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easternmind · 4 months

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Last year in classic games

For motives I cannot expand on with much glee, I found a little more time than usual this year to reduce my seemingly endless backlog of classics. Despite all the fine new releases 2023 has greeted us with, I was able to finally dive into this eclectic handful of games I gathered over time. It is perhaps no coincidence that I reached out for more direct game experiences than story-driven ones. I find myself increasingly drawn to games designs that are mindful of the player's time as a commodity not to be carelessly squandered.

One note, if I may: I would like to inspire my readers to progressively discard the use of the word retro this year. We are all of advancing years and wisdom, I trust. The introduction of the term retro to the videogame vernacular was a gross mistake furthering the abhorrent notion that games were as ephemeral in their nature as fashion. It is a purely commercial designation by which to profitably repackage old software as a category of its own, originating from the same minds that considered games as mere novelty trinkets of limited marketable lifespan.

It is up to the player to individually decide on an older game's appeal, whether they may be discovering it for the first time or revisiting it for the umpteenth one. This is not only an appeal for those of you who write about games in any capacity, rather to anyone who takes videogames as a serious interest and communicates with others about this the object of their predilection. Thank you.

This loose cart came with a Famicom bundle auction I won in 2009, if memory serves. I turned on the Famicom and tested it merely to verify if it was still in working condition and found myself engrossed in that trademark Pajitnov/Pokhilko elegant approach to game design. As per the cassette's label, Hatris was originally a concept developed in collaboration with ParaGraph, a Russian studio that went on to develop specialized professional software, a year before the Bullet-Proof Software licensing deal. They produced a few games in the turn of the decade that were rather unusual and, some would say, even visionary. I recommend that you look up their story, if you're curious.

The only entry from the group that isn't of Japanese provenance - though it is a Japanese edition - I played it for purely nostalgic motives, perhaps a yearning for a certain pixel, palette and parallax that resoundingly evoke a time I was fortunate enough to experience, first-hand. If I may be honest, I purchased the game for the visual value of its unique cover art, which I deem superior to the US edition's. In saying that, I must highlight that the original Amiga game box art was quite accomplished.

In the Summer of 93 while on holiday at the beach, there was a French Nintendo magazine for sale whose purchase I could not resist. It was very common to find Spanish, English and French publications at the time in Portugal. This edition had a striking four page preview of this Jaleco gem, Ikari no Yōsai, or Operation Logic Bomb as it was named in the West. For years I searched the PAL version in vain, then ultimately decided to import it on account of - you'd never guess! - the superior box art. Playing it this year at long last, I was instantly reminded of an old Game Boy favourite, Fortified Zone, which I now know to be its prequel. Most top-down shooters are best played in co-op. Ikari no Yōsai is strictly and single-player affair and not once did I miss the absence of a friendly companion.

Keio Flying Squadron 2 first came to my attention via an infamous Saturn demo disc, which came into my hands through circumstances I have since forgotten about. I use the word infamous because the entire game code was available in the disc and the level select cheat code enabled me to unscrupulously play the entirety of the game for no additional expense - at only the cost of missing out on the colourful Studio Pierrot anime FMV interludes.

Having played the sequel first, I was somewhat disenchanted to learn the original game did not feature any platforming segments, it being a pure scrolling shooter in the same whimsical vein as Parodius or, say, an AirZonk. Still, a jolly good time with the old three buttons.

For reasons that will not be immediately apparent to younger reading audiences, I pride myself in having completed most Shinobi games, The Revenge Of and GG being my preferred ones. Shin Shinobi Den, or Shinobi X in Europe, was a game not readily available from my usual game dealers. I eventually borrowed the PAL version once, though not nearly long enough to master it. I finally saw it through this year, mere days before SEGA announced a new episode. While the live action clips looked a tad maladroit in the 1990s, they came to acquire that nice patina I now look for in classic games.

Omega Force was known to take the sporadic breather from producing some of KOEI's most cherished and profitable series. I distinctly remember enjoying Destrega quite a bit in its day, a game quite unlike any other. What their 1998 Enigma lacks in consistency and originality, it more than amply makes up for with its own bizarre concepts, extravagant characters and unexpected genre fusions. Of all the titles in this post, this was the one whose pace felt the most sluggish, and needlessly so.

Microsoft Game Studio Japan release schedule plans were not at all kind on this, their first production, Magatama. Earlier this year I praised this era for its highly inspired H&S action adventure titles and even spent a few days delighting myself with the likes of Blood Will Tell, Nightshade, Bujingai, or Chaos Legion. This most unusual creation, developed by the aptly-named Team Breakout - a group composed of many talented ex-Square employees - is one among the finest of the era. Sadly, it did not do enough to persuade players at the time that it was a better purchase than Otogi or its sequel. Playing it with my mind and heart set back in time to 2003, I can say that this misguided consideration may not have withstood a second thought.

I've long wanted to write an extensive article on Japanese firefighting games. In fact, I have the structure laid out for a Japanofiles entry gathering moss in my Tumblr drafts for over a decade now. For a brief period this year I convinced myself I could finally fulfil this aspiration and resumed Sakurazaka Shouboutai as research. Developed by Racdym - later Racjin - for Irem, it is every bit as good as Firefighter F.D.18 or Hard Luck, and in many ways more inventive from a conceptual standpoint. While Konami and Spike found a way to have their games released in the west, Sakurazaka's poor regional sales performance clearly accounts for Irem's reluctance to bear the cost of an overseas ticket.

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obihoe · 2 months

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kakashi keeps getting put into these leadership positions, meanwhile he's the most unfitting guy for a big leader. i think. like he works GREAT as a leader in small teams and i think he's a very capable and empathetic teacher but leading a legion of ninjas? becoming hokage??? doesnt fit him. and he thinks so too

#kakashi #posts #im just watching the episodes where the shinobi alliance assembles for the war #and kks leads the konoha legion like dont u think someone else should be doing this. lol #he doesnt have the energy

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ask-paradox-and-friends · 10 days

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NEW BATTLE

WESTEROS VS THE UNITED EINHERJAR KINGDOM

Modern fantasy in two different directions.

Westeros info:

Height: Varies among the species

Weight: Varies among the species

Known combatants: The Nights Watch, Armies of the Seven Houses, The Dragonlords, White Walkers, Giants, Wights, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Ned Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Khal Drogo, Drogon, Rhaegal, Viserion, Ramsey Bolton, Karl Tanner, The Mountain, The Viper, The Night King, Wun Wun.

Weapons: Swords, Daggers, Axes, Hammers, Spears, Bows, Crossbows, Tooth and Claw, Fire

Strengths: All warriors are trained in combat, Vast numbers, White Walkers can only be killed by Dragonglass/Valyrian Steel/Fire, White Walkers can turn the dead into Wights, Giants are extremely hardly and can take dozens of blows before death, Dire Wolves are nearly on par with humans intelligence wise.

Weaknesses: All warriors and races are mortal in some way and can be killed accordingly, None of the seven Kingdoms hold true allegiance with each other so would see an opposite house dying as more of a bonus than a drawback, Drogon and his siblings aren’t truly tamed and when enraged Daenerys cannot control them, Because of the presence of several Dragons on the battlefield the White Walkers are under constant threat of Dragon Fire.

United Einherjar Kingdom.

Height:varies among the people

Weight:varies among the people

Known combatants:The shinsengumi corps, the Galtrov army, the Toppat Armada, the Ebony Bolts, the Forces of the Council, Toukan Clan, Tengu Gang, Chivalrous Shinobi, Uzumaki Clan, Yamamoto Clan, Rusters, Doll Class-N, Devil hunters, Legion Yamamoto, Menema Uzamaki, Okita Soji, Inoue Genzaburo, Nagakura Shinpachi, King Reginald Copperbottom, King RHM, Queen Pelia Galeforce, Prince Hurburt Galeforce, Prince Dimitri Petrov, Ivan, Igor, Ivanna, Isadora, Treble.

Weapons:Swords, Guns, Spears, fire, magic, arrows, clubs, canons, explosives, Funai, shirikens, tooth, claws, acid, elemental auras, Bare hands.

Strengths:all the warriors are trained in combat. The type Ns being cyborg nomus are rather hardy and hard to stop unless stabbed in the head or throat. The Amries have access to Rideable Horses. The shinobi have access to stun bombs and can dodges really well. The devils can regenerate and fight as long as they have blood. Treble and the dragons have near human level intelligence. Treble can change size and command wind magic while the dragons are fire proof and blade resistant. Due to the Einherjars prove themselves to each other the Forces of this kingdom will stand side by side for singular goals.

Weaknesses:All the fighters are mortal in one way or another. To even things out the Einherjars are not avaliable in this battle neither are the gods or demigods. The N-types are braindead and can not think for themselves. Treble got his name as he's prone to being a troublemaker. The dragons and Griffith are only loyal to the royal family and those they view as friends. Dragon fire and magic dosent discriminate auras usually have charge times and often only get used in situations where the fighters are at half health. The Yamamotos are crazed and have little sense of self preservation and the Uzumakis are prone to emotional outbursts if wronged. The shinsengumi are known to be aggressive battle crazed 'Wolf like Men'. Igor the youngest dragon is still a youngling. Almost the entire army are seemingly weak to Explosives.

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dark-elf-writes · 10 months

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Sharing the sharingan

What if The Uchiha, The Hyuga, and Kakashi all die during Pain’s attack and end up at Sakumo’s limbo-campfire together?

Maybe they all die one by one with kakashi last because they’d be damned if they didn’t do everything physically possible to keep him safe. They just absolutely refuse to meet their sensei again with the knowledge they let his kid get killed while they were still kicking.

Them showing up one by one at the campfire and Sakumo smiling oh so sadly because while he wanted to see his family again, he never wanted it to be so soon. Not like this.

Sakumo getting immediately dog piled by all three of his kids once they’re all there. Just knocked to the floor and nuzzled into because yeah they’re adults but they all lost him too early and grew up too weird to give a shit about appearances now.

The Uchiha and The Hyuga immediately launching into a full blown bragging session about Kakashi’s accomplishments (both shinobi and otherwise. They personally think him beating Gai is far more impressive than his multi page spread in the Bingo book since they have them too but oh well).

Kakashi retaliating by talking about their extensive list of accomplishments (ie the weirdly specific but very useful self help books, the highly successful erotica novels, the universal fear of all Jonin, and the legion of devoted kids they managed to build )

Sakumo being very bemused because he really thought this reunion would be a lot more…apologetic? Philosophical? Because while he certainly apologized to them all and they accepted it, everything moved past it pretty quickly. According to them they’d “slap his guilt-ridden brain out of his ears if he tried to leave them again” but didn’t actually mind his decision on the mission? When he asked about it the Hyuga huffed because “come on sensei, really? You think we helped raise your pup thinking you made the wrong choice on that mission? You have us the wolf summons for a reason, didn’t you?”

Kakashi, now possessing the spirit of a little brother instead of an only child, absolutely delighting in watching them both get scruffed like unruly pups when the stories start flowing and some less than advisable actions come to light.

Microwaving this in my head because anncnsjskdjdnshush

I always planned on at least one of them dying in the Pain attack because of the angst but the thought of all three of them dying has me feeling emotions only known to shrimp.

—

The Hyuga dies first. Impaled by a chakra rod and exhausting his chakra to give his family, his pack, even the slightest chance. The last thing he hears is the Uchiha’s roar of fury as everything goes dark.

The Uchiha dies next, shoving Kakashi out of the way of a sure kill blow before throwing himself forward, determined to draw blood if it’s the last thing he does. He tells Kakashi to take Choji and run. He wakes up with a campfire in the distance and silence all around him.

Kakashi dies last, exhausted body unable to maintain the sharingan even a second longer. He’s no natural dojutsu user. Was never meant for the constant drain. He makes sure Choji gets out and prays it’s enough that even one do the kids makes it out of this shit show alive.

(He dies grateful that Naruto is gone. That Minato’s son would live even if Kakashi was no longer there to help raise him.)

The three of them find the campfire around the same time. The Hyuga laughs so hard he would have definitely pulled something if he was still alive when he realized who was there waiting for them.

The only real family other than each other and Kakashi that he and the Uchiha had ever known.

Sakumo looks sad (and a bit concerned that the Hyuga is going to figure out how to die a second time) but that’s as nothing compared to his shellshocked expression once after the Hyuga gathers himself he’s tackled by his three very much bigger pups all yapping over each other and laughing and crying. He wonders if this was what it would have been like in a perfect world where all of them lived. He wonders if they feel the missing weight of his final pup (the one that turned from them) just as keenly as he does.

As much as it hurts to see the light come for his pups he’s so fucking glad they get to live another day, get to break the cycle of the Hatakes (because they are all Hatakes no matter what clans two of them were born into) dying young.

#the elf talks #naruto #sharing the sharingan #tw death

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autumnslance · 1 year

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Eorzea & Garlemald - Stormblood to Endwalker

Replaying the patches of Stormblood on an alt, and I got of course to "The Call" which is remembered for the Alliance meeting where we first get contact from the Exarch and Thancred is taken--right after outlining his plan to disrupt the Garlean Empire with the truth of Zenos's possession by an Ascian, in order to sow distrust and even conflict among the various noble factions, raising tensions and perhaps even another succession war.

The leaders agree just as the Call occurs and Thancred falls. But fellow Scion Riol takes up the task of infiltration and coordination with the shinobi and spies of the Alliance in the Empire, following Thancred's plan.

The point is to get rid of the Ascian (Elidibus, though the characters have no confirmation of that fact yet, as the players do), hamper his ability to continue to interfere in Doma and Ala Mhigo. The Eastern and Eorzean Alliances just want the Empire to leave them alone, and they're willing to risk setting the Garleans at each other to do it.

And a war is just what occurs by the time Zenos returns to his body and murders his father. With no interest himself initially, the Empire is fought over by Lord Nerva and other nobles and military leaders, until their resources are exhausted, scattered, and easily taken over by Zenos and Fandaniel's schemes and the Towers.

It may have occurred on its own anyway, given the circumstances of Varis's death. Initially the assassination is pinned on Gaius, with Zenos's whereabouts and interests unknown. Though perhaps, too, the rumors the Alliances had sought to spread had also already taken root as to the Prince's nature, so no one wanted to look too hard, let alone find and prop up the man.

By the time Shadowbringers is over, the Empire is in ruins, torn apart first by war between the Legions, and then by Zenos himself, tempering and tearing down everything to go along with Fandaniel's plan.

And then in Endwalker, the Alliances send the Ilsabard Contingent to give aid to any survivors that might be found amid the ashes. No mention is made of their own kindling of those initial fires, that Zenos and another Ascian fanned into a wildfire.

Eorzea and Othard were trying to simply survive, to counter a more powerful, intractable enemy in ways other than head-on confrontation. They had no way of knowing what would happen, of course, but I can't help but wonder--especially given the Sultana and Elder Seedseer's relief work to affected provinces, mentioned at one point--at the level of guilt some may have felt for providing that spark, when it so missed the mark of the intended enemy and in the end laid waste to the common people the Ascians were manipulating as well.

#Final Fantasy XIV #Stormblood #Endwalker #Garlemald #Eorzean Alliance #Ascians #Elidibus #Fandaniel #Thancred Waters #lore #Zenos Galvus

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omegaremix · 2 months

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High Score Pinball + Game On; Spring 2021 & Spring 2022.

If you were an Eighties child, the video game was the pinnacle of your childhood. On Saturdays, my dad took me to the toy store where I sprinted to the game wall, have me choose any stamped ticket and hand it over the counter to customer service where they stocked all the solid state cartridges in the back. They’d hand me the game of choice and I was golden until next week. If I was lucky, he’d take us to Nunley’s Carousel in Baldwin where it was the final time in my life I’d play old electromagnetic machines and driving games that ran on paper sheets - and even film reels and plastic parts (Atari’s F1). We’d also go to Nathan’s in Oceanside. It, too, had an arcade there. Once we came back from his dietician or from my half-sister in Bensonhurst, he ended up taking the whole family for sit-in Chinese and to the Nellie Bly Amusement Park where for one time only I played Atari’s Superman and Hercules pinball tables.

Sunday was an even bigger event. My pop would drive from (also) Bensonhurst all the way out to Long Island where my family and I lived. He’d arrive anywhere between noon to 1PM and stay for an hour before taking me to the South Shore Mall. I’d have the luxury of two hours and $5.00 worth of quarters to play as many games as I could. Roadblasters, Space Harrier, Chase HQ, Marble Madness, skee ball - you name it, they had it, I played it. Pop would break it up and take me to The Emporium (later becoming Nathan’s and after that a sushi house that closed down in 2010) where they also had an arcade itself. Same time limit, same amount of pocket change. The neighborhood delis and convenience stores also had arcade and pinball machines where I clearly remember playing Seicross, Legion, Double Dragon, Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, and other games too many to mention. I had the best of both worlds at home and beyond. By the time my grade-school years ended, I replenished the game collection my dad once sold for $50.00 and more thanks to my Dallas aunt and uncle.

The Brentwood era just started for me and Pop had a heart attack while watching the game. He woke up out of it but later relapsed and that was the end for him. I had to take it upon myself to ride my bike to the mall or the pizzeria in the local shopping center behind the middle school to get my Neo-Geo, Super Monaco GP, or Mortal Kombat fix. With reward came risk: Brentwood wasn’t a safe neighborhood compared to the others. Every day I worried about random newjacks and youngbucks coming up to me for handouts just for being seen. Seven or eight kids waiting their turn surrounded the Street Fighter machines at any one of three stores out of fifteen who had them; some even got jumped and assaulted over them because they were caught cheating. Chain-snatchers got the unsuspecting kids when their backs were turned, and even the resting bitch-faces came up to entice me to fight their boyfriends who tried stealing my bike.

As time went by, I moved on from the scummy parts. Visits to the arcades became less frequented no matter at the mall or the amusement park. The carousels and hot dog places went out of business. Console gaming, however, kept going with the Genesis, SNES, Dreamcast, and Playstation throughout my community college and Stony Brook era. I discovered MAME and VPinball so I could stay in touch with myself. I kept it all going until I was sick of dozing off and throwing my time away while my friends, co-workers, and associates made the best of theirs. I finally moved on from gaming, and all the best for it.

It was more than ten years since I played a game of pinball. The Sopranos to be exact. Almost no place on the island where one was to be found. But that all changed last spring when the Video Game Trading Post opened up Long Island’s very first pinball arcade in the South Shore Mall / Westfield. I was stunned and paralyzed. We never asked for it, let alone couldn’t even imagine happening, but we got it. We lost Manhattan’s Modern Pinball and Greenpoint’s Sunshine Laundromat was never the same after the pandemic, so having the arcade return (to the very place where it all started for me and not having to travel to the city for it) was the pale-skinned redheaded Godiva riding on the fucking horse.

It was amazement at first sight. I enter the mall and the sounds emanating from the dark space tells me I’m close. I finally found it. My soul pushed back because I couldn’t believe it. I walk in and the darkness swallowed me in as all the flashing lights, LEDS, and the brightly-lit back-panels fight to be noticed. For $25.00, sometimes $35.00, it was all-you-can-play. I walk around in the dark vortex and the place was huge of its concrete flooring and aromatic wood smell. All three Black Knight tables, all three Pinbots, both Firepowers, Bank Shot, Evel Knievel, Harlem Globetrotters, Tron Legacy, even Police Force when it was at Vinardo’s. I spotted Big Guns, a game I remember from my Nintendo childhood. To my amusement, it was real having to find that Slugfest returned to the exact same mall I played at during the Brentwood era. The best part? Learning that both High Speed and Nine Ball would make their stay. It would make that next return trip all the more urgent. High Speed was the very first machine I ever scored a million on, let alone three. And Nine Ball? The overall design and sound effects of it was a personal must-play for me.

All throughout last Spring and Summer I’d make the effort to be the first one there and the last one to leave. Noon to 8PM. I made one final trip to High Score- before the year was over, leaving it behind in its former incarnation forever. It’s now half of what it used to be. The other half is now home gaming and memorabilia. I knew it would never be as good after when I first found it and won’t expect it to be better. But I’ll never, ever forget it - just like I’ll never forget the ride to Williamsburg’s Rough Trade, the post-punk / d.i.y. and jazz-fusion finds, the Jewish girl from Queens with the straight shoulder-length hair and green eyes who asked me if I had a copy of KIDS, or the two pale gingers with brown eyes I spent forever with at my store. Another day, another payout.

The alignments had another card up its sleeve. The King of Diamonds would be super-ceded by the Ace. The Boy Harsher show was less than two weeks away and I had to visit the Smithhaven Mall to find me a leather jacket and black hat. I walked out with the hat but no jac-. And, as I was walking out, something caught my eye: a shiny colorful array of neon lights. I stop to look at my right and there it was: a new video arcade I never knew existed. I was shut. I step in and to my immediate right was Baby Pac-Man: a cabinet shaped like an upright with a CRT monitor and small pinball playfield below it. It was a machine I only read about but was curious to seek out. Now, here it is. But, I couldn’t go any further as entry was roped off. But I see the sign at the front desk: $20.00 free play all day. It’s 3PM, I wouldn’t get my money’s worth. But I owed it to myself to come back and visit, and visit I did.

The following Wednesday I came back at noon and paid the frail emo casualty up front my $20.00. Does he have any idea what he’s doing here or what this is all about? He wouldn’t care, really. He’s only here to collect and will elicit a fake half-enthusiastic “oh, uh…that’s cool!” when asked. I’m here to revisit my Atari / Nintendo childhood. Eight hours and no time to waste. Let’s have it.

I walk in and there’s three Pac-Man machines grouped together: the 1980 original that became the first-ever character franchise, Baby Pac-Man and Super Pac-Man. Across from it is Ms. Pac-Man. How shameful they couldn’t include her in the boys’ club. There were vector games in Tempest, Lunar Lander, Asteroids, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in super-sharp and blindingly bright on original CRT monitors. There was Gorf, arguably my very first arcade memory living in Brooklyn. Classics such as Centipede, Marble Madness and Spy Hunter which I haven’t played in its true form since forever. Defender, Robotron 2084, and Berzerk rounded out three of four parts of the Williams epic (Blaster was the fourth). Moon Patrol, Galaxian, Zaxxon, Gyruss, Phoenix, Dig Dug, Vanguard, and Missile Command - games I played endlessly on the home system - were there. Crystal Castles, one I always played on the Atari 2600, felt super-frantic and ultra-responsive on my first time ever playing it. Pengo and Mr. Do! - two games I remember my sis- B-Bomb telling me about - were finally crossed off the must-play list.

I found two extremely rare Nintendo Vs. red tents and with that came Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Donkey Kong 3, Punch Out, Popeye, and the original Super Mario Bros. which I always used to play at the neighborhood deli (thanks ma’). Even more impressive was the fact that they had Playchoice machines when the South Shore Mall had them. I walk further and there’s Bad Dudes and the first Double Dragon: agonizingly slow and sluggish as fuck like I remembered it.

There’s driving games such as Super Sprint, Crazy Taxi, Chase HQ, and The Cruisin’ series. But, none more important than Sega’s Hang-On and Outrun, one which my younger bro- and I fought over to play first when our parents took us to the ice cream parlor. Next to those were Virtua Cop and Point Blank which I had zero interest playing because it wasn’t Cheyenne.

Konami, known for some of the best multi-player titles ever, made their presence felt with Super Contra, The Simpsons, Sunset Riders, X-Men, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; the final being the gateway and the token example of nostalgia. There was the fighters’ row: Mortal Kombat II, Virtua Fighter, Tekken 4, Killer Instinct, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, and Street Fighter II; that final one the basis of my early Brentwood years hanging out in dangerous neighborhoods and being harassed by the youngbucks in pizzerias for quarters. How about not one, not - fuck it - four Neo-Geo MVS’s with such games as Metal Slug 4, Ninja Warriors, Fatal Fury 2, and Samurai Shodown all plugged in and more. Three of those four aforementioned Neo-Geo games all happened during various points of my Brentwood era, coincidentally at the same shopping center as the pizzeria and that down-low mom-and-pop video store in Central Islip.

There were pinball tables such as Spider-Man, Stranger Things, and Star Wars: Episode 1, but couldn’t ever compare to what High Score used to have. Foosball, (a rare) Super Chexx, a Ms. Pac-Man & Galaga cocktail machine, and even Alley Cats: a shuffleboard-slash-bowling hybrid were found. Never played anything like it. Sports-themed uprights in NBA Jam, NHL Ice, and Blades Of Steel which I played all of three minutes before walking away from it and headed for Arkanoid: Revenge Of Doh. I was even taken back by seeing games I never knew existed: Warp Warp and Lady Bug. And finally…Smash TV. I wasted an hour of my valuable life on cheap deaths and repetitious gameplay. I’ll never ever recommend it.

I look above and there was a scoreboard with all the high scores and initials written in chalk. Twin Galaxies this wasn’t and thankfully there were no Billy Mitchell sightings. Another thing up above us was a mural of Blaze, Axel, and Adam of Sega’s Streets Of Rage, deemed one of the best and most successful side-scrolling beat ‘em-ups ever. Further back of the arcade I found a bar set-up and a big projector screen behind it for anyone wanting to play Mario Kart on the big-screen. I looked hard enough to find authentic original operator’s manuals of Jungle Hunt, Centipede, Xevious, Asteroids, and Missile Command framed and hung on the wall. I also laserdiscs also framed and hung on the wall near the arcades storefront. Flashdance, License To Drive, Vision Quest, and - I kid you not - Dirty Dancing. Which reminded me…where the hell were Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace? And no Eighties’ fantasy world wouldn’t be complete without at least two small CRT TV’s set up to play Super Mario Bros. 3 and E.T. It was the perfect set-up found in millions of kid’s rooms everywhere. And they still weren’t done.

The one thing Game On had that High Score Pinball didn’t, and this is the major validator here, was the Eighties soundtrack streamed on the overhead. High Score- only had the natural sound of licensed one-liners, PCBs, electromagnetics, and solid states emanating all the bells and hard solenoid knocks of free games. Only once had they brought out a portable speaker blasting Ozzy’s Nineties hits and alternative. Not Game On. Every song was an unforgettable Eighties throwback. It had to be to fit within the nostalgic theme of gaming’s wonder years of the very-late Seventies to the mid-Nineties.

The Seventies will always be something I’ll explore because it’s a decade I mostly missed out on. Exploring and discovering obscure jazz / fusion, soul, groove, and the hits are all a product of my fascination with hip-hop and rap’s sampling culture, console gaming, money shows, chyrons, station i.d.’s, production logos, opening and closing credits, and promos-. The Eighties were different because I lived through them 100% and still remember it clear as day. I can appreciate new wave, synthpop, the new romantics, Billboard hits, freestyle, radio plays, hair metal, and anything else I listened to as part of my Atari / Nintendo childhood. The arcade’s streaming playlist (could they not afford a cassette player?) was paired with the many original arcade cabinets of their time and served its nostalgic purpose, as intended, to its full unbeatable meaning.

With almost every song played on the overhead there were more childhood memories that followed them. J. Geils Band’s “Centerfold” was my first-ever music memory when my other half-sister played it constantly on our turntable in our family’s second-floor Borough Park apartment. The night my dad threw the Christmas tree out on the porch and my ma’ taking both my younger brother and I to stay at gramma’s for a few days. Riding in the passenger’s seat of our white rusted ‘78 Cadillac Coupe Deville and the bubbled rainbow that formed at the top of its windshield. Being stuck on the side of the Southern State Parkway heading home as my younger bro- and I rode in the backseat with toy dashboards. The trips in my parents rusty beige Chevy van where its crusty steel interior and the smell of petrichor created a viciously sickening mess. The two ‘79 yellow and blue AMC VAM Pacer X’s my parents had. Hurricane Gloria and the week-long power outage. Friday night’s Miami Vice. Saturday afternoons spent in the basement playing Atari and watching WWF and NWA. Saturday night’s Golden Girls where the whole family died laughing. Sunday’s Long Island pop station WBLI’s Top Ten countdown on public access television. Our babysitter’s daughter who was the cutest thing of curly black hair, dark eyes, and tall stature who smelled like sparkle and white plush. My bro- and I taking apart our ma’s floral-print couches and making pillow forts out of them. Dad’s in-wall Akai eight-track player and the overhead speakers. Easter’s various assortment of sweet-smelling wax crayons and activity books. Nights spent watching New York Yankee games on PIX, New York Rangers on MSG, Night Flight and Dance Party USA. Family dinner night at Enzo’s in Bay Shore for minestrone, calzones, and newspaper clippings of Italy’s World Cup victories. Assholes in Chams tank-tops smoking in their garages while working on their prized ‘77 Trans Ams. Playing NES all night before getting ready to ride to Staten Island at three in the morning to pick up my dad’s side of the family.

The more I played the more I immersed myself back into familiar territory that I haven’t visited in decades. It’s an absolute rarity when all the right authentic elements that used to be come together as one and re-create a near-perfect rendition of what the Eighties felt like. It’s not just the soundtrack, the manuals and laserdiscs that supplanted the setting, but the actual aesthetic itself. See the decals on the side of the cabinets and the built-in one-of-a-kind joysticks and steering wheels. The amazing control panel artwork. Plenty of CRT monitors and their rasterized graphics, scanlines, ripples, burn-in, and scrambled graphical glitches. Buttons, plenty of buttons of all types. And no more having to bang on the steel coin doors when those quarters got jammed. Not a burn mark in sight and the smell of old wood cabinets filled the room - exactly how I remembered it all.

It was nearing 9PM. The trip back in time was about to end and the mall was finally winding down. I had to have one last game in before having to walk off memory lane and say goodbye. That idiot kid wasn’t there but was replaced by some cute skinny hipster girl punk with pink hair and ladened with piercings, eager to talk to any cliched grown-up punk dad or fading former Gen-X’er wanting to share a story or two about how they missed those simpler days. I’ll never get the spirit and being of the Eighties back, but I no longer miss them now that I have a monthly pilgrimage to Game On. I retire for the night and head out. She unhooks the velvet rope and clears the way for me to leave with a smile.

“Have a good night!” she says. You know I will.

Heart: “Magic Man”

Eddie Money & Ronnie Spector: “Take Me Home Tonight”

Run DMC: “It’s Tricky”

Cutting Crew: “I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight”

Toto: “Africa”

A-Ha: “Take On Me”

Foreigner: “Waiting For A Girl Like You”

Bananarama: “I Heard A Rumor”

Wham: “Wake Me Up Befoe You Go-Go”

Mike & The Mechanics: “Silent Running”

Michael Jackson: “Billie Jean”

Rick Springfield: “Jessie’s Girl”

Bruce Springsteen: “Dancer In The Dark”

Pat Benetar: “Love Is A Battlefield”

J. Geils Band: “Centerfold”

Simple Minds: “Don’t You Forget About Me”

Tommy Tutone: “867-5309 / Jenny”

Cyndi Lauper: “Girls Just Wanna’ Have Fun”

Pointer Sisters: “I’m So Excited”

Starship: “We Built This City”

Steve Winwood: “Higher Love”

Whitney Houston: “I Wanna’ Dance With Somebody”

Survivor: “The Search Is Over”

The Outfields: “I Don’t Wanna’ Lose Your Love Tonight”

Flashdance original motion picture soundtrack

The Romantics: “What I Like About You”

Scorpions: Rock You Like A Hurricane”

Quiet Riot: “Come On (Feel The Noise)”

Pointer Sisters: “I’m So Excited”

Fabulous Thunderbirds: “Tough Enough”

Steve Perry: “Oh Sherrie”

Madonna: “Borderline”

Tiffany: “I Think We’re Alone Now”

Belinda Carlisle: “Mad About You”

Debbie Gibson: “Out Of The Blue”

Phil Collins: “Sssudio”

Lionel Richie: “All Night Long”

RUM DMC & Aerosmith: “Walk This Way”

Rick Astley: “Never Gonna’ Give You Up”

Bananarama: “Cruel Summer”

Cyndi Lauper: “Time After Time”

Kim Carnes: “Bette Davis Eyes”

Sting: “Every Breath You Take”

Heart: “What About Love”

Foreigner: “I Wanna’ Know What Love Is”

Bruce Springsteen: “Jack & Diane”

Mr. Mister: “Take These Broken Wings”

Bangles: “Hazy Shade Of Winter”

Don Henley: “Boys Of Summer”

Dire Straits: “Money For Nothing”

The Cars: “Shake It Up”

Peter Gabriel: “Big Time”

Bon Jovi: “Livin’ On A Prayer”

Allanah Myles: “Black Velvet”

Culture Club: “Karma Chamelion”

Mike & The Mechanics: “All I Need Is A Miracle”

Starship: “Sarah”

Wham: “Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)”

Billy Ocean: “Caribbean Queen”

#omega #music #mixtapes #playlists #personal #Long Island #Eighties #gaming #arcades #pinball

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luwupercal · 1 year

Text

the emperor's brightest

(loud audio) (edit: fixing formatting, lmk if there's any errors left)

vulkan: —like wow, this would be a great idea as like, a themed restaurant for children...

corvus: actually, one of the earliest—

lion: DID YOU JUST CALL CHUCK E CHEESE A RESTAURANT? lion: HELLO?

khan: I mean it is / sanguinius: it is! / khan: it is a restaurant guilliman: I mean to a degree it is man lion: NO lion: it has food IN IT, guilliman: they have a salad— they have a salad bar, you tell me—

lion: is DISNEY™ a restaurant?

sanguinius: yes! guilliman: yes! there are restaurants in— khan: Disney has more than just... guilliman: wait okay— okay, Lion, what you just said was way stupider. lion: exactly, disney has restaurants in—

lion: (reciting) Disney has restaurants in it, disney is not a restaurant. Chuck E cheese has a restaurant in it, (guilliman: yeah but like—) chuck E cheese is not a restaurant. (guilliman: yeah but—) lion:

FUCK YOU I'M RIGHT DON'T ARGUE WITH ME

(guilliman: —restaurant in chuck e cheese—)

FUCK YOU

(sanguinius: listen—) (guilliman: the restaurant in chuck e cheese does not have a name.) (sanguinius: listen, listen)

SHUT THE FUCK UP

(sanguinius: listen)

YOU'RE WRONG

(guilliman: it's not like chuck e cheese is—) (sanguinius: listen—)

YOU'RE WROOONG

(guilliman: —pizza place—)

SHUT UP

(guilliman: it's not chuck e cheese pizza palace...) (sanguinius: listen,) (guilliman: it's just chuck e cheese—)

SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTT

(guilliman: it's just chuck e cheese)

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

guilliman: you go to chuck e cheese— sanguinius: Listen. guilliman: —and you eat the pizza at chuck e cheese, it's the chuck e cheese pizza!

lion: I'm leaving you're not a human anymore.

(guilliman: for chuck e cheese salad bar pizza—)

lion: You have no right lion: I'm leaving lion: Fuck off

(sanguinius: listen.)

corvus: Fun... corvus: Fun fact for you, the ticket-eating machine was one of the first shinobi tools! guilliman: the ticket is an entree... (khan: [chuckles]) lion: You're all dumber than me.

leman: Listen— sanguinius: listen... leman: Listen.

leman: Chocolates are candy. leman: But candy isn't chocolate.

sanguinius: Oh no. We're not doing this. khan: No, no. / sanguinius: No no no / khan: No, no... lion: don't make me poll it in my legion

guilliman: Chocolate— (sanguinius: listen.) no no no, I'm not talking about chocolate. (corvus: sekiro is gonna—) guilliman: Chuck E cheese is a restaurant, guilliman: AND an arcade, guilliman: AND guilliman: a tube house (lion: it is not a fucking restaurant). And a— sanguinius: it's, listen it's— / lion: ONE

lion: uh— ONE, a restaurant has to serve food lion: chuck e cheese does Not serve food — guilliman:

IT SERVES PIZZA AND SALAD

(sanguinius: listen) / guilliman: YOU CAN'T MIX guilliman: YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHING TO SALAD TO MAKE IT NOT A FOOD lion: okay. the quality of chuck e cheese's food is

NOT—

(sanguinius: listen.) / (guilliman: you can't—)

lion: it is NOT equivalent to that of food. guilliman: Listen, listen, the pizza— the pizza might be made of rubber but the salad is— (leman: there is—) that's real lettuce that they bought from a

FARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRM

leman: there is—there is a chef at the back of the restaurant, who puts food in an oven— lion:

CHEF????

YOU'RE CALLING THE DUDE WHO WORKS AT CHUCK E CHEESE a

CHEF?

sanguinius: listen, guilliman:

CHUCK E CHEESE WENT TO CULINARY SCHOOL!

AND HE PREPARES EVERY PIZZA!

lion: The bar has never been lower! guilliman:

WITH LOVE AND CARE!

sanguinius: listen, there's— sanguinius: there's four different things, that something can be qualified as, if its job is to have food in it.

sanguinius: first is a person. (lion: chuck e cheese is not a fucking restaurant) sanguinius: the second is a grocery store. (lion: i don't care what wikipedia says) sanguinius: the third is a grain silo. (lion: i don't care what my brothers say—) sanguinius: and the fourth is a restaurant.

lion: Chuck e cheese is not a restaurant. Y'all can— corvus: bruuh / sanguinius: It's not a grain silo! It's not a person! guilliman:

IT IS A RESTAURANT!

AND AN ARCADE!

lion: it is not a restaurant. lion: it has food in it, lion: not a restaurant. guilliman:

WHAT DOES THAT M—

vulkan: Okay, okay— guilliman:

I HAVE FOOD

IN MY HOUSE

vulkan: okay, okay, okay— sanguinius: Your house is a grain silo!

lion: —HAHAHA vulkan: hey hey hey lion: HA lion: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA vulkan: hey hey hey hey. lion: 😂

vulkan: hey hey. for real. for real. go about this in a rational— guilliman: unrelated! vulkan: let's go about this in a rational way. let's talk about this like, like like like— intelligent people. i'm gonna name— khan:

no.

vulkan: —i'm gonna name another example— sanguinius: None of us are intelligent people, Vulkan vulkan: no no no— / leman: no let's not—

guilliman: chuck e cheese is a restaurant!!!!! guilliman: the rat comes and takes your order guilliman: and you put it in the— the menu!!!!!!

vulkan: I have— okay vulkan: I have something— vulkan: I have something to

BLOW

vulkan: Lion away. okay? (lion: yeah what?) just let— just be quiet.

vulkan: LION. lion: uh huh vulkan: One question. lion: yeah ?

vulkan: is DAVE & BUSTER'S a restaurant?

lion: lion: no.

sanguinius: ha ha ha HAAAAAAAA— vulkan: so Dave & Buster's is not a restaurant??? lion: no. (sanguinius: Dave & Buster's is a grain silo! we covered this!) lion: it's a barcade.

[beat.]

sanguinius: sanguinius: ...A barcade is a restaurant though. lion: No.

corvus: historians say... lion:

A BAR IS NOT A RESTAURANT ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

guilliman: is chuck e cheese a barcade? sanguinius: yes it is! it's a restaurant for drinkos. lion: bullshit.

guilliman: ...can i get fucking drunk at a chuck e cheese?

lion: chuck e cheese is a barcade for children. lion: and yes. lion: i think the one i went to in ullanor served beer.

guilliman: (defeated, skeptical) ...at chuck e cheese, it's the only place where it's legal for kids to drink. lion: lion: (coughs)

YEAH?

vulkan: ...okay! lion: that's written under the sign. "CHUCK E CHEESE—" guilliman:

IT IS

guilliman:

IT IS WRITTEN: ONLY KIDS CAN DRINK!

(khan: oh, no, no...)

#might have fucked up the color coding. ehh #horus heresy

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sammysdewysensitiveeyes · 11 months

Note

3, 4, & 15 for the X-men asks n

3. Character you hate and one reason why?

Mr. Sinister, because of......(gestures vaguely at EVERY horrible thing Sinister has done in his entire comic history). But especially Madelyne. And Kwannon. And Threnody. And Morph in TAS.

Sinister is often more of a love-to-hate character because he's very entertaining, but after Sins of Sinister I'm kind of sick of him and all his variants.

4. Character you have no time for, for no good reason at all?

Previously answered, but a lot of the "mercenary/old soldier" types who run around shooting guns everywhere just bore me. Especially Cable, and especially Fantomex, whose complicated backstory still doesn't make him remotely interesting.

I would rather read about about the weakest character with the worst power struggling to make themselves useful in a fight than yet another splash page of Cable or Fantomex shooting at things, especially if the weak character has an interesting personality or story to be told. (I'm really talking about Doug Ramsey here.)

15. Which x-parent is the worst parent?

Well, Maddie did try to kill her baby, but she was all hopped up on demonic energy at the time, so I can excuse it.

Sebastian Shaw is canonically abusive to Shinobi, so he's up there.

And Magneto really hasn't been a good parent to any of his kids except poor Anya.

Xavier doesn't really have a great track record with Legion, either.

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tournament-of-x · 1 year

Text

The Tournament of X

Announcement!

The 3rd Quarter of Round 1 will begin in two days on Saturday, May 20th, at 8:00 AM EST! The 3rd Quarter will consist of 32 matchups, set to be posted over the course of one day, and each matchup will be open to voting for one week.

The lineup for the 3rd Quarter of Round 1 is as follows:

Match 65: Storm vs. Micromax

Match 66: Shinobi Shaw vs. Frenzy

Match 67: Elixir vs. Lodus Logos

Match 68: Mr. M vs. Idyll the Future Seer

Match 69: Betsy Braddock vs. Hindsight

Match 70: X-Man vs. Beak

Match 71: Manifold vs. Glob Herman

Match 72: Peeper vs. Melter

Match 73: Iceman vs. Jetstream

Match 74: Emplate vs. Selene

Match 75: Angel vs. Gideon

Match 76: Bei the Blood Moon vs. Johnny Dee

Match 77: Cyclops vs. Rain Boy

Match 78: Shadow King vs. Azazel

Match 79: Warlock vs. Nicodemus

Match 80: Jamie Braddock vs. Morgan Red

Match 81: Jubilee vs. Roulette

Match 82: Tag vs. Loa

Match 83: Shatterstar vs. Cerebella

Match 84: Warpath vs. Jamie Madrox

Match 85: Rachel Summers vs. Evan Sabahnur

Match 86: Eye-Boy vs. War

Match 87: Colossus vs. Flatman

Match 88: Sabretooth vs. Gwenpool

Match 89: Namora vs. Galura

Match 90: Bling! vs. Gorgon

Match 91: Karma vs. Trinary

Match 92: Psylocke (Kwannon) vs. Layla Miller

Match 93: Domino vs. Nanny

Match 94: Lila Cheney vs. Masque

Match 95: Justice vs. Gateway

Match 96: Legion vs. Hellion

Remember, this tournament is contest of popularity, not a contest of abilities. As always, asks and propaganda are both welcomed and encouraged.

Contestants Index

#tournament of x #announcement #round 1 #quarter 3 #x men #marvel comics #krakoa #x men comics #xmen #tournament #poll tournament #tournament poll #bracket #tumblr tournament #character tournament #tumblr bracket #tumblr polls #poll

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jenzel · 1 year

Text

Maybe I'll feel different after a reread maybe I just wish we'd gotten any proper in-depth exploration of Julie-Su and Lien-Da's rivalry (maybe I have an irrational hatred for amnesia/memory wipes as a plot device) but wouldn't it have been cool if Julie-Su had grown up with the full knowledge of who her family is?

Like, serving and training directly under Lien-Da and Kragok and their influence until she defects from the Legion. I feel like her rebellious streak would make sense for a kid who was always a pawn for her siblings to use against each other in their weird loyalty/backstabbing games, someone who was fully aware of her unique place in Legion heirarchy but conciously rejected it, even if only secretly. She'd master the performance of being a good little soldier for her sister, while inside she'd be gnawing at the walls for an escape.

This is less a critque of anyone's writing, because coming up with stuff for a long-running comic is just Like That I respect it, more a 'if someone ever got to redo archiesonic' from scratch thing. Say, for a TV show.... a girl can dream.

I also wish that Espio and Valdez's whole deal with the Shinobi had been an actual thing from the start. Sure don't reveal anything until the Iron Dominion arc but Valdez working with the secret service? Espio ingratiating himself with the Chaotix? The attack on Rainbow Valley?? The subtext would have been too powerful if they were spies from the start.

#Sure I'll tag this #archie sonic #julie su #julie su the echidna #lien da #Valdez the chameleon #No but I have too many thoughts and feelings about the Shinobi boys #The Chaotix aren't the only people Espio owes an apology to maybe #Ian was so right in his fic about Liza's backstory #Anyway Geoffrey knew Valdez was a spy?? Valdez seemed like such a loose canon #Why was he like that. Who was he #EDIT: and he was friends with Locke?? Flynn explain!!

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onwesterlywinds · 2 years

Text

PROMPT #12: Miss the Boat

This piece, adapted from one of my all-time favorite RISK posts, takes place a short while after Ala Mhigo’s liberation.

"Grand Steward!"

The double doors to the Hall of the Griffin creaked but did not quite open all the way. Only the sound of exertion, coupled by the distinct sound of her title being shouted from the other side, stirred Ashelia Riot from her otherwise solitary reverie. Then an opening emerged, barely a fulm wide, and Alaq'it Moks stumbled through it just in time to avoid her tail getting caught before the door slammed shut once again.

The Auri girl was among the last people Ashe would have expected to find after the conclusion of a council meeting: the last she had heard, Alaq'it had been in Doma, swayed by Edge's effulgent recommendation to learn shinobi skills in the place where the arts were conceived. Sure enough, as Alaq'it closed the distance between them at a run, Ashe could see more clearly the telltale patterns of an experienced ninja upon her armor.

"Grand Steward!" Alaq'it called again, though they were now standing at a regular distance for conversation. "I came to liberate All of Mhigo!"

Ashe opened her mouth, then closed it. She could not be certain, at first, that she had heard the young Riskbreaker correctly - whether in the purpose of her presence, or in her pronunciation of the land on which she now stood. "Liberate?" she said - and, more slowly, "Ala Mhigo?"

Alaq'it nodded with great enthusiasm, either taking the correction in stride or - more likely - not recognizing it for what it was. "But, the enemy is gone. They surely fled at my approach."

Her first instinct was to push her hair back from her face, grown though it was since her encounter with the Garleans. "Alaq'it, that was six months ag-"

If nothing else, the depth of Alaq'it's surety offered a distraction from the much more mundane problems of the reconstruction - problems scarcely worth the name, compared to all that she and her countrymen had endured to reach their liberty. It was also, somewhat more assuringly to Ashe, ironclad proof that at least one Riskbreaker had emerged unscathed from the chaos that had led them to their current present.

Would that they all lived in a world where an entire legion would retreat back to Ilsabard upon the arrival of Alaq'it Moks. Perhaps, given time and training, such a future would one day come to pass.

The girl stared up at her, the first traces of confusion beginning to dawn upon her face.

"No, never mind," Ashe finished, and gave her what she hoped was a reassuring and not at all patronizing pat on the shoulder. "Good job."

Alaq'it grinned and gave a joyful, satisfied gesture, then hurried back the way she had come. As she departed, Ashe could see in her non-dominant hand an unmistakable portable cup filled with freshly-brewed Ala Mhigan coffee.

#FFXIVWrite #FFXIVWrite 2022 #Ashelia Riot #Alaq'it Moks #I LOVE ALAQ'IT MOKS WITH ALL MY HEART.

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sebastianshaw · 2 years

Note

Some preview for Shaw's immortal issue was actually shared on Reddit awhile back. While I'm usually not a pessimist, it doesn't look good. My best wish (because I know you like that character) is that it's a fake off similar to the one they pulled with doctor strange in the preview of a legion of X issue. (Should've seen it coming, I mean, the guy DIED mid krakoa)

OH MY GOD THIS HAD BETTER BE SEBASTIAN AND SHINOBI BC OTHERWISE THIS MAKES NO SENSE

Because like. . .look at those surroundings?!? Shaw's entire DEAL since he first showed up was being a self-made man. It's actually the first thing we EVER learned about his backstory. If Gillen got that wrong after putting so much care and research into Exodus, I'm going to fucking riot. That had better be Shinobi.

#also this would just give all of Shin's I'm trying to be just like my shit dad issues to SHAW #which is SO LAZY #ffs writers people can be terrible w/o abuse as the reason #we already HAVE REASONS for Shaw and THEY ARE INTERESTING AS THEY ARE #ngl abuse is pretty boring to me as a motive in fiction unless it's actually done well #so many writers just use it as a crutch #out of shirt

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four-loose-screws · 2 years

Text

FE7 Novelization Translation - Chapter 3 Section 8

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

Chapter 3: Blood of Pride (Section 8)

Just as he had claimed he could, Matthew was easily able to open the door to the barracks.

The mechanism was easy to operate. When the secret passageway to the throne room appeared, everything after that was up to Rath's mercenaries.

They were exceptionally experienced and strong, and took out the assassins that had taken the castle in the blink of an eye.

They were also able to safely and successfully rescue the marquess due to Rath and his efforts.

As was typical of a nomad of Sacae, he was skilled in hunting and hiding his presence to get close to his prey. Because of those skills, he was able to more efficiently rescue the marquess than even a shinobi from the assassins within the castle who had let their guards down.

The people within the castle were also safe, and with that, both the panicking town and castle finally returned to a state of peace.

"Ah, Rath! You came! Your work this time was truly something to behold!"

The marquess of Araphen, now freed and having taken a moment to rest in the throne room, welcomed his rescuers with open arms, who had now shown themselves before him.

"...Marquess, you have them to thank for rescuing you…" Rath responded to being praised with the same curt tone that he always spoke in, and gestured to Lyn standing behind him.

Kent and Sain also stood in wait behind her.

The other members of Lyn’s Legion, as well as the members of Rath's mercenaries, were all standing by at an inn in town.

"Who are you?"

"It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lyndis."

At the marquess' question, Lynn stepped forward and introduced herself.

"...I see. You are House Caelin's…" He said, and stared rudely at Lyn, judging her quietly.

He studied her over completely from head to toe, then turned to Rath. "Rath, please stand down for the moment. I have a matter I need to discuss with them."

"..." Rath took his leave without speaking a word.

The marquess immediately began the next conversation. "...Now then, Lady Lyndis. Do you know the identity of the group that caused this mess?"

"They work for my grandfather's younger brother, Lord Lund-"

"Precisely. Meaning that my castle was subjected to this attack all because of your house's succession dispute."

"I-I apologize…" She could not argue against that statement. She immediately apologized.

"When I heard that Lady Madelyn's daughter was in trouble, I made the decision to assist you, however… I apologize, but please allow me to withdraw my support."

"Marquess Araphen! Does this mean that your promise is…?!" Hearing that the marquess was abandoning his promise shocked Kent. It had seemed set in stone.

"...Kent, was it? You left out some crucial details, did you not?!"

"...What are you saying?" This couldn't be. He hadn't kept any details to himself. He'd explained everything he could, making the marquess' words completely unexpected to him. He listened with a confused look on his face.

Then, the marquess said clearly and bluntly, "This girl certainly does resemble Lady Madelyn, but to think that her Sacaian blood is so pronounced…"

"What?!"

The marquess' words made Lyn freeze.

She had met both people who liked her and hated her throughout her life. But this was the first time in her life that anyone had ever rejected her for the blood flowing through her veins.

When she'd heard from Serra that the marquess hated Sacae, she knew that the reason for that was her parents, and thought that it was what it was. But she could not accept that he hated Sacaian blood and everything about the country.

She resisted the urge to scream, biting down hard on her lip.

Meanwhile, the marquess did not notice her change in mood, and continued to speak. "Once his Sacaian nomad granddaughter has returned home, this is certainly going to cause Marquess Caelin trouble as well, is it not?"

"Excuse me?!" Sain had remained quiet up until now, but those words made his anger boil even further, and nearly burst out.

But his partner standing beside him held him back. "Don't move, Sain! I apologize, Lord Marquess!"

"...Hmph, how undisciplined."

"Lord Marquess Araphen! Please, assist us in any way you can…" Kent stepped forwards towards the marquess, knelt down on one knee, and bowed his head deeply.

Today's event had proven that Lundgren’s interference in their journey was likely to become even relentless. If that was truly the case, then it would become more and more difficult as their journey continued for their current and small numbers to protect Lyn.

In order to fulfill the duty that had been assigned to them, and for Lyn's sake, more than anything, it was necessary for them to receive Marquess Araphen's aid.

That was why Kent held his enraged partner back and pleaded further.

Yet his feelings did not reach the marquess.

"...I have heard that Marquess Caelin has fallen ill. I do not know if he can hold on until she returns… If that becomes the case, then Lord Lundgren would inherit the title. I would like to avoid causing trouble for the next marquess."

"Why you…!!"

"Sain!"

"...I understand. Kent, Sain, we're heading back." Lyn spoke quietly, but her voice still echoed clearly through the throne room.

Sain, who looked about ready to grab the marquess, and Kent, trying to do something to stop him, both forgot themselves for a moment and stared at Lyn.

She puffed out her chest, straightened her back, and stared back at the marquess with eyes that shined with the light of her strong will.

Her two knights were unable to look away from the sight.

"I am proud of the Sacaian blood that flows through my veins. That is why I never want to rely on a person who insults it!"

She spat in an unwavering tone, then turned on her heels and left the room.

ー

"Amazing! You were amazing back there, Milady!!"

The three had left the castle and were now traveling the road where the inn was located to meet back up with their allies.

Sain made himself relax and praised her to the high heavens. "That marquess was just the worst kind of person!! We'll be fine! Lady Lyndis has us! Right, Kent?"

"...I apologize." In contrast to the cheerful and optimistic Sain, Kent apologized with a deeply troubled look on his face.

“Why are you apologizing, Kent?” Lyn asked, unable to understand why Kent was bowing his head.

He explained with a look of sorrow on his face, "...I concerned myself only with guiding you safely to Caelin, and was inattentive of what is in your heart."

Lyn held great pride in her birthplace of Sacae.

That was something he had learned soon after meeting her, but he had been so consumed by the duty entrusted to him that he could not understand her feelings.

He was embarrassed of himself for that.

"That… It's fine, don't worry about it. I knew that the number one thought on your mind was my safety. So you should be proud of yourself."

"Lady Lyndis…" Her kind words warmed his heart. 'She really is the person who should inherit the title of marquess.'

When they first met, he'd thought of her as the lady he was sworn to protect.

But as they had traveled together to this point, and after today day's events, he realized just how wrong he had been.

Of course, she was someone he must protect. That did not change. But he no longer felt she was just someone to protect, but also a master worth giving his life to serve as her loyal servant.

'Even if I must give my life, I will protect Lady Lyndis!' Kent made a new vow in his heart.

☆

"Hmph, that girl acted so big and tough…!" The marquess mumbled to himself in a disgusted tone. "Even though I would have aided her if she just cried. To think one of the lowly Sacaian tribes would dare speak her mind before me, a Lycian noble…!"

"Are… those your true feelings?"

Hearing that sudden voice made the marquess' shoulders twitch. He turned around to see the Sacaian mercenary commander he'd hired, and panicked. He hadn't realized that anyone was within earshot who shouldn't hear what he was saying to himself.

"O-Oh, Rath! How long have you been there? Oh no, you are an exceptionally good man! You are my mercenary commander that I take great pride in, and…"

"...If they serve you, you care not who they are... is that right? How conceited of you." The marquess desperately tried to rectify what he meant, but Rath's cold words cut him off. Within his sharp gaze like that of a bird of prey, one could see Rath’s quiet anger towards the marquess who looked down on his tribe.

The marquess could no longer withstand Rath's glaring at him and said, "Rath! I've treated you well, haven't I?! Is your pay inadequate? If so, then name your price…" The marquess offered him more money in an attempt to regain his favor.

However, such an action meant nothing to the proud people of Sacae. To the marquess, who knew nothing of their lifestyle, customs, and ways of thinking, they were the same as those from any of the other countries. He could make them conform to his will for money. Such was the rude belief most high-ranking nobles had.

"You will never understand. …I quit." Rath ignored the marquess' begging him to stop, and vanished from Araphen Castle.

☆

The sun was beginning to set, painting the castle town the colors of sunset.

Lyn’s Legion had originally planned to spend the night at the inn, but after an event like the one that had happened that day, they had no interest in staying within Araphen any longer.

Plus, they had learned information that concerned Lyn. "...Marquess Araphen said that my lord grandfather is ill… We must make it to Caelin quickly!"

She knew not just how true that news was, but in preparation for the worst, they had to go to Caelin as quickly as they could. After they reunited with their allies waiting for them at the inn, they decided to leave the castle town.

They all rushed to outfit themselves for travel, but when they were about to reach the entrance leading out of the castle town, a shadow appeared before them.

"Rath! What’s wrong? What are you doing here…?" Lyn asked when she saw the figure of her fellow nomad.

Rath stared straight at her and said, "...I heard what the lord of this castle had to say. Lyn of the Lorca Tribe. Proud tribeswoman of the plains… as your fellow tribesman, I will lend you my strength…"

"You will?!"

"Yes. All as the wind is leading me to do."

Those words alone were enough.

For Lyn, it was clear why Rath wanted to join her. There was not a person alive among the nomads of Sacae who would not be angered by Marquess Araphen's words. They were an act that sullied their Sacaian's pride that deeply.

It was sad that the marquess looked down on the nomads of Sacae. But to Lyn, as a person who was also half of Lycian blood, knowing that Rath thought of her as one of his own made her so happy she could hardly withstand it.

The news that her grandfather was in danger cast a dark shadow before her. And as they neared ever closer to Caelin, Lundgren's interference would only intensify. But so long as she had allies supporting her, she couldn't lose. Lyn firmly believed that.

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