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0|0|0|||1||%28teaser 2%29 S5M4 Try%2C Try Again|Gryphon||00:59:30|07/16/2013|Probably the last of these%3B there%27s just not that much in this one that lends itself to the format.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btt%5D%5Bpre%5D        %22You know%2C%22 Utena mused to Corwin as the three stood on the%0D%0Abalcony%2C %22I%27m starting to wonder about you.%22%0D%0A        Corwin blinked.  %22... I beg your pardon%3F%22 he said.%0D%0A        %22Well%2C look%2C%22 said Utena%2C her tone of voice - slightly at odds%0D%0Awith her opening remark - easy and equable.  %22You remember the first%0D%0Atime we went to Asgard%3F%22  Corwin knew this question was too preposterous%0D%0Ato be anything but rhetorical%2C so he just nodded and let her get on with%0D%0Aher point.  %22I asked you if all the women you knew were as beautiful as%0D%0Athe Valkyrie I%27d seen.  Who were%2C at that point%2C let%27s see... your mom%2C%0D%0AVigdis%2C Kijana%2C and Lenneth.  And you said something like%2C %27Uh%2C yeah%2C I%0D%0Aguess.%27  Closer to home you had Achika%2C Reiyna%2C Dorothy%2C the Utonium%0D%0Agirls - at least one of whom has a -huge- crush on you%2C by the way%2C you%0D%0Aprobably never noticed... %22%0D%0A        %22She told me%2C%22 Corwin put in.  %22Last spring.%22%0D%0A        %22Oh.  Well%2C good for her.  That kind of thing takes guts%2C%0D%0Abelieve me.  Did you at least kiss her%3F%22%0D%0A        Corwin went a little red%2C recalling that in fact he hadn%27t%2C but%0D%0Ait had been a near thing.  %22Uh... well%2C no.%22%0D%0A        Utena shook her head with a patient sigh.  %22Typical%2C%22 she said.%0D%0AShe leaned back to look at Anthy across his back.  %22Hopeless.  He%27s%0D%0Ahopeless.%22%0D%0A        Anthy nodded sagely.  %22Entirely%2C%22 she agreed%2C then sipped her%0D%0Atea and added%2C %22Nearly as much so as you%2C my love.  You%27re very well-%0D%0Amatched.%22%0D%0A        Corwin chuckled.  %22Zap%2C%22 he murmured cheerfully%2C offering a fist%0D%0Afor her to bump without looking.%0D%0A        %22ANYway%2C%22 Utena plowed on%2C ignoring the point scored%2C %22then%0D%0Athere%27s your %27cousin%27 - %22%0D%0A        %22Mirai%3F%21%22 Corwin blurted.  %22When you and I met%2C and don%27t think%0D%0AI don%27t know where you%27re going with this%2C she was -eleven.-%22%0D%0A        %22Yeah%2C you didn%27t hear the quotation marks%2C%22 Utena went on%0D%0Abreezily%2C %22as I was saying%2C your %27cousin%27 Kaname.  She%27s a lot like me%2C%0D%0Ayou know.  Enough so that I%27m shocked she didn%27t have you walking into%0D%0Adoors long before I ever came along.%22%0D%0A        Corwin turned to face Utena%2C leaving his right elbow on the%0D%0Arailing and putting his left hand on her shoulder.  %22Wait%2C where -are-%0D%0Ayou going with this%3F%22 he wondered%2C sounding a little concerned now.%0D%0A        She smiled.  %22I%27m not jealous and I%27m not feeling inadequate%2C%22%0D%0Ashe assured him.  %22It%27s just a thing I%27m trying to -explain- to myself.%0D%0AYou%27ve grown up around all these incredible girls and women.  A lot of%0D%0Ayour -best friends- are girls and women.  And yet -I%27m- the first one%0D%0Awho ever made you realize why there%27s a difference%3F  Without trying to%2C%0D%0Aor even realizing I -had- for a while%3F%22  She shrugged.  %22Having a hard%0D%0Atime getting my head around that lately.%22%0D%0A        %22Is it really so difficult%3F%22 Anthy wondered mildly.  She crossed%0D%0Abehind Corwin%2C putting her teacup down on the table as she passed it%2C%0D%0Aand went around to the far side of Utena%2C then took her arm and leaned%0D%0Aagainst her shoulder.  %22You revolutionize people%27s lives%2C Utena.  It%27s%0D%0Awhat you -do.-%22%0D%0A        %22Y%27know%2C she%27s got a point%2C%22 said Corwin%2C facing front again and%0D%0Adoing his best to get his left arm around both of them.%5B%2Fpre%5D%5B%2Ftt%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
1|1|0|||1||RE%3A %28teaser 2%29 S5M4 Try%2C Try Again|Mercutio||03:37:19|07/16/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jul-16-13 AT 03:39 AM (EDT)]%3E%5Btt%5D%5Bpre%5D %22ANYway%2C%22 Utena plowed on%2C ignoring the point scored%2C %22then %0D%0A%3Ethere%27s your %27cousin%27 - %22 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%22Mirai%3F%21%22 Corwin blurted.  %22When you and I met%2C and don%27t %0D%0A%3Ethink I don%27t know where you%27re going with this%2C she was -eleven.-%22 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%22Yeah%2C you didn%27t hear the quotation marks%2C%22 Utena went on %0D%0A%3Ebreezily%2C %22as I was saying%2C your %27cousin%27 Kaname.  She%27s a lot like %0D%0A%3Eme%2C you know.  Enough so that I%27m shocked she didn%27t have you walking into %0D%0A%3Edoors long before I ever came along.%22 %5B%2Fpre%5D%5B%2Ftt%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%22You know%2C you could have used air quotes. That%27s what they%27re -for-.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%22It%27s not as much fun that way. Also%2C air quotes make you look like a tool.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%2A   %2A   %2A%0D%0A%0D%0A%28Seriously%2C they%27re an incredibly useful signalling device%2C but has anyone ever used air quotes and NOT come off as faintly ridiculous%3F Councillor Sparatus%2C I%27m looking in your direction%21%29%0D%0A%0D%0AAnyway.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe entire sequence is a bit self-congratulatory without context%2C but that one exchange with Utena messin%27 with Corwin about his %27cousins%27 is totes adorable.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ve been doing a lot of trawling through the old and crusty parts of UF due to arguments elsewhere on the boards%2C and Corwin%27s romantical escapades are an interesting contrast to the ones of the generation prior to his. I feel like Gryphon sort of accidentally backed up into the first couple of big relationships in his life %28and his one with Kei was rather dysfunctional for a long time%2C to boot%29 and didn%27t end up with his truly huge grand passions occurring until after he%27d been around for a long time and had gotten the whole %27understanding himself%27 thing more or less locked down.%0D%0A%0D%0ACorwin has been doing more classic teenaged romance stuff%2C just with more%2C you know... demons. All the classic tropes were represented%2C starting with the whole %27no%2C we%27re NOT interested in each other%2C really%27 thing and rolling from there.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28That%27s not a criticism. Those things are tropes for a reason%3B they work.%29%0D%0A%0D%0AIt%27s good to see the Triumvirate getting things locked down. Polyamory is super hard work.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
2|2|1|||1||RE%3A %28teaser 2%29 S5M4 Try%2C Try Again|Gryphon||04:09:31|07/16/2013|%3EThe entire sequence is a bit self-congratulatory without context%2C but %0D%0A%3Ethat one exchange with Utena messin%27 with Corwin about his %27cousins%27 %0D%0A%3Eis totes adorable. %0D%0A%0D%0AThere is indeed a bit of missing context %28there are specific reasons why Utena%27s having that particular reflection at that particular moment%29%2C and there%27s a second part of the conversation later in the story.  That%27s the trouble with picking out these teaser fragments.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EI feel like Gryphon sort of accidentally backed up into %0D%0A%3Ethe first couple of big relationships in his life %28and his one with %0D%0A%3EKei was rather dysfunctional for a long time%2C to boot%29 and didn%27t end %0D%0A%3Eup with his truly huge grand passions occurring until after he%27d been %0D%0A%3Earound for a long time and had gotten the whole %27understanding %0D%0A%3Ehimself%27 thing more or less locked down. %0D%0A%0D%0AHe%27s just a soul whose intentions are good. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AThere%27s an element of truth to that%2C though.  Part of it is because G%27s %5Bi%5Dpolicy%5B%2Fi%5D%2C which I%27m sure was informed largely by the way he blundered into his thing with Kei%2C has long been to just... see what happens.  %28He wouldn%27t really understand until he studied kenjutsu that this is essentially a Zen approach to romantical adventure. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0ABy and large this has worked for him%2C though it does mean that the bulk of his relationships have been with markedly... %5Bi%5Dproactive%5B%2Fi%5D women.  Even in his 400s%2C I%27m not sure he really knows %5Bi%5Dhow%5B%2Fi%5D to %22pursue%22 a relationship in the traditional sense.  %28Probably%2C by that age%2C if he did he wouldn%27t consciously attempt it anyway%2C because it would make him feel predatory.%29  The downside to that%2C of course%2C is that those women who are expecting to be%2C how to say it%2C %5Bi%5Dcome after%5B%2Fi%5D a bit tend to find him frustrating.  I think that%27s probably why his on-and-off thing with Sara never quite happened.  %5Bsmall%5D%26l%3B%5Bb%5DN.B.%5B%2Fb%5D It%27s four in the morning and the preceding may not actually make any damn sense.  It doesn%27t have to%2C though.  Sense is not the boss of me.%26r%3B%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AMind you%2C Corwin doesn%27t %5Bi%5Dreally%5B%2Fi%5D know what he%27s doing in that regard either.  He just managed to Be In The Moment for a series of moments that added up to a courtship.  It%27s a neat trick if you can manage it. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
3|3|2|||1||RE%3A %28teaser 2%29 S5M4 Try%2C Try Again|Mercutio||05:10:09|07/16/2013| %0D%0A%3EThere%27s an element of truth to that%2C though.  Part of it is because %0D%0A%3EG%27s %5Bi%5Dpolicy%5B%2Fi%5D%2C which I%27m sure was informed largely by the way he %0D%0A%3Eblundered into his thing with Kei%2C has long been to just... see what %0D%0A%3Ehappens.  %28He wouldn%27t really understand until he studied kenjutsu %0D%0A%3Ethat this is essentially a Zen approach to romantical adventure. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AThere%27s a pleasing symmetry at work there%2C I feel%3B Gryphon is very active%2C very forceful%2C aggressive even%2C in his professional life. It kind of makes sense that in his personal life he%27d be a lot more Zen. Kind of a ying-yang thing.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EBy and large this has worked for him%2C though it does mean that the %0D%0A%3Ebulk of his relationships have been with markedly... %5Bi%5Dproactive%5B%2Fi%5D %0D%0A%3Ewomen.  Even in his 400s%2C I%27m not sure he really knows %5Bi%5Dhow%5B%2Fi%5D to %0D%0A%3E%22pursue%22 a relationship in the traditional sense.  %28Probably%2C by that %0D%0A%3Eage%2C if he did he wouldn%27t consciously attempt it anyway%2C because it %0D%0A%3Ewould make him feel predatory.%29  %0D%0A%0D%0AProbably wise. Gryphon is very old%2C powerful%2C wealthy%2C and just absolutely soaked in what modern class %28as in social class%29 analysis would refer to as %27privilege.%27 Nothing wrong with any of that. But it does mean caution is indicated before trying to draw people into your romantic and%2For sexual orbit%2C if you were inclined to do so at all. %0D%0A%0D%0AWhich he%27s not.%0D%0A%0D%0AYeah%2C I don%27t know where I was going with that either.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EThe downside to that%2C of course%2C is %0D%0A%3Ethat those women who are expecting to be%2C how to say it%2C %5Bi%5Dcome %0D%0A%3Eafter%5B%2Fi%5D a bit tend to find him frustrating.  I think that%27s probably %0D%0A%3Ewhy his on-and-off thing with Sara never quite happened.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe first name that popped into my head upon reading that was not Sara%2C but rather%2C %22Sumire Kanzaki.%22 Sumire is definitely what you%27d call proactive%2C but she%27s also the sort of lady who expects someone to%2C as you say%2C come after her. Because she%27s Sumire Kanzaki%2C dammit%2C and even if she ALREADY likes you%2C if you like HER you had best be prepared to prove it. Conspicuously. To her complete satisfaction. And she%27s RARELY satisfied.%0D%0A  %0D%0A%3E%5Bsmall%5D%26l%3B%5Bb%5DN.B.%5B%2Fb%5D It%27s four in the morning and the preceding may %0D%0A%3Enot actually make any damn sense.  It doesn%27t have to%2C though.  Sense %0D%0A%3Eis not the boss of me.%26r%3B%5B%2Fsmall%5D %0D%0A%0D%0ANo%2C no%2C it makes perfect sense. Well%2C at least to me. But four in the morning %28well%2C technically %22an hour before I go to bed%2C regardless of time of day%22%29 is just about the only time I feel fully alert and focused%2C so...%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EMind you%2C Corwin doesn%27t %5Bi%5Dreally%5B%2Fi%5D know what he%27s doing in that %0D%0A%3Eregard either.%0D%0A%0D%0ACorwin is twenty. At that point most people are super lucky if they%27ve managed to figure out for certain their precise romantic and sexual preferences%2C let alone how best to find someone who they can be mutually fulfilled with. So he%27s kind of ahead of the game.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt also helps out that Corwin is a super-genius God with a robust extended family and support network. He and his spouses will never have to worry about making tough choices a lot of other people getting married and having children at that age would%2C like %22can we have a kid%2C or can one of us go to college%22 or %22which one of us is going to have to give up their career for the other one.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AOf course%2C they do have to worry about the fact that the Devil knows their names. So%2C y%27know.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat
4|2|1|||1||RE%3A %28teaser 2%29 S5M4 Try%2C Try Again|Peter Eng||21:03:52|07/16/2013|%3E%28Seriously%2C they%27re an incredibly useful signalling device%2C but has %0D%0A%3Eanyone ever used air quotes and NOT come off as faintly ridiculous%3F%29%0D%0A%0D%0AOnly by ending up in a far worse place.%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AInsert humorous comment here.