You know, I was thinking about why McCree was in Japan for the noodle robbery incident, and something came to me that is absolutely not canon, but entirely too funny to not consider.
McCree was there as backup for Genji for the whole “gonna confront the brother who killed me showdown.” Because they are bros. And bros help bros distract the guards who have come as reinforcements while Genji has a violent heart to heart with his sibling.
So like Genji and Hanzo are having this dramatic fight inside with dragons and revelations while McCree is outside the compound getting into like a fist fight with seven guards.
McCree: “You’re just gonna talk to him.”
Genji. “Yes.”
McCree: “You sure.”
Genji: “Yes. I will only fight in self defense.”
Later at the compound, fighting seven guards, noticing three motherfucking glowing dragons come from the side of the building: “TALK MY ASS.”
I’m thinking back on the new Shimada brother interactions:
Hanzo: I do not fear death.
Genji: No, you find living the challenge.
And then I thought back to the Japanese trailer where Genji doesn’t go through with killing Hanzo:
Genji: 生きる理由を探すんだ、兄者。
(You must find your reason for living, brother.)
I’m taking a ton of liberties in bridging the dialogue from these two things together (from different languages, no less), but what if Hanzo never actually found a reason for living, thereby making it a challenge? He has no reason anymore to be alive. His life isn’t really his own because he’s dedicated the past 10 years to ‘honoring’ Genji, but Genji shows up, alive, and there–Hanzo’s purpose is gone. He has to find a new one and we all pretty much know that if you’ve got nothing to look forward to or any reason for living, it’s pretty much the same as not really being alive. Depending on the time difference between these two lines, the implications can be very significant.
I dunno, but I’m hoping to get my hands on the Japanese version of the interaction so I can see how closely it aligns with the English version.
Gabriel Reyes was a man who was very focused on community and caring for your neighbours. On his rare off days, he ran backyard barbeques in a nearby park and hosted fundraisers for those who needed help. Anyone and everyone knew Gabriel Reyes was the man to rely on in times of need. His community loved him and he never knew another family as tight-knit as that.
When the Blackwatch scandal came to light, his community rallied around him. He kept them safe, no matter the personal or political cost. Even if the scandal was true, they would rather stand behind a man who took care of them than a government that threw them to the side.
When he died, they were devastated. The strongest pillar in their community – gone, just like that. In his honour, they painted murals and kept him in their prayers, keeping his memory alive even when the world wanted to bury him. Men and women alike wanted to walk in his footsteps. Children sang songs about his triumphs and his sorrows. Grandmothers fussed over his recipes and immortalised them in their kitchens.
Those who walk the alleyways of LA marvel at the beautiful artwork covering the brick and cement, depicting awe-inspiring stories that flow from street to street. But the city was not so kind. For the years after Gabriel’s death, they fought to destroy and paint over those murals, trying to erase the man who brought shame to their country. But LA refused to die. They bound together and rose as one, turning their streets and walls into a living dedication of those who they lost, those who they refuse to forget.
That is where Reaper stands now. Masked, hooded, shadowed. Hidden away from romping children and watchful parents. He stands in the darkness quietly, dead eyes full of sorrow and a lump in his throat as he observes the fruits of his loving labour.
The LLF survey on the perception of kudos has closed! Here, I’m going to share some of the initial results. This is mostly a surface-level overview, but we can already see some potential differences between readers and authors. Keep in mind that no significance tests have been performed yet!
We received responses from 2,582 non-authors who read fanfiction (described as “readers-only” or simply “readers”), and 3,661 fanfiction authors.
Results
1. How often do they leave kudos?
Authors were more likely than non-authors to report that they “often” leave kudos, while non-authors were more likely to say that they “occasionally” leave kudos than authors.
2. How often do they leave comments?
Overall, authors are much more likely to leave comments than non-authors – approximately 30% of authors said they often commented, compared with only 9.6% of readers.
3. What’s comparable to kudos?
Authors were more likely than non-authors to say that they view kudos as similar to a tumblr or Facebook like, whereas non-authors were more likely than authors to say that they view them as similar to a short (less than one sentence) comment or a tumblr reblog.
4. Do users like kudos?
Approximately two thirds of all respondents reported that the kudos feature has improved their AO3 experience, while approximately one third had a neutral or mixed opinion. Only 2.1% of authors and 0.3% of non-authors said that kudos have made their AO3 experience worse. Authors seem slightly more likely than non-authors to report both positive or negative influences, while non-authors are more likely to give a neutral opinion.
Hello from Ireland and go mo leithsceal for the slow reply!
It may have moved like your old arm, but it sure as hell
didn’t feel like it. You watched new fingers flex, glinting as they caught the
light. It moved how you told it to and yet it felt so…wrong. Your whole body
did now. You felt like you were a ghost possessing a foreign host. You had lost
a lot in that blast, but you were grateful for what you had left: your life.
By some miracle (and some miracle worker) you had survived.
You were always a fighter, and through everything you kept fighting to get back
to the one you loved. And since he had pulled you from the rubble he had
refused to leave your side, needing to be dragged from the operating theatre
while Angela furiously worked to save your life. Once she had told him what
needed to be done his heart had sank. As much as he tried it was still difficult
to come to terms with his new form and the dark times were painful wound in his
mind. He wouldn’t wish that upon anyone. Or so he thought until now. As selfish
as it was, he couldn’t let you go.
The days stretched into weeks and you had still not awoken
from the induced coma. And Genji was by your bedside every moment he could
spare. But the world continued to spin and threats continued to pop up. As much
as it broke his heart to leave you, his presence was needed elsewhere. However,
as soon as word reached him that you had woken up the mission became
insignificant.
Admittedly it was a shock to you when you saw your new body.
Once the shock had worn off, you had to admit it was pretty cool. You had
always admired Genji’s body and now you were just like him. You didn’t see it
as a loss of your old body, but the gaining of a new one. Of course it would
take quite a bit of adaptation, but it took years to first learn how to walk
and talk and navigate your human body after all. You were fairly confident that
you’d get this down in a few weeks.
You had just began testing out your new body when Genji
burst through the door. Though he had rushed to see you, not that he was finally
looking upon you he found that he was frozen in place, overcome that you were
finally awake and you were alive. Words and logic failed him and it was you who
finally broke the silence.
“Look!” you said cheerfully, “I’m a cyborg too now!”
Seeing that smile on your face snapped him from his trance
and in a blink he had crossed the room and engulfed you in his arms. It felt
odd to not properly be able to feel his embrace. And you had to admit that you
would miss that. You were pulled from your thoughts by a sharp whirring coming
from your new body. Genji instantly pulled away, frantically looking for the
issue. Both of you were put at ease when Angela came over with a small smile
playing on her lips.
“Careful with the excitement, Genji,” she told him, “I still
need to adjust the cooling system to their specifications.”
“So does this thing come with an instruction manual?” you joked
as Angela tinkered with the issue.
“Your model does. Its title is Genji and I’m sure he’ll be
of some help.”
There was a gentle hiss as Genji removed his faceplate to
press a kiss to where the cool metal met your skin at your jaw.
“I will be with you every mechanical step of the way,” he
vowed.
demialwrites 