#He's not a misanthrope!!! He wants to believe in people SO MUCH!

[randomszzz]

"love has always been the world's best secret ingredient" -> "I'd rather just get rid of them" Joshua kiryu

"there's only one way to stay alive in this shibuya: Trust your partner" -> "in a way, he's been alone all his life" Joshua Kiryu

[narsh-poptarts]

Old Man* OC Poll

*"old man" being more of a vibe rather than any indication of gender

just wanted to do this for fun haha more info about these guys under the cut

Andromedus (he/she/they) - genderfluid wizard acting as (unwilling) mentor to Barnes, a young apprentice who would very much like to learn magic please. A grumpy misanthrope who loathes having to interact with other people and ESPECIALLY with other mages. She's an incredible stickler for rules and procedures surrounding magic, because they know a mistake can change the result into something unpredictable or even dangerous. Believes in the art of experimentation and doing it well. They dabble in all things potion, illusion, divination, and other Stereotypical Merlin-level Magic not specified. Despite a generally cold exterior, does have a heart of gold somewhere in there. Does genuinely care despite what most people might think, though the approach to this usually has a lack of compassion (except on rare occasions).

Belongs to my wizard+apprentice story I'm temporarily calling Cursed Apprentice (I'm so bad at titles)

Bartholemew "Art" Hykes (he/him) - chief forgemaster of the Carapace Knights, soldiers that don pieces of the large locusts and bugs that terrorize the land in an effort to fight back. The integration of these pieces into armor must be highly monitored to prevent a host take-over of the Knight, and Art is in charge of manufacturing these pieces to their perfection. Uses the nectar sourced from the Locusts to power the forges and after decades of work has gone blind from working so directly with it. A man of few words and fewer cares to give, can occasionally be found grumbling over the state of the world and how they're not ever in a position to be called "winning" against the locusts, but as long as he's got a job, there's not too much to complain about. Wishes the Carapace Knights would be a little less headstrong and worry more about how they're always at risk of being taken over by the Hive.

Belongs to my medieval dragon-slayer type story I'm temporarily calling Locust

Ulada Vertison (she/her) - one of the last remaining mechanics that has a fascination with tech from the old world and is willing to tinker with it along with the new. Was the one to repair the Robot and give it the ability to interact with the rest of the new world and sent it on its way. Has a penchant for stupid jokes and "positive attitudes", much to her assistant's chagrin. Approaches most things like a mad scientist with too much time on their hands and the soul of an old woman. (That is, diving head-first into experimental technology with a grin and emerging out the other side pinching the "experiment's" cheeks and checking to see if it eats enough). On the shorter side of stature, but that's okay, her large assistant has more than enough height for the two of them, he can be the one to fetch the stuff on the upper shelves (and the lower shelves, and the stuff from across the room, and hey also sweep the floor. She's got a bad back, don't you know!)

Belongs to my scifi post apocalyptic robot story I'm temporarily calling Mezzanine

[edelgarfield]

gods i haven't seen this parallel drawn before but it is something that drives me insane

everyone knows gortash was sold to raphael by his parents and one can only imagine the awful things he went through. and like i don't think it's too far of a stretch to think that abuse plays a heavy role in what led him to bane, how do you avoid being owned and used for other people's gain? by being the one with all the power and bringing them under your heel.

which is the exact same logic that drives astarion towards ascension. hells, the rite is a contract with mephistopheles, raphael's DAD.

imo gortash is a glimpse of exactly what lies in ascended astarion's future. he's the most powerful man in baldur's gate but he's completely alone. he's sold out and alienated every single person that ever cared about him, his power is the very thing that keeps him from ever being able to trust anyone else, all his allies are transactional and based on mutual gain, and one slip up means a knife in his back. durge, seemingly the one person he genuinely cared about, was taken from him because of the power they held. their affection for him put a target on both of their backs. he had all the power he could ever want and it did nothing to save the person he cared about most.

by the time you meet him, he is far far far too gone imo. i'm not even sure whether he cares about how isolated he is, or if he sees it for the weakness it is. if there was ever a time to convince him to choose another path, it is long gone, now he's too entrenched in his own schemes, that even if he WANTED to change (unlikely), it would spell his death.

if you don't ally with him, his isolation is the very thing that kills him; he believes he has no need of flesh and blood allies bc he has an army of tin soldiers to keep him safe. but once you take out the steel watch he's practically defenseless. he's the most powerful man in Baldur's gate, but you can literally just stroll up to his office and kill him on his own turf and no one comes to his aid. if you do ally with him, it's his ambition that puts the final nail in his coffin, his means to dominate the world turns on him and spells his doom.

and this is exactly what we begin to see happen with ascended astarion. his obsession with power and need for control makes him turn a genuine partnership based on love & mutual respect into one based on control. from party banter, we see pretty much all the companions immediately turn on him. these are people who genuinely cared for him & fought for his freedom, but after watching him ascend they wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire. and he doesn't even care! he's so entrenched in his own misanthropic worldview that he only sees the power he's gained & not everything it cost him. the cost of ascension isnt just 7000 souls, it's 7000 souls and the love of every single person who could have ever cared for him.

if astarion ascends how long until he bites off more than he can handle? how long until his enemies realize the best way to get to him is through you? how long until all his allies turn on him? (if you choose to control the absolute, the answer is somewhere between a few days and a few weeks). all the power in the world can't protect you from your own hubris and astarion has it in spades.

whether you view durgetash & durgestarion platonically or romantically I see it as two opposing narratives held together with Durge as the lynchpin. durgetash is abt being doomed by that narrative, two people who genuinely cared for each other but were the wrong people at the wrong time to save either of them. had they met earlier, if one of them had been slightly less entrenched in their roles, perhaps they could have been saved, they could have lived and had something real.

& durgestarion is the opposite, had they met any earlier, they would have brought each other to ruin. two doomed people, once beyond saving, meeting at the perfect time and finding the strength in each other to break their chains, to choose a path for themselves. where before durge failed to save gortash (& every person they ever cared for) they can save astarion now (& all their other companions).

& the real tragedy is by the very constraints of the narrative, you cannot save them both. if durgetash hasn't been the people they were, Astarion would never have his chance at freedom, he would've been consumed in cazador's ritual with no one to mourn him. but in order to orchestrate the events that allow astarion his chance at freedom, gortash is long past the point of no return. it takes MULTIPLE extremely unlikely events and literal divine intervention to free Durge from Bhaal's clutches. The chance of the same happening for Gortash is infinitesimally small.

it's abt the cruelty and chaos of the world, how fate, destiny, and chance intersect to either bind us or set us free. it's abt second chances, walking through the ruins of your past mistakes & choosing to build something from the rubble, it's abt how love & loss are two sides of the same coin, how sometimes the only choice available is to love, & that love won't save you, but it's there and it leaves its mark.

thank you for coming to my tedtalk.

[hopeaterart]

Okay, longer post on how I think 600 Strikes should've gone.

Okay, so full disclaimer before I start: I ADORE Epic: The Musical. I found out about it thanks to my sister showing me Monster, and I've been hyped for the release of every following Saga. It's what got me to start writing my own Greek Myth fic! The Vengeance Saga is no exception: all of it was a banger. My least favorite song of the lot wasn't even the one this post is about: it was 'Not Sorry for Loving You' (I don't. ljke Calypso). 600 Strikes, especially with the second half, is actually one of my favorite songs of the concept album.

HOWEVER, I've stated in my last post that the second half should've gone like THIS ↓

And I stand by this.

Now, before I really start, I don't actually imagine Poseidon taunting Odysseus with words. More like, laughing madly at him while he has a breakdown about what he's become. Full on Joker from Batman cackle. Poseidon is a violent misanthrope at best, and an insane maniac at worst.

Now, onto my first point: Poseidon is a god. And until Six Hundred Strikes, gods in Epic were portrayed as being insurmountable. I really liked that. I know that other people liked that. And having Poseidon remain unmoved even as Odysseus tortures him is would've really driven that in.

Just... imagine it: Odysseus has done what very few have done and bested a god. Still, the Lord of Tides refuses to lift up the storm, spitting him to the last moment. He's got no choice but to resort to drastic measures, and everything- the pain, the frustration, the hatred, both toward himself and the god- come spilling out as he stabs him with his own weapon over and over and over again.

He's throwing his words back in his face, making sure that Poseidon knows: every ounce of pain that Odysseus inflicts on him can be traced back to his own damn actions. But Poseidon isn't begging for mercy, or trying to retain a shred of dignity by gritting his teeth and enduring. He's goading him on. He's taunting him, he's laughing at him. He's laughing.

And why wouldn't he? He's done it, after all. He got what he wanted. Odysseus of Ithaca, the arrogant mortal who refused to finish the job, is no more. Only a ruthless, broken monster remains. One who's earned the right to get back to his kingdom.

("With everything you've done, how will you sleep at night?" becomes less of an attempt at getting the last word in, and more of a genuine curiosity.)

Now, my second point: it would muddy who, exactly, between Odysseus and Poseidon, who ends up getting their revenge. Now, in the actual musical, it's obviously Odysseus, and he deserves the win. The man has done nothing but take Ls since the Cyclops Saga, he deserves a W before making it back to Ithaca.

In canon, Poseidon is very much not pleased with how things end up turning out. But if Poseidon had been pleased with Odysseus

Physically- well, it's still Odysseus. He brought Poseidon to his knees with a windbag, his own storm, and the ghosts of his entire fleet. And then, he picks up his own trident and goes to absolute town on him. Even if Poseidon is happy about getting his shit rocked , he's still getting his shit rocked.

But philosophically? I'd argue that Poseidon is the winner here.

For the entirety of Act 1, Odysseus believes in Open Arms (RIP Polites) and to his credit, it does work. First with the Lotus Eaters to find more food (even if it led him right to Polyphemus, they are high as balls), and then Circe to save his men. He also doesn't get to see it, but it's also more or less what happens between Telemachus and Athena, which eventually leads to his freedom from Calypso. Shit, the one time he decides to use it in Act 2, it nearly works on Poseidon himself in Get in the Water! The problem is that the world isn't always kind, and sometimes, it'll react to open arms by stabbing you in the chest. Just look at what happened with the cyclops.

Meanwhile, Poseidon believes in Ruthlessness. And being ruthless has served Odysseus very well: the Trojan Horse, killing the infant to save his family, also Circe to save his men (before she pulled out the Other Ways lmao), neutralizing the Sirens, the sacrifice for Scylla, even sacrificing his own crew to stay alive. The problem is that both of these characters confuse being ruthless with being cruel, and that's what fucks Odysseus over.

Oh well. Being ruthless and cruel was just what Odysseus needed to deal with Poseidon. And it's what will get him through the suitors, so he can finally reunite with his son and wife.

Lesson learned.

(Also, Athena is Odysseus' mentor, and a well-documented thing in actual Greek Myth (and sadly untouched in the musical even if I understand why) is that Poseidon and Athena do not like each other. Documented rivals. What happens is that he successfully sank his claws in her abandoned pupil, and twisted Odysseus into a monster that would horrify his past self even before Open Arms. In the face of spitting his least favorite niece like that, getting repeatedly stabbed was absolutely worth it)

[thebibliosphere]

Joy! I've officially jumped on the Phangs bandwagon, so I can finally send coherent questions about it—how did you come up with the political landscape? I imagine it's at least partially inspired by true events, but how do you keep straight the political compasses of each character?

Eeey! Welcome aboard!

And yeah, a lot of it's based on history, but also a lot of current events if you squint. (Or maybe you don't need to squint.)

As for how I keep the characters straight (ha!) I had definite ideas about them while forming their personalities and history.

Nathan is the youngest and only starting to question the political landscape around him. He's not politically unaware but perhaps a little naive and unwilling to see how corrupt everything is.

He's been conditioned from a young age not to question authority. Military indoctrination will do that to you. Only when he finds himself on the frontline of an unjust and hopeless war does he realize things aren't what they seem. He still toes the line... until he gets injured, and the true depths of how little the military or government cares for people like him gives him a nasty jolt. Even in the first book, he's still somewhat in denial because part of him doesn't want to admit that he's been complacent. You can see what in the conversation with his brother Miles. His realization that he's spent his whole life following orders doesn't sit well with him, and that's a theme that will continue for his character in all future books.

It's only when he meets Vlad that he genuinely starts to question things, and that's because Vlad is the walking embodiment of a homemade Molotov cocktail wrapped up in a silk suit and a fierce, unshakeable sense of justice.

Vlad was created as a challenge to the bored, misanthropic vampire stereotype who doesn't give a shit about humanity because they've been around for hundreds of years and lost all faith in humanity. If anything, the longer Vlad is around humanity, the more fiercely he loves it and wants to do everything he can to help them. He grew up under the bloody iron fist of his grandfather's regime and saw firsthand what happens in a world devoid of democracy, and he's been running from it ever since.

He can only do a little under his father's thumb. But what he can do, Vlad does with all of his being. He's found ways to enable free schooling and medical care on the island, and if you give him a few more decades, he'll find a way to make housing accessible, too. (It's a numbers game, and he's very good with numbers. And honestly, his father doesn't pay too much attention to what he's doing. Not if he's careful about it...) He's also a staunch believer in the power of worker's unions, and despite technically being the person the unions would fight against, he is trying to help the workers of his island unionize because he believes it is the just and right thing to do.

Ultimately, Vlad is my firebrand catalyst for change, and I am really looking forward to exploring his arcs in future books.

Ursula is... tricky. She's in a precarious situation where she can't afford to draw attention to herself and, at times, has been forced to side with people she'd otherwise cheerfully drown because they could offer her the best protection. It's exhausting and soul-destroying, and it leaves her feeling powerless. Which is laughable when considering who she is. What she is.

She hates it. She wants it to be different. She doesn't like feeling so hopeless. Defeated. But she's tried to change things in the past, and it almost destroyed everything. So now she just keeps her head down and works from the shadows. It's safest that way. Not to mention quicker. After all, what's one more human war to an immortal [REDACTED]? If she ignores it, it'll go away. Eventually. Right? Right? (This may or may not be the denial talking.) (It is absolutely the denial talking.)

The fact that human politics are about to severely and unavoidably affect her will not go down well. Ursula is, in fact, going to be bloody livid about it. Not to mention guilt-riddled for burying her head in the sand and letting the humans go unchecked for so long.

Fortunately, she's got some new allies in her corner. A fiercely protective werewolf with a newfound sense of political rage and a vampire who's been spoiling for a fight of this magnitude for over four hundred years. Maybe, just maybe, this time, things will be different...

[rayshippouuchiha]

I remembered your idea about Grimmjow mentoring Izuku and I have world building/background.

Grimm got to the bnha universe because some idiots were trying to summon a demon to kill some heroes and since there aren't any in universe the magic spell outsourced. The idiots did not survive their stupidity. Grimm is really annoying because he's pretty sure it's going to take at least a year to get home.

Finding and starting to teach Izuku delayed his plans, but not by too much. Grim figures he'll just wait for the kid to die and bring Izuku's soul back with him. Classic Arrancar adoption tactics.

Inko is a little uncomfortable with a demon adopting her son with a plan of making him another demon, but honestly Izuku's just so happy these days that she's cool with it. She does the paperwork to make Grim a distant relative.

People in the bnha universe don't really have reiatsu but they still have souls. Grim just has to teach izuku to reform his soul so it's bleach style instead. He's pretty sure that any of the many mad scientists he knows would tell him it's impossible, but izuka did it anyways so there.

For paperwork they claim that it's a family inherited work that is super finicky and requires a lot of control and often doesn't activate without life or death danger or knowing how to activate it beforehand. Which it is true, using reiatsu for stuff more complicated than "be stronger and hardier," let alone kidou, takes decades of learning. Even if hollow style kidou is easier to learn, it's not by that much. Grim mostly focuses Izuku on learning the basics of combat and maybe sonido.

Izuku ends up good at kicking people in the face like canon, but he also has throwing knives and a tanto to complete the danger gremlin evolution.

He kicks Bakugou in the face and breaks his nose. Their relationship isn't great but it's not as awful as in cannon.

Grimmjow is setting up connections with the villain community one day when he hears about some mysterious, powerful fucker called All For One. He hasn't eaten in a while, and that seems like someone no one will miss so he eats out for the day. The villain underground immediately falls into chaos but that isn't his problem.

Coincidentally, Inko's deadbeat husband finally stopped sending money. (Whether he's AfO or just some asshole who died in the chaos is up to you.) She shrugs and moves on. She saved and invested most money he gave them anyways.

Grim ends up running a dojo. First he just needs space to teach Izuku but I firmly believe that despite his general misanthropic tendencies he actually likes kids, so the whole thing balloons pretty fast. He ends up with this weird teenager who calls himself Dabi as an assistant, since the kid already knew how to fight pretty well.

With an actual support system Dabi ends up significantly less burned and significantly more sane. He works as a vigilante, killing marital and child abusers. He's really uncertain about what to do about Endeavor, because he wants to kill him but the man also scares the shit out of him, and he doesn't want to free his siblings just to put them in the spotlight. Grimmjow is less than zero help, but Inko gives him a big hug and helps him start to set up a legal case if that's what he decides to do. He's like Izuku's weird, obnoxious older cousin.

Speaking of the lov, Kurogiri got out and took Shigaraki with him when AfO died. They end up picking up the rest of the league overtime. All the kids try to convince Kurogiri to reach back out to his friends from when he was Oboro. They might or might not be vigilantes.

What are you talking about, this isn't a fix it fic.

The UA staff are deeply baffled when they meet Izuku's guardians: the sweetest little lady you ever did meet and what Aizawa is pretty sure is an actual, literal demon from hell. In hindsight, though, it makes sense.

Thank you for the idea! Sorry for shoving this thing in your inbox.

Never apologize because this is fantastic.

[hatchetmanofficial]

Why does Alan seem less supernatural than his coworkers?

Of course he’s just as dangerous but a lot of his unhinged behaviour and readiness to break the rules can be explained by the way he grew up abused, was being forced to be aggressive to defend himself, his lack of socialisation, being rebellious against a society that didn’t help him, and even an underlying mental condition (maybe inherited from his dad). With the trauma, isolation and demands of his job then turning it all up to 11. I mean, despite being axe crazy and a bit sociopathic Alan still seems mostly human. If a little animalistic. He’s very strong and fast and completely ignores the norms of society but still looks and acts basically human.

Whereas you’ve got dudes like Carver whose whole appearance has warped, and Stitches who was literally created a month ago from components and kills in a body horror way. One look and you know something is very wrong.

Alan also seems to be the only one with the wish or ability to defy the boss. Is it because he rejected the work name and mentally kept his own identity? Are names power here? Literally or symbolically.

It feels like the Boss employs vulnerable drifters, the lost souls. Does the Boss find it easier to control you if you want to reject/forget your identity, are running from your past or a bad situation, or (like Stitches) never had one?

Obviously it is a predatory Leonine contract, basically a deal with the devil. Nobody ends up like this coming from a good situation or with any better choices available. And the horrific consequences if you leave or disobey are a huge factor. But I’m covering subtleties and the differences between the coworkers.

Or is it because in spite of how cruel life and people have been to Alan he still has a tiny scrap of humanity left? Before he only had the solace of animals. Doe Eyes has reminded him how starved he is for kindness and love, maybe recalling the time before his mom died when he had a family, and Doe Eyes is human.

It makes it hard to obey the solitary rule. To stay misanthropic and emotionally shut down enough to continue indiscriminately killing people for the Boss.

(I’m the shy anon who suggested the idea of untraumatized Ranger Alan a long while back 👋 Wherever he is, whenever he is, I hope he’s happy and well adjusted.)

(I love this question and I love your username!!!)

I like to think that Alan still has a part of him, that wants to weasel his way back into society, especially after meeting his Doe-eyes. But he can never have it. It's selfish of him to want.

Boss is unpredictable and very much so picks those who believe they are someone without a cause. I'd like to think that The Beast's song "Come Wayward Souls" applies to him. However, he can still influence his employers. If he sees someone get out of line, he would simply have to put them back in place. Alan, however, never gave Boss any hassle, not even when he first found him. You could say he has a clean track record when it comes to his job. Until doe-eyes that is.

When I say that Boss kinda has favorites.

He truly does.

[hamlets-ak]

his last letter ༊*·˚

masterlist ◦ askbox

synopsis: regulus writes you a letter before he goes to the cave

My Dear Y/N,

If you are reading this, it’s too late for me.

I am writing you from my room, at 12, Grimmauld Place. My doom is hanging on my neck like a rope. It’s heavy and unbearable. I can already feel it dragging me down.

That night, that I sneaked out just to meet you, I gave you a promise, that I was going to change, that I was going to be good. You said you loved me either way and nothing mattered to you.

It mattered to me though, because I wanted to be good. I wanted to do the right thing. The time has come to keep my promise and be good. And if the right thing is going to cost my life, then so be it.

Y/N, my dear Y/N, I need you to know that I’ve changed. I need you to know that I did the right thing, that in my last moments on this earth, I was good.

I am writing to you determined to do what I have to. Y/N, my heart, please forgive me.

I wish I never had to write this letter to you, but I know that my road has no return. It’s not just me being pessimistic, no. I can feel that this is not going to end well for me, for us. The earth has prepared a deep and narrow place for me and I can do nothing but get in.

Please forgive me for not meeting you tonight. Forgive my sloppy handwriting. Forgive fate. Forgive Kreacher, the bearer of the bad news, and please don't be mad at him. Forgive me.

If I regret one thing in this life Y/N, is not giving you more kisses, not hugging you tighter, not saying « I love you » every minute of every day.

Light of my eyes, a million hearts wouldn’t be able to carry my love for you. I love you unfathomably, no words can describe it. If only you could jump into my body for only a few seconds, you’d see for yourself. But I would never let you. I love you too much for this. You are everything to me.

You were the first person that made me feel truly loved. I know, my brother loves me too, or at least he tries to. I don’t blame him for taking his distance. After all the things I’ve done, I feel disgusted in my own skin. But you… how could you not be disgusted? How could you not leave me? How could you be there for me? How could you love me? People like me don’t deserve to be loved. I wouldn’t love me... I don’t love me; myself, what I am.

The only times I’ve ever loved myself are the ones spent with you.

You made me feel like I wasn’t as bad as I thought. I had a good side, I wasn’t always as menacing and misanthropic as everyone believed me to be. With you I felt like a person, normal, I wasn’t a burden. You truly did love me and your love made me beautiful. Honestly, I’m still not sure why you loved me like that. But I know you did. I could feel it every day, even in our worst moments.

I need you to know, you are the one and only for me, and you will always be. No matter what happens to me tonight, my soul will always be with you. I will always be yours. You will be my last thought, and my last breath will be your name.

I love you.

I’m afraid that you’ll forget me. Me, and everything we did together, everything we were.

Please, think of me sometimes. But not the bad things; the fightings, the tears, the sadness, the fear… think about the good things.

Do you remember the night after that stupid Ravenclaw party? I was pissed. I could barely walk and, oh Merlin, I was so, so dizzy. You couldn’t stop laughing watching my anarchist side come to the surface, as I was going up and down in front of Dumbledore’s office. I thought it’d be hilarious if we managed to get inside and burn the place to the ground. Well, we didn’t do that, obviously. From walking so fast, I ended up sick, vomiting in front of the gargoyle. I could still listen to your voice, as I was holding my knees, letting my guts out, and your laugh — I love it so much when you laugh. You then walked beside me, pulled my hair back, looked me in the eyes, and kissed me. I was staring at you like an idiot because I was too drunk. You smiled and then hugged me with your warm hands, your smell being the only thing I could sense.

That was the moment I first realized you love me. Who else would kiss the lips of a person that was vomiting only seconds ago?

I’ve never told you, but until now I’ve been thinking of that moment. Why would you be so kind to me? To me, of all the people on this Earth. And how can you love me?

Remember this time I was crying so hard without a reason, and I was just so angry that I was kicking the bathroom door and I was completely out of control? That day was terrible. I was hitting the wall so hard that my fist started to bleed. You had never seen me like that and I knew you were scared of me, but you hugged me tightly and didn’t let me go until I calmed down.

I asked you that day, why didn’t you leave me alone? Why did you have to be there? You said that you loved me so much nothing could drive you away. When you left I cried and didn’t go to class.

I was so confused. But I knew one thing, I wasn’t one hundred percent evil like everyone wanted me to believe.

We had so many dreams and plans that will never come true. I should’ve left this whorehouse when I had the chance. I should’ve left with Sirius. If it wasn’t for my ego... And then, when we were done with school, it was foolish of me to stay at my father’s funeral. We could have been in the countryside now, married, away from everyone. I really wanted to marry you, to spend the rest of my life with you.

I’ll stop thinking about that.

You have no idea how much it hurts knowing that you are reading this letter. It feels like a knife twisting deep into my soul.

Please, Y/N, you have to understand why I did this. I had to. I owed it to everyone. I owed it to myself.

I know it’s very selfish. I left you just so I can live up to the expectations I built for myself.

I am never going to see the day that awakens with you ever again, but I hope the light of the world is bright and gentle to you. I hope the people are good. I hope you smile and laugh every day. I hope you think of me sometimes, just once in a while.

My love, my heart, please don’t do anything crazy. Stay alive, do it for me. Live. I need you to keep going. If you love me, keep going. And please, get out of this place. Go to your friends, to my brother and Remus. I don’t want you to be here. And don’t even think about passing by my house.

I don’t know what else to say. I wish I could write you everything but time is running.

Please, know that I am not scared. I am not scared at all. I want to do this. It’s my decision, probably the only one I’ve ever made.

Don’t forget to burn the letter.

It’s so cold here and I can't stop remembering. My heart has no mercy on me.

I love you forever.

R.A.B.

[bendrownedbodypillow]

<< general HCs for BEN drowned >>

his blood is black and oily

he smells damp, like a river bank, but reeks of sulfur

he's connected to whatever TV his 64 is connected to

he can't leave an electronic without hopping into another one

he's bound to whoever plays his cartridge until they give it away

his cartridge cannot be destroyed by mortal means

he's stuck at 19 (poor dude)

he cannot eat or drink

if water touches him he will glitch out like crazy and is usually exhausted afterwards

nightmare blunt rotation don't ever smoke with him he WILL scare you on purpose

4chan user /j

gets really lonely when people don't talk to cleverbot

tired all the time, never a moment when hes not

covered in mud

dead leaves in his hair

his skin is blueish grey

very raspy voice

his joints are very stiff

the skin on his arms is peeling off

his fingers are blue

his eyes are foggy, but if you look close enough, you can see that once upon a time, they were hazel

his eyes only turn black and red when he wants to scare people

sensitive ears

rosebud lips, also peeling

TOUCH-STARVED PLEASE HUG HIM

cat person, really fond of wolves, though

80s horror lover

he died in 2002

scared of full moons (what if his followers stop believing in him??)

BEN Playlist! (Songs my version of him listen too)

<< BEN origin summarized, taken from my wattpad >>

THIS IS FOR BEHAVIORAL EVENT NETWORK FROM THE JADUSABLE ARG

BEN was born in 1984 after his parents immigrated from Japan in 1982, they moved to Denver, Colorado in 1986 after living in Illinois during his mother, Kaiya's, pregnancy in his early life, but due to postpartum complications, BEN, born Benji Mochizuki lost his mother.

he was primarily raised by his father up until 1996, where at age twelve, his father remarried to a woman named Sandra, who had two sons both a little older than BEN, his new stepbrothers introduced him to his three favorite things in the world, Nintendo, Mtn Dew, and Legend of Zelda, his childhood went fairly, well after that, he got high grades in school, got along well with others, but he was very much a ladies man, he's always had a high charisma, and he was fairly handsome.

His charisma is a key factor in why he was able to convince others to join the Moon Children; it was until college that things got rocky. He was out of state; he knew no one there; his loneliness was profound; he had no one to turn to during this depressing time in his young life. He was always apt with computers, so he took to the internet to voice his issues. He formed the Moon Children on the forum, which was an offshoot of a Legend of Zelda forum. He felt accepted—truly accepted. Now, here's where it gets tricky: he needed to "prove his loyalty" to the cult, i.e., "ascend."

This was, of course, by drowning him in the name of Luna, but something went wrong during the digitalization stage. You can't make a human a robot, or a robot a human, without first adding or subtracting humanity and empathy, so that's what they did, and when BEN came back, he came back as this misanthropic, emotionless, malevolent entity. His hatred of humans stems from the mishaps in his code; they have something he wants. His humanity.

BEN reference drawing (working on a better one!)

[double-features]

BREAKFAST CLUB - PETER MAXIMOFF x READER

≽^• ˕ • ྀི≼ ------ peter maximoff x gn!reader

SUMMARY : reader is considered a bit of a basket case amongst her classmates, an enigma to most. during detention one day, the annoying kleptomaniac decides to bother reader! the two totally dont hit it off at first, but eventually learn to appreciate one another <3

WARNINGS : implied abuse ( never outright stated or described, not even really implied too heavily really ) , nothing else really!!

GENRE : fluff !

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Maryland, circa 1972. I had no reason to be in detention.

I just felt like it. Didn't want to go home, I supposed. As much as I disliked the idea of having to stay at school off the clock, the thought of going home was wayyy.. wayyy worse.

I wasn't popular in my year. People saw me as a bit of an outsider. Just some weird kid, a basket case to most around me. There was so much more to me than that stereotypical "oh they're so weird, they belong in an asylum" crap everyone spread around about me. But, I enjoyed the serenity of being alone.

Especially being a mutant.

I didn't have a mutation that altered my appearance, luckily enough, I was blessed with something not noticeable to the naked eye. Thermokinesis with a not so fun blend of pyromancy. Well, at least that's what I dubbed it. Fire, basically. I can heat myself up and create fires. Wooo!! Fun!! I'm basically just a walking campfire.

And my mutanthood is exactly why I hate people.

Well, that sounded misanthropic. I don't hate people, I'd just much rather be alone and unbothered. I'm already picked on enough being a quiet kid without the whole mutation thing, So, I decided I was just going to keep it a secret and keep on living the lonely life.

Anyways, back to the whole detention thing.

I sat in the back of the library, with my head plopped down on the desk. Honk mimimimi. I wasn't actually asleep, but I was pretending to be so the others wouldn't bother me. The 'others' being one other singular kid. I had him in a couple of my classes, always seemed like he was up to one thing or another. Had quite the reputation as a thief, always having run-ins with the police and shit..

Peter Maximoff, I believe his name was.

Wonder why he is in here now. Well, whatever it was, I didn't necessarily care enough to interrogate him on it. It's not like he was bothering m-

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.."

My peace was broken by a rapid tapping on my shoulder and the same word repeated over and over again. I didn't know he was behind me, last I saw, he was sitting at a desk while drumming his fingers against the table. I didn't hear footsteps or anything, a faint breeze hit my skin and boom. He was suddenly behind me, annoying as can be.

I squeaked out a noise and raised my head, in my peripheral I could see the boy swaying on his heels. He retracted his hands once he met my faux look of tiredness. "Hi y/n."

"Hello?" I treaded carefully, the two of us had never spoken a single day in our lives. Lazily propping my chin on my hand, I blinked up at Peter, who seemed restless. But then again, he always seemed restless. The reason? I never truly knew.

Without missing a beat, he hit me with the obvious question. "Why're you here?" The same question I am always asked whenever I popped up for detention. No matter who it was, it was always the same. Honestly, I had no reason to be here.

"Why're you here?" I retorted, unamused. I tried to make it clear that I didn't want to be bothered, that I just wanted to be alone, but I don't think poor ol' Maximoff caught onto that.

"Ah, well, pshh.. Y'know.. caught skipping class."

"You can get detention for that?"

Dot dot dot. He just stared at me as if I said the most stupid thing known to mankind. It wasn't even that dumb of a question! I didn't know that skipping was punishable by detention. I uncomfortably shifted in my seat when he didn't give me a proper response.

Until I heard his laughter. It made me flinch, just as I was about to put my head back down. "Well, duh, I'm in detention now for it, aren't I?"

In a flash, he sat down beside me. Now, I'm not exaggerating when I say he was perched in the chair in the span of a single millisecond. Holy crap. Before I could squish my face back against the table, Peter had left me in a state of shock, confusion.. security? He was just like me. Oh my god! He was like me!

"What?" His laughter died down once he caught my not so subtle staring.

"You aren't scared to.. y'know, show your curse?" I furrowed my eyebrows and took a minute to just think about it. Jesus, he probably thought I was judging him by the way I was glaring. Never did I ever think that I would meet someone like me. Especially not at someplace like a detention I don't technically need to be at.

"Curse? It's not a curse. Love my powers, dude!"

I chuckled nervously. I didn't want to make him think I was judging him, if only he knew that I was just like him. "You're not scared to like.. show it off though?"

"Nothing anyone would believe if you tried telling them.." He gave me a smug look while he raked a hand through his silver hair. Something I have always considered to be quite the fashion choice, but now that I knew he was a mutant, I was starting to question if it was dyed or if it was just a part of his.. well, mutation.

"You're a mutant." I bluntly commented on the obvious.

"No I'm not." He spoke quickly, just like how me moved quickly. Seriously, I was not getting over this anytime soon.

"Yeah you are."

"Nuh uh."

"Yuh huh!"

Peter chortled at my persistence, even in his stubborn denial of his true self, he kept the same shit eating grin plastered on his pretty face. I raised a dubious eyebrow towards him and he just responded with an innocent shrug.

"So what did you want anyways?" I spoke up after a bit of silence, since it was getting unbearable. I felt more comfortable around him knowing that he was a mutant like me, but that didn't mean I necessarily wanted to chat with him or hang out with him. "We're not even supposed to be talking."

"Nobody's around!! Hey, don't burst a blood vessel worrying about getting caught talking. I'll take the blame if anything happens." He dismissively waved his hand and swiftly sat up, and in that short period of time, he somehow acquired a decent sized pile of papers. "You're good at math, aren't you?"

"Not really?" I blankly stared down at what I assumed to be a bunch of math homework. Probably all missing. How the hell wasn't this boy failing?! He probably approached me because we're in the same math class.

Yeah, that made perfect sense.

"Shiiiiit!" he snapped and threw the papers behind us, and I just watched as they fluttered slowly down onto the dirty, carpeted floor of the library. "Well, nevermind then."

"Did you really only approach me to help you with homework?" I snickered.

"I mean.. we're in the same math class, and you just radiate nerd. Saw you in here, I was like, 'woah, it's that one rad girl in my math class.', then I was like 'it's that one rad girl in my math class!!!', you should feel honored that I picked you to be my tutor."

"Interesting story. I feel so special." I sarcastically snorted in an attempt to keep a straight face. It was hard to keep track of what he was saying, but he had a way of putting things into ways that, even when he is speaking fast, you can understand.

In response to my sarcasm, he gave a smug expression. "You should feel special. Anyways, even if you do suck at math, I just wanted to talk. You're a total enigma."

Silence.

I didn't really have too much to say to that. An enigma, huh? Peter truly thought I was such a mystery that he decided to intrude on my alone time in an unneeded detention. I perked an eyebrow at his persistence to hold a conversation with me, of all people.

"Why?" He suddenly asked. The question threw me for a loop, what was that even supposed to mean? Why what?

"Huh?"

"Why are you so aloof all the time? Everyone thinks you're a total nut job."

I could tell he didn't mean any harm by his words, so I didn't take them to heart. Instead, I rolled my eyes and shot back without even thinking. "It's not like your reputation is any better than mine, klepto. You know people think you're annoying, right? You.. are aware of that?"

Maybe I could have been a smidge bit nicer to him. That realization kicked in once he didn't respond to my snarkiness. Until..

"Do you think that?" Peter spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, as if unsure of what he was asking.

Do I tell him the truth or tell him a little white lie? I didn't want to hurt him any more than I may have already, but then again, we weren't friends, and I knew lying to make him feel better probably wasn't the way to go about this. Yet I still went with the latter. "Not at all. I know how it feels to be an outsider."

"I like to think I'm pretty cool. I never intend to annoy people."

Part of me felt a pang of sympathy for the silver haired ball of energy that picked me as his next buddy. He didn't want to annoy people. Peter seriously wasn't much different from me, we were both weird mutants just trying to live our lives in a widely disapproving world.

Unsure of how to express my true thoughts on Peter's 'always annoying people' dilemma, I give a very, very heartfelt response. "I.. Sorry..?"

Catch my sarcasm? Well, I immediately felt guilty afterwards, I wish I could have said more to cheer him up. Not that he needed it. It just seemed like he needed a friend at that moment.

"Why?"

"I'm a wallflower. I know how it feels to be seen as weird. Maybe not annoying, but I can sympathize with you, from mutant weirdo to anoth-"

Before I could realize my mistake and finish, I was cut off by a now starry eyed Maximoff in my face. He seemed excited, and I didn't realize why until he spoke up, "Duuude! No way!! You're a mutant?!"

I paused. Well, the secret was out now! I did a pretty damn good job hiding it from a majority of the school population, yet it slipped out whilst talking to the infamous twinkie thief. Guess he was just that easy to talk to, even if I hated to admit it.

"Well.. Uh.. Yeah?"

"I could literally kiss you right now, why didn't you tell me before?! I thought I was like, the only mutant at this stupid school!" My face heated up drastically, from what? I don't know. It might have been his opening sentence, or it could have been the energy he had, or maybe the acceptance that I didn't feel as if I deserved.

"In my defense, we aren't friends.." I mumbled, nervously fiddling and shrugging.

"Well.. Can we be? Be friends?"

After hearing his question, I perked up a curious eyebrow and a chuckle escaped from the back of my throat. A completely unintentional smile tugged at my lips. Why was I actually starting to enjoy his company? I was supposed to hate everyone and everything..

But him? I didn't hate him anymore. He was starting to grow on me.

"That actually sounds really nice.."

With a fist pumped in the air, he was in the seat next to me in a matter of seconds, a goofy lopsided grin on his face. "..Sooo.. Wanna maybe.. like.. pshh.. y'know? Hangout after this?"

Shooting another gentle grin in his direction, I roll my eyes and snicker. "Fuck it. I'd like tha-"

"Awesome!"

He took that as my confirmation that he was allowed to talk my ear off for the rest of the detention we served together. Funny. Who knew an in school suspension could lead to a blossoming friendship between two nearly total opposites?

Not that I was complaining.

───────────────୨ৎ───────────────

≽^• ˕ • ྀི≼ ------ reblogs & likes are always appreciated, keeps me motivated to continue creating :)

A/N : mighr make a part two?? mayhaps??

[princelylove]

Divinity.

Synopsis: Post-canon vento aureo, you are Giorno Giovanna’s bodyguard, and his obsession. 

Warnings: typical possessive yandere behavior, reader is trapped later on, not sfw later on but it’s just masturbation, I’m a Giorno pussy truther it’s not explicitly stated but I want you to know

Length: A little over 2k.

Giorno Giovanna is something out of a dream. It’s difficult to not stare. His presence itself is enchanting, although often overwhelming.

He’s often misunderstood. Misrepresented. He’s a complex individual, it’s unfair to put his psychology in the same category as someone more simple-minded.

You can’t think of why his presence overwhelms you. His perfume is subtle, he’s well mannered, well spoken, well educated and cultured, well groomed, and relatively charming. There’s just something off about him, in your point of view. 

Giorno is naturally graceful, he’s only become more pleasing to the eyes as he’s gotten older. The way he holds his fingers up for birds to rest on him is something out of a fairytale.

You took this job because of the pay. Never mind the fact that your client is handsome, and generally pleasant to be around. His other bodyguards aren’t so bad either- Guido’s a nice man, when he’s not working. Sheila E seems fine to be around as well, but you haven’t really interacted with her much. They’ve both warned you about how Giorno is to be your absolute top priority- you’re not a mafioso, you’re just a bodyguard. It must be nice to have someone’s absolute loyalty like that, you think.

The way Giorno asks to be taken home to his room… It almost makes you believe that he really does need you. He seems soft compared to the others- like he isn’t hardened by the burden of life, or whatever that ‘Murolo’ guy was on about. 

Giorno’s voice is comforting and refreshing. His tone is quiet, and soft. You’re only really certain he’s speaking when he makes harder sounds, such as ‘t’ or ‘k.’ The way he looks at you with his doe eyes, and soft tone… it eats you alive to not succumb to his will. 

This misinterpretation would cost you your life, as Giorno falls head over heels at such a romantic, protective gesture of guiding him up his own staircase and reassuring him that all is well, you’re right there. 

He smiles. You can’t help but watch his lips as he speaks in that same soft spoken manner.

“Thank you, but you’re dismissed for the night.”

Giorno’s obsession drives him. He is nothing without hope, there is always a way for him to achieve his goals. He doesn’t really understand why he keeps getting off track- his only love is justice, and hope, it doesn’t make any sense for his mind to cling to a human being. 

Humans are vile things, really.  His stepfather was evil, his mother was evil, his peers were evil- there was no good in humanity besides from him.

There are humans who are good, there’s just a lot of problems that need fixing before he feels comfortable saying that all of humanity hasn’t failed him. 

Giorno is often well intentioned; It kills him to see people go through what he did. If he had the ability to protect others from the fate he once had, why not? He just knows he can do better. There is always more to be done, always more to improve upon. Self betterment is the path to freeing the soul. 

That has nothing to do with his methods, or his real opinion on the majority of people.

Giorno’s dream is to protect the innocent, above all else. 

His misanthropic point of view still seeps into the way he handles most situations. Passione hasn’t had a single slip up in many, many years. Having faith in your own men, and having faith that everyone other than your possessions will do what they can to get up in the world is a bit depressing, but it’s been working. 

As long as his possessions adore him, they won’t leave for something better. Not that you could leave Passione, betrayal means death, but Giorno will do everything in his power to not feel the sting of being left alone.

Giorno is most comfortable when he knows he has everyone in the room wrapped around his well manicured pinky finger. He doesn’t particularly mind playing into their fantasies, or allowing them a sense of control. You can think that you’re the boss in your relationship with Giorrno, but that’s never going to be true, even if you’re physically stronger than him. 

You probably think you are, too. Bodyguards are meant to be strong, it’s a part of the job description- why would someone strong hire three bodyguards? Giorno’s lack of height and subtle muscle make him look like he isn’t a threat, you might compare his body to a ballerina. A weapon would work against him, maybe… if it didn’t turn into a small animal every time you picked one up without asking for permission first. 

Giorno will often play damsel in distress to get what he wants. Even if it isn’t his preference, he’s fine with taking on whatever role he needs to take in order to maintain control. 

He keeps Guido happy by pretending to be considerably more delicate than he really is. He’s easily frightened, and happy to play into Guido’s need to be needed. He showers him with praise fairly often- and will do the same to you, if you react well enough. 

Giorno keeps Sheila E happy by allowing her to ask him as many questions as she’d like. She’s still young- a little bit of curiosity won’t kill him. Why, when he was her age, he was probably more curious. No harm done, it’s nice to stimulate himself with questions he normally wouldn’t think of. 

Those two are easy to please. He… doesn’t know how to keep you happy, yet. The last thing he needs is a resentful bodyguard. Attention, money, affection, and basic human needs are all bartering chips to Giorno. 

He doesn’t want to kiss you on the cheek, it makes him feel easy, but if you want special attention, and that’s the way to get you obsessed with him, fine. Run your hand over his stomach and watch him purr. He’ll fool around with you for a little bit, but he stops you before it can go any further. You’re his bodyguard, this is so inappropriate… If you think you can move on from this and go back to just watching him, let’s just pretend this never happened.

When you come in the next day, he trails his index finger down your spine, and smiles at the way you shiver for him.

Success. 

He seems like the prissy type, you think. Like he’d die if he got dirty or his hair was out of place. You’re just joking, it’s a way to pass the time while you’re at work… you can’t help but smile at the lack of dirt under his fingers despite handling plants all day. 

Giorno smiles back, eager to know what could possibly be making your lips curl up into a smile. 

“Do you like her? She’s gotten so big, lately. I think it’s all the attention I’ve been giving her.” 

Giorno is referring to the philodendron in his arms- a rather large pot with a clingy pile of vines sitting in the dirt. It’s his favorite at the moment, seeing it sprawled out always seems to put him in a good mood. 

“She’s great, sir.” You respond. You’re not really meant to talk to him too much- a bit of advice from Guido rings in your ears whenever Giorno attempts conversation with you.

‘When you’re watching him, you should watch the room, rather than him… it’s kinda easy to get lost in staring. Dude’s pretty.’ 

… You kind of see his point. 

Giorno has all the power in the world. He is life itself. He forbids evil from reaching the truth. But he’s soft, isn’t he. He needs someone to watch over him, to protect him. 

Maybe you’re content with a job like this. It’s not like he’s an awful boss. 

Giorno has always felt like a bird in a cage, placed next to a big window. Just out of reach of his fantasies. He won’t allow anything to be out of his reach, now that he’s free. 

Giorno won’t take what is not his. You have a choice, even if it’s clear what you should be picking. 

His hand rests on top of yours. You’re holding his fingers, and just placed a kiss to his porcelain skin. It’s meant to be symbolic- becoming a formal member of passione and a long-term bodyguard instead of part time is a fairly big deal. 

The words ‘freedom’ and ‘fate’ ring in Giorno’s ears. They aren’t foreign subjects to him. Fate has always been his, and freedom is something he’s always wanted. 

“You’ve become mine, my beloved.” He coos. You might feel your face heating up at such a statement. 

He plans on keeping you now that you’re officially one of his possessions. Your owner is not the one who rests in your bed, but the one who disrupts your sleeping schedule. 

Giorno isn’t sure what to do with himself when he finds himself wanting to be yours instead of the other way around. 

He’d let you take him. He fantasizes about it often- sometimes while you’re on the other side of his door, unaware that he’s touching himself to the thought of you being even slightly possessive towards him. 

You’re already his. He owns you, body and soul, there’s no question about it, but he wants you to want him, and not just in the physically attractive sense. Well. Right now he means in the physically attractive sense. 

What does it matter, though? Of course you’re his, you’re a living being. As far as Giorno’s concerned, life is his, and he is life’s. 

Oh, God, shut up. He can’t think about the technicalities, he’s too busy shoving his fingers into himself and trying to imagine what sort of tone you’d take with him- Would it be loving? Would you be firm? Would you scold him for looking at another? He needs it, he can’t live without it, devote yourself to him and expect a level of access to him in return, he’d happily slut himself out if it was for you and you alone-

You knocking takes him out of the mood entirely. His hands shoot out of his pants, and he backs himself up against the door to make sure you don’t come in.

“Yes, dearest?” He’s trembling. 

“Just making sure you’re alright, I haven’t heard you make any noise in a while…” 

“Oh! I’m fine, I was just… reading, and now I’m getting changed…”

Giorno has a habit of talking when he’s nervous, on those rare occasions, so him choking up like this is entirely unprecedented.

He makes a mental vow to never let you witness him like that again. 

You’re not really sure how you ended up moving with him into his new house.

It’s not like you’re the best person for the job. A live-in bodyguard is a lot more than what you originally signed up for, and when you voice this complaint, Giorno doesn’t seem to take it into account. 

He sighs a little, and makes a gentle reminder: You do as he says, and this is what he is commanding you to do. 

It’s not so bad living in a big house where all you ever do is make sure Giorno doesn’t drop dead. You’ve adjusted well to it, but it’s had it’s ups and downs. 

He’s gotten a lot more attentive, something you have mixed feelings on. 

Should you choose to hide from his ever-present stare, Giorno would pretend to not be able to find you, but speak.

“It’s instinct to fear what you do not understand. Your body serves you very well, darling.”

He opens the closet, where you obviously are not. 

“But I mean you no harm. You are very precious to me.”

The door shuts, and he flicks the lamp off- the only non-natural light in the room. The moon is full, and the curtains are always pulled back- Giorno loves the sun.

His eyes have already adjusted, but he’s sure yours have not.

“Let’s stop playing for tonight, dear. I’ll let you keep that hiding spot provided you return to me in ten seconds. I’ll even close my eyes.”

He starts to count out loud.

“Ten, nine…”

Oh God. What should you do? He’s pissed- you know it.

“Eight, seven, six.”

It’s better to obey. Just give in. You’re not risking his stand pulling you out by your hair again.

“Five, four…”

As you start to crawl out, you wince at the light coming back on.

There’s nothing on his face, not even a smile. The way he looks down at you as if it’s his rightful position is something you’ve become accustomed to, but it still hurts.

[illym]

Translating the Human Side introductions for Witch's Heart, because I've always wanted to know what they said. If someone else has translated these without DeepL, please let me know.

[ translated with DeepL. ] [ localized by me. ] [ DeepLで翻訳 ] [ ローカライズ ]

Claire Elford

"I'll take care of it!"

The main character of this story.

She loves pretty and beautiful things,

and longs to live in a fairy tale world.

She lives alone in the forest on the outskirts of town.

She is earnest at heart and quite good-natured.

She also works out on a regular basis and is extremely strong.

and I'll include the Japanese text as well, because there's no reason not to. The golden text [ 操作キャラクター ] is just [ character ].

クレア

エルフォード

『私にどーんと

任せてくださいっ!』

この物語の主人公。

可愛い物や、綺麗な物が大好きで

メルヘンな世界に憧れている女の子。

町外れの森で独り暮らしをしている。

根は真面目で、かなりのお人好し。

■また、普段から体を鍛えており、

力がとても強い。

Ashe Bradley

"You know what they say about researchers.

I can do anything for the sake of research.

I can even camp in the wild…………….!"

A man who travels around the world for one reason or another.

He is energetic, cheerful, and friendly.

However, he is a bit too talkative.

He likes to cook.

アーシェ

ブラッドレイ

『研究者って言うのはね、

研究のためなら、何でもできるんですよ

野宿だってします……………!』

とある理由で世界中を回っている旅人。

元気で明るく、人懐っこい。

が、お喋りがすぎるところが玉に瑕。

料理をするのが好き。

Wilardo Adler

"How much fun is it to go to the same place over and over again?

It doesn't change."

A taciturn, unsociable man.

He only speaks the bare minimum.

It is unclear why he came to the mansion.

ウィラルド

アードラー

そんな同じとこ何回も行って楽しいか?

たいして何かが変わるわけでもないのに』

寡黙で不愛想な男。

必要最低限のことしか喋ろうとしない。

何が目的で屋敷に来たのかは不明。

Sirius Gibson

"Do you people really believe those fantastical rumors?

They're absolutely ridiculous."

A man who claims to be the owner of the mansion.

He is misanthropic and hysterical.

He is especially hostile to Claire.

He reveres "The Witch Dorothy",

and is sensitive to any mention of her.

シリウス

ギブソン

『皆さぁ、そんな夢物語みたいな噂を

本気で信じてるの?

馬鹿馬鹿しいね』

屋敷の主と名乗る男。

人嫌いでヒステリックな性格。

特にクレアのことを目の敵にしている。

『魔女ドロシー』のことを崇拝しており

彼女の話題には過敏に反応する。

Noel Levine

"Look, look.

The stars are so beautiful tonight!"

A soft-spoken man from downtown.

He is a sensible man with no venom in his voice.

However, due to his work, he is nocturnal and sleeps all day long.

ノエル

レヴァイン

「見て見て、今日はね

星がとっても綺麗なんだ!』

[ Obsessed with Noel being from downtown... And Sirius' hysteria ]

下町からやってきた、

物腰柔らかな男。

毒気が全く無く、常識人。

だが、仕事の関係上、

夜行性で昼間はずっと寝ている。

[mauesartetc]

So I was watching this bonkers roller coaster of an analysis video that bounces from topic to topic with a psychological thriller plot playing out in the gaps between them (though it does arrive at a point eventually). A bit before the 18-minute mark, it brings up the infamously bad movie "The Room" and how one specific character is written as unrealistically malicious, with no clear motivation or logic behind her behavior. It's as if Tommy Wiseau purposefully crafted a sadistic monster with no redeeming qualities in order to make the audience hate her.

Then it hit me. That sounds terribly familiar.

I can't believe I can say, with zero exaggeration, that the characterization of Stella from Helluva Boss is on par with that of Lisa from The Room. And yet, here we are.

The video speculates that Lisa and Johnny's relationship could be based on an actual breakup Tommy Wiseau went through, and that this is his perspective of how things went down. Johnny (a fairly transparent self-insert) is portrayed as the innocent hero who's practically perfect in every way, while Lisa is cruel and vindictive for no good reason. It's obvious viewers are meant to see Johnny as the good guy and Lisa as nothing but a loathsome villain to boo and hiss at, much like Helluva Boss's narrative wants us to sympathize with Stolas and curse Stella's name.

Fun fact: One of my own characters is also unsympathetic by design. He's an obnoxious sleazeball who constantly hits on women and has a hair-trigger temper. But he's also witty, an ardent defender of his beliefs, and individualistic despite the strict, conformist environment he was brought up in. Every time he sees a loophole to exploit, he will, for better or worse. It would've been the easiest thing in the world to make this character a one-note asshole with no substance, but where's the fun in that? How would that be interesting?

But how a writer develops characters isn't just an indicator of their work ethic, their commitment to quality, or their enjoyment of the act itself. It also says something about how they see the world, or more specifically, the people in it.

I'm just wondering what the hell it takes to be okay with writing strawman villains like Lisa and Stella. How misanthropic and/or sheltered do you have to be to view anyone, even fictional characters, as this thoroughly monstrous?

Tommy? Viv? Are you okay? Who hurt you?

Seriously, who hurt you?

[arkham-dossiers]

Patient File: Lysandre

It's the 4th of July.....so naturally I'm analyzing a Frenchman.

In public, Lysandre is the head of Lysandre Labs, a charitable philanthropist responsible for the Holocaster technology used across the Kalos region. In secret, Lysandre is the boss of Team Flare, a criminal group that wants to wipe out all life in Kalos, and then the world, save for a chosen few that will restore the environment to its original natural beauty and purge all perceived ugliness from life.

The difference between Lysandre's public perception and his true self is quite stark. What led a man of privilege like him to such extreme, misanthropic beliefs? And is there anything that can remedy it?

To start with, it must be noted that Lysandre is descended from ancient Kalosian royalty, being the brother of the infamous King who built and activated the Ultimate Weapon of legend. This status warped Lysandre's view of people early in his life. It made him believe that certain people are inherently better than others, that they are "chosen" for greatness. This belief also placed a great sense of burden upon him, as he made it his life's mission to live up to that greatness. He saw it as his duty to provide for his region, to give to those less fortunate, to help shape a brighter future for everyone.

But Lysandre's ideals ended up clashing with reality. For everything he provided, there were people who misused or squandered it. For all he gave to the poor, he couldn't single-handedly solve income inequality meaning there were always more poor people in need. And for as much as he tried to create a better future, he ended up seeing signs everywhere of a worse on. Some signs may have been legitimate, many likely just in his own paranoid mind, but whatever the case it left him devoid of satisfaction and fulfillment. Being a man whose emotions burn fiercely, Lysandre began to feel deep hatred. Hatred for people who didn't notice or care about how they were affecting society. Hatred for the poor whom he saw as "parasites" who didn't fight hard enough to advance themselves in favor of taking from those who worked for their fortune. And hatred for things like deforestation, pollution, crime, war, and general lack of decorum. Lysandre became a misanthrope, seeing fault in everyone but himself and "chosen ones" that he deemed respectable like himself.

While Lysandre does feel remorse for the lengths he is willing to go to in order to cleanse the world of all that he perceives to be ugly, knowing it to be morally wrong, he keeps himself on this path anyway because he feels it's the only solution and that as a chosen one it is his burden to bear - that he has come too far to turn back now. Despite this, Lysandre is pathologically hypocritical. He wishes to be someone who gives, and yet his ultimate plan is to take the lives of many. He hates selfish, greedy and frivolous people and yet many such people make up the ranks of Team Flare all because they had a lot of money which Lysandre automatically thinks makes them self-sufficient workers who benefit society. And he considers himself to be an idealist even though his view of everything and what must be done about it is so deeply cynical. It's to the point where he can manipulate and threaten and do unimaginably cruel things while still insisting it's other humans, including his victims, that are the problem. In one famous instance, he wept for the Pokémon of the world that he felt he had no choice but to kill, saying as long as they exist humans will be tempted to abuse them as tools, making them and others suffer. He says this while he is enacting a plan that is abusing Pokémon as tools, making them and others suffer! The depth of his delusion and utter lack of self-awareness is stunning to behold.

Diagnosis: Lysandre suffers from a triple whammy of Paranoid Personality Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder, with sociopathic tendencies as well even if he lacks the criteria to be a full sociopath. Treatment will be exceedingly difficult, but one aspect of his warped psyche can be used to the advantage of this end: his respect for fellow "chosen ones". Lysandre is not narcissistic enough to believe that only he has value, as he takes the views of other chosen ones seriously even if he disagrees with them - a prime example being his friend Professor Sycamore. If such people keep working with Lysandre to show him better alternatives to the problems he sees than his genocidal aims, it is possible that he will calm down and adjust to a safer way. It will take a lot of time and effort, but it is recommended as the only way to save him. For if he isn't saved, then the likelihood of self-destruction is great, and unfortunately Lysandre is a man with the will and power to take many others down with him.

This patient is sometimes dangerous. It depends on whether or not he views you as among the "chosen" or not. If he does, you may engage with him intellectually. If he does not, avoid at all costs.

[pitviperofdoom]

Tell me about your Mycroft on Enola Holmes opinions please! I also have opinions about his characterization in the movie :) they’re not nice opinions but I otherwise enjoyed the movie

Yeah overall I enjoyed both Enola Holmes movies but this One Thing made me mad and I'm gonna bitch about it under the readmore.

I spent every scene he was in wanting to eat glass, his characterization made me so angry. It's almost impressive how they utterly failed to make Mycroft Mycroft-like at pretty much every possible angle.

Is Mycroft Holmes a misanthrope? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean he's an angry, hostile asshole who treats everyone like shit, it means he avoids people. Like here he is going out of his way to be unpleasant, as if Mycroft Holmes has ever in his life gone out of his way to do anything. This man has computer brain and lives at a club where he can sit in a corner and not talk to people because he can't be arsed to participate in polite society, and you want me to believe he's wringing his hands over his sister not participating in polite society? No sir I am not buying what you're trying to sell me.

Mycroft with a young lady in his charge would basically be Mr. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice--he'd be shutting himself away with books and puzzles and occasionally laughing at the antics from a safe distance.

Honestly the final nail in the coffin was when the maid character flat out told Sherlock that Mycroft didn't have the same spark of genius as him and Enola, he's basically a weird angry OC at that point because Mycroft's entire character is "smarter genius than sherlock, but lazy."

I also have a couple of minor gripes about Sherlock's character: First, Enola tells him that he can deal with the "hoits and toits" while she takes care of the common people, when in the original stories Sherlock's whole thing was taking cases from regular people with problems that the police either couldn't or wouldn't address. Second, the part in the first movie where Enola gets slapped by the school headmistress and immediately runs to her brothers and they blow her off? You're telling me Sherlock Holmes wouldn't take one look at her and know someone just hit her, or that he'd let it slide if he did? The man who told Violet Hunter in the Copper Beeches that Rucastle's job offer was shady as hell and he wouldn't allow a hypothetical sister of his to take it? That Sherlock Holmes???

Rest of the movie was fine though. And the second one was good because Mycroft wasn't in it.

[leitereads]

Hello hello! I'm here for the QnA tag game! I'm a very big vampire fan and loved the quotes from Eugen Schulze. I would love to know more about him and maybe some insights on your vampire lore. Anything you wish to share!

Thank you!

Hello hello! Goodness, I have so many question to ask you as well!

I am really glad that you enjoyed his witty side. It has been really fun to roleplay as him, because I get to be this witty, but that is only his coping mechanism for all the morality he is trying to regain.

Some info about Eugen:

As bad as it is, back then he worked as a doctor/scientist for the Third Reich. The reasons behind this are, in fact, many, but the most important one, and the one he was the most apologist of, was eugenics. He truly believed in medical racism. This is, until he started to realise that his experiments weren’t consistent with what he considered to be true in the beginning, And he shifted his beliefs to a simpler one: all humans are weak, and they do not possess the control to be the best version of themselves. From this moment on, he abandoned his racist views, adopting a more neutral/pessimistic view on Humanity.

His character arc is based on regaining the Humanity he lost during WW2, though I don’t think he’ll be able to reach the end of that arc, since he still thinks quite poorly of the human condition. He also think poorly of the vampiric condition and the 3 basic curses of it (sun, fire and only being able to feed on blood). So, currently, he is doing scientific and esoteric research on how to surpass those curses and get only the best of the vampire condition.

During his decades of slumber (torpor), he started to have visions based on Gnostic beliefs (God, the false god, spiritual enlightenment as the key to “Monad”, etc.), and currently he is part of a cult that worships this god, that’s more akin to an Eldritch being, this Monad. However, the ones that are part of this cult (at least the guy that presented it to him) is not well-intentioned, so I think that this cult sold Eugen a false truth. This depends on the Storyteller, so I am still waiting to see what will come out of it.

Despite his misanthropic tendencies, Eugen actually enjoys people. Sometimes. He just wants to leave his mark on Earth by making it a better place, by sharing his knowledge with others. The ways in which he does so… however… are very morally grey…

Some other random facts about him:

- he collects coupons and he always like a good discount. You can find all of that in his jacket/coat.

- he is a goth, usually assuming a goth look when not working (long straight black hair, leather jacket and/or overcoat, combat boots, spikes, chains, black nail polish, etc.).

- when he was alive he suffered from an incurable neurological disease, that left him truly incapacitated. His sire (the vampire that transformed him) did so so he wouldn’t lose his memory, preserving the knowledge he was able to gather in life.

- he still works with his sire’s wife. It’s… very awkward at times…

- Eugen is a cleaning freak: if everything isn’t tidy around him, he starts stressing out (which happens frequently, because most part of our coterie - vampire group - is quite messy).

- regarding his political believes, they shifted around, quite much. He considers himself apolitical nowadays, and indeed, he left his old ideals behind, since they don’t make scientific sense to him anymore.

The lore around Vampire: the Requiem is biiiiig. Very, very big. But here are the basics:

- he is from a vampire clan called “Mekhet” (known for being scholars and for lurking in the shadows), more specifically a bloodline called “Norvegi”. Norvegi, generally, don’t have vampire fangs, feeding through touch (from their hands thousands of small needle-shaped projections emanate, sucking the blood of the victim they touch). Not all Norvegi are like this, and Eugen does have fangs, indeed.

- Vampires have many different powers, and clans usually have affinity for a certain set of powers. Eugen has Auspex (super-human intuition/clairvoyance), Protean (fleshcrafting) and Obfuscate (being one with the shadows).

- by spending some of the blood (Vitae) he drinks, he, like any other vampire, can pretend to be human (Blush of Life) for a limited time period.

- From his coterie (vampire group), the person he likes the most is Sue Jackson, and old vampire lady from the US, who has no clue on how to speak German and that walks around with false $500 dollar bills (as if they even existed).

- His two touchstones (the things that tie him to Humanity) are Alina, his therapist and Noah, an elderly man suffering from brain cancer, a survivor of the concentration camps, someone who crossed paths with Eugen back when he was alive and that he is trying to save at all costs, since he is hospitalised at the hospital where Eugen works in.

The whole point of Eugen’s character arc, in my perspective, is that, despite changing and being a new person, that does not erase the mistakes/horrible things he did in the past. And he knows that. But he is actively working towards the fact that those mistakes are not the only thing he’ll leave in the world, before suffering the Final Death. So, although I don’t think that there is any possible redemption for someone who was so inhuman as Eugen was, it is quite ironic and cathartic knowing that, as a vampire, he is more human than he was as a human.

Hope it helps to get a new perspective over Eugen, and if you have any doubts regarding any of the info, please just hmu!