...or how long they're going to be available, so get them now if you want them: screenshots from episode 25 of the new anime. (Spoilers, obviously.)
Obviously, from the shots of Urd and Skuld, they're continuing the anime past the Lord of Terror arc...
-Rob Kelk

(Edit: If Paradox sees Skuld like that, he's really going to worry... -RK)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

I listen to a lot of filk songs, and after seeing March of Cambreadth show up, I've been trying to think of some useful filk for Doug. After a bit of consideration, I thought this one might be...interesting. And given the origin of its subject matter, I thought Doug would approve of the song wholeheartedly.

Operation: Desert Storm
Tom Smith
The land is burning and dry under hot desert skies.
My gut is churning but you won't see fear in my eyes.
Nothing to lose as I climb in and look to the roads,
Then light the fuse of the cannon, which promptly explodes.
The blast sends me skyward and into free fall,
With one final thought as I head towards the wall:
I'll get that Road-Runner if it's the last thing I do.
If Murphy's Laws are religion, I must be a saint.
What else explains semis bursting from tunnels I paint?
A thousand Rube Goldberg nightmares lie smashed in my garage --
How many falling pianos can that damn bird dodge?
From magnetic birdseed to dynamite darts,
I could buy General Mills with what I spend on parts,
But I'll get that Road-Runner if it's the last thing I do.
I should forget it, he's not big enough for a stew.
My line of credit with Acme is ten years past due.
Got no insurance, I can't sign for claims with my paws.
In vile durance for breaking most EPA laws.
But my super genius will deal with that dunce,
Remember that I have to win only once,
And I'll get him someday -- perhaps I should try something new.
My canyon compactor was perfect to echo my screams.
My backpack reactor worked fine, until I crossed the beams.
My bomb extender snapped back with the lit TNT.
My flying blender was just a tad quicker than me.
But I'm smarter, I'm stronger, and he's only fast,
Let's hear him "beep beep" with his head up his ass,
And I'll get that Road-Runner if it's the last thing I do!
(spoken)
.... Eureka! That's it!
EARTHQUAKE PILLS!!
Effect: All mad-scientist-style equipment within range backfires disastrously against its creator.
--Feinan

Everybody talkin' 'bout the seventh son
In the whole wide world there is only one
And I'm the one, I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
I can tell your future, it will come to pass
I can do things to you make your heart feel glad
Look in the sky, predict the rain
Tell when a woman's got another man
I'm the one, oh I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
I can talk these words that will sound so sweet
They will even make your little heart skip a beat
Heal the sick, raise the dead
Make the little girls talk outta their heads
I'm the one, oh I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
I can talk these words that will sound so sweet
They will even make your little heart skip a beat
Heal the sick, raise the dead
And make the little girls talk outta their heads
I'm the one, oh I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
I'm the one, hey, hey
I'm the one
Oh, I'm the one, babe
Oooo, I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
-- Johnny Rivers, Seventh Son
(I've always had a sneaking suspicion that Orson Scott Card's "Alvin Maker" series was inspired by this song; so many of the things the singer says he can do in the lyric, Alvin does do...)

-- Bob
---------
For Jor-El so loved the Earth, he sent his only begotten son...

coming along slowly. After reviewing notes and pulling up what I had for ch3, it's up to 20K. Hopefully to rise in the course of the week.
Naruto plotbunny taking up residence managed to distract me a few times, in addition to the usual things that RL brings up now and then.
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm

Quote:

---

Are you ready, Steve? Aha.
Andy? Yeah! Mick? OK.
Alright, fellas, let's go!
Oh it's been getting so hard
Livin' with the things you do to me, aha
Oh my dreams are getting so strange
I'd like to tell you everything I see
Oh, I see a man at the back
As a matter of fact his eyes are red as the sun
And a girl in the corner let no one ignore her
'Cause she thinks she's the passionate one
Oh, yeah, it was like lightning, everybody was frightening
And the music was soothing, and they all started grooving
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
And the man at the back said
Everyone attack and it turned into a ballroom blitz
And the girl in the corner said
Boy, I wanna warn ya, it'll turn into a ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz, ballroom blitz, ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz
I'm reaching out for something
Touching nothing's all I ever do
Oh, I softly call you over
When you appear there's nothing left of you, aha
Now the man in the back
Is ready to crack as he raises his hands to the sky
And the girl in the corner is ev'ryone's mourner
She could kill you with a wink of her eye
Oh yeah, it was electric, so frightfully hectic
And the band started leaving, 'cause they all stopped breathing
Refrain
Oh yeah, it was like lightning, everybody was frightening
And the music was soothing, and they all started grooving
Refrain
It's it's a ballroom blitz, it's it's a ballroom blitz
It's it's a ballroom blitz, yeah, it's a ballroom blitz

---

Oh, the power to be strong
And the wisdom to be wise
All these things will
come to you in time
On this journey that you're making
There'll be answers that you'll seek
And it's you who'll climb the mountain
It's you who'll reach the peak
Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you'll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you'll be
Though there's no one there to guide you
No one to take your hand
But with faith and understanding
You will journey from boy to man
Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you'll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you'll be
In learning you will teach
And in teaching you will learn
You'll find your place beside the ones you love
Oh, and all the things you dreamed of
The visions that you saw
Well, the time is drawing near now
It's yours to claim in all
Son of Man, look to the sky
Lift your spirit, set it free
Some day you'll walk tall with pride
Son of Man, a man in time you'll be
Son of Man,
Son of Man's a man for all to see
-- Phil Collins, Son of Man

-- Bob
---------
For Jor-El so loved the Earth, he sent his only begotten son...

"The Trees"
from the Hemispheres album by Rush
There is unrest in the forest,
There is trouble with the trees,
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas.
The trouble with the maples,
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light.
But the oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made.
And they wonder why the maples
Can't be happy in their shade.
There is trouble in the forest,
And the creatures all have fled,
As the maples scream "Oppression!"
And the oaks just shake their heads
So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights.
"The oaks are just too greedy;
We will make them give us light."
Now there's no more oak oppression,
For they passed a noble law,
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe, and saw.
Effect: Causes any Oaks or Maples within AoE to suddenly start arguing and fighting. The only way to keep them in line is to have either a hatchet, an axe, or a saw handy.
Not entirely sure how this would be useful, but it would certainly be amusing. Well, unless the trees started to get violent...*********
Touched By His Noodly Appendage
www.venganza.org

It's weird, how concepts drifting randomly around one's brain can collide and suddenly stick together.
In this case, it was Bob's recent mention that Doug needs more songs that empower other people, that crossed paths with an old memory.
In a novel that shall remain nameless for the sake of spoilers, the lead character (with a rep for being a rather cold, uncarning type) was about to be used (against his will) as a vessel for a Major Voodoo Loa, with the blood sacrifice of all his friends used to fuel the spell. In an attempt to save *them,* he made a decent try at killing himself, and botched it -- but made himself bleed, just before the spell hit the slice&dice part....
...and in doing so, he unkowingly *took the whole process over.* The trick being that a single *willing* sacrifice, even botched, still trumped a baker's dozen UNwilling sacrifices.
So... just how much power can a completely willing sacrifice achieve, when someone holds back nothing of themselves?
=====================================
Cruxshadows: "Winterborn (This Sacrifice)"
Dry your eyes and quietly bear this pain with pride
For heaven shall remember the silent and the brave
And promise me, they will never see, the fear within our eyes
We will give strength to those who still remain
So bury fear for fate draws near and hide the signs of pain
With noble acts, the bravest souls endure the heart's remains
Discard regret, that in this debt a better world is made
That children of a newer day might remember, and avoid our fate.
And in the fury of this darkest hour we will be your light
You've asked me for my sacrifice and I am Winter born
Without denying, a faith is come that I have never known
I hear the angels call my name and I am Winter born
Hold your head up high-for there is no greater love
Think of the faces of the people you defend
And promise me, they will never see the tears within our eyes
Although we are men with mortal sins, angels never cry
So bury fear for fate draws near and hide the signs of pain
With noble acts, the bravest souls endure the heart's remains
Discard regret, that in this debt a better world is made
That children of a newer day might remember, and avoid our fate.
And in the fury of this darkest hour we will be your light
You've asked me for my sacrifice and I am Winter born
Without denying, a faith in God that I have never known
I hear the angels call my name and I am Winter born
And in the fury of this darkest hour
I will be your light
A lifetime for this destiny
For I am Winter born
And in this moment...
I will not run, it is my place to stand
We few shall carry hope
Within our bloodied hands
And in our Dying
We're more alive-than we have ever been
I've lived for these few seconds
For I am Winter born
And in the fury of this darkest hour
We will be the light
You've asked me for my sacrifice
And I am Winter born
Without denying, a faith in man
That I have never known
I hear the angels call my name
And I am Winter born
Within this moment now
I am for you, though better men have failed
I will give my life for love
For I am Winter born
And in my dying I'm more alive, than I have ever been
I will make this sacrifice for I am Winter born
================================
Power: Lets Doug empower any *completely willing* volunteer within AOE with truly ridiculous levels of power (whole-MegaTokyo-node levels of power)-- which lasts the length of the song, but completely consumes said volunteer by the time the song ends. Essentially, Doug 'catalyzes' the volunteer into a sort of one-shot magical supercapacitor. He's acting, in effect, like the base current junction in a transistor, supplying a small trickle of current that causes the main collector-emitter path to pass vastly larger amperage. (yeah, my degree's in EE, can you tell?)
To put it another way: Doug basically plugs said volunteer into a power socket far too powerful for him to use himself, but his gloves are heavy enough to handle running the extension cord. So to speak.
Not sure what *kind* of powers it might give a volunteer -- something appropriate to the moment, perhaps, or just something that matches the volunteer's personality and capabilities. It would be a savage sort of irony, I suppose, if Doug could, frex, empower someone to bring back the dead, or blanket the whole world in peace&harmony (ref his little Christmas stunt in MegaTokyo)... at the cost of their own life. This would certainly be a song that Doug would almost categorically refuse to use.
Of course, there's the problem of how he would ever find out what it does in the first place....

Or, to be more precise, "NEGI's GIRLS", courtesy of Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl."
Power: after the Negima Arc, allows Doug to summon avatars of any one (or perhaps more?) of Negi's Girls, with their Pactio powers, much as he summoned the Warriors in DWII.
(yes, I know the lyrics aren't entirely appropriate. But the idea of someone filking "JG" into "NG" just grabbed my brain and wouldn't let go. Besides, it's *funny.* And Doug's subconscious has a definitely wacked-out sense of humor....)
Oh, yeah -- lyrics.

Jessie is a friend,
Yeah I know he's been a good friend of mine
But lately something's changed
It ain't hard to define
Jessie's got himself a girl
And I want to make her mine
And she's watching him with those eyes
And she's lovin' him with that body, I just know it!
And he's holding her in his arms late, late at night
You know I wish that I had Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
Where can I find her, a woman like that?
I'll play along with this charade
That doesn't seem to be a reason to change
You know I feel so dirty when they start talking cute
I wanna tell her that I love but the point is probably moot
'Cause she's watching him with those eyes
And she's lovin' him with that body, I just know it!
And he's holding her in his arms late, late at night
You know I wish that I had Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
Where can I find her, a woman like that?
Like Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
Where can I find her, a woman...
Where can I find her, a woman like that?
And I'm lookin' in the mirror all the time
Wonderin' what she don't see in me
I've been funny; I've been cool with the lines
Ain't that the way love's supposed to be?
Tell me why can't I find a woman like that?
You know I wish that I had Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
Where can I find her, a woman like that?
Like Jessie's girl
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
I want, I want Jessie's girl

Long as I remember
The rain been coming down.
Clouds of myst'ry pouring
Confusion on the ground.
Good men through the ages,
Trying to find the sun;
And I wonder,
Still I wonder,
Who'll stop the rain.
I went down Virginia,
Seeking shelter from the storm.
Caught up in the fable,
I watched the tower grow.
Five year plans and new deals,
Wrapped in golden chains.
And I wonder,
Still I wonder,
Who'll stop the rain.
Heard the singers playing,
How we cheered for more.
The crowd had rushed together,
Trying to keep warm.
Still the rain kept pouring,
Falling on my ears.
And I wonder,
Still I wonder,
Who'll stop the rain.
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Who'll Stop The Rain?, written by John Fogerty, from their 1970 album Cosmo's Factory

Anyone who remembers the Africa arc from Nadia knows why I want a song that summons rain for Blue Skies, Blue Water, and (ignoring the metaphor) this one looks to fit the bill...
-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012