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boobi-boy · 1 month

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I love the Hunger Games and I have shit to say!

So, Madge gives Katniss the mockingjay pin to remind her of her district which is very cool in the grand scheme of things for a few reasons.

One, upon introducing Madge as a character, Katniss says she doesn't think Madge considers her a friend, but then basically describes what a friend is. This tells me that Katniss doesn't really see herself as likeable and she's OK with that. Like, 'yeah this girl who sits with me at school everyday and talks to me when I sell her dad strawberries isn't my friend, I don't have friends'. I don't think Katniss is particularly upset about not having friends, but it makes it all the more impactful when Madge gives her the pin because it would have been a surprise to Katniss that Madge valued her so highly. Though she probably just saw it as pity since at that point Katniss was fully convinced she wouldn't survive and also thought everyone else was betting on her death as well.

The second reason being that I believe the pin originally belonged to Haymitch's district partner (though, he would have had three since obviously he partook in the Quarter Quell that required four tributes from each district). Maysilee Donner was an ally of Haymitch, and he ended up having to watch her die having arrived just too late to save her. The ties the symbol has to Haymitch is really symbolic to me because of all the parallels between him and Katniss, and I think part of the reason why Haymitch grew so fond of Katniss in the end was because she reminded him of Maysilee, so he wished to save Katniss in return for being unable to save Maysilee. For that reason, I think it's sweet that Katniss bears a symbol that ties her back to Maysilee.

Finally, the fact that it became the symbol of the revolution. Its cool because the mockingjays are named in such a way because they basically make a mockery of the Capitol's failed attempt at spying on the districts, and ended up being more useful to the districts in the end, shown by how Rue uses them to communicate in District 11 and in the arena. Using a mockingjay as an anti-Capitol symbol just rubs it in their faces more that they failed to control the districts. Additionally, the fact that the pin didn't even originally belong to Katniss also represents how Katniss is an unwilling leader. The revolution she heads is representative of the people, of her people. It isn't, and never was, individual to her. The historical significance of the badge as well as the fact that it was a gift makes it all the more significant and special as a revolutionary symbol, because I think it properly distinguishes what Katniss represents and who she's fighting for.

#the hunger games #katniss everdeen #haymitch abernathy #madge undersee #maysilee donner #the capitol #mockingjay #robins ramblings

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blacklegsanjiii · 3 months

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i would love to know about revolutionary!sanji !! particularly, going further in depth with wci arc... ft sabosan 👀

Straight up your sabosan art has inspired me to write a rev!Sanji fic so thank you. And I am honored you're here!

As for more indepth on Revolutionary!Sanji wci I feel like it's similar to this ask, particularly the last line. Sabo finds out Sanji's wanted poster says ONLY ALIVE is immediate alarm bells for koala and Sabo and they know Germa has been making moves with Big Mom. He calls Dragon and Iva and says he's making a detour before the reverie. They head straight to Germa.

They're not as adept at espionage, that's Sanji's specialty after all but they manage. They blend in well enough and when Sabo and Koala manage to sneak into Sanji's room? Fury, instantly. Sabo sees the cuffs and is holding Sanji's face in his hands as they cry because Sabo can't get them off without blowing Sanji's hands off. He's skilled in haki but not to the extent Rayleigh or Dragon are. He won't risk it and he understands now.

"They had the crew under threat." Sanji mumbles.

"I'm killing them." Sabo promises as he lays kisses on Sanji's head and face.

"We need to go, someone is coming." Koala says so they leave with the promise of killing all of Germa's royalty.

They're scheming to get the keys to Sanji's cuffs when they find Luffy in the rain. Sabo understands why Luffy is here, Sanji is his cook in all technicalities. So he sits with brother and Nami in the rain as Nami eyes them wearily. When Luffy asks why he's there and who koala is Sabo smiles at him.

"Sanji's head of espionage, has been since seventeen." Sabo explains. "He's been in the Army since he was nine."

Luffy and Nami blink at him as Sanji runs forward with the basket for Luffy and apologizing when Koala smacks him lightly and explains he was doing what he thought was best. That they've all been ready to die for the cause and what they believe in since they were children. He was doing what he believed was best and protecting what he loved. Koala promises to hit him harder next time if it doesn't get through his skill next time and Sanji nods.

So Sabo pulls Sanji close and kisses him. Luffy is confused. Koala calls them gross. Nami is shocked. Sanji still says he wants to save his family and Luffy agrees because it's what Sanji wants but Sabo isn't going to listen. He just won't. Not after all they've been through so when they're all leaving and Niji tosses Sanji and Luffy on the Sunny and Reiju says she switched out the cuffs for the duds? Sabo is even more furious.

Judge shit talking his "worthless" son? His pipe is flaming and haki laced and he cracks Judge so hard against the skull. Sanji is just there watching as Koala is telling Sabo to stop.

"He's on the list anyway isn't he? Let's finish this." Sabo demands with one more solid crack that makes Judge fall into the ocean. They don't see him come back up so Sabo looks at his baby brother and Sanji. He pulls Sanji close and is like "You're important, dummy. Don't forget that, Luffy and I both came here for you."

"Right, who are you guys?" Nami asks.

"I'm Sabo, I'm Luffy's older brother and Sanji's boyfriend. This is Koala." Sabo introduces them.

"Wait, the Revolutionaries?!" Chopper screams.

"That's the Army?!" Nami screams.

"May I see your panties?" Brook asks Koala who grabs and throws him into the galley door. Sabo sighs as Koala says they need to go so he kisses Sanji and hugs Luffy before they leave.

"whats especially sponge?" Luffy asks.

"espionage? Spying. I'm a spy, was a spy? It's all muddied since I joined the crew." Sanji laughs.

"I can't believe you date the Chief of Staff." Nami whispers.

"Have been since I was sixteen." Sanji shrugs.

"How come Sabo got to kill Judge?" Luffy whines.

"He's had dibs since I was eleven."

"Aww maaaannn." Luffy groans.

#sabosan #revolutionary!sanji #revolutionary sabo #koala #black leg sanji #vinsmoke sanji #koala one piece #sabo one piece #answers

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ukyou-kuonji · 1 month

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Recently I've been thinking a lot about "The Cowbell of Happiness" episode of Revolutionary Girl Utena, and specifically the background song Donna Donna. I actually grew up singing and hearing the English song a lot (which afaik predates the Japanese version but isn't itself the original language?), and thus had an assumed interpretation of the lyrics' application to the shows themes, which I've been changing my interpretation of. However it has been about eight years since I saw the show, so feel free to disagree with me or correct my interpretation! I put a cut in due to the length, sorry it got a bit away from me haha.

I always saw the farmer's mockery of the calf in the second verse "Stop complaining says the Farmer/Who told you a calf to be/Why don't you have wings to fly with/Like the swallow so proud and free," to be an ironic statement. The calf was born a calf, and cannot change it's species more than a person can control the circumstances of their birth. Therefore the third verse, which states "Calves are easily bound and slaughtered/Never knowing the reason why/But whomever treasures freedom/Like the swallow must learn to fly," drives home the impossible truth. You don't want to be exploited? Simply don't be born within an exploited group. The calf's fate is unavoidable, because of his inherent and unchangeable identity and the way society perceives and reacts to it. It is incapable of learning to fly by it's very nature.

This relates to the themes of the show by paralleling Nanami (or later, through extended metaphors and parallels, both Anthy and Utena, among others) to the calf. These characters cannot help being teenage girls navigating the patriarchy, and cannot escape their exploitation. The world within which they exist (Ohtori) does not permit them an alternative existence. This interpretation is very bleak, I know.

But I think this interpretation only engages with one half of the story it sets up, and completely ignores the swallow. This feels particularly erroneous due to the show's bird imagery (the name Ohtori, the prominence of the dead sparrows associated with Kozue and Shiori, the school archways shaped like birdcages to give a few examples, all of which associate students with egg, chick, or bird visual metaphors). Mostly, I thought of the infamous egg speech appropriated from Demian by Hermann Hesse. As Touga and others state in the Revolutionary Girl Utena reconstruction of the original text "If the egg's shell does not break, the chick will die without being born. We are the chick; the egg is the world. If the world's shell does not break, we will die without being born. Break the world's shell!"

Through this, the swallow seems directly implicated as a viable alternative for the calf, or for characters such as Nanami, Utena, and Anthy. The only way for them to avoid being exploited as women within Ohtori or "slaughtered as calves on the farm," to use the language of the song, is for them to self actualize or reject the reality presented to them and move beyond the limitations placed on them through the label of "woman" in a heteronormative and patriarchal system. They must defy the very conditions that determine their condition. Or rather, they must break the world's (Ohtori's) shell, be born as the chick, and take flight as birds. This is what Utena attempts to do in the finale, and what Anthy does do by stepping away from Ohtori and Akio's influence.

The song that seemed to condemn Nanami to life as livestock in episode 16 also promises hope and foreshadows Anthy's choice episode 39. She, like the swallow, has learned to fly, and the other characters have the potential to do so also, provided they value freedom and develop the wings to leave.

#revolutionary girl utena #nanami #nanami kiryuu #utena tenjou #anthy himemiya #shut up urbs

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ineffablydelighted · 7 months

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[Re-Angelized Crowley ruling Heaven alongside Supreme Archangel Aziraphale #1 & #2]

You may have encountered this fanfic of mine on Facebook. Time to bring it here! This explores what it would have been if Crowley had accepted to follow Aziraphale in Heaven... Probably Metatron's very own version of Hell... right? 😈

[This is meant to be light and funny - well, at least am I attempting to be. I reserve my deep thoughts for my analysis and I'm just as against our favorite Angel's decision as the next person 😅]

That time the Supreme Archangel Aziraphale had a "big announcement" to make, Day 1

Aziraphale: On this day particularly important for me - I mean, for us all, I have the pleasure to introduce *weird Magishun tone* *already amused by his own pun* or, to re-introduce: Archangel Anthony Crowley!

Crowley: *arrives in all-black attire, already owns the place* Helloooo, suckerssss! Ooookayy, Time to change a thing or two: Beige is out, Black is in! *snaps his fingers because Crowley*

Aziraphale: aka... my husband.

Crowley: *stops in the middle of a twist* Wait, what? Since when?

Aziraphale: *with a both cute and firm smile* Since now. I've decided.

Crowley: *blushes behind his glasses* *shrugs his shoulders**tries to sound cool and detached* M'okay. Works for me.

The crowd: *Too stunned to react*

Aziraphale: A round of applause, please, that would be lovely.

The crowd: *weird applause*

Aziraphale: *innocent yet somewhat demonic smile* Thank you 🤭

When the Supreme Archangel Aziraphale asked the Meeting Room to be repainted in wood shades "because it will feel cozier"

Michael: *about to have a heart attack* *cannot deal with the Jealousy* You cannot be serious?

Uriel: Come on, Michael, it must be a joke... Right?

Metatron: *is waiting for Aziraphale to answer "Yes, of course"*

Crowley: *arrives in style* Have you told them about the yellow lights yet or have I arrived too soon?

Two Angels walk into the New Office That Somehow Looks Like an Old Bookshop to report the news on Armageddon 2.0 - which should have happened two centuries ago - and on how Attempt #451 mysteriously failed.

Crowley: *leans in Aziraphale's seat that looks like an old sofa* And why do they keep talking, exactly?

Aziraphale *holds himself back from rolling his eyes for two centuries* *sympathetic smile* I'm sure you've done your very best to make it work. Thank you.

In the middle of a very important War meeting

Crowley: *sighs* I need a drink, Angel *realizes* *does not care* Yeah, nope, cannot stop calling you that. *To Michael, Uriel, Saraqael, and Metatron* Deal with it, losers. *miracles a glass of Talisker and drinks it as if it were 6 expresso shots in one big mug*

Metatron: *Contemplates the end of his own existence as a valid option for the first time in his Eternity* *So done with their bullshirt since day 1*

Three Angels report on how Attempt #523 mysteriously failed.

Crowley: *straight-up laughing* You heard that, Angel? They didn't do what you asked them to do! *theatrical hand movements* How unusual! How revolutionary! *whispers* Can I hang them by their tiny little fee-T?

Aziraphale: *scandalized look* *high-pitched voice* Of course not!

Crowley: *sighs in childish* Ughhh, I need a drink.

When Archangel Michael makes an appearance

Crowley: Isn't it time we introduce quiet firing, Angel? Also, Micky, I need a towel! *winks at his husband*

That first time Supreme Archangel Aziraphale and Archangel Crowley were about to re-enter the Elevator together.

Aziraphale & Crowley: *dressed formally* *Aziraphale loves top hats and convinced Crowley they should both wear one with reversed colors* *arm in arm*

Metatron: *clears his throat* *severe tone because that is the only tone he knows* Where do you think you two are going?

Aziraphale and Crowley: *startle like children caught stealing After Eights way before eight*

Aziraphale: We... hum... We... *looks at Crowley* Weeee thought it would be... hum... good to... hum... go back to Earth to... observe humans and to... hum... to... do... groceries? *innocent smile*

Metatron: *cannot believe his ears* Groceries?

Crowley: You haven't got the faintest idea how many wars and plagues have started in a grocery store, do ya'? *is handsy around Aziraphale's hip for no reason*

Aziraphale: *giggles*

Crowley: Come on, Angel, time to start World War III by pissing off some Karens at the cashier. T'will take what, Supreme Archangel, to kickstart Second Coming, hum? Two days? *puts his arm around Aziraphale's shoulders* *strong grip*

Aziraphale: *looks at Crowley* Oh, hum, maybe a week. *looks at Metatron* Let's not be pretentious.

Crowley: *glasses slightly down revealing his eyes only to his hubby* You mean like Michael?

Aziraphale: *giggles again before tapping Crowley's hand away from his shoulder in order to concentrate* *pretends to be shocked* Don't say that!

Metatron: *trembling voice* But... You cannot go back to Earth!

Crowley: *has NOT removed his hand from Aziraphale's shoulders* Watch us. *walks like Rihanna because Crowley, straight to the elevator*

Later, after the elevator's doors are closed.

Aziraphale and Crowley: *sigh in unison*

Aziraphale: I thought he would erase our names in the Book of Life for a second.

Crowley: Yeahhh, well... The night is still young, Angel. But, for now, time to recharge at the Ritz.

Aziraphale: Remember your promise, right?

Crowley: *pretends to not remember* Hum? Wot?

Aziraphale: You promised you wouldn't drink too much alcohol so that we can go to the Opera after. I need us to see Madam Butterfly sober!

Crowley: And I still strongly disagree with that statement. If I find Laudanum, I'll take a hundred bottles: one for tonight, the other 99 to bear the sight of Killjoy in Chief* for yet another day.

[Oh, I think we all know who Killjoy in Chief is. Obviosleh.]

Crowley: If we ever go back Up.

Aziraphale: *scandalized in type A personality* Of course, we will come back! We have responsibilities!

Crowley: Says the Supreme Archangel *of course he always mentions his hubby's new title ironically* who ASKED for a week on Earth.

Aziraphale: Yes, well... There is no such thing as the concept of vacation in Heaven at the moment, but I will certainly introduce it in a century or two. This is important!

Crowley: Sure.

Aziraphale: *talks in Life Mission* It helps stay productive. And happy!

Crowley: Riiight.

Aziraphale: You know it's true! Stop mocking me!

Crowley: I'm not, I... *freezes*

Aziraphale: What is it? Are you okay? *handsy around Crowley's shoulder*

Crowley: My Bentley is going to be so pissed at me. My baby must be so depressed... *puppy-snake-like eyes*

Aziraphale: I know where this is going... And the answer is no, Crowley. *tries to muster some authority in his tone* *fails*

Crowley: Rahhhh! Come on, Angel! You plan on taking your diaries, your favorite books, and snacks! All I want is a dozen Talisker barrels, my plants, and my car back!

Aziraphale: These things will take too much space, Crowley! What will Metatron say?

Crowley: Tss. Says the Supreme Archangel who dreams of reproducing to perfection his very Earthy Bookshop in Heaven. And has started to do exactly that! You're no fun and you're a hypocrite! An Angel, for short. And a basic* one at that.

[Insert The Good Place Michael who says "It's a human insult. You're devastated right now" gif here - Hey, we're on Tumblr, actually, I can!]

Aziraphale: *crosses his arms like a 5 yo while being 6000+* You too are an Angel, Crowley. You tend to forget about that.

Crowley: I'm not an Angel-Angel, Angel. Do you know why? Because I don't have a whole range of brooms stuck inside my bottom.

Aziraphale: *hurt* *also annoyed* *but mostly hurt* And here I was, thinking we would just spend an amazing week together. *trembling voice* You're the no-fun one, Crowley. *almost about to cry* *avoids eye contact*

Crowley: *notices* *pretends not to care* *holds himself back from thinking how cute Aziraphale's pouty face is* *fails miserably* *growls in defeat* How unfair is that?!

Aziraphale: *pretends not to hear for a second* *turns back to him* *keeps his pouty face steady* What? What is unfair?

Crowley: Nevermind, Angel. *sigh* Alright... I will limit my alcohol consumption to four, maybe five glasses.

Aziraphale: *cutest smile emerges* Thank you 🥰 *happy as in a Mariah Carey Christmas clip* *giggles*

Crowley: *blushes behind his glasses* *takes Aziraphales' arm back*

*Pretty long silence*

Crowley: Seriously, though, Sexy is gonna be so pissed at me.

Aziraphale: *high-pitched voice* OH MY LORD, for Heaven's sake, Crowley, the answer is no! Not another word!

Crowley: She might not want to take us to places, you don't understand how serious that is, Angel! What if she never forgives me? What if... *parent's biggest fear* What if she has been car-napped? Or worse? Ran away on her own? She could be anywhere by now!

Aziraphale: *tries to be reassuring* Well, if she isn't here when we arrive, we can miracle her back, it will be fine, Cro-

Crowley: And hurt her even more, treating her like... like... well, a car? I cannot talk to you when you are delusional like that! You're really pissing me off, *makes childish faces* SuPrEmE ArChAnGeL. *crosses his arms* *looks away*

*New silence*

Aziraphale: What if I allow you to drink as much as you like?

Crowley: *mumbles* Not enough.

Aziraphale: Come on, I need you to meet me halfway!

Crowley: *gritted teeth* Not. Enough.

Aziraphale: *sighs in angry mom* What do you want?!

Crowley: I told you what I wanted. You just don't listen.

Aziraphale: We cannot bring the Bentley to Heaven, Crowley! This is not happening!

Crowley: Then I'm not coming back either. Simple. *shrugs in blackmail*

Aziraphale: *shocked*

Crowley: For the record: when humans get married, Angel, they usually do not reject their spouses' child. You... You're behaving like a nasty mother-in-law right now and I'm not having it.

Aziraphale: Did you just Lady Tremaine-labelled me? For real?!

Crowley: Yep. You're that mean. I cannot believe how quickly your new job had gone to that top hat-ed head of yours.

Aziraphale: ...

Crowley: How career changes people, isn't it just baffling.

Aziraphale & Crowley: *cross their arms and look away at the same time*

*ANOTHER silence*

Aziraphale: *defeated sigh* *literally cannot be mad at his hubby for more than 3 minutes* One Talisker barrel, only the plants that stayed in the Bentley and... the Bentley. IF, and ONLY IF she consents to be... huh... reduced in size a little.

Crowley: *yells in bad faith* Here, have some fatphobia, now! I've seen it all! *points a reproachful finger at his spouse* You're a disappointment, Angel.

Aziraphale: *starting to lose patience* Crowley...

Crowley: Two barrels.

Aziraphale: Do not push your luck, I swear...

Crowley: Have you not noticed I'm winning the argument by now, SuPrEmE aRcHaNgEl?

Aziraphale: This is. Not. About. Winning, Crowley! And it is so unfair you keep our Soirée hostage until you get what you want!

Crowley: I'm a demon, Angel. Demons tend to do that.

Aziraphale: Technically, you aren't anymore!

Crowley: We both know you never technically sent the form to make my re-Angelisation official, so I am technically AND in truth: *marks a pause* Still. A demon.

Aziraphale: Exactly! A nasty mother-in-law would never do such a thing!

Crowley: So?

Aziraphale: A raging bureaucrat either!

Crowley: So?

Aziraphale: And certainly NOT a basic Angel!

Crowley: *annoyed* SO?

Aziraphale: I need you to take that back! That was unfair and BEYOND mean, Crowley! *shaking lips*

Crowley: *growls* *rolls his eyes* FINE. *removes his glasses* Sorry, Angel. It was the worried parent speaking.

Aziraphale: *little smirk Crowley has never seen before* *so ready for his petty revenge* Not. Enough.

Crowley: *finds it super hot* *likes being imitated* *cannot concentrate anymore* You... hum... Okay, what do you want? *is wondering how he went from winning the argument to being a fair loser in a matter of a single no-so-angelic smirk*

Aziraphale: *ready to push his luck* How about... a little dance?

Crowley: Out of the question.

Aziraphale: Crowley...

Crowley: NO.

Aziraphale: Crowley...

Crowley: *feels his determination melt like ice at the heart of Hell* *gritted teeth* Fi-

Elevator: Earth. *neutral ding* *doors opens*

Aziraphale: *takes Crowley's hand in his* *looks at him with soft eyes*

Crowley: *cannot believe a SuPrEMe ArChAnGeL could ever make him swoon**longest sigh* Ughhhh. Let's get this over with.

Aziraphale: *recoils to enjoy the view better*

Crowley:

You were right,

I was wrong,

You were righ-T. *sighs* Satisfactory enough, SuPrEmE aRcHaNgEl?

Aziraphale: Thank you, Cinderella. *leaves first in victory*

Crowley: *wants to murder and kiss him at the same time*

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grishaverse-chaos · 4 months

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Also what are your overall opinions on the Darkling?

honestly I'm suchhhhh a darkling anti sorry bestie 😭😭

if you've looked through my tag I'm sure you've seen some of these thoughts before, but imo he's not only a terrible person but also a failed revolutionary

like you say his methods worked a lot of times, but in canon he basically achieves NONE of his aims - by the time of the books, he's had over 300 years of power, and grisha are still being persecuted etc. obviously this isn't entirely his fault, but it does prove that whatever he's been doing isn't particularly effective

politics is one of my fav topics tbh and one that I've talked a LOT about especially with regard to the darkling, and my general point is that there are so many other ways he could have achieved his goals more effectively, and that his actions in canon actually damaged ravka considerably more than they aided it

#not 'i could fix him' or 'i could make him worse'‚ but a secret third thing (i could be a better politician than him)#see i dislike him on a personal level (what he did to genya‚ how he treats alina etc) but ALSO #any time we see him make any kind of political decision i lose my will to live bc he just makes Really Bad Decisions #sorry if this is too harsh btw 😭😭😭#grishaverse #mayhem.txt #answered #anti darkling

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sukimas · 1 year

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thought wrong! 7, 12, 32?

7. That's a really hard ask. Most of my favorite stuff about FE isn't per se the characters, rather how the story applies to them (for example, Ishtar would be the most boring character in the world were it not for the situation she finds herself in.) But probably Naga? I mean, we don't really get to see her much at all (outside of heroes which doesn't count) but she's eccentric, has very different morals to human beings while still being unquestionably and even self-sacrificingly on their side, and makes a lot of mistakes/questionable decisions. The Tiki thing, non-interventionism in human affairs except when she personally is cool with it, giving people dragonslaying weapons just in case (the valentian falchion was given long before degeneration began at the very least), absolutely NO compromises we are taking human form NOW, "have you considered suicide, fell vessel?"... all while she ended up exhausting her power and eating shit to save the continent of Jugdral, created the Binding Shield to protect humanity for generations, will literally come back from the dead for 5 minutes to save you if you have unutterably fucked up your shadow dragon save file (and just for fun in new mystery)... She's really neat and I like her. Also her dragon form is cool and I will never never never forgive yusuke kozaki for awakening's divine dragon designs.

12. Thracia deserved to be released earlier than SEVERAL YEARS INTO THE N64'S LIFESPAN. And it deserved better than being treated as esoteric and unplayable thanks to a bugged translation patch for twenty years. TF?rururu. But it's one of the best games in the series, not particularly difficult and a fun challenge with a guide, and has really interesting mechanics and an excellent story. Yet it is continually overlooked even by people who play Genealogy (the second most popular game in the series in Japan, by the way). Very sad.

32. I'm pretty positive about the current direction the series is taking. Engage was developed mostly before 3H released and IS saw how positively people reacted to the tone in that one- the story is still more serviceable than many in the series, and the gameplay is some of the most fun I've had outside of Thracia or RD. I personally hope that future games have more varied map objectives, go further into giving the Avatar agency (since at this point, the avatar is just a normal lord again rather than the weird shit the 3DS did) and perhaps even allow them to have their memories, put an increased emphasis on worldbuilding and villain character development and keep comedy strictly to supports (the latter of which this game mostly does well but there are moments. timerra meat song). Of things that I think probably won't happen: I don't think that the games will ever have some of the really good bits of the kaga sagas, like esoteric character interactions for insane PRF weapons. Of things that could happen: I'd really like conversations on maps to make a comeback; 3H had them to some extent, but nothing like Genealogy, and I think they often do better work at character development than an entire support chain thanks to their relevance to the current story beats. I'd also like more unique boss conversations a la POR/RD. Basically, I think IS's writing chops are solid, but they need to be a little bit more ambitious with how they deliver their ideas without thinking "being more ambitious" means putting too many routes that you can't finish in your video game. Also please keep whoever directed Engage around solely to tell all the other potential directors if the way they're writing women is weird. This is the most normally women have been written in any FE game besides Tellius and it's incredibly refreshing. I don't know if Tei or Nakanishi is the one responsible for this, but by god. Women are written like people, in story and in supports. Revolutionary.

Overall: Keep what was good about Engage (which was a lot) but be more ambitious in terms of how you deliver the story. I think broadly "you're a young lord on the defensive against a greater foe and you fight an evil dragon at the end" is a perfectly fine FE story (Kaga certainly seems to think so, as it's the only story he's ever written); the difference is in how you tell that story. You can be more experimental with the types of stories you tell if you want, but it isn't as necessary as simply delivering that story well.

#fe ask game

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compacflt · 1 year

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Your thoughts about Ice and Mav and their sexualities and how their environment has shaped them is soo interesting I am chewing it... just thinking about how Ice particularly would handle that conflict arising in his subordinates - Maverick isn't in as much a position to be the person kicking guys out of the Navy for whatever reason, but Ice certainly is. The conflict of public vs private in how he handles minorities under his command, not only women but also non-white people and of course the big one: other queer men... In the Slider oneshot Ice confesses that he's gotten guys kicked out of the Navy for both less and more than what he's done with Maverick - did you have any other thoughts about the inevitable conflict of scandals that he would have had to deal with re: people who were outed in one way or another, and how that would weigh on him as someone who self admittedly is aware of how what he wants to be (4 star admiral) and who he is (a man attracted to at the very least, one other man) are not compatible with each other?

hmm. Hadn’t thought about it. Admittedly i know very little about the intricacies & vagaries of DADT or its enforcement (and i am answering this ask quite hungover & not in the mood to research) but—based on what I said last week/the week before that, that ice has no philosophical qualms with DADT because he agrees that sexuality should be hidden/private & “why are you talking about your personal identity when you could be doing your job better,” i think—yeah. he would enforce it. He would stand by its enforcement. If a little hesitant/disappointed, and if only as insurance to the brass above him, yes, i do still know what the rules are, and also, man these stupid kids these days have no idea how to keep it a secret… like, independent of him personally identifying as gay or not, he looks down (in a paternalistic “come ON be smarter than that” way) upon people/personnel who can’t keep it a secret, who refuse to live closeted for the sake of the Navy… post TGM rooster prolly lights into him for it later. But Ice is commander of the pacific fleet, like that is an extremely public & POLITICAL position, like it or not. Like there’s a lot of sneakiness/sleazy political scheming that has to go on there by necessity because it’s a political appointment. by now ice must have learned that silent underground subterfuge/rebellion (in this context, frosting his tips, being w/maverick, or being totally fine with gays in the navy as long as they’re quiet about it [a very mainstream leadership position—the navy is historically gay as fuck]) is a more effective and self-preserving strategy than open insubordination. Keep it secret. Don’t ask and don’t tell.

And this should not be surprising. Dude, his whole fucking character in the original top gun is “I am successful because i refuse to be a revolutionary.” Like i feel like i repeat myself so often on this blog, but ice’s anti-open-revolutionaryness is literally his whole THING. it’s his whole character canonically. it’s what sets him apart from maverick—it’s what makes him mavericks narrative foil. ice’s anti-open-revolutionaryness is what gives him a fucking purpose to exist in the franchise. As an archetype, he exists as “the guy who does things by the book no matter what.” It is literally integral to his character. And in-universe-wise it’s a political lifestyle im personally plus-minus on, but it’s a very understandable political lifestyle for someone in his position to have.

#he’s a democrat but like one of those dems who cares more about propriety than progress #still cares about progress but like ‘can you do it quietly please’#the more and more i describe my version of ice the more i realize im just describing my dad.#hmm. should think about this a little.#pete maverick mitchell #tom iceman kazansky #icemav #top gun #top gun maverick #asks #edts notes #ice is successful because he refuses to be a revolutionary. like that’s fucking canon.#that is literally the unshakeable bedrock foundation of his character.#and i mean character in the ‘u r a fictional character written to elicit an emotional response in moviegoers’#sense #like sorry if you take away ices antirevolutionaryness you have stripped him of everything that makes him necessary to the franchise #thanks for the ask anon

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cyberpunkonline · 6 months

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The Intriguing Intersection of Grand UFO Conspiracies and Cyberpunk Media

Introduction

As subcultures with countercultural leanings and an insatiable thirst for what lies beyond the known, the grand UFO conspiracy theories and the cyberpunk genre share an intriguing relationship. Both captivate their audiences with tales of hidden agendas, shadowy organizations, and elusive truths. This essay aims to dig deep into the interplay between these two fascinating realms by discussing notable examples across various media forms such as films, television series, books, and anime.

The Allure of Conspiracies and Dystopia

Before diving into specific examples, it's crucial to understand the appeal that draws people towards conspiracy theories and cyberpunk. UFO conspiracy theories paint a picture of a world where clandestine operations are at play, knowledge is withheld, and the public is deceived. Cyberpunk, on the other hand, portrays near-future dystopias with grim landscapes, where technological advancements often come at the expense of human connection and morality. These themes overlap, creating a narrative breeding ground ripe for cross-over stories and theories.

Films that Blur the Lines

"Blade Runner" & Project Blue Book

Although Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" doesn't directly delve into UFOs, it plays on the idea of life beyond Earth with its bioengineered beings, known as Replicants. The film's hidden agendas and secret projects remind us of real-world government initiatives like Project Blue Book, designed to investigate UFO sightings.

"The Matrix" & The Men in Black

"The Matrix" captures the essence of hidden truths and the battle to reveal them, much like the general sentiment in UFO conspiracy circles about 'The Men in Black.' These government agents are rumored to suppress UFO eyewitnesses, an idea that resonates with the Matrix's human-suppressing sentient machines.

TV Shows that Touch the Nerve

"The X-Files"

No discussion of this topic would be complete without mentioning "The X-Files," a show that masterfully combines elements of UFO conspiracy theories and cyberpunk. FBI agents Mulder and Scully navigate a world of deceit, much like a cyberpunk protagonist would, questioning what is real in their quest for the truth about extraterrestrial life.

"Black Mirror" & The Majestic 12

"Black Mirror" delves deep into technology's dark side, but some episodes subtly touch upon themes that UFO enthusiasts would find interesting. The secrecy surrounding advanced technology in the show mirrors the conspiracy theory of the Majestic 12, a rumored secret committee of scientists and military leaders supposedly managing extraterrestrial affairs.

Books and Literature

"Neuromancer" & The Roswell Incident

William Gibson's "Neuromancer" isn't about UFOs, but it was revolutionary in defining the cyberpunk genre. It embodies the cyberpunk ethos of anti-authoritarianism, a sentiment also shared by those who believe that the Roswell Incident was a cover-up.

Anime Crossovers

"Serial Experiments Lain"

This anime explores complex themes of reality, identity, and the internet. While not explicitly related to UFOs, its narrative could easily be interpreted as an allegory for the quest to understand what governments might be hiding about extraterrestrial life.

"Cowboy Bebop"

An iconic example of a cyberpunk-infused world, "Cowboy Bebop" includes an episode titled "Boogie Woogie Feng Shui," which subtly incorporates themes of ancient alien theories, a staple in UFO conspiracy thought.

Conclusion

The overlapping themes of hidden truths, anti-authoritarian tendencies, and unexplained phenomena make the relationship between UFO conspiracy theories and the cyberpunk genre a particularly rich subject matter. Both tap into the human desire to uncover suppressed knowledge and challenge the status quo, whether it's government cover-ups about extraterrestrials or dystopian futures shaped by technology.

And now, don't get us started on how the UFO conspiracy theories have surprising similarities with Faerie myth pre-Roswell. That's a rabbit hole for another time.

- Raz

#cyberpunk #aliens #ufo #dystopia

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impossiblesuitcase · 1 year

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Okie so this isn't a typical angst where Cinder isn't accepted by the crowd so the engagements is broken off or any political dilemma but do you think that Kai and Cinder might break up just cause they are unable to vibe with each other anymore. Like yea I absolutely love Kaider but yk all their romance took place during a revolution time so we can't deny the possibility of it being a rushed love sorta thing where they were hoping for more but didn't expect they could have more way and do you think that the distance separted them on a view point like a long distance relationship spinoff and that caused an ultimate void which turned to a break up ? Idk I was just contemplating about it from a realistic sense and wanted to hear ur views on it

I think, regardless of revolutionary pressures, grief or prejudice, Cinder and Kai have an undeniable romantic connection. But was their relationship propelled by those pressures? Absolutely.

In a calmer environment, I feel they would take more time as friends before starting a relationship. But as it unfolds in canon, they rush into romance on the Rampion and subsequently must go long-distance. Plunging a fresh relationship into drought is breeding ground for doubts and insecurities, which is what we see in Wires and Nerve:

When they reunite, it's awkward. They have that question of "will this work?" But they get past that and establish that the relationship is viable in person and has survived the long-distance:

But when they get engaged, and Cinder moves into New Beijing Palace, they are together constantly. Maybe they start to notice things. Yes, they talked extensively over comms and learnt a million things about each other, but being in person reveals a million things they don't know.

Watching netdramas together, Kai learns that his favourites are boring to Cinder. Cinder learns that Kai will always steal food off her plate, which is cute until she's hungry and then it isn't.

It's a lengthy adjustment period, but they do adjust. They become frank with each other, admitting that they need to learn more about each other in between wedding planning and discussing when they will have children. It's an unconventional engagement to say the least. In Cinder's Adventure, it says "they enjoyed a long engagement", and that could be because they decided to get closer before marriage.

With all of this in mind, they have the foundations of a good relationship with great friendship and great chemistry, so I believe that by working on it together, they can overcome any obstacles their unusual start brought about. Although, if they had been long-distance for longer than 2 years, say 4 or 5, I realistically think they would break up. That's where you could produce some angsty kaider break-up fic.

I love your thoughts Bubbly! And that we can be realistic—kaider are a couple like any other, and are not necessarily guaranteed forever.

(Side-note, this is why I love 'Come Back...Be Here' for kaider, particularly because of the line, "how strange that I don't know you at all?")

#tlc #the lunar chronicles #lunar chronicles #linh cinder #prince kai #emperor kai #kaider #kaider headcanons #cinder #emperor kaito #selene blackburn #engaged kaider

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spiders-hth-is-an-outlier · 7 months

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It always baffles me when people are legitimately mad that the underlying worldview of a commercially available piece of media is congruent with broad, mainstream values of its culture, rather than a radical rejection of those values. Like, first off, did nobody ever take 1 anthropology class, ever? There's a reason that a society's beloved story traditions are understood to serve primarily as a transmission of that society's commonly held values and sense of identity, rather than existing in ferocious opposition to those things. If a piece of popular art seems normie to you, of course it does? We literally study a culture's art to get a sense of what they understood themselves to be?

The idea that it would be okay if you were rich and powerful as long as you were a good person and that the problem with the world is that the rich and powerful are shitty people may not be your moral worldview, but I don't know how it could possibly be any more obvious that it is the moral worldview of most people living in the industrial First World, and that stories where the rich and powerful encounter moral tests and pass them, or stories where objectively good people ascend to the riches and power they are perceived to deserve, keep being made and keep being popular because people find stories that validate their worldview comforting.

I think there's an interesting open question about whether changes in art create or reflect changes in a society's worldview. I think I tend to favor the latter, because I've known enough artists to find the mythology of the artist as Thought Leader and Wayfinder somewhat uncompelling -- artists are just people, and like people, some are radically imaginative and boldly countercultural, but more often they are not particularly, or they are those things, but in a more idiosyncratic way than is easily reducible to an expression of political ideology.

What I have observed is that, in practice, there's almost no daylight between "the right art can change people's beliefs" and "the job of art is to prove that good beliefs are better than bad ones." The first one is -- I don't know for sure, but I think true conditionally, I think anecdotally people can remember "X piece of art changed me fundamentally," though not all people have that experience and certainly we don't know how to universalize it, there's no trick anyone's ever mastered to creating The Art That Changes People. It's contextual, it's subjective, it's the alchemy of the medium and the message and the audience and the moment it's encountered. It can happen, but most of the time it doesn't. So buying into the second part -- the idea that your work might create change, therefore it should strive to create change -- is hanging a whole lot of weight on a whole lot of maybes, most of them entirely out of your control as an artist. Ultimately it means going all in on propaganda -- on using the form of art to generate buy-in for certain beliefs that you hold -- with no guarantee that such a thing is even really possible. Real propaganda, when it does work, functions in a closed system along with other forms of material power and social control -- again, the art is expressing a world that already recognizably exists, so people feel that art as truthful and comforting. If you devote yourself to producing propaganda, can you summon the world it expresses into being? I don't know.

I do know that it makes perfect sense that most art isn't designed to do that. You take the pool of artists in a society, then you subtract the large numbers who are generally "normal" members of their society with mainstream values and a mainstream perspective, then you also subtract the significant number like me who don't really believe that art is particularly good at social engineering and are not interested in that project, artistically speaking -- already you have only a slice of the art being made that even could be considered "revolutionary" in the political sense. Oh, and some of those people are going to be "revolutionary" in ways you don't like or agree with, so the slice is smaller now. And now the competition for eyeballs begins -- will anyone even see this revolutionary art? Can they access it? Do they want to? Do they like it, once they see it? You have to assume the answer is going to be no in many cases.

It's a lot! It's complicated! There are so many choke points between the idea of "what we need is more art that challenges imperialism and capitalism!" and that actually happening -- artists that don't hold those values, artists who don't see that as a viable project for their art, the distribution of resources needed to get art out there (especially, though not exclusively, if you're moving through a profit-motivated system), the audience's choice to spend their Engagement Bucks on this instead of that, the quality of the art (whatever you think"quality" means, you've probably read or watched something that made you think, this is so earnest and well-meaning, god I wish I were enjoying it even slightly), the ability of the audience to extract the creator's meaning from the text, the willingness of the audience to do that, and then -- whatever that thing is, that unpredictable collision of forces that catalyzes a lasting effect.

You can see why it doesn't happen a lot. You can see why it's not a conspiracy that most art that makes it through that whole gauntlet is -- the ordinary kind of art, the kind that some alien anthropology teacher could hold up and say "Let's watch Red White and Royal Blue to learn how Anglo-American humans in the Late Imperial Era were thinking about statistical deviations in mating behavior and what they would have called sexual orientation."

#art and shit

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crunchetime · 1 month

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Ogel Bhuthellor [he/him]

Vedalken Rogue, Phantom

Having served for over a decade as a custodian for various extraplanar facilities, Ogel is used to going unseen by the masses. His fellow workers, however, only had good things to say about him. He helped found a union on nearly every station he worked on, much to the chagrin of the management. Ogel would love to say the work paid well, but the benefits had run dry a long time ago, and so he eventually - begrudgingly - switched jobs. He left his final job at a particularly deadly mining rig and traveled to the material plane.

Now jaded by his years of thankless work, Ogel began to dabble in criminal work. He excelled as a lookout for other criminals, despite his sensitivity to sunlight and initial difficulties with depth perception. However, once he managed to pilfer a magic set of optics, his eyesight became near-perfect at up to a full kilometer, earning him the nickname "Eyeball" among his teammates for his indispensable spotting skills.

It is said that that old rig, where Ogel spent his last "honest" hours as a worker, holds the souls of those caught within its infernal engines. Those rumors stuck with Ogel, as did the whispers he thought he'd only imagined hearing during his late shifts. Cruel moments in the lives of dead laborers cling to Ogel and his revolutionary spirit, demanding he seek vengeance for the injustices of bosses and bureaucrats.

Now, having fallen in with a ragtag band of rebel adventurers, Ogel's feral eagerness to spill blue blood is veiled behind his smooth, deep voice and cool demeanor.

[So Ogel isn't like a straight up Vedalken, obviously, I'm just using the gameplay stats and such. I'll probably come up with a name for this species eventually. The ethos is kinda like, taking bits and pieces from the designs of the Cloaker and Roper monsters. I like the idea that maybe this species of humanoid is native to the Underdark (or some equivalent). They might even have some relation to beholderkin or something.]

#Vedalken #cyclops #my art #artist on tumblr #digital art #my oc #oc #my oc art #dnd art #character art #dnd character #dnd character design #dnd character art #dnd oc #dungeons and dragons art #dungeons and drawings #anthro

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lorz-ix · 8 months

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More "reviews": the music arc

The Offspring - Self titled (1989)

The punk band's debut album, I'd say this isn't particularly special in the grand scheme of things, but it can be interesting for some fans to hear where a band started, how their sound came to be. It's also just over 30 minutes long, a fairly short affair, a very small time investment.

A particularly notable track is the closing act, Kill the President, which was predictably controversial and was omitted from several reprints of the record, as well as current-day streaming services like Spotify. You can skip the rest if you want, but I can recommend that last song simply because of its significance.

Avril Lavigne - Let Go (2002)

I wanted to listen to the whole album some very popular hits like Complicated and Sk8r Boi, and what I got was somewhat disappointing. Lavigne's pop-punk brings me straight back to my childhood in the early 2000s, and I do like the personality that she brings to her music, but while the first 4 or 5 tracks had me thinking "this stuff is so fun, I wish it was still popular today", by the second half I was getting tired of all the songs sounding very samey and less energetic. Mixed recommendation for this one.

Rage Against the Machine - Self titled (1992)

Here's one that I barely need to introduce. The debut of the revolutionary band, featuring some of their most popular songs to this day, it's a must-listen for anyone interested in anything punk/alt-metal or notable left-wing art in general. Killing in the Name is of course very well-known, but my personal favorite is definitely Know Your Enemy, so those are the ones to hear if you want a sample.

One downside, albeit intentional, is that the song composition is left very simple and can feel repetitive when listening to all of it front to back. The intent was to have strong, catchy riffs that would kill it on the radio and would stick around in your head, and in my opinion the best part are the powerful vocals, which are thoughtful and inescapably very political. Great energy coming from this one, a ton of emotion.

Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire (1996)

Last one for this post, I'll keep it simple since it's a relatively straight continuation from the previous entry, as the second studio record from Rage. Anything good I said about their debut can be said about Evil Empire: still delightfully aggressive, still undoubtedly political, but arguably better and more varied in the composition department. Fully recommended.

My personal favorite is Bulls on Parade, to which I was introduced at the ripe young age of 12, when I first played through Guitar Hero III on the PS2. Perhaps it's the nostalgia speaking, but I easily find it to be the most memorable track in the whole project, and possibly one of the band's all-time greatest.

#lorz mediapost 2023 #music #long post

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zalrb · 9 months

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Just read your last ask about Barbie (haven't watched the movie) and even for someone who isn't a fan and particularly doesn't like Margot/Greta and was expecting the peak of empty and white feminism this whole concept sounds ridiculous lol. I guess it can be fun and quirky if you watch it on a random afternoon with no expectations or thoughts at all, but people acting like it is revolutionary is so weird?? Sure, you don't need to like only deep movies, but they're making it bigger than it is?

There was this tweet that was like, you might not think Barbie is revolutionary or all that subversive but I left the theatre with my daughter and she asked me what patriarchy is so the movie is doing the work and from that perspective I'm like, fine. I can see it being a conversation starter for children about patriarchy since they say patriarchy like a hundred times in this movie and the way Ken learns about it and tries to apply it and grapples with it because he doesn't actually find anything meaningful in it is a pretty digestible way to talk about toxic masculinity to kids. Fair enough. And I am very much aware of the meltdowns conservatives are having about this movie because there's a trans Barbie who simply exists and the negative reviews that whine about it being anti-men (it isn't) and the way some viewers are feeling seen regarding the messaging about not having to adhere to certain checklists in order to be of a particular gender and how that speaks to them so I get all of that but for the most part, for me, it just felt like going over well-trodden ground in a way that I found less quirky and original than even I expected. Like Barbie verged on boring for me.

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viric-dreams · 2 months

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30 & 31 for The Whole Gang?? 👀

30. Who do they most regret meeting?

Oh boy. Ockham regrets particular circumstances for sure (see: the group of sailors that ambushed and impressed himherthem), but as for individuals... probably the Youthful Naturalist for roping himherthem into this extended scheme involving some of Ockham's all time least favourite activities (zailing, piracy, and drowning)

I'm giving this award to the Benthic professor that Roberts thought was inviting him back to his lab to negotiate a new Searing Enigma supply chain, but was actually trying to capture him so he and his colleagues could test out their new cure for Yearning and Burning. If and when he eventually remembers the encounter.

I don't think Nite has run into anyone he truly regrets meeting yet, but I am going to very tentatively hand this to Grace for inadvertently introducing incredible amounts of complications into his life via "hey aren't you that sequencer?"

Tamara doesn't strongly regret meeting anyone, but she highly regrets her brother ever meeting the Jewel-Turbaned Youth. He ruined both of their lives.

The Rubbery Barber Surgeon regrets meeting and cutting the hair of a particular pilgrim from the Tomb Colonies, because she went back to the Tomb Colonies and told all of her buddies who still have hair about him, and whilst he appreciates the extra business, he is so sick of cutting and styling tonsures. It's been a straight month of this. The monks just keep coming. Please make them stop.

31. Who are they the most glad to have met?

Going with the Bewildering Procession of Companions, Lovers, Suitors, and Paramours for this one. Ockham doesn't have an incredibly strong relationship to any one of them, nor any sort of constant reliance on them, but they're a source of consistency and stability in a place that is anything but.

The Commodore gave Roberts' life a purpose and without him Roberts wouldn't be anywhere near the man he is today. This might not be a good thing for anyone who isn't Roberts or the Commodore.

Nite is grateful for some of the revolutionaries who stuck up for him and with whom he formed bonds in those early days, particularly Myfanwy, who helped him solve one of the major mysteries about his apparent early life.

At the moment, Tamara's most glad to have met Ockham. At least there's someone else in this strange place who is equally out of place and unimpressed with the city. It's just a shame that heshethey's utterly mirror-mad.

The Tentacular Surgeoness, of course! 💖💖💖

#ockham #roberts/nite #tamara #the rubbery barber surgeon #'negotiating supply chains' is what we're calling it now eh roberts #if nite could meet roberts he would be the biggest regret #because that man is responsible for him getting knocked on his arse by so many people over his time in london #the monks start coming and they don't stop coming and they don't stop coming and they don't stop coming and they don't stop coming and they #how did so many of them even get to the neath in the first place #oh god the ocs are expanding

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