#actually in reality its always a little bit of both. anyway so like that helps me to not be affected too much by the shitty stuff

[bluewinnerangel]

.

[lady-boketto]

Gyomei Himejima General Headcanons (Sfw/Nsfw)

a/n: I hope i did this right but anyway, I have a lot of ideas but i don't really know how to right them out and his is my first time actually drumming up the courage to post anything lmao but after writing this I had a lot of fun and actually feel more confident in writing headcanons but let me know what you think! :)

SFW (Safe for Work)

Gyomei is a man who is very in tune with his feelings, so he's very attentive to your emotions and when you're not feeling quite like yourself so he likes to help you out when you're not feeling well or when you ask him to hold you, he always welcomes you into his strong arms with a warm smile on his face

when someone comes to confide in him, Gyomei is more of the type of person to listen to your problems or stories that you want to tell him than he is at trying to come up with topics or solutions to talk about but he will comfort you with ressasuring words if he feels like you need it and always has a warm smile on his face when you approach him

Sometimes when Gyomei has time to himself to relax and unwind in his own space it is often interrupted by someone (his comrades or you, his beloved) not that he minds at all at their presence he actually welcomes them as he found with time that the people around him naturally gravitate towards him and tend to be comfortable enough to share stories with him which he's more than happy to listen and be engaged in anything they might say, Gyomei suspects it might be due to the mixture of his large stature and calm demeanor that people naturally feel that they are protected and puts those around him at ease

Due to people casually coming and talking to him, Gyomei is a bit of a gossip and likes to know things but doesn't really do anything with the information, he doesn't like to start drama or be around it, he would rather be spending time at home with you, he'd take a seat in the lounge area and when he has made himself comfortable he'd raise his hand out to gesture for you to come and sit with him so he can tell you all the stories he has collected since you last spoke with a wide grin on his face

He may be blind but that doesn't mean that he is completely useless, in reality Gyomei has learned how to compensate for his short comings in a way that makes the people around him forget that he is even blind

tries to hide how amused he is when you forget that he is blind (ex. when you try to show him something interesting or when you comment on how dark the room is)

he loves it when the both of you have the time to relax and enjoy each other's company, especially the warm afternoons where he can sit in the grass without a care as you are relaxing peacefully in his lap, reading out loud to him the book that you picked up from the markets while he was out on his last mission.

also there are days where he likes to sit outside ( by himself or with you) and play his shakuhachi ( it's like a flute but sounds so majestic lol) , he doesn't know a lot of songs but likes to play notes and find which ones sound good together and plays little random tunes ( sometimes he makes up lyrics to go with the melody but most times its just meaningless tunes)

Gyomei has two weaknesses and that's: you and cats. It's a struggle for him to balance the two but with persuasion ( he secretly likes to be complimented and hugs, especially when you hug his arm) he will choose you with little to slightly moderate regret to the stray he saw on his way home from his meeting with the leader and the rest of the hashira.

Gyomei especially has a fascination with the maine coon cat breed not only because they are one of the biggest breeds of cat but because they are rather social creatures like Gyomei himself, they don't mind spending time around other people. He also finds it very funny when he get to spend time with a maine coon cat and he feels them softly making biscuits on his haori when he's trying to pet the other cats or talking to you

NSFW (Not Safe for Work)

Gyomei likes to praise you in bed so that he can feel the heat rise from your skin under his large hands

not really the one to risk getting caught doing anything other than kisses on the cheek or a loving embrace in front of others

there's a whole another side behind close doors and in your shared space, he becomes more desperate for your touch and especially loves it when you roam you hands down his chest and shoulders, he blushes and softly sighs when you pay more attention to his thighs ( lightly moans if you lightly drag you nails down his mid thigh)

Gyomei's ears are very sensitive and likes to hear your voice (has a thing for your voice) so he enjoys every little noise you make for him, it ties a knot in his stomach when you lowly whisper in his ear how much you desire him and he more than happy to comply to your wants

Another area that is sensitive for Gyomei is his neck and collarbone, he can't help but squirm and firmly hold you by your waist as you are on top of him and attacking his neck with kisses and bites

The one thing he doesn't mind other people seeing is the love bites you (or hickies) leave on his neck because most people that he talks to are actually too anxious to tease him about them when they catch the sight of them peeking out of his uniform, but little do they know he knows what they are nervous about because although he can't see the chain of marks you've left, he smirks to himself as he body shivers with the slight sting of pain when he traces his fingers over his neck as he remembers your touch

Gyomei likes to rely on his other senses to please you in the bed room and due to not having the proper time to go out and meet people it has left him a little touch starved so he loves to use his mouth on your body

He wants nothing more than to kiss your body on the parts you are most sensitive to and tell you how much you brighten his world by being in it and telling you how lucky he is to call you his lover while his hands are working to bring you closer your desire of coming undone in front of him

He is a bit embarrassed to admit to you but loves to use his mouth on your chest and moans like crazy when he has one of your nipples in his mouth, also likes to feel up your hips and thighs as he works his mouth on your chest

Gyomei's favorite places to kiss you are your lips and inner thighs because he secretly love how needy and how vocal you get for him (it makes his chest swell with a sense of pride and wants nothing more than to hear you praise him more so he can do his best for you)

He doesn't like to use his full strength on you in fear of hurting you in some way, unless you specifically ask him so to do or that you managed to work him up so much that he can't control himself and has to set a boundary to show you who is in charge of the current situation by sneaking up behind you with a firm press of his hips to your behind or when his hands find their way to your neck to put a light pressure, warning you to behave for him or else he'll have to use drastic measures on you if you dare to test him further)

if you'd let him if would love to cum inside you, he likes it when you beg for him to cum inside you (the heat of the moment makes the both of you blush like crazy) especially Gyomei because he doesn't stop thrusting his hips until you're both coming down from the high of the moment (he loves to feel you spasm and eventually relax against his body)

Gyomei always makes sure to take care of you after you are both done, he's amazing at massages (he's very good with his hands) and will clean you up or run the bath for you with your favorite soaps and scented oils or he will gladly get you a glass of icy cold water with the small ice cubes that are so easy to crunch with your teeth (whatever you want or need, Gyomei is ready and willing to serve your every need)

[moraxine]

Inevitable [Gojo Satoru]

pairing: gojo satoru x reader

words: 1.3k

summary: you and satoru fall for the oldest trick in the book.

It’s a typical morning at Jujutsu High, the sun casting its warm hues across the campus as students roam the premises, training or studying. Nobara, Megumi, and Yuji are together, heads pressed close as they discuss their latest idea—Operation: Set Up Gojo and y/n.

"You guys know they totally like each other, right?" Nobara says, arms crossed. "I mean, come on, it's obvious. They keep sneaking glances at each other, the tension is unreal."

Megumi raises an eyebrow. "If it's so obvious, why haven’t they done anything about it?"

"Because they're both hopeless," Yuji chimes in with a grin. "Especially y/n-sensei. She's so shy when it comes to Gojo-sensei."

Nobara leans forward, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Exactly. And that’s where we come in. We need to give them a little... push. Maybe force them to confront their feelings, you know?”

Megumi sighs, accepting the fact that he has to take part in his friends’ stupidly mischievous schemes once again. “What are you thinking?

"Simple," she replies, cracking her knuckles. "We lock them up somewhere and just let the magic happen."

Later on the same day, you’ve just finished grading papers, ready to leave your office, when you receive a text from Yuji.

Hey, y/n sensei! Could you meet me in the old storage room near the gym? I really need your help with something super important!

You furrow your eyebrows in confusion. Other than the fact that this text is free of spelling mistakes, the request itself is quite strange. However, since your relationship with your students has been nothing but great, you put trust in them—as much as an adult can, anyway—and Yuji is no exception.

Thus, you grab your coat and make your way to the storage room. Truth be told, it’s rarely used and a bit dusty, which raises a lot of questions in your head as to why Yuji would need you there, but then you remember that it’s also tucked away enough for privacy. As you approach, you notice the door slightly ajar.

"Yuji?" you call out as you step inside.

No longer than ten seconds after you’re in, the door slams shut behind you, making you jump in terror. You whirl around, heart racing. Your hand reaches for the handle but the desperate attempt is futile.

What the actual fu-

“Oh, it’s just you.”

A helpless scream leaves your throat as you turn all the other way around and find yourself staring at the one and only Satoru Gojo, the man who’s been occupying way too much space in your thoughts lately.

Gojo seems composed when he offers you his signature smirk, leaning casually against the wall, his blindfold pulled up so his mesmerising blue eyes are visible. "I was expecting a student ambush or something."

"Yeah, well... same here, kinda,” you mutter, as you try to control your breathing. After a few moments, reality hits and your cheeks heat up as you realise you’re completely alone with him in a—not so very comfortable—space. "Did they trick you into coming here too?"

He nods. "I got a text from Megumi saying something about needing immediate help. Guess we're both suckers."

You cross your arms and sigh, slightly relieved that at least you aren’t a victim of some really serious prank. You glance at the door one last time. "Well, it's locked now, so I guess we're stuck."

There is an awkward silence for a few moments. The tension between you two has always been evident, but neither of you ever made a move to address it. You often find yourself stammering around Gojo, unable to handle the teasing words or the way his eyes linger on you a little too long sometimes.

Gojo, on the other hand, despite his confident front, is surprisingly shy when it comes to you. Sure, he makes his usual sarcastic comments and tries to act like all is fine, but deep down, he’s always been afraid of saying the wrong thing and accidentally hurting you.

"So,” you start, scratching the back of your neck awkwardly, “you think this is some kind of setup?"

He chuckles, walking closer to you. "Oh, absolutely. Our adorable students are trying to play matchmaker. I should’ve known when I saw Yuji smiling like a fool earlier."

You roll your eyes, trying to ignore how close he’s standing now. "Well, it's not going to work. We’re professionals."

"Sure, because professionals definitely get trapped in storage rooms," Gojo quips, flashing you a grin. "Besides, I think they just wanted to speed up the inevitable."

You blink, feeling your pulse quicken. "Inevitable?"

Acting dumb won’t slow down that inevitable, either.

"You know," he replies with a nonchalant shrug. "Us."

You narrow your eyes, though your heart is now undoubtedly hammering in your chest. "You have a lot of nerve assuming there's an 'us,' Satoru."

He raises an eyebrow, stepping even closer, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm. "Please, y/n, I've seen the way you look at me. You're totally into me."

Your mouth drops open, a mix of embarrassment and irritation bubbling up. Sure, he’s absolutely right, you’re head over heels for your handsome and charismatic coworker, but hell, he makes it sound one-sided when that’s so far from the truth.

“Excuse me? You’re the one who’s always staring at me during meetings. It’s creepy."

"Oh, so you notice me staring," he teases, his grin widening. "Admit it, you like it."

"I do not!" you huff in honest annoyance, cheeks burning. "And even if I did, why would I ever admit it to you? Your ego is already big enough to take up the whole room."

Gojo dramatically places a hand over his heart. "Ouch. You wound me, darling. Here I was, thinking we had a good thing going."

You cross your arms and shoot him a glare. "Yeah, well, you're delusional."

Denial will get you nowhere, you’re well aware, but the fact that Gojo is so cocky about it flips a switch inside you which makes consider whether your should jump him or jump him.

He chuckles as he leans in slightly, his face only inches from yours now. "Am I? Or are you just too shy to admit you like me?"

You swallow hard, refusing to back down. "Like you? Please, you're insufferable."

"Insufferable, huh?" he murmurs, his voice dropping an octave. "Then why haven't you moved away yet?"

Fair point.

Your breath hitches in your throat. Yes, you could have backed up, put some distance between you two, but instead, you’re just rooted in place, caught in the intensity of his gaze. Gojo’s smirk softens.

"You're cute when you're mad, you know that?"

You scoff, though it comes out weaker than intended. "And you're annoying, as always."

He tilts his head, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Maybe, but you like me anyway."

You open your mouth to retort, but before you can form any sort of response, his lips are on yours, cutting you off with a sudden kiss. For a moment, you freeze in shock, but then, instinct takes over, and you kiss him back. His lips are sweet, soft, and despite the teasing and the banter, the kiss is gentle, almost tender. Gojo's hand embraces your waist and slowly pulls you in, while the other rests on your face, and you can’t help but melt under his touch.

When you finally pull away, both of you are slightly breathless, and his usual cocky grin is replaced with a softer smile.

"See?" he whispers. "Told you it was inevitable."

“You're still insufferable."

"As if it doesn’t turn you on," he teases, leaning in for another kiss.

Outside the storage room, Nobara, Yuji, and Megumi exchange their triumphant high-fives.

"Mission accomplished," Nobara whispers.

Yuji nods. “Nicely done, Kugusaki."

Megumi shrugs his shoulders, glad that the whole thing is finally over.

You fell for the oldest trick in the book.

[gay4abby]

hey baby, can i request a jealous jordan li x reader? ❤️

Green Eyed Monster !!

masterlist. requested, yes. warnings, slightly sexual(?). pairings, jordan li x reader. i hope u like this 😭 i wrote this at like 5am

As a Libra, you can’t help it that your charisma is through the roof. It’s what got Jordan snagged up by you in the first place and the exact reason why it’s the bane of their existence. Everybody wants you. Even the ones who don’t even realise it until they meet you. And it’s…not necessarily your fault. It’s not something you can easily turn off and the fact that it puts you in some sticky situations can make you look like an asshole. But, to be clear, telling someone straight forward is your forte. Some people just tend to not listen. Unfortunately for you this time, Jordan was there to see.

The gala was in the middle of its most active period. You were off to the side by the bar, shimmering with silver underneath the light. You were oblivious to your surroundings, nursing a drink that certainly wasn’t appropriate for your drinking age, (you were one year from the big one two, who gives a shit?) but didn’t have a care in the world. Jordan wasn’t feeling the best (fucking parents, am I right?) and he decided to find you so you both can get the hell out of there. It was getting boring anyway. They searched for you, knowing little about where you went off to. And they were getting impatient.

Your drink was about to finish, so you waved your hand for the bartender to give you a refill when you felt someone slide in next to you. At first you didn’t pay any mind, but then you felt as though they were getting a little to close. “Can I help you?” You ask with a light tone. You turned slightly to give them some semblance of eye contact and attention when in reality all you wanted to do was get out of there. It was only a matter of time before you and Jordan were able to do that. “You can help me in more ways than one actually.”

Oh, brother. You rolled your eyes, hoping it wouldn’t be seen by the man trying so desperately to appear slick. On the other side of the room, Jordan had walked away from Marie and Cate after having an almost heartfelt conversation (trauma dump royalty at its finest). They wanted nothing more than to have their hands on you, away from the world after enduring a two hour long engagement with his parents. They always managed to hit the one nerve that Jordan knows will never be accepted, no matter how much therapy they go to as a family.

“Hm, is that so? Why don’t you go ‘head and name ‘em for me,” you sounded bored, but to the guy invading your personal space didn’t seem to catch on. Aloof pest. You drowned out what he had to say after hearing ‘make me feel good,’ not knowing that Jordan had set eyes on you, watching the whole thing unfold. He was seething, their big brown eyes blown as it settled on the man reaching over to place his arm on your chair. Near you. In your space, breathing your air. No, that can’t just do! Long legs began striding towards the pair of you, breathing getting rougher with each step.

The man was about to be in for a very rude awakening. “What do you say we get outta here?”

“And what do you say about me beating the living shit out of you, huh?” Jordan’s voice was stern that it made even you jump a little. It broke through your trance, realising the man was still around and now has to endure the wrath of Jordan Li. The man was taken aback just a bit as his eyes laid on Jordan. They were the same height, but Jordan’s demeanour was as intimidating as they come. Oozing out an authority that required to not be messed with. His jaw ticked, crazed eyes never leaving the man that didn’t seem to get the message of moving away from you.

You turned in your chair, hand immediately meeting the Supe’s forearm and squeezing it as you tried to grab their attention. “Hey, baby. I was wondering where you were,” you said softly, pushing the intruder away from you to stand in front of Jordan. You can tell he was livid and honestly? Nothing turned you on more, but first you must stop them from tearing the persistent man apart.

“Is he bothering you, love?” He spoke without so much as taking his eyes off the offender. Jordan’s body figure was rigid and no amount of force you added was going to make them move. “We were just talking actually, until you interrupted us.” Oh, brave one then? “Is that so? I fucking interrupted you guys? That’s funny. You hear that, babe? I interrupted your fucking conversation.”

You had to deescalate the situation before it got out of hand. “Yeah, haha, that’s so funny. Hey, listen–”

“You think you can just walk up to any random unsuspecting person and think you’re entitled to their time? What the fuck is wrong with you, dude?” Jordan’s eyebrows furrowed, feeling them move closer to the man. “Dude, I don’t want any trouble.”

“Well that’s unfortunate ‘cause I wanna give you trouble!” Jordan yelled, almost knocking you over. You know he probably didn’t mean to, but fuck was he strong. And quite frankly, you’ve had enough. “I think we should–” you were cut off before you could finish, the man squaring his chest and stepping to Jordan. He didn’t know what he was getting himself into, you knowing he wouldn’t last point three seconds in a fight with your partner.

Jordan moved you swiftly to the side before swinging at the man, not even hitting the ground yet before he knocked out. “Jordan!” You exclaimed, pulling them by their arm as they switched to their female form. It was easier to pull her out of the ball room and out of the building as a whole. You were furious, but you couldn’t deny that was really hot. “Jordan, what the fuck!”

“What the fuck? He was flirting with you! I couldn’t just stand there and let that happen!”

“I was barely paying him any mind. As soon as I saw you did I not have my full attention on you?!” You screamed at the top of your lungs you were sure that the passer-by’s were to look in your direction with a crazed look. But it didn’t matter, Jordan just punched someone! “Yes, but that doesn’t matter! He was doing too much I couldn’t let that slide!”

“That’s besides the point, you punched him! You knocked him out!”

“And I’d do it again.” She said sternly. If it didn't make your legs clench, you would've been pissed. More pissed than you are now. Your anger was slowly diminishing, your eyes becoming softer as you look at Jordan. No matter how hard she tried to look tough, their eyes told the whole story to you. It was hard for Jordan to hide their true feelings to you and it was both amazing and annoying at the same time for them. You slowly reached out to grasp at her tiny hands, squeezing them ever so lightly before pulling her closer to you, noses almost touching.

Jordan smiled small, "I know you will, that's the problem," you said with a huge smile on your lips as well. It made you want to eat her right up. You both stood there for awhile not caring about the world around you. Hands intertwined and lips ghost meeting each other every once in awhile. Jordan squeezed your hands back, lifting their head. "Let's go back to my dorm, yeah?" Your eager nod alone had her quickly pulling you away.

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

Mildly emotionally devastating concept, that I haven't found anyway to put into a fic or idea yet so here goes:

--------

The echoing chords of 'Happy Day In Hell' are ringing across the hotel grounds. Cannibals and bettes are carefully hacking away at the different corpses; some angelic, some sinner, some cannibal.

After all, the best way to honour a fallen cannibal was to ensure they lived on inside you... funerary rights in Cannibal Town could cause some distress if you weren't aware of why the mourning would bring their own condiments along...

Several members of the hotel are pointedly Not Looking at the way the angels are being dissected and broken down into a number of tupperware containers that apparently the cannibals just happened to have on themselves. Which was... alarming, buut practical.

Susan was easily visible haranguing the best cuts of wing meat from at least a half-dozen other cannibals and bettes within a four metre radius. That walking stick was a bit charred but it still packed a wallop.

"Should I... maybe go stop her?" Charlie asks, half-joking, because even despite her great power that woman terrified her. It was the aura of disapproval and scrutiny, she thinks, it's like Susan assumed you did something wrong and she was waiting for you to confess.

"Oh I wouldn't think so, it'd be a shame to have you survive that bore of a First Man only to be ended by her wrath, Charlie dear!" Rosie interjects, looping her arm with Charlie's as they turn towards the refurbished hotel. "Why, between you and me, I think she'd even have the audacity to wallop your father over the head with that stick if he tried to get her to stop... she's quite the... I believe the term is 'Karen'?"

Angel lets out a spluttering honk. "Holy shit, she's right! Careful Short King, you get too close and she'll leave you a 1 star Velp review..."

Husk grumbles, hiding his smirk behind a hand. His eyes keep snapping over to where Niffty was running free with The Blade in her hand, yelling excitedly. These little bouts of mania never last, after all.

His ears twitch at the annoying buzz of drones above them. That fuckin' television too cowardly to come help but always interested in watching, recording, putting some twist on reality for his own gain. Hated the schmooze on the guy even back when Husk was an overlord in his own right, you knew he was hanging around and paling it up in search of something.

The cat is pretty sure that Vox is part shark, which makes the anaolgy both better and worse. Sharks like to circle their prey, by the time you've seen them the damn thing has already made up its mind if you're Dinner... and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. Huh, actually they also use electromagnetic waves to sense prey, so, it kind of fits with the tv thing too...

Not for the first time, he wonders who chooses sinner forms and how that determination is made. Some of them are scary creative and yet entirely accurate... like Husk, he'd been a bit lazy and quick to lash out, always darting from place to place. Now he was a cat with fuckin' wings. Ain't fully sure about Angel's spider thing but the guy did always seem to be amidst a web of chaos, tangled in the threads.

And Al? Well, fuck, the guy was a not-deer. Sure, he looked the part of the stag, but it made more sense that he was one of those creepy cryptid Not-Deers that seemed all innocent til you got up close and bambi took a bite of you. He's also wondered if the guy was part voodoo doll, on more than one occasion... all those threads. But he's never had proof. Just some sort of cannibalistic deer.

Pretty sure it was a fucked up joke about how the Overlord died, and that he used to hunt down victims. But eh, who was he to figure it out? Maybe one day Husk'd get Lucifer drunk at his bar and ask how this whole shitshow worked.

He recalled meeting a jellyfish/cactus sinner once, and always wondered how in the 7 rings that'd come about.

"Husk? You good?" Angel elbows him, and he blinks back into the moment to see a cautious Vaggie trying to wrangle the Knife from Niffty.

"Zoned out. Wondering about why we drop down here like this... then went down a mental rabbit hole." he replied, easily. Information, but not enough to pin down his thought process. The trick with a good poker face was also a great poker mouth, but he refrained from sharing that analogy with Angel, because the demon would absolutely make a pun about poking things in mouths. And Husk had had a Loooooong Day so far.

"Char-char, why are there so many little winged camera things around?" Lucifer asks, jabbing upwards with his cane. "They've been everywhere all day, the exorcists seemed to just ignore them, but they don't seem Heaven-made. Actually, I don't think most of those stuck up fuckers would be aware of what the upper councils decided to do down here..."

"Hmmm? Oh, that's just Vox, ya majesty. He's got a little obsession with... well, someone else here. There's normally wards keeping him out but I think they fell with the old hotel... might want to get onto that unless you wanna risk your next shower being pay per view." Rosie tosses back, carelessly, stiffling a laugh. "No manners, that television... ugh, he used to be such a sweet little thing but then he met that moth..."

Her tone dripped with derision.

"Why, the other day he was waltzing into my town demanding an audience and I just about set Susan on him, because for some reason she's immune to his little eye trick, and I tell you! If I wasn't brought up to be a gracious hostess, I would've called Al over to help me figure out which bits of the smug bastard were edible, I've always assumed it's like trying to find the non-toxic bits of a blowfish when you really get in there. Flesh and circuitry for days!"

"Oh? Why would he deign to go anywhere in person, isn't that what those expendable and often delicious little interns of his are for?" Alastor asks, ears aimed right at Rosie now, a sparkle in his eyes at the schadenfreude being offered.

"Quite! The last one was some sort of octopi sinner, tasted fantastic with a fine white wine, I believe I still have some in the fridge if you have time later, deer. In any case, he'd gotten wind that Princess Charlotte had inspired my people to fight." Her expression soured momentarily. "Felt that he might be able to counter the offer with his new 'Angelic Security' devices, let us be something called a beta tester... still not sure what that means. Anyway, the poor fool was so out of sorts that he was even willing to make a rather significant deal between our two territories, wherein he would provide any employees or former employees who were... waiting to reform. All we needed to do was step back from the fight."

Lucifer felt hellfire escape his mouth with each exhalation. "Some upstart overlord thought he could try to usurp the allies from my daughter? On the eve of battle?"

"Now, now your majesty, in all fairness it was only Vox. This is what he does. I'm certain he also made an attempt at a Deal with Carmine once he saw the shipments coming in, and likely used all two braincells to work out why..." Alastor counters, grinning. He was never not grinning, of course, but this felt... genuinely delighted at the overlord's failures. "He failed, so why not simply allow it to go unpunished for now? His drones have seen us discuss this, he knows we know... let him grow paranoid and jump at shadows in that little tower of his."

Lucifer... blinked, and felt his horns fade out. "Heh, that's actually a good idea there, Bambi. Didn't think someone as outdated as you could get those anymore... not enough bandwidth. But you are, as painful as it is to say, right. Let him know the King of Hell knows his name and his sins... and he has all eternity to ensure that Vox will atone for them."

"...I do hope we all get front row seats to the performance, then. Unless you feel the need to designate on this task, in which case I would be more than happy to offer my services in this regard!"

"Awwww, Vaggie, they're getting along!" Charlie stage-whispers, looking simultaneously delighted and perturbed at the subject matter. She was angry at the idea someone had been trying to undo all their work around managing the incoming threat... but, maybe they could try verbal conflict resolution before jumping to beating them up or say, eating people?

"Well that's just fucking terrifying. We need to put a stop to that." Vaggie deadpans back, finally getting hold of the Blade. "Uh, can we put this somewhere she can't get it for now?"

"What? Oh, yeah... we can put it in a frame later on, but for now, just toss it through the portal, 'kay?" Lucifer glances over, swirling a portal open behind her revealing a dusty room filled with ducks. Vaggie dropped it through and it snapped shut before Niffty could dive after it.

"Nooooooo, that was my shiny! I got the angel!" Niffty protested.

"Come now, Niffty, that's no way for you to act now is it?" Alastor admonishes, taking the small sinner from Vagatha and letting her curl into his chest. He pets her on the back with a practiced ease that spoke of more than a few incidents of this very situation. "Do remain calm, if you can, and we shall see if perhaps an angelic needle might be procured so you can ensure those bugs never come back again, hmmm? Would you like that as a reward?"

Carmilla would likely be confused by such a request, but... for the right price, anything was available. And money meant nothing at the Sovereign rank, it just Was.

For some Sovereigns, that meant security and not having to fight every moment; that their souls were cared for and given the means to serve as healthy and well as possible. For others, who had forgotten how it was to suffer, it meant dragging every dollar earned from the filthy, desperate claws of their souls.

Husk may never admit it, but Alastor kept a standard for his souls, and ensured their needs were met. A starving, half-mad creature would be an unlikely helper; but a sinner who was fed, clothed and lived in an alright apartment where they had access to electicity and water and radios? They would be a good bet to back up the person who kept the lights on.

Husk was one of the few who didn't get an allowance... outside of certain matters. Mostly because everything was provided, and he had an unfortunate habit of gambling it away and accruing further debts. Really, Charlie needed to add in some sort of Gambling Addiction group or something... it was getting tedious eating loan sharks for Huk and Mimzy.

Ah, perhaps that was why Husk disliked her so deeply... the fact that they were, to a degree, a mirror for one another. But where Mimzy revelled in her chaos; Husk felt shame and self-loathing, both fine and entertaining qualities but ultimately unhelpful.

"Yeah, it's all good Niff. Besides, you took out the big bad guy, or the not good bad guy, not sure how ya classify it... but Adma was an ass and he had it coming. There's no more not-me angels to stab right now." Angel soothes, hovering a hand as if not quite sure if Alastor would bite him for breaching their space.

"See? Nothing is as bad as it seems, dear. Remember, you're never fully dressed without a smile... and you are a beacon of hellfire when you do, so why not buck up and tell Angel about how much fun you had with the winged pests today?" Alastor coaxes, handing the maid over to a slightly stunned Angel.

"Er, yeah... tell me about how ya got all the not-me angels, Niff."

"Oooh, well, there were so many of them and then you were shooting them and Husk was throwing booming things at them, and your yelling friend threw bombs at them and I liked how they made crackle boom noises, and then the angels fell on the-..."

"Don't panic, she has quite the lung capacity for someone her size. She'll breathe when she needs to." Alastor laughs, assuaging the dawning expression of horror on Angel's face as Niffty just kept talking in a massive run on sentence. He seemed to be waiting for her lips to go blue or the little thing to pass out or something.

"Terrifying to know. Thanks."

"Right, so... pancakes?" Lucifer hedges, turning to the gathered sinners at large and mainly aiming the question at Charlie. "I think everyone worked hard and could use something to eat, then maybe a nap. Or three. Anyone who doesn't want to participate in group naptime can always... shut up and lay down anyway because otherwise I will knock you out. Got it? Excellent. Now who wants chocolate chip? I can also do strawberry, chocolate, banana, pineapple, maple syrup, and ugh... even blood flavoured if anyone here is into that. Whipped cream straight from Gluttony ring, you'll kill for more!"

There was a pause.

"No one is allowed to kill for more. I've decided."

Charlie can't block the little snort that erupts at how ridiculous her Dad was. She wipes at her eyes, heart feeling full and tender at the strangeness of her old and new family coming together under the new hotel roof to celebrate their victory.

Her eyes do rest on the portrait of Pentious, and her throat constricts momentarily... but there's no time for that! Vaggie squeezes her shoulder, somehow knowing as she always does, when Charlie's thoughts have grown heavy. No, Pentious would want them to celebrate victory... not mourn. Not tonight.

That's what tomorrow was for. She could clear the schedule and having morning calisthenics and cathartic sobbing from 10am - 11am, then maybe some art therapy and scrapbooking or drafting letters to Pentious until lunch. Maybe an art class for free expression afterwards? No, too similar. Oooh, what about some primal screaming? That might be good!

"Whatever the Princess is thinking, I want to volunteer to not be part of it." Husk says, concerned about the face journey they were witnessing. It felt very... therapeutic. Which was alarming, in its own way.

"Aw c'mon kitty, I'm sure it'll be fun..." Angel coaxes, shifting Niffty to his left arms, waving at the approaching Cherri through the open front doors. He points up at the drones, and she frowns as she follows the movement.

A few little bombs take care of the technoflock.

Angel can't help but relax knowing the boss of his boss wasn't keeping tabs anymore.

"Pancakes sound good right about now, so let's get t'cooking. Then I'm taking you up on that nap business, for as long as Val will hold off on callin' me inta work."

"Why, my dear fellow, if he calls you into that Studio then perhaps it would be best for the hotel if you were escorted. Someone could... renegotiate your terms, by tearing the moth's head off, for example..."

Angel's breath caught in his throat. "Ya'd do that? Why, whatta ya want in return? Cause I already offered ta suck ya-..."

Rosie burst into laughter at the mildly offended expression on Alastor's face. "Oh, you are a delight Mr Angel Dust! Make no mistake!"

"...I have been meaning to remove the moth for a while, it was merely a matter of identifying a convenient time. All this extermination nonsense and all..." Alastor waved off the inquiry.

Angel felt a flare of resentment, because that waiting had cost him a lot... but he could see what was being offered, what was not being said directly. If it wasn't a service specifically for Angel, there was no debt accrued. Heck the wording sounded like Angel might get a favour out of it for getting him into the Studio.

Well, fuck, the Radio Demon was trying to make friends without actually saying it. Angel could work with that.

"Well, if you want to see where the magic happens... sure, I have the right to do Studio Tours." he shrugs, feigning nonchalance. The whole exchange has gone under the Royals notice. They might've tried to... help. And that hadn't gone over so well last time.

"Yeah, yeah, come on, let's get something to eat so I can sleep for a week..." interjects Husk, rolling his eyes at all these ridiculous theatrics. Ugh, theatre kids. You put em in the same room and it becomes unbearable being in the midst of their cryptic charades and subterfuge bullshit.

He might have a soft spot for Angel, and a weird bruised place for Al, but these two needed to knock it off. "How about we deal with all of Hell tomorrow and just have a day we put our feet up, huh? Won't even get wasted... might teach Legs here how to play poker properly. Which means the pants stay on, I'm warning you in advance, before you get any ideas."

"Awww, kitty scared to see what I got ta offer?"

There's a record scratch noise. "My good man, most of Hell is fully aware of what you have to offer, and so is everyone at this establishment after your very... creative... decisions around show and tell night presentations."

Rosie has tears beading at the corners of her dark eyes, she's laughing so hard behind her hand. "I'm sorry, Al, but the mental imagery that evokes is truly something... was that a... hah... was that a group therapeutic activity?"

"Well, it coulda been a group something, but no one was interested... shame, really. I rarely do things for free, it's a professional standards thing. But, I'm always down to give out a coupon if that'll help..." Angel waggles his eyebrows.

There's a rather pointed 'whump-whomp' sound effect as Alastor levels a truly unimpressed gaze at him. "Do not take it personally if I decline, dear chap, but that sounds like a lot of unnecessary workplace fraternisation... we'd have to run it by the Manager, unless you envision Charlotte also being involved? In which case, I expect his shortness would immolate us on sight."

Angel cracks up. Something about the idea of a wild bangsesh with the hotel staff being tidied up under the title of 'workplace fraternisation' absolutely sent the spider.

Husk, on the other hand, shuddered. "No thanks. Not even for you, Legs. You ain't seen some of the stuff in Niffty's notebooks... you let that side of her loose and none of us'll ever walk again."

"Ah, she is a darling girl with quite the imagination... I noted that her more recent drawings are getting quite good." Rosie agrees, studiously ignoring the wide eyed glare she got from Alastor, whose neck did a full 180 to stare her way. "Oh hush now, you... you know she loves to show me her achievements as much as she does to you. Why, she's our delightful murderous not-child after all..."

Angel pauses on the cusp of the kitchen, from which a number of concerning bangs and crashes were echoing, to stare between the overlords. "Wait, are you two a thing? I got a discount for couples and-..."

His next words are cut off by a dark tendril covering his mouth as Alastor reached his breaking point. The eyebrow waggle suggested that if the Overlord released the man's mouth, something truly and devastatingly lewd might slip out.

Rosie was no help, laughing uproariously to the point Lucifer peeked his head out of the kitchen to check all was well. He seemed to be wearing several egg yolks and flour... and his apron was singed. What on earth were they doing in there?

"You guys uh, good out here?"

"Of course, Sire, of course! Just fixing a little misconception, that's all... and then this charming starlet here made Quite the Suggestion! Oh dear, I haven't laughed this hard since I saw that upstart Velvette walk into a pole, too enamoured in her phone to notice, hah!"

"Why that sounds like a blessed event." Alastor agreed.

"What? You know what, you're all alive and I'm going to check on Char-Char... Vaggie's running out of extinguishers." Lucifer says, and disappears.

"Hmmm, she doesn't seem to have gotten your talent for cooking, my dear. You should rectify that soon, before this lovely establishment burns to ashes after all the effort put into gussying it up again."

"Believe me, I have tried, Rosie... our Princess can't seem to crack the fundamentals of even the most basic dishes. Even Angel tried, and between us we have managed to teach her to boil water without melting the pot. Truly an enigma."

Angel taps the tendril, and he is allowed free. "Whew, okay, yeah that was something and I will make a statement about tentacles later on. BUT, Smiles is right... dunno what it is about our all-powerful ball f optimism... but she can't cook to save herself. We're lucky it was a battle and not a bake-off or we'd be screwed."

Alastor can't help but laugh at that, Rosie's own curling around his tone. "Oh, now that would have been a delightful disaster to spectate..."

Rosie whaps him lightly on the arm. "Come off it now, deer, you know you would have found a way to help her or at least give her the answers... a poppet under the table, perhaps. I know you quite like the little powderpuff, don't go denying it!"

He flicks his ears at her, in a fit of pique, and she laughs harder.

"Yeah, I think she likes ya too, Smiles... and Charlie don't seem like the type to just let go of an attachment. So we're all stuck with her, in the best way possible. Good luck with that. I'm enjoying watching you get dragged, kickin' and screamin' into this weird family at the hotel." Angel grins, all teeth, the smug bastard.

"Husker, do remind me why I have refrained from eating your paramour so far?" Alastor asks, jovially, as a shrill scream echoes from the kitchen and the too familiar blast of an extinguisher in use.

"Cause he's a good source of entertainment, and gossip about the Vees..." Husk answers automatically. He's got a few answers on the backburner, just in case Al ever asked or needed to be talked down after another... Sinsmas lapdance incident. It'd been as funny as it was terrifying.

"Hmm, I suppose..."

The kitchen doors swung open and a rather dishevelled trio stumbled out with smoke trailing behind. Lucifer's magic was combating whatevver was happening in there, and the King's eyes were wide with disbelief as he stared at his daughter.

"Okay then, I'll just conjure up some pancakes then... while that fixes itself up. And then we ban my darling duckling from ever stepping foot in there again." Lucifer says, shooing everyone towards the dining area. "Well that was... informative."

"Mmm, that's why Angel or myself tends to run the cooking classes, whenever Charlotte here schedules them." Alastor adds, unhelpfully. "Rather safer that way..."

"Hey asshole, she's trying!" Vaggie snaps.

"And it's appreciated, but wouldn't you agree that if all members of staff work to their strengths it is... safer and more equitable overall, dear Vagatha?"

"I-... okay, that's a fair point, but back off Charlie. You know she really wants to get better at cooking..."

"And she will, in time, I assure you. But for now... I undderstand there may be pancakes on offer that would suit even Rosie's refined tastes, so if his Majesty could get to conjuring...?"

Lucifer whacks Alastor with one of his wings, shoving him out of the way with a sharp blow to the chest. Not anticipating wings appearing from nowhere, only Rosie's sure footing keeps him upright as she grabs him.

With a laugh, she twirls and dips him, leaving the pair chortling at the whole situation and utterly ticking off Lucifer, whose malicious grin dropped to something rather frustrated.

Alastor rights himself easily. "Why Rosie, old gal, I just realised we haven't danced in a while. Would you have any of the charming little Balls or Soirees coming up?"

"Not officially no, but I was thinking of putting some of the angelic meat on ice and setting up a festival in the next few weeks to celebrate our victory today." She replies, clapping her hands and crinkling the corners of her not-eyes. It would be a grand affair, as every event Cannibal Town hosted was purported to be.

"Well, the hotel staff and guests will naturally attend, though I do believe we may need some substitutions to be made... apparently even dear Angel Dust, who is no stranger to Sinner meat, isn't a fan of digesting it for some reason." Alastor responds, expression nonchalant as if he didn't just make a joke so blatant Angel nearly inhales a whole pancake in shock.

Cherri saves the day as she triumphantly bursts in to whack him on the back hard enough to dislodge the offending food. It hurtles across the room and is caught in Niffty's dustpan tray.

Angel wheezes, "Did I go insane or did Smiles just make the joke I think I heard?"

Rosie looks scandalised. "Why Alastor, are you not using your impeccably worded ill humour here? For shame, young man! For shame! Why, I still remember the time you made that statement about electical ports that made Vox short-circuit and explode a jukebox... oh, his smoking screen was delightful!"

"I have no idea what you refer to, madam."

"You stop that rot or I'll pull your tail in front of everyone, Al... just like you're pulling my leg with this faux innocence nonsense." Rosie chuckles. "Oh deer, you're lucky I'm Fawn'd of you... the things I Doe for you. I really should stag for it."

"That last one was a reach and you know it, Rosie." Alastor shot back and side-stepped her playful attempt at mauling.

"There's some kinda chemistry here, but I'm getting the feeling its less romantic and more like... whatcha gotta do to make a bomb." Angel says, narrowing his eyes at the pair. Starling a laugh out of both overlords.

"Oh, speaking of bombs, there's a few out amongst the wreckage I can't seem to find. They're gonna go off in a bit, timed the little buggers cause I wasn't sure if we'd need to put a little surprise on our corpses and all. So, don't go digging through the rubble for a bit, alright?" Cherri says, hoiking a thumb over her shoulder.

"Er, maybe we go see if Dad can find them before an ally gets blasted into chunks, huh?" Charlie says, nervously.

"Probs for the best, princess. Vox still has his little spy eyes floatin' about outside... might not be good to let the idiot box get a pic of you blowin someone sky high after the battle." She shrugs. "No skin off my nose either way a'course."

"Persistent today, isn't he deer?" Rosie says, rolling her dark voids and bumping their shoulders together as the late breakfast of a thousand pancakes is abandoned in favour of finding explosives to prevent future disasters. Or watch them first hand. Given the audience.

Lucifer was practically dragged by the wrist towards the front doors by his frantic daughter; Vaggie trapped by the other hand. Angel had his phone out, curious to see where this went as Cherri came along for shits'n'giggles.

"Come along, Husker..." Alastor said, pointing out the door and putting a too-companionable arm about the cat's shoulder as he dragged him out. "Well, my good fellow, let us see what chaos the rest of the day brings..."

There was some deep mumbling of almost insults, but the cat capitulated easily enough. His ears flicked in interest as someone outside shrieked and something let out a deep muted boom.

"Oho, the fun is just beginning!" Alastor grinned, and released an array of poppets from his shadows to help scour the field. Rosie also grinned, noting how much her foolish friend clearly cared, and how devastated he was going to be when he actually realised it. Why, that was going to be hilarious to weather!

"...-veryone could just stop digging for a minute while we, AHH! Oh, they're just helping look... could use more warning next time, Al!" Charlie called as they broached the front doors behind her. "As I was saying, anyone digging, step back we're looking for explosives!"

Vaggie added to the command with a more authoratative tone.

Lucifer was above them all, hovering with eyes a blood red scanning the area about them. He pointed to different devices and tossed them into the sky to detonate. A few of the poppets found devices and piled on them until they triggered.

Those damnable drones watched them the whole time. No matter how many were blasted by accident, ahem, during detonations... another two would turn up. The proverbial hydra indeed.

There was an interminable beeping coming through the airwaves aw well, rather pissing off the Radio Demon, because it seemed only he and possibly the King and Princess were aware of it. Although Vagatha was rubbing at her temple and glancing about.

"If anyone is interested in the source of that noise, I suspect the drones are emitting it. Not certain why, though. Possibly just to annoy." He informs, glaring at the cameras and feeling his distortion field flare persistently.

"Oh is that what that is? Going to have a word to Socks about his meddling, it's annoying." Lucifer mumbles, batting a few drones to pieces with a flex of his wings.

Vox, in retaliation, ramped up the sound. Everyone was now able to hear this incessant beeping rhythm; and of course, the blasted thing was just out of synch enough that one couldn't possibly try to ignore it. It was like someone had forced morse code, a dying furby and an old dial up modem to procreate and then they fed the child through a blender.

It took up residence in your brain and shook the foundations.

"This fucker is going the right way for a Royal Fucking!" Lucifer growled, and then paused. "Of the ass-kicking kind. Just to clarify!"

Vaggie was covering her ears, "Ugh, can we make him stop?!"

Alastor was directing his shadows and tendrils to start destroying anything hovering above them, and definitely being sure to only land glancing blows on the king...

"What a sloppy little tantrum this is, I can't fathom what he thinks he'll gain by ticking off the royal family and most of cannibal town. You may get your wish to try butchering his vile corpse, my de-..." the jovial tone cut off with a choked exhalation of surprise. Followed by a rather confused, "...Rosie?"

Alastor collapsed as her bloody hand pulled free of his back, clutching the struggling heart in one fist, expression devastated as she bit her lip to shreds.

Charlie whirled around and screamed.

"S-sorry deer, Vox... came to visit..." Rosie mumbled, disgusted at how she couldn't make her own body stop, how she couldn't drop the heart. How his eyes locked onto hers, hazy with pain and betrayal before they fell blank.

Husk snarled as the chain and collar appeared, her dusky pink subsuming the mystic green all the way to his throat. Niffty's agonised cry came from inside the hotel and she burst outside in a panic.

Rosie couldn't stop it. She couldn't...

And Niffty's expression was as devastatingly accusatory as Husk's was infuriated. Charlie was shaking the deceased overlord at her feet, begging him to get up, for her father to help them.

And those damnable drones watching, recording, likely streaming to millions of souls the sudden betrayal of Sovereign Overlord Rosie to Sovereign Overlord Alastor. She would be reviled, if allowed to live. Vox had broken both of them.

"Please, Dad... can you... can you fix this?" Charlie sobbed. Not another one, not today, they couldn't even bury Pentious... and now this?

"I... he's a sinner, ducky, he'll reform once he grows his heart back." Lucifer assures, and snaps up an obscuring barrier when he feels too many eyes intruding upon the moment.

Vaggie has her spear pointed at Rosie. "Give. us. his. heart. back. BITCH."

"I don't... think I can..." she manages, through clenched teeth. "Said... to eat... it..."

"Who?"

Husk's eyes went wide. "Vox. That motherfucker came to visit you and put a little trigger in your head so you'd betray Al... cause you two together are a threat to his little Vees." There's a pause. "And he always thought Al liked you... that way, but didn't like him. Jealous fucking prick. Shit... never thought I'd hate the day he didn't own my chain anymore but... this ain't right."

"H-he'll be fine, he'll reform soon enough." Angel asserted. "I've seen some fucked up shit in Hell, but in one of the Studios there's a whole gore and vore section, they... they pull out stuff and eat it and it just takes a bit of time and a boost down the chain to get 'em back up and running. Not sure about time frames, though."

Niffty is biting Rosie's arm and it hurts, but even now she can't drop the heart. He'll regen faster with it, but her brain wants her to eat it, like she was ordered to.

With a wet thunk, her hand drops to the ground and finally the fingers release the organ. Niffty scoops it up and hands it to a horrified Charlie... which is intercepted by the more practical Vaggie, and she searches the wound for the best way to get it back in in position.

"Sir, can you... do anything? About this? I'd hate to drop it in upside down and-... are you okay? Your wing... there's blood on it."

"What? Oh, not mine... that's Sinner blood, still got the golden ichor thing going on. Wonder where it-... oh." Lucifer's expression tightens as he turns the deceased sinner gently onto his back, mindful not to let the wound touch the cement. Because it would stain. Not because little bits of debris in the wound would be irritating as hell to the healing process. Definitely the first reason.

Okay, this is fine. It's not Terrible. But... oh, Char-Char is not gonna like this. Lucifer makes sure the barrier is transparent before he snaps open the overlord's ridiculous amount of shirts to reveal a rather messy line of stitches on a wound that sang with angelic grace.

"Well, okay, that could be a problem... Char, do we know how he got hit with an angelic weapon?" Lucifer asked, trying to ascertain if this would count as something fixable, or if he'd have to have the same talk with Char he had when her last pony had 'gone back to the earth'.

"He faced Adam on the roof, and then disappeared." Vaggie adds in, helpfully, and it makes the king cringe. "I didn't think it would be this bad. I felt some residual but... they'd been snacking on angel bits after the battle, so..."

"Yeah, okay. Char, I know you liked the annoying deer, but I need you to understand that the fact he was already severely injured by fucking Adam..."

There was a pause. "Okay no, I heard it that time. I meant that he was hurt, while fighting adam, who is a motherfucker. Slightly more literal in the case of you, Charlie, but to be fair, I also-... not the time! Got it! Okay, let's fix your overlord... if I can. Because what I was trying to say is that there's a chance that... it might be permanent."

"Did Vox know, when he set this all up? He's been obsessed with Al for decades... no way he'd risk killing him for good, right?" Husk says, ears flat.

Angel and Cherri are flipping through their phones, expressions darkening with each post.

"He knew. There's a video taken of Al's fight with Adam, he's kicking the guy's ass up until his staff gets snapped in half by that axe thing... looks like the light from it blinded him for a sec, and then Adam did that. Vox's got it on every news channel, right beside a video of Niffty stabbing the guy and his majesty over here letting Adam go. Got his own spin on it already..." Angel grounds out.

"The fucker's also already got the video of the creepy hottie over there killing the hot psycho up on Vitter and Sinstagram." Cherri reports. Velvette was a fucking nightmare when it came to spreading information online. No one in hell would be ignorant by this time tonight.

"And even if he does live, Rosie gets his soul or she frees him and his souls are forfeit. The fact she killed him without a challenge is going to be more against him than her." husk explained. "You can take a soul in a challenge, like Al did to me, or a battle... but this? This is gonna tank her reputation as well."

"Would a statement from the Royal family, who witnessed it, help?" Angel asked, jerking his head at the pair. His Majesty was doing something with oddly burnt-looking golden light, hauling it hand over hand into a ball that Vaggie was holding with the enthusiasm of someone handed a well-used nappy.

"Maybe... but he was associated with the hotel, the princess's hotel... they could see it as saving face." Husk mused, trying not to think about the fact that the body beside him was getting cold. "On the other hand, if Vox is forced to admit the truth... that might save it. But that depends on if what the King is doing is gonna work."

"Not. Helping." Lucifer snarls. The gold light is finally coming to an end, and he's hoping that the lack of it might get the body to recognise it wasn't, in fact, double-dead from an angelic wound but instead a regular sinner death. So it might trigger the reanimation magicks saturating the Ring.

He prodded the Overlord's chest, realigning the heart to the correct position with a gentle nudge. Vaggie had been pretty spot on, actually. Good head in a crisis, gorgeous, first aid skills and a warriror to boot... he can't wait to welcome her into the family!

Wait, focus on the now.

"Okay, come on you smug fucker, I need to win one of these weird dad-offs against you, I can't have the score be 1-0 due to a death-based technicality. Oooh, I';'m gonna make you eat so many sugary snacks after this, little mister i-don't-do-sweets, until you puke..."

Charlie is distraught, but also verging on worried. She's hoping that's just the sound of her dad letting his mouth move to keep it busy so his brain could think, because otherwise she might need to do an emotional check in around the hostility between Al and her Dad.

Rosie just stares, her blood is plip-plip-plopping on the ground in a growing puddle that Niffty is ignoring in her worry. Her Overlord powers are boosted from the influx of new souls, so the wound is scabbing over. Why, by tonight she'll have a new hand... but at what cost?

Even if he lives, will he ever trust her fully enough to turn his back to her, as he had done today? How many decades of trust had that taken?

He used to turn his back on Vox, too... before the fallout. And now Vox, in his pique, had seen fit to remove Rosie from the very brief list of people Al trusted absolutely.

Would he allow Husk to dip him like she had? Possibly, in certain circumstances.

He would let Niffty climb him, and dance with him. She was even sighted curled against him when she'd had a nightmare, and he held her back without his skin crawling.

The little Princess, perhaps he would let her close enough... but something else held them apart. She hadn't yet guessed at it.

Angel Dust, surprisingly she could picture Alastor allowing the other within 5 feet. As long as the spider kept his hands and mouth appropriate... there was a lot she sensed from that sinner, he didn't seem a terrible sort. But... he was also a toy for a Vee.

And that would put him high on the list of suspicion.

All these thoughts hinged on if Alastor lived.

And right now... he seemed unresponsive to the best of the King's efforts, to the growing awareness of those around them.

She reached for his chain, perhaps a boost would help? That always gave her cannibals and bettes a better chance of avoiding certain demise.

...and she gasped.

That drew attention to her again.

"What?" snaps Husk, his tail lashes. He wants to be angry at her, but he's restraining it, given he knows this wasn't her choice. "I mean... look, I didn't mean to be short with you, it's just-... ya covered in his blood and Vox is too far away to turn into a scratching post."

"I can't find his chain to give him a boost. Even if he was... there'd be a broken chain there, whipping in the ethereal wind." she says, voce quieter than she's used to.

Husk's pupils turn to slits. He knows something.

"Husk...?" she hedges.

"If he lives, he's gonna kill me for this, powers or no powers... you know he was a fucking nightmare from the minute he landed, and the Overlord status, the souls, they only boosted it to the next level."

"He won't, if it's important enough, he'll understand after a bit of a rampage. Now spill it, mister!"

"Look, I dunno who it is... but he has a deal. Reckon it's why he went missing for 7 years or so without warning. His soul doesn't belong to him, anymore... but all his souls do. I don't understand how that works, so don't ask. But it would've had to be someone extremely powerful or the most fucked up situation to force him into a Soul Deal."

Lucifer spared a hand to resonate with whatever was sitting about the Sinner's throat, and made a rather disgusted sound at the ludicrously tight manacle that started to manifest now he was paying attention.

"Yeah, Hunk's right... someone very powerful put their mark on this. Obscured it a bit, but I'm the fucking king of hell, so... one sec." Lucifer concentrates, and then jerks back with a hiss like a scalded cat. "I must have read that wrong because... that felt like Lillith's magic all over, and she's been gone for-... oh."

"He knows where mum is?" Charlie's eyes are wide with longing and betrayal. "Why didn't he-... do you think she told him not to say anything?"

"Oooooh yeaaaaaah, there's a lot of clauses on that bad boy he's locked in. A gag order wasn't even close to the most fucked on the list... but there is something we can use. Two of the clauses I can make out deal with only dying in defence of the hotel, and not dying until his task is complete or otherwise negotiated."

"Well he did. Die I mean. And sort of for the hotel." Vaggie adds, haltingly.

"But, the chain isn't gone." Lucifer counters. "Meaning the deal considers him alive and able to regenerate because he didn't meet the criteria!"

"Sir is going to be okay?" Niffty near shrieks in his ear. And wow, when did she get there?

"Er, seems like it..." Lucifer said, applying another little pulse of his own magic to the body, sealing up the torn arteries and ventricles to give it a headstart on the healing. "I-...oop, there we go, I felt a heartbeat. And there's another... and another. Excellent. Your pet is going to be okay!"

She throws him A LookTM that is all Lillith.

"Daaaaaaaaad..."

He laughs, the sound cathartic. "Okay, okay I'm KIDDING char-char. He's an asshole that I'd love to pound... er, like as in fighting... but he still fought for you and so far none of his weird shennanigans have actually hurt you. And if he's here on behalf of your mother then I want the chance to ask about it."

"Should we move him?" Vaggie asks.

"Can't stay here forever, unless you think he might like to regenerate with a tan?" Lucifer jests. "Alright, rock paper scissoring for who wants to carry the fucker inside?"

Angel and Cherri look interested in that version of the game, but husk steps in. "I got it... wouldn't be the first time. Not as heavy as you think, but also not as light as someone that thin suggests. C'mon you antagonistic deer, let's get out of lens range. Pretty sure you'll rip it off when you wake up, but we don't need to make Vox's cock any harder than it is..."

"What the FUCK could you possibly mean by that?" Vaggie looks like she might throw up. That could also be the adrenaline crash coming on.

"Er, well even I know that Vox has a... thing, a kink or a fetish or something like that, for hurting the strawberry pimp here. Seein' him hurt and brought low. Got something to do with their breakup or whatever, sometimes Val bitches about it but never gives clear answers on that." shrugs Angel, looking uncomfortable. "I've seen some specific shit in my time, but the guy... he's obsessed. There were a few times Val had me play with him and Vox, and there were... there's a whole closet of body pillows with Smiles on em. He usually tears them to shreds... but it was the wig and the cosplay that really made my skin crawl."

There's a pause.

"He ain't the only infamous person here who Val has outfits for, for the studio... but if the King of Hell wants to deal with the fact there's a film coming out called Prince-yes of Anal: The Cummination, with a weirdly accurate casting for the main characters... you didn't hear it from me." Angel adds, making pointed eye contact.

Lucifer has already passed all five stages of grief the humans know of, experienced the other seven, and has passed into a sea of pure calm fury. "I'll take that under advisement... I'll be tearing your boss limb from limb in the next 3 to 5 business days!" He says too cheerfully.

"For that, I'll let ya have the Deluxe Package for ya own pac-..."

"Please stop. Today's been a lot so far... and we still have to undo whatever this mess is." Lucifer silences the porn star. "I mean, thanks for the consideration, but boy howdy do I want to kill your boss and setting you free is a bonus. No price necessary."

"What do we do about Rosie?" Vaggie asks, eyeing the Overlord.

"Well, first we go inside then I'll see if I can pick out the exact magical frequency Vox uses and erase it from her completely. Then, we''ll see about that hand... and then... I have no idea how we fix the optics or whatever its called. The fallout?"

"The moment he's awake and well enough, I will return Alastor's souls and contracts to him. That's what we're going to do, my good man!" Rosie interjects, allowing the King to lead her inside with a frm grasp on her upper arm.

Husk has laid Alastor down on a couch, and Charlie was sitting as close as she could in an armchair, staring intently at every faint inhalation. Angel was carefully trying to alternate between wiping off the excess blood from teh healing wound with a wet cloth, and keep Niffty from 'helping' with her cleaning rags.

Didn't need an infection on top of unanticipated heart amputation, now did we?

"Say Niff, can you help Al by going and getting him some new clothes? These'll need washing and repairing."

"Yes! YES I CAN!" She's gone in a blink and back almost as fast with abundle of everything that is placed reverently by the couch.

Rosie is led to a chair further away from the group, and the King stares right into her eyes the second she's seated. It's like having your brain x-rayed, its the only way to describe it.

His eyes are red, and things shift around in her mind before something is tugged, dragged and snuffed out. He blinks. "Alright, that should do it. Any compulsions to murder the deer again?"

"Not at all."

"Great. Don't do it again. Charlie was very upset."

"I promise."

"Cool, excellent, let me fix your hand." He waggles fingers and the appendage starts to regrow in a golden light. "This might feel odd... I've been told it's like when you sleep on your hand and it goes tingly for a bit but then it's fine."

Angel's wrangled some of the shirt off and Charlie is valiantly not looking to allow Alastor maximum privacy. Cherri, on the other hand, is clearly getting a sticky beak in and committing it too memory as one of the few people alive to see the great Radio Demon half starkers.

"Fluffier than I thought..." she tosses out, testing Charlie's resolve, and the Princess peers through her fingers. "Hah, caught you snooping, just look... can't be too picky when you're half torn apart. Looks like it's pulling together though, s'all good."

"Oh, it does seem to be healing pretty fast. That's good right? Wait... doesn't reforming need a lot of energy - should we get him something to eat for when he wakes?"

"Oh I think you can scrounge somene up from outside. See if they haven't wrapped up all of Ignatious and Berthilda, those two were kind souls who wouldn't mind if we used their remains to help a friend heal properly." Rosie pauses to think. "Unless of course you find Susan deceased out there, in which case she would be the ideal candidate for us both to share."

She laughs.

Charlie give a nervous, uncomfortable laugh and Niffty lets out an unhinged gale. She doesn't know why they're laughing but likes being part of things.

In a move that gave at least three occupants of a room a rather ironic heart attack, Alastor sits upright, startling everyone in four feet.

"...she would be far too tough to bite through, have you gone mad, old girl?" echoes from somewhere around Alastor's head, but distinctly not from his mouth. He tenses, hand going up to his half-dressed front, and snarls. "What...?"

"What do you remember?" Charlie hedges.

"Dealing with explosives, and then seeing Rosie's hand erupt from my chest like the creature from Alien..." Alastor realises, too late, that perhaps he shouldn't have shared that he knew that particular cultural phenomenon. "I mean, to say, that I have read a book about the-..."

"You've seen a movie? I thought you'd rather die than-..." Angel cuts himself off.

Alastor lets out a strained laugh that does emanate from his mouth this time. "Quite. The picture box was insistent I see things he deemed cult classics... some were more fun than others. That is neither here nor there."

Rosie stepped towards Alastor and noted, crestfallen, the small flinch he can't suppress in time. Several bodies move between her and the overlord she'd been practically family to for nigh on a century.

"Deer, I am so sorry for this... Vox, he seems to have left a nasty little surprise when he visited Cannibal Town the other day. I didn't realise or I would never have been so close to you... I promise." She says, sincere as possible as the words dodged between a number of bodies to reach her fawndest friend. "Do lay back down, you'll only tear things further, I'm afraid that was not my best kill... you know I value precision, normally but this was haphazard."

A sigh. "I suppose that this has spiralled out of control and he's already gloating about it on his little machines?"

"Afraid so. Everyone is painting this is an opportunistic ambush... we shall need to work hard to correct it. But between your network and mine, I think we can turn the tide back." She pauses. "Speaking of back... I'm afraid I need to return some things to you that I accidentally acquired. Would you let me close enough for that?"

"It's not me keeping you away." The radio voice said over the airwaves. Several people shifted, letting her closer, but staying pointedly nearby just in case.

Rosie knelt beside her best friend, and put out her hand. The one barely regrown, of all things, the skin not quite the right shade but it would fade as the magic settled.

"I, Sovereign Overlord Rosetta of Cannibal Town return to you, Radio Demon Alastor, the souls which belong to you through contract, combat or otherwise made deals as they were unfairly obtained. This will return your status as Sovereign Overlord, and I will speak up to advise the truth of the matter to the public to thwart the current rumours of your demise."

Without hesitation, he took her hand. The magical backlash took several of the assembled off their feet as ducky pink and blinding green writhed through the air. Faint screams echoed and chains clanked.

Niffty and Husk felt their collars activate, the chaisn changing colour once more. It was a relief as much as it wasn't.

The rush of power seems to have gone straight to work aiming for the injuries, just as she'd hoped.

"Bit soon, wasn't it? The guy was dead a minute ago." Angel questions, still holding a spare shirt for Alastor.

"Well, yes... but holding onto souls you didn't earn is like... ah, like food poisoning. It's fighting you back the whole time. And to the Overlord they belong to, soul bonds and the power they bring can be enough to seal even normally fatal wounds with the right application."

"It's fine Angel, though I do understand your apprehension, I did somewhat promise to deal with your pest problem and then had the audacity to go and dide on you. The height of rudeness!" Alastor laughs. "Never you worry though, I will deal with him shortly when I no longer have a window through my torso."

"Okay for one, I was genuinely worried ya died it wasn't about the promise or nothin, cause you're a spooky fucker but the minute I can get a clear photo of ya, guess who's going on the wall with my other friend pics? That's right, and you can't stop me!" Angel says, glaring down, hands moving a mile a miinute. "And two, don't you go worrying about Val... Short King is gonna kill him first for the porn parody of Charlie he's got in the works."

"A picture can be... negotiated. If that is what you wish for, though the sentiment is hardly necessary." Alastor says, and Rosie fight the snort at his nonsense. "And secondly, no I don't think so. How can you trust in a man who can't recall the day of the week to carefully deconstruct your owner until he is a bundle of sobbing nerves? No, no, I shall go and do it this instant! Can't leave it to chance... and the Vees need to Pay For This Insult..."

Shadows rise up from the couch amidst much horrified yelling... and then Lucifer snaps his fingers, vanishing them in the same instant golden tethers appear around Alastor's wrists.

"Oh no you don't, bellhop. I spent way too much time putting you back together like the proverbial kings horses did to humpty dumpty, so we're NOT going to fuck that up again by dying on me again. Got it?"

"It seems I have little choice but to obey... a rather common trait amongst the royal family." Alastor snarls.

"Oho wow, okay. Also, how the FUCK do you know my wife? We;ve got time now, while you sit there and let healing happen, so come on and spill it."

He appeared alarmed, then covered it.

"If you know of it, then you know I cannot possibly share than information. And I do believe that I would much prefer to be in my room-..." the stubborn man tried to dissolve into shadows again, and when that failed, he started to get up despite some very vocal protests. The hands reaching for him paused and jerked back when they noted how stiff he'd gone at their approach.

Angel remained still as stone, knowing he was standing behind a man who had just had a Bad Day involving a literal backstabbing.

Lucifer, annoyed and perhaps slightly a small amount a little not at all if you checked on a cosmic scale concerned... was having none of it. He didn't relish the way the other twitched back as he flew over, getting in the Overlord's face, not like he would have under other circumstances, but he needed to get the point across.

"No, we're not doing this. You straight up died today, and it was pretty fucking awful for us too, the others moreso because I was already working out what kind of pet memorial I'd need to rig up in the palace garden for you. Like all of Char's other pets..."

The indignity was radiating off Alastor now.

"But this whole blustering thing has to stop. I know you're prbably hurting and don't feel able to trust anyone, heck that was my first three thousand years in hell after we fell because boy does it take a while to reform after burning to ash after your family betrays you. But anyway, what I'm trying to say is that everyone here helped bring you back and keep you safe. No one's gonna waste that effort just to off you while you take a nap to finish sealing up those jagged nightmares in your torso."

Alastor's ears are pinned flat in some kind of negative response but honestly lucifer is beyond caring. The guy has to hear it.

"For some reason, they like you, and I know it's hard to trust because your weird psycho-ex stalker got your bestie to kill you publically or whatever... but these guys won't do anything right now. They might beat the shit out of the picture box if he comes within four feet of here, though."

"No, it's about optics, Rosie and I need to be seen together acting as if it was merely an elaborate prank... we can't let Vox win."

"Why not? He's gonna be dead in 48hours, let him enjoy his hate boner for a bit." Lucifer shrugged.

"His wha-... ? I don't want to know. Rosie, you understand what I'm saying, surely?"

"Well, yes, but we can allow it time to fester. How deeply disgraced would he be if you appear fine and hale in a few hours time and throw his information under suspicion. So many assume the news is doctored as is."

"Rosie... you have betrayed me a second time in one day..."

"Ouch, that wasnt really called for, was it Bambi?" Lucifer winced. "Sounds like you could use a timeout... goodnight."

He taps the sinner dead centre of his chest, and a golden burst of power drains the consciousness from the Overlord. Several hands manage to catch the lanky form before it crumples, and he's laid back on the couch with care.

"Well, now that's sorted, who wants me to reheat the pancakes while we plot how best to destroy these Pees I've heard so much about today?" Lucifer grins, clapping his hands.

"Oooh, me me memememememememeeeeeee!" Niffty yells, and then stills. Eye going horrifyingly wide. "I want to pour Vox's blue blood on my choc chip pancakes until they go soggy..."

"Love the enthusiasm, but I can only offer whipped cream or maple syrup today. Maybe blood if there's some uncoagulated around here." Lucifer replies.

"Oh, okay... I'll have whipped cream and sprinkles please!"

"Coming right up, little lady! Now, Charlie I-... oh, I see you've brought in a whiteboard for this. Excellent. Who has an idea how we can ruin the Gees? No idea is too silly... let's get creative. I have an excellent idea involving a giant wooden duck..."

Husk tucks the blanket back around Alastor, holding a disgruntled expression taut on his face as best he could. But secretly relieved things had at least gone back to the status quo.

He watched idly as Angel added an idea involving something that couldn't possibly fit in any orifice in Hell, and explained why he was justified in requiring three large shark sinners wiedling chainsaws. That was noted down as Plan K by a mildly bemused, mostly horrified Charlie.

He nudges the sleeping Overlord. "Hey fucker, turns out more people care than I think you'd even imagine... so it's gonna be amusing to watch you fumble through that incoming affection. Might be worth keeping my chain. But you know what the best bit is?"

He craned in right next to that fluffy ear. "See, I think you also like 'em back a bit and that scares the hell out of you... so I'll be sticking around to keep your ass alive long enough to see you have a meltdown over this unconditional affection. So you rest up now, Al... we've got all eternity ahead of us."

--------

No real end, its 2am fml ive written what was meant to be a brief concept for several hours and it has no conclusive end

mostly it was meant to be 'how fucked would it be if Vox got to Rosie and she, the only one alastor trusts, was the instrument of his death in a betrayal so strong he'd never trust again?'

My thinking is either Al dies, or he's so shaken that Vox thinks he could step back in with open arms and get what he wants.

[tlbodine]

Overthinking: You Can't Scare Me

This is one of those Goosebumps books that completely missed my radar at the time. I didn't know it existed until I started doing this series. Which is, on the balance, probably for the best. I think kid-me would have been very excited by the cover, which is one of the scariest in the series, but disappointed by the story, which is basically a daisy chain of shaggy dog stories.

You Can't Scare Me came out in January of '94, the first book in the second year of the original run and #15 in the series. It's also a playful, one may say indulgent, experiment with form. A frustrating near-miss of a story? Or a thoughtful treatise on the art of writing horror? Let's overthink it.

First, the Plot: This one has another ensemble cast, and much like Say Cheese and Die, a great deal of You Can't Scare Me is simply spent riffing on the interplay of its various characters. You've got Eddie, his friend Hat (who always wears a baseball cap), and a couple gum-chewing girls named Molly and Charlene.

All of them are jealous of class know-it-all and possessor of Big Dick Energy, Courtney.

It starts with a field trip where Courtney not only shows off her academic prowess, but fearlessly handles a snake and some bees, both of which had frightened Eddie. He's embarrassed about this and vows to get revenge by scaring her, and his friends conspire to make it happen.

Unfortunately, no matter what they do, they simply cannot scare Courtney. Their plans keep going sideways.

They hide a rubber snake in her lunch bag, but she shares her lunch with the teacher and HE gets the scare instead.

They try dropping a tarantula on her head but miss, catching Molly instead, and Courtney saves the day.

They try to get Charlene's dog to do a vicious Cujo act and scare her in the woods, but they lose the dog and Courtney ends up finding him -- and another, vicious-seeming-but-sweet-in-her-hands stray.

Courtney is infuriatingly calm and heroic. She even rescues a cat out of a tree.

Finally, at wit's end trying to find something to do, Eddie convinces his brother to help join the scare attempts. Eddie's brother has been filming a movie about a local legend of mud monsters, who were created when a poor part of town was flooded and the rich folks did nothing to save them. Now, on full moons once a year, the mud monsters rise up for vengeance.

Nobody believes in the mud monster myth, but they decide to give it a shot anyway, having the older teens dress in mud monster makeup and luring Courtney out into the woods by the creek. Just as they are creeping up on her, staggering and moaning their way toward her...Eddie sees his brother and friends. They had a flat tire and were late.

The mud monsters coming up on Courtney are REAL.

She is scared for the first time -- truly terrified! -- and runs away. Unfortunately, Eddie and his friends are ALSO too scared to gloat and enjoy it, so they also have to run away.

Later, Courtney is gloating about having seen real monsters, and Eddie is resigned to the reality that they will never be able to scare her. They're just too scared themselves.

Overthinking It: This book is so strange. The backstory of the mud monsters is both tragic and horrific, but they are relegated to a final twist, more background character than anything. The majority of the "scares" in this book are actually inverted. We see, time and again, Eddie imagining how the scary scene will play out. And then we witness how it ACTUALLY goes, unravelling the frightening bits.

It's like that forum game, where you undo the thing the person above you said. Or like de-powering a boggart with laughter.

You know how every Goosebumps book has a fake-out "Gotcha!" scare in an early chapter? This book is all gotcha, all the time.

What's particularly funny about this book is that the main characters are clearly the villains. Courtney is a little condescending, but she's well-meaning and generally kind. She's not a bully. This isn't like a Haunted Mask situation, or Be Careful What You Wish For, where she's tormenting these kids and they're here to get back at her righteously. Eddie and his friends are kind of dicks, and they deserve to have their pranks blow up in their faces once in a while.

I think in some ways, You Can't Scare Me is actually a book about writing Goosebumps books. It feels like an exorcism of sorts, a release valve for the frustration of churning out title after title of what you hope will be your best, scariest work, for an unappreciative audience who is impossible to please. You want to be scared, kids? You REALLY want to be scared? Well, damn -- how do you do that without getting too real, and actually traumatizing the little brats?

But perhaps that's too cynical of a take. It's not rooted in anything - just my own projection - and it may simply be that Stine (a comedy guy at heart) wanted an excuse to write something funny. And this book is funny, if you meet it on its own terms. It made me laugh aloud more than once. And, hey, you know what? Sometimes that's enough.

If You Liked This, THESE Will Really Give You Goosebumps:

Weird recommendation, but hear me out: Last Cut of the Dead. It's a zombie movie in three acts, and I don't want to spoil it for you, but let's just say it's a movie about theater, and it's both scary and extremely funny. Very similar vibes.

For another darkly funny take on the "friends conspire and scheme, and a prank goes horribly wrong," try Jawbreaker (wherein a group of girls has to cover up an accidental murder).

Incidentally, there's a folklore root to this particular story, as collected by the Brothers Grimm: The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was. It's one of my favorite fairytales, actually, because it's about a guy who spends the night in a haunted house and just repeatedly fails to be afraid by all the spooky shit going on around him.

[einsatzzz]

fuuta ranking ☆ Top 5 most compatible khr characters with Kana ♡ I would like the tea

Thank you for sending this Jojo! 💜✨Considering the type of person Kana is and her lore, this was quite hard to come up with. I think for her, an incompatibility ranking would be easier to make 🤣🤣🤣 (e.g. yeah she hates this guy, yeah and this guy too!)

After much thinking, here is the top 5 most compatible characters for Kana-chan!

1. Kurumi&... (x)

Though the stream is divided by a boulder in its swift flow, I know the twain will soon unite again.

2. Kurumi!!! (x)

Into the gaps between the flower petals, the two of us come falling down How many times have our hearts crumbled? If it has to come to letting go when our hands have finally joined, It doesn't matter if our wishes don't come true As long as you're there with me.

3. Kurumi... (x)

Even with my heart beyond help… I walked together with you...

4. Kurumi...? (x)

In our days together, the smile you showed me Is so kind and tender, It will never disappear Please stay like that for eternity You don't have to understand anything.

5. Kurumi(?) (x)

When in sleep— Is only what we see then To be called a dream? This fleeting world, too, I cannot see as reality.

Phew! Now that the legally required special Kurumi category is done, we can move on to the top 5 most compatible canon KHR characters with Kana.

For this one, the main criteria we looked for are people she gets along/would agree with without the divine Kurumi intervention (regardless if they will ever even meet or not), so I'm dissecting her brain a bit. But just a little bit, otherwise it'll be dangerous 💀💀💀 (stalking her in my brain w/o the Kurumi or Yui factor is hard ueueueue)

Anyway, top five in no particular order (for now), except #1 is kinda obvious:

◆ Yamamoto Takeshi

She has nothing against genuine and earnest people like him, she appreciates them actually. Even moreso, if it's someone who can live by their ideals no matter what. Despite his natural talent as a hitman, he somehow has this interesting stubbornness to not kill people, even if his own life is in danger. She personally finds such a thing difficult to do, it's way easier to kill them quickly, so it's something she can respect.

That's why when she was asked to assist in training him, she didn't really argue against it, even though he's technically already someone from Vongola by then. He's smarter than he lets on, that much she knows. She wonders how long he'll pretend that this is all a game of mafia.

When Yamamoto came over to the Ninomiya Estate to train with her, he introduced himself to her parents (who happened to both be home at that time) as her friend. Upon hearing of such a thing, Kana's parents started tearing up dramatically in such an exaggerated manner. "Ah! Our beloved Kana-chan finally has a friend outside of this Family!"

◆ Giotto (Vongola Primo)

"The Vongola Primo believes that someone who abandons their own friends cannot be entrusted with the position as the boss of his Family."

Due to Oniyanagi and Vongola's long history together, he always makes it perfectly clear to his father how difficult he finds it to trust the Vongola Family, even if both organizations currently have a stable business partnership. A long history like this can only serve to lower one's guard, opening an opportunity for betrayal.

However, the thing he can agree with from the bottom of his heart (if any) regarding Vongola Primo is that they both wouldn't abandon their respective Families. If shit hits the fan, his priority is his own Family. The succeeding Vongola boss is just gonna have to fend for himself.

"But didn't the book say "friends" not "Family"?" "Aren't they technically the same?" "Yesn't."

◆ Reborn

Reborn being world's strongest hitman is something they found to be quite respectable, they even passed by each other on a few missions before. But him trying to be their tutor is something that they find to be quite troublesome. Their parents told them that the only ones getting "tutored" is Tsuna and his potential guardians after all. Nevertheless, it's not like they don't understand the lessons that he's trying to teach them. It's just that they're not in the mood to improve themselves in such a manner.

There are a good several times though when their brains would eclipse and the endpoint personal victim would be Tsuna.

"Kana, I need you to do something." "No thanks, I'm busy right now." "If you follow through, Tsuna will get punk'd in the end. Kurumi might just laugh if it's funny enough." "Ok."

◆ Hibari Kyoya

He's an admirable person who carries himself with such confidence and with full belief in himself. Undeterred by what's considered common by people around him, he paves his own path solely based on his own ideals and beliefs. It's almost as if he can overcome anything with his strength no matter what.

Whenever they slightly let their guard down, he might just remind them of a person they look up to. With the phrase itself "look up to" being an extreme understatement. Whenever they see the sight of that black coat of his hanging off his shoulder, swaying in the air, they can't help but think: "Isn't it disgusting? When you begin to recall such a warm memory, but feel thoroughly cold instead."

It's precisely because he's the exact type of person that they would've been fond of long ago that they need to deny anything he asks of them beyond arm's length transactions. Yet, look what he's trying to get them into, provoking them to reveal all their cards so early? What a bastard. There must be something wrong with him. But, who are they to criticize him in the first place? When, surely enough, there's a lot of things wrong with them, way more than whatever is wrong with him.

Proud battle-sexual vs Closet battle-sexual - where the former is trying to get the latter off the closet by bulldozing through them. But the latter keeps finding new closets to hide in. Their LG/BT stands for Lethal Gruesome Beatdown Tournament. They are both having a fun time, no cap.

◆ Checker Face

Compromising the lives of a "few", for the "greater good" is something they would agree on. Though, what they respectively consider as "greater good" might be different.

The means to an end only matter if you have viable options to choose from in the first place. If there's no other means, then it unfortunately just couldn't be helped, right?

"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. And as I kneel here now; hands red with blood, I know deep down, that I'll do it again."

[melimpostor]

Hello! first off I just want to say that I love love love your art!!! its so amazing! 💖 So, I’ve been asking this question around online, so I hope you don’t mind! (Please feel free to ignore this ask if you don’t feel like answering!) Anyway, I’ve been drawing for a good while now. It’s always been something that interests me, but, in all the time that I’ve done it, I’ve never once found a style that is unique to me and that I’m good at. So, I was just wondering if you have any tips or advice on how to find your own style? I’ve tried so many though I can’t ever seem to like any of them or actually stick to it. One thing I really have trouble with is proportion. I want my style to be more chibi-esqe, but not completely if you knows what I mean lol. If you have any advice for a fellow artist I’d really like to hear it!! Please share your wisdom :D

Hello and thank you !! I don’t mind at all ! Let’s see…

For finding your art style:

► Define what you want to tell with your art. Not mandatory, but i think it helps. What do you want people to feel when they see your art? Do you want them to feel the emotions of the characters you draw? Or be impressed by the technique? the colors? All of the above?- I think your answer will lean you to something more specific in terms of style. For example, I tend to focus on characters expressions and feelings. So i have a relatively simple artstyle that allows me to focus on facial traits a bit more. (Also... i'm lazy- So i like to tell more with less)

► Observe drawings from artists you love ! Try to analyze what you like so much about it. Is it the lineart? the specific way they draw eyes or any specific part of the body? Is it the colors or the rendering style? And try to reproduce it yourself. Not in a plagiarism kind of way, but more as a study !

► Try, fail and retry again. Once you have analyzed the things you like, try to incorporate it into your own art. It might come off badly sometimes, but you also might create happy accidents ! Both outcomes are good learning. And while I don't think it’s possible to have a style 100% original, it doesn’t mean you can’t create an artstyle that you own and feels as uniquely yours !

► Be patient (trust the process and don’t be too hard on yourself). Defining your artstyle might take years to refine itself. Decades even… With practice and dedication it will come naturally to you !  But as with any discipline you have to be patient, there will be ups and downs and very frustrating moments but you never cease to learn.

For proportions:

► Don’t be shy about using references. There is no such thing as cheating in art (if used properly). It builds your visual library, so help yourself as much as you can ! Professionals use them all the time too.

► I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but…. We can’t really cut anatomy practice- I avoided it for so long myself and I regret it bitterly. So don’t be like me and practice your anatomy ! Even if you aim for a simple or semi-chibi style. The trap is it seems easy to draw , when in reality a lot of chibi artists already master anatomy to a certain degree. It’s much easier to simplify shapes when you know a little more about the structure behind them.

There are a lot of websites to help you, here’s a few ! http://reference.sketchdaily.net/ https://line-of-action.com/  https://www.posemaniacs.com/

My advice is to start slow. Most of those websites have a timer by default, but don’t set a time limit for now and take your time on each pose. Try to breakdown body parts into simple geometrical shapes. It helps grow your visual library and it’ll get easier to draw with better proportions ! 

___

Here you go ! I realize it's very generic sorry - TLDR: don't give up ! If you want anything more specific don't hesitate to ask again, I'll do my best ! Good luck on your art journey ! ♥

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

helloo, never done a match up but recently been very obsessed w bg3 so im curious.

its a little hard describing myself since im not so good with words but id say im anxious/awkward but quickly warm up when someone speaks to me. i love teasing my partner and joking with them in a flirty way. my love language is def words of affirmation. my mbti is intp. ive been called very chill & easy to get along with & just someone who will want to listen & help people. although if someone just saw me on the street theyd assume im very reserved & keep to myself. i dont have the best upbringing and definitely had to persevere my way through life & def had a "dark" path i was heading down but now im at a very good place. the only thing that still really affects me is my anxiety and my constant need for reassurance lol. im very gay so i would prefer to be matched with a woman but id also like to see the male match up as well! poly only:)

A/N: Oh my gosh the bg3 obsession is so real though!! Because you wanted to see both your Male and Female answers (being open to a poly interpretation), for you my Anxious/Awkward INTP Anon, I’m thinking Shadowheart (Female) and Halsin (Male) would be your best bets. 

Shadowheart would be a great match for you! Similar to you, she’s not the quickest to speak, preferring to hang back and observe before commenting. However she is quite the wordsmith, and loves teasing her partner with witty banter as well as the occasional suggestive quip. 

Shadowheart may want everyone to think she doesn’t need help or guidance but in reality she’s actually quite insecure and needy, which means she greatly understands your love language of words of affirmation. She’ll remind you as many times as you ask, how she truly feels about you and hopes that you do the same for her. 

As an INTP, you share some similarities to Shadowheart’s ISTJ, although there are a few notable differences. Whereas you are less of a teacher’s pet, Shadowheart is quite by the book. She places an emphasis on following orders, and doing what is expected of her. This may cause some friction, but its actually for the best as your free nature can help untether her from any unhealthy binds or relationships in her life. 

Shadowheart is fairly easy going compared to the other companions. She’d rather watch from a distance than jump right into the fray of a social event. The two of you can linger at the refreshments table together drinking wine and gossiping about the fashion choices of those around you. 

Depending on how her path goes, Shadowheart may also have just found herself steering away from a darkened path. If she becomes a follower of Selune, she’ll view her days worshiping Shar as a mark on her honor and her soul. At the same time, if she becomes a Dark Justicer for Shar, she will view her short period of doubt as a mark on her honor. Either way, Shadowheart knows what it’s like to be headed down the wrong path, and she will hold no grudges against you for it. 

Shadowheart doesn’t suffer from generalized anxiety but she does have a few fears, wolves being amongst them. She does her best to reassure you of your safety, always taking the time to remind you that she is here for you, as you are the woman she loves, and she would move hell and earth for you. 

In a poly relationship (with Halsin, for example), I can see Shadowheart being a little bit more passive aggressive with her banter/word play. Her choice to be coy rears its ugly head every time she feels neglected. Just be sure to include her in your threesome a bit more and everything will go back to normal. 

Halsin would also be a great choice for you! (If you were attracted to men). Hell, even if you’re not, I don’t think that would stop Halsin from shooting his shot, at least once.He’s lived a long time, he knows it’s better to put yourself out there than risk missing out on a true love. 

Halsin doesn’t mind if you’re not great with words, he’d rather his actions speak for himself and others anyway. He’s a very physically attuned person, being a Druid afterall, and as a result, he’s adept at reading body language. Of course being the enormous lover (ahem slut) he is, he lives for your flirty teasing! He’s also a master at getting people flustered. It becomes a competition between you two, who can say the raunchiest thing to make the other person crack first. If you’re in a poly relationship with him and Shadowheart at this point, she, surprisingly, ends up winning this competition, saying things to make you and Halsin blush (and cause a nun to have a heart attack). She’s the undefeated champion really. 

His ENFJ is a good balance to your INTP. He’s an empathetic enough person to be able to understand your need to think things through logically, without getting hurt in the process. And as an extrovert, he can help you navigate social aspects- especially ones where you feel awkward or out of place. 

Halsin understands having to overcome darkness, as he was burdened with the task of solving the Shadow Curse and saving the shadow lands. He has done several things he is not proud of. (It’s actually interesting, in a scrapped storyline for Halsin early-access had him as the one who dealt the killing blow to Isobel, killing her, and unintentionally sparking the Shadow Curse as it was Ketheric’s grief over the death of his daughter that pushed him over the edge.) Halsin does not know if he is worthy of your forgiveness, but he will welcome it nonetheless. He will always remind you how much you mean to him, not only to quell your anxiety but because he truly cares about you that much.  

In a poly relationship with Shadowheart and Halsin, I see you getting all the attention and reassurance you could ever ask for. Shadowheart and Halsin may butt heads occasionally, especially if Shadowheart still worships Shar. (And I mean it would take A LOT to get Halsin back on board with a Shar-worshiping Shadowheart for a life partner.) But for the most part, you’d make up a very witty, naughty little trio. 

A/N 2.0: Ahhh, sorry it took forever to post this. I’ve actually had this mostly done like a month ago but I didn’t want to share it until I could look it over and make sure it sounds right. I hope you liked it, and it was worth the wait. <3

[typosandtea]

For whoever you’d like to answer for:

♔ — Does your muse believe people are innately good or innately bad? Why do they believe this?

♖ — Do people, in your muse’s opinion, ever really change? Do they believe themselves to be capable of changing?

♙ — How hypocritical is your muse? If they can be hypocritical, do they realise this about themselves? How do they reconcile with it?

♝ — Is your muse concerned about being remembered after they die? If so, do they have anything specific notions about what they want to be remembered for?

[Prompts]

@bokatan thanks for the ask Bo!! :D

Including Thorn on top of Murphy and Tango aha (Thorn is tango's timeline institute sole)

♔

Murphy:

She believes that everyone is good, even if they show it in their own weird ways. She tries her darnedest to see in it everyone, but some people make is so bloody difficult, she is so tired.. People being awful for the sake of it just doesn't compute to her at all, surely raiders only raid to provide for their gang? That the soldiers mean it when they say they are here to help? She is an idealist to the point of blinding herself to reality, and like many of her views she clings to this one for dear life, because she is terrified of what will happen if she lets go.. Levels of denial wider than the river here.

Tango:

Like a many things about Tango, the answer to this question depends on when you asked them. Mostly though: Everyone is inherently out for themselves and anyone who says different is lying, perhaps to themselves as well. Tango is a selfish bastard and didn't even believe in the concept of friends until they started hanging out with Preston. Had a bit of a crisis of "holy fuck hes not trying to trick me or use me? he's really that nice for no reason??". Is starting to believe that some people actually care about others not for what they can gain.. sometimes… Thinks like this as they are from a family of scavvers, scammers and swindlers.

Thorn:

Very similar to Tango, but not in a defensive way like they are. Thorn actually thinks in the way that Tango initially believes people do. Thorn is out here manipulating, scheming and backstabbing her way to where she wants to be, both pre- and post war. Thus she also believes anyone with any sense is like her, only fools trust. Learnt early on that truth and trust gets you nowhere in life, re-enforced by being a corrupt corporate lawyer prewar.

♖

Murphy:

She believes that everyone can change for the better (except herself) and shes made it her mission so far to bring out the good in the people around her.. she has seen how drastically people can change for the worse under exceptional circumstances, like what war and its aftermath does to people

Tango:

They want to believe that they can change but evidence suggests otherwise. Does not like some choices that they've made in the past and the consequences of those choices. has experienced so much physical and identity change over their sixty odd years that they are unrecognizable to all but themselves.. but they keep watching themselves make the same goddamn mistakes every new place they wander. so sick of their own bullshit this time WILL be different even if they have to drag themselves screaming the whole way. (nobody said that change will be easy)

Thorn:

No, people don't change. Sooner or later they will revert to their true ways like a spring snaps back into shape, its always a matter of time till people snap. And why would she want to change anyway? Shes made something of herself in circumstances that would have made her mother weep, twice now and centuries apart.

♙

Murphy:

see above. VEry, and in the most frustrating way of everyone can change for the better except me though I'm the worst person alive. doubly hypocritical in that she believes that she is the worst :tm: while also subconsciously holding the biases that she is better than many others.. That little hole she started to shove the unpleasant feelings into long ago is now a yawning chasm that she is far too terrified to venture into.. but she must, as we all must. and she knows this, though thinking about her many issues with herself beyond 'awful person' is rightly terrifying, what if she is awful after all? (introspection is not Murphy's strong suit, her thoughts do not reflect her actions at all)

Tango:

They may be a prideful lying asshole, but at least they are consistent about it. If you started to flip some of their behavior on them they would probably notice your intent and relize wow that is super frustrating.. and then struggle to change. They are selfish in that they spent a majority of their life either alone or with people who would've turned on each other to make a quick cap.. looking out for themselves is one of the only reason they've lived that long. genuinely doesn't realize that they are rude sometimes.. hypocritical about tech and tinkering in that if they care enough about you they'll likely judge you for your handiwork while you repair or just fix it themselves for you while judging you.. absolutely refuses any form of help especially about their armour though. Very hypocritical about personal space, do NOT touch the armour!! but will stand right beside/ behind you, look over your head, and just lean over you if you're in the way, heck even just pick you up if its convenient, all of which would be less of an issue if they weren't armored 100% of the time.

Thorn:

VERY. but in a 'the rules don't apply to me' kinda way. flirts, lies and murders her way through life. Using her own behavior against her will absolutely land you on her list.. Changes the rules and mission parameters for her own gain, and is slowly building the institute into how she wants it to be with those she thinks is loyal succeeding and those she distrusts or wants gone failing under her 'rules'…

♝

Murphy:

Has been through so much grief, even pre-war, that she would rather be forgotten than inflict that on anyone she loves.. doesn't want to be remembered, out of fear that she will be remembered as a monster or cause pain with her memory.

Tango:

Death is the end and it sucks when someone is gone, but so what? bitch about it? (← hasn't processed the death of a close friend that they killed many years ago, an event that forever altered how Tango sees themselves and those around them, (the bad ending), though at the time Tango was too much of a stubborn skeptic to admit to themselves that they were friends and not just longtime business partners out of mutually beneficial circumstances, is still in denial even though they are starting to realize that friends are in fact a thing). Refuses to think about death long enough to form an opinion of the matter. fair, considering that they have already sort of died..

Thorn:

Oh she WILL be remembered one way or another of that she is sure. doesn't care whether people admire or despise her, but for now in the shadows shes slowly moving the pieces to her benefit and will reveal her hand when the time is right..

[zephyr-paladyn]

scattered and messy thoughts i have about xenoblade series and its future

(spoilers ahead)

Origin/Aionios is gonna be a key point in future Xenoblade games for sure. Just like the integral nature of the Trinity Processor, Origin will be extremely important as well. There's still a lot of mysteries about Origin, like how Takahashi won't elaborate on its true nature, and likens it to a "virtual world," say an alternate reality.

Xenoblade 3 tied 1 and 2 together but also sets up the stage for the future, all of it is about learning to let go of the past and face the future with uncertainty.

Aionios is a new manifestation of everyone who lived in the old worlds. We learn that some people manifest as themselves, while others manifest as items. These manifestations are different aspects of their will -- how can they change the world? That's what Takahashi says, anyways.

So to break it down we have:

Logos/Malos in N's sword, who later becomes one with Noah. It's interesting because N is all about "protecting the present" while Malos was all about "destroying the world/status quo." Actually, Noah in the first place has a similar role to Malos and Torna, so I like to think Malos still has that "rebellion" in him even though he's aligned with N -- remember in FR where N's help was absolutely needed to take down Alpha. I think Malos was with N even before he became N, so at some point Malos' ideals aligned with N and he lent him strength -- but N fell from what made him Noah.

Pyra and Mythra as Matthew's gauntlets and Noah's sword sheath. These two have known their entire lives as being a "weapon," and I think they serve to contrast Malos' role in some ways, but also there's parallels. There's one thing about being born as a weapon and not wanting to cause destruction, but this time Pyra and Mythra choose to be weapons for a specific cause -- for their own volition. They would be willing to fight for a better world, and being the weapon of Matthew and Noah is how they choose that. I also think it's cute they choose to be the weapons of their (indirect) descendants; like they're looking out for family. And also especially since Malos was taken by N to the side that neither Malos nor Pyra/Mythra would want to fight on, I like to think it's their Sibling Duty™️ to fight against Malos again for a good cause.

Fiora (and potentially other Xenoblade 1 party members) as Lucky Seven. It's just personal conjecture, but I don't believe it's just Fiora in that weapon. I know Riku often lies, but watching that scene again I don't think he has any reason to lie in front of Shulk specifically when he says "everyone is right here." (Or maybe they also became Monado REX?) Either way, Lucky Seven being the will from Xenoblade 1 party and being the strongest weapon in the game makes me think to 1's ending again -- how everyone has a little bit of the "power of creation" in them, everyone has a little bit of "defining the future" in them. Noah wielding that as his weapon, and Lucky Seven basically being THE defining weapon that destroys Flame Clocks and liberates Aionios and has so much to it symbolically... Noah being all about facing the future and going into the future... It's just very fitting.

In the case it's only (or mainly) Fiora, she also parallels Pyra/Mythra/Malos since she also has a Monado & connection to a god.

Noah wielding both Pyra/Mythra and Fiora/XB1 cast is a unique coming-together of both worlds, in a way that they want to fight for the future. When Noah conquers N, he also gains Malos' will as well, and in the end Malos gets to fight for what he's always wanted to after being held down by N for thousands of years.

A as a manifestation of Alvis' emotional side. I feel like this is more self-explanatory since this was very much touched upon in FR, but A's existence lends more to this whole "manifestation of wills" in Aionios. This is also another thing about how the same person might be able to manifest in multiple ways.

Dromarch potentially being the Cloudkeep. Staying by Nia's side and protecting her. Very Dromarch of him 👍

The scene about Taion's pocket watch being passed down from Nimue to himself, and how the watch is representative of memories and time. This new lore info makes you think who the watch represents. If I had to take a guess, I want to say Brighid -- that's her whole thing after all, she records memories in her diary between her reincarnations/resets. Maybe it isn't Brighid, but it's nice to think about and it lines up nicely.

Another important thing, the flutes. Building more upon "two worlds coming together" and "items hold a person's will and memory," its exchange becomes more important. We already know the wills of Crys and Miyabi are within those flutes, but what about potential people from "the old world?" The flutes are meant to send off the dead (and liberate people from the cycle in the process.) My current gut feeling is Lora & Haze, I couldn't tell you why though. As for people from the Bionis-Mechonis side, similarly I'd have to think Dunban... or maybe Tyrea? Tyrea makes a lot of sense to me... On that note, alternatively, this "means to liberate people & retain sentiment and important feelings within soldiers" maybe from the Alrest side it's Jin? He was always a more peaceful person in the first place, and the color contrast between Jin and Tyrea makes more sense to me... IDK where I'm going with this. Someone with better thoughts than me should talk about this. Need to brush up on my Tyrea lore too...

Origin is interesting as a virtual world, in how its administrator can do whatever it wants. Alpha saw Origin as a means to create new life and leave the old world behind, while Z sees Origin as a plaything to keep the aspects of the old world in his hands. And yet, despite administrators, despite control -- the people of Aionios still prevail to move towards the future.

I think it's interesting the gold motes are confirmed to "ascend" a person's soul -- free them from the cycle Z set up.

Aionios overall is still a mysterious world; things work in ways we're not entirely sure of. Things make sense and yet they don't at the same time. Things that Takahashi would prefer to elaborate in an actual game setting in the future than a simple interview. What is Aionios in relation to the future and past of Alrest and Bionis-Mechonis?

At the core of all things, Origin still probably propels the new Bionis-Mechonis and Alrest. Also, Matthew and other City people will eventually be born into the post-Aionios world.

I think things that happened in Aionios will eventually have a counterpart in the new worlds, or strongly influence it. We already see a hint at the ending that Noah found Mio again.

I think what's going to happen is that we'll get to see the two worlds, as their "separate" selves, interact like that. How those worlds will interact with each other given their shared running on Origin and the events of Aionios, is yet to be seen.

My guess is we're gonna see more Fog being a major antagonistic force. And our protagonists have a motive to connect to the "other world" despite the risks; despite the Fog. Something to do with "completion" of the self, or "completion" of memories. Some integral parts of yourself might lie in the other world. For example, Noah and Mio are very important examples.

I think it'd be immensely cool if we had a system where we switch between Bionis-Mechonis and Alrest at certain checkpoints. Seeing a more "developed" and changed world for those two; especially since post-game Alrest is likely so different from the Alrest locales we're used to, there'd be so much more interesting things to explore.

Although the worlds are "separate" again, they have been interlinked and interwoven together in many ways... Who knows what Takahashi is cooking!

[yuukei-yikes]

give 5 of your favorite takane headcanons plzplz *big eyes*

this has been sitting in my inbox for a few weeks cuz i was trying to come up with something i havent drawn/talked about before but whatever Lets fucking go even if i repeat shit OK FIRST OF ALL. THE FUCKING SLEEVES. takane post str keeping the ene sleeves bc of sensory issues my beloved <3 i think he rly tries to laugh it off at first kinda like in denial but eventually gives in (or like in that comic i made haruka talks her into it and how its ok a lil bit too)

i also drew this in a harutaka i posted but takane randomly giving static shock to people when they touch them ajdhnsakdjskf <- something having the long sleeves also helps with cuz that way he doesnt have to actually touch anyone. victims of this most often are haruka (by accident) and shintaro (on purpose). also its hair randomly standing up bc. static. this makes no sense ofc but i think its a funny and silly way to translate takane's power in her physical body. the more time he spends as ene the more charged with random electricity its physical body is. RIP harutaka kisses they kinda hurt. u can make the our love is electrifying joke only like 3 times before it becomes annoying. eventually takane thinks haruka becomes immune but in reality he just gets used to it

this is kinda canon ig cuz of that saiyuki comic abt enoshima(was it enoshima. i might be misremembering LOL whatever the picture contest one) where its implied shes been playing for a living so streamer vtuber ene REAL. a hit bc its an insane fucking model to have. when asked who made it enes just like ohh sorry the guy who made is my teacher who died lol!!! maybe theres a bunch of conspiracy videos abt it because ene stops going online for 2 years and then theyre back but instead of a silent stream like it always was its THIS. huge hit though. its awesome. streamer takane is so real not only does he use its power for a job but its also basically "kay time to go to work *falls asleep*" takane being the only? mekadan guy who actually loves their power and actively uses it post str will never not be funny they/she/he/it takane btw. if you even care. bisexual nonbinaries eating hot chip and lying. blue hair AND pronouns. ALSO THE BLUE HAIR ive also drawn this a few times but takane chopping all its hair off+dyeing it blue my beloved. post str takane is never rly drawn with the long hair he has when she gets his body back but ummm i think itd be funny if post str they had it and cut it straight to short from there. i do not want to see the no9 novel ever tbh im fine with it being buried and dead but omg....takane design without the stupid fucking pigtails im BEGGING id kill to see a canon takane design without them. but i live in my delusion and in it theres short blue hair and pronouns!!!

not so much of a takane headcanon more of a general one but also sort of related. im so fascinated by what saeru must've told haruka and takane's parents. haruka was gonna die anyway so his dad wouldnt be surprised but theres No Body? i think for him he was probably a little gaslighted abt seeing him dead and by how he is described maybe he wouldve been fine with never looking at his son dead+convinced to have a closed casket by his old pal mr tateyama and just buried an empty casket for haruka.

but for takanes grandma its so complicated bc she had no REASON to have takane disappear like that. basically i think saeru gaslights gatekeeps girlbosses so hard like gaslights both’s parents to hell and back but especially takanes grandma bc harukas dad is more or less covered but with all its money and resources it can cover up haruka and takanes disappearances altogether so takanes just. Gone. and this poor womans rly has no answers, no closure, no nothing. takane just vanishes!!! grandma enomoto protagonist when. i think itd be funny if she went full on old woman conspiracy theory mode or just tries to move on with this huge mystery behind. takane and grandma reunion i want to see it. haruka with his dad too tbh im rly curious what theyd tell them and what theyve been told LOL

i think haruka and takane dont go back to their families immediately bc they have no fucking clue what to even say so they stay in the hideout for the time being (would the dan move to the tateyama house post str? i read this in a fic once i think itd make sense and i always go sniff sniff imagining mekatrio+mary saying goodbye to the 107 apt). but for takane it sort of becomes urgent bc um it starts becoming apparent she needs its meds and the dan does NOT have the funds so while haruka can wait it out takane is like forced to go back home. i think at first takane would try to pull thru bc with its powers he can still hang out and stuff but its rather haruka/shintaro/ayano being like UMMMM... YEA U NEED UR MEDS. yuukei quartet visiting enomoto grandma WHEN!!!!!!they go 4 emotional support/help to explain i thinks. i think they wouldve known her back then too cuz in the sixth novel haruka mentions they go to takane's house for ayano's bday party after the gaming event.

ummm... sorry this got long. sits down. sry theyre all moslty post str headcanons LOL post str my beloved

[oneslimybastard]

Watched ManlyBadassHero play 'The Repairing Mantis' earlier today and fuuuuuck meeeee. One of the more brilliant implementations of surrealism and game mechanics to deliver a really haunting narrative imo anyway here comes a BRAINWORM RANT. The disturbing graphics contrasted against the squirrels' kinda cute designs and chipper dialogue lines, the emotional gut-punch when they grow less chipper, the things the gameplay forces you to do as the mantis. The mantis cuts a squirrel's wing off as it trembles and is left with a fleshy wound, but it has nothing to say about it and just assures you that it was happy to help ("That's what friends do!"). Its animations are even more so fearful and cowering as you cut its other wing off, but it still has nothing to say about it other than that its happy to help a friend as it continues to work towards its own dream. The emotional dissonance is immense, but the squirrel probably isn't lying as much as it just doesn't notice the harm being done to it. The squirrels all ask you to "help" them and the "help" always involve meaty mutilations of their bodies, nothing which concerns them. What breaks them is the realization that the dream they've strived for wasn't what they wanted at all. The metaphor is both obvious and diluted. It's about achieving dreams and the emptiness that can come afterwards, obviously, it's basically written in big red glowing letters. But its all the little ambiguous details that really add to it. Like the moths, what do they mean? How do they play into it? And the mantis herself, this "helpful" force that does what everyone asks of her and ends up just assisting them in losing all their hopes and dreams.

If I were to give my take on it, I'd assign the moths as agents of Reality. The first squirrel complains that its stomach hurts and its because there's a moth in there. You never learn what it says other than from context clues, but I wonder if it told the squirrel that times have changed, circumstances have changed, the dream is still achievable but it won't look the same — and where you thought all sacrifices had already been made, there is still one left. The mantis has already taken the squirrel's wings and cut its stomach open, but the thing that actually sparks fear in the squirrel is the prospect of losing its tail.

A sacrifice it wasn't ready to make, but had to anyway. That leap of faith which either hurt like a bitch if you go for it or you bitterly have to reenact later in life knowing you might have already missed your shot.

The first squirrel still, as mutilated as it is, seems to be a success-story, where all the following squirrels are hollow pantomimes. Squirrels who want to fly because the first squirrel wanted to fly and it managed to and surely acquired happiness, so if they all learn to fly they will be happy too. I think its very deliberate that these are all flying squirrels who still want to learn how to fly.

Especially considering the thing the first Squirrel was so happy to give up while building a flying machine was its wings. Our authentic selves are not good enough to be considered a tool in achieving these grandiose larger than life ambitions. There is a doubtless allure in the prospect of breaking yourself down into bloody chunks for the sake of success, even when you do not need to and are arguably just making it more difficult for yourself.

It's why I think the mantis can be a stand-in for so many things. Overly supportive enablers, get rich quick schemes, nepotism, or a force of self destruction masking as productivity or innovation. All these squirrels had to do to fly was catch a breeze and let their little skin flaps do the job they were designed to do, but none of them did.

It wasn't good enough.

As an ~Artist~ the emotional parallels are pretty intense so yeah, it's gonna haunt me for a bit. As someone who likes to support people I care about unconditionally it's gonna haunt me for a bit, even if I don't think its directly relevant to me or my life. Especially one of the endings where it's proposed that utterly shattering someone's wide eyed dream along with their heart, beat their life's work to pieces, might be the best course of action.

It's a horrifying thought, and I think 'The Repairing Mantis' meditates on the worst of outcomes when ideas and aspirations and passions loose their foothold in reality and get lost in dreamland, and how attractive that spectacle can be for onlookers to imitate.

It's a beautiful game, truly an unique testament to the potency of narrative horror games, I don't think it could have struck as many chords as it did with me in any other medium.

10/10 dont build bridges out of squirrels.

[violentviolette]

hey jack im sorry if this is a really weird and random question but do you have any tips for not being so nervous meeting someone from online for the first time? I know you and Ryo meet up and I was wondering if that was awkward at first if you have any tips for it!

no worries anon not a weird question at all. i've actually been meeting up with online friends since i was like 14 so i actually do have a fair bit of practice with it and it's kind of old hat to me now

honestly im always a little nervous before meeting someone new and i think thats normal and healthy, the first time i met ryo i honestly felt like i was gonna excitement vomit like a dog lmfaoo but i think allowing urself to say "im nervous and thats okay" helps a lot

for me it's all about taking the pressure off. the pressure to be perfect or make this amazing first impression and be the coolest funniest most charming dude imaginable. but thats just not reality and it's unhelpful and unfair to put that pressure on myself. remembering that this is (hopefully) someone who ur already close friends with and who knows u and enjoys ur company for who u are, and they're just as excited and nervous, but they also know ur a human being. there isnt pressure to be perfect or super cool or amazingly witty or funny, and its also okay if ur kinda awkward and a little weird and u say or do really stupid things. if the person ur meeting is a genuine friend, they wont care about any of that and will enjoy their time with u anyway, and if they do judge u for any of that, then they're probably a dick and u dont want to be friends with them anyway so better to know now

the first night i slept at ryos i got so nervous about sleeping in his bed that i slept on the floor instead. it was a deranged decision but i made it and followed thru ajksdhjkasdklas and like yea looking at it out of context thats really stupid and awkward and embarassing, his mom asked me if i was alright LOL but now in hindsight it's just a really hilarious and silly story that we both can joke about. it's a fond memory and it didnt make him think i was weird and stupid and not wanna be my friend anymore.

to me thats really all it's about, remembering that its okay to be weird and awkward, and that they're probably also gonna be nervous and weird and awkward. ur both probably gonna do some embarrassing things and thats normal and okay. first time meeting ppl irl is always an adjustment, u need some time to get used to being around one another and learning what the others like and how to do things together. but it's all just a normal part of the process and it's okay if its a mess. that just means u'll have some funny stories to look back on and laugh about together later

[subterranean-heartsick-blues]

The Mist by Stephen King book review

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm just goin' to the store, to the store, I'm just goin' to the store / You might not see me anymore, anymore (Store – Carly Rae Jepson).

I’m always so late to things it’s not even fashionable anymore. Would you believe it if I told you that I just started listening to Chappell Roan this week? Seriously, I’m out here stopping people in the street saying shit like, “Hey everybody! Have you heard of this little jam called “Red Wine Supernova?” It’s the best!” Yeah well, this is my way of saying that it seems almost entirely redundant for me to even be writing a book review for a Stephen King novel of all things! Because it’s like… duh, of course it’s good. Everybody's already read this book, and now I'm just playing catch-up. Nonetheless, Hey everybody! Have you heard of this gem of a book called The Mist? It turns out that the very popular book, The Mist, is actually really good! It's just as frightening, existential, and downright delectable as everybody said it would be. Who would have thought? Anyway, I read this coming off the back of watching the movie recently, and other than seasonal obligation, I had an intense urge to check out the source material. The story that started it all, let’s go! The only reason I’m making a point of bringing this tidbit up is because Stephen King has always been one of those authors whose work has felt almost too intimidating for me to really sink my teeth into, and yet a large majority of the stories that he’s created are ones that I’m intimately familiar with. For example, Stand by Me is one of my favorite movies and never fails to get me feeling all the feels, and on the flip-side, Tim Curry’s Pennywise the Clown haunted all my childhood nightmares. So, in many ways, Stephen King is responsible for both my early life’s greatest fears as well as its comforts. Talk about multifaceted! Another reason why I’ve stayed away from his stuff until now is that I’ve heard criticisms that his books tend to veer heavy on the wordy side. We’re talking, “takes three pages to describe a medicine cabinet” kind of wordy, so that image in my head has always put a bit of a damper on any initial enthusiasm I might have had. And while I had a blast reading this book, I do have to concede on the fact that, yep, there sure is quite a bit of descriptive language used for pretty much every character that shows up, no matter how small the role. I mean, I knew what everybody was wearing, the color of everyone’s hair, who still had hair, their jobs, who they were married to, every little thing, I knew. Hell, by the time I finished the book I’m pretty sure I could tell you who was and wasn’t circumcised. Really though, I'm not criticizing at all, because I actually really enjoyed this “procedural” prose, as it works well to juxtapose against the unknowable monsters that exist out there. Besides, this style of writing also allowed us to gain important insight into David’s mindset, as I interpreted his incessant "daily life" descriptions of all the little mundane details as a coping mechanism, a way of grasping at some kind of normalcy as it helped tether himself to reality against the increasingly absurd backdrop of the mist.

Let’s see… what else? Oh yeah, the book is better than the movie. I know the movie has an infamously bleak ending that Stephen King himself said improved greatly upon his original work, but I really couldn’t disagree more. Ugh, it’s really hard to talk about this because I kind of want to spoil the ending. But I’ll try to keep it vague, don’t worry. The thing is, I was spoiled on both version’s endings at various points in my life, but I've got to say that it’s never really deterred me from wanting to read it for myself. When it comes to spoilers, I know I'm in the minority, but I’ve never really minded them all that much. If someone were to tell me right now, beat by beat, what happens in a book or a movie I was about watch or read, not only would I probably forget by the time I get to them, but it wouldn’t affect my opinion on the work whatsoever. I’m generally of the mind that if a story can be so easily ruined by a spoiler, then it’s probably not all that good in the first place. Incoming Hater Rant: Why do you think Marvel Studios are so cagey about their scripts, being so deathly paranoid that their precious cameos will be spoiled to the public that they don’t even give the actors acting in their movies the full context of what they’re doing in any given scene? It’s because there’s nothing tangible enough to engage with without the surprise of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire walking through an ugly CGI portal. There’s no soul, no meaning other than to get its audiences exited for the next thing to consume. Okay, End of Hater Rant, I do still watch Marvel movies, so I'm not a complete hater. Anyway, my point is that knowing the ending to the movie version of The Mist beforehand wasn't why I didn't like it. It wasn't even that it was overly depressing, my problem was the fact that it was just kind of… silly. In fact, I found it to be less scary than the book because it answers too many questions and puts a nice little bow on the whole "mist" thing. Like, in a "well, that settles it" kind of way. Sure, the book ends on a more positive note and doesn’t have anybody screaming to the heavens at the terrible deeds they were forced to commit, but we’re already given enough clues to still be skeptical with David and his group’s chances, so leaving their fates unknown will always be a million times more daunting. It’s open-ended, and I think it’s cool how Stephen King had enough respect in the reader’s intelligence and that he understood that we are able to come to our own conclusions. And my final conclusion is that there’s a good reason why this book is still looked back on as fondly as it is. It’s haunting, disturbing, and most importantly, it’s written in a way that makes us, the reader, wonder what we would do were we in the same shoes as David. Like, I like to see myself as a rational dude, but if I were stuck in a grocery store in the middle of a mist with a billion man-hungry creatures out there… sheesh, who knows? I mean, I was already ready to convert after watching the hot priest from Midnight Mass for eight episodes, I'd fold so quick (oh yeah, I’d fold right over a table for Father Paul), so it’s very possible that I be right there singing the old testament gospel alongside Mrs. Carmody. Preach girl! Seriously though, this was a great book, and I know I’m going to be looking at any looming fogs a lot differently now. Hm, I guess Stephen King’s works will be haunting my adult nightmares too. He can't keep getting away with it!

The horrors of the Inquisition are nothing compared to the fates your mind can imagine for your loved ones.

[ihateeverything101]

you're amazing. i'm sorry i will be posting a lot of text today and in the next upcoming days. i found a technique that helps me write what i'm feeling, i've always had a hold up on how much time i spend talking to you. i enjoy it and want more time but i cant. anyways. here is the main post.

Things are hard. I want to talk to you all the time and tell you about everything that is happening. I know I can but it also takes time and effort, I wish we could talk. I know I say that frequently but I feel it frequently! I’m not sure it will work but I am actually typing this on my work computer because I can type faster and I look like I am actually working haha. I’m not on tumblr, only writing this in a word doc then going to copy and paste it from my phone.

The girl that is being added to our relationship, her name is Katie, shes at our house. I am not sure how much I’ve said about it but yeah she flew in yesterday and then is leaving Tuesday, she is staying 6 days. I like her and interacted with her a little bit after work yesterday. She's cute and fun but there are some aspects of her I don't like but I think that is the reality of being in a relationship or meeting new people. There are positives to it but I do feel conflicted and not nice. For example, I had to wake up and get ready and go to work. Char got fired a few months ago, I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to be even more frustrated with him, but I shouldn't protect him, at least not here.

So he hasn't had a job for awhile, he is lightly looking for jobs but for awhile he kept saying that he would commit to it more intensely after Katie left next week. I guess I need to be more of a hardass but it is hard for me and he makes it even harder because he gets emotional and reactive. I do that too but I wish he would have more patience or I'm not sure. He should've been applying to jobs the whole time since he got fired. There were obviously more steps than this but - he started talking to Katie.. I didn’t know how serious it was, they were video chatting and talking all day everyday. He mentioned her visiting and / or moving in eventually but said it as if it would happen in like a year. He didn't give an exact time frame but he did make it seem like that wasn't the plan currently. Then he tells me that she is looking at flights to come and visit, that feels fine to me because it still feels far away. I don't know how serious she or he is. I could've asked but I trusted that he was telling me accurate updated information. The next day he tells me she's booked her flight and trip for 6 days. I get upset and we talk about things. I'm glad we talk about things but I also feel small and idk. I dont have the words for it. Its not like if i didn't want her to move in, that would happen. no. even if I said I dont want this, it doesnt matter and things would continue going. Because that is basically what is happening, ive told him how unhappy i am with this situation and he has asked me when i would be ok or happy with the situation. I dont have an answer for that so I go with the flow and allow him to do what he wants because I feel like my answer is unreasonable. I want another year at least, I want her to move in 2024. Even then it seems too soon, especially with everything happening with Steff. tumblrs being silly and deleted some of what i wrote so imma start another post.

I haven’t read your longer post this morning about not being content with life. I relate and I am sorry you're feeling that way. You're not dating anyone but I feel like we both were in similar “honeymoon” phases of life. We had moved and things were different and better, and they still are, but after a year or so of living the life - it is mundane and normal now. Now we have to try and put in energy to make our lives worth living and fulfilling.