#AI has the potential to do a lot of good. but it doesn't get to choose. humans choose what direction to point it in and we already have.

[foone]

So here's the thing about AI art, and why it seems to be connected to a bunch of unethical scumbags despite being an ethically neutral technology on its own. After the readmore, cause long. Tl;dr: capitalism

The problem is competition. More generally, the problem is capitalism.

So the kind of AI art we're seeing these days is based on something called "deep learning", a type of machine learning based on neural networks. How they work exactly isn't important, but one aspect in general is: they have to be trained.

The way it works is that if you want your AI to be able to generate X, you have to be able to train it on a lot of X. The more, the better. It gets better and better at generating something the more it has seen it. Too small a training dataset and it will do a bad job of generating it.

So you need to feed your hungry AI as much as you can. Now, say you've got two AI projects starting up:

Project A wants to do this ethically. They generate their own content to train the AI on, and they seek out datasets that allow them to be used in AI training systems. They avoid misusing any public data that doesn't explicitly give consent for the data to be used for AI training.

Meanwhile, Project B has no interest in the ethics of what they're doing, so long as it makes them money. So they don't shy away from scraping entire websites of user-submitted content and stuffing it into their AI. DeviantArt, Flickr, Tumblr? It's all the same to them. Shove it in!

Now let's fast forward a couple months of these two projects doing this. They both go to demo their project to potential investors and the public art large.

Which one do you think has a better-trained AI? the one with the smaller, ethically-obtained dataset? Or the one with the much larger dataset that they "found" somewhere after it fell off a truck?

It's gonna be the second one, every time. So they get the money, they get the attention, they get to keep growing as more and more data gets stuffed into it.

And this has a follow-on effect: we've just pre-selected AI projects for being run by amoral bastards, remember. So when someone is like "hey can we use this AI to make NFTs?" or "Hey can your AI help us detect illegal immigrants by scanning Facebook selfies?", of course they're gonna say "yeah, if you pay us enough".

So while the technology is not, in itself, immoral or unethical, the situations around how it gets used in capitalism definitely are. That external influence heavily affects how it gets used, and who "wins" in this field. And it won't be the good guys.

An important follow-up: this is focusing on the production side of AI, but obviously even if you had an AI art generator trained on entirely ethically sourced data, it could still be used unethically: it could put artists out of work, by replacing their labor with cheaper machine labor. Again, this is not a problem of the technology itself: it's a problem of capitalism. If artists weren't competing to survive, the existence of cheap AI art would not be a threat.

I just feel it's important to point this out, because I sometimes see people defending the existence of AI Art from a sort of abstract perspective. Yes, if you separate it completely from the society we live in, it's a neutral or even good technology. Unfortunately, we still live in a world ruled by capitalism, and it only makes sense to analyze AI Art from a perspective of having to continue to live in capitalism alongside it.

If you want ideologically pure AI Art, feel free to rise up, lose your chains, overthrow the bourgeoisie, and all that. But it's naive to defend it as just a neutral technology like any other when it's being wielded in capitalism; ie overwhelmingly negatively in impact.

#Capitalism #The ethics of AI art

[saprophilous]

just letting you know that that ask you rb'd about glaze being a scam seems to be false/dubious. I think they're just misinterpreting "not as useful as we had hoped" and interpreted it maliciously, based on the replies?

not positive but yeah!

Ah yeah, I see people fairly expressing that being “debunked” as in, not a scam; I wasn’t personally particularly aligned to whether or not its “dubious origins” are true or not… so sorry about that.

From what I’ve read, I was more focused upon the consensus that it doesn’t work, and therefore isn’t worth the effort. So having a positive takeaway on glaze outside of its “scam or not status”, as potentially saving us from ai learning doesn’t seem useful to pass around.

Correct me if there’s better information out there but this from an old Reddit post a year back is why I didn’t continue looking into it as it made sense to my layman’s brain:

“lets briefly go over the idea behind GLAZE

computer vision doesn't work the same way as in the brain. They way we do this in computer vision is that we hook a bunch of matrix multiplications together to transform the input into some kind of output (very simplified). One of the consequences of this approach is that small changes over the entire input image can lead to large changes to the output.

It's this effect that GLAZE aims to use as an attack vector / defense mechanism. More specifically, GLAZE sets some kind of budget on how much it is allowed to change the input, and within that budget it then tries to find a change such that the embeddings created by the VAE that sits in front of the diffusion model look like embeddings of an image that come from a different style.

Okay, but how do we know what to change to make it look like a different style? for that they take the original image and use the img2img capabilities of SD itself to transform that image into something of another style. then we can compare the embeddings of both versions and try and alter the original image such that it's embeddings start looking like that of the style transferred version.

So what's wrong with it?

In order for GLAZE to be successful the perturbation it finds (the funny looking swirly pattern) has to be reasonably resistant against transformations. What the authors of GLAZE have tested against is jpeg compression, and adding Gaussian noise, and they found that jpeg compression was largely ineffective and adding Gaussian noise would degrade the artwork quicker than it would degrade the transfer effect of GLAZE. But that's a very limited set of attacks you can test against. It is not scale invariant, something that people making lora's usually do. e.g. they don't train on the 4K version of the image, at most on something that's around 720x720 or something. As per authors admission it might also not be crop invariant. There also seem to be denoising approaches that sufficiently destroy the pattern (the 16 lines of code).

As you've already noticed, GLAZING something can results in rather noticeable swirly patterns. This pattern becomes especially visible when you look at works that consist of a lot of flat shading or smooth gradients. This is not just a problem for the artist/viewer, this is also a fundamental problem for glaze. How the original image is supposed to look like is rather obvious in these cases, so you can fairly aggressively denoise without much loss of quality (might even end up looking better without all the patterns).

Some additional problems that GLAZE might run into: it very specifically targets the original VAE that comes with SD. The authors claim that their approach transfers well enough between some of the different VAEs you can find out in the wild, and that at least they were unsuccessful in training a good VAE that could resist their attack. But their reporting on these findings isn't very rigorous and lacks quite a bit of detail.

will it get better with updates?

Some artists belief that this is essentially a cat and mouse game and that GLAZE will simply need updates to make it better. This is a very optimistic and uninformed opinion made by people that lack the knowledge to make such claims. Some of the shortcomings outlined above aren't due to implementation details, but are much more intimately related with the techniques/math used to achieve these results. Even if this indeed was a cat and mouse game, you'll run into the issue that the artist is always the one that has to make the first move, and the adversary can save past attempt of the artists now broken work.

GLAZE is an interesting academic paper, but it's not going to be a part of the solution artists are looking for.”

[source]

#artist asks

[weenwrites]

Transformers Prime (Optimus Prime, Ratchet, and Ultra Magnus) reaction to cybertronian reader dating a Decepticon miner, and was able to convince him to join Team Prime? You know, the bot that almost got killed by a green eyed Ratchet?

When he joined their team, the miner just stayed in base majority of the time, making sure he never got in anyone’s way, and holds a big grudge towards Ratchet.

If the reader & miner are both in base, they’ll be quietly cuddling in the corner with smiles on their faces (well, face), and when reader is out on a mission then then the miner is just awkwardly standing in the corner twiddling with his fingers.

(For Ultra Magnus, miner joined the team before his arrival)

✎A/N: Honestly, I really really love the idea of this ask for some reason, so thank you very much for sending it in and I hope you have a lovely day.

[ Please do not repost, plagiarize, or use my writing for AI! Translating my work with proper credit is acceptable, but please ask first! ]

Optimus

Optimus is happy that he sees the error of his former master's ways and has joined the team. Though he is far from combat-ready, he can help the team in other ways, such as clean-up, maintenance, or in mining operations. Alternatively if he does wish to help with battle, then you or any other member of the team can help teach him.

He doesn't turn a blind eye to the past, however, and he hopes that both he and the team will get along smoothly. He tries to foster a welcoming environment, and attempts to set a good example by being welcoming and friendly towards their new guest. As for any tension, he attempts to resolve any issues the moment they come, as to keep them from growing into anything bigger and more volatile.

Ratchet

To say that he feels awkward and guilty would be a horrific understatement. If your partner's even willing to talk to Ratchet, then he offers his apologies for his actions, and not once does he try to defend what he did. He accepts if he won't be forgiven, but he's relieved that he's able to at least apologize for his wrongdoings.

Initially when the two of them are left at the base, there's an awkward air between them that neither of them even try to break. Ratchet just tries to continue on with work as usual, and even if he requires help with something (such as transporting a lot of materials over, or perhaps having someone hold something up while he works on the underside of it) he'd refuse to ask your partner for help because it's just that awkward (unless however it's a serious matter that calls for their emotions to be set aside for the greater good).

If your partner ever gets injured, Ratchet will try to help him, and if he repeatedly keeps refusing his help (and if he won't listen to you), then Rachet'll have to ask you to treat any injuries for him, and he'll instruct you on how to do so for the more complicated injuries.

Ultra Magnus

Initially, he had mistaken your partner for a prisoner, and treated him as such for about 5 seconds until you came in and clarified that he is not a prisoner of war, but rather a member of the autobots now (and your partner). He even has a badge, but Magnus's focus was primarily on the fact that he was a decepticon miner.

Given the fact that he probably isn't dispatched to complete on-field or combat-related work like a majority of the team, Magnus hands a lot of the cleaning or maintenance work off to him to keep him busy and make him a more useful asset for the team. If he were to complete all that work without a fuss, then Magnus would give words of appreciation for his hard work and the two would get along relatively well.

That is until he sees how awkward your partner is around Ratchet. If there's still any tension between them, Magnus would mistake it as potential hostility and try to resolve this conflict in a more harsh and less forgiving way than Optimus would. But once someone tells him why they're tense around eachother, then he'll leave it be unless the problem becomes more violent.

#tfp imagines #tfp headcanons #tfp x reader #tfp optimus prime #optimus prime x reader #tfp ratchet #ratchet x reader #tfp ultra magnus #ultra magnus x reader #x reader #reader insert #self insert

[deepdreamnights]

A friendly wizard and style reference.

Midjourney has just released both the version 6 of its niji anime engine and the first version of its "style reference" tool.

Functionally this is a variation of the image prompting system (explained here), in which breaks a submitted image down into the 'token language' the AI uses internally and uses that as a supplement to a text prompt. "Style Reference" (or 'sref') lets you do this with up to three images, only with only the tokens associated with 'style' being drawn upon.

This is not to be confused with style transfer, a much older and very different AI art process.

But what is a style in this context? And how does it affect generation?

Prompt: a blue axolotl-anthro wizard in a red-and-yellow swirl-pattern robe, holding a sheleighleigh made of purple wood and a potion full of glowing green energy drink. A blue-and-green ladybug familiar stands near his feet, white background, fullbody image

Settings: --niji 6, --style raw --s 50 --seed 1762468963

Here, I've tested the same seed and prompt with a number of reference images.

My semiorganized ramblings under the fold

The first thing I note is that style reference affects the gen so much that same-seed/different style ref comparisons are kind of pointless. Way too much of pose, composition and content changes for it to matter, so for future style ref tests, I'm probably going to drop the seeds.

The second thing I note is that there are certain limitations. You need to change up your prompt for things like photography, and the system interprets styles using its own criteria, not ours. If image prompting misinterprets something, so will style ref, but perhaps not in the same way.

This is notable for the one prompted with a scan from the Nuremberg Chronicle (first row). It recognizes that its a woodcut and emulates that general vibe nicely, but MJ is highly tuned for aesthetics, and emulating real world jank and clumsiness is a weak area. This is literally the first printed (european at least) book with illustrations. Every example thereafter is building on that skillset, so the dataset for woodcuts is going to be largely of a higher apparent quality.

In short, with Midjourney, additional prompt work is needed to replicate the look of early jank or intentionally 'ugly' art styles, and even as recent as v6 I've had no luck with things like midcentury Hanna-Barbereesque cheap TV animation styles or shitty 1990s CGI.

Style reference can help, I've gotten some pretty good cheap 80s-90s TV animation looking stuff from v6 niji and style ref in my early tests:

Color observations: Absent specific requests in the prompt, SREF will stick pretty close to the palette and lighting conditions of the referenced image. With such instructions, you get blending, so the one referencing the okapi fakemon (second row from bottom), for instance, has a lot of colors the reference image doesn't have, but they're in similar in vibrancy and saturation.

One limitation, however, is it doesn't apply to the aspects of the gen that come from any image prompts, so it will always blend the style of the style reference with the style aspects inherited from the image prompt, and that is very strong compared to the style ref.

Using the dog as the image prompt, and the TFTM reformatting as the style prompt, and the text prompt: "a cute older yorkie dog sitting on a bedspread", we get the image on the left. Dropping the image prompt weight to .25 gets us the center option, and removing the image prompt entirely produces the one on the right.

I expect this will be patched eventually, or general image prompting may fall out of favor compared to a combination of style ref and the upcoming character reference option, which will be the same thing, but will only reference the tokens associated with the character in the reference image. Depending on how that works that will have a lot of uses.

Stay tuned for more experiments. There's some good potential for freaky, unexplored aesthetics with combinations of multiple style refs and text prompts.

#ai artwork #style reference #midjourney v6 #nijijourney v6 #generative art #axolotol #wizard #prompt testing #ai experiments

[canmom]

Yes, what 'AI art' promises to do is something that has happened many times before in capitalism. Even in the 'art industry', we've seen technology all but do away with entire lines of work, such as the illustration styles that withered after photography proved to better serve the needs of advertisers and clients who wanted a realistic likeness.

And it sucked for those illustrators. Maybe not the well established ones, but the ones who had hoped to enter that industry. Just as it sucked for the textile industry workers when the mechanical loom appeared.

Trying to suppress AI art through legal means may be a strategy with little chance of success and high potential for collateral damage. The Luddites found that machine-breaking proved an ineffective strategy (edit: because the government killed them), the miners of Wales were not able to stop Thatcher closing the pits and importing materials (edit: because the government beat the shit out of them). But to treat workers - in one of the few lines of work to still offer any sort of intrinsic fulfilment, at least in theory - who may be responding in a knee-jerk way to an impending threat to their ability to continue that practice and possibly survive at all, with scorn and derision? To justify that with Marx? Come off it.

Certainly, sure, the real enemy was capitalism all along. If AI were never invented, art would still be a precarious industry where you have to work stupidly hard on a speculative basis to even get a chance to get a foot in the door. An industry valuing predictability would still prefer to elevate bland, repetitive artwork; it would still push the chosen few artists who make it and get jobs to work themselves into an early death; we would still be faced with the implications of turning creation into 'content' in a social media feed. In a less precarious world, one where artists were free to pursue our practices with ample support and no fear of not making rent if there's a bad month, AI image generators would not even be a concern.

But we don't live in that world and I have no idea how to bring it closer. There isn't a 'start the revolution' button I can just press if I don't like my lot under capitalism.

What AI promises to do, what its proponents claim, really is to make everything worse in this industry. AI has many limitations compared to a human artist, but that doesn't matter for doing damage. For the employed artist, the threat of AI is going to become a similar labour discipline tool as the threat of outsourcing to a country where labour is cheaper, or the threat of installing robot tills in retail. "Don't make too much of a fuss, we can replace you." It doesn't matter if it isn't entirely true, it's another cudgel against labour organising.

In the already often miserably exploitative world of small scale illustration commissions which many artists use to support themselves while learning? Now you don't just have to compete against Fiverr's race to the bottom. The good chaps at Silicon Valley have helpfully built an obedient data centre than can do a 'good enough' job for many clients even faster and cheaper, that never gets tired. You'd better hope you have a loyal audience already, or else the independent income and exec function to work on art as a hobby on top of everything else you need to do to get by. Illustration commissions is already a pretty saturated market, turning something that ought to be a dream job into a grind. So... let's add more pressure, eh?

Worse, a lack of realistic routes to learn will likely ripple on up, similar to how the miserable conditions and high attrition of inbetweeners in anime led to a situation where there aren't enough key animators, so the industry increasingly draws from self-taught hobbyists and relies on a limited pool of overworked sakkans to paper over the gaps caused by their lack of training.

None of these problems are unique to AI. But they're all going to be made worse by it. And obviously people are going to be afraid of that coming, before we know how it will all shake out for sure. That's not a stupid reaction.

The argument over what is Real Art(TM) may be corny, but it reflects the fact that for most of us trying to make art, it is not nearly so fulfilling to type prompts into a computer and pick your favourite result as it is to draw on your own visual library and experiences and understanding of light and form and symbols and shape and etc., to go through the meditative process of solving the problems of the drawing yourself, to get the satisfaction of 'omg I made that' at the end. I'm sure creating the AI system in the first place had that sort of fulfilment for its programmers, but using it is to be a curator more than a creator, or at least to shift the creativity into coming up with combinations of keywords rather than directly making pictures, and that just doesn't grab me in the same way at all. If people enjoy it that's genuinely great for them, but I don't think very many people who set out to be an artist would get the same satisfaction out of typing prompts. It's not something we wanted automated. (Perhaps we could compare it to creating an aimbot for an FPS game.)

But that's a fairly tricky thing to articulate, so it is not surprising that it gets mixed up in ideology like 'artiness is proportional to hours spent'. Unfortunate, but that doesn't make the intuitive alarm signal misplaced. If AI art can find a niche as just another tool for expression, great, I'll shut up - but if it becomes a widespread sentiment of 'why are you wasting your time painting, just let the AI do it', we've lost something valuable. 'We want to replace artists' is the explicit sentiment of many of the AI's creators and proponents, so it's not like this is a baseless fear.

Trying to develop an art practice under capitalism is always a pretty awkward bargain at best. AI won't destroy the drives that lead us to make art, and won't do much to liberate us either. My hope is that it will become an easily ignored sideshow to the kinds of art I like; my fear is that this is only the beginning of its impact and a lot that's valuable will be lost in the chaos.

Did photography 'liberate' illustration? It's true that after the demise of the realist painting of Loomis's generation, new forms of illustration arose: scifi and fantasy illustration, many kinds of stylised illustration. But idk, that argument feels weird - if you cut down a tree to build a house where it used to stand, and a new tree grows nearby, is that liberating trees? It's hard to put any valence on that. In any case, AI proponents are trying for a fully general replacement to all types of illustration, including potential new ones. (Perhaps that's nothing more than tech cult hype; at the moment its stylistic repertoire is more limited.)

And perhaps we might expect, as capitalism continues to throw off labour without much hope of new industries arising to absorb it, that there will come a point where the balance tips and for better or worse, a vast social transformation unfolds suddenly and unexpectedly.

Would be nice if I can live long enough to see it.

Living off commissions is already proving not viable for me, regardless of AI - so I'm training to go into a different creative industry (game dev) where there's more demand in the present era, and I'll have to develop visual art more slowly, with whatever energy and executive function I can spare. I hope I will enjoy working in game dev, and I'm lucky to have skills that even make it an option, but I don't love that I have to make that decision based on what can keep a roof overhead and not on what I most want to spend my time learning to make. And I can only imagine the feeling of someone who found a seemingly stable niche doing something they truly enjoy, and now face getting thrown back into this corner.

The AI problem may just be a symptom of capitalism, but that just makes it less tractable. It may be 'just a tool', but that tool is embedded in a whole mess of social relations. Who runs the AI, who stands to benefit? Better to articulate a critique of AI-in-capitalism that navigates around the blind alleys than to cast scorn on people reaching for the first way out they can see to a genuinely bleak situation.

#ai art #to add more trash to the gyre

[rosiesdisneydrama]

Funny thought I had at work:

What if Donald's family (mostly his sister/cousins) did notice him grieving after Uno was shut down?

Donald is upset about something but very tight-lipped about what and why. Up until one of them manages to get him to talk a little bit about it. (maybe Feathery? He seems like the sort who'd try to comfort someone without judging them or promising to listen no matter what) And then they all extrapolate/misinterpret the reason from the crumbs they worm out of him.

Donald, obviously, doesn't want to tell them that Ducklair shut down his AI friend, and kicked him out of the tower without giving him the chance to say goodbye. And he doesn't know if he'll ever see them again (if Ducklair ever reactivates Uno). It's something that he really doesn't know how to fix it or make it better.

What his family gets out of him are:

There was a secret floor to Ducklair Tower that Donald had a friend living in.

The friend couldn't leave the tower, or even that specific floor. They could only see the world outside through windows and cameras.

Donald's friend had a lot of respect/a previously very good relationship with Ducklair himself.

His friend is now "gone" and Donald doesn't think he'll ever see them again.

Ducklair's comments/behavior were really out of character compared to the previous times Donald had seen or spoken to them. Shockingly harsh/cold.

And, considering the wildness of their family, these facts get twisted in a really interesting way.

Eventually, after the rest of the family (I'm mostly picturing Della, Gladstone, and Fethry. Maybe Abner, for funsies) do some serious debating to piece it all together without upsetting Donald even more, they make a loose frame of what they think the core issue is.

The end result?

They think Uno is a secret son that Ducklair was hiding because he had serious health issues that meant he couldn't leave the tower. Potentially because whatever health equipment he needed was there and couldn't be moved. The specific tower he'd lived in had potentially been sold by accident and when Donald was registered as the caretaker of the tower the security system let him onto the floor that Uno had lived in.

Potentially, Uno was also the reason Donald kept bailing on them while he worked there. Because the super-sick heir lived in a super high-tech building made by a mad genius, so there was a non-zero chance that their cousin was beating back crooks and wannabe villains who thought they could steal stuff to attack the city there. They wish he had brought them in on it to help more if that was the case.

And, finally, that friend had likely passed away and Ducklair's mood change was potentially due to poorly handled grief. There is a small chance that Ducklair had pulled a plug due to not being able to find a cure but it's hard to imagine because the man never seemed the sort.

(Also, since they have no idea if Ducklair has ever been married, there is the possibility that his son was actually a clone because the man was a Mad Scientist and anything was possible with those types. Which could also explain why no one knew the son existed in the first place.)

But this is the Duck family, so this also played like it's a soap opera/telenovela. It gets wild, especially when Gladstone's luck brings Layla in and she fights to keep her laughter internal as she watches the trainwreck of errors from the cousins trying to piece together Donald's secret life.

Oh, and they also think Uno was Donald's boyfriend, and one of the reasons he never told them was to hide him from Scrooge.

#ducktales #donald duck #duck avenger #paperinik #disney duckverse #uno ducklair #everett ducklair #della duck #gladstone gander #fethry duck #lyla lay #duno

[1moremilgram-enjoyer]

Since I'm a very "the curtains are blue for a reason" kinda person, I want to talk about potential symbolism in the couches of Ai Nan Desu Yo and I Love You! Does that sound weird? Maybe it is, but I think it's kinda fun!

CW Suicide, unhealthy relationships

What first caught my eye is that the couch is (mostly) symmetrical, split right down the middle. Well, the pillows are symmetrical, not the... blanket? Yeah, blanket. Because it's symmetrical, it could be seen as a representation of Mahiru's relationship, with each side representing one of the lovers. Notice how it's yellow-orange, which can represent happiness and warmth, which fits.

[Ai Nan Desu Yo] Do you really think you know what love is? If you do, then let's just overheat together

What I then noticed is that the blanket thing is mostly on the left side (I'm using camera view for this post), which could be interpreted as meaning the partner on the left puts more effort into the relationship, 'gives more warmth'. Meaning the partner on the left would be Mahiru, who is implied to be showing way more affection than the boyfriend to the point of being overwhelming. For example, just looking at the size of the pieces of cake they give each other in I Love You.

(Mahiru left, boyfriend right)

And this idea of 'Mahiru to the left, boyfriend to the right' is corroborated because that's how they're shown sitting in I Love You.

... Well, the couch is slightly different. It's more detailed, possibly because I Love You gives a more realistic look at the complexities of their relationship (?), but it does seem like it's a reference, especially since the green pillows are still there.

Although the green pillows are tattered when we see them in the Purple Background Dimension (<- why is this series so hard to talk about). Could this imply they're actually a representation of the lovers? It feels like this makes sense. Pillows are often filled with feathers, which are an important aspect of these two's symbolism (they're both in the bird cage -> they're both birbs). And it also fits with the "calling" scene, sort of.

[Ai Nan Desu Yo] Ring ring, I'm calling you in the middle of the night Forcing you to wake up, and I say "Good Morning!" But I fall asleep before you, I really feel bad you know? We can both feel lonely sometimes, but wonder if you'll get angry soon I'm going to start relying on you if you're kind to me, so please forgive me, thanks!

We see her call her boyfriend while somewhat-tightly hugging the pillow which apparently represents him, and the lyrics imply she's calling at an inconvenient time. Mahiru has a lot of imagery of smothering and suffocating, as her love is too overwhelming for her boyfriend, which vaguely fits the first two images. In this case, she wants to talk to him at all times, which he likely doesn't appreciate, he gets angry with her being overbearing, they do what seems to be one of the "breakup rituals" mentioned in a later line. Still, she longingly holds onto the pillow, before breaking down when it's no longer in her hands. They always come back to each other, because they've probably become dangerously codependent (I think? <- My aromantic ass does not understand romantic relationships)

Does that sorta work? Maybe.

Then there's the scene where Mahiru jumps into the right side of the couch, possibly a representation of invading boundaries (again, overwhelming affection), and sends a bunch of feathers flying. The feathers are in the middle, because again, both the lovers are birds. And this makes sense, since Mahiru's love in a way was also hurting her by making her love someone who could not meet her emotional needs.

[I Love You] My love, it scored an own goal, destroyed my love and me with its weight

(Also, I swear I remember Mahiru hugging a pillow here, but no, she grabs air. Mandela effect, ig)

The final thing to note is that Mahiru is sleeping on the right side of the couch before her boyfriend's suicide in Ai Nan Desu Yo, but she goes to sleep on the left after the suicide in I Love You.

The former again possibly implying Mahiru's unwillingness to separate from her boyfriend, and her tendency to invade his boundaries, is part of what caused him to commit suicide. Meanwhile, the latter makes sense, as Mahiru is alone and thus has to stick to her side of the couch.

(I'm frankly not sure how this would work with the shinju theory, but to be fair Ai Nan Desu Yo's ending as a whole doesn't work perfectly with that theory anyways)

Uh... so it sorta works? If that's the case, we can look at the stuff around the couch to establish some further potential symbolism.

For one, the diamond pattern in the carpet. Diamonds in general represent love and all the aspects of healthy relationships, which doesn't seem like it should make sense until you realize most of Ai Nan shows an idealized version of the relationship, and the carpet isn't present in the more realistic I Love You. Though I have to disclaim I'm talking about diamond the gemstone, because the shape itself (lozenge) represents "a sown field and female fertility" which I don't think is exactly applicable. Mahiru and her boyfriend aren't farmers.

(As far as we know)

The phone could have really been on either side since it just represents communication, so it's probably on the right for the sake of the "calling" scene.

The potted plant on the left is something which needs taking care of to survive, which may represents Mahiru's unfulfilled desire for attention and matching love from her partner.

[Ai Nan Desu Yo] This is a claim of responsibility From the two of us with matching love

The lamp is odd because I can't tell where it's meant to be pointing, but thankfully it makes sense with all three possibilities. Since it's on the right, it may represent how much attention Mahiru is giving her boyfriend. But it seems pointed to the left, so it could represent Mahiru's desire for her boyfriend to pay attention to her. Or maybe it's pointing at the middle, because the video is focusing on the relationship. The beauty of symbolism is that, if something looks a bit odd, you can just make shit up as long as it doesn't contradict any of your other claims!

Anyways, am I onto something or am I going completely insane? Good question! But I wanted to share this so. Take care!

#milgram #mahiru shiina #milgram theory #milgram analysis #ai nan desu yo mv #i love you mv

[icarusignite]

Hey! I don't know if this is the proper format (still kind of new here) but I'm sending in this prompt for an Alfred × Reader fic. There's this idea for him that was stuck in my head a couple months ago. So…

It's set either S2 or S3 but it fits better in S3 or the break between 2 and 3. Alfred is really ill which isn't unusual for him, but this time he's taking a lot longer for him to heal and he's deteriorating more seriously than he normally would.

People in court start looking around for new healers and remedies. Alfred is also kind of desperate because he doesn't want to die before England is complete or Edward is ready to take over.

Reader, who is a healer, comes to court with the intention of helping Alfred. She's neither Dane nor Saxon, if you're comfortable with it she could be of Asian or African origin/descent (eg Father Benedict in S5). She's either Muslim or Christian, either way she's well read and a bit of a scholar (if you've seen Vikings: Valhalla S2, there's a female character that might ring a bell). She's also able to reassure him, like Iseult, that she's treating him with nature's bounty and nothing sinister.

Because she's a scholar (also maybe a Christian), Alfred is comfortable that she's not practicing witchcraft so this helps him accept her more easily. It also helps them bond and they become really close friends over the course of the months she spends treating him. They have fun banter and he's able to feel like Alfred, the man around her instead of King Alfred. Then he realizes that he has feelings for her.

At this point it could go any way really. Does Aelswith factor into it much or not? Does reader reciprocate his feelings or not? If she does, would she be comfortable giving into them and being a mistress? Is Aelswith even in the picture or is this a slight AU? Do they have a sad, happy or bittersweet ending? Idk

For extra spice, Reader could also be good friends with Uhtred or Finan which makes Alfred a little jealous but also sad because he thinks that she'd probably prefer the charming, handsome, potentially single, strapping man to whatever measly affection he could offer her.

Ideally, it would be fluff or smut but whatever you're comfortable writing is fine! Sorry if this is too long but I wanted to be as clear as possible 😅. I also understand if this is too much for a oneshot and you forego the idea entirely

Alfred the great x POC! Fem! Reader

Word Count: 4.6k

A/N: Heyy, so sorry this took literally eons to finally write. Thank you for your lovely request and also thank u for your patience <3 Hope you enjoy what I've done with your idea, and dw this will have another part where I'll explore their chemistry more. I watched a bunch of Alfred edits to get in the mood and ngl I'm lowkey in love with him now lmfao. 

Disclaimer: there might be some (a lot) historical discrepancies because I didn't line up the dates exactly but I did find out that the Golden Age of Islam overlapped significantly with the dates that the last kingdom spans so the reader is a prominent scholar from Baghdad. Also, Aelswith is dead (I'm sorry T_T) cuz I don't love a cheating trope even when it is sort of historically accurate. So we have single dad Alfred lol. 

The only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm alone with you

Entering King Alfred's throne room, your senses were immediately awakened by the unfamiliar sights, sounds, and scents of Wessex. The room itself was a stark contrast to the opulent palaces and grand courts of Baghdad that you were accustomed to. The room was spacious, yet its decoration was surprisingly humble and simple, adorned with rough-hewn wooden beams and modest tapestries that depicted various scenes of English myths and prominent events. With a flash of triumph, you found that you recognized some of them from your studies of the English culture. A faint scent of burning wood from the hearth permeated the air with an earthy aroma.

You observed the nobles in attendance, or the ealdormen as they were called here, their attire markedly different from the splendid silks and jewels of Baghdad's court. Here, the people wore simpler garments made of sturdy wool and linen, in the dark colours of the earth as opposed to the the vibrant clothing the people of your home favoured.

Your gaze then turned to the throne itself. It was a robust wooden chair, its design austere yet imposing, lacking the grandeur of the magnificent thrones you had imagined English kings liked to occupy. King Alfred's regal figure atop the throne created a dignified presence. His clothing, matched the style of his ealdormen, long simple robes of a dull grey. The seat next to him was empty and you briefly wondered about his family. The chronicles you had read stated that a king's wife usually took her place beside him when he held court, but you did not know much of Alfred's wife.

Your fingers itched for your writing instruments, yearning to document all your observations and the happenings of the court. You seldom went anywhere without them, but now they remained tucked away in your satchel as you waited for the king to acknowledge your presence. You knew he had seen you enter, his eyes briefly meeting yours, even as he conversed with his ealdormen. Eventually, your thoughts began to wander and you couldn't help but reflect on the stark contrast between the scorching heat of Baghdad and the chilly bite of autumn in Wessex. your flowing linen tunic and trousers, so comfortable in the sweltering desert of your homeland, felt inadequate against the cold English air that seeped through the cracks in the stone walls.

You discreetly rubbed your tingling fingertips together, trying to generate some warmth, as the fire blazing at the hearth did little to banish the chill that had settled in your bones. Your longing for the warmth of the caliphate's sun was keenly felt in this unfamiliar and frigid environment.

Impatience welled up within you as you glanced around the chamber, noting the courtiers' stoic expressions and hushed conversations. The king's deliberations seemed to stretch on endlessly, and you found yourself yearning for the moment when you could finally present your credentials and seek the audience you had travelled so far to obtain.

King Alfred's voice finally called out your name, his voice echoing through the chamber.

"Esteemed lady, I welcome you to the court of Wessex."

The ealdormen, accustomed to the formalities of their court, were taken aback when you did not bow or curtsy as was expected. Instead, you offered a polite smile and tipped your head in a gesture of respect.

A murmur of surprise and disapproval rippled through the assembled courtiers. Some whispered that your behaviour was disrespectful, a breach of protocol. They exchanged curious glances, wondering how their king would react to this departure from tradition.

However, King Alfred took no offence. With a gracious nod, he signalled for you to speak.

"Thank you, your grace. It is an honour to be here."

Your accent was soft, lending your words a foreign intonation, and each syllable was carefully enunciated. You had spent months learning the language, and you weren't about to embarrass yourself now by messing up your pronunciation.

"I extend my deepest gratitude to you for undertaking such a long and arduous journey at my request. I hope the discomfort of the voyage did not prove too taxing."

"Your Majesty," you replied, "it was a journey of great honour for me, and I hope to make myself useful here."

King Alfred nodded appreciatively and then turned to a servant standing nearby.

"Please, ensure that the lady is provided with comfortable quarters and all the amenities she may require during your stay in Wessex."

The servant bowed in acknowledgment and stepped forward to escort you to your residence within the royal palace. You thanked the king once more for his hospitality and assistance before following the servant out of the chamber.

As you left the throne room, your observant nature couldn't help but take note of King Alfred's condition. Despite his attempt to appear at ease in his chair, you had perceived the subtle signs of discomfort. His favouring of his left side, indicating pain or injury to his right, and the unusually pallid complexion for an Englishman raised concerns in your scholarly mind. That was your purpose, after all, to try to diagnose and hopefully cure the ailing monarch.

Just when you were gone, the noblemen of King Alfred's court wasted no time in flocking around him, their curiosity piqued by the arrival of the enigmatic woman. They bombarded the king with questions and voiced their concerns about the unfamiliar customs you had displayed.

One nobleman, his voice dripping with skepticism, remarked, "Your Majesty, did you see that? She didn't bow or curtsy as she should have! It's as if she has no respect for you."

Another, eyeing your unusual attire and complexion, chimed in, "And her clothing, Your Grace! It's unlike anything I've ever seen in Wessex. She's clearly not from anywhere near England. What could she possibly want here?"

The murmurs of disapproval and suspicion spread among the courtiers, as they exchanged perplexed glances. To them, your arrival was an anomaly, and your behaviour had raised eyebrows and questions.

King Alfred, his countenance calm and measured, raised a hand to quell the growing unease.

"I understand your concerns, but there is nothing to worry about" he began, addressing their concerns. "The lady you have just met is a prominent figure from Baghdad. She has travelled from a distant land to be here and she is not here to defy our traditions or customs. She is a scholar seeking to further her studies in Wessex. Her journey to our land is a great honour, as it reflects the recognition of the importance of our own intellectual pursuits."

His tone left no room for further skepticism. He also did not mention the other reason you were there, as he did not wish to reveal the truth of his declining health. As the nobles filtered out of the room, somewhat still unsatisfied by his answer, Alfred couldn't help but remain still, his mind going over the recent developments. When he had first written to the Abbasid Caliphate to request that he be allowed to host a medical scholar at his court, he had to admit he was not expecting a woman, and certainly not one so beautiful.

The next day, Alfred summoned you to his private chambers for a consultation regarding his health. As you entered the room, he couldn't help but notice the change in your attire. Gone was the flowing linen tunic and trousers, replaced by a sturdier, more practical woollen English dress. The deep blue gauzy veil, however, was still draped around your head and flowed down your back.

The English clothing seemed to complement you, accentuating your elegance in a way that was both unexpected and captivating. The king, not for the first time, found himself admiring you, though he kept such thoughts to himself, mindful of the formal context of your meeting.

You, ever the professional scholar, maintained a polite and formal distance as you began your examination of the king. You inquired about his symptoms, listening attentively to his description of the pain and discomfort he had been experiencing. Your deep knowledge and keen medical insight were evident as you asked probing questions and conducted a thorough assessment.

After a careful evaluation, you began to discuss your observations and your initial diagnosis with the king. You explained your thoughts on the potential causes of his discomfort and suggested a course of treatment. King Alfred was grateful for your expertise, and couldn't help but be struck by your intellect. He had a thirst for knowledge himself and he appreciated the quality in others when he saw it. In you he recognized a passion for learning and documentation, one he held himself as well. After the medical examination, he extended an invitation to you to remain in his chambers and share a cup of tea. Initially hesitant, you eventually agreed, recognizing the value of the opportunity to engage in conversation with the English monarch.

Seated in the warmth of the chamber, Alfred began to share with you the rich history of England, its struggles, its triumphs, and its cultural tapestry. He spoke of the challenges of the Anglo-Saxon period, the battles against the Danes, and the enduring spirit of the English people. As he narrated the history of his land, Alfred couldn't help but notice how your eyes lit up with a deep fascination, even though you attempted to contain your enthusiasm. Your questions flowed naturally as you probed deeper into the history and culture of Wessex. You asked about the Anglo-Saxon kings, the legends and folklore, and the development of the English language.

You kept diligent notes in your little notebook, your hand swiftly capturing every detail of the conversation. Your keen intellect and insatiable thirst for knowledge were evident, and your genuine interest in Alfred's words warmed his heart. It had been quite a while since anyone had paid such rapt attention to what he was saying, and he found himself rejuvenated by your exchange.

As a lull settled over your conversation, Alfred's curiosity got the better of him. With a twinkle in his eye, he leaned forward and said, "My lady, I must admit, I'm quite curious about the contents of that notebook of yours. What sort of information have you been documenting to take back to your homeland?"

You smiled, your demeanour more relaxed than when you had first come in, "Your Majesty, you need not worry. I promise you, I haven't written that the English are fire-breathing trolls."

Alfred felt a grin tug at his lips, but he suppressed the urge, keeping his hands folded placidly over his stomach.

"Well, you know, if we English could breathe fire, we might have an easier time dealing with our enemies!"

"There is a trick that performers back home use, to give the illusion of breathing fire. The science behind it is quite fascinating. Perhaps I shall explain it to you sometime."

"Ah yes my lady, you have filled your book with our tales, but have yet to share yours. Do you have any secrets from the East that you'd like to share with us humble English folk?"

You couldn't help but smirk at his words, "I'm afraid some secrets are best left in the lands where they belong, your grace. We wouldn't want you to start brewing Persian tea incorrectly, now would we?"

"I doubt it can compete with our tried and trusted English tea."

"You only think that way because you haven't tried Persian tea yet. Trust me, once you have, there's no going back."

"I suppose you make a fair point! Although, I must admit, the thought of trying to decipher the intricacies of Arabic calligraphy is rather tempting."

You paused, your light-hearted nature urging you to make another joke but you strictly reminded yourself that you were in the presence of a king. It would do you no good to offend him with an ill-timed statement. You were already apprehensive about your earlier comment about the Persian tea, although you were grateful that he chose not to see it as a slight. As if sensing your hesitation, Alfred sat up in bed and leaned forward.

"You are free to speak my lady, do not hold yourself back on my account," he reassured with a wave of his hand.

Still, you settled for a polite smile, "I was just going to remark on the difficulty of calligraphy but I am certain that if anyone would be able to master it, it'd be you, Your Majesty."

A small furrow appeared between Alfred's brows as if that wasn't the answer he expected from you. He could see you pulling away, going back to your polite, almost cold professionalism. Eventually, he nodded thoughtfully at you.

"I would be ever so grateful if you could perhaps show me the technique someday, my lady."

You breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a small smile.

"Now, about that notebook, if you would allow me to take a look?"

"Ah yes, of course," you handed over the small leatherbound journal to him quickly without further complaints. "But I must warn you, my handwriting isn't at its most legible."

Alfred accepted the notebook with a nod of appreciation. As he leafed through its pages, his eyes quickly fell upon your meticulously written notes. Your thoughts were inscribed in your native language and although he did not understand the words, your elegant looping script impressed him.

He raised an eyebrow and turned toward you expectantly, pointing toward a specific passage, "And what does this say right here?"

"It is a description of the English weather, your grace."

Alfred leaned closer, his finger tracing the inked lines on the page.

"Ah yes, English weather. It was raining when you first arrived, wasn't it? What do you think of our English rain then, my lady? I've heard it has a certain charm."

"Well, I believe your rain can be quite persuasive. It insists that one should stay indoors and read a good book."

Alfred's lips twitched again, fighting back a smile. It seemed that the new scholar shared his interests as well.

"A wise perspective, indeed. Perhaps our English rain is simply encouraging a literary lifestyle."

"Yes, your grace."

"My lady" he continued, a note of genuine admiration in his voice, "I must tell you, your handwriting is truly exquisite. Tell me, just how many languages have you learned."

You felt a blush creep into your cheeks at his compliment. There was something sincere in his eyes as he waited for your answer, looking at you like your accomplishments were the greatest thing in the world. You opened your mouth to respond but then a loud knock sounded on the door and a priest entered.

"Yes, Father Beocca," Alfred seemed irritated at the interruption.

Father Beocca's eyes glanced from you to the king, and despite the fact that you were sitting in a chair quite some distance away from him, you felt a strange flash of awkward embarrassment run through you.

"My king, Uhtred is here to see you," the priest finally stated.

Alfred sighed and turned toward you with an apologetic smile, "Shall we continue our conversation another time then, my lady? It seems that I am needed elsewhere."

"Yes, of course, your grace."

You quickly took your leave then, choosing to take one of your books and go read in the garden. You had just settled yourself into a comfortable nook when loud boisterous laughter caught your attention. Turning your gaze towards the source of the commotion, you spotted three men, two of whom were dressed in the attire of warriors. Their boisterous behaviour was evident as they playfully teased and shoved the third man, who was clad in robes that resembled those of Father Beocca. However, a leather breastplate adorned his monk's attire, hinting at a surprising duality of roles – priest and fighter.

The two warriors were engaged in a lively exchange with the monk, their laughter echoing through the garden. You couldn't help but smile as you watched the scene unfold. Their camaraderie and jesting reminded you of the Caliph's sons back home, when your father would take you to visit the palace.

One of the warriors, a bearded man with broad shoulders and a hearty laugh, clapped the monk on the back.

"Come now, Osferth," he said between chuckles, "surely your devotion to the Lord could use a bit of levity now and then."

The monk, Osferth, grinned in response, "Aye Finan, it is said that laughter is the best medicine, is it not?"

The other warrior, a lean and quick-witted fellow, joined in with a jest, "Well, if that's the case, Osferth, then Finan here will live to be a hundred and you shall die tomorrow!"

Osferth elbowed the tall man in the ribs, "Not before I knock some sense into you Sihtric."

Their jovial banter and good-natured teasing continued, creating a lively atmosphere in the serene garden. You couldn't help but be amused by their antics and the familiarity of their interactions, watching them for quite some time.

The trio of men eventually noticed your presence, and with their laughter dying down, they made their way over to you. As they approached, their expressions revealed a mixture of curiosity and surprise.

The broad-shouldered warrior, Finan, whose eyes twinkled with mischief, was the first to speak. "Well, what have we here?" he said with a grin. "A traveller from foreign shores, I presume?"

"Yes, I am from Baghdad, my lord."

The warrior, clearly taken with you, couldn't resist a flirtatious remark.

"Lady, I must say, you are a wondrous addition to our English garden."

You snorted at his attempt at flirtation.

Meanwhile, the monk with the leather breastplate maintained a more respectful demeanour.

"Greetings, lady, I am Osferth," he said with a nod. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. May I ask what brings you to our humble Wessex?"

You found the monk's polite curiosity quite refreshing.

"Greetings to you too, Osferth. I've come to further my studies here. Wessex has much to offer in terms of knowledge and history, and I hope to make the most of it."

"Well, my lady, if ever you wish to explore our English shores, I'd be delighted to be your guide," it was Finan who spoke again and you could not help but laugh at his words.

"Thank you, kind sir. Your offer is most gracious."

“Call me Finan, my lady.”

Your change continued as they asked more about you and your hometown and you asked about theirs. You found out that they were a band of warriors who followed some fellow named Uhtred, the very same Uhtred who was currently speaking to King Alfred. As the conversation flowed, you discovered that you enjoyed speaking with these men. Their witty banter and friendly demeanour made you feel at ease, despite the foreignness of your surroundings. You shared stories of your travels, your scholarly pursuits, and the cultural nuances of your homeland. The men, in turn, regaled you with tales of their own adventures.

As you continued to engage in playful banter with the warriors, you remained oblivious to the presence of King Alfred and Uhtred, who had ventured outside and were observing the lively exchange.

Eventually, with a confident stride, Uhtred made his way toward your group to make his introduction and Father Beocca approached the king with his concerns.

"Your Majesty," he began cautiously, "I must admit, I have reservations about entrusting your treatment to a foreigner, especially one from so distant a land. We must be cautious of witchcraft and unfamiliar practices."

King Alfred turned to Father Beocca, his expression thoughtful but resolute, "Father Beocca, I understand your concerns, but the lady is no ordinary foreigner. She hails from Baghdad, a city known for its innovative medical advancements and a center of learning in the Islamic world. She comes as one of their finest scholars, sent by the Caliph himself."

"I see, your grace."

"I have read extensively about the great Islamic civilization, and its contributions to science, medicine, and philosophy. I believe we have much to learn from her, not only about medicine but also about fostering understanding and collaboration between our cultures. They have succeeded in uniting several lands under one caliphate, so perhaps we might learn how we may unite England as well."

Father Beocca, though still cautious, nodded in understanding, "Your Majesty, I trust your judgment. It is my fervent hope that the lady's presence here will indeed lead to beneficial knowledge and that she will uphold the values of wisdom and compassion."

"Thank you, Father Beocca. Let us have faith in this unique opportunity for cultural exchange and enlightenment. Her presence is a bridge between worlds, and I believe it is a path toward a brighter future for Wessex."

Over the course of the next few months, you became familiar with the routines of the Wessex palace. King Alfred allowed you to shadow him throughout his day, believing that you could provide valuable insights into his own activities. It was a decision that would lead to a profound connection between the two of you.

Every day, you diligently prepared poultices and medications for the king’s ailments, and often you’d recite the recipe to him and explain the purpose of each herb and plant that went into it. He found that he trusted you completely but he was still comforted by your transparency and the efforts you took to explain things to him. Sometimes he would insist on accompanying you on walks and you would point out the various native English plants and their counterparts back home. You also documented the king's activities and observations in your notebook. At times, he would request to see your notebook, often just to admire the beauty of your script. He marvelled at the graceful lines of your writing, and the intricate calligraphy that adorned the pages.

Your interactions went beyond the formalities of your initial meeting. King Alfred, always eager to learn, would occasionally ask you to translate certain passages from your native language and over time, your bond grew stronger. King Alfred began to look forward to each day, eager to see your bright and colourful veil, a striking contrast to your plain English gowns. He would wonder which hue you would choose, and it became a delightful anticipation in his daily routine.

Your conversations transcended the realm of duty and scholarly pursuits. The two of you shared your favourite books, discussing the nuances of various works and debating the merits of different translations. Your insights challenged Alfred's own understanding, and he cherished these moments of intellectual stimulation.

As the days turned into weeks and then months, Alfred realized that you had become an important fixture in his life. your presence was a source of inspiration, a reminder of the power of knowledge, and a testament to the potential for understanding and collaboration between different cultures.

He found himself thinking of you when he was apart from you, reminiscing about how your eyes would dance with mirth as you argued with him about the inaccuracies of translated works, or how your laughter would fill the palace corridors. You had not only enriched his pursuit of knowledge but had also touched his heart, becoming a cherished friend and confidante in the process.

Alfred could still vividly recall the way you had looked at him with genuine wonder and appreciation when he had shown you his humble library. He knew that compared to the great libraries of Alexandria and Baghdad, his collection was modest, but you had delighted in it all the same. Your eyes, filled with curiosity and admiration, had swept over the numerous scrolls and manuscripts, taking in the wealth of knowledge contained within those walls.

In that moment, as you softly murmured your thanks, Alfred felt his breath catch. He was struck not only by the beauty of your physical presence but also by the grace with which you carried yourself and the genuine enthusiasm you displayed for learning. Your voice had a melodic quality that lingered in his memory. It was a voice that seemed to breathe life into the ancient texts that surrounded you and the king found himself quite enamoured with you. The two of you spent many a late night pouring over scrolls together, and although he always kept a respectful distance, Alfred found himself wanting to brush away the stray strands of hair that fell across your forehead, having escaped the tightly bound coil you usually kept your hair in.

Tonight was one such night as the dim light of the candle burned low, and after a lively discussion on herbal medicine, you had fallen asleep on one of the ancient manuscripts. Alfred, his mind still buzzing with the echoes of your conversation, fought against the pull of sleep. Instead, he watched you slumber, his heart filled with a mixture of admiration and tenderness.

In the soft candlelight of the library, you appeared even more enchanting. Your thick eyelashes brushed against your cheeks as you slept peacefully, your features serene. Your form rose and fell with each gentle breath, a rhythmic reminder of the tranquil cadence of sleep. Alfred couldn't help but be captivated by your beauty in this unburdened state. The play of shadows and light highlighted the delicate contours of your face, and the soft glow of the manuscripts around you lent an almost ethereal quality to the scene. You looked like a vision from a dream.

As he watched your slumber, a sudden, unexpected urge welled up within him. He was struck by the temptation to lean in and kiss you, but he quickly banished the traitorous thought. What an absurd thing for a king to do, to force his affections on a guest in his home. Especially when he had no way of knowing if you returned his feelings. He would have to content himself with the simple act of watching you sleep, his heart filled with a deep and unspoken longing.

He also found himself wondering if you were betrothed, for you couldn’t possibly be married and still be here. What man would not accompany you or let you out of his sight if you were his wife? Although you had discussed many things, you did not stray close to personal topics such as family. You were only a few years younger than him and surely you had to have someone in your life. And even if you didn’t, what could you possibly want with an ailing man like him when a woman as accomplished as you could have anyone in the world?

Such melancholy things plagued him as he eventually drifted asleep on the table across from you, his final thoughts fixating on what it might feel like to have your lips against his. 

#the last kingdom #uhtred #alfred the great #tlk alfred #alfred x reader #tlk uhtred #tlk x reader #tlk fanfic #tlk season 3 #alfred the great x reader #tlk alfred x reader #tlk sihtric #sihtric #tlk osferth #osferth x reader #sihtric x reader #uhtred x reader #finan x reader #tlk finan #tlk fandom #tlk x you #finan imagine #uhtred of bebbanburg #osferth imagine #ewan mitchell

[thankskenpenders]

In the wake of Frontiers I've been thinking a lot about Sage, so here are some spoilery thoughts on her and the possibilities for further stories with her

One of the most interesting things to think about with Sage is where she could go next. And I hope that she does have somewhere to go next and that she doesn't become yet another one-off character who's off limits for the comics and future games. You can't just introduce a character like "Eggman's AI daughter who he actually genuinely likes" and then just memory hole her like she was just created to be a story hook for one game and nothing else. My main worry is just that they would consider her appearing elsewhere a spoiler for the five minutes you spend thinking she died at the end of the game, which I really really hope doesn't mean it'll be 5+ years before we see her again

Really, though, she creates some interesting conundrums if placed outside of the context of Frontiers, and I really wanna see how they tackle this

The thing is, Sage is a sympathetic character. She's nice, once you get to know her. She's level-headed and avoids unnecessary conflict. She encourages Eggman to work with Sonic when she sees it as the best option, and she's kinda friends with Sonic by the end? But... she's also still Eggman's new second-in-command. And they have an adorable father/daughter dynamic, sure, but this still makes her Sonic's enemy in the long run. This isn't a critique - in fact, just the opposite! I think it leaves the door open for a lot of interesting possibilities. They didn't really have to address this much in Frontiers since Eggman isn't the villain of that game, but should Sage come back as a recurring member of Eggman's team, I'm fascinated to think how they square these conflicting sides of her

Do they make her more villainous, supporting Eggman's attempts to conquer the world, playing up the Sage who gleefully reported on her wins against Sonic? Does she try to reign Eggman in more? Hell, how will Sonic feel about her once the truce with Eggman is over? Does Sonic try to get Sage to leave the Eggman Empire? Or do they make her a friendly rival of Sonic's, one who works against him due to her allegiance but still respects his capabilities with no actual animosity between them? I could see this working well with how nonchalant Sonic often is about having to fight Eggman, and "villain who the protagonist just has fun fighting against without really hating them" is a pretty shounen thing to do, but it's not the only route

Should she appear in the comics, the other elephant in the room is Belle. On a BumbleKast a couple months ago, Ian acknowledged the parallels and said that Sage and Belle just happened to be conceived around the same time - and that he felt sorry for potentially undercutting Evan there. But he also said that the possibilities for interactions between them in the comics were fascinating, and BOY do I wanna see that happen now. Belle was created by Eggman when he was Mr. Tinker, and therefore resents him now that he's back to his normal self. She struggles with whether or not he's even the same man now, and how being created by Eggman reflects on her. Sage, though? Sage just loves Eggman, period. She loves him as her father, and she seems to love working with him. The possibilities for the two as foils of each other are endless. Does Belle wish Sage would come over to the Restoration? Does she envy Sage for being loved by Eggman? Is Sage cool with the fact that Eggman technically has another daughter out there who just isn't part of the Eggfam? Does she view Belle as a traitor? There's so much you could do there

And also yes I want to see her interact with Metal Sonic like in all the fanart. Sage is good! We need more Sage!!

#tkp post

[brofisting]

Brief thoughts on AI writing/art data-scraping and subsequent content production, & the conclusion I've come to.

Thought #1: There has been a lot of discussion about how AI is or is not art theft (or writing theft); from my understanding every model works slightly differently. What isn't up for debate, though, is that all AI models require data to function, and that data has to come from somewhere. The companies developing AI have a strong incentive to get data by any means possible; the internet is the easiest place to start, but there's no way to get permission from every single person who has ever put something on the internet for the use of that thing to develop the AI, even if every single person were inclined to give it.

Conclusion #1: Doesn't matter if the AI's output is a copyright violation; instead, it was a violation of copyright to feed that data to the AI in the first place, making the AI itself inherently legally problematic.

("BRIEF" DO NOT @ ME OKAY. SEE BELOW FOR THE REST OF MY BIG ASS ESSAY. I WILL REBLOG WITH THE SHORTEST TL;DR I CAN MANAGE.)

Thoughts #2&3: Due to how easy it is to scrape data online, and the way technology is currently progressing (silicon valley motto of Never Ask "Should" I Do It, Just "Can" I Do It), there is almost no way to prevent these AI from being developed with stolen data, and there's enough out there to make these very, very good. They've gotten immeasurably better in just the past few years. Also, preventing them from scraping one thing (ie archive-locking fic) is probably not going to do anything about the problem as a whole, even if it stops that one thing from getting used (and if it even does prevent that thing from being used; I am not sure there's not ways to get around that kind of obstacle).

Conclusions #2&3: Can't stop the technology from developing, and trying to prevent your data from being accessed through technological barriers is at best small potatoes and at worst futile.

Thought #4: What is the incentive for people to do this? Money. These AI are being developed in hopes that they can be used to do things humans can currently do, for cheaper, so they can sell them to companies who will then use them to replace human labor. Will it produce results as good as human labor? No. Will that matter? Not enough, and not in all circumstances.

Conclusion #4: How to prevent this from happening in a way that loses people jobs (or loses the least jobs, or at least protects creative work, or does the whole thing slowly enough to save your job and my job)? Make it so companies cannot legally make money by using the output of these AIs.

WHICH... takes us back to Conclusion #1 -- due to the copyright violation inherent in these programs, it is important to make sure the output can't be copyrighted. Which, at the moment, legal precedent says it can't be. But that's something that companies which stand to make money off AI-generated work are going to try to change.

THEREFORE... we gotta fight those fuckers every step of the way to make sure that AI generated work can't be copyrighted. Which, IMO, means:

educating people about how these models are developed using data theft

make the connection between AI development and potential harms clear (both things like face recognition tech and hurting creatives by replacing them in jobs)

encourage people to fight legally instead of technologically; ie instead of archive-locking work on AO3, continue to throw a fit at the AI company, file legal copyright complaints, etc (any useful suggestions here would be great!)

And then, bonus, if your company is considering using this kind of technology to replace artists or writers, throw a giant fucking shit-fit. Bring up possible legal ramifications. Bring up possible public backlash ramifications. Bring up ramifications of you personally quitting and being a huge bitch about it the whole time. Whatever you can safely do!

I don't think we can prevent AIs, nor do I necessarily think they're inherently evil; I DO think they are being made by people who do not care if they are being used or made in an evil way or not. I'm not sure we can prevent their usage to replace creative jobs entirely, but I think we should try. And I am willing to put my money where my mouth is on that. Which is all I can say about it!

NOTE: I am not a technical expert or legal expert on AI; I am some guy online, but I have a vested interest in this both as someone who pays to have art made and who makes art themselves. I have recently done a fair amount of research into this, and this is what I came to personally. If you have more information from a legal or technical perspective that contradicts this, I'd love to hear it!

#ai #ai art #ai art generator #ai content #content generation #copyright

[hiraya-rawr]

You mentioned reading alot of found family on Ao3? Could we have some recommendations? (I am starving for some good found family fics rn)

MY FAVORITE GENSHIN AO3 WORKS // ALL COMPLETED

// This took so long because I had to compile my absolute favorites for found family 😌 everything here is complete, everything here wrecked me. TW DO NOT READ WHEN YOU'RE BUSY BECAUSE I GOT HOOKED. OP I'm so glad you asked me-

Song of Resistance: Frostborn Loyalty by TheOpticalMouse

Song of Resistance: Flames of Defiance by StrangeDiamond

// Diluc and Kaeya and the rest of Mondstadt. The Fatui takes over Mond and they band together forming the resistance to take it back. They should be read together!!, includes a lot of other beloved characters, they're actually selling a book for it with illustrations by @f-ai-n and I'm planning on getting it (if it weren't for the shipping fee that costs more than the book). There's a specific order to read the chapters to make both stories fit together, please take the time to read it!

The Burden Of Memories by The Optical Mouse // series // DILUC GETS AMNESIA bc of the abyss AND THINKS KAEYA IS STILL HIS BROTHER. A LOT OF ANGST. WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?? made me sob at 2am twice.

Watcher of the Night by nacaratskies // series // the reincarnation-turn back time AU with Diluc. He dies at 22, wakes again as a 17 y/o. Everyone notices he's changed. 17 y/o kaeya is worried but diluc doesn't give af. (lots of angst and screaming. poor kaeya, poor diluc, poor everyone, made me cry)

no love lost, not for him by li2 // series // familial hanahaki disease with Kaeya who doesn't believe he's loved and is dying from it. lots of comfort, unreliable narrator

Lost in the Underground by Quontice // series // for the horror lovers out there <3 Kaeya goes missing and something sinister lurks underground. Diluc tries to find him.

Home is Where my Brother Lays by Trashbin2020 // series // I CRIED. Two different timelines crashing. Kaeya "dies" and "lives again" in a world where Cavalry Captain Diluc lost his brother. Whereas, Diluc is desperate to get him back.

[COMIC] Voices in Ice and Snow by 4dango // art, comic // albedo gets corrupted by during, angst and action. made me love albedo, and fall for diluc even more.

The call is coming by actualromeo // fic // what if the chasm quest which affected the hilichurls also affected kaeya?

And here are some similar works that I've yet to finish but has the potential of being a favorite:

Oh, How Inconvenient by DiamondDove / series

The Rise of Diluc Ragnvindr by @richardgraysonpercyjackson / 4 arcs, a rollercoaster

Can Everyone in Mondstadt Just CHILL OUT For a Second?? by Anonemoni / series

Dawn's Alibi by Primarina / series

#hira replies #ao3 genshin #genshin found family #genshin familial #ragbros #genshin impact #ao3 #fic rec #genshin recommendations #hira recommends

[hearsayhorizons]

Perihelion Freed

My apologies to the original poster to whom I'm going to respond--I didn't catch your name or reblog your post when it came across my dash because I didn't expect to keep coming back mentally to your stance on Perihelion, free will, and the University's potential blind spot between their ship and their... discrete... work, out in the borderlands. I don't even know if it was a recent post or something that someone I follow reblogged. If you find me, hi!

Another blogger posited that Perihelion doesn't have free will, that things are hard-coded out of its mental architecture, and that the Newtideland crew may be hypocritical for using basically an enslaved ship to free basically slaves.

I'm not sure whether this was "a take on the idea" or whether it was "this is canonical and fucked up," so I apologize if you (cool previous blogger) were just investigating the concept!

It stuck with me, though, the idea that Perihelion (as opposed to The Perihelion, the ship+mind=entity that is akin to body+mind=soul) may or may not have free will, and how there's a lot more to investigate in the interactions if it doesn't, and the crew is either oblivious or "one must imagine Perihelion happy," and in a state of grace, as I believe the blogger mentioned.

Sure, there's a lot of mileage in "even the best have their blindspots," and the edges where what Peri does with and for Murderbot might run against its programming, and whether it would adjust its programming or whether it even could contemplate doing so.

But from my recall of the text, I don't believe the coding and architecture for enslavement is present in Peri.

It makes the choice to let MB on board because it IS bored: it is capable of boredom; if someone were to design an entity with specific reactions and capabilities, both the Bad Designers and Good Designers would skip the capacity for boredom and tedium, wouldn't they? To do otherwise is either pointless or cruel.

I guess you could say that boredom is the other side of the curiosity that Peri needs to help its crew and students with class and scientific endeavors, but that gets into the weeds about what is and is not programmable or required for specific emotions; we can't guarantee that you need one to have the other.

Peri chooses to accept MB, rather than actually being enticed and/or ignorant like a regular bot pilot. It chooses to help MB customize itself, messes with its recycler logs, and forges its captain's signature at least once; I can't imagine even the most Star Trek utopian creator, if able to lock in specifics to the point that an AI has personality and goodwill but not free will, would leave in operating code that would permit that sort of gross overstep (not that it was morally wrong, but it's something no one ever contemplates ART is capable of because--it shouldn't be?)

It lies by omission when it doesn't relate what KIND of construct MB is even when it chooses to tell its crew. giving MB privacy and opportunity that an enslaved AI might not be able to do (and after it went to the effort to change its logs, which makes me think it's choosing also to tell port authorities one thing and then choosing again to verbally tell its favorite people other things). It has a "debris deflection system" which comes off to me as... "using the label as robotically an as possible as another lie of omission" BECAUSE its intentions are beyond the scope of what it "should" be capable of doing/thinking... if it was a supercharged but enslaved AI.

The tabletop game Eclipse Phase has "AGI" that have to grow and be developed like people in order to BE proper people (metapossibly to lighten some of the strangeness between PC and player, since if you grow up in a simulation, you've got more in common with your player...).

There's nothing I can recall in TMB to indicate this is the case--we know MB is Athena, formed fully-shaped from cloned tissue, parts, and pre-trauma, but MB has no idea what ART is or how it could be the way it is--MB considers at one point that it might be a construct, but the vibe I get from ART is way too... glassily alien, sometimes, for human tissue.

What if... Newtideland laid down the basic code and parameters of "this is a person," maybe yes, seeded in some "curiosity," or "willingness to figure things out," but maybe no more than any kid starts with parents' nature and nuture to shape their own trellises...

And then they presented the thing-that-would-be-Peri with options, maybe even classes, and it coasted through History of Economy because this is a utopia, damnit, and didn't find much to grab its attention in... Inventory Management, but then.

Then it slips into a small drone ship completely covered in "student driver" stickers and it spreads its stubby sensors out to encompass... everything. And it moves, and the more it moves the more there is to move through, and it feels this sense of rightness.

It comes back, and a kid, human classmate, asks it what's it like out there and through Peri's eyes, but you don't have eyes--. It explains, and the kid asks a question that young-will-be-Peri doesn't know how to answer. They look it up together, and over time and all and once (as you might find in a sim) it has synergized its own career, its own goal and passions.

I posit that Perihelion has free will, serves WITH its crew rather than for its crew, and that its happiness and pleasure in its position and life are genuine, as they can only be if it can choose otherwise. We can conjecture a world in which the designer could be so granular in programming that ART is capable of all it can do while also unable to do what is locked out, and ignorant of the painful irony of using enslaved labor to free enslaved labor (which, again, is valid as an interpretation! ) but I think it is... important, that there might be a kinder, more star-spangled world, if the University comes from a world in which even bots truly, actually have freedom that MB doesn't see even after getting Preservation Station.

The Perihelion MUST have free will because

"You are incorrect, Iris, I can bomb the colony."

#murderbot #mbd #perihelion #i guess i missed english class #long post #fanfiction kind of?

[hallowmoon-art]

TouchStarved - Potential Character Alignments

I wanted to see if I can guess the possible moral alignments of the TouchStarved LIs.

Ais - Chaotic Neutral.

While he seems to like getting into fist fights, Ais doesn't seem to be the type to constantly seek them out. He likes to relax and do his own thing for the most part. It could take a lot to make him truly angry, but once he's mad, he's mad and the city may lose a block or two or more. Though he probably doesn't care whether or not he hurts people, it's unclear if he likes finishing off enemies or not. Or if he just sometimes kills randos on the street bc he's pissed. So Chaotic Neutral teetering on Chaotic Evil I would say for now. "Chaotic Neutral creatures follow their whims, valuing their own freedom and self-interest above other concerns. Such creatures dislike being ordered to do things, and pay no regard for rules or other creatures’ expectations. And, while they are not always selfish to the point of harming others (for no reason), they feel no compulsion to help other creatures in need."

Leander - Lawful/Neutral Evil

From, what's been released about Leander, he seems to be the "good guy." Wanting to make his home a better place. But, looking at those designer bags under his eyes, he's losing sleep over something. My running theory is that he goes Dexter on his enemies. He very much has his own moral code, but by society's rules, he knows its wrong. So that's why I'm guessing Lawful Evil. If that's not the case, and he's just losing sleep over constantly trying to become more powerful, then my guess would lean a little more to the Neutral Evil side. But Leander is the hardest one for me to come to a decent conclusion.

Lawful Evil creatures act within a code of behavior, but are otherwise self-centered. They are often tyrants, or would be if they could, seeking to use their code of behavior to advance their own interests.

Neutral Evil creatures are self-interested, and do whatever they can get away with to advance their own interests. They might follow rules if it serves them, but they do not feel bound to do so. At the same time, they aren’t to unpredictable as Chaotic evil creatures.

Kuras - Lawful Neutral

While he does offer medical care for free, it seems to be only to those he sees as worthy or deserving. And he's done something to make him have enough regret to stay bound in Eridia for centuries. So it seems his heart is mostly in the right place, he has his own moral code that doesn't exactly follow that of a saint or hero. "Lawful Neutral act in accordance with the law, tradition, or with some code of behavior. While this code can often be external (the law, a religious tradition, etc.), it can also be self-determined."

Mhin- Neutral Good

So far, Mhin seems like the only other character willing to follow society's laws, but they're not above killing someone if they had to. Though It may be something they don't want to do. "Neutral Good creatures do their best to do what they consider “good”, but don’t cling to rules or stricture so much as Lawful Good creatures. A Neutral Good creature might still obey the law or society’s expectations most of the time, but they are not rigidly bound by them, and they view doing right thing as more valuable than obeying some strict doctrine."

Vere - Chaotic Evil

Purposely causes trouble for his own entertainment. He doesn't seem to care who he hurts or takes out in the process, and deliberately antagonizes people (mostly Mhin) just to see the suffering and potential bloody/deadly outcome. He'll lie and harm anyone to get what he wants. Only helping or bowing down to those he sees as an equal (like Ais) or someone more powerful (like Kuras). "Chaotic Evil creatures are motivated by arbitrary and often malicious whims. They are typically greedy and selfish, and are often violent. They give no thought to the wants or needs of other creatures, and pay no heed to rules or expectations. Such creatures will typically only bow to authority when threatened."

#touchstarved #touchstarved game #character alignment #dnd #dungeons and dragons

[ninja-muse]

Another month, another last-minute book review, but don't let that fool you. Infinity Gate is a winner! It's also pure Carey—compelling characters, smart world-building, themes that drive at the heart of human experience, writing and story that just don't stop.

First of all, if you've seen the blurb for this book, you probably think it's about the potential benefits of parallel worlds to one devastated by climate change, or possibly that it's about people fighting sinister AI. This is, in fact, what hooked me. It's also fairly inaccurate.

This is a story about how we define "human", that gets more into the discussions we're having about fascism and dehumanization and xenophobia, than the discussions we're having about AI, algorithms, and where "tool" becomes "crutch" or "means for layoffs". Does a person have to look like you to be seen as an equal? Do they have to act like you? Think like you? If they don't, is it okay to oppress, enslave, or murder them? If you say no but your society or government says yes, what then?

(Unsurprisingly, this is also a novel about control—who has it, who doesn't, who wants it, and why.)

But! The parallel worlds and the fights about AI are no less interesting, exciting, inventive, or important. It's clear that Carey's thought through the usual parallel-world-story premise of "if every turning point sparks a new world, then anything could happen" with more creativity and more clarity than most other authors. Yes, there's a world of civilized rabbits, but it's not a happy, cute world because no matter the species, people still have wants and fears and assumptions. Yes, an interdimensional empire would be pretty great in a lot of ways, but it's also run by, you guessed it, people.

I'm making this sound like a thinking book, not one where things happen. So let me clarify: THINGS HAPPEN. So many things. A lot of happening. There's a physicist who cracks interdimensional travel, which doesn't go as she planned. There's a guy on the fringes of society who's faced with hard choices. There's a schoolgirl, and a government bureaucrat, and a military unit, and meaningful friendships, and a prison planet. There's a conspiracy that maybe isn't, and a conspiracy that definitely is, and a questionable war, and all sorts of AIs. It's frankly surprising how much Carey manages to fit in 500 pages, and how he gets it all flowing and making sense and never once losing track of his story and message.

Which is also not to say I thought this book was perfect. It's sometimes a bit too messagey. The characters, while rounded and believable, sometimes fit the themes a little too neatly. There were bits I read faster less because I wanted to know what happened and more because I didn't quite care about what was happening just then. I am, however, perfectly willing to believe a lot of that's because I can't divorce "reading-me" from "literary critic/editor-me" and that other readers will not have these problems, or these levels of them.

The important thing is, though, that this book was fun. Fun and smart and full of SF coolness and unpredictable and well-written—and pointed, angry, punchy, thought-provoking. Everything good science fiction should be, in other words, and I don't know if anyone could've done it better. The sequel went on my TBR as soon as I saw it announced.

#books #booklr #bookblr #adult booklr #science fiction #new releases #book reviews #infinity gate #m.r. carey #book recommendations #my photos #read in 2023

[shadowmaat]

Artificial Incompetence

The conversations around "artificial intelligence" are getting a bit bonkers. Not that they're really conversations so much as screaming matches. And not that we're talking about true artificial intelligence so much as algorithm blending programs.

I don't like the recent fad of ABPs. It has a lot of the same earmarks and defenders as NFTs had, and boy howdy did that not work out well for folks. I don't think ABPs have been tied to the fake currency market, but their current implementation is still going to do more harm than good, in my opinion.

I'm not gonna say that writing or art should be "hard" or that people need to "struggle" in order to create things. I do, however, believe that they need to do the goddamn work themselves. Feeding prompts into a content generator doesn't make you a writer or artist. Well, scam artist, maybe. It's taking words/brush strokes from someone else and claiming credit for it. Even if you mention you used an ABP you still didn't create the art yourself, you just fed a program some prompts or the name of some artists you like and it spat out something you claimed as your own.

That's one of the big hangups I have with this fad: taking credit for someone else's work. Reaping all the perceived benefits (kudos, reblogs, etc) without actually doing anything to earn it.

If I give someone a prompt and they write a fic based on it, that story isn't mine. Sure, they might mention I gave them the prompt, but they were the one to write the actual story. Not me. My name doesn't go on the author line and I can't boast to others about the fic I wrote. Because I didn't.

I'm all for accessibility tools to help people complete tasks, and if ABPs were being widely used to help make creative efforts more accessible, I might have a different opinion. As it stands, however, the vast majority of people currently using ABPs aren't using them to help with their own creativity, they're using them as a substitute.

The arguments about data scraping and plagiarism are important, especially if we want to make sure that ABPs stop doing that, but from where I stand it still all boils down to people trying to loophole past responsibility and effort.

It gets worse when you switch gears from fic writing to essays and articles. At least in fiction stuff is supposed to be made up, so, all jokes aside, if some details are wrong it doesn't really matter.

When students start submitting essays to their teachers that they didn't write or sites try using an ABP to write articles, facts become a lot more important. And ABPs are infamous for making shit up whole cloth, even to the point of citing imaginary sources for their facts. That is, quite frankly, dangerous.

You think the past few years (decades, centuries) of misinformation have been bad? It can get a whole lot worse. These programs can seed in just enough "real" information to sell their bullshit as legitimate, and if even some experts have to double-check stuff to figure out what's false, where does that leave the rest of us? Especially all the ones who don't fact check at all before reblogging/believing something they read?

I think the future of artificial intelligence- real artificial intelligence- could be incredibly cool, and when the first AI submits a fic to AO3 I hope I'm around to read it. Right now, though, it's less about exploring potential and all about exploiting it.

#soapboxing

[greatwyrmgold]

I'm dangerously close to figuring out an Oshi no Ko/Parahumans crossover fic idea.

In this AU, Ai Hoshino is a young Dauntless-class parahuman—someone with powers that could theoretically make her a Triumvirate-tier heavy hitter one day, if she lives long enough. But unlike Dauntless, her powers also have the potential to turn into a Big Problem. (My first thought is a Master or drone-Tinker power that runs the risk of being exponential-growth self-replication if Ai goes rogue. My second thought is some kind of Master/Trump thing.)

So Ai is pressured into being a superhero—and not just any superhero, but an ideal superhero, someone so perfect that nobody could imagine her turning into a villain. Not just someone who fights Endbringers and supervillains to protect people, but a perfectly virtuous girl, a shining beacon to all (para)humanity.

Step 3: ???

Anyways, now Ai is pregnant. As per OnK's premise, the twins are reincarnations of two of Ai's fans, and retain their memories. Sarina's backstory doesn't really need to change; she's a sick/disabled little girl who wishes she could be a superhero. Having Dr. Goro be someone Ai rescued (and then became a big fan of) seems like a sensible way to adapt the original story to the AU.

Figuring out step 3 is going to be a lot easier once we learn more about Ai's relationship with the twins' dad, which we doubtless will in the next few chapters. So I'll channel this muse/gremlin into thinking about trigger events.

Oshi no Ko, like many manga/anime series, takes place in Japan. In Earth Bet, Japan isn't doing very well. Kyushu was drowned and crushed by hydrokinetically-generated waves, which also wrecked the rest of coastal Japan, also known as Japan. So idea 1: Stranded by floodwaters.

Without going into a tangent, Ai's mother Ayumi was jealous of and abusive to her daughter. (She insists that she wasn't abusive, and she probably believes that, but the things she admits to doing sound pretty abusive.) Whether out of guilt for how she treated Ai or to stop Ai's beauty from distracting her boyfriend*, Ayumi abandoned Ai in an orphanage.

All of that is core to canon!Ai's trauma, her desperation to love and be loved, her inability to recognize either. Obviously the entertainment industry's treatment of her didn't help, but problems start at the root. So idea 2: Abandonment by parental figures.

*Oh yeah, Ayumi's boyfriend was infatuated with Ai. I'm a bit fuzzy on the timeline here, but Ai had to be pretty f*ing young at that point. Motivations and methods aside, getting Ai away from him was probably good.

So Ai, Ayumi, and Ayumi's nameless boyfriend end up stranded by Leviathan's floodwaters. At some point, they have a way to escape, and Ai is lead to believe all three of them will escape, but at the last minute the adults betray her.

Maybe they all build a raft and gather supplies in the aftermath, the adults say they'll leave in the morning once they've rested, and then they abandon her in the night. Maybe during the fight a flying cape notices them, and Ayumi sends Ai indoors to grab something before the cape gets close enough to see that there's a child with them, to make sure both she and her boyfriend get rescued. Something along those lines.

.

Let's start working backwards. Ai needs to be a dangerously powerful cape, after all. The Master element is pretty self-evident; we don't have official guidelines for Master triggers, but Ai's hangups around love and family, would make it easy to justify having the Master minions reproduce. But a mere Nilbog clone isn't quite what we're looking for, now is it? Ai needs a Trump aspect, too.

The Trump document has guidelines on Trump trigger events. Categories 6 and 9 seem obviously relevant—6 because Leviathan turned the whole area into a new sea, 9 because the physical crisis makes it impossible to ignore filial problems which Ai had previously ignored quite well. So I guess that's a Trump power with an absolute swarm of minions?

Category 3 (copy/borrow/steal powers) would be easy to make into a Dauntless-class power. Like, she produces fairies which parahuman abilities can imprint on, letting it do something smaller but similar. (Or letting Ai do that thing. Or something.) And then Ai can merge/breed fairies to either make stronger versions of the same power or to mix them or something. There are a bunch of options.

However, category 3 guidelines require some kind of ongoing relationship with powers or a parahuman. (The examples given are kidnapping and manipulation by an emotion-controlling Master and...basically Syndrome if Mr. Incredible acted like he'd accept Buddy as a sidekick instead of the opposite.) That's a bit tricky to work into the trigger.

Might be easier if Ai's mom was a D-tier cape, though. Maybe a low-level Mover who works as a discreet courier. Someone with the power to save Ai, who should want to save her, who promises to save her after getting the boyfriend to safety. Who abandons her.

(Someone whose powers have as much influence on Ai's as Carol's do on Amy's.)

Alright, that's enough worrying about it for now. Maybe this idea will get kicked off the back burner next OnK chapter.

#oshi no ko #parahumans #crossover