?

Buy need art supplies and mix it up with other things. I also tried other people techniques to see how I can interpret them. I have made brushes or modelling. I am not afraid to get dirty.

Unfortunately, I am not sure how this fun time (I really enjoy this) can be translated to a piece. I watched a couple of days ago an illustrator using an air brush for watercolour painting and I have experiment with it but I have not been able to use it.

So, I can come back to a fear of failure. I think this is the main issue.

15.   Where do you work, what kind of physical spaces do you need?

I need a big table. No all the time but I do. I think that help me to work bigger and to see all the things that I am doing at the same time and compare. I also need good lighting (I have eye pain so working in poor light conditions are bad for my condition. I still looking for a better lighting option within my budget)

16.   When do you work, how best can you structure your time?

This is also a problem. Back to the light. I prefer night-time to work, I can work all night long or for longer period without interruptions, but the lack of natural light is a problem and the shadows with artificial light is also a problem ☹

17.   How do you draw on inspiration to feed your creativity?

The muse. I do not have a muse. If I do not know what to do I read or watch a film, read my diary, or write. I do not have an inspiration moment. I have a zone moment (I am in the zone) where I can write for hours and hours or draw and draw but it always happens when I am already working.

I think the zone is more like a concentration period rather than a muse, but other people might disagree. I have seen this “zone” phenomenon in my writing group a lot. People who can write 1000 words in 15m without a problem. I asked people and they think to believe it is inspiration.

[sugary-shot]

Beautiful Liar, a Kuroko no Basuke fanfiction

Summary: What happens when the person you cherish so much leaves you in the darkness? You’re falling down, no one to catch you down there and no one to hold your hand to prevent you from falling down the endless dark pit. You’re sinking in quick sand, drowning in the darkest place in the sea. And that’s what happened to Kuroko Tetsuya.He loved each and every one of the Generation of Miracles, and yet they treated him like garbage- playing him for their own sick amusement. After realising that he wasn’t meant to be by their side anymore, he broke. He turned, walked away;And committed suicide.The Generation of Miracles knew they were wrong. Heck, they wanted to rewind time and slap their past selves for being so inconsiderate for their beloved phantom’s feelings. But no one can rewind time, no matter how many times you beg; the clock won’t tick backwards.Five years later, their former manager drags all of them to a boy band concert. As the concert starts, they all see their precious former teammate on stage, singing. Kuroko Tetsuya was still alive, but what happens when he doesn’t remember any of them? 

Chapter 6: A New Me

Have you ever been in a situation where you're forced to sit back and watch some kind of shitty movie that you question how it was even approved by the producers or how it even got it actors and/or actresses? Right now, you are going to witness something similar- or in this case, imagine it.

A boy was kneeling down on the floor, in front of him was a cinema-like screen; showing him what he felt like traumatising memories repeatedly. The boy was clueless; why on earth was he watching this, and why was he hurting so much because of it? He was tired of crying, of screaming; but he didn't stop. He wanted to stop so badly but, something wouldn't let him.

"You're completely nothing to me."

Just what do you mean by that?

"You've moved on anyway, right?"

I don't even know you!

"It's useless to keep something like this."

But why does this hurt so much?

"It's not important, right?"

Why does my heart ache every time I see you?

"It's your fault too, isn't it?"

What was?

I don't understand, I don't understand, I don't understand, I–

"Do you realise your mistakes now? Do you realise how utterly foolish were your decisions before? Do you realise how you made everyone else unhappy?" A shadow appeared before the sobbing bluenette, his eyes staring back at him; as if they were piercing through his body and soul.

No, I don't! Who are you?

"Asking me such a question," the phantom clicked its tongue, "you should be ashamed of yourself."

Ashamed for what?!

Slowly, the shadow knelt in front of him, his hands cupping both of his cheeks and caressing it. The boy who was a sobbing mess flinched at the ice cold touch, a shudder running down his spine. He didn't know, he didn't understand, but he did knew one thing;

He was scared.

"Are you tired?"

..Yes.

"Do you want this endless loop to stop?"

I do.

"Then tell me; who are you?"

..Eh?  Eyes widened as realisation hit him.

That's right.. His head tilted downwards, looking at his for some reason bloodied hands with wide eyes.

Who am I?

Slowly opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was the white ceiling. The first thing he heard was the monotone beeping that came from his side that was soon followed by some kind of muffled sobbing. He slowly turned his head – with much difficulty, surprisingly, – to find a blond figure who was on his knees, face buried in the white sheets and both of the male's hands clutched the bed sheets as tightly as he could, his nails digging into them; almost tearing the fabric as he did. Slowly, the patient moved his hand to place it on top of the crying blond's head, who stopped abruptly and raised his head, meeting the light blue hues he came to adore so much.

"Te..tsuya?"

Tetsuya shook his head as if telling him he was fine, that he was alright; smiled and raised his hand to wipe the tears that the elder male had shed just a moment ago. Almost immediately, Seiji launched himself on the bluenette and wrapped his arms around the other. "I was so worried, Tetsuya! We were so scared that you'd leave us; that you'd suddenly go away without saying anything! I, we–!" Kuroko pat the blond hair, looking into those topaz eyes and smiling at the other, gesturing him once again that it was alright. Seiji slowly let go of the other and called the doctor, and was then ushered outside by the nurses.

The blond now stood outside of the room, holding his phone between his two palms tightly. It was just so sudden; a few months ago, he was just playing some video games with his younger brothers after dinner when he got a call from Haruko who had informed him that Tetsuya had jumped off the school building. Tetsuya was fortunate enough that he landed on some bushes, but the fall was still high and he ended up getting in a coma.

The group of boys had taken turns in looking after Tetsuya in the hospital due to school. The headmaster was kind enough to let them take leaves and visited the comatosed male himself during the weekends, when it was Takumi's turn to look after his younger brother. The group of five boys were put into the same class so things like notes and homeworks were always passed by the one who was absent.

Today, on the 24th of April, Kuroko Tetsuya woke up.

Slowly unlocking his phone, he dialed a certain female's number, bringing his phone close to his ear and hearing the same monotone beeping sound thrice before a confused hello. "Ah, Satsuki? I have something to tell you; Tetsuya.. he woke up."

Momoi Satsuki was the only former Teiko student that knew Kuroko Tetsuya is still alive. In all honesty, she was rather close with Kuroko, and was also the only one who knew Kuroko was going to be an idol. Tetsuya had introduced her to Takumi and the others and they got along fairly quickly, and she was later given the name Tsuki; which meant Moon by Shiro. She was once offered a job as an A&R and/or a manager, but she had requested time to think about it. She decided to accept the offer after graduating from Teiko but since she didn't want any suspicion going on with her middle school friends, she didn't attend Seirin Private High and instead attended Tōō High together with her childhood friend, Aomine Daiki.

Satsuki was the person Kuroko confronted his problems with the most, since she was a good listener and a good friend. She, too, had opposed the idea of him dating each Miracles and had been a keeping an eye out for the tealnette, so the day he disappeared after the game made her severely anxious. She along with Yuki who was supposed to drive him to the studio for dance lessons went to search for him for hours, only to find out he had jumped off the school rooftop. She of course had her ways and found out he didn't want to jump and was about to go back home, but apparently caught off guard when a security guard had scared him and he fell. Long story short, it didn't end well for the security guard.

She now works as an A&R under the Seirin Agency whilst being a full-time student and a manager for Too's basketball team. Her schedule was often full even during the weekends, but since her job was just talent scouting and overseeing the artistic developments of Takumi's group, she still had some free time unlike the other boys. Another reason why she didn't attend Seirin was because she didn't want to leave her childhood friend who was still in the process of mourning alone. Although Aomine told her he was fine and joined the school's basketball team, he played games by himself in frustration and still skipped practice every now and then. However, during Kuroko's "funeral", he had thrown away the egoistical mask he had and broke down, apologising dozens of times to the "dead" boy. Satsuki had slowly learned to forgive him, and he slowly began to change the way he'd treat people; actually knowing when to stop and not cross the line. Momoi guessed it was because he didn't want something like that to happen once again.

"Seiji-kun? It's been a while. I'm actually in a club meeting, so could you call later?" Momoi turned around and tried ignoring the stares she was receiving from the male players. Her smile soon faded as she heard the news the teen on the other line told her. Her breath hitched as the words that she awaited for months came out of the male from the other line. She took her bag from the bench and excused herself, tears rolling down her cheeks as she ran out of the room, ignoring the shouts from others. The meeting continued after a few disagreements.

Making her way to Tokyo Medical Center, she went to room 2031 and stopped in front of the group of males she was working with. "Seiji-kun," she panted, walking towards him and gripping on his shirt, her eyes clearly reflecting all sorts of emotion; desperation, worry, hopefulness. "Is it true? Tetsu-kun's awake?" Seiji smiled and nodded, pointing inside the room that had Tetsuya on the bed with Takumi beside him, reading some sort of children's story book to the younger. "He has amnesia, though," he uttered and the girl's eyes widened, "He doesn't remember how to sing and dance, nor does he remember how to read or write. It'll take some time, but I think we can manage now that he's finally awake." Shiro butted in, his eyes casted to the floor as his lips curled into a small smile. "Tsuki, go talk to him. He's looking at you, y'know?" The youngest male in the group laughed at how the girl's cheeks turned to a bright shade of pink. Satsuki hit his side before walking inside the room, an awkward smile on her face. "H-Hi.." Tetsuya stared at the girl and then at his brother, who just smiled and nodded. "Hello," the two greeted back in unison.

It was the most awkward conversation Momoi ever had.

After a few months, Tetsuya was able to sing and dance like he used to and was surprisingly better than before, but the way he acted was slightly different. He was more quiet, he was sort of a mischievous and mysterious type and he didn't trust people as much but the fact that he would still smile and act as if something wasn't wrong in front of them proved his acting skills. He would constantly ignore Seiji and Haruko's words and sometimes even Takumi's. He was a bit rude and Haruko said he was going through his "it's not a phase, mom" phase. Miraculously, everything stopped when he was introduced to Kagami Taiga; his future duet partner who was debuting as a solo artist. They didn't get along at first, but after a while of getting to know each other, they were inseparable. Tetsuya was more willing to be with Kagami rather than the others, and this made Takumi slightly annoyed. Although Kuroko had labeled him as the "ultimate mom" due to the fact that he could cook, and how he was a bigger mom friend than Takumi. Sometimes he wouldn't even deny he was a mom and admit it.

Crazy tiger.

Now, they were getting ready for their debut and was currently in a meeting. Tetsuya stared at the ceiling, then put his hand up, blocking half of the light and then closed his eyes before sighing. "Tetsuya, you okay?" Takumi called, putting the papers aside on the table, waiting for the response he knew he won't get. "Tetsuya?" He called once again, and the tealnette finally looked at him. "Y'know, I've been thinking about this for some time now; can you stop calling me Tetsuya?" He stared at the leader in the eyes with a bored look in his face.

"What?" Takumi emphasised the question and furrowed his brows, staring at the tealnette as if he had gone crazy. Tetsuya began to explain; "You said that I jumped off that rooftop and my personality changed ever since I woke up, so I'm no longer Kuroko Tetsuya. I don't know who he is. You can tell me that's me, but I don't know him. I don't remember my childhood or what happened before I woke up and every single one of you can blame the amnesia, but I personally feel like I'm being someone I'm not."

"I'd say that's bullshit, but--" Yuki's words were cut off by Takumi. "Sure. It'll be as your stage name then." Cue the disagreements. "Takumi, are you sure about this?" Seiji looked at the leader then at the twin. "Yeah, I get your reason, but don't you think it's too sudden?" Shiro added. "Better late than never," was Takumi's reply. "What are the names then?" Haruko questioned. Takumi crossed his arms and hummed, trying to think of some good names.

"Since we're twins and that's absolutely obvious, I'll change mine too. Our grandparents called us a different name, right? Mine was Mitsuru while yours was Minoru. Wanna use that?" Tetsuya smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Perfect."

They had their debut five months later, on September 9th as MYST. They had sung their first song which was entitled "Loser" and it was a huge hit. Seiji, Yuki and Shiro had kept their real names whilst the twins used their stage names, in which Takumi was known as "Mitsuru" and Tetsuya as "Minoru". Shortly after they released their first album, the agency divided them to two sub units, which consisted Seiji, Yuki and Shiro as one group and the twins as the other. Seiji, Yuki and Shiro's group was known as SYS and the twins were known as M&M. Kagami had debuted later after he came back from America and was known as Light.

Keeping their identity was a pain in the neck, to be honest. Whenever they were in talk shows or were interviewed, they would always get questioned to why the twins didn't use their real name, but Takumi would always tell them that they wanted to use the names their deceased grandfather had gave them. After a few "I'm sorry for your lost" and "My condolences", they would soon go back to the topic in hand.

Momoi worked as their A&R and at the same time was learning under Haruko who was their Manager. After MYST's debut, Haruko had introduced her to Aida Riko, their producer who welcomed her with open arms, albeit having an obvious jealousy over her chest size. Riko had shown her the ropes about being an A&R and told her that if she couldn't go to the work place, she could instead go and check out the soon-to-be-idols and idols-in-training or scout those who she thinks has the potential of being a idol and report to her afterwards. Satsuki realised it was extremely tiring to juggle two things at once; her being MYST's A&R and Tōō basketball team's manager. However, despite having her hands full, she was happy.

After high school, Aomine had stopped playing basketball competitively due to him aiming to become a policeman. Momoi had forgotten that he actually wanted to become one ever since he was a kid due to an incident she didn't remember about, but remembered that occurrence made the latter start respecting policemen.

Kise had told her that he was going to quit being a model and instead be a pilot because he wanted to travel. "Besides, I have Kurokocchi up there to keep me safe. Or at least, I hope." He told her and chuckled afterwards. Momoi noticed how forced the laugh was and had to bite her tongue in order not to spill out the secret.

Midorima had informed her that he was going to continue study medicine to become a doctor and take over his father's hospital. "I want and need to cleanse my sins. Just going to pray at the shrine isn't going to be enough; I want to be someone who saves instead of someone who kills." A surgeon, Momoi guessed. Midorima was going to dirty his hands more, but with the intent of saving the person under the knife.

Murasakibara had called her during Christmas, saying that he was going to be a pastry chef and open a cafe in Akita. "Kuro-chin really liked vanilla and sweet stuff, so I'm going to name the shop Vanilla Cafe." She laughed, telling him the name was just too bland. Murasakibara hummed, and then said that it didn't matter, since it was like Kuro-chin. "My pastries are going to be super yummy, so it wouldn't be so bland. Like Kuro-chin, he was kinda boring but when you get to know him, he isn't that boring." Satsuki smiled at how childish he still was.

Akashi had announced that he was going to Tokyo University and take the business course as expected seeing that he had to take over his father's company as well. "My father has already given 25% of the heritage to me, so my hands are going to be full. I still have the deal that he leaves me alone on every 31st January, so don't worry." Momoi smiled at his words.

All of them were going their own ways, but they still would contact one another. She was grateful. And if the old Kuroko Tetsuya heard this, she was sure that he would be happy as well. Even after five years since then, they all were still laughing, but there was this void that they couldn't fill in, and even Momoi felt it despite knowing that person was alive and well.

One day, just before they went home for the day, Takumi had came up to her. Momoi was puzzled; after all, Takumi never looked so serious before. She had asked if he was alright, and the leader had reassured her that everything was fine. "So, what did you want to discuss about?"

Takumi grinned before uttering the long awaited words; "It's time."

FUN FACT

~ MYST is read as mist ~ MYST is based on their names (Minoru/Mitsuru, Yuki, Shiro/Seiji, Takumi/Tetsuya) ~ SYS is S x S (not sure how but I always see that spanish(?) always use the letter "y" instead of "x" when referring two people.. I'm not good at explaining things ok so if you don't understand I'm sorry;;; ) ~ M&M in Minoru/Mitsuru and also because I'm a Mamoru Miyano trash orz ~ The five years thingy is AFTER they graduate from High School, so they meet the group during their mid-twenties (24-25).

≤ First ¦ « Previous ¦ Next »

[netherwar-rpg-blog]

Welcome to the Wardens, Lash! Your application for THE PRODIGY has been accepted with a Sean Teale FC.

The application can be found under the cut. You have 48 hours to create a roleplay account (cannot be a sideblog) for your character and we will be updating our opening date soon!

O O C - I N F O

Name: Lash

Age: 24

Timezone: Eastern Standard

Activity Level: I will be as active as possible. I work M-F 6-4.

Extra: N/A

S K E L E T O N - I N F O

T H E - B A S I C S

Title: The Prodigy

Name: Khal Asra

Gender: Male

Age: 28

Class: Rogue

Faceclaim: Sean Teale (this might change later I am not sure)

C H A R A C T E R - D E T A I L S

Nationality:

Carnish

Appearance:

Khal is always stern, perfect posture and arms crossed. It is his strict upbringing that has made him so unaffected. He feels nothing and he needs nothing. He seldom smiles or laughs unless he is making a joke or genuinely amused. He is not the type to laugh as drunkards sing merry songs or grunt their filthy jokes. He barely even drinks. He must remain on hundred percent dedicated to his mission and this entails sobriety.

He is twenty-eight but wise beyond those years. Growing up on the streets made boys into men. The boys who refused to grow up were found with knives in their bellies. He has been in his share of fights over the years, scraps is a better term. Khal knows now that a true fight ends in death. He has scars along his knuckles from his days of thieving. He took the blame away from her, the girl who is a shred of memory. Most of the scares are hard for him to recall but that doesn’t make them any less present. Khal dresses in dark clothing. He is never without his black hood that conceals his handsome features in shadow. Khal’s identity is sacred so he takes great care in concealing his features. He is fond of long sleeves in the summer months, thin flexible fabric that hugs his muscled arms allows him to stay cool and still conceal himself. He has a branded symbol on his ribs beneath his arm that marks him as the prodigy though most would never understand it’s meaning. His weapons are blades. He loves the proximity to the kill as much as he loves pleasing his master. To feel the blood spill at his hands excites him. The twin blades are poised at his back in an X. Two daggers, one in each boot, and a curved blade adorn his garb but the Twins are his first choice. They were specifically designed for him by the smiths of his Master. They are his most prized possession. Khal keeps his facial hair neatly trimmed, not many have the privilege of gazing at him to appreciate his impeccable grooming. Khal keeps his body in top shape. Every day he faces a regiment of cardio, strength, and weapons training. Martial Arts are his second language. He is always clean and well kept. As far as women are concerned, he has a certain appeal. He is attractive and he knows this. He enjoys the sport of captivating a woman to the point of her eating out of his palm. His arrogance is not a virtue but a flaw that the Master has desperately tried to beat from him.

Personality:

+ Observant + Meticulous + Patient

- Arrogant – Unemotional – Introverted

C H A R A C T E R - B A C K G R O U N D

History:

Khal grew up on the streets without much of anything. His mother was an assassin and his father was unknown. A bastard boy raised by the street’s cold embrace but he was never alone; his only friend, a girl his own age who saw him as more than just a street urchin, whose name he can barely recall. His mind has been brainwashed to forget it all, how to feel and how to laugh. She is a hazy memory now. His mother was never around when he was young. She was always out taking lives instead of providing for his. Once he was weaned from her breast she was a ghost to him. Vana was all that he had. Together they made the streets their home. Anything they could steal they would. He used to be light-hearted and free then. Vana was his only redeeming quality. They were both hardened by the harshness of the underworld but somehow they managed to build a friendship. Khal trusted her and she trusted him. He would find himself devoted to protecting her even though she could hold her own. There was never anything beyond a friendship. He was never in love with her or anything of that lustful nature. She was his friend and that was plenty. When She was taken away he was heartbroken. They were sleeping when he was awoken by the situation. He was normally a light sleeper but tonight he had slept so soundly. He was almost drunk when he attempted to chase them. They disappeared into the shadows of the city and Khal was left stumbling around. Half-dressed and dazed. He screamed her name over and over for weeks. A nightmare that became a reality, part of his life had been mercilessly separated from his soul. Many nights after he relived the drunk stupor that had inhibited his ability to maneuver the shadows, to save her. The shadows would surround him and suck the life from him. His vision blurred and he would see her face. She would scream and plead for him to save her but he would be paralyzed. Khal was forced to battle this and finally he repressed it. Now he was stern and emotionless. Shortly after she was taken he was chosen to become the Master’s Prodigy. There were rules he had to follow. He must be physically capable and emotionally capable. These rules were enforced without mercy. Khal cut his ties to everything. He became something else. He adopted a new name to separate him from his Assassin mother and bastard father. Khal became Khal Asra. It means travel by night, a fitting name for his new identity. The Prodigy must never reveal who he is. The purpose of a shadow is to conceal the darkest deed from humanity. Humanity needs the Dark Union to handle the deeds that they themselves are repulsed by. That was his teachings. He was a shadow; no one and everyone, faceless. The transition was his finest hour. That day when his Master looked him in the eye and was finally at peace with his decision was the proudest he had ever been. He was arrogant at first but soon learned that arrogance would be his downfall. His Master had beaten it out of him but it is still dormant within him. Now that he is one with the shadows his attitude is far less inviting. He has become cold and unfeeling toward everything. He was now the perfect weapon but he must be tested. There have been rumors that his mother had been with the Master and he himself was the product. His mother expressed great pride in knowing that her son was the prodigy and now she was dead. Deep down Khal knew that she had to be killed and he knew that his Master had ensured it. She likely knew what was happening before the poison was ever delivered. His mother had been the final sacrifice in his journey to power. He had buried her long ago and his Master completed his act. He knew the Master had her killed. This created no ill will or anger. Khal knows that the Master knows best. He is his father now, he always has been. Khal knows not that his father is The Master but that fact is that this has always been his destiny. Now The Master has called upon Khal for a final trial, a quest of unwavering importance. He must infiltrate the Wardens. Khal knew from many rumors that Vana was there. The Master knew this as well. His reservations were a disappointment to him but Khal could not and would not fail him. Know that Vana is there has been a true test of his loyalty. He has put her aside for so long that he will have no trouble forgetting their years together. He must not tie himself to her again or she will cause him to fail. The Wardens believe he is there to serve the people. He is gifted and Vana is unintimidated by him. It is an easy web of lies to spin. The ties to Vana have only been severed on one end, his. Will he continue to serve his destiny or will Vana break down his walls of cold steel? The true question is what destiny will lead him to greater power? Reason for joining the Wardens: He is on a Mission from his Master. He has lied and insisted on the most sincerest reasons to all others.

R O L E P L A Y - S A M P L E

“In life there are endless opportunities journey toward your destiny; in death it is finally achieved.” The Master’s ideals were now Khal’s. The only other sound was the gasping of His dying mother sprawled upon the cobblestone courtyard. Her eyes were no longer his. There was no reflection in them to signal the presence of a soul. She was fading fast, a shadow. Since Khal was her only living relative he wouldbe charged with her final arrangements. The Master had slipped away into the safety of the shadows but Khal had no problem sticking around a while longer. The sun had just begun its accent and it had been too long since he had felt its kiss. He would be feeling it much more now that he was to begin his journey to the Warden’s domain. His first priority would be disposing of this body. Her features were not as he remembered them. She looked like she had fallen victim to intoxication. There were no markings on her. She wore the tradition dark garb of an assassin but it seemed she had not been the only assassin in the courtyard. “Your destiny has been fulfilled. Your son is destined to bring The Dark Union Power.” Khal was kneeling beside her, gently combing his fingers through her hair as he whispered the words to whisk her away. In his moment of loss he could only relate to his thirst for dominance and power. No grief, no tears, no anger; it was understood that the Rogues lived and died as quickly as they were conceived. He felt nothing other than the thrumming of his charismatic heart. He touched her cheek with the back of his hand, she was still fairly warm. She spoke little but the words were thought provoking. “My son of shadows, “ her lips quivered but she shed no tears on the brink of death. It was the only claim she had ever laid to him. He never felt any pull toward her, no bonds of mother to son that could penetrate his unwavering desire to bury her and move on. She was at peace with it. It almost seemed that she had invited death to her doorstep for one last, symbolic meeting. “You mustn’t speak. Allow me to end this for you. It seems your assassin has used the wrong dose of fatal elixir.” Khal pulled her into his arms knowing that this was his test. Could he rid himself of his own mother without batting an eye? He held her tightly to his chest as he wrapped his arm across her chest and twisted her head into an unnatural angle. “My test is complete and you are free.” Khal whispered as he dropped his grip on her lifeless frame. He felt something but he always did when he ended a life.

[sheridanh0pe]

Blade Runner: Paranoid Androids

For a work of science fiction set in futuristic 2019 and produced in 1982, the film Blade Runner has borne out to be a timeless beauty despite the lack of any resemblance to our reality in 2017. Blade Runner outshines modern C.G. spectacles by virtue of Philip K. Dick’s masterful cyberpunk world-building and symbolic reveries in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Ridley Scott’s virtuosic execution, codifying the perfect atmospheric ennui for the tech-noir genre. This tale of android-slavery in post-apocalyptic Shinjuku-Los Angeles blends science fiction’s A.I. fearing sermons on technology as a tool of war and political control with the cynical nuances of the hard-boiled detective mystery. Rachel plays a wide-eyed femme fatale fallen from grace as the assistant of the Tyrell Corporation’s CEO when exposed as a replicant; however, Deckard chooses not to turn her over to fellow cops Bryant and Gaff (contrary to the fate of a comparable femme in Maltese Falcon). Allusions to Deckard’s true identity as a replicant imply a bleak conclusion but there is a hopeful echo of Casablanca in which the cynical man later sides with the rogue replicants (but gets the girl in this case).

By tying the artifice of classic noir with a tech-jungle backstory, the former is refreshed as a narrative of oppression and survival between machine and man in lieu of good and evil. Industrial danger from the nuclear fall-out of radioactive dust and acid rain soaks the decayed and bleak city streets, a world reflecting the apathy and aggression inherent in Deckard’s character. The unseen wealthy abandoned Earth for off-world colonies advertised on billboards on monolithic towers and blimps, radiating a neon hue over the forsaken poor, rogue, and miscreant. Mega-corporations inhabiting mega-structures cast long canyon shadows, providing the signature low-key lighting. Noir tropes of amnesia, flashbacks, and misleading identities find new life in androids implanted with real people’s memories.  The fatalistic mood is heightened by the stopgap four-year lifespan of androids such as the Nexus 6.

Low-Key Lighting from Hitchcock’s I Confess

Much of the Philip K. Dick novel has been adapted into the film but the script diverges on important plot points such as the question of its retired cop and blade runner’s true identity; therefore, it makes sense to treat the film as a self-contained work when describing a few story mechanics that make Blade Runner such a compelling movie.

Stacked Symbols

By expressing the story’s moral arguments and themes in the background setting and its moods, as well as with props and its stacked metaphors, Blade Runner’s dystopic rhapsodies are spared the preachy undertones unlike when dished out as a monologue. With film being predominantly a visual medium, dialogue can elevate emotional force, subtlety and style or flatten through sluggish expositions.

Philip K. Dick’s metaphoric use of extinct animals is quite brilliant in its reveal of this society’s hypocritical values. The ownership of real animals is a class status symbol and a nostalgic token for one’s humanity. Less well-off humans and replicants aspire to possess real versions of android animals as pets while the wealthy aspire to own humanoid replicants, engineered by the Tyrell Corporaton as slaves. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery in this two-tiered metaphor.

Sebastian’s house of Franken-dolls, set in the historic Bradbury building, stockpiles incomplete iterations of android models. This mise-en-scene begs the question at which point do replicant lives become more valuable than the work they perform for humans or even become as valuable as human lives. As the gifted geneticist working closely with Tyrell, his collection provides a survey of his work leading up to the Nexus 6, the latter described to be perfect creations by Sebastian and Tyrell. Sebastian echoes the replicants’ fatal flaw with his own premature aging disorder, a ploy to elicit sympathy for the replicants with whom humans share the common desire of an extended lifespan.  

A Network of Opponents and Fake-Ally Opponent

Deckard’s main opponent is not the CEO of the Tyrell Corporation, who with his chief bio-engineer Sebastian were revealed to be red herrings with no solution for prolonging the replicant lifespan. Deckard must defeat the mutinous replicants who defied the Nexus 6 ban from Earth. Each represent some aspect of humanity’s complexity. What began with a rumble in the blighted and smoggy streets straining from the population explosion of seedy outcasts escalates up into cavernous high towers, a symbolic transition from the suffocating chaos below to the open skies above, freedom.

Deckard’s first victory, the sex goddess Zhora brings him discomfort after witnessing her desperate charge through store windows despite the futility of having been shot a few times in the back. Blood glistens on her transparent raincoat. The warrior, Leon, observes from the sidelines and corners the blade runner in time for Rachel to save Deckard’s life with a shot from Deckard’s dropped gun. Deckard becomes indebted to her but learns Bryant has marked Rachel for “retirement”. With Deckard’s revelation that he can love a replicant, he becomes a mirror to the Batty and Pris subplot in which Batty, the leader of the rogue replicants, also wants to save his lover’s life. Batty fails as trickster Pris is picked off by Deckard in the blade runner’s final climb up the high tower, chasing Batty to the rooftops.

After finding only disappointment in Batty’s quest for further life from his maker and father, Batty taunts Deckard but decides ultimately to rescue Deckard from slipping off the rooftop ledge. Batty shares a glimpse of his short life’s cherished memories. This replicant’s ability to express such beautiful emotions is Deckard’s penultimate revelation. Rushing home to help Rachel escape, Deckard receives his final reveal when Gaff, the fake ally-opponent, informs him that the cops know of Rachel’s whereabouts. One of Gaff’s origami calling cards is left on the floor of Deckard’s apartment, a unicorn like the one in Deckard’s dreams that appear now not to be his own. Deckard is a replicant after all.

Flipping the Dramatic Theme

What began as story on delivering justice between cops and outlaws evolves, after Deckard’s romance with Rachel and battle with the dying Batty, into an inquiry into the nature of humanity and of slaves and masters when replicants can pass empathy tests or at least come very close (e.g. the need for over a hundred questions to determine Rachel’s identity). The eyes are the replicants’ giveaway, a metric of the sincerity of their emotional responses also marred by defect to produce a red glare in certain lighting circumstances. This same radiance is briefly found in Deckard’s eyes the night he falls in love with Rachel. The replicants’ preferred method of murder by eye gouging certainty makes them appear resentful of that defect.  

A recent trailer for the sequel set thirty years after the original reopens the case on Deckard’s identity. The case seems pretty resolved to me but perhaps a rogue protagonist with a heart of steel just may not sit well with other fans.

[delhi-architect2]

Journal - One Photo Challenge 2020: Competition Winners Announced!

Architizer is excited to announce the winners of the 2020 One Photo Challenge! After evaluating an incredible shortlist of 100 architectural photographs and their stories, our stellar jurors have selected 2 top winners — one non-student and one student entry — along with 10 commended entries. We’re delighted to present each top winner with a grand prize of $2,500, along with professional photography gear from the likes of Peak Design, Formatt Hitech and Lenovo.

One Photo Challenge juror Ema Peter — an award-winning photographer herself — reflected on her winning selections: “Regardless of the profile of the project, [these photographs] manage to stop you, make you look twice, and feel. They are anything but typical architectural shots. They have so much soul, and richly embody how architecture impacts our life. Architecture in photography cannot stay impersonal; we cannot rely on the perfect light and perfect angle, we need to show the unexpected and tell a story.”

Fellow juror Aldo Amoretti selected his winners based on both visual impact and the photographs’ power to draw in the viewer: “A well-made photo should immediately intrigue you just by looking at it. Without knowing its history. Curiosity then leads you to deepen, to understand more about the content and the author. For me, when it happens, this is a great success.”

Without further ado, we present to you the winners of the 2020 One Photo Challenge, including both photographs and their accompanying stories…

Non-Student Winner: “Women Gather” by Bruce Engel (BE_Design)

“The women’s brick making cooperative in Kayonza, the Eastern Province of Rwanda, sit and take pride in their work. They hand made the bricks that give shape to this classroom space, and produced all of the approximately half a million bricks that comprise the “Women’s Opportunity Center” by Sharon Davis Design for the NGO Women for Women International.

Here, women in this rural and poor community can find training in women’s rights, literacy, health, and valuable vocational skills. At the core of the campus are 7 classrooms / training rooms, built in the round, reflecting the traditional architecture, and meant to achieve an intimate, secure, and feminine space where women can gather.”

Nick Hufton, cofounder of renowned photography studio Hufton + Crow, said of Women Gather: “I think this is a highly evocative image which has been thoughtfully considered and carefully composed. The image beautifully combines Line, Shape, Form, Texture, Pattern and Color, which naturally form to make the ‘6 elements of composition’. It also displays a warm human quality without looking staged. Excellent.

Student Winner: “Philadelphia Wasteland” by Chris Hytha (Drexel University)

“Philadelphia was once the industrial hub of the world, until its identity was shaken be deindustrialization and suburbanization. This legacy leaves deep scars in the fabric of North Philly, where decrepit industrial complexes stretch on for miles. In their abandoned state, these buildings take on new roles in the city. They become canvases for urban artwork and escapes from the noise and activity of the city center far from the regulations and restrictions of bureaucracy.

We are far too familiar with the restrictions in occupying a building. You can’t go on the roof, you can’t paint on the walls, you can’t break a window, you can’t enter utility tunnels or back of house space. Rich with layers of meaning infused by people engaging with their space, these buildings can become more captivating and engaging than intentionally designed architecture. This photo tells the story of freedom in the built environment.”

Commended Entry: “Yangtze River Winter Swimmer With Raffles City” by Su Zhewei (arch-exist)

“Across the river is the famous big new building: Raffles city in Chongqing designed by Safdie Architects. This is a huge and ambitious commercial building.and Chongqing is the most important city in the Yangtze River Basin and also the famous fog city. On a foggy morning, we took a scene on the reef beside the Yangtze River.

A group of winter swimmers broke into our camera. They told us that some of them had been swimming here for 20 winters, and there were not so many tall buildings on the other side of the river before. As an architectural photographer, we really obsessed with the picture full of regional characteristics and sense of life. Architecture is not the owner of the city. People and the Yangtze River witnessed the change of the city.”

Commended Entry: “View from Room 1604” by Tiffany Liem (Brookfield Properties)

“For 7 minutes, between 7:05am and 7:12am, the sun aligns with my next door neighbor. I watch from my hotel room, in downtown LA, as a select row of individuals receive their vitamin D. It’s a cold January day. I retreat back into my dark room.”

Commended Entry: “The Twist Museum, Kistefos Sculpture Park, Jevnaker, Norway by BIG” by Laurian Ghinitoiu (Laurian Ghinitoiu)

“It was challenging to combine in one single frame the main particularities of the project: its sculptural shape, the structure that expands over the river, as a bridge, and at the same time to imply that ‘the object’ is actually a functional building. The context, the design and its scale, the poetry of the sinuous lines that are melting with the surroundings in a surreal atmosphere, are the elements that are making the captured image to be abstract but descriptive at the same time.”

Commended Entry: “Talk to Nature” by Ning Wang (Beijing University of Technology)

“Architecture is a piece of space that humans steal from nature. As a shelter, it protects our bodies, and more importantly, it also adjusts the relationship between nature and human. Last May, my five months pregnant wife and I paid a visit to Teshima Art Museum (Ryue Nishizawa, 2010. 607 karato, Teshima, Kagawa, Japan). There was nothing inside at that moment but only another visitor stopped and stared at the slow-moving light on the ground. I took a photo of this silently with my iPhone.

Suddenly, I realized that it was not an empty space, on the contrary, everything I need has already there. Sunlight, water, wind, my love and an upcoming life. This is a story for everyone which is not legendary but admired. People and nature were invited into this building, talked to each other and shared their the truest stories. I just heard that and recorded this touching scene.”

Commended Entry: “Turner Contemporary” by James Newton (James Newton Photographs Ltd.)

“The Turner Contemporary Margate (David Chipperfield Architects) is located right on the sea front at Margate. The title commemorates the association of the town with noted landscape painter J. M. W. Turner, who went to school there, and visited throughout his life. The new two-storey building is designed to maximise both the dramatic setting between sea and land and the extraordinary light conditions unique to this area that inspired Turner well over a century ago.

I wanted to photograph the building in suitable light, something that made reference to Turner and the and his work. I went on a foggy day; as the sun began to burn through the fog the form of the building was fleetingly illuminated. At the same time three visitors emerged walking across the beach.”

Commended Entry: “Procuratie Vecchie Venezia” by Marco Petrini (Petrini Studio)

“The Procuratie Vecchie are part of three connected buildings along the perimeter of Piazza San Marco, Venice. They were built in the 16th century by the procurators who were managing the treasury of San Marco church. They housed apartments with stores at ground floor. Its doors have been long closed to but architect D. Chipperfield will renovate it and soon will be accessible to the public.

I took this photo during my last solo trip in 2019. This moment can be captured only in the very early morning, when the water comes up and gently flows the piazza for 30 minutes, before disappearing. The reflection is perfect because the enclosed piazza is well protected from winds so the water becomes almost a mirror. It’s a truly magical moment that disappears as soon as the city wakes up.There is no better moment to enjoy the magnificence of Piazza San Marco.”

Commended Entry: “Hygge House” by Paul Turang (Paul Turang Photography)

“Warming Huts is an open competition, melding design and art with Winnipeg’s famous winters. The jury selects designs that best “push the envelope of design, craft and art.” In January, winners travel to Winnipeg to begin construction on their hut. They are then brought out to the River Trail for visitors to skate to, interact with, and enjoy.

Hygge House, by Plain Projects, Pike Projects and Urbanink, is a simple wood-framed structure, symbolic of one of the most cherished symbols of Canadiana – the family cottage. Loosely translated, “Hygge” is a Danish word for cozy, an atmosphere of people and comfort, which can only be achieved when people come together. I was drawn to its quirky and fun appearance. It raises questions: “What is happening here?” “What is this little open building doing there?” It invites the audience to create their own narrative. And that color!”

Commended Entry: “Can’t Catch Me!” by Rodrigo Bonifaz (The J Associates)

“This photo was taken during a trip I took with my architecture class a few years back in Portugal. Our professor wanted to show us Alvaro Siza’s Portugal Pavilion and walk around the area to experience the space. We were met with an overwhelming structural towering over us yet the structure felt light like a fabric draping over posts to hide from the sun.

While we were admiring the architecture, this child was admiring the shadow. He kept crossing back and forth as if he was trying to run from it and playing a game. He was interacting with the shadow as if it was an extension of the structure itself. It gave me perspective on how different people experience space. The child didn’t know or probably care it that the building was designed by a famous architect. He just wanted to play with the shadow.”

Commended Entry: “Back of House: Front of House” by John Muggenborg (John Muggenborg Photography)

“To me, this photo from the Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn acts a reminder that for all we see in life, there are many elements in the ‘Back of House’ that contribute to the performance that we experience around us. As an architectural photographer, I typically show only the ‘presentable’ side of a project.

When I scout out a site before I photograph it I’m often privileged to learn what goes on ‘behind the curtain’ at many businesses. For this shoot I finally had the opportunity to illustrate that what we see on stage from the comfort of our seats is only half of the whole picture.”

Commended Entry: “Kiosk Chameleon” by Lior Hobashi (The Oslo School of Architecture and Design)

“At first glance, one can see a small shack in the Daharavi slum, Mumbai. When looking closely one can discover a boy, lying on the counter of a kiosk, camouflaged between the candy packing, seeking refuge from the blazing Indian sun. The kiosk is his birthplace, his living space and his workplace.

The shack lines up perfectly with the trucks in the background, which are heading out of the slum, making it look like one of them. While the other trucks are on wheels, his is rooted to the ground, letting only his thoughts drift away. Perhaps he is not living in a shack, a kiosk or a truck. Perhaps it is his very own castle.”

As our two top winners, Bruce Engel and Chris Hytha will each receive:

$2,500 prize money

Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod

Long Exposure Filter Kit

20′ x 30′ MetalPrint

8″ Smart Display

Publication in the inaugural “One Photo” eBook

An exclusive interview discussing their photograph, published in Architizer Journal

Additionally, the 10 commended entries shown above will receive Peak Design’s camera backpack, as well as a featured entry in the upcoming One Photo eBook. The 100 finalists will also be published in the inaugural eBook, to be distributed to Architizer’s community including 100,000+ newsletter subscribers and 4+ million social media followers. Be on the lookout for this captivating publication, coming soon!

Thank you to all participants for sharing these amazing photographs and telling such fascinating stories about architecture. If you are interested in entering next year’s One Photo Challenge, be sure to sign up for updates by clicking the blue button below.

Register for the 2021 One Photo Challenge

The post One Photo Challenge 2020: Competition Winners Announced! appeared first on Journal.

from Journal https://architizer.com/blog/competitions/one-photo-challenge-2020-competition-winners-announced/ Originally published on ARCHITIZER RSS Feed: https://architizer.com/blog

[cheladyn]

THE STRIP DOWN

DR Spring 2020 – Final Words

“What is missing is a conceptual framework that would allow us to name – and thereby analyze, critique, and support – a parallel but distinct research culture in acting as an epistemic field… What is the transmissible knowledge content of any given practice?” (Spatz, 118)

Good question: is it values like the use of the gaze, or like pointed feet, or the inclusion (but decentering) of a public? Is it gender relations, aesthetics… approaches, ethics, morality, status, preferences, kinships and relations, economics, identity, practice itself?

WHAT AM I WORKING TO TRANSMIT? Attention, social position, sensation, connection, expression, effort, interest, slowness, patience, responsibilities, lineages, the knowledge of movement and of broader gestural implications… something like agency, too.

1.      Undress as slowly as you can. Speak as quickly as you can about a predetermined topic, or an embarrassing story.

There is a “common pedagogical vocabulary, but little work has been done to more rigorously define terms in which acting is analyzed” (Spatz, 119)

Sure, but… there’s a history behind the act of defining things. To define is to divide and dominate. To name is to puncture the flux that you’re seeking to ride in practice and technique. To define the terms is to enact a violent cut of inclusion and exclusion. To define, then, is also a false act of bracketing off things potentially essential to the thing/practice at hand. To define removes a bit of magic from the world.

2.      SHADOW: Find the darkest dark. Find the lightest light. Transition between the two in a way that’s unadorned.

Transmitted are the enabling constraints, which are “positive in [their] dynamic effect” (Manning & Masumi, 93). I define the structure; I name the edges so the territory between here and there can be filled with ambulatory potential. A “paradigm of conditioning rather than framing” (Manning & Massumi, 92) offers a play space for novelty within the practiced repetition. So naming is both violent and generative; I define to divide and dominate but the definitions cannot reduce the techniques and gestures.

Agency? To condition the field, the bodies, for particular action(s) is like agency.

Enabling constraints of a score are offering performance, offering transformation, offering transmission and maybe co-becoming. A slick way to engage embodied presence, a sensorial attention, “a degree of genuine spontaneity in the gap of the repeatable and perceptible” (Spatz, 128).

3.      Position yourself. Do not allow anything to position you. You are positioning, you are not being positioned.

The feminine “lives spaces as enclosed or confining; she feels herself positioned in space rather than actively positioning something or someone else in space” (Noland, 173). “Denied to the female body… is proprioception as well as kinesthetic attention; in other words, not being able to feel oneself move in space is a peculiarly gendered experience” (Noland, 174).

Right. But positioning is different from proprioception and kinesthetic awareness… The former seems to hinge on a visuality that is irreconcilable with the felt register of the latter. Is dance a bit resistant to Femininity? If I spend my time positioning myself, feeling myself move through space, is this not rerouting my sedimented experiences and practice of gender? Can I find new gender expressions on multiple scales if I practice dance, alone and with others?

“The moving, trained, and trainable body is always a potential source of resistance to the meanings it is required to bear” (Noland, 175) Obviously; because the meanings are always in flux. Even if we define the meanings and semiotics of a gesture, a movement, the excess of flux will always tip its weight towards other uses. Like full out resistance. Like gently turning away. Maybe I dance and take up space to turn away from hegemonies of femininity (even if dance itself can reaffirm these).

4.      SHADOW II: Like a rose, root into the dark, rich soil. Like a rose, rise up and blossom to the sunny sky.

The tension is divisive. Top/bottom. But the tension is atomic. Every particle pulled in and away from gravity. “For anything in particular to happen, a particular expanse must be taken… having been taken to be, the landing site now is. To be is to be had in a flash” (Manning & Massumi, 25).

I can’t claim to know what’s going on there; the flash is the instantaneity of the moment of moving into the expression. Perhaps. Uhm. The landing site is the acceptance of the image and the task. “Presence with, in and around a budding field-becoming in patient attentiveness towards what the field wants” (Manning & Massumi, 6).

Sometimes the field of the studio space wants me to re-inhabit old trainings of fancy walking/balletic modes. I give in: “training can never ensure that earlier, more spontaneous ways of moving will be stamped out” (Noland, 30). But I give in: agency is “the power to alter these acquired behaviours and beliefs for purposes that may be reactive (resistant) or collaborative (innovative) in kind” (Noland, 9).

5.      SELF-IMPORTANCE: Insult your human self importance. Gently strip that away.

Become floor, shake obscenely, be the representative for all humans and be a disgusting human-looking creature, avoid using your hands and feet to locomote, roll your eyes back, see without your eyes, be rhythmic to your physiology which is not the same uniform rhythm of a song, uncomposed orifices and limbs, composed for no one.

“What is at risk politically in thinking about embodied knowledge and performance as ephemeral, as that which disappears?” (Taylor, 36); who disappears, who is granted permanence? The scenario of self-importance asks me to behave differently, it also asks me to respond in a legible way. And the form of my response may be the same form in which I once responded. But the doing is also a naming, the doing away of self importance defines the self-importance as constraint and as something to dominate. I re-activate the scenario of self-importance in hopes of granting something more permanence in my practice.

“Gestural routines arguably provide a broader field of experience, rich with possibilities for experimentation, refinement, and – in a cultural frame – subversion” (Noland, 175). But let’s take “frame” out and put Manning and Massumi’s ‘conditioning’ in. I want to condition subversion into my gestures and dances. Building the conditions for subversion can grant the permanence otherwise stolen while potentially refusing the self-importance of what already was.

I don’t know. It’s all messy at this point. It was always really messy.

6.      Tell me about the knowledges sedimented and conflicted in your bones. Not flesh, bones.

“The dominance of language and writing has come to stand for meaning itself. Live, embodied practices not based in linguistic or literary codes, we must assume, have no claims on meaning” (Taylor, 25). “Dance is linguistic only to the extent that we fail to recognize the physical work it entails… it is only by ignoring this work that we can ‘read’ dance as a text composed of signs” (Spatz, 50). “The unidirectionality of meaning making and communication [within colonial tendencies] also stemmed from and reflected the centuries-old privileging of written over embodied knowledge” (Taylor, 8). “Interesting, here we are again, disavowing the body” (Taylor, 121).

Well… maybe dance is composed of signs. But they’re of the effortful type, the sedimented and muscular type, the historical and relational type. If asked, I could talk about the meaning of my dancing in terms of the signs of technique and practice. And maybe dance and language are totally at odds. But I’m unconvinced that they are not sympathetic. Dance/movement and linguistic tendencies converge on the very reality of their simultaneous emergence and their capacity to contain localized meanings. They are both containers for structures of relation and action. They are both doing something in their immediate expressions.

They are both contingent to a response and contingent to a community.

The voice as container for language is a fleshy thing. And I remember that “the body is disciplined, not the rich somatic feedback the body produces” (Noland, 20). Words are words, but their utterance can be as impactful as the gesticulations of a performer or your interlocuter; their meanings still produce effects in your embodied experience.

7.      RESILIENCE: take time to prepare yourself for the dangers of life/living. But… subvert your first impulses. The time taken is to be taken for subverting yourself.

“Cultural identity is highly performative. Recognition is predicated on embodied behaviours and speech acts: the languages we speak, the way we “do” our gender and sexuality, the ways in which class and race are understood and made visible, the degree of agency displayed by social actors” (Taylor, 121).

Agency!

Butler “neglects to theorize the performing body’s proprioceptive, kinesthetic, even affective experience of moving in prescribed ways… it is ultimately kinesthetic experience, the somatic attention accorded to the lived sensation of movement, that allows the subject to become an agent in the making of herself” (Noland, 171).

Agentic expressions of flourishing!

“The form of movement cannot be reduced to the sequencing of positions and postures… No movement is so possessed of its form that it cannot find another. Ride the wave of movement’s occurrent variation” (Manning & Massumi, 41).

Imagine a cookie-cutter world, where all instructions (implicit or otherwise) were executed identically. Variation is key to, yes, agency!

“We must conclude that agency is substantially greater than consciousness. Agency is larger because it can be located at all levels of embodiment, from the most deeply engrained and profoundly unconscious technique all the way up to [consciousness]” (Spatz, 55).

Again, agency! What we do is what/who we become, and there is the magic of the unconscious sedimentation that comes to directly unfurl itself in an expression of self. There is such a buffet of choice and it isn’t dictated by the privilege of articulating one’s awareness of the constraints.

8.      Spread and make space within yourself. Condense and compress yourself. Be with an internal cycle of opening and closing.

What am I making space for when I make space in my body? I’m opening to be interpreted, I’m opening movement and attention and busy-ness, care, concern… so that I/it/this can be interpreted. I am spreading my body in preparation for use.

To condense can be to open, too. To compress my joints and muscles around my bones is to build a proprioceptive schema centered around the moving, present self. This is also to relate to gravity, to press into the self with a weight measured by the deepest devotion to gravity.

But if this is internal, if I am spreading and condensing myself internally… it’s not JUST the under-the-hood (fleshy and somatic) kind of mo(ve)ment. I’m thinking psychosomatic. What does it do to me to spread and condense. Like, I have a gag reflex to the term “psychological” but… psychologically an internal somatic task is doing something to my presence of mind and self.

‘Mind’ as related to thought and thinking, but more related to the construction and enactment of schema. ‘Mind’ as ecological and entangled, relational and diverse; ‘mind’ never as explanatory but as descriptive and habitual. Mind: “the ‘physical’ is in fact a limit-state of the habitual, its extreme. Much goes into making a habit besides electrical impulses and chemical signals” (Manning and Massumi, 21).

I get caught up in words. Defining dominates and dictates a terrain… but it’s just so restrictive sometimes. Writing and languaging are dynamic; we experience language from our inside, and we have to open ourselves for the utterances to be interpreted. We rely on the cracks in our repetitions to give way to a delicious surplus of meaning, possibilities, subjectivity, relationality, and stability.

1.      Undress as slowly as you can, in as many ways as you can.

Like seeing a lover’s body, the undressing brings joy. But once you’re naked you’re naked, right? Stripped down, what is left? The transformation still continues after the last layer is shed. There is always so much to shed. There are sentiments still caught up in elbows and toes and ribs that can be undressed. The eroticism of the anticipation, of the process, is only a trace of what came before.

Noland, Carrie. (2009) Agency and Embodiment.

Manning, Erin & Brian Massumi. (2014) Thought in the Act.

Spatz, Ben. (2015) What a Body Can Do.

Taylor, Diana. (2003) The Archive and the Repertoire.