#not how you are supposed to use MPCs

[aholefilledwithtwigs]

A jaunty little loop that makes it seem like I actually know how to programs drums

[james-stark-the-writer]

alright, let's keep moving with that DCEU watch bc i have the time today. time for David F. Sandberg's Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023). here's to hoping this has retained the spirit and heart of the original and improved the superhero aspects because they were the worst part of Shazam! (2019).

i've been trying to get a more accurate video player setup working for like 2 hours, i was using basically stock MPC-BE for the most part but some of the images looked a little soft to me even compared to something basic like a VLC (which i only really keep for its subtitle downloading feature bc it's the easiest to use, and tbh it could've been using sharpening filters, i didn't really check) and Potplayer (which is the only way i can get two subtitles to display simultaneously for media with multiple subs like fansubs or different translations or something, and also it's got like pretty good video output). i tried to look into MPV and the amount of work and scripts everyone was recommending kind of broke me, so i'm just using like the base form of mpv.net bc it's got a GUI, with like GPU decoding turned on which was the one common thing everyone recommended from my research.

hopefully this is better image quality then like standard VLC stuff and my previous MPC-BE setup though i obviously haven't sat through entire movies to compare frame by frame, so beware that if i say anything about the visuals it might not be the most accurate. MPV is supposed to be the most accurate and flexible option around but i don't know how much futzing around people do with it and there's a lot of like upscaling and downscaling scripts for no fucking reason, which is kind of antithetical to the entire point of accuracy to me, but it's fine. i'm just sticking to the base options and hoping it's good and better than what i had. the image does look just a tad sharper to me than in VLC and MPC so i don't know if they have sharpening filters on or something, but this is like the most base form with nothing changed (except the subtitle font) so i cannot imagine they are messing with the video signal with too much filtering. i tried to look into madVR and MPC-HC and got them installed and almost lost my mind trying to get it set up bc there's no real guides anywhere so don't fucking tell me to go look up madVR bc i will kill you. maybe some other day when i have 15 hours to dedicate to going through forums to try to find something that works for me and get enough knowledge to understand what the fuck everybody's talking about, maybe i'll check it out. i cannot believe there's not like some fucking guide for some anime noob because you know those anime people are on the cutting edge of video tech and playback for accuracy, that there's not some fucking guide for people that don't know what they're doing. i mean it's not that i don't know what i'm doing, it's that there's so much fucking shit to sort through that it would be nice if somebody narrowed it down for me. there's nothing even on YouTube or like some shitty github page or an old reddit comment or something, trust me i've like checked fucking everywhere i could think of but if i missed something, please feel free to link it somewhere in the comments or something, i don't know.

anyway, that is entirely an aside, that's just a forewarning that if i do say something about the visuals and you think it's not accurate to what the movie looks like or is not properly representative of the movie, feel free to take it with a grain of salt. i'm trying out something new.

[fictionkinfessions]

Y'know, after all the parties where no one showed, the spot on the wall I clung to at dances, the dates that were supposed to go with me who either stood me up or were already dancing with someone else, sitting alone at lunch, parties that were for "cool kids only" and how I, the "town freak" or "weird kid" couldn't attend and all that; I was really, really glad to have Coraline. First as a friend, later as my first… like, ACTUAL girlfriend…

Like, if she didn't move in, I would've probably still been that loner kid. I'd probably still be alone on my birthdays, I'd probably still be a wallflower, I'd probably still be friendless.I owe her a lot, even if it was sorta bumpy at first…

So, uh… Coraline? If you're out there I just wanted to say thank you. (I'm not trying to canon call, I'm sorry if it comes off that way, mpc)

Thank you for being there, for caring, for warming up to me… all of it. You made it tolerable. You made it feel less lonely, y'know? Even when the issues with the Otherworld threatened us and our safety… In all honesty, this little letter thing isn't even just to MY Coraline… it's to basically all Coralines, I guess? I just wanted to say thank you for once, I always brushed it off as "nevermind" when you asked me why I said it. This was why, I said it because you made me feel normal and loved.

~ Yours, Wybie

— A Wyborne aka "Wybie" Lovat [Coraline] kin 🐈‍⬛🌫️

x

[rubylarkspur22]

Questions and answers below the cut!

1: AMSG and MPCS Nezuko and Tanjirou. Knowing what an elevator is, which of the 12 Kizuki would you not want to be stuck with? And which one would you not mind? Why, for each?

I would rather throw myself into sunlight or be decapitated at a snail's pace, than be stuck in that box with Douma or Hantengu. Douma is unbearable in the Infinity Castle, I do not need to be in a tight space with him. And if I have to put up with Hantengu in a tight space for more than five minutes, I'll either decapitate him, or beg for my brother's ghost to take me to Hell. It'll be a hell of a lot more peaceful than Hantengu wailing for gods know how long. As for who I wouldn't mind, I would say Akaza or the siblings. Akaza at least knows when to be quiet, and Gyutaro and I can keep Daki calm if needed.

I second that. But if I had to pick, I'd prefer Douma over Hantengu to be stuck with. All Hantengu does is wail and cower, at least Douma only talks. Even if it can be incessant. I would also pick the siblings to be stuck with, over Akaza. He would try to start a fight, I'm sure. Daki and Gyutaro at least know not to do that, least of all in an enclosed space.

2: Burning Ribbons Kamado siblings, same as question 1.

If we're stuck with Douma, then there's gonna be a fire and a casualty. And it isn't gonna be pretty when we get out.

I'm not dealing with Hantengu, either.

If I had to pick who to be stuck with, I'd say Lord Kokushibo. We're closest to him in terms of our personal relationships, so he's likely the most tolerable.

Yeah, I think so. He seems like a good pick.

3: To SE&BH Yuichirou, How did the situation in the Swordsmith Village happen, and who was with you? Did anything interesting happen, and how did you feel if it did?

At first, I was with that Rengoku kid, and his demon. Then that fan demon blasted me away, and I had to face Upper Five and nearly drowned in the process. Not to mention the poison. But I pulled through. I don't really know what happened, other than the fact Nezuko and Genya were also there and kicked some demon a**. Nezuko damn near got eaten, I heard, but the demon got properly decapitated in time. I'm sure she would have figured out a way out before she got eaten, though. Better than I did. Y'know. Getting poisoned and trapped in a water pot...

4: Sunlit Blossoms Kamaboko Squad, What would be your reactions if you were turned into demons? Like Tanjirou.

Nezuko: I'd be pretty shocked, but I guess it's gonna be okay if we're like Tanjirou. As long as we don't get his lack of self-preservation instincts, because he has given me way too many heart attacks by nearly burning to death!

Zenitsu: WHAT?! Demons?! Us?! I'm probably gonna die from accidental sun exposure, knowing my luck?! *slap* Ouch! Sorry, Nezuko. Didn't mean to freak out that bad.

Nezuko: Deep breaths, okay?

Zenitsu: *nodding*

Inosuke: Ha! A demon like Gonpachiro? Then I'll be even more powerful, and all will bow before the King of the Mountain!

Kanao: Normally, I would decapitate myself and the others. But if we're like Tanjirou, capable of resisting our need for human flesh... I suppose exceptions can be made.

Genya: I probably wouldn't change that much. It's basically making my powers full time, so it won't be a massive adjustment.

Aoi: Well, I would certainly be worried. Mostly about Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho, as well as Miss Shinobu and Kanao. But if we can control our hunger, then I suppose it's not as bad as it could be.

Senjurou: Stay close to Tanjirou and Nezuko. They're probably going to be the biggest help.

[mpc-unofficial]

A video is attached.

[It shows Irene, Kalani, Astra, Asif and Asif’s linoone alongside another person in the new MPC stables, looking at the many mounts.

“Hello Cooper.” Kalani is seen greeting a pidgeot that’s probably part ice type. The pidgeot chips a greeting in response.

“You know a lot of the pokemon here.” Irene comments, while petting a nearby zebstrika that appeared to be part ghost type. Astra could be seen climbing around and greeting all the pokemon in her own way behind her.

“Yea, it’s honestly kind of impressive.” Asif comments as he plays catch with a psychic type lapras while his linoone runs alongside the ball’s trajectory.

“Yea, I used to visit the old stables often, before Ordell spawned in its place…” Kalani appeared to zone out for a bit, before eventually shaking themself out of it.

“Yea, I’ll be honest, Kalani could probably give you better mount recommendations than I could.” The unknown person speaks up. “I’m really just here out of obligation as a stablehand.

“That’s not true! Besides, you’ll know the new arrivals better than me, I haven’t been here for a while.” Kalani counters, before greeting the next pokemon, a rapidash with wings. “Oh, hi Arv!”

The stablehand sighs, “I suppose so, though we haven’t had many new arrivals of late. Just one, he came in yesterday. Doesn’t even have a name yet, we’re still figuring that part out.”

“Can we see the new arrival?” Kalani questions, they seem a little more excited now.

“Sure! He seems relatively mild and settled in pretty quickly, so I don’t think there’ll be a problem.” The stablehand replies, before leading the trio further in. A bleat could be heard as a familiar head turns the group’s way. Kalani’s eyes widened as they catch sight of the bluish-white gogoat.

“He’s the new arrival?!” Kalani seemed conflicted. Irene looks at them in concern, while Asif just appears to be confused.

“Ah, so you know him already? Honestly I don’t even think I should be surprised.“ the stablehand comments.

“He was our rescue.” Irene walks over to give the gogoat head pats. “We rescued him while experimenting with pelipper mail.”

“You rescued a pokemon with pelipper mail?!” Asif exclaims.

“It was a bit of an accident, but it worked out just fine. I can tell you that story later.” Irene explains as the gogoat bleats in Kalani’s direction, he seemed concerned as well.

“A-Ah! I’m fine! No worries. Apologies for accidentally falling asleep on you that other day.” Kalani apologies, giving the gogoat a small bow.

The gogoat bleats again, somehow managing to look both unimpressed and unconvinced. He then looks to the stablehand, before gently shoving at the door.

“Ah! Sure, I suppose.” The stablehand lets the gogoat out. He bows in thanks, before walking over to Kalani and gently nuzzling them.

“Hey! Um…” Kalani looked unsure as to how they should react, instead opting to just give the gogoat headpats.

“I know that we came here to choose our mounts, but I think that one chose you.” Asif comments.

Astra climbs down from where she was, greeting the gogoat as well. The two exchange words for a bit before Astra eventually points at the gogoat, solemnly nodding at the humans.

“Char! Chim-char!”

“It looks as though Astra approves.” Irene comments, the chimchar nodding more vigorously at her statement.

“Why am I getting the feeling that I wouldn’t have a choice in this matter…?” Kalani still appears conflicted as the video cuts to black]

The video ends there.

[kazarinn]

Saint Tail Retranslation — Episode 31: Let’s Steal the Jewel of the Moon!

Script (Fonts): MEGA | Google Drive Translation notes for this episode (link leads to page with spoilers) Project page and more information

How to use: Put the subtitle file in the same folder as your video file and rename it to match the video’s file name (e.g. if the video is named “ST_01.mkv”, name the corresponding subtitle file “ST_01.ass”). If done correctly, players like SMPlayer, MPC-HC/MPC-BE, or VLC should automatically load the subtitles when you play the video. Since this is a raw script file, it doesn't come with embedded fonts, so while it should still show up fine on most computers, I recommend installing the fonts from here on your computer (if you don’t have them already) for best results.

Episodes 31-38 make up the biggest set of filler episodes to be sandwiched in between manga-adapted ones, which means there’s a pretty big difference between the manga and the anime’s ways of handling continuity at this point of the story. The events of chapters 20-21 were obviously written to be direct follow-ups to what had happened in chapters 17-19, so it was easy for me to approach the translation knowing exactly what concepts were being alluded to in each line, but the anime’s approach isn’t as clear-cut.

Of course, it’s still overall the same plot making the same points, but these 8 filler episodes serve as an extended period of time where our five main characters (Meimi, Seira, Asuka Jr., Rina, and Sawatari) and their dynamics are in an “in-between” state that the manga’s story had progressed too quickly to depict in detail. One of the reasons I decided to translate the manga-adapted episodes first before going back to the filler episodes was that it was helpful to have the manga plot points as “landmarks”, since I could approach each filler episode thinking about what plot points it’s meant to follow up on and what it’s supposed to be leading up to.

I think it’s tempting to be fooled by the seemingly episodic nature of the anime fillers and assume that the series doesn’t have much continuity, but even if the heists aren’t strictly related to each other in terms of plot events, each episode has a clear theme in terms of how it advances Meimi and Asuka Jr.’s character stories. It’s actually fairly easy to figure out what each episode’s purpose is once you have the full picture of the entire plot and know what everything is going to lead up to. But it does mean that my translation process for this series involves a rather abnormal amount of note-taking to make sure I don’t miss any small details…

I’m not saying this to brag or complain about how much work this series has been to work on (on the contrary, it’s been very rewarding), but I do hope people watching the anime with this translation can look out for those details and get as much as they can out of the story and characters. I think the best possible result for me that would make this entire project feel worthwhile would be if it succeeds in bringing out the little things that help people connect to or resonate with it. And I’m sure there must be many wonderful things about this series and about Meimi and Asuka Jr. that even I haven’t noticed yet, so I hope I’ve preserved enough details to give readers/viewers things to work with in forming their own insights.

[dahliloves]

July 18 th

2023

I want to smell like milk and honey.

Skin as smooth as butter

Voice strong but smooth, enchanting

Mesmerizing I look at people and they melt

Look for perfume at hair store or flea market

The whole point in life the endgame is to be Zen and not care what people think because as long as you’re yourself as long as you’re happy as long as you’re comfortable in your own skin, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing that’s not conforming to society just goes with aesthetic the schools was like going hiking in a dress go hiking in a dress Easton go hiking address Dahlia put yourself first put your daughter first and put both of your happiness. Please right now if I bled out on the floor, I would be upset that I didn’t spend enough time with my daughter. I’d be upset that I didn’t. Christy Moore guy is it in :-) I’d be upset that I didn’t smile at more people will be upset that I didn’t share my message on social media like I want to have. You said that I didn’t dumb people and I didn’t show them that I could be multifaceted and if I were dumb when I’m a successful Dom, I want to show all my sides and not be an MPC, I have a beautiful personality. I’m funny I’m smart I’m a hoe. If you said I didn’t use my brain the way I was supposed to appreciate my body the way I should’ve that I didn’t go in enough hives that I didn’t eat fun food like you know fancy food that I didn’t go out for drinks like I wanted to go didn’t wear my nails like I wanted to. I didn’t do my hair the way I wanted to. I didn’t figure out my signature Amiga. I would be happy that I started being consistent, but I would be upset with how often I put myself on the back, and.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

also like does winston have to deal with his algorithm's failure being blamed for the mess at mpc. does he have access to it to see that someone clearly like added in various [NOT] edits (also....doesn't seem like a guarantee anyone else would Get to access the code beyond like an on/off switch or other "front end" kind of adjustments? but). i guess either way it's not like this Extra thing they asked from him was ever even meant to be his Main Thing, as discussed (though now again wondering about the details, if mpc was supposed to get his best shit, if this was an adjustment To it rather than a kind of extension added without having to alter that main event? i don't think billions cares either way. and he presumably could just make something new)....and, again, does axe global retain some contract with him? which winston has no reason to Want to be the case? a typical battle between whether everyone forgets he exists or else their contempt and eagerness to use him to affirm their own superiority means making sure to hold on to him Just Because of that, not even the value, which was never enough to offer him more in the first place or try to keep him from quitting

meanwhile, once again basically every time taylor makes a move towards more autonomy / doing their own thing, winston has a crucial role. coding solo for them in a basement which gave them the investors / Billions they needed to start tmc, making & backing the project that led to the c standing for carbon, now that his algorithm had this key role in the move that ultimately landed them Billions again, personally this time, & tmf (cassandraed! via: taylor mason fucks) but it's just that this time it was taken from him and fucked with, though already the "no credit" part was underway after his role in the mase carb shift translated to all of "for no reason other than wendy's ableism moments, we're Only considering firing You. here's your new best personal bully friend who is instantly & forever preferred personally & professionally" like yeah thanks. billions at least letting us know he got single digits millions for it but like, sorry did anyone start a secret fund stash for winston? seems unlikely, even though spyros the [universally hated guy even beyond winston] and sole prince loyalist here who was actively trying to thwart the sabotage, gets a share just fine, don't even worry about it. all this and how dubious it is billions was trying to be at all "nice" by having winston quit (and then be treated like that in a plotline that only existed so wags could have fun and We could have fun in that too!) when it's like "oh of course he can't just Be Here" like sure whatever. he should get to be away from there but i'm not sure billions is on the same page as to Why when a correct character informs us that actually rian was always being Too Nice by telling winston "shut the fuck up forever r word" whenever he breathed instead of at least keeping it to herself forever instead; don't think we're given room to suppose rian has reflected on this when she chooses to leave after her ""friendship"" with winston did fuckall for her Not helping hurt him even when he's entirely somewhere else & she supposedly cares At All. so even negative attention is supposedly "nicer" than being ignored (it isn't) and yet winston gets to just Not be mentioned, show up, speak, be spoken of....best thing for Someone Like Winston being if he may as well not exist but maybe his coding output just manifests in the hands of people who deserve to benefit from it

[voidhyacinth]

Finding Fault

(Reposting from oleander.garden)

Blackout. He lurched a little, then tumbled down the stairs. God, that’s a lot of blood — but it’d been a few weeks since the line went dead, and a half-hearted backup can hardly suffice. No, a half-hearted angel is no good at all. They needed the whole thing, the whole model: every single ounce of grace. So she went forward, into the breach, over the limp bleeding body. There was something on the stove, still frying, smelling like peanut oil. No luck in the overhead, but in a kitchen cabinet, a stack of drives duct-taped to a EUROCOM module. She’d be out of here soon; hell, maybe the kid would make it. This is probably worth killing over, but she doesn’t want to kill — and that’s all supposing this really counts as killing. It’s hard to walk on the borderline: hard to know when we dwell in the flesh. This hardly feels like metal, so are we in the flesh?

She phased out; you can’t tell, sometimes. Her window is wide and the city is bright, and her eyes hurt real bad from the screen. Eli grabbed her stockings and her pretty black dress. Then she started to get changed. It was a warm night, and the breeze was very fine. The curtains were blowing gently, and there was still a little lilting late spring rain. In the dark, the expanse is tremendous: ten thousand apartments, soaked in mist and electricity. The parks, the plaza, the great neon signs all shrieking in the static — and the trains, and the trucks, and wires still criss-crossing. The city heaves and pulses and writhes; Eli was moving slowly. In the bathroom mirror she could see herself standing, looking as pale as a ghost. Had she always seemed so fragile? The question hardly matters: even if she had a gun she probably wouldn’t take it. It’s so much more fun to play with live wires.

It was late, and the subway was empty — excepting the transit police, who were paired-up and huddled in corners. It's strange how they always behave now. Eli’d been in a riot or two, but she didn’t get much out of it. A brick through a windshield, maybe a smashed up deck from a third-story office, but the cops — they just stand there; these last few years, you can’t even get a rise. It’s like they’re daring you to act, saying: come on then, climb our glass towers — let us shoot you dead, and throw you to cement. Well, how do you react? Of course they know if you stay down below you can take whatever you’d like, but no one ever bothers to pretend they really care. Always there’s dragoon ships overhead, and yuppies always seething. Now she was also seething. Her concentration breaks; she steps onto a train arriving not so very late. Then the scream of wheels on metal tracks, which will not bend or deviate. God’s still in his heaven, and all of us are screwed.

This place is alright, though. Ersatz neon, golden lights, and shitty percolators. There was a pretty girl in the corner. You could tell she was a dragoon, on account of her boots, but she looked real fucking skittish. Dragoons are weird: you’d think they’d be all tough and corporate, but the MPCs get them in young, and they’re all paid like shit. Her hair was slicked back, her clothes a couple years out of fashion. I hate how they make you feel bad for these guys, like, they’ll get them all decked out for the end-game, make them champions in the hell-war-to-come — but god forbid they start feeling classy. Still though, awfully pretty; so Eli stared a little more, ‘til at last the guy came in. He was alright, charming enough, and shy. Dressed pretty neat, and his jacket — which was too big for him, clearly — gave him a kind of boyish look: half grown up, half collapsing. The dragoon looked like she’d bolt at the first sign of movement, so, sure — why not?

They left, they went over to his place. Eli let him hurt her for a while. Then she tied him up and hit him ‘til he cried. There was a monitor on with the speakers going kinda quiet. An old show, some new machines, shirts on the floor, and so on. It was a mess, but the deep light coming out from the screen nonetheless turned it all pretty. The broken clock, the tilted chair: hell, even a man can be pretty, if you soak him in deep blue light. It was strange, yes: they passed into a strange time, then. Every action, utterly precise. Every movement soldered, molten metal bound up in the world. There was a train passing by in the night just then — a different train — and the rumble, and the light, and the leering, and the marks, were all like nothing else on planet earth. Eli was quiet while she moved in the light, almost a little graceful. When she untied him, at least, she was gentle. They ate, and had some coffee. The two of them talked for a while.

Then the sun began to rise. Eli returned to the city, and for a while she was untethered. There were people all around, a great teaming mass. She pulled closer, and then she was no one at all. Eli felt small, but the crowd felt large and warm. The crowd can do everything; the crowd can be everyone. The crowd isn’t out here waiting for Esper — no, the crowd doesn’t need blood money. The crowd is everywhere, all at once: an angel unto itself, a perfect discoordination. In its specificity man is stupid and dull. As a mass, it's a wonder. It is all things, and perceiving all things — and likewise, all these things Eli thought, while she was one of many. The angel ought not rule us, for the angel is our long awaited home; that’s what she thought, when she had many faces. Eli sighed, she shuddered: she made a perfect backup. Then she pulled herself out from the crowd, and she headed for the water.

For a while she sat by the pier, soaked in the noon-light. It was getting very hot. Then Esper came by. You could see her in the water, like a mirror. She looked straight at Eli — not through the water, but dead on. Eli looked like shit; she looked tired and broken, like her body just couldn’t keep up. As above, so below. These days we exceed ourselves, in every realm, and the normal rules are gone, so you just have to learn how to bend without breaking. That’s what Esper thought, and she said as much. Eli thought that was bullshit. She handed over an angel. She didn’t want to look at Esper anymore. She didn’t want to think about the cult, no, she just took her money. Then she got up and stumbled. At the corner she turned, then she stopped and she stared. The pretty dragoon was there up ahead, looking shell-shocked, then tripping her way down the street. Eli slipped past; one of them was crying.

By the time Eli got home she had collapsed. How many days since she’d slept — and now, what to do with this angel? In the first book of the sacred edict the graceful lay things out: unstructured contact with an angel is psychic death. You can’t cope, you just go nuts. It’s like letting a chat bot control your phenomenal experience, if the chat bot had the wisdom of the godhead: you need rituals, rites, priests, initiations. You need some kind of organizing principle that lets you walk into ego death and come out swinging. Barriers, blockages, boundaries — anything to keep you separate from the swirling mass of sentient information. That’s what Esper would say. Eli, though: Eli liked the crowd. She liked the seething mass, the composite, the shattered ego: all marks, and masks, and love, and dreaming. All these things she liked, and more, and she could be more, if she was made many. So she started to phase, thinking: why bend when you can break?

In rode the angel most holy. In rode the starlight and death — and out rode Eli, though she was Eli no more. Now she was online, now she was burning. All around her: orchards, and citadels. Great glass towers, and dungeons made of fine red rock, and galley-men, and sailors stranded on the seething coast. She came down the highway at speed, looking out on the legion of the damned, all tied up and bleeding from the neck. A thrall in the bedchamber; parley and surrender — and great armies crashing, and the crack of a whip, or a sword. On a white horse she approached, singing in a high voice, and all around the world gave way. In time she came to the screaming gate, where terror is a joy beyond joys. She paused for a second, thinking, here I am, in a million masks: broken, and all the better for it. She laughed at the composite dream. Then forward she rode, onward unto heaven’s perfect death.

[flowerpowell]

The Dream Life of Ellie Wheeler (Colt x MC // Logan x MC)

PART THREE

A/N: .... I headcanon (fancanon?) that Colt and Ellie live in the same house as they did in The Boy Next Door (except we only have one bedroom here 😉). Sorry for the wait but I hope it’ll be worth it. Let me know what you think about this series because I’m still unsure 🙊 

Rating: G 

Tagging: @delightfullypinkglitter, @mskaneko, @desiree-pow, @lovehugsandcandy, @badchoicesposts​, @kingliam2019​, @client-327​, @walkerduchess​, @sophxwithers​ ❣

“I go on too many dates But I can't make 'em stay At least that's what people say, mm, mm That's what people say, mm, mm”

“My daddy commissary made it to commas Bitch, all my grandmas dead So ain't nobody prayin' for me, I'm on your head, ayy”

“Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake”

“If I gotta go hard on a bitch, I'ma make it look sexy I pull up, hop out, air out, made it look sexy They won't take me out my element Nah, take me out my element”

“Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it—"

“Hey!” Ellie exclaimed when Colt turned off the radio. “I was listening to something, you know!”

“I was listening to something as well,” he replied, his eyes glued to the road ahead of them. “But since you kept changing my song back to that pop shit, I’d rather drive in silence.”

Ellie rolled her eyes. They were on the road for many hours now and apart from the time she took to take a nap, they had been arguing about the music playing in the car majority of the time.

“Taylor Swift is not that bad, actually. I’m sure you’d enjoy—”

“Right now, all I want is to enjoy the silence.” Colt narrowed his eyes but still didn’t look at Ellie.

“Hey! I have that song somewhere on my phone! I can play it and—”

“Ellie! I’m driving! Can you keep your mouth shut for at least ten minutes?”

“Okay, okay. Sorry,” she quickly said and looked away. Not that there was much to look at but she didn’t want risk Colt changing his mind and driving her back to California. After all, he agreed to her plan and now they were driving to Oklahoma. Ellie really tried to be nice to him. Colt definitely didn’t even bother. Not that she expected anything else.

Her father also didn’t take it in very well. When she came home with marriage certificate in one hand, dragging Colt with the other one, detective Wheeler almost passed out from anger. And shock. But mostly anger.

She knew why.

Yes, he was angry that she got married without telling him but she married a Kaneko. And her father hated Teppei and devoted his life to find dirt on him. And now with Ellie being married to a Kaneko, Mr. Wheeler had to drop the case completely in the name of ‘no family affairs’ policy. Colt’s “hello Daddy” probably didn’t help either. In short, her father was so angry that Ellie was sure there was no higher level of angry.

Colt and Ellie left the same day and Ellie hadn’t spoken to her father since. Freedom tasted a bit sad but so good at the same time.

“Oh! McDonald’s! I’m so hungry, maybe we could—” Ellie pointed her finger at the restaurant as Colt picked up speed and they passed it in a blink of the eye. She looked at her husband and rolled her eyes. He couldn’t even bother to hide that awful smirk. Jerk.

“Your ten minutes of no talking isn’t over yet,” he noticed and Ellie sighed. This man was a nightmare.

Just a few more weeks. You’re doing it for Langston. Think of Langston. Think of—

“We have only six more hours. I think it’s pointless to stop anywhere to eat. You can make dinner when we’re home, wifey.” Colt finally looked at her and smiled smugly. Ellie wanted to punch him so bad but instead she only nodded and focused on the road.

Langston. Think of Langston.

~~~~

Colt didn’t intend to make it any easier for Ellie Wheeler. She blackmailed him, him, and now he was stuck with her. He couldn’t even leave the country as he wanted initially because her father would be capable of sending literal troops after him.

He still remembered Mr. Wheeler’s face when he realized Ellie married him. Teppei Kaneko’s son. For a short moment, Colt thought Mr. Wheeler would explode. Literally explode because Colt could count every single vein on his neck and face. At least he had to drop his father’s case. Colt was safe, as Ellie promised.

He looked at Ellie as she was stretching after the long ride. She was like a weed, he couldn’t get rid of her no matter what he tried to do.

“Here we are,” Colt said, taking his suitcases and leaving Ellie’s still in the car. “Take your stuff and you can start making dinner. I’m quite hungry.”

“You wouldn’t be if you’d stop at McDonald’s! Or literally anywhere else.”

“Why would I do it if my wife works in a coffee shop and is great at cooking?”

He heard her taking a deep breath and counting quietly to ten.

As he said. He had no intention of making it any easier for Ellie Wheeler.

~~~~

After dinner, for which Ellie ordered pizza since there was nothing edible in the house, Colt went upstairs to his bedroom, leaving Ellie alone downstairs. Her suitcases were still in the living room and she wondered where she was supposed to go. The house was pretty small; there was a spacious living room and a kitchen on the first floor and one bedroom and a bathroom on the second.

Ellie climbed up the stairs and hesitantly knocked on Colt’s bedroom door. At least two minutes passed before he opened the door.

“Yes?”

“Umm… Where can I sleep?” She asked hoping there was another bedroom which she hadn’t noticed before. She surely didn’t want to sleep with Colt in the same room. Considering what Colt thought about her, she was sure he felt the same.

“Definitely not here,” he replied.

“That I know.” Ellie took a deep breath. “But I need to sleep somewhere.”

Colt shrugged. “Not my problem. Should’ve thought about it before you made me marry you.”

“I’m sorry, okay! It’s only temporary, I’ll ask around and find a place in a dormitory and you’ll get rid of me.”

“You can sleep in the living room. Sofa’s comfortable.” And with that, Colt closed the door, ending their conversation.

Ellie went downstairs and put her blankets and pillows on the sofa, taking a mental note to buy some bedding. She took a quick shower, taking another mental note to buy a shower gel because the one she found smelled like Colt and she didn’t like it. Feeling a rush of anxiety, she ran to her improvisatorial bed. She closed her eyes, dreaming of her life here, hoping her mother would be proud.

~~~~

“See you’re already in a wife mode.”

“What?” Ellie stopped reading a book to look at Colt.

“Wearing baggy sweats and all. I think I’ve seen you in this Langston sweatshirt a million times and I’ve known you only for a few days,” Colt mocked her, not trying even for a split second to be nice to someone who blackmailed him.

“Well, it’s not like I have anyone to impress,” Ellie snapped back and Colt rolled his eyes. If he thought his job was difficult, he clearly never experienced being fake-married to someone like Ellie Wheeler. Although to be fair, he was probably more awful to her than she to him.

“Good,” he thought to himself. “She blackmailed me. She deserves it.”

And even though he hated her, he also understood her. She wasn’t the only one with a terrible father.

“Did Mona leave the country?” She suddenly asked.

“Hm? Why are you asking?”

“Just curious. You said it was your last job so I assumed…”

“Yeah, left. I would too if someone didn’t force me to put a ring on my finger.” He waved his left hand to prove a point. He wasn’t even sure why he was putting this stupid wedding band onto his finger every day. Ellie wasn’t wearing hers.

“As I said… I’m sorry. But at least my father dropped the case. And as far as I’m concerned no one else was involved in it but my father so… you’re in the clear.”

“Gee, thanks. How nice of you.”

“So it was you and Mona then? Only the two of you? Or is there someone else?”

Colt eyed her suspiciously. “Why are you asking?”

“Just curious,” she repeated. “When Teppei was still around I didn’t see anyone else. And then only you and Mona.” She was silent for a moment. “Colt?”

“Yea?”

“I’m really sorry about your father.”

Colt didn’t say anything for a while and Ellie assumed it was the end of their conversation. She went back to reading her book when he spoke.

“Just me, Mona and Pop.”

“Like three musketeers.” Ellie smiled.

“No. Like MPC.”

“MPC?”

“Geez, don’t you have classes to go to or something?” Colt rolled his eyes.

“Not in another two hours,” she replied. The classes technically hadn’t started yet but Ellie signed up for additional classes for freshman students.

“Mercy Park Crew. That’s us.”

“Hmm, I’ve seen MPC somewhere in my father’s files but I’m pretty sure he never realized it was you.”

“And hopefully he never will,” Colt added. Why was he telling her all of this?

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Was there anything in the files?” Colt asked. “About other car gangs?”

Ellie looked at him curiously. “No… Are there any other gangs?”

Colt was looking somewhere in the distance and it took him a moment to reply. “Yea. Our rivals. Forget it.”

“I could… do some research if you’d like—”

“Just go to your class, okay? Stop with this investigation,” he said and left the house, banging the door on his way out.

Ellie sat stunned for a few minutes before she finally decided she’d rather come too early to her class than stay in the house for another second.

~~~~

Freedom smelled like fall, felt like sun warming her face, tasted like cold air and looked like Oklahoma.

Ellie’s dream life was finally starting.

She felt tears forming in her eyes as she looked at her Langston University. Everything she went through, the arguments with her father, marrying Colt, bearing with Colt… it was all worth it.

Slowly, looking around as if not wanting to miss a single thing, she made her way through the campus. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Freedom filled her lungs. She was walking with her eyes closed, smile on her face. Everything was—

“Ooof!” She bumped into someone and would have fallen if the stranger didn’t catch her in time. Dream life or not, she still was clumsy.

“You know,” the stranger started, helping her stand up. “There are easier ways to get my attention.”

“I, uh… Thanks. I’m sorry about bumping into you. I won’t happen again, I promise.”

“It won’t? Too bad.”

“I… I’m sorry… I…” Ellie stammered as the handsome stranger smirked.

“First day?”

“Yes,” Ellie got her voice back. “I’m Ellie.”

“Nice to meet ya, Ellie. I’m Logan.”

[fictionkinfessions]

I hate how narrowly I missed our birthday. If I had seen that image of us just a week sooner.

It's been eating me for the entire month, and if there's any time to get it off my chest before I sulk for the entire rest of the year, I suppose today would be fitting enough.

Happy late birthday, my Vash.

I miss you, more than words can describe. I hope writing this somehow lets you know, wherever you are, that I am thinking of you.

— Millions Knives (Trigun Stampede) (sorry it's last minute, but if you could post today (Aug. 21st) mpc, I'd be eternally grateful)

[rubylarkspur22]

Questions and answers below the cut.

1: To the Kamaboko Squad in AMSG and MPCS, and the present Hashira, How was the Entertainment District?

Note: As I have yet to fully develop the Kamaboko Squad here, I will only be covering the twins and Tengen.

Yoriichi(MPCS): It turned out okay. Though, it did scare me when Michikatsu seemed to lose himself. I hope not to go through that again. And I had hoped to have less collateral damage.

Michikatsu(AMSG): Well, Yoriichi was f***ing terrifying while using his full power, and I nearly died. But no Demon Slayers died. So overall, it turned out okay. Aside from levelling the district.

Tengen(both): Aside from the injuries, and the destruction of Yoshiwara, I'd say it turned out alright. Kinda wish Iguro showed up sooner to help, but I suppose I can't put too much blame on him. I'm sure he came as fast as he could.

2: Mirrored Sunset Shinazugawa brothers, Do you remember anything of the past, and have you met?

Sanemi: I don't remember anything before becoming a demon. Not like I care, anyways. Besides, any time I do think about that time, I get a raging headache, so it's less of a pain in the a** to just accept those memories are gone and move on. I haven't interacted much with Lower Four, but we did meet during a meeting. I don't bother with the Lower Moons, aside from Shinobu and Kanao. And that's because they're close to Kanae. Lower Four makes my head hurt, anyways, so I don't like talking to him.

Genya: I get... small flashes. But my head sometimes hurts after, so I try not to think about it. I've met Upper Two, once. Something about him feels familiar. Like I need to stay close to him... I don't know why...

[mpc-unofficial]

DMs:

Kalani, I know you probably want to keep your distance for a bit, and I can understand why… I think. However, I have to know, how exactly do you summon a persona? I mean, I’ve a vague idea, but now that I think about it I’ve no idea how it actually works. I’ve a sandwich with me, but it’s not actually working. Are you sure I summoned a persona with a sandwich?

Sorry about that I just— something happened and I need some space right now. I don’t blame you for anything to be clear, I just… sorry. I promise I’m not mad at you or anything.

On another note, why are you trying to summon a persona right now? Did something happen?

No! Nothing happened. Or at least, well, nothing that’s an immediate emergency. Also yea, I understand the whole needing space thing so I’ll try to stay away for a bit till you’re uh… ready to see me I suppose? On another note, have you been backreading the blog?

Not yet. I-I don’t actually think I’ll be able to for a while…

That’s… understandable. To give you a small rundown, I might have lied about the whole pelipper mail incident and now nearly everyone in the center thinks that you’ve gotten those bruises from a shadow.

That… honestly yea that’s probably a good idea for now. I’ll keep that in mind if anyone asks.

Still, what does this have to do with summoning a persona?

Due to… recent events and the small lie I’ve told. The MPC is starting to get extremely wary regarding the shadow nest. In fact, I think they’re only tentatively authorising people with a persona to enter it right now, which while valid, would also mean that you’re currently the only one with clearance to properly study Ordell, unless I’m also able to prove that I have one.

Why don’t you use the mysterious camera footage?

Because that would raise a million more questions that I do not have a good answer for? Like the fact that there’s currently something stalking us?

Right, yea, you have a point. Let me think about this for a bit…

Do you still have that old upgrade you used on Byte?

Yea? I don’t think I’ll be throwing that out anytime soon, but how is that related?

Try using that.

What?

Just… humour me for a bit?

Sure? Give me a second…

Wait, oh god that actually worked. How the heck did that work?!

It was a guess of sorts, but I had a feeling that any object with sentimental value should work.

Guess it is true to some extent.

Wait this would mean that the sandwich had sentimental value.

Yea, I’m still trying to figure that part out.

Oh, oh wait... I think I’ve figured that out. I… I think I need a moment to think about the implications of this.

[kazarinn]

Saint Tail Retranslation — Episode 26: Meimi’s Engaged to a Super-Rich Heir?!

Script (Fonts): MEGA | Google Drive Translation notes for this episode (link leads to page with spoilers) Project page and more information

How to use: Put the subtitle file in the same folder as your video file and rename it to match the video’s file name (e.g. if the video is named “ST_01.mkv”, name the corresponding subtitle file “ST_01.ass”). If done correctly, players like SMPlayer, MPC-HC/MPC-BE, or VLC should automatically load the subtitles when you play the video. Since this is a raw script file, it doesn't come with embedded fonts, so while it should still show up fine on most computers, I recommend installing the fonts from here on your computer (if you don’t have them already) for best results.

This is a particularly interesting episode because I suspect it’s meant to fulfill roughly the same narrative purpose as chapter 16 did in the manga, at least in terms of the way it’s supposed to lead into the events of chapters 17-19 (adapted to episodes 27-29). The reason I think this is that chapter 16’s events were pushed all the way to episode 30, whereas this episode touches on some similar points regarding Asuka Jr.’s attitude towards Meimi. As such, while it didn’t drastically change how I approached the translation, I at least tried to keep some of those thematic elements in mind whenever I had to make decisions on how to phrase things.

As of this release, you can now watch every episode in order up to episode 30! Only one more gap of 8 episodes to go, and then the full series will be done! 🎉

[entamesubs]

Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS Blu-Ray: Episode 4

Google Drive ONLY (for now)

Support us on ko-fi

Blu-Ray episodes will come out one at a time every Friday, until I’m done with the full first season (1-13).

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Please use either MPV or MPC-HC to view the Blu-Ray episodes. I do NOT recommend using VLC.

Please check the post for episodes 1&2 to see why.

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!! This is NOT a final release !!

If there are any corrections you wish to make, please put them through the ask box. This includes any typos, grammar weirdness, or if you have a better way to word a sentence. Once it goes up on Nyaa, the subs will be LOCKED and can no longer be edited. I will consider it the final and best version I can put out.

If you see any mistake at all, please do not hesitate to send me an ask about it.

--------------

Extended Translation Notes

Gakuto’s characterization

RoadRush:

“I am supposed to be stopping their chaos [...] How could I do such a thing?!”

Original Japanese: 「遊我くんたちの暴走を止めるべき立場にありながら [...] 私としたことが…」

The original RR subs make it seem like Gakuto is appalled at the fact that he’s been going along with the crew, but in reality the original Japanese points to Gakuto being appalled at his lack of responsibility (as in Gakuto himself is frustrated that he, himself, has not done anything despite the fact that he should).

The bolded Japanese from above is what I’m highlighting as the key to understanding him here.

立場にあり = someone in (my) position 私としたこと = someone like me

The translation I decided to use instead, and which I felt conveyed his inner turmoil better, was “I’m someone who should be stopping them, and yet... [...] I, of all people...!”

Gakuto is very concerned with his position and duties, which is the main focus for this episode. He is a character who is hyper-aware of his place and what kind of person he should be (that is, someone who strictly follows the rules and enforces them). The conflict he feels here is because of that hyper-awareness, not (primarily) because of the fact that he’s been “having fun” or “swept away” by Yuuga’s antics, it’s that someone like him shouldn’t be “swept away” in the first place.

I hope this makes sense and that this translation gets across his characterization a lot better.

Further Gakuto characterization

RoadRush:

“I have to draw the line somewhere!”

Original Japanese: 「きちんとけじめをつけなければ｡」

This is actually a translation I liked a lot, with “draw the line” being something very clear and also easily got across his newfound determination. It’s the reason I decided to keep the “draw the line” phrase in my final translation.

However, there is one important part of his sentence: けじめ, which I bolded above. It means “distinction”.

My final translation was “I must be decisive and draw the line somewhere!”

Gakuto uses the word “decide” and “decisive” a lot. You’ll see it the most in his summoning chants, where he keeps “deciding” not to stop, or “deciding” to follow a road, or “deciding” to find something new, or that he alone must “decide” his resolve, etc. At this point, being “decisive” is a huge part of his character and who he is as a person. The main theme of Sougetsu Gakuto is being able to lead, to decide, and, as we see in episodes 24, 33, 50, and 57, to be someone worthy of the Sougetsu name and inheritance by making these “decisions” and having the power to do so.

For this reason, I decided (haha) to put in his keyword here and tie this line further to his characterization in future episodes.

“Yametekudastop”

“Does Gakuto actually say this?” No, but he makes a pun just as bad as this one. This is a great pun to convey just how weird his “Yameruler” pun in Japanese is as well.

Thanks English!

トイレには神様がいますからね “Since a kami is always in the restroom, you should...”

This is a fragment of the full sentence, though its implied that Gakuto is trying to say “[I cleaned the restroom with care,] because a kami is in there”. To make this sound more natural in English, my final translation was the sentence you see above in bold, which adds a “you should” for context.

This sentence may seem strange to a lot of people, even more so if you don’t know what exactly a “kami” is. I wanted to elaborate on that in this translation note, and also the reason why I left “kami” untouched.

A “kami” does not uniformly mean a “god” or “deity”. In some contexts, yes, someone can be referring to such a being. In others, a kami can also be seen as a “spirit”, not necessarily of divine origins, who exists in a myriad of spaces for a myriad of reasons.

The “kami” Gakuto says exists in the restroom is not a god in the way English speakers would see it, but a spirit that has found a home there. However, I felt that the word “spirit” did not really encompass the importance of the word kami and why Gakuto was so careful with it, while the words “god” or “deity” placed too much importance on it.

For further context, I’d honestly just recommend the kami wikipedia article, which goes a lot more into detail than I can here. For heavier reading, and if you’re interested in this sort of stuff, I recommend the books Shinto - A Book of Prayers and The Essence of Shinto: Japan's Spiritual Heart.

黒子 (くろこ) Kuroko / “stagehands”

Wow, Kuroko Tetsuya himself from the acclaimed basketball manga and anime, Kuroko no Basuke! Okay I’m joking.

A “kuroko” in Japanese means a “stagehand”, though they have very a specific job in Japanese theatre that is different compared to what you might know of stagehands in Western theatre.

The job of a “kuroko” is to be invisible, which of course is not a literal thing. This simply means they help move things along on the stage, appearing center at times, while still not being perceived by the audience. This is where the “kuro” part of “kuroko” comes from—traditionally, they wear black clothes and cover their faces with a black sheet on stage, so that when they appear, the audience will not focus on them and instead blend them in with the background.

A kuroko does such things like moving scenery and props as a normal stagehand, however they may also play non-human parts in plays sometimes, being something like an animal or spirit when needed (usually with the help of a minor prop, not with a costume). They are the “invisible stagehands”.

Gakuto’s entire aesthetic themeing with Ranze and Rinnosuke is basically kabuki, a form of Japanese theatre that places more emphasis on aesthetics than on story.

A popular genre of kabuki is known as jidaimono, or historical plays, which dramatize a major historic event (like a war), which is how Gakuto’s various “Rulers” tie into this theme. Of note, Yameruler’s defense position animation is very much like how one in kabuki would try to “disappear” off stage (by holding a fan in front of his face), Kimeruler has elements of kabuki makeup in his design (though heavily watered down), and Semeruler’s summoning animation is a very common kabuki pose for combat.

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For people interested in the raw BDMV vs encoded final video comparisons, click here. (Click the image in the center to swap between “raw BD” and “encoded”).

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Credits

Translation, timing: entame Proofreading: angelthinktank (Yona) Encoding: PelvisBass

[reilly310]

The Rule of Coincidences

or

Kona wasn’t their first rodeo, kids.

     I’ve seen a few posts recently that talk about coincidences as they relate to Sam and Cait’s whereabouts and relationships.  Is it a coincidence that they both made Los Angeles their home base during the last few months of the hiatus after Sam finished his filming duties? Is it a coincidence that, after leaving LA, both ended up in NYC?  Is it a coincidence that they both vacationed in Kona or that the resort Cait thanked followed both of them?  Is it a coincidence that they posted pictures with pretty much every current and former OL costar/production team member they saw while in LA but, oops, forgot to take a picture with each other?  Is it a coincidence that Sam makes pancakes in Cait’s kitchen on Valentine’s Day or watches her run a marathon from her bedroom (and bed) with Eddie in his lap?

     I was reminded of something I read a while back from Seth Abramson, who is an attorney, professor and author that I follow on twitter.  He posted a simple “rule of coincidences” that he used in his criminal investigations. Obviously we’re not talking about something as serious as a criminal investigation here, but the general principle of this rule can apply to any set of coincidences, including those surrounding SC.  When looked at individually, some of the things we’ve witnessed might be viewed as mere chance, but when these individual occurrences pile up one after the other, can they truly still be considered coincidental? 

 The rule is:

                                                --------------

     1 coincidence?   Yes

     2 coincidences?  Yes, maybe

     3 coincidences? Likely not

     4 coincidences?  No

“Yes” means a coincidence may be just that.   “No” means what you think is a coincidence isn't.

                                                 --------------

Through the years, we’ve amassed a plethora of “receipts” and observed a multitude of things that some choose to dismiss as coincidences.  How many?  Well that’s up for debate.

Sorry, Sam, you need a better source.  It’s way more than 4 total.  In fact, sometimes, even looking only at an individual event, there can be 3 or 4 coincidences surrounding it which, according to the theory above, would mean they’re likely not coincidences at all.  Let’s try it out on Sam’s trip to Big Sur in June 2016.  Were Sam and Cait actually there together?

The Beauty of Big Sur (June 2016)

1 coincidence (Yes):  After finishing their Season 2 promotion is Los Angeles, they both more or less “disappear” for about a week.

Yes, they posted a bit on twitter (less than what would be considered normal for them at the time) and once each on IG during this period, but after June 9th for Sam and June 16th for Cait, we don’t see either again real-time until the LA Dodgers baseball game on June 22nd.  ( Of course, we weren’t  supposed to see one of them there and we most definitely weren’t supposed to see them together.)

2 coincidences (Yes, maybe):  Cait follows Audi’s Tonya Meli in mid-June 2016.   Sam posts his first Audi promotion in the US (in Big Sur, CA) later that same month.

On June 14th Cait did a web interview with Gold Derby.  The interview was posted on twitter the next day (June 15th) by Robert Licuria.  He tagged Cait, who then began to follow him on twitter.  Her follow list also showed that, right before Robert, she followed Tonya Meli from Audi UK. At this point in time, Sam had endorsed Audi but Cait had not (and wouldn’t until January 2017) so the follow was curious.

3 coincidences (Likely not):  Cait’s favorite vacation destination (per a 2014 interview) is the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur.  Sam takes his June Audi picture in Big Sur...just a few miles from Post Ranch Inn.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/sns-201409160000--tms--celebtrvctnct-a20140916-20140916-story.html

Although Big Sur stretches for 75 miles along the California coast, Sam’s Audi  pics are taken just 4 miles from Post Ranch and 2 miles from one of Cait’s favorite restaurants in Big Sur. (Deetjen’s)

Closer view of that 4 mile stretch.

Views from Post Ranch Inn, looking south.

View from Deetjen’s  (correction:  This is Nepenthe), looking south.

Notice the familiar land mass jutting out into the ocean in all of these pictures?   It’s the same one that is in Sam’s Instagram pictures.

And here is the lookout spot with both that familiar land mass and the large rocks we see in his pictures.

Closeup of the narrower pull-off spot just in front of where Sam took his pictures.

SIDEBAR:

Before we move to coincidence #4, let’s talk about latergrams. We know they both post them and, of course, it’s a smart thing for them to do, especially in their industry.  I always assume that any picture posted by Sam or Cait that includes their images (unless tied to official promo events) is a latergram.

On August 3, 2016, for example, Sam posted a picture of himself thanking MPC members for that year’s campaign but didn’t reveal the location of the picture in his post.

By August 3rd, Cait had posted pictures at least insinuating that she was vacationing on the Amalfi Coast and, if memory serves, there was at least a bit of speculation that this August 3rd picture of Sam could possibly be from there. 

But a close look at both Sam’s June 27th Audi posts and this August 3rd picture reveals that they were actually taken in the same place…and at the same time (likely within minutes of each other)… in Big Sur.

So Sam simply took off his jacket and sunglasses, rolled up his sweats and sat on one of the rocks for the MPC picture, but he didn’t post it for several weeks.  With that in mind, it’s also likely that his Audi pics were held for a bit before posting.  He’s not going to want to announce his stay in Big Sur in real-time and risk fans coming in search of him.  (Remember that fan who, after Sam posted his picture in front of the sign in North Carolina later this same year, drove 4 hours just in the hope of finding him there?) 

On to coincidence #4...

4 coincidences (No):  The person who took his pictures in Big Sur is a woman who resembles Cait.

Yes, I base this observation on a reflection (I can hear some of you groaning now.) but, as reflections go, this one is pretty clear.  I just adjusted the picture’s lighting a bit and then highlighted the reflection in sepia so it’s easier to see.

 Here is just the reflection as it’s further lightened/enhanced.

So we have a woman with long, dark hair and a long neck who is wearing comfy-looking clothes in her downtime.  Hmm, who do we...and Sam...know that matches that description?

So, in summary, (1) Sam and Cait are both in California in June 2016, but their whereabouts are unknown for several days after their promotional duties end mid-month.  (2) For no apparent reason, Cait follows Tonya Meli just before completing her final promo interview on June 16th.  Sam posts an Audi pic, tagging Tonya, later that same month. We know he posts latergrams, so he likely took the picture earlier than it was posted.  (3) Sam’s Audi pic is taken in BIg Sur and just a few miles from Cait’s all-time favorite vacation destination. (4) The person who took the picture is reflected on the side of the car and she resembles Cait.  

Conclusion:  4 coincidences = No coincidence.