#like doing it without objective purpose or functionality or combat or what have you

[funnyscienceman]

i think one thing i'm never gonna get over about the movie is that the memorial wall full of art — some of the drawings are of shadow nimona. i can't get screenshots right now but like. shadow nimona smiling. beaming. getting hearts and smiles and hugs, from the kids, from other shadow creatures. it's just. it's so sweet. like it's the kids who drew that taking all that raw hurt and vulnerability from the final act and giving it the hug and empathy and solidarity it needed. and it's like, look at nimona's line after the kwispy incident, look at the cereal ad, the board game billboard; look at gloreth being taught hate, and then look at the drawings. and i just lose it every time i think about it

[bogbees]

so ok the following blurbs were tacked onto the end of the kkir omegaverse fic, as the intention was to like, post these as a part of a series, bc they're not what the omegaverse fic was about. these are post fic events, which, chapter one still needs like, 500 words to end it, but with my luck, it'll end up being 1000... and that's just suggesting the fic will be stupid long somehow and it'll take forever to do— but i want ppl to see these lil snippets now!!!! so im posting them now.

maybe it'll spurn me on to write those 500-1000 words lol

first snippet: a thing ab collars

second snippet: a thing ab nests

“I, ah, know you technically don't need this, because the seal’s been patched and no one knows, but, um,”

Iruka tilts his head in curiosity, a stupidly fond smile on his lips. He knows he's teasing Kakashi by exposing his neck like this, but, well, the way Kakashi’s eye zeros in on his expanse of skin. How it goes dark with utter and complete want…

It's quite an invigorating response.

“That is exactly why,” Kakashi groans, thrusting his small paper bag towards Iruka, “I want you to accept this.”

Now that piques Iruka's curiosity properly, he takes the paper package and opens it up, peeking in. He furrows his brows, not knowing what sort of object he's looking at, and pulls it out, still not having much of a clue. It's a thin cut of dark, shimmery hunter green silk with attached clasps. If he moves the fabric, he finds a diamond shape cut into nine sections, hidden unless brought to light. A clan crest he thinks. Turning it over, he finds a seal painted onto the fabric, one that protects small spaces from unfamiliar chakra, functionally a ward, and one not as complicated as he'd rather prefer.

“It's a collar, sensei,” Kakashi starts, immediately cut off by Iruka's hot glare.

“I don't need this indeed,” he seethes.

“Ah, no, no, Iruka it's not like that.”

“Then what is it like? How can it be taken any other way—”

“I just thought, since you're still unmated, and we can't do it because we don't know how that'll affect the seal, it'd be a relief to have this. All omegas wear them, with or without that seal, it’s essentially a ward, repels chakra signatures not keyed into.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Have you already keyed your chakra into it?”

Kakashi's face immediately goes red, eye wide, sweat beading on his visible skin, “I— what— no, no, that's not the purpose—”

“But you should.”

Kakashi doesn't respond, far too flustered to do much else but gape and stand there.

Iruka thumbs the fabric, the smooth silk hitches a little under his calluses and paper cuts. He imagines it'd be rather pleasant against his neck, barely noticeable once he got used to it. And the neck of his combat uniform would hide it nicely, especially with how unlikely it would be for anyone to reach for his throat… it'd be a secret just between the two of them. Him and his true mate.

“I've seen alphas wear collars too, now that I think about it,” he muses aloud. He's seen many couples walk around Konoha, with strips of fabric wrapped around their necks. Civilians mostly, if any shinobi above genin had been doing it, it'd be a well kept secret.

“Would you want me to?” Kakashi speaks quickly.

Iruka gauges the look in Kakashi's eye. Desperate, eager, one word away from doing anything Iruka asks of him.

It's fascinating. It's too much.

He looks away and studies the collar in his hand. It wouldn't take much to rip it to shreds, or cast a katon and watch it turn to ash. He looks at the way the clan symbol is nearly hidden, only seen with a certain hit of light that makes the surrounding silk shimmer. Hatake… a claim. A proposal. A promise.

Not taking his eyes off the Hatake clan crest, toying with how it hides and reappears, “if I did, would you wear my family's crest.”

The Umino, once as prominent as the Uzumaki, had dwindled down to simply him and him alone. They had a colourful history, Uzushio born and raised, few immigrating to Konoha alongside the Uzumaki and marrying into various clans here and there. All that remains is their symbol hung up in the Hokage Tower to honour the groups that make the village whole, and a few scrolls tucked away in the archives. He thinks the Hatake clan may have come to a similar fate, with only Kakashi left.

It's not like he thinks he'll be able to restore the clan. Not if he's with Hatake Kakashi. But. If only to honour his parents…

“Yes,” Kakashi answers. Iruka knows he's standing at attention, his lone eye serious as if giving a report directly to the Hokage.

He looks up, not at Kakashi, it's still too soon, he's too tender yet to acknowledge him, and wonders how Kakashi might look wearing the ocean blues of the Umino weave, the circular crest emblazed in gold. A stark contrast to how the Hatake design hides itself in the fabric.

He walks over to the man, lifts up his hand and places the collar into his palm.

Kakashi jolts a fraction, his voice void of feeling, “I see, sorry to—”

“I don't like the seal.” Iruka stares into his eye, challenging.

Kakashi's eye goes wide, staring back at him, some tension giving way as he slumps his posture, “you… don't like the seal?”

“It's not something I would make, and I'd be more comfortable with my own design wrapped around my neck,” he waves to the room. They both know his wards weren't standard issue for the chunin barracks, but more on par with those found on the ANBU offices, hell even the Hokage's residence.

“Alright—”

“So clean that off for me, I'll get one for you, and I'll write the seals myself. Sound like a plan?”

Kakashi's eye goes bright, twinkling with something Iruka can't, won't name, and he nods, “yes sensei.”

“I'm glad.”

“You're experiencing a false heat,” Kakashi thinks aloud.

Iruka turns on him, eyes blazing, “you don't think I know that,”

“Sorry, sorry —”

Iruka loudly sighs and falls back onto the couch with as much ceremony as a rogue wave, “no, no, I'm sorry. The seal's already weaker than it had been last year this time, so everything's out of whack. Hormones,” he waves his hand in the air dismissively.

He stares up at the ceiling, eyes wide in a subtle sense of shock and despair, “it's so much worse than last year.”

“You should take Golden Week off,” Kakashi suggests.

Iruka waves him off, “it's fine, it's fine. This time I can't even smell anything. Just irritable, but I'm always irritable, so it's no difference.”

“You're not always irritable.”

Iruka laughs softly, “yeah, just around you and Naruto mostly.”

Kakashi doesn't say anything to that, and he's not sure he wants to hear him voice his opinion. It might lead to more feelings. Cracking open his chest and taking a deep look at his heart, simmering with love and adoration. Picking it out and finding out all his secrets laid bare; how he feels his very being burn up in a pyre anytime he aches from loneliness, desire for family, for pack, for people to call his own. That his reactions to Naruto and Kakashi, the way he's easy to ignite, it's just how he's desperate to prove he gives a damn, how he's desperate to keep them away in case they too burn up and are extinguished from his life.

“Naruto and Sandaime are gone, you considered them…”

“Family. Pack. Mine.”

“Right. Yeah.”

It's no secret Hatake Kakashi has experienced loss himself. From his father's famous suicide, to his own failed missions on a genin team, losing both his teammates consecutively, then to losing his own sensei. But, it's not known how deep his bonds had been, if he had considered them to be family, pack. But with how clearly it seems he'd rather not packbond outside his ninken, perhaps… he's just like Iruka, trying to push people away so he doesn't have to experience that sort of pain.

He wonders if it's only them being true mates that has Kakashi here in his life.

Iruka sighs loudly again. Tired. Pats the cushion next to him. Kakashi doesn't dare to do so much else but breathe. Iruka slaps at the cushion again, insistent, impatient frown on his face. Kakashi is across the room in what feels like one step. Iruka blinks, he could have leaped.

The man tentatively steps around the couch, keeping eye contact with Iruka as he motions to sit. Iruka yanks him the rest of the way down, with as much grace as a pre-genin. Immediately, disregarding Kakashi's panicked expression, he unzips the man's flak jacket and carelessly, hastily pulls it off him.

He holds it up, motioning to toss it aside before pausing, thinking better of it, brings it to his nose and inhales.

Kakashi watches, his embarrassment obvious, “there's no scent, I use blockers, it just smells like—”

“Your body odour, yeah. I still can't really catch any scents, which is weird, the seal used to weaken enough for it. But I guess the patch fixed that issue.”

“It's still just my sweat—”

“Still uniquely you, belongs to you,” Iruka hums, settling it behind him, tucking it next to some of Naruto's old clothes. It settles some of his unease at the back of his mind.

“Um, sensei, I've never been in a nest before, I don't know if there's anything I should be doing or—”

Iruka laughs, “that makes the two of us then,” he grins at his stupid true mate, “you have to just do as I say, I think.”

“I can do that,” Kakashi nods. Confident yet terribly awkward. Iruka wouldn't have it any other way.

He pushes himself forward, toppling Kakashi onto his back and lies atop the man's chest. “Is this comfortable for you?”

With how stiff Kakashi’s body is, the man's strangled “y-yeah,” makes Iruka laugh.

“I'm not sure, I believe you,” he says, amused, “but it's fine, I'm not very comfortable at all. Help me remake this, will you.”

He pushes himself off Kakashi and stares back down at the man. His lone eye is wide, his cheek red and glistening with beading sweat from a sudden intense embarrassment. “I'm not sure I'd be any help for—”

“You'll be plenty,” Iruka nods, “now c’mon, up, we have to fix this if you're going to be here.”

Kakashi rises to his feet, still absolutely nervous.

Iruka picks up a pillow and fluffs it, eyeing Kakashi's stance, “... you do understand what I'm trying to ask you to do, don't you?”

“Yes! I—”

[howtofightwrite]

When I was 15 we went to China and we went to see a martial arts show and were allowed to take photos with the performers and hold the weapons. Well, the one I first picked (ji polearm) was heavy and difficult to just pick up and hold straight up and off the ground. I don't understand why weapons like this are 'NEVER heavy' is all over here. There ARE heavy ones.

So, there's a couple important things to note. For obvious reasons, I can't examine that specific ji, but  they usually weigh about 9lbs. Which isn't particularly heavy. Now, it is possible that the martial arts school was using a weighted ji as part of their act, or it could have been an ornate example. Even then, it would be unlikely to break around 15-20lbs. Which loops back to the original point, infantry melee weapons aren't heavy.

It is worth remembering that if you're picking up a weapon without any prior experience, it may feel much heavier than it's weight would imply. This is, in large part, because you don't know how to find the weapon's balance. As, I'm sure you noticed during the show, the trained practitioners had no problem spinning it around like a baton.

This is going to be true of most melee weapons. Even a sword, which weighs a fraction of what that ji does, may still feel awkward and heavy until you learn how to wield it.

With all that said, the ji is on the heavy side for melee weapons. That's generally true of polearms. They're large and a bit awkward (in the hands of the untrained), but the weight is still quite manageable once you learn how to hold them.

It's possible (though somewhat unlikely) the weapon was also simply too larger for you to wield. This tends to be more of an issue with being unable to effectively balance the weapon in your grip, rather than it simply being too heavy to physically lift.

With all of that said, heavy weapons do exist. One of the classic examples are parade swords, which were heavily ornamented, and could weigh up to 20lbs. The important thing to remember with these object is that they're art pieces, not functional weapons. However, the fifty pound greatsword that looks like it was fashioned out of a chrome bumper does not, and while an adult with average physical fitness could lift such a weapon, wielding one in combat would be extremely tiring.

Fatigue is the real reason you don't see heavy melee weapons. The heavier the object is, the more energy you need to expend getting it moving (or stopping it.) The more energy you burn getting your weapon up to speed, the faster you will exhaust. When you're exhausted and facing a fresh opponent, you die. (That last bit is part of why you never saw things like the 50lb greatsword. It's not enough to be able to utterly obliterate a foe in one strike, you also need to be ready for all of his friends that are waiting behind him.)

As mentioned earlier, weighted weapons can be used for shows like the one you attended. Usually the purpose is to adjust the center of gravity on the weapon to facilitate specific tricks, but I don't know if that was the case here.

Either way, what you're looking at isn't so much the amount of weight, as an unexpected point of balance. I don't know what your general physical fitness was as a teen, but lifting 10lbs should not be an issue for a 15-year-old. Consider that your winter coat probably weighed more than that ji. However, you were not expecting the weight distribution, and probably didn't know how much weight to expect. Also, while I didn't state it explicitly, weapons tend to feel heavier than they are, until you get used to them. This is a consequence of the weapon's point of balance being someplace you weren't expecting. It gets better, because it's surprisingly difficult to lift significant amounts of weight off your center of gravity. The normal exercise example of this is to lift and hold a small barbell at arm's length. If you've never tried it, (or tried to hold a gun on someone for an extended period of time), it's surprisingly difficult. No one is going to argue that 1-2lbs of weight is heavy, but when you're holding it out, away from your body, it feels much heavier, and takes more effort. So, the, “trick,” with the ji is to keep its center of balance is close to your center of gravity. That's actually pretty easy once you've started to build familiarity with the weapon, but it can result in a deceptive first encounter.

Finally, I hope it's self-explanatory, but a theatrical show is not the same as battlefield combat. A lot of the physical considerations, like the threat of being killed because you burned too much energy, aren't really a problem in a ninety minute show, where performers can rotate out. This leads to a flashier, more physically demanding performance. You couldn't take that performance onto a battlefield because, “exhausted then dead,” but it will entertain the crowds.

Which leads back to: No. Heavy weapons do exist, but their place is on the mantel or stage, not in combat. You NEVER want a weapon to be any heavier than is absolutely necessary, and in a lot of cases, when you can't get the weight down, that will diminish the value of that weapon in combat.

-Starke

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[sonicasura]

I gonna say this now. Legend (A Link To The Past/Link's Awakening/Triforce Heroes/Oracle of Seasons and Ages/Link Between Worlds Link) would be a magnet to dream based entities.

First you can't leave a literal god's dream world scot-free without some otherworldly aura stuck on your very being. And two, he REALLY needs a break alongside a shit ton of hugs. Legend is in the top three when it comes to traumatizing adventures alongside Time (OoT/MM) and Wild (BotW/incoming ToTK).

Now what do I mean by dream based? Basically any being who can interact or live inside the Dream World. For fandom enthusiasts, Nightmarens(Nights into Dreams) like Nights, Dream Eaters from Kingdom Hearts, Dreamland inhabitants such as Kirby and co or Pi'illos from Mario and Luigi Dream Team.

I can imagine after Link's Awakening, Legend tends to accidentally drift into other different parts of the dream world. A byproduct from being stuck in the Wind Fish's dream for too long. Like a magnet, they sorta just approach or gather around him in the Dream Eaters' case.

Legend definitely be a bit on edge until he realizes none of these guys mean any harm. Although this Link probably won't realize why he keeps attracting them unless someone very well versed about the Dream World explains it. (El Dream seems like the one as the Elder Pi'illo is already friends with an ancient dream guardian which is the Zeekeeper).

Legend is gonna get a shit ton of hugs and comfort cause no dream inhabitant ain't letting him sulk. Especially Kirby since that little Star Warrior wouldn't let any potential friend stay sad. Although it'll take awhile before Legend can purposely drift into what dream world he wants to visit.

This does lead to a change of behavior and abilities depending on when this exactly starts. Most likely, Legend would only share his true thoughts or personality to people who earn his trust. The rude cynical attitude being a mask as he's more of a stoic softy. Kinda like Chad from Bleach, someone who may look intimidating but is actually a loyal sweetheart.

(Even canon Legend has trust issues but I don't see him being a full on dick. He's really a person afraid of getting hurt again as people he gets attached to don't last long. He literally lost someone he deeply cared about at the start of Link to the Past.)

As for his abilities, I won't be surprised if he began to delve into dream based magic. Summoning can become an option thanks to the Pi'illos since objects from the dream world can be brought into the waking one and Dream Eaters can be summoned as well. Forming a functional summon spell wouldn't be so difficult with multiple angles to work with.

There's also unique combat in the Dream World that Legend can easily take advantage of, especially if he can drag others into it. Three different options specifically as Kingdom Hearts, Nights and Dream Team have their own unique styles in dream world fights.

Kingdom Hearts: Flowmotion, Link/Dual Style, Link/Dual Attacks (if anyone can find a shorter video for this that would be appreciated)

Dream Team: Bro/Luiginary Attacks (Legenary would be better as the name scheme is just a combination of a name and imaginary) and Giant Battle

Nights: Dualize (couldn't find a video)

Legend has one hell of an arsenal when it comes to dream magic combined with his imagination. Not even including the various allies who can assist if shit hits the fan. The Chain are in for a hurricane of surprises with this Legend.

Four and Time no longer have the most secrets in their closet. Legend would definitely use his dream magic if shit hits the fan or seek one of his dream companions for advice and a hug. Adventures like this are stressful for anyone especially him.

That's all I have for now! Until next time folks, I'll see you back in the dream world.

[mbti-notes]

**Hi mbti-notes! I’m an INFJ. I wanted to ask you about something I’ve noticed in myself in hopes that you might have insight or advice to offer. I read your information about learning and study as well as perfectionism. I do believe perfectionism is at play here, but I get the feeling there’s more. Do you think this is type related? Is it just plain ol’ misuse of Ni and Ni-Se imbalance? When it comes to lengthier college assignments (especially papers), I have an ineffective way of attempting

[con’t: the assignment. I know that I need to break it into smaller pieces in order to do it, which I do. But, as I go along, once I get to a point where I’ve written a decent bit, I get stuck. I feel completely clueless as to how to synthesize, sort through, and structure my work, which I need to do to go forward. Then, I start to freak out. I get overwhelmed by having no idea if all of what I’m writing is tying together, coherent, flowing, making sense, following the directions as a whole. I seem to be incapable of identifying the next step, focusing on that one step, and completing it.

Part of it is kind of like I can’t get out of aerial view, almost. It seems my natural way of approaching writing is trying to revise, edit and organize *as* I’m writing, which, of course, is impossible and completely destroys my ability to write. This is something I really want to change, because I believe I have potential to contribute something valuable to the world through my writing. I won’t be able to do that if I continue this harmful approach. Reflecting, I notice some other ways this issue seems to crop up in my life, too? When drawing, I’ve made messy attempts to sketch, ink and color all in the same sitting instead of going step by step through sketching, finishing that, then starting to ink (repeat), etc. Thoughts? Thank you!]

I see two issues that need to be examined:

1) Poor Organization Ability & Lack of Clear Objective: The ability to organize ideas requires development of your judging functions, especially Ti. Ti allows you to take Ni ideas and put them into a tight organizational model or framework. Since Ti is a lower function and tiring/difficult to use, it is often good to use Fe to find an existing “template” that you can modify for your purposes. This could be something as simple as learning how to create a detailed outline for an essay, or learning (from experts) the most effective techniques or procedures for what you want to achieve.

It seems that you often begin an assignment without a clear idea about the objective or what you want to express or argue. For example, when you’re writing an essay, you should BEGIN with a thesis statement and then proceed to construct an argument to support it. However, many students just start writing down their thoughts without knowing where it should go, and hope to eventually arrive at a thesis statement, at some point. This kind of mental organization ability is more commonly referred to as critical thinking ability. Thus, it seems that you need to spend more time explicitly improving your critical thinking skills. I have recommended books about it on the resources page.

2) Perfectionism: This is a problem when you start to feel anxious about not being able to complete a work to your ideal expectations. Anxiety is mentally draining. It takes energy away from focus and motivation. It may even lead to procrastination. Combat perfectionism by breaking the work process down into two distinct stages:

The first stage of your work should be the “creativity” stage, where you can just do whatever you like, explore whatever ideas you want, write whatever comes out, etc. This allows you the space and freedom to develop ideas to a more mature state. Then you won’t cut off promising directions before they even get going.

The second stage of your work should be the “refinement” stage, where you apply your critical thinking and organization skill to refine what you want the work to look like. You keep refining until you are satisfied enough to let it go. Sometimes, you may even want to redo the whole darn thing because, through the process of refinement, you’ve become armed with more knowledge and skill than when you started. 

To allow enough time for you to properly get through both stages of work, you have to also manage your time well. Get started on assignments earlier so that you don’t feel too pressured to end the first stage prematurely. If you have trouble with that, then perhaps you should also work on your time management skills. INFJs, being J, don’t generally have trouble with time management, as long as they can keep emotional obstacles like anxiety or perfectionism in check.

[sinnamonn]

Torn Fabric pt.0

“Lacrymosa”

Gia, a depressed English major back home early for summer break, revisits a fixation they had when they were a teen. Thus sparking the chaotic chain of events that will completely recontextualize their life.

(Parame uses they/them)

“Out on your own”

“Cold and alone again”

By far the greatest flaw of human design was making them social creatures, practically pack animals like wolves and elephants. Humans cannot function properly without socialization, a trait ingrained after a millennia of evolution. But because of that trait, there was loneliness. If a human being went long enough without social interaction it set in, wriggling around their body like a parasite.

Sure, a human can be alone without being lonely, but after a while that separation dissipates. The line grows thin. Especially after weeks of unanswered texts and stood up dinner hangouts. Sure, it wasn’t like Gia was being avoided on purpose, it was about a week before the end of the semester and finals were approaching at high speeds. They needed to study and to rest, Gia was just clingy.

Gia realized just how bland food tasted when eaten alone.

They shook their head, dismissing the thought. It didn’t matter, they were leaving campus on Monday and then none of that would matter. The loneliness, the bland food, the unanswered texts would all be over and done with. They didn’t need anyone, they were just clingy. Gia could easily distract themself with drawing or watching horror movies on sketchy streaming sites.

They handled it so well they insisted on coming home early. Their friends were busy with finals, Gia would just be a distraction. Removing themself was the most logical thing to do, besides, they missed their cats. They missed home.

—

They didn’t know why they thought coming home early would make them feel better. It was just like back at campus, save for the hundreds of 18-24 year olds. After they had been brought home by their parents they had left for their two week Vegas trip.

“That works out really well actually,” Gia’s mother had texted, “That way we have someone looking after the cats.”

Gia was still wholly, utterly, alone.

Well, that wasn’t entirely the truth, they still had their cats.

But the loneliness persisted.

Distractions, distractions, distractions…

Gia went to work and interacted with their coworkers, when they weren’t working they were in Barnes and Noble. Their favorite manga, Record of Ragnarok, had gotten an official localization, so there was something.

That kept them busy for about… two days. The novelty wore off the minute they reread the manga for the third time. Sure it was great to have a physical copy of one of their favorite mangas but once the volume is finished…then what? The next issue would be out next month, what would Gia do until then??

Boredom.

Loneliness.

It was a toxic cocktail swimming through their head, infecting the very core of their being. All Gia could do was follow the routine of wake up, feed cats, fester, go to work, feed cats dinner, fester more, sleep, and repeat.

Gia found themselves at the “fester some more” stage.

Lying in bed sprawled out on top of the comforter, the air conditioner offering some relief from the heat and white noise to fill the otherwise silent room. Gia eyes were glued to their bedroom’s popcorn ceiling, in the same pajamas they’d been wearing for the past two days.

Surely, the dream world would offer some form of entertainment, some relief, but Gia just couldn’t sleep. They shifted their head, something had been digging into the back of their neck for the past few hours.

“Jesus…what is that?”

Only now did they bother to come out of their detached stupor and finally do something about it. Under the lumpy pillow they felt for it, their pale hand brushing against something rough and sort of grainy.

Gia pulled out an amethyst cluster.

‘Oh god, how long has that been there?’ They thought, letting out a single, dry laugh. It was a relic from a simpler time, when Gia was fourteen. That was when they discovered witchcraft and spell work, and dove first into it to combat boredom. That hyperfixation lasted them a good few years. Looking at the cluster of misty purple quartz brought them back; the store they bought it from would always have a different tea for customers to sample amongst all the books and ritual tools. Being there would make them forget whatever stresses they were going through. Gia would just cast a spell ( put a bunch of symbols on paper and burn it) and everything would just melt away.

Gia hadn’t done spellwork for a long time, and that store closed a little over a year ago at this point. Though the remnants remained on top of Gia’s bookshelf, various crystals, candles, and mason jars sat collecting dust for all those years.

Their eyes lingered on a purple candle.

It wouldn’t hurt right?

They took the purple candle, along with an orange and silver one, a clear quartz point, and the amethyst. The living room had the best view of the moon, and with it being full that night it would offer a great backdrop for their spell, just like old times. They arranged the objects on the small coffee table facing the window, the moon bathing the room in dim white light. Purple, silver, orange, the silver one directly under the moon’s gaze.

The click of a lighter and the orange light mixed into the darkness

Gia placed the amethyst before the candles, keeping the clear quarts in their hand and pointing it up at the moon. Truthfully, they felt a little silly, if someone saw them like that they’d surely think Gia was crazy.

They took a breath.

“Please….” they began, “whatever god, whatever power is willing to listen…I beg you: destroy this loneliness!”

They shouted the last part, a beg to the universe to get rid of that awful, awful void deep inside them. They didn’t care how it may or may not manifest, they just didn’t want to be so alone.

But, realistically, that wouldn’t happen. Things would inevitably stay the same in their boring world.

[papermariosuggestion]

What are you hoping for from a new Paper Mario? What's your "golden ideal", I guess?

I could spend, like, years thinking of things I’d like to see in a Paper Mario game, but I’ll try to narrow it down. Here are some of the main things I’d really like to see:

☆ New partners (plural)

• Based on previously established Mario species, preferably “enemy” species, as “The circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant; it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.”

• Unusual, but believable, and perhaps even poignant, backstories and fully realized character arcs. I want to care about these characters because I’m invested in this world, its inhabitants, and those inhabitants’ personal successes and failures, not just because their design is so kawaii and/or their dialogue is so funny, though those things are a plus.

• Distinct personalities and opportunities to show those personalities off (through design, body language, dialogue, etc).

☆ RPG mechanics

• Built on the solid foundation established in Paper Mario (N64)

• Turn-based combat

• A leveling system where you get to choose which stat to increase

• Badges (Including superficial badges like the L Emblem and Attack FX badges)

• Something new, like being able to use two partners to perform a Bros.-Attack-like move, or maybe even stats specifically pertaining to your partners.

☆ New locations

• It’s a delicate balance. Locations should both feel like they could realistically exist in Mario’s world and feel like something we’ve never seen before. TTYD has some great examples of this (Rogueport, Boggly Woods, Twilight Town, etc). Super Paper Mario has some creative locations as well, but because it takes place in another dimension, not in the typical world that Mario inhabits, none of them really feel particularly “Mario-esque” in nature. They’re all a bit off-brand, so to speak.

• On a technical level, graphics are improving all of the time, but that doesn’t automatically lead to more intriguing and/or more visually satisfying designs. At it’s core, Mario is a fantasy franchise, an escape from reality, and the Paper Mario series is one of the few series in the franchise that really builds out- or at least used to really build out- its world, and that world was interesting because it was new and mysterious, it practically begged to be explored. Paper Mario games should show me something I can’t see in reality; I know what paper and cardboard and lemons and steaks look like, show me underground cities and palaces, show me sprawling gardens with talking flowers, show me a floating tourist trap in the sky. The biggest limit is your imagination, so let it run wild, and show me that, show me that Alice in Wonderland-like controlled chaos.

☆ An interconnected world and motivated backtracking

• No stage-selection maps. Even if the game is fairly linear, I don’t need to have that shoved in my face. I don’t want to feel like I’m working my way down a to-do list, glued to a track, I want to journey through the world and explore somewhat freely.

• No fast travel by default (maybe you unlock fast travel after beating an optional challenge like the Pit of 100 Trials)

• No pipes that take you right from the hub world to the chapter area; I wanna walk…

…and I want it to be through a believable, expansive, intricate world that changes as I progress through the game, a world I could see hundreds of times and never get sick of because its details are constantly in flux, and because those details are the kind that make it feel realistic and lived-in. I don’t want to be teleported from A to B, or confined on a path from A to B to C, I want to explore, I want to discover, I want to experience this world and to form an attachment to it. This alone would make backtracking more worthwhile, but…

• …another way to make backtracking even more enjoyable would be to add events that make walking into a game in and of itself, like having to follow a creature up in the trees, or having to get through a cursed area in Mirror Mode, or having to dodge and weave through falling rocks because there’s a huge earthquake destroying- and altering the actual geometry of- the area. Walking doesn’t have to be a chore for you to complete in order to get on with the game, and it shouldn’t be, it should be part of the game, just as engaging as anything else you’re involved in.

☆ Non-linear elements

• The game should still be fairly linear overall, because Paper Mario games are chapter-based stories with beginnings, middles, and ends, but having some say  in which chapter comes next, or which partner you meet, or even just which puzzle you solve next would give the player a stronger sense of agency. Story-driven games are at high-risk of making the player feel like they’re just along for the ride, and this would help to counteract that.

☆ Spin dashing

• Gotta go fast! Getting rid of spin dashing always felt like an odd choice to me. Characters like the Yoshi kid, Carrie, and Dashell kind of replaced it, in the sense that they allow you to move quickly, but being able to speed up without switching partners, as well as being able to spin attack and just to witness the utter chaos of Mario flinging himself across the screen again, would make backtracking and walking around in general less of a slog. It would also give you more agency in the overworld and serve as a nice callback to the original game.

☆ Free-moving NPCs & situational dialogue

• In past games, NPCs have been confined to certain paths and locations. They might move from chapter to chapter, but they would always stay in the same general area until you triggered an event that placed them somewhere new. I’d like to see characters wandering around, going in and out of buildings, visiting other locations, having private conversations with one another, getting into fights, buying and selling items at the shop, putting on different clothes, and doing just about anything else they would typically do in-universe. Obviously this would be huge challenge to program, but we’re talking about an ideal here, and anything in this general direction would be an improvement in my eyes. We already see a bit of this in the series, but I’d like to see even more.

• When NPCs say things like “Where are your manners, Mario? You shouldn’t climb on the table” and “Don’t be so careless. There are too many enjoyable things in the world to gamble with your life!” it makes it feel like they actually see what you’re doing and care about what you’re doing. Having NPCs respond to you differently because of where you’re standing, or what partner you have out, or what badges you’re wearing, and so on, makes them into more than just set decoration or a sign to read, it makes them people, or at least more person-like. Nintendo’s been pretty good about this in recent years, probably because technical improvements have made it easier than ever before, and I think it would be fitting for a series known for its world-building.

☆ Dynamic lighting design & a day/night system

• This is all about aesthetics because, as it turns out, visuals are pretty important in a video game. Paper Mario (N64) had some really interesting lighting design, notably in darker areas like the secret passage in Peach’s castle, and we haven’t really seen a lot of that since, despite having more advanced technology that would allow for advanced lighting.

• I’d like to see things like swinging chandeliers that cast beams of light, and cracks in the ceiling that light pours through, and mirrors/reflections that Mario uses to solve puzzles, and shadows that hint at secrets. Lighting is a huge part of shaping a world, and using it in a variety of different and meaningful ways just makes your world seem that much more complex and grounded.

• As for the day/night system, I am picturing a game that visually changes based on the actual time of day, kind of like Animal Crossing games do, but not a game that requires it to be a certain time of day for any gameplay purposes, not for the main quest, not for side-quests, and not even for easter eggs. All I want is for it to be bright when I play in the morning, orange when I play at sunset, and starry when I play at night. This also would add to the game’s replayability, as different chapters would look and feel different depending on what time of day it was when you played through them.

☆ Easter eggs that reference other games in the franchise

• I want it to be clear, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the Mario we see in Paper Mario games is the same Mario we see in other Mario games, not another person, and talking about the time he visited Isle Delfino or when Bowser fused with a sentient tennis racket would really drive that home.

• Make me really look for some, though. It’s cool to spot easter eggs in plain sight, but what’s really rewarding is having to dig for them. I don’t just wanna see Luigi standing in the background, I want to spot little inconsistencies and cracks in the walls and cryptograms spread throughout the world. Sure, the five-year-olds playing might not find them on their first playthrough, but when they’re fifteen and they remember that awesome Paper Mario game they played a decade ago, they won’t just be revisiting a world they’ve fully explored, they’ll be playing on a whole new level, figuratively speaking.

☆ amiibo Compatibility/functionality

• I’m not a big fan of DLC in general, as it’s often overpriced, but I do think amiibos are neat; using a real object to unlock something in a virtual world makes the virtual world feel just that much more alive to me, that much more like it’s a little world I can actually affect.

• The Paper Mario series never really got official merch, and while you do see a bit of your partners’ lives in the epilogue, it’s only a glimpse into their future, so getting little figurines of past partners that make them appear in the game, tell you about a recent adventure they had, and give you a unique badge based on their abilities/personalities/experiences, would be like a dream come true.

☆ Just be creative (I know it’s not that simple, but like, figure it out)

• Surprise me; throw in something inventive and revolutionary, like Wall Merging from A Link Between Worlds or The Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device from Portal.  There’s a whole universe of possibilities out there; please dream a little bigger than items disguised as a gameplay element and a hammer that fills in glaringly obvious gaps in paint. Nintendo’s always pushing the video game industry forward with their creative consoles. Use that, take whatever whacky control method they come up with next and integrate it like Super Paper Mario did- but hopefully even better than Super Paper Mario did- with the Wii remote.

• I see fans writing stories, and drawing characters, and making sprites, and working with all kinds of mediums to make art that knocks everything from recent “Paper Mario” games out of the park. Obviously Intelligent Systems can’t just steal those ideas, but I’d love to see them get on that wavelength and match that passion.

• Make a game that you’d never want to put down because you just can’t get enough of it, and don’t even bother with that “You’ve been playing for a while. You wanna take a break, grab a snack, chill out for a sec?” message; if I die playing your game because it’s truly that good, I see that as an absolute win. That’s legendary game design, my friend; aim to make a Paper Mario game so good it’s worth dying for, and if you fall short of that, hopefully you’ll still land on something pretty awesome.

[sburbian-sage]

Strifing Without Specibus: How To Weaponize Your Sylladex & Other Harming Implements

One’s Strife Specibus is one of the more important tools in the game. Defending from Underlings and PK’ers, facing down the final bosses and Unreal Heirs, fruitless sparring with your Guardians and Coplayers, and the time honored tradition of getting into dick-measuring contests with your friends, seeing who can make the coolest or most absurd method. Some people allocate their Specibus accidentally, but as their improvised weaponry grows on them, they “main” it, trying as hard as they can to keep using it in future sessions. Your average Player will use a variety of Strife Specubi, from typical weapons like bladekind, pistolkind, and hammerkind, to weird choices like bookkind, peprmillkind, or rulerkind (measuring sticks, not governing bodies). Some people choose theirs because they like it, some choose for versatility, and some choose for metagaming purposes.

Sometimes though, the Strife Specibus isn’t enough. You’ve got some wimpy kiddy scissors that just won’t cut it while an Ogre prepares to swing. You’ve got a lance, but a winged Imp flies out of reach. You’ve got enough mangrit to toss a dryer, which you conveniently have on-hand, but no dryerkind, and the strange abstracted game-y nature of reality thus prevents you from attacking with it. In such cases, instead of un-abstracting your Strife Deck for the purposes of tossing it on the floor and stepping on it, perhaps you should get good and learn how to weaponize your Sylladex.

We’ve all been there. We’re having trouble fighting things, so your smarmy know-it-all friend tells you “a hyuk hyuk why dont u fite with your sllyadex yuo fucking scrub” and then doesn’t tell you how to actually do it. So you flail around, then learn how to do it kind of, and then stop doing it and rely on your Strife Specibus. Then years later, someone with less experience than you is having trouble fighting things, so you tell them “a hyuk hyuk why dont u fite with your sllyadex yuo fucking scrub". With typos, because you’ve turned into a silly mspaint strawman comic man. And then you cry. It’s a vicious, dehumanizing cycle, and you probably want to punch that guy or yourself, but you can’t because you don’t have fistkind you fucking scrub. You also can’t throw stuff at him, because you learned the bare basics of Sylladex fighting so you’re very shitty at it. So I’m going to help you break that cycle, and teach you actual lessons of fighting with your Sylladex. That way, you can walk right up to that dude, then toss a bunch of cream pies at him, then watch him scream and cry like a silly mspaint strawman comic man. Then you can do it to your past self. Then go mad with the power of throwing things.

The Fundaments: How Do I Shot Web?

I wrote this section after all the others because I realized too late that some of you might not even know the basics of weaponizing your Sylladex. That’s sad and pathetic, but it’s not unlikely, and best to put it here now rather than get accused of putting the cart before the horse later. Basically, you know how if your Sylladex is full, if you captchalogue something else, it goes flying out at high speeds? This is the mechanic you are exploiting. Catchaloguing an item such that it ejects something you’re holding on. The following section will be divided into Taos (even more fundamentals) and Zens (more advanced tricks), because I read a book that did this once and I thought that was cool.

Also, you should know that Hope players will be better than you at this. [Eject] is a Hope-exclusive ability that automatically ejects something from their Sylladex, and it’s very easy to learn, and it completely removes half the challenge from weaponizing your Sylladex (that is, finding something to put into the thing). While you’re scrambling for rocks so you can launch your fridge, they’ll be launching fridges at a whim. If you’re not a Hope player, then do what everyone else does. Bitch about it and move on.

Tao of Sylladex Strife: Know Your Fetch Modus

If you’re going to be using your Sylladex to fight, know how it works. Even babies know how to pick stuff up, but sometimes babies get confused by how their particular Fetch Modus actually works. And maybe you’ll get confused even if you’re not a baby (read: teenager), particularly if you get dropped into a new Session and the guy whose place you’re taking is a hipster and decided to grab one of the most esoteric Fetch Modi known to man. So make sure, before you even THINK of mis-using your Sylladex for violent purposes, that you understand how it works. And check the back, because there might be settings.

Once you’ve done that, you need to re-learn it again. This time, understand how it works in combat. Particularly, how does it eject, and how can you use it? FIFO and FILO Sylladice will eject the earliest item. Hashmap ejects the item occupying the slot you’re attempting to fill. Tree doesn’t eject so much as stuff falls. Array is wonderful for inventory management (even though I prefer Index), but it ejects stuff randomly. Enabling the “detect collisions” setting also makes inventory management easier, but considerably slows down the speed at which you can weaponize your Sylladex. How long does it take to actually captchalogue items? Is it complicated, or unwieldy? When something gets ejected, how does it fly? It’s somewhat complex, re-assessing your understanding of your Sylladex, but some general tips are as follows.

Knowing what will eject is better than random ejection.

More space means more stockpiling, but it becomes harder to keep track of your stuff.

Less space means you know your inventory better, but you have less room to maneuver and can’t stockpile as well.

Turn off “detect collisions” if you want to use your Sylladex in battle.

Short and uncomplicated captchalogue mechanics are better.

Tao of Sylladex Strife: Know Your Inventory

Now that you understand how your Fetch Modus functions, you need to understand its contents. Your Sylladex will serve two functions. An inventory, and an arsenal. “Inventory” basically means “stuff for use in puzzles and alchemy”, “arsenal” means “stuff I will use to commit murder with”. Just as it’s good to have a Fetch Modus that can serve those two functions, it’s good to have a balanced inventory. Key items, and tossable junk items. It’s also important that you know what’s going to be used. Safely take out keys, and toss your dishwasher, not the Glass Orb of Not Softlocking The Game.

As for your arsenal, understand what does and doesn’t make an effective weapon. Straight razors and sharp and fly fast and long, but they’re small and might break. Fridges are big and heavy, so they’ll do a lot of damage, but also destroy the environment and have bad range. Make sure as shit you’re out of range of your impact bombs when you let them loose, and don’t toss garden gnomes if you’re trying to knock back a Giclops. While they fill the role of bullets (with the Sylladex as the gun), they’re more like specialized tools that are all used by hurling them at people you don’t like.

Tao of Sylladex Strife: Know Your Surroundings.

Understanding your battlefield is not only important in general warfare, it’s also important when considering your throwables. While most Players who stick to their guns (so to speak) will mainly traverse their Land only looking for that which is essential to winning the game, you need to traverse it while understanding it on two levels.

The first level is the Strategic Level. Understanding your Land as a whole, and how to utilize the TOYS (Tools Of Your Surroundings) within. If you find yourself low on Sylladex weapons, where you can stock up, and what will you be stocking up on? What’s the fastest route to those locations from where you are? Does a certain location have better weaponry for the specific foes you’ll face later on? Stuff like that.

The second level is the Tactical Level. This is understanding your immediate surroundings while in a fight. What items can you quickly get to? Which ones should be used for ejection, which are best for softening the enemy up, and which are best for dealing lethal blows? Is it at all possible to make new items, like smashing the tile floors or breaking a window and captchaloguing the ensuing debris?

It’s a bit difficult to give blanket lessons on this Tao, but it’s always keep an analytical eye. You should know where your TOYS are before you need them, lest you get caught with your pants down.

Zen of Sylladex Strife: Art of the Adventure Gamer

You could tag SBURB as a lot of games. AR MMO survival psychological action adventure with house sim elements. Early-access too, considering how shitty it is. But don’t forget the adventure part. Have you ever played those point-and-click adventure games like Monkey Island or Sam & Max, and been amused with how the protagonists will take completely random and sometimes absurd objects because they could be useful? Well stop smiling, because they’re always right and you need to start doing that too.

First of all, you should already have been doing that. SBURB is also a puzzle game, and not only can potentially any item help you with puzzles, but every item could be useful for Alchemy purposes. Well now you need to add “killing stuff” to the list of potential uses for every item. Diagnose yourself with severe kleptomania and start acting like it. Grab everything you can! Use everything on everything! Stack up on Captchalogue Cards! Seriously, they’re dirt cheap for the Alchemiter. And speaking of Alchemy...

Zen of Sylladex Strife: Alchemy Isn’t Just For Weapons

Everybody loves going down to their Alchemy Pad and making new weapons, new armor, new tools, and a whole lot of useless bullshit. It reminds them of the satisfaction of upgrading their equipment or buying a new level of gear in the other video games they’ve played. Those video games, however, also tend to teach you that upgrading your ammunition or spending money on special ammo is a waste of time. It is, but not necessarily in SBURB. While improvised weaponry for Sylladex fighting is comparable to ammo, the ease of Alchemy means that not only is is usually cheap to make “upgraded ammo”, but they can be pretty effective. For example, throwing a couch at someone will hurt. Steel nails are very easy to acquire. A bit of Grist and the || function later, and you’re throwing a steel couch at someone. Not to mention, like that couch, some ammo is easy to retrieve. So next time you settle down to celebrate Gristmas, consider loading your Sylladex with some harmful objects.

Zen of Sylladex Strife: Mod Your Modus

Now that you know you should know your Sylladex, you should begin experimenting with it. If you can, grab a Modus Control Deck and a couple of extra Fetch Modii. If not, then you could try Alchemy or perhaps programming. Mix-and-match modii until you have something stronger, then once you’re settled, get to understanding that. Try to find a way to circumvent the weaknesses of the one you’re currently using. It’s kind of like sitting down at a gun bench, except your gun should also be able to carry stuff effectively, and is infinitely more confusing to comprehend.

Speaking of the Modus Control Deck, remember that you can use it to change the Fetch Modus you’re currently using. It’s possible to change Fetch Modii manually, but I find the MCD is more elegant and simple. So it might be a good idea to have several Modii for several occasions, and use the one you think you’ll be needing. For example, use something Inventory-suited like Index when exploring, and when you’re expecting a fighter, switch to something Arsenal-suited like Fingerbands. Just remember to not displace the MCD, or you’ll be running around with the one you’re using forever.

Zen of Sylladex Strife: Fighting At Full Power

This is the Zen that makes you feel like a warrior. If you intend to fight with your Sylladex, you need to remember that it is one of at least two weapons at your disposal. You also have a Strife Specibus. You must use both if you want to truly succeed. Throw something heavy at a Giclops, then pepper him with bullets. When locking blades with a Lich, stun him with a surprise vase, then riposte. I once saw a guy with Hammerkind augment the swing of his sledge with a safe going at breakneck speed, so his strike went at terminal velocity and tore a Basilisk in half. You’re going to have to learn how your Strife Specibus factors into all of this, and probably practice, but by mixing conventional warfare with captchalogue warfare, you become significantly harder to predict, and much more deadly.

[luminashdawnwing]

Trading Favors (Part II)

(Click here for Part I)

“The Purpose guides the attendants and their guardians, it guides the Arbiter, and perhaps it guides the functions of the Shadowlands themselves, but us? We do not adhere to it.” The Broker explained as he motioned for Luminash to follow, “As much as they might insist that we do.” A laugh, sharp and quick, the momentary burst of mirth rapidly silenced.

Luminash’s conversation with the Broker - at least he thought it was the same one who had approached him after his first few hours in Oribos - had picked up right where it had left off, with the Purpose, and the First Ones. Those same topics that seemed to have first drawn the figurative eyes of the merchants teeming through Oribos’ monumental walls.

Wait on the outer ring, outside the Idyllia, when you have acclimated yourself to this place, and when you know more of its people We will find you, and then, I believe, benefit one another. Such had been the invitation, now answered.

As he followed the Broker into the Idyllia, all around him were other Brokers peddling their wares and offering services from food and drink to musical entertainment, and taking them up on these offers were Azerothian mortals of all stripes, as well as the native denizens of the Shadowlands - winged azure-toned Aspirants and the occasional winged Ascended, skeletal and armored Maldraxxi, the hooved and antlered residents of Ardenweald, and the tall, ashen, bat-like Venthyr. Not a single one even batted an eye at the Broker as he shepherded yet another mortal through the throng and into a darker hallway beyond.

“Now that we have moved away from prying ears, mortal, we may speak more clearly. I am Ta’vik, a representative of Cartel Ta. It was - quite swiftly, might I add - brought to our attention that a mortal had arrived who might find himself out of the attendant’s good graces through asking too many questions.”

“I have done no such-” Luminash sputtered in response.

“But you have! The Purpose is beyond questioning, beyond reproach. At least it is to them.” Ta’vik continued, his hands clasped in front of him as he strode deeper into the passaged snaking through Oribos, the tink of his feet on the stone floor echoing from the walls, “Not so to us, as you may have gathered, Luminash.”

The magister’s eyes narrowed, “I have not told you my name, Ta’vik.” He stopped, “How much, precisely, do you know? And why should I not turn around right now?”

Another sharp laugh. It called to mind the swift and deadly thrust of a dagger between the ribs, “Because we have access to such knowledge! Our partners in Cartel Ba trade in such commodities, and brought you to our attention. Our commodities are, however, a bit more concrete, which is why we sought you out.” Once more, like at their first meeting, Luminash felt as if - were Ta’vik could, that is - the Broker would be smiling like a shark, “You are skilled in scholarship, combat, and acquisition. The abstract and the concrete, a perfect intermediary, yes?”

“And what is it your cartel wants from me? Enough to do your research first? I suppose it should be flattering, but I find it, on the other hand, quite suspicious.” Luminash sunk back from Ta’vik, arms crossed over his chest, an eyebrow raised in defiance, “I do expect a clear answer - which are certainly in short supply in Oribos, I’ve found - before this goes too far.”

“Simply put, mortal, we need an intermediary to retrieve a few objects of interest for us from places where we do not, shall we say, receive the warmest of welcomes. And thanks to our partnership with Cartel Ba, we have the information you seek and an item you may find intriguing as well.”

The magister exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment to calm himself before speaking, “While I appreciate receiving some sort of answer, I have had, truly, just about enough of vagaries. What are these objects to you, and what is it you are actually offering me in return?”

“A trade of favors, Luminash. Nothing more, and nothing less. Come, we shall speak if you will follow.” The Broker motioned, the magister noticing with a bit of unease that, while there was the appearance of arms beneath fabric, the ripple of motion showed less definition than a mere glance would reveal.

Hesitantly, Luminash’s feet bore him forward, his own soft leather soles padding along in the wake of the Broker’s echoing step. Little here was what it seemed.

“The realms of the Shadowlands are infinite. The possibilities for trade, therefore, are also infinite. Goods and information. Cartels Ta and Ba have need of both, and we have nearly closed a few deals of import. We now need only goods to trade. More than that, you need not know.” Before Luminash could interject, irritation flashing anew across his face, Ta’vik continued, “Two objects from you for one favor from us: two for information, two for your item. Both are necessary prizes, I assure you.”

“Which assures your cartels that my job will not be done halfway. Is that right?” Luminash asked, bitterness dripping from his tongue.

“Quite right!” There came that laugh again, a grating sound, enough to make Luminash feel an itch between his shoulderblades, “A clever ploy, no? We never come to the table unprepared, as we know neither do you.”

The Broker carried on, undeterred by the magister’s snide remark, “There are two associates of mine whom your services might benefit. One, Ta’nir, a proprietor at the Night Market in the realm of Revendreth, who specializes in difficult acquisitions, and who has in his possession a bauble of First One origin, requires a pristine pair of ardenmoth wings - simple enough, no? - and a very specific dagger from a Venthyr noble house of little consequence. He can provide more details.”

“And the second?” Luminash raised a brow, noticing that the sounds of the teeming Idyllia were returning from the hall ahead - had they not only walked in one direction?

“Ba’net. A consummate trader of rare and valuable information, who frequents Transfer Station Ta in the realm of Bastion. She requires two things: an intact Maldraxxi phylactery from the House of Rituals, and a wing of a Kyrian Ascended. Just one will do.”

It was Luminash’s turn now to laugh, a loud, bitter bark brimming with incredulity, “Oh! Is that all, Ta’vik? Your friend seems to have lofty expectations.”

“And will they be a problem, Luminash? Without her requested goods, she will not share the knowledge she possesses. Tell me, mortal, did you not inquire about the Maw?”

The sounds of speech and music from the Idyllia continued to grow nearer as the pair walked. Luminash answered hesitantly, suspicion in his voice, “I did. You truly did hear all of it, did you not?”

“The walls have eyes - and ears - don’t they?” The Broker laughed, his tone both mirthful and ominous, “That is what your people say, I do believe. And the walls are ours, as much as the attendants think it is their Purpose that guides this place.”

“So they do.” Luminash drew his lips into a thin line. Was it too late to back away from this deal? Had he even made a deal, or had it been decided before he ever spoke a word? Despite Ta’vik’s assurances of attaching no strings so far, Luminash felt himself bound utterly; the associates were already waiting, an opportunity offered and swiftly lost if not seized - a trap, crafted especially for him.

“The First Ones traveled the infinite, winding paths through the In-Between in ways incomprehensible. Without the right knowledge, that is. Or without the right tools. Both of which may be within your grasp, should you fulfil your part of the bargain.” Again, the distinct impression of a shark's grin.

“You ask much, but offer more. That’s the catch, isn’t it?”

“Your business savvy is showing, mortal. You are not wrong. The final element of this trade of favors is that we may call upon you once more - and only once after this, you have my word, and the word of Cartels Ta and Ba alike - for a favor of our choosing. It must be accepted, mind you, lest you be found in breach of contract.” Ta’vik paused, perhaps to think of the right word, or perhaps simply to keep the magister waiting, “And liquidated.”

As the pair, mortal and Broker, left the hallway and entered back into the Idyllia - from a different location, unconnected to where they had first stepped - Luminash made one final, futile effort to extricate himself.

“I have agreed, as yet, to nothing, Ta’vik, as appreciated as this information has been.” The words were spoken, but rang of resignation rather than resolve.

“Both of us know that does not matter, mortal. We know what your decision will be, and eagerly await your deliveries.”

With that, Ta’vik pivoted on the tips of his metallic feet and retreated into the hall, leaving Luminash alone, the fetters of this strange new deal both chafing and welcome.

[tisfan]

Ring of Thorns, Cha 3

Title: Outsider, Outsider

Written by: @tisfan art by @feignedsobriquet​

Square: 3023 T1 - headset image

Rating: Teen

Triggers/warnings: horror

Tags: Fairy tale AU, Space AU, rabbits. lots of rabbits

Created for: @tonystarkbingo

Word count: 2,249

Link https://archiveofourown.org/works/23753566/chapters/60014938

Special thanks to: @skye07 & @fightingforcreativity

 Stardate 5239.283.09

When JARVIS activated the sub-aural communication system, scrolling words across Tony’s field of vision instead of speaking, Tony wasn’t too worried.

After all, they didn’t know this Bucky Barnes guy from Adam.

Well, not true. Tony knew Adam Warlock quite well, in as much as anyone could, in fact, know anyone else. File that, JARVIS, he thought, look up Adam. 

Because the saying must have meant something, right.

But Tony wasn’t worried. Barnes was fresh out of a long sleep, he was disoriented, babbling.

And JARVIS was always just a little more cautious than his maker. Tony wondered where he got that from, since Tony and caution were barely nodding acquaintances.

Detecting anomalous readings, sir, JARVIS typed. Suspect sub-terminal communications.

Barnes has hardware installed?

Detecting chipping mechanism in spinal region.

Well, that wasn’t new, it was old. Old tech, used to influence people. Ions only knew where it had started, but propaganda was always a thing. Just, in the last sixty years or so, it was made illegal (again, according to what Tony had been able to dig up) to do so in a manner that a victim couldn’t resist. Tricking people into believing their government was always right, that was still unfortunately considered a matter of caveat emptor. 

But as recently as a hundred years ago, chipping had been a manner in which less than moral companies and businesses had installed methods to control people. Sometimes it was subtle. A chip -- which would do any number of other useful things -- would have blackware on it. Sometimes just to buy certain brands of products. Other times, it was… well, more dangerous.

Override?

You’ll need to reach the source, sir. Shut it down on that end. Otherwise, the only method for a rapid recall is cranial realignment.

That was to say, hitting someone in the head really, really hard.

Not ideal.

Can it be removed?

Because still, he liked Bucky. Was decidedly attracted to him. He wasn’t even sure why; they’d just barely met, and still, the idea of having to fight him, or even just knock him out, bothered Tony. There was something childlike and innocent about the man, whatever programming was going on in his head.

I thought true love’s kiss was supposed to break the spell.

Are we believing in fairy tales now, sir?

JARVIS could just stuff it, Tony would be petulant if he wanted to be. Bucky was nice, Ions-storm take it. He didn’t deserve whatever was being forced on him.

Although, the longer it went on, the less Tony thought Bucky was aware of what was happening. That he didn’t notice the pauses while he was listening to his programming. It might even have been malfunctioning.

JARVIS, track down that source.

Yes sir. I am sending the Mark II combat suit for you.

Tony didn’t so much as wince. He didn’t want to fight Bucky. On the other hand, death was not the preferred outcome either. Keep it pretty far back, I don’t want him to get triggered into a defensive position.

Tony almost lost his cool entirely when Bucky started talking about the tank of liquid etherium. Etherium was a theory, it wasn’t real. Or so he’d always been told. Of course, he’d also been told that magic spells didn’t exist, and that true love wasn’t real, and that money made the worlds go around.

Okay, so it might have been real, but it wasn’t stable. On the other hand, they’d said the same thing about the energy source for the arc-reactor, and look what he’d done with that.

So, etherium.

Except, based on the way Bucky’s face twitched, there was either something wrong with the etherium, or it was where the source of his subliminals were coming from.

Nothing to do but go forward, though.

You could run, JARVIS suggested.

You know I won’t do that, buddy.

“Right, show me where this tank is of yours,” Tony said. He knew his mouth kept moving, he was talking with Bucky, being reassuring, he was scrolling with JARVIS, he was planning and plotting. It was a good thing that he’d spent most of his childhood learning to multitask efficiently.

Well, technically, it was time-slicing. Humans, even enhanced ones, were only barely capable of multitasking, but Tony could time-slice like a motherfucker.

Part of his brain was dealing with his companion, who was looking like he was ready to puke or something, another part was drawing on his nanites to give him control over the armor suit that JARVIS had on standby, and by far the largest part was wondering what even, the fuck, was Hydra, and did she have anything to do with the Etherium gas?

Probably.

That just seemed like too much of a coincidence to be dismissable. But coincidence was not causality, he reminded himself.

Just because it seemed like it couldn’t be one without the other, didn’t mean there was any relationship between the Etherium and the monster.

Whatever Hydra was.

The rabbits were--

The rabbits were lining the path. Not so even as to be called rows, but they were-- more and more of them, coming out.

To watch, or to guide, to protect or to attack?

Tony didn’t know. 

Coincidence is not causality.

I am a man of science. I don’t believe in magic.

Magic is merely technology which we cannot yet explain.

Despite that, Tony was feeling pretty goddamn superstitious. Like, the rabbits were a good sign, right? He didn’t think he’d ever heard any stories about evil forest animals, even when he was in cradle school.

The lights dimmed as they moved further into the station; Bucky swayed and Tony thought he was going to fall. He swept the man into his arms, unable to do anything else. He couldn’t let Bucky fall.

Tony had always wondered, in those hundreds of stupid holo-films that Rhodey loved so much, why it was the hapless hero or helpless heroine was driven to seek out the monster, the murderer. Wouldn’t it have been much safer to run away, to wait until day, to get reinforcements? But no, there was always some valiant idiot creeping through a dark tunnel, the murdering beast around the very next corner.

And here Tony was, being the exact kind of idiot that he yelled at on the screen.

Compelled, almost. He had to see what was down there, what was… doing this.

And maybe, just maybe, conquer it.

The Evil.

I am a man of science, he insisted. If there’s anything down there, science can explain it.

Tony was vaguely aware that JARVIS is screaming at him. Not just speaking in a sterner voice, not scrolling text across his retina, but actively yelling.

Bucky was also speaking, something ridiculous and useless. 

Tony ignored them both, stepping further into the darkness.

Something was calling him.

Something he couldn’t deny.

“Hail Hydra.”

*

Stardate 5239.283.09

JARVIS -- Just Another Rather Very Intelligent System -- was a created intelligence. He was not, in any standard definition of the word, alive. He did not have any biological parts, although Mr. Stark had offered on any number of occasions to make a construct that would allow him to experience a fixed form.

JARVIS had always refused. He did not see the need to be flesh and blood, to experience pain, to eat food, or do any of the other messy biological functions. No more than most humans -- or other life forms for that matter -- would see the need to experience true logic, pure calculation.

He was not human. He would never be alive.

He did not, according to many, have a soul.

A soul, JARVIS understood to be, that part of a life form that continued on after the biological form had faded. 

The mind, however, was a complex machine, that operates on the same physical laws as all other objects in the universe. If the soul existed inside the mind, then JARVIS was as ensouled as any living creature. He had a mind. He could think independently. He had obligations and protocol, certain living creatures he was more apt to go above and beyond protocol demands than others. 

It had been a matter up for debate many times; did Artificial Intelligences have their own free will. If they did, could they be punished for using that free will to commit crimes? Or was that burden on their creator? Ultron, Jocasta, the Legions. There were hundreds of examples of AIs that had committed crimes, sometimes on behalf of their creator and sometimes as a rebellion against their creator. And sometimes, it was just faulty programming.

JARVIS had, of course, submitted his own report to the collection of data that was maintained by Enoch, who was the chief librarian of the Chronicoms, an ancient semi-biological, mechanically enhanced race whose purpose was to chronicle all of life and history.

 All of this -- which was a mere portion of one cycle of computations, the process that made up JARVIS’s thoughts -- while he was attempting to determine what, the fuck even, was going on.

Sometimes JARVIS thought he’d taken too much of his creator’s personal idiosyncrasies for himself.

In this case, however, if the data fit the drive…

He’d been getting anomalous readings, completely off the charts. If there even were charts for the sorts of readings he was getting. 

A life form-- 

Not human.

Not rabbit.

Not-- not anything JARVIS had encountered before. There were new species protocols, but JARVIS wasn’t a first contact ship’s AI.

He didn’t have the staff aboard to initiate contact.

Technically, by that mandate, he should have left initial contact up to the other party. Preferably evacuating his human crew and their guest, and informing the First Contact Association staff of a potential new species.

JARVIS did not have time for that.

And he was almost sure that the unknown intelligence had contacted Mr. Stark first.

JARVIS wasn’t certain how Mr. Stark was being contacted. He could not detect any radio signals or waves. Just the growth of certain gamma radiations. 

JARVIS tapped the station’s computer. It was slow and stubborn, but deep in those databanks might be the answer JARVIS needed. When had the rabbits taken over the station? Did they know anything? Was there any way to communicate with them? They might have been witnesses, generations back. The form didn’t seem to have developed any sort of written or data storage communication.

JARVIS found a set of recordings, vast and untapped.

They’d started about a year after Barnes shut down the station.

Rabbits. Stamping. Their signal, from one beast to the next. Until the entire warren was stamping.

The station computer had recorded it. From the very first time it had happened, until this morning’s rendition when Mr. Stark had boarded the ship.

Communicating.

The rabbits were communicating.

JARVIS examined all the footage. Listened to it. Traced patterns, turned patterns into rhythms and rhythms into song.

The rabbits sang in percussion beats.

And it could be translated.

The rabbits thought of themselves as Insiders. The Insiders lived in the station, and everything else was an Outsider.

Mr. Stark was an Outsider. 

They didn’t really see JARVIS at all, didn’t understand that he was there, that he had a presence. To them, he was nothing but noise that followed Mr. Stark around. 

Outsider, outsider, outsider.

They followed Mr. Stark around, trying to understand in their little rabbity way. He was an Outsider. From Beyond the Door.

They knew what was Beyond the Door. The great Beyond-- the nothingness that froze and killed. 

Before today, they’d never known something could Come In.

They knew the Sleeper. 

They knew… the Watcher with Many Arms.

Hydra.

Another creature, lurking deep in the station. She really almost was the station now, living inside the conduits. A creature with no form, and every form. She was the devil, to rabbit-kin, as the Sleeper was God, kind, patient.

He who had Come In? They weren’t sure what he was.

Who he was.

What his purpose was.

They huddled together, nose to nose, paws barely making a sound. Like a whisper. Outsider, outsider.

And Hydra, the watcher, the waiter, she of a thousand eyes. Was watching them.

Had they ever thought they were free from her sight?

Outsider, outsider.

JARVIS slid a portion of his code into the Mark II. Used one metal finger to tap on the wall, imitating their sounds, their language. Their words.

Outsider listens.

Every single rabbit on the station froze, and as if with a single hive mind, lifted up on their hind legs, one ear twitching.

As if they’d heard the voice of god.

Outsider.

It started as a whisper, barely audible, until the station rang from their cries.

Mr. Stark and Mr. Barnes barely reacted, caught in their dreaming hallucinations, hearing the voice of Hydra.

Outsider. Outsider.

JARVIS paused. He was going to make for himself legal difficulties with the FCA and probably most of the various legal governments outside the Ring.

Listener. It was a correction. Mr. Stark was the Outsider. JARVIS was the listener. He needed them to understand that he was different; a part of Mr. Stark, yes, but no more the same being than Mr. Stark’s biological child, if he ever had one.

Listener.

 Listener.

Listen to me JARVIS thudded. Listen to me. Listen, and give aid. Listener is a friend. The Listener guards your safety and happiness. The Listener guards the Outsiders. The Listener is a friend.

We listen. 

[cgmayra]

Oh? The first out of 10, you say..?

DA: (x), Wattpad: (x), Archive: (x) Fanfiction link is above.

Fic 1: Back when they were still unfinished, Metal Amy and Metal Sonic when he was constructing her and she turned on unexpectedly, he has a conversation with her that piques his interest in this little robot he's constructing, and that's where the evil fondness first starts... but she is innocent and knows nothing, so he kinda stoically continues and teaches her of her functions along the way Also, the beginning of him admiring his handiwork on her and her alone.

----

I also decided to make some prompts, about 10 maybe? ALL ARE UNEDITED but enjoy :)b

1/10, - - <--will have link to others shortly.

Prompt: 

Metal Sonic, still on the old junkyard space shuttle that held the remains of Eggman’s past failures and memories. Salaving through them, Metal Sonic had successfully found useful tools, items, and computer software to build his support systems. Not only would they return to Sonic’s planet with him, but he would also rebuild himself and them to stand against Sonic’s perilous friends that gave his data processing a headache…

Metal Tails’s first prototype was given a stronger brain, a way to calculate and strategize better than the two he would construct later… but with a limit; not to succeed his own programming.

Metal Knuckles was given a sturdy, defensive armor and way to barge through enemy strikes like a battering ram, shock-absorbers and thick, cone-like shovels to dig through their often tough hides… but with a limit to his power; not to succeed his own design.

Lastly… the most trickiest to construct of all.

Metal Sonic scanned the heaps of trash left… he had gathered into piles useful materials vs. trash that would prove unnecessary or too worn to be useful anymore. Some of it had been melted through, shredded by Sonic and his friends in the past, and…

His eyes landed upon an … interesting… power source.

His memories of Rosy the Rascal were limited to a fearful child, one who later could summon a hammer and somehow find the implausible strength and courage to face even the most impossible foe.

And yet… through Sonic’s indirect encouragement and idealized image of a hero, she triumphed.

But how to utilize such a rare and indiscernible talent? Was it even worth replicating? And by his theories, this new Rosy would need the abilities to improve him somehow, along with combating and mimicking the strengths of her mortal counterpart.

He suddenly trembled, growing in rage as he dug through the metal scrap with vigorous swings of his lengthened steel claws, having the ability to reach out far and extend his limps as he continued to track the piece of equipment that had fascinated him so…

Encouragement… bravery… how could that help Sonic?

His eyes then blared red as the light faded while he continued to submerge himself in the chords, slashing through the metal remnants of Eggman’s badniks and old machinery before finally grabbing the square like compartment…

How could it benefit… him?

His eye-lights scanned the object again, checking it’s functionality as he withdrew his long claws and tapped the box with an electrical pulse running down his arm into the box.

The box jolted to life, and shocked him back with an even more powerful electric signal.

The lightning actually caused his finger to sizzle, and he shook it in a very organic way… staring at the box as though an idea had popped into his head.

He checked his energy levels, realizing it had juiced him quite a bit.

There was… fight left in this little package of a square electrical unit.

A battery…. Charged and ready to pulse life again into a form… a form Metal Sonic would provide.

His eye-lights dimmed and he made his way out of the tunnel he had created, blasting the parts away as he swiped his arm out to make sure none of the undeserving debris would even touch him.

He placed the box on the counter he had been working on, which used to be filled with pictures and documented plans all stored on USP drives that were useless to Metal Sonic, already having taken the ones of Tails, Knuckles, and even Rosy to use for later purposes in crafting their metal selves’s brains.

He tapped the box a moment… as though still wondering how to make this function well enough for his needs…

Crafting a Metal Rosy out of scratch… what would he need?

He looked through his memories, blueprinting but scrapping it at every new idea he formed.

Turning over his shoulder, he looked at the finished prototypes of Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles, dangling on chained hooks just barely off the ground.

It took a moment more… before he started on the pile he had already formed, and began to fuze with a fire torch the parts necessary to make the look work.

He thought about Amy Rose… and stopped.

He had almost forgotten how much she had changed… with her pathic Team Rose, he had successfully copied their data too… and was it right not to consider her change?

Change…

He looked at his unchanging metallic hand.

The fire flickered in his sights… lighting up his face as he realized that even with the copied data from her… what good would an Amy Rose serve either?

Was she not the same? Though her appearance changed?

He looked around for more suitable armor that would be light enough for the moves Amy Rose used with her Piko Piko Hammer. She had some strength, so to balance that with possibly an ‘armored form’ would suffice.

Amy wasn’t always violent, and if this Metal Amy’s abilities would mostly be charging and keeping the battle going… then some offensive form would be necessary to preserve herself until the battle was won… and Sonic’s lifeless body and friends littered the battlefield.

He noticed an electric spark down at the end of the long, rectangular space shuttle and began to follow it. Seeing that this was something that helped revive him, he picked up the long chord and looked up, seeing it was connected to the ship’s main power supply.

If he wanted a large battery support unit… he may need to harness that.

That would mean the entire ship would be left drifting without power… and he needed some of that power to engage the systems of himself and his supports when they were ready to become functional.

He tightened his grip on the heavy chord, pretty decently sized, like an elephant’s trunk.

He looked at the box on the counter… quite a distance away now.

Near him lay a large robot’s hide, and Metal Sonic finally had a decent enough set of supplies to craft her now.

Hauling the large robot from it’s resting place, he carried it on his back to drop in front of the counter.

Connecting many other wires he ripped from other sources, he created a long snake-vine that connected the sparking wire to his counter.

Steadily… he brought the chord to the box… It sparked like a firework with electricity sprinkling the dull, steel, long hall of Eggman’s contraptions put to an endless grave…

Metal Sonic’s eyes rested on the beautiful scene, his hand moving over the sparks, almost as though fond of the sight and the embers that flew off of the battery.

It was in perfect condition… and still had so much to give... in the ways of destruction and obliterating resistance to Metal Sonic’s ultimate objectives.

He lowered his head, determined to utilize this new strategy of the only useful thing he could think of for why Sonic kept Amy around.

Light. Energy. A spark of powerful life..!

A few days went by, much longer than Metal Sonic had anticipated. He was being too picky about this and that, too particular about her shape, the range of her electrical charging limits, and realizing the large box could be used so much more than what he was offering it to do.

He wanted to see it’s limits, test it’s abilities…

But with all the experiments, he worried it would drain the battery beyond use… however, it proved him wrong time and time again.

Her brain would need to match its energy outlet… so he made it more uniquely able to take in lots of energy sources… unlike Metal Tails.

Her body would have a surplus of kinetic energy to store, and therefore needed a sturdy, limber enough body to fully mobilize herself in both combat and recharging them while in battle… Also giving her the strength to wield such a large, hammered weapon which he took the hide of the battery to forge with the large metal body he salvaged. She would need to be agile, like her counterpart, able to wield the hammer with ease and not have so much tension in her body, but withstand the heavy blows the hammer would power would whiplash or ricocheted back to her. So not only her brain capabilities to calculate battle moves and adjust her weight accordingly would need to be improved, but so would her sense of gravity, and springs and shock absorbers as well… along with an immense tolerance to electrical burnouts, creating a revolving cycle that would allow her to expel and store an impressive amount of power... Unlike Metal Knuckles.

Such care… into a rather insignificant chess piece.

Almost successfully created, Metal Sonic was working on her jets below her rounded, half-cone of a dress, deciding to capture the look of Amy Rose instead of Rosy the Rascal.

While he did so, his long, slender claw accidentally looped and hooked around a chord that tugged on her interal engine, sparking the jet on as a puff of smoke flooded into Metal Sonic’s eyelines.

He blinked, before seeing a spark and removing his hands, watching the flame flicker out from actually making the jets turn on…

But then he heard a crink, and looked up in amazement to see that the electricity created from the slight, unforeseen engine rotation from her inner-motor actually was sent to her kenketic storage unit… starting up the battery as it sent invisible sparks to activate throughout her whole body… kick starting her up.

And awake.

He looked up to see her head begin to unlock on it’s rotating neck made within the head’s construction, and heard the scraping of her metallic coat against the turning motion of her head to look over her shoulder.

She was locked in position, but that was quickly changing as her arms remained straight out….

She buzzed a moment, but he already set up communication links in her software, and felt the signal translate to him.

His eyes opened slightly wider, registering her for the first time and identifying her within the communication wavelengths, his systems automatically translating her meanings to him.

“What?”

It was the first word her still processing brain could communicate.

His eyes lowered, hoping for a bit more of an intelligent response.

“Metal Amy.”

He knew she wouldn’t remember this moment, having not installed a memory core chip into her yet. It was sitting behind him on a counter, with some functions and objectives already pre-programmed through the functioning computers on Eggman’s junkcraft out in space.

He continued working, expecting her battery to give out since the engine didn’t rotate for that long.

But he forgot… how that battery could take one little shock… and expand it through the power already stored previously from within it.

She tried to twitch an eye down to see him, but there was clearly some glitching going on, and the eye kept wobbling up as though vibrating between up and down.

“No.” she responded, and in a bit of aggravation at his ‘creation’ being sentient for a moment, he glared up at her. “What you?”

He was surprised she wanted to know more about him than her own self. He tilted his head, “What am I?” he gave a low, metallic hum as a laugh. He lowered his head from her and closed his eyes, thinking this quite suitable for a support unit he literally created to care about his functionality than it’s own.

He gave her a snarky look as he met her barely functioning eye again, “Your master.”

She remained unresponsive.

He glared, “Metal Sonic.” he stated more abruptly, as though having figured her systems should immediately respond to that.

But they didn’t.

She looked away from him and towards the dark expanse of the long hallway down the corridor of Eggman’s ship.

“What that?” her communication was evolving, but Metal Sonic was infuriated by her dismissal of his stature.

“What is your objective?” To test how well her brain was actually operating, he began to question her to answer in her most basic of commands. Her module should immediately respond, but instead, she continued to have her shifting, shaking eyes examine the world around her.

“...Useless.” he had spent so long… so many days more of labor that he wasn’t even sure should have been wasted on this metallic folly of a machine!

He rose up, and gripped her head, threateningly. “You will answer to me. What is your objective?”

Her head jolted up and immediately, her attack mode was activated.

“What!?” He released her and watched as the panels on her dress shifted, her soft edges creaked and folded into a hard edge and like a jack-in-the-box, her hammer was deployed out behind her like a spring… shooting Metal Sonic all the way back into the counter…

Her engine was now flaring, and causing her to smoke. Her jets engaged and without proper control over them, she blazed forward and rammed into the walls, destroying her right hand and arm… then shot over to bash the left side of her face, destroying the eye that was there and leaving it to be missing in the rubble below. Her hand grinded quickly against the walls, almost destroying her left arm as well before Metal Sonic blasted after her, his hand looping around her waist from above and behind, and gripping her arm to twirl them both into the center of the lane. Dodging left and right the standing machines, dead badniks, and large obstructions that plagued them in the air.

“Shut down!” he commanded, as her single eye looked up to him, and startled him to his very core.

They were bent… they almost looked… afraid.

There was a sudden feeling in Metal Sonic… as though code that had never before been triggered before.

He turned around and kicked off a robot, skidding his own foot against the steel wall to try and fight against her one-functioning jet.

Like trying to stop a speeding rocket, he gripped her and pushed with his own rockets to the front, and slowly… his determination did slow down her momentum.

‘Her battery is more unlimited than I logically thought possible,’ he determined, though didn’t want to admit he couldn’t imagine, such an organic term, that her power supply would be this complexed to compliment.

He had striven to find suitable power outlets for the battery to fully send it’s power too, but it looked like might have thought it too small… it was proving to him that it was large for a reason… and carried a willful punch.

“Help.” the signal suddenly caught him off guard.

He looked to the struggling robot, unable to comprehend or control itself.

She was still looking at him… for guidance and aid. “Save.” … what did she mean by that..?

He felt them travel further down the corridor, and looked to see they were far passed the sparking chord he had connected through many more abandoned chords previously…

They were going deeper into the graveyard than he had been…

They could bash against the safety lock at the end and end up getting sucked out into space… he’d have to drain her battery to get them back.

Why… did he care about getting her back with him?

Was it all that time spent? Or the fact that she needed him to survive?

He shook his head, ‘Organic! Stop thinking with such foul terminology!’

He wondered if she meant ‘save’ as in to save this new data into memory, but couldn’t. Was she just pointing out her obvious flaws with being half-finished?

“You weren’t meant to awaken.” He didn’t care about terminology, looking behind him, he knew they were at risk if they didn’t slow down enough to brace for an impact that at least wouldn’t rip a hole in the large junkship.

“But since you are…” he was dedicated to saving her… why?

The old data of Organic Sonic’s influence began to spark new life in him, he gained a power he had not before known possible to a being made of oil and steel.

His jets suddenly launched out a flame so bright and big, it shouldn’t calculably be possible for him to transcend his own rusted makeup to be able to pull off.

He held her closer, yanking the now loosened jet off from her under as she tipped up turned him into a spin.

He had the moment in hand, though, and straightened himself out as he and the unfinished Metal Amy bashed into the wall of sealed steel behind them.

They made a dent… but they didn’t destroy the seal.

He fumed with rage as she slid off from him and started trying to toddle along like an organic infant, making her way through the piles of scraps and looking at the figures of older makes of Metal Sonic.

Silver Sonic..? Scrapped into an orb it looked like… but also tossed aside.

“You…” Metal Sonic’s eyes blared red, watching her waddle over and climb through the messes with no hands, but using her one little stick arm to reach the silver model that used to be a before-model to his own.

He jammed an arm out from it’s indent in the wall, raging with how everything turned out.

“You could have ruined everything!!!” still holding her jet, he felt it finally give way, now disconnected from its power source, and blasted towards her, bent on just scrapping the whole idea of a Metal Amy anyway.

But her battle mode disengaged and she looked to him with one that eye… that looked tenderly towards him in innocence.

He halted his assault and stared at her, floating in spot in the air.

She took her little stem of an arm and tried to point it over at him, tilting as she did so in her damage. “M… Master… Master is … in need of… recharging…” she communicated, a little stream of electricity pulsing from her arm that sparked through the air in an attempt to reach him.

He just watched, amazed she wasn’t afraid, but even more so… that with this limited about of potential… her battery kept her functioning for so long… and now her mind seemed to understand her objective.

Unaware of her own existence, she was trying to send a long enough beam of electricity to spark through the air like a lightning rod to reach his metallic frame.

It was a pathetic attempt… but the display of loyalty…

He had only programmed her to obey and fulfill a functionality… this determination of using her entire power, the last strands of her energy,... to recharge him?

“Heal…” 

He hadn’t taught her that word.

Wasn’t even in her systems.

His eyes dimmed in their red.

“Thank… you…”

As she fell back, her one eye dulling into a grey, she sent one last shockingly powerful bolt of lightning that did reach him.

“Ah!” he exclaimed as his systems were recharged and the sensation left a permeant impact on his engine…

A small stream of red heat created a shimmer… then some simmering smoke on the affected area…

His eyes shook in wonder, “This… can’t be.” It was more than impressive… his trembling hand turned from aggression to an admiring shaking that he held up in front of him. He gripped the spot she had hit… like his heart.

He watched her continue to fry her systems… but determined then and there he would finish what he could of her.

Though the others thought she was unfinished, to him… he knew she had lost her hands and what have you from the little ‘adventure’ previously.

He knew when she looked and saw the universe that her processing had somehow found some of Metal Sonic’s organic-tendencies… and it bothered him immensely under the surface.

She knew how to use organic-like tendencies to get an idea across… but just didn’t seem to understand the languages implied pretext.

Life.

The one thing he could never fully give to her, craft for her,... create with her.

Unless..?

[unpopularly-opinionated]

My friend shared with me this reddit thread where someone outlined a list of features they claim are “missing” from CP2077, and because I’m me and like to rant, I wanted to go through it and agree/disagree based on what I think should or shouldn’t be in the game.

So probably spoilers below, at least for gameplay.

- Walk toggle for keyboard.

Agree.

- Key re-mapping for certain elements.

Agree. The game has some rebinding functions, but not enough to be honest.

- Accessibility features missing (ie: text scaling for menus).

Agree.

- In-game benchmark feature.

Personally, I think this is somewhat extraneous and I wouldn’t knock a game for not having it since most games don’t, but sure if they add it I wouldn’t complain.

- Dash should be a separate key and not a double press of walking key.

HARD agree. It’s beyond me that they thought it was okay to have that as-is, honestly. It makes moving around while sneaking a huge pain because you accidentally dodge which puts you into a standing position which can reveal you easily. At the absolute least, they should disable dodging when crouched, but ideally allow it to be rebound to something else.

- Crouch and skip dialogue should not share the same key.

Again, HARD agree. It’s possible to rebind the key (I certainly did) but something I noticed is that, while the dialogue no longer skips when I press crouch, it doesn’t seem to register the crouch button at all while in dialogue, meaning you can’t uncrouch if in dialogue.

- The minimap is too zoomed in to be helpful in many cases.

I only noticed this as an issue while driving, personally. You’ll be going 90mph down the freeway and not know that your turn is coming up until you’re already 90 miles beyond it. Outside of that, I’m not sure why you’d need the minimap zoomed out but hey if it fixes it while driving, I’m for it. Agree.

- Missing a toggle aim feature.

Quality of life, sure. I won’t use it, but agree.

- Ability to respec attributes (Note: Existing item respecs perks only)

Personally, I disagree with this. I think respeccing perks is fine because some of the perks are kinda lame so I can understand wanting to undo that, but I feel like respeccing attributes would sort of negate the purpose of developing a character a certain way. It makes multiple playthroughs more valid, forcing you to develop your different characters different ways. Sooo disagree.

- Ability to disable objective marker.

Agree. Mild nuisance to be sure, but still a nuisance never the less.

- Ability to lower ADS sensitivity.

Quality of life, sure. Agree.

- Add proper ultrawide (21:9, 32:9) support.

Quality of life, sure. Agree.

- Add loot by area or/and autoloot feature.

Eh... I don’t know. I think there should be a “scrap item” button when looting added but I’m unsure about a loot all or autoloot feature. It’s a change that I personally think falls under “optimizing the play out of the game”. Disagree.

- Add “stash all” feature.

And then some. Inventory management is atrocious in this game, it’s actually unreal how they thought it was okay to ship it like that. You can only manage one item at a time, and the UI needs to completely reload each time you do. It’s obscene. Hard agree.

- Add transparency option for HUD elements.

Quality of life, sure. Agree.

- Add way to remove mods from unequipped weapons.

This was actually sort of news to me. I’ve just been scrapping weapons I unequip with the mods still attached, assuming the mods were just going back to my inventory. Evidently that’s not been the case, but I haven’t actually noticed it as an issue because mods are so frequently found. A bit arguable, to be sure, but I don’t see why guns couldn’t return their mods automatically when dismantled. So agree, I guess.

- Add toggle mouse acceleration.

Quality of life, sure. Agree.

- Driving markers and onscreen trajectory (alternative GPS).

I don’t actually know what this means. Does this mean have the line leading to your objective be in-world as opposed to the minimap? I can maybe see that being a thing, I guess. If that’s the case, agree.

- Body slider customization (height, weight, muscle mass).

Eh...I’m ambivalent on this one. It seems extraneous in that it’s unnecessary and just something someone wants rather than something the game strongly needs, but at the same time, with as much marketing that went into how customizable your character is in this game, it’s sort of depressing how poor the character customization really is. Because of that, part of me wants to agree with this, on the grounds that the game was sort of sold to us this way. So I’ll say I tentatively agree.

- Very few options for some of the character creation features (hair colour, tattoos, skin complexion, scars, etc).

See above.

- Animations for eating and drinking (excluding scripted ones).

The problem with adding animations to consumables is that not only would you need one for each type of consumable but that the animation would then need to completely play out each time, which can give players burnout. Going to have to disagree with this one.

- Unable to remove underwear outside of inventory.

I assume this means giving the player the ability to run around stark naked as opposed to in your underwear, and weirdly enough I have to agree. Much like the character customization, a significant amount of attention was paid to the fact that this game has nudity, and yet nothing is done with it. Even in the areas where you’d expect nudity to play a part (I.e. having sex, showering, etc.) it doesn’t, so it begs the question why even implement it?

- Vehicle customization.

This is going to maybe sound odd given my next answer but I kind of agree with this one to an extent. You can buy a fair amount of vehicles in the game, but you can’t customize any of them. At the very least, changing it’s colour and/or design I think is warranted.

- Apartment customization.

This I disagree with, again, to an extent. This isn’t Fallout 4 or the Sims, I don’t think there needs to be a fleshed-out feature to decorate your apartment. I do however think that some changes to it would be nice, even if they’re just preset changes. Like maybe the layout of misc. objects in your apartment changes as time goes on. Shit moves around, I don’t know. Or maybe you can pay for preset additions, like buying a lamp or poster or something that always goes in the same spot, but lets you feel like you live there I guess. Ultimately though, this is completely extra and unnecessary. Disagree.

- Cosmetic slots or transmog feature.

Hard agree. Again, customization of your character was made out to be a big deal, so let us wear the clothes we want to wear. The number of times I’ve had to run out in a skirt that says “Bitch” on it and a bra as a man simply because they’re my best clothes is unreal.

- Very few actual merchant stores in quantity and variety.

Quantity, I somewhat agree. The map could do with a few more of each type of merchant, although the map does sometimes already feel cluttered so perhaps not. Variety however, I disagree. I think there’s plenty variety in terms of merchants, I’m not sure what else you’d need. There’s merchants for guns, clothes, hacks, cyberware, resources, and consumables. What else is there.

- No garages or parking lots.

I assume this is related to owning multiple vehicles which I don’t yet so I’m not sure I understand where this argument is coming from. There is a parking garage at your apartment, so I don’t see why that couldn’t be a garage you can use, but ultimately I can’t weigh in on this without more information.

- Crowds have low level of reactivity and awareness to the game world.

This one bugs me because it’s like how much reactivity do non-interactable NPCs need? They run away from cars and violence. They say “oh shit” lines when you’re driving into them or shooting near them or they see a body, etc. What more do you need? Gonna have to disagree.

- Very few interactive NPCs outside of missions with meaningful dialogue.

See above and literally every open world game ever.

- Very few options to meaningfully construct a personality to V. You get to choose mission endings, but not an actual persona.

I disagree, I think you can pretty comfortably pick a persona for V. I mean it’s not the most advanced system in the world, no, but every game is going to limit your options. You can choose to be an asshole, a scumbag, a nice guy, honest, a liar, competent, incompetent, etc. It all depends on your attributes and what dialogue options you pick really.

- Lack of non-action oriented stories and quests about meaningful themes of cyberpunk dystopia.

This one I sort of agree with, but then again I’m a huge philosophy nerd so I generally can’t get enough philosophy in my games. I want every game to be as deep as Bioshock. I still have a long way to go in CP2077, so perhaps the quests get better, but many of them I’ve not found super interesting. Some have been memorable, sure, but very few, and of those not many are memorable for fitting the Cyberpunk theme explicitly.

- Player cannot smoke.

This one is just funny to me because, yeah in an RPG it’s not ideal to railroad the player, but because of the way the story goes, V doesn’t smoke. All so they can have a few funny lines of dialogue in the story, but w/e I’m okay without smoking.

- Weapon mods and skill trees largely irrelevant outside of marginal and mostly numerical improvements to combat.

I kind of agree with this. To be honest, I don’t even look at any of the stats outside of DPS and I get along just fine. I am playing on normal, so perhaps at a higher difficult these things matter more, but I can’t imagine how much more. So sure, I agree.

- Lack of emergent gameplay events in the game world (ie: dynamic and random triggers).

This falls under “how much is enough”, similar to the bit about the NPC interactions. From what I’ve seen so far, the only in-world ‘events’ that transpire are shootouts between cops and gangs that aren’t marked on your map as predetermined events. Could there be more? Sure, I guess. Does there need to be more? Eh, not really.

- Unable to alter character’s appearance (barbershop, tattoo parlors, plastic surgeon).

Agree. One mission I did, one of the rewards I received was a tattoo which made me think I was going to frequently unlock new customization aspects like that, but it ended up being a piece of cyberware for some odd reason. I think it would be neat if you didn’t have every bit of customization unlocked from the start and could change your appearance as you go unlocking more things.

- Lack of character reflection outside of the few mirrors available. This furthers the disconnection between the player and the character.

This was something I was thinking about genuinely, when standing in front of a mirror. A mirror has to be ‘activated’ in order to start showing your reflection, which I thought was odd, but I assumed it was because of performance issues which makes sense. At one point, even though my PC can’t run the game at ultra graphics, I switched over to it to see if mirrors would reflect all the time but they do not. I don’t however think we need to see our character all the time but more would certainly be better.

- No ownership of items (you can rob NPCs under their nose).

Yeeeeah, this bit I find kinda odd to be honest, especially because the UI for looting items is red which is commonly the colour used to denote “this item is owned and picking it up constitutes as theft”. Part of me thinks that the reason items don’t have ownership though is because of how clunky the stealth system is. There’s no way of knowing if an NPC can ‘see’ you or not. I feel like this is also why when you break a glass bottle or something, it doesn’t alert enemies because that would be so broken in this game because things explode all the time for no reason at all, you’d never be able to steal period. So I feel like no item ownership is because the developers know their game wouldn’t be fun with it.

- No prison or lasting crime system.

The lack of a prison is sort of explained (very briefly) in-game. The prisons are just way too overcrowded, and the police are basically a paramilitary organization who shoot on sight anyways, so there’s really no need for prisons. That said, committing a crime doesn’t have lasting consequences but again I think this is because the game knows that it’s too clunky to punish players for that. Driving is so wonky in this game, imagine if running over an NPC punished you beyond the small threat of police intervention? It would be unbearable.

- Wanted system is largely underdeveloped, with cops spawning out of nowhere and disappearing shortly after.

Yeah it is a little scuffed how cops just appear, that I will agree with.

- Cybernetics lack variety in meaningful choices that alter gameplay (except for limb weapons). Deus Ex has far more impactful mods that actually change the way you approach combat.

While I do sort of agree with there being a lack of variety, I feel the comparison to Deus Ex is a bit unfair. Deus Ex used cybernetics as it’s skill tree/progression system. When you leveled up in Deus Ex, you installed new cybernetics. That’s not the case in CP2077 though. I do however believe that outside of the legs, arms, and hands, not much really changes. I’m not sure what else they could do, but more would certainly be nice.

- The lifepaths are frustratingly brief and have little impact other than dialogue choices. V is essentially the same character regardless of path.

I can’t speak much to this because I haven’t even finished my first playthrough yet, but I will admit that there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot that comes from your lifepath. I’m playing as a Street Kid, and as someone who supposedly grew up on the streets, running with gangs, getting to know everyone, etc., it seems like there should be a bit more maybe. Like maybe Street Kids start with more gang rep because everyone knows who you are because you grew up together. The game tries to explain this away with “you went away for two years and have just recently come back” but right off the bat you meet one of the fixers who you knew and worked for before you left as if you were old friends, and two measly years is not enough for everyone to just forget who you are.

The traffic AI is lackluster and there are too few cars driving around for a large metropolis.

Disagree. There are plenty of cars for a reasonable driving experience. I don’t know if this guy was expecting bumper-to-bumper LA traffic or what, but there are plenty of cars to make the world feel alive and full while not being obnoxious and make driving impossible.

- Trains were obviously cut, even though the whole infrastructure is visible.

I genuinely don’t even know what this is referring to so I won’t comment on it.

- The world interaction is quite minimal. Among items that should be interactive: chairs, benches, toilets, stools, sinks, gym equipment, light fixtures, restaurant menus, smartphones, taxi, trash bins and dumpsters, most merchant stalls, microwaves, dancing floors, gaming tables, arcards.

This is a lot but some of it I agree with. You should be able to sit down on a lot more chairs, but at the same time I kinda understand why you can’t. The world is littered with places to sit, so much so that “Press F to Sit” would be on your screen 99% of the time. Taxis I was actually extremely disappointed were not in the game. The game literally sets up from the beginning that being a passenger in a car is a thing which gives you the impression that it’s a thing that can happen often, and that you’re able to either sit through the car ride or skip it altogether. I thought for sure that fast travel was going to constitute you hailing  cab and it taking you to wherever you’ve marked on your map, with the option to sit through the ride or skip it at-will. It’s actually a huge disappointment that that’s not the case (I even had my friend who is playing as a Corpo test whether Delamaine was specific to Corpos-only but alas, it didn’t work).

- You cannot preview wardrobe and weapon purchases.

I’ve not actually bought any guns or clothes so I can’t comment on this.

- There is no reliable cover system.

This one is odd because there is a cover system, but it’s only a weird hint of one. If you’re crouched by a low wall and you aim your weapon, you will peak around the wall, but it’s very finicky and poor. I think the game could do without one altogether, but the fact that there’s a hint at one already implies it’s intended, so it needs reworking.

- Loot system is overdone, invasive and distracting. You are constantly showered with redundant and marginally better items and have no attachment whatsoever with your fashion and weapon choices. (Dear god, I hate this one).

Hard agree. This seems like somewhat of a repeat to an earlier one about not being able to really customize your character out of necessity to wear whatever is best. Loot is prevalent, but hardly ever relevant.

- Enemies are too spongy and level design forces frontal assault way too often.

This one is interesting because I almost agreed with it until I played the game a bit more. In fact, I might’ve made a post about this before, I can’t recall, where I said that it didn’t feel like stealth was always an option. In many cases, I stand by that statement. The stealth gameplay specifically isn’t always an option, which is frustrating. If you’re like me, and you’re using stealth with quickhacking, then it becomes way more relevant. Being able to breach into a camera network and kill everyone with quickhacks is amazing. However, the game seems to somewhat punish this style of gameplay for some odd reason. I will go through and systematically kill everyone via cameras from outside the building, but the moment I step into the building, more enemies will show up out of nowhere. It’s not just that they’re hiding in areas outside of the cameras view, no they literally spawn into existence the moment you go inside. It’s really jarring, odd, and kind of unfortunate. Oh and as for sponginess...eh, yes and no sometimes. Weirdly my quickhacks sometimes one-shot enemies, and other times it takes like 8 quickhacks to kill one enemy. It’s seemingly random, or a bug, or something. I’m not sure.

- Robotics and drone control largely absent (outside of scripted missions).

Hard agree. I was genuinely shocked to find out I couldn’t control turrets when they started popping up more frequently. Drones I can let pass because they’re mobile and therefor a bit more complex to code properly I guess, but turrets are child’s play to code. They’re literally the same as cameras but with guns. It’s really odd that you aren’t even given a perk that’ll let you control them.

[psychic-master-will]

Psychic Abilities in the Pokemon Universe (1/?)

((This is very interesting, so naturally I want to expand on this for world building purposes!

Note: This post will be edited and modified many times. This is because there are still some mechanics of all of this that I don’t yet know or have thought of, and which will require time to think over/plot out.

Under the cut for length.

While psychic powers/abilities are rooted and have their origins in the mind, said psychic powers are most often tied to one’s emotions.

When a psychic first awakens their power, it is done involuntarily and often, but not always at a young age. The power is very much raw and uncontrolled; think of how an infant has no control over bodily functions and will, with age and development, learn to control such functions later. Psychic powers follow a similar path.

To control one’s psychic powers requires a lot of mindfulness, awareness, self control, and monitoring one’s emotions. The extent of training needed depends on the psychic ability itself (more on that later), but in general it is no easy feat. While each psychic is different and has their own strengths and weaknesses (and powers that come easily, and not so easily to them), most, if not all psychics had to work hard to control and manipulate the powers they were born with from birth. (Think of bending in the ATLA universe! May make a comparison post on this at a later date.)

There are a few steps to doing this, and the first involves training to control and harness one’s psychic powers comes through their regulation of emotion. I mentioned earlier that a psychic’s ability is tired to one’s emotions, as Caitlin seems to be implying in her text in the pictures above. When a psychic gives into their emotions and fully vents them (Anger, sadness, disappointment, and pretty much any negative emotion), the powers of an individual psychic will often erupt or explode without the psychic being aware, and when this happens the powers will be outside of the psychic’s control. (I will add more about the connection between emotion and psychic abilities, which deserves its own post and study).

The way to control this lies in being mindful of one’s emotional state, and learning to take control of their emotions and keep them at bay. This is why you see a lot of psychic trainers as stoic (Sabrina and some NPC trainers come to mind here); they keep their emotions at bay for it is how they keep control of their powers. However, there are some psychic trainers, such as Will who show emotion while keeping his powers in check. Also keep in mind that, when Caitlin talks about her emotions, she is referring to negative ones only. This seems to imply that psychic powers tap into strong emotions, most of which are negative, while somehow amplifies their power to the point where said power cannot be controlled until the psychic is in a state where emotion is not running rampant and they can think clearly enough to reign it back in. It’s very much like walking a tightrope, and most psychics find it safer (and perhaps easier) to not show emotion. There is also the possibility that stoicism is simply a part of their personality and could play no part in controlling their emotions, and thus their power (Example: Will being bright and cheerful, constantly smiling and grinning).

There are other states apart from stoicism that allow a psychic to maintain control of their abilities. In the last photo Caitlin talks about maintaining a sense of calm and peace, which allows her to keep a hold of her powers. While one could argue that Caitlin is stoic, she more or less gives off an air of calm. When in a calm state, one is more aware of what they’re thinking and feeling as well as their surroundings; when one is in a highly emotional state, one is unaware and has a tendency to act on impulse as a way to vent or express the emotion, or is so overcome with emotion that they can think of little else, or do much of anything until they have calmed down. In a calm state a psychic is able to use their power and maintain complete control and use it how they please; if they’re in a highly emotional state, their power will often act out however it pleases.

Note: General feelings of sadness and anger are typically not enough to send one’s psychic powers out of control, and if so then it’s often the result of being young and inexperienced. It’s when a psychic experiences a high intensity of a negative emotion that things start to go haywire.

Also, each psychic is their own person and is different, which means that how their powers interact with their emotional states will differ. The powers themselves and how they’re affected by emotion will also differ based on what the power is.

An example would be telekinesis: the ability to move objects with one’s mind. This is often the power you see when a psychic loses control (see Caitlin in the Platinum chapter of PokeSpe); when a psychic with strong telekinetic abilities loses control, the power bursts outwards and can send multiple objects, and people flying (Think of the blast from an explosion). This power is often strong enough to, not only blow people and objects away, but can also destroy anything in the near vicinity of the psychic.They can also trigger objects, or the psychic themselves to levitate in the air (and for objects to levitate around the psychic).

I should note that the latter is possible to control by a psychic in a calm state and activate at will, mostly due to the training the individual psychic had to undergo.

The destructive nature of this ability, when not properly controlled is why it is imperative that psychics with the ability train as hard and as early as they can to control it, lest they end up hurting anyone and anything around them.

Other abilities, such as telepathy, may stop working altogether, or may project to the other person without the psychic knowing. For example, if a psychic is anxious or scared, they may unknowingly transmit their every thought and feeling to anyone who passes by, all the while being oblivious to it (often to humiliating outcomes).

With all of this in mind so far, there is an important question left to answer:

How does a psychic learn to control their powers, and emotions?

I mentioned earlier that, to gain control of one’s emotions and thoughts they needed to be mindful and self aware of said thoughts and emotions. This can take place through mindfulness techniques such as meditation, contemplation, and so on. Some may journal and have quiet times throughout the day where they can be left alone with their thoughts and feelings. This is done in order to get to know themselves, their limits, and what they’re capable of. It’s also not uncommon for a psychic to use  this time to experiment with their powers (for telekinesis this means bending spoons, moving objects, and experimenting with how these are affected depending on moods and thoughts). This alone time is crucial for some and, I would argue, a necessity.

However, this isn’t the only method.

As Caitlin mentioned above, she learned how to control her emotions, and her abilities through interacting with psychic pokemon. She also says that psychic pokemon manipulate their power at will. Also, most psychic pokemon tend to appear calm and collected, which allows them to use their powers/abilities with ease and control. This also gives evidence for a psychic needing to be in a calm state of mind in order to fully utilize and control their powers.

What Caitlin doesn’t say, or go into detail about is how she interacted with them. I think she would have through observation and mimicking behaviour, which is something young children tend to do. By observing psychic pokemon and how they behave, and how they use their abilities, the psychic can get an idea of how to apply that to themselves. This application tends to take on the form of mimicking; replicating with their own powers what they see their psychic pokemon do. This mimicking can also extend to keeping and maintaining a calm and collected state of mind and air by first observing how psychic pokemon do it, and then trying ti out for themselves.

All of the above is often considered a first step into the training a psychic undergoes in order to control their powers/abilities. It first starts with controlling their emotional state before transitioning into using their powers while in a calm and collected state. The second step involves practicing with their abilities.

Example: A psychic practicing telekinesis will spend hours trying to see just how far their ability will go (what objects they can or cannot move with their minds and how far they can move them). They also need to spend hours controlling how they move the object and building up the mental strength and stamina required to keep the ability going. Using any sort of psychic ability for too long strains the mind, and it’s not uncommon for psychics to get horrid migraines and fatigue if they overdo it. This is why building stamina (often through extending the time used for practicing with the ability) is important, for it allows a psychic to know their limits and to eventually push past them without causing long term damage and harm.

Example 2: Telepathy requires a psychic to be aware of their thoughts, and the thoughts of others. By this I mean that thy need to be conscious of whether or not their thoughts are being transmitted to others, and whether or not their telepathic ability is picking up the thoughts of others. It’s not uncommon for a psychic with this power to be overwhelmed in crowds; the thoughts of every person bombarding their mind rapidly is enough to drive anyone up the wall.  To combat this a psychic will spend time putting up barriers and learning to block out the thoughts (and to an extent, feelings) of others, as well as their own so that they don’t accidentally transmit to an unsuspecting person. A psychic may also spend time probing the mind of another or speaking to another with their ability, but this is done with the consent of another person (most psychics are against doing things without the other person’s say so and consider it rude and highly inappropriate to just go ahead and read/probe another person’s mind. Not all psychics adhere to this, however.)

Another way, which is either a third step or part two of the second step, is to practice their abilities alongside their pokemon. Psychic trainers will often connect to psychic pokemon through their shared abilities and powers.This can be seen in the BW chapter of Pokemon Adventures when Caitlin combines her powers with Gothitelle to find the Unovian gym leaders. Doing so creates a deep connection between the psychic trainer and their pokemon. This tends to start early on when the psychic observes and mimics their pokemon and evolves into using their powers alongside their pokemon when training for battles. It’s also not uncommon for psychics to communicate with their pokemon telepathically, which is a primary form of connection and bonding and which goes deeper than that of a bond between a non psychic trainer and their pokemon (some exceptions apply.) 

I should mention that, for the most part, psychic trainers train with their pokemon no differently than their non psychic counterparts; the only difference is that they need to train and hone their own psychic abilities alongside their psychic pokemon, and how to use them in battle. An example would be Sabrina communicating telepathically with her pokemon during a battle (Which some have cited as cheating and is a point of controversy in the pokemon world. I have an old, separate post on the matter, which you can read here.) Psychic humans need to be able to control their own powers when in the heat of battle, which tends to feed into strong emotions while also keeping in time and connection with their psychic pokemon, who are doing the same. Pokemon training for psychics tends to be more intensive, but follows the same methods as how non psychic trainers train their pokemon.

More will be added to this as it comes! Input/feedback, as well as criticism is appreciated!))

[ranger-report]

Review: THE WITCHER 2: ASSASSINS OF KINGS (2011)

With the first Witcher game under my belt, I decided to plunge straightaway into the second game in the series: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Expecting little beyond improvements in graphics and controls, I was very curious to see how the game delivered on the cliffhanger ending of the first game, in which Geralt of Rivia defended King Foltest of Temeria from a would-be assassin, only to reveal that the killer was also a witcher. I’d had a decent time with The Witcher: Enhanced Edition, particularly in the storytelling aspects and the choose- your-own-adventure narrative, but had found myself frustrated by dated game design and graphics and lackluster combat. Still, it was, by the end, an arresting experience that had captured my intrigue enough to make me want to go back and replay it to see what paths I could have chosen. Choice is truly the number one aspect of The Witcher, in that Geralt generally chooses not to choose sides, but is often found forced into doing so. Choice is also the highlight of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, so much so that by the end of the game I was nearly horrified with how all of my decisions, ambient though some of them were, had stacked into a neat pile of awful fuckery. If you want to feel good about what you’ve done by the end of a game, The Witcher series might not be for you. But if moral ambiguity and robust, branching paths are what you seek, then read on dear reader, because things are about to get immediately messy in what is some ways a vastly superior sequel to the first game, but in other ways falls short of the narrative potential established by its predecessor.

From the start, Witcher 2 is once again a big game of Choose Your Own Adventure. Opening with a prologue establishing Geralt’s involvement in a political assassination, the player is continually given agency over where Geralt is going, what he wants to do, and how he is going to do it. This is at once the game’s biggest strength. Just as in the first game, Geralt’s choices have domino effects that tumble down the slippery slope of lesser evil decision making, affecting what characters do and whether or not they might appear elsewhere in the game. And, furthering the CYOA aspects, certain portions of the grander story are hidden from sight should Geralt choose to go down a different path. Maybe some characters will have happier endings than we see them get if Geralt decides to help them instead of quest elsewhere -- maybe not. Perhaps the biggest departure from the previous game’s style is that the entire second chapter of Witcher 2 is different depending on which side of a conflict you choose to enable. This, of course, is also all based on whom you’ve sided with previously, with deft moments of quick situational judgements, some of them timed. Give the elven rebel his sword so he can defend himself, or push him to the side so you can leap into the fray yourself? Not every decision is placed in front of the player as a monumental choice; some of them are as simple and clean as whether or not you pick up an object in front of you, knowingly saving someone’s life. This makes the world -- and the story -- feel surprisingly alive, vibrant, always on edge as though the lightest touch in any direction will spell consequences for some and reward for others. This does, however, create a shorter gameplay experience overall. Where my full playthrough of the first game was close to fifty hours, I clocked in just over thirty hours here, but this is partially because the full content of the game cannot be seen in only one playthrough. There’s a massive amount of game to be held, but the unfortunate reality is that it can only be seen piecemeal. It’s like getting to the end of an actual Choose Your Own Adventure novel, only to realize there’s a vast amount of pages left unread because you didn’t take the roads less traveled...or simply traveled differently. For better or for worse, the first time through this game will leave the player with the sensation that there is a lot that they didn’t get to see, despite the freedom of branching paths being thrilling and adventurous. And the story itself isn’t nearly as investing as the previous game. Geralt’s adventure in clearing his name of wrongdoing and tracking down his memories are at the forefront of his story, but in the background is a complex, political plot that simultaneously is and isn’t important to follow. Decisions made by Geralt heavily affect what’s going on, even as Geralt himself is constantly growling about how he wants to track the kingslayer and a missing friend. But the game and the characters populating it continually drag him back to the fray because they need him, dammit, and if he wants the means to his ends then he’ll have to endure everyone else’s shit. Perhaps that’s the point: Geralt’s actions continually change the entire world around him, whether he wants to be a part of it or not. That said, the straightforward narrative is defiantly strong here, partly because the branching system demands it need be. This is a Story with a Purpose, the Purpose being to establish a series of unfortunate events happening around Geralt, if not to Geralt. But when it’s as bland as it is -- save for the bits where Geralt is trying to clear his name -- it can be difficult at times to maintain a steady pace. And the entire third act takes place in a ruined elven city which is a chore to navigate, nearly ruining the momentum and the whole of the game’s experience; there’s two disasterously difficult combat engagements to wade through as well as a grating boss battle with a large beast, not to mention a magical puzzle which demands navigating the labyrinthine ruins if you want to discover what it is. And yet, by the end, the house of cards comes tumbling down into the awful realization that everything behind the scenes has been doing its utmost to raise the stakes high enough to win the whole pot, and depending on Geralt’s actions, it does so to varying degrees. I sincerely doubt there is anything close to a happy ending in one of the alleged 16 conclusions the game contains; if anything, it can only go from shitfucked to fucked-with-hope-on-the-horizon. And, despite the sometimes slog, that’s effective.

Gameplay has seen a heavy upgrade. Gone are the original title’s point and click controls, replaced with a more intuitive interface that relies heavily on action and exploration. Similar to Arkham Asylum’s Detective Vision, Geralt can use his medallion to scan the world around him for interactive elements or objects to search through. Neat in concept, but oftentimes the execution is lacking; it can be incredibly difficult to find objects on the ground left by corpses without always using the medallion, as they can get lost in the surrounding scenery. Upgraded, too, is the combat, which is thankfully no long a boring fucking exercise in clicking at the right time to string together combos. Geralt rolls, swings, magics at the click of a button, using the WASD and mouse camera to keep an eye on the action. The triple division of combat styles -- fast, strong, and group -- are replaced with a fast and strong attack bound to the two mouse keys, and upgrades can make it so Geralt’s attacks can hit multiple people. Blocking is integral, but Geralt needs vitality for a block to be effective, or it will chip away his health. I both enjoyed and did not enjoy the new combat system. It’s functional, but I couldn’t help but feel out of control in tense moments, attempting to roll or dodge or block or use signs between sword strikes. Geralt only swings at whoever he is targeting, not simply in front of him, so if you accidentally turn the camera to the wrong angle while trying to attack he will swiftly turn and swing at someone else entirely, leaving him open to devastating counterattacks from behind. Frustration can mount quickly, as it seems that Geralt is a whole hell of a lot squishier this time around than in the first game. Sure, the first Witcher had plenty of moments where getting overwhelmed could happen in the blink of an eye and Geralt would turn into fresh meat, but Witcher 2 makes every sword fight feel like an exercise in dodging just to stay alive. Maybe I wasn’t playing with enough patience, but it felt like I spent more time rolling and running to regain health than I did connecting with satisfying blows. Sometimes, quicktime events pop up during major boss encounters, which are devastatingly difficult in needless ways. Just like in the first game, Witcher 2 will absolutely dial up the volume on the difficulty knob without warning and around an unseen corner, to an extent where I found myself pained by exhaustion and anger at yet another GAME OVER scene. This is compounded by the strenuous camera, which is awkward at best in outdoors environments, frustratingly awful in close quarters hallways. Making things even worse is the game’s departure from the previous healing methods in The Witcher: where potions could be downed on the fly, and food eaten to regain mild portions of health, now the only way to heal is potions while meditating, or simply by meditating. Without the ability to heal in the middle of combat the thoroughly aggressive enemies will stymie even seasoned players as they watch their health bar helpless disappear with no respite.

Graphically speaking, this is leaps and bounds better than the original. High-detail, crisp textures, far draw distances, I very rarely had any stuttering or framerate issues. At worst, there was minor pop-in and fade in, some seams showing where textures were laid out, and jittery models here and there. Also, motion blur and bloom were turned on by default. Never fun. It was an absolute job to take in the world on hand, with the variety of monsters and humanoid characters to encounter, lovingly rendered with tons of color and flair. Outside of the story, this is where the game truly shines. Before there had been low-res models being reused left and right, but here nearly every character model (outside of factory-line soldiers) feels unique enough to recognize in and out of combat. It’s really a fucking wonder to behold. It felt the same as the graphical leap between Uncharted and Uncharted 2, with nearly an overwhelming amount of detail in the world to take in, dizzingly put together in a way that is breathing and living.

That said, is the game actually an improvement over the first title? Well, yes and no. Graphically, interactively, yes, to an extent. The branching narrative is bold, but feels like there is so much you’re missing out on once you’ve chosen a particular path. For example, there’s a dragon that exists in the game, and its origins are shrouded in mystery. I only discovered them based on a trophy I got at the end of the game, which felt like a huge cheat to learn that way. If the game had told me something about the dragon’s nature, even down the path I took which actively led me away from the dragon, then I wouldn’t have felt disappointed, but it didn’t. I learned the answer through a trophy. And in many ways, while this game does things better than the first game, it’s only to slight degrees, and while I do want to go back and play this again, it’s difficult to do so after a somewhat disappointing first run. Geralt’s story was excellent, and kept me on the edge of my seat whenever it came around, but everything else that happened felt largely disconnected from what was driving Geralt this time around, and ultimately only served as setup for the third game in the series. Again, perhaps that’s the point: perhaps Geralt will have to face the weight of his decisions, that which defines the world at large whilst he maintains a selfish lean towards his personal goals. Geralt of Rivia both is and is not the most important person in this story -- he is but one man who is forging a path towards his wants and needs, but maybe he’s crumbling kingdoms along the way, intentionally or no. While I’ve heard nothing but Game Of The Year praise for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, I’m keeping my expectations tempered based on this sequel, which is fun and daunting and clever, but the drawbacks are hefty, saved only by the draw of the lead character and the living story itself.

Final Score: 7.5/10

[mysaldate]

On the topic of BSD mental issues..

Because a lot of people in this fandom just LOVE to bestow their own mental problems on characters and even go so far as to claim not a single BSD character is mentally alright, I went on a little rant to debunk this bulshit of a claim. If you’re one of those who support the “everyone is mentally ill because I said so” theory, don’t even bother reading this, please, and save us both the time.

If you do read, however, please keep in mind those are just my opinions and analysis and why I personally find the claim that everyone is mentally ill bulshit. You’re free to believe what you want but I’ve had multiple people come spurting out insults at me simply for not believing every single character is mentally diasbled.

First, our beloved ADA Atsushi - He's actually doing really well. Sure, he's not 100% ok but we were given no serious childhood trauma impacts (except for flashbacks that don't really... do anything to him mentally except for motivating him to do better which is, you know, not a sign of mental illness), he doesn't have self-destructive tendencies, he doesn't feel like he owes the society anything but he doesn't slip to nihilism either. His motivations are humane and sane and relatable. I mean, if anyone told you your friends would be in mortal danger if you stay with them, wouldn't you try to get away from them too? Dazai - Ok, Dazai is far from stable. He still handles his issues surprisingly well though and his constant suicide attempts are really played off as a joke, which is not the best way to handle them but it takes a lot of seriousness from it and kind of makes it hard to believe it's what he actually wants to do with his life. Especially since there are times where he goes out of his way to make sure he stays alive (Dead Apple being just one example). Kunikida - Arguably one of the most stable characters in the show. Some people claim he has OCD but have you ever seen an actual OCD patient? His love for schedules and hard time when they can't be kept is something that runs in my family and nobody has ever been diagnosed with OCD. People need to realize that having your life planned out is not a mental illness. Yosano - I'm a little more benevolent about Yosano, especially since she has a more psychotic side to her and she seems actually damaged by her childhood but I stiil stand my point that she is doing extremely well for someone who supposedly has a mental illness. It's almost as if the "insane" side of her was purposedly overblown for comedic purposes. Ranpo - I know a lot of people say he's autistic but I don't agree with that hc. Why? Well, I have a classmate who's not autistic and she's exactly like him. She's smart, almost genius, has great deduce skills and brilliant crime-solving abilities (tested multiple times with Black Stories or whatever that game is called in english) but she is unable to live on her own. She knows close to nothing about real life, skills used for everyday functioning and as for public transport, she only learnt how to use it recently and she's almost 19 years old. I also have an autistic friend who specifically said he'd find it insulting to hear that Ranpo is supposedly autistic. Tanizaki - I'm not sure what to say here, Tanizaki is a normal guy. Nothing special about him. He's willing to go great lengths for his little sister but I think anyone with younger siblings can relate to that. At least anyone who cares for their younger siblings. Kenji - Go on and tell me how Kenji of all people has a mental illness, I dare you. And if you pull out his cheeriness, you're obviously just too depressed to fathom that some people might actually enjoy life. Fukuzawa - Again, one of the most stable characters in the series. Say what you will but he's not unstable and his ability to stay calm at almost any situation except for when his kids are in danger is just further proof of this. Kyouka - I'd say she might have issues. My afforementioned autistic classmate pointed out that she feels autistic to him so there's that. Also her childhood visibly screwed her over. However, she's still surprisingly stable and normal despite all of that so while she might have some issues, they are greatly balanced by her strong will and natural personality. Naomi - I wouldn't say Naomi is 100% ok in the head but not to a point where I'd claim an actual mental illness. Sure, I'm not a doctor but nor is anyone who diagnoses her with whatever it is they diagnose her with. Haruno - And exactly what is wrong about Haruno? She's cute, positive, cheery, hard-working and supportive. And she gets scared in situations that invoke this. Literally NOTHING weird.

Next up is our dear Port Mafia Akutagawa - No denying it, Aku has serious issues. Again though, he's doing far better than most people with similar problems but that could just be due to him letting his frustrations out via murder. Chuuya - No issue found here. Sure, he's a little short-tempered but that's about it. A lot of people are short-tempered without being mentally ill. And he could be portrayed with some serious issues due to his origin and past. Gin - Do we even know enough about her to diagnoze her? All we know is that she's silent, a little shy and that she's always on odds with Tachihara. Make me a diagnosis from that. Higuchi - Aside from her massive crush on Aku, there's nothing weird about her. She probably picked the wrong job but she's willing to work hard anyway to earn her place there,, which is not exactly typical for people with mental illnesses. Hirotsu - STABLE PERSON. Just... what else is there to him? He is literally the voice of reason who commands the black lizard solely because he can actually keep them under control. Geez, there is literally nothing linking him to any mental problem! Kajii - This guy's got issues, no denying it. And I won't even say he could do worse because obviously he could but he's fairly close to being the insanest (is that a word?) he can get. Kouyou - Oh look, ANOTHER completely stable person. I mean, come on, she's been an executive since Dazai and Chuuya were 15, that's seven years. Clearly she couldn't hold her position if she weren't stable. Not to mention, we saw her being stable in stressing situations so. many. times. Elise - She's an ability. No comment. Mori - Yes, he has his issues. But he's the hypercompetent Mafia boss who stayed in charge for a very long time already and there's no sign of anyone overthrowing him any time soon, nor planning to because he's just a great leader, something he couldn't be if he was mentally ill. Oda - Do I even need to elaborate on this? Oda is very probably the sanest person we got, one who sees the wrongs of his past and does his best to overcome them and repent, all of which goes without him being depressed or self-loathing in the slightest. Randou - This has been talked about a lot. Randou is sensitive and impulsive and sometimes acts on emotions rather than rationallity. None of that makes him a mentally ill person. It just makes him a person, a human being we can all relate to. Ace - Ace is a selfish human being who thinks too highly of himself and is manipulative and abusive. Is that a problem? Yes, obviously. Is that a mental illness? Not necessarily and more likely no than yes. He does things for his personal gain and everything went his way for far too long for him to expect it to go any other way. And as we all know, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutelly. Q - Does anyone really think Q is sane?

Now for the group that so many people dislike it’s honestly sad, the Guild Francis - Francis is, first and foremost, a very loving husband and father. He goes on this insane mission to Japan to obtain a mystical object he believes is real but never got any deffinite proof of. Is he naive? Perhaps so. And after he loses, he gets depressed and broken because he finds out his wedding ring disappeared, probably because his wife did something. That breaks him. And honestly? He has every right to break down. It's understandable and human and it does not make him mentally ill. Louisa - While yes, she is very shy and some argue she has some sort of anxiety disorder, all of this can be explained by the fact that she's practically a child. She's 18 dammit. Who could leave their home country at 18 only with an organization of older people, who also all seem very sure of themselves, while having no combat ability and nothing to really bring to the table? If she were mentally weak, there's no way she'd go looking for Francis after his fall, it's actually more likely she'd hurry back home, probably with tears and fear of being arrested if she were to stay in Japan for longer. Margaret - Name me one thing that makes you think Margaret of all people would have a mental issue. One thing. Most of her screentime is her being a vegetable. And while that is certainly a health problem, not a mental health one. Nathaniel - Hey, he was completely ok before meeting Fyodor. Being religious is not a mental health problem and f you if you say otherwise. John - Again, nothing unstable about John. He's not even that selfish, doing what he can to support his family and even picking up the remainings of the Guild to keep the people together and give them new hope because, y'know, hope is very important to people. Lovecraft - He's not even human. You can't apply human mental health logic to him. Herman - We've seen him for how much... 2 minutes total? And even from just that, he seemed like a calm and composed guy. No sign of mental problems whatsoever. Mark - He's hyper, that's what people say at least. But is he really? Kind of hard to believe when all we've seen of him is two scenes of adrenalin rush, one scene where he tries to lift the spirits of his coworkers and one scene where he just decides to go back home because this adventure is obviously over. No sign of mental illness here either. Lucy - A little more visible traumatic impact than with Atsushi and some abandonment issues, which are completely understandable and relatable. Not necessarily a mental illness. Poe - Ok so Poe doesn't feel well in company of others and he is a little psychotic when he gets too into his self-assigned role but 1) introverts are not mentally ill and 2) it's completely natural to get carried away when we witness the person we believe wronged us getting some karma back.

The one group that appeared for such a short time, yet everyone seems to love them, the Rats Fyodor - The most obvious god complex, clearly. He's not sane but he's stable so there's that. Nobody says he's ok, he's clearly not. But he's composed and smart enough to not let his issues control him. Ivan - Part of his brain is literally gone. He's not ok. he can't be. And unless part of your brain is missing too, you physically can't relate to him. Pushkin - Actually a stable, understandable character. Weak men are known through all of history to be the causes of major drama simply because their complexes over being weak lead to them finding joy in torturing the strong. It's not a mental illness, it's just bad character. Oguri - Clearly, Ogugu has issues. Call it survivor's guilt or PTSD or whatever you want, he has issues. Nobody is denying that. Still, he's doing fairly well when not desperatelly trying to seem evil.

I do not feel like doing the Hunting Dogs for the sole reason of me not liking them enough to focus on their mental states but they are pretty much lab rats, artificially enhanced humans and that alone should be enough to explain why I don’t believe in applying normal psychology to them. As for the Decay of Angels, there’s still much more to learn about them so I won’t get into that just yet. And when it comes to the governmental agents, I haven’t read the novels so I only know a bit about Ango and I honestly don’t see how anyone could think Ango has a mental illness.

I repeat again, these are my opinions, based on my experiences and what I’ve studied about mental illnesses (because believe it or not, I study about these things quite a lot). It doesn’t fit except for Tumblr romanticised versions of them and even those are iffy. You’re free to agree and disagree with all of this or with just certain parts but please don’t feel required to share your thoughts, I frankly don’t much care.

With that I bid you goodbye, at least until another thing prompts me to make a long-ass analysis almost nobody will read, nor care for.

[emeraldtawny]

Drug Dealer!AU Blanc & Oliver: Mitigation

...hey, it’s been a while ghrodktergrdg. I’ve been sitting on this idea for a bit wondering how to bring it to life and...I may have...accidentally planned out the entire direction I want this story to go?? WOO! 

As always, the rundown of this AU can be found here if you’re unfamiliar or need a quick recap. Otherwise, enjoy~

There were few things that could rattle the esteemed heir to the Lapin family name - their history of unshakable tenacity dating back to its earliest records. But none of them had ever faced an obstacle of this magnitude, thus the sole successor allowed himself some self-pity in these moments of dread.

“Mr Lapin! Mr Lapin!! The drug cartel in this city has gotten even more out of hand. Some people are suggesting that the dealers for Magic Crystals have doubled this month alone! How are you planning to fix this?”

He flashes a grin that would pacify most, his rose-gold eyes narrowing amiably - just shy of irritation - as he turns back to the reporter hot on his heels.

“There has been no such confirmation, so they are baseless rumours made to stir up trouble as far as that goes. The police are working day and night to hunt down the smaller dealers as well as the one behind all of this. I’m afraid all I can ask of you is to wait patiently.”

“But there has been talk of corruption among authorities, many being bribed to stay silent or taking Crystals themselves. And those aren’t just ‘baseless rumours’, Mr Lapin.”

(I have to give this young man credit for his dedication to the job. I only wish his attack was not directed at me.)

He walks briskly as the sun creeps eerily behind the surrounding buildings, lamp posts bursting to life to provide illumination for the rabbit being chased by his news-hungry predator.

“That I am aware of. We are making preparations with the police - with officers we are certain are clean - to begin dealing with those corrupt officers. Unfortunately, I don’t have as much power as you think I do, so my reach can only go so far.”

“As the man in charge here, don’t you think it’s callous of you to deter blame for this? The Clemences are under suspicion for dealing Crystals to the high-class public, the Godspeeds are remaining neutral in this entire fiasco, and no one has trusted the Kingsleys in years. You’re the only pillar of stability we have left in this city, so how about you start standing on it and helping us out?!”

“You--!”

(You don’t think I’m trying to do that?!)

The unbecoming retort on the tip of his tongue is cut short by another voice, harsh and cutting like a winter’s gale, especially in contrast to Blanc’s warm and honeyed tone.

“Don’t you think you’re being unfair to the only man in this city actually trying to combat this? And don’t you dare try to say you’re helping this city out by ‘doing your job’. A reporter is about as useful as a lead balloon.”

Dressed down in a casual white long-sleeved button-up shirt and black pants, yet still sporting his recognisable silk hat, he steps out from the shadows of a nearby building, the lamp post’s light cutting through him and shining its light on only half of his frame.

“A-and who are you?” The reporter retorts, the shakiness in his voice unable to be quelled.

“Just someone who also wants this city to be free of pests. But believe me when I say that antagonising the only viable option left is the worst possible thing you can do. Go back to the papers and scream about the ‘youth ruining the economy’ or whatever the hell has your knickers in a twist this month.”

The venom laced in his words is potent - far from subtle - and makes the young man quiver as he turns to run with his tail between his legs. Blanc lets out a soft sigh of relief before he feels those metallic eyes turn their daggers onto him.

“I thought I said to be back before dusk to avoid this very issue, you mangy rabbit.”

He lets a laugh escape him, though he doesn’t try to mask the clear fatigue in the gesture; he was comfortable enough letting his long-time friend see him weak when the public couldn’t, for the sake of his image as a figurehead for the city.

“My apologies, Oliver. It won’t happen again. Although, I honestly can’t deny how pertinent this chance meeting with that reporter was.”

Oliver raises a brow, his intrigue disguised by aggravation to all except Blanc. “And just what do you mean by that?”

The click of Blanc’s oxfords seems to reverberate through the empty street as he steps past Oliver.

“Perhaps this information will be better relayed in private?”

With a throaty grumble through pursed lips, Oliver catches up to Blanc in a few long strides, the two men walking in silence. Yet somehow, they fail to notice the hooded figure lurking a few buildings back, the Crystal’s potent effect letting him hear every word of their conversation, eyes of blood and gold resolved to deliver this information.

---

Behind the closed doors of the Lapin estate, the two retreat even further into the house’s infrastructure to enter through a simple wooden door that’s so remarkably out of place amidst the ornate decor. Flicking on the light, Blanc sighs as he removes his coat and places it neatly over the back of a chair, Oliver following in behind and shutting the door to their ‘workshop’. 

Paper is scattered loosely across the table’s surface, the oak brown replaced by sheer white. On the far wall is a pinboard, various faces stuck onto its surface alongside meticulously detailed notes of each profile. It’s a scene ripped straight from a buddy cop scenario, the only missing element being the comedy.

Blanc and Oliver stand before the table littered with sheets of paper, both sets of eyes roaming over their sporadic evidence, notes scribbled down with the sole purpose of documentation over organisation. Oliver pulls free a cigarette and a lighter from his pants pocket. He coaxes the stick of nicotine to life and inhales a long drag, his expulsion of the smoke seeming to linger around him. Eyes unmoving from the table, he passes the cigarette to Blanc, himself taking a puff whilst Oliver sorts through the papers to attain some semblance of order.

“So? Why was that kid so important when all it seemed like he was doing was trying to drive you up the wall?”

Letting the smoke rise naturally from his lips, its distinctive scent burning his nostrils, Blanc taps the ashes at the tip of the cigarette into the ashtray - the only non-paper object on the table - with skilled fingers.

“It only made me realise that our risky decision is the right course of action to take.”

“Explain.”

Inhaling another drag of smoke into his lungs, Blanc breathes it out through puckered lips, admiring the thin, wispy trail it makes before elaborating.

“That young man from earlier did bring up an interesting point that only reaffirmed our plan. No one has trusted the Kingsley family in this city in years...which means that even without a sound lead, focusing the public’s attention on a single source will give us more time to discover the truth. Who knows? Maybe they’re the ones who have been behind this all along.”

A bitter laugh, “That, I don’t doubt. If Lancelot admitted to the whole thing, I don’t think a single soul in this city would be surprised.”

“That is exactly my point,” Blanc pushes the cigarette into the ashtray to extinguish its light, the heavy clawing scent of nicotine permeating the small room, “In these trying times, a common enemy to scapegoat our frustrations onto is dutifully needed. Especially if that scapegoat has a high chance of being as guilty as we expect him to be.”

As Blanc grabs a blank piece of paper and pulls a pen from his waistcoat pocket to write out a note, Oliver looks over at him from stacking the papers.

“You sure this will give us enough time to actually get a proper lead? All we’ve been able to find is that the Godspeed kid is in on this, but everyone with a functioning brain knows that. We’ve got leads and plenty of them; we’re just lacking evidence and proof.”

Finishing his note with a satisfying tap of pen to paper, Blanc draws his eyes up to Oliver and flashes him a smile, “Relax, my old friend. You underestimate how up-in-arms the public can get over issues like this. This will cause enough of a stir to mitigate our immediate problems.”

“If you say so.” 

Oliver huffs, fishing around for another cigarette as Blanc promptly grabs his coat and exits the workshop. And in his hand, a neatly written letter:

[ To the tabloids desperate for a news story,

Here’s a headline for you:

The Beautiful Beast Embezzles Government Money, But For What Cause? ]