i have many thoughts in general but this tidbit from tingyun's voice lines is one of the things i wanna elaborate some more on at some point...

" Every time I head out, I leave a letter behind and lock it in the drawers of my shop. If I come back, then I'll burn it later. If I don't... then it'll be something for others to remember me by."

My thoughts on how the Milgram mv machine works based on the evidence we have:

(I know there’s been discussion about where exactly the interrogations take place, but wherever they are,) the prisoners are made to sit in a specific chair near the wall that houses the machine.

It’s ordinarily hidden, but the wall panels shift aside to reveal it when the mechanical sounds play in the dramas. As well as the walls moving, the chair transforms to restrain the prisoner and attach whatever it takes to access their brain. The fact that none of the more frightened prisoners try to run or break it makes it seem like they physically cannot. This is why Fuuta sounds so panicked, and why Amane is suddenly helpless in front of Es in their T1 vds.

(My mind conjures very classic sci-fi mad scientist machines with wires, pipes, lights, nodes, needles, etc, but I’d love to hear how other people visualize it.)

In some vds (maybe all? I’d need to check,) you can hear Es take some steps right before their iconic line -- it would make sense that for safety reasons, the power mechanism is placed across the room. Once again it could be anything, but the sound effect makes me think of one of those giant wall-mounted levers you have to pull down.

The voice dramas don’t really provide the type of crime details that an actual interrogation would reveal, and it’s odd that they’re placed before the extraction rather than after Es gets to see the new details. This leads me to believe the machine functions with priming. All Es needs to do is get them talking about their murder, so it’s on their mind.

The video produced is much like a (non-lucid) dream. Even if the prisoners figure out that this is how it works, they can’t control it just by thinking really hard about something else. The murders produce the strongest emotional affect, and that’s what it picks up on. If someone else used the machine, it would default to whatever gave them the strongest emotional reaction in the ~15 minutes beforehand, hence why Es’ video focuses on their daunting task ahead. (The Undercover theory is still a bit loose, though, given the private shots that Es wouldn't have known about). It’s why the videos are usually closely linked to the vd topics/beats. I also like to think that the reason their prisoner colors appear so much is because they’re looking at those colors on their uniform 24/7.

The bell rings to inform Es that it’s the optimal time to use the machine -- the prisoner has been thinking about things for long enough that the video will be about their crime, and if the conversation lasts much longer they’ll start thinking of other things. It’s at a different time for each prisoner because it’s based on the specific conversation. I guess Jackalope is listening in to the interrogation, timing it perfectly. (The only one that kind of messes with this theory is Yonah, because they just keep talking afterwards lol, but it could just show that the interrogation is still in Es’ control.)

Their “Sing your sins” is the final priming nudge to get them to think of their actions as a sin, revealing their guilt.

Once activated, the prisoner enters a sort of trance/sleeping state. It’s very much like REM sleep, with the machine forcibly activating neurons and recording the output. The prisoners have asked Es what they saw, meaning they don’t remember the mvs. I like to think the prisoners do experience the mv in real time, acting as the major version of themself that appears, but can’t remember it afterwards. It’s when you experience a dream, but as soon as you wake up you’re just left with fleeting emotions and memories right on the tip of your tongue.

The video plays immediately upon extraction -- whether on a huge projection or little screen depends on which room it’s in. It simultaneously saves the memory so that Es can rewatch it later (on those old TVs in the jailbreak mix). The machine downloads the song and video together, but requires special parts to retrieve them. The technology is pretty new and fragile, so if one is broken, there might be a delay between when Es can hear the extracted song and see it with the video. (That’s my justification for Kotoko’s delays -- after 9 prisoners the parts wear out, or maybe Mikoto himself overheats it with his complex situation.)

Based on the lack of conversation we get afterwards, I picture Es leaving before the prisoner wakes from the trance. The machine adjusts their brain back to normal before they awaken, restraints freed and able to return to the rest of the prison.

It’s very much like a dream, so it’s not harmful despite the amnesia/head injuries the prisoners have. It does, however, exhaust them. Brain activity alone takes a lot of energy, so forced brain activity with added emotional strain would cause them to feel pretty drained the rest of the day.

Massive protest in Buenos Aires against severe budget cuts for free public universities. People sing "And now you see, and now you see, those who don't jump voted for Milei".

What are the names of your farmer and Alex's kids? Just curious! 💖

it's true how he would have a mental crisis if he doesn't have any children that share the same gridball passion as he is [x],

but that's how life tests u sometimes, so i thought what if his son likes sport, but indoor sport, what if it's ping pong

i try to watch pro ping pong match, and it is actually really cool, the moment they distance themselves, they start serving in a very quick & intense way that really requires focus

it might be easier to get fascinated by ping pong, than american football that looks like a messy game of tag on tv

(maybe, he likes wall climbing too, but refuse to do the actual thing)

his sister might like swimming at the river or lake, horse riding, jogging with her dad & lacrosse.

but the three's favorite sport show they agree love watching together: Dog Agility Championships & Puppy Bowl ( ๑>ᴗ<๑ ):･ﾟ✧

i have come to the horrific realization that jean moreau is literally y/n from a sold to 1D fic.

think about it: he is sold by his abusive parents to the mafia to pay off debts. he is than given to riko for rikos personal amusement. he is made to play exy with riko and the other ravens.

now replace mafia/ravens with 1D, exy with singing, and riko with harry styles. it’s the same fucking story!!

ok but Carlo's story in Scooperia is kinda funny though. imagine Jungkook from btw got mugged in New York and then he was forced to work at an ice cream shop in order to go back home instead of calling someone

Secrets Exposed

Pairing: Cater x Rook

Summary: Halloween is a time of disguises and masks. But for Rook and Cater, it also becomes a time of unmasking

Notes: This is the third day's prompt ("Secrets Exposed") for the 2023 TWST Rarepair Halloween event. I'm trying out a slightly different style again - I think I'll just keep playing around a little with these pieces as I go! I suppose this could be read as platonically and/or romantically, depending on how you imagine the conversation to have gone. Also, it is my firm belief that Cater and Rook share a LOT of similarities, which is reflected here ^w^

Tags: @haruhar-u, @cheezy-moon, @thehollowwriter, @red-viewe and @shortstorylover

Please let me know if you'd like to be included or excluded from future writing of mine, or only want to be included in specific types of creations.

They both knew they were hiding something.

They both knew the other was hiding something, too.

What they didn't know, was that they were hiding the same things.

There were glimpses of something different, just brief ones, every time they saw the other across the room, when each thought they weren't being seen.

That in itself was unusual; Cater and Rook were usually both remarkably perceptive and controlled. But the events leading up to this Halloween party - the Magicam Monsters on campus, the party afterwards, the trek through the Spirit Realm, possessions, battles, and now another party - all must have weakened their defenses.

Their costumes were secure, but their masks were slipping... though very few others would be able to tell.

The entire evening both boys chatted with people, grazed on snacks, and danced across the floor, while also dancing around their troubles.

It wasn't until late into this seemingly endless night that they even connected. An outstretched hand and offer of a dance became two, then three, then more. Dancing then turned into discussion, voices gradually softening.

And their walls softened, too. Words came out; things neither would normally admit. Whispers of "possession", "image", "beauty", and "face". Of "past", "friends", "loneliness", "vulnerability", "family", and "love".

Two different versions of the same thoughts.

Their true, hidden selves coming to light with every secret exposed.

Whether it was the stress from earlier, or the atmosphere then, it's unclear. But just for each other, the carefully-crafted masks of both Cater and Rook were lifted the first time that Halloween night.

ted lasso fandom stop posting things labeled as gen fic with both & and / tags listed for the same relationship leaving me wondering if i want to open the box of schrodinger’s gen fic and get shipping jumpscared today or not challenge

I liked about half of Tunic. very pretty and had great level design, but the fighting mechanics were not consistent enough for the level of precision it demanded of the player. exploration was incredibly well done but the combat TO ME was something I just suffered through to enjoy the rest of the game. and then when I got to the boss rush I just uninstalled it. the combat felt so bad to play that when it felt like the developer was saying "here, you love this right? great news, you get way more of My Awesome Combat System" it felt insulting.

i think a lot of it is banking on Zelda nostalgia, but I've never played a Zelda game and I was coming at it through the lens of "this is an isometric soulslike" instead of "this is a challenging zelda-like" which made me have a bad time. i also did not think the gameplay meshed with the plot very much, for a game that was touted as "just like outer wilds."

also to be fair, I didn't engage with any of the meta-puzzles, because to me there weren't enough lore tidbits or hints of things lurking beneath the surface to make it seem worthwhile. it was just for the completionists or language nerds (laudatory).

.

May I request for traffy when he finds his s/o passed out in the middle of the hall

yes, of course; i love putting law in stressful situations! i had fun writing this so i hope you like it <3

866 words, gn reader (no pronouns), sfw

he warns you about your all-nighters; that you shouldn’t push yourself too hard, especially with how long the polar tang has been submerged. you often find yourself lightheaded, not bothering to disclose your discomfort to him for fear of retribution of some kind. and still, you don’t listen. if only you can push yourself a little more—be more than just the newest member of the heart pirates, someone of use to him. 

it eats at you, this feeling; the idea that you could ever be anything more than useless doesn’t register in your brain. instead, you berate yourself daily, finding that you’ve become sullen under the weight of all of your endless critiques. so you work—tirelessly. you barely take any meals, an action that he’s noticed with a permanent frown because of it. every time he wants to bring it up, you somehow busy yourself—a new book to read, notes to organize, things to discover; telling him let’s put a pin in that so frequently that he often says it before you do.

because he’s not the sort to pry without reason, he reluctantly lets you have your space; but as the hours turn into days, the days into weeks, his worry intensifies. it’s unlike you to roam about like the undead, bumping into your crewmates without noticing. he’s ghost-like in how he follows you around, silently motioning for the others to carry on as he observes you from a close distance. on a morning where everyone sleeps in, he washes up before seeking you out. he feels obsessive in a way; always longing, unable to reforge the connection that you once had, driven by the insatiable need to see if you’re okay.

and maybe when he puts his mind at ease, he’ll back off; but for now, he’ll take things into his own hands.

his booted footsteps echo around the hallway, bouncing off of the walls, rattling his nerves without consideration. when he takes the next corner and he finds you on the cold, metal floor, papers scattered about, ink stains on your wrist and fingertips, mouth slightly ajar, faintly breathing. his stomach drops, an irrational panic shooting through him before he sprints over to you. crouched on the ground, he rolls you onto your back, lithe fingers gentle as they prod around your body, checking for the tell-tale signs of a concussion.

you’re having such a lovely dream, one where he takes you to unspeakable heights, a small whimper shooting out of your mouth before you softly call his name out. at this rate, his frown will be a permanent fixture in his life. he brushes some hair away from your face, careful to not disturb you as you rest. you’ll never admit to this truth, but he’s right: you do snore. not that it bothers him—it’s proof that you’re alive. it gives you character, he said once in the middle of lunch; the memory comes to him now, a small smile tugging on his lips as he takes you in his arms. you used to complain that you were too heavy for him to carry you like that, but he shushed you and proved you otherwise each time. 

even now, as he makes the long trek back to his room, all he can think about is putting you on his bed and tucking you in securely. you stir in his arms, feeling fuzzy as the motion of his strides wake you up; instinctively, you reach your fingers out and graze his shirt with your nails, fatigue etched into your body, so you can’t say much—although you want to. badly.

“stop that,” he instructs firmly, glancing down once, dark brows furrowing as his eyes narrow at your. “i knew you’d run yourself ragged one of these days.” a tsk bubbles up in the back of his throat, but he does his best to keep calm and swallows it instead. there’s no need for him to beat a proverbial dead horse, so to speak.

your eyelids flutter, unable to properly focus your sight on him anymore, and feel the warmth behind his words. his room is essentially for show; lifeless still lifes, dark furniture, shades of blues and grays, a compact bookcase—he barely spends time in there; but for your sake, he will. in order for you to recover your energy uninterrupted, he makes sure you stay put and keeps his bedroom door locked.

“thanks,” you manage to say, voice soft, practically silent, the blanket wrapped around you cozily.

he opens his mouth to tell you not to thank him—that he should’ve watched you more carefully, that he should’ve asked you what was wrong sooner—when your fingers wrap around his snugly. he plans to sit at his desk while you sleep, but you silently urge him to lay next to you. the hesitation is brief and he hates himself for it. you continue to hold his fingers until he firmly pries them away from you. then, the mattress dips slowly and you feel the hard planes of his body against your back. his arm hangs around your waist protectively, his fingers gliding along your stomach playfully, the softness of your skin putting him at ease.

It is funny sometimes seeing people get uppity about translators not doing exactly 1:1 translations of media, whether it be a book or a game or a series- and I get it from the perspective of say, 90s and 2000s anime adaptations that completely altered plot points, completely nixed entire lines of dialogue or alter characters enough that they were barely reminiscent of the original- think Sailor Moon and how the US dub censored anything gay in it. Those complaints I understand, completely.

And then with the advent of translating tools sometimes a company has pretty clearly been cheap or lazy and has just slapped it into an online translator and hodge podged it together, losing a lot of important details along the way, just to save on paying a proper translator and that is something I find absolutely shitty and extremely fair to point out- especially when it's a big corporation.

But the flipside people seem to forget is that sometimes there's not an exact word to translate to. Sometimes translations done to T will lose the humour or the feeling of the original so the translator will change it just enough to still get the expression across in a similar way as the original without bogging it down or losing its charm- localising something isn't always a bad thing as long as it overall stays true to the original. Translation is an art at the end of the day, sometimes whats on the page needs a little extra help to really pop, I have a lot of respect for the people who put in the effort.

Hi new followers. You gotta see him bald now

I’m super curious, are there any headcanons or characterizations of mine any of y’all totally (or somewhat) disagree with?

Daily Log 4

Trying out (probably just temporarily) making short daily-ish notes about things, in an attempt to see if it helps me be more reflective or productive lol.

Activities: Woke up late because I went back to sleep with a headache briefly, then kind of struggled to focus all day ToT

Worked more on the aforementioned tapestry/painting type of thing. I've done the base layer of painting for the main image, now I'm lining in darker outlines. I wanted to finish the center art before getting into the intricate borders. Still haven't translated the text lol..

Made a small bowl and also a little box with a lid out of more avocado pits. Still just with random nail cuticle tool things and kitchen knives, as I don't have proper carving tools.

Finished editing and proofreading the new poll adventure post!! I don't have time to post it tonight because I need to get to sleep early but.. I have it Completely 100% Ready.. finally..

Also washed the clothes I got together yesterday. Called about the bloodwork. Sent an email to a doctor.

Reviewed some writing documents to get back into my game maybe?? (basically, I started working on a visual novel type game a few years ago, decided it was a huge project so kind of put it on the backburner for a while in favor of things that were more easily finishable/tangible. then later on a game website I play (similar to neopets or something, there are collectable little creatures, etc.) there was an opportunity for me to design a pet on site, so I made a smaller shorter visual novel centered around that, where people on the site have to play the game in order to earn the pet, and I have a google form for them to answer a few short questions about it. All of the feedback is quite positive (reached 200 responses a while ago! though still only like 4 comments on the itch.io page lol.. Mandatory Form vs. Optional Comments evil showdown), but sometimes I get commentary that's really enthusiastic and inspires me to start back working on the OTHER bigger game. The small game was kind of like, a proof of concept that was safe because I had a guaranteed audience, that has helped me gain more insight for the larger one.

Anyway, since I've abandoned the Main Large Game for so long, I have to re-read and review/probably rewrite A LOT of things just to pick it back up again as A Thing I'm Actively Working On, so it's another one of those tasks that I do maybe 45 minutes of and then realize it's going to take days and days and get discouraged lol..

Notable sights: Saw two cats in windows. No clovers. It rained a little today but I didn't get to go outside and see it. One of the pieces of asparagus in the fridge was like the size of a carrot, comically overgrown downright ridiculous looking asparagus. Maybe I'll get taller after eating it.

Goals moving forward: Consistent sleep schedule. Focus on social activities, finding new friends in the places I want to move, communicating with ones I have. Physical therapy exercises. Plant nasturtiums. Finish and upload videos, edit costume pictures & etc.

Notable foods: ASPARAGUS AGAIN BABEY.. yeaAAAAGHHH asparagus squad !!!!!!

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