#(Mirrored Counterpart) : MC

[tessieee]

Main 7 x an MC that acts silly and talks to themselves when they’re alone

PT. 1 -- Pt. 2 after the fic that won the poll :p

Pairings: OBEY ME! Lucifer x MC, Mammon x MC, Leviathan x MC

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Spending time alone in the House of Lamentation became a rarity as the brothers and you grew closer. Some days it was mediating a fight between Mammon and Levi, others it was being dragged to go shopping with Asmo, napping with Belphie, then a Fangol game for Beelzebub, and Lucifer on your tail over assignments from R.A.D. Regardless, you gave your precious time out like bread and water, feeding those who cried out for help; you knew being needed by so many people at once made your chest swell with pride and filled a void inside you that nothing else could. 

For a while, you’d convinced yourself that the exhaustion you felt was simply because you weren't used to so many people wanting to spend time with you at once, but your denial only went so far as you began to become snippy with your favorite demons. Talking to yourself was a habit you’d picked up every time you were home alone when you still lived with your parents. Staring in the mirror to finish off arguments, speaking to no one in particular while folding laundry, anything to fill the silence. Tonight you swore up and down that you finally had some time alone while finishing up a paper for Curses and Hexes and subconsciously, began to talk to yourself again.

• —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Lucifer ~ 

“What the hell am I even saying here?” You guffawed at your words, strung together by nothing but the Devildom equivalent of Red Bull and your hopes and dreams.

“…great and then you decided to… to…completely ignore the hex counterpart”

You rolled your eyes, staring off to the side as if briefly looking at an off-screen camera. Someone has been watching too many sitcoms. “Awesome! Then I finish this and then I finish math and then I’m done. Dude, I think I’m the GOAT.”

“Thanks!”

Unbeknownst to you, your monologue had caught the attention of the eldest, who, like you, believed that he had been alone that night. Leaning up to your door, he continued to listen as you narrate your actions to an audience you never expected to have. 

“What would Lucifer say…”  You spew a poor impression of Lucifer. 

“You do know you forgot the hex counterpart! How will you be expected to make me look good for my boyfriend? Oh, Lord Diavolo!”

 Embarrassment weighed in your chest, joking about it only relieved the insecurity of whether or not he could like you back for a moment before stinging. You take note of the fact that the demon had been occupying your mind feverishly the past week, today was certainly no exception. You wished he’d check on you to see how diligently you were working. The thought of his approval made you wipe away a dazed grin, your face hot with shameful desire.

Laughter bubbled throughout the room as you made yourself laugh through the rest of your homework. Lucifer’s heart raced at the sound; as he had gotten to know you, your laughter became his favorite sound along with the haunted records he treasured. 

Being caught up in the moment certainly put him at a disadvantage as he almost missed your footsteps growing closer to the door. The prideful demon took this opportunity to feign intention and raise his hand to the door as if to knock on it. Smooth.

“Lucifer? To what do I owe.. the pleasure?” Your meek and confused demeanor threw him off. In front of his brothers you could be so witty, your retorts to the occasional friendly tease from one of his brothers at breakfast often resulted in his gaze focusing on your supple lips, he found that fantasizing about kissing you in the morning kept him distracted for hours to come. 

Your bravery and confidence that you had slowly built up with the time you spent in the Devildom was something he admired so to catch you in such a vulnerable state felt as if you two were sharing something intimate. If the hall wasn’t so dark you’d likely see his lightly flushed expression. 

“I- How long—“ You look behind you self-consciously. “Were you standing there?”

“I was just about to knock. Why do you ask?” You’re lucky he likes you. Sparing your pride, to the both of you, was almost a love language on its own. The executive decision to not nag you about your assignment at that moment was made soon after seeing your cute behavior.

“Oh,” a shy smile spreads upon your lips. You knew he’d be the last person to poke fun at you for this. “Well, it’s a little embarrassing but I tend to talk– to myself? When I’m alone— and.. sometimes around others and..” Your confession ended up sounding more like a question trailing off at the end into an awkward silence. Stupid beautiful demon face.

To your absolute delight, your awkwardness appeared endearing to the firstborn. Luckily you were able to catch sight of the slightly upturned corners of his mouth. He looked incredibly amused by your red cheeks and refusal to make eye contact.

“Are you laughing, Lucifer?” 

“You are the GOAT? Or so I’ve heard.”

“For that long?!”

There’s a moment of silence before you catch sight of his shoulders trembling with laughter, your fit of giggles in pursuit. Your heartbeat finally relaxed; you became aware of how comfortable you felt around him.

Who better than to keep your little secret? 

• —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Mammon ~ 

“Hooooly shit you’re a genius.” Your fingers flew furiously on your keyboard.

Quiet clacking noises emitted from your fingertips as your melodic voice broke the silence in your room. Music was much too distracting and you’d procrastinated enough on this assignment. Lucifer’s nagging reminded you a lot of your mother and it goes without saying you needed less of that. 

“Oh my god,” You scoff, noticing you had accidentally typed ‘Mammon’ instead of ‘divination’. The demon had been particularly clingy with you as of late, not that you were complaining. It felt nice to be needed, especially if it was him.

“Mammon.. oh he’s so cute.” You practically swooned, sighing loudly and quite dramatically. Your finger quickly made its way to your hair, twirling it mindlessly as your mind wandered from your assignment. The week’s adventures replayed in your mind. You didn’t miss the way your pose looked in the mirror, grinning and nodding in approval. Maybe you’ll post some selfies later!

It wasn’t unusual for Mammon to be demanding of your time if not the most out of all of his brothers. Who could blame him? Time flew when the two of you were together. Two peas in a pod.

“God, if I keep procrastinating like that I won’t be able to go with him.” 

You gasp quietly, taking note of the expression you chose.

“Is that like a cuss word here? Will I get smited?”

A singular “Ha!” Escaped from your lips followed by a string of words. Your frenzied typing had grown to a halt, the back of your seat used as a tool to help stretch your back. Truthfully you’d been at your homework for a couple of hours now and you still had so much left and it was so late. You wondered again where everyone went, you could hear the house creak and you’d be lying if you said it didn’t freak you the hell out.

Scrolling on your phone, you decided to open Deviltunes™ to cut the silence. Finally returning to your homework, you sang along and continued making small talk with yourself.

“Come to think of it, wouldn’t it be weird if someone was watching me right now? Nice question moron, of course, no one’s watching.” Your declaration came out less confident than you would’ve hoped. 

“You always talk t’yourself in private?” The speed at which you turned around almost gave you whiplash. Catching sight of Mammon all smug and disheveled, likely from a night out, made your breath hitch. “Worry not! The Great Mammon will grant you the favor of sparing your ego tonight!”

“Where’s everyone else?” Your arms stay crossed, attempting to make yourself look tougher. This moment didn’t affect you, certainly not! Especially because you did not care that he was the one to catch you talking to yourself and because you did not have enormous feelings for him. 

He only grinned at your weak attempt to change the subject. “Just out. Pretty sure Levi’s been here the whole time.” Both of you share a moment of agreement and you let go of a breath you weren't aware you were holding. This didn’t deter the demon from prodding you until you answered his questions. 

“You talk to yourself too?” 

“Yes, Mammon.”

“You think I’m cute?” 

“Mammon.” His eyes widened at your tone, a smile plastered onto his face as he raised his hands defensively. The avatar of greed swore he meant no harm and came in peace.

Frustration bubbled in your chest as he continued to poke fun at your habit– you were embarrassed yet the expression on your face, fidgeting, and red face went right over the demon’s head. Luckily he managed to catch on before he got pushed too close to your door. Complaints spilled from his mouth like chants he knew he’d pushed your buttons a little too much this time and, still with a grin albeit smaller than when he started to make fun of you, shifted his tone. 

“Alright, human.” He grabs your wrist with one hand, brushing stray hairs from your blushing face. “Pay attention ‘cause m’ only doin’ this once! Better not make me regret it.”

Mammon pulls you into his chest, halting your brief nervous breakdown and reminding you that despite all of the chaos you two get yourselves into he’s still your peace. You swear time freezes for a moment as you take in a deep breath, the scent of his cologne and cigarette smoke wrapping around you as his arms do. That’s your Mammon. He knew very well he wouldn’t keep his promise and you wouldn’t rather have it any other way.

• —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Leviathan ~

MC.hammah:

‘Yo Levi. You home 2nite?’

‘Heard u went 2 a Ruri-chan pop-up! Get me something cute. Thx!’

Leviathanreallordofshadows:

‘If I have time after dis line’

‘Get these randos out of line I need this figurine more than they do. > : (’

‘Ugh this is taking too longgggggg’

‘Hey! Where’d u go? Keep me company or ur fake’

You didn't bother waiting for the messages that followed, even the resident shut-in was out of the house tonight. You tossed your phone on the bed and twirled around your room in delight. The world was your oyster– except the world, for now, was confined to the walls that made up the House of Lamentation. You could go exploring, but the sight of your discontinued essay for class held you back from leaving your room. Trudging towards your desk from your bed had to be the hardest task you completed that day.

Your head rested on the palm of your hand as your fingers found themselves in a comfortable tangle in your hair. Scanning the online textbook excerpts in hopes of finding more context to your evidence. All of the right pieces were there, you just needed the glue that would connect them all. Attempt after attempt, the words began to blend into one another and you notice you’ve been reading the same paragraph for the past 5 minutes. 

Why was focusing on this so hard today?

 You lean back to rub your eyes gently, the blue light of your laptop stinging your retinas. Maybe you were just a little butthurt that you’d heard nothing about this, especially since you’d been the one to send him the Devilgram post notifying fans of the event in the first place.

“Not even an invite? Seriously, what’s going on with him..” You frown at your lap, deciding to grab your D.D.D once again. The lock screen turns on, a group picture you’d begged everyone to take, the highlight to you was the cute poses you and Levi had chosen for this picture. Inside jokes like these often provoked the occasional look from his brothers; no one was in on them except you, him, and maybe Henry 2.0.

You scroll down the messages in your DMs with him, scanning for some sort of subtle invitation you might’ve missed but still nothing. With a quiet thud, you threw yourself onto your bed, continuing to scroll yet not finding a moment that excuse his lack of invitation.

“Guess m’ just not cool enough for these anymore.” “Did he take the fish? If you took Henry I swear I’ll rip your soft purple hair right out of your head.” You glance once more at your desk and bury your face into your comforter to let out a boisterously loud groan.

“Homework. Right! Maybe that's why he didn't invite me!”

You look into a nearby reflection with an expression desperate for approval yet you only end up with loud silence and a realization that you look insane. Focusing on your homework doesn't seem that bad anymore. The walk back to your chair is a silent one, thanks to that you were able to catch the quick footsteps from your door. Did whoever just got home hear all of that? Counting your blessings for finding yet another distraction to the assignment you were putting off, you head towards the door hoping to catch the spy. Opening it you weren't expecting to find Levi, much less with a giftbag from the event.

“Were you–” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, embarrassed that he’d been caught so quickly. “On the phone? Y-Yknow’ with someone?”

Had he heard all of the self-deprecating monologuing you spewed? Oh, no. 

“No! No. Levi, I was just…” You trail off, talking quietly with newfound paranoia of being eavesdropped on. “Talking to myself. Obviously.”

Great. That sounded insincere! The demon shifts the weight on his feet awkwardly as his hands fidget with the gift bag in his hands. “Oh, okay. I was just wondering since it– uhm– sounded like you were on the phone.” Poor boy… “I dunno’ I’m probably just being stupid.”

Your face softens as you hear his words. You two were too similar sometimes, sympathy was almost inevitable. Taking his trembling hands in yours you peek up at him through his bangs.

“What’s this, Levi?” “For not– not inviting you. It was supposed to be a surprise.” Ohhhh…

“Levi!” Your arms soon find themselves wrapped around his neck, overcome with emotion as you pull him close. You note he runs cold and that he smells like linen and a day at the beach. “I’m so sorry. I thought– maybe you were over me coming to events like this.”

“No! Never! You’re my– my Henry.” Levi flushed at the sudden spike in intimacy between the two of you. How he was able to keep it together this long was beyond him. “I just figured you were too busy for another event so I’d bring you something special” 

His free hand clutched your shirt to keep you close as if he’d let go and wake up from this dream where a normie and an otaku could get so close without a rip in the space-time continuum. Yet again, he supposed over time you became so much more than just a normie to him.

“It’s amazing Levi. Thank you!”

Worth it!

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Note: OKAYYY I know the fic that won the poll isn't technically my first fic. This one's kinda like a pilot episode? They're also all long kinda so that's why there's two parts soz be nice to me please

Feedback + constructive criticism is appreciated !!!

[kaedekolya]

clarence and his counterparts: man or monster?

So we were talking about Clarence’s new android SSR (Faint Night Light) in the LBC discord server, and it got me thinking about the monster allusions that seem to be a common thread across Clarence’s main stories. Then we discussed the diary entries from his White Day event, and it occurred to me that this monster imagery also ties into his modern-day counterpart – and with that, this post was born.

In other words: is Clarence a man, a monster, or somewhere in between?

[ SPOILERS: Clarence’s main stories and Chrono Theatre diaries. This meta analysis is structured as story-specific sections, namely Godheim, Eden, and the modern world, so you can skip over the world(s) you haven't read yet. No Awakening spoilers, don't worry! ]

- ☽ -

Godheim: Archmage Clarence

First, let’s talk about Godheim Clarence. As the Archmage, he bears a heavy responsibility upon his shoulders – to oversee the Magi Tower, to fight the Glacial Butterflies, and, ultimately, to protect the country and its people.

In order to fulfil this duty that he has chosen to undertake, Clarence seals his heart and shuts others out. He denies his emotions, and resents himself for having these emotions, to the point that he disparages MC for “[acting] impetuously” and belittles her capabilities when she shows concern for Amelia’s wellbeing. Archmage Clarence’s impassivity is his shield against the emotions he views as a hindrance.

Yet he was not always this way. Clarence is a casualty of cruel circumstances, a tender soul torn apart by trauma. When MC is confronted with the truth of the mages’ magic, having witnessed a mage die before her very eyes, she notes that “[there] is no pain or compassion on Clarence’s face,” because “[this] is a sight he has seen all too many times before.” Decades of watching his fellow mages succumb to the Glacial Butterflies that nest inside them, and decades of having to end the lives of mutating mages under his purview, have conditioned Clarence into numbing his heart to such pain. How else could he have stayed sane, after a century of bearing witness to suffering wrought by his own hands?

Archmage Clarence’s disposition is initially described by MC as an “[icy] presence,” but this is the facade that he projects as a defence mechanism, not his genuine self. Clarence is so accustomed to the chill of the Glacial Butterflies within him that he has taken on the frost as a personality trait, believing that his frigidity defines him. He does not view himself as a human capable of warmth; instead, he thinks of himself as a mutant, as an icy monster.

Even so, Clarence cannot deny his innate inclination towards kindness. When he notices that Amelia isn’t feeling well, he tells her to sit in the carriage. When Amelia’s temperature drops, he casts a spell to warm the shivering child up, even as he grumbles that he’s wasting his time and magic. When Amelia’s death is imminent, he tries to send her off in the gentlest way possible, then grants her final wish by conjuring a connection to the water mirror. Clarence may insist that he does not care, but his actions reflect his compassion.

It is this very kindness that steers him towards a path of selfless sacrifice, for the sake of his country and its people. The life of a mage may have been forced upon him, by the man that gave a gravely injured child no other option but the potion that would transform him, yet Clarence learns to harness his power for good. He spends his youth eliminating Glacial Butterflies and protecting the village of the snow plains, and despite the harsh conditions of the path he now treads, he does not hold a grudge against the family that sold him off and thrived in the resulting profit. Instead, he returns to check on them from afar, and when an onslaught of Glacial Butterflies attack, he protects them with every last bit of energy within him.

Still, his family’s betrayal left an indelible mark on his psyche. Back when he’d been given the potion, he’d resolved to succumb to his injuries rather than drink it. Despite his instinctive desire to live, MC notes that his “will to live [had been] virtually non-existent,” because there is “[no] despair greater than being betrayed by your own family.” The young Clarence had not seen a reason to live, when his family had forsaken him. It is only when MC saves him, urging him to live on, that he resolves to survive and repay this debt. Each time MC encounters him in her voyage through time, he is on the verge of death, and each time, his dwindling will to live stems from his despair over those he could not save. What ultimately keeps him alive is the vow he swore to his saviour.

This characterisation is one that carries through his immortal lifespan. Clarence does not live for himself; he lives for others. Whether that means risking his life to defend a village, or sacrificing himself in a ritual to save the country’s inhabitants, the underlying premise is the same – Clarence lives for the person who saved him, and for the promise he made to them. He allows others to form negative opinions of him based on the assumptions they’ve made, in order to keep the secret of the ritual and the Glacial Butterflies from them, because their scorn towards him matters less than their safety. He closes himself off from others, never permitting them to reach out to him, because he cannot allow companionship and compassion to distract him from his purpose. He “[cannot] afford to be sentimental,” because he cannot have anyone or anything clouding his judgement. Better to be the enemy of the state that saves it, than the friend of the state that cannot do anything as it crumbles. 

It is ironic, then, that Clarence’s devotion to his promise leads him from striving to live and fulfil it, to voluntarily dying for that same promise. His life, his existence itself, is secondary to the promise he has made. He will live to protect the world for his saviour, but if the only way to protect it is to die, then die he shall. Perhaps he views it as a penance of sorts, an atonement for the sins he’s committed. Perhaps he believes the new world would be better off without a monster like him.

For all his calculative callousness and stoic solitude, Clarence is deeply self-aware. Not only is he conscious of the suffering he inflicts and the ramifications of his actions, but he also ruminates upon his sins until they turn to guilt in his gut and self-loathing in the deepest recesses of his soul. He does not turn a blind eye to the pain he witnesses; instead, he looks it straight in the eye, internalises it, and forces himself to feel nothing at all.

Clarence may appear to have no qualms about exploiting people and reducing them to cogs in a plan greater than its constituent parts, but his interactions with Amelia prove otherwise. Right before he sends her off on what is meant to be a suicide mission, his carefully-crafted defenses slip, and he asks whether she hates him. Clarence believes that he has failed to live up to the Archmage’s title, that he has fallen short of being a “guiding force for all the mages” and a “protector.” He condemns himself for his callous strategies and merciless manipulation, since he has been treating people like chess pieces and “using them as [he sees] fit.” He disparages himself for “[standing] by on the sidelines, safe and sound.” He believes others hate him because he’s given them all the reasons to, because he deserves to be hated, because he, too, hates himself. All this while, he fails to recognise that he has taken on the greatest sacrifice of all – the burden of leadership, of decision-making, of being responsible for all the blood on his hands.

This downplaying of his own suffering, alongside his disregard of his own well-being, is what drives Clarence to self-sacrifice time and time again. When a theory about the Glacial Butterflies begins to take shape in his mind, he does not test it out on one of his mages, because he does not view them as expendable despite what he claims. Instead, he uses himself for his experiment, slicing his chest open and bearing the agonising pain in order to ascertain the truth of the magic within him.

On the verge of being overcome by the Glacial Butterflies, despite having prepared for this eventuality by shackling his limbs, he makes one last selfless request. “My Lord, you must kill me before I turn,” he entreats, willing to relinquish his own life for the safety of others. Even when Philip protects him from the Glacial Butterflies, refusing to kill him, Clarence believes that there is no place for him in the future that his Lord envisions.

Decades later, he still echoes this same sentiment. “There is no future without sacrifice,” he tells Lars, and he does not see himself as part of that future, does not see himself as deserving of that future. Archmage Clarence thinks of himself as a monster, not a man, and a monster is better off dead than alive.

It is a revelation, to him, that Amelia does not hate him. MC does not hate him. Lars, Alkaid, the mages that carry on the legacy of the Magi Tower, none of them hate him. They do not view him as a monster; they view him as a martyr, a protector, a saviour. Someone who did his best, and gave his all. Archmage Clarence leaves behind a legacy through his sacrifice, spurred by the human heart he still harbours deep within.

- ☽ -

Eden: Falcon Clarence

Next, we have the Falcon Clarence of Eden. The lone ranger of the desert, the mercenary that eliminates Sandswimmers with impeccable precision and works with no one else.

“A bait that only knows how to cry is a burden,” his mentor tells him, and Clarence internalises that into his cognitive framework and guiding compass. It is “the first lesson Liore taught [him];” that he must prove his worth in order to live. His scent lures the Sandswimmers to him, and so he must make himself useful by seeking out danger.

Valued only for his utility as bait, Clarence learns that his worth is determined by his fighting skills. With no other way to survive, he becomes a NEOS by fusing Sandswimmer gems into his body. Clarence pays the price of this acquired power through the gradual erosion of his memories, but that is far from the only thing he has lost. His decision to accept the integration of these foreign, beastly objects into his body has changed him irrevocably. He thinks of himself not as a human, but as a mutant being only one step away from becoming a monstrous Lost. Still, he endeavours to “remember [his] humanity,” because he refuses to become a “mere weapon [that knows] nothing but destruction.” Falcon Clarence understands that he is, by definition, a monster, but he refuses to relinquish the last shreds of his humanity.

In his first encounter with MC, he is rational and pragmatic as always, scrutinising her motives and seeing no reason to work together. Years of solitude, with no one else to depend on, have honed Clarence’s reflexes into an “instinct for self-defence.” Yet his reaction to MC’s request reveals that his solitude has been shaped by circumstance, not entirely by choice. When MC explains her reason for seeking out Eden, even though it does not sound particularly convincing, Clarence accepts it as sufficient and agrees to lead the way. Despite the potential risk of allowing a stranger close, he offers MC a ride on his motorcycle. Subsequently, he continues to help her out, defending the children’s shelter and giving her the gems he’d collected, even as he refuses to follow her any further.

Falcon Clarence claims that he works alone, but everything he does is for the sake of protecting others. He fights in the desert to protect the shelters from Sandswimmers, and he fights in Eden to protect Lin and the other NEOS from the Lost. He brings MC to the NEOS Association, so that she can rest for a night and learn essential skills from Lin. He knows that the night is dangerous, so despite his own preference for working alone, he ensures that MC has a community of protection around her.

Even as he dismisses everything and everyone else as burdens, his actions speak otherwise. Despite having met MC for only a single day, he offers his assistance to her time and time again, from rides on his motorcycle to filling water bottles with her. He could easily leave her to fend for herself, but he chooses not to leave her behind even when that would be the easier way out.

Perhaps the reason Clarence refuses to work with other people is that he’s afraid. Afraid of dragging them down, afraid of becoming their burden. He fears that history will repeat itself. He cannot bear to lose someone he cares for again, so he refrains from caring about anyone at all. Each time Clarence chastises others for being a hindrance, he is reproaching his past self for his inadequacy. Each time he risks his life to protect others, he is atoning for his failure to save his mentor.

MC says that she understands how Clarence feels, because “acting alone means nobody will be hurt because of [him].” In a way, acting alone also protects himself from being hurt. It is a defence mechanism born from his past, when he had to “learn to accept [his] losses” from a young age. He couldn’t afford to grieve Liore for long, not with the constant threat of the Sandswimmers, and so he could do nothing else but “live on with what memories [he] had left.” He’d forced himself to harden his heart to his emotions, but he could not suppress them entirely.

Clarence blames his moment of weakness, of emotional folly, for causing Liore’s death. It was her humanity, even in her final moments as a Lost, that held her back from killing him and caused her to die. He regrets his choice to this day, and perhaps it is this survivor’s guilt that pushes him to fight harder until he reaches the brink.

It is this same guilt, alongside his resolve to not lose anyone else he cares for, that drives him towards self-sacrifice. When he realises that MC needs a soul stone – his soul stone – to open the door within Central Control, he unflinchingly raises his gun to his head, as if it were the natural and logical decision to make. He is ready to offer his life without a moment’s hesitation, because that is the utility he can offer in this moment, in order to keep MC safe and help her achieve her goal. She has given him a reason to fight, and he will die trying to fulfil it.

Ultimately, it is his encounter with MC – and the companionship which blooms from it – that saves him. Without demanding anything in return, she cries for his pain, fights by his side, and shoulders his burdens with him. Clarence doubts his humanity, even as he holds fast to it, since he is all too cognisant of the monstrous traits within. In turn, MC’s unwavering trust reaffirms the humanity within him, reminding him that he is worthy of living.

Falcon Clarence may not be fully human on a biological level, and he may still succumb to the effects of the monsters within him from time to time, but he has managed to preserve his heart and his humanity. His tale is one of healing, of opening up, and of learning to value himself for who he is and not what he can do.

- ☽ -

Modern World: Clarence

Finally, let’s circle back to modern-day Clarence. At first glance, he’s the calm, collected, and capable Student Council president, who always seems to have affairs in order and circumstances under control.

Then, in his Chrono Theatre diary entries, we learn that he had a psychiatrist observing him from a young age, due to his gifted aptitude and exceptional intelligence beyond that of his peers. This revelation sparked a discussion in the LBC discord server, which spurred this message of mine that then became the basis for this meta post:

Clarence is well-versed in decorum, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it comes naturally to him. It’s likely that he learned social etiquette by picking it up from observing how other people behave, so he knows the appropriate responses to give and the socially-acceptable ways to carry himself. However, because this social understanding is not an innate trait but a learned one, there are often times when he doesn’t recognise the need for social niceties, and instead his instinctual response – founded on his internal logic – comes through.

One example of this can be found as early as his second interaction with MC, after she paints an artwork of him:

The polite thing to do would be to express interest in or appreciation of the finished product, regardless of one’s actual feelings towards it. However, Clarence “doesn’t show the slightest interest” in MC’s painting. Does this mean that he doesn’t care for it, and doesn’t see the need to put on a pretence? Quite the contrary. Instead, it’s because he thinks he doesn’t have anything useful to offer in response, and thus he stays silent.

Here, we see a disconnect between how Clarence understands the world, and how other people tend to view it. While most people would appreciate receiving praise or validation, Clarence doesn’t particularly see the need to receive either, and thus doesn’t immediately think of giving them to others. Rather, he takes a more pragmatic approach, focusing on utility; a piece of work deserves feedback for the effort poured into it. However, as a law major, he does not have sufficient knowledge or expertise regarding art. As such, he believes that his feedback would not be useful, and thus it is better not to say anything at all.

This ties into how Clarence views himself as his roles, and the functions he can serve. He understands that he has worth, but he evaluates this worth through his services as the Student Council president, or his contributions as a law intern. When he assists others, he doesn’t think of it as going out of his way to help them; instead, he views it as part of his rightful duty.

As a result, Clarence doesn’t view himself as simply “Clarence.” Rather, he thinks of himself as Clarence, the Student Council president; Clarence, an upperclassman; Clarence, a friend. If he can fulfil someone’s needs through a role that he holds, he will do it, even at the expense of himself.

We see this most prominently in Clarence’s “Break Time” R card story:

When the senior who’s supposed to interpret for an academic speaker falls ill and fails to attend, Clarence steps up to fill their shoes last-minute. William notes that Clarence can be counted on to show up whenever and wherever he’s needed, and MC agrees that he’s “the only one who’s up to the task.”

However, what most people don’t recognise are the sheer lengths Clarence will go to in order to fulfil his duties. On top of his regular responsibilities, filling in for the interpreter caused Clarence to “[burn] the midnight oil” preparing for the speech, and taking care of the sick speaker meant that Clarence could not sleep for two days. He doesn’t recognise that he’s constantly going above and beyond, because to him it’s a given, but he is in fact pushing himself past his limits, and past the line that most people would draw.

It’s interesting to examine MC’s thoughts here, because she interprets Clarence’s willingness to take a nap as a rational understanding that he needs to rest in order to keep functioning. However, this only happens after MC coaxes him into taking a break. If she hadn’t intervened, Clarence would have continued pushing himself until he completed his task – he was already at “the brink of collapse,” and he “only agreed to sleep after [MC] practically begged him to.” Clarence prioritises his responsibilities to the point that he does not recognise his own needs, and thus neglects to take care of himself.

Although modern Clarence doesn’t think of himself as different, or as anything less than a person, it’s evident that he views himself as the roles he fulfils rather than simply as who he is. In turn, this mindset is reflected in his behaviour, which then shapes other people’s perceptions of him. This is how Clarence becomes characterised as the aloof and intimidating Student Council president in the students’ eyes, even though he cares so deeply and helps out so much; most people are unable to look deeper and see Clarence as the person that he is, because he perceives and presents himself through the lens of his roles.

As such, other people often view Clarence as different from themselves – as if he’s operating on a different wavelength, or existing on a separate plane entirely. Modern Clarence’s genius sets him apart from his peers, but more than that, his perspective of himself winds up alienating himself from other people. Clarence views himself as like others, but others view him as unlike them. He blends in well enough, but he doesn’t quite fit in; he has a place in society, but he doesn’t quite belong.

- ☽ -

Clarence, across time and space

Out of all the Clarences thus far, modern Clarence is perhaps the most well-adjusted, and this reflects the importance of having a support system. Godheim Clarence and Eden Clarence were isolated from a young age and survived alone throughout most of their lives, whereas modern Clarence had family and friends around him. He may not have had the most conventional childhood, but he grew up with his older sister Jaclyn and his close friend Luca, and he also had his psychiatrist Ford observing and monitoring his development. Subsequently, after he enters St Shelter Academia, he gains a circle of friends he can rely on, such as William, O’Connor, and, of course, MC.

Expanding upon Clarence’s St Shelter Academia bonds, we see that Clarence has people around him who genuinely like him for who he is, and are willing to support him unconditionally. O’Connor affectionately refers to Clarence with a nickname – “Shi-kun” in the Japanese voiceover, or “Little Si Lan” in the Chinese one – and for all his devious teasing, it’s clear he looks out for his Student Council successor. As for William, he may whine about Clarence’s by-the-book discipline, but his clumsiness and complaints do not preclude him from helping out when needed. For all that Clarence often chastises William, he still relies on him to assist with Student Council matters, and he knows William is someone he can trust.

Compared to these two, MC is a relatively newer connection, but her bond with Clarence runs deep. Right off the bat, she’s able to meet him on his level and banter with him, and he lets down his guard enough to subtly tease her for trying to trick him. As their relationship develops, Clarence grows to trust her, sharing his inner thoughts and admitting his vulnerabilities. MC is a safe haven for him, and she understands him on a level deeper than most. While the other students may fear Clarence for his aloof disposition, or hesitate to approach him due to his detached rationality, MC sees the earnest sincerity woven into his actions and the warmth laced through his words. Others may think of him as an unfeeling robot or a terrifying monster, but MC loves him for the human that he is.

There’s a subtle but interesting juxtaposition here, in which Godheim Clarence and Eden Clarence – both possessing monstrous mutations within them – view themselves as monsters while most others do not, whereas modern Clarence – wholly human – views himself as human while most others do not. All three Clarences are keenly aware of what constitutes them, allowing this biological understanding to shape their perception of themselves, but they do not recognise that their actions paint a different picture to others.

Regardless of the world he inhabits, Clarence constantly straddles the line between man and monster. His selfless nature and dutiful diligence often lead him to self-sacrifice and superhuman feats, creating the illusion of a monster – but beneath this facade lies, always, the heart of a human.

- ☽ -

thank you for reading!♡

if you have any thoughts about this post, i'd love to hear them! responses are always welcome, and my ask box is open~

up next: android clarence, and the inevitability of tragedy. where is the line between human and machine? stay tuned for my thoughts on clarence's awakening main story!

[xelasrecords]

V and Jumin's Emotionally Distant Friendship

At first I wanted to laugh at Jumin roasting his friend for being pretty outside but empty inside but then what V said got me thinking

2 important statements here: 1) V believes that a friendship is a mirror that reflects oneself and 2) Jumin sees V as an empty statue, beautiful but hollow inside, something that people could only fleetingly appreciate before moving on to a more interesting thing because it has no depth. V agrees with Jumin, and even if we don't know whether Jumin believes in V's mirror analogy, it is true for them.

V and Jumin are lonely because the ones they love and claim to love them back never bother to know them deeply. They have the same insecurity, but their coping mechanism is different. V uses Rika to define himself as the man who could love grandly and withstand any trials and tribulations in the name of love. Jumin closes himself from everyone and projects his unhealthy definition of love onto his cat, building up the fantasy that it could understand him like a human would.

But once the illusion is shattered—that neither of them could give a perfect love because perfection doesn't exist—they break inside. V spirals into existential crisis while Jumin refuses to take back his cat that ran away from him. They share a common belief that their love has to be perfect. They have to be the best or they would be a failure. This is what Jumin says after he finally agreed to take back Elizabeth the 3rd due to V's persuasion:

But because V and Jumin are living in their own fantasies, how could they be there for each other? How could they look into each other's emptiness and recognise how lonely the other really is, and offer emotional support when they've never learned how to do so?

The emotional closeness doesn't exist in their friendship because they can't cross the bridge. They have a shared history and deep trust, but when there's a pressing matter in the present, they don't quite know how to strengthen each other, and what is a best friend if you can't be there for them when they need it the most?

Below is one of the examples where V thinks Jumin only ever keeps one thing from him when Jumin's biggest secret is actually his feelings for Rika that he had to hide to honour his best friend's relationship:

It's sad for everyone involved. V is blissfully ignorant and thankful that Jumin still trusts him despite his self-isolating secrets, while Jumin can't even show that he's also just as lonely. They can't lean on each other when they need to.

Sure, Jumin could get the best doctors for V due to his connections and V could persuade Jumin keep Elizabeth the 3rd because he knows him best. They were helpful on a surface level but the emotional job falls solely on the MC, which could be romantic if you look at it in a "wow there's only one person who could change them" way, but isn't it heartbreaking to have a friend so close to you yet feel so far away? Romantic love is important, but platonic friendship is just as meaningful. The trust and deep understanding of each other's nature are already there, so what they need to do is simply nurture their friendship and go to therapy.

On a more positive note, Jumin and V see their counterpart as the better person. V may believe that a friendship cannot change him since it's only a mirror, but if he sees Jumin as inherently better, doesn't that reflect his opinion on himself? They believe in themselves and feel their decisions validated because they trust each other. Jumin only decides to keep Elizabeth the 3rd because he values V's opinion highly, which in turn makes him better in accepting himself. V is always thankful for Jumin's unwavering trust, which pushes him to be a better person because he wants to be more like him.

Their selflessness is also a mirror. Who else but V and Jumin who would drop everything for the safety of the RFA? V would literally give up his life and Jumin would give up his C&R position and take the fall for the RFA.

I hope after their respective good endings, they'll learn to be vulnerable and open up. Their friendship will be more fulfilling and their trust will be strengthened because of it.

[jerzwriter]

Twenty-Five

I re-read chapter one of Wake the Dead and couldn't get Troy and Zoe's friendship out of my mind. In canon, we see them together for the first time when Zoe (MC) returns from her first day out with the Scouts. I wondered what that morning looked like for them, and this is what I came up with.

Book: Wake the Dead Characters: Troy Hassan, Zoe Rivera (F!MC) Words: 1,300 Rating: Teen Summary: It's Zoe's twenty-fifth birthday, and she's finally going to see the world beyond the confines of The Tower. She's been waiting all her life for this change, but Troy feels a little different. A/N: @choicesjanuary2024 Day 10 - Change

Zoe shifted under her covers, groaning with discontent at the thought of getting out of bed. Her mattress could be considered an antique, and she never understood how it managed to be thin and lumpy at the same time. Her blanket was no more than scraps of wool stitched together, itchy against her bare skin when she stretched. Still, within the stark, concrete walls of The Tower, this was as much comfort as she could expect, and the thought of lingering there all day had its appeal. She mulled the idea of playing sick in her mind; surely one of her counterparts could rid the colony of mice and vermin for the day, but then her eyes went wide.

With renewed energy, she shot up and jumped from the top bunk. Goosebumps formed on top of goosebumps when her bare feet hit the frigid slate floor. Just as well, she thought, now she was fully awake, and that’s exactly what she wanted to be. She had waited a lifetime for this day, and now that it was here, she didn’t want to miss a thing. She swung the closet door open; her clothing options were slim, but she was grateful for what she had. After slipping into an old, faded Henley and her favorite pair of worn jeans, she brushed her chestnut brown locks, smiling at her reflection in the dingy mirror. 

“Happy Birthday,” she winked, then bounded out the door with an extra bounce in her step. She was almost at the commissary when she heard a slow whistle and a familiar voice coming from behind.

“Well, look at you! If it isn’t the birthday princess herself!” Troy smiled.

Troy Hassan was her best friend for as long as she could remember, and that smile was as much of an old friend as he was. She couldn’t express how much she had come to rely upon it. After all, sunlight wasn’t all that common within the confines of The Tower, but with Troy at her side, she always had her own personal supply.

“It’s me!” She beamed. “A quarter-century old, and I finally get to see what the world looks like outside this monolith!”

“Hey, keep your voice down,” he cautioned. “The powers that be are awfully protective of this monolith.”

“I know,” she replied, throwing a protein bar on her metal tray. “And it’s not that I’m not grateful, but there is a big world out there, and after being stuck inside these walls for the last nineteen years, I can’t wait to see it.”

He couldn’t recall the last time he had seen her this happy, so Troy did his best to keep the fear welling in his gut...in his heart... from making an appearance on his face. He had cautioned her about the dangers in the outside world plenty of times before, and today, he wouldn’t be the one to extinguish her flame. He turned his attention to the paltry food on her tray.

“What are you doing with that crap? Put it back!”

“Why?” she asked. “I have enough on my ration card for it...”

“That’s not the point,” he tilted his head with a mischievous grin, silently urging her to follow him.

The duo walked through the grey hallways, careful not to draw any attention to themselves before reaching Troy’s room. She never asked how he managed to get a room of his own, but she was pretty sure bribery or seduction had been involved, and the fewer details she knew, the better. Besides, she thought as she flopped onto the familiar mattress, far softer than her own, it behooved her. This was essentially her “home” away from home. It’s privacy, and his company had saved her more times than she cared to admit.

“Why are we here? I’m heading out with the Scouts in an hour. It certainly isn’t time for one of our game nights.”

“Of course, it isn’t,” he grinned, pulling a small package from a cabinet next to his bed. “It isn’t even night! But what kind of friend would I be if I allowed you to head out into that big world...on your birthday, no less...without a proper breakfast.”

He pulled a plate from the canvas sack, then lifted a napkin to reveal two enormous carrot muffins. Zoe’s eyes locked on them, then on Troy, returning quickly to the muffins.

“Where... where did you get... they’re my FAVORITE!”

“Eh, you know I have my ways,” he smirked, breaking a piece off the muffin top and placing it in her mouth, smiling as she groaned with delight. “Take it easy. If you keep making those noises, people will think we’re doing something else here, and your sister will have my hide.”

“Please,” Zoe rolled her eyes. “Ana knows better. But really, where did you get these? I think I’ve had two in my entire life.”

“I called in a favor,” he replied, his voice now filled with sincerity. “It’s a big day for you, and you deserve something special.”

“Troy,” she cooed. “You’re entirely too good to me.” 

She grabbed one muffin and took a huge bite. Then she took the other and placed it in Troy’s hand, but he rebuffed.

“Oh, no. No, no, no. They’re for you. It’s your birthday, after all.”

“Don’t be silly. I can’t possibly eat two before I go. I’d be too full to run away from all the zombies that will be chasing me!”

“Zo... don’t even joke!”

“All right, but I’m serious. Take one,” she insisted. “Sharing a delicious breakfast with my best friend is the only thing that could possibly top finally seeing life outside this cinderblock.”

“Well,” he playfully nudged her shoulder, “if you insist.”

He took a piece of the muffin, licking off the crumbs that stuck to his fingers.

“I still don’t understand how this is the way you want to spend your birthday. I know the desire to get out of this place, but... it’s not safe out there, Zo.”

“I know, but I’ve trained for this. Hell, I wanted to do this seven years ago, and I would have if Ana hadn’t but in.”

“She was just protecting you.”

“Protecting me from what?”

“Flesh-eating monsters, for one thing.”

“Troy,” she consoled, reaching for his hand. “I could have stayed on pest control. Stayed inside The Tower my entire life. Play it safe, never... live. But I wouldn’t be happy, and don’t you want me to be happy?”

Troy took the now empty plate from her hands and put it on the table beside him, then he wrapped her in a warm, loving embrace.

“That’s all I’ve wanted since we were kids, Zo,” he whispered. “That's not going to change.”

She pulled back with a smile. “We'll meet up tonight, and I’ll tell you all about my adventures today. Deal?”

“Deal,” he relented with a forced smile. “Just... be safe... please.”

“Of course I will.”

He wrapped the remainder of his muffin in a napkin and returned it to the bag.

“Are you insane? Why aren’t you finishing that?” she asked.

“Because it’s yours. I know with that muffin to look forward to at the end of the day, you will do all that you can to make it home.”

“Home,” she said wistfully. “I never felt much like I had a home. But then, I guess home is wherever you are. Well,” she giggled. “You and carrot muffins.”

Troy looked at his watch. “You better get going,” he lamented.

“Yeah, I guess it’s time.” She jumped to her feet, giving Troy one last hug.

“Thanks again. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

“I don’t know either,” he teased. “But whatever it was, it must have been amazing.”

Zoe reached for the doorknob with a laugh. “Now, there’s my Troy. We'll catch up tonight. I promise!”

“We’ll catch up tonight,” he nodded, then she was gone. He stared at the door for a long while, then fell back on his bed. “She’ll be back," he reassured himself. "She promised."

@choicesficwriterscreations

Tagging others separately.

[theunseelieif]

A commission I did for @stephschoices featuring her werewolf!MC Cyra and male Morgan. It was originally 500 words but got out of hand lol!

The dried blood is sticking your shirt to your upper arm in a way that you know will be painful when you rip the cloth off. Then the mostly-healed wound will be torn open, and you’ll be right back where you started. Nevertheless, you shimmy halfway out of it, mourning the cute blouse for a moment before gripping it tightly as you brace yourself to pull.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Morgan avert his gaze, hesitant and unsure. You nearly laugh; he’s seen far more than this…but that was before. Before, not now. You’re hardly strangers, no longer lovers; you exist in some odd in-between that threatens to crack every rib to devour your heart.

Back to the matter at hand, you remind yourself with force. Your throat bobs as your hand jerks. The shirt flies off with the fresh scabs, leaving your right shoulder raw and bloody once again. Those claws had gotten you good, and now you feel the marks as if they’re being freshly carved into your skin once more.

“Cyra, are you-?” Morgan croaks as you slam your hands down on the top of your vanity, your fingers curling into fists at the pain.

You bite your lip, sharp canines pinching and gnashing as you choke down a scream. Your mom is asleep in the other room; waking her up is not an option.

“Cyra?” Morgan repeats, hovering nervously at your side.

Already the flesh is stitching itself back together, your accelerated healing both a blessing and a curse. You force a thin smile, not wanting to worry Morgan any more than you already have.

“I’m fine,” You say, though it comes out more as a wheeze, “Really.”

His brows knit together, his hand hovering over your back as if fearful of initiating contact. You can feel the cold of his skin radiating before he even touches you, a stark difference from your own warmth.

“I don’t believe you,” He whispers.

You glance up and meet his eyes in the mirror. His skin is pale, his green eyes dark; he’s a ghost of who he used to be. That’s fine, you think; you always knew you’d love him even in death.

His gaze drops down to your shoulders, to your wound, and he freezes. You see how his pupils dilate, and you frown, twisting slightly so you aren’t just watching his reflection.

You hesitate to ask, “Is it-?”

“No.” He snaps out of it, shaking his head sharply, “It’s not…I’d never…”

“I know,” You say, as softly as possible.

“It was…the tattoo. I saw the tattoo.” The words are clumsy as they escape him, “That’s new.”

The tattoo on your left shoulder isn’t actually new at all; you’ve had it for almost two years. You recall how you’d stumbled into the tattoo parlor in your college town about a week after Morgan’s funeral, bordering on a breakdown. You’d asked for a rose through a haze of tears, trembling from the cold and grief.

A rose, because Morgan was born in June.

He had gotten a daisy tattooed on his forearm right after you graduated since you were born in April. You had thought at the time that a matching sentiment might connect the two of you across life and death. The rose helped in some small way, even though you’d thought its counterpart was six feet under.

It wasn’t, though. Morgan stands before you, and you can see the furling leaves of the daisy peek out from under his rolled-up sleeves. Never in a coffin, never beneath the dirt, but still not close enough for you to touch. He stands barely a foot away, yet it feels as insurmountable as six.

“So you…” He blinks, rolling his lips together, “I don’t want to assume-”

“It was for you.” You interrupt firmly.

The grief of what you both lost is thick in the air, but you don’t have much time to linger in your melancholy. The words hit him like a physical blow, and he takes a staggering step back before collapsing.

You go to your knees with him, sinking down without reservation to finally, finally pull him into your arms. He shakes in your grasp, so you just pull him tighter to your chest, trying to physically express what words can’t even begin to.

His hands reach up and grasp at where the tattoo is, leaving your skin chilled but flush at his touch. It’s thrilling to feel his skin against yours after going so long without it. You card your fingers through his hair, so much shorter than in your memory, and ignore the ache of your knees against the hardwood floor.

“Cy,” He whispers into your shoulder, his voice breathy, “Cy, Cyra, I’m-”

“You’re okay,” You press a kiss into the crown of his head, “You’re with me, and you’re okay, do you understand?”

It only breaks him down further, and he just about goes limp in your grasp, his body sagging against yours.

“I’m sorry, Cy,” He practically whimpers, “I’m so sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” You insist, your voice kind but firm, “It was never your fault.”

“I’m different-” His voice catches, “I’m-”

You deny the notion fiercely, “You’re Morgan.”

He doesn’t speak anymore; if it’s because he’s unable or simply too tired, you’re not sure. You stay curled around him on the floor of your childhood bedroom, surrounded by memories and haunted by what could’ve been. You block it all out, too focused on the version of the man you’re presently holding to be bothered by his ghost.

You know the truth, lodged in your heart like a bullet that cannot be dug out, and that’s the fact that you never got over Morgan. You never could have, even if you’d tried. Now, as the grief in your heart migrates back to love, you know you’ll hold him close for as long as you both need.

[valnyte]

I will yeet here my speculations on what kind of fairytale villains a cast of new characters might be based off from (obviously not all of these, but just speculation and a bunch of nonsense) at the top of my head:

The new cast could be Privy Council, Golden Butterfly, Gang member who beef with Jude, or some sort of "I'm here to destroy the Cursed" group, but I am still waiting to be proven wrong so surprise me Cry(ingformywallet)birb.

• Gothel

I'm thinking, maybe William's foil character. If William (poster boy) is all about freedom and stuff, a Gothel based villain would have an ideal but very horrific means to try and get to them (think IkeSen Kichou to Nobunaga in that IkeSen prologue where the former blows up Azuchi)

• Snow Queen

Probably could end up as William's foil too, the same way a Gothel based villain would be.

• Sea Witch (I'm sorry but really? No Little Mermaid villains?)

Honestly, they can make dubious deals which could be a hilarious foil to Victor (makes honest deals) or is one of the leaders of a gang that have beef with Jude himself.

• The dagger from The Little Mermaid

Ok, if we have the duos if the Evil Queen and the Mirror and the 13th Fairy and the Thorns, why can't we have a Sea Witch and the dagger the Little Mermaid's sisters gave her that is also from the Sea Witch? I think it would make an interestimg duo.

•Rumpelstiltskin

Very dubious deals type of character like the Sea Witch. Also has an explicitly gruesome fate in the original fairy tale so... time to get creative.

• Big Bad Wolf (really? No villain based character like this? Cybird you quite literally enjoy Red Riding Hood inspired avatars in plenty of your games)

I'm thinking of a counterpart to Liam or Harrison. Either its the Wolf from Red Riding Hood or Seven Little Goats is fine, but acts as some sort of tie-in to either Liam or Harrison. The Big Bad Wolf is sly, curious, and straight up dangerous under a mask of pretending to be caring. Also, it is one of the villains with a usually violent death.

• Hansel & Gretel's Witch

When you think about it, where are the witches based villains. I'm thinking maybe a director of a dubious orphanage that has a degree of care for the orphans they take in but is ultimately still a villain. Totally not thinking of Genshin Arlecchino. Their tragic fate might be that they are fated to be killed by a child who they originally took in.

• Cinderella's Stepmother

Where is the most iconic evil stepmother /j. In all seriousness, I'm thinking of how Curses do work and how it is fairly lucky that none of the Curses are ever inherited. The curse will affect said Cursed person in varying ways but what if for an Evil Stepmother, their curse only works situationally? For the case of an Evil Stepmother, maybe the curse is that they are fated to fall in love with someone who will die young (cue tragic noises) before them. Cue "don't fall in love with me because you will actually die" dynamic which would theoretically be the worst sort of fate on MC's end.

• Cinderella's Stepsister/s

Cybird will never bring out a direct father-son related duo but they really are pushing many limits with IkeVil, yet one can only dream. Still, with a "Stepsister curse" they can get creative, particularly in terms of how if an Evil Stepmother curse exists, surely their child would be afflicted with the Evil Stepsister curse? In Alfons' route, we have a case where the previously Mirror cursed affected the family, but what if a two curses (Evil Stepmother and Stepsister) sit with a family until the one having the "Stepsister curse" dies?

[occasionalsnippets]

alternate mc and their counterpart's shenanigans in mandela county

[tw for suicide mention because mandela. Pt 1, Pt. 2]

The first thing you do is guide your other self to the washroom to clean up. It's an easy task but you're pretty sure that other you is still in shock so they only numbly nod and follow your instructions.

As they do that, you pick up the gun you had thrown away and tuck it away in your jacket. They might need it later but you aren't so hasty as to give it back to them right away. They might try to shoot themselves again or shoot you, neither of which was preferable.

You think other you might stay in the shower for long enough for you to make food so you head to the kitchen to get started. There wasn't much left in the fridge given that other you had stayed inside for the last few days and you didn't want to go grocery shopping for them. Thankfully, there was still enough to make a meal.

Just as you finish plating the food, you hear the shower turn off. With any luck, the two of you would be able to hold an actual conversation.

--

You sit in the shower for much longer than you actually need.

It feels like a bad dream. If you stepped outside, would the Alternate still be out there? You didn't know what to do now. Were you already dead?

Eventually, you exit, finally cleaned up. You look into the mirror and find that although there are signs of exhaustion, you still look the same as before. You look like yourself. You look like your Alternate. It makes you want to pluck your eyes out.

There's food set on the table when you head to the dining table. Your Alternate is in the kitchen washing the dishes. They smile when they see you.

"Take a seat," they say.

You sit. Robotically, you begin eating. The food tastes like something you'd make yourself. The Alternate takes the empty seat across from you and eats as well. You could almost delude yourself into believing they're merely a friend who's come over to visit.

"So-" The Alternate claps their hands together. "I'm sure you have some questions."

An understatement but yes.

"Ask away."

"What do you want with me," you ask immediately. Best to get the most important question out of the way first. You weren't safe yet even if this Alternate doesn't seem to act the same as others do. You're already breaking every guideline by communicating with them.

They hum and set down their food. "Curiosity, I guess?"

You flinch because it sounds exactly like something you would say in that situation. They catch your movements and tilt their head in amusement.

"You understand," they state simply, "since we're the same."

"The same...?"

"I can't really tell you more but Mandela is interesting enough for me to stick around for a bit. It's not like there's anything here that can kill me anyways."

Not you or any other Alternates is implied.

"But… there's not enough room for the both of us," you recite, remembering the words from a broadcast.

The Alternate blinks slowly, unnatural eyes staring at you.

“There’s always enough room for the both of us,” they correct. "It isn't as if anyone in Mandela County is going to ask too many questions if we show up at the same time. I don't look like I've been photoshop liquify tooled."

And the words they say are true. They look perfectly normal, move in natural ways and speak clearly. Aside from the unsettling feeling of their eyes, they're so very human. Human enough to make you wonder if Alternates weren’t public knowledge, would you have even suspected anything?

You don't know.

And it scares you.

--

You don't recall ever being this conflicted when you were younger. You finish eating as you watch the other you struggle to understand your words. They're good but not as good as you were at masking emotions or reading people. It comes with experience.

They don't look like they have any more questions at the moment so you move on with what should be done next.

"You have work, don't you? You'll have to go back to it at some point."

There is no longer an active threat so they'll have to move on with their life eventually.

"And you? What will you do?" Other you eyes you distrustfully.

"I'll just be around," you answer vaguely since you aren't quite sure yourself. "Oh and don't worry about other Alternates. Alternates don't interact with each other that often unless it's something personal."

They could figure out the implications themselves. For now, since you were done eating, you went to the kitchen to clean up. Then, you headed to the front door.

"Leaving?" other you asks.

"Mhm." You twist the lock. "There's somewhere I want to visit. See you later."

You step out the door and leave them behind.

If they say anything, you don't linger long enough to hear it.

[driftwoodmfb]

Day 2: Curiosity / Mirrored

'Sometimes I wonder about your reflection...'

Mirror counterparts! I swear this isn't going to just be alternate versions of MariPav Marx and Magolor. I based them off their soul forms, Marx Soul and Magolor EX.

Shadow Mags's outfit is a lot closer to Hyness's and his face is much more covered. He is a lot more reclusive and closed off. Just like OG Magolor, Shadow Mags lost his legs, but he has two prosthetics and uses forearm crutches to get by. I image the pain is more intense since he's constantly putting pressure on them. Dark Marx leans much more into his monstrous side than OG Marx. Instead of (metaphorically) wishing to no longer be a monster, he wished for the world to fear him. He still wished on the clockwork star, but instead was quicker on the up take for control his new powers. He had to be or risk dying an excruciating death. I don't think Shadow Magolor and Dark Marx would really get along

MariPav belongs to @desultory-novice

No filter version below:

Wait. I just realized all the first prompts start with C and all the second ones start with M. I feel like I'm missing something, MC, CM... M is probably Magolor or Marx, but C is... Maybe it's Clown and Mage?

[mossyfig]

Willow Branch, the spirit of life

Willow branch's G4 counterpart is Fluttershy. She is our nature themed MC, with similar aesthetic, but in character they differ quite a bit. Willow is a breezie, a pony with a slender build and butterfly/moth/dragonfly motifs. They all have antennae and wings, like the original breezies, but are taller and more slender, kind of elven in stature and aesthetic. Breezies are a very magical and very isolated breed. they live in small glades and see themselves as protectors of nature and magic. Willow has left her glade to attend Canterlot Magic University, but she remains incredibly loyal and protective of her home. However, this also shadows into her main flaw, a "holier than thou" attitude and a tendency towards elitism. When other ponies do something in a different way than she would, she can get frustrated and blunt about what she thinks. Willow can seem shy at first because of her lack of interest in small talk (or talk at all) with other equestrians, but it is not due to fear or nervousness. However, once she becomes close with somepony, she is incredibly loyal, she pays close attention to them, and is a kind pony. Some of my favorite Fluttershy moments were where she stood her ground for something she believed in, and I decided to dial that element up until willow became our groups activist, an archetype that will come in handy later in the story! At the beginning, it seems that her only goals are to return Equestria to its "natural state" (preserving it back to some imagined perfect past) but as she grows, her goals shift to conservation- working with the environment and the ponies in it to make it better, rather than preserving it in a stagnant, idyllic state. She comes to understand that change IS nature (ty ratatouille). This character arc mirrors the overall theming and plot of the series, being the acceptance that everything our world changes and grows, and the healthiest way to deal with that is to make sure its changing for the better, rather than trying to hold onto a romanticized past.

[drivestraight]

Hey came from ao3. Love all your works, English is my second language and because of that I often end up reading your works twice or thrice, to understand all the implications and undertones, but each read make it even more interesting.

There is something about the way you write that I find very interesting, perhaps it is the non linear way of making connections or how there is always undercurrents of tension throughout your work, even when the vibes are supposed to be good. There is always some fundamental understanding that just exists in the periphery of the reader but is not possible to grasp. (I just realized I am not making much sense, sorry 😐 😅)

Also loved the characterisation of Oscar, the whole events and the way he reacts to them are very much in line to his quiet and go with the flow personality (or how I see it). The part where he doesn't bother telling anyone about his first heat, reminds me very much of how we did not know about his broken rib. I see Oscar as an extreme realist, I also thinks he has a good understanding of himself, something I feel is absent in Lando.

So this became much longer than I expected, but I am curious of your take on fem Oscar and what other relationship dynamics make you curious.

thank you so much! ahhh even ppl reading my fics once makes me happy! twice and three times is so special so thank you!

there's nothing i love more than having what should be on surface level be a good situation but there's an underlying feeling that something is kind of wrong and they're both losing so much in the end and even if you have it it'll never live up to your expectations. etc.

and no you're making perfect sense! i think ive kind of been trying to aim for that lately. like i've been trying a lot to move away from the sort of heavy handed close narration i used to do where everything was spelled out and the feelings were clear in the POV character (like... objects in mirror charles heavy psychoanalysis etc.). and then i think like back in 2023 even as i was experimenting with different writing styles i was still using the POV character as a sort of window to either explore their counterpart (i.e., the other person in the ship) or use them as a foil to the MC.

anyway TLDR i'm trying to play a lot with like... empty space... if it were with words... like to fill out a narrative by . Not filling it out. and to explore the POV character's head without spelling it out. which leaves a sort of gap from the narration to the reader HOWEVER i think that that tends to be more compelling/propulsive to read. Now i think i'm the one not making any sense alkjdsf;lksjflkd

ANYWAY oscar is a really fun POV character to try to get all of this across i'm quickly finding out. so i'm glad you like his characterization :) it's also like - i'm closest in age with oscar and he feels less like a sort of caricature of an f1 driver and more like. A Guy. very internal / external sort of disparity/tension that he's aware of but maybe can't help (re: aries sun and PISCES MERCURY... We should talk about it...).

i could go on about this for ages so maybe i'll leave that here 😭

this ALSO went on for ages but. to answer ur final question. the whole girl oscar thing was mostly cuz like. i like girls and i like oscar and rule 63 is always fun and my favorite landoscar dynamic is just them being sex freaks so of course in a lighthearted series like my girl oscar series it would just. be that. like lando would be soooo obsessed with girl oscar. my general take on girl oscar is that she's the exact same as boy oscar. maybe a little weirder though. and lando is really into that weirdness. like the whole blase bold sort of vibe/unfazed etc.

If that made any sense... Sorry for the word vomit...

[sparxaf]

Is it just me or they made Willow Grace 2.0 ? Like hear me out, I know that all the OG girls get merged and become bitchy towards MC cause you stole "their man", but let's look at the context before CA. Daphne and Geri were obviously Rafael's and Joyo's first choices respectively pre CA and even if Alex said he wasn't feeling it with Estelle, I don't remember him cracking on with another woman before CA and so we can assume that she was initially his first choice as well.

But Willow ? They said multiple times that Bryson wanted Geri over her and that he even flirted with Geri right in front of her face, even before MC came into the picture she was never his first choice. While the other 3 girls also come across as desperate at least they have some basis for their delusion as they've been their man's "number ones" before they twisted with MC, but for Willow it looks even more embarrassing to cling to a man that's already pied her off for a second woman. Also the way they've described her all throughout CA as the sweetest person in the world just for her to become a bitch towards you cause her crush wants you and not her is giving Grace all over.

AND THIS IS AGAIN A BLACK WOMAN ! So even when she's literally merged with the white characters with the added context she still comes across as more delusional than her white/lighter skinned counterparts MY GOD FB.

Sigh. I mean yeah. I can definitely see this perspective. I have ceased to have expectations when it comes to FB's depictions of black women because they are generally somewhere between pretty disappointing to full on rage-inducing. In this case, I'd personally lay it at the feet of the lack of branching, rather than intention. Though that's probably giving them more credit than they deserve considering the very obvious mirroring of Hope and Grace as stage five clingers attached to wishy washy men of color.

I don't know, man. I wish they'd pay any attention at all to the way they depict race. I have to deal with enough racial shit in my every day life. I'd love to get on the app and not worry that I'm about to feel just as awful while playing. But alas.

Thank you for your perspective, anon!

[tiodolma]

what made me jump from m/erth/ur to merg/ana?

@kessilover

Arthur had both of them almost massacred together with the druids when he raided that camp while looking for morgana. This is important to me because thinking about this event for that one desperate night was what made me start to shift towards MerGana. That was the one time Merlin was in true and real solidarity with a magic friend/s. That was the one time that he wasn't alone in his fear of execution/genocide.

Morgana treated merlin with genuine admiration, equality and respect since season 1. (arthur could never even until his fckn deathbed). Even as enemies, Morgana treated him as a legitimate threat.

Merlin shows the full range of human experience and emotions when he's dealing with her, even the ones which he denounced: rage, bitterness, hate. Morgana has unlocked every aspect of him without meaning to.

it was a bonus that they were narratively made to mirror and parallel each other in so many ways.

With Morgana, Merlin is human.

With Morgana, Merlin is free.

Therefore they are more fun to watch :D

..........

also unfortunately, m/erthur fell under the ship dynamic that i hate and avoid the most. M/erTh/ur was the third time i met this kind of trope in media. I realized it too late and it pissed me off.

The trope goes like this:

blondie is a naive, sheltered and idealistic sort of person. They are also skilled leader and fighter, with daddy/mentor issues, with a traumatic past with daddy/mentor. Blondie also has loads of underlings. Most importantly blondie has an ongoing prejudice/bias against a group of people or idealogy.

MC is a distinguished member of the group/kind of people that blondie hates/distrusts.

MC basically has the task of being the bridge to the world and blondie. They act as guide/mentor. They act as the one who can show the other world to Blondie. MC is the one teach them to love and trust others (especially the kind of ppl blondie has prejudice on). This is why the dynamic has a lot of heartfelt speeches and etc.

MC is usually in a more disadvantaged situation coz they are the type that have to work alone. This means MC has to show their best face to blondie at all times because blondie has power over them/ or has more privileged position/ has more allies than them.

Blondie usually becomes very loyal to MC despite still hating on MC's people. Their rapport is intense.

MC has a Mirror-Anti counterpart that have the same end goals as them but is operating on the opposite side.

MC and their Mirror-Anti counterpart have almost telepathic and equal trust and respect in each other. Because of this they don't talk about true feelings coz they both can predict each other at some level. This also made them prone to miscommunication, misunderstanding and angst.

MC and Mirror-Anti counterpart can rightfully call each other's bullsht out more than anyone else can. This means they experience the best and worst from each other, grow and influence each other's life more than any other dynamic in a show.

Mirror-Anti counterpart have also the same privileges as Blondie. Blondie and the mirror-anti counterpart are also good friends.

Usually the MC and the Mirror-Anti character are each other's closest friend/kindred spirit or bitterest enemy (coz they're the same but on opposite side).

and fans alwayssss latch on to the MC-blondie dynamic because it's like a master-dog loyalty kind of thing.

to each their own... but it's not for me. I prefer the MC x Mirror-Anti dynamic coz it's usually more colorful, more charged and more flawed.

also like... u can check the merthur-critical or anti-merthur arthur-critical tumblr tags... i'm there

[clairelsonao3]

Happy Storyteller Saturday!

Are there any places, objects, or even people in your stories inspired by or directly borrowed from your real life?

Share a snippet if you like 💜

Thanks for the ask, Winter! Happy STS! So sorry it took me almost until the next STS to answer! I wanted to make sure I did it justice.

And your answer is:

Yes, many. I think virtually everything I write is to some extent seeded in reality, no matter how wildly the story diverges from there.

My YA romantic thriller The Adored (which I haven't shared much about here yet) was heavily inspired by having grown up in a musical family (with members who were much more successful at it than I was!), singing in school choirs and musicals, and then later being involved in the indie music scene during college and grad school. Some of the MCs, their friends and family share personality traits with friends and even family members of mine, although altered enough to be unrecognizable (I hope!)

Even Good Slaves Never Break the Rules, as out-there as the plot is, has some drawn-from-life elements sprinkled around.

I started writing it almost eight years ago to entertain myself on a transatlantic sea voyage (that's worth another whole post altogether), and some of the characters and early situations (I won't say specifically which ones!) were inspired by that. In general, the unusual dynamics that pop up when strangers from vastly different origins and roles onboard are pressed together in a small space with no choice but to work and spend time together (although needless to say, very soon, my imagination wildly diverged from what actually happened 😂). There were numerous other influences of course, including several plays and other works of literature, but those are best suited for yet another post, I think.

And yes, I did live in Arizona and even went to university there [although the one I attended has been ported over to the larger city to the north for plot purposes], though I didn't grow up there and have lived abroad for years now. (I do go back frequently, however). The excerpt I'm going to use -- after much thinking and probably some more interesting snippets I'm missing -- has to do with that. As it happens, the university (and its fictional, relocated counterpart) is actually world-famous for its research on both optics and astronomy, which explains why it's host to one of the world's largest liquid mirror telescope labs -- which of course found its way into GSNBTR, only appropriate given the characters' interests in science.

The direct route to the mirror telescope was in a red brick building not entirely on the other side of campus, but almost.

"Hey, it's — what are you doing?" she exclaimed, chasing after him. "You’re going in completely the wrong direction.” 

“Maybe it would help if you actually told me where we’re going.” 

“Maybe it would help if you’d listen to anything I said!"

He crossed his arms impatiently. "Well?"

"The mirror telescope building,” she said. “To meet someone named Milagros.”

To her shock, his whole expression transformed before her eyes. “Wait. Mirror telescope? The Zenith telescope?”

“Yeah, it’s made out of liquid — "

“Liquid mercury, I know," he continued eagerly. "In a paraboloid shape. It’s the biggest in the world outside of the Himalayas. They’re now testing the same technology in microgravity to see if they can build one like it in a crater on the moon.” 

If she weren’t still so angry, she might have actually smiled at how this sudden overload of sheer science-geekery had his eyes shining like she hadn’t seen them shine in days.

Lastly, anything concerning business, finance, and/or the world of startups and technology is drawn partially from my interest in those topics I developed writing about them as part of my IRL writing job.

Thanks for a great question!

[jolynejay]

The pitch black void where Rei/Akari/The player meet Arceus before entering the game's world of Hisui is The Distortion World.

Giratina dragged its marks into the Distortion World where they wandered for an indeterminate amount of time. The Distortion World in turn messes with the people that enter it, as it is theorized to be the anti-matter parallel mirror to its paired counterpart of the material world. And of course matter interacting with anti-matter (the fictional version of anti-matter mind you) will always have consequences.

(wow, it's almost as if the distortion world is some kind of underworld/after-life analogy that might explain how people and items can become pokemon. or how some pokemon become entirely different variations of pokemon by being distorted and twisted. how the world of the dead might twist the living and even its own ruler *cough cough* though that's a headcanon for another time)

Someone forced to wander the Distortion World for a long time might for example find themselves loosing their memories (points at MC & Ingo who are both very disoriented & have varying degrees of memory loss). Or maybe you'd find yourself fragmented into different parts or versions of yourself that reflect your views on yourself which also reflects back onto "the real world" (see: character creation and the rival character, for example.)

And when you wander the Distortion World long enough - a place outside of the realms space and time, might I remind you - you stumble through one of its cracks where the worlds of matter and anti-matter intersect for but a moment on their streams toward infinity. You fall through the void between the worlds.

And only then can Arceus interfere. It may not be able to return you to your original world and timeline, it is after all, not all powerful despite its status as The Original One and abilities of creation. Arceus may create concepts, pokemon, and possibly worlds but it holds no direct control over them.

So, what it can do, for a moment, is to guide you. Give you - the player and the character - a purpose when you have likely lost so much of your "self" already - of the champion that once managed to earn Arceus' respect and favor in battle.

And the crack in the space-time-continuum that looms above Mount Coronet like the Crow of the World, connecting this reality to the distorted mirror dimension, spits you out.

Miraculously unharmed, like an act of apology by a creature that is assigned more power than it holds, you open your eyes in a world that is not your own.

Displaced in space and time through the distorted world that is not slave to these forces. Displaced by a man and a pokemon unendingly desperate and vengeful for being forsaken, cursed, by one they once revered.

[steel--fairy]

Character Headcanons #5

putting all the protagonists and their teams and roles in my verse here.

for anyone casually coming across this, i have oc's who take the spot of the mc that takes down evil teams and such, but most of the protagonists still exist and help out to various degrees.

RED

the whole thing with violet's story is that she's the narrator but not the hero. so. red's the hero. he really wishes he weren't. he just wants to vibe and create the most horrifically powerful team in existence in peace.

team: charizard*, pikachu, blastoise, snorlax, lapras, venusaur former members: growlithe, espeon

the basic red team lol it was fun however to figure out how he got the other two starters on his team. growlithe was traded for wartortle while espeon was traded for ivysaur.

GREEN AND LEAF

there was the whole name confusion thing so i went why not! they're twin sisters! green is older and leaf is younger. both are mischievous pranksters, though green at least pretends she isn't. they're from cinnabar island and partially raised by blaine... which probably explains some of their kookiness. they're parents were killed by team rocket (via mewtwo) which is a lot of their motivation to be strong battlers (particularly green).

green's team: clefable*, weavile, nidoqueen, scizor, rapidash, victreebel, zapdos leaf's team: eevee*, mismagius, nidoking, vileplume, houndoom, wigglytuff, articuno

their teams are meant to mirror each other. eevee-clefable (pokemon heavily associated with green/leaf), weavile-mismagius (johto mon with a sinnoh evolution), nidoqueen-nidoking (...duh), scizor-vileplume (kanto mon with a johto evolution, even if leaf doesn't use that evolution), rapidash-houndoom (fire type), victreebel-jigglypuff (more mon's associated with green/leaf, also are counterparts with other members of the opposites team (clefable and vileplume)), zapdos-articuno (birb).

ETHAN AND KRIS

kris is the older sister of my oc protag while ethan is her best friend who is basically like an older brother to daphne. kris is originally from sootopolis in hoenn and moved to new bark with her family, while ethan's from goldenrod. both are interns to professor elm who want to continue on in the science field. kris has an interest in history, specifically legendary pokemon and recreating extinct evolutions. i still can't decide what i want for ethan orz

kris' team: milotic*, stantler, kabutops, yanmega, goomy ethan's team: alakazam*, marill, omastar, gliscor, bidoof

i put these two together mainly because their teams also mirror each other. milotic-alakazam (powerful pokemon that started out weak and pathetic), stantler-marill (johto mon), kabutops-omastar (kanto fossils), yanmega-gliscor (johto mons with sinnoh evolutions), goomy-bidoof (new team members from a different region).

outside of that, neither are hardcore battlers, though they're both competent enough. kris is trying to get her stantler to evolve into wyrdeer.

LYRA

lyra is also part of the trio but her team isn't a mirror so she gets left out. sorry lyra. she's a coordinator who comes from the blackthorn dragon clan though she doesn't really talk about it because she ran away from them. she's a sweetheart though she's trying to be tougher and take on the gyms.

team: dratini*, jumpluff, phanpy, corsola, spinda, pachirisu

lots of cute pokemon meant for contests! jumpluff-clever, phanpy-tough, corsola-beautiful, spinda-cute, pachirisu-cool. she technically stole dratini which is why she ran away from blackthorn.

BRENDAN

anxiety king. professor birch's son who ends up being really good at contests. idk what to really put here. he's basically the second main character of my fic so just read that P:

team: mudkip*, grovyle, swellow, pikachu, latios, anorith

his teams also meant for contests, though he was a battler before then so it's not as cleanly optimized as with lyra. pikachu-any, mainly beautiful, grovyle-cool, swellow-cool, mudkip-cute, anorith-tough. latios isn't used in contests.

MAY

she doesn't exist. onwards.

(sorry may fans : (( it just felt weird to not have her be either birch's kid or norman's kid so she got left out.)

LUCAS

my oc protag's twin brother. fills the role of professor rowan's research intern as well. very smart, but not the most outgoing and very cautious. has a very strained relationship with his sister.

team: infernape*, kadabra, clefable, hisuian zorua (shiny)

the basic npc protags team, really. he's not a battler. infernape does basically all of the battling for the team. clefable was rescued from team galactic while he stumbled on the zorua on mt coronet. shiny because it's meant to be related to my pla oc's zoroark :)

DAWN

she didn't exist in this verse until i literally decided on it now. a popular coordinator from hearthome. has literally nothing to do with the plot.

team: wormadam (plant cloak)*, tangrowth

prefers using unorthodox pokemon for contests. wormadam-cute and clever, tangrowth-clever and tough

HILBERT, HILDA, AND NATE

since i put the other siblings together, here's these three. hilda and nate are blood siblings while hilbert was adopted. their family is rather well off as they own one of the premier railroad companies in unova, including the battle subway.

hilda and nate are both from nimbasa and are complete battle maniacs. they compete in unova's professional battling league (probably the most famous besides galar) and when that isn't in season, they can be found terrorizing the local populace on the battle subway. hilda is a champion level trainer, while nate is more gym leader level, but he's catching up to his big sis!

hilbert is originally from orre (which i, like many, headcanon as being connected to unova). because of that, he's not as gungho about battling as the other two, seeing it more as something for protection over a hobby, though he's very good at it. much nicer than the two hotheads.

hilbert's team: mightyena*, braviary, ampharos, arcanine hilda's team: emboar*, excadrill, mienshao, alomomola, ferrothorn, gothitelle, mamoswine, tyranitar nate's team: glaceon*, chandelure, darmanitan, lucario, beheeyem, roserade

hilbert being from orre, he gravitates towards non-unova native pokemon. mightyena is the only one he had while in orre. hilda's team is made up of mon's i know are meta for gen5. she also ended up with a sandstorm team? idk. it just happened. nate's a stat specialist for special attackers. i'm actually pretty pleased i managed to give him a completely different team than mira (minus glaceon).

ROSA

rosa is completely unrelated to the other three and is an actress. she's friends with yancy and curtis.

team: pansage, panpour, pansear

she's not a battler, so i just gave her some friends : ) she got all three of them at the same time so they're all technically her starter.

CALEM

the neighbour except he's not actually oc protag's neighbour (he's from kiloude). his parents are very famous battlers, with his father being a former gym leader and his mother being the champion before diantha. he was always expected to follow in their footsteps, especially because he's just as talented as they are, but is it what he wants??? (obviously no since i have to ask)

team: chesnaught*, meowstic, absol, tyrantrum, lapras, skarmory former members: fletchling

fletchling was traded with tierno for meowstic. mostly takes cues from the game rivals team. tyrantrum was added to mirror carmella having aurorus. lapras was added to replace the vaporeon he would've had. can't remember why i picked skarmory though lol

SERENA

probably one of the biggest changes for a protag. she's not a teenager, but an adult in her 20s. she from lumiose and works under professor sycamore as an engineer. she's incredibly smart (though easily bribed by food) and is the one who comes up with the machines that sycamore uses to study mega evolution. she got the job as she'd previously been one of his sponsees alongside sina.

team: porygon*, combee, slurpuff, farfetch'd, alcremie (ruby swirl, strawberry sweet)

her team is food themed lmao the exception is porygon who she got from sycamore. she was picked because of her smarts and computer skills so he brought in a tech-y pokemon for her. not a battling team, just a bunch of friends.

ELIO AND SELENE

these two are twins. they... are the pair who have the least to do with any of my adaptions plots besides dawn. which is a shame because i love them. they're just classmates of kiana and lillie at the hau'oli trainer school.

elio's team: zorua*, mantyke selene's team: alolan meowth*, magnemite

yeaaaa. they both plan to take on the island challenge when they're a bit older so they don't really have defined teams. all of these are pokemon you can catch in hau'oli city, where they live.

VICTOR

victor joined the gym circuit to make money and was surprisingly good at it. he doesn't really like it, he doesn't have the temperament for fame, but he was desperate. he just wants to cook curry and vibe in nature.

team: sobble*, flapple, vikavolt, maractus, thieval, tsareena, sunflora

he was originally meant to be a stat specialist but i gave up and ended up making him a quasi-grass specialist. sobble doesn't battle. an emotional support sobble, though its unclear who's doing the emotional supporting.

GLORIA

a little girl who wants to be the next leon. from the crown tundra and is a terrifying force who one day might live up to her dreams. the only thing holding her back right now is her inexperience.

team: metagross*, galarian darmanitan, cinderace, honchkrow, dhelmise, haxorus

cinderace and metagross were with her from before she left the crown tundra (though in their pre-evolved forms). she did quite a bit of training before entering the gym circuit because she reallyyyy wanted to win. i think her team was meant to be a sort of quasi attack stat specialist, but i'm 99% sure i gave up on that.

REI

the son of commander kamado and one of the few members of the survey corps. he's originally from mahogany town in johto but moved to hisui alongside his father. reserved but has a good sense of humor.

team: pachirisu*, mr mime, petilil, infernape (alpha)

based on npc protag's team, swapping the pikachu for pachirisu. rei and my oc protag get together and their teams have pokemon in common with chryssa and lucas' (their descendants). for rei, it's a petilil for chryssa and the infernape for lucas. and yes he caught that alpha. he's not sure how either.

AKARI

also doesn't exist because i forgot about her. whoops. onwards.

FLORIAN AND JULIANA

they're also classmates of oc protag (and nemona) but since the school is the main setting, they're actually present. sort of.

florian's intensely shy though he gets along well with nemona, for all their differences in personality. he always wanted to be a top battler like her but was unsure if he ever could. seeing alyssa actually almost get there gave him a confidence boost. he does the blueberry exchange program alongside her. he's from mesagoza.

juliana's from levincia and she's just vibing. more outwardly friendly but also the class's designated weird girl TM (saying something considering nemona's in the class).

florian's team: quaquaval*, maushold, breloom, luxray, ceruledge, espathra juliana's team: jigglypuff*, clodsire, bellibolt, swalot, goomy

florian got his starter from the school while juliana caught hers. not much to florian's team beyond vibes. juliana's team is themed around pokemon that look like they'd jiggle if you poked them. idk either.

[sciencestyled]

Hey There, Smartypants! Let's Chat About Antimatter with Dr. Faust!

Hey Tumblr fam! Buckle up, because we're about to give you the 411 on something so cool, it makes your favorite sci-fi flick look like a snoozefest. We're talking about antimatter – and no, it's not the stuff of comic books. It's real, and it's spectacular!

Picture this: a world that's like a mirror image of ours, but with everything in reverse. That's the wild world of antimatter, narrated by none other than our boy Faust. You know, the guy who's famous for making deals with the devil? Well, guess what? He's now dishing out the deets on nature's own shadowy counterpart to matter. Talk about a career change!

Let's start with the basics. Antimatter is like matter's evil twin. Imagine a particle that’s the exact opposite of everything we know. That's antimatter for you. And guess who first stumbled upon this mind-boggling concept? A modern-day wizard named Carl Anderson, who spotted the elusive positron – a particle that’s like an electron, but with a positive twist. It's like discovering a cat that barks – total madness, right?

Now, Faust gets all deep and philosophical about it, just like in his soul-searching days. He talks about how scientists are basically the new alchemists, turning their labs into mystical realms to unravel this cosmic conundrum. They're looking at every particle and its anti-buddy, locked in an eternal dance of creation and annihilation. Spoiler alert: when they meet, it's a real fireworks show!

But here's the kicker: antimatter raises more questions than it answers. Like, why is our universe mostly made of matter? What happened to all the antimatter? It's the kind of stuff that keeps scientists up at night – and probably Faust, too, considering his history with existential crises.

Diving into antimatter, according to Faust, is like peeking into the abyss. It’s a journey (whoops, can't say that word) into the unknown, poking at the very fabric of reality. And just like Faust's quest for knowledge, it's a path filled with wonder and a fair bit of danger. Because let's face it, understanding the universe is no walk in the park.

Then Faust takes us on a whirlwind tour through the history of antimatter, from its crazy discovery (positron, we're looking at you) to the mind-bending implications of Einstein's E=mc². It turns out, this stuff could revolutionize everything from medicine to space travel. But, as Faust knows all too well, great power comes with great responsibility (and sometimes, a side of existential dread).

So, there you have it, folks. A wild ride through the world of antimatter, with a legendary scholar as our guide. It's like uncovering the secrets of the universe with a side of drama and a dash of philosophical musings. And who knows? Maybe understanding antimatter is the key to unlocking some of the universe's greatest mysteries. Or maybe it'll just give us some really cool sci-fi plotlines. Either way, we're here for it!