#“how do I tell if Desmond likes me likes me?”
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sneaky-eel · 9 months ago
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This is a slight continuation of this post.
Leonardo: Ezio my friend! Hello! I see congratulations are in order.
Ezio: What? For what?
Leonard: For you and Desmond finally getting together. I had to admit I was being to think it would never happen.
Ezio: Desmond and I are just friends. Like you and I.
Leonardo: Ezio, I just saw you two kissing goodbye.
Ezio: Desmond is just a friendly guy, Leo. I'm sure he does that to all his friends.
Leonardo: He... kisses his friends on the mouth?
Ezio: Probably.
Leonardo: With tongue?
Ezio: *shrugs*
Leonardo:...
Leonardo: He and I need to become better friends.
------
Or
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Leonardo: Oh! Hello, Desmond. I didn't expect you to be here so late is everything alri-
Desmond: I kissed Ezio!!!
Leonardo: Really?! That's wonderful! What happened next?
Desmond: I ran away.
Leonardo: What.
Desmond with his head in his hands as he groans: I ran away.
Leonardo sighing: I'll get the wine.
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heal-the-ashes · 2 months ago
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I feel like Hershel and Desmond would both be afraid of themselves.
If they stop and look at themselves. If they realize what they're doing came from years of pain. Would it all lead to a question of "Who else am I going to hurt?" "How many people have I unintentionally hurt because I never realized what I was really doing?" "How many things of my life have I missed because of this?" "How many things do I—or will I—regret?"
I feel like Layton self-sacrifices to a fault. That others get hurt trying to protect him. That he unknowingly drags other people through pain to get to where he thinks he needs to go. To solve every mystery there is. To get rid of his pain from outside sources, he needs to make as much of it himself under the titles "Determination" and "Amazing at solving things" and "Helping others" because then, how could those things ever hurt him? How could they ever be seen as pain? They're not like his (other) traumas. They don't cause pain at all. Not to mention what he thinks about danger. Danger? What danger? There's no danger here. Just people who are willing to hurt others to get what they want—Which is very sad and shows their pain and he'd very much like to help them in any way possible, if possible. If they show that they don't want to be helped, then it's better to leave them be.
But then again, nothing can ever be someone's fault other than his around him. I think he goes over betrayals thinking, "There must have been something I could have done." or "There must've been something I did." or "If I learn from this, I can make sure it never happens again." or... ... I think he has a hard time accepting that things really aren't his fault / there's really nothing he can do about some situations. Actually, when it comes time for Unwound Future and the whole Evil Layton arc... The only time in which he actually raises his voice is at himself. Is at the version of him that betrayed all of the morals in which he's held onto for so long. But a part of me thinks that, if he knew things were actually his fault, he'd have a problem with that, too... I mean, look at how he reacts to him getting puzzle answers incorrect in CV. In CV. In the 4th game of experience that he's had with puzzles. And a movie. With all that experience and he gets something wrong... he's disappointed in himself. Going back to the UF/LF thing... "I demand an explanation!!" I don't think I'll ever forget that line. I think, from his journal... We know he was trying to think of reasons why he would do something like this. Idk. I'm. Thoughts are not thinking anymore. Um. Wow I really lost my thought process. I was also gonna talk about Desmond. But I guess that's not happening at the moment.
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theconfusedartist · 1 year ago
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Des and Alex would be soooo domestic. Alex comes back after beating the shit outta infected and Balckwatch troops and just. Collapses on Dana's couch.
They argue over who's allowed to use the controller first and end up watching horror movies for about half an hour before the power and signal cuts out bc all over the island bc they're making sure nothing gets in or out.
They banter over how the movie should or will end, when Des knocks on the door and Alex is all over him when he opens it up, like a massive koala bear. Des is so used to Dr. Mercer doing this, then trying to pretend like it was Des that jumped him like he was losing his mind that it's actually refreshing how Alex is unabashedly cuddling him.
They go over to the apartment that Des took over since most people left the vicinity of Penn Station days after Balckwatch was shooting people in broad daylight and Alex asks "wanna see something I just learned? It's cool as hell". Ofc Des agrees and it's just a montage of them play fighting as Alex shows off ALL of his abilities bc he knows Des won't be scared off or scream, with crashing and ungodly noises of destruction.
Dana peeks in hours later when things are finally silent and sees the two of them snuggled up on a completely destroyed couch (that was destroyed last time they did this, is the damn thing respawning?) and assumes they just got done doing some of the most disturbing sex stuff ever. She doesn't wanna know, doesn't ask, but can't get away without them seeing her and saying hello. It feels like the worst experience every time this happens to her bc she assumes that they're having ungodly weird virus on human sex, and they do, just never the time she peeks into the apartment. They're just playing.
#alex turns his arm into a whip “so i learned streetsweeper today. tell me what ya think”#proceeds to use it in this tiny fully decorated apartment destroying everything#des smiles “sure lemme use my whip too! <3”#proceeds to whip back#yes Desmond got his whip and training from Aveline. yes Aveline trained him AND Altaïr how to use a whip#Altaïr is amazing at it he chooses not to use it mostly. Desmond loves using it#Des at any time is carrying on his person at least one gun the tomohawk (Connor gave him that one but he did also make him build one of his#own) a machete (thank you Aveline!) and one of the daggers Altaïr made for him#he just looks cute and innocent#that man is armed to the teeth bc people are hunting him#and he refuses to be caught slippin#Alex just enjoys being able to use any of his powers against Des with the knowledge that Des is not only fast but smart enough to not gethit#yes Des is currently pregnant in that permutation. doesn’t stop him from fighting or singing to the twins when hes got downtime#Altaïr wakes up in Desmond's body sometimes (bc hes watching over Elijah in Brooklyn) and is being aggressively cuddled by Alex.#hes like i can't believe im waking up in this position AGAIN#alex is like “oh hey Altaïr whats up?”#Des and Alex are domestic with each other but Dana thinks weird freaky sex is happening when it really isn't#Altaïr knows whats going on 99% of the time but sometimes he doesn't because he wakes up in Desmond's body and is surprised af#is this rambly? yes.#Alex and Des are very domestic people just don't get what the fuck they're doing 100% of the time and assumes its nasty sex#but in reality sex is going on a lot less that people think and more than they would like to know about#also the couch came back bc Alex biomassed it together#most of the things in Desmond's apartment is just biomass at this point and thats how Alex likes it
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misseverandever · 2 months ago
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I CAN READ THIS, AND I WILL! LET’S GOOOOOOO!
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omg was not on my 2024 bingo that I’m actually gonna read Melinda’s set for Anya
FRIST CARD: FOUR OF CUPS (the past)
that’s symbolizes Anya past implicating on her present, the cart indicates a need to experiences something new that brings joy and fills this empty space, something we see in our little girl eyes and i’m happy to see she’s doing good cuz in the past she certainly was a person that spends their days with their head down.
SECOND CARD: DEATH (the present)
The upright Death tarot card symbolizes transformation and the beginning of something new. It represents closing a chapter, leaving past experiences behind, we can think about Anya maturing and liberating from the trauma! Well in relationship (anya question) suggests the relationship may be stuck in a stagnant or unproductive dynamic, what we definitely can see, she tell his mother that he bullies her
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THIRD CARD: THREE OF SWORDS (hidden influences)
The unseen problem huh? There’s a lot of them, well Donovan, Twilight, Operation Stixs… etc etc….
Whenever this card appears in a reading, it indicates conflict, disappointment, and misunderstanding (Well that’s definitely is the case), maybe Damian is definitely gonna be sad about why her approach to him, we know this is real cuz Damian already say before about people approaching him just because he is a Desmond and we know Anya have the same goal, but no worries is gonna be difficult but it can be resolved (they need to talk about this) !!!!
FORTH CARD: THE STAR (ANYA)
The Star in the upright position symbolizes hope, inspiration, and peace for the future. BUT is in the reversed position, so Anya reflects the feelings of hopelessness, confusion, and doubt as her navigate life's challenges and question circumstances. We see Melinda like that, and surprisingly Anya feel empty for her!
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(So cute Anya being the star)
FIFTY CARD: TEN OF PENTACLES (the influence of others)
What kinds of external influences are dominating the situation? Well all of them! This card is important because it influences how others close to the Querent feel about the situation. AND GUESS ITS ALL RIGHT! This is a very positive card, and its positivity indicates that the path of challenges and difficulties has already been traveled, and now is the time to reap what is deserved. INNN THE RELATION WAAAAY (remember Anyas question not just because you know… i’m a shipper) is gonna be an harmony between them, whit a lot of happiness, cuties!
SIXTH CARD: ACE OF CUPS (what Anya have to do)
We see he is receiving, It’s often represents sadness, loss, and frustration, signaling difficulty in connecting. We know Damian is a difficult person, Anya have to deal with his feelings, is an important thing to do cuz if she don’t, they will not be together.
SEVENTH CARD: THREE OF WANDS (final results)
This last card is important because it takes into account all the six previous cards in its response. Here, we have an indicator of what the final resolution to the problem will be.
In this spread, the energy here is one of movement, so Anya cannot (and will not) stay still and she cannot try to handle everything alone.
The card indicates complicity, true love, and a strong connection. Sooo don't worry, as the frendship is real, and they will overcome it together.
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SHE KNOWS!
SORRY MY ENGLISH IS KINDA BAD SO CAN YOU GUYS PLEASE FORGIVE ANY ERRORS IN THE TEXT? I was so exited to reed this, if you need tarot read dm me 🫶
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whateversawesome · 2 months ago
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Spy x Family Ch. 108: Fear
Don't get me wrong, that panel with Twilight remembering his friends was beautiful. I think he feels nostalgic for that connection with other people. However, I think what really caught my attention in this chapter was Melinda.
Come on, look at this:
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Look at this face of terror. And she was just remembering her husband's eyes!
A long time ago, when we just met Melinda, I wrote this theory about her being afraid of her husband. Today, it was finally confirmed.
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I feel so sad for her. Melinda has probably been carrying this alone for a long time. I doubt she's shared her fears with any friends or family members because, who would believe the illustrious political leader could be an abusive man? This is especially true if there's no actual physical violence in the relationship. However, like I said before, violence is more than that.
Something tells me that the violence in their relationship is mostly psychological. Donovan Desmond uses his authority to tell Melinda what to do, to create fear, to keep her away from their children.
Melinda appears as such a composed woman who has her life together in front of others, and only someone as emotionally perceptive and caring as Yor would notice something is wrong. There's a shame component in abusive relationships: "How did this happen to me? I used to be so strong and brave," combined with disbelief: "Am I overreacting? Is he really that bad? Why am I afraid of him if he hasn't really done anything to me?"
Hopefully, in time, Melinda will realize that fear is not only her responsibility; even if her husband wasn't physically abusive, his behavior caused her fear.
Without a doubt is a complicated issue, which brings me to something that will probably complicate things even more:
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Yup, Twilight.
I'll admit that this is the first time that I felt very uncomfortable with what Twilight is about to do, but that's exactly the point. Good fiction/literature is suppose to move something within us, even if at times, it makes us feel uncomfortable.
You probably imagine why: Melinda is a person in dire need of therapy. She deserves (and needs!) a true professional and instead, she getting someone who is only trying to gather information.
HOWEVER...
Time and again, Twilight has shown that despite his line of work, he'll always try to do the right thing and the least amount of harm. So, I'm hoping he will apply that in this specific situation. My guess is that it will start as a way to get information (his classic "for the mission") but then, as Melinda opens up, he will actually give her good advice and hopefully empower her, as a real therapist would do!
Something else to keep in mind is that Melinda story of domestic violence could trigger Twilight himself in some way, given his own family history. We will have to wait to see how that goes.
Bonus
A final note on Melinda's beliefs in occultism: it makes sense.
I won't comment too much on the specific meaning of the cards because my knowledge is limited and I'm skeptical about that. But I will say that it makes sense that someone with so much fear and uncertainty in her life would believe in something that would bring her reassurance that everything will be okay or try to know the future in order to protect herself. (I really want to give Melinda a hug.)
On the other hand, you know who doesn't believe in that?:
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Yup, our dear Becky, who is one of the most authentic character in sxf, who is protected and loved by her parents and Martha. That makes sense too.
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sc4llywag · 1 year ago
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Since I got Tumblr and have free range to rant however I want, its time for the Assassin's Creed main characters and how they walk post!!!
With each of the games, they change the main characters walking animation to fit their vibe and I need to be able to study them beheehe
Desmond
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I don't have too much to say about Desmond's other than his is simple and similar to Ezio's and Altaïr's and I like to think that this is due to the bleeding effect(it happened to me too I walk like the assassin's all the time) his is a little more confined and he keeps his arms closer to himself so he's very typical in the way he walks
Altaïr
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In his walk he has a sway to his hips and steady hands(probably to keep himself ready for any assassination), but goddamn the SWAY I never noticed it.
His shoulders also sway with his walk and I love how fluid he is in general, this ties back to his robes for me and how flowy they are to show the grace of an assassin in high profile but when low profile they stay to his sides and he's all in the shadows and I REALLY love that about him.
Ezio
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This gif is all I could find so i can't really remember if Ezio's walk is different in Ac2 from Altaïr's because ubisoft is the king of recycling things but whatever. He still has the outward stance but I do notice his head is pointed low to try and keep himself hidden(shadows shit be like) but ofc hes holding the apple here so it's hard to tell if he's trying to swing his arm a lot lol, anyway body language is important to Ezio so hes very good at looking broody as well as fluid in his movements
Connor
(Walk Cycle Research | PKlover4078)
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My man my man my man my man😍‼️‼️
The way Connor walks with his hands stretched out and then clenching his fists every moment because he's always ready for a fight goddamn this MF could take me in an alleyway and I'd be happy. I'd like to note with this gif, it doesn't show his slow slow walk and I remember it pretty well, he has a slight cautious aura in his walk, he's really careful in his foot placement(I think) and he's super awesome and I love him a lot. Since we have him running I'd like to talk about that too. He has such an efficient sprint it's so mesmerizing, he keeps his head low and just fuckin vrooms across the colonies<3
Aveline
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You can barely see her here bc the damn community doesn't care for Aveline much but I like her even tho I haven't played Liberation, I enjoy the way she walks in a proper manner and she's got that strut the runway strut is everything. I also like how she has a wider swing in her arms, more carefree and comfortable.
Edward
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This is such a great quality gif thanks so much Ac fandom!!
Anyway, I really love the difference in Edwards walk compared to the rest of the assassins because he's a pirate, he hasn't had the teaching of grace and secrecy. Therefore his walk is staggering in his footwork but still proper bc he's a sword fighter and very good at it. In a longer gif you'd be able to tell but his footing is a little messy, showing that drunken sailor pirate personality shows in his walk. He has a close arm swing due to him always needing to be close to his weapons, ready for a fight(like his grandson<3)
Haytham
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I can barely see how he's walking but I'm pretty sure he had his hand on his sword hilt which says so much abt his character, again always being ready for a fight. He has a very straight posture due to his pompous nature, quick in his form to be efficient because why walk if you don't look proper and efficient?
Shay
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Ok he's a Templar and so is Haytham but fuck you I love them.
His walk is so GOOD his walk has a heavy step and he's very prominent, got that straight posture again, not much to say about his arm sway other than the added shoulder sway, love that for him bc he's just so intimidating.
(For reasons I'm not doing Arno, Evie, Jacob, Kassandra, and Eivor since I haven't played their games)
Bayek
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Bayek's walk is very different from every other assassin and that makes me love him so much more. He feels very carefree and relaxed but when in combat good lord does he go off!! He puts more sway in his arms than his hips and that's probably why he has a combat centered walk, like Edward.
If you've reached the end thank you for reading my rambling ass get over excited over walk cycle animations :) follow for more rambling!!
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hazamacore · 24 days ago
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Hey!! It's kaisturntoshine (aka that one person that made long responses to your Eloise and Desmond essay) from my main blog.
I was thinking about Wolfgang's first interaction with Desmond (the "you haven't killed anyone with these weapons" one) and it reminded me of how differently Wolfgang treated Eloise in comparison:
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... I thought I had a point to make with this but nope. Or, well, I do have a rough idea of what I meant to explain but I'm too sleep deprived to properly articulate it.
HIII and yeah I think this observation is basically telling us immediately and outright how these two contrast each other with this theme of "judging by appearance"!!! You are absolutely right to point it out because it is SUCH a stark contrast.
...Somewhat related and connecting this to Wolfgang and Damon - we have Wolfgang who extends sympathy and understanding towards Eloise who he perceives as in need of additional support due to her being more outwardly affected, but who suspects and consistently undermines Desmond (reaction to his thoughts on exploring the Alpha Sanctuary, reaction to his bunking idea EG) without any basis besides his talent despite Desmond's pretty open support of him and despite how Desmond was one of the only ones to validate his feelings during the mock-trial.
Comparatively, we have Damon who extends understanding to Desmond and views him as the most "normal" person here, and whose distrust of him can be put down to Average Damon Behaviour rather than the bias others show, and he quickly concedes that it's not productive - EG in the pharmacy after Desmond expresses a wariness around the sleeping pills being readily available and Damon initially says "you're already thinking of ways to murder?" but proceeds to agree with Desmond's reasoning and again label him as the Most Normal Guy Here, or in his FTEs where parallels are drawn between their work ethics and relationships with their talent, not to mention how Damon is suspected in a similar vein to Desmond but for much more personality-based reasons. Conversely, Damon doesn't understand Eloise (who doesn't really do much to help him understand her because she doesn't like him lol) and it's through his interactions with her that we see how the "judging by appearance" theme presents in her character! Most glaringly in the chapter one investigation where he doubts Eloise's ability to stand up to Grace and proceeds to be utterly proven wrong - him describing the Ultimate Fencer as "uncoordinated" and "bumbling" really lays it bare lmaooo as she takes Grace down in one fell analytical swoop, just like she asserted fencing is all about.
So it's sort of like one foil dynamic making another foil dynamic more apparent... Wolfgang takes Eloise and Desmond at face value, whereas Damon (more hostile in tone on Eloise's end for sure) becomes privy to their deeper layers. Which is FASCINATING considering Wolfgang and Damon present themselves and would have you assume the opposite! Beneath the veil of hypocrisy anyone...
And, on an additional note, I do think it's safe to say that Wolfgang had a more vested interest in the well being of the women overall! And more of an innate respect for them. #feminist but seriously a good example of this again related to Desmond (because he can't catch a break I guess? Desmond get behind me) is comparing how he doesn't level the same accusatory question at Ingrid after learning she works with swords as he does towards Desmond after learning he's a marksman which becomes ESPECIALLY blatant when you note that Desmond and Ingrid's relaying of their abilities has almost the exact same structure - "Not just swords, but tools, armour, statues...If you name it, I can forge it." / "Guns, bows, slingshots... You name it, I've hit bullseyes with it." Of course, only Desmond's talent indicates that he uses these weapons, but it's still a hell of a leap to make with energy Wolfgang really doesn't level at anyone else as consistently, which is my point.
It's interesting stuff EEEEE I LOVE the writing of these characters they are ALL so multidimensional!!! THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAMBLE
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shiro-s2e2-erukinzu · 1 month ago
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Anime only watchers and people who aren't caught up with the Manga, BEWARE... Cuz I'm about to discuss Spy X Family Mission 109... You have been warned...! 👌
[SPOILERS AHEAD FROM THIS POINT ON]
This chapter was quite an interesting one...! 🤔 Especially with how it ended...!! 😲
This our first chapter of the year and did not disappoint...!! So let's us discuss this chapter shall we...? 👍
So, this chapter begins like this:
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MELINDA STOP, THAT'S SOOO FREAKING ADORABLE!!! 💗😆
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I just love the fact that Yor told Melinda about Loid's "concussive therapy" in the last chapter and because of that, we now get this gem of a reaction from her meeting Loid for the first time...!! 💗🤭💗
After that, it's time for Melinda's therapy session with Twilight...! Melinda tells him that Yor is the reason that she decided to come in, which Twilight acknowledges as an inadvertent assistance from Yor for the mission. After that, Loid lists off all of Melinda's symptoms and asks what might've triggered them, but she doesn't respond... Loid then tries to reassure her, which led to Melinda to say this to him:
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Melinda... 🥲
After that, Twilight ponders why Melinda does not consider herself as a lively person, but she's still too anxious to give a full answer... So Twilight tries to reassure her again, but this time...:
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It feels completely unsettling to me...!! 😰 Like, the way Twilight's drawn here with his inner thoughts just gives me bad vibes, but that's the thing with the characters of this series, most of them are grey characters...! Twilight may want to make a better world, but in order for him to achieve this as a spy, he has to do things like manipulation in order get the information he needs to help stop people like Donovan Desmond from causing more harm... And though he's only thinking of his mission currently, we have seen him go against what would've been more beneficial to the mission before (like deciding not to kill Yuri for Yor's sake back in Mission 83), so it's definitely possible that Twilight won't push Melinda too far, but we'll have to wait and see...!
Moving on, after sending her bodyguard Nora away, Melinda remarks that Twilight doesn't seem like a doctor (which immediately made me scared for a second that she might've figured out that Twilight was a spy) and proceeds to mention that she was a patient at Twilight's hospital a long time ago...:
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Melinda then tells Twilight that she's here as a mother and a wife, which makes him come to that conclusion to ask if her distress involves her family, and then Melinda asks Twilight...:
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HIS REACTION TO HER QUESTION GOT ME CACKLING!! 👏🤣🤣🤣
Twilight not knowing how to respond to that tries to figure out the best thing to say here by saying that he too is interested in UFOs, but it doesn't seem to work, so asks if UFOs have anything to do with Melinda's family, and her response was THIS:
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WHAAAAAAAAT!?!? 😵
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN!? 😱 DOES THIS CONFIRM THAT DONOVAN HAS POWERS LIKE ANYA, OR COULD SHE BE IMPLYING THAT THE "REAL" DONOVAN WAS REPLACED BY AN ALIEN...?! I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT COULD BE...!! 😫
And well, that was the end of the chapter and, uh... I have SO MANY questions right now...!! 😵 I honestly don't what to believe at this moment, but I think I'm still leaning on the idea of Donovan having psychic powers like Anya...!! It just makes too much sense at this point!!! 👀
I don't know what's gonna happen in the next chapter, but whatever it is, it's gonna be ABSOLUTELY CRAZY!! 😲 So until the next Mission; take care, be safe out there and be kind to one another...!! PEACE!! ✌😁
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sy-on-boy · 2 months ago
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Some SxF Ch 108 thoughts! (a bit scattered)
(In response to Damian making fun of Anya holding hands with Yor) Anya really is a kind and empathetic character— earlier in the story she probably would be offended and maybe even hurt (esp after Ewen's comment that Yor's not her real mom), but now she feels comfortable enough to take off her mask and reassure Damian about something she fears (feeling unloved by parents). And this is coming after Anya read Melinda's mind and she literally thought "how I wish Damian would just go away!" (among other contradictory things).
Anya doesn't snark at Damian like she might usually do. The sparks show us she's reading his mind, and it's probably something like "my mom doesn't love me". I love the detail of Anya taking off her mask. To me, it feels like a direct parallel to the school dance when she told him she can read minds. Anya is hiding from everyone, but she lets it slip for Damian. Despite everything, she trusts him with her deepest secret. She puts it back on after the moment of vulnerability.
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Damian is surprised and flustered that Anya knew what he was thinking. And Anya, instead of deflecting, tells him "believe me, I know." Damian clearly thinks of mind reading as a joke, which should be Anya's way out if she wants to keep it a secret, but it doesn't seem like she wants to hide it from Damian. Or she thinks it's more important to tell him than to keep her powers a secret.
"Take off that stupid mask already!" could mean for "just tell me the truth!" but Anya literally did. She took off the mask to tell Damian what she perceives as the truth (that Melinda loves him). She told him the truth before— she can read minds. And having Yor back Anya up makes Anya seem more "legit".
"Sy-on mom is being bullied too?" is such an innocent way for Anya to describe the psychological distress Melinda is in due to Donovan. She's concerned about Damian's family not getting along, because her own family is precious to her. And while (in the English translation) she uses the same term "bully" to describe what Damian does to her, Anya's facial expression tells us she knows it's a different and more severe ("grown up") form. Her and Damian are bickering kids, but Melinda is an adult dealing with adult stuff and is under great distress due to another adult. You can see it in her eyes. She's shaken by what she learns from reading Melinda's mind.
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As for Anya's "This feeling... I think I've felt it before", I'm not sure what she's referring to, but it could be Melinda picking up Damian post bus hijacking, since she similarly cares for Damian in spite of Donovan. Melinda is strange to Anya, but at least she seems consistent in that she wants to care for Damian even though she can't really express it. So Anya decides to express it to Damian on Melinda's behalf.
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Also, mention of telepathy. Either a set up for the Desmond family being involved in the experimentation done on Anya, or a red herring. I noticed Melinda's hand was on her ear when she mentioned telepathy, which reminds me of Melinda's earrings (note: jewellery/hair accessories are important in SxF— Loid and Fiona both wear WISE merch, Becky's hair clip is a bomb in reference to her family's business). I've never noticed if she wears a wedding ring, but this chapter she seems to only wear rings on the middle finger.
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This chapter was delicious in a lot of ways. The melancholy felt by Loid and Anya, Melinda's whole deal, the ending gives us a lot of fun implications, tarot cards, possible foreshadowing with the telepathy/occult, ominous Grim Reaper/Yor parallels, follow up on "Anya tells Damian she can read minds", etc. I'm surprised by how packed this chapter is yet it leaves questions without answers that we likely won't know ("What feeling did Anya feel before?" "What did Damian secretly think?").
The gentleness of the Forger family stood out to me. Yor was very kind to Melinda and persuaded her to seek help. Anya was kind to Damian despite him insulting her. And while Loid has less screentime, the flashback to his childhood makes me think he genuinely had a fun time hanging out with the caretakers (while trying to get intel because he never stops working). He also stayed because Anya wanted to (and they got Anya that strange mask). Maybe it's intentional in a chapter about Melinda— as the two major families, the Forgers and Desmonds are heavily contrasted. Melinda seems genuinely fond of Yor, and it's due to Yor's own personality/sincere kindness/efforts that she unintentionally gave Loid one of his biggest opportunities (at least, we would assume so). Yor is the only one out of the Forgers who's clueless to Operation Strix, so she isn't trying to manipulate Melinda. Maybe that's why Melinda finds her refreshing. She was also seemingly amused/happy when Anya said Damian bullies her but she still wants to be friends with him. We know a lot of Damian's peers suck up to him, but Anya doesn't. She's not exactly honest, but at least she admits Damian's faults instead of blindly following him.
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sneaky-eel · 10 months ago
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Desmond, bartender in 2000s-2010s New York would absolutely binge shitty reality tv and adore eavesdropping on patrons when he can't get his drama fix. He's the RPG tavern owner who you ask if he has heard any rumors and his eyes light up because now he can info dump all the shit he hears. This follows him to the past, where now he has to actively seek out this entertainment.
He abuses his enhanced senses to sit on roofs and listen in with a hand to his mouth like, "oh my god. They were roommates." He is both the best informant and the worst because, while he is a master at getting information, the details he focuses on are useless to the Order.
"Yeah so this guy will be here at this time at this place, whatever. But! More importantly this guy has been having an affair with his wife's sister AND her brother and-"
"Please, Desmond, I am begging you just tell me the information for the mission."
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In Altair's time, Malik was originally Desmond's go to but after being chased out one to many times for "loitering and disturbing the peace of the bureau" (i.e. Malik's peace) Desmond switches to the Rafiq in Damascus since he "at least appreciates me." Eventually Malik would begrudgingly miss his presents and send a request for him to come back because Desmond is the only one he can rant at about Altair.
Altair does not know what the hell Desmond is talking about half the time, but now he does know the baker has three sons that his wife never knew of and one of the sons has shown up at the baker's home.
He normally will just let Desmond keep talking cause he likes his voice.
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In Ezio's time he is best friends with Claudia and her girls love him. He'll drop in and gossip with them about their patrons or even warn them about some of them. "Be careful I heard that he has some craziness going on between the legs." or the girls will ask questions about Ezio.
"I heard he is a beast in bed, is that true?"
"Well you didn't hear it from me, buuuut~"
He is 100% going off of hazy animus memories, but all the courtesans totally think he has either A.) slept with Ezio or B.) is actively sleeping with Ezio
With Claudia he talks about the goings on in Tiber Island and what Ezio is up to. Ezio doesn't know how the hell his sister knows everything he is doing or why he gets a message from her forbidding him from doing something he hasn't even gotten to do yet and Desmond just stands off to the side sweating.
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Connor is gonna go gray early with how often Desmond just disappears from the Homestead because he seems hellbent on not staying still as it gets "to boring there". Desmond will normally pop up in the strangest of places. Either Connor will find him, head tilted like a dog as he listens in on a group or Desmond will just hunt Connor down himself. "Heard you were in the area."
At time he loves it because Desmond always has a ready flow of information and he is very good at sowing discontent with it, making for good distractions. On the other hand he can do without the open commentary or rampant attention he gives any interaction Connor has with his father.
"It's so much more interesting when it's not me"
*Connor and Haytham both glare at him*
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yumeka-sxf · 1 year ago
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Even though today's new chapter was pretty funny, it also reinforces how Damian's need to act indifferent and even hostile towards Anya stems from emotional baggage from his family - whether it's brainwashing, strict discipline, or something else, we see how he's so afraid to show even a minute trace of feelings towards a "commoner" that he has to go through hoops just to ensure no one else sees him give Anya a gift.
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What could the Desmond family have instilled in him that gives him such aversion to anyone of a lower social standing? I hope we find out someday. But at the same time, this chapter also gave me the impression that Damian doesn't like having to put on this jerk act in front of everyone. He seemed annoyed and exhausted that he had to do all this just to repay a debt, a debt which no one was demanding of him. Despite all the insults he hurls, the kid has morals and dignity. So it's a shame he feels such a strong need to supress that (he and Twilight have a lot in common in that regard. Twilight is simply better at hiding his real feelings since he's an adult and has been doing it much longer).
However, Damian seems okay with showing only Anya his softer side (when no one else is looking of course). Probably because, unlike all the other Eden kids, she's not from a high-class family with whom the Desmonds have to put on airs with.
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While I'm not nearly as into Damianya as Twiyor, I can appreciate them as a cute future couple when they're older, with the seeds of that future relationship slowly sprouting in the series (though nothing romantic now of course as they are only 1st graders). Endo brought back Damian's "shojo filter" in this chapter, which was at maximum strength! (Is Damian secretly a CLAMP fan? 😂)
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It's only at the end of the chapter, when the debt is repaid and Damian can finally relax, that he's able to see Anya's natural cuteness, without the shojo filter (his expression here looks like one of Twilight's...they really do have a lot in common!)
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What's also interesting is that, compared to some of their early confrontations, Anya never returned Damian's insults until recently, maybe around the end of the bus hijacking arc. In the beginning of the series, she seemed to not know how to act when faced with bullying and was just focused on getting Damian to be friends with her. Now she openly returns his jabs with her own.
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This could be because she's confident that they're friends now, so she doesn't have to hold back and can match his insults without worry. Or maybe she's just learning how to better deal with hostility her own way? Or she's just copying his bad manners...hard to say 😅
I like how Endo brought back Damian's promise to repay Anya for the handkerchief incident. From what I've gathered reading the manga fanbook, he tries hard not to leave plot points unaddressed. Which brings me to another highlight of this chapter - mention of Melinda again!
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I knew Endo wouldn't forget about her, but I've also been wondering when she would return as a prominent figure in the plot. This chapter raises the question of why she's so intent on Damian and Anya becoming friends...is it simply because Yor would like that, and she wants to be good friends with Yor? Or is there some ulterior motive behind the scenes?
Even though stories focused on the Eden kids aren't typically my favorites, I actually really enjoyed this chapter! It had the great SxF comedy I love of misunderstandings between the characters leading to hilarious moments - Emile and Ewen think Damian wants to duel Anya, Becky thinks Anya wants to spend alone time with him because she's in love, Damian just wants to give Anya the gift to clear his conscience, and Anya just wants to eat the cakes!
(I love how Endo made Anya's mouth slightly watering throughout the chapter whenever she's thinking of the cakes!)
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It's hard to tell if this was just a stand-alone chapter or if it will lead to a continuation of the "plan C" thing brought up a while back. I hope it does if it means we get to learn more about Melinda and the Desmond family overall!
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sulfies · 27 days ago
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"Its 5 am"
A soft heat landed on Desmond's shoulders, he pulled the corners of the blanket closer.
"I know, I know... I should be asleep" He sighs scooting the chair back and leaning to look at the ceiling. "I will... sooner or later. I just, I really rather it be "later" "
"And I rather not see you like this."
He finally looked at Altaïr with a weak smirk.
"Oh I know just how you like to see me-" "Desmond..."
Desmond sighed. He was tired, exhousted, sad and many more, all of it just wanted to explode out of him but he just didn't know how.
"I..." He mouthed the words he wanted to say. "Just..." Leaning forward he put his head on his hands. "I don't want to... I-"
"You are scared..."
Desmond blinked hard, refusing the tears that wanted to fall.
"Why?"
He sucked in a hard breath. He was not going to cry about a problem of his own making.
"Desmond... Whatever you are scared of will not ha-"
He felt like a child throwing a tantrum. "God, I sound so stupid I know, but what if it does?" He wiped his face and looked back.
"Your body will do it for you if you don't."
A deep breath and he tried to speak more calmly to control the tremble in his voice. "I realize that... but if it gives me 1 more hour here..."
"Here? Alone in your room, miserable? I get why-"
"No you don't get why..."
Desmond turned back to the table, trying to carve a hole in the desk with his gaze alone. "You don't get why, Ezio doesn't get why, Connor doesn't get why! It is, literally, impossible for you guys to get it, okay?"
"At least let us try? But you won't even talk to us about it!" Altaïr was getting frustrated.
"How can I even start? I don't even know where I can begin. I barely even know this shit works myself!"
He just didn't want to blink and for it all to be gone, he did not want to see that grey, soulless place ever again. He hated it back then, he hated it even more now.
"If I sleep I might wake up" He shook his head, what a profound sentence he came up with.
"come again?"
"I-I don't want to lose this... Whatever this is and I don't know if I will! İts a gamble each time I go to sleep"
"Why would you lose us?"
A chuckle slipped past him "Come on Altaïr, why do I even have you guys now? For fucks sake I died! You were born thousands and thousands of years ago and now you are here! Same with the others! Nothing makes sense nothing ever feels real and I am scared it actually is not!" He dug his nails into his palm, he wanted to bang his head against a wall.
"I am so scared, in one second I will be finally happy and breathe, then the next second I will be back in that place. There is nothing there Altaïr, nothing. No sounds, not even your own breathing. At least the last time they gave me an island and... And 16 was there to keep me company but now if I go back I am scared that there will be nothing."
He took a breath, then another since it was getting harder to.
"I fucking died so, so, so many times. As you, As Connor and As Ezio. From age and my own mistakes. Then I died myself and sometimes I wonder if I actually did or if this is a sick joke and I am still in that goddamn machine that is sucking me for all I am worth just to keep me going!" His fist banged on the table, he wanted to wreck something. "Or maybe Juno is playing with me, showing me a piece of heaven before she spits on my corpse"
Two cold hands wrapped around his own, taking his gaze away from the desk he saw Altaïr with his brows in a concerned burrow, which was becoming a common expression he had whenever he was with him. "I will never know Altaïr and it scares me. For all I know you guys could be programs to make me spea-"
"Okay enough" The hands on his squeezed harshly, Altaïr moved his hands to pull Desmond's chair to the side so he could speak eye to eye.
"You cannot talk about my being like I am not here Desmond." He took a breath to collect himself as well "You are right, I might never understand but you don't get to tell me what I am when I am right in front of you, you don't get to tell me I can't try to understand. I feel real to myself and you feel damn real to me" His hand holds Desmond's cheek.
"but if you keep up like this I'm not sure how long you can keep yourself from going insane to the point of no return. You can't live like this." Desmond's lips became a thin line. "I don't want you to live like this, I know me or any of us being here is not normal but nothing ever was. An orb, holding mind-controlling powers and secrets to the time itself is not normal, Ancient beings leaving a message through us to you is not normal. Do you think I, myself don't think this is too good to be real?" His other hand squeezed Desmond's knee, he sighed and continued, at least Desmond was listening for now.
"Nothing ever is normal in the life of an Assassin and if it was I would never have you. So don't take this away from me by deciding that this-" he gestured between them. "Is temporary"
He placed a small kiss on Desmond's salty cheek only to hear a sob spill out of the man. "We are all riddled with the same fear, yours is..." He could not even begin to comprehend from what little Desmond had told them.
He drew him into a hug "I wonder many nights if this is a last dream from the apple for keeping it safe, If it will end one day before I rest forever in my tomb filled with books."
Desmond was crying now, silently as he could but Altaïr could feel the damp patch on his shoulder "And if it is a last thank-you gift I rather spend every grain of that hourglass with you by my side, stop torturing yourself. If it is a limited time we have together, enjoy it with me" A shakey breath and a sob slipped from Desmond as the damp patch grew.
Altaïr held him through the shaking and pain, in a sick way he was happy to at least hold Desmond after so long and have him for just himself for a little while.
He was lucky, unlike Desmond all of them chose death on their own terms and tasted it slowly. Not with a bang and flash of lights but with a much-needed rest, in a slumber.
"Come, Ill kee-"
Oh...
He realized the hug had much more weight to it than before.
With a slight smile, he sighed in relief, Desmond's body made the choice for him it seemed.
"Ill keep guard for you Desmond, alright?"
He smiled softly and brushed the passed-out man's hair. Sometimes he forgot that while Desmond lived decades in their body he only got to see two of his own life.
He dragged Desmond more into himself and lifted him up softly to walk to his room.
If needed to be he would gladly take the burden of being awake forever to put him at ease.
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cheerleaderman · 2 months ago
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Twst- The Shooting star over the Castle
Yuya doesn’t have a consistent personality throughout the main story as they are constantly going through changes. This is how they protected themselves through their life doing it subconsciously despite not having their memories.Some might say they’re a bit of an actress.
Yuya’s true personality does shine through at times mainly when they actually get to relax. They can be childish, petty and pretty chaotic sometimes letting the intrusive thoughts win but still an overall friendly person. Even then Yuya isn’t one to tell others how they’re truly feeling especially if they’re hurting. Even with all those things Yuya does know how to take charge and deal with serious situations. They’re definitely not the goody two shoes some perceive them as more of a trouble maker everyone will later learn.
💫Basic info💫
Age: 18
Pronouns: Doesn’t really care but others mainly refer to them as She/They
Height: 172cm
Birthday: August 8
Voice claim: JP - Ibuki Mioda(Danganronpa) ENG- Veronica (Heathers the musical OG)
Hometown: Earth, USA
Family: Lilian (mother-Deceased), Yolonda and Desmond (cousins) Yuya doesn’t concern them Family: Aunt and Uncle, Damien (cousin) , has a pretty big family in general
Class: 1-A
Dominant hand: Left
Nickname: Henchmen- Grim | Shrimpy/ Starfish- Floyd, Trickster-Rook | Herbivore/Omnivore- Leona | Child of Man - Malleus | Yu-Yu - Kalim, Cater, Lilia | Yu- First Years + Jamil | Troublemaker/Star - Idia | Star - Family | The Perfect- NRC
Favorite food: Chili oil Noodles, candied lemons , Strawberry lemonade
Like/hobbies: Cooking,Rhythm games, Horror movie/ Games, collecting bags , Photography, Crocheting and Knitting
Dislike: Forgetting things , Bland food , Green tea, overly strong smells, feeling sweaty, smell of alcohol, fuzzy socks , ants
Best subject: Alchemy
Talent: lock picking, cooking,Just having things , playing the Wind Instruments mainly the Flute
Club: Hops between clubs but mainly at the Board game or Basketball club
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💫Extra Info💫
Yuya has thoughts of what were they like before Twst, this effects their relationships by them wondering if the way they are now is truly the real them. Would everyone still like me if I get my memories back and become myself again? Even with these thoughts Yuya still wants their memories back good or bad.
Yuya uses how others perceive them as to their advantage using this to navigate how to deal with situations.
Yuya doesn’t get their cardigan until Book 2 while everyone was visiting Trey.
The have a fight response most notable when they fought Riddle during orientation. Others thought it was some kind of adrenaline but Yuya does know how to fight and fight dirty.
Yuya was honestly in deep denial about being in Twst. Really much thought that they were in a dream up until the end of Book 2 from getting a scar from Leona’s overblot. This really woke them up to their new reality as before they thought “since I don’t belong here sure I’ll wake up to the place I truly belong.” [Also adding Yuya’s eyes technically wouldn’t be shown until this moment to show them waking up to reality]
Yuya develops a bit of an obsession for photography as the photos represents their memories. They hold these photos dearly scarred to forget again. Some say that Yuya’s photography can be scary being it can be used as blackmail
Yuya did have a hobby of journaling/ scrapbooking given the journal that they had in their bag when arriving to Twst but that was taken over by photography
The mirror called Yuya a shattered soul which not even Crowley understands why. This is due to their soul being shattered when being transported to Twst. Their soul will forever remain shattered
After every Overblot Yuya’s eyes will get darker they don’t really notice until after book 2. They will also get the full movie context. With movies not involved with the Overblots Yuya will get dreams in similar fashion and get the full movie after 3 dreams
Some of Yuya’s more noticeable habits has to be their strange ability to have everything in their pockets. No one knows where or how they even got it from. Another has to be staring only a few close to them can tell if Yuya likes or dislikes something by the way they stare.
Yuya is able to form bonds with many different beasts, creatures etc especially ghosts. Ghost often mistake Yuya as one of their own. Yuya thought being called a “beast tamer” was far fetched but can’t deny that they have a particular liking to them
Yuya grows insecure about the scar they gain after overblots even has troubles looking in the mirror.
It did take them awhile to warm up to others also given that in the beginning they were pretty quite. Grim, Ace and Deuce were the ones Yuya warmed up to the quickest.
Yuya does have conflicting feeling about being the Perfect but is scared of how others would treat them if they stopped.
Gave up on the thought of ever getting to go home during book 4 and focusing on how to get their memories.
Yuya does overblot which is triggered by them getting their memories back from fully dying in their original world.
Yuya never really asks for help for their self specifically but in a way that would help someone else. For example Grim asking them to call Crowley + text Ace and Deuce in book 4.
Yuya doesn’t really like the memory of orientation so doesn’t really attend things like assembly unless it something important like getting an Award. In the beginning they would get scolded but dropped it later on.
Yuya does sleep walk it’s a combination of stress/ Trauma and their shattered soul. When they sleep walk others will say they look like a wandering spirit.
Book 3 is when Yuya’s most noticeable changes happen waking up to their reality and changing the way they behave also every happening with Azul. After 3 Overblots they believe that this will be a reoccurring thing (they were right not to their shock)
Yuya is actually good at driving even when they have to be a bit reckless
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💫Backstory💫
[ implied abuse]
Yuya lived with her mom Lilian pretty happily. One day Lilian had to go on a work trip promising to take them to the aquarium when she gets back but that day never came.
At the age of 5 Yuya lost their mother and was sent to live with their Aunt and her family. At first everyone was pretty sympathetic to Yuya but the true colors showed after so time. The Adults in their life valued appearances over everything. A stubborn child didn’t fit into their picture perfect ideal. So Yuya had to learn how to fit themself into the role their Aunt wanted them to. Sometimes using their mom against them other times different punishment.
This made Yuya close off their emotions and change their personality to whatever is deems fit. Throughout the following years Yuya would see themselves as “A shiny trophy for them to show off”.Put others before yourself, Help others with whatever they need. Earning them being seen as the “Star” of the community. But the one thing Yuya remember the most is Don’t expect anything in return that’s selfish.
“And selfishness gets you punished”
Enduring for years Yuya at 13 started to grow resentful. It started with small things misplacing items mainly targeted at Aunt, Uncle and Damien. This gradually grew into destroying things causing fights in the house. Things came to a head during a family reunion Yuya now 15 had a fight with Damien which lead to them falling down the stairs.
This event turned the family upside down reveling things happening behind closed doors. The main factors were Desmond waiting to expose the family and doctors seeing other injuries on Yuya. This lead to Community shunning most of the family. Other members would claim to not have known anything trying to get in Yuya’s good graces.
Yuya and Yolonda were sent to live with their grandparents who had no involvement distancing themselves from the family long ago. They have this belief that leaving that house would solve the situation and make them happy but nothing. Given everything that happened Yuya was honestly just tired and didn’t really trust their grandparents. They ultimately chose just to go on with life and leave things behind once they go to college.
💫Entering TWST/ NRC💫
The day before Yuya was supposed to be heading off to culinary school they wanted to visit their mom’s grave one last time. Unfortunately after saying their goodbyes they ran into Damien.
Trying to ignore the nonsense he was spewing they walked away. This was supposedly the wrong move as he grabbed Yuya still yelling. How Yuya ruined the family, how selfish they were and so on.
Scared and annoyed , Yuya started to fight their cousin off. This went on until they both heard the sound of horses running . Within only a few seconds Yuya saw the black carriage then everything went black.
The thing is only half of Yuya’s soul got transported to Twst that day. The other half survived currently in critical condition at the hospital but doctors are unsure if they’ll recover.
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💫Gallery 💫
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teecupangel · 4 months ago
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Imagine Desmond born a twin
Submitted by @the-blue-eyed-fallen-angel
Imagine Desmond growing up as part of a set, never really able to be *him*, only *them*. Desmond and his twin being called interchangeably to the point even they were confused on who was who. Desmond being pitted against his sibling over an over again, and even winning feels like a failure when he sees the deep anger in his other half’s eyes.
Desmond agonizing over his decision to leave.
Desmond terrified of being well and truly alone for the first time in his life, in a dingy New York apartment.
Bonus: Desmond being bittter that for all they were identical, he is the only one stuck with the Isu genes
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Additions by teecup:
I was soooo ready to write about how Desmond would live his entire life being compared to his twin and this ends with him feeling like he will always fail no matter what.
But then your idea of the two of them being called interchangeably reminded me of a plot point in Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni.
This is absolutely gonna be a spoiler so uuuhhh… ignore this post if you plan to read/watch Higurashi? XD
So a major twist in Higurashi was the fact that the two sisters who were identical swapped names during an event that led to them being stuck forever with having to use their sister’s name.
We’ll add a similar setup in this one.
During a training session, Desmond and his twin changed names (it was easy, all they had to do was change t shirts and voila~) and that’s when Desmond gets the scar on his lips.
While he was pretending to be his brother.
We’ll set when they were younger, maybe not even teenagers, to make it easier for them to swap places and for Desmond to have to live for years hearing people praise ‘Desmond’ while any praises for him were attributed to a different name.
So from there on, Desmond became known as his brother while his brother used the name Desmond.
Desmond still leaves the Farm years later because he couldn’t take it anymore.
He learned of the old tradition of having an heir and a spare and he saw himself as an unneeded spare.
Before 2012, his brother rises in ranks as fast as he could so he would have the freedom to look for Desmond.  
And this becomes a major twist because…
Abstergo knows about ‘Desmond Miles’, Desmond’s name appeared in one of Cross’ mission (The Fall comics) and so they’re focused on finding the Assassin Desmond Miles.
Not the bartender that goes by the name ‘Miles’.
.
A bigger twist is that everyone believes Desmond’s twin is meant to save the world and only his twin realizes that they need to find Desmond. He had tried to tell people before that he isn’t Desmond but they never believed him because he had taken Desmond’s name for far too long.
It all comes to a head when Juno intervenes and tells them that this ‘Desmond’ is an imposter and the real Desmond is long gone, having noticed the strange men that was following him (as he was a ‘spare’ in Abstergo’s eyes to be kept under surveillance and used as bait in case any Assassins try to contact him with orders to be kidnapped only if necessary)
#ngl, I did reply to the idea based on umineko’s golden truth, and that’s why i easily remembered higurashi XD,
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cantareincminor · 5 months ago
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For the Sake of Appearances
It's obvious that Eden Academy is a superficial place, despite the efforts of Henderson and other teachers to uphold its educational mission. Like any elite institution, most of its students hail from rich families and don't actually need a degree from Eden to be more than comfortable in life. Most of them are there acting as proxies for their parents, to accumulate even more wealth and power, often by schmoozing with people higher up on the chain like the Desmonds.
Twilight of course is aware of the dynamics and rules of the game at Eden and is playing to win. He crafts an upper middle class cover that will fit in decently without being rich or powerful himself. He looks for a smart child. He looks for a wife. Because apparently only children with two parents can get into the school.
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Throughout the whole story so far he has been concerned about his family's image, both so his cover won't be blown, and so that Anya will advance Plan A or Plan B. He is sensitive to Anya acting out of turn, like punching Damian, or falling behind academically and having no talents with which to gain extracurricular Stellas.
Back when the Imperial Scholars Mixer chapters came out (before I joined the fandom), I'm sure there was a lot of discussion about the moment Anya made her speech to Damian and said this:
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The sadness around Anya not knowing whether her adoptive father even likes her dominates this chapter, at least for me. But on a second read I thought about Twilight's perspective here.
For someone who has been so worried about appearances -- making sure his family can at least pretend at cultured tastes and manners, somehow pushing Anya to get good grades or preventing her from failing (by breaking into the records room), and ensuring his own image is immaculate -- one might expect that Twilight would also worry about appearances here. His daughter just admitted to his chief target's son that she doesn't know if her father loves her. Is that not breaking the facade of a loving nuclear family, which he needed to project at the Eden admissions interview?
But, sadly, having a loving family isn't actually a requirement among the many appearances people have to keep up in the Eden crowd. Damian himself is exhibit A on that front. Both his parents hardly ever bother to visit him or talk to him, and as we see in Chapter 104, it's made him avoid going home except when none of his family members are there. From a utilitarian perspective, it may be good that Anya said this to Damian, so she could appear empathetic to his situation.
What is really interesting is that we don't get any of Twilight's inner thoughts about Anya's speech, probably because he's so focused on Donovan's arrival. All we see is an "Anya..." which could be Endo hiding any further insights on Twilight from the audience, or Twilight genuinely not knowing what to think, or Twilight turning off his over-analyzing tendencies for once and even forgetting to worry about appearances, because his daughter really got to him with that speech. If the latter is true, it might explain his behavior during the cruise arc where he tries so hard to please Anya, with the whole "I'm a normal father. A good father," piece. Bit by bit, he starts to care about more than just appearances or outcomes, and shows through his actions that he wants Anya to be happy. He doesn't tell himself that her happiness is for the cover or for the mission as often as before.
I really do hope that in some future chapter we get a callback to this scene in Chapter 37 where Anya was uncertain whether her father likes her. After 103, where we even got a brief flashback to their first day out as a family overlooking the shopping street, I feel a bit more hope that at some point Twilight will give Anya the reassurance she needs directly or indirectly.
Or maybe, Anya has already figured it out, from all the things he's done for her and how his behavior has changed gradually since that day in the courtyard.
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gachagon · 1 month ago
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Hypocrisy anon here and I agree completely with your response, especially the tags.
I really hope a p:eg writer writes a fic about a Danganronpa character being plopped into Project Eden's Garden cause I feel like the dichotomy between them and the cast would be so good.
Like I could see the cast seeing Makoto as a complete anomaly with how optimistic he is even compared to Diana. With Hajime I could see many of the characters shunning him with Damon doing so too. Nagito and Kokichi I feel like would be even more wildcards than they were in their own games.
If Eva had been with any other group she either wouldn't have murdered or I think she would've won that Killing Game. The THH and SDR group were like so friendly and trusting of one another that each trial was a gut punch because they knew someone had genuinely betrayed them or felt like they had been backed into a corner into becoming one of the Blackened. (Aside from Celestia who was just straight up trying to win it lol)
I definitely think she would've won the Killing Game for THH if she befriended Naegi and still did her whole "I'm gonna frame someone else" plot. Only because I think Naegi and the others would have had too much faith in her T_T
Hajime had to vote for multiple people he actually liked so I don't think she'd have won SDR's Killing Game, but alternatively she wouldn't have murdered if she had a support group and seeing as the SDR crew were like legit besties even after the Killing Game, I could see her not resorting to murder.
V3 however, idk I feel like she would've lost. She'd have had to tell a lie so convincing that it'd trick the REAL Ultimate Liar, Kokichi Ouma and I just don't see Eva doing that. But I do think she'd bond with other characters in V3 because she wouldn't be the only person with an "unusual" talent. (That, and her ostracizing starts because she's the first to point out the naivety of believing no one would murder. The other crews I feel would've had more people who would've agreed with her openly rather than following some leader. That way she wouldn't be alone in her opinion, which sort of makes her spiral from the jump.)
Like Kirigiri and Byakuya would've agreed with her in THH, I can see Fuyuhiko and Peko backing her up on the whole "we really CAN'T trust people like that..." point, Maki and Shuichi would've also agreed with the idea of it etc...but in Eden's Garden the only person she had was Damon, and Diana agreed but not outwardly and she did just stay quiet for the most part T_T (i love Diana but I feel like Eva had a bit of a point, it's like when you're in a group of friends and they're bullying someone and you point out how they're all being kind of mean, but nothing happens bc you don't do anything personally to distance yourself from that kind of behavior.)
That, and the other crews didn't have a "leader" until like the very end. Sure there was someone to help lead the discussions of the trials, but outside of trials they didn't have someone who dictated what they did or when they did it etc. Like nobody was looking to Naegi or Shuichi or Hajime as leaders to make decisions for everyone. When Wolfgang was like "Just bring any suspicious clues to me next time Desmond" I knew that shit wouldn't fly if it was THH or something (Byakuya would've called him out on it so fast lmao)
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