I Took Enough Drugs To Learn How To Craft Silencers.

[rionaleonhart]

The Last of Us, Part II continues! Still day one in Seattle. I've entered the theatre (or cinema? it's not clear) and I am currently mid-flashback.



I could have cheered when Dina saved me by shooting my attacker through the glass roof. MURDER GIRLFRIENDS.

And then it was VERY STRESSFUL when Dina fell through the roof, and even more so when I was trying to escape my bonds in time to save her. That whole scene made me realise that I'm invested in Dina by this point, which feels like both good and bad news. I'm glad I care about this new character, or at least about her relationship with Ellie, but I have a very strong feeling that the game is going to use my investment to hurt me!

Very disappointed that Ellie didn't try to play Marco Polo when I ran her into the swimming pool.

Extremely realistic: the lookout who drew a bunch of tits and cocks all over a piece of paper during a boring shift. Extremely unrealistic: Ellie didn't immediately tell her girlfriend about all the dick doodles she'd found.

I wish I could have seen the moment the Naughty Dog employee responsible was instructed to draw that sheet. No doubt they'd been waiting their entire career for this opportunity.

I like that Ellie considers the plight of people who can't read if you're putting up warning signs. It hadn't really occurred to me before, but I suppose literacy rates probably did go down substantially after the apocalypse.

Holy shit, I love the panicky scene where Ellie's gas mask gets broken and Dina tries to share hers and Ellie has to disclose right then and there that she's immune, everything shifting in an instant.

Ellie says, 'I can't get you infected, if that's what you're worried about,' and I'm intrigued; she's obviously thought about this before and somehow reached the certainty that she can't. I can only conclude that at some point she unthinkingly bit a girlfriend and then spent two days freaking the fuck out, watching her like a hawk in case she turned, unable to tell her why she was so scared.

I suppose there was the time she bit David, but I don't think he survived for long enough after that for her to be certain she can't infect people. Look, I just want my 'Ellie panics because she doesn't know if she's infected her girlfriend' fic.

(I relayed this idea to th_esaurus, and her response was 'I mean, the infection passes through the saliva; Ellie doesn't necessarily have to have bitten someone.' This is admittedly a fair point.)

I was going 'Dina seems a bit off; I hope this isn't going to be Tess all over again.' Pregnancy is definitely a better revelation than a bite, and a more surprising twist!

I genuinely burst out laughing when Dina said, 'Don't worry, it's not yours,' in the middle of that serious scene.

:( Ellie no, tell Dina you're sorry, tell Dina she's not a burden, nooooo

This is a very sweet flashback. Joel found Ellie the dinosaur of her dreams! I love Ellie's note in her diary that he'd said he'd found something she'd love and he'd been acting very smug about it.

I also love that the game took into account the fact that I'd look at the huge dinosaur model and immediately go 'I WANT TO CLIMB IT'; I could!



Everyone's been very good about keeping spoilers quiet; I really appreciate it! I'm trying to be responsible with my entries in return.

Comments

[wolfy_writing]

Ellie says, 'I can't get you infected, if that's what you're worried about,' and I'm intrigued; she's obviously thought about this before and somehow reached the certainty that she can't. I can only conclude that at some point she unthinkingly bit a girlfriend and then spent two days freaking the fuck out, watching her like a hawk in case she turned, unable to tell her why she was so scared.

I really, really, really want that fic. I mean okay, an impulsive teenage make-out session followed by panic would also be logical, but I want her to bite a girl in a fit of over-enthusiasm and just silently panic for the next few days.

[rionaleonhart]

Yesssss. Guilt-ridden and terrified and with very few people she can talk to about her fears, and frankly she's not sure she wants to talk to them about her fears, just in case their response is 'well, better imprison your girlfriend and watch her until we conclude whether we can let her go or have to kill her.'

[wolfy_writing]

That would be so good! And take every single teenage "Am I weird?" feeling about romance and sex and channel it into "I thought this girl was really attractive, and she was interested in me, even though a lot of girls aren't into girls, but I bit her, because it seemed like a good idea at the time, and now I might have turned her into a monster!"

[runicmagitek]

100% yes to all of these! Especially that fic idea - excited to see your thoughts on that as you keep playing ;D

I was so worried that Dina was bitten. I did have a *insert disappointed, yet tired sigh here* moment at that reveal (pregnancy and kids aren't my cup of tea in fiction), but it's fitting for the story at hand. Like my heart broke so much for both of them :( I totally understood Ellie's perspective, but wow, horrible choice of words. But again, it fits the story and characters :( I just hope these beans make it out alive.

I squealed so much during that flashback. It was exactly the wholesome break I didn't know I needed during the game.

Also really happy I haven't come across any spoilers :D best of luck and have a blast! 💕

[rionaleonhart]

I'm not generally a fan of pregnancy in fiction, but I think that's because pregnancy is usually included as a means to introduce babies, and I'm not interested in baby storylines. In this case, it feels like the game's more interested in exploring the ramifications of the pregnancy itself, so at least its inclusion serves a purpose beyond 'kids!!'

It's also a setting where pregnancy raises genuinely interesting questions. Is there a big stigma against pregnancy in this world? I wouldn't be surprised, given that food is scarce.

It's such a lovely flashback!

[runicmagitek]

I imagine with Jackson, they're pretty open with kiddos. Like there's the daycare and kids playing together and stuff. But then no kids seem to exist outside of that. A lot of the hunter type groups are all survival of the fittest and stuff and might view pregnancy or even a baby as - like Ellie not-so eloquently put it - a burden. Even earlier in the game when Owen tells Abby that one of the girls is pregnant (I can't remember her name) and Abby doesn't take it well, though I also imagine that's because she might have history with Owen, but still. Pregnancy hasn't been painted in a super positive way in this world and I find that fascinating!

[amovingtarget]

I could have cheered when Dina saved me by shooting my attacker through the glass roof. MURDER GIRLFRIENDS.

*\0/*

Very disappointed that Ellie didn't try to play Marco Polo when I ran her into the swimming pool.

Missed opportunity! I loved those Marco Polo trophies!

This is a very sweet flashback. Joel found Ellie the dinosaur of her dreams! I love Ellie's note in her diary that he'd said he'd found something she'd love and he'd been acting very smug about it.

I also love that the game took into account the fact that I'd look at the huge dinosaur model and immediately go 'I WANT TO CLIMB IT'; I could!

<3

[rionaleonhart]

There were at least three points in the game where I went into a swimming pool and got annoyed by the lack of a Marco Polo trophy. If you're not going to let me play Marco Polo, don't include a pool!

[amovingtarget]

Naughty Dog, if you're not going to put a Marco Polo trophy in every single game what are you even doing honestly...