accounting for subversive assets

Accountant by day; fencer/sax player/blogger by night All *my* performances are from https://www.youtube.com/user/subversiveasset

[subversiveasset]

A cover story for Ralsei...

Imagine knowing that you're not an NPC, but you're also not The Hero. You're something in between, the Heroes' Guide, Tutorial Guy, Waif Prophet and Crutch Character. And as things progress, you can see your niche role being made irrelevant. The others are learning everything they need to, exactly as was planned and exactly what was feared.

Why do you even care? You're not even real, right..?

[subversiveasset]

I haven't seen anyone talking about this secret variant to the Deltarune Chapter 4 battle theme. Didn't know Ralsei had those lyrics within him!

[subversiveasset]

Imagine being a black mage in medieval Ivalice. Your country has been devastated through a war that you lost. Or rather, your nobles lost. But somehow, only you and the other peasants suffer. Though you and many others served honorably in the nobles' war, they now say that they can't afford to pay you. What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over— like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

[subversiveasset]

How can a man overcome impostor syndrome when he is nothing more than an impostor? When his only role in life – to destroy his sire – is already done and dusted? And with no intervention required from him, to add insult to injury.

Blood Falcon had no history or past, created as he was as an adult clone. When he looked in the mirror, all he saw was his namesake sire. A face that he saw over and over everywhere he went in all the vidscreens memorializing the death of Captain Falcon in the F-Zero Accident.

So he decided not to look into any more mirrors. Punched all the mirrors in his life until they were nothing but glittering stars fallen to ground.

What everyone saw as memorial photos appeared to Blood Falcon as his wanted poster.

So he decided not to look into anymore vidscreens.

When the police finally found him, after he had quite frankly quit trying to run and instead drowned his self-loathing in the bottom of a bottle, he thought that they were going to take him to jail. (As if anything could compete with the hell of the Underworld that he had already escaped.)

But they came with not a handcuff but a handshake. Blood kept your eye on the one who called himself Phoenix, clad in the ridiculous lucha libre of the F-Zero races of yesteryear as if he lived in a time where the races hadn’t been banned after The Accident.

...because just as soon as Blood thought it, Phoenix spoke it into the air: saying that he did come from a time where…hmm, no, the races had been banned, but they had started back up again. The difference between Phoenix's timeline and the timeline where Blood Falcon was stripped of all purpose was that instead of a 3 year moratorium on the F-Zero race, Blood's time experienced its complete elimination, and in its elimination the crime syndicates turned to worse things to feed their demons. (And, since Blood's own mission was already accomplished, the Underworld had no further need of him and tossed him out. [Or maybe, it was that since his mission was already accomplished, Blood ran away from whatever else the Underworld might try to make him do?]

From what this strange man Phoenix could tell, this timeline was off because the accident had been worse. Instead of minor injuries was the death of a person key to the timeline.

Blood's sire. The other Falcon.

Only someone of close enough genetic lineage could make things right. Maybe Blood would have a purpose after all?

[subversiveasset]

Halcandra, the greatest, most economically and technologically prosperous empire of the cosmos, seemed like it could have no external threat large enough to overcome its dominance. And, given the prosperity flowing through every corner of every street of every planet within its realm, it seemed unlikely for any internal downfall to strike it.

...and yet, now it is a forgotten land, or at least, nearly forgotten except for the artifacts of power that mages and madmen seek for their own purposes. From the ruins and those who claim to be heirs of Halcandra, it's difficult to piece out precisely what happened to that empire, but we might imagine how economic prosperity hid vast economic inequality, and how that inequality might have driven malcontent.

[subversiveasset]

The intergalactic megacorporation "Haltmann Works" is known for the fierce and fervent loyalty of its employees to its founding President Haltmann, with the corporate mantra/shanty approaching hagiography in its adoration of the founder.

But research suggests that the most iconic piece "Noble Haltmann" had origins as a far more complex work prior to official sanitization by company Morale & Development. Rather than being a song in generalized, safe, company-approved praise of the founder, research suggests that it began as a cry for attention. Of course, Morale & Development sanded down the edges of longing and anger, and repackaged the story of a lost daughter estranged from her father into an every-salaryman tale preaching the sensible virtue that *any* employee of Haltmann works can become family if they are dutiful enough at their job.

[subversiveasset]

Someone asked me on my original cover of Gold Pilot about whether it would ever go on Spotify. I thought about it, said, "Hmm, maybe, but I would want to revisit and re-record the parts." So I did that. But then I thought about it, said to myself: "Hmm, maybe I can add some chanting." So I did that. But then I thought about it, said to myself: "WHAT IF I RECORDED LYRICS AND MADE IT TO A FULL SPACE OPERA RETELLING THE FALL OF THE ALTERNIAN EMPIRE.

So I did that. Unfortunately, uh, now this cover is unlicenseable for spotify.

[subversiveasset]

Remember when we were younger at the academy? How back then I still lacked any cares or responsibilities?

But you were different. I knew you were destined for great things. I would remain a mere pawn, but I could be valuable if I followed you, my Queen.

Check out this lyric story re-imagining of "Moonstruck Blossom"/"Fatal Blooms in Moonlight" from Taranza's perspective

[subversiveasset]

Not sure how many folks played Alundra for PSX. But I was thinking a lot about this and particularly the character Kline. In some senses, Kline feels like a "minor" character -- in the opening-ish chapter when you're meeting all the townsfolk of Inoa, his house is locked and empty -- he's out and unavailable. The next time you see Kline is when you're investigating another one of the town's dilemmas -- a collapse at the coal mine. He says something like, "If you aren't going to do anything about this, then I will." But you are the hero, the protagonist. So you solve it.

The nightmares affecting the people of Inoa represent an out-of-context problem for Kline. While he probably is very experienced with physical dangers, he can do nothing against the horrors of the mind.

So isn't it fitting that later on, when Kline too falls prey to the same malady that is running through the village, that Kline's Nightmare gets its own theme and of course Kline is one of the first to...uhh...have a very different reaction to the nightmare process that the people of Inoa are succumbing to.

[subversiveasset]

Did a cover of Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon's Partner's Theme. While this beautiful piece occurs in scenes relatively early in the game, for the story, I did an exploration of the psychology of the partner throughout the game. If you know, you know.

[subversiveasset]

I estimate only 10 people played Vandal Hearts II, and 6 of those didn't like it because it was so different than the first game.

But I really love the soundtrack, so I was trying to figure out a way to do a cover story that wouldn't require knowledge of the game. I kept thinking about the industrial revolution being in close proximity to so many other societal changes and political revolutions...it was a tremendous leap forward, but also increased the human capacity to extend suffering. It's almost like progress and peril are Two Trains Traveling Side by Side....

[subversiveasset]

I was surprised by how few people knew about IKENFELL until I realized that this magickal society is kept HIDDEN, obscured by powerful and arcane ~r o s e   m a g i c k~

But for the first time, the secrets of this magickal society, its secretive headmistress, and the magickal paradigm that underpins its pedagogy can be revealed to Ordinary society.

[cmirael]

mad man

[subversiveasset]

Ever since the Homestuck Epilogues, I’ve wanted to do some sort of music cover story to explore the endings. Over time, I knew I wanted to do something for Dirk (especially with his finale in Candy), but over time, it became clear that I also wanted -- like the epilogues themselves do -- to tell an interweaving story of the conflict between Alt!Calliope and Dirk. So, I did two covers of @eidolonorpheus ‘s Sweet Dreams, Timaeus, one instrumental and one vocal. I worked with Alex Martini Music on percussion and with Psamathes on vocals. Here is the instrumental version! Check out my collaborators: Alex Martini (percussion):

https://www.youtube.com/c/AlexMartiniMusic

Psamathes (vocals, Muse of Space):

https://www.youtube.com/c/Psamathes

[turing-tested]

there’s nothing purer or better than how much kids enjoy being picked up and then hurled at soft surfaces

[turing-tested]

anyone who’s ever been around kids for ay meaningful amount of time should know exactly how much kids long to be hefted up and then just fuckin tossed! it’s so good! they’re so excited to get fucking tossed around like a sack of potatoes it’s so pure

[abigboysblog]

Why do kids love it so much? Like I remember when I was a kid at diving practice during the summer, the best part was when one if the coaches would toss you into the deep end. And in gymnastics coaches would toss us into the foam pit. Do kids just have a evolutionary urge to die?

[deanwinchesterisadorable]

https://themilitarywifeandmom.com/why-kids-wont-listen/

“Vestibular sense provides information about where the body is in relation to its surroundings. This is the sense that helps you understand balance, and it connects with all the other senses.

When the vestibular system does not develop properly all other senses will struggle to function properly. Without a strong vestibular sense, kids will have no choice but to fidget, get frustrated, experience more falls and aggression, get too close to people when talking, and struggle with focusing and listening. Because they literally cannot help it.”

“Here are a few ways to support your child’s vestibular sense:

Spinning in circles.

Using a Merry-Go-Round.

Rolling down a hill.

Spinning on a swing.

Going upside down.

Climbing trees.

Rocking.

Jumping rope.

Summersaults or cartwheels.

Using monkey bars.

Skating.

Going backwards.

Swimming.

Dancing.

Wheel-barrel walks.”

Yeeting kids, spinning them, flipping them upside down, tossing them in the air, and otherwise disrupting their balance temporarily, is Important For Their Development, specifically for their vestibular sense.

Kids love this because they NEED it.

[severalowls]

In other words: Don’t forget to calibrate your child’s GPS!

[roseyturtles]

YEET THE CHILD FOR THEIR HEALTH

[theflyingheadb]

YEET THE CHILD FOR THEIR HEALTH

[courtesycalling]

[subversiveasset]

I don’t understand a word you are saying about taxes but I really really love your blog and the execution of your vids. Keep it up my dude!!

Aww, if the Overexplains videos aren't helping people humorously understand taxes better, then that's definitely something I need to work on!