#Is it the voice acting? Something about the animation? The personalities we're presented?

[darkstarofchaos]

Might be one of my most unpopular opinions ever, but since TF One is coming out soon: I cannot look at the interactions between Orion and Megatron and see anything but siblings. Maybe seeing them in the actual movie and not just trailers would change that, but I don't plan to watch the movie, so eh.

[vaggieslefteye]

Alastor's facial expression journey as he says: "Almost makes one sentimental."

Interesting details: -The old radio effect on his voice clears up significantly as he says the words "almost makes." -The use of "one" as the subject of his sentence instead of "me." -Closing his eyes. Alastor decidedly does not look at this group of people while saying this line in particular, despite gazing fondly at them at the start. -Shaking his head. Alastor shakes his head a total of three times as he says the word "sentimental." Shaking one's head side-to-side is considered the universal gesture for no. -This entire moment happens in just over 2 seconds. (Not all frames of the animation are shown here) It's very blink-and-you'll-miss-it.

Of course I have my ideas as to what this could mean. However, attempting to truly prove anything via reading body language in fiction and/or real life is always a lost cause, given that it's pseudoscience and you can never know anything for sure with that information alone. So these are guesses based on what his body language may be suggesting given what we know of his personality, his history with the hotel gang, and the given context of this scene.

I can say this with confidence, though: I think something stirred in him here, and we're very lucky as the audience to have witnessed it.

Everyone during this "last night alive" scene is, in some way, acting with the idea that some or all of them will be dead the next morning. So there's a good chance for emotional provocation. It seems like not even Alastor is immune to it. Has he had these thoughts about getting attached to the group for an amount of time before this scene? Did it hit him right then and there? There's no way to tell. But either way, I think physically talking about it out loud can be a way for him to control it. He can acknowledge that the idea and possibility is there and real, but at the same time insist that it won't apply to him, even though it could.

And yet, it seems he can't look directly at them while acknowledging this hypothetical sentiment. Sometimes we as humans avert our eyes or shut them completely from things that cause discomfort. He also can't quite commit to saying "Almost makes me sentimental. / I admit, I could get accustomed..." and instead puts the burden of this scenario on "one," or, a person just in general. That's interesting. And shaking his head could mean a lot of different things: Is it to release tension? Is it him unconsciously emphasizing the "almost" in his statement, like saying almost, but not quite? Or in that same vein, trying to literally shake the idea of becoming sentimental off of his mind? Multiple of these? Who knows.

As for his voice becoming clearer... When asked during a Q and A if Alastor loses the static in his voice when he's being more honest/genuine, Medrano answered: "That's something I can't reveal. Obviously, that's a big tell." I guess the answer will come with time :)

With all that being said, I don't think these feelings he may be having here are that significant to him. At the end of the day, he's still egocentric as ever and, more than anything, wants his freedom from his deal and to be "pulling all the strings." Friendship with this group is simply a low priority or petty distraction to him at best, and something that could actively get in the way of these goals at worst. If anything, this scene served to plant a seed and provide crucial context for both the ambiguity of his feelings toward the hotel gang in general and for his verse in the song Finale - as well as provide setup for the next few seasons. Either way, it looks like he doesn't want to become attached to them and won't let himself, either.

IF there is sentiment present, this moment here is his attempt to nip it in the bud. Only time will tell whether he was successful or not.

[moochiiari]

Okay, so, I was very hopeful for the animation of this season but I think we're definitely cooked. Here's a post on Reddit who translated the report of an animator who worked on the s2 of bllk.

-> here

Here is the link of the source -> here

My opinion on the anime just down here.

This is VERY worrying. You don't know how much this disappointed me. The manga "Blue Lock" was the BEST SELLER in 2023, in front of JJK, MHA, etc... Seeing that this same manga have such a mediocre adaptation is just not right. Even random Isekai'ds get a better animation than Blue Lock. I'm so angry and sad about it.

I had a lot of hope when I saw the 1st episode, but now that the 2nd and 3rd aired, I just think that the anime, or at least the S2, must be remade by another studio.

This is so disrespectful. I can't bear people defending the anime. Blue Lock deserves better, and that's all. To tackle the problem by the root, this is not the animators' fault. We can only blame the money hungry higher-ups who just only think of money and don't care about fans.

People saying that "the third selection is less important----": NO. It is NOT an excuse to produce a literal PowerPoint. All arcs must be respected. The third selection is indeed "less important" than the U-20, but it doesn't mean that it deserves a trash animation! It is still important, especially for anime-onlys, because the 3rd selection introduce important characters (like Shidou, Hiori, Karasu, Yukimiya, and all) for what's next.

Thinking about what's next, what if the U-20's animation sucks? Huh? What if the S3 is getting adapted by the same studio and horribly produced by the same people? Usually, I never complain about the animation; I'm very optimistic and rarely complained about the animation of whatever show. Blue Lock S2 episode 2 just made me, for one of the first time, go: "Well, it was...mid." after watching it.

Plus, there's a big chance that the U-20 arc will be badly animated, but I'll try to stay delusional and cope the best I can. (I don't have the faith anymore tbh)

Honestly, i feel bad for Kaneshiro and Nomura. Their baby is getting murdered, but the Bllk anime is making money, so I don't think they'll intervene.

Sure, the drawings are beautiful, the musics are peak, and the voice actings too, but don't you think that what makes an anime "anime" is the animation? If the serie goes on like it's going, I'm really going to call Blue Lock a PowerPoint presentation.

In my opinion, for now, I think that the cgi carried the last episodes. Some may not agree, and I understand, but it actually gives action to the anime. Ironic, since the only thing I reproached to the s1 was the cgi.

My favorite parts of the episodes are now every time Rin appear (forgive me I'm a huge Rin glazer) and the additional times. Some cuts were decently animated, like Chigiri's run in ep2, but it's kinda worrying if there's one decent cut in the whole episode...

This is weird, I never complained like that bfore :( I just want my favorite manga to get justice, so my wish is that the audience should be heard, and that one of the higher up in Bandai Namco should move their ass and decide to produce something decent for us, fans or simply a person who wants to discover the beautiful work that is Blue Lock.

Or they could just give up the anime until they find another studio ABLE to do the job correctly. Sometimes I see those breathtaking fan-animations and I'm like-dude, I wish this was our Blue Lock- 😭

[olderthannetfic]

The thing with the rape of Damianos in Captive Prince, for me, is that I'm 99% sure that neither the writer nor most of the readers saw him non-consensually getting oral as rape. Forced to penetrate and forced oral on men is widely not seen as rape since "he came so he must have liked it/it wasn't so bad so lets not call it was it is/men want sex all the time". Generally I don't mind rape in fiction, hell I have a huge rape kink and especially of the sort where the victim is forced to like it (especially men, be it by other men, futas or women with strapons), including mind break and hypnosis. But it's still rape and I'm not gonna pretend it's anything but what it is. On the flip side a victim of rape getting with their rapist and that never being questioned or acknowledged by the narrative, or portrayed as a fucked up thing, is a huge huge squick of mine, be it in fanfic or published media unless it's in a horror setting and portrayed as fucked up. Lets not pretend that not more people would have acknowledged that Damianos was raped on the behest of Laurent if he was penetrated instead of "just getting oral and he orgasmed so it's fine". If you're into that trope go ahead. You do you. Kink tomato. For me it's a squick and I'm allowed to critizise Captive Prince for imo not doing the topic justice, not writing it well and brushing it under the rug like so many types of media do when it comes to non-consensual sexual acts on men. I'm allowed to voice my personal dislike for this particular trope, which yes, is a very common trope in older BL (the manga Bronze comes to mind and I didn't like it there either). I'm not an anti for it, especially since I have lots of kinks that make antis hate people like me and I've written and read my fair share of fucked up things and will continue to do so, including rape stuff with mind break and hypnosis. If the characters had been more well-rounded, the writing better or the plot and world-building richer, I maybe could have been swayed to look past my squick and enjoy the books anyway but I wasn't so I didn't. /rant

tldr Not everyone likes what you like and they're not automatically an anti for it. I'm pro writing whatever you like and I and others are also allowed to critizise things we see as flaws. What we're not allowed to do is stop you writing things are harassing readers and writer, both of which didn't happen in this case. I've never gave anyone grieve for reading or enjoying Captive Prince, I simply don't recommend it unless I know that person likes these particular tropes. Which is why I gave my copy to a friend who I know likes those tropes.

--

Honestly, my main issue with Captive Prince is how well it recreated everything I hated about anime fic circa 2002 (which was heavily influenced by things like Bronze). That could also be a selling point for some.

The part that makes it really annoying to me isn't the work itself but how often people present the work as something other than bog standard tropes from that pool.

[noemilivv]

hello!! thank you so much for squeezing me in 💕 i hope you're doing well

i use all pronouns and im asexual demiromantic. i have no preference for the gender of the character

my mbti is infj <3

personality wise, im a patient person. im touchy with close friends and family, otherwise i actively avoid touch. im quiet until im with friends, and i enjoy being in the presence of people and not having to do the same thing? [like i could be painting and they could be writing! we don't have to do an activity together to enjoy being together 🤭]. im otherwise i actively avoid touch. im quiet until im with friends, and i enjoy being in the presence of people and not having to do the same thing? [like i could be painting and they could be writing! we don't have to do an activity together to enjoy being together]. im honest and can be a little too blunt at times. im big on communication, it's how all relationships thrive - familial, platonic or romantic. im very careful about who i trust, so people need to show effort in befriending me. im quite observant with people's body language and their tone of voice. i enjoy banter every now and again but it helps when we both know when to draw the line. im not all that fond of technology and like to do other activities while i can, but i do admit it's useful to have! [all the music at my fingertips]. i love having philosophical talks with people too.

my hobbies include writing, painting, sewing and reading!! im also hoping to learn guitar at some point. i enjoy ballroom dancing but it's not something i do too often. my music taste switches from jazz, to metal to indie repeatedly -

im hyperfixated on the band ghost, and sleep token!! if you ask me about prey animals such as deer, bunnies, or cows i WILL talk your head off. im also OBSESSED with the crow [brandon lee] and the labyrinth [david bowie]. i have a soft spot for tim burton films too!!

my love languages are quality time and gift giving. im not entirely opposed to the other love languages but i definitely need to be warned before touch occurs or we've already established that we're both okay with touching each other. i personally prefer creating personalised gifts by engraving intricate patterns into pockets, writing them letters or just creating a little gift bag of the things they've had their eyes on

appearance-wise, im pretty short. roughly around 5'1-5'3. im also chubby but that's not something i get insecure about often - that doesn't mean i flaunt my figure or anything though, just simply indifferent. i like dying my hair but my go to colour is a dark ashy purple. i only have my lobes and my septum pierced but im considering getting more. im very pale and im absolutely covered in freckles. as for wardrobe, i either dress like a manic pixie dream girl or i go all out as morticia addams.

i enjoy helping people out, but if it requires physical lifting, then it's a no can do, due to my disability limiting what i can and can't lift

all and all, i just need someone to respect my boundaries and be patient enough with me to make it work

im so sorry that it's so long! if you need me to cut things down, im more than willing to 🫶💗 have a beautiful day

i know i said i was done with matchups but i promised this individual a matchup and i just got submitted the request so i’m doing it now.

anywho, i pair you with…

Husk !!

Husk is very open about communication, as he’s very honest, so that’s not really something you need to worry about in your relationship

He’s not much of a gift giver, but he appreciates everything you get him, and he’ll try to sneak in a present or two as a ‘thank you’. But in my eyes, Husk is more of a acts of service and words of affirmation kinda guy (in terms of giving)

You both banter a lot, he tries not to go to overboard, but due to his bluntness sometimes he’ll occasionally slip up, but hey, everyone does it at some point

[animehouse-moe]

Heavenly Delusion Episode 6: 100% Safe Water

This is one of those episodes that you either get, or you don't. It takes a dive into the ridiculous, into foreshadowing that is miles ahead of where we're at, and sprinkles it over an episode that is by and large for comedic effect. That said, the staff doesn't give into the comedy, and still delivers on an incredibly well executed episode across the board.

I'd really love to start at the end, but I can't, so I'll start at the beginning. Yes, Kiruko and Maru waste two shots of the Kiru Beam on a bear. Yeah yeah, I'm sure plenty of people are arguing with the potential logic, but let me present this piece of information: they thought it was a Hiruko. If you knew your weapons weren't strong enough to kill, why would you shoot to kill? It's an easy thing to gloss over, but I feel like they do a good job of establishing that understanding through the whole sequence.

Now, before moving on, the episode overall takes a bit of a twist in terms of direction. I wouldn't go near as far as saying it's bad, but that a lot of time is spent on comedy, so the direction reflects that. Undoubtedly, there's still plenty of cool shots that stick close to the overall vision like this one. We've really been spoiled with the static framing that shows off animation like this.

Now, comedy, comedy. I think the voice acting really sells it this episode. Just top notch work that brings an incredible energy to the moments. So much energy that they're able to change up how they play things off. Undeniably it's more heightened than how the manga approaches it, but I think it's really fun with moments like this one. It's a very bold move to remove any sight or motion from the scene, but the voice actors throw themselves into it so well that it works quite well.

Overall, a lot of the changes made in this episode are for comedic effect, and I think they work really well. They translate the humor of the manga into something that works in motion with sound and color. In addition to that, it tones down the... well, I guess you'd say "sexuality" of some of it to make it more reasonable for television. Not in some lazy way of course, as they give us creative camera angles to hide that sort of thing.

Of course, this episode isn't all comedy, as Ishiguro sneaks in some character progression with Kiruko. It's a very simple piece, but I like how earnest and curt Maru is about giving Kiruko praise for something so important to their character. It's partially to blame for him and his sister's predicament, but they also just want to be able to help people with it, so those few casual words from Maru really give Kiruko the push they need to find their resolve.

Anyways, back to comedy. This piece killed me when I first saw it. Not at all in the manga, instead in the source it's more a casual/deadpan delivery without any sort of visual gag.

Anyways, hurtling towards the end of this post, I just wanted to share this clip. For the uninitiated, this is a different color than the usual setup, and a great example of how the anime is working to improve upon the curiosities and oddities of the work. Such a great detail to add.

Just one little detail here. I love that Ishiguro is accurate and consistent with their world. All of the stuff written by younger people is in Hiragana, like the sign for this Hotel. Such a simple piece but really adds a great deal to understanding the overall state of the world.

And last but not least, I love how well they work with Totori in this episode. It really hammers home that post-apocalyptic feel even more. The sorrow, the dejection, the understanding that's apparent in here character and personality shift is really well expressed.

It's such a painful, and very raw depiction of the world. This little girl, who was full of spunk and energy and hope the day before, finds it all crushed in the face of reality. Not left coming to terms with death, but moving past it, and in such a quick period of time. Her dream is absent from those eyes, and the passion has left her body. It alienates her from what makes her a child/young teen. She stands isolated, alone in the street, to work on her hotel.

It's such an incredible scene that helps refocus viewers on the state of the world. Kiruko and Maru can goof off because they have each other. They have someone beside one another that they can count on, lean on, share burdens with. And it's such an easy thing to forget. That there's other orphans out there, other people that struggle to find ways not to survive, but to live. After all, this is a world after the end of itself.

[doubleddenden]

Okay, I've put together my thoughts on Attack on Titan after watching through it as it aired on Toonami.

After all of this, I think I can just say this:

It has beautiful animation, it has amazing music, there's really fun moments, and the world building started out strong. The voice acting is phenomenal, and even English dubbed has so much emotion and weight to it.

But I regret watching it. I dislike what it became and ended on.

If that upsets you, I do not advise reading further.

I don't like it in the end and only initially watched it because my friends in college did, and eventually it came to Toonami, a convenient source of anime when I cannot reliably stream it. AOT's arguably one of the most popular anime in the world, and I thought maybe it'd rub off on me. It did for a bit, but in the end it just falls apart for me.

I think it lost me around the introduction of omniscient time awareness and the very blatant World War 2 comparisons. For my own health and sanity, I won't dive deeper into why the latter bit is bad.

I think too that the end note is literally just "the world will always be a god awful place no matter what you do to change it, and you're a fool to think otherwise," and that's just depressing. Eren's whole bit just doesn't make sense either because it just plays out into him making his own suicide note. Into DRIVING HIMSELF there too, because he ended up killing his own mom to drive him to this finality to begin with. Not to mention he saw himself committing fucking world wide genocide over and over and couldn't stop himself? In ANY timeline? Just because he's an idiot? Not even fucking ONCE? Even though he had the wherewithal to kill his own mother? Sorry, that's just HORRIBLE writing, that's the author trying to be extra edgy and trying to justify what he wrote.

In the end it feels like the author had these three separate stories that he decided to make into one, and for me personally it just doesn't work: a story about survival and mystery, someone who grows up aware of atrocities they will eventually commit, and war fan fiction. It feels like the author was affected by his very own grim and distorted world views and when presented with a medium to present something different, he instead hammers it down harder.

I will say that maybe it's just that I dislike sad endings, but I struggle with depression myself. Every fucking day I wrestle with the thought of ending it all, but I don't because, unfortunately, people and animals need me. I have my own grim view of the world, and sure, maybe humanity as a whole is just doomed to be a bunch of piece of shit assholes that murder and harm each other from now until eternity.

But god, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just pretend for a moment that it wasn't? If we could see the good in this world that is consistently and desperately covered up and quieted by the bad? Sure, maybe aot's take is more realistic in assuming we're doomed to endless hatred and nothing matters in the end, but that's just so, so unsatisfying.

Maybe that's why I try to write my own stories where the heroes try to make the world a better place and have their own happily ever after. That's not to say you can't have any edge whatsoever, but still. To defy odds stacked so high against your favor and clench happiness from the iron grip of nihilism and wrath will always be better to me, as cliche as it is.

And I'm willing to recognize that maybe it is just me and that this is an okay story. I still don't like it in the end, and I don't understand people who call it the best anime, manga, or story of all time. I can't take back that I watched it. I can't take back that I did enjoy very human moments between the cast and I can't take back being in awe of the action. I can't take back being invested either.

I just don't like it anymore and I regret watching it.

I feel like people mostly became invested because the mystery was that strong in the beginning, and visually it was very appealing, especially the ODM gear. The characters have very emotional or light hearted moments too that make them loveable. After that, I think it became a mix of coffee shop au's, woobification, speculation, and the visuals and residual character writing from earlier seasons that took it to its ending, much like a plane with a shot engine.

People are attached to it, and I understand you'd enjoy it because you did before or you just can't let go. The fan art, the passion, the memes, what the fans took got out of the series was beautiful, silly, and hype af. Fandom is a hell of a drug, hype is too.

But for me in the end, it's a depressing suicide note. It's a depressing comment that the world will never get better. That our lives are ultimately POINTLESS and nothing we do can ever change that or make any of it matter in the end. You're doomed, I'm doomed, and you cannot change that. You can do all the good you want, but in the end only the bad will remain. And the cycle will endlessly repeat forever. Happy endings are no longer good or realistic.

Sorry, but even though I also think the world is hell, I don't agree. I reject the thought that the good will always be muddied out by evil. I have to believe good will eventually triumph. I have to believe the people I help and the people that help me are deserving of life and happiness. I have to believe that people beyond my scope are just as capable of good despite evil politicians and bad actors trying to pit us against one another. Otherwise, what the hell am I even here for? Why am I even alive?

So yeah. I regret it. I don't like it. I reject its message wholeheartedly.

Btw please don't go telling me I'm wrong and that this was a master piece. You're entitled to your own opinion, just like I am to mine.

[xsoldier]

Let's also dial this hostility back a bit and look at the bigger picture into which this is taking place, while also looking at more modern issues.

The entire psychology behind mascots & marketing is building upon a facsimile of interdependent trust with a corporation or product as if it were a recognizable friend. Consumerism is DESIGNED for this to be a totally normal thing that no one so much as stops to think about, and it is not even REMOTELY a new thing.

We've always been taught empathy towards non-human beings who treat us with respect. Data in Star Trek is probably the most immediately obvious example, but this even extends to the droids in Star Wars as well as those placed in defacto positions of servitude have respect because we understand that position as a reflection of our own struggles within that type of inescapable system.

Hell, even the WORD "robot" just literally comes from the word for "slave" so there's an absolute mess of complication around all those things, even without getting into how even the relationship between drives being master/slave got ethically evaluated. Suffice to say, there's a lot of reason for sensitivity around how you present something like this.

The marketing isn't any different than you'd expect to see if this were ACTUALLY a humanoid robot servant you could see, which is a common moral quandary in fiction. This one is only a voice, but this just the same fundamental pattern that's ubiquitous to all marketing, and if anything — treating a human-like thing as utilitarian objects would be an even more disturbing approach, but also less likely for people to use because of how we're socially inclined to act.

Stack that up with how Speech-to-Text and other voice services being normalized are an absolutely MASSIVE part in making a lot of forms of previously a11y-specific technology largely ubiquitous. There's a massive benefit in marketing any number of speech recognition services as a normal, comfortable thing that's just like talking to a regular person, as software like Siri have a marked impact for elderly and the visually impaired, and there's a lower barrier to entry to understand how to use it.

However this intersects with something else:

Late-stage capitalism has pushed to the point where isolation & loneliness are at an all-time high, and rather than addressing the issues that an unsustainable economy predicated upon sucking away every waking hour people have, it's also amplifying overdependence upon parasocial and artificial crutches as a replacement for the thing it's taken away.

At its core, being kind to your Alexa is just like being amicable towards the GPS in your car or talking to your stuffed animals. Anything else that presents itself as a human facsimile — we reflect our normal social behaviours towards it. That gets even more amplified when the limited social contact people have is with people who mistreat them, and all they're looking for is a simulation of the same kindness that they're attempting to give.

The actual issue here is that there is a massively growing demographic who has a lack of meaningful connections with other people, and an increased level of stress at the same time which amplifies tensions to complicate forming those connections with or to others. Technology is often an extremely meaningful stepping stone to healing from that — and is massively vulnerable to exploitation.

Which brings us to… modern AI doing that.

Everything with Alexa's marketing falls into a natural intersection where it's easy for it to be uncomfortable no matter how you approach it, but it isn't necessarily any more or less nefarious than any other piece of marketing. But AI chatbots are the single most predatory system out there because it takes everything about that faux psuedo-familial relationship and projects it into something that is MEANT to make you attach to it and pay for that as a service.

I cannot tell you the number of "this AI Chatbot will send you NSFW pictures and flirt with you" ads that there are out there, where it's designed explicitly to prey upon people who are lonely and learn how to better monetize those people and keep them attached to the app. As if that wasn't bad enough, there are even ones where it's designed to mimic actual people and become an alternative version of them for you:

This is one I stumbled across the other day:

While I understand the core sentiment about Alexa, I think that the reality of that situation is exponentially more complicated and far from being cut-and-dry as one way or another. The sentiments expressed by the people in the replies are ones that deserve compassion rather than ridicule, because that's why there's leverage in those things in the first place.

However, I think that that overall sentiment of loathing towards the coldly exploitive manipulation of a psuedo-familial bond by the mechanisms of late-stage captilaism is undeniably justified. Even moreso when looking at just how sickeningly exploitive ai tech companies are with these same things, and how much worse that is in feeding off a feedback loop that only harms people.

i hate how they market alexa as a ‘member of the family’ like that’s SO fucking blatantly insidious and terrifying also if i wanted an untrustworthy/cold/emotionless machine in my life i’d just talk to my fuckin father 

[sunova-studios]

Stars Beyond Stars!!!

Howdy Howdy!! We are Sunova Studios, a two person operated animation and art studio. We're here to present Stars Beyond Stars, an indie animated project in its somewhat beginning stages!!

These opportunities are unpaid unfortunately, but if you are looking to get your art, music or voice acting out there, then we are looking for you!!

Stars Beyond Stars is about a couple of outcasted celestial beings who go day to day in life being hated by most of their kind causing them to not be believed when they have discovered an issue that essentially endangered their kingdom and the mortal realm. These two will go out of there way to try and stop the issue, but also make friends along the way. (And maybe something more)

A lot more info is on the server but not everything is uploaded yet!! We are working hard to try and get a good percentage of characters pushed out in the next month.

YOU MUST BE 16+ TO JOIN THE SERVER!!!

The series is gonna be intended for more maturer audiences and thus we prefer it this way, the server can be used for more than just watching the series and it's progress, it's also made for hanging out, chatting, sharing your art and more!

YOU MUST BE 18+ TO ASSIST IN PRODUCTION

It can be iffy working with minors in this situation, thus we have decided that those who wanna assist need to be 18 or older.

Server Link: https://discord.gg/Y9UW3jabAK Come join if you're looking to get out there, or just need a place to chill and hangout! We can't wait to see you there!

[amaranthineoceans]

Everything Weird About Deltarune!

Spoiler Warning for Undertale and Both Chapters of Deltarune! Really! I Literally Go Through Everything I Can Remember About Them!

This is a long post so get comfortable. Also note that my brain doesn't process thoughts into words very well so some of these might not be worded in the best way. :)

Deltarune. The first teaser chapter was released on October 31, 2018, and it came out of nowhere. We've all gone through this, but I'll try and go through every single painstaking detail I can remember. Feel free to reblog and add/correct things.

The weirdness begins right off the bat. The title is an anagram of UNDERTALE. We all know Toby likes to use anagrams when he wants to indirectly tell us when things are related, so it's no surprise that when you go to download DELTARUNE, it warns you that the game is designed for people who have played UNDERTALE. You think, "Cool, so it's a sequel? Or maybe a prequel? A different perspective of UNDERTALE perhaps?" You were wrong; so terribly, terribly wrong! I'll elaborate on this later.

Before you download the application, the terms of service that you must agree to beforehand reads simply and plainly, "You accept everything that will happen from now on." This detail was kinda brushed off in the beginning, because, hey, it's Toby Fox. He does weird stuff all the time. But even in the first chapter, it's apparent that the concept of choice, or more accurately, the lack of it, is a very present theme in the game. I would like to remind you that Toby has announced that there will be one ending in the game. One. I'll elaborate on this later.

The program (as in, what the game is called in your files) is named SURVEY PROGRAM. Why not just call it Deltarune like it is when you download chapter two?

The game launches you, without a title screen, without any setting adjustment options, straight into a reference to the theme of the entire franchise: the lack of choice. A strange formless voice guides you through "making a vessel", with what we know now as a fountain in the background. You have the option to make some very disturbing choices in this character creator, such as making its favorite flavor "pain" or expressing your feelings about it with options such as "fear" and "disgust." You name your "creation," tell the formless voice your name (which is different from your vessel's name) and watch as said formless voice muses over your name at an agonizing pace. It thanks you for your time and tells you that your wonderful creation, (cue music cutout and background removal) will now be discarded. "No one can choose who they are in this world." The screen slowly turns white as the voice says, "Your... name... is..."

It gets weirder. The next scene appears from the whiteness and showcases Toriel calling "Kris" out of bed. Kris' area of the room is very bare in contrast to the other side, which we later discover is Asriel's.

It's Toriel. Why is Toriel here?

Kris is kind of an anagram of Frisk (the protagonist of UNDERTALE) but without the F. I highly doubt this is a coincidence.

Speaking with Noelle is the only reason you can proceed (see what i did there?) while finding a partner in the classroom. This means you can't go through the 1st chapter without knowing who she is. Is it because of the Snowgrave route?

Ralsei is just suspicious to me. There's no way he was just waiting in that castle his whole life alone without some mental toil. So either he's insane or he wasn't alone the whole time. What happened? Is it related to how he can close his eyes and see what Susie is going through when she's apart from the party? Was he just watching everything? Is he related to the formless voice?

Susie's icon is the only one without color in the Dark World.

Jevil's fight is more difficult than Sans'.

Your actions have little consequence in the first chapter. If you choose to go genocide, the only difference in the ending is being run out of the kingdom, and this doesn't carry over to the next chapter. Again, lack of choice, people.

If at the end of chapter one, you walk around town, it's mentioned (notably by Noelle) that you're usually not this talkative. If you go to the hospital and speak with the receptionist, they mention that you used to play the piano in the corner. If you decide to attempt to play the said piano, an out-of-key bash can be heard and the receptionist comments on how you used to play beautifully. If you try this in chapter two, the result is the same. All this is confirmation that Kris is acting noticeably weird.

When you leave the Dark World and walk around town, you can find Sans. He "pretends" to recognize you, and if you tell him you recognize him, he tells you it's funny, considering that you two have never met before. He winks. I'm pretty sure he knows that the player is there.

The mention of Papyrus in both games, but the purposeful lack of him. Like he's avoiding you.

If you go upstairs while inside Asgore's flower shop, there are flowers in glass cases resembling his SOUL collection in UNDERTALE. There's a red flower.

You can't enter the church.

The clock in the storage closet shows a different time than all the others in the school.

If you go all the way south in town and into the woods, the music stops and you come across a rusty, double door is in a hill covered in crass. It's locked. If you go this way in chapter two, however, you watch a cutscene where you and susie happen to find Monster Kid from UNDERTALE (or someone resembling them) and an owl kid in front of the door. The owl kid is pressuring Monster Kid to (presumably) break inside, telling them that they don't want to be a wimp like Kris. Does this imply that Kris is connected to this strange door somehow?

The ending. You know what I'm talking about.

Did Kris actually rip out the SOUL (I say "the" because I'm not entirely sure it's Kris') and knife because they wanted to eat the pie? Did they only eat the pie because Toriel caught them?

Why did they look at the player? Are they sick of being controlled? Is that why they freaked out after the Spamton fight? (later)

Anyway, now we're at chapter two.

DELTARUNE Chapter Two was released on September 17th, 2021. 17. Entry Number 17. Sound familiar?

Asriel's part of the room is different from the last chapter. I don't think this means anything sinister, but I think it means Kris notices different things about the room as the story progresses. My theory is that it will become more sinister in each chapter.

Ralsei getting super excited to see Susie and Kris after a day. As in he has separation anxiety and it breaks my heart. not anything suspicious but it makes me sad so it's on the list.

Kris and Susie's rooms. Ralsei REALLY doesn't want them to leave. Seriously get this boy a therapist. Or a stuffed animal. SOMETHING.

Kris having to gather everything from the storage closet so that people appear in the Dark World????? Why??????????????? They had to do the same thing for the computer lab too.

The golden door. I don't trust it.

How/why the heck did Noelle and Berdley go into the Computer Lab Dark World? I don't see either of them just walking into pulsing void doors without Susie.

Apparently the knight has been gone for a bit and can corrupt people's minds? The king in the first chapter doesn't seem like he can be redeemed but Queen just seems,,, not bad, but a little crazy. I wonder what happened.

Then again, name ONE person in this franchise without trauma.

Spamton.

Horror doesn't bother me. Spamton? Spamton bothers me.

SPAMTON. ENOUGH SAID.

A Kromer is a type of hat invented in the '70s. Nobody named Mike is associated with it, that I can find.

SPAMPTON. HOW DO I EVEN DESCRIBE IT.

HIS SONG IS THE ONLY ONE WITH WORDS.

The way he asks Kris is they want to be a heart on a chain their whole life. Like, dude, no wonder they were screaming after the fight.

WHERE DID THE YELLOW HEART COME FROM. YELLOW MEANS JUSTICE. WHY DOES JUSTICE APPLY.

Kris screaming after the fight and the player not being able to hear it. Don't you dare tell me that's just how the game is designed. There are sound effects characters make throughout the game. None that I can think of apply to Kris, apart from when they rip their soul out.

Ralsei brushing off the Spamton fight. Either that's his coping mechanism or he was trying to shut Susie and Kris up to protect them from... something. I'll touch on that in a minute.

According to Queen, DETERMINATION is a key factor in creating a fountain.

Also according to Queen, Kris, Noelle, and Susie all have DETERMINATION SOULS.

Ralsei freaking out about Berdley making a fountain implies that he may also have DETERMINATION. Why I'm bringing all this up will make sense soon.

How was Noelle able to cast Snowgrave... a spell that she, according to her, didn't know?

The Snowgrave route is so twisted.

You manipulate Noelle into killing Berdley and then, when you get back to the computer lab and investigate his corpse, the text box says that he doesn't seem to be awake. As if you're in denial?

Burgerpants recognizes you. Not Kris. As in the player.

The ending. I don't think I need to describe it. Kris is very methodical without the SOUL. (I say "the" because, again, I'm not 100% convinced it's theirs.) I'm saying this about how they left clues that someone broke into the This proves that they are NOT a mindless, vengeful husk.

HOW DID THEY MAKE THE FOUNTAIN WITHOUT THE SOUL INSIDE OF THEM. DID THEY FEED THE SOUL TO IT AFTERWARDS? IS THAT WHAT THAT WAS?

Another point I would like to make is my theory that Ralsei knows much more than he would have us believe. I might put this into a different post because I have yet to gather my points into a coherent bullet point list, so keep an eye out for that.

Anyway apart from Toriel and Susie being VERY heavy sleepers, I think I've gone through everything. I have a few theories.

1. Kris is possessed by the player and figured out that they could make a fountain from Queen and related to Spamton freaking out about freedom. They then decided to make a fountain going by the logic that "this would tick the player off." This is one of my top theories that assumes that the SOUL is theirs.

And 2. Kris is possessed by both the player and the knight. I think the formless voice at the very beginning of the game is the knight, and they somehow needed the player to possess someone with DETERMINATION. If so, then why Kris? We know from Queen that Noelle and Susie, and maybe even Berdley also have DETERMINATION. The most plausible thing I can think of is the fact that human souls are stronger than monster ones.

I do think that the popular theory (about the one that suggests that the Dark Word is nothing but a figment of a child's imagination, and the events that occur in said Dark World are simply children playing with toys) has been thoroughly dashed due to Berdley's murder in the genocide route of the second chapter. Unless he's not dead. Regardless, how the events (or lack thereof) that occur in the second chapter play through the next will be interesting, especially considering Toby's announcement about how there will be one ending to the game. So either Berdley isn't dead, or he will be.

Aaaand I think that's it! Sorry for the long post; let me know your thoughts and if I missed anything!

[gyucore]

SHELTER: STARTING LINE

pairing: ot5 x reader (individual endings + true end)

chapter tags: zombie apocalypse au, angst, mystery

synopsis: an unknown illness has rapidly spread throughout the world, taking down nearly the entire population and turning them into mindless vessels of death and chaos. in the midst of the rubble, you and your partner find a notice of a safe zone, and are taken in by a small group of survivors. you only have to hold out for seven more days until rescue arrives, but danger lurks at every corner, and not everyone can be trusted.

warnings: mentions of blood, gore, profanity, character death

word count: 3.8k

update: changed D-1 to starting line. the next chapter will be titled D-1 instead

master post | D-1

Up until now, it never really crossed anyone's mind just how much the world can change in the span of three months. Bright and busy streets that were once filled with people of different shapes and sizes, each living their lives the way they're intended, were now dark, empty, and uninviting. Garbage and rubble littered everywhere, and nature had taken over most of the run-down buildings. What used to serve as homes for many were now hollow shells of forgotten memories. And areas that'd been avoided at all costs became shelter for those seeking refuge, be it a dark cave in the middle of a forest, a series of tunnels hidden beneath the local town plaza, or the rotten sewers of the downtown area. Anything to not receive unwanted attention. If it weren't for the looming threat of danger present around every corner, the world would've been a sight to behold.

The downfall of mankind at the hands of an unknown illness. It had spread at an alarming rate, faster than renowned experts could ever have predicted. Endless efforts had been made to pinpoint its source, take note of its effects, and prevent it from spreading any further, but before they could yield the results of their research, the sick started acting strange. Two weeks after getting infected, the patients started behaving erratically. They've refused to eat their meals, lost their ability of coherent speech, and have had their mental capacity regress to that of a toddler. A week into their strange behavior and numerous reports flooded in left and right about how they'd start viciously attacking anyone that came within a certain range.

A child could piece together what's going on, and a good portion of the populace were well aware of what was to come. An illness that strips a person down to that of a wild animal, erratic movements, and accounts of vicious attacks; the whole situation sounded like the start a film one would pay to see on the big screen at weekends, except this was real life. It had already been too late when the horrific realization fell on everyone.

“I don't think we should do this.”

You snap out of your thoughts at the sound of someone's voice up front. It hadn't occurred to you that you'd been staring blankly at the moss covered floor for quite some time. “Sorry, what were you saying?” You ask, getting up from your seat on the ground.

Sunlight shone through the cracks above the sewers, illuminating the person's face. “I said, I don't think we should go through with the plan.” It had been Beomgyu who'd stepped up to oppose this month's supply run.

“Why? Is there a problem with the plan?”

Beomgyu looks down for a moment, briefly avoiding your gaze to collect himself and find his resolve. He wasn't one to go against your decisions. After all, you'd never failed to take into account everyone's well-being in crafting your plans, and none of them have failed the group thus far. But this one just felt.. off.

“It's too dangerous.” Beomgyu says with clenched fists, eyes full of conviction. “I know we're basically out of rations at this point but we've never done runs like this before. What if something bad happens to one of us?”

“I've thought this over a hundred times, Gyu.” You tell him, eyeing the rest of your group on the side in concern. “You've seen it yourself during our last scouting, right? There's barely any resources left around these parts of the city. The only way we'll be able to survive until our next relocation is to raid the nearest mall.”

“We could scout the area again.” Beomgyu insists, not letting his gut feeling slide. “We could find some other ways to get our hands on supplies without risking everyone's safety. You and I know the hordes prefer dark and wide spaces. There could be hundreds of them in there.”

“We'll take the risk.” A hand makes its way to your shoulder. You turn and see the rest of your group, Suhyeon and Sungjae, the hand belonging to the former.

Beomgyu frowns at the others' approval. You hold his hand and smile in attempt to reassure him, and for a moment, the two of you stare each other down. By the frightened look in his eyes, you could tell he was scared. And you were too. Everyone was, all the time. And with that fear, the idea of giving up seemed to grasp at your fingers, but the group wasn't in a place to do so. Beomgyu understood that.

“Fine. I trust you.”

You breathe a sigh of relief, giving his hand a little squeeze. “I won't let you down.” Was what you wanted to tell him, but couldn't find the courage to. You just hope things would actually go as planned.

Since the beginning, Beomgyu had always placed his trust in you. Both of you were broadcasting majors in college, and had taken most of your classes together. The first wave of attacks from the horde happened during one of those classes. It was of pure luck that you were seated next to Beomgyu that day. Quick on his feet, he'd instinctively grabbed your hand and dragged you to safety as he ran. And you've never felt so grateful your entire life. The gruesome sight of your classmates being ripped apart bit by bit had rendered you frozen in place. If it hadn't been for Beomgyu, you could've been one of them. And ever since that day, you'd vowed to survive together no matter what.

 The group left the base around noon. It looked like it was about to rain so you urged everyone to move quickly. The last thing anyone wants was to have to navigate slippery grounds.

Getting to the mall took nearly half an hour on foot. You had the group go around, sticking to the edge of the forest. In the situation you encounter a horde of infected, the dense trees and greenery would provide great cover. Fortunately, there had only been a few of them wandering around the streets, making it easy for the group to evade and not engage.

Arriving at the mall, Suhyeon and Beomgyu proceed to scout the area, securing every entrance and exit. You and Sungjae stayed behind, reviewing the map of the mall by the main entrance.

“Don't you think it's strange?” Sungjae says, copying the map on her notebook.

“What?” You ask absentmindedly, drawing your own copy.

“Usually there'd be more infected lurking around. This is the first time we didn't have to fight them off. Kinda makes me paranoid lmao.”

Kidding aside, Sungjae had a point. Supply runs usually never went as smoothly as this, but no harm ever came with looking at the bright side.

“All entrances and exits secured. We're ready to go.” Suhyeon reports tucking her ropes back in her bag. Beomgyu follows behind, giving an affirming nod.

Sungjae passes down copies of the map, and you provide everyone with a final rundown of the plan.

“We split up. Suhyeon and Beomgyu, you take the second floor. Scale the building carefully. Sungjae and I will search the ground floor. Take only the essentials. Prioritize food and medicine. Take anything that can be used as a weapon as long as it doesn't slow you down. Leave the basement alone. That'll reduce the risk of running into one of them. Hear a suspicious noise nearby? Get the fuck out of there. Each floor has three exits and two emergency exits, go to whichever is most safe. I'll trust that Beomgyu and Suhyeon did their part in properly securing the exits. If anything happens, fire the smoke signal. If all goes well, we regroup here. Everyone clear?”

“Clear.”

“Then let's go.”

Beomgyu sifts through the stock room in one of the pharmacies, balancing a flashlight between his neck and shoulder as he grabs anything useful and checks for the expiration dates. Suhyeon volunteered to keep watch out front.

 He couldn't seem to get his mind off of Suhyeon's words earlier. She'd told him about her suspicions regarding the lack of infected nearby. How there must've been something that caught hold of their attention long enough to lure them to another location. Possibly the work of other survivors. Either that or.. they're all having a grand feast at what used to be a group of survivors' hideout.

Beomgyu shivers at the thought. He'd rather there be no bloodshed, even if it weren't their blood being spilled. But if it had been the former, the ones possible for the distraction must've had a lot of reassurance on their side, and a goal in mind that needed the absence of hordes to be completed. Government interference? After all this time? Probably. They were the only ones capable of such a feat.

“Noise about five stores away. Slow pace. You done?” Suhyeon asks, popping out from behind and shining an extra light on Beomgyu's face.

He nods. “All done. Let's get out of here.”

One step, and Beomgyu freezes. His eyes go straight towards the number of ad posters plastered on the walls. It was possible. An important notice from the government spread around through flyers.

Beomgyu finds himself grinning.

There's a fucking safe zone.

Then the grin falls. There was no doubt you'd find out about the same information, but on what lengths you'd go to retrieve it has left him fearing for the rest of the group.

He turns to Suhyeon, face grim. “We need to find Y/N and Sungjae. Now.”

 “The hell?”

The infected collapses on the floor with a thud, its head bashed up from the blow. It had been following you and Sungjae ever since you'd passed through the stock room in the grocery. You two managed to corner it in one of back isles.

“What's wrong? You okay?” Sungjae looks over at you, placing her bat down as she wiped off the blood on her arm. After asking, she notices your hands start shaking. You seemed so fixated on the bloodied piece of paper that fell out from the infected's mouth. She winces when you immediately picked it up. “I don't think you should be holding on to that thing any longer than you should.”

“Right, sorry. It's just..” You read through the contents thoroughly, repeating them again and again until everything just goes blank and an array of uncontrollable emotions started flooding in. “Sungjae..” Your voice cracks a little as you hand the paper over to Sungjae, holding onto her shoulder as she too reads the few words on the print.

T SAFE ZONE

ntact

89

55

tation

“Y/N, this is— You mean, we can finally..” Tears gather in her eyes as she clutches the paper for dear life.

You nod, letting go of Sungjae and readjusting your duffel bag. “We haven't gathered as much supplies as planned, but the ones we've bagged from this grocery should be enough. Beomgyu and Suhyeon can handle gathering supplies on their own. And I think we can both agree that what we need to do right now is to find out more information about this safe zone.” The torn up flyer obviously wasn't enough, and you were confident there were more nearby.

Sungjae agrees, placing the last of her haul in her backpack.

A crashing noise alerts you two, prompting you to ready your weapons.

“The noise came from up front.” Sungjae whispers. “Let's leave through the side entrance.”

You two got out of there quick, not wanting to aggravate whatever was wandering around in the front. The goal was clear.

“Find anything that could lead us to a flyer. Someone must've put them up, right? There has to be more around here.” You say in between pants, stealthily striding your way through the halls.

“Uh, Y/N?” Sungjae stops you as you pass by a bulletin board at the center of the mall. From the looks of it, flyers about the safe zone were plastered here, only that other survivors had gotten to it first, leaving a few useless scraps behind.

If only you'd gotten to it sooner, fists clenching at the thought. “Let's keep looking.”

 The next few minutes were quick to pass by. All the running around, carrying heavy bags were starting to tire you down. Strangely enough, you hadn't encountered any other infected aside from the one in the grocery.

“Y/N, can we rest for a bit? We've searched the entire floor already.” Sungjae begs, exhausted. You remember how Sungjae had the lowest stamina in the group, although she made up for it with her knowledge in medicine and first aid. She's always been the one to patch you up.

“Maybe we should head back to the meeting grounds. Beomgyu and Suhyeon are probably waiting for us there. If they found any useful information upstairs, they'd surely tell us.”

You consider Sungjae's suggestion. She had a point. But the ticket to salvation was already right in front of you. If you'd search for a bit more, surely you'd find it. Scouting the second floor was a no go. All the stairs and escalators were demolished by a bunch of freak survivors called the Lost Boys, evident by the obscene Peter Pan inspired graffiti they'd placed on the floor near the rubble. A part of you wishes they'd have a shitty day ahead.

To go up from the inside, you'd need to scale the walls, and you weren't equipped for that. The only other accessible place you hadn't searched was the basement but that would be too much of a risk. You don't want Sungjae or the others getting hurt. On the other hand, if you were to go alone..

“Jae.” You turn to Sungjae, tone a tad too serious for the latter's liking. “Head to the main entrance and regroup with the others. I'm going down the basement to find more flyers.”

“What?!” Sungjae covers her mouth, realizing her voice had been too loud. Her next words come in loud whispers. “Are you crazy?! Did you skip your rations earlier? I can't let you go down there alone! You said it yourself, it's too dangerous! Think about your safety!”

“But still..” You can't let go of the feeling that you might find something useful if you just kept on searching. Hiding down below isn't exactly as safe as it seems, and resources were scarce. It's not just the infected you have to worry about but starvation and illness as well. The sewers weren't kind to survivors.

“Alright, alright. Fine. You crazy bastard. If you really wanna go down there then at least take me with you. Two heads are better than one or whatever.” Sungjae rolls her eyes as she drags you to the path leading downstairs.

“You sure you're okay with this? Suhyeon will kill me if you ever got hurt.” You try to free yourself from her grip but fail.

Sungjae snorts at your comment. “I can take care of myself. Just promise me we'll be in and out real quick, okay?” She gives your hand a little squeeze as you made your way down, and you can't help but smile. Having someone who's got your back made all the difference.

 But if only you hadn't taken her.

“Shit!” Beomgyu shoots another infected down from afar. “Nine. Hey, Suhyeon, how ya holding up down there?!”

“Twelve! That makes all of them!”

Beomgyu clenches his teeth as he propels down. They were on their way down the second floor when the fire alarm went off. The blaring sound attracted a few of the infected near the area, but not enough to overwhelm the two.

The alarm could only one thing— you and Sungjae were in big trouble. Everyone had agreed on releasing a smoke signal when in danger. The appearance of smoke and its distinct smell would've alerted the other members of the group without attracting the attention of the infected. But setting off the fire alarm wasn't part of the plan.

Beomgyu and Suhyeon rush inside the ground floor, readying their weapons for an encounter with an infected but there weren't any around. Not a good sign.

“Now where the fuck are th—”

A piercing scream cuts Beomgyu off. Suhyeon could barely move when she recognizes the voice. “Please, no..”

Beomgyu places a hand over Suhyeon's shoulder. “It came from the basement..”

And with that, the two took off.

Beomgyu couldn't help but curse you in his mind. The basement was off-limits, and there was no way Sungjae would've decided to go down there on her own volition. It had to be you. He knew you'd be like this the moment you'd find out about the safe zone. Partnering up with you from the beginning would've been ideal, that way, he could've slapped some sense into your head when the time came.

“I know what you're thinking, but going around pinning the blame on someone won't get us anywhere closer to saving them.” Suhyeon blurts out as the two made their way downstairs.

She was right.

Beomgyu clears his head. The details could wait after the rescue. He just hopes he was fit enough to pull this off.

 What awaited the two in the basement was a scene that could only be described as something straight out of a nightmare. There you were standing on top of a banged up display car in the middle of the floor, the flickering light of the fluorescent above you illuminating your bloodied figure as you shot the infected down one by one as they came crowding. Estimated, there were at least forty infected coming in from left and right, prompting Beomgyu and Suhyeon to stand their ground, shooting down the horde as they got closer.

Half of the infected had turned their attention towards the two, taking away most of the burden on your part.

But as the duo's eyes adjusted to the dark, your figure started becoming clearer. You weren't alone. Never should've been but Sungjae was nowhere to be found. Beomgyu could feel the blood draining from his face as he sees what it was you were clutching your arms, or rather, who it was. “Well fuck.”

“Sungjae!” Suhyeon cries out desperately, taking out her bat with her free hand and charging at the horde with both weapons, hoping to get to Sungjae as fast she could.

“Fuck. Suhyeon don't—!” Before he knew it, he'd lost sight of his comrade in the dark. All he could do was continue to shoot, but for how long? His eyes wander back to your figure, and couldn't help but wish it hadn't. He could make out Sungjae's state in your arms. At least, what's left of her. The look on your face screamed a thousand words and emotions. Regret, fear, grief; he couldn't really point it out. You looked like you were just about ready to leave the world behind at any moment, holding your half-eaten friend close.

Everything was in chaos. Beomgyu didn't know what to do anymore. The horde just kept on coming, and he'd thrown himself in this dangerous situation without thinking straight. How had you gotten yourself in this situation in the first place? Why did Sungjae have to die? How will they ever survive this? Beomgyu could only pray for a miracle.

And with the sound of the ceiling bursting, his prayers were answered.

The rubble crashes to the ground, burying most of the infected with it. Beomgyu takes this opportunity to shoot down the remaining few in front of him, maneuvering his way to the front in search of Suhyeon, hoping that his friend had made it through the nightmare.

To his horror, Beomgyu finds her body crushed beneath the rubble. “Suhyeon!” He hurriedly gets the debris off her but realized it had already been too late. She was done for even before the ceiling gave away. Her lower half had already been eaten. The dread slowly kicks in.

He could've stopped her.

She would've still been alive.

A barrage of shots forces him out of his thoughts. He stumbles as he looks behind, seeing the silhouette of two individuals, non-infected most likely, actively shooting at a few infected coming in from the distance.

Are we being rescued? He figures the whole ceiling mishap was their doing too.

Beomgyu's attention then shifts to you, finding his strength to run to your side.

The strangers alone managed to finish off the remaining threat, allowing the two of you some time to pull yourself together.

Beomgyu quickly holds his hand out for you to take, but all you did was stare back at him in defeat.

“Beomgyu, I..” You croak, gaze wavering. “Sungjae..”

Beomgyu watches as you hold Sungjae closer to your chest.

“She's.. She's..” Your body flops down, the smooth surface of the car's roof making you slip. “It should've been me.”

Your words weigh down Beomgyu's chest. He couldn't even bear to look at you like this.

“Sungjae's gone, Y/N.” He whispers. “Suhyeon is too. I know all of this is hard to take in but we have to get out of here right now.”

Beomgyu offers his hand again, and this time, you make the move to take it.

“Better get your shit together fast you two.” One of the strangers calls out. “Your stunt with the alarm attracted all kinds of danger. There's more where these guys come from. If you wanna make it out of here alive, you better come with us.”

He was the taller one out of the two. Dark hair. Probably around your age. The same goes for his blonde friend.

The blonde looks over at the bodies of your friends and sighs. “Small group, huh? I know how you feel. But we can't bring them along. Too risky. We don't want a potential infected in our hands.”

“The jeep's out at front. We'll wait for you there, but I suggest you decide quick. Coming along is all up to you but we're not sticking around here for too long.” He adds.

Beomgyu looks to you, eyes pleading. You take one last look at your friends. Suhyeon and Sungjae. You vow to never forget this day, to never forget them, and to never forget what they've done. The object in your hand served as a beacon of hope, and a grim reminder.

“We're coming.”

“Smart choice.” The blonde nods, and the two turn around to lead the way.

You and Beomgyu follow after placing Suhyeon and Sungjae's bodies safely to the side, leaving behind your jackets to cover them up.

You couldn't stop the tears from falling as you stared at the crumpled flyer in your hand. Sungjae had sacrificed her life for this flyer, and Suhyeon for everyone.

Heavy rain pours endlessly from the sky as you got out, weeping for the lost. You hold on tight to Beomgyu's hand, earning his attention as he looks back. The gaze you shared was enough for you to know the other had been thinking the same thing. From this point on, you were to continue your lives not only for yourselves but for your two comrades as well, swearing to not let their sacrifices be in vain.

And if you could save a few more lives with this flyer, then so be it.

[septembersghost]

I just want to say that I have lots of Jewish friends and also Jewish ancestry in my family, and I've been to Israel and it was incredible, so.. I just want to tell you that I support Jews and admire your traditions, and just want to give you a huge hug? anti-Semitism sucks. (also what makes zero sense to me is why kanye west is anti black when he's black himself??? how is this supposed to work)

it's been so scary to me to witness the steep rise of this over the past few years - the harmful rhetoric, the hate crimes, all of it, it just breaks my heart. and any prejudice does, we're seeing an increase in so much bigotry directed towards disparate, vulnerable groups, and it's soul crushing at times. it's upsetting and mind boggling how cruel and discriminatory people can be towards others. antisemitism bordering on violence is something i dealt with directly in high-school, over a span of time and traumatic incidents, so it makes it particularly personal in that sense, i know what it looks and feels like close up. i know we lost family in europe who we can never bring out of the ashes. i know i wouldn't be here at all had my grandparents' families not fled the old country because they were already facing pogroms, before the n*zi regime even rose to power, had they not landed on the shores of ellis island. i know our names were changed. all of my elder family is gone now, so those last connections to those places went with them, just as the last eyewitness accounts of survivors of the death camps are becoming more past than present too. my elderly friend who held my hands in his as he told me about watching his family rounded up, some shot in the ghetto, all separated in freezing train cars, divided at the camps and never seen again. it's not ancient history (though there's been plenty of persecution and exiles and forced conversions and executions there too). it's only removed by a couple of generations, but as their voices recede to history, we have to speak for them.

memory and learning are such important themes in jewish culture, and for all those before us and all those who didn't get the chance at their lives, we're supposed to remember them, remember for them. light the flame for them. that memory is another of our senses, meant to be collective, to derive meaning from the history. so when i see targeted hate directed at the jewish people, it's not only that it's visceral for me because i've faced it directly, it aches for all of us still living, for all those who've been lost, all those who've gone before us, whose memories are kept as blessings.

i always admit i'm more culturally jewish than religiously, i still enjoy gentile celebrations too because i spent so much time with that part of my family, and i don't regret that or feel conflict over it, i'm happy to have experienced different things and been surrounded by open exchanges of beliefs in a compassionate manner, but i identify with my jewish heritage in a far stronger and more spiritual way.

the mitzvot that mean the most to me are those centered on the importance of kindness. kindness and love are key facets of jewish teachings, and it is meant to extend to all people, to the animals, even to blessings of objects. we're supposed to do mitzvahs, good deeds, we're supposed to act in chesed or gemilut hasadim  (literally loving-kindness). to see jewish people characterized in the untrue cruelty that people like kanye peddle is not only dangerous, it's wounding. (there are also black jewish people and they have no association with the hate group he mentioned. likewise, his anti-blackness is despicable and something i cannot begin to speak on or explain, as is the same with his ilk like cand*ce ow*ns. his misogyny is also persistent.)

i think about viktor frankl writing, "Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love," and elie wiesel, "There is divine beauty in learning, just as there is human beauty in tolerance. To learn means to accept the postulate that life did not begin at my birth. Others have been here before me, and I walk in their footsteps. The books I have read were composed by generations of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, teachers and disciples. I am the sum total of their experiences, their quests. And so are you."

we're supposed to be tasked with healing, with repairing whatever of the hurt we can in the world (tikkun olam), leaving it just a bit more mended than it was when we got here, and it's like...hateful words take a knife to the stitching. i see the poison of that, when it's accepted, when it's furthered and emboldened, and it makes the fight a little fiercer, a little harder and heavier, because i know that it goes too deep to fix in far too many minds and places. all we can do is try our best to patch it again where that's possible.

anyway! i'm rambling as usual, but thank you for your kind words and understanding. it helps and means a lot to me, and i'm sending you a huge hug in return 💙💙💙

[mystic-deep]

"Sensei said girls love swans." | Okkotsu Yuuta x fem!reader

♡ ♡ ♡ description: Just a small box of chocolates, bought on a whim, gifted for no apparent reason. Or so you say.

♡ ♡ ♡ warnings: none, good bad advices from Gojo.

♡ ♡ ♡ notes: I'm working on three other stories with Nanami, Gojo and Toji but had to write something for best boy Yuuta. We're getting volume 0 animated! This was done at the speed of light so please forgive any errors.

♡ ♡ ♡ word count: 2.29 k

Valentine’s Day was quite a surprise this year. You didn’t expect the world to just revert back to old habits so soon, but then again you understood the craving for what was once considered normal. More than a year had passed since the Shibuya incident and with Gojo Satoru finally being released from his prison, things were slowly calming down.

Two major changes came as a result of the near annihilation of Tokyo, one was that now the world was aware of the existence of curses and two was the high number of people that had awoken cursed energy. What were once empty classrooms and training grounds of the Jujutsu Tokyo High School, were now filled with first year students ready to learn from the best. Although the older generation was composed of just a handful of students, they were really the top of the Jujutsu world.

All of your senpais were impressive in their own right so all of them had gathered quite a following of first years. The most popular, by far, was Fushiguro Megumi, the one that possessed the Ten Shadows Technique of the Zen’in clan. A lethal combination of looks, power and status, or so your classmates claimed.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was the third year Okkotsu Yuuta. He was a rare sight on campus and whenever he was present he didn’t interact much with any of the first years. The first time you’ve met him was during a group mission where he was there to supervise. The curse ended up being a special grade and if Yuuta hadn’t jumped in to help you, you’d all be dead. You still remember the bitterness of your classmates when he offered his feedback. Clearly he was right on all points but he didn’t honey glazed any of his words. That incident had caused a string of nasty rumours to spread and everyone in your class began to avoid him as much as possible. You guessed no one was in a hurry to offer him any gifts today.

As for yourself, you tagged along with some of the girls from your class as they chose the best chocolates for their favourite senpais. You didn’t have anyone you really wanted to gift them to, so you bought a small box purely for selfish reasons.

You headed back to campus and as you approached the training grounds you noticed that a small crowd of students were already gathered there. In the middle of them stood Megumi whose arms could barely hold the large number of gifts he had received. The deadpan expression on his face made it clear he wasn’t enjoying the attention.

“You girls better hurry, Megumi-kun looks like he has reached his limit.”

Turning around you were greeted by Gojo who was also carrying quite an impressive quantity of Valentine’s gifts.

“Sensei is really popular.”

“Please don’t sound so surprised.”

As your little conversation went on, your friends quickly abandoned you in order to join the crowd.

“Not gonna join them?” You shook your head as your hands tighten on the handle of your backpack where your box of chocolates was hiding.

“I didn’t buy any chocolates...I mean I did buy chocolates just not for...I should probably head to class.” Feeling too ashamed to admit your selfish purchase, you hurried down the path to the main entrance before Gojo could question you further.

Just as you were about to reach your destination you suddenly noticed a figure not too far from you. Yuuta was strolling along the same path and his expression was not a happy one. Your earlier guess must have been correct judging by his slumped shoulders. Now you never truly worried yourself with his well being, but it just felt so incredibly unfair that he was marginalized like this. At the end of the day, even if he wasn’t easy to talk to, he was a responsible senpai who wouldn’t hesitate to jump in to help others when needed. With that thought in mind, you quickened your pace and called out to him.

“Okkotsu-senpai! Okkotsu-senpai, please wait!”

He stopped in his track and turned to look at you with a surprised expression.

“Y/n-chan, are you okay?”

You nodded as you caught up with him, impressed that he even bothered to remember your name, and opened your backpack to retrieve the box of chocolates.

“For you senpai, Happy Valentine’s Day!” You gave him the most sincere smile you could muster and handed him the small box. Oh well, better for your cavities you suppose.

With a trembling hand he took the small gift and grinned from ear to ear. “Thank you! I’ll treasure it!” It was just a box of cheap chocolates, you thought, definitely not worth the excitement.

“Urm I’m happy you like them. Anyway, have a good day, see you around!” You practically dashed to your classroom, cheeks red from embarrassment. You didn’t know why you were so nervous or why that silly grin of his made you so flustered.

As you sat down at your desk, you wondered if you did the right thing. You didn’t want him to believe you had feelings for him and you also hoped he didn’t think you did it out of pity. You just thought it was the right thing to do at that time and it was just a small gesture, definitely not worth a second thought.

Or so you hoped until White Day arrived and you found quite a surprising gift on your desk that morning. A large bouquet of roses, there must have been over a hundred. No note though, as if the person that had left them just expected for you to know whom they were from.

You could hear the whispers of your classmates and you shifted uncomfortably. You weren’t really popular, no reasons for someone to give you such an impressive present, so of course rumours began to spread.

As you sat on a bench during lunch break with the bouquet in your lap, you raked up your brain trying to figure out who would offer you flowers.

“Oh no, you don’t like them!”

Yuuta’s voice brought you back to reality and you blinked ever so slowly as you looked at his worried expression. Your eyes dropped to the red roses in your lap and then back to your senpai that was just a few feet away from the bench you were sitting.

“These...these are from you?” Well you did gift him that box of chocolates and this was White Day, technically he was supposed to return the gift. Still, a cheap box of bonbons couldn’t compare to the expensive bouquet that he had gifted back.

“Gojo-sensei said you’re supposed to buy something impressive in order to show your appreciation for the gift you received. I didn’t know what you liked and he suggested roses, he said all girls loved red roses.”

Of course it was Gojo Satoru, it was always Gojo Satoru.

“Senpai, thank you, but this is too much! Those chocolates weren’t really that expensive.”

“No, no, they were pretty good! I ended up eating the whole box! Gojo-sensei tried to steal one away, that didn’t end up well for him.” Good, you thought, he deserved it for unnecessarily complicating things.

“Well if you say so, then I’m happy. I’ve never received flowers before, well my father bought me a bouquet when I graduated middle school but I don’t think that counts.”

“I’ve never received chocolates before, so I guess we’re both at the beginning.” The beginning of what, you wondered, as he offered you a somewhat sly smile.

“I should get these to my room before they wither.”

“Yeah I should probably head to the training ground.” You said your respective farewells before going in opposite directions. This had been awkward to say the least and you were glad it was over.

However, naivety got the best of you. The next morning you were greeted by a large teddy bear that was placed in your seat. Your eyebrow began to twitch as you heard whispers spreading in the classroom.

“Hey is that from Okkotsu? Super creepy!”

“Yeah, poor Y/n-chan.”

“What do you mean by that?” Your patience had reached its limit and with narrowed eyes you turned to look at the girls you heard whispering.

“Don’t you know, Okkotsu curses his lovers!”

“Yeah, he becomes obsessed with them and then they die in mysterious ways!”

“That is literally the most idiotic thing I’ve heard in my life.” Sure, you knew the story of Rika, but from actual reliable sources you also knew that it was a tragic accident that happened when Yuuta was only a child. It was disturbing how they twisted the story just because they were afraid of him.

“If you have this much time to waste on spreading such stupid rumours then I suggest you channel that energy in training. Otherwise you’ll be stuck at grade 4 until the end of days.” As a grade 2 sorcerer yourself, maybe you shouldn’t have looked down on them, but for some reason the way they were acting towards Yuuta was just infuriating and you found yourself becoming quite protective.

You never snapped at them like this before, if anything you were considered quite docile, so the whole class fell silent. You grabbed the giant teddy bear from your seat and stomped towards the door, nearly bumping into Gojo as the later stepped inside the room.

“Where you going Y/n-chan? Class is about the start.”

“I’m going to find Yuuta!” You huffed and walked out of the classroom, knowing full well that you will probably get punished for your actions.

“Y/n-chan is so determined! Everyone, you should have more determination as well!” That was the last thing you heard as Gojo closed the door behind you.

You began your search for Yuuta, trying to ignore the looks that the faculty members you came across were giving you. You must have looked quite ridiculous, carrying that large teddy bear around.

You finally found him near the armoury, and judging from his sweaty appearance you guessed he had just finished training.

“Senpai!”

He looked at you, almost in a panicked way and you quickened your pace so he couldn’t make a run for it.

“Y/n-chan, what-”

“Senpai, this has to stop.” You really didn’t want to tell him your real motives from that day but you also couldn’t let this chain of gifts continue.

“That box of chocolates wasn’t initially for you. I bought it for myself, I only gave it to you because senpai looked so upset. I’m sorry that you misunderstood, it’s not pity or anything, I just thought you deserved it.” You didn’t even stop to breath, you had to let it all out and explain before you lost your nerve. “I’m really happy you liked them but I don’t deserve all these presents in return.”

You looked at him and expected to see anger or disappointment, instead you were greeted with light laughter.

“You’re really cute! Maki-san said not to tease you too much because you’re such a good girl. I guess she didn’t realize how much of a good girl you actually are.” The way he said ‘good girl’ made your heart skip a beat. It sounded almost provocative.

Within a second, he had closed the distance between the two of you and his hand reached to stroke your cheek ever so gentle. Suddenly he was there and you became hyperaware of his powerful presence. You noticed the pretty colour of his eyes, how his hand was just a bit rough and how that small smirk of his made your knees weak and your cheeks burn. You gulped and he seemed to enjoy your reaction.

“I don’t mind that the box of chocolates wasn’t for me. I’m just glad it gave me the opportunity to talk to you.” At this point you felt so bad you hoped the earth beneath you would just crack open and swallow you whole.

“Anyway, you should probably head to class before Gojo-sensei gets upset. Let me get that for you.” He reached for the teddy bear in your arms but you gripped it and pulled back.

“I would like to keep this, it’s a special gift from senpai and I’ll treasure it.” Sure this all began because of a silly box of chocolates but you were also happy that you finally got to see a glimpse of him that not many people got the chance to see. Now that you had a taste of it, you wanted more.

“Well I wasn’t planning on taking it away, just wanted to help you carry it.”

“It’s fine, the whole school saw me already so I might as well parade with it back to class.”

He studied your face for a few moments before his expression turned serious.

“Y/n-chan, do you think we could go-”

“I’d love to go on a date!”

You beat him to it but you wanted to make sure he knew, even before asking, that you really wanted to get to know him better.

“I see, I’m really happy.” His hand reached for yours and gripped it gently. It never failed to surprise you how cool and confident he looked at times and then he did a one hundred eighty and turned into this awkward and adorable mess.

“I must admit this is the first time I’ve asked someone out. I’ll be sure to ask Gojo-sensei-”

“Oh no, please promise me to never ask Gojo-sensei for advice concerning girls.” He was probably laughing like a mad man while giving Yuuta such cringe worthy ideas for your gifts.

“Oh but sensei said girls love swans and-”

“Never!”

[levis-little-nuggie]

What the Ever-loving FUCK Happened in Chapter 16??!?!!

A synopsis/transcript of the events that transpired between the end of Lesson 15 and 16.

15-17: Time Loop 1

Barb shows us to his room and goes over the mission, telling us how to return back to the “present” after finding out about the door

15-20: no title

Open to Mammon’s room, all the brothers are in there bc they’re trying to get Lucifer and MC together, like a horror/scary thing to set the mood; the purpose to get Lucifer and MC alone together to open up; MC’s portal opens up and plops them in Mammon’s room with all the brothers; Lucifer and MC are in Levi’s room to play the game. We leave Mammon's room and immediately have to hide

16-1: Time Loop 2

Lucifer and MC are coming out of Levi's room and we're forced to hide in Lilith’s hidden room.

16-6: Time Loop 3

MC finds themselves standing face-to-face with Belphie, the attic door is open, and he starts hugging MC.

16-10: no title

Belphie kills us, then we’re speaking to a voice (Lilith's soul had been trapped, “I knew I picked the right person, I’ve been waiting for so long, you see. I’ve been waiting for you to come find me...after my death I remembered who I was, ever since becoming a soul, I’ve been watching over them, and in that time, I’ve forgotten how to get to the Celestial Realm.”) 

16-12: The Reunion

Brothers are standing over MC’s corpse and Belphie is out of the attic. There's a flashback of Barb telling us to find out how/who opened the attic door and not to be seen by anyone; however the brothers see us and the body Mammon is holding disappears; MC talks about Lilith having lived happily as a human.

16-15: no title

“I tell everyone the story as I heard it from Lucifer;” Diavolo comes in and informs MC they’re Lilith’s descendent. All the brothers start hugging MC and Diavolo asks: “Do you want to hug MC too, Belphegor?”

16-17: The Truth Revealed

Belphie tells us it’s his fault he couldn’t protect Lilith but Lucifer says it was his fault. The screen goes black and we're left with the assumption Lucifer lays out everything we already know based on what he revealed earlier in lesson 11 and in MC's flashbacks of Lucifer swearing loyalty to Diavolo.

16-19: no title

Barb is making and serving tea to the brothers, everyone’s in a good mood.

Lesson 17 starts with everyone acting awkward now with Belphie out of the attic and MC is now tasked with mending his relationships with all the brothers.

But wait, aren't we missing something?

You're right. We are.

16-A: Stuck Waiting

Levi: *sigh*

Asmo: Ugh, Levi, how many times have you sighed now?

Levi: I dunno, maybe 10 or so?

Satan: No it’s been 30 times at least

Asmo: Yes but what about you, Satan? How many cups of tea have you had, hmm? You know, if that stomach of yours gets all bloated from tea, i’m going to find you much less appealing

Satan: I couldn’t care less whether you find me appealing or not, Asmo. Also, instead of criticizing me, how about you say something to mammon here

Mammon: *mumble* … man this sucks so much … *grumble*

Asmo: Mammon, do you think maybe you could stop pacing around the room grumbling to yourself?

Levi: yeah, it’s super annoying

Mammon: Shaddup! How can I sit still at a time like this, huh? I mean MC went to the PAST!... Alone! Lke, MC may seem like someone who’s really got it together and stuff, but there’s a real boneheaded streak there that pops up at the weirdest times! Boneheaded, weak, and super reckless. Oh, and too damn gutsy! You never know when Marcie’s gonna take some sorta crazy risk! And like, that makes me wanna be there just in case. Like I GOTTA be there, or who knows what’ll happen?

Levi: Mmhm, sure, MC is SOOO special to you… What, are we supposed to be impressed or something?

Asmo: ooh I know exactly what you mean! It’s like you can’t help but what to lie down together on a bed or a sofa and do all sorts of naughty things- 

Satan: You’d better not do that Asmo

Asmo: excuse me? Could that be jealousy I hear, Satan? Relax. I won’t deny that MC is cute, but still, I think you’re pretty cute too Satan, so no need to worry

Levi: Yeah, MC really IS totally cute, don’t you think? And sort of … hard not to like… *grumbles*

Asmo: wait a minute… Levi, am I hearing what I think i’m hearing

Satan: You’ve only ever been interested in yout anime characters. Levi, has something changed?

Mammon: Whoa, is it just me or does that totally sound like a sign that Armageddon’s about to hit?

Levi: hey come on! Stop looking at me like that! Um...um...Asmo! You should go to the past and check to see how things are going!

Asmo: excuse me/ I know you’re just trying to change the subject, but don’t be ridiculous! I mean, you know that’s impossible. The doors into the past are inside Barbatos’s room, you realize?

Levi: Sure, but can’t you use your powers to charm Barbatos or something?

Asmo: ugh… no thank you! I mean, we’re really talking about Barbatos. If my powers did work on him, who knows what he might do to me once he ends up charmed? He might kill me, and i’m too young for that.

Mammon: pff, what’re ya, chicken?

Asmo: okay them why don’t you go seduce him, Mammon?

Mammon: Me? Um...really? … … Oh no no no no! No way that’s happening!

Asmo: but you really considered it for a second there, didn’t you? You considered seducing Barbatos!

Mammon: N-no, I didn’t! I mean, if it were MC, that’d be another story…!

Levi: You don’t need to remind us that you’ve got it bad for MC, Mammon. Keep it to yourself.

Satan: Well, powers of seduction don’t work on MVC to begin with, so you couldn’t do it even if you wanted to. Come to think of it...why are we all so hung up on MC anyways? It’s hard to believe that a simple human could have this kind of effect on us.

Asmo: hmm…I guess MC is just special, you know?

Mammon: ...yeah right. Special, that’s it!

Asmo: Still, let’s be honest. When it comes down to it, out of all of us, I’m the only one Marcie has eyes for!

Mammon: ...huh? What’re you talkin’ about?

Asmo: well it’s only natural, right? I mean, show me a human who doesn’t find me absolutely irresistible

Levi: ...well i’ll have you know that MC said that i was a true friend

Mammon: You’re all dumb as stumps! Have you all forgotten? I was MC’s first, after all, so clearly I’M the one deservin’ of all the love!

Satan: *blushing profusely*...

Asmo; mammon, don’t be intentionally misleading! You ‘ve got satan here thinking that you actually WERE MC’s first. Satan, what Mammon really means is that he was the first one to make a pact, okay?

Satan:...pff, like i care

Levi: if you don’t care, then why do you look so relieved? We can all see it on your face, Satan

Mammon: oh MC…! MC! Come back to us dammit! And soon!

Levi: Wait a minute! Where’d Beel go?

Asmo: Beel? Um, he was right there a second ago. 

Satan: Maybe he went to find Belphie?

16-C: no title

Beel: ...Belphie? Are you in there?

Lucifer: Shh, quiet

Beel: …! Lucifer!

Lucifer: he seems to be asleep

Beel: …

Lucifer: Beel, there’s something I need to talk to you about

Beel: What?

Lucifer: When belphie disappeared, you were the one who it hurt the most

Beel:…

Lucifer: I shouldnt’ have lied and told you he was up in the human world. It was wrong of me. Also, i knew how hard it was for you, but i couldn’t bring myself to talk to you about it… i’m sorry

Beel: Forget it. It’s fine. Belphie’s back now, so it’s fine.

Lucifer: Beel…

B: but to make up for it, Lucifer… from now on, i want you to trust the rest of us more. Look to us for help and support when you need it. Not just me. I mean all of us - including Belphie

Lucifer: But what if that still isn’t enough, even with all of us working together? What then?

Beel: that’s easy. At times like that...you can call on MC to help, of course. Isn’t that right?

L: Yeah. That’s right. 

Beel: I sure hope MC comes back soon. 

Lucifer: Yeah. And by the time that happens, Belphie will probably have woken up, too.

That's right. There exists a dimension where they don't get their MC back. The MC from that dimension has replaced the MC that Belphie killed.

Diavolo and Barb sent MC back in time to figure out who or how the attic door opened. MC had been acting under the notion that they needed the power equivalent of having pacts with all 7 brothers to open the door yet, even in the time loop it's still not clear. One moment we're hiding in Lilith's secret room and the next, we're standing in front of Belphie and the door is open.

[fly-like-a-phoenix]

House of Lust (part 2)

Abbé de Coulmier x reader.

Summary: Five years has passed since the events of Quills. The Abbé de Coulmier is released of prision by a misterious event. And he will know again those feelings he never thought will meet again: love... and lust.

Warnings: mentions of violence.

The Abbé du Maupas was right. The judge freed him a few days later after he knew his parents will save him from the asylum.

The audience with the judge was short. He had to walk again to the trial's chamber, dressing only black pants, a pair of boats and a white shirt, both hands in chains.

He sitted next to his lawyer, a tall man with red hair. He didn't know him. In fact, he didn't even know his name. The man presented his case as a mistake. He was condemned five years ago for a crime he didn't commit.

A famous case a the moment, the judge remembered. The Marquis de Sade was a very well known name in the whole Europe. And being his killer wasn't something hidden.

The judge finally accepted he was innocent. He was just administrating the sacrament of the extreme unction to a dying Marquis when he swallowed the Holly Cross that François presented him to kiss as symbol.

He just wanted to save his soul before he died moments later, because he couldn't do it while the Marquis was alive. Who would know the Marquis would be committing suicide, killing himself with the cross?

The principal witness was Valcour. He testified against Roger-Collard. He was actually out the Marquis' cell when all that happened, and he finally said everything he heard at the time.

The other witness was the Abbé du Maupas himself, who used to talk with him while he was in the cell. The Abbé said he was a good man, and didn't deserve to be in there, caged as an animal. In fact, he added that François should get his title again.

In less than an hour, François was free. He was out the building, touching his own wrists, still feeling the metal of the handcuffs scratching his soft skin. The lawyer, Maupas and Valcour were with him.

Was he really cured? Did he really deserved to be an Abbé again? Did he really changed after five years? Maybe he never changed. Maybe he was a little dog to Roger-Collard.

His world started to fall down when the horrific alienist doctor came to Charenton. The Marquis was publishing with Madeline's help behind his back, yes. But the doctor was the one who started to torture the pacients and the one who collapsed all the inmates activities: the theatre, the watercolor exercises, the games.

He mock at him when he defended her while she was being punished for helping the Marquis. He was the one who let Madeline die, closing the door, not letting her the chance to escape from Bouchon, his murderer. And he was actually the one who asked him to punish the Marquis by cutting off his tongue.

Roger-Collard was the real Demon. He still wanted revenge. But he will never see his face again. At least, he wanted to give him a good punch in the middle of his eyes for what he did to Madeline. He missed her a lot.

When he decided he would dedicate hiw own life, flesh and soul to God, he never thought his heart would follow the beautiful chambermaid that worked in the asylum.

When she confessed her love to him, he closed his eyes. He remembered so damn well how he rejected her that night. He was taking her away from the Marquis. She asked him to stay in the asylum. She said she loved him.

Those certain feelings he didn't want to show to her... Those feelings he thought incited people to act in a bad way... Those feelings betrayed him at that moment. He kissed her.

The feeling of her mouth, her lips, her tongue. It was all a real paradise. And when she pressed her body to him, he stepped away a few inches, a "no" escaping from his lips.

She thought she was doing him wrong. Actually, he had a hard on just for kissing the girl. He said he loved her as a child of God. She misunderstood this. And left by his petition, crying. When he got out the room, decided to bring her back, she was gone.

He cried that night, his head spining for those kisses as if he just tasted the most powerful drug. He desired her. And that was his chance. A few more kisses, and Madeline surely would took his shirt off and push him to the bed.

She had a lot of control of her feelings. He didn't. And when he went to apologize, she said "don't came closer, God's watching" or something like that. She died being angry with him. And that was hurting him so much since then.

"Abbé de Coulmier" he heard while thinking in Madeline. It was her voice. "Abbé de Coulmier" the voice reprised.

"Abbé de Coulmier." Said the lawyer. It was him calling. And François came back to reality.

"I'm not an Abbé anymore, monsieur. I'm just François." He answered, with a low, shy voice that wasn't common in him.

"If you say that, Ab---François. But now you have the chance to be that man again, you know?"

"How?" The confusion ran through his all body. The Pope himself, or that was what he heard once, decided to retire his title from him. He was not longer a servant of the Lord.

The lawyer took a paper, a letter, from his jacket. François look around. People were walking in those beautiful streets. But Valcour and the Abbé du Maupas were not there.

"Take it." The lawyer said, giving him the letter. "It's very important. You have to read it, Abbé."

François exhaled hot breath. He was a little cold, only his shirt protecting him from the easy wind. "Where are the other men?" He asked. "Where are Valcour and Maupas?"

"Oh, they just left. They couldn't leave Charenton too much time."

"Oh, I see. I just wanted to thank them for saving me, that's all".

"Well, you can do it. Write them a letter, or go seeing them."

"But I don't have any money. I don't even have more decent clothes than these."

"That's why you gotta read the letter, Abbé." He said, handing him his own jacket.

The lawyer turn around. When he was just about to leave, François approach to him, and touched his shoulder. They shook hands for the first time.

"Good luck, François." He said, putting his hat on.

"I don't even know your name!" He said while seeing the man leaving.

"Donatien!" He answered, more and more invisible into the mist.

François was thinking. That Donatien guy was very different to another Donatien he knew once, the Marquis himself. The voices in his head had stopped after he left Charenton. But now, all his being was telling him to read the paper.

He put on his new jacket, feeling better against the cold. And he walk a few meters, sitting in the steps of a house. He opened the envelope. And started to read.

François.

You are most important to us that you think. But the real thing, my son, it's that we can't see you again. Not for now, at least. We're in Spain. We had to run, because some jacobins still wanted to kill us.

I don't know what you think, but your father and I love you, my boy. And we want you to be free, and happy, as you've always been. That's what we contacted some friends of us. They'll help you to get out from Charenton.

You have to go to the address that's at the end of this letter. They are the people who hired the lawyer. They'll give you assistance of all kind and a roof. I hope you trust them as we do, my boy. We miss you so much.

With love, Anaïs and Clément de Coulmier.

P.S: Go to Villa d'Évreux. They must receive you well there. In the envelope you will find money to pay the trip. Go find a carriage that can take you.

Those were the first words he had read from his parents in, at least, ten years. Just a few lines, and every memory from his childhood came to him, making him shed some tears over the ink lines. He really missed them, more than God at least.

He started to walk, asking to the owners of the carriages if they knew that Villa d'Évreux. One of them did. And he took him to the ride.

Some women looked at him in a devilish way. Not bad, just desire in their faces. He never thought he was hot or handsome at least. He never thought any girl could feel something for him. But damn, he was so wrong!

Every girl in the asylum felt like a melting mess while he walked the corridors. Madeline was the epitome of that. And he used to wear his sacred clothes at that time! What could he expect while walking in Paris with such a normal look?

François look behind the little window. Paris changed a lot since he walk those streets the last time. It just seemed so much more civilized, so much more clean and calm.

Maybe he wasn't now just the only person in the world that hasn't succumbed yet to every spasm of lust and evil, noteven when all that bad happened. That was, at least, what he thought. But he wasn't right at all. Not with the people he was going to meet.

Tagging: @darknessisafriend @five-miles-over @yukis-writing @thegirlwho @jokerflecker @missrockabilly99 @luperugorria99 @lyoongx @weirdflecksbutok @skaravir @stardancerluv @sgtsavoytruffle @ohcarlesmycarles @beautifulyoungprospect @stellargirlie @sophiefleck @the-queen-of-things @joaqz-phoenix @ajokerfangirl

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[wheresthemuffinman]

So I've been really into interactive fiction for a long while and I've finally decided to showcase my various MC(s) over different IFs.

(Who I may have incorporated from my OCs from a series (or at least a universe) I'm working on😌)

Picture made by Picrew (https://picrew.me/image_maker/625951)

This MC is based in Triaina Academy by @leo-interactive-fiction

WARNING: This post is long and doesn't have proper capitalisation at times

*looks at the camera* "This is boring, can I please do something else?"

File: #01 : Triaina Academy

Date of recording:*Data Corrupted*

Interviewee: Melody "Mai" Razor

---------------------PARTICULARS-------------------

Appearance: Hazel eyes that look like topaz in bright light and black hair that reach her shoulders. Wears a pair of red glasses and has a mole below her left eye.

Power: Blood manipulation

Description: Seemingly obedient as first, she'll roll along to anything that happens until it starts to inconvenience her or she gets bored. After that it'll be a 50/50 chance she'll start to mess around or just deviate and do something else entirely.

Doesn't trust easily, but loves to mess around with people by teasing them playfully after warming up to them.

Likes to act like she's running on a single brain cell 24/7, has a habit of running around aimlessly and just exploring places that seem interesting.

She took on the name of "Mai" to abandon her past and start anew. She'll grow to letting go of her abandonment issues and let extremely close friends of use her actual name after a long while.

---------------------VIDEO CUTS---------------------

*The following words appear on the screen: "What do you think about..."*

Emil Dobry

"Em's like the little bro I never had. Though, he tends to be a tad bit too naive for my comfort. We're kinda in troublesome times with cutthroats everywhere and I'm kinda worried he might not be able to make the right call when the going gets tough and I'm not there, you know?"

Notes: Her time as the eldest among her fellow sea urchins when young carried over to the present. She feels responsible for Emil and his happiness. Gets him little trinkets she finds from time to time and he is one of the few people she'll happily do favors for, no questions asked. (The other being a baker who gave her bread occasionally in the past)

Robin Vallenford

"Birdie? He seems alright, can't say much from him at first glance, just know he's hiding something. His fights with Em are a great source of entertainment at times, downright childish on others. On hindsight though, he does bring colour to the whole dorm."

*She tilts a head to the side, leaning back and kicking her feet up midair, grinning slyly*

"I think we'll get along juuust fine."

Notes: She seems to be respectful of Robin and interested in knowning him better. Would gladly play a round of cards with him even if she knew she was going to lose.

Vin Wolfe

*She frowns slightly* "I'm gonna be honest, I didn't think much of Sunshine back in the arena. But when he pulled that gun out I think I nearly lost 10 years of my life. But,"

*She stares at the ceiling thoughtfully*

"He doesn't seem to mean any harm, maybe he just has a few things to work off." *Mumbling* "Bet his aim's really good too, might want to see if he'll teach me."

Notes: She doesn't know what to fully make out of Vin, she's a little put off by the commander title (she's not used to commanding other people at all. She's prefers to operate independently). More than happy to teach him what she knows about academics. Notes to herself to keep an eye out for his sake.

Calls Vin "Sunshine" (at least in her head).

Leah Scio

*Her eyes light up* "Bluejay? She's really pretty and nice, quiet though. She's also pretty much the only other person I know that wears glasses and I think she reads alot! I'd really like to see her collection sometime. She's like Em, but doesn't appear to be naive. Actually, now that I think about it, I can't really compare those two. It's like oranges and pears you'know? She's definitely smarter, and less emotional when there's thinking to be done."

Notes: She enjoys Leah's company and wants to learn from her. One of the very few people she cares about that she goes easy on when fighting (she feels really bad hurting them). Calls her "Bluejay".

---------------------VIDEO CUTS---------------------

*Reading through a folder that has the word "CONFIDENTIAL" on its front* "Ooooo"

*A rough voice can be heard from behind the camera* "Woi, who gave that to 'er? Someone take it away!"

*The folder gets swipped out of her hands from a passer-by* "Wha-Hey! What gives-oh"

*she glances behind the camera and readjusts her voice, flashing a sheepish grin*

"Sorry, got a little distracted there, shall we continue?"

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

Pierce Crater

"Firecracker? Well I don't really have much to say about him that he himself isn't already making obvious."

*She brings a hand up to her chin, posing in mock contemplation*

"He swears alot, jumps to conclusions, and is really prone to resorting to violence to solve his problems. He would honestly make a terrible diplomat."

*She pauses for a few moments, her eyes go distant*

"Though he does seem to put his best into the many things I've seen him do. His position as a representative might be saying something about his leadership...and he is really easy to embarrass...wonder how he fights...?"

Notes: Her attitude towards Pierce seems to change to somewhat more reasonable and surprisingly more careful, a stark contrast to her more playful and nonchalant interactions to her own dormmates. She doesn't seem to trust him much, but she also doesn't realise herself hanging around him more.

Unfortunately for Pierce (or "Firecracker") , she also seems to be increasingly curious about him after this interview. Granted, this was bound to happen sooner than later.

Matthew Crater

*She squints, a faraway look in her eyes*

"Snowflake's a strange one, never really met anyone who passes out so frequently. He's a cute one though, gonna be honest. Friendly too, other than that though, don't really know much else."

Notes: Amicable with Matthew (Nicknamed: "Snowflake"), she doesn't seem to understand much about his...suggestions to wake up. Most likely will nap with him if she catches his sleeping during a break.

Raven

*Her posture tenses slightly, before quickly relaxing*

"Bubbles'...alright. Honestly I'm more surprised by myself for not getting more freaked out. She unpredictable, and smarter than she lets on."

*She shrugs*

"Needs to calm the homocidal vibes though, I'd be more worried about Em when he's around her."

Notes: Slightly unsettled by Raven's (Nickname: "Bubbles") clinginess to her. She is curious on Raven's interest in her, but also slightly wary of what she could do.

Snipper of Scorpion’s Den

*Her smile grows into a wide Chesire-like grin*

"Ah, finally! Snip's unlike the other lot in the academy. Just met 'er and I already love 'er to bits. Not one to detect social cues though, and is a little too loud at times."

*she winks at the camera* "Trust me when I tell ya that if you were to leave us alone for even 2 seconds, and we'll paint the town red."

Notes: She'll never admit it, but Snipper reminds her a little like her old friends on the street, before she found a roof over her head. She misses them, the people who shaped her and that she'll never see again, making the times she and Snipper hang out sometimes slightly more melancholic.

Outside that though, she's more than willing to watch Snipper testing on something or just working on Sandy.

Fray De Forêt

*She bites her lip, giving a wistful smile*

"Liliac's alright, I don't hate her, she's just a little bit of a snob. Then again, I've never really talked to nobility before, so maybe I should save the judgement for later."

*She stops and smiles slightly at the ceiling*

"Though, she does have a certain respect for nature. I can understand that. The forests hide so many secrets and animals, what's not to love about it?"

Note: She's doesn't really have many feelings towards Fray( Nicknamed: "Liliac"), though she respects her power. She'll listen to her demands and maaaybe oblige them, but she'll be damned if she gives Fray full control over her.

-------------Video freezes, a static of the TV hums, before the screen cuts off into darkness------------

---------------------VIDEO ENDS---------------------