- Location
- The Midlands.
And that matters why? YouTube worked out some kind of ad revenue-sharing thing with the record labels years ago, although I doubt the artists saw a penny of it. If you're not happy with their quality then upload one yourself.
Defence in Depth [NGE]
- Thread starter grommile
- Start date
grommile
nasty-minded old cynic
- Location
- NERV-Mercia
- Pronouns
- Traditional/Animate
Given that the album's out of print and going for £25 on the second-hand market, and it's not on Spotify even though some of the band's other work is, I'm pretty sure the label's defunct in this case.
(Also the wording of the FAQ in the Ask A Private Question section on SV gives the impression that linking non-transformative uploads by internet randos is discouraged.)
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HoratioVonBecker
Imperfectly Aligned
You could just link the lyrics. AZlyrics maybe?
Music Hath Charms
grommile
nasty-minded old cynic
- Location
- NERV-Mercia
- Pronouns
- Traditional/Animate
Chewing chilli flakes as she dressed for school that Saturday morning, Rei came to an inconvenient realization: her body was starting to get used to her attempts at self-distraction by capsaicin exposure, and she was going to need a new strategy. Picking up her school bag, she focused on what the day held in store.
School itself would be just another spell of pointless tedium, offering her knowledge that she would never need. Only the fact that Shinji and Asuka, and their fascinating souls, would be there offered any prospect of mental stimulus.
The evening would be a pleasant void, floating in a tank of LCL in Terminal Dogma while her latest memories were recorded by the MAGI. It held no interest, but at least she would be free of all the aggravating stimuli of daily life for the duration.
The afternoon held dread and excitement in equal measure. On the one hand, Saturday afternoon in Tokyo-3's shopping district would be full of noise and confusion. On the other, she would be able to watch the interaction between Shinji and Asuka, and they would be introducing her to the world of music.
She wondered if they would touch each other. Their souls were at their most interesting when that happened, as the transferred fragments lit up from the connection to their origin.
On her way out, she frowned at her front door with its broken lock that had allowed Shinji's intrusion into her apartment. It left a new doubt lingering in her mind as she headed downstairs. The Commander undoubtedly prized her safety – his response to the activation accident told her that – yet nobody had thought to repair the lock on her living quarters. It was another troubling oversight to add to the one Asuka had brought to her attention.
Shinji frowned at the sign above the shop Asuka was pointing to. The bizarrely angular style of the red-on-black writing, embedded in a tangle of meaningless lines, made it nearly impossible to read, but he thought it might say "KHAOS NOIZ" in romaji. The rest of the storefront wasn't any more reassuring. The front door was painted black, and the window displays (with black backdrops) either side of it featured mannequins in outlandish outfits, posed with battered-looking electric guitars. "Asuka, is that really the right place?"
She glared at him. "Look at it!" she snapped. She'd been short-tempered all day. Misato had even said something about "back to your old self, eh?" at breakfast.
"Okay, okay, I guess we should go in."
"Damn right. Let's get some decent music!" Asuka forged ahead, Rei following close behind. Shinji brought up the rear, not quite knowing what to expect.
The interior upheld the black-and-red scheme of the shopfront, and Shinji felt profoundly out of place as he saw the handful of other customers, mostly older than himself and dressed in black with outlandishly styled hair. A new song had just started playing from the ceiling speakers, a woman chanting wordlessly over some sort of background noise.
The English lyrics, when they began, seemed confusing and disjointed, but the texture of the sounds alone was enough to send an uncanny chill down his spine. He looked over at Rei, and saw her staring intently at the speakers, tapping her fingers lightly against her thigh in time to whatever structure might be found.
"Hey Shinji, stop lollygagging and get over here," called Asuka. As Shinji headed towards her, she added, "You too, Rei."
Rei's hand came to a rest as she blinked and shook her head. "Do you know this song?" she asked as she joined Shinji and Asuka.
Asuka pulled a face and clapped a hand to her belly. "Ugh, no. And I could do without those fucking lyrics right now."
"Oh. Why? They are intriguing," said Rei, starting to tap her leg again.
Asuka glared at Rei. "You... you really don't know, do you?" she said, before muttering in a low voice, "Lucky bitch."
Rei seemed not to notice the insult, but Shinji did. "What was that for?" he asked.
Asuka gave him the same glare, then stepped away to put Rei between them. "Ask me later and I'll help you understand. I don't want to get thrown out for causing a scene."
Shinji looked back at her and nodded. "Fine."
Rei had very little to pay attention to, floating in the tank. The petty discomforts of daily life were far away, the flotation medium obscured her vision, and the layers of armoured glass shut out all sound beyond the gentle whirr of the recirculator pumps.
Very little, though, was not nothing. She could sense Dr Akagi's soul. She could sense Commander Ikari's soul arriving.
She could sense the dim scrap of some other soul that was attached to his.
That was new, and troubling. She had faith that it was part of the Scenario, but it seemed a strange choice to have made.
"So, you said you were going to 'help me understand'?" asked Shinji as he put away the last of the washing up.
Asuka looked up from the sofa. "Yes. How much of the lyrics did you understand?"
"Not much? Something about jagged glass and stars and angels? English isn't my best subject."
"Right." She got up and walked back towards him. "Give me your hand, and don't pull away."
He extended his hand nervously. Her choice of words was worrying, but he wanted to not be confused.
She grabbed his wrist, rather harder than he'd have liked, but his attempt to complain turned into a yelp of pain as he started to feel what she was feeling. The tenderness across his... no, her chest. The raw, tense, knotted pain in her abdomen. He tried to pull away, but with her grip so tight on his wrist he only succeeded in pulling her closer, nearly overbalancing them both before she let go and stepped back.
A faint ghost of her pain lingered for a few moments as he caught his breath. "That hurt," he muttered.
"That's what that song was about. Mostly. I think. Maybe about wanting to end the world because of it, too."
"Shouldn't you see a doctor or something?"
Asuka snorted and rolled her eyes. "Already did. 'Just part of becoming a woman,' she said. 'Just take some painkillers and carry on, it's only a few days a month.' Stupid stoic bullshit. She doesn't have to pilot Eva like this."
The taste that lingered in Ritsuko's mouth, despite gargling and brushing her teeth, was much less unpleasant than after her last 'conference' with Gendou. It still made her wonder what he'd been eating, but it was just a matter of scientific curiosity, rather than a desire to not taste him after he'd eaten it.
She walked into her office and saw Lieutenant Ibuki staring intently at whatever report she was working on. There was something endearing about the younger woman's enthusiasm. Aoba and Hyuuga would never stay up this late working on a Saturday, short of a direct order.
"Ibuki?" she called.
Ibuki jolted in her seat and turned towards Ritsuko. "Sempai?" Ibuki frowned. "Are you all right, sempai? Did some— Did something happen?"
Ritsuko blinked, taking a moment to process Ibuki's concern. Oh. Right. I didn't brush my hair, my lipstick is a mess, and I'm not smiling about it. Rumour control time. "Nothing I said 'no' to, Lieutenant. No need to worry. Go home and get some sleep. Those numbers will keep until morning, whatever they are."
"R-right!" Ibuki locked the terminal and stood up. "Thank you, sempai. If you need it, I know a... service. They helped a friend of mine."
"I told you, it was nothing I said 'no' to. But thank you for your concern. Sleep well, Ibuki."
School itself would be just another spell of pointless tedium, offering her knowledge that she would never need. Only the fact that Shinji and Asuka, and their fascinating souls, would be there offered any prospect of mental stimulus.
The evening would be a pleasant void, floating in a tank of LCL in Terminal Dogma while her latest memories were recorded by the MAGI. It held no interest, but at least she would be free of all the aggravating stimuli of daily life for the duration.
The afternoon held dread and excitement in equal measure. On the one hand, Saturday afternoon in Tokyo-3's shopping district would be full of noise and confusion. On the other, she would be able to watch the interaction between Shinji and Asuka, and they would be introducing her to the world of music.
She wondered if they would touch each other. Their souls were at their most interesting when that happened, as the transferred fragments lit up from the connection to their origin.
On her way out, she frowned at her front door with its broken lock that had allowed Shinji's intrusion into her apartment. It left a new doubt lingering in her mind as she headed downstairs. The Commander undoubtedly prized her safety – his response to the activation accident told her that – yet nobody had thought to repair the lock on her living quarters. It was another troubling oversight to add to the one Asuka had brought to her attention.
Shinji frowned at the sign above the shop Asuka was pointing to. The bizarrely angular style of the red-on-black writing, embedded in a tangle of meaningless lines, made it nearly impossible to read, but he thought it might say "KHAOS NOIZ" in romaji. The rest of the storefront wasn't any more reassuring. The front door was painted black, and the window displays (with black backdrops) either side of it featured mannequins in outlandish outfits, posed with battered-looking electric guitars. "Asuka, is that really the right place?"
She glared at him. "Look at it!" she snapped. She'd been short-tempered all day. Misato had even said something about "back to your old self, eh?" at breakfast.
"Okay, okay, I guess we should go in."
"Damn right. Let's get some decent music!" Asuka forged ahead, Rei following close behind. Shinji brought up the rear, not quite knowing what to expect.
The interior upheld the black-and-red scheme of the shopfront, and Shinji felt profoundly out of place as he saw the handful of other customers, mostly older than himself and dressed in black with outlandishly styled hair. A new song had just started playing from the ceiling speakers, a woman chanting wordlessly over some sort of background noise.
The English lyrics, when they began, seemed confusing and disjointed, but the texture of the sounds alone was enough to send an uncanny chill down his spine. He looked over at Rei, and saw her staring intently at the speakers, tapping her fingers lightly against her thigh in time to whatever structure might be found.
"Hey Shinji, stop lollygagging and get over here," called Asuka. As Shinji headed towards her, she added, "You too, Rei."
Rei's hand came to a rest as she blinked and shook her head. "Do you know this song?" she asked as she joined Shinji and Asuka.
Asuka pulled a face and clapped a hand to her belly. "Ugh, no. And I could do without those fucking lyrics right now."
"Oh. Why? They are intriguing," said Rei, starting to tap her leg again.
Asuka glared at Rei. "You... you really don't know, do you?" she said, before muttering in a low voice, "Lucky bitch."
Rei seemed not to notice the insult, but Shinji did. "What was that for?" he asked.
Asuka gave him the same glare, then stepped away to put Rei between them. "Ask me later and I'll help you understand. I don't want to get thrown out for causing a scene."
Shinji looked back at her and nodded. "Fine."
Rei had very little to pay attention to, floating in the tank. The petty discomforts of daily life were far away, the flotation medium obscured her vision, and the layers of armoured glass shut out all sound beyond the gentle whirr of the recirculator pumps.
Very little, though, was not nothing. She could sense Dr Akagi's soul. She could sense Commander Ikari's soul arriving.
She could sense the dim scrap of some other soul that was attached to his.
That was new, and troubling. She had faith that it was part of the Scenario, but it seemed a strange choice to have made.
"So, you said you were going to 'help me understand'?" asked Shinji as he put away the last of the washing up.
Asuka looked up from the sofa. "Yes. How much of the lyrics did you understand?"
"Not much? Something about jagged glass and stars and angels? English isn't my best subject."
"Right." She got up and walked back towards him. "Give me your hand, and don't pull away."
He extended his hand nervously. Her choice of words was worrying, but he wanted to not be confused.
She grabbed his wrist, rather harder than he'd have liked, but his attempt to complain turned into a yelp of pain as he started to feel what she was feeling. The tenderness across his... no, her chest. The raw, tense, knotted pain in her abdomen. He tried to pull away, but with her grip so tight on his wrist he only succeeded in pulling her closer, nearly overbalancing them both before she let go and stepped back.
A faint ghost of her pain lingered for a few moments as he caught his breath. "That hurt," he muttered.
"That's what that song was about. Mostly. I think. Maybe about wanting to end the world because of it, too."
"Shouldn't you see a doctor or something?"
Asuka snorted and rolled her eyes. "Already did. 'Just part of becoming a woman,' she said. 'Just take some painkillers and carry on, it's only a few days a month.' Stupid stoic bullshit. She doesn't have to pilot Eva like this."
The taste that lingered in Ritsuko's mouth, despite gargling and brushing her teeth, was much less unpleasant than after her last 'conference' with Gendou. It still made her wonder what he'd been eating, but it was just a matter of scientific curiosity, rather than a desire to not taste him after he'd eaten it.
She walked into her office and saw Lieutenant Ibuki staring intently at whatever report she was working on. There was something endearing about the younger woman's enthusiasm. Aoba and Hyuuga would never stay up this late working on a Saturday, short of a direct order.
"Ibuki?" she called.
Ibuki jolted in her seat and turned towards Ritsuko. "Sempai?" Ibuki frowned. "Are you all right, sempai? Did some— Did something happen?"
Ritsuko blinked, taking a moment to process Ibuki's concern. Oh. Right. I didn't brush my hair, my lipstick is a mess, and I'm not smiling about it. Rumour control time. "Nothing I said 'no' to, Lieutenant. No need to worry. Go home and get some sleep. Those numbers will keep until morning, whatever they are."
"R-right!" Ibuki locked the terminal and stood up. "Thank you, sempai. If you need it, I know a... service. They helped a friend of mine."
"I told you, it was nothing I said 'no' to. But thank you for your concern. Sleep well, Ibuki."
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Burned_Cookie
Very tired girl.
- Location
- Plato´s cave.
- Pronouns
- She/Her/It/Its
Adorable ball of helpfullness, I´m sorry but there is no service that can fix the mess of nightmares that is NERV.
Unless you count atomised as fixed, in wich case the angels might be of assistance.
HoratioVonBecker
Imperfectly Aligned
Huh. I'd expect a female doctor to be a bit better about this. At least it's probably not due to a potentially-lethal-on-its'-own condition, since Asuka's still mobile.
Interesting hints regarding Gendo's situation, though. Seems like he maybe tried trance-fusing with Yui?
grommile
nasty-minded old cynic
- Location
- NERV-Mercia
- Pronouns
- Traditional/Animate
They usually are, but there's always one.
(And, well, I have some dystopian elements in my outlook on what post-2I society is like.)
- Location
- On a powder keg, next to a fire
It's up to you whether it lets you prepare for things better, or increases the anxiety. Seems to work for Rei, though
Uh-oh. No, sorry. Uh-oh
While many doctors are empatethic, for far too many it's just "every woman in history had this, don't be a child and bear with it" (near-literal quote of what my friend heard from a female doctor when she complained the pain makes it hard to focus). So, perfectly realistic, if unfortunate.
Well, it was a valid concern on Maya's part, considering the above. Maya would likely not gossip, but she might ask someone she trusts a question, and it could just easily snowball from there.
Great update, the lineout of the story is becoming sharper. And I really enjoy the changing PoVs, gives me a neat set of perspectives.
Burned_Cookie
Very tired girl.
- Location
- Plato´s cave.
- Pronouns
- She/Her/It/Its
Why not both?
perfect_shade
not so perfect
This is also not contained to "minor" things. That is why you should always get at least a second opinion for virtually anything larger than a bandaid.
Just had a friend visit cardiology with an array of issues after covid.(high pulse, blood pressure, shortness of breath, weakness) Got told he should get over himself and it will go away in time.
Couple of days nearly fell over in a weakness attack and went to the ER where they found a lot of things in dire need of dealing with.
It doesn't even have to be malice or lack of empathy. Sometimes just borne from burnout or any other factor. Only humans afterall, even if we hope for superhuman miracles from our doctors.
So yeah, always be prepared to have a bad experience when you're feeling shitty and don't settle if you can.
Anyway, back to the chapter. I can very much see how second impact made people hard. Probably wasn't a lot of happiness to go around after.
Though one has to wonder since rebuilding more often than not relies on goodwill and kindness. I suppose things could have went a darker path at a crossroads.(thanks Seele!)
That would go a long way to explain how so many of the people in charge seems to be barely conceiled monsters. And how even the pilots, the vital and basically irreplacable, critical, resource, can be treated this poorly and few if any speak out against it.
Burned_Cookie
Very tired girl.
- Location
- Plato´s cave.
- Pronouns
- She/Her/It/Its
That sounds nice in theory until you remember that getting that first opinion was already a nightmare and took forever, I don't exactly have time for another round.
- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
On the upside, he now has an absolutely unique perspective on things that should let him appreciate what Asuka deals with every month. It might also lead to a discussion revealing why Rei doesn't have to worry about this.
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Ritsuko is a colossal bitch per canon. Story is on point with her characterization.
NERV operations being top secret is why no one speaks out against how it operates.
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perfect_shade
not so perfect
Oh right, That annoying tendency of agencies without puplic oversight to do things no one would approve of otherwise. And starting to spiral into stupidity thanks to it. (top secret, aka operational mistakes obscuration)
I would like to say that NERV has enough personel to have some speak out. Lodge complaints and the like. At least internally if they don't have a representative in the government to appeal to.
But then, peer pressure is a hell of a thing. Even before you know that NERV does in fact do assassination if they think there is a leak. And plenty of countries actually don't have such a parlamentarian and responsibility for their troops to be able to report things outside of their chain of command while shielded from repriesal.
Hence the post second impact military being a hard and cold place.
Fragment: Misato and Kaji's date
grommile
nasty-minded old cynic
- Location
- NERV-Mercia
- Pronouns
- Traditional/Animate
A fragment I'm considering for Misato's possibly ill-advised date that is happening that same night.
This was stupid, Misato told herself.
She was eating yakiniku with the man she'd fucked six ways to Sunday at university.
She was drinking fancy beers with the man she'd broken up with by answering machine.
She was gazing into the eyes of the man who was supposed to be investigating anyone and everyone at Tokyo-3, herself included.
The only way it could get any stupider was if she actually made a pass at him instead of just pressing her foot against his leg under the table.
He didn't even look like he'd noticed that part.
She grabbed her beer glass and necked the last third of it. It was good. Too good. She drank a premium brand at home, but this was better.
Stronger, too. Belgian import.
"Are you going to eat that?"
She looked down at her last piece of yakiniku. She picked it up in her chopsticks, and fought down the stupid impulse that resulted. "Yes," she said, and popped it in her mouth.
"I'll settle up." He tilted his head. "And I'll get you a cab."
Bastard.
This was stupid, Misato told herself.
She was eating yakiniku with the man she'd fucked six ways to Sunday at university.
She was drinking fancy beers with the man she'd broken up with by answering machine.
She was gazing into the eyes of the man who was supposed to be investigating anyone and everyone at Tokyo-3, herself included.
The only way it could get any stupider was if she actually made a pass at him instead of just pressing her foot against his leg under the table.
He didn't even look like he'd noticed that part.
She grabbed her beer glass and necked the last third of it. It was good. Too good. She drank a premium brand at home, but this was better.
Stronger, too. Belgian import.
"Are you going to eat that?"
She looked down at her last piece of yakiniku. She picked it up in her chopsticks, and fought down the stupid impulse that resulted. "Yes," she said, and popped it in her mouth.
"I'll settle up." He tilted his head. "And I'll get you a cab."
Bastard.
- Location
- On a powder keg, next to a fire
Yay, some insight into Misato's head ^^
And a lot of arguments on "why should I not deal with him"... let me guess, they're not going to be very effective?
And a lot of arguments on "why should I not deal with him"... let me guess, they're not going to be very effective?
And he has a good poker face, too!
- Location
- New Jersey, USA
My kind of man! Make the woman ask if she. Wants it so bad!
grommile
nasty-minded old cynic
- Location
- NERV-Mercia
- Pronouns
- Traditional/Animate
This is a man whose response in at least one official work to someone turning up to assassinate him is completely deadpan
What, a jaded cynic on a personal crusade for the Truth who would very much like to wake up next to his ex-girlfriend, but thinks she'd be rather less keen on that scenario in the morning (when she's hung over) than she's acting right now (when she's drunk)?
- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
Nonesense! Everything Misato does is fully thought-out and well-considered.
Just like the plan 'shove two battleships down the Angel's throat and shoot nuclear warheads into it!'
Oof... he's legally allowed to make you cringe about that for the rest of the life of universe.
How about a Delirium Nocturnum? That stuff is 17 proof!
grommile
nasty-minded old cynic
- Location
- NERV-Mercia
- Pronouns
- Traditional/Animate
There's quite a lot of Belgian beers at the 8-8.5% abv mark
The really scary ones are things like Rochefort 10 (11.5% abv) and Amber Bush (12% abv).
- Location
- On a powder keg, next to a fire
Fair point. Well, having nerves of steel and a poker face is an useful asset when you're a quadruple (or was it quintiple?) agent.This is a man whose response in at least one official work to someone turning up to assassinate him is completely deadpan
Huh. Considering that my favorite porter (Ustroński) has 10% abv and is really enjoyable, this does not exactly sound scary yet, but I wonder how those you listed would taste - at this level, the either the taste of alcohol starts to get really perceptible, or the beer is heavy enough taste-wise to hide it. I guess this calls for some research.
grommile
nasty-minded old cynic
- Location
- NERV-Mercia
- Pronouns
- Traditional/Animate
Rochefort 10 is very highly regarded by beer experts.
Amber Bush, not so much.
