#I'm almost done with season 4 but I can post that as a part 1 if you want it now idk
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So I just learned about "Shawn's Resume" which was the Official Resume made by Shawn Spencer posted to the USA Network site sometime in 2006, but apparently the link doesn't work anymore so people have been settling for a summarized version on LiveJournal but GUESS WHO FOUND IT???? BECAUSE BESTIES IT IS ON THE WAYBACK MACHINE
Here's a link to Shawn's Resume via the Wayback Machine
The video links don't work, but you can still scroll through and read the whole three-page interactive resume :) You are very welcome
#everyone needs to know about this#btw I'm still going to make that comprehensive list of every job Shawn's ever held during Psych#I'm almost done with season 4 but I can post that as a part 1 if you want it now idk#i take my job very seriously#psych#psych tv#psych usa#shawn spencer
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Character asks:
Xander, 1 and 21.
1 Why do you like or dislike this character?
Going to focus on the why part and avoid coming to a firm conclusion about the implicit binary choice.
Season 5's The Replacement posits that there are two Xanders -- one suave and self-confident, one a bumbling walking punchline -- before revealing that both of these Xanders are equally real and exist as aspects of the true and singular Xander, with neither having primacy over the other. However, while there are indeed two diametrically opposed versions of Xander Harris, real fans of the show know that they don't exactly correspond to what the show suggests here. The true distinction is between, on the one hand, the Xander who grows up miserable and alone in an abusive household and is determined not to become his father and who loves and supports his friends unconditionally and is maybe/probably/definitely bi but doesn't seem to realize it yet and, on the other hand, the Xander who makes frequent gross sexual comments about all the women he knows and visibly and bitterly resents the ways they outshine him and who considers it his moral duty to give them terrible, patronising, unsolicitied advice about their personal lives whenever he can.
As in The Replacement, both versions of the character have equal claim to be the 'real' Xander. The much more irritating one is perhaps more present in the early seasons (especially when the writers genuinely seem to be trying to set him up in an actual love triangle with Buffy herself, but also throughout much of his 'romance' with Cordelia) but he never really goes away, even after the writers started trying to find new things to do with his character from The Zeppo onwards. He shows up in Season 5 to explain to Buffy how it's all her fault that her boyfriend metaphorically cheated on her while she was selfishly worrying about her sick mother and he's actually a really great guy Buffy never properly appreciated (he doesn't say "can I have sex with Riley too?" in this episode, but he might as well have done); he shows up in Season 6 to sulk about the fact that the woman he left at the altar dared to sleep with somebody who wasn't him and how much she "disgusts" him as a result; he shows up in Season 7 to help kick Buffy out of her own house.
But, equally, the sympathetic, loyal and, yes, even heroic Xander isn't just some post hoc fandom creation either. There are hints even earlier, but Season 3 and especially Season 4 really do make it clear that Xander's home life is horrific. He does risk his life to save Buffy's in Prophecy Girl, even when Angel wouldn't, even after Buffy had been clear she didn't reciprocate his feelings toward her. He does eventually admit to some of his worst behaviour (his jealousy about Angel, his betrayal of Cordelia). His treatment of Anya, while horrible, really does make sense as an attempt to do the right thing for somebody he cares about by somebody almost utterly consumed by self-loathing.
His speech to Buffy in the second half of The Freshman ("when it's dark and I'm all alone and I'm scared [...] I always ask: what would Buffy do? You're my hero.") is, despite what he says immediately afterwards, genuinely touching. The way that, in The Replacement, even the cowardly incompetent side of Xander is willing to risk his life to protect Anya from what he thinks is a demon is honestly kind of sweet. His speech to Willow at the end of Season 6's Grave ("I'm not joking [...] I can't imagine the pain you're in [...] You're Willow [...] I love you") and to his speech to Dawn in Season 7's Potential ("You gave her your power [...] You're not special. You're extraordinary") both feel like genuinely well-earned moments in light of everything we've seen of Xander so far.
The fundamental tension inherent to Xander is that he doesn't smoothly and effortlessly develop from one version of the character to the other. It's not as simple as the grating Xander from the early seasons "getting better". Both sides of his character are present -- and either side can be dominant -- from the very beginning of the show and right until the end.
21 If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?
Well, I am a fic writer and I have, technically, written for this character (he is the POV character for one fairly short chapter of Coexist.) I think he is a very hard character to write well (especially in the high school seasons) and I'm not at all sure I managed.
Honestly, I think well-written fanfic takes on Xander that actually treat him seriously as a character are incredibly rare. (Off the top of my head I can think of exactly one example. I'm sure there are others -- and I'm sure part of the issue is that I only really read a particular subset of Buffy fanfic -- but I doubt there are many others.)
I think a lot of fanfic writers really just don't like Xander at all (and so only write the horrible Xander, if that, and only so they can have the characters they like call him out on his worst behaviour), whereas other writers lean too heavily into the sympathetic Xander (and either have him explicitly realize and denounce his own poor behaviour early on or just write a meek and mild 'Xander' who just needs a hug and who has never even thought about saying anything inappropriate to any woman ever, which ... well, that's not the character that appears on screen, is it?).
I think the trick to writing Xander well, such as it is -- and the approach I tried to take myself -- is to try to treat him as sympathetically as possible without pretending he isn't often prone to jealousy and making mean-spirited comments, that he isn't a bit of a massive hypocrite at times and that he doesn't often say "funny" things that aren't when he shouldn't. That's harder than just playing up the angle that Xander's parents are awful and he's trying his best and suggesting he'd be much happier if he just followed Anya's advice to Buffy and found a "nice, boring, boyfriend", but I think if you don't try you're not writing a sympathetic version of Xander Harris so much as you're creating a whole new character.
Yes, Xander (mostly) is trying his best, and his parents (especially his father) are awful, but very often Xander's best is far from good enough. He will say awful things sometimes and he probably won't apologize for it, even if he does secretly feel ashamed by it. You have to try to write both versions of Xander -- both the one that makes sense as one of Buffy and Willow's best friends and the one who really doesn't seem to have anything in common with them at all -- if you're going to write the Xander.
That being said, the absolute worst thing you can do to Xander is give him magical powers or superhuman fighting skills so he can Help Buffy Patrol. That's not who he is! That's not true to either version of the character!
(... sorry, I lied. That's the second worst thing you can do to Xander. The actual worst thing is what the comics do with him and Dawn. No super-powered fantasy fanfic could be more horrible and ill-advised than that.)
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It's at least December 12 everywhere in the world. Now what?
An LITG Archive Update
To preface, the original seasons are still playable at the moment if your auto-update is turned off. (I can confirm; I can still play on my Android phone.) I've heard (but have not tried) it's possible to play using older mods as well. Overall, this is good news!
However, no one is sure how long this would be viable, given that you do still need to connect to the Internet to play them. And, how long would Fusebox allow that from their end?
Well, I'm not putting this project on hold. And the fact that the seasons are still playable? A good time to collect more records. (IIRC, I don't have a Season 3 playthrough with Seb as the best friend yet. Please hook your girl up with any link whatsoever.)
What I'm doing and what are the goalposts moving forward, all under the cut!
Originally, I was going to do Season 3 first (as you might have seen from the demo), but I did realize that we'd likely lose more content from Season 2, given it's the longest and has most extensive branching compared to the other two seasons.
So, what am I doing now?
I've mapped out all the choices for Season 2 Day 1 Part 1. I will start transcription. If there are any missing choices, I will create a separate post requesting assistance (like I did before).
Season 3 transcription of a recorded Harry route is being continued by lovely people on their free time. They are currently doing Day 4 Part 1.
Any particular timeline when you'll be able to release a playable Season 2 (or any other season)?
What I can say is it won't be up for a while unless there will be more volunteers helping me transcribe seasons using a particular formatting and process. This is the most time-consuming part.
For a general idea, it took me almost 6 hours to transcribe the part for the demo using 2 recorded playthroughs by @queen-of-boops and by @mrsbsmooth. I broke up the scenes and added in some code/notes as I transcribed. Then I had a few more hours tweaking the transcript into ink, breaking it up a bit more so it won't flood the screen as much UI-wise, installing the UI framework, and testing it.
Granted, since I have brushed up on ink and have done base stuff for the demo, it shouldn't take me too long to code the full game once I've done all the non-coding related tasks.
Why not release it in chapters?
Honestly because I'm not a programmer, I have massive technical debt, and I could do that, but honestly I'm not very comfortable with doing that unless I at least map out all the choices first. I want to avoid missing variables which may, in turn, break everything else.
You might be surprised with the scenes we're still discovering as we repeat the playthroughs. We've got aliens, Islanders checking Bobby's reaction to Rocco possibly stealing you away from him, Ciaran being turned on by a belch, and Kassam actually considering you as a dateable prospect despite not being interested in you in the first place, etc. Honestly wild.
So, now what?
I will be posting an update once a week until all three seasons are completed. I'll post recording requests when needed. (Thank you to everyone who has shared their records so far, I could kiss you all. It's so lovely seeing our community band together like this.)
We can only hope Fusebox publishes the remastered versions soon (if at all) so people (like me) can play their comfort routes or just play some of the best seasons they had put out into the world.
So, yeah.
Much love before it's December 13 from my side of the world.
💕 Pine
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Todays rip: 12/01/2024
9来4s
Season 2
Featured on: THE SILVAGUNNER CHRISTMAS COMEBACK CRISIS ORIGINAL SOUNDTRAXX: vol. 1
Ripped by dante
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Uh, so, hi, everyone. I'm going to apologize ahead of time if this post reads a bit more shakily, a bit less structured than what it maybe usually does. I always have a timeline of rips to cover over the week laid out ahead of time, and was really not expecting to cover 9来4s as part of it - I thought, naively, that today would just be a day like any other, one more on the pile. I wake up, get dressed, check the SiIvaGunner YouTube feed - and almost collapse onto the floor in shock.
The Christmas Comeback Crisis is back. Ten hours from the point of writing this sentence, the eleventh episode of the main SiIvaGunner storyline will premiere on YouTube.
I don't think I've ever done an effective job of conveying to people just how much the Christmas Comeback Crisis means to me. Sure, rips that I love are one thing, with those you can understand what I'm talking about with just a listen yourself. But the Christmas Comeback Crisis series is so difficult to truly appreciate without the knowledge, the memories and attachment to the channel from having been with it the whole time. To me, it marked the point where all of SiivaGunner's potential as a narrative, all of the loose threads of lore and jokes, all of those feelings of joy and sadness and comradery that flew like sparks throughout Season 1s 9-month run, were distilled into a streamlined narrative. It felt as if a bunch of stray thoughts were finally put to paper, a world envisioned by all of SiIva's viewers finally envisioned with an engrossing conflict and beautiful art. And it felt to me like the team themselves knew just how golden the idea they'd landed on was, as the scope of the storyline quickly expanded from just Christmas of 2016 to eventually enveloping the entirety of Season 2's run.
The final core episode of the Christmas Comeback Crisis released at the tail end of Season 2, on Christmas Day. That is to say, December 25th, 2017. It is currently January 12th 2024 - six years, two weeks, and four days have passed, as the main story of the channel has remained in limbo. When I watched that episode, live on the date of upload, I was still a teenager. I've followed the channel since, still immensely invested, still closely following and paying attention to the lore introduced since - the Side Stories and Haltmann's Archives of Season 3 and Season 4: Episode 1, the King for Another Day Tournament and its fallout across both episodes of Season 4, the many misadventures of Wood Man across Season 5, having seemingly left the Christmas Comeback Crisis canon altogether to explore different worlds where he could have fun with little consequence - only for it all to come crashing down on him in Season 6. After all of that time, all of that buildup, after Season 7 has already been one of the channel's all-around, best-ever years - the cherry on top has landed. Episode 11.
Beyond the lore, the world, the artwork, the storyline, the characters, and the community that's supported it all, what has held the Christmas Comeback Crisis together for me and many others has been the sheer passion present in all those aspects - including, of course, its outstanding soundtrack. I've talked about it before with voiceless, with 時の回廊 ＜ver. CCC＞, with vlEP, and now here - but dante is, genuinely, an *exceptionally* talented musician, possibly my favorite amidst the entire SiIvaGunner team, and he has been completely outdoing himself on the Christmas Comeback Crisis' soundtrack since the day it first began - his music, remixes, arrangement, and overall sound direction has breathed a kind of energy and life into the story that's immersed me in ways I could never have expected.
9来4s plays during Episode 8 of the Christmas Comeback Crisis, An Acrimonious Assault - which sort of marked a point of no return for the series. After the 6th episode, Advent of Hell, just barely managed to release during Christmas of 2016, and the 7th episode, Loves the Ladies, released four entire months later due to expressed production issues, it felt like the team had officially realized just how big the project was getting. Yet, despite the woes that the 7th episode had presented, the team pushed on - and the series continued until the end of the year. That energy, that hype and love for the channel, is echoed all throughout 9来4s, and it's a feeling I haven't truly felt since that Season that the series once ended during.
At least, that's what I once said. Because now, *we are so fucking back.*
#todays siivagunner#season 2#siivagunner#siiva#dante#soundcirclet#christmas comeback crisis#siivagunner ccc#siivagunner lore#lore#hiroyuki sawano#guilty crown#Youtube#Bandcamp
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i love your teasers peach but when do we get the full ficssss i'm dying
lol the teasers are meant to help get my blog re-active after just reblogging/sharing queued posts for like a month, but I'm glad you enjoy them!
Here's the rough status of all my major WIPs right now:
(1) Seasons in Love -- part two (Sanemi x Reader Modern AU): about 70% complete. I think I can get the rest of it done this weekend and then it will go through edits. Edits usually take me a day or so (because I have to revisit the work a few times), so my earliest estimate is that it will be ready sometime next week. Epilogue is complete (and one of my favorites by far -- though Phantasmagoria's is a close second).
(2) Phantasmagoria -- part one (Sanemi x Reader Modern AU) is almost fully written (I need to write two more scenes at most), but it is undergoing substantial re-writes and edits. I wrote half of it in present tense before switching to past-tense, so that's where a lot of the re-writing is coming in. Phantasmagoria is the first of my fics to have the potential to be a three-parter, but that depends on how I'm feeling. I've written sizeable chunks of part two, but I wouldn't say part 2 is anywhere close to being fully written (like 20% at most). Epilogue is complete.
(3) The Great War -- part one (Giyuu x Reader) still needs a lot of work -- primarily, I need to organize it and figure out what I'm putting where/how I'm going to sequence events, and then write in my connector scenes. It is fully outlined, but I'm struggling on what to include in part one versus part two. Part 2 has not been written (only outlined) save for one major scene (the reunion). Epilogue has been written.
(4) The Bitter & the Sweet -- part one (Kyojuro x Reader): about 80% written, but in need of edits. Part 2 is fully outlined, but I have not started writing it yet. Epilogue has been outlined.
#demon slayer#🍑 speaks#kimetsu no yaiba#sanemi shinazugawa#kyojuro rengoku#giyuu tomioka#kny#kny x reader#kny fanfic
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The Magic Trick You Didn't See - A Critique + Good Omens meta
Alright so I think a lot of people have read the Google Doc that's been floating around on Good Omens tumblr. I'm here to offer a different perspective, because I think there's a lot that OP got wrong. So, without further ado, let's get into it.
Okay so this is the main point of the essay: The season is weird because the Metatron is changing the past via the Book of Life and therefore he is also changing the present. The author comes to the conclusion that almost EVERYTHING we see on screen is somehow a tampered memory/fake scenario planted by Metatron.
Don't get me wrong, the idea that Metatron is somehow influencing/changing/manipulating reality could very well be somewhat true (especially since there is a lot of focus put on the coffee thing), but that all the things we've seen so far is fake? Nah. Why not? Well:
Point 1: We don't know how the Book of Life works. As OP pointed out, it was mentioned 2 times. Both times we only got the information that someone's entire existence can be wiped out by erasing them from it. Not that it can be edited to change the past and future.
Point 2: Some of the things brought up in OP's post are not weird at all. For example, episode 2. OP goes on a rant about how the whole thing feels fictional and not like the rest of the episodes. It can be explained by the fact that it was not written by Neil in the first place, but by John Finnemore, the guest author. He doesn’t write like Neil (but it was very entertaining nonetheless). They also make a big fuss about how Crowley looks different, but considering the fact that Crowley can change how he looks whenever he wishes I don't really think it bears much significance. Like, this is the same guy who turned into a Nanny. I don't think wearing glasses is that weird for him to do.
Point 3: OP argues the entire opening is a fake memory by Metatron. Excuse me but no. The suggestion box thing is an important part to the story, because it explains how Crowley fell + WHY Aziraphale gives up everything to join Heaven. Because in Aziraphale's eyes, material things does not matter as long as he has Crowley by his side. It's the meaning behind: "Nothing lasts forever". If losing his bookshop, food and books are what it takes so he can fix Heaven, get Crowley his suggestion box, and see him as happy as he was back then, then by bloody God Aziraphale will do it and he will be glad to.
Point 4: OP argues Metatron somehow knows Aziraphale and Crowley's relationship SUPER well and is sowing seeds for conflict in the past that will somehow affect the present. Like what. How? How would Metatron know how to do that? An example of this is that supposedly, the scene with the laudanum is faked by Metatron to make Aziraphale think Crowley is embarrassing? Have you seen how Aziraphale looks at Crowley when he is high as a kite? Man's down bad.
The whole point of that episode isn't that it's fake, but that Aziraphale struggles to grasp that not all actions fit in to neat little boxes of "good" and "bad". Because while Crowley realizes the grey area in what Elspeth is doing, Aziraphale pivots from "grave robbing bad" to "grave robbing good!", without any deeper contemplation. It's to show us how rigid his sense of morality is.
This goes for other flashbacks as well. Most of them show us Aziraphale struggling with coming to terms with what Heaven wants and what he thinks is right.
Point 5: OP argues Metatron faked the memory of Wee Morag dying to make Crowley look not as good. Yeah so this one makes little sense, because according to OP, Wee Morag didn't die but was resurrected by Crowley, but this was too good of an action to do so Metatron changed it to Crowley "giving money to the poor." OP says this happens because 1. Aziraphale would have loved him more for saving those girls and being such a hero and 2. Crowley getting dragged to Hell and tortured must mean he's done something WAY better than what he did.
I think this is wrong because Crowley did not JUST give money to the poor. He stopped Elspeth from committing suicide. Suicide is a BIG sin in Christianity, so in Hell's eyes, he just robbed them of a soul. It is one hell of a good act to do. Also, Aziraphale is already whipped. I don't think Crowley giving money to the poor would influence that much.
Point 6: According to OP, Aziraphale offering Crowley to be his second in command is out of character and proof of Metatron's meddling. Now, I could see this at first, because yes, Aziraphale has never acted like Crowley is beneath him. He's certainly said he is, but never acted like he was.
However, if we look closely we can see that Heaven doesn't have second in commands. All hell breaks loose when Gabriel disappears because the Archangels can't agree on who should be giving orders, because after Gabriel, Michael and Uriel are the same rank! (this angel hierarchy is confirmed by Neil btw). Aziraphale is offering Crowley what he believes he's always wanted; a way to make suggestions, hence why the suggestion box conversation in the beginning was so important. Aziraphale has never viewed Crowley as a demon, rather an angel that was unfairly banished. That's why he thinks Crowley would react positively to his offer, now that the people who didn't understand him are not in charge anymore.
Point 7: "Aziraphale is lazy and doesn't want to lead, obviously Metatron is doing something." NO. Unlike the other angels, Aziraphale cares so much for earth and humanity. He'd never be able to run off to Alpha Centauri like Gabriel and Beelzebub, because that would mean leaving earth in the hands of Heaven and Hell. It's why he turns down Crowley's offer to run away in Season 1 and why he continues to do it in season 2, because like Crowley says: "He's discovered his civic obligations."
Aziraphale has never come to terms with the fact that Heaven and Hell as institutions are bad. He thinks the problem stems from the fact that the wrong people are in charge. This is why he accepts Metatron's proposal, because he has ALWAYS believed that the other angels are simply not understanding God's will. See in season 1, where he is convinced that by talking directly to God, she'll set things straight and stop the apocalypse (See also season 2. where Aziraphale refuses to believe God wants Job's children dead.) This belief never goes away because Aziraphale never ends up speaking to God, so he just thinks that him averting Armageddon was always a part of Her plan, and that he did the right thing all along.
This is also the ONLY part where I can accept manipulation from Metatron, but not in the "he is putting on a cosmic play" instead in the "abusive relationship" way. This is because Aziraphale's relationship with Heaven clearly parallels with Nina's abusive relationship with Lindsey. Metatron is manipulating Aziraphale, telling him all the things he's longed to hear from the institution which he values so highly (you're the right angel for the job, you can bring your friend, you did the RIGHT thing, you're a GOOD ANGEL). He is pulled back into the cult that is Heaven through a person who takes precautions to appear "like him". That's why the coffee is important, it signals to Aziraphale: "See, I'm also like you, I don't think like Gabriel or the others. I'll listen this time, this time it will be different."
This becomes even clearer when you look at the notes Lindsey writes to Nina. They're awfully similiar to what Heaven has said to Aziraphale. Do notice that despite Lindsey texting Nina these things, they show up on screen as paper notes. Which lovely (derogatory) institution likes to send rude notes? HEAVEN.
This is why it's so much more interesting story wise if it's not some Book of Life conspiracy, but Aziraphale and Crowley making these decisions. If it turns out that all this happened because they were manipulated into doing this they wouldn't do otherwise, it removes all agency from the characters. I'd be upset if that were the case, because the show would lose its opportunity to accurately reflect how trauma hurts a person, and how that trauma needs to be healed.
Bonus points: OP needs to realize that some things are jokes. Like the halfwitted Nazis being halfwitted? Yeah no shit, they're Nazis, fuck em. The Halo being a deus ex machina (meaning "God from the machinery, which is pretty funny considering the machinery in question is a halo). Crowley referring to alcohol as the "old demon drink"? A JOKE.
Bonus bonus point: Don't... insult Gaiman while raising him to onto a pedestal??? Like I don't think OP realizes how much of a snob they'll come off as if (when lol) their theory turns out to be false. The whole thing is a diss on the fact that you didn't like Neil's writing this season UNLESS he adheres exactly to your ideas on how it should turn out. Don't do a Sherlock 2.0. Let writers be human. They can make mistakes and they can write something you don't like.
The whole document put me off from the start because in certain places it's so painfully clear this person hasn't understood how Gaiman writes. Yeah, some dialogue is unrealistic at times. I haven't even gotten into the "Maggie is fake" because I think a large part of her character is meant as a joke. This season comes from the same guy who wrote that Satan himself was defeated by a kid saying "you're not my real dad". It's not meant to be realistic, it's meant to be thoughtful, absurd and funny. It's not bad writing, it's Gaiman and that is what makes it so wonderful.
(side note: As a person who loves modern art, I HAVE to dunk on the reductive perspective that Picasso and other modern artists makes shitty art on purpose. Watch Jacob Geller's "Who's Afraid of Modern Art" if you want to learn more.)
Might edit this in case I remember something else that I didn't agree with. I'd also like to point out that none of this is in bad faith, I just don't agree. So let's all be civil about a show we both clearly love.
#good omens season 2#good omens#go2#good omens spoilers#good omens meta#aziraphale#crowley#this is so long#but i had to say my piece
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Twenty Questions for Fic Writers
Thank you @yoellglia, @kingfisherprince and @shambolicchaos for tagging me even though I haven't done one of these in months, I appreciate it <3 And look at this, I am actually doing a tag game.
1. How many works do you have on AO3?
57. How did that happen.
2. What’s your total AO3 word count?
418,066. Some of those 57 are pretty long ;-)
3. What fandoms do you write for?
Well I won't list them all, we'll be here tomorrow. The published ones are mainly: Tatort, Good Omens, Potter, Tennis RPF, Skating RPF and a few Music RPFs. There's an awful lot of WiPs from Sherlock Holmes to Poirot to Star Trek to Oasis to Austen to various Panel Shows to Les Miz to The Hobbit and back again though. Plus WiPs for all the published fandoms. Sigh.
4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
Alright this is going to be a trip down memory lane, seeing as I'm mostly active in very niche fandoms these days. Also, this statistic is perhaps skewed by the fact that lots of my fics are in German (a few nearly made it onto the list though!) and my RPF is locked (for registered users only).
Days in the Sun: Tops the list by a very long way. Harry Potter. A Snape/Hermione post war fic published in 2018. I'm a different writer these days but I still like lots of things about it.
To Trust in One Another: Good Omens. Aziraphale/Crowley post Season 1. I remember the response to this overwhelming me at the time, I had never gotten so many comments so quickly after posting and haven't since. This fandom is so lovely (and filled with writers!).
To those who wait, eventually: Harry Potter. Snape/McGonagall. I love this pairing and this story. And while I am very surprised that both the Potter Fics I actually published are het, I am not surprised they both feature Severus Snape.
Almost Too Kind, or: Prometo: Figure Skating RPF. Yuzu/Javi. I still like the Yuzu POV, although I think I've perhaps written more interesting skating stories, but this was obviously the most popular parinig at the time. Hence the amount of kudos I guess.
Language Barrier Sidestepped: Figure Skating RPF. Yuzu/Javi. This one surprised me because it's just a silly fluffy oneshot. But with some language nerdship in the title and the story (that part is less surprising, if you know me)
5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?
Always, and sometimes too verbosely :D I like a good comment discussion and I have made friends that way.
6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?
Angsty endings? Me? I would if I could. Maybe some day. I guess the angstiest one is this unrequited love drabble in the Tatort Münster Fandom.
7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?
Well, most of them have pretty happy endings, I think.
8. Do you get hate on fics?
Not so far. Most of the comments I get are really nice. I can remember only a handful slightly weird ones over the years.
9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?
No one is more surprised than me, but yes. In my case, it's usually part of a story and has a function in the story. But it can be pretty graphic because it's weird to me to treat sex as something to gloss over. That being said, sometimes a story decides on a fade to black. On the other end of the spectrum, I've also come pretty close to writing PwP, depending on your definition of it.
10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?
Never written one, very rarely read them.
11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?
Not that I'm aware of.
12. Have you ever had a fic translated?
People have asked for permission several times and I always grant it (of course I do) but I don't think I've ever gotten a link to a finished translation (which I always ask for). I get it though, some of my stories are pretty long and I know all about the difficulties of translation :-)
13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?
It's not finished but I hope we can get back to it @kingfisherprince! I might not always be the easiest person to work with, but I thoroughly enjoyed it so far.
14. What’s your all time favourite ship?
I don't have one, I write whatever pairing is interesting to me. And would love to write more gen fic if inspiration strikes. The concept of an OTP used to make no senses to me either, though I guess I've come close with Novandy in the Tennis fandom. I still write lots of other stuff in that fandom though.
15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?
I have trouble going back to the Potter stuff for various reasons. Would love to finish a Snarry which is already at almost 30k but doubt I will. I also have a Poirot/Hastings case fic I really want to finish but (see writing weaknesses)
16. What are your writing strengths?
I'm not sure. I hope Í write realistic relationships that make sense in the story. I try to write clear prose that's not too cluttered (I don't always succeed). Sometimes with my longer fics I've managed to slightly miraculously tie things together, which is amazing to me when it happens but I can't control that at all.
17. What are your writing weaknesses?
I sometimes overexplain. I tend to forget about 'setting the scene' descriptions now and then. And the big one: I can't plot for the life of me, I write as I go along, which isn't always a problem but definitely is when you try to write a murder mystery (I've got an unfinished Poirot one and an unfinished Tatort Münster one which I would love to continue).
18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?
I like it, though I tend to use it relatively sparingly and either add translations or try to make it clear in other ways in the text what was being said (a translation degree comes in handy for this).
19. First fandom you wrote for?
Well the first time I tried writing fic it was Kirk/Spock but the first thing I finished and published was Tatort Münster.
20. Favourite fic you’ve written?
Don't do this to me. The answer will be different every day, I think, and for lots of reasons. This is not me being pretentious (I hope), because I would have just as much trouble choosing my favourite song or book etc. Let's pick Two and Two Together for today because I never would have thought I'd write a 42k poly fic, but here we are. I think we've established I sometimes surprise myself.
Tagging: I think most of the writers on my dash have been tagged... but maybe @bonos-grindcore-sideproject and @advantage-sinner and @savageandwise and @all-my-worlds-a-stage if you want to do it?
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I have a bunch of questions. You can ignore them or entertain them.
1. How has your view of Jensen changed after the prequel gate or do you think he was always like that and we failed to notice it?
2. Do you think a spn reboot will happen? Do you want it to happen?
3. Do you think Jared wants a spn reboot or he just simply entertains the idea at cons?
4. Do you want that rumoured Nova project to be true? I want it if Jared wants it😁
5. Was excluding Jared from the prequel deliberate or a miscalculation on jensen's part?
Hey Anon,
Sorry I couldn't answer the ask earlier. It is a festive week for us, so it's quite busy. Got a downtime now, so I thought of catching up on tumblr action. I'm glad I did because these are quite interesting questions.
Since these are different questions, I am dividing it into two post otherwise it will be a long post. I will answer reboot question in this post, and in the next post, I will talk about J2 prequelgate and Nova.
DO YOU THINK SPN REBOOT WILL HAPPEN? DO YOU WANT IT TO HAPPEN? DO YOU THINK JARED WANTS SPN REBOOT....
Well, Anon ... SPN is an IP (intellectual property) of WB, and in today's market, owning an IP is like owning gold. Just the way you can repurporse gold in various shapes and form, Studios can repurpose IPs. The moment studio feels that they have managed to build enough nostalgic sentiments around SPN , and if they feel their is a need for supernatural drama that can instantly attract the audience on their network. They will experiment with reboot.
Also, this is my personal opinion, if we look at the shows that were produced a decade and compare it to today, I feel there is a fatigue setting in. The constant race of churning shows on an almost daily basis on different platforms is hampering creativity, making it monotonous and formulaic. If something works with the audience, everyone is running to create similar stuff. And I feel for networks breaking the mold equals rehashing their old classics. So sooner or later, SPN REBOOT will happen.
Does Jared want to do Reboot, or is he appeasing fans? Frankly, I don't know what Jared wants, so I can only speculate. I feel SPN is his show, so he would like to be part of it in some form or another and that too on his term. When he started SPN, he was an upcoming actor, so he had to accept whatever was offered, but now he has experience and in a position where he can negotiate his own contract and put forth his own terms.
Also, SPN reboot is a set income for at least a year. Denying/rejecting it would not be a wise decision for any actor (when offered), and for someone at Jared position, it would also mean residuals. Remember Jared sacrificed two of his holidays and adjusted two days of his SPN shoot just so he can feature in the reboot of Gilmore Girls. Not just income, but reboot is also about a prestige and nostalgia for an actor.
Will it happen right now. I don't think so. For now, Jared is keeping the show alive within the audience as it got other businesses, namely merchandise and cons associated with it. Also, him outright saying no will kill the buzz around the show, and the toxic part of the fandom will immediately blame him. In the end, it is all about marketing and maintaining an image/ brand.
Lastly, Do I want it to happen?
Immediately, No. I think SPN as a series has run it course. Now, it's time for it to marinate in its success. It is like cooking meat. Meat without marination isn't as juicy as it is when it's marinated for hours. So I think SPN needs to just rest without anyone disturbing its legacy anymore.
And when it is ready for reboot, I want it to be done by someone who has seen the entire seasons and understands the core of the series. I don't want someone who wants a piece of social media traction or appease to a certain section of social media just to get the clout. A good reboot can only be made if the creator stays true the story and character without having any agenda.
I am ending the post here as it is getting long...will answer the rest in the second post
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you're mine and we belong together | chapter one | steve harrington x reader
this story is mine. i originally posted on my AO3.
will have stranger things season 4 spoilers from volume 1!
SUMMARY:
Y/N is a new Senior student at Hawkins High School. She finds herself friends with Max, Dustin, and Eddie. A new start means a new job - in which Y/N takes Robin's position at Family Video since Robin is getting promoted to manager. This leads to Dustin introducing Y/N to Steve. They get off to a rocky start but find themselves growing closer and closer. The Byers have moved back.
Eddie failed his senior year again but that's okay. We get to experience the icon he is.
Also, I don't know much about Dungeons and Dragons, so just know that I'm trying my hardest to write it correctly. I've even rewatched episodes and looked at parts of the rulebook.
Y/N is from {CITY, STATE} and never expected to be in Hawkins, Indiana, but here she is. Y/N has H/C hair and E/C eyes, can't forget to mention her unique style.
Y/N = your name
H/C = hair color
E/C = eye color
POV alters throughout the story but usually starts off in third-person and proceeds to first-person.
-----------------------
"I want to introduce a new face to the Hellfire Club..."
The room is dimly-lit, joined by the other group members. The curly-haired leader, Eddie, raises a brow at you. A smirk appears on his face as he extends his arms widely in an inviting gesture.
"Hi, I'm Dustin!" The other curly-haired boy interrupts, before gesturing for his friends to introduce themselves.
"I'm Mike, this is Will, and this is Erica." He speaks in a fast tone, seemingly wanting to get the introductions done and over with.
Eddie flashes a gaze at you, gesturing for you to introduce yourself. "I'm Y/N, I'm from {CITY, STATE} and I just moved to Hawkins with my family..."
"How long have you been playing Dungeon and Dragons?" Mike questions, seeming to test your knowledge.
"A few years, maybe five or six?"
"Favorite class?"
"Hard to choose but usually Cleric or Druid."
The guys seem impressed but you know they're not done. Trust me, this isn't your first club.
"Favorite villain to go against?" This time Will asks a question. You're a bit surprised because he seems anti-social but you can relate.
"Vecna and Orcus. They're challenging but tease in the perfect way."
Erica smiles at you, looking at Eddie, "You got another awesome girl in your hands."
"Hell yes," You reply, both you and Erica give each other fist-bumps.
Eddie clicks his tongue against his teeth, flashing you both a look. You stand back, crossing your arms across your chest. "Yes?"
"What's your class and level?"
You amusingly scoff, combing your fingers through your hair. "Half-Elf. Cleric. Level 13. I am Madame Castle. I may strike with a poison-soaked dagger or may strike with my almighty spells."
"Alrighty, thus moves forward into reign."
It begins. Mike and Will move in. Erica prepares to strike any monsters. You approach the board, blatantly staring at the leader. You countdown. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
"The Cleric arrives on the field. A new face to our quest. Hooded members of our village chant welcoming chords." Eddie narrates, beginning to harmonize, in a way.
THE POV CHANGES
The lit candles around us seem to flicker, almost as if the game was real. Almost as if the game was coming to life. "Servants of Orcus arrive. They're loyal to their Lord and will strike. Madame Castle, will you strike first?"
I take the D20 dice, clasping it into my hand, rolling it around before letting it fall across the board. We watch it turn a few times before landing on 14.
"I strike using an exclusive spell within my sources. I use a mace in the other hand, striking once before chanting my magic on this monster." I narrate back, making my move and marking my territory.
"One down. Four to go." Eddie declares, seemingly teasing me. Every leader enjoys teasing a new member but I'm not a newcomer. I bite back - making my objective known.
"The spell isn't of the multiple one, it can kill as many as a ton," I reply, pointing to my dictum card. "It's always a part of my equipment."
"Nice one!" Mike calls out, patting me on the back a few times.
"The remaining two servants charge forward. They see their foes dead on the ground. They prepare to shake this town. They chant, 'All Hail, Our Lord Orcus, For He Will Provide Us Strength!' over and over." Eddie reads dramatically, moving two of the characters forward on the board. He begins to repeat the chant.
"All Hail, Our Lord Orcus, For He Will Provide us Strength! All Hail, Our Lord Orcus, For He Will Provide us Strength! It's time to make a move before they unleash their wrath upon you."
I look at Mike, Will, and Erica. We gather together for a moment, strategizing our next attack.
Before we can make our move, the bell rings, meaning it's time to go home. Did it go by that fast? Eddie laughs, knocking over the pieces, "Lord Orcus' servants devour you all into a deep slumber."
"Oh, fuck you, Eddie." I jokingly shout, laughing at him. He seems surprised but nevertheless laughs back. "Shit, I promised my parents that I would look for a job today. Does anyone know if any place is hiring?"
Dustin raises his hand, "The Family Video store! Our friend works there. They aren't closing for like, another hour, so we can head over there."
"Let's get going because I have a curfew."
"You're 18, right?"
"Well, yeah, but that doesn't change strict parents."
Dustin agrees with me, nodding in a sense of understanding. "Yeah, I get that. We get interrogated by our parents often..."
"Are you serious?" I laugh out as I put my backpack on, pulling my hair into a ponytail. They all nod -- except for Eddie. Then again, he's 20-years-old. Not going to question that.
"I have no clue where it's at so Eddie, you're driving!" I finish off, turning around to look at him. "You got a car or do you wanna drive mine?"
"I-I got a car... Don't even question that."
"Sorry but you never know, trust me. A lot of people at my old school didn't have cars. They usually did carpool or some shit like that."
--------------------------------
We arrive at the store, right on time. Dustin is the first to get out, ushering us over to the store. "Come on, slowpokes. Come on!"
I get out of the car, following Dustin, "I'm coming, hold up dude."
Dustin opens the door for me, the bell ringing, signaling the attention of the staff member. This must be Dustin's friend? He looks like he's in his twenties. I give Dustin a stare, "Is this...?"
"Yeah, yeah! He used to date Mike's sister and he's so cool. Practically a babysitter but..."
"I'm not the goddamn babysitter, Dustin, we've talked about this." The guy intrudes in, arguing with Dustin.
"Steve, this isn't the time..."
"You're the one coming in here and telling this chick that I'm your babysitter. That's not appealing whatsoever."
"Not true, some women love men who care for kids."
"Whatever, Henderson! Anyways, are you new around here?" Steve turns to me and we make eye contact. I nod softly.
"Yeah, I just move here from {STATE} but um..." I start, nervously biting the inside of my cheek. "Dustin was telling me that you have a job opening here?"
"Yeah, yeah. It's all yours!"
I knit my brows together, "What if I'm a serial killer?"
"Are you a serial killer?"
"No but..."
"Then you're hired! Trust me, I need all the help I can get. We can do a more thorough interview tomorrow. I'm beat but welcome to Family Video. Hourly pay is $7. We can work out your schedule. Just come here after three tomorrow, sound good?"
He runs his fingers through his hair. I smile a bit, "Yeah, sounds good. Nice to meet you, Steve!"
"Wait... What's your name?" He drops the tapes that are in his arms. I bend over and help him with them, looking him directly in the eyes.
"I'm Y/N."
We stay like that for a few seconds but get up from off the ground. "Well, uh, I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, yeah," I reply before heading out with Dustin.
"You're totally into him."
"I just met him, Dustin. Don't make assumptions."
He begins to laugh, nudging his shoulder into me, winking. I roll my eyes, chuckling to myself. Eddie propped up against his car, smoking a cigarette. "Y'all done?"
"Yeah but Eddie, can you pick me up tomorrow morning. I left my car in the school parking lot."
Eddie groans, "Why can't we just go get it now?"
"Because I don't feel like it and I'm sure you don't either."
Eddie stands there for a second, before nodding. "Yeah, that's true."
"Wait, Y/N, where do you live?" He blows the smoke out of his mouth, letting the ashes fall to the ground.
"Uh, on Lockwood Drive, something like that."
He looks at me, dropping his cigarette, smudging it into the ground with his shoe.
"Alright, let's get going."
#stranger things#stranger things fanfic#stranger things headcanon#stranger things 4 spoilers#steve harrington#steve harrington x reader#steve harrington x you#steve harrington smut#originally posted on AO3 under account Sunflower624
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The Hotel Podcast Season 3 Analysis: Part I - The Manager
@zombified-queer @subsequentibis @thehotelpod <3 <3 <3 hearts for yall. Thank you for encouraging my madness :-)
This is gonna be long and windy due to the nature of Season 3 and because I have a lot to say about it. As in like, I wrote this post and then when I was done, realized I'd HAVE to break this up into multiple posts because I have so damn much to say. Bear with me.
I'm going to approach this from a purely in-universe, Watsonian perspective as much as I can since I find that more fun. And of course, this is all just my own personal interpretation of the text/audio. Would be very happy to see anyone's additional thoughts or alternate takes!!!!
With that...
I believe S3 takes place simultaneously before the show begins, sometime after season 1 specifically, and also is occurring periodically as time progresses. This is not the usual manifestation of the Hotel, but more of a dreamscape, the blurry subconscious of the Hotel entity. It is the place, time, and series of events that the Hotel and, specifically, the Hotel Staff (old crew) spring from and it is where and when they will inevitably, always return to.
After all, no one escapes the Hotel. No one leaves. Certainly not the guests, and certainly not the Staff. You can't just have a Hotel without the Staff to run it.
But I think I'm getting ahead of myself. Was that yelling I heard just now…?
Season 3 is made of distinct segments - the Manager's perspective, the Lobby Boy's perspective, and finally the Owner's and the Hotel Herself's perspective at the end. So I'm going to tackle this in 4 distinct segments breaking down each arc before I tie it all back together at the end. At least, that's the plan, anyway. Let's do this.
(Do ya see it?)
Part I - The Manager
We begin the very first episode of season 3, Forest Fire Night Beast, with these lines from the Manager:
"I arrive, finally, at the place it will be. A jagged mountain, almost invisible against the night storm."
Right off the bat, this episode establishes all of the elements of importance that will show up throughout the season and wrap around to its finale. The mountain specifically will be important near the end, so let's stick a pin in that one for now.
Even though we get the Manager's narration, her music isn't present in the beginning of the episode. Instead, we get howling wind (more subdued, NOT the Owner's) and the sounds of the Manager's ragged breaths. Already the tone is eerie and unnerving. The listener can feel the Manager's discomfort and unease alongside her as she pushes through the dark, frozen forest. Occasionally, in the background, we hear a yell whoosh by.
The Manager is looking for something, though it's impossible for her to see anything. Something is pursuing her, a different something. She pushes onward, her steps more hurried and her breathing quickened and raspy until she finds it - the place she's supposed to be at. Her theme begins in the background as if it's a landmark. As if it isn't something attached to the Manager, but something the Manager attaches herself to.
And she does attach herself immediately, as soon as she's able. She seeks safety from the gibbering creature and finds solace in her role as Manager. She comforts herself with the certainty of the Hotel:
"The walls are thin, and brittle, and safe. In here, I am the pursuer. In here, endless will die, but never, ever me. From this one room, this one root, a new system will grow and change and consume. They will come to me and let themselves be swallowed like glass takes the night."
Then, she adds:
"But this night, when I should be alone to begin my work, I have to keep the fire lit in my little shack."
[Bolding is mine]
Here we see the light/dark dichotomy come up again. Recall 2.7 Return. I could gesture to basically the entire script for that episode, The Hotel Herself goes on the whole time about extinguishing the fire/lights/living beings that ended up inside her. Near the end, after sighing dramatically for a few minutes about the ennui and boredom of no longer getting satisfaction from killing, she says:
"Something is still roaming the rooms inside me. Painting with bright colors and vivid shapes. Something is taking those lights and turning them in godly tapestries.
Three lights of my own making couldn’t be put out. I turn my self inward and investigate the hollows of the worlds that live in me. What I find gives me for the first time, an exciting pang of surprise."
[Bolding/italics NOT mine]
I'll expand on this specific quote more in the Hotel's part. For right now, what's important is that the old crew staff are 'lights,' but not the same lights The Hotel has extinguished before. The way I see it personally, they're a composite, made from the leftover bits of thought and knowledge that float around the cosmic Hotel stew, if that makes any sense. They're more people than the Hotel is, but they're not really people at all.
From the Manager's dialogue, we can see what she doesn't understand at this point in time: Her role as Manager does not save or exempt her from death/darkness.
I'll get to where I consider s2 in the hotel time soup uhhh at some point in a later part. it's a whole thing. But for RIGHT NOW, if we're coming off of season 1, the Manager has never died before. And again, in the early seasons specifically, the staff feel like...almost people. Not human, but not not human.
The Manager has spent the first part of this episode pushing herself forward to escape the dark that has "frozen and obsidian limbs [that] threaten to shred [her] coat with tugging fingers." She shows her persistent, steadfast nature and incredible grit. But no matter how stubborn she is, no matter how perfectly she does her job...She's still part of the darkness. She facilitates it, invites it as she invites the guests in, but doesn't consider it a part of her. She clings to her role as Manager out of fear of death.
She holds down the fort, or in this case the tiny shack that is, I guess, her office. She tends the fire, though it gets smaller. The space that the Manager is inhabiting is…forming. Becoming itself, for lack of better wording. The lobby has started forming at this point. If she can just hold out long enough, then....But the gibbering creature, which "belongs here but [is not] supposed to be here," is there too. The dwindling fire doesn't keep it away.
The Manager attempts to grip with white, bleeding knuckles the safety of her position. She reasserts herself, reasserts the inevitability of escape at the Hotel in a futile attempt to glare down the gibbering creature. For her failure to understand, it bludgeons her to death.
(Until you have an understanding, you will receive only pain and time.)
The Manager wakes up to the sound of hammering in episode 2, Hammering Bones. It's no longer nighttime now. She observes the Hotel taking form as it's being built by laborers:
"For a long time I walk and trees bleed and weep and die and sweaty men who's faces I can't see hammer endlessly."
When she looks at them, her head tingles, presumably the lingering phantom pain of being clubbed to death earlier. She says she can feel them in her bones, quote, "hammering me together out of something cold and empty, while something cold and empty watches them."
She narrates as if she is the trees that are being cut down, clubbed with hammers and built into place. Her descriptions of the bleeding and dying trees here read to me as a dream within a dream, some subconscious part of herself grappling to force the sequence of events into a sensible shape.
That part of her, I think, is the human part. The fire, the light, that grants her the warm facade of the front desk manager allows her to draw in the guests. That part of her, then, would naturally fear being extinguished.
She remembers the gibbering creature, but does not run from it this time as it nears. It attacks her, hits again and again and the trees fall as she breaks apart. As she lies in the snow, bleeding and fracturing to death, she imagines the laborers now as "hurried, frightened men" who frantically try to build the lobby as fast as they can. But the Manager, who is entwined with - who IS - the lobby, now, imagines killing them. She imagines breaking them the way she was broken.
I take this as revenge fantasy for sure. She notes that as the workers die, she doesn't need them to hammer in order to build her (the lobby) up anymore. Their deaths sustain and build her.
Though she is satiated by this for a bit, the Manager once again remembers the 'nightmare,' the gibbering creature. Some of it comes back to her but she grows panicked trying and failing to remember what happened "in-between" her dying and waking up again this episode.
3.2 shows us the Manager's mindset and imagination. She entwines herself with the trees and the lobby. For a brief while in this dream-within-a-dream, she is as the Hotel is. A place. A lobby. But as she remembers, her fear creeps back in, overpowering her. She's not quite there yet. For her failure to understand, she is killed again by the gibbering creature.
(We haven't opened for business again yet.)
I don't have as much to say about 3.3 She Is Not Alone. We see the Manager in her element, here much more comfortable in the lobby. She wonders about the guests briefly as she examines and makes her way around the lobby. Though it is a fully formed lobby, it seems to be full of shadows that grow and shift around the place. The gibbering creature is still here too, of course.
Of it, she says:
"Something…something in my mind, not just my Hotel. I can almost remember and I rub my tingling face with a sharkskin-rough hand. What was it? Something inside me, something seeing me, something I could never escape."
[Bolding mine]
The shadows continue to engulf the lobby, slowly and steadily. She starts to remember that something happened, but decides she doesn't want to remember as the lobby dims further and further. The elevator dings, the doors open and close but nothing is there. The yelling in the distance is back, then flies by. The gibbering creature closes in.
But this time when the darkness approaches the Manager, she does not run from it. It surrounds her and she already knows she has nowhere to go, so she doesn't try. She lets it swallow her up and says:
"The cold I expected to feel wasn't there. The sharp, icy shadows only looked like they would cut; instead it folded me up in the dark warmth of the heart of the world and all that was left was me and-"
Then, the Lobby Boy shows up, signifying that the Manager's arc is near its end. We can see from this episode that she's coming to accept the darkness. Though it still unnerves and bothers her somewhat, she regards it, acknowledges it, and lets it wash over her and consume her (gay asf). Consequently, for her almost understanding, the gibbering creature does not kill her this time.
(I make so many pretty things...Listen to them gibber.)
Going into episode 4, the Manager seems to be back to her usual self - at her front desk, waiting and ready for the guest. By this point, she understands.
(Sidenote here: Part of why I feel this season is something that keeps happening is because this understanding doesn't completely stick to the Hotel's satisfaction. My read on the Hotel's dynamic with the old crew is that they keep being too annoyingly human and it's getting in the way of all the fun killing and like, really harshing her vibes, so she keeps putting them in these nightmare worlds as a sort of time-out punishment room. But they just keep coming back!)
Anyway, the Manager behaves as she would in, say, any given season 1 or early season 4 episode. She takes note of her lobby and her Lobby Boy. She sees the gibbering creature and recognizes it fully as a guest, a welcome and normal and expected part of the Hotel. She doesn't fear it, doesn't run from it. She only continues to do what's expected of her. She is the Manager. So, she manages.
As she does so, the Lobby Boy recoils and refuses to go along with this out of his own fear. For this, she's killed again by the gibbering creature. I think that one was just for funsies. (and also, for the lobby boy as we transition into his arc).
The gibbering creature is an element that will come up later towards the end with the Owner, but for now I want to talk about how it relates to the Manager specifically. To me, it represents her fear and the inevitability of death. She runs from the grabbing hands of the darkness, the shadows symbolizing death. She attempts to keep it at bay, imagines her attempts to fight it and get revenge on it. But no matter what she does, it always kills her....Almost.
The only time it doesn't is when she turns away from the memory of her death(s). She observes the darkness take over her lobby. And she simply accepts it. Remains as part of it. She lets it come as another inevitability of the Hotel. She understands now that death will come and take her again and again. But again, she is the Manager. She manages, and this is no different. She's stubborn, but adaptable like that.
Also, I didn't know where else to put this, but gah I LOVE how the Manager's arc starts with her outside the Hotel. With each death, she slowly moves more and more into it, even though she's also been in the lobby the entire time. She considers herself outside the Hotel's purview (that being, of course, death). Yet, each episode, she takes a step closer to understanding. By 3.4, she begins and ends in the lobby, fully integrated with the Hotel.
See, what I love most about S3 its tightness and cohesion. In the Manager's arc alone, we have thematic elements relevant to the Manager specifically, but also to the rest of the staff. They are individuals, but they're also like. cosmically attached at their cores to the Hotel. The writing, voice acting, and sound design all work together here to portray that.
Is it as linear and direct as, say, the Madam Hotel arc in season 4? No, but it doesn't need to be. As a story it does what it sets out to do and does it well. But I'll probably say that again in my next posts.
(We have nothing but time here. Time and pain, if you want it.)
As for the Lobby Boy....Join me next time, I will edit this portion with links to the next parts once I have them all posted. And thank you for reading if you got through all this!!! <3
#the hotel podcast#hotelpod analysis#CAN YOU TELL THE MANAGER IS A FAVE OF MINE#just wait until i post abt the hotel herself. cataclysmic event impending.
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My thoughts on episode 5
SPOILERS for season 3, episode 5 of the Animaniacs reboot.
Yes, we're still doing this. This episode contains Teeniacs, the one I've been obsessing over for months, theorizing about, posting screenshots, answering asks. Did it live up to expectations?
...what do you think? While it turned out to mostly be a funky screenshot collection, and possibly trailer bait, I'm not going to let my extremely overinflated expectations and current ravaged emotional state trick me into saying this segment was bad. It was pretty good for what it was.
The one thing I'm legitimately disappointed about is that we didn't actually get Teen Dot. I wanted to see an aged-up Warner, even if for just a few seconds in a joke segment. Turns out they were the same age and the perspective of the animation was playing tricks on us. Well, maybe alternate Dot was a little taller. Not anything drastic, though.
We did still get to see an alternately aged Dot.
We've already seen baby Dot multiple times in the past, though, so it's not as exciting.
I liked the way Yakko said "bro" and acted as Wakko's wingman.
I enjoyed seeing this, especially how excited he sounded to say it:
Does this mean Yakko is 15 now? Maybe we really do have an aged-up Warner in this segment.
I thought the brief vampire transitions were cool to see.
Teeniacs.
The most disappointing part of this segment for me was how it was a minute and a half long, and then we got no Warners for the rest of the episode.
I don't have much to say about Starbox and Cindy. What could I say? Cindy is proven to be a malicious little monster who hurts Starbox on purpose. I can respect it.
The main thing to talk about in this episode is obviously Groundmouse Day. It is officially confirmed that Pinky is not, in fact, the genius. Right, guys?
I liked how this episode focused on the obvious fact that Brain's schemes are mostly thwarted by stupid little twists of fate, and if he could just have a few redos, pretty much every single one of them would work. It's always super satisfying to me when a cartoon character who has been failing to do something for an entire show finally breaks through and does it, such as Brain successfully taking over the world.
I enjoyed Brain getting one over on the surfer dude and being unapologetically pleased when the guy is emotionally affected by it. He deserved that one.
Edit: Oh, and I liked the furry joke.
So yeah, not going to lie, there wasn't much here for me in this episode. It felt like filler, especially because the main plot of the episode isn't even resolved in this episode. Almost wish they would just have done a full Pinky and the Brain episode focusing entirely on Groundmouse Day.
Also, shout out to this person for being entirely correct.
I really don't know how to rank this one. None of it was bad. None of it blew my socks off. There were some fun sights in Teeniacs, but that was about it for me. I can't really judge Groundmouse Day yet because the rest is in the next episode. It could really go above any of the episodes except episode 3 and below any of them as well. I'm just going to go off of which ones I would rather rewatch, which means this episode will be ranked last. If I was a huge Pinky and the Brain fan, it would be different for sure.
My current ranking of season 3 episodes:
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 2
Episode 1
Episode 5
I encourage you to add to the discussion of this episode if you want, but don't say anything about any of the episodes that come after. Thanks for sticking with me.
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#animaniacs#animaniacs reboot#animaniacs 2020#animaniacs season 3#animaniacs screenshots#animaniacs analysis#animaniacs spoilers#animaniacs episode 5#teeniacs#cfposts
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Rambling about my comic \o/ and my plans for NaNoWriMo
Small confession: I haven't been playing diablo iv like I said I would. I did play it for almost 2 months straight when it released. And it was fun. And I did think about my comic while I played it. And a solution DID present itself. Well, a clearer understanding of the problem presented itself and from there the solution was something I could figure out.
So that was groovy and then Bliz released the big D4 patch before the first season launched and made the game feel really bad to play. Like they fixed zero things that were broken and broke many things that were working. And the worst part was that they did not know this would be poorly received. That was a sign to me that I should stop playing (aka the game wasn't fun for me anymore) so I stopped and have been chipping away at figuring out the solution for my comic.
I realized while playing d4 that it's been more than a decade since I wrote Remi and most people who will see my comic don't know her. The AU was written at a time where my audience was basically 100% mutuals who knew Remi so I didn't need to show who she was and the differences in her character brought on by events in the AU would be obvious. Now though, since people don't know Remi, it's difficult to say what's different about her and a lot of the things I wrote just don't have the same impact.
So the solution is I had to write more and now the comic is much longer. Like 3 or 4 times longer. or more. I realized this a few months ago as I re-paneled everything and the darn thing just kept growing.
Another problem is when I drew the first 15 pages I wasn't happy with the results. I felt like I was rushing and I wanted to really do my best on every page. Looking back, I realized that the action in page 13 doesn't exactly read like it's supposed to. Actually, most of the action was pretty lazy XD. But after not making a lot of progress in the past couple months it's pretty clear that I can either draw with the skills I have now or I can like... not draw.
Only one of those choices is going to get anything done.
So. NaNo presents an opportunity. I've always failed NaNo like I fail every time-based challenge (haha repostober I had one job and I had already posted the art and I still failed), but I want to use it to make progress anyway. While there are several more parts to go after this I'm hoping to get part 1 done by the end of the month.
I don't know if I'll post pages as I finish or wait till I'm done with part 1 or what, but I've started working on it again and I'm looking forward to getting somewhere.
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BOAT PARTY: IT CAN BE GOOD? PART 3
So, part 3 huh. Wow this is definitely longer than I thought. I think I'm just gonna continue this up until the point of when you choose between Lily or Aj because WOWSERS. ANYWAYS, check out the previous and following parts out below, or continue reading for more!
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
So we're gonna start off with the scene you get right as Episode 3 begins.
I like this scene, and I also dislike it. And those first two screenshots are why I dislike it. I don't really like people comparing or being like "oh I'm better because of x y and z" since it comes across as a little egotistical. I don't really know how I'd fix this, but maybe it'd go a little bit like:
AJ: "It's almost a bit... I don't know, it's surreal to think of someone letting you go."
Gabe: "Would you?"
AJ: "Absolutely not. I'd wanna stay and talk, even if we're a little angry. I'd never let you go."
Basically, it's the same thing, but worded in a way that doesn't make it seem like she's making Lily to be this bad person and she's much better. It's more just answering a question asked after stating something normal.
And then this next scene is the positive. I like how she's opening up to us.
Not like Bonnie who thinks she has a chance with S7 MC despite the fact that I've given her fifty shades of no.
Because there's actually something there. Chemistry. Now this is why I think the route has to be done in a way where the person you end up with isn't the one you wanted, and instead you go after "the one" during the boat party.
Because I headcannon this to be AJ and Gabe still liking each other after AJ walked when Lily stole Gabe at the end. Just like with the other LI's if you get stolen. It makes more sense this way. Of course, they were hit by the post casa amnesia that a lot of people in the game suffer (cough cough, season 2) but realistically this would be, well, realistic.
Though rather than saying "do you think something could happen between us?" I'd rather say "Do you think we could have something again? Just like the villa?"
That would be better for the whole idea I have.
Finally, the scene ends with this option. I only chose the middle one and not the top because in the game timeline, these two have supposedly never been together.
But if it knew that we had, then I'd be picking the top one, and the text would be more like-
AJ: "Do you think we could have something again? Just like the villa?"
Gabe: "I'd want that. The feelings I had for you in the villa didn't exactly go once you left. They've been... Lingering."
This whole scene ends with AJ going back into her Cabin, and Gabe saying how she hasn't felt these butterflies for a while. Which all in all is super cute, and you can just feel the romance.
These parts are getting shorter as they go, but I'm mainly trying to show you the scene and explain why it's good. Don't worry, there's probably gonna be a full recap at the end. I just wanna breakdown each part with the new LI first, and then put it all together.
Anyways, if you wanna see the next part, go back to the top!
#litg#litg double trouble#litg fanfic#litg ff#litg mc#litg s2#litg s6#litg s7#fanfic#fanfiction#litg season 6#litg spoilers#litg stick or twist#litg season 7#litg s1#litg s3#litg s4#litg s5#love island the game#love island game#litg season 4#litg season 3#litg season 2#litg season 1#love island#litg boat party
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You know what? Fuck it. I'm gonna risk it.
BUT I'm gonna split my thoughts into two posts, so those who really don't want to hear about a certain character can skip this post and go to the next. So I present...
3x20 Thoughts (Averwho? Edition)
This episode is great.
I'll be honest, I was a bit nervous taking on Avery in gif form. I'm not even sure about posting some of these thoughts! There was a lot of her to cover in this episode, and I did, but I know she's not particularly popular. So thanks for indulging me.
WHY I wanted to do it: Part of it was that what I've found in the archives for the last few episodes has been almost entirely Jeller, and I wanted to do some gifs, but didn't want to repeat what others have done more skillfully than I can. But apart from that, I like what Avery has to offer from a story perspective. Not as a "making them parents" thing, because I'll be candid, I don't really see Jane as much of a natural mother-figure. I've just never found much personal satisfaction in a traditional domestic scenario involving her, as adorably fluffy as those scenarios might be. (No hate or judgment of those who dig it, though, to be clear. It's just not my thing.) Jane is maybe more of a big sister or overprotective aunt type in my head. That said, I also fully buy that whatever kids she oopsies into, she would (and does) love them completely, try her best as a mum, grow into it to some extent, and be fierce as fuck in the process. Think "the Jane we know and love (including all the season 1-style awkwardness), but on steroids." In that context, I love Avery at the very least as a means to explore that concept a little bit. I have a lot of little stories in my head that involve her, especially in season 4 and post-canon.
Back on track a little bit more to this episode: I also like that she serves as a really angsty counterpoint to the collapse of relations with Roman, and I wish I had more time to explore that in gif form. It gets me every time, the way Jane increases her bond with Avery as she dismantles her options with Roman, in inverse proportion, and often using very similar language. Take the moment at the end of this episode - "Thanks for not giving up on me."/"Never. We're family." - Avery was THERE IN THE ROOM when Jane said pretty much the opposite to Roman at the gala. Right then, Jane stated in pretty harsh terms that 'never' and 'family' are relative. Avery has her own reasons to be pissed at Roman - 6 months captive on a farm, anyone? - but I wonder if she has any thoughts about that.
The family interactions between Jeller and Avery run the gamut from panic and bewilderment (as they deal with a moody teenager at the start) to bittersweet and angsty (as Jane gets a glimpse into what she missed in Avery's childhood - and side note, bravo as always to Jaimie, because she plays those microexpressions around bittersweet wistfulness so well) to Avery finally accepting a hug, which is SUCH a contrast to the last time Jane talked her down, when she held Jane herself at gunpoint back in Berlin. Both times Avery was crying by the end, and both times Jane said "It's okay," but there's been growth. Anyway, this might be the one time we really get to see anything resembling a "day in the life of the Doe-Weller family" on screen, and I love that they managed to do it without losing the essence of Kurt and Jane themselves, because what would a day in the life of Jeller be without a foot chase, shootout, or hostage situation? Bonus in this case: we got all three. xD
#blindspot#blindspot 3x20#blindspot thoughts#blindspot rewatch 2023#blindspot rewatch#blindspot s3 spoilers#'post' button is my risky click of the day#averwho
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Protag Teruya AU - Yuki Maeda's FTEs (Part 1)
I'm BAAAAACK!!!
Dear lord, first of all, I'm sorry I've been mostly radio silent on both of my SDRA2 projects. I was dealing with college, socializing in clubs, I got sick, got better, and then got sick AGAIN, and I've been streaming SDRA2 with my buddy on discord whenever they're available between all of that, so I have! Been! Busy!
But good news is, I've been plugging away at part one of Yuki and Protag!Teruya's FTE during my breaks slowly but surely, and now it's done! Hopefully the next updates won't take as long as before but perhaps we shouldn't get out hopes up too much. It's been a busy semester and I have no doubt it'll get busier now that I'm past the halfway point.
Anyways, are Teruya and Yuki hanging out okay? Let's find out.
AO3 Version
Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
The Protag Teruya AU was inspired by @/anotherprofessional’s post! Beware of Void spoilers though!
Fic is under read more!
Teruya watches Setsuka and Yoruko leave the U-Mart to hang out. This wouldn’t have bothered him as his own investigation of the U-Mart didn’t yield any clues, although he did get a better understanding of the area. Not to mention that he actually had a bit of fun categorizing and making a list in his head of all the supplies found in the store. It somewhat surprised Teruya that he would enjoy something as bland as this, but he was glad to learn a bit more about himself. Especially since his amnesia had left him with no clues about his own life. But he’s not surprised that Yoruko was a bit more disappointed with the lack of clues to escape the Killing Game. He can also tell that she was getting a bit bored about halfway through the investigation of the U-Mart. So Teruya understood why she’d leave as soon as she could with Setsuka, even if it’s only to take a break.
There was just…He has a hard time calling this a problem but it still left Teruya feeling very uncomfortable.
He slowly turns towards Yuki Maeda, who was also left behind despite investigating with Setsuka just mere minutes ago. Yuki catches his gaze and faces him with a raised brow. Teruya, realizing that he should probably say something, clears his throat.
“So…” Teruya starts, only realizing a few seconds too late that he had absolutely no idea where to go with this. Yuki scratches his cheek with his finger, averting his gaze.
“So.” Yuki said, but didn't add anything else. Almost like he had no idea what to say either. The thought actually gave him a little comfort, knowing that he wasn’t the only one that felt that way. “Um…So you chose the U-Mart as your first investigation?”
“Uhhh, yep.” Teruya gives him an awkward grin, trying to push down the uneasy feeling in his gut. “I didn’t really get a good look around the first time. I…It’s where I found out my amnesia was most likely permanent…” He trails off. Kokoro was the one to tell him that, but can he really trust her word for it? She’s the mastermind, after all. And yet, she’s also the Ultimate Psychologist, so that had to count for…something. Right?
“That makes sense. The U-Mart has a lot more stuff compared to the gift shop on the ship. Honestly, it feels more like a warehouse than an actual store though.” Yuki let out a sigh as if this didn’t really make sense to him. Teruya tilts his head.
“Really? It feels pretty normal to me.” Teruya looks around the store. One side of the store held food for them to pick out from, including convenience bentos that can be eaten cold or warmed up from the microwave, the middle held regular everyday and seasonal items, and the other side had tools that ranged from wrenches to drills. By the register was the alcohol, but he ignored it as he held no interest in it, especially since they were all minors. “Although, I guess if the store was a bit more specific then it would be more odd.”
“Specific…? Like, a clothing store?” Yuki curls his fist near his mouth. Teruya nods his head.
“Yeah, like…You wouldn’t find a clothing store selling food. That would be, like, false advertisement. People would only enter a clothing store for clothes, while they would go to a grocery store for food. Now, if there was a store that sells anything and everything, it’d only be natural that they would have a wide variety of supplies for the customers to search for. It’s not that uncommon…I think.” Teruya pauses. Yuki tilts his head.
“You sound like you know a lot about stores.” He points out. Teruya couldn’t deny that. If there was one thing he was certain about himself, it was definitely this. And yet, he didn’t know why he knew so much about stores. The puzzle piece was there, it’s just that he lacked so many others that there was no way he could understand what it could mean right now.
“It seems like it, haha…” Teruya said, rubbing his head. “I…uh, don’t know what that means about my life. My past life? It’s uh, a lot. It’s a lot.”
“Yeah, yeah, totally.” Yuki quickly goes quiet. So does Teruya and the little bit of small talk they managed to create disappears into awkward silence.
Teruya shifts on his feet.
He wants to say more.
But when he tries to think of something to say, it quickly grows into a struggle. Why? It’s not like they ever met before, at least according to Yuki. So there’s no reason to feel the way he does.
But every time he looks at him, he feels his stomach drop like he had fallen from a tall height. Something that made his chest tighten as his stomach twists and turns. It was a wariness that felt too damn familiar for him to ignore, but Yuki would only stare at him in pure ignorance.
Yuki didn’t know anything.
And with Teruya’s amnesia, he didn’t know anything either.
Which only made these feelings not only confusing but frustrating.
He wanted to talk to him more than anything else but he also didn’t because he doesn’t deserve his attention.
“Um…Teruya?” A small voice reaches his ears, bringing him out of his thoughts. Teruya blinks before focusing his gaze back on Yuki. How long had he zoned out? Hopefully not too long. That would only make things much more awkward between them. “Can we…investigate together?”
“Huh?” Teruya feels floored. And perhaps, a lot more anxious than he appeared to be. He points to himself. “Me? You, uh, want to investigate with me?”
“Yeah! If, uh, that’s okay with you.” Yuki said, giving him a smile. A smile that was stabbing needles into his heart, even as it swells with joy.
“Uh, sure! I don’t mind.” Teruya smiled back as it strains against his cheeks.
He minds. He minds a lot.
“Great. So…where do you want to go?” Yuki asked, adjusting his tie. Teruya pauses before scratching the back of his head.
“To be honest, I already had a…pretty decent investigation of the island with Mikado when we first woke up here. But I barely know anything about the Monocruise.” Teruya then shrugs. “Yoruko brought me outside while I was looking around my room. I didn’t pay much attention to it since I was pretty tired last night.”
“You must’ve spent a lot of energy looking after Mikado.” Yuki said before a smile grew on his face. “You’re really kind for doing that, Teruya.”
“O-Oh, um, thank you.” Teruya felt himself smile more genuinely, a little bashful at the praise. “Just…doing what I need to do.”
“Yeah…um…” Yuki then points to the doors. “Why don’t we make our way back to the Monocruise then? I’ll guide you around and then we can loop back to the entrance when we’re done.”
“Sounds good to me.” Teruya nods and the two of them leave the U-Mart without another word.
Yuki leads the way back to the Monocruise and the two of them are mostly silent as they walk. It was still a little awkward between the two of them, but once they were inside, they immediately focused on trying to investigate the Monocruise. In the hallways were a couple of grandfather clocks but none of them were working, the restrooms, bookshelves filled with books that Teruya didn’t have much interest in, and huge chandeliers that hung from the ceiling precariously. He can only hope that they don’t fall. But what did grab Teruya’s attention almost immediately was the large, double stone door that was to the right of the staircase. But when he tried to enter it, it was completely locked and Yuki explained that “Big Bro,” a.k.a. Shinji, had already tried to brute force it and it didn’t work. In the end, they decided to leave it be for now since there’s nothing they can do about it. At least, not without the risk of breaking one of the school rules.
On the first floor of the Monocruise, there was the infirmary that Teruya had already become familiar with due to taking care of Mikado in it for an entire day, but also a workout room with various equipment, including huge dumbbells, punching bags, and treadmills. There was also a ping-pong table to play, well, ping-pong, a cleaning supplies closet in case there was a spill, a large basket filled with sports balls for the basketball hoops hanging on the walls, and a nearby trash can. There was also a storage room that Teruya had to resist the urge to organize and memorize every bit of supplies and sundries left around inside, and simply said that they should leave this for another time since all of the miscellaneous stuff would take forever to sift through even with the both of them together. Yuki agreed and they left the storage room alone. The auditorium was a bit more of a sad excuse as there was a lot of space in it but nothing else aside from a clock that told the time, a piano sitting next to a desk for someone to speak from and chairs piled up on top of each other by the walls. They stopped by the dining hall to check if there was anything they could’ve missed, but it had mostly stayed the same since they were last there. The large table where they ate their meals together was still where it was left, with the chandelier hanging nearby, and shelves filled with various utensils and cups. Teruya had found some crow cards lying about in those shelves, but otherwise there was nothing useful to be gained by sticking around the dining hall. The kitchen was also attached to the dining hall, fully repaired after Mikado’s poor attempt at cooking nearly destroyed it in a fire. It looked like a fancy cooking station you’d find at a restaurant while still feeling like something you’d find in any other house in the real world. They left the kitchen untouched as well, as neither of them were hungry enough to make something for brunch.
The second floor hallway was pretty identical to the first floor in layout, minus the doorway to the left of the staircase. There were plenty of grandfather clocks and chandeliers, with doors leading to the game room, library, bathhouse, and laundry room. All of which he hadn’t checked out for himself yet.
But the one thing that caught both of their attention pretty quickly was a door almost hidden away in the corner. Unlike most doors, it was metallic with a keypad serving as it’s lock. And to top it off, there was a minigun attached in the corner and aiming directly at the door.
Out of everything they’ve seen so far, this is definitely the most suspicious thing yet.
And yet, neither Teruya or Yuki took a step closer to the door.
“…Do you want to check it?” Teruya asked, making these the first few words he had said in a while. Yuki’s jaw drops as he gapes at him.
“No way! What if I do something wrong and that minigun goes off??” Yuki points at said weapon. “I’ll be turned into Swiss cheese!” Teruya couldn’t help but snort and cringe at the same time.
“Y-Yeah…that wouldn’t be good at all.” Teruya agreed but he couldn’t take his eyes off of the door. Yuki sighs.
“We all tried to think of ways to enter the room, but…none of us has the guts to try the keypad. Not with that minigun silently threatening us with death.” Yuki shudders as he adjusts his tie. “It wouldn’t be a good idea anyways. We don’t have any hints on what the passcode could be, so the effort would just be useless.”
“I think that’s a wise decision. I don’t want you guys to get hurt when our chances are so low.” Still, that door is going to bother him for as long as he's aware that it's here. Teruya forces himself to turn away. "Let's just check out the rest of the floor."
"Ah, right." Yuki doesn't say anything else, leaving the both of them in awkward silence once more.
Teruya almost wanted to say something.
But his mind was blank, so he kept his mouth shut.
The library was, naturally, filled up with books, with the shelves lined up against the walls. The bathhouse has cabinets for changing, a cleaning supply closet, a clock, shower stalls, and, of course, a large hot tub to relax in. Now wasn't the time to take a bath, though, and they left without bringing up the idea of having a shared bath. You know, to deepen their bonds as friends.
He did find some money in the bathtub, though.
("...Who left their card here??")
("I don't know, but it's mine now!")
("You're…surprisingly greedy.")
("Hey, you can't live without money, you know!")
("...Unfortunately, you're right.")
The laundry room was probably the most normal room there was on the Monocruise, being of decent size with a few washing machines and dryers to accommodate everyone on the Monocruise. The game room, though, was everything a minor should steer clear from for their age: roulette tables that reminded Teruya of casinos, slot machines that pour out coins when you manage to line up three of the same images, and a shelf behind the counter that held plenty of alcohol of different types. Teruya can’t help but grimace at the amount of games that are just begging to give someone a gambling addiction.
“I can’t believe there’s a room like this here. Isn’t this supposed to be a school field trip for high schoolers?” Teruya questioned, absently running his hand along a nearby pool table. It was clearly of high quality and he had a feeling that Setsuka would love spending her time here if she hasn’t already.
“Honestly, I’d agree with you if this was a normal school trip.” Yuki said before a random note of a piano key being hit was heard. Teruya turns the corner to see his fellow student nearby the piano, testing it out if only to distract himself. He closes his eyes with a sigh. “But this is the School Trip of Mutual Killing. Nothing about this has been normal since we got here.” He then pauses before furrowing his brow. “Besides, Hope’s Peak Academy did invite the Ultimate Gambler before. Stuff like this on a Hope’s Peak school trip would probably be normal since they would want to see the Ultimate Gambler in action.”
“…That would actually make a lot more sense.” Teruya scratches his forehead. If Hope’s Peak Academy was more than willing to invite students that had more…questionable talents, then of course they’d have the resources to help support and nurture them as well. Hell, they had Yoruko, who was the Ultimate Hostess, and Syobai, the Ultimate Broker. While Yoruko’s talent is a lot more innocuous compared to the literal criminal, she was still breaking the law by lying about her age to work in an age-restricted job. And yet, they were still willing to take both of them. Albeit they had to blackmail Yoruko to agree to come. Syobai…he’s not certain about his reasons for why he chose to come, or if he was also blackmailed, but either way, he was here as well. “…Still, none of us are the Ultimate Gambler so I don’t know why we have this room.”
“Yeah, it kinda just…exists. It’s not as if we can’t have fun here and we don’t really have any money to make any bets anyway…unless you count the Crow Cards.” Yuki then pulls away from the piano, smiling as he points to a set of double doors. “But, hey. At least there’s a gift shop here.”
“Oh yeah! Monocrow mentioned the gift shop before.” Teruya said, lighting up at the mention. He raises his hands as his body automatically moves towards the door without another thought. “So it’s here? What’s in the shop?”
“Well…about anything you can find at a tourist shop, I think. With some…odd stuff mixed in.” Yuki said, scratching his cheek with his finger. Teruya pauses upon grabbing the handle, turning to direct his raised eyebrow at Yuki. The student simply shrugs as he smiles awkwardly. “I think you’ll understand once you see it.”
“Alright…” Despite acknowledging the strange comment, it didn’t stop the feeling of excitement rising in his gut. Teruya tugs on the handle and the door slides open, revealing what was inside.
And his heart nearly lept in joy.
Inside were rows and rows of shelves filled with all sorts of supplies of different varieties. Art supplies, notebooks, snacks…you name it, the gift shop probably has it. It was decently large for the amount of goods it had in store, and even had a register counter by the front to pay for the supplies, although no one was there to man it. Teruya almost wondered if someone had tried to shoplift from the gift shop but he quickly shoots that idea down in his head. With the existence of Crow Cards, Monocrow would clearly want that currency to be used throughout this school trip. And while there was no repercussions from taking anything from the U-Mart, it may be because the mart was on the island since it was founded and would have convenience goods that wouldn’t be out of place for its store. The gift shop, on the other hand, was a part of the Monocruise, and is under Monocrow’s jurisdiction. If Monocrow wants them to pay for the goods in the gift shop, he will make them even if he has to threaten them with punishment.
Not that Teruya found himself caring.
He was just…so excited and comforted at the sight of the shop.
He doesn’t know or understand why he’s reacting the way he is now. It was just a shop, after all. One that you can probably find anywhere in the world, as long as the concept of currency or even bartering existed. A place where you can find goods that range from daily necessities to snacks to entertainment to unnecessary knickknacks and decorations.
But, Teruya didn’t care.
It made him happy to be here. And for once, he allowed himself this moment to bask in it, regardless of the circumstances that surrounded him.
“Oh…Oh my god…!” The words slipped out of Teruya’s mouth without thinking about how he looked. He just runs over to the nearest aisle, unable to keep himself from bouncing off of his heels as he goes. The aisle seems to be where the toys are, and he grabbed a rainbow spring toy off the shelf to let it hang from his hand. Yuki, who seemed to have followed him inside, watches as the amnesiac played with the toy in his hand. “Yuki! Yuki, look at this! There’s so much to look at!”
“I-I can see that, Teruya.” Yuki laughs like he was unable to comprehend what he was seeing before him. “Geez, you look like a kid exploring a new place for the first time.”
“I mean, technically, it is a place I haven’t been to before.” Teruya tosses the spring toy back to its little basket. Not a single bit of his memories have come back to him yet, but that didn’t mean he was going to push away this sense of comfort. He walks over to Yuki and wraps an arm around him. Yuki blinks in surprise at the closeness and Teruya was too distracted by his own joy to take note of the uncomfortable tightness in his chest. He points as he speaks. “But there’s loads of stuff you can get here! There’s shampoo and conditioner in that aisle, snacks over there, some stationary supplies and…” He falters when his eyes land on something he feels like he shouldn’t be seeing so out in the open. “Is…Is that bondage gear?”
“Yeeep.” Yuki closes his eyes with a grimace. “Like I said before, there’s some odd stuff.”
“I, why is there bondage gear here!??” Teruya scrunched up his face, pulling Yuki closer to him. “We’re…We’re minors! And this is a school trip, I…What the hell??”
“Let’s, uh, just ignore it! We’re here to investigate, not, uh, get distracted by weird stuff.” Yuki suggests, taking his arm off of his shoulder. Teruya ignores the jab of disappointment upon the lack of contact but he gets over it pretty quickly.
“Right, right. Let’s just…avoid that aisle then and look around.” Teruya agrees, deciding that it was best to move on unless he wished to waste any more time. He heads to the back of the room and finds two other oddities in the shop. One was a vending machine that was half black and half white, like it was shaped in Monocrow’s image and he instantly didn’t like it. The other was the rows of arcade games that ranged from Pac-Man (shaped like, again, Monocrow) and a dancing game that wasn’t Dance Dance Revelution, but definitely similar where you have to time your steps to the beat of the song. He approached the games with curiosity, and Yuki almost instantly appeared by his side like he was also interested in the arcade. “Huh…Why do you think this is here? It’d fit more in the game room itself.”
Yuki opens his mouth to make a suggestion but—
“Allow me to answer that question.”
They couldn’t help it.
They screamed, jumping into each other’s arms as the person — no, that damn thing called Monocrow — suddenly pops out of nowhere in front of the arcade cabinets. The minute they realized who it was, their fear was immediately replaced with disdain.
“You — You son of a bitch!” Teruya snaps, nearly swatting Monocrow off of the cabinet. He squawks indignantly, flapping his wings as if to make himself bigger.
“Hey, hey! Violence against your teacher is against the school rules!” Monocrow says, reminding Teruya that he was on thinner ice than he liked. Yuki scowls at him with furrowed eyebrows.
“You’re not our teacher! You’re a part of the mastermind’s scheme!!” Yuki yells as he clenched his fists. Monocrow sighs, lowering his head.
“Both can be true, you know…” The crow then shakes his head. “But nevermind that. I will let go of your near violation since the hit didn’t land. But you best not risk that again, Mr. Otori.” Teruya grimaces but slowly nods his head. He shouldn’t put his life in danger for something as stupid as breaking a school rule. Especially one that can easily be avoided. “Anyways, you’re curious about these arcade machines, are you not?”
“I mean…yeah.” Teruya admits and slowly nods his head. Yuki lowers his hands but he was watching Monocrow warily. Teruya eyes the arcade cabinets. “Why are they in the shop instead of the game room?”
“Well, to put it simply, I thought having these games in here would be more convenient for you all.” Monocrow said, raising his head. Yuki frowns.
“Convenient?” Yuki adjusts his tie and Monocrow nods before rubbing his wing against his beak.
“Indeed. You see, not only did I hide Crow Cards all around the island and Monocruise, I’ve installed these games to reward you!” Monocrow spreads out his wings, almost as if he was proud of himself. Teruya didn’t understand what he meant by that until Yuki’s eyes go wide.
“Wait…Are you saying that these arcade machines can give us Crow Cards?” Yuki cranes his neck at the machines and Teruya does a double take. Arcade games that give out free money? Even with his amnesia, this feels like a first for him.
“Absolutely! I know not all of you are willing to go on a scavenger hunt for the Crow Cards I’ve hidden throughout the island, even though I encourage investigation…But I couldn’t just leave my students penniless! Consider this as an…alternative way to gain money. To an extent of course.” Monocrow nods his head at the cabinets. Teruya managed to catch his last words and frowns.
“‘To an extent?’ What do you mean by that?” Teruya raised an eyebrow at the bird. Monocrow simply huffs, turning his beak up at him. Which would’ve been funny with how small he is compared him, but the amnesiac only found it annoying.
“I mean that you all only have a limited amount of tries for the games. I can’t just let you get rich so easily by spending all of your hours playing games!” Monocrow flaps his wings at Teruya again. “Each student has about three tickets on their e-handbook+, and regardless of which games you play, the cabinets were made to keep track of the amount of tickets you have. In other words, you can’t spend three tickets on Crow-Man and then try to spend three more tickets on DanceRush Stardom.”
“Please tell me that’s not your version of PAC-Man.” Yuki asked, despite already knowing the answer just by looking at the arcade machine in question.
“Regardless, the tickets will be replenished by the end of the week, and you’ll only get enough Crow Cards according to your high score.” Monocrow said, completely ignoring Yuki’s words. The student narrows his eyes at the bird but sighs, completely giving up on the topic.
“So, basically…” Teruya frowns as he tries his best to understand Monocrow’s words. “If you get a good score, you’ll get plenty of cash. However, if you sucked at the game and get a bad score, you won’t get much and end up wasting your time.”
“Precisely!” Monocrow blushed (somehow), speaking almost cheerily at Teruya’s words. Teruya wasn’t sure if he should be proud of himself or disturbed that Monocrow was praising him at all. “So do choose your games wisely! There’s nothing wrong with having too much cash, after all.”
“I…see.” Teruya eyes the arcade cabinets before him. Now that Monocrow explained what their purpose was, it made more sense to have them inside the store than the game room. While the game room was literally one door away, having the one and only arcade games that give out money inside the store made sense if you want your customers to spend their money there. After all, you can’t forget to spend your money when you’re literally inside the store. And if you want a specific item but don’t have enough cash, you can just walk over to a game right then and there and play a round in the hopes of getting a decent score that would reward you. Teruya brings his gaze towards the black and white vending machine and points to it. He might as well gather as much information that he can squeeze out of Monocrow while he’s here. “What about that one?”
“Oh, that’s the Monocrow Machine I mentioned before.” Monocrow lowers his wings and turns towards the vending machine in question. “For five-hundred Crows, you can get any item from the gift shop for cheap, however, it is completely randomized and based on luck. So you’ll have to hope you’ll get what you wanted. But who knows? Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to get some special gifts.”
“Special gifts? What kind?” Yuki looks over the Monocrow Machine, more curious than anything else now.
“That, I will let you find out on your own.” Monocrow brushes his wing against his beak. “If that is all the questions you have, I shall be taking my leave.”
“…You wouldn’t give us a reason on why this killing game is happening anyway, would you?” Teruya muttered as his gut twists. Monocrow chuckles, only confirming his suspicions.
“Is despair simply not a good enough reason for you?” And before Teruya could tell him ‘no, it isn’t,’ Monocrow disappears behind one of the machines and is gone. He knew the moment he left his sight that there was no point in trying to chase down the stupid bird to grill him for answers. It would just be a waste of time anyways.
“Well…I think that’s all we can get from the gift shop, right, Yuki?” Teruya said, turning to his classmate. Just in time to see Yuki pull on the lever of the Monocrow Machine. He gapes. “Wha — Yuki!”
“Huh?” Yuki jumps at the sudden call of his name. He turns away from the machine with wide eyes. “What??”
“Why are you using the machine?? You don’t need to use it when you can just buy what you need here, right?” Teruya gestures to the shelves with all the goods that were in plain sight. Yuki winces but frowns.
“I mean, you’re right…but, if you can get anything from the machine for just five-hundred Crows, that’s actually really cheap and some of the stuff here can be really expensive.” Yuki said, scratching his cheek as if he was embarrassed. Teruya frowned before glancing at the nearest price tag, which just so happened to be for a Playrotation4 and…
Oh.
That’s actually pretty steep.
Even Teruya, who had been scavenging every nook and cranny to find Crow Cards, didn’t have enough Crows to buy it right off the shelf.
“…Okay, I can see your point — wait a minute!” Teruya whirls around when a realization hits him and he points at the game station. “Why would anyone spend money on a Playrotation4?? It’s not like we need something like this and we’re in the middle of a killing game! We shouldn’t get ourselves distracted by stuff like this.”
“A-And you’re right! It’s just…just…” Yuki hesitates, mumbling something under his breath. Teruya raises an eyebrow at him but remains patient as he tugs on his tie nervously. “Sorry…I just…I can't concentrate on the killing game all the time. When I do, I…I get really, really scared. And then I remember how Syobai nearly stabbed me, and start thinking that anyone might be willing to do that, and then it just…just spirals from there. You know?”
“Ah…” That…actually makes sense. It’d be natural to suspect that everyone was out to get each other. Especially since one person already tried to take a life, even without hearing all the rules. How can Yuki not be paranoid? Teruya feels himself soften up as he presses his hand against his chest. “I think I understand. It is a dangerous situation, and you could’ve gotten hurt.”
“Yeah…Which is why I’m glad you were there, Teruya.” Yuki smiles at him, almost stopping Teruya’s heart as it clenched tightly. “If you hadn’t intervened, I might not be standing here right now. Even if you could’ve gotten hurt in my place…”
“O-Oh, it’s…it’s no problem.” Teruya forced himself to smile. “I…I mean, anyone would do that if they weren’t frozen in shock. Hell, I bet Shinji would’ve done everything in his power to protect you if he wasn’t carrying Mikado at the time.”
“Haha, y-yeah, I bet he would.” Yuki chuckles as he closes his eyes, scratching his cheek. The Monocrow Machine goes off and something clatters into the drop-off box, but neither of them paid much attention to it right now. He sighs, the smile falling off of his face. “I’m…grateful that you did that for me. But I also wished you didn’t have to. You could’ve gotten hurt in my place.”
“Hey, don’t say that. You, You’re worth protecting.” Teruya ignored the way he stuttered on his last words. He means it, he really does.
So why was it so hard to say it out loud?
“Mmm…Still…I wish I can repay you back. You deserve something in return for protecting someone like me. And protecting Yoruko, too.” Yuki slumps over and Teruya can’t help but feel surprised at the sight. He didn’t think Yuki had such a low opinion of himself. Sure, he was an ordinary student that got into Hope’s Peak Academy through a lottery, but he had still made it, didn’t he? Teruya didn’t even know his own talent or his past thanks to his amnesia, and the few clues he had were small things that barely told a full story. He didn’t know himself, but at least Yuki knew who he was.
Right?
…He should try to cheer him up. Maybe…
“…Maybe you should take me out for lunch?” Teruya suggested before he could doubt himself again. Yuki lifts his head, opening his eyes wide with surprise. The amnesiac just gave him a shrug. “You won’t stop expressing your gratitude to me, even though I’ve already accepted it. Sooo, if you want to do something more, you can just take me to your favorite place to eat and we can call it even. Once we get out of here, of course.”
“Teruya…” Yuki said, almost like he was in awe. Teruya tried not to shift. It’s not like getting lunch with someone else was anything weird or noteworthy. It’s something people do all the time. Yuki then smiles. “Yeah, I can do that.”
“Huh? Really?” There it was again, that surprise. An emotion that only lasted for a moment, but it was there.
“Yeah. There’s actually a really good ramen shop near my house. I’ll take you there, alright?” Yuki said, almost like he was happy at the thought. Teruya…wasn’t sure how he felt about this. He thought for sure Yuki would have turned him down. But he returns the smile, feeling more genuine this time around.
“Then it’s a promise.” Teruya then gestures to the Monocrow Machine, trying to keep up this nonchalant air about him. There’s no need to make a big deal about it. “What did you get?”
“Oh…! Right, uh…” Yuki turns towards the machine, kneeling down to grab his item from the drop-box. The minute he pulled it out, Teruya felt his heart leap at the sight. It was a spray bottle, one with a black cover that made the rainbow stand out in contrast. Yuki furrows his brow. “Oh, it’s just a spray bottle…”
“It is, isn’t it??” Teruya couldn’t stop the excitement that leaked into his voice. Yuki gapes at him as he hovers right over his shoulder. “D-Do you mind if I see it? Just for a second! I’ll give it right back!”
“Uh, sure. Go nuts.” Yuki gives up the spray bottle pretty quickly, letting Teruya snatch it right out of his hand. He takes a moment to marvel at it, rubbing his thumb along the rainbow colors of the spray bottle. He then lifts it up, keeping the button angled away from him before pressing down on it.
A beautiful spray of rainbows comes out and Teruya grins from ear to ear.
“Good golly! This…This thang is the real deal! Look at this color here, Yuki! It’s so vibrant!” Teruya said, spraying the color out a few times to emphasize his point. Yuki laughs, albeit awkwardly and perhaps a little confused.
“Wow, uh…what’s with that sudden accent?” Yuki asked, and Teruya raised an eyebrow at him.
“What accent?” He said, completely missing the way his accent had changed in his excitement.
“…Nevermind. It’s not important.” Yuki is quick to drop the topic and Teruya wasn’t interested in pursuing it anyways. He looks down at the spray bottle in his hand, almost reluctant in giving it back even though it would be going against his word. The student stares at him before smiling. “You can keep it if you want?”
“Really?!” Teruya can feel his eyes shining as he raises his head. “Y-Ya sayin’ I can have it?! For free?!” And when Yuki nods his head, Teruya tosses his arms around his classmate before he could think better of it and starts jumping up and down. “Thanks, Yuki! You have no idea how happy I am about this!”
“I-I’m glad you’re happy, Teruya…” Yuki said, although his voice was a bit muffled due to having his face buried into Teruya’s chest. Before he can complain about it, though, the amnesiac lets him go and starts putting away his precious gift. The student sighs and straightens his posture. “I think that’s everything we can investigate from this place. Right?”
“Mmm…I think so?” Teruya looks back at the aisles, thinking over what he saw and had been told. “…Even with just a glimpse, I can tell that this spray bottle isn’t in stock.”
“Huh…Is that what Monocrow meant when he said you can get special gifts from the machine?” Yuki asked, curling his hand near his chin. Teruya frowned.
“That sounds like a gacha system.” Teruya said, before approaching the machine to test that theory out for himself. With just a quick examination of how it works, all Teruya had to do was swipe his handbook over the scanner to use the Crow Card function, and then pull the level. After some loud scattering sounds inside the machine, it rings as it drops its prize into the drop-off box. He kneels down and pulls out…another mineral water bottle. Which he can get anywhere else, even at the U-Mart. The disappointment was palpable. “It is a gacha system.”
“You sound so disappointed.” Yuki deadpans, which only prompts Teruya to tighten his fists.
“Of course I am! It’s a money sink that relies purely on luck for the one thing you desire. A system that practically encourages gambling in exchange for a single item you may not even get. And even if you don’t mind having the common items, you’ll run out of space eventually if you’re aiming for the ‘best’ prize. You’ll need some good goddamn luck to get what you want in your first few pulls, otherwise you’ll just be wasting money you could be spending on something else.” Teruya huffs as he crosses his arms over his chest. “I worry about the customers' wallet sometimes.”
“Wow, you’re…surprisingly passionate about this.” Yuki points out, surprised at his sudden rant.
“Of course I am. How can people spend money if they’re spending too much of it on this one thing that isn’t guaranteed to give them what they want. Not to mention the kind of repercussions a gambling addiction can have on someone’s life…” Teruya trails off.
Why…is he so passionate over something like this? It’s not as if it’s his business on how much money people spend on something they want, right? But…what if they need that money for something they need? Like, food, water, clothes…If they spend it all on a prize that may not have much use of, how can they support themselves?
…Teruya decided to simply chalk it up to human decency. No one in their right mind would want someone to end up with an addiction of any kind.
“Well…whatever. Here, you can have this, Yuki.” Teruya said, raising the water bottle up to his classmate. Yuki blinks his eyes before his hand hovers over the drink.
“Are you sure? I think this is mineral water.”
“Yeah, I already got one back at the U-Mart.” There was no point in having two when he hadn't even opened the first one yet. That seemed to encourage Yuki to take the water bottle from him with a smile.
“Thanks, Teruya. I was feeling a little parched from all the talking.” Yuki immediately opens the bottle to take a sip from it. Teruya brings his attention back to the Monocrow Machine, frowns, before swiping his handbook over the scanner again. Yuki sputters on his drink. “Y-You’re using the Monocrow Machine again?”
“Yep.” Teruya pulls the lever down. “…You said you wanted the Playrotation4, right?”
“Uh, yeah, I do, but…you don't have to go out of your way to get one. Especially when you don’t like the Monocrow Machine. And like you said before, I don’t really need it…” Yuki tries to get him to back out of the idea but Teruya just smiles at him.
“Because you said that you can’t concentrate on the killing game twenty-four seven, right? When you do, you get scared and paranoid…That’s not good when we’re in a killing game.” Teruya kept his tone gentle and tried not to sound overbearing in the process. “If playing games helps distract you from your thoughts and keep you calm, I don’t see why you shouldn’t have it. Besides, I wanna get you something and I don’t have enough Crow Cards right now to buy it off the shelf.”
“But…”
“No buts! I’m getting you that Playrotation4, I swear it.” Teruya wags his finger at Yuki and he starts to crack a smile again.
It was then that the Monocrow Machine started to act out.
It rings, signaling that the prize had fallen into the drop-box, but then it shakes and rattles violently. Teruya and Yuki both jumped at the sounds as it felt as though something was going to go wrong. But, nothing else happens and the Monocrow Machine goes silent again.
Teruya didn’t take another step forward. He only turned to Yuki with a paling face.
“…It didn’t break…right?” Teruya asked nervously. After all, it was against the rules to break school property, and that would include the Monocrow Machine, right?
“Uh…” Yuki looks around. Even when a minute passes, no one shows up and he shrugs. “I think you’re fine. Monocrow hasn’t popped out of nowhere yet, so…”
“I-In that case, I should grab my prize before anything else happens.” Teruya leans over and reaches into the drop-box. However, when he grabs a hold of its thin, seemingly rectangular frame, its side hit the opening of the drop-box and couldn’t be slid out. Teruya frowns, trying to pull it out again but even when he tries to tilt it at a different angle or wiggle it out, the results are the same. “Shit. I think it’s stuck. Hey, Yuki, can you keep the flap open for me?”
“Oh, uh, sure!” Yuki kneels down beside him and Teruya scoots over to give him a bit more space. After what felt like more than five minutes of wiggling, adjusting, and a little bit of cussing over the prize, they finally manage to slide it out of the opening.
And Teruya nearly drops it when he sees it.
It was a portrait of a young man, probably — no, definitely their age and staring straight at them in boredom. His hair was a mess and his tie was undone along with the collar of his button-up, but he knew this face.
He knew it was Yuki Maeda.
Yuki Maeda, who he should know.
Yuki Maeda, who was his classmate.
Yuki Maeda, who was his friend.
And Yuki Maeda was standing before him, bored as he felt himself sink to his knees. Hearing the words he was saying but struggling to comprehend it all.
To deny it all.
And yet, he kept talking.
He kept talking about a truth he was desperate to deny.
“—your money. So, your friends’ deaths? They’re all your fault.”
And Teruya Otori felt himself sink.
Teruya.
Teruya.
“Teruya!”
Teruya blinked.
He stares at Yuki, who has started to shake him by his shoulders.
“Teruya! Finally!” Yuki sighs, as if he was relieved. Why? “You looked so pale and stopped responding to me when I tried to talk to you. Are you okay?”
Okay? How was he okay?
“…It’s you.” The words slip from his mouth numbly. Yuki blinks at him and Teruya’s gaze slowly goes back to the portrait that laid between them. “That’s you in the portrait.”
“Ah, the portrait…” Yuki let’s go, finally. He stares down at the portrait and visibly shudders. “I mean, it’s really uncanny. I won’t deny that. But…”
He frowns.
And then looks Teruya straight in the eye.
“But that’s not me.”
….It’s not?
“Uh, yeah. It’s not.” Yuki said, almost pouting now. Teruya swallows as he realizes that he had said that out loud. “I’ve never had myself painted before, so it couldn’t be me. I mean, I’m pretty sure the guy is wearing my school’s uniform but…” His frown became deeper as Teruya kept staring at him. “Look, maybe it’d be easier for you to believe me if you compare me to the guy in the picture.”
“Uh…” Teruya tried to come up with something to say. To tell Yuki that no, that really is him in the portrait. That this repulsive person looked too much like him to deny it.
But, he couldn’t say it.
Not when his heart ached so much in a way he couldn’t describe.
And when Yuki carefully props the painting beside him so Teruya can better compare their looks, he slowly realizes that he was right.
The differences were subtle. Sure, when you ignore the bored expression and messy appearance, they still looked similar enough to be mistaken for each other. But when you actively compare them side by side, it'd be hard not to notice those subtle differences. The one in the painting had much tanner skin in comparison to Yuki’s obviously paler complexion, along with dark brown eyes and a rounder facial structure. The Yuki Maeda sitting before him has lighter brown eyes and a slightly sharper face. Even their ginger hair was different, as the man in the portrait had a darker shade that leaned more towards yellow while Yuki’s was brighter and more red. And to top it all off…
“...He’s missing your ahoge.” Teruya noticed out loud, almost dumbly. Yuki blinked, looked back at the portrait, and then started to pout again.
“That’s the most important thing you noticed?” Yuki said, clearly exasperated. The tone of voice actually got Teruya to chuckle, feeling the tension slowly seep out from his shoulders as he sagged. It was still there, but he started to feel…a bit more like himself. A bit more ingrained in reality now.
“Sorry, sorry. It was just the first words I thought to say.” Teruya felt himself smile a little bit as Yuki’s pout only got stronger.
“Seriously…? It’s not my fault that this is the only cowlick I can’t get rid of.” Yuki muttered, even though Teruya could still hear him. It was obvious that the ahoge is a bit of an insecurity with the way he kept brushing his hand over it the minute it was brought up.
“If it’s any consolation, I think it’s cool. It makes you stand out.” Teruya reaches over and flicks the ahoge with his finger. Yuki swats his hand away.
“Stop that! I sometimes spend an hour trying to get rid of it. Don’t you do the same??” Yuki points at the tall ahoge Teruya sported himself. Teruya felt a smile grow on his face, even though it was definitely an awkward one.
“...Actually, I have to use hair gel to get my hair like this.” He admits sheepishly. Yuki’s stare quickly becomes incredulous.
“...You do it on purpose?!” Yuki gaped at him with those wide eyes again, and Teruya finally laughed. The student huffs before pushing the portrait into his space. “W-Whatever, just take your prize already!”
“Alright, alright!” Teruya takes the portrait from Yuki, still chuckling over his classmate’s overreaction. Yuki rubs his cheeks as if to forcefully get rid of the smile that Teruya had caught a glimpse of before going back to a neutral expression. Teruya looks down at the portrait, his smile falling off of his face as the man stared back at him. “...He feels familiar.”
“Well, he does look like me. It’s really eerie.” Yuki mutters as he closes his eyes and a sweat drop forms on his cheek. Teruya frowns.
“No, I mean…” Teruya tightens his grip on the portrait. “I think I knew this guy.”
“...Oh!” Yuki opens his eyes in surprise. “Did you remember something?? What is it?”
“I…don’t know.” Teruya lays the portrait on his lap. He stares at his bored eyes and wishes he could wipe that damn look off of his face. “...I think I hate him.”
“...Oh.” Yuki deflates upon the realization that it wasn’t a happy memory. If Teruya could even call it a memory. It was more of a gut feeling than anything else. He sighs. “Well…Not everything in your life is gonna be sunshine and rainbows.”
“I guess…” Teruya hesitates, his eyes darting between the portrait and Yuki. He swallows and takes the plunge. “Yuki. Are you…sure we have never met before?”
Yuki was silent.
And for once, his eyes were really scrutinizing him. Like he was actually trying to figure out if he had seen him before or not.
But he slowly shakes his head.
“No. We’ve never met personally.” Yuki said, before looking down and curling his hand near his chin. “…Sorry.”
“Oh…” What else could he say to that? It’s not like he can just tell Yuki that he’s a liar. He’s not the one with amnesia. Teruya was. And he doesn’t have any evidence that would contradict this.
Aside from the very heavy feeling on his tongue every time he speaks his name.
But besides that, he can only take him at his word right now.
“…Okay. Sorry that I keep bothering you over this.” Teruya said, even though this probably isn’t something he had to apologize for. Yuki gives him a small smile.
“H-Hey, you don’t have to apologize over that. I wish I could do more for you but alas…” Yuki waves his hands placatingly as he trails off. He then drops them into his lap. “Anyway, should we keep investigating the Monocruise?”
“Hm…” Teruya thinks it over his head, wondering if he should keep investigating with Yuki. But then he takes his eyes off of him, sees it — or rather, her — and thinks better of it. “Actually, I think that’s all we can do on the Monocruise. We explored everything we could…at least, not without spending hours going through every nook and cranny in the storage room. And the next two floors are for the dormitories, so I’m sure everyone explored their rooms to the best of their ability.”
“That’s true…There’s nothing else up there other than the bathrooms.” Yuki said, scratching his finger at his cheek. He then stands up, sending Teruya a smile. “Then, I guess I’ll go investigate somewhere else.”
“Yeah, I think I’m gonna stay here for a couple more minutes. Maybe stop by the storage room later.” Teruya nods his head towards the exit of the store. “I’ll see you around, Yuki.”
“See ya, Teruya.” Yuki then turns to leave the store, sees her, and tries to ignore her as he leaves. Teruya watches him go until he disappears, and then brings his attention back to the portrait.
…He could throw it out.
No one would be able to stop him if it did.
And it was technically his, so he had the right to do whatever he wanted with the portrait.
But…it’d be a waste for him to do that.
He just spent five-hundred Crows for this prize. Even if he didn’t like it, he should at least find some sort of use for it. Or just give it away to someone that may like it. Maybe Iroha or Emma would take better care of it than him.
Even if his heart tugged in a way he had trouble explaining.
Teruya manages to put the portrait into his backpack, and clasp it back closed, hefting it back onto his shoulders with a grunt. His eyes rove over the items in the store, lingering on the pens and journals in the school supplies section. Something that he considers buying right this second. But eventually, he turns back to the Monocrow Machine and pays the necessary Crows again. He felt a bit of shame in playing into the gacha ploy. But even he couldn’t resist the idea of getting those rare items.
And Teruya did swear he’ll get Yuki that Playrotation4 somehow. He just has to be careful with how much he spends on the Monocrow Machine.
At least hanging out with Yuki wasn’t as bad as he thought it was going to be.
He just can’t shake off this uncomfortable deja vu he’d been feeling this whole time.
…Or the drone that has been watching his every move since his investigation of the U-Mart.
Your relationship rank with Yuki Maeda has risen from 0 to 1!
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#SDRA2#Super Danganronpa Another 2#Protag Teruya AU#Teruya Otori#Yuki Maeda#SDRA2 Spoilers#here comes the boooooys!
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Hi, I just wanted to say that I agree with anon. I don't know whose fault it is, if Tim's or the journalist or a combination of both, but what is reported as his interview didn't seem particularly accurate with what they've shown, and they rarely are, at least in Tim's case. I don't know if he does it on purpose to be misleading or what, but I'm learning to not put much weight on it (though it's difficult). Ignoring that framing, episodes are just a bit better, and even if they're not clear they're at least up to different interpretations, which I can be fine with knowing they have to make choices on what to show and what leave for fans to fill.
(That was true for the whole secret marriage thing too, if he hadn't said it wasn't a lie and it wasn't a real marriage or whatever it would have been okay, not perfect because we didn't get real resolution or some other things I wished they showed on screen instead of just imagining happening, but no one else ever implied any of what HE said).
As for the zilla comment I get your concerns, but it may not be that bad in the end, it may well be an exaggeration to attract those who enjoy over the top wedding planning drama.
I think if I hadn’t seen a bunch of TK haters salivating over the chance to blame him for whatever happens to ruin the wedding by being a groomzilla – it started immediately after the article dropped – I would just be able to roll my eyes and ignore it like I did with a few things he said the last couple of seasons.
The EW article is full of what the fuck takes – the zilla one is the least of my issues with it – but would have been a super simple one to have correct. If either the journalist or Tim had said “Owen will be the Dadzilla of Carlos and TK’s nightmares” or something along those lines – I would have laughed and continued to look forward to the wedding planning (even while praying for all wedding planners with clients that watch this show – cause there will be people that think you can pull off a 150 person wedding in 4-5 weeks, on a budget that probably isn’t super high) instead of posting about it, but one of them chose to frame it totally different from any info we do have.
I think another part about it that bothers me is that when one of the people getting married is a zilla – they are typically absolutely horrible to the person that they are marrying – which is what the TK haters are hoping for and already celebrating. These are the people that feed off of TK and Carlos friction – the ones that can’t say enough how TK doesn’t love or deserve Carlos – it almost feels like that is how Tim feels too. It’s exhausting and my blocking fingers are getting tired.
You can do over the top wedding planning without making the show’s constant scape goat an asshole – if we are talking in character – Carlos is the one that is most likely and has a very high probability of being the groomzilla – that one would be very in character.
Saying that TK is going to be a groomzilla is basically making the 4x08 episode (the supposed wedding planning episode) a TK vs Carlos situation when we have been led to believe that it would be a TK & Carlos vs Owen & Andrea – which is what I was really looking forward too. It feels like a lot of the season has already been Carlos vs TK – why keep that up when we are supposed to be watching them plan a wedding?
I know I ventured a bit off topic – but these are the reasons why the zilla thing is so fucking irritating to me. It’s probably how anyone feels when they are watching a TV show make the industry you work in so vastly different than what it is like IRL – Like doctors watching med shows – firefighters watching the 9-1-1s probably have to separate reality from fiction – but sometimes what we are being asked to believe is just so “what the fuck” that our brains start to meltdown over the insanity of it – or the lack of simple research that could have been done on the writer’s part.
I am currently working on a fic that will have some of my horror stories from weddings that are stuck in my brain – and almost all of them are from some sort of zilla – the slaps, the screaming, the fights, the crying.
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