#ALSO the way Anya wants to be just like them is so sweet

[literallytryingmybestbutok]

There is something so endlessly endearing about Loid and Yor being so unbelievably smart and cunning and ruthless but adamant that Anya deserves to have a good fun childhood without putting pressure on her to become the best at anything. Like even with them pushing Anya to study and maintain good grades, they are proud of her when she just barely passes her exams. Like idk the idea of two child soldiers making sure their child can be normal makes me wanna cry

[sy-on-boy]

Real talk: the fact that Anya expects to read Demetrius’ mind but sees nothing is kind of sad because Demetrius saw his 6yo brother approach and congratulate him, and had zero thoughts in his brain. But that doesn’t mean Demetrius doesn’t care about him. When Damian stutters, Demetrius initiates conversation by talking about Damian’s grades, showing that he indeed pays attention.

Demetrius seems almost resentful by Damian’s insistence to impress Donovan, giving out a snarky, passive aggressive, teen appropriate response: “How would I know? It’s not as if I’m in regular contact with him.” This is like the passive aggressive version of whatever is going on with Melinda. Damian is a relatively innocent 6yo kid seeking his father’s approval, but both his mother and his brother appear to be seriously affected (in a bad way) by Donovan, and they avoid talking about Donovan even as Damian repeatedly mentions him. Demetrius doesn’t understand Damian’s desire for their father’s approval. He also doesn’t understand his father, hinting at some sort of disconnect between them.

What also saddens me a bit is how Demetrius barely acknowledged Damian’s friends talking to him. Like, they’re six year old kids trying to make a good impression. Still, Demetrius didn’t completely ignore them, just gave a meaningless “oh” and decided to stop thinking about people. It’s very much giving “stressed (and depressed) to the point of apathy”. When facing the innocence (ignorance?) and optimism of 6yo kids, Demetrius doesn’t understand. (And maybe he doesn’t understand friendship, which is what Damian has?)

I mentioned before that characters Anya met are probably “good” characters on the side of Forgers or at least are sympathetic to readers. Because if Anya met a “bad” character and read their mind, she would be too OP and the plot could be quickly solved. It’s like how we all thought Melinda was suspicious when she met Yor, but then Anya met Melinda and read her mind to reveal that she cares about Damian (even if it’s in a twisted way). Demetrius is interesting because he subverts what I said above by thinking very little, so Anya cannot really read him. But so far, I think his portrayal is that of a typical middle schooler with middle school angst, and he cares about Damian even if he has zero thoughts on his brain (and doesn’t like the way Damian craves fatherly approval). He is still a child and presumably a victim of his father’s parenting.

The framing is also interesting. Damian telling his friends to go on without him while he waits for Demetrius. The panel of Demetrius towering over a stuttering Damian. Demetrius going away, showing a panel of him as a small figure in an otherwise blank background. That panel when Anya thinks Damian’s relatives are weird has her looking at Damian while he’s some distance away from her (and the rest of his friends). The brothers feel disconnected. Damian is both eager and nervous to talk to Demetrius. Demetrius is nonchalant and apathetic, but not impolite or outwardly wholly dismissive.

Given Damian’s wacky family situation, I’m glad he has friends at Eden. Ewen and Emile of course are steadfast and loyal companions, always eager to back up their beloved boss man. Anya can read his mind and she knows about his insecurities (and also his weird family).

Becky is also good as a friend because she doesn’t care about sucking up to Damian, she often calls him out, but she also supports Damian when he deserves it. A sweet scene here is Damian saying he’s a Desmond so he’s expected to get a star, and Becky adding “it’s still a great achievement. Congrats!”. Becky is validating his success and telling Damian it’s okay to be proud and happy for himself. Even though she’s usually judgemental towards Damian, she’s still kind to him because that’s who she is as a character.

In the end, Damian still wants his father’s attention. He had no idea Demetrius wasn’t that close to their father… I would assume Demetrius spent most of his time at Eden and this is Damian’s first year at Eden, so he actually gets to interact with his brother instead of hearing things about him?

So far, Demetrius seems like a very jaded character in contrast to Damian who feels like a beam of sunshine now. He’s the heir so he’s got more troubles. But it’s nice that he’s finally debuted and no longer in mystery. Can’t wait to see what Endo has in store for him :)

[yumeka-sxf]

I've been waiting to see Yor's epiphany chapter in the anime and it did not disappoint! I felt like analyzing more than usual because I loved this episode so much~ 💖

I hope that any anime-only viewers who at this point still had the opinion that Yor's just ditzy/submissive, one-dimensional, or whatever negative traits associated with her, have changed their minds. Throughout the cruise arc we've seen so many sides of her character: how she's struggling to understand the exact reason why she's taking on these dangerous assignments when her original reason for doing it (supporting Yuri) no longer exists, how her internal desire to seek her own happiness - live a peaceful life like Olka - is at constant war with her diligence to complete her mission, her yearning to be with Loid and Anya and how sad she looks when she has to tell herself that they're just a cover-up family and she'll have to leave them without a word if anything drastic happens, and how much more confident she is when doing something she excels at - assassinating - yet still retaining her kind and polite demeanor (Unlike Twilight, who dons the mask of Loid Forger, Yor Forger is not a mask for Thorn Princess, at least not in terms of personality. So everything she says as Thorn Princess can be interpreted as her true feelings, including the now two times she's hesitated during fights because of the thought of having to leave the Forgers).

And, in the moment where she's facing death right in the eye, all the doubts she's had since getting this assignment culminate, not only causing the samurai assassin to get the upper hand, but causing her to take a deep, introspective look into her reason for fighting...if it's not for the same reason as the other assassins, what is it?

What's even more amazing is that these things about her character did not come out of nowhere just for the sake of a flashy climax. We saw in previous episodes that not only does she understands that being in the Forger family makes her happy, but most importantly, how she's lived her life only thinking of the happiness of others above her own. And what's most tragic is that, upon finally realizing that her original reason for being an assassin is gone (since Yuri no longer needs support) she's ready to die then and there...until she remembers Olka's words about wanting to live a peaceful life, which in turn makes her remember her core reason for becoming an assassin was to not only support Yuri, but to make the world he lives in all the more peaceful by eliminating the villains in it.

Despite how naive Yor is about many things (due to her upbringing), she's certainly not ignorant about the needless tragedies that exist in the world. And here is where she makes her decision to keep doing her assassinating, not because she enjoys killing people, but because the result of it will make the world a better place...because now, she has even more people whose happiness she desires to protect.

Even if she sacrifice her own happiness by leaving the Forgers, that's not as important to her as preventing tragedy from befalling her loved ones, or the world in general. And these thoughts are so similar to Twilight's reasons for becoming a spy! Coincidently, as Yor has these thoughts, she thinks of how Loid complimented this aspect of her personality way back when they first met...and the thought that the man who she trusts and respects so much would approve of her decision, gives her the final push to keep on going (I love that they reanimated this scene too and didn't just use the exact frames from episode 2).

So yeah, if anyone who wasn't sure of how much depth Yor's character has, I hope this episode shed a lot of light! This is the right way to make a character both cute/sweet but also a total badass who's strong on the outside as well as the inside.

(I will probably reword a lot of this for my upcoming Twiyor analysis posts but I couldn't wait until then, lol).

[shiro-s2e2-erukinzu]

Anime only watchers and people who aren't caught up with the Manga, BEWARE... Cuz I'm about to discuss Spy X Family Mission 103... You have been warned...! 👌

[SPOILERS AHEAD FROM THIS POINT ON]

This was such a cute little chapter to return to after the month long break...!! 💗😊💗

Mission 103 was a short, but fun little chapter staring the Forger family, so let's talk about it shall we...? 😄

We start this chapter with an EXTREMELY bored Anya on break from school...!!

Anya always be lookin' so dang goofy when she's bored, I LOVE IT!! 😂

After Twilight comes home and makes Anya do her homework, Anya sees a news report about a seal named Belle and decides that she wants to go see her...!! 😆

...But, Loid quickly declines Anya's offer because he isn't letting her go anywhere until she finishes her homework...! Then Twilight goes to change the channel and is annoyed to see that other channels are also talking about Belle the seal, when brings up a good point to the frustrated Loid:

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE YOR!! 😊 I can't even watch the news sometimes because of how sad and depressing it can get, so it's always nice to wholesome stuff like Belle the seal for change...!! 💗

So the Forgers decide to go see Belle and guess who they run into...:

BECKY AND MARTHA!! 💗😆💗

(Also I love this panel with Beck...!! 😂😂😂):

Anyway, it turns out that Becky is also here to see Belle and even asks Anya if she would like head over to the news crew and possibly get on TV, but because Anya read Twilight's mind about how that would be a bad idea (i.e. he's a spy and must not draw attention to himself and she's originally from an orphanage), Anya must decline Becky's offer...!! 😌

After waiting awhile (and even wanting to throw hands with the seal for not showing up 🤣), Becky decides to head home while the Forgers stick around...!! Anya starts getting bored of waiting and goes to play for a bit while Yor sit and talk in my probably favorite part in this entire chapter...!! 😁:

I adore that Yor is doing her very best to get Loid to relax for a bit, it truly warms my heart...!! 💗🤗💗 Also, the two page spread in this chapter is just SO BEAUTIFUL!! 🥹

After that beautiful moment, as Bod and Anya are playing, they stumble across the elusive seal Belle...!! 😲:

It turns out (after Anya read her mind) that Belle was hiding because the humans kept following her around, which is totally understandable for Belle to do because usually when some people see a cute animal, they don't really consider how that animal might be feel about all this new found attention they're getting... 😔 So, the Forgers decide to sit quietly near her and after a while of watching her, Belle decides to leave and get them a crawfish as a parting gift!! 🤗 After that exchange, Twilight has a thought:

He thinks back to what Handler said all the way back in Mission 78 and wonders if Belle could be another animal experiment... But before he could think any further on that, Bond gets bit on the nose by the crawfish that Belle left and decides that he might be over thinking this and so, the Forgers finally decide to head home after their little adventure with Belle the seal...!! 😄

And that was Mission 103, a really fun and sweet chapter to return with after the month long break...!! 💗😊💗 I just loved everything Yor did throughout this chapter (though I love Yor all of the time), she was most definitely the best part this chapter...!! 😍 Loid was quite grumpy this chapter (he even called Anya a brat at one point) and though I understand where he's coming from, I hope that he'll fully take Yor's advice to heart one of these days...!! 🤗 Also, Belle was SOOO ADORABLE, I love her!! 💗😍💗

Anyway, that's pretty much all I wanna say, so until the next Mission; take care, be safe out there and be kind to one another...!! 😄SEE YA!! 👋😁

Actually... THIS was my TRUE favorite part of the entire chapter:

NEVER CHANGE YOR!! 👏🤣

Okay, now I'm done...!! BYE! 👌😎

[briefhottubcoffee]

Hey so I love spyxfamily, yet I have some issues with the pacing lately. I miss The Forgers like crazy and I am desperate for more Yor content. I suppose that’s what I’m most worried about, she’s not getting fleshed out enough and being used to her full potential. She’s such an amazing character!

That said, I do have complete faith in Endos storytelling capabilities. He’s created a truly amazing story with compelling characters (side characters included) awesome world building, and both light and dark themes. I think, in pointing out the slow pacing and lack of the Forgers recently, we’ve forgotten all the awesome directions the story can take with all the different plot points Endo has set up at this juncture of the story.

I feel like, based on the narrative, the story is about to reach a big climax, a change in the status quo for the Forgers. Exciting things have happened, but nothing has truly changed the status quo, or the relationship dynamics between the main characters. Since we have reached 100 chapters, and the way the narrative is propelling upward, I think we are due for a big shift. Not the biggest, but a change for sure. Just remember all that’s been set up! Here are a few things I’m fairly confident is gonna happen soon to the Forger’s in the story:

Manga spoilers obviously!

- Twilight is going to continue to try to distance himself from the family, because of the Wheeler stuff, but he will be challenged on that and face a work vs family thing. This is a big theme of the series obviously, and it will take a lot to break down his walls. But it will happen.

- Twilight will learn something about Anya’s past. Most likely related to her knowledge of classical language. Perhaps her history with other families or where she is from. I doubt he’ll learn about her mind reading, that would be huge, but I’m honestly kinda hopeful he does because I don’t want Anya to have to hide anymore. Whatever he learns will affect him and hopefully bring him and his daughter closer in the end.

- This means we will finally get the Anya backstory Endo’s been hinting at for a while! Again, I expect this to lead up to a sweet family moment that brings them closer.

- A new Yor arc. We are truly due for one and I don’t think Endo is ignoring her purposefully. It just may take a while to set up because it will be a big climax of the story. Perhaps Garden lore. A big assassination that affects her character or the plot.

- Yor will get closer with Melinda and maybe find out what the heck is going on concerning her relationship with the other Desmond’s.

- As this happens I think Garden will come into play. I don’t think they like the Desmond pro war agenda. Yor may report her findings from Melinda to them or something. This would be a continuation into that one panel of the Shopkeeper when Yor brought up that Loid was interested in their politics. They will start questioning Yor’s husband as well.

- Damian will confirm Anya can read minds, but will keep her secret. Maybe Becky finds out as well. Dimitri will come into play somehow. I would love to see Damian stop bullying Anya so severely and truly start treating her like a friend, while still struggling with his crush.

- Some Authen’s chapters with some information on their backstory. Are they related to Anya’s mind reading stuff?

- We were recently introduced to Chloe! Yuri’s co-worker and potential romantic interest. I think we will see more of Yuri x Chloe. This will hopefully help him in his crazy obsession with Yor lol.

- Yuri maaay become more suspicious Loid is Twilight (a reach I think). He may also start to like Loid more! (an even bigger reach lol).

- BUT I do think Endo is setting up a funny chapter where Yuri has to stay over and Loid and Yor will have to share a bed! That’s been hinted at several times!

- I also think we are leading up to a big moment between Twilight and Yor. Some type of physical affection. (I’d love a hug, but I’ll take some erotic hand holding once they’re forced to share a bed or something) It’s not a reach, the setup is there for a shift in their physical relationship. This will obviously change things between them. Again, Twilight will be confronted with his feelings after the Wheeler arc and struggle with his feelings for Yor.

- Yor is definitely going to realize she is in love with Loid.

- Finally, after the Wheeler arc, Handler gave Fiona some important patient files for Twilight. I think this will lead to a big break for Strix. He may also meet Melinda as Loid Forger in this capacity.

So yeah, based on basic narrative storytelling, we are due for a climax and change in status quo in sxf! I’m excited to see which way the story goes, there are so many different directions. I’m confident some of these points will happen sooner rather than later. Of course Endo could throw us for a huge loop. But he has setup all of these points and it’s bad storytelling to leave them open ended with no closure or shift in the story.

We have to remember Endo is setting up a truly big story! We should be excited about that. I think it’s fine to criticize the slow pacing (and lack of Yor) but I can only hope it is just building to something big!

[spyxfamilyanalysis]

Do you think donovan has something to do w project apple? The one that makes Anya can read minds, and if he does do you think he experimented w his children? Or Demetrius is born that weird

Well, I think there might be misunderstanding about the name of the Project. Project Apple is experimented on animals like Bond Forger, to make them useful with special abilities, for Bond's case is predicting the near future. But of course, there are still some limitations: the future can be altered, it is not fixed, as can be seen in Spy x Family episode 13-16, when Anya reading Bond's future predictions and changed it before Twilight was in danger.

And if you are asking what project Anya is experimented, is actually "nameless". Throughout the series and manga, the name of the project is currently unknown, and I, myself, am not sure if the Tatsuya-san will reveal it... Yet somehow, the Internet "said?" that there are the same name? That confused me???

Anyway, this hypothesis about Anya and Donovan has gone wild ever since, so let me explain.

We haven't known much about Demetrius, the only time he appeared was when Damian called him to meet their Father, which can be found in this scene (Chapter 37)

To know more about chapter 37 -> link (it's not that I'm lazy, this post already analyze full so idk what to add...)

About the scars, here are my predictions:

Maybe he really is related to the Project, since the mark of the stiches are pretty close to Anya's. And some are suspected that the ornaments on Anya's head could be a way to hide her scars from the experiments, or I think they are literally just accessories for her hair, like when she was small.

About the scientists, some said that after Anya escaped, the only "laboratory rat" managed to survive, they may be working on animals, like Bond, after that, as "hope" for science to save "world peace". And Donovan could be either an experiment like Anya, testing some sort of weird stuff on himself, or someone like the scientists who just got injured from, like idk, being attacked by his "laboratory animals". And I think that the chances of him being injured from war is very low, because he is the one to start war between Ostania and Westalis.

Are there any chances of Demetrius inherit the intelligence from Donovan? I think no. It's definitely not from the crazy ideas of his own father thinking of war, Ostania and Westalis are currently in the period of the Cold war, where there are no need for weapons, yet politicians are in a tense period, with the risk of war breaking out. True that his intelligence might be genetically inherited, but I can assure that both Damian and Demetrius may know nothing about what he was planning. So, uh, yeah, Demetrius is just that weird, and he is an introvert. You can tell how short his lines are when he was on the phone.

Off-and-bonus topic: I am very suspicious about their mother, Melinda. She first appeared officially in chapter 65, and the bus hijack incident of the Red Circus Arc. When Damian spoke about Donovan, her expression changed completely, as if she hated him deeply and want him gone from her sight. This could mean that she might know about what he was hiding, and probably she has an obsession to Damian, her sweet son~(?)

Look, she is so sus for hell sure. >:( But I'm not sure whether or not she is evil? Even Loid is aware of her now...

Also, take a very close look at the dialogue after the hijack (Chap 75):

She truly loves Damian, yet what we didn't realize that, his brother, Demetrius was not even mentioned in her interior monologue(?)/ mind. We also know that she calls Damian as a curse...: "I never should have come here... If only he'd died in the hijacking...", "If only I weren't burdened with this child...", "How he disgusts me...". At first when this chapter was out, I read this part and thought "he" that she mentioned was Donovan, and now, re-reading this, she was mentioning Damian. And I have no idea if she cares Demetrius more than Damian, or is it the opposite?

And finally, I bet she is hiding something from Damian... I mean, when Anya was mind-reading her, she was a bit scared. A scary obsession to Damian terrifyingly... maybe something about Donovan and the war between the 2 nations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Message from the author (me): This is a very interesting topic! After I received your question, it took me several days to give you my answer which I think is most suitable and accurate, I do hope it is the answer you are looking for. Truly sorry for the long-time response, I was working with my final exams, so I can't answer you immediately.

Anyway, thank you for waiting and taking your time reading!🥰🥰🥰

[piracytheorist]

OKAY OKAY TIME FOR THIS ANIME ONLY TO ANALYZE THE POSTER!!

(Reminder that I don't want to be spoiled or even teased about more stuff on it. I have been spoiled for a few things, but I won't mention them here in case another anime only finds this post :D)

source for the poster here

First impression is that it's way darker than the posters for other seasons! I'm not surprised given the spoilers I've gotten for the upcoming arcs. The bright spots and focus are Anya and Bond sleeping peacefully; the thing Yor and Loid are working hard for.

The most glaring detail, the lights creating a star with them in the middle! Reference to a Stella, but also...

a Tonitrus bolt on the side! Interesting!

The light sources are from out the door, a flashlight, a model school bus, a flower-y like bedside lamp, and something behind a curtain.

Outside the door we spot Yor and Loid, presumably after bidding Anya goodnight. And right next to the door!

A helmet with a "W" (Westalis?) on it, a hand-written notebook, and a tag of sorts? It looks like it's ripped in the middle, but I can't make what it's supposed to be used for. Due to spoilers, though, I know what the helmet is referencing.

Underneath that, two pillows, two books, and an onion.

I'm guessing the books are referencing Anya's studying? I can't even begin to guess what the pillows and the onion are there for. I mean, the pillows could just be there to show it's Anya's bedroom (although the wallpaper shown here is the one used in the Forgers' living room, not the one in Anya's room), but the onion??

But then, there's books closer to Anya that look more like schoolbooks, so the two in the above picture are probably a reference to something else?

A handkerchief with a "V" (I think) on it, a Tonitrus bolt, schoolbooks, a pencil, and a formal pair of shoes and a shirt for Anya, thrown around haphazardly.

The more I look at it, the more confused I get, lol.

A suitcase, a bedside lamp that I can't remember seeing in the anime before, a pair of sunglasses, three identical small books (notepads?), a wallet (?) with a folded piece of paper in it, and a lion plushie.

I can't really tell what that object on the far left is. I could say it's one of Becky's hairpins. A small award ribbon?

Anyway. A model car, a model schoolbus, three crumpled-up pieces of paper spilling out of an overthrown trashcan, and two packages of... a candy, or something? One is ripped at the side, the other from the bottom. There's even a tiny crumb under the latter. They were not opened by the same person.

Under them is a fallen chair, another book (I think), and a hat. Nothing rings a bell, unless we connect the chair with the way the manga volumes have featured designer chairs on the covers.

A box of snacks, a rose having fallen from a vase, crayons thrown around, and the most glaring thing here: a student card (?) with what appears to be Becky's picture, with a note stuck on it that says SOS. Interesting.

I could guess that the rose may be referencing Yor, but it's too vague for that. Anyway!

Final details, another pencil, a display of sweets that have been eaten from, a cup of tea, a burger with coleslaw (???) very emphatically off its balance... or is that also onions? lol

Next to that are gift boxes (with sweets? they look very formal) and a volleyball.

The gifts and the teacup seem to be the only objects in the entire room that are not in disarray.

Overall, wow! So many details that I'm sure manga readers can decipher, and I'm just here wondering what each part could mean. I'm quite interested in the light sources. I get why one of them is from Yor and Loid's side, and due to spoilers I know why the school bus is another, but I can't tell anything about the other light sources. The flashlight could mean a nature trip? Or a blackout? The bedside lamp has a very specific design and it's not one from the Forger household. The light behind a curtain could be a reference to secrets? How Anya knows everything due to her mind-reading, and has been knowing everything (and helping) behind the scenes?

Anyway, that's a lot! Though there has been no announcement for a date, it's great news that we even got a poster! Since it's supposed to mean Season 3 is in production... I could hope for a spring of 2025 release? I'm starting to doubt it'll be out by this October, since last year at this point in time we already knew Season 2 would be coming last October. I think spring 2025 is a doable prediction.

Again, reminder that I'm anime only and though I've gotten a few spoilers, I don't want to be spoiled for more. Please don't add any spoilers in the comments or reblogs.

[itsmaferart]

I think the best thing about the last chapter is how we again see the parallel between Twilight and Yor's feelings in opposite ways.

I know many people point out that Yor is still too clumsy at this point to burn her husband's shirt, probably distracted by the knowledge that he's taking a bath. But the best chapter is seeing Twilight and Yor's feelings mature in different ways.

Yor is learning to define what he wants and express it.

As I said in previous comments, Yor doesn't often verbalize his needs and wants, because she doesn't know what she wants or is looking for.

But this time, we have Yor, expressing her desire to 'be in an equitable relationship'. A true marriage. She doesn't just want to figure as a mother and take care of Anya, she wants to be for Loid, to take care of him, to be his support.

This arc presumed us about the possible first couple argument between the Forger's, but the real issue was that Yor wanted to be more involved in the relationship, while Twilight is saturating 24-hour work wearing out his own physique.

Yor's chapter with her friends, shows us how Yor apparently has no complaints about Loid. He is basically a perfect husband, loving and attentive, able to do all the chores. That's why he has to make up a fake excuse to appear normal. Yor's real grievance was never against Loid, and his efficiency but rather her genuine desire is to be a support for him.

She knows that he doesn't need her to be a functional person, he can do everything on his own and that makes her feel like a bad partner. But the truth is that Yor can also see through her husband's exhaustion, and knows that while Loid strives to fulfill all his duties as father, husband, doctor, spy it is at the cost of his own health. Which could one day take a severe toll on him.....Somehow, Loid's all-encompassing idea makes Yor feel that she is not contributing much (although she is not).

Meanwhile, Twilight is desperately trying to always be perfect, overworking at work and at home. He always wants to do everything at home so that Yor is not dissatisfied with his arrangement and does not leave him because he is so much in love with her, because of the mission.

The confrontation against Yuri and Wheleer makes him finally face these feelings (or part of them). His doubts for his family are what really weaken him, because he still doesn't want to accept that they are his greatest strength. Putting Yor's welfare above his job by keeping Yuri alive, the fact that he lets his guard down and feels lost, and that his greatest terror is having to return home to continue the supposed argument with his wife.

Yor's sweet smile made him relax for a moment and his whole body collapse, he was no longer in alert mode, everything will be fine as long as she is there to smile. He only found the angelic aura of his beautiful wife.

I think the highlight of this arc was not having Yor and Loid come into conflict, but having them both begin to open up emotionally. Yor talking about their needs and desires to feel involved and Twilight understanding that there are feelings involved for his wife and allowing (even a little bit) to get help.

[electricabsolution]

ok i have some thoughts about cordelia and anya BOTH getting hurt by xander and their standing in their respective circles being shattered as a result. the popular crowd vs. vengeance demon circle. it defines them.

something about how those crowds are both being upheld/facilitated by men and the patriarchy:

cordelia being a paragon of popularity as a concept; a rich, desirable girl who also happens to be boy crazy.

and just the general idea that men act useless or abusive is so commonplace that it’s being capitalized on by vengeance demons which then becomes yet another way for men to shame women– for having the gall to get revenge on them. not to mention the leader of the famously female vengeance demon groups is a man. yeesh.

but xander of all people, fucking xander!? reaches through the veil and the women who were once untouchable and vicious become sweet on him, and in showing their hearts become real. but men, ie The Man (as proclaimed by joss fuckdon) don’t like real women because they’re messy unpredictable bitches.

and once the other leaders of their social circles see how her caricature has fallen away, cordy and anya get punished and shunned. doubly so, for having their heart broken by xander. triply so, because they know xander is a fucking loser. (i like xander this is not hate this is just facts)

final thing: it’s interesting how similar the idea of a ‘real’ woman is, to the popular girls and the vengeance demons. it’s about heartlessness i think. (i want to say that it stems from those groups being uncaring to men which joss cuntdon would deem as heartlessness, but it really isnt. they need the fucked-updeness of the patriarchy to even create these groups, but the fact that they’re groups of women at all is what forbids them from really winning. i guess it’s sort of a if-you-can’t-beat-em-join-em vibe. it just ends up putting down other women who fail to fit the bill.)

and it’s pretty funny that anya’s first introduction as a vengeance demon is for cordelia to get revenge on xander; there’s no way she would have thought she’d eventually fall for the same guy.

[shantechni]

I'm Glad Miri is Annoying

Minor spoilers for Spy x Family and Buddy Daddies I guess idk

I don't know if people legitimately forgot this or what, but Anya is not your average child. And believe it or not, the majority of children who classify as "your average child" have more flaws than simply getting a big head when things are going their way. They're stubborn to a fault at times, they tend to be selfish at the benefit of no one other than themselves, and you feel the frustration radiating off of whoever is their guardian.

I'm glad that Buddy Daddies pulls no punches when depicting how chaotic life becomes once a 4 year old girl with a clear lack of disciplinary figures or actual parents comes waltzing in like a hurricane. I also loved when Sweetness and Lightning didn't paint Tsumugi as a child that was any easier to care for after the death of her mom, and that Kouhei (her dad) genuinely struggled to handle her on his own.

Beyond that though, the biggest problem I see floating around is that people for some reason expect a story about childrearing to not actually be about childrearing?? And that's not me saying that's the case with everyone, but it certainly seems like a lot of people have solidified Spy x Family as a standard of the sorts in their mind when it comes to depictions of found family dynamics, childcare, and adoption. That would be fine if people kept in mind that not every standard set by Spy x Family is realistic, both in the plot of a different series and irl. And that's not entirely the fault of the readers/watchers, it simply became one of the recently most popular titles to explore those themes in a way that balances out with other aspects of the story.

But that's just it: Spy x Family is not solely about a man, woman, little girl, and dog slowly developing into a family. It's about their impact on a war torn world and them realizing that this fake family they put together for the sole purpose of continuing their roles in preventing another war is becoming real. This was a situation that everyone (aside from Bond) initially saw as a way of escaping unlikely situations or reaching their goals. The focal point of the story from day 1 has been about these oblivious adults coming to understand that they're already a family, even though they don't exactly see it as such yet.

Meanwhile, Buddy Daddies is not about any of that, they're in a modernized world that one could easily imagine existing right now. These two hitmen are not in an unfavorable situation, they did not swipe Miri off the streets for personal gain, and they weren't really ever denying how quickly they grew attached to her. Kazuki took Miri under his wing the moment they locked eyes and she started talking about cake and her "papa," the guy is literally enamoured by her just from that. And Rei constantly asked Kazuki in the beginning if he was sure about sending Miri back to her mom, because he may not know everything about his partner, but it's clear as day to him that he really doesn't want to let her go. And as I said earlier, it hardly takes any time for Miri to wrap Rei around her little fingers either. The anime is 4 episodes in and they easily settled into the idea of being a family, heck, she already has her own room.

This is getting long and I'm starting to lose my point here because I'm not in a good area to focus in right now, so I'll end with this: Do not go into Buddy Daddies expecting an idealized version of a fake family turned real, because that's not what PA Works is doing here at all.

[fictitious-obsession]

Can you please do headcanons for Percy with an autistic s/o?If you're not autistic like me,i'd be totally cool with dms asking for advice!!

Hello @supermansbisexualson

AAAA I am so excited to have you as my first request. Thank you for answering any and all questions I had along the way. I hope these came out alright. I have not written anything like this and am really excited (and VERY nervous) about it. Again, thank you for your patience with me. So please enjoy! I hope you like it!

<3 - Anya

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Percy Jackson with an Autistic Gender-Neutral S/O headcanons

Percy tries to be very observant of you and wants to know you better each day

He loves when you start ranting about the latest book you read and tries not to feel jealous about your passion for your favorite character (but do not be surprised if he asks if you like them more)

When he asks you about something you’re interested in, he never feels or looks annoyed when you go into detail

If you are very into a game or show, he dedicates hours to sit and enjoy it with you

He occasionally gets you things based on your interests like merch and things that remind him of it

If you like a certain band/musical, he would surprise you with tickets. He would also have you show him all the songs and learn the lyrics

He knows your absolute favorite foods and snacks and no matter how much it costs, he will surprise you with it

When doing camp activities, Percy tries to keep around you, loving your presence

On days that you don’t really feel like talking, he cracks little jokes to see you smile

During camp activities, if someone goes off on you for doing poorly, he comes up and puts them in their place.  He would offer you his hand, not wanting to just grab it from you

If you ever get overwhelmed or have a meltdown, he is there to comfort you every step of the way, He will be extremely patient and understanding, even telling other campers to relax and not treating it as weird

When it comes to cues, Percy misses them too, so he never makes you feel awkward about them

He opens up about being awkward in conversation and reassures you that you are doing fine when talking

He also helps flow conversations with others if there is miscommunication

He doesn’t want to speak for you but helps bring you out of your shell at times

If you don’t feel like talking, that’s fine by him!  He will continue to talk and mess around with you, nods and smiles are enough for him

Percy tends to order out for date nights and have you both eat in different places throughout camp

He’d take you to the lake or the strawberry fields to just sit, eat, and talk about anything and everything.  Maybe do some star-gazing if you feel like it

Tends to be protective of you and sticks around you when he can

He definitely has pet names for you and wears any you give him with pride

He loves to play video games with you

If you get injured and he sees, he may exaggerate a bit, but do his best to take of you

“Y/N, you’ve got to be more careful…”

When you want cuddles, he’s there, but if you are sensitive and need space, he so willingly gives it

Meltdowns in bed mean cuddles, comfort, and absolute patience from Percy, he loves you and you will see that a lot in difficult moments for you

If you ever reacted badly due to hyper-sensitive sensory, he makes sure to avoid those materials for you (even ordering a special camp T-shirt of a different fabric just for you)

He would get you and him matching stress/sensory toys (his would be blue OBVIOUSLY, you get your favorite color)

He tends to be very sweet and thoughtful, but flusters and blushes when you point it out to him

He’d tell you stories all the time to help you sleep if you were anxious or antsy

[dear-buttercup]

Okay, okay, hear me out:

Spy x Family AU, except Marinette is Loid & Adrien is Yor.

Marinette & Loid both have this alternate self that is very calculative & has the urge to plan out every possible outcome of a situation so they're not caught off guard. Not to mention that both of them have this very strong sense of justice and, each in their own way, are trying to make the world around them a better & safer place. However, both of them also have this other side that is gentle and kind and, essentially, a softy (though this shows more in Marinette bc, well, she hasn't been through the things Loid has been).

Then we have Adrien, who, like Yor, is outwardly sweet & cheerful and doesn't have a clue what to do with Life (TM). But he also has a dark & deadly side, which makes him absolutely consider dirtying his hands if he thought he was protecting the ppl he loves (*cough* derrision *cough*). I can totally see him become an assassin if it was the only thing he could do to protect his loved ones & bring food to the table, esp if he was taught to do that from a young age.

Also, some of my other headcanons for this AU (and pls beware of possible spoilers for sxf if u aren't caught up or want to watch):

- Emma would be Anya, obv, and like Anya, she has telepathic powers and can read her parents' minds. (Side note: I was considering making Emma a creation of the peacock miraculous & for that to be the reason she has her telepathy powers, but then I realized the miraculous existing in this AU might not make much sense, so I'm putting it on the backburner. If anybody wants to explore that, though, be my guest!)

- The plushy u see in Emma's hands in my drawing is Tikki, which is the equivalent of Mr. Chimera in the anime (however, alternatively, The Handler could be Tikki & in turn, The Shopkeeper could be Plagg. But going with my initial idea...)

- The cat in the picture, then, would be Plagg, who is the equivalent of Bond. However, unlike Bond, Plagg is a little shit & he knows it & therefore gives Marinette a lot of grief. But he's very cute when he wants to be, and Emma is very set on keeping him, so Marinette resorts to silent psychological warfare with him. Surprisingly, Plagg is pretty chill when it comes to Adrien to everyone's surprise.

- Just like Bond, Plagg also has psychic powers. However, I can just see him hissing in annoyance everytime a vision pops up. :D

- Adrien is secretly an assassin who exterminates traitors with his special dagger(s) that he calls 'Cataclysm'.

- Marinette is a spy who is tasked with getting close to her target, Chloe Bourgeois. She has a customized gun that she prefers to use that she calls her 'lucky charm'.

- Also, the same as the anime, Marinette's agent name is 'Ladybug' & Adrien's is 'Chat Noir'.

- Chloe is Marinette's target (I know Desmond & Gabriel are crazy similar, but I think it'd be pretty weird to have Gabe & Adrien in the same universe & for them to not be related).

- Chloe has 2 children: a twin son & daughter who r attending the same prestigious school. The daughter (which I haven't chosen a name for) is the equivalent of Becky & the son (which I also don't know the name of) is the equivalent of Damian.

- Chloe's daughter lives with her father (who I imagine is Luka bc it's a guilty ship of mine, but eh), but she also pays for her child support and education, so her daughter was raised like a princess and therefore has the same princess tendencies as Becky.

- Chloe's son is still pretty much the same as Damian, so not much to add there. (Yes, exactly like Damian. If you know, you know :) )

- Lastly, I will leave you with this out of pocket notion: Felix as Yuri and Kagami as Fiona (and yes, I very much ship them, even in this AU :) )

Here are the individual characters separately as a treat for making it till here!

[yumeka-sxf]

A chronological analysis on Twilight and Yor - Part 23

*This is part of an ongoing post series. If you missed the Introduction/Part 1, click here*

----------

When Yor says goodbye to a very grateful Olka, the latter leaves her with some heartfelt parting words: she'll be praying that Yor and her family can find peace and happiness. Yor is taken aback by Olka's gratitude, which is understandable. Being an assassin is an unappreciated job, since most of it involves simply killing your victims and then disappearing without a trace. Her assignment with Olka may have been the first time a client expressed such sincere gratitude for the work she does. Not only that, but Olka having Yor hug Gram while telling her that she's the reason he has a future, is probably the first time she was able to so plainly see how her work can mean the difference between peace and tragedy for a family in need.

Despite the fact that Olka had repeatedly reminded Yor that her family is just for show, she's obviously realized that Yor sees them as much more. She can't openly tell this to Yor, so perhaps she chose these particular words of farewell as a way of getting Yor to really think about how much her family means to her…in the hopes that one day she can also leave the horrors of the underworld behind to pursue a quiet life. Olka's words may have struck a chord, as Yor seems very deep in thought while she and McMahon watch Olka's raft disappear into the distance. When McMahon notices how melancholic she looks, he reminds her not to get sentimental since they're both just foot soldiers. But ironically, almost immediately after, he tells her that she should meet up with Loid and Anya as a reward for her hard work while he takes care of any further incidents.

McMahon's history with Yor (if any) is still a mystery, but despite his stoic demeanor, maybe he too realizes that she truly enjoys being with her supposed "cover up" family.

I've seen discourse surrounding the idea that Yor's preference of "traditionally feminine" roles – wanting to be a wife and mother – is a sign of weakness and submissiveness. In addition, as @connoisseursdecomfort discusses here, some people only see one aspect of her character instead of the whole picture, and paint that in a negative way. To quote Connoisseur's post:

"Endo doesn’t want [Yor] to be just soft and sweet and sexy and strong. Like any other human, she is very self-conscious when she doesn’t fit in, and all of these discussions really show how realistic it is for Yor to feel insecure - she is too muscle-head and strong to be feminine in the eyes of the Asian readers, but too sensitive, gentle and ditzy to be masculine. She is not created to fit any standards, and therefore deemed a failure in every reader who sought to make another exemplary woman of this modern age. She has to be perfect, but she will never be."

If by "ditzy" people mean she's naïve about many things, then yes, she is, but there's a reason for it that anyone who's paid attention to the series can easily see: since she had to raise her brother since childhood, she wasn't able to pursue a proper education or gain the kind of real-life knowledge most people who live "normal" lives do. If by "ditzy" they mean she's too nice or polite…why is that a bad thing? While her low self-esteem makes it hard for her to stand up against people who insult her directly, she doesn't hesitate to attack anyone who threatens her family, nor does she hesitate to kill bad guys on her missions. So why is being nice to people who are not a threat to her a bad thing? Since when does having a brash, cocky attitude equate to strength, while being polite and nice to others by default, along with the very human displays of vulnerability and self-doubt, equate to weakness?

In my opinion, anyone who feels this way about Yor – that the only personality trait she has is "ditzy," or that it's somehow anti-feminist for her to desire the peaceful life of a wife/mother instead of something grander – is missing the whole point of the series. I discussed earlier that Endo does not portray Yor's profession as something glorious that she enjoys doing. It's dangerous, ugly, and morally ambiguous, but she does it out of desire to protect her family. Not only has she been doing it since she was a child, and thus was never able to experience a "normal" life, but it's a job with very little appreciation or acknowledgement. So after living with Loid and Anya, people who appreciate her for who she really is, don't force her to act certain ways nor expect anything in return, why should she be ridiculed for desiring peaceful days with them instead of living only in the cold, thankless underworld? Loid never forced her to remain his wife and Anya's mother after the interview – she chose to stay, at first for her own benefit, but she soon realized that being with them makes her happy. Is it "submissiveness" that someone who's been thrust into a dangerous, unforgiving life as an assassin since childhood now finds comfort in the traditional role of wife/mother with people she loves? Submissiveness is blind obedience, where you live a certain way by someone else's choice or even by force, and that's not the case here. There's no rule that says being a strong woman necessitates a complete rejection of feminine roles and values. A strong female character isn't necessarily one that's filled with self-confidence or tomboyish brashness…if anything, having no inner turmoil for them to overcome makes them a weaker character in my opinion. She's not throwing anything away for "a man" by choosing on her own to stay with Loid because he's always kind and considerate to her. As we saw at the end of her epiphany, she didn't even have to choose her role as a wife/mother over her role as an assassin – she decided to keep being both, but it's her love for Loid and Anya that made her resolve for remaining as Thorn Princess even stronger than before.

What's even more amazing about Yor's character is that, even when she understands that she doesn't need to be an assassin anymore – that no one needs financial support from her work, she still makes the most unselfish choice. She could have ditched her Garden work completely to pursue the life that truly makes her happy, which is being the wife/mother of the Forger family. After knowing how selflessly she's lived her life up to this point, pretty much sacrificing her well-being for Yuri's, no one would blame her if she decided to finally choose what's best for her now. But instead, she chooses to continue her unselfish way of life…even if it means sacrificing her own happiness yet again, she will continue this dangerous line of work, because preventing tragedy from befalling her loved ones or the world in general is more important to her than her own personal happiness. Having such unwavering selflessness, in addition to being a kind and patient mother, encouraging wife, and deadly assassin who still retains her humanity, Endo has done wonders making a character both cute/sweet but also a total badass who's strong on the outside as well as the inside.

Continue to Part 24 ->

<- Return to Part 22

[shiro-s2e2-erukinzu]

Anime only watchers and people who aren't caught up with the Manga, BEWARE... Cuz I'm about to discuss Spy X Family Mission 90... You have been warned...! 👌

[SPOILERS AHEAD FROM THIS POINT ON]

What an adorable little chapter today!! It sure was a sweet one...!! 🤗

Honestly, nothing too crazy happened in today's chapter, but there is still quite a bit that I wanna talk about...!! 😁 So let's get to talking about it, shall we...? 😊

The chapter begins with Anya tagging along with Yor, who's taking Bond for a walk...!! 😁

AND THEY'RE GOING TO THE SAME PARK THAT THEY CUT OUT OF THE ANIME THAT ONE TIME...!! 👌😆

Once there, Anya's having the time of her life until she overhears some kids talking about this old man...:

And when I first saw this man, my theorist brain started thinking of all the possible people who this man might be...! 🤔

Is he possibly one of the scientists that experimented on people and animals to give them powers? (Like Anya and Bond... 🤔)

Does he have powers like Anya? (Maybe to read minds or something else...! 😲)

Is he a long lost relative of one of the Forgers? (Most likely to Anya, but Yor and Loid are also possible...! 😌)

Honestly, out of all the possibilities that I thought of, being a long lost relative to one of the Forgers is what I think is the most plausible...!! (But for now, he's just a random old man.)

Anyway, because of what those kids were saying about him, Anya thought that the old man was a spy, but he just wants to go home to his wife...!! 💗

So, Yor, Anya and Bond decide to help the lost old man find his home...!! 😊 But since he mumbles a lot, Anya uses her powers to, um... Varying degrees...! 😅

OH MY GOD ANYA!! 🤣That is NOT at all what the old man was thinking...!! 😂

Yor, Anya and Bond take the old man to the market because he remembered that he was gonna go do some shopping...! 😄 And as they walk through the market, the old man remembers how it was during the war... 😔

Every time when I see stuff about the war that took place in this story, it always makes think about all the horrible conflicts that are happening out in the world right now and how I hope that one day no one will have to suffer through things like war ever again...

...

Anyway, Yor, Anya and Bond try to figure out where the old man lives, but they end up back at the park...! So they try again and...:

THEY ACCIDENTALLY RUN INTO SOME THUGS THAT START SHOOTING AT THEM...!! 😱

After running around some more, they stop near a place that sells waffles and the old man offers to buy Anya one...!! Then, Yor has a thought:

Oh, my heart... 💔

Honestly though, this is probably my favorite moment in this chapter...! 💗 Just the fact that Yor thinks about if Anya misses something that she never had, it makes me wonder how Yor will feel when she finds out that Anya didn't really have anything until the Forgers came to be...

Then, the gang gets a lead as to where the old man might live thanks to a coupon that fell out his pocket and Anya recognizing where it's from...!! And then...:

They end up at their apartment building...!! But, all is not lost because this IS where the old man lives!! 😆 We see Twilight helping the old man's wife with moving because they are going to be living next door to the Forgers...!! 😊

Lastly, the old man and his wife properly introduced themselves as Sigmund and Barbara Authen...

...and two of them get real lovey dovey with each other after being reunited...!! 💗🤗💗

And that was Mission 90, and it was such a sweet little chapter...!! 🤗 I am loving the recent focus on showing more of Yor and Anya (and Bond) together, their relationship just makes me so happy...!! 💗 Something else that I'm wondering is if whether or not Sigmund and Barbara are gonna show up again in the future (and if they'll have a secret connection to Anya in some way) because I both love them and are quite intrigued by them (especially since they were actually given names...!! 😌) I also wonder if the Authens' relationship is a possible hint as to how Loid and Yor will be like to each other in the future...!! 💗😏💗

Something that I just realized is that ten chapters from now, we'll be at Mission 100!! 😆 I don't know if Endo will do something special for this milestone, but I sure do hope that he does!! 😊

Anyway, that's pretty much all I wanted to say about this chapter...!! 😁 So until the next Mission... Take care, be safe out there and be kind to one another...!! 👋😄

[wizard-finix]

Ao3 tag game!

THANKS @ragecndybars FOR THE TAG I APPRECIATE IT

*cracks knuckles* lets do this

How many works do you have on AO3?

24 works! I would have never expected to have that many 5 years ago, hahaha

What's your total AO3 word count?

186,291! oh wow, almost 200k!! (unsurprisingly PT minato takes up over a third of that LMAO)

How many fandoms have you written for, and what are they?

10 fandoms! I'm counting Persona 3, 4, and 5 and separate, but I'm grouping all the Zelda fandoms together since it's all Linked Universe fic.

Here's the breakdown!

The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms (6)

Persona 5 (5)

Persona 3 (5)

SPY x FAMILY (Anime) (3)

Wizard101 (Video Game) (3)

SPY x FAMILY (Manga) (3)

Runescape (Video Games) (3)

Pirate101 (Video Game) (3)

Persona 4 (2)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom (2)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga (1)

Star Wars - All Media Types (1)

The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors (1)

Top five fics by kudos:

The Ghost of Mementos/Stygian Ringlet (Persona3/5) - to the surprise of absolutely no one, since this is currently my longest fic. I'm very happy with Stygian Ringlet being the top because I love my boys :)

True Crime Special on the Midnight Channel (Persona 4/5) - my Ren has a TV Dungeon fic! also very proud of the dungeon concept for this one, I really need to finish the last two chapters

Dark Clouds on the Horizon (Linked Universe/TOTK) - I feel like this one got a lot of momentum partially because it was directly in the wake of TOTK's release, but I'm happy with how it turned out :)

Strangers Are Just Friends You Haven't Met (Persona 3/SPY x FAMILY) - this was a collab series with mewrose and a few others in the marigolds discord! we were throwing ideas at the wall to see what stuck and I really had a lot of fun with Shinjiro-related prompts, because I LOVE him and hitting him with the isekai baseball bat into a universe with Anya brings me great joy

Salt Tears and Raindrops (Linked Universe/TOTK) - directly related to Dark Clouds, and I'm glad people enjoyed good ol' fashioned angst >:) (I do need to post more of my wips, I do have a couple more roleswap AU wips that I want to post)

Do you respond to comments?

Yes! I almost always do because I really appreciate them and its my way of saying thanks for the comment! If I don't comment it's because I lost track of it or because I can't think of a response.

What's the fic with the angstiest ending you've ever written?

Probably Salt Tears and Raindrops. I was in a Mood and decided to go for the tried-and-true method of putting fictional characters I like through the emotional wringer. That's how I got the rough draft for this fic :)

Do you write crossovers?

*looks at my persona fics and recent LU fics*

...I think it's safe to say most of my fics these days fall under crossovers lmao

Have you ever gotten hate on a fic?

I wouldn't say I have? One or two comments that came off as rude, but no actual hate, thankfully. If I did, I forgot about it. I've been blessed by wonderfully nice readers <3

Do you write smut?

Nope. I don't read it, so I wouldn't know how to write it anyway.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of? I sure hope not.

I have seen a couple short fics slightly imitate Ghost of Mementos though, which I thought was really sweet that they liked it enough to inspire their own writing.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope, but I'd definitely be open to it!

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

RYOMINA. Hands down. I love them so much, I am so mentally unwell about these two

What’s a WIP that you want to finish, but don’t think you ever will?

My two Runescape fics, Whispers in the Temple and Welcome to the Jungle. I absolutely loved going hogwild with rewriting old quests in Runescape, but I psyched myself out of Welcome to the Jungle because I got overly anxious about accidentally doing bad representation.

(in hindsight, it probably wouldn't have been as big a deal as I thought; it's hard to make it worse considering how bad Legend's Quest was with the british-african stereotypes. that quest DID NOT age well.)

I also want to finish Snake in the Grass; that was my first attempt at a genuine mystery plot and I really liked playing with Warriors in that fic in the context of the gang trying to figure out who the heck is trying to murder him.

What are your writing strengths?

I feel like I'm pretty good at dialogue! I try to make sure it matches the character's speech patterns and personality. Really well-written dialogue can tell you who's speaking without actually telling who it is. (For example, the way I write them: Minato speaks as few words as possible and has very little filter with his observations when he does share them, and Shinjiro is pretty rough around the edges, with shortened words and the occasional swear. Warriors is good with words and wit, but he has a certain military-esque directness and doesn't dance around the topic.)

I do try hard to keep the plot clear and understandable over everything else, so probably that as well.

Also, now that I think about it, maybe fight sequences? I don't do them much, but I do enjoy the challenge of making a clear sequence of what happens in a fight and trying to make it understandable. Fight sequences are easy to skip or gloss over, but I think of them like their own miniature plot. What happens? What surprises are there? What are their movesets? How do they get the upper hand? (and of course, what looks cool as fuck)

What are your writing weaknesses?

Time management. I tend to over-proofread since I beta my own work, and often I'll go back to tweak stuff if I had additional thoughts to add to it, or extra insight. Lately, it takes longer to write chapters than I'd like.

Also, dialogue-heavy scenes often get very chaotic in my WIPs because of the way I rough out fics. I'll throw together a bunch of dialogue bits I think would be cool to include, and sometimes they'll clash or get really messy, especially if there's lots of characters (looking at the latest two chapters of Stygian Ringlet)

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fics?

I think it's cool! It adds flavor to fics. If it's more than one short phrase though, or if it's story important, then I do prefer that there is a translation in the author's notes. I haven't done any non-English dialogue in fics, save for one memorable adventure into trying to figure out how Latin grammar structure works for a character that didn't speak English.

What was the first fandom you ever wrote for?

Wizard101 and Pirate101. I was obsessed with those two for YEARS. I really, really liked pirate stories in high school, and having a cast of crewmates that accompany you throughout the game really inspired me to write my first fic featuring my OC. (I was also into One Piece at the time, but I never wrote for it.)

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written so far?

Stygian Ringlet. It's really dear to my heart. I have poured so much love and effort into that fic, and the reception on it has completely blown me away.

THANKS FOR THE TAG!! Uhhhmmm for tags I'm going to go with @skyward-floored, @catreginae and @breannasfluff (but only if you want to!! no obligation of course)

and of course any other writers that want to do it as well!! go forth

[mj-ackerman]

SxF Light Novel: Family Portrait Translation Mission 4: Portrait of the Forger Family!? (Part 3)

<<PART 2. DO NOT REPOST

“Thank you so much for staying with me today for so long. Thanks to all of you, I feel like I’ve embarked on a new path.”

“...... It's nothing, I’m so sorry for all the mess we have caused.”

Felix bowed his head deeply with a black garbage bag in his hand, and Loid responded with a smile so as not to show the tiredness in his face. 

The number of people in the park has decreased considerably, and the western sky was completely tinted with madder red. Loid, who was swept by these and other such gestures, was exhausted. Yor herself looked tired, as if she were an empty shell of a person. Anya fell asleep while the picture was being painted, and she is still sleeping comfortably in Loid’s arms. The only one who was in good spirits was Bond. 

When Loid apologized for not being able to go as far as coloring the painting, which was almost solely Yor’s fault rather than them entirely, Felix said, 

“No, I already have all of your colors in my mind. I’m going home now. I’ll finish the painting at home.”

“Is that so? I’m glad to hear that then.”

Loid replied vaguely, agreeing with Felix's words.

It was a bit disappointing as he thought that the perfectionist artist might have been disappointed with the unfinished painting and will put it in storage. 

They parted ways with Felix, who asked them to come back to this place in a week to show them the finished painting, and with that, they headed home. 

Loid has lost the energy to go to the supermarket and cook a meal. However, he was also not in the mood to go eat out. 

“I’m kind of tired, is it okay to have the dinner delivered?”

“Eh…Oh, yes of course.”

Yor, who was walking next to him with a heavy heart, answered half-heartedly. Loid did his best to lift his wife’s spirit with his cheerful voice as he said, 

“How about we have some pizza? I heard from my co-worker that there is a delicious restaurant that opened recently.”

“Eh? Oh, yes. I think it’s good. I was just thinking of eating some…..steak too.”

Hm? What does she mean by that? Does she mean a pizza with steak on it? 

He wondered if the new restaurant would have any, but when he asked, 

“When you’re tired, meat is the best after all, right?” 

The answer that came back was, 

“That’s right…when you’re tired sweet food is the best.”

“Erm..shall we get some cake after dinner on our way home?”

“Yes. Anya already fell asleep too, so I think it’s best if we take a bus home.”

“..........”

Their awkward conversation couldn’t match each other. 

Above all, Loid was concerned about her eyes that looked like a dead fish.

I guess she really didn’t want her face to be painted huh? 

If that was the reason for all those eccentricities, she must be feeling a deep sense of frustration now that it all ended in vain. 

Loid stole a glance at Yor, who was walking next to him, and he told his depressed wife in his mind,

“It’s alright, Yor.”

I can’t say this to you out loud, but our painting will never be displayed in an art museum. 

This Twilight will never let that happen.

Loid carried Anya in his one hand and walked away with Bond on the lead as he was mentally devising the best course of action. The easiest way to do it at this point would be to pretend to like the finished painting and purchase it at the organization’s expense a week later, but Loid can’t even imagine how much that would cost. More than anything, if Loid, who is nothing more than a mere psychiatrist, were to pay such a large sum of money out of his own pocket, it would be viewed as suspicious. 

If that’s the case, there is only one way left, although it'll be a little dangerous. 

He breaks into Felix’s house, pretends to be a burglar and steals the finished painting. 

Sure enough, that’ll be the most realistic plan. Once that’s decided, all that’s left is to put it into action…..

Good grief, how did this come to this? 

Loid never thought that coming to the park with his family would put him in a situation where his life as a spy would be threatened. 

Was today a bad day or something? 

Lately, the talented spy, who has been unable to do things without his stomach medicine, let out a soft sigh. 

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

“......so, all of the sudden you just made a weird request to check out Felix Curtis’ house huh.”

Franky, a familiar informant at the store front, snorted as if he wasn’t convinced. 

“You really do get yourself involved in such weird things a lot.”

“That’s right. What a disaster.”

“I also thought it was another famous painter doing activist work behind the scenes.”

“It would be easier if it was like that.”

Loid chuckled shallowly.

If Felix was a terrorist who wanted to break off diplomatic relations between East and West, and for that purpose he approached “Twilight”, a spy from the West, there would be no other way to deal with the situation. However, Felix was a good painter to the core. And yes, because he was a good person, the situation had come to this. 

“Here you go. This is the address you asked for.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Franky gave him a piece of paper with the address of an apartment near the park. 

“What about the security system?”

“I’ll be honest with you, his house is full of holes. It's the kind of thing that makes you wonder how someone who is supposed to be super rich could be living in such a rundown apartment.”

Apparently, it was true that most of the profits for his paintings were spent in training future painters. 

Loid casually puts the paper into his pocket.

Putting the information fee on the stand as if it were a cigarette free, Loid was about to walk away saying, “See you later then,” but Franky held him back.

“Well, wait.”

“What? Unlike you, I’m a busy person, you know.”

“Stop being so cold. I did a bit of research on him, and I don’t think it’s going to be what you think it’s going to be, maybe?”

As he said that, he flickered another piece of paper. 

“What’s this about?”

Frowning, Loid reached for the paper, and Franky lifted it in a heap.

“This will have a separate charge from earlier.”

“Don’t play dirty with me.”

Saying that, Loid quickly took the four folded pieces of paper from Franky’s hand. 

“Ah! That’s unfair!!”

“I’ll decide if what I see here is worth paying extra.”

“Who’s playing dirty now?”

Ignoring Franky’s indignation, he looked over the paper. And as he lightly glanced with both eyes, 

.......so that’s what it was about?

Loid almost burst into laughter. 

“What? That’s disgusting.”

“Nothing. It’s just that you’re right.”

“I told you.”

“Yeah. I should have realized that sooner.”

Loid smiled with a huff and placed an additional fee on the stand. He finally understood why he smelled an oil paint on the head of the painter he met that day in the park. 

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

A week later, Felix, who was waiting for them at the same spot in the park, showed them a portrait of their family, painted with an incredibly original and bold touch. It was far from being as elaborate as a photograph, depending on how you look at it, it looked like a child’s doodle. 

“Huh? Is that a potato?”

“No, that is Bond.”

“This one is probably a shrimp.”

“I’m sorry…..that’s actually Loid.”

The good-natured painter shyly informed them that, having worked with watercolors all his life, he was not yet used to working with oil paints. However, he looked very happy and refreshed. 

“Thanks to all of you, I was able to enjoy painting from the bottom of my heart. I’m really grateful to all of you.”

Once again, Loid gazes at the painting he had already seen when he broke into Felix’s house. This is the first abstract painting by the artist who had taken the world by storm with his realistic paintings, and was painted at the end of a slump. No one knows how much it will be worth, or whether it will go unappreciated. But at least with this painting, even if it were to be displayed in an art museum, he was certain that it would not be a hindrance for the mission. 

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

“For some reason, I’m feeling kind of hungry. I’ll make dinner tonight, Loid!”

“Huh!? Oh….okay then, go ahead…”

Loid, bewildered, turned his back on Yor, who made a declaration with a smile.

“Well then, let's stop by at the supermarket on our way home.”

Saying so, Yor headed towards the exit of the park with bouncy steps. Her mood had clearly improved after seeing Felix’s painting. Loid was relieved to see a cheerful expression on her face for the first time in a while, since for the past week, she had been so dark and gloomy. 

“If there’s anything you want to eat, just tell me.”

Contrary to Yor’s smiling face, Anya, who was clearly not very excited, took the precaution of saying, 

“.....I’m not really hungry.”

Loid quickly soothed her as he whispered, 

“I’ll buy you whatever sweets you like later.”

It was all for the sake of a harmonious family. All for the sake of the mission. 

“You know that Yor’s cooking skills are getting better day by day, right? It’ll be fine.”

“You’ll be the food taster then, Papa.”

“I think I’d prefer to have beef…or maybe, shall we buy a whole duck? Some salted pork too….”

She was thinking about tonight’s menu while humming. At that, Loid chuckled. 

Even if Felix’s style hadn’t changed so drastically, I would have stolen it and that would have been the end of it. 

Well, there was no way that Yor would know about that, and he really felt sorry for her for the past week. 

Maybe I should ask her out on a date again? No, but I don’t want her to kick me in the jaw again, so maybe we’ll just go out to eat something delicious together as a family. 

While thinking about such things, he let out a sigh of relief, at any rate, this series of turmoil had been successfully resolved safely. 

“Nevertheless, that painting was really indescribable…”

Aside from the potato-like Bond, Loid, for example, was even mistaken for shrimp by Anya. But on the other hand, he also thought that there was something in that painting that was not there when Felix was painting those beautiful photograph-like paintings. However, even Loid doesn’t know what it was. 

At that, Anya suddenly announced, 

“I like that painting.”

With a childlike undeservedness, she added, 

“It looked terrible, but I like the warmness of it.”

“..........”

And all of the sudden, Loid felt like she understood something that he didn’t understand. A precious something that was not found in the elaborate, photographic-like paintings that made a full use of wonderful skills. Felix probably had a smile on his face because he was able to find it. 

As Loid recalled the painter’s happy smile in his mind, he heard Yor said, “Hehehe, it really was a wonderful painting,” agreeing with Anya. 

“It makes me very happy to think that we were so happy in his eyes….”

She smiled shyly as she said that, and Loid smiled at her and said,  

“..... You're right.”

There was really nothing more to it. He only agreed to it for the sake of this temporary family’s peace. It was Loid Forger, the entity created for this mission, who agreed to the word’s of his family, not Twilight himself. However, that feeling was delivered with a calmness that surprised even himself. Just like the blue sky today….

“I think it was a very good painting, too.”

Such words flowed naturally, and Bond barked a “Borf!” as if to agree. 

Anya laughed as she said, 

“Bond said he likes it too.”

Seeing her daughter like that, Yor smiled softly. 

Under the blue sky, there was a smile on Loid’s cheeks that wasn’t just a fake smile.