EDIT - one week after i posted this, Britain's most successful hedge fund manager Michael Platt has taken a 6.5% stake
tl;dr
At-NAV new SPAC with world-leading expertise in online gambling. Worth a bet on potential to be next DKNG on the hype train
   
+++++++
Hi all - have had a lot of great tips from this sub. Hopefully this pays some of you back. I have been watching and researching this since 23 December when it first filed S1, awaiting the units to be listed - they are available today trading as ADERU
Positions - 500 units @ 10.42 to start. Will be monitoring and building position below $15, especially if attention starts to build ahead of units and warrants splitting and shares coming available to Robinhood.
(My other SPAC positions are OPEN, IPO-E-F, PSTH, FUSE, PIPP, ACTC, CCIV and DMYD, 100 to 1000 shares each mostly around NAV and numerous warrants and options around these.)
As ever, this is not investment advice and do your own research
+++++++
   
26 Capital Acquisition Corp or ADER
is a 240m SPAC with usual terms - 10$ units, 1/2 warrants. Seeking a merger in "gaming and gaming technology, branded consumer, lodging and entertainment, and Internet commerce sectors".
I think this is highly worth a play on the online gambling hype if you can get in at near NAV, based entirely on the management which is unbeatable in its knowledge of the gambling industry
   
CEO Jason Ader
has held director level positions at Las Vegas Sands Corp. ($42bn one of biggest casino groups in world), IGT (£3.72bn multinational gambling firm specialised in software and slot machines) and Playtech (£1.4bn multinational gambling software firm)
Before starting his own fund in 2013 he was regularly ranked Wall Street's top analyst on the gambling and leisure sector
His fund, Spring Owl Capital, is a small activist fund focused on gambling and leisure. They are probably most famous for ousting the CEO of Viacom in 2016 and a crusade against Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer in 2015.
Ader knows the gambling - and online gambling - industry inside out. He drove bWin to a £1.1bn takeover by gambling giant GVC (now Entain) in 2016, and has been driving similar change and demands for improvement at board level at Playtech
The fund mostly manages money for a select group of wealthy families, which could be a positive sign for the SPAC (although I don't know how much skin in the SPAC the fund has, if any)
Here is a video of Ader from November talking about how he's excited about SPACs. He talks about how he has been advising certain States about legalising sports betting and how to maximise value and liquidity by linking up with European companies in the space (Playtech e.g.??).
Ader is extremely bullish on US legalising online casino and more sports betting options, accelerated by need for revenue because of pandemic
   
Rafi Ashkenazi
One of the most highly respected names in the online gambling world, including COO and CEO positions at major online gambling firms such as Playtech and Stars Group (a world leader in online poker and casino). At Stars he led the $4.7bn takeover of Sky Betting to create the world's largest publicly listed online betting firm in 2018. Most recently he led the £10bn merger between Flutter (biggest gambling company in world by revenue, market cap £26bn), and Stars Group (Ader also involved). Also has connections into the booming Israel tech space which is interesting
   
Joseph Kaminkow
Special Advisor to the Chief Product Officer at Aristocrat, a leading gambling software provider and games publisher, previously Vice President of Game Design at Zynga Inc. This guy is a former video game / pinball designer who is credited with revolutionising the slots industry after moving into gambling software from video games in 1999. Regarded as a "legend" and "hall of famer" in this niche. At Zynga he designed so-called 'social casino games' which don't involve real-money gambling but are otherwise basically gambling apps (revenue from microtransactions etc). 130 patents on gambling/gaming design inventions
   
Greg Lyss
This is a very interesting but extremely low profile person. He was Bill Ackman a.k.a SPACman's right hand man at Gotham Capital. Ackman respected him so much that when Ackman set up a personal hedge fund to invest the Ackman family's money, he put Lyss in charge of it. To repeat - Bill Ackman thinks this guy is such a good investor and trustworthy that he put him in charge of investing his family's money. Don't know anything more about him, but I like this association with Ackman, which suggests to me some integrity around management of this SPAC, especially as the gambling world can be very murky.
The other member of the team is the CFO of SpringOwl with 20+ years' hedge fund experience and not notable (although clearly competent)
   
Thesis / potential targets
Based on the above experience and many public comments by Ader over the past year, I would be very surprised if ADER is not looking to merge with an online gambling technology provider / existing online betting website / social casino app / possibly a supporting technology provider
They are activist inventors, and specifically say in the IPO prospectus that they could look for businesses that can benefit from turnaround or are not being run well. I speculate that their deep knowledge of the European / global online gambling industry means they have a target in mind that they think would benefit from their expertise and US liberalisation of gambling legislation.
   
1) Ader believes the listing of UK-listed gambling companies in US is immediately big in terms of market cap because of the premium on online gambling stocks in US. He has pitched DraftKings to takeover Playtech and called on Playtech to spin off non-core business. This makes me wonder if he would spin off some element of Playtech to list in US to cash in on gambling hype.
This might be Finalto.com / TradeTech which is an online financial platform owned by Playtech. Playtech has been trying to sell this for 200 - 240m since August so it fits. This company provides liquidity and trading to brokerages and runs markets.com a trading site. I wouldn't be that excited although apparently the business has been booming during COVID and there could be a decent pop just on fintech hype.
   
2) This could be a 'picks and shovel' type data/B2B betting software play a la DMYD, or something like e.g. Israel based CRM software Optimove which works with some of biggest online gambling cos and has links to Ashkenazi. This would be interesting but probably not a huge pop
   
3) Possibly - given Ader's links to Sands - an online gambling tie-up with one of the big Vegas casinos who are desperate to get into the online betting space (see MGM's attempt to buy Entain for $8bn last week). Interestingly, Sands' owner Sheldon Adelson, previously a major opponent of online betting, has just died. Ader predicted a few months ago that Sands would be moving in this direction.

“There’s no stopping online gaming,” Ader said [before Adelson's death]. “(Las Vegas Sands’) initiatives to stop online gaming, at this stage, are largely historic. There hasn’t been a lot of spending recently to do that, especially post-pandemic.”
“I think the company will see the value created by DraftKings and FanDuel and Penn (National) Gaming and others. They’re not foolish,” Ader added. source

   
4) Ader is very confident that Macau will legalise online gambling in next year or two. Sands is big in Macau, the biggest gambling market in the world. A SaaS-type product positioned to capitalise on Asian gambling would be MASSIVE - at present however, China's attitude to gambling and local regulations mean this is unlikely
   
5) I also wonder if they might try to take legitimate one of the offshore bookmakers with big customer databases and brand recognition but which have been grey-area/illegal under US gaming legislation. For example, Five Dimes recently announced a settlement with the FBI to attempt to transition into newly legalised US markets. This might have the most hype potential
   
Potential upside
This is entirely a play on management experience and the meme factor / hype around online gambling in the US. I think if they pick a good target - which given their experience and connections seems likely - and get the right publicity and attention from retail investors looking for the next DKNG this could easily 3x and maybe 5-6x if on DKNG-type hype levels.
There is currently little spotlight on this and it is a good time to get in at NAV
   
Potential Downside

• Ader has been vocal that he thinks US online betting is overvalued and in a bubble - why is he starting his own SPAC in the space then? Does he just want to cash in while the hype is at all-time high or does he have a legitimate business goal?
  
• If he just wants to dump a part of Playtech which he does not like onto retail investors, this is a bad deal.
  
• Other targets could be e.g. hotel industry or other leisure sector which would be zero sexiness to retail. Given Ashkenazi and Kaminkow's background this seems unlikely though
  
• Usual SPAC caveats apply about potential difficulty finding a target, locking up your money for unspecified period of time, and the fact I may have completely misread the potential and my above thesis might be totally wrong
  

Hi guys!
I've lately had more and more requests on a guide for this underdog bull, so I've decided to create a little guide to help you master him. Of course this is from my point of view and might not be 100% official/exact, and variations or considerations may happen, so please feel free to drop comments so we can discuss them!

Yeah, but what traits make you eligible for creating a guide?

I'm a Main Tank Mythic player, 450 Minotaur matches with 65% win rate. Over a year of experience. Find me @ neko039 inside MLBB.

Have you ever done this before?

Please, drop by my Hylos guide, and see how it went! It has been an amazing experience! Lots of comments and ideas. Also, you might want to check this out <3

Brief introduction

For this guide, I'm gonna assume you already know how his skills work. I'm gonna focus on builds and gameplay mostly. Minotaur is catalogued as a Tank/Support character. I consider him to be on the "highly defensive and tanky" characters tier (with Atlas, Hylos, Uranus...who can stand in a 1vs4 teamfight and come out alive), as opposed to the "supportive tanks" (like Lolita, Grock, who are not initiators and cannot withstand massive amounts of damage).
PhysDef Build
Your typical classic match. The opponent team is composed 80% of physical damage, and there's only one mage. Mino does not use mana, so buying Dominance Ice // Thunder Belt, while effective, it feels kinda like a waste.

1. Warrior Boots
2. Brute Force Breastplate (Enemy dmg reduction + Phys & MagDef boost on TF).
3. Oracle (HP Regen + CD Reduction + a slightly little buff to Mino's 2nd skill healing effect)
   1. Note: If you feel like opponent mage if trampling over you (has high Mag PEN or has been hypercarried) then Athena's Shield is recommended. Still, for this type of match, just 1 MagDef Gear should be enough.
4. Blade Armor (Most highest PhysDef item + recoil dmg)
   1. Note A: This is where you are most vulnerable. You're investing for the long run, but buying an item that provides only PhysDef and not a single point of HP will leave you quite weak against a Mage. Plus, as any good tank should, you might have bought Wooden Mask, and opponent mage is likely to have 2 lvs more than you.
5. Sky Guardian Helmet (Most highest HP item + Highest HP Regen)
   1. Note B: Once you've acquired this item, now you're probably getting tickled by opponent mage, while having a good amount of hp to withstand phys dmg. A Pharsa dropping 4x meteors over your head shouldn't be enough to take you down, and you have a more-than-decent amount of phys def to also survive an attacking Claude.
6. Free Slot
   1. Recommended: Queen's Wings (More HP + CD Reduction + Passive). This is ideal in case some kind of mag dmg still bothers you, and helps Ultimate to be cast sooner.
   2. On the losing side? Immortality (HP + Revive). If you're losing, then the least you want to do is keep dying. Mino's 1st skill can help you escape once revived from Immortality, it has a nice range!

MagDef Build
Not very typical, but possible match. Opponent teams consists of Uranus, Atlas, Cecilion, Badang and Selena. 70% of enemy dmg is MagDmg.

1. Tough Boots
2. Athena's Shield (Highes MagDef item). There aren't so many items that provide MagDef, so be on the safe side: Buy the one that provides the most first.
3. Oracle (HP Regen + CD Reduction + a slightly little buff to Mino's 2nd skill healing effect)
   1. Note 1: This is where you are most vulnerable. By now you have zero PhysDef, so you're solely depending on your HP amount to withstand a PhysAtk gank. But then again, with so little MagDef items available, and an enemy team composed mainly of MagDmg, you need to focus on MagDef. Your best bet is to avoid PhysDmg confrontation for now
4. Brute Force Breastplate (Enemy dmg reduction + Phys & MagDef boost on TF).
   1. Note 2: This might not be enough to withstand PhysDmg for the whole match. For a Badang, it probably will. But for characters like Dyrroth, that weaken your PhysDef, you'll have a problem. If things get ugly, consider prioritizing Immortality.
5. Cursed Helmet (MagDef + Nice amount of HP). It only gives a mere +20 MagDef, but again, there's not many more options. This is the 3rd, most weak and last item that provides MagDef, so you'll need it.
6. Queen's Wings (More HP + CD Reduction + Passive). You're relying on HP for both Phys & Mag Dmg, however by now you could probably withstand quite a decent amount of dmg.

​

When to use Mino?

As I said before, this character is amazing, but it's not effective in every match. You mainly want to use it for matches that you can predict no one could escape his Ultimate. And if you're not able to use Ultimate efficiently, then choosing Mino is a bad choice.
Recommended matches:

• Against characters than rely on ground to cast their ultimates:
  • Mino's ultimate drops enemies airborne for a fraction of a second with every strike, but it's more than enought to render Odette's ultimate ineffective. It stops her completely.
  • While Pharsa is ulting, you can stop her with your own ultimate. Still, I think she can summon Verri and escape your CC. But your work, defensively speaking, will be done.
  • Harith'll be unable to dash over his ultimate while airborne for some secs, probably enough for your teammates to kill him.
  • Lesley will have her ultimate stopped completely just like Pharsa.

Avoid using Mino:

• Against characters that can change your position:
  • You're just as vulnerable as Odette. If you get moved 0,1 cmts from your position when dropping your ultimate, then you're off. Your ulti will be stopped completely.
  • Valir is your doom. His 2nd skill will move you backwards and stop your ultimate completely.
  • Vexana's 1st skill will confuse you, thus making you move unintendedly and stopping Mino.
  • Atlas's 2nd skill is immune to CC. He can launch himself to you while you're Earthquaking, and stun you on impact with his mecha robot, stopping you completely.
  • Bane's sharks will also drop you backwards and stop your ultimate.
• Against characters with high movement/evasion:
  • If you time it extremely exact and correct, you can trap Ling inside your Earthquake once he already dropped to the floor with his utli. The same is true for Fanny and Claude, when they're passing by. But considering the high mobility this characters have, it's and extremely difficult task, and not even worth trying. The most typical scenario is that you end up casting your Earthquake to absolutely no one; they'll have escaped or be outside of your ulti's range.

​

Final remarks, Tips and Tricks

• While looking big and aggresive, Mino deals very little damage. He's a tank after all. Even in his rage state, he doesn't deal too muhc damage. But not every player knows this. Intimidation plays a great role while defending your teammates. At the same time, there's not an indicator of whether you can cast your ultimate or not, unlike Wanwan. So use that information (or lack of it) to your advantage.
• 1st skill can jump over most walls, but timing is strict. Experiment a little in Training and figure it out!
• Don't be afraid to invest in his 2nd skill before his 1st skill! Countless are the times my squad teammates thanked me for healing them. For a tank, it might be insignificant due to you high amounts of HP, but for carries and DmgDealers, they confirmed me their state of mind changes from:

If I get ganked now, I'm dead man...

to

If I get ganked now, I have enough HP to escape certain death...

​

• Will take some time, but practice being in a constant state of 90% rage. This will leave you 100% prepared for an unexpected teamfight.
• Mino's skills get CD dropped to 0 when entering Rage state. Use this to your advantage! If timed correctly, you can [1] heal before entering a teamfight, then [2] enter a teamfight with 1st skill and position yourself in the middle of it, [3] cast your Earthquake, [4] drop another 1st hammer skill to the floor, and [5] leave casting your 2nd skill again. 5 skills in a row! (and have Brute Force Breastplate passive used to the max)
• Unfortunately, as of today, there's no way to know if your Ultimate is available for casting or not. The cooldown timer in your 3rd skill shows when you'll be able to charge your rage, but not if Earthquake is actually available. Entering a teamfight without being able to Earthquake is the most typical mistake (and the main reason why you should have vast experience before using him in rank. A Mino without ulti is useless). For now, you have to calculate it by heart, experience and a little luck. Cooldown changes for skill lv and equipment bought, so it's not an easy task. Taking this into consideration, avoid sending the attack signals to teammates. Using the Attack Command "Ult ready in X segs" will inform our teammates how many secs before you can start charging your rage again but not if Earthquake is available or not. Use the quick chat option "Ultimate is ready" (and of course, you own judgement and calculations, if you don't want to enter Rage state only to discover Ultimate was not actually ready)
• Feel like risking a little? Once your build is completed, consider selling your defensive shoes for Magic Shoes. CD Reduction will help you cast your ultimate sooner. By the end of the match, defensive shoes provide little Def compared to the other 5 items you bought.

​
Hope you enjoyed this guide, and again feel free to comment, share ideas and upvote if you liked it!

Chapter 23
Prae
I stand before the Hearttree.
My mother stands to one side, my brother to the other. My mother is one of the most respected former Primes, revered might be more appropriate. Gathered around us are the Emerald. All of them. They crowd into the clearing around the tree, they gather at the edge of the forest where there is no space, they stand in silence and look up.
“I, Prasinius Feram, son of Caelia Filios, have broken ancient traditions of our kind.” I begin, my voice carrying through the gathering, they remain silent. “I brought a human to a sacred Hearttree. I sang to the Emerald while he stood here. I called upon all Emerald to aid in war, that which we have sought to avoid.”
They grumble among themselves, sounds that resonate in their chests and fill the space.
“These actions were taken willingly, knowingly, and with full awareness of the consequences. I, therefore, am stripped of the status of Prime. Is this accepted?”
There is no hesitation among the gathered Emerald.
“It is.” They rumble, as one voice. I lower my head to them and step back to the Hearttree. We are a unique breed, the position of Prime is not coveted as it is among other dragons. Citrine plot to seek leadership, Onyx fight, Sapphire covet wisdom and knowledge, Rubies their vast hoards. We do not.
Those among the Emerald may now step forward to offer candidates they feel would bear the burden of leadership with honor, as they once did for me. There is a long stretch of silence where it is contemplated among the Emerald, there was little warning and they must consider carefully who they might select.
Then, from the back, a young Emerald comes. While the elder Emerald gathered to the front, the young are welcome to speak but must come forward to do so. They part, each Emerald showing their throats in respect of the moment. I smell a nervous but determined scent to this child, only a few hundred years old. At the bottom of the hill, this youngling shows her throat to us, then takes a deep breath and turns to face the gathering.
“I, Rosaceae Audensius, would speak. Would you hear?”
“We will hear.” The gathered say as one. We have many traditions. I know that in our history one such gathering lasted for nearly two months, impassioned speeches made to the cause of various Emeralds. My mother earned the honor then, before I was hatched. I listen, the young have much to teach us just as we have much to teach them. This is the Emerald way.
“I am young.” She begins. “Some here have lived my lifetime a dozen times. Some have watched the humans grow, some have helped, some have hindered. Forests have grown, lakes have dried, mountains themselves have been laid low in your lives. Thousands of years of tradition have been laid before today and in a single day, with a single choice, a Prime has shattered that tradition.”
There are murmurs of discontent, and agreement, but they fall silent. It is her right to speak whether they approve the words or not.
“Prasinius Feram has been Prime for my lifetime. I remember no other. But I have heard the stories. I have heard of how the great Caelia broke tradition to save a single human life. My father told me of Narcissia, she that broke tradition and sang a song of war to drive the humans from a path of destruction.”
I do not know where this youngling is going but she speaks with growing passion, rapturous enough that even the eldest among us listens in earnest.
“I humbly suggest that the Emerald stand on tradition as a shield. Tradition protects us from decisions that we do not wish to make, from changes in this world that we may not wish to face. Tradition is the barrier between our discomfort of difficult decisions and the comfort of a life lived in the trees, lakes, dunes, or ice. I humbly suggest that traditions are meant to be shattered, new ones forged from the remnants. I suggest that the humans are no longer creatures we must live in proximity to but beings we must coexist with.”
The murmurs begin again, this time with more fervor. Rosaceae continues, ignoring it.
“Times are not changing, they have already done so! Prasinius Feram has bonded with a human, the rumors are no longer simply whispers in the shadows from the trees, they are true! Do we not owe it to all living things to seek the light instead of cowering in the dark?”
There is an uproar among the Emerald. Elder dragons begin to shout, forgetting themselves. My mother watches, amused. She always did find the traditions stifling, some of the elders too resistant to seeking life outside their caverns and trees. She is just too practiced in the politics of our kind to speak this openly. Rosaceae plunges ahead, voice rising over the gathered.
“We should not hide our heads and ignore what is happening! We must change too! The continent will descend into war and destruction if we do not!”
“We cannot bring peace by spilling blood!” One of the elders roars, others agree. “The human conflict is not ours, no matter how heartfelt Prasinius’ feelings are! What are two human lives?”
“You speak of peace but you truly desire cowardice and ignorance! It is my right to speak, elder! If the young can hold their tongues so should you!” Rosaceae roars, baring her teeth. My mother smiles again, watching an elder Emerald shrink from the words for the barest of moments. And with that, he is silenced, shamed.
“Traditions are meant to change, they can be remembered but they should not define every moment, they were born of a time that is not this one! Emerald, I put to you that we should shatter tradition fully.”
They erupt as one, two sides immediately defined. She is not finished though. She speaks above the din and her words are followed by a deafening silence.
“To that end, I vote Prasinius Feram as Prime among Emerald and I choose to follow him to war!”
They all look at me. I cannot contain my surprise at this. Tradition dictates that a Prime can not be nominated again, such is the price of their choices. This is not law, though.
“Can she do that?” I hear from the Emerald.
“Weren’t you listening?” The voice is shouted down. Young dragons from the trees begin to shout, shortly joined by some of the elders. I hear their words but I cannot process them. They are confusing to me.
“I vote Prasinius Feram as Prime among Emerald!” They shout, a dozen, two, three, four. I stand in confusion when my mother leans closer to me. She reeks of amusement now.
“I like her.” She whispers. Then she straightens and casts her vote. My brother does the same.
It is for me.
In the end, there is silence among the Emerald. Two others come forward, nominating candidates. One is the elder that shouted down Rosaceae, Sentius. Another is a young Emerald, Cedran, who seems uncomfortable with the idea. This is good, an Emerald should not desire Prime.
Then the voting must take place in the proper way. Those who are nominated may not vote. I must stay silent while Emerald come to the Hearttree and whisper to it, their heads placed against the mighty trunk of the living world itself. Then they will pluck a single leaf from the lowest branches and place it under a stone, of which three have been placed beneath the tree. Then Cor, the eldest of us, will lift the stones.
One by one, hours pass us by and we remain, watching.
The youngest is the last to vote, a hatchling of no more than fifty years. All Emerald have the opportunity to vote, it is our way. Then it is over. Cor speaks.
“Come forward.”
I step to the Hearttree, Cedran and Sentius with me. We stand in the shade of the leaves and listen to the wind, it sings to us of our nature and the world that we care for. Of change. I close my eyes and listen, feeling myself swept away in the moment. A beating heart of the continent, connected to all life.
It is wondrous.
The whispers of the wind stop. I open my eyes and Cor looks at me. They all look at me. Cor has lifted the stones. I was placed in the center, Cedran to my left and Sentius to my right. Cor holds the leaves in place with a single claw, pierced through their center.
It is unanimous.
“Emeralds have chosen!” Cor raises his voice. “Prasinius Feram, by the new traditions of our people, you are Prime among Emerald.”
Cor’s eyes spark with green fire when he speaks and then he shows me his throat. Cedran follows, so too Sentius. They will accept the will of the Emerald. They rejoin the gathering around the Hearttree. One by one, the gathered Emerald accept this. Of course they do, they voted for it. I cannot help but feel a trembling chill run down my spine. Someone begins to sing. Rosaceae.
It is my song. Others join. Soon the clearing is filled with the sound once more.
And so, the Emerald have chosen.
“Brother.” Aquilos stands near to me, solemn and whispering into my ears. “Your army awaits.”
“I just wanted to keep them safe.” I say.
“That time has passed.” He says, chuckling in his chest, a wry noise.
“Now is the time to give them an empire.”
​
Epilogue
I hate the cold.
I pull my cloak tighter, shuffle my feet inside the fur lined boots, wiggle my fingers inside thick leather gloves. My breath frosts in the air before me, my beard decorated with ice. Wood docks creak with the waves, icy water lapping up at the supports and heaving the tenders against their ropes. A frozen wind whips in from the ocean and across the city, crashing into the thick stone walls and into the multitude of wooden shutters.
These people are hard as the ice, a life in the cold and on the sea makes them so. While they embrace the warmth of a hearth and a roaring fire, they are as comfortable in this weather as I am uncomfortable in it. Only the richest quarters have the steam vents that keep the streets almost tropical even in the dead of winter. This is not a rich quarter.
I wait in the darkness of an alley, concealed perfectly from any passers by.
It helps that they’re all stinking drunk on imported beer and local spirits that may well be made from the seething rage remaining in a dead northman’s bones. I lean against the stone wall until the cold seeps through my layers, my many, many layers, then I shift.
I watch for the night watchmen with their lit torches and thick, short spears and rounded shields. Broad swords hang from their waists and chainmail drapes their bodies, which is why I wish to avoid them. Any fool wearing metal in this is more dangerous than I’d like to consider.
I’ve kept watch for what must be three days, or maybe three hours, when finally my target exits the tavern’s back door. Light spills out from the open door, music with it and the sounds of off-key singing and calls for a brawl. I’ve been told that a good night in a northern tavern involves at least one broken chair and the chairs are made from the same sturdy timbers as their ships and docks and sometimes their walls.
So that’s impressive.
I watch, my target warily eying the streets. I sink back into the shadows even further, I cannot risk being spotted now. Satisfied, he pulls his own cloak up and paces off into the street, his cloak billowing behind him in a delightfully theatrical way.
Mine does not billow as I follow, carefully, watching his turns and stops to see if he is being followed. It is simple tradecraft but he is no spy, no assassin. He’s trying his best but I needn’t have worried, his best wouldn’t have passed my first classes.
He takes a right turn and I wait the requisite fifteen seconds to ensure he has walked far enough that I don’t risk stumbling into him, flitting to a darkened doorway and looking down the street that he should be on.
Except he isn’t. Oh, sneaky bastard.
I curse, under my breath. I take a few steps into the open street and look but he is nowhere. Not in a doorway, there are no alleys to hide in here, just a stone street leading up towards the governor’s palatial estate atop the hill that overlooks this whole forsaken city of cold, ice, and stone.
Damn it. Damn it!
I hear voices from behind me. The glow of a torch, three, maybe four. Guards. Damn it, again!
Where could he have gone? Where did he disappear to? Where?
Where?!
Then my eyes find it. The small, rounded metal disc that seals off the city sewers from the street. It isn’t askew but it must be the answer, it can be the only answer. I pry at it but my gloves make the work impossible. I use my teeth to pull them off, tucking them into a pocket and working furiously while my fingers nearly fall off in the frigid air.
The guards come closer, their boots thudding on the stone. Another thirty seconds and I will be in their light, I will have to explain myself and that is precious time. I work more furiously and then…finally! It lifts, I tilt the cover and slip my feet down, hoping I find the metal ladder rungs that should lead down into the tunnels.
What luck! I find them. I close the grate as quietly as I can, and as quickly. I hold my breath, hands pressed to the metal and I listen. I hear the muffled voices come closer, closer, closer, further, further, further.
I let out the breath.
In the darkness I feel with my feet until I find the next rung, and again and again until my foot finds a stone floor beneath it. I think that half my palm skin came free in the descent, stuck to the cold metal, and I curse this place once more. I fish my gloves out and tug them back on, grumbling.
I hate the cold.
Let it never be said in hushed circles that Ashur Rama, Spymaster by default, let the cold stop him from his duty.
But, I really, really hate the cold.
​
I only have the faintest glow of light to follow through the winding tunnels beneath the city. I stop to listen for the telltale sound of footsteps in the dark or heavy breathing, even as my eyes adjust to the darkness I can’t see more than a few feet through the moonlight that finds its way through the grates above. There are no torches or lanterns down here.
Only criminals sulk down here in the dark. I have heard that every year there is a purge of these tunnels.
All for show, I assume. I’m sure the criminal element under the streets pays their dues to the guard and the governor, theater is always important though. It makes the people feel better. And what is the guard and governor for if not to make people feel better?
I hurry and am remotely thankful that the tunnels keep out the wind, though the stench is something to be less than grateful for. What I wouldn’t give for a hot bath, warm meal, and to be a thousand miles from this stupid land of ice and angry, bearded men.
I hear voices ahead and slow my steps. I can walk as silent as the whispering wind should the need arise, and the need has arisen. Aroused? Arisen, probably.
I creep forward, pressing my back against the stone.
“-they know?” This is a man’s voice, thick and gravelly.
“How could they, Dunkan?” A woman. I do so enjoy when conspirators use their names. It makes my job so much easier.
“Don’t say my name, Bella.” Dunkan hisses.
“Then why would you say mine?” She whines. Surely, I am up against the greatest criminal minds that have ever been seen.
“Stop it, both of you!” Another woman, this one does not whine, she has presence. Dunkan and Bella fall silent, but I hear the sound of someone being slapped. Children, I have been tasked with hunting a criminal ring of children.
“They couldn’t know.” My target speaks, I have heard his voice before, since I followed him from that doomed city. Last I heard a flood washed the entire thing away, a Sapphire wrought flood. Damnedest thing I ever did hear. “All these years and no one has ever suspected anything. Our plan is secure.”
“Was it the plan to destroy my town?” Dunkan says, raising his voice. Ah. That Dunkan. Suspected slaver and retired Legionnaire turned bandit, ferrying slaves from the eastern coast to ships that carried them away to unknown fates. Six spies had infiltrated the corridor, six spies had never reported back. We suspected Dunkan hid out near Watersford, which would seem to be confirmed.
“Yes, Dunkan, the plan was to destroy the hub of our trade and cripple the routes that we use. Exactly the plan.” Bella says,
“Then it was a bad plan.” Dunkan announces, to silence. I can almost hear the slow blinks from here.
“It wasn’t the plan! You great hulking moron!” This is another voice. That makes five, at least, conspirators.
“Don’t call me a moron, Niles!”
Ah. Niles. Captain Niles von Krescher. Trader to distant, mysterious lands. Explorer. Slaver.
“Enough!” My target speaks harshly. Governor Wolff, guardian of the Northern Provinces, does not have time to waste on this nonsense. He certainly has time to sulk off into taverns and alleys, disappear down sewers though. A governor, a bandit, a ship’s captain, someone named Bella, and a woman that has not slipped her name into conversation yet.
“Enough.” The Governor controls himself. “They cannot know that one of them is turned. Watersford was unexpected but the Emperor’s movements were unexpected. Marching legions over the mountains?”
“Insanity.” Bella says.
“Is it crazy if it works?” Niles says.
“Shut up, both of you.” Governor Wolff continues on. “This was not the plan but the plan is adaptable for that reason. We knew that it was impossible to predict anything, a dragon harboring the children?! Nonsense. We adapt. Our friends will arrive on schedule, the Emperor fights a civil war, our man with this Knight Gardiner keeps us appraised of their movements. By the time they realize what has happened, it will be too late.”
Interesting. This is about more than slaves.
“What about the one that was captured?” Niles speaks again.
“You will take the captive on your ship, he may be useful to us yet.” Governor Wolff says.
“Silence.” The woman with presence says. Her voice drops to a harsh whisper. No one speaks, there is a crushing silence. “Someone is listening.”
That’s bad. That is so, so very bad. I move on my heels, as slowly and carefully as I can so as not to make a single, solitary, lonesome sound. My heart pounds.
“You caught me.” The speaker is a man, older. I let out a breath that I did not know I was holding. My hands tremble in my gloves and not just from the cold.
“It’s rude to eavesdrop.” The woman with presence says.
“It’s rude to forgo the invitation to your benefactor, Soph.” The man says and I hear the sinister smile in his voice. It sends chills down my spine. He sounds like an accented snake, an accent I cannot recognize and I have traveled the entire continent at least three times and perfected a half dozen languages and accents.
“I have to ensure that none of you are finding this…difficult.” He says, his voice moving around whatever room they are standing in. I find it hard to take them seriously standing at the intersection of a sewer but I am beginning to take them seriously nonetheless.
“They hang slavers here. Traitors too. We are not finding this difficult.” Soph, the woman with presence, says. Her voice is clipped now, she does not like this man. I do not like this man and I have yet to see him.
“They do, they do. Though they often perform, extraneous punishments prior to the hanging, for traitors.”
This is true, I can attest to that. I have been witness to and in some cases performed those punishments.
“Ask the Imperial spy listening in.”
Shit.
I do not try to move slowly this time. I whirl and sprint. I hear a great roaring shout and something metal strikes the stone, I feel the wind from the weapon brush against my neck. It might have even shaved a few neck hairs off. I drop to a knee and slide on the stone, turning my body and throwing two small orbs of a glossy white at a man who, I assume, is Dunkan. That’s an educated guess just from the size of him. I shield my eyes with my forearm immediately and open my mouth wide.
The orbs explode in a brilliant white that fills the tunnel with a sudden shock of light. They burst with a concussive force that stuns the ears, unless one offsets the sudden pressure change, as I did. It still causes a hell of a ringing in them.
I take off running again, leaving Dunkan behind screaming and pawing at his eyes. I chance a look over my shoulder and suck in a breath at the sight of the woman that is following me. Bella, of course. Former Knight Bella Dyanna.
Not good, not good.
I don’t have any more tricks.
Wait, I’m a spy, I have a lot more tricks. I take a hard left, hoping that somewhere down this path will be another ladder up to the street level. It’s a sewer, seems a safe bet. Always have a secondary escape plan, mine is to run like the fires below are after me and get lucky.
After the turn I fish out a small, swirling green orb and drop it behind me. It does not burst loudly or with a brilliant white flash, instead if explodes and instantly packs the tunnel with a thick green cloud of particulates and smoke. Former Knight Bella Dyanna skids to a stop, coughing and choking in breaths and sparing what little air she gets for curses hurled at my back. I make another hard turn, this time to the right, and slip on the wet stone.
Something whips over my head as I slip, my gloves skidding on the stone as I try to right myself. It hisses angrily and turns in midair, which things should not be able to do. I find myself eye to eye with a dragon.
A dragon?
No, yellows are the smallest and they aren’t this small, I’ve never heard of one this size. It’s dog-sized. Impossible.
Not to mention the fact that the damn thing isn’t covered in yellow scales. I scramble to my feet and feel a claw pull at my cloak. I throw an elbow and it lands, feels like slamming my elbow into a sheet of metal or a wall. The thing lets out a tinny scream as it’s tossed to the ground and I keep running.
“Run, run and tell your story!” A loud voice booms behind me, echoing in the tunnels. It is followed by a laugh, a laugh at my expense. “Tell them the Brass Lord comes!”
In my panic, in the dark, flailing, I find a cold metal rung. I ascend with speed I did not know my arms or legs possessed and throw my shoulder into the round metal cover of the sewer. I find myself under a dark sky, on a city street, with a cold wind whipping past and a dusting of snow falling down. I breathe hard and it mists above me, each gasping breath a reminder of how much I hate the cold.
Then I am bathed in a warm, flickering, yellow light. Torches and faces appear over me.
Watchmen.
“Look lads.” One of them speaks, his thick beard coated in ice crystals and his grin a few teeth short of full. “Sewer rats are getting bigger.”
“I can explain.” I say.
“Arrest that thief!” I hear the voice from ahead in the street. Governor Wolff throws back his fur lined hood and points a thick finger at me. His beard is grander than any of these men and gone mostly gray. I can only hope that I look so healthy in my seventies.
If I make it to them.
I am on one knee when the swords are drawn and pointed at me. I hold up my hands slowly, watching the Governor approach. He will have me hanged, beheaded, anything that he wishes and no one will know his role in…whatever this conspiracy is. I need more information.
“Make a move.” The one with more teeth than brains, and not so much of either, says, the tip of his sword resting on my shoulder.
“If you insist.” I say. I have one trick left. Well, I have lots of tricks but I only have one that will work in this situation. In my hand I hold a single, matte black orb. I open my palm and drop it, preemptively wincing. Someone shouts to ‘catch it’, I do not recommend that but I also don’t offer that advice. Instead I steadily suck in breath until there is no space left in my lungs.
The orb bursts and immediately my world turns to fire. Small particulates fill the air and where they touch skin it feels as if that skin is aflame with the fire of a thousand dragons. I keep my eyes closed tight and run, a mental picture of the watchmen in my head. They will have gasped in pain at the first touch, sucking in the particles and setting their lungs on fire.
I avoid this, by being educated and instructed in the methods of the use of these spy tricks. I cannot open my eyes so I move, away from where Governor Wolff was. I hold my breath as long as I can and I sprint away, feeling the cold stones under my boots just as clearly as I feel the fire across my face. I count out the steps and hope, wish, pray that when I make my turn I don’t run face first into a wall.
There.
I make the turn and…I don’t hit a wall. I open my eyes and gasp cold air down, then regret that almost as surely as I would have regretted breathing in Dragon Dust. I keep running, hearing the shouts behind me, fading slowly. I weave into alleys, across streets, and I stop. A brightly lit tavern stands ahead, music and laughter still filtering out into the street. I am in a richer part of town, where the shops have glass windows to display their goods.
There will be more watchmen here, they will come soon. Especially with the Governor on the case.
Bells begin to ring from the great stone churches across the city, where the northerners pray to the ocean gods, gods of wind and stone and ice. Superstitious bastards. The bells wake the city to a threat, a spy in their midst. To me.
They will shut the gates and they will board every ship, including mine that waits in the harbor with a crew of southern sailors, traders that ply their wares up and down the vast oceans.
Not good.
I stare at myself in one of the glass shops and sigh. It’s a sigh of relief. I was tired of being a northern man, not being myself. I miss my face.
I blink and the face is gone. Gone is the light colored beard of a northerner, gone is the broad nose and wrinkled brow, the blue eyes. In that blink it is replaced with my own face, a dark black beard kept short and dark brown eyes. I must move quickly for the docks and reach my ship, I have names now and I have a target. I also have questions.
Like who is the Brass Lord? And who do I tell that he is coming? It's all very ominous. I don’t like ominous, not in my line of work. Only one thing matters now, finding answers. That means it is time to go to work.
It’s time to sail.
I pull my cloak tighter.
I hate the cold.

On February 23rd, I posted a couple of coronavirus predictions. I was mocked on economics at the time, because the things I anticipated seemed ridiculously outlandish in “normal” pre-coronavirus America.
More and more of the stuff I anticipated came true in the weeks that followed. From today’s perspective, my predictions don’t seem so outlandish anymore. Now they just seem like statements of fact and common knowledge.
A lot of people have asked me for an update and more predictions. So here we go. Let’s start by looking at which of the predictions came true so far:
​
----- PREDICTIONS THAT ALREADY CAME TRUE AS OF MARCH 31 -----
​
“They're gonna shut down his rallies, and the Democratic primary, to avoid more mass infections.”
March 10: Sanders, Biden cancel rallies as coronavirus fears haunt the campaign trail (NBC)
March 12: Amid virus fears, Trump moves away from rallies — for now (Associated Press)
March 30: 14 States Have Postponed Their Primaries Because of Coronavirus. (New York Times)
​
“The Olympics in Japan will be cancelled.”
March 24: Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics Officially Postponed Due To Coronavirus (Forbes)
​
“Air travel between the US and Europe will be suspended.”
March 11: Trump is suspending all flights from Europe to the US to fight coronavirus (Quartz)
​
“There will be severe supply/food/medical shortages in the coming weeks.”
March 13: The toilet paper shortage caused by the coronavirus is real (Washington Post)
March 24: ER Doctor describes impact of medical supply shortage (MSNBC)
March 26: Coronavirus measures could cause global food shortage, UN warns (The Guardian)
​
“As the market continues to decline, mega-funds that hold billions in passive ETFs will automatically dump their holdings when certain price triggers are reached.”
March 3: In a Down Market, ETFs Could Make Things Even Worse (Wall Street Journal)
March 29: Coronavirus puts an end to ETFs’ decade-long spree (Financial Times)
​
“Before the end of March, the Dow will crash so bad, they will halt trading.”
March 9: Trading halted as U.S. stocks plummet (Axios)
March 12: Trading halted after stocks plunge following Trump's coronavirus response (MSNBC)
March 16: Stock markets halted for unprecedented third time due to coronavirus scare (TechCrunch)
​
“There will be tens of thousands of dead people by the end of March, and tens of millions of dead people by the end of 2020.”
March 31: U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses China As Global Fatalities Top 40,000 (US News & World Report)
​
“In the next few days, we'll be seeing outbreaks in every country on earth”
Global coronavirus map (John Hopkins University)
​
“The market is not going to keep going up up up anymore. It's gonna keep going down”
March 31: Stock markets suffer worst quarter since 1987 (BBC)
​
“In a few days you'll see massive panic buying and empty store shelves in the US.”
March 16: Panic Buying Leaves Empty Shelves At Supermarkets And Stores (Today Show)
​
“In a few weeks, people will refuse to accept cash (if you can even find an open store at all) because cash spreads the virus.”
March 7: Dirty money: The case against using cash during the coronavirus outbreak (CNN)
March 16: America Closed: Thousands Of Stores, Resorts, Theaters Shut Down (NPR)
March 20: Paper money shunned for fear of virus spread (ABC News)
March 26: Merchants shun cash as coronavirus infection fears widen (Nikkei Review)
​
“Entire cities in the US will be put under quarantine, just like in China, South Korea and Italy. The same will happen all over the world, until WHO officially announces that it's a pandemic. From that point on they will no longer try to contain the outbreak, but manage it somehow, by telling people to avoid others.”
March 11: WHO declares novel coronavirus outbreak a pandemic (CNN)
March 14: Why Experts Are Urging Social Distancing to Combat Coronavirus Outbreak (USCF)
March 18: New York: The city that never sleeps on lockdown (BBC)
March 19: California Orders Lockdown for State’s 40 Million Residents (Wall Street Journal)
March 20: Illinois governor issues order requiring residents to ‘stay at home’ starting Saturday (Chicago Tribune)
​
“A lot of medical personnel will quit their jobs and not show up for work, rather than risk getting infected.”
March 20: “Two of her nurses had just quit, in tears. “They were fed up,” she said. “They couldn’t take it any longer.” (New York Times)
March 25: Georgia Nurse Quits Her Job After Being Assigned To The ‘Corona Floor’ (BET)
March 26: Sibley Memorial Hospital nurse quits over ‘lack of protection’ (WTOP)
March 27: Health care workers on frontlines feel like 'lambs to the slaughterhouse' (CNN)
March 27: More Than 50 Doctors in Italy Have Now Died From Coronavirus (Newsweek)
​
“The police force and the US military will have more and more infected and quarantine thousands of troops. It's already happening in South Korea. The US bases in the epicenter of the South Korean outbreak quarantined themselves and are under lockdown.”
March 27: Defense department reports more than 600 cases of coronavirus and 2 related deaths (CNBC)
March 30: Pentagon orders military bases to stop releasing specific COVID-19 numbers (The Hill)
March 31: 15 percent of NYPD officers out sick amid coronavirus crisis: commissioner (New York Post)
March 31: Commander of aircraft carrier hit by coronavirus outbreak warns Navy 'decisive action' is needed (CNN)
​
----- PREDICTIONS THAT ARE VISIBLY IN THE PROCESS OF COMING TRUE SOON -----
​
“There will be tens of thousands of dead people by the end of March, and tens of millions of dead people by the end of 2020.”
My prediction of tens of thousands dead by the end of March was based on the same math model as the prediction that there will be millions dead by the end of 2020. Since the March figures were true, the year end figures will most likely be true too.
March 31: U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses China As Global Fatalities Top 40,000 (US News & World Report)
​
“The US healthcare system will collapse”
The pandemic follows very similar trajectories in countries all over the world. We are 2 weeks behind whatever happens in Italy and Spain. So looking at what’s happening in other countries is a good predictor of what will happen in the US in the coming weeks, because it’s already happening elsewhere.
March 12: U.S. states scramble to slow virus spread, prevent hospital collapse (Reuters)
March 16: Doctors: COVID-19 pushing Italian ICUs toward collapse (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy)
March 20: Brazil's health system will collapse by April: Health minister (Aljazeera)
March 26: Spain’s healthcare system on verge of collapse as another 655 die of coronavirus (Metro UK)
March 25: More Than 1,000 Massachusetts Doctors Sign Plea Warning Health System Could Be Close To Collapse (WBUR)
March 27: New York City Hospital Director Says Equipment Supply Will Only Last Through March (NPR)
March 31: Hospitals Tell Doctors They’ll Be Fired If They Speak Out About Lack of Gear (Bloomberg)
​
“There will be millions of uninsured or underinsured Americans going bankrupt because of insanely high medical bills, because millions of Americans will require extensive ICU treatment that will last weeks. It will cost a fortune. People who are lucky enough to survive will be bankrupt.”
This pandemic is the perfect time to start Medicare for All, like the systems they have in the rest of the civilized world. America is the only country where people have to worry about sky high medical bills.
March 10: Kept at the Hospital on Coronavirus Fears, Now Facing Large Medical Bills. Care was mandated by the government, but it’s not clear who has to pay. (New York Times)
March 19: Total Cost of Her COVID-19 Treatment: $34,927.43 (Time)
​
“When the US government tells us to quarantine and stay home to slow the spread of infections, the quarantine will fail, because homeless people and drug addicts will continue to spread the virus.”
We still haven’t reached the point of a nationwide lockdown yet, but there are already signs that it’s failing because people aren’t listening:
March 24: A shortage of illicit drugs is imminent due to the coronavirus lockdown – and the consequences could be deadly (The Independent)
March 29: People Are Throwing Coronavirus Parties, Prompting Arrests And Citations (Huffington Post)
March 30: Cops Break Up Drug-Fueled Orgy, Confiscate Liquid Ecstasy and Cocaine (Rare)
​
“We'll be seeing an explosion of infections in India in the next few days.”
India hasn’t done nearly enough testing in the past few weeks. That’s why we didn’t see the explosion of officially confirmed infections yet. But it’s finally starting to show.
March 20: Coronavirus: Why is India testing so little? (BBC)
March 20: India scrambles to fight its hidden coronavirus epidemic: ‘The explosion is already here’ (The Indendent)
March 22: Indian Migrant Workers Crowd Trains, Defying Virus Curfew (US News & World Report)
​
“At least one old politician (Trump, Bernie, Biden, members of Congress or the Senate) will probably die from coronavirus before the end of the year. Probably more than one since it's so fatal for old people.”
No one in the Senate, Congress or White House has died of the coronavirus yet, as far as we know. But there have been several infections reported inside the beltway in recent days, as well as among political leaders around the world. Statistically speaking, it’s only a matter of time before a high ranking US politician dies from the virus.
March 13: Canadian PM Trudeau's wife tests positive for coronavirus (BBC)
March 21: Rand Paul is first senator to test positive for coronavirus (CNN)
March 27: Coronavirus in Congress: Lawmakers who have tested positive (The Hill)
March 27: Coronavirus strikes UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, his health secretary and his chief medical adviser (CNN)
March 31: White House predicts 100,000 to 240,000 will die in US from coronavirus (CNBC)
​
“This pandemic will be a cataclysmic change to our way of life. A bigger change catalyst than 9/11. There was a world before coronavirus, and there will be a world after coronavirus. But it won't be the same world. This nightmare is worse than a nuclear war.”
We’re not quite there yet. But we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg so far. The coming weeks will be much worse. But already it is pretty clear that Covid-19 has changed the world forever and is one of the biggest disasters in human history.
March 20: How the World Will Look After the Coronavirus Pandemic The pandemic will change the world forever. (Politico)
March 31: NYC paramedics overwhelmed by coronavirus cases: "We've had 9/11-type calls for eight days" (CBS News)
March 31: The coronavirus has now killed more people in the US than the 9/11 terror attacks (Vox)
March 31: America's deadliest day to date: Coronavirus death toll soars to 3,180 - an increase of 605 with a person dying every TWO MINUTES - as 22,000 new infections are recorded and experts say the worst is yet to come (Daily Mail)
​
----- PREDICTIONS THAT WERE WRONG -----
​
“I think it's a pretty safe guess that Trump will inevitably get infected with coronavirus in India, and within the next 30 days, he'll have symptoms. And in the meantime, while he's symptom free, he'll infect hundreds if not thousands of people at his rallies.”
Out of all my predictions from 2/23, this is the only one that I got wrong.
But using Trump as an example was really only meant to illustrate that the virus will not stay in Wuhan, but even reach the upper echelon in Washington.
And at the time I made that prediction, one day before Trump’s India trip, it seemed the most obvious way he will get infected.
As far as we know, Trump has not been infected yet. But several people around him have. Well, who knows, maybe they didn’t infect him, because he infected them. Maybe Trump simply was lucky enough to have very mild symptoms.
March 9: Republicans who came in contact with Trump self-quarantine (Politico)
March 13: Trump dinner companion tested positive for coronavirus, White House physician says (Politico)
​
----- MORE PREDICTIONS, FOR APRIL AND THE REST OF 2020 -----
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13 coronavirus predictions for April, the rest of 2020, and beyond. Let's hope they don't come true.
​
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​

The following summary is from オードリーAudrey Twitter
And a huge thank you to u/aitaikimochi for reading the light novel and posting everything!
Audrey's full review of the actual movie will be released on Twitter tomorrow, Friday December 20th, at approximately 11am JST (2am UTC). MOVIE SUMMARY THREAD IS HERE
BNHA HEROES RISING MOVIE LIGHT NOVEL SPOILER PLOT POINTS & REACTIONS WILL BE IN THIS THREAD!!!!!!
BEWARE MAJOR SPOILERS!!!!!!
Biggest spoiler confirmed: BAKUGOU GETS OFA TEMPORARILY FROM DEKU’S BLOODY FINGER TOUCHING HIS WOUND.
HOWEVER, Deku and Bakugou BOTH use OFA at the same time to defeat Nine.
Deku: WITH THIS, WE CAN SAVE Bakugou: AND WIN.
The power overflows them, like super saiyan style.
There is a movie still w/ All Might kneeling in between Deku and Bakugou lying on the ground. All Might holds Deku’s left hand in his hand and with the other, holds Bakugou’s bloody hand.
It is through the will of the predecessors that OFA returns to Deku.
I’m currently skimming through the entire novel and will do a scene analysis first based on what we’ve seen in the trailers. The novel is pretty long, so I’ll be posting sporadically throughout the day today with more info!! Watch this space for updates~
HAWKS AND TOKOYAMI TALK IN THIS MOVIE
Hawks: Are you alive, Tokoyami-kun?
Tokoyami: Why are you here, Hawks?
Hawks: I also brought someone else- All Might!
Clarification on the transfer of OFA:
Deku wills the transfer of OFA to Bakugou, and it is this scene. Bakugou's hand is bloody and bruised, and Deku tries to reach out to Bakugou but they miss at first. They then try again and have their fingertips touch.
Once the transfer begins, they firmly grasp each other's hand, and the power overflows, temporarily blinding Nine as he was trying to advance towards Katsuma.
Bakugou & Deku then appear in front of Nine, and they ready their own fighting pose.
This was what I referred to in the previous tweet about the "super saiyan" pose as they ready their own OFA-powered punch to defeat Nine!
Class A is in charge of the Hero Agency on Nabu Island. Ashido and Hagakure, along with Yaoyorozu and the others take phone calls and dispatch other Class A members to assist with various problems that the citizens of the island need help with.
Mineta actually helps two girls brush off two guys who were trying to force themselves onto these girls. When the girls turn around to thank him, since Mineta is too short, they thought it was Ojiro who helped them out. Ojiro says it wasn't him and blushes.
This scene is when Ochako gets a call that a boy is missing. Since the others were already dispatched for hero work, Bakugou was doing nothing in the dorm's tatami room. Ochako asks him to help but he refuses. Kirishima says "Don't be like that, I'll help!"
Bakugou then says "You think you can help find a child with your quirk?" and Kirishima says "Oh uh...ahaha right..."
Jirou and Deku then offer to join Ochako in finding the missing boy.
These are a few of the random tasks that Class A members were assigned to help citizens around the island. The main center of dispatch is in a Hero Agency in the island where they take phone calls to then tell each other to help the citizens.
Shigaraki and co. are tasked by Dr. Ujiko to transport something for him. Shigaraki is given a box that is apparently "pandora's box" that when opened, will unleash calamity. The League of Villains also stole a bunch of quirk erasing bullets.
Twice, Dabi, Mr. Compress, and Toga also make an appearance in this movie.
Hagakure, Aoyama, and Mineta help out a couple look for a lost item. As they give back the item to them, they hear a series of explosions. They then see the mummy villain approaching, and Aoyama uses his navel beam to try to hold them off.
On another side of the island, Shoji, Ojiro, Tokoyami and Tsuyu see the villain Chimera, and they retreat back to the Hero Agency building on the island to warn everyone. As they do so, Chimera starts fighting them and Ojiro tries to hold him off.
Tokoyami makes it back to the Hero Agency building and explains the situation that villains are invading the island, and some of Class A are already on scene trying to fight them off. Iida then takes charge and groups everyone into teams to help fight.
Iida assigns teams to help either fight villains or save civilians: Bakugou, Kirishima, and Kaminari: defeat villains at shopping district Yaoyorozu, Jirou, Ashido: help evacuate citizens at shopping district
More teams: Todoroki, Sero, Tokoyami, and Iida: fight the villains at the beach Koda and Ochako: Save and help evacuate citizens around the beach.
At the shopping district, Mineta and Aoyama look relieved as Bakugou, Kirishima, and Kaminari arrive on the scene. Kirishima is in his hardening form and attacks Mummy. Behind them, Yaoyorozu, Jirou, and Ashido tell the citizens to follow them to safety.
Mineta, Aoyama, Hagakure, Yaoyorozu, Jirou, and Ashido work together to help evacuate the citizens from the fight that's going on between Mummy, Bakugou, Kirishima, and Kaminari.
Bakugou is preparing his AP Shot Canon, but Mummy takes this change to try to attack him from the side. Kirishima then comes in to protect Bakugou and punches Mummy away. However, Mummy uses his binding and wraps it around Kirishima's arm.
Kirishima cries out as Mummy tries to drag him away, but Bakugou comes and blasts away the binding. Kirishima turns to Bakugou and says "My bad..." and is relieved. However, Mummy uses his binding again to capture Bakugou. Kirishima yells, "Bakugou!"
Kaminari then tries to use his electricity to stun the villain, but he captures Kaminari as well as Kirishima and stops them from moving. Mummy then completely wraps Bakugou up and explains that he is now able to manipulate Bakugou to attack them.
Mummy tries to manipulate him to attack Kirishima and Kaminari, but his attacks are sluggish. Kirishima calls out to Bakugou several times and tells him to stop, but his voice doesn't reach him.
Mummy gives them a choice- either become puppets or watch their friend kill them. Miraculously, Bakugou regains control and says "Stop messing around!" He uses his right hand to create a huge explosion, freeing himself. He then blasts away all bindings.
Meanwhile, Nine is searching for Maholo and Katsuma because he found that Katsuma's quirk is actually very strong (hasn't been revealed what it is yet). As he tries to take their quirks, Deku arrives on the scene and tries to protect them.
Deku confronts Nine, and Nine muses that Deku has an incredibly strong quirk. Deku takes Maholo and Katsuma and runs into the forest to escape from Nine. He asks if they can run and tells them to quickly go into the forest. He then prepares to fight Nine.
While Deku is fighting Nine in the forest, Bakugou fighting Mummy at the shopping district, we now get to Ojiro fighting Chimera at the beach while Todoroki, Sero, Iida, and Shouji come to help out.
Ojiro is fighting Chimera one on one, and Tsuyu and Shouji help him out. Shoji uses "Octoblow!!" and tries to punch Chimera away, but Chimera taunts him. He tells Shouji, "With that face, you must have been picked on a lot when you were younger, right?"
Chimera taunts Shouji, saying, "Were your parents not scared of that kind of face?" Shouji pauses as he reminisces, and Chimera uses this as a chance to attack. Even though Shouji is one of the strongest members of Class A, Chimera's power is too great.
As Chimera is about to strike, Iida comes rushing in and saves Shouji. Todoroki then creates a rush of ice to stop Chimera in his tracks. Todoroki then tells Shouji "We'll take it from here, go help Ojirou!" and Sero comes and ties Chimera with his tape.
With Chimera temporarily bounded, Tokoyami and Satou then attack from the sky. Satou tries to use Sugar Rush, but Chimera soon breaks out of the ice and tape hold and then attacks Satou. Iida yells, "Satou-kun!!" as Satou is being thrown to the side.
Todoroki, Sero, Satou, and Iida ready themselves as Chimera continues his offense. Meanwhile, Bakugou, Kirishima, and Kaminari regroup with Yaoyorozu and Jirou. The guys were able to stop Mummy.
Bakugou then starts blasting off, and Kirishima asks him where is he going? Bakugou then tells them that he will go look for the other villains around the islands and says that they should look over the civilians. He then goes off on his own.
Deku is still in the middle of his fight with Nine in the forest. The kids haven't gotten to safety yet. Deku tries to use Detroit Smash + Central Louis Smash to stop Nine. He isn't able to overpower him, and Nine says that he would like to steal his quirk.
Deku tells Maholo and Katsuma to run away (they still are sticking around lol), and just as Nine is about to try taking away his quirk, Bakugou comes out of the sky and throws an explosion to Nine.
As Bakugou throws explosions, Deku tries to attack as well, and Nine gets injured. Slice also arrives on the scene to try to take the kids, but just as she tries, Shouji swoops in and runs away with the children held within his arms.
As Shouji is running away, Koda calls upon a flock of crows to distract Nine and Slice as Ochako taps Deku and Bakugou, causing them to float. Tsuyu then uses her tongue to bring both Deku and Bakugou quickly with them as they all escape.
Nine wants to go after them, but the kids are too fast. Slice tells Nine that they should regroup with Chimera (who Todoroki & others failed to defeat but then retreated). The Class A members then regroup to come up with a strategy to defeat the villains.
Katsuma (the little boy's) quirk is kind of like Recovery Girl where he is able to activate one's cell regeneration to allow it to create energy that can be used as a power up for one's quirk. Nine (and Ujiko) wants this regeneration power up quirk.
Katsuma tells Class A members that the villain is just after his quirk, and he doesn't care if he becomes quirkless for the rest of his life, as long as the villains don't hurt anyone else on the island. Deku tells him that he will protect him from harm.
Bakugou walks in to the room where everyone is in and says "Well, I gotta kill some damn villains anyway" and Kirishima and the others say, "Bakugou!!" Bakugou then looks at Deku, and they both remember the words said by All Might "win & save, save & win."
Deku then reassures Maholo and Katsuma that they WILL protect them, and they WILL save the rest of the island civilians from the villains. The rest of Class A agree to fight together, and before they go forth to confront the villains, they do PLUS ULTRA!
There's a funny comedic moment after they do the PLUS ULTRA! cheer together, Tsuyu says, "So uh...what's the plan?" No one came up with a plan yet about how to defeat the villains. Todoroki comes next to Deku and says, "Midoriya, whats your strategy?"
Deku rolls out a map on the top of the table. He points out that there are still three villains that need to be dealt with. They devise a plan that will station Class A members in various pathways that they think the villains will take to look for Katsuma.
First, Tokoyami and Hagakure will lead the rest of the citizens to hide in a cave in the mountain so that the villains cannot attack them. Satou and Koda will also herd the sheep and livestock to bring them to safety as well.
Next, Aoyama and Yaoyorozu station themselves on the side of the mountain where, as predicted, one of the villains Slice passes by. As she is heading down the path, Aoyama uses his naval beam and Yaoyorozu uses her cannon to try to stop Slice.
Ashido also comes to help Yaoyorozu and Aoyama fight against Slice, and the villain ends up falling into a hole that takes them into a cave. Since Slice was now separated from the rest of the villains Chimera and Nine, Deku's strategy was going accordingly.
As Nine advances towards the mountain, Sero and Ochako try to stop him. He's too strong though, so they end up falling back as Ochako overused her quirk. However, Mineta comes and helps them out, and they are soon joined by Yaoyorozu and Aoyama too.
Meanwhile, Tokoyami and Ashido face off Slice, who had fallen into a cave in the mountain. Ashido tries to use her acid to melt Slice's hair to prevent her from using it as blades. The method works, but Slice manages to cut Ashido's leg pretty badly.
Ashido starts bleeding as she falls to the ground. Tokoyami yells, "Ashido!!" but when he sees her bleeding, he loses it and Dark Shadow bursts out of him. He turns to Slice and says, "You bastard..." as Slice moves back.
Slice tries to escape by going up towards the roof of the cave, but Dark Shadow stops her. However, because Dark Shadow was going out of control, the cave roof starts crumbling. Slice knows she will just be in the way of Nine at this point.
As the rubble starts coming down, light breaks through the cave, and Dark Shadow starts getting weaker. As he retreats back into Tokoyami, he tries to protect Ashido from the falling rubble.
Todoroki, Iida, Kirishima, and Tsuyu team up together to fight Chimera. They throw various attacks at him, and then they decide to have Kirishima use Unbreakable as Todoroki rushes him towards Chimera. Kirishima says "This reminds me of that time in Kamino"
Back to the fight with Nine. Bakugou joins Deku, Ochako, Sero, Ojiro, Shouji, and Jirou in fighting Nine (while also protecting the kids). Sero and Bakugou try to take him down, but he snaps Sero's tape and throws him to the ground. Bakugou says, "Sero!!"
There was a lot of smoke caused by Bakugou's explosions as they fight Nine, and Ochako takes this as an opportunity to try to touch Nine so that he starts floating. However, he notices as she tries to sneak among the smoke.
He uses his quirk and throws her into the air, and Deku yells "Uraraka-san!" as she starts falling down, Deku catches her in his arms. He looks at her, and she's hurt as she murmurs "I'm still...not good enough..." and loses consciousness.
Deku lays her down gently and turns to Nine, saying, "You bastard...!!" Nine advances towards Deku and Bakugou as the others were already at their limits, and Deku tells Shouji to take Maholo and Katsuma to safety again as he and Bakugou fight Nine.
Yo, this isn't a plot point (well sorta), but Shouji helps protect Maholo and Katsuma like a million times in this movie LOL. I keep thinking I'm reading the same line, but he's just like ALWAYS there to protect them LOL. Much love to big brother Shouji
Back to Deku & Bakugou's fight against Nine. Maholo and Katsuma watch with Shouji as Deku and Bakugou try to fight Nine, but Nine is just too powerful. He just pummels them easily, and they are battered and injured greatly, but Maholo and Katsuma calls out.
The kids say "Big Brother Deku, Bakugou! Don't give up!!" This motivates them to try to defeat Nine. Deku tries to come up with a plan to allow them to get the upper hand since they were losing against Nine. He thinks to himself, "What would All Might do!?"
Deku then decides that in order for them to defeat Nine, he needs to let Bakugou have One For All while he holds onto the embers of OFA, thus allowing both of them to use OFA (kind of like how All Might and Deku could both use OFA at the same time).
Going back to my earlier tweets, this is the moment where Deku reaches out to Bakugou and at first their hands miss, but the second time he reaches out the blood on his finger tip touches Bakugou's, and they clasp hands firmly as OFA transfers to Bakugou.
Bakugou asks Deku why he did that, and Deku explains that he still will be able to hold onto the embers of OFA, so now that they both have the quirk, they can try to defeat Nine. Earlier, Deku tried using 20% and then 100% against Nine, but it was futile.
There is a flashback scene here of when Bakugou fell into the river and Deku reached his hand out to him. There is also a scene where the two of them think about how cool All Might is and how one day they want to be a hero like All Might.
Bakugou still uses his explosions, but they're now super saiyan LOL. Deku uses Detroit Smash, and the two work together to throw punches at Nine with One For All. Deku tells Bakugou, "Let's defeat him!" and Bakugou says, "Don't tell me what to do!"
There is dialogue before this, where Bakugou says, "You bastard, wouldn't this mean the end of your dream [of being a hero]?" Deku says "It's fine. There was nothing else I could do. All Might would accept you as the OFA successor since you know about OFA."
Bakugou prepares a final blast as Deku uses his whole mind and body for his "last" SMASH! move. As he and Bakugou unleash their powers together, Deku thinks to himself, "Good bye, One for All...Thank you..." They blast Nine into oblivion (across the ocean).
Bakugou and Deku then pass out from the fight, and this is where the Pro-Heroes come in to help Class A. Hawks is there first and comes to Tokoyami's aid as he asks Tokoyami if he's alive. Tokoyami is surprised Hawks is there.
Hawks mentions that he's not alone, as All Might is also here with them. All Might approaches Deku and Bakugou, and this is the scene where he kneels in between them. Bakugou is still passed out on the floor.
The dialogue where Deku says "All Might, I'm sorry..." is in this scene where Deku apologizes to All Might that even though he chose him as his successor, he still had to give OFA to someone else. He says "All Might, I'm sorry, this was the only way."
All Might tells Deku that he is a brave individual who protected the lives of many, and that he was not wrong in choosing Deku to be his successor. All Might then holds Deku's hand as he holds Bakugou's hand in the other.
Suddenly, the flickering embers of Deku's OFA grow, and it is through the will of the predecessors that OFA goes back to Deku. All Might says, "Thank you, Master. Thank you, those from the past." All Might starts crying as he holds Deku & Bakugou's hands.
FACKKKK ALL MIGHT CRYING JUST MADE ME TEARY READING THIS a;sdlfja;lsdjf (i bet this whole scene is where Might+ U will start playing). I'M NOT READY...
Back in the island infirmary, everyone is getting treated for their wounds. Aizawa is here too as he talks with Koda, Satou, and Hagakure. Yaoyorozu and Aoyama are also there and have their wounds healed.
Endeavor is also here as he dotes over Todoroki, saying "Shouto!!!! Shouto I'm so glad you're okay!!!!!!" as Kirishima, Tsuyu, and Iida watch.
Tokoyami & Ashido are also recovering from their wounds. Due to the injury on Ashido's leg, she has to use a stretcher. Tokoyami & Dark Shadow look at her worriedly. Ashido sees them and smiles. She pets Dark Shadow and says "Aww, don't worry about it!"
Dark Shadow makes a happy expression as Ashido gives Tokoyami a thumbs up. Tokoyami bows his head and says to her, "I am grateful for that."
Jirou, Ojiro, and Shouji are also there, and Maholo and Katsuma approach them to thank them for helping to protect them. Shouji took a lot of hits for the kids, and he had to use a wheelchair. Thanks to Katsuma's quirk though, his injuries healed quicker.
Chimera and Slice are taken into custody, and Hawks watches as he thinks, "Just what exactly does Shigaraki have planned..."
Bakugou wakes up from his injuries and says "HOLY HELL WHAT'S GOING ON THIS HURTS!" Katsuma and Recovery Girl healed him as much as they could, but for some very convenient plot protecting reason, Bakugou has NO MEMORY of having One For All, WHATSOEVER.
Maholo and Katsuma reunite with their father, and soon it's time for Class A to leave Nabu Island. As Class A load their bags and board the boat, Maholo and Katsuma come to the deck and wave at them.
They say, "Big Brother Deku! Bakugou! Everyone! Thank you for protecting our island!" Katsuma calls out to Deku, saying "Big Brother Deku, I'll get stronger! Strong enough to protect my dad and sister! I want to be a cool hero just like you and Bakugou!"
Bakugou yells out, "Don't forget you said that, you damn kid...!" Deku then calls out to Katsuma and says, "Katsuma-kun! You! Even you can be a hero!! U.A. Academy will be waiting for you!" He smiles as he waves to the children.
Bakugou also raises his hand half-assedly and waves to the kids as well.
"A dream that continues on within your heart. A goal that changes. Katsuma smiles with hope and aspiration. Smiling, just like the Hero he greatly admires."
THE END!!
So that's pretty much a basic summary of the movie. There is a bit of exposition in the beginning that I skimmed over and did not delve too greatly into detail. Since this is the novelization of the movie, there's a lot of details that were not written.
I'm sure that when I watch the movie tomorrow, I'll be able to write a better summary! However, for now, this is pretty much how the entire Boku No Hero Academia HEROES RISING movie will play out! I hope you enjoyed reading my summary thread! PLUS ULTRA~
Some thoughts about this movie- literally ALL of Class A is going to have moments to shine. I tried to write each battle cohesively, but it's actually jumping back and forth between characters and teams the entire time.
Also, I think that Shouji, Ojiro, and Sero have a LOT of screentime from what the novel has written. The Class A members who haven't really gotten a moment to shine play fairly large roles in this movie. There is a LOT of action, not much dialogue.
The novel was 224 pages just in case anyone is wondering! I kind of speed-read through it in like a few hours, so if there are any mistakes in any of the scenes I wrote, they will be corrected in my full cohesive summary tomorrow after I watch the movie!
JUST A REMINDER! I will be watching the Boku No Hero Academia HEROES RISING movie 12/20 at 9am JST and will be posting my more comprehensive summary around 11am JST!
オードリーAudrey Twitter @aitaikimochi

Welcome to the weekly AEW Dynamite pre show post!
Anniversary show! Also a big tribute to Memphis wrestling! AEW wrote up their own preview, so I didn’t have to write this one! 2020 win/loss records in parenthesis pulled from AEW Roster.
Tonight’s Official Preview
On January 8th of 2019, the inaugural AEW press conference was held in the shadow of TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville to announce the formation of All Elite Wrestling. Fast forward one year and fans have experienced multiple pay-per-view events, several B/R Live events, the debut of “Dynamite” on TNT, and the crowning of World Champions for the Men's, Women's, and Tag Team divisions within AEW.
It's been a crazy year, especially since “Dynamite” began coming to your homes weekly on Wednesday nights, and the insanity will not let up anytime soon as AEW heads to the Memphis area for the very first time to debut at the Landers Center! One championship will be decided, two big tag team matches are signed, and several men have some major decisions to make about their futures! All this and more with the wrestlers of AEW this week on “Dynamite” live from Southhaven, MS!
AEW WOMAN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
RIHO (0-0) (c) vs. KRIS STATLANDER (0-0)
Kris Statlander finished up 2019 as the #1 ranked woman on the AEW roster, setting her up for a title challenge at the Homecoming edition of “Dynamite” last week in Jacksonville. Unfortunately a scheduling conflict that predated Statlander's commitment to AEW arose, and the company permitted her to honor those commitments.
In that match's place, AEW Women's World Champion Riho successfully defended her championship against the #2-#4 contenders in one match, but as seen in the video above, left that match in far worse shape than she started thanks to the uncontrollable Nyla Rose. Yet, in spite of that assault, Riho is honoring her commitment to defend the championship against Statlander this week on “Dynamite”!
Statlander heads into this title confrontation with possibly more momentum than any other person on the AEW Women's roster. Her opponent, on the other hand, is nowhere near 100% despite being given the okay to compete after Rose's attack, but Riho's will to compete and to win is undeniable. Adversity is nothing a stranger to the champion, and no matter how she feels walking to that ring, when the bell rings, Statlander will have a fight on her hands.
CODY (1-0) & DUSTIN RHODES (0-1) VS. THE LUCHA BROS (PENTAGON JR. (0-1) & REY FENIX (0-1))
Family is something that has shaped AEW in many ways; be it Matt and Nick Jackson, Cody and Dustin Rhodes, or Pentagon and Rey Fenix, the bonds of blood have been a driving force in this company, particularly within the tag team ranks. Fans have seen The Young Bucks and The Lucha Bros go to war on many occasions since the inception of All Elite Wrestling, and they have seen the brotherhood of Cody & Dustin fight it out with the brothers Jackson as well.
But for the very first time, when AEW comes to Memphis, the fans will bear witness to the Rhodes brothers stepping into the squared circle within The Lucha Bros! This is a tag team match that dreams are made of, and with the record books wiped clean for 2020, it could also shape the picture of future contenders for the World Tag Team Championships held by the SCU duo of Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian.
This is just one more example of All Elite Wrestling hosting the absolute best tag team wrestling anywhere on the planet each and every week!
KENNY OMEGA (1-0) & “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE (0-0) VS. PRIVATE PARTY (MARQ QUEN (0-0) & ISIAH KASSIDY (0-0))
Another example of that top shelf tag team competition is here in this battle of two duos at different points in there AEW journey. Private Party is without a doubt one of the most gifted teams on the roster, and they've demonstrated that on numerous occasions, particularly when the defeated The Young Bucks in the AEW World Tag Title Tournament and Proud-n-Powerful on “Dynamite”, not to mention nearly capturing those Tag Titles at the “Full Gear” PPV event.
Kenny and Page, on the other hand, are certainly two of the most gifted individual wrestlers on the planet, but as a team they are in the nascent stages of their evolution. They've competed in a few matches together, had a moderate degree of success, but it's a duo that appears to exist only due to the insistence of Kenny Omega rather than a true desire from Page to be in a team. This is a man who stepped away from his Elite brethren to go nomad, and that path has led him to dark places. Fans have witnessed his drunken antics both backstage, and most recently in Jacksonville, at the commentary booth. Page has been keeping it together for his matches, but once that final bell rings, all bets are off. Just ask his opponents this evening how the man has been acting, or watch the video above to see for yourself.
What will it take to right the good ship Hangman? Clearly it was not seeing his Elite brothers close out last week's “Dynamite” riding high, and thus far it has not been this pairing with Omega not matter how much Kenny may want it. Perhaps it will fall on Private Party to smack some sense into Page this Wednesday night live on TNT (and boost their own standings in the rankings as well).
CHRISTOPHER DANIELS (0-0) VS. SAMMY GUEVARA (1-0)
To say Sammy Guevara is riding high after that victory over Dustin Rhodes (as seen in the above video) would be an understatement. A man already prone to arrogance, Sammy might be on a whole new level after scoring a win over a true legend in Dustin, regardless of how it happened and the involvement of Jake Hager.
But it doesn't even take that kind of victory to bring out the bravado of Guevara, his own mouth and trash talking of SCU during an interview with Jen Decker is what got him into this match, and that was before he even defeated Dustin! Only now, heading into Wednesday night, Sammy has some momentum and extra swagger thanks to the victory while Christopher Daniels seems to be doubting himself after that “incident” with Pentagon Jr.
Daniels, a man with championship pedigree and a resume that cements him as one of the greatest of this generation, needs to overcome his case of wrestling yips in order to put down Sammy. Now “The Spanish God” will no doubt have Inner Circle back-up, but so to may Daniels have his SCU brothers at his side to even the odds. It is a generational battle, but for Christopher Daniels, it is reasonable to say that the win here would mean so much more.
JURASSIC EXPRESS (LUCHASAURUS (0-0), JUNGLE BOY (0-0), & MARKO STUNT (0-0)) VS. THE BEST FRIENDS (TRENT (0-1) & CHUCK TAYLOR (0-0)) & ORANGE CASSIDY (0-0)
Added to the card Monday night, these 6 man will dance to settle an issue that, on the surface, seems to be about something as basic as a hug. But watch the segment of “Road to Memphis...” embedded above and viewers can see that it is about something deeper than that. It's about show and prove...
In the case of JurEx, it is the same thing it has been about since day one of AEW, establishing themselves in a company crowded with the best wrestling talent on the planet, and proving they deserve to be included among them. Jungle Boy did it when he hung in with AEW World Champion Chris Jericho for ten minutes, Luchasaurus is clearly one of the biggest men on the roster, and Marko has made it his mission to silence all the critics. All three men have been embraced by the AEW fans for their heart, their skill, and their will to persevere despite any odds.
The Best Friends and Orange Cassidy, OC in particular, have also been embraced by AEW fans worldwide for much the same reasons as the Jurassic Express. Trent has had some of the biggest successes of the trio, claiming a pinfall victory over Rey Fenix in tag action and Pentagon Jr. one-on-one, as well as competing in bouts with Jon Moxley and PAC. And in assorted matches they've also beaten Private Party, as well as gone at it with PnP, TH2, The Young Bucks, and SCU.
But now, in the 2nd “Dynamite” of the year, these two trios have a chance to break out and exert a dominance they did not solidify in 2019. And viewers can bet that whichever team has their hands raised in victory, well there will probably be a hug to celebrate.
MOXLEY HAS HIS ANSWER FOR JERICHO…
For several weeks the question has lingered: will Jon Moxley join The Inner Circle? AEW World Champion Chris Jericho extended the offer to Mox to stand with his group, and since that initial offer, has upped the ante to lure the top contender into the IC: 49% stake in the group, an EVP title, a new car, and a personalized license plate to go with it. Difficult offer to turn down for sure, and one that left Moxley with some things to ponder over his flights to/from Japan over the weekend. This writer would even speculate that Jericho may have continued to push the issue or sweeten the deal during their mutual overseas travel...
Now, with both men back on American soil, Moxley has promised to make his decision public this Wednesday night face-to-face with Le Champion. Which way will Jon go? Credit the man for his poker face because he has given no tell as to which way he is leaning. One thing is certain though, should Jon Moxley choose to align himself with The Inner Circle, the balance of power within AEW will firmly rest with Chris Jericho and his unit, and it may become an impossible feat for any man, woman, or unit to stand up in opposition.
MJF MADE HIS DEMANDS, CODY TO RESPOND…
Last week on “Dynamite”, MJF and Wardlow strolled to the ring as confident as ever and laid out Max's stipulations for Cody if the estranged friends were ever to have a match against one another. To get what he wants, Cody must (1) agree to keep his hands off MJF until the “Revolution” PPV on February 29th, (2) agree to receive 10 lashings from Max on live TV, and (3) agree to a CAGE MATCH WITH WARDLOW! Clearly, and as easily predicted, each of these stipulations is designed to tip the balance into MJF's favor should Cody accept them all to get that head-to-head with his former best friend.
“How badly do you want this?” is what MJF wants to know; Cody has to agree to put himself through hell and humiliation in order to get this match, and his willingness to do just that is the question Cody will answer this Wednesday night when he steps foot in the ring for the anniversary edition of “Dynamite”.
TRIBUTE TO THE LEGENDS OF MEMPHIS…
The Memphis area is a territory steeped in professional wrestling history, and All Elite Wrestling is a company that recognizes the rich traditions and the foundation upon which today's in-ring offerings are built. It is with that in mind that AEW, as part of our own Anniversary Celebration, will also celebrate the legends of Memphis! Brian Christopher, Angelo Poffo, Randy Savage, Tommy Gilbert, and Dave Brown, just to name a few, will be celebrated this week at the Landers Center, but if you want to experience this tribute to its fullest, you need to grab your tickets at AEWTix.com to be in attendance Wednesday night!
This Wednesday night, AEW takes over the Landers Center for the Anniversary Edition of “Dynamite” LIVE on TNT! The action kicks off on TV at 8pm EST/7pm CST, with doors opening at 6:30pm CST, and you can be there in-person courtesy of AEWTix.com. Great seats are still available for our fans in the Memphis area, or make sure you catch all the explosive action on your television screens.
Latest AEW Rankings
As of January 8th, 2020
Men’s Singles
Women’s Singles
Men’s Tag Team
Catch Up on Youtube
AEW Dark Episode 14
Road to Memphis
Being the Elite Episode 185 “This Is For The Juggalos & Juggalettes”
How to Watch
US: TNT, 8pm Eastern
Canada: TSN, 8pm Eastern
ROW: Streaming on Fite, Midnight UTC

Greetings again fellow readers and SKK's. A new chapter is ready for your enjoyment, filled with fun, excitement, and horrible embarrassment for our protagonist. Do enjoy.
For those joining in, the chapters are also being published at Fanfiction.net and on ArchiveOfOurOwn
Unfortunately, as the chapter kinda exceeds the post limit size for Reddit, the second part will be in follow-up comments.
Chapter Two, Part One
While the actual task of finding my sister would have been fulfilled simply by returning home to the castle, I saw no reason why I needed to take a direct route in order to accomplish this as soon as possible. My thoughts were still preoccupied contemplating my previous conversation with Mikasa, in particular the parts about Kawakaze. As we walked down the streets near the harbour front, I found myself continually glancing over to my bodyguard, who kept a few steps ahead of me with a watchful eye to our surroundings. Even in our home, she never relented in her duty towards me. It was admirable, but it also felt rather cold. When I thought about it, I realized that I actually knew very little about her—I knew she was a strong and dutiful protector, highly skilled as an escort. Beyond that, however, I didn’t even know what her favourite colour was, let alone who she considered a friend.
“Is there a reason why we are walking through the port harbour instead of heading directly back to the castle?” Kawakaze asked without warning. “If you leave Mutsu waiting too long, she’ll be quite cross with you.”
“I thought I might take a more scenic route in order to better tour the home port,” I answered with practiced precision.
And scenic it most certainly was. With a clear blue sky and a shimmering ocean below, the weather around the harbour was nothing short of splendid, and only a fool would not want to bask in the sun’s warmth on such a day. All around, the denizens of the Sakura Empire milled about in their daily business: shopkeepers tended to their storefront displays, gatherings of young destroyers engaged in laughter and play, and even the local animals were out to enjoy the sun as numerous cats patrolled the length of the harbour in search of returning fishermen and their day’s bounties. Off in the distance, I could see many of our military vessels in port, which was always reassuring as it meant more people were here to enjoy the peace rather than out patrolling the ocean lanes.
“Is there anywhere in particular in the harbour you plan to visit?” Kawakaze continued with her inquiries.
“No. I simply wish to enjoy the moment while I can.” We stopped at the harbourfront’s edge, and I closed my eyes just to listen to the sounds of my peaceful home. There was something soothing about listening to the ocean’s gentle motions. It was like the planet itself breathing.
I may have been a little too engrossed in my auditory indulgence as I didn’t notice the cluster of children traveling just behind me. I heard some giggling and laughter, followed by an ‘oops’ just an instant before something, or rather someone, bumped into my back. It shouldn’t have been an issue except that I was right on the wharf’s edge and before I knew it, I was teetering over the edge and seconds away from taking an unscheduled afternoon plunge. All I could manage was a rather undignified yelp as I flailed my arms in a desperate and futile attempt to keep my balance.
Thankfully, my bodyguard was quick to react, grabbing hold of the back of my garments in the instant before gravity fully took over. “Are you hurt?” she asked as she gently pulled me back to safety.
“I am… unharmed. Thank you,” I said with a sigh of relief.
“I am only carrying out my duties,” Kawakaze replied before taking a quick bow. “Shall I apprehend the perpetrator?”
“That will be unnecessary. It was an accident, nothing more.” While it may have done good to remind the guilty part about the virtues of being mindful to those around you, I feared my bodyguard might be over-enthusiastic in that respect.
“You should pay more heed to your surroundings in the future, Lady Nagato.”
“Ah, yes, that is true. Especially since once I am no longer the flagship, you will no longer be required to follow me around at all hours of the day. I will no longer have you to rely upon.” I looked to Kawakaze to gauge how she responded to the reminder. Like me, she has been aware of this change for some time, but due to my own anxieties and concerns, I had neglected to ever ask how she felt about it.
Unfortunately, her answer was a solemn, “Indeed.”
This was precisely why she was so difficult to read. Normally, I did not mind, but when I was trying to better understand her, her brusque response was irritating.
“Once you are released from your duties, do you have any plans for afterwards?” I pressed on with my inquiries.
Our eyes met for a brief moment, though I wasn’t sure whether it was just a matter of politeness or if she was scrutinizing my curiosity. “I haven’t decided yet. I will probably be asked to continue my duties as Lady Yamato’s guard.”
“Well, I for one will miss your company when this is all over.”
“Oh. Thank you, Lady Nagato. You honour me.”
For a moment, Kawakaze might have shown the slightest hint of surprise, but I wasn’t entirely certain. It may have just been a flash of indigestion. Still, I had hoped for a ‘I’ll miss you, too’ or something that could give me a better sense of what she thought of me. I knew I could just order her to give me a better answer, but how truthful would it be when I had to play that card? I was soon contemplating how Mikasa would approach this situation. She was always direct and decisive, and no doubt she would encourage me to do the same.
“Kawakaze, are we… um, that is to say, do you… consider us friends?” That felt far more embarrassing to say out loud than it had in my head. It took all my willpower just to avoid turning red like some kind of school girl making a confession.
This time, I definitely caught her attention if her momentary brow-raised stare was anything to go by. “Don’t you think that friendship is a little strong of a word?” she asked back. “You are the flagship, and I am your steward. I thought a certain degree of professional distance was a requirement in order to carry out my duties. Was I mistaken?”
She had a point, as much as I was loath to admit it, and while her answer wasn’t as bad as I feared, it did more or less confirm what I suspected her sentiments to be. I was her charge and nothing more, and once that was gone, it was unlikely she’d take the effort to speak with me again short of us passing in the hallways. Deep down I knew it was foolish to think otherwise, and by all reason it shouldn’t even matter, yet I felt a small pang in my heart all the same.
“No, you are not mistaken,” I forced out as a response. “You have carried out your duties most professionally. You should be proud of yourself.”
“You humble me, Lady Nagato,” Kawakaze replied before taking a deep bow.
Her gratitude was expressed in the typical manner befitting our positions as flagship and steward. I shouldn’t have expected any less from her, but it only helped to reinforce the perceived distance between us. Even when I tried to be complimentary, the protocols of my position kept her away. Fault did not rest upon Kawakaze; I was to blame for allowing myself to be so complacent. I doubt Mikasa ever felt constrained or isolated when she was the flagship, though she would just insist that things were done differently ‘in the old days.’
“You shouldn’t be concerned with me,” my steward spoke up, snapping me from my train of thought. If she was trying to be modest, it didn’t feel that way. Was this advice, or perhaps a criticism?
“I don’t follow.”
“I’m not a friendly person, Lady Nagato. Never was,” she explained in her usual blunt and straight-forward manner. “If you’re unhappy with the way things are between us, then I am equally responsible for it, if not more. I’m not very good ‘friend’ material, so trying to use me as a metric is not fair to you.”
While I appreciated her efforts to alleviate my sense of guilt, I wasn’t entirely convinced by her reasoning. One did not have to be like Mikasa or Mutsu to form close bonds, and I had no doubt that Kawakaze could befriend others if she set her mind to it. She simply chose not to, much like a part of her chose to keep a professional distance from me, even if it was for appropriate reasons.
“Unfair or not, it is a failure of mine.”
“You’re not a failure, you’re just setting your expectations too high,” Kawakaze retorted. “Come, I’ll show you.”
Her gaze turned to her surroundings, with sky blue eyes scanning the surrounding crowds until they finally settled on what appeared to be a gathering of young destroyers. Before I had a chance to inquire about the significance, my steward gestured for me to follow her. It was rare to see her take the lead, and curiosity overrode any willingness to adhere to etiquette. As we drew closer, I could pick out the individual faces in the crowd, recognizing the likes of Mutsuki, Nagatsuki, and Kisaragi amongst them. At the lead of the grouping was one of the Empire’s esteemed cruisers, Miss Nagara. Judging from the arrangement, as well as their close proximity to one of the harbour’s exercise pools, she was in the middle of a lesson. I realized this too late to prevent us from intruding when Miss Nagara noticed my presence just as I was about to turn and leave.
“Oh my, Lady Nagato, what an unexpected surprise,” Nagara welcomed us, flashing us a smile as warm as the morning sun. “Class, please welcome our guest.”
The destroyers, many of whom regarded me with a sort of wide-eyed awe, all promptly bowed and spoke in unison, “Good afternoon, Lady Nagato.”
“My apologies for being ill-prepared to receive you, my Lady,” Nagara apologized, followed by another bow. “I wasn’t informed of your visit in advance.”
“Apologies are unnecessary,” I tried to reassure her. “This visit was entirely impromptu.”
“You’re conducting an outdoor practical lesson, correct?” Kawakaze inquired. “Lady Nagato was wondering if she might be able to assist you in teaching today.”
Teaching? It took all the willpower I had just to keep a dignified smile as though this had been my idea all along. In truth, I was half-tempted to turn and run. I had never taught a proper class before, and while I had a lot of experience leading other warships, there was a yawning chasm’s worth of differences between dealing with someone like Takao or Atago, who knew what they were doing even without my guidance, and mentoring small, impressionable destroyers like Kisaragi. Children were unpredictable, chaotic even. Despite all my apprehensions, though, to turn away now would not only dishonour my name and my position, but leave me a laughing stock amongst the higher ranks. I could already picture the admiralty board furrowing their brows in disapproval. ‘What good is a battleship that can’t even handle a few destroyers?’ I could already hear them say.
Nagara, on the other hand, was as excited as she looked, beaming even brighter as she clasped her hands together. “Really? Oh, that would be so helpful, Lady Nagato. It can be really difficult trying to lecture and give practical demonstrations at the same time. We’d be ever so grateful, wouldn’t we class?”
On cue, the destroyers chimed together, “Thank you, Lady Nagato.”
“When you’re ready, please sail out into the training arena,” Nagara instructed, gesturing towards the large, partitioned section of the harbour that routinely served for various training exercises.
Before I could step out, though, I had to summon my rigging first. Drawing forth from the power of my wisdom cube, I called forth the indomitable forty-one centimeter cannons that formed the foundation of my power and allowed me to be counted as one of the Big Seven of the world. Armoured in my mantle of steel and fury and flanked by my four twin-turrets, I sailed out to my designated position, now confident in whatever task laid before me.
“Now class,” Nagara began, “I want you all to pay close attention to Lady Nagato as she helps us review the basic principles of anti-air defensive tactics.”
“Anti-air?” I repeated, albeit too quietly for anyone to hear. All of a sudden, my confidence felt like it was on far more turbulent waves. There were few ships that gave me more reservations than that of an aircraft carrier, not out of fear, but a recognition of their power. My concerns were confirmed when I looked to the far end of the training area and I saw none other than Hiryuu and Souryuu taking up a combat formation. The venerated Second Carrier Division was not to be underestimated.
“Hiryuu, Souryuu, are you two ready?” Nagara called out to them.
I prayed to every god that would listen that one of them would say no.
“You bet!” Hiryuu shouted back before turning to me. “And don’t think we’re going to take it easy on you just because you’re the flagship.”
“Do remember that this is a training exercise for the purposes of teaching these young destroyers effective tactics when defending against airborne threats, and not an opportunity to showcase your prowess in battle,” was what I wanted to say to them in a veiled attempt to make my life easier. Instead, though, my brain went on auto-pilot and I uttered back a standard, pre-packaged response, “I would expect nothing less of the Second Carrier Division.”
I really needed to learn to be more honest with myself.
One by one, the two carriers began throwing down their cards, launching their squadrons of torpedo and dive bombers into the air. The Sakura Empire pioneered coordinated, multi-carrier strikes, and as the number of planes in the sky grew, I knew they were setting up for exactly that. From experience, I knew that Hiryuu was more skilled with the torpedo bombers, while her sister Souryuu was an expert with dive bombers. Would they come at me from every angle in an attempt to overwhelm my defenses, or would they focus their power from a single vector to maximize the damage inflicted? Even though it was a training exercise, with training munitions that would not be lethal, to treat it as anything less than a real battle would do the observing class a disservice. The only thing in any real danger was my dignity.
“Now for the first part of the demonstration, we’ll review the basics of evasive manoeuvring, so I’ll ask that Lady Nagato please refrain from using her anti-aircraft weapons for the moment.”
“Are you serious?!” Thankfully, my unprofessional outburst was drowned out as by the roar of a dozen engines as the strike squadrons began their approach.
“Now the first thing to remember when you find yourself under air attack is to not panic,” Nagara continued with her lesson.
Easier said than done. I was already pretty close to failing the first part as I frantically powered up to full speed and adjusted course towards the oncoming planes. They were already beginning to circle around me like hawks, waiting for their moment to strike. The training munitions may have been classified as non-lethal, but that was, in part, due to the fact that us kansen were a lot more durable than normal humans.
“Next, you’ll want to sail towards the attacking aircrafts, moving in a zig-zag pattern in order to force the oncoming plane to continually adjust their speed and bearing. If under attack from multiple directions, try to identify the largest threats and continue to move in an erratic, unpredictable manner.”
To my credit, I was already implementing Nagara’s instructions when the first planes began their approach to strike. However, as a battleship, ‘erratic’ and ‘unpredictable’ were a bit beyond my capacity. My rigging alone made me as large a target as the entire class of destroyers put together, and it had all the manoeuvring characteristics of an overloaded garbage barge. If anything of my movements seemed erratic, it was only because the explosive force of Souryuu’s dive bombs thrashed me about with every near-miss. In a sense, it was unpredictable in that I didn’t even know what I was about to do, with course corrections being made faster than one could say ‘heads up.’ Despite the intensity, I knew I had to maintain my focus and remember my training and experience—reduce speed, hard to starboard, brace for bomb splinters, accelerate, adjust bearing to port, repeat.
“This is intolerable!” I yelped between bomb bursts that left me drenched in sea water. “Just permit me use of my guns, please!” Once again, it was likely for the best that nobody could hear my screaming over all of the chaos.
Somehow, between the explosions and the distance, my flailing, panicked evasions looked passably professional. After about five or six passes from the assailing strike planes, I was starting to get into a rhythm. The more Hiryuu and Souryuu struck, the more familiar I became with their patterns of attacks, and I could minimize the amount of time I spent swerving, which was vital for a battleship since inertia alone meant I was about as responsive as a government bureaucracy. I weaved left and right, threading the needle through a pair of air-dropped torpedoes that screamed past me with their bubble-rich battlecries. However, Hiryuu’s attack only served to force me down a more predictable path that left me an easier target for Souryuu’s follow-up strike. I only realized my folly when I heard the distinct, whistling shriek of another payload coming from on high.
“Now class, always remember the five D’s of evasive manoeuvres: dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge!”
“You said dodge twice!” I shouted back to Nagara while I made full use of the fourth ‘D’ and lunged forward. The bomb passed so close that I swore I felt it brush past my hair, although that thought was quickly replaced by the explosive force that was so powerful that it launched me into the air, stern over bow.
“That’s because it’s twice as important,” Nagara replied, either oblivious or indifferent to my situation. “And speaking of which…”
I was still face-down in the water when the instructor’s direction prompted me to lift my gaze up to the telltale sign of angry-looking bubbles careening towards me. That Second Carrier Division was clearly intent on not giving me any breathing room. However, that was enough dodging for me. I was a battleship! We did not run and cower from the enemy, our way was to strike back with fire and steel!
Once I was back on my feet, I leveled my entire battery of secondary cannons on the incoming torpedo and prepared to fire. It was time to show the young destroyers something they wouldn’t soon forget. A thunderous volley rang out as a spread of high explosive rounds pulverized the waterscape before me, turning the area into a field of geysers, mist, and gunsmoke. Pride, however, always preceded the fall. My volley had not been as effective as I had expected. Rather than cause the torpedo to detonate prematurely, the explosive force and rising water somehow launched the torpedo into the air, soaring like a steel whale breaching the surface. There was only enough time for me to stand there with a dumb, slack-jawed stare before it smashed me square in the face.
The air dropped Type 91 torpedo was a staple of the Sakura Empire’s aerial strike fleets, and it was truly a terrifying weapon to behold. And I could say with absolute certainty that it was the second worst experience I had ever endured, falling just short of when Mutsu accidentally dropped her third turret on my foot and blew out the lower floor of the castle.
Knocked off my feet, time seemed to slow to a crawl as I joined the torpedo in an inelegant arc above the water. Off in the distance, I swore I could see the expression of each and every observer who witnessed my spectacular failure. Kawakaze’s normally stoic facade cracked in the first time I had seen her truly and genuinely surprised. The children had a range of mixed amusement and shock as many perhaps thought that this was a routine outcome for such an exercise, or perhaps that I had exaggerated my escapades for comedic effect. One couldn’t expect a child to fully grasp the consequences of being sucker-punched by a self-propelled steel battering ram. Then there was poor Nagara, who no doubt felt some sense of guilt and responsibility for the situation, as her expression just screamed ‘I am going to have to dogeza until my face is one with the earth after this.’
Or maybe I just imagined it all in a post-concussive stupor.
The first thing my mind noticed once it was able to work again was how cool the water felt, and how blue the sky was. It felt like the ocean itself was cradling me in her loving embrace, and whispering sweetly into my ear.
“—ady Nagato? Ma’am, can you hear me?” As it turned out, it was just Kawakaze, now kneeling by my side.
“Help me up,” I murmured back before I took hold of her wrist.
“Of course, Lady Nagato. We’ll get you back to shore and—”
“No. I am not finished yet.”
Maybe I was being prideful, or maybe the torpedo had left me with fewer faculties than I realized. Whatever the reason, though, as Kawakaze helped me back to my feet, the only thought in my mind was that I was not going to let this end on such a disgraceful note. It was not just for my own dignity, but this felt like a slight against all battleships and the Nagato-class itself. I couldn’t allow myself to leave the young destroyers the wrong impression of the strength of the Sakura Empire. They needed to understand that I wasn’t made the flagship just because I looked cute in robes and could recite a few prayers, but that I was a warrior just like them.
“Hiryuu! Souryuu!” I shouted out. “One more time, and this time try to hit me like you mean it.”
Needless to say, the Second Carrier Division exchanged some very puzzled looks with each other, no doubt wondering if I had lost complete sense or just most of it. They eventually pushed past their concerns and started prepping a new wave of attack planes. There were enough witnesses to provide confirmation that I had, indeed, asked for it just in case if there were any attempts at repercussions later on.
“Are you sure this is wise?” Kawakaze whispered.
“Truthfully, I know not,” I answered. “But I cannot back down now.”
I eased my bodyguard to the side and braced myself for the impending onslaught. About a dozen bombers from the Second Carrier Division slotted into an attack vector, one that would hit with such ferocity that it would make my previous encounter with a torpedo look like a gentle caressing. I remained undaunted, however, as I brought forth my most powerful weapons: all eight of my forty-one centimeter naval guns. Why should I try to dodge attacks like a destroyer, or dissuade planes with paltry anti-air guns like a cruiser? My artillery battery had served as the pride of an Empire, so it should damn well be able to deal with a handful of petrol-powered tin birds. It would’ve been a lie to say that I was completely without reservations about my strategy—it hinged on a technique that I had rarely put to the test in a live fire environment, real or simulated. I comforted myself with the knowledge that if things went badly, I would at least have valuable combat data to provide Miss Yuubari.
I’d also have the mother of all headaches.
“You should probably back away, Kawakaze,” I advised my colleague.
“I swore to be your shield, Lady Nagato. For better or for worse.”
“Is that not a thing the westerners say before they marry?”
“I thought it was ‘until death do we part’.”
“Well, if this doesn’t work, it shall feel that way,” I quipped before taking a few more calming breaths. Having Kawakaze next to me did bring some sense of comfort, but I knew the only path to victory was to trust in my own power. With the planes bearing down upon us, I directed my main batteries skyward. “Sanshikidan, fire!”
With a roar that could rival the heavens, I unleashed a volley of the specialized canister rounds provided by our resident mechanical genius, Yuubari. Each round detonated shortly after leaving the barrel, splintering into thousands of incendiary shards in a forward arc. In an instant, I turned the air between the planes and I into an unrelenting maelstrom of fire and steel. For a brief moment, it was as if hell itself had awoken in our training arena. Faced with a seemingly impenetrable wall of burning metal, the planes had to scatter in every direction they could, with many failing to pull away in time and plunging through the inferno. More than half of the assailing planes emerged through the curtain, blazing and spiralling out of control before they crashed into the water around me.
“Huh, it appears Yuubari’s beehive shells have performed admirably,” I remarked with no attempt to hide my surprise. I wasn’t the only person left stunned by the successful pyrokinetic display, as both Hiryuu and Soryuu were left aghast, the former looking as though some large animal had just defecated onto her breakfast.
“Were you expecting otherwise?” Kawakaze replied.
“I had always missed when using the sanshikidan.”
“Huh. Good thing you didn’t then.”
“I concur,” I said, nodding in agreement. If this had been a real combat situation, we would’ve just narrowly escaped death, yet even in the absence of real danger, I nonetheless felt a wave of relief and a swell of pride. As I basked in the glow of my victory, which smelt a lot like burning oil, powder, and thermite, I soon became aware of a rising noise in the background. Being so used to the reverence and praise of the public, I instantly recognized the rising clamour of applause and cheers. The young destroyers took quite a liking to the pyrotechnic display, probably forgetting all about the fact that this was supposed to be a lesson in anti-air tactics. In fairness, I hadn’t been considering the educational value of unleashing sanshiki rounds either.
“That was amazing, Lady Nagato!” one of the girls shouted.
“You showed those planes who’s boss!” said another.
“Should we explain to them that all you did was ward off a single wave of attack planes?” Kawakaze inquired.
“Let’s not spoil the moment for them,” I answered. “Now, could you lend me your arm? I don’t think I can stand for much longer.”
With the adrenaline and excitement wearing down, the sensation of my pounding heart was soon replaced with a pounding headache. My steward took a firm grip on my arm and lent me her shoulder before we slowly sailed back to shore, where the children were still clapping and cheering. The noise didn’t help my headache, but I managed a dignified smile to greet them. We found a nearby bench for me to rest on, whereupon I was quickly surrounded by the destroyers.
“You were so cool!”
“How can I grow up to be a battleship like you?”
“Now, now, children, give Lady Nagato some space,” Nagara spoke up as she shepherded the destroyers back. She then turned to me and offered a deep bow, not quite all the way to the ground, but I suspect only because the destroyers didn’t give her room to do so. “I am so terribly sorry about what happened. I didn’t think the carriers would be so… rough.”
“There is no need for apology,” I reassured her. “If I had desired a lesser challenge, I wouldn’t have encouraged them to give it their all. We cannot learn and improve if we are not pushed to our limits.” Granted, the only thing I learned was ‘torpedoes are hard,’ which was of questionable value. “So remember, children, no matter how difficult things may seem, never lose faith in your own strength and that of your allies. As long as you keep fighting for your dreams, you will prevail.”
“A very important lesson, right children?” Nagara said, now relieved that she wouldn’t be losing her job over what happened today. “Now class, give a big thank you to Lady Nagato for taking the time to help teach us.”
“Thank you, Lady Nagato.” Their synchronized responses were becoming quite endearing. I began to understand why people enjoyed teaching.
“And thank you for having me,” I said, returning their thanks with a bow of my own.
One of the girls then drew closer, Mutsuki if memory served, and she tugged on my sleeve for my attention. “Um, Lady Nagato… do you think you could come by again and help teach us some more? The part with the fireworks was really cool!”
I managed a tired, polite smile. “I would enjoy that very much, but I’m afraid that—” I was about to say that my duties would rarely leave me time to make regular visits, but then I remembered that in a matter of days, my list of duties would be considerably less. In fact, I would probably have an abundance of time on my hands with few ideas of how to spend it. “I will discuss it with Miss Nagara and see what we can arrange.” All of the destroyers’ eyes lit up at the news, which was more reassuring than I thought it would’ve been. Children didn’t care for pomp and etiquette—they just thought I was the cool battleship that shot fireworks at planes. I glanced over to Kawakaze, who was maintaining her usual vigil by my side. “Is this what you were hoping for?”
“Somewhat. Minus you getting beaned by a torpedo,” she answered.
“Thank you. Perhaps I should treat you to something with the money from Lady Mikasa.”
“What could we even buy for a hundred yen?”
Before I could even speculate as to an answer, Mutsuki shot her hand into the air and began waving it around while jumping on the tips of her feet. She kept this up until I finally gestured for her to answer this impromptu quiz.
“You could buy some candy from the dagashiya!” she answered, quite proud of herself.
“The dagashiya?” I repeated while giving my cohort a puzzled look. “I am unfamiliar with the term.”
“I believe those are specialty shops that sell inexpensive confectionaries to children,” Kawakaze elaborated, although her voice carried a degree of uncertainty. The answer made sense to me, as the Empire spared little expense in keeping me in the lap of luxury. Cheap candies would never have even been in the same building as me, let alone served to me. Even if the option had been available, the old me, as well as the admiralty board, would have considered the notion as too childish for a person of my position. Now, though, I had no qualms about how my actions affected the dignity of my office. It wasn’t as though the admiralty board could do any more to me than they already were going to.
“In that case,” I said as I rose to my feet, “if you would be so kind as to guide us to this dagashiya then.”
End of Part One

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quarterback question quick quickly quiet quietly quit quite quote race racial radical radio rail rain raise range rank rapid rapidly rare rarely rate rather rating ratio raw reach react reaction read reader reading ready real reality realize really reason reasonable recall receive recent recently recipe recognition recognize recommend recommendation record recording recover recovery recruit red reduce reduction refer reference reflect reflection reform refugee refuse regard regarding regardless regime region regional register regular regularly regulate regulation reinforce reject relate relation relationship relative relatively relax release relevant relief religion religious rely remain remaining remarkable remember remind remote remove repeat repeatedly replace reply report reporter represent representation representative Republican reputation request require requirement research researcher resemble reservation resident resist resistance resolution resolve resort resource respect respond respondent response responsibility responsible rest restaurant restore restriction result retain retire retirement return reveal revenue review revolution rhythm rice rich rid ride rifle right ring rise risk river road rock role roll romantic roof room root rope rose rough roughly round route routine row rub rule run running rural rush Russian sacred sad safe safety sake salad salary sale sales salt same sample sanction sand satellite satisfaction satisfy sauce save saving say scale scandal scared scenario scene schedule scheme scholar scholarship school science scientific scientist scope score scream screen script sea search season seat second secret secretary section sector secure security see seed seek seem segment seize select selection self sell Senate senator send senior sense sensitive sentence separate sequence series serious seriously serve service session set setting settle settlement seven several severe sex sexual shade shadow shake shall shape share sharp she sheet 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temporary ten tend tendency tennis tension tent term terms terrible territory terror terrorism terrorist test testify testimony testing text than thank thanks that the theater their them theme themselves then theory therapy there therefore these they thick thin thing think thinking third thirty this those though thought thousand threat threaten three throat through throughout throw thus ticket tie tight time tiny tip tire tired tissue title to tobacco today toe together tomato tomorrow tone tongue tonight too tool tooth top topic toss total totally touch tough tour tourist tournament toward towards tower town toy trace track trade tradition traditional traffic tragedy trail train training transfer transform transformation transition translate transportation travel treat treatment treaty tree tremendous trend trial tribe trick trip troop trouble truck true truly trust truth try tube tunnel turn TV twelve twenty twice twin two type typical typically ugly ultimate ultimately unable uncle 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withdraw within without witness woman wonder wonderful wood wooden word work worker working works workshop world worried worry worth would wound wrap write writer writing wrong yard yeah year yell yellow yes yesterday yet yield you young your yours yourself youth zone