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fluideli123 · 2 years

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Okay, this isn't leaving me alone, and I have massive Raph brain rot thanks to the ROTTMNT movie and this video. So, I'm posting a whole ass analysis on Plural Raph because he is everything to me.

First, keep in mind that some things I discuss are based on my Plural Raph headcanon, so personal bias is heavily implied. Secondly, this post will cover multiple plural experiences and terms, which all will be appropriately linked for the reader's understanding. Thirdly, I will not know everything about every System experience, so please take what I say with a grain of salt and correct/inform me when I am or could be wrong. However, with that said, stereotypes of an "evil alter" and the shitting on Plural identities based on their origin or other factors will not be condoned here. My blog is a safe space for all plural Systems, and I will keep it that way.

With that settled, I will explore scenes in the show. I will explore the plural context of each moment to the best of my abilities to demonstrate a better understanding of why I love the idea of Plural Raph.

So, let's dive right in!

(please forgive the underlined links and the underlined words that aren't links, I tried to fix it, but it didn't work lmao)

The first minor signs of Raphael being a part of a system are in the first episode, Mystic Mayhem, when Leo catches on to Baron Draxum using the third person to address himself.

Leo: Oh, I see. You're doing that whole sinister talking in the third person thing.

Raph: Only Raph can use the third person!

Obviously, this isn't an exclusive Plural experience. Many singlets use the third person to address themselves (In this case, Draxum). Nonetheless, in these few seconds, it's implied that Raphael has used the third person before and currently is. Having a sort of a claim over the usage of it as well. This isn't the last time we see Raphael casually speak in the third person, as it is prominent throughout the whole series.

If we were to connect this minor detail through the Plural lens, Raphael could be speaking in the third person for multiple reasons. 1) He's blurring with his possible headmates. 2) Raphael may be the Blanketself, Shell, or their Singletsona. 3) It's an unconscious reaction to being unknowingly plural.

The first reason could easily be explained that by speaking in the third person, it could be used to encompass whoever may be blurring together/fronting without trying to pick apart who is who. They may be unable to differentiate who they are, so the System simply calls themselves Raph, but since they're all still separate people, they use the third person to highlight that fact. Plus, if we were to insert the claim here, the System may feel they have some kind of personal ownership over using the third person because they depend/use it. There could, of course, be other reasons, but this is personally the one that I could think of first.

The second reason we will be divided into three different unique explanations because of the significant distinctions between Blanketself, Shell, and Singletsona.

Blanketself would imply that Raph is the identity that mostly everyone within the System identifies with, which would tie into why they use Raph in the third person to encompass them as a whole/as parts since their headmates may all be facets of Raphael. A way I enjoy explaining this is from a post that states that "It's normal for singlets to have parts of themselves. But, in a singlet, those parts are united into one whole. One self that oversees and directs those parts. In a median System, those "parts" have their own complexity and their own sense of self. They may agree to...act as one whether together or through one facet, but they're independent enough that they can choose not to." How this correlates to Raph is easy. Suppose almost everyone in the System acts together as a shared identity of Raphael "Splinterson" Hamato. The System using the third person is an outward acknowledgment that they are one under a shared self but still individuals of that self.

However, if we look at this through the terms of Raphael as the Shell for his System, then this changes everything. This could imply that Raphael is the most frequent fronter in his System, and either he uses the third person to hide the System's existence in plain sight, or he is the individual everyone else in the System acts as when fronting. This can indicate that when referencing "Raph" in the third person, the current headmate fronting is pretending to be "Raph" and is either purposefully or mistakingly using the third person while doing so. A simplified explanation is when someone is pretending to be someone else by saying their name, such as when someone is trying to mock someone else. "Oh, look at me! My name's Raph, and I just loooove being a hero! Look at me heroing! Wooo!" (It should be noted that, obviously, headmates don't have to mock the individual they are trying to fake to state their name as a sign that they are this person, it is simply an example.)

And, if we were to see Raphael as a Singletsona, it would mean many different things I would like the reader to entertain for a moment. First of all, a Singletsona can be someone completely fabricated, suggesting that "Raphael" may just be a persona put on by the System so as not to out themselves or pass as a singlet. Secondly, this Singletsona can be the one who fronts the most, meaning once again that Raphael may be the most frequent fronter, but also the fact that Raphael may be the one everyone pretends to be when they front. This is different than the Shell because it's a system's persona, not a protector or the being everyone else acts as/blends with, and doesn't have a tie to a certain kind of System. A persona can also be the Body; it doesn't have to be a headmate or a made-up person. Singletsona and Shell may overlap, but the distinction is important.

There are many different ways Raph is a Blanketself, Shell, and Singletsona, and many different experiences may happen that are not addressed here, so please keep that in mind. This is not an end-all; these are mostly vague and depend on the System Raph may be a part of/identify with.

To quickly expand upon how this depends on the type of System and how it works, I believe Raphael is a part of a Diversian Median Mixed Origin System. With this in mind, I believe Raphael is an identity everyone within the System relates to on some foundation but is not entirely defined by and that Raphael is a headmate who frequently fronts nearly all of the time. However, since he's open about his Plurality to his family and April, he doesn't need the Singletsona except when interacting with others outside his close-knit family.

Since, as it should be noted, some Systems may not want to be known as Plural outside those they trust. This falls into the curious case that communicating in the third person may also contribute to performing as a Singlet. Perhaps on missions or outside of safe spaces within their home.

This then brings me to my last interpretation of the whole speaking in the third person ordeal. What if Raphael is unaware of his Plurality and is unconsciously using the third person because of this? Headmates can be aware of Plurality while others aren't, depending on amnesic barriers between systemmates, internalized Pluralphobia, and other experiences a system may go through, such as shitty internal communication. Plus, given the imagery and Plural Coding ROTTMNT Raph goes through within the TV show, I'd bet this one to be closest to canon because, with all due respect, I 100% believe Raphael is Plural with or without canon confirmation because of his coding. And for those who headcanon Raphael as a Dissociative Identity Disorder System, this may also fall into that possibility.

And speaking of Plural Coding, let's take a peek at what I mean from the Episodes Man VS Sewer, which is heavily Plural Coded:

Raph: What took you so long?! You know Raph gets weird when I'm left alone.

Leo: You know how savage Raph gets when he's alone. He'll totally lose it if we don't find him fast. Clock's ticking.

Raph: Okay, Raph, you're a little lost, a bit scared, and very alone. *Exhale* TIME TO PANIC! *Starts breaking things* PANICKING, PANICKING, PANICKING! *Goes back to calm again* Oof, glad I kept that part under control. *Sees broken surroundings* Whoopsie-daisy.

Raph: Don't lose it, Raph. *Exhales and quietly says* Please.

Raph: Savage Raph, hunt Sewer Monsters!

Raph: No, brothers! Savage Raph, alone!

Raph: Clean Sewer Monsters, still Sewer Monsters! Savage Raph, destroy!

Leo: Lace Face. *Picks up ball* Guys, I know how we can get our brother back. The Midnight Special! *Throws ball*

Raph: Huh?

Mikey: Look alive, Leo! *Kicks ball*

Leo: *Laughs* And trick passing! *Throws ball to Donnie*

Donnie: *Hits ball* Sports!

Raph: *Watching the ball* No! *Catches ball, voices changes back to Raph's most familiar voice* Yo! Did ya'll see that?

Donnie: Raph!

Leo: You're back, baby!

Raph: Back? Uh-oh, did I get weird again?

Mikey: Super weird! Even by my standards.

Okay, there's a lot, but I wanted to point out the most important quotes first since there is a lot to unpack here that I'm sure most Plural Raph enjoyers and ROTTMNT fans would brush off that I am going to dip deep into.

Firstly, please note the third perspective language again and how it changes from simply saying "Raph" to "I'm" as if the name "Raph" and the one currently speaking are different people in the first quote. This could connect to what I explained before about the POV language, whether that means a blend/co-fronting is occurring or if the current fronter is mixing up acting as Raphael.

Secondly, the running theme is that leaving Raph alone causes something negative to transpire, especially one that involves Raphael becoming "weird." I would simply expand upon this with the fact that being alone triggers someone else (Savage Raph, as we come to learn) to the front. This can be considered a negative trigger for Savage since Savage showcases the need to protect from Sewer Monsters and survive the conditions presented to them at the time (the Sewer).

If we wanted to label these characteristics, I would say Savage is a Protector (based on destroying outside threats) and Avenger (based on emotional state/actions rooted in wrath).

Also, the idea that the term "weird" refers to Raph's change in characteristics and personality when switching leaves me to believe that canonly his family and even Raphael don't consider him a part of a system. Especially since Savage and Raphael hold amnesic barriers between them.

Thirdly, although no one is canonly aware of the System when Man VS Sewer transpires, it is well known that "Raphael" becomes "weird" after a certain amount of time until a switch occurs. However, this time can be shortened by a negative trigger worsening, such as being told that Raph will be alone forever and not just for some time.

However, even before this, there was a switch between either Savage or a possible different headmate. Raphael tries to calm himself before "suddenly" panicking and breaking things around him. This can be whoever is currently fronting trying to handle the negative situation healthily for specific unknown reasons before someone else switches in. Reacting to the stress of the situation by breaking things in the environment before the former fronter appears again to take in the damages they don't remember making. This means another headmate with amnesic barriers if this other systemmate isn't Savage.

And since this may be a different headmate that isn't Raphael and Savage, I would like to propose a thought for all you fellow readers regarding this information. At the beginning of the episode, there's a weird change between the third person and first person and switches between at least two possible headmates throughout the episode before Savage switches in. Not only that, but this imagery appears before Savage does:

This is similar to how some Plural Systems experience splitting. A negative trigger presented leaves "Raph" in fear, causing a split to transpire, creating Savage. I would like to offer the idea that the unknown headmate that reacted to the negative trigger before had been the one to split, and their reaction to the negative trigger becomes enhanced and used by Savage as a main coping mechanism.

I am not sure who this other headmate could be canonly, but for head cannoning purposes? The one calming down the situation in a healthy manner could have been Mind since I see them as a caretaker. The one breaking things before the split? Possibly an older version of Red, since splitting can alter the systemmate that another was split from. I see Red as a protector as well. However, he deals with different triggers, especially if Savage split from him and takes the alone trigger he used to become triggered from leaving Savage the one to the front when it appears and him not to anymore.

I would also like to talk about the fact that it isn't canonly shown that the System experiences dissociation when switching, so it's mostly up in the air for people to decide if they do or not within their interpretation of Plural Raph.

Fourthly, I would like to point out that Savage doesn't know about "Raph" having brothers. While this could be because of the amnesic barriers or having been formed recently, causing a lack of memory sharing. Another explanation could be that Savage may not have access to memories that the Body or other Headmates do but has different memories, also known as Exomemories! It could also be possible that he has unstable memories, though that's up to interpretation. I think he does since he has the vibes of someone who can't recall anything but knows what Raph's brothers are saying is wrong.

And Lastly, for this single episode, at least since there's also Pizza Puffs, Hot Soup: The Game, and Raph's Ride Along, which are also heavily Plural Coded. (Which I will make a post about if asked.) Raphael has a positive trigger to the front, which involves playing ball! I can argue that it involves sports since Raphael also has a passion for boxing. Still, we haven't seen Raphael positively front because of that particular sport, so it's based on personal interpretation whether it's only balling ball or sports in general.

WOO! That was a lot of information, and it wasn't even all of it! I have so many different thoughts, headcanons, interpretations, and possibilities for Plural Raph that I couldn't fit them all in this one post since it's already super long. But as I said before, if you want more Plural Raph analysis or questions, I will gladly provide them when I can!

For those who want more Plural Raph content, I have an ongoing series involving the Shard System (Raphael, Red, Mind, and Savage) and a short fic between Red and Raphael! Another creator I would recommend is the beloved @goldenspecter with their captivating stories Dimensional Differences, Mind Meld Part Deux, and A Collection of Turtle Thoughts! We focus on different kinds of Plurality and some experiences, so keep that in mind while reading!

Thank you so much for reading my takes and dumping my utter love for Plural Raph into a post since I don't often do!

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lord-angelfish · 11 months

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I am here to be very soft with you bc you are coming from a place of protection and I don't think that's a bad thing. Gay used to encompass the whole community. When I was a kid, they (bigots) almost always defaulted to gay. Gay was often the slur of choice (you can Google the don't say gay campaign still I'm pretty sure, it was that bad). It applied to the whole community. You are correct that most people no longer ascribe to this in modern times, because we have better language to define ourselves on our own terms. However, its is ahistorical for people to say that those who aren't same gender attraction only didn't used to be assumed and labeled gay, and in the older communities everyone was welcomed. Ace folks folded under different labels within intracommunity discussion, depending on their other forms of attraction, but they were still considered gay by outsiders. Then the internet happened and now microlabels are a whole thing and it's incredible how quickly or community evolved, but it's very different from how things used to be.

If someone is applying the gay label to you and you are uncomfortable then I will stand up for you in half a second bc you deserve to decide on your own labels and placement since it's 2k23 and not the 90s anymore. However, saying it's never been like that isn't correct. A lot of older queers are gonna see your post and be like "????" because yeah, the environment used to be radically different from what it is now. Gay used to mean all queers, and for some elder folks it still does because it gets hard to keep up with the constantly evolving vernacular.

You don't have to answer this, I just wanted to give you an alternative perspective. Sources: this is personal experience from how I grew up in queer circles pre-internet. I am an aroace gay trans man who grew up in the south, it might be different for queers in other places.

First - I very appreciate you taking the time to say this, and I am definitely going to keep it in mind.

I'm faaaiiirly sure I didn't actually say anything about historically though? I certainly didn't mean to, the post was supposed to be addressing modern usages of language and the fact that now, specifically in the US and internet circles - even queer ones! this is not just from an outsiders perspective - gay is looked at as an umbrella term for the whole community and I really don't think that those using it as such are actually thinking about those that it's not describing (although i could be wrong). and that it does, at least in my experience, contribute a lot to the erasure of people who don't fit neatly into the "gay" box (including myself, which is partially why it's such a hot button for me).

anyway, i'm entirely sure you're right that it's historically been used as an umbrella term for everyone in the community and a slur, and i'm really glad that you wanted to talk about it, and i am glad that i now know this. thank you for the insight!

#asked and answered #queer #let me know if you want me to privatise this post i am just. ruminating #queer history #trashkingtater #also seriously. it means a whole hell of a lot that you want to take the time to have these conversations with me.#and i appreciate it 🧡#(i really don't think i said anything about pre-modern times though. understandable if it was a misreading but also what did i say to make #that impression 😭)

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mylordshesacactus · 2 years

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thank you for the further bookmark issue. as someone who doesn't really use ao3 (fic isn't so much my thing, etc) but is y'know terminally online it's interesting to see the difference in which bookmarks function there as opposed to most every other site. I had no idea there were people leaving comments and notes on things that could just be seen??? like i hear bookmarks and immediately think 'ah yes the websites i would like to save for later in completely bizarrely named folders that i will most definitely forget about in about 20 seconds max' and not what appears to be a secondary (tertiary?) personal tagging system. and so out of genuine curiosity are there other things on the site that don't really work the same as one might assume? like i'd just default assume that a bookmark would be private and lost to the ages in three sub folders of whatever. again; haven't really used ao3 since um...probably shortly after launch and so haven't ever really like gone into explore more of how it functions beyond the basic tagging system. alternately tho, have bookmarks everywhere always been public in which case i am so sorry to anyone who has opened their how two guide on [random special interest at the time] only to find that somehow it's been associated to a sorting solution that makes sense to no one (especially me.) sorry, hi, not trying to be rude or continue drama just a little lost on the sidelines here.

You're fine!

The thing about AO3 bookmarks that you're (totally understandably, since you don't use the site!) not quite grasping is that, again, it's blatantly clear simply from using the site that they're public. There's a button on every single fic that leads to the bookmarks, and a hyperlink under every single fic summary that does the same thing. The bookmark is a site feature that links back to the original fic, and you can clearly see bookmarks on other users' profiles.

I totally don't blame someone for briefly, initially, assuming bookmarks might be private! My condescending bitchiness is specifically aimed at people who make heavy use of the feature for YEARS and STILL have no concept of how it works, and get angry when corrected--at a certain point, it becomes willful ignorance. You gotta LOOK at the site you're using, and if you refuse to do so, the people around you have every right to get sick of your shit, you know?

So, bookmarks are just really not an example of unintuitive design. Honestly, most of AO3 is extremely clear in how it functions. On any site, it's worth taking five minutes after joining to open different menu options and see what all is available, and AO3's menus are really thorough and very easy to use.

Furthermore, a lot of the things people complain about as if they're...well, for example, the definition of Mature vs Explicit fic, or how archive warnings work. I've seen a lot of people act like it's mysterious or impossible to learn or like it's purely Terminally Online Acquired Fandom Knowledge, and get frustrated by being expected to "just know" how ratings or relationship tags work. And I'm FULLY sympathetic to that! There's nothing more frustrating or upsetting than everyone around you acting like you're supposed to "just know" how something works, "just know" an entire subculture!

Here's the thing though.

AO3 has tooltips built in to explain those things.

They're not esoteric nebulous Fandom Knowledge TM that you have to learn by meditating on a mountainside! And they're not totally meaningless terms that people being sticklers about are just gatekeeping over. On AO3, they have specific meanings and usages, and the explanations DON'T require you to go poking around the FAQ or Q&A sections of the site! They're easily accessible right from the relevant pages.

(I realize that I am, in general, kind of a sarcastic bitch, so I want to be very clear that my tone in this specific post is NOT sarcastic and I am NOT trying to come across as pissy or condescending--you asked a legit question in good faith and I'm happy to talk about it.)

I don't know that this is really the answer you were looking for, but I think it's the most productive answer I could give! The site is very self-explanatory for anyone who cares to use it.

It's a little like hiking. It doesn't matter how well-marked the trailheads are if someone refuses to pay attention to their surroundings.

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chaos-bites · 1 year

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Hi there, I'm trying to get into working with Loki. Aside from a shit ton of books that I have to yet read (been collecting titles and it's overwhelming) I don't even know what it means when people say "working with" the god they follow or worship.

What does it mean when someone says their god spoke to them or did this or that? My mind tries to rationalise things and I keep thinking people just imagine a scene or a scenario where the god in question is having a conversation with them. Meaning, I keep thinking people are creating said interaction themselves in their minds. I understand that may not the case, but it's getting in the way of me understanding how to even start.

Got any advice on how to understand better so I could finally start reading the books I'm supposed to read? (For some reason I need initial understanding before I dive into things)

Sorry for taking your time.

Hey, Nonny!

This is a pretty difficult topic to explain, but I will do my best! I appreciate the ask, and you are not bothering me or taking up my time. 💚

So, we'll start with your first question: what does it mean when people say they're working with a god? This can mean a variety of things, really, and is definitely situational, but the most basic definition of this phrase basically comes down to the person and the god working together to improve something in the person's life. Sometimes people have a formal agreement with a god to help them with a specific thing, but I'd say, most times, there isn't a formal agreement, and the god is helping them achieve something. Some people also use this phrase to mean they're worshipping a god, but that's not the correct usage of the phrase. Hopefully, this makes sense!

Second question: what does it mean when someone says their god spoke to them or did this or that? This is VERY situational and delves into the private practice of that person. For some people, having a conversation with a god mostly just looks like doing a tarot or pendulum reading with the god. However, for others, they can have conversations with gods through meditation or astral travel, going to meet the God "in-person", in a sense. Other people are also gifted with what's called "clairaudience", so they quite literally are speaking with their gods. Conversations with gods look different for everyone!

As for feeling like people are making this up in their heads, I think the best thing to tell yourself is that you cannot judge the validity of another's experience because you aren't the one experiencing it. How these people converse with their gods hardly matters if it's not hurting anyone and is improving their lives. I would suggest doing some inner work to understand why this bothers you so much. Are you afraid it will invalidate your experiences? Do you think it seems everyone who follows the old gods as "making this up"? When was the first time you felt this way about a topic? These are some good starter questions. I simply can't take these worries from you, and this is very much something you will need to work through on your own. It sounds to me like you're struggling with a lot of doubt regarding this path of spirituality. My honest advice is to just dive into it and see how it suits you. If you like it, great! If not, that's ok! c:

I think the biggest thing to remember here is that you don't know how someone is experiencing something. You're just not going to be able to tell. And that's ok. Within life, there are things we can't understand or won't ever truly know, and although that can be difficult to accept, it's something we must all come to terms with. This is one of those things that you can't understand from the other person's perspective. My advice is just to be gentle with others, treating them as you'd like to be treated. Honestly, this is a really delicate and difficult topic to explain to someone, so I hope it came across correctly and doesn't start any discourse with anyone. I meant everything as kindly and sincerely as I could, so I genuinely hope you're able to take away what you needed to from this. Hopefully, I explained things well.

Thank you for the ask! I hope you have a great day! ☺️💚

If anyone would like to add on to this, please do! I hope we can explain things to Anon here!

#paganblr #asks #answered #answered asks #pagan #norse pagan #pagan blog #paganism #deity work #deity worship #baby pagan #new pagan

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simplytheevebest · 2 years

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The Fate Golden Trio and Technology

This headcanon started off small and then just kept growing so I guess never expect a short headcanon from me, ever.

The incorrect quote I posted about Saul's frustration with teenage slang got me thinking about why I'd chosen him and not Farah, which had me thinking about another personal headcanon of mine about the adults and their technology usage so I'm just going to combine it all into one. They all have some level of proficiency in technology and meme culture/social media because they teach teenagers, but the level of proficiency varies.

So first off, Ben is obviously the most up to date on teenage slang, meme culture, and technology, because he's raised teenage children. He is that dad that uses meme and vine references incorrectly knowing he's using them incorrectly because he knows it annoys Terra and Sam (and the rest of his students by extension). He knows how to use a cell phone and a computer and the internet because what he didn't understand, his kids taught him, because I can 100% see Terra and Sam getting tired of being treated like Alexa or Google to answer his questions (shout out to the people in their family who get treated like Alexa and Google, my dad would frequently ask me questions while his phone is in his hand and the Alexa is across the room). So he is absolutely not going to fall for the "hey Professor Harvey what does *insert acronym for inappropriate phrase* mean?" trick from his students. And he is absolutely going to misuse terms like "vibe check" and "yeet" on purpose, because if you don't get to use teenage slang to embarrass your kids and students what's even the point, like this absolutely iconic tumblr post.

Saul did raise a teenager, but Saul is also Saul, and I highly doubt he had any interest in learning meme culture and anything he has picked up has been accidental from his students. Anything Sky learned came from Terra and Sam, and not that he grew up "sheltered" from technology and the internet with Saul as his father (and Farah as his mother) but I would guess a large portion of his understanding of social media and the like came later, both from his official attending of Alfea and his cousins. Correct me if I'm wrong, but we don't ever see his social media, if he has one? So I think he's adopted his father's view of only what's necessary. Saul is tech savvy only for convenience, for communication/check-in purposes and to look things up. I can see Saul panicking at some odd hour of the night because little Sky has a fever and everyone is asleep so he's frantically Googling what to do. So he is absolutely not going to understand when the kids use slang and vine references and I bet there's some sort of compilation page somewhere of videos with his confused reactions when they use them. Because how is a grown man supposed to respond when a group of teenagers ask him if the canteen is serving fr e sh a voca do?

Overall, I have the headcanon that technology is relatively "new" to the other world, so in the same way there's that belief that older generations have adopted cellphones and Facebook and little else, in the other world it's partially true. The younger generations took to technology and social media immediately, and the older generations (Farah, Saul, Ben, Luna, Rosalind, Andreas, etc) had to play catch up. Of Fate's Golden Trio, Farah is the least tech savvy, and that's just canon. We know she absolutely balked at the idea of digitizing files for the school when Aisha suggested it, so whatever advancements have been made regarding technology and teaching in the other world, Farah has not embraced it. Like Saul, she does so for convenience and necessity. I think she knows how to text and call on her phone, and practically nothing else. That being said she is much more "in the know" with teenage slang and meme culture because she spends more one-on-one conversations with the students in the classroom than Saul does during training, so while she isn't going to engage with the references, she does know why her students are laughing about dropping croissants at breakfast, and no Saul she's not explaining. Like Creed from The Office and pirate code, she understands it, she just doesn't speak it.

I need all of the Fate adults to change their contact pictures because they're clearly screengrabs and they can do better. I want absolutely ridiculously embarrassing (or cute, I'm not picky) photos that the kids set and Farah and Saul, at least, don't know how to change them. Or maybe Saul does, he just pretends to Farah that he can't because he doesn't want to change whatever probably-embarrassing AND cute photo Sky helped him set as her contact photo.

I have also realized and accepted that I have unconsciously been treating the Winx girls as though they watched the same things I did and read the same things I did growing up, and thus would make the same references I would, and I know that's probably false, but I do know my teenage relatives grew up watching/reading what I did, so I'm just going to keep pretending that's how the Winx girls grew up because it's easier for me.

#fate: the winx saga #fate the winx saga #eve best #farah dowling #ftws #saul silva #rob james collier #silrah #fate winx saga #farah x saul #fate headcanons #ben harvey #alex macqueen #long post

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groggydog · 1 year

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IF Comp Reviews Part 4

(Continued from Part 3, my micro-reviews of games I've played in IF Comp 2022. This one, I suppose, will not be so micro.)

According to Cain by Jim Nelson

Wow! What a game. This is by far the longest game I've reviewed so far, but I was more than happy to give it the time it deserved.

According to Cain opens as a researcher (Indigator) is sent back in time to discover the nature of the Mark of Cain.

Room descriptions are spare, and the aesthetic is minimal. Neither of these is necessarily a bad thing, as long as the descriptions themselves paint the necessary picture. In that, I think the game is perfectly adequate. I like a bit more flash and pizzazz in my games, but that's not for everyone!

Now, the writing. Writing intelligently can be a difficult thing to do, especially when you're making fundamental allusions like this game does. Nominally, most people should know the basic story of Adam and Even, and presumably Cain and Abel as well. So when the Provost, at the beginning of the game, is describing it to the MC, the writing feels a bit childish and unnecessary. It's trying too hard to sound smart. It's tough, too, because that was immediately preceded by a correct usage of the word "pulverulent" which I had never heard before, and immediately followed by the use of the Latin-based "Indigator" to describe the MC's role. Similarly, when looking up Adam, Even and the Humours, I wish the author had presented this as, perhaps, a missing page - I don't believe that in this universe any scholar worth their weight would be "uncertain" as to which Humour represented Eve (or, even, outright wrong). Overall there's a lot of intelligence written into the game, and so the parts where it whiffs a bit stand out - even if they are relatively few and far between. Does it make the game bad? Of course not. But when a game reaches this high, the small things matter to me.

Mechanically speaking, the game worked very well. You can look at the things you're supposed to look at, and they're described in enough detail to be useful but not overly florid. Not just that, but the author took the time to include "answers" to off-beat things I might decide to type in. The first one that tickled me was, after receiving the Pharmakon, typing "look up hester" and being met with a poetic response about the tome's author. It was a great touch, and immediately makes me more sympathetic to the game as a whole. A bit later, I tried "take crow" and was given an equally appropriate response. I quite enjoyed the thoroughness of it.

I also appreciated the complexity of the parser. I'm quite used to the fairly simple nature of Adventuron, so being able to type an eight- or nine-word compound phrase and it have it be understood was certainly nice.

In terms of difficulty, this is definitely a brain-tickler of a game - but it's never unfair or unnecessarily difficult. There were a handful of clues that I found unwieldy (look under basket in the Hovel was one; I always dislike clues that make you look under/over/in instead of just "look" at) but for the most part there was an obvious enough flow to the game's structure that it was not hard to figure out where to go and what to do. And, of course, if you do get stuck you have a walkthrough (which I'll return to momentarily).

At the end of the day, though, I think it's that care that you feel in the bones of this game that makes it really great. Hell, it's even apparent in how well-written and well-formatted the walkthrough is. Look at it! For instance, in II. Fragile Earth, as you investigate the ingredients you need for an ostendo, you're given an environmental clue on where to find them: "The breeze carries up from the chasm below the stench of rotten eggs." The hints are wonderfully calibrated to hit you in the right spot, if a bit obvious. This game was made with care and it is so obvious and appreciated. It is careful without being juvenile in its complexity.

This is a great example of a classically formatted parser game, and I have to imagine it will rank highly amongst this year's entrants.

#if comp #groggy reviews #interactive fiction #parser #parser game #text adventures #if game

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stylusolutions · 9 months

Text

Examples of Poor Writing | eLearning development mumbai

Today, freelancing is a fad – especially in the writing industry. There are many freelance content writers in Mumbai, freelance technical writers, and freelancers providing blog content writing services… all from the comfort of their homes. But how many of them can truly write?

Everyone who’s good at English can write is a myth that most people hold. While being a good writer does require good use of English language, it’s not the only requirement. There are many other aspects, such as the flow, creativity, and usage of terms that separates a professional writer from the rest. So how can you identify a non-profession writer from a professional one? Here are a few common mistakes that a non-professional writer usually commits:

Use of jargons and buzzwords

I’ll give you, that there are many words out there which are simply irreplaceable. The thing is though, there are far more complicated words used every day, which could be easily replaced with simpler alternatives. Buzzword is simply something that sounds fashionable, but carries no precise meaning by itself.

Here’s an example:

“I utilized a multi-tined tool to process a starch resource.”

Translation: I used my fork to eat a potato.”

So, if you know a simpler word, it is always wise to use it.

Straying away from the topic

This is a sin many commit quite often and may give off a bad impression right off the bat. Many times you may take a philosophical approach, to imitate deep thought in your writing. What you should not do is to stray away from the main topic.

Here’s an example:

“Let’s learn more about the Human Touch initiative. The initiative was getting some serious attention since its very conception. The organisation involved was a prime example in the field of humanitarian work. Since 90’s, they have always worked with such a great effort to accomplish many such endeavours. The volunteers are some of the finest people I have ever met. The volunteers are from various age groups and consist of young college kids to experienced professionals. Interacting with them is itself a great delight.”

The major portion of the paragraph spends too many words on the organization and volunteers supporting the initiative, while the main focus was supposed to be the Human Touch initiative.

Poor punctuation

Placement of punctuation marks is fundamental if you want an effortless flow in your write-up. This is more evident in case of commas.

Here’s an example:

“Mr. Gandhi, says Ms. Gandhi, is a gorgeous and talented lady.”

The correct punctuation in this case should be:

“Mr. Gandhi says Ms. Gandhi is a gorgeous and talented lady.”

Weak grammar and syntax

Even if the intended message is clear enough, use of weak grammar with misplaced syntax can turn a write-up into a convoluted mess.

Here’s an example:

“The boy finished all the clean-up work with his own hands that the caretaker allotted to him.”

A better way of stating this would be:

“The boy finished all the clean-up work that the caretaker allotted to him.”

Content writers need to be extremely vigilant about the usage of grammar and syntax.

Long and complex sentences

This is something you should avoid even if writing technical content. Sentence that take forever to end, become quite jarring for a reader. Also, by the time the reader reaches the end of the sentence, they would forget the first half of the sentence and vice-versa.

Here’s an example:

“The process only reaffirms the idea of collateral neutralization on the concept that, at a given time the provided parameters only vary in pre-determined way and no other process following the neutralization would ever produce the same set of result, as they were found ten years ago.”

Very little meaningis conveyed in the above sentence. This is because of the use of complicated terms and unnecessarily lengthy sentence.

Extensive use of passive voice

Use of passive voice is something that works in certain circumstances. It is definitely not the best practice to follow every time as it communicates unclear and wordy sentences.

Here’s an example:

“The metropolis has been scorched by the dragon’s fiery breath. No action was taken on the matter by those responsible. This is a trend followed since 1980.”

You can make the reader understand quite easily, highlighting the agent taking the action rather than the action itself.

Density

This happens generally when you latch-on to those few words which show up more than they needed to be. This is something which can be best explained in this much known example.

“We provide you with products that are unique in nature. Being unique sets you apart from your competitors. The uniqueness of our products lies in automation. This allows us to offer you the most competitive rates in the market even though our product is most unique.”

Blog writers and article writers may especially get carried away by the density to meet the SEO requirements. However, overuse of words and phrases will only scare readers away.

Some examples, for a laugh…

· You rotate the ground four times.

· Bring your parents and your mother and especially your father.

· Don’t stand in front of my back.

· If you have requirement for a writer, please acknowledge me.

· Girl looking for roommate. Will more than share expenses.

· I love to eat my family and friends.

· I like the game soccer only because it’s our family sport.

https://stylusolutions.com/

0 notes

stylusaus · 1 year

Text

Examples of Poor Writing | Online course development

Use of jargons and buzzwords

Here’s an example:

“I utilized a multi-tined tool to process a starch resource.”

Translation: I used my fork to eat a potato.”

So, if you know a simpler word, it is always wise to use it.

Straying away from the topic

Here’s an example:

The major portion of the paragraph spends too many words on the organization and volunteers supporting the initiative, while the main focus was supposed to be the Human Touch initiative.

Poor punctuation

Placement of punctuation marks is fundamental if you want an effortless flow in your write-up. This is more evident in case of commas.

Here’s an example:

“Mr. Gandhi, says Ms. Gandhi, is a gorgeous and talented lady.”

The correct punctuation in this case should be:

“Mr. Gandhi says Ms. Gandhi is a gorgeous and talented lady.”

Weak grammar and syntax

Even if the intended message is clear enough, use of weak grammar with misplaced syntax can turn a write-up into a convoluted mess.

Here’s an example:

“The boy finished all the clean-up work with his own hands that the caretaker allotted to him.”

A better way of stating this would be:

“The boy finished all the clean-up work that the caretaker allotted to him.”

Content writers need to be extremely vigilant about the usage of grammar and syntax.

Long and complex sentences

Here’s an example:

Very little meaningis conveyed in the above sentence. This is because of the use of complicated terms and unnecessarily lengthy sentence.

Extensive use of passive voice

Use of passive voice is something that works in certain circumstances. It is definitely not the best practice to follow every time as it communicates unclear and wordy sentences.

Here’s an example:

“The metropolis has been scorched by the dragon’s fiery breath. No action was taken on the matter by those responsible. This is a trend followed since 1980.”

You can make the reader understand quite easily, highlighting the agent taking the action rather than the action itself.

Density

This happens generally when you latch-on to those few words which show up more than they needed to be. This is something which can be best explained in this much known example.

Blog writers and article writers may especially get carried away by the density to meet the SEO requirements. However, overuse of words and phrases will only scare readers away.

Some examples, for a laugh…

· You rotate the ground four times.

· Bring your parents and your mother and especially your father.

· Don’t stand in front of my back.

· If you have requirement for a writer, please acknowledge me.

· Girl looking for roommate. Will more than share expenses.

· I love to eat my family and friends.

· I like the game soccer only because it’s our family sport.

0 notes

stylususa · 1 year

Text

Examples of Poor Writing | eLearning content development

Use of jargons and buzzwords

Here’s an example:

“I utilized a multi-tined tool to process a starch resource.”

Translation: I used my fork to eat a potato.”

So, if you know a simpler word, it is always wise to use it.

Straying away from the topic

Here’s an example:

The major portion of the paragraph spends too many words on the organization and volunteers supporting the initiative, while the main focus was supposed to be the Human Touch initiative.

Poor punctuation

Placement of punctuation marks is fundamental if you want an effortless flow in your write-up. This is more evident in case of commas.

Here’s an example:

“Mr. Gandhi, says Ms. Gandhi, is a gorgeous and talented lady.”

The correct punctuation in this case should be:

“Mr. Gandhi says Ms. Gandhi is a gorgeous and talented lady.”

Weak grammar and syntax

Even if the intended message is clear enough, use of weak grammar with misplaced syntax can turn a write-up into a convoluted mess.

Here’s an example:

“The boy finished all the clean-up work with his own hands that the caretaker allotted to him.”

A better way of stating this would be:

“The boy finished all the clean-up work that the caretaker allotted to him.”

Content writers need to be extremely vigilant about the usage of grammar and syntax.

Long and complex sentences

Here’s an example:

Very little meaningis conveyed in the above sentence. This is because of the use of complicated terms and unnecessarily lengthy sentence.

Extensive use of passive voice

Use of passive voice is something that works in certain circumstances. It is definitely not the best practice to follow every time as it communicates unclear and wordy sentences.

Here’s an example:

“The metropolis has been scorched by the dragon’s fiery breath. No action was taken on the matter by those responsible. This is a trend followed since 1980.”

You can make the reader understand quite easily, highlighting the agent taking the action rather than the action itself.

Density

This happens generally when you latch-on to those few words which show up more than they needed to be. This is something which can be best explained in this much known example.

Blog writers and article writers may especially get carried away by the density to meet the SEO requirements. However, overuse of words and phrases will only scare readers away.

Some examples, for a laugh…

· You rotate the ground four times.

· Bring your parents and your mother and especially your father.

· Don’t stand in front of my back.

· If you have requirement for a writer, please acknowledge me.

· Girl looking for roommate. Will more than share expenses.

· I love to eat my family and friends.

· I like the game soccer only because it’s our family sport.

0 notes

hintofelation99 · 3 years

Text

Jason Chaperons Damian's Field Trip

Damian and Jason in the Batcave trying to murder each other

Jason: I'm going to kill you demon brat!

Damian: Ha! I'd like to see you try Todd!

Fighting continues for the next two days

Bruce: That's it! Jason, Damian, no more fighting. You two are going to bond even if it kills you!

Jason: Again?

Bruce: Not the time Jason!

Damian, rolling his eyes: And how exactly do you expect me to bond with this barbarian?

Bruce: A trip to the art museum.

Damian and Jason look confused.

Bruce: Damian's class is going to the Gotham art museum next Friday. I was going to chaperon, but since you both decided to try and stab each other in public I have some PR matters to attend to. So, Jason will chaperon.

Damian: That is absolutely ridiculous father. Is it not enough that I am already forced to see subpar art with snot nosed brats? Now I have to take the zombie?!

Jason: Watch it brat!

Damian: Tt

Jason and Damian glare at each other.

Bruce: No, your brother is taking you to see world renowned art with your peers.

Jason: C'mon Bruce, world renowned? It's the Gotham art museum.

Bruce, glaring: Fine. Country renowned.

Jason raises his eyebrows.

Bruce: Don't push it. I'll call the school and let them know that you're taking my place.

--> The Next Friday <--

Jason: Damian! Get your ass down here!

Damian: I am right beside you Todd.

Jason: Where's your tie? And your blazer? Where's your backpack?

Damian: Calm down Todd. I have never been late for school and I do not plan to deviate from that today.

Jason: Whatever. Just be ready in the next five minutes, I want to get coffee first and we are not going to be late.

Damian: Pennyworth has already brewed a pot of that infernal drink.

Jason: And Tim has already called dibs on the entire pot. That kid is scrawny, but when it comes to coffee he's vicious.

Damian: Tt.

-------

Damian: STOP THE CAR RIGHT NOW TODD!

Tires screech as Jason whips into a parallel parking spot in front of the school. Damian's entire class watches this happen. They look terrified.

Damian, jumping out of the car, cursing in Arabic: Are you trying to murder me?!

Jason, casually getting out of the car with a Frappuccino, shrugs: I told you we wouldn't be late.

Damian: WE ARE THIRTY MINUTES LATE!!

Jason, shrugs: Oops.

-------

Teacher: Ok class! This is Jason Todd, he is Damian's older brother and he will be helping out on the field trip today. I expect you all to be on your best behavior today! Now Mr. Todd, would you like to tell us a little about yourself?

Jason, feet on a desk not paying attention, glaring at Damian.

Teacher: Mr. Todd?

Jason chokes on Frappuccino, stands up.

Jason: Uh, yeah, sure. Um, my name is Jason Todd, feel free to just call me Jason. Uh, what else?

Teacher: Maybe give us a fun fact about yourself?

Jason: Sure, sure. Uh I recently spent some time down under.

Teacher: Oh, in Australia?

Jason: Yeah, let's go with that.

Damian facepalms

-------

On the bus, kids screaming and throwing things at each other. Damian and Jason sit at the front near Damian's teacher. Jason has his eyes closed and looks tense.

Teacher: Uh, Mr. Todd? Jason? Are you alright?

Jason: Just peachy.

Damian: Pull it together Todd. You are embarrassing me.

Jason: Listen demon spawn, I'm trying to keep it together and not maim a rich brat. So why don't you shut up.

Damian: Tt. Everyone knows you are too cowardly to maim a child. However, I do admit that the loud and confined environment could cause stress... Here. Take these.

Damian hands Jason headphones. Jason looks confused.

Damian: Grayson claims that music can have a calming affect.

Jason: ...Thanks brat.

-------

Teacher: Ok class we are here! Remember to stick with your groups. Group one is with me. Group two is with Mrs. Smith. And group three is with Jason.

Kids break into groups, each group has seven kids.

Jason: Group three over here!

Damian rolls his eyes as the other six kids approach.

Jason: Be nice. Ok kiddos, we're starting at the uh American Rural Avant Garde exhibit. What the fuck is that crap?

Teacher: Oh my! Um, Mr. Todd. We do not encourage such strong language.

Jason: Wha- oh! You mean crap, so teach' that's my bad.

Teacher: Uh, no I uh-

Jason: Anyway c'mon demons let's go look at shitty art.

Teacher, chanting under their breath: The Wayne's donate a lot of money. The Wayne's donate a lot of money.

-------

In the cubism section.

Kid 1: Mr. Todd! When's lunch?

Jason: Call me Jason kid, and it's only ten? Lunch isn't until one.

Kid 2: But I'm hungry!

Kid 3: And this is boring!

Jason: It's not that bad, look at this thing! It's- oh shit is that a Picasso?

Kid 4: Uh, yeah?

Jason: Fuck that asshole, let's go get ice cream.

Damian: Todd! That is not in the schedule, we can not skip a section just because you dislike the artist!

Jason: See, that's were you're wrong baby bird. I'm in charge and I say that Picasso is an asshole and we're skipping his shit.

Damian: We are already in trouble with father, if we exhibit bad behavior he might force us to spend more time together.

Jason: Look kid, Bruce sent me here because he wants us to bond. The greatest form of bonding is breaking rules and skipping school. So, really, by skipping we're actually doing what he wants.

Damian: Tt. I suppose that sounds accurate.

-------

Jason: Time for lunch kiddos.

Kid 2: But we just finished our ice cream break?

Jason: No, we just finished the seeing the museums second floor. Right?

Kid 6: No we-

Jason: No no, we finished the second floor. The whole ice cream thing, that's our little secret. Right?

Kids: Ohhhhh

Jason: Now you're getting it!

-------

Damian glares at his lunch

Jason: What's wrong kiddo?

Damian: Tt. It appears that I might have, accidentally, taken Drake's lunch instead of my own.

Jason: And? What's the problem?

Damian: Drake, packed that abomination that he calls a sandwich.

Jason: Oh, god. He packed a peanut butter pepperoni sandwich again?

Damian, looking at the lunch with complete disgust: Yes.

Jason: Here, take my PB&J.

Damian: ...

Jason: Timbits taste in sandwich's is a crime against humanity. But I'm not vegan, so if worst comes to worst I'll eat it.

Damian: ...Thank you Todd. I- I did not think you cared about my dietary choices.

Jason: Just because we fight sometimes doesn't mean I won't have your back kid. Yeah, I guess being vegan is a choice, but it's a choice that I'll always support.

Damian quickly hugs Jason before taking his sandwich and pretending nothing happened.

Damian: I appreciate the support. Thank you, brother.

Jason: No problem baby bird.

-------

Jason: So, we have an hour before we have to get back on the bus. And, uh- oh shit! Ok, so apparently we had an assignment. Uh, the instructions say to draw your favorite work and write why you like it. What the fuck kind of bullshit assignment is that?

Jason: Uh, ok we're doing a speed draw. Everyone just pull up your favorite work on the museum website and try your best.

--> 40 Minutes Later <--

Jason: Ok, hand me your sheets and let's head to the bus.

Damian, hands his assignment in.

Jason: Whoa, huh.

Damian, looking nervous: What Todd?

Jason: Nothing, just this is a really good drawing kid.

Damian blushes: Of course it is.

Jason smiles and ruffles Damian's hair: Good job brat.

Damian smiles and heads to the bus

------

Both in the car, about to drive back to the manor.

Jason: You know, I actually sorta had fun today.

Damian: Your presence was... enjoyable.

Jason: We're never telling that to Bruce, right?

Damian: Obviously, if father thinks that his plan worked he will be completely insufferable.

Jason: Agreed. Y'know, sometimes field trips go long.

Damian: Oh?

Jason: Yeah, I mean, it wouldn't be too weird if we were an hour or so late getting home.

Damian: If we were to be late getting home, how would we spend that time?

Jason: There's a cool arcade that should be open right now.

Damian: I do not believe that I have ever been to an arcade.

Jason: Well, that needs to be fixed right now. You down baby bird?

Damian: I- uh I am down, is that the correct usage of the term?

Jason: Hell yeah.

---------------------------------------------------

Based on this headcanon.

#also the peanut butter pepperoni sandwich is curtesy of my brother #he got dared to eat one in high school and decided he liked it #his wife was v disappointed when she realized he still eats them #batman #bruce wayne #incorrect batfam quotes #damian wayne #robin #jason todd #red hood #field trips #brotherly bonding #batbros #mypost

283 notes · View notes

five-wow · 4 years

Note

okay so you know how danny bought everyone alexa’s for christmas? i keep thinking about ‘this is so sad, alexa play despacito’

fjdkfdjk, a wonderfully cracky thought, A+. 👌

i can’t decide if i like it best with correct meme usage (for example, steve returns and tells danny reviving his romantic relationship with cath probably isn’t going to work out long term and danny, who is not very sad at all, goes ‘this is so sad’) or with someone just completely misinterpreting how it’s supposed to work, like:

steve: [leaves]

danny, buried in blankets and armed with a giant tub of ice cream and a pile of comfort movies, sobbing quietly: this is so sad, alexa play despacito.

and then there’s probably junior, watching from around the corner, who knows this isn’t how it works but can’t really say anything because he’s far too sweet for that, poor thing.

#anon #ask #*#[appears out of thin air eight days later to answer this ask]#i am genuinely sorry for the delay!!#time has become a concept even harder to grasp than it usually is and i hope you still see this anon

26 notes · View notes

fierykamuy · 4 years

Text

Acknowledgment of Contradiction And The Use of Character Foils - The Eighth Genius

Note: that this analysis will also involve speculations to nail the point that it is centered on the character introduction and that this analysis also includes the opinions of not only me but other members of the community as well.

The first things first, let’s start with the definition of the terms that will be a subject matter in this text.

By nature, contradictions are the details that by themselves prove the wrong of a system that they inhabit, thus efforts are made to avoid them like a plague, as it is strongly believed that any combination of statements, ideas or features will crumble if it consists the inconsistent details – it is considered as an antonym of “confirmation” for a reason. They also tend to make perfect counter-arguments.

Ravages of Time argues that not only everything is consistent, but also from the point of view of the ones that are trying to assert the ideas, said ideas can be built on contradictions, can consist of contradictions, and said contradictions could be used to secure the system. It is still better to hide that fact from the masses to avoid the confusion

(Strangely enough, inconsistencies within the writing of RoT actually enhance its consistency)

A foil of a character, on the other hand, is a tool of the story-telling. It is certainly similar to the “contrast” in artworks, as it is supposed to highlight character trait by placing it near the opposite character train – common usage is the calm and pragmatic sidekick next to the hotheaded protagonist.

In idea, every character can foil any character in the story, so the key part of foiling is the interactions of the concrete personalities. In this analysis, I will explain as to how Ravages’ manages to connect the threads indirectly, through the organic mirroring of the circumstances and affiliations.

Let’s get started.

From the perspective of the governorship or leadership in general, “contradiction” and it’s acknowledgment was always one of the fundamental parts of The Ravages of Time – be it either Cao Cao’s campaign with the image of corruption, which was motivated by greed, for the greater good or selfless selfishness of Sun clan that was aimed at the fundament of the corruption that is the Han dynasty (ironically, against their contradictions) or Liu Bei’s fake image of a saint or even assassin Liu Da who seeks the comforting life through the court by going against himself to the point of forgetting it – everything is chained to the rulership, because that’s exactly what affects everything else.

Full embracement of this exact idea – considering how coherent and varied it is with many sides, even when it comes to religion and politicians *cough* LOGH *cough* – is what allowed RoT to stand out among any other war and political drama. And despite the dense story-telling that spans more than 500 chapters, its brilliance is still being polished by not only showcasing the usefulness of this theme, but also the criticism through its shortcoming, which results in the cycle of never-endlessness (and, arguably, the placement of RoT above any competitor, but that’s but a mere meta-talk):

there's the floating text in 372 that appears to praise the down-to-earth approach (associated with Guo Jia) of seeing humans as being more crow-like (with its positive and negative connotations, both nurturing toward their own and vicious toward targets) rather than dragon-like (with associated images of nobility and grandeur), offering the suggestion that perhaps the thing about humans is that they aspire so much (and as it's insinuated, cause so much trouble in the process) without realizing their station and limits and how such ambition and greed are nonetheless part of how they are in the world

now it's not made completely clear how this monologue is connected to Guo Jia's stances, but perhaps one way to establish the link would be to assume that if Guo Jia doesn't have a lofty view of humans, he could embrace the path of ruthlessly carrying out the reforms one insists on (never mind if others accept them or see them as virtuous), hoping for the best that perhaps at the end of the day things could work out (and someone could pick up the pieces the morning after once he's gone and this is where Xun Yu is supposed to come in, the comfort after the chaos)

what Zhuge Liang takes exception to is the notion that the comparison of humans to crows (even if it's a useful corrective to the boastful comparison of humans to dragons) somehow justifies the brutality of the process of pacification... thus the counter retort that people are people, crows are crows (of course this too assumes that Zhuge Liang knows better about what it means to be human)

and this brings us to the 'immovable and twisted rationality' that Zhuge Liang decries (even if he concedes that some sort of peace that is to say the peace of a pacified population desperate for anyone to impose clear order and guarantee safety can be founded on ruthless subjugation as historically attested in the rise of empires and regimes)

Guo Jia (and by extension, Jia Xu and Sima Yi and others like them) wouldn't mind exploiting and perpetuating that rationality so long as there is a convenient path to quelling the unrest (which they see partly as a result of greed and ambition that form part of the human condition) and putting in place some sort of reform to help manage the chaos

on the other hand, Zhuge Liang still believes that humans can be guided and governed by virtue, that loyalty discourse can be used not simply as a cynical method to prop up the ruling order, but as a moral principle that prevents needless bloodshed (yet he finds himself in the compromised position of having to wage bloody crusades but under a righteous banner)

This basically serves as a set-up to what will RoT shift into and who will be the main actor of the following arc. So, in the same way as Zhuge serving as a foil to Guo Jia, the Eighth Genius is being introduced in his arc and the Eighth will even get focused in the following arc. In the Red Cliff arc Eighth did exactly what Zhuge was doing prior to active participation – judging the conflict and “reporting the weather” – and yet he fails to predict the seventh (well, at least, he waited longer). This dynamic will be further established at the end of the Four Commanderies arc and as of now, we need to completely dissect 8th’s introduction, to have a deeper understanding of what will their discord stand for. All in all, each and every sentence uttered by his mouth is quite worth the attention.

at this point, Zhuge Liang outweighs the 8th in terms of reputation and narrative placement (not to mention that throughout the series, Zhuge Liang has been the one guy most in touch with the rest of his classmates on the sidelines and the one guy the other classmates either admire or dread or want to compete against), though the 8th's status as a shadow counterpart to Liaoyuan Huo (because of the Zhao Yun angle) makes him parallel Zhuge Liang (who in turn serves as the mirror collaborator/nemesis to Sima Yi) in one respect in that both have strange ties to the eponymous duo of Ravages

in addition, the 8th parallels Sima Min (in being the last and shadiest on the list of 8 illustrious names) and possibly the 8th eccentric (assuming this member shows up and fits the pattern), and in terms of outlook he can be compared to Yuan Fang

Another thing that we need to pay attention to in the Red Cliff arc, though, is Eighth’s interest in mind control (as we know, character introductions In RoT reveal a lot about the characters) – as Water Mirror says, to subdue the enemy without a fight is the strongest method of war, but the eighth insists that the method, that the evil cultists are so infamous for, is actually the most productive one (probably because avoiding the war merely keeps the people safe, but is not satisfying – it is not doing anything to enhance the condition of them, as it won’t save people from themselves), but even if one won’t give in to the temptation and derail from the bright path, these techniques are leaving everlasting negative effects on person’s mind.

So, if we were to speculate, the most likely theory is that the Eighth learned said methods, which ties to another theory of him being the renowned scholar named Zhang Song (that being said, I'd rather see Zhang Song as another character altogether (whether the 8th takes that alias later on or just cooperates with him/them since I'd rather see duplicated names than merged characters)), but let’s talk about later on.

But… why and when did he betray the expectations of his teacher? The first one is rather easy to guess. It is about his ideology of individualism – instead of waging meaningless wars with tons of unrecorded blood being spilled, which would also limit everyone else’s desires and freedom (represented by Fang-er), that comes from the natural craving to the anarchy of human nature, whenever it is caged in order, why not exploit and weaponized and control vices and viciousness of a person? Instead of forming a collective mindset, why not try to understand the mind of every single individual? Instead of relying on brainwashing through moral propaganda, why not have faith in inherent human selfishness?

Him being an assassin resonates to this idea very well, because he is doing everything on his own and is not commanding a mere group, collection of people. He is doing things alongside them, understands them, and is, in fact, closer to reality than other classmates. Sure, Zhuge, too, understands the nature of his surroundings, but he is still a man of principles and his viewpoint is stuck on that – growing colder to actually personal human interactions and yet he is the one who values a human life the most (this mirror’s to 8th’s apathy, despite him acknowledging the personal desires in an individual)

To be fair, he is more of an assassin than any other character with the same profession in this story, because he actually lacks identity as nobody knows who he is if he won’t reveal everything by himself and, funnily enough, he is free to hide his identity even if he were to choose a warlord (also, he does not really HAVE TO be devoted to any of them and choose as many he wants to choose for the sake of his plans, which would mirror 7th’s “devotion until death”) and he could attach to himself whichever identity he wishes. Lack of identity was fatal in the hands of Sun clan and lethal in the hands of Sima Yi, whereas they still had some kind of connections, so now imagine how peculiarly promising is 8th’s potential, who does not seem to have any attachments.

I may as well rightfully declare that his lack of identity has a gargantuan perk to counter the cynicism of history – Whatever he does will be judged by future generation’s own assessments, yes, but if 8th’s real identity remains unknown, no one will know to whom they are supposed to connect all of his actions that he committed with the identity of others, hence the perpetual inaccuracy of historical records. Akin to Yuan Fang, who is an original character of Ravages of Time (the difference being, that if Yuan Fang has an original identity, 8th can “grab” identities of actual historical figures and get away with it)

As the last student, of course, the similarity with the first student Yuan Fang (well, his “lord” was chosen instead of him, by being a son of Yuan Shao – that selfish romantic really had no chance to CHOOSE to live for himself with his loved one, huh?) is apparent. Aside of the fact that Fang was connected to the cultist, he was also trying to practice the art of survival, (which he did not manage to perfect, thanks to his daddy) and even being able to kill people by his own hands (as much of a prodigy as he is). But ironically, (which can also be considered as a contradiction) the simplest desires are the root for the grandest ambitions and at the end of the day, Fang proves this point of 8th that self-serving desires may even seduce someone to achieve grand visions, he is delving into the corruption, rather than taking care of “his” people individually. And, after all, 8th does not really resemble to romantics.

Well, it won’t be fair if I do not mention that Zhuge (by torturing people) and Zhou Yu (by being a sparring partner of Sun Ce)… and even Xun Yu (by slapping a wolfneck)… are more than capable of doing some things by their own hands.

So far we can feel free to say, that 8th is not being seduced by desires (take a shot every time the eighth contradicts himself and yet never stops making sense) and he is a quite unemotional human being, considering that after the death of his oath brother he did not really look affected, remained perfectly calm and rational – basically took a duel out of respect and Yun’s lack of stamina. You could argue that he had his mask on, so it would have been hard to notice his emotions, but he instantly gave orders of retreat after the death of “the lord” and it was also implied that he does not really connect well with others.

He wears the mask of a caring person, while Yun wears a mask of an uncaring person.

(Honorable mention of his ability to rapidly adapt to the situation – which should be coming naturally to a person who is a good judge of double meanings (pointed out by his hand signal first and then by “he discovered the secret of various books in the world”)

It is quite fascinating to see such a person to be aware of everything and be appealing. In some mediocre stories, he would have been extremely childish and overdramatized at it, lacking any kind of human decency. On the contrary, 8th respects his enemies, is quite affable, acknowledges the contradictions within the human nature and acts according to it, and does good deeds for others (“repair your shed”), even if not unconditionally – as he is a morally grey character, and not ham-fisted at that.

This brings us to another philosophical part of his views – the value. “Feel helpless all you want, it won’t do anything for you”, every individual has their own, but to attain said value they first need to realize what their defining uniqueness is by themselves, instead of relying on either someone else or heavens and then act on it, make use of it. They must make a choice whether they will be “childbearing” tools or… weapons. To me his reaction (or lack of thereof) to this line of his oath brother “undertake its duties when called to the office; retire otherwise” felt like he (oath brother) completely lost the value in his (8th) eyes, by not only being enslaved to the whore for naught all these years, but also clinging to the brother (when he could have just let the woman infiltrate Shu). This page here can also be easily interpreted as if someone should trade their own valuable people, but it can also mean that people should see the value in whatever they have, whether they be items or loved ones, and cherish them.

So, in short, you do not need to imagine yourself (self-delusion) as a god-emperor to give yourself the value and be content to live.

Above we discussed how 8th is encouraging and guiding others towards seeking the value in themselves, but that is not quite all, is it now. Sure, you find value in yourself and the people around you, but the said value needs to be defined by something. To apply 8th’s standards, the more benefit is from someone, the more is his or her value. And even if she was merely being traded for a lovesick man, she still had some value in her.

He is acting as if he does not view people as objects, Yun is acting as if he does not view her as a loved one (material value against the emotional value)

Infiltration of Shu is quite obvious with all of these details and that freely be interpreted as if 8th is focused on Shu, but we could also take it as a hint that he has tried and may still be trying to plant some moles in other factions as well.

In addition, he usually talks whatever is necessary without much care to his actual intent, which not only results in an interest rabbit hole but is also a very intriguing character trait and a means of manipulation. Reason for that being the fact, that most of what he is saying is actually… true. Yes, his words are self-serving. Yes, his words do not reveal what his actual motives are. Yes, he is purposely aiming at your most vulnerable topic. But he is the only one telling you the truth about yourself and he is the only one giving you the freedom of choice towards what you crave.

The beauty of the 8th Genius' dialogue with Zhao Yun to me is that, despite all of his words being self-serving, they were probably the most honest words Zhao Yun had ever heard. Even Liu Bei or Sima Yi never mention the fact that Zhao Yun has essentially been a slave all these years, who has given up on his happiness to fulfill the wishes of others. And yet here comes this unknown man who manages to get to the very depth of Zhao Yun's character in a mere couple words. And to make it even more beautiful, Zhao Yun faces these words that cut him to the core head-on, and not only acknowledges them but in the face of these truths and in the face of a final chance at his own happiness, he chooses again to remain a slave for the sake of someone else's desires. And that's what makes the 8th Genius so enticing to me. If he can get to the bottom of such an enigmatic character like Zhao Yun in his very first appearance, I can only imagine what he'll do later on.

Though I have to note that the 8th isn't the only one to have confronted Liaoyuan Huo with a dilemma... Zhang Lei sort of did that in 293, Liu Da offered something similar in 384 (the difference I suppose is that whereas they challenged Huo to choose between 2 masters, the offer of the 8th, even though less genuine, is for Huo to choose between serving a master or walking away)

in another note, it's important to stress that if warmongering is the problem (especially if we consider that what usually happens when regimes wage war as a distinct form of mass conflict unlike popular uprisings and insurgencies is that pacified populations are coerced or cajoled into expending their labor and lives to feed machines of organized violence that mainly benefit a select few) it's not a matter of who wins or loses since the game itself is rotten regardless of goals and intentions

Alas, one other issue is that many cut ambitious conquerors (especially if they exhibit charisma and are on the winning side) some slack, while those motivated by ideology or principle (especially if they're losing) are selectively denounced as zealots for trying to push a program

And yet who doesn't like heroic tales…

That’s how the 8th stands out among his classmates mainly in terms of how his rhetoric focuses not so much on principles and ambitions (even Zhou Yu's attachment to the Sun clan involves sticking by some notion of continuity), but simple and personal desires and choices – which fits the narrative of the Four Commanderies and analogically makes it stand out among the other arcs. It is an arc, which highlights the how empty is the shell of people, who are getting defiled by their own egos or thorny roses, beneath the surface of their facade and how some of them stop, start listening to the voice of reason and thus develop into respectable men while maintaining their individuality. The unconventional part that elevates this arc into being a masterpiece is the fact that even protagonists may have a facade and in overall, not every facade is shallow or/and they do not serve solely the corruption.

Sure, I talk a lot about the comparison with Zhuge, but these details were brought from this exact arc that is not even focused Zhuge, but aside of masterfully crafted indirect hints, Four Commanderies put on a table way more than just that. The obvious one being the personal conflict with Zhao Yun, which I already mentioned:

There 8th “asked” Yun to choose what’s his actual happiness, his own life or someone else’s path (that is burdened with failure) – little did 8th know that from Yun’s perspective it did not really matter what he would have chosen, because of how both of these choices are important for Yun as a person, how both of them are what he is craving for and how both of them are going to enslave. And he can’t even choose to not choose, because he would be going against himself in ANY case. As cold-blooded as he is, Zhao Yun got numb by making the best possible choice – “Three days. More than enough”. Truly, 8th failed at psychological warfare (and even if had an upper-hand in a duel, it did not really matter), but admitted that Yun made a right choice, without explaining himself – I think the existence of Zhao Tong made the choice correct. When a father and a son met, both of them found their “pieces of jade ornament that can be traded for cities” (note how Yun compared his son to Sun Ce – that was rather delightful for Tong, considering that no one was taking him seriously whenever he was comparing himself to Sun Ce). That was quite well symbolized by the lively tree near Yun. Usually, whenever a life-changing event happens in his life, he is near a dead tree.

After all, Zhao Yun is already used to selling.

So many lives that he cared about are no more, what’s one more.

(And if I were to fanboy over him more – “Huo” did not really return after the warrior’s duel (named as “a path of no return”))

Briefly to come back to Zhuge, the one who basically pulls some strings behind Yun – when 8th mentioned the facade of the “greater good”, I was suddenly reminded of a saying by melancholy 7th about “benevolent realists” when he was talking about how people like to shield themselves with “FOR THE GREATER GOOD”, while in actuality they are masked egomaniacs. But if Zhuge says that people use “greater good” as a mere excuse (as he always dislikes the certain type of people), 8th remarks that these self-proclaimed paragons of virtue (such as 7th) are merely deluding themselves and the concept of “greater good” does not even exist.

In short, lying to others that you are a savior vs. lying to yourself that you are a savior

If you think that the introduction of this character is already great enough, you need to get prepared, because the revelation, that completely recontextualizes these events into something even more meaningful and profound, is yet to come.

When Yun remembered the bits of 8th’s backstory from his memory, 8th pointed his finger to the sky, a call-back to that scene when Huo was named as Zhao Yun and that, as far as we know, cemented him as the perfect foil to Zhao Yun and now demands from us to re-analyze this precious arc of his as the mirrored life of Liaoyuan Huo from two respective points of view. Considering the fact that Ravages of Time is exploring the history and human condition as a theme, then it won’t really be a surprise if I would define “mirrored life” as if they were the alternative versions of how would Huo’s life continue if he were to choose different paths of life.

1) Zhao Fan’s case is rather easy to elaborate on. He represents the “pretentiousness” (by compensating his lack of masculinity and love from his loved one, through the pretense of just babbling hollow words (merely citing others), as he is not capable of doing anything else) against the “reality” of Zhao Yun (less talk, more action attitude of his and plus the playfulness that is hiding the coldblooded nature beneath the surface).

That pretentiousness would define Zhao Yun as well if he was not so hardened by the high amount of struggle he lived through and later be polished by Liu Bei. Huo would have been in his place if he were to come to his loved one instead of Xiao Meng. But that would come with its own negative consequence, as he would not have been loved.

2) 8th’s case is a bit complicated. They do share the path, but with the polar opposite approach. “Sharing the path” is amusing on its own right, though. Huo took the name “Zhao Yun” and will get recorded in history with someone else’s name, but the guy who was born with the name “Zhao Yun” won’t be recorded in history with his own name as well. Still, his name will exist in history, but it is going to be a guy, who’s completely different from the original Zhao Yun. Talk about an identity crisis.

“observing the passing of time and waiting for its coming, cannot compare to dealing with time and making use of it” – This throws us back in time, as far as the early chapters go, when Yun had an internal monologue about waiting for someone who would change and save the world. Around that time, 8th was persuading Huo’s loved one about how meaningless it is to just wait for something. Perhaps Huo would have undergone 8th’s path if he were to study as a genius to save the world instead of waiting for someone else to do it, but at the end of the day, he managed to understand where he belongs to.

Huo was waiting because he did not see himself as someone who could really make a difference in the world (“if martial arts would have made a difference, then the key positions in the world would already be dominated by various schools”). Meaning, that only “grander” things affect the world (such as Jesus and Dragon). but 8th begs to differ, with an argument that the delusions of grandeur should be broken for people and that even “books”, as tiny as they are, can affect the masses (for example, how Sun clan was hiding the true Art of War for themselves)

“what we need to learn now is observation and patience” – still paid off in Huo’s case and so it did for another Yun as well, as he was busy all these years, observing not only the human nature but the hidden meanings and uses of certain things, such as the literature as a tool of lying (“you won’t understand history without knowing how to lie”). This also foils how Zhuge was “waiting” and cultivating the illusions about Liu Bei for all these eleven years.

It is quite ironic and contradictory when 8th is talking about how important it is to know “where one stands” and yet he lacks identity and that helps him to stand (“infiltrate”) in any faction, at the same time. But us not knowing the identity of 8th further empowers my approach. Matches well with Huo trying to suppress his emotions and forget himself, thus becoming numb and losing his identity, as he won’t even get credit for his heroic deeds.

Basically Zhao brothers can be seen as the Yun’s identity crisis, a conflict between his duality of nature (Fan – wanting a normal life with his loved one. 8th – wanting to go with Liu Bei). And Huo killed Fan by his own hand, so killing the “longing for a personal happiness” also took a life of his loved one at the same time, by 8th mirroring his hand.

(8th casually hinting that both of them are named Zhao Yun)

The point of mirrored life is that he was always suffering, is currently suffering, will continue suffering, and would have suffered even if he were to make different life-changing choices in the past. But he will continue to live and will carry all the weight, as he already accepted it. It is as realistic as it gets – no matter what you are going to choose, the history is going to fix itself.

As to how similar 8th is to Liu Bei, we can talk about that right now. Meanwhile, 8th was judging the character of an assassin, Liu Bei was also being busy by judging the character of another Zhao and that, you guessed it, allows US to judge 8th as the mirror of our Chinese Jesus as well. To begin with, it is implied that both of them have two oath brothers so that comparison is not really far-fetched.

On the surface, both of them are good at judging the characters and while they are at that, none of them are using their real identities, but the substantial difference between them is that – Liu Bei is using the identity of being the cult of a personality, while 8th is not using any identity at all; Liu Bei is giving away a sincere brotherly love, thus gaining help from them on their own accord and that is something 8th is alien to (Zhao Fan was enslaved to his desire, rather than the aspiration of his brotherhood).

Now it should be noted that even if Liu Bei is getting a warm love and help from his oath brothers is a good thing, of course, Chen Mou has not forgotten that even such kind and heartfelt intent/actions can be harmful to the lofty aspirations. I also daresay that there is a great potential of showing the enormous flaws behind saving the world as a cult of a personality.

The first is directly connected to the relationship between the “savior” and the masses – there will be a part of people, who will have an urge to completely become reliant to the “shelter” that was provided to them and not only lose the sense of individuality in the process, but also get so soft in the process that they won’t be able to stand on their own again so easily.

The second problem comes exactly from that and both of these could be depicted in RoT through Liu Shan’s character arc – for the world to be shaped as in the eyes’ of Liu Bei, he has to alienate himself from the garden of earthly delights and the human beings themselves, thus he himself will become a tool, who will only be able to care about his comrades-in-arm. After all, he values them more than his own son.

Right in the queue is standing a dragon (aka, not human) Zhuge Liang, who will also drag Liu Bei’s son to the moon. Moon of course represents the principles of Zhuge Liang and he is going to nail them in Liu Shan’s mind so much, that there will be no one to take the child on earthly adventures to gain necessary experience about the reality and human interactions. After all, Liu Shan is neglected to the point of being used in schemes even as a child. Although the role of Sun Shu in this ordeal is still a mystery.

One thing is clear – without Sun Shu, Liu Shan is going to become an anti-thesis of 8th’s ideology.

To have a clear idea and understanding of what I am talking about, you could always watch that Ghibli movie named “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya”. The Emperor there is so out of touch, he is not even aware that he should not touch women without their consent.

8th’s ideology won’t result in such degradation, but Liu Bei has his own arguments against that world-view. If 8th blames people for having the delusions of their own grandeur, Liu Bei says that people have delusions not about their own selves, but about the world itself, as to how it is “structured”. So, people are not defiled, they are just following the wrong path and guidance could fix that. Zhao Tong depicted as someone who is not being as educated and well-read as Liu Bei further nails the point.

(Thanks to the translator Merc, who told us that this idea was conveyed through the wordplay that was lost in translation)

Surely, they won’t settle about the definition of the right path so easily. If 8th thinks that people should start valuing whatever they have and whatever they are able to do. Basically, the idea of saving the world won’t ever be fulfilled, because the world will only be saved after people save themselves – Liu Bei answers that one does not have to choose necessarily a mediocrity (in 8th’s case, broken people that he chose, such as Xiao Fan) and give it a value, just because the world in their eyes is ruined. Basically, gems still can be found in every corner, but they won’t polish themselves, so the world is still worth saving and could be saved if only we showcase what they can value.

In short, 8th thinks that everyone could have their own things to find value in, but Liu Bei wants to create one general “shelter” that everyone will find value and solution in (and our boy Huo got both)

What makes the feud between 8th and the Shu compelling could be summarized in two features

1) When Cao camp is full of elite soldiers who were trained for what they are doing and Sun clan is fully family oriented and thus chains the family members, Liu camp is full of opportunistic individuals that choose their path on their own. On face value, 8th should be quite fond of them, but divergence comes when the said individuals view someone else’s path as something grand and enslave themselves, forgetting to why even they want a better world and are sacrificing themselves just for someone else. Despite that, they still remain as somewhat respectable in the 8th’s eyes.

2) The inherent duality of men, as both of these approaches find their justification within the human nature and, at the same time, it also serves as a counter-argument to each other – in times of order, people are going to seek disorder and in times of disorder, people are going to seek disorder, hence comes the pivotal point in the dynamic between 8th and 7th – If one wants to make use of human’s longing for peace through crafting the fake cult of personality, which will achieve stalemate and turn into status quo, another one wants to make use of human’s craving for desire through the dispersion of their delusions of grandeur first, by which people would lose interest in waging meaningless wars over meaningless lands and reputations.

After all, “winner takes all” is but a surface level aspect of how Ravages of Time deals with its roots - Poetic tragedies, with proper emotional baggage to convey the horrors of war and an exploration of the inevitability of history and the meaninglessness of our struggles when confronted with it.

Of course, we are not finished here, because aside from Shu, 8th has enough potential to foil Sima clan as well.

Let us start with Sima Yi himself. I'd argue both are exceptional men from powerful clans destroyed by forces beyond their control. Sima Yi being set up by Pang Tong and Sima's destruction changing him irreparably into a darker man. Like Hamlet the main driving force of the story is his revenge and just like Hamlet his actions unknowingly cause a similar tragedy to his own occurring. Sima Yis actions destroyed the Zhao Clam just like Pang Tong eventually destroyed the Sima as a scapegoat. Both attempt to gain revenge and return their clan to greatness. Yet while Sima Yi joins a future kingdom the eight opposes one and fails with his oath brother being forfeit. The irony being that Sima Yis entire life changed by one tragedy yet he doomed another man like him to the same fate unwittingly at the very start of the series. One was Zhao Yuns best friend while the other is arguably his most dangerous enemy now. I think there's a surprising amount of similarities and parallels between the two even this early. Oh, and both killed a woman Zhao Yun loved. Sima Yi by inaction and the eight in a moment of direct revenge. I'm perhaps not articulating this the best but the aptest dramatic comparison I can think of is he's the Leartes to Sima Yis Hamlet. Whether they will end up having the same conclusion as those two characters is up in the air though.

And meanwhile, 8th was concluding his not-so-grand spectacle, another member of Sima clan was introduced in the story – Sima Min, who is also an eighth member, rather polite and even was detached from other seven for quite a while and are considering as some kind of anomalies. After a line “seven out of the eighth aim high. One sticks to the low road”, even comes a hat of the 8th, whom we, in fact, described as someone who stands out by sticking to the low road. If I were to speculate, Min is going to be the one defending his own brothers, but 8th is going to be the one attacking his own brothers.

Both of them also serve as the premises for the next arc, even if they are not participated much in it, as of now: “Breaking the tradition” and the lies behind the books about warfare.

Now let’s come back to the long-postponed theory-crafting of mine.

-In the 468th chapter was revealed a dungeon that was used for torturing people. It belonged to the 8th who was gathering information about the routes of Shu. Then in 483 was revealed that Zhuge Liang had the exact same dungeon.

-In the 480th chapter on the other hand was revealed that Zhang Song was brought a fake map and thus Zhuge, who thought that Song was aiding Cao Cao, set a trap for him. There was someone special near Liu Zhang who was manipulating the information as if Liu Zhang was incompetent. That was a trap for Shu.

-Now in 483th Zhuge started a discussion about Zhang Song and 8th at the same time. After all, in the 468th chapter was also found a map, which was most likely made by the 8th. Key point was, that both of them were made in the same style, thus were made by the same person. The difference was, that the map made for Shu was fake, and the map made for 8th – was legitimate.

-At the start of the 483 chapter, Zhuge mentions how hard it is to track 8th and unless he announces his name, no one will know and yet, as a result of what was mentioned above, Zhuge deduced that 8th indeed graduated. Meaning, he has actively participated in the ravages of time already.

-In 483 Zhuge also did deduce that this man was merely “named” as Zhang Song. Meaning, his actual name is different. Now, how did 8th managed to convince him to not reveal that even after the torture session is a mystery. I can only think of “eccentric magic” (which I think is exactly what 8th needs for his plans, but it is also something that he wants the least) or heavy psychological pressure (considering that one guy with the damaged psyche in his chamber, chapter 468)

-Even more interesting came into the play after several chapters. It was revealed that there is another Zhang Song, who was aiding Ma Chao (who was also getting help from the Sun clan) and whose face was not revealed suspiciously. Why would there be several people with the same name? That’s rather CLOUDED (excuse the pun). One thing is certain, 8th is behind Song tricks, whether he is the one using that name, is actually named that or is cooperating with original Zhang Song – is another mystery. Zhuge did ruin his plans AGAIN (was it the third time?), but he still is cultivating his influence.

To conclude the analysis, let’s get back to the titular topic with a little hierarchy.

On the first level, there are stories with a black and white morality. Usually, black side is cartoony cynical, with no redeeming qualities and white side is cartoony idealistic, with irrelevant flaws (being hot-blooded and etc) – and the Ravages of Time even features such “stories” in deceptive schemes and labels them as “propaganda” (social commentary)

These “black” sides sometimes tend to be “justified” as if they were realistic (for example, for some reason, it is ok to have such characters if the setting is in the middle ages). Such explanations completely ignore the fact that no fiction is realistic and that every “realistic” being has redeeming qualities.

On the second level, there are stories with seemingly grey morality, through the presentation we do not actually see this moral ambiguity, so the presentation falls apart just because the characters’ words (what is talked) and actions (what is shown) contradict each other so much, that story does not seem self-aware anymore – a prime example would be a good guy, who wants to achieve a stalemate, but his actions tell otherwise and no one is actually calling him out on that hypocrisy. Also, everyone he faces is clearly inferior to him from a moral stand-point.

In such stories “black” sides may even have characters that were abused and victimized in childhood and now they are apparently pointing out the flaws in the system by blatantly indulging themselves in atrocities (for some reason). This is not only a cheap emotional manipulation but completely superficial and immature, as they are whining about the system by being worse than it and do not offer any solution to fix the system or a better alternative – they are merely amazed by the fact, that the world is imperfect and cannot accept it.

On the third level, there are stories with seemingly grey morality, but now they are doing the opposite. Characters constantly talk about the loss of humanity for the greater good, but they never commit to it and even if they were to do some questionable things (that most likely are glorified), they would still whine how bad the “greater good” is, despite not finding (or even trying to find) any better alternative. Here lies a huge contradiction in the presentation – It is preachy propaganda of “necessary evil” and, at the same time, does not want to acknowledge it, thus the story has a hypocritical point.

In such stories, “black” sides tend to be THE flaws of the system, with no redeeming qualities. They will be one-dimensionally incompetent and just abuse their power just for the main characters to have an excuse to commit “necessary evil”. In such cases, people tend to close their eyes on them being one-dimensional “as soon as they fir the narrative”. Such readers/watchers forget why it’s relevant for characters to not be one-dimensional – it is not realistic, considering you can be a flaw in a system and still have positive dynamics to something/someone else. It also lacks artistry, considering how crystal clear will the stance of the author is going to be by implementing such cartoony characters in his story. So… if the writing is so implausible… how are we supposed to trust the author on his beliefs and preferences, if he can’t implement said beliefs and preferences in an organic way even in his own world?

On the fourth level, there are stories with actual grey morality, where every character AND organization has its pros and cons properly presented. Without further complications, focuses on two sides of the conflicting ideas and naturally tells a realistic story, full of plausibility (Eureka Seven and Terra E, as examples)

On the fifth level, there is the Ravages of Time, conceptually exploring said contradictions. It not only has more than two sides with full of characters with their own agendas, but they all are making use of various “contradictions” and that is something I wanted to highlight through the Eighth Genius, who is full of contradictions externally, but fully self-aware internally.

Now it is not outright said that contradictions are bad. Quite the opposite – even if they are full of shortcomings, they are also full of benefits and if everything can be used your and someone else’s good, why would contradictions prove the exception? After all, if any effort is futile and doomed, what it all meant to you and how content you were at your death’s bed is all that matters. Which is another contradiction, because on face value, there is no objective reason to do anything if everything’s meaningless, but at the end of the day, you at least accumulated the experience for the future generation, who will also have to postpone the passive decay of the world (but the said shared experience will lead to even more bloodfest, which is unfortunately inevitable in any case)

Failure of self-loathing stories is not seeing beyond the fixed framework. Ravages’ point, on the other hand, is that – contradiction, like anything else (for instance, loyalty), is simply a method and it was set as a framework to fit someone else’s agenda. Of course, merely trying to step out of a framework is not enough, as you are going to meet others who already did that. That’s exactly what’s so alluring about this piece of art – it not only examines a single contradiction with a hopeful solution (Self-loathing Zhuge not raising Liu Shan as a hypocrite), but offers plenty of other alternatives.

#ravages of time #zhao yun #analysis #liu bei #zhuge liang

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theorynexus · 4 years

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84 is the number we’re going with today.

I suppose I should start off by apologizing for the large gaps in between posts, and my smaller post sizes, as of late. My current work hours have got me getting up at 6:15 (technically more like 6:10, because my alarm clock is set a bit ahead), and only getting home most evenings around 6:15-6:30. This has been extremely draining on my willpower to engage in the incredibly fulfilling and mentally stimulating activity that is liveblogging Homestuck, as time has gone on, despite my love of the story in general. Regardless:

Aif. This is somewhat painful. It seems that both of them continue to view each other at least in part through the lenses of their respective Bros. I should have hoped that Dave would have made more of an effort to think of Dirk as a separate person, but I guess that’s a bit much to ask. The bonds Dirk has with different versions of himself sortof make it a bit difficult to emphasize the subtle differences between them too, I suppose: they don’t appear that visibly/prevalently, outside of extreme cases like Dirk / Doc Scratch.

This is intriguing on so many levels. Is this implying that Dave at least interpreted Dirk’s subtle control over people is something that he was aware of, and that he assumed it was via splinters of himself functioning as brain ghosts a la Jake’s own? I doubt that interpretation is correct, either in general or as what Dave is actually thinking; certainly, the allusion to Brain Ghost Dirk is pretty strong here, though. A most intriguing thing to suddenly bring up, especially given the context. Let’s see if the real Dirk also would have no idea what to say. (By the way, the idea that everyone actually has much weaker and less influential Brain Ghosts of Dirk is certainly an interesting and plausible one, all things considered: it’s just that Jake would be the only one capable of accurately modeling and giving the ghost proper housing within him due to his Hope powers [which obviously relate strongly to Tavros’s Brain Ghost Rufioh situation, by the way, which was not real, but which I wanted to bring up just for the sake of pointing out that it was a Yu-Gi-Oh! reference, and in that show, it is basically literally a haunting by a ghost living symbiotically in an insecure kid’s mind, which this story wonderfully turned on its head and made into a negative, rather than a long-term positive thing].)

Oh, that’s not good, after it’s been established that Dirk is one of the only people sensible enough to properly lock his facilities up. Also: MY GOSH, THE BRAIN-MELTING CRINGE!!! (Not only because of the incestuous overtones, but because I really don’t like the idea of Dave wanting Dirk to tell him what to do no matter if it’s going to actually be a bad thing, because he’s freaking out so hard. Poor kid. >: )

Somehow, I get the impression (or rather, a dreadful sense of foreboding) that Dirk might have ironically committed seppuku, despite his insistence that he didn’t have it in him, in the timeline he dominated. >:

***FREAKS THE HECK OUT, ESPECIALLY SINCE I AM ALSO EATING BREAKFAST***

***has basically the same fricking reaction as Dave, but also*** HOW THE HECK DID HE KNOW HE WOULD BE THERE?!?!?! IS HE TIME TRAVELLING AGAIN?!?!?!

Well... that’s an interesting way of putting that, Gamzee. Very much like Calliope’s “emerald eye of the storm” comment, but also with the implication that the universe could be literally on the other side, like a black hole’s science fiction usage as a portal to another world might have it be. This is strangely not something I’d ever considered, despite the fact that I had at one point thought it might be possible for Gamzee to have gotten to Earth 3 via the black hole from Jack English’s head. I’d just assumed that this universe had been paradoxically situated “before” the Green Sun’s existence, in the Furthest Ring. Thus, outside its influence.

... It’s time to start over for the third time today? Is that really the reference we’re going for, here?

I mean... it sortof makes sense, weirdly? Especially considering Gamzee happens to know that they are all fictional (which becomes more obvious with that statement of his, just there). But wow, that is something genuinely philosophical and relatively deep, which is not something that I would have ever thought I could possibly say about the blither coming from that clown’s mouth. The fact that I only used “clown” half-derogatorily, there, suggests that I need to stop this post about here. Also, I’ve run out of time. SHOOT!

#Dave Strider #Homestuck Spoilers #Candy Epilogue #Homestuck Liveblog #GAMZEE MAKARA

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atthechimeofmidnight · 4 years

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CinPhen Secret Santa!!!

So a bunch of discord peeps decided to do a secret santa! Here is my fanfic for @distracteddaydreams ! Hope y’all enjoy! Day requested some post-route politics, and I chose to do a Karma x Lucette fic. about 3k words, sorry about that haha

Lucette could feel the slightest tension begin to set into her forehead. Previously she had believed the royal court of Angielle to be tedious, but the court of Brugantia was proving to be even more so.

The long process of a inter-dynasty marriage had begun, requiring the crown princess to spend long periods of time away from her homeland to perform various duties in her betrothed’s country. Treaties had to be formed about what territory goes where, what monarch goes to what country, trade privileges, etc; and the two countries had to become acquainted formally in a series of diplomatic meetings and balls between royal figures and courts.

If this could be called diplomatic.

Treaties Lucette could handle. Her mother, albeit dubiously, taught her how to negotiate in these situations: what terms were outrageous, how to protect herself and her country as its ruler, how to add bits and pieces into the conditions that would give an invisible upper hand...but not how to handle-

“Lucette, dear, how do you enjoy the tea? It is one of Brugantia’s finest imports. But I’m sure our prince has treated you to this before, yes?

-cattiness. Looking across the table, Lucette mustered her best polite smile (or grimace. She was very sure it was a grimace) to reply, “Klaude prefers coffee, so we tend to take that in the afternoon in the place of tea.”

There was a noticeable, charged pause, causing Lucette’s eyes to flick wildly between the ladies. All of them had angled slightly to face her, expectantly waiting, each looking with a mix of indifference and lightly concealed distaste.

I said something wrong. What am I missing what am I missing what am I-

“The tea is lovely, though, I will have to urge him to include it the next time we take tea together.”

And like that the tension was cut. The women turned away from her to resume their neutral state, and Lucette could breathe once again. Duchess Angeline, a middle-aged, auburn-haired woman, was more than pleased to recount whatever gossip she heard amongst her servants, and attention was diverted from the princess.

Silently glancing at the clock in the corner, Lucette unfortunately found that she had nearly another half hour left with the court. If she had known that the process of marrying Klaude would take this many unnecessary conversations with so many dull individuals, she would have considered eloping.

As soon as the fantasy sprung in her mind, Lucette squashed it immediately. She has duties. Klaude has duties. And, while Lucette nor Klaude would admit it, they both loved their countries in the way a ruler only could. It was an odd, begrudging love, like a parent to an unruly child, but love nonetheless. For this reason, it was necessary that they fight through the messiness that was dealing with nobility.

Lucette, however, felt absolutely blindsided by the workings of Brugantia’s court. While previously in Angielle, the court had played a significant role in politics, the tyrannical reign of her mother had killed the power of nobility considerably; consequently, the king now absolutely resided over all lands with the court serving as a liaison between the king and the people. Her father intended to keep it that way to continue to ensure stability in the kingdom still recovering from the Great War. Brugantia was frustratingly different. It kept with the tradition of a spread out system of nobles having significant control over various territories, which led to them working with the king and advisors to pass laws that would benefit their lands (and themselves).

How on earth are you supposed to trust these people to do what’s best for the kingdom?, Lucette thought. All they seem to talk about is themselves or the next dullest thing possible.

She took another bite out of the cake in front of her and involuntarily cringed. Another thing she had yet to get used to was how Brugantian tea time seemed to consist of sweet snacks and other various desserts, compared to the more savory tea time she was used to in Angielle. While she did enjoy the occasional pastry, having one nearly every single day was enough to exhaust those cravings.

“Is something not to your liking, your highness?”

Apparently she hadn’t concealed her distaste well enough.

Lucette took a moment to center herself before returning to the duchess sitting across the table from her, silently scrambling to say something other than the fact that she was quite sick of sweets. Suddenly, the lady sitting to her right interrupted before the princess could speak, setting her fork down quite loudly.

“I do think that the chocolate petit four is off today, don’t you agree, princess?”

Lucette nearly sighed with relief. “I do, actually.”

Duchess Angeline was quick to recover, as it appeared the interruption surprised her as much as it did Lucette. Regardless, Lucette was grateful for the unspoken support of the woman. She did not miss, however, the quick glare the duchess sent to the lady and her slight shrug in response.

The etiquette of politics is far too complicated in her opinion. Having to say exactly the right thing to get your point across all under the guise of false politeness is...frustrating, to say the least. Entire conversations could be had in complete silence, communicating only through subtle changes in body language. Speaking was worse. Everything had its own hidden meaning, and changing how exactly you said one word could completely turn a situation on its head. It is far easier, Lucette thought, to just be direct. Be honest. Enough of this sickly sweet poison. She did see the logic behind it, albeit dubious. To say something a little too rough to another person in power could be the tipping point for inciting a trade block or, god forbid, a rebellion.

The brown-haired woman sighed dramatically. “Well, we will just have to talk to Remille. It’s not like him to bake a bad cake.” Just as Lucette thought the crisis was averted, then, faintly, there was that dark change again in Angeline’s eyes as the woman raised her teacup to her lips. “Lucette, your step-mother and step-siblings are bakers, yes? Ah, excuse me, former bakers. How does it compare to the servant cooks?”

The princess could feel her temperature rise a couple of degrees. She suspected that there would be some resistance to the engagement due to her mother being, well, Hildyr, and Lucette had prepared to protect herself against such attacks, but it now seemed like dissenters would use anything as a weapon to express their distaste.

So this is the true nature of the court, she thought bitterly. And while Lucette was not on the greatest terms with her family, their relationship had gotten better, and on most nights the princess did enjoy their company. In these moments, it felt as if the entire world was trying to prove that her changed viewpoint was for nothing, as if every cruel act and word proved her old self right.

Her hand went to her throat unconsciously, resting where her glass slipper pendant sat before she broke her curse. Lucette fixed her posture, lifting her chin before smiling a cool, closed smile at the woman. I will not let her know that I am irritated. I will not let her irritate me. I am above being petty. If she wants to play etiquette politics, then so be it.

“Yes, they were. In fact, Queen Ophelia,” she said, emphasizing her step-mother’s title, “Still bakes to this day, to relieve stress I believe. She is an extremely talented baker in my opinion.”

Apparently that was not the reaction that the woman was searching for. Duchess Angeliene’s eyes widened slightly as she dropped her cup to its saucer, and opened her mouth as if to defend herself. Before the woman could get a word out, Lucette interrupted her.

“And, if you would, I am the crown princess of Angielle and the fiancé of the crown prince of Brugantia. I assume you have not forgotten my correct addresses?”

The informal usage of her name, without even a title, by a woman she did not even know, incensed Lucette in an extremely deep manner. Stature, as she had learned, was not everything, but even the most basic of manners are required. But to be addressed so informally, so disrespectfully, was so...personal.

Every lady of the court at the table watched with wide eyes. The soft din of noise that usually accompanied afternoon tea was completely silenced. The older, more experienced women corrected themselves quickly and resorted to flicking their eyes between the princess, who had taken an air of regality, and the duchess, who had seemed to have lost all of hers.

Angeline took a moment to regain her composure, although her neck, splotched with red, displayed her flustered state. “I apologize, Your Majesty. I forgot myself in that moment, and…” the woman paused before forcing out, “I do hope you’ll forgive me.”

The princesses let out the breath she did not know she was holding, her hands relaxing in her lap. A victory, although admittedly a small one. If Lucette was not liked by the court, so be it, but she’ll be damned before she is run out by petty women who did not even know her.

There was a knock on the door behind Lucette, snapping everyone out of the tension that had seized the occupants of the room. The lady sitting next to Duchess Angeline (Lucette racked her brain before remembering the Marqesse’s name, Cerise) nudged the woman, who had forgotten that as the host of the afternoon, she was to answer the door. The corners of Lucette’s mouth twitched.

The duchess jumped. “Ah! Yes, do come in!” Lucette did not miss the way her shoulders sunk with relief at the diversion from her failed jab, before noticing all of the courtiers stood suddenly. Whoever came in must be equal to or higher in stature than the court, and Lucette could only pray that it wasn’t the k-

Before the princess could finish her thought, however, she felt arms being draped around her and a low voice close to her ear.

“I do apologize, but could I steal my fiancé away from you ladies for a moment?”

Klaude. Lucette broke into a soft smile, relief both at being saved from the court and happiness at seeing her betrothed for this first time that day.

And then turned a deep red.

Klaude pressed a soft, slow kiss to the skin just below her ear, causing the princess to shiver. What made matters worse, however, was the fact that the prince had buried his face in Lucette’s neck, angling his head just enough to see the rest of the table.

Suddenly the ladies of the court were far more interested in the embroidery on the table cloth, and Angeline was determined to look anywhere but at the royal couple. “Well, of cour-”

“Fantastic,” Klaude said, pulling Lucette out of her seat. “If you would excuse us.”

Lucette had barely bent into a curtsey before Klaude had pulled her out of the room and away from the various social rooms deeper into the palace. He was walking at a slightly faster pace than her, forcing the princess to nearly jog to stay holding his hand.

What’s wrong with him?

She couldn’t quite see the full expression of his face, but it seemed to her that he had a very firm grasp of his composure. That is, until Lucette looked at his eyes, green and intense with some unpleasant emotion she couldn’t place. The last thing she remembered talking about with him was his hunting trip with his father. Oh.

“Klaude, wh-”

The red-headed man simply squeezed her hand, and uttered, “Not now. Just a little bit more, my love.”

So she kept quiet and followed along. Lucette knew Klaude, and she knew that his ‘not now’ was now a promise rather than a dismissal; however, she could never get used to how she was never able to help Klaude until he decided to reveal to her what was bothering him. It was these small moments where she felt as clueless to him as she was when she first met him, and it was these small moments she despised.

Lucette was so wrapped up in her thoughts and what was possibly bothering Klaude that she failed to notice the number of servants and courtiers lining the hallways dwindling until there were none around the engaged pair. Klaude stopped abruptly, dropping her hand. She then took a moment to assess her surroundings, and noticed that they were in a section of the palace that was being redone, swaths of fabric covering the portions of the wall where wallpaper was being replaced. Lucette turned to look at her fiancé, standing stone still barely a foot from her. She cautiously reached out to touch his shoulder, to do something to bring him out of whatever mood he was in.

The moment her fingertips brushed his shoulder, Klaude pounced on the princess without warning, hands on either side of her face and kissing her with an intensity Lucette had never experienced. Yes, they had kissed...passionately before, but this felt different. The concern in Lucette’s mind faded as she melted underneath him, her hands clutching at his shoulders for stability.

The reciprocation only seemed to drive Klaude further, pushing Lucette against the wall. In surprise, the woman gasped against his lips, allowing him to slip his tongue into her mouth. Lucette’s hands finally found themselves in the prince’s hair, and as she experimentally tightened her grip, she could’ve sworn she heard him make a noise from the back of his throat.

Klaude pulled away, only to return his attentions to her neck. In a sudden moment of clarity, Lucette suddenly remembered why they were in this wing in the first place, and managed to squeeze out a, “What happened?”

The prince stopped briefly in his affections to laugh mirthlessly, and between kisses, said, “One of my...father’s advisors...does not think...that our marriage...is a good idea.”

Lucette froze, pushing against her fiancé’s shoulders to stop his ministrations, shock running cold in her system. “He said what?”

Klaude released the princess, bringing himself up to make eye contact with her, but leaving his hands on her waist. She could now see his eyes clearly, desire slowly being overtaken by what the princess could only describe as fury.

“He said that it was a political disadvantage. That Angielle was too unstable, too unpredictable to have an alliance with, that...”

Her eyes widened. He was implying that…

“...I was too unstable to have on the throne,” Lucette finished for him. The man flinched in response, and she could feel his hands form fists in the fabric of her dress.

“And earlier too, with the duchess I-” Klaude suddenly exclaimed, the edges of his words tinged with distress, and his right hand moving to clutch the rose necklace she gave him.

That was enough.

“Klaude.” Lucette took his face in her hands, forcing him to look her in the eyes. He looked at her almost frantically, green eyes wide, and she suddenly realized how all of this was taking a toll on him. Klaude had never been the responsible type, she had heard so many stories from him about how exactly he’d hide and shirk his various charges. To now be dealing with all of his duties and interacting with the court and the advisors must be...overwhelming, to say the least.

The princess returned her focus to the man in front of her, who was still looking at her, searching her face for something that he could decipher, that he could hold onto.

“We are still getting married, yes?”

The words had barely left her mouth before he retorted with a quick, incredulous, “Of course.”

She leaned forward, placing a delicate kiss on Klaude’s lips, pulling back before the man could deepen it. “Then that is it. Forget everything else. It doesn’t matter what the courts think. Them disapproving of our engagement does not stop the fact that you are going to be my husband.”

He stared at her blankly for a second before breaking out into a soft smile. “Say it again, love. Please.”

Lucette acquiesced. “You are going to be my husband.”

Klaude’s hands slowly made their way to her face to tuck her hair back to where it had fallen out during their earlier kiss. “Yes, I will be. And you will be my wife.”

The princess flushed and knew that the small amount of powder she applied in the morning would not be enough to hide the reddening color of her face. She quickly looked away, choosing to not acknowledge her fiancé’s chuckle at her embarrassment. “I-I will be. I will be,” she said, trying to mask how the phrase made her stomach flutter. “We just have to get arrangement terms processed. All of this...interaction is just for etiquette and tradition.”

“Besides,” Klaude drawled slyly, “my father likes you too much to let you go. Something about you being a good influence on me and ‘keeping me in check’, although I have no idea what he could possibly mean by that.”

Huffing, Lucette pushed the man’s shoulders lightly, not bothering to hide the smile now growing on her face as well. She knew that as long as Klaude loved her, nothing else mattered, but it was reassuring to know that the king did not look down on her because of her nature as a witch, her relations, or how cruel she used to be.

Lucette turned, murmuring a soft, “We should head back,” which elicited a groan from Klaude. Regardless of his displeasure at the idea of returning to the day, the prince still followed, offering his arm to walk her, which the princess immediately took. They walked in silence for a moment, both enjoying the other’s company, before Lucette turned to her partner.

“What was that in the tea room?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Klaude retorted, blatantly feigning innocence.

The princess raised a brow. “So you don’t remember accosting me in a full room?”

“Oh that? I would hardly call that accosting you, dear, just…” He paused. “Just sending a message.”

Lucette huffed, nudging Klaude to keep moving. The pair walked back to where they were expected; however, unbeknownst to them, word had gotten to the king of Klaude’s ‘message’, and the man was understandably excited about embarrassing the both of them at dinner later that night.

#Cinderella Phenomenon #Lucette (Cinderella Phenomenon)#Karma (Cinderella Phenomenon)#Klaude (Cinderella Phenomenon)#fanfiction #My writing #secretsantacinphen2k19

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