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0|0|0|||1||DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Gryphon||13:20:13|12/20/2013|%28Since the Forum appears to be getting a little tetchy about long threads and I noticed I hadn%27t addressed this%2C here is another thread to be going on with.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%3EPhilosophically %28as opposed to practically%2Fmechanically%29 speaking%2C %0D%0A%3E%3Eshe%27s not a very good airbender%2C and she is acutely aware of that%2C %0D%0A%3E%3Ewhich makes it worse. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EIf Lhakpa%27s the first of the new descendants of Aang who is a skilled %0D%0A%3Eairbender but is crap at%2Fhates%2Fis indifferent to the airbender %0D%0A%3Ephilosophy and lifestyle%2C that almost makes her a -pioneer-.%0D%0A%0D%0AOh%2C I doubt she%27s the first%2C though she may be the first of her generation.  Ironically enough - and this will not have eluded Lhakpa - %5Bi%5DAang%5B%2Fi%5D was a %5Bi%5Dterrible%5B%2Fi%5D Air Nomad%2C but he got away with it because he was a%29 the last one and b%29 the Avatar.  The elders of his boyhood would probably shake their heads in dismay at the version of airbender culture that has developed in his wake%2C and doubly so at someone like Lhakpa%2C who can%27t even stick at the preposterously liberalized new model. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AThat said%2C Lhakpa and Nyima are members of the first post-Aang generation to really have the %5Bi%5Dluxury%5B%2Fi%5D of having people in it who are Not On Board.  In Jinora and her siblings%27 day%2C they were %5Bi%5Dit%5B%2Fi%5D.  If any of them had walked away %28and I suspect Ikki%2C for one%2C rather wanted to at times%29%2C the survival of the airbender nation itself would have been in some measure of doubt.  Lhakpa thinks %5Bi%5Dshe%27s%5B%2Fi%5D experiencing societal pressures%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EJinora will certainly not like it%2C %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m actually not so sure about that.  It%27s easy to forget%2C as both Lhakpa and Nyima often do%2C that Jinora was young once%2C and though she never seems to have doubted her path herself%2C she certainly will have known people who did.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere is a peculiar and awkward disconnect between the traditional%2C rigorous lifestyle of an Air Nomad and the free-and-adaptive nature of airbending itself%2C and though it never seems to have occurred to Tenzin %28who was%2C after all%2C a bit thick%29%2C Jinora%27s too clever not to have noticed it.  Her contemplation of that dichotomy as grandmaster%2C and her closeness to her grandfather%27s spirit%2C are probably responsible for much of the relative liberalization of Air Nomadry we see by the third century - and%2C as such%2C one doubts she has it in her to be too severe with a descendant who finds what regimentation remains unsatisfying.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
1|1|0|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Verbena||15:54:27|12/20/2013|%3E%28Since the Forum appears to be getting a little tetchy about long %0D%0A%3Ethreads and I noticed I hadn%27t addressed this%2C here is another thread %0D%0A%3Eto be going on with.%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AWell%2C since it%27s my comment you%27re responding to... XD%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%3E%3EPhilosophically %28as opposed to practically%2Fmechanically%29 speaking%2C %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Eshe%27s not a very good airbender%2C and she is acutely aware of that%2C %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Ewhich makes it worse. %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EIf Lhakpa%27s the first of the new descendants of Aang who is a skilled %0D%0A%3E%3Eairbender but is crap at%2Fhates%2Fis indifferent to the airbender %0D%0A%3E%3Ephilosophy and lifestyle%2C that almost makes her a -pioneer-.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EOh%2C I doubt she%27s the first%2C though she may be the first of her %0D%0A%3Egeneration.  Ironically enough - and this will not have eluded Lhakpa %0D%0A%3E- %5Bi%5DAang%5B%2Fi%5D was a %5Bi%5Dterrible%5B%2Fi%5D Air Nomad%2C but he got away with it %0D%0A%3Ebecause he was a%29 the last one and b%29 the Avatar.  The elders of his %0D%0A%3Eboyhood would probably shake their heads in dismay at the version of %0D%0A%3Eairbender culture that has developed in his wake%2C and doubly so at %0D%0A%3Esomeone like Lhakpa%2C who can%27t even stick at the preposterously %0D%0A%3Eliberalized new model. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AYou have to wonder%2C when looking at the ancient air nomads%2C just how much of this reasoning the original ATLA writers didn%27t bother to do before writing the show. This is far enough removed from the action that it%27s easy to overlook%2C but when you break it down%2C it becomes difficult to explain without adding in a %27they kept their kids unworldly so they wouldn%27t want to leave%27 clause like they were Amish. Certainly ancient air nomad culture can%27t be explained solely through human nature.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThat said%2C Lhakpa and Nyima are members of the first post-Aang %0D%0A%3Egeneration to really have the %5Bi%5Dluxury%5B%2Fi%5D of having people in it who %0D%0A%3Eare Not On Board.  In Jinora and her siblings%27 day%2C they were %0D%0A%3E%5Bi%5Dit%5B%2Fi%5D.  If any of them had walked away %28and I suspect Ikki%2C for %0D%0A%3Eone%2C rather wanted to at times%29%2C the survival of the airbender nation %0D%0A%3Eitself would have been in some measure of doubt.  Lhakpa thinks %0D%0A%3E%5Bi%5Dshe%27s%5B%2Fi%5D experiencing societal pressures%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AHmm. I think I%27d lost track of the number of generations%2C or just didn%27t do the math. But...yeah. I think I heard %27100-some airbenders%27 and thought more than 4 generations were around. But I may not have factored in the longer lifespans. But%2C thinking about it...we have Aang and Katara%2C then Jinora%27s generation%2C then Tenzin%27s%2C then Nyima and Lhakpa%27s....I think. I could be wrong.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn any case%2C that %271 in 100 is a bender%27 thing is looking less and less likely all the time. I wonder if the rate is accelerating%3F Maybe at the same rate that psions in the Big Universe is accelerating%3F Hmmmmm%7E%0D%0A%0D%0AIsn%27t that an interesting line of thought%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EJinora will certainly not like it%2C %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI%27m actually not so sure about that.  It%27s easy to forget%2C as both %0D%0A%3ELhakpa and Nyima often do%2C that Jinora was young once%2C and though she %0D%0A%3Enever seems to have doubted her path herself%2C she certainly will have %0D%0A%3Eknown people who did. %0D%0A%0D%0AWell%2C she may convince herself intellectually that it%27s all right%2C but I have a feeling at first%2C emotionally%2C she%27ll be unhappy about it.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThere is a peculiar and awkward disconnect between the traditional%2C %0D%0A%3Erigorous lifestyle of an Air Nomad and the free-and-adaptive nature of %0D%0A%3Eairbending itself%2C and though it never seems to have occurred to %0D%0A%3ETenzin %28who was%2C after all%2C a bit thick%29%2C Jinora%27s too clever not to %0D%0A%3Ehave noticed it.  Her contemplation of that dichotomy as grandmaster%2C %0D%0A%3Eand her closeness to her grandfather%27s spirit%2C are probably %0D%0A%3Eresponsible for much of the relative liberalization of Air Nomadry we %0D%0A%3Esee by the third century - and%2C as such%2C one doubts she has it in her %0D%0A%3Eto be too severe with a descendant who finds what regimentation %0D%0A%3Eremains unsatisfying. %0D%0A%0D%0AI mentioned the my OOC thoughts on this above. ICly%2C however%2C I suspect you%27re 100%25 right...and I also suspect there will come a time a couple more generations from now where the airbender nation will want to settle and be separate from the air nomads. That dichotomy is too distinct and too much a part of everyday life to not be thrown in the face%2C eventually%2C of every family descended from Aang. That will put Republic City in an interesting spot.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A--------%0D%0A%0D%0Athis world created by the %0D%0Ahands of the gods%0D%0Aeverything is false%0D%0Aeverything is a LIE%0D%0Athe final days have come%0D%0Anow%0D%0Alet everything be destroyed%0D%0A%0D%0A--mu
2|2|1|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|pjmoyer||16:20:30|12/20/2013|%3E%3EThat said%2C Lhakpa and Nyima are members of the first post-Aang %0D%0A%3E%3Egeneration to really have the %5Bi%5Dluxury%5B%2Fi%5D of having people in it who %0D%0A%3E%3Eare Not On Board.  In Jinora and her siblings%27 day%2C they were %0D%0A%3E%3E%5Bi%5Dit%5B%2Fi%5D.  If any of them had walked away %28and I suspect Ikki%2C for %0D%0A%3E%3Eone%2C rather wanted to at times%29%2C the survival of the airbender nation %0D%0A%3E%3Eitself would have been in some measure of doubt.  Lhakpa thinks %0D%0A%3E%3E%5Bi%5Dshe%27s%5B%2Fi%5D experiencing societal pressures%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EHmm. I think I%27d lost track of the number of generations%2C or just %0D%0A%3Edidn%27t do the math. But...yeah. I think I heard %27100-some airbenders%27 %0D%0A%3Eand thought more than 4 generations were around. But I may not have %0D%0A%3Efactored in the longer lifespans. But%2C thinking about it...we have %0D%0A%3EAang and Katara%2C then Jinora%27s generation%2C then Tenzin%27s%2C then Nyima %0D%0A%3Eand Lhakpa%27s....I think. I could be wrong. %0D%0A%0D%0AFrom what we%27ve seen%2C the family tree%27s broken down something like this%3A%0D%0A%0D%0AAang %28Last Airbender pre-Sozin%27s Comet%2FFirst Airbender post-Sozin%27s Comet%29 %2B Katara%0D%0A%7C%0D%0ATenzin the Elder %28%22Last%22 Airbender in the period between Aang%27s death and Jinora%27s birth%29 %2B Pema%0D%0A%7C%0D%0AJinora%2C Ikki%2C Meelo%2C Rohan %28all airbenders%29 %28each deciding to bear%2Fsire multiple children%29%0D%0A%7C%0D%0ADescendants of the above four %28Not as many wanting to go the multiple-child route%2C but at least encouraged to have at least one.%29%0D%0A%7C%0D%0A%7C%0D%0AShespa %28Rohan%27s granddaughter%29 and others of her generation %28Not all of them bearing%2Fsiring children%2C but still likely%29%0D%0A%7C%0D%0A%7C %3C- -possibly- a generation extra in here%2C but not likely.  It all depends on when and how others got born.%0D%0A%7C%0D%0ATenzin the Younger%2C Gyatso the Younger%2C Nyima%2C Lhakpa%2C etc %28the current young generation of airbenders%29.%0D%0A%0D%0AAny of the descendants below Jinora%2FIkki%2FMeelo%2FRohan may not have been airbenders%2C depending on luck of the draw from Aang%2FKatara%27s genetics%2C or the bending status of their other parent.  They%27re still considered part of the Air Commonwealth%2C but they don%27t all personally self-identify with the air nation or as Air Acolytes %28see Bumi the Younger %28nonbender%29 and Kya %28waterbender%29%2C Tenzin the Elder%27s older siblings%29.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo%2C if Lhakpa ultimately %5Bi%5Ddoesn%27t%5B%2Fi%5D want to technically be %22An Air Nomad%22%2C there%27s plenty of counter-examples in place%2C though how much she%27ll feel like identifying with those groups is up in the air%2C as it were.%0D%0A%0D%0A--- Philip%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%223%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D2 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%0D%0A%5Btr%5D%5Btd width%3D%2265%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie.org%2F%7Eaerianne%2Ffoth.img%2Fgaia_ser_philip_saber.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%0D%0A%5Btd%5D%5Bfont color%3D%22%230000dd%22%5DPhilip J. Moyer%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230000aa%22 size%3D-2%5DContributing Writer%2C Editor and Artist %28and Moderator%29 -- Eyrie Productions%2C Unlimited%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230000aa%22 size%3D-2%5DCEO of MTS%2C High Poobah Of Artwork%2C and High Priest Of the Church Of Aerianne -- Magnetic Terrapin Studios%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230044aa%22 size%3D-1%5D%5Bi%5D%22Insert Pithy Comment Here%22%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd width%3D%2265%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie.org%2F%7Eaerianne%2Ffoth.img%2Fgaia_aeri_coat_sword.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%0D%0A%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%223%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D1 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
3|2|1|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Gryphon||16:21:45|12/20/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Dec-20-13 AT 04:25 PM (EST)]%3EHmm. I think I%27d lost track of the number of generations%2C or just %0D%0A%3Edidn%27t do the math. But...yeah. I think I heard %27100-some airbenders%27 %0D%0A%3Eand thought more than 4 generations were around.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere are.  There are something like 200 airbenders in the world in 291 ASC%2C representing at least four%2C probably more like five or six%2C generations.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EBut%2C thinking about it...we have %0D%0A%3EAang and Katara%2C then Jinora%27s generation%2C then Tenzin%27s%2C then Nyima %0D%0A%3Eand Lhakpa%27s....I think. I could be wrong. %0D%0A%0D%0AYou are.  Tenzin was Jinora%27s father%2C for one thing%2C so they%27re all out of order%2C and Jinora is Nyima and Lhakpa%27s great-grandmother%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bpre%5DAang - Katara%0D%0A     %7C%0D%0A  Tenzin - Pema%0D%0A         %7C%0D%0A   -----------------------------%0D%0A   %7C           %7C      %7C        %7C%0D%0AJinora - %3F    Ikki   Meelo    Rohan%0D%0A       %7C%0D%0A       %3F%0D%0A       %7C%0D%0A       %3F%0D%0A       %7C%0D%0A   -----------%0D%0A   %7C         %7C%0D%0A Lhakpa    Nyima%5B%2Fpre%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0ASo they%27re of the fifth generation since the Hundred Year War.  It%27s entirely possible%2C as well%2C that there are other Air Nomad youngsters of comparable age who are of later generations on the tree%3B there%27s a ten-year age difference between Tenzin%27s eldest and youngest children%2C and people are living longer and potentially having families later%2C so if we widened the focus to show the rest of that family tree%2C it probably starts getting a bit complicated in the middle generations.%0D%0A%0D%0AFor example%2C we know Rohan has a granddaughter%2C Shespa%2C who%27s in her early sixties%2C so she could well have grandchildren or possibly even very young great-grandchildren by now.  And the still-younger airbender kids we%27ve seen%2C like Tenzin Minor and Gyatso%2C may well be of the sixth or even seventh generation.%0D%0A%0D%0AAirbenders are no longer in danger of dying out%2C is what I%27m getting at%3B all hands no longer need to be on deck for perpetuation of the line. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EIn any case%2C that %271 in 100 is a bender%27 thing is looking less and %0D%0A%3Eless likely all the time.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s in the general population.  Air Nomads have never fit that curve.  The ancients were %5Bi%5Dall%5B%2Fi%5D airbenders%3B the Air Acolyte thing is a recent development%2C and comes of Aang basically adopting a neurotically imitative non-bender Air-Nomad-%5Bi%5Dotaku%5B%2Fi%5D club after the Hundred Year War.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EI mentioned the my OOC thoughts on this above. ICly%2C however%2C I %0D%0A%3Esuspect you%27re 100%25 right...and I also suspect there will come a time %0D%0A%3Ea couple more generations from now where the airbender nation will %0D%0A%3Ewant to settle and be separate from the air nomads.%0D%0A%0D%0AI think it%27s much more likely that%2C even if some segment of the airbender population decides to remain sedentary and back off a bit on the Tibetan-monk thing%2C they%27ll remain a single nation.  It%27s not likely to be a bitter split like the Northern Water Tribe-Southern Water Tribe thing.  In fact%2C if you look closely%2C it%27s already sort of happening.  The older airbenders%2C like Jinora and her generation%2C no longer migrate%2C but remain at the Central Air Temple.  There didn%27t%2C insofar as I know%2C used to be a provision for an Air Nomad deciding he or she was too old for that crap and settling someplace%3B you wandered the world until you died.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt%27s a different world now%2C though%2C than it was when Aang was a boy.  He %28reluctantly%2C one admits%29 recognized that when he re-established the airbender nation after the war%2C and his descendants are alive to the realities as well.  The trick is to let the culture evolve and adapt while still feeling as if one is keeping it intact - never an easy task.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
4|1|0|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Mercutio||03:30:25|12/21/2013|%3E%28Since the Forum appears to be getting a little tetchy about long %0D%0A%3Ethreads and I noticed I hadn%27t addressed this%2C here is another thread %0D%0A%3Eto be going on with.%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AExcellent%21 That means I can get my incredibly belated stuffs in%21%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22Get a room%2C you two%2C%22 Anthy Tenjou mumbled from the far side of%0D%0A%3EUtena%2C but when she raised her own head%2C she was smiling at them both.%0D%0A%0D%0AApropos of this%2C it occurs to me that Anthy quite likely has all kinds of special %22we%27re married now%2C ha ha%22 ribbing she%27s been saving up for use on her wonderful but less witty spouses.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EThree-quarters of an hour or so later%2C everyone was sorted out%0D%0A%3Eand ready to face the day.%0D%0A%0D%0A... Anthy and Utena have blindingly fast toilettes%2C especially for women with as much hair as they do. %0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s not snark%2C I am genuinely impressed.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EStanding by the sink in the ensuite with the door open%2C%0D%0A%3ECorwin finished tending his beard.  This%2C in its neatness%2C was%0D%0A%3Econsidered a slightly weedy attempt by many of his maternal relations%2C%0D%0A%3Ebut he was simply not up for growing the full Grizzly Adams%2C even if%0D%0A%3Eeither of his ladies would have tolerated it %28which he sincerely%0D%0A%3Edoubted%29.%0D%0A%0D%0ASidebar%3A for those of you who don%27t wear beards%2C don%27t let a guy tell you they do it because it%27s %22easier than shaving.%22 Even cursory efforts to properly maintain a beard are considerably more time and energy intensive than the most vigorous attempts to remain clean-shaven%3B there%27s constant trimming and edging duties%2C if you%27re going for the well-groomed look%2C and constant %5Bi%5Dcleaning%5B%2Fi%5D duties%2C if you%27re going for the full mountain man and want to be at all hygienic.%0D%0A%0D%0AThey%27re pure vanity%2C basically. Which is totally okay%2C but never let people tell you otherwise.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis digression has been completely irrelevant. I just wanted to talk about beards for awhile.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22All my panic%27s on the inside%2C%22 he%0D%0A%3Eassured her%3B then%2C less flippantly%2C he added%2C %22Though actually%2C yeah%2C I%0D%0A%3Efeel pretty good.  I mean%2C I wasn%27t sure -how- I%27d react%2C and I think%0D%0A%3EI%27m still loading a bunch of the software patches%2C but overall%3F  Not as%0D%0A%3Eunready as I expected to feel.%22  He grinned wryly.  %22That%27ll probably%0D%0A%3Echange as soon as something doesn%27t go exactly right.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AAwww%2C Corwin. I wonder if his Dad saw fit to inform him about the soul-destroying%2C stomach-churning fear parts of being a father that will eventually come along%2C or if he wants the lad to get the full%2C unfiltered experience on his own.%0D%0A%0D%0AI look forward intensely to the moment that Annabelle becomes even slightly mobile and Corwin has to baby-proof a whole bunch of houses. Corwin being Corwin%2C one imagines that he will deploy over-engineered technological solutions for this%2C and it%27s going to be amazing.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EPausing and turning as one%2C they were faintly surprised to%0D%0A%3Ediscover Maki and Izumi%2C still fully kitted out in their old-fashioned%0D%0A%3EKyoshi Warriors dress gear%2C standing at parade rest on either side of%0D%0A%3Ethe door.%0D%0A%0D%0AYou know.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat was a fun little bit with Maki and Izumi%2C but on a more prosaic and much more depressing note... it might behoove Corwin to seriously consider retaining full-time protection for Annabelle. He and Utena and Anthy are pretty cosmically badass%2C but they can%27t watch her all the time%2C and until she comes into her own she probably does%2C in fact%2C need to be watched all the time. Even with Garnet around.%0D%0A%0D%0ACorwin and his spouses have... a lot of enemies%2C and they live in a much less stable galaxy than the one Corwin and his siblings and peers grew up in. And%2C frankly%2C it may have been a mistake on Gryphon and Kei%27s part to have left their first round of kids without full-time protection%3B if a pathetic slimeball like Mike Carpenter can get at Kaitlyn without anyone knowing%2C it isn%27t too far a stretch to think that unreconstructed Genom hardliners or a Muspelheim hit squad might have left her in pieces for them to find one day.%0D%0A%0D%0ALast thing they want is for her uncle to roll up outside of Annabelle%27s primary school in his sweet ride and talk his way inside.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo maybe see what the Kyoshi Warriors have in the way of full-service protection packages. If it%27s good enough for the Fire Lords...%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22So listen%2C Corwin%2C%22 said Ryo Sato%2C skipping straight over any%0D%0A%3Eintroductory small talk.  %22I was just over in Minmin%27s office%2C and some%0D%0A%3Eguy from the Tribune had slipped past Security and was trying to get her%0D%0A%3Eto speculate on whether she thought you were going to%2C and I quote%2C%0D%0A%3E%27take our Avatar away from us%27.  Now%2C pardon my Kokugo%2C but what the%0D%0A%3E-honk%2C- son%3F%22%0D%0A%0D%0AGod dammit Ryo%2C I need to decide if I find you or your sister more awesomely adorable and you are not making it %5Bi%5Deasy%5B%2Fi%5D.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAzana turned to Anne.  %22Do you believe anything this young man%0D%0A%3Eis saying%3F%22 she inquired%2C sounding genuinely curious.%0D%0A%0D%0ATo be fair%2C learning when Nall is messin%27 with your head or not is an acquired skill.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EThen%2C with a delighted sound%2C she attempted%0D%0A%3E%28unsuccessfully%29 to put the dragon%27s head in her mouth.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Well%2C gentlemen%2C we%27ve successfully confirmed that Annabelle is%2C in fact%2C a baby.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22Aw%2C are you leaving%3F%22 said Garnet drowsily from her new%0D%0A%3Estation.  %22I was just thinking I%27d like to look at you for maybe a%0D%0A%3Ecouple more hours.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AOddly enough%2C probably not even close to the weirdest line Azana has ever received.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EHe bowed again%2C first to Utena%2C then to Corwin.  %22Maximilian Chin%0D%0A%3EYongmin XVII%2C Supreme Civil Servant to Their Excellencies the President%0D%0A%3Eand Senate of the United Republic of Nations and Hereditary Chief%0D%0A%3EBureaucrat to the Celestial Emperors of the Western Reaches%2C at your%0D%0A%3Eservice.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AHmm. That sentence scans oddly to me%3B I think of %22excellency%22 as a title used for a person%2C rather than an institution like a Senate. But that might just be me.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat said%2C oh man am I a big fan of Chin%27s. It may not have escaped the notice of either of our hosts that I am a huge fan of people who work within the system in an awesome way%3B I%27m a big proponent of the %27heroic bureacrat%27 archetype %28if there is such a thing%29 someone who makes shit happen using memos and signatures and the secret powers of paperwork. %28I like Director Manning and Shizuru for the same reasons.%29 Chin is like catnip for me.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAnd with that%2C he removed from his back a dark-stained%2C%0D%0A%3Ebeautifully made wooden pack that turned out to be a sort of portable%0D%0A%3Esecretary with shoulder straps%2C placed it on the end of the bed%2C and%0D%0A%3Ebegan to unpack a surprising amount of kit from within it%3A documents in%0D%0A%3Eexpensive-looking dark card folders%2C an inking pad and roller%2C adhesive%0D%0A%3Ewafers%2C paper-wrapped gold foil%2C and a pliers-like sealing device.%0D%0A%0D%0ASee%3F Tell me that that kit is any less impressive%2C or less powerful%2C than%2C say Batman%27s utility belt. I challenge you.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22As such%2C%0D%0A%3EAnnabelle is already a citizen of the United Republic%2C by virtue of%0D%0A%3Ehaving been born here.%0D%0A%0D%0AI am very happy that the Republic practices jus soli rather than just jus sanguinis.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28I am easily pleased.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22For the record%2C the dragon companion thing would be entirely%0D%0A%3Eoptional%2C%22 Minami allowed.  %22That might actually make the product of our%0D%0A%3Edestined union -too- powerful.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AYou know%2C I%27m well aware the technology wasn%27t available back in their day%2C but god damn if Minami isn%27t what I imagine you%27d get from a mixture of Korra and Asami%27s genetics.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22To hear the man who sneaked into my office tell it%2C their%0D%0A%3Esociety editors think you%27re planning to sweep Korra off her feet and%0D%0A%3Ecarry her off back to your fairy castle in the sky%2C or wherever it is%0D%0A%3Eyou keep yourself when you%27re not here%2C%22 said Minami dryly.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27d just like everyone to know that my mind wandered off on a long digression as to which%2C if any%2C of the Trinity own the upside-down castle in Cephiro%2C and how they%27ve decorated it.%0D%0A%0D%0AI may have made some bad life choices.%0D%0A%0D%0A... wait%2C hold on.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Esociety editors think you%27re planning to sweep Korra off her feet and%0D%0A%0D%0A... bzuh%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ECheck it out%3A %27What Avatar%0D%0A%3EKorra plans to do with her new conquest now that she has severed him%0D%0A%3Efrom his exotic companion is far from clear%2C but we cannot ignore the%0D%0A%3Epossibility that she may return with him to wherever on the Outside he%0D%0A%3Ecomes from.  The cause for concern here is plain%3A the consequences of%0D%0A%3Esuch a cavalier abandonment of her duties would be grave indeed.  We can%0D%0A%3Eonly wait and hope that discretion and the needs of her world win out%0D%0A%3Eover our hot-blooded Avatar%27s latest fiery infatuation.%27%22%0D%0A%0D%0AOh. Huh. Okay%2C I was rather gratuitously wrong%2C then. I%27d somehow come to the conclusion that the Trib and%2For Emily was going to go with the theory that Corwin was Korra%27s illegitimate spawn%2C not that she was %5Bi%5Ddating%5B%2Fi%5D him. I mean%2C yes %5Bi%5DI%5B%2Fi%5D know why that is far-fetched and they do not%2C but still.%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso... seriously%2C Tribune%3F I don%27t have a lot of respect for society pages to begin with%2C but my god. There%27s an art to scandal and rumour-mongering. It goes back... well%2C it goes back forever%2C really%2C and I don%27t know what the tradition is like in Diqiu%2C but here in the english-speaking world it stretches back to 17th century pamphleteering campaigns in London%2C the precursors of what we%27d recognize as modern opinion journalism. And you had to be subtle and wicked and very deliberate in how you scandalmongered%2C because back then they had actual laws on the books about making mock of your social betters and you could potentially wind up taking a little trip to Tyburn for a misplaced word.%0D%0A%0D%0AEven centuries later%2C when that couldn%27t happen%2C there was an art and an elegance to it. News of Edward VIIs scandalous relationship with a foreign divorcee was handled with wicked aplomb on both sides of the pond%2C for example.%0D%0A%0D%0AFor shame%2C Tribune. This is like going fishing with dynamite. It%27s crude and blunt and direct%2C the society page equivalent of low-end porn. As someone who likes to read good things%2C I am personally offended.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EShe had%2C over the last%0D%0A%3Eweek or so%2C developed what she had flattered herself was a reasonably%0D%0A%3Egood working relationship with Master Cheong%2C the White Lotus master who%0D%0A%3Emanaged Avatar Korra%27s press relations.  He hadn%27t told her much of%0D%0A%3Eanything useful%2C but their conversations had at least been cordial%2C%0D%0A%3Ebordering on friendly.%0D%0A%0D%0AMmm.%0D%0A%0D%0ASomething to watch in yourself%2C Emily. Cheong is a PR flack. PR flacks should never be friendly with or pleased to talk to a reporter%3B they should be frightened and in a constant state of wondering what body you%27ve discovered.%0D%0A%0D%0ABut that%27s okay. You%27re young%2C and still learning.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ESomething in Emily broke loose at that%3B banging a fist down on%0D%0A%3Ethe newspaper%2C she blazed%2C %22Don%27t take that tone with me%21  Have you ever%0D%0A%3Ehad to work to a deadline%3F%22  She gestured vaguely in the direction of%0D%0A%3Ethe Tribune building and went on%2C %22I%27ve been searching for that context%0D%0A%3Efor the past 16 hours.  I%27ve -had- to%2C because -someone- thought it%0D%0A%3Ewould be funny to just string me along all week.%22%0D%0A%0D%0ATHERE it is. Yes. You have justified my faith in you.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EEmily put her hands on her hips and gave Utena a challenging%0D%0A%3Elook.  %22You want to know the really impressive part%3F  I got all that%0D%0A%3Esince nine-thirty last night.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AHah%21 I feel validated now.%0D%0A%0D%0AOnce she actually remembered she was a goddamn reporter living in what was a reasonable facsimile of the information age%2C it all just came together for Emily. Public records are public for a reason%2C girl%2C and people didn%27t make commercial-grade search engines just because it was fun.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn the future%2C she%27ll know to do this sort of thing right away%2C which will serve her in good stead when she has subjects who are less friendly and more%2C you know... highly illegal than Corwin and Utena are.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EKorra thought about her answer for a moment%2C looking steadily%0D%0A%3Eback at her%3B then she said%2C %22Well%2C I suppose%2C if you get right down to%0D%0A%3Eit%2C I%27m his godmother.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd now doesn%27t Emily feel silly.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22The Tribune%27s photo lab wouldn%27t%0D%0A%3Eknow what to do with Minox film.  They%27re going all computerized anyway%2C%0D%0A%3Ebut I don%27t trust that stuff.  Where%27s the archival permanence%3F  They%0D%0A%3Ecan%27t even read the magnetic tapes from the Phoenix Flight mission -at%0D%0A%3EFuture Industries- any more.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AAssuming its at all like memory diamond%2C Emily is going to %5Bi%5Dlove%5B%2Fi%5D datacrystal technology when it gets to Diqiu. All the convenience of digitized information combined with archival permanence that rivals letters carved onto stone slabs.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EEmily looked up again%2C seeming like she might be on the verge of%0D%0A%3Etears.  %22I don%27t know when it happened%2C exactly%3B it was so subtle I%0D%0A%3Ecan%27t trace it back now... but somewhere in the last couple of years%2C I%0D%0A%3Elost my way.  I was disappointed that my childhood idol turned out NOT%0D%0A%3Eto be a homewrecker.  How screwed up -is- that%3F%21%22 she demanded.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis is what I imagine working for the New York Post must be like.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28Social commentary%21%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EIf you%0D%0A%3Edo what you can to tidy up the mess your editor made so I don%27t actually%0D%0A%3Ehave to have the White Lotus sue the Tribune for libel - which I don%27t%0D%0A%3Ewant to do%2C but I will if I have to%0D%0A%0D%0AWithout getting into a debate about the advisability or lack thereof of strict libel laws%2C this is another reason the Tribune article sucked. You never expose yourself legally like that unless you%27ve got something along the lines of %22President Is Doing Secret Murders.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22I was kidding before%2C but it%0D%0A%3E-does- make a girl think%2C%22 she added with a grin%2C then trailed her%0D%0A%3Efingertips along the line of his bearded jaw as she turned away and%0D%0A%3Eheaded for the aircraft.%0D%0A%0D%0AI will never stop thinking that Minami should have given Corwin a full%2C open-palm slap on the ass right in front of everyone before flying away in her awesome autogyro.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22Nyima has something she wants to tell you%2C Corwin%21%22 said Lhakpa%0D%0A%3Echeerfully from the hall.  Then she slid the door shut with a bang and%0D%0A%3Ecould be heard trotting off down the hall%2C humming tunelessly.%0D%0A%0D%0AOh God.%0D%0A%0D%0ANothing %5Bi%5Dgood%5B%2Fi%5D ever starts this way. This is how conversations with the words %22slept with your wife%22 or %22this one time%2C at band camp%22 in them begin.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EShe forgot%0D%0A%3Eexactly where she had read or heard it%2C but it resonated nicely with a%0D%0A%3Ephrase in a text that Gryphon had lent her during one of her prior%0D%0A%3Evisits to New Avalon%3A %22Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations%22.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe extreme irony here%2C of course%2C is that I can%27t imagine Korra getting along at %5Bi%5Dall%5B%2Fi%5D with Vulcans who are seriously into the Way of Surak%2C with the possible exception of Spock%2C and that%27s only because Spock has years of Kirk Handling under his belt and knows how to deal with Korra%27s type.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E-That- was what the members of the White Lotus who had%0D%0A%3Eperpetrated their ill-timed deception had forgotten%2C or never really%0D%0A%3Ebrought onboard in the first place.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m going to defend the White Lotus again %28yes%2C from Korra%27s internal monologue%2C shut up%29 and hope charitably that they were motivated less by close-mindedness than by the genuine metaphysical concern of having no clue how their vitally important Avatar mechanism interacts with the rest of the cosmos. One imagines that the senior Lotuses now had their formative years during the whole Vaatu... incident. Watching Korra get her soul folded%2C spindled%2C and mutilated probably put some real fear into%27em.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22So%2C%22 Utena went on%2C %22when she came to me and said she wanted a%0D%0A%3Echild... I mean%2C what was I going to do%2C tell her no%3F  %27You can%27t do%0D%0A%3Ethat%27%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AHmm. Okay%2C I%27m going to want to unpack this entire cliff scene%2C because there are awesome feels and a lot of stuff happening under the surface.%0D%0A%0D%0AI kind of feel like the answer to Utena%27s question%2C despite it being rhetorical%2C is actually %22Yes. You should have told her no. Or%2C rather%2C you shouldn%27t have simply told her yes.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AThis isn%27t put out there explicitly%2C but... something I%27m not even sure Utena is aware of is that she is%2C just a bit%2C in the same situation she was talking about re%3A agency. Only in this instance%2C it%27s not Anthy denying herself agency%2C but Utena.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd that%27s just not healthy. It wasn%27t healthy for Anthy to feel so incredibly obligated to her brother %28and%2C eventually%2C his memory%29 that she would just do anything he asked%2C anything at all%2C because she felt obligated. Similarly%2C Utena shouldn%27t feel like she should do things she doesn%27t feel right about just because Anthy is the one doing the asking%2C and she loves Anthy and would do anything for her.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis isn%27t to imply Anthy and Utena%27s relationship is any more dysfunctional than every relationship is%2C of course. But it seems like part of why Utena is so jacked up about this is because on some level she realizes that she should have had a much%2C MUCH longer discussion with Anthy about this before pulling the trigger... but that thought seems unworthy and wrong to her%2C because it involved constraining Anthy to her own desires.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt%27s not wrong%2C or unworthy. It%27s totally legitimate. I%27d have liked to see Korra go with more of the hard sell and say %22You can%27t just live for others%2C you also have to live for yourself%22 point-blank%2C because Korra learned that lesson herself the hard way.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnyway. Big feels on this scene.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EBolin%27s effortless charm and his huge heart%2C Mako%27s bravery and %0D%0A%3Ededication to his work%0D%0A%0D%0A%22%2C Asami%27s amazing brain%2C spirit of adventure%2C and fine%2C fine ass.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%22... wait. What%3F%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Nothing%21%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22That whole thing is a scam%0D%0A%3Edesigned to keep us in line.  Anytime we take a fancy the elders don%27t%0D%0A%3Eapprove of%2C they can trot out the detachment sermon.  Well%2C I%27m not%0D%0A%3Ebuying it any more.  It%27s not my fault if Nyima still is AND she%27s crap%0D%0A%3Eat it.  It%27s actually kind of refreshing that there -is- something she%27s%0D%0A%3Ecrap at in the -first- place%2C%22 she added with a faintly malicious little%0D%0A%3Esmile.%0D%0A%0D%0ASee%2C this is one the reasons I wish these particular holidays weren%27t just devouring my life and I%27d had time to get all up ins the debate over Lhakpa.%0D%0A%0D%0ABecause I%27m just gonna say it%3A I like Lhakpa. Not just as a character. I kind of like her as a person. %0D%0A%0D%0AYeah%2C I know. She just... I dunno. I%27m not even gonna trot out the old %22I can relate to that%22 line. She just... she seems so oddly earnest and desperate%2C you know%3F I have a lot of sympathy for people who lash out because they%27re pissed off at the dictates life has surrounded them with.%0D%0A%0D%0AI also like how real she feels. We%27ve been surrounded by all these brutally earnest%2C big-hearted people for so long its kind of%2C weirdly%2C nice to see someone who isn%27t really evil%2C but is all full of earnest rage and more than a little spite. I love that stuff. It%27s why I%27m such a huge Zuko fan.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo yeah. Don%27t listen to the haters. Lhakpa is great. She works on so many levels.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22Well%0D%0A%3Eoutside my field.  Although I -will- build a baby-carrying robot if I%0D%0A%3Ehave to.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%22This is going to be like the hugging robot%2C isn%27t it%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%22I have learned from the mistakes of Hugbots 1.0 to 5.2%2C thank you very much.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EIto laughed.  %22I suspect this young lady could come up with%0D%0A%3Epranks of her own that would leave my feeble repertoire in the shade%2C%22%0D%0A%3Ehe said%2C giving Anne a wink.%0D%0A%0D%0AOh man. Once Ito finds out Anne can set things on fire and extinguish them by thinking about it%2C with no %5Bi%5Dobvious%5B%2Fi%5D bending%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AThere is going to be pranking the likes of which the old man only dreamed of in his youth.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22Bah%2C%22 she said%2C %22I only -dress- like a monk%2C%22 and she kissed%0D%0A%3Ehim again.%0D%0A%0D%0AYeah. I stand by my liking of Lhakpa.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22The hard part%27s going to be access to the site%2C%22 Corwin%0D%0A%3Eobserved%2C looking over one of the aerial shots they%27d taken upon%0D%0A%3Edeparting.  %22We%27ll either have to build some kind of a road or bring%0D%0A%3Eeverything in by air.  Either option could get complicated.%22%0D%0A%0D%0ADepending on the logistics involved%2C it might be simpler and easier to see if they could get a freighter into orbit. Rent one in New Avalon for a week%2C buy everything they need there%2C trundle over to Diqiu%2C pop through the veil%2C and just beam everything they need right to the site. Any incidentals they forgot they can haul in by air later. %0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22He had a flair for titles%2C too.  Crazy from the%0D%0A%3EHeat... The Adventures of Snow Savage and Dirt Girl... To Wang Fire%2C%0D%0A%3EThanks for Everything%21 Ty Lee.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AAheh. That thread had longer legs than I thought it did%2C I guess. %5E.%5E%3B%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22It should have a -tower%2C-%22 Corwin was saying%2C using the%0D%0A%3Esketchpad app on his omni-tool to draw a rough%2C glowing outline in the%0D%0A%3Eair.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22A tower that%27s also an airship dock%21 And an observatory%21 An observatory with an orerry in it%2C like that one Wan Shi Tong has only better%2C because screw that guy.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ESokka%27s literary agent%0D%0A%3EMatthew Giglia%0D%0A%0D%0A...%0D%0A%0D%0AYa know%2C Ben. If you%27re trying to %5Bi%5Dnot%5B%2Fi%5D give me a big head%2C you%27re going about it in a very strange way.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28And now I feel supremely guilty about taking a week and a bloody half to get to doing comments on this thing. It%27s like I%27m letting the side down.%29%0D%0A%0D%0ASeriously though%2C thanks for the shout-out. It%27s more than I deserve%2C really%3B all I did was come up with a few moderately interesting plays on words%2C one of which you liked enough to use. And that was in the middle of kinda-sorta playing around in your sandbox without being explicitly invited to.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ll take it%2C though. Seventeen-year-old me would be all %22eeeeeeeeeeeeeee%22 at the thought of an actual line in some UF credits. Thirty-two year old me tries to be more prosaic about these things. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AAs always%2C I may have more to say later%2C but I%27ve spent six hours pounding this sucker out and have work in the morning.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
5|2|4|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Gryphon||13:20:14|12/21/2013|%3ESidebar%3A for those of you who don%27t wear beards%2C don%27t let a guy tell %0D%0A%3Eyou they do it because it%27s %22easier than shaving.%22 Even cursory %0D%0A%3Eefforts to properly maintain a beard are considerably more time and %0D%0A%3Eenergy intensive than the most vigorous attempts to remain %0D%0A%3Eclean-shaven%0D%0A%0D%0ABollocks.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAwww%2C Corwin. I wonder if his Dad saw fit to inform him about the %0D%0A%3Esoul-destroying%2C stomach-churning fear parts of being a father that %0D%0A%3Ewill eventually come along%2C or if he wants the lad to get the full%2C %0D%0A%3Eunfiltered experience on his own. %0D%0A%0D%0AIn fairness%2C Corwin has seen at least one of those happen already.  You even alluded to it yourself a ways down.  She was born yesterday and he%27s already woken up in the night at least once thinking about it.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EI look forward intensely to the moment that Annabelle becomes even %0D%0A%3Eslightly mobile and Corwin has to baby-proof a whole bunch of houses. %0D%0A%3ECorwin being Corwin%2C one imagines that he will deploy over-engineered %0D%0A%3Etechnological solutions for this%2C and it%27s going to be amazing. %0D%0A%0D%0AFor crying out loud%2C you make him sound like Emmett Brown.  Corwin does at least know better than to reinvent the wheel for its own sake. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EThat was a fun little bit with Maki and Izumi%2C but on a more prosaic %0D%0A%3Eand much more depressing note... %0D%0A%0D%0A... because%2C really%2C this story%27s all about prosaic-and-depressing asides%2C am I right%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAnd%2C frankly%2C it may have been a mistake on Gryphon and %0D%0A%3EKei%27s part to have left their first round of kids without full-time %0D%0A%3Eprotection%3B if a pathetic slimeball like Mike Carpenter can get at %0D%0A%3EKaitlyn without anyone knowing%0D%0A%0D%0AI call foul on this line of comparison.  A%2C we%27d all sort of tacitly agreed we weren%27t going to mention him on this forum again%2C but you probably haven%27t read the archives so I%27ll let that slide.  B%2C Carpenter was a schoolmate and believed to be a friend%2C and turned out to be a Random Shitheel%2C he wasn%27t part of some kind of Manchurian Candidate scenario.  To reliably prevent something like %5Bi%5Dhim%5B%2Fi%5D from happening%2C the kids would have to have been %5Bi%5Dhome-schooled in a bunker%5B%2Fi%5D.  G%26K weren%27t looking at repeating the Clark Savage%2C Jr. experiment%2C they were just trying to raise a goddam family.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28And frankly%2C the Chief feels bad enough about the whole business already%2C without some armchair analyst telling him his parenting style is reckless and lackadaisical%2C and this was a direct result.  You may recall his own ruminations on the matter on New Year%27s Eve in 2404.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EGod dammit Ryo%2C I need to decide if I find you or your sister more %0D%0A%3Eawesomely adorable and you are not making it %5Bi%5Deasy%5B%2Fi%5D. %0D%0A%0D%0AThey can get very competitive sometimes. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22Well%2C gentlemen%2C we%27ve successfully confirmed that Annabelle is%2C in %0D%0A%3Efact%2C a baby.%22 %0D%0A%0D%0AHeh%2C apropos of nothing%2C you just reminded me of another one of those %22at the movies%22 images I had in conversation in the studio a bit back.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btt%5DINT. DAY - ASAMI%27S OFFICE%0D%0A%0D%0AASAMI stands behind her desk%2C looking sternly annoyed while MAKO and a TINHEAD unroll a small rug on top of it to reveal a charred and mangled metal object.  Her mood is not improved by the sight of it%2C though the two cops seem tentatively hopeful that it would be.  After a few moment%27s consideration%2C she folds her arms and glares at MAKO.%0D%0A%0D%0AASAMI%0D%0A%28sarcastically%29%0D%0AWell%2C congratulations%2C gentlemen.  Thanks to the diligence of the Republic City Police Department%2C it appears this %5Bu%5Dparticular%5B%2Fu%5D vacuum cleaner did not fall into the wrong hands.%5B%2Ftt%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%3E%22Aw%2C are you leaving%3F%22 said Garnet drowsily from her new%0D%0A%3E%3Estation.  %22I was just thinking I%27d like to look at you for maybe a%0D%0A%3E%3Ecouple more hours.%22%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EOddly enough%2C probably not even close to the weirdest line Azana has %0D%0A%3Eever received. %0D%0A%0D%0AProbably not%2C but it %5Bi%5Dis%5B%2Fi%5D one of the most sincerely meant.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%3EHe bowed again%2C first to Utena%2C then to Corwin.  %22Maximilian Chin%0D%0A%3E%3EYongmin XVII%2C Supreme Civil Servant to Their Excellencies the President%0D%0A%3E%3Eand Senate of the United Republic of Nations and Hereditary Chief%0D%0A%3E%3EBureaucrat to the Celestial Emperors of the Western Reaches%2C at your%0D%0A%3E%3Eservice.%22%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EHmm. That sentence scans oddly to me%3B I think of %22excellency%22 as a %0D%0A%3Etitle used for a person%2C rather than an institution like a Senate. But %0D%0A%3Ethat might just be me. %0D%0A%0D%0AIt scans better than %22Their Excellencies the President and Members of the Senate%22%2C and achieves the fine but important distinction that Chin works for the Senate%2C but not necessarily individual senators.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EI am very happy that the Republic practices jus soli rather than just %0D%0A%3Ejus sanguinis. %0D%0A%0D%0AGiven the nature of the country%2C it almost has to%2C or at least had to be set up that way%2C and has never bothered to change the rule now that it%27s better-established.  I suspect that particular idea is %5Bi%5Dde rigueur%5B%2Fi%5D in most if not all of Diqiu%2C anyway.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EYou know%2C I%27m well aware the technology wasn%27t available back in their %0D%0A%3Eday%2C but god damn if Minami isn%27t what I imagine you%27d get from a %0D%0A%3Emixture of Korra and Asami%27s genetics. %0D%0A%0D%0AOh behave.  You know Phil gets cross.  If I have to have that argument with him again%2C I at least want to have started it myself and not just inherited it from you. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EI%27d just like everyone to know that my mind wandered off on a long %0D%0A%3Edigression as to which%2C if any%2C of the Trinity own the upside-down %0D%0A%3Ecastle in Cephiro%2C and how they%27ve decorated it. %0D%0A%0D%0ANo one owns that or lives there%3B it%27s not in Cephiro and it%27s not even really a castle so much as a colossal art installation%2C purpose unknown.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EOh. Huh. Okay%2C I was rather gratuitously wrong%2C then. I%27d somehow come %0D%0A%3Eto the conclusion that the Trib and%2For Emily was going to go with the %0D%0A%3Etheory that Corwin was Korra%27s illegitimate spawn%0D%0A%0D%0AWhy would that even be newsworthy%3F  I%27ve never received the impression that %22legitimacy%22 in the European-nobility sense particularly matters to the person-on-the-street in Diqiu.  Would anyone in the %5Bi%5DTribune%5B%2Fi%5D%27s readership even %5Bi%5Dcare%5B%2Fi%5D if she had a child they hadn%27t previously been aware of%3F  It%27s not like being the Avatar is a hereditary job.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAssuming its at all like memory diamond%2C Emily is going to %5Bi%5Dlove%5B%2Fi%5D %0D%0A%3Edatacrystal technology when it gets to Diqiu. All the convenience of %0D%0A%3Edigitized information combined with archival permanence that rivals %0D%0A%3Eletters carved onto stone slabs. %0D%0A%0D%0AAt least until people stop making crystal readers%2C which%2C as we have discussed%2C is the real problem with most other lost media...%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EI will never stop thinking that Minami should have given Corwin a %0D%0A%3Efull%2C open-palm slap on the ass right in front of everyone before %0D%0A%3Eflying away in her awesome autogyro. %0D%0A%0D%0APlease%21  Minami Sato is a woman of class%2C poise%2C and distinction.  She would never stoop to a gesture as blatantly blue-collar as that.%0D%0A%0D%0ANot without too much %5Bi%5Dsake%5B%2Fi%5D in her to for flying the autogyro to be feasible%2C anyway.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%3E%22Nyima has something she wants to tell you%2C Corwin%21%22 said Lhakpa%0D%0A%3E%3Echeerfully from the hall.  Then she slid the door shut with a bang and%0D%0A%3E%3Ecould be heard trotting off down the hall%2C humming tunelessly.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EOh God. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ENothing %5Bi%5Dgood%5B%2Fi%5D ever starts this way. This is how conversations %0D%0A%3Ewith the words %22slept with your wife%22 or %22this one time%2C at band camp%22 %0D%0A%3Ein them begin. %0D%0A%0D%0AAlthough coming from Nyima to Corwin%2C the former would have been mighty interesting.  I mean%2C absent all the %5Bi%5Dother%5B%2Fi%5D considerations%2C when would they have had the %5Bi%5Dtime%3F%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EThe extreme irony here%2C of course%2C is that I can%27t imagine Korra %0D%0A%3Egetting along at %5Bi%5Dall%5B%2Fi%5D with Vulcans who are seriously into the %0D%0A%3EWay of Surak%0D%0A%0D%0AIn fairness%2C that has less to do with Korra and more to do with the fact that nobody but other hardcore Surakites and the Cybermen of Mondas get along with hardcore Surakites.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EOne imagines that the senior Lotuses now had %0D%0A%3Etheir formative years during the whole Vaatu... incident.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhat%2C 120 years ago%3F  Apart from Jinora%2C not so much.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%22%2C Asami%27s amazing brain%2C spirit of adventure%2C and fine%2C fine ass.%22 %0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bpre%5D        Then Utena said%2C %22By the way... %22%0D%0A        %22Mm%3F%22%0D%0A        %22You look pretty sharp in the old crimson and black.%22%0D%0A        He grinned.  %22Thanks.%22%0D%0A        %22Have you tried the shorts%3F  They%27re very comfortable.%22%0D%0A        Corwin chuckled.  %22No%2C thank you.  Not everybody%27s got legs%0D%0Alike yours.%22%0D%0A        %22You%27d look pretty funny with legs like mine.%22%0D%0A        %22Isn%27t -that- the truth.%22%5B%2Fpre%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EDepending on the logistics involved%2C it might be simpler and easier to %0D%0A%3Esee if they could get a freighter into orbit. Rent one in New Avalon %0D%0A%3Efor a week%2C buy everything they need there%2C trundle over to Diqiu%2C pop %0D%0A%3Ethrough the veil%2C and just beam everything they need right to the %0D%0A%3Esite. Any incidentals they forgot they can haul in by air later. %0D%0A%0D%0ABah.  Cheating.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%3E%22He had a flair for titles%2C too.  Crazy from the%0D%0A%3E%3EHeat... The Adventures of Snow Savage and Dirt Girl... To Wang Fire%2C%0D%0A%3E%3EThanks for Everything%21 Ty Lee.%22%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EAheh. That thread had longer legs than I thought it did%2C I guess. %5E.%5E%3B %0D%0A%0D%0AThey%27re not %5Bi%5Dquite%5B%2Fi%5D the same books postulated there - for instance%2C %5Bi%5DCrazy from the Heat%5B%2Fi%5D is almost completely different%2C as Azula in UF%2C alas%2C never got to the %22eccentric palace fixture%22 phase%2C having gone straight from Bedlam to the Valley to crystallite%2C and was never seen again in Sokka%27s lifetime.  The titles were too good not to call back to%2C though.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ESeriously though%2C thanks for the shout-out. It%27s more than I deserve%2C %0D%0A%3Ereally%3B all I did was come up with a few moderately interesting plays %0D%0A%3Eon words%2C one of which you liked enough to use.%0D%0A%0D%0AWell%2C y%27know.  Credit where it%27s due.  You came up with it%2C I liked it enough to use it%2C that%27s kind of how it works.  Ironic given that my entire literary career involves basically stealing stuff at a rate of knots%2C but I do have standards.%0D%0A%0D%0ATry not to read %5Bi%5Dtoo%5B%2Fi%5D much into it. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAnd that was in the %0D%0A%3Emiddle of kinda-sorta playing around in your sandbox without being %0D%0A%3Eexplicitly invited to. %0D%0A%0D%0AIn an uncanonical screwing-around thread%21  That%27s what they%27re there for. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
7|3|5|||||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|drakensis||02:11:45|12/22/2013|%3E%3ESidebar%3A for those of you who don%27t wear beards%2C don%27t let a guy tell %0D%0A%3E%3Eyou they do it because it%27s %22easier than shaving.%22 Even cursory %0D%0A%3E%3Eefforts to properly maintain a beard are considerably more time and %0D%0A%3E%3Eenergy intensive than the most vigorous attempts to remain %0D%0A%3E%3Eclean-shaven%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EBollocks.%0D%0A%0D%0AUm%2C yeah. I%27m with Gryphon on that.%0D%0A%0D%0AI mean%2C I just trimmed my beard for christmas. It took two minutes%2C not counting cleaning the sink afterwards. Granted my beard isn%27t the standard bearer for neatness. Keeping it clean is simply part of the shower routine and doesn%27t add anything much to time and effort.%0D%0A%0D%0AAppearing clean-shaven would require close and careful attention to detail every couple of days at least.
8|4|7|||||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|JFerio||20:01:17|12/22/2013|%3E%3E%3ESidebar%3A for those of you who don%27t wear beards%2C don%27t let a guy tell %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Eyou they do it because it%27s %22easier than shaving.%22 Even cursory %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Eefforts to properly maintain a beard are considerably more time and %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Eenergy intensive than the most vigorous attempts to remain %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Eclean-shaven%0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EBollocks.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EUm%2C yeah. I%27m with Gryphon on that. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI mean%2C I just trimmed my beard for christmas. It took two minutes%2C %0D%0A%3Enot counting cleaning the sink afterwards. Granted my beard isn%27t the %0D%0A%3Estandard bearer for neatness. Keeping it clean is simply part of the %0D%0A%3Eshower routine and doesn%27t add anything much to time and effort. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EAppearing clean-shaven would require close and careful attention to %0D%0A%3Edetail every couple of days at least. %0D%0A%0D%0AIt really depends on all the factors like rate of beard growth%2C how sensitive the underlying skin is%2C and how much hygienic care the beard requires when it%27s actually present. Plus%2C how curly is the beard hair%2C what color it is %28it doesn%27t necessarily match the color of what%27s on top of the head%29... and do you have a significant other that finds it cuddly warm%2C or irritating%2C when they%27re kissed%3F
9|5|8|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Gryphon||20:05:12|12/22/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Dec-22-13 AT 08:05 PM (EST)]You know what%2C I%27m hard up for traffic on the board lately%2C but not %5Bi%5Dthis%5B%2Fi%5D hard up.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22Could it kill the Grimace%3F%22  %22%5Bi%5DNothing%5B%2Fi%5D can kill the Grimace.%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
10|6|9|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|The Traitor||17:43:37|12/23/2013|So%2C how %27bout dem Bears%2C eh%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22She%27s old%2C she%27s lame%2C she%27s barren too%2C %2F%2F %22She%27s not worth feed or hay%2C %2F%2F %22But I%27ll give her this%2C%22 - he blew smoke at me - %2F%2F %22She was something in her day.%22 -- Garnet Rogers%2C %5Bi%5DSmall Victory%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AFiMFiction.net%3A we might accept blatant porn involving the cast of My Little Pony but as God is my witness we have %5Bi%5Dstandards%5B%2Fi%5D.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5Dcan you tell i%27m british yet%3F%5B%2Fsmall%5D
11|3|5|||||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Croaker||17:02:45|01/02/2014|%3E%3EI%27d just like everyone to know that my mind wandered off on a long%0D%0A%3E%3Edigression as to which%2C if any%2C of the Trinity own the upside-down%0D%0A%3E%3Ecastle in Cephiro%2C and how they%27ve decorated it.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ENo one owns that or lives there%3B it%27s not in Cephiro and it%27s not even really a %3Ecastle so much as a colossal art installation%2C purpose unknown.%0D%0A%0D%0AISTR at least one case of speculation that it was carved from the roots and%2For branches of Yggdrasil that penetrated into the world in question... definitely not from a UF story%2C but an interesting concept nonetheless.
12|4|11|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Gryphon||17:10:48|01/02/2014|%3EISTR at least one case of speculation that it was carved from the %0D%0A%3Eroots and%2For branches of Yggdrasil that penetrated into the world in %0D%0A%3Equestion... definitely not from a UF story%2C but an interesting concept %0D%0A%3Enonetheless. %0D%0A%0D%0AThat is from UF%2C actually.  The so-called %22castle in the sky%22 above Cephiro%27s dueling floor is%2C in fact%2C carved from a root cluster of Yggdrasil%2C at the very base of Svartalfheim.  Like I say%2C though%2C purpose unknown.  The svartelves don%27t appear to have had anything to do with it%3B they don%27t go that far down.  It%27s usually a lovely sunny day in the metaphysical space between Svartalfheim and Cephiro.  Svartelves don%27t like that.%0D%0A%0D%0ACephirean speculations as to its origins and purpose usually have something to do with Ryo Zan Paku%2C because Cephirean speculations about %5Bi%5Dvirtually any other mystery%5B%2Fi%5D usually have something to do with Ryo Zan Paku. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
13|5|12|||||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Croaker||15:34:07|01/06/2014|%3E%3EISTR at least one case of speculation that it was carved from the %0D%0A%3E%3Eroots and%2For branches of Yggdrasil that penetrated into the world in %0D%0A%3E%3Equestion... definitely not from a UF story%2C but an interesting concept %0D%0A%3E%3Enonetheless. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThat is from UF%2C actually.  The so-called %22castle in the sky%22 above %0D%0A%3ECephiro%27s dueling floor is%2C in fact%2C carved from a root cluster of %0D%0A%3EYggdrasil%2C at the very base of Svartalfheim.  Like I say%2C though%2C %0D%0A%3Epurpose unknown.  The svartelves don%27t appear to have had anything to %0D%0A%3Edo with it%3B they don%27t go that far down.  It%27s usually a lovely sunny %0D%0A%3Eday in the metaphysical space between Svartalfheim and Cephiro.  %0D%0A%3ESvartelves don%27t like that. %0D%0A%0D%0AOh%2C ok. And yeah%2C I can see Svartalves avoiding that sort of thing.%0D%0A%28%22Sir%2C we%27re detecting dangerous levels of electromagnetic radiation out there.%22 %0D%0A%28%22Very strange. What about the local life-forms%3F%22%0D%0A%28%22They seem to have evolved to detect the radiation and use it to track each other.%0D%0A%28%22Good gods%2C that%27s perverse...%22%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ECephirean speculations as to its origins and purpose usually have %0D%0A%3Esomething to do with Ryo Zan Paku%2C because Cephirean speculations %0D%0A%3Eabout %5Bi%5Dvirtually any other mystery%5B%2Fi%5D usually have something to do %0D%0A%3Ewith Ryo Zan Paku. %3A%29 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0AHuh. So %27Ryo Zan Paku%27 is the Cephirean equivalent of %27A Wizard Did It%27%3F
14|6|13|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Peter Eng||16:20:06|01/06/2014|%3E%0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3ECephirean speculations as to its origins and purpose usually have %0D%0A%3E%3Esomething to do with Ryo Zan Paku%2C because Cephirean speculations %0D%0A%3E%3Eabout %5Bi%5Dvirtually any other mystery%5B%2Fi%5D usually have something to do %0D%0A%3E%3Ewith Ryo Zan Paku. %3A%29 %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EHuh. So %27Ryo Zan Paku%27 is the Cephirean equivalent of %27A Wizard Did %0D%0A%3EIt%27%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AI think it%27s more that Cephiro has only one Really Mysterious Location%2C and that%27s Ryo Zan Paku.  It%27s more the equivalent of Area 51.%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AInsert humorous comment here.
15|7|14|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Gryphon||16:56:53|01/06/2014|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jan-06-14 AT 04:58 PM (EST)]%3E%3EHuh. So %27Ryo Zan Paku%27 is the Cephirean equivalent of %27A Wizard Did %0D%0A%3E%3EIt%27%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI think it%27s more that Cephiro has only one Really Mysterious %0D%0A%3ELocation%2C and that%27s Ryo Zan Paku.  It%27s more the equivalent of Area %0D%0A%3E51. %0D%0A%0D%0ANo%2C not Area 51.  Area 51 is a place established by Modern People to do Modern Things in%2C and is only inscrutable and tantalizing because of the security maintained by those people.  Ryo Zan Paku is unspeakably ancient and mysterious%2C pre-dating any recorded civilization anywhere around it.  About the only thing everyone can agree upon is its unmistakable air of majesty and importance.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn that respect%2C it%27s not comparable to anything on Earth.  Imagine something as ancient as the Acheulean axe deposit at Olorgesailie in Kenya - where %5Bi%5DHomo erectus%5B%2Fi%5D first made stone hand axes something like a million years ago%2C and kept it up for a staggeringly long time - only with the grandeur%2C artistic sophistication%2C and advanced construction techniques of Baron Haussmann%27s 19th-century reconstruction of Paris.  Or if the Paleolithic cave art of present-day Spain and France %28ca. 40%2C000 BCE%29 were very much %5Bi%5Dolder%5B%2Fi%5D than they are%2C but consisted of drawings as intricate%2C detailed%2C and technologically inventive as the sketches of Leonardo da Vinci %281452-1519%29.  %5Bi%5DThat%27s%5B%2Fi%5D how incredible%2C and baffling%2C and intimidating Ryo Zan Paku is.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
16|8|15|||||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Croaker||18:34:38|01/06/2014|%3EIn that respect%2C it%27s not comparable to anything on Earth.  Imagine %0D%0A%3Esomething as ancient as the Acheulean axe deposit at Olorgesailie in %0D%0A%3EKenya - where %5Bi%5DHomo erectus%5B%2Fi%5D first made stone hand axes something %0D%0A%3Elike a million years ago%2C and kept it up for a staggeringly long time %0D%0A%3E- only with the grandeur%2C artistic sophistication%2C and advanced %0D%0A%3Econstruction techniques of Baron Haussmann%27s 19th-century %0D%0A%3Ereconstruction of Paris.  Or if the Paleolithic cave art of %0D%0A%3Epresent-day Spain and France %28ca. 40%2C000 BCE%29 were very much %0D%0A%3E%5Bi%5Dolder%5B%2Fi%5D than they are%2C but consisted of drawings as intricate%2C %0D%0A%3Edetailed%2C and technologically inventive as the sketches of Leonardo da %0D%0A%3EVinci %281452-1519%29.  %5Bi%5DThat%27s%5B%2Fi%5D how incredible%2C and baffling%2C and %0D%0A%3Eintimidating Ryo Zan Paku is. %0D%0A%0D%0AHmmm.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo more of an Atlantis %28the mythic version espoused by new-age Celtophiles%2C for example%29. I can get with that.
17|9|16|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Gryphon||18:46:56|01/06/2014|%3ESo more of an Atlantis %28the mythic version espoused by new-age %0D%0A%3ECeltophiles%2C for example%29. I can get with that. %0D%0A%0D%0ASort of%2C yeah.  If the mythic Atlantis%2A had been real and was still plainly evident and accessible %28but deserted%29 in the modern world%2C that would be a lot like Ryo Zan Paku in Cephiro.  Not in terms of production design%2C as it were%2C but in the impression it would make.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%2A as opposed to the Minoan civilization of Crete%2C say.%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
6|2|4|||||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Bushido||17:02:35|12/21/2013|%3E%3EThree-quarters of an hour or so later%2C everyone was sorted out%0D%0A%3E%3Eand ready to face the day.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E... Anthy and Utena have blindingly fast toilettes%2C especially for %0D%0A%3Ewomen with as much hair as they do. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThat%27s not snark%2C I am genuinely impressed. %0D%0A%0D%0AWe%27ve already discussed the fact that Anthy cheats%2C and as practical as Utena is%2C she probably has efficiency down to an art form.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%3EHe bowed again%2C first to Utena%2C then to Corwin.  %22Maximilian Chin%0D%0A%3E%3EYongmin XVII%2C Supreme Civil Servant to Their Excellencies the President%0D%0A%3E%3Eand Senate of the United Republic of Nations and Hereditary Chief%0D%0A%3E%3EBureaucrat to the Celestial Emperors of the Western Reaches%2C at your%0D%0A%3E%3Eservice.%22%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EHmm. That sentence scans oddly to me%3B I think of %22excellency%22 as a %0D%0A%3Etitle used for a person%2C rather than an institution like a Senate. But %0D%0A%3Ethat might just be me. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThat said%2C oh man am I a big fan of Chin%27s. It may not have escaped %0D%0A%3Ethe notice of either of our hosts that I am a huge fan of people who %0D%0A%3Ework within the system in an awesome way%3B I%27m a big proponent of the %0D%0A%3E%27heroic bureacrat%27 archetype %28if there is such a thing%29 someone who %0D%0A%3Emakes shit happen using memos and signatures and the secret powers of %0D%0A%3Epaperwork. %28I like Director Manning and Shizuru for the same reasons.%29 %0D%0A%3EChin is like catnip for me. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EAnd with that%2C he removed from his back a dark-stained%2C%0D%0A%3E%3Ebeautifully made wooden pack that turned out to be a sort of portable%0D%0A%3E%3Esecretary with shoulder straps%2C placed it on the end of the bed%2C and%0D%0A%3E%3Ebegan to unpack a surprising amount of kit from within it%3A documents in%0D%0A%3E%3Eexpensive-looking dark card folders%2C an inking pad and roller%2C adhesive%0D%0A%3E%3Ewafers%2C paper-wrapped gold foil%2C and a pliers-like sealing device.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ESee%3F Tell me that that kit is any less impressive%2C or less powerful%2C %0D%0A%3Ethan%2C say Batman%27s utility belt. I challenge you. %0D%0A%0D%0ASee https%3A%2F%2Fallthetropes.orain.org%2Fwiki%2FBadass_Bureaucrat
18|1|0|||||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Zemyla||11:59:11|02/22/2021|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Feb-22-21 AT 12:00 PM (EST)]%3ECorwin bowed sardonically to her%2C then told Amy%2C %22This is in%0D%0A%3Efact what happens when an Authentic Wacko re-tasks an industrial load%0D%0A%3Elifter as a terror weapon.  Under the platinum armor - you heard me -%0D%0A%3Eand the grappling hooks which are also tasers - again%2C you heard me -%0D%0A%3Eit%27s a forklift.%22%0D%0A%0D%0ASo he tried to kill Korra with a forklift%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AEDIT%3A I somehow put this in the wrong thread%2C whoops.
19|2|18|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Astynax||12:12:04|02/22/2021|%3ESo he tried to kill Korra with a forklift%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EEDIT%3A I somehow put this in the wrong thread%2C whoops. %0D%0A%0D%0AI could be picturing it wrong%2C but I think it%27s a weaponized version of %5Blink%3Aimgur.com%2F2ZNmxS3%7Cthis bit of kit%5D from %5Bi%5DAliens%5B%2Fi%5D.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%222%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd%5Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FuTUdbCE.png%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd%5D%5BFONT SIZE%3D%222%22 COLOR%3D%22%23000000%22%5D%5Bb%5D-%3D%7B%28Astynax%29%7D%3D-%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A%5Bi%5D%22This Space For Rent.%22%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%222%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D%5B%2Fp%5D
21|3|19|||||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Star Ranger4||21:00:10|02/26/2021|pretty close.  Its platinum armor%2C though%2C can be better seen in the shot RL-G posted.  IOW%2C yeah%2C it KIND of looks like that under the armor... but refer to the series itself for how the outside looks
20|2|18|||1||RE%3A DS03 Goodbye %26 Hello%2C Revisited|Gryphon||12:38:16|02/22/2021|%3E%3ECorwin bowed sardonically to her%2C then told Amy%2C %22This is in%0D%0A%3E%3Efact what happens when an Authentic Wacko re-tasks an industrial load%0D%0A%3E%3Elifter as a terror weapon.  Under the platinum armor - you heard me -%0D%0A%3E%3Eand the grappling hooks which are also tasers - again%2C you heard me -%0D%0A%3E%3Eit%27s a forklift.%22%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ESo he tried to kill Korra with a forklift%3F %0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bi%5Dthis is the song we sing during the chase scene%0D%0Athis is the chase%3A Korra and Lin%0D%0Ahe tried to kill them with a forklift%0D%0Aol%C3%A9%21%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0Aalso%2C%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2FG-GFX%2Fbuddyrich.jpg%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D