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MLP: FiM fiction

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Ivan Shmakov

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Sep 3, 2017, 7:00:59 AM9/3/17
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... Boring or not, I've decided to post a few words about some
of the stories I've read in the past few months. Perhaps it
will be of interest to someone here. (After all, you'll never
know unless you try...) There're three short stories and two
ongoing novels that I follow.


Send Only Memories
by Chinchillax (2016-10-26)
http://fimfiction.net/story/351487/1/send-only-memories/-

Everything has a beginning. And an end. The world of Equestria
may last for the millenia to come; millions of years even. But
going this way will prevent the universe itself from ending.
And being reborn. Twilight tries to convince the creator of her
world to give it up for the greater good.

One of the finest "pony" short stories I've read so far. I've
found it back in May and I'm still feeling myself under its effect.


'Destiny' and Other Lies Told to Foals
by Sunchaser (2013-07-28)
http://fimfiction.net/story/84693/destiny-and-other-lies-told-to-foals/

Twilight wakes from a terrible nightmare; so terrible that she
goes all the way to Canterlot in the middle of a rainy night
just to ask Celestia a question or two.

The nightmare? It's "Magical Mystery Cure" -- the season 3
finale, also originally envisioned as the finale for the show.

In the story, the author points at a handful of issues with the
episode that are likely to be trivial oversights on the part of
the team (being pressed for time because of both the parallel
development of the "My Little Pony Equestria Girls" movie, and
also trying to put what could've easily been a two-parter into a
single episode), but when taken at face value, may have rather
"unfortunate" implications.

Also has an alternate ending, featuring (in the words of the
author) "Celestia, but just the slightest bit wrong."


Why The Immortal Smiles (There Is No Time To Frown)
by kalash93 (2017-08-31)
http://fimfiction.net/story/383686/1/

Celestia ponders on what the future has for ponykind; what the
challenges it may bring; and whom she is going to lose soon.

The story does a good job at depicting the thoughts an immortal
may have under the circumstances. Whether these circumstances
are in good alignment with the canon -- or 'common sense' -- is
debatable, I suppose. At the very least, it reminded me that in
biology (as we know it), evolution involves not only
competition, but cooperation as well; and ISTR it was theorized
that under certain circumstances, the latter may even become the
dominant driving force.


Chrysalis Visits The Hague
by Dan The Man
http://fimfiction.net/story/62981/chrysalis-visits-the-hague

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is intended to exercise
its jurisdiction when "national courts are unwilling or unable
to prosecute criminals [...]" (per Wikipedia.) Now that
Equestria is discovered in the middle of the Pacific Ocean,
it should be in the best interests of Queen Chrysalis to face a
fair trial with (mostly) humans in charge, rather than one run
by ponies. For the Equestrian Crown, it brings the hope of
establishing a common ground with the United Nations.

A remarkable feature of this novel is that 193k+ words into it,
I still have no idea just what's going on. Conspiracies aplenty.
Author seems to make it a challenge to paint someone a hero and
another a victim in one chapter, just to plant the seeds of
doubt in the next.


Rites of Ascension
by CvBrony
http://fimfiction.net/story/39849/rites-of-ascension

One day, years after the events of the season 2, Twilight makes
a successful experiment involving earth pony magic. Celestia
has to point that what she's done is impossible. For a unicorn.
This sets the course that'll ultimately lead to Twilight
becoming an alicorn princess of Equestria.

For now, Twilight Sparkle, the newly appointed Grand Mage of
Equestria, is on the journey to familiarize herself with the
realm at large, uncover conspiracies going back in time for
centuries, but most importantly, to learn and fight for /her/
little ponies. For, as Luna put it, "ascension is... eventful."

The novel features good humor and conveys a strong feeling of
"race against the clock," as Twilight all so often confronts the
situations that require skills of a warrior, not a librarian.

--
FSF associate member #7257 np. Legend of the North -- ethansight 230E 334A

Ivan Shmakov

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Sep 10, 2017, 9:37:14 AM9/10/17
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... And another one I've read last Thursday.

Forbidden Melodies (May Our Sun Shine Forever)
by Regocomics (2014-09-10)
http://fimfiction.net/story/215890/1/

There're some pages in the Book of History that are better to be
left untouched. Unfortunately, for Octavia Melody, it's almost
as if her own life is on the stake -- or at the very least her
identity as a musician. But will she go so far as to violate a
direct royal order to uncover the truth about one of the
masterpieces of the Silent Age -- the Equestria's national anthem?

The story features some major heartwarming.

(But note that I'm a huge fan of cellos and cellists, so I'm
probably thoroughly biased on this one.)

--
FSF associate member #7257 np. Promise -- BlackGryp0n 3013 B6A0 230E 334A

Snuhwolf

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Sep 10, 2017, 1:59:03 PM9/10/17
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On 09/10/2017 07:37 AM, Ivan Shmakov wrote:
> ... And another one I've read last Thursday.
>
> Forbidden Melodies (May Our Sun Shine Forever)
> by Regocomics (2014-09-10)
> http://fimfiction.net/story/215890/1/
>
> There're some pages in the Book of History that are better to be
> left untouched. Unfortunately, for Octavia Melody, it's almost
> as if her own life is on the stake -- or at the very least her
> identity as a musician. But will she go so far as to violate a
> direct royal order to uncover the truth about one of the
> masterpieces of the Silent Age -- the Equestria's national anthem?
>
> The story features some major heartwarming.
>
> (But note that I'm a huge fan of cellos and cellists, so I'm
> probably thoroughly biased on this one.)
>
So you're way into horses, yes?
Ever ride one?

Ivan Shmakov

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Sep 12, 2017, 11:50:48 AM9/12/17
to
>>>>> Snuhwolf <snuh...@netscape.net> writes:
>>>>> On 09/10/2017 07:37 AM, Ivan Shmakov wrote:

>> ... And another one I've read last Thursday.

>> Forbidden Melodies (May Our Sun Shine Forever)
>> by Regocomics (2014-09-10) http://fimfiction.net/story/215890/1/

[...]

>> (But note that I'm a huge fan of cellos and cellists, so I'm
>> probably thoroughly biased on this one.)

> So you're way into horses, yes?

Ponies!

More like "into fantasy," actually. Narnia, There and Back
Again, Wheel of Time, Star Wars, Psammead series, Hayao Miyazaki
films -- I have at least some familiarity with all of them.
I've even read the original Earthsea trilogy this year.

Frankly, I wouldn't care much were the stories to involve not
Pony Princesses, but Camel Kings, or Llama Lamas [1, 2].
However, if it's thanks to ponies [3] that there's now more or
less a lifetime supply of fantasy available to me free of charge
-- I'm most certainly not going to complain. (Not to mention
that the notions of harmony and friendship /do/ resonate with me.)

> Ever ride one?

Not as of yet. Will try to get to it next year, perhaps.

[1] "Snowdrop" by Silly Filly Studios (2013-03-21)
URI: http://youtu.be/do6RDSwaWek
"'Can anypony tell me the southern nation that allows Equestria to
collect their warm front cloud system? Cirrus?' 'Um...
Ande... uh... Zibber...' 'Camelu.'"
[2] "An Apple Sutra" by Sharp Spark (2014-10-20)
URI: http://fimfiction.net/story/223683/1/
"Apple Bloom's mouth worked as she ran that all through her head.
Then she noticed that twinkle in his eye again. 'Now hold on just
a minute,' she said, suspicion creeping into her voice. 'Is this
one 'a them who's on first businesses, cause Granny's got that old
record and Ah've heard it, buster.'"
[3] "Before Ponies" by BluNoseReindeer (ft. Cyril the Wolf)
URI: http://youtu.be/jcFpGgMrS58

--
FSF associate member #7257 58F8 0F47 53F5 2EB2 F6A5 8916 3013 B6A0 230E 334A

Snuhwolf

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Sep 12, 2017, 9:56:31 PM9/12/17
to
Ivan Shmakov <iv...@siamics.net> wrote:
>>>>>> Snuhwolf <snuh...@netscape.net> writes:
>>>>>> On 09/10/2017 07:37 AM, Ivan Shmakov wrote:
>
> >> ... And another one I've read last Thursday.
>
> >> Forbidden Melodies (May Our Sun Shine Forever)
> >> by Regocomics (2014-09-10) http://fimfiction.net/story/215890/1/
>
> [...]
>
> >> (But note that I'm a huge fan of cellos and cellists, so I'm
> >> probably thoroughly biased on this one.)
>
> > So you're way into horses, yes?
>
> Ponies!
>
> More like "into fantasy," actually. Narnia, There and Back
> Again, Wheel of Time, Star Wars, Psammead series, Hayao Miyazaki
> films -- I have at least some familiarity with all of them.
> I've even read the original Earthsea trilogy this year.
>
> Frankly, I wouldn't care much were the stories to involve not
> Pony Princesses, but Camel Kings, or Llama Lamas [1, 2].
> However, if it's thanks to ponies [3] that there's now more or
> less a lifetime supply of fantasy available to me free of charge
> -- I'm most certainly not going to complain. (Not to mention
> that the notions of harmony and friendship /do/ resonate with me.)
>
I never understood the pony fandom. prolly cause im into wolves.
the teen titans mention it alot in their episodes.

> > Ever ride one?
>
> Not as of yet. Will try to get to it next year, perhaps.
>
i was raised around them. they re kinda like big dogs. some are very
friendly and some arnt.
i miss being around them somehow...hmm...

Ivan Shmakov

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Sep 14, 2017, 3:05:30 PM9/14/17
to
>>>>> Snuhwolf <snuh...@netscape.net> writes:
>>>>> Ivan Shmakov <iv...@siamics.net> wrote:
>>>>> Snuhwolf <snuh...@netscape.net> writes:

[...]

>>> So you're way into horses, yes?

>> Ponies!

>> More like "into fantasy," actually. Narnia, There and Back Again,
>> Wheel of Time, Star Wars, Psammead series, Hayao Miyazaki films --
>> I have at least some familiarity with all of them. I've even read
>> the original Earthsea trilogy this year.

>> Frankly, I wouldn't care much were the stories to involve not Pony
>> Princesses, but Camel Kings, or Llama Lamas [1, 2]. However, if
>> it's thanks to ponies [3] that there's now more or less a lifetime
>> supply of fantasy available to me free of charge -- I'm most
>> certainly not going to complain. (Not to mention that the notions
>> of harmony and friendship /do/ resonate with me.)

> I never understood the pony fandom.

My take on its appeal is that it's in the human nature to seek
"community," yet the society at large for some reason tends to
pay little heed to that need nowadays. And "ponies" seem to
promote ways to satisfy it. (Again, [3] comes to mind.)

I saw as it changed around here. Around late 80s and early 90s,
it wasn't uncommon to see (older) adults to gather in some
neighborhood park to play dominoes, checkers or chess. Somehow,
it then ceased to be.

> prolly cause im into wolves. the teen titans mention it a lot in
> their episodes.

I'm not familiar with that show, but to quote [4]:

Raven's fondness of the show is a reference to her voice actor,
Tara Strong, being the voice actor for the show's lead character,
Twilight Sparkle.

I've been stumbling upon MLP references for about a year,
I think, before I've ended up reading some related fanfiction.

Half a year and three stories more, and I became hooked on it.

>>> Ever ride one?

>> Not as of yet. Will try to get to it next year, perhaps.

> i was raised around them. they re kinda like big dogs. some are
> very friendly and some arnt.

I wouldn't expect it much different to that -- if my experience
with cats is anything to go by. Although I gather that calming
down a panicked horse is much bigger a deal than doing the same
to a cat.

But what really scares me is the relative "fragility" of the
equines' digestion. I guess I'd rather deal with a camel,
should I be given an option.

> i miss being around them somehow... hmm...

Where I live, there's a number of places one can meet an equine.
Why, I saw a pony (offering pony rides, presumably) in a small
park within a five minutes walk of my home today, and I saw
another a week or two ago at the fair within a ten minutes walk
from my workplace. Not to mention that one of my usual bicycle
ride segments goes by a place that offers horse rides.

Perhaps you should consider checking if there's anything like
that around where you live.

>> [1] "Snowdrop" by Silly Filly Studios (2013-03-21)
>> URI: http://youtu.be/do6RDSwaWek
>> [2] "An Apple Sutra" by Sharp Spark (2014-10-20)
>> URI: http://fimfiction.net/story/223683/1/
>> [3] "Before Ponies" by BluNoseReindeer (ft. Cyril the Wolf)
>> URI: http://youtu.be/jcFpGgMrS58

[4] http://teen-titans-go.wikia.com/wiki/Pretty_Pretty_Pegasus

--
FSF associate member #7257 http://softwarefreedomday.org/ 16th September 2017

Snuhwolf

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Sep 15, 2017, 2:07:23 PM9/15/17
to
It seems to be about "positivism". And also seem to be a form of
escapism from the alienation many adults feel.

> > prolly cause im into wolves. the teen titans mention it a lot in
> > their episodes.
>
> I'm not familiar with that show, but to quote [4]:
>
> Raven's fondness of the show is a reference to her voice actor,
> Tara Strong, being the voice actor for the show's lead character,
> Twilight Sparkle.
>
> I've been stumbling upon MLP references for about a year,
> I think, before I've ended up reading some related fanfiction.
>
> Half a year and three stories more, and I became hooked on it.
>
> >>> Ever ride one?
>
> >> Not as of yet. Will try to get to it next year, perhaps.
>
> > i was raised around them. they re kinda like big dogs. some are
> > very friendly and some arnt.
>
> I wouldn't expect it much different to that -- if my experience
> with cats is anything to go by. Although I gather that calming
> down a panicked horse is much bigger a deal than doing the same
> to a cat.
>
Yeah, a cat cant kill you usually.


> But what really scares me is the relative "fragility" of the
> equines' digestion. I guess I'd rather deal with a camel,
> should I be given an option.
>
Dont let them eat sand: dont feed them on the ground. use a bucket.


> > i miss being around them somehow... hmm...
>
> Where I live, there's a number of places one can meet an equine.
> Why, I saw a pony (offering pony rides, presumably) in a small
> park within a five minutes walk of my home today, and I saw
> another a week or two ago at the fair within a ten minutes walk
> from my workplace. Not to mention that one of my usual bicycle
> ride segments goes by a place that offers horse rides.
>
> Perhaps you should consider checking if there's anything like
> that around where you live.
>
There is. But I have no time or money for that.

Ivan Shmakov

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Sep 16, 2017, 5:00:18 AM9/16/17
to
>>>>> Snuhwolf <snuh...@netscape.net> writes:
>>>>> On 09/14/2017 01:05 PM, Ivan Shmakov wrote:
>>>>> Snuhwolf <snuh...@netscape.net> writes:
>>>>> Ivan Shmakov <iv...@siamics.net> wrote:

[...]

>>> I never understood the pony fandom.

>> My take on its appeal is that it's in the human nature to seek
>> "community," yet the society at large for some reason tends to pay
>> little heed to that need nowadays. And "ponies" seem to promote
>> ways to satisfy it. (Again, [3] comes to mind.)

>> I saw as it changed around here. Around late 80s and early 90s, it
>> wasn't uncommon to see (older) adults to gather in some neighborhood
>> park to play dominoes, checkers or chess. Somehow, it then ceased
>> to be.

> It seems to be about "positivism". And also seem to be a form of
> escapism from the alienation many adults feel.

Well, I suppose, but isn't it the same, to a varying degree, for
most of the other animated shows out there as well?

Or do you mean the fandom? Then I'm unsure if I understand how
"escapist community" can be /not/ a self-contradictory term here.

Yet I guess there's a fair share of escapism in /my/ interest in
fantasy at large. Learning the intricacies of how supernatural
forces and powerful artifacts work and sharing that knowledge
with others so that it can be put to use, and also new
discoveries could be made on top of that, feels right to me.

And that's so contrary to the way the world of today works:
you learn the details of how your gadget works and how to
improve it; you share it with others; you get sued for
"copyright infringement." Ta-da!

(And if you're into science, you're going to publish the results
of your research behind a paywall -- and vastly out of reach of
the majority of the human population of the world. And the best
you can hope for is that someone who finds it will decide to go
through the effort of summarizing it on Wikipedia.)

[...]

>>> i was raised around them. they re kinda like big dogs. some are
>>> very friendly and some arnt.

>> I wouldn't expect it much different to that -- if my experience with
>> cats is anything to go by. Although I gather that calming down a
>> panicked horse is much bigger a deal than doing the same to a cat.

> Yeah, a cat cant kill you usually.

Indeed. Though cats aren't entirely "risk-free," either.
They can carry infections, some of which can be transmitted to
humans. (Although for housecats, the risk is rather getting
infected /by/ a human.) Then, some cats develop a habit of
resting around, or sometimes upon, their sleeping guardians --
and certain parts of human body are quite vulnerable to
pressure. (A cat once placed her forepaws on my neck around
where the carotid artery goes. I had to force myself awake.)

Lastly, a cat that firmly believes that you pose a genuine
threat to his or her life is not to be underestimated.
Thankfully, unlike, say, dogs and geese, they're solitary
animals, and rarely able to cause much harm.

>> But what really scares me is the relative "fragility" of the
>> equines' digestion. I guess I'd rather deal with a camel, should I
>> be given an option.

> Dont let them eat sand: dont feed them on the ground. use a bucket.

Makes sense; although I guess there's more to it than that.

>>> i miss being around them somehow... hmm...

>> Where I live, there's a number of places one can meet an equine.
>> Why, I saw a pony (offering pony rides, presumably) in a small park
>> within a five minutes walk of my home today, and I saw another a
>> week or two ago at the fair within a ten minutes walk from my
>> workplace. Not to mention that one of my usual bicycle ride
>> segments goes by a place that offers horse rides.

>> Perhaps you should consider checking if there's anything like that
>> around where you live.

> There is. But I have no time or money for that.

Well, my income is about the dreaded "minimum wage" level
currently, so there's some uncertainty in my case as well. I've
semi-considered getting a related part time job, but I suppose
commuting between home, my primary workplace, and anywhere I
could find such an employment, will more or less kill me.

(Reportedly, there also is a camel farm around here, but
"around" in this case means "100-something miles," so hardly an
option, either.)

Then, however, I may actually have some contacts in this field;
perhaps they can do me a favor?.. (Even though I can think of
absolutely no reason for that.)

>>>> [3] "Before Ponies" by BluNoseReindeer (ft. Cyril the Wolf)
>>>> URI: http://youtu.be/jcFpGgMrS58

--
FSF associate member #7257 http://softwarefreedomday.org/ Today!

Ivan Shmakov

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Sep 17, 2017, 9:17:59 AM9/17/17
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... This novel I've found back in June, read a few chapters, and
then resumed reading only this month. The story was completed
also in June and a sequel was started recently. (Apologies for
taking twice my usual amount of words for the description.)

(Did I just start posting this kind of thing on a weekly basis?)

The Enchanted Library
by Monochhromatic (2015-02-14 .. 2017-06-08)
http://fimfiction.net/story/240255/the-enchanted-library/

"Once upon a time, in Equestria's distant past, there were four
princesses, not just one..."

There, of course, was a terrible foe to our noble heroines as
well -- the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. At one point,
however, the princesses were able to make peace with him. Every
year, he would ask for some land, over which he would cause
chaos and mischief, so long that nopony was harmed. One year,
however, he made a request the princesses refused to grant.

Offended, he fought the Princess of the Sun and, emerging
victorious, trapped her in a cave near a raging waterfall. He
then defeated her sister, the Princess of the Moon, and trapped
her in a cave in a mountain. The Princess of Knowledge fell the
last, and he trapped her in her library, summoning a dangerous
forest to hide the place from anypony looking to find her.

He cursed them all to live forever as mere spirits at their
places of banishment, and then he cursed the last remaining
princess, the Princess of Love, to never be able, whether
herself, or through her descendants or subjects, to find any
of the other princesses.

... The Seeking Night is an annual event when the search for
the lost princesses of old is recreated for the foals to enjoy.
However, these two fillies of Ponyville are determined to at
last find the youngest princess for real. After all, doesn't
the legend mention that her library was located somewhere in
what is now known as the Everfree forest?..

The story features some rather impressive plot twists; and,
especially in the earlier, more lighthearted, chapters, a very
admirable brand of humor. (Which somehow reminds me of the
works of Douglas Adams, although I'm not actually all that
familiar with them.) To quote:

The Everfree Forest.

A place nearly the entire population of Ponyville was too terrified
to enter.

All manner of horrifying creatures inhabited the forest, crawling
and prowling around, waiting for their next foolish victim.
Timberwolves, whose howls were enough to give full-grown ponies
nightmares; manticores, whose sharp fangs could tear apart any
flesh; cockatrices, whose slithering bodies were so silent that one
would be miraculously lucky to avoid their stare; and Rarity, whose
piercing shrieking voice was enough to scare off all of the above.

(14. The Missing Owl. URI: http://fimfiction.net/story/240255/17/)

--
FSF associate member #7257 np. Epilogue (Relief) -- Apocalyptica

Coyo

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Apr 6, 2018, 5:35:42 PM4/6/18
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Ivan Shmakov wrote:

> Snuhwolf <snuh...@netscape.net> writes:
>
> > Ever ride one?
>
> Not as of yet. Will try to get to it next year, perhaps.

Horses are cool. I want to get a few and a truly modern stables
with building automation and everything.

Ivan Shmakov

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Jun 20, 2018, 2:12:33 PM6/20/18
to
... I've been rather involved in a project recently. Say, for the
measure, I had 28 workdays in May. And we still had to shift the
delivery dates around, etc. (thankfully our customer was willing.)
We're yet to deliver one full set of equipment, too (we've agreed
to give them our prototypes instead for the time being.)

No surprise I was absent from Usenet for months.

On the bright side, with the expected payment for this contract,
and with anticipated further contracts like that for the next
two or three years, there's a tangible chance I'm buying a house
in the country. From my earlier wandering around I know a few
rather nicely-looking places, too.

I've been thinking more about a couple of camels, however. Or
perhaps a few alpacas or llamas.

I guess I'd need to get the relevant training first. That
shouldn't be much of an issue, though: there's a whole State
University of Agriculture I can see right from the window of my
current workplace. Not sure they offer courses on camelids, but
it's certainly something worth checking at some point.

Not sure what kind of automation I may end up needing, either.

My biggest concern, however, is continuity. My health isn't
exemplary as it is, and accidents do happen as well. I find it
unlikely for my relatives to take care of my charges should
anything to happen with me. So, who will?.. That's quite a
question to ponder.

PS. Speaking of the contract; we've made the impossible, too.

--
FSF associate member #7257 np. Fawn of Creation — Peacemaker

tom

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Jun 24, 2018, 1:03:58 AM6/24/18
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What climate do you live in? Horse caring can differ greatly upon it.

--
_______________________________________
/ The average individual's position in \
| any hierarchy is a lot like pulling a |
| dogsled -- there's no real change of |
\ scenery except for the lead dog. /
---------------------------------------
\
\
/\ /\
//\\_//\\ ____
\_ _/ / /
/ * * \ /^^^]
\_\O/_/ [ ]
/ \_ [ /
\ \_ / /
[ [ / \/ _/
_[ [ \ /_/

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