Bracket 2 Round 2

how did adonis and koga start dating?

Adonis: That's how I see it at least.

sound of metal pipe clattering in the distance

Sustain Memories 💍💐

[TL] BIOHAZARD/Chapter 5

[ This post uses Ois~su ♪ ]

Time: That night

Location: In living quarters of the AIIE experiment grounds

Rei: Uwaa, we’re having a sleepover with all of UNDEAD~♪

Fufu. The SS preliminaries was the perfect opportunity for one, but Kaoru-kun was thrown into a desert and separated from us.

I’m happy that the four of us can have a sleepover together peacefully– gah!?

Koga: ...

Rei: Koga? Don’t throw an omanjuu at me? Is this your way of telling me you want to play?

Koga: Stop bein’ so happy-go-lucky, vampire bastard. The hell you mean, pajama party.

Rei: Oya, how nostalgic. Could this be that you want me to call you ‘wanko’ for the first time in a while?

Koga: I ain’t callin’ you that for nostalgia purposes, I’m insultin' you.

Rei: How troubling. Please don’t take your frustrations out on me.

We’ve all given our consent to take part in this experiment.

We can’t complain now, can we?

Koga: We was basically forced to? If it hadn’t been us, it woulda been like, Ra*bits who haven’t done nothin’ wrong.

Then we’d hafta live with the knowledge that them lot are now the victims whilst we watch from the sidelines.

It’s better for our own mental health to just do it for real, right?

‘Cos I don’t like this at all. Don’t forget that.

Kaoru: Ahaha. It’s definitely a little off putting and shady sounding, but it makes for an interesting story, right?

AI idols and stuff– no, technology and science in general has come a long way. Really, it’s like an old sci-fi movie.

If this was just a movie, or even just someone else’s problem, I think it could have been a lot of fun.

Adonis: I also don’t feel great about this but I am interested in terms of the development of science and technology.

This is the future we thought of when we learnt about Voc*loid and drawing AIs, and it’s becoming a reality right in front of our eyes.

We’re now living in a near sci-fi world that people from the past could only imagine.

It’s like a dream, whether that’s a good or a bad thing.

I’m excited.

Kaoru: Ahaha. That totally has the vibe of a boyish heroic novel.

I don’t particularly like that sort of thing either. At the end of the day, I’m still the son of an academic who reached for the sea in search of romance and mystery.

Adonis: I also dislike jumping into areas I don’t know about.

Rei: If we think realistically, if we had refused to take part, there was the likelihood of RhythmLink turning their backs on us.

I suspect they would be rather unpleasant in the matter.

This is a necessary step so we are not thrown to the side. The compensation is rather impressive, and, in simple terms, profitable for us.

Well, we made quite the sum of money during the SS, so we have some to spare.

If an experiment such as ‘AI idols’ is successful, implemented, and announced to the world, won’t they look to us as we were the test subjects? Doesn’t that make this all worth it?

Koga: But this doesn’t solve the problem we’re havin’. They’re just killin’ time, it literally has nothin’ t’do with our situation.

This better not turn into a goose chase, wastin’ time runnin’ ‘round lookin’ stupid.

Rei: Umu. We should all brainstorm some ideas in order to solve the root of the problem, as Koga said. Fortunately, we have been blessed with plenty of time to do so.

Kaoru: Mmm… I was kinda on guard when they said experiment, but if they’re just asking us to stay the night here?

Rei: Umu. We will be given medicine, which will cause us to sleep for about half a day. In that time, via the devices connected to our heads, data will be collected and compiled.

During the time we are not asleep, we will exercise to prevent our bodies from weakening, and eat to keep up our energy levels. Let’s all get on, the four of us.

The testing period will last approximately one week. During this time, any other forms of work are banned, as the extra stimulus may skew the results.

Our phones will be confiscated, and we will be separated from the outside world.

Kaoru: Kinda feels like being a prisoner or a hospital patient… Welp, this’ll be easy money if all we’ve got to do is laze around.

Rei: Umu. I suppose we can take it easy. We will be paid regardless as to whether the experiment produces useful results or not, so it’s not a complete waste of time.

Fortunately, this location is better than a hospital or a prison.

Look, there are some cards and board games we can use to kill time. Let’s play until it’s time for us to sleep.

Koga: Ain’t you bein’ too relaxed ‘bout this whole thing?

Rei: That’s a good thing, is it not? I’ve been acting unusually mature since my youth, so I do not have many experiences like this. Such as having a sleepover with friends of the same age—

That’s why. I can’t be sure of the future, but I know I am very happy right now ♪

[ ☆ ]

Chapter 4

for most characters, their character color is the same as their hair color. for some characters, such as hajime and niki, it is their eye color. there are only five exceptions to this rule — yuuta and hinata, whose colors reference the colors they've chosen to differentiate themselves; midori and chiaki, whose colors reference their roles as ryuusei green and red; and rei, for no obvious reason. why purple? if anything, wouldn't it make more sense for his color to be black or dark red? on the surface, rei appears to have no connection to the color dark purple. however, looking deeper, the answer becomes obvious. otogari adonis—

thebignewsletter.com

BOOM: Google Loses Antitrust Case

Search giant Google has lost its first antitrust case in a San Francisco jury trial. The breakup of Big Tech begins.

Big news: Google has lost its first antitrust case. Via Matt Stoller:

So what happens now? In this case, the judge will come up with remedies next year. The order could be broad, and will likely loosen Google’s control over the mobile app ecosystem. Google has already announced that it will appeal, so the case isn’t over.

That said, Google is likely to be in trouble now, because it is facing multiple antitrust cases, and these kinds of decisions have a bandwagon effect. The precedent is set, in every case going forward the firm will now be seen as presumed guilty, since a jury found Google has violated antitrust laws. Judges are cautious, and are generally afraid of being the first to make a precedent-setting decision. Now they won’t have to. In fact, judges and juries will now have to find a reason to rule for Google. If, say, Judge Amit Mehta in D.C., facing a very similar fact-pattern, chooses to let Google off the hook, well, he’ll look pretty bad.

You're super cool, and you're from California too? Woah. Nice! I'm not in LA (well, unless you count Greater LA. Then I AM in LA) but it's still so nice to see someone else from the area also be an enstarrie! (Well, there's millions of people around here. So there's no way there isn't other enstarries, but you know what I mean, yeah?) Hope you have a wonderful night!!

i know what you mean 😭 there were at least 3 enstars cupsleeve events in LA/OC back in 2022: one for leo bday, one for niki bday, and one combined event for reikao bdays, so definitely lots of enstarries in socal! unfortunately, i have not met any of them...

anyway we are not alone. we will find our bretheren

wait are eichi and rei together now? does this mean kaoru is the only single guy in undead? kaoru get your act together you have so many "complex relationship" arrows

Kaoru: ...

rei’s monologue in the second to last chapter is everything to me. maybe I’m reading into it too much, but this feels like foreshadowing for deeper adonis development… “adonis’ love is a wonderful thing. sweet, pure, and warm. and that’s why it’s so poisonous.”

ive always believed the reason why rei and adonis developed so differently despite being so similar deep down was because rei grew up shouldering the burdens of an adult and seeing love as indistinguishable from obligation, while adonis grew up in a truly loving family, so he has a healthier conception of love. but adonis is also just as self-sacrificing. maybe that changed between saqr faith in !-era and burning body in !!, where adonis goes from singing about not caring if his body is burned up by the sun to singing about wanting this fire in him to drive him… but maybe it hasn’t changed. will rei have to stand by and watch as adonis is devoured by his own love? as his mother’s love “becomes a chain that binds him”?

(adonis event story spoilers under cut)

so you’re telling me urania was a child, shouldering burdens no child should ever have to shoulder, when adonis comforted her with his song? a simple comforting gesture that meant nothing to him and everything to her? a gesture he forgot almost immediately, but that she carried with her for years to come? that she brought all the way with her to japan?

wow! that story doesn’t sound familiar at all to another experience in adonis’ life. anyway, im going to go listen to the fully voiced Reincarnation: Chapter 8 from the !-era story Resurrection Sunday for no reason in particular.