Either of these could work as a Step destination picking up near or at the ends, and if it came after the Utena step Doug might well wonder how (or perhaps why, given that Utena seems to have teleported with planetary range in the opening scene that got posted) she came with him and why she's in that fanservice getup, at least until Kurumi opens her mouth. Even better if it's directly after the Eva step, and he shows up for one of the episodes where her feathery wings appear (No spoiler there, they're in the opening sequence).
The original setting, somewhere around 1927, is probably the better story from a dramatic perspective, but harder to do something useful in without taking over fo the main characters in the way that Bob has said he doesn't want to do (Standard SI behavior, IOW) but there are a few places to put him there - probably best would be to show up at the Academy, where they'd likely detect his magic/mystic potential and want him to help recapture Kurumi. Coming straight from Eva, he'd probably be primed to accept their story (Which is more of an interpretation than a lie - they absolutely believe it to be the truth) but would have to be out of the loop if the thing with Mikhail and Nakhito is still pulled off as in the original. Doug would NOT want to be in the fights, though, the top Acadamy steel angel could probably hold her own with Radditz, TV's Ifurita, or one-gem OVA Ryoko. Whoa, sudden bad mental image, El-Hazard Lost Science Theater 3000, with Jinnai and TV's Ifurita as the Mads, Makoto and the princesses on the Ai of God...
Moving right along, S2 Kurumi is set 75 years later and is basically a remake of Project A-Ko with the latent shojo-ai themes played up, from the rich rival for the super-girl over the friend, to roof-hopping to school, to mecha battles over the friend at school, all the way to a battle bikini by the show's end. It has a punched-up version of the theme song that I like better, the blonde Steel Angel's costume is better but her hairstyle makes her look like a six year old, and instead of the 24-part plot with four character-focus epilogues like the original it's pretty much episodic eye-candy with a cute animal mascot, and only the occasional reference to the first season backstory to give some semblance of a plot besides fighting over who gets to be the Friend's main squeeze. Oh, and there are three recurring male characters in the entire cast, one is the rich daddy, one is the cello teacher who maintains a proper student relationship without visible effort, and one is the grandfather that the main character never meets. I did mention that the shojo-ai had been played up, yes? THere are also a few times when the animation frame rate is noticeably low, repeated battle footage, and stills in dramatic action poses instead of extended combat, so I suspect the budget per episode was also reduced. While I don't know, I'd guess that the first 24 eps of the first season followed a manga, the remaining four were written by the manga-ka to fill out the seaons, and the second series was some studio hack riding out the popularity of the franchise... if I'm wrong, well, it has been known to happen, from time ti time, but that's certainly the impression I get.
- CD, who DL'd the series before it was licensed, but only got around to watching it now, after seeing a couple of eps at a freind's. Gods, that dub is a crime against humanity...
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

Doug really, really needs to be able to do this, somehow. Do What?
Mime Control. Ever since misreading when Bob was talking about how mind control was really tricky under Doug's native V&V rules, I've been trying to think of something that would qualify as such, and while 'She never told me she was a mime" by Wierd Al and 'Master of Puppets' by Metallica both have some elements that would fit, niether really works in my mind... Of course, it's Bobs/Doug's mind that matters in this respect, so maybe he or someone else can come up with something.
While I'm at it, a link of pain:
www.sbs.is/tonar/?nr=130
The MP3 linked at the bottom was stuck in my head ALL DAMN DAY yesterday. I don't know whatever language this is, but it's something with a root close enough to english through german that I can get the general gist of things.
- CD
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

Walking on Sunshine
Katrina and the Waves

I used to think maybe you love me, now baby I'm sure
And I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door
Now everytime I go for the mailbox gotta hold myself down
Cause I just can't wait till you write me you're comin' around
(Chorus)
Now I'm walking on sunshine, whoa oh
Now I'm walking on sunshine, whoa oh
Now I'm walking on sunshine, whoa oh
And don't it feel good, hey, all right now
And don't it feel good
I used to think maybe you love me now I know that it's true
And I don't wanna spend my whole life just a waitin' for you
Now don't want you back for the weekend, not back for a day (no no)
I said baby I just want you back and I want you to stay
(Chorus)
Walkin' On Sunshine Walkin' On Sunshine (yeah)
I feel alive, I feel a love, I feel a love that's really real
I feel alive, I feel a love
I feel a love that's really real I'm on sunshine baby, oh
Oh yeah, I'm on sunshine baby, oh
(Chorus)
I say it, I say it, I say it again, now
And don't it feel good, hey, yeah now
And don't it feel good
Now don't it, don't it, don't it, don't it, don't it, don't it feel good
I say it, I say it, I say it again, now
(Repeat to fade)

Suggested power: Walking on Sunshine, of course.--
Christopher Angel, aka JPublic
The Works of Christopher Angel

Basic elemental instinct to survive
Stirs the higher passions
Thrill to be alive
Alternating currents in a tidewater surge
Rational resistance to an unwise urge
Anything can happen...
From the point of conception
To the moment of truth
At the point of surrender
To the burden of proof
From the point of ignition
To the final drive
The point of the journey is not to arrive
Anything can happen...
Basic temperamental filters on our eyes
Alter our perceptions
Lenses polarize
Alternating currents force a show of hands
Rational responses force a change of plans
Anything can happen...
From a point on the compass
To magnetic north
The point of the needle moving back and forth
From the point of entry
Until the candle is burned
The point of departure is not to return
Anything can happen...
I set the wheels in motion
Turn up all the machines
Activate the programs
And run behind the scene
I set the clouds in motion
Turn up light and sound
Activate the window
And watch the world go 'round
From the point of conception
To the moment of truth
At the point of surrender
To the burden of proof
From the point of ignition
To the final drive
The point of a journey
Is not to arrive
Anything can happen...
-- Rush, Prime Mover
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Just so folks know... I'm working on finishing the last scene proper, after which all I have left is half an epilogue scene. Then it goes to the prereaders, who may make me tear it all down and start again.
(No, they won't. They've been getting it scene-by-scene as I've completed stuff. This chapter has been vetted over and over already...)


-- Bob
---------
There's no wrong way to eat a Rhesus.

I just noticed the average posts-per-day has hit 30, so I went over to the "control center" for the board and looked at the statistics. Yesterday, 24 Feb 2004, we had an astounding 66 messages posted. That's like double or triple even the usual traffic here...
No conclusion to draw, I just wanted to say "yow". That's all.


-- Bob
---------
There's no wrong way to eat a Rhesus.

One step I'd like to see is in the world of Gunslinger Girl.
I don't know if this has been suggested yet or not, but I think it'd make a nice place for a step.
On the one hand there is quite a bit of combat in the series, but most of it is the type where Doug would be useless, since I can't really see him supporting either the terrorists or the Social Welfare Public Corperation.
You see the Corperation uses childern as the basis for their combat cyborgs, and brainwashes them to be happy with their fate.
I can never quite decide wether the series is upbeat or depresing, but te tone is certainly unique and it would take a great writer to preserve that, and that world needs a real hero.
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Kyrie eleison, kyrie eleison, kyrie...
The wind blows hard against this mountain side
Across the sea into my soul
It reaches into where I cannot hide
Setting my feet upon the road
My heart is old, it holds my memories
My body burns a gemlike flame
Somewhere between the soul and soft machine
Is where I find myself again
Kyrie eleison, down the road that I must travel
Kyrie eleison, through the darkness of the night
Kyrie eleison, where I'm going will you follow
Kyrie eleison, on a highway in the light
When I was young I thought of growing old
Of what my life would mean to me
Would I have followed down my chosen road
Or only wished what I could be
Kyrie eleison, down the road that I must travel
Kyrie eleison, through the darkness of the night
Kyrie eleison, where I'm going will you follow
Kyrie eleison, on a highway in the light
-- Mr. Mister, Kyrie
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Real Emotion, the opening song to Final Fantasy X-2, sung by Kumi Koda, lyrics by Kenn Kato, music by Kazuhiro Hara.
What can I do for you?
What can I do for you?
What can I do for you?
I can hear you
What can I do for you?
What can I do for you?
I can hear you
What can I do for you?
ano hi kokoro no kanata ni egaiteta basho ni iru
tohou ni kuretetari suru keredo mou modorenai
I pictured myself somewhere far in my heart that day
It becomes dark in the distance, but I can no longer return
yume ni mita katachi to wa
nanimokamo ga chigau
genjitsu ni wa... memai sae suru
The shape I saw in my dream
Is different from everything
I become dizzy from reality
riaru na sekai ni yureteru kanjyou
maketakunai
mou tada hashiru shikanai kono mune ni
kikoetekuru
kimi wa hitori jyanai
The feeling of swaying in the real world
I don't want to lose
The only thing I can hear from my heart is
to run.
You are not alone
What can I do for you?
I can hear you
What can I do for you?
What can I do for you?
I can hear you
What can I do for you?
kesshite furimuki wa shinai anata ni wa toyoranai
nanika ga areba kanarazu suguni kite kureru kara
I won't turn back, I won't rely on you
Because if something happens, you'll always come to me quickly
ima boku ni dekiru koto
sore wa shinjiru koto...
shinjitsu nara kono mune ni aru
The only thing I can do now
is to believe...
The truth is in my heart
riaru na sekai ni yureteru kanjyou
sasaeru no wa
sou anata ga oshietekureta subete
ima no watashi
daraka, hitori jyanai
The feeling of swaying in the real world
Holds me up
You taught me everything I know
That is me now
So, I am not alone
What can I do for you?
I can hear you
What can I do for you?
I can hear you
riaru na sekai ni yureteru kanjyou
kanjitemo
anata ga me o tojita nara soko ni iru
kizuna ga aru
dakara, hitori jyanai
The feeling of swaying in the real world
Even if you feel it
If you close your eyes, I will be there
There is a bond between us
So, you are not alone
riaru na sekai ni yureteru kanjyou
maketakunai
mou tada hashiru shikanai kono mune ni
kikoete kuru
kimi wa hitori jyanai
The feeling of swaying in the real world
I don't want to lose
The only thing I can hear from my heart is
to run.
You are not alone
What can I do for you?
I can hear you
What can I do for you?
I can hear you
What can I do for you?
I can hear you
What can I do for you?
I can hear you

Now, then, why do I call this a pseudo-telepathy song? Well,

Quote:

---

Even if you feel it
If you close your eyes, I will be there
There is a bond between us
So, you are not alone

---

Well since I'm on a Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band kick I figured I'd suggest some more of their song.
For when you have to be in Katmandu
"Katmandu" - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (Live Bullet Album)
lyrics at www.lyricsfreak.com/b/bob...21915.html
Yet another gate song by Bob Seger
"Get out of Denver" - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
lyrics at www.bluestraveler.net/lyr...enver.html
Enjoy
Shawn Earl
using music to channel something for his german essay