midmare

[midmare]

the mental image of midnight sleeping with a koala or some sort of creature in his lap won't leave my head

[midmare]

Sorano: He doesn’t know how shy you are! Erik: Ugh! Shut it, Sorano.

[midmare]

midnight is a cat (read: koala) person, & he really dislikes dogs

[midmare]

@quiiscnt ( olexa ) said: “ how does it - it work? ” she was staring heavily at the magic carpet. “ can anyone ri - ride it? ”

macbeth was seated center upon woven textile, ankles crossed, arms folded over their chest, as the enchanted carpet meandered forward at a languid pace, matching their companion’s stride. crimson eyes had remained alert so far, though the ever - persistent threat of succumbing to sleep hovered over the former dark mage like a puffy gray rain cloud, heavy with the promise of night terrors. blood - red gaze cut to the timid mage, swirling with curiosity. “ it’s a magic item, ” he replied, a teasing edge lurking beneath the crisp delivery, “ no. only i can ride it. ” the lie rolled off his tongue like a breath of air, believable in its utter lack of inflection or tell. he allowed the fib to linger in the air for a few, sublime moments, before his poker face dissolved & gave way to a devilish smirk. “ it uses some magic power to maneuver, that’s all, ” he explained honestly, not without a hint of mirth.

a pause, as macbeth mentally rewound the conversation. “ why? ” they pondered her interest in the magic carpet, their own guesses as to her reason forming in their mind. the reflector mage leaned forward, eyeing olexa out of the corner of his eye. “ do you want to? ” it was practically an offer, though a shadow of reluctance lingered in their stiff drawl. chewing on his bottom lip, macbeth awaited the other’s response with bated breath, a fog of unreasonable anxiety gathering inside his chest. “ it can hold two people, ” he added, almost like an afterthought, betraying his intent.

[midmare]

i've been thinking about midnight's "nightmare" spell, where he created a large scale illusion vs. erza & . . . ok so, the anime extended that scene so that midnight basically mind - read erza or something ( since i feel like it's a stretch that he'd know about rob & simon ) and i've decided to exclude that bit from my portrayal.

tl;dr — this is a meta / canon div. about how midnight's illusion magic works.

it definitely feels like the part with simon / rob was just anime padding to make the episode longer, because it doesn't actually make sense? it's a cool concept, but it's sorta godmod - territory, & in my opinion, midnight's illusions are reflections of his own fears, not anyone else's. basically, he's limited by the “illusions can only be as real as the caster's grasp on reality. yes this is a khr quote shhh” principle. they could create illusions of another person’s fears ( given that they know what those fears are ) but it wouldn't be as effective or believable, because they’re simply not as well acquainted with every gritty detail.

this also plays into what sets midnight's illusion magic apart from other illusions shown in the series ( mavis, ivan / alexis, etc ). because it's not actually just magicking intangible things into existence, it requires a much higher degree of familiarity with the subject. midnight can't create illusions of things that he's never really seen before, which rules out a lot of fantasy horrors ( but he can create an illusion of monsters that he's seen in his nightmares! ). on the other hand, his illusions aren't susceptible to the same pitfalls that actual illusion magic has ; that is, being aware that it's an illusion won't weaken or dispel the image.

going back to the “midnight creates illusions based on his own fears” thing, remember the battle with richard / hoteye?? midnight created an illusion of him losing to richard & panicking about being abandoned by brain ( which, tangent, is telling about how midnight felt about fighting a friend ; midnight usually creates illusions of his opponent losing! instead of tormenting richard, midnight tormented themself. anyway, ). midnight's fear of loss & abandonment is very real, & it made that illusion all the more stronger because of it.

and then!! in his fight with erza? he created an illusion of himself turning into a monster & using darkness magic. there's a lot to unpack there, but honestly? midnight is afraid of brain / zero, who uses darkness magic, just as much as he wants brain's acceptance. i could also go out on a limb & say that midnight is afraid of himself / what he's become too. this also lines up with macbeth creating an illusion of zero in the fight versus jellal ( though i largely do not like that fight & don't really factor it into my portrayal ).

metaphorically speaking, midnight's "nightmare" spell 'reflects' his own fears onto his opponent, which makes way more sense thematically & in practice.

[midmare]

a peek at what's inside their pockets . . .

loose change: generally, macbeth pools finances with oración seis / crime sorcière, in the respective verses. he does hold onto some spare jewel, mostly for making small purchases when passing through towns. however, even in other verses, macbeth is the type of person who’ll go out without any money, & end up having to rely on his friends to pay for him. he’s very unrepentant about being so remiss all the time, even after being told on multiple occasions to get a wallet.

makeup bag: he can’t really afford to carry around a purse, but that’s what wearing an oversized coat with pockets is for. while on the run with crime sorcière, he carries everything he uses on his person, which isn’t much ( given the situation ). in verses where macbeth has a permanent residence, they have a larger kit at home & only keeps the essentials in their makeup bag.

fake id: the staple of any known criminal’s personal belongings. ( i’m not actually sure if earthland would have a lacrima based equivalent or a completely different system entirely, but anyway, ) midnight used a fake id fairly often when they were a member of oración seis, but since crime sorcière tries to steer clear of towns ( not to mention committing more crimes, in general ), the fake id is mostly useless now.

magic carpet: due to a spatial enchantment, the carpet is magically compactible, and therefore can be stored in clothing pockets. ( canonically it kind of disappeared in between scenes & then never came up again. i considered the possibility that midnight could requip it too, but decided that’s too convenient ) the original magic carpet was seized when midnight was arrested, but it was returned after the pardon. he uses it so that he can sleep & walk at the same time, but it’s not particularly fast or energy efficient, so it’s stored whenever it’s not being used.

a single earring: it's silver, in the shape of a cross. he misplaced the other one somewhere. there’s no reason for him to hold onto it ; it’s just one of those things that gets shoved in a pocket & then forgotten about.

pockets / @quiiscnt

[midmare]

( his texts vary from plain rude to a bit ominous. )

[ text ]: ugh [ text ]: id say im sorry for ignoring you but im not [ text ]: go to hell [ text ]: do you have any alcohol [ text ]: not the drinking kind

five most recent sent text messages / @thousandflame

[midmare]

A  PEAK  AT  WHAT’S  INSIDE  THEIR          .    .    .

[  *  ]      writing prompt      )         :             send a number  1 - 30  to take a closer look inside this characters life.        /        below you will find a series of various prompts offering a look inside a characters every day life.        these are meant to invoke character development     &     can also be altered as seen fit to better suit the character in question.         bonus if you explain why it’s there!

01.     pockets. 02.     bag   /   purse. 03.     car trunk. 04.     car glovebox. 05.     closet. 06.     bedside table drawer. 07.     medicine cabinet. 08.     wallet. 09.     “junk” drawer. 10.     pantry. 11.     phone home screen. 12.     frequently used emojis. 13.     to do list. 14.     computer home screen. 15.     bookcase. 16.     cd collection. 17.     calendar for this month. 18.     “secret” hiding spot. 19.     five most recent in contact list.  20.     refrigerator.  21.     home safe.  22.     amazon shopping cart.  23.     bank account.  24.     first aid kit.  25.     five most recent in google search history.  26.     most used playlist.  27.     least used playlist.  28.     five most recent sent text messages  29.     five most recent received text messages  30.     netflix watch history. 

[midmare]

what if,,, i had a modern/university au?

[midmare]

quick ‘psa’ that i'm probably never going to post a starter call bc i'm rlly bad at writing starters, but ur free to turn ask replies into threads (matching the length of my ask replies is not necessary, i usually adjust to match my partners length)

[midmare]

@aetrnalis ( gray ) said: “ so you wanna go find something to break? ”

the sudden question roused macbeth from torpor, half - lidded eyes fluttered open, head lifted upwards & he turned to face the other, naked intrigue flickering through an unnerving crimson stare. “ oh? ” brow arched, violet - painted lips curling into a smile. “ depends on what you want to break, ” his smile widened further, languid curiosity sharpening into wanton mischief. “ or who. ” it was almost a dare, taunting the ice mage, testing his ostensibly frosty mood. macbeth had suspicion that gray harbored no fondness for their own wicked brand of leisure, far too good to find catharsis in misery, but perhaps they had underestimated the ice devil slayer. there was a measured tilt of their head, pale curls falling over narrow shoulders. blood - red eyes watched the other with piercing scrutiny, waiting for a tell - tale crack, the return of virtuous rationale, a falter in step.

standing up, macbeth brushed imaginary clumps of dirt off his pants, pivoted on the heel of his boot, & started to stride away. he stopped, still in earshot, tossing a patient glance over his shoulder. “ are you coming, or not? ” had gray asked a different person, there would have been more questions asked, concerns raised, a litany of reasons not to, but macbeth wasn’t that person. there was no precedent for him to be anyone’s moral conscience. if gray wanted an outlet, macbeth wouldn’t be the one to deny him. “ this mountain pass is swarming with bandit guilds. let’s stop waiting for trouble to find us, & bring trouble to them. ” arms stretched over his head, he popped his back leisurely. “ i’m sure nobody will care . . . much. ”

still — blood - red eyes observed the other from his periphery. macbeth wasn’t very familiar with gray fullbuster on a personal level, largely on purpose ; they weren’t interested in making ‘new friends’, especially not with someone who had directly contributed to the oración seis’ defeat on the back of nirvana seven years ago. having only lended half an ear to the other’s baptism, a lark as a dark guild member, volatile magic power, etc. macbeth’s lip curled in derision. the reflector mage had always thought lesser of the ice devil slayer, but they supposed — with morbid curiosity more than concern, they should wonder what had possessed gray to seek out macbeth, of all people. “ you seem upset, ” the dry remark belied an unspoken query. there was a measured pause, like a cracked window, tentatively, for the other to air out grievances. a heartbeat passed, then narrow shoulders lifted into a dismissive shrug. “ hmm, whatever. i don’t really care if you tell me either way. ”

[midmare]

midnight started experimenting with cosmetics when he was younger, after leaving the tower of heaven. at the time, it helped him build confidence / identity through self - expression, later becoming a creative outlet. having been denied so many freedoms & decisions throughout their life, wearing makeup is one of the ways that midnight can have control over their own choices.

[midmare]

prompts for emotionally stunted idiots

because my friends muses need therapy. will they get it? absolutely not. 

AVOIDING THE TERRIFYING ORDEAL OF BEING KNOWN:  

“  yeah i’m pissed off but i’d rather not talk about it.  that’s why you’re the one i came to.  ”

“  i’m not looking for a friend.  i’m looking for someone just as angry as i am.  ”

“  i’m not good at caring about people’s shit on purpose.  ”

“  i’m not gonna ask if ‘you’re okay’ cause that’s fuckin’ annoying.  you wanna get the hell out of here and do something?  ”  

 “  i don’t wanna talk about it. you got a beer?  ”  

“  upset?  why would i be upset?  ”

“  so you wanna go find something to break?  ”  

“  hey you want me to kill that guy for you?  ”

“  i just need to get this shit done.  and i trust you to help me do that.  ”  

“  you’re hot.  and i’m bored.  ”  

“  can we just have some meaningless sex we can both pretend didn’t happen tomorrow morning?  ”

“  i can think of at least a dozen people that need killing.  or a light beating.  will that cheer you up?  ”

“  i’ve a got job and i think you’d be the perfect fit.  so you in?  ”

“  yeah i don’t do the whole crying thing.  give me something to stab and i’ll be good in a day or two.  ”

“  i banged it out and now i feel great.  next question.  ”

“  if i think about it,  i get angry.  and i don’t know where that anger stops.  so i’d rather not start at all.  ”

VARIOUS SENTENCES WITH ABSOLUTELY NO DEPTH U COWARDS: 

“  if you’re gonna stay here you can’t be sober so either take the fruity beer or the shitty wine or let me be vibe in peace.  ”

“  how much insect essence do you think are in every square inch of chocolate? like just how many cockroach guts have i consumed with my hershey’s? ” 

“  you should’ve seen the look on their face.  it’s been so long since i’ve made someone that fuckin’ angry it was great.  ” 

“  i have this neighbor who keeps playing driver’s license at 10 a.m. every morning and i’m starting to question if it’s a sixteen year old getting over a breakup or a 36 year old trying to reclaim their childhood. at this point the mystery is the only thing keeping me going.  ”

“  do i trust you?  absolutely not.  next question.  ”

“  if i don’t get a nap in the next hour i’ll probably murder someone.  ”

“  you’re getting that look in your eyes like you’re about to ask me what’s wrong so i’m gonna save us both the awkwardness of finding an excuse to leave and just go now.  ”

“  i’m here to raid your fridge cause my date went really bad and all i’ve had is lukewarm water and breadsticks.  ”

“  i’m making a fake tinder profile to see how gullible guys are, wanna help?  ”   

“  hey i got something for you look!  ”   *holds up middle finger* 

U MIGHT GET PUNCHED: 

“  why are you really here?  ”

“  i’m not leaving until you tell me what the fuck is going on.  ”

“  you can’t solve every problem with your fists.  ”  

“  i’m not here to talk about me.  what the hell is going on with you?  ”

“  you think i don’t notice but i do.  i can tell something’s wrong.  ”   

“  i can see beneath your smile.  ”

“  why won’t you just tell me the truth?  ”

“  what are you hiding? and don’t you dare try to lie to me. ”

“  what the hell did you do?  ”

“  so are we gonna talk about it or are we gonna pretend nothing’s wrong here?  ”

[midmare]

@quiiscnt ( olexa ) said: “ i like being alone but i’d rather be alone with you. ”

a curve of plum - stained lips, faint, too slight to be a smile ( it was rare to find him smiling in the absence of malice ) but humored nonetheless. trailing bottomless red eyes from wood - grain countertops to meet sky blue, macbeth regarded the other, a waggish glint in the slanted glance towards his company. “ i don’t think that’s how being alone works, ” drawling tone, dry with satire & sick with amusement. still — there was a whisper of fondness sequestered behind teasing mockery, quietly pleased by the affirmation. they could count their ‘friends’ on narrow fingers, nails painted black to match their heart. knowing he was rarely pleasant to be around didn’t change a thing about his uninviting personality ; he didn’t want more friends, because they didn’t want him, twisted on the outside, & incurably broken inside.

there was a pause, plum - lips pursued, the silence waiting patiently for macbeth to muster the resolve to say the rest of their piece. “ . . . but i agree. ” there was no expectation suffused in the space that stretched between the two, just snippets of traded quietude & idle dialogue. it was nice to be in the musician / mage’s company, with the repose of being alone without the encroaching desolation that came with utter solitude. “ i like my friends, but they can be . . . ” echoes of squabbling, whining, hollering & a general cacophony of people, “loud, ” he finished vaguely. crimson gaze shifted to the other’s left arm, lingering on the curve of her elbow thoughtfully. “ it’s nothing compared to yours, though. does it get tiring? ”

[midmare]

[midmare]

i feel like it was a huge missed opportunity for macbeth not to have a big fight with august?? somewhat self indulgent but i might make it part of my canon div (tba). some preliminary / tentative thoughts,

it would likely take place after universe one is undone, therefore after the first skirmish with august concludes.

i'm (provisionally) okay with the idea that august pulls the rug out from under crime sorcière in round 1. but macbeth is a sore loser, especially since they didn't pull out all the stops, so yea, i think they'd engage august again.

i haven't decided whether macbeth to fights august in gildarts / cana's stead, (open to plotting) or if it's a group effort, potentially with some of the other members of former oración seis too.

above all, i think fighting august would be the natural progression in macbeth's character arc, following up on erza telling him to realize his own weaknesses & strive to learn from them when she first defeated him on nirvana.

in my opinion, 'reflector' would interact with 'copy' uniquely. august can copy macbeth's spells, but if two parties use 'reflector' on the same location, it would be a 'tug - of - war' type deal. moreover, macbeth's invisible shield is a huge advantage against literally anything else august can cast.

macbeth knows the weaknesses of their own magic, & they can use that against august. given, the battle would boil down to trying to reflect the other's shield to make an opening to attack. it would be neat if macbeth gains advantage through his own faults, to follow up on the thing with erza.

also, they both have daddy issues. august can get in line, tbh.

side comment, that mavis having a child (after she died, even?) is super messed up, but i don't want to reach too far with my canon rewrite. august can still have the part where he hesitates after seeing mavis, but frankly . . . there's a version of this where mavis isn't the mother, & august fumbles for a different reason, which is the version i'd prefer, but it shouldn't matter for this blog's canon anyway.

in conclusion, i still acknowledge that august is super powerful, & i do imagine that there would need to be some sort of mental stopgap on august's part, but, i also think macbeth would be a great matchup.

[midmare]

journal excerpt, july first