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Goddamn Teenagers (Worm, AU/time travel)

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Ace Dreamer said:
This sounds like "Looters get shot, no exceptions", because in a disaster there's little resources for anything else... Comes under the heading of justice depends on a society having the resources for it?
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Little more nuanced than that. Not sure how much we will see on screen but someone on another alternate where things were calm thought the attack on Bet (whatever that is, are we sure it even exists) would be a good opportunity to assert local independence.

Although they had some initial success after the attack Valkyrie showed up and hammered the ringleaders. This leaves her with the "fun" problem of what to do with the followers. "Just following orders" very much *is* a defense for shards, because command codes, but very much *is not* for humans, because free will.

One of these things that is for most of Valkyrie's subjects going to be more significant than the actual EB attack, because it implicates so many interesting questions about how she intends her government to operate. But also very much not what this fic is focused on.
 
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Lisa Does Capitalism
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    • "… so you need to talk to Taylor about her marketing ideas," Lisa concluded. "I just, I can't. Too many spiders."

    "But I thought Kyle was the marketing guy," Vicky asked, clearly confused.

    "He is," Lisa said with a sigh. "Dr. Weaver mentioned to Taylor that I had negotiated myself a good branding contract, so Taylor keeps coming to me for advice." Lisa shuddered, only partly for dramatic effect.

    Vicky nodded. "I saw the spider book."

    Lisa winced. "If it was just spiders, then that was already partly cleaned up. At one point she also wanted to do maggots, cockroaches and something called botflies—don't look those up."

    Vicky put her phone back in her pocket, then paused. She might as well have had an actual light bulb go off over her head. "I knew you had action figures," Vicky asked slowly, "but I hadn't really thought about it. "What sort of contract did you get? That even Dr. Weaver was impressed?"

    "I have broad rights to initiate deal negotiations and they have very little ability to object. So far, I have collectible dolls and figurines, as well as play sets for all ages," Lisa replied smugly. "I am in talks for a co-branded clothing line, as well as a set of enrichment material for gifted children. I'm trying to get Kyle to sign-off on a joint thing with Vista for energy drinks, and if your sister would ever check her emails like she keeps saying she will, me and her and Insight could do this awesome themed set with a tinker and a Ward on the west coast about…"

    Lisa recognized the gleam in Vicky's eye.

    She is going to propose a marketing team-up.

    No shit.
     
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    • Insight, Vista, Lisa, Panacea and the Tinker (Facetime?")......thats a 5 man band! A Sentai Team! More importantly, a Girl Group!
     
    Teenage Urges
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    • Note: Vooooooote! Vote vote vote! Vote! Even if only to vote against someone or spoil your ballot! Vote!
    Previously

    Eric The Blue: Hey so that girl Aisha from the thing, she texted maybe go gym train w her peeps. legit?
    Vicky: Yes, but she srs srs srs bout gym part
    Eric the Blue: k
    Vicky: also if u spar w her expect lose

    Later

    "Fuck you doing here?" Eric's cousin asked, fumbling to put a book in her bag.

    "Oh," Eric replied awkwardly. Right. She has a place here too. "Hi Amy, thought you were going to the hospital?"

    She adjusted her stupid sunglasses to peer at him over the top. "I am, I'm waiting for my ride, what are you doing here?"

    Why did his cousins always put him on the back foot? "Meeting Aisha to go do gym things?" Eric offered tentatively. He ran a hand through his hair nervously.

    Amy rolled her eyes, and took out her phone. "Better you than me. Only Taylor's crazy enough to do that voluntarily. Lisa only goes when Aisha drags her."

    "Uh, should I be worried? Vicky said it would be fine?" Who were Lisa and Taylor? Should he be worried? Should he know who they were?

    Amy snorted, not looking up. "She would. Fair warning, if you spar, she'll kick your ass unless you use powers, and I'll be too busy laughing to heal you."

    Eric shuffled awkwardly.

    Amy looked unimpressed.

    "Can I go?" Why did she make him feel twelve!

    Amy scoffed, still staring at her phone. "You're the one standing there."
    Note: Meanwhile, Amy be thinking why are boys so weird.
     
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    • dc2008 said:
    Note: Vooooooote! Vote vote vote! Vote! Even if only to vote against someone or spoil your ballot! Vote!
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    Might want to clarify - I'm pretty sure you're talking about the USA-ian royal leadership election.
    (Initially, I thought you were having a vote on this story...)
     
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    If you live in the USA, GET OUT THERE AND VOTE! This year the election is vitally important. The results of today will likely make history. Ether the USA will have the first female president ever, or this may well be the last election ever because an insane imbecilic wants to tear apart the entire system and be a dictator. Get out there and vote, damn it!
     
    FaerieKnight79 said:
    If you live in the USA, GET OUT THERE AND VOTE! This year the election is vitally important. The results of today will likely make history. Ether the USA will have the first female president ever, or this may well be the last election ever because an insane imbecilic wants to tear apart the entire system and be a dictator. Get out there and vote, damn it!
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    On a bit of a side note to the side note; The Simpsons predicted Lisa Simpson would follow Trump as the first female President. Kind of curious if The Simpsons have managed to predict even more stuff scarily accurately or not.

    Also, love makes fools of everyone, so Eric, you're not alone in this.
     
    Teenage Urges, Part 2
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    • "Good, you're here," Aisha said leading Eric into the apartment. "We got a little time, so let's go through the checklist."

    What? "Uh," Eric offered, "I brought a change of clothes?"

    "Hmmm," Aisha said, retrieving a little card. "Your cousin thought you might need one." She handed it to Eric.

    His eyes widened as he read it.

    "Your aunt, Brandish, helped," Aisha said checking her bag. "Can't be too careful in the Bay, Nazis are down but not out."

    "Uhhhh…" Eric did a double take as she retrieved an item, "wait, you have a gun?!"

    "Technically," Aisha said conspiratorially, "it's not a gun." She carefully showed the gun-shaped object to Eric. "It is a non-lethal tinkertech self-defense device. I'd show you how to use it but we don't have time right now."

    "Oh," Eric replied weakly, remembering belatedly that she had shown it to him at the overnighter. What was he getting himself into?

    "Besides," Aisha continued authoritatively, "the fuckers travel in groups. Direct confrontation is fallback. That's what the bump I mean backup I mean bump key and 'utility tool' are for. Live in a city with your mom and cousins and shit and they still don't look up enough."

    Well, whatever he was getting into, it was fascinating.
    Note:
    E: … How many weapons do you have?
    A: That would be telling!
     
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    • Being Coil and Other Delusions
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    • Note: This one is a stretch, given the IRL timing of when Wikipedia tells me this term came into popular use, however the idea was too funny to not use.
    Walter could not help but notice an elaborately carved wooden box, sitting open on Coil's desk.

    Seeing the other man's interest, Coil smiled thinly. "Another token from you know who."

    At Coil's gesture, Walter looked in the box to find… a paperback, seemingly cheaply made, bound on the wrong side with Japanese writing and colorful cartoon characters in the Japanese style.

    "Contrary to appearances," Coil explained, "it is I am told not a cheaply made comic meant for children, but rather a mint condition collectible, predating Leviathan and reflecting a lighter tone than many post-Kyushu works."

    "Specifically," Coil continued flatly, "it is an early exemplar of a trope that has come to be known as 'chuunibyou'…

    Walter congratulated himself on keeping a straight face through the explanation.

    "The man I showed it to," Coil concluded, "offered to buy it from me in exchange for 'all of the money and stuff he had on him.' I politely declined."

    "What are you going to do with it?"

    Coil let out a resigned sigh. "I thought I might show it to Lung's man when he comes by later this week. Maybe they can use it for a charity auction. Get some use out of it."
    Note: Wonder what he is doing in his other timeline? But wait, what if she wants him to waste a timeline!

    References:

    Chūnibyō - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
    en.wikipedia.org

    Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
     
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    • dc2008 said:
    [Being Coil and Other Delusions]
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    Hmm. Not sure about this. It smacks of bad jokes about lack-of-agency, powerlessness. Stories of a fantastical nature which end with, "And then he woke up", popular in Victorian fiction. Some might say a closed world, where nothing important ever changes?
    (That is a common aspect of many horror stories.)

    Best of luck to those it suits, though...
     
    Ace Dreamer said:
    Hmm. Not sure about this. It smacks of bad jokes about lack-of-agency, powerlessness. Stories of a fantastical nature which end with, "And then he woke up", popular in Victorian fiction. Some might say a closed world, where nothing important ever changes?
    (That is a common aspect of many horror stories.)

    Best of luck to those it suits, though...
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    Are you talking about the title? Because that's a direct reference to the light novel Coil got.
     
    Goddamn Teenagers
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    • Emily looked up sharply as Phil entered her office, unscheduled, and clearly concerned.

    "I have just received a report," he began without preamble, "from the officer who serves as social worker to Mr. Laborn's sister. He apologized for not getting it in earlier but…"

    "… he was in North Dakota helping with the Behemoth response," Emily replied with a sigh as she took the report. "What am I looking…" she began as she started skimming the report. Then she hit the executive summary. "Fuck me."

    "Yep," Phil replied. "At Lilac's suggestion he is sending a copy to Weaver as well."

    So we're on a clock. Fantastic.

    "Did she file charges?" Emily asked.

    "Yes," Phil replied. "When he got back, he reached out to ask if she needed help. Ol' Scarface took her down to Precinct, Lilac helped her get a lawyer."

    "Good," Emily nodded. "Remind me to thank him for taking her down to report, I know he hates that sort of thing. Oh, and put in a courtesy call to the Chief so he can get ahead of this. Use my name to get through if you have to. We need Weaver focused on the work with Valkyrie's people, not wreaking vengeance on the BBPD or some school."
    Note: Piggot and Rennick should be using Scarface's actual name if not name and rank, but we have too many characters.
     
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    • grommile said:
    Light novels are print publications.

    Web novels are the same style of literature, published online.

    Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions! is an LN.
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    Ace Dreamer said:
    I'm talking about the genre, and that specific work. The joke on Coil might be just the title, and the implication he's a delusional just-about-teen...
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    Phht said:
    Light novels are still physical novels. They aren't Visual Novels. (Or I guess web novels as someone else mentioned)

    I actually own a number of Vampire Hunter D LNs, and Saga of Tanya the Evil LNs.
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    Title is a joke on the Light Novel series and accompanying works in other media. Pretty sure it wasn't out when Kyushu hit Japan, so what Coil got was a different work, and a manga.

    To be clear, Coil is an unrepentant murderer and kidnapper and worse. As a matter of karma, everything jaded!Taylor does and more could be seen as justified. As a matter of justice or just good mental health for the both of them, it's excessive.

    Coil is conflicted on it and more accepting than he likely should be. She certainly isn't as nasty as he would be if their roles were reversed, and her gifts while mean-spirited generally do also legitimately help him.
     
    dc2008 said:
    Title is a joke on the Light Novel series and accompanying works in other media. Pretty sure it wasn't out when Kyushu hit Japan, so what Coil got was a different work, and a manga.
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    I suppose that the actial work might exist on Earth Alph, which is supposed to very nearly match IRL, with the exception of Brockton Bay, and a few supers? (No, I don't find this entirely credible, but, it's one of the conceits of 'Worm' that Earth Alph is just about chaos butterfly immune.)

    Seeing as the link says "The work won an honorable mention in the Kyoto Animation Award competition in 2010" we might be able to imagine Dr. Weaver is using Contessa/PtV plus Doormaker to obtain that work from Earth Alph?

    If I understand the time-line, the Light Novel appeared first, and it started getting animated in 2011.
     
    Ace Dreamer said:
    I suppose that the actial work might exist on Earth Alph, which is supposed to very nearly match IRL, with the exception of Brockton Bay, and a few supers? (No, I don't find this entirely credible, but, it's one of the conceits of 'Worm' that Earth Alph is just about chaos butterfly immune.)

    Seeing as the link says "The work won an honorable mention in the Kyoto Animation Award competition in 2010" we might be able to imagine Dr. Weaver is using Contessa/PtV plus Doormaker to obtain that work from Earth Alph?

    If I understand the time-line, the Light Novel appeared first, and it started getting animated in 2011.
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    Sadly the timing does not work. It needs to predate Kyushu sinking, so that it can be a nostalgia piece for the Japanese diaspora community. That is what gives it value, and the fact that is has value is part of how jaded Taylor justifies to herself her fixation on continuing to torment Coil.
     
    dc2008 said:
    Sadly the timing does not work. It needs to predate Kyushu sinking, so that it can be a nostalgia piece for the Japanese diaspora community. That is what gives it value, and the fact that is has value is part of how jaded Taylor justifies to herself her fixation on continuing to torment Coil.
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    Hmm. Possibly a bit too 'on point' might be Yokohama Shopping Log, a gentle post-apocalypse series, started 1994, and still running in Nov 1999 when Kyushu was sank? I recall watching the later-produced anime and thinking, "This is deeply strange...". The nostalgia practically pours out of the thing...
     
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    Goddamn Teenagers, Part 2
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    • "Director Piggot," Lilac said with a grin as she swept into Emily's office. "To what do I owe the pleasure."

    "I need everything you have on the situation with Miss Laborn's school."

    "Are you sure?" Lilac said conspiratorially. "You might have to do something, or worse find that you can't…"

    Teenagers.

    "Lilac, I have Wards in that school. I'm not fucking around, especially after Winslow."

    The blonde wilted. "Yeah, that's fair. I'll go get it."

    Emily turned back to her computer.

    "Uh….."

    Emily looked back to see Lilac still there, with a guilty expression.

    "You, uh, might also want to talk to Vista and Insight?"

    Oh for fucks sake.

    "Thank you. Please also emphasize to them the importance of the matter." Emily paused, then elaborated. "Have one of the troopers explain to them—and you—what it means when a Director says that."

    Lilac paled, nodded rapidly, and scurried out.
    Note:

    Emily explains the seriousness of the matter even the most junior trooper could recognize. Then realizes these are, in fact, teenagers, which is somehow worse.

    Although with a lower risk of VD, thank god.
     
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