#obvious from how i unintentionally project onto characters i like

[trashcreatyre]

I need to emotionally throw up rn, minecraft and podcasts for 12 hours didnt help

[blackautmedia]

Hey about your TOH post, I was just wondering; do you think Hunter is an inherently badly written character? Given what you said about him in that post I was just curious.

This is the post, for anyone who needs the context.

To your question, not at all! I do think Hunter is a continuation of a larger pattern within ToH's priorities, but I don't think it's an issue specific to him nor do I think it's fair to single him out.

Owl House Spoilers below:

On one hand, one of the most compelling and frankly terrifying things about Hunter is the abuse from Belos, right? There's a uniquely cruel type of evil it takes to clone a child out of your brother (who you murdered), attempting to mold them into a specific kind of person based on what you projected onto some entirely separate guy, and then repeatedly kill them when they don't meet your expectations.

Hunter is also wolf kid autism and I respect that.

But there's a broader pattern in the Owl House that seeks to portray what is essentially colonial/white supremacist violence perpetuated on the Boiling Isles but also is constantly trying to assure the viewer that the largely white characters who perpetuate it were just being "tricked" or manipulated into it.

So I think Hunter contributes to that, but it's not singular to him nor it is it something inherent to his character. It's more just the broader commentary the show paints.

We're introduced to the Emperor's coven who are basically cops, but unlike most TV cops are far more accurate to actual police. They don't do anything beneficial to society, they aren't there to protect or help people but instead enact violence to silence and remove people who refuse to comply with the Emperor's will, brand people with sigils, or based on the season 1 finale outright kill several people.

Then when the show starts to discuss Lilith unlearning her harmful beliefs at the start of season 2, particularly the fact that she was one of the biggest mouthpieces responsible for propagandizing the Boiling Isles, she's shooed out of the story to make room for other white characters following the same pattern.

Steve was a background joke character and then gets a subplot in one of the later episodes where he decides he doesn't believe in the cop system anymore.

Alador spends most of the series abusing his children and manufactures weapons that further aid said cops only for him to come around at the very end of the series.

Even with the collector, he's obviously manipulated by Belos, but there's also the way he's unintentionally partially responsible for the day of unity.

I feel the intent is likely to illustrate "it's not too late to change" which taken alone is fine. But I also feel it doesn't mesh very well with the portrayal of colonial violence in the series in how it continually tries to assure the viewer that they were just tricked.

There's an obvious and continual commentary on the role of parents and authority figures and the ways they fail children as well as the way institution propped up by the same people shape our lives. That's all a reasonable reading, but I feel it doesn't fully contend with how violent the society is.

The biggest exceptions come in the likes of Odalia, Terra, and Belos to illustrate that not everyone will change. But at the same time, that constant assurance undermines it a bit to me in how a lot of people who support these things are more like Odalia than they're willing to admit.

I can think of more than a few examples of literature, film, and TV series that have the same underlying narrative of portraying racism and white supremacist violence, but also prioritize portraying white innocence and benevolence in a positive light to ease the discomfort in seeing that.

To Kill a Mockingbird, Uncle Tom's Cabin, The Help, The Blind side, and Hidden Figures are a few examples that come to mind. These are all stories very explicitly about racism and even have the similar "Belos/Odalia/Terra" style characters, but they don't exist as a form of critical introspection and are more easy people to watch from a distance.

It's not as big a deal when it's one or two people, but I feel it's more a priorities issue than an individual person who causes it.

[themotherlobehq]

The recent trend in fanworks making the Aquato parents into (unintentionally) abusive people to their children makes me uncomfortable.

They‘re the most obvious family around, with the most presence, of course. They’re are obviously imperfect and have dysfunctions in their relationships. Some of them really need to face how they’re treating each other and specifically Razputin. (See Donatella.) And projecting onto fictional characters is a thing.

I don’t think people mean anything malicious about. But singling out the Aquato parents to interpret them as outright abusive and even going so far as to claim that Razputin - sometimes all of their children - would be better off with the Psychonauts / Milla / Sasha is a choice they need to think about.

(Among those three, I only see Milla as a good choice for parenting material, which isn’t the point of this post.)

Especially because we have a pair of prominent, canonly abusive parents with Loboto’s progenitors who don’t face that amount of scrutiny in fanworks.

The Aquato are poor. They are immigrants. And with the hints remaining from Psychonauts 1 (however badly it was portrayed) and Psychonauts 2, they are also Romani. Each of these three are marginalized identities. They face oppression, violence, and often have little resources to protect themselves. Additionally, they all intersect, which creates another marginalization.

(I might go deeper into this topic in another, longer post.)

The main setting of Psychonauts is based on the USA, whose goverment - among other horrible things - has forcefully taken non-white children from their families and put them into white orphanages or white families to erase their identities, both in the past and still in the present, and force their own culture onto them to destroy these people. The USA aren’t unique in that - many European countries have committed and are committing these crimes. But again, the context of the Psychonauts games is in the USA.

So. To me it feels like that maybe some of the creators buy into the propaganda. Believe that Razputin, a second-generation immigrant, a child of first-generation immigrants, who knows his identity as Grulovian well like the rest of his family, who is poor, who is likely Romani so people likely chased off his family or refused to give them a permanent home in the USA before so they had to keep moving,

would be better off with an USA government organization with people who have no understanding of his identity and culture.

[batarella]

I Don’t Hate You - Part 3 (Jason Todd x Reader)

OKAY LEMME TELL YOU ALL I’VE NEVER POSTED ANYTHING THIS LONG. AND I’VE NEVER SMILED SO MUCH WHILE WRITING A SINGLE FIC IN MY LIFE. IT’S 2K WORDS LONGER THAN THE COMMANDER FINALE. TALK ABOUT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.

REMEMBER WHY JADE WEST WAS SO ICONIC IN VICTORIOUS? READ ON!

WORDS: A WHOPPING 7404 WORDS FOR A SINGLE PART OF A SERIES WARNINGS: NEVER HAD THIS MUCH FLUFF IN MY LIFE

Masterlist

I DON’T HATE YOU - MASTERLIST

-----

Hands flat on Ms. Peterson’s desk, you flashed the brightest fake smile you could. She looked up from her computer, probably the fifth round of solitaire for the day, and cocked up an eyebrow. She did not at all look amused at you storming in.

But you’ve been in the library for twenty minutes and this woman has not given you anything to do to keep you in here.

“Listen, Ms. Peterson. As much as we just love hanging out in this outdated hellhole, I’d rather we go home than just sit here and do nothing for the next hour and a half.”

Her shaky hands didn’t flinch. And she turned her attention back at her screen.

“I’m told to keep you in here for another eight weeks. I’ve had this job for fifty years and I’m not about to lose it to two whiny brats.”

“She’s the only whiny brat here, Ms. P.” Jason rested his elbows on the desk and leaned over beside you. “If you let us out, it’ll be our little secret. C’mon.”

Obviously, that sort of trick works for Jason more times than it would for any ordinary person. But Ms. Peterson was not the one to charm with. And she had the same, dead look in her eye when she turned her head at the young man.

“Sit. Down.”

“What the hell are we supposed to do?”

“I don’t care. Just get your asses on those chairs and sit. Oh look! A person in need of service. There’s your job. Go do it.”

Only one guy was standing behind you. You snarled at him, eyes narrowed. You were almost growling beneath your breath which made him visibly stand back. Jason looked at him over his shoulder with less fear factor but with the same annoyance.

The sight of you both made him almost piss his pants.

“Uhm,” he gulped. “Can you please show me where sci fi books are at?”

You cocked up an eyebrow, glancing at your nails before nudging Jason with your shoulder. He grunted at you, giving you that same ‘I really fucking hate you’ look on his face he’s practically embedded onto his own skin by now. You shrugged, looking back at your nails. Then Jason stood straight and held the guy by the shoulder.

“Go through that aisle. Third shelf from the right.”

“He asked you to go with him, Todd.”

His glare on you was really starting to show. “He can find it himself.”

The poor guy gulped and viciously nodded to agree with Jason. He walked away, making sure not to catch your eye. You lifted your elbows from the librarian’s desk and spared the old lady another snarky look, to which she didn’t even bother to notice. Both of you sitting back on the empty table, Jason placed his arm crossed over the other on the surface and leaned his head over to at least try having a nap. His hair was all sprawled out. You, on the other hand, leaned back, head hanging on your neck, and closing your eyes hoping time would fly by faster that way.

It didn’t.

Two weeks. It had been two fucking weeks. And yet, you were far from being halfway through this macabre series of events. Why couldn’t you have just punched that Maxwell kid in the face? Or threatened to murder him in his sleep? Anything else would have been better. Anything that would’ve landed you in an entirely different situation than to be stuck here with an old woman stricter than a Belle Reeves prison guard.

You could either look at the windows out the library, find a book and actually read one of them (though if they had any more of Poe’s you’d likely get your hands on them).

Or just stare at the eye candy in front of you.

Your smirk was less obvious when you glanced over the veins on his large, muscled arms, folded on top of the other with his skin stretched. His thick, black hair that was long enough to cover most of his forehead, now sticking onto his arm. His neck that was long and thick, his thin shirt and how even more lean muscles would pop out when he’d unintentionally flex. You often caught sight of his stomach when he’d reach over a shelf that was at the top most level, and the ‘V’ shape on his skin was more than eminent enough for you to picture. He wasn’t absolutely huge, especially since he was just 17. But he was definitely fit.

You wouldn’t mind looking at that for a while. Not until he starts talking, anyway. For long minutes, that was what you did, then you got bored.

The tip of your boots kicked his shin under the table. He jumped up, startled, almost growling at you with dark bags under his eyes.

“The fuck do you want now?”

“Someone’s a bit angsty today,” your evil little smirk ticked off another of his nerves. You could tell. He let out a large sigh, started leaning back against the back of his chair, then spread out his arms behind his head to stretch.

Ooooooh shit. There is was. The veins.

“I didn’t sleep last night.” Jason finished stretching and went back to lean against the table. “You done gawking?”

“Cute.” You scrunched up your face to mock him. “I’m bored.”

“And what am I supposed to do with that?”

“Help me sneak out of here.”

“Two weeks here. You think I haven’t tried sneaking out once or twice? That woman’s got the eye of a fucking hawk.”

“Is there any other way out of here?”

“I doubt it.”

Your groan was indefinitely long, stretching the back of your neck when you opted to reach for your phone.

“I’m at three percent.”

Jason took out his own phone. “Mine’s at five.”

“That blackout from last night reach your monster mansion, too?”

He snarled at you and rolled his eyes. “Bruce has generators to power up the whole place when we need it.”

“Then why are you at five percent?”

“Because I’ve been tinkering on this sorry little fucker the last thirty minutes.” He held it up with just his fingers. It had a cracked screen. It looked too old to even be used. “Battery drains faster than my patience.”

“Can’t your new rich dad buy you another one?”

“He did. I don’t wanna use it. Just doesn’t feel like mine.”

“Ah. You're one of those guys. ‘My parents are rich, not me’ kind of dudes. You’re all the same kinds of annoying.”

“I don’t act all high and mighty, for your information.”

“I’m just saying,” you raised your arms up. “If I were you’d I’d at least enjoy his wealth. It’s stupid if you don’t take advantage of things you clearly already have.””

He silently shook his head and looked to the side like you wouldn’t understand even if you tried. Scoffing, you turned away, and you caught the eye of Maxwell, who had a sling on his arm still.

“Holy fuck,” you reached for your bag. “I can't believe I fucking forgot.”

“What?”

Pouring out the contents, you mumbled. “Help me with this thing and I swear I owe you a huge favor.”

“I think watching you wallow in your pain would be more worth my time.”

“That sounds more like my line. You’re taking after me. Good. And I’d say likewise if I wasn’t so desperate, Todd.” You started pouring out pieces of paper, a bottle of glue, and a pair of the largest scissors Jason’s ever seen.

“Is that-“

“The scissors that sent that guy to therapy?” You pointed at Maxwell. “Yes. Yes they are.”

“Jesus.” He took it from your hands. “No fucking wonder.”

“Stop ogling and help me.”

“What the fuck are you supposed to do?”

“Remember the project that kid spilled his coffee on? This is it. I finished it that day and now I have to do it all over again. They gave me another two weeks to do it and I completely forgot about it until now. I’m supposed to make a stained-glass kind of picture. But with cutting pieces of colored paper.”

Jason took the paper you had on the table.

“These are all white, black, gray, and one sheet that’s dark red.”

You shrugged. “I like working with those colors. Now help me. I wanna do this.” You pulled out your phone and showed him a saved photo of one you’d like to copy. He almost jumped out of his seat when you suddenly showed him a picture of a deranged clown with a big red nose, a smile much larger than half his face, and eyes dark and dwelling enough to give him nightmares.

“I wanna know what type of dark shit you’re on.”

“It’s just a clown.”

“I am not helping you on your little art project.”

“Please.” Your hands were down, your eyes widened but not the threatening kind. And your voice, it was definitely the softest he’s ever heard it. Twitching an eyebrow like he was watching your every move, Jason didn’t flinch.

He looked at the clock. Then back at you with his eyeballs rolled all the way around.

“You’re lucky I literally have nothing better to do.”

You propped your shoulders up and gave him a black piece of paper and a pair of scissors. “Great. Cut these into the shapes I drew here.”

A disgruntled groan and a sharp snatch from your hands, Jason looked just as cranky as you usually were. It was amusing. He glared at you and you just smiled back. “Thanks, Jay.”

“Shut up and get to work.”

Your eyes lingered a bit longer on him, even when he’d started to fiddle with your too-large scissors, and you rolled your eyes with a bit of a smile.

“What’s making you so grumpy today?”

He didn’t bother looking up at you. His brows were all scrunched up as he cut the black piece of paper.

“I told you. I didn’t get to sleep last night. I was… out. Why are you grumpy all the time?”

You squinted your eyes at him then went to work. Carefully, he went through the first paper and gave you the shapes you wanted. You set aside your own batch and you took out the larger, white paper on which you’d glue it all on.

“Okay. Give me the shapes.”

You took out the glue and started pouring it on the paper.

“You’re doing it all wrong.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“You clearly don’t.” He snatched it from you and started wiping the glue off with his finger, spreading it around. “I can't believe I’m fucking doing this.”

“And what are you doing exactly?” you snarled.

“Pouring the glue in will make it all sticky. You should’ve traced over the outer lines so it wouldn’t crumple.”

“I know that.” You took the glue away from him again, then placed the shape onto the paper. “One down.”

“Fucking kill me now.”

“Keep cutting. I’ll handle the glue.”

“Do it right, then.”

You stuck your tongue out at him. He started again with your scissors and went back to snipping off the pieces of paper. Gluing the shapes one by one, you started taking out a red marker and traced the outlines to mimic the flow of blood.

Jason stared at it, then at you, eyes wide with disbelief, then went back to his scissors.

“Excuse me,” a girl went up to you. A freshman, you could tell. “That lady told me you could show me to the young adult section?”

“No. Go away.”

You kept with your glue, not even looking at the girl who just stared at you awkwardly. Jason pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep, long sigh. “Go down that aisle. Fifth shelf. Down the very end.”

“Uh. Thanks.” She walked over to where Jason was pointing at. You still didn’t look up from your work. And instead, watched on as Jason continued with cutting the shapes. “You need to chill.”

“Finish those up. That’s the last one.”

Jason rolled his eyes even more, angrily cutting through the pieces of red paper the size of the clown’s big red nose. He dropped the scissors onto the table and just continued to watch you gluing the pieces together with way too much glue.

He gave you no warning before grabbing the glue bottle from you and the shapes, stretching his arm out so you can't reach them.

“TODD.”

“YOU’RE RUINING THE WHOLE THING.”

“NO, I’M NOT.” You cursed with his name and stood up from your chair, reaching out with your arms all the way to him while he desperately wiped off the excess glue for your sake. “GIVE THAT BACK.”

“SIT DOWN.” He cried back at you.

You heard the shrillest shush Ms. Peterson has ever made, before you went back to fumbling with Jason. Your table was at the far end, and she was no longer at your line of sight. He held your wrist, wiping off the rest of the glue, then finally handed the bottle back to you. Putting the shapes onto the paper, you groaned when you slumped back on the chair.

“It looks horrible,” he tried to stifle a laugh.

“Fuck you.”

“At least you’re almost done, right?”

“You put the glue on the shapes then, genius. I’ll paste them on.”

Grumbling with his deep voice, he took the glue bottle and swiped the shapes back over to him. Using thin, barely visible lines, he was so stingy with the glue you wanted to tear your hair out.

“That won't even stick to a fly trap.”

“You want your work to look all crumpled? Go ahead.”

“Just put a bit more.”

“I have the fucking glue bottle,” his eyebrows were raised. “You sit there and wait for me, then you stick them yourself. Start with this.”

He slammed a shape onto the table and you took it, careful not to hit your fingers with the glue. Biting into your gums, you wondered how you’ll be able to handle yet another eight weeks with his kid.

Your bickering didn’t even stop there. It went on, and Jason had to cut even more shapes to make up for some that were far too small. He was practically yelling at this point, and you weren’t about to get yelled at and not respond.

“YOU’RE THE ONE WHO CUT THEM, DINGUS.”

“HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THE RIGHT FUCKING SIZE.”

“I GAVE YOU THE PATTERN. YOU ONLY HAD TO FOLLOW IT.”

“WELL I WOULD HAVE IF YOUR SCISSORS WEREN’T SO DAMN BIG.”

“THEY’RE THE BEST PAIR IN EXISTENCE. YOU JUST CAN'T HANDLE IT.”

“I THINK I CAN HANDLE A PAIR OF SCISSORS.”

“THEN WHY CAN'T YOU CUT BETTER THAN A FUCKING SEVEN-YEAR-OLD.”

“’CUZ THEY DON’T HAVE A FUCKING PARROT SCREAMING AT THEM EVERY FIVE GODDAMN MINUTES.”

The silent yelling didn’t stop. At the end, your voices were too loud that Ms. Peterson would’ve eventually shushed you for the last time and probably throw her slipper at you. Thankfully, she’d gone out to the bathroom and you were left alone.

Everyone else had left. It was almost 5 pm, and you refused to go if your project still wasn’t finished.

“This. Is. The worst day. Of my entire life. And I used to live in the streets.”

“You're not going anywhere. Stay.”

A deep, agonizingly painful groan. He slumped onto the table and buried his face into his arms. “Why can't you just kill me?”

Another set of long minutes, with your attention directly at the glue and scraping off the excess to make it look presentable. It didn’t actually look that bad. The second set of cut shapes were just the right size. Jason didn’t bother looking up. He might have even fallen asleep with you being silent for the longest time since you got there.

No one was left in the library, and it was just starting to get dark.

“Aaaaand THERE.” You placed the finished project onto the table and clapped your hands together in a grinning happiness. Jason, on the other hand, looked as good as dead.

“You may go.”

“You owe me fucking big time, kid.”

You smirked at him when he violently pushed his chair back, grabbed his backpack and went out for the door. You took your time, especially since going home late didn’t seem like such a drag anymore when Dad moved back in. You carefully slipped your collage into your folder and slung your bag over your shoulder.

Jason was still standing in front of the door, hand frozen on the handle you pushed him away and turned it, only for your hand to come at an abrupt stop and the sound of gears halting its turn.

“Where the fuck is Mother Goose?”

“The bathroom-“

But she wasn’t at the bathroom. Unless Ms. Peterson took her large purse and computer along with her to the toilet, she probably wasn’t in there.

“Are we-“

“There has to be a key here.” Jason rummaged through the librarian’s desk. Every drawer he could forcefully pull out, he did.

You pulled out your phone, which was a dead 0%, the image of a drained-out battery staring back at you, and that’s when you started to feel the panic slowly rise. You rushed to the library’s telephone, but you couldn’t even hear a dial tone. The phone was off. Jason’s phone was probably just as dead.

You rushed to the lights to turn them on, but nothing happened.

Fuck. Another blackout. FUCK.

“No key,” he rested his hands on the table. “Shit. FUCK.”

You only stared at each other, feeling that panic start to settle in when you realized you were out of options.

“M-Maybe. Your dad will come pick us up?”

Jason shook his head. “The last time I ran away for the night, he said he wasn’t gonna go around Gotham to pick me up anymore.” He looked at you. “Your parents?”

“Said the exact same thing.”

Your back hit the wall, and you slid down with your head up in the ceiling. Both silent. None of you even said it out loud.

Jason looked like he wanted to scream.

-----

You laid on your back, flat against the table, with just your arm over your eyes to shield it from the light posts outside the window on the driveway. You tried to drown out Jason’s fiddling with his lock pick and the door handle. Two hours had passed, and you’d barely gone by the evening.

“That’s not gonna work.”

“You have a better option, Lydia Deetz?”

You clenched your jaw and sneered. “You’ve been at it for an hour.”

“I’m almost through this.” He kept with his pick, a hairpin he found on the ground which he spent another hour looking for. “Juuuust- THERE!”

You shot up from the table, feet landing enthusiastically onto the floor and you sprinted to Jason’s back. “Here’s to freedom.”

Too eagerly, he turned the handle and pulled the door with a victorious grin.

Only for his hand to jolt at another abrupt stop. The door wouldn’t budge, only peering open through an inch. The grin on his face was immediately lost, and he almost feel out of his feet when you violently pushed him away, pulling on the door yourself and failing.

You could see the deadbolt, but something outside was holding the double doors from opening, no matter which one you pulled on.

“That batshit crazy old witch,” you growled. “Fucking chain locked the door.”

A loud, frustrated groan from Jason as he threw the hairpin to the ground like he would’ve a knife. “WHO CHAIN LOCKS A LIBRARY?”’

You walked away from the door, going back to the tables so you could bend over and stuff your face into your hands. Jason was even more of a mess.

Your dad started his first big fight with mom since he moved back in last night, just when you thought they’d finalized the divorce, he squirms back in. And your room was never far enough to drown out their screams.

That night you wished you were somewhere else. And you ended up somewhere even worse.

Jason was sitting on the floor, back flat against the wall, and his eyes were shut close while you laid back down on top of the table.

“I’m hungry.”

“The fuck you want me to do about that?” Jason kept his eyes shut.

“You got any food?”

“No.”

“Don’t you have something in your bag?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“You think you can stab me with those scissors? ‘Cuz I feel like choking on my own blood right now.”

You rolled over so you were laying on your stomach. Craning your head up to look at Jason, your chin resting on your fingers, you grinned. “I’d rather not spend the night being stuck with your rotting flesh. I’ll kill you in the morning.”

Jason screamed into his hands. “We are not gonna be stuck here until fucking morning.”

“Either you die tonight still in denial or we actually try to survive. Now do you have anything in your bag or what?”

He didn’t give in to picking out his bag without leaving you a dark glare. The sky was completely dark by now. And the only light source you had were three lamp posts outside the window. The power was still off, which meant it was going to be this dark the whole fucking night.

“Would you look at that?” He took out a small protein bar from his smaller pocket. “Forgot that was there.”

You jumped off the table again. “Great. I’m starving.”

You walked too fast to Jason, who immediately stood up and hold you by the shoulder, raising his hand away from your reach. “Ey. Mine. From my bag, remember?”

“I don’t have anything in mine!” you reached and tried to push him, but had no luck against his strength. “Come on!”

“I have way more body mass than you. I need this.”

You pursed your lips, glowering at him even when you knew he still wouldn’t budge. He kept pushing your shoulder from him until you backed away reluctantly.

“WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO EAT?”

You whined and grunted with your back hitting the wall. Jason stepped away facing you and opened the protein bar, took a large bite that left it with almost a third of the whole thing left.

“You know. That thing with the scissors stuck into your neck doesn’t seem like a bad idea anymore.” You grumbled.

Chewing profusely at the bar, he folded his one arm over his chest and smirked while watching you silently grovel in annoyance. You leaned on your side and made sure he wouldn’t hear your stomach starting to growl.

“Fine,” he groaned. “Here.”

A little over a quarter of the protein bar left. Jason handed it over to you and you gritted your teeth.

“There’s barely anything left, you bile-headed twat.”

“You want me to finish it?”

Snatching the bar away from him, you cursed under your breath right before you gobbled up what was left of the snack. It did little to nothing to make you feel less hungry, but at least you weren’t going to die.

“You're welcome.”

You threw the wrapper onto the floor and went back to sitting on the table. “Got anymore bright ideas?”

“Maybe if you’d help, I’d actually be able to tolerate you.”

Jason walked over to the classics shelf, pulled out a book and did the same as you. He swung his legs over on top of the table across you, bringing his knees up so he could rest his elbows on them. He then opened his book.

“You're reading,” you bit your gums. “You’re actually reading at a time like this.”

“What else are we supposed to do in a fucking library?”

Your hands met the surface of the table behind you and you threw your head back. “We have at least until the power comes back on. GOD, this place in insufferable.”

“Never mind the helping. You shutting up would be enough not to drive me insane.”

“And you're less of an ass when you're not a grouch, dickhead.”

“I’m ignoring you now.”

The vein on your forehead started to throb. You weren’t tired yet, and you wouldn’t be able to sleep at this hour even if you tried. You rolled around the table, desperate for any position that wouldn’t drive your limbs numb.

You jolted when you heard Jason curse.

“This fucking lamp post’s too dim. Can't even see shit.”

He set the book aside, laid down on his back and watched the ceiling with you.

“How did we even get locked up?”

“Maybe if you didn’t keep me captive with that stupid clown project for three hours we wouldn’t be in the mess.”

“So it’s my fault now? You're the one who fell asleep!”

“How could you have possibly missed the time? You know the library closes at five!”

“I didn’t fucking know that! I leave before that old witch does every time!”

“Just-.” Jason shut his eyes. “Can we stop screaming for ONE SECOND? Especially since we’re gonna stuck here the whole night?!”

The mocking noise you made was almost inhuman. Jason didn’t bother snarling back.

You saw a car pass by, the headlights shining through the window for the shortest moment. You kneeled on the table and waved your arms around.

“HEY. GET US OUT OF HERE!”

The car kept moving, and the headlights passed through the whole of the window until it left. You slumped back to lay down and groaned. “Fuck everything.”

You grabbed your bag, rummaging through everything inside just to find anything to do or anything that could possibly help you. Nothing. Not even a fan to cool you off when you started to feel the temperature rise.

“Did you call the number I gave you?”

You licked your teeth. “I used the piece of paper you gave me as a bookmark.”

Jason lifted his arm off his head. “No shame in asking for help.”

“I told you, I’m not being fucking abused.” You started picking on the leather of your boots, tracing along the creases of where your toes folded. “I don’t know what the hell made you think I was.”

“It doesn’t have to be actual physical abuse,” he sat up on his elbows.

“You really wanna make us feel uncomfortable? Why do you come to school with bruises all the time?”

“It’s not what you think.”

“Then what is it?”

He cleared his throat. “I’m not gonna fucking tell you, Y/LN.”

“Fine. Then let’s not talk about this.”

You had that usual condescending tone, but you didn’t sound like you were on the verge of lashing out. You sounded like you were pleading, even. Jason bit his lower lip. “Okay. What do you wanna talk about? It’s too early to sleep.”

You brought your knees up to sit cross legged and you leaned in on your elbows.

“Wanna play a game?”

Jason drummed his fingers on the table and sighed. “What?”

You scooched closer to him and swung your legs over the edge of the table. He did the same and faced you. “Give me your hand.”

“What?”

“Just give me your hand, Todd. Don’t be a pussy.”

“Don’t fucking call me that.”

“Then give me your hand.”

Jason snorted, leaning his elbow over his lap and giving his other hand over to you. You took it, smiling at him, then gripping firmly onto his wrist. “Make a fist.”

He fisted his hand and you could see a few veins pop out on his arm. You started rubbing the outside of his fingers. His eyes scrunched up, watching you. “Open your hand.”

He opened it, then you lightly slapped it with your own palm. “Fist,” you said again. He breathed and pulled it again to a fist. You repeated your first action with a growing smirk. “If I come out of this with one hand left-“

“Shut up. Open again.”

He opened his palm. And with a single finger, you tapped onto the center of his hand, then released your grip on his wrist.

Jason widened his eyes, amused. “It tingles.”

“I know right.” You folded your arms.

“Where’d you learn to do that?”

“That’s a secret.”

He then reached out his other hand to you. “Do it again.”

You laughed and snorted before grabbing his wrist, rubbed his fingers the same way you did the first time. Jason leaned over closer to look at your movements, and his nose was all scrunched up like it would when he was focused on a book. The corner of your mouth lifted, then you tapped his hand with your finger and let go.

“What sorcery is this?”

You shrugged, leaning back and folding your arms. “You have any tricks of your own?”

“Yes I do,” he said, swinging his legs over the edge of the table. “Hold out your hand.”

You did so without hesitation. Jason held your fist, then looked straight at you. “Pick a finger and don’t tell me what it is.”

“Okay?” Your ring finger. Easy enough.

“Look straight into my eyes. Don’t look down.”

You rolled your eyes slightly to the side, licking the inside of your teeth, then did as told.

He was looking straight at you, not even trying to blink. A smirk formed on his lips, and his eyes had that same flick of a glare, but there was a little shine on them from the dim lamp post. You shook your head while still maintaining eye contact and felt his other hand start toying with your fingers.

“It’s your ring finger.”

“Huh,” you shuffled closer to him. “Do it again. I wanna watch your hands.”

“No. You have to look straight at my eyes.”

“Fine. Just do it again. I’ll pay more attention.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled, and you both tried your best to hold back emerging bursts of laughter while he continued to toy with your fingers and trying not to blink.

“You're not choosing a finger.” He said.

“Not true. You just suck.”

It was true. You forgot to choose a finger. The middle finger this time. You shifted your focus, but the way he’d try to hold back a laugh made you choke. “Stop laughing.”

“I’m not.” He so was. You felt him touch your fingers, moving around them one by one. “You’re trying to look for movements.”

“Nope. It’s the middle finger.” He kept at it. Over and over, with you refusing to admit he read your mind.

His hands started feeling warmer each time. You didn’t know you noticed.

-----

A bustling, screeching noise of a cart being hauled around the room for the past ten minutes. You’ve been here for five hours. You were tired, starving, and sweating. You covered most of your face and ears with your hands, but the cart’s noises just kept going.

You shot up from the table. “DUDE. STOP.”

You normally had more insults to scream at him, but at that point of the night, you were all out.

Jason kept going and ignored you. Starting from one end of the library, he pushed the handles of the empty cart, accelerating it with his feet. When he gained the momentum, he placed his feet on the metal and rode it across the room. “Real mature.”

“Don’t be an old hag.”

He accelerated again from the opposite end, then climbed on. Jason went faster this time and just narrowly missed a shelf.

“There’s another cart right there if you have the balls to join me.”

You placed your weight on your arm, watching Jason sprint from one end of the room to the next. With a loud grunt, knowing you wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway, you jumped off the table.

You emptied the cart from the remaining books and pushed it to Jason’s side, who waited for you just by the shelves. “Jump when it speeds up.”

“I know what to do.”

He laughed. “Race you to the other side.”

You gripped on the handle firmly, watching the end of the room, the one lined with heavy bookshelves, and readied yourself. “GO.”

You sprinted the two carts and grabbed on with your life as you sped down the large enough room, feeling the air slightly cooler when it was rushing past your skin and hair. You laughed playfully, stopping just before you hit the shelf. “I win.”

“Are you kidding me? I was waiting for you.”

“One more lap.”

“You’re on.”

Again, you sped past the room. You held onto one side of the handle too hard and accidentally hit Jason’s cart, both of you almost tumbling to the ground. “I call foul!”

“It was an accident!” you laughed, then took the cart again to finish the lap. He caught up with you and you no longer stopped in between, continuously sprinting and jumping onto the metal all across the room. You rode past the shelves, the narrow aisles, narrowly missing the books. You almost hit the tables with the carts and you definitely hit the wall too hard when you stopped too late. Jason was trailing right beside you, then he went about his own route.

That’s when he purposefully hit the front your cart with your own, throwing you off on the ground. “FUCK”

He laughed too hard. “Come on. I have another game.”

Holding his hand out to you, you grabbed on and he pulled you up to your feet. You stood close to him, both of you still laughing. And you were staring too long at his face being close to yours. You pulled away from his lingering grip, looking at the ground.

Setting his own cart aside, he pulled on yours, settling it between the aisle of the shelves. It went straight through the longest path down the room, and you’d have to be lucky to miss the shelves. “Hop on.”

“Todd, if you throw me out the window-“

“Come on. Don’t be a pussy.”

You felt the rush, and you liked how free you felt rushing through the air. You climbed into the cart, grabbing hold of the edges and focused on the end of the room.

Jason leaned in to your ear. “Don’t scream.”

“JASON.”

He was incredibly strong, pushing you in the cart like you weighed nothing and sped through the room faster than he previously had. The cart was growling and was so ready to break apart, but you never felt that kind of thrill since you last rode a coaster. You definitely screamed, a high-pitched shriek you know Jason must never mention to anyone, ever. But you were also laughing your stomach out when Jason turned you around, sped to the other end again. And this time, his feet jumping onto the cart.

You threw your head back, laughing, then you caught a glimpse of his face flashing the brightest smile you’ve ever seen on him.

Your laughter came to an abrupt stop when he stopped the cart too late and crashed against the shelf. You both stood still, watching it toppling like an unsteady jenga tower.

Holding your breath, you heard books fall to the floor, then the shaking mellowed down and you released your breaths when it finally stopped. Turning to Jason and falling into the cart laughing, you clutched at your stomach. “JESUS CHRIST.”

“Not funny!” he cried out, but even he was stifling a laugh. He walked over to the front and placed the books into the cart with you. Some fell on your lap, and you took the books from him and placed them to your side.

“At least we have something to do now.”

“Yeah. Especially since you put these books in the wrong shelf. These belong over there.” He pointed to a shelf nearby.

“Let’s fix it then,” you said, still not moving from the cart. He placed all the books from the floor onto you and moved the cart to the corner.

“You’re heavy.”

“Shut up. From now on, we shelf books this way.” You took a book from your lap and gave it to him, who placed the book in its right place.

“Top shelf,” you smirked.

“I know where to put them.” He took it from your hand and shoved it in place. You didn’t have many books to begin with, but even after that, he continued to push the cart, with you still hitching a ride, and you walked around the library to just look at all the books.

“Everything’s in the right section.”

“Because of me. You made a shit ton of mistakes.”

You threw your head back, looking at him. And from that angle you could see his glare turn into a smile. You leaned against the back of the cart, your head lightly touching his arm.

When you’ve managed to tour the whole library, you sat up.

“You're turn. Get in here.”

Jason wanted to laugh at that. “You’d never be able to lift me.”

“Watch me try.”

You hopped off the cart, pushing him aside from the handle. He shook his head, but eventually climbed on like you had. He was bigger than you, so he looked a lot more uncomfortable with his knees folded way up and his arms barely fitting inside the cart.

He was really heavy. But you managed. Pushing the cart slowly at first, Jason leaned in to the left side to steer you off. “Jason!”

“I see stray books. Go over there.”

You pushed the cart with whatever might you had. When you reached the desk, Jason took the books you previously set aside and placed them on his lap. “Braille,” he said. “These go all the way to the back.”

“I can handle this. I’m a big girl.”

You pushed the cart, eventually gaining speed, but it wasn’t nearly as fast as when he’d pushed you around. You reached the far back, with two sharp turns that nearly killed your back, then stopped with a loud breath.

“You're right. We should do this more often.”

You were panting by that time, and Jason handed you the books to place on the shelf. “Chop chop.”

-----

Two fucking am. The power was still out. Jason was definitely going to call the electricity company when you both get out of here. You were sat cross legged on one side of the long, narrow table, fiddling with your sleeves since you couldn’t sleep. He was laying on the same table but facing the opposite way, closing his eyes and feeling the beginnings of light slumber. His back was going to kill him eventually, but when the rush from that cart fiasco died down, he was so awfully tired.

Jason laid his head on his arm, closing his eyes as tightly as he could.

Then a warm, soothing melody started to buzz through his ears, a tune he’s never quite heard of before. His eyelids suddenly grew softer, feeling the humming song vibrate through him.

Where was it coming from?

He slowly opened his eyes, trying to find the source. Jason craned his head up to you, with your back turned to him, and realized you were the one humming.

You turned to him, and he went back to closing his eyes, pretending to sleep. “Jason?” you lightly asked, not enough to wake him if he was actually asleep. You turned your back around and crouched over to relax.

He wasn’t sleeping anymore, but he kept closing his eyes. A little while later, with you thinking he wasn’t conscious, he heard you actually start to sing.

 You got a fast car

I want a ticket to anywhere

Maybe we make a deal

Maybe together we can get somewhere

Anyplace is better

Starting from zero got nothing to lose

Maybe we'll make something

Me, myself I got nothing to prove

 Then you paused. Your voice was so soft and light, he never would’ve have heard it if there was anyone else in the room or if he wasn’t awake. You never would’ve sung if you knew he was, though.

You had the most beautiful voice he’s ever heard in his life.

 You got a fast car

I got a plan to get us out of here

I been working at the convenience store

Managed to save just a little bit of money

Won't have to drive too far

Just 'cross the border and into the city

You and I can both get jobs

And finally see what it means to be living

 Your voice was low, a beautiful, vibrating low. An alto. And there was that deep, breathy growl when you reached the lower notes with ease. A light vibrato at the end of the vowels, and there was that drowsy, slow feel to it that just made it seem like you didn’t make that much effort at all. At some points, you whispered the words, like your everyday screaming never affected your vocal chords at all.

There was a tug at his chest, his face started to burn up. He was wide awake by now, and there was that thudding within him that was too hard to ignore. And it worsened each time you breathed out the end of the verses.

You managed to finish the song, and by then, he was a mess.

You didn’t sing anything more, no matter how much he wished you would. He ended up fighting his tiredness, just in case he’d miss another song.

But right before he drifted to sleep, he realized he’d been smiling his cheeks off.

-----

Twelve hours.

You were stuck in the library.

For twelve fucking hours.

Both of you shot up from the table the moment you heard the chains outside the door clink to the ground. You and Jason raced out the door, and before the security guard could totally open it, you violently pushed it aside and raced out into the wide-open space of the driveway outside the gates. The poor guard looked puzzlingly at you. But since he was too old to care or even ask about what happened, he shrugged it off.

The cool air felt heavenly against your skin, and the bright sun, smiling back at you against your face. You spread your arms out and took in the breeze as much as you could. Jason was fanning himself with the collar of his shirt, raising his arms up the same way you were. “AHHHHH.” He screamed. And you did the same. The frustration went out the window as fast as you’d ran.

“FUCKING FINALLY.”

“THAT IS NEVER HAPPENING AGAIN.”

“NEVER.”

You faced the sky, still taking the deep, fresh intakes of air. Jason placed his hands on his hips and ruffled his sweat covered hair.

“Don’t tell anyone about this.”

“Agreed,” you said. “Not even Ms. Peterson.”

“Not a single soul.”

You both faced each other, raising your brows, no longer from a glare or out of annoyance. Your body felt light. Your chest felt lighter. You were smiling.

“I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Kudos to us for surviving.”

A high five. And you both laughed, still feeling that flush of relief flow throughout your limbs. No one was in school yet. It was Saturday, though. No one but a few of the faculty members were going to show up.

But the sky looked pink, mixed with a bright yellowish orange. The driveway never looked so clean, and the breeze was so wonderfully cold, with the autumn leaves still floating on the grass and the roads, you just felt happy. Your lingering gaze on Jason helped with that bright smile.

As if twelve hours in the library was nothing. As if it wasn’t torture at all.

As if it was, in fact, the most fun you’ve had in a single night in a long, long time.

“Walk safe.”

“Bye, Todd.”

Walking towards opposite ends of the sidewalk, hands on your sides and not in your pockets like you usually would. You couldn’t stop grinning.

Sparing one last glance behind you, seeing him get on his motorcycle, you turned to the corner of the street.

-----

I DON’T HATE YOU - MASTERLIST

-------

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH PLS TELL ME YOU ENJOYED THAT CUZ I CERTAINLY DID

THE SINGING SCENE IS REALLY INSPIRED BY LIZ GILLIES (REMEMBER THE READER IS BASED ON JADE WEST) SO THE FAST CAR SINGING SCENE WAS ACTUALLY INSPIRED BY THIS VIDEO

Taglist: everyartistwas-firstanamateur  @sarcasmismyfirstlove @damned-queen-of-gotham @idkmanicantenglish @wunderstell @birdy-bat-riya @get-loki@everyday-imfangirling @comic-nerd-dc @multifandoms916 @icequeen208@offendedfishnoises @egdolan @xemiefx @arkhamtoddler @elsenthal@mythicbitchx @supremehaunter @ burning-alive  @lucy-roo  roseangel013bf @ loxbbg  reclusive-chicken-nugget http-cherries shadowsndaisies 

[itsclydebitches]

Welcome back, everyone! Starting here in Chapter Six these recaps are doing double duty with my latest attempt at completing National Novel Writing Month. Granted, this isn’t a novel and yes, I technically started this project well before November, but there’s no way I’d manage 50,000 words of fiction in 2020, so I’m hoping to hit that with these recaps instead. You all get semi-frequent updates and I may get to finally say I completed this challenge! That’s a win-win as far as I’m concerned.

Quick reminder: new teams, CFVY was separated, everything is awful. There, done. Seventy-five pages in we’ve come back to Velvet’s point of view as she and the other students are carted off in airbuses. She’s experiencing the “same shock and dismay” that she saw on Yatsuhashi’s face before they were separated, thus I’d like to re-emphasize last chapter’s argument that though shaking up the teams isn’t inherently a bad idea, doing it in this way while your students are recovering from/still involved in a war is… not so great for their mental health. Yeah, yeah, Remnant is a hard place and these kids experience traumatic events on the weekly, but still. There’s a fine line between preparing students for that kind of life and simply traumatizing them further, because this is a kind of trauma when the teams so heavily rely on one another - fill every aspect of one another’s lives: friend, colleague, family, teacher, student, leader, follower, romantic partner - and you’re now uprooting them with no warning. Whether or not new teams actually happen, the students think they are and that’s messing with their heads. Basically they’re just:

This problem is highlighted when we get confirmation of what I stated last time: the teams aren’t merely colleagues turned friends, but family. These fighters have got all their emotional eggs in one basket. Velvet goes so far as to imply that she loves her team more than her parents, with the logic being that they (her parents) “never talked to each other anymore.” So… if Coco and Yatsuhashi stopped talking would that undermine your love for each of them as individuals? I get what the overall takeaway is - divorce is a nasty business and can leave lasting scars on kids caught in the middle, to say nothing of the fact that, as a young adult, Velvet is poised to start creating a family by choice, not blood - but it’s still an odd way to phrase the issue. Here we have another instance of me picking up on implications due to RWBY, the franchise’s, overall themes. When you’ve got a story so thoroughly touting a teens vs. adults mentality, having Velvet mentally reject her parents for her team reads differently than it otherwise would. Chock that onto the pile that already includes things like, ‘Ruby denies that Qrow ever helped her’ and ‘Yang is no longer a part of grieving for Summer’ and ‘Weiss seems to have forgotten all that Klein did for her.’ There’s a lot of uncomfortable details attached to our heroes and how they see the adults in their lives, parents included.

Velvet doesn’t get to worry for long though. A much happier voice sounds across the airbus and she spots Sun, classically hanging from his tail. Instead of hearing more about her fears we segue into - you guessed it - Sun bashing. The first thought to pop into her head is that Sun “wasn’t with the rest of his team, but knowing Sun, that might have been his decision.”

...Velvet, you just tried desperately to stay with your own team and were (somehow) swept away by the apparently overwhelming crowed (still ridiculous imo). But if you didn’t manage this, what makes you think Sun had a chance? Why is his separation suddenly a potential choice when yours was presented as nothing of the sort? That is some real insistence on thinking the worst of him. I dragged Sun for abandoning his team in Volume 4 because that was abandonment. It was a choice worthy of criticism. This? This was outside of his control and Velvet knows it.

Sun saw her, smiled, and waved. Velvet looked away.

Nice, Velvet.

He comes over anyway and (kindly!) asks if she’s okay. Velvet says no, specifically because “Yatsu and I were separated.” Here we have another example of how close the partners get even within each team. Blake and Yang are inseparable. Ruby talks to Weiss more than her sister (and the concept of her talking to Blake in any meaningfully way is hilarious at this point). Now, despite being separated from her entire team - everyone is in the same awful boat - Velvet frames the situation as just being separated from Yatsuhashi. Later she repeats, “Well, I still want to try to find Yatsu.” So would it be a disappointment to find Fox or Coco instead? It’s especially weird because in the main show we see Velvet and Coco interacting the most. I actually had to look up who Velvet’s partner was because I just assumed our two girls were a duo. Apparently not. I’m not really into the CFVY side of the fandom, but I imagine there’s a substantial ship community for these two based solely on how Velvet embraces RWBY partnerships in this book, outside of the always popular Velvet/Coco, of course.

That’s admittedly a ship I can get behind. 

After Velvet unloads all her worries “Sun stared ahead, like he couldn’t quite manage to feel bad.” Attention, readers, this is an important lesson coming up! In fandom spaces I often see people analyzing novels (and other print media/visual media with narration) without taking into consideration the perspective. Unless we’ve got an omniscient perspective we need to take into account that our narrator might, simply put, be wrong (and even then, omniscient unreliable narrators are a popular choice). Often I see readers taking a characters’ thoughts - and words - at face value, which is understandable given that we’re meant to emotionally connect with them, but we have to keep in mind that this is their interpretation of events. We see the story through their eyes, how they perceive the world, but their perception of the world may not be accurate or, at the very least, is open to further interpretation. Sometimes this is used in an obvious, plot-driven manner - there’s a surprise twist for the reader, made possible because our protagonist was likewise kept in the dark - but it applies to our reading of more casual interactions too. This is a good example. Just because Velvet says Sun looks “like he couldn’t quite manage to feel bad” doesn’t mean that’s actually how Sun feels. As we’ve just re-established, Velvet is inclined to think the worst of Sun, or at least consider the worst as a distinct possibility. So if we’re asking the question, “Is Velvet’s perspective accurate to reality here?” weighing her previous assumptions against actions like Sun smiling, waving, and asking how she’s doing, AKA caring about her situation… I’d say no, it’s likely not.

At least she doesn’t outright accuse him of anything. Given that he’s not privy to these insulting thoughts, Sun chatters on about the test. He thinks it “isn’t a bad idea” because, as established, a lot of students lost teammates and are having trouble settling into Shade while still trying to live the life they had at Beacon. Changing the teams could be a “chance to really commit to our new school and our training, and learn from one another in a new way.” That’s what I think!

“Right… Or maybe some of us burned bridges with our team and might be looking for an easy way to avoid fixing those relationships.”

Velvet what the actual fuck. Can our cast NOT be assholes for five minutes??

Sun goes red at the accusation and calls her out on being harsh. “Tough love” Velvet calls it. Okay, no. Tough love is reserved for people you’re actually friends with and is meant to have them face a harsh reality they might be avoiding. Sun is avoiding an overt apology with his team, but we (and Velvet) have been given no indication that his thoughts on the test are a smokescreen to hide ulterior motives, which is what she’s talking about here. Sun clearly wants to make up with his team, he’s just struggling to accept what needs to be done to do that. Tough love would have been Velvet encouraging Sun to use this separation to reflect on what his team means to him and then, regardless of whether they end up back together, apologizing for how he unintentionally hurt them. Not… this. Plus, again, Velvet hasn’t exactly been friendly lately. She has little ground for dishing out “tough love.” You need established “love” before the “tough” part.  

In addition, she’s not listening to what Sun’s saying. “If they want us prepared for an attack, breaking up teams sounds counterproductive.” When did Sun mention anything about an attack? That’s your assumption of what’s going down based on the illegal investigation you’ve been assisting with. Sun just said that changing the teams would provide some of them with a much needed clean slate, which is true. Just because that’s not what Velvet needs doesn’t mean it’s not useful for others. As she eventually acknowledges, they can get too comfortable in the roles they’ve been playing.

We get her line about wanting to find Yatsuhashi followed by, “Sun, you do whatever you want. That’s what you’re good at.” Velvet seriously? Then minutes later she’s hoping Sun sticks close to her if he can. Real talk: everyone deserves better than this. ‘Friends’ who constantly act like your presence is a burden, insult you whenever they get the chance, insist such insults are for your benefit (it’s just tough love), but then turn around and play nice when you have something they want... those aren’t friends. Note that Velvet is - both privately and overtly - mean to Sun while he’s just existing in the airbus, going through the same horrible test as her, trying to be nice, and holding an otherwise civil conversation. While trapped on the bus with nowhere to go, Sun is a nuisance despite his best efforts. When the floor suddenly opens up and Velvet is terrified of falling and surviving on her own though, then his presence is desirable. That’s not friendship and in another story I’d praise the author(s) for writing a compelling move from shaky acquaintances to a strong bond… but I’m honestly not sure that the relationship (any of them, really) will improve. Far as I can gather, Myers thinks this is friendship.

So Velvet accuses Sun of always and forever hurting others in his pursuit of doing what pleases him (after checking in on Velvet… literally minutes ago…) which is right around when Scarlet decides to make himself known. He agrees with Sun’s belief that this test will be harder than they assume: “I think you’re right… For a change.” Everything comes with a caveat. Apparently Scarlet has been listening in the whole time, but somehow manages to turn that into an insult as well with “I’ve been standing five feet away. Maybe I’m ready for a new team, too.” Wait, is the implication that Scarlet is further annoyed because Sun didn’t notice him? Do you all have ANY idea how many times a friend has stood right next to me and I didn’t notice them because I was caught up in something like work, a show… a conversation? I’m oblivious af. I get that Sun has things to make up for but at the very least these characters could keep their criticisms to what he’s actually done wrong, not crazy reaches like, ‘Sun probably abandoned his team when everyone was separated’ or ‘Sun was busy talking to Velvet and didn’t notice me eavesdropping, so I guess I don’t mean much to him, huh.’ I’m constantly torn between the presumed realism of this writing - people are unfair in their criticisms, teens do hold unsubstantiated grudges - and acknowledging that Myers seems to have felt confident writing (1) personality and just gave it to everyone. Velvet privately becomes as critical as Coco, who is as vocal as Fox, who agrees with Yatsuhashi, who echoes Sun’s team, and Sun himself often throws that attitude right back. Round and round we go. 

As one might imagine, the three begin theorizing about what the test itself will be like. Usually Shade sets up initiation just like this. Students are transported in windowless airbuses, dumped in the desert, and told to find their way home. I’m interested in the bit about how teams are made up not only based on arrival, but also “the manner in which [the students] survived.” It definitely lends support to the assumption I’ve always had that the teams can really be random. At least not entirely. There’s strategy on the part of the instructors, thinking through aspects like, ‘Well, these two students used their wits in this manner so they’d pair together nicely.’ Or the reverse, ‘Put together the strategist with the student in love with blunt force, let them balance each other out.’ I certainly don’t think that Ozpin formed teams based solely on who ran into each other first. Not only do we have agency on the part of the students (Weiss leaves Ruby, then Jaune, then goes back to Ruby), as well as the fact that two sets of partners had to be paired together someway, but Ozpin was also carefully watching their whole performance. If the only thing that mattered was getting back to Beacon with a chess piece, why bother examining their choices? Shade appears to employ a similar setup of careful decisions portrayed as randomness, which would make sense given that Ozpin set up these schools. Though all the headmasters may not realize it (is Theodore a part of the inner circle?), or perhaps don’t agree with his methods overall, Ozpin’s influence is undeniably evident in each institution we’ve seen. 

The only difference between normal initiation and this test seems to be that the students have to find a gold figurine this time around. Though as our trio points out, there’s likely to be other differences as well, otherwise the original Shade students would have a pretty significant advantage. 

During all this Velvet remanences about Beacon’s initiation and we learn that Ozpin does, apparently, use the whole ‘Throw you into the woods where you’ll find some relic’ setup each year, as Velvet remembers being “thrown into the air” during hers. She also hits on another concern that hadn’t crossed my mind until now: what if a team includes a new student alongside the “more vocal in harassing recruits from Beacon and Haven?” It might do the Shade students some good to get to know the newcomers, but it’s not the newcomers’ responsibility to teach them some basic respect and kindness. 

During all this Rumpole, via a screen, has been explaining how the test will go down. Her little info session concludes with her telling them to “Prepare for drop-off… See you back home soon.” I really like that she used the term “home” here. It says something about how she views the school and her students’ place in it, despite the tough attitude and tougher culture of Vacuo.

Turns out, when Rumpole said drop-off she meant that literally. The floor opens up and we get a mix of some students panicking while others just happily jump out. 

Yeet. 

Like I said, Ozpin’s influence. 

I didn’t understand the panic initially - aren’t landing strategies a basic part of huntsmen training, something everyone (except Jaune) is expected to know coming into a school? Isn’t it at least partway through the year when everyone, even firsties, has had practice at this? - until I remembered Rumpole’s comment about how she hoped everyone remembered to bring their weapons this morning.

…that’s one hell of a lesson. Let’s break this down for a second. Yes, everyone at Shade is expected to carry their weapons at all times, but the meeting that started all this was early in the morning and, far as I can tell, entirely unexpected. ‘Supposed to’ is not the same thing as ‘will,’ especially when one is dealing with college-equivalent students who are still figuring expectations out. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that someone did leave their weapon behind. So now what? These buses are thousands of feet in the air, dropping students randomly as they jump/fall. If a student did need help how in the world would a professor assist them? Do they just expect other students to help like Pyrrha did for Jaune? It’s possible given that in a moment Octavia will help Velvet despite seeming to dislike her... but that’s not something I’d want to bank on. Whether a student forgot their weapon or has a weapon unsuited to a landing strategy, they’re going to die from this fall. Yeah, yeah, the test is supposed to be deadly, but what’s there to learn then? You’re dead! The lesson ‘Don’t forget your weapon’ or ‘Find a weapon more suited to landing strategies’ will never stick unless there are contingency plans in place to ensure that students survive their first mistakes. 

It just all seems kind of flimsy, like everything works out because the plot says it must, not because I believe this in-world setup is geared towards keeping students alive and teaching them how to survive this world. (The reverse of the story conveniently not killing civilians off during a major grimm attack.) If landing strategies are so crucial to a huntsmen’s work - and we see them a lot - why are students allowed to have weapons like Yatsuhashi’s Fulcrum that, far as I can see, provide you with no way of slowing your descent? What if you don’t have a suitable semblance? Or it hasn’t been unlocked yet? What if your weapon would work, theoretically, but you haven’t taken any pictures of other suitable weapons lately (Velvet)? What if you never figure out that there are parachutes on the ship? Unless the instructors have a secret way of saving someone from getting splattered, this seems like a test rife with deadly mistakes, not just encounters. Why not teach your students to carry mini high-tech parachutes on their belts, with weapons and semblances as backups? Incorporate Atlas tech into standard schooling, then give us huntsmen who suddenly have it taken away with the embargo, resulting in a lot of problems. I mean, the students are legit scared in this scene, Velvet included. Having them face deadly grimm is one thing, but why test the odds with a thousand foot plunge when there’s absolutely no reason to? Far as I can see, the schooling isn’t built around ensuring they survive a fall like this - nothing like weapon requirements, or carrying additional gear if you semblance is something like Ren’s - which means making the fall a part of the test itself is... not great. 

Which, to be clear, is the fault of the author(s) and how much thought (or not) they’ve put into their fictional school, not the fictional school’s fault because it’s, you know, fictional. Basically, the world building in this series kind of drives me nuts, in case you haven’t noticed lol. 

Velvet does find the parachutes, oh so conveniently, and at least has the decency to give one to Sun. Also yeah, kudos for thinking to search for them in the first place. I do like the ‘survival is the only thing that counts’ theme. Cheating, lying, and the like is great when it’s used because the odds are already stacked against you. We get her agreement to try and stick close because remember, there’s nothing like a dangerous situation to remind you to be decent towards someone else. As Velvet magnanimously thinks, “Being with Sun would be better than being alone.”

Okay. Low bar, but okay. 

So they fall and we get to hear a fair bit about Vacuo’s history based on what Velvet remembers about each landmark from history class. Honestly, I’m impressed at her recall. I wouldn’t be able to dredge up class notes while falling through the air. We get an abandoned city previously hidden by sand and the somewhat confusing sentence, “These were all that was left of the underground mines, the Drylands, the site of the old Paradise Oasis, long since dried up following Dust mining and the Great War.” Are these three separate places among the rock-less area pockmarked with holes? Or is this a single area of underground mines, called the Drylands (for some reason?), that includes the contrasting place called Paradise Oasis? I’m not sure. The takeaway though is that Velvet hopes Coco isn’t heading to that ambiguously named place because she’s incredibly claustrophobic.

What I find the most informative in all this is the description of the quarries as “physical manifestations of the wounds that still ran deep in the people of Vacuo.” The overall issue of outsiders coming into Vacuo, draining it of its resources, and then taking it back to their own kingdoms (while leaving their trash behind) is the sort of theme significant to our own lives and worthy of examination in fiction… Not saying that RWBY necessarily handles this theme well - especially given the messy conflation of that generational trauma and the awful treatment of any ‘outsider’ who wanders into the kingdom - but I do appreciate when I can see the series trying. Even if it fails, effort is (to an extent) still worth acknowledgement.

What I’m less inclined to praise is the strange follow up of “maybe that was why Rumpole was sending students there.” …what does this mean? Velvet just told us the quarries are the “wounds” of Vacuo, so are they being sent there because they’re dangerous? Because huntsmen will somehow fix this?? Neither of these make sense but I literally don’t know what point Myers is trying to make… which happens a lot. Again, there’s a whole lot of wise-sounding statements in this novel that, at the end of the day, mean very little - if anything at all.

Velvet eventually lands, nearly getting pulled into one of the openings when she can’t get out of her parachute. She’s saved at the last moment by Octavia Ember, a member of Team NDGO. You know, “One of the people she least wanted to run into.” We all knew the moment Velvet worried about running into one of the crueler members of Shade that it would happen.

Their conversation is filled with heartfelt gratitude and riveting greetings:

“Thanks?” Velvet said.

“Whatever.” Octavia sheathed her blade and started walking away. That was more like it.

What is wrong with all of these people? My kingdom for a kind, enthusiastic, non-team exchange!

You know the ‘enemies forced to work together’ conflict couldn’t end there though (a trope I normally love and would likely love here except having Octavia be another stereotypical mean girl was the least innovative choice possible). She and Velvet end up heading towards the same quarry, simply because there’s nothing else for miles around. Velvet displays some quick thinking when she explains that the instructors likely hid the relics in there to ensure they weren’t forever hidden under the sand. Velvet, unlike Yatsuhashi, has also realized that there’s more to the test than just their fighting skills. They’ll be graded on everything, “Including how we treat each other.” I’m always appreciative of characters who use their brains as much as their brawns.

Perhaps that not-so-subtle nudge resonated with Octavia because she opens up a bit. By this I mean she moves from “Whatever” to telling Velvet the traumatizing story of how she lost a third of her clan to Blind Worms in one of these quarries. Okay. That’s a complete 180, but I’ll take it. Velvet continues to have supposed insights about the Vacuans like, ‘Maybe they don’t cry because that’s a waste of water?’ and ‘Maybe they hate everyone on principal because of the past?’ and ‘I guess bullying is just something you’re supposed to survive out here’ (um… no.) In Velvet - and Myers’ - defense she acknowledges that none of these explanations excuse their actions… but I’m not so sure it explains them either. A few chapters ago we were hammering home how teens don’t have an emotional connection to their past, despite it not actually being that long ago (recall Coco’s conversation with Rumpole in class), but now we’re supposed to believe that all of these teens reject newcomers because of stuff that happened during a war they weren’t alive for? Also, I’m neither a doctor nor an anthropologist, but the concept of a desert people refusing to cry because it’s a waste of water - especially in an otherwise advanced civilization - seems suspect. I can buy someone being unable to cry because they’re currently dehydrated, but a whole culture denying themselves this outlet when most of them don’t actually lack water anymore is odd.

Granted, culture isn’t always logical. Case in point: memes. So let’s give that a pass. 

However, we’ve still got the issue of continuity across paragraphs. First Velvet is smug because she’s a better climber than Octavia. Then Octavia is ahead and supposedly annoyed that Velvet was slowing her down. It’s unclear when, or if, they’ve finished climbing at this point and a second later Octavia is climbing a tree - why didn’t Velvet do that? Really, I lay little blips like this at the feet of the editors, not the author(s), simply because as an author I know precisely how easy it is to lose track of every detail you’ve introduced. It becomes obvious to the reader when things don’t quite align, but it will often go unnoticed by the writer - like typos. (RIP my own work.) Which is why you need that second perspective to not just catch the big mistakes, but tweak all the smaller ones too. RWBY is now a part of WarnerMedia and Before the Dawn was published by Scholastic. There’s a standard here I don’t think either is meeting.

As said previously though, Octavia climbs a tree because Velvet - with faunus eyes - spotted a trinket the others had missed. Octavia falls, Velvet catches her, and a whole swarm of Ravagers show up, which seem to be a bat-like grimm. Nice. My gothic, vampire, Stellaluna loving ass can get behind that. 

Behold: my childhood.

They make a run for it and we - finally - get some solidarity as Octavia admits that the relic is technically Velvet’s and Velvet wonders in turn if they can share it. I offered my kingdom for a kind exchange and I got it! Hurray! More importantly, apparently that is an option because the airbus coordinates have shown up on both their scrolls. I’m not going to pretend that I understand how that tech works, but that’s a level of world building we don’t actually need. Not unless the hypothetical of students piggybacking on another’s relic is a part of the evaluation. 

I love that Velvet used her camera flash to scare off the Ravager in their way. That’s a fantastic twist on the ‘Velvet will use her semblance and impress Octavia’ expectation as well as a great way to demonstrate that she is a formidable fighter, capable of paying attention to her situation/surroundings and responding accordingly.

There are more Ravagers though, incoming Blind Worms, an avalanche… and the airbus. A narrow escape indeed. Octavia drops that attention-catching, “Thank the Brothers” as they reach safety.

Going back to my earlier point about Shade seeming happy to kill its kids, apparently Velvet and Octavia were the last to reach the bus and Sun told the pilot to wait. That says good things about Sun, but horrible things about the test. If Sun hadn’t insisted on staying would Octavia and Velvet have had a way out? Why in the world wasn’t the pilot told to wait longer?? The whole timeline is confusing, with Sun and Velvet leaving the airship only a short time after everyone else, but it looks like the whole group was way ahead of them (the quarry is empty of both relics and people by the time they arrive), except Sun managed to get super far ahead of Velvet somehow, and their pilot was apparently working under an unspoken deadline… I’m just taking information at face value because if you try to piece it all together, good luck.

Also sorry, but I straight up laughed at Sun’s “You woke up the Ravagers. And you lived to tell the tale.” That is so unnecessarily dramatic. Oh no. Not the Ravagers. Literally the first thing I thought of was some B horror movie like

Coming only to a streaming service near your couch because we’re still living through a pandemic. Wear your masks, friends!

Back to this very entertaining reaction. Sun, you and Velvet have both taken out Atlesian knights, you fought a gigantic sea monster with Blake, and Velvet just bypassed a nest of Ravagers with a simple bright light. If RWBY is going to randomly try and make the grimm threatening again, do it with stuff that actually reads as a significant threat to these fighters. After you’ve got your first years blasting through (Yang) and riding (Nora) bear grimm at initiation, a couple of bat grimm just doesn’t cut it. 

Moving on, Velvet’s iffy perspective rears its head once more as she thinks, “What if Sun had passed by the trinket in the tree, knowing it would be too dangerous to retrieve it? She and Octavia had not had that luxury.”

There’s a lot wrong with this theory: 

How do you know Sun has better vision, even as a fellow faunus? As Volume 7’s Tyrian attack brought to the surface, supposedly not every faunus has that advantage.

Velvet straight up says that she wasn’t able to see the Ravagers, otherwise she would have warned Octavia about them. The whole point is that they startled her and she fell. So what, Sun not only has faunus vision but better than Velvet’s? (Do monkeys have better vision than rabbits? I have no idea, but this is the kind of stuff I would google if I wanted to potentially draw attention to it in my book). 

If that trinket was too dangerous to retrieve, why did the instructors put it there in the first place? Fox mentioned things being unfair with his lack of sight, but that’s a pretty big difference: easy grabs in a supposedly abandoned quarry vs. a grab that wakes up the whole nest of grimm.

“She and Octavia had not had that luxury” why does this sound like another dig at Sun? Like it’s worth criticizing that he… got there first? Got lucky with the relics closer to the floor? Probably because everything is a dig at Sun in this book, including Velvet’s surprise that he might have “respect in his eyes.” Velvet! He was just asking about you, made the bus wait, and has always worn his heart on his sleeve! Sun’s respect/care is not in question, only how he chooses (at times) to display it.

Not that the story seems to get that. We can’t work through Sun’s questionable choices if we’re stuck in this never ending loop of ‘He’s so annoying/incompetent/willfully cruel’ into ‘Hark! is that a positive trait I see?’ and then back to ‘Never mind he’s awful.’ Maybe Velvet’s pride at his reaction to the Ravagers will finally move things forward.

Which is where we leave off. The airbus scares off the other Ravagers with its guns, the group heads back towards Shade (or a second part of the test? That did feel too much like a normal initiation to be fair), and Velvet ends with the equally dramatic line, “The initiation ritual had been hard and almost deadly, and even worse was yet to come: the assignment of the new teams.”

I have to say though, that is the most teen-accurate thought I’ve seen so far. An 18 year old would be more scared of their team social life than getting eaten by a monster lol.

On that note, drop a comment or an ask if you feel like being social yourself and I’ll see you during the next burst of NaNoWriMo energy! 💜

[ Ko-Fi ]

[redantsunderneath]

VAL and BILLIE EILISH: THE WORLD'S A LITTLE BLURRY

I shouldn’t be allowed to watch documentaries. All that any documentary seems to be about (at this point, to me) is the relationship between itself and the truth. I don’t know if it’s 2000's reality TV or that one time I watched Capturing the Friedman’s and Waco: The Rules of Engagement back to back that broke me, but what interests me isn’t the subject matter but standpoint epistemology of the thing. These two docs are very different, diametrically opposed in almost every way, but both are defined by the ways in which the text struggles against reality. Val is about an old man who used cameras (himself) to capture his entire life as he pretended to be someone else on film. He is infirm, occluding his laryngotomy tube to talk, and his handlers try to manage his naps around meet and greets where he sells the shell of the person he once was for the fans who still care. It’s forbears are archeological dead celebrity docs that try to find the elusive star at the center (Robin Williams, Heath Ledger, Amy Winehouse) and those about reclaiming memory (Alzheimer Project, Waltz with Bashir) but it’s just… he’s the cameraman and he’s still shuffling around. Closest comparison (minus the age part) is probably Kid 90, which was being cut at the same time. This doesn’t get at how weird this is, though. He used to make movies with his brother, who drowned during a seizure and haunts the movie (he would put up his brother’s drawings in shots on film sets, the talks about or around the event constantly). He often hands off the camera to people so he can be seen in his world with complex instructions (when I walk off, focus in on that speaker so when I go onstage you will hear my first line) and when the camera hits a mirror he lingers (as in the video of his newborn baby). He seems to always be performing, an aspect of life we are all familiar with by now but less common when this footage was taken. His wife is uncomfortable on camera, usually mugging or hiding, and you get the feeling the distancing from his life is intentional as he focuses on internal transformation away from ego resolution, but he still needs to be seen, his sense of self tied up in an object permanence issue. The movie is structured as someone trying to sort through memories of their life and come to terms with them, although the memories in this case is a small warehouse full of video tapes and film canisters. In his current life he can only communicate with difficulty and tries to convey reaction with meaningful-but-of-what glances and gestures. Effacement by time and looming death drench the whole enterprise - when his brother dies he says his father “lost his charisma” (just contemplate that). His current simulacra of celebrity makes him feel like a ghost, signing “you can be my wingman anytime” multiple times for people who this means something to. So he brings up the footage and tries to reconstruct his life (his credit as cinematographer is both funny, touching, and chilling). This thing is full of interesting moments. He is doing a line reading of Hamlet at Juilliard and Peter Kass stops him to ask where the performance is coming from. He responds that he has never considered killing himself which causes Kass to explode, insisting that no-one in the history of the world has not had that thought. This seems to rob us and him of a potentially revelatory moment as Kilmer seems different, spiritual in an unusual way… maybe the reason why he never thought of that was more interesting than that point. His entreaty to Marlon Brando to tell him what his earliest childhood memory is is responded to by Brando asking for him to rock his hammock with repetition of the question only yielding feedback on the rocking until neonatal-fat Brando’s satisfaction at being rocked seems like an answer. The argument with John Frankenheimer who does not want to be filmed is something else. The major things going on are here are being haunted vs feeling like a ghost and an arrested Lacanian mirror phase that complicates his intersubjective context, with the karmic

self-assessment of who he is trying to chill in the middle. The filmmaking knows this and orients itself as a process of evaluating memory where what is true seems elusive, heavily edited, and hall-of-mirrors-like. The question of what is performance is a subconscious struggle. Conspicuous in their absence are his own feelings on his decline beyond the fact that he “doesn’t believe in death,” real insight into his marriage (and breakup, other than an allusion to his method acting Jim Morrison being a problem) and relationship with his kids (who are around all the time, but seem like Sixth Sense characters), and the fact that he’s a legendary asshole on set. This last is, like, the one thing everyone knows about him. But you can sort of sense this stuff secondarily, right off the edge of the screen and in him relentlessly projecting onto his parents. The real crux is the study of a man who never feels seen, but tries to become so by disappearing into someone else, who needs recording devices so that he can capture himself properly, all controlled performance; someone unaware of his own loneliness brought about by not being very good at making himself available because his “self” is externally resolved and constant inner transformation masks the unformed nature of his ego at rest. The film accomplishes this by allowing him to reveal what is absent by his preoccupations and bearing witness to his deflection mechanisms, so that he is no closer to knowing himself but, by being manipulated in a way we can see the frame of, we kind of get a glimpse. Good experience, wish there was more Christian Scientist material (that seems like an angle of understanding the film wasn’t interested in). Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry is about a young girl who is followed by cameras capturing her entire life as she pretends to be herself on stage. She has a Simone Biles flavored psycho-physical compromise that everyone tries to “handle” while she sells herself as the person she isn’t to fans who care, at least right now. This is in the tradition of Truth or Dare mimics that seem de rigueur for female pop stars. Closest comparison is Miss Americana. This movie feels made by spreadsheet to contain scenes to develop the official narrative of an in-her-brother’s-room, in her suburban parent’s house, sui generis composite genius who is on the edge of mental unfitness trying to be as normal as she can in this crazy merry go round called fame. The obviousness of the put on is diffused by the relative lameness of the pieces. In some respects this is the typical documentary “look for the cracks for insight” play, but it is consciously using that as a tool too and doing it badly - the manufactured insight escape moments largely ring false. This comes off as a Zoom background era counterfeit, a series of YouTube clips where Markeplier or whoever lets the mask slip a little in the most forced bit of unbiddenness possible. There is a boyfriend who feels like a story mandated version of “from Canada.” But the interesting thing is the way it recapitulates the way modern pop is put together, not by writing, not by spontaneous “feel your way,” but by putting bits of ideas together and trying to emulate form. There are a lot of moments in the film that feel like they could have been real, but the non-actors were asked to do another take and can’t quite nail it. It actually has such a boner for produced casual that it is pretty much allergic to authenticity, which is quite a thing for a documentary. The major things going on are here are grappling with whether she brings anything musically to the table (the brother seems like the musical force, she’s afraid her voice is bad, they make a point to show her idea notebooks as work product), her wish to only perform if she can give the fans her best show (possibly her version of just wanting to call in sick, understandable) is at odds with her being the center of a machine that has to move, her as a product of a not entirely with it older parents who gave their kids an open creative runway

and now are instrumental in managing her as a resource that is tricky to work with, the work being her and her brother dicking around and making magic happen, and an attempt to paint her as a Beleiber who now is on the the other side of the fan dichotomy. Development of her style, arguably her #1 thing, is sort of left as her telling a video director “I drew this bleeding eye woman, can we do something like this?” and sort of suggesting through letting her point around that she is a de facto co director. At times, it feels like a try at icon forging that someone wanted to fail, but it is probably just the high school conception-to-production level tat ultimately comes off as a larger indictment of making a movie like you make modern pop music - overdetermined manipulation of flimsy elements without a satisfying ethos, that looks too be an insubstantial assemblage of spliced pieces that live of die by their stickiness. But it begins to feel, more and more, that it’s about how non-exciting pop stars can be as people and that a narrative that people respond to can kind of die if you show that’s it’s just work and somewhat normal people trying to be a piece of an illusion. It’s this partitioning away of the hyperreality and an attempt to show the official story acted by the sausage makers trying to pretend the banality is just crazy man. Where Val is a simulation of an habitual performer considering who they actually are selectively sorting their life and failing to confront the loneliness of age and death (more elusive to them than us), this is obvious hoax unintentionally (?) revealing the fabricated nature of the image-music industry by way of demonstrating the strangely normie creatives, green-yellow ombre or no, can’t be arsed to summon a proper freakout (the whining seems authentic, though). Music videos may lie to you, but the official story is strangely correct - kids living in mom’s house cobble together catchy stuff and pull off pop stardom due to social media age production savvy and a little zeitgeisty imagery, it’s just everyone is well adjusted if stressed and someone’s only donning the costume of the online archetype of a specific kind of girl. Val uses the constructed nature of these narratives as a tool wielded in the open to suggest the inner working of a mind failing to be honest with itself while the other is interesting in its transparency and failure to convince us of the loosely conceived fiction, leaving reality apparent as bong resin. Baudrillard would have liked this one more, probably.

[godkilller]

ROLEPLAYING A FIGHT

DETAILS AND EXAMPLES.

As I touched on in my previous tips ‘n tricks post, fight threads should never happen in a void. There should be concrete connections to your character’s main storyline, their goals, their motivations, and other contributors to why and how they’ve found themselves in this current situation. That ALSO being said, the fight should literally not happen in a void: WHERE IS THIS CONFLICT TAKING PLACE? Describe, as an ‘establishing shot’, where your character is. Are they outside, is there a lot of room for them to run around and get into a scuffle? Are there trees, cars, buildings nearby? Will there be a high potential for objects (and people passing by) to get harmed / damaged in this battle? Does your character care about causing destruction during a fight, are they the type to say “let’s go somewhere else”?

Describing the space your characters are in is an excellent way of UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOUR CHARACTER STANDS, literally, because POSITIONING IS REALLY IMPORTANT! You don’t have to go absolutely crazy detailed when dishing out specs on where your characters are, but a general sense of “an opening within a clustered bamboo forest” or. “a half-constructed abandoned building” can really determine how the fight goes within that space, and most importantly how your character moves through that space.

HOW DOES YOUR CHARACTER MOVE? Are they fluid, are they clumsy? Do they hunch, do they stand tall? Describing essential details pertaining to your character’s appearance, their demeanor, can help solidify them in that space. Do they sway when they talk? Do they jitter when they’re nervous or anxious? A conflict is brewing, are they looking for an escape? Do their eyes keep darting to other distractions, or to look for an opening?

THE FIRST MOVE. Who makes it and why? Example taken from a threeway thread involving Matsumoto Rangiku, Nnoitra Gigla, and Ichimaru Gin. Featuring @oboete-iru​ & @despairforme​ respectfully. Gin’s POV:

“ ❝ I saaaid... that’s e-nou-gh. Besides, why would ya go ‘n break her wieldin’ arm if she ain’t a thre---- ❞ in a flashing beam, a bared blade, his left foot swept back to brace as black-lined white billowed to reveal Shinso’s lunging bite directly past Rangiku’s hip------to drive a deep unrelenting strike into his upper ribcage; close to the armpit of the limb that held her still in favor of convincing the uncoiling reflex of his fingers. Gin aimed with precision, and with deliberate proximity to the very target he wished to not be thrown into the line of fire----quite impossible for the Espada to potentially thrust her into the fray considering Gin’s angled approach... lulled by his interrupted speech. The traitor sought to be swift; the blow would surely send the Espada backward in its connection------and hopefully result in her release. ”

Throwing the first punch is a decisive moment for many reasons, but it also should still speak to your character: DON’T EVER FORCE A FIGHT THREAD FOR THE SAKE OF ONE, if your character would rather talk their way out of a situation, exhaust that route first before going feral at your thread partner.

With that aside, let’s dissect this moment.

We get some dialogue to start the moment off, because Gin is a character who will casually chat, but he’s also cunning -- he interrupts himself to create a more abrupt attack. The motion is described as swift, so NOT MUCH IS SAID ABOUT EXACT MOVEMENTS, but we get what we need: his blade is drawn (”a bared blade”) it’s moving fast (“a flashing beam”) Gin has added strength to this strike by falling into a wider stance (“left foot swept back to brace”) and we also get where he’s aiming “directly past Rangiku’s hip to drive a deep and unrelenting strike into [Nnoitra’s] upper ribcage, close to the armpit” We also get motivation: Gin wants Nnoitra to let go of Rangiku, striking to “convince the uncoiling reflex of [Nnoitra’s] fingers” -- so we get this all relatively quick. In fact, it’s all almost condensed into one big sentence.

I don’t really worry about proper sentence structures and lengths because in fights, things should not be adhering to neat sentence pacing, they should be paced the way the fight is unfolding. Gin moves fast, and a lot of things happen at once, so that’s my style choice when writing a lot in one sentence. You can do things differently, this is just my preference!

Notice that none of the language implies that Gin’s target is being struck. The words and phrases used are open for Nnoitra to respond to, to react to, rather than to submit to. I describe things as “quite impossible” for Nnoitra to, say, throw Rangiku in front of Shinso in time -- because I want to stress the speed of Gin’s attack, and guide Nnoitra’s writer away from doing something I feel wouldn’t be realistic without the outright act of godmodding. I say this, however, by still giving Nnoitra the OPTION to do exactly what I have just stressed as DIFFICULT TO DO. Maybe he can still try to throw Rangiku into the way! It’ll be a tight window, but hey, surprise me! Writing this moment also shows that my character is actively deciphering yours, deciding what they could do and preparing for that: Gin knows Nnoitra’s dirty, and thus he’s taken a measure to avoid Rangiku paying the price by striking quickly and at an angle that would make it hard for Nnoitra to bring her harm.

At the end of this Moment(™) I top off the attack by mentioning that IF IT HITS, it’ll do X. Not only that, but IF MY ATTACK HITS, IT’LL DO X TO YOUR CHARACTER, AND HOPEFULLY CAUSE X. This sets up a potential chain of events for your writing partner to consider. If they decide that Nnoitra is going to take this hit, they can also consider: will Nnoitra be sent back through a wall, or will he drive his weapon into the ground to slow his skidding enough to avoid that? Will this be enough to make him let go of Rangiku? I have now given Nnoitra’s mun a few things to think about, or “goals” to either reach or adjust the outcome in their following reply. Nnoitra now has to a.) react to an incoming strike b.) be moved by it, either via being struck or by dodging, and c.) deal with holding onto or letting go of Rangiku, with the option of d.) a counterattack at Gin, or at Rangiku, in response to Gin likely pissing him off.

Describing motion that impacts a character other than yours: KEEP YOUR LANGUAGE OPEN, you can legit drop a “if this hits” to keep yourself from unintentionally godmodding contact onto your opponent. If you’re ever unsure, write like your character is thinking: they’re not thinking that their sword has already landed, they’re thinking about what’ll happen IF it does, or WHEN, but in an open-ended sense. The character themselves should never just manifest a blow landing in their heads as they’re swinging it, if that makes sense.

Open-ended language go-to’s for me: “aimed with the desire to cause (insert what’ll happen if your blow were to land, like ‘causing an immense force to blast all debris, and even dare to throw [opponent] backwards’)” or “their weapon sought to (insert what their attack trying to do, like cut off an arm, slash across a chest, or chop at the other’s weapon) with a wide strike” or “they parried, then moved to attempt a disarming scrape of their blade against the other’s, the swinging momentum a convincing pull to urge the swift release of the blade” etc. etc. I’m staying very vague, but the concept’s there!

THESAURUS TIME! Does your character move fast? Swift, fast, quick… those can get a little boring if your character is ALWAYS moving in that nature. So try to sometimes spice things up by playing with words that can replace your common descriptors.

https://www.thesaurus.com/ is your fellow student who’s working on a group project with you -- you shouldn’t lean so heavily on it because they’re not your friend, but it’s there to help you get the job done and together you can spruce up a neat end result.

MAKE SURE THEY STILL MEAN THE SAME THING, and don’t go too crazy as to lose your reader or distinctly destroy your pacing, your style, and your voice. Sometimes simplified is better, like describing the WOOSH of a fast moment as opposed to saying “this moved fast” -- “a WOOSH of the blade” rather than “he swung his blade quickly” can sometimes make a moment more exciting and easier to read without things droning on.

Hey, speaking of droning on, (this post lmao!!! Amirite lads???) does your character’s weapon have multiple ways of being referred to? Since a fight stars your character and their trusty weapon, having a few different ways to title it in your reply can be a lifesaver from sounding too repetitive. Shinso is Gin’s Zanpakuto, a Shinigami’s katana, and it’s in a wakizashi form. This can be called a short-sword, a wakizashi, a soul-slayer, a blade, a sword, a Zanpakuto, a ‘fang’ (swords or blades in general can be called fangs, especially if your character has animal symbolism tied to them), a beam (when it’s being shot) … and a few other things, too, to avoid me having to constantly write “Shinso” or “wakizashi” when moving it during a fight thread. I try not to alternate TOO much, because then it becomes obvious, kind of like when people start deliberately avoiding ‘said’ and it’s a dialogue-heavy scene… don’t go out of your way, this is just to help you avoid having 34 mentions of ‘sword’ in your 5 paragraph reply.

So you threw the first punch, but what happens next? Well, you can actually end your reply once your blow’s been polished up and finished. But a little bit of juicy introspection can’t hurt, too! Your character’s just started a fight, what are they thinking? What’s the damage? Did your character just do something destructive or brash? Tell us how, and what’s to be made of the attack your character just threw. Here’s Gin’s following moment after striking at Nnoitra:

“ … it’d feel nice ( akin to a surging punch ) to slam his blade into the pitiful pawn’s side. One hundred sword lengths called for, due to their confinement, a collision course that involved Nnoitra taking a shortcut through a neighboring wall. No matter the Espada’s tough exterior, solid defenses, Shinso would not stop shy. ”

There’s some more info pertaining to Gin’s attack in here, drizzled with a brief introspection that Gin will feel immensely satisfied if he gets to land a decent hit on Nnoitra (coupled with a “pitiful pawn” quip that notifies readers that Gin really DOES NOT LIKE this character, nor does he think very highly of his status, which may or may not be a chance for the character of Nnoitra to surprise or impress Gin via a hearty fight)

The details of exactly how far Gin’s blow would carry Nnoitra are important due to the nature of Gin’s special ability / sword. Shinso will “not stop shy” implying that Nnoitra’s going to either have to dodge or get slammed, because the blade that’s hitting him won’t stop its travel until it’s 100 katana-length’s long. Now, back up to the first section of this post: describing your character’s surroundings. Gin and Nnoitra are in a hallway, and Gin struck in a way that means the hallway is not going to suffice in terms of room. SO DESCRIBING POTENTIAL DAMAGES IS IMPORTANT: it paints the scene better. If Nnoitra is going to take this hit, this also means that a wall is likely going to crumble and collapse due to how tough and tanky Nnoitra is. Cue a classic anime moment of dust billowing up, rocks tumbling, and rubble shifting.

In all of this, don’t forget to respect your opponent -- Gin’s strike may land, but right from the get go there’s never an assumption that Shinso will be able to pierce Nnoitra’s tough skin. Knowing about your enemy’s special traits and abilities can help you make these moments more respectable: I know that Gin’s Shikai will not be enough to cut past Nnoitra’s hierro, his ‘steel skin’ defense. The most that’s described is the action of Shinso batting Nnoitra aside and into a wall, despite it being a sharp blade, it’s not described as an impaling moment.

That being said, don’t pull your punches if your character is a powerhouse! Respect others, don’t godmod, but also look out for defending your character’s own strengths! This can involve you studying up on how strong your character is in their universe, and finding some relations and comparisons to draw from in order to properly ‘rate’ them against your opponent. This can also lead you to a very IMPORTANT step, though not always required if both writers feel comfortable enough to proceed unplanned: TALK TO THE WRITER.

Discuss what you think your character is capable of vs. their character in a respectful way, open to hearing “actually, I don’t think that would happen” or “maybe we can go this route instead, since my character can x y and z?” Learning how to protect your character’s power while also being mindful and open to your writing partner’s character can lead to a really fun exchange and a memorable fight. You can literally drop a tentative “hey, I’m replying to our thread and Gin wants to punch Nnoitra in the face” and be responded to with a “go for it, it’ll probably break Gin’s hand” or “oh snap! that’s his one weakness!!!” LOL. I mean, unrealistic, but seriously talk to your writing partner about things if this is something you’re both passionate and excited about!

PLEASE, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT FIGHTS SHOULDN’T HAPPEN IN VOIDS, if you feel like your characters should be interrupted, or end in a draw, or lose interest / dissolve back into talking rather than fighting, then do this! Will your character chose to run away if the fight starts going south for them? Will your character try to offer a merciful end, will they be open to sparing the wounded enemy character if they feel they’ve successfully won? Does your character end up saving the other character by getting them medical help? This can go so many different ways than just blankly fighting and someone winning whilst the other dies.

CONSEQUENCES! What will the consequences of this fight be? For Gin, he has struck out at a supposed ally in defense of a Shinigami intruder that by all means should be considered the enemy. He can get into some trouble for this, or at the very least gain some speculation on where his loyalties lie if word gets out about what he’s done. Other consequences include, too, the very real threat that if Gin fails, Rangiku’s going to be killed. Find how this fight between characters can ADD MORE WEIGHT. Gin really wants this battle to end quickly and quietly. It’s going to drive him to act in a no-nonsense manner, too, because he doesn’t have time to play around. THIS IS VASTLY DIFFERENT, DUE TO THE CURRENT CONSEQUENCES, IN COMPARISON TO HIM PLAYING AROUND WITH ANOTHER MUN’S CHARACTER IN A LESS STRESSFUL SETTING.

Long term consequences, and calling back to a past fight thread in a later thread can make things extra spicy. For example, now Rangiku knows that Gin’ll fight one of his own to defend her; he can no longer pretend to be some emotionless husk standing on the opposing side in the war, he can be confronted about this moment -- by Nnoitra, too, or by other characters who are told about what happened. Gossip’s a bitch, right lads?

Now let your character recover: have them take that nap, or indulge yourself in some juicy hurt/comfort threads with an ally of yours, or some angst about a lost fight hitting your character’s confidence and mentality hard; do they train, do they rest, do they seek out someplace safe to heal, do they hunt down their rival / opponent for a second try? Are they now afraid of certain things, do they have trauma? Near-death experience, or a major injury that now hinders them?

This is a great resource to writing injuries (tw for blood and other graphic depictions of violence, injuries, detailed there) If you’re not squeamish, you can really dive into the medical side of things and study up what kind of damages your character may be faced with. It’s alright to not be totally realistic, though, considering much of what’s being written is based entirely on fake super-powered scenarios.

Sometimes, when struggling on how to describe movement, I’ll go onto Youtube and look up “Battle choreography” or “top ten realistic swordfights” or other relatable content to assist me creatively. Watching things in slow motion or multiple times to nail the positioning can help immensely. By watching similar-themed fights, I can see how those people are moving and try my best to describe that motion in written form. I try to avoid TV/Movie scenes that have been obviously hounded on for their anti-realism, especially sword fights, the common victim to Hollywood’s ridiculousness. But hey, if your character is an absolute mad lad and can pull a John Wick moment, then pull up that badass clip and go for it!

THERE’S SO MUCH TO EXPLORE, SO HAVE FUN WITH IT!

[storytell]

@mckiingbiird​ asked

Talk about Twain? ^^

congratulations! i have SO much to say about twain! this is going to provide the longest answer possible out of any muse you could have picked just because twain has so little in canon and i’ve developed him so much. he’s my longest standing muse ever so there is too much about my portrayal to say without somewhat of an organization so i am right now without warning implementing a new feature into these ramble asks known as Sections. so now that i’m a little more coherent. sections.

just so you know by the way i really am not joking when i say this is over 10 paragraphs long. read at your own risk. however long you think this post is i can guarantee you it is longer.

this was for a meme i did but i literally can’t answer any more of these because i’m too ashamed by how little i have for every other muse in comparison to twain.

part I: timeline.

my twain was born just after the end of (or during the final days of) the war everyone’s always talking about in canon, and it genuinely didn’t have much of a direct impact on his life. he has six siblings (five older, one younger), and of those six there were three siblings he was closest with: orion, henry, and pleasant. orion and henry were the two oldest, and given that their dad was terribly abusive and their mom was, in twain’s own words, a coward, they did most of the work to provide for the family. although twain always thought orion and henry were mean, because they always played tricks on him. pleasant was twain’s confidant; she was the older sister he could go to if he needed something to cry about.

growing up, twain was always a troublemaking kid, and there were only so many schools in or around their town that he could get expelled from before there weren’t really many options left. in the summer before he was scheduled to go to his last year of middle school, this--among a variety of things such as the abuse of his father and a general feeling of wanting to run away--caused him to formulate a plan where he would run from home, which he did shortly before school started at the age of 13. i know i have the age he ran away listed as 14, but he tends to lie and say he actually ran away a year later.

he traveled for around a year on his own, meeting a lot of different people from a lot of walks of life, before meeting a man he would come to refer to as “uncle”, possibly under the instruction of that man. i should note that my personal hc for the identity of “uncle” is natsume souseki, but this doesn’t really have any bearing on much of anything and i tend to not mention it at all in threads where “uncle” comes up because it’s not the most significant thing. anyway, “uncle” taught him how to do many things to survive on his own, including shooting guns without his ability, making fires, cooking food over an open flame, etc. he was the first real father figure twain ever had, but he and twain eventually parted ways when twain had just turned 17.

twain did a bit of freelance work afterwards--initially he sang and played guitar on the streets for pocket change, but after he killed a man trying to kidnap a girl he didn’t know, something within him clicked: he knew he wouldn’t mind doing something like this for a living, after his initial bout of panic. his career as a freelance hitman was very short-lived, but it got him enough money that for the few hits he did, he was able to stay at nice hotels and do fun things. he never really used any of it, though, too used to not having any money at all and attached to the lifestyle of not having a home to come back to. the first time he ever splurged on himself wasn’t even anything fancy; it was an olive garden.

to the man who sat himself down at the table and bought one of every food item, the place was probably less than nothing. but to twain, so used to being poor and never having enough, it seemed like more than he could have ever asked for. and so, after very little negotiation, began twain’s contract with the guild. at the time, not-yet-eighteen year old twain was the youngest member of the guild’s ranks, but he was definitely not the least talented. he rose quickly through the ranks of the organization, becoming the chief gunman/sharpshooter and a fellowcraft of the guild after just over a year of being employed.

from there, things are probably predictable, given everything that twain is. he makes friends in the guild, begins spending the ludicrous amount of money he’s being paid for his services, and generally does what’s fun for him. he discovers a love for minecraft (more on that later) and rollercoasters, and goes on travels he never would have been able to without the security of the money he’s being paid. then, after a few years of relative normalcy, the guild goes to yokohama, and you know what happens from there.

post-canon is where things begin to get a little bit foggy for me. i do technically HAVE a mainverse idea for what happens to him, but the catch is that i almost never use it. for post-canon stuff, i tend to use one of any number of verses where he’s stayed or been caught up in yokohama, because it’s just a lot easier. but my actual mainverse headcanon unaffected by roleplay relationships i want to have is this: twain goes back to america. he unintentionally gathers a bunch of lost kids and, using his travel money, he provides for them while they all travel. and that’s it. maybe in the future he becomes successful from the tales in his success diary. maybe not. who knows?

part II: traits with basis in canon.

i don’t need to repeat that we see very little of twain, but i just did anyway. because we get very few glimpses of him, there’s not much we know outside of shallow character traits. because it’ll make things easier to talk about, here are the core traits i noticed in twain that i’ve had to build off of, and then different paragraphs talking about how i’ve built off of them.

we rarely see him anything but energetic, but he does have his quiet moments.

he’s very friendly, and tends to invite people out to do fun things with him.

he is very competitive, but NOT a sore loser.

he does things to impress others. notably, one of his canon likes is “praise”.

he’s very self-confident, but not to the point where he thinks it’s impossible to beat him, as demonstrated when he’s not angry about atsushi’s victory.

he’s very flippant about taking a life.

following orders is not his top priority.

we rarely see him anything but energetic, but he does have his quiet moments. a couple of my headcanons have stemmed from this--the first is the most obvious one and that is that twain has ADHD. this didn’t come directly from his energetic attitude and rather from a combination of multiple traits, but it also happened because i was projecting. the other headcanon that’s stemmed from this combination of facts is that twain is smarter and more introspective than most people give him credit for. this has backing in the scene where he shoots at atsushi from the moby dick; instead of shooting at atsushi, he diverts his aim to the oil truck in front of him.

he’s very friendly, and tends to invite people out to do fun things with him. there are a lot of things i can talk about in this regard, but i’ll start here: twain genuinely likes to meet and make friends with new people. despite his occupation, he loves hearing others’ stories and tends to ask them about them. along with this and somewhat in tandem with the introspective part of the first hc, twain also pays a lot more attention to how people act and what they like than everyone tends to think he does. this actually has basis in my dive into the real life author mark twain, as he was notably famous for being able to pick up on people’s mannerisms, accents, and ideologies well enough to flawlessly represent them on paper (he claimed he could “read human character as well as he could read the mississippi river “).

he is very competitive, but NOT a sore loser. from this trait, i’ve sort of developed the idea that it’s very rare for twain to actually get angry, and he tends not to argue with people. he’s very quick to forgive if he knows he was in the wrong and tends to say sorry first after arguments, but at the same time, if he knows he’s right and shouldn’t be the one apologizing, he’ll cling onto that until the day he dies. also, this has spawned the smaller and less significant hc that twain likes to do competitive activities like laser tag or mini golf for fun, especially since you don’t necessarily have to know the people you’re doing those things with.

he does things to impress others. notably, one of his canon likes is “praise”. there’s not really much to say here in terms of how i’ve built on this, but one notable thing is that i attribute this trait to the lack of praise he got from his parents growing up, and how lonely he felt even when he was traveling with “uncle”. he likes when people are impressed by him because he’s impressed by himself, and when he doesn’t get the reaction he expected it puts a little bit of a damper on his confidence. temporarily.

he’s very self-confident, but not to the point where he thinks it’s impossible to beat him, as demonstrated when he’s not angry about atsushi’s victory. speaking of confidence, i actually have a whole journey laid out about twain’s journey with arrogance v. confidence and the overabundance of arrogance to make up for a lack of confidence in his earlier years. when he first ran away, he had a very troubled and hateful mindset, and outwardly portrayed that he believed himself to be the best of the best while really thinking he was terrible and a burden to his family. it was only through meeting so many people and the guidance of “uncle” in his more formative years that he began to develop a genuine sense of self confidence and, by the time he hits 20, everything good he says about himself is genuinely true. this said, he is also very aware of his flaws (for example, he definitely knows he isn’t too smart or careful or focused), but he doesn’t view them as detriments to his character and instead chooses to believe that without his flaws, he wouldn’t be himself.

he’s very flippant about taking a life. this trait actually was what caused me to think about how he took his first life. i’ll walk you a little through the things he felt when he did: he was angry, at first, then terrified, then secretly glad, and then sooner rather than later he genuinely felt nothing about it. as he’d go on to carry out hits for various people and the guild, that feeling of initial panic would become smaller and smaller every time, until the lives of the people he had to kill didn’t really matter to him. that said, it’s important to me that he still values connection and friendship with other people, so he definitely does. i believe these two traits can coexist when done properly; he values the lives of people and the stories they have to tell, but all life ends someday anyway and nothing is lost by the end of that life sooner than it would have ended otherwise.

following orders is not his top priority. this is, i think, where i get the idea that twain is a free spirit. it is this that has sort of shaped twain in every way, whether it’s getting expelled from every school in his area or going overboard on a mission where his target should have been left alive. i think his top priorities are having fun and having a good story to tell later, and while letting atsushi die wouldn’t have fallen under something fun, twain’s anticipated victory definitely would have been a good story to tell others.

part III: traits with basis in how mark twain was in real life.

an unashamed love of cats. it doesn’t come up SUPER often, but i like to remind people from time to time that my twain absolutely adores any and all cats, and had plenty of them himself before the guild arc. this comes from rl mark twain being obsessed with cats to the point where he’d have up to 19 cats at once, and would straight up rent cats while he was traveling so he never had to be without cats.

traveling. speaking of traveling! this not only comes from rl twain’s travels, but also the love for adventure displayed by huck and tom in their books. bsd twain really wouldn’t be a good adaptation of the soul of mark twain without acknowledging his travels. i think there were hints to this in the show, but definitely not as much as i would have liked. my twain is a restless soul and not only likes seeing new placed, but meeting new people.

unashamed acceptance. this actually stems both from the central ideas of several of twain’s novels as well as a quote and his love of traveling. my twain used to be a terrible person; he came from a conservative family and had no internet access beyond the one TV that they had, so it’s not like he was very informed. it was traveling and meeting so many people that caused him to develop the accepting nature he has today.

utter devotion to objects of his affection. i’m assuming because everyone reading this is probably a normal person, they DON’T know the intimate details of twain’s relationship to his wife. well i personally do. while there were undoubtedly some problems between them, there is one thing i choose to input in my relationships involving twain: he genuinely bent over backwards to get her to love him. he would do literally anything for her. and that’s a huge big part of how i portray twain in all of his relationships because i input that aspect of “willing to do anything for his partner, even if it wasn’t what he might have wanted to do beforehand, just so he can be happy with them”.

profanity and sex. i don’t know how much you know about twain’s other works that aren’t his most popular, but he was known for being very prolific and obscene in certain works, to the point where he made a joke about the word ‘damn’ being in used in substitution of the word ‘very’. for his time, he was also very obscene and made a lot of references to not only sex but other things that were considered taboo subjects among the respectable like, i kid you not, farting. because of this, my twain curses a LOT. and i can’t exactly explore this much since i myself am a minor and don’t know how far i can really go, but he is very in tune with sexuality and basically this man has a lot of sex.

comedy. to put things plain and simple, RL mark twain was basically a touring standup comedian for a good portion of his life. i attribute this fact to why twain is the funniest person in the guild and always tries to keep things light and fun. 

bouts of depression. i should say this now: my twain doesn’t have depression. but, since i didn’t want to ignore the fact that the real author more than likely DID, i felt i should include my twain’s suicide attempts just before and just after leaving home, when he felt he was at his lowest.

the river. the river not only serves as a motif for twain’s most famous story, but also his actual life. if you know anything about rl mark twain, you know he was a steamboat captain for a little while. my twain definitely was not (although i have thought about giving him a steamboat captain au just for fun), but nevertheless a large portion of his initial journey away from his home took place on a river, to parallel both huckleberry finn and his actual life.

thoughts on war and humanity. since i don’t write serious things with twain a lot, it’s difficult to incorporate this into most threads with him. rl mark twain was personally affected by the civil war and did all he could to avoid fighting. he never actually enjoyed conflict. my twain was NOT affected by the war, as it was just ending when he was born, however he still has a lot of thoughts on militarization that i won’t elaborate on as i’m trying my best to keep this blog free from subjects that could genuinely affect anyone’s wellbeing. as for humanity, my twain largely shares his counterpart’s view that human beings can be very greedy and selfish, but that kindness is the greatest weapon and gift one can have. his views are very complicated so it would definitely not hurt to ask him directly about them wink wink nudge nudge.

confidence and natural magnetism. i’ve already spoken about my twain in regards to confidence, but there is some of it that is based in how mark twain in real life was--and no doubt in how tom sawyer acts in every book that features him. he was once quoted as calling himself THE american. despite all this, however, i take from rl twain his natural magnetism and ability to somehow make people like speaking to him despite that he should very much come off as arrogant; with my twain, there’s really just something about him that feels as though he wants to get to know you.

curiosity about science and new technology. because of his counterpart’s interest in science and friendship with nikola tesla, my twain has a deep love for new and exciting technology, and it’s actually because of this that i have the hc that he discovered a love for video games after having enough money to actually purchase a setup to play them. he’s really interested in things like cloning and genetic altering even if he doesn’t really understand the actual science behind them and i’m very confident that if he had watched phineas and ferb his favorite character would be dr. doof.

part IV: miscellaneous.

favorite color: orange. not only is it the color of his hair, but it’s also the color of fire and a very bright and friendly color. favorite food: italian, but he’s not a picky eater and will settle for anything. he specifically enjoys good NY style pizza, but doesn’t think chicago style pizza is bad either. favorite song: american pie by don mclean. “uncle” introduced him to it. favorite movie: it honestly depends on the day. recently he’s had a strange obsession with night at the museum. favorite game: minecraft. this is the part where i explain later: it was the first game he actually played after buying himself a good enough computer to play games and he fell deeply in love with how beautiful of a game it was. he gets very emotional about the idea that for him, minecraft is a game meant to be shared with other people and for you to showcase just what you can do. he has a hardcore world that’s been up since he was 18! favorite non-alcoholic drink: lemonade. favorite alcoholic drink: whiskey. favorite season: summer, with fall as a close second. favorite holiday: halloween. he loves to dress up. this year he says he plans to dress up as the cowboy from night at the museum, but that will probably change. favorite musical: currently, newsies. but he’s also been known to like falsettos, bonnie and clyde, and 35mm. favorite place: anywhere there’s something new to see. favorite animal: coyotes! biggest fear: as strange as it may seem, he genuinely actually doesn’t have any real fears. the only thing he’s afraid of is the kool aid man because his brothers convinced him that it was filled with the blood of kids who didn’t like kool aid and he’s never been able to shake that fear from him.

MBTI type: enfp. enneagram type: 7w6. hogwarts house: gryffindor. i actually have had thoughts before about putting him in hufflepuff or slytherin, but his unashamed bravery and willingness to run headfirst into any situation with no fears as well as his BLATANT disregard for rules makes him more of a gryffindor than anything. ilvermorny house: thunderbird. it favors adventurers, and i’m sure if you’ve gotten this far you know twain loves to adventure. patronus: honestly, probably some kind of hawk or falcon. tma entity: hard to say, but i tend to have him aligned with either the eye or the vast. the eye because he likes to watch and observe and hear others’ stories, and it’s a great way to play off of twain looking through a scope to snipe people in canon. and the vast because he’s a thrill seeker and loves the feeling of falling, and also believes that in the grand scheme of things not much is very important. PJO godly parent: hermes for sure, but i have experimented with the idea of it being apollo, dionysus, or athena. hunger games district: 7. i already have this established in the hunger games au for him that i?? just kinda have for some reason. divergent faction: dauntless. i don’t even like divergent by the way, i was just kind of trying to think of other categories i would sort twain in. i think he’d definitely be divergent tho tbh.

[homestuck-session-analysis]

Hello! I am curious about how a session between a 8 of my friends + myself and how screwed we'd be ;P. We have a: Witch of Heart, Sylph of Time, Heir of Doom, Knight of Space, Rogue of Hope, Page of Heart, Knight of Mind, Prince of Blood and Knight of Light. I don't know if this would affect our session at all but everyone is female except the Page of Heart.

THIS IS THE LAST FORGOTTEN ASK!  YAHOO!!!

Witch of Heart

Personality: Witches tend to find themselves in societies or situations where they are dissatisfied, which makes them strong revolutionaries and visionaries.  Their rebellious nature causes them to change their aspect in ways inconceivable to others.  As a Heart player, she would probably be very critical of others, or maybe even herself.  It is possible that this may manifest as a matchmaking personality, as is common for Heart players, though that is not always the case.  She will not be happy until her vision is realized.

Abilities: The Witch of Heart would be able to control a person’s emotions and/or identity.

Session Contribution:  The Witch of Heart is really scary, but useful in a way.  If you don’t mind manipulating people and possibly destroying their senses of self, then she would be very helpful!Sylph of Time

Personality: Sylphs are people who have a great sense of someone’s potential, and they tend to be driven to help in any way possible.  This can make them seem to be incredibly nosy and a little annoying, but they have nothing but good intentions.  As a Time player, she would be very concerned with her friends’ progression and development toward their destiny.  Her biggest weakness is that she cannot accept when something is a lost cause.

Abilities: The Sylph of Time would be able to mend tears in time and heal others by either reverting their injury to before it happened, or by accelerating the healing process.

Session Contribution: This is your healer.Heir of Doom

Personality: Heirs tend to come off as very dumb, but a more accurate term would be happy-go-lucky.  They are very much a representation of “ignorance is bliss,” for they tend to grow up very sheltered and secure, especially under by aspect.  As a Doom player, she gains her sense of security from her pessimism. By expecting the worst, she feels like she is always prepared for anything.  Heirs tend to struggle with change, as they tend to get comfortable with where they are.

Abilities: The Heir of Doom is the meme build of the century, because her special ability is dying.  I’d like to believe that she would also be able to bring herself back, just to make it less absolutely terrible, so she’s effectively able to play dead.  Also, I’m sure she will also be able to use Doom based powers.(Note: Actually, if she god tiers, she can likely avoid a just or heroic death by using her ability of dying, which would probably count as neither.)

Session Contribution: If she has additional powers, then she would be a great asset to the team.  If not, well, she will outlast everyone and might allow shenanigans to happen to fix a disaster scenario.  I dunno, this is a weird one.Knight of Space

Personality: Knights are a very insecure lot, typically using their aspect to attempt to create a facade that makes them seem more impressive.  As a Space player, they would try to manifest the “tortured artist” persona, and will very likely distance themself from others.  To develop as a person, they should learn to trust others and lower their walls.

Abilities: As a wielder of Space, they would be a teleportation master, being able to teleport themself or others or weapons in a fight.

Session Contribution:  The Space player’s duty is to breed the Genesis Frog, and this Knight will be able to do it very effectively on their own!  The Knight is called to a session with a lack of their aspect, in this case, Space, so either they must efficiently utilize the little creativity or physical space given.Rogue of Hope

Personality: Rogues are very selfless people, as they share a worldview with Robin Hood.  Their strong sense of justice and equality makes them easy to talk to, as they are very respectful.  They are also very spunky and ready to do what’s right!  As a Hope player, they tend to be especially concerned with social justice and equal opportunity, and they will be very trusting of others.  Sometimes, the Rogue puts themself into danger to right a wrong, so make sure they understand that it’s okay that life isn’t always fair.

Abilities: The Rogue of Hope is a very strong asset, as they can reallocate their enemies’ success and potential to the team.  This may manifest in the ability to take their very will to fight away and giving it to the team.

Session Contribution: The Rogue is a very important morale booster for the team, and depending on your interpretation of Hope, they might be able to solely win you the game.Page of Heart

Personality: Pages are known to be very weak and impressionable.  Like the knight, they are very insecure about their weaknesses, but instead of acting impressive, they display their weakness in hope that someone will help.  As a Heart player, the Page will likely have very little emotional intelligence and be very awkward, or find it difficult to empathize with others.  He can only grow once he recognizes other people as people with feelings.

Abilities: The Page of Heart would ultimately be able to project their emotions onto others, give identity to otherwise faceless game constructs, and other abilities.

Session Contribution: The Page of Heart would be a great emotional support.Knight of Mind

Personality: Knights are a very insecure lot, typically using their aspect to attempt to create a facade that makes them seem more impressive.  As a Mind player, she tries to appear purposeful, calculating, and responsible (if that wants to manifest itself as a random skateboarder-persona, it ain’t my business), but in reality she is rational and responsible in a less extreme way.  To develop as a person, she should learn to trust others and lower her walls.

Abilities: The Knight of Mind would be able to wield Mind by strategizing, using her understanding of consequences and free will to assist her on the battlefield.

Session Contribution: Knights are called to sessions with a lack of their aspect, which means that there will not be much logic or accountability taken in this session.  It is up to the Knight to make up for this by utilizing what she has to the best of her ability.Prince of Blood

Personality: Princes have fairly destructive personalities and resent others, mostly because they strongly resent themselves.  Their self-hatred often lead to them harming others, either intentionally or unintentionally.  As a Blood player, this Prince is going to have had issues with prior relationships she had, and she likely rejects societal expectations or the notion of the importance of interpersonal connections.  She needs to learn how to accept accountability for her actions and accept herself for who she truly is.

Abilities: The Prince of Blood would be able to destroy bonds between people, especially with the purpose to break an enemy’s allegiance to their allies.  She may also be able to establish bonds between people that would eventually harm them.

Session Contribution: I swore to myself I wouldn’t bring Modfic into this, but to anyone who read it, one of the characters was a Prince of Blood, and although he not trying to fuck everything up, most of the deaths happened because of him.  This player is going to cause a lot of strife among the team.Knight of Light

Personality: Knights are a very insecure lot, typically using their aspect to attempt to create a facade that makes them seem more impressive.  As a Light player, they would try to come off as intelligent and always knowing what’s going on, and while they are bright, they need to learn that it’s okay not to have all the answers.  This is basically a Knight who tries to be a Seer.

Abilities: As a wielder of knowledge, the Knight would be a fantastic stategian, but they would also be able to use light offensively very well.

Session Contribution: Knights are typically called to sessions with very little of their aspect, and it is their job to make the most of the little bit that’s present.  It isn’t surprising that this Knight appeared, as Light is commonly associated with knowledge, and you have no observation classes.  This player will function as your observer, not by gaining knowledge, but instead by using inductive reasoning.

Interpersonal Dynamics

The Witch/Prince and the Page would be super toxic with each other, keep them away from each other.

However, at peak power, I could imagine the Witch being able to change the Page’s god tier so that it is no longer conflicting, as well as the Knights’, so if they are comfortable with it, I would use it to my advantage!

The Knights of Mind and Light would be close friends.

Keep the Sylph of Time with the Page of Heart, she would stick through with him and make sure he matures into his powers.

The Rogue of Hope and the Sylph of Time would be cool with each other.

The Heir should work together with the Sylph, because destiny is also a very important part of the Doom player’s quest.

The Witch and the Prince can cause emotional havoc among the team when brought together.

Session Overview

Too Many Knights!: Knights are the worst class to have repeats of, because they’re present specifically to make up for a lack in the session, and if two are gonna die…well the session will probably not have enough of what it needs to succeed.  If the Witch doesn’t learn to change a person’s classpect, you’re going to have to keep the Knight of Space, at least until she breeds the frog, and then I’d personally keep the Knight of Mind.

Witch or Page?: Same problem, you have two Heart players, though this one is more of a coin flip.  I’d keep both until it’s obvious whether the Witch can change a player’s classpect, but if not, you’d want to keep the Page.  The Witch is more useful, but combined with your Prince, people are gonna start killing each other.

Leader: Rogue of Hope or Knight of Mind.

Offense: The three Knights, the Prince, and the Witch are all built very offensively in this session.

Planning: The Knights of Mind and Light are very very very bad signs together.  They better start doing their jobs, and hope that one of them doesn’t die.

Survival: Three players are ��doomed” due to classpect redundancy, but the Sylph is a good healer!  Also, the Heir is still hilarious.

Frog Breeding: Knight of Space is amazing at breeding frogs, and if they need help, she has two other Knights to help!

Loyalty: You’re fucked.  Hope your Witch and Prince are nice, or that the Page or the Rogue can do something to offset how much of a shitshow this will be.

Overall: This session is also cursed, but not as cursed.  If you lose, it’ll be because someone murdered everyone.

]>>Maso

[fazbearsfrights]

hey rick tell me. abt your aubergine man. show will to the world

you got it ;)

@bunnyworme

IT’S HIM, THE STINKY BASTARD MAN. he’s meant to look like michael because, y’know, sister location. for reference, here’s my mikey boi! there are some differences here and there, though (i.e. deathly pale, darker hair, sliiightly different haircut, green eyes, bigger nose, etc. also before / when he first opens fredbear’s he’s a LOT chubbier but he uh…loses a lot of weight after certain events. we’ll get into that tho!).

LET’S GET INTO TIMELINE AND PLOT…

SO what’s really important to me here is the stuff just before and after fredbear’s/freddy’s and the afton family, mainly because i haven’t thought up much stuff before then (though i really should - i don’t really even have a solid character in mind for his wife at the moment).

anyhow, william’s family consists of himself, mrs. afton, michael, and elizabeth. william is FAR from the best father, and certain incidents where he lashed out at his own children (particularly michael) led his wife to threaten to leave him at certain points. but william is nothing if not a good manipulator and convincing pathological liar, and he convinced her to stay for a good while before she ultimately did gather the courage to leave. she pleaded for michael and elizabeth to come with her, but elizabeth - desperate for her father’s attention, and always unharmed, unlike michael - chose to stay instead. and being the protective brother he was, michael chose to stick with his sister, despite wishing he could do otherwise. once the divorce was finalized, though, she got custody of them every so often - weekly, which left william feeling…conflicted. that being said, this situation takes place over the course of time, in tandem with the fredbear’s/freddy’s stuff.

at some point in this part of his life, he met henry - a small-time inventor who was incredibly talented, but toiled his days away on miscellaneous small projects, either toys for his children or crafts he could sell for a small fortune (which, sometimes, were toys that his kids had rejected). william, by now, was a bit of an entrepreneur who was looking for a new project - and although it wasn’t obvious at this point, he’d struck gold. over time, their friendship grew, with william wrapping his new acquaintance around his little finger (both intentionally and unintentionally, due to him genuinely growing attached - over time, he grew to admire henry in all sorts of ways). and in the end, some time after learning of his buddy’s talents…he decided it was time for a brilliant idea.

they were both struggling a bit financially, but if they sunk all of their savings into this idea, he was certain it would pay off. “fredbear’s family diner” (although it wasn’t titled at the time, merely a concept) - a family-friendly diner, featuring costumed mascots, like a dinner theater. when henry nervously said that there was no way they could support the salary of costumed workers, william eagerly suggested that they could play the roles, to which henry protested again - they didn’t have the time, especially not if they would be managing the business! eventually they settled on a compromise. henry would be designing a suit that could double as a costume AND an animatronic, like the robotic toys he developed for his children…a springlock suit.

it took ages, with henry tinkering until he developed the first springlock, then a prototype suit, then designs of characters until he and william could both agree, then suits of fredbear and spring bonnie. the two characters who would lead the restaurant. by now, henry was thrilled by this idea and the delight it would bring to not only his kids (who were already excited by the characters he’d been creating) but the kids around their town, and william was simply in it for the money right now (and ultimately, nefarious purposes). still, the two of them smiled on their (henry’s) work at the end of the day, and eagerly started work on the restaurant.

another long while passed, and the financial struggles that its construction caused stirred serious turmoil in the afton family that william had to fan down. henry had similar troubles, but finally, the diner was COMPLETE. the stage was set! his two springlock suits were brought in and placed, and the diner opened the next day. they had a rough time getting word about the diner out, but once it did, it spread like wildfire. it was New to everyone around, especially because of the way the mascots could “change” their styles of dancing. they could even sing! people were impressed, and it was a good thing too, because they really needed that cash.

time passed, and the diner’s popularity grew, and william was pretty happy with how things turned out…for the most part. by now, his familial troubles were getting really rough - things were settling down now, but he wasn’t a better person at home whatsoever. his wife was getting ready to leave (for real) and That was tearing him apart on the inside, despite what success he had from fredbear’s, which was all he seemed to care about now anyway (aside from his relationship with henry). when she finally did leave, he started to snap for the first time and started to lash out at everyone, especially henry. it was the first time the two of them had ever had a real argument, since william had endeavored to keep himself on his “best behavior” because he didn’t want to lose him - and yet here he was, projecting his feelings for why his wife left him onto his best friend, and yelling at him for his unfounded fear that he would leave him too.

the next day, william outwardly gathered himself for henry’s sake and apologized, then explained the situation at home (but twisted the story so that it favored him - it wasn’t his fault she was leaving him, she was the one who manipulated and abused him, etc). and upon hearing all that, being the empathetic soul he is, henry was ofc like “oh worm im so sorry????” and wound up trying to COMFORT him bc he’s baby. and once again, william had him wrapped around his little finger.

now, when his divorce was finalized and his custody of the kids got kinda fucked, and his wife got her first week with them, he snapped yet again. only this time, it was MUCH, MUCH worse. yet again, his meltdown involved henry (or rather, his family), and it was meant to be a cathartic moment - if my family can’t be happy, if i can’t be happy, neither can he. so when one of his henry’s twins wound up locked outside of the diner, he smiled at her - a familiar face for her, as henry’s best friend, and comforted her for a moment…just before stabbing her. and as she bled out on the pavement, he felt no remorse or sadness…in fact, his only concern was that henry might be nearby, since one of his damn kids was. so he haphazardly dragged her toward the back, near the dumpster, barely concealing her under some trashbags, and smiled as he loomed over her pathetically covered corpse. henry would be just as miserable as him now.

william changed into his “professional” outfit in the car, then scrubbed his hands clean in the bathroom the first chance he got, despite wearing gloves at the time of the murder. not even a few hours into the work day, he was being pestered by henry about the whereabouts of his daughter - he didn’t even know a parent could be so paranoid. master manipulator that he was, he assured his friend that she must’ve been around somewhere, probably playing with sammy or one of the other kids, or heck, maybe even playing hide-and-seek. kids are unpredictable! that seemed to ease his worries just enough for the time being, but in the meantime, he just chuckled to himself, knowing what a fool the man was and what panic and misery would ensue the second he knew what fate his daughter had met.

as anticipated, over the next few days, henry’s misery drastically intensified - she went from “missing” to��“found” in what felt like a matter of moments, and all the while, william was his only pillar of support. and he was loving every second of it. being able to comfort him on his darkest days, hearing the weak “thank you”s every time he listened to the pitiful man’s venting, the long and anguished hugs. of course, it wasn’t because he was being a friend to him (although part of him did yearn for a closer relationship with henry like this) - it was because he was towering over him in a position of power, because now he was the one “on top.” henry was the one suffering now, moreso than him, and he would never be able to recover. in fact, william was doing better than ever - killing charlie seemed to instill him with more confidence than ever, and he LIKED that feeling.

henry became more and more disheveled, showing up to work in stained flannel and mussed up hair, bags under his red eyes because he’d been crying all night. this pattern continued for a long time, but the crying eventually stopped, though his sorrow was replaced by a deeply-seeded paranoia regarding his own diner. he feared the place, and feared his kids ever visiting it, despite him practically opening it up for them. and yet…none of his suspicions were placed on william. not the one person who’d comforted him in his darkest days, no. not his best friend. that man would never betray him.

eventually (after a bit of an expansion, thanks to some convincing on will’s part - new characters would make the place brand new, make him forget), the diner claimed another victim, and it wasn’t even by william’s own hand, much to his own surprise. another one of henry’s kids, funnily enough (from will’s perspective). he had to witness the man’s grieving process all over again, and support him all over again, all the while trying not to smirk as he towered atop him - when henry suffered, he felt higher than ever before, even though he loved the man to death. 

with this death, however, henry officially decided that it was high time that the diner closed down. he couldn’t bear another death on his hands - not another child of his, especially. he’d grieved enough, and he only had one left. even so, william wouldn’t give up. he convinced henry to create another restaurant, finally, but henry refused to make the animatronics himself…he didn’t trust himself anymore.

and so marked the first time that william invented animatronics of his own, with henry’s help. and once again, his ego soared, as he took to the inventing game rather rapidly - even henry remarked that he was impressed. his models were plastic, unlike henry’s fuzzy and soft ones, and he insisted that they would be more “kid-friendly” and fitted with safer technology to keep him happy. so, the 1987 restaurant was opened, and the toy models took over while the withered animatronics rotted in the back room.

in the meantime, william got to Killin for realsies. charlie was like…a warm up, but this was the real deal. he got sloppy, though, not realizing that his own tech would recognize Him as a criminal if he killed in front of them. in fact, it shouldn’t have been technologically possible. one of his creations - the toy version of foxy, and what would ultimately be the prototype of funtime foxy (mangle) - even recorded audio of him in the act. so, to keep them all in order, he tampered with their facial recognition software. then, he dismantled the mangle beyond repair, then passed it off to everyone around him as something the children did.

although william didn’t have much of a real motive for killing this time around, his interest was piqued when he overheard henry’s oldest son - an employee of the establishment - discussing issues with the current night guard, and how he complained about the animatronic’s behavior during the night. it might not mean much to anyone else, but the way they acted made it seem like they were aware. sentient, perhaps. and their behavior over the ensuing weeks made that possibility feel more and more likely - they stared at staff almost maliciously, and adults in general, but behaved normally around kids. and that caused him to wonder if there was any chance whether the spirits of the kids themselves could’ve tethered themselves and possessed the things.

regardless, when henry realized that more kids were going missing in this restaurant, he started to lose it again. he couldn’t keep it together anymore - and eventually, he managed to figure out just who was behind it all. and although william did his best to keep it together, and sway him otherwise, and smooth-talk him out of it, henry continued to push and push until he snapped and called him out for the liar and the monster that he was. with that, henry truly DID leave him - in fact, he’d left a suicide note, but he just disappeared. no body was ever found.

but despite everything, all the misery william put him through, all the intentional torture, william found himself absolutely devastated by that loss. and for once, he seemed to be genuinely saddened by it; instead of lashing out at others, as he was wont to do, he seemed to lash out at himself. he was a pretty rotund lad back in the day of fredbear’s and the 1987 freddy’s restaurant, but he grew incredibly, deathly thin in the months after henry left. a few new scars had gathered on his wrists by the end of the year. he grew more unkempt, just as henry had just after his losses.

but in time…he recovered. he grew to turn his sorrow and saudade into unbridled hatred. he didn’t need henry, he NEVER did. and to prove it, he made his own franchise and his own robotics company in 1990 - “circus baby’s pizza” and “afton robotics, llc.”, respectively. when his daughter’s interest was piqued after seeing him work on circus baby for the first time, he even encouraged her by telling her that circus baby was being made for her. that wasn’t the case, obviously, but it made her giddy and it would ultimately make her excited enough to possibly spread the word about the upcoming restaurant to her little friends.

finally, circus baby’s restaurant was open to the public - and unbeknownst to them, it was essentially a haven for child murder, just as william had planned for it to be. each of the animatronics had their own mechanisms for luring children away and for ensnaring them, and essentially all he had to do was watch the chaos unfold. this time around, it was an “experiment” of sorts - he wanted to see whether the kids really would possess the robots if they were killed inside of them, test out different methods, etc. as toy chica would say, though, “there is only one thing that could possibly go wrong…”

although william hadn’t been the best father, there is some part of him that did care about his kids. especially elizabeth, his “favorite” child. he may have ignored her - a lot - especially in favor of his work, as of late, but he did love her. and so when she ignored his constant warnings, his incessant pleading for her to stay away from circus baby, only to be snatched up the second she walked up to her…well. he was devastated, yet again.

he should’ve seen it coming, really, especially after telling her that he’d created circus baby “just for her.” but of course he hadn’t thought it through, and now she was gone. it was like he was reliving what he’d done to henry, wasn’t it? karma’s a bitch, ain’t it, afton.

he closed down circus baby’s after that single incident, and started working on an underground facility for the animatronics to be stored while his own mental state started to deteriorate more and more, since he was in almost complete isolation - not even his own son came to see him anymore now that he was entirely independent by now.

around this time, the next freddy’s opened up - the owner just so happened to be henry’s oldest son, the only apparent survivor of the tragedies that befell his family. this IMMEDIATELY caught william’s attention, and reignited the grudge he felt toward henry and his family all over again. he’d get “revenge” for what was done to him, and even to his daughter - at least, that was how it was justified in his twisted mind.

he applied for a job as a dayshift worker under an alias, since he would be recognized otherwise. thankfully, his appearance had changed SO drastically over the years that even henry’s kid - who’d spent so much time around him back in the day - couldn’t piece his identity together. not at first, anyway…but by then, it was too late. he got to work with his usual pattern - luring kids away with the suit they kept in the back room, then stuffing them into the animatronics.

fortunately for him, this could be the experiment he missed out on when he lost his daughter and closed his own restaurant down. and he didn’t have to pay the price for it - henry’s franchise, son, and overall legacy did. he kept a keen eye on the animatronics’ behavior both before and after the children were killed, and he was fascinated to find that they were indeed haunted. something about the semi-conscious bodies being tethered to metal caused their souls to become tethered, too - which led to events like this. 

in fact, their behavior got so aggressive that they started hunting night guards - most of them either quit to keep their lives or mysteriously went “missing” in the night, but william knew what happened. he could see their clumsily stuffed bodies in spare suits in the back. the animatronics were getting revenge for what happened to them, and he was intrigued. but at the same time, he was given a new hope…

he decided to re-dedicate some of his attention to circus baby and her friends with these new discoveries in mind. his resources went to staff and machinery that would allow the bunker to be automated for them - and once that was sufficient (despite a few losses here and there - what can you do? the animatronics Were designed to be killers, after all), he even started up a rental service for them. it wasn’t big, but it was a side project. and in the meantime, he contacted his son about a job offer.

it took some convincing, especially since this offer was coming from a father who had never treated his son well, but because it was about his sister - and despite the supernatural circumstances surrounding the situation - he ultimately accepted. his son would take a job at the rental place as a night technician, but his actual goal would be to find elizabeth and “put her back together.”

with all that settled, this particular freddy’s inevitably closed down FOR GOOD. after all, plenty of grieving parents had come forward, alongside customers complaining about blood and mucus seeping out of the animatronics, and the owner himself had “gone missing” during the night shift (after taking the place of his last willing night guard). and so william went in the abandoned restaurant one last time to dispose of the evidence. after dismantling all of the animatronics and retreating to the safe room, however, he was met with the ghosts of the children he’d killed - and one of them in particular started to approach him. 

he wasn’t sure what they could do, but he was frightened enough to back away until he locked eyes with his springlock suit in the corner - and he suited up one last time, positive that once they saw him as “spring bonnie,” the cheerful character that they’d loved and trusted before they died, they’d leave him alone. he made one fatal mistake, though - in his surge of confidence, he laughed to himself the second he put the suit on, which triggered the springlocks. and once one of them went off, all of them started to go off, one by one, inflicting a quite painful death - or what ought to have been one. william always comes back, y’know.

the safe room got sealed up - william never knew who did it, or why, but it seemed like a premeditated arrangement by henry’s son - and 30 years later, fazbear frights opened up and william was Pissed. he’d been locked up all that time and he was itchin for revenge…and since the emily family was gone, he was ready to take his anger out on the world around him. except there was no escape from this attraction, all over again - and there was only one person around. a “guard.”

only, when he approached the makeshift office, what did he find? the “guard” this time around was none other than his goddamn son - except that his son was barely recognizable now, deformed, corpsey, and boney. if it weren’t for the wig and the make-up to make his skin resemble…skin, he Wouldn’t have recognized him. william was a confused and angry stinky, rotting bunny.

every time he managed to make it up to the window pane just in front of the office, he slammed his animatronic paws on it demandingly and tried to speak to michael through severed vocal chords. michael, on the other hand, would wince and desperately try to lure him into another room by distracting the suit he was inside of (which still had a mind of its own, even with him being somewhat dominant) with those damn balloon boy giggles, and he would be unwittingly forced to leave.

the miserable pattern continued for a week until michael set the place ablaze, trying to get rid of the franchise’s worst mistake - william himself. of course, he failed, and william survived…and now he had a new target. his son himself. whoops. and that leads us into the final freddy’s restaurant.

a freddy fazbear’s pizza joint that michael himself opens up, to salvage all the final pieces of the fazbear franchise and get rid of them once and for all, to make sure that everyone is set free. william is, of course, one of these final pieces - and despite realizing that this must be a trap, this piques his curiosity, and he’s confident that he’ll be able to escape again. that’s what he did before.

unfortunately for him, the construction of this place was too clever for him to anticipate - a carefully-constructed labyrinth that would endlessly lure him and the others in a circle, up until the final day, where they would all meet their end in a fiery grave.

and, of course, there’s the end - where william meets his ending in hell, surrounded by the animatronics he’s gotten to know so well; some of which he’s created, some of which henry has, some of which are haunted by his victims, some of which are a product of circumstance, and some of which…are him himself. and the one orchestrating it all just so happens to be henry’s boy…sammy, represented by golden freddy, one of the most vengeful spirits there.

NOW. uh. i’m sure you’ve gotten a taste of it throughout all of this, but we can talk a lil more about his personality and stuff?

william is a very mentally ill boio, but i really like to hone in on the fact that he’s a bpd bastard because i feel like there were lots of hints about that in the books. maybe that’s just me though. i mean, the fact that he wrote stuff about henry that ranged from the dude being his idol and him loving his work to him almost hating his guts and being consumed by jealousy for his talents kinda sealed the deal for me on THAT headcanon?? so he’s got like - a debilitating fear of abandonment, acts kinda recklessly / impulsively, is INCREDIBLY antisocial, hostile, and irritable, has mood swings a-plenty, is actually VERY insecure even though he’ll never show that to anyone around him, and is really self-destructive even if he doesn’t fucking realize it. like, this man will shrug off ANY self-blame until the cows come home.

and straight down the line, i think william meets all the criteria for having antisocial personality disorder, too. disregard for right and wrong, persistent lying to exploit others, disrespecting others, manipulating others for personal gain, arrogance and a sense of superiority, CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, impulsiveness and failure to plan ahead, hostility, aggression, violence, lack of remorse, dangerous behavior, abusive relationships, failure to consider negative consequences or learn from them, and being consistently irresponsible and failing to meet work obligations.

so he’s obviously manipulative and cruel, and a pathological liar. but well, he can be…nice when he wants to be? it’s usually when he’s first starting his relationships, but it’s never quite “right” - there’s a moment of peace while he struggles to find what his new friend/partner wants in somebody, and he’ll do anything to meet their expectations and keep them happy until they’re content enough for him to start showing his true colors. 

in his wife’s case, he was a perfect gentleman who did anything for her, but then he started getting upset with her very easily over the littlest things. things escalated drastically over time, but he apologized every time and assured her he would be better for her, bought her candy and flowers, anything to remind her of that perfect guy he was at first. and that sort of pattern continued up until they were married, and she miserably stuck with him through the arguments and bruises and incidents with her children until she finally had enough.

on a similar note, he really did care about henry (before it all went astray) - henry was his closest friend and it really showed in just how intense his attachment was to him. his depression over henry’s loss was far more intense than what he went through after his divorce. unfortunately, his affection for henry just manifested in an INCREDIBLY twisted way, with his jealousy and bitterness often taking hold more than any actual kindness he might possess. 

there’s also his kids - even though michael got the short end of the stick, william did occasionally show…some shred of affection toward him. let’s just say that a lot of the ways that michael was mistreated, beaten, and kicked while he was down was how william was treated as a kid, and those patterns took over once he had kids of his own. when he wasn’t taking out his anger on his family, he did act like a real father every so often, treating his kids to Good days at the diner and letting them play alongside henry’s kids, or playing with them himself, or just tucking them in at night and doing little things to show he did care, even a tiny bit.

and as for elizabeth, the favoritism was real. when william was working on his bigger projects, like starting up fredbear’s or actually designing and creating animatronics - those for circus baby’s pizzeria in particular - she got ignored a lot more, which always upset her, but other than that? she got PLENTY of attention. love from her dad (though his “i love you”s were always spoken so haphazardly to both of his children, whether he intended for them to sound that way or not), playtime (though he always seemed bored), and he would take her out every so often to get ice cream (her favorite). circus baby might not actually have been made for her, but one aspect of her design was certainly inspired by her - the ice cream dispenser. her father’s attitude was always what made her insecure - and there were other things behind the scenes too, like the way he threw out her drawings when she wasn’t looking (she always found them in the trash later on).

[rainstormcolors]

it's totally cool if you'd prefer not to answer this (i've noticed it's a bit of a sensitive subject in fandom)- I was a bit curious, What did you personally think of the Ceremonial Duel?

This is a very good ask, though my answer may not be able tomeet that expectation.

The Ceremonial Duel is something of a multifaceted topic,isn’t it?  My own take, the reception itreceived overall by fans, and the behind the scenes aspect, as well as my ideafor how it both fits and clashes with various aspects of the series if I feellike including that break down too. It’s also something I’m not emotionallycharged on. My feelings on it are neutral and I’m able to see the merits ofboth sides of the argument of whether it’s a fine or garbage ending.

If I had to sum it up in one sentence: I think the endingwas very heavily foreshadowed from early on within the series, but it has majorproblems, and that Atem’s feelings were left so intentionally ambiguous isintriguing to me.

Prior to DSoD, as a lurker coasting around odd fandom spacesfrom time to time, I did have the impression YGO’s conclusion was somethingpeople were iffy on. As far as I’ve been able to gather, Japan’s fandom hadsome iffiness too. I think the announcement of The Darkside of Dimensionsreally illuminated the fandom divide on the ending in a way. There were manyfans who were flatly rejecting DSoD altogether on principle, but the film ofcourse set out to examine some of the wounds left in the wake of Atem’s departure,and that’s something many fans had also felt haunted by. (There are of coursefans who despise both the original ending and DSoD, and there are of coursefans who are alright with both the original ending and DSoD; my point is more noticingthe split of fans’ receptiveness to a continuation.)

People dissect apart that final duel to try justifying theirtake on Atem’s feelings. An expression that could be taken as somber, anexpression that could be taken as one of relief; dialog drops grabbed fromcharacters who are not Atem but instead projecting onto Atem; etc. The truth isthere isn’t an answer in canon on whether Atem definitely wanted to leave ordefinitely wanted to stay. His feelings were left ambiguous; and I find thatchoice intriguing. It would’ve been so simple to give lines to Atem announcinghis relief at finally being able to rest, or announcing his crushing pain athaving to depart from the world. Instead the event is treated like a mechanismof nature.

My personal interpretation on this ambiguity is this: “ifthe items wanted to reunite inside the Millennium Stone, if the items couldmanipulate their bearers for the sake of reuniting there, if the items had noconcern for human life… I don’t think it’s out of the question the MillenniumPuzzle planted an inescapable urge inside Atem to depart to the netherworld. Ithink it really is like a salmon swimming upstream to die.”That’s not to say I’m correct; it’s just my reading.

And I also wrote this bit some time back, back before the “discourse”regarding the finale bubbled over and became bright: “I think, like so manyshonen series, Yu-Gi-Oh! was ultimately a metaphor for the journey fromadolescence into adulthood. Yugi saw Atem as a kind of idealized self. “Youwere my goal,” as he says. Their relationship became much more complex thanthat, but I think Atem leaving was meant to symbolize Yugi letting go of thisidea of an idealized self, this person he thought he should become when he wasyounger, and accepting himself for who he is. The metaphor becomes messy thoughbecause Atem is a character in his own right, with his own identity and desiresand fears, and his departure does contradict several other messages of theseries (staking your worth on a game??).”

The characters left behind would be wounded. It would hurtand they’d be haunted. Atem was not Yugi’s idealized self. He was a person. Hewas their friend.

But I don’t actually hate the original ending, in partbecause it seemed so obvious to me. I feel the immense foreshadowing shouldn’tjust be brushed aside in this discussion. And the behind the scenes aspectlooms large here: there was no time to course correct for KT. Either he had toshatter all the foreshadowing he spent seven years crafting, or he had to sendoff Atem with exceedingly poor justification in text. By that time, he’d beenabandoned by his audience and may have felt little need to break away from theoriginal plan. But that doesn’t mean fans can’t be upset about it.

The precise reason fans are upset is because they care aboutthese characters so much; I have to respect that. It’s honest pain. There’ssomething sour with this ending to leave that kind of scar on fans. But I findthe occasional mocking and moralizing comments that have come up aimed atpeople who liked the ending to be uncalled for. Humans read into fiction invery individual ways, and I think that should also be respected. (Though I’ve beentold this situation of one side sometimes mocking the other used to be inreverse.)

If I have to play defense for the original conclusion, it’dbe in how I feel there’s shades of sad nostalgia enveloping those moments. Despitethe metaphor of growing up itself collapsing, the feeling of ghosts and lostthings from adolescence you can never get back is there.

Even for fans who see the ending as something uplifting andhopeful; it’s a personal feeling and reading. Yugi accomplished his goal of helpingsomeone who had helped him. Likely, they interpreted Atem’s expressions in the endas ones of relief.

(I actually realized not too long ago that the anime had itsown foreshadowing, unintentionally perhaps, in Noa Kaiba as he understands he’salready dead and must accept his fate.)

If I have any last thoughts to include, they are unneededbut it’d be that the longest fanfic I ever successfully completed kind of examinedthe holes in the finale. I have no intentions of ever posting this fic and havealready cannibalized pieces of it for other fics but it was like this: Atem,feeling the strange tug on his heart to go to Egypt but hesitant, decides he’llwait to make his decision. This enrages the Millennium Puzzle and it seals Ateminside, not allowing him to manifest or communicate with the world at all untilthe Millennium Items are gathered at the tomb in Egypt. Yugi units the Items insidethe Millennium Stone, at which time Horakhty emerges before Atem inside thePuzzle. The Items combined allow a wish, one far more powerful than anyindividual Item’s wish. Horakhty tells Atem this wish even has the power toreturn life to a ghost. But now see, this fic was an edgy angstfest whereanother character had been killed off near the beginning of the story. Atem hasno hesitation in spending his wish for this person, and time loops back. Atemis able to stop the accident from happening. No one else remembers anything.And as time moves forward again, that’s why Atem’s feelings are so nebulous andyet set on his departure from the world. …… I don’t know if this was relevantto include, but it seems kind of related.

Thank you for the ask. I hope I gave an adequate answer. I’mopen to the thoughts of others on this.

[exalted-rebel]

About this translation:

1.)     Free to use. Free to translate/retranslate. Free to copy/repost. Free to alter. Free to save. Free to print. Free to adapt to any medium. No need to notify me. No need to ask my permission. Only two stipulations: Please DO NOT sell it in any way, shape, or form. By doing so under the conditions of international copyright law, you risk dooming us all. And second: I like to be given credit for what portion of the work I have done. Please link back to this site.

2.)     This is a “transformative MTL.” I initially use machine translation (plus consultation with some friends who study Mandarin when I don’t understand a portion of the text), then I essentially regurgitate all the semantic knowledge I’ve acquired for each paragraph into English sentences concocted by my brain. I also utilize beta readers, who are credited for their labor alongside my translation consultants in my acknowledgements at the end of every chapter. This is in many ways a collaborative effort.

3.)     To put to rest any accusations of plagiarism: I DO read other translations of this series and openly use the ExiledRebels translation as a reference- Not for plagiarism, but rather, to avoid it. I consult the ExiledRebels translation regularly to try to make sure what I’m providing is substantially different from the past translator, K’s, attempt. However, sometimes my MTL or other translators have simply already struck upon the best English phrasing for a sentence, in which case I typically opt to keep it as is. No need to reinvent the wheel, in my opinion. I also consider other translators’ work a means of fact-checking my own interpretations of lines to seek an accurate consensus. I highly value the work of those who went before me and would like to give credit where credit is due.

4.)     My intent is to write a translation that reads as fun and effortlessly as any popular English language fantasy novel that one would consume at a Barnes n Noble coffee shop. To this end: I fundamentally do not care if MXTX has been “problematic” in some sense with her word choices or anything of the sort in the original work. I don’t sit down and argue with myself during the translation process about what MXTX really meant or intended with certain words because my first priority is not pinpoint accuracy, but rather creating something that will be enjoyable to my audience. I don’t intend to translate in a way that professes to be wholly accurate to MXTX’s vision. This would be impossible. I don’t know her mind. Translation is inherently a transformative act- and I choose to lean into this. Instead of mulling over MXTX’s intent, I will always choose the path that reads most favorably to me and my beta readers.

5.)     I am not an expert in Chinese culture. This is an obvious detriment with regards to my own comprehension of the original text and means I spend additional time not only translating chapters line by line but painstakingly researching the cultural context of certain phrases, references, and concepts. In some ways however, this can be a benefit to my goals as a translator rather than a detriment. I believe my own baseline ignorance can be beneficial in the sense that I can use myself as a good gauge of what an average Western audience member does or does not know and what doesn’t translate across culture- and I can therefore provide additional explanation in-text after research and consult to help fill in the gaps and make a more seamless reading experience. I aim to make something that is approachable to Western audiences by letting my audience learn with me rather than erasing culture to substitute a more easily understood Western equivalent in the place of foreign concepts.

6.)     I am a bisexual man. I filter the contents of the novel through my own experience as a queer man, and I write with an English-speaking LGBTQ+ (especially mlm) audience explicitly in mind. There’s an argument to be made that danmei as a genre exists for heterosexual women, but part of what draws me to MDZS is its international relevance to the queer community (because hey! This is breaking through a lot of societal barriers regarding censorship of mlm relationships! And the representation is overwhelmingly positive! The main couple actually gets married and raises a child; that’s great!) and because I genuinely, genuinely enjoy the source material as a queer person. When I was first exposed to MDZS, I saw Wei Wuxian as a morally ambiguous figure with glowing red eyes, billowing robes, a haunting flute, and a horde of zombies at his command- he was powerful and cool- …AND ALSO bisexual. In Western culture, a lot of “representation” written by cishet people unintentionally marginalizes us by casting us as either villains, sassy friends of the protagonists, or victims of tragedy- and a lot of popular queer media, in retaliation, attempts to humanize us by making us “strong” but nonthreatening and seeks to create stories that are as “unproblematic” as possible. In my opinion, both approaches have their problems and essentially deny us the full spectrum of our own humanity by imposing limitations on what roles we are allowed to play. Upon seeing Wei Wuxian, in my mind, I thought, “Yeah, this is the kind of representation I want! Just a straight-forwardly cool character, who also isn’t straight! A queer character who is fully allowed to have moral ambiguity, imperfections, sins, and depth.”

There’s also, as a queer reader, a certain wish fulfillment and schadenfreude in watching WWX on the loose. After his reincarnation, he’s in the body of an already openly queer man who is perceived by his peers to be a “lunatic.” WWX has no propriety or status to lose, and thus he gets to just do and say whatever he wants. For anyone who has had to be closeted out of necessity, this can make watching WWX troll homophobic characters with his open sexual proclivity and knowledge of what will offend their sensibilities really enjoyable. Some of the past translation work by ExiledRebels however does not exactly live up to this euphoric experience that I project onto the novel and can be interpreted as homophobic. As a translator, the devil’s in the details to construct a translation wherein rhetorical decisions allow queer readers to be in on the joke rather than the butt of the joke. And for the most part- I do feel uniquely positioned to make a stronger attempt at achieving this than my predecessors.

7.)     I’m invested in MDZS because I think the source material is genuinely strong. The main character is interesting and fun to watch. The main couple is extremely compelling and appeals to a lot of popular romantic tropes. The plot is startling and dramatic. The underlying themes of the novel itself with the duality of “light” and “dark” and how the concepts of “good” and “evil” are socially constructed are great. I’m struck by how much potential there is for this novel to be a sensation among Western audiences, and I feel one of the things preventing that has simply been the absence of an open-access, compelling, professional translation.

- Mod Achilles.

[abbie-jamieson-film-genre]

Week 12: Sound Project Self Reflection

Group 6

Abbie (me) - paper rustling (interior), drawer and trash/plastic bags

Dori - chair, indoor footsteps, plastic bottle, wet paper (exterior), jacket

Mia - all the other footsteps, door shutting

Maddy - rain sounds and sirens

Maddy/Tom - character noises

As a group, we came to a conclusion on the soundtrack 

Narrative

As a group, we were instantly drawn to clip 4, and it was obvious this was the one we all wanted to work on, however, settling on a narrative was difficult. I volunteered some ideas, but we didn’t know what route to go down. This delay in picking a direction possibly rushed our execution of this idea as our genre seemed to be a little confused by some. 

We took so long to figure out narrative, we were almost having to shoot the sounds without knowing the context of our visuals, yet we luckily had a very collaborative idea of the protagonist being wrongly accused of a crime, and this is his search for the piece of evidence that will prove him innocent. Together we bounced of ideas, and the motivations for the protagonist’s movements, and worked out logically reasoning for these moves. I was extremely happy with the narrative, and how we were going to display it through sound, but I don’t think it was as effective as it should have been.

Genre

We were going to implement a siren sound to imply the police are nearby and they are looking for him, hence his hesitance in the stairway. I liked the subtly of the sirens, especially how well integrated the sound was - we even got feedback saying that it was so real, they thought it was a police car outside their house. However, I don’t think people entirely grasped the crime aspect, as this was the only clear indicator of that. This being a project focused on genre, this is a little bit disappointing, but we should have done more to indicate that he is being accused of a crime he did not commit. Now in reflection, I feel like we could have reintroduced this sound effect later on in the scene, or we could have had dialogue, or a voice over. For example, we could have had a police officer speak to him off screen, or we could have had a soundtrack that would give a bigger nod to the crime genre. 

The Instrumental 

Although a few people got a sense of the crime drama, many people got the sense of a romance. Some got a rom-com vibe and the main character was a hopeless romantic, and some believed he was devastated at the loss or breakup of his former lover. I think this was greatly influenced by the soundtrack as we had intended it to give a sense of hopelessness and the loss the character might face if he is charged wrongly. I think people perceived this music as more along the “sad and in love” when we wanted a “depressing and hopeless” feel to it, and these ideas can overlap in some ways, but we should have made this more clear that it has nothing to do with love. In hindsight, although I felt the score really suited the scene, maybe we should have gone for something more intense to make the stakes feel higher, and to drive away from any idea of romance.  

We had went back and forth over the soundtrack, as we thought it would be one of the most effective ways to convey our narrative. We were debating on going with slow or intense classical or action film scores like Hans Zimmer, two polar opposites, but we we’re sure if we should have gone for the intense action, or a calm and depressing tone. We felt as if none of these fit, but we knew we wanted to go with a melancholic atmosphere and something that wasn’t too intense. We decided this because we thought something too loud and aggressive would imply he is angry that he is going to get caught by the police, thus meaning he is guilty. Yet we wanted to portray his innocence, and we reckoned an innocent man would be more distraught and panicked instead. We chose this song in the end, as we believed it captured that essence the best, but it accidentally implied some of the wrong things too. Ideally, if we had had time, and to have more experience with sound between us, then I think we would have loved to have made our own score. 

The Sound Recordings

Our feedback showed us that everyone agreed we had synced all the sounds, including the footsteps, and the majority of the recordings sounded realistic. This being said, there was a couple of issues, especially with the sounds from the protagonist. They were jarring as the sounds of the man were too loud and didn’t blend among the tone of the other sounds. Being the only male in our group, Tom attempted to voice the character, but he decided he did not sound like a frustrated man, but instead he sounded like someone pretending to be frustrated, and this would have disrupted the realism of the other sounds. Instead they searched for free sounds online, and although this was not ideal, this was the best option they had. This made the voice sound out of place and it potentially crossed into the territory of comedy which was the complete opposite of what we intended. The sounds were also out of place in regards to the positioning of the microphone. The distance between the camera and the protagonist showed on screen sounded different to the distance between the microphone and the protagonist and this takes you out of the immersion. If I was to re-do this project, I think we should have looked around for more people to voice the character, and this would have made it more fitting to the piece both in regards to tone, timing and positioning of the microphone. 

The rain sounds were lovely, but people picked up on how similar all the sounds seemed, and that the sound of the rain should have varied from location to location to give that sense of change. Someone did spot the effect that made it seem as if the rain was hitting the roof, so it was great that people spotted that little detail too! The main thing picked up from this leads onto the part where the man runs out of the building and the door opens and closes so you can hear the difference between the interior and exterior. We did not have a significant enough change, and this also loses the realism of the scene. There should have been a gradual increase and decrease of the rain sound as the door opens and closes, and the groans should have been more muffled as it makes it seem like there is no door between the audience and the protagonist. 

My personal feedback

I worked on the drawer, trash and the interior paper sounds. The main challenge I faced was with the microphone itself as the only one I had access to was a cheap Røde Microphone and static noises were extremely noticeable. I had to change the sound record mode to manual and significantly lower to levels to avoid any unwanted noise. I luckily managed to avoid it, but next time I would prefer to use equipment that does not have this issue so I can get straight to recording and to not have the worry that I might need to re-shoot. I also have little experience in sound, so i still definitely did benefit from this practice.

I received great feedback about my paper sounds as people really appreciated the attention to detail. During the recording, I positioned the microphone roughly the same distance away from the paper as seen between the camera and the paper, to help gain this sense of space. Zoe asked how I achieved a good sync, so I said Mia and I had done the same thing in which we played the original clip and we followed what was happening on screen in order to get the best accuracy, and this turned out to be a really effective method. 

Another piece of feedback I received was that the noises of the plastic bags should have been more noticeable, this was possibly a combination of me not placing the microphone close enough to pick up on these sounds,and the soundtrack over riding the sounds. Either way, there should have been better communication between me and the person mixing the sounds. We could have discussed how these sounds would effect the ending as I do agree a greater care with these sounds could have improved the ending, and possibly steered us from giving out vibes of the wrong genre. 

Communication

Over the course of post production, Dori was great at giving us updated edits to show us progress and the improvements which was very helpful. However, I do wish we had had more meetings, especially face to face to discuss some of the issues brought up in the crit, as I felt like many of them would have been sorted. I felt like I would have probably  had some ideas sparked about what to improve on if we had had that in person meeting, but because of covid, we were only meeting when necessary (like the film shoot).

I do think our group worked really well with each other, but as stated, I don’t think we had as many meetings and discussions as we should have because we were too sidetracked by the other project for this module, and we never had the same input and thought behind it. We should have worked to balance out the work and time put into each piece, as I think we all unintentionally focused more on the short film.  

Overall

Our main feedback was that the first half of the piece was excellent, but the second half seemed to not reach the same quality. This was mainly due to the issues previously mentioned such as recordings sounding “off”, out of place and unrealistic. However, these issues were the minority, and overall, people really liked the piece.

In conclusion, I loved the final result of this project and I loved working with this group (you all did an amazing job!) but we still could have improved in a couple of areas. 

(sorry for writing so much!)

[ihaveatheoryonthat]

(This is from before SUF aired; I’m just cleaning out my drafts)

More on the Gem AU:

Fusions:

In this ‘verse, a gem can fuse with anyone sentient enough to make that decision, regardless of whether they’re a gem, organic or robot.

Gem-gem fusions are the only ones that can last for longer stretches (on the order of centuries+), due to physical requirements.

Gem-robot fusions last longer than gem-organic fusions for this reason.

Gem-robot fusions can last decades, if said fusion is careful, but tend not to last as long as gem-gem fusions.

Fusions are way more fluid, for lack of a better term, than in SU. A fusion will always reflect the most current relationship between their components as of fusing.

How well the components are working together can be observed in a fusion’s number of limbs, eyes, etc. and changes from instance to instance. If the components have a stable relationship, their fusion’s appearance rarely changes very significantly.

That being said, a “perfect” fusion could still have four eyes, four arms and hands for feet, depending on what the gem’s preferred form is and what kind of being they fused with in the first place.

Misc-Gem-related:

Like the Zoni-- and for very similar reasons-- gems are extremely vulnerable to sonic attacks. The Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler is an abomination.

I’m thinking Darla Gratch may be a gem just for the regeneration joke, and I like the idea that Max Apogee was a gem who was enchanted by the lombax race and spent centuries studying them.

Ace Hardlight may be a gem, because with that last name, how can I not.

Nefarious might be a gem who created a metal body for himself instead of using his light form. I’m not sure why that would be at this point, but it’s a possibility. Probably has to do with Qwark. He may be Raritanium.

IRIS is still a supercomputer, but with a gem as part of her inner workings.

I considered giving the Plumber this treatment, but it’s funnier when we don’t know what his deal is. You do you, The Plumber. You do you.

If he was a gem, though, he would 100% be Sewer Crystal.

I kind of want him to be a gem just for that.

Story related:

Obviously with such a massive shift in Ratchet’s origin, ToD is pretty screwed. I figure Tachyon still goes after him under the impression that he is a lombax and tries to play it off like he knew he missed one. Nobody corrects him until the last confrontation. He doesn’t take it well.

Because he’s not a lombax, Ratchet’s not nearly as desperate to use the Dimensionator. He’s viewing the situation with the lombaxes as a way to make up for not being able to save Kaden. He’s stubborn about it, but things don’t get nearly as heated as they do canonically.

Alister is pissed when he first meets Ratchet, because he still looks a lot like Kaden, and, in this universe, Kaden didn’t have any children, so it’s obvious something’s up. He eventually calms down when he realizes they have similar histories (if on massively different scales) and both want to atone by bringing the lombaxes back.

Because there isn’t any familial/emotional connection to his best friend, Alister sees Ratchet as more a means to an end than anything.

The rescue scene absolutely results in a mid-air fusion. He separates as soon as he reaches solid ground not because he has to, but so his components can see one another again.

Alister still attacks Ratchet, and all but shatters him. Clank reaches him before that can totally happen, and manages to fuse with him out of desperation, but Ratchet’s gone by that point. Physically, he may be a fusion, but he’s the only consciousness there. The choice to reverse time is entirely his, because I think that’s really important.

I like to call this scenario ‘A One-Sided Conversation’ because I love suffering.

They fight Alister as a fusion.

100% projecting Stronger Than You feelings onto this.

Specifically, I’m feeling, “I am even more than the two of them, everything they care about is what I am.”

Character specific notes:

Both Ratchet and Clank can store items. They tend to split it up so Ratchet handles the weaponry and Clank holds onto anything else they deem important. They have differing ideas as to what constitutes “important”, so both tend to hang onto things the other considers junk.

Fleeting thought, but it would be funny if Ratchet attempted to store the Zoni similarly.

Their fusion has access to anything either of them has put away. This isn’t always a good thing.

It took a solid chunk of time for Clank to realize that Ratchet was also a gem. He introduced himself with his adopted name and keeps his gem hidden most of the time, so it’s less that Clank didn’t notice and more that the measures Ratchet took to protect himself were working properly.

It would still happen over the course of the first ‘game’, to be clear.

In the public eye, nobody seems entirely sure which of them is a gem or if either of them is. This includes Qwark, who definitely knew at some point, but didn’t care enough to remember.

Ratchet’s older than Clank by a little under two decades. By gem standards, they’re more or less the same age-- and are both super young and inexperienced.

They first fuse at the end of the original storyline, the part where, under normal circumstances, Clank’s arm would break and they would fall from the Deplanetizer. In this version, he loses his form in the blast and Ratchet unintentionally draws him out via fusion while they’re falling. Neither has experienced fusing before-- and may not even be aware that it’s a thing-- so it’s just a whole lotta “?????”

The UYA-era fight against Nefarious might be one of the few fights they specifically fuse in anticipation for.

[aion-rsa]

Stargirl Season Finale Ending Explained and Unanswered Questions

https://ift.tt/2ZMmxp2

This article contains Stargirl spoilers.

Stargirl has been one of the few good things about 2020. Smart, impressively crafted, and full of heart, the newest addition to The CW superhero roster has been bringing us some much needed joy. Sadly, the season has ended, but it finished on a high note with an action-packed and emotional episode that tied up some loose ends, had a few shocking surprises, and opened up a lot of potential for the already announced second season that will air exclusively on The CW. Check out our review for a full rundown of the awesome episode, but we’re here to breakdown that wild ending, all those stingers, and answer some of the most burning questions that “Stars & S.T.R.I.P.E. Part Two” left us with. 

The Justice Society of America Rises Again

It’s hard to end a debut season that’s been as stunning as Stargirl but somehow the creative team did it. There were a whole bunch of amazing moments in this episode but let’s focus on that third act that really began when the kids got into the tunnels underneath Blue Valley High. This finale really did a great job of giving everyone their own full arc which satisfied as well as left them with something to achieve or look forward to next season.

Let’s start with the outlier, Cindy Burman. The daughter of Dragon King got her revenge as she killed her father, unintentionally helping Shining Knight before heading off to battle Courtney.

Cindy’s attack led to Yolanda having a reckoning of her own as she had to head further into the tunnels and saw an unexpected face. Henry King Jr.’s arc was one of my favorite things about this season so I was blown away when one of the Dragon King’s minions was revealed to be the teen who we thought died earlier this season. After the heartbreaking moment where it was revealed that it was actually Brainwave attempting to use Yolanda’s love for Henry as a way to get her to betray her friends, the young girl made a choice driven by fear, anger, and hate, slitting his throat and watching him bleed out in the same place he killed his son. It’s a stark moment and one that reflects a change in Yolanda, and contrasts an equally important moment for Rick. 

Read more

TV

Stargirl: Who are the Justice Society Members?

By Mike Cecchini

Before we get to that, though, Courtney and Yolanda reunite and the former blows up the satellite that was projecting Brainwave’s signal. With the world seemingly saved, there are two immediate problems: Solomon Grundy and Barbara who’s been kidnapped by Icicle. Rick wants to take care of the first issue, and after saving Pat from the monster and sending him to save Barb, Rick begins the vengeful beatdown he’s been dreaming of for so long.

But when it comes to striking the final blow on the creature that killed his parents, he can’t actually do it. Earlier in the episode we saw Yolanda begging him not to kill only to commit a murder herself, and yet here Rick decides to show mercy to Grundy, shocking himself and finding a different kind of closure. 

With Barb at the mercy of Jordan, Pat and Courtney turn up just in time. And after a dramatic rooftop showdown, Jordan is defeated by an unexpected assist from Mike saving the day. With the Dragon defeated, Shining Knight heads off to find the Seven Soldiers of Victory and the rest of the new JSA settles back into their daily lives before we hit a couple of killer stingers which we’ll get into later as the real ending of the show is all about Courtney realizing that Pat is the father she wanted all along.

The pair share a heartwarming scene where Court gives her sidekick and stepdad the gift that she held onto for so long for her biological father, and in a lovely moment it’s revealed to be a “World’s Greatest Dad” mug. Brec Bassinger and Luke Wilson have been at the heart of the series all along and this is a lovely, quiet moment that acknowledges that as well as cementing their relationship before they head out on a magical snow-capped flight. So with all of that said, let’s get into where this leaves the roster of heroes and rogues and what it all means. 

Is Icicle Really Dead?

This is the obvious question that we’re left with after Mike ran over the leader of the ISA while he was in the process of transforming, leading to him being shattered in the street. It seems like a pretty un-comeback-from-able death, but the fact that Jordan can manipulate water means there’s a chance that he’s just dribbled into the drains of Blue Valley, ready to either plan his revenge or head to the labs of the late Dragon King in an attempt to put himself back together.

We know that the Injustice Society is filled with villains who should be dead and Jordan did promise that he would succeed in his nefarious plan to “fix” America, so maybe he’ll be back for Stargirl season 2…

Could Mike Really Join the JSA? 

After successfully demolishing Jordan just as he was about to freeze his sister, Mike asks whether his heroic moment means that he can join the JSA. It’s a funny moment that also hints at some possibilities for the future of Pat Dugan’s son. While in the comics he never had an official superhero mantle, that could definitely change here.

But if Geoff Johns and co. continue to be inspired by the comic book series that introduced readers to Stargirl and her family–as well as giving the two-part season finale its name–then his role could be deeply connected to another shocking moment of “Stars & S.T.R.I.P.E. Part Two” and the fate of another team member. 

What About S.T.R.I.P.E.?

During his epic fight with Solomon Grundy, S.T.R.I.P.E. was decimated. The giant monster ripped off the impressive mech’s legs and beat him with his own arm. It was a brutal display of strength from Grundy and left S.T.R.I.P.E. in a state of disrepair.

Seeing as Pat built the rad machine himself and we see S.T.R.I.P.E. return at the end, we know he’ll be okay. But the big thing to note here is who will help him. Season one has done a great job of seeding Mike as a potential sidekick to Pat and Courtney, especially with his clear prowess for science and invention. In the comics Mike does go on to help his father fix and innovate S.T.R.I.P.E. so after the events of the finale it seems likely we’ll see that thread brought into the sophomore outing of the series. 

Where Did the Gambler Go?

Seeing as the Gambler is the only member of the ISA without powers, he did a pretty great job at getting out of Blue Valley and apparently surviving. Thanks to Beth’s brilliant thinking, he no longer has millions of dollars to rebuild his life which means his options are few and his taste for vengeance will be heightened.

If we look to the comics there’s a chance that Steven Sharpe could settle down as when he disappeared off the map before he had a family and then ended up killing himself after losing all his money in Vegas. Of course, that could also hint that maybe due to Beth and Chuck donating all of his money to charity we may never see the Gambler again. Perhaps his financial loss may have been too much? Or he may just be far too scared to continue without his super powered colleagues who have all perished? For now his fate is unclear.

How Will Beth Fix Chuck? 

There were plenty of heartbreaking moments this week but high up there was Beth’s grief over Chuck. The A.I. representation of the original Doctor Mid-Nite has become a friend, confidant, and sidekick for the lonely young girl, and Beth’s relationship with the goggles he inhabits has been a highlight of the season. But when Jordan destroys them with his ice powers it seems like the connection and power of Doctor Mid-Nite may be no more.

The truth is that Beth is Doctor Mid-Nite with or without the goggles, but the big question here is how she’ll come to realize that. Perhaps it will be by fixing the unique tool herself or by discovering another artifact or memory bank that Chuck left behind. Either way, we’re sure that Beth will continue her reign as the hero. 

Will Yolanda Go Rogue? 

Though she likely saved her friends and the town of Blue Valley–and potentially America–with her actions, killing Brainwave was still a moment that will haunt the hero. Despite the fact that the episode ended with Courtney and the new JSA sitting together, Yolanda was set apart, distracted and alone. There’s a good chance that whatever happens next season we may see her split with her young and hopeful cohorts, especially after Rick refused to kill Grundy and Courtney’s horrified response to Yolanda’s killing.

I don’t believe that Yolanda will go full villain but her experiences with Brainwave could encourage a more hard line vigilante stance that might not fit with the cleancut JSA. 

Who Was That in the Injustice Society’s lair?

Well, well, well. If you’ve been wondering who’s going to take over from the now defunct Injustice Society, look no further than that strange top-hatted figure who appeared in the ISA lair at the end of the finale. In the fourth episode there was a really quick reference to a rogue known as the Shade who betrayed the ISA and it looks like from this stinger that the Shade is back in Blue Valley.

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TV

Stargirl Villains: A Guide to the Injustice Society

By Rosie Knight

So who are they? Well, in the comics the character debuted in a 1942 Flash Comics issue and was portrayed as an enigmatic man with a magical cane that could control shadows. But the version that we’re most likely seeing here is the ageless Victorian immortal who played a key role in Stargirl writer/producer James Robinson’s 1994 run on Starman.

In that series the character is less of a villain and more of a roguish anti-hero who will switch sides whenever it suits him. There’s plenty to take from the Shade’s appearance but the most interesting aspect is the definitely supernatural nature of the character and the demon-filled, era-spanning world that he inhabits. It seems like a drastic shift in tone from the nostalgic Americana of the first season and does seem to hint at a darker and more magic-filled followup.

It’s also important to note that during his time on Justice League of America Robinson wrote in a story about the Shade being possessed by a powerful spirit known as Eclipso, who also (sort of) popped up in the finale with the help of none other than Cindy Burman. 

Who or What is Eclipso? 

Ahhh, this is the kind of question I live for. Even in an age where we have a JSA team on prime time TV made up of teenage girls and a Harley Quinn series that regularly features Kite Man, Eclipso is a capital D deep cut inclusion. And there are a few exciting ways that they could go with the late stage reveal that Cindy has discovered “the Heart of Darkness” gem where the immortal supervillain is trapped. She found it in the easter-egg-filled basement of The Wizard’s home.

Now in the comics, Eclipso is a supernatural character based on the concept of wrath and more specifically the Angel of Vengeance. That immediately fits Cindy’s current mindset as we know she’s on a mission to destroy everything that Blue Valley has to offer. I mean, she killed her own father but was equally as eager to kill Courtney and stop the Justice Society. 

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TV

Stargirl: The History of Shining Knight

By Rosie Knight

Eclipso has manifested in many hosts in the DC Universe, but the one that seems most relevant here is Jean Loring, nee Palmer, who’s probably most well known as the murderer in Identity Crisis. Just like Cindy, Jean discovered the gem which housed Eclipso and was later possessed by him and given his powers. We know that Cindy is desperate to become a super villain and will stop at nothing to do it, meaning that she would likely try and harness the evil spirit to achieve her goals. 

The other interesting thing to note here is this could also be a backdoor way of Stargirl introducing another lesser-known DC hero to the  young cast. In certain parts of Eclipso canon it was the Princess of House Amethyst who imprisoned him in the gem. Now DC has been doing a push on bringing the teenage fantasy heroine to the screen, so if Eclipso gets loose in Blue Valley maybe Amethyst will have to leave Gemworld and head to our world to help out? 

We wrote in much more detail about the history of Eclipso and what he could mean for Stargirl Season 2 right here.

Starman’s Alive???

This was easily the episode’s biggest reveal and leads to some of the most complex theorizing as well as some deep cut but necessary explanations. So in the world of Stargirl, Sylvester Pemberton is alive and well, which comes as a huge shock because we thought that we saw him die a decade ago at the hands of the Injustice Society. There’s always the chance that this is some kind of Clayface/shape-shifter scenario, but if not it leads to some really interesting questions and will bring to light something that a lot of comic book fans have been wondering. 

See, in the comics Sylvester Pemberton was the Star-Spangled Kid but he was never actually Starman. The mantle he took on after retiring as the young hero was Skyman. The real comic book Starman was Ted Knight who was followed by his brother David and later by Ted’s son Jack. There have been other heroes who have used the name Starman but none have been Sylvester Pemberton.

It’ll be interesting to see just how the show combines these two disparate narratives now that Pemberton is potentially back in the picture. In the comics he does team up with Stargirl at one point, which could be echoed here. But it feels like this might be more of an arc for Pat who has spent his life dealing with the ramifications of a death that might not have actually happened at all. So what is Starman hiding? Where has he been? And most importantly of all for Courtney, is he going to want his Cosmic Staff back? 

We’ll have to wait to find out the answers to all of these questions and the fates of our lovely teenage heroes, but whatever comes next we cannot wait for the return of our favorite new superhero show!

You can watch all of Stargirl season one on DC Universe or The CW app right now! 

The post Stargirl Season Finale Ending Explained and Unanswered Questions appeared first on Den of Geek.

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The happy secret to better work | Shawn Achor

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The happy secret to better work | Shawn Achor

After I used to be seven years historic and my sister was once simply 5 years ancient, we have been playing on prime of a bunk mattress. I used to be two years older than my sister on the time — I mean, i am two years older than her now — however on the time it intended she had to do the whole lot that I wanted to do, and i desired to play war. So we were up on prime of our bunk beds. And on one side of the bunk bed, I had put out all of my G.I. Joe squaddies and weaponry. And on the opposite facet had been all my sister’s My Little Ponies capable for a cavalry cost. There are differing money owed of what genuinely happened that afternoon, however on account that my sister isn’t right here with us today, let me inform you the genuine story — (Laughter) which is my sister’s a bit on the clumsy aspect. One way or the other, without any help or push from her older brother in any respect, Amy disappeared off of the top of the bunk mattress and landed with this crash on the floor. I nervously peered over the part of the bed to see what had befallen my fallen sister and saw that she had landed painfully on her hands and knees on all fours on the bottom.I used to be worried for the reason that my mother and father had charged me with making certain that my sister and that i performed as safely and as quietly as possible. And seeing as how I had unintentionally damaged Amy’s arm just one week before — (Laughter) (Laughter ends) heroically pushing her out of the best way of an oncoming imaginary sniper bullet, (Laughter) for which i have yet to be thanked, I was once attempting as difficult as I might — she didn’t even see it coming — I was trying hard to be on my first-rate behavior. And that i saw my sister’s face, this wail of anguish and struggling and surprise threatening to erupt from her mouth and wake my father and mother from the long winter’s nap for which that they had settled. So I did the only factor my frantic seven yr-ancient brain might believe to do to avert this tragedy. And when you have youngsters, you’ve obvious this hundreds of thousands of times. I stated, "Amy, wait. Do not cry. Did you see the way you landed? No human lands on all fours like that.Amy, I believe this implies you’re a unicorn." (Laughter) Now, that was cheating, given that there was once nothing she would need more than not to be Amy the hurt 5 12 months-historic little sister, however Amy the specified unicorn. Of direction, this alternative used to be open to her mind at no factor previously. And also you might see how my bad, manipulated sister confronted clash, as her little brain attempted to devote assets to feeling the soreness and suffering and shock she simply experienced, or taking into consideration her new-observed identification as a unicorn.And the latter won. As an alternative of crying or ceasing our play, instead of waking my mum and dad, with all the bad consequences for me, a smile spread across her face and she scrambled back up onto the bunk bed with the entire grace of a child unicorn — (Laughter) with one damaged leg. What we stumbled across at this delicate age of simply 5 and seven — we had no proposal at the time — used to be used to be going be at the leading edge of a scientific revolution happening two a long time later in the best way that we look at the human brain. We had stumbled throughout anything called optimistic psychology, which is the purpose i am right here at present and the reason that I get up each morning. When I began speakme about this research outside of academia, with firms and faculties, the first thing they stated to in no way do is to start with a graph. The very first thing I need to do is begin with a graph. This graph appears boring, but it’s the purpose I get excited and get up every morning.And this graph doesn’t even imply some thing; it’s fake knowledge. What we discovered is — (Laughter) If I bought this data studying you, i’d be thrilled, because there may be a pattern there, and that means that i will get published, which is all that quite issues. There’s one weird purple dot above the curve, there may be one weirdo within the room — i know who you are, I noticed you earlier — that’s no trouble. That is no quandary, as most of , due to the fact i will be able to just delete that dot. I can delete that dot considering that that is evidently a dimension error. And we all know that is a measurement error on the grounds that it can be messing up my data. (Laughter) So probably the most first things we educate people in economics, records, industry and psychology publications is how, in a statistically valid way, do we get rid of the weirdos. How can we get rid of the outliers as a way to in finding the line of exceptional fit? Which is fantastic if i am seeking to find out what number of Advil the natural character should be taking — two.But if i’m for your potential, or for happiness or productivity or power or creativity, we’re creating the cult of the average with science. If I requested a question like, "How fast can a child gain knowledge of find out how to read in a school room?" scientists alternate the reply to "How quick does the normal baby study easy methods to read in that study room?" and we tailor the category towards the natural. In the event you fall beneath the common, then psychologists get delighted, on account that that suggests you’re depressed or have a disease, or expectantly each. We’re hoping for each due to the fact our industry mannequin is, when you come right into a cure session with one quandary, we need to make certain you go away figuring out you will have ten, so you keep coming again. We’ll go back into your childhood if imperative, however finally we want to make you natural once more. However typical is in simple terms usual. And optimistic psychology posits that if we learn what is in basic terms usual, we will be able to stay purely common.Then rather of deleting those confident outliers, what I deliberately do is come into a population like this one and say, why? Why are some of you high above the curve in terms of intellectual, athletic, musical potential, creativity, power stages, resiliency within the face of project, sense of humor? Anything it’s, rather of deleting you, what I want to do is gain knowledge of you. Considering the fact that might be we are able to glean expertise, not just move men and women as much as the ordinary, but move the complete usual up in our organizations and colleges global. The intent this graph is most important to me is, on the information, nearly all of the know-how is not confident. Correctly it is negative. Most of it is about murder, corruption, ailments, ordinary mess ups. And very rapidly, my mind begins to think that is the accurate ratio of bad to confident on the earth. This creates "the medical school syndrome." for the period of the first year of medical training, as you learn by means of a record of all of the symptoms and diseases, immediately you realize you might have all of them.(Laughter) i have a brother in-legislation named Bobo, which is a whole different story. Bobo married Amy the unicorn. Bobo known as me on the cell — (Laughter) from Yale clinical institution, and Bobo said, "Shawn, i have leprosy." (Laughter) Which, even at Yale, is awfully rare. However I had no suggestion learn how to console bad Bobo because he had simply gotten over an complete week of menopause. (Laughter) We’re finding it is no longer always the fact that shapes us, however the lens by way of which your brain views the sector that shapes your reality. And if we can exchange the lens, no longer simplest can we modify your happiness, we will change every single academic and industry outcome while.I utilized to Harvard on a dare. I failed to assume to get in, and my household had no cash for university. Once I obtained a military scholarship two weeks later, they let me go. Whatever that wasn’t even a likelihood became a fact. I assumed all people there would see it as a privilege as good, that they’d be excited to be there. Even in a classroom full of persons smarter than you, I felt you would be comfortable just to be in that lecture room. But what I located is, whilst some individuals experience that, once I graduated after my 4 years and then spent the subsequent eight years residing within the dorms with the scholars — Harvard asked me to; I wasn’t that man. (Laughter) I used to be an officer to counsel scholars by means of the complex four years. And in my research and my instructing, I located that these scholars, regardless of how joyful they have been with their original success of coming into the university, two weeks later their brains have been centered, not on the privilege of being there, nor on their philosophy or physics, however on the competition, the workload, the hassles, stresses, complaints.Once I first went in there, I walked into the beginners eating corridor, which is where my buddies from Waco, Texas, which is the place I grew up — i do know a few of you recognize this. When they’d visit, they’d look round, and say, "This eating corridor looks like whatever out of Hogwart’s." It does, considering that was once Hogwart’s and that is Harvard. And once they see this, they say, "Why do you waste your time learning happiness at Harvard? What does a Harvard pupil in all likelihood need to be unhappy about?" Embedded within that question is the key to figuring out the science of happiness. Seeing that what that query assumes is that our outside world is predictive of our happiness phases, when absolutely, if i do know everything about your external world, i will be able to only predict 10% of your long-time period happiness. Ninety percentage of your long-time period happiness is predicted no longer by the external world, but incidentally your brain procedures the sector.And if we change it, if we alter our formula for happiness and success, we will exchange the way in which that we can then impact truth. What we determined is that simplest 25% of job successes are predicted by means of IQ, 75 percentage of job successes are anticipated by way of your optimism levels, your social aid and your capacity to look stress as a assignment as an alternative of as a chance. I talked to a new England boarding university, by and large the most prestigious one, and they stated, "We already understand that. So every year, instead of just educating our students, we now have a wellbeing week. And we’re so excited. Monday night time we now have the sector’s leading trained will speak about adolescent depression. Tuesday night it’s college violence and bullying. Wednesday night time is consuming disorders. Thursday night time is illicit drug use. And Friday night we’re trying to come to a decision between risky sex or happiness." (Laughter) I said, "that’s most men and women’s Friday nights." (Laughter) (Applause) Which i’m comfortable you really liked, however they didn’t like that at all. Silence on the mobilephone. And into the silence, I said, "i might be comfortable to speak at your tuition, however that is now not a health week, that is a health problem week.You’ve got outlined the entire bad matters that may occur, but no longer talked concerning the optimistic." The absence of sickness shouldn’t be wellbeing. This is how we get to well being: We have got to reverse the system for happiness and success. In the last three years, I’ve traveled to 45 countries, working with faculties and companies in the middle of an economic downturn. And i discovered that almost all companies and schools follow a method for success, which is this: If I work more difficult, i will be more successful.And if i’m extra effective, then i’ll be happier. That undergirds most of our parenting and managing styles, the best way that we inspire our habits. And the predicament is it’s scientifically damaged and backwards for 2 reasons. At any time when your brain has a success, you just converted the goalpost of what success seemed like. You obtained excellent grades, now you ought to get higher grades, you got right into a excellent institution and after you get into a greater one, you obtained a good job, now you must get a greater job, you hit your revenue target, we will change it.And if happiness is on the reverse side of success, your brain by no means will get there. We now have pushed happiness over the cognitive horizon, as a society. And that is in view that we think we ought to be positive, then we’ll be happier. But our brains work in the opposite order. If you could carry a person’s level of positivity in the present, then their mind experiences what we now call a happiness abilities, which is your brain at optimistic performs greatly higher than at terrible, neutral or stressed.Your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, your vigor levels rise. Correctly, we now have located that each single industry effect improves. Your brain at positive is 31% more productive than your brain at negative, neutral or harassed. You are 37% better at earnings. Doctors are 19 percentage faster, extra correct at developing with the right prognosis when optimistic rather of negative, neutral or pressured. Which means that we are able to reverse the components. If we can give you the option of fitting optimistic within the present, then our brains work even more effectively as we’re equipped to work tougher, faster and extra intelligently. We need to be ready to reverse this formulation so that you can begin to look what our brains are sincerely in a position of. Considering the fact that dopamine, which floods into your process when you’re constructive, has two features. No longer handiest does it make you happier, it turns on all the learning centers to your brain permitting you to adapt to the arena in a further method. We’ve located there are ways you could train your mind to be equipped to emerge as extra constructive.In only a two-minute span of time achieved for 21 days in a row, we are able to really rewire your brain, allowing your brain to certainly work extra with a bit of luck and extra effectually. We’ve got carried out these things in study now in every enterprise that I’ve labored with, getting them to jot down down three new matters that they are grateful for for 21 days in a row, three new matters on a daily basis. And at the finish of that, their mind starts to preserve a sample of scanning the arena now not for the poor, however for the optimistic first. Journaling about one constructive experience you’ve gotten had during the last 24 hours permits your mind to relive it. Activity teaches your mind that your conduct matters. We discover that meditation allows your brain to get over the cultural ADHD that we’ve got been developing via seeking to do a couple of tasks without delay and makes it possible for our brains to center of attention on the venture at hand.And finally, random acts of kindness are aware acts of kindness. We get folks, after they open up their inbox, to jot down one optimistic email praising or thanking anyone in their aid network. And by using doing these events and via training your brain identical to we teach our bodies, what now we have discovered is we can reverse the formula for happiness and success, and in doing so, not simplest create ripples of positivity, but a real revolution. Thank you very a lot. (Applause) .