#OKAY I HOPE I ANSWERED THESE RIGHT

[truelove-cafe]

i am so sorry I have so many questions (hi we need to hang out soon btw I miss you) II, III, IV, VI, VII, IX, XI, XIV, XIX, XX for the ask game :D feel free to ignore some if they're too personal or anything

HIII dont be sorry i love answering these!! shaking you around ALSO I MISS YOU TOO im still so sorry i had to raincheck ): i will be free for most of this new week

II. The High Priestess - How is your innermost self like?

hmmm starting deep :3 well,, honestly im unsure how to answer this! mainly because i dont know if i have the right idea.. but what i THINK this is referring to is um. i guess im a lot more of a scared dog, inside. i have a lot of anxiety and nervousness in general, and a habit of withdrawing or (much less often) snapping at people when i feel unsafe or sad. i have a lot of separation anxiety as well — once i latch onto a person i do become the most gentle and devoted form of myself. i would sacrifice myself for them and their happiness, as long as they stayed with me. i think that at least part of this is something i need to work on, because while i love how loyal i am, i also cant place the burden of myself onto others (or, similarly, i cannot believe that i myself am a burden)

III. The Empress - How do you handle your darling’s friends and loved ones? Are you welcoming of other relationships (platonic/familial/etc.) in your darling’s life or are you more wary of them? 

i do have a possessive streak, ill admit. however i would never ask my darling to give up anybody in their life unless it is something they personally want to do. even if the person is bad for them, i dont think id outright say "get rid of them." of course, if i were given the okay to i might tell them that i dislike that person taking up their time when they aren't good for my darling, & i possibly will gatekeep my darling more often (i am as protective as i am possessive) but that's it. in the case of healthy and happy relationships that they have, id happily say how id love to meet those close to them! id want to get the okay from them (in reference to my relationship with my darling) as well!

in the best case scenario, id love to also form a closeness with those people in hopes that itd further my understanding of my darling and whatnot

IV. The Emperor - Is controlling your darling (consensually) important? How much of their life do you ideally want to dictate? 

i think to me its.. semi important? i like being in the know at the very least. some things i think would be exciting to get to "dictate" (outfits, smaller decisions like that as well), but in general im unsure that id want to fully control them. i have a fear of sorts where i dislike to be controlling out of worry. i dont want to hurt my darling or make them feel like they have to go along with everything i say. BUT that being said id also like to "monitor" & keep them extremely close to me as a means of control

VI. The Lovers - Would you care about your darling’s past or current romantic relationships, if any? 

id care a little bit! only because id want to live up to expectations, be good enough. i want to offer my darling something that cant be given by any other relationships they might have, so id have value. (that inner anxiety is real obvious now, huh? /silly) i am jealous, i wont deny i might think myself into moments of high obsession + possessiveness — but that can be soothed by myself

VII. The Chariot - What expectations or standards do you have for your darling? What do you ultimately desire?

hmm,, i dont really hold a lot of expectations, nor standards. i dont ask for a lot, just kindness and love. i think it truly lies in what i desire,, id really like a deep closeness & understanding with my darling, above all else. alongside that would be the type of relationship / dynamic where we would dote on each other. i admit sometimes im a little too caught up in my emotional whirlwind to offer gifts, but maybe in addition to or even instead of doting my darling could offer soothing words. what i would utterly adore is my darling being a princess, and i the devoted guard dog. in that situation, i would make them feel as special as possible, like royalty. theyd be my muse. in return id basically want to be treated like a dog lol (/nsx of course)

IX. The Hermit - Would you be content with only watching your darling from afar or do you feel the need to interact directly with them? Or does it vacillate between the two? 

i think it goes between the two! i usually watch for a long time before i ever approach a potential darling, so afterwards i do like to keep interaction going often. however whenever we're not talking i am very watchful,, i enjoy observing a lot! being on the outside can have its perks, and then i can see my darling go through day to day. but in general i think my desire for closeness wins & i crave interaction

XI. Justice - Are there things that you want to hide from your darling at all costs? If so, what?

actually, no i dont think so! there are things i have an urge to hide, but nothing that i would desperately seek to. if my darling asked me, id answer honestly. i used to have trouble with hiding things,, now i try to be as open as i possibly can

XIV. Temperance - Is there anything that your darling could say or do that would make your feelings for them waver? Would you be able to bounce back or would it permanently change how you view them? 

hmm this is a tough one. i dont think that my feelings could ever waver. in cases where they do it has to be a repeated action over a lot of time. in other cases, yes i would be able to bounce back. its really only in the most severe situations where im being repeatedly hurt by my darling could my feelings fade, and even then probably not entirely. if they had a different viewpoint on something i feel strongly about then i miiiight be disappointed and might need to distance from them or talk it out but i think thats about it!

XIX. The Sun - How would you react if your darling gave you affection? What is your internal thought process like? 

honestly a lot of excitement followed by screaming quietly + kicking my legs. i love affection so much. sometimes it makes me very soft, others it makes me affectionate as well. its something like oh darling gave me affection -> this is the best thing to ever happen to me!! -> does darling want a hug?? -> i love darling so so much!!!! ,,, which is pretty simple now that i think about it /silly

XX. Judgement - How do you ultimately view your darling? As someone greater than you, someone lower than you, or somewhere in between?

i think right now we're equals,,, which is a really great standing! i like that we are. usually i put people on pedestals much too soon, which doesnt work out so well. taking the time to know each other on the same level is really important and a wonderful experience. id really enjoy if one day it were a liiiittle bit unbalanced (where i would treasure them above myself, something of a higher being), but ultimately id do anything that my darling wanted or asked of me. id be happy always being equals, or them seeing me as greater (though in any situation i wont act like theyre below me)

[fisherrprince]

mmmmmooorrreeee balop

[sainz100]

Sunday at the 2024 Singapore GP

[laviaceae]

your art has spiked my interest haha what’s tower of hanoi and how/where do i play it?

OKAY.

TOWER OF HANOI IS THE BEST GAME YOU ABSOLUTELY, 110% GUARANTEE NO REFUNDS, HAVE NEVER HEARD OF.

LET ME EXPLAIN.

(also known as: i win at all times ever and im glad my tawahano propaganda pays off, HAH!)

----------

Have you ever heard of... END ROLL? Walking On A Star Unknown? Farethere City? These are all relatively niche RPGMaker 2000 games made by a Japanese game creator known as Segawa (せがわ), with END ROLL being the most popular among Western Fans (you might see the main character, Russell, in some fanart with OMORI or Yume Nikki characters for example)!

In fact, for followers of mine who are In Stars and Time fans, END ROLL was credited as one of the inspirations for that game!

TOWER of HANOI is another game made by Segawa, one released in November of 2020, and one of the final games they've made in RPG2K (so they've got an absolute mastery of the engine).

I'll be in part directing this post towards ISAT fans since that makes up the majority of my followerbase on Tumblr, so there may be ISAT spoilers (including Two Hats/Act 6 Secret spoilers) up ahead! There will also be mild TOWER of HANOI spoilers required to explain the game's premise. Proceed at your own risk.

Section One: So, what is TOWER of HANOI all about?

TOWER of HANOI is a narrative-driven RPG with multiple endings (2 'true endings', 3 'bad endings') set in a futuristic, post-post-World-War-Five society. The game mostly takes place within the TOWER, a hyper-realistic virtual reality simulation currently undergoing playtests that was built to be able to rehabilitate HANOI (androids that look and sound and feel emotions like humans do) who have dangerous levels of mental instability.

The stability of a HANOI is measured through their Stress Level, a numerical representation of that HANOI's mental state. HANOI are generally considered by society to be more of technology or property than people (like your computer or your phone would be), and as such have no rights and are often mistreated by humans. More than 50% of HANOI hate their human employers.

In order to combat the dangerous upward trend of HANOI Stress Levels (caused by their mistreatment), the TOWER was created. In it, HANOI are expected to fight and defeat virtual enemies that approximate humans in order to destress through violence. Upon a successful completion, HANOI are to be returned to their human employers.

Because the TOWER is currently undergoing testing, groups of HANOI are accompanied through the TOWER by a human "Inspector" who is expected to report any bugs or issues they encounter during their playtest.

You play as one of those human Inspectors; Inspector No.102, Coral Brown.

(this is my art! you may have seen him in my ISAT au as taking the place of Siffrin).

He's 33 years old, kind, calm, and soft as a marshmallow. He's also a human being who believes in the rights and wellbeing of HANOI, and sympathises with their suffering. As a child, he was raised by a HANOI instead of his parents, which may have contributed to his feelings towards them.

Over the course of the game and as you progress through the TOWER you'll get to meet and intimately know the ten HANOI under Coral's care with Fire Emblem-esque Support events depending on how many times you bring each of them to battle. These can be between Coral and the HANOI, or the HANOI between eachother. (There are more than 100 of these such events to collect in total!)

TOWER of HANOI's characters are both charming and tragic. They each have incredibly well-realised personalities, backstories, and relationships both with the Inspector taking care of them and eachother. It's easy to imagine day-to-day interactions in Headquarters (your hub area) between them all.

You have Adams, a HANOI built for missionary work and who's Stress Level is the lowest out of all ten (and actually below the 'dangerous' stress threshold)! He's silly and mischevious and adores spicy food. Despite this, he's here at the TOWER because he doesn't believe in God, despite that being an important part of his 'role' in the world. When did he stop believing in God, and why? What is his relationship with the people at the Church that took care of him?

Or Mira, a Childcare HANOI that reminds Coral of the HANOI that looked after him as a child. She loves children, but has to constantly grapple with the fact that she can't have any and that any children she takes care of will eventually, inevitably leave her. How will she and Coral resolve the fact that they both remind eachother of someone they knew in the past? How will she interact with the other HANOI?

There's also Nanashi, a cheaply-made HANOI for miscellaneous chores who's trust and care for humanity has been completely shattered due to his ties with the mafia. He wasn't even important enough to be given a name until Coral gives him one upon their first meeting in the TOWER. He hates humans, hates Coral, and refuses to trust him, instead convincing himself that Coral is merely faking his kindness to get him to let his guard down just to use him like all humans he's ever known have done. Will Coral eventually be given Nanashi's trust? What will he do once he leaves the TOWER, and has to be sent back to the mafia where he came from?

Finally there's Kimon Noroi, a HANOI who resembles a child that fulfils a very special purpose. Noroi is what's known as a Yorimashi (憑坐), and uses her body to allow spirits to occupy it and commune with the living. She's seen how terrible humans can be because of the spirits she's seen and can come across as a bit standoffish (though she's really just as much of a menace as Adams is), and definitely, definitely, definitely doesn't miss the Priest at the shrine she lived in before coming to the TOWER at all! How will she interact with Adams, both having people they miss back at home? How will she interact with Mira, who's like a mother figure to her in this place?

As you progress, you can find the answers to all of these questions, as well as the identities of the six other HANOI I've not even mentioned here- all as well-written and interesting as these four.

However, the HANOI aren't the only faction in the game to worry about.

The very NPCs and enemies you'll be fighting along the way are coming to life, gaining sentience, and realising they want something more in their existence than eternally repeating dialogue chains and fetch quests and death in battle.

The head of this 'rebellion' of 0s and 1s, a computer virus named Shunya, acts as the main antagonist for the majority of the game, but even she isn't... 'evil'. She has her own found family, a group of bugged enemies she's befriended along her journey, all of whom want her to realise her dream of "melting" down the TOWER and returning all of the 0s and 1s inside to their base state of not thinking, not feeling, and not being in eternal pain.

Should you fight these people, if their emotions really are real, and defeat them without caring about their plight? Is it right to, to disregard the thoughts and feelings of 0s and 1s for the sake of the wellbeing of the HANOI Coral's grown so attached to? Should you follow the 'role' you've been given, or disregard it and create your own?

TOWER of HANOI excellently tackles the dichotomy of themes between 'roles' in societies and the 'dreams' people have, and nowhere is this more apparent than Coral Brown himself. Throughout the game, there will be multiple events and opportunities in order to control Coral's own Stress Level, and how he feels towards both the side of HANOI and the side of 0s and 1s he's stuck between. Lower his stress and he'll side with the HANOI and enjoy his job, and at higher stresses he'll begin to hate it, being unable to eat or sleep as he starts feeling awful for the 0s and 1s he spends his time killing in the TOWER....

These branch into the two main 'True Routes' of the game, depending on your Stress Level... but I shall leave the specific nature of those to discover in your own playthroughs. :)

If you've enjoyed ISAT, there's a good chance you'll enjoy TOWER of HANOI. Not only is one of the creator's previous games an inspiration for ISAT, they share a lot of similarities in their characters. Coral and Siffrin are very similar as protagonists, and as for others...

(Loop artwork credit to Insertdisc5 from In Stars and Time)

I could write a whole essay on how these two are so painfully similar and would kill eachother on sight. Maybe I will one day. Who knows. Me when I have a guide character lacking half of a face that has Fucking Issues TM stemming from intense jealousy and shares some visual similarity with our main character. Just look at them. This is the sole reason for the twohats warning. Just look at them.

Section Two: Wow, that's so cool and awesome Mx Lav! How do I play TOWER of HANOI?

You can check out the official website here, and the official downloads page here! I'd recommend following the instructions on this website to get the game working faster (because RPG2K is a pain in the ass on modern systems).

...

...Oh? It's all in Japanese? ...Well-

Section Three: --WAIT WHY IS IT ALL IN JAPANESE??

Yes, that's TOWER of HANOI's One (Big) Thing. The one thing you have to look past in order to actually play the game; it's all in Japanese, and an English translation will never be made (unless Segawa-san lifts the translation ban).

However, you don't actually need to know Japanese to play the game. I sure don't! And all of the other English-speaking fans I know that have played this game don't either.

There are three main ways to accomplish this, but I'll only discuss two here:

Sugoi Translator or similar translators. Sugoi Translator (or Sugoi Toolkit) is a machine translation tool that automatically grabs and translates the text in game you're looking at. The translations themselves make a good amount of sense, too! It's a little difficult to set up, but once you've calibrated it once you never have to worry about it again. This is definitely easiest if you want to read all of the dialogue in the game, including flavourtext (as yes, all 10 HANOI and Coral have unique flavourtext for every item in the game...), but is only available for free on the 15th and 16th each month and is otherwise only available to download on the creator's Patreon.

Google Lens. The easier, plug-and-translate method of the two. Simply download the Google Lens app and point it at the text on the screen, it'll read and translate it for you. The translations here are a little goofier (and sometimes, depending on your phone camera quality or lighting conditions, can be difficult for the app to pick up), but it's easy to complete a playthrough with just this tool alone.

If you can't get past this game's One Big Thing, I get it. It's a hard game to sell to people precisely for this reason. I'm at least glad you've read this far down into the post to get to this point and have showed interest in the game. And now you now about a game you didn't before, and you also have an itty bitty bit of context for all the non-ISAT stuff I post here. But this game has had me in a chokehold for the past two years and I promise that, if you can get through it, it's extremely worth it.

If you have the time and you're willing to try, please do! I love this game with all my heart and it's such a shame that most Western fans will never have easy access to it. I shill this game with all my heart, for realsies.

Section Four: Trigger/Content Warnings

If you've played a Segawa game before, you knew this section was coming. Segawa-san's games often tackle heavy or dark themes, and TOWER of HANOI isn't an exception. I'll add a list of content warnings here just so you aren't surprised by anything.

Suicide, both on and off screen

Self-harm, on-screen through dialogue

Themes of terminal illness, on screen

Hospitals (on screen, a majority of one of the game's dungeons takes place in one)

Death (on-screen)

Abuse (off-screen, but portrayed through dialogue)

Child harm/death (mentioned)

Kidnapping/Child kidnapping (mentioned)

Horror elements (no chase sequences, one jumpscare through an optional and hard-to-find sidequest)

Sexual Assault/Abuse (Not on-screen but talked about extensively, can avoided if you avoid Melitica/Merrytika's dialogue)

Mishandling of discussions surrounding gender identity (this character's identity is shown generally throughout the game to be a positive/supported thing, but some dialogue and design choices are quite ignorant/transphobic- though not maliciously. This can be avoided if you avoid Kathy/Cameron's dialogue)

There is also a substantial amount of screenshake employed near the end of the game. This list is from memory and limited from the amount of dialogue I've personally seen/translated, so it's probably not fully comprehensive. But it is thorough.

Section Five: Conclusion

oof... You've made it to the end! This took me the better part of a day to write, and I'm glad I finally got to advertise my favourite game on main. I hope... any of this makes sense, and that you enjoy! Even if you decide TOWER of HANOI isn't right for you, you at least know a little more about something you didn't before. Thank you so much for getting to the end, and I wish you the best!

[fobnsfwdoodlesbackup]

Finding out Pete wrote the lyrics for Baby Blackout by Daisy Grenade and going insane. She was a teen girl writing about a breakup your honor. Anyways, here's Pete on the cover of his own shojo manga because he deserves it and I think he'd like it.

(more webweave-y gender truthing type shit below the cut)

[luck-of-the-drawings]

OH ARTHUR BENNETT.. such a gorgeous and intriguing character. terribly burdened by a GRUESOME set of crimes, his light suffocated by a HEAVY century of GUILT. so tragic, so dark and broody, and yet PAINFULLY awkward in any social setting ever

[demigod-of-the-agni]

Forgive me, forgive me. I ask, I beg, I pray, but it never comes.

You know I find it incredibly bewildering to see just how much kalki reflects myself in him like YEAH Duh of course he does, he’s my little guy it’s like his full time job. But at the same time he is a fully functional facet of my being and he is at the mercy of my whimsies, and whatever he discovers in his arduous journey of self realisation is ultimately a reflection of what I discover in the real world. It’s also incredibly funny because ffxiv lore for dark knights is really baked into the idea of (re)discovering yourself amongst the bloodshed and continuing to live and love and thrive despite the world working against us. who would have thought such a raw message could come from an mmorpg side quest about edgy emo boys of all places

also adamantite armour of fending i would lay down my LIFE for u

variant + phone bg version + ID below the cut

tch as if you guys are actually going to use artwork of my little guy as your phone background. i know. how dumb. let a girl dream. i should make an alternate version but it's of Fray and Myste

[START ID: A picture with a red background focusing on the character's bust that is placed to the left of the image's centre. He is coloured with a dark blue overlay, contrasting with the red background. He has brown skin, long black hair that falls over his shoulders, and is wearing blue and gold armour and earrings. He is looking at the viewer, right eye dark brown and the left an glowing unnatural red, with an expression that looks determined and angry and yet bitter and forlorn. In the foreground and on the right side of the piece, a miniature version of the character stands coloured in a light blue overlay and wearing the same blue and gold armour, looking as if he is glowing. He is facing towards the left of the piece, or perhaps at the character bust, his expression unreadable. Above the miniature character's head is the symbol representing the FFXIV dark knight, coloured in gold. END ID.]

[which-qsmp-egg-would]

Today's the day we finally move to the new house! It's been a rough journey and a very stressful one, but I'm happy to see it's almost over <3 Our cats are... less than pleased with us lol.

Taking a hiatus has been a huge help, and I'm so glad that many of you have stuck around! Doing Poll's Egg Playdate has been very fun and I hope it continues further! I'm not going off of hiatus just yet; I plan to make my grand return on JUNE 1ST, with the (very short) April recap posting on June 8th.

All of this is to say:

If anyone has poll ideas, requests for accessibility, formating changes, or just any ideas, my inbox is wide open!

I can't wait to come back and make polls again ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

[amethystina]

Sorry for the follow up ask, but I was wondering what you would think would happen when Ga On finds out Yo Han is alive for sure. It would probably be emotional of course, but would Yo Han even want Ga On's help knowing this situation is dangerous? Would Ga On let that stop him, if not for himself then for Elijah, or because he would have to do not-so-great things to be able to help Yo Han? And on that note, would he tell Elijah? Because Yo Han definitely wouldn't want him to, underestimating how much Elijah cares about him and not wanting to put her in danger or further rock the boat of her proverbial mental state. Even if Ga On agrees to keep it a secret, could he manage it or would it slip out in his unnatural happiness and excitement? And when (or if) the situation settles and Ga On realizes Yo Han can't stay in Korea as a dead/wanted man, would he leave with them? Or would he stay as Soo Hyun's friend (because he probably doesn't have a lot of other connections in this situation), especially after all the favours he's asked of her for Yo Han to even get the chance of leaving Korea?

Because I really want her to be more developed as an individual and think she has a lot of potential, would Soo Hyun grow as a cop and a person after having to reckon with all the corruption she probably is exposed to and reality-checked on through Ga On as they navigate this new mystery? How would that change her life plan or how she sees herself in respect to justice, morality, and her ability to do good? Like how she may realize that she hadn't actually helped some of the people she thought she had when her position as a cop forcibly aligned her with a corrupt system, and her involvement typically stopped at an arrest.

Your response inspired me so much that I immediately had to get these thoughts out, though of course feel free not to response to all or even any of them.

The way you understand and explore these characters is really amazing, and I love how you interact with ideas and possible situations in ways I never could have imagined.

No worries! I totally understand getting lost in a story and its possibilities — just look at the monster also known as Who Holds the Devil x'D

For context, here's the first ask.

I think that Ga On would immediately want to help Yo Han once he finds out that he's alive for real — regardless if Yo Han wants him to or not — and Ga On wouldn't tell Elijah about it. Which would be difficult for him to keep from her, no doubt, but he'd stick to it with incredible dedication and stubbornness because a) he knows that's what Yo Han would want, b) it spares Elijah the agony of worrying (even if thinking Yo Han is dead is of course painful, too, but, like you say — her mental state is already fragile), and c) gives him more room to do what's necessary.

Like, sure, Elijah might be able to help, but Ga On would have to fend off her questions and focus on keeping her safe half of the time, since she'd want to rush in and help Yo Han, too. So while it's a bit cruel — and Elijah is going to be very angry when she eventually finds out — Ga On would do it without regrets. Because just like he made the choice to lie to Elijah about the fire, he does it because he thinks it's what's best for her. And, to some degree, I think I'd agree with him? It's cruel to keep her in the dark, yes, but it's definitely easier to just approach her after Yo Han has been saved and spare her days, weeks, and/or months of agony.

As for what Ga On would do once it's all over, I think that depends a little on how it's resolved? And what the situation was, exactly. But I think he'd lean towards going with Yo Han and Elijah, at least on a sort of "I'm just going to stay with them for a couple of weeks and make sure they get settled properly." So it might not be permanent — or at least not intended to be permanent — but he'd probably end up staying a lot longer than he says he will x'D

Which would make him feel guilty considering that he left Soo Hyun behind. But, in many ways, I think they would need that distance? Because, considering the turn their relationship is going to take, they'll both need some time to figure out who they are without the other.

Which brings me to a thing I realise I forgot to mention in the other ask, which is that I think this should be a story told from Soo Hyun's perspective. Because I agree that she deserves the development the drama deprived her of (simply because they knew she was going to die, it feels like) and that's most easily achieved from her POV. If the story was told by her, it would be easier to follow her growth as she works through her feelings and the conflicts that begin to arise when she's faced with how willfully blind she's been.

So she'd start out pretty similar to how she is in the drama but, slowly but surely, she won't be able to hold on to that any longer. Partly because she, too, has to try and deal with Professor Min's betrayal and her own feelings regarding the state of their country and the corruptiong within it. And, on top of that, Ga On telling her that she's wrong about him. And, for once, she can tell that he means it. It's not just him being stupid and self-critical — he's being honest when he tells her that he's not as good and perfect as she wants him to be. He can't be that. He's tried for years but the only thing that achieved was making him feel suffocated.

Which is definitely going to be difficult for her to hear. But it's also not one-sided — they will also have to deal with the fact that Ga On did the same to her, putting her on a pedestal and turning her into the end-all-be-all of his entire existence. And she wasn't equipped to handle that without putting too much pressure on herself. She gave up everything for Ga On at the detriment of her own happiness.

(And I guess one can question if Ga On isn't just replacing Yo Han with Soo Hyun in that regard, considering how much he fixates on Yo Han. But I'd argue that Mr. Abyss is much better at handling that kind of pressure because he has no shame whatsoever — if Ga On wants Yo Han to become the centre of his universe, he'll happily oblige. And while Yo Han will also wonder if he's good enough for Ga On, he wouldn't feel guilty about it the way Soo Hyun does. Yo Han is too honest. He'd try to be as good as he can be, sure, but also warn Ga On not to feel disappointed if Yo Han doesn't follow his expectations. And then it's up to Ga On to decide if he still wants to stay, as opposed to Soo Hyun who just kept trying to do better and kept giving more and more of herself, hoping to make up for her "shortcomings." This is one of the reasons why I think Yo Han is a more well-balanced partner for Ga On)

But I digress.

Soo Hyun's development would be put to the test when the time comes for her to say goodbye to Ga On. Again, not permanently, but by that point she must know why Ga On wants to go with Yo Han and Elijah rather than stay with Soo Hyun, and she has to let him. Whether or not she's fallen out of love with Ga On depends a little on how long the whole story takes, I'd say, but, regardless, it would be hard for her.

But I also think she'd do it — for Ga On's sake, if nothing else.

Because, hopefully, by then Soo Hyun would realise what I mentioned earlier, that they both need time away from each other to deal with all the new revelations. Not just in terms of their relationship, but also the state of their country. And while Ga On wants to deal with it by leaving and, hopefully, come back refreshed and try to make a difference, Soo Hyun would choose to stay and work through her feelings of guilt and helplessness one case at a time. She knows the system is corrupt but she can do better. She can still try to make a change, be it by helping one person at a time.

Because, deep down, both Soo Hyun and Ga On have such a strong desire to help people that I can't see Soo Hyun ever giving up on being a cop. She'd have to recalibrate and figure out how to go about things in a more constructive, productive way, but she'd get there, I think. If nothing else because she has her chief who used to work with Yo Han and, I mean, once Ga On comes back? And has Yo Han on speed dial?

They'll figure something out, I'm sure.

And while Soo Hyun might still be determined to stick to the law as often as possible, I think she, too, can eventually start bending it a little when necessary. Because in a dystopian world such as theirs, you can't really expect the law to work. Some rules must be broken.

Though murder would be a hard no, of course.

(Also, not going to lie, I'm cackling at the thought of all of them joining forces at the end like a mismatched little Scooby Gang. Imagine the possibilities. Soo Hyun and Yo Han would barely tolerate each other — because old habits die hard — but they'd try to work around it for Ga On's sake. Because Ga On is determined to save the world and neither of them can say no to him so what else can they do? They're stuck with each other.

And, eventually, they'll grow to respect each other and maybe even like each other a little but they would never admit it because they have a dynamic and an established jargon at that point and they're going to stick to it. There are traditions to uphold.

Ga On thinks they're idiots but lets them be, very pleased that they're finally getting along. Sort of.)

So yeah!

I think the focus of a story like this should be Soo Hyun. Especially since it would add a bit of mystery as she's trying to figure out why Ga On is so obsessed with Yo Han. Like, how long can she stay in denial, trying to write it off as loyalty to a former boss? And what will she do when she can no longer quiet that insistent voice telling her that Ga On's feelings for Yo Han might be deeper than she's allowed herself to believe?

Like, she can see the look on Ga On's face when he talks about Yo Han and she doesn't recognise it. And she's not sure if she wants to know what it means. But, eventually, it becomes too obvious for her to keep lying to herself. And then the next question arises: does Ga On realise that he's in love with Yo Han?

I think it would be fascinating to watch her try to navigate that.

Anyhow! I'm glad I can be of service! I tend to approach ideas in a very instinctive way, much like I do my writing. Very often, it just feels like I'm walking down an already paved path somehow, rather than building it as a I go (which is what it's like for some people, from what I gather). It's a little difficult to explain, but there's usually very little thinking required? I just... say what seems reasonable x'D

As always, my thoughts and interpretations are just my opinion, though. I try my best to give an accurate portrayal of the characters, but everything is subjective. It's okay to disagree with me, is what I'm saying. While I try my best to stay true to the characters, I can still be wrong. Or change my mind. So just... keep that in mind, I guess?

Thank you for sharing your ideas and please take care! 💜

[dragonsasastronauts]

Side note, if you have read only one of the books, just select the "has read" option. It's honestly not a big deal, though. I just included reading/not reading the books because I thought it would be interesting to see if that impacts anything at all.

Also also, for those of you who have Alistair marry Anora, but also have your Warden become his mistress, please just pick the mistress Warden choice. I only get to put 12 answers here, I am so sorry 😞

[scionshtola]

9. The Warrior of Light has been through quite a lot, but what is a moment, big or small, that bolstered and renewed their spirit? Was it a cup of hot cocoa or a lovingly crafted sandwich? Did someone give them a few words or a gesture at just the right time that meant the world to them? (Of course, this can be a canon event or headcanon!) (x)

Corisande struggled after Haurchefant's death and though she tried to hide it from her companions, Estinien easily saw through the facade. He mostly did left her alone in that regard, but would sometimes sit quietly with her so she was not completely alone in her grief. And even though they hardly spoke, Corisande knew he understood her pain and appreciated his presence at her side. It was enough to keep her going in one of the hardest times of her life, and was the beginning of the deep friendship and respect they have for each other in the present.

[marblerose-rue]

completed my sophomore year of college :-) (and now im gonna sleep for the next 2374039475347 years)

[kyouka-supremacy]

Failed a social interaction 0 injured 1 killed (me)

[aliferousdreamer]

mel from arcane for the ask game!!

mel medarda, my beautiful beloved 👑💎

x

thank you!! <3

[queenharumiura]

Neo try Rokudo Mukuro when he sent Chrome to Namimori

[Neo Game Time] || @thehandworld Requested character: Mukuro

-

After such a bothersome ordeal of his own body being hijacked by his very anti-thesis, Mukuro had been granted his freedom from Vindice. All by the correct processes, mind you. He hadn’t escaped this time, but a capable man doesn’t speak on his methods.

Should he ever be caught once more, there were ways for him to escape from vindice, and it was only a matter of the time investment he was willing to spend.

Chrome was one such method that he could utilize to free himself from his prison, albeit with conditions and limitations. Something about her drew him in, like their souls called out to one another in ways that he couldn’t quite explain even with his knowledge of various lifetimes under his belt.

Free, but not without new worries. Chrome had changed once he’d been released, and no doubt over something worthless to be concerning herself over. She could use him just as he used her, as the benefits of her usage far outweighed the efforts of his meager efforts in sustaining her life. It was such a useless worry she was fretting over.

The gem in the rough he’d been polishing was purposefully dulling herself over what, guilt? Pity? A sense of displacement? All she had to do was assert herself and find her place, to make herself useful to him and his goals, but instead, she grew weak. Her talons ripped from her feet.

Perhaps, that anti-thesis of his would have bemoaned how the ‘weak’ Tsunayoshi Sawada had softened his Chrome to a worthless nothingness… but he wasn’t so close minded. He knew better than that.

Yes, Tsunayoshi Sawada was a weak sap, a spineless twerp of a gnat who had gotten in his way, but he had a positive influence on Chrome. She had polished her talons while by his side. She’d learned to steel her nerves to better hone her skills to be of proper use to Mukuro. For Chrome, seeing the camaraderie and the trust everyone had in each other would do Chrome well.

She needed an environment to truly retrospectively look into herself to acknowledge the warrior inside her that he wanted out of her. As loathe as he would be to speak the words into the universe, what Chrome needed was not to be found by his side, but by Tsunayoshi’s.

May her heart find the respite it needed through the trust and friendship the Vongola 10 lead by Tsunayoshi Sawada could teach her. Once on the mend, she’d realize that though it was comfortable by his side, her heart truly belonged with the Kokuyo gang. She may stand allegiance alongside her friends, but that did not mean she had to forsake her family.

Both sides of the same coin exist concurrently if the coin were to land on its side. A precarious harmony that his Chrome could no doubt balance.

Why don’t you go ahead and look after her? I detest the current Chrome.”

“What are you saying!? But Chrome has come this far believing in you…”

Mukuro had allowed her to come this far with him on his journey believing in her potential, and yet she was floundering due to some inane worries that she needn’t have been struggling over. Well, it was a show that she too was growing.

She was her own person and she did well to realize that for herself. This journey was hers to make without his involvement. It was her choice to make to decide whether she continue their journey together, or she sets onto another path of her very own.

“Please, take good care of her.”

Take care of her in his stead, as a favor for his services up until now. Chrome will be returning to his side soon enough.

How willing am I to pick up character: Very VERY low. For one thing, I don't like Mukuro lolololol. He's also a pretty complex guy and all the nuances is tiring to keep track of, I think. I already have enough with Daemon, who I often forget I even have to begin with. Besidessss plenty of people within the fandom do a good job with Mukuro, we don't need me joining in the fray.

Other notes: I'll add just a few of my thoughts and inspirations as for how I chose to write this out. For one thing, Mukuro does care in his own ways the people in his group. They are very useful to him, and the majority of them are extremely loyal to him for one reason or another. Each one likely has their own story to tell, but the fact remains: they're all useful. He's stated in canon how that he's willing to throw others aside or to use them for his own goals and it does come off as very heartless, and it is! YET! He still has heart. There are moments that he shows his heart, like sacrificing himself to allow the other two (Chikusa and Ken) to escape Vindice.

He wanted them to get out for one thing, but another thing is also that he has his methods. He will have ways to circumvent him being locked up. They are more useful to him out in the real world than stuck in prison alongside him. It was factually a better idea to have them be out of Vindice than for him to run off by himself, forsaking them. He was willing to use their bodies until they quite frankly couldn't be usable anymore in the Kokuyoland arc. His goals are their goals, as they are that loyal to him. What he wants, THEY want. As his goals are their own, it's a collective. He does what he must to achieve what THEY as a WHOLE want.

It's important as they're a part of a whole in the grand scheme of their ideals: to prevent the second coming of the experiments that they've been through. If he has to use himself to achieve this goal, he would. He's ambitious as much as he is somehow selfless when it comes to the goal of wanting no other children/innocent to be sacrificed to tyranny, evils, and or abuse.

Mukuro does tend to look at people in categories of how useful they are to him or his goals, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care. He certainly does, but his goals are the ultimate. So as long as they don't get in the way of his goals, he can spare some care and concern for them. Ultimately, just as they all trust in him, he trusts in them. All parties understand that if he's going to be using them, it's NEVER for just ill-purposed malintent. He has a purpose behind it, and it is for something they can agree with. Chikusa and Ken would gladly offer themselves up to ensure that the experiments could never happen again.

For the sake of their traumas and their friends who they lost in the experiments, they NEED to do away with the mafia who would harm the innocent and break families apart. Mukuro would only ever act if it was for that goal. He wouldn't sacrifice them if there was any other way to go about it. Mukuro does not want to make any other needless sacrifices out of his comrades.

As for the thing about souls calling out to one another, it's due in part because they parallel Daemon and Elena. Just as how Elena brought Daemon into the Vongola, Chrome is that lynchpin that connects Mukuro with the Vongola. She is that connecting bridge, and it's through her influence that he can find some respite from the troubles and traumas that he's been through. She is like a resting place for him to remember the small bits of good that exist in the world.

She is that part that he's missed since his harrowing childhood traumas, while he is that part that she should have harnessed when being dealt so many bad cards in her life. They complete each other by complimenting the other. They heal and help the other grow in ways they couldn't without the other.

That said, why did he let her go? Chrome was too caught up on things (as Reborn states canonically). She couldn't really accept seeing Mukuro in person. What use was she then if he didn't need her? Did she have any right to accept his help? Of course she did, and yet, she refused it. She was learning to become her own person. To not JUST be Mukuro's Chrome. She was going to change, and Tsuna's side is a great place to learn that in peace and safety.

He was trusting Tsuna's good influence and his compassion to allow Chrome to come to terms with her feelings and her own ambitions. He trusted that just like himself, she'd form her own strong convictions and return by his side as not just her own person, but his warrior that he could wholeheartedly place his faith in.

That is my inspo behind how I wrote this.

[bad-traffic-smp-ideas]

is there a long queue for this blog or do you pick and choose whichever asks you want to answer and delete/ignore the rest? this isn't meant to be accusative this is /genq /lh because i think the ask i sent a while ago was never answered and I'm not sure if it didn't get received or what

It's just an incredibly long queue, mostly because my personal life situations make it hard for me to keep up with multiple posts per day. I think currently it's out for about three months? Which is unfortunate for people who want to see their post quickly, I know.

As consolation though, I do tell people that if they want their ask posted sooner rather than later, they can let me know and I'll bump it up in the queue! So if you send another ask about the one you want posted, I'll move it up for you ^^