#< don't know what sealed that idea in my brain but it exists as a canon fact in it

[unicornpopcorn14]

Dazai, before Chuuya ties him up to the street lamp in SB, for a moment is alone with Shirase while Adam and Chuuya converse about something...

What Dazai does? He decides it's the best time for a staring contest. He just stares, silent, brewing. Shirase stares back, for a second composed, then shivers so violently when he realizes just how vacant and piercing his eye is.

"Y-You wanna pick a fight or something??"

Dazai doesn't answer. He just stares. Stares until the other is scared shitless, is but a shivering mess and trembling knees, is trying to hide but the eye follows regardless. Stares as Shirase loses the game a hundred times, all while he doesn't back away...

It stays like this until Chuuya picks Dazai by the scruff and ties the rope around him. Good thing, too, because a second more of this fiasco and Shirase would have made a freaking mess on the floor...

[hippolotamus]

Sentence Sunday ✨

I can show you lies 'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did Lights, camera, bitch smile, even when you wanna die I was grinning like I'm winning, I was hitting my marks 'Cause I can do it with a broken heart

Beloved mutuals and pocket pals... I honestly don't know what to say for myself. This is a case of 'I listened to a song too much, I had an idea I knew I was never gonna write' turned 'I'll just throw it out as a prompt' --> 'I'll just make a moodboard' --> 'Oh god, I've written over 1k words in place of a summary'. SO. Have... whatever this is, T Swift influenced Buddie actor au. Under the cut to save your dash.

Honestly, if the world still exists in the morning, Eddie Diaz doesn't really give a fuck. His girlfriend left, claiming he's still not over his late wife, and his teenage son, the last thread connecting him to said wife, went to go live with his grandparents. After, of course, blaming Eddie for pushing 'yet another one' away. Christopher wouldn't even look at him before he went.

Then there's Anita Mills, his agent, who is probably a few blood pressure points away from a stroke at this point. Assuming she doesn't fire him first.

Let her, he thinks, grabbing a bottle of Maker's Mark from the cabinet. He has a string of blockbuster films to his name, not to mention a commendable collection of Oscar's and Emmy's. Not that they made his parents proud or kept his wife from leaving him before she died. But they exist as proof that he's had a successful career. Between investments and liquid assets he has more money than he would know what to do with in a hundred lifetimes. So, fuck it.

Eddie breaks the wax seal and twists off the red cap. He doesn't even bother with a glass, not really seeing a need. He's never been a big drinker, but lately his tolerance has grown considerably. Indulging until he passes out seems like an ideal use of his time right now anyway. If he wakes up after? Well, he'll consider that a success.

------------------

"Hey! What the hell?!" Eddie manages, coughing and trying not to choke on the ice cold water hitting his body. He opens his eyes to see Mills towering over him, glowering and holding an empty vase. He swipes a hand across his face. "Seriously, Anita, what the fuck was that?"

"I don't know, Eddie, you tell me." She disappears for less than a minute, returning with a hand towel she unceremoniously drops on his chest. "Help me out here. What's today?"

He wriggles himself to something resembling sitting and leans back against the coffee table. "What's today?" He parrots back dumbly.

Anita crosses her arms and quirks an eyebrow. "I asked you first."

Today, today, today. Where was he supposed to be- "Shit! The interview with, uh, fuck." He snaps his fingers and racks his brain trying to remember a name or a face. All he knows is they're important.

"Claudette Collins. Very good, Eddie, you got it part way."

"Give me ten minutes, I'll put myself together and we can go," he says, fighting the violent wave of nausea that hits as he scrambles to stand up.

"Save your poor carpet from getting puked on and sit the hell down."

"What? No, I can-"

"Eddie," Anita interjects, "the interview was five hours ago. The interview with the Claudette Collins. The one that took me months of phone calls, groveling and cashing in favors to get for you."

Fuck. "Anita, I'm so sorry. How-"

"Save it." Anita holds her hand up, effectively silencing him. It takes him back to being seven years old and having to explain why his dad's truck had an enormous dent in it. She rests her hands on her hips, pacing back and forth as she purses her lips. Eventually she sits in the leather armchair situated in the corner. "Eddie, you and I have known each other a long time. A long time. I've been your agent since you walked into my shitty office back in Dallas. Given your impressive display of awards, I'd say we've done pretty well together."

She inhales sharply, rubbing at her temple. Anita doesn't mince words, it's part of why he's always liked her. He never has to question where he stands. She says 'jump' and he knows exactly how high. It's not difficult to guess what's coming next.

"Eddie, I know you're going through a rough patch. What you're dealing with is hard enough without seeing it splashed on every tabloid and trashy website. Not to mention none of those places knows the real story, so it's all a bunch of 'she said he might have said' bullshit. But you've made it through tougher things." Anita doesn't need to clarify that she's talking about Shannon's death and how his parents tried to take Christopher. "I don't know what's happening this time, but I need to take a step back. My wife has made it very clear that all of my attempts at stress management are not working and that if I can't get it under control I shouldn't be surprised when I come home to an empty house. So."

Eddie swallows, waiting for the inevitable and cursing himself for pretending he wouldn't care.

"I've talked to a few friends in the business and found someone willing to take you on."

What?

"What? You're not firing me?"

Anita's features soften. "Technically, yes. I am very much dropping you like a scorpion I found in my boots. However, like I said, I found someone willing to work with you. The name is Bobby Nash. He runs a smallish agency but don't let that throw you. He's cobbled together some pretty impressive talent. I assume you've heard of Evan Buckley?"

Eddie scoffs. "Of course I have. Who hasn't? Christ, he's everywhere you look. I can't pass a damn bus stop without seeing his face." A few details begin to click into place within Eddie's muddled brain. "Bobby Nash is his agent?"

"Sure is. And we all know the stories about Evan's past aren't the type you trot out at parties. My advice is that you don't look a gift horse in the mouth, go with Nash and do whatever he tells you to do. He even has a role in mind for you, costarring with Buckley. What do you say?"

What else was there to say? If Eddie didn't want to get blacklisted or wind up as some washed up tragic Hollywood story, being gossiped about where everyone - including his son - could see what a failure he was...

"I guess I say- when can I meet him?"

"Good answer." Anita clasps her hands together and gives him her signature smirk that tells him she approves. "Just leave everything to me."

Up to this point, Eddie has trusted Anita implicitly with all the messy business that comes with having him for a client. Why stop now?

tagged by @loveyouanyway @spotsandsocks @wikiangela @tizniz

np tagging @actuallyitsellie @epicbuddieficrecs @a-noble-dragon @mountedeverest @fortheloveofbuddie

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@daffi-990 @diazsdimples @your-catfish-friend

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@bucksbiawakening @giddyupbuck @hoodie-buck @indestructibleheart @ladydorian05

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@thewolvesof1998 @watchyourbuck @welcometololaland @wildlife4life and anyone else who wants to 😘

[little-tyrant-gortash]

I have to move my theory to another post from here, so I can properly save it in my headcanons in my pinned post. 😊

Well yes, after being sold as a slave by your bloody parents to a warlock, you'd think one would be more cautious around a person who slaughtered his ally, butchered countless minions that supported him and literally pissed in his soup. (Because frankly. That's what we fucking did. 😂)

By rights, we should've lost our heads the moment we neared Baldur's Gate.

He does the complete opposite and since he's highly intelligent, I refuse to believe that he's doing it because he's stupid. No, there has to be another reason... why he... automatically... thinks the best of us. And yes, we ARE useful to him if he can persuade us to kill Orin for him, but he offers SO MUCH MORE in exchange for that.

His reaction to us - either Tav or Dark Urge - is overwhelmingly, frighteningly positive. He made a pact with Orin she wouldn't kill him but our mere word was enough. What's that if not hope and positivity?

I was thinking about something concerning this all. When we first talk to him face-to-face, we're in literal neck deep shit... he still has ideas how to proceed, he still has a positive look on our collective future.

I have a theory. I've been collecting these for a fanfic where he eventually turns away from Bane to Lathander. Because for me it's all. Right. There. It's also interesting that there's a MASSIVE lore on other gods but they've made an entire fucking Lathanderian monastery for us to wander in BEFORE we even know Gortash exists.

Okay, let me rant because I'm losing my mind, sorry:

Enver (Anwar) means "brighter, more luminous" in Arabic.

Enver Gortash's title is Lord Lightbringer. For comparison, Lathander's other name is the Morninglord. Very, very similar. And Lathander is rather the God of Dawn, representing a new day, a new beginning. It's also interesting that one of the titles a priest could get is Sunrise Lord. Sunrise Lord / Lord Lightbringer? Jesus fucking Christ Larian.

His Steel Watch have this big silver symbol on them that (to me at least) resembles the sun. Interesting he designed it in silver - the sun also looks white when we look directly at it, isn't it? Also: gold on black (light in the dark). And there are literal sunrays. Like dawn.

His exact words to us are "[we will] rise over Toril like a roaring sun"

Lathander's portfolio includes "birth, renewal, spring and youth, as well as athletics, self-perfection, vitality and creativity". Some of these definitely apply to Gortash, at least self-perfection, vitality and creativity does.

This entire passage on this page: "[Lathander] is the god of dawn, which represented the potential of a new day. A god of hope and beginnings, Lathander's name was invoked at the start of new endeavors, (once again, "[we will] rise over Toril like a roaring sun"] whether sealing a new deal, or setting out on a new journey."

Once more: like a roaring sun, because these words are burned in my brain. Bane is often called the God of Darkness. Why, pray tell, does Gortash say roaring sun? I'm going mental at that fucking line.

God of Hope - House of Hope (painful, but strange coincidence 😫)

"His was an eternal optimism, a constant willingness to focus on hopes for the future rather than wallow in the failures of the present. He was a doggedly determined god who encouraged proactive altruism and constant reevaluation of the old ways."

This ^ is also interesting because upon meeting him, Gortash doesn't focus on the past or the failures of the present either, he focuses on the future and what we can do together. He's also determined and constantly reevaluates the old ways (with his creations, his involvement in politics, his ascension, with his plans).

And how could he escape the House of Hope if he had no hope that he had a future, a new dawn?

I don't think that the creators did all of this by accident. It's visible they've paid careful attention to other details, too.

Maybe, just maybe... deep, very deep down... unconsciously... hidden from even Bane...

Gortash is drawn to Lathander. To the light. To the dawn and new beginnings.

And perhaps... maybe... he hopes that we are the ones who can bring him back to the light.

[hotpinkrathian]

Ahhhh so I have to admit I have been working on something, it's a very big project for me.

It's 30 000 words long as of now, and I estimate to be about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way through the story. I'm super excited about it, however I don't want to get to a point where I'm almost done and don't finish, which is why I am writing it so much.

I want everyone in the kyalin Fandom to be right there with me when it's ready. So I'm going to do my best to finish it before I start posting.

How would I describe it???

A Kyalin mystery slowburn

Here's a snippet from Chapter 3 (spoilers ahead)

“Here,” Tenzin said, passing Lin a notice.

“So secretive,” Kya joked, pretending to lean over.

“It's not that secret,” Tenzin said, “two more came forward getting letters, bringing the total to-”

“Forty-nine.” Lin finished. The names added to the list weren't familiar to her. An Earth Republic mayor, and a fire nation general. “Something tells me there's one more out there,” Lin said.

“You think? An even 50?”

“Stopping at forty-nine would be good thinking on their end,” Kya said, “I mean, it would have everyone worried over the 50th letter, which doesn't exist.” She elaborated.

Lin raised an eyebrow, shrugging it off.

“What are the odds they get out anyway?” Kya asked.

“You mean the dirt?” Lin clarified.

“Yeah. Are the threats… real? Do you think they actually know something, or is it… broad enough to make yo- people think they did something.”

“Well we've bounced around that idea for a while,” Lin said, “but I think the general consensus was that… they were a little too close for comfort.” She looked to Tenzin, whose harrowing eyes reflected the anxieties of her own.

Her own letter bounced around in the back of brain, waiting to be unpacked. She had divulged so much into dealing with the case, and worrying about Suyin, she hadn't put much thought into how she would deal with the information revealed by her letter.

What she would do.

What she would say.

She didn't inherently think she had anything to be ashamed of, but there were plenty others who wouldn't see it that way.

It would be career ending, perhaps enough to chase her out of town in search of a fresh start.

If Suyin was still alive, Zaofu could make for a nice retirement place.

“Excuse me for a moment,” she said, getting up. She made for the bathroom down the hall, but instead opened the window at the end of the hall.

Delicately, and with precision, even in her wine-induced stupor, she climbed outside, hanging onto the ledge.

She'd done it a thousand times in her teen years. Scaling the air temple had been a right of passage, and a necessity, when she was with Tenzin.

It was second nature to her as she hauled herself to the upper floor.

Luckily, the window wasn't locked and she got back inside with ease.

She walked quietly down the hall, praying she didn't wake the kids. It was as she remembered. Almost nothing had changed, and a strange wave of deja vu overcame her.

It ended when she entered the left door, and not the right.

Kya's room was one she hadn't been in much, especially as she got older. It looked as she had envisioned. It was tasteful and colorful. Lin envied her ability to pick out pictures and tapestries of varied colors, still managing to make them go together.

First she checked the nightstand, which had a lot of interesting things, but nothing she was looking for.

She checked the duffle bag on the chair, nothing but clothes and towels.

She sighed, looking around.

She noticed the bed was lifted slightly off the floor. Tenzin used to keep… stuff under his bed.

Perhaps these airhead all thought alike.

She got on her knees before laying herself gently onto her stomach.

She outstretched an arm under the bed, feeling around until her palm landed on a box.

She pulled it out, and allowed herself to stand up before setting it on the bed and opening it.

The unmistakable waxy green seal.

The inky handwriting on the back with a clear name designation.

The clear indication that it had been open and removed multiple times.

She held it in her hand, her fingers frozen.

Fifty

[applestorms]

DN ask game: how about 18 and 23 (23 I will amend to 'one of your current favourite moments,' in case you are me and hate choosing favourites in any kind of absolute way haha)

CACKLES oh you know me so well =3=" original ask game

18. what do you think about Wammy’s House?

MY GOD. what do i NOT think about wammy's house. i feel like i've already talked a bit on wammy's house in Various Essays, but i suppose to coagulate some of those kinda random thoughts...

it Fucks those kids up. by nature of what wammy's house Is, i don't think it's possible for a single kid to get through it w/o getting at least a little fucked up. that goddamn orphanage is releasing a Storm of incredible messed up little geniuses on the world and the world will never recover. you can't create a fucking organization based around concepts like Live Up To The World's Greatest Detective or Never Ever Use Your Real Name (guess that's probably KIRA motivated, but still) without screwing over the sense of identity of an entire generation. nobody's doin it like them fr.

i really really really like the idea that people toss around about KIRA = god of the new world, therefore -> L = god of the old world, and i think wammy's house maps onto that idea super well as a kind of cult of the old god. something something greco-roman mystery cults, L as a void player homestuck classpect-wise, the Secrets and Idolization inherent to that entire entity. oh yeah it's all comin together rubs my hands eviley.

i saw someone say the LABB murders novel was bad the other day and almost cried because i personally Adore that book, for the additional naomi characterization + beyond moments yes, but also for the extra lore it establishes about wammy's and L more generally. having actual Generations within the house is so fucking fascinating by how you can break it down, especially when you try to fit L into it and maybe have a generation where he was interacting with the other kids during his kinda Rise to Power. i definitely think beyond and L interacted quite extensively at the very least (headcanon basis for that mostly, i just like the idea + it explains why he even got the idea to emulate him so closely), and the existence of A in and of itself is such a fascinating mystery, i love seeing how people mess with the idea of them in different ways.

also everyone go read heirs and spares for fantastic light-at-wammy's house content that almost reads like some of the best earliest parts of the promised neverland and also has some great L and light childhood worsties content. go go

also kira bless time speaks for writing that entire timeline where light and L go live at wammy's and traumatize mello w/ their horrible terrible flirting that is fucking saving me. i am so Desperate for more lawlight interacting with wammy's content i have no idea why that sets my brain off so bad but it Just Does. etc etc L negligent parent King for the win, i need to see near and L have the most horrible terrible psychological battles monologuing so loud it stinks up the entire damn room while mello and light are beating each other with bats in the background. please. lord.

also also roger's characterization in the seals are good series is unironically my accepted characterization for him now whoops. btw i don't think i have many Deep Thoughts on watari, he's kinda just a shitty old man philanthropist to me :/ though i do find him more interesting and Paternalistic with a good L genderbend.........

23. what was your favorite moment and why?

you said current favorite so honestly... ok i'll limit myself to two.

FAVORITE SCENE OF ALL TIME: LIGHT DYING. ez. specifically in the manga. there is legitimately no better scene in the entire series. this fucking panel haunts my dreams it's so goddamn Good

there is nothing i love more in this world than watching light yagami bloody and pathetic crawling on the floor and begging for his life only to die like every other criminal he killed. his fear is so Palpable it literally makes me sick. i've read this final sequence, like ch.105-107 but especially this last bit so many goddamn times istg it's burned into my eyelids LIGHT YAGAMIIIIIIII. also his laugh in the anime is fucking incredible in both dubs 10/10 no notes you killed it fellas

FAVORITE SCENE AT THIS MOMENT: been thinking a Lot about both naomi and matsuda lately and their various notable scenes, oddly. i think i need to reread his entire comedy of errors during yotsuba again alskjfskjd and also check out naomi's death again esp in conjunction with LABB murder stuff?? idk. they're both characters that i feel i haven't talked much about (also kiyomi, thought i've been getting Thoughts on her LMFAO thank you forever @kiyomitakada) so i wanna get my image of them cleared up more in my head. also all of the SPK too, halle especially. damn i guess that's a whole lot of moments actually :P WHATEVER.

anyways ty for the ask <33

[fandomshipjumper]

Here's my latest idea and the first one posted since it's eating my brain. This was the quickest way to write it without losing my train of thought. I have come to the conclusion that I just took KeanBlade's sandbox and just added my own toys to it. Their writing is amazing, though. Parts of the Uchiha culture will be pulled from Umei no Mei's Compass of Thy Soul. I have to Adult so I can't polish it up right now. Let me know what you think!

Female OC Uchiha born in WC Era, much to her Terror.

Maybe be one of Madara's siblings? Easier for her to influence things.

Wind Natured

Conceal don't feel, always an Internal Eternal Mess

Sharingan-spins chakra, hooks emotion, and then emotions spin around and leads to Meltdowns

Specialize in sealing, sensing, non-combatant, does Not do well with violence

Plays Matchmaker for her Clan, luring in Yamanaka therapists first, then other useful professions

OC's sensing skill is her sensitivity to it because chakra didn't exist in her last life. (Chakra= Extension of the Soul)Mixed with her Sharingan seeing micro expressions on people, she is Uncannily Good at seeing Matches

KeanBlade inspired******* (OC read it)

Promotes therapists in clan and provides defenses for them from Zetsu

Veil over Sharingan memories, redirect initial memories* collab with Therapist

Knows Naruto, minor Shippuden, almost no Boruto, WC Era special interest (can pass off as precog, more info closer to their point in timeline)

Plan: Destroy Zetsu, plan for Otsutsuki Invasion

Village end goal Defends their World (Silence of the Pact)*

Mythology*, Kami Celestial, Astral Otsutsuki, God Tree, Indra is Amaterasu's son, Asura is Izanami's son.

Kami are Important here

OC ends up Religious because they died and they Know there are gods/godlike beings here and they are not risking it. Plus they need all the help they can get.

Running water where multi rivers meet with shrine on top*, gets help from priest there

Priest=Bear build, Earth Natured F or M?

Priest, Tobi, OC team up!

Madara helps when OC doesn't freak out about Zetsu affecting him

MadaTobi*, PriestOC

Tobi/Therapist is OC's Person?

OC opens her Sharingan with No Trauma* with Therapist

Sealing Language using Internal Logic via Compass of Thy Soul, after she pesters Mada or other into asking any Seal Master clarifying question(s)

Said Seal Master was drunk(?) when asked otherwise they would have given So Many Warnings and whoever asked wouldn't pass it on

Daimyo sets up the Clans to fight*

OC is Always Stressed. She looks like nothing phases her but she is So Stressed she's in Zen mode.

[crownmemes]

The X-Files Sentences, Vol. 1

(Sentences from The X-Files (1993-2002, 2016-2018). Adjust phrasing where needed)

"It's happening again, isn't it?"

"Sorry, nobody down here but the FBI's most unwanted."

"So, who did you tick off to get stuck with this?"

"I was under the impression that you were sent to spy on me."

"Do you believe in the existence of extraterrestrials?"

"You just think you can come up here and do whatever you damn please, don't you?"

"You're saying that time disappeared? Time can't just disappear!"

"There's classified government information I've been trying to access, but someone has been blocking my attempts to get at it."

"I see no evidence that justifies the legitimacy of these investigations."

"Let's just say that I'm in a position to know quite a lot of things."

"You know, the government is not above the law."

"What would be the chances of someone like me seeing a UFO?"

"It can't be aircraft. Aircraft can't manoeuvre like that."

"Just because I can't explain it, doesn't mean I'm going to believe they were UFOs."

"The brain doesn't work like that. You can't just go in there and erase certain files."

"I can provide you with information, but only so long as it's in my best interest to do so."

"Each victim was found with their liver ripped out."

"Why would I make them so uncomfortable?"

"Reputation? I have a reputation?"

"Do you think I'm spooky?"

"If you explain to me what you're talking about, maybe I can help you out."

"What was she doing right before she died? Was she pleading for her life?"

"Come with me or don't come with me, but until they find a body, I'm not giving up on that girl."

"Fact is, we've got a cannibalised body. Someone - or something - out there is hungry."

"On the contrary, I think I've been exceedingly polite."

"So, can I ask about the case you're on, or can't you say?"

"Look, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"I have to admit, that fulfilled one of my boyhood fantasies."

"I have my orders, and the license to execute them as I see fit."

"How can I disprove lies that are stamped with an official seal?"

"No government agency has jurisdiction over the truth."

"Are you at all familiar with the phenomenon of cattle mutilations?"

"You know, some mistakes are quite worth making twice."

"There's something else I haven't told you about myself..."

"Some killers are products of society. Some act out of past abuses. Some kill because they like it."

"I thought you'd be pleased that I'd opened myself to extreme possibilities!"

"How come you don't believe me?"

"Our best lead is gone. Someone stole it before the lab had a chance to look at it."

"Remember the day you first walked into my office? You pissed me off just looking at you, but then I saw how your mind worked - how you're always three jumps again."

"A lot of people are saying you've become an embarrassment - a liability."

"The government can't control a deficit or manage crime. What makes you think they can plan and execute such an elaborate conspiracy?"

"That's why I like you! Your ideas are weirder than mine!"

"I think it's remotely plausible that someone might think you're hot."

[toujokaname]

Game master / Episode 10

Author: Akira

Characters: Hiiro, HiMERU, Kohaku, Aira

"What it is ain't important; what's important is that the characters move in pursuit of its existence."

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[ Read on my site for a better viewing experience using Ois~su ♪ ]

Season: Winter

Location: Secluded Village

At the same time. A corner of Amagi Village, the starting point of the test of courage.

Hiiro: Now, let's go over the showdown details again.

It's the fourth match in Matrix, a test of courage.

HiMERU: Right. It's not overly intricate, though. It appears we're in for a literal test of courage.

Kohaku: It's my first time doin' somethin' like a test of courage. It's excitin'~♪

Aira: Kohakucchi can be so innocent sometimes... Cute.

But just the idea of trying out a test of courage in an eerie backward village gives me the creeps.

Hiiro: Again, I wish you'd stop calling someone's hometown a backward village.

As I keep repeating, my hometown is normal.

Well, but, I've been away from here for a while too. It wouldn't be surprising if the "common sense" has changed, so we shouldn't let our guard down, I guess?

Moreover, "this place" seems to be slightly different from the hometown I'm familiar with.

Kohaku: What the heck's with ya, sayin' something so scary. Looks like the test of courage's already in full swing, huh ♪

HiMERU: You seem strangely enthusiastic, Oukawa. Even though we've participated in similar projects before?

Since it's not the first time, is there really a need to get so worked up?

Kohaku: That was an escape game, this here's a test of courage. It's different.

HiMERU: Rather, Oukawa, weren't you supposed to be scared of ghosts? Why do you seem so excited?

Kohaku: It's fun to be scared, right? Ain't that what a test of courage's about?

Aira: I kinda get it... Even though it scares me, sometimes I watch horror movies or go into haunted houses at theme parks.

I always regret it afterward, though.

Hiiro: Well, enjoying fear and thrills in safe circumstances is a hobby I'm aware of.

When humans feel fear, their brains secrete chemicals to alleviate it. It seems some become dependent on the pleasure of easing that tension.

Aira: Hiro-kun, seriously, where do you pick up stuff like that from?

Hiiro: Mainly from books and the internet. For that matter, how come Aira doesn't know anything even though he lives in such an information-rich environment?

Aira: I-I know a lot of things? I'm literally the one always teaching Hiro-kun, who's eternally clueless?

Kohaku: Hehe. Rabu-han, seems you're pretty sassy when Hiiro-han's around.

In front of me, you're always such an innocent, good boy... But even so, this side of Rabu-han's rather captivatin', too ♪

Aira: Ugguh?! It's Hiro-kun's fault! You totally blew my cover in front of Kohakucchi?!

Hiiro: I won't take the blame for that, okay...?

HiMERU: Fufu. Well, let's get back to the topic, shall we? HiMERU apologizes for derailing the conversation, Hiiro-san.

Hiiro: Huh? It didn't seem like HiMERU-san was the one who derailed it... Oh well.

Umm. I don't have any experience with tests of courage either, so I can't speak as if I understand very much, but here goes.

Representatives from each of our units will follow a set route around the Amagi Village.

It seems that the final destination is a certain mansion deep inside the village.

While pressing seals on stamp cards placed along the route, we'll obtain a "treasure" at the final destination.

That's about the gist of it.

Aira: It sounds kinda mysterious, but what's this treasure?

Hiiro: Well... I think it's just a MacGuffin, so we don't have to worry too much about it.

Aira: M-Macffi...n? What's that? A new type of snack?

HiMERU: No one was talking about muffins.

Kohaku: It's a term used in filmmakin'. It refers to somethin' the characters are tryna achieve.

It's only a motive or goal to drive the characters. In practice, anythin' works.

It might be treasure, a briefcase brimmin' with cash, or even somethin' as abstract as a position of power.

What it is ain't important; what's important is that the characters move in pursuit of its existence.

[ ☆ ]

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[rainofthestorm]

From the Shards: Worlds of Iron and Glass

our head's a mess~

I don't have much of an idea of what's currently happening in our head. We're sort of trying to figure out how Tal fits into everything, and a little worried about where his "home" seems to be in our headspace: a pitch-dark cave. Our brain is frequently overtaken by fog and noise, and while we can feel ourselves dissociating pretty clearly, it's less clear what that means at any given point.

We made a path from the wasteland to the lake at least, so he can kinda come and go as he wants to, on the path illuminated through the fog.

There's a lone mountain in the middle of the wasteland, and there's a path that leads to it and spirals up around it. Dead-looking trees dot the mountain, and there's a dozen or so (13 in all I think?) of these... kind of archways or gates at various points along the path. They're very... kinda ominous I guess, unfriendly and not welcoming at all. They look like they're made of a weird kind of black obsidian or glassy rock, and there's some odd etchings on them, runes of some kind I think. Most of them are... I guess I would say dormant? A couple seem to have opened and lead to other places in our headspace.

This place seems to have existed in our brain for a very long time, at least since high school, if not earlier. An ever-present mental image, that keeps coming back to us.

The first one, lowest down, leads to my place. A lake surrounded by a forest. After a while the forest disappears in the distant fog, just like a lot of other places in our headspace.

Caitanya... I guess I would say "found" this place? I'm not sure if it's representative of anywhere but. I have a persistent problem where I struggle to actually sit/lie down and let myself rest, much less let the others actually take over for me, even if I really need them to. So Cait found this place and built the little cabin here as a kind of place to rest, give me somewhere to go if I need a rest or a break and I can't find my own way to resting properly.

The second gate seems to lead to a beach we used to live near when we were a kid, at the base of the cliffs behind it. It's... I'm not sure if it's exactly that same place, but it is distinctly familiar and similar to it. I've ventured in there by accident once, and came back again later to have a look around.

Not much worth noting here as far as I can tell, except for the streets behind the cliff that lead back to the caravan park where we grew up, and our old house. Umbra seems to kind of hang out there a lot of the time, and Winter seems to visit there often as well.

The only other active gate at the moment seems to be the one at the top. Not too sure where exactly it leads, feels like some place deep underground. It's pitch dark with only a little torchlight. I met Tal for the first time in here, fairly recently. I've not been back to explore it yet.

There's some places I can just get to, without needing to really do anything but want to be there: the lake with my cabin, the black-sand island on the calm glassy ocean, the wasteland with the mountain and the gates, Cait's forest and the hot spring.

I don't know if everyone can just directly access them or not, especially those of us who've been sealed off behind gates until now.

Even with the gates that are open now, we don't know yet how much freedom of movement those people have in our headspace.

I know I can't just jump into their areas directly, I have to go via the gate that leads there. The only exception is the gate to the lake, but I think that's just because that is my place already, and I was already able to get to it before the gate opened up.

Seems kinda like each member in our system has a sort of domain where they have some amount of control and can go voluntarily.

I know Winter visits Umbra's place sometimes, I've seen them hanging out together, and Umbra can come back to my place, and has at least a few times.

And Tal... seems to be around somewhere, although I'm less clear where he is a lot of the time.

Lyric's place is somewhere near the lake, a dance studio with the mirrors on all the walls.

Winter... I'm not sure where her home area is, I don't have a very solid idea of where she tends to hang out in our headspace. She's fronted a handful of times, but once she goes back in, I don't know where she goes.

Caitanya has her forest, and a hot spring somewhere in it. I don't know where exactly the forest is, but she's taken us there before. If she wants us there, it's no problem to get there, and she usually is okay with us being there. If she doesn't, though, I've no idea how to find it. It's a lush, quiet rainforest, lots of life but also a very peaceful place. I don't know if anything or anyone other than the plants and Caitanya live there, I've only ever seen her and the other headmates there.

There's some sort of permissions system, like I can go to any place whose owners want me there? But seemingly not places where they either don't know about me or don't particularly want to be found.

I wonder if this is why so many gates are still closed to me, because there are still those of us who are not ready to be found. I wonder if others may see different gates open than I do?

And aside from everyone's own spaces, there's... the ocean, the island, I don't know if anyone really "owns" that. I would guess we probably all have some ability to get there, we've had everyone that was awake/active meet there before, but not since Wren woke up, I think. It's... not somewhere we like to be.

Near as I can tell it's where a lot of things are buried, underneath the water. Lots of obsidian glass shards on the ocean floor. I'd guess it's the remains of... whatever the hell we destroyed when we were 11. The water is quite shallow near the island, but I'm not sure how deep it gets further out.

It's a bleak place, cold. Lonely, even if we're all here at once. Kinda like the wasteland in that way, but less structured, formless. There's no wind here, but the air carries an ever-present chill that tells you that you're completely alone, even in company.

We come here to think, often. Before we understood what we were even looking at, the mental image of this place would always come when we needed to take a quiet moment to think, relax, and reset. Be alone for a moment. We'd disturb the water, dipping our hands in and letting it drip back into the ocean. The sound of water droplets falling into the ocean has always been very loud here, echoing as though this vast expanse of an ocean is somehow also underground. Contained. And loud as though the water is much denser than it should be, heavy.

The ocean with its island and the wasteland with the gates were the only two places we knew about for a long time. We'd see them both periodically, before we had any real concept of what they were. Just pictures in our head. It escaped our notice that we had a lot of trouble picturing much of anything else, but these places were curiously vivid, always.

The island is also... raw materials, in a sense? Glass shards from the ocean and black-iron sand, for fixing things and building things. Making stained glass. The raw and unprocessed source of everything, both useful things and painful things.

This used to be our only quiet place. Somewhere to come to think. Still kinda is, but Caitanya's since made others, so I at least don't come back here quite as often now.

The ocean is unmoving, smooth as glass itself. You can reach in sometimes and pick up shards from the seabed, or catch them as they're tossed by the currents running underneath the motionless surface.

Sometimes the shards are dark and quiet. It's not time for them yet. Sometimes.... there's brief snippets of memories. Sometimes touching them at all is painful, other times you can handle them, if you're careful. Some still have sharp edges, some seem to have been worn away by the ocean and by time.

I had... forgotten. We somewhat built Wren here. Creature of iron and glass. Though I don't know if I could say truly built more than found. The shards know what they are, we merely helped put things back together.

Although they still... maybe Wren's more complete now, but when they woke up they weren't. Not quite, anyway.

They must've come back at some point maybe... or maybe what they were missing simply wasn't here in this space. I know Cait tended them a while after they awoke, I guess she managed to fix up whatever was not quite right, not quite complete.

When they woke up they... we put the shards together, we made a bird-sculpture from the glass and iron. There's no sunlight here, but it was illuminated all the same, the shards themselves glowing in their way... and then they vanished briefly, reappearing high above. They... almost fell back into the sea, before they worked out how to fly.

Wren.., is often around, now. Messenger, sometimes, passing words and images along when needed. They.... are often not fronting but are very much in our awareness nonetheless. Near-surface I guess? Sometimes they front too, though, usually if I'm a little tired.

It took four of us (me, Lyric, Caitanya, and Roan) to awaken Wren. I don't... I don't think Cait was super happy with the result, at least at first. Understood it as necessary in some way, maybe, but. Displeased. I think it wasn't good for them to wake up incomplete and scared. We're glad she took care of them anyway though.

But this place, the ocean... nothing leads to it. It just kinda is.

We are ourselves, we are our places. Our places guide us and shape us, We construct our places, and our places maintain us.

The others... Cait's forest is similar in that way. Can't really go there directly, and there aren't gates that lead there. But if we need to be there, we can get there, she'll take us.

Roan... I guess the sun kinda is its place? only been there once. strange place. also a little unfriendly, unsettling. Permanently eclipsed by some vast sheet of obsidian-glass.

Not being freely traversable seems to mean we get a bit foggy the more we venture around. There's lots of fog-walls around places, many of these are very closed-in areas, mostly...

But the ocean and the wasteland go on forever... with no sun in the sky at all, just pitch-dark night. The mountain in the centre of the wasteland and the island in the middle of the ocean are the only features in either place, as though mirroring each other.

.... I think I'm a little worried I'll get lost in here if I venture too much or too deeply.

Even though.... I'm not really supposed to be spending too much time in here... I want to. I want to understand these things. It's a little frustrating at times, but I know I'm too impatient a lot of the time.

[mega-ringsandthings-world]

I'm back on my bullshit, and I'm about to make it everyone's problem! Sorry if everything's a bit scattered; I'm trying to get my thoughts in order, but I have so much stuff in my now overflowing brain folder. I'll have to sort it out later. Again take everything I say with a grain of salt I’m sure I will love your au wether I’ve got the right idea about it or not!

But oh my god! Your sketches are so good and clean—mwah, chef's kiss. And the sword before Yoru is peak "Hawk-boy has a type," and we all can see it. I wonder if he had it personally made to prepare to take on Yoru as a main blade later, if it existed at this time? Did he go through a catalog of specific special grade swords and go, "Mmm, yes, big blade!" and never look back? Sorry, off-topic, but he deserves a fancy, pretty blade, and those purple and pink jewels are very much like that for him and his vibe.

And huh, him showing Shanks kindness with the handkerchief! It's sweet, and Mihawk's already attached. Normally, Mihawk wouldn't have given Shanks the time of day until he could fight him, but adversity and the lack of autonomy have made him somewhat less controlled, or at least trying to gain some type of control, even if it's just making sure someone uses a handkerchief instead of their shirt. And Shanks, it kinda feels like Shanks already has a crush. He's emotionally defeated, devastated, and probably terrified, and here comes this guy, gruff and rude, but he doesn't ask about Roger, he doesn't want anything from Shanks, and he gives him something beautiful he made himself by hand, just so Shanks could wipe his tears and blow his nose. Fuck it all, I'd fall in love if someone did that for me.

They already feel so enmeshed; like the handkerchief sealed some type of pact with fate. Like the universe has turned and slotted these two together. And your wrote it so seemlessly! Shanks is vulnerable and unable to hide behind drinks, parties, and adventures. Mihawk is out of control, a big and main part of his character that later on becomes like a second skin. As much as he seems okay, this is pushing him into behavior that would likely be out of character if not under these circumstances. Gods, this is the type of character study I love! I will definitely be comparing and contrasting these two and their canon counterparts as they change, and the fic goes on. Tulips are probably about to become Shanks' favorite flower. And of course, Mihawk can embroider. He's a man of perfection and patience (ha, I can relate to that; never perfect indeed), and the delicate, slow needlework of embroidering sounds just right up his alley. Probably his form of meditation. I bet he does all the flowers on his shirts. I bet Shanks will tear his clothes in the future just so Mihawk will embroider flowers on them.

Now off to the boys for a second. Let's talk politics, specifically the revolutionaries. Are the revolutionaries going to be a big part of this fic? Because as you mentioned, the world government is about to commit an oopsie on the highest scale. Are some of those monsters going to be snatched up by Dragon and his revolution? Because this is about to radicalize a lot of people. A lot of powerful people. Hmmm, I wonder if he'll even be interested in what's happening to the pirates who got caught. He seems like a good and kind man, but a man who's willing to put the needs of the greater good over the needs of a few criminals. Pirates aren't exactly the good guys, so to speak, and if they were just headed for Impel Down, I don't think he'd do much for them. But I don't think that's where you're pulling this, and again, he is pragmatic and willing to mess up what the world government has planned. The oppressed, no matter their station or morals, are fellow oppressed, and I can see him looking into what the government's doing and maybe disrupting it to screw the government over. I don't know; just throwing thoughts out there.

But more importantly, in this AU, it seems that the Roger Pirates will be hunted even more than in canon, considering the Marines are on a mission to destroy piracy at the root, and a lot of would-be pirates they would have had to worry about just got snapped up! I don't think they'll be able to help Shanks even if they wanted to. And Garp, where's he in all this? On one hand, I can totally see him advocating for the eradication of the pirates and setting the trap. On the other hand, I'm not sure about him being so gung-ho about taking in Shanks and doing whatever the Marines plan to do with him. It might be a side plot for later, unless, once they get the prisoners, this all goes to Cipher Pol agents and out of the Marines' hands. Maybe this was their idea in the first place; it seems more up their alley than the Marines in general. Maybe a collaboration? Guess I’ll find out when I read.

But also, governments aren't good at mass arrests. How many civilians do you think got snapped up by accident?

Anyways, that's all I have for now. The art I promised should be posted tomorrow, hopefully; I just want to make a few adjustments. Should be all good. Also, do you have a playlist for this AU yet?

I'm pumped anytime I get your asks, hit away all you like! I love hashing this AU out like this. Most times you've hit it right on the head! I'm making it everyone's problem too. !! Glad you like them! Allow me to go on a moment, the 'before Yoru' sword is supposed to be modeled in appearances (jewels, handguard, inlaid blade) after a spanish or italian cusped falchion, and in utility, after the german kreigmesser. Based on appearances, they look closest to Yoru, and yeah, it's exactly 'Mihawk has a type.' He'd be the kind to find a design he likes and stick with it. Kreigmessers were military swords, used often by mercenaries, and used two-handed. Again, like Yoru. I think Mihawk would have obtained/made a sword suited to his fighting style, and that style does contain a lot of extended slashes. Yoru does exist, and I have a whole thing for how he will get it. Let's just say he becomes acquainted with it due to the marines. And yes. More pink and purple everything, actually. Those colors work for him so much. ^^ He's attached and he doesn't even know it himself. He thinks it's simply purely utilitarian, purely practical to make sure Shanks cleans up properly, but it's also to see what Shanks will do. If he'll refuse it, or be insulted, or double down, or turn his nose up at Mihawk's refinement. None of which Shanks does. And yes, also to retain control over the situation. If he has a handle on what is happening right beside him, it 'frees' him concentrate on the more severe aspects going on. Shanks does have a crush. Probably love from first handkerchief. Again, he doesn't know it yet either. Right now he's too steeped in grief, and he also would think Mihawk is out of his league. Still, Mihawk is his only sense of stability at the moment. Mihawk's indifference and stoic-ness is what will unwittingly keep Shanks sane, because at a time when he would have been drowning in despair, he instead is pressing back against Mihawk's opposite personality. And admiring his handkerchiefs. (A thing about the handkerchief, most sailors now how to sew, they have to. Shanks would know how to sew as well, which is why he isn't surprised at Mihawk making the handkerchief, but at it's prettiness. Shanks has never had the occasion to work beauty into the things he makes for himself. Also why he thinks a sweetheart made it for Mihawk) Just so! They don't have the mental armor of their older selves. They do not have the presence, the power, or the coping methods. They are not established. Mihawk is so young, nineteen is nothing, really, and the sympathy and care we only see bare glimpses of in his older self is not sealed away as it is then. At this age, he's haughty, but that is a projection of haughtiness as much as anything. Pitting older and younger against each other is so fun in that regard! Oh, that's for certain. Tulips become and remain his favorite flower. I embroider, and embroidering is relaxing, but requires focus, so perfect hobby for Mihawk. And he gets to use something sharp and pointy. His perfectionism is perhaps what leads to him taking up embroidering and even actual tailoring in the first place, he'd want total say over how he decorates/designs his things/clothes. And YES to Shanks deliberately making Mihawk have to mend his clothes. got to make a pt. 2

[itz-pandora]

I really feel the need to not make an anonymous ask just to say how Mephiles fights lmao

Despite Mephiles being treated as a strong and powerful villain, Mephiles is very dependent on his own creations to defend himself

Mephiles has the idea that he won't succeed without someone's help, so he has his fighting methods such as: making someone fight in his place

For example: Silver himself in the original lore

He wanted someone to kill Sonic, even though he could do it, but he thought it would be better to manipulate someone into doing it for him

Example 2

In Shadow's first fight against Mephiles, Mephiles used the help of his minions a lot

Not these Minions.

These Minions.

Although Mephiles made more than 500 Minions fight against Shadow, they were easily defeated, including Mephiles

Another Boss that Mephiles created was this:

Seems strong, but is also easily defeated

Knowing this in mind, let's say he is a coward in fights

But he calls it a strategy, as he takes advantage of these situations to catch his opponent off guard

What does this really work....

And also of course, one of the best scenes that will also serve as an example 3

That even though Mephiles made more than 1000 clones of himself to fight against 3 people, they were also easily defeated

After several examples, it was clear that Mephiles is weak, regardless of how many powers he has, he never won, at least without anyone's help, so the whole game he was trying to get Iblis out of Elise body, because he knew he couldn't accomplish his goals without him

I don't know how the way Mephiles fights will influence Silver in a good way, even though Silver is "copying" Mephiles' way of fighting, they don't give off the same energy

Over time, Silver will learn to fight(and probably much better) without looking like Mephiles, he may notice that his way of fighting doesn't suit him

Mainly because Silver has a strong sense of justice, Mephiles, when he sees that he is losing, runs away so as not to be determined as the loser

- butterfly

OH MY GOD MEPHILES IS SUCH A LOSER IN CANON

TYSM for the info Butterfly!!!

I really should adapt my story more to this info cuz it's interesting (unless his minions are more just treated like Badniks)

(It's hard to get 1:1 fighting outta my stories cuz my DBZ brain activates lol)

I feel like a lot of Sonic antagonists are like this, because the gameplay is very "disposable enemy" based. I'll try to stray away from that for some, but it kinda fits Mephiles. But then again, it makes him similar to Dark Gaia, which idk if I should emphasize or try to cut similarities between.

Oh a random idea I just had was what if instead of making Mephiles having minions like Eggman or Dark Gaia, maybe he could be kinda similar to Pride in FMAB, to emphasize he is made of literal shadows. Idk how I'd execute it yet tho.

I want to include that Mephiles can just, become an actual shadow. My version of Mephiles wasn't sealed away, Iblis was, but since one can't exist without the other, Mephiles was weakened to only be in a shadow-like state. He was kinda like a fly on the wall. He's been around for hundreds of years, and he's got to see awful things mortals do, and that, plus Iblis getting sealed away, is his reason for hating them.

Tysm for the information!!! I shall rotate this in my brain for a bit

[bluebelleix]

Okay so these are all just rambles about Saint Ars I have in my head that I just wanna let out

I also didn't write these down so they might seem inconsistent so apologies for that

Saint Ars having the lowest divine visionaries is so funny to me. Like I love that school (even if we don't have any knowledge on it) but like that type of situation where its been hundred of years and you still don't have atleast a two digit number amount? Yeah no what the hell is going with school.

Okay there's like 3 main(?) schools which are Easton Magic Academy, Walkis Magic Academy and Saint Ars Holy Magic Academy.

Here's my personal thoughts: Walkis is probably more towards on like being a higher-up?? If that make sense. And taking in about "Power means everything to them", it's probably about having an authority.

They're probably related to the government and politics and stuff I guess. Either that or they're just strong to pass being a Divine visionaries.

Easton is probably specifically towards magic and maybeeee theyre connected with jobs related to magic (magic police etc). Considering the entrance is hard to pass, I guess the failures went either to Walkis or Saint Ars.

So yeah I conclude that they're just related to magic and other stuff like mythical creatures and all that. Like studying them and learning how to seal magic and other dangerous stuff.

Now Saint Ars.. anyone who comes across my posts knows that well, I might be. just a little. enthusiastic about that school.

I could be interested in a character or something BUT NOOOOO my brain just likes this school or something., when there's barely anything related to it.

WHATEVER, anyway, Saint Ars has this religious vibes which is obvious from their logo and well, name.(That's a cross, yiu guys think Jesus exist or something)

Now remember how at that one point that Bureau of Magic guy that's bald said that God gave the world Magic and all that and how there's a bunch of gods you can summon as a third liner?

NOW HEAR ME OUT, it's already so obvious that of course that this is just a church being transformed into a school. I just don't know how to word it out.

I like to think 1. That this school mainly focuses on praising and believing God/ gods(?(do they acknowledge them as well?oh well), 2. Acts like the bald guy but WAYYYYY harsher.

Definitely believes those without magic was chose not to by God and yknow that type twisted mindset. Like they would say, why would God let them exist in the first place?

It's crazyyy

Anyway, the other part which is like Justice related. The law being related to religion is.. I can see it but again, I can't word it out 😔.

I feel like this school is probably towards the Law and other type of stuff related to it.

Now I don't know much of the law so I'm afraid I'm low on info on these type of stuff. However, I can see it but it's hard to describe. The only thing is I know it's about like religious law or something like that.

I guess I can see the school being like related to the Town's church or something and students would always do community work at that place.

I definitely see this school having like. a fucked up idea or mindset. Like I pray that Mash should never be near to this school after his whole reveal.

Actually after that controversy(Mash's reveal), students probably were like so angered because of how they were taught. But I believe maybe one day, that school will slowly but surely grow out of that mindset after like a few years.

Oh and the main God they praise is Themis, God of Justice because of the law thing jfhdh. I imagine that this God is the symbol and pride of that school because "the God helped build it(the law)" lol.

The law and religion.. it's such a nice combo. That school reeks of traditions and moral codes. They probably have a bunch rules to follow and like beliefs.

The teachers are probably all nuns and priest. Do they study magic? I guess they appreciate it more than an average person but they have a higher belief that its a gift from God.

I don't know what type of magic they'll study but definitely not combat.. because "that's what started the war before Adam Jobs came in." They're all in that they don't wanna repeat history and stuff.

So the school is more towards Magic History and Magic Zoology? ("Creatures are also creations of God!" Yada yada type of stuff), though I imagine all schools have the same type of subjects.. I think.

Okay that's all.. I think

[masked-disciple]

Ok friend you have my curiosity where is this fic you speak of. I am SO ready to have my brain chemistry fundamentally changed

Start here. My recommendation is to read that, maybe read the rest of Turnabout NaNoWriMo, and if you want to know more after that, I can hand you some 200k of fic that is properly formatted with the interludes, because Ao3's formatting really doesn't work with the Sagiverse anthologies. (So what you see here is maybe like a quarter of what we've got. We have a lot, and also lots of art.)

Turnabout NaNoWriMo is the first of three-and-a-half anthologies I've written, and it's only after reading and enjoying all of them do I let people at my fiance's anthologies, which are excellent but a bit more private. (Turnabout Runaways, which was this year's NaNo challenge, is incomplete but at least 50k. I will be slowly working on it probably for a few months, and eventually it'll be done.)

These anthologies take place in a greater crossover AU we refer to as Sagiverse. It started in 2020 in Saint Seiya, and now hosts several different series, eight hundred some-odd characters, upwards of thirty different fantasy worlds (of which Earth is only one), and more plotlines than we can keep track of properly.

Here's the two-sentence pitch: seven hundred years ago, there was a giant war between various magical factions on Earth that ended in a mostly-forgotten pyrrhic victory and the gods choosing to seal magic away from the world. So magic began to slowly die out, and as of present day, magic is rarer and rarer, and mage society is dying out, but it's still holding on as best it can, until one day the gods finally allow magic to return.

Ace Attorney gets involved with this very very simply. Miles Edgeworth is a mage. To be specific, he's a necromage, one of the most powerful currently active on Earth. His father, Gregory Atticus Edgeworth, had never found proof of magic while he was alive. His mother... well, no one knows who his mother is, or anything about the man at all. After DL-6, Miles was taken in by MvK as a ward just as canon says, but the von Karmas themselves are magi of a kind. After DL-6, Atticus finds the proof of magic's existence that he's been looking for all along, and he is not going to leave his son and missing fiance alone in a world that so very much wants the both of them dead.

And so begins a thirty-five year trainwreck to put their wayward, way-finding family back together. They'll do it, no matter what it takes. It just turns out their family's a little bigger than they think it is.

The fic I linked pretty much opens with the identity of Miles' mother, which you learn pretty much as I did, because I didn't plan jack or shit, only let him tell me what was going on. You may raise an eyebrow at the canon ages, don't worry about that. We had to fix the timeline anyway (because the forensics tech was all twenty years out of date so we just changed the years to be twenty years earlier, setting DL-6 on December 28th 1981) so we just didn't pull him back as far. Atticus died at 39, his fiance was 33.

This is because when I first got into AA, I found the IS-7 picture of Gregory and Ray, and I sort of mistook 18-year-old Ray as Atticus' wife. My fiance pointed out the age gap, paused, and went "but they're cute so I'm sure we can make it work" and then we did. If you hesitate a bit on the ship but don't immediately hate the idea, I promise I can sell you on it. At the end of the day, everything comes back to Atticus and Ray's tragic romance. This I can promise you: it ends happily. We're just still writing everything in between.

Sagiverse!Ray is a pretty distinct character from canon!Ray, but they're close enough that if you like one you'll probably like the other. I gave him way more trauma and it's fun. :3c

If you're wondering what happens to other characters, I can answer that. Apollo is dead for a few months, Phoenix a little bit longer. Robot!Athena has Issues. Franziska changes her career from Interpol to Magica Underground mostly because it's a better use of her legal talents. Miles gets to be the chosen one and lead a war against one of his university friends who unfortunately (and semi-accidentally) stole Phoenix's corpse and ran away with it. (Phoenix is fine, don't worry about it.) Atticus gets to be a bounty hunter on the ghostroads with Mia and they do a lot of shooting MvK and causing problems. Ray, uh. Well, at least he only got shot in the head twice?

[sparkpelt111]

Quest for Santa Perla

Soooooooo, I had to write a short story for one of my classes and my brain was like, what if you tell your own tale about that one statue in Pix's empire, then was like, hey, why don't you post it, and now we're here. Just to let you know, this has been edited from the original draft used for school and will probably have grammar/spelling mistakes. Yes, I know this isn't canon, or very accurate for that matter. I just wrote it. So, uh, enjoy?

...

They had all told me it was impossible, that She was only a legend. The Tomb of Santa Perla never existed. If only they could see me now.

I was studying my maps after a long day of trekking through the Northern Savannah, which history claims used to be a bountiful land of great fields of wheat. Rows of a multitude of crops used to thrive here, but something happened and all that has turned to dust. Legend says the land died with its grandest queen, who, after death, became a goddess of, well, everything it seems. Some say She’s the goddess of the crops, some say She’s the goddess of sunflowers, some that She’s the goddess of life itself. Yet others say She represents death, or the light after death. I've even heard someone claim She's the Goddess of Battle. No one can know for sure. 

I was out here trying to find Her tomb, which could hold the answers we’ve been looking for. My guide was named Sausage, a deeply devoted follower of Saint Perla, despite Her not being worshiped for hundreds of years. He knew the stories of Her better than everyone, and knew the Savannah better than anyone I knew. Using his information, with cross references from books, I had marked out a general location of where She could be, if She existed, that is. But a find like this would cement my name in history as one of the greatest archeologists ever recorded, so I had to keep going.

I had immersed myself in my books, trying to scavenge for a bit more information, when I came across a jewel of information I had not noticed before. It noted that Her tomb was placed under a grand statue of Her made from gold and clay.

“Sausage, can you come over here for a minute?” I called out from inside the tent.

The door flap opened and I saw the friendly face of my guide.

“What’s up Pix?”

“I need to know something. Do you know anything about a giant statue out here?”

He looked thoughtful for a minute, stroking his short beard.

“Some people claim to see a strange rock formation in about the same direction we’re headed. It might be the remains of a statue, but I’ve never seen it, so I can’t confirm.”

“Thank you for telling me. I found something that says it might be the marker of Her tomb.”

He nodded and said, “Okay, tomorrow we’ll keep going in that direction. Night”

“G’night.”

… 

As we crested the hill, a bright glimmer caught my eye. I pulled out my spy glass and peered through. It was a rock formation with a slightly green hue, with veins of what appeared to be gold. My heart leapt with joy as I handed it to Sausage. 

He gasped and said, “Santa Perla! We’ve found Her!”

We ran down to the remains of the statue. I held up a rough sketch I had found on a previous excavation for Santa Perla and compared it to the rubble. The green in the rocks, though faded, matched the hue of Her dress, remnants of what may have been a crown was laced with gold and faded patches of yellow clay that matched her crown of sunflowers.

We circled what was left of the pedestal, looking for maybe an entrance, or a sealed opening. We found a rusty plaque in some forgotten language probably explaining the statue, but I, unfortunately, couldn't translate it on the short timeline we had. That’s when Sausage had the brilliant idea of removing the plaque. We pried it off and found a musty tunnel. I lit one of my torches and we entered. 

We traveled for a bit before coming across a large cavern. Inside was a large mural of the goddess, painted with Her sunflowers, wheat, and, strangely, a large, wolf-like dog. I pulled out my sketchbook and quickly sketched it.

“Over here,” said Sausage in a reverent whisper.

I walked to him and saw a marble tomb, on the lid an engraving of the queen bearing Her sword and a bit of grain in Her arms. I gave the lid a strong push and moved it away. In it there was, nothing. Wait, there was something there. A book. I picked it up and was amazed to see there wasn’t even a flake of dust. Nothing had decomposed in this tomb, that I could tell. 

I opened the book and saw it was full of drawings and stories, from times past that Santa Perla herself had written involving all the other empires and their rulers during her time.

“The answers you seek are in there,” came a woman’s voice behind us.

John and I spun around, and I accidentally dropped the torch, but its light was not needed.

A tall, majestic woman stood before us, dressed in green and sunflowers. Light like the sun radiated from her, her hair flowing without a wind, a mighty sword at her side.

 John instantly dropped to his knees, whispering things I suspect were praises under his breath.

“Your, your Her? Aren’t you?” I asked, taking this being in as well as I could. After all, seeing a goddess is hard to comprehend.

The being nodded. “I am indeed Queen Pearl of Gilded Helianthia. I was burnt to death after the Rapture, where many of my fellow rulers also died or disappeared. Unlike most of them, I was allowed to ascend to godhood. After my death, my kingdom withered away, the ground losing its nutrients, the water disappearing, leaving the land you’ve seen. In that book, any answers you may need may be found.”

After this, She faded away, leaving Sausage and I in silence.

��

“Friends, enemies. Believers or not. I have indeed found the Tomb of Santa Perla. In it, I found a book written by Her own hand, detailing stories, legends, and history unknown to us for centuries. The goddess visited my friend and I, telling us all that we needed to know then. Now, you may be wanting me to tell you where She is, but a place as sacred as that should not be known to man. I, and my friend and guide, John, will take this knowledge to the grave. Call me a liar, a fool, whatever. A place like that should be kept hidden from mankind, for fear of disrupting the sacredness it holds.”

Welp, there you go. Hope you enjoyed. Please leave feedback in comments if you have any. Have a good rest of your day/night!

[kimium]

Kimium! I hope you are having a good day! I recently read your fic 'Total Percentage' and like always I'm so in love with your wording and characterization! I can obsess for hours over the theme of Shouichi being Byakuran's Universal Constant and your stories always scratch that itch for me.

I wanted to hear your thoughts on that small little teaser we got after the Future Arc, what was it called? The Mare Epilogue or something? Where we saw a tattooless Byakuran on the beach imprisoned by Vongola guards. Smiling in the sun like some kind of shampoo commercial model.

It carries so many possibilities that even years later my brain likes to churn over it. Allegedly all Future Byakurans disappeared so what was that one? Was that a single one that remained, maybe the 'First Contact' one? Is he some kind of political-mafia prisoner exiled on an island like Napoleon? A research subject?

There have been a few people who have made fics and doujinshi in the topic.

I want to say it was OUTRAGE or Microcuts that had one with Shou visiting....so twistedly romantic. You have to wonder, does he still have his powers, or even just the memories? Would he know who Shouichi is? How the hell do timelines in khr work?!?

Anyway I'd love to hear your thoughts or even see a fic of yours about it! Your brain harbors wonderful ideas I want to hear!

Thank you!

Hello Anon!

First, I am so happy you like my 10051 fics. I also obsess over the implications of Byakuran viewing Shouichi as his "Universal Constant". What would that do to their relationship? What sorts of twisted love can bloom from that perspective?

Next, I am going to be perfectly honest: I have no clue what you're talking about. It has been years since I reread Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I'm wracking my brain to try and remember this Mare Epilogue and I'm drawing a blank. I don't think I've ever read or seen this part of the manga. This means I'm only able to go on what you're telling me about it. My perspective may be skewed, but here are my thoughts.

From what you're telling me, this epilogue is set at the end of the Ten Years Later Bad Timeline. While I remember the manga suggesting that since they defeated TYL! Byakuran, all the other timelines collapse/don't exist because they can only exist if Byakuran has the power of the Mare Sky ring.

So, by manga logic, the only timeline that should exist is the True Timeline AKA the canonical one followed through the rest of the manga. However, this directly contradicts parallel universe theory, which is how most media likes framing time travel. Parallel universes make it easier to wipe away any "plot holes" or "paradoxes" that time travel stories always inevitably create.

However, at the end of the Ten Year Later Arc the manga and anime go out of their way to show the viewer all the characters in their Ten Year Later versions. This implies (to me) that there are actually two timelines remaining at the end of the Arc: Canon timeline and TYL timeline.

If we go by this logic then Epilogue Byakuran with no tattoos, sitting with Vongola guards, looking like he's shooting the world's best shampoo commercial is TYL!Byakuran. To me this implies Tsuna didn't kill TYL!Byakuran, just defeated him and sealed the Mare Sky Ring's power. That would easily make TYL!Byakuran a political prisoner, though killing him would save so many headaches.

Whether Epilogue Byakuran is "first contact" Byakuran is up for debate, but I don't think it really matters. What matters is if TYL!Byakuran is still alive and the timeline still exists, his memories of other timlines are gone but memories of Shouichi aren't gone. I think his obsession over Shouichi would not fade, but it wouldn't be as all consuming without the other timelines messing Byakuran's mind. Basically Byakuran may not be "Yandere x1000" but he's still seeped in yandere tendencies.

Even if Byakuran is kept locked up his "love" for Shouichi would endure. There is just something about Shouichi knowing that despite Byakuran locked and monitored that their fates and "love" are forever intertwined has many fun narrative avenues to explore.

Anyways, those are my thoughts! I hope you like them! And as always I love talking about 10051 so don't be shy to ever ask me more!

[desultory-novice]

Do you think the reason why Kirby is kind is because they were prosecuted for being related to Galacta Knight so acted kind to others to be accepted until it became natural? Why else would Meta Knight one of the most powerful people in Popstar wear a mask 24/7 on top of Popstar being considered a heaven amongst planets?

Awww....

That's such a sad (/pos) idea, Anon...

Puffballs being considered enemies of the greater galaxy because of what Galacta Knight went down in infamy for...

I do think such a connection between the aggressively friendly Kirby and aggressively...aggressive Galacta Knight is an interesting one. 

I guess it depends a bit on one's personal Kirby? I grew up with Kirby years~ and years~ ago, so my personal Kirby often skews a bit older than most (frequently past their teens) but even I don't see them as being as old as the Ancients! Although... that doesn't mean they couldn't be?? Especially if puffballs age differently than other species?

Although I guess Kirby doesn't have to have existed in the same era as Galacta Knight to be related either! That just got me thinking fluffy thoughts about the two of them knowing each other pre-Galacta getting crystal'd. (*)

...I know that no one supports this anymore, but there's still a part in the verrrrrry back of my brain that likes to imagine Galacta as being - surprise!! - a much much much older Kirby. Maybe one thrown back in time, centuries past?

There's no good reason to think this, of course, but the fact that Galacta is sitting next to Marx and Magolor during TDX's Kirby Master video makes me think about the Kirby > Galacta possibility a little more than I might otherwise. Probably just because I personally HC Kirby, Marx, and Magolor as being shockingly close friends. ^^;

A-ahem! Now, I've seen a variety of reasons for Meta Knight to wear a mask (personally, I'm huge fan of the transmasc/mask Meta Knight theory!) but that's another good one!

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(*) Okay, okay. I have to talk about a spoiler for the new game for a second, because I'm pretty sure I haven't seen it talked about elsewhere? I'll try to keep it BRIEF and VAGUE - that is, not mention any radically new content, because if you've played the game, I think the implications of what I'm about to say will explain themselves. If you haven't, well, it hopefully won't mean MUCH.

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[THERE ARE SOME KINDA PRETTY SPOILERY THINGS FOR THE NEW GAME IMPLIED BY WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY HERE!]

[NOTHING DIRECT BUT...]

[...IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.]

[THIS IS THE LAST PART OF THE POST BTW]

[SO YOU CAN JUST BACK AWAY IF YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO HAVE IDEAS PUT IN YOUR HEAD - AGAIN, BECAUSE THE "SPOILER" IS VERY VAGUE]

[READY?]

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Alright! So, you see, I always thought Galacta Knight was sealed "in crystal." Like, the word they would use for that is "crystal." Either "suisho" or "kurisutaru"

But when I snapped a pic of Galacta's new arena lore screen in Japanese? They used the word "gem seal" - the exact same "gem" (spelling and everything) as Magolor's gem apples!!

Okay, now go do some thinking on that!