Hayward pool filter leaking top

Me (21f) and my bf (23m) have been together for 4 years. we both live at home and have frequent sleepovers at each others houses. He started actually taking care of his room when we started dating and would always have it clean for me when i came over as I do for him to this day. Lately, things have been changing for the worse and I really need outside opinions on what I should do or if im overreacting. His room used to be upstairs, then he moved into the basement bedroom. To simply describe this room, its like a dark musty cave. From first glance everything looks fine, nothing is on the (CARPET) floor besides the pile of clean clothes in the corner that sits there for months on end. One time I folded this pile for him, and the clothes were all stale and musty smelling, and some of them even felt wet. Any clean feeling his room had got ruined in 2021 summer. He had a portable AC in his room. This ACs pump/drain was unknowingly not working and was slowly leaking water onto his carpet for probably months. His solution was to just throw towels down to "dry the carpet" but then would leave the wet towels on the floor for weeks at a time. He also put a literal gallon bucket under the drain to catch the water which also over flowed and spilled several times. He finally got a new AC now which is better. But he never did anything about his carpet. I can only imagine the fucking mold that grew under there and under his bed. He is aware his carpet is probably nasty and there was a plan in place with his parents to rip it up and put fake wood flooring down but that never happened. He also never vacuums. Also those clothes that i mentioned that felt wet were probably absorbing any moisture left in the rug as they are in the same spot as the leak. Also, he hasn't cleaned the dust filter in this AC since he got his almost 2 years ago and theres a thick layer that I noticed. He also leaves garbage and dirty dishes and wrappers in his room until I come over, then he cleans it up. He even tells me to wait outside his room sometimes cuz its so nasty he needs to clean it quick before I see it. He also somehow loses pillow cases and then never replaces them and just sleeps straight on the pillow. His family told me when he was younger he didn't have sheets on his bed for months and just slept straight on the mattress. At this point im getting grossed out even going there. I keep my room clean and would never let mine get like his. Like i said, from first glance it *kind of* seems clean. So when I bring up certain gross things I see in his room he says im nagging and nitpicking and sound like his mom. Which annoys me. This is the only thing that Im starting to have an issue with. He is amazing and great to me in every way, which makes it harder for me to make a big deal of this. My step dad thinks if I don't nag him and talk to him ab this now it won't get better. My bf just has no sense of urgency at all with this stuff and I want him to. I just don't want to breathe in dust and mold in a humid basement. How do I bring this up without sounding like an annoying mom? s he too old to be like this? Help

Recently upgraded my gaming rig. Have some of these spare parts that are taking up space. Prices are all negotiable.
Local to 20817 and 21201.
NZXT H200i: $60 - The red and black one. In great condition with only a small cosmetic scratch on the front panel. NOTE: the front panel mesh filter is missing one of it's four clamping joints. (shown in the 4th picture on the top left).
Ryzen 5 2600: $30 - Has included cooler. Used for gaming with a water cooler. Never had an issues with it.
2x8 GB DDR4 3000 mhz: $30 - Ram is ram :)
EVGA 650 GT: $25 - Great PSU. Ran my 2070ti like a champ.

I recently replaced about 10 feet of wall due to a leak and was not smart enough to carefully remove the crown moulding so I could reuse it. It’s a 1x3 with a type of cove crown moulding on top. I’ve gone to two local lumber stores as well as the big box places and they all only have standard cove that has equal edges. I’m hoping the hive mind will know what this profile is called so I can order online! The top edge is about 1/4” thicker than the bottom.
https://imgur.com/a/D8TvSKh

As the title mentions I'm an advanced-novella RPer looking for GMs or offering myself as a GM for various text-based RPs. I've provided a sample down below and will ask the same of anybody that reaches out. Outside of writing I tend to spend most of my time on games like Knights of the Old Republic 2, New Vegas, and, indeed, the Hobocop Game. I'm an Associate at Amazon with an otherwise unimpressive social life, occasionally leaving the house to play WH40K Tabletop.
Discord is more-or-less required for me to be interested; sample incoming.

The boar is not dead, though to all the other hunters’ senses it is. It lays motionless on its side within the sled, tied down by rope with two arrows sticking discordantly out of its hide like seams of broken bone. Frozen blood pools in the cracked stomach of the sled, collecting rather than leaking now that red ice has sealed the wood. Poison leaching out of the arrowheads keeps the boar docile, and its breathing so light that only Trapper can see. An ovate in too-thin robes shivers as she ties a garland of rosemary around the beast’s neck, murmuring prayers to the ancestors that they might find the kill worthy.
Winter has seized the land in its vise, its unending waves of cold and snow having transformed the Barony of Marlas into a crueler scape, one Trapper doesn’t quite recognize. Tranquility abounds along the driven snow, all through the clearing, hiding the buried world and the woes of man but unable to snuff them out. Trapper knows well what a mirage it is, the oppressive winters of his homeland no less savage than the bloodletting summers. The numbing cold does not soothe his aches, for he knows they’ll be worse come morning, come the thaw. Too soon this clearing will melt, its river gone from white to red, the whole Septima Line thrust back to war.
Baron Orys refuses to yield to midnight season, to accept its peace, and so from his great warhorse’s saddle he brazenly belts out a mixture of drunken lyrics and commands, determined to master this hunt even if he does not partake. An entourage on horseback spreads out in his orbit, ranging from eager young footmen to grizzled junkers, all in varying states of inebriation at his command. Their braying is nearly louder than the hounds’, who hungrily stalk between the sled and the hole they pulled the boar out from. Teased by the hunt but yet unrewarded, they’re too unruly to be kept in check by the kennel master.
On foot slog the unfortunates who actually have to take part in the hunt, Trapper among them. They huddle into their hemp canvas cloaks, glancing up at the moody afternoon sky threatening to crack open with another snowstorm. Dark clouds sweep in low from the south like a riptide, a single vast current swept in from the mountains already menacing the Oldwoods. Its furthest gales reach them as tongues of vengeful cold, flecks of whipped-up snow biting into Trapper’s exposed skin.
By the boar’s nest leans a typical Mallean, one of Trapper’s two erstwhile comrades. Sigorn is tall, pale, broad, with the close-set, wide-boned features of a commoner, and a shock of red hair grown out to protect against the elements. Beneath his cloak he proudly bears his blood-flecked armor, each dent a Darkman put into it a point of dear pride. He’s not the only one, either, the clearing filled with dozens of youths whose first blooding ended in victory amid a blizzard. Baron Orys, deep into his cups after six days of nonstop celebration, saw a break in the storms and gladly called a hunt. When informed he could not go on account of his shattered knee - he simply grinned, and ordered himself tied to his saddle.
Trapper remembers the moment his lord fell from the saddle, burned into his nerves. The screaming of horses, skidding hooves catching on the frozen ground. On the edges of his vision a rider smashes into a branch in the din, others don’t move at all for fear of the blizzard. His spurs dig, his borrowed steed whines, and he races for his lord - only for another to reach him first.
“What a woman.” Sigorn sighs beside Trapper, craning his neck to look at one of their lord’s companions of honor. Susannah Oye, junker unlike the others, a pretty, willowy noblewoman well into motherhood, with the lean, ruthless look of a ranger. Her two poisoned arrows are what struck the boar down, and her pride curls off her body like steam. Sigorn’s face cracks into exaggerated appreciation, and then he turns to their lord’s other honored companion. Another woman, this one as young as they are, haughtily-built and leering with none of Susannah’s refinement. Many of those looks are reserved for Trapper, forced to slog on foot as just another hunter. “Anya too. I think she fancies you, eh?”

​

This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 56%. (I'm a bot)

The recently uncovered audio of former President Donald Trump admitting that he had a classified Pentagon document in his possession after leaving office could be "Evidentiary gold" for prosecutors, according to legal analyst Glenn Kirschner.
The tape appeared to blow massive holes in various defensive arguments Trump had made in the documents case, indicating that he knew he had retained classified material after leaving office and that he had not declassified it before the end of his presidency.
The tape is now reportedly in the hands of the Department of Justice and special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing all federal investigations into Trump.
Meanwhile in a statement to Newsweek on Wednesday, a Trump spokesperson said that CNN's report about the recording was based on "Leaks from radical partisans" who want "To inflame tensions and continue the media's harassment of President Trump and his supporters."
Kirschner is a former federal prosecutor with decades of experience and now serves as a legal analyst specializing in the various cases facing Trump.
"And most importantly, when you can take two audio recordings or two video recordings, one with Donald Trump saying 'I declassified everything with my mind,' or 'It was automatically declassified when I took it with me from the White House,' and you can immediately thereafter play an audio recording of him six months after leaving the presidency saying, 'I'd like to show this to you, but it's classified,' jurors get the point."

Summary Source FAQ Feedback Top keywords: Trump^#1 President^#2 classified^#3 former^#4 tape^#5
Post found in /politics, /politics and /worldpolitics.
NOTICE: This thread is for discussing the submission topic. Please do not discuss the concept of the autotldr bot here.

The Nuggets and Heat are squaring off in the NBA Finals, led by players who were taken 41st and 30th in their respective draft classes.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Jimmy Butler are living, breathing, scoring reminders that there are great players to be found anywhere in the draft — if you scout and develop well enough.
It’s a lesson the Nets — who this June will have the best draft capital to work with that general manager Sean Marks has ever had – would do well to remember. And an example they will try to replicate.
“In terms of star players on both teams, of course you have two essentially late-round draft picks,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday night at Game 1 in Denver. “I think that’s a great story for basketball fans everywhere.”
Jokic is the best player in these Finals and arguably the best in the league — having won two straight MVPs before being unseated last month by 76ers superstar Joel Embiid. He’s also as big a draft steal as there is in the NBA.
The NBA Finals matchup of the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic and the Heat’s Jimmy Butler shows how stars can emerge from non-premium draft positions.
The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson (No. 33 overall), the Warriors’ Draymond Green (No. 35) and the Bucks’ Khris Middleton (39) were also second-round draft picks.
While all the attention is paid to the top overall picks such as projected 2023 No. 1 Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the lottery selections, some of the world’s biggest stars were taken outside the lottery: former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard each were selected 15th overall.
“You can find players,” an Eastern Conference scout told The Post. “And this draft is pretty deep.”
This year’s draft is regarded as stronger than the 2024 pool. The Nets can only hope so.
The 2023 NBA Draft revolves around Victor Wembanyama (1), but the depth of the class includes French club teammate Bilal Coulibaly.
The Nets currently have three picks on June 22: Nos. 21, 22 and 51 overall.
It’s the start of a span, through 2029, during which the Nets have the fourth-most draft capital in the league: 11 first-round picks and nine second-rounders.
The board around No. 21 and No. 22
Marks has a strong track record in the draft since his arrival, selecting future All-Star Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert late in the first round and rising center Nic Claxton in the second round.
Presuming the Nets keep their first-round selections at No. 21 and No. 22 later this month, they will be the second-highest and tied-for-third-highest picks Marks ever has made, behind effectively taking LeVert with the No. 20 pick in 2016 (it went in the official record as a Pacers selection).
Marks has a history of being fairly aggressive either leading up to the draft or on draft night. Where he’s sitting weeks before is rarely where he lands.
But presuming he stands pat, there will be plenty of talent in the early-20s range, including South Carolina freshman G.G. Jackson, G League Ignite’s Leonard Miller and French teen Bilal Coulibaly, the players most often connected with the Nets in mock drafts.
G.G. Jackson’s draft stock is enhanced by his age: He doesn’t turn 19 until December.
Coulibaly is Wembanyama’s 18-year-old teammate at Metropolitans 92 in Paris, a long-armed defensive disruptor with 6-foot-8 height, a 7-foot-3 wingspan and plenty of room to develop his game.
The 6-foot-9, 214-pound Jackson is the youngest player in the class, even younger than Coulibaly, with NBA size, scoring ability and questionable shot selection.
And Miller, a fast-rising 6-foot-10 Canadian forward, looks to be a promising, versatile defender.
“There is a lot of young talent that could help our organization,” Nets scouting operations director and G League Long Island general manager J.R. Holden told NetsDaily after returning from the G League and NBA Combines. “This draft has everything: shooting, athleticism, guys with high basketball IQ.”
The Nets are doggedly secretive even about which prospects they’ve brought in for workouts or interviewed.
Leonard Miller, who played this season for G League Ignite, is moving up draft boards.
Among the few prospects with first-round grades who reportedly have worked out for the Nets: Xavier junior shooting guard Colby Jones, North Carolina State sophomore shooting guard Terquavion Smith and junior shooting guard Andre Jackson from reigning national champion UConn.
The other names that have emerged — including DePaul senior small forward Javan Johnson, whom The Post reported worked out for Brooklyn on Wednesday — are pegged either as second-round selections or projected to go undrafted.
Lanky Eastern Michigan small forward Emoni Bates, a one-time top-rated prospect, is often projected to the Nets in the second round of mock drafts.
The New Zealand connection
Marks personally flew 10,000 miles to scout French guard Rayan Rupert, a 6-foot-7 standout for the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League. Rupert, who turned 19 on Wednesday, is typically rated as a late-first-round pick.
Marks watched Rupert first in Brisbane, Australia, and then two days later in Auckland, New Zealand.
Rayan Rupert was scouted in person by Nets GM Sean Marks while playing this season for the NBL’s New Zealand Breakers.
Yes, Marks is from Auckland, and his former Suns teammate Shawn Marion coaches the Breakers. But the fact that Nets director of player evaluation B.J. Johnson also made the trip speaks to how they view Rupert as a prospect.
And the young Frenchman apparently is pretty impressed with Brooklyn as well.
“My dream has always been to play in the NBA,” Rupert told ESPN. “I’m ready to take the next step in my career.”
He added: “I’m watching a lot of Nets games. My favorite player is Mikal Bridges. He plays with great energy and can do everything on the court. He used to be a 3-and-D player like me, but now he is a franchise player. I love everything about him.”
Rupert has worked out in Texas with Tim Martin, who is also Claxton’s trainer. Claxton joined Bridges in finishing in the top 5 in voting for the NBA Most Improved Award this season, and is one of the Nets’ bigger draft success stories.
In other developments…
Nets assistant coach Ryan Forehan-Kelly has been instrumental in Claxton’s development, and likely will be hands-on with the players the team drafts later this month.
The Nets worked to develop Caris LeVert (pictured racing ahead of the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray) after making him the highest draft pick of the Sean Marks era in 2016.
He watched how head coach Jacque Vaughn — then the lead assistant to Kenny Atkinson — worked to mold LeVert.
“One thing that stands out to me is … how meticulous [Vaughn] was in planning for the workouts and how focused he was in building [LeVert’s] tool belt, and what tools needed to come first, and when and where to use these tools, teaching him those things,” Forehan-Kelly said on the “Voice of the Nets” podcast with Chris Carrino. “So early on, it was a blessing just seeing how he operates, how he teaches. And a lot of those things I still use now.
“Just how many resources are here, that’s what makes our organization special, is the culture and how many people are involved in investing in these kids and helping them reach their full potential.”
Nobody knows which guys the Nets will end up with, or even exactly which ones will be available to them.
But with a deep pool of 2023 prospects, they have a chance to come away with some useful players — if their due diligence gets done.

https://nypost.com/2023/06/03/nets-2023-nba-draft-gives-sean-marks-a-rare-chance/

Special thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for allowing fanfiction and giving us Tilfish.
[First] [Prior] [Next]
.*~*.
Memory Transcription Subject: ? , run run run run run run.
Date: December 2, 2136
.~*~.
I'm tired. I'm so unbearably tired. I don't remember the fall or when my legs quit working, but I'm still denied the sweet release of sleep by the fires radiating from my muscles. It's sick and twisted, but I don't think I can move any more. I'm stuck here face down in the soil, unable or unwilling to do anything but wonder if a harvesting drone will roll over me and turn me into mist on the crops I'm lost in. My mouth itches. Some loose soil in my nose makes me hack, but there's nothing I can do but wheeze and pant. There's not a drop of moisture left in me. I'm all shriveled up. Everything's a haze.
I should've stopped for water. There was time. A few ponds that didn't look filmed over with vile algae blooms. The last town had a fountain on the outskirts. There were a few distant outbuildings that could've had a sink or a hose. Really, a few mouthfuls would've been enough to keep me from cramping up. Now I feel like I'm all dried out, like a stick of fruit jerky.
I should've taken a break. I've not been able to run in so long. I knew it was getting bad, but I ignored it. I'm paying for it now. I pushed way too far. Run until I black out. Wake up. Repeat. For days and days, or however long I've been free. I don't know. Every time I wake I can't tell if minutes have passed or days. I would push myself back to my feet and run. Because distance is all that matters. I made the right call avoiding the roads. The cameras. The soles of my feet are battered and wail in pain, but for every step I took was a minute longer I got to feel the sun kiss my scales and the gentle caress of the wind upon my neck. The cool soil seeping into my burning side. Fresh air in my lungs. Faint mist on my back.
I should've calmed down. I'm wasting what little time I have left stuck here in misery. I missed my chance to escape. My saviors were predators, but it would've been a better fate. And they're everywhere. Monsters and Predators alike. The whole planet is getting what it deserves. I made my choice, but now I'm squandering it. At least the soil is nice. Even as broken as I feel, it is only temporary. I know this is heaven. I wouldn't trade it for anything else. Even if my tongue is dried and bleeding.
I.
Just.
Need.
To.
Get.
Up.
no no no no no. Hurts. Hurts hurts hurts.
UP.
My body rebels. I settle on crawling. Dragging my tainted digits through the soil and forcing myself through the mud.
Puddle. Puddle Puddle Puddle.
I'm glad to be alive. I'm glad for this puddle. It's my whole world. I crawl to it as quickly as my body allows and beyond, but I'm too dehydrated to cry at the lancing pain in my joints. I slip and tumble into it face first, a cold shock making me freeze up. I don't even try to drink at first, my eyes closed as I lay partially submerged in this brackish water. It makes me feel slightly better as the cold gently eases my neck muscles, and I feel the rest of my body cramping up again.
Imagine drowning in a claw of water. I'm suddenly terrified that it's possible. I throw an arm out and dig it deep into the mud, clawing silt as I awkwardly pull myself in sideways. I roll, splashing the rest of the way in and feeling my poorly treated scales weep as the cold bleeds into them. I lay my head sideways and drink, gagging at the taste but unable to stop myself. I still can't cry, but my face is still trying to produce tears anyways.
In delirium, I notice the corner of a structure well above me. It's a pole, made of metal and towering well above me. Morning dew drips off of it and into my eye not currently submerged, and I blink it away.
Thank you pole. You're a life saver.
I don't plan on moving for a while, so I don't. The dew drips onto my snout several times, and my body rejoices at the cool water I've partially submerged myself in. The silt in my mouth is a necessary and tolerable evil from my desperate dive, and I angle my snout so that I can catch the fresh dew dripping from above instead. It tastes far better than the puddle, and for the first time in ever, I feel a smile creeping on my face.
.*~*.
I blink lazily, one eyelid operating a few seconds behind the other. I feel better. This blackout felt more natural, less forced. Like a gentle wave over my mind than the harsh crack of a baton. My mouth is still full of silt that I spit out, and a moment later I realize I can spit again. The bitter taste of blood in my mouth is faint now, and the joy of having a wet palate can't be described.
ow.
It hurts to move. I try again, but my flesh feels like it's been filled with concrete. My muscles are too tight on my bones. Stiffly, I try again, making little progress, but still progress. I edge out a claw at a time, barely getting my neck out of the pool before collapsing, the chilly waters leaving me shivering.
Where am I?
A very good question, I ask myself. I don't know. That's the cost of running without direction for so long. I think I'm in a field, judging by the crops looking over me and encompassing my wide vision of the vibrant sky overhead.
Yeah... that's it. I'm in a field. Brilliant observation skills.
I try again, but nothing new comes up. For the first time since I fled, I think about what I'm going to do. I'm free. I'm free. What am I going to do now that I'm free? How long do I have? I know the answer to that already. I have a long time. Everybody that knew me is dead and gone. I just need to be careful and not ruin this chance. I should try and find a town. Cities are too big, too many problems could come up. Too many exterminators. I could start over off the beaten path. Somewhere I can hide in plain sight.
This is Sillis. Being me shouldn't be an issue. I... I can get a labor job somewhere. Change my name. What can I do?
...
What can I do?
What is my name?
"Oh dear." I whispered quietly to myself, brows furrowing. Odd. How odd. I can move on from that. Makes starting a new life easier. Something that isn't four walls and a paper thin mattress. Something outside. I just... need to get... out of this darn puddle. No, still not happening. Ouch.
I splash my paw into the puddle in frustration, using about the full range of motion I seem capable of in a mild fit. I want to stay on the move, but the consequences of my poor decision making have come back to bite me right on the rear. At least I have some time to think.
I could try the lumber industry. That's usually away from people. I think I can figure out how to knock down trees, or at least fix up the machines that can. Maybe I can join a farm around here once I'm cleaned up. There's always something to do on a farm. Like counting shipments, or unloading shipments, or loading them. Maybe I can fix things around the property. Golly, I hope I know how to fix the automated machinery. That would really be nice.
Ooh! I could try and be a tram service maintenance operator. Wait, no no no. That requires background checks, I think. Darn it. Uuuh, road utility services? No, that'll take me into cities one way or another. There's a ton of work with drainage systems and water run off here. I could get good money for that since it's risky. Pollutants, constant thundering streams of water. I think I can go with that. There would be a lot of rural investigations that I could apply for. If not, I'm certain the underground construction projects would bear fruit. I'll miss the sun but nobody would bother me too much... no, still too many people. Drainage systems it is!
A faint whistle catches my ear and I freeze, tilting my head as something green flies just overhead. It clips several stalks and leaves as it passes, but seems unbothered as the severed branches fall to the ground and leaves gently cascade after. I follow its path with an eye and it vanishes between some tall plants, leaving me alone just as quickly as-
Nope, the same thing floats by again, darting between crops once more directly above me. It's odd, I can't hear wing beats or buzzing, or see anything keeping it airborne as it passed, and I wait with baited breath to see if it shows itself again. I don't know what I feel, but it isn't terror. It's... something. Curiosity? This time I hear a chirrup, but it's close. I don't see it float by, and painfully I crane my neck and look at the other side of the puddle.
It's an insectoid of some kind, strangely wide and flat. It looks pretty similar to the leaves on the many trees that I've seen since I got out, with uneven, tapered sides. It has a few pairs of legs, and it scuttles to the puddle and dips the front of its body towards the surface. It really does look like a large leaf, but my observation is cut short when the bug abruptly stops moving within barely a claw of the water, a pair of forward facing compound eyes snug against the stem near the tip of its body. It chirps again, and I see narrow maw under the front of this creature, a slim set of fangs briefly glinting in the sun before its mandibles hide them.
"Oh dear." I manage to whisper.
With remarkable dexterity it hops across the body of water and splashes down on top of me, and several legs grip my ribs and arms. My tail flicks under the water's surface, but I don't move as the thing's maw looms over my snout. A smaller set of feelers touch my scales and let it guide where it can't see, and it pecks at my nostril once. I smell ozone and feel a different fire burn in my core, and relax.
This isn't ideal. It really isn't. But it's still better that what once was. You won't hurt me for too long. You're better than they ever were.
Trading my cell for this... it's not that scary. Somehow, despite this predator straddling me and chewing on my snout, I'm not scared of it. I have alarms shrieking in my ears and ozone burning my nostrils and wrists. Bubbly poison twisting my insides and making me gag. I'm terrified of that, but that's long gone. That broken visage cuts deep, but it leaves me feeling empty. I'm alone with this thing pecking at my skull, occasionally chirping or hissing softly as it chews over my scales.
It's little mandibles flutter over my cheek and squish it, the fangs behind it pricking at my scales but never really puncturing. It's odd, almost exploratory. I hear a faint plip as some dew from the pole overhead drips onto the creature, and it leans back slightly to presumably look up. It lowers back down on me, and I wince as it gets a little rougher. It halts for a moment, mandibles still dancing over my scales, before I feel a set of legs slip past my arms and latch onto my back.
I grit my teeth, expecting it to finally lunge down and bite into my flesh as the rest of it's body tenses, but with a start it lifts me up with strength I didn't think it had. My back scrapes along the mud as it lifts me and drags me partially out of the muck. It lowers me down just as quickly as it started, leaving a bit of my upper body out of the water and in the warm air. I blink as it lowers its body down onto my own, legs tightening its grip on me as it presses itself against me. It chirrups again and resumes nibbling on my neck, and my mind absently puzzles over this change of events.
It's roosting on me. Is it my body heat? I feel cold, but maybe it's colder. I wish I knew what you were. I'm glad you're not really biting me. It tickles, stop!
I couldn't help but squeak out a laugh, despite the very present danger I was in. The bug tensed for a moment but didn't sink its fangs into my neck, and after a moment it resumed licking at me. Slowly, it's legs tightened on my body and it pressed itself against me further, and it hissed softly. I closed my eyes when it's maw pressed against me, but once again no bite split me open and drained my lifeblood. It's mandibles tickled my scales some more as the creature flattened out, the ridges of its body laying in the mud as it settled down. I was all but buried under the thing that was almost as big as me, and my tail swished lightly in the water.
Once again, I find myself stuck. I wasn't going anywhere anyways, but now I'm very stuck. Hopefully it doesn't get peckish. This thing could definitely eat me if it wanted to. It's funny that I'm supposed to fear it. All those training exercises failed. Every test and experiment. Maybe it enforced the wrong behavior. I think I might've been respectfully afraid of this creature once, but that part of me is all burned up. If it existed at all.
.~*~.
I've missed the novelty of clouds. Sillis has an overabundance of them, but so far I've been lucky that none of the ones passing overhead were angry. It's almost odd that no rain has come, but I'm glad. I faintly remember that the rains could become acidic if there's too long a pause between storms. Too much smoke or warp residue building up in the atmosphere.
So far I've counted two absolutely towering thunderheads and small storm systems roll by in all their stunning glory, and dozens of smaller offsets in their wake. Hundreds of individual clouds dot the skies, not quite blanketing it yet. It's pleasant, even within the grasp of a large, sleeping predator that's fully enveloped me. I can feel it's diaphragm shifting ever so slightly on my chest, and it twitches occasionally.
I don't mind. For now, things are peaceful. I'm enjoying that. At least, until something crunched a few rows over.
That sounds a lot bigger than this predator.
The creature shifts slightly but doesn't wake as whatever else is out there stalks through the crops. It has to be a predator, from how quiet it moves. Every little rustle and faint step happen far from each other, and my mind immediately jumps to an ambush hunter. Carefully, I move my head to catch a glimpse of the thing, trying not to disturb the slumbering creature that is currently resting it's mouth on my neck. My scales fade into a dirty black that matches the soil, and I squint to hide my eyes from whatever is out there.
There's movement on my left, something tall shifting between the crops a few rows down. I hear a rumbling noise- a deep based growl, and the back of my skull itches.
"...D-1?"
No no no no no. I don't want to go back. I want to be free.
I know what the thing is. It's a new predator. A sapient one. The same ones that freed me. The same ones that wanted to herd me onto a ship. I can't do this. Sapient predators are cruel, far crueler than the average ones. A normal predator wasn't personal about the kill. It could be reasoned with. Where did that come from? A sapient predator was ruthless for entertainment.
I owe them my life.
They'll just take it.
There's a rustle from a different direction, and a behemoth steps out of the crops far closer to me than I would prefer. It is armored like the many I've seen before, but I realize instead of a firearm it wields a bulky tool of some kind tightly in its paws. It dawns on me that it's colors are different, green and blue instead of solid blue, and there's a colorful flag of some kind pressed on the garments of its arm.
"Copy." It rumbled quietly.
"Crikey, you spooked me there!" the other predator whispered, changing course. Thankfully the closest one broke off to meet it, and they stopped one row over. It was best I stay still. Their hearing was better than they let on. "Okay, did you get it done?"
I can't see them clearly, but some non verbal communication must have occurred because the one predator continues speaking.
"Good. Look, trouble is coming. A fellow seppo noticed the ordinance went missing. He's suspicious. There'll be heat soon. Have you made any progress with the other front?" A pause. "Same. I've dealt with several of his goons, but none knew anything good."
"I'll have him tonight."
"...D-1?"
"An exterminator account and reversed polarity on some switches works wonders."
"...you seppos are terrifying."
"We're a world power for a reason."
"...yeah. Do you have the drive? Nice. You keep this up and we'll have everything we need from this planet before Christmas. We're going to make things right." There's an odd grunt, and one of them starts rumbling quietly in what translates as amusement. "Involved in peace. What do they really think this accomplishes?"
"Don't care. We find our whales and move on."
"Come on, we can have some more fun if we're careful! Don't act like that doesn't entertain you after that bomber plot of yours!"
"S-4," there's an undertone in that growl that makes my scales shrink, "remember the prize."
"...God, you're a hard ass. Fine. I'm certain you're carrying that giant wrench for peaceful reasons and not to crack open any skulls out here. I'll check the smuggling routes. Rig up something to keep these bugs under our thumb. You keep being you. I need to move before they notice I'm gone."
Faint footsteps leading away, and I sighed. While brief, just being around them made my scales crawl-
The crops right beside me parted, and the other predator stepped out. It's covered foot splashed into the puddle, and stirred the predator enveloping me. Much to my horror the thing chirruped and hissed, releasing me and spinning around. The apex predator looked down at the smaller thing and regarded it.
:)
The drawing on the mask was comical, and not at all what I was expecting. Most humans didn't wear masks, so blinding terror didn't sweep me away. I almost laughed at the absurdity of concealing one's face, only to make a lazy drawing of a face overtop of it.
The smaller predator didn't find it nearly as confusing or entertaining as I did, and hissed. The apex didn't falter, but surprisingly held its ground despite being threatened by a lesser predator.
Most predators would make a threat back and assert itself. Or lash out. What is this one up too? It's not acting submissive so it isn't backing down. But it isn't retaliating either. Does it need to? It's using it's own size as a deterrent.
My thoughts are interrupted when my toothy cover abruptly spins and flees, gaining air under its body and become airborne. It slashes through a row of crops and is gone, just like how it arrived. The apex still hasn't moved. It takes a few steps forward, nearing me. I can't tell if it's looking at me or not so I close my eyes tight, hoping that my eyes hadn't given me away. There's a thump right beside me and I flinch. I can feel it's presence. It has stopped walking.
It knows. Somehow it sees me. It knows it knows it knows.
Something warm grazes my neck and I flinch again, despite myself. I can't do it. I don't want to die with my eyes closed. I want to see the sun and the clouds and the crops, not this faux darkness.
I open my eyes and it's right there, crouched over me. I can't bother with wasting my energy by screaming. It saw through my camouflage and had a paw to my neck. I wished it to be merciful and just strike me down with the wrench it brought, but it doesn't. Instead it plunges its paw into the water, under my rump. It rips me out of the water and I gasp as its other paw slips down under my shoulders and lifts, but my mind catches up a moment later when it pressed me against it's chest instead of its mouth, forsaking my exposed stomach. It's grip loosens slightly and it adjusts, an arm under my shoulder blades and legs. I can feel the muscles rippling in it's grip, and how easily it could fold me over backwards and squish me. I've seen it first hand.
But it's so gently. So unbelievably gentle. I don't remember the last time I was touched like this. Something in a dark recess of my mind wavered, and I realized I'd curled my tail around the creature's arm without meaning to. It holds me a little closer, nowhere near enough to hurt, and my scales start to change to match the colors it wears. It's not looking at me, the mask is angled too far up. We're moving at a blinding pace suddenly, the rows of crops blurring in my vision. It doesn't stop. This apex runs like a machine, each breath consistent and calculated to a rhythm I notice. Its breathing labors but it keeps going, warm jets of air spitting out the bottom of its mask and onto my soggy, damp form.
It's so warm. I didn't realize the chill of the water until now but I'm shivering. My body takes over for my confused mind and curls into the predator's grasp, trying to get as much warmth from the human's rough garments as I can. I don't know what's come over me. I don't know where it's taking me. I don't care. I can't escape it, and if this thing kills me it was at least kind enough to be gentle.
The skies are so beautiful. I try and focus on them but all I can really see is the predator's mask. I can see the bottom of it's jaw, the taught muscles there. I dread what its face looks like in this moment under that mask. Its digits tighten on my shoulder and side in response to me curling into it, and absently I wonder how this predator is the same as the ones from days ago with their thundering bellows and ruthless firepower.
The apex thunders out of the field and I'm assaulted by new sights. There's a few dozen of them roving around a clearing by several vehicles.
I also spot an Exterminator's van, and my claws unsheathe. The predator winces and I realize I've nailed him with them, but he doesn't throw me down or bark at me. He sprints by the van without stopping, but I see several Tilfish locked inside and doomed to a terrible fate worse than being eaten.
"Ambulance!?" It barks sharply, out of breath. It skids to a stop beside one of the transports, clutching me firmly.
"Just left with the patient. Where the hell did this one come from?" An unmasked predator growled, eyes beady and looking over me. Mine made an odd jerking motion and continued.
"Get Doc."
"I will. What hospital are we calling?" The thought of a clinical space makes me flinch. White walls. White floors. Cold tiles. Needles. Beeping. Humming. Frying.
"None. Operational security."
The other predator screwed its face up and departed, and abruptly mine was sitting down on the back of one of the trucks. Gently I was plopped down on its lap, and I watched transfixed as it peeled its armor off, then its outer garment. There's an image of a veiled human on the back with its eyes closed, head craned down. Its hands are clasped together in thought, and the meaning of it goes over my head.
The predator is a lot smaller than I thought it was. It gently lifts me and set me in the garment, before it starts wiping me down with it. I'm too sore to fight it, and the cloth is exceptionally warm from the creature's body heat. It pulls me closer and holds me in a way that makes my chest hurt, and it looks out at an approaching predator. It rumbles softly.
"You're going to be okay."
My body relaxes despite my mind's warnings. I'm wrapped up in this garment it wore. I can't escape it. But it's warm. The material soaks up the water on my skin, and wipes away the grime and muck I've accumulated over the days. Slowly, my scales begin to shift again, bleeding back to my normal tan coloration.
"Did something finally bite you Sunshine? I haven't seen you run like that in- oh-kay." The approaching predator flinched when it got close and tensed up.
It wants to eat me. This one- Sunshine- it won't let it without a fight. Are they going to eat me? Sunshine won't. Right?
"I thought there was only one victim." The predator rumbled after a moment, creeping closer. I shrank into the material and took on it's color, only for a warm paw to settle on my arm.
"You're fine." Sunshine whispered. It looked up at the approaching predator and jerked its head awkwardly. "There is. Look at it. Do you see it too?"
Gently, it lifted my arm. I was too stiff to pull it back, not that I could've against its powerful grip. I was completely exposed to this other predator.
"Relax. Please." Sunshine whispered once more. The growl was soft, and I looked up at the mask above me. The grip on my arm was careful, I realized. I could pull away right now. Slowly, my scales lightened. The other predator leaned in closer and I flashed white and yellow briefly, but Sunshine propped me up a bit and started gently poking at sore parts of my body. My ribs. My neck. "Here. And... and here."
The other predator's eyes seemed to get bigger. Something deeper changed in its face. "Holy shit." It made to move forward and I reeled back, pressing myself further into Sunshine. The predator immediately froze and slunk back.
"He can help." Sunshine rumbled softly.
Oh dear. Oh dear.
It touched me. It's diminutive nails didn't rend into my scales as it touched my ribs, prodding them softly. Sunshine adjusted how it sat so that the other predator could have better access to me, and I couldn't help but focus on the skies again as it assessed what part of me it wanted.
Sunshine won't let it eat me.
I don't know where the thought came from, but it was firm. I believed it entirely. Even though Sunshine was a sapient predator, it wouldn't let it happen. Maybe it claimed me as its own already. I... I had doubts I would be eaten. The thoughts were there, but Sunshine had a perfect chance already. Unless it wanted to flaunt its catch first, which the Arxur did- but it was gentle. Sunshine was better than an Arxur.
"Malnourished, deep sores. Ulcers. There's bruising up and down the rib cage. Jesus- sorry."
"They're old. Persistent. Its feet."
"What about..." The predator got quiet. I felt my scales shift in worry as it gingerly lifted one of my legs. It remained quiet, but its face stretched further. "What happened?"
It was looking at me. Asking me. I shrank further into the fabric, but there was nowhere to go. The silence was unbearable, and I started trembling.
The silence continued.
"A runaway." Sunshine rumbled after forever. I didn't understand what that meant. My translator didn't pick it up quite right. Run-away? Like fleeing? Was that what these predators called their prey? No... no that didn't seem right. It was possible, but...
"Could have been kidnapped." Another word I didn't understand, but my translator worked on the other predator. Stealing a person by force? Using fear outside of the law? How did predators have such a word? "We need to get it to the hospital. Figure out what happened and how it ended up in this field."
NO NO NO NO NO
Sunshine's arms draped over me before I could escape, my attempt no better than a drunk Mazic trying to fit through a Venlil sized door. I couldn't stop the whine in my throat, but its soft digits down my back froze me. A subtle noise filtered out behind the mask, and it settled me back down in its garment. It picked up an edge lined with little metal teeth and draped it over me, blocking my sight from the other predator. I felt safe, suddenly. Sunshine's firm grip on my body didn't feel threatening. It felt like a promise, as it carefully pulled me against it's bulk. I was warm, despite my terror.
"Zuda will handle it. No hospitals. This stays with us."
"Sunshine," the other predator protested, "we need to figure out what happened!"
"Think, Doc." Sunshine growled, and this was no doubt a warning. I felt relief that the difference between the two growls was so obvious.
"What?"
"Think. Use your head."
There was a period of silence. "You don't... that can't be right." I didn't understand what conclusion it made.
"The injuries are uniform. Too clean to be anything else."
They can't know. How can they know?
"We need confirmation!"
"We already have it." Sunshine stated, and slowly the fabric was lifted off of my head. I blinked, and noticed that the other predator had changed a different shade.
That's odd. Are you predators like me?
That's terrifying. I'm not a threat. I'm me.
"It reacted to the van and mention of a hospital, Doc. Nobody outside the UN hears of this. Operational security."
It... does Sunshine know? How do they know?
"What the fuck is this planet, Sunshine?" The other predator lamented.
Sunshine didn't respond. He looked around at the surrounding encampment, and I realized it was shrinking. They were leaving. A few other predators were subtly watching as they worked, but I doubted they could hear the conversation with how quiet it was. I realize there's a few Venlil in their ranks, unbothered by their presence and even wearing garments similar to the predators around them.
A digit tapped the end of my snout and I flinched, looking up at Sunshine. It's paw retracted as the other predator withdrew a medical kit with a paw print on it and began to unclasp it. "You're safe. We're... we're going to help."
You know. You know what I am. And you're helping me anyway. Why are you helping me? I'm weak. I'm dangerous. But not to you. You're an apex. Is that why? Does your species stick together, unlike the Arxur? Do you uplift those around you, no matter if they're prey or dangerous? The Venlil are not afraid of you. You must not eat them. What do you eat? It has to be meat. But, it must be something that they can handle. Does what makes me dangerous fall away under your hierarchy? I hope it does. It doesn't seem real. I guess to you, what makes me a threat is meaningless.
I believe Sunshine. I really do. When the other predator comes forward with a healing gel, I surrender.
I am safe.

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Welcome to PART V of our indepth Gorou Amamiya slash Aqua Hoshino character study slash theory slash plot preditction slash literally my obsession :) To start off we'll quickly recap the content of the last 4 parts. If you are new here I highly suggest to read into PART I's introduction as it tells you everything we want to archive with this study series.
We are already at the end of this journy, as we can - now after 4 parts of meaningful and important build up - finally look at Aqua's current actions in an entirely new challenging perspective. It is still my conviction that if we don't appreciate Aqua's struggle on it's full scale we won't fully grasp the Cathasis that follows his tragedy, which - under the impression that Aka is cooking some really good stuff - would be a real shame. Aqua is the most active plot-shaping protagonist, understanding the depthness of his actions is almost identical to understand the actual plot itself. For that matter as expressed in PART I I hope this series might enhance some people's future chapter reading experience and transform hostility towards Aqua into tragic compassion.
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PART I

• Who is Gorou Amamiya?
• Why is he obsessed over the Idol Ai Hoshino?
• Gorou's longing for love
• Gorou's suppressed trauma passed down to Aqua
• Why doesn't he warn her about the culprit?
• What's the difference between his and Ruby's relation to Ai?
• What exactly is the meaning of Ai's death to Gorou?
• Is he really guilty?

PART II

• Why does he feel guilty?
• The guilt-complex actually a trauma of Gorou?
• Why is Gorou not guilty?
• Gorou's mother vs. Ai
• Gorou's Grandfather and his influence on Gorou's trauma
• Aqua's delusion as consequence of Gorou's guilt-complex
• The Crow Girl as a therapist and guide
• Self-realization vs. indoctrination

PART III - Intermezzo -

• Exploration of symbols and meanings at the beginning of the story
• The Sanatorium and the Cure for Entertainment and the Heroe's Journey
• A sick and poisened entertainment industry
• What is the connection between Gorou, Sarina and Ai on that symbolic level?
• Who is the main antagonist to the Goddess of Entertainment?
• Ai's transformation from Venus to Maria
• Ai's love, Ai's legacy and Ai's wish

PART IV

• Ai's wish in full detail
• Ai's and Gotanda's vision
• Ruby's future as an Idol Aqua's as an actor
• Aqua's acting skill
• Aqua's "Director's Eye" genius
• What is Aqua's fundamental misunderstanding?

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PART V
We will analyze his manipulations beginning from C95 until C119 as an ongoing efford to prepare his role as the movie's culprit. Everything Aqua does serves this end. It's what I called in last episode his "Director's Eye" that sets the stage to force a certain outcome with this movie which will let Hikaru Kamiki suffer and at the same time destroy Aqua too. In this regard the last episode's analysis of his TV-Series role in "I'll want it sweet today" turns out to almost be a blueprint for what is actually happening right now: Aqua generates content, directs the emotions and feeling of all actors who take part in the movie to get them as complice to the story Aqua himself wants to tell as possible. He envisioned "intent that can't be put into words" yes, Aqua's intent, since we found out with undeniable certainty that his story does not reflect Ai's true wish at all. Although he things it does and by that enters a path of disaster.
In this essay we also kinda come back to our roots and core strength of this study overall: Psychology, a bit of ethics and philosohpy.
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HIS NAME IS
*
After a rather boring and stagnate interum period for Aqua during which he thought his revenge is over he gets redpilled by Ichigo. As it turns out his story is chronologically impossible. Ai's murderer is still alive. After his awakening in the rain we essentially have a significant timeskip until Akane's red carpet event. During this timeskip Aqua installed a GPS tracker on her.
As you recall in their little showdown in which Aqua told her to back the f up he told her that he wired her sometime after his love for her ended. When he learned how ridiculousness his blind believe in Taiki's story was, he understood that a sharp mind like Akane for sure wasn't fooled at all. She knew about the fundamental flaw in Aqua's belief but wouldn't tell him for selfish reasons: Out of protection as she puts it and out of desire for Aqua to stabilize so he can focus on her instead of his revenge. Aqua felt betrayed and manipulated.
However he concludes that in the improbable case in which she finds something out she would probably go about it behind his back. To keep track with her he installed the device. It wasn't expected to be fruitful but the chance was still there. And since I don't believe that the events just all followed one after another - this would be too much of weird coincidences - I proposed that there was a significant timeskip between him installing the tracker on her and Akane's first contact with Hikaru's white roses.
Since this whole deal between Aqua and Akane had led to some confusion in the community I just wanted to give my personal take on how it went down the most coherent and logical way and therefore explain in advance how - in contrast to what will follow - this incident was not directly planned but just anticipated or hoped for by Aqua. However in the next paragraphs we will look into his personal involvement as prep for the movie.
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Additionally the separation from Akane is important to highlight his conviction. This is the first time we see his awakened two black starry eyes, so this scene serves as a warning signal: Shit is about to go down. "I can't go back anymore. I have no choice but to take this road" - it's basically the premonition that from now on there are absoluty no more compromises in terms of his own destruction. Well, we will later see how the helping and selfless ambivalence of Gorou's soul will have a saying in that too.
But what can we overall expect? Is there anything to grasp?Well, yes! Lets look at Ruby for that matter. Maybe her arc during Aqua's hiatus literally served to insert the capability of a double starry black eyes. We've learned how ruthless Ruby was with Her unprecendented fast rise as both an idol but also as the main driving force in that cosplay-scandal to sneak to the top had the function to educate us that people with those eyes are highly creative and effective in such dirty games.
Under this light it becomes tangible to which extent Aqua is capable to plot. Aqua - a guy whose intellect, dead serious conviction and amount of information versus Ruby's is unquestionable superior.
​
​
THE GREAT PLAN
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"The curtain for the final scene has already risen. I can't go back now that ...the Article about Ai was been published" (Aqua to Ichigo after Ai's secret got exposed)

​
We have to look at the plot backwards because what we as the reader might know right now as of C119 was essentially known to Aqua himself right from the start, since he is 15 years old.... Thus the information gap that we had back then when for the first time experiencing the Chapters after his awakening are highly deceptive while at the same time when we reflect them with the knowledge we have now they are incredibly coherent and any commentary Aqua does follows a tight schedule of his great plan and makes perfect sense.
Now of course we have to talk about Aqua's DVD. We know that Aqua received it by age 15 and it probably contains in one way or another following infos:

• Aqua receives this DVD in case Ai doesnt live anymore
• She worked on a documentary with Gotanda. Gotanda holds video files in his possesion that reveal her backstory and true self and while this real self is in total opposition to her public perception (and the perception her children share for that matter too) she wants it to be made public when they turn 15 - essentially when they are old enough to handle the truth -> "15-Year Lie"
• In the case something happened to her and the documentary wasn't released she wants them to release it / release it in form of a movie perhaps.

I believe that the documentary/movie is content of Aqua's DVD because Gontanda used it in his dialog with Ruby as a sufficient reason that Aqua is not to blame but ultimately also not Gotanda for that matter. Essentially the DVD had to cover her wish to release the files too and not just the secret about her kids otherwise Ruby woud literally flip out about their plans to make a movie. He in fact was actually suprised that Ruby is not involved yet. Heckin' siscon!
Essentially with Aqua's DVD Ai passed down her legacy to Aqua. He is from there on entitled to speak with Gotanda about that, as he is aware of his involvement with Ai to produce such documentary. I can't say if he watched those recordings or read the script behind Gotanda's back while working at his place but at least he definitely knew these exist and that Gotanda promised her to propose a movie if her secret about her kids gets exposed. However Aqua had no intention to progress this yet. When he turned 15 he was already for 10 years working out his own plans regarding his biological father. So when he got that DVD he already was preoccupied by both his trauma and the legitimation of following through his own plan. He postponed her wish to release her truth until he got his father's identity figured out.
The fact that he ignored the content of his DVD during his "hiatus" when he thought his father is dead goes to show how self absorbed he is about this whole thing. But at the same time this is absolutely coherent with the underlaying psyche that predispostions Aqua's mind and was inherited from Gorou, because the core misunderstanding that evolves around her death scene is that Gorou - instead of realizing the truthfull reenactment of his mother's unconditonal love - found himself guilty of his mother's death when she gave birth to him and thus perceived the reenacted wonder as a violent reenacted curse, instead self-realiztation and salvation from his guilt-complex, he perceived the "final scene" as a reason to trigger the most self-destructing form of his trauma.
There is actually also a common theme here and that's his inability at some point to stay chronolically coherent inside his deluted belief system. We witnessed it for the first time after his mental abusement through the Tokyo Blade stage play where his exhausted mind after a month of hardship was released by that far too easy to refute proclamation of his father's death. At this point he was mentally so drained that he accepted this story - he accepted it because it fitted his own state of mind at that time the best. Now in regard to Ai's wish its a similar phenomenom overall. Because in the deduction of her true wish or "intetion of the author" (which we figured out in the last PART should actually be Aqua's core strength hence the "Director's Eye") Aqua should have to take the murder itself out of the equation of analysis. Ai didn't anticipated to die in that way and most directly in her last words she did'nt anticipate for Aqua to die through his revenge plot. The message and legacy she passed down on the DVD before she died and the spirit that drove her to record that documentary with Gotanda before she died reflect her true wish in her last intimate words towards her kids when she died. But Aqua's deluted absorbtion by revenge on himself through his guilt-complex sets her murder as the fundamental premise to deduce her true wish, while her true wish was formulated without even thinking about her murder as some token of it. Aqua's understanding of her true wish is in this sense again chronologically impossible to be true, because it again fitted his own state of mind at this time.
When Ai's secret was exposed however Aqua immediately contacted Gotanda and showed him the content of his DVD. This also explains why Gontanda could mention the DVD in front of Ruby. Aqua basically came on "fai" terms with Gontanda, explained to him that he knows the whole time etc. With that Aqua maneuvered himself into the script writing, which is basically his intention overall. His "Director's Eye" kicks here in. Since he thinks only he understands Ai's true wish he has to rework Gontanda's script as fits his own vision. I think the fact that he was actually present at the real "final scene" when the culprit killed Ai gave him leverage to persuade Gotanda to turn the movie into an actual tragedy and not a documentary. In fact it was Aqua who includes the final scene and probably argues that this final scene is literally the essential content to fulfill Ai's wish. So again we see his delution as mentioned the paragraph before. Thus he proposed to rewrite the script and add the final scene, and maybe even a backstory for the culprit.
( maybe even Hikaru's backstory that only Aqua and Akane know about, thus Akane understands Aqua plan? Remember that Akane would casually drop the info during her research that when you know a name of a person you can find out his whole existence. I think this implies that Aqua can figure out his personal info as well and probably did in preperation before even Ai's secret went public. Thus we have to prepare for the fact that Aqua could've written a backstory for the culprit that mirrors Hikaru's backstory. He wants Hikaru to recognize himself in that character maybe. Just some thoughts, there are not essential to our study rightt now )
Gotanda had to take him in. Both as victim of the tragedy but also a his personal friend sort of (I think it's fair to say that Gotanda perceives him as such. They are also of a similar real age actually.)
But as we saw in PART I and PART II Aqua is due to his trauma completely cut off from the realization that he isn't guilty for Ai's death thus he is completely cut off from realizing her true intentions and instead take her death as his own fundamental premise (because of the deluted guilt-complex) for his interpretation. Thus he doesn't feel any incoherency between his path of self-destruction and revenge and Ai's true wish. But it's chronologically impossible to base her wish on that incident. This is purely GOROU's influence or as we figured out Gorou's grandfather who occupise his schizophrenic traumatized mind. This the fundamental tension that fuels the literal disaster beyond all expectations we are heading right now!
However Aqua made his point towards Gotanda. Well personally I think this is also the reason why the ending is open. As we know it's yet to decide if Ai forgives or condemn the culprit. I believe key to his strange notion is a unresolved ethical and philosophical debate between Gotanda and Aqua. They couldn't agree what's true, what's "the better ending". Maybe they even have some sort of competition going since Gontana himself has some sort of a directing eye. He is not some stupid puppy who doesn't know his shit. He actually has an opinion as an artist on that too and I can see how there is a potential conflict between these two looming.
One uncertainty for me in this is to which extent Gotanda knows about Hikaru Kamiki if he knows at all. I think he doesn't and I think Aqua argued for his editorial influence over the script with purely artistic arguments. Thus I for now stay on the believe that they have an artistic and also a philosophical disagreement in the sense that they kinda both agree on the social phenomenom they want to start with the movie but in reality Aqua knows that his version of the plot will lead to something different then Gotanda envisions. Of course Aqua believes that he's in the right.
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Having said all of that it is of course just my - i think well argued during a course of this 5 part series - theory that happen to work quite well with the underlaying psychology of Gorou/Aqua and interconnects in great detail with the actual plot content. But everyone has to judge for himself how believable this is.
However I think everything what was said in this chapter "The Big Plan" basically sums iitself up in these two Manga pages during Aqua's proposition to Kaburagi.

• First of all it's symbolic that Aqua is the one proposing. It means this is Aqua's story, how he sees it.
• Secondly the sctipt isn't finished yet. It's probably about the open ending or as I suspect its an ongoing debate between Gotanda and Aqua how to archive the social phenomenom Ai intends ("her true intention as an author")
• Thirdly Aqua expresses here his fundamental misconception by basing the whole plot around her murder and thus evalutes the "behind the scenes" that Ai leaked in her documented talks with Gontanda as part of his understand of his true wish where her murder is the quintessential tragic culminating point and where he personally sees the culprit to be condemned for it.
• Last but not least the last panel where Kaburagi would lowkey express his feeling that he and Gontanda were manipulated. These two pages show entirely what was analyzed and theorized in this essay. He kinda can't believe that this is Ai's intention. He suspect Aqua's corruption. But well, a guy like Kaburagi doesn't obsess about ethics, he collects himself instandtly and getsexcited about the project. Only he can produce it, as he puts zealously.

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But the most important and fundamental message in that first panel was that Ai was "killed by a FAN". And here is what I believe is the philosophical or ethical disagreeement between Aqua and Gotanda:

1. If we condemn the culprit the social phenomenom that follows will condemn Idol-Fandom as a whole, maybe even destroy Idol-Culture. Because the culprit as the murderer of the ultimate Idol is the representative of the ultimate Fan, thus the unforgivable guilt he carries is the guilt each and every one of them carries too. Especially if the backstory of Ai portayd her as a deeply troubled girl who finally found happiness as a mother but at the same time - because of these obsessive fans - had to hide her happiness and eventually gets even killed for it. In this story the Otaku is an unbelievably selfish and ignorant monster and has no right to be redemed. Society has to shame him.
2. If we forgive the culprit the social phenomenom that follows will initiate self-realization trough compassion inside the Otaku's mind but also help from society to hear their problems and actually be compassioned about their own mental problems. The "Otaku" but also society - so touched by the gesture that a girl with such a awful background still tried to love her fans and even forgives her murderer - will perceive this almost holy miracle inspirationally to love and forgive and heal, uplift entertainment. Instead of obsessive, absurd and self-absorbed entitlements as a consequence of unhealthy parasocial-relationships they accept the forgiveness granted to them and try to do better and literally let go. In this scenario the impetus of both Ai's message and the social phenomenm will be to blame the business practice behind idol culture or entertainment itself.

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Well, the difference between Gotanda's and Aqua's position is, that one has a noble cause in mind and the other is literally the definition of a tragic hero. His delusion is just some next level shit.
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Epilog
As I stated at the beginning of this chapter we have to look at the plot backwards because what we as the reader might know right now as of C119 was essentially known to Aqua himself right from the start. This method we will pick up again in a following PART VI in which we will take another step back and analyze the whole deal around Ai's family secret exposal.
Yes, yes, we will again argue for a highly unpopular opinion by Aqua fans or a popular opinion by Aqua haters: It was just a scheme initiated by Aqua. Stay tuned for this bit. Did he manipulate Kana or did he not? What clues can we find for it? How is it justifiable? Did he really had a good intent at heart while playing dirty upfront? We will figure that all out....
Thanks for reading!
​
​
***

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TLDR: my question is can I buy a 5.7 94'-95' ecm for my 94' 454 suburban and just swap my chip(s) over?
It looks like all the ecms are the same with different chips but I can't find a forum or anything confirming that. The 5.7 ecms on ebay are sometimes 100 bucks less than the 7.4, and I have both undamaged 7.4 GM chip and my jet chip so I don't need a 3rd... IF you want to help diagnose the problem is below, but its narrowed down pretty well at this point.
Awhile ago my coil and ignition control module bit the dust, never found exact cause but with new icm/distributor and, coil the truck runs but has a minor stutter ever since when the engine is cold. When i plugged in a Jet chip it has the same problem but bogs on the highway really bad and afterfires. I've basically ruled everything out but the ecm, I suspect one of the coil drivers/ignition circuit in the ecm had also been damaged when whatever happened during the time the coil went out. (The only OBD1 code its thrown is EGR, which only pops up every few hundred miles/goes away, the egr is new and it didnt change when i replaced it). I've replaced and upgraded the icm and coil after the problem started with accel brand stuff, no change. same with plugs, wires, cap &rotor, CTS, MAP, the tank, pump, filter are new, and i check for vacuum leaks and did a basic tbi rebuild with new fuel pressure regulator diaphram. Injectors spray pattern looks great. Its been timed by a couple mechanics, both of which scratch their heads at the issue. The distributor was replaced with a napa one so unless somehow the magnetic pickup on it is causing an issue like this i doubt its the culprit.

Marvel Movie! watch Guardians of the Galaxy 3 online for free, Here are options for downloading or watching Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 streaming the full movie online for free ..
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Where To Watch Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Online: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is not available to stream online, but will eventually be coming to Disney+. Based on the release date of other MCU films on streaming, it likely won’t be until mid-July at the earliest. The good news is we won’t have to wait too long for films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to hit the streamer, as the most recent two entries in the MCU (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) both dropped on Disney+ after around 80-89 days.
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How to Watch and Stream Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 For free Currently, no official Disney+ release date has yet been announced for Guardians Of The Galaxy Volume 3.
While Disney has sped up the amount of time it takes for films to be released in cinemas before arriving on Disney+, it is still taking each film’s release on a case-by-case basis, depending on how well the film is doing at the box office. The more successful the film is at the box office, the longer the release to Disney+ will take. Marvel films especially have a slightly longer time between a theatrical release and Disney+ release.
Is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 able to stream? No, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is not on streaming right now. It is exclusively available in cinemas. The movie hit UK cinemas on May 3, and it will premiere in the US and other countries on May 5.
When Is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 Come To Disney Plus? Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is not available to stream online, but will eventually be coming to Disney+. Based on the release date of other MCU films on streaming, it likely won’t be until mid-July at the earliest. The good news is we won’t have to wait too long for films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to hit the streamer, as the most recent two entries in the MCU (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) both dropped on Disney+ after around 80-89 days.
If this timeline is the same, then Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 should come to streaming around late-July to early-August at the latest.
Is Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Available On Hulu? Viewers are saying that they want to view the new MCU movie Guardians of the Galaxy 3 on Hulu. Unfortunately, this is not possible since Hulu currently does not offer any of the free episodes of this series streaming at this time. It will be exclusive to the MTV channel, which you get by subscribing to cable or satellite TV services. You will not be able to watch it on Hulu or any other free streaming service.
Will Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Be Available On HBO MAX? No, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will not be on HBO Max since it is not a Warner Bros. movie. The company previously released its films in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day, however, they have stopped doing that and now allow a 45-day window between the theatrical release and the streaming release.
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How to Watch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Online For Free? Most Viewed, Most Favorite, Top Rating, Top IMDb movies online. Here we can download and watch 123movies movies offline. 123Movies website is the best alternative to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 free online. We will recommend 123Movies is the best Solarmovie alternatives.
There are a few ways to watch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 online in the U.S. You can use a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy the movie on iTunes or Google Play. You can also watch it on-demand or on a streaming app available on your TV or streaming device if you have cable
How To Watch “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.3” Online Free On 123Movies Still Now Here Option’s to Downloading or watching Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 streaming the full movie online for free on 123movies. As mentioned above, the dark fantasy is only released theatrically as of now. So, people who wish to watch the movie free of cost will have to wait for its release on a platform that offers a free trial. However, we encourage our readers to always pay for the content they wish to consume online and refrain from using illegal means.
How To Watch “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.3” Online Free On Reddit The streaming giant has a massive catalog of television shows and movies, but it does not include ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.’ We recommend our readers watch other dark fantasy films like ‘The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.’
When Will Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 On DVD and Blu-ray? As of right now, there is no official date as to when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be available on Blu-ray and DVD, and we likely won’t know for a few weeks.We wouldn’t be too surprised if the film is available to own on physical media sometime in June or early July.
What is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 about? The official synopsis for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 says Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is “still reeling from the loss of Gamora” (which happened in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War). However, he “must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.”
The film’s first official trailer, which was released in December 2022, also teases character flashbacks, battles and classic funny banter between the Guardians. The second trailer, released in February 2023, features Gamora, who has come back to life with no memory of her relationship with Peter Quill.
Beyond that, fans will need to wait until opening day to get more specific story details — but Marvel likes it that way. Saldana admitted that working with Marvel can sometimes be tough because of its strict protocols for preventing leaks. She explained that, on occasion, she’s gotten scripts just hours ahead of shooting.
“That can be annoying sometimes,” she said in an interview for InStyle’s Winter 2022 digital issue. “That’s not cool, because you have to memorize, you have to prepare, you have to do research. And I tend to take myself a little too seriously sometimes.”
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was directed by James Gunn and stars the following actors:
Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord Zoe Saldaña as Gamora Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer Karen Gillan as Nebula Pom Klementieff as Mantis Bradley Cooper as Rocket Vin Diesel as Groot Bradley Cooper as Rocket Sean Gunn as Kraglin Obfonteri Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary Bradley Cooper as Rocket Will Poulter as Adam Warlock Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Spacedog Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord

Why is IG making it so hard to search by hashtags? Maybe I am noticing this late, but I can no longer search RECENT posts with a certain hashtag. The options are "top posts" or "recent TOP posts". So, what is even the point of posting with hashtags? If you're not a "top post" then random people have less chance of seeing you, right?
I honestly like searching recent posts with specific hashtags to discover new people that might not be so popular, but who I might like to follow. This is also damning to those who are in a niche within a community.
I feel like this is taking all of the control out of our hands and forcing us to use and trust their algorithm. We get suggestions about who to follow from them. The algorithm shows us content prioritized over who we actually follow. They are filtering and screening everything. And, their AI cannot detect the nuances that make art...good art. The majority of the suggestions from them are either rubbish, or people who have caved in and pay for advertising. This is very disappointing.

hi all, I have been looking into improving thermals on my H1 V1 for a while now, my rtx 3070 runs hotter than i'd like under load (GPU hot spot up to 99 degrees celsius).
i have installed two 140mm exhaust fans on the back, removed the dust filter from my GPU side, and my next step was to replace the front tempered glass panel with a custom one from etsy to improve airflow. i balked at the price initially (pretty much half of what i paid for the entire case) and was thinking about a cheaper way to make a DIY front panel, and that's when i remembered that I still had the dust filter lying around, and decided on a whim to see if it'd fit the front panel. to my surprise this actually seems to work quite well with the magnet sticking to the top part of the frame, if a bit ugly. this massively improved my GPU temp (hot spot is 10+ degrees cooler under load), and now the only thing to solve for is getting the bottom magnet to stick to something to stay closed.
has anyone else done this as a cheap alternative to buying a custom made panel? any potential issues with using a dust filter as a front panel?
https://imgur.com/a/4ooj0Lj
please excuse the dog hair it's shedding season
edit: fully prepared to be slammed for the ugliness as aesthetics is one of the main reasons to go with the H1, but to me the beauty is in the form factor and not necessarily in the front panel
i also see that someone replaced the glass part of the front panel with a dust filter, which is a lot more involved but maybe fits better https://www.reddit.com/NZXT/comments/n52n9j/nzxt_h1_mod_removed_the_glass_from_the_metal/

--- Table of Contents ---
Autumn 4986, 15 Aoimoth
“Slow down, Squire!” Master Daunas walked around the sixteen Squires. They were all going through the basic motions of knife fighting together, but Shon knew the Weaponsmaster was talking to him specifically. He'd fallen into the rhythm of steel clanging off steel as the eight pairs of Squires went through the practiced strikes of a rehearsed fight. His partner was keeping up, but just barely. If Shon sped up, the boy would fumble, and Shon could disarm him. But that wasn’t the point of this exercise. It wasn’t a sparring match; it was a two man kata. Shon let out a long exhale and slowed down, matching his partner’s pace.
“Sorry,” Kefir, muttered to Shon, “You should try and get Zihler next time. He won’t slow you down.”
Shon arched an eyebrow at Kefir as the two pivoted in unison, spinning but staying together, so they switched places and continued without breaking rhythm. Or that was what was supposed to happen. Kefir stumbled just a little. He still wasn’t very good at quick pivots like that, and knife forms were full of them. Shon slowed down to wait for him to recover, matching his thrust with a counter as rehearsed.
“Don’t give me that look. I know you want to go faster. Zihler’s the most likely to keep... up...” Kefir had to space the last two words as they dodged each other again. More twists and turns he tended to overshoot.
He wasn’t wrong. Shon did want to go faster, wanted to push himself to his limits, and always just a little beyond, but “Speed isn’t the point of this exercise.” Shon said, and Kefir’s brow furrowed. Though if concentrating on Shon’s words or the continued form Shon didn’t know, “It's precision and practice. Keep partnering with Rerves, who's even worse, and you won't improve.”
They slammed together, the hilts of their daggers locking together as they sidestepped in tight circles. Shon could see at least ten different ways he could end a match right here. His left hand was free, as this was a single dagger exercise, and his opponents hardly ever paid attention to his feet. But that wasn’t the point, and Kefir would learn nothing from Shon downing him now, even if it was.
“Thanks,” Kefir spat sarcastically. Shon gave him a purposefully deadpan look in response, and he continued, “You’re the same, though. You won’t get better if you pick the weakest partners.” the two disengaged, jumping back and falling into a ready stance in one motion. Kefir took a heartbeat longer than some of the other boys but didn’t stumble at this speed as he had the last three times they went through the drill.
“I’m better than Zihler…” Shon said, not in pride or arrogance but in truth. When they had first started knife fighting weeks ago, he had partnered with those who seemed to be at the same level as himself or higher. Pushing himself to reach their level and surpass it. Add to that the fact that he often used his free time for more practice, and Shon had jumped to the top of the class as usual only a week into this new weapon.
Shon brought the topic back around to his point, “Practice is practice no matter how fast I go, as long as I have precision.” and, as if to prove his point, the form reached the culminating move, where Shon and Kefir needed to thrust at each other while turning just enough for the blade to pass by their chests. Shon slowed his thrust only at the end, just enough for Kefir to finish his dodge. Adjusting speed in the middle of a strike without pulling it completely wasn't easy, and they both knew it.
That was the end of the kata, and they both stepped back. Kefir looked down at his knife, sighing, “I suck at this, give me a shield or a hammer, and you wouldn’t have to hold yourself back.” he glanced up at Shon and forced a smile he obviously didn’t feel, “Then maybe I could teach you a thing or two…”
Shon nodded, perfectly serious, and when Kefir didn’t seem to understand, he added, “Exactly.”
The bell rang and the other Squires started heading for the weapons rack to return their knives, but Shon held Kefir in place with his eyes. He looked confused, his expression asking the question before his words could, so Shon explained, “You're better at armor and shields than me.”
That actually got a genuine smile from Kefir, “Everyone is better with armor and shields than you, Shon.” Shon humphed but couldn't argue, and Kefir laughed, “You know, if you spent your extra time actually practicing with the stuff you need practice in, instead of the things you're already the best at, you would get better.”
Shon ran his fingers through sweaty hair. It was only two finger widths long but still needed to be cut. He wanted to argue that practicing with the heavy weapons without armor in his free time was the only reason he was still the top in those as well. But instead, he nodded in acquiescence to Kefir’s observation.
“Hey,” Kefir stepped forward and poked Shon with the hilt of his dagger. Even with his thicker winter uniform on, they avoided touching him, “I get what you’re saying. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. Thank you for trying to help me with mine.” The thanks was genuine this time, now that the frustration of the practice was over, and Shon nodded. Kefir continued, “Why don’t we make a deal? I’ll let you help me catch up to you in this if you let me help you with armor work. Master Daunas wants to get you in plate, but if you can’t even move in banded mail, you’ll never make it in the heavier stuff.”
Shon let his head fall back in frustration but nodded. Kefir laughed and the two returned their daggers without further words. Shon split from the rest of the stragglers in the courtyard, moving towards the bench beside the wall and the barrel for catching rainwater beside it. This deep into autumn, the water was sometimes frozen in the mornings, but Shon preferred it that way. Reaching in, he splashed handfuls of it on the back of his neck. The others would be heading for the hot showers, but with sixteen of them and only ten shower heads, Shon would wait until they were all done before washing properly.
“I’ll meet you after study time!” Kefir called as he walked by to try and reach the showers with the first group. Shon waved without turning around. He knew Kefir was right. He should focus his extra time on improving his weaknesses. But that didn’t mean he had to like it.
***
The mess hall where they had their meals had one long table set in the middle with enough space for fifteen Squires on each side. Around it were set smaller circular tables for the Paladins stationed in Hamerfoss and one larger near the door for the officers. Against one wall was another long table with plates, bowls, and food where they would each gather their meal before finding their seats.
The seats weren’t assigned, but Shon always sat at the farthest end of the Squire’s table, with his left facing the walkway so he wouldn’t bump anyone with his elbow as he ate. No one ever took the spot. It was an unspoken consensus amongst the Squires that that was Shon’s seat. The rest tended to congregate in the middle, talking and poking friendly fun at each other, extending their break into the dinner meal.
Shon took his place and started eating without joining in. They didn’t try to include him most of the time, and he was content to just listen. “Hey, Shon,” Rerves called from down the table, and Shon looked up from his plate to show he was listening, “I hear Kefir’s going to help you with armor tonight. Can I come?” Shon shrugged, turning back to his meal. Rerves went back to his conversation, and dinner continued as usual. The Squires ignoring Shon.
They filtered out of the mess hall as they each finished their dinner at their own pace, some heading to the chapel for prayer and others to the library for study. Shon made his way to the library, pausing in the doorway and debating with himself. If he joined the others at the larger table, they would try and talk to him. They seemed to think it was their duty to include him if he was there. But if he sat alone at the two-man table by the window, they would leave him alone. It meant he wouldn’t be able to ask them questions if one came up, but it also meant they wouldn’t bother him with pointless asides…
Tonight, he joined the study group. The subject they'd started a few weeks ago wasn’t one he had taken to easily, an in-depth history of Gasha province, so he wanted to be able to talk when needed.
It started as soon as he finished the first page, “So Shon, when do you think Master Veon-Zih will be back?”
“Winter Solstice,” Shon answered shortly, rereading the sentence. The others whispered around him about Master Veon-Zih, something about if he would dance with the pretty baker again this year…
“Hey Shon, do you know if Monks train in dancing too?”
Shon placed his finger over the paragraph he'd reached, knowing he would have to reread it after the interruption. He shook his head. When they continued to look at him, he sighed, glaring up at them. This was supposed to be study time… “He learned how after he left the Monastery.”
He reread his paragraph and managed to finish the chapter before running his hand through his hair in frustration at the text. Looking up, he said, “We’ve read about the war between Gasha and Swailand, but this doesn’t say anything about why they went to war in the first place.”
“Fishing rights, I think?” Thom answered, flipping through his own book, “Knowing those Horsa Bast…” he cut off before finishing the curse, glancing at the Paladin acting as librarian, before continuing, “I bet they wanted to extend their fishing to the area around Gasha, and they are just as likely to fight each other as us.”
Rehlien slid a new book Shon’s way, “Here, read this one next. It gets into the justification a little more than that one.” Shon nodded his thanks, taking the book and placing it under the one he was still finishing.
But his question had opened the door to more derailing chatter, “You really like to know the why of things, don’t you, Shon?”
Shon nodded, hoping this talk would at least be relevant, but “You’re like that in etiquette too. That’s probably why you struggle so much.” Shon shrugged. Etiquette didn’t seem to have a point, but that wasn’t what they were supposed to be studying now, “I find some things ‘just are’ because of tradition…” the boy trailed off as Shon glared at him, his words freezing in his throat. When silence had returned, Shon went back to his book. He should've just sat alone.
***
Kefir and Rerves were already waiting in the sparring ring by the time Shon showed up dressed in his banded mail. The armor rubbed uncomfortably around his neck and the thick gambeson underneath bunched at his joints, limiting his range of motion by at least a few inches. It also weighed him down, which he'd managed to convince himself was good for strength training, but was incredibly frustrated by for sparring.
Kefir already had his sword and shield and held an extra bastard sword for him, so Shon went right for the ring, stifling a frustrated sigh as he took the proffered weapon.
Rerves grinned at the look on Shon’s face, saying, “We figured you'd be miserable enough in the armor alone, that we should channel some of Soleil's compassion and let you use your best weapon instead of the hammer.” to which Shon was grateful. Making him practice in the armor with a weapon he still hadn’t mastered would've been adding salt to the wound.
“Let’s do some stretches and warm-ups first.” Kefir started, “Your problem isn’t being afraid to take a hit with the armor,” Rerves laughed out loud, but Kefir continued with only a grin, “It’s in having to adjust your mobility. So let's re-imprint that before we try any sparring.”
They went through stretches, the two of them seeming to match Shon in flexibility only because he was hampered by the armor, then moved on to solo sword forms. Even though the armor was only about thirty-five pounds evenly distributed, Shon still felt sluggish. When they moved on to sparring, Rerves beat him soundly while Kefir watched, tilting his head back and forth like Master Daunas and trying to give advice that didn’t help. Shon could fight, he knew the proper blocks and parries better than they did, but too often he would either not make up for his lack of speed or would overcompensate and swing too hard.
Kefir took his turn, lifting his shield and watching Shon raise his sword to the ready, “Honestly, Shon, I don’t know what to do besides have you practice more and just get used to it.”
“Sometimes that’s all you can do,” Rerves said from the side as he slipped off his helmet. Shon knew they were right in some regards but couldn’t entirely dismiss his frustration at the thought that he was missing something that he needed to learn and not just have beaten into him. He was grateful for his companion’s help but annoyed at their inability to teach.
Rerves gave the order to "Lay on!" and Shon and Kefir engaged. Shon could predict Kefir's moves, could practically see them in his mind's eye, but barely reacted in time, his arm not bending as far or fast as he wanted it to. He gritted his teeth, glaring at the other Squire, trying to sidestep around but moving too slow compared to Kefir, who just needed to turn in place. Shon took a step back and planted his feet. If he could force Kefir to make the larger motions, then perhaps he could focus on redirecting the boy’s attacks.
Kefir hesitated. Shon was most dangerous when he stood his ground, and they both knew it. The hesitation just gave Shon more time to try and strategize. Not that it had helped at all before. Maybe if he could somehow slow Kefir down, or focus on trapping his weapon, then it wouldn’t matter that Shon wasn’t as fast as he would be without the damn armor. Kefir tested Shon’s guard with a few half-hearted attacks that Shon deflected, waiting. When the other Squire finally committed fully, Shon let go of his sword with his left hand, twisted to dodge, and grabbed Kefir’s sword arm.
Just stop. Stop long enough for me to hit you… Kefir tried to pull away but couldn’t. Despite the poor grip Shon had with the thick gloves that were part of the armor, the two Squires seemed lashed together. Kefir twisted his shoulders so he could lift his shield to deflect Shon’s oncoming attack, but his feet didn’t move. His eyes went wide, and his shield came up barely in time to hit Shon’s sword, the tip still reaching over to clang off Kefir’s helm with a glancing blow.
Kefir fell backward and Shon, still clinging to his arm, was pulled on top of him. The boy yelled, and Shon rolled, letting go of Kefir and hearing something like glass breaking over the clanging of armor and screaming of his fellow. Shon rolled to absorb the shock of the fall and twisted to find Kefir on his back, his knees still straight and his boots stuck to the ground. Encased in ice.
The ice climbed up his boots to his shins, but Kefir was gripping his arm, trying to pull more ice from where Shon had been holding him. It continued to grow, soon encasing his hand and sword hilt. Rerves rushed forward, trying to help pry the sword free while the ice on his legs grew past his boots and under his greaves. Kefir screamed again, in pain and fear.
The Paladins on the wall began yelling, their leader taking command, sending some to help the boys and others to run for the fortress. Shon watched in horror as Kefir’s legs and arm were slowly encased in ice, his lips trembling and turning blue. He would be covered soon, Shon knew it, could picture it happening, like a waking nightmare. It would trap his brother Squire and anyone else touching it…
The ice started clawing at Rerves fingers, trying to gain hold and freeze him too.
“What in all the hells?!” Master Daunas showed up with a gaggle of Paladins and the Cleric, who all fell around the boys. Some took out their belt knives and tried to break the ice apart; others began to chant spells to either melt the ice or keep Kefir warm.
Master Daunas searched above the throng for answers and, finding Shon, cursed. He ran around the larger group, grabbing Shon by the arm and wrenching him away, practically dragging him across the courtyard towards the fortress proper. Someone called out in triumph as Shon reached the fortress door and Daunas forced him through it.
What had happened? Had they freed Kefir? Would he be alright? What happened?!
Daunas was still cursing as he slammed the door and spun on Shon, who stared blankly through the Weaponmaster. Panic, he was trying so hard not to panic. Was trying to figure out what had happened, trying to play through the entire thing again, picturing it from outside his body. Was the ice what had allowed him to hold on to Kefir? Was it still climbing up Kefir's legs? Was that why the older Squire wasn’t able to pull back and block properly? Had Shon...
“Calm down, boy.” Daunas reached for Shon’s shoulders but pulled back a moment later, shaking his hands and cursing as they reddened from the cold, “Breathe, boy. Look at me, think warm thoughts.”
Think warm thoughts? What did that even mean? Shon found Daunas’s eyes and saw the Weaponmaster scared for the first time, “Breathe, slow and steady, like old man V taught you. You need to control your energy…” his lips were pale and trembling, his breath coming out in a cloud before him. had it been that cold outside? Shon couldn’t feel it...
Shon closed his eyes and breathed. Control his energy… He pulled himself in, finding his center and gathering around it, “That’s it, boy, like that.” Shon breathed in his energy, his ki, holding it in his gut, storing it for later when he could use it to focus a strike and give it more power, just like Master Veon-Zih had taught him. And just like Master had taught him, he tried to let go of his worries, to clear his mind, if only for now.
Kefir would be alright, almost every adult here could cast healing spells, and at least half of them were with him now. It was okay. Shon could relax, let go, calm down… Suddenly exhausted, Shon nearly collapsed right there in the hallway. Daunas caught him, slowly lowering him to the stones.
Shon could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness, but not fast enough to miss Master Daunas’s last curse, “Damn it, boy, why did you have to be a Sorcerer?”
***
“He has to go to the Mages Guild.” Major General Davies Selibra, Paladin head of Hamerfoss, stated to those gathered in his office. It was a simple room containing two sets of closed cabinets on either side of a large desk facing the door with two seats positioned in front of it. Shon sat in one of those seats, his head hanging and fists clenched tightly in his lap.
Master Daunas slammed his palm down on the desk. He seemed too agitated to sit, or perhaps he just didn’t want to sit next to Shon, who was radiating cold like a fire radiated heat, “We can’t, Selibra! He’s the most promising fighter I’ve ever trained. He’ll lose too much time.” the Weaponmaster's words puffed out as white fog from his lips.
Major General Selibra sat behind his desk and rubbed his temples, “It’s the law Daunas, he either needs to get a clearance or be sealed.”
“Can’t be a Paladin with the tattoo…” Smith Nangran muttered from his position leaning on the door. Shon was too focused on his predicament to wonder why the Smith was even here. A thin layer of ice began to form at his feet.
“It’s the law…” Selibra said again, weary, “If he had awakened sooner, he might have been able to get his clearance before training, but…”
Daunas threw his hands into the air, bellowing, “It takes years to get a clearance. If they even let him. Those Mages would rather just mark the boy up and be done with it!”
A sealing tattoo. They would want to block the magic. Seal it away in his body where it couldn’t hurt anyone. Kefir had suffered severe frostbite as well as a broken ankle. Lucky for him, he was surrounded by divine conduits and was fine, but what if Shon lost control again? Who would the ice entomb? Master Veon-Zih? Innocent citizens he was supposed to protect? Shon’s nails dug furrows into his palms as he clenched his fists tighter. The ice crawled up the legs of his chair and crystalized on the backs of his hands.
The adults continued to talk around him, “The law is clear, Daunas. The magic either needs to be trained or sealed. There are no exceptions.” The law never made exceptions. It’s what kept everything running at top proficiency. Shon admired that… and understood it, as even now he couldn't control the sorcerous ice.
Shon tried to slow his breathing, relax his hands. The ice cracked over his fingers as he forced them out of their fists. It was responding to his emotions, his fear, and horror at what he'd done. What he was. If he could just pull it in, stifle the emotions feeding it, then the magic wouldn't be able to control him…
Ice continued to inch up the chair, and Selibra rubbed his hands together to warm them. They'd been pointedly and purposely ignoring the winter-like cold since bringing Shon to the office.
“Tattoos aren’t the only way to seal magic…” Nangran stated from the door. Daunas and Selibra stopped arguing, and Shon’s head shot up. He turned slowly to watch the Smith who combed absently at his beard, “Law says sorcerer magic needs to be trained or sealed, doesn’t say how.”
“I know the law Nangran,” Selibra still sounded defeated. “A council of Mages, including one of the rank Archmage, must determine if a Sorcerer is capable of controlling his or her power. If they determine the power is too great a risk to the kingdom, then said power will be made unable to manifest. Sealed.” the Major General recited, most likely for Shon’s benefit. Shon's heart pounded in his chest, and the fires that lit the room dimmed.
“What are you suggesting?” Daunas asked Nangran curiously. The smith only talked when necessary, using grunts and nods instead of words whenever possible. That was probably why Shon liked him so much. It also meant he wouldn’t have contradicted Selibra unless he had a reason.
“Know a guy. Used to make sealing items for the guild…” Nangran said with a shrug, as though Shon’s future didn’t hinge on his point, “Owes me a favor…”
“You’re not talking about that mad hermit who comes barging in here once or twice a year, are you?” Daunas asked, looking stunned.
Nangran nodded with a confirming hum. “Still Archmage in good standing…”
The Weaponmaster looked ecstatic, shouting, “Nangran, you’re a genius!” he slammed his hands down on the desk again, breath puffing out in thick clouds as his excitement grew. Nangran grunted.
Daunas turned back to the Major General, who actually looked intrigued. Shon’s heart tried to beat its way out of his chest. “This is it, Selibra! This Archmage can make the boy a sealing item. I’m sure the Temple will vouch for him. He’s our top Squire.” Shon was still too terrified to feel proud of the compliment and watched Major General Selibra with wide desperate eyes. Ice started forming on his hands again, looking like clawed talons.
“The Mages Guild hasn’t given out sealing stones for generations…” Selibra hummed, and Shon barely stopped the desperate whine before it could escape, his fingernails drawing blood on his palms as he balled them into fists again, breaking the ice claws. “but we can at least try.” Selibra finished, focusing on Shon, his brown eyes still looking sad, “Are you sure you want this, Shon? As a Paladin, you won’t be able to train with your elemental magic unti-”
“Yes, Sir!” Shon shouted, leaning forward in his seat and breaking the ice off its legs. He fell back a moment later, embarrassed by his outburst. More quietly, he said again, “Yes, Sir. I don’t want this magic. I want to be a Paladin.” more than anything in his entire life, he'd wanted to be a Paladin…
“Very well,” Major General Selibra stood, resting his fingertips on his desk. Speaking as if to himself, he muttered, “Perhaps this is a sign from Hengist.” looking up, he addressed Nangran, “Tomorrow you will take Squire Shon to this Archmage friend of yours. Gods willing, he will be able to seal the sorcerer magic without hindering his divine capabilities.” he failed to hide a shiver from the cold.
***
Her candles burned hot and bright, flickering wildly as She paced around Her little room. Something was happening in Her tower. There were far too many people with strangers' voices out Her window and beyond Her door.
Brom and Ran continued to visit, but they wouldn’t answer Her questions, wouldn’t take Her for samples, or to see Her treasures. The first made Her angry, the second gave Her energy, and the last scared Her enough to stop asking questions. What if they took Her books again? They hadn’t given Her a reason She couldn’t see Her treasures, so maybe they would soon… maybe tomorrow...
***
“Tomorrow,” Morndancer stated as Shaloon let herself into his room. The transfer preparations had taken months. MONTHS! They were Mages. No. Greater than Mages. They were Warlocks. And yet, everything still took far too long. They could instantly communicate with allies across the kingdom but still had to spend time making the proper arrangements. They could travel miles in a blink but still had to painstakingly pack every book and file, disassemble and disenchant the golems guarding the tower over days and even weeks. If it had been a true emergency -if they'd been found- they could've destroyed everything, vanishing all evidence of their presence and research. But the Master Archmages had forbidden it in this case.
“The western Talon is ready to receive us,” Shaloon confirmed, “What of the subjects? Archmage Yarna has no interest in animal husbandry..."
“The Firewyrm is all she is interested in. It is the only reason she agreed to take us.” Morndancer sat on his bed and stared at the pseudodragon perched on his desk, its leathery wings half furled and its tail twitching over the side of the desk, “I will handle the animal subjects tomorrow. Just make sure you are ready to open the portal out when I am done.” she could only open one portal a day, sometimes two but it would leave her incapacitated for at least a day after.
“Tomorrow then,” Shaloon confirmed, leaving him alone with his running mind and the little pretend dragon, that seemed to stare through his skin and into his soul.
***
Shon couldn’t sleep. Once again, his entire future hung on what would happen tomorrow. And just like the divine test and the road to Hamerfoss, there was nothing he could do to speed up the process. It was out of his hands. Out of his control. Just like the ice now clouding the window and the frost freezing the blankets to the mattress.
He tapped the blank page of his open journal with his pencil. The images running through his mind were the last he wanted to solidify on paper. He tried drawing something else… Kefir smiling warmly at him for the second thank you. Rerves leaning forward and shouting to him across the dinner table. The study group conversing in whispers instead of studying…
He wrote about it all between the drawings but everything that happened after pushed at his mind, the scenes forming in his vision. Shon drew Kefir again, lying on his back and tugging at the ice forming on his sword arm. Then a group scene with the Paladins falling around him, their faces focused, and hands glowing with spells to try and save him… Master Daunas’s scared eyes as he ordered Shon to ‘think warm thoughts...'
With two pages full of various sketches and commentary, Shon dropped his pencil and rested his head on his desk. Why? Was this why he was so cold to the touch? Sorcerers were rare; those with ice power were the rarest even amongst them. Should they have noticed something was wrong sooner? Would Hengist really accept someone like him? Chose a Sorcerer to be one of his extensions in Daanlin?
Shon closed his eyes, breathing slowly and trying not to cry. If they forced him to go to the Mages Guild, he would never be able to fight again. He was sure of it. All his hard work and dedication. All those years of disciplined practice, gone in one instance where he lost control. Where he almost killed a friend.
Everything he was, everything he would be, hinged on the following day. “Tomorrow…” Shon whispered into the dark, his candle finally flickering to die in the cold.
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Thanks for making it this far, you are the real MVP