#Three phase inverter
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Harnessing Solar Power for Sustainable Living
In this comprehensive review, we look at the complexities of Sunways phase inverters, their role in the transition to renewable energy, and their impact on sustainable living.
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PVblink 10 KW Three Phase Solar Inverter
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A custom designed inverter cover recommended for use on Sungrow Inverter Cover 30kW Three Phase Series. This high quality inverter cover looks great, fits the inverter perfectly and can be removed easily due to keyhole mounting slots.
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#Compare solar panels australia#Compare solar panels#three phase solar inverter#single phase inverters#compare solar inverters
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Blue, White and Pink Blur
“So… if I invert the second piece, I’d get an inverted waveform,” Tails said to himself, twin tails flicking. “But if I want three… oh, of course, I need to make a three-phase waveform! Circular resonance!”
He looked up at the sound of a screeech as Amy skidded to a halt in front of him.
“Hi Amy!” he waved. “What’s up!”
“Uh,” Amy began. “Is Sonic in?”
Tails scratched his head. “That depends?” he replied.
“Depends?” Amy repeated. “What do you mean, it depends? Depends on what?”
“Why you’re here,” Tails replied.
“You mean you’d say he wasn’t here if I was here for the wrong reason?” Amy asked, then paused. “...actually, yeah, I’d believe you’d do that.”
“Well, I might, but it’s not really necessary,” Tails replied. “If you’re here for the wrong reason, Sonic would be out of the house before I finished answering the question.”
Amy nodded, reluctantly. “Yeah, that’s fair too,” she admitted. “That does sound like a Sonic kind of thing.”
She looked down at Tails’s workbench.
“...what are you doing, anyway?” she asked.
Tails held it up. “It’s a new module for the Tornado!” he explained. “Next time Doctor Eggman, Ph.D (killer robots) tries to stop us, I’ll activate the Unrifler! It makes it so that all the bullets fired at the Tornado stop spinning, so they miss.”
Amy looked like she dearly wanted to ask how Tails had pronounced the brackets, but visibly let it go.
“...anyway!” she said. “That’s neat, but I came here for a reason – I wanted to ask Sonic about something, and then maybe why he never told me!”
“Told you what?” Sonic asked, leaning out the window. “Hi Amy! You’re not going to ask me out on a date, right?”
Amy looked contemplative.
“Would you say yes?” she asked.
“No way!” Sonic replied.
“Then no,” Amy replied, with a sigh. “But – look, uh, this actually is about you, Sonic. You know Surge?”
“Oh, yeah, her!” Sonic agreed. “She’s kind of mean sometimes. Kitsunami’s cool – kinda needs to take a chill pill but I know how hard that can be sometimes. But what about her?”
He looked combative. “Has she tried getting revenge on an uncaring world again? We never did properly stop her, Kit took her off and we don’t actually know where she ended up.”
“No, I just… I met her, and we talked,” Amy replied. “It was weird, we were both just out doing grocery shopping, ended up in the same shop… we both like gnocchi, that was a surprise.”
Amy shook her head. “But, uh… did you know she started as a clone of you, Sonic? She said Kitsunami worked it out in his lab…”
“Oh, he’s got a lab?” Tails asked. “That’s cool. I should do a joint paper with him sometime! I bet there’s something we could put together-”
“-not the point!” Amy insisted. “Sorry, Tails. But I kind of feel like I need to ask, because Surge is a girl and you’re not… is she that much of a clone?”
Sonic glanced at Tails, and Tails glanced back.
“Up to you, bro,” Tails said.
“I guess,” Sonic replied. “And, yeah. I guess the guy who made her did some kind of genetic modification and stuff, but that bit’s right.”
“Huh,” Amy said. “Okay, new question. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“How would that go, Amy?” Tails asked.
“I’m open minded!” Amy defended herself.
Sonic tried not to snigger, not quite successfully.
“I don’t mean like that,” Tails replied. “I mean, how would that conversation go? How do you start off with something like that?”
Amy began to answer, stopped, and looked contemplative.
“...okay, yeah,” she said, eventually. “That would be… but still…”
“Does this mean you won’t want to go out with me any more?” Sonic asked, in a hopeful kind of way.
“What?” Amy replied. “Of course I still want to go out with you, Sonic! You’re the best!”
“Darn,” Sonic said, snapping his fingers.
“But yeah, not many people know,” Tails said, drawing Amy’s attention again. “I know. Sonic, obviously. I guess that doctor who made Surge does, and so does she if she’s worked it out… Kit must know, he had the DNA sample to do the test you mentioned… and then there’s you, Doctor Eggman, and Espio-”
“Doctor Eggman – Espio?!” Amy asked, trying to work out which was more surprising. “How-”
“Eh, the Doc’s equal opportunity evil,” Sonic shrugged. “And Espio? Great voice coach, seriously. But apart from that, it’s just those weird mystical entities I’ve fused with. I’d give you a list but we’d be here all week.”
Amy nodded, vaguely.
“I guess that explains, maybe one thing,” she said. “Anyway, I said I wasn’t going to ask you for a date so… I, actually don’t know what to do for the rest of my afternoon.”
Tails thought for a few seconds.
“I’ve got a prototype Extreme Gear to try out?” he suggested. “It’s pink.”
“Sold!” Amy agreed immediately.
(based on a post I spotted going around, which I apparently can't reblog this to for some reason.)
#sonic the hedgehog#miles tails prower#tails the fox#sonic and tails#amy rose#transmasc#surge the tenrec
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One Piece in Review, Part 2: Into the Grand Line (Ch. 42-100)
Welcome back to my One Piece reread review. In this part, we'll be covering the rest of the East Blue saga: Baratie [ch. 42-68], Arlong Park [ch. 69-95], and Loguetown [ch. 96-100]. Previous parts can be found here: Part 1 [1-41].
A number of major shifts happen in this segment of the story and it's for this reason that I think it's one of my favorite parts. At the conclusion of Syrup Village, our protagonists graduated from unnamed, utilitarian ships to their own caravel, the Going Merry, which allows them to be intentional about where they're heading. They also adopt a symbol, the skull and crossbones topped with Luffy's signature straw hat, which foretells how they'll eventually be dubbed the Straw Hat Pirates.
The creation of a flag and the addition of a ship with personality means that they now genuinely have something like a group identity, which is going to be tested quickly. And the increased size of the ship corresponds to the scope of the conflicts and world they're going to be involved in from here on out. As such, I think this segment of the story is a marked improvement along the dimensions of conflict, characterization, and scope. The main thrust of this story segment is getting the crew ready to enter the next phase of their journey - the Grand Line.
Villains/Conflicts:
Starting with the Baratie arc, the pattern established in the first three arcs - go to a new locale, confront a local villain while pursuing specific goals, recruit a new member - starts getting shaken up in unique ways or shifts away from that formula. For instance, after adding the ship's cook Sanji, the group's membership will not increase for about 80 chapters. In general, recruitment will become a lot more sparse throughout the remainder of the series, solidifying a central cast for the time being.
Also in Baratie we find a slightly more complex struggle at work. The main villain, Don Krieg, is in the unfortunate position of being sandwiched between two of the stronger early villains of One Piece, Captain Kuro and Arlong. He's something of a redundant character, repeating both Morgan and Kuro's respective traits of "belief in rank as strength" and "utilizing deception and underhanded tactics to advance his goals." He does have some good foil aspects, inverting Zoro's willingness to recognize a loss as such and Sanji's fundamental gratitude for what others have done for him. But what Krieg really does is give us 1) a rival in pursuit of the One Piece, and 2) an insight into the terrors of the Grand Line, explaining that he lost nearly his entire massive crew and fifty ships within one week there. It's a good way of setting the stakes in anticipation of finally making the voyage into this now repeatedly-teased part of the world.
In the prelude to the typical showdown between Luffy and Krieg, the figure of Dracule Mihawk comes in to basically disrupt the whole formula and tell everyone that these little backwater spats in the East Blue are not going to last, and we're not even *close* to the ceiling of how far things can escalate. Mihawk, while an antagonist, also isn't quite a villain: he basically shows up to fuck with the Krieg pirates like Bugs Bunny tormenting the opera singer, and only gets into a conflict with the Straw Hats when Zoro does something extremely, extremely dumb prideful. This is also kind of an upset, since it sees Zoro making a stab (ha) at his dream at a surprisingly early point. But the gulf between where the crew is at now, and where they need to end up, ends up being demonstrably enormous.
Though Krieg is a middling villain, the combined threat of him and Mihawk gives the Baratie arc its central thesis: willpower as its own kind of might. Luffy's battle against Krieg demonstrates how far willpower can take you, while Zoro's fight with Mihawk demonstrates that it's not sufficient without the force to substantively back it up. It also contrasts Zoro quite directly with Krieg, in that the latter persistently refuses to recognize when he's lost, while the former accepts defeat and (when given the opportunity to do so) learns from it, a lesson that will be necessary for taking the Grand Line seriously.
The titular antagonist of the next arc, Arlong, on the other hand, is an all-time great One Piece villain both for his place in the story now, and the long-term implications of his character as the story unfolds. The central conflicts of Arlong Park are about money, trust, and race. That last is probably the least substantively interesting right now, but becomes really fascinating later on. Arlong presents himself and his crew as "the master race," but in reality they come from a population that is socially subjected. But at this juncture of the story, we have a straightforward story about tributary exploitation. The sheer brutality of how Arlong treats the local humans he's extorting is unrivaled by anything prior to this, leaving lasting physical and psychological scars on the people. Since Arlong and his crew are explicitly presented as being products of the Grand Line, it really adds to the menace of that place.
Structurally, Arlong Park is also one of the most interesting of the early One Piece arcs, essentially split into two halves. The first is figuring out what's going on with Nami, why she's acting hostile to the others and why she's seemingly allied herself with Arlong, and reuniting the crew after a separation. This segment finds the group wheeling and dealing and clawing their way out of trouble, narrowly evading destruction by Arlong, as Nami in turn tries to push them away protectively while still preserving her plan and goals. After Nami's backstory is revealed, the story shifts into a more intense, battle-packed segment, with each Straw Hat confronting their own opponent for the first time, except for Nami, who stands alongside her community in support. They all work as a unit to overcome their opponents, learning more about how they interact and rely on each other. It has some of the genuinely most exciting and emotionally impactful storytelling in shonen manga that I've ever read.
The final arc of the East Blue saga, Loguetown, is one of many transitional arcs in the series (along with later arcs like Jaya, Long Ring Long Land, Amazon Lily, Zou, and the two "Post-" epilogue arcs). While these transitional arcs usually have their own conflicts, they are largely playing setup for upcoming ones. Loguetown is no exception, but it's the briefest of the bunch. A few key points:
Luffy gets his first bounty, 30 million beri. This is a big deal - while a lot of One Piece fans treat bounties like they represent power levels, they actually represent a social relationship between a pirate (or just an enemy of the government in general) and the World Government. With Luffy's bounty exceeding all of those he defeated so far in the East Blue, it illustrates that he's considered a substantive, if not huge, threat, and a sociopolitical indicator that he is ready for the Grand Line.
We get to see the place where the Pirate King died, but not only that, where he inaugurated a new historical epoch. This ties in heavily to another constant theme of One Piece, the idea of an inherited will: Luffy is nearly executed, and behaves in the exact same way that Gold Roger did when he was about to be executed. Visiting this place right before entering the next part of the sea suggests that Luffy is kind of picking up the spirit of Roger and starting his own legend from here on out.
We get the introduction of Captain Smoker, who is the first Marine in the series that isn't either a total bastard or a total incompetent, but remains an antagonistic force to the Straw Hats. This is used to plant the seed of different ideologies and conflict within the Marines as an institution. Smoker will be in pursuit of the Straw Hats throughout the next saga.
We get essentially the first taste of the Grand Line and what it's like: lots of Devil Fruit powers, new and strange technology, strong marine and pirate presence, major challenges, and the hint of deeper intrigue with the arrival of Dragon, who rescues Luffy from Smoker.
It's also in this series of arcs that I think we actually start to see Luffy and the crew meaningfully get challenged in terms of strength and ability. In previous situations, it was only contrivance or mistakes that got Luffy and the crew into trouble. But Krieg, while a blowhard, is definitely still a threat, whose unpredictability presents a serious challenge to Luffy (as does the environment in which they fight, as this is the first time we really get to see Luffy at risk from the tradeoff of the Devil Fruit). Arlong and his fishmen are the biggest threat that the whole crew has confronted so far, shown to be capable of upending entire villages. As fishmen, and former subordinates of a famous Grand Line pirate, they're also specifically denoted as products of the Grand Line, so confronting and successfully defeating them is an illustration of the fact that the Straw Hats are, at last, ready to enter that segment of the sea. And of course, Smoker and Mihawk outclass all of them easily for now, reminders that there is a long way to go.
Characterization:
Because of the increasing intensity and danger of the conflicts here, we get a lot more opportunities in this segment to see the Straw Hats develop and grow. In the first three arcs that I covered in the last post, the Straw Hats are visibly forming connections with each other; for instance, you can see it in the relaxed poses that Luffy and Usopp have around each other or the way the whole group drinks together. But it's only after the events of Baratie and especially Arlong Park that they begin to cohere as a group, rather than a bunch of individuals with their own self-interested goals that point in approximately the same direction. (I say "begin" because this is, as ever, a long game.)
Small or quiet character moments that were scattered throughout the previous three arcs start paying off, most notably for Nami in Arlong Park, but also for Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp. So, let's take them one by one (minus Zoro - I think I've exhausted what I have to say about him for the moment in the section on Mihawk above).
Usopp: Usopp doesn't get a lot to do in Baratie, mostly cowering on the sidelines with some minor character work, but in Arlong Park he basically has a miniature character arc which, in turn, sets up his long-term character arc. At its start, he's on some of his worst behavior, ditching Zoro potentially to die; while he has his heroic moments trying to protect Nojiko and Genzo from the Arlong crew's wrath, he repeatedly demonstrates having a somewhat blinkered view of the world, ranging from both the small (snide remarks about tattoos) to the big (his quickness to write Nami off and tendency to act rashly). It reveals a character that is struggling to understand his place in the world and the crew. At his lowest moment, when he's faked a death so that the Fishman Pirate he's fighting will leave him alone, he starts comparing himself to his crewmates, and their determination and willingness to put themselves on the line for each other.
At its conclusion, we finally get to see him stand on his own two feet (literally, since Zoro had to carry him during Syrup Village) in order to defeat a powerful opponent. We also really get to see him as a fighter, which is essentially a kind of guerilla-style, improvisational, hit-and-run approach, making him stand out within the crew's battle dynamics.
Luffy: I think Luffy sometimes gets regarded as a static or at least simplistic character, especially since what his Damage is doesn't get fully exposed until right before the timeskip. But what Luffy is going through in the first half of the series is the process of learning what it is to be a captain, and how to apply his philosophy of life to the process of leadership. This is illustrated by how he is contrasted against the various captains of other crews throughout the East Blue.
At the core of Luffy's character is an ideal of freedom. When Luffy inspires other people through his convictions and dedication to his dream of becoming Pirate King, there's certainly a typical shonen "power of friendship" vibe to it, fitting for the Romantic idealism (centered around willpower and emotions) that governs the logic of One Piece. But I think it's worth noting that Luffy usually removes obstacles in people's paths towards realizing the things they care about, rather than trying to impose his beliefs and choices onto them, or directly "liberate" them. One of the first things he did on his journey is liberate Coby, an enslaved child - not by first defeating his master, but by inspiring him to overcome the mental barriers that were preventing him from pursuing his goals. Free your mind and your ass will follow.
It's a recurrent element that Luffy basically does not give a shit about his friends' personal histories, and those histories are almost always presented through extended memory sequences (basically the character's internal thoughts) rather than literal explanations to other characters. Even in the rare instance where that isn't the case, like when Nojiko explains her sister Nami's personal history to Sanji, Usopp, and an unconscious Zoro, Luffy deliberately opts out. That's in part because, although *readers* need that information to give context and pathos to the characters, Luffy really doesn't. Luffy wants his friends to be able to live as they desire and that means moving forward, not back; the past, at a certain point, becomes another obstacle to pursuing one's dreams.
All four of the other main characters get inspired by the way Luffy acts and comports himself towards them in some way during this section of the story.
He disallows interference in Zoro's duel with Mihawk, but puts himself on the line after Zoro loses, demonstrating that he doesn't *just* care about his own dream but also Zoro's. This is where Zoro's loyalty to Luffy really cements, in his proclamation that he will never lose again and that Luffy is going to be the Pirate King.
He inspires Sanji to pursue his dreams by showing what it looks like to live life without regrets and to consistently put yourself on the line for your convictions, something Sanji is already familiar with but hesitant to fully embrace - and shows that sometimes causes seem more impossible than they actually are.
When Nami is at her lowest, darkest point, Luffy remains steadfast, even as she screams at him and tries to drive him away - and when, in a moment of peak vulnerability, she asks for his help and puts her trust in him out of desperation, he recognizes the pain she's been through and how hard it is for her to do so. In turn he gives her his hat to show that the relationship of trust is mutual: they can depend on each other, it is not weakness or a guaranteed loss of security.
But also, Luffy is learning from them, in a way. He's learning how to be their leader.
Nami: It's only in Arlong Park that we start to understand exactly what kind of strain Nami is under, but there have been hints leading up to it. I mean, look at this face:
Those are the eyes of a tired woman.
Nami's whole life has been governed by money. As a child she didn't have enough of it, it was simultaneously a source of strain on her relationship with her sister and mother and an aspiration to make her dream of mapping the world possible. Then, upon the arrival of Arlong, money is the thing that tears their family apart: Bellemere doesn't have enough to pay tribute for herself and her daughters, so she makes a calculated maternal sacrifice to preserve their well-being. This was an unqualifiedly kind thing to do, but the tragic irony is that in doing so, Nami was opened up to abuse and enslavement by Arlong, who makes use of her natural talents at map-making and sets her a "task": if she can gather 100 million beri for him, she can free herself and her village.
Nami learns a variety of lessons from this course of events. Her money-lust is one - because money, in her mind, offers a guarantee of safety and security, that the things you really value won't be taken away from you. But the others are: relying on people you love will only get them killed, and if you just persist, if you just maintain the will to keep going and survive, eventually you will be free. The combination of these lessons lead her to repeatedly reject the Straw Hats from helping her or letting them into her burden. Nami believes in her own, constant self-sacrifice. While the substantive conflict of Arlong Park is about defeating the evil pirate lording over innocent villagers, the thematic and structural conflict is for Nami to learn that she doesn't have to hold onto these beliefs.
There are some complaints that circulate about how Nami doesn't take an active role in the final fight. Given Oda's inconsistent habit of sidelining female characters from the action (and it is inconsistent), I understand the concern. But I actually really like this choice in this case. Because Nami has been fighting. For eight years she has scraped her way towards freedom, getting shot and risking imprisonment or death and serving someone who could and would crush her sister's skull on a whim if he wanted to. She banked everything on a plan that gave her a semblance of control, that wouldn't require her to ask for help because doing so would just get people she cares about killed. And when it turns out that the plan can be disrupted by corruption and half-truths, she breaks. Her footing has been pulled out from underneath her, so now she has to take a leap of faith, and put her trust in others.
At the end of it all, she has a scar from where Arlong's tattoo was on her. Arlong influenced her deeply, for good and ill, and it's impossible to let go of that history entirely. But in the process she forges a new tattoo: a pinwheel and a tangerine, symbols of her mother and her community leader/father figure, a representation of how she's forging a new path for herself.
Sanji: Then there's the new introduction, the crew's cook. Sanji is a character that inspires a lot of mixed feelings in people. We will definitely get to the problems he presents down the line, but at this point in the story, I think Sanji is actually my second-favorite character in the crew after Nami. Like the rest of the crew, he has some notable vices, namely a tendency towards womanizing and "lovesickness" (which will get boiled down for jokes into 'perversion' as the series goes on, frustratingly) and a uniquely hot head even compared to Luffy and Nami. At the same time he's capable of tremendous compassion, effortlessly witty and suave (at least when he's not distracted), and demonstrates great tactical intelligence, like when he deduces the fish-man Kuroobi's weakness in the middle of a literally high-pressure scenario.
But as with many of the core cast's virtues and vices, they are rooted in personal histories. Sanji owes his life to his father figure Zeff, despite a contentious relationship. This theme of gratitude is central to Baratie: Sanji feeds a starving subordinate of Krieg's, and then Krieg himself, even despite knowing that it's a bad idea. Because Sanji knows intimately what it's like to be hungry. The subordinate, Gin, is tremendously grateful, while Krieg behaves like a total ingrate, making him a foil to both character. While Sanji's gratitude to Zeff is a defining feature of his character that we slowly get to see unpacked throughout the arc, his gratitude is shown to not be taking on a healthy expression, keeping him stuck in a small pond when he could be out there pursuing the All Blue (a mythical ocean with fish from all over the world). Gratitude doesn't mean dying for somebody, but living for them.
We also get a sense of the unfortunate gendered emotional repression that Sanji's experienced, and though I'm not totally sure the author would agree with my assessment, it's clear that Sanji's relationship with Zeff is based on passive-aggression, each trying to get the other to cooperate with what they *think* the other wants without being forthright. Zeff is deliberately trying to strain their relationship so that Sanji will pursue his dreams. Sanji feels such a mix of survivor's guilt and loyalty to Zeff, along with fear that his dream is itself foolish or doomed to failure, that he doesn't dare pursue his goals, and as such gets incensed by Zeff's backhanded attempts to push him out of the nest, taking it as a dismissal of his skills. At this juncture of the story, this is easy to read as a little like "real men don't cry or talk," but what's notable is that in the end of the Baratie arc, Sanji pushes past all that crap, just for a moment, in a genuine moment of emotional honesty. But this central emotional issue is still something that will stick with him, and comes up post-timeskip during the Whole Cake Island arc.
Part of the reason I'm spending a lot of time talking about Sanji is that Baratie, and then Arlong Park, are the first arcs where the whole shape of the conflict really centers around a dilemma that one of the main characters is facing; Zoro and Nami's introductory arcs are a little sparse and utilitarian, and Usopp's emotional conflict at Syrup Village was similar but less actively tied into the ongoing conflict. Sanji has lofty aspirations, but he's selfless and loaded with a lot of complicated emotions that hold him back from pursuing them. So seeing Zoro and Luffy put themselves on the line both for his home, AND for their own selfish aspirations, is a big deal.
So, that's the Straw Hats' arcs, for the most part. What I think is core is that each of them is in the process of recognizing things about themselves and learning to be part of a team, how they fit into a "crew."
Additionally, it's in these three arcs that we start seeing increased characterization for secondary and tertiary characters as well as secondary antagonists. There's not a lot to hold onto when you look back at a lot of the minor allies and enemies of previous arcs. Compare them to how much ongoing attention and characterization Patty, Gin, Zeff, Nojiko, Genzo, Hatchan, and Bellemere get, as well as how actively present in the action they are. This goes a long way towards making the world feel more alive and also gives the conflicts more weight: we care what happens to the Baratie or to Arlong Park, much more than unnamed villagers. Oda's character writing is definitely improving.
Unfortunately it's in this expanded focus that we see what is, in my view, a key weakness of One Piece: sometimes it outgrows characters in a way that leaves the story feeling a little uneven or bloated. Tashigi is the worst example of this, in my view, as she and Smoker get a huge amount of attention in Loguetown and Alabasta, only to sort of peter out as the Straw Hats grow past the need for Marines hunting them down. That might not remain the case forever - I suspect and hope that Smoker and Tashigi get a good role to play in the final saga - but it's hard to say.
Setting and Scope:
As I mentioned, the introduction of a ship marks a profound change in the way that One Piece works. By giving the crew a means of travel that is sturdier and more reliable than the impromptu vessels they've been relying on so far, they now have something like a "home" as well as a means to make more deliberate decisions about their next destinations.
The world starts to take on a greater shape in some major ways, and most of them are directed towards sparking further intrigue about the Grand Line and establishing it as a credibly wondrous but dangerous place. For example, the existence of non-human species such as fishmen is introduced during Arlong Park, a story element that will have huge ramifications down the line. As another example, we get some more information about Devil Fruits and how they work, most notably by introducing the concept of different Devil Fruit "types." These are later elaborated on as Zoan (animal transformations), Logia (elemental bodies), and Paramecia (kind of a grab bag). We also get Krieg's observation that the Grand Line is practically lousy with Devil Fruit users, which bears out once the Straw Hats encounter Smoker, a now empowered and redesigned Alvida, and Buggy all in the same spot just outside of the Grand Line.
We also learn, by way of Mihawk, about the "Seven Warlords of the Sea" (who going forward I will alternately refer to as the Seven Warlords or the Shichibukai). Again, this shows how outclassed the Straw Hats are by the grander scope of their world, but what it also does is lay down the groundwork for one of the series' central conflicts, and I'd argue its most important: the corrupt and authoritarian World Government.
There's also, notably, a mention of "Three Powers" that control the Grand Line, and what the third one is will go unexplained until almost three hundred chapters later! I noted in the previous post that Oda, unlike someone like Akira Toriyama or Hirohiko Araki, doesn't write by the seat of his pants as much. This was maybe being charitable: instead what I'd say is that Oda rarely cheats. When Oda is backfilling or retroactively adding something, it rarely feels out of place, he usually leaves his mysteries and vague worldbuilding details open to enough interpretation that future explanations maintain their plausibility. This has a dual effect: it adds more fantastical details to the world, fitting as the crew gets closer to the super-fantastical Grand Line, but it also drives home how underprepared the crew is for some of the dangers they're going to encounter.
Another, smaller way that the world starts expanding in scope is the introduction of the "cover stories," many of which anime fans will miss out on. These are used not just to add fun details but to meaningfully flesh out later plot points. We get one story which documents the aftermath of Buggy's defeat which sets up his and Alvida's presence in Loguetown, and another about Coby's early days in the Marines that foreshadows important characters and points towards major growth for him.
The locations also take a step up from the somewhat dull environs of Shells Town and Syrup Village (I'm kind of an Orange Town defender now). The Baratie, for instance, is a delightfully charming setting that is fun to experience both when it's working as normal and when it turns into a combat zone. Arlong Park has a distinct geography and unique setting details like paddy fields, pools, and a Sea King that really make it feel dynamic and lived-in in a way that Syrup Village simply doesn't. Also, I believe it's the first time that Oda starts doing little maps as the characters plan out their next moves, which really helps ground the action and give an idea of how the setting works.
So, overall, this is actually one of my favorite segments of the early story. I think it clears away some of the growing pains of the early chapters, and shows that other aspects weren't in fact growing pains at all. It also introduces just an absolute mountain of motifs, characterization points, and setting details. This second half of East Blue is an excellent demonstration of the two things that Oda frequently excels at: an epic adventure full of fantastical things and places, and slow-burn character development for an ensemble cast. Additionally, the Romantic themes have started to lock into place: the ability to reshape the world through strength of will and commitment to one's convictions. Finally, I think Oda's artwork is steadily improving, though his extremities still need work.
I really like the take that these first 100 chapters form a sort of "prologue" for the series as a whole, since Chapter 100 is called "The Legend Begins," has a very explicit thesis statement, and ends with the crew reaffirming their individual dreams as a collective ritual before they enter the Grand Line.
In terms of the evaluation of each section: Baratie is a solid arc with a couple of things I could nitpick, but it's really carried by how different it feels from what's come before and the strength of Sanji's character arc within it. Arlong Park is one of the most emotionally moving in the whole series, and unquestionably has the best action of the East Blue. Finally, Loguetown is a thrilling cap-off to the first "part" as the series transitions into the next phase of the story: the Baroque Works Conspiracy.
Whew. This was a doozy to write, and to some extent it's possible I would have been better served dividing these arcs up to focus on them each in more detail...but here we are!
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I've added a new service to my shop, where it'll be like this reading but more in depth, and I will also channel how your aura affects others and any other additional messages that I pick up.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ Pile One *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
Your Aura is Bumblebee Jasper.
It primarily consists of warm colors like orange, yellow, and red, with thin strips of cool colors like green, purple, or blue. The gradient of these colors melt on to each other like the sun's reflection on an ocean when it sets. I feel like your aura is something that inverts. A lot of you could have an ambivert personality, or phases in your life that shift from endearing life and having the utmost faith for all of the positive that it could bring to loathing life and expecting only the mundane and nothing but the worst. Maybe some of you were agnostic/atheist at some point of your life but had a dark night of the soul that brought you to a spiritual awakening, but the lovely part about your aura, is that it resembles how much you guys are able to exchange both light and the dark side of energy to find out the bare truth of a situation (maybe even about your purpose in life itself) and how to brew ideas that will bring solutions.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ Pile Two *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
Your Aura is Red Tiger's Eye.
Your Aura starts off with fuchsia before it grows deeper into a pigment that's more maroon that ends with a thin layer of black. Sex appeal comes naturally to you, and passion could be something that exhilirates you, even if you're lunging for something that could potentially leave you in a trench. You guys could be pretty impulsive when it comes to your relationships or attract people that have a deep infatuation for the idea that they have of you. Intensity is what makes you thrive emotionally and what you look for in a romantic interest, and you can't stand anything that lacks meaning. However, as much as you search for depth in both people and concepts, your impulsiveness may make you near-sighted. Going with what you can see and feel first-hand, instead of rationally observing a person or situation for what it actually is. Confidence is also what your aura speaks of. Its potency talks about relying on your raw inner power. If you don't already, then there's a need to recognize that you don't need to try "hard" for anything, and the things that you do effortlessly is what draws people in. You don't need to be toned down or exaggerated.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟPile Three *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
Your Aura is Prehnite.
Your Aura is has multiple shades of green that range from mint to a shade that likens to pandan. I keep thinking of different green plants and herbs, so right off the bat, I'm getting that you're able to soothe yourself, like eucalyptus. Maybe you guys meditate a lot or had to learn how to regulate your breathing and relaxing your mind. There's something very Saturn like about your aura. Possibly, you guys have experienced a lot of loss and challenges at a young age, and growing up has just been about building yourself back up again or learning how to heal yourself so that you can heal others. You guys could be fluent speakers or there is something about your voice that's placid but at the same time inviting. Your Aura is soft on the eyes, but at the same time strong? It shows strength and also reliability, like it shows people that you're someone that they can lean on and trust, during troubling times.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ Pile Four *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
Your Aura is Rainbow Obsidian.
Your Aura is predominantly dark grey and black with trickles of purple and green. It sounds murky, but your aura is actually pretty luminous. I sense a lot of rebirths that has happened for people in this pile, but also ethereal miracles in situations that felt like a dead end. Sight is being emphasized here. You could be described as someone who's esoteric. You guys could be well in tune with spirituality, the occult, or religion because of what you've personally experienced that most will not understand, which usually relates to what cannot be seen or what would be looked at as impossible. This is different from clairvoyance, but more like claircognizance. You guys could be on a path where you release knowing what the future holds for you, even when there's chaos around you. It's like you have a gift of getting answers without necessarily seeking them, by just releasing control. Your Aura makes you a motivating force for other people during dark times, based off of what you've endured and how you still maintain mellow optimism for how your life can still turn around for the better even when things feel like an endless purgatory.
#divination#intuitive#psychic#pick a card#oracle#spirituality#tarot#pac#pick a pile#tarot readings#tarot reader#tarotblr
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Living Up To The Legacy ✈️ | Top Gun Maverick Series P.4
Contains major spoilers for TGM
Catch up on the series here -> Series Masterlist
Characters & Pairings: Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x Barbara ‘Legacy’ Mitchell (past/eventual romance), Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell x daughter!OC (platonic), Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin (platonic), Lt. Robert ‘Bob’ Floy (platonic), Lt. Natasha ‘Phoenix’ Trace (platonic), pretty much the rest of the characters are platonic.
Content Warnings: Character Death (Iceman), profanity, major angst, anxiety, light fluff | Female OC (she/her) | wc: 10.8k
Premise: Phase two of the high risk mission has the Top Gun candidates pushing themselves to the limit. Literally. For Barbara Mitchell, the heat is rising not just in the pressure to prove herself but also the battle against feelings for her ex-husband, Rooster. And when two accidents occur plus the loss of a beloved family friend resulting in Maverick being grounded, Barbara finds herself in the fight of her life to prove the mission can be done. Even if it means risking everything she’s worked for in her nearly decade of service.
Note: more than 50% done 🥺 this one was fun to write. I was going to add another scene but will save it for the next chapter. Please don’t hate me for the ending, I’ve got stuff planned.
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“Good morning,” Warlock greeted the pilots as they settled in their seats. After having a fun break the previous day, they were back to business. “The uranium enrichment plant that is your target will be operational earlier than expected. Raw uranium will be delivered to the plant in ten days time,” Barbara felt the air catch in her throat at the news. Around her the others tensed as Warlock continued, “As a result, your mission has been moved up one week in order to avoid contaminating the target valley with radiation.”
“Sir, no one here has successfully flown a low-level course,” Coyote points out the obvious.
“Nevertheless, you’ve been ordered to move on.” Many lean back in their chairs at the sound of that. “Captain.” Switching places with Warlock, Maverick takes to the center.
“We have one week left to focus on phase two. It’s the most difficult stage of the mission. It’s a pop-up strike with a steep dive, requiring nothing less than two consecutive miracles,” Maverick lifts to fingers to emphasize, the screen behind him depicting a simulation of a mountain. “Two pairs of F-18s will fly in a welded wing formation. Teamwork. Precise coordination of these aircraft is essential to both the mission’s success and your survival.”
As he breaks down the plan, a blue plane comes into view and follows the white dotted line, “As you know, the plant rests between two mountains. On final approach, you’ll invert directly into a steep dive. This allows you to maintain the lowest possible altitude and the only possible attack angle. Your target is an impact point less than three meters wide,” Barbara clicks her pen nervously. The sound of that did not look good. “The two-seat aircraft will paint the target with a laser bull’s-eye. The first pair will breach the reactor by dropping a laser-guided bomb on an exposed ventilation hatch. This will create an opening for the second pair,” Mav raises a single finger, ending with, “That’s miracle number one.”
He then breaks down the second half, “the second team will deliver the kill shot, and destroy the target. That’s miracle number two,” when Mav raises two fingers, Barbara notices Rooster tilt his head so she could see his side profile, like he was trying to look at her. She shakes her head, knowing he’d see the gesture and the pilot sniffs before readjusting his position. “If either team misses the target, the mission is a failure. Egress is a steep high-G climb out to avoid hitting this mountain.”
Hangman cuts in when Maverick pauses, “A steep climb at the speed, you’re pulling at least eight G’s.”
“Nine, minimum,” the Captain corrects to which Rooster comments, “The stress limit of the F-18’s airframe is seven-point-five.”
“That is the accepted limit. To survive this mission, you’ll pull beyond that, even if it means bending your airframe,” at this Cyclone makes a face, not liking what he was hearing. “You’ll be pulling so hard you’ll weigh close to two-thousand pounds, your skull crushing your spine. Your lungs imploding like an elephant’s sitting on your chest, fighting with everything you have just to keep from blacking out. And this is where you’ll be at your most vulnerable.” Maverick faces the group, “This is Coffin Corner.” What a name to call an impending death on an already Hellstorm of a mission. Barbara put a finger to her lip, shutting her eyes when the planes on the simulator crossed into enemy radar.
“Assuming you avoid crashing into this mountain, you’ll climb straight up into enemy radar while losing all of your airspeed. Within seconds you’ll be fired upon by enemy SAMs. You’ve all faced sustained G’s before, but this—this is gonna take you and your aircraft to the breaking point.”
“Sir,” Phoenix politely gets his attention and asks the million dollar question. “Is this even achievable?” From what the simulator was showing, it was far from it.
Maverick steps to her, arms going behind his back, “The answer to that question will come down to the pilot in the box.” Soon they are dismissed and Barbara heads to the locker room to get her gear on with Phoenix and Halo.
“I don’t feel good about this,” Halo says when they finish up, clasping her final restraint. The two women murmur in agreement, Barbara putting at least one cigarette behind her left ear and match behind the right before throwing the tin in her locker.
“Shit’s insane.”
“I’ll say,” Phoenix shuts her locker and leans against it. “Who’re you with today, C?” Judging by the look on Barbara’s face, it appeared she was not pleased with the day's test run line up.
“Fanboy, Payback, Harvard, Yale… and Rooster.” Halo whistles and Phoenix clicks her tongue. “Yeah, I know.” They finish up and all head out to their jets for pre-checks. Once complete, they bid Barbara good luck and leave for the lounge while Barb stays on the tarmac. She took a moment to herself, letting her thoughts linger before climbing into her F-18. For the exercise she was to be the team leader.
The nerves got stronger once they were in the air, the pilot having to take a deep breath as they stayed steady 300 feet above the ground. “Talk to me, Harvard. What’s the time?”
“We are on schedule, Legacy. Time to pop up in t minus thirty second.”
“Copy, Fanboy?”
“We are five seconds behind. Rooster, we’re falling back.”
“C’mon, Rooster,” she says, keeping her hand tight on the handle. “Move it or lose it.”
“Copy, increasing speed.”
“Harvard, check that laser for me will you.” He relays back several numbers, indicating the laser was ready to go. Her heart picked up as they approached the pop-up point. “Yale, prepare for pop up in three…two..one, now!” With a grunt she yanks the stick back and soars into the sky. Maneuvering the jet into the inverted dive, Barbara quickly gets upright after falling into the step dive. “Where’s that laser, Harvard.”
“Stand by, Legacy,” he says then seconds later calls out, “got it!” It locked on her screen, but Barbara cursed in her head, feeling that it was going to miss since it took him a bit to capture it. They were too low from what the dropping point should have been.
“Target acquired, bombs away!” She hits the button to release the mock missile and yanks the stick once more. They were now in the high-G steep climb, but level out when Harvard announced they missed the target. “Dammit!” The force of the G-s had Barbara breathing heavily for the few seconds they ascended. They pushed about 5 in that run.
Rooster shouts the same phase moments later when he too misses the target. “Head back to base. We’ll go again after the others.” They all copy and break off with Legacy, Harvard, and Yale going left while Payback, Fanboy, and Rooster go right. Legacy is the first to land, taxi off the airway just in time for Harvard and Yale to arrive.
Exiting the jet, Barbara heads off the tarmac to take her usual smoke break and runs into Halo, Phoenix, and Bob. “How’d it go?” Bob asks when she comes to a stop in front of them. Removing the cigarette and match from her pocket with a shake of the head, “intense. I had to level out before hitting six G’s. Couldn’t take it once Harvard said we missed the target.”
They all grimaced, sending worried looks to each other. Phoenix lets out a sigh, “I hear Mav is probably gonna just break us off into duos tomorrow, and once we master that try the two sets of pairs again.” The news has Barbara making a sound of relief, “Thank God.” Wishing the three good luck, she passes them to leave and takes her break before going to the lounge where she is met with the five men she’d just flown with. “Gentlemen,” she greets, sitting on one of the couches opposite Payback and Rooster.
“Not bad up there, C,” Fanboy compliments her from his spot against the window. She smiles in return, voicing the same to the WSO. They don’t do much to pass the time, however Fanboy and Payback do challenge her to a game of foosball. At times Barbara felt like eyes were on her, and did her best not to react.
She always knew when Rooster’s eyes were on her.
When she caught his gaze he was quick to look away, making a movement to wipe his face as though something was on it. Biting back a smirk, Barbara turns her back to him though could still feel the heat emitting within her. She tried to focus on the communications from the others as they came through the radio, but was having trouble as the same thoughts from the previous night made their way into her mind.
Fuck how was she gonna make it through another week when she was starting to feel like a school girl having a crush for the very first time. It was her ex-husband for God’s sake.
After another run that afternoon, this time with Rooster as team leader and missing the target once more, the pilots were dismissed for the day. Thankfully no one stopped her on her way out. It was becoming a habit each night for someone to catch her whether it be Rooster, her father, Phoenix, or even Hangman. But Jake learned the hard way to not mess with Barbara when she purposely hit the gas on her bike and nearly ran over his foot.
That night in the comfort of her own home, Barbara made a call to the one person she hadn’t spoken two since she got the detachment. Her mother, Charlie.
“Sounds like you have a lot on your plate,” Charlie chuckles, voice echoing from the speaker while Barbara nurses a glass of wine in her kitchen. She was going over the parameters of the mission, committing it to memory while also giving her mother an update on the past several days. “How do you feel overall about the mission, Barb?”
She clicks her fingernails against the glass with a sigh, “I really don’t know, mom. The others and I have talked about it in passing and we all agree it seems impossible. To be honest, the only person who I believe could actually pull it off is Pete.” It was the wholehearted truth. Only her father was capable in her eyes, but this job required a team. And they had a lot of work to do before developing one.
“I wouldn’t be surprised. Your father has always lived life on the edge,” Barbara makes a sound of agreement, “speaking of him, how are things? You don’t seem to be so….angry when talking about him.”
Biting her lip, Barbara takes a second to think of a reply. There was still tension between her and Pete, but she wouldn’t deny there had been a lift of resentment. But that could easily slip if he started to treat her differently. Not to mention not picking her for the mission solely because she was his daughter.
“It’s….complicated. All of my anger was on him the past couple years to shift the blame off myself. Every time I thought about him, It would just reignite everything I tried to bury in the past,” she takes a pause, refilling her wine glass. “This past week has had me thinking and letting go of a lot—mostly the stuff when I was kid. But….” The words fall flat, the woman unsure of what to say.
“But?” Charlie asks, causing Barbara to drop her head between her shoulders.
“I don’t think he and I will ever have a normal father-daughter relationship. We’ve tried in the past, it’s never worked. Ever since I was a kid it’s been rocky and when we seem to fix one thing, something happens that screws it up. First my college career, then my military career, and most recently my marriage. And honestly, mom, I can’t bring myself to get my hopes up because there’s a chance he won’t pick me for this mission even if I’m qualified. Do I have a lot to work on? Yes, this detachment is pushing me to the breaking point,” she takes a breath, pausing in her rant before ending with, “He promised he won’t wash me out…but Pete Mitchell is going to do what he wants.”
There’s silence over the phone, the older woman processing her daughter’s words. Barbara takes the moment to rub her hands over her face, “I don’t think I could forgive him if he did, mom.”
“No one is telling you you have to, Barbara,” Charlie says softly. “Your father and I know you are an exceptional pilot—although I do hate that you took on his way of not going by the book,” the comment makes Barbara laugh. “My point is, Pete will choose the candidates he’s fit to take on a mission as big as this. You work hard, you stay in line, and show him you can do it and there’s no doubt he will pick you. But…on another note, you have to understand his point of view, Barbara.”
Immediately Barbara squeezed her eyes shut, knowing what Charlie was on to. She was prepared for this conversation, but it still had her gripping her forearms rightly as they rested on the counter. “He’s a father, you’re his daughter. You may be the best fighter pilot the world has ever seen, but to him you’ll always be his baby girl. I know he had a lot to work on when you were young, but Pete tried his best. It wasn’t always good at times but nonetheless he would always call me just to ask about you. From what you’ve told me about this mission, someone could likely not come home. How do you think it affects him with the only two options ending with him most likely losing you?”
Barbara felt a wave of emotion at the crack in her mom’s voice at the mention of her likely dying. It put into perspective for the thirty-year old that this was not just any job for Maverick. It was personal. These were people's lives at stake. Their families would be the ones to endure the pain and lose if they didn’t make it. And Rooster was in the same category as her because Mav saw him as a son. Everything that could come out as a result of Maverick’s decision would be an end to whatever strain he wanted to erase between him and Rooster.
“I know,” she sighs, silently wishing that things could be different. But unfortunately the universe worked in mysterious ways. “I know. Not an easy choice.”
For the next two days they continued to work on phase two. During this time Barbara came very close to the target, the closest she’s been, working with Phoenix and Bob. It was decided after the first day of phase two training they would split the pairs up before coming back together in full formation. Though Barbara did well with the other foxtrot teams, it still didn’t come close to how natural it felt with Phoenix and Bob watching her back. If she were picked in the end, she hoped they’d be paired together.
It was approaching the end of the day and Barbara was settled in the lounge after running the course with Payback and Fanboy. Halo was flipping through one of the magazines beside her and they made small talk to pass time. Phoenix, Bob, and Coyote were in the air.
“Talk to me, Bob,” her voice comes through the speaker.
“We are twelve seconds late on target. We gotta move! We gotta move!”
“Copy. Try to stay with me,” Coyote replies. Suddenly Bob’s tone becomes confused, “Huh? Wait, who’s that?” The question made Barbara click her tongue. She should’ve known Mav would make it more real by acting as a bandit. “Blue team, you’ve been spotted.”
“Shit, It’s Maverick.”
“What the hell is he doing here?”
“I’m a bandit on course to intercept. Blue team, what are you gonna do?” Barbara hadn’t realized she moved from the couch to a chair in front of the radio, bringing an elbow up to rest on the surface.
“He’s twenty miles left. Ten o’clock. 700 knots closure,” Bob relayed, to which Coyote said, “Your call. What do you want to do?”
“Continue,” Phoenix replied, “We’re close. Stay on target.”
“He’s swinging around to the north!”
“Standby for pop-up.”
“Be ready on that laser, Bob.”
“Copy. I’m on it.”
“Blue team, bandit is still closing,” Mav warned.
“Popping now!” Coyote shouts and soon the three aviators are grunting and breathing heavily as they ascend. “Talk to me, Bob. Where’s Maverick?”
“He’s five miles out. He’s coming fast.”
“Target’s in sight.”
“Where’s my laser, Bob?”
“Deadeye! Deadeye! It’s no good,” Bob says with disappointment. “Sorry, I can’t get a lock.”
“We’re out of time, I’m dropping blind.” Seconds later Coyote calls out, “Damn it, missed!” Once again grunts could be heard from the speaker as the pilots began their high-G climb.
“That’s tone,” Maverick suddenly says, indicating he locked on someone. Bob confirms it, “Maverick’s got missile lock on us.”
“Shit! We’re dead,” Phoenix curses.
“Blue team, that’s a fail. Level out, Coyote.” When Coyote doesn’t copy, Barbara feels her stomach drop. “Coyote? Do you copy?….Coyote, come in.” There’s still silence from the pilot, calling the attention of everyone in the room. “Coyote, level wings.”
“Oh no,” Barbara whispers, hand coming to her mouth. Beside her Fanboy and Rooster stiffen, the others exchange looks of worry when Maverick gasps, “Oh, God. He’s in G-LOC.”
“Coyote? Coyote?”
“He’s gonna burn in!” Phoenix shouts and the anxiety rises in the group. Maverick then says, “I’m going after him.” Barbara’s knuckles were practically white from how hard she was gripping her the edge of the counter. “Come on. Give me tone, give me tone, give me tone. Snap out of it, Coyote. Come on! Come on!”
“Oh my God,” Barbara squeezes her eyes shut. Never had she heard her father sound so frightened in his life.
“Come on, Coyote. Come on. Come on!” Her heart picks up, beating like it was about to burst from her chest. “Damn it! Coyote! Coyote! Coyote! COYOTE!” There’s a familiar gasp of air and it goes silent. In sync everyone waits and is met with eminent relief when Maverick goes, “Coyote, you okay? You okay?”
The pilot is breathing heavily into his mask, shaken by the experience, “I’m okay. I’m good.”
“Good. Good,” Mav repeats with relief. “That’s enough for today.” On the other end of the table, Jake pats his hand against the counter, expression unreadable. But Barbara could see the tension behind his eyes. Like everyone else, the Lieutenant was fearful for his friend and thought he was about to witness his death.
“That was close,” Phoenix says what they were all thinking.
Maverick sighs again, “Too close.” What they thought would be the end of the chaos, was only the beginning. Because seconds later Maverick is shouting, “Bird strike! Bird strike!” They were all well aware of how dangerous a bird strike could be. It could cause damage to the plane and take out equipment if they weren’t careful.
And that played out before their ears because after Phoenix calls out the strike, Bob is yelling, “Phoenix, left engine’s on fire!”
“Climbing,” she shouts, and Barbara became almost nauseated by the overwhelming emotion she was feeling. “Throttling back. Shutting off fuel to left engine. Extinguishing fire.”
“Right engine is out!”
“It’s still spinning. Trying to restart it.” Immediately Barbara is out of her chair, causing the pilots around her to flinch at the action. She doesn’t care. The woman is practically yelling at the speaker. “No, no! Don't do that—It’s still on fire!” Maverick must’ve seen it too from his position because he was repeating what Barbara was saying, “Phoenix, it’s on fire. Don’t start—.”
“Throttling up.” The dread swarms Barbara as her friend fails to listen. Part of her couldn’t blame Phoenix. If the roles were reversed, who knows what she would’ve done.
“Oh my God,” Mavericks voice sent chills through her body. Without realizing it, Barbara’s hand reaches back to catch Rooster’s. Both of them squeezing despite the intense heat from the touch.
“We’re on fire! We’re on fire!”
“Damn it! Extinguishing right engine!”
“Phoenix, Bob, punch out, punch out!” Mav yells, and Barbara feels her body start to shake. The anxiety became too much at what she was hearing. It was every pilot's worst nightmare.
“Warning lights everywhere! Hydraulic failure!”
“I can’t control it!” Phoenix screams.
“We’re going down, Phoenix! We’re going in! We’re going in!” Bob's screams have tears prickling in Barbara’s eyes. Though they hadn’t known each other long she had grown to care for him. The fear in his voice was absolutely chilling that it had some of the pilots back away from the speaker. Hangman and Payback had their hands in their hair. Halo had her head down in a silent prayer. Fanboy was gripping the back of the chair Barbara had sat on.
And Barbara? She was squeezing the shit out of Rooster’s head.
“You can’t save it. Eject! Eject!” Maverick orders. Not hesitating Phoenix is repeating the order to Bob, “Eject! Eject! Eject!” Seconds later the radio goes silent, leaving everyone in the room to wonder if they had made it out.
With trembling lips, Barbara slowly lets go of Rooster’s hand—realizing she had grabbed it in the midst of the chaos—and brought it to her chest. Since her back was to him, Barbara missed how he had tried to reach out and grasp it when she pulled away. The pumping of her heart thumped below her palm at an alarming rate, her hand slightly trembling as she tried to catch air.
Unsure of how to react, everyone was quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the helicopter taking off from the tarmac—on its way to rescue Phoenix and Bob. The sound snapped Barbara out of her daze, who took a sharp breath before spinning on her heel to exit the lounge. Her head was hurting and she felt nauseated. As she sped down the hallway and threw open the front doors Barbara was met with the warm sun. It did little to help her—in fact it made it worse because next thing she knew she was spilling her guts into a nearby trash can.
Groaning, Barbara prayed none would get in her hair. She was so used to having a bun to keep it out her face that she forgot it was cut short. It fell over her cheeks and brought one hand up to push it away. Footsteps approached behind, and soon her hand was replaced by someone, another hand coming to the same on the other side.
She didn’t have to look to know it was Rooster. His shadow and cologne was enough.
After a few moments to catch her breath and make sure her stomach was empty, Barbara reached into her pocket to pull out a tissue. Stepping back to wipe her mouth she felt Rooster release his hold from her hair. “Thanks.”
He nods to her, stepping back to give her some space. “Not used to you having your hair so short.” The comment makes her chuckle. It was true. Their entire relationship Barbara’s black hair was long and wavy. The amount of hairspray, gel, and pins to keep it neat when in uniform was a bucket load. Once everything happened in 2016, she surprised her friends and herself by chopping it to a bob.
“Yeah. Me neither.”
“Why did you cut it?”
“Wanted a change,” she mutters, briefly glancing at him. “Felt like it was something I needed.” In the peripheral she saw him nod again. Throwing out the napkin, Barbara pulls out a cigarette and plants herself on the top step to set. Lighting the tobacco, Barbara takes a deep inhale with her eyes closed, feeling the nerves slowly start to settle.
“Why do you do that?” The tone in Rooster’s voice has her let out a tired sigh.
“Because it calms me down, Bradley. Okay? And right now I’d rather have the taste of nicotine than vomit in my mouth.” She keeps her eyes closed but feels him move to sit next to her. With this she turns her head away from him, so the smoke isn’t blowing in his face. “Let’s not argue about this. Please.”
“I won’t,” he replies, though there’s a hint of protest in his voice. It wasn’t like he could have her promise him again to quit. She had no reason to listen to him. “Are you okay?” Barbara scoffs lightly which had Bradley quickly say, “Nevermind don’t answer that.”
They sit there for a while. Neither says anything as Barbara finishes her cigarette. Finally she asks the question that had been nagging at her since he arrived, “Why did you follow me out here?”
The pilot shuffles his feet, glancing to where his hands laid in his lap. “Felt like I owed it to you after last week. And you would’ve done the same for me.” Barbara mentally curses, hating the fact he knew her so well. What also didn’t help were the butterflies swarming in her tummy.
Fuck she needed to get it together
She didn’t reply, and Rooster didn’t need her to. He already knew the answer. Thankfully the sight of the helicopter returning caught their attention, and both pilots were met with relief when they saw Phoenix and Bob being hauled off and into an ambulance. “Oh thank God,” Barbara whispered, bringing her hands together in a silent prayer.
Rooster bids a glance to the sky in silent thank you, “I’ll stay and wait for an update. You should go home, get some rest.” She sees him lift something in the corner of her eye and is met with a dum-dum lollipop. The ace she made must’ve been comical because Rooster was biting back a smile.
“Wha—.”
“I’ve noticed you’ve been going to town on them since we started training,” Barbara felt her heart stutter, cheeks going pink. “Thought you could use one.”
“Oh—-uh,” she stuttered, not really knowing how to react. With a small smile, she took the candy, flinching when she felt a shock when their skin touched. “Thank you….that was uh, very kind of you.” ‘God’ she thought to herself. Was that all she could come up with? She was married to the guy once upon a time. It was embarrassing how a little gesture of bringing a lollipop could get her flustered.
“You’re welcome,” he replied, rubbing his hands together and looking away. Whatever he was feeling it was hard to put a name on it. Clearing his throat, Rooster stands and practically blocks the sun from Barbara. “I’ll uh—I’ll leave you be then.” He goes to enter the building, walking slowly as though he expects Barbara to stop him. Which he was silently hoping for despite not understanding why.
Again, denying the feelings he knows is resurfacing.
And deep down Barbara wanted to. As she watched him go there was a tug on her heartstrings. But the woman didn't really know what to say. What could they talk about? Besides the beach day it was the first time they managed to get through a conversation—even if it was short—without arguing. Letting the thoughts go, Barbara sat in silence as she watched him leave before sighing and getting up to wash up.
The shower was a much needed one. There were still emotions running through Barbara, but most had settled once the hot water hit her skin. Halo was just finishing up when she got there, and Barbara relayed that Phoenix and Bob had been sent to the infirmary. “Good. I hope they’re okay,” the older pilot said in relief. They talked for a bit before saying goodbye and leaving Barbara to her shower. She didn’t know how long she’d been in there. It wasn’t until the hot water turned cold that she decided to get out.
Once dressed Barbara collected her belongings and set out for the parking lot. She had just turned the corner, unlocking her phone to see several missed calls from her mom and Sarah when Admiral Bates intercepted her. “Lieutenant Mitchell.” Barbara looked up from her phone, already filled with dread from the amount of calls when she saw the look on his face.
It was one of bad news.
Tears sprung in her eyes, but she fought to keep them at bay, “He’s gone isn’t he?” She didn’t need to hear him say it. After the last visit with Iceman, Barbara felt it was the last she’d see him. Sarah had mentioned it was any day that the inevitable would happen.
But that didn’t mean it hurt any less.
Face solemn, Warlock simply replied, “I’m very sorry.” Squeezing her eyes shut, Barbara made a sound like she was holding back a sob. Iceman was like a second father to her. When things got tough and Maverick wasn’t there, Ice stepped in and had her back. He was there at her commission ceremony, when she graduated flight school, he even flew to pin on her ranks when she made Lieutenant. When she got in trouble with pissing off superiors Ice got her out of it much like he did with her father. If it hadn’t been for him, Barbara would’ve been out of the Navy after the stunt she pulled two summers prior. And after she transferred to North Island, Sunday dinners became a habit with the Kazansky family.
They were her family.
“Has my father been notified, sir?” She asked after a moment. Pete was likely still on base and she wondered if they had reached out to him already. Or if she was going to have to be the one to give the awful news.
“I was just on my way to tell him,” Warlock tells her, nodding his head in the direction of the lounge. She assumed that’s where Mav was. “Would you like to join me?”
She really didn’t know if she could handle it. It would break her heart to see the pain on her father’s face knowing his wingman is gone. They’d been best friends for thirty plus years. Sniffing, Barbara wipes a finger under her eye and gives a short nod, “Y-yeah. I think that would be good.”
In silence the pair walk down the darkened hallway. All the while Barbara mentally prepares herself. She doesn’t have time to really have a pep talk because before she knows it Warlock is opening the door of the lounge and to the pilot's surprise she sees Maverick is not alone. Rooster is with him.
Whatever they were talking must’ve not been good because they were chest to chest with one another with Rooster glaring while Mav looked like he had been slapped in the face. The sound of the door combined with Warlock calling out to Maverick catches their attention and Barbara sees the flash of concern on both men when they see her expression. It looked like Rooster was about to move toward her but stopped himself. Instead Maverick is the one approaching the two.
“What is it?” He says to Warlock before turning to Barbara. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words failed to come out. Instead she glances at her feet while Warlock breaks the news.
“We’ve just received word on Admiral Kazansky,” the sharp intake of breath from Mav had Barbara wince. And when the words fell from Warlock’s lips, Barbara couldn’t stop the tears as they fell to the floor. “I regret to inform you, Captain, but the Admiral has died.”
The day of the funeral was a bittersweet endeavor. In her Service Dress Blues, Barbara stood beside her father at the front with the Kazansky family. It was a beautiful service. One she would remember forever. Hundreds of service men and women attended, many of whom worked with Iceman over his 30 plus years of service. The candidates were even in attendance. And every now and then Barbara could feel eyes on her.
No matter how many times she’d heard it over the years, the sound of Taps always brought tears to her eyes. The flag laying over the casket was folded and presented to Sarah by Admiral Simpson as the 21 gun salute was performed in the distance. Barbara kept her eyes forward, but saw Mav turn his head from her peripheral. And when it was time for him to Mav to tack in Ice’s wings, a lone tear trailed down her cheek.
To conclude the service was the fly by which sent chills through Barbara’s body. In the handful of times she unfortunately had to watch friends laid to rest, the feeling always arose. It was a final send off to the fallen. Maverick, with tears in his eyes, stood at the end of the casket saluting until the planes passed. All he could do was stare at the portrait of his wingman.
A rivalry that became a friendship that would last a lifetime.
When everyone dispersed, Barbara was the first to offer her condolences to the family. She’d already been to their house the night Ice passed, convincing Maverick they should go be with them, but nonetheless brought the older woman into a hug.
“I know I already told you this the other day,” she sniffed, “but my mother sends her love and support. She’s sorry she couldn’t be here today but called me this morning to let you know she’s thinking of you and the family.”
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Sarah replies, wiping her face with a sad smile. “Tell her I thank her for the flowers she sent the next time you talk to her.”
Barbara nods, “Of course.” Maverick had returned at that moment so Barbara stepped away to hug Ice’s children who were like cousins to her. They spoke for a few moments, before Barbara decided to take her leave. As much as she wanted to stay for the reception the pilot was not feeling it. Well aware she was going to have to get her head back into business, Barbara had spent most of the past couple days burying herself in sorrow to the point she was exhausted. Dark circles had formed under eyes that were covered with makeup to hide how tired she was.
“I’m gonna go home,” she said to Maverick, who seemed a little surprised. He wasn’t expecting her to leave so soon. She quickly explained, “I haven’t got much sleep the past couple nights. I know Admiral Simpson expects us to be ready for training on Monday so I’d like to take the next day to recoup.”
“I understand,” he nods, feeling the same way as his daughter. The tone in his voice gave away how drained the Captain was. “Get some rest. I’ll see you Monday.” As they were in uniform and he outranked her, Barbara lifted her hand in a salute, waited for Mav to do the same and did not drop hers until he did. It was odd having to salute him, but Barbara brushed off. Fidgeting on her feet, Barbara made the rash decision to reach up and lay a soft kiss on Maverick’s cheekbone. He froze, not expecting the gesture, but nonetheless it brought a smile to his face. With one last squeeze to his forearm, Barbara took her leave.
Instead of riding her bike, Barbara had driven her 1960 Ford Thunderbird that she often kept in the garage of her home. She only took it out on certain occasions where she wore her Dress Blues or gowns for officers balls. It was a gift to herself when she made Lieutenant after searching high and low for the vehicle. Unlike a lot of newly commissioned officers, Barbara spent most of her paychecks on paying off student loans while saving up for her dream car. It was well worth the wait.
When she got to her car she found Phoenix, Bob, Fanboy, Payback, and Rooster huddled by the trunk. The second she made eye contact with Phoenix, the brunette was walking toward her, catching the attention of the others. “Hey,” she greeted, bringing Barbara into a hug. “How are you doing?”
“As best as I can really,” Barbara mumbled, pulling away and giving a light shrug. “I knew it was coming, but of course it doesn't make it any easier.” Nat gives a look of understanding to which Barbara asks, “How are you though? You fucking scared me the other day, Natasha.”
Nat grimaces in response, “well I certainly can say I know what it feels like to see my life flash before my eyes. But other than that I’m good. Bob is too.”
“Good, I’m so happy you two are okay,” Barbara squeezes her forearm. She nods to the guys, “What are y’all about to do?”
“Heading to the Hard Deck. Shoot some darts, play some pool, and drink the day away. None of us knew Admiral Kazansky like you so we felt like it was better than to take up room at the reception.”
“Yeah, I’m not going either.” Phoenix raised her brow in surprise. She would’ve expected Barbara to attend, being she was his Goddaughter. But then again it was up to Barbara to go if she wanted.
“Do you want to come with us?” She nods her head to the guys who were trying to not make it look like they were listening in. Briefly Barbara locks eyes with Rooster, whose face was full of concern for the woman. Once again she felt warmth under his gaze. It was only a matter of time before the feelings became too much. With a shake of the head, Barbara turned back to Phoenix, “Not tonight, Phee. I think I’m just gonna call it an early night.”
“Okay. But call me if you need anything. Alright?”
“Will do,” Barbara taps her shoulder and walks with her to the others. She greets and thanks them for attending the service which has Fanboy and Bob both offer a small hug while Payback pats her back. Meanwhile Rooster stays still with his hands in his pockets, but nods to Barbara when they make eye contact. She returns the gesture, removing her car keys from her pocket to unlock the car.
“This your ride?” Fanboy says with surprise. When they stood by the car after the service it was to admire it. None were aware it belonged to the young Mitchell. They’d only ever seen her ride her Ducati. At her look of pride he whistles out a ‘Damn.’ Bob and Payback are also gawking which makes the woman chuckle. For the next couple minutes Barbara finds herself answering questions about her car. Where she got it, how she got it, and if she would let them take it on a spin one day.
“If you drive like you fly, then Imma pass on that,” Barbara points a finger at Payback, who puts a hand to his chest as though she’s broken his heart.
“Oh come on, C, I am an excellent driver.”
“I’ll see to that.” After a few more words of exchange and side hugs to Bob and Phoenix, the four pilots bid their goodbyes, leaving Rooster to stay behind. It was awkward to say the least. Neither knew what to say. Barbara shuffled on her feet, putting her hands on her pockets. “How are you?”
He lightly scoffed at the fact that was the first thing she asked. “You’re asking me that question, Barbara?” She had to hold back rolling her eyes, but clicked her tongue as she replied, “Ice meant as much to you as he did to me. I know you’re hurting too, Bradley.”
Licking his lips, he leans on the side of the car, “I’m sad—of course I would be. He was there for me and my mom a lot after my dad died. But it’s you I’m more worried about, Barbara. He was your Godfather.”
The familiar emotion of grief filled her chest but she pushed it away. She had cried enough, and right now she did not want to cry in front of Rooster even if he had seen it many times before. He was the only one she would show emotion to when they were together. Even her parents had never seen her cry. “I’m fine—really I am. You don’t have to worry about me, Bradley.”
Rooster just shakes his head, voice going low, “I’m always going to worry about you.” The air catches in her throat. The way he said it was like how one was trying to deny the fact they could no longer refuse the truth any longer. The same way Barbara was fighting her own truth.
Quickly changing the subject because she was dealing with mixed emotions by his confession, Barbara nods her head to where the others were getting in their cars. “You should go. Don’t keep them waiting and beat the evening rush.” The expression he gives her reads, ‘I’d rather stay here with you,’ but nonetheless Bradley sighs and pushes off the car.
He steps back, but before she could react he’s suddenly bending down to her level. Freezing at the contact of his lips meeting her cheek, Barbara can’t contain the blush rising on her cheeks from the fire she was feeling. His lips linger, staying for a few seconds longer than what she would have expected, until he pulls away and turns around before she could say anything.
‘Did that really just happen,’ she thought to herself. It was like she was in a trance. When she finally snapped out of it, Barbara stumbled back and caught her hand on the car door. Bradley had just entered his Bronco, catching Barbara in his rear view mirror which had her quickly open the door and fall into the driver's seat. The entire way home Barbara couldn’t help but let the thought plague her mind:
How was she going to get through this mission and not let her heart get in the way if either she or Rooster get selected?
The next day Barbara slept and exercised her worries away. First she slept in till nearly noon, made a late brunch, and then decided to go to the Fightertown gym. It came in handy when Barbara wanted to use the equipment rather than take a run around her neighborhood. And luckily she didn’t have to pay for a membership. After about three or so hours, drenched with sweat and feeling a weight lift off her shoulders, Barbara decided to call it a day.
As she was passing the air strip on her way out, she caught sight of Maverick’s bike parked in front of the building where the Admiral’s offices were. Confusion filled her. What was he doing there?
Letting her curiosity get the best of her, Barbara pulled up into a space and quietly made her way into the mostly empty building. It was dimly lit in the hallways, which made sense since it was Sunday. Soon voices could be heard in the distance as Barbara approached Admiral Simpson’s office. On her toes, so her footsteps wouldn’t echo, Barbara leaned her back against the wall and leaned close to the door. “Sir?” She stiffened at her father’s voice.
There’s a pause before Cyclone says, “We both know you didn’t want this job, Captain.”
“Sir, they’re not ready.”
“Well, it was your job to get them ready.”
“Sir, they have to believe that this mission can be flown,” Mav pleaded and Barbara felt her heart skip. If she was assuming right, this was Cyclone firing Maverick. With Ice gone there was nothing in the way from the Admiral doing so.
“And all you’ve managed to do is teach them that it can’t.” Barbara felt anger rise. She couldn’t believe Cyclone was pulling her father off—especially with the mission being days away. It was a big mistake.
“Sir—.”
“You’re grounded Captain,” he cut him off. “Permanently.” A hand came up to her mouth, Barbara willing herself to not act irrational and burst in there to curse her superior. ‘Stand your ground, dad. You can’t let him do this. You’re Pete Mitchell for God’s sake.’
“Sir—.”
“That is all.” At the dismal from Cyclone, Barbara mentally cursed and raced back down the hallway before Mav could open the door. She didn’t want to get caught by either man eavesdropping. Hauling ass out the building she threw the doors open, literally jumped on her bike and sped away.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” She hit the handles in anger. Slowing her speed, cause lord knows she didn’t want to get a ticket on base, Barbara’s mind was racing. What the fuck was Cyclone thinking? They were less than a week away from pulling off the biggest mission of their lives and he was pulling their instructor out at the mose grave time? He was basically giving them a death sentence.
Barbara, though hating how her father was hardly there in her childhood, knew he was the best fighter pilot in the world. With three kills under his belt, the man knew what was needed to hit the target and come home. While the mission parameters looked impossible, it was the only way they would survive with all its obstacles.
There had to be something they could do. Thinking of ways to convince Cyclone to change his mind, Barbara hadn’t even realized she had spent nearly an hour driving around San Diego. The sun slowly started to set and she pulled up to the Hard Deck for a much needed drink. Again, the first thing she saw was Maverick’s bike. The thought of a drink disappeared as the pilot saw footsteps in the sand leading to the back of the building.
Following them, Barbara peered over the corner and found Mav crouching in front of Penny. It was hard to hear their conversation from where she stood, but was able to piece together Penny encouraging the man to find his own way back into the air. It brought a smile to Barbara’s lips. She really liked Penny out of all the girlfriends her father had mentioned over the years. The two, while their relationship had its ups and downs, seemed like a great fit.
When she saw the older woman place a hand to Mav’s cheek and said, “but you’ll find a way,” Barbara decided to make her move. “Captain,” she saw the two jump at the sudden intrusion but relaxed when their eyes fell on her. Putting her hands in her pocket, Barbara nudges her head to the beach with her attention on Maverick. “Mind if I have a word?”
Mav says something to Penny before rising and replies, “of course.” Falling behind him, she bids a small smile to Penny who returns it, and walks with her father to the edge of where the dry sand meets the wet sand. It was cool around them from the ocean breeze. The two silent for a moment to take in the scenery.
“He’s making a mistake,” she finally says, noticing Mav turn his head to her. “Cyclone,” the name has the man tense, realizing Barbara knew what had happened. “I know they say curiosity kills the cat, but I couldn’t help myself when I saw your bike parked in front of his office.”
The confession has Maverick sighing, “You overheard.” There was a mix of disappointment and embarrassment in his tone. It has Barbara frowning, turning to the side so they were facing each other.
“You can’t let him get away with it.”
“Barbara—.”
“He’s making a mistake!” Her voice rises, the anger from earlier returning. “You know he is, Mav, and you’re gonna just let it happen?” When he doesn’t answer she takes a step closer, determination set in her eyes, “You said it yourself, we’re not ready. Cyclone is going to lead us to death if he takes over.”
While Maverick agreed with her, he still didn’t like the way she was talking about the Admiral. Even if it were true. “Barbara, you shouldn’t be saying that about your superiors.”
She makes a face as though to say, ‘try me.’ “I’ve said much worse and I’ve said it to their faces. And no—,” she raises a hand when Mav opens his mouth, “I will not elaborate. That’s a conversation for another day. Bottom line is, you’re Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell for crying out loud. And the Maverick I know doesn't sit back when he knows he could do something.” A pause comes as she finishes her rants, noticing how Mav had a small smile when she said his full name. “So? Any ideas?”
Pete shuffles his feet in the sand, tilting his head with a shrug as he glances to the waters, “I have one that comes to mind.” Barbara nods, liking what she was hearing.
“Okay, so what’s our plan?”
“Our plan?” His head snaps back with bewilderment. Immediately he’s refusing the implication, “No, no, no. There is no ‘our’ plan, Barbara.” His fingers went up in quotations when saying ‘our’.
“Yes there is,” she insists.
“No, there’s not.”
“I’m helping you do whatever it is you’re planning, Pete.”
“Barbara—.”
“Maverick.”
“This is a bad idea.”
“All your ideas are.”
“Which is why you’re not helping!” He shouts with his arms out causing her to fall silent. Softly Maverick takes a hold of Barbara’s shoulders, connecting their eyes so he could get through to her on the matter. “Honey, If you were to help me—because God knows regardless I’m done for even if I do it—you could get court-martialed. Possibly discharged. I can’t let you risk your career for me. Do you understand?” While it prided the Captain his daughter was willing to help him get back in the air, he cared about her more. She was on her way to becoming one of the best pilots the Navy had ever produced. Just like him and his father before him. After years of working so hard there was no way Mav was going to let her throw it away.
When she didn’t say anything at first, Pete thought he had changed her mind. That was the goal. But what stunned the Captain and had him pulling her into a hug, the first one in several years, was when she uttered the words in full determination, “What’s the point in being a legacy, your legacy, if I can’t live up to the name.”
“Captain Mitchell is no longer your instructor,” was the first thing the pilots heard from Admiral Simpson the moment they settled in for the day's briefing. Confused looks were shared between Phoenix and Rooster when they realized Barbara hadn’t arrived when they were ordered to sit. “And as of today, there are new mission parameters. The time to target is now four minutes,” the beep from the screen sounds as the -02:30:00 changes. “You’ll be entering the valley at reduced speed. Not to exceed 420 knots.”
In the front row Hangman and Coyote exchange looks, as do Phoenix and Bob, who says, “Sir, won’t we be giving their planes time to intercept?”
“Well, Lieutenant, you have a fighting chance against enemy aircraft. What are the odds of surviving a head-on collision with a mountain?” Phoenix adjusts in her seat, not liking what she was hearing. “You’ll be attacking the target from a higher altitude, level with the north wall. Gonna be a little harder to keep your laser on target, but you will avoid the high-G claim out.” In the back, Warlock was having to keep neutral.
“We’ll be sitting ducks for enemy missiles,” Fanboy mutters to Payback under his breath.
“Where is Lieutenant Mitchell?” Cyclone suddenly asks, realizing he did not see the pilot in her usual seat. Those in the front had turned their head while the ones in the back and to the side leaned over. All became confused at the sight of the empty chair. This was unlike Barbara. And with a mission so close it was out of character by a long shot. “Was she running late this morning?” Cyclone asks no one in particular.
Murmurs sound around the room, many shrugging their shoulders. Rooster tightened his jaw, shaking his head when Phoenix gave him a look that read, ‘where the hell is she?”
“Has there been word of Lieutenant Mitchell dropping out?” The Admiral asks Warlock who shrugs and says, “Not as far as I know, Sir.” Suddenly their attention is on the monitor when it starts beeping. From the side, in blue are two plane simulators heading straight for the course. “Who the hell is that?”
Their answer is given in the form of the one and only Pete Maverick Mitchell.
“Maverick and Legacy to Range Control. Entering Point Alpha. Confirm green range.”
“Uh, Maverick, Range Control, uh, green range is confirmed. I don’t see an event scheduled for you two, sir.” Reactions varied from around the room. Most of it was of shock, especially from Phoenix and Rooster, while others like Fanboy and Bob were fidgeting with excitement. Cyclone looked like he was about to shit his pants.
“Well, we’re going anyway,” Barbara said through the coms. It sent a grin to Phoenix, “Nice.”
Up in the air, Barbara was pushing her plane faster than she’s ever before to keep up with Maverick. Nothing besides adrenaline controlled her. The consequences would come after. But for now, she was going to prove to the team that they could get the mission done.
“You can punch out now, Legacy. There’s still time.”
Scoffing at her father, Barbara simply said, “Not a chance, old man. I feel the need for speed.” There was no turning back now. It was go time.
“Setting time to target: two minutes and fifteen seconds,” the number appeared on her screen after the words left Mavericks lips. Feeling her heart pumping, Barbara cracked her neck, pulled down her visor, and said a silent prayer.
“Final attack point. Maverick and Legacy inbound,” he announced and Barbara’s hand went to the lever, ready to follow his move. Inverting, she thrusted the lever and descended down to the entry point of the simulated course. The second she hit it the countdown started, and for everyone in the briefing room watching it happen live, all they could do was hold their breath and wait.
“First turn up ahead, Legacy.”
“Let’s turn and burn,” she exclaimed before a grunt escaped her at the force of the tight turns. They were one minute in with one and half to go as they hit the halfway point of the terrain.
“Talk to me, Legacy.”
“Right behind you, Mav,” she huffs, barely able to catch breath but the adrenaline was distracting her. Time felt slow but really it was going fast because before they knew it they were out of the terrain and approaching the pop up point with 40 seconds to go. Here Barbara was able to really breathe and she took advantage of the moment while mentally preparing for the mountain climb.
The ground was so close she was practically touching it. Maverick was right in front of her, the two maintaining their position with not a lick of Barbara falling behind. In the debriefing room the tension was getting high. Rooster was leaning forward with hands clasped tightly, heart racing as the planes got closer and closer to the simulated mountain.
For Barbara, one hand was on the lever the other on the controller as she waited for Mav’s signal. “Popping in three…two…one.” The plane soared upward and soon they were making the inverted dive. When they swung upright they had to act quick for time was running out. It would be tough to fly and lock the laser on the target, but it had to be done.
Barbara could barely contain the shakes in her finger, but fought against it. She locked on the target at the same moment Mav called out, “Bombs away! Legacy!”
“Locked, bombs away!” Her thumb hit the button, dropping the mock missiles before both hands clutched the stick and shot the plane up. They were less than ten seconds from zero, Barbara feeling the tightness in her chest grow with the force of the Gs pulling against her. She was pulling with everything she had to stay level all while fighting the urge to black out. The darkness formed around her eyes, but Barbara kept her focus on the laser monitor.
And in the debriefing room? Well half of the pilots were out of their seats and if they weren’t they were surely on the edge. The area showing the G force was rising from 8 to 8.5 to 9 and 9.5. Rooster was now gripping the arms of his chair. There was a part of him, while impressed and amazed by his ex-wife for acting unorthodox, worried for her well being. Especially after the close call with Coyote the week before.
And Barbara was fighting that G-Loc so hard. There was sweat blocking her vision, her head was pounding, and it hurt to breathe. But it all was worth it when the countdown stopped at -00:00.16.
It was a bullseye.
From both Mitchells.
“Bulls-eye! Holy shit!” Fanboy exclaimed the second the monitor beeped. Several others cheered, in awe at the sight of the successful run. Even Hangman was impressed, the man muttering a low, “Damn.”
“Yes,” Bob gave a high five to Phoenix who was grinning like a maniac. She couldn’t wait to see Barbara when she landed. Behind her, Rooster was leaning forward, as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. But there was no denying he was in absolute amazement. Even with 10.Gs staring back at him.
Barbara and Mav had proved the mission could be done.
Removing her mask, Barbara took a deep inhale, bringing a hand to her forehead to wipe away the moisture. Leveling out beside her dad, Barbara turned her head where she could see his face. Like her, he looked like hell. “You good, old man?”
“Yeah,” he laughed out of breath. “I’m good. Are you?”
“As good as one can be after pulling ten fucking Gs.” He laughed at the rhyme again causing her to grin. They basked in the moment of peace before heading back to the tarmac. Where they would face the consequences for their actions. No matter the outcome, Barbara would accept it. She very well could face the end of her career, but to her it was worth it.
The second they landed, the Mitchells were ordered to Cyclone’s office. Warlock had met them on the edge of the tarmac, remaining professional but Barbara could see he was in fact impressed with the two. Of course he couldn’t say anything, but that was okay.
Standing at attention beside Pete, Barbara kept focus on the blinds in front of her. Cyclone was looking out the window, his back toward them while he grilled into the pilots, “You have put me in a difficult position, Captain. And you, Lieutenant, don’t even get me started. One the one hand, you two have demonstrated that this mission can be flown. Perhaps the only way it can be survived. On the other hand, you did it by stealing multi-million dollar aircraft and flying it in such a manner that it may never be airworthy again.”
‘Oops,’ Barbara thought to herself.
“Iceman is no longer here to protect you,” Barbara tenses at the mention of her Godfather. “I have everything I need to have you court-martialed and dishonorably discharged. So what do I do?” Cyclone asks, but it sounds more like it was a question to himself. This is confirmed when the next statements are, “Risk the lives of my pilots and perhaps the success of this mission. Or…risk my career….by appointing you team leader?”
The best way to describe what Barbara Mitchell felt in that moment would be the equivalent to the Earth stopping. There was a heavy feeling in her chest, and Barbara unconsciously reached out to grab Maverick’s hand. He gripped it back, feeling the slight tremor as his own shock surfaced.
“Sir—.”
“I think the admiral’s asking a rhetorical question, Captain,” Warlock cut him off, causing Pete to halt his movements. Barbara squeezed his hand, fighting back the overwhelming feeling of anxiety in her veins. As she was going through the possible outcomes, her father being named team leader was one of them. It was one she was having trouble with, because it meant she could easily lose him.
And that scared the fearless pilot.
“Lieutenant Mitchell,” Maverick’s hand fell from hers as Barbara snapped to attention. Just by the sound of Cyclone saying her name indicated she was not about to receive good news like her father. “While you had a part in demonstrating the possible success of the mission, the fact still remains. Unlike Captain Mitchell here, you give me no reason to brush this aside and I have to set an example for people who think it’s okay to break the rules,” here it comes, “With that being said, you are no longer a candidate for this mission and are hereby grounded.” The air caught as she took in a sharp breath, Maverick doing the same. “You will be subjected to a court-martial where your fate will be decided by a jury of your peers.”
“Sir—,” Maverick tries to step in, but Barbara doesn’t let him.
“I understand, sir,” she was impressed her voice didn’t break. Maverick went to protest, but with one look from Barbara he stood down. Fighting it would do him no good, especially now with his position.
“For now you’ll continue to act as though you are a candidate seeing as tonight I was planning on Captain Mitchell to choose his team. And in doing so I’m also allowing you to come on the carrier, but you will not play a part in the reserves. See this as me being generous since it’s your father who I’m sending out.”
“I appreciate that, sir,” she replies, still gripping the fact it was Maverick who in the end got to be the team leader. And now he had to choose between Hangman, Coyote, and Rooster for his wingman. Hangman was out of the question, proving he could not work in a team from the beginning. Coyote was good, but the G-Loc had Maverick concerned.
That left Rooster.
“You’re both dismissed. We will be meeting at the hangar in one hour.” Neither Mitchell wasted a second and were out the door, Maverick pulling Barbara into his arms.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, honey,” he said into her hair, gripping like she would slip from his arms. There were tears in his eyes. It pained him that the worst outcome for his daughter happened.
“I-it’s okay,” she stuttered out, pulling away to wipe her face. She wasn’t devastated like she thought she’d be about her career. Her emotion came at the worry of Maverick and possibly Rooster going on the mission. “I expected this to happen. I accepted it last night when I said I would do anything to get you back in the air,” she sniffed, giving her dad a small smile. “It worked though so it was worth it.”
Yeah it worked, but that didn’t mean Pete was heartbroken and upset it cost Barbara everything she loved. “There’s gotta be another way.”
“No,” she said firmly, “We can’t fight it anymore. It was bound to happen eventually and I knew that when I woke up this morning. We can worry about me later, okay? Right now you need to focus on the mission and who you plan to pick. Although I already have a feeling you already know,” her voice goes quiet, Maverick’s expression confirming. Blinking a few times to keep the tears at bay, Barbara nods, telling him it was okay. “He’s ready. You know he is.”
“Barb—.”
“I trust him with my life, dad,” she cuts him off resulting in complete shock from the aviator. That name hadn’t been used since Barbara was fifteen. She could only imagine what he was thinking at that moment.
Pushing the thought aside she lightly squeezed his forearms, “More than anyone else on this planet, I trust him with my life and you can too. While he started slow and had a lot to work on, I know he can pull through.” Licking her lips, Barbara accepts the inevitable, “Rooster won’t let you down.”
………………….
Tag list: @multiple-fandoms-girl, @maverick-wingman, @sgt-huntersupremacy, @the-winter-marvel33, @justanothermagicalsara, @calicokel, @lydia-demarek, @alanadetigy, @shrimping-for-all, @chaoticassidy, @nemtodd-barnes1923
#Spotify#bradley bradshaw#bradley rooster bradshaw#rooster x oc#rooster imagine#rooster x reader#bradley bradshaw x reader#top gun#top gun maverick imagine#top gun maverick fanfiction#top gun maverick#maverick x oc#maverick imagine#captain pete maverick mitchell#pete Maverick Mitchell#natasha phoenix trace#mickey fanboy garcia#rueben payback fitch#robert bob floyd#javy coyote machado#jake hangman seresin#original character
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Pioneering Sustainable Energy Conversion
In this comprehensive review, we delve deep into the world of Sunways phase inverters, investigating their key features, benefits, and critical role in accelerating the transition to a greener, more sustainable energy future.
#solar panels#Solar Inverters#Sunways Inverters#8kw inverter#5kw solar inverter#Phase Inverter#Single phase inverter#Three phase inverter#Solar Installation#Solar Products#solar distribution#Solar wholesale#SolarAU
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Roland - Digital Chorus DC-50
“poor man’s Space Echo”
“This is a cheery little unit - a poor man's Space Echo if you will. Curiously named Digital Chorus it's actually a BBD based delay and chorus unit. There's not a lot of information about this unit as it does appear to be quite rare.
A quick summary therefore:
It's based on two MN3001 BBD units controlled with a common clock circuit which is similar to that used on the Boss CE-1. The MN3001 is actually two separate 512 stage BBD lines, so you have four sets here giving a maximum of 2048 stages.
The clock circuit doesn't run particularly fast though - around 7KHz to 22KHz. That limits the maximum frequency the unit will affect so don't expect particularly bright chorus or delay sounds. The low pass filters, and there are a great many of them in the signal path, do not really let much above 3KHz through. The straight through signal is clean enough though.
You can't have both chorus and delay, it's one or the other. And oddly the chorus takes its output from the final BBD which means it too will have a noticeable delay in comparison to the straight through sound. This is actually quite a nice effect on longer notes but sounds somewhat odd with short plucky sounds. I have modified mine to allow the chorus effect to come from either the first (inverted to maintain phase), second or fourth BBDs. This gives quite a nice tonal variation and I used the somewhat redundant HML output level switch to select between the three. Still, even on the first tap, with the relatively slow clock speed and large amounts of LPF, it's not going to sound like a CE-1.
It is also possible to modify the unit to take an external CV and allow for manual control over the delay time and chorus depth. To save the rather lovely front panel, I re-functioned the mic input socket to be the CV input, and the mic level pot to control modulation depth of the chorus, delay time and CV input sensitivity depending on the mode the unit is switched to. The maximum delay time now is only around 140mS and the minimum around 45mS. It's not a trivial modification though - I had to use a quad op-amp and a handful of passives as well as some minor changes to the main PCB. If I get some time I'll put the mod details up on line.
Oddity:
There's a opto based compressor at the front of the BBD chain. While compression is not unusual in a BBD device so as to improve the SNR, one would normally find an expander at the end of the chain to undo the compression at the input. There is no such thing in the DC-50. So in chorus mode you get a strange, and actually quite nice, effect of having a deeper chorus sound for quiet input levels and less effect when the input signal is high.”
cred: matrixsynth.com/1976-roland-dc-50-digital-chorus-echo, modwiggler.com/forum/
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11 Days of Comics! 2/11: Star Trek Special #2 (1995) "Raise the Defiant" and "A Question of Loyalty"
It's a Star Trek! Published through DC!
It's kind of funny that Star Trek and Star Wars, sci-fi sorta rivals, ended up at DC and Marvel, comics rivals.
Although, that's drawing random points of time to make the dichotomy. Although Star Wars is published through Marvel now and when it was first in theaters, there was a middle span where they were with Dark Horse instead.
And a time where Star Trek had a Marvel comic. And even crossed over with the X-Men.
Fun fact: even before Patrick Stewart was cast as Xavier in the Fox-Men movies, the Star Trek/X-Men crossover had people comment that Xavier and Picard looked alike.
This has been: random thoughts about not much.
This special has two whole stories in it. The first "Raise the Defiant" relevant to the TOS episode "The Tholian Web" apparently. And the other "A Question of Loyalty" relevant to the in-universe reason why Saavik was replaced by Valeris on the Enterprise before Star Trek VI.
It can be fun to expand on stuff.
"Raise the Defiant" has the Enterprise sent on a very dangerous mission to raise the Defiant from the fracture in space it fell into.
Dr. Juram comes to the Enterprise to oversee this mission and tries to throw her weight around to have everything done the way she thinks it should be, including keeping the crew in the dark about the mission.
Tries. Kirk just refuses.
It is revealed/retconned that the Defiant didn't just fall into a random negative space wedgie. It was testing a dangerous piece of technology, a phase inverter.
The phase inverter would allow a ship to see right through a cloaking device. By messing with the fabric of space-time.
The test didn't work out. See also the way that the Defiant fell into a negative space wedgie. But the phase inverter was never turned off so it's threatening to bork both Federation and Tholian space.
So the Enterprise will have to recreate the experiment successfully and retrieve the Defiant.
Long story short, they do.
But it turns out that Dr. Juram is an imposter. A Romulan who wants to sabotage any attempt to make the phase inverter technology work.
She sabotaged the Enterprise so they couldn't stop her and stole a shuttle to attack the defenseless Enterprise.
But whoops, Scotty suspected her the whole time from various clues and sabotaged the shuttle. When she tries to fire on the Enterprise, she blows up.
Then the Enterprise tugs the Defiant back to its home universe.
Its interesting that most of the story is discussing the problem and how they'll get the solution to work. Kirk even tells the Tholians the whole story to get their cooperation to recreate the original conditions of the incident.
The action of the story is only three pages. It adds some suspense but its not the focus.
Its also interesting that this story goes back and explains something that was originally just a negative space wedgie into being a big Federation whoopsie.
I don't know how big Star Trek fans feel about that.
I also can't believe that the writer said "hey you know what pop culture juggernaut I should reference? Raise the Titanic!"
The second story "A Question of Loyalty."
Ensign Valeris is on a training cruise with the Enterprise, supervised by Lieutenant Saavik.
Valeris is like stereotypically jackass Vulcan. Calling everything that's not strictly her duties as illogical and anyone not Vulcan as inferior.
Saavik: "Humans do not like to be called inferior."
Valeris: "Then they should endeavor to improve themselves."
She pretty much rubs everyone the wrong way except Spock who is following her career with interest.
In a maybe illogical move of her own, this includes being pretty racist at her supervisor Saavik, who is half-Vulcan and half-Romulan.
After an incident where Saavik risks her life to save people on another ship from a radiation leak, Valeris tells Saavik that she's no Vulcan and she objects to her claiming the heritage.
Because of Spock's own esteem for Valeris, Saavik gives the ensign a favorable performance review despite all her everything.
But the whole thing makes Saavik realize that her loyalty to Spock over is holding her back in some ways. That she's clinging to the familiar instead of growing.
So despite Spock wanting Saavik to succeed him as Science Officer on the Enterprise, she puts in a transfer for a deep space mission.
Spock feels some kind of way about her doing this but when Bones needles him about this, he pretends to feel no kind of way.
Thaaaaaaat's Spock.
And Valeris went on to join a conspiracy to sabotage peace talks with the Klingons.
If only someone had given her a brutally honest performance review when she was an ensign?
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Koenigsegg Gemera
Koenigsegg came up with its own design for the electric powertrain in the Gemera hybrid hypercar. Founder Christian von Koenigsegg is a fan of electric cars, and as CEO of the automaker that bears his name, he has dedicated over half of the company’s research and development budget toward designing, developing and producing EV systems. The electric half of the Gemera’s 1700-hp hybrid powertrain is pretty outrageous—and might I remind you, the internal-combustion half is made up of a twin-turbo three-cylinder engine with no camshafts and a single-gear transmission called Koenigsegg Direct Drive.At the heart of the Gemera’s electrified drivetrain are some in-house-designed components that, the company says, are the most power- and energy-dense examples on earth. Here’s how Koenigsegg turns electrons into acceleration.Every electric vehicle is controlled by an inverter, the component that takes the direct-current energy coming out of a battery and changes it to the alternating current that powers the motors. The inverter dictates how an EV performs: When the driver moves the accelerator pedal, it sends a signal to the inverter. The inverter controls the motor’s speed by changing the frequency of the alternating Koenigsegg’s new silicon carbide, six-phase inverter weighs just 22 pounds. With a volume of around 10 liters, it’s extremely compact. At 850 volts DC, the inverter can produce up to 750 kW of motor power. Hence the name that Koenigsegg chose for this component: David, after the small but victorious contender in the well-known biblical tale.The Gemera has two of these inverters, meaning an output capability of up to 1.5 megawatts—or just over 2000 hp.
Remember that, on top of components like that David inverter, Koenigsegg is also advancing cutting-edge technology in the realm of internal combustion—like the Tiny Friendly Giant, the 2.0-liter twin-turbo three-cylinder that makes 600 horsepower, a higher power-per-liter output than any road-car engine in history. It will pair with the EV technology in the Gemera to add up to 1700 hybrid horsepower. Clearly, von Koenigsegg has enthusiasm for internal combustion and EVs alike.
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HELLO I MISS YOU!! Tell me what Callie and Riley and everyone have been up to lately. I need my fix.
I... fffffcuking adore you. ☺️☺️☺️ I miss you too, I think about you and your OCs all the time and I mean to catch up on what you have been up to soon. I've been all over the place lately. 👻
Right now as of where I am in draft two, Callie is at Delaney, helping defeat magical racism and learning how nice it feels to be a part of a group and do good things. She's getting really close to figuring out how to actually belong somewhere and be authentic instead of playing a role she thinks people will find impressive.
Riley is somewhere else, helping the magical racists do terrible science experiments on magicians in the hopes that she can use the results to rid herself of her own magic. Meanwhile, she's also courting their enemies, the magic supremacists, to discover the key to longer life because the fucked up experiments she's doing might just kill her before she manages to discover the secrets she's looking for.
During this phase of the books they only interact twice, both times via the telephone. I'll share the first one because it's a personal favorite. :D
Adding my tag list because I never use it anymore and quite frankly, I don't know why.
@avrablake @adie-dee @dontjudgemeimawriter @ryorine @thelaughingstag @winterandwords @afoolandathief @asomeoneperson @cedar-west @diphthongsfordays @lowslore @poetinprose @cilly-the-writer @harps-for-days
Callie POV
It wasn’t a big deal. It really, honestly wasn’t.
She dialed, and waited. One ring. Two rings. She wasn’t going to answer and hell, that was probably for the best.
Three rings, four rings. And actually, this was fine, it was-
“Hello?”
Fuck, shit, fuck.
She sounded the same. Riley was on the other end of the line sounding the same, the same way she sounded in Callie’s head.
“Hi,” she managed. “It’s... Callie.”
A pause. “Oh.”
This was a mistake, a terrible mistake, what was she supposed to-
“It’s been awhile. Why are you calling?”
She swallowed the growl in the back of her throat. No need for niceties anyway, she didn’t call to chit-chat and she didn’t need to pretend otherwise, didn’t want to prolong this, so, fine. “I’m calling because I need your help,” she said.
Silence on the other end of the line except for some distant clicking, metal on glass. “Do you?”
Two syllables - how could someone inject so much infuriating presumption into two syllables? She could hear one of Riley's eyebrows go up, a perfect inverted V.
"We do," she modified quickly. “The world's going to shit, and we're trying to..."
Subvert the government? Fuck the police? How could she convey this without saying it outright?
“Is this about SISA?”
“Maybe,” she decided on. She couldn’t tell everything, not over the phone and not to a heartless, manipulative bitch who’d feed her own babies to the wolves. “We're trying to help, and we could use you." She bit her tongue. "Please,” she managed begrudgingly.
"Why me?" Riley asked evenly. “You call me out of the blue when I’m sure Simon Bennett could have a hundred scientists by his side in a second if he asked for them. You’re asking me. Why?”
Ooh, she hadn’t figured it out - what a wonderful surprise. "Because it's about me," she said, a flutter of pleasure in her stomach at being out ahead for once. "And nobody knows more about how I work than you do."
Silence, again - pornographically satisfying silence, and she wished so dearly she could see Riley's face, watch her try not to look interested. How strange, that they spent so little time together and still, Riley's micro-expressions were burned into her memory in merciless detail. Even now when she tried to picture Bennett, he came to her like a cartoon. Two-dimensional; heavy lines and exaggerated features. Riley was a living photograph. Why was that?
“I’m actually intrigued,” she admitted, with an edge to her voice that almost made Callie believe it. “But I can’t.”
"Why not?"
"Because I've got a life of my own," Riley said simply. "And as helpful as you were to me in a single point in time, it doesn't revolve around you."
Her cheeks caught fire. Tears welled up out of nowhere and she blinked furiously, gripping the phone hard enough to snap it in two.
"Fine," she gulped. "Eat shit and die then, we’ll do it without you.”
"Callie," Riley said, just as she was about to hang up and possibly throw the phone across the room. "How are you?"
She misheard - must've. "What?"
"Are you okay?"
Nothing could've pinned her to the spot quite like that simple question, with seemingly no ulterior motive to fuel it. Was she okay?
“Y-yeah," she stammered, like a fucking idiot. "I guess so. Um. How are you?"
A pause. "I'm alright,” Riley said. The sides of her face tingled. "Take care of yourself, Callie."
The line went dead, but she sat there holding the phone anyway.
One time at Bible camp, she jumped into a lake from twenty feet up without plugging her nose and she swore water shot straight up into her brain. She surfaced gagging and crying, water and snot streaming down her chin. It burned all the way through her skull, just like this.
Yikes, Bennett sent across the bridge, even though he wouldn't have really said that word, it was just that sort of feeling, sympathetic surprise. That bad?
She hung up the phone numbly. Fire-water, all the way up in her brain.
what is wrong with me, she sent. She felt fucked up. She refused to qualify it any further.
Bennett, on the other end of the bridge, was busy measuring his words with extraordinary caution. You wouldn’t be the first, he said carefully.
She wiped at her eyes furiously. first to what.
To... you know. Fall for somebody that’s bad for you.
Screeching brakes. Spinning wheels. Her brain flipped off the side of the road. I HAVEN’T I DIDN’T I DON’T I’M NOT-
Okay, okay. Bennet backed away. We’ll figure this out without her, don’t worry.
She wasn’t worried, not about that. For a hot second she wasn’t even worried about Grace anymore. She was really only worried about how utterly fucked she was and didn’t even know it until just now.
#the insuppressible callie ray#my WIP#oc: callie#oc: riley#oc: simon#writing#writeblr#writing snippet#tw: language
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Any thoughts on melon-chama? (What the hell is that nickname my brain just vomited Tenkai's not even young)
Ahh, Tenkai, known by many titles: The "Melon of Terror", the "Terrifying Flying Death Melon", the "Flying Melon of Terror"... "Melon-chama", apparently (It's fine Tenkai can get a little baby talk, as a treat for babysitting Sukune and Sese)
I'll admit I tend to overlook Tenkai themself as a character, treating them more as a lore expositor, but that's absolutely not all they are. Let's dig into One of the Old Dictators—Tenkai Zuifeng
Behind the Melon
Tenkai (天堺 heaven border) is based on the 14th-century Japanese Buddhist monk "Tenkai" (天海 same pronunciation, different kanji).
Tenkai's (the monk) first Buddhist name was actually Zuifuu (随風), which is again similar in pronunciation to Tenkai's surname, Zuifeng (瑞風 lit. fresh, vibrant wind, taken to mean "auspicious wind"). Although Zuifeng takes a Chinese pronunciation of 風 rather than a Japanese one, a reference to the association between the concept of barriers (結界) and the Chinese philosophy of the Five Phases (五行 wǔxíng).
In addition to being a high-ranking Buddhist priest, Tenkai also served as the advisor to the shogun at the time, the great unifier of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu (on whom Tsurubami is themself based). This is the basis upon which Tsurubami's relationship with Tenkai comes from.
While the monk's later life is well documented, his early life actually remains an overall mystery. Perhaps similar to how Tenkai's own backstory is unclear, other than that they're related to a famous barrier builder and came from the outside world.
Tenkai's Designs
I'm not usually all that good at talking about the visual side of things, but Tenkai does have some unique points that I'd like to touch on
Tenkai's outfits are often compared to melons, specifically the Yubari King melon, which is hilariously enough Tenkai's favorite food. They are the only character so far to have actually received three distinct designs, aside from Sese Kitsugai:
There's their work outfit, which they wore in RMI and as a boss in BPoHC (the latter, funnily enough, has the words yuubari (夕張) on a sleeve)
Their casual outfit, which they wore as a playable in BPoHC
Their melon outfit, which they showed up in as Tenki [Melon] in BotC
In addition, Tenkai's headband is a part of a running gag from JynX, where they insist that they do not remember what they based it on. (Even though I myself confirmed with them what it was once lol)
Pixiv FANBOX 29 April 2022 — Donors-Only Article
"By the way, I still haven't recalled what that stick on Tenkai's head was supposed to be. I'm sure it was based on something related to their character basis, but what was it...?
Eh, let's just say that it's a melon's vines, alright?" — JynX
It is, in fact, based on nokimarugawara (軒丸瓦), a style of roof tiling in Japanese architecture. (As a bit of a side note, Len'en seems to view barrier building as they do any other type of normal building, making Tenkai somewhat of an architect themself)
Spell Cards
And we come to my absolute FAVOUITE part about analyzing Tenkai: their spell cards. There's honestly something to say about every single one of them, but here I'll focus on a particular set with a common theme: The Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shrine.
The shrine is a marvel of Japanese shrine and temple architecture, and is where Tokugawa Ieyasu was buried and enshrined, who, if you'd recall, is who Tsurubami themself is based on.
Here I'll go over a few notable locations and features of the Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shrine, and point out how they influenced Tenkai's spell cards:
The Shrine's Main Gate — Youmeimon Gate (陽明門)
It's directly named in the spell Youmei "Higurashi-no-mon", where Higurashi-no-mon (日暮ノ門 gate of the sunset) is another name for the gate, as it is so beautiful that one could spend the whole day staring at it.
The spells Inverted Pillar "Guri Carving" and "Reversed Second Pillar Among the Twelve" also reference the gate, "guri carving" refers to the swirling pattern on the white pillars that support the gate. (One may note that this pattern is also what Tenkai's shot options are like!)
While the "inverted/reversed pillar" refers to a particular pillar that's erected inversely to all the other ones, which can be distinguished by the very guri pattern on them. (Leftmost in the first image) This was done to counteract a superstition at the time that since completed buildings will one day break down, an imperfection should be left to leave it "incomplete".
The spell "Dragon Head Tiles" likely references the dragon head carvings on the gate as well.
The corridors on the two sides of the gate feature extensive and ornate carvings of birds and flowers, referenced in the spell Calm "Sparrow in the East-West Corridor".
Shrine Carvings — Nemuri-neko, Three Monkeys, and More
The card Closed Eyes "Nemuri-Neko" references the carving of the same name, which simply means "sleeping cat". Said to represent the peace that Tokugawa's reign brought to Japan.
Behind Nemuri-neko is a carving of several sparrows, to remind us that even in times of peace, we mustn't lose vigilance. This was referenced again in Calm "Sparrow in the East-West Corridor", the hard/unreal version of Closed Eyes "Nemuri-Neko".
Three Monkeys "The World is Impure; Shut Everything Out" references this carving of the three wise monkeys.
It always seemed, at least to me, that by basing so many spells on the shrine, that Tenkai is simultaneously paying homage to other architects of the past and thematically mourning the (seemingly permanent) departure of Tsurubami. A most beautiful collection of references.
And I think, that makes for a fairly nice stopping point this time, I know I haven't gone much into the in-universe side of Tenkai this time, but maybe that can be the topic of yet another deep dive :)
#len'en project#len'en#Tenkai Zuifeng#I thought about going into Azumaterasu or barriers too#but I decided against it#perhaps some other time
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