#No one understands how Jeanne ended up with them

[lynnlyrae]

I still don’t have serious content so another meme it is 

[katakaluptastrophy]

Oh no now I'm thinking about the Fourth and the Fifth again and how Jod's awful colonial space feudalism poisons everything.

You are four or five years old. Maybe you're Isaac and you never knew your dad, only that he died at enemy hands in some far flung campaign and six years later you were made to ensure an heir for the baronetcy. Or you're Jeannemary and your mother defied orders, went beyond the rim, and jumped on a grenade. If either of you have surviving parents, they're not considered sufficiently important in this great process of ensuring a suitable heir with a suitable cavalier to keep you. There is no Baron until Isaac comes of age, and the leader of a House needs to be properly trained. You are four or five years old, and you are sent away.

You're five year old Jeannemary. You're not yet sworn to your necromancer, but you've been promised to him since birth and you've been sent away from your planet and your siblings to serve him. You are your generation's Chatur and this is your purpose. And when the cavalier primary of the House you have been sent to sees a little child struggling to see over the table at a reception and props you up with a cushion, you challenge him to a duel. You don't understand why all the adults are laughing. Your honour and your necromancer are all you have left of home. Far away, at the edge of the system, Harrowhark Nonagesimus decides that puppeting her parents' corpses as her House collapses around her is a better fate than yours. At night you are tucked into bed in a room that you don't have to share with any siblings and the man who is looking after you now reads to you from a book of adventure stories and strokes your hair until you fall asleep.

You're nine year old Isaac, swearing to be one flesh, one end with your cavalier in a foreign chapel on a foreign planet. You go to school. The woman who is not quite but almost your mother is helping you to discover spirit magic far beyond the thanergy fission you would have learned at home. She is teaching you to cook and to dance. She tells you that the parts of you which back home would have been considered flaws are your greatest strengths. You have friends and playmates who will never be on the front lines, whose parents write books or engrave stele or organise the bounty of empire from ledgers and transmitter boxes. You are loved and you love, but you are beginning to understand that love comes with a cost.

You are 13 year old Jeannemary. You are back on the Fourth and after last year's bombing you are now cavalier primary. As far as you are concerned, you are grown and ready to serve god and his empire. And you have been denied twice. You don't understand why the people who love you are going to such lengths to stop you from doing what you were born to do or why they have always looked so upset when glorious news comes from home about how someone you would have grown up with, had you not been sent away, has given the ultimate service to the empire. You are cavalier primary of the Fourth House and you fear you are still being propped up on cushions.

You are Isaac Tettares and you are Baron of a planet you spent most of your childhood away from. Everyone else your age long ago shipped out with the Junior Territorials. You are the Baron of a planet but you are not in charge and you have come to understand that your father wasn't in charge either. You love the closest thing you have to parents and they love you. You miss them terribly. You resent the fact that thanks to them you will never truly lead the Fourth. There is talk of a marriage alliance when you are older. You want to be family with them. You don't entirely believe you'll live long enough to marry him when you come of age. And if you do, your half Fifth children will be another crack in what's left of the Fourth House. You miss you dad's stupid jokes and your mum's earnest discussions. You're free of their meddling. You will never be free of their meddling.

You are Jeannemary and Isaac, properly off planet and on display as scion and cavalier for the first time, offered an unimaginable chance to serve god and his empire. You crave the security of your parents. You chafe at the idea that you might be perceived as children. But for a little while you are all together again. You are planning a party. You are making friends. You will all serve the empire together. Perhaps, when you are the fingers and gestures of god, none of these differences will matter any more.

They die horribly. And later so do you. God doesn't care.

[neversetyoufree]

Since we'll hopefully be getting out of the VnC hiatus soon, and this new arc seems to finally be turning the spotlight back to Noé and calling out some of his more troubling traits for the first time, I've been thinking a lot about him recently.

I've talked before on this blog about Noé's inability to recognize or process bad things when they happen to him alone. He bounces back from and idealizes almost any experience as soon as it's over, even when he absolutely shouldn't. It's one of my favorite traits of his, and it's been lampshaded a couple of times in-manga. Louis calls out how weird his attitude toward his kidnapping is during the mémoire 9 flashback, and the "be a little bothered" from Vanitas and co in mémoire 57 has the same effect.

We also recently got a whole extended sequence of Vanitas and Domi complaining about how Noé also never anticipates harm before it might come to him. He waltzes into dangerous situations like it's nothing, almost as if he thinks he's unkillable. Combined with the above, this is just more of his strange brand of optimistic denial. Everything is fine in Noéland! It can't possibly not be fine! He always trusts and thinks the best of people and situations by default, never wanting to expect they may do wrong, and so long as a given event doesn't involve harm to external innocents and/or Noé's loved ones that he can't rationalize away, he compartmentalizes and denies harm once it's done. Thus he carries on in blissful ignorance, his past suffering having no effect on the blithe trust with which he treats the world.

But in addition to all that, Noé is also very notably divorced from the consequences of his own actions. It's not that he's *incapable* of considering his own effect on people, and he certainly tries to be kind and decent, but much of the time, it just doesn't seem to occur to him that people will have reactions to the things he does. He does as he sees fit, and when his deeds impact the people around him, especially if they produce a reaction that could upset him, it bounces off his mind in the same way that potential traumas do.

On the more lighthearted end of the spectrum, this leads to things like Noé never noticing when people are attracted to him. It may also have something to do with his airheaded messiness—the way he's always thoughtlessly making a mess of the hotel room and incurring Vanitas's wrath in bonus materials. On the heavier end of the spectrum, this causes a lot of genuine problems for the people around him. He's largely oblivious to the depth of Dominique's mental health problems until she's pushed to her breaking point at the amusement park, despite the fact that he's inextricably entangled in the cause of them. He also completely loses sight of Vanitas's reactions to him when he gets caught up in his protective rage at the start of the vanoé fight, and it takes an outside reminder from Jeanne and a literal mirror to make him realize that his own actions are part of why Vanitas has devolved to such a state.

This lack of self-perception on Noé's part feeds back into the other problems I laid out at the top of this post, his obliviousness toward his interactions with the rest of the world helping to facilitate his denial. It's part of the happy little insulating bubble that he interacts with the world through. And as the other side of that coin, his automatic, unthinking denial of things that could hurt him is part of what enables him to ignore his own impacts on the people around him. You can't reckon with or worry about harming other people when you live in Noéland where everything must be fine. I think the fact that he wants to be a good person that doesn't harm others actually makes it harder for him to confront the truth of how he impacts the world, because him hurting others is a Bad Thing that would cause him mental harm.

We've seen Noé mess up, understand his mistake, and apologize for it before. He apologizes to Vanitas for making assumptions about him after the bal masqué, he apologizes to Vanitas again at the end of the amusement park fight, and he apologizes to Riche for speaking with ignorance about dhampirs. However, I think the bigger a mistake of his is, the more harm it causes other people (and the more understanding would hurt him as a result), the harder it is for Noé to comprehend his wrongs. He's clearly trying to make things right with Domi, and he's told her that he values her, but I don't know if it's yet occurred to him to conceive of their mess as a situation where he's done her active wrong. He also literally passes out on her mid-conversation, leaving Domi and Vanitas to carry him back to bed when he was supposed to be comforting her.

But I think the most fascinating example, the moment where all this comes together into Noé's most feeble and blatant act of denial yet, is the first time he sees Misha after clawing up his face. The anime actually changes this detail, which is its own can of worms to get into, but in the manga, when Noé sees Misha's injuries in the light of day after attacking him, he immediately fucking turns around.

At the end of his wits at the amusement park, Noé claws a child across the face in a fit of anger and protectiveness. I'm not interested in condemning Noé for this, especially given that the child in question was actively trying to stab Vanitas at the time, but I will say that his actions are quite extreme. Given Vanitas's response and the way Misha's injuries are portrayed, I think it's clear that the manga wants us to see how Noé hurts Mikhail as something troubling and extreme. He gives that kid a pretty horrible injury, and Misha will likely have scars on his face for the rest of his life.

And regardless of how justified he may or may not have been in hurting Misha in defense of Vanitas, it's clear that Noé himself is upset by the true extent of what he does to Mikhail's face. When he looks at him in the light of day, when he sees a numb-looking child with his face wrapped in still-bloody bandages, though we only get to see a small segment of his face in that moment, he looks sick. He knows that he's done something troubling, and I'm sure he feels all kinds of heavy and unpleasant emotions.

This is one genuinely bad thing he's done that Noé cannot deny. He can't rationalize this one away and make it all copacetic. He can't conveniently forget the emotional reality of suffering and harm, because that reality is standing ten yards away from him. And he can't just apologize for things either, because apologies cannot undo physical harm, and frankly, I'm not sure he'd be able to give an honest apology for his one. Sickness at the results of his actions doesn't mean he fully regrets hurting Misha, at least not at this moment when emotions are still raw.

But Noé, confronted with this undeniable source of guilt and pain, is still ultimately unable to look the pain he's caused in the eye. A problem piercing through the happy veil of Noéland and forcing him to acknowledge it doesn't mean he's capable of reckoning with that problem. Instead he just. turns away from it.

Noé, forced to acknowledge a harm he's done and unable to employ all the many layers of automatic insulation that usually protect him, physically turns around because he cannot bear to look at the person, the child, that he's hurt. He employs the very last possible form of avoidance available to him, even though it's useless in the ways that matter. Not looking at Misha doesn't mean he gets to un-know the fact that he maimed him, but he simply cannot bring himself to look.

Noé is extremely good at playing "I do not see it" with things that hurt him. He's good enough that I think he has genuinely no idea he's doing it a vast majority of the time. Whatever mental shield he has that's protecting him is automatic enough that the badness that could hurt him doesn't ever even seem to cross his conscious mind. But no matter how automatic and subconscious, this tendency of his is still, and the end of the day, nothing more than an unhealthy coping mechanism, and this moment helps to put that to our attention.

What's the difference, really, between him cheerfully acting like Jean-Jacques and Chloé's assaults never upset him and him turning around so he doesn't have to look at the wounds he gave Mikhail? Noé can't look at pain, can't acknowledge the things he finds upsetting (at least not things that cause him alone pain, as others' pain often triggers his savior complex and spurs action). This scene with Misha throws that into the light, forcing Noé to desperately cling to his avoidance in an obvious and physical way.

Even when there's no way to deny the harsh reality of having done something he finds horrific, Noé Archiviste cannot make himself look directly at a painful truth, be it others wronging him or his own wrongdoing. It takes an external hand to step in and force him to turn his head and acknowledge/reckon with a problem. And even then, who knows if intervention can always be successful.

The start of the dham arc so far has drawn a lot of attention to this pattern of behavior, with Vanitas having to sit Noé down and explain to him in detail why his words said in well-meaning ignorance make Dante so upset. This is Noé being forced to look at a harm he caused because he couldn't or wouldn't look at and comprehend the problem (his fellow vampires' racism) in the situation he was in. But upsetting Dante is ultimately a low stakes problem for Noé. He put his foot in his mouth and offended a peer; he didn't shred Vanitas's little brother. He's able to accept his wrongs and feel his discomfort without resorting to physically turning around and avoiding the issue.

I want to know what Noé will do if/when this arc forces him to confront a source of pain he can't handle in a context that's more high stakes than a social faux pas. I want to see what he'll do when something really forces him beyond his ability to believe that everything is fine. How badly would he have to be hurt to lose his ability to filter an event/events through rose colored glasses? How badly would he have to hurt someone else? Or is his instinctive shield good enough that he'll never get out of it on his own? And if so, who else might step in to make Noé own up to reality?

Teacher and the Archivistes are becoming plot-relevant now, and our attention is being drawn to Noé's issues. I think there might be something coming soon that even Noé can't turn away from and cheerfully pretend isn't hurting him. Teacher even ends his appearance at the amusement park with a little speech about having to "wake and face reality," which makes me even more certain that a wake-up call for Noé is imminent.

Either that, or Noé's going to mess up and hurt somebody even worse than he hurt Misha later this arc, and in that case, we might get to see a feat of denial even worse than him literally turning around to avoid looking at the wounds he caused.

[briefpeachdinosaur]

Being in a relationship with Vanitas

anime/manga Vanitas no carte

headcanons on this drama queen and a nsfr part but I put a Warning there too.

He is SO dramatic I love it cuz I'm dramatic ( I would LOVE to date him )

Please ignore the grama mistakes

•he loves to kiss you anywhere honestly

•lips, hands, cheeks, shoulder or neck he is in for all of it

• suprise kisses to get your attention

•do this all on him he will blush so hard and easly

•It's easy to get him blush

•He loves to see how embarrassed you are after you make out with him.

•Like really, he loves the view of your cheeks being tomato Red and breathless because of him ( remember how he looked at Jeanne after he kissed her?)

• if your easy to blush then rip he will take advantage of it

•or if you laugh easly when he tickels you

•he LOVES to have you on his lap he thinks you belonge there

•he also has full control to tickel you or bite/kiss your neck or shoulder

Anyways uhm-

•he is into PDA he always has his arm on your hip, waist, shoulder, hand in Hand or Arm in Arm or press your wrist a little to make you blush...

•He really couldn't care less what anyone thinks tbh

• he is also a polite and respectful King, if your not into PDA he won't push you.

•If you wear glasses or smt rip part 2. He will take your glasses hold them up with a smug smile, where you can't reach them only to make you cling on him to get them ( step on his foot to make you become taller or try to cling like idk what on him to get them) only for him to kiss you on the lips in the end and putting them on you.

• he gives you so many nicknames just to annoy you, he is a trasing bitch but he also loves your name or how you say his Name so he dosen't really want a nickname because he likes the way you say his Name with your shooting voice that sends shivers down his spine because It's like honey, in his ears your voice is sugar sweet.

•he was not very happy to be in acuall love.

• his reaction to him acually being in love with Jeanne was the one he got when he realised he was in love and not had a simple crush on you

•the answer to why is simpel, it's because this guy has many walls around him, I don't really think he likes himself and he has a plethora of personality disorders and there mostly control related bc of the trauma he has and It's not like he dosen't get himself but he dosen't get himself enough.

• It's not suprising honestly, he lost his mother in child birth but it didn't start there it was when he lost his father and friends. I don't think he ever thought something this drastic would happend ( I mean who does that) and not to mention the story of what that crazy ass doctor did to him.

•before he understood the true meaning of love he also liked the control he had over you ( or that what he thought he had over you) cuz your not someone who let's themselfs be controled or just changes for this guy.

• he thought he knew you but you always had something under your sleev up and you began to fall and fall for you.

•I mean how could he not?

•in the beginning he still had his walls around him that made it hard for you to understand him fully

• you don't only Deal with an intelligence, teasing or playful doctor but also with the hurted man he is.

•Remember, he has been through so much, he has trust issues, he literlly dosen't trust anyone ( me too lol)

• He is also scared of losing people close to him, thats why he didn't wanted to be togehter with you and didn't wanted to let you in, in the first place and acually was like "yeah that can't be!" Bc he was scared he lose you

•not to mention he likes to have it in his control so letting go of that was very hard but he knew he had to, to make this work.

•when he realised he is in love with you like, Serously in love he goes through all the stages of denial

•(remember how he reacted when he was in acuall love with Jeanne?)

•he was super shy after that and wanted to not see you cuz he was also very nervous... and scared and didn't know how to act around you anymore

• he thought he was sick and about to die LOL HAHAH

• spoiler: you guys still got togehter LMAFO

•in the beginning of the relationship he was not so shy anymore but still he sometimes got a bit tensed up when you touched him... or just being near him... or being in the same room as him haha

•he got used to it and was then his normal teasing self again after some time but he was more gentle with you, more thoughtful and he droped the act or more likely droped his Maske that he wore around everybody little by little more and more

•being completly vulnerbul was hard for him and it took a lot of time for him so you have to be Patient.

•you have to communicat that he has to tell you stuff about his Plans because he always keeps it to himself and that he can trust you

•This little shit will try to make you leave him

•not only for him but also because of you, he dosen't want to lose you or that you be in danger only because of him

•but your more stubborn then he is and he is secretly thankful that you stay

• you have to communicat that you choose to go with him and face the danger that comes with his job

• he might be silence after that so you say somethink like " Vanitas say something please"

• He understands and knows that a healthy relationship is not only about loving the other person but also about not controlling it, trusting them, understanding them and communicating, being emotionaly and physicaly committed, being there for each one, listening to each other, being there in there lowest points, talking about problems and not being afraid to talk about them, opening up, respecting each other and sloving problems and that also includes having to open up or having unconfortable Talks to slove issues and so on.

•he does tell you more about Plans and even a little of himself but not everything at once. He Shows you more sides of him and acually likes having you around while on a Mission.

•your smart, absolutly Beautiful ( most beautiful person he had ever seen) and strong ( ok if you had no one to train you before he did or if your a human and not a Vampire your probally weaker them him cuz my man is STRONG AS HELL he just dosen't show it all the time, if your however stronger he thinks It's super hot)

•when he is ready to open up about really everything what happend to him then I think It's when he let's it all out, also the emotions he supressed. So be there for him and let him be vulnerable he really needs your comfort bc he has so much unhealed trauma.

•if he falls for someone he FALLS for them

•when he is at his lowest point be there for him.

• Vanitas does the same for you

• with him you don't need to be scared or ashamed about your past, mistakes, feelings or what happend to you, or what you want. He will be very understanding and comfort you the way you like it.

• He will be there for you and listen to you and hug you.

•if you need something like food he will get it to make you feel better.

• if you need space he will give it to you.

• Vanitas is good at cooking and he'll make your favorite food himself when no one does it. He can also clean and he himself is very clean too!

•He will be the one to make your wishes and wants come true, he promised you that.

• He likes it when you compliment him.

• just give him a lot of compliments, some will make him blush a lot too

•if you tease him about it he feels like he is mealting and dying at the same time and he looks like a tomato bc he is so embarrassed about it help-

•dates with him are either in the City and having a lot of fun togehter while you eat and look at all the great places with him.

• or a shopping date, I think he wants you to show him everything you want to buy or wear.

•he is also not afraid to pick something for you because he will buy you everything you want.

•he gives you compliments that are heartfull but he will also give you some to tease you and make you blush a lot.

•he loves to see you that way...

• if you ask him to explain why he likes this ans that about you He will give you a big big explenation about it and you will end up with more confidence and to love that part about you even if you didn't pay attention to it or disliked it before.

•He loves to get to know you more, he wants to know all of you like the back of his hand.

•he will buy you some Roses you want on the date or just randomly.

• expect gifts from him

• he loves how you react to his gifts and hos happy your are about them.

•loves how exited you get on dates or anything you like.

•loves talking to you and listening to you.

•he loves to take you on a date to a place that he found beautiful if It's a very fancy Restaurant that you wanted to go or a place he thought you liked, really anything.

•you guys have a lot of Talks at roof tops. At night when he is not in bed with you and you randomly wake up he is up there.

•you'll cuddle and Gaze at the sky or have deep talks/ random Talks

• He takes care of you and your relationship.

•being in a relationship with vanitas has his ups and downs like every relationship.

•not only is his job dangerous but also he himself can be very hard to Handel

•He is not only your boyfriend, he is also his own human being just like you so it will be hard

•but it will be worth in the end !!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~♡♡♡~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This will have some smut in it so Minors do not interact ( I really don't care if your a minor just don't comment then everything is fine ig)

•Tbh a part of me thinks he is a Virgin..

•I don't know why, he seems expirienced with women in the sense of flirting (he is smooth) but also... his scars that he dosen't want anyone to see... but that dosen't mean he never had Sex with someone yk?

•the first time you did it he was super red in the face and nervous but you can decide to think if he took the lead or not I don't make the rules

•he was very gentle and sweet not wanting to hurt you ( or himself )

• He was slow and took his time knowing you have to get used to that feeling and that when he Puts it in it hurts in the beginning so he ask you if your doing okay or if he hurted you

•if you look hurt or made a noise that sounded painful then he will be very worried and ask if your okay

•if you where the one to slowly undress him oh boy-

•he was a tomato

•kiss one of his scars and he feels like his heart will mealt bc how can he deserve such a wonderful person like you???

•anyways I think he is a big switch

•he likes to be on top and hear your moans and see how embarrassed you get or how you want more of him

•if you scrach his back or arms the next day he sees them and acually blushes

•save to say that he loves them and he isn't ashamed to show them off or talk to you about how he loved it (Literlly)

•like he PROUD to have them

•he loves to go down on you and eat you out and might eveb stay a little longer there for the nice view and the noises you make or that he wants you to ask him to continue and give you more.

•his lips are mostly connected with your lips or body and if not his head might be on your shoulder or neck or he just watches you

•he loves the way your voice sounds when he makes you moan or how you say his Name.

•he loves to moan in your mouth or when you moan in his mouth

•might bite you a little

•if you do it on him he is this then 🍅🍅🍅🍅

•i think he can be a big tease too durning the act but he isn't mean or annoying but he wants to make you laugh and long for more

• he is totally in for trying something new if you want to

• if you have a secret kink he WILL try it with you and would be so happy to try it with you like- he is so down bad and has no problems showing it to you

•Save to say that you don't need to be ashamed bc of anything infront of this man he is literlly your save space and he knows your his save space.

• he promised to make all your wishes and dreams come true remember? That also includes when your having Sex with him.

•( i think he wants a friend who has a kink lol, bc the way he always ask everybody if they have a kink Shows it)

•sometimes when you do foreplay he will make you laugh

•you guys probally bump heads every now and then when you do it in a more fun and playful manner that night and laugh a lot.

• will tickel you bc he loves your laugh

•Sex is something that (like everything) needs time and practice and you will see what you like or dislike after time but you have to speake about your likes and dislikes.

• I think he likes someone who is into it just like he is, so if your not feeling it he won't feel it either.

•if however, I was wrong and he is not a Virgin (and you maybe also not a Virgin) then tell him what you like and dislike It's very Important to know what the other person is comfortable with.

•if your on top he is about to pass out cuz you?????? On top of him??!!??? It will leave him breathless and his heart will beat so fast he thinks he will pass out but happy ;)

•he will tell you how good you are and how your so beautiful (it dosen't matter if your on top of him or not he will give you these compliments)

•be it under him or on top of him It's the best view he ever saw in his life

•just imagine you on top of him and oh how your hips move so good again his...

•as your head is going up cuz of the pleasure you feel while he looks up to you and you look down on him again and meet his eyes

•both of you are a red and moaning mess

•he takes you hips in his skilled hands and is now in a sitting Position where your still on top of him and he is now even deeper into your body while your kiss and look at each one. Scrach his arm while moaning inside his mouth and he thinks he will pass out again bc how can he not?

• you guys kiss alot on the lips It's even better ! He thinks, with all the heat that was build up while you come togehter...

•Vanitas is a King of after care.

• He takes care of you after the act.

•like I said he takes care of you, your relationship and after you guys do it.

Okay thats it for now..

I hope you liked it!!!

[the-ultimate-puppeteer]

Jeanne ‘D Arc with a Half Oni/Mixed blood Male S/O

•So I bet your curious how you even met Jeanne? Obviously you met her at chaldea

•You are actually another master that survived the explosion that bustard Lev set up to kill do many members Of chaldea

•How did you survive? Well it was honestly all thanks to your mixed blood lineage, really who would thought having an Oni as a direct ancestors would work out do well

•So you ended up going to the First singularity with Mash along with the twins Gudao and Gudako

•That's actually that's where you ended up meeting Jeanne D'Arc thought things were tense at first

•While she was nice enough to mash and the twins she seemed guarded around you, which you found off

•It's wasn't until you finally decided to ask her straight up what her problem was

•It's seemed fair given that because of her wariness you almost ended as wyvern food

•That's when she brought up how she'd been sensing something off about you, like there was something dark and malevolent buried inside, it felt like it was restrained but dangerous

•That's when it clicked for you, and you ended up telling her about you being a descendant of Oni kind making you a mixed blood

•That's what she was sensing, it was a consequence of being a mixed blood that you could undergo an Inversion impulse and become a Crimson vermillion red.

•It's was especially true for you given that your blood ran thicker than you parents blood did but it was something you kept a tight leash

•You explained that to her and you could visibly see her relax, she seems to understand that while that was apart of you it wasn't something that made you a threat

•It's was after that that you started to actually bond with Jeanne and eventually though you knew each other for a short time it was obvious there was something developing between you two

•That's why when it finally came time for the singularity to close you were the most upset by it

•Though the sorrow didn't stay fir long, given that she was summoned to Chaldea by chance after attempting to summon more servants

•Needless to say you were excited, our smile visibly lit up the room when you saw her

•And lucky for you, she remembered who you were, which is why it was so easy to finally confess your feelings to each other

•You are actually Jeanne’s first relationship, she never had time for romance when alive do your gonna have to take the lead a lot

•She may not look it but Jeanne is very protective of you, she knows you like to fight probably cause of your Oni blood but that doesn't mean she won't try to minimize the injuries you get

•It also doesn't prevent you from being scolded by her for being reckless.

•Jeanne absolutely loves to cuddle so you better be prepared, cuddling with her feels like being enveloped in a warm blanket

•It's even better that she smells like the sun, it's very peculiar feeling but not an unwelcome one

•This shouldn't come as much of a surprise but she's not the jealous type, why should she be jealous? You choose her outta all the servants to be with and she the type to trust in her feelings and your love for her

•Also not a surprise but She loves affection especially kisses, there's just something about them that she especially loves and not just regular kisses she loves all types of kisses. Kissing on the lips just happens to be her favorite

• She's aware that eventually, your relationship might have to end once the grand order is finished. For now, though, she's going to envelope you in all her love and make wonderful new memories with you, ones that even the throne of heroes is bound to remember.

@melodic-haze @crimecarter

[wuntrum]

do you have any tips for an artist who wants to start making one off comics? i really enjoy your artistic direction and style of story telling so i’m very interested in your thoughts on it

yes, definitely!!

-read lots of comics! and a variety of them, too--both ones in the sort of genre/style you'd like to make, but also ones in completely different genres, lengths, places of origin, traditionally/indie/digitally published, simple to experimental formatting, etc

-in relation to the last one, if a comic you read really speaks to you, take some time to study some page layouts from that comic! how do the panels vary from page to page? how much space is the text taking up? what sort of "shots" (to borrow from cinematic language lol) are they using? these shouldn't be fancy, just little thumbnails, but i find it really helps. here's a few i did from a guest in the house by emily carroll

-start smalllll. its really important to build up your stamina, just like with any new sort of skill. if you wanna make a graphic novel thats 200+ pages long, you should make some comics that are 1, 20, 50 pages long and see them through to the end before taking on a super big project.

-this is related to the last point, but i think keeping your cast of characters small at first can also help build up your comic stamina. signals was the first longer comic i made, so i specifically really wanted to focus on just jeanne (and occasionally her parents and peers when they showed up)

-character sheets are helpful, but i also think the easiest way to start getting your characters drawn consistently is through actually drawing the comic! there's also gonna be panels where they look "off" or whatever, and its literally fine, i promise

-through the smaller comics, experiment with how you go about writing your story! theres no right or wrong way to write/plan out a story so, it takes some trial and error to figure out what will work best with your work flow. for me, i've found success in making a timeline of events for the story -> loosely guessing how many pages i'll need/want per section of the story -> freewriting (trying not to edit too much, just dumping all the words out) -> thumbnailing/loose sketching/editing text (all sort of happens in the same step; i find i need the layouts in front of me to understand what i need/don't need from the text i wrote) -> tight sketching -> final . but, if that flow doesn't work for you, try something else! i know a lot of comics people find success in writing a script first, with indications of page and panel-by-panel breakdowns

-take shortcuts often and without guilt. its a lot of work to make a comic! theres just a lot of drawings involved, that most people aren't gonna look at for very long! i especially recommend for infrequent/difficult things, like buildings or crowds or cars or bookcases, using some sort of 3d asset/brush to make your life easier. if you can reuse a drawing and change the crop/expression, do it!

-use some sort of tracker to track your progress on how many pages you've sketched/inked/finished. even if you don't have an external deadline, i think it's still good to give yourself some sort of timeline to work on (i recommend setting "ideal" goals and "realistic" goals, especially if you're working/still in school/etc). for signals, i used google sheets, because you can set up columns to be attached to little circle charts, so as you check off your progress, you can really easily see how much you've done/how much you have left to do (as i type this i highkey forget how i did that before, with signals, so...you might need to do some sheets experimentation to actually do this lol. but there's probably other trackers you can use too)

-understanding comics and making comics by scott mccloud are both great books, highly recommend them (easy to get second hand/from your library/🏴‍☠️)

-lastly, haveee funnnnn

[novankenn]

Can you write Harley meeting her grandson Adrian for the first time?

Saphron fidgeted nervously on the couch, while her wife Terra sat completely terrified at the figure seated across from them, bouncing their miraculous bundle of joy on her lap.

Mama Arc (Harley Quinn): Oh... aren't you just the cutest, sweetest puddin' I ever did saw!

Harley tips Adrian backwards and blows a razzberry on his chubby tummy.

Adrian: *Giggles*

Mama Arc: Oh you are TOO precious!

Harley blows another razzberry on Adrian's tummy.

Mama Arc: I could just EAT you!

Terra gave her wife and love of her life a panicked look. She had heard the FIRST-HAND stories Saphron had about her family's more... interesting exploits, and she was definitely not going to assume anything is out of the realm of possibility for Saphron's family... anything.

Saphron: Mom?

Mama Arc: I should just scoop you up, my little puddin' and take you home! Would you like to come home with grand-mama? Would you?

Adrian: *Giggles and Coos*

Saphron: Mom?

Mama Arc: Yes Saphi?

Saphron: Not that it's not GREAT to have you just show up without warning...

Saphron delicately reached out, and obvious sign she wanted her son back.

Mama Arc: That is... rude.

Saphron: Mom?

Mama Arc: I raised 8 or you, on my own without any help from that useless manic twit of a father. I am more than... capable to hold on to my only grandchild... safely.

Harley holds Adrian in the air and makes a goofy face at him.

Adrian: *Giggles*

Harley: And I think I raised you all into well adjusted adults. Well everyone except Utena. She's an odd one.

Saphron: Well adjusted???

Adrian : *Sniffles*

Mama Arc: Oh, it's okay puddin'. It's okay. grand-mama won't let anyone hurt you... ever. Your mama didn't mean to scare you.

Harley pulls Adrian into a comforting hug, ending his tears before they could even start.

Mama Arc: Don't raise you voice, Saphi. It's counter-productive.

Saphron: Sorry.

Mama Arc: Now why did you...

Saphron: We're not well adjusted. Well Jaune and I are... but you and everyone else...

Mama Arc: How dare you slander your family like that?

Saphron: How? How? The wedgie incident.

Mama Arc: Phish. That was nothing.

Saphron: Nothing? Two ten year olds and a thirteen year old... Joan Jeanne and Rebecca burned down Ansel's elementary school because someone gave Jaune a wedgie!

Mama Arc: You'll understand once this little angel starts school. You'll understand... I have no doubt in my mind about it.

Saphron: And why...

Mama Arc: You're my daughter after all... you're my daughter.

(A/N - Hope this is along the lines of what you envisioned. )

==> Original <==

[mahs-dumpster]

"Happy 100th Anniversary."

a/n: this was SO FUN. But also. Floyd was incredibly hard to write. I hated every second of it. So it was fun but also not? Anyway. Also no oc x canon content can you believe this?? I didn't mention Kalim ONCE this feels wrong man

cw: maybe OOC Floyd but I did my best! Poor attempts at making this look like a translation post from a vignette

Template for the frames can be found here

Words: around 900

Jeanne: Ah… this place is gigantic, I feel like I'm never reaching the end of it. 

Jeanne: and I’ve yet to see any pictures of the– oh!

Jeanne: there it is! I’ve been looking all over for this one! 

Jeanne: it’s just as incredible as I’d imagine… 

???: Geez Codfishie, I didn't take you as the type to like art.

Jeanne: …and there's only one person in NRC who’d call me by such an irritating nickname.

Jeanne: Floyd. Do me a favor: stop with that habit. Either choose another nickname or just call me by my actual name, is that too much to ask?

Floyd: Who’s this guy? He has a funny looking face.

Floyd: Oh, look, he’s even got a hook just like you!

Jeanne: And now you’re ignoring me. *Sigh* That’s a pirate i’ve admired ever since I was young.

Jeanne: He’s been fighting a fae kid for ages, wanting revenge from the day he made him lose his hand. That’s why he uses a hook.

Jeanne: I know him because my dad used to tell me stories of this pirate, if I made a good job helping him out in his business he’d even give me a children’s book talking about him.

Jeanne: After I lost my hand, I’ve grown attached to his story. I related to his sense of justice, of wanting to make that kid pay for what he did.

Floyd: You never really told me how ya lost your hand, not that I care.

Floyd: But most importantly…

Floyd: A KID? SERIOUSLY?

Jeanne: H-hey! I said the little bastard was a fae!! He was probably years older than he looked!! 

Floyd: Right, right. Codfishie, I had no idea you admired such a loser! Losing his hand to a kid? What is he, an idiot?

Jeanne: Don’t speak that way about my childhood hero!! I’ll cut your throat open with my own hook if you keep that up!

Floyd: Oh? Codfishie wants to fight? Come at me!

Jeanne: You..! Ugh, whatever. When we go back to Octavinelle we will, just so I can make you swallow your words, dumbass.

Floyd: But that’s no fun…

Jeanne: Don’t look at me like that. If Azul catches us fighting in the museum it’s over for me and you so get over it.

Jeanne: I’l beat your ass soon enough.

Floyd: Oh, look at this one. The lighting is pretty intense, I like it.

Jeanne: It looks very pretty, yeah. Isn’t that the mermaid princess from the legends? Who’s the old geezer?

Floyd: I think it’s her father. This is probably depicting when he broke all her stuff.

Floyd: I think she was pretty dumb to go into a deal without knowing the consequences, but i guess she was desperate to leave after this. Doesn’t change the fact that she’s super stupid for that.

Jeanne: No, I get that. Desperate times call for deperate measures.

Floyd: That’s very uncharacteristic of you. You pity her or something?

Jeanne: I don’t, ok? But I was in a similar situation so I understand the thought process.

Floyd: Hm? You were? Why’d you let them detroy your stuff? Ya should've just squeezed them instead.

Jeanne: It was a punishment. I did something an authority figure didn’t like and they destroyed my toys in return.

Jeanne: I’m over it at this point, it’s been years since that happened. But I understand that, wanting to escape that situation. It’s hard to have a father like that.

Floyd: So it was your father?

Jeanne: …

Jeanne: Hey, look! It’s a painting of that warrior who saved her country!

Floyd: Where??

Jeanne: I’m so glad he has a short attention spam…

Floyd: This looks kinda cool. I like how the blade goes right in the middle.

Jeanne: Right? She looks so cool!

Floyd: You’re awfully excited for this one. You a fan of her too?

Jeanne: Hm… I wouldn't say I'm a fan, but she's super awesome, don't ya think?

Jeanne: She pretended to be a man to fight in the army in place of her father. Just the fact that she managed to make people believe she's a guy is incredible, and for so long too.

Floyd: That's not really hard for you.

Jeanne: Did you decide to wake up today and irritate me or something? 

Floyd: She also defeated that dude who tried to invade her country too, huh? Pretty bold. Who would’ve thought such a small thing like her could do all that.

Jeanne: That's because she's got something you men don't have: a brain.

Floyd: Hey now.

Jeanne: In comparison to men, us women have a biological disadvantage. Well, at least with actual humans, beastmen are a totally different story.

Jeanne: In terms of strength, she’d never defeat him, but in terms of wit… unfortunately for him she's incredibly smart.

Floyd: Stop, you're sounding like Azul now.

Jeanne: It’s the truth, physical strength isn't everything. At least one thing Azul got right.

Floyd: Ah, that sucks. Codfishie got boring all of a sudden.

Floyd: I’m leaving. 

Jeanne: Already? You get over stuff to quickly.

Jeanne: Don't lose yourself in the museum.

Jeanne: Ah, another painting of the pirate captain! And he’s fighting that kid too…

Floyd: Piss off.

Jeanne: he should’ve thought twice before he messed with a pirate. I'm sure he’s gonna make that brat pay for ever crossing his path.

[oddlylongtelephonecord]

I have a lot of thoughts on vnc but tbh it can all be summed up by saying that if Vanitas doesn't end up being canonically queer, it’s one of the first actual instances of queerbaiting I have seen.

Like, what people don’t often realize is that just because who characters are close, that doesn’t at all mean that they are implied queer. (I realize how dismissive this sounds, I only mean to say that to be queerbaiting, it has to be intentional and with the end goal of drawing in a queer audience)

I could talk about this for hours, but even shows that are the most basic definitions of queerbaiting weren’t actually queerbaiting.

Voltron is a prime example. Keith was queer-coded (kind of, but I don't have time rn to unpack all of that). But his and Lance’s relationship was never actually queerbaiting.

The same stuff applied to so many shows.

People want to claim the show was queerbaiting because the popular queer couple didn’t go canon, but what people rarely realize is that either they couldn’t make them queer due to censorship or they never intended for them to be queer in the first place. I won’t even lie, y’all don’t seem to understand that if the queer-coding is unintentional, then the character, by definition, cannot be queerbaiting. Because to queerbait, the author has to intentionally queer-code a character to draw in a queer audience, then have then leave the character's sexuality ambiguous.

But now on to vnc. Vanitas is a little bit different than your traditional queerbait character, because while yes, he is in a relationship with a woman, it feels very forced and out of place. Even from the beginning, there doesn’t actually seem to be any connection between the pair, with Jeanne even going as far as saying she hates Vanitas.

But in the end, the one Vanitas always returns to is Noe. The only one he ever actually expresses any concern for is Noe. The only one he has even implied any care for is Noe.

In s2 of the show, or chapter 42 of the manga, Vanitas is shown with Jeanne. But in a flashback showing Luna telling Vanitas to find someone to open his heart to, it doesn’t only cut to Jeanne, it’s cuts to Noe. Because in the end, Vanitas will always return to Noe.

In the most recent chapter, Luna tells Vanitas to “pick something that will be soothing to have with him” and once again, the next scene is one of Vanitas seemingly begrudgingly sitting next to Noe.

Vanitas is always close to Noe. He rarely touches him in any “loving” sense, but wherever Noe is, Vanitas won’t be far behind.

Long story short, Vanitas’ character is the exact definition of queerbaiting. He is heavily implied to love Noe in some way or another, but (at least at present) he is put with a woman.

Now, I honestly believe that this might change. I’m not super confident, but I think it’s possible because the author of the series is very intentional with everything they do.

Nothing is ever done unintentionally, and I don’t think that they would unintentionally imply that Vanitas was queer. At this point, it really just comes down to whether or not the author is trying to queerbait, but we won’t know that until the story is finished.

tldr: Vanitas’ character, at present, qualifies as queerbaiting, but we won’t know for sure until the series is over

[lycanluxurydining]

Getting to know Cash! ÒVwVÒ

○•●Bio/Personality●•○

Cash is a 26 year old Pure Blood Werewolf.

He is color blind(greyscale like how dogs are thought to see) and is not the sharpest knife in the crayon box, but is loyal to a T and will fight for those he cares for. He is very much a golden retriever mentality and is unintentionally goofy, he is frustrated at being color blind so he will always guess the color of items, trying to figure out what color an orange is was a long and frustrating conversation with Jeanne. He has a habit of eating when anxious, excited, angry...he eats. He has been blacklisted from so many food deliveries because of this, and he has to get his mail from a po box now, hes very sad the mail carrier does not come by anymore. He has freckles all over(not pictured above) when he gets really bored he just connects the dots on himself.

In this world being a pure blood means he has better control over his forms and acess to more of them than someone who is cursed/blessed with blood or magic. He never met his mother and ended up being raised by a ranger on a nature reserve, she used to sing Johnny Cash songs to him when he was little, sleepy, or having trouble with his transformations (this would help calm him down) which is where he got his name.

His best friend in the world and companion is a Jumping Spider that lives in his hair named Jack, (if y'all wanna see them together lmk^^) he would eat bugs off of Cash when he was an before Ranger Liddell found him and started taking care of him, he was very roudy but was well taken care of, he had gash running along his face and arm, Liddell was able to stitched and cleaned him up after a lot of fussing.

•●○Story so far○●•

Cash's other scars come from when he was around 12 he was not allowed to hang out with human children due to fears of him being hurt or hurting someone. He was able to make friends with animals, and he found out the hard way that making friends with bear cubs is not the best idea.

At the age of 21, he came across a couple camping, they spotted him and thought he was a furry(he still has no clue what that is) they stayed in the reserve and for about a week, Cash had never had friends this long so he was really excited. The last time he saw them a night when the womans old boyfriend and a few of his buddies found them appearently they had been looking for them, they were beating them, Cash saw this and transformed into his wolfman state, berserk and barely able to control any actions he slashed at the men and almost killing them, it would have been worse if Ranger Liddell didn't shoot him in the shoulder with silver bullets she was saving in case the werewolf who gave Cash the scars came back. She brought him back to the station and fixed him up. He didn't remember any of it and was always trying to get her to stop crying at night, it was at that point he decided to set out on his own, not wanting to make Liddell sad anymore.

He lived in the mountains for a few more years in a cave where he could transform and make sure he wouldn't change and hurt anyone on a full moon. One moon though around his 25th birthday he was not able to get back to his cave in time his full monster form came out and rampaged though the forest and into a heard of cattle. He woke up the next morning not knowing where he was at all. Completely lost he started walking trying to find any signs of home, he eventually came upon a neko girl, Shadow,who helped him integrate into society...as best as he can. She bought him clothes(all of his shirts are puns, he doesn't understand them though) and helped clean him up and gave him a place to stay. Shadow found out the hard way that he does vore, he let her out of course as soon as he woke up though(he can't help that he sleep eats, they've lost so many pillows that way). She started cooking for him and brought him to her restaurant where she works as a waitress, he definetly can wolf down a meal 😃. After a few months of this he decided he needed to get a job so she would have it a little easier. Thats where Cash met Jeanne, the Lamia, being a researcher and scientist she was looking for muscle and an assistant (and if it didn't pan out she had a meal ready.) He doesn't pretend to know what she is researching or anything of the sort but he enjoys the job, plus she loves feeding him lots hot meals now that its colder and wrapping around him like a heating pack to helps her concentrate and hes appearently a cute sleeper...when hes not trying to eat things. And thats where the story is so far^^

•○●Likes●○•

¤His friends

¤Aquariums (he has never been to one but he loves fish and Shadow is planning to take him to one as a surprise, he really wants to see a sturgeon)

¤Warm meals (Pizza, Dumplings, Chicken, Steamed Veggies, sea food especially)

¤Sleeping on a couch

¤Cuddling something in his sleep (pillow, a stuffed animal, or whoever is closest whenever he falls asleep...and has not eaten)

¤Johnny Cash (no one has told him that he has passed they don't have the heart)

¤The wind on his face

¤The sound and smell of the forest and rivers

¤Listening to the crackle and feel the heat if a fire

¤Fishing

¤Being on a boat or in water

●○•Dislikes•○●

¤Apples

¤Bullies

¤Bears

¤Baths (until hes in them)

¤Bats

¤City noises

¤Most Modern technology

¤Hunters

¤Sitting still

¤Yelling

¤Full Moon

¤Dentist

¤Flying

I'm sure more will be added to it all later and if you want me to explain his alternate forms later lmk^^ hope you enjoy d:

[pyromaniacbibliophile]

Bricktober day 20-Supernatural

@lesmis-prompts

____________________________

Do you know what happens when a god falls in love with a city? 

Paris, disenchanted and cynical, red lines around his neck from the guillotines and a thousand scars from a thousand battles. Green eyes that have seen too much war. Hands that always seem, to him, as if they’re stained by blood. The burns curling around his sides from Jeanne. 

Apollo, shining and golden, playing at mortality with all of his heart. So fed up with godhood and pointless gold laurels. Despite his many losses he chooses to be hopeful and young (still so young for a god.) Caught up in these students and their revolution. Uses his silver-tongue to spin tales of victory, of overthrowing the monarchy. Somewhere along the lines he believes it as well. 

When they meet it is with fire and sharp glances, arguments cut and reshaped. Paris laughs at the plans, says it will never work, calls him naive and foolish. Apollo snarls words made to hurt and defends his stance, says that the people will rise. Neither really suspects the other of being supernatural. Neither would really care. 

It is weekly now. They each look forward to it, although they say they don’t. Apollo doesn’t like the cynic who calls himself R, he doesn’t understand how someone can choose to drown in wine instead of fighting. Paris loves the man who says his name is Enjolras, loves him fiercely. He hates him as well, of course, but Enjolras is fighting for liberty, for Paris, and how can a city not love this light? (For once, he accepts the scars this man will indubitably leave on him, accepts them as tribute) 

Then they are alone when they next meet, at night wandering the city. Paris hates to sleep, knows what sharp memories will fill his mind if he dares to dream. Apollo knows sun gods aren’t meant for the night, yet wanders it anyway. They collide in a dark street. They walk, they talk. It turns into wild arguments but this time they feel more like teasing debates. They keep going until the sun rises. Afterwards Apollo thinks he’s falling in love.

The next night they meet again. This time- this time they debate on anything under the sun and they somehow end up kissing in a dead-end alley. It’s incredible, of course it is. When Paris meets Apollo there can be nothing other than sparks. Only neither of them know who the other one is… So when Paris tastes sweet, burning, fruit and realises his tongue and lips are stained gold with ichor, and when Apollo feels red scars circling Paris’s neck and knows, just knows, that they’re from a guillotine…. 

Why, then they both run. 

The next day is a meeting. Paris and Apollo spend the whole time decidedly Not Looking At Each Other and Not Talking To Each Other. Their friends are worried but don’t push. 

They don’t meet in the nights again. 

Apollo, whenever he’s talking to Paris, uses insults he knows will sting. Paris uses sharply weaponised flirting and odd knife-blades of taunts about ‘Apollo’, mostly to Jehan or Ferre. 

It lasts for what seems like forever, but they’re slowly slipping back into their old ways, arguments and disagreements, cynicism and optimism. The arguments are softer and softer by day and Apollo is thinking that he might still love Paris. Paris, of course, never faltered in his. 

Only then the revolution becomes real. Lemarque is dead. Apollo grieves for such a man who believed in change. Paris grieves because his people grieve. A barricade is planned. Things are becoming real and neither entity is sure what to do about it. 

They’re at the barricade. Everyone is dead. Apollo is backed into a corner by guns and Paris sees red and p u l l s. The guns turn on their owners and fire. Blood begins to drip. 

Later, they realise they have matching scars. A city gains the wounds of its people and a god only is wounded if it means something to them. 

The bullet scars are in the middle of their chests. A god and a city, a leader and a cynic, Enjolras and Grantaire, Apollo and Paris. 

That is what happens when a city loves a god. Scars.

[soulstagger]

Kako, got any tips for writing evil/antagonistic characters?

Hmm I was thinking on this ask for awhile.

I think what matters if you want to make a good antagonist or evil character, is to both understand the role you want them to play, but also understand the setting you're putting them in if you are adding them to an established setting.

Them having motives is key, but it doesn't have to be some big grand goal, they just need something that compels them.

Them being strong doesn't matter, in fact the more out of this world op you make them, the harder it is to actually take them serious.

In fact if the only thing to say about your muse that you've added, is how above or stronger they are than everyone, or how they've played or forced situations to happen without actually showing how or why they did this.

Then its a poor character. Like a good hero you need to introduce them in a way that leaves an impact but isn't dumping on what's established too hard.

Jeanne and Mao are great examples of muses that are at the opposite end of the evil spectrum, both in motives and powers.

But both started relatively weak, I picked targets for Jeanne to work her way up over a decade of writing, people respect her op nature because she was made to reach that level. She not only was strong, she mentally and emotionally left impacts on people, stories, and muns without actually needed a lick of power.

Mao on the other hand, had her showing in a small scale repeatedly, she challenged weak people or surprised strong ones, just to puppet them and make use of their skills to bolster her threat. She had a system ready and kept herself hidden so actual god like powers couldn't just flick her out of existence.

Or Lust, in fact. She was entirely emotionless except for a desire for lust, that was used in unhealthy ways. As someone told me, the way she acted without remorse for things that felt so normal to her but horrible for others. That made her at the time, a great villain. Though Lust would redeem herself and spend her life making up for it, Mao would lose and have to be spared by the graces of people. And Jeanne never changes because she isn't meant to be redeemed.

I think what makes a great villain or evil muse, specifically a muse, is having something unique to them that leaves a lasting impact. For Mao its the trauma of being puppeted against your friends, for Lust its that uncanny emotionless reaction to murder and aggressive lewd acts, and for Jeanne its the red and the blood that addicts you.

Its stuff beyond their strength, its Deva's trying to survive by wrapping her slime around Eri's body so he can't ask for help. Its Jeanne's kissing you with blood until you feel a need for her to be around, its Ziatrix' hunger that gives you shivers even when she won't eat you.

Its not about power, or having the connections or answers to everything someone throws at you.

Its about being able to not only be deep as a villain to have interesting things to do, to have a style of operation, but its about also indulging in the heroes and good guys against you, letting them get their licks in, reacting to what they do, even if its way beneath you.

Even the most straight forward, I stab you and you die evil character can be fascinating if you let them thrive in their setting and among those they both fight against and prey on.

Just being op and outclassing everyone in the setting, will never make your muse interesting.

You CAN be like that, but you need to write like they belong and not like they're simply too good for the setting.

[tokiro07]

Toki Reads Shonen Jump 2025, Issue #4/5

One Piece: On the tour of Elbaf, the Straw Hats learn that the Giant youths aren't being raised to be warriors anymore; an anonymous friend of Loki's suggests that he's secretly kind, to Loki's chagrin; Shanks or a lookalike appears with a mysterious partner, summoned by the same demonic sigil as the Elders. "Shanks' " partner has pretty familiar eyelashes...dare I to dream...?

Yozakura: On the day he plans to renew his vows with Mutsumi, Taiyo loses his wedding ring; when he discovers that Kyoichiro took it to polish it, the two have a heartfelt conversation. This was such a good bookend for the series and Taiyo's relationship with Kyoichiro, at least to me since I'm not super invested

Undead Unluck: Andy and Fuuko finish charging up The Heart with their memories, allowing them to take down a fusion of Sun and every remaining UMA. Please, please, please...let the anime get to the end, I need to see this fight animated...

Roboco: It's Wedding Week apparently, with Gaku getting hitched to a girl he saved in the wilderness; Second Year gets jealous and seems to share a story meant to humiliate Gaku, but it turns out to be completely serious and heartfelt despite the subject matter. A weirdly sweet chapter by the end, and certainly always strange seeing Roboco play the straightman

Sakamoto: Sakamoto delivers Heisuke his gun and Piisuke to protect Atari from Torres before rushing to Shin to save him from himself; the flashback to Sakamoto and Shin's meeting begins. I'm suddenly so invested in their friendship, this might motivate me to reread

EluSam: Tokiyuki's drum performance goes terribly, but turns out to be a long con to lure Toki into the perfect position to assassinate him. Seems like an odd gambit, and I highly doubt it's what really happened, but wild if true

Witch Watch: Taiga sacrifices himself in order to allow Kuon to seal Jeanne d'Arc, realizing Ibuki's prophecy. A forgone conclusion, but a well enough written one that I'm not totally unaffected by it

Blue Box: Chinatsu's father regrets prioritizing work over his daughter for his entire life, so he takes a page out of Taiki's playbook and makes a run for it to reach her game in time when his taxi gets stuck in traffic. This might be the most emotionally resonant moment in the series for me specifically

Akane: With a baseline understanding of Issho and Shiguma's history, Akane resolves to figure out the rest of their rivalry through Shiguma's Art; the rest of the Shiguma School resolve to all become Shin'uchi so that they'll be able to reopen their school one day. I saw one comment refer to this as the Sabaody Arc Incident of the series, and I really have no better analysis than that

Kill Blue: Inukai turns out to be Juzo's former child apprentice, who becomes frustrated and disillusioned by Juzo's current behavior; he sets out to eliminate the Jardin members staffed at the school, but is saved by Juzo, proving that he's still the same man, just adapting to the needs and opportunities of his situation. I think Inukai offers an interesting opportunity to the series by giving us a way to see more of the adult Juzo, though it remains to be seen how far Fujimaki will take this concept

Nue: Tsujita pleads with Gakuro not to go after Shiroha because the Fujino Family will certainly kill him and she likes him; Gakuro tells her that he'll give proper thought to her confession; immediately upon infiltrating the Fujino Estate, Gakuro learns that they're one step ahead and expecting a sneak attack. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse at this point, so no comment on this moment until I know the payoff

Kagurabachi: As Iori's memories of Samura try to resurface, the Hishaku arrive at her school to capture her, but Chihiro and the Masumi come to save her. For everything that happened in this chapter, the thing I'm most compelled by is the revelation that Chihiro has earned a reputation in society for being a mass murderer, which will certainly play into the themes of Heroism vs. Sin being levied against the Swordbearers

Chojo: Chojo's old friend Dan, a Yugioh protagonist pastiche, comes to visit, though he is pursued by Rare Hunters; Chojo fends them off with Dan's signature card, a classic YGO trope. I'm with @wickedsick on this one, card game protagonists should be side characters more often, it's such a good bit to see a grown man living like that

Astro Royale: Shikaba turns out to be the organizer of the upcoming event, the Astro Battle Royale tournament, with the Daybreak Ore on the line. We (almost) Have a Title; this kind of gives the impression that the remainder of the series is going to be the tournament, but that doesn't feel right

Kiyoshi: Kiyoshi finishes his basic training with Akari, then begins applied training with Sakaki. ...Is Akari the love interest? Also, I forgot she's supposed to be his partner, she's really not very present...I hope Usui has bigger plans for her, I'd hate for her to just be "The Girl"

Hima-Ten: Suddenly back home, Himari and Tenichi discuss the parameters of Tenichi's employment, expanding his duties and empowering Himari to be more honest with her thoughts and wants. This certainly won't pose any ethical issues when she accepts that she is in fact in love with her housekeeper, who she pays

Ichi: World Hater begins The (legally distinct) Rumbling, but Ichi only gets more excited by the prospect of the hunt and activates an Uroro-Amplified Uruwashi, Hisame's spell. I'm so excited to see Nishi delve into whether or not Ichi's sparkly-eyed obsession with hunting the Magiks is his best quality or simply dangerous naivete, if not both

Shinobi: Tobi blatantly admits to being a ninja, but Mukai thinks it's all part of the Haunted Walk; Yodaka has trouble fighting him in the dark until Hibari and Umineko arrive, allowing him to go all out. I can see other folks disliking it for how dry it is, but I'm still a big fan of Mitarashi's sense of humor; even the dramatic dialogue is pretty clever - "you poor thing, you won't even get to see the moon during your last moments" -> "isn't this great? You'll get to see the moon in your last moments"

Hakutaku: Akamine figures out how Hideout Plan works just from the context of meeting Hikuma, then is suddenly swarmed by friendly wild animals because he's a manic pixie dream man or something; Noto is nearly rejected by the rest of the Tidio team because her actions suggest an incomplete prototype, but she convinces them to give her a chance. I can't help but feel this series is giving a skewed impression of the game dev industry and process; also Akamine's line that there's an annual day of unusual circumstances suggests that there's a supernatural element to this series, which I...don't think I want, but I also feel like that'd be a good twist to make this actually engaging

Syd Craft: Lulu goes to Syd's office to try to get some dirt on him, and instead meets Elio, who she immediately clocks as a crossdresser; through a misunderstanding of a letter delivered by Souffle, the three end up exercising in the middle of the office as a way to...become more romantically charming...I guess? The letter turns out to be a bomb threat. Lulu being introduced to Elio and Souffle and becoming fast friends with both of them is a fun little twist, but until Tsutsui gives me poly or yuri, I won't rescind my earlier assertions that he's a coward

Top three of the week:

Undead Unluck, obviously

Sakamoto Days for continuing to get me so invested after years of mild engagement

Shinobi Undercover for solid dialogue and reminding me why I was so excited to see the Candy Flurry duo coming back

Ichi just barely missed the top 3 this week, I suspect the actual battle next week will push it up a bit, but honestly this whole week was pretty strong for me, so if the next issue brings it just as hard, it could really go any which way...

[madraleen]

The Case Study of Vanitas - Season 1 (ie eps 1-24) A mixed first-watch commentary (*fair warning, i actively dislike stuff)

-the fairy tale style introduction is such a beautiful beginning.

-favonius codex, is that you?

-what is this op, are the guys in love?

-THE AIRSHIP IS SO COOL

-BLUE MOON, AND WHITE-HAIR-GUY SEEING PARIS FOR THE FIRST TIME AS HE HOLDS ON TO VANITAS AS THEY FALL TO THE GROUND AAAHHH

-HUMAN?! VANITAS IS HUMAN?!

-wdym you'll slay him in the end, noe, i'm not prepared for an unhappy ending even though i only just met y'all

-NOE'S FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ARE SO CUTE

-oh okay, so vanitas is human with some blue vampire power

-please freakin decide if vanitas has human nails or claw-like nails 'cause atm, gloveless, he has both depending on the shot

-wtf did just happen between vanitas and jeanne? leave the woman alone.

-akira ishida could be reciting an omelet recipe and i'd still listen all riveted, but the world formula stuff is actually interesting

-every time vanitas interacts with jeanne, i want to slap him.

-lil noe-louis-domi are adorable. the noe-louis-domi ep is the one i’ve been the most interested in so far. like, even if i end up disliking the rest of the anime, this ep is peak, ep.5

-please make me like vanitas. i really want to like vanitas, but for now i'm edging towards dislike.

-ah yes, jeanne/domi is actually a ship i can get behind.

-the op is telling me i'm watching a certain kind of anime and the actual anime is telling me i'm watching an entire different thing and it annoys me

-it's nice hearing kengo kawanishi in roland's role. i haven't heard him in the slightly-deranged/overly-emotional range before.

-awww, roland is a good egg after all!

-oh i see, i do like vanitas, just not when he's being ~alluring. THAT vanitas i don't like

-i repeat, DOMI/JEANNE!

-when jeanne is tricking vanitas, and he's suspecting her but playing along, they're so cute. aw damn, she'll fall for him? blergh

-oh come on, jeanne crying and being scared over whatever's up with her is actually sad

-LET NOE/US PEER INTO YOUR FUCKING MEMORIES, VANITAS! LET US SYMPATHIZE!

-AYUMU MURASEEEEEEEE

-the vanitas and noe interactions are so damn cute.

-hold up hold up, ayumu murase's range??

-pretty sure vanitas is on a time limit or sth, right? where's your earring, vanitas darling?

-no offense but jeanne has more chemistry with chloe in their hellfire witch backstory scene than she has had with vanitas in the entire anime

-nice chloe twist!

-roland, what a good egg

-astolfo's backstory tho <3

-hold up hold up, seriously, ayumu murase's range?????

-roland and olivier though <3 

-i am plagued by mikhails and mishas

-dude, misha's and vanitas' backstory >>> present story, like- the backstories are SO strong and streamlined compared to the present arcs. and i really like lady vanitas

-wait, domi's arc tho? chef's kiss

-poor noe, all of his closest people want him to be the one that kills them.

-MISHA, NOE AND VANITAS ON THE ROOF, PEAK

-aaah, i see, noe "will slay him in the end" as in the end-end, of the story, when vanitas succumbs to the book, okay. the last two eps were peak, i'm so emotionally confused. i'd gladly watch a s2. that said-

-i really don't like how romance is handled, and it's too present to just ignore. i don't find it cute, nor funny, nor romantic, nor alluring, nor particularly toxic, i just find it annoying and forced, lacking chemistry.

-i'm so confused on how i feel about vanitas. there's moments where i liked him, a lot of moments where i was neutral, but lots of others i found him incredibly annoying. but also, he's so complex, which is great, he's a well-crafted character, and you *get* it after you’ve seen these bits of his past, you come to understand him. and part of me thinks that we’re *supposed* to half-like and half-dislike him, that we’re supposed to mirror noe’s sentiments a bit, the “i don’t like you, but also i want to get to know you and to understand you and i’m never leaving your side, ever.” it’s just that for me, vanitas doesn’t have the charm or strength of character to be magnetic even when i dislike him, and i don’t know how i feel about that. i think if i didn't dislike the vanitas/jeanne approach so much, i might have been more fond of him.

-but again, that said: i'd like a rewatch, now that i know vanitas' backstory.

[dgrailwar]

Round 13, Day 1 - Ruler / Alter-Ego

The fight was intense. Blow after blow, each one harder than the last.

Still, the plan seemed to work. With Ruler taking the front, she ended up taking the brunt of the attacks, the Alter-Ego dove in, her bladed leg perfectly slashing into the eye of the goddess, causing her to roar in pain as she stepped back.

The ancient goddess- Medusa- glared at the two Servants. She removed the hand from her wounded eye, blood spilling down her face.

"You're bold. I'll give you that. The Divine Spirit I'm integrated with respects that, however, I do not. That goddess has wiped your minds of her goals, but let me enlighten you of your base roles. You're to fight in the Holy Grail War, and win. Then, a new era that will overwrite humanity will begin to be established. Neither of you have any reason to love humanity… so why do you resist?"

"...So, you're anti-humanity? Makes sense... and, yeah, true. This would be a neat moment for a heel-turn. You're right, I don't like humanity much either. I'll never be able to comprehend them. They're a bunch of twisted, miserable little freaks that don't understand anything about the world they live on. They thrive off of violence, deceit, and betrayal, and without their misery, I wouldn't have been 'born' so broken."

"This is usually where you say 'but'…"

"Right. But… well, I'll save the speech, and just say that I have my reasons. Still... whatever grudge you're holding... it must be real personal, huh?"

"...And you, 'Ruler'? You've been forsaken by mankind, despite giving everything to them. You have every right to despise the human world? And yet..."

The Ruler coughed, placing a hand on her wound, but managing to smile.

"…The only one with the right to forsake humanity is God, and I don't believe He has. Though, that doesn't mean that you don't have a right to anger. Humanity can be cruel and selfish, such are the imperfections of the world that we strive to improve upon moment after moment."

"Besides… I believe you don't loathe humanity as much as you claim to--"

Medusa spoke up, her voice bitter.

"Quiet. Be silent and simply accept your victory, 'hero'."

With that, the Ancient God vanished. The tension in the air began to slowly fizzle out, as the Alter-Ego stretched.

"Well, look at that. We survived. Still... to think that this War would be to 'overwrite humanity'. Crazy. But... well, that explains Cerberus. He was defending Great-Grandmommy. Shame we had to turn that Gorgon into a cyclops, though. Right, blondie?"

"…"

"Uh, blondie?"

The Ruler was staring down a path, deeper within the confines of the chamber.

"This way leads to the Grail. I'm sure of it. Let's keep moving. Still... before we go... can I ask something? I want your honest opinions."

-

Jeanne has taken a point of damage! Two more, and she'll fade away!

[loneheroofironjustice]

The Faker is NOT a Faker

One of the most well known and iconic nicknames for EMIYA is "Faker" referring to the fact that through his Reality Marble's ability to copy and forge the weapons and noble phantasms of other heroes, along with the fact that even his ideal is borrowed from someone else, the dream to be a Hero of Justice. So yeah, him being called a faker among the other Servants is pretty fitting... but at the same time, he is also the least fake among the heroes

Because if you were to dig deeper into him, and truly understand how his power works, and who he truly is, he isn't exactly what he may seem at first

Because he is pretty much the only hero, the only Servant out of every other, to be true to himself. And while every other Servant is a fake

Now why do I say this?

Well, for those who don't know, one must understand what a Heroic Spirit and Servant is.

Now at face value, both Heroic Spirits and Servants are the same, well that isn't exactly true, they are similar and tend to overlap. But are still not the same

A Servant is just a container that is used as a vessel, a medium for the living (ie. The Master who summons the Servant) to perform a specific role, ala the Servant Classes

While the Heroic Spirit on the other hand, is the personification of the Hero's Legends, Myths, and ideals

Now why is it important to know these. well for one thing. It helps explains as to why we have scenes like this

This is the reason why this scene, and other similar scenarios happen in Fate, because I've seen a lot of misconception that the Servants are weaker than they were at life. And that the flesh and blood heroes are stronger. And to that claim, it is false. Because a Servant IS stronger, it is just that, they are only strong against most humans and magi, but a servant would still absolutely rekt you.

But even so, like what was previously mentioned, A Servant is just the container vessel that a Master (usually Human) can use other similarily weak threats. But the Heroic Spirit themselves are stronger.

To put it simply, the Servant is the fragment, or a single aspect of that Hero, while the Heroic Spirit is the Hero entirely, along with any associated legends of them

So to help better clarify the power scaling between I'll show you. First would be the power scaling of usually human heroes (example: Artoria/Arthur, Beowulf, Sasaki Kojiro, Sherlock, Da Vinci, Medusa, Jeanne)

The Hero (Flesh and Blood/Alive) is weak to The Servant (The Container holding a fragment of that hero) is absolutely destroyed by The Heroic Spirit (The Hero in their entirety, along with all the Legends and Ideals of them)

This is the true power scaling, it is for that reason why some of the Servants seems weak, because they are just in a fraction of their entire power.

But of course there is an alternative case, (Referring to: Gilgamesh, Heracles, Cu Chulainn, Ishtar, Altera etc.) These heroes are examples in where the real life versions of them are definitely stronger than their Servant counterparts. This is true case for usually divine attributed or earth attributed heroes in general. In where as they become servants, they had to weaken themselves in order to be summoned. Think of it like trying to fill a glass of water, Servants, like King Arthur, Beowulf, Blackbeard, Tomoe Gozen, Nagao Kagetora, Sherlock Holmes, Medea, and Lancelot are powerful and strong, but the volume of their strength and being isn't too overwhelming that you can generally get most of them fit into the glass

But more higher tier heroes like Gilgamesh, and Heracles are like vast oceans, they are so powerful, their very beings so deep, that when trying to have them fit into the glass, you end up losing the vast majority of their power due to overflow

So in a most likely scenario, these higher tier heroes would absolutely dominate their Servant counterparts in a fight

Think of it like this

The Servant (a FRAGMENT of the Hero) gets REKT by The Hero (The Flesh and Blood) still gets dominated by The Heroic Spirit (All the Legends of the Hero and their entirety)

Now why does the Heroic Spirit still beats them if I say that they beat the Servant. Well here is where I clear the misconception of Servants and Heroic Spirits

The Servant is just a container holding a fragment of a Hero's power and being, relative enough in strength that they don't overwhelm their human master, but not weak enough that they can't defend themselves

The Heroic Spirit of a hero on the other hand, is not just the Hero, but also their Ideals, myths, and legends given form

What that means is that they are pretty much boosted from those legends, and gives them abilities and powers that they themselves never possessed in life. like take Sigurd for example

Now, for an ancient norse hero, his armour doesn't really look exactly how a norse warrior should. And well, that because he isn't wearing what is supposed to be a piece of nordic armour. In the lore, it is exaplained that the armour he wears is not from his time, but given to him as a servant. Now this isn't the first time a Hero was modified/given something that wasn't theirs in the first place.

Another good example would be Caesar, now I ain't much of an archeologist to point this out. But I am pretty sure the Romans didn't invented, nor worn a suit and tie in their days

So why they, and also other Servants wear other out of time outfits? (I don't have the time to post images of every Hero who wears an outfit that doesn't match their time period, so here is a quick list off of some: Cu Chulainn, Medusa, Beowulf, Artoria, Lancelot, Cleopatra, Kintoki, and several others I can't think of now) Well one of main reasons they wear such outfits is because it is due to the world's perception of them, like when people think of Gaius Julius Caesar himself, they must've imagined some sort of authoritarian general who can lead armies and earn the respect of the people. As such, he wears a red suit and tie, for suits are usually thought of to be worn by people of authority for formal purposes, such as your boss in your mega corporation, or a general in a US army. This makes sense, because Julius is thought as the greatest Emperor that Rome ever had, that many people even now seem him as a great figure (Shame FGO made him to be a joke)

But how does that explain him wearing that outfit in his life? Well it doesn't it only explains why he looks like that as a Servant/Heroic Spirit.

So with that knowledge, you can guess that not only the hero's outfits had been changed because of the hero's fame and reputation. But even their powers and abilities and tools were also changed because of this

Like literally. A Noble Phantasm is not just the trump card of a Hero, it is not just their special ultimate move. But is also their ideals, dreams, hopes, despairs, and legends given physical form.

Like take the Gae Bolg for example.

For those unaware, which I highly doubt, The Gae Bolg is a Noble Phantasm with two functions, a Thrust form, and a Thrown form.

Pretty cool right. Yet except there is a detail that many people may have forgotten about it. It's that originally, the Gae Bolg only had 1 mode, the thrust form, the ability of it reversing cause and effect to always strike the heart. The thrown form on the other hand is basically more attributed to be Cu's and Cu's alone,

Now how did the Gae Bolg got influenced by Cu? Well, the thrown form is actually a crystallization of Cu taking on the entire army Connacht by himself, day in and day out, he single handedly destroyed Medb's countless soldiers, killing them all by himself, this reputation was so great that after being immortalized in the Throne of Heroes, Gae Bolg gained it's 2nd function "Gae Bolg: Soaring Spear That Strikes With Death" if Gae Bolg thrust is more so Scathach's np, then Gae Bolg thrown is Cu's

Now for another example, but not involving Noble Phantasms but with the Servant's skills. Let's use Cu again for this

One of Cu's most notable skills is Battle Continuation, which is a skill that most heroes possess, the skill itself is a crystalization of Cu's undaunting will and resolve, from again fighting entire armies by himself, but also most notably, is also in reference to his dying moments, in where he continues to stand despite fatal wounds, continuing to fight off the entire army of Connacht on bloody legs, with nothing but his own intestines strapping him to a rock to prevent his dying body to fall.

Another good example that isn't Cu is Lancelot. In his Berserker form, he famously has the Noble phantasm Knight of Owner, he also possess it as a skill as a Saber

Now I may not be a historian, but I am pretty sure that medieval knights can't use various firearms or operate modern fighter aircraft, but he has them anyway because it is based off of the story in where he was unarmed and needed to defend himself, so he took a branch and murdered his attacker with that tree branch alone. This is then further expanded as where he can just use pretty much anything as a weapon, from a metal pole, an SMG, to a fighter jet

And as such, as a Servant, he was granted the Battle Continuation skill for this

So with that all being said. How does all of this, the Heroes wearing clothes that are not theirs, to their very powers and abilities

Well, it is because it helps further my point that every other hero in the Throne of Heroes are ironically enough, the true fakers, whilst EMIYA is the only hero who is true to himself

Why you may ask? Well it is because of the fact that every single hero other than EMIYA are backed by their legends and myths

But not EMIYA

Like literally, from them either being Servants, a fragment or aspect of who they are, to a Heroic Spirit, the fame/infamy of a hero

Literally from their own looks, abilities, even down to their very identities is just based off their legends

Like many of their abilities, designs, and tools are either just based off of reputation, their fame, any rumours of them, supposed mythological heritages, cultural or historical impacts, or just straight up bs myths of them

Even Gilgamesh isn't safe from this, the King of Heroes, despite his pride in being the original, he too is a fake. The real Gilgamesh didn't had wealth magically appear before him (Only Heroic Spirit Gil), he didn't had a vault that contained every single np that man had (Only Heroic Spirit Gil) A lot of Gil's abilities are more so derived from the myths and reputation of him, but the real life Gilgamesh never had those, only his Heroic Spirit and Servant counterparts did. So yeah

they were all fakes

But not EMIYA

This is where the irony of it all comes to

Despite being "The Faker" EMIYA is ironically the only one who is genuine, he is the only hero who is the Truest to who he is

Like EMIYA's ability to perfectly replicate the abilities and weapons of others isn't bs, his red shroud and black body armour isn't an arbitrarily applied symbol assigned to him by the people of the world, his clairvoyance to see at great distances isn't just a class ability given to him by the class system. ALL OF THESE ASPECTS OF EMIYA ARE GENUINELY HIS

There is literally an entire visual novel that explores many of his abilities, several animes and games that showcase as to what he can do

And we seen it all for ourselves, Shirou and Archer's abilities are genuine and true, unlike every other hero's which are merely just based off of legends

EMIYA may be a "Faker" but he is more true than any of the other heroes

TL;DR: EMIYA is the only hero in the Fate Franchise is true to himself, everyone else are actually the real fakes with their abilities and even designs based off of legends and myths