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lookw posted:Nope at least not in game 2 They find her and george in the same room and shes face down on the desk. Before battler can investigate it Rosa shoves him out of the room and they didnt return to confirm the two bodies. quote:Had she seen her own face in the end, in that horribly broken mirror stained with blood? Because she was face down, I couldn't see her face, but I could imagine even without seeing it. Nearby, in the sea of blood she lay in, a demon's stake had fallen... Only the fourth twilight was left. Gouge the head and kill... Reminder to everyone to source your claims. I can think of a couple of arguments here that could have been resolved if the people actually checked the text. tiistai fucked around with this message at 19:42 on Aug 1, 2017 |
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Aug 1, 2017 19:35
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Also in episode 3 Battler see's Shannon's corpse at the same time he sees George'squote:George-aniki lay there crumpled alongside Shannon-chan's corpse. His chest was stained bright red. And judging by his still-opened eyes, I'd hate to say it to Aunt Eva, but I couldn't pick up any signs of life.
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Aug 1, 2017 19:54
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tiistai posted:Reminder to everyone to source your claims. I can think of a couple of arguments here that could have been resolved if the people actually checked the text. Ah my mistake. thank you for pointing that out. i completely missed that. So what commonly accepted theories explains that on the human side?
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Aug 1, 2017 22:13
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Aug 2, 2017 00:53
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Checks out.
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Aug 2, 2017 07:21
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 ...As I gazed at the ceiling from the bed in my dorm room, I looked at my hands. I couldn't sleep. The excitement from the time those keys danced was still there in my fingers... Is this... how Beatrice... how witches... always feel? ...I have a friend who's a witch, called Beatrice. She always used to pull pranks on me with her strange magic. Because I saw this all the time, I thought I knew what magic was. But today... She had possessed my body and used magic with it. The sensation of magic that I finally felt at that time... still held my heart entranced. It was a completely unknown pleasure. Because... By moving my fingertips, I could make the key dance as I wished. It was a strange, strange miracle of magic, something humans could not do. I still couldn't let go of that excitement... ...   Video: World ModificationBGM: Apathy  "...What's up?"Shannon was still awake. Shannon is always early to bed, early to rise. By getting to bed early, all of her weariness disappears by the next day. She lives a model life, one that all servants should respect and admire. If I want to become a loved, respected servant like Shannon, I'll need to act that way too. However, I wasn't confident that I could do that anymore. "I guess... I can't become like you after all."  "...What do you mean? This is a bit abrupt.""You were my ideal. Always."  "...Yeah.""Everyone in the Fukuin House loves you and is kind to you. Since you always played with me, you're the only friend I've ever had. And you're also a wonderful servant, who can carry out any task in the Ushiromiya mansion both flawlessly and gracefully. You were the target I longed to reach. That's... what you were to me." "Yeah. Let's give it our all together. As they say, perseverance prevails. Everyone will grow to acknowledge you more and more. So let's aim to become wonderful servants together.""...I'm... gonna stop being a servant."  "...Huh?" Starting here, Yasu's lines are finally voiced.  "Wh, what do you... mean by witch...?""I did... and still do... wish I could be a servant loved and relied upon by everybody. But right now, I want to be a witch... even more." "Well, that's... ummm... huh...?"Shannon was confused. It was hardly surprising. All this about quitting as a servant was at least understandable. But she didn't know how to answer after hearing that her roommate wanted to become a witch... "A witch. Beatrice. You see, today, Beatrice possessed me and used my body to do magic. That unknown world felt so... thrilling. It was much more thrilling than the time I learned that I'd been selected as an Ushiromiya family servant. It was like learning about a new world. As though I'd been living in a world of darkness all my life and thought I knew what the world was like, then finally learned what light was and saw the world for the first time. It was... joy. Excitement." At that time, Beato had only used my fingers, made a key ring dance, and turned a key into a butterfly before hiding it in a locker. But I had understood it with my body. If I had moved my fingers a different way, the ring could have flown into the air instead of just dancing, and I could have turned it into a scurrying lizard instead of a butterfly. I could have done anything. True, Beatrice's magical power was still weak. It had all happened in the little world behind the backs of the servants filled with the anti-magic toxin. However, inside that tiny, short-lived world, I could do anything at all. Beato just happened to settle on making them dance and turning the key into a butterfly. But if she wanted to, she could have done anything else!  Could it be that, along with that sensation, a fragment of that magical power might also remain...? I can tell. It's still there. There's still just a bit of it there, along with that sensation. I can do it. I can still... do it... "...Ah..." BGM: L&D Circulation When I slowly opened them, I could see a single dot that sparkled gold. "What... is...?"Shannon didn't know what the light meant. How could light appear from the palm of my hands? And yet, even with this miracle right in front of her, she couldn't understand what it was. She just sat there with her mouth open in disbelief. However, to me, this was just the return of that bit of sensation in my fingertips. The golden dot... spread out... and became a small, gold butterfly. It flapped its wings and scattered gold sparks about like a cartoon fairy. To Shannon, it probably just looked as though a gold butterfly was flapping its wings. Of course, that alone was a miracle that she could hardly grasp. But to me, it was like a remote-control plane in the shape of a butterfly. I could control that gold butterfly however I wanted. Not clumsily with threads. I could make it flap, dance, play through the air as I wished. I was taking a walk through the air as that little butterfly. The golden glint of it pierced the darkness of the small room as it danced about freely. It was an entrancing pleasure. However, that sensation in my fingers began to weaken. I could tell that the few magic butterfly scales left in my fingers were going away. Finally, the gold butterfly flashed and turned to dust like a firework run out of juice, falling down and disappearing without a trace...  BGM: None "This is magic. It's really fun." "M, magic...""Yeah. Magic. There was still some magic left in my fingers, so I just managed to use it. But if I became a real witch, I'd be able to use it whenever and however I wanted... to do anything. Now that I've learned how fun this can be, I don't want to go back to being human. Being a servant is just too boring. So, I'm going to become a witch." "B, become a witch... w, wait...!""I've already made my decision, Shannon. It's been fun. I'll give you this room. You can use it by yourself. Later. Goodbye." "W, wait...!!"As Shannon called out repeatedly for me to wait, a massive planetarium swallowed me up. In the sea of the pitch-black starry sky, I was alone. I... we... are alone here.  BGM: Terminal Entrance  "...Hmm. Understood. In that case, what will you do?""Being a wonderful servant like Shannon wouldn't be bad. But now that I know how fun it is to be a witch, that feels like a boring dream. I can't go back anymore."  "What will happen to Shannon?""...Shannon can just be Shannon, and stay as a respected servant. She'll stay the same. But from now on, it won't be the two of us together, but her alone."  "That seems a sudden farewell. Ah, well. Being fickle makes life more entertaining. And what will you do?""I want to become a witch. I want to become Beato." "But I am already Beatrice.""You'll still be a witch and my friend. I'm modifying the world so that Beato is me." "So, I'll be a witch who is a friend of Beatrice?""Pretty much. So, from now on, you're a different witch." "I understand. Then, what will be my new name?""...I'll put that on hold until I can think of one. You'll be nameless for a while. Sorry about that." "No problem, no problem. This is my precious name we're talking about. You'd better take your time and think carefully about it. *cackle*.""You've been Beatrice's friend since she was young and couldn't use magic yet. When we first knew each other, you'd always hide my things and make fun of me." "I see. And when Beatrice finally learns magic, I become a friend on an equal footing with her. So, I should act like a big sister sort of friend.""Yeah, like that. What should we do about how we talk?" "It seems that 'warawa' has become pretty much set as the way Beatrice refers to herself. Should I give that to you too?""Yeah. That 'warawa' will be mine." "Hmm, very well. Then I(warawa mo)...no, it's not I(warawa wa) anymore. Then I(watashi wa) need to find a good way to sound like Beatrice's big sister-like witch friend.""Yeah. Or should it be... very well." "Ahahahaha. Now there's a nice, dignified voice."" I (watashi) ...no... And what of my (warawa) appearance?" "Good point. I've got a sort of blood-red witch look. Why not choose a different color for yourself?""...When Beatrice wanders the mansion at night, she is often seen dressed in white." "Of course, ghosts are classically white.""A witch... in a white dress... Let's try putting it all together." I need a different look than the witch in the demon-red dress. A white, noble witch. Unlike the time with the red witch, I'm thinking about my own look now, so I'd like to make it beautiful and cute if I can. A white dress. A noble look. Like one of noble blood, but with a dark, sarcastic streak... No, she's like a tomboy princess, so her voice is a mix of formality and rudeness. Then the dress should be the exact opposite to make a nice contrast...   "Is this the form of the new Beatrice?!" "How beautiful! Just like a noble princess!" "Hmmm... I've taken a liking to this form. Not bad at all." "...Looking good. That's wonderful, Beato." "Hmm. I like it. I truly do like this form..." "Now, if you can keep this up and give me a wonderful name, that'd be great. If I have to go around nameless for too long, I'll get all sulky." "Fear not, I shall find you a splendid name! But first, there is something I must consider, what shall be the form of my magic?!" "Hiding objects and transporting them instantaneously is your theme. So, I must think of my own particular theme of magic. When I use magic, gold butterflies will flit about. I'm not backing down on that part...!" "*giggle*. Splendid. Just perfect for the Golden Witch. Then the weaknesses such as spiderwebs and the sacred mirror in the shrine will also go to you?" "Very well. Even an all-powerful witch needs a few small weaknesses to keep things interesting. Then let us do it like so. If I touch a spiderweb, it will burn me."Silently, a silvery spider dropped down vertically. Beato, now in her new form, lightly touched the silver spiderweb that trailed out behind it. As she did, there was a faint sound of flesh burning, and a thin burn was left across her fingers. Beatrice can't stand spiderwebs. That was one of the weaknesses of the evil spirits Kumasawa-san spoke of. Since the witch Beatrice had revived thanks to the power of those evil spirits, she also inherited their weaknesses. So, the sacred mirror is also one of her weaknesses. However, that sacred mirror in the shrine isn't too likely to appear in front of me often. That's not so fun. "...Then, while mirrors with sacred power will obviously be a weakness, let us make mirrors themselves a weakness too." "You often hear that mirrors have magical powers. Isn't that nice? Sounds just like a witch." "If I look at a mirror, it feels as though my magical power is being sucked out, so I try to avoid it. Hmm, it sounds quite entertaining."...If I really think about it, I'll be bad with mirrors whether I make that rule or not.  Mirrors, which will always force me to face my shabby reality, are something I always want to avoid. That's right. I hate mirrors. I don't want to see my pitiful self. "You don't need to decide everything at once. It's fun to build up a world one little bit at a time." "True. I understand. I shall enjoy life as a witch as I slowly expand my world." "That tiny, dark room is no place for you to sleep now." "Indeed. I am the Golden Witch! I am the ruler of Rokkenjima's night, and the nighttime mansion belongs to me. That is where I should be living, is it not?" "A room for Beatrice? Haha, isn't it obvious?!" "Yeah, that's right! That wonderful room on the second floor of the mansion..." "The VIP room of the witch just has to be Beatrice's room!" "Oh, that's right. From this evening forward, that room in the nighttime mansion shall be my dwelling place...! Why didn't I think of that myself, hahaha, hehahahahahahahaha...!!" "Then let's go, Beato. If we're going to drink tea together, we'll need a much better room than that cramped one." "Indeed. That room is too crude to welcome friends to and serve tea in. We shall change rooms. Let us go, my friend...!" "...So, this is goodbye to Shannon."When I looked at my feet, I could see my own dorm room far beneath me. I could see Shannon, who had dashed up to the bed I lay on and had been saying 'wait' at the moment time froze. She was as rigid as a doll. Looking down at it from this height, it really did look like a small dollhouse...  ...I was your only close friend too, wasn't I? Please forgive me for erasing that friend so suddenly. As a parting gift, I will erase 'me' from your world. Starting now, this will not be a two-person room. It will be a single-person room, with just you in it. I hope you continue to strive for your ideal and try to become a kind, reliable servant loved by everyone. Yasu, the stupid, clumsy servant who lost things all the time, doesn't exist anymore. So long, Shannon. When I mature as the witch Beatrice and stride through the nighttime mansion where I will, I may bump into you as you do your nighttime rounds. However, when I meet you again, it will not be a reunion. It will be our first meeting. After all, though you have heard the rumors about the witch Beatrice, you have never met her... So long, Shannon. Let us meet again sometime and spin up some fun tale...  BGM: Loreley ...What... was I doing...? Was I... talking in my sleep...? Apparently, I had gotten out of bed, stretched my hand out towards it, and said 'wait'. This isn't the first time I've woken up to find myself saying something strange, but... I don't remember ever waking up to find myself out of bed and standing up. Could this be what they call... sleepwalking...? Am I just tired...? ...Gotta sleep. Gotta get back to sleep. I turned around to face my bed. ...?  If I'm the only one in this room, and the only bed is the one behind me, that must mean it's my bed. That feels wrong, for some reason. The bed sheets are all disarranged, as though someone had slipped out of them. Who did...? This is a single-person room with me in it, right? So, that there is my bed, and the traces of someone crawling out... mean that I was just sleeping there until a second ago...? But, for some reason... that bed... doesn't feel like my bed. However, though all the other kids shared rooms, I, Shannon, was given a single-person room. So, there's only one bed. And it must be mine. ...  I must just be half-asleep. School starts early tomorrow morning. And, when school ends, I want to go to the mansion, help out with some work, and talk to Kumasawa-san about the mystery novel I just read.  "Time to sleep. I'm probably just so worn out that I'm imagining things. Goodnight, Shannon. Just crawl in bed and close your eyes... and you won't have to think about anything complicated..."I went back into my bed. It felt a bit uncomfortable to crawl into a bed that wasn't mine. Still, it might just be because I'm getting so sleepy, but it's starting to feel as though this is my bed after all. I'm just half-asleep...  I mess up from time to time, but I want to become a kind servant whom everyone loves... Goodnight, me...  BGM: Golden Nocturne From this night forth, I am Beatrice! The Golden Witch Beatrice, who has lived for a thousand years! Praise me, servants. Have fear when you are chosen for the night shift! On the nighttime island, the mansion is my place, and that is my time...! Oh, I am one yet many! Yes, let our world swallow up everything. It is like the raging seas! Well now, let us drink the mysterious moon dry tonight, with this human book as a side dish!  Don't make me laugh! With all these holes and weak points, you call this a crime impossible for humans?! Is there no splendid closed room magic that can do my name justice? Oh, not here, not here, not there, not there either... all of them pathetic! It's enough to make one giggle, but which is the side dish, the moon or the book?! If I get tired of mystery, I can change myself into a butterfly! I can flit about the island, the mansion, the vast forest at will. I'll follow those cowardly servants as they do their nighttime rounds, and when they check to see that a window is locked, they'll see me laughing at them in the reflection on the glass! I can be fickle, and do as I please! Pranks at night will probably be a lot of fun. Okay, I've decided. Let's play like that starting tonight! *cackle*cackle*, how pleasurable! Tonight will truly be pleasurable! In the world of witches, the only limits to your fun are the limits of your imagination! My imagination shall become the source of my magical power! So, very well, it shall be fun! I shall expand it infinitely. And let it swallow the whole island. The island's night will be all mine!! Oh, how refined and pleasant are the days of a witch! Oh, I am one yet many! Kihahahahahahhha, hyahhaha!!  
Quinn2win fucked around with this message at 13:51 on Aug 2, 2017 |
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Aug 2, 2017 13:31
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 Man, I think we've all been there.
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Aug 2, 2017 14:38
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And thus two beds become one, and thus the public and private personas officially switch places (although that has already been hinted to happen by the narrative). A person who had no power, no ability to influence anything, while most of the people in her life scorned and bullied her... suddenly finds herself able to influence the world through a parlor trick, without anyone noticing. What can that be called but magic, and what can the practitioner be called but a witch? And how can one, so bullied and neglected, ignore such power and how it makes the feel, even if they themselves know it's not "true"?ProfessorProf posted:...If I really think about it, I'll be bad with mirrors whether I make that rule or not. Even Yasu knows that this is a hopeless fancy, only within the world of her head; that they must always seem to wear the guise of "Shannon," and cannot do things like crack Berune across her dumb head or "accidentally" spill tea on the mistress, or any other outward display of power. But as long as she keeps the mask up... she can assume the legend of Kumasawa's stories. And in the eyes of her regular peers, the least powerful on the island can be seen as like unto a god. Check the cards if you will, examine this cane, and note that there is nothing up my sleeve, and I shall conjure a spirit from the very air. For I am the golden witch! (You are! Hurrah for the Golden Witch!) And it is, it is a glorious thing to be a Golden Witch.
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Aug 2, 2017 14:40
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So Shannon left a while ago, and Yasu has been assuming the mantle of Shannon ever since? That... that's depressing, but par for the course at this point. Oh God, the adults are aware of her shenanigans and let her do as she pleases?!
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Aug 2, 2017 14:53
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idonotlikepeas posted:
I definitely cringed when I read this. Too real.
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Aug 2, 2017 16:09
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So this is the point where Yasuda gives up on ever trying to be themself Wonder what Genji was thinking watching all this go down. Wonder how the kid is gonna feel when that giant portrait goes up and they realize their look is all wrong. ZiegeDame fucked around with this message at 17:12 on Aug 2, 2017 |
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Aug 2, 2017 16:13
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ZiegeDame posted:So this is the point where Yasuda gives up on ever trying to be themself  : Time to perfect my cosplay!
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Aug 2, 2017 17:07
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bman in 2288 posted:So Shannon left a while ago, and Yasu has been assuming the mantle of Shannon ever since? That... that's depressing, but par for the course at this point. Shannon was always Yasu.
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Aug 2, 2017 18:40
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MonsterEnvy posted:Shannon was always Yasu. At this time we can't say conclusively that there was never a girl named Shannon/Sayo at the orphanage. (Apologies for the Devil's Proof.) Given that Beato/Gaap was based on legends, ghost stories, and Kinzo's ramblings, it isn't outrageous to assume that Yasu's first imaginary friend was similarly based on someone. At this point we can't really tell if any parts of this story are real (or what an unattached outside observer (like Will) would consider real) or if every character is another mouthpiece for Yasu's viewpoint, other servants included. So it's hard to tell what we should make of other people mentioning or not mentioning Shannon.
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Aug 2, 2017 19:15
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ZiegeDame posted:At this time we can't say conclusively that there was never a girl named Shannon/Sayo at the orphanage. (Apologies for the Devil's Proof.) Given that Beato/Gaap was based on legends, ghost stories, and Kinzo's ramblings, it isn't outrageous to assume that Yasu's first imaginary friend was similarly based on someone. However, I think we can pretty conclusively state that during the time Yasu worked at the Ushiromiya mansion, Shannon did not work there.
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Aug 2, 2017 19:39
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Cyouni posted:However, I think we can pretty conclusively state that during the time Yasu worked at the Ushiromiya mansion, Shannon did not work there. Very likely if for no other reason than Jessica never gives an indication of knowing two Shannons. There's still Berune's line about talking to Yasu and Shannon about the whole witch stuff, assuming Berune is talking as an actual person and not a mouthpiece for Yasu, but theoretically this could be satisfied if real Shannon was still in contact with some of the other, non-Yasu, orphans after leaving.
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Aug 2, 2017 19:48
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ZiegeDame posted:Very likely if for no other reason than Jessica never gives an indication of knowing two Shannons. Well, as mentioned, it could also be satisfied if Berune was correcting herself since that's what Yasu was supposed to be called. And yeah, as I noted earlier, Shannon was mentioned as starting to have worked ten years ago, which aligns with Yasu's story.
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Aug 2, 2017 19:54
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Cyouni posted:And yeah, as I noted earlier, Shannon was mentioned as starting to have worked ten years ago, which aligns with Yasu's story. Well the person who said Shannon has worked there for ten years was Shannon herself, but it still fits with the story we're being told. And while I was confirming that, I found this Episode 1 posted:Maybe it's like a servant's 'professional name' or something. If so, I can kind of understand why that Kanon-kun's name sounds the way it does. She's a long-term servant who's served here since she was six years old. Since her body had changed radically, she didn't match my memories, but I got acquainted with her six years ago.
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Aug 2, 2017 20:34
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Shannon and Kanon spent the last 7 episodes yelling nonstep, and only just now performed the fusion dance. This really is an episode of Dragon Ball Z.  ((I love this edit, it's brilliant))Well, there we go, Yasu just vanished, and now only Shannon remains. Case closed, call it a wrap. But in truth, I want to go back a bit. Cyouni posted:That I can actually explain. Hideyoshi was paid off in some way, shape, or form. There was no need for Shannon to escape the padlocked shed (through an alternate key Genji held, for example) because there was no one there. It actually wraps up that one pretty neatly. This got me thinking, about how Kumasawa, and Genji can see the difference between Shannon and Kanon because they accept magic/ Yasu's mental state. Maybe the same can be said for anyone else? Perhaps a sign of co-conspirators is that in the episode's narrative they refer to Shannon and Kanon as separate people when they're in the same space, which could be a sign of covering for them. So yeah, I'm going with your theory that somehow Hideyoshi did indeed have some motive to cover for Yasu, I'm just trying to apply this to the narrative conceit that the episodes go by. If so, I wonder if acknowledging the name of the witch in the chapel at the beginning of the episodes has anything to do with accepting Yasu's personas or accepting them as the true head of the family. Or possibly even complying with Yasu's demands for the gold. Maybe the adults didn't, so they got whacked early.
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Aug 2, 2017 20:52
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ZiegeDame posted:Well the person who said Shannon has worked there for ten years was Shannon herself, but it still fits with the story we're being told. And while I was confirming that, I found this He's probably talking about the bazongas
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Aug 2, 2017 20:53
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  BGM: Far (piano version)  "Did you make sure they were facing the right way when you set them down?" "Yes, of course. Everything's as the list says." "*giggle*, thanks. Genji-sama, the guest rooms are ready now." "Good work. Make sure you check over everything with your own eyes, Shannon. Also, Madam has ordered us to change the tablecloth in the dining hall again." "My, my. Why again, when we all worked so hard to change it earlier today...?" "The color of that tablecloth simply does not fit. Once I saw it against the backdrop of the room, I could see that it matched terribly. We should use a different tablecloth." "Oh, and did you make sure to clean the chandelier in the parlor? I don't want Eva-san looking up and saying 'Oh, is that dust? And even a spiderweb?' again...!" "Do not worry. It has already been carefully cleaned and checked. I will now perform a final check on everything myself." "Is that so? Very well. I will do the same. Shannon, take the young servants and prepare a new tablecloth. Try to find something white, with a bit more of a clean feeling." "Y, yes, as you wish."Natsuhi was even more high-strung than normal and walked about barking orders here and there. Even though the sky was beginning to get dark, the servants moved hurriedly about. Tomorrow is the annual family conference. It isn't particularly rare for each of the individual families to visit the island, but this is the only time that they all come together. It was the most important day of the year for both the Ushiromiya family and Rokkenjima. Natsuhi, who was short-tempered on top of being high-strung, kept ordering that the servants redo this or that, since it really didn't look good after all. This would keep them going until late into the night. Now that Shannon had many years of experience and Natsuhi had put her in a position of responsibility, she was called over many times to have strict orders showered on her... So, when Shannon finished her shower and lay down on the bed in the servant waiting room, she fell asleep almost immediately...  BGM: None It's a bit different from the sound wind outside a room would make. It's almost as though... I'm sitting in a deck chair in the rose garden, turning over in my sleep, with the feel of the wind in my hair. That's right, the feel. This isn't a sound, it's a feeling. Then is this... a dream...? Just as I was about to accept this theory, I thought I heard someone talking to me. My, my. It seems the work of a servant is just as boring as it ever was. Not only boring, but difficult, strict, constraining, joyless... All you get in return for your years of service is some level of respect from the newer servants. And even that is far from sufficient to repay you for all the hard work you've done...  BGM: One Huh? Who...? She wasn't just imagining someone talking to her. She was shocked to find that it was real. When Shannon opened her eyes, she gulped.  She couldn't say any more. She was literally stunned silent. Shannon, who had been sleeping on a bed, was somehow in a rose garden. However, though this rose garden somehow resembled the rose garden on Rokkenjima, it was also completely different. After all, the roses were golden. Not only the flowers, but the dancing butterflies too. It was a golden rose garden of mysterious beauty. Somehow, Shannon was sitting in the chair under the arbor. It was as though she'd taken a nap there and woken up from a dream. But it felt strange. Is this golden rose garden a dream? For some strange reason, it even felt as though my entire life up to this point had been a dream, and that I had finally awakened here...  There was that voice again. Shannon looked around to find who it was. As she did, a golden butterfly landed on the seat across from her and instantly created a human form...  This woman laughed as though she was an old friend of Shannon's. However, Shannon obviously didn't remember this strange gold rose garden, and she didn't remember this person's face either...  "Indeed. You no longer remember me, do you?" "...Have I forgotten about you...? If so, please forgive me..." "There is no need to apologize. I made you that way, so it is no sin of yours. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Golden Witch, Beatrice." "...B, Beatrice... sama...? Th, the benefactor of the Ushiromiya family, whom the Master always speaks of...?" "Not that Beatrice. I am the Golden Witch, the one who controls Rokkenjima's night. I am the other master of the mansion, the one you always pay homage to." "Y, you are... Beatrice... sama..." "Hahaha... You need not fear. The two of us used to be friends, no, roommates, did we not? At one time, I idolized you and tried to be the best servant I could." "...I've always had a single-person room, so I couldn't have had a..." "When we last parted, I stole away your memory. However, I have not forgotten that we were once roommates. I also remember that I was the one who destroyed our friendship and left." "So as to not leave you alone in sadness, I erased all of your memories and the very world of our days together." "..." "You do not need to understand... But believe this. I have not called you here to do you harm." "I, isn't this inside one of my dreams...?" BGM: Praise Beatrice snapped her fingers, and a storm of gold butterflies all rose up around the rose garden. As the cloud of butterflies danced over the table, a gorgeous tea set appeared. There were tea cups and a tea pot, more elegant even than those used by the Ushiromiya family. The tea was filled to the brim and had a sweet rose scent, one which Shannon had never smelled before. Before there was even time to be amazed by that scent, butterflies started gathering one by one on the table, and a tea stand sprouted right out of it. It was like watching a magical mushroom from a fairy tale kingdom grow out of the ground. It was a many-layered tea stand, filled with beautiful cakes, like edible jewels. Of course, there were also several lovely, light-brown scones. The honey truly was golden honey, with bits of gold leaf dancing through it...  "...I, incredible... I've never seen anything like this..." "*cackle*cackle*. Even if you did, it would only have been as a waitress. You are my friend. I need no waitress. After all, I am a witch. That is more than enough. Come, do not be shy. Stuff yourself to your heart's content." "Th, thank you... very much..."That was all Shannon managed to say. It would be hard for anyone to say much more after being suddenly invited to such a beautiful witch tea party. "Let us begin with black tea. The milk is fresh, and the sugar is so delectable that you'd almost want to eat it raw." "But I recommend you try your tea straight first. With nothing more than a single rose petal floating on the top, it will surely be so delicious that you'll be unable to drink the black tea of the human world ever again...!"Laughing happily, Beatrice opened, not a sugar pot, but a rose petal pot, picked up a single crimson petal, and floated it on her tea after relishing its scent. Shannon did the same, picking up a single petal and smelling its aroma. "...It smells so wonderful... Is this... really the scent of the roses in this world?" "I am glad you enjoy it. I bred this rose simply for the purpose of using the petals with black tea. If you crush them, they're also splendid for making jam! That goes better with scones than anything else imaginable. Do you want to try?" "Uh, ah... sure, just a bit."Shannon had been invited to this witch tea party suddenly. However, the witch seemed so truly innocent, and her smile as she played the hostess was so happy that it made Shannon want to smile too. The tension in Shannon's heart gradually faded, and she started to enjoy her chat with this witch...  BGM: Apathy "How surprising. So, you worked as a servant once too?" "For a short time. You probably don't remember, but I worked alongside you. I was a clumsy fool who always lost things. You were my idea of a perfect servant, and the person I looked up to." "...That makes me even more sorry that I can't remember." "There is no need for apologies. Here, you are not a servant, but my friend and guest. There are no inconveniences here, no trials nor boredom. I can give you anything you desire. That is how much power I currently possess. I wanted to let you know that I have now reached that level." "...I'm truly grateful to you for welcoming one with so few redeeming features, in such an extravagant way." "*cackle*! Think of it as a reward for all of the painful days you have withstood." "Come, gold butterflies! Don't let my friend get bored! Show her a little dance! When you have tired of that, allow me to call the band to perform any song you would like. When you have tired of that, my refined familiars will show you some conjuring tricks. Fear not, for time is endless here. And I can grant your wishes endlessly. My tea party has no end...!"In a truly good mood, the witch told Shannon several strange stories. They were all stories Shannon had never heard before. Very interesting stories. And, they were all odd, bizarre fairy tales. Shannon felt as though she had become Alice in Wonderland. The time she spent at this tea party was strange, pleasant, and relaxed. No, the clocks have no hands at this tea party. So, the time passed like a Sunday morning, when you can wrap yourself in your blanket for as long as you want...  "There is no need for thanks. In the human world, words of thanks go along with words of farewell, do they not? There will be no end to this tea party. So, there is no need for thanks either." "*giggle*. But I am grateful. Thank you so much, Beatrice-sama, for this wonderful tea party. But all dreams must end, and so must this one." "Hoh. And why must they end?" "Because, I start early tomorrow. If I stay here talking too long, I'll sleep in, and Madam will give me a good scolding..." "Pft, hahhahhahahahhaahahahahaha! Why are you so anxious to return to the world of that short-tempered Natsuhi? Really, now. Are you really saying you want to return to the human world, where it's all work and no rewards?" "But I am human. I can't impose myself on you forever." "Shannon. It seems that you do not understand. I invited you here, but I have no desire to chase you away again." "Here, time is eternal. You are not obligated to say farewell, ever. I will never tire of enjoying tea with you. On the contrary, it is quite agreeable to have you to talk to." "I'm grateful for your words, but I am human. I must return to my own world." "Why do you want to return to that colorless world, where you waste all your time with school and your job and the family works you to the bone?" "Despite all that, it's still my world." "Shannon. Does that sort of world really need to be yours? Let me be honest with you. Shannon. I didn't just invite you here. I came to take you home." "Take me home...?" "Once, I tried to become a good servant like you. Then, I became fascinated by witches and became one myself, learning all the pleasures of magic. And now, I have come to take you home."Beatrice spoke quietly and slowly rose from her seat.  "...Now that this golden rose garden has been completed, I have reached my goal. This place is paradise. Yes, let us call it the Golden Paradise. Now that it has been completed, I have come to welcome you in. There's no need for any inconveniences, any perseverance or hard work. Here, you and I can enjoy ourselves for all eternity. It will be like a never-ending fairy tale..." "...I'm truly grateful for your splendid proposal. However, I need to go back to my original world." "Why?" BGM: Witch in Gold (cembalo) "I acknowledge it. This is not the world you have lived in until now. That's why I have invited you here! From this point forth, this will be our world. You are no longer a guest. You are the second master of this world. You need not show any restraint for my sake. We'll just live in this endless world like we once lived as roommates..." "I regret that I have no memory of that time. However, I'll have to turn down your invitation." "Why? What responsibility forces you to return to the world of humans?"True, the world of humans, or the world of servants, is busy all the time. Madam is strict, high-strung, and has a short temper. It'd be a lie if I said the everyday chores weren't a pain, and having to balance work with school makes it even harder. Beatrice had watched over Shannon's painful days the whole time. She had seen those constantly tired shoulders heave in a sigh many times. That was why she had invited Shannon here. To this Golden Paradise. She had tried to give Shannon a perfect welcome, to truly make her happy. So why had Shannon selected her original world over this one? Beatrice was overcome with shock, and completely unable to understand. "I have given you the perfect welcome to this paradise. And the days to follow will be even more fun." "...So, if you still choose the human world after all of that, does it mean that you find something there that is even more fun than the pleasures of witches?" "...That's right. There are things in the human world that are even more fun than magic." "Absurd... That can't be...!" "...Yes, it's true."Shannon's expression was soft. However, her words were firm. There was something wonderfully fascinating in the human world. And, that something was apparently not in this paradise, which was supposed to have everything just as they wanted it...  As Beatrice muttered, she shifted restlessly several times. However, no matter how often she said it, Shannon's smile didn't falter, and Beatrice couldn't think of an answer... "In that case, it's time for me to leave. Your tea was delicious." "...I don't... understand. I am the great Golden Witch, the one who can have anything endlessly. You tell me that I cannot give you what you want?" "...Yes." "I want to know. I believed I had everything, so tell me what it is I lack...!" "I think... that you already know. Isn't that why you invited me here...?" "...Are you trying to speak in riddles to a witch? Heh, *cackle*." "That's all for now then... I can't live here, but I would be glad to come over whenever you invite me for tea." "I won't call for you again... Have no fear of that." Shannon's soul had returned to the dream of her original self. While humans have many dreams in a night, they can remember none of them. The tea party in this paradise mixed in with many other dreams and vanished. The next morning, Shannon would not remember this tea party. However, Shannon's cup remained here. The witch who had lost her guest and was standing alone looked all the more lonely... "..."The witch dug her fingernails into the tablecloth. That grimace as she bit her lower lip made it clear that she still hadn't solved the puzzle Shannon had left behind. "Riiche. There's no need to worry about it."A black hole opened above Shannon's empty seat, and the owner of that voice fell out of it. "...I do worry. Ah, come on, how could she say it with such certainty..." "Maybe she just wanted to get back to sleep quickly, since dawn is coming soon." "...What pleasure could Shannon know that I do not?! What is this 'something' that can be found in the human world but not in my paradise?! I don't understand! I want to know!" "Thinking about complicated stuff will just fuel your headache. I can be of service in Shannon's place. Let's enjoy a tea party together." "I don't feel like it anymore. I'm bored of having tea parties with you." "...Aw, she's cranky."The witch shrugged and laughed, then took a bite out of a scone. She then blew into it, and it swelled up like a balloon before finally popping. Golden ribbons and butterflies flew out, but Beatrice didn't appear to notice... 
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Aug 4, 2017 13:32
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And with that, my backlog has finally dried up. The LP must now unfortunately go on hiatus. We will return to the usual schedule once I have a 5-update backlog stored up again.
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Aug 4, 2017 13:34
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So Shannon still considers herself human, I see. Since the servants were prepping for the family conference, I'd originally thought we were working up to the creation of Battler's Beatrice, but we also seem to be setting up for the emergence of the 'furniture' concept. Maybe they're actually related? (And no worries, Prof, take whatever time you need. Real life is always more important than the internet.)
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Aug 4, 2017 14:09
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I think I get it... this is what is meant by compartmentalization, because Shannon is now... I don't know if I would call it an alternate personality, exactly, but it's definitely more than the ideal of a servant that Yasu held in their youth. They may inhabit the same body, but the parting of the ways that Yasu managed last time is separating them, and shifting various parts of Yasu's personality into different directions. So Beatrice now represent what they used to: Yasu's ambition, their resentment at their treatment by the household, their desire to be part of the party instead of one who sets the table, and Shannon not only represents the ideal servant and the part of Yasu that actually liked being a servant, but also pragmatism and the burgeoning of conscience. So Beatrice can try to be their own fairy godmother all they like, but Shannon's not having it because she knows this is no fairy tale; we can't stop being Shannon and having the responsibilities of Shannon, so come over to the Witches' world to... what? Live out your fantasy? You'd get in trouble for that. Steal some poo poo? Fooling the servants into believing an already established legend is one thing, but any thing bigger requires putting one over on not only Krauss and Natsuhi, but Genji and Kumasawa as well, which she has no inclination to do, and in any case, what would we do with whatever if we had it? Run away? The only other place we know on the mainland is school, it's too far to swim, and I think the ferryman would notice if we went outside of hours. So what else can we do but be Shannon in real life... and Beatrice in our dreams? Hm, a conflict between fantasy and reality borne out in somebody's head, where have I seen that before?
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Aug 4, 2017 17:14
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quote:True, the world of humans, or the world of servants, is busy all the time. Madam is strict, high-strung, and has a short temper. It'd be a lie if I said the everyday chores weren't a pain, and having to balance work with school makes it even harder. Beatrice had watched over Shannon's painful days the whole time. She had seen those constantly tired shoulders heave in a sigh many times. That was why she had invited Shannon here. To this Golden Paradise. She had tried to give Shannon a perfect welcome, to truly make her happy. So why had Shannon selected her original world over this one? Ok, if both Shannon and Beatrice referred to in the third person, who is supposed to be narrating this? Is 'I' supposed to mean Yasu? Does Yasu even 'exist' at this point at a discreet entity capable of independent thought, or were they wholly subsumed by Beatrice? Is the use of a personal pronoun just a quirk of translation? Am I reading way too much into this?
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Aug 4, 2017 17:17
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ZiegeDame posted:Ok, if both Shannon and Beatrice referred to in the third person, who is supposed to be narrating this? Is 'I' supposed to mean Yasu? Does Yasu even 'exist' at this point at a discreet entity capable of independent thought, or were they wholly subsumed by Beatrice? Is the use of a personal pronoun just a quirk of translation? Am I reading way too much into this? I think "I" is Shannon there. The grammar geek in me would prefer it if switches between first and third person came with paragraph breaks, but I feel like we've had them switch the middle of paragraphs before.
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Aug 4, 2017 18:10
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Confused Llama posted:I think "I" is Shannon there. The grammar geek in me would prefer it if switches between first and third person came with paragraph breaks, but I feel like we've had them switch the middle of paragraphs before. I'm like, 65% sure we haven't had a perspective switch like that without changing scenes or going between meta and board.
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Aug 4, 2017 18:19
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ZiegeDame posted:I'm like, 65% sure we haven't had a perspective switch like that without changing scenes or going between meta and board. Nah, the translation switches between first and third person totally haphazardly. The Umineko Project translation was a bit more coherent about it, but Witch Hunt doesn't give it much thought.
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Aug 4, 2017 18:25
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ZiegeDame posted:Ok, if both Shannon and Beatrice referred to in the third person, who is supposed to be narrating this? Is 'I' supposed to mean Yasu? Does Yasu even 'exist' at this point at a discreet entity capable of independent thought, or were they wholly subsumed by Beatrice? Is the use of a personal pronoun just a quirk of translation? Am I reading way too much into this? Considering we have a fractured mental state going on, I don't think the question of "who am I" is reading too much into it, but rather, is the core question. Even though Yasu does not know their origin, they know they are singled out due to treatment/physical condition/etc, and that lack of community and identity is really screwing with their head.
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Aug 4, 2017 18:30
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I'm gonna call the current version of Yasu Mintrice (given her Mint-color) as I don't think this is Yasu's true self but another aspect. But yeah, it reads like Yasu unsuccessfully trying to merge Mintrice and Shannon, but as Mintrice isn't their true self, and the reality of you can't just gently caress around in their situation, it fails.
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Aug 4, 2017 18:39
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You might say without love, Shannon's answer cannot be seen. That's where I presume this is going, at least.
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Aug 4, 2017 20:13
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ZiegeDame posted:Ok, if both Shannon and Beatrice referred to in the third person, who is supposed to be narrating this? Is 'I' supposed to mean Yasu? Does Yasu even 'exist' at this point at a discreet entity capable of independent thought, or were they wholly subsumed by Beatrice? Is the use of a personal pronoun just a quirk of translation? Am I reading way too much into this? I'd say using the first person here is a bit of a mistake in the translation (or editing rather), as often R07 explicitly adds a pronoun if the narration is supposed to be from someone's perspective. No such pronouns in the Japanese text in this case. You raise a good question though.
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Aug 4, 2017 21:25
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I have a feeling it's Battler's time to shine. And gently caress everything up. I really do have a feeling that Battler's sin is coming up soon. I mean, Yasu has to come up with Beato's appearance somehow.
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Aug 5, 2017 02:30
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So having been active in Shiny's attempt to LP this, I discovered this thread and the thread for episodes 1-4 just recently. Still haven't seen any of these that weren't portrayed in the LP threads, and given that Shiny's attempt was 5 years ago, I probably need to read the first two episodes over, now having caught up to the main thread. (Also, for any who may remember my grudge, this time around I hate Jessica a lot less for reasons I don't fully understand). Anyway, one thing that came up a couple episodes ago that I didn't see mentioned in the thread was how closely Kinzo's "I was in a war zone and embezzled in order to get my starting capital" mirrors Hideyoshi's, just turned up to 11. There's also nobody living (in this timeline) that has seen the gold ingots, or Beatrice1 for that matter, other than Kinzo (Unreliable) and Nanjo (Dishonest, loyal to whoever happens to be the current Ushiromiya head). I'm not at all sure that it signifies anything, but it is interesting. I had a similar thought with regard to Kyrie's sister and a couple different characters. Game 6 Beato is the most interesting one- her older sister gets taken out of play, and she's forced into a role she'd never been prepared for, but it could mirror Kinzo (old farts of the Ushiromiya family abdicate, leave him holding the bag) or Jessica (Li-on never shows up, leaves her as the heir-apparent's heir-apparent when she just really wants to be a normal, if crude, JK, fall in love, play in her band, etc) as well. On a completely unrelated note, do we have any idea how old Rosa and the other siblings were when Kinzo's wife died?
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Aug 8, 2017 16:42
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Kytrarewn posted:On a completely unrelated note, do we have any idea how old Rosa and the other siblings were when Kinzo's wife died? I don't believe there's any information about her at all, not even her name ...
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Aug 9, 2017 01:18
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We know she died at some point after Rosa met Beatrice. As Rosa had run into the forest after an argument with her mother.
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Aug 9, 2017 02:56
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It kinda sucks that we don't even know her name. It's thematic to the motif of the horrific sexism in the Ushiromiya family, I guess, in that she was so unimportant to Kinzo that it's like she's been erased from the narrative.
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Aug 9, 2017 02:58
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On the other hand, for as much as motherhood is a recurring theme, we know gently caress all about what kind of mother the Ushiromiya siblings had and what, if anything, she did to mitigate or amplify Kinzo's lovely fathering. e: I suppose it'd make sense for her not to appear if Yasu never met her, which would put her death somewhere between 1967 and 1976.
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Aug 9, 2017 04:35
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Off topic, but woah, PetraCore that is an awesome avatar!
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Aug 9, 2017 04:59
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EagerSleeper posted:Off topic, but woah, PetraCore that is an awesome avatar! Here's some more fanart of theirs.     
PetraCore fucked around with this message at 06:01 on Aug 9, 2017 |
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Aug 9, 2017 05:12
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