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#this is extremely summarized to fit the set
of-wounds-and-woes · 2 years
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Home and Away, episodes 7796 - 7797
Tane gets stabbed once again…
Last GIF is a bonus, Home and Away, the gift that just keeps on giving :)
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ssahotchnerr · 11 months
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one more aaron hc: if you're someone who constantly needs to be playing with something (hair elastic, jewelry, etc) but you have none available, he would let you play with his fingers.
not even in a sexual way-- more like he would let you trace his palm, touch his fingertips, even let you pick at his fingernails.
here and now
okay i'm putting an anxious!reader take on this🥺 cw; established relationship, description of anxiety, so much fluff i want to cry
your quickened breath. that was the first thing aaron noticed.
as subtle as it was- extremely quiet as you were attempting to keep it maintained and discrete- it didn't fail to invade his ears. it also helped that he was seated right beside you, and besides, he knew you and all your tells.
and so, his eyes shot downwards to your lap, to your hands more specifically. as he expected, you were repeatedly clenching your fist, while attempting to hold your focus to the conversation at hand. every so often you changed tactics, your thumbnail pushing into the side of your index finger for a second or two, and then your knuckles would constrict again. more so, you were trying to hold onto something.
aaron's eyes lifted back to reid, who was going off on a tangent on how a mathematical sequence related to the geographical profile and to the unsub's comfort zone as a whole. keeping his gaze forward, his hand snuck below the table, easily finding the one that was his perfect fit.
as his hands were large, twice the size of yours, his palm completely enveloped your hand as a whole. quickly, he slipped his fingers under your own, resting between your fingers and palm.
at the contact, you nearly pried your hand away, glancing at aaron and widening your eyes in slight alarm. while in the field and to both your agreement, pda was kept to the absolute minimum. there were the rare occasions the rule was broken, in instances of high concern or danger, but it rarely happened. so aaron crossing that boundary, was almost unheard of.
you met his eyes, your own full of question and confusion.
what are you doing? here? now?
aaron shook his head briefly at your silent words. the two of you understood each other so well, there were times you didn't need words to communicate. loaded looks, variating different meanings appropriate to whatever the situation may be, did all the talking. it was more than enough.
his gaze softened deeply, those brown eyes you loved dearly expressing so much you couldn't put an accurate word to fully summarize it. all you knew, it made you feel safe. loved.
it's okay. i know what i'm doing.
you instantly relaxed at this, your shoulders dropping from the tension plaguing them. you hadn't even realized how much they had stiffened. or quite honestly, you hadn't recognized your anxious tendencies either until aaron had addressed them.
your fingers relaxed in his instantly this time.
at the touch his hand was rough, yet so incredibly gentle at the same time. it was a signature you only knew as aaron's. likewise, they offered you a familiarity that immediately grounded you, beginning to rebalance your raised heart rate.
still unnoticed by the others in the room, you pulled his hand further onto your lap, granting yourself more access. aaron even scooted his chair a few centimeters closer to yours.
your fingertips began to lightly trace his palm, falling into a cycle between moving to his fingers and back again. as you did so your clouded mind began to clear, the discussion at the table beginning to make more sense as you slowly refocused.
next, your fingers grabbed ahold of aaron's. your fingertips danced along his, playing with them gently before folding your hand into his.
once fingers were intertwined together, aaron lightly squeezed your hand. he longed to bring a kiss to your knuckles, and was disappointed the setting prevented him from doing so, but that was a matter he could easily solve later at the privacy of the hotel. or even sneakily attempt once everyone rose from the conference table, distracted.
this time when you peeked at aaron, his lips were raised into a small smile. it would go unknown amongst the others, but you recognized it. again, a subtle characteristic of aaron's only you would know.
just as he had, you returned the gesture and tightened your grip on his hand for a couple seconds, relaying your thankfulness and how much love you held for him.
again, the two of you didn't need words. he knew.
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ghostgorlsworld · 5 months
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Moondrunk Monster Pt 1 (Ghost x reader)
Hey so this is my first Call of duty fanfic, so the characters might be wack. The general idea for this one is based off of a Love, Death, Robots episode where werewolves are basically in the military.
You're a retired combat medic that made a mistake, costing you your cushy office job. As punishment, you're sent to an active war zone, where you meet the 141, a squad of werewolves that slowly accept you as their own. (I know, I know I'm bad at summarizing)
Warnings: Extreme violence, smut in the future
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Part 1
It was odd to think of how much your life had changed in just a few weeks. At the beginning of the year, you were placed in a cushy job at a base where you were paid large amounts of money to stitch up red-faced recruits and perform physicals on the higher ups–it had been nice, a simple existence where you didn’t have to see blown apart soldiers or hold poor boys down while they screamed and screamed.
But things changed, and for the punishment of your mistake, you were flown here. An active warzone deep in the desert, where there were no boyish recruits eager to please, just grizzled soldiers that look at you like an intruder, a hen in the midst of foxes.
When you were younger, this was easier. You had liked the excitement and adrenaline of danger, of scurrying in the heat of gunfire with your medpack to save lives.
Now you’re older, grumpier, and generally out of shape. They hadn’t given you time to prepare before the Colonel shipped you out here, so here you were in an ill-fitting uniform, setting up your medic bay beside the wolf-soldier’s tent because the Captain insisted that was the only space left in camp.
Their original medic had died after both he and his supplies were blasted to pieces. Captain Graves shortly put in a request for an experienced combat medic, and you could imagine his surprise when he saw you step off the plane, a woman in her early thirties, soft from five years of office work.
The Captain, understandably, hated you. He was saddled with an overweight female medic and a squad of wolves, you were sure the combination put a few extra gray hairs on his head.
Ironically, wolf-soldiers were highly sought after in the military. They were quicker, stronger, and smarter than even the best of the best, able to walk barefoot in the desert without a blister or sniff out an enemy from miles away. You had seen a wolf blown nearly in half get up and walk out of your tent the next day. 
Captain’s group was a particularly intimidating bunch. There was Johnny–or Soap, as he preferred–a mohawked wolf with charming blue eyes and a deadly sense of humor. Gaz was the sweetheart of the bunch, smiling at you in a friendly sort of manner whenever you were forced to sit at the end of their lunch table.
Price was their leader, a wide man with a deep voice and commanding presence. Honestly, he reminded you of your father.
Then there was Ghost, the wolf in the skull mask. He was the biggest, all broad shoulders and muscles encased in a healthy layer of fat–and, from what you had learned from your patients, the most dangerous.  
On your first day, you had to dig a piece of shrapnel the size of your hand out of his shoulder. Ghost refused when you offered wolf-friendly pain medication, seeming to enjoy your expression as you watched the skin around his gaping wound knit itself back together.
The other soldiers disliked them, simultaneously jealous and fearful of their abilities . The 141 were excluded from the rest, much like you were, so you spent meals at  the other side of their table, minding your own business with a novel.
They didn’t seem to mind, after all, you spent half your time digging bullets out of them when the other medics refused to touch them. They weren’t used to humans being kind to them. 
You quickly adjusted to life in the desert, sleeping in the back of the med bay in a rickety cot while your patients tossed and turned through the night. You got used to the early mornings and the shitty food, the screaming, the blood, settling back into a life that you had thought you left behind.
This morning was no different. You wake to the noise of shouting, the dark sky telling you it was far from morning. 
“Where the fuck is the medic?” Price’s voice dominated over the others. You quickly stumble out of bed, shoving your legs through your pants and hastily buckling them as you hurried outside, wiping the sleep from your eyes. 
The scene before you was gruesome. Gaz lay prone on the ground, throat slashed and guts strewn out of his belly like noodles.
If he were a man, he would be dead.
But even a wolf can die, and a body can’t heal around its  own intestines.
You were awake in an instant, shouting orders to the men around you as you dropped to your knees. His pulse was slowing as more blood pooled into the dirt, his body unable to replace what he was losing so quickly. 
The thing about werewolves is that they are partially human, which allows them to take human blood in small doses if the need calls for it. But the issue was the blood itself. 
Every week, you get a shipment of fresh, cold O-negative blood, giving you ample supply for every occasion. But a sandstorm had interrupted the usual shipment yesterday, and while you knew that the shipment was supposed to arrive at noon later today, that didn’t help you now.
Gaz gagged, blood gurgling from his throat.
“Shit, shit,” Soap said, his mohawk slicked with his friend’s blood. “Is he gonna make it, doc?” Soldiers huddled around you, supplies in their hands. You ripped strips of gauze and placed them over his throat, slowing the bleeding before you started on his gutted stomach. 
“We’re out of transfusion blood,” you announced. “Is any soldier here O-negative?”
Silence. No human soldier would volunteer to give his own blood to a wolf. 
Except you. You nodded, swiping an alcohol swab into the crease of your elbow before connecting the two of you with an IV, the bright red of your blood flowing into his veins at the gasps of both human and wolf around you.
It would stir up the healing process so you worked quickly, Amon, another medic, joining you as you worked on closing his stomach.
It felt like hours before his pulse grew strong again, but you knew it could only be ten, twenty minutes. You slid the IV out of your arm, blinking as black spots appeared in your vision.
You might have given a bit too much. 
Gaz looked at you, his dark eyes replaced by an eerie yellow stare. A chill stole up your spine. 
 “Good morning,” you said through numb lips, taking a peek under the gauze on his throat. It was now only a pale scar, just a memory of a wound. “Look at that, soldier, you’re practically brand new.”
Gaz smiled weakly, his head falling back into the dirt. Soap whooped, gripping your shoulder in a vicious hug. “Good job, lass, I thought the pup was gone for sure.”
You stumbled at the weight of him, suddenly feeling exhausted. “Amon, will you get him set up in the infirmary? I think I need a moment.”
Price waved Soap off, gripping your elbow in a guiding hold. “Ease off the poor girl, Johnny, she’s dead on her feet.”
Soap merely grinned apologetically, ruffling your bedhead with a rough palm before helping the others move Gaz into the infirmary. 
Ghost stood behind you, a reaper in sand-colored tactical pants. Price pushed you gently into Ghost’s direction, “Get her something to eat, Lieutenant.” “I’m alright,” you tried to insist, a spike of nerves in your belly about being with Ghost. He was the least human of them all.
“That was an order, doc,” Ghost said, his voice a dry rumble as his hand fell on your shoulder. “Go on.”
You allowed yourself to be herded to 141’s tent, having half a mind to curl up in one of their bunks and sleep until dawn, free from the smell of blood and antiseptic. 
Their tent was neat and smelled, well, like an animal den–not unpleasant, just overwhelmingly…male. 
Ghost nudged you towards the sink without a word. 
It took you a moment to see that you were still wearing gloves, caked in Gaz’s blood. You stripped them off, then began soaping up your hands and forearms, scrubbing the red from your skin.
When you were clean, you hovered over a cot, about to take a seat for your shaky legs.
Ghost stiffened from where he was crouched, his hands in a tub of supplies. “Not that one.” You glanced down, seeing the Scottish flag on the wall, the photos of a couple that looked exactly like Johnny. “Oh, sorry.” 
He jerked his head to another cot, this one bare of any decoration except for a cold cup of tea. You assumed it was Price’s, perhaps he doesn’t mind the stench of a human on his sheets.
You took a seat, your hands trembling in your lap. Ghost tossed an army bar your way. “Eat,” he said, in a tone that didn’t invite an argument. 
“Ew,” you said, eyeing the packaging. He gave you a dark-eyed look, the kind that probably made wolves bare their bellies and whine. “Oh fine,” you huffed, tearing into it. It was awful, the kind of chalky that let you know they stuffed enough nutrition and calories in the bland, tasteless bar to keep a soldier going for days. You chewed and watched Ghost shift around in the makeshift kitchen, heating a pot of water over a spindly propane stove.
Was he making-
“Drink this,” Ghost said, passing over a cup of tea. He kept one for himself, pulling up a chair to sit across from you. He was still filthy from whatever mission the Captain had set them on, blood and dirt smeared over his gear and mask.
“Thank you,” you said, sniffing it doubtfully. You were American, so you didn’t have much taste for tea unless it was iced and sweet. 
But when someone like Ghost makes you a cup of tea, you drink the fucking tea.
He nodded, turning away from you so he could lift his mask over his mouth to drink his tea. You looked away quickly, focusing your attention on the Scotland flag on Soap’s corner.
The two of you sit in silence for a long time, long enough that your cup is drained and you’re blinking heavily at the darkness still outside.
“Go on,” Ghost said, slipping the cup out of your hand.
You hide a yawn, pushing yourself up from the bed.“It’s alright, LT, I’ve got my own bed somewhere.” “You have half a dozen men in your tent, love.” Ghost backed you up against the bed, his heavy hand on your shoulder. “Sleep. We’ll keep an eye on Kyle.”
It made sense. You kicked off your boots and curled up on the cot, hiding your throbbing head in a pillow that smelled like gunpowder and musk. 
Ghost ducked out of the tent as you laid down, your eyes falling on a skull mask folded up neatly beside the cot.
It was then that you realized this was his bed. 
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darkcircles4lyfe · 9 months
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Love in Chaos
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The way chapter 393 seized me from the inside out, brought me to my knees, smiling with fierce glee—it was all the proof I needed. All at once, a checklist I didn’t even know I was keeping started getting all its boxes ticked. I’ll admit that for some time, I haven’t been sure exactly how Toga’s story should be handled for her to get the care, nuance, and dignity she deserves. So I’ve been resigned, waiting to see what Horikoshi has to say about it. I didn’t know until I saw it, but I can tell we’re on exactly the same page.
This fight between Ochako and Toga—or should I say Himiko, since ya know, they’re both on a first name basis now—it’s a kind of breaking point for the overarching narrative and its themes. Here is where the big questions about hero/villain society are not only asked, but answered. Himiko, more than any of the other main villains, was branded with that label as far back as she can remember, without her having done anything except exist. Thus, she carries the weight of their society’s problems and becomes a symbol of the injustice in prejudice and fear, the brutal agony of being rejected by the world. I’ve maintained this resolve about the story for a long time: I will not be satisfied with an ending that constitutes a return to normal, or even a slightly amended normal. I know that it would be a disservice to Himiko if she were made to fit into society again, whether that be in death or reform or containment. Society has to change for her. After 393, I can tell that Horikoshi knows this too.
It’s the way Ochako steps up to this conversation so boldly and positions herself on Himiko’s side. When Himiko dismisses her words as fickle, claims she’ll go back on them and do horrible things to punish her according to hero society, Ochako comes right back and says no, this isn’t about what you’ve done, this is about you. I see you. I see your beautiful smile and I want to protect it.
Throughout her life, Himiko has not been treated like a real person, so of course this is what she needs. No lecture on morals could disarm her the way acceptance can. It’s also extremely refreshing and reassuring to see Himiko being taken seriously. I’m so incredibly excited for Ochako to accomplish such a completely transgressive act of unconditional love against this harsh world. I could stare in awe of the panels in this chapter for hours, how they’re drawn at the exact intersection of beauty, pain, and honesty. Grotesque violence and elegance. Power and vulnerability. I was so overcome that, for a while, I failed to register a crucial implication.
Enter: The Female Vampire Carmilla
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She is referenced merely in passing, but as a rejected villain name for Himiko, speaks volumes. It’s difficult for me to find the words to summarize… perhaps you’ve heard by now that Carmilla is a gothic horror novella about a lesbian vampire. THE lesbian vampire, in fact—the one who popularized the trope. Knowing this, it is simple enough to apply the story of Laura and Carmilla in parallel to Ochako and Himiko, and register it as direct proof of the dynamic’s sapphic undertones being acknowledged and intentional. I mean. Look at them.
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Yeah. But that’s not all. That isn’t what really makes it noteworthy. Put in context: Himiko has been called a soulless inhuman vampire since childhood, and shunned for it. To her, this or any villain name would be a reminder of her lack of agency in identity. Add to this the overall themes of 393 I just described, and suddenly it becomes clear that Himiko is set in contrast against much of what Carmilla, as a fearful narrative about the supernatural, represents.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me provide some details about Carmilla for those who aren’t familiar. The story was written in 1872 by Sheridan Le Fanu, and belongs to a genre characterized by a revival of Gothic aesthetics in service of providing mystery, intrigue, and suspense to a very Victorian expression of fear. On top of that, Carmilla directly influenced Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and set the precedent for many vampire portrayals to come. Many female vampire characters reference her at least in their name, and the novella has been adapted and reinterpreted countless times. Because of this, it is admittedly difficult to be sure of Horikoshi’s familiarity with the original, or pinpoint any other potential influence he may have picked up from another adaptation. One could quite literally write a whole book about the many iterations and widespread impact of Carmilla. This is why, however, I believe I can confidently say that Himiko being compared to a female vampire has implications that are felt no matter one’s familiarity with the origin of the trope. Certain things are baked into the definition through generations of media. The female (lesbian) vampire implies predation, deception, lust, a danger to innocent young women. She represents an inhuman desire that must be vanquished.
In the novella, the main character Laura becomes a fast, intimate friend to Carmilla, a strikingly beautiful and captivating young lady who has suddenly appeared in her life. Laura admires and loves Carmilla dearly, but feels conflicted in moments where Carmilla is overcome by a desire that is explicitly compared to that of a lover. She talks of blood, death, sacrifice, and unity all while holding her close and kissing her. Whether or not this is hot, or whether Laura reciprocates any desire is, I guess, up to interpretation. But one thing is for sure: the ending of the story is not in Carmilla’s favor. I’d argue it’s not in Laura’s favor either. Look, I was an English major. I’m very familiar with discussions along the lines of “is ___ gay?” and “is ___ a sympathetic portrayal of ___ ?” It’s definitely gay, but the rest is unclear. There might be a tangent to go on about how Le Fanu’s complicated relationship with religion may have informed his characterization of General Spielsdorf and the other men who hunted down Carmilla’s grave and destroyed her. Regardless, there is narrative injustice in the way Laura is removed from these events, sent home and only told about what happened later. She loses agency. Her narrations become distant and clinical. In the very end, she describes being plagued by visions of Carmilla, sometimes as her beloved companion, and sometimes as a fearful monster. To me, this represents the lack of closure she has, either to reconcile these two sides of her, or mourn her loss.
There is also so much we’ll never know about Carmilla herself. The finality of her condemnation silences the multifaceted character that was only partially revealed to us. There is an inferred humanity to her, a self-awareness, a true romanticism, that gets dismissed by the people’s understanding of what a vampire is: a deception.
Keep in mind this tragedy. Fast forward through countless vampire portrayals to the present, to Himiko. What a contrast indeed. Remember, she does not want to be called “Carmilla,” or “Vampire.” To make such a reference in a chapter that is showcasing Ochako’s acceptance of Himiko implies that the trope is being broken. It is as if Laura were to go running to Carmilla’s grave herself, throw her own body over her in protection, and shun everyone else’s superstition and desire for vengeance.
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(footnote: the above is supposed to say “Himiko-chan” but you know who is a buttface)
Here’s the kicker: since female vampires are so closely tied to negative and predatory portrayals of lesbians, this humanization of Himiko also suggests that her queerness will likewise be treated openly and sympathetically, because there no longer exists an allegory that could be used for dismissing it. Ochako has already made monumental assertions in this chapter. By saying she admires her openness and envies her beautiful smile, and by presenting complete vulnerability in offering her blood, she swiftly separates herself from the lifetime of persecution Himiko has dealt with. It all represents so much more than those who mistakenly call it “yuri pandering” could hope to understand. This is the real deal. 
So what is this talk about romance they’re supposed to have? I firmly believe whatever Ochako says, it has to be a very surprising revelation, for both Himiko as well as us, the audience. Otherwise all the hype and mystery makes no sense. If Ochako has something so important to say, it can’t be to confirm Himiko’s assumptions. Whenever I try to dissect the exact possibilities, I get hopelessly tangled up in semantics, but ultimately I just hope to get Ochako’s perspective in full, especially as it relates to what other people think of her.
Actually, I had an idea while writing this. I saw someone on twitter (I think jokingly) bring up the All Might doll, like oh god, what if it comes up again. Ok but listen. There’s a LOT of potential symbolism in the token from Izuku that Ochako has kept being a doll of All Might specifically. We all know it calls to mind Izuku’s emulation of All Might, which resulted in the aspects of Izuku that Ochako herself admired. We can also easily infer that during the mission to rescue Izuku, Ochako saw the darker side of these traits. Okay, so here’s another wrinkle: All Might, as a near mythical figure, represents hero society. He’s the hero archetype, an upholder of the status quo, “peace,” and his weakening under all the pressure implies a flawed system.
Nighteye predicted All Might’s death, but also admitted that a strong enough collective will can change the course of his predictions. Ochako sites Nighteye’s own death as an origin for her beginning to question who exactly in this world needs saving. If you know my meta, you know that I believe All Might needs to die in symbol only. Right now, Ochako is throwing out an awful lot of things heroes take for granted. Things everyone takes for granted. The outcome of this fight could be a turning point in the war that completely changes the tone. If Ochako is to accomplish this by way of an intimate talk of romance, well…
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Bye-bye, All Might!
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youhideastar · 2 months
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Recs: Canon-verse WLW Wangxian
This fandom loves modern AU wlw!Wangxian, but sometimes you want your Wangxian ladies-in-love to come with all the sword-riding, hanfu-wearing, and talisman-wielding that we love from canon. ❤️ Here are my favorite wlw Wangxian fics set in the canon universe:
hold her where you want her by damnslippyplanet (7000 words, Burial Mounds, sort of a PWP and sort of a fix-it)
I am OBSESSED with this fic, O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D. You could summarize it as, “LWJ visits WWX in the Burial Mounds and, in effect, fucks her into letting LWJ stay,” but that vastly undersells the depth of feeling, the exquisite LWJ POV, and the beauty of the prose. The line “Their foreheads are touching, but Wei Ying has touched Lan Zhan’s ribbon before, so many times. It hardly matters. Lan Zhan will let her fly it as a banner from the entrance to this place if she wants.” lives rent-free in my head for all of time. And there’s so much more! Run, don’t walk, to read this one.
Married to the Demon by @iamwestiec (10,000 words, AU, warprize!LWJ, yllzhot!WWX, Big Switch Energy)
A captured LWJ is claimed as a war prize and married by WRH’s most powerful ally, the Demon of Qishan… who promptly solicits LWJ’s help in overthrowing WRH. But they still have to keep up a façade in public--and WWX is driving LWJ up a horny wall with the public groping and resentacle-collar-and-handcuffs situation. I love their vibe here—so playful in spite of the terrible situation they’re in—and extra, extra love how much they like calling each other “wife.”
the biggest tits in history by @dulosiswrites /el_em_en_oh_pee (6000 words, very horny, 5 Things, canon retelling)
This fic is really neat because you go in expecting, from the title and tags and summary (“Five times Wei Wuxian notices how absolutely enormous Lan Zhan's tits are, and one time she does something about it.”), that this is going to be crack or porn or both. And there is definitely porn at the end, and it’s very good! But this fic is actually five very sweet snapshots of WWX and LWJ’s relationship, from Cloud Recesses to Xuanwu Cave to the Burial Mounds to WWX’s resurrection (plus the aforementioned porn), each one slightly and delightfully different from canon… and yes, all united by WWX’s fixation on LWJ’s enormous breasts. 😂
out of breath, out of mind by mme_anxious (4000 words, post-canon, PWP, bondage, adorable)
About-to-be-married Wangxian get a book of pornography as an engagement present and are inspired to try bondage for the first time. This is soooo cute, and also really beautifully written – so many gorgeous sentences. Plus, extremely hot. What could be better?
~
It would be tacky to write loving paeans to my own work 🤣, but I'll quickly throw in three of mine since they fit the theme!
Dangerous by Deastar (14,000 words, A/B/O, canon retelling, angst with a happy ending): Beta!LWJ has been raised to fear alphas—aggressive, ungovernable, promiscuous—and meeting alpha!WWX does nothing to change her mind… at first. Then, it changes everything.
scarcely trust my candid heart by Deastar (7000 words, Cloud Recesses arc, fluff and smut, A/B/O, humor): Beta/beta Wangxian with a LWJ who has gotten the incorrect impression that all betas are asexual and therefore finds WWX’s whole, like, everything extremely perplexing.
The Certainty of the Answer by Deastar (1300 words, Xuanwu Cave, fluff): A Xuanwu Cave amuse-bouche in which LWJ kisses WWX and then is stymied re: how to go about securing her hand in marriage.
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1moreff-creator · 7 months
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A Summary of the Levi!Accomplice Theory + How We Got Here (DRDT CH2)
Hey there! So a while ago I made a post about the CH 2 murder method, but I missed some pretty crucial information. You might know me and @thebadjoe had a pretty long thread back and forth talking about the murder, which lead to me reworking a lot of the original theory. However, that thread is extremely long and frankly quite confusing to read, so I thought it would be good to summarize what the final theory actually looks like in a separate post. This was sorta inspired by thebadjoe making a similar post about his own theory (which is Eden working alone, but disguising herself as Arei at one point), which I absolutely recommend you read as it’s probably one of the best DRDT-related posts I’ve seen on Tumblr.
If you’re here simply for a summary of the Levi!Accomplice Eden!Culprit theory, then simply skip to the Closing Argument of this post. You should be able to understand it on its own. However, I think it would also be nice to explain how I reached the conclusions I did, which is what the start of the post will be. Othersie I'm gonna look completely unhinged, and that's not good, I'm only kinda unhinged! If you’re interested, then I hope you enjoy!
CW: Murder, betrayal (Eden!Culprit), hanging (including geometric depictions), suicidal thoughts, one mention of self harm.
(Also, the Ace almost-murder won’t really be touched on much here, but there is a thread where me, venus-is-thinking, accirax and thebadjoe all went crazy trying to explain the blood on the wires. It’s about as difficult to follow as the other one, but eh)
The First Step Into Madness
(This part goes over a bit of the same from my OG post, which is why it sorta ignores other theories. There may be some assumptions made which are not necessarily true under other theories. Feel free to skip this if you read the first post and don’t need a refresher)
It all started when I made the original post where I discussed the murder method. I was left very intrigued after watching DRDT for the first time, so I wanted to see if there was some way to figure out how the murder was carried out, and to see if that pointed to any culprit.
-The first thing to note is that EP 11 cuts off when Charles is about to confront David on something related to the time of death, based on when he cuts in. This would imply the murder did not happen the night of the third day as the characters had assumed. Seeing as Arei was last seen at noon of that third day and I wasn’t aware of disguise theory, I figured the murder actually happened at 7:30 AM the morning of the day of the investigation, which I still believe. The fish could have been simply taken before nighttime and kept in the water jugs.
-What this means is that the culprit had time to set up an elaborate murder mechanism overnight, which is what the rest of the evidence around the crime scene would appear to imply.
-One of the reasons to believe a mechanism was involved is the flickering light of the playground. For a while, I genuinely had no idea how the hell that would happen. Even if there was a secret passage from the Movie Screening Room, proving that in trial would be nigh impossible.
-However, sometimes to solve a mystery, all you gotta do is mash random things together until something sorta looks like it fits. And what was a thing I didn’t know how to place? The ball of clothes.
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-The idea here is to attach the rope to the ball of clothes and throw it over the railing, that way you can get the rope to go over there without having to get up there yourself. On the way up, the clothes would hit the light and displace the lightbulb, causing it to flicker.
-But why would you need rope over the railing? Well, if you were interested in creating a pulley system to make something go high into the air, you would need the rope there. And a pulley system is the first thing I thought of when I saw the spinny thing had tape on it, and thus was likely involved. This is what I envisioned.
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Note how the rope is first looped between the handlebars to make sure it actually does the thing it’s supposed to. There may be other ways to set up the pulley, but the important thing is, a pulley was likely involved.
-So we got a pulley, but what are we pulleying? Presumably Arei, getting her higher up so her neck could snap instantly when she dropped down. As Veronika stated, her neck wouldn’t have snapped unless she weighed more or she dropped from higher up.
-Unless she weighed more, huh? That’s an interesting thing to specify. How would she weigh more? Unless, there was something which weighed her down.
-One thing which always struck me as odd about the water jugs is how oddly the handles are snapped.
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-After thinking about how that could have happened, I realized maybe they had been snapped due to the action of rope. If you tie rope around the handles and pull hard, they would snap just like that.
-And what’s the deal with that? As I said, perhaps Arei was weighed down by something. And here is the answer. Since we know there were two pieces of rope (one found around Arei’s neck and a longer piece under the spinny thing), I believed the jugs were attached to her via rope to weigh her down.
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-That way, the culprit could further ensure Arei’s neck would snap once she fell and the pulley system was stopped.
-Because yes, the culprit would need to stop the pulley system from spinning back all the way, otherwise Arei would just fall to the floor. And since her broken neck is the only injury apart from red marks on her wrist, that clearly didn’t happen.
-And my answer for that… was frankly just brute forcing it and stopping it by hand. See, I was sorta coming in after watching a cool video by Ocean Unknown, and I was already kinda thinking Levi was probably the culprit, which is why this feat of strength didn’t seem too insane for me. In retrospect, I may have been underestimating the strength required to do that.
-Anyways, the rest isn’t too hard to figure out. Make the note, ambush Arei when she arrived at the playground, with the ensuing struggle resulting in the scuffed floor, put tape on her wrists, put the noose around her neck, pulley, let her fall a bit and stop her so her neck snaps, prop her up so the murder looks vaguely like a suicide, throw some stuff in the trash, profit. You may have noticed I didn’t talk about the fact Arei doesn’t have her glove in the BDA, because… well, frankly I just hadn’t noticed that at the time. The fish are to confuse the time of death, and the tape was likely taken from the gym and used to have a better grip on the spinny thing as the culprit spun it.
The tape was taken from the gym?
The Curious Case of the Tape Thief
(Or: BY GOD IT’S THEBADJOE WITH A STEEL CHAIR! /lh)
So, what you may have noticed is that the method I came up with doesn’t really point to anyone in particular, but there’s a detail I hadn’t noticed when I first made that post. The time the tape was taken.
Thebadjoe had already pointed it out on his blog, and was kind enough to reblog my own post with this information. Turns out, he realized that in Ep 6, at around the time Ace wakes up, the roll of the tape previously on the floor disappears from the background. Which means it was taken by someone who was at the gym at that point.
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Now, you might be wondering if maybe that’s just an animation error. After all, it’s not like this is evidence that can be brought up in the trial.
Except, it can be deduced. With lockdown logic. Let’s look at the facts:
-The tape was on the floor after Nico leaves the gym.
-The last people in the gym before the lockdown begun were Teruko, Ace and Eden.
-No one but MonoTV could enter the gym during the lockdown.
-Rose and Teruko are the first people to enter the gym after the lockdown, stated explicitly by MonoTV.
-But by the time Rose and Teruko are there, the tape has disappeared. And there is special attention brought to the fact the tape’s disappeared.
So the tape couldn’t have disappeared during the lockdown (unless MonoTV took it out, but why would it do that), and it can’t have been taken after since Rose and Teruko were the first people there after it ended. Since that roll of tape was still on the floor when Nico left, that means the tape disappeared when only Teruko, Ace and Eden were in the gym.
Teruko couldn’t have taken it, protag privilege.
I’ve seen Ace thrown out as a possibility, but it just doesn’t really work. Teruko was inspecting his body right before he wakes up, and she never has a reason to look away after he wakes up. She never saw him pick up the tape, though, so it seems unlikely he did. Not to mention the lack of blood on the tape when Ace had blood on his hands the whole time, or the general weirdness of him taking the tape and, like, pocketing it in the first place. Why would he do that? If he wanted a weapon, he’d have taken the wire which was nearby, right?
So, the most logical answer is that Eden took the tape. In fact, she gets knocked down to the floor right around the time the tape disappears from the background.
So, now we ask, why did Eden take the tape? The issue is that there really is no reason for her to do that, unless she went down to the second floor specifically with the intention of picking up the tape (and maybe some other stuff). However, she never tells Teruko she wanted to pick up the tape, which combined with the fact she takes it sneakily and without anyone noticing, would suggest she wanted it for nefarious purposes. This is where the Eden!Culprit theory comes from.
There simply is no good answer as to why she took the tape otherwise. Even other theories I’ve seen, which suggest perhaps the killer intentionally used the tape to frame Eden, can’t really explain why Eden would take it without warning in the first place.
Thus, the only issue left is… would Eden really do this? How can the nicest person in the killing game betray a friend like that? Well, it’s not as impossible as you may think.
Of Motivations And Narrative Consequence
(Or: venus and accirax come in clutch)
You may have seen this post by DRDT Tumblr’s dynamic duo of @venus-is-thinking and @accirax circulating around, and I recommend you read it if you want a full exploration of why Eden!Culprit works from a character and narrative standpoint. They explained everything way better than I ever could, so I’m not gonna dwell on it too much and just ask you do your assigned reading if you’re interested.
However, as a short summary of the main points:
-Motive: Eden is a very caring person, who has several people she’d want to return to outside of the killing game. Her family, which she speaks about with Levi in the first scene of the chapter, and possibly even the girl mentioned in her secret. The incident with Arturo could have scared her into taking more drastic action so she could go back to the real world. Note the secret quote on her page is “You can’t go back, no matter how hard you try.” She’s likely not secretly evil or anything. And the fact she kept trying to go against the killing game, but ultimately never achieved anything, could have led to her feeling completely hopeless.
-Why Arei?: Because it was the easiest option, most likely. It was implied in the ep 10 flashback that Eden may not have believed Arei when she claimed she wanted to be friends, and that she may have only realized she genuinely did during the trial. Also worth noting, they’re paired together in the CH 1 recap, which implies they’re at least important to each other’s stories.
-Wouldn’t this just prove Teruko right? And wouldn’t that be narratively redundant?: Oh, yes. It would very explicitly prove Teruko right.
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Teruko: Sooner or later that kindness of yours will have you breaking down, until you’re too overwhelmed with grief to be able to act. That’s not how I plan to live.
But the thing is, Teruko has already been proven right this chapter. Even beyond all the scuffles around the secrets, you have Nico, seemingly one of the most harmless people in the killing game, admitting to trying to kill Ace; and you also have David, who almost everyone trusted and viewed as a sort of leader, being revealed as a liar and a manipulative asshole.
(Yes I know both of them are a bit more complex than that but that’s not the point.)
In fact, Teruko was explicitly right about David too. Not to mention, someone killed Arei or J if you’re inclined to believe that, which won’t exactly do wonders for trust in the group.
The point, as venus and accirax pointed out, is to show the audience how Teruko’s life usually is. Full of betrayal and misfortune. This is to set up the theme of fate and change that runs deeply through Teruko’s character, and that I’m not gonna explain here.
And while you could say Teruko doubling down on not trusting anyone would be redundant, you have to consider the rest of the group as well. While they mostly held it together after the first trial with a few exceptions, Eden being the killer, combined with everything else that happened in the chapter, would cause way more damage to the whole group’s sense of trust, leading to a very different atmosphere for chapter 3. So I don’t really think it would be redundant at all.
-What about the handwriting sample?: What about the handwriting sample? The note is in cursive, Eden writes her sample in print.
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Obviously it's gonna look different. If anything, the fact she specifically writes in print could be seen as her hiding her cursive handwriting, which looks suspicious to me.
-Why help piece together the note in the first place? And why would she fight back against the idea of Arei committing suicide?: Because she would presumably want to build a narrative that she and Arei were friends, to make people trust her more. I mean, it worked, since people immediately jumped on Arturo when they first heard the full story.
-And more! Again, read the full post for more details.
So… now we circle back. Eden’s probably the killer, but what does that mean for the method?
A Method In Shambles
One of the main issues this brings to the method is Eden’s strength. She’s very weak, as has been established in both the most recent QnA and in the series itself (see: arm-wrestling scene, where Arei specifically excludes Eden for being weak). She wouldn’t be able to pull Arei + water jugs up with the pulley system herself.
…Or maybe she could? But it would be very tight, and I think we’re not supposed to pull out the physics and calculators to figure out it would only be the equivalent of lifting like thirty pounds as accirax implied in one line of this really good post. Point is, it doesn’t look like she could, which is more important imo.
Even then, it would also be really difficult for Eden to prop up the body like we see in the BDA.
Speaking of BDA, that’s another issue. The BDA rule states it takes “three people who did not witness the murder” to see the body before the announcement plays. So how did it play after only Whit, Teruko and Eden had found it? Surely Eden as the killer would count as a witness with the method I established earlier.
But the biggest issue for Eden!Culprit are actually the fish. Because while Eden doesn’t have an alibi for the time of death, she does have an alibi for the time of the fish’s disappearance. Think about it: Nico fed them presumably at around 7:00 PM, since they later see David going down at around 7:30, and 7:00 is likely the time when communal dinner ended as it’s also the time Eden and Hu begun washing the dishes together. We know from Nico the fish were still all there by the time Eden’s alibi with Hu begins.
And that alibi lasts all the way until nighttime, when the relax room locks down for the night. And it doesn’t open again until after the murder was supposedly committed at 7:30 AM. So Eden couldn’t have taken it the morning after.
The fish in particular are an issue for Eden!Culprit, because while everything else is odd, this particular thing makes it impossible for Eden herself to have set up the crime scene as we see it. And unless Ace is lying for no good reason, Arei was still alive the night of the third day, so it likely wasn’t set up by anyone uninvolved in the murder.
In the end, although Eden feels like she should be the culprit, she couldn’t have done everything alone.
She couldn’t have done everything… alone.
:)
The Rise of the Accomplice
Eden is a very trusting, very sociable person. So if there are things in the crime scene she couldn’t have done alone, is it unbelievable to assume she may have had an accomplice?
Let’s ignore the “who” for now and see if this idea holds up. The accomplice would be in charge of taking the fish out of the relax room during nighttime, a tactic to confuse the time of death and give Eden a fake alibi. They would also be in charge of overpowering Arei when she first arrived at the playground.
After pinning her down, wrapping her wrists with tape and possibly her legs too if needed (there were two pieces of tape in the trash, when strictly speaking you would only need one for the wrists. Arei has long socks, so marks wouldn’t be visible on her legs), the accomplice would also be in charge of lifting up Arei into the sky. The exact logistics of how the accomplice would go about this are a bit awkward (they would probably have to run quite fast to the spinny thing so Arei doesn’t get a chance to stand up and try something), but I don’t think it’s outright impossible.
Now, here’s where the trick comes in. Since Eden was the one who likely planned the murder (she had been preparing since Night 2, after all), the goal would be to make her the blackened. Here’s how I think that would be done.
The accomplice would hand off the spinny thing to Eden once Arei was high up enough, and Eden would be the one to let go off the carousel so Arei’s neck breaks. But how does it stop?
Well, you remember the second, shorter piece of rope, which I had originally said would be for the water jugs? Instead of that, they would use it as a stopper rope. The idea is to attach one end to the swing set near the spinny thing, but leave the other end by itself. Then, once Arei was high in the air, one of the two culprits (let’s say Eden) would tie the unused end to the spinny thing. That way, when they let Arei fall, the shorter rope would tense before she went all the way to the floor (you can make sure this happens by using a lot of the rope on the knot on the swing set), and stop the carousel abruptly mid fall. This is what would cause Arei’s neck to snap.
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(Ignore the text)
This means the water jugs would need to be attached to Arei in some other way. Possibly by making the noose in such a way that you have rope to spare and you can put the jugs there?
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Looks a bit wonky, but I think it can work! Or, at least, Eden could conceivably think it would help, which is all that’s technically necessary.
If you’re not convinced, there could also be a third, extremely short piece of rope being kept in Eden’s fanny pack which was used to put the jugs at Arei’s feet. I don’t quite like this answer too much, since it relies on evidence we don’t have (Russel’s Teapot and all that), but it’s there.
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Surprise! Alternative Method Bonanza!
So you remember how thebadjoe has a really good theory on the murder which is Eden!Solo? That means he has a different method for the murder mechanism itself, as Eden sort of can’t do my method herself.
And I am gonna steal it! Like a thief!
Essentially, if you’re not convinced by the hanging method, you can instead copy and paste joe’s method to my accomplice theory, with a few modifications.
Joe’s method takes my idea of a stopper rope, but instead of attaching one end to the swing set, it’s attached to Arei’s neck. The pulley system is instead used to pull up only the water jugs, the rope attached to their handles, which Eden should be able to do herself. The idea is that, after pulling the water jugs up and attaching the shorter rope to Arei’s neck, when you let them fall, if Arei’s neck is secured in place, when the stopper tenses, it will snap her neck.
Now, in his method that involves knocking out Arei with turpentine (long story) and securing her with tape, but with the accomplice idea, and since I don’t think Eden has turpentine, it may be better for the accomplice to just hold down Arei’s body themself. Though that runs into the issue of “why put tape on her wrists then”, which isn’t a method with joe’s original method and rather an issue of translation to the accomplice idea.
Because of that, and because there’s a particular thing I’ll talk about in a moment, I think my method is still slightly more plausible for the accomplice idea, which is why I won’t bring this up again, but I did want to point out that it’s technically a possibility.
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Any other changes? Yes, actually.
-You remember the starch on the ball of clothes? Well, joe suggested it may come from the enriched formula used in the relax room, as starch is often used to stimulate plant growth or something along those lines. Meaning the clothes spent a night inside the relax room. I agree with this, as I have no idea why starch would be there otherwise.
The question now is when the clothes spent the night. It can’t be Night 3, as Arei died before the relax room opened again at 8:00 AmM. So it would have to be in the second night. And where was Eden that night?
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Eden: I noticed you didn’t take any of your new clothes, so I was going to deliver them to you!
Ah, right. On the second floor. In the dress-up room. Totally not suspicious behavior.
Basically, I think Eden went to the second floor to put the clothes in the relax room and pick up the tape, but once nighttime begun, she realized Ace was still in the gym, and decided to wait it out so as to not be spotted in a suspicious place. Unfortunately for her, Ace was busy getting murdered by Nico, so she ended up getting caught by Teruko, and had to course correct.
But why would she need the ball of clothes? Couldn’t she have just grabbed, like, anything else to throw over the railing?
Well… yeah, but. It may have been hard for her to find anything more convenient than the ball of clothes. I’ve seen the roll of tape suggested, but the rope may not have been able to fit through the hole in the middle. Maybe yes, maybe no, depending on what’s most convenient for your theory. That’s not sarcasm, it’s just that there’s no good way of checking how big the hole is.
Throwing a ball of clothes would be a lot easier than throwing a lot of other things. Maybe it’s a bit weird, but I don’t find it completely unbelievable that Eden considered it the best option.
-To make the whole ordeal easier, it would be best to make sure the “noose” end of the longer rope dangles from the railing over the seesaw, closer to the entrance, so they don’t have to move Arei around too much. They could easily do this by just throwing the ball of clothes around a couple of times.
-The BDA is an issue, since the accomplice would also be a “witness” and thus not count. But this can be solved quite simply. For one, there could be a loophole where if Eden just looks away when Arei’s neck breaks, then she’s not a “witness” and she counts. If that sounds too stupid, there’s another answer. To make absolutely sure Eden would be counted as the blackened, the accomplice would leave the room entirely while Eden holds Arei up in the air. That way, the moment they enter again, they would see the corpse without being a “witness” to the murder, and so they count. Add to the accomplice/Eden the view of Whit and Teruko, and you have the three you need for the BDA.
-That’s also my answer to why Eden shouts “Teruko, wait!” right before Teruko opens the door to the playground. Logically, she knew the BDA would play, which is why she didn’t act nervous when Teruko first offered to search in a group of three, but she second-guessed herself right before they got there. I’m sure we’ve all had an experience like that before, where logically we know one thing will happen, but we still get nervous right before the thing happens because we’re worried it might go wrong.
-The Achilles Heel of this theory is the missing bowling glove from Arei’s left hand. I have exactly one explanation for it, and it’s kinda stupid. Essentially, I believe the accomplice took the glove for themselves, to reveal it during the trial if people start accusing Eden. The idea would be that showing people that glove should hopefully get them to vote for the accomplice without thinking about it too much, but since Eden is the real blackened, they would lose and Eden would escape.
Imagine a big reveal, with a little animation like David’s “guilty as charged”, where the accomplice takes out the glove from their pocket and they say “I killed Arei” or something. That’s kinda what I’m envisioning.
So… that’s basically the method. And now, we have to answer the age old question:
but, like, why though
And this, this is the question that makes me believe the accomplice idea more than any other. Because it gives a proper reason for why the method had to be so complicated.
See, there is one fundamental contradiction in the evidence we see, one which has to be solved in some way. Arei’s wrists were bound, but given the rest of the evidence, there was a mechanism involved in her murder.
Why is that an issue? Because if you bind her wrists, then there is no reason not to just kill her in a much easier, simpler way. And there’s no reason to bind her wrists after killing her, either. So why would the killer go through all this trouble?
demodraws0606 (not sure they’d want to be tagged) suggested in this post, under Levi!Culprit, that maybe Levi was trying to frame Eden, and to do that, he had to make sure the BDA wouldn’t rule her out. And while that’s a really good post and a pretty interesting idea, the main issue with the plan of framing Eden in general are the fish. Levi maybe wouldn’t know for sure whether or not Eden would have an alibi, but just in case, it would be much safer to just fill the water jugs with water from a sink or something. The fish could only ever exclude Eden, never incriminate her.
Joe’s method assumes Eden simply used a complex method to distance herself from the murder in a way. Working on mechanisms would calm her as a clockmaker, so she feels more comfortable with murder if she can do it with a mechanism. This is cool, and while I personally think it’s a bit underwhelming, it could work. But it only works if Eden!Solo works, and then you have to explain the fish again. Joe says David brought them there, but, I don’t agree. Doesn’t mean it’s wrong, obviously, just that I personally don’t see it given what we have. I think David genuinely thinks Arei committed suicide because of him.
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David: Of course. Of course this would happen.
So, yeah.
And because the why is so hard to explain, I think it’s important to explain it. And wouldn’t you guess it, my method does explain it.
It goes back to the origin of the accomplice idea. Eden couldn’t have done this on her own.
Let’s be clear; an accomplice is a huge leap in logic. One that I feel comfortable making given everything, but one which would take the characters a while to figure out. One which they may reject in principle. There’s no benefit for an accomplice after all, right?
I’ll address that in a moment, but let’s get back to the main point. Eden couldn’t have done this on her own, and because of that, the method in itself is an alibi for her.
Think about it. Because she is clearly not strong enough to lift Arei up into the air (or at least, that’s what it looks like), what happens if someone starts pointing fingers at Eden? Well, all she has to do to absolve herself is insist they speak about the method, and guide them in the general direction of the right answer. Once they start thinking the murderer would need to be strong enough to pull Arei + water jugs up into the air, they would instantly dismiss Eden as a possibility, until the idea of an accomplice is revisited.
This is, by the way, why I think the Hanging Method works better than the Neck Stopper Method under Accomplice Theory-
(ok the nomenclature is starting to get out of hand)
-, because it requires more strength to use the pulley.
But the point is the same. This method actually provides an explanation to why a mechanism was necessary when Arei’s wrists were bound. It was to give Eden a defense.
And that’s also where the fish come in. Because the most straightforward explanation for why the fish would be there would be that the killer would want to confuse the time of death. But why? The time the fish were taken is the same time frame the characters currently believe the murder happened at, so the alibis don’t change. If the killer wanted to give themselves an alibi for the supposed time of death, they would need to have an alibi for the time the fish were taken. But if they have an alibi for the time the fish were taken, they couldn’t have taken the fish!
Provided Nico is telling the truth about the fish, but I really don’t see why they’d be lying. I really doubt they’re the killer.
Thus, unless the fish somehow got there through a third party entirely (which I find unlikely, as Veronika had an alibi and no one else would really want to hide that they found a dead body for a night), it’s very possible the accomplice brought the fish to give the real killer an alibi.
So, that’s the big reason I have for believing there was an accomplice. It’s the best explanation for the fish and the motivation behind the creation of a mechanism I can find, but of course, that’s my opinion. There’s a bit more to it actually, but before we get there, we have to ask:
OMG, Who Did This?!
What we know about the accomplice for now is that they must not have an alibi for the time the fish were taken. This leaves us with Ace, Nico, Rose, Arei, Levi, and David. We can also add Hu to the list, as her only alibi is Eden, and, well.
Out of hand, I'm gonna eliminate Nico, Ace and David, as I really don't think their characters fit the accomplice idea at all, I hope you can forgive me.
I gave Arei a fair bit of thought, since narratively I could see it working, but I just don’t think it’s physically possible. One of the things which got me to believe there was an accomplice was that it would be really difficult for Eden to string up Arei’s corpse herself, and Arei wouldn’t be able to help with that on account of being dead.
So, then there three.
Was it Rose?
An interesting possibility. She was the first one to suggest looking in the trash, which helps Eden build the narrative she and Arei were friends, and she was one of the people who suggested voting for David on Ep 11, claiming she didn’t want the trial to go on any longer. However, that’s pretty circumstantial, and I don’t think there’s much else connecting her to the crime. I also don’t know how much stronger she is than Eden, but that’s neither here nor there. Overall, a possible candidate, but not extremely plausible.
Was it Hu?
Hey, have you ever thought about how weird it was that Hu and Eden never spoke during the conversation Teruko, Charles, Whit and David had right before David went to the relax room on night three? They were supposed to be cleaning up after dinner at that point, according to their alibi, so what gives?
Well, frankly, I just think they weren’t in the kitchen, but probably just cleaning in the cafeteria itself. But maybe Hu and Eden are lying!
Hu could work as an accomplice, given her caring nature and the fact she probably has the “hopeless child” secret, meaning she’s attempted suicide. Thus, she may be willing to throw away her life for Eden’s, which is the biggest obstacle for the accomplice idea.
Her secret quote could allude to it. “I want to pay for what I’ve done. But even then, I still want to live.” The issue there is… well, that could be referring to quite literally anything else, so.
I consider Hu the second likeliest candidate for accomplice because of all that, but… frankly, I still don’t see it. The way she acts during the trial doesn’t suggest she’s doing anything of the sort, and there are reasons she wouldn’t want anyone to get away with murder. Mainly everyone else’s lives. Also, she has even less arm strength than Rose, seeing as she lost at arm wrestling with her.
There’s probably more discussion to be had regarding Hu as an accomplice, but frankly, I don’t think it’s necessary for now. Because there is one person who fits the bill much better than Hu, and has much deeper connections to both Eden and the murder.
You read the title of the post. You know who I think the accomplice is. Let’s go.
Yeah, it’s Levi
(How’s that for a callback?)
Levi is probably the most widely believed culprit theory, and for good reason. He acts very suspiciously all throughout the investigation and the trial. He is the first to call up MonoTV to start voting after David’s reveal, he throws accusations quite liberally, his profile states he dislikes unpredictable people like Arei, the ball of clothes and even the missing glove being involved connects him to the method through his talent…
The main thing is the secret motive. Not only did Levi receive Arei’s, without the context Arei gave David and Teruko in the playground, it is widely speculated that Arei received Levi’s secret through sheer process of elimination. Won’t get into it here, many people have already talked about it, so just trust me bro.
Not to mention the whole “good person” fiasco. Essentially, Ch 2 has the title “All That Glitters”, with the secret title “A Good Person”. Clearly, put together you get “Not All That Glitters Is Gold” -> “Not All That Glitters Is A Good Person.”
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And as far as I can tell, there are only a few people who have been referred to using the specific words “good person” in this chapter:
-Teruko: She dissuades Whit from calling her a good person because she’ll feel bad when she’s not.
-David: Hu calls him a good person right before his Ep 11 heel turn.
EDIT: I misremebered, the line is actually "good friend." Ah, oops.
-Eden: Levi calls her a good person in the beginning of the chapter.
-Arei: Says she will prove to Eden she can be a good person.
-Levi: Eden calls him a good person at the beginning of the chapter.
Hopefully I didn’t miss any.
You’ll notice the common thread is plot relevance in CH 2. Teruko’s the protag, David pushed the plot forward by getting people to reveal their secrets and also had his heel turn (EDIT: But he wasn't called a good person so), Eden has been a huge part of the chapter and she might be the killer, and Arei is the victim.
The outlier is Levi, which would suggest he’ll come to be plot relevant soon enough. I don’t think just getting his secret revealed would be enough to put him up there in importance with the most influential people in the entire chapter, so he’s probably heavily involved in the murder. And since I don’t think he’s the killer, accomplice it is, baby.
There is even a particular moment we can point to as the moment Levi may have given up on the group as a whole.
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Levi: Why do I even bother?
Right after Ace refuses his help after almost getting murdered. And Eden’s right there.
Finally, his secret quote is “I always believed that a person is defined by their actions alone. But maybe that’s just a poor excuse for my heartlessness.” That’s interesting, because in this context, it could be he never believed Arei wanted to change, as her previous actions contradicted the words she said to Eden. But maybe that’s a poor excuse for his heartlessness, as Arei did want to change.
There’s more I could bring up, like the fun fact Levi’s profile states he likes suckers (candy) and Eden’s states she likes sweet things (that’s insanely circumstantial and confirmation bias-y, but sure I’ll bring it up), but I think venus and accirax may be wanting to make a narrative defense of the Levi!Accomplice theory, so I’ll leave it to them, since they’ll probably do better than I could. Lord knows they did better on Eden than me.
Not gonna lie I’m kinda making this so they can just link back here instead of the insanity train the original thread was-
Final Issues
No theory is perfect, and this one isn’t an exception. While I think the theory mostly covers all the evidence in the scene quite satisfactorily, the explanations for the BDA, the glove and the shape of the scuffed floor (but how do you explain that shape) are a bit shaky. There’s also a few awkward moments of timing and character’s actions, like the whole Ace almost-murder situation being sorta awkward with Eden’s presence in the second floor, and in particular that Arei apparently spent almost an entire day inside her room. That’s sorta gonna be an issue for everyone unless you believe Ace is lying about the day her conversation with David happened, which… okay, isn’t as insane as it sounds, read joe’s theory, but I still consider a bigger leap than simply assuming Arei took a real long nap.
And of course, as much as I’ve ignored it, it’s still insanely risky for Eden to work with an accomplice, and we have to assume Levi was willing to die and get everyone else killed just to get Eden out of there. I’ll try my best to explain how I think that could happen in the Closing Argument.
However, it’s all in all, in my opinion, not too bad. Everything is pretty physically plausible, there are narrative justifications for practically everything, and the few inconsistencies aren’t too large or obnoxious for me to consider damning. I’m still open to other theories, of course, but for now, this is the thing I believe.
-
So, now that we’ve established how I arrived at my conclusions, it’s time for what everyone’s been waiting for!
Closing Argument
Keep in mind character motivations and especially unseen dialogue could vary quite a lot. The main thing to take away is the actual method, everything else is sorta flavor text. This… really is a lot longer than it has any right to be. I kinda got carried away trying to show how I think the characters would act. Sorry.
I’ll mark with “>” the parts which are mostly just for spice, “~” the actually important parts, and just for fun I’ll add predictions to how the end of the trial will go with “+”.
I am extremely sorry if I mischaracterize anyone. I’m not good at writing dialogue, but I think it’s worth trying to give a better impression of what’s going on in my head.
(Days start counting after the start of CH 2)
Second Day, Afternoon
~Eden wanted to return home.
>Of course she did! Everyone did, in the killing game. She kept trying to look for ways to end it completely, and while she hadn’t found a good solution yet, she’d surely find it soon enough!
>But for now, they had to keep strong! And fight against the motive! David had suggested talking to the people whose secrets they’d all received so they could share it and ease tensions, and Eden thought it was a great idea! She went up to Arturo, and told him what she’d received about him.
>…
>She almost died.
>That was the only thing running through her mind as Arei got Arturo away. Eden had almost died, and if it weren’t for Arei, she most likely would have. A small desperation began to grow in her heart, longing to get out, get out, get out-
>Arei tried to talk to her, apologize for the things she’d said in the playground… but Eden couldn’t believe her.
>Arei had shouted in her face that Min’s death was her fault. Even if it was, to say it like that… Eden wanted to cry just thinking about the things Arei had said. Eden may have been nice, but she wasn’t naive. Someone like that could never be a good person.
>Still, a part of Eden wanted to give Arei the benefit of the doubt. So, she hugged her, told her how much it meant, and went on her merry way.
>But those doubts had firmly planted themselves in Eden’s mind. What if Arei was just manipulating her? What if Arturo attacked her again? Would someone as weak as her even be able to stand up to the killing game, when she couldn’t stand up against some bullies?
>Slowly, the gears in her mind started to turn. An idea was brewing, an idea which scared Eden to even think about, but one she was desperate enough to entertain.
>There was a way for her to end the killing game. By winning it.
>I mean what? No! Eden would never kill anyone! …
>But if she were to, hypothetically speaking, how would she go about it?
>By the second night, she didn’t know all the details, but she was going on autopilot, her body moving practically without her thinking. Just like she used to get lost in her work while making clocks, she was now beginning to get lost in the preparations for a murder.
>An accomplice, she would need an accomplice, if she wanted to do it. Probably something with the rope in the storage room, she was good with mechanisms. Maybe the railings on the playground, a pulley system… she needed a way to get the rope up there, and a way to secure the grip of her accomplice on the carousel.
>Hypothetically, of course.
Second Day, Almost Nighttime - Nighttime
~She went to the second floor, grabbed some of Hu’s and Teruko’s old clothes, and put them in the relaxation room to cover them in starch. She wanted to make a ball of clothes, it was the best way to get the rope over the railings.
~She also needed tape from the gym, the roll people used to replace the grippy tape on the pull-up bar when it got too sweaty.
~Slight issue: nighttime had begun, and there were still a few noises in the gym. Eden didn’t want to be caught doing anything too suspicious, so she decided to wait out until the noises stopped.
~Slightly bigger issue: Teruko arrived at the second floor, spotted her, and now Eden needed a cover story. She just told her she was looking for Hu’s and Teruko’s new clothes, sure, that works.
>Eden told Teruko her and Arei had made up, and asked if she wanted to pry. In retrospect, she wasn’t sure why she’d done that. If Teruko had heard the story of what Arei had said, she would just tell Eden what the uglier parts of her psyche were already telling her. That Arei was lying, trying to manipulate her. But maybe she wanted the confirmation, to justify to herself why she was thinking the thoughts which were running through her head.
(It’s almost tragic, really. If only Teruko had pried, maybe Eden would have learnt of Arei’s breakdown, and everything would have ended there)
~The two decided to head back to the first floor, and Eden figured she would just take the tape tomorrow-
~Oh shit, Ace got murdered.
>Seeing that convinced Eden. The killing game was too dangerous, when even the seemingly harmless Nico was able to do something so brutal to one of the strongest participants physically speaking. She had to get out, and now. She couldn’t disappoint her family, her friends, and her.
>So, she resolved to do something about it right after-
>Oh, hey, Ace wasn’t dead! That was… good. Even if he knocked Eden down to the floor when he woke.
~… And while she’s on the floor, she may as well pick up the tape she had come to retrieve.
~[Cue Ace running to kill Nico scene]
>Wow. Tensions were… really high. Ace had collapsed, and even then Teruko had just walked away as if nothing had happened.
>But Eden was more curious about something Levi had said. “Why do I even bother?” What had he meant by that? She decided to speak with him.
>…
>Levi had lost all hope.
>There was just no way to reason with the people of the killing game. All of them were erratic, nonsensical, unpredictable people. And he loathed unpredictability in people.
>None of them wanted to accept help when it was offered. None of them knew what the hell to do about anything, but refused to just be nice and patient with each other. Practically speaking, pretty much the only normal person around was-
>Oh, Eden wanted to talk to him. Sure, he could do that.
>Eden was checking in after the whole Ace fiasco. How nice of her.
>But after chatting for a while, Eden directed the conversation towards an encounter she’d had with Arei. She explained what the bowler had told her, looking for advice. She asked if Levi would believe Arei, seeking confirmation on whether or not she really could be trying to get better. And Levi...
>Levi was pissed.
>Because it was such an obvious lie. Such a horrendous attempt of manipulation. To try and take advantage of someone as nice as Eden, truly despicable.
>Eden seemed taken aback at his intensity, asking why he was so certain. Levi debated internally for a moment, before deciding Eden deserved the whole truth.
>"Blackmail, rumors, lying, stealing, slander. You did everything you could to ruin your sisters' lives." That was Arei's secret, the one Levi received.
>Eden looked horrified when Levi told her, and it seemed she agreed with what Levi was already thinking. After all, they both loved their family a lot, even if Levi had been disowned. Someone like Arei, who would do something so horrible to their own family, couldn't possibly be a good person. If Arei did all that to her own sisters, who's to say she wouldn't do the same to Eden?
(In retrospect, Levi would always regret jumping to conclusions. After it was all over, he would try to explain. “I always believed that a person is defined by their actions alone. But maybe that’s just a poor excuse for my heartlessness.”)
>And in all that anger, and hopelesness, and desperation... Eden revealed an idea. A very strange, almost outlandish idea. To help her out of the killing game.
>Levi wasn't a fool. He had seen how the group had handled the first trial. Eventually, someone was going to get away with murder, and that would be how the killing game would end. It was predestined.
>And if someone was going to win, it may as well be the kindest person in the group.
~He agreed.
Third Day, Noon
>Everyone was yelling, and Arei's stomach was twisting.
>Nico had tried to murder Ace. They hadn't outright admitted it, but Levi's and Ace's accounts were enough to get her to believe it.
>But she wasn't thinking so much about the incident itself, as much as she was thinking about what had caused it. The secrets. David's plan was backfiring massively...
>Except, maybe it wasn't. As she saw everyone arguing, the secret she had seen Whit receive flashed in her mind. David's secret. "You exist to manipulate others. Everyone else exists to be taken advantage of."
>Was he really that evil? Was he really trying to instigate a murder? Was anything he had ever said even true?
>Had he lied to her, too?
>...
>She didn't feel like speaking much that day. She'd rather go to her room, and contemplate. Maybe sleep for a while. Maybe lie in her bed, and maybe cry a bit.
>She didn't leave her room until it was time for dinner.
Third Day, Afternoon
>Ace was fucking pissed.
>Of course he was, he'd almost been murdered! By Nico of all fucking people! And now he couldn't even look the fucking gym without getting nervous, like the motherfucker would show up any time and finish the job!
>But it's not like that was gonna stop him from exercising. He wasn't a fucking coward, he wasn't afraid of Nico. (Or at least, he told himself that). So he'd train anyways! He'd raced on horses he was terrified of his whole life, a little exercise was nothing!
>Still, to his chagrin, he couldn't help but feel nervous whenever he heard any noises in the rest of the floor. Even the very light noise of the elevator felt like thunder in his ears. So when someone came down and started speaking, Ace couldn't help but overhear.
>Yet, the conversation was interesting. Arei was saying David had lied about his secret? This was worth hearing.
>Ace snuck in closer and listened in. Apparently David's secret was that he was a manipulative bastard, the dick. He had gone quiet when he heard that, too, so it must have been true.
>"David! Say something!"
>David went quiet for a bit, and then... Ace got bored.
>So what? David was an asshole, big deal. Breaking news, everyone! Every single participant in the killing game sucks dick and balls! Who could have seen that coming?! It wasn't anything Ace didn't already know. So he left. He didn't really feel like listening to David try to lie his way out of that. He just went back to the gym and stopped paying attention.
>Meanwhile, the conversation went on.
[THE FOLLOWING WAS WRITTEN MOSTLY FOR FUN. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW THIS CONVERSATION ACTUALLY WENT]
CW FOR AGGRESSIVE CONFRONTATION
>David was fucked.
>"I... I don't know what to say to that" David managed, covering his eyes with his hand. "It's... well... How do I put this?"
>"Just tell me, please. Did you lie to me?"
>"..." David sighed. A small, sad chuckle rose from his chest. "Yes. I'm sorry"
>"..."
>"I apologize for the false hope, Arei, but... people can't change" David continued. His head was firing off alarm bells, years of deception warning him not to continue, but he ignored them. "I have seen so many try. I have seen so many fail. In the end, there's no avoiding it. If you could improve yourself to be a better person, all that means is that you were a better person to begin with..."
>Arei fought back tears. "You're wrong"
>David had to stop himself from laughing in her face, but he couldn't help a sharp exhale. He would probably stop there, but... he had lied for so long, he almost wanted to speak what he actually believed for once. "No, I'm not. I'm the Ultimate Inspirational Speaker, Arei. If people could change, I would be the first to see it"
>"That's not- You can't be serious. Just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it can't happen!" Arei snapped.
>"Is that so?" David raised his voice, and glared at Arei. He smiled nervously. "Then tell me, Arei. Do you think I can change? That I can become better? Look at what I've done. I've lied for years, and now Ace has a permanent scar on his neck from the murder I almost caused!" He put a hand to his chest. He shouldn't be doing this, he shouldn't, but, but- "Do you really think people like me, like us, can ever be good?! If you do, then you're a bigger idiot than I thought"
>He didn't mean that. He didn't mean that. He didn't mean that. Why was he saying it?
>Arei snarled at him, her face growing red in anger. "You...." She took a breath, and her gaze grew defiant. "I'll prove you wrong. You're the idiot here. I will become good. I promised Eden I-"
>"Well, Xander promised he'd be my friend, and look where he is now!" he almost shouted. Why was he even thinking of him now? "Don't you see it? You're lying to yourself. That's the only thing to come from my speeches. Lies. And now you're repeating a degraded version, like it's gonna be any more true just because it's coming from your mouth!" He needed to stop. He- "Are you that arrogant, or did your sisters cause you permanent brain damage?!" What the fuck was he doing?!
>"..." Arei looked horrified, and angry.
>"You don't even believe it yourself, you hypochrite!" Stop! He smirked even wider. "Otherwise, why don't you go talk to your sisters, and get them to change?" She looked so sad, why was David doing this? He had to- He couldn't- It felt good to let it out- He felt horrible- Stop- He laughed. "Oh, right! You can't! Because you're a monster and destroyed their lives! And you, won't, change"
>"You-!" Arei shouted, and rushed forward to push him. Her heart clearly wasn't in it, but David retaliated and pushed her back.
>"Out of my way!" he snarled, and began walking out of the room. He couldn't- he wasn't thinking straight, he needed- he needed air, he needed out. Arei almost slipped into the pond, or maybe she did? David couln't tell anymore. His mind was a fucking mess and his only coherent thoughts were screaming at him to leave.
>Meanwhile, Arei was left alone, and hurt. She shouldn’t listen to an asshole like David, she knew that, but, but still…
>She didn’t have much of an appetite anymore. Maybe she’d just go back to bed.
CW OVER
~Later, Levi would arrive at the relaxation room to fill up two water jugs, making sure to get the fish. At the same time, Eden was discussing ways to end the killing game with Hu, securing an alibi for the time of the fish’s disappearance.
Third Day, Nighttime
~Levi and Eden met back up at the playground, and the preparations began. The materials they were working with included two pieces of rope (one longer, one shorter), the ball of sticky clothes Eden had prepared the night before, the tape Eden had taken from the gym, and the water jugs with the water and fish Levi had gathered.
~First step, with the tape from the gym, they covered the bars of the carousel, to have a better grip when they used the mechanism.
~Then, they grabbed the longer rope and put part of it through a few of the handlebars of the carousel, before tying one end to one of the handlebars.
~After that, they tied the other end to the ball of clothes, and Levi used his strength to throw it up above the railings. In doing so, he accidentally hit one of the lights with the clothes, displacing the lightbulb and causing it to flicker. Once it fell, he also threw it up to the railing in the middle, so the unused end of the longer rope would end up around where the seesaw was.
~Meanwhile, Eden tied one end of the shorter rope to the swing set near the carousel, leaving the other end unused for now.
~After removing the ball of clothes, they fashioned the untied end of the longer rope into an odd-looking “double noose”, with one of the nooses, the one closer to the end of the rope, tied around the handles of the water jugs.
~With all the preparations in place, they took the ball of clothes to the dress-up room, and Levi went to sleep. Eden wrote the note Arei would receive, telling her to meet in the playground at 7:30. Then she went to sleep as well.
Fourth Day, Morning
>Arturo was a fucking asshole, Arei decided from the moment she saw the note.
~Obviously Arei followed it, because she was trying to be friends with Eden.
>And as suspicious as the note was, there was no way Eden would betray her, right? If she did…
>…
>Well, Arei didn’t really want to think about it.
>She arrived at the playground, and… why was there so much rope around? Eden was standing near it, contemplating… a noose?
>Oh god.
>Arei didn’t even think. She rushed in and tried to stop Eden from doing-
~Levi, who had been hidden besides the door, attacked. He ambushed Arei from behind, and used his weight to pin her to the floor. Arei screamed and struggled, scuffing the floor around her, but she obviously wasn’t able to do anything to fight off Levi.
[Oh great more dialogue]
CW for emotional confrontation, feelings of betrayal and suicidal ideation.
>”What the fuck are you doing?! Eden, get him off me!”
>Eden looked downcast, her expression somber. She was evidently lost in thought. “I’m sorry it has to be this way”
>Arei didn’t get it.
~Levi grabbed Arei’s hands, and roughly pulled out her glove to better get the tape around her wrists. This was to make sure she didn’t struggle too much after the process began.
>”Hey! Eden! What’s going on?! I thought we were friends!”
>”As if. We’re not that naive” Levi spat from behind her, and she could practically feel that murderous edge he always used when threatening Ace.
>”Huh?! What are you talking about, you-?!”
>”I’m sorry, Arei. I just can’t believe you” Eden spoke softly, fidgeting with her hands. She grabbed the noose, which weirdly had- wait. “I know you’re lying to me. You don’t have to keep pretending you like me”
>…
>Arei’s entire world crumbled in that moment.
>”H-Huh?! Wait, I- I never lied to you! I want- I wanted to be friends-!”
>”Don’t lie” Levi snarled. “We know what your secret is. What you’ve done to your sisters. I can’t believe you. You know, actions define people, and you have been nothing but terrible your whole life”
>Eden bent down to put the noose around Arei’s neck. Because of course, of course it was a fucking noose. Eden hesitated, however.
>”Don’t fall for her crocodile tears, Eden” Levi warned. Oh, Arei was crying? News to her.
>”R-Right” Eden said, putting the noose around Arei’s neck. Eden then positioned herself to pin Arei down herself as Levi stepped off and went towards the carousel.
>”Eden, please… please don’t listen to him! Don’t be scared of him! I’ll beat him up for you, just-!”
>”I’m not- I’m not scared of Levi” Eden frowned.
>”But- But, he’s a murderer without remorse!” Levi stopped in his tracks. “That’s his secret, Eden! I received it! Do you really want to help someone like that?!”
>Eden seemed to hesitate for a moment, but shook her head, and looked at Arei with glassy eyes, smiling nervously. “I mean… I- I can’t really judge him for that. I… I was the one who came up with this idea, you know”
>…
>Huh.
>So there really was no point, then.
>David didn’t believe in her. Eden didn’t believe in her. Fucking Eden. And now, even the nicest person in the entire killing game had decided Arei deserved to die.
>…
>Arei stopped struggling after that.
CW OVER, mostly. There’s still references to suicide after this point.
(God I really hope I’m not horrendously mischaracterizing these people)
~Levi begun to spin the carousel, which worked as a pulley that started dragging Arei up. As he spun it, he likely had to adjust it slightly so it wouldn’t slide off the wrong way, hence why he needed to be able to better grip all the handlebars instead of putting tape on just one. [I don’t know if that made sense]
~As the rope started pulling up, Eden stepped aside and ran over to the carousel.
~Levi stopped spinning it once Arei was high enough, and Eden attached the unused end of the shorter rope to the carousel.
~Eden grabbed hold of the carousel, and Levi ran out of the room.
~Now, neither of them had thought of asking MonoTV how to determine the blackened in the case of an accomplice being in play, so they took all the steps necessary to make sure Eden would be the blackened.
~She was the one to put the rope around Arei’s neck, she had been the one to come up with the murder plan, and she was the last person holding her up. Levi running out of the room was extra insurance: how could he be the blackened if he wasn’t even a witness to the crime? However, the final trick would ensure Eden would get the title of blackened.
~Eden let go of the carousel, and gravity made it spin as Arei fell. It spun for only a little bit, however, as the shorter rope soon fully tensed, and stopped the carousel in its tracks. Because of the height Arei fell, as well as the extra weight from the water jugs, her neck snapped in the moment the shorter rope tensed. At the same time, the handles from the water jugs snapped, and they fell to the floor.
~With this, it could be argued the act which caused Arei’s death was the letting go of the carousel, for which Levi wasn’t even present, meaning Eden was indubitably the blackened.
~And when it was all said and done, there was one fact which stood. Because of the strength the mechanism had required, Eden could not have possibly done it all alone. Unless the class somehow figured out she had an accomplice, just the strength necessary for the act would rule her out, give her an alibi. That is the reason behind the complexity of the murder.
~After that, Levi came into the room, fulfilling another nice benefit. Because he hadn’t technically witnessed the murder, he counted as a “body discoverer” for BDA purposes.
~The last step was setting up the scene as we saw it. The fish they spread around would confuse the time of death and give Eden an alibi, and hanging Arei from the swing set would make people initially believe she had committed suicide. Levi had to be the one to do that, as Eden was too weak and short, adding an extra layer of misdirection.
~”What if I just take her glove?” Levi asked.
>”Eh?”
>”I could take her glove, and then if someone spots me with it, they’ll vote me out and you’ll win” Levi explained.
>”That’s… kinda silly, isn’t it?”
>”…”
>”…”
>”…”
>”… Okay, sure”
>”Very well” Levi nodded sagely. Eden remained very confused.
~They took the longer tape and hid it under the carousel, then threw the tape which had been on Arei’s wrists and the jugs in the trash, as well as the note after ripping it up a bit.
~With that, they left to go see the supposed announcement of the motives.
Investigation
>Pretending to be surprised at Arei’s absence wasn’t as hard as Eden thought it would be. Just make a horrified face and say nothing, easy!
>Eden knew the BDA would still play if just Whit and Teruko discovered the body, which is why she wasn’t nervous when Teruko first asked her and Whit to go search for Arei together. Still, she second guessed herself just as Teruko swung the door open, because she would be in big trouble if the BDA didn’t play. Thankfully for her, it did, as Levi had already “discovered” it before. Honestly, it was pretty good luck (and bad luck on Teruko’s part) that Eden got to be part of the “discovery group.”
>On the side, David looks at how the body was positioned, and instantly knew what had happened. “Of course. Of course this would happen” he muttered. Arei killed herself because of him. What a monster he was.
~After pretending to be sad about Arei’s death for a moment, Eden offered to investigate with “braincell haver” Teruko, but got shut down. So instead, she joined Rose and Whit as they put together the note in the trash, to make sure they got it right. It was an important part of the plan, after all.
>Levi just went to look at the secrets because he didn’t really have to do anything specific.
Trial
>When people begun discussing the possibility of Arei helping her killer, Levi thought it would be a good way to misdirect the cast, so he started pushing the idea. Though with the slight freudian slip of saying Arei may have been her own “accomplice.”
>On the side, David held his tongue. Once MonoTV revealed the condition to be the blackened was that you were “someone alive who we can blame for her death”, any doubt dissipated in his mind. He had caused her to commit suicide, he could be blamed for her death. And he was the blackened, then.
>However, Eden needed to go against the idea of suicide, because she was supposed to sell the idea they had been friends once the note was revealed.
>When that happened, they had agreed Levi would push on the idea that Eden was the killer a bit, to “force” her to explain the note she wanted to explain anyways.
>Levi also added he’d protect Eden no matter what, but Eden responds “Don’t say stuff like that.” To the others, that was because Eden was worried Levi would end up like Arei. To Eden and Levi, it was a subtle way of saying ‘shut up and don’t link us together!’
~Eden explained the note, making sure to act like she was very distraught by the situation and genuinely believed Arei had wanted to change.
~She also provided a “handwriting sample” to look more innocent, but she intentionally wrote it in print instead of cursive to separate it from the note. Somehow, no one noticed.
>Meanwhile, David was starting to break down. She really had been trying to change, but the naive idiot had believed in David. And nothing good happens to those who believe in him.
>What a reprehensible killer indeed.
>But David’s breakdown was having an impact on Eden, who begun to think that maybe, just maybe, she had been wrong about Arei.
>She was in too deep, though. She needed to continue. She couldn’t turn back the clock now.
>When David is accused of everything, he decides he might as well enjoy the last of his life, of his killing game. He breaks down the same way he did when Arei confronted him, becoming insulting and dismissive to prevent any vulnerability from showing through. The words he said, he believed for the most part, but the smile on his face as he said them was perhaps his biggest lie yet.
>In other news, that’s pretty convenient for the murder duo! If they can just get David voted out, then…
~But that wouldn’t happen. Not if Teruko and Charles had something to say about it.
Chapter 2, Part 2
[This is just for fun]
+Charles realized the trick of the time of death, and the cast decided to start speaking of the murder method.
+After a bit of discussion (where Eden was surprisingly helpful!), they realized the murder would require inordinate strength, and they start pointing the finger at Levi.
+The secrets are revealed then, as some have realized what most of the remaining ones were. David deduced Hu must have the “hopeless child” secret, Teruko deduced Veronika must have the “self-harm” secret, Veronika in turn figured Teruko must have the “dead family” secret (that wasn’t hers, but it still applied to her life, so they didn’t question it too much. David bit his tongue), and… well, they somehow realize the “poison” secret must be Min’s.
+As Levi’s secret is narrowed down, he finally admits.
+He takes the glove from his pocket, and dramatically confesses: “I… I killed Arei”
+All going according to plan!
+The voting time is almost about to happen, but Veronika pipes in. She wants to talk about the Ace case for some reason, and while Teruko tries to deny her, the horror fanatic throws the luckster’s own words against her. “The more cases we solve, the better we’ll be at solving them in the future!”
+Reluctantly, Nico starts speaking about what they did. It was… an odd sequence, but it wasn’t too wild.
+Except, Rose pointed out something odd. What happened to the tape?
+Nico says it was still on the floor when they left. Rose says it’s impossible. Eden’s getting nervous.
+And Teruko goes dead quiet, as she runs the math again in her head.
+The lockdown… the lockdown meant no one should have been able to take the tape during nighttime… MonoTV claimed it wasn’t the one to take it… and she knew neither Ace or herself had taken it… so… It must have been taken by…
+”Teruko?” someone asked, but she wasn’t listening. It was clear now…
+She couldn’t resist the maniacal laughter that escaped her, as the adrenaline of realizing how close they’d gotten to dying (scratch that, she wouldn’t have died, but the others might have), and she realized she was right. She couldn’t trust anyone.
+The others looked at her in concern, but she just explained the simple truth.
+It was chaos. No one wanted to believe it. But the more they thought about it, more questions arose. Why would Levi make such a complex mechanism, when he could have just killed Arei in a much simpler way?
+Whit had an idea. He asked Levi which direction Arturo had ran after leaving the infirmary. And Levi answered wrong. He hadn’t listened on the conversation, then. It would be impossible for him to write the note. Charles further verified by asking Levi and Eden to spell “responsible”. Levi spelt it right, Eden spelt it wrong. “Responsibel”, the same misspelling as the note.
+There was a scrum debate, people went crazy, but in the end. They arrived at the answer, and voted for Eden.
+It was right.
+They asked for further clarification and Eden admitted everything which had led to her decision.
+”I feel terrible. Arei really was… I should have believed her. But- But, at that point, when I finally realized the truth, it was too late” Eden explained. “I wish I hadn’t done it, I want to go back… but time only moves forward. You can’t go back, no matter how hard you try”
+She hugged Teruko one last time, pleading she wouldn’t close herself off even further. But Teruko wasn’t having it. She asked MonoTV she was using a MonoCredit to get Eden away from her.
+And MonoTV obliged, starting the execution right that moment. [Credit for the idea to venus and accirax]
~This was the truth. A tragic misunderstanding, a horrible mistake. Call it whatever you want, one thing remains the same. The blackened of the case, who committed the crime with the help of Levi Fontana, the Ultimate Personal Stylist, was none other than Eden Tobisa, the Ultimate Clockmaker!
And right before dying, Eden reveals the name of the girl she had kissed was Mai Akasaki-
Conclusion
Yeah, this was longer than it really had to be, but I had fun writing it. This will probably be the last post I make about this case, at least until CH 2 Part 2 comes out. Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading, hope time only brings you good things! Take care!
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communistkenobi · 10 days
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I was wondering about the horseshoe theory (mentioned in your post about fascism and communism). There's also something called the fish hook theory (don't really have any thoughts on it). I've been graphics illustrating both and tbh sometimes they feel like they fit but part of it is bc I think a lot of people calling themselves communists and anti imperialists are left nationalists and revanchists. It definitely seems like there's a lack of striving towards internationalism etc. At the same time idk if calling these communists not real communists makes sense (no true Scotsman fallacy or w.e) bc they're the ones we've got on planet Earth.
I don’t find any type of visual shorthand like horseshoe/fish hook/compass etc useful personally because I don’t think those symbols depict any actual empirical facts about history or politics. Like I think they are just fundamentally not serious because you can’t use them as frameworks to analyze history or political conflict, and doubly useless as prescriptions for what to do to resolve those conflicts. The fish hook is to my understanding a response to the horseshoe theory (extremism of “both sides” equivalently harmful/bad/“ideological”), but the problem is that the fish hook is using the same logic that all political conflict can both summarized and understood with a single symbol, that this symbol speaks for itself. the actual critique of horseshoe theory I find most compelling is that it’s fundamentally a joke premise, it’s the analytical equivalent of an r/Libertarian meme and should only be mocked and dismissed out of hand, not countered with a different symbol. its primary function is to argue that “centrism” is a coherent political ideology. this symbol may even occasionally appear to fit with a particular context of reality but that does not mean it is valuable for understanding reality
re who are actual communists is a conversation I have with close friends somewhat regularly re: activism work and am interested in responding to, but I do not want to do so in a public setting. or at least, not on tumblr. you know how it is on here
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Renatus Revol Headcanon Dump Part 1
Woo wooo!! Time for Renatus headcanons! He’s not just a simple delinquent and I intend to convince y’all on why :3c. This will have manga spoilers! Gif credit to @fallinblossoms
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Renatus Revol
Height: 5’10/180cm
Age: 26
Birthdate: November 1st
Sign: Scorpio
Gender: Cisgender
Pronouns: He/Him
Sexuality: Bisexual
• While Renatus fits into the category of a delinquent brute with how lackadaisical and extreme he can be in terms of delivering punishment. He’s actually quite amicable like Ryoh and Kaldo. He’s just incredibly tired 24/7 due to his role and hasn’t gotten proper sleep in years(except for holidays, which he yearns for every day).
• Has developed the ability to sleep standing upright.
• His favorite food is fast food because it’s the only thing that’s usually available super late at night to eat. My man can NOT cook.
• Conversely his favorite drink is cheap beer because, once again, of how easily accessible it is during late hours.
• He enjoys reading ghost stories because it helps keep him up at night.
• Compared to the others who at least have decent homes or lavish spaces, Renatus lives in a cheap apartment. He still has things in boxes because he’s never had time to go home and truly unpack anything. The first thing one sees when entering his place is a single mattress on the floor, stacks of magazines and books, dirty containers of fast food and empty bottles. Truly a Male Living Space™️.
• Is actually quite the academic, although his memory isn’t what it used to be.
• And speaking of his memory issues. While I am inclined to believe that sleep may be a factor in it, I am also inclined to believe his immortality also plays a role in it.
• While he can regenerate at incredible speeds, it’s not entirely perfect. A crick in the neck? Simple, he just breaks his neck so the bones can set properly again. Back problems? Just break his back, no biggie. After his fight with Doom, his regeneration couldn’t keep up and he lost consciousness. And the healing process was not completely perfect when he came to(huge time shenanigans and mega manga spoilers aside). To summarize, he ended up with brain damage.
• People often think he’s forgetful because he’s just tired or lazy and doesn’t care enough to remember properly. While that’s *partially* true, it’s also because he has yet to really fully grasp how bad it really is. And he’s certainly not being careful with himself either. He’s always had memory issues but his lack of self preservation only exacerbated the problem.
• While he recalls that he gave up his mortality in order to save a girl he loved, he can’t recall if he did in fact save her. Nor even remember her name, or what she looked liked. He doesn’t think on it much in recent times, save for this weird funny feeling he gets in his chest whenever he traces his only scar.
• Renatus’ coworkers have yet to notice how bad his memory has gotten, Agito however has been assisting him in little ways. Such as leaving behind notes and helping him grab lunch and remind him of important events or work related things. He hasn’t noticed the changes fully.
• In terms of closeness with the other Divine Visionaries. He is closest with Agito, amicable with Tsurara, Ryoh and Rayne. Neutral with Orter. And on negative terms with Kaldo and Sophina. He enjoys teasing Sophina the most due to her strict school president like attitude.
• Does not remember Nerey. At all. Repeatedly even after Nerey has introduced himself several times. It’s unclear on whether or not he’s doing this as a bit or because Nerey’s genuinely not interesting enough to be remembered by Renatus.
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thewertsearch · 1 year
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This is... a Becquerel.
That energy is unmistakable. This is a troll, or possibly a human, who has been spliced with the MEOW code, creating a being with Bec’s powers, and what seems to be a devious, intelligent mind. 
And that mind has been tasked with the destruction of the universe. 
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He also seems to be located in the Intermission’s manor. The guy doesn’t just share an employer with the Felt - he’s their missing cueball. 
He might not fit the Lord English coat, but he’s certainly higher in the power hierarchy than any Felt member we’ve seen before - I’d like to see Slick try to kill this guy. 
You try to be the white text guy, but fail to be the white text guy. No one can be the white text guy except for the white text guy.
Is this the first time a character has been completely immune to the comic's ‘commands’? I know Dave resisted one, and John resisted WV, but this is a Hussie-submitted reader command, which feels like a bigger deal. 
The white text guy is known as Doc Scratch.
Sounds like a DJ. Well, he’s dressed in all white, so maybe he’s an actual doctor - a researcher, or laboratory scientist. 
His intelligence isn’t a ruse, I’m pretty sure. This guy is legitimately a brainbox, which makes me wonder if that’s the MEOW code at work. If it is, just how much does Bec really know? 
He is an officer of an indestructible demon known as Lord English. His job is to pave the way for the arrival of his master, who will be summoned upon the termination of the universe. He has worked at this task for many centuries, and will continue to do so until THE GREAT UNDOING.
This is mostly just a confirmation of what I’ve already suspected. It’s notable, though, that unlike the billion-year-old Bec, Doc Scratch seems to have existed for mere centuries. I guess there’s no reason the Frog Temple can’t have been deposited that recently.  
Scratch is Alternia's FIRST GUARDIAN. Every planet destined for intelligent life has such an entity meant to protect it, and facilitate the planet's ultimate purpose. A first guardian is typically almost as old as the planet itself, and each has a unique, circuitous origin through the knots of paradox space. They can be born into a great diversity of forms, though they all share a common, especially potent genetic sequence. The code grants them near omnipotence, and when merged with a host of great intelligence, near omniscience as well.
This, however, is one of the densest infodumps in the entire comic. Allow me to summarize:
Every planet that will ever have intelligent life, will also have a First Guardian. They’re usually deposited on the planet shortly after its creation. 
Every First Guardian is created in a different way, but they all come into being through ‘the knots of paradox space’, which I’m interpreting to mean that they’re all created through time travel. 
First Guardians do not have a set appearance, but they all have DNA - and their DNA always contains the MEOW sequence. 
MEOW grants them what is dubiously described as ‘near omnipotence’. We know they at least get teleportation, size shifting, portals, enhanced speed and immortality. 
Provided the genetic base is sufficiently intelligent, it also grants them extreme clairvoyance. The implication seems to be that Becquerel does not possess this trait.
First Guardians are supposed to facilitate their planet’s ‘purpose’. This purpose is not specified, but seems to require intelligent life. 
That’s what we’re told, but there’s also a chilling implication here, hidden slightly under the surface. 
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Bec was created in a Veil facility seemingly designed to create him, and the code used to do so was implanted in a Player. Plus, these things are created by time manipulation, which is Sburb’s bread and butter. First Guardians seem to be closely tied to Sburb, even if they’re not formally ‘game constructs’. 
A First Guardian is spawned on every world with intelligent life. In other words, they show up on every world that will develop the tech to run Sburb. 
It sounds a lot like a planet’s ‘ultimate purpose’ is to generate Sburb sessions. 
A First Guardian is the first symptom of your planet’s doom. 
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zolanort · 2 months
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This is a video of my most magnificent Outer Wilds fail ever, which took place while attempting endgame for the first time in the year 2022. There's no audio of me screaming unfortunately so I have summarized that entire thought process below the video.
[ENDGAME SPOILERS DO NOT WATCH IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE YOU WILL EVER PLAY THE OUTER WILDS THIS GAME NEEDS TO BE PLAYED BLIND PLEASE TRUST ME ON THIS]
1- I triggered what I believed (correctly) to be the endgame. This is it.
2- The end-of-the-world leitmotif starts playing, but it's a more intense version than usually plays for the end of the cycle, indicating to me that it is not only the end, it is THE end. I have pulled out the life support plug. It is the final countdown. There is no going back. This really is it. I panic.
3- I run for my ship and set the autopilot for the final destination.
4- Just after I take off I get sideswiped by an entire planet. I panic more, if possible.
5- I jump out of my ship, then I panic and jump back in to make sure that the drive isn't going to explode (a miracle), then back out to do repairs.
6- There's fire. Why is there fire?!!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaa (extreme panic is not good for critical thinking).
7- I flail around, repairing things as fast as I can.
8- I finish the final repair, just as the final destination rises back above the horizon.
9- My ship flies away without me. The autopilot was still on.
10- The autopilot was still on.
11- Bewildered, I try to pursue, but my jet-packs just can't match a spaceship and I fall back through the atmosphere, down down down to the surface of the offending planet as I watch my ship fly away into the distance.
12- I end up surviving my miraculously precise fall into the bottom of a canyon (somehow), where the walls of the canyon end up perfectly framing a view of my ship as it flies towards the final destination without me. So I just lay there and watch it in stunned disbelief for a long moment. The universe is just rubbing it in at this point. I don't have time to plug the life support back in. I am already dead.
13- In a fit of giddy denial, I meditate.
And that is the story of how I died.
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jamtland · 6 months
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🌸 & 🏛️?
Hetalia Emoji Asks
🌸 - Let's start off easy. Who are your top three favorite characters?
"Never ask a man his salary, a woman her age, and a Scandinavia stan his 3 favorite characters" — Eleanor Roosevelt
I'll spare the extremely predictable answer and choose only from canon characters that aren't part of the Nordics: Estonia, Singapore and the Netherlands.
🏛 - If you could pick one historical event to be adapted into Hetalia, what would it be?
I might be overthinking this one because "adapted into Hetalia" sounds like it has to fit into a 5-minute or shorter episode without the potential for severe misinterpretation and it should be lighthearted so the characters can crack unfunny jokes about it. With these limitations, I'd choose to focus on an invention or something culturally significant. Maybe Sweden working under Linné to develop biological taxonomy or summarizing the history of Swedish traditions like Midsummer or Lucia and how he does things differently from the rest of Scandinavia. A surströmming episode that explains how the dish was developed and how it's actually consumed (hint: not straight out the can) would genuinely be greatly educational for the average internet user.
As for more serious options, assuming that this dream episode can approach the historical events maturely, I'd want something that corrects the historical misconceptions of previous episodes (the Denmark-Norway and Sweden-Finland relationships, basically). The Denmark-Norway episode needs to show that Norway and Denmark weren't on equal standing in the union and Norway wasn't upset to gain independence from Denmark at all. The Sweden-Finland one should be set during the Finnish wars for independence and show that Finland can fight for himself and isn't scared of Sweden. There's free SuFin bait as well because Sweden offered a lot of military aid to Finland during that time.
Thanks for the ask!
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paperzombiie · 2 months
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How is Nohreh doing?
he's... surviving(?) this is gonna be a long post bc i've been wanting to talk about this so i apologise in advance fndjksnfjd
right now his story and the rp is on hiatus for numerous reasons but to summarize it:
-original rp discord group closed suddenly bc admins were antis, threw a hissy fit and didn't want anyone to have fun if it wasn't on their own extremely sanitized """moral""" terms (like, every time a character did anything wrong we had to clearly state we didn't support what they did... and other even worse things like that ugh)
-we (the users) made a new discord group to continue with the story as we pleased (hence the change from "azalea valley" to "rhododendron island". the tag is now called "rhodo island")
-we had a few rp events but eventually we all got busy with our jobs/uni so we had to make a pause
story wise, Nohreh has:
-found out Demian bit Coni on a full moon and went hiding from everyone
-went looking for him when he didn't reappear after a week and become closer after taking care of him
-had a period of "peace" until they uh... let's say they both fucked up and had sex again when they didn't even know what they wanted from each other. that put a strain on their friendship, Demian refused to talk to him but only bc he was so afraid and anxious (he doesn't hook up with the same person twice to avoid getting attached and this went against all his own internal set of rules), Nohreh thought he was mad at him, communication issues ensue
-they finally talked about it (or at least tried to) and both concluded they needed a bit of time away from each other to think but agreed to talk about it again after some time passed
-Nohreh took that opportunity to go to the sea and finally dare to search for his grandpa following a lead he obtained a while ago
-not only he did find him but he also found his grandma! they were both alive living in a mermaid city but grandpa couldn't go back to the surface due to a curse. his grandma was actually the mermaid witch who lifted the seal that suppressed his mer self from birth on this comic (she's the one saying "welcome back")
-spent some time with them catching up and learned a bit of his own family history, along with the reason they decided to stop living as mermaids and forget the rest of the family (said reason is still a WIP, sorry 💦 let's say it was just good ol' family drama with a mix of magic in it)
-came back to the island and reunited with his friends and Demian. they talked, agreed to take things slow and take care of each other
-had a halloween party organized by the villagers and almost had a date night with Demian. as the island is located in the southern hemisphere that means it was summer storms season... a particularly bad tropical storm quickly developed on halloween night and plunged the whole island into chaos. lighting caused the lighthouse to malfunction and the electricity of the whole place went down for a couple of weeks. a dense fog seemingly undisturbed by the storm engulfed the town and strange things started to happen, with voices being heard at night and weird silhouettes seen stalking the villagers in the fog
-Nohreh and his friends had to go through a few chilling adventures to restore the power to the lighthouse and the island, and finally succeded! the fog disappeared and everything went to normal... or at least as normal as one can be after a strong tropical storm
-in the process he discovered the lighthouse acts as a guardian for the island that keeps the paranormal fog at bay. it's inhabited by a lady who's some kind of brazilian fairy whose name escapes me at the moment, the thing is, she controls electricity and provides the whole island with power
-he's helping rebuild a few places and trying to return to his normal life... but things feel different. dead animals keep washing ashore on the beaches and Fay has told him he had a premonition about a new danger lurking in the island after the storm awoke it...
aaaaand that's all i have for now lol
i suspect this is not the kind of answer you were expecting, maybe something with a little drawing on it but i honestly been too caught up with what's happening with my country so i apologise for the lack of drawings ;__; still, it fills me with immense joy to know someone still wants to know about Nohreh so, thank you for asking!!
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system-of-a-feather · 10 months
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if you're going to be homebrewing anyways and throwing out most of the system, consider using another one! it's bound to work a lot better for you than trying to fit your game into something it's not meant for
Nahhh its chill 😂 I am not really trying to fit it into anything so much as basically creating a custom system from scratch cause I'm stubborn like that. Its only DnD in the sense that its the base that I am familiar with and thus the base inspiration for it but like, thats about where it starts and ends basically.
Our system (at least according to Our Book of Facts TM) grew up making board games as one of our frequent fixations and have a nerdy habit and love for creating rule sets and scaling and game design.
Plus on top of that I've always had an issue with using other people's premade content (could never really fandom roleplay cause I disliked working in the realm of a preexisting world) that isn't MINE and I think its kinda a territorial thing but like
All thats excess stuff cause it just boils down to the fact I like making things EXTREMELY custom and mine to the point calling what I do "homebrew" isnt really accurate either 😂
I guess the best way to summarize how much DnD it is, is that I'm trying to fit DnD into my world and the shit that doesnt I just cut off and reshape 😂
Tbh I think itd best call it a written rpg more than anything
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anjehicks · 6 months
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10/7/23-10/14/23 Album Recap
Ranking from Fav to Least Fav
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The Cramps - Fiends Of Dope Island 2003
Trying to keep a decent amount of spooky albums into the queue this month. What better way to get spooky than with the most famous of Psychobilly bands, The Cramps! This is one that I see less talked about; being their second to last album the band created. Admittedly, it's not their strongest album but lots of these songs are plenty sick! If you need a song to add to your Halloween playlist, may I suggest, "Big Black Witchcraft Rock" for your mix? The other notable hit from this list is, "Wrong Way Ticket" which devolves into madness much like their cover of, "Surfin' Bird". If you want something fun and less mentioned check out, "She's Got Balls". Stay Sick, Y'all!
4/5
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Fuzzrider - Fuzzrider 2023
Love me a new album of some good-ass blues! Damn, the fuzz bass mixed with the twang of dirty blues is just real fucking cool. Even if you're not usually a fan of blues and prefer heavier stuff; this still hits the spot! The intro for "Lost Caravan" is so nasty; you'd think that it belonged to a Led Zepplin song! This is this band's debut album so if you want to give them some recognition; I'll leave a link to their Bandcamp here.
4/5
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Pink Floyd - Obscured By Clouds 1972
Oh Pink Floyd, your legacy is endless as your work is iconic. What's interesting about this one [Other than the fact it was the soundtrack for the French film, "La Vallée"] is its heavy of use of acoustic guitar. This gives a primarily 60's style to the song, "Free Four". Though even in their reduced use of the electric guitar; it still shines brilliantly in, "04 The Gold It's In The ..." [Sometimes referred to as, "04 The Gold It's In The?"]. It is a shorter Pink Floyd album so if you're just getting into the band; I wouldn't say listen two it first but maybe a solid third to listen to for a nice break is a safe bet.
3.8/5
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Rush - Archives 1978
I went into this album during my Vinyl Spotlight so I'll summarize here. Their debut album is my least favorite of theirs due to a lack of identity [No diss on John Rutsey] but is not terrible by any means. "Fly By Night" is an EXTREMELY underappreciated album that set up the framework for their style. Also, "Caress Of Steel" is so overly hated when it's truly one of their most ambitious and creative albums. Their first 3 albums get a lot of flack that isn't entirely justified imo. "I Think I'm Going Bald" is a good song, learn to have some fun.
3.8/5
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John Entwistle - Smash Your Head Against The Wall 1971
Many a Who fan talk about Keith Moon; [For obvious reasons] but I always found my favorite member of the band being John Entwistle. Something about the fact that he put up with the former's shenanigans and the fact that he can play some sick-ass basslines while making a face that says he gives 0 fucks is pretty wild in his own right. But enough of my love for him, this is about his side-project here. What a grooovy album it is! The song sharing its name with an album feels all too familiar like I've known it all my life without remembering hearing it. The final song, "I Believe In Everything" is "The Ox" in his Ox-iest form! Ending the song with singing, "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer". Man, he sure did his fair dose of cocaine... But I've already been replaying songs from this when doing chores so this one's a keeper!
3.75/5
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Various - Ghostbusters (Original Soundtrack) 1984
Like, c'mon- it's October! I have to listen to this at least once! 80's synth-pop and well-composed modern classical. It's everything an 80's blockbuster soundtrack should be! Other than the obvious, which of course is a banger; I've grown an appreciation for "Dana's Theme" with its natural elegance and springy undertones fitting well with Dana's character. As she herself shows elegance of her career without being so uptight as to shut down the goofy nature of those around her. Am I perhaps overthinking a song from fucking Ghostbusters? Yep. Still a good song, though.
3.5/5
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Cake - Comfort Eagle 2001
One of the bands where the singer sounding almost completely disinterested in what he's singing actually works. While I wish to say I love the full album, the second-half of the tracklist gets a little lackluster compared to the first-half. Luckily, the hit, "Love You Madly" as well as the sweeter, sadder, and more overlooked, "Pretty Pink Ribbon" salvage it from mediocrity. But I think we all know that the winner of this is gonna be the almost ska-sounding, "Short Skirt/Long Jacket". I wish to ooze 1/8 the amount of cool maturity the woman in that song has. The line, "-and a voice that is dark like tinted-glass" makes me practice talking in a deeper, richer voice.
3.5/5
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Cardiacs - A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window 1988
I was told this was very dark sounding album. If your idea of dark is Helluva Boss, then I guess it is. The whole carnival-madness music doesn't do it for me in large amounts. Maybe one song per album at most. Maybe its just the times associating this type of sound with the trying too hard to make something edgy crowd. But I really can't separate the two despite knowing this is quite good on a technical and lyrical level. I appreciate the effort, but it's not for me.
3/5
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The Clash - This Is DUB Clash 2000
Oh boy-- On the bright side of this, it's an unofficial album. On the side that is my true thoughts attacking at the back of my brain I have no idea why the comments on the YouTube upload of this call it, "Fresh". There is a somewhat interesting combination of sounds in, "Silicone On Sapphire". But in my reality, this album is like taking the isolated production sounds from their popular songs. It sounds so fucking weird to hear what sounds like 30% of "Rock The Casbah" with it cutting out when the chorus starts. I just don't understand why this in particular needed to be turned into an album. Feel like I'm going a little mad here trying to make sense of it. Better just not.
2/5
Phew, it's a lot easier now to not have to listen to so many albums a day but it is a lot more tricky to record my thoughts for a later date. Been very distracted too since I'm getting a puppy Monday! Look at the picture of her! She's so droopy and floopy I love her already! ♥
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rabbitreader09 · 2 years
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Sooo, i cant find the request for this anymore but it was by @oni-otakue so sorry! >-< (this is an xfem reader btw as per request, although the reader doesn’t have any pronouns)
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You never much cared about your outer appearance, of course you still dressed formal for your work in the legal department but never something too over the top, just normal enough to not stand out to anyone. And you did not mind that, you always preferred just walking trough the break room without feeling eyes set on you, not to mention dealing with a dress code violation would really just be an extra annoyance in your usually busy work schedule
Just as your unconscious plan wanted it, Vincent didn’t really know you much either, on the rare occasion you two would even be in the same location since he worked in a higher position than you, he sometimes caught himself looking at you for a moment or two, but usually just brushed it off, after all, everyones eyes must wander from time to time right?
You just kept up your simple persona, at least until your friend begged you to get her out of a date she didn’t want to go to, at first you said no thinking she wanted you to go out with some total creep, but turns out she just found the guy painfully boring so after some more begging and bribing you eventually agreed.
There was one little problem though, the time of the date was shortly after you would be let off work that day, meaning you had no time to go home and get ready, so after some consideration you figured you just had to wear your dating attire to work for one day. It couldn’t be that bad right? It wasn’t something extremely over the top, just out of your comfort zone, so you beat yourself to do it.
When you arrived at work that day you sort of regretted it immediately, you felt so anxious and watched at all times as you just tried getting your work done neatly, when you were let off for your break, you were suddenly approached by a lot of your male and even some female coworkers who started to flatter you with compliments and praises about your new look, telling you “how much it fit you” or “how good it looked”. Of course you felt very flattered but also overwhelmed with all the attention, so you just shrugged it off with “thanks you”s and a lot of blushing.
Coincidentally, someone passed by your break room at that time, obviously none other than Vincent Edgeworth himself. He really just went there to get a few quick papers from your supervisor who happened to be there as well, yet couldn’t help but notice the small swarm of people that build had built, at first he was confused, then saw you standing in the middle of it. He stopped, looked at you, then only realized that it was you.
He subconsciously admired your body and face, the way the skirt you wore matched the neat button up along with how nice the texture of your hair summarized it all. After a while he finally caught himself staring, feeling blood rush to his face as he walked off immediately, trying to push it out of his system as quickly as possible, but the way you smiled, blushed and talked was just too much.
Eventually, you went on your date which was unsurprisingly very mediocre, but when you came home and looked at yourself in the mirror, you realized you did look nice… so you decided to wear something similar the next day, and the next too, until it eventually turned into your preferred attire.
Some of your coworkers even started asking you out on dates, some you attended, others you were too busy for, but they never really turned into something serious. Although he tried not to, Vincent couldn’t help but start noticing you every time you entered or left a room, even noticing the littlest things about you, your eye color, little habits and even what was your favorite drink, eventually realizing (with the help of victor) he was probably falling in love.
After what seemed like an eternity, he knew he had 2 options, find a new job or get his crap together and ask you out, and he wasn’t about to do the first thing. So eventually he came up to you when you were walking to your car and very awkwardly asked to take you out for dinner, you were obviously startled, but mostly at the fact someone like him would show interest in you, so you agreed happily.
He took you out to a quite fancy restaurant in the city and when you struck up a conversation, you two immediately showed a certain chemistry, he found you were very interesting that feeling seemed to be mutual, and you eventually couldn’t help but crush on him as well.
When you were finished eating he persisted on walking you home which you were on board with since your house was a bit further away anyways, he dropped you off at your front door before gently pressing a kiss against your lips turning both of you into a flustered wreck before you quietly thanked him for the night.
After that you two started dating which turned out to be a dream, after he got more comfortable he went back to his though guy persona, but you still knew he was a softie at heart. Although he often pulled you into his office when you were at work you didn’t really mind, he honestly just got lonely at times and needed you to cuddle into his lap for a few minutes which you were more than happy to do.
In the end, you two would be a great couple, Vincent loves to treat you and to spend time with his partner, he’s a great boyfriend.
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jacquelinemerritt · 1 year
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Dragon Ball Z: Abridged Episode 32 Review
The return of Freeza! And poor pacing…
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The biggest difficulty I’ve encountered in attempting to review this series is analyzing each individual episode on its own merits and how it fits into what has been established before without considering how it fits into the episodes that I know come afterwards.
This has been the basis for most of my criticism of the show’s pacing, as each episode doesn’t necessarily tell a complete story within itself, and so I am left to criticize it for failing to do more than set up the story, even though I know the rest of the story will be told within the next two episodes or so.1
I bring this up because “Battlefield Ee-arth” is entirely setup for the next episode, almost unabashedly so. The plot can even be summarized in three beats: our heroes sense Freeza and his father coming to earth, they go to where he lands, and a mysterious figure cuts down Freeza’s men. There is no sense of closure or completeness to the story of this episode, and it feels like we’re just being strung along until the next episode can finish the story.
With all of that said, the return of Freeza is of course, the kind of event that’s going to strike fear into the hearts of these characters, and it definitely shows, with Yamcha in particular having the most extreme reaction (and he never even met Freeza).
We also open up on the same “slice of life” note that was present last episode, as we see Vegeta adapting to life on Earth with Bulma and figuring out how to use soap. And then the arrival of the unnamed character (spoiler: it’s Trunks) is the perfect cap to the episode, setting us up with an intriguing foe for Freeza and his father to face off against. This episode may all be setup, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t effective, because even knowing already what’s to come, I’m excited to see it happen.
Rating: 4/5
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Stray Observations
1Arguably, this is why my reviews of the season finales and films have generally been better than my reviews of individual episodes, since they all have a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They also tend to get higher ratings as a result.
Freeza’s robotic upgrades making him glitchy and barely functional is pretty fantastic.
Vegeta: “The hell is soap?” Bulma: “It’s that yellow block made of animal fat.” Vegeta: “That sounds awesome! *chomp* Blagh, this tastes nothing like what you just said!”
Krillin: “Gohan, once you’ve had a man inside of you, you know when he’s coming.”
I really want to know more about this “jockstrap incident.”
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