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archivalofsins · 2 days ago

Note

Could I poke you for your thought process behind Loser Boy in Distress?

I was originally going to answer this as an explanation, but it really is easier as a Director’s Commentary format lol – I hope you don’t mind me being a bit chatty 😅

“Why?” Fuuta begged, before Mikoto replaced the piece of tape over his mouth.

I went back and forth on how deep I would go with whump tropes (was it just him feeling cornered? Was he actually injured?) before going, fuck it. Full damsel in distress. Princess-in-a-tower, kidnapped and held at knife/scissor-point, needing Amane to come and save him. Since that’s not what I usually post, boom – first line tape gag. If they stay after that, I know they want to read😅

He smiled, something to convince both of them. “This protects everyone!”

It sure didn’t protect him, Fuuta wanted to snap. The previous days had been hell.

He’d been dragged into cell 09 half-asleep and too injured to stop Mikoto from handcuffing him to a leg of the bolted-down desk. It didn’t matter how humane Mikoto thought he was acting when offering him meals and a little blanket to use, there was nothing painless about sitting locked up on the concrete ground for almost a week now. Rivaling the physical ache that filled his muscles was the sting of shame for being reduced to such a sorry state.

Really going for that kicked puppy imagery… On top of being a mess after the attacks, now he’s permanently hunched in the corner of the cold, dark room.

From the distant yelling and newly installed locks on Mikoto’s door, Fuuta pieced together that the others weren’t complicit in whatever insane plan he’d alluded to. However, they weren’t exactly doing anything besides distant yelling, so he remained in place for days.

Out of everyone who could actually shove past Mikoto when going in/out of his room, Haruka is now too weak from not eating, Shidou could be persuaded that at least Fuuta’s getting treatment instead of joining Amane in refusing it, and Kotoko doesn’t really give a shit 😅. I do think Kazui would be tough to convince, but for the sake of the story I figured both Mikoto and Shidou in his ear could make him temporarily pause a rescue attempt…

“I wasn’t aware enough last time,” Mikoto said, finally offering more of an explanation than ‘trust me.’ He crouched in front of Fuuta, his smile eerie given their positions. “Kotoko caught me by surprise. That’s always been my problem – I’ve been in denial when I should be facing my problems head-on.”

He paced the room, and Fuuta could only watch in apprehension. He used to think John was the unpredictable one, but now it seemed both Kayanos were capable of doing something crazy.

When I was deciding on a fun antagonist for this, I wanted something fresh. We’ve (rightfully) written Kotoko as Fuuta’s enemy a lot, and I’d written some creepy Haruka and Mahiru pieces. The only time Shidou would be the villain was if Fuuta was in full-fledged cult mindset, and I wanted to retain some of his patheticness that was replaced by fanaticism when he actually made that change. I landed on Mikoto, but I really wanted to make it clear that he was the one causing all this, and John as some violent scapegoat. Even though John does come in later, I tried to show Mikoto’s confidence in a plan that was wholly his.

“When a team is failing, you need to find the root causes, you know? So I’ve been listening. I’ve been keeping track of everything. We almost missed Haru-kun’s plan, but I was paying attention, see? We would have missed Amane’s too – not the what, but the when. Now Amane knows you’re here, and anything harm she does, she basically does to you.”

Fuuta’s stomach flipped. Why was he dragging Amane into this? From the beginning, everyone made it their mission to stop this little girl from spreading her peace and salvation. He hated the thought that he was something preventing her from that, now.

Fuuta isn’t so naïve that he believes Amane is entirely innocent, but he’s gotten so close to her recently and has seen how genuinely she’s trying to do the right thing. Mikoto/us might see it as a means to an end after seeing how bad things can actually get, but for Fuuta, after being in her company so often, the kidnapping and threats against her feel like entirely excessive measures to take.

“Mappi’s making a full recovery,” Mikoto went on. “Isn’t that wonderful? Shidou-san is going to keep treating her and Haru-kun. And I’ll keep helping you.”

It took so long to figure out his motivation omg… He really has nothing against Fuuta 😭 I finally decided that he could (once again procrastinate on his much-needed self-discovery) by being extra observant around the prison and trying to fix things, throwing in some of his team-player, company employee mindset. If he was expected to work overtime and sick days for the sake of the team, surely Fuuta can sacrifice some of his time for the greater good! I was also glad to come up with a reason that he took Fuuta instead of Amane, despite her being the one with the threats (“we can excuse multiple murders and locking up/tormenting young adult, but we draw the line at kidnapping a kid”).

Shidou must have been offering instructions on injury care, since Mikoto arrived every so often with fresh bandages and medication. He ripped away Amane’s gifts, and no amount of people-pleasing apologies could fill the hole they left behind. Fuuta had finally changed. He’d committed himself to something truly righteous and important and bigger than himself – and not even that was treated with a shred of dignity. He was merely held down like a dog while Mikoto forced the treatment onto him.

A bit on the nose with my kicked puppy lines asdfsdf… Just in case you forgot how sad and wet he was…

“You need to learn to be a team player, Fuuta. This is a good thing! It’ll only last until the Warden returns. As long as Amane doesn’t try anything, this will go perfectly~”

Fuuta wondered how imperfectly things would go if Amane did try something.

He got his answer sooner than he would have liked.

The first sign that something was about to go terribly wrong appeared when John entered the cell sometime after dinner. It was clearly him, the way he kicked away the plate he’d left for Fuuta to pick at with one hand. He re-cuffed that wrist with more roughness than usual, grabbing a piece of tape to prevent Fuuta from voicing his surprise.

The next sign was John’s curt instruction, delivered just before he stepped out again. “Behave. We have a visitor.”

No one else had entered the cell since this began. Aside from someone breaking in to break him out, Fuuta couldn’t think of a good reason someone else would visit.

His blood ran cold meeting Amane’s vibrant green eyes.

John ushered her further into the room, keeping himself between the two. Emotions poured from her: relief that Fuuta was still alive, horror at the pathetic state he sat slumped in, reassurance that she’d been fighting for him all this time, and the third and final sign of danger – the strained expression of guilt.

I tried to hint that Amane really was keeping the scissors for self-defense, but at the same time, she knew that keeping them would be a risk to Fuuta. She’s filled with guilt that, whatever was about to happen, she had accepted that risk beforehand in order to save her own life. (She thinks it’s selfish, we know it’s just tragic.)

John moved directly beside Fuuta, keeping his attention glued on Amane. He got right to the point.

“Kazui-san said he found a pair of scissors stashed under your bed.”

I was picturing the way he addressed the situation as a disappointed parent (“tell me why you’re in time-out…”) Not that Mikoto/John is parental to her, but she has plenty of experience dealing with parents as they prepare to deliver a violent punishment and make it sound like it was her fault…

The guilt deepened. “I keep a lot of craft supplies in my room, so maybe–”

“–You use industrial-grade scissors for arts and crafts?” John produced the pair in question from his pocket.

Amane paled. All three could tell this wasn’t the type of tool to be handled lightly, much less stashed under one’s bed with good intentions.

The girl’s composure always impressed him. No matter the voices or the violence, she could keep her chin raised with dignity. Even while he sat there, straining against the handcuffs and trying to keep his breaths from coming out rapid and panicky, Amane spoke with the utmost strength.

I wanted to prove that Fuuta doesn’t blame her!! He’s not upset at this sudden revelation!! He actually feels impressed by her strength and courage!! He’s glad he wasn’t holding her back!!! 😭

“Fine. I do not use them for crafts. But is it such a crime to want to protect myself? I saw Kotoko prowling the cells the other night. She was specifically looking at mine.”

“She can’t do a damned thing with those new restraints.”

“I’m not willing to take that chance. And you – are you really willing to risk a child’s safety?” She’d always been a skilled negotiator.

“It has nothing to do with your safety. We know what Kotoko’s capable of. We’ve been looking out for each other. There’s no need for something like this.”

“There is. If everyone was really looking out for each other, Fuuta-san wouldn’t have been abducted right out of his own cell! Why shouldn’t I have something to guard myself with?”

“Because you made me a promise, that’s why. One that I swore to uphold. No violence. No weapons. And no one gets hurt. But you broke your end.”

Once again, a little hint that this was Mikoto’s plan, and John isn’t committing random violence. He’s fulfilling a punishment Mikoto already had planned, and just wants to protect Mikoto from the emotional strain of following through.

An iron grip kept Fuuta from scrambling away.

“So now I get to break something.”

He flipped the scissors around in his hand.

Amane flinched. “W-we can talk about this! You said you’d hurt him however I hurt someone else, but I didn’t even use them!”

John didn’t acknowledge the argument. He scoffed.

“Tch, ‘craft supplies’... How stupid do you think I am? With scissors like these, you’d cut a finger off trying to make something…”

Fuuta’s arms were yanked back. John’s hands grabbed at his, fanning out his fingers for Amane to see. He withstood all of Fuuta’s struggling.

He lowered the blade.

Amane’s composure finally cracked. She rushed forward.

“Take me instead!”

She hung on John’s scissor-wielding arm. “I’ll stay here in his place! You made this deal so I wouldn’t hurt anyone, right? If I’m here, I can’t hurt anyone. I’m sorry – I won’t hurt anyone from here! I’m sorry…”

I hoped for a strong contrast in childishness in her panic – she was being so composed and debating with a man much bigger and stronger, but now she’s clinging to him and crying and wailing out apologies ;--;

He shook her off with a jerk, throwing her backwards to the ground. He looked disgusted at the outburst, but released Fuuta’s hands.

“Interesting…”

John looked between them. Amane was hurrying back to her feet. Tears streaked her face, which shone with determination. Fuuta’s, on the other hand, was only wild with fear. What would stop John from continuing this punishment onto her? Even if he didn’t inflict any new injuries, could a kid like her survive with the limited movement, meals, sleep, and sanity? He shook his head frantically, but his muffled screams meant nothing to either of them.

This section was to highlight exactly what Amane was volunteering for. It wasn’t some blind plea for Fuuta’s safety – she knew what she was dooming herself to, and chose it anyway. Also! In showing her agency, I wanted to contrast it with just how helpless Fuuta is. He has absolutely no choice in the situation, reduced to nothing but a pair of pleading eyes that everyone in the room is just ignoring. Well, one eye 💀

“That’s not a bad idea. The others would’ve had my head if I took you first. But if you’re the one volunteering…”

He worked even quicker than Mikoto had. Though, maybe it was because Amane went willingly. She allowed John to secure her to the opposite leg of the desk, not meeting Fuuta’s eyes as his volume raised.

She knows he’s upset, but while he’s mostly just worried and caring, she’s used to people simply being mad at her. I debated on including dialogue where she apologizes for stealing his trial, assuming that’s why he’s angry with her, but I actually think she would believe it wasn’t meant to be his trial – from the very moment Fuuta was taken, she knew it should have been her instead.

“Trust me,” she said. Fuuta was tired of hearing it.

John worked at his handcuffs next, maintaining a solid grip on the connecting chain while he dragged Fuuta to the doorway.

Amane gave him a teary smile, sitting completely still. Fuuta continued his wild thrashing, fighting desperately to return to the spot he’d been praying nonstop to be freed from.

This was my In-Distress piece, so even when he’s being rescued, he’s tormented by it…

Tossed into the hallway, he landed on his bad rib with a gasp. The door slammed shut, Amane’s smile disappearing behind it.

I considered adding a bit more about Fuuta’s guilt at their switched places, but I ended up really liking the abrupt ending mirroring his abrupt cut off. We’re left wondering what happens next out of our sight, and Fuuta wonders what horrors Amane is going through next out of his sight.

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archivalofsins · 2 days ago

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Fire Emblem death quotes for the Milgram cast? :3

So uhh I got a little carried away I did a few different types of quotes lol 😂 Some of these made me SAD, some of them are ridiculously cheesy references, but what is fire emblem if not a bizarre balance of both moods?

Haruka:

Select quote: U-um, are you sure?

Crit quote: Look, Muu-san! / Are you watching?

Death quote: M-mama… Did I at least… make you proud?

Mourning quote (if Muu dies): Muu-san… no… no, no, no… No!

Yuno:

Select quote: Yay~ I’m ready to go!

Crit quote: Let’s heat things up! / (I can also see her having silly-suggestive ones like Niles going,) Oh, yes~

Death quote: I didn’t think it’d be this cold… Will you stay with me, just a little longer?

Mourning quote: (To Mahiru) You shouldn’t have been here in the first place… I… think I understand now, Mahiru-san… I’m sorry it’s too late.

Fuuta:

(I should have expected video game guy to have all his cheesy one-liners ready for the picking…)

Select quote: Bring it On! / Assemble!

Crit quote: Don’t look down on me! / Can’t douse this fire! / *that deranged laugh from BoF*

Death quote: No! It wasn’t supposed to end like this! Please --!

Mourning quote (if Amane dies): Amane…? But… what about our promise?

Muu:

Select quote: Hmm, does Muu have to…?

Crit quote: Bow to your queen! / This will sting…

Death quote: How could you let this happen? I tried so hard for you... I just wanted you to smile…

Mourning quote (if Haruka dies): Please, don’t leave me Haruka-kun… *hic* not you too…

Shidou:

Select quote: I am at your service.

Crit quote: Your sacrifice is not in vain. / You understand, don’t you?

Death quote: At last, I shall see them again… I’ve waited so long…

Mourning quote (if Kazui dies): Kazui-san… my friend. Even if you never thought so, you will be missed.

Mahiru:

Select quote: You called? *giggles*

Crit quote: In the name of love~ / You’re breaking my heart!

Death quote: Don’t you worry about big sis Mahiru. I’m – I know you did your best… Don’t forget… I love you…

Mourning quote (if Yuno dies): Did you see that, Yuno-chan? … Y-yuno-chan?

Kazui:

Select quote: Let’s see if you kids can keep up!

Crit quote: And for my next trick–! / All smoke and mirrors…

Death quote: I’m sorry… I should have known I’d only disappoint everyone… again…

Mourning quote (if Shidou dies): Shidou-san… compared to someone like you, I’m just useless, so why…?

Misc: If doing low-health select quotes too, I’m thinking “let’s take a breather…”

Amane:

Select quote: We have work to do~

Crit quote: I disavow you! / This is for your own good!

Death quote: Was… was I a good girl? Was I enough? I’m… I’m so sorry…

Mourning quote (if Fuuta dies): If this was Fuuta-san’s destiny, then… then… I should be at peace… (< clearly not at peace)

Misc: She would have notably annoyed lines when her allies healed her.

Mikoto:

Select quote: I won’t let you down~

Crit quote: Watch out! / Home run!

Death quote: Why…? I did everything I could… was it still not enough? I don’t understand…

Mourning quote (if Kotoko dies): For someone so strong to fall… Kotoko-chan, you deserved better…

Misc: a dodge/taunt line along the lines of “it feels like someone’s watching out for me!”

John:

Select quote: I’ve got you, leave it to me.

Crit quote: Don’t touch me! / I’ll do anything…

Death quote (which doubles as a mourning quote ig): What have I done? Oh, Mikoto… I should have protected you. I’m so sorry…

Kotoko:

Select quote: Reporting for duty!

Crit quote: You’re just another weakling! / Your judgement awaits!

Death quote: No – I have a duty to fulfill, I can’t fail, now! …I-I can’t…

Mourning quote (if Es dies): Why didn’t you just leave it to me? Why? Es… I’m sorry…

Misc: I didn’t think it’d fit nicely in these, but maybe her victory quotes have fang references – “Don’t mess with the Warden’s Fang…”)

Es:

Select quote: *deep breath* Let us begin. / It is essential that I continue. / I must go on

Crit quote: Sing your sins! / I can’t forgive you!

Death quote: If this is the end… I’m just glad I had the chance to meet you, first…

Mourning quote (if anyone dies): This is all my fault… Can you ever forgive me?

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archivalofsins · 2 days ago

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Mikoto mitosis👀

Ooh, Mikotosis! (Mikototosis? Mitokoto? Mitosys?) Anyway, this was really fun to write, though it kind of feels like an intro/setup to a bigger story I’m not writing, oops 😅 I’ve had some interesting thoughts about this kind of concept for silly clone/kid plotlines, so it was exciting to finally get something actually written out about it!

Es should have learned through the prisoners that even the best-intentioned plans can backfire in catastrophic ways. They should have learned through Milgram that meddling with unknown supernatural forces came with unexpected consequences. But they didn’t learn, and now they were here, running down the corridor with a baby in their arms, and chasing down the sixth Mikoto to enter the prison.

Earlier in the week, the extraction machine’s complex and unnatural mechanics had been opened up for repairs. Jackalope gave them an absentminded warning about the glowing core at its center – something about the memory manifestor becoming unstable it an exposed form like this. He demanded they do not touch it, as it could split a person in two.

So, as any responsible Warden would do, Es forced one of their prisoners to touch it.

It was the perfect opportunity to solve their most difficult case – if it really was as powerful as Jackalope said, and had the ability to separate Mikoto from John, then the pair could be questioned and judged individually. It would be perfect.

What wasn’t perfect was the thirteen-year-old that emerged from the bright light of the core when Mikoto laid a hand on it. Though the brown hair and scuffed knees seemed to belong to a stranger, those watery grey eyes were unmistakable.

“Wh-who are you?” The child looked between the two frantically. “What am I doing here?”

The original Mikoto could only gape at him in disbelief. Es didn’t have any answer, either. What was he doing there? Why was he so young? Was this John? Did he manifest as a child? They held out their hand to introduce themself, and knew at once this wasn’t John.

The boy cowered away, tears slipping down his cheeks. “S-stay away from me!” His arms hugged around himself. He glanced around the room, failing to find any cover. “Did you kidnap me?”

“No!” Es’ hands remained raised in nonviolence, though they probably weren’t the more threatening one. Mikoto – the original one, that is – stood towering over them, wrapped in torn restraints and faded bruises.

“I, uh, I don’t really know how you got here, either. You came from there, but…”

The younger one followed their pointing finger, his face growing more desperate.

“I-I want to go back!” He ran toward the glowing piece.

Milgram’s Mikoto was finally surprised into action. He leapt forward to stop the boy from touching it, but in their scuffle, ended up hitting against it with his own back. He began soothing the child, explaining as best he could, but the damage was already done behind him.

This flash of light brought a familiar figure into the interrogation room. Es recognized the trench coat and sullen face from Mikoto’s most recent extraction.

“John!”

“Who the hell is that?” The newcomer asked in disgust. He took in the situation with surprise, but far more composure than the others had.

“Y-you said I could call you that,” Es explained. They were struck with the belated thought that things were getting out of hand. “I was hoping, if I could get you without Mikoto–”

“Without Mikoto?” He snapped. “Whoever the fuck you are, you’re not going to lay a hand on me.”

The workings of the machine were becoming more clear, and sinking Es’ stomach further. The technology created copies more than it separated anything. As manifestations of one’s memories, any clones that climbed out of the machine would contain John and Mikoto just as inseparably as the original.

“I’m not your enemy,” Es hurried to explain. “I was only trying to help you. As a prisoner –”

“–A what–?”

“–this could help you get out of here safely!”

They glanced back at the distressed pair over John’s shoulder. He, too, surveyed the situation.

“I see… A kid like you, trying to save me, huh?” He gave them a nod of respect, or trust, or something that made Es release a breath in relief. It was short-lived. “I like the way you think.”

He reached into the machine.

Es cried out, but the light was already pulsing at his fingertips.

The baby that stared up at them from the floor elicited a low, “huh,” from John. Then he stuck his hand out again.

“Stop!” Es repeated, picking up the baby as the next Mikoto nearly stepped on it. This one seemed on the older side, wearing a pressed work suit and lowering a phone that had just lost signal. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“This was the plan! There’s power in numbers.” Another flash of light produced another child, no older that four or five, before Es yanked John’s arm backwards. Though no match for his strength, their next words made him pause.

“No, it wasn’t the plan! I don’t even know if it’s safe to do it this many times!”

“The hell? Why’d you do it to me if it was unsafe?”

“I was only going to do it once!”

“It doesn’t matter! If you don’t know what you’re messing with, why risk things spiraling out of control?”

“You’re the only one who’s taking things out of control!”

Their shouting came to an abrupt halt as the two youngest members of the group began to wail at the sound.

“Ah, Miko—um, Mikoto-chan… it’s okay…”

Es bounced the baby, realizing just how out of their depth they were. Had they even held a baby before? Were they doing it correctly now? They didn’t have a chance to decide how to soothe a terrified toddler before he fled down the hall as fast as his stubby legs would carry him.

Es let out a strangled sound. “Don’t touch that again,” they instructed with as much authority as they could muster in the complete chaos. Their only hope was the look of bewilderment of all the Mikoto’s faces.

Racing after the child, they cursed themself. How naïve they’d been, thinking two Mikoto’s was too many…

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archivalofsins · 2 days ago

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I have a headcanon that Es has something in their room that represents the prisoners (Bee hair clip for Muu, a plastic apple for Kazui, a box of cards for Mikoto ect.)

Oooh, I really love this! It has such good fluff and angst potential – it would say a lot about Es if they kept little physical reminders like that :’) I was planning on writing this as a drabble, but I kept getting spread-out ideas, so here are some collected thoughts on the topic!

(I don’t know if you had specific ideas for all of them, but just to toss out a few:) 01 Stuffed rabbit, 02 pink blanket, 03 box of matches, 04 bee hair clip, 05 potted plant (one of the tropical flowers from Throw Down), 06 carousel-print music box, 07 decorative apple, 08 prayer beads, 09 deck of cards, (09 baseball), 10 chess board.

Es doesn’t tell anyone about these objects. They’re worried it’ll come off sentimental (I mean, it is sentimental, but) they think they’ll be taken less seriously as warden. They acquired everything through the request system – they attribute the requests to other prisoners only to take the item for themself before everything is distributed. Nobody ever figures them out.

They collected everything over the course of the first two trials, holding each while they contemplate that prisoner’s verdict. They drape themself in the pink blanket while humming Yuno’s songs, flick matches while reviewing Fuuta’s story, rattle around the prayer beads during Amane’s trial, and shuffle/reshuffle the deck of cards while stressing over Mikoto’s case.

The objects were originally meant as simple symbols, but Es finds themself striking up conversations about them in daily life. They comment on one of Muu’s hair clips, and stay to hear her whole instruction about accessory colors (she never knows that they’re currently wearing a clip under their hat, wondering what to match it with). They ask Shidou about plant care in order to keep theirs alive when it starts wilting. Mahiru recognizes the love song they’ve been humming from the music box and tells them all about it. Amane offers to walk them through a prayer routine, and even though they turn her down, they pay attention as she describes what the beads/tassels mean. Mikoto teaches them to read tarot, and Kotoko is happy to show them how to play chess. (They pressure Jackalope to play the games with them in their free time).

As time goes on, they collect other things that aren’t quite the prisoners’ “objects,” but were certainly inspired by them. Es finds themself with a loop of cat’s cradle string. They collect first aid supplies in the room, even if the supply closet has its own stock. They admire Mahiru’s faint nail polish, occasionally wearing a similar color under their gloves. They end up with a wide range of craft supplies, even if they rarely have time to indulge: crayons, spray paint, origami, a camera, and even a poseable mannequin for sketching.

And for some angst – after the recent deaths, those prisoners’ items are set up on a shelf along with their keys and some candles. Es is afraid to set it up like a proper shrine, but Jackalope still figures it out in silence. On particularly rough nights, Es will take the items down for their own use: they’ll sleep squeezing the stuffed rabbit, or rub the soft flower petals between their fingers, or close their eyes and listen to the music box over and over.

If you want even more angst, accidents could befall the object as well. One laundry day during the hiatus, the plush rabbit gets torn during a wash and all the stuffing is lost. No one went into their room to water the plant, and it’s dry and unsalvageable by the time they return. The music box falls off their desk while organizing for the next trial, breaking some of the mechanics inside so that it no longer plays.

At the end of trial three, Es is still a bit unsure on the situation with the prisoners returning to their lives/their own identity. As their final goodbye and “forget-me-not,” Es gifts each of them their associated possession before the trial concludes. Though some of them are confused about the seemingly random gift, others pick up on the meaning immediately and are touched.

I wonder if some of them had objects that represented Es… (I can see 01-06-08 being the keepsake type like that).

On the other hand, they may try and pocket all the items so that they’re returned to real world so that they never forget about the prisoners. If they’re on good terms with Jackalope by the end, I think they’d have an object for him as well :’)

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archivalofsins · 2 days ago

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Have you ever imagined that at some point in the process of indoctrinating Fuuta, Amane would have to scold him for swearing? I was just in the middle of writing and this thought happened to pop up. I'm not sure how much Fuuta would self-censor or if Amane would even care. I just thought it'd be funny to have Fuuta lose all his money to a swear jar (but why would he even have money in prison).

I'd imagine that the currency they use for the swear jar would be requests. I don't know if the prisoners have a fixed amount of requests per time period, but if so, Amane could implement a "request ticket" system so that Fuuta has to give her a ticket (use of his requests) every time he swears.

I think Fuuta mellowed out on his own or by following Amane's example. (This line of thinking has some pitfalls, explained under the cut, but anyway.) That, and/or they're influencing each other's mannerisms.

Consider their VDs (I'm going by memory, so pardon me if I'm wrong):

Fuuta in T1 is generally antagonistic towards Es, especially when they press the issue of murder. He's the first to attempt to attack Es. In T2, he's much more solemn, admitting that there is a victim but insisting he was only saying what's wrong is wrong. That is, until he's screaming and begging for forgiveness at the end.

Amane in T1 is agreeable and doesn't deny that she killed someone, but she freaks out at the end when Es manhandles her. In T2, she denies Es's judgment and doubles down on her righteousness, insisting it was all in line with her faith and attacking them when they further insult her faith.

I don't have a great grasp on the Japanese concept of swearing, but... (ramble under the cut) (Sibling would certainly roast me for any inaccuracies)

From what I've looked up, most swears in Japanese are corruptions of words that aren't inherently offensive. Words that are inherently offensive carry so much weight that they wouldn't be thrown around casually. (Think Kotoko's diss track in Deep Cover or Jackalope's remarks about Kazui.)

When I first listened to Fuuta's T2 VD, I read onigiriico's translation. It gave me the impression that he mellowed out due to the lack of swearing. But I heard him yell "temee" near the end, a very insulting form of "you". milgram-en's translation points out some particularly insulting words, so I stand corrected on that front.

Interestingly, I've come across swears when autotranslating Amane's tracks. Her T2 VD had the f-word (possibly when she said "omae"), but that was probably a fluke since no human translations use that. Also, the autotranslation for Purge March used a more vulgar word for "scum", which became a minor laughing matter in my circles. (Why is there an autotranslation when an official translation exists, anyway?)

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archivalofsins · 2 days ago

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Yayy here's the Life section for Lights, Camera, Sing Your Sins! I kept changing my mind on the themes/topics I wanted to include, but finally settled on something focused that I happy with, haha <3 Also a note – I’m hoping to edit my previous two sections soon, but to keep from other retconning, I’m going to keep the characters as their canon stated ages for this fic (Haruka 17, Yuno 18, and so on).

Yuno peered down at the tufts of hair littering the ground around her. She wouldn’t have thought twice about the drastic makeover placed right in the middle of her filming schedule. Neither would Kazui have, sitting beside to adjust his own costuming in the dressing room mirror. But both found themselves caught in the crosshairs of Mahiru’s unsettling stare. Her eyes flicked back and forth, peering into their very souls after each snip of the scissors.

At last, Yuno couldn’t take it.

“Hey, is everything alri—”

“No, it isn’t!” Mahiru slapped the scissors down on the counter, leaving Yuno’s hair at an odd half-cut angle. She retracted her hands close to her chest. “You shouldn’t be forced to cut such beautiful hair! This is all Mahiru’s fault…”

“What? Nobody’s forcing me. I’m the one who chose this.” In a rare occasion, Yuno’s smile came easily. She truly had chosen this, just as she’d chosen everything else here. (Even if she was currently second-guessing her decision to participate in the first place,) she found herself reeling from the thrill of control. She couldn’t remember the last time so many adults deferred to her preferences, accepted her words at face value, and consulted her about even the most minor of details.

But it appeared that while she was drunk on the power of choosing things like her song lyrics and topic to discuss with Es, Mahiru still couldn’t wrap her head around such a minor decision. “But… you always loved how you looked! You never fuss around as much as I do, trying to make myself look just right…”

Kazui nodded. “I gotta say, I was also surprised. You always acted so confident in yourself.”

“It wasn’t an act,” Yuno turned her head in the mirror, admiring the length of the completed half. The violent-toned locks curved and curled with new lightness. She looked up at Mahiru through the mirror. “I still am! That’s why I picked such a cute new style – I love the idea of being just like you.”

Mahiru blushed, not realizing just what a deadly serious statement it was.

“Plus, a lot of guys like the more mature look~”

“Oh,” Kazui tried to smother his surprise. “Are you… going back to work, then?” His attempt to sound neutral meant more to Yuno than he knew. The others never offered her morality lectures, but even their most well-intentioned safety ones were beginning to sound coddling with their frequency.

“I want to. That was never the issue, you know? It’s still something I’d enjoy doing.” Her hands fidgeted underneath the cutting cape. “At the same time, I worry… What if something happens again? What if it’s real this time? What if I think I’m doing everything right, only to realize too late that I’ve been reckless? I’ve been cowardly? What if… ah.”

Yuno cursed herself. A simple, I hope so! with a little wink would have sufficed.

She returned to the familiar feeling of a forced smile. “All I’m trying to say is, it’s somehow both relieving and worrying that my work wasn’t the problem. The real root of that death was always…” Just me.

“Society.” Mahiru narrowed her eyes knowingly.

“Y-yeah.” It was the one assumption she’d been welcoming, lately. It was easier for everyone to turn their judgement and rage on all those other things, rather than settle their disappointment where it truly belonged – on the cowardly, lonely girl who could have done everything differently.

She gestured her arms out to the dressing room. “So, I’m just going to focus on this video for now, and having fun with you all while I still can, and I’ll deal with all that later.”

Mahiru nodded. She picked up the scissors with a newfound confidence after the reassurance. Kazui, on the other hand, was less afraid of toeing the boundaries of the girl’s comfort zone. He took up the soul-staring himself. As much as Yuno tried to avoid the look, he spoke up.

“Would you permit an old man like me to pass along advice? I don’t wish to overstep.”

“Sure,” she said, praying he hadn’t changed his mind about the safe sex speech. “You know I trust you.”

“That’s just it, actually. You can trust me. And Shiina-chan. And everyone here. Please, don’t forget that.”

“Kazui-san…”

“No matter what you end up doing, keep talking to us, okay? I understand that fear – knowing that… society is responsible.” He was always too good at reading her. “and wondering, what if another accident happens?” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“He’s right.” Mahiru squeezed her shoulder. “You have all of us, now. We’ll make sure nothing bad happens, ever again!”

Kazui smirked. “Well, I can’t promise that, but I can promise that no one will get hurt like that with us there to help. Not another life, and certainly not you. You don’t have to do everything alone anymore.”

Yuno brought her hands to her face. “Oh, screw you both,” she said as she dabbed tears with her sleeve. “You’re ruining my makeup…” She let out a shaky laugh, and Mahiru leapt to hug her from behind.

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archivalofsins · 2 days ago

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How might Order of Attack be different if Fuuta wasn't dying for 80% of the story?

Oooh, very fun! This could go many different routes, though I do have a favorite that I think would balance characterization and interest and OoA’s original appeals to us lol

Amane wouldn’t have second thoughts on her religion since Fuuta’s okay, and she could manage to convince him into her cult (this one is too close to canon to expand on here but I bet it would have banger imagery lol).

There are the sad options where Fuuta isolates himself and doesn’t pay much attention to Amane’s friendship advances, and the two remain distant, or the more painful version that Fuuta joins the adults forcing Amane to treat her injuries, turning the pair actively against each other.

There are cute (but non 03-08) options where Amane turns her caretaking instincts to others who are showing signs of defeat, and bonds with characters such as Haruka or Mikoto.

There are dangerous paths in which Fuuta’s mental state is poor enough that Amane can relay her parent’s teachings about vengeance and punishment, but his physical health is well enough that he attempts attacks of his own.

But then we have my favorite: Fuuta is hurt enough that Amane takes pity on him and the two grow close, but he’d well enough that he has the full force of his personality and persuasion intact. He launches into his typical online speeches, but actually has enough rapport with Amane to convince her to think the same. She wouldn’t give up on her religion entirely, but she’d make a few compromises because of him.

The biggest change is that, as many kids do with their idol, Amane starts mimicking him in whatever ways she can. She starts eating the same foods as him, dressing like him, doing the same hobbies as him, and speaking/acting like him more and more.

She’d still stay true to herself in many ways, and when she needed to fall back on her usual religion and structure, a new type of Amane-ism would be born: one that’s healthier than whatever’s going on in canon, though concerning in plenty of other ways since it’s extremely influenced by a 20yo depressed twitter addict 😅

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archivalofsins · 2 days ago

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wb inno mahiru t1? what do you think would happen in the vd? i think she'd go completely off her rocker but idk her character that well hehe :3 :D

Yesss I think she would too >:3 I think specifically, she’d get really into the other prisoners’ business – the verdict would affirm that all her giving is indeed healthy and righteous.

I can see her becoming a self-appointed caretaker to whoever got injured in Kotoko’s attacks, or just whoever she imprints on the strongest. This starts off good, since she’s taking care of the prison with an extra positivity and confidence in herself. It starts to become a problem, however, when one of her patients/someone crushing on her would completely throw themselves to her care.

In their state of vulnerability, they trust their life in her hands no matter her inexperience. She’s not willing to ask for help in supporting them because she believes that the power of her love can conquer all obstacles. (I’m thinking Fuuta works best, but her little obsessor could be Yuno given her current admiration of Mahiru, or even Mikoto/John once they find someone they can wholly rely on to take care of things.) She starts giving out advice and treatment that puts a strain on them, leading them down a dangerous path that only the audience is acknowledging.

This could also have the unfortunate consequence of extra tension building between her and Amane for helping with medical treatments, or her and Haruka/Muu if she gets between them.

Another option is that she’s the one who gets obsessed with someone, since she’s been reassured that her intense love wasn’t a problem the first time. She’s the one who makes the Haruka Ultimatum in this timeline. (I have a theory that her and her lover were meant to do a lover’s suicide, so she already has thought deeply about ending her life for the sake of another to give her purpose.) This could honestly be directed towards any of the characters, whether they reciprocate her feelings or not. If I had to pick the most fucked up option lmao I’d make it Kazui, since this would make a second woman that held unrequited love for him and is risking suicide because of it.

As for the T2 video itself, I’m thinking of a dollhouse theme – one of those fancy ones where the dolls are porcelain, not meant to come off too childish. Mahiru is setting things up perfectly – the way a traditional Japanese housewife and her family would keep house. She moves around dolls of her and her boyfriend, as well as loose versions of the prisoners. Some of the dolls start to crack or break (reflecting her bf’s mental state and the attacked prisoner’s injuries,) but she continues to arrange her displays with only minimal frustration. As whole pieces start to fall off, she simply ties them back on with a pretty ribbon. …Until the end, in which her bf’s head starts to fall, and she ends up tying a knot around his throat.

I’m really happy with that image, but I’m such a sucker for Mahiru’s food symbolism that I’m including an alternate idea lol: garden party/tea party vibe that includes a lot of subtle symbolism through shots of the various dishes, desserts, tea, teacups, cutlery, etc. Though all the food is real (no rats!), and her bf never looks starved, her guilt manifests through him choking on something only for her to ignore him/feed him more immediately after.

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