#The Ghost of Hope's Peak Academy

[asaka-lucy-dr-rc]

Ultimate Talent Development Plan Halloween Manga #3

日本語版はこっち

Previous (#2) is here.

(It's completely unclear when it will be finished) #4 to be continued! Bonus (The scene with Izuru and Kaede while Shuichi and Kokichi are conversing):

▼ Below are the detailed settings for each character's costume and more.

Tsumugi: Nun Tsumugi usually only cosplays characters from specific works, so I struggled with what kind of setting to give her. I thought that if I made her cosplay seriously, she would no longer be recognisable as Tsumugi from her appearance alone. So I decided that she would fully embody an original character. Although she's a nun, she's actually holding what looks like a bible, but the contents are a grimoire for summoning demons. The reason I made Tsumugi a nun, by the way, is that I originally considered making her a witch, but among the V3 characters, it's clear that Himiko would take the role of the magician, so I decided to avoid the witch theme. I thought, "What else would suit Tsumugi... hmm, maybe a nun?" Later, I realised that the official Halloween merchandise showed Tsumugi in a nun's costume. It was a total coincidence, so I was surprised. I'm glad we have the same interpretation as the official one. lol In addition, some of the costumes of the characters in the manga were created by Tsumugi, who helped make the costumes. Of the characters who have appeared so far, she helped with the costumes of Nagito and Shuichi. Nagito is dressed as a Shinigami, but it is not strictly cosplay, as Tsumugi happened to think of a character that would suit him. (Otherwise it would go against her policy, which is first and foremost to reproduce them perfectly.)

Shuichi: Jiangshi (Hopping Vampire) The setting is that he is wearing a costume prepared by Tsumugi, but it was originally made for Tenko. However, in the hustle and bustle, Tsumugi mistakenly handed it to Shuichi, and when he was about to return it, he ran into Kaede, who said, “Is that your costume, Shuichi? It’s lovely! Let’s take a picture together later!” Caught up in the moment, he nodded and ended up unable to return it, so he ended up wearing it. (The background setting is way too long and not depicted even a little on-screen. lol) Honestly, I want to create a manga featuring interactions between Kaede and Shuichi... I have various ideas in mind, but it’s likely that I won’t be able to actually draw it until next year.

Kokichi: A Person Being Eaten by a Great White Shark (?) He wears a surreal costume that looks like he’s being eaten by a shark, but the way he’s breaking through the shark’s body gives the impression that he’s taking over it. I assume Kokichi brought many costumes for the occasion, and this is just one of them. Occasionally, he slips away from the group, changes, and returns. I thought it would be fun for Kokichi to wear a costume that’s “not really related to Halloween,” and since he’s short, I imagined he would wear something oversized when dressing up, which led to this choice.

Kaito: Astronaut I assume when he was told he could wear any costume he wanted, he responded with, "Then my costume can only be a space suit!" lol

I like the dynamic between Kaito and Izuru from UTDP, so I wanted him to be involved with Izuru a little bit, but this time he was just in the background.

[tiredofthehumanlife]

Exquisite bedding and a loving married couple

Part two

Barbie dolls: husband! president!Coriolanus Snow x gn! Reader

Word: 3.4k

Summary: you grow closer to your husband (of who you were forced to marry 😱) also you have chronic pain/ a disability in that area it's left vague so everybody can enjoy and not just me

Warnings: I won't lie to you he's a good amount ooc but this is because I wrote this before I finished the book and before I watched the movie so I only knew academy coriolanus, so maybe just pretend like everything worked out for and became president nicely idk, you have chronic pain/ a disability that makes your body hurt idk just roll with me, forced marriages, you like art now it's like all you do, non sexual nudity, you make friends with the Avoxes that work for him, you cry, you say you're defective and coryo is like "hey hurumph dont do that🙅", yeah that's it really

Coriolanus didn’t exactly know what was expected of him during a forced marriage. He didn’t hate you, but he didn’t exactly like you very much either. He didn’t even know your favorite color and now you both shared a house, bed, and a last name. What is he supposed to do? 

You didn’t seem to like him very much either. You barely spoke, only saying a few words to the Avoxes and even fewer to him. Sometimes he questioned if you were an avox yourself, and then you’d mutter to yourself and it was crossed from his mind.

You rarely looked at him, often just floating around the mansion like a ghost and glancing at him when he tried to ask you a question. Coriolanus doubted you even knew his name at this point.

Sometimes you’d leave him notes clipped to his hanger holding up his suit for the work day. They were never anything of substance just a question you had about the house or a question about the things you were allowed to do. Coriolanus had no idea why you were asking him if you could go on a walk, he didn’t really care what you did ever as long as you made it back to the mansion in one piece and didn’t spread rumors about him.

You did share a bed and that was about as close as you two got. You slept on either side of the quite large bed and pretended the other person didn’t exist. 

As time passed you seemed to settle into the new house and new life. You had fluffy, useless conversations over dinner. It wasn’t much but it was better than the silent treatment. You learned every Avox’s name in the mansion. You started leaving notes asking for utensils that he assumed were for your hobbies.

He didn’t know any of the names but he still took the list to a craft store and let an employee handle it. Coriolanus left it in the sunroom you had claimed as your own. You spent all your time in there, staring out at the gardens in the backyard. He wondered why you didn’t just walk in the gardens but he wasn’t pushing it.

A small hint of a smile graced your features when you sat in that room and it was the happiest he’d seen you in the mansion so he wasn’t asking you any questions. He left the bags from the craft store on the rounded wooden coffee table. Coriolanus left a card with his initials on it in front of the bags. He hoped it’d give him some positive credit in your heart. 

The next day when he came home from work he peaked into the sun room to see it had been taken over by your presence. Art supplies and half-finished works were scattered everywhere.

You were sat on the luxurious chaise with a pattern that reminded him of the Grandma’am’s dresses. You had color and white streaks on your face, your hands were filthy, and you were fanning yourself with a piece of paper like the excitement made you break a sweat. All that mess would’ve made him upset. Imagine if you got that paint on the furniture. All the negative thoughts he conjured up washed away the second he saw the happy and relaxed look on your face. You looked at home. Coriolanus left it and slipped away from the door without gaining your attention. 

After that, he felt like you truly getting comfortable. Especially with him. He thought you might even like him more than an acquaintance. You started leaving compliments on his hangers instead of questions and lists.

Coriolanus still remembers reading the first one and blushing like a schoolboy. He shoved the note into the top drawer of his dresser and ignored the burning on his cheeks. Strangely enough, he started to find your art everywhere. He found a new small vase on his dresser one day. It was very small. It could hold maybe three or four flowers but it wasn’t the size that caught his attention. On the white background of the ceramic vase were little engraved roses. He thought of you being observant enough to notice him wearing them.

Coriolanus wasn’t sure how to thank you. He took a page from your metaphorical book and left a note to you on your dresser. He spoke of how he wanted to thank you but didn’t know what would bring his message across. Initially, he had thought of buying you some fancy jewelry on the ride home but it didn’t seem like something you would enjoy. He suggested an art thingy you really wanted. 

You thanked him for the note over dinner and started rattling off all about the art supplies you loved and all the art facts you knew. He couldn’t understand a word of what you said but still nodded along and hummed. A smile and sparkle in your eye had found your face. Coriolanus didn’t realize your face could make that expression. Halfway through one of your sentences your face fell. You stopped speaking and looked down at your plate. Coriolanus stared at you, wondering what could’ve provoked you to lose all of your energy like that. You shook your head like you were disappointed in yourself. 

“Sorry, I know you probably don’t want to listen to me talk all night. How was work?” You said, keeping your eyes on your plate. Coriolanus’ brain worked a thousand miles to catch up with yours. He sat back in his chair, wiping at the corners of his mouth. 

“I was listening. I was quite enjoying it, actually. That French painter used to eat yellow paint? Right? And I’d rather not speak of my work. It’s draining enough there much less coming home to talk about it.” Coriolanus said, making you lift your head. Your smile hadn’t returned but your defeated shoulders left. You looked him up and down. 

“He was actually Dutch. He just lived in France.” You muttered. He actually didn’t mean to mess his facts up but he was glad it got you talking again. You straightened up, a quarter of your spirits returning. “Also he didn’t eat the paint so he could ingest the happiness, as many believe. He tried to poison himself with it.” You said. Coriolanus scribbled down on his mental notes about you; you could not stand an incorrect art fact. He knew how to get you talking now. 

He thought everything was going so well too. The day had been pretty good. There was a note on his suit that complimented the tie he set out. Work was work but today felt less grueling with your simple compliment stirring in his head all day. He found a tiny ceramic cat snoozing away on top of his dresser. That he quite enjoyed.

Coriolanus said so over dinner as well. Your energy was lower, only answering with short responses. He tried to raise your energy by asking about what art project you worked on today but even that couldn’t pull you out of your slump. He assumed you must’ve had a rough night. Though he didn’t remember you tossing and turning. 

An Avox had ran you a warm bath after dinner. Though after you had slipped into the water, they started helping with the work in the kitchen. Coriolanus personally wouldn’t spend so much time in the bath but he wasn’t you so what did he know?

After he finished dressing for bed and setting out his suit, he maneuvered his way to your shared bathroom to brush his teeth. Sure he could’ve walked a few feet down the hallway to another unoccupied bathroom but strangely enough he missed your presence. He raised his hand to knock on the door but paused when he heard sniffling on the other side. Coriolanus wondered if the right thing to do was to go hide in the bedroom until you left the bathroom, go use the other bathroom and ignore your struggles, or knock. 

He rapped his knuckles against the wood, leaning his ear towards the door. Coriolanus raised his voice so you could hear him, but his tone remained soft.  He said he needed to use the sink and would be in and out in a few minutes. He waited for you to answer. You called for him to come in.

Coriolanus gently pushed open the door and tried to meet your eyes. You were sunken low into the bubbling water, only your face from the nose up present. You stared at the bathroom wall, avoiding his gaze. Coriolanus moved to the sink and brushed his teeth as fast as he could without disregarding their health. When he finished he turned back to the tub, feeling strange just standing there staring at you in the bath. 

“Are you okay?” He whispered. You sniffed and splashed the bubbles against the bathtub wall. You nodded, making waves in the soapy water. 

“Are you sure? I heard crying from outside the door.” He said, pointing over at the closed door. Your chin surfaced over the water. You turned to face him. Your eyes were red and it was entirely evident you had been crying for a long time. 

“Nosey.” You said, just barely passing over a breath. Coriolanus sank to his knees next to the edge of the bathtub. 

“I can help. Promise. I just don’t know what’s wrong.” He explained that like you didn’t get it. You fully understood without his help. You sighed and dropped your head back against the bathtub wall. 

“Promise you won’t judge me?” You asked, peeking an eye at him. Coriolanus tried to think of something that would cause you to cry in the bath and make him judge you. He came up with nothing. He shook his head. Your hand splashed out from the bubbles, holding out your pinkie towards him. Coriolanus intertwined his pinkie with yours, shaking it slightly to signify the deal. 

“Sometimes my body hurts. Really bad. So bad I stay up at night crying because it won’t stop. It makes just living really difficult. Sometimes I feel like I can’t move because I know if I do it will hurt more so I just plop myself into one spot and don’t move.” Coriolanus was shocked he hadn’t been able to deduce this before. No wonder you didn't walk in the gardens or meander about the mansion. You found a room and stayed there. He really wasn’t observant apparently. Coriolanus slipped his hand into the water, soaking his pajama shirt sleeve. Coriolanus’ hand found yours immediately. He intertwined his fingers with yours, running a thumb over the back of your hand soothingly. You sniffled again, glancing over at the wall before looking back at him. 

“Earlier today it started to flare up but I thought it would be manageable. It started really hurting at dinner but I knew I just had a few more things to do and then the day would be over. But now I feel like I can’t move, it hurts so bad I can’t stand up. I can’t even call Mavvy because she's in the kitchen. It hurts, so much I don’t know how I can get out of this stupid bathtub.” You said. Your frustration boiled over and slapped your other hand against the water. It splashed Coriolanus on the cheek. He was going to say that was quite rude of you but you slumped against the side of the tub in such a pitiful way he couldn’t bear to say anything mean to you.

Coriolanus wasn’t sure who Mavvy was but he could assume she was one of the Avoxes that work in his mansion. He hummed and reached for your face. He gently brushed away a tear from your cheek though it didn’t matter much because all your skin was wet. 

“Let me help you out,” Coriolanus said, squeezing your hand under the water. You straightened your head, staring at him with a strange expression. 

“Are you sure? I can do it. I can. It will take me a long time and a lot of tears but I can do it. You don’t have to. You’d have to change your pajamas and everything.” You said. Coriolanus lifted your hand from the water and gently pressed his lips to the back of your hand. 

“I don’t mind. Let me help, I want to.” Coriolanus said. You huffed and nodded. You slowly pulled yourself up into a sitting position. You clenched your teeth in the process. Coriolanus wondered how badly it burned just to sit up, but by the look on your face, he didn’t want to find out. Coriolanus slipped your intertwined hand over his head, pulling your arm over his shoulder. He pulled his arm around your waist and tugged you closer to his body. You’d need all the support you could get to leave the tub. 

“Ready?” Coriolanus whispered. You sucked in a deep breath and nodded. Coriolanus counted down from three before pulling your body up. You groaned in the process and clutched his hand tighter. Your legs shuffled and you finally pressed your feet to the bottom of the tub. Coriolanus tried to pull you higher into a standing position. You gasped and flung your free hand out to brace against the wall. 

“Stop. Stop. Just wait a second.” Pain pulled at your words and he wondered if you were going to cry again. It hurt holding his half-standing half-squatting position but he knew it couldn’t hold a candle flame to your pain. The way you were gasping like a fire was set to your skin every time he moved a centimeter made him wish he was a stone statue. You steadied your breathing and knocked your hand against his chest. He took it as a signal to continue. Coriolanus tugged you up onto your feet and you were finally standing in the tub. You let out a shaky breath and pressed your head against his shoulder. 

It took a lot of time and effort but eventually, Coriolanus was able to pull your wet body into your shared bedroom. He helped you sit down on the edge of the bed, a few curses following after you. He skittered into the bathroom and brought a towel back to you. You tried to argue against it but he waved you off and sank to his knees in front of you. Coriolanus dried off your body. He tried his hardest to move your limbs slowly, to not cause more harm. Your body was dry after a few minutes and he flung the towel away, helping you shuffle up towards your spot on the bed. Coriolanus helped tuck you in, apologizing when his wrong move made you groan. 

Coriolanus sat next to you on the bed, caressing your face in hopes of it soothing you. You hummed and leaned into his touch. You opened your eyes and looked at him sadly. 

“Sorry.” You whispered. He wondered if it hurt to talk louder but didn’t want to ask you questions about it. You had enough going on right now, evidently. 

“For what?” Coriolanus asked, rubbing his thumb over your cheekbone. You shrugged, wincing after. 

“Being defective, I guess. You should’ve gotten a better deal with this whole marriage thing.” You leaned your head against your pillow and stared at the sheets. Coriolanus felt his heart squeeze. It was preposterous. Truly. For you to think this way about yourself. He shook his head, leaning down to put his face in your line of sight. 

“You are not defective. I wouldn’t want anyone else to marry. Just because you have any disability or health problems does not mean I’m itching to send you away. I know our marriage wasn’t exactly out of passion but I’ve grown to care for you. I want you to be happy and comfortable. I’ll carry you for the rest of my life if it brings a smile to your face.” Coriolanus brushed his knuckle against your temple. You leaned your face into his hand, closing your eyes. Coriolanus leaned down and pressed his forehead against yours for a moment. 

“Thank you, Mr. Snow.” You whispered. Coriolanus pulled back and snorted. You glared at him, turning your head away from him. 

“Please, Coriolanus.” He thought about telling you to call him Coryo but he decided he should let you warm up to him more. You nodded and slowly moved your hand towards his and held onto it. 

That night he was sure that you two were sleeping closer. You were both on opposite sides of the bed but you were still latched onto his hand. In the large space between you two, that he once visualized as a brick wall, were your clasped hands. You didn’t move in your sleep, still in the position he helped you into last night when he woke up. Coriolanus wiggled around in his sleep but his hand was still with yours when his alarm went off. 

He gently pulled his hand away from yours and slowly sat up. Coriolanus worried if he moved the mattress too much it would cause you more pain. It hurt so bad yesterday that just him moving your leg up from the floor made you wince. Coriolanus doubted one sleep would make it better.

Coriolanus turned off his alarm and sat still on the edge of the mattress with his back turned to you. He wished he could just fling himself back into bed and never leave again. He wondered if he could call in sick, his partner was sick.

Coriolanus sighed and rubbed his face, hoping it would brush away the fatigue. He was startled when a hand ran down his back. Coriolanus turned his head back and saw you staring at him. Your face was evidence enough of your long night. Your eyes were droopy and you looked at him in a way that made him sure you had plenty of struggles falling asleep with pain coursing through your body. Coriolanus leaned to the side, taking your hand away from his back and into his palm. 

“Thank you.” You whispered, sleep still pulling your words into the sheets with you. Coriolanus shook his head and rubbed the back of your hand again. 

“I don't need thanks. I wanted to help you.” He said. Coriolanus leaned over the bed next to you. Your eyebrows pinched when the mattress sank under his weight and he mentally smacked himself for it. You nodded in acceptance of his words. He gently brought your knuckles to his lips again. When he pulled back he found your eyes had shut. Coriolanus reached up and gently brushed your temple with his thumb. Your eyes opened and you stared at him. 

“Take it easy today, okay? Don't push yourself.” He whispered, his lips still close enough to your hand that you could feel his breath. You nodded and slowly scooted further down the mattress. It didn't look like it caused too much pain but you squeezed your eyes shut all the same. 

Coriolanus didn't get a note on his hanger today, though he wasn't surprised. Apparently, you couldn't let him leave the house without a compliment to think of during the day because your quiet voice called out to him as he reached for the bedroom door. Coriolanus turned back and raised an eyebrow at you in question. You complimented how the suit brought his eyes with your cheek pressed against your pillow and your eyes falling shut despite the fight you put up. He thanked you and headed for the front door.

On his path there he ran into an Avox. He told her Mavvy needed to be within calling distance of you at all times today. Her lips twitched for a second before she schooled it that told him he was talking to Mavvy. The Avox nodded in understanding and he left for work. 

When he returned from work, you were still in bed. You had changed positions in bed, laying on your side with a book open. In the corner of the room was the Avox he spoke to this morning, sat in a wooden chair and reading her own book. You lifted your head when the door opened, smiling at Coriolanus brightly. It must've been a really boring day if you were this excited over seeing him.

Coriolanus spent the rest of the evening in bed with you. He asked Mavvy to tell the rest of the maids and butlers that dinner was going to be served in the bedroom that night. He liked eating dinner with you at the table, but he liked this much more. Coriolanus felt like you two were actually a loving married couple. You were more relaxed this way, laughing and cracking jokes that made him snort.

If he didn't know you barely liked him as a friend, he would've kissed you. Coriolanus was okay with this though, laughing with you and eating your dinner in the exquisite bedding.

Part two

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

I've been thinking about this for a while. May I request Kerian battling a "snow on Mt. Silver" Reader? Reader was the strongest trainer at Blueberry academy and champion of the BB league until they willingly handed off the title to Drayton and climbed to the highest point in the polar biome to wait for a strong challenger. Kerian, upon becoming champion, gets wind of them and decides to battle them. Things go bad quickly as reader is a ghost/corpse. Kerian does get rescued but is traumatized.

Oh this is a GOOD concept,,,give him that near-death trauma waaaaay before he even learns about terapagos

Also ik the weather conditions in the terarium are all simulated, but let's just say it malfunctioned and resulted in an actual blizzard at the very peak of the polar biome that killed reader + their Pokémon off (yet no one knows this)

......

"Have you heard from [y/n] lately, Drayton?"

"Nope. Last time I checked, they're still chilling at the Polar Biome peak, waiting for a "worthy challenger"."

"Was that pun intended?"

"...maybe, haha. But y'know, I kinda miss seeing their face around campus. I mean..they were our club's first champion, and to this day I still don't know why they handed the title over to me and bailed on-"

"Hold on, there was a champion before you and...you didn't even fight them for the title? No wonder I was able to beat you so easily."

"Oh great, just the person I hoped to see." With a dry chuckle, Drayton turned his head only slightly upon seeing Kieran approaching the clubroom's table with a deep scowl, eyes bleak.

Of course, the new champion of BB Academy believed he had every right to barge into the Elite Four's conversations--given he was having a bit of a "power trip" ever since gaining the title yesterday.

But the dragon trainer elected to ignore him, instead turning back to the others. "Anyways..I'm sure [y/n]'s already moved onto better things. No way could they still be up there after all that weird stuff happened with the weather."

"You mean..the time there was an actual blizzard in the terarium??" Lacey gasped, before shaking her head and making an "x" pose. "Bzzzt. Nope. Impossible. They sent a search and rescue team in case anyone in the outdoor classroom got stranded up there. And they didn't find a soul!"

"Yeah!" Crispin nodded in agreement. "I get they were the strongest trainer in this entire school, but why would they risk-?"

"I'm sorry, they're the strongest? Why am I only hearing about this [y/n] now?"

With a small yelp, he turned to the purple-haired boy. "Wah!! I-I totally forgot you were here, sorry.." He mumbled, slightly cowering under his harsh gaze. "Obviously you're the strongest! [Y/n]'s not important..d-don't worry about them. They're history-"

"But you all seem pretty convinced they're still here." Kieran's eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the group. "And you just told me where I might find them." He clenched his fists, already shaking with anticipation.

"Easy there, champ.." Drayton huffed in annoyance. "It's only a rumor that they're still hanging around. They weren't much of a talker, so we have no clue where they are. Could be in another region for all we know."

"..........."

"Don't tell me....you're thinking about charging up that mountain all by yourself to see if they're there, are you? That's suicide."

"I have to agree with Drayton." Amarys nodded. "The staff is still trying to determine the cause of the anomalous weather patterns. We aren't banned from venturing up there, but until they can find a solution, it's ill-advised."

"Exactly!" Lacey joined in. "I heard one of the rescue team members had to get treated for frostbite. And it wasn't from some ice-type Pokémon, but the blizzard itself. This is serious, Kieran!"

"....I'll be fine. Your scare tactics won't work on me."

"Huh?! But we're not-"

"Enough. I'm gonna go find them myself, seeing as you're all too cowardly to do so." The champion sneered. "If a worthy challenger is what they're after, then I'll give them one. I'll let them know there's a new champion in town..and that he's the strongest trainer in this academy. Not them."

With that, he turned on his heel and left the room, mumbling under his breath things that made the four feel uneasy.

"How pathetic. The Elite Four..scared of a little snow and ice? Whatever. I'll show them. I'll show [y/n]. I'll show them ALL..."

After the doors slammed shut behind him, they felt the tension still lingering in the air--as did every other club member who was hanging out on the sofas and by the BP computer.

"Man." Drayton broke the silence, sitting up to stretch his arms. "That kid catches wind of some random stranger who's just a little stronger than him, and boom. He's obsessed. Hope he doesn't get himself killed up there."

"Should one of us go after him?" Lacey muttered in concern, her gaze not leaving the doors.

"I-I think that would make him angrier.." Crispin shook his head. "He's got an Incineroar, so maybe it'll keep him toasty."

"That is true. He could also either confirm or deny [y/n]'s presence atop that mountain." Amarys spoke up. "I only hope he properly prepares himself for the long journey..and that no other weather anomalies arise.."

..........

"They weren't kidding..i-it's freezing...but we're doing this, Incineroar."

"Cinn.." Huffing, the Heel Pokémon remained beside its trainer as the two made their ascension towards the summit. They couldn't see any rest spots nor healing centers below them due to the snowfall being so heavy.

Even the teraglobe was barely visible.

Yet Kieran was persistent as ever in his goal, keeping his jacket zipped up and Incineroar close to him. He didn't care about the fact his hands were already growing numb, nor the cold biting at his legs leaving them weak.

He was the new champion. He had to let everyone in this school know and defeat whoever could threaten the position he worked so hard to achieve.

If not [Florian/Juliana]..then it was you.

You're someone he's never even met, but knowing you were the very first BB League champion and had a big-enough ego to come up here and wait for a strong challenger...was something he couldn't turn a blind eye to.

No.

Not if he wanted to be the best in this entire school and eliminate any competition.

Absolutely nothing was gonna stop him.

Not even the fact that his Incineroar's flames were struggling to stay alive, gradually exhausting the feline as it struggled to keep up. It began having chills itself, although it knew better than to disobey its trainer when he demanded to keep the fire going.

Surely it can tough it out for him, right?

After what seemed like an eternity, Kieran finally reached the top of the mountain and saw you: the lone figure waiting for them both. Much of the snowfall had already cleared up allowing him to see you in a cap that concealed your eyes and a BB Academy uniform.

You were looking at something up in the sky, until you heard the sounds of shuffling and turned around, looking down with surprise at the challenger.

This kid...came up all this way to see you? Impressive.

His Incineroar looked a little worse for wear, the flames around its belt dying out, yet it stuck close to its trainer's side as he stared at you with a cold hard gaze.

"Are you [y/n], former BB League Champion?" He questioned.

"........."

"Not much of a talker, huh? Guess they were right. I'm Kieran, or better yet..Champion Kieran."

Although you barely gave a response aside from a slight tilt of your head, he just smirked. "Yeah, you heard me. I'm the new champion and president of the League Club, not that dumb dragon tamer. Because unlike him, I worked hard to earn this title. I don't wait around for things to be handed to me on a silver platter."

".........."

"You think being champion is a joke? Something you can just pawn off to somebody when you get bored of it?"

"........."

"I thought so. That means you never deserved the title to begin with.." He scoffed, irritated by your silence. "Anyway, they said you were the strongest, but I'm here to change that!" Pointing up at you, he shouted over the wind. "You wanted a worthy opponent..well HERE I AM!!! Incineroar, Porygon-Z...show them the power of a true BB League Champion!!"

He took out his Virutal Pokémon's pokeball, ready to send it into battle.

But it didn't come out after he tossed it to the ground.

"...huh?" Confused, Kieran picked up the pokeball, wondering why it wasn't opening. Then he noticed frost coating the button, practically icing it over entirely. "No, no, no.....what is this?!"

For some reason it was jammed, and he discovered that all the other pokeballs in his bag were like that, too, rendering them inaccessible.

But how?

It shouldn't be possible for all of them to freeze simultaneously...their insulation should be top-tier.

Brushing off his worries, he glared at you. "Whatever. I can win a single-battle, too! I've developed strategies for this. Incineroar, it's all up to you now"

Nodding, the Heel Pokémon cracked its knuckles and stepped forward. But as it looked at you, it began shivering all of the sudden, feeling a drastic drop in temperature as the flames on its belt struggled still.

It wasn't just the weather giving it chills..but you.

Something about you just seemed...off, but it couldn't exactly tell its trainer what that was. Nor would he probably care.

Whether it liked it or not, it had to win this battle.

Wordlessly, you stepped down so you could fight on equal ground and took out a single pokeball. It was covered in frost, with much of the red paint faded, and it looked awfully damaged--especially the button.

Yet somehow it was functional as you sent out your first Pokémon.

And the sight of it was so grisly, Kieran felt genuinely nauseated, unable to do anything except stare in shock.

"Wh...What the..."

It appeared as a sickly frostbit creature, with its colors dull and empty sockets in place of its eyes. Not to mention the heavy wounds littering its body, which seemed fresh. It's like you ran out of healing items and never bothered to look for any more.

And its cry was pained.

Considering how much Kieran himself loved and treasured Pokémon, he was gravely concerned and had second thoughts about fighting one in such a horrible state...

But that little voice in his head told him that refusing to fight your team would make him look weak. You'd probably think he was weak for backing down.

And he refused to do that.

Why was he suddenly so afraid? You were only trying to scare him, just like everybody else...and he was fed up with that.

He came this far. He had to finish this.

"You...think your Pokémon can battle in that condition? Looks like they can barely stand." His eyebrows furrowed. "No matter. Once I beat you, I'll take them off your ha-"

"Struggle."

A hoarse whisper escaped your lips, stunning him as he realized you could actually speak. But then your Pokémon suddenly threw itself at Incineroar, attacking and taking a good deal of recoil damage as it fainted soon afterwards.

Or rather...

It simply dropped to the ground and ceased all motions, with you making no move to recall them. Instead you just sent out your next party member.

Kieran tried not to think about why they did that, and just scoffed at your strategy. "Really? This is what the "strongest" trainer is capable of? I expected better..I'll beat you in no time at all."

Yet you didn't seem fazed by anything he said, as you commanded your Pokémon to use Struggle, too.....and every other one after that did the same thing.

What frustrated him the most was how they all managed to outspeed Incineroar, forcing it to endure every hit without getting a chance to retaliate. It felt so unfair, and he couldn't do anything except sit and watch, feeling his blood boiling more with each passing second.

He didn't know why you exhausted all of your team's moves, why you wouldn't give him a chance to strike back....or why you're even up here at all and allowed them to get this bad.

But he knew one thing.

He wanted to get off this mountain soon.

The snowfall was growing heavier again, the howling wind picking up as the temperature kept dropping.

"Stop! Just stop for a second!!" He snapped as you readied your final pokeball. All you did was pause and stare at him. "You haven't given me a chance to attack yet! And I'm locked out my pokeballs...this isn't fair! You're cheating!!"

"..it's almost over."

He tensed, wondering why you spoke those words so ominously. But he took that as an insult and scowled. "For me? No...it's almost over for you. You're down to your last Pokémon..and I still have all of mine. I'm putting an end to this pathetic "struggle strategy" of yours right now."

".........."

"What a joke this was. Everyone says you were the strongest trainer..but you're just another obstacle in my way."

Hearing that saddened you a little, almost making you regret what you're about to subject this hapless champion to next...but you will end this one way or another.

You couldn't tolerate his arrogance any longer.

Your final Pokémon's appearance completely wiped the smug look on Kieran's face, as his eyes widened upon seeing a Pikachu in the most horrific condition--one that didn't look anything like the others on your team.

Its fur was totally white with a layer of frost coating it; and it was missing a leg, ear, and part of its tail...as though something had torn and chewed at various sections of its body. And its wounds exposed its muscle and bones, yet somehow it was still able to stand on its own.

But the most terrifying thing was its lack of a cutesy smile typical to its species. Instead there was this creepy grin stretching from ear-to-nonexistent-ear. And it just stared at him with those pitch black eyes, giggling.

His hands shook with genuine fear, before he rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

Yet both of you were still there when he looked, ready for battle.

Suddenly he didn't feel so high and mighty right now. His heart pounded and his throat felt dry, eyes stinging from the cold.

He felt as though he wasn't supposed to be here.

He shouldn't be here.

He didn't want to do this anymore.

He wanted to go home.

It was so cold...

But he needed to finish this.

"I-Incineroar, use-"

"Pain Split."

'Wait...Pikachu can learn that?!' His eyes widened in shock, but at the same time he was relieved you finally did something new-

Only for your Pikachu to screech and attack his Pokémon with that move, biting into its arm and causing the latter to roar in agony. He could only watch, horrified as blood splattered all across the snow.

By the time he managed to recall Incineroar, it had already fainted from the attack.

However your Pikachu did, too, laying among the other bodies of your Pokémon...who he now realized were in fact deceased. He could barely see them since the snow covered most of them.

But the morbid images would never leave his head.

He still didn't understand.

What have you become?

What are you?

"It's over."

Looking up, Kieran screamed upon seeing your uniform now covered in blood, the frostbite having eaten away at most of your flesh. You looked like some zombie, with exposed bones and hollowed eyes much like your Pokémon--gazing at him with that same sadness they held.

Now it finally hit him.

All this time, he wasn't battling some BB League ex-champion. He was battling the victim of that weather malfunction the four were talking about.

The one who never made it down this mountain alive.

You were already dead...and wanted him to suffer the same fate as you.

He blinked, and you were suddenly in front of him, grabbing the front of his jacket with two hands and staring at him. And all he could do was stare back in terror, unable to look away.

"Destiny B-"

"NO!! NO!! STOP!!! GET AWAY FROM ME!!!!!" Screaming as loud as he could, he lost all composure as he tried pushing you off of him, hitting your jaw and dislocating the bone.

You dropped him to the ground, and he sobbed, wrapping his arms over his head as he begged you to leave him be.

"L-Let me go home, please pleasepleaseplease-"

"Kieran?!!!"

With a sharp gasp, he looked up to hear the voice of Lacey, before seeing her, Carmine, and the other Elite Four members rushing towards him. They were all bundled-up, with Crispin's Magmortar and Heat Rotom keeping them warm.

"It's [y/n]!!" He shouted, pointing to where you stood. "Th-They..they're right there!!"

The group stopped, appearing confused as they looked all around, seeing nothing but snow.

"Wh-Why are you all standing around?!"

"Kieran..there's no one here except us." Crispin muttered.

".....huh?" Blinking, he looked back and realized you have disappeared entirely, not leaving behind a single trace of your presence. There weren't any blood or footprints in the snow, nor any frozen bodies of Pokémon lying in it.

It's like he was battling a hallucination all along.

But it felt so real..

"But I....I-I..."

"Only you would be insane enough to risk your life coming up here," Carmine huffed, kneeling down. But as soon as she saw the true terror in her little brother's eyes, her heart sank..wondering what he witnessed. "Kiki..?"

"...i-it was them...[y/n]..." He mumbled shakily, his arm still stuck in a pointing position. Tears streaked down his face, the cold wind making his cheeks sting like hell. "Th-They were right here..and...and they...they tried to-"

"Listen, I get you really wanted to meet them and battle them...but they're not here. They're long gone. Now c'mon. We need to get you off this stupid mountain." Picking him up was no problem for Carmine, given how he was light as a feather. He just clung to her, allowing himself to be carried on her back.

The four were astonished that he actually made the journey up here, with Drayton wondering if he was really that desperate to battle you that he came up here, realized you weren't around, and just...made up a scenario in which he wins anyways.

Instead, the poor kid seemed traumatized by whatever he saw...or believed he saw.

After making it safely down the mountain and getting treated--alongside his Incineroar--Kieran's detailed account of what happened led to another rescue team heading up the summit, just in case they may have missed something.

They had fire types and ground type tirelessly shoveling through the snow, digging in the exact spot where he battled you, but there were no signs of you anywhere.

Even so..he refused to believe it, and still had reoccurring nightmares of that encounter and how it might've ended if the others didn't show up in time.

Soon enough he got back on-track to training his Pokémon and becoming stronger everyday, but other trainers noticed how carefully he treaded throughout the Polar Biome..

And how he avoided going anywhere near the tallest mountain in that zone.

For he believed you were still up there, waiting for him.

[idkman-ijustwannamakeatournament]

Round 1: Match 17

"Two Sides of the Same Coin"- Two things that are regarded as part of the same thing. Even if they're very different, they have at least one common thread that helps them fit into this trope.

Propaganda (under the cut):

Hajime Hinata and Nagito Komaeda:

"Both of them grew up talentless in a society where talent is basically everything, where the prestigious Hope’s Peak Academy believed and enforced that if you don’t have a talent then you won’t ever really amount to anything or live a fulfilling life.

The difference between them is that Nagito accepted his place as a “stepping stone” for people with talent, viewing himself as worthless unless used as a tool, while Hajime tried to get into Hope’s Peak Academy and discover a talent so he could be confident in his future, taking drastic measures (signing up for an experimental project that ended up erasing his entire personality) to become something more. the parallels between them make me unwell"

Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu:

"the two of them are quite different in a lot of ways! wen kexing is much more flamboyant and dramatic, always standing out and wearing bright colors and looking for a show, while zhou zishu is much more subdued, trying to go unnoticed and draw the least amount of attention possible. wen kexing is all for big displays of bloody violence that have little planning and are intended to be watched and attributed to him. zhou zishu is all for subtly and covert ways of getting rid of people that can't be traced back to him at all and wipe out all witnesses and is always having to plan like 10 steps ahead. wen kexing is super talkative while zhou zishu is generally quiet. wen kexing represents the terror on the martial arts world while zhou zishu represents the terror on the imperial world. wen kexing is from the ghost valley that uses the water of lethe/oblivion, the inverse being drunk like a dream which is used by window of heaven which is where zhou zishu is from.

as for similarities, they were both innocent children set up to have a good and upright life, but experienced a loss that set them on a path that lead both of them to become the leaders of two of the worst/most evil organizations in the world. their martial arts abilities are equal to each other. and they're canonically soulmates and say that they're the only ones who can truly understand each other."

[captain-joongz]

◇ Dragonheart (series masterlist)

Pairing: OT7 x reader Genre: dragon rider AU, high fantasy, slight enemies to lovers, angst, fluff, humour, eventual smut, revolution and war Summary: The Gong-li Empire has been on the peak of its power for a little over a millenium, and there was a very simple reason for that - dragonkind. When the first emperor of the Li Dynasty struck a deal with a witch that would allow him to bind dragons to the crown and force them into obedience, it was the beginning of its reign of terror and the end of freedom for creatures as old as nature itself.Now, a woman hoping to change everything enters the ranks of the elite dragon rider unit among the imperial army and meets seven men that not only change her life, but help her change the fate of the whole world.Status: ongoing

♧ Penny for your ghosts (series masterlist)

Pairing: OT7!BTS x f!reader Genre: hybrid au, supernatural au, ghost hunting au (based on Lockwood&Co lore), found family, fluff and humour, some angst, eventual smut, i'm too tired to write slowburn this is fun from the beginning because i'm starved for affection Summary: The world is haunted. There's ghosts, so many in fact that sometimes it feels like they're taking over the living. Incidents are on the rise, ghost related injuries and deaths are getting worse and more common, fear is taking place in hearts of those still here. And the only ones who are born with the gift, with the ability to see, hear and fight this epidemic, are hybrids. Between the countless agencies and corporations ran by humans exploiting hybrids' gifts for profit, you desperately try to apply your gifts and end up at a small shunned hybrid ran agency fighting to help people and gain respect. Status: ongoing

♡ rapline as jazz bar owners having fun with their waitress (s)

♧ coming soon <3

♡ coworker!Jin who seems to hate only you (s)

♤ Abraxas (series masterlist)

Pairing: mafia boss!Min Yoongi x police office!reader Genre: angst, fluff, humour, smut, investigative, mafia au, enemies to lovers, slowburn Summary: Young and fresh out of police academy, I set out to take down one of the biggest gangs in Seoul. I didn't expect the whirlwind my life would become after meeting the one and only Min Yoongi. Caught between two worlds, it's hard to say whether I was pulled down or returned where I always belonged. Status: ongoing

♧ A little show

Pairing: postgrad!Min Yoongi x f!reader Genre: strangers to lovers, smut, uni au Summary: Who knew that getting off in the uni bathroom to get away from the world's most boring lecture could lead to getting absolutely railed by a cute postgrad student... but third time's the charm, right?

♡ Cinderella

Pairing: club owner!Min Yoongi x f!reader x right-hand man!Jung Hoseok Genre: non-idol au, club owners au, smut, s2l Summary: Question - what is something that might help a shameless brat trapped in a body of a shy girl come out of her shell? Answer - two hot owners of a local club more than happy to whip her into shape.

♤ alpha!Yoongi lost in a rut haze (s)

♡ dom Yoongi and Yunho fighting for dominance (s)

♡ Cinderella

Pairing: club owner!Min Yoongi x f!reader x right-hand man!Jung Hoseok Genre: non-idol au, club owners au, smut, s2l Summary: Question - what is something that might help a shameless brat trapped in a body of a shy girl come out of her shell? Answer - two hot owners of a local club more than happy to whip her into shape.

♧ sunshine Hoseok who's actually a hard dom (s)

♡ Space for two

Pairing: demon!Kim Taehyung x f!reader Genre: fantasy, historical, angst, fluff, smut Summary: Trapped in a marriage arranged by our families, married to a cold, uncaring man and taking care of a farm in the middle of nowhere, I had sunken to the lowest lows. Aware of my husband's gambling habits and love for brothels that often kept him from home, I'd gotten used to the feeling of falling asleep in a cold, empty bed. But that changed one day, when an uninvited guest made himself quite at home and brought with him warm touches and scorching dreams. Gentleness coming from the one least expected may just be the push into the right direction.

♤ coming soon! <3

♧ wolf hybrid Kookie gets playful (s)

[more-than-a-princess]

She felt the shame begin to turn over in her stomach: Sonia only had a very small idea of the other traditional Japanese theater styles. But she refused to let it show on her face, giving her dance partner the same serene expression she'd worn for the duration of their dance. "I'd like that," She found herself agreeing, without thinking much on it. "Perhaps you might assist me in putting us in touch? If it is not too much trouble."

She chose not to mention the inherited name. She knew something about nepotism to be sure, but it was likely their dancing friend worked hard to earn the title. Sonia, despite her own efforts, had simply won the genetic lottery. She could've been the laziest princess in the world and yet, she still probably would've been invited that evening. She could've cared far more for the gossip than the artifacts on display, but it wouldn't have mattered. Not to most of the people present: she was a princess. She had money, influence, and conventional attractiveness: when she'd tried to share her preferences for the antiques, particularly which ones she was most eager to arrange to be shipped to their temporary home, the organizers had only half paid attention before inquiring after future social commitments for her.

At least her partner didn't seem to mind the omission, or the spilled wine of their shoes. Sonia's eyebrows raised: she might have imagined it, but it could've been the first time they'd smiled all night, the moment the man was escorted swiftfully out of the ballroom. "Trust me, I wish I didn't attract the notoriety I do at times," She murmured in return. The dress was borrowed and exquisitely handmade: it was the right thing to do to save it. But the hand-painted silk worried her far less than the crown that seemed to follow her wherever she went. Even to events, like the gala that night, that didn't require a tiara to be worn (small favors, Sonia had thought, when she'd been briefed by her secretary about the invitation). "I apologize, however: I have a feeling that some of those photographs will be plenty visible. The best way I can phrase it is that it tends to be an occupational hazard in my company, school grounds aside."

Hope's Peak's security and school rules kept unwanted coverage on social media at bay, something Sonia was thankful for. She could at least live normally there, unlike the current spectacle that made up the evening. Maybe it was the way her partner still held onto her hand that seemed to surprise and delight several onlookers, phones covertly snapping away. Sonia could only sigh and smile: one, unflattering pictures were far more difficult to keep contained and two, they didn't seem to mind leading her away from the dance floor with such etiquette, if not care. If they didn't mind, then neither would she, falling into step at their side.

"I appreciate your outlook, and your discretion," She told them quietly, honestly. Deep down, Sonia doubted they were invited for the same reasons. They likely didn't have to address the entire crowd, be expected to pose for photographs, be kept to a schedule at a party, of all places. But she wouldn't put a damper on the mood: the rain had already tried that, and she'd managed to usher her new friend indoors in the end. It didn't matter, not yet anyway, that she still didn't know their name or where they went to school. Only that they were linked to the archery antiques that would too surely be bound for Novoselic soon. "And I shall accept your words as a compliment: thank you."

It was impolite to try and defer them, to insist she hardly fit such praise, as many upper class ladies did to assert their modesty. A princess would only behave with grace, kindness, and compassion, and that would entail accepting compliments as they came without a hint of boasting or pride. But Sonia had a hunch that this person did not bestow such kindness easily: thus, her acceptance had been truly sincere. "Is it too bold of me to say that you are wonderful company as well? I liked your macabre deer, Shika-san. And most people don't like it when I discuss books for too long."

Especially when the majority of them fell under the same category as macabre: grotesque, creepy, or otherwise unsettling, her manga and romance novel choices excluded. But the book on display fell into the former categories, something that encouraged an eager smile from the princess as they paused in front of it. Sonia did a quick subtraction in her head: if it was nearly 22:00, it meant it was 14:00 in Novoselic. That meant most of the security and PR staff were still working, and it also meant no one would think of calling her until at least 23:00, when the ball would end, demanding an explanation for the photos that were currently being sent out on various social media platforms. And with fifteen minutes before she was due to give her speech...

"I have a little time, at least until I'm to unmask for everyone," She grinned before turning to the book, its pages thoroughly yellowed and drawings half-faded away with age. "I love so many things about Japanese culture, but the stories of the yokai are very special. Unlike other cultures and religions that tend to only speak of the supernatural poorly, I admire how various yokai are honored and celebrated. From stories like these, to temples, to being incorporated into holidays. But this book, it's the first collection of many yokai stories into one: several featuring the oni, and then the tengu, the kappa, the tanuki, even some yurei as well. Alongside demons, Japan has many chilling ghost stories. They do frighten me so!"

Most people likely would've admitted such a thing with fear in their voice, in their eyes. But in Sonia's there was only passion, fascination, and interest, as if she couldn't get enough tales of demons and ghosts and the havoc they wreaked across Japan. If only due to the fact that whenever princess duties needed her to travel across the countryside, she made concentrated efforts to explore as many haunted destinations as she could.

"Drat, I'm not supposed to mention ghosts or demons. Or murder," She muttered, hoping the various pairs of ears, and mobile phones, hadn't caught that. "Please don't tell anyone: my family would be ashamed to know I brought up such topics here."

So, they attended the same school. That they hadn't met before this night wasn't so surprising, Shinobu supposed, given how she was practically a ghost haunting the hallways. It meant that they might see each other again after this night had concluded. Unusual, but she would concede not altogether unwanted. So far, Sonia seemed to be a less boring person than most.

"Yes, kabuki," she clarified with a small nod. "Her concentration is in kabuki, although I believe she also has a certain journeyman familiarity with noh, bunraku, and yose styles." If they all attended Hope's Peak Academy, then Anzu would meet her eventually. The nosy actress would certainly make sure of that, especially if she learned that Shinobu had spent any length of time with her without reducing her to tears, or without Shinobu having decided that she hated her.

"I believe she'd be quite glad to have you attend a performance, should the interest strike you. She's quite talented despite her age." Shinobu certainly wasn't proud of that airhead, but she wouldn't allow anyone, not even herself, to disparage her hard work and skill. "She's already inherited a stage name that dates from over three centuries ago." Of course, Anzu could speak of her own accolades better than Shinobu, but how else was she supposed to describe her as an actress? She was a generational talent, anyone with taste could see that much. Besides, Anzu could always use more age-appropriate friends aside from her.

As their conversation, and their dance, was interrupted by the spilling of wine, Shinobu was satisfied that they'd managed to ensure no damage to their partner's dress. Of course, she was even more satisfied to see the offending man swiftly grabbed and dragged from the fundraiser premises, prompting the briefest, faintest expression of what passed for a smile from Shinobu Yaguchi. At the other girl's gratitude, though, she dispensed with her cruel expression and returned her attention to Sonia.

"Your dress looks expensive, and you've clearly attracted a degree of attention from the other guests, Miss Nevermind," Shinobu murmured, casting a sideways glance at the gathered attendees who were still doing a rather poor job of hiding their texting, in her opinion. Perhaps they believed they were being stealthy, but even such minor movements across a room couldn't escape the farsighted vision of such a talented archer as her.

If they had their bow, they could likely shoot through three or four of the phones at once. A pity that they didn't. "It would be a shame for the remainder of the evening's photographs to be marred because of a fool's lack of sense."

With one hand still lightly holding Sonia's, Shinobu walked back in the direction of the book she'd pointed out. Being in that she'd noticed the man with the wine glass and taken the steps to avoid it, she hadn't had the opportunity to get a closer look. Sonia had mentioned being read the stories from a more recent edition, an idea that sparked some fragment of a memory. Had her mother read something like that to her and Masaru him? She remembered so little of the years before becoming the Yaguchi Dojo's heir.

"There's no need to explain yourself," she answered with a glance towards Sonia, before looking back to the book. "Your name is Miss Nevermind and you've been invited to attend the night's events, no differently than I have." Contextually, she had some ideas. Sonia was of European descent, a student at Hope's Peak Academy, and had been referred to in such a particular way by her attendant. That she was likely some sort of Ultimate Aristocrat or Ultimate Noblewoman seemed obvious enough, but Shinobu intended neither to kneel or prostrate herself, nor suddenly become self-conscious and exit the conversation.

That Sonia hadn't led with her title, even when speaking about Hope's Peak Academy, was proof enough that she had some reason to wish not to speak of it. Shinobu hadn't even given their name yet, so to take issue with someone else withholding something appeared to them hypocritical. "You're also quite a skilled dancer, someone I believe to have a genuine interest in the arts on display, and an interesting conversationalist." The word slipped out before Shinobu could catch it. She didn't use it lightly.

It wasn't something they could take back easily, so they'd simply take solace in the fact that Sonia wouldn't understand it for anything other than it seemed to be. "I find that information to be more relevant than the circumstances of your invitation. So rather than a lengthy explanation, it would be my preference to continue our conversation about this book, or the various other items on display." Out of the corner of her eye, Shinobu glanced back towards the other attendees, and Sonia's attendants. "Of course, only if it's possible for you to spare the time to do so, Miss Nevermind."

[wuhuha]

The Seasonal Blessings

An lore entry in my WOA art series aka Wu's Oc Academy. Were I take all my OCs and try fitting/reimagine them all existing in the same made up fantasy setting.

Magic is a gift from the spirits to humans after the six elemental sisters efforts to preserve nature during grim times for the world. Hence the season of ones birth being of great importance as it dictates which elemental presence is strongest and is there to bestow the gift of magic to the individual.

The spirits are regarded as the voices of nature so usually they are categorized into the season of the year; Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. It is said that these seasonal blessings govern not only their magical path, but also influence their personalities and paths in life.

The 4 houses of WOA is divided into these four seasons. Also worthy of mention is the appearance of a one wand is influenced by one's seasonal blessing.

(English is not my first language so please feel free to point out weirdly worded sentences and phases. I tried writing this ver.2 to make it a bit more engaging to read, than just a list off.)

Seasonal blessing of Spring:

Spring is a time of rebirth, new beginnings, and flourishing life. Those born with the Spring blessing are often full of energy, hope, and vitality. They carry the potential for growth, both in themselves and in the world around them.

Those carrying the blessing of spring will more likely have control over plants, earth, and life/healing magic. This might manifest as the ability to manipulate vines, roots, and seeds, and even summon animals to aid them. Many spring witches/wizards can communicate with plants and animals.

Spring blessed tend to have an uplifting, hopeful personality. Many fostering growth and renewal in those around them. However, they may sometimes struggle with impatience, as their magic urges constant change and improvement.

Many are innovative, driven by a desire to improve the world and bring new life to stagnant situations.

Seasonal blessing of Summer:

Summer represents warmth, passion, strength, and vitality. Those born under the Summer blessing are often confident, full of energy, and prone to bold actions. They embody the peak of growth and the power of the sun.

Many witches and wizards born in summer have an intrinsic connection to fire and heat. They can summon flames, control temperature, and harness the power of the sun. Their fire magic can range from small controlled flames to massive infernos. Summer blessed's magic often involves powerful illusions, allowing them to cloak themselves or others in light or heat, creating blinding or hypnotic effects.

Summer blessed are often leaders, brimming with confidence and ambition. They tend to take risks and act decisively.

While they are fiercely loyal and dedicated, their emotions can burn hot and quick, making them prone to outbursts or impatience when things don't go their way. They are also strong-willed, with a natural inclination to lead others, (despite their wishes).

Seasonal blessing of Autumn:

Autumn represents the cycle of transformation, harvest, and reflection. Those born with an Autumn blessing are deeply connected to the passage of time, the wisdom of the past, and the beauty of decay and transformation.

Autumn blessed will often have power over change, decay, and transmutation. Many possess the ability to transform substances and altering the appearance of objects. Many has also historically been skilled at manipulating shadows, creating darkened illusions. Autumn blessed often connect with spirits and ancestors. They have an easier time with communing to spirits of the departed for guidance or wisdom, allowing them to communicate with ghosts or gain insights from the past.

Autumn blessed are often thoughtful, introspective, and often seen as the wise advisers of any group. They are excellent planners and strategic thinkers, able to see the larger picture and understand the importance of every cycle.

Often they can be melancholic, carrying a deep sense of nostalgia or reflection on the passage of time. They are drawn to things that are aging or changing, and they often ponder the cycles of life, death, and rebirth.

Seasonal blessing of Winter:

Winter represents endurance, cold, isolation, and quiet. Those born under the Winter blessing are often introverted, resilient, and deep thinkers. They embody the power of stillness, survival, and the harsh beauty of the cold.

Winter blessed are the masters of ice, snow, and wind. They can summon blizzards, create barriers of ice, freeze water, or even summon the chill of winter to sap the strength of enemies. With a strong connection to winter spirits it allows many to move unseen, using silence and stealth as their greatest boon. Many winter blessed can summon spells that preserve life, slowing aging, or ensuring survival in harsh conditions. Very rarely some are also skilled in time magic, allowing them to freeze or slow time around them in small, controlled bursts.

Winter blessed witches tend to be reserved and self-sufficient. They value solitude and often prefer working alone. They are reflective, often turning inward for answers.

Often they are incredibly resilient, able to endure hardship and isolation with patience and perseverance. However, they may sometimes appear cold or distant, not easily moved.

At the end of the day wach witch or wizard’s magic is influenced by not just the season they were born in, but also their personal journey through life. Their seasonal blessing simply gives them the ability to harness a certain natural force, paving their path in magical ways. But as history shows; not everyone walks the paths that's laid before them.

Note: Like don't take these too seriously, like one can still be an epic fire wielding and still be born in winter. (Gotta just study and practice harder.)

[mximitator]

somebody NEEDS to write Komaru being the Ultimate/SHSL Medium in an AU or something

She had a ghost take over her body and VERBALLY COMMUNICATE with her! That's some hope peaks ultimate stuff right there!!

Not to mention the potential story it could have!

Makoto got into Hope's Peak through being the Ultimate Lucky Student, and while he is lucky, he got in through a raffle.

However a year into attending the academy, if his younger sister got into Hopes Peak through an "actual" talent, IMAGINE HOW THAT'D AFFECT HIS SELF WORTH.

Imagining this as a No Despair AU (fuck you junko), having Makoto compare himself to Komaru because she's a "real" ultimate and Komaru being jealous of how well Makoto is getting along with the other Ultimates compared to her (bringing in the "I'm just a normal girl" stuff) is so interesting to me.

PLUS, it'd be a cute way to introduce Tokomaru (friendship or more) into the picture without the UDG plot.

(if there is a fic about it, GIVE IT. Or fuck it, I might make it!)

[tovalhallaandback]

A Game of Revenge and Loyalty - Chapter 5

64.media.tumblr.com

GIF by divineandmajesticinone

TAG LIST: @ladyaldhelm @holy3cake @arcielee @kingslionheart @whitedarkmoonflower // If you are tagged it is because you demonstrated interest (?) But happy to remove for future chapter postings! Also zero pressure to read <3 And happy to add tags!

Pairing: Stiorra Uhtredsdottir/Sigtryggr Ivarson

Summary: The career academy may have taught them how to win the Hunger Games, but nothing of how to win the game of love. A forbidden love becomes more complicated as they quickly learn, the Hunger Games were not the only thing they signed up for when they decided to volunteer.

AKA - It's a Hunger Games AU! Mentor/Mentee vibes. Career vibes. - But not in the way you might imagine! TONS of angst but a promised happy-ish ending.

Trigger Warnings: DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT!!! HG Canon typical violence and atrocites. TLK Canon typical violence and atrocities. Better tags on AO3, with each chapter having a content warning drop down for those who do not wish to be spoiled.

Sneak peak below the cut, full chapter posted on AO3 :)

A booth full of handmade jewelry run by an older woman with greying hair currently holds the raven-haired young woman’s full attention, chocolate eyes scanning over the mixture of jewels and treasures in search of one piece in particular. About a year ago, Stiorra fell in love with a small golden ring with a quatrefoil-shaped setting filled with a deep-burgundy stone, the knotted gold trim surrounding the setting along with the small golden circle in the middle making it reminiscent of a flower. She had tried to purchase it twice, the day she discovered it and then the following day with Sigtryggr, but the older woman is a tough bargainer and Stiorra was short on Panars. Unfortunately when the young woman from Two returned for it with the proper amount of Panars the following weekend, the ring had vanished from the collection. 

Though likely a lost cause a year later, she brings the ring up every time she sees Helga, but the older woman always brushes Stiorra off, trying to persuade the young woman to buy similar items. When Stiorra asks if the vendor makes custom pieces, the older woman shakes her head side to side. It’s pathetic at this point - going there over and over again, denying it must have been sold, hoping the older woman will make a twin or have it suddenly make a reappearance.

But, the ring reminds Stiorra of her mother, especially when her father remains firm on his decision to wait until Stiorra is 'just a little older' to gift her any more of her mother’s belongings. Of course, ‘just a little older’ seems actually to mean ‘never’ based on how many times her father has used the phrase since her mother’s passing when the raven-haired young woman was six years old.  She does not blame her father though; with every passing day, her reflection in the mirror resembles the ghost of her mother, her father’s living nightmare. She reckons allowing her to wear and use those items might just be the nail in the coffin for the man. 

And, it’s not just that the small piece of jewelry reminded the young woman of her mother. The ring also had appeared before the young woman from Two right around the time she began to realize how much she loved the young victor from Two, how much she craved a future with him. So when she discovered the ring, it felt like a giant sign - maybe marrying Sigtryggr one day would not be a terrible fate to endure; maybe it would even make her happy to spend the rest of her life with him. 

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

RING around the Roses

That should be the last of 'em.

Good work. I suppose that'll be all today.

*Leon dumps a small pile of documents on Byakuya's desk. He immediately moves towards them to check through them.

You know, it's kinda weird. You're not my boss anymore, but...I can't really shake the feeling of doing what you tell me to.

It sucks.

Feh...Well, I'm grateful for your contributions. And I'm sure Shuichi is as well.

Yeah, I guess...By the way, there's something I wanted to ask.

What?

I had a quick look through those files to make sure they were the right one's, but I gotta ask...The name of that person in them...feels familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

...

*Byakuya lifts the file, and examines it's contents.

Are you referring to Ella Tsuiseki?

Yeah, that's the one. It's on the tip of my tongue, but I dunno...

Ella Tsuiseki is a former member of Hope's Peak's "Reject Class." She attended the academy as the Ultimate Ghost Hunter. And was a classmate of Uchui Kamukura and Kuripa Kurafto.

From what I understand, she also had an...intimate...relationship with Uchui.

Oh, so she's his girlfriend!?

Ex-girlfriend. Uchui ended their relationship after the death of his uncle. That was the point where he made it his mission to destroy what was left of his family, and didn't want to drag her into it.

He cut all ties with her, since he didn't want her to feel the pain of losing him. But, apparently, Matta Gyalusetsu tracked her down and threatened her safety even then.

So the Future Foundation has called her in to make sure she is in a stable, and safe condition. She was supposed to be here today, but...I reckon she forgot the date.

That's a shame...I hope she's alright, and that Zetsubou didn't get to her.

Zetsubou became too crippled after the factory, and Gyalusetsu was killed. I think she's fine, but...We're just making sure.

Alright...Well, I'm gonna head out. You?

I'll stay here for a bit. I still have things I need to look over...

Suit yourself. Gd'night Byakuya.

Night.

*Leon leaves.

...

*Byakuya looks down at the folders of Ella Tsuiseki's name.

Hm...It's strange...I remember being there back when Kuripa and Uchui were causing a fuss in Hope's Peak, but...I don't for the life of me remember what this girl looks like...

Apparently she was very close to them as well, and with how much trouble they caused me, I should be remembering, but...

...Oh well, I suppose I'll find out soon...

*He starts to organize the documents.

Tch..."Ultimate Ghost Hunter..." Give me a break...There's no such thing as-

*fzzztsshh!*

...enough?

*Byakuya becomes distracted for a brief moment, as the light above his desk flickers for a moment.

...

[is-your-blorbo-neurodivergent]

does he have anxiety and schizophrenia?

submit your own characters here to be featured!

reasons under the cut - contains spoilers for the game

reason: Hiro is an extremely anxious individual, often to the point of coming off as cowardly despite his surface-level carefree nature. Though it's canon that he's actually had to go into hiding from the Yakuza, it's very possible that his rampant, pervasive paranoia is due to that in addition to delusions of persecution. Additionally, a lot of his erratic behavior that is often played for laughs could easily be due to delusional beliefs, such as the ever-detested "Kyoko is a ghost" in the fifth trial. It makes a lot more sense if you think of it in the context of a man experiencing psychotic symptoms in a high-stress situation than just "haha he's an idiot." He also doesn't seem to quite understand certain rules of socializing, will blurt out various details about his childhood trauma at random like it's nothing, and talks about how he didn't have a single friend prior to attending Hope's Peak Academy, likely due at least in part to his unusual behavior and beliefs. Hiro is also a massive proponent of many popular conspiracy theories, which may be due to delusional thoughts rather than being "gullible." Lastly, a lot of the random things he says throughout the game, such as the bit about the skyfish when he first meets Makoto, may be examples of word salad.

[asaka-lucy-dr-rc]

Ultimate Talent Development Plan Halloween Manga #2

日本語版はこっち

This is a continuation of the one I drew last year, but it hasn't been translated into English and there were too many things I didn't like about the previous one, so I plan to redraw it sometime soon (hopefully within November).

To sum it up, on Halloween, Izuru was wandering around the school as usual when, at Chiaki’s suggestion, he ended up dressing as a ghost. However, instead of joining the Halloween party in Chiaki’s class, he went off somewhere else in the school. This story takes place after that.

Note: If you haven’t seen Izuru’s events in UTDP, you might not fully understand the relationships between the characters. Please keep this in mind.

Next (#3)

▼Character costumes and details

Kaede: Cat (pink)

The concept is that she wears a mass-produced costume that she bought from a local store because she wanted to match Maki. The idea for her to be a cat came from brainstorming what would work well to match Maki's costume. But later I realised, "Wait... Kaede as a cat is kind of... semantic?" and it felt a bit awkward. Still, since there's official merch with her in a cat costume, I figured it was okay! (Kidding... I'm actually nervous and hoping that Kaede fans will think it's okay).

Maki: Cat (black) The idea is that she wears a costume that Kaede bought without asking. Although Maki was embarrassed, Kaede's plan was that she would end up wearing it anyway if it had already been bought - Maki couldn't refuse and reluctantly put it on.

[starlightshadowsworld]

Hopes Peak Academy 🤝🏼 Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria

Organisations that should have died and never been bought back, and yet... Here we are.

Henry's monologue in Pizzeria Simulator said this place and all those connected to Freddys needed to be destroyed and forgotten.

And not only did the brand outlive him, the Pizzaplex was built on the ashes of Pizzeria Simulator.

Danganronpa 3 the anime gave us two entire arcs that gave so many reasons as to why Hopes Peak needed to be shut down. Even included the tag line "the end of Hopes Peak High school."

And yet even after having both locations practically destroyed and abandoned... It came back. And made Makoto the Headmaster.

Both organisations out living their creators and falling apart of the actions of the staff. Being responsible for a lot of child murder and child experiments.

William Afton going back into the Springlock suit despite the danger for one last hurrah against the ghost kids could be seen as a parallel to Junko's final execution.

Hell both of them even uploaded their consciousness to a computer system.

Either way both organisations need to just be laid to rest but they never will.

[funishment-time]

UTDP/Summer Camp: Komaru Naegi

in-game info from v3's UTDP Mode and Danganronpa S: Summer Camp AU, for fanart/fanfic inspiration etc. note that this is a "nice" universe where v3 goes to Hope's Peak and Junko never Junko'd.

this post details Komaru Naegi's scenes with others, as well as insights about her that these bits provide. there's a Lot, so jump on down under the cut.

(i hope to do all characters over time, so Hang Tight for your fave!)

> more UTDP/Summer Camp character databases<

NOTE: Komaru is only a playable character in Summer Camp, not in UTDP.

KOMARU INSIGHTS:

Gets to go to the Hope's Peak VR Summer Camp because, according to the Monokubs, one part of the Camp's goal is to see the effect of "broader socialization" on talent development (Summer Camp, Prologue)

"I feel super out of place next to all these crazy talented people." (Summer Camp, Komaru's Introduction)

"I'd never thought about hope before. It seemed too big for me. But it turns out I have some too." (Summer Camp, Komaru's Hope Fragment)

Learns to juggle for the Summer Festival (Summer Camp, Komaru's Summer Festival)

Still has her ghost sight ability in this universe (Summer Camp, Korekiyo's With Swimsuits)

Makes an outline of the manga she wants to write while at the camp (Summer Camp, Toko's My Future)

Has been studying for entrance exams, as well as looking up universities and vocational schools (Summer Camp, My Future)

CONJECTURE: Komaru still wears the St. Koa Girls Academy uniform in this universe, so we can likely assume she's actually attending the school of her dreams and they couldn't just redraw her due to budget constraints. Good for her, good for her

KOMARU & OTHERS:

In this universe, Komaru is still best friends with Toko, as well as Genocide Jack. They met on a field trip to Towa City (Summer Camp, Prologue) + (UTDP, Toko's Sports Festival 1 Japanese vers) + others

This AU Towa City field trip seems to still have involved pretty much all the characters from UDG, like Byakuya, the Warriors of Hope, Hiroko Hagakure, and even Shirokuma (Summer Camp, Prologue)

Komaru mistakes Impostor for the real Byakuya at first, thinking he got a haircut (Summer Camp, Prologue)

Summer Camp is Komaru's first "trip" with Toko, and she's hella excited about it, though Toko is still getting used to having a friend (Summer Camp, Toko & Komaru) + (Summer Camp, With Swimsuits)

[Genocide Jack:] "At our wedding, my White Knight will be on my arm while you give the maid of honor's speech." (Summer Camp, Genocide Jack's With Swimsuits)

Gets to meet Sayaka alive and talk on a first-name basis with her. Makoto tells Komaru not to be so weird and awkward, but Sayaka finds it charming [and is playfully jealous of their relationship] (Summer Camp, Makoto & Sayaka & Komaru) + (Summer Camp, Potential of Talent 3) + others

Was shocked and delighted to discover Kyoko was "a total cutie" (Summer Camp, Shuichi & Komaru)

Kirumi serves her and teaches her formal etiquette, to Komaru's embarrassment (Summer Camp, Kirumi & Komaru)

Worried about Makoto fitting in with the other Ultimates, but Kaede reassures her he's popular (Summer Camp, Kaede & Komaru)

Further, doesn't see her older brother as a "reliable adult," though admits he's grown immensely in 3 years (Summer Camp, Campfire 3)

Puzzles over picking out a souvenir for Genocide Jack (Summer Camp, Genocide Jack & Komaru)

Doesn't trust Monokuma: "[he] isn't like Monomi or Shirokuma--he actually seems dangerous." (Summer Camp, Monokuma & Komaru & Hiroko)

Is among the adults the Warriors of Hope still hate in this universe (Summer Camp, Komaru & Kotoko & Monaca)

Tries to get advice out of Angie about drawing manga, but realizes it's not going to work (Summer Camp, Angie's Potential of Talent 3)

Lets Makoto know that their parents are stressing about his post-graduation life (Summer Camp, Makoto's Potential of Talent 2)

Gives Toko her thoughts on her favorite books that Toko's written (Summer Camp, Toko's Potential of Talent 3)

Byakuya thanks her for keeping Toko and Genocide Jack distracted during the summer (Summer Camp, Byakuya's Campfire 3)

Bonds with Tsumugi over manga (Summer Camp, Tsumugi's Campfire 3)

Quite possibly saw [and spoke to] the spirit of Korekiyo's sister (Summer Camp, Korekiyo's With Swimsuits)

Toko gives her advice on her future manga (Summer Camp, Toko's My Future)

Used to play video games with Makoto a lot as a kid (Summer Camp, Potential of Talent 1)

Plays video games with Chiaki and is glad to have another person to talk to at the camp (Summer Camp, Potential of Talent 1)

Monomi helps Komaru come up with a goal to achieve at the camp (Summer Camp, Potential of Talent 2)

Masaru absolutely smokes Komaru at juggling (Summer Camp, Summer Festival 3)

[ask-ultimate-personas]

Roleplay plotline Join if you like

"Fates Entwined: Velvet Despair"

Plotline: A mysterious anomaly causes the Velvet Room to merge with Hope's Peak Academy, creating a surreal dimension where Personas and ultimate talents collide. Igor, now an enigmatic headmaster, challenges the Persona users and Danganronpa cast to navigate a surreal landscape where the boundaries of reality and cognition blur.

The students awaken to discover that their Personas have fused with their ultimate talents, creating unique abilities tied to their personalities. Monokuma, taking on a new form known as the Shadow Monarch, declares a lethal contest where students must unlock the full potential of their fused abilities to survive.

As the investigation unfolds, the protagonists unravel the ties between the Velvet Room's existence and the despair-inducing motives of the Shadow Monarch. With each killing, the fabric of reality unravels further, revealing a cosmic conspiracy that threatens to plunge both worlds into eternal darkness.

The fate of the students and the Persona universe hangs in the balance as they confront their own shadows, unravel the mysteries of the Velvet Room, and face the ultimate challenge of escaping the Velvet Despair.

—————————-_________________________

Margaret: It appears you find yourself in a peculiar situation, where multiple worlds have collided into one. If you wish to escape this unique reality, you will need to uncover the root of the anomaly while also learning to work with your newly fused abilities. You should consider asking for help to guide you through this unique dimension, and prepare to fight for survival should circumstances warrant. I will give you aid in this survival the question is will you accept it?

Tags

@sabrina-the-mouse @laylayeh @ask-timid-makoto-naegi @2stregafangirl @slimemakotonaegi @mikado-sannoji @ask-ghost-boys @werewolf-makoto-naegi @the-phantom-officianados @discord-and-the-blog-of-chaos @ask-liam-and-co

Any one

[dropintomanga]

Thinking About the “Othering” of Japanese Media

For those who keep up with Japanese video games, you may have heard comments from a prominent Japanese video game producer about how a certain term labeling a video game genre felt discriminatory in his own eyes. A recent Polygon article about that term made me think about how the Western media has “othered” Japanese pop culture media for as long as I remembered.

The producer I’m talking about is Final Fantasy XIV and XVI producer, Naoki Yoshida (known as Yoshi-P to his fans). Back in February 2023 in an interview, Yoshi-P said that the term “JRPG” (short for “Japanese RPG”) was considered discriminatory to him and his peers in the Japanese video game industry. Polygon took a look at how Japanese RPGs and JRPGs became a thing in the late ‘90s (starting with Final Fantasy VII’s North American release in 1997) and how media outlets in the West never seemed to take them too seriously. Even worse, the outlets shoved Japanese developers into a sub-category they never asked to be a part of once Japanese RPG popularity started to wane in the mid-2000s’.

After reading the article, I actually thought about manga and its perception when I first started reading comics. When I first discovered what manga was back in 1995, I learned about Ghost in the Shell from an issue of Wizard Magazine (a North American-based magazine highly dedicated to Western comics). The first thing that came to mind when I read what Wizard wrote was that it had a cybersex scene and very adult in nature. My mind was somewhat blown since I was in 7th grade at the time. Now that I think about it, almost 30 years later, I wonder if Wizard was trying to say that Japanese creators were super-perverted compared to Western creators. I still remember a non-fan a friend of mine met at Otakon one year who asked “Isn’t anime sexual?” when inquiring bout anime.

With regards to manga, for most of its history in the overall comics world, it has been othered in the U.S. due to how successful it’s been in reaching out to “non-traditional” comics-reading audiences. Statements like “Oh, it’s just a fad!” and “Manga doesn’t have dedicated buyers (i.e. adults with disposable income) like Western comics does!” were thrown to discredit manga’s popularity. Christopher Butcher (of Mangasplaining/TCAF fame) talked about this in a 2015 article on his website, which still holds some truth today. Even though manga sales have peaked around the pre-vaccine COVID time period, they are steady today. New York Comic-Con in 2022 had a substantial anime/manga presence compared to years past. Anime and manga can’t be ignored any longer.

Yet I know that some things haven’t changed in industry recognition. I will use the Eisner Awards as an example. For those who don’t know, it’s a prestigious awards ceremony that happens around San Diego Comic-Con every year and honors the best in comics. However, their recognition of manga is spotty. There has been recent criticism towards the Eisner committee for recognizing only the “hot” manga creators (i.e. the ones with best-selling manga titles on book charts). The best example I can give is Junji Ito. A lot of his works are nominated despite there being better works worthy of recognition out there. There has been some criticism in the manga circle I’m in about how Eisner judges/representatives don’t seem to take the time to explore the greater breadth of what manga has to offer in its new golden age.

Of course, when awards ceremonies like the Academy Awards don’t really seem to care much about praising Japanese pop culture media, what hope is there, right?

Which brings me to a point that the Polygon article elaborates on the West’s insistence on particular views of Japan.

“It’s clear that the mainstream only courts a specific idea of Japan as being acceptable — often reinterpretations of feudal Japan, largely spanning from the 1500s to late 1800s, when the samurai were still part of Japanese society.“  

I do notice that Japan is supposed to be this “quirky” and “weird” place with wild imagination. If somehow a Japanese title has themes common in Western media/culture, but lacks the exotic style Westerners prefer, it’s sometimes heavily ignored in the mainstream eye. I don’t know. What do you guys think?

Polygon does mention that we’re living in some really good times with regards to Japanese video games being popular again. Many fans, including myself, know that too well. I enjoyed gaming again due to the variety of Japanese-developed titles that came out since 2016 (the start of the Japanese video game industry revival). I see parallels in manga and anime reception too. All of Japanese pop culture media is celebrated overseas. Fans that consume all things Japanese are living through amazing times.

That doesn’t mean that it’s going to last forever. I do know at some point, Western media will find new ways to scrutinize Japanese media and our time in the spotlight will fade again. Some degree of othering will always happen due to human nature and I know that we can use that term for positive purposes. Manga is about how “others” that are different from the norm can become celebrated by the world. Reading this post about manga reminds me that comics of any kind can cover any topic imaginable and definitely be made for “other” people to read.