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spidersmiceandeverythingnice · 3 years

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OISIN - 4* CASTER - PROFILE

Under the read more!

Summon: “My name is Oisin. I am a poet – and now, I am your Caster-class Servant. Though our time together won’t last forever, I’m glad to meet you, Master."

Initial Information:

A beautiful poet, blessed with eternal youth and wisdom. Though he is a great knight, he is most famous for his silver tongue, which has preserved the legends of many heroes in what is now called the "Fenian" or "Ossianic" Cycle of Irish mythology.

Passive Skills

Territory Creation A

Item Construction C

Divinity C

Active Skills

Heroic Legacy A – Increase defense for three turns and clear own debuffs, increase attack and star generation for all allies for three turns.

Blessings of Youth A – Apply invincibility for 3 turns, apply Arts, Quick, and Buster up for 3 turns. Costs 9 critical stars.

Storyteller B – Drain all enemy NP charge, increase own NP charge, increase party NP gain for 3 turns.

NOBLE PHANTSAM: Dord Fianna – the War Cry to Defend Humanity (QUICK)

Area of effect Noble Phantasm that deals damage to all enemies, special bonus damage to any Threat to Humanity trait enemies. Applies defense down, critical strength down, and slight chance to inflict Terror status to all enemies. Applies attack up, critical strength up, and NP damage up to all allies for 3 turns.

Lines - Room

Idle: “Master, are you doing anything right now? If you’re bored, I can show you the song I’m working on now. No? You’d rather go outside? Well, that’s alright, too. I’ll tag along.”

Master-Servant Relationship: “I’m used to working, living, and fighting alongside others, so this situation is fine for me. Honestly, it brings back pleasant memories.”

Opinion of Master: “I could write a thousand songs about your adventures. I really do consider it to be a privilege to fight at your side!”

Scheherazade: “I think she and I could have a lot in common. And so beautiful too… hey, don’t look at me like that. I’m happily married, you know!”

Author Servants: “There are a lot of very talented people here. I consider myself a formidable opponent, but I think I’ll work a little harder, regardless of that. [laugh]”

Saints: “It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s just that I can’t really understand them. I have my reasons, but that may be the one story I’m not interested in telling.”

Irish Servants: “There are so many famous heroes here from ages past. Of course, I already know the tales by heart but I wonder if there would be any differences in the first-hand accounts…”

Diarmuid: “Diarmuid! It’s been too long since I’ve seen your face! Master, this is the only person in the world who is smarter than my father. He always used to beat us at chess, and that’s just the start of it. I’m sure you already know. What? Oh, don’t be modest! And here – look! I brought you some letters from your relatives. They say you hardly ever visit anymore and – hey, where are you going?!”

Fionn: “Ahh… It’s good to see him in his prime like this. He seems to be very at ease here. Seeing that he’s able to smile and relax like this… honestly, he looks just as Mother always described him. Ah, wait a moment. Please don’t ever tell him I said that.”

Lines – Battle

DECK: QQ/AA/B

Start 1: “Just because I am an artist doesn’t mean that I can’t do battle when I need to.”

Start 2: “That look on your face… I have to wonder if you’re not taking me seriously. Well, it can’t be helped. Best of luck to you!”

Skill 1: “This is the blessing I was given.”

Skill 2: “Hmm… still a bit out of tune.”

Skill 3: “With the strength of my own limbs.”

Skill 4: “With actions that will match my speech.”

Attack: [IDK SOME NOISE]

Extra Attack 1: “With purity in our hearts!”

Extra Attack 2: “You won’t underestimate me a second time!”

Noble Phantasm Activation: “If the time has come to defend humanity – then I will serve with all the power I have.”

Noble Phantasm 1: “For the things we have forgotten, and for all that we have to gain – there is something that I, too, must protect. I swear that I shall defeat all evil in the world. With the purity of our hearts – Dord Fianna!”

Noble Phantasm 2: “This is a story of those who stood should to shoulder to defend humanity's destiny, from all that would covet and destroy it. No matter when, or where, we will always rise to meet this challenge. This is our sacred duty – Dord Fianna."

Noble Phantasm 3: “This hunting horn is not for making music – if you’re skittish, you might want to cover your ears. Listen – to our sacred battle cry!”

Injured 1: “Rude!”

Injured 2: “At least make sure to avoid my face!”

Incapacitated 1: “It seems that… once again… I can’t stay beside you until the end… I’m… sorry…”

Incapacitated 2: “It’s always like this, huh… Strange… this time, it doesn’t hurt…”

Victory 1: “I told you from the start. Before I am an artist, I am also a knight!”

Victory 2: “You know, I think I could make a song about this victory. Someone give me a tune! Hey… wait a minute… why are you all walking away?”

Bond 1: “You know, Master, I spent a long time out of human society. So, I need you to tell me to my face if I ever say something strange. Seriously. I’m not joking. I really don’t know what people talk about these days. I’m counting on your guidance.”

Profile 1: Oisin, the son of the legendary hero Fionn MacCumhail. Because his father had already eaten the Fish of All Knowledge, he was gifted from birth with wisdom and a quick wit. His name literally means "little deer" or "fawn."

Bond 2: “What was it like, growing up with such a famous father? Well, that’s a difficult question. Father has always been good to me. I’ve always felt that the Fianna were my family. Even the most loving and tight knit families sometimes fight… and even so… hm. I wonder… …Um, sorry. [slightly nervous laugh] What was I saying again?”

Profile 2: The story of Oisin's birth is a tragedy. His mother, Sadhbh, was Fionn's second wife. Though they were madly in love, his mother had another suitor, who was a cruel and wicked mage. One day, when Fionn was out hunting, the mage lured the pregnant Sadhbh out of their home by impersonating her husband, and transformed her into a deer before loosing her in the forest.

When Fionn returned to their home and found it empty, he immediately marshaled his knights and began to search for them, leaving no stone under-turned.

Eventually, the toddler Oisin was recovered - but his mother was never seen again.

Bond 3: “Yes, yes. My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world. Every man says that about his wife, but in my case, it’s actually true! She’s a wonderful, wonderful woman, and her family always treated me so kindly. I simply lost track of time, that’s all. Yes, I always meant to go back and visit, but the opportunity always… Eh? I trailed off again? I’m not sure why I keep getting lost in thought. Anyway, let’s talk about something else.”

Profile 3: Fionn was never the same after Sadhbh's disappearance. Plunged into a deep mourning, it was said that his entire personality shifted, until he was nearly a shadow of his former, magnanimous self. It was Oisin who volunteered to seek a new bride for his father, perhaps desperate to see his father smile again. It was these events that eventually lead to the Pursuit, another tale that is narrated in the Fenian Cycle.

Bond 4: “Was it hard? Yes, I suppose it was. All the places that I had loved, and all the people I had loved were gone. Even my own father. Even my first son. And then, I was even stupid enough to fall off my horse. Hah. Sorry, Master, I’ll go now. No, no. It’s alright. It’s just that I would never want you to see me like that. That’s all.”

Profile 4: Like the other Knights of Fianna, Oisin lived a long life full of adventures too numerous to recount in full. He married a fairy woman and went to live in Tir na Nog, the land of eternal youth. Eventually, he decided to return to the mortal world to visit his family. His wife gifted him a magical horse, and told him that he would not be able to dismount, or the blessings of eternal youth that he had been granted would disappear.

When Oisin emerged from the Land of Youth, he discovered that 300 years had passed, and the Fianna had all but completely disappeared.

Bond 5: “I will make sure that they remember you. I’ll fight beside you until the end – and then, I’ll make sure that the world remembers you. Really, it’s the least that I can do. But let’s not talk about depressing things. For some reason, I’ve been wanting to write a love song lately. What do you think? ‘Too early…’ It’s never too early for beautiful music! [laughing] Really, you ought to enjoy life a little more, Master.”

Profile 5: DORD FIANNA - The War Cry to Defend Humanity. A war cry to strike fear in the hearts of humanity's enemies, a power that can wake sleeping kings.

This Noble Phantasm would not normally belong to Oisin. It is said, in Ireland, that their great hero Fionn is not dead, but slumbers beneath a mountain, surrounded by his loyal knights, and that the one who blows upon his hunting horn will rise him from his sleep. When he rises, he will resume his duties, to protect humanity.

But the stories of the Fianna exist in the modern age because, after emerging from Tir na Nog, Oisin wrote them all down. Using his talents for word and song, he told the tales of valor and heroism and adventure, the stories of his friends and family to anyone who would listen. After an accident caused him to fall from the horse that should have carried him back to his beloved wife, Oisin lay dying, feeling each of those 300 years seep back into him, even as he desperately tried to finish the story he was telling.

So in this form, the Dord Fianna is not a war cry, but more like a song.

Bonus Profile, Post Interlude: In one version of the story of Oisin, he encounters a certain saint while traveling around Ireland. The saint listens to the knight's tales, but even so, because Oisin is still a pagan and an immortal himself, he and the saint don't get along very well and part on bad terms. Even though Oisin claims that it wasn't like that, and even so, he never holds grudges, he still can't help but make a face whenever the saint's name comes up in conversation.

#fate grand order #fgo #servant oc #fate servant #fgo oc #servant profile #lemme know what yall think about my Boy

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folightening · 4 years

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Don't Go

Young Xehanort/Sora

Rated Teen

Summary: Five times Sora asked Xehanort to stay and one time he didn't have to.

5+1 fic with established relationship and shifting pov - some implied sexual content

- 1 -

This was not at all acceptable. It would do nothing for his plans. This wouldn't push Sora any closer to reawakening his power. He had absolutely nothing to gain from this. In fact, in the long run, continuing this could very well become a problem.

Despite all that, he couldn't part from the soft lips eagerly devouring his own or the lithe body encouraging their bad decision with every roll of those wide hips. Not until Sora was tugging down the zipper of his coat. Xehanort sat up to remove the coat himself, dropping it to the side as Sora shrugged out of his own jacket and pulled the tank top over his head. Sora may not be terribly muscular - he really was on the small and skinny side - but there was always something to be said about unassuming strength. That Sora was so powerful without physically giving it away was a trait that Xehanort found very attractive. As frustrating as Sora had proven that particular strength of his to be at times.

"We going to continue," Sora asked, "or are you going to sit there staring?"

"I'm enjoying the view."

Sora laughed but Xehanort's smile quickly faded as his gaze focused on the discolored X crossing Sora's torso. If he needed any reminder why this shouldn't be happening, that was a good one.

"Perhaps this isn't such a good idea."

"What?" Sora scoffed at him in disbelief, then followed Xehanort's gaze to his own chest. "Oh no. You are not leaving me now over this."

"Sora,"

"I don't want to hear it."

Sora grabbed his face with both hands and frowned at him with kiss-swollen lips. The stern look in his eyes was beautiful.

"What happened during my Mark of Mastery exam doesn't matter. Right now, I want you. You want me. So... please... stay and finish what we started."

For a few long moments Xehanort searched Sora's beautiful blue eyes. He could still deny him and leave; Sora wouldn't stop him. It would be the right thing to do. But Sora was right.

Gently taking Sora's wrists in his hands, Xehanort pressed down into another deep kiss. He could stay and forget about his - their - destiny for a while. It was easy to do that with Sora.

- 2 -

The Ocean Between really did look the same when viewed from on a world. An endless sea of twinkling stars; more than enough worlds to keep any wanderer busy for decades. Sora had seen many worlds and he was positive they didn't amount to even a tiny fraction of the worlds out there. Xehanort, however...

"How many have you been to?"

"Me personally? I didn't keep count," Xehanort said. "Nowhere near even half as many as my future self; he spent a large portion of his life running between worlds, seeing everything he could."

Sora hummed, nodded, and shifted position so his head was resting more on Xehanort's shoulder than his arm. For a moment he wondered how much had been wanderlust and how much had been for what he was doing now. When exactly had Xehanort decided to do all this?

"You have any favorites?"

Sora didn't really expect him to know about any from his future, and Xehanort probably wasn't really the type to rank worlds but Sora wanted to know more about him. His preferred worlds to visit was a safe enough topic.

"As much as I couldn't wait to get off the islands, I do find myself drawn to peaceful worlds where nothing much happens. However... My first will always have a special place in my heart, despite some of the memories associated with it."

Tilting his head up to look at him, Sora turned more onto his side. From this angle Xehanort didn't look particularly sad or bothered but a line like that could only be talking about bad memories.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Scala ad Caelum," Sora didn't miss the reverence in his voice, "was a beautiful world full of Light. No matter where you went you could hear the windmills, the ocean... An island city painted in whites and greens against a backdrop of blues... Scala's beauty is indescribable. You'd have to see it to understand."

That Xehanort couldn't find the worlds told Sora more about the place than any description Xehanort could have given him. Sometime, if possible, he'd like to go there.

"What were those memories you mentioned earlier?"

Xehanort laughed bitterly.

"Nothing too terrible. I have always been... different, and my opinions and interests weren't the most popular or accepted. I was also consistently the top of my class, which the nobility didn't like much. Then there was when I left..."

Xehanort trailed off and the frown on his lips had Sora wanting to comfort him. Without knowing what exactly was troubling Xehanort, he didn't know how much he could do.

"But you have good memories of the place." Why else would it be special to him?

"Most of my fondest memories are there."

From before whatever set him on this path happened, Sora supposed.

"Could you tell me about them?"

Xehanort chuckled and shifted so his arm was more comfortably around Sora. After a few moments he started telling stories of living in Scala ad Caelum. Chess matches with a peer named Eraqus - who's name caused a momentary odd feeling somewhere in his heart that Sora couldn't quite name. Nights spent telling stories with the stars with Eraqus and Yen Sid, though he couldn't read them the way Yen Sid does. One particular lazy afternoon he held dear and didn't get into much detail with. Being named a Master and achieving part of his life's goal...

After a while Sora couldn't stifle the yawn. It was late and he should've gone to sleep hours ago. They had a lot they still had to do in this world and he shouldn't do it sleepy.

"I should go," Xehanort said. "There are only a few hours left before dawn."

"A few more minutes?"

He was comfortable here, and he'd rather fall asleep with Xehanort than alone on the hard ground.

"Very well," Xehanort chuckled. "Until you fall asleep."

- 3 -

Sitting on the edge of the bed to pull his boots on wasn't a good idea. Thin arms wrapped around his waist, not impeding his motions at all but an obvious demand. Xehanort smiled at the gesture, but even so:

"I should be going."

Even half asleep as Xehanort knew he still was, Sora had quite the grip. He shook his head, soft hair tickling Xehanort's back, and returned his cheek to the space between Xehanort's shoulder blades.

"Don't need to be up for an hour," Sora explained, "so you can't leave yet."

"As much as I would love to spend more time with you--"

"You said 'should be', not 'need to'. I forbid it."

"Really?" He couldn't stop the chuckle. It was endearing how Sora thought he could forbid him from doing anything. A lot of what Sora did was endearing.

Though if Sora wanted him to linger that badly... It wasn't as if Xehanort wanted to leave. Quite the opposite, in fact. Xehanort would spend all morning, perhaps even longer, lazing around with Sora if their respective roles allowed it. ...He wasn't doing anything that couldn't be put off for half an hour.

"A bit longer," he relented. "I do have things I must do."

He had no idea how he was going to explain this to Ansem. The truth simply wouldn't do, definitely not, but Ansem was always so difficult to appease once he'd been deliberately ignored.

Sora nuzzling his face into his chest and fully relaxing against his side once more made the later headache worth it.

- 4 -

"I cannot believe you called me here to sneak away from your companions and play in the sand."

Finding some reason to get away from Donald and Goofy was something Sora found himself doing more and more lately. And not just because he wanted to spend more time with Xehanort. For all the problems Sora knew there was with this relationship, at least Xehanort didn't insult him all the time.

"Playing in the sand is fun."

Xehanort made a face that wrinkled his nose and reminded Sora of a person who'd just eaten something sour. It was an interesting expression and definitely not one he would've expected to ever see on Xehanort's face.

"It's the middle of the night," Xehanort argued though Sora doubted that had been his problem.

Besides, it had to be the middle of the night. He wouldn't get the chance to goof off if it wasn't. Sora placed his hands on his hips and frowned up at Xehanort.

"Do you want to spend time with me or not?"

A slight smile, half grin really, curved one side of Xehanort's mouth as he leaned forward.

"I was always told to avoid pirates."

In mock offense, Sora stepped back and placed a hand over his heart. It wasn't long before he was laughing.

"Come on, help me build a sand castle."

"I'll have you know, I haven't built a sand castle in years."

That activity didn't last long. Nor did an impromptu game of two person tag, once Xehanort tossed Sora into the ocean. Coming back up soaked and laughing, Sora tackled Xehanort into the shallow water just off the beach. The man went down easily, his own deep laughter mixing with Sora's.

Gently taking Xehanort's face in his hands, Sora moved up and kissed him. Three times; none lasting more than a brief moment. They were enough to bring a light flush to Xehanort's cheeks and leave a small smile on his lips.

"Stealing kisses now?"

"What kind of pirate would I be if I didn't steal at least kisses?"

Xehanort chuckled and stroked Sora's cheek. Without thinking, Sora leaned into the touch. Xehanort was always so gentle with him in moments like this; it was difficult not to enjoy the touches that came from this mood.

"We should get out of the water," Xehanort said.

They stood and walked onto the beach where Xehanort used some careful fire spells to dry them and their clothes. Of course Xehanort would be skilled enough to pull that off without burning them. He was... Great wasn't a word he should use to describe Xehanort.

"Stay for the night," Sora said. "Please."

It had been a few weeks since they'd spent a night together.

Xehanort smiled that fond smile Sora was pretty sure only he got to see and took his hand.

"Of course."

- 5 -

Xehanort stepped out of the corridor with a speech prepared. It had been some time since he'd last attempted to really speak with Sora about Light and Darkness. By now, maybe the Light's champion would be more open to listening.

It hurt when he considered that Sora likely denied part of him the same way everyone else had. Their respective roles in this upcoming war was a topic they refused to discuss; Sora could very well be putting aside who exactly he was. The mere thought of Sora not truly accepting him... Xehanort took a breath and closed the corridor. If Sora wasn't willing... Well, cutting this off wouldn't hurt any more than what had happened with Eraqus.

He wasn't prepared to see or hear Sora crying.

Sora was always so cheerful, so upbeat and bright and more than eager to bring happiness to everyone around him. Nevermind how Xehanort felt about seeing him in this state; Sora likely didn't want anyone seeing him like this.

Opening a corridor again, Xehanort turned to leave but stopped at Sora's:

"Wait."

A hand grabbed his own and Xehanort looked at Sora. His heart ached in response to the tearful, pained expression.

"Don't go. I- Could you-"

Xehanort turned and stepped closer, pulling Sora into a hug without hesitation. The corridor closed behind him as Sora buried his face in his chest.

There was nothing to say even if Xehanort had been any good at giving comfort. He had no idea what was wrong or what form of comfort Sora even appreciated. This was new territory for them. So he simply held Sora as he cried for what felt like hours. Some time during it he did move them to a seated position on the floor with Sora in his lap as he rubbed his back. It didn't feel like he was doing much of anything. In fact, any of Sora's friends would have done better. But it was all he had.

"Thanks," Sora mumbled into his shoulder.

Xehanort smiled as he played with the back spikes of Sora's hair.

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

Sora shook his head.

"I'll prob'ly mess that up too."

He sniffed and rubbed his face on Xehanort's shoulder while Xehanort frowned.

"What are you going on about?"

"I don't get anything right. Too dumb and- I can't get the power of waking. Can't help them get Aqua, I don't know how to help Roxas or the others in my heart. I'm useless on my own..."

Dear Kingdom Hearts, what had people been telling Sora? No, he knew what that damn duck and the others were telling him. Everyone had a limit to how much they could take, and it seemed that Sora had finally reached his.

"You are far from useless; I daresay you're the biggest threat to my oldest self's plans." That may not be the most helpful assurance, but what was he supposed to say? "No one is perfect, and you... You have something special, something none of your friends have."

Gently he pushed Sora into an upright position and tilted his face to look at him. As expected of someone who'd been crying for so long, he looked dreadful.

"The power you have - your Power of Waking - is different. It's truly no wonder you have such troubles controlling it. It's hardly your fault you can't get a grasp on using it."

Now was not the time to tell Sora that he was consistently using it improperly.

"No. I'm just too dumb," Sora whimpered.

"You may be reckless, entirely too eager to help others, and trusting enough for it to be used against you, but you are not dumb."

Sora blinked tearful blue eyes at him and scowled but Xehanort wasn't quite finished yet.

"The ones who put you down, do they have a right to or are they judging you with no personal experiences to justify their comments? Do they have any idea how easy or difficult it is for someone to master the abilities you have been told to master?"

Sora looked away and Xehanort huffed. He thought so. Why Sora spent most of his time with people willing to insult him rather than with someone who cared, Xehanort would never fathom.

A few moments of silence passed, then Sora moved into him again. Hugged tightly as Sora sighed, Xehanort returned the hold with a looser one of his own.

"Stay with me."

"Of course, Sora. I will stay with you as long as fate will allow."

That was the tragic truth of their relationship: it couldn't last no matter how much they might want it to. They had a destiny to follow.

+ 1

A corridor opening in the room pulled Sora from his thoughts about Kairi. He didn't have to look to know who stepped out of it; there was only one member of the Organization that would pay him a visit like this.

"You shouldn't be here."

"I needed to see you."

Sora turned to look at him, unsurprised to see that Xehanort hadn't looked at him with that admittance. When it came to personal heart stuff, Xehanort always seemed to get flustered or close himself off. Refusing to look at Sora while he said it was the best Sora could hope for from him.

"Pretty sure you aren't supposed to talk to the enemy the night before a big battle."

"We've done much more than talk and I never once heard a complaint."

Sora felt his cheeks heat at the reminder and now it was his turn to look away. That was true, but Xehanort being here the night before the big destined battle was different. It was dangerous, and other things Sora couldn't put a name to.

"When you're enemies," Xehanort added in a quieter voice, "the night before a big battle is the last chance you get to say what needs said."

That got Sora's attention and he was a little disappointed to see Xehanort studying his bookshelf as if it was actually interesting to him. For a few moments Sora waited for Xehanort to continue. Instead, Xehanort turned his focus to the keychains Sora'd collected during his adventure.

"So... What did you come here to say?"

Xehanort tensed and still didn't look at him. He rubbed his thumb over the red rose chain Sora had gotten from Belle.

"There is much I wish to say, but... I haven't quite found the words."

Sora could guess what was on his mind. He knew Xehanort decently well - he doubted anyone could claim to know Xehanort well - by now. This version of him anyway.

Getting up from the bed, Sora walked over and wrapped his arms around Xehanort's waist, resting his cheek on his back and gently holding him. Xehanort could take all the time he needed to gather his thoughts.

For a minute or two they stood there, just enjoying the other's presence. Sora could feel himself relaxing more than he really should with a version of Xehanort in his bedroom; especially this particular night. But he'd slept in his presence numerous times before and nothing bad ever happened.

That first time didn't count.

"I'm glad you're here," Sora said. He felt Xehanort tense then relax.

Xehanort turned to face him, his hands rose to cup Sora's face, and Sora smiled up at him. A few moments of Xehanort simply studying his face passed before Xehanort was moving closer. The kiss was gentle, yet full of a desperation Sora didn't understand. He could feel it in the way Xehanort's fingers pressed into his skin, the way his lips moved against his. Almost on auto he raised his hands to Xehanort's back. One hand pet through his hair while the other rest on his shoulders.

It startled Sora when he realized Xehanort was trembling.

Sora drew back in concern to see tears clinging to Xehanort's lashes and watched as one rolled down his cheek. Xehanort's lips parted briefly, long enough for a sharp inhale. Gently cupping his cheek, Sora wiped the tears away on that side. He... Had no idea what to say. What to feel. What was he supposed to do? Xehanort was crying.

Xehanort was crying.

"It's so easy to forget why I'm here when I'm with you. I forget that I am... Nothing more than a useful piece in a game of chess."

There was so much Sora wanted to say to that. Most of all how bullshit it was.

"You make me feel wanted."

"I try."

The laugh was a weak sound that quickly changed back to soft crying. Sora reached up and buried his hand in the soft spikes of Xehanort's hair. Xehanort's forehead pressed against his a few moments later. His eyes stared right into Sora's with so much emotion that Sora was stunned into stillness. He'd never seen Xehanort's eyes look like that. They were beautiful.

"I love you," Xehanort admitted. "So much I-- Allow me this last night together with you."

Before everything ends, Sora's mind supplied. One of them was going to lose tomorrow.

In a way both of them would.

#soxeha #sora (kingdom hearts)#xehanort #young xehanort #kingdom hearts #kh #fol stuff

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dbh-is-a-crime · 4 years

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All Dbh Chapters

@kaydel your reply to my ask has inspired me to give my thoughts on each of the chapters.

Chapter 1: The Hostage

Is honestly a good first chapter, the tension and stakes are high, it pulls you in. There's a reason people who played the demo were hyped for the game. And regardless of what I think of Cage's writing, it's not the first time he's done a solid intro to a game. (Swiftly followed by garbage but I digress..)

We learn something about deviancy and how it starts, we get a sequence of dialogue based gameplay to set up how important it is to the story, and we get a taste of Connor’s somewhat underdeveloped investigation gameplay.

I will admit that there are several lines I kind of like in this scene (’You can’t kill me, I’m not alive’ I’d like this even better if Bryan didn’t love it so much) And most of the outcomes are very cool!

Chapter 2: Opening

Is not a chapter, it's the opening credits. It's not really interesting, but it's not as bad as Heavy Rain's, only because it's about half as long. Kara was robbed.

Chapter 3: Shades of Color

What a title am I right! And no, it's not just because of the paints. This chapter, title aside, isn't bad! We don't learn anything about Markus but it sets the world up nicely. It's one of the cooler open areas. It shows off the graphics nicely.

And all of that is promptly ruined by the overly heavy-handed scene with the protesters. With the follow up of the back of the bus! Also the preacher guy is weird what was the point of that.

Chapter 4: A New Home

Easily one of the most (if not The Most) boring chapters in the game. Mundane QTEs? We all looooooove those! At the end of the chapter you get some exposition to a very nice composition (this game really would be nothing without the music) and that part is actually ok. But the mundane housework gameplay doesn’t get a pass, even if it is to give context for what the life of an android is like. Would be 100% better if there was 40% less housework.

Chapter 5: The Painter

A solid chapter! Learning about Markus through his interactions with Carl? An actual good narrative device? Unbelievable. At surface level their relationship is sweet and Carl is so supportive of Markus growing beyond his programming. Though there is a darker undertone that mirrors the caged android birds. And that it’s all a gilded cage. And I like both of those interpretations, they’re interesting.

The music mini game is interesting the first time you do it but after that I’m never picking it again, chess it is from now on.

Chapter 6: Partners

Connor’s return after 5 chapters. I think that might be the longest break between appearances for any of them. Anyway this chapter is mostly fine. It sets up Hank and Connor’s troubled partnership and shows us what most of Connor’s gameplay is going to be. (Detective work and trying to reason with Hank) It would be interesting if there was an option to let Ortiz’ android go, seeing as there if a version of the scene where you don’t find him. But I guess it’s too early for Connor to be disobeying.

Chapter 7: Stormy Night

Classic David Cage has women being abused by men! Unfortunately this is one of Kara’s best chapters. The tension from the very first moment if real, and as soon as Alice runs up stairs, you just know what’s going to happen. Without fail, every person I’ve ever watched, immediately tries to follow her. Honestly? Solid way to make me care about the kid.

I know some folks have problems with showing child abuse on screen, but my opinion is that they kept the worst of it as implied, like in the failed ending of the chapter, you don’t see it actually happen. So I’m personally okay with it, but I can understand why some may disagree.

10/10 for the chase/escape scene. It’s stressful as hell but honestly the music just makes it...like idk the moment Kara deviates? I nearly, literally screamed the first time. The build up to it is so good, and you as the player are determined to protect Alice and will fight through the programming to do it.

Chapter 8: Broken

Gonna be honest, Markus’ deviating scene falls a little flatter for me. I’ve watched several people play for the first time and actively not want to break programming and retaliate. Which makes the fact that its a scripted event you can’t avoid frustrating to them. I guess we just haven’t seen any anger from him yet so it doesn’t feel like the reaction you expect? (I get that it’s supposed to be him finally cracking, the story just...doesn’t convey that very well.)

Also the fact that you get punished for staying silent with Carl dying is shitty.

Chapter 9: The Interrogation

Talk about fucking tense! This scene is a real challenge, in either difficulty. Unless you don’t care about the android self-destructing?

I don’t have much else to say, it’s not a bad scene but there’s not a lot of substance to it. The ‘the day will come when we will no longer be slaves’ line is...the start of the truly terrible writing choices in this game.

Chapter 10: Fugitives

Not a bad scene. Getting to choose to steal a bunch of stuff is fun, and the fact that you can steal all this shit and then go and sleep in the car is pretty funny. I don’t like the house or Ralph, just because it’s another chance to put a female character at risk from a male character. 7/10 I’m never picking the house. (Also did you know you can fail to steal from that guy in the laundromat and he wakes up lmao)

Chapter 11: From The Dead

Ok this is going to be kind of a controversial opinion...but I’m tired of this scene. While it’s true that no scene in the game holds up on the 20th watch/play, this scene lost most of it’s shock value on the 3rd watch. Now that being said, the sound design in the scene is brilliant. And putting the audio processor back in does still give me chills, but the rest of the scene? I mean, I guess cannibalising other androids is a pretty powerful story action. But the fact that you can take all of the things you need from dead androids if you search hard enough kind of ruins that for me.

Also idk why but everyone collectively thinks that Markus screams when he reaches the top of the slope and I have no idea why.

Chapter 12: Waiting For Hank

Boooooooring. Ok, getting beat up by Gavin after refusing to make him coffee is mildly interesting. But the fact that Hank just hates you in the scene is honestly quite tiring. Like, his opinion of Connor will inevitably go down at least once, you can’t avoid that. Also there’s nothing to explore in the office so...

Chapter 13: On The Run

Both versions of this scene are very tense. And not in...a super fun way. Like ok, Kara has that empowering woman moment where she cuts her hair, great, but the rest of the scene isn’t that good. (And the version with Ralph is downright disturbing.)

Chapter 14: Jericho

Oh god let’s players cannot do this part. And the amount of time I’ve spent watching people run around clueless because they weren’t paying even the slightest attention or follow the obvious path, makes me hate this chapter. I also hate it because the gameplay isn’t very interesting. Markus’ precog is mildly interesting, but that’s really it. (The end of this chapter has some pretty stunning visuals tho)

Chapter 15: The Nest

Ok, the opening conversation with Hank is cute if Connor is trying to be nice. Though the actual chase is pretty tense. The music is on point as always, because the composers for this game were very overqualified for the job. Also the fact that you get punished for not saving Hank both amuses and vexes me. You don’t catch the guy because you were a shitty partner. But what was the point of taking the risk with Hank if there’s no reward? (Yes I know he still ends up in evidence lock up but that’s hardly reward enough for risking your partner’s life)

I mean okay the pigeons flying through the roof is pretty funny, but the investigation in the apartment isn’t all that interesting. Also I’ve just realised I haven’t mentioned the Zen Garden once but honestly most of the scenes there aren’t that interesting anyway.

Chapter 16: Time To Decide

Wow where do I start on how uninteresting this chapter is. You learn very little about Markus’ companions, you get to have a conversation with a magical minority, and you get a line about an android being dragged behind the back of a car. (After reading the wiki about James Byrd I feel genuinely sick and could not be more disgusted that this was used so clumsily in the game.)

Chapter 17: Zlatko

His name sounds like a brand. Also this is my least favourite Kara chapter. They go to his place for almost no reason (just so they can get caught) and we get a 20 minute scene of Zlatko being a cartoonish monster of a man. Also this has been pointed out and now I can’t stop thinking about it. Why is Kara scared of Luther when she sees him? Like...??? Anyway re-finding her memories is boring, finding Alice is also boring, and hiding from Zlatko is just stressful. Nothing interesting to the story happens here, except that Luther joins Kara and Alice.

Chapter 18: Russian Roulette

Perhaps the shortest chapter in the game. It’s not like...super boring, but it’s not interesting either. Also don’t forget to notice the picture on the table or you’ll have no chance of getting the good ending later! Seriously, they should have made it a requirement for the scene to move on if it’s going to be that important.

Chapter 19: Spare Parts

The whole freerunning thing at the start is lame. And the fact that you have to grab the android and then release him to get the best outcome is confusing as hell. (I have seen many folks fuck this up.) The part where you sneak around in the guard house is actually kind of cool. Also North go down if you’re nice to people....I love this game.

Chapter 20: The Eden Club

Pity the lesbian sexworker androids!!! In all seriousness though this is a chapter I do not like. The endings are unfulfilling, the whole storyline is gross, poorly written and very Cage-esque. (Also why would you make the two android lovers the same model?! Just make one of them one of the other 8 female WR800 models you have!) I mean I guess I can say that the glowly design of the sexclub is nice or whatever.

Chapter 21: Pirate’s Cove

Ok this is a personal one but I don’t like this chapter. Something about the family dynamic between the three falls flat for me and so the whole scene being about them makes it...ehh. Also Kara under threat again! Woohoo! The scene on the carousel is kind of cute and the scene composition is nice, but the fact that all the Jerrys are standing around watching is a little weird. Also bait us with rA9 crap why don’t you! we’ll just never learn anything about this i guess

Chapter 22: The Bridge

I like this chapter to be honest. I know Pirate’s Cove is meant to be relaxed but I find this chapter more relaxing. Even if it ends with a gun to Connor’s head. I mean it’s not that hard to not get shot really. And seeing Hank start to care and question their mission is interesting. I don’t know, I guess I just like the visuals of the snow and the bridge. (Anyone notices that it goes from raining to snowing like three days later, wtf)

Chapter 23: The Stratford Tower

Now this one is complicated. Because I like the breaking in and getting up to the broadcast department part, I even like the pre-speech tension. Markus carrying the weight of history and knowing his words will shape what people across the world think of androids.

The music as he gets ready to start the speech is....just so good. But then he starts talking and.....mmmmm press x for civil right yes please! Press square to end slavery? Absolutely! God...the writing in this scene is Bad. Which is a shame! Because it squanders the carefully crafted tension built up until this point. I like the energy going into this scene, the idea that they’re about to take a stand, make history. But it is unfortunately ruined for the sake of a poorly executed racism allegory.

Chapter 24: Public Enemy

Ok, going to investigate the crime scene of what you just did as Markus is pretty good. Its not an original idea, that was the opening sequence for Indigo Prophecy, but it still works I’m not going to lie. Also the cop from the Hostage showing up to thank you if you saved him is cute. The fact that Hank is starting to question Connor and look for signs of deviancy in him is also nice! Also I hate it but going after Simon gives you a more cohesive storyline if you’re going for a deviant Connor route. (Can I get an F for Simon? He can die so many different ways)

Chapter 25: Midnight Train

Can’t believe that the chapter about the underground railroad is literally called Midnight Train. Yeah the dialogue in this? Shocking, terrible, absolutely unforgivable. Rose I am so sorry this happened to you. Also a cop arrives to....put Kara in peril at the hands of a male character again! Can’t go a chapter without that!

Chapter 26: Capitol Park

Hmmmmmmmmm. ‘We have a dream’? ‘I can’t breathe, but I’m still alive’? Hi, yes, hello? David Cage is doing it again, yeah he’s co-opting black history for his story about androids, somebody needs to stop him. Why did no one stop him.

Ok, most of this chapter other than that is ok. It’s not particularly good, but it’s ok. (wiLL yOu bE gOoD oR eViL?!?!1)

Chapter 27: Meet Kamski

Ok this man is so creepy and emotionally manipulative and as a narrative tool I’ve actually come to love it. Like the tone of this chapter is such a breath of fresh air. Maybe it’s just the fact that they added a new character after such a long time and that he knows more than he ever lets on. rA9 baited again...

Also this is Connor’s turning point in a way. You can still choose to change your path later on, but this is the real moment of truth where a character pushes him to reveal where he’s at. (Also the fucking MUSIC)

Chapter 28: Freedom March

Oh no. I’m so sorry Markus you deserve better. I hate this chapter if you can’t tell. The combo of the black history slogans and the jesus music is too much for me. Also the good ending is locked behind Simon being alive/Spare Parts success route??? Also F for that random android who’s name is John that we hear about twice.

Chapter 29: Last Chance, Connor

I usually keep a low profile with Gavin so I miss out on the beatdown unfortunately. But having the option is hilarious. If you don’t sacrifice at the march, Simon is alive, interrogation bad end, Rupert and the Tracis escape....can you even find Jericho?

Just a thought, anyway this is short but tense chapter. Don’t hate it.

Chapter 30: Crossroads

Kara’s part of this is dumb as hell. The Alice twist literally destroys the storyline but anyway...

Markus has very little to do until the end. His version is ok, but Jesse’s line delivery leaves something to be desired. (You’re one of us....)

Connor’s is easily the most interesting of the three concurrent stories at this point. Going in to capture Markus/North, chasing them through the hold if ur a machine..very good.

And....going deviant. Okay yes that still gets me, I did actually shout YES!! out loud the first time I witnessed it. The music’s slow build in the scene, and most of the dialogue (if you choose carefully) swells to this point and...and..it happens!!

Like idk I’ve only been slowly building up to this for 9 hours, sue me.

Chapter 31: Night Of The Soul

I like this chapter! Or Markus’ version anyway. Connor’s...well the Hank version is just sad. The Jericho version is fine.

But Markus? Visiting Carl’s grave or the man himself is such an emotional moment for the character. And the single humanising moment he’s had in several chapters. The conversation is so weighted with his doubts and fears and Jesse Williams gives a beautiful performance! (Also as I’ve said, the alarm system saying ‘welcome home markus’ kills me on impact)

Chapter 32: Battle For Detroit

Is a good chapter. What, did you expect me to say it isn’t? Cause it is. Or some versions of it are.

The tension in all three characters stories, regardless of which version, is perfectly hit at this point.

Kara’s....ah fuck idk I mean the border version is ok? The others....kind of suck? The guy letting them through with high public opinion and Markus doing a peaceful demonstration is kind of cute and sort of makes sense in a way.

Markus’ versions (both in which he is alive) are pretty cool. The revolution is hard, and I do like that it ends with him saying that they haven’t won, they’ve only started a war. The demonstration is kind of dumb, and I actually prefer them getting shot and then the news anchors suggesting that maybe androids are people in their own right that humans refused to acknowledge. (Feels more real, ya know?) Also black folk song!! Why??

Gonna be real, most of Connor’s versions of this scene are pretty good. Cyberlife tower is tense as hell but he’s a fucking badass. Machine Connor on the roof gives us the best line in the game. ‘What’s up lieutenant, ran out of whiskey so you came here looking for trouble?’

So that’s some of my thoughts on each of the chapters of dbh, I could go into more depth but my eyes hurt and I’ll probably hit post limit soon.

#dbh meta #ramblings #mine

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amilythings-blog · 5 years

Text

Compare the university life between New Zealand and China.

Have you just finished the college entrance examination? Are you studying at a Chinese university at this moment? Are you considering going to university in China or going overseas? Do you have any experience in studying abroad?

As shown by data, over the past 40 years, the number of Chinese students studying abroad has reached 5 million. In 2017, the number of students studying abroad in China exceeded six hundred thousand (EOL, 2017). This shows that more and more people in Chinese choose to study abroad. What is the reason for so many Chinese students want to study abroad? In this blog, I mainly focus on the topic of compare university life between New Zealand and China. I chose New Zealand as my target country because I have experience in studying in New Zealand, so the information provided to you will be more accurate. Before I started the blog, I interviewed five Chinese students who currently studying in New Zealand’s University and had experiences of studying at a Chinese university for more than one year. The five interviewees were all enrolled at the University of Otago. The universities they study in China are generally at colleges such as Chengdu Institute Sichuan International Studies University, Baoding University. All the contents of my blog are based on the interviews. This blog has three main parts. The first part compares the strengths and weaknesses of studying in New Zealand and the strengths and weaknesses of studying in China. The second part explores why Chinese students want to study abroad. What are the purposes of going abroad and what are the benefits of going abroad? In the third part, I asked the interviewers, If give them another chance, are they still willing to study overseas? How will they choose? Are you interested in these topics? If yes. Now come with me to find the answer!

University life in New Zealand

In China, parents and students are most concerned about learning. Firstly, Let me talk about the study. You can feel a strong learning atmosphere at New Zealand’s universities. One interviewer said that during school time, he was in the library every day. But, when he was in China he had never been to the library. In addition, in New Zealand, you can truly learn professional knowledge. Of course, it is possible that the motivation for your study is because of the tuition is really expensive, because you don’t want to live up to your parents' expectations, because you don't want to fail any exam. But no matter what your motivation is, you have learned. Another advantage is that the school's world ranking is high. Foreign universities have more advantages than domestic universities. For example, if you want to continue to study master program, the success rate of foreign university graduation applications will be higher. Furthermore, foreign countries pay great attention to students' critical thinking and group cooperation. Critical thinking is a way you can build successful and efficient problem-solving skills which prove highly valuable in the future studying or working and you can become a more informed, reasoned decision maker. In New Zealand, they have a lecture class and tutorial class. In the tutorial class, the teacher will take care of all the students and participate in the group activities and provide advice and guidance for every group. Besides, the teacher will give you feedback The teacher's comments and suggestions are especially important for learning. In addition, you can search a lot of academic materials by logging in to the school's official website. Many documents not found in China can be found on the school’s official website or on some scholar websites. Many foreign universities are in small cities. For example, Otago University is in Dunedin which is a quiet and beautiful town. There is limited entertainment which caused students to have a lot of quiet time for themselves, you can do something they like. Let us talk about life, and every child who goes abroad will become more independent. When you take three suitcases and step out of the country, you become independent.

On the other hand, there are many shortcomings in going to universities abroad. All the students have said that ever things are expensive. For example, accommodation, tuition, and meals. Also, the selectivity is quite small. One interviewer said that when I first arrived in New Zealand, I felt very happy to eat Western food every day, but after a few days, he missed Chinese food. Dunedin is just a few Chinese restaurants. What's more, both locals and international students say that New Zealand's public transportation is inconvenient. Take my own example. I used to live in a home-stay family. The last bus is at 6 pm. Sometimes, I had class finished at 5; 50. After class, I must ran to the bus stop, and if I missed it I have to take another bus. But it can't go directly to my house, I need to walk for another 20 minutes. In addition, everyone feels that they are very lonely. They don’t have many friends. To sum up, there are advantages and disadvantages to going to universities abroad. Everyone has a different view of studying abroad.

University life in China

The most prominent point in domestic universities is freedom. Students can participate in many club activities, such as dance clubs and chess clubs. At university, you can make friends with students from different provinces and cities. The more people you know, the brighter your social relationship you have. However, the university is the epitome of society. In Chinese universities, students learned a lot of social skills and gave them an opportunity to enter the society in advance which will lay a foundation for their future development. Chinese universities are generally full-time, so students are living in a dormitory. The dormitory is like a small group. Everyone helps each other and they don't feel lonely. Besides, there are many choices for eating and there are many entertainment facilities. For instance, there are many large shopping malls or shopping centers, and online shopping is also very convenient. Every school has canteens and they are very cheap. If you don't want to eat in the cafeteria, you can find a lot of restaurants near the school. With the development of science and technology, China has made progress in sharing services in recent years. For example, shared bicycles. Shared bicycles can be seen in every street in China. One New Zealand dollar can ride for 5 hours. In China, the choice of part-time jobs is wider. You can choose jobs related to professional or future career planning. So you can experience the work you want to do in the future, and you can also accumulate work experience.

On the other hand, there are many shortcomings in going to Chinese universities. Let's talk about learning. Students spend most of their time socializing and have not spent time on professional knowledge. Some jobs are very professional, such as doctors, electronics. If Student is not independence. For example, many students take dirty clothes home for washing during weekends. If no one is accompanying, many students are not willing to go to restaurants in term of eating instant noodles in the dormitory. There is another problem. The interviewer said before university, students were under the control of parents and teachers. The daily task was to study hard and go to school. After enrolling in college, students have a lot of free time, and students don't know what to do without someone else's “control”. Therefore, most students have a girlfriend and a boyfriend. According to China News Network, there are about 13 million abortions per year in China, and college students account for more than half (China Youth Daily, 2015). Students have not been exposed to sex education, resulting in a high rate of abortion. Most college students have limited living expenses, some girls were chosen to go to small hospitals to do the abortion, which would cause some aftereffects. But when they graduate, many couples break up because they come from different provinces and cities. Because of traditional thinking, girls will have a lot of pressure, they are afraid that the future because they are not “pure”. Girls are fear to tell their parents or friends because they think that it is shameful. At this time, mental illness has arisen, and some girls choose suicide while they cannot withstand the pressure. We can find this problem in every Chinese university. The 20-year-old’ students should have lots of beautiful dreams, but some girls have left the world forever. This is a true example from my roommate who has lived with me for one year. Because of this incident that I have had deeper thinking about it, and I am very sad when I mention this. I hope that one day girls can learn to protect themselves. Parents should be more tolerant rather than blame. At my age, most of the families only have one child. Child left means the breakdown of the family... Of course, Students have the right to pursue love. There are also many good examples.....

All in all, whether you are going to school in China or going to New Zealand, there are many advantages and many shortcomings. Everyone has a different view on whether to go to study abroad. Everyone’s study abroad experience should be different. Everything has two sides, everyone may has different ideas. For example, what others think is an advantage I might think is a disadvantage. But hope these views I mentioned could help you to find out the reason why Chinese like study aboard.

Education as a sorter

China's education system is like a sorter which categorizes people and divided them into different classes of society. This led to the social hierarchy. First of all, education and work are inextricably linked. Because of history, culture and politics factors, Chinese think academic qualifications. Graduated from an ordinary college can be associated with poor work options. For example, a student who graduated from Tsinghua University and a student who graduated from an ordinary university student interviewed in some company. In general, the company will choose students who graduate from Tsinghua University. It may not because of students who from ordinary universities have not qualified for their jobs. It is because another person has the label "Tsinghua University." In addition, Students who graduated from ordinary universities may be caused a longer time for entered the leadership than the famous universities’ students. Because when there is an opportunity, the upper leaders will give the opportunity to those who think can succeed (who from famous school). This is why there are so many Chinese students going abroad. Because they want to create many opportunities and strive for better work.

Secondly, the relation between education and social prestige. The difference in work causes differences in social status. The level of education, as well as the status of parents, has an extremely significant impact on the acquisition of children’s current occupational status. Maybe is come from the impact of the so-called "unit system." Many parents want their children to enter government departments, such as government officials, teachers, and police. If parents work in a high social status, then they “arrange” their children through a variety of relationships to what they think is good work. In addition, hukou also has an important position in Chinese society. The hukou limits the working area and the school area and it is also divided China into rural areas and cities. The hukou problem can be changed by going to college. In July 2017, Chengdu issued a new policy to allow students to apply for a Chengdu hukou (Chengdu Business Daily, 2019). finally, Education affects families. The family has a special meaning for Chinese, it is very important for the Chinese. If the child can get into a good university, the whole family will feel proud. In the same way, a Tsinghua graduate student will not find a girl who has never been to college. Even if two people like each other, the family will oppose it. Everyone generally thinks that friends around excellent people are also excellent people. If a person's work is good and his social status is high, then his family will be better. In addition, children born in central cities receive better education, while children in remote areas and rural areas have a greater gap in education compared to children in the same period of the city. In the process, the children of the city have more advanced than children from rural areas. Children get more opportunities. There is no doubt that the education level in China can change a person's fate. Because of this, people have taken education very seriously and this is one of the reasons why so many Chinese want to study aboard.

If give you another chance, are you still willing to study overseas?

The last question I interviewed was that if you were given another chance to re-select, would you still willing to study aboard? They said that if the college entrance examination scores are good, they are more willing to choose to study at a good university in China. One interviewer said that she believes that it is important for universities not only to learn professional knowledge but also to improve their overall ability. There are no language barriers in china. In this situation, she can participate in many different activities, join the student union, and exercise her leadership skills. Participate in many different social activities can enrich university life. Knowing a lot of friends will also be good for them to have a job in the future. Moreover, there are a group of good friends around, when you get in trouble, your friends will give you help. Or when you sick, you friends would take care of you. When you are homesick, you can go home. In addition, in recent years, there are man research program and have lots of international cooperation and exchanges in Chinese universities. If you can join those studies, it will be good for your future development. Famous universities in China will have national funds. For example, in 2018, they had 22 research projects in Tsinghua University, and government support fund is 463.37 million yuan. Also, the funding for Peking University is 303.2 million yuan. Through these subsidies, schools can improve both hardware facilities such as the school environment, computers, and soft facilities can be improved such as attracting more researchers. However, my interviewers said that if they finish their undergraduate program in China, they still hope to go abroad to study for the postgraduate program. Foreign graduate students have to complete a postgraduate program for three years, while most foreign countries only need one or two years. However, they said if their college entrance examination scores are the same as before, they will still choose to go abroad. If they don't go abroad, they will find it difficult to find a good job after graduating from a normal university. Many companies like to recruit students who graduate from prestigious universities. They said that although going to college abroad, they will encounter many challenges and difficulties. Those challenges and difficulties have become their “wealth” and best experiences which made them become stronger and more independent. Furthermore, Chinese students indicated they would like to apply for permanent residence. Living in New Zealand is less competitive than living in China. There are a lot of free time in New Zealand, you can go out on weekends, spend much more time with family, do more favorite things Even if they don't stay in New Zealand, their work experience in New Zealand will bring them many benefits. Also, after graduating in New Zealand, they can find a satisfactory job in China. All in all, studying abroad is a springboard and make many students jump out of the rules of the education system.

Society and the relationship are very complicated in China. Study, education plays an important role in China and the task of the child is to study hard. In addition, there is a complex relationship between education, work, family, and social status. Studying abroad is a springboard and students could jump out of the rules already set by the Chinese education system. I hope this blog will help you have a better understanding, known the difference between Chinese universities and New Zealand universities and find out why Chinese students want to study abroad. Finally, I hope that all the students can have a bright future.

Reference

Chengdu Business Daily. 2019. The talent plan is implemented in a year, 275,000 people settled in Chengdu. Accessed May 26, 2019.

http://www.sc.xinhuanet.com/content/2019-04/18/c_1124382252.htm

China Youth Daily. 2015. China's annual abortion is as many as 13 million people. Accessed May 26, 2019. http://www.sohu.com/a/275781380_99897658

Eol. 2017. Report of China's study abroad development. Accessed May 26, 2019. https://www.eol.cn/html/lx/report2017/yi.shtml

Fong, Vanessa L. 2011. Paradise Redefined: Transnational Chinese Students and the Quest for Flexible Citizenship in the Developed World. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

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captainsbabysitter-blog · 7 years

Text

Pride Before The Fall

Fandom: Star Trek AOS

Characters: Christopher Pike and Jim Kirk

Word Count: 1,512

Summary: Chis never thought about having kids, so the last thing he anticipated was James T. Kirk worming his way into the man’s life and heart.

@thevalesofanduin @gracieminabox

All I can say is... Sorry? I may have made myself sad at the end. I wrote this in between studying for an accounting exam so it’s super short, super rushed, and not even edited.

The first time Chris met James Kirk was at the 10 year memorial service for the USS Kelvin and her crew. He stood staring at the plaque on the wall with something bordering on hatred, and Christ couldn’t blame him. Everyone had heard the story of George Kirk’s bravery at least in passing, but all the “you should be proud” and “your father was a hero” commentary in the world wouldn’t bring the kid’s dad back from the dead.

He had never been big on kids, yet he found himself kneeling beside him. Bright eyes glanced his way for only a second before they rolled and turned away. “Save it.”

“You don’t even know what I’m about to say.” Chris kept his hands to himself, avoiding the usual pat of the shoulder in favor of giving the kid his own space.

The tone that followed was mocking, barely contained contempt surprising from a 10-year-old dripping from each word, “Oh your father was such a good man. You should be proud he was such a hero! He died so you could live! Yeah, like that’s supposed to make me feel good.”

Chris’ face softened in response. “That’s not what I was going to say. It must be hard to spend today here of all places.”

Surprise followed swiftly by suspicion flickered across Jim’s face. He finally turned to face Chris, however, so the man counted it as a success. Even still, Jim seemed wary. He seemed to search Chris’ face, a spark of intelligence lighting behind the upset before his shoulders released the tension they had been holding since Chris arrived.

“Yeah. Not really the best birthday. Who’re you?”

“I’m Christopher Pike,” he answered as he held out a hand for Jim to shake. “You’re James?”

The correction was swift as Jim took his hand in a firm shake, “Jim.”

“Okay, Jim. How about I show you how to play a game? I think everyone else has this memorial business in hand don’t you?”

Jim perked up a bit at the prospect. “What kind of game?”

“Have you ever played chess?”

“No. That’s the one that’s like checkers, right?”

“Sort of. I think you’ll like it.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing round after round of chess. Chris couldn’t help but be impressed by some of the plays made by the boy, but a first time player would never have stood a chance against the officer let alone a child. Instead of a tantrum, Jim seemed to inspect each board after being checkmated as if dedicating it to memory. He made a note to get contact information to keep in touch and keep an eye on the boy.

The next two years are spent sending messages back and forth. Chris sends Jim puzzles and problems and the occasional real life scenario to see how quickly Jim solves them. Such a brilliant mind needed to be nurtured and challenged, and Chris was more than happy to help with that. The answers he received were never boring even if they were occasionally bordering on dangerous or illegal.

He was thrilled when he received a message one day asking for a letter of recommendation and then informing him that Jim would be attending a school off-world for children with high potential.

Not once did he ever expect to hear the name of the planet come across the wire. All available Starfleet ships make for Tarsus IV immediately. The things he read turned his stomach and for the first time in a long while, Christopher Pike found himself praying as he redirected his ship in an instant.

Wild, alert blue instantly met Chris’ eyes when he walked into the room they had left Jim in. Recognition wasn’t immediate, but the weak, questioning voice that said his name shattered his heart. He was at Jim’s side in an instant.

“I’m right here, son.” He waited for Jim to attach to him before Christ returned the hug gently. “Have they found your mother yet?”

“She’s back in Iowa. Where are the others?”

“Others?”

“The other kids. Where are they?” He sounded almost frantic as he clung to Pike.

Chris rubbed at his back and glanced at the guard near the door. “We’ll find out. Let’s find you something to eat while I see what’s going on.”

Not once did Jim let go of his hand and as they walked the halls, Chris noticed more than once that any appearance of someone new came with a flinch and a subtle shuffle behind the officer. Seeing the proud child he had left reduced to such a state sent rage singing through his veins. He had to keep it in check. Jim couldn’t see him like that right now; not when he was in such a vulnerable position.

“You stay here and eat. I’ll find out where your friends are and contact your mother.”

He was in the middle of speaking with the commander in charge of recovering survivors when a commotion kicked up over where he had left Jim. A chorus of voices yelled the boy’s name in a disjoined chorus as a gaggle of children ranging anywhere from 5 to Jim’s age surrounded him. The smile and obvious relief that lit up Jim’s face made Chris feel like he could relax just a little now. Jim seemed to be taking stock of each child and waited until they were all sitting down with food in front of them before he let his attention wander back to his own plate.

Not for the first time, Chris found himself picturing the kid captaining a ship of his own one day. He certainly had the protective instincts for it. Must be genetic.

After returning Jim to the custody of his mother, it was another year of back and forth messages with Jim before Winona Kirk finally sent him one with a police report attached. I need help with Jim. I know he looks up to you, and so I’m asking you.

He pinched the bridge of his nose after a quick readthrough. Sent a car over a cliff?

“Why’re you causing your mother so much grief, son?” Chris watched Jim with a raised eyebrow. Stubborn silence followed as the teen looked everywhere but him. “Jim…”

“It’s not like you’re my dad. What do you even care?”

He frowned, a twist in his gut he couldn’t identify fueling the snapped response, “If I didn’t I wouldn’t be here, now would I?” Regret quickly overtook his anger when Jim flinched further away. He sighed and tried to think of anything that could bridge the awkwardness of the whole situation. “How about we get out of here and get some ice cream?”

Hesitation, then, “Fine.”

He waited until they were half way through their cones before trying again. “Okay, so… I’m no good at this, and I know you’re too smart for me to lay out some bullshit, so how’s this sound: I’ll check in with you regularly, and you don’t give your mother a heart attack before you finish puberty."

Jim stared at him for a minute before shrugging. “Fine.”

“Are you going to say anything other than fine?”

For that, he received a raised eyebrow. Chris returned the look, every line of his face screaming how unimpressed he was. He was rewarded with a bright grin.

“Thanks for the ice cream, Chris.”

He chuckled and ruffled Jim’s shaggy hair before pulling him into a hug. It was reluctantly returned. “You’re welcome, kid. Let’s get you back home.”

The next few years were full of messages back and forth between Chris and Jim. Questions about plans for the future, more puzzles and tactical questions (he would deny it to his last breath, but some of Jim’s solutions were implemented on his ship), what life on a ship is like, how things are going for Jim on Earth are passed back and forth but with decreasing frequency. Jim starts to trail off contact, and Chris finds himself growing more concerned as the time between responses increases.

After six months of nothing, he contacts Winona. Everything she relayed to him did nothing to assuage his concerns. Bar fights, more acting out, and a once brilliant mind wasted as Jim floated through life.

Chris was pissed. When there was a scheduled pickup of cadets in Iowa, he signed up to supervise and wasn’t disappointed when he followed them to a local bar. A fight had broken out, and he frowned to see Jim sprawled out on a table.

He would remember the conversation for the rest of his life. Jim was too smart, too talented, too important to just let him waste himself barhopping across Iowa until he landed himself in jail.

“Your father was captain of a starship for twelve minutes. He saved eight hundred lives, including your mother’s and yours. I dare you to do better.”

Even in his dying moments, Christ took comfort in the pride he felt that James T. Kirk, the son he never asked for to anticipated, did just that.

#Christopher Pike #jim kirk #james t. kirk #star trek aos

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