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mfb-better-fury · 3 years

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Episode 5

Day

In Ryo’s office, Gingka and the others are video chatting – Gingka with Masamune, Kenta with Excalibur, and Madoka with Wang Hu Zhong. Gingka asks to see Striker, but it hasn’t changed at all. Hikaru is abruptly pulled over by him to show Masamune the transformed Aquario. He’s amazed, asking what she’s calling it, but she admits she hasn’t figured that out yet.

In Madoka’s call, though Mei Mei remembers seeing a light at the time mentioned, the others remind her it had been a power surge. Kenta has finished his own explanation, but then voices his confusion over Julian’s absence. Sophie explains they’ve been making him take more days off recently, as the events with Ziggurat and Spiral Force did a number on his head. Wales assures them that they’ll catch him up to speed on everything. Though the team exchanges looks of intrigue, they unfortunately have no information either.

Ryo muses that it seems only Hikaru and Kyoya have awakened and wonders where the other eleven legendary bladers might be. He’s startled out of his thoughts when Masamune loudly declares he will become a legendary blader and surpass Gingka. Ryo encourages them all, saying some of them may well become legendary bladers, which impacts Kenta in particular. He becomes briefly lost in thought on the subject.

They say their farewells and the calls end. Gingka expresses his confusion that neither Masamune nor Dashan were chosen. Madoka adds that they didn’t get any leads in Russia either; Kenta says the same for his calls with Desert Blaze and Chandora. Gingka wonders whether Tsubasa or Yu might be legendary bladers, but Madoka points out that as they went off on a training journey, no one knows where they are. Hikaru confirms this rather worriedly, admitting that though Tsubasa had been contacting them at first, he suddenly went off the grid after the first month. To get their minds off their worry, Ryo changes the subject, asking Yuki how things are going with his part.

Yuki, who had been doing some work on his own, shows the group a video of the moment the star fragment broke. He has calculated the trajectory of one piece to a remote island in Indonesia. The group decides to go there and find it. Ryo reminds them of the urgency of their mission and that they must hurry. Hikaru holds Aquario a bit tighter but says nothing.

Kenta asks about Kyoya and whether he should come, as he is a legendary blader. Gingka comments that he would like that to happen, but Madoka is uncertain after the events of their last battle, especially since he went off on his own instead of joining them here.

At the dock warehouses, Kyoya is training with the new Leone, with Benkei watching excitedly. He muses on its new strength and new fangs, then dubs the evolved bey Fang Leone and declares that once these new fangs are polished, he will rise above the dark power and prove he is more than capable of winning any battle on his own.

Yuki thinks back to that morning when he and Kyoya had met eyes. He hesitantly asks what kind of person Kyoya is, saying he knows his power is high due to watching the World Championships, but he didn’t seem very friendly earlier. Madoka agrees that Kyoya is rather wild and Kenta comments he “doesn’t play well with others”. Gingka tells him that Kyoya is filled with a heated bey spirit, despite his rough exterior.

Ryo tells them to rest up, pack their things, and that he’ll have their transport ready after lunch. Madoka and Kenta run off to prepare, with Yuki following after giving a polite goodbye. Hikaru excuses herself as well, but Ryo stops Gingka before he leaves, asking if they could talk for a moment.

The two stand in silence as Hikaru closes the door behind her. Gingka is a bit tense as he looks at his dad. Ryo sighs and starts gently, telling Gingka that he shouldn’t blame himself for what Kyoya is going through. This isn’t what Gingka expected to hear and he’s caught a bit off guard. Ryo continues, saying that the dark power is something ancient and terrible, and its effects have often left its victims scrambling to find themselves again. Kyoya is strong in his own right and Ryo has certainty that if he has fought it this long with so much success, he will be able to overcome it before too much longer. Gingka must have faith in this as well.

Seeing Gingka’s lack of enthusiastic response, Ryo says he has something for him and asks him to close his eyes. He then opens a drawer in his desk and pulls something out, placing it in Gingka’s hands, and tells him to look. When Gingka opens his eyes, he finds Ryo’s headband in his hands.

Ryo wants Gingka to know how proud he is of overcoming everything that he’s faced so far, even with all of the obstacles and adversaries in his way. Even if the star fragment has not awakened in Pegasus yet, he knows Gingka is powerful without it and wants him to use this time to test himself once more and find his role in this fight for their future. Gingka is silent, but has lost some of his stiffness at his dad’s words, and stares at the headband contemplatively.

Hikaru arrives home again to find her mother waiting for her at the kitchen table with a box. She’s confused as she’s asked to sit, but does so. Her mother says that she’s been hoping for the chance to give this to her for months, and thinks now is the right time for it. Opening the box reveals an outfit, which doesn’t make sense to her at first, but then it occurs to her that it looks a lot like what her mother had worn during her time as a blader.

Her mother tells her that, as Aquario has rebuilt itself, she believes it is time for Hikaru to do the same. This journey involving Nemesis sounds like a difficult one, but one that Hikaru can take. She has always thought Hikaru was strongest when facing a storm that pushed her to her limits, and this looks like a hurricane waiting to bring out the very best in her. Hikaru is teary-eyed as she asks if she really thinks so; her mother reaches over to take her hand and promises she does.

After wiping her eyes, Hikaru takes out Aquario and thinks back to her battle with Kyoya the day before. Before and after the bey’s evolution, she had felt its excitement at being in the field again. She can’t deny that. With the panic of the moment over, she can clearly see the difference between Aquario’s light and the explosions of darkness that Ryuga had once been known for. She internally muses about her mother’s words, wondering if Aquario was trying to tell her the same thing as it circled Kyoya’s tornado.

At last finding the inspiration she’d been searching for to start again, Hikaru finds a name for her transformed bey – Hurricane Aquario. She thanks her mother and takes the clothes with her to another room to change.

Once Hikaru has left the room, Akiko muses about ‘his’ gut feeling being right. She carefully moves to the living room to take a pad of paper and begins writing something: “It looks like the time has come. The star fragment has arrived just like you said it would, and my dear Hikaru has been chosen.”

At the B-Pit, Yuki and Madoka are in an argument about packing, with Yuki thinking his cousin is trying to take too much. He manages to convince her it’s more practical to take a travel bag than a suitcase when they don’t know what kind of places they’ll go and the large suitcase could hinder her. As Madoka reluctantly begins repacking, he tells her he’ll get started on filling her portable repair kit.

While in Madoka’s workshop gathering parts, Yuki notices her bey equipment is tucked away in a drawer. After a brief moment of puzzlement, he removes it and begins inspecting it, stopping as he takes her bey out of its case. He becomes lost in thought as he stares at it.

When Madoka comes out to report she is now ‘properly’ packed, she finds Yuki still holding her bey. He’s startled as she puts her arm around him, but smiles when she reminds him of the promise they made when they were younger.

Yuki: “When the new star fragment arrives…”

Madoka: “...We’ll follow it together.”

At Bey Park, Kenta is all packed up and has just finished explaining their mission to Osamu, Takashi, and Akira. The trio is amazed at his story, with Akira wondering if the star fragment fell into any of their beys, but Takashi highly doubts it, as people like Kyoya and Hikaru are way above their level. Osamu insists it’s possible and they should get back to training.

Akira asks Kenta how long he thinks he’ll be gone, and Kenta admits he isn’t sure, which is why he wanted to tell them he was leaving – so they wouldn’t worry something had happened to him. Takashi questions if Kenta told his mom about everything. Kenta assures them that he called Ryo to help him explain everything to her and to promise her he would stay safe, and he promises them the same.

Takashi comments on how far Kenta has come – from following them around learning the basics, getting involved with the Facehunters and Gingka, and all the crazy adventures he’s gone on since then. “It feels like just yesterday we gave you Sagittario, and now here you are going off to save the world.” Osamu tells him to knock it off before he starts crying; Akira is already trying to scrub away tears, saying how fast their little Kenta’s grown up.

Kenta, both bewildered and embarrassed, frantically tries to reassure them they’ll always be his best friends and he’ll be back before they know it. He then says he’s got to get going or the others will leave without him. As he runs off, the trio tearfully waves goodbye and assures him he’ll be the greatest legendary blader of them all.

When Kenta arrives at the train tracks, he is greeted by the waiting Gingka, Madoka, and Yuki. Madoka explains that Benkei will be there just as soon as he gets confirmation from the computer that Bull’s repairs are complete. Gingka is sure that Kyoya will follow. Kenta declares that he’s along for the ride and wants to become one of the legendary bladers too. Gingka encourages him, hoping for the same. Yuki comments that their bond is strong, which he’s envious of as he’s always been alone. Gingka tells him he’s one of them now. Kenta and Madoka back this up, making Yuki feel touched by their kindness.

As Gingka asks about Hikaru’s decision, the group is startled as she comes up to them, saying that she’s going too. Madoka compliments her new outfit, saying she looks more like herself already. Kenta agrees and admires the brooch pinned to her jacket. Hikaru smiles a little, putting her hand to it as she thinks back to what her mother had said while pinning it on her just before she’d left: “My greatest friends gave this to me as a gift to celebrate the win of a particularly difficult tournament. Now, I pass those feelings on to you, Hikaru. I know you will find your strength again, and you’ll rise above everything that tries to get in your way.”

Kenta runs off to start their journey with the others rushing after him, watched from atop a hill by first one, then five cats. At a corner ahead of them a line of meowing cats blocks the path. Johannes appears from around the corner, startling Yuki, and says he’s been waiting for them. When Gingka asks what he wants, Johannes explains that while yesterday he hadn’t gotten exactly what he wanted out of the day, it seems that because of it he’s been saved the trouble of explaining everything to them – that a new dawn of beyblade will arrive soon, when Nemesis awakens. Yuki tries to duck behind Madoka to hide, looking pale, making Madoka realize this must be his attacker, and he nods with a whimper when she asks him to confirm.

As Johannes asks them to join him and rule with them, Madoka interrupts by stepping forward and declaring that the only way a new era of beyblade will begin is by the bladers of the world moving toward it together in the light of their own bladers’ spirits, not by following cheap promises and dark secrets. Johannes says that she’s been listening to things that don’t concern her, and asks which among them is the legendary blader. Hikaru tenses at this, but tries to shake it off. Before she can make herself step forward, however, she and the others are stunned as Madoka pulls out her launcher and bey, telling Johannes that his first mistake was attacking her family, and his second was being stupid enough to show his face to her after.

Mist Delphis VS Beat Lynx begins

After being launched, Delphis manages a strong hit against Lynx, and Gingka and the others are caught off guard by Madoka’s aggressive style. Even so, Lynx’s hits seem to hit harder. Yuki uses his tablet to scan Lynx with a similar program to Madoka’s laptop and explains that while both beys are balance types, Lynx’s spin track height is letting it deal more damage.

Johannes comments that he doesn’t feel the star fragment within Delphis and decides this battle has no purpose. He demands once more to know who the legendary blader is, but Madoka ignores him to continue her attack. Though Delphis manages to knock Lynx into the air, it lands safely due to its cat-like balance. At her next attack, Lynx’s spin track extends and Delphis passes under. The same thing happens with the next attack as Yuki explains how it’s happening, saying its tallest height is comparable to Flame Byxis.

After lowering its spin track, Lynx launches its own attack, knocking Delphis into the air, then follows to smash it back into the ground. When the smoke and dust clear, Delphis is barely hanging on, much to Madoka’s anger. Johannes asks a third time for the legendary blader. This time, Hikaru starts to open her mouth, but is interrupted as Kyoya’s voice cuts in: “You want a legendary blader? Well, now you’ve got one!” He then launches Leone and Johannes recognizes his new power due to his aura. As he expresses his shock, Leone knocks Lynx back. Delphis, though unsteady, still manages to deliver a blow of its own. Johannes, disadvantaged by the two-on-one attack, catches Lynx midair and flees the scene, still declaring that he will have their star fragment.

With the battle over, Benkei arrives with a bag of his own. Kyoya says that Benkei explained their mission, and a startled Kenta asks if he’s saying he’ll come with them. Kyoya doesn’t answer, instead turning his attention to Madoka as she calls back Delphis. He recognizes the bey as the one she used to stop him from battling in the Survival Battle tournament, which she’s surprised he remembers. Reminded of the tournament, Hikaru admits she’d forgotten Madoka had a bey at all, which confuses Yuki, though he doesn’t voice it. Explaining she doesn’t battle much, Madoka looks at her bey and wonders if that’s something she should change.

While Gingka compliments Madoka’s quick action and assures her he’ll help her train, Kyoya picks up his bag and declares they should stop wasting time and get going, already walking away. Benkei follows him.

Kenta and Hikaru remark on his behavior but know his power will help him. Yuki watches Madoka and Gingka, confusion still clear on his face, but follows when the others hurry to catch up to Kyoya, with Madoka asking if he even knows where they’re going.

#Better Fury #Better Fury episode #BF Brave Legacy #Ryo Hagane #Gingka Hagane #Masamune Kadoya #Kenta Yumiya #MFB Excalibur #Madoka Amano #Wang Hu Zhong #Kyoya Tategami #MFB Osamu #MFB Takashi #MFB Akira #MFB OTA #Johannes

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sabraeal · 5 years

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We Seek That Which We Shall Not Find, Chapter 4

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

Written by request for @fade-touched-obsidian‘s birthday. Which was actually the day before mine! But let’s be real here, this is far from the latest I’ve been with a birthday gift...

“I think we might be dealing with a wizard,” Mitsuhide posits as Shirayuki removes the last cursed servitor from the map.

“Wow, you think?” Kiki drawls. It’s been a slog since they left the clearing, one or two of these twisted summons showing up with every step they take towards Laxdo. “I just thought this was the natural fauna of fifth-century Wales.”

He frowns, wounded. “I’m just putting out an idea.”

“Big guy’s got a point, but I think our bigger problem is that this is a, uh--” Obi snaps his fingers, eyes rolled back as he thinks -- “a gestalt game. So sure he’s like, some sweet-ass wizard or whatever, but what’s his second class, you know? Like, I can stab a wizard, but if he’s got armor or something...”

Kiki raises her eyebrows, mouth twitching. “I feel like you are underestimating how hard it would be to kill an actual, competent wizard.”

“Well--”

“That’s played by Izana,” she clarifies.

“Ah.” Obi tips his head, letting it thunk against the back of the chair, which is -- a lot, considering how much throat he suddenly has. Right there. Next to her. “Good point.”

“He could be a sorcerer too.” Shirayuki winces, hoping she doesn’t sound -- desperate. Which is what she feels, for no reason at all. It’s not as if everyone here doesn’t know that this is only her second session ever, but still that urgent pulse coils in her gut, making it imperative that she participates, even if she can only name five class off the top of her head, and two of them are hers.

Obi’s gaze hooks on her, thoughtful, and -- oh. Well. Maybe that could be part of it.

“Or an Arcanist?” she offers, lamely. “I’m not sure what other classes can summon.”

“Witch?” Mitsuhide offers.

“Summoner,” Kiki deadpans.

“Too many.” Zen rubs at his forehead, an annoyed sigh hissing through his teeth. “And his stupid minions have bled us dry before we’ve even reached the castle.”

“Are you going to camp down for the night?” Izana inquires, far too innocently. A shiver rolls down her spine. Shirayuki may not have been playing long, but she knows better than to trust him when he sounds like that, all calm and amused.

“No!” half the table shouts out, only her and Obi left blinking. Zen adds, “Can we ask our new friend if anyone is waiting at the castle?”

A sigh would be too pedestrian for Izana, but Shirayuki can tell he’s disappointed they didn’t take the obvious trap. “When he left, he says, he was the only man standing.”

“Man as in humankind-man?” Mitsuhide asks, a nervous tremor rattling his words. “Or as in like, a not-woman? Or in a more general sense--?”

Izana holds up a hand. “I’m afraid this level of philosophy is beyond him.”

“Or his geas,” Shirayuki murmurs, tracing the wood grain with her finger. Every eye tracks straight to her, and she shrinks. “I’m just -- presenting an alternate point of view.”

“I know,” Zen sighs, “and I hate it. Is there any way to know...?”

“Oh, I’m sure you could find a way.” Izana’s mouth curves, and every head drops to stare down at their sheets.

“I have zone of truth,” Mitsuhide offers, his giant hands clutching at the paper like it’s a life raft.

Shirayuki bites her lip. “But will it get around his geas?”

“Yeah, how truthy can your truth get, big guy?” Obi rubs at his chin. “Is it like...universal truth or something, or just how he sees it? Or how this wizard dude wants us to see it...?”

Mitsuhide’s eyes widen. “I...I don’t know. Let me check the text.”

“I always got good old, non-magical Sense Motive,” Obi reminds them. “That could do the job without wasting a spell slot.”

“Same problem.” Kiki drums her fingers on the table, tick tick tick, mouth pursed in a moue of annoyance. “The truth is relative.”

Mitsuhide grunts. “I’m sure that’s not true.”

“Listen--”

“Before we get too deep into moral philosophy,” Izana hums, “this seems like an excellent time for a break.”

It’s not until he mentions it that Shirayuki notices how stiff she is, how much her muscles are screaming to move, even just a little. She straightens her spine, just to be mindful of her posture, and every vertebrae along it gives its very vocal opinion.

“That sounds--” she coughs, trying to cover the large crack her back makes -- “nice.”

“But we’re not even at the castle yet!” Zen protests, mouth rounding into a frown.

Izana’s brows raise. “Oh, so you are going to trust you friend?”

Pink flares on his cheeks, his ears. “I-I didn’t say that.”

“Break time it is, then.” Izana lets his mouth pull into an unnerving smile. “I’ll expect your decision in fifteen minutes.”

They do not, of course, discuss the situation at hand.

As soon as Izana sits back in his seat, Mitsuhide is back at the bookshelf, pulling out Ultimate Equipment and a few other glossy companion books she can’t make out the title of. Zen is halfway to the stairs when Kiki calls out, “And where are you going?”

Zen stares at her, wide-eyed; the very picture of a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. “Snacks,” he manages finally. “Since my brother won’t share.”

Izana curls a hand over the tin like a dragon with its hoard. “That’s right, I won’t.”

Zen snaps a hand out. “See?”

“Not you,” Kiki says with a roll of her eyes, tapping at her phone screen. “I meant him.”

She jerks her head, and there is Obi, only a few steps behind with phone in-hand, frozen like a cat caught on the curtains. “Me?”

“No, the third idiot on the stairs.” She arches an inquisitive eyebrow. “Just what are you up to?”

“Uh.” He stares down at his phone. “I gotta...piss?”

“Oh, well then.” She smiles at him, all teeth. “Go right ahead.”

“T-thanks.” Obi takes a cautious step up. “I will.”

He bolts up the rest, and Mitsuhide glances at Kiki with a furrowed brow. “What was that about?”

“Nothing.” Kiki has already gone back to her game, bored. “He’s just calling someone.”

Mitsuhide blinks. “Didn’t he say he had to--” his eyes dart between them -- “go to the bathroom?”

“If he needed to use the little rogue’s room, we have one down here,” Kiki informs him, as if somehow a person could miss a room with a Jacuzzi tub.

“Maybe he just wanted more, ah...space?”

Her eyebrows raise. “I think Obi has probably pissed in bathrooms much smaller than that one and had no complaints.” She grins. “But the cell service is shit down here.”

“Shut your mouth,” Izana deadpans, no heat behind the words. He doesn’t even look up from where he’s making his notes, just continues writing in elegant longhand as he scrolls through the SRD.

“Get a router down here already.”

“And have you ungrateful little goblins even more distracted than usual?” He lets out a huff, amused. “I think not.”

“B-but who would he be calling?” Shirayuki winces when she realizes it’s her own voice that’s speaking, little more than a squeak. Kiki’s chin lifts, and over the edge of her phone, their eyes meet.

“I don’t know,” she admits, each word spoken carefully. “Maybe whoever he wore that getup for.”

Logically, Shirayuki is aware she’s being ridiculous.It just doesn’t help to know it.

She vibrates in her seat for three minutes until she can’t take it any longer, her legs expelling her out of the chair and launching her at the stairs with a lame, “I just remembered, I got -- uh -- group project?”

Kiki lifts her head up and gives her a long, searching gaze. “How unfortunate. I guess you should go handle that.”

“Y-yes!” She nods, far too emphatic. “Definitely.”

“School is very important,” Mitsuhide informs her sagely. “There’s plenty of rooms upstairs. We’ll come get you when it’s time.”

“Great!” she squeaks. “Thanks!”

Her phone is in her hands the second she hits the first floor, Kihal’s smiling face staring up at her. She nearly starts typing right there, but banging rings out in the kitchen and sends her scattering. It’s bad enough that she’s considering this, that last thing she wants is people knowing she’s -- she’s -- doing whatever this is. Phoning a friend for -- for life advice, maybe.

She twists the other direction, circling the grand stair to go down a darkened hallway. Lights flicker on as she walks past them, both cool and yet utterly unnerving, like being in a haunted house only the poltergeist activity is helpful, rather than harmful. It reminds her of the lamp on the second floor of the old B&B, where the wiring was so frayed all it took was a good stomp on the second stair from the top to set it on, only it’s all over the house, instead of in a corner where she could dash madly past.

That urge follows her all the way down the hall, and only the certainty that it would be even more disconcerting to have the lights chase her keeps her pace sedate, little more than a purposeful amble.

It’s not hard to find and empty room in the house; she passes by a half dozen on this hall alone, but every single one is missing a light switch. There’s lamps of course, a handful studding each room with silhouettes that say priceless antique, enough that she wonders precisely how much of this furniture predates Zen’s childhood. After all, there’s isn’t enough Tiffany glass in the world to survive a really determined toddler.

It’s after her second turn that she finally accepts that she’ll just...have to go in one of these rooms, under the cover of utter darkness, and turn one of them on if she wants some privacy. It just so happens that the room she’s next to has shadows shaped vaguely like bookshelves, and something like an antique globe, and -- well, when has a library ever betrayed her before?

She edges in, hooking a foot around what looks to be a suitably over-stuffed wing-backed chair, and sinks into it. One hand reaches out, trembling in the thin light, and quickly discovers that the lamp is missing it’s pull-cord, or a switch, or anything vaguely control-like. She even pokes it, just in case it might be one of those touch-sensitive lights she’s always seeing in Target, but -- no dice. It’s just her and the darkness.

And whatever lives in it.

It’s fine. She doesn’t -- doesn’t need a lamp if she’s just looking at her phone screen. Which is what she does, dumbly, for a good minute, willing Kihal to start the conversation first.

No luck on that one, either.

Hey, I have a question

oh there you are you disappeared pretty quick figured you must have hand your hands full of hot college boy

You mean with hot college bot?

i said what i said whats up?

Shirayuki hesitates, the blunt edges of her nails tapping at her case. She doesn’t even know what she needs to say, why she even thinks there’s something she needs to ask --

I just wanted your opinion on something

is it about boys??? if it isnt just lie to me im thirsty for boy talk let me have this

I guess it could be? It involves a boy

!!!! MORE TALK MORE FASTER

She grimaces. This is -- it’s a bad idea, pure and simple. Don’t read into this too much, okay?

too late, Kihal claps back, far too quickly for human hands to type. Shirayuki will never know how she does that, not without her fingers breaking the sound barrier or something. already looking at bridesmaid dresses. now lay it on me

With a deep breath, Shirayuki just types.

Hypothetically, if someone is flirting with you in character, does that mean they’re interested in you in real life? That sounds so much worse when I look at it, please forget I said anything

.... ok u r gonna need 2 back up this train because this is a LOT of nerd is someone flirting with you?? are you flirting with someone??? are you having verbal intercourse with someone at nerd night with all your other nerd friends watching????

What?? NO I just wanted to know You know, intellectually

you come out swinging with s/t like this and you want me to believe it’s for like personal edification or some shit are you KIDDING ME?? WHO IS FLIRTING WITH YOU SEND PICS

It doesn’t mean anything!

excuse me did u not just text *me* for my exact opinion on this or am i just high wtf

Okay, fair, but I don’t *think* it’s anything

uh huh cool okay i think we all know who should be the judge of that SO SPILL

The phone shakes in her hand, and Shirayuki tips forward, resting her forehead on it. She really shouldn’t saying anything. It’s all just for fun, and she’s just -- just taking things too seriously, like she always does. It doesn’t even matter, it’s not like she even wants something to happen --

I think Obi

cute college boy?? what did he do??? what did he say????

I don’t know It’s all been in-game so I think I’m just reading too much into it Not like it really matters, I just want to know so I know how to proceed I don’t want things to be awkward

JUST TELL ME WHAT HE HAS DONE OH MY GOD

Well, we’ve fallen on each other a bunch, and he makes all those ‘falling for me?’ jokes And Zen keeps saying he’s using corny pick-up lines

like wisteria is one to talk hed use em if he could pull it off

That’s what Obi said!

i like this boy already you should make out with his face

PLEASE FOCUS

im just expressing my opinion but continue if there is more to continue with which i know there is because i can feel you being awkward

Well, he also made a joke about how nice my breasts were

oh hm that was about lynet right

Yes

yeah i was gonna say definitely has to be fictional

don’t blame me blame genetics but what you have is very nice! quality over quantity

Please quit while you’re ahead I just don’t think it means anything I mean, he’s clearly flirting with Lynet, not me

right but she is like an extension of you it might just be easier to flirt with some fictional princess than like actually have to flirt with a real girl who may or may not be interested in him

Lynet is a lady of the realm But I understand your point

ohhhh well thank you MILADY

Oh God, don’t start I only mean that he has, you know Options

Options?

Like adult options Of people to flirt with I’m sure a seventeen year old doesn’t seem that exciting

you live in such a nice world but also isn’t this guy like...20? thats not really a big gap like that’s if you started dating a freshman or something

Right But still

so why does there have to be better options?? youre age appropriate its not like hes old like Izana or whatever

I don’t know He’s texting someone right now Kiki thinks it’s whoever he dressed up for

ok wait a minute back up he dressed up?

I mean, not...*dressed* up But he looks nice

hold up he came to your place dressed all nice?? at 7??

Yes?

and you think thats for...someone else? nvm i can tell this is gonna be a lost cause is anyone else flirting?? does this seem to be a normal thing?? i don’t know what’s normal for nerds

No Well, Zen does stuff too, a little Chivalrous stuff Like not wanting Lynet to put herself in danger Or talk to Beaumains at all

ugh ok well *that* is real

“Are you sitting here in the dark?”

Shirayuki jumps, phone slapping hard against her sternum. “Oh, Zen!”

His hair shines white in the hall light, a halo crowning his head, and she sees his teeth flash as he smiles. “You know, you could turn on the lights.”

“Oh, I...” She’s glad he can’t see her blush in the dark. “I couldn’t find the switch?”

“Switch?” His mouth ticks up into a grin. “Lights on.”

The room goes from night to day with a speed that leaves her blinded. She throws up a hand, trying to chase the afterimage from her eyes, but -- “Ow!”

“Oh! Lights off.” Zen lets out an awkward chuckle as they cut out. “Sorry, I get a little excited showing these off. I should have warned you.”

“It’s fine,” she says weakly, rubbing at her eyes. Even in the dark, they still sting. “I just have to get used to--”

Her phone buzzes, which is a strange feeling, so close to her chest. Like it’s having a competition with her heart over who can inconvenience her more.

“Are you...” Zen hesitates, eyes glued to her phone, tongue coming out to wet his lips. “Do you need to...get that?”

“No!” she squeaks, clenching it in her hand. “We were done any--”

Buzz. Buzz buzz. Buzz.

Buzz.

“Are you...sure?” he asks, eyebrow arched in a way too like his brother.

Shirayuki shuts her eyes, wishing the floor would just...open up and swallow her now. She can’t just...check with him here. Not when they were just talking about him. The last thing she needs is him catching whatever Kihal’s opinion is over her shoulder. With her luck it would be some sort of -- of short joke.

“Yeah, just...give me a minute. To wrap up.” Under her hand, her phone is blessedly still.

“Sure, just come back downstairs when you’re ready,” he tells her. “Izana says it’s about time to start.”

“Right, yeah.” She nods. “I’ll just be...a sec. I promise.”

He walks out of the room, and she scrambles to her feet, sparing one last glance at her phone.

“Oh,” she breathes. “That is not -- that’s not going to be helpful.”

ok since we can’t use wisteria as baseline normal for you know REASONS i guess the only way to find out if cute college boy is serious is to flirt back or make out with his face you know my vote

Thanks. Super helpful Great advice

that may be sarcasm now but im screen capping this for your wedding for my speech

Raised voices float up the stairs as she stands at the top, phone clutched in one hand and heart in the other. There’s no reason to hesitate; it’s not as if she’s going to -- to take Kihal’s advice. She only wanted to know if it meant something, so that she didn’t...encourage something she didn’t mean to.

After all, flirting for fun is one thing -- not that she would, the way she breaks out into a blush the seconds she makes prolonged eye contact with anyone, but she understands people do -- but she doesn’t want to break hearts, or whatever else Busha might call it with a wink over her tea. She just wants to be informed.

And now she is, sort of. So she should be able to just walk down these stairs and act like a completely normal person.

“Does anyone know where Shirayuki is?” Izana asks, disinterested. “We should begin soon.”

“I can go find her!” Zen’s chair scrapes as he stands.

“Nah, don’t worry about it, milord.” Obi’s drawl drags like silk as he speaks, as if every word is laden with innuendo. “I’m on the end here. I’ll go find my mistress.”

There’s no noise when he gets up, just a pound of her heart and there he is, frozen at the bottom of the staircase, gold eyes rounded as they meet hers.

“Oh,” he breathes, and then his face comes alive with a grin. “There you are, Miss.”

“Yeah,” she manages, voice trembling. “Here I am.”

“Is Shirayuki up there?” Kiki calls out. “Tell her to come down already. I want to get cursed and solve mysteries.”

“Please,” Izana soothes, “as if I would curse you.”

“It’s no good,” she minces, “I’ve played this game for three years.”

Obi lets out a huff of a laugh. “Well, you heard the lady.”

“I did.” She finds herself smiling back, hopping down the stairs to meet him. “Also, my name isn’t miss.”

His grin is far too close. “You’re right. My lady.”

“Are you done flirting?” Zen snaps, arms folded across his chest. “We’ve got a castle to save.”

“Who me?” Obi splays a hand on his chest as she walks past, and winks. “Never.”

She takes her seat beside him, smiling down at the table. Maybe...

Well, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to flirt a little.

#obiyuki #akagami no shirayukihime #snow white with the red hair #Dungeons & Dragons AU #my fic #ans #this was actually going to contain the next part of the Laxdo arc #but I KINDA GOT CARRIED AWAY #too much fun in the lead up #and I added A LOT to Kihal's texting #because i personal adore her roasting shirayuki #next chapter will be more HIGH ADVENTURE though #and awkward flriting #PERHAPS :3

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morganapengdragon · 5 years

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An English guide to fanfic 1

So I've read a lot of fic set in England lately, by writers who don't have anyone to 'brit pick' what they've written. But everyone deserves to be able to write stuff set in this hellhole of a country so if you don't have/want a brit picker but still want some general advice I'm gonna make a series of posts which might help with making your fic sound a little more natural. I'm gonna start with education because that's the one I've seen people have most problems with.

This is a long post so be warned

Education

There are 3 main parts of the school system (for comprehensive schools in England, I know it's different for rich people and people in Scotland/Ireland/Wales).

Primary school:

Primary school spans ages 4-11 and the years are

Reception: ages 4-5

Year 1: ages 5-6

Year 2: ages 6-7 (some schools make a split after this point, with the younger years referred to as 'infant' school and the older years referred to as 'junior' school)

Year 3: 7-8

Year 4: 8-9

Year 5: 9-10

Year 6: 10-11

A couple of information tidbits:

A lot of schools teach sex education in year 5 and 6. They tell you what sex is and what periods are. The year is split into boys and girls. They don't really talk about gay people, trans people or contraception.

It's not very common now but some schools will do a SATS exam in year 6. The grades go from 1-5 with 5 being the highest. They mean nothing but we all used to get stressed about them anyway.

Kids can also choose to do an 11+ exam if they want to go to grammar school. I never did it so I can't help you there. Some places in the country put more emphasis on the importance of grammar school than others (looking @@@ Kent) and some places don't have any grammar school at all.

Hard hitting insults when I was a kid were things like 'nerd' and 'weird'. We don't really use 'geek' much. 'Damn' and 'hell' aren't swear words here and kids will sometimes say them.

Most primary schools have uniforms

Secondary school:

Secondary school ages are 11-16 and the years are

Year 7: 11-12

Year 8: 12-13

Year 9: 13-14

Year 10: 14-15

Year 11: 15-16

There are 4 MAIN types of secondary school (afaik)

Comprehensive schools (like the one I went to) are your standard school. You just kind of have to live close to it to get in.

Grammar schools work kind of like comps but you have to pass the 11+ exam. Not everyone takes this exam (I never did, my closest grammar school is fuck off miles away). Apparently you get a better education there or something. Idk man but they like to make fun of the local comprehensives.

Private/public school. You have to pay to go to these types of school. I don't really know the ACTUAL difference between private and public but from what I can tell, public is more expensive and fancier. I think their version of primary school is called prep school?? All of the years work differently and every time a public school kid tries to tell me something about their education its gets more confusing. Rich people.

Boarding school. This is basically a private school but you live there and it costs more money than all of my possessions put together. There are quite a few, with some of the most famous being Eton, Harrow, Winchester etc. They are usually either all boys or all girls schools (those three are all boys schools). Rich people.

More detailed infos:

Year 7-9 is referred to as 'lower school' with 10 and 11 being 'upper school'

The exams taken in year 11 are usually GCSEs. These used to be called O-levels for some reason and lots of older people will sometimes call them that by mistake.

Kids choose which GCSEs they want to do at the end of year 9, and start learning the material in year 10.

Maths, science and English are all compulsory and make up 5/6 GCSEs (one maths, two English, two or three science).

Most people do about 10 and can pick from all of the other subjects what they want to do.

We don't really have a 'locker room' culture????

It's quite common for people to go to all girls or all boys schools.

Schools here are nowhere near as big as American schools. We probably won't have high budget theaters or particularly large sports areas.

I've never heard anyone talk about 'funding'???? Just assume nothing is funded, arts and sports alike. We do lots of fundraisers for anything expensive like rugby tours or school productions.

We still have that weird culture thing where like if you're smart then you can't be popular or play sports???? Strange.

Sitting at a specific table at lunch time isn't really a thing. Actually most people brought lunch from home and then would just sit somewhere outside. A lot of the buildings would be closed during breaks.

Not many people really drive to school.

Sixth form/college

After you finish secondary school most people go into either college or sixth form (or a sixth form college). Years are

Age 16-17: sometimes called year 12, sometimes called lower sixth, sometimes called first year

Age 17-18: year 13, upper sixth, second year

Sixth form:

Some schools have an attached sixth form. A variation of the school uniform is often worn, or students will be asked to wear smart clothing or something

There are also sixth form colleges which are a bit more informal, less of a school environment. Students usually tend to wear their own clothes and call teachers by their first names. They're usually viewed as well.

The qualifications earned at the end of year 12 are called AS levels. They count partially towards your final A level grade. Students usually do 4 and drop one at the end of the year. You can do more if you want tho (I did five and died). You can do whatever subjects you want. Like. Literally nothing is compulsory. You wanna do art, music, dance and anthropology? Fuck it why not?

The highest AS grade is an A. B and C is a pass. D and E are fail marks. U stands for ungradable i.e you got so few marks that your exam isn't even worth a grade.

At the end of year 13 you do A levels. You need 3 to get into uni. Some people do 4. They always regret it.

Grades for A levels are the same as AS but they go up to an A*.

Some schools do a thing called the International baccalaureate. I don't understand what it is and frankly it scares me. I don't know how it's graded or what you need for uni. It's a mystery.

Sixth forms can be comp/grammar/Private/boarding same as secondary school.

College:

You can do a bunch of different types of qualifications. Most popular are usually B-Techs and Diplomas.

You usually only study one subject as opposed to four.

From what I gather, the point in doing a B tech is it's more practical and less theoretical and aims to help you get the skills necessary to go straight into the work force.

Unis kind of have to evaluate B-techs fairly, but they don't like them.

Nobody thinks very highly of B-Techs unfortunately bc they're considered to be less academic and easier. Idk if that's the case but there you go. People will sometimes refer to shit versions of other things as 'B-Tech'. For example, Pepsi is just B-Tech Coca Cola. Boris Johnson is a B-Tech Donald Trump.

I know nothing about the grading system for either of these qualifications im sorry.

In a sixth form college there will be people doing A levels and also people doing B techs all in the same building.

University:

I won't go too much into detail but basically you get a degree at the end of it and degrees usually take 3 years to complete. Years are first year, second year, third year etc.

Some courses are longer and some people will do a year in industry in their third year, making their overall degree time 4 years.

Tuition is currently £9,250 per year. I have never met anyone who hasn't gotten a loan for this.

Most people also apply for a maintenance loan. You get money proportional to your family income. The highest is about £8,500 per year. Idk what the lowest is. Some people choose not to take out this loan and their parents give them financial support instead.

The pay back plan for these loans is super lenient, doesn't affect your credit score and is wiped clean after 35 years. Most students think of their loan as more of a tax than a debt (tho we all still cry about it).

People don't live in dorms. We call them halls of residence (or halls for short).

Most people don't live in halls after first year, they leave and find shared housing.

Most halls aren't catered.

Most halls don't have shared rooms.

Because we study so few subjects at A level, we do have this system in the UK where you take a bunch of different unrelated subjects in your first year and then decide on your major later. Instead you apply for a programme already knowing your major. So when I applied to university I applied to the BA French and German Linguistic Studies course at a number of universities.

Different courses have different entry requirements. So it's easier to get into uni to study History than it is to study Maths.

Each 'class' is referred to as a module, and all of your modules are usually related to your main degree title.

Stereotypically STEM students think that humanities students are dumb. Humanities students think STEM students are arseholes who don't know how to read so if you wanna have that kinda jock/nerd type rivalry but in uni then humanities/STEM is quite a good one.

We call all of our lecturers by their first names. Sometimes we go to the pub with them. I watched a documentary about gay porn with one of them. It's chill.

I've never seen anyone show up to a lecture in pyjamas. People would think it's weird.

We refer to clubs as 'societies'. I love being part of the Musical Theatre Society. It's sounds so much more impressive than club.

The English version of Ivy League is Russel Group. The most prestigious Unis outside of Oxford and Cambridge tend to be: Durham, St Andrews (Scotland), Imperial, LSE and Warwick.

Slang and Groups

We don't really use the word 'jock'. In my school we called those guys the 'Rugby Lads' because they all played rugby.

We don't really use the word preppy/peppy whatever because I literally don't know anybody who is like that.

Try 'Drama kids' instead of Theater kids.

The kids who do drugs and don't come to school are called road men. Even the girls. To do road is to deal drugs but you don't really hear people say that much.

If we can't be bothered to say a teachers full title we will usually call them 'sir' or 'miss' but not really ma'am.

'Hall Pass' isn't a thing.

Our school did have prefects but fuck if I know who they were. They didn't really have any extra responsibility or power.

School uniforms are a thing in most schools. The things people did to make themselves seem cool were things like rolling their skirts up super short, wearing the rugby ties on match days, trying to get away with shoes that don't TECHNICALLY break the rules but are deffo not allowed, wearing as much make up as they could get away with, without teachers noticing. Our school was p strict on uniform tho in comparison with a lot of schools in my area.

If your accent doesn't fit the standard for your area it will affect you in some way (depending on your accent).

Homeroom is called registration

Gym is sometimes called the sports hall

People don't really go to school matches unless they're dating sb bc we don't have bleachers.

Home ecenomics was called Food Tech and Textiles in my school

Woodshop or whatever is called DT (design and technology)

People don't get as involved in extracurriculars in school (but they do at uni).

We DO have houses and we get points given to out houses like in Harry Potter but unlike Harry Potter literally nobody gives a fuck. In my school they added a whole new house and moved everyone into new houses and literally nobody noticed and nothing changed.

There is a BIG difference between comp schools and all of the other kinds in terms of culture. I didn't know this until I went to uni and started joking about the time some kid started throwing chairs in RE (religious education) or when so and so tried to set our French teacher on fire and literally all of the grammar school kids were like O.O WTF.

Slang and school culture will also vary a lot depending on where you live. I live in East London which is not a very well off area but it IS in london so my experiences would match with that.

Everything is completely different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland so like.... Sorry.

#Fanfic #British fanfic #English fanfic #british #Brit pick #Education #writblr #writing resources #An English guide to fanfic

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bangtan · 7 years

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Inside BTS-mania: A Day in the Life of the K-Pop Superstars

The screaming begins just beyond baggage claim, when the first bob of purple-gray hair peeks up over the security wall separating the biggest Korean pop band in the world, in history, from its fans. Amid shrill hysteria, the seven soft-faced men of BTS stride through Los Angeles International Airport flanked by human trains of burly people in yellow “Event Staff” shirts. The boys smile, wave and, with the efficiency of British royals, slip past a few hundred young women and teen girls into black Escalades, their portal to the heart of the American mainstream. It’s mid-November and BTS have flown here from South Korea, propelled by the fervor of their admirers, a diverse group that calls itself ARMY (short for “Adorable Representative M.C for Youth”). The band is here for a string of high-profile TV appearances: They go from the airport to James Corden; Jimmy Kimmel the next day; then they’ll meet Ellen Degeneres, who’ll compare their U.S. arrival to that of the Beatles in 1964. But BTS are mainly in town to perform their hit song “DNA” at the American Music Awards – a performance that will make them Google’s top trending topic and set a Guinness record for Twitter engagement. Group leader RM (short for “Rap Monster”), 23 and palpably ambitious, compares the whirlwind trip to being “like surfers on a big wave.” But at 9 a.m. the day after BTS land, the vibe is more like “showing up for work.” We’re at a rehearsal studio when AMA reps arrive to shoot promo photos in the parking lot. Bubbly ham J-Hope, 23, an MC and onetime street-dance champ, walks out with his arms up, shouting, “Hello! AMA! Whoa!” The others trickle out with less ado and take turns getting primped, on the asphalt, by a team of stylists also in from Seoul. There’s Jimin, 22, the prettiest yet most puckish, a former top modern-dance student who’s currently shaving his chin while a woman holds a mirror. The perpetually wide-eyed singer V, 21, another art-school kid, who made his screen debut in a Korean historical drama last year, gets his purple-gray bob brushed and parted. A man uses a pick to dislodge something from the teeth of Suga, who like RM started his career as an underground rapper. Lead singer Jungkook, 20, a devout Belieber who joined BTS at 15, gets a streak of eyeliner. Meanwhile, singer Jin, 25, an aspiring actor so handsome he was recruited by a boy-band casting agent while walking down the street, shuffles quietly through the flurry. Their entourage is massive; I lose count in the mid-thirties. There are managers, publicists, a choreographer, a masseur, the interpreter, groomers, folks with cameras, unsmiling guards and several drivers with earpieces. Back home, BTS are pretty much only breaking their own records at this point – for video views, album pre-sales and chart placement – and it’s spilling over to other countries. Their recent EP, Love Yourself: Her, which features a song written with Andrew Taggart of the Chainsmokers, topped iTunes’ album chart in 73 countries, and BTS have become the first Korean-pop group to crack the American mainstream, with a Steve Aoki remix of their “MIC Drop” recently crashing the Top 40. ‪"We are so lucky that we’re living in this time, in 2017,“ says RM, the only one who can carry on a conversation in English. “When we post a tweet, it becomes translated to more than 30 languages.” The group’s lyrics – which are almost entirely Korean but close-captioned on YouTube and translated for sites like Genius – are a big part of its international success. BTS songs tackle issues like depression and anxiety. They promote progressive social ideals like female empowerment and accepting people from different backgrounds. They even address the internal unease of ditching less commercial career paths to become “idols,” as K-pop stars are called. BTS fans appreciate the band’s empathy, honesty, and independence—themes that are particularly in-demand amongst Western pop audiences these days. Plus, BTS set their message to canny hyper-modern production (frequently done by the members themselves) that devours all manner of EDM- rap- and R&B-leaning pop – think Major Lazer, Justin Bieber, DNCE, Logic, the Chainsmokers, Nick Jonas – and spits out a deeply catchy, slightly askew pastiche. After the photoshoot, the guys go in to practice their AMAs routine. From the opening whistle of “DNA,” they are a single-minded, many-limbed organism. Jin, who normally seems like he’s brooding, deploys pouty looks and precise hand jives. They goof around a bit – Jimin grabs Jungkook’s ass after the latter executes a balletic twirl – but are in the zone. An hour later, at 10:40 a.m., they’re chugging water and getting cooled off by women who use their entire bodies to swing paper fans emblazoned with the boys’ own faces. Jin quickly nods off in a rolling chair but is soon awoken by the masseur, who wants to jam an elbow into his shoulder; Jin winces as he does. Minutes later, V is yowling in pain, mouth wide as a handler treats a canker sore inside his cheek. Later, RM will dance with a bloody tissue in his nose – the wages of jet lag and constant hustle add up. An early lunch of cold burgers and fries seems meager compensation, but they eat with abandon. BTS, an acronym for Bangtan Boys (“Bulletproof Boy Scouts” in Korean), was built around RM and finalized via auditions. The group was assembled by a small company – Big Hit, run by songwriter “Hitman” Bang Si Hyuk, who co-founded one of the so-called Big Three agencies, JYP, before leaving it behind – which gives them underdog appeal. And while BTS came through the famously rigorous K-pop system, living in dorms together and training constantly, RM says Big Hit offers relative artistic freedom. To wit, in a unique spin on K-pop fan service, BTS build mythologies around their albums, like last year's Wings, whose theme comes from Hermann Hesse’s 1919 bildungsroman Demian. The concept appears in the lyrics, art and videos. Exactly how these subplots take shape is unclear, but it’s feasible that RM, who reads heady authors like Haruki Murakami and Albert Camus, is involved. “We try to make our own BTS context,” he says. “Maybe it’s risky to bring some inspiration from novels from so long ago, but I think it paid off more. It comes through like a gift box for our fans. That’s something you can’t find easily from American artists.” Instead, he likens it to Star Wars. “The big thing about creating our universe is expandability,” adds Suga, the most contemplative of the group, via interpreter. “Because it draws from our personal lives and interests, we can expand it as much as we want and it’s not alien for us. Having that allows us more diversity in the stories we can tell and the music we can make.” Do they feel free enough to write about Korean politics? RM says they’re working on a song that does so subtly, but Suga cautions that the subject “is fraught with danger, not in a literal way, but because of the risk of being misunderstood by young people who may not have fully developed sensibilities.” He’d rather focus on fostering understanding than “inciting conflict.” The rest of the group stays silent for our midday interview except to shout out ARMY and admit they’re eager for more crossover opportunities. As J-Hope puts it, “It’d be an honor for us to work with anyone.” RM says that, instead of breaking more records, the band’s mission is to promote individuality, which isn’t always encouraged back home. “Especially in Korea, there are all these standards: Get married, go to a nice university.” How will they spread that message? He smiles. “Better music and doper performances.” After selling out arenas in California, Chicago and New Jersey, BTS are planning a bigger U.S. run in 2018. They’re in unprecedented territory. Unlike PSY, their success here didn’t spring from a novelty hit – their rise up American charts was gradual and shows no sign of slowing. While they’ve brushed off the idea of an English-language album in the past, RM dropped English verses on a Fall Out Boy remix and Wale collab this year. At 1:30 p.m., it’s time to get ready for Kimmel. I follow BTS from the dance studio into the hall near their dressing room. There’s a folding table covered with silver rings, flashy necklaces and dangly earrings for the choosing. On the floor is an outsize ziplock full of identical Puma slides. After hair is redone and outfits adjusted, they load into the four Escalades with no fuss at all. As our caravan passes Hollywood Boulevard and turns onto the small street leading to Kimmel’s backlot and outdoor stage, we see them: more than a thousand BTS zealots who explode when they see us. They’d been waiting for hours. Kimmel music producer Mac Burrus later tells me a group of five teens spent two nights out there, on the street, in sleeping bags. In the green room, there is finally downtime. Suga and RM eat bananas. Jin plays his Nintendo Switch. Jungkook and J-Hope sleepily lean into one another on the couch. V lays on the floor to get his neck adjusted by the masseur’s bone-crunching assassin-twist before settling into a sofa to stream “Carpool Karaoke.” Around 4 p.m., producers bring in a couple ARMY moms for a skit where they taunt their girls, who are still in the line, via FaceTime from BTS’ inner sanctum. The daughters eventually come back and I steal them for a chat. Both discovered BTS on YouTube. Adriana, 24, is teaching herself Korean “slowly but surely” so she can hear the boys in their own tongue. Rosa, 18, insists, “Language isn’t a barrier when it comes to music.” At 6:20 p.m., BTS head to the stage. From the back, it sounds like there’s a roller coaster full of shrieking riders on the other side. A grizzled staffer walks by with a kooky grin, muttering, “This is nuts.” From the wings I watch the band rip into a six-song set that inspires face-clutching and tears. For “Save Me,” a “Where Are Ü Now” soundalike, the crowd deploys a coordinated K-pop “fanchant,” roaring each member’s birth name in perfect rhythmic succession. I can barely hear the music, so it doesn’t occur to me until the end that BTS don’t seem to be using vocal backing tracks, as a U.S. or U.K. group might – they rap and sing every last part while doing constant choreography. When it ends just after 7 p.m., an exhausted J-Hope flops onto the asphalt out of view of the crowd and his team, chest heaving, eyes wide. After 30 seconds, he picks himself up and rushes to join the other members of BTS disappearing into the hall leading to the green room. As he turns the last corner, a voice squeals, “Oh, my God! J-Hope looked back at me!”

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#bangtan #bts #v #suga #rm #jhope #jin #jungkook #jimin #t:article #171220 #rolling stone

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ptvsport · 2 years

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How England, USA, Wales, Iran can qualify for knockouts: FIFA World Cup, Group B points table, scenarios

Ahead of matchday two of the FIFA World Cup, England is in a prime position to qualify for the knockouts in Group B. England beat Iran 6-2 in the opening match on Monday and needs another win against the USA on Friday to seal its passage into the round of 16 stage. A defeat for Iran against Wales in the afternoon kick-off and a point for England against the USA will spell elimination for the…

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jrpneblog · 3 years

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Busy, busy, busy!

It`s about to get very busy on the field for Ryan Lowe and his charges as North End embark on a schedule of nine games in the next twenty eight days starting with the home game against Birmingham City on Saturday. Three postponements over the Christmas period mean that North End will now play on a Saturday and midweek right up to the game at Peterborough on February12th. With four games at home and five away this will be a tough period for North End and will certainly test the squad in terms injuries and availability. I thought it was a very interesting comment from Lowe this week when he said he wants a group of players who can play 30-40 games a season, a clear indication that North End may well now be out of the market of taking a chance with players who have a history of injuries behind them. Once the game at Peterborough is finished Lowe will have been in charge for twelve games and we should have a fair idea of the style he likes to play and what his Plan B or, indeed, Plan C are Anyway lets not get too far ahead of ourselves and just review the cup defeat in Wales last Saturday then preview the two home games against Birmingham City on Saturday and against Sheffield United on Tuesday evening.

For the fourth Year on the trot North End went out of the Cup in the third round with Cardiff doing what Wycombe, Norwich and Doncaster had done previously. It was a cup-tie that wont live long in the memory if I am being honest apart from the fact it was played behind closed door because of the covid restrictions in Wales. Cardiff took the lead in the first half via poor defending but North End equalised with a DJ penalty early in the second half. Full time came and went and with penalties looking likely in extra time Cardiff scored the winner with just four minutes of the one hundred and twenty left. It was a cruel blow but you can`t really say we deserved to win and, no doubt, Ryan Lowe will have learned more from this game than he would from the two victories in the previous two games against Barnsley and Stoke.

On Saturday North End entertain Birmingham City at Deepdale with the Blues sitting four places and four points behind North End in the Championship table. The game at St Andrews in September was certainly one to forget ending 0-0 and North End will be looking to put that right on Saturday. Birmingham won their last Championship game but only drew one and lost three of their previous four games before that win. They were also knocked out of the Cup at home to League One Plymouth Argyle last Saturday so it is probably fair to say they are not in the best of form. However, as we know, there are no easy games in the Championship and Lee Bowyer will have his players ready this encounter and North End must certainly improve on their performance in the Principality last week if they are to take, what we hope, will be all three points from this encounter.

The Birmingham game is quickly followed by a visit to Deepdale for Sheffield United with the Blades having been due to play us at home on Boxing Day. The game at Bramall Lane in October was a really good encounter with North End equalising late on via Emil Riis to gain a very impressive 2-2 draw. At the time I thought United were the best team I had seen in the Championship but their form has levelled off a little and they sit just one place and one point above North End in thirteenth place. Just whether Paul Heckingbottom was the marque manager that Blades fans were looking for after the departure of Chris Wilder just remains to be seen but expectations are very high in that particular part of South Yorkshire and with a good following behind them Sheffield will be a tricky prospect and North End will have to be somewhere near their best to take all the points.

And finally this week:- this weekend will see the announcement of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Preston North End Football Club and the Preston Supporters Collective. The Memorandum of Understanding is a document signed between a professional sports club and their Supporters. The document is not legally binding but commits both parties to share relevant information and discuss issues of mutual concern during regular meetings. This has come about after six months of increasing dialogue between the the Club and PSC. PSC set out with the intention of trying to restore high levels of engagement between the fans and the club as North End were placed 83rd out of 92 in an independent league table of clubs and the standard of their fan engagement. To be fair to North End they were the first to hold their hands up and say that engagement was poor and needed improving. Since then there has been some excellent dialogue between the Group and Peter Ridsdale / Ben Rhodes and fans can already see some of the changes that have taken place. From PSC`s perspective they are now an associate member of The Football Supporters' Association (The FSA) which is the national, democratic, representative body for football supporters in England and Wales. The FSA has been really helpful in guiding and advising PSC on what is in and what is out of limits. The signing of the MOU may not quite yet be the new Jerusalem but it certainly signifies the formalisation of the club listening to the fans, something which can only be beneficial to both parties.

JR`s HIGH FIVES

Portsmouth to beat MK Dons 11/8

A £5 Stake returns £11.88 on bet365 . .

SEASONS STATS

Returns £104.75 Stake £110.00 percentage profit - 4.8%

Predictions 22 won 10 lost 12

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yeonchi · 3 years

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The case for vaccines and the shadow rule of the minority

Currently, Melbourne is in the midst of a sixth coronavirus lockdown, which was announced at the start of August, less than two weeks after the fifth lockdown at the end of July and originally scheduled for 7 days only to be extended twice (potential extension notwithstanding) with a curfew slapped on the top of it. How’s that “7 days to stop the spread” working for you guys, huh? Look, to be honest, I’m getting sick of these lockdowns and I’m sure many other people are, but lately, people and governments are touting vaccines as a panacea to end lockdowns, much to the point that they are teetering on forcing people to get vaccinated. Personally, I don’t think this approach is as good as other people might see it and I’ll explain why through my understanding.

Development of the coronavirus vaccines have been expedited due to the situation of this pandemic, with the first (mainstream) vaccine, namely the Pfizer vaccine, being approved by the UK, the US and Switzerland in December 2020. While trials have been conducted on such vaccines, they essentially had to be rushed through in a year. Never mind the fact that we have to get two doses instead of one to be “fully” vaccinated, I’m hearing that the efficacy of the existing vaccines are under question, particularly due to variant strains such as the Delta strain (that mutated in India because fuck political correctness) and that we potentially may have to get booster shots (like the flu, get it?) if the virus were to mutate even more. Combined with the potential side effects of these vaccines, I don’t necessarily feel ready to get one at this point in time. Keep in mind that the vaccines were created to deal with a virus that originated in China.

The absurdity of vaccine passports and mandates

There are four stages in Australia’s national reopening strategy and the second stage is expected to be triggered when double vaccination (2 doses) rates reach 70%. Last year, during the second wave, the strategy was to “flatten the curve” and achieve zero daily cases, but this year, it is beginning to prove impossible with the Delta strain. As daily case numbers continue to rise, Victoria and New South Wales have decided to abandon that goal and instead focus on buying time so they can get more people vaccinated. New South Wales has drafted a roadmap out of lockdown that involves more freedoms for those who are double vaccinated, while Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has stated that they are going to “lock out people who are not vaccinated and can be” and are trialling some new rules in regional Victoria. In both states, the enforcement of these new rules will depend on the use of a vaccine passport.

In my opinion, vaccine passports are not a good idea, particularly in some settings due to practicality reasons. If vaccine passports have to be implemented, then they should mostly be implemented in settings where you have to buy tickets, such as sporting events, indoor/outdoor entertainment events/venues and long-distance transportation (airports and train stations etc). In other settings, vaccine passports aren’t so practical; in hospitality settings, if only vaccinated people can eat inside while unvaccinated people can only buy takeaway and wait outside, there is a risk that one could infect the other. Same in shopping centres - the NSW roadmap states that unvaccinated people can only access essential services, so if other stores are only open to the vaccinated, then the two groups could still come into contact. And what about outside gatherings? I think you get where I’m going here.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stated that any business has every right to deny entry or service to those who are unvaccinated, with bootlicking NPCs around the world seemingly parroting this point as well. Australia’s anti-discrimination laws make it illegal to discriminate against someone based on race, age, gender or disability (health status?), so why are they suddenly creating another discrimination category and justifying it for the sake of public health because there just so happened to not be any laws preventing it? Well you know what? Fuck this noise. Businesses don’t deserve to exercise that right if they aren’t prepared to serve unvaccinated people (with the necessary precautions lol). In a world where businesses, corporations and governments don’t listen to the people they serve or are meant to represent, it’s only natural that people justifiably become “entitled”.

A similar principle applies to businesses mandating that their employees be vaccinated before they can work (the NSW roadmap states that only vaccinated people will be able to work in hospitality or retail). I largely disagree with this; instead, governments should be easing up on coercive tactics like vaccine mandates and passports and instead continue encouraging people to get vaccinated on their own free will, particularly with people who work in industries requiring them to come in contact with other people (including tourism and healthcare) as they are responsible for their lives as well as their own.

There is one big thing that is missing from all of this; how long can we expect these restrictions and vaccine mandates to continue? At what point can we say that vaccine passports aren’t needed anymore because everyone has been vaccinated or we actually managed to flatten the curve somehow? Let’s not forget that the vaccines are in high demand, with long lines at major vaccination hubs, and that getting vaccinated won’t stop you from getting or spreading the virus (aside from lessening the symptoms if you were to catch it, but your mileage may vary). And what about those who are just waiting to get their vaccination (first or second)? People can say that this isn’t about control, but for public health, but I just think the government is using public health as a justification to exercise more controls on people, which to some, is just a milder way of saying that this isn’t about health, but power and control.

Holy shit, when I write sadposts on the Waifu Network I didn’t expect them to become more relevant as time went on. “Our civil liberties are curbed in times of crisis.” “We are never truly free.” “The current political climate is enabling people to become pettier and pettier and it doesn’t seem like anyone is willing to take a stand against it.” “It’s so ironic when the right people support the wrong things and the wrong people support the right things.” “Some people and businesses unironically exercise rights they don’t deserve to have.” The cope is real, ladies and gentlemen. But hey, I should have expected this when my ramblings and musings are based on politics and current affairs.

Vaccine supremacy and the dictatorship of the minority

What is probably the funniest and most ironic thing about this is that the topic of vaccine mandates is causing yet another divide in society and leading to a dictatorship of the minority. To give you an example, we have to go back to April 2021 Hong Kong, a place where the government’s laws have been oppressing people before vaccine mandates were a thing. The government decided to relax restrictions under a “vaccine bubble” program for restaurants that would see them split into four tiers based on whether the staff and/or customers are vaccinated and using the LeaveHomeSafe app, which has raised concerns with Hongkongers given recent events. The four tiers are as follows:

Tier A restaurants, who do not require their staff and customers to be vaccinated, can only have two people per table at 50% capacity and they can serve dine-in customers up to 6 PM, with a maximum of 20 people for banquets.

Tier B restaurants, who do not require their staff and customers to be vaccinated, but are following contact tracing guidelines by using LeaveHomeSafe or having customers leave their details on paper, can have 4 people per table at 50% capacity and they can serve dine-in customers up to 10 PM provided that staff get tested every 14 days (changed to 7 days from August 2021) or vaccinated.

This is where it starts to get crazy. Tier A and Tier B were in place before the “vaccine bubble” program, with the next two tiers being introduced as a part of it.

Tier C restaurants, who require their staff to have had their first vaccine dose, can have six people per table at 50% capacity (later changed to 75% capacity) and they can serve dine-in customers up to 12 AM. However, customers must check in with LeaveHomeSafe and restaurants must have a defined “clean zone” (like a fucking hospital, I assume the rest of the restaurant is just the “dirty zone” then?) for dine-in customers and vaccinated staff.

Tier D restaurants, who require their staff to have had 14 days pass after their second vaccine dose and their customers to have had their first vaccine dose, can have 8 people per table at 75% capacity (later changed to 12 people at full capacity as long as at least two-thirds of the table, so 8 people, have had their first vaccine dose) and they can serve dine-in customers up to 2 AM. They can also serve a maximum of 100 people for banquets (later changed to 180 people as long as at least two-thirds blah blah blah, so 120 people). Tier D restaurants must also have customers check in with LeaveHomeSafe and have a defined “clean zone”, same as with Tier C.

God, these rules are so complicated they make me want to kill myself. Anyway, where does the dictatorship of the minority come in?

Pro-government and pro-Beijing businesses are likely to embrace vaccines, so they are more likely to become Tier C or D restaurants. Pro-democracy businesses are more wary of vaccines (particularly Sinovac) and LeaveHomeSafe, so they are more likely to become Tier A or B restaurants (because they can get away with signing in on paper and maybe getting tested). The likewise applies for customers - pro-government customers are more likely to get vaccinated while pro-democracy customers are more likely to hold out on doing so.

Unvaccinated customers can only go to Tier A or B restaurants while vaccinated customers can also go to Tier C or D restaurants. When there is a significant proportion of unvaccinated customers, it is more than likely that there will be at least one “stubborn anti-vaxxer” in a group of (mostly) vaccinated customers, meaning that all the vaccinated customers have to eat at Tier A or B restaurants because of that guy.

Eventually, what ends up happening is that Tier C or D restaurants will find themselves unable to serve a diverse base of customers (not that they could already keep milking pro-government boomers who probably only give a fuck about the rules being enforced because they hate pro-democracy millennials and the rules don’t affect them, note that zoomers in Hong Kong are more than likely to be pro-Beijing) and as a result, struggling to choose between serving the unvaccinated or having a few more people on their tables and serving dine-in customers for a few hours longer. In the end, they have to pander to the unvaccinated and become a Tier A or B restaurant. It’s kind of like having to pander to Jews and Muslims because they can only eat Kosher or halal food or people with allergies (not that they could do their own thing already).

There are a couple of people I would like to credit for this section. The first one I would like to thank is Janelle Leung for creating the infographics that inspired this section. She was a pro-democracy member of the Kwun Tong District Council who was jailed for four months as a result of attending the “unauthorised” 4 June commemoration event (which is usually held yearly in Hong Kong but was not approved due to coronavirus restrictions being “conveniently” extended) last year and was disqualified from the District Council as a result. Our thoughts and prayers go to her as with other pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong (most of whom have resigned from their positions due to the passing of stricter laws). The second person I would like to thank is Nassim Nicholas Taleb who wrote the chapter that inspired the infographics, The Most Intolerant Wins: The Dictatorship of the Small Minority in his book Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life. You can read the chapter online on Medium.

Sadly, however, recent events have lead to all this not ageing well. As the Delta variant continues to spread and more people get vaccinated, the vaccinated have gone from the minority to the majority while the opposite applies for the unvaccinated, leading to more support for vaccine mandates. This isn’t a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”, it’s a “dictatorship of the vaccinated”. At this rate, the “dictatorship of the minority” is going backwards with no recourse for the unvaccinated. Freedom with caveats is NOT true freedom. Either everyone is locked down or no one should be.

This isn’t an issue of left vs. right, liberal vs. conservative or even Labor vs. Liberal, particularly because the premiers for Victoria and New South Wales, namely Daniel Andrews or Gladys Berejiklian, are from the Labor and Liberal parties respectively. If this doesn’t convince you that the main parties in a two-party system are just as bad as each other, then I don’t know what will.

My view on the debacle

Now look, I am by no means an anti-vaxxer and you’re retarded if you assume that I am, particularly if you’ve read everything up to this point. I can foresee myself getting vaccinated eventually, whether it be of my own volition or pressure from my family or work (ironically, I don’t have enough power to decide my own destiny). However, if I can, I want to hold out until I at least know how long the vaccines will last, whether the vaccines will be effective against newer variants of the virus and whether I will end up needing to get booster shots. Heck, I feel like making this into a social experiment to see how long I can get away without getting the vaccine. If I get vaccinated, then I’ll probably look like a hypocrite for saying all this, so I would just like to reiterate that I am pro-choice and anti-vaccine mandates.

“HahA YoU’re aFRaId OF GETtiNG VaCcInaTeD LOL” If it were that simple, then there’d be no point in me writing this post. Everything I’ve said in this would be the same even if I weren’t afraid of getting vaccinated. Speaking of which, how’s things going with that needle-free vaccine I’ve heard so much about? I’m surprised they still haven’t finished studies on it, but if they have, I’m surprised it isn’t mainstream by now.

“buT yoU HAD TO get VAccIneS AT ScHoOL“ Yes, I did, but keep in mind that the coronavirus was discovered right at the start of 2020 while other vaccines have been studied for at least five years. Sure, they gave you permission slips for your parents to fill in, but it’s not like you had any choice in the matter. “They came for kids like me, but I could not speak out because I was under 18 and my parents were legally the ones who could decide my fate.” I remember that one year where I had to get three vaccines for HPV. Good times.

If you want to get vaccinated, then get vaccinated. I’m not going to stop you and you shouldn’t let anyone else stop you either. But at the very least, have some respect for those who don’t wish to get vaccinated because they are human too and they have the same rights as the rest of us, and if they work in an industry like tourism or healthcare, calmly convince them why they should take responsibility for the health of others as well as themselves instead of forcing them to do something they don’t want to. I know that’s what adult life is all about these days, but people need to remember that others have the right to choose and that not everyone sees things the same way they do. I would say that it is possible to find a balance between liberty and safety, but people need to learn to live with the virus (in a controlled manner) and they should not have to sacrifice personal liberties for the sake of public safety. It’s absolutely weird how people are happy to throw other people’s rights out the window when it comes to vaccine mandates. Anyone who supports them is just as selfish as the anti-vaxxers or anti-lockdown protesters they happily scorn.

Once again, getting vaccinated won’t stop you from getting or spreading the virus, so it is still important for everyone to wear masks and practice social distancing when going out. Masks are a better example to compare seatbelts to over vaccines, even though people are saying that they aren’t enough to keep people safe. Let’s calm the hysteria down and show respect for our fellow human beings, because while we aren’t exactly China, North Korea or Afghanistan per se, we sure are sliding down the slippery slope to dictatorship.

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crissjohns · 3 years

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England held to a draw by Poland ; Italy And Germany secure big victories

New Post has been published on https://www.profit-tips.website/england-held-to-a-draw-by-poland/

England held to a draw by Poland ; Italy And Germany secure big victories

Paris: Moise Kean grabbed his first international goals since March 2019 as Italy thrashed Lithuania 5-0 in World Cup qualifying on Wednesday, as Damian Szymanski’s late header forced England to settle for a draw in Poland.

Italy had drawn their previous two qualifiers to slip into a battle with Switzerland for automatic qualification from Group C.

But the European champions, who set a new world record of 36 internationals unbeaten with the goalless draw against the Swiss at the weekend, produced a dominant display against Lithuania in Reggio Emilia.

Young striker Kean, who rejoined Juventus from Everton in the close-season after a successful loan spell at Paris Saint-Germain, scored twice in the first half.

Edgaras Utkus put through his own net and Giacomo Raspadori also scored as Italy moved four ahead at the break.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo made it five in the second period as Roberto Mancini’s side stretched their lead over Switzerland at the top of the table to six points.

“It was important to have won this game with young players, who played very well, especially in the first half,” Mancini told RAI.

“They (Kean and Raspadori) have a great future, everything will depend on them.”

The Azzurri are hoping to banish the memories of their shock failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The Swiss do have two games in hand, but they were held to a 0-0 draw by Northern Ireland in Belfast, with Haris Seferovic having a penalty saved by Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

England held by Poles

England, who were beaten by Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley, lost their 100 percent record in qualifying with a 1-1 draw against Poland in Warsaw.

The hosts were second in Group I, five points behind England, before kick-off and frustrated their opponents for long periods.

England captain Harry Kane appeared to have settled a tempestuous affair with 18 minutes remaining, slamming a swerving long-range shot into the bottom corner to score his 41st international goal.

But Szymanski headed home at the back post from Robert Lewandowski’s cross in injury time.

“A tough one to take right at the end,” Kane told ITV. “Sometimes the pressure comes away from home but we are top with four games to go.”

Gareth Southgate’s men are still four points clear of second-placed Albania, who thumped San Marino 5-0 in Tirana.

Spain’s qualification hopes were under threat heading into their game at Kosovo, but a 2-0 win, coupled with Sweden’s surprise loss to Greece, gave Luis Enrique’s side a much-needed boost.

West Ham United midfielder Pablo Fornal’s 32nd-minute strike and Ferran Torres’ late goal gave the 2010 world champions all three points in Pristina.

Sweden, albeit having played two matches fewer than Spain, slipped four points adrift of their Group B rivals after a 2-1 defeat by the Greeks.

Flick’s Germany impress again

Germany entered the current international break with a new coach, Hansi Flick, and looking to hit back following their European Championship last-16 exit at the hands of England, just months after a shock World Cup qualifying home loss to North Macedonia.

But an impressive 4-0 victory in Iceland made it three wins from three for the former Bayern Munich boss.

There had been serious questions marks raised about the form of forwards Timo Werner, Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane, but all three netted in Reykjavik.

Werner and Gnabry have both scored three times in these three games, with Sane on the scoresheet twice.

Chelsea centre-back Antonio Ruediger was the other scorer as Germany stretched four points clear of Armenia in Group J.

The Armenians were held to a disappointing 1-1 home draw by Liechtenstein.

In Group E, Belgium continued their cruise towards qualification as Dennis Praet’s first-half effort saw Roberto Martinez’s side edge out Belarus 1-0 in Kazan.

Wales are now nine points behind the Red Devils after a goalless stalemate with Estonia in Cardiff.

See full story here

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anisanews · 3 years

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Euro 2021 third-place rules: How best 3rd-place teams advance from groups

The group stage of the 2021 Euros will see 16 of the 24 teams advance to the knockout rounds.

In addition to the top two teams in each of the six groups (12 in total), the four best third-place finishers will also qualify for the Round of 16.

To make it easy, we’ve created a separate standings table (below) for the current third-placed teams. The lucky four teams to move on are determined by the following criteria established by UEFA in this specific order:

most points

superior goal difference

most goals scored

most wins

fewest disciplinary points in group stage matches

position in the overall European Qualifiers rankings

Croatia and Spain are currently on the outside looking in with Switzerland, Portugal, Austria and Finland having currently accumulated the most points. Switzerland have played one more game than the rest of the field.

Third-Place Teams (top 4 advance)

Team Group PTS GP W L D GF GA GD 1. Switzerland A 4 3 1 1 1 4 5 -1 2. Portugal F 3 2 1 1 0 5 4 +1 3. Austria C 3 2 1 1 0 3 3 0 4. Finland B 3 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 5. Spain E 2 2 0 0 2 1 1 0 6. Croatia D 1 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1

(PTS=points, W=Wins, L=Losses, D=Draws, GF=Goals For [Scored], GA=Goals Against [Allowed], GD=Goal Difference)

Once we know the four 3rd-placed teams that will be advancing, the next step will be to figure out their opponent in the Round of 16.

UEFA has already outlined the Round of 16 matchups based on the groups from which the third-place teams hail (page 19 of tournament regulations). The predetermined permutations follow below:

Round of 16 Pairings

3rd-Place Teams vs. B1 vs. C1 vs. E1 vs. F1 A, B, C, D A3 D3 B3 C3 A, B, C, E A3 E3 B3 C3 A, B, C, F A3 F3 B3 C3 A, B, D, E D3 E3 A3 B3 A, B, D, F D3 F3 A3 B3 A, B, E, F E3 F3 B3 A3 A, C, D, E E3 D3 C3 A3 A, C, D, F F3 D3 C3 A3 A, C, E, F E3 F3 C3 A3 A, D, E, F E3 F3 D3 A3 B, C, D, E E3 D3 B3 C3 B, C, D, F F3 D3 C3 B3 B, C, E, F F3 E3 C3 B3 B, D, E, F F3 E3 D3 B3 C, D, E, F F3 E3 D3 C3

Here’s the full Round of 16 schedule with TV and streaming assignments in the USA. We’ll be slotting in the names of the teams as they clinch:

Euro 2021 – Round of 16

Date Match Time (TV channels) Stream Sat, June 26 Wales vs. B2 12 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV Sat, June 26 Italy vs. C2 12 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV Sun, June 27 Netherlands vs. D3/E3/F3 12 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV Sun, June 27 B1 vs. A3/D3/E3/F3 3 pm ET (ABC, Univision, TUDN) fuboTV , ESPN app, ESPN3, TUDN.tv Mon, June 28 D2 vs. E2 12 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV Mon, June 28 F1 vs. A3/B3/C3 3 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV Tues, June 29 D1 vs. F2 12 pm ET (ESPN) fuboTV , ESPN app, PrendeTV Tues, June 29 E1 vs. A3/B3/C3/D3 3 pm ET (ESPN, Univision, TUDN) fuboTV , ESPN app, TUDN.tv

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ptvsport · 2 years

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FIFA World Cup points table after Wales vs Iran: Iran moves to second after 2-0 win over Wales

Iran beat Wales 2-0 in what was a gripping FIFA World Cup 2022 encounter in Doha on Friday. Iran moved to second in the Group B points table with three points, while Wales dropped to the bottom. Here is how the points table looks after match number 17. Group A…

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#belgium vs canada #fifa world cup 2022 group stage #fifa world cup goals #fifa world cup group stage matches #fifa world cup news #fifa world cup points table #fifa world cup standings #fifa world cup stats #football news #germany vs japan #morocco vs croatia #qatar 2022 group stage #qatar 2022 standings #qatar points table fifa world cup #spain vs costa rica #sports news

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didanawisgi · 7 years

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Prayers aren’t doing anything. We need gun control laws. We need our government to take action... Or do we?

Ok, so since this is a blog, that means I have to write original stuff from time to time, otherwise it can’t rightly be called a blog, can it? I have many kinds of friends, and I make it a point to be friends with different people, especially ones with different opinions. Here, a family friend of my fiancee posted on her facebook this statement: “Prayers aren’t doing anything. We need gun control laws. We need our government to take action.” She is very pro gun control and insists that action be taken, however, we politely entered into a discussion about it and I tried to explain why I am against “gun control”.

I said: “ I think the most important thing is identifying violent and unstable people early, but the state of our mental healthcare workforce is lacking. The culture and resources dedicated to this needs to shift. I think the political left should focus their efforts there and come up with the most humane ideas. As for gun control in general I am against and will continue to carry concealed. Most of the gun control ideas are either already on the books or knee-jerk and not well thought out. Also the second amendment precludes most of it anyway. I like for things to be practical and effective, so it’s just my opinion that we need to shift focus on how to empower physicians and law enforcement and the judiciary with laws while at the same time allocating more funds to mental health safety nets and research. “

She replied: It’s hard for me, because I think no matter what we do considering the mental health community (which could take decades) won’t stop mass shootings. When someone has a conceal carry on during a mass shooting, I feel like it just makes it more dangerous because they don’t always know where to shoot, can hurt more innocent people, and could be considered the shooter. What about the mass shooting in Australia? The 1996 Port Arthur massacre resulted in legislation that saw a dramatic decline in gun crimes. It made a huge difference. Was sandy hook (and everything since) not enough to change our legislation? This pattern will continue as long as the NRA has politicians in its pocket.

I then said: I understand where you are coming from; my perspective is different. Some of the best data and research currently available has put the onus on gun control proponents (for instance check out the Harvard Law study I posted below, that is fairly comprehensive and has good/logical points backed by statistical evidence). Most concealed carry holders have decent training and must demonstrate proficiency and accuracy by law. Also, they are trained/lectured in precisely which instances your gun can be pulled, under protection of the law. The NRA is not really the issue, but the millions of citizens that will not give up any Constitutional right apropos 2nd Amd. that hold their feet to the fire. If the NRA were dismantled entirely today, another would arise in a few months and eventually become just as prominent. I also plan on becoming an NRA member in the future, or whatever gun rights lobby group that will protect my right of self defense, particularly with the rise of white nationalist groups. The first thing the KKK and Jim Crow/government law did was to take away guns from black citizens. If you listen to Malcom X or even MLK (who owned firearms in his home for self defense), the logic and reasons seem fairly sound and self-evident, at least to me. Also, the 2nd amendment and the Federalist papers particularly Madison, make a compelling argument for it as well. Let me know if you want the link, it is a very interesting read. I still contend that the mental health in this country is terrible, even with my first hand knowledge, I still can't believe some of what I've seen. But yes, I understand where you are coming from. There will be no path forward with no improvement if we can't find some common ground on where to take action, as it seems stalemate currently.

She said she would like to read my sources...

Here is the article I cited in its entirety from Harvard Law Review journal: http://www.law.harvard.edu/.../Vol30_No2...

These are some of the more interesting/salient parts in terms of debate:

INTRODUCTION International evidence and comparisons have long been offered as proof of the mantra that more guns mean more deaths and that fewer guns, therefore, mean fewer deaths.1 Unfortunately, such discussions are all too often been afflicted by misconceptions and factual error and focus on comparisons that are unrepresentative. It may be useful to begin with a few examples. There is a com‐ pound assertion that (a) guns are uniquely available in the United States compared with other modern developed nations, which is why (b) the United States has by far the highest murder rate. Though these assertions have been endlessly repeated, statement (b) is, in fact, false and statement (a) is substantially so. Since at least 1965, the false assertion that the United States has the industrialized world’s highest murder rate has been an artifact of politically motivated Soviet minimization designed to hide the true homicide rates.2 Since well before that date, the Soviet Union possessed extremely stringent gun controls3 that were effectuated by a police state apparatus providing stringent enforcement.4 So successful was that regime that few Russian civilians now have firearms and very few murders involve them.5 Yet, manifest suc‐ cess in keeping its people disarmed did not prevent the Soviet Union from having far and away the highest murder rate in the developed world.6 In the 1960s and early 1970s, the gun‐less So‐ viet Union’s murder rates paralleled or generally exceeded those of gun‐ridden America. While American rates stabilized and then steeply declined, however, Russian murder increased so drasti‐ cally that by the early 1990s the Russian rate was three times higher than that of the United States. Between 1998‐2004 (the lat‐ est figure available for Russia), Russian murder rates were nearly four times higher than American rates. Similar murder rates also characterize the Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and various other now‐independent European nations of the former U.S.S.R.7 Thus, in the United States and the former Soviet Union transition‐ ing into current‐day Russia, “homicide results suggest that where guns are scarce other weapons are substituted in killings.”8 While American gun ownership is quite high, Table 1 shows many other developed nations (e.g., Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Denmark) with high rates of gun ownership. These countries, however, have murder rates as low or lower than many devel‐ oped nations in which gun ownership is much rarer. For example, Luxembourg, where handguns are totally banned and ownership of any kind of gun is minimal, had a murder rate nine times higher than Germany in 2002. The same pattern appears when comparisons of violence to gun ownership are made within nations. Indeed, “data on fire‐ arms ownership by constabulary area in England,” like data from the United States, show “a negative correlation,”10 that is, “where firearms are most dense violent crime rates are lowest, and where guns are least dense violent crime rates are high‐ est.”11 A second misconception about the relationship between fire‐ arms and violence attributes Europe’s generally low homicide rates to stringent gun control. That attribution cannot be accu‐ rate since murder in Europe was at an all‐time low before the gun controls were introduced.13 For instance, virtually the only English gun control during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was the practice that police patrolled without guns. During this period gun control prevailed far less in England or Europe than in certain American states which nevertheless had—and continue to have—murder rates that were and are comparatively very high.14 In this connection, two recent studies are pertinent. In 2004, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences released its evaluation from a review of 253 journal articles, 99 books, 43 government publications, and some original empirical research. It failed to identify any gun control that had reduced violent crime, sui‐ cide, or gun accidents.15 The same conclusion was reached in 2003 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s review of then‐ extant studies.16 Stringent gun controls were not adopted in England and Western Europe until after World War I. Consistent with the outcomes of the recent American studies just mentioned, these strict controls did not stem the general trend of ever‐growing violent crime throughout the post‐WWII industrialized world including the United States and Russia. Professor Malcolm’s study of English gun law and violent crime summarizes that nation’s nineteenth and twentieth century experience as fol‐ lows: The peacefulness England used to enjoy was not the result of strict gun laws. When it had no firearms restrictions [nine‐ teenth and early twentieth century] England had little violent crime, while the present extraordinarily stringent gun controls have not stopped the increase in violence or even the increase in armed violence.17 Armed crime, never a problem in England, has now become one. Handguns are banned but the Kingdom has millions of illegal firearms. Criminals have no trouble finding them and exhibit a new willingness to use them. In the decade after 1957, the use of guns in serious crime increased a hundredfold.18 In the late 1990s, England moved from stringent controls to a complete ban of all handguns and many types of long guns. Hundreds of thousands of guns were confiscated from those owners law‐abiding enough to turn them in to authorities. Without suggesting this caused violence, the ban’s ineffectiveness was such that by the year 2000 violent crime had so increased that England and Wales had Europe’s highest violent crime rate, far surpassing even the United States.19 Today, English news media headline violence in terms redolent of the doleful, melodramatic language that for so long characterized American news reports.20 One aspect of England’s recent experience deserves note, given how often and favorably advo‐ cates have compared English gun policy to its American coun‐ terpart over the past 35 years.21 A generally unstated issue in this notoriously emotional debate was the effect of the Warren Court and later restrictions on police powers on American gun policy. Critics of these decisions pointed to soaring American crime rates and argued simplistically that such decisions caused, or at least hampered, police in suppressing crime. But to some supporters of these judicial decisions, the example of England argued that the solution to crime was to restrict guns, not civil liberties. To gun control advocates, England, the cradle of our liberties, was a nation made so peaceful by strict gun control that its police did not even need to carry guns. The United States, it was argued, could attain such a desirable situation by radically reducing gun ownership, preferably by banning and confiscating handguns. The results discussed earlier contradict those expectations. On the one hand, despite constant and substantially increasing gun ownership, the United States saw progressive and dramatic reductions in criminal violence in the 1990s. On the other hand, the same time period in the United Kingdom saw a constant and dramatic increase in violent crime to which England’s response was ever‐more drastic gun control including, eventually, banning and confiscating all handguns and many types of long guns.22 Nevertheless, criminal violence rampantly increased so that by 2000 England surpassed the United States to become one of the developed world’s most violence‐ridden nations……

Here is part of their Conclusion: This Article has reviewed a significant amount of evidence from a wide variety of international sources. Each individual portion of evidence is subject to cavil—at the very least the general objection that the persuasiveness of social scientific evidence cannot remotely approach the persuasiveness of conclusions in the physical sciences. Nevertheless, the burden of proof rests on the proponents of the more guns equal more death and fewer guns equal less death mantra, especially since they argue public policy ought to be based on that mantra.149 To bear that burden would at the very least require showing that a large number of nations with more guns have more death and that nations that have imposed stringent gun controls have achieved substantial reductions in criminal violence (or suicide). But those correlations are not observed when a large number of nations are compared across the world. Source: Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy http://www.law.harvard.edu/.../Vol30_No2...

I then said, Federalist 10 and 46 represent in my opinion, the chief parts/reasoning of why the second amendment is important.

Here is part of Madison's argument in Federalist 10: "From this view of the subject it may be concluded that a pure democracy… can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of government itself; and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual. Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions. A republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking. Let us examine the points in which it varies from pure democracy, and we shall comprehend both the nature of the cure and the efficacy which it must derive from the Union." James Madison, Federalist No. 10

So here he argues why a Republic is better then a Democracy, and the idea of the "mischiefs of faction" and how at any given time the majority will in one way or another coerce the minority. Democracy, counter-intuitively then, is the great civilization killer, and easily undermines individual freedom, hence the "tyranny of the majority".

In Federalist 46, he examines the differences and pros and cons of having a Standing army (Military controlled by government) vs armed citizenry: In Federalist No. 46, Madison calculates that the new government could support a standing army but "To these would be opposed a militia amounting to near half a million of citizens with arms in their hands, officered by men chosen from among themselves, fighting for their common liberties, and united and conducted by governments possessing their affections and confidence. It may well be doubted, whether a militia thus circumstanced could ever be conquered by such a proportion of regular troops… . Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of. Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."

Here I think we find the seeds of the Second Amendment, and the relationship to standing army (Government controlled) vs an armed citizenry, which if need be (unlikely going to happen, but still) acts as a kind of fail safe to preserve the Republic (atall costs). Democracies do not need a first or second amendment, however a Republic does. (In my opinion). In a Democracy, the vast majority would be fine with gun control, likely not seeing any "modern" need for an armed citizenry, and would just vote on it and it would be so. But the problem is that this is precisely how nations die, and join the eternal cycle of failed states.

I could go on in a further attempt to explain my logic/reasoning as to why I think the second amendment is necessary to preserve the Union (forever), and to preserve the Republic (specifically). But I think I have said enough to at least get my reasoning in a way that does not make me seem like a radical. I think if you really consider it, you will see where I am coming from.

Also, here is an article from one of my favorite philosophers of today, Sam Harris, whom you may be familiar with. He writes with clarity and sound logic. Here is a piece he did on gun control (if you are interested): https://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-riddle-of-the-gun

Here are some follow up questions in a pod cast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0DYpaLgWIo

Here is some more material on the "dilemmas of democracy" https://www.city-journal.org/.../james-madison-and...

Here's a brief discussion of Federalist 46 https://armsandthelaw.com/arc.../2005/04/federalist_no_4.php

Here is something I wrote that you may be interested in and partly explains why I am "republican" along with what I mentioned about Democracy and the "micheifs of faction": What follows is something I wrote for a facebook “civil politcal debate” as a favor to a fellow freemason in Canada, where I attempted to get at the essential reason why I think we have so much political upheaval, and how to get back to our Constitutional way of life by examining Hamilton’s Federalist No. 17 and the implications therein. “First, I would like to thank Bro. Charles for inviting me to comment in a civil discussion of politics, a subject I usually do not attempt to discuss on Facebook due to the inherent limitations of the medium itself. The format and back-and-forth nature of posts only seems to foster hurried and usually less well thought out arguments “in the heat of the post”. I have come to realize you do not persuade others by quipy remarks or tones that, in your own certitude, just come off as condescension regardless of how well thought out or how right you may be (or think you are). I shall attempt to render my opinion on the first part of your questions Charles, and that is, is the phenomenon like Trump and Brexit a ‘Great Rebellion’? The short answer is in the affirmative, and here is why. Two words: Power, and Sovereignty; but perhaps not in the way you may be thinking. What I mean by power is, where does the actual political power come from in this day and age? From the People presumably, but the fear, justified or not, is that both nations, a Constitutional Republic and a Parliamentary Democracy are no longer responsive to the Will of the People. The Spectre of Oppression rises as the perception of true freedom wanes. People feel more and more disconnected, disaffected, disenfranchised, and trod upon by undue regulation. In many instances, it affects them personally, financially, and has significant influence on their means. And yet, what recourse do they have? Voting ad nauseam with little to show for it? It feels as if no one represents you completely, largely due to entrenched political platform with little maneuverability, dominated by crony kow-towers suffering from Group Think. With each election cycle, we the Peoples of both Nations, feel like our Power, or Self-Evident Liberty to govern ourselves, is slipping away. Alexander Hamilton, in Federalist no. 17, has this to say about the advantage of maintaining matters related to Law and Justice at the Local level: “There is one transcendent advantage belonging to the province of the State governments, which alone suffices to place the matter in a clear and satisfactory light… I mean the ordinary administration of criminal and civil justice. This, of all others, is the most powerful, most universal, and most attractive source of popular obedience and attachment. It is this, which, being the immediate and visible guardian of life and property; having its benefits and its terrors in constant activity before the public eye; regulating all those personal interests, and familiar concerns, to which the sensibility of individuals is more immediately awake; contributes, more than any other circumstance, to impress upon the minds of the people affection, esteem, and reverence towards the government.” Hamilton is essentially saying that Liberty is best maintained locally, in terms of civil and criminal law, and that when done so, is more responsive to the People, and they in turn, are more cooperative and filial with the Government (imagine that! Lol). So, therefore, this is the crux of my point, and where my assumptions rest as to the nature of the problem. Trump and Brexit (and Bernie I would argue) are manifestations of the People’s hope to regain some of the “Power” they intuitively sense they have lost, but few will cite the raison d'être as I have. Naturally then, my solution rests in returning the ‘ordinary administration of criminal and civil justice’ or “Power to the People” in the form of greater reliance on Local and State Governance, and considerably less Federal encroachment in these arenas, which would serve to assuage the Fears, real and imagined, of the Populace, and bring back a more responsive government for the people, by the people. Now that I have clarified (hopefully) what I mean by “Power,” let us move onto Sovereignty, which is defined as ‘the authority of a State to govern itself’. This part is easy, for I see sovereignty as a natural extension of the principle of power, or rather, as an (Fractal-like) iteration of the self-evident Right of Liberty, or to govern ourselves. One of the chief complaints I heard/read from supporters of Brexit was that being in the EU degraded British Sovereignty. Well what does this mean really? It means that the very ‘power’ Trump supporters (and other supporters) want back, a greater ability to self-govern, are the very same thing the Brexit voters want; more freedom, particularly in regards to civil law and the regulations they feel like they have no say or voice in. Their say in the ‘ordinary administration of civil and criminal justice’ is eluding the voters of both nations. Taking back one’s sovereignty is just another way of saying I want more say in civil and criminal law from a governmental perspective. So, this is why I would have to answer the first part of your question in the affirmative; it is a ‘thing’ whose cause rests in the voters declining ability to have a voice in civil, tax, property, etc. law that is imposed on them by politicians orders of magnitude removed from them.”

Anyway, I wanted to share this with my followers, food for thought. I highly recommend reading and listening to Sam Harris philosophical approach to the Riddle of the Gun. Take care followers and have a Blessed day.

REGIII32

p.s. feel free to debate and argue (followers), I enjoy hearing your thought processes and seeing your evidence.

#politics #me #gun control #controversy #federalist papers #sam harris

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glatisants · 4 years

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Albion: The Legend of Arthur (Closing Thoughts)

I’m gonna start with some really general, spoiler-free notes on what I liked, what did and didn’t work, the characterization choices, and that kind of thing. Further down will a more specific discussion of the story and writing decisions and such, and that will get into more spoilery territory.

also before I get into my subjective opinions about the series, I want to say that this should be taken with a tremendous grain of salt, given that

I am probably not the best person to ask for lit recs in general, given that my favorite piece of Arthurian lit is unironically, wholeheartedly The Dream of Rhonabwy;

My standards for audio media are probably lower than most people’s—I used to listen to 1940s radio for fun and that has absolutely numbed my palate;

I’m a little biased, in that I think Owain/Ywain is sort of underrepresented in Arthurian media, and as such I get irrationally excited whenever he’s included as a character in anything, however loose that characterization may be (my caveat, though, is that I strongly dislike the real historical Owain mab Urien; I want a cool Owain/Ywain who is also very obviously fictional).

***

All in all, I liked it, but I’m not sure I liked it as an Arthurian adaptation. Something like this is kind of a departure for me—honestly, I’m not usually a fan of Arthurian adaptations that do away with the Round Table and make Arthur a 5th century warlord. Legendry, and particularly Arthurian legends, can be this very odd thing, in that it lies in this liminal space between pure mythology and, like, history fanfiction, and honestly that makes me very uncomfortable.

I get the sense that the writers’ main sources were mainly “chronicle”-type things and Welsh bardic poetry—things like Nennius, Aneirin, Taliesin, Geoffrey of Monmouth, maybe Layamon’s Brut, and possibly the Welsh Triads and the Mabinogion. When certain familiar narrative elements are stripped away—no Round Table, no Grail, no courtly love—it can be difficult to reconcile that with more traditional takes on Arthuriana. Still, it’s not like I’m an expert on adaptational integrity, and I know modern authors do weirder takes all the time. And some things—such as the sword in the stone, and the idea of a Round Table—are hinted at in a way that are tailored to the more “grounded” nature of the story, while still capturing the ideas that live behind the symbols. And magic and fantasy do enter the story, in a deeply satisfying way, even as the story is largely focused on politics and warfare.

The gritty, “realistic” setting of Dark Ages Wales can be a dealbreaker for some people; honestly, I’ve felt that way before. I did appreciate it wasn’t overly violent, and there wasn’t any rape/sexual assault—there is one scene where a character is implicitly threatened by a group of Picts (but to put it mildly, things turn out well for her), and in the final episode one character is almost forced into an unwanted political marriage, but those are the only moments I can think of. And the series as a whole ended up being more optimistic than I thought it would be. The main themes are that hope is a beacon that lights the way into the future, and that stories are powerful and immortal (a bit cheesy, perhaps, but I love that sort of thing).

Characterization Notes

Gwenhwyvar—I absolutely loved this take on Gwen; something about the way she was written just hit perfectly for me. She was incredibly clever, perceptive, and protective of her people above all else; she was serious, astute and pragmatic, but also kind and gracious. She commanded an army, and yet always approached conflicts with the priority of peace.

I’m not usually a fan of Warrior Princess Gwen because it can remove a lot of the subtlety of her character, but that problem didn’t come up here; they make a point of showing how she’s underestimated by her peers and uses this fact to her advantage in order to wield her power discreetly. But when she met for political negotiations with councils of men, they always spoke as equals, with nothing but respect for her.

Arthur—Honestly, he fell flat for me compared to the other characters, and I felt like I couldn’t get a good sense of him. Arthur can be a tricky character to write, because there’s this inherent need to make him stand out as a heroic figure, and that usually entails either seeing him eye to eye or elevating him to great heights; either he’s written as someone someone people can emotionally connect to and see in a personable way, or he is extraordinarily capable and thus untouchable. Here, I think that the pathos was largely found in characters like Anna and Owain, and that untouchable capability in Gwenhwyvar, and it seemed perfectly natural that the focus would move away from Arthur and towards them as the series progressed.

Honestly this might have been intentional—one of the points we’re left with by the end is the idea that Arthur grew to be far more than he ever could have realistically been, and that the hope he inspired was the reason he lived on in the stories, rather than who he might have been as a person.

Medraut—I found him a bit underdeveloped, and that was a shame—I really wish we’d gotten to see more of him. There were some mentions of his past friendship with Arthur, but that tension was hardly felt until they finally met in battle; I think there could have been a lot of potential there, and besides, he was a fun character. He was charismatic and affable, manipulative and petty, stuck on nursing old grudges; but he was also without friends, family or country, completely alienated and digging himself into a deeper ditch with every move he made.

Owain—Genuinely uncertain how I feel about this characterization! He was intelligent, good-hearted, courageous, caring, and thoughtful; he was extremely likable, and I found that…a bit odd, honestly. I can’t really articulate my thoughts further than that.

Others: Myrddin—this is the only take on Merlin I’ve ever genuinely liked. He’s such a nuisance and just beautifully weird. Aergol—I found him really interesting, and I was actually a little surprised by how much he grew on me by the end. Cynon—I found him such a tragic, miserable character, equal parts contemptible and heartbreaking.

Room For Improvement

The pacing mostly fine, but a little bit odd in places—I felt like the final act could have used a bit more buildup.

Audio coherence could’ve been better during some of the action scenes—there were definitely a few parts where I was not totally sure what was supposed to be happening. Most of the time it didn’t bother me, but when it’s something like Arthur facing off against Medraut, that should be a dramatic high point, and I want focus and clarity; otherwise, whatever is trying to be conveyed will inevitably come across as anticlimactic.

I might’ve liked to see music used in more interesting ways, bc it can be really integral to effective sound design. There were a couple scenes where it was used really well (the leadup to the Battle of Badon, for instance), and I would’ve loved more of that.

I don’t know if this was supposed to be an intentional choice, but I could not take the Saxon characters seriously at all—they were performed in such an over-the-top way that they made me laugh more than anything else. The other characters were portrayed very well, I found the voice acting quite strong, so the sheer oddness of the Saxons stood out to me.

***

Okay spoilers below

I was all about Anna’s storyline and I think it was one of the strongest parts of the series. I loved the idea of this woman, killed unjustly for fiercely clinging to her ideals in spite of tremendous pressure, finding strength in her fallen ancestors and rising again as a powerful enchantress determined to seek revenge. It felt right for her, totally cathartic, and I was glad that she was treated so sympathetically.

I tried not to think about it too deeply, but I think I saw her as sort of a Morgan/Morgause composite; obviously the name Anna is associated with Morgause, and she’s linked with Lewdwn (aka Lot) of Gododdin, but her transformation to enchantress led her to call herself Morgan.

It was pretty clear that Owain had feelings for Arthur, but I sort of wish it was a little less implicit (fyi for people who haven’t read the other recaps, they’re the same age and not related in this). Like, I guess they were involved in a major plot point that was a pretty clear allusion to Achilles and Patroclus, and other characters kept mentioning rumors about them, but the most direct reference we got was Arthur confessing to Gwen that they had been together briefly when they were kids, and while Arthur never loved him, he had never thought to ask Owain how he felt. By the end, you kind of get the sense that Owain’s main motivation all along has been this love/loyalty, but it’s done in such a subtle way it leaves a lot of room for interpretation, and the fact that there was so much in their dynamic that went unspoken just exacerbates that.

I wasn’t sure how to read the ending and especially the final line. What I’m going with—just my personal interpretation—is that both Anna and Owain are stuck somewhere between life and death, possibly in a literal way as well as a figurative one. One of the recurring themes is, like, legendry as a means of resurrection and even immortality; legends are a place between life and death, where the dead are made immortal to walk among the living. So by the end, both of them have come to see firsthand how legends are made, and have become people tied to the liminal space of legendry, and thus belong to neither world.

I say this could be in a literal way as well as a figurative one bc Anna was given new life both through a physical transformation and the stories people would tell about her, and possibly some combination of both. And I think this could apply to Owain as well—maybe when he chose to take on the mantle of Arthur, he and his bronze sword somehow joined that part of the Otherworld with Anna and Merlin, and he became the proverbial King Asleep in the Mountain. But that might be a bit of a stretch.

***

That’s all I have to say about this. I think the combined word count of all these posts could be a full-fledged novella, so thank you for your patience and for reading!

#honestly i just needed to get this out of my head and i'm dumping it here #if anyone actually reads all of this i will be genuinely shocked #albion the legend of arthur

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