ladynightlark

[ladynightlark]

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!!!

Warm wishes from the original Kamaboko Squad + mini Rengoku!

(Special shout out to my brother for getting me Zenitsu and Inosuke this year and helping me complete my collection of the main cast from Demon Slayer!)

New goal for next year: getting Senjuro, Murata, and Genya to do a CFLDF Kamboko Squad photo!

Thank you all for your continued support and kindness! Writing and interacting with everyone here and on AO3 has never failed to add some joy to my life, and I’m so grateful for the friends I’ve made and all of the support CFLDF has culminated over the years.

Though my goal was to have the first book finished by the end of this year, I’m excited to know that despite the delays, it will DEFINITELY be finished before the end of 2025!

Also, stay tuned on New Year’s Day for a special announcement about my plans for the new year, including some new projects I think I’ll be able to start sharing!

[ladynightlark]

Potential My Hero Academia Role-Swap List

(Working List, Nothing is Finalized and Subjected to Change - Suggestions and Questions are Welcomed)

Izuku Midoryia <--> Ochaco Uraraka

All Might/Toshinori Yagi <--> Nana Shimura

Tomura Shigaraki/Tenko Shimura <--> Eri

Katsuki Bakugo <--> ???

Tenya Iida <--> Tensei Iida

Shoto Todoroki <--> Toya Todoroki

Eijiro Kirishima <--> Mina Ashido or Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu

Momo Yaoyorozu <--> Itsuka Kendo

Tsuyu Asui <--> Setsuna Tokage

Mezo Shoji <--> Spinner/Shuichi Iguchi

Fumikage Tokoyami <--> ???

Hitoshi Shinso <--> ???

Mei Hatsume <--> Bibimi Kenranzaki

Shota Aizawa <--> Tamaki Amajiki

Hizashi Yamada <--> Nejire Hado

Oboro Shirakumo/Kurogiri <--> Mirio Togata

Endeavor/Enji Todoroki <--> Rei Todoroki***

Hawks/Keigo Takami <--> Lady Nagant/Kaina Tsutsumi

Mirko <--> ???

Ryukyu <--> Uwabami

Himiko Toga <--> ???

Twice/Jin Bubaigawara <--> ???

Shie Hassaikai Villains <--> Meta Liberation Army

***This is not a solidified swap, but I have ideas on handling their specific swap. Their personalities would not be swapped, but given the nature and severity of Endeavor's actions in canon, I don't think I would make Rei mimic his decisions if she were in his place. After all, they are separate people. With that said, what will probably happen will be similar to canon, just with Rei being a high-ranking pro.

These are only very early ideas (and I do have a possible route I think I will probably do in the swap that I can explain if anyone is interested), BUT given how much of a heavy topic their relationship with each other and their children is, I want to do this right and be respectful of the topic. So, if anyone has any ideas or recommendations on how to best portray that swap, let me know.

[ladynightlark]

Though split up, our group of four continues to make their way deeper into Mount Kocho. While Nezuko and Genya face more possessed Demon Slayers, Senjuro and Murata chase after a runaway child. All will soon realize they are headed straight for danger

The next chapter of the Mount Kocho Arc is here!

Enjoy!

[ladynightlark]

I'm Making a CFLDF Decision about Muscular Girl:

It won't make sense now, but later, it will...

[ladynightlark]

Set During Chapter 23, Shortly After Nezuko and the Others Arrived at the Tsuzumi Mansion Remember back in Chapter 12, when something attack Kyojuro's Kasugai cat? That wasn't an isolated incident. This is how the Corps is responding to the situation.

Here's the next chapter, and the introduction to another favorite Hashira of mine!

Enjoy!

[ladynightlark]

Background Demon Slayers!

Since the background slayers I added to Chapter 26 of CFLDF were well-received, I’m already working on making more!

And I wanted to get some opinions:

What types of slayers do you want to see more of (siblings, lovers, friend groups, etc.)?

What jobs do you want to see them doing (guards, kakushi, high-rank fighters, etc.)?

Where do you want to see them (location or arc-wise)?

[ladynightlark]

Hello dear🌹

hope that you are well

Please help us,May God bless you 🙏

I'm Etaf from Gaza Palestine

I am a mother of five smart children.

speaking to you with a heavy heart on behalf of my family who urgently need help.

The war has destroyed everything we own.

It destroyed everything my husband and I built for these children.

Now we don't have anything, We do not have the price of rent, or education.

read and Share the link Private in my campaign

My campaign has been verified by Gaza Vetters In line 88 .

Also verified by gaza-evacuation-funds and determinate-negation .

You can visit my profile page and check that. 🌿

donate, not hesitate to do so and rest assured that God will reward you because we are in dire need of that. And share the link on social media that would be kind of you. May Allah make you happy all your life dear Thank you. 🙏

If anyone is able to help/donate/spread the word, please do so.

Wishing you and your families the best.

[ladynightlark]

Hi! I’m just curious, what does your writing process look like, from say outlining to the final draft of a chapter (and do you have any writing tips)?

HI I'M SO SORRY I TOOK FOREVER TO RESPOND! I hope you're doing well!

I got a similar ask to this a while ago, and I'll link it here.

But since I've been writing for a while, my process has changed a bit since then (especially when it comes to fic writing).

If I know exactly how I want the chapter to go:

I'll usually just write as I go without an outline, especially if it's essentially paralleling what's happening in the canon anime/manga.

I typically won't stress too much about making mistakes or if the scene I wrote is something I'm not happy with, so I won't try and rewrite things until I have the entire chapter written.

If I don't have the entire chapter planned out:

I'll usually start with a bullet-list outline of the stuff I know I want to include, and then go back and fill in the spaces in-between as I get ideas.

I'll start writing the scenes I have planned out, and then as I keep writing, go back to the missing parts.

(Both processes typically end with me doing one or two read-throughs of the chapter once I finish making sure there are no spelling mistakes or awkward phrasings/scenes - it also helps that I do them the day after I finish the rough draft of the chapter, just so I can look at it with fresh eyes)

As you can probably tell, writing AU original chapters take an ungodly amount of time because usually, when I decide to write one, I make the decision with typically only a few scenes in mind.

For example, with Chapter 25 (minor spoilers for those who haven't read it yet), I knew what I wanted the Nezuko POV scenes to be (talking with Kyogai and discovering Tanjiro in the garden), the letter writing scene to look like, and a moment when Genya tried to report the Kamados. But everything else? I had to sit down and stew over them for a few days (and even ask for a little outside help/feedback) to even think of them. I kid you not, both of the Murata scenes were ones where I was literally planning them as I wrote them lol.

So with those, I had to plan for at least an hour each day to make sure I wrote something for the unplanned scenes. It felt like tedious work at the worst moments, but even when I only got a paragraph done a day, it prevented me from losing steam and momentum.

Ultimately, the best advice I can give is to start with what you know you want and then, little by little each day, work on the unplanned stuff. And then go back and make the changes you need to so everything flows.

As for general writing advice/tips, this is what I recommend:

Always Outline: it helps to keep things organized and gives you a space to layout your initial plans and change/rearrange your ideas as you go.

Make a Doc for Extra Ideas: I literally have one extremely long document I can access from my phone where I dump potential scene ideas/dialogues/character stuff in them. When I get to those chapters/parts of the series, sometimes it helps that I alread had parts of scenes written out or extra info to reference. So if you have a sudden idea, WRITE IT DOWN, even if it's in an app or written in a notebook.

Rewatch Episodes & Reread Manga: If you're having trouble getting a characterization or a scene right, go reread the manga or watch the anime to help you get the details down! Before I write my next chapters, I typically turn on the episode it will parallel and record it on my phone so later, I can slow it down and rewatch it as I write.

Read Other Fanfics: I highly recommend reading other fanfics related to the AU you're writing. If it's a Role-Swap AU, there are tons of story you can check out. Give them a read, and let them help you decide how you want to write your story and portray your characters (this had been a lifesaver for me when I was initially figuring out how I wanted to write Nezuko - seeing the different takes writers had on her helped me decide what I wanted to do for her while resonating with the readers best)

(Of course, this is what I recommend and what has worked for me. Do whatever you feel works best for you and your writing style.)

[ladynightlark]

An Important Message in Wake of Recent Events

You are seen, heard, and loved.

Regardless of your background, the color of your skin, who you choose to love, how you choose to identify, that will never change, no matter what anyone says.

I don't know what the future will hold for us, and I'm sorry that all I can offer at the time are words, but please know what is written above will never change nor be compromised in any capacity in my writing or my platforms.

I sincerely hope that my stories provide a bit of comfort on the worst and best days. That's all I could ever ask for, and I promise I will continue to do my best to do so in the future.

Please don't lose hope. Remember that you are loved.

[ladynightlark]

It's time to set off on the next mission. Nezuko and the Gang find themselves at Mount Kocho, a mysterious mountain where people have been going missing. What sort of demons lurk here? And is more trouble than they can handle coming for them?

Here's Chapter 26! One arc left before the Hashira Trial!

Enjoy!

[ladynightlark]

CFLDF Chapter 26 - Mount Kocho Preview

Something was off, and no one knew what it could be.

An unsettling silence hung over a group of about ten or so Demon Slayers as they trekked deep into the mountain woods they were sent to investigate. The heavy atmosphere was difficult to ignore, only broken by a few whispered conversations and the occasional sound of surprise from nearly tripping or being hit with foliage.

Everyone was on edge and not as relaxed as they should have been for the caliber of mission assigned to them. There was something ominous about the mountain, but no one had the nerve to say it out loud.

Leading them was an older boy wearing a dark blue haori. He appeared to be the most calm of the group and didn’t startle at the unexpected sounds or obstacles obstructing their path. No one could see how his eyes rapidly flickered around their surroundings or the way he tensed whenever something took him by surprise.

Even he knew something was wrong but didn’t say anything to avoid alarming the others.

Hours later, he would come to regret that decision.

A new noise pierced through the quiet, sudden enough that the leader of the group stopped in his tracks and held out a hand to halt everyone behind him. He focused on it, confused and uneasy about how out of place the strange rattling noise was compared to the rest of the forest sounds. It was unnatural and out of place, but most of all…

Inhuman.

“W-Wait, what are you–AUGH!”

....

...

...

“Where is everyone?” Murata asked aloud. The group looked around for a bit, but there were no signs of any other slayers. “Isn’t this the right place?”

“Yes! It is!” Chachamaru exclaimed, his tail lashed out in frustration. “It’s not like last time! This is your location! Mount Kocho!”

“Okay, so where is everyone?” Genya grumbled. “Did they leave without us?”

“Maybe we’re early,” Senjuro said, but didn’t sound very confident. “Though…I guess they could have left without us. But I don’t know why they would do that when it’s not even that late. Not unless there was an emergency or something.”

Nezuko hummed in agreement. The sun had set only a few hours ago, and she couldn’t imagine any of the squadrons wanting to leave without all of their members.

Maybe they saw something that made them want to go investigate right away.

Could there actually be a demon nearby already?

If Nezuko really focused, there was a faint yet distinct presence permeating ahead, something the girl knew would only get stronger once they entered the mountain. It left her feeling weird, as if it were meant to be a calming aura but was coming off as eerie. It was almost alluring, but not to her.

What if that’s what drew the others in?

“You're getting weird vibes from the mountain, too?”

Nezuko jumped at Murata’s voice. He now stood next to her, unable to tear his eyes away from the mountain ahead. It was obvious he was just as unsettled as she was.

“Yeah, I am,” Nezuko said, returning her attention to the path ahead. “It’s like something about the mountain is trying to come off as inviting, but it’s just…not. You know?”

Murata nodded. “I get that.” He pointed ahead, right where the forest surrounding the mountain was thickest. “This whole mountain is covered in remnants. Like, a lot more than normal.”

“More than the abandoned Wisteria House?”

“...A lot more. So either that means there’s a ton of demons in there, or…”

There’s a really powerful demon residing on the mountain.

Suddenly, there was a loud scream ahead.

....

...

...

At one point, Genya swatted at some bushes and foliage blocking their way. When he did, several pink-and-green-winged butterflies fluttered out. The two couldn’t help freezing and watching them hover in the air until they flew off into the darkness.

Strange place for butterflies to be hiding.

Especially since they were the first signs of life either one of them had encountered since entering the mountain.

SNAP!

Nezuko and Genya spun in the direction of the sound, both of their hands going straight for their swords.

Bushes further away from them rustled, and a girl with her hair in a ponytail emerged. Her back was turned to them, so she didn’t see the two as she cautiously ventured out and knelt by a nearby tree. But they could make out the white kanji for ‘Destroy’ on the jacket.

She’s a Demon Slayer.

....

...

...

A girl screamed, and both boys stiffened.

It wasn’t Nezuko - it was too high-pitched. It sounded like it belonged to a younger girl, maybe a child. But why would—?

The bushes in front of them rustled, and a young girl in a green and white kimono emerged from the mountain and fell to the ground.

“Help,” she whimpered, shaking so hard that the two braids in her hair and the green butterfly clips that kept them tied trembled with the motion. “Help me, please.”

A kid?! Where did she come from? I thought there weren’t any civilians on the mountain!

Senjuro was the first to react, shaking himself and running to her. “Hey, are you okay?”

The girl stiffened at his voice, finally raising her head to see the boy coming to her. But rather than act relieved, she screamed in terror.

“Stay away from me!” she cried, rapidly shuffling back.

Senjuro slid to a stop, just as confused as Murata was by her reaction. “Are you okay? Don’t worry, we’re here to—”

The child let out another scream. She scrambled to her feet and darted back into the forest before the boy could finish his sentence.

....

...

...

“We have to find the demon,” Nezuko said. She got to her feet and began walking over. “It must be doing this from a far enough location that we—“

A strong wind blew through the area, and Nezuko froze.

Don’t resist…

There were brief flashes of pink and green. The echoes of those spiny legs surged, along with the ghost of thin, cold fingers pricking and wrapping around her wrists.

Dance, my little dolls…Dance until your arms and legs fall off.

Nezuko felt her hands tightened around her sword handle. She lifted the weapon and pointed it at the older girl's unguarded back. She tried to move them away, but her hands wouldn’t budge.

Dance.

....

...

...

“You did well to come here. All of you.”

The cats surrounding the woman were all in varying states of exhaustion, some still panting from the hours of running they had completed while others were finally resting. The cat she was holding at the moment had several lacerations on it, whimpering softly from the pain.

Every single one of them had come from the same location. And now, the older boy had come to escort two more - a calico and a brown cat - from the same mountain.

“It appears that many of our warriors have been slain unjustly tonight,” the woman mused as she gently petted the cat in her lap. She then handed it off to the young girl with black and white-speckled hair next to her. “We may very well find a Twelve Kizuki there.”

“What do you request we do, Mistress?” the older boy asked, though he already knew the answer.

“It seems that I’ll have to send in some hashira.” The woman straightened and when she spoke again, there was a subtle shift in her tone, one that they all knew was the voice of their leader.

“Kaigaku. Hikari.”

[ladynightlark]

Update Time

Hi everyone!

Sorry for disappearing for the past month! I’ve been super busy with my new job and rehearsal for the community show I’m in. I’ve been having rehearsal all week and we’re having our live performances this weekend, with the last show being Sunday. After that, I should be able to finally get back into writing again.

Expect the next chapter update for CFLDF no later than November 16th! I may post a preview of the chapter here during the weekend, so keep an eye on that. The next chapter of Trailing Footprints is still in the works, so that might take a little longer (probably latest will be end of November).

if you sent me an ask, I apologize for not responding yet. Hopefully I’ll have a little time this weekend to catch up on them.

Major thanks to everyone who responded to my poll for potential side stories! I’m already planning out the Senjuro POV of Final Selection, and when I have a little time, I’ll post some ideas I have for the characters in a Kimetsu Academy version of the story (which will hopefully help me come up with ideas for the one-shot)!

I know today was a crazy day for everyone voting in the United States, but please remember to take care of yourselves. Take a deep breath, remember to eat and drink water, and know that you’re not alone. We will get through this.

Have a good night, everyone.

~Lark

[ladynightlark]

Ykw fuck it posting the Zenitsu rant here 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

The scene where Zenitsu confronts Daki is such a subtle but masterful way of showing his growth, it's a massive jump in courage for him in a way that communicates a lot.

I think to explain that I kinda have to give a basic rundown of the series wrt Zenitsu, so basically up to this point he was present in 3 fights, one against a nameless and very weak demon, the Younger Spider Brother (who had a big amp from Rui), and one against Enmu aka LM1. This is relevant because all these characters have distinctive traits that would be sensed as scarier for Zenitsu, who is capable of hearing the demons' bloodlust. On the first two, he's scared shitless, passes out, and wins. That's it. On the third, the villain's main power is putting people to sleep and he succeeds in doing that against all of the heroes who were present, so he just stands in the background basically. Then Akaza, the 4th strongest person in the universe at this point, shows up, kills a superior that he really looked up to, and runs off.

And he STILL faces his fears and confronts someone who could be just as strong for all he knows. In that case, the only reason why he spent the fight unconscious was because after that confrontation the villain knocked him out and imprisoned him to kill him later (which backfired). He doesn't cower in fear, he doesn't run off and pass out, he confronts someone who could be a massive threat to his life while completely alone.

Because the thing about Zenitsu is that he's only a coward until it really matters. He hides and he cries and he screams, but when his friend tells him to protect something that he KNOWS is demonic in nature, and when a little girl is being hurt by a monster, he does step up. And that's the difference between Kaigaku and him, isn't it? Because Kaigaku trained without complaining, Kaigaku fought demons without fear, Kaigaku mastered the other 5 forms of Thunder Breathing, but when Kaigaku was actually threatened he just ran away, and begged for his life, and made Gyomei's other children and his VERY OWN MASTER die.

Because Zenitsu has courage beneath all the fear and Kaigaku has fear below all the courage

[ladynightlark]

Hiya, it's me again, if you remember me that is hahahaha

I had some creativity left and my brain wouldn't shut off so I made some more art of CFLDF Kaigaku and Nezuko together. I tried to follow your description of how they are represented in your fic and took inspiration from the original work, but there may be some personal hc looks sprinkled in. Just can't help myself hehehe

Anyways, without further ado here it is :)

Though nothing is confirmed im just gonna go ahead and say it loud and clear even for everyone in the back: "Nezuko is totally the Roaring Hashira's a.k.a Kaigaku's Tsukago. Don't come @ me because you know im right hahaha

Anyways, I hope you like it as much as I liked doodling it! I hope you have a great day today and I'm looking forward to the next chapter!

AHHHHH HI AGAIN!!!!

You are KILLING IT with these drawings! I LOVE Kaigaku and Nezuko's facial expressions (you made her so cute ahhhh) and designs!!! And the little Tanjiro underneath them!!!

(Also you may very well be correct in your assumption - you're just going to have to talk to Kaigaku and convince him because he’s going to keep denying it lol)

Thank you thank you thank you so much!!! I have loved all of your artwork and I'm honored that CFLDF has inspired you so much to make these!!!

(Also I may be slipping this at the end of Chapter 14 when I have a chance to update again (with proper credit) - this is too cute not to share!)

Again, thank you so much, and have an awesome day!

[ladynightlark]

Hello I apologize for bothering you.🍉💔

My name is Lana, and I never thought I'd find myself in a position where I'd be pleading for help. But life has a way of turning everything upside down. I’ve lost so much—my home, part of my family, and now my father is severely injured, clinging to life. My mother is struggling with chronic illness, and without treatment, things only get worse.

I’m asking for just $20. It might seem like a small amount, but for us, it means survival. The little food we have is unhealthy, the water we drink is polluted, and it’s starting to take a toll on me, too. Every day is a fight to stay alive.

Your support, no matter how small, could make all the difference. Please help me save my family. We’re deeply thankful for any help you can give.

🙏💞 vetted by @gaza-evacuation-funds

If anyone is able to help/donate/spread the word, please do so.

Wishing you and your family the best.

[ladynightlark]

Set One Day Before Chapter 16, While Nezuko Traveled to Asakusa We all saw how things went when Tengen broke the news. Now let's see how things went with Sanemi.

We're jumping back in time a bit for this chapter. Hopefully things go better for Sanemi than they did for Tengen.

Enjoy!