#touches on themes being built up throughout the story

[twistmusings]

Character Analysis of the Twisted Wonderland Dorm Rooms - Heartslabyul

Not my usual content, exactly, but I thought this was interesting while I was researching for one of my upcoming posts!

Though the characters are in dormitories, they actually show really great characterization in the way they organize and lay out their rooms.

Long and with lots of images, so they are put under a cut.

Dorm Room Character Analysis Series

Heartslabyul | Savanaclaw | Octavinelle | Scarabia | Pomefiore | Ignihyde | Diasomnia

Riddle Rosehearts

Riddle has a lot of books. As in, so many that they aren't able to be contained to the larger bookshelf provided to the Dorm Leader. They have been stacked on top, as well as used to fill the smaller bookshelf to the left and stacked on top of that as well, and then also throughout the rest of the room. Little man is the highest ranking member of the library's readers club.

It is of note that Riddle's dorm is not as organized as you might think at first glance. I know a lot of people look at Riddle and oftentimes peg him as being the hyper-organized person with seems to be impossibly able to maintain how many tasks he has to balance. While that's not entirely untrue, and his room is far from messy, he does have books left open on his ottoman and stacked up on his nightstand that he was, most likely, reading in bed. His single framed art in his room is hung crookedly - and this is not a stylistic choice for the Heartslabyul dorm as some of the strange furniture. Both Deuce and Cater have similar wall decorations, but they are not hung crookedly.

Riddle is the only character to have a repeated motif of a broken heart in his decorations in Heartslabyul. Given what all we know about him and his history with his mother, this is fitting, if a little sad. Little details like this make me love to look at these rooms because you can see so much of how the designers considered the characters and their stories when designing their rooms.

Riddle also has a bouquet in a vase of Roses and White Lillies. While Red roses are a rather obvious motif throughout Heartslabyul, White Lillies are thought to symbolize purity, commitment, and rebirth. These are all strong character themes in Riddle's story.

Ace Trappola

We know that Ace likes card trick, as he learned them from his older brother, but I feel like it gets a little lost on a lot of the fandom that he likes magic tricks in general unless you pay close attention to his room card. He's got a magic wand, magic cups, and magic balls.

He likes basketball enough that he has an entire book dedicated to basketball and a hoop installed in his room.

He either has a spare dorm uniform jacket, or when he's in his room he takes off his uniform jacket and just walks around in the patterned vest and t-shirt. It's also possible, given that his brother was also assigned to Heartslabyul, that it's a hand-me-down jacket from his elder brother.

Ace has a card motif throughout his room, which is a cute touch considering he's based on one of the card soldiers. More than likely, it's because he does like card tricks and games. Of note, he also has a little callback to Deuce being his friend in his spade side table and the rest of his dorm as his rug features the Ace of Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs.

Ace's desk doesn't seem to see a lot of use, considering that he has a tower of cards on it, which are notorious for being fragile and falling apart with too much movement. Given that we know in canon he doesn't like to study all that much, it makes sense - more than likely he built it while avoiding studying and then it hasn't been jostled because he hasn't really used his desk since.

Both Ace and Deuce (coming up) have not added personalized bedsheets to their bed as opposed to the rest of their dorm, and they're both freshmen,

As has been pointed out before, Deuce shares a room with Ace.

Deuce, of course, has magic wheel posters on his wall.

Deuce's desk is well used, and he has additional bookshelves hung on his wall. Deuce has notes sticking out of some of his books. He also seems to have a book on ducks and either cats/grim (it could be a book on magical beasts, but it's an interesting detail to add). - see addendum!

Deuce has a framed photo on his desk. I would guess this is probably a family photo of him and his mom, though I cannot confirm this.

Deuce has a jacket hanging on his wall, and while at first glance it might be easy to assume it's a PE Jacket or a Track Jacket, it doesn't match the NRC track uniform or PE uniform. This, actually, based on the cut, seems to be a motorcycle jacket, likely for riding magic wheels. It could also be something leftover from his delinquent days.

Cater's room is actually full of characterization, there are so many little details in his room it isn't funny.

To begin with, it seems like Cater's favorite color might be Orange, given that he's the only one in his dorm so far who has a noticable amount of it that breaks away from the normal Heartslabyul colors. This, of course, could be a design choice because Cater's hair is ginger, but consider that across the board it seems like quite a bit of thought was put into what goes into a character's room. Ace, for example, doesn't feature orange in the same way, and Deuce only features a small bit of blue in his rug. If someone was decorating a room, the likely reason to have so much of one color is because you really like that color, or because it matches the theme of a room. Since we know the latter isn't true, it's likely the former. Orange, symbolically, is often used to portray enthusiasm, agreeableness, and excitement when talking about color symbolism, and that tracks as that's the sort of image that Cater tends to display toward other people even if his own emotions are complex in canon.

Cater has a lot of hobbies in his room - which makes sense because canonically he does a lot of various hobbies. Cater is the sort of person who seems to be deeply into experimenting with who he is and who he wants to be.

Though Cater takes a lot of photos with his phone camera in the story, he also has what appears to be a DSLR camera.

He, of course, shows his love of music by having a small stereo, his guitar, and a pair of headphones next to his computer.

Speaking of Cater's computer, it takes up the majority of his desk, which is fitting for someone who wants to be an influencer.

Cater has a sweater at the ready on the back of his chair, leading me to believe he probably gets cold easily.

Cater also has a skateboard. I don't recall Cater ever talking about skateboarding in canon, but it's possible I missed it. Regardless, he has one - whether or not he can use it is a different story entirely.

Faces on everything. Similar to Ace, Cater's rug is a callback to all of his dormmates, though he also has a couple of emoji-like pillows/plushies. Emojis, of course, are a hallmark of digital communications so it fits with his character, though they are notably cheery and cute. I have to wonder how Cater's decor might be different if he was more honest about how he feels as opposed to playing a character most of the time.

Trey's room, similar to Cater, keeps in with having a notable color scheme with the color green. Again, this is the same color as his hair, however as was the reasoning was explained with Cater, this likely means that Green is Trey's favorite color. Green is a color associated with harmony, focus, efficiency and security.

Trey's room is notably more sparsely decorated than the other students. Most of the Heartslabyul cast have something - a photo hanging up, a unique piece of furniture, etc, however Trey really only has his hat stand. If you were to consider Cater one end of a spectrum that leans maximalist, Trey is the opposite, leaning much more minimalist.

It's also of note that Trey is probably the most organized person we've seen so far, even surpassing Riddle. His books are all kept in vertical rows, he has a pen holder on his desk, and he has a hat-stand to keep his hats. Everything in his room has a place, and there is no notable clutter.

Given that we know that Trey likes to bake, he probably doesn't spend much of his free time in his room, which is likely part of why it's so sparsely decorated outside the bed.

Similar to how Ace has a callback to Deuce, and how Deuce has a callback to Grim, Trey's rug is a clover that is divided into the shape of hearts, which is Riddle's motif, and a cute callback to them being childhood friends.

Addendums:

Several people have pointed things out in the comments, so I figured that I would go ahead and add them to this main post as well as they come in.

@margorako has pointed out that the jacket in Decue's room is indeed his jacket he wore during his delinquent days. As was featured in the Twisted Wonderland Manga. I thought it looked familiar, but this confirms that a) it's a magic wheel jacket, and b) that it is embroidered on the back. Great eye!

@eternalsnowfan02 mentioned that Cater does indeed skateboard, as is confirmed in his Union Jacket Birthday card when Jamil purchases him stickers for his skateboard. This means he is, in fact, a Skater Boy.

@xhazmia Pointed out that the book that features a head that appears to be Grim's Head is actually likely the hidden mickey for Deuce's room. Good eye! My vision is bad™ so I'm not usually the best for picking these out in the bedrooms in TWST. I managed to spot a few in the other rooms where they were pretty obvious though:

I have not managed to spot the one for Trey's room, but in looking closer I did notice something else.

This object on Trey's bookshelf is a glasses container, lending further to the notion that he's the most organized of the characters in Heartslabyul.

[nino-rox]

Choi San x Male Bottom Reader

Content Warning : NSFW Gay Smut, sexual themes, Top San and Bottom Male Reader.

Disclaimer : This is a Fan-fiction story written for entertainment purposes only, no part of the story implies or affirms anything regarding real world events or individuals. Please be of the appropriate age ( i.e, Adult as per your country’s stipulations and regulations) before interacting with this post.

San grabbed your waist as you made out in the backseat of his car. Your hands palmed his erection, squeezing gently, running your fingers over its girth and length. You could feel him through his jeans growing harder by the second, and when he moaned into your mouth, it sent a thrill down your spine. He broke away for a moment, whispering, “Are you ready?” As he unbuckled his pants and pulled them down, you stroked his hardening cock. He grabbed your hair and pushed your face onto his crotch. It was so thick that you could barely fit it all inside your mouth at once.

You licked around the head and worked your way down the shaft with your tongue before taking his entire length deep into your throat. His groans filled the car as you teased the underside of his tip with your tongue, feeling it twinge and jump under your touch. When you opened your mouth again, you noticed a thin string of saliva connecting your lips and San’s swollen cock. He looked down at you with lustful eyes as if willing himself not to cum too soon. He took his hand off your head and guided it up and down his cock. You could see it grow longer and thicker every time you stroked it, begging to be taken in your tight ass. He pulled your head off his cock and turned your around on all fours, sticking your ass high. He spread your cheeks apart and began licking your asshole, slowly working his tongue between each one. The pleasure is unlike anything you’ve ever felt before. He grabbed your hips and drove two fingers into your tight hole. You could feel his fingers stretching your walls open and filling your body with an electric buzz. He pushed another finger into your tight ass. You cried out but couldn’t help but moan as his finger hit all the right places. The taste of your arousal is indescribable. While you enjoy it now, you can only imagine how intense it would have been had he not stopped. “You ready, baby?” San said as positioned behind you. He slowly entered your ass until you felt like you were completely filled.

You held yourself still, unable to move as he slid slowly in and out of you. With every thrust, your muscles tightened, and your hole stretched open even more. The pain quickly turned to pleasure as San began to thrust at a Wild pace, sending tremors throughout your entire body. You both moaned louder than ever. San grunted loudly as he spanked your ass hard enough to leave red marks across your skin. As the sensation built within you, you lifted your ass to meet his every thrust. He buried his face in your shoulder and began panting heavily, telling you to take control of the rhythm. Your breath became heavy as you bucked your hips against him. San slapped your ass hard and whispered, “Fuck”, as he continued railing you at an animalistic pace, filling the car with sinful and sloppy moans. Suddenly you felt him go stiff as he pulled out completely, grabbing your waist and thrusting forward hard, slamming his fat cock deep inside you. You yelled out, almost passing out from the pleasure as you were overwhelmed by what felt like being impaled by a monstrous log. You tried pulling away, but he kept pushing forward faster, forcing you deeper and deeper inside yourself. San began to groan louder as he started losing control. A river of cum erupted from his dick and coated your walls. His balls continued to slap against your inner thighs as he rammed you over and over again. He let go of your waist and let himself fall against the car door, absolutely exhausted.

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Bad Boys: Ride or Die

There is an important lesson being taught here to filmmakers that step into a franchise they are fans of. Fans of a franchise can be the most devoted and best choice to continue on the franchise, but if they are not in service of the story, the characters or the identity of the franchise, then they aren't the right one to take it on. You cannot come in with your own biases, agendas or what your idea of what the franchise is. True fans of a franchise know this and take that lesson to heart and deliver an outstanding entry and that's what this directing duo has done yet again. The Bad Boys franchise has always been about the classic buddy cop relationship that keeps you engaged in between the amazing action. This franchise has a strong beating heart of love and fun at its core and this film keeps that heart pumping at a hardy pace. The previous film was a welcomed return that had its moments of flare, stylistic action and comedy, but it focused on the story and the humanity of the characters first. That same elegance of storytelling continues in this new entry and it may be a bit more kinetic, sometimes overwhelming, but it still lands strongly in the category of greatness.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return as our favorite dynamic duo Detective Lieutenant Mike Lowry and Detective Lieutenant Marcus Burnett and they haven't skipped a beat. The magnetic chemistry between them is what keeps you engaged and I loved that this film once again drives home that brotherly love they have for one another. Like the last film, they both deal with their mortality in a unique way as they are older now. Mike has an unexpected growth in personality and I loved that he isn't as perfect anymore. You see him deal with a personal disorder that he must overcome and it is pretty inspiring the way Will portrays it. Marcus gets a new lease on life and lets go of the whiney tone and actually has more pep in his step. In a sense, Mike and Marcus switched perspectives and role types as Marcus has become the more reckless and Mike has become the more cautious. I loved his spirituality which made for some great moments of comedy where Martin truly shined the brightest. Vanessa Hudgens and Alexander Ludwig return as AMMO teammates Kelly and Dorn and they were both fantastic yet again. They weren't an after thought and they both were a powerhouse in the action and held their own when on screen with Mike and Marcus. Paola Núñez was awesome yet again and now as Captain of the Miami PD, Rita Secada. I loved her strength in the film and her chemistry with Mike and Marcus is still strong. Its a mild spoiler, but I hated the fact that her and Mike didn't end up together. Ioan Gruffudd was good as Adam Lockwood and its always great to see him on screen. Joe Pantoliano is always a welcomed face and seeing him as Captain Howard one last time was heartwarming. Jacob Scipio returns as Mike's son, Armando Aretas and he was just as badass and deadly. I liked the strained avenue that Mike and Armando go down as their father and son relationship is slowly being built. Eric Dane enters the franchise as the new threat and I liked him as James McGrath. He was cunning, quick and brutal and wasn't about world domination. I liked the history behind the character even if his motivation was a bit boring. Dennis Greene returns as Reggie McDonald and he has always been the butt of the joke in the past films since his iconic entrance. I loved that in this film, he finally earns respect and he becomes the MVP of the film in an amazing scene.

Composer Lorne Balfe returns with an absolute knockout of a score. Not only does he have his unique touch of intensity, but he continued to incorporate, modulate and evolve the iconic Bad Boys score and themes by original composer Mark Mancina. It drives me up the wall when composers don't use the iconic themes of a franchise and I loved that Lorne kept it alive and flowing throughout the film in multiple variations. The action in this film was top of the line and felt classical in its practical execution. It was gritty, bloody fun that had me smiling from ear to ear. There is a bridge sequence that leads to the iconic Bad Boys shot, but that scene felt a little disjointed and dizzying in the placement of characters. There is a feeling of finality to the franchise as it sort of gives a loving look back at the past films with fun parallels and role reversals. Directing duo Adil & Bilall truly love Bad Boys and it shows in every inch of the screen from the action, the character development and comedy. They have done a magnificent job in delivering an even better entry than the last and I can't wait to own the 4K Bluray. This is definitely the best action film of the year so far! Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

[bettyshoweduptotheparty]

Reputation to Midnights and Final TPD Predictions

With 4 days until the Tortured Poets Department and two lines of lyrics we have so far, here are my thoughts on how we got here over the last 5 albums and final predictions for what's coming on Friday:

2016 changed the game - reputation era and long-term bearding

Many people might disagree, but I think the year 2016 changed a lot of things for Taylor. Without going into detail about snakegate, a possible failed coming out and scrapped album and the presidential election, her music has had a different tone ever since reputation (and I don't just mean sonically). As someone who writes a lot about love and relationships, the way she was writing about them changed from fairy tale love, pining and heartbreak to forever/long-term love, commitment/endame, 'us against the world' sort of love. And I do think she wanted to put that album out in 2016 but can't really do that when you're newly single and writing about wanting forever with someone... so in came Joe Alwyn who became the free pass for writing songs about long-term relationships, marriage and kids for the next six years. But LWYMMD (the song and the mv) made it pretty clear that this was not her first choice. Whatever happened, she had her agency taken from her, and she was mad about it. She may have made one hell of a comeback, but rep Taylor was on a revenge mission, and she has been ever since. Now, add to that the very same people foiled her coming out (possibly) a second time in 2019, I can well imagine the tortured poet that Taylor became during the pandemic with all that built up anger and misery pouring out into the folklore and evermore albums. And my guess is that with the plan to re-record the first 6 albums came an idea of how she could possibly get her revenge after all, which brings us to Midnights and TPD.

Midnights and Tortured Poets Department - Reflection and melancholia

Midnights had a similar tone to me than what we have seen of TPD so far: introspective, sombre and looking back on happier times and missed opportunities (hence the whole '13 nights throughout my life' concept). There is a lot of wondering about what ifs and regrets and always with a sense of vengeance in the background, which shows how Taylor clearly holds a grudge and has a hard time letting things go that have hurt her. And this continues in the two lines we have seen from TPD so far. The 'full eclipse' gives me love blackout vibes and this line

is so similar to many folkmore and Midnights songs where she talks about not being able to move on from a traumatic event (failed coming out *cough cough*). So, this album clearly continues the theme of reflection, regrets and vengeance, but with an additional touch of reckoning or impending judgment. I've seen some people say it seems like Taylor is putting someone (else or herself) on trial, and both the evidence file esthetics and the legal language she has been using in the hidden words puzzle on Apple Music have been feeding that theory:

She told us back in February she'd be entering all of her defenses and her muses into evidence, so is she the one being trialed and we are the jury? Or is she presenting evidence in her defense and accusing someone else? I initially thought the former, but now I'm thinking it could be either or both.

The songs will tell the story of the most painful times of her life and we will be able to decide if she chose her suffering or if the context/industry is to blame. My favourite swifties pointed out this morning that the ‘un-recall’ lyric is a parallel to CIWYW “I recall late November”. So what is she trying to forget? The 2016 election. The start of the love blackout. Much like the ‘full eclipse’ lyric. They almost had it all but then her plans got foiled and Tr*mp was elected which forced them underground. And where did she run off to? London. And what’s track 5 called? So long, London…

So, a lot of this album so far gives 2016 vibes. And I’ve said in a previous post (here) that the visuals seem very rep-inverted. Black vs white and the half yin-yang ☯️ in the logo. It’s looking likely that this is going to be the reflection on that time where her vendetta originated before she goes for revenge. And I’m not trying to clown but the rep parallels haven’t stopped:

This QR code mural in Chicago is very rep-cover coded and leads to a website that has the same 321 error message as the TS website the night of the Grammys. The message then was red herring. And not to sound too crazy, but I've said from the start that something feels off with this album. The absence of proper promo or merch is still weird. And would an entire album as a red herring be too crazy? Probably. But is she a crazy woman? Definitely! 😉

[burningexeter]

[THIRD HEADCANON/FAN THEORY]

In my own insane (but somehow way less insane) take on the infamous (is it infamous, I just want to know that) Tommy Westphall Universe fan theory which claims not only are 500+ shows are in the same universe but they all take place in the mind of a twelve year old autistic boy with a snowglobe (yes, this is a real thing, blame St. Elsewhere), I propose that in this case for me not only are a decent handful of media are set within the same universe as each other but they all take place within the mind of the deadly, morally grey, femme fatale and early 20s sorceress Charmcaster — the Alien Force and Ultimate Alien Charmcaster to be specific.

How I see it is this is the Where The Magic Happens Trilogy Charmcaster (the pitch I did) specifically the second and third series Charmcaster where she's not only way more mature but a lot more darker, sinister, calculated and ruthless where she took all the lessons she's learned and built upon them and grew from them but not in the good way you think of at first. Obviously, as the second and third series go on, she redeems herself and this is teased throughout because in all three shows Charmcaster has a code, refusing to hurt people that she doesn't have to, expressing regret and disgust at herself for [SPOILER ALERT] decapitating Gwen when they first met, going back to when she doesn't need to to save Gwen and her friends when left behind etc.

She's torn between being a hero and a villain.

But here's where her secret universe within her mind comes directly into play, at the end of the first series, a now changed completely Gwen - no longer the spoiled, know-it-all, mean brat she was at the beginning of the series - gives Charmcaster a special snowglobe that originally meant a lot to Gwen when she was only little and in the words of her Aunt Sandra "finally being able to walk".

It turns out in the second and third series, it's a prized possession of Charmcaster that she won't let anyone else get near or even touch even Gwen who gave it to her in the first place.

How I see it is this is where Charmcaster's universe begins, all of the following are figments on her "imagination". Stories in her mind that only she knows of, it's her own personal secret that's all her fun and her fun only. One day when they're married, she'll tell her wife Gwen but for now, this is hers and hers only. That way, it makes her finally telling Gwen more special.

CHARMCASTER'S UNIVERSE

The connecting theme here are a total of three things which fits them despite being tonially and stylistically different from each other:

1). They focus on distinct but very unconventional types of protagonists and even ensembles having to not only fight the odds but face the highest stakes and the highest threats there is. At the same time, the protagonists aren't generic action heroes or the type who'd be the heroes of these scenarios but they have moral codes or just codes in general even if they're not always "good people" and always end up doing "the right thing". Way less of Tony Stark from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Frank Dux from Bloodsport and Steven Hiller from Independence Day and WAAAAY more of The Stranger from High Plains Drifter, The Driver from Drive and Michael "De Santa" Townley from Grand Theft Auto V.

2). The villains or main antagonists are always never one-dimensional or generic stereotypical bad guys. They're all fully-fleshed out or just fleshed out in general villains with their own personalities, histories and motivations. Some of them are genuinely tragic villains out of Shakespeare and some who are full-on villainous are dangerous and intimidating. Hell, some have codes too. They fall straight into the morally grey area with that if they have that. Way less Tonraq from The Legend Of Korra (ugh, that whole show sucks), Fire Lord Ozai from Avatar: The Last Airbender and Senator John McLaughlin from Machete and WAAAAY more of J. Nomak from Blade II, Davy Jones from Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest/At World's End and Thaddeus Sivina from Shazam!.

3). All of the events in them are either caused by, advanced and forwarded by or sometimes both by the protagonists. They make life-altering decisions that whether good or bad, whether they did or didn't do the right thing, will have massive repercussions. It's never something random as all hell happening to a certain individual, it's the opposite where they did something that caused or triggered this event to happen to them so they really have no one else to blame but themselves.

IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER:

• The Mummy (1999)

• Saving Private Ryan

• Overlord (2018)

• Inglourious Basterds

• Thief (1981)

• Heat (1995)

• The Long Kiss Goodnight

• The Invisible Man (2020)

• Upgrade (2018)

and that's just too name a few, there's much more to it than that but this gives you a great idea on what's going on in the mind of everyone's favorite teenage sorceress Charmcaster.

[prophecydungeon]

i'm watching rvb11 again so here's a running list of everything i love about this season

contact, my beloved

a nice recap intro for anyone who is new (why...) or got lost in the sauce during 9/10!

"i'm a cyborg, you wanna bow down to me?"

grif's bit about them always holding their weapons never fails to land for me

the way that tension is built throughout this season is so good. SO fucking good. this season is all the lighthearted BGC-ness that the show had been missing for a chunk of seasons and the way that the "something's not right here" gradually grows and grows is so fucking good.

specifically, we see locus for the first time at 31:10 (i'm watching the complete one on yt) listening to wash's mayday. at 34:30 sarge uses a sniper to scope out what the reds are doing; at 46:58 we see the blues through a sniper's scope again shortly before grif and sarge bust into the blues' conversation, and then sarge hops out of the warthog without a sniper rifle on him. it's not till 53:10 that we see locus again up on the cliffside.

d: can i get a heck yeah? s: hell no. d: close enough!

the dead body as the camera pans around the refueling station... chef kiss. what an introduction to locus.

felix's intro isn't as juicy as locus's but i love the way it comes right on the heels of locus murdering a dude over wanting to tell people about the crash -- of course someone else might have found out!

the way that wash is framed so ominously when he's fixing caboose's helmet is so great too; the cracked screens on the wall mimicking the room we first see him in in 6. fantastic.

felix's massively dramatic pearl-clutchy oscar-winning introduction to the reds getting utterly wasted on the two lopezes is SO GOOD especially in light of how hard he stroked his ego over his good acting

"you're going to want to sit down for this story, it's about 20 hours long and i only enjoy telling it in five-minute intervals" is one of my all-time favorite jokes in this entire series and i manage to always forget it's from this season

wash's apology to caboose for not being there for him (or tucker) is one of my favorite wash moments in this whole arc, if not my favorite. it's such a lovely and touching moment, and it also makes me all the more furious that epsilon a) came back at all and b) was a horrific dick to tucker in particular

felix and locus snapping at each other is, again, all the funnier When You Know because felix is so transparently enjoying "riling up" locus and locus's "shut up and be glad i missed your head" is so transparently genuine

g: holy shit, did you see that? c: NO! WHAT HAPPENED? PLEASE DESCRIBE IT TO ME.

the fucking orange juice gag

💛 aggressive, paranoid, and a little melodramatic 💛

the ongoing gag of everyone thinking they had someone to do with the crash is also so fucking good

"no, i'm a freelancer. NO, I MEAN, I'M A MERCENARY-"

again, When You Know: the implication that felix murdered the three people he came to the crash site with! delicious!

caboose's radio breaking in the middle of his speech is SO funny

"man, you are just cryptic"

ugh! ugh! the reconstruction theme coming back when wash changes his armor! gets me every time!

and with donut's line i'm immediately reminded of how fandom apparently chewed itself to pieces over thinking that wash is black/gold not steel/gold lol

(H4 wasn't kind to simmons either but w/e)

dos.0 attacking and felix immediately going "this isn't right" is, yet again, so transparent in hindsight

this is also a very fun and well-done machinima battle

rocket hog my beloved

pan across the canyon my beloved

reconstruction theme again! my beloved!

tucker's reaction to finding out that wash, sarge, and donut didn't make it is also so good. his character arc on chorus is Just So Good.

and so is kimball's intro with felix -- especially in how she exerts authority over him immediately ("you're not getting paid the full amount") and we see over time just how much felix has worked to make sure that she thinks that's what their relationship is

man. kimball. my beloved.

"you just need to try."

in conclusion: still my fave season of the chorus arc, probably

[saltycharacters]

Watched Nimona recently and although it was a fairly enjoyable film and I would still recommend a watch. I got a bunch of thoughts about its ending and themes and how despite it trying to build itself up as this cool queer anticop story it fails to stick the landing and instead suffers from Treasure Planet syndrome. I've decided to ramble it out under the keep reading link so spoilers for Nimona starts there

So this movie is built upon a "knight system" which is established to be an obvious cop parallel, where the knights are essentially the police of this world. The allegory doesn't stop at the job description however, as the movie takes a bold move and introduces this system as very corrupt early on; from the main character being framed by a high-ranking, police-adjacent authority, to revealing that the entire system was built on false hatred and intolerance, to Nimona outright stating that it doesn't end at the true perpetrator, but that "the WHOLE system is corrupt". Time and time again we are given proof of how the knights, whether purposefully or not, hurt, indoctrinate, and brainwash the innocent. This is a great message, and they did an excellent job of carrying it throughout the runtime until doing a sudden 180 at the end. Not only do we see the cop system still in place, with knights in universe portrayed clearly on screen, but they're painted as good with a member playing soccer with a child. They tried to reject corruption by denouncing their founder, yet they still intend to perpetuate the job built to maintain her ideals from the ground up.

Despite attempting to dive into more meaningful territory with a daring dive into a serious modern problem, the ending they gave us was palatable and conveniently perfect in a way that satisfies everyone on a shallow level, which only works with a message that's equally shallow and inoffensive. This sort of trying to have cake and eat it too conclusion is what I refer to when saying Treasure Planet syndrome, as watching the movie gave me deja vu for the same faults- because, while Treasure Planet attempts to weave a unique and subversive narrative that touches upon deeper subjects which would lead up to an unconventional yet impactful end, what they finished with was jarringly standard hogwash where they attempted to tie lose ends in a conventionally pretty, corporate-ceo approved bow. For example, one of if not the main plot of the movie was Jim Hawkins addressing his trauma regarding an absent father that abandoned him and his mom at an early age, finding a better father figure in John Silver and gradually healing from his past with a better role model. Yet at the end, the cycle repeats itself as John ends up leaving (just like Jim's father) with narry a negative emotion from Jim. Jim then goes to cop academy where, despite his journey being about rejecting societal expectations and gaining self-improvement and growth through his own means, he becomes an A-Plus goody-two shoes cop loving poster boy in no time. The syndrome also hits particularly hard with Captain Amelia and Doctor Doppler, where despite their relationship being a man and woman, it still openly rejects heteronormativity with natural romantic progression (no love at first site bullshit) that involves Amelia being way more masculine and competent than Doppler and him being the well meaning yet gullible scientist. Even the way they flirt is subversive, with Amelia calling Doppler's eyes beautiful (a traditionally feminine descriptor) rather than the instigation being made by the man. Yet at the end, heteronormativity hits as Doppler is shown suddenly more assertive and masculine as he dips Amelia in a dance, not to mention their children fall into the trop of the girls looking exactly like the mother and the boy looking exactly like the father (Also. they put a bunch of makeup on the baby girls????). In short, Treasure Planet Syndrome is writing a subversive plot/story that ends abruptly in a palatable perfect way that sacrifices both natural progression and its messages in an effort to create a more appealing happy end. A movie that I think actually LANDED its subversive storyline was Strange World, where it successfully carried through with it's deeper narrative and provided a slightly uncomfortable yet incredibly understandable and meaningful ending.

One last thing before I stop my ramble- the queer rep in Nimona is pretty bad. I mean don't get me wrong, the main character (who is canonically mlm) is fine and I'm always happy to see upfront representation in my media, but the man he was saddle with as his boyfriend treats him terribly throughout most of the movie, to the point where I was genuinely shocked seeing them together at the end. His boyfriend is this nepotism golden child who's beloved by everyone and so neck deep in the corrupt system that he: slices off the mc's arm (just says a vague sorry later), spends most of the movie refusing to trust or believe him, spends most of the movie trying to hunt him down and arrest him, easily succumbs to peer pressure when it comes down to hurting him, prefers to stay loyal to the system rather than his bf, barely questions the situation, and refuses to listen to his bf provide him with explanations or answers. Even the MC recognizes how much he hurt him, because he ends up outright BREAKING UP WITH HIM and begging him to leave him alone, only to get back with him at the end like nothing ever happened. I want a happy ending for canon queer couples as much as the next guy, but if they wanted a happy end, why did the write the love interest to be so awful? They could've made him question the motives of his superiors and the entire situation more, he could've gone out of his way to seek out an explanation before forming his own conclusion, he could've made more attempts to break the rules for harm reduction, to try and understand what happened, hell to try and TALK to the MC- it's really baffling how they tried to paint this as true love when what should've happened is the MC getting a better spouse. I see this as an extension of Treasure Planet syndrome and trying to have and eat cake at the same time mentality, to say I wasn't surprised when I discovered this movie was written by the people behind modern She-Ra would be an understatement.

[hmshermitcraft]

Hello! As a new anon, I have come to provide some headcanons for poly TIES with regards to the theme for this week! Hopefully it's okay that I put this headcanon through a story even if it's past trafficshipping takeover week. This one is like a pre-relationship headcanon (for Etho though), that would eventually begin his part in the loving polyamory set upon by the other three.

Etho is a wolf hybrid who has been leaving his former family's den (his former family being the Clockers) a lot for his own travels and adventures throughout the land. He never was someone to settle down and stay permanently in one place. And with his wanderlust heart, he left the den yet again but this time it seemed much more permanent, much to the dismay of his former family.

In his travels, he played the role of a solitary wolf. Solitude gave him comforts none would understand and he liked it. And yet he found himself with a guilt and a pain of never having a home anymore, never having a family to be with, giving his restless exploration a heart tired and heavy, but he was still determined to see through to the end of his travels. At one point in time, after going through terrible storms, raging blizzards, demanding heatwaves, and mysterious fogs, he just slumped to the ground, tired and worn in every aspect. He never knew if he did get through and finished his travels. He slept, exhausted from it all.

Then during the rise of the sun, he woke up. He was on a bed, someone's bed, a bed he certainly has never been on. He has no clue of how he got here, but given his weak state, he can't do much. Then the door to the room he was in opened, and there was Impulse, a brown bear hybrid, who just came to give him breakfast, a tray that holds a hot bowl of beef stew and some sliced bread and carrots on the side. The two looked at each other and Impulse just left the tray on the table nearby Etho's bed and he left.

Etho, not knowing who this man is but is surprised by the hospitality of a stranger, took in the meal with respect. And there he ate at bed, as the sun shines through the window. Time passed and he finished his food and put the tray on the bedside table. Having regained a bit of strength from the hearty food, he stood up and walked around. He explored with curiosity this house that his kind host and at the porch of the house he sees Impulse again, with two other people, talking and holding hands as they watch the sun go through the sky. Tango, a raccoon hybrid, and Skizz, a lion hybrid, look at their wolfy guest and proceeded to take care of him more, telling him to not have gone up from bed and that he should've just stayed there and more nags and doting that brings out a giggle from Impulse. It's going to be interesting what this wolf would be doing now, especially since he is so far away from the place he once called home, surrounded by three others that have taken care of him for days.

-signing off as the 💙 anon

It's a strange dynamic to adjust to. He's not well enough to head out alone, so he's stuck with them for a few days. They don't pressure him into hanging out with them, but it's hard to avoid them in such a modest space.

Tango explains that they're hibernating for the cooler months, because Impulse gets grumpy in the cold. Etho is more than welcome to join them, they've got plenty of food stored in their ice cave (hand built by Tango, naturally.)

Etho never intended to stay as long as he did, but something about the three pulls him in. It feels a bit too much like the family he left. The easy touches, gentle kisses. The way Skizz will sit and brush through Etho's hair without question. So, he does what he's good at.

He runs.

He didn't expect them to follow.

They don't take long to catch up with him. Maybe part of him didn't want to get away, because he could've run much faster. They ask why he felt like running, and Etho tries to explain. The way he can't stay in one place, always feeling the need to move.

And... They're okay with that. They tell Etho that he always has a home with them. Etho finds himself coming back. He even finds he doesn't mind when they tag along on the journey if Etho's nearby.

He's surprised by how he doesn't feel trapped. It's nice to come back when he wants, without feeling obligated to. He even connects with his family again, apologising for leaving them and making amends. He still won't stay with them, but they talk about it this time. With his partners' support.

For the first time, he feels content.

[habibibasket]

MY YANDERE SIMULATOR CONCEPT

Gameplay and Visual Design Concepts

The base idea of Yandere Simulator is pretty strong! That's just to say that I enjoy it though, my opinions can be kinda shit but still! The idea of systematically going through and eliminating your romantic rivals sounds like a fun game concept, but issues arise when you ask "what genre of game?" Since the one we have now is OVERWHELMED with issues. There's too many little details and distractions, with many additions not really fleshing out the world and instead just making things feel overstuffed and tangential. There's so many things to look at and explore which almost all become null and void as the rival eliminations have strict time limits and days must be spent solely on those things, giving you little to no time to actually experience the extraneous details. Additionally, the specific elimination methods don't really allow for much experimentation with the various items and weapons around the school, especially the blunt object weapons like the pipe or the baseball bat. There's so many different elimination methods and ways of killing but many of those methods just feel far less useful if none of the 'cooler' ways are completely unviable and pointless to carry out, basically only having negative consequences if you try to experiment beyond the "schemes." The schemes is also pretty stupid idea in its own right basically preventing user experimentation entirely by providing such strict instructions for your plots that any experimentation just becomes null and void as a result. It just leaves things feeling hollow and unearned as a result.

Many of main issues I have with the gameplay and presentation is entirely to do with the format of the game, which, I believe, also contributes to the main struggles with development. Models, animations, and cutscenes are all either inhibited, slowed, or completely ruined by the presentation of the game. The post-processing, blurriness, and character models in particular make everything look less than ideal. This leads me to my point and my idea for what this kind of story is best suited for...

A Visual Novel

I may just have a bias for visual novels but I do believe that with the rework I'd want with the story, a visual novel would be the best option. I want to completely replan the story anyway but even the original concept could work as a visual novel with enough planning and writing power. I imagine it more as an Ace Attorney style visual novel with a time system implemented. You can move around to the notable locations in the school and look for specific items in each room. These items will be marked in the background, and can be found with the right means and the right information. Talking to people isn't required but can be helpful if you're looking for a specific tool or trying to plan out a murder plot or trying to get dirt on the particular rival.

Additionally, there's a game design concept I want to focus more on. The idea that throughout the game, it's a Ayano/Ayato's descent into madness from their crimes and actions. Sanity is less of a gameplay factor and more of a central story theme. Additionally this is shown best with the rivals and "rivals" you kill throughout. The real rivals being those who show an interest in Taro/Taeko and who they might have an interest in as well. This will be touched on more in the rival section, but the descent into simply killing people who happen to just be near them is something I want to have built up to over time as you kill more and more people who are seemingly of no "threat" whatsoever.

I'll cover a lot of that once we get to the story section but before that I want to address setting and design.

[high-voltage-rat]

Posting my RvB Project Freelancer playlist because I have brainrot about some of these songs and also crave public opinions on them.

This playlist was built with two things in mind- the badass space marine vibes, flashy fight scenes, and fast-paced action that embody the freelancer arc, for one. Some songs I included primarily because they contributed to this overall energy that Freelancer was based around. That feeling of flying through the battlefield, guns blazing, with no regard to the danger. The kind of confidence that lets you jump off a building without worrying too hard about how you'll survive the impact- that lets you face an entire base worth of enemies and still crack jokes as they surround you. The kind granted by a ranking system that tells you "you've been chosen. you're the better than the rest. you're on the leaderboard."

But the other motivation, in perhaps direct opposition to the first, was the set of underlying narrative themes that poisoned the Freelancers from within.

(Further discussion, Spotify link, tracklist, and choice lyrics under the cut:)

The ignorance, intentional and otherwise, to the purpose of their missions- to the Director's true motivations, to the ethical principles being violated with every step, to the thinly veiled lies. The need to prove oneself- to stay on that leaderboard no matter what the cost, to remain worthy of approval, of power, of support that could mean your very survival. The betrayal and infighting to remain on top, to right the wrongs done- the break between the agents who valued loyalty and those who valued morality. The manipulation by The Powers That Be to participate in and perpetrate the horrors of war, to stain one's hands with blood and commit horrible deeds which ultimately have no purpose- believing the lies of 'us versus them', throwing away your innocence and believing that it's all for the greater good, only to discover that the people you've done these horrible things to are no different, no more evil than yourself. Eventually breaking free from those influences, despite the potentially lethal consequences, and being left with the near-impossible task of trying to become 'good' again. All of these were themes I tried to keep in mind and channel in this playlist. Bonus points touched on were the impact of AI on their hosts' physical and mental health, the quest to gain justice, and the attempts to find peace and be better after it's all said and done.

I found that while my primary focus was on the Freelancers themselves, a fair number of the songs applied just as well, if not better, to the simulation troopers and even the soldiers of Chorus. I enjoy that this kind of highlights how the main message kind of echoes through all the RvB arcs. I also think it's a notable point that a lot of the songs that I used to portray the manipulation and abuse of the Freelancers by the men in charge have the real-world messages of highlighting wealth and social inequality and abuse of the working class by the rich. This isn't something necessarily explicit in the RvB canon- but the vast majority of military recruitment comes from their exploitation of the desperation of the working class. This real-world issue has echoes throughout the story- in the Reds and Blues, yes, but also in the Freelancers. They say multiple times, "The Director's given us everything"; they've been lifted up, granted a better life, but it all depends on remaining in line, staying in the good graces of those with power. They eat, sleep, breathe because of Freelancer- they live on the ship, spend their whole days submerged in it. One wrong step, and they're back to having nothing.

Anyway, without further ado, here's the playlist lmao

True Friends- Bring Me The Horizon

I wouldn't hold my breath if I was you // 'Cause I'll forget but I'll never forgive you // Don't you know, don't you know? // True friends stab you in the front

2. Go To War- NOTHING MORE

With every battle we lose a little more // Remember everything that we'd die for // You are everything that I'd die for

3. Only Us- Thrice

Finally when will it be enough // To find there's no them // There is only us // There's only us

4. Wicked Ones- Dorothy

This night ain't for the faint of heart // For the faint of heart, for the faint of heart // This night ain't for the faint of heart // 'Cause the faint of heart gonna fall apart

5. Saints of the Sinners- The Faim

When jokers smile and angels cry // We lose ourselves and lose our minds

6. All Eyes on You- Smash Into Pieces

Now the whole world's watching every move // Still your heart so much to prove // Fight for all the things that you believe in // Now the whole world's watching every move // Take your shot, don't act a fool // All you've got and all you'll ever need // Is one bullet in the chamber

7. Used To The Darkness- Des Rocs

Now would you pray before you twist the knife? // Yeah, would you take my hand and take a life? // I'm too damn young to give up on the light // I'm used to the darkness, I'm used to the darkness

8. Can't Go To Hell- Sin Shake Sin

It's no mystery, what can I say, we're blind by design // And history keeps getting paid to change it's mind // Some wounds will never mend // Divided by deception, but together we must rise // Deafened by the naive while we silence the wise

9. 12 Rounds- Bohnes

'Cause I fight for everything I die for // Everything I bled onto the ground sacrificed for // When the reaper comes knocking at my door // We'll be going 12 rounds

10. Hold Steady- The Glorious Sons

What ya think? // I do it for free? // Either you're lyin' // Or you must not think much of me // I gave you my soul // I gave you my bloody, ragged soul

11. Chosen Ones- Mountains vs. Machines

We are, we are the chosen // We are, we are the few // The end will never come // We are the chosen ones

12. I'm So Sorry- Imagine Dragons

So you gotta fire up, you gotta let go // You'll never be loved till you've made your own // You gotta face up, you gotta get yours // You never know the top till you get too low

13. Machines- All Good Things

Hands to the sky I swore I'd try // Searching for a better life // They would take us far from home // Far from all the things we know

14. The Kids Aren't Alright- Fall Out Boy

And with the black banners raised // As the crooked smiles fade // Former heroes who quit too late // Who just wanna fill up the trophy case again

15. Man or a Monster (feat. Zayde Wølf)- Sam Tinnesz

It's so hard to tell which side you're on // One day is hell, the next day is the dawn // The lines are blurred, you keep rubbing your eyes // The tables turn, now it's time to survive

16. Spaceman- The Killers

And you know I'm fine // But I hear those voices at night sometimes // They justify my claim

17. Down (feat. Trella)- Simon

All the secrets that I keep // Like a bomb inside of me // I've been waiting to be free // All the shades of who I am // Try to catch me if you can // I just slip right through your hands

18. Mars- Sleeping at Last

As life replayed, we heard a voice proclaim // "Lay your weapons down // They're calling off the war // On account of losing track // Of what we're fighting for"

19. What Are We Fighting For- The Federal Empire

The price of our freedom // Is blood in the water // We’re looking for hope what will it take // We keep on repeating // The fate of our fathers // Somehow there’s got to be a change

20. Follow My Feet- The Unlikely Candidates

There's a fork in the road in front of me // At the crossroads of identity // The Devil is standing to the left // He says "either way, they both lead to death" // And the high road's steady and steep // And the low road's easy and deep // Guess I'll follow, follow, follow my feet

21. Hysteria- Muse

Yeah, it's holding me, morphing me // And forcing me to strive // To be endlessly cold within // And dreaming I'm alive

22. Go Get Your Gun- The Dear Hunter

And to those who'll die, please try to understand // That for those who die, we tried the best we can // With our one foot in the grave // While the other one's kickin' its way right down to Hell

23. The Fear- The Score

I've battled hard with the face in the mirror // Every scar makes me dig down deeper // Push it 'til there's nothin' more // 'Cause I'm stronger than I was before

24. Lunatics and Slaves- Sin Shake Sin

Hate what they tell you to hate // Love when they say it's okay // Still, you have nothing to say anyway // And you don't even know you're a slave

25. Try Honesty- Billy Talent

Sew up my eyes, need no more // In our game, there is no score // Forgive me father, why should ya bother? // Try honesty, try honesty

26. Blood On Our Hands- KNGDAVD

So walk with me and you will see // That your enemy may be your remedy // 'Cause we all got blood on our hands // But we still got hope in our souls

27. Free- Mother Mother

A bloody war // Behind my eyes // I come out right on the other side

28. Back Against the Wall- Cage the Elephant

Blanket of silence makes me want to sink my teeth in deep // Burn all the evidence of fabricated disbelief // Pull back the curtains, took a look into your eyes // My tongue has now become a platform for your lies

29. Spirits- The Strumbellas

I spend a lot of nights on the run // And I think, oh, like I'm lost and can't be found // I'm just waiting for my day to come // And I think, oh, I don't wanna let you down

30. Blindness- Metric

I was a blind fool // Never complained // All the survivors // Singing in the rain // I was the one with // The world at my feet // Got us a battle // Leave it up to me

31. Champion- Barns Courtney

I've been on a long road // With the devil right beside me // Rising with the morning sun // It's a hunger that drives me

32. All These Things That I've Done- The Killers

Another head aches, another heart breaks // I'm so much older than I can take // And my affection, well, it comes and goes // I need direction to perfection, no, no, no, no

33. Imaginary Friends- Des Rocs

Do you wanna leave me here? // With you 'til the end, imaginary friends // Give in to the fire and the fear, the liar in your ear // And you'll never be lonely again

34. Dear Dictator- Saint Motel

And at the trial, there'll be no jury // And all the dead are going to play witness // Not too late to say you're sorry // It's too late to truly mean it

35. False Confidence- Noah Kahan

Why won't you take me seriously // Look at me all fucked up over someone I'll never meet // And I wonder why I tear myself down // To be built back up again

36. Villains, Pt. 1- Emma Blackery

I don't feel anything // Because I became possessed and obsessed // With the idea of revenge

37. Woke Up A Rebel- Reuben And The Dark

I am wild, I am lost // I am sick, I am damned // But I am holding redemption in the palm of my hand // So I tighten my fist // And sharpen my teeth // It's a promise I made // It's secret I keep

38. Revolution- John Butler Trio

So tell me family now what do you think // Watch it all go down the great big sink. // Watch how the scum it rises to the top. // Don't you wonder when it's all gonna stop? // Sometimes I wonder how we do sleep, // Serving the dodgy companies we keep. // All kicking and scrounging for the very first place // Dictionary definition of a rat race

39. Survivor Guilt- Rise Against

Carry on // Don't mind me // All I gave was everything // And yet you ask me for more // Fought your fight // Bought your lie // And in return I lost my life // What purpose does this serve?

40. Pressure- Muse

Get out of my face, out of my mind // I see your corruption // I'm not blind // I'll carry the burden and take the strain // And when I am done I will make you pay

Note for anyone who actually read this far or looked at the selections here: yes I know these selections and bands imply something very specific about me, and the idea of some of these more popular and overplayed songs being paired with my melodramatic write-up might be laughable. I feel the need to qualify by promising my taste is not just the basic "action movie trailer" vibes or early 2010s radio hits this playlist sort of lets on... but these are the songs that make me Feel The Vibes and part of the vibes is the inextricable fact that I watched the Freelancer Saga in 2011-2012 when I was an edgy teen listening to Linkin Park and Fall Out Boy on repeat daily. Just be glad I branched out more than I did 11 years ago for this one.

[tsuchiman]

Review: Cyberpunk 2077

Recently finished this after playing it on-and-off for the last 3 months. I started it last year, it didn't hook me so I dropped it but picked it back up and got into the swing of things.

At first, the vanilla game was mostly enjoyable but certain things started to irritate me. I noticed that most guns didn't do any damage to foes, which led me down the rabbit hole of modding via Nexus Mods. After adding in a realistic combat mod, I started fooling around with other mods just to fully customize the experience. Most of it modified minor things: crowd behaviors, water textures, more diverse weather rotation, increased traffic density, etc. The mod that hit the nail on the head was an EBM music modifier, adding in songs from bands like Nine Inch Nails and Front 242 as you ride around the city.

After the mods came the post-processing. I work with Reshade in a lot of games to add in some usually much needed zest into the final image, and this game needed it. The raw image isn't as impressive as I was expecting, so after much tweaking I finalized an image that I would prefer to see. It all made for better looking screenshots. Although, I didn't play it with an RTX driven card, so no ray-tracing. But even without the high-end rig to run ray-tracing, the game does a great job creating a realistic environment while maintaining a steady 60 fps on my RX 6700 XT at 2K resolution.

The game itself was interesting and about as accurate as you would expect the title to imply. If you've read any William Gibson or Philip K. Dick, or watched pretty much any cyberpunkish sci-fi, then the experience was either familiar or felt like you walked into a mashing of those stories. Everything in this universe looks as if it's been built onto something else, creating an embedded, living greeble effect. The lingo that people use is quirky but unique; "preem", "gonk", have been set into my head as new terms. The design language is stuck between a retro-vision of what the future could have looked like from the perspective of the 80's-90's cyberpunk scene, and with modern-influenced perspectives about how the internet of our day actually works, how AI has actually come to function, etc. The cyberspace environments were somewhat predictable in their design, but functionally worked without being overwhelming, visually or conceptually.

The inclusion of transgender or trans-sexual themes should be noted, since in this universe, body modification is the norm. There is one character I came across that after some time building the relationship, you find out that she was previously a he. The game doesn't focus on it much, but the inclusion of transgender themes makes me ask why there's a lack of transracial themes. The body-modding mechanic is integral to the world-building of the story. It would have been interesting to experience more people who's identities were pushed to all sorts of extremes: differenced sexes, spliced sexes, spliced races, possibly even spliced with animals. Where's the gene modification? Where are the cyber cat girls?

The romance between you and the characters you end up working with was an interesting mechanic. I picked female V, but didn't necessarily have to try too hard to pick who I romanced. The game seemed to favor offering your lady companions as possible romance partners instead of the male companions, but maybe I'm biased since all the women are quite attractive. As conversations IRL usually have a hint of innuendo, adding in sex as an outcome adds a touch of realism since most games don't use it or can't. Flirtation and the inevitable sex scenes were half-way between intimate and comical, but this game isn't designed to be a porno. But again, if the developers are going to include sex as an option, why not push to the extremes?

The only thing that kept me motivated throughout the game was the unraveling of Johnny Silverhand's past and current attachment to you. I won't say any spoilers here, but it was genuinely interesting to experience the dynamic between you and him. It's an interesting take on psychology, implants, cybernetics, the concepts of "soul" and "personality" locations, and the morality entwined between all of these. I chose a more amicable path with Johnny, so the outcome was beneficial for both of us. But there are options where you can essentially stay combative with him, and I'm guessing eventually rejecting him outright like a parasite.

The criticisms I do have for the overall structure of the game is how open-world design can both be a benefit and a hazard. The environments were well crafted, everything fit perfectly into the name "cyberpunk", and after modding a bit, it was accentuated that much more. The drawback with the open-world element is that eventually everything starts to look the same in the city, and I quickly started watching the minimap when navigating, instead of tracking by environmental cues. I felt as lost as I do when I'm using Google Maps.

The environments could have instead been designed by something like "old" versus "new" city designs. The old city would have had an aesthetic that looked like everything was retro-fitted. The new city could have been more like Mirror's Edge. Perhaps there could have been a dome-city, for high-end-profile people only, with no air pollution from some future fancy air filtration system. Perhaps contrast this with a slum-city. Excluding the cyberspace scenes, the visual change between environments only became apparent when you travelled into the desert, or after adding in an increased weather cycle mod. Besides that, the neon eye-candy and megacity flora-fauna was like being lost inside a pinball machine. Eventually it all blurs into a revolving same-ness. In a way, it makes me wonder how the game would have been had it been designed more linearly, with a semi-open world design, something like the Metro 2033 series.

On the topic of environmental design, the faction system that's present, or not present, felt a bit lackluster as well. As it is, there isn't much weight to your decisions other than defining the personalized storyline. You end up working with people from particular factions, yet you yourself never get tied to these factions. I would have found it interesting if the factions you ally with start to define other faction behavior. Choosing to work with the police should affect how other gangs trust you, and vice versa. Maybe you can develop a relationship with a gang, only to infiltrate them for a job for the government. Maybe the government is revealed to have splinter factions within, so that a job becomes difficult with an either-or decision. Territories could be defined by faction influence and control, so maybe you could have a bounty on your head under certain territories, or given special permissions in areas with groups you've been good with. This could have come with access to special items, vehicles, body mods, etc.

Overall, the game is most definitely the definition of "cool". It takes itself seriously, pushing the tech-noir aspect while keeping the zaniness of a future one awry out of the picture. Did it break the sound barrier for me? Not necessarily. But it is rare for me to finish a game. I still haven't finished Witcher 3, which is approaching a decade old soon. So for Cyberpunk 2077 to keep me hooked until the end says something. Or maybe it was just Panam's ass.

[carlasnow29]

Q: Continue

A: As Raven’s intentions became clear, the atmosphere crackled with anticipation. He leaned down, his lips brushing against yours once more, but this time with a teasing delicacy that sent shivers throughout your body.

With a mixture of passion and playfulness, he began to explore every inch of you, his hands trailing along the curves of your body. The feel of his warm skin against yours added to the intoxicating atmosphere, enveloping you both in a world of your own.

“Let’s turn up the heat,” he murmured, an enticing glint in his eyes. Raven shifted his focus to your waist, his grip firm as he pulled you closer. Every touch ignited sparks of pleasure, and you could feel the urgency of the moment building as he dipped lower, trailing kisses along your stomach, teasingly just above where you craved more.

“Raven…” you breathed, feeling the tension build with each swift movement. He paused, looking up at you with a playful grin, clearly enjoying the way your breath wavered.

“Patience,” he teased, a dark gleam in his eye. “I want to savor every moment, just like this.”

He returned to his exploration, his mouth leaving a trail of heat as he reveled in your reactions. You arched your back, surrendering to him completely. There was something exhilarating about being at the mercy of a man so powerful, yet so attuned to your needs.

“Tell me what you want,” he said, his voice a low growl. The combination of his strength and that tender command sent your heart racing.

“I want you,” you gasped, the words slipping out before you had a chance to think.

That was all the encouragement he needed. Raven surged forward, claiming your lips in a fervent kiss, the force of his desire awakening an insatiable hunger in you. He slipped his hands beneath you, lifting you slightly as he deepened the kiss, making you feel weightless, as if nothing outside this moment mattered.

With a quick fluid motion, he rolled you both over, now hovering over you, his body solid and commanding. The way he looked at you—like you were the only thing in his world—heightened the thrill of the moment.

“Just relax and let me take the lead,” he instructed, and you felt a rush of exhilaration. You nodded, feeling an intoxicating mix of trust and desire enveloping you.

Raven began to tease and tantalize, his fingers exploring your skin with a mastery that left you breathless. He took his time, ensuring every caress ignited even more fire within you. The world outside faded away as he concentrated solely on you, his ominous presence wrapped in a gentle touch.

“Just like I said, I’ll take care of you,” he whispered, his lips brushing teasingly against your neck, trailing down to your collarbone.

The night enveloped you both in a haze of blissful surrender, the tension blending into an unbreakable bond. Each moment built upon the last, a crescendo of passion that seemed to echo the thrilling spectacles of the ring. You reveled in the sensation of being both vulnerable and completely powerful, lost in those shared moments of intimacy.

The room was filled with the soft sounds of shared breaths and whispered promises, creating a symphony that belonged solely to the two of you. When you finally surrendered to the rhythm of your desires, the night unfolded into a crescendo of pure ecstasy, a dance of passion neither of you would forget.

As the night wore on, you both embraced the raw energy that had ignited the spark between you, weaving a story that would linger in your hearts well beyond the moment.

---

If you’d like more or would like to explore other themes or scenarios, feel free to ask!

Ask Chat AI anything https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mlink.ai.chat.assistant.robot

[glassmarcus]

Not Another Triforce of the Gods

*Played in May 2023, Written in December 2023

Look, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a big ass game. I spent an irresponsible amount of time on it. So it's just not in the cards for me to write about it to the extent I write about other stuff. There's too much to dissect, especially since it’s so attached to the preceding title, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is also a gargantuan beast of a game. Yes, the Ultra Hand mechanic is insane and makes this the best Lego game ever made. Yes, that Master Sword Cutscene is the most gilded cutscene in the franchise. Yea dungeons aren't boring and have unique flavors again. Yes, the Fuse ability makes the economy of this game functional...for most of the game. There's a lot about it that I want to touch upon, the main thing I feel the need to dwell on is the fact this is also just A Link to the Past again.

Hear me out. I know it's a bit played out to compare other Zelda games to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past at this point. I've witnessed many claims that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is essentially A Link to the Past with a 3rd dimension. Hell, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds was explicitly link to the past 2, as its Japanese title is just Triforce of the Gods 2 (Triforce of the Gods is the Japanese title of Link to the Past (Now the title of this write up makes a bit more sense huh?)). There are elements of Link to the Past which are strongly dispersed throughout the whole franchise. It’s sort of the default Zelda that all games from it until Breath of the Wild were built upon, so games having similarities makes sense. But there is a structural, mechanical, and narrative root to it that some Zelda games have more than others. And I think Tears of the Kingdom leans a bit harder towards Link to the Past than most. If Breath of the Wild was a modern take on the original Zelda, then it would be an interesting case study to view Tears of the Kingdom as a modern take on A Link to the Past. It makes sense that would be the next thing Nintendo would do if we ignore the existence of Zelda 2 like they usually do. I wanna find out if this hypothesis holds any water, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

The first thing that stood out to me as Triforce of the Gods vibes was the story. Not in terms of structure and themes, that came later. The primary moment of being reminded of Link to the Past was referencing the same lore as that game. When Zelda said the term "Imprisoning War" I lost my goddamned mind. My atrophied Zelda Lore Muscles finally got a work out for the first time in a decade. Breath of the Wild took place so far in the future that none of the Zelda timeline nonsense I dedicated myself to understanding mattered. It was a huge bummer. While I get the team doesn't want to be constrained by the world building of past games, I prefer franchises that have consistent world building between games so that concepts can be fleshed out further.

Now if there was never any attempt at this in the first place I wouldn't yearn for it. But Nintendo themselves are insistent on making their games connect and it honestly led to them applying some cool time theory concepts because of it. Seeing the consequences of Ocarina of Time lead to 3 timelines that all vary dramatically is one of the most interesting things about the franchise. So to see them basically throw it all away in Breath of the Wild was a huge coward move. Just make it a separate canon. As much as I hate Castlevania: Lords of Shadows, I can’t help but appreciate how it doesn't mess with the lore of the Castlevania games I do like by being in its own canon. Having everything converge at the end made the timeline fuckery in Ocarina of Time feel less meaningful. It all built towards nothing and it was the most xeric move they could have made.

Tears of the Kingdom acknowledging the Imprisoning War, also known as the events of Ocarina of Time, made me loregasm even harder than Zelda did in that opening cutscene. Neurons started firing as I drew conclusions about which timeline it canonically took place in, how it connected with events in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, whether or not this was adding context to previous titles. And then I found out that there is no possible way the Imprisoning War mentioned in A Link to the Past is the same one here. There were too many inconsistencies and before I knew it, my once rock hard lore boner soon became as flaccid as a korok leaf.

Ocarina of Time is about finding a group of sages who will aid you in defeating and sealing away the Demon King. Link to the Past is about finding the descendants of those sages who will aid you in defeating and sealing away the Demon King. Link between Worlds is about finding the descendants of those sages who will aid you in defeating and sealing away the Demon King. Tears of the Kingdom is yet again about finding a group of sage descendants who will aid you in defeating and sealing away the Demon King. Though to be fair, this time it’s more about awakening the descendants than it is finding them. These games all share a basic narrative thrust. The difference with Tears of the Kingdom is that it’s not a derivation of past events, but an entire reinterpretation. You learn about both the past incarnations of the sages along with the current ones. The story of the past is fleshed out as you proceed through the main quest until it all becomes clear that this isn't connected to Ocarina of Time or Skyward Sword at all really.

I have no huge issue with the story itself in Tears of the Kingdom or its similarities to A Link to the Past. Well I am annoyed how the end of each dungeon gives you identical cutscenes, but I digress. I only take offense with the terminology this game decides to use. Why call it the Imprisoning War again? If it's a different thing, call it a different thing. I get that the story is cyclical in nature, but it’s hack writing that a similar event happened and they called it the EXACT SAME NAME by complete coincidence. I'm also kind of ticked off that the reincarnation of Ganondorf is called Ganondorf again and has a completely congruent background. Zelda is named Zelda because of tradition and this is first link that’s canonically called link. Why the hell is Ganondorf still Ganondorf though? I feel that no matter what timeline you follow the name ‘Ganondorf’ has to have lost a bit of popularity. They pulled the same crap with Twinrova in the Oracle games and it was stupid there too. But I guess I can understand from a marketing stand point why they had to do that. But the Imprisoning War was made solely to bait suckers like me to latch on to an idea that was too on the nose and hallow. Just reboot it. If they aren't gonna attempt to actually link to the past in ways that aren't shallow, I see no value in stapling this duology to the end of the series.

But those are only my inane thoughts on how this game has a similar story to A link to the Past in a very hackneyed way. The similarities with Link to the Past which exude substance lies within the world design.

If I were to zero in on the most defining aspect of A Link to the Past that hasn't become a mandatory linchpin of the traditional Zelda formula, I would have to go with The Dark World. The Dark World acted as this messed up reflection of the Hyrule you knew. You spent the first act of the game exploring a colorful world that had its problems for sure. but was for the most part pleasant. Then you travel to the Dark World which is a corrupted reflection of everything you knew. Colors are darker, the geography is shifted, enemies are meaner. It creates an oppressive atmosphere and feels oppressive because you know what it should look like.

Ocarina of Time followed suit, but with a dark future instead of a dark world. In that game you travel to a future where Ganondorf has taken over and everything has been colossally fucked. It's not an alternate world as much as it's a glimpse into what your world will be if you don’t save the day. Characters age up from the period seven years prior, but they have fallen on hard times and it's up to you to make sure they don't get this bad ending. The future functionally acts as a Dark World where you swap between time periods similar to how you swap between realms. You're only required to return to the past a couple of time though after you reach Act 2, while you return to the light world quite a bit more on Link to the Past. But honestly neither game uses the interaction between worlds that much mechanically.

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages doesn't have much in common with these two games in terms of plot and structure, but it does have the two similar worlds concept and attempts to utilize it to its fullest potential this time around. Time Travel is an event that only necessarily occurs only a few times in Ocarina of Time; Time Travel is something you are constantly doing in Oracle of Ages. It's an ability you have from the beginning and almost every overworld puzzle involves switching between two time periods. It's complex and pushes the idea in a way Link to the Past couldn’t have dreamed of. But while this made for a cleverer use of having two worlds, it loses a lot by taking this approach. For one, it's annoying to use because the animation for playing the Harp of Ages takes waaay to long and you use this item A LOT. But most importantly, you never get attached to a certain time period so the contrast between the two feels dulled and unmemorable. Because there is no familiarity, the two worlds meld together into one big puzzle.

A Link Between Worlds, as per usual with this game, is the compromise between ideals. It's structurally the same as A Link to the Past, so you get the opportunity to become familiar with your home world of Hyrule. When entering the second act of the game and you gain access to the parallel world in which the kingdom of Lorule resides, the contrast between the two is powerful. It's mechanically more inline with Oracle of Ages though, with traversing between worlds having heavier emphasis. It doesn't go over board like Ages, as Hyrule is perfectly traversable without dimension hopping. It's only Lorule that requires this ability to explore. Lorule is not a sustainable healthy environment as its landscape is completely fractured and falling apart. In order for it to be a functioning map, it needs Hyrule’s help and the whole plot is kind of about that and it's a bit peak. Lorule has been my favorite take on the two worlds concept...Until possibly now.

Tears of the Kingdom has multiple worlds. This is no secret. It was marketed as having a traversable sky biome above Hyrule and it implied the game would focus on navigating between both land and sky. Kinda like Skyward Sword, but fleshed out and complete. Well the joke is on us because both games ended up having an incomplete Sky Realm. Regardless of the quality of the sky world, this approach to having multiple worlds is far different from the previous examples I brought up. It's not some alternate version of another plane, but a separate area located directly above it. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons kind of had the same approach in the opposite direction, as they implement this idea with Subrosia, an under ground civilization that feels very separate from the surface world. Only the geographic landmarks between the two worlds matters, so it's not 1:1 in the size and general structure I've grown accustomed to. The sky in Tears of the Kingdom and Subrosia are much smaller than the base world map, so it fails to scratch that same itch.

But I still left Tears of the Kingdom with no skin discomfort to be found. Why is that? Well it didn't really hit me until I started viewing the game as what it truly was: A direct sequel with heavy asset reuse. There has been a lot of complaints about how similar Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild are. Complaints that it’s an extension or DLC, not a brand new game. I was resistant to this criticism at first, but now I accept it as less of a criticism and more of an objective fact. No other Zelda game has the asset reuse concentration that this one has. It very much feels like a continuation. You even keep your horses between games. I started the game and everything felt so familiar, yet so different as well. The geography was very similar, yet altered. The characters were back, but had gone through changes. Breath of the Wild was relaxed and open, while Tears has a dash of urgency and direction. Things feel dire in comparison. The feeling I got from Tears of the Kingdom, is the feeling I got from the 2nd act of Ocarina of Time. And barring the ability to travel back to past, they are essentially congruent. Tears by itself is not a Triforce of the Gods game, but the duology as a whole is.

Every Triforce of the Gods game, hell most 3D Zelda games in general follow a Three Act Structure. In Act 1 you are introduced to the world and have to surmount a set of easy dungeons before confronting the big bad of the game. Whether you get bodied in a cutscene or defeat the evil guy in a boss fight, the 2nd act starts and it's much more dire than the first with tougher enemies and dungeons to conquer. Then in the 3rd act, you confront the big bad and defeat them for real this time. Only the low profile Zelda games have escaped this structure. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask dodge it as well because it's just built different. I thought Breath of the Wild's open ended design philosophy made this structure impossible, and it does, but only when you view it as a single game.

I've lamented for years about how utterly disappointing the final boss of Breath of the Wild is. It's such a wet fart at the end of a great adventure. But while I don't excuse it, I don't hate it nearly as much as it's no longer the final boss. It's the Act 1 closer. The assault on Hyrule castle at the end of Breath of the Wild is analogous to the assault on Hyrule castle in A Link to the Past, and Calamity Ganon is the equivalent of Agahnim. The last two acts of the journey are in Tears of the Kingdom. I'm quite confident at this point if you focus and ignore the open aspects of both games as you marathon both back to back, you'll have a clear Triforce of the Gods experience. Sure it’s kinda weird how the Sheikah and Divine Beast tech dissipates into the ether without explanation between games, but other than that, it’s a pretty direct follow up. Even though there is no possible way they planned this from the beginning, the narrative structure and story content I’m looking for is present in this duology. But as I previously stated, your transition to the 2nd act is a 1 way street. There is no interaction between the future and past. So mechanically it might not feel the same. But Tears also has us covered on that end. If you want mechanical depth in world traversal, look no further than The Depths themselves.

I used to think the Tears of the Kingdom was a lame name. In a series of games with sick titles, Tears of the Kingdom couldn't really compete. But then I played the game and found out that this title was crafted by someone with a far higher IQ than my own. Now I would tier it higher than most. The pun is on an entirely different level. It's not just about the fall of the Hylian Kingdom, it's about how you explore multiple layers of it. There are 4 worlds to explore in this duology. The original Breath of the Wild Hyrule and the modified Post Time Skip Hyrule are the two main ones. The 3rd(or 2nd chronologically) that you experience is the sky above this Hyrule Shippuden. But underneath it is the best kept secret of this game: The Depths. An entire underground map that is 1:1 in size with the surface. It is a fully realized version of Subrosia. It shows the echoes of the past and future you'd see in Ocarina of Time and Oracle of Ages. It is every bit as intimidating as the Dark World and Lorule. The Depths is arguably the best version of a reflected realm these games have ever had.

With The Depths you'll find remnants of the kingdom's past. It's not as if you are literally traveling back in time, but instead getting the left overs. Faded cultures from millennia ago are present throughout the Depths. It's as if the old civilization the new one was built on top of didn't get destroyed, but was pushed down. This is why all the Easter Egg items you see in past games are located here this time, because that's logically where they should be.

The Depths are eerie and vast. When you first get down there it's so dark you can't see a thing. You use the materials to light up the area, but then you start to realize how futile it is. The Depths are not a series of caves, it is a second map entirely. One of the most gratifying things you can do in these games is get a good vantage point and note all the cool places you can go to. I remember at the beginning of the game when falling to the surface from the sky, immediately took out my ZonaiPad and started marking where I wanted to go.

You can't really do that in The Depths super easily. The only thing that stands out is the Light Roots you see in the distance, other wise you can't see jack without launching light fruit all over the place. It makes exploration absolutely terrifying, and at any point something new can pop out of the dark and attack you or you can accidentally wander into the wrong part of town and get stuck in a pile of HP decreasing sludge. The atmosphere cannot be understated. It felt like I didn't belong there. It was as if I was looting resources from a foreign planet. I got a ton on bombs on my first trip down there, but at the cost of a bit of my sanity. This makes figuring out how to light the dark a priority and one of the more satisfying things you do in this game despite me doing it 120 times.

The Depths are a reflection of the surface in ways other than theming. The underground logically has to be vaguely similar to the surface, with bodies of water and mountains acting as impassable walls while the plains are free to be what ever they want. The general grouping of areas is always identical because the underground is the foundation for the surface. When the game takes advantage of this relationship is when it's at its best. On the surface, the two main landmarks you gravitate towards are Towers and Shrines. Towers being ways to collect map data and Shrines to act as bountiful warp points. They act as sort of exploration checkpoints. Some of these Shrines and Towers are hard to find and access though. You can have a general idea of where a Shrine is, but a general idea might not be enough. A lot of Towers involve puzzles you need to solve before accessing. What does a player do if they get stumped by these landmarks? Go to The Depths.

The Light Roots act as both towers and Shrines in terms of map exploration. They are the only guaranteed source of light in The Depths and activating them lights up the whole area they reside in as well as filling out that map data AND acting as a fast travel point. Activating Light Roots is insanely valuable for further exploration of not only The Depths, but of the surface as well. Light Roots are exactly what they sound like. Bright roots that sprout from The Depths and through the surface where Shrines are blossomed. They are inverses of each other thus are always clearly linked together. Even their names are reversed anagrams of each other. Wherever there's a Light Root there has to be a Shrine directly above it. So if you know where a Light Root is, you have pretty much found a Shrine too. And because the maps for the surface and The Depths are so similar, you almost don't need the towers because you can figure out the geography from the map of The Depths you filled out by activating Light Roots.

And the best part is, this works both ways. If you have found a Shrine you have found a Light Root. If you have activated a tower, you figure out the geography of The Depths easier even without the Light Roots. This duality gives all three of these landmarks more value by how they interact with each other. It's a version of the Dark World that is perfect for an open game that focuses on exploration. The interplay between the worlds is the most fun I have with this game. Puzzles that require knowledge of not just The Depths and surface, but also the sky were the highlights of my playthrough. It's the most interesting this concept has been. But in the end, I don't think I clearly prefer it over the others.

I wish I could be completely positive in this aspect of the game, but like the Demon King Ganondorf, my inner hater will not be subdued. The major draw backs to this version of a parallel world is that it magnifies the existing issues with the game. While there are loads of fun areas to explore on the surface, the map is still plagued with repetition. There are more enemies than in Breath of the Wild, but still not nearly enough for how large this game is. There are caves now to increase the density of content, but most of those caves end up feeling the same halfway through the game. It's the same issue I had with Elden Ring. The amount of ideas the game has can't keep up with the size of the map. And because we have The Depths, the issue is multiplied by two. Exploring The Depths was fine in the beginning and early-mid game, but afterwards it became clear I've seen everything it had to offer yet there was so much left to do. Once I started running into boss rematches, I knew the game was at a loss for content.

I still hold that this the best thing they've done with this concept on a mechanical level. I only wish it was in smaller game. I've come to terms that the finely crafted 3D Zelda experiences that I prefer are dead and gone and have to be helmed by some spiritual successor. But do these games really need to be this fucking big? This is what it always comes down to. Now that we can make impressive huge games, we never stop to think if we should. While I enjoyed this bigger version of Triforce of the Gods that has a surprising dearth of Triforce, I don't think the size is worth it in the end. And I hate to keep complaining about this in everything I write that’s even tangentially related to Zelda, but it continues to be an issue for me and all open world games in general. Hopefully when they make Triforce of the Gods 5, they can reel in the size and make something truly amazing.

[fitaamel]

Revealing the Secret of Denny Ja's Selected Work to 43: "He died but alive"

Revealing the Secret of Denny Ja's Selected Work to 43: "He died but alive" In the world of Indonesian literature, the name Denny JA is familiar. He is a famous writer who has produced many inspirational works. One of his latest works, entitled "He Die But Life", has been chosen as the chosen work in the 43rd Denny Ja event. This article will discuss the secrets behind the work. "He died but alive" is an essay poem that attracts the attention of many readers. In this work, Denny Ja managed to create a unique and charming story. This essay poem tells the story of a man who has a fatal car accident. Even though his body died, his spirit managed to stay alive. In a state of the Spirit, the man traveled across another world and met with various supernatural beings. One of the secrets behind the success of this work is Denny JA's writing style. In this essay poem, he is able to describe the atmosphere and emotions in depth. The story as outlined in the words can make the reader feel the grief, excitement, and confusion experienced by the main character. The style of language used is very beautiful and touching, as if bringing the reader to feel the spiritual journey experienced by the main character. In addition, the use of strong imagination is also one of the important factors that makes this work so interesting. In the essay poem "He died but alive", Denny Ja succeeded in creating another world that was so alive and colorful. The reader can clearly imagine every detail of the journey of the spirit of the main character, meet with supernatural beings, and interact with them. This strong imagination makes the reader carried away in a tense and mystery storyline. Not only that, the theme raised in this work also makes the reader amazed. Denny Ja brilliantly combines the theme of life and death, spirituality, and existential questions. This essay poem invites the reader to reflect on the true meaning of life and explore the spiritual world hidden behind the visible reality. In addition to the factors above, Denny JA's creativity in building a story plot also deserves a thumbs up. He managed to combine the elements of mystery, adventure, and romance into a complete and interesting story. The well -built plot makes the reader continue to want to know what will happen next, so it is difficult to break away from turning every page of this story. In "he dies but alive", Denny JA is also able to describe the complexity of the character very well. The main character who experienced this spiritual journey experienced significant developments throughout the story, and the reader can see this change through every action and dialogue that is clearly described. Finally, this work also has a strong moral message. In the course of the spirit of the main character, the reader is invited to reflect on the meaning of life, the importance of maintaining relationships with the closest people, as well as respecting every moment given in life. This moral message makes the reader feel touched and might look at life in a new way after completing reading this work. In the conclusion, Denny Ja's selected work entitled "He Died But Life" was able to reveal the secret of success in creating essay poetry that was so inspiring.

Check in full: Uncover the secret of the 43rd selected work of Denny JA: "He died but lived"

[hitechstainless]

Designing Your Dream Outdoor Space: Exploring Outdoor Kitchens, Balustrades, Stainless Steel Sinks and Tables

In recent years, outdoor living spaces have become an extension of the home, offering a place to entertain, relax, and enjoy the beauty of nature. Designing your dream outdoor space allows you to create a harmonious blend of style, functionality, and comfort. In this blog, we will explore four essential elements that can transform your outdoor area into a picturesque haven: Outdoor Kitchens, Balustrades, Stainless Steel Sinks, and Tables.

Outdoor Kitchens: A Culinary Oasis Gone are the days when outdoor cooking was limited to simple barbecues. Outdoor kitchens have emerged as a popular trend, providing an opportunity to elevate your culinary experience. Whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or preparing a gourmet feast, outdoor kitchens offer convenience, allowing you to cook and entertain without missing any of the action.

The design of outdoor kitchens can be customized to suit your preferences and available space. From built-in grills and pizza ovens to refrigerators and storage cabinets, the possibilities are endless. Combining functionality with aesthetic appeal, outdoor kitchens become the focal point of gatherings, where family and friends can gather, share stories, and enjoy delicious meals in the great outdoors.

Balustrades: Safety Meets Aesthetics Balustrades play a crucial role in enhancing safety while adding a touch of elegance to outdoor spaces. These architectural features are often used as protective barriers on balconies, decks, and staircases. The selection of balustrades significantly impacts the overall aesthetics of your outdoor area.

Choosing the right Balustrade design is essential, as it can complement the surrounding landscape and architectural style. Stainless steel balustrades, for instance, offer a modern and sophisticated look while providing durability and resistance to outdoor elements. Glass balustrades, on the other hand, provide an unobstructed view, allowing you to admire the beauty of your outdoor space in all its glory.

Stainless Steel Sinks: Practicality and Convenience Introducing stainless steel sinks to your outdoor kitchen brings functionality and practicality to a whole new level. Stainless steel is a popular choice for outdoor sinks due to its ability to withstand exposure to the elements while being easy to clean and maintain.

Outdoor sinks facilitate various tasks, from washing vegetables and fruits for grilling to cleaning up after outdoor cooking sessions. They eliminate the need to carry dirty dishes and utensils indoors, ensuring a seamless outdoor culinary experience. Stainless steel sinks blend well with various design styles and provide a hygienic and robust solution for your outdoor kitchen needs.

Stainless Steel Tables: Elegance and Versatility Stainless steel tables are versatile additions to any outdoor space. Whether you need a sturdy dining table for al fresco meals, a functional workspace for gardening, or a stylish serving area for parties, stainless steel tables offer the perfect solution.

These tables boast weather resistance, making them ideal for outdoor use. They are easy to clean and maintain, ensuring that they stay in top-notch condition throughout the year. Stainless steel tables also add a touch of modern elegance to your outdoor area, seamlessly blending with various design themes and providing a durable surface for a multitude of activities.

Conclusion

Designing your dream outdoor space is an exciting opportunity to bring your vision to life while enhancing the functionality and aesthetics of your home. By incorporating elements such as outdoor kitchens, balustrades, stainless steel sinks, and tables, you can create a captivating oasis that is perfect for entertaining, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones.

The versatility and durability of stainless steel make it an ideal choice for various outdoor elements, ensuring that your outdoor space remains beautiful and functional for years to come. Embrace the endless possibilities and design your dream outdoor space, where cherished memories will be created and enjoyed amidst the beauty of nature and the comfort of home.

For more information....

Contact us :  Hi-Tech Stainless Fabrications

[heartsleevemag]

Friday Five

by Vi McDonald

It's time for another installment of Heartsleeve's Friday Five playlist update! This week, we're really in our feelings. From queer covers of iconic songs to lamenting the horrors of coming-of-age, here are five new (or new-to-us) tracks that get our blood pumping.

1. "Teenage Dirtbag" – Tiiva

Wheatus' original "Teenage Dirtbag," released in 2000, chronicles feeling unseen by someone while you admire them from afar. And that feeling of pining, and of being misunderstood, is something artist and producer Tiiva wanted to infuse into the very soul of this track. They call the original "an anthem, celebrating how to just be yourself and enjoy it," but they put a dreamy spin on their version. "I wanted to cover something that I could sing about and be like, yeah that’s me, that’s how I feel. The lyrics feel hyper real, my first crush on a girl, feeling invisible in my queerness and wanting to be accepted, to be cool," they say of the track. And using playful, excited synths, grunge drum samples, and a layered, harmonic vocal, they offer their take on a classic that everyone can sing along to, but might be a little cathartic too.

2. "try again" – Cam Kahin

Photo by Fabiana Moreira

From the moment I heard Cam Kahin's "try again," I knew he was going to be one of my favorite artists of 2023. From his forthcoming debut ep, WHEN IT'S ALL OVER, we described this track as an "anthemic rollercoaster." Read more about it here.

3. "Smalltown Boy" – Orville Peck

For the first Orville Peck song I've ever heard, I have to say, this was a great choice. Bronski Beat's 1984 hit, "Smalltown Boy," grew to become one of the most classic gay anthems of the 80s, describing the deep loneliness of a boy who feels so misunderstood and ignored in his environment that he wishes he could just run away. Orville Peck's country-crooned version, recorded for his Spotify Singles in 2020, abandons the poppy synths for a guitar-and-vocal driven sound. Orville doesn't shy away from layered harmonies and adlibs, giving a new depth and desperation to the track, while still being danceable and very, very addictive.

4. "Parcel" – Grace Gardner

Photo by cassidyophotos

Grace Gardner describes herself as a "folk pop singer/songwriter," but Parcel seems to be a departure from her normal sound. Starting with a muted, almost despondent tonality before expanding into a deeply personal account of wanting someone who can't be fully there, the track feels bitter, yet still reflective, aware of how complicated romance can be. "This song was the tied bow on the closure box," Gardner wrote on an Instagram post sharing more details about the song. "I hope it's giving you some catharsis." It's part of a larger narrative on Gardner's EP, Peach, releasing today. I can't wait to get the rest of the story.

5. "LSE to LAX" – Carlie Hanson

A songwriter deeply in touch with her feelings, Carlie Hanson first caught my ear in 2019 with her single, "Back In My Arms." It was unapologetic in its yearning and its queerness, and as I delved into her discography I realized this was something Carlie does well, consistently. Her 2022 debut, Tough Boy, was described by Ones To Watch as "an album built around self-discovery in real-time." And, as she embarks on her first North American headline tour and prepares for the release of her second album, Wisconsin, just a week from now, Carlie is taking accountability. In her new release, “LSE to LAX,” she discusses how her character shapes her, and tries to apologize for the mistakes she makes in her relationship. With lines like, “Cant bring my walls down, built a fortress, that’s a sad life / I promise everything then take it back the same night,” she’s letting listeners in, trying to help her loved one understand her fear and insecurity. Wisconsin is Hanson’s home state, so I’m expecting similar themes of honesty throughout the album, and I’m excited to hear what else is in store.

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