#caelum roulacase

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

A/N: This is a collab between myself and @loosesodamarble that we finished a couple days ago! I just got around to posting it ^^' It's for the 1.6k follows event from some weeks ago ^^ Caelum belongs to Erika, and Leonidas is mine

Summary: Caelum Roulacase, who is a later bloomer and has been in Spade to learn magic from King Yuno, is now back in Clover. But... he is dealing with some thoughts and a lot of emotions that he'd rather first get out, and discuss with someone else. And the best person he can think of for this purpose is Leonidas Vermillion. The two young men hit off a conversation and... perhaps start a new friendship Genre: General Pairing: Caelum & Leonidas Length: ~5.5k Contains: ...Philosophical discussion? Some manga references? It's very safe imo

And for a moment, Cal smirked with a kind of a huff, and looked up in what appeared to be amusement. Which it was. Since in that moment, Cal thought about how much the mannerism appeared as that of Leon's father. 

An apple doesn't fall far from the tree, or how was it? He thought in passing before opening his mouth again. 

"Is this seat taken?" He asked, gesturing to the other seat around the table. 

Leon glanced at the seat, which was vacant. And it wasn't the only seat, or the only table, available outside. Or inside for that matter. Which in itself was telling. 

But there was no reason to decline the request as he wasn't expecting anyone. 

"No, you're free to join me," he nodded with a kind smile, which was returned with another nod. "Do you want to get something to drink first though?" He continued with a slight wonder. 

But Cal let out a sigh while sitting down, and picked up the menu card on the table lazily. "Depends on what they have on offer."

The tone was tired, and more downbeat than one might have expected. Perhaps something was bothering him?

The two boys sat in silence for a moment as Caelum perused the menu.

"I, uh, suppose I should be saying 'welcome back'," Leon said while resting his hands on the table. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Caelum blinked in surprised and looked up at Leon with a half-hearted smile. "Oh. Yeah. And thanks."

This crossing of paths was made awkward not only by the fact that the boys weren't particularly close but also due to them not seeing each other in the last three years. Not for a lack of effort. Simply, Caelum hadn't been in Clover Kingdom whatsoever.

"I wasn't even aware you'd come back," Leon again broke the silence. "And here I thought I'd hear about it first from Dawn-"

"Ahahaha... That's the thing..." Caelum's laugh was clearly forced, making Leon pause and furrow his brow. He and Cal locked eyes, prompting Caelum's answer. "Dawn doesn't know I'm back. Right now, only my family and Uncle Langris have been told."

Leon nodded, not entirely sure what to say to that.

Leon kept quiet long enough for Caelum to wave over a server and put in a drink order for himself. When the server left, Caelum put his attention back on Leon.

"I was kinda hoping to talk to you first, actually," Caelum admitted. His fingers drummed against the table's surface. "'Cause I know we're not really buddies but I was kinda hoping someone would hear me out."

Leon raised a brow. "And that someone can't be Dawn?" Whatever could Cal be worried about? And what would it have to be for him to seek me out over Dawn of all people?

Looking at Caelum, there was a lack of warmth from the boy. They weren't close, but Leon recalled him usually being smiles and gentlemanly grace. But now, he was stiff and muted, like a dimmed light. 

"No." He simply said, eyes down, and lacking of that very glimmer that he used to hold, which was only emphasized the blunt answer. 

Leon leaned back in his chair, opting to make himself assume a more relaxed and open position, over that of questioning. "Well, in that case, I'd be happy to lend an ear," he stated, to which Caelum nodded. 

And it almost felt as if in that nod, there was a thanx. 

"So... You've spent time abroad too, right?" 

Leon quirked an eyebrow and glanced to Cal for a moment, because it seemed almost as if a rhetorical question. 

Cal knew that he was only half-Cloverian. 

"Yes. I travel quite frequently, but most of the visits are short in nature. At least these days. Though it's a goal for me to spend some extended period of time back in Thea again, to know how it is to really live there. See the kind of insight to the country that you can't get from a short visit," he explained, factually, but in a rather casual manner. 

And again Cal nodded, listening to the explanation. "How was it?" He asked, but before Leon could answer, he corrected himself. "I mean... I'm not looking for an explanation about what kind of a country that is, or the customs or the people or the..." he trailed off, his voice fading in the slightest as the words kept pouring out of him. 

After which, he sighed, and rubbed the back of his head. 

"I ... How was it to live there?" He spoke with a heavy tone, as if it had been an ordeal, whatever it is that he went through while in Spade. And granted that there were plenty of stories still in the air about Spade, the weight of the tone wasn't all too surprising. 

"Caelum..." Leon said while leaning forward and placing his hand onto the table. "It doesn't sound like that is the question you'd like to ask from me."

Cal's lips parted for a moment, but as he was about to speak, the server brought him his drink. 

"Thanks," Cal stated, and Leon nodded. After which, as the server left, there was a brief silence that hung over them. 

A train of thought that was lost, perhaps. Or just words that would have jumbled together no matter what. 

Until, finally, Cal sighed again. "It isn't," he admitted, and picked up his glass, taking a sip. "I just thought that someone who has been travelling could... maybe... I don't know, understand how I feel."

Leon let out a thoughtful hum. "Well... if we want to split hairs, I haven't been 'travelling' that much. I spend time between two countries. But if you want to talk to someone who has been travelling, I can direct you to my mother."

Cal let out an amused scoff as a reply.

"You didn't just visit, or travel, to Spade," Leon pointed out. "You lived there for an extended period of time. And... I can't imagine how anxiety inducing that must've been."

A look of recognition, perhaps awareness was the better word, flickered across Cal's face before he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It was rough at times but I wouldn't say 'anxiety-inducing'," Cal said.

"Come now, you don't have to downplay any of your troubles. You shouldn't be, really." Leon smiled at Cal, his eyebrows raised, making his expression and words a bit more inviting to his companion. "Cal, you said you wanted to talk to me and now you're closing up?"

"Hm. Aha... Caught me," laughed Cal. While he smiled, it still wasn't full. But a hesitance and tension seemed to ease from Cal. "I don't want to look back on my experience as negative. But there was just... a lot. The Grinberryalls are good people and they took care of me, but it always felt awkward because they're family friends of family friends and, well, just hearing it, it sounds-"

Leon nodded, chuckling despite himself. "The degrees of separation felt like too much. And perhaps you felt like you were taking advantage of a flimsy connection?"

"Y-yeah!" Cal's face colored up to a rosy pink. "I think everyone in Spade got sick of hearing me say 'I don't know the royals directly but my parents are coworkers with the king's foster brother'... But it was all I had."

Leon laughed again. It was amusingly familiar.

Someone reaching to establish a connection and reap its benefits was nothing new in the realm of nobility. Son of Whichever Family. Heir to Whatever Title. People wanted to justify getting a chance to interact with someone, no matter how tenuous the link might be. In Leon's experience, though, people rarely showed shame when attempting to appeal to his parents or Leon himself. Folks usually behaved entitled to what they desired.

But Cal felt shame for grasping at the thin thread that gave him a chance to speak with King Yuno. Not that Leon blamed Cal. Sometimes, even the best people had to stoop to uncomfortable levels to achieve their goals.

"Hm... If you ask me, I think you don't need to be so ashamed of the opportunity you were granted," remarked Leon. "You're humble enough to admit that your connection to King Yuno isn't strong but you didn't have any ulterior motives, unlike some. To be perfectly frank, I don't think he would've taken you in if he believed your intentions weren't pure."

"Really?"

"Without a doubt." Leon sipped from his drink.

Cal stayed quiet for a moment, just thinking about it. 

Sure, King Yuno had an... unusual background to say the least, and was someone who didn't take the suck-ups seriously in the slightest. Not that a lot of the higher ups did, but where King Yuno differed, was that he didn't entertain the gestures or attempts, or take advantage of the gold-digger behaviour. Which... by extension also meant that he, at least, didn't think so about him. 

"I... suppose you're right" Caelum admitted with a faint, relieved smile. 

"And... in case it becomes a talking point," Leon continued in a rather casual manner, because it seemed within reason. "I don't think anyone here thinks that you were trying to take an advantage of the loose connection either."

"Well... here people know me," Cal stated. "I wasn't exactly ... well, hoping for them to have forgotten who I am."

"And they haven't."

"It's just that I was reminded of it so often while in Spade."

"I get it."

There was another silence that settled into the air, as the two sipped their drinks. The world went by. People had errands to run, or they were just enjoying the weather, same as them.

"Is that what you were so worried about?" Leon inquired, glancing to Cal from the corner of his eye.

"I... suppose.." Cal rubbed the back of his head. "It's... as said, I was reminded so often about seeming like I was just... a gold-digger that it... I'm just..." he trailed off for a moment, and looked back into his glass, as his mind settled into a sea of static.

"You wanted to be reminded that you're a good person, with well grounded morals and ideals and wouldn't take a advantage of a person like that?"

"...Something like that," Cal chuckled. 

Which was replied with a chuckle from Leon too.

"Dawn could easily have told you that," he noted. Which was true. Dawn would have given him the same reassurance. Though maybe it would have been coupled with something more in addition. 

"Yeeahh..." he uttered, smiling a little bit. "But it's different," he tried to argue. "When you have someone who has been in the same place and situation, or at least similar, then... there's... you get a better educated response and opinion than from someone who hasn't been in your shoes."

"Hmmm..." Leon hummed while trying to choose what to say, because there were a few replies that he could give. "Well... to be perfectly fair, I haven't exactly been 'in your shoes' since my situation is different from yours," he argued. "Because when I go cak to Thea, I stay with my grandparents. Who I know well, and there is no question of lineage or trying to take an advantage of them because... they are my grandparents. So, what would they say? That I can't visit them? That it would be unreasonable for me to visit people within close family?" He paused for a while, looking at Cal. "If anything, I think you had it more difficult, and had more ... opportunities to rise to the occasion." 

"Man, I wouldn't call what I did 'rising,'" Cal said through his laughter. "More like I was scrambling to... not even keep up but to catch up to my peers. And I was trying to prove that I wasn't wasting King Yuno's time."

The ending of the statement carried a weight, an insight to Cal's anxiety.

"Mhm. Well if that's how you're thinking of it, then do you think you accomplished your goal?" Leon questioned. "Catching up and spending the time well?" He gazed at Cal expectantly.

"Well..."

Cal raised his hand and a concentrated sphere of light formed over his palm. It was a basic seeming spell. But for Caelum, who had been unable to output a fizzle of magic for 12 years, it was a testament to his newfound strength. Cal looked upon the star-like sphere above his hand and beamed.

"Yeah, I do think so. I trained as hard as I could and did my best to focus on what I was there to do." Caelum closed his hand, extinguishing the light in a smooth motion. "Wasn't easy though. It felt... really weird. Like everyone was watching me but also ignoring me because my circumstances were weird and I was an outsider."

Cal opened and closed his hand a couple times before locking eyes with Leon.

"Do you ever..." Cal's eyes narrowed and his nose scrunched up, as he seemed to weigh his words. "Is it like that for you?"

Leon blinked at the sudden shift. Sure Caelum had been able to talk out what had been weighing on him but turning the attention to Leon in the midst of the conversation felt like whiplash.

"Is it like what?" Leon asked.

"I know you said that you have an easier time visiting Thea 'cause of family but... is it still kinda like my situation?" Cal said. "Do you both get noticed and get neglected because of what makes you different from the rest of Theans when you visit?"

Leon let out a long "oooh..." then pursed his lips, considering the question.

Leon wasn't a total stranger to Thea the way Cal was to Spade. But he wasn't entirely belonging either. That was true.

Leon sat back in his seat and intwined his fingers loosely onto his lap in thought. "I never thought about it, really," he admits. "Because... I think that wherever you go, there will be people who'll ignore you, and some who pay attention to you. That's just how humans are."

"But that's not what we're talking about," Cal interrupted, making Leon nod.

"Which is why I think I can relate to the feeling," he admitted. "I'm... not full Cloverian, and I'm not full blown Thean either; I have components of both." He paused for a while, thinking about what to say. 

And after a little bit of pondering, he sighed. "Here, though they didn't downright say it to my face, after most people of my age got their grimoires, I was considered 'left behind', because I didn't have one," he stated while manifesting out his grimoire. 

Its red surface glimmered in the sun, and its golden design danced around the surface, as if streams of fire and light. And the way it floated around in the air, as if pulsating with fire and light and pure warmth, was... strange. Not unpleasant, but strange. While it held something comforting and familiar, something else about it felt foreign and wild. 

"I took my time crafting this," he finally said while looking at the grimoire. But closed his eyes, and dispelled the book of spells, just as quickly as he had manifested it. "Which is why here, I was considered ... weak-er, among other things. Or defective, I suppose," he uttered. "And when I'm in Thea..." he sighed, "while, again, people don't say it to my face, they see me as weaker because of my paternal lineage."

Cal frowned at the words, which earned a glance from Leon.

"It's... complicated," he only explained. "But umm... the thing is that my paternal lineage also makes my mana more secure and grounded, and inhibits mana depletion. Which is a merit." 

"And you're not... bothered by any of it?" Cal asked, careful and silently, as if under his breath. 

"Well... as said, my family is supportive of it. And... having comparatively more secure mana is hardly something to be sorry for," Leon half joked. "But, there is a long answer to the question, which I've already started," he chuckled apologetically. "While the short answer is: They ignore and notice what they want to notice."

Cal groaned, "I guess you're right..." He tilted his head to the side as he sighed, causing the fringe of his hair to fall in his face. "And to think you have to deal with that here in Clover and Thea."

"Unfortunately, yes. But at this point, I'm largely used to it." Leon lazily waved a hand through the air.

As sad as it was to think, Leon and his sisters would never truly "belong" in one place. With one people. Their births. Their magics. Themselves as people. They were distinct from other citizens of both the Queendom of Thea and the Kingdom of Clover, being both but neither at the same time. While they could understand the parts of themselves that came from either nation, such as the grimoire Leon crafted in line with Thean tradition, the children of House Vermillion still had so much of themselves to determine because of what set them apart thanks to the circumstances of their births.

Leon understood that all people had to define themselves beyond their bloodlines. But it felt particularly pressing for himself, Cyra, and Nora...

"Y'know..." Cal's voice brought Leon back to reality. "It's strange to think that even with multiple kingd-" Cal caught himself and raised a finger. "With multiple nations working together, the citizens are still kinda sorta looking down on each other. Not totally but a judgey-ish thing..."

"Mm, yes, there is a condescending-ish-ness sometimes."

To Leon's response, Cal let out a short burst of a laugh. It wasn't impossible for Leon to loosen up, the pun battles he had with Alistar were proof enough. But hearing the prince take on a similar speaking mannerism as him tickled something in Cal. He felt a pang of regret not being able to befriend him sooner or more deeply. But, he thought with the optimism taught to him by his parents, that it wasn't too late to start befriending Leon in the present.

"Call it national pride or perhaps cultures being slow to accept and integrate," Leon said. His tone was light but his lips were pulled into a thin frown of disapproval. "But we can't deny that relations are much friendlier than before."

"Hooo yeah!" Cal full on cackled and threw his head back. "Twenty years ago, the only thing I could've learned in Spade was how dungeons looked and smelled. Still..." He shook his head. "Life's being kinda unfair to a guy like you. Since you're stuck in the middle. Sorta kinda..."

"Unfortunately, yes. Though I feel honored to know you see it as an injustice towards me," Leon remarked with a light tone and touched a hand to his heart.

"Hey, I'm only telling the truth," said Cal as he brushed his hair back and tucked the strands behind his ear. "A guy as knightly as you doesn’t deserve to be looked down on, Leon. And you being so amazing is probably why Dusk is always trying to visit House Vermillion, to learn a thing or two from you."

Leon's lips twitched for a second.

"That'd be flattering..." Leon spoke under his breath while Cal took a long swig of his drink. "But I don't believe that to be the case..."

Cal's cup hit the table with a faint thunk.

"What was that?"

"Even if that were the case, I shouldn't let the opinion of others distract me. Be it negative or positive evaluations," Leon said, gracefully dancing around the implied topic that wasn't his or Cal’s to comment on. "What truly matters is fulfilling what you seek to accomplish. Whether that's crafting a grimoire." Leon gestured to himself. "Or taking a crash course in how to use magic." He gestured to Cal. "And as we've both shown, our goals have been reached." 

Cal stared ahead of himself, thinking about his experiences. Thinking about the lessons he got, and the ones that he didn't... quite yet understand. And frowned. "Shouldn't..." he hesitated while leaning forward, and supporting himself with his elbows. "Shouldn't there be a feeling of accomplishment then?"

Leon let out a hum, lifted his chin and stared to the side, to the city streets with a directionless gaze. "I suppose how grand of an emotion are you expecting," he just said. 

"What do you mean?" Cal asked, hoping for a clarification.

"Like..." Leon uttered with a faint frown, thinking about how to formulate the idea into words. "You did accomplish something, while in Spade. You became more familiar with your magic, right?"

"Yeah," Cal replied, but it was lacking in confidence, and was laced with frustration. Because his... accomplishments were basically in getting to the level that was expected of someone of his age. Which most wouldn't deem as an accomplishment. 

It would be seen as the bare minimum. 

"And... are you not proud of what you did?"

"I think it was necessary for me to do, if I want to get anywhere in life," Cal half admitted, half stated. Because there was an honest truth in it too. In this world, you still needed magic, of some kind, in order to get anywhere. I don't want to be a burden to those around me...

"That isn't what I asked," Leon gave Cal a kind smile, but earned a kind of a frown from the other young man, who was now looking to the side. "Because I think that... if you wouldn't have wanted to make something out of yourself, you would have stayed. You're choosing to be a better knight, and a mage. Which in itself is an accomplishment."

Cal just listened, in silence. Partly because he didn't exactly know how to reply, and partly because he wanted to hear where Leon was going with this. 

"Sure it might have taken a bit longer for you to gather the tools you need," Leon shrugged. "But because you've worked to earn the place you're in now, you know that you can do much more. And you have that... ability and determination to continue from there."

Cal listened, while realizing that Leon hadn't actually replied the original question about feeling accomplished. 

"You're hungry for me," Leon commented. "You aren't... fully satisfied, or have this ... grand sense of accomplishment, because you recognize how much further you can go."

Caelum stared at Leon as the other boy as his words sank into his mind.

He's unsatisfied because he knows there's further he can go. That was the truth of it all.

For so long, Cal felt like he'd been trailing behind those around him.

Socially, he was behind someone like Dawn who would be the one to break the ice with strangers whereas he waited for someone to introduce themselves first.

When it came to academics, Silver Adlai eclipsed Cal, being an effortless genius who had skipped grades twice.

Leon was well-mannered and good-humored, making him adored by nobility and the lower classes, which anyone, not just Cal, could be jealous of.

Alistar garnered admirers from a young age thanks not only to his good looks but his exceptionally strong magic.

And then the one who Cal was behind the most: his younger brother Raphael. Raphael had the coveted Spatial Magic that came from the Vaude bloodline. It had the ferocity of Langris offensive spells. And the precision of their father Finral's teleportation spells. And he showed so much potential long before Cal ever performed his first spell.

Cal loved his brother dearly. He adored his friends. And admired those he wasn't as close with.

But his anxiety over his abilities, specifically his magic did come from seeing how easily it came to others. While he was busy grasping the basics, others were strengthening and refining their abilities. What he learned in Spade was indeed valuable and helped his grow. But his step forward wasn't nearly large enough to close the gap between himself and his peers.

Cal saw those around him. And he knew he still had a ways to go with his own powers.

For that reason, seeing that he still lacked in comparison to others, Cal's accomplishment felt so weak.

"So am I...?" Cal grit his teeth. "Will I never truly feel accomplished? Is that my fate, Leon?"

Leon gave Cal another compassionate smile, which quickly turned into one of amusement. 

"Y'know, I asked something similar from my father not too long ago," he chuckled. "I don't remember the exact wording of my question but... I remember what he talked about in his reply."

Cal stayed silent. There was a kind of an anticipation in him. But it was tangled with something that ached to defeat. 

Hell, he had just gotten started and he felt like giving up already? Was that really what all that work added up to? It was almost enough to make him laugh in his grief. 

"His reply... He asked from me, how... I thought he felt when he became the Wizard King."

There was a pause... during which Cal frowned. 

"How... it felt to become a Wizard King?" Cal repeated, as if wanting to makes sure he had hear it right.

To which Leon nodded. "I didn't have a reply either," Leon glanced at Cal with a smirk. "But then he went on to talk about how... that place, that profession... He told me that he remembers standing in that office for the first time after the official 'coronation', and how he just looked around the room like... 'this is it. I have come as far as I intended. This was the goal, the dream.'" 

There was another pause, during which the two young men around the table, didn't exchange looks. Instead, their eyes were down to the depths of the table, or the pavement beneath their feet. 

"To him... growth had been one... important thing. As long as you can grow, and decide to do so, there's a way forward. That is what drives him. But when he stood there, he had reached an end of the road."

Cal felt like he knew the feeling. What Leon was describing. 

"There was no grand feeling of victory."

Cal's eyes closed. 

That was it. That was the feeling.

"And then he talked about how... he remembers my mother entering the room and asking how he felt. If he was happy? Satisfied?"

Cal's eyes opened, back into the void in the table. 

"He didn't answer," Leon commented with a half of a joke, which was delivered with a kind of a grin. "But he told me that mother knew, and said that... He had ran out of titles. Merits that can be given as medals and diplomas. But that... didn't mean that growth needs to stop. That... there were once mages who didn't have those titles and certificates and medals, but... they continued forward all on their own. That growth never ceases, unless you choose it to end."

This was again a long route to the answer to the question that had been asked. Cal didn't mind. Actually, he thought that he preferred, in these kinds of discussions, the long answer. 

"And he could look back all the accomplishments that he had achieved. He could be proud about all of them. Take a breather. But in the end he would continue forward."

Cal's eyes flickered. 

"So... there are senses of accomplishment. But they're not these grand end points. They're middle steps. Because... stopping the journey would make life awfully dull."

Cal closed his eyes, tapped his fingers against his cup, and sighed. It wasn't a melancholic sigh though. His anxiety, though not entirely washed away, had ebbed like a river. There was relief in that soft exhale. A sense of understanding and calm that came with hearing how even a great man like Fuegoleon was faced with a problem not too different from Cal's own.

"Weird. You say something that should be taken as a definitive answer and yet I can't help but feel like it's another question."

"And what would that question be?" Leon asked.

"'What comes next'." Cal answered. "We can grow and learn and accomplish. But then we can still ask 'what else can I do?'"

"Hm!" Leon seemed to perk up at the reply. "Not a bad way to see it. So long as you don't ask it with too much anxiety."

Cal nodded in agreement before his eyes drifted to the sky.

The heavens, for which he was named, were partially cloudy that day. Spring was in full swing. Meaning...

"And what's next for me is my getting my grimoire," Cal said with a beaming grin.

"Mhm. A momentous occasion for you and our peers." Leon traced the rim of his cup which was now close to empty. "And after that, you'll be joining the Magic Knights?"

"If all goes well."

"For someone like you, there's not a doubt in my mind," Leon assured. He paused then touched his chin. "Well, maybe there is one doubt."

"Hm?" Cal raised a brow. "You worried for me, Leon?"

Leon's expression didn't give off a sense of worry though. There was a mirthful smile playing on his lips instead.

"Frankly, I don't know which squad you'll be joining. Pick the wrong one and you could be squad-ering your potential."

"... Snrk!" Cal slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Do you think your parents will have a cow if you don't join the Black Bulls?"

"Pfffff!"

"And don't worry about not joining my squad. We got the lion's share at last year's exam..."

Cal clamped his other hand over his mouth.

Leon chuckled to himself as Cal fought his laughter. While not his best material, it seemed to do the job of expelling the last remnants of Cal's tension.

There was a  moment of an almost silence that fell between the two, as Cal tried to catch his breath, and Leon chuckled to himself under his breath. But at the end of it, Cal leaned back in his chair, the same as Leon, and they sipped their drinks. 

Cal looked across the table, and thought about the reasons why he wanted to have this chat. Or a chat. More of an 'a chat' because he hadn't known what to expect. Not really anyways. And ... though the conversation had taken a lot of unexpected turns, it had been a good conversation. A very good conversation. 

"Y'know... Leon?"

"Hm?"

"I ... wouldn't mind doing this again-, like... hang out," Cal rubbed the back of his neck. "And maybe talk about something less serious."

Leon let out an amused hum. "But in all seriousness..."

Cal gave him a look; eyebrows lifted, and chin lowered, almost as if to ask if Leon was being serious. 

"I wouldn't mind either," he admitted with a small smirk. 

"Maybe Dawn and I can come to the Crimson Lion Kings' headquarters some day, and Dusk can tag along to enjoy the good discussion," Cal suggested. 

To which Leon hummed. Maybe one of these days his sister and Dusk would... either realize that they were in a relationship, or would make it official. He himself wasn't quite sure which one it was at the time but... it would sort itself out in some point. Things had a habit of falling into place like that, as long as one kept moving forward.

[loosesodamarble]

Some quick Mother's Day thoughts involving my next gen ocs...

Lolopechka with Maris, Neave, and Petrus

Maris spends the most time with Lolopechka as she's the future queen of Heart. Lots of their time is spent with lessons on magic and ruling.

On Mother's Day, Maris and Lolo simply sit down and picnic together. No talk of queenly duties or magic.

Neave gushes about her friends abroad and Lolopechka remarks on them with her memories of befriending Noelle, Mimosa, and Nero.

Petrus and Lolopechka actually have a garden together since Earth and Water Magic work well for growing plants.

Mother's Day is when they pick a bunch of flowers and put together bouquets for the citizens. Petrus always keeps some extra to make fill a vase for Lolopechka.

Dorothy with Winifred

Winifred is Dorothy's adopted daughter. Dorothy never really cared to figure out where Winifred came from and just loves her kid.

On Mother's Day, Dorothy and Winifred play a fun game of tag while using their magic.

Dorothy is the undefeated Magic Tag champion.

Winifred puts on a one-woman play using her Illusion Magic, retelling stories she's heard from Dorothy, but with the worst accuracy possible.

Dorothy has a magic tool to record the performances and she's shared some with her friends.

Dorothy's favorite performance is Winifred's retelling of Nozel and Helia's wedding. It's so inaccurate (in the sense that Winifred depicts it going much more smoothly) that Nozel is frankly offended.

Mereoleona with Leoray

Mereo and Ray go on a hunting trip together!

Ray still can't kill as many beasts as Mereo can but she doesn't get discouraged because Mereo's encouragement is always in her ear.

"You've got more fire than that!" "Knock another one down! You have it in you!" "You've got this! You've got it right!"

Mereo's favorite hunting trip was the year Ray tried to eat raw meat the way Mereo did. And Mereo had to perform the Heimlich since Mereo could use her magic to cook the meat as she swallowed but Ray had no such ability.

Mother's Day is the only day Leoray gets a chance to brush her mom's hair. Mereo is usually fine as it is, but she admits that the hair brushing is a nice way to bond. Even if it doesn't take that long with Mereo's short cut.

Holly (oc) with Eirlys and Ferro

Eirlys and Holly read a book of poems dedicated to motherhood together.

Eirlys's favorite poem from the book describes motherhood like an embrace, warm and inviting and so comfortable. But something that will have to let go eventually.

Holly's favorite poem is a mother's perspective seeing her daughter become different from the mother herself.

Ferro gives Holly ice figurines each year. They become more refined and detailed with each year. Holly keeps all the figures in a magic cabinet so they don't melt.

After many years, Ferro recreates the cake topper used at Holly and Solid's wedding and it becomes Holly's favorite. Solid would see it and wonder where Ferro learned of the cake topper.

Holly thinks Ferro would make for a lovely sculptor if he wasn't so dead set on becoming a Magic Knight like Solid.

Nebra with Skylar and Elana

Once they're old enough, Skylar and Elana research and scout cities throughout the kingdom to take their mom out for a day out on Mother's Day.

They book an appointment with a masseuse. Reserve a spot for lunch or dinner. Find a local play or music performance.

The twins will dote on their momma as thanks for her efforts to raise them as a singe mother (with resources she got as a royal... regardless).

Skylar also presents Nebra with a series of fake suitor profiles. He remembered Nebra trying to date back in the day before deciding to focus on herself and her twins. The fake suitors give Nebra a laugh.

Elana tells Nebra about the crazy Magic Knight missions she hears from working in the Magic Investigation Bureau. Nebra forever claims that Elana still hasn't found a story more interesting than what she's experienced.

Kathline (oc) with Daniel and Jill

Simply put, Daniel and Jill help Kathline chop down trees and cut wood in preparation for Kathline to turn it all into furniture.

Their attributes are well suited to that job after all.

Daniel shows some of his creative flair by using his Steel Magic to make wood carvings (which aren't as good as his metal sculptures).

Jill shows off how many trees she can cut through at once.

"Still not as impressive as your dad carving a new canyon into the landmass," Kathline teases.

Jill goes to bite her mom's head off but is put in her place very quickly.

Ichika with Kai'ichi, Shigehiro, and Moriko

Ichika doesn't expect the kids to do much on Mother's Day. It was a recent cultural trend borrowed from Clover Kingdom.

And usually, the kids don't treat it like anything special. Until the year when Shigehiro is fifteen. The kids come together and present Ichika with a box.

Inside in a beautiful kimono ensemble. Hair accessory, matching fan and parasol, the works.

Apparently, the kids found the photo that Ichika had hidden away which showed her wearing a similar ensemble alongside her husband. Her wedding photo.

The kids wanted her to have something that would make her feel as beautiful as she did when she got married. And remind her of the happiness she felt with her husband.

Ichika didn't shed tears. Not in front of the kids. She hugged them real tight before sending them on their way. And she cried over the kimono on her lonesome.

Finesse with Caelum and Raphael

Because Cal and Raph don't live with Finesse, Mother's Day is basically sacred time with their bio mom.

Caelum will bring his mom a gift basket of all sort of trinkets and goodies that she'd enjoy.

Leaves from far off lands that he's visited. Recipe cards to give to Finesse's kitchen staff. New bookmarks and books to use them with.

I'm gonna say Raphael plays an instrument. Perhaps a harp. And he plays Finesse whatever song he's learned recently.

The boys argue over who gets to brush their mom's hair before the three of them take a stroll through town.

Finesse would tell them that one can brush her hair while the other picks out the hair accessory she wears.

Vanessa with Cynthia

Vanessa wasn't comfortable with Mother's Day at first, given her own maternal relationship.

But she came around to it after all her friends reassured her that it was okay to celebrate her motherhood because she was a good parent.

Cynthia is an artist. She tries every kind of art and craft. So Vanessa has a collection of different crafted items from many Mother's Days (and other occasions).

Vanessa loves each and every gift she's been given. She knows it's not the point, but she feels like she's deservedly earned the things Cynth gives her.

One year, Cynthia held Vanessa's face between her hands, locked eyes with her, and said "you're the best mom I could've ever hoped for. I love the mom that you are for me."

It made Vanessa happy cry for well over an hour.

Charlotte with Saki, Ann, and Kenzou

Saki would of course gift Charlotte a bouquet made from the flowers she grows in her garden/at her flower shop.

She avoids including roses since Charlotte grows the most beautiful roses in the kingdom, according to Saki.

Ann isn't good with physical gifts. She collects memorabilia from her adventures (later missions when she's a MK) and then brings them to Char to tell the stories behind each trinket.

When Ann gets her grimoire, she asks to battle Char each Mother's day so she can improve her magic in hopes that her Briar Magic becomes just as strong as her mom's

Kenzou (once he's grown enough to do so) takes Charlotte on a little mother-son outing.

They go to a cafe and catch up on life events. They go social dancing and Charlotte has to lead Kenzou along since he has two left feet.

Grey with Silver and Clara

Silver and Clara become Grey's happy little helpers on Mother's Day.

Clara asks if there's any nooks and crannies that she can clean for Grey.

Silver carries the bags on a grocery/general shopping run.

He'll help push furniture if Grey wants to rearrange a room. He reaches high shelves for her (even when Grey points out she could transform into someone taller to reach).

When they were younger, they were pretty clumsy and something always broke!

As they grow older, they get better and learn to do more to help. Cleaning the bathroom. Washing dishes. Making breakfast and bringing it to Grey in bed.

Silver isn't as tall or strong as his dad but he'd also carry Grey if she's feeling particularly exhausted.

Noelle with Aimee, Naru, and Filomina

Beach day with Mama Noelle!

Naru is showing off how well he can swim! He's a born natural and the girls joke that Naru isn't just a Water Mage but water itself!

Naru and Noelle like to have swimming races. Naru says that he always lets Mama win because it's Mother's Day. But really, he just can't compete with Noelle's grown up speed.

Aimee and Filomina can swim too, but they like what they can do on the shore a little more.

Aimee builds (very lumpy) sandcastles and Noelle helps with the moat and getting water in there.

She also tries to draw Noelle's portrait in the sand and as ugly as Aimee draws every time, Noelle adores it and says she's never been drawn so beautifully.

Filomina is a beach comber. She finds shells and sea glass and crabs and coins. She brings her spoils to her family and Noelle gets first pick of treasure.

Filomina once tried digging for buries treasure and stumbled upon a sea turtle nest instead. Noelle found it very cute but also helped Filomina hide the nest again to protect the unhatched eggs.

Helia (oc) with Aecor, Fleuriana, Chalivas, and Soleil

While Fleur and Soleil are the main performers of the family, all four kids participate in putting on a special Mother's Day show.

Soleil plans everything out, given he's always been fascinated by showmanship. Their older siblings follow his lead.

Fleur likes to improvise, to her siblings' frustration and Helia's delight.

Chalivas tends to steal the show, using his Mercury Magic to make mercury puppets to convey a story more easily.

The siblings' attributes synergize well and as much as they argue at times, they always put on a successful performance on Mother's Day.

Helia runs up to her babies and kisses them all over their faces. She's so proud and every year exclaims that the current year's show was the best.

Josele (oc) with Sterling, Dawn, Dusk, Sirius, Merel, and Vivian

Sterling does a divination session for Josele as a Mother's Day gift. Thanks to Josele's life becoming more stable later in life, Sterling's divinations mostly reaffirm the happy and peaceful life Josele has achieved.

Sterling has also used her Remnant Magic to help Josele recover some memories that she lost or became faded over time.

Dawn and Dusk put their musical skills together to perform a song for Josele.

One year, Dawn wanted to perform the love song that Nacht tends to sing to Josele only for Dusk to scold her and say that stays between their parents.

Sirius, once he has his grimoire and is better trained in his magic, brings Josele into his Dreamscape spell and lets her spend a bit of time with a Dream Magic recreation of Morgen.

Sirius disappears into the edges of his spell and lets his mother have a moment. He feels conflicted about it but still does it because Josele looks so renewed when it happens.

Merel and Josele tend to go on nature hikes, picking wild flowers and foraging for wild fruits and greens.

Vivian returns home from her far off journeys for Mother's Day and recounts her adventures to Josele. Vivian also shows Josele her new spells, the emotions and elements that have become connected to her.

The day concludes with Josele and the children all working together to make a grand feast.

Josele with Albert, Varg, Iris, Valerian, Friedrich, Sable, Blanche, and Isolde (AU)

Similar to Silver and Grey, the Morgsele kids are extra helpful on Mother's Day. Josele deserves to take it easy one day after spending the majority of her days raising eight children.

Albert leads the team and is the one to assign each sibling their tasks of the day.

Albert tends to give himself the task of bringing Josele breakfast in bed. He is the best cook of the siblings and he wants mom's day to start well. This means he also oversees lunch and dinner.

Once Varg tried to lock Josele in her room so she couldn't even try to be something other than relax. I say "try" because Josele kicked down the door to get out.

Varg is usually stuck with dusting down the house because his attitude makes it hard for his siblings to trust him with other tasks.

Iris has the best taste in gifts and so he is the one to procure a physical gift. His gifts have ranged from a personally compiled book of poems and short stories about mothers to a magnificent painted portrait depicting Josele in a heroic pose.

Valerian goes to get Josele's weapons tuned up at her preferred shop. And he's the one to do the grocery run for lunch and dinner.

Friedrich has an eye for aesthetics so he refreshes decorations around the house. New flowers are put in vases. Curtains and tablecloths and curtains are changed out. He even moves around any statuettes or paintings to keep the interior looking a little fresh.

Sable polishes every possible surface in the household. From the windows to stone surfaces to varnished wood. She brings everything to a shine.

Blanche is the team's time manager while also doing the more undesirable cleaning, like the bathroom, and trash collecting. Heaven forbid she actually touch anything though. She uses appendages made of magic to handle most of it.

Isolde, as the baby of the family, doesn't get to do much at first. At first, she has to tag along with someone else and help them. But when she picks up sewing, she takes up the task of mending clothes in addition to doing laundry.

Josele gets to sit down with each kid at some point throughout the day to chat with them about what's going on in their lives. She wants to hear all about what her kids are up to after all, and give any advice that they might need.

[lyranova]

Ezio:

At 15 At 20

Basic Information:

Name: Ezio Roulacase

Age: 15-20

Birthday: March 3rd

Blood Type: O

Love Interest: Josslyn Silva

Birthplace: Clover Kingdom

Current Location: Clover Kingdom

Affinity: Spacial Magic, Spatial Thread Magic

Appearance:

Height: 5’6” or 173cm

Build: Average and Slim

Eye Color: Purple

Hair: Pink, Nape Length, some of it tied back into a small ponytail. At 20 he decides to let his hair grow out and keeps it in a low ponytail.

Clothing: Wears a dark burgundy top with a pair of dark brown pants, he also wears a Black Bulls robe as well as wears knee length brown boots.

Personality:

Ezio is a cheerful, fun-loving guy. He, much like his father, loves the ladies and flirts with them any chance he gets! Although he isn’t quite as bad as his dad was. He can occasionally be a coward but most times he is as brave as his mother and will do whatever he can to protect his friends. He does try to encourage some of the more shy kids to become more outgoing and be more confident in themselves, but he doesn’t have much luck. He also has a hard time saying ‘no’ to people, he wants to make them happy and sometimes gets walked all over because of it.

Background:

Unknown

Trivia:

• Is an only child

• Doesn’t like his Uncle Langris very much

•Has a twin sister (Cynthia) and two older brothers (Caelum and Rahpael) in various AU’s

• Sometimes wishes he had thread magic instead

• Doesn’t like going to the Forest of Witches

• Has a crush on Josslyn in the COTF Universe (but gets rejected every single time)

•Has a crush (and eventually dates) Kai’ichi Yami in various AU’s

• Prefers the Black Bulls Hideout to anywhere else

• Is surprisingly close to Aloys

Taglist: @eme-eleff @crazyclownthanos

[loosesodamarble]

Ooooo for the ship ask game (just take your time answering, I couldn’t decide between two ships 😆!)! 3, 13, 15, and 50 for Dawn x Caelum and Ezio x Kai please 🥺💕?

The answers to your questions have finally arrived!

Going to put the answers under a "read more" since there's a lot. Whoops!

..........

Caelum x Dawn (or the StarLight ship as I like to call them)

3. What was their first impression of each other?

First off, the two were practically raised together. While House Faust and House Roulacase aren't next door neighbors, since the parents (Josele, Nacht, Finral, and Mallory, another friend's oc) are all very friendly with each other, there would certainly be plenty of play dates growing up. So they both have this understanding that the other has just always been there.

But the pair's proper introduction to each other was then they were around five. Caelum awkwardly tried to be a gentleman, bowing and almost kissing her hand. He chickened out of the kiss because he felt shy that day. He was sweet and friendly but also a little shy in a cute way. Also, Cal was just a cute boy. Dawn was smitten from that day onward.

As for Caelum, he immediately took note of how bright Dawn was. She eagerly introduced herself, didn't shy away from talking with adults, and was just so energetic. Dawn was charming to Caelum though he wasn't immediately crushing. He was simply... drawn to her.

13. How do they keep in contact when they’re apart? Do they write letters, talk on the phone, or simply wait out the time?

If they're ever apart, it's letter and communication devices for them.

Dawn actually prefers letters because then she can keep the messages that Caelum has sent her. She can reread all the kind and encouraging words he's give her.

Caelum likes making calls more because aaahhhhh! He loves the sound of Dawn's voice so so much! She sounds like a singing angel to him! And he wants to make her laugh and hear her laugh and kajhdgiaushrt!

15. What songs remind you of their relationship?

"Torisetsu" (translated at "instruction manual") by Kana Nishino.

It's a song about a girl explaining to her new partner how to treat her once they're in a relationship. There's a lot of "instructions" for the relationship in the song and it's a bit cheeky too.

This song reminds me of Dawn and Caelum because I imagine it being a sort of conversation once they get together. This is because of how they were prior to getting together. Caelum was basically afraid of romance and didn't even flirt. And so Dawn is asking Cal to be super doting and romantic with her once they're a couple. Of course she'll be equally devoted but she's taking Cal aside and telling him to please, please be so romantic.

50. Would they ever break up? If so, why? Who would handle the breakup better?

I mean once Dawn and Caelum hold hands for the first time as an official couple, they are practically glued to each other. Dawn and Caelum have known each other their whole lives, have seen the best and worst of each other through those times. Thankfully, they've never hurt each other intentionally and in any cases where they did each other wrong unintentionally, they apologized and forgave each other.

For Dawn, she's loved Caelum from the very start and after loving him for her whole life, she cannot really bring herself to stop loving him or let him go after finally getting together with him.

For Caelum, he always liked and admired Dawn but realized his feelings way later. And after spending so long in the dark about his own feelings, he wants to hold onto Dawn for the rest of his life.

They just... don't want to be apart after getting together... Babies...

.....

Kai'ichi x Ezio

3. What was their first impression of each other?

Most likely, Ezio's first impression of Kai'ichi would be that Kai is loud and reckless, much like his uncle Sukehiro. And well, that's what Kai is like. But when Ezio looks a little closer, he'll find that Kai has no sense of social decorum and might even take pity on how poorly Kai manages himself.

Kai'ichi, meanwhile, at first sees Ezio as an ordinary, fun-loving guy but not much else. He didn't expect much from a person who chatted aimlessly and flirted with multiple people. He didn't expect Ezio to be so brave on the battlefield and encouraging to those who struggle to socialize.

I'm sure they both would surprise each other with their unexpected sides.

13. How do they keep in contact when they’re apart? Do they write letters, talk on the phone, or simply wait out the time?

If they're forced apart and Ezio can't simply teleport to Kai'ichi, they'd likely keep contact through communication devices. Kai'ichi likes to do the real-time conversations and chat about their daily lives or vent things. He wants to know things as soon as they happen but it comes with a downside that is Ezio complains, Kai'ichi can only get angry that he can't be there to help Ezio.

But if they can't even communicate via devices, Kai'ichi will wait it out, distracting himself from longing by intensely training. Thinking about things he can't do a thing about tends to frustrate Kai. Poor boy.

15. What songs remind you of their relationship?

"Accidentally in Love" by Counting Crows. Because, quite honestly, we stumbled upon making this ship. It was purely by accident that the two of us went "actually wait, there's potential with these two..."

But also, once Ezio is in love, he's deep in it. And Kai'ichi would be just as into it because he doesn't do anything halfheartedly. Kai's thoughts are "I didn't mean to fall in love but I'm not some coward who will run away from these feelings!"

50. Would they ever break up? If so, why? Who would handle the breakup better?

I could see a scenario where Kai'ichi and Ezio would break up, mostly over Kai's desire to stay in Hino to become a member of the Ryuzen Seven and eventually the shogun. If Ezio is determined to stay in Clover and they decided not to try a long distance relationship, then they'd split up.

And honestly, Kai'ichi might take it a little better. But not by much...

Ezio would definitely cry a lot more than Kai'ichi would. He'd need his parents and friends to wipe his tears and bring his mood back up. And he might try to bury his heartbreak by flirting around afterwards.

Kai'ichi hides his sorrow better but he'd be in a funk with training and fighting because he'd struggle to figure out how something he put so much passion into could just fail... He'd cry less only because he's so lost about how things fell apart...

[loosesodamarble]

The Roulacase Family

In a future where Finral and Finesse end up together, they also both want to start a family. Despite Finesse's weak constitution, she has enough strength to bring two children in the world: Caelum and Raphael.

..........

Caelum Roulacase

His name means "sky, heaven" in Latin but is also the name of the chisel constellation. He's called Cal by his family and friends.

Age: 18

Birthday: May 30

Magic Attribute: Star.

Appearance: Caelum's hair is dark brown like his mother's although he ends up styling it similarly to Finral's. He lets it grow out a little when he's older but it never reaches past his shoulders. His eyes are dark purple like Finesse's as well.

Personality: Caelum sees the world as neither inherently good or evil; good and bad things can happen to good and bad people. Whether it's fair or not isn't something that Caelum has figured out. Thus, he wants to be the good in the world at least. He treats people chivalrously but will withhold respect and trust from those who show themselves to be unkind. Caelum is courageous; he doesn't seek out trouble but he's not one to back down from the unknown or intimidating. Even when he is afraid, he pushes himself to face his fears because he knows he can trust in himself/his loved ones to get through it. Caelum seeks to improve himself, being hard-working and preferring to see his efforts through to the end. He can still be overwhelmed and knows when to quit to try another day. Caelum is too gentle at times. He'd rather endanger himself in a fight than hit too hard. And he might hide the truth to spare feelings only to cause misunderstandings. Caelum can also be self-sacrificing in regards to his own wants. He wants to make other people happy first and can wait for his own happiness, that's what he says. Caelum also has a slight fear of romance. He's heard about his father's past and doesn't want to end up like that so he just avoids romance altogether (sort of).

Caelum is good friends with Aecor. They're considered top candidates as future Magic Knight Captains and the public tend to portray them as rivals but they don't see each other that way. His actual rival is Avery; they can't agree on anything whatsoever and despite how calm both of them usually are, they set each other off. He and Cynthia are friends and have been mistaken as a couple, to their great displeasure. He goes to Sterling for advice often and though she can be mysterious at times, she always does help. Caelum's closest friend however is Dawn; he admires her and worries about her too and he... he hopes to see her smile everyday for the rest of his life.

Caelum joins the Golden Dawn squad once he's a Magic Knight. Between his father's and uncle's squads, he actually felt more drawn to the Golden Dawn.

It's through Asta's connections that Caelum gets a chance to learn how to use Star Magic from Yuno. Caelum appreciates Yuno's help and Yuno thinks Cal is a great student.

Caelum has a temporary position in Spade military. It’s a special arrangement for when he visits to train under Yuno.

Caelum got his ears pierced because Dawn wanted to but was nervous about the pain. He insisted he'd get his ears pierced to show her it'd be okay and found out he liked the look of them.

Caelum is really good with styling hair. The Faust girls will sometimes ask for his help with putting in hair ribbons.

Raphael Roulacse

His name has the meaning of "God has healed." His nickname is Raph.

Age: 15

Birthday: October 12

Magic Attribute: Spatial.

Appearance: Raphael's hair is a light, tawny brown color, similar to Finral's though not exact. It gets a little darker as he grows up. When he was younger, he didn't bother to cut his hair so he'd wear it in a low ponytail. He eventually cuts it though. His eyes are a lighter purple like Finral's too.

Personality: Like his parents and brother, Raphael is a kind-hearted person. He's already been blessed with a good life so he enjoys helping others and seeing their lives improved. He's a realist, always wary of getting his hopes too high or sinking too deep into negativity. He’s learned that those extremes can lead to disappointment or bitterness. His approach to live is overall light-hearted, as life for him is usually peaceful. He doesn’t always manage to take things easy but it’s his ideal in life. Raphael is studious as well, being of the belief that knowledge is power. He doesn't flaunt his knowledge either and chooses to only bring up what he knows when he deems it relevant; know-it-alls aren't endearing in his eyes. He's also an overthinker/worrywart and can explode with stress when pushed. He also really doesn't appreciate troublemakers like Soleil and Skylar or reckless individuals (with Ann being the one exception as she isn't completely chaotic).

Ann is his best friend in the whole world and he would go to the ends of the earth for her. Chalivas is a close second. Naru has a deep admiration for Raphael since "big bro Raph can do anything!" and Raphael feels so honored to be his role model. He appreciates Elana for helping wrangle Skylar sometimes but can also find her cheekiness bothersome. He and Kohaku are friendly though with a slight teacher-student dynamic. He and Vivian consider themselves friends too, though mostly thanks to their siblings and them being more sensible than them. Like Ann, he cannot stand Skylar, Soleil, and Jill. He's a little more scared of Skylar and Jill than Ann is but he can't abide by their mischievous attitudes.

When Raphael joins the Magic Knights, he becomes a Purple Orca alongside Ann.

Reading so much put a strain on his eyes and so Raphael has to wear glasses in the future.

Raphael is considered a great prodigy because his Spatial Magic functions for transport, attacking, and even healing (though only after he gets his grimoire). He doesn't like the praise though. He's just glad he doesn't completely overshadow Caelum.

Langris teaches Raphael how to use offensive Spatial Magic. Raphael is glad that Finral and Langris' relationship improved, allowing him to know and learn from his uncle.

Once believed he had a crush on Sterling but eventually realized it was admiration. He eventually comes out as aro-ace.

[loosesodamarble]

3,7,11 and 19 for the fanfic ask game please ^^

Oh of course I can answer, Laura~!

……….

3. Are there any fics that inspired you to write what you do?

I answered this question here but I'll repeat, your fics have been a big inspiration.

I feel like I should also say that, not quite the fics, but the characterizations that @loafingdragon and @thespiralgrimoire have of the Silvas and other Black Clover characters have somewhat informed the way I characterize characters. Like the Silvas. I like the way Gab has, in a way, reworked the elder Silvas' issues/personalities.

Also, I've been getting into @succulentsunrise's "My Father Told Me" series and the way she writes Nebra in her first chapter! The way her father frames things and she's absorbing it... AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

I know it hasn't really shown in things I've written recently since I focus so much on the Fausts. I guess it does show a little in how I imagine the next gen. Solid becomes decent enough to have a wife and kids. Nebra's future children to turn out as free spirits and chaos sowers rather than conformists. But, like, I do hope I come up with some Silva ideas so I can just... Contribute to the Silva Salvation as it were.

7. Do you prefer to read short fics or long fics?

Half and half, I guess. I love oneshots where I can get a fulfulling moment in one read. But ugh, BWHI and Demons Run and My Father Told Me. I like long, connected stories. My only problem is that sometimes I don't retain all the info so some things will be set up to come back and... I forget the set up. 😭

11. How do you come up with your fic titles?

My fic titles tend to get to the point of what the fic is about.

Take "What Once Was" for example. It's Nacht remembering moments of his life with Josele, remembering what she was once like before, well you know.

Or my "Sparrow Girl and Swan Boy" series. The Sparrow and Swan are @cringeyvanillamilk's ocs themed after those birds and the various fics center on them.

19. Do you edit your fics after you write them, or do you prefer to just hit post and run (because it’s someone else’s problem now)?

Oh yeah, I've edited after posting.

I had to make some edits to "What Once Was" specifically due to a change that I made to Josele's character design. Sometimes it's soon after if I notice something off or forgot a detail. Other times, I'll randomly reread a fic and find a typo I didn't originally see.

I'm not shy about the fact that I'm gonna change things even after I post. Heck, I think one of my fics is basically non-canon because it was written before I completely solidified the nature of Locked Heart and so now it doesn't work with the lore I've decided. It's a small piece thankfully. But yeah.

What's canon or not in my world isn't solely determined by whether or not some content or other is posted. It's determined by what I want.

[loosesodamarble]

BC Next Gen OCs Favorite Drinks

Here we go, we're talking drinks now. There's so many that it was a little hard to keep them all unique so there are some repeats and some that are variants of each other.

Fausts

-Sterling: limeade -Dawn: sour lemonade -Dusk: sweet lemonade -Sirius: black coffee (no sugar or cream) -Merel: cinnamon hot cocoa -Vivian: strawberry milk

Roulacases

-Caelum: rose tea -Raphael: horchata

Adlais

-Silver: yogurt drinks -Clara: cappuccino coffee (with lots of extra cream)

Silvas

-Aecor: iced tea -Fleuriana: iced coffee -Chalivas: black tea (no sugar or cream) -Soleil: cola -Skylar: vanilla cola -Elana: orange cream soda -Eirlys: Earl Grey tea -Ferro: chocolate milk -Aimee: coconut milk -Naru: hot chocolate -Filomina: cranberry juice

Hearthas

-Maris: crimson orange juice (without magic run through) -Neave: crimson orange juice (with lots of magic run through) -Petrus: fruit punch

Deomines

-Remus: lime water -Romulus: apple cider -Fantasia: almond milk

Yamis

-Saki: shincha -Ann: sobacha -Kenzou: wasabi ginger ale -Kai'ichi: ginger beer -Shigehiro: konbucha

Cresswells

-Daniel: fruit smoothie -Jill: mint and cucumber water

Elves

-Avery: root beer -Elfrieda: dandelion tea -Alfred: egg nog

Others

-Leoray Vermillion: water -Cynthia Enoteca: mugicha -Jesse Voltia-Swing: hard candies dissolved in lemon-lime soda (chaotic little gremlin) -Kohaku Shirazaki: ginger tea with honey

[loosesodamarble]

Erika's Next Generation OCs

So I've been having brainrot about next gen ocs. This is partially thanks to @lyranova's Children of the Future series. But also I like to imagine the BC characters having a happy and stable future where building families is possible.

I've shared about the future Nacht x Josele and Nozel x Helia children before but i've got more to share.

I haven't been thinking about the next gen for too long so details are sparse but I hope to build upon the foundations as time goes on. (Maybe if my school work lightens up...)

The children are grouped up by family.

The Faust Family (parents Nacht Faust and Josele Canty [oc]): Sterling, Dawn, Dusk, Sirius, Merel, and Vivian (the family tree)

The Faust Family (AU version) (parents Morgen Faust and Josele Canty [oc]): Albert, Varg, Iris, Valerian, Friedrich, Sable, Blanche, Isolde

The Roulacase Family (parents Finral Roulacase and Finesse Calmreich): Caelum and Rapahel

The Adlai Family (parents Gauche Adlai and Grey): Silver and Clara

The Yami Family, Part 1 (parents Yami Sukehiro and Charlotte Roselei): Saki, Ann, and Kenzou

The Yami Family, Part 2 (parents Yami Ichika and ???): Kai'ichi and Shigehiro

The Enoteca Family (parents Vanessa Enoteca and Selen Nymvire [oc]): Cynthia

The Voltia-Swing Family (parents Luck Voltia and Magna Swing): Jesse

The Silva Family, Part 1 (parents Nozel Silva and Helia Nymvire [oc]): Aecor, Fleuriana, Chalivas, and Soleil

The Silva Family, Part 2 (parents Nebra Silva and ???): Skylar and Elana

The Silva Family, Part 3 (parents Solid Silva and Holly Whitmore [oc]): Eirlys and Ferro

The Silva Family, Part 4 (parents Asta and Noelle Silva): Aimee, Naru, and Filomina

The elves (parent Patry): Avery, Elfrieda, and Alfred

The Cresswell Family (parents Jack the Ripper and Kathline Cresswell [oc]): Daniel and Jill

The Heartha Family (parents Lolopechka and Gadjah): Maris, Neave, and Petrus

Other: Leoray, Kohaku, Gogyō Guardians

[loosesodamarble]

BC Next Gen OCs Favorite Desserts

At last we come to the next gens' favorite desserts.

Fausts

-Sterling: layered crepe cake -Dawn: grapefruit bars -Dusk: candied fruits (in the style of tanghulu) -Sirius: coffee cheesecake -Merel: ginger cookies -Vivian: salted vanilla/caramel/butterscotch/chocolate candies

Roulacases

-Caelum: cherry panna cotta -Raphael: black forest gateau

Adlais

-Silver: red velvet cake -Clara: cream puffs

Silvas

-Aecor: pumpkin pie (with whipped cream) -Fleuriana: creme brulee -Chalivas: dark chocolate truffles -Soleil: salt water taffy -Skylar: flan -Elana: triple chocolate cookies -Eirlys: blackberry trifle -Ferro: macarons -Aimee: raspberry jelly-filled donuts -Naru: chocolate ice cream cake -Filomina: fried dough

Hearthas

-Maris: boysenberry danish -Neave: blueberry pie (with ice cream) -Petrus: coconut cream pie

Deomines

-Remus: white chocolate-filled croissant -Romulus: meringue cookies -Fantasia: rock candy

Yamis

-Saki: matcha yōkan -Ann: peach cobbler -Kenzou: molten chocolate cake -Kai'ichi: botamochi (with coarse paste) -Shigehiro: kinako mochi

Cresswells

-Daniel: chocolate zucchini bread -Jill: rhubarb pie

Elves

-Avery: rice pudding -Elfrieda: bread pudding -Alfred: tapioca pudding

Others

-Leoray Vermillion: spiced mango candies -Cynthia Enoteca: candied popcorn -Jesse Voltia-Swing: pineapple upside down cake -Kohaku Shirazaki: melon kakigōri

[loosesodamarble]

BC Next Gen OCs Favorite Foods

Yeah I have so many next gen ocs for BC that they needed their own post for this.

..........

Fausts

-Sterling: tempura with udon -Dawn: rabbit stew (with a bone broth and vinegar added in) -Dusk: rabbit stew (with a cream-based broth) -Sirius: tomato soup with grilled ham and cheese sandwich -Merel: clam chowder (extra potatoes) -Vivian: sōmen with ginger in the mentsuyu

Roulacases

-Caelum: scotch egg (prefers beef sausage) -Raphael: spaghetti carbonara

Adlais

-Silver: chicken noodle soup -Clara: clam chowder (extra clam)

Silvas

-Aecor: spinach and feta salad -Fleuriana: fish and chips -Chalivas: stuffed quail -Soleil: garlic herb butter and cheese popcorn -Skylar: pulled pork sandwiches -Elana: eggs benedict -Eirlys: beef wellington -Ferro: tatoes au gratin -Aimee: baked tatoes -Naru: tato croquette -Filomina: seafood paella

Hearthas

-Maris: savory salmon crepes -Neave: pesto chicken sandwich -Petrus: chicken tacos (soft shell)

Deomines

-Remus: club sandwich on toasted bread -Romulus: hamburger with avocado -Fantasia: roasted tomato and bell pepper quiche

Yamis

-Saki: omurice with vegetables -Ann: onigiri with umeboshi -Kenzou: anything flavored with wasabi -Kai'ichi: ramen with miso based broth -Shigehiro: sōmen with wasabi in the mentsuyu

Cresswells

-Daniel: roasted vegetables (typically squashes) -Jill: granola bars with raisins

Elves

-Avery: ambrosia salad -Elfrieda: stuffed bell peppers -Alfred: cream of mushroom soup

Others

-Leoray Vermillion: ghost pepper chicken wings -Cynthia Enoteca: barbecue baby back ribs -Jesse Voltia-Swing: chicken casserole with tabasco sause -Kohaku Shirazaki: ginger marinated pork over rice

[loosesodamarble]

The Future Faust Family

In a past Nacsele post, I hinted at a part of Nacht and Josele's future, namely their children.

Nacht and Josele have a nice big family composed of them, the Bremen devils, and then five children.

And I shall introduce you to Nacht and Josele's biological children: Dawn, Dusk, Sirius, Merel, and Vivian.

..........

Dawn Faust

Her middle name is Aurelia which means “golden.” Her nickname, mostly used by Nacht, is "Sparkle."

Age: 18 (elder between Dusk and herself)

Birthday: September 30

Magic Attribute: Light. Strangely, instead of a golden glow like sunlight, Dawn's light shines a silvery-white, like moonlight.

Appearance: Brown hair like Josele, blue eyes like Nacht. Dawn grows out her hair and wears it in the same ponytail style as her father's. She's often wearing a smile but her gentle appearance is offset by sharp, naturally glaring eyes.

Personality: Dawn is a diligent, courageous, and spirited child. She acts before she thinks more often than not, letting her heart guide her decisions in life. She loves people in a very general sense, similar to her mother, seeing the inherent value in each human live but doesn't really care for the opinions of others (outside of her immediate family and friends). She wants to live up to the example of Morgen because of their shared magic, even though she's never met him. As such, she's always eager to help others but admits to knowing that she can't help everyone. This is especially true for her since while she's physically capable, she has trouble aiding others on an emotional level. Dawn is incredibly protective towards her siblings and friends and hates seeing them insulted. Though she's not above some light teasing. She's stubborn, wanting to see whatever she does to the very end and adamantly sticking to her beliefs. Dense as rocks in some things, especially romance. As hard as she works, she knows how to have just as much fun. She has trouble showing vulnerability since she wants to be strong for the sake of those around her.

Something peculiar about Dawn is that she doesn't bleed when she's cut. She can play off paper cuts and light scrapes but she was once punctured in the torso by a spell and didn't bleed out even when the magic weapon faded into mana.

Dawn bonds with Gimodelo as a child. She is the oldest child and Gimodelo is the, seeming, leader of the Bremen devils. They are friendly and playful individuals too.

Dawn's best friend in the world is Caelum Roulacase, they've been together since they were babies honestly. Though they can't see each other often, Dawn is very close with her cousin Harmonia. She's also friendly with Patry's eldest Avery. She admires Morgen, Noelle, Charlotte, and Mereoleona.

Dawn ends up joining the Blue Rose Knights.

Dawn has a preference for sour foods like Josele does.

Dusk Faust

Dusk’s middle name is Argentio which is derived from “argentum” meaning “silver.” His nickname, mostly used by Josele, is "Little Shadow."

Age: 18 (younger between Dawn and himself)

Birthday: September 30

Magic Attribute: Shadow. Dusk is talented at making constructs with his magic.

Appearance: Black hair and blue eyes like Nacht. Dusk also grows out his hair but wears it in a low braid. He's almost the spitting image of his father except his features are softer and his default expression is a faint smile. Because of that, he looks a little more like Morgen.

Personality: Dusk is a quiet, lonely person. He comes off as aloof or cold to most people but the truth is that he's terribly anxious and shy individual. He struggles with an inferiority complex, having a pitifully low opinion of himself and comparing himself to his siblings and his peers. Because of his own low self-esteem and having grown up hearing people speak ill of his family, Dusk constantly worries about others' opinions of him and fears being hated by those around him. He has trouble being around a large crowds or people he is unfamiliar with so it he finds himself in a crowd of total strangers, he will likely panic. The times when Dusk is the loudest is when he's having a breakdown. Despite his anxieties, Dusk is someone determined to grow and try his best. Can easily get lost in his thoughts since he's so often alone, usually his own doing. He tries his best to be unnoticed, not causing trouble but not doing anything outstanding. Dusk is kind-hearted and selfless, always wanting to put others before himself, and prefers helping people from the shadows to avoid getting attention for his deeds.

Something peculiar about Dusk is that his eyes don't appear to reflect any light. Even when his own twin's magic is use in front of him, none of it reaches Dusk's eyes. Most peculiar of all is that his eyesight is near perfect. The glasses that Dusk wears aren't for his eyesight; he actually wears them hoping they make it hard to see his lightless eyes. He eventually gets a magic pair of glasses that create the illusion of there being light in his eyes.

The Bremen devil that Dusk bonds with as a child is Plumede. Dusk is quiet and reclusive, much like a cat. It's hard to tell what he's thinking but when you get to know him, you see his subtle signs of affection, again like a cat.

Dusk's favorite person is Josele. Outside of the family, he's close to Saki and Silver, having bonded over all of them being introverted. Some adults he's close with are Gauche, Grey, and Nero. He admires Morgen and Fuegoleon.

For his future, I see him being a Magic Knight in the Crimson Lion Kings and posing as a wandering mage to conduct unofficial business. He also does jobs for civilians on commission.

A strong sweet tooth just like his father and uncle.

Sirius Faust

His name means "glowing" or "scorching." His nickname is "Sir," pronounced as "Seer."

Age: 14

Birthday: December 31

Magic Attribute: Dream. An innate ability from Sirius' magic is the ability to know a person's greatest hope/dream.

Appearance: Brown hair and eyes like Josele. He keeps his hair short and doesn't style it so it tends to look messy/shaggy (in a similar vein as Luck or Gauche's hair). He's got very soft eyes so it's hard for him to look angry or intimidating.

Personality: Sirius is a laid back and friendly boy. His calm demeanor makes him easily approachable for others and he can get along with just about anyone. Even from a young age, he shows a great deal of thoughtfulness towards others and is always willing to lend an ear. He's a detail-oriented person and pays close attention to what he sees and hears. As a result, he picks up on people's habits and tics. Since he's so thoughtful, Sirius has a habit of overthinking things, especially when he's trying to help others. Thankfully, his thoughts don't usually result in anxiety but rather tangents of thought. Sirius might try to be energetic like Dawn or Merel but he can't ever keep up with his sister's energy. He lacks some confidence in his abilities but even when he's unsure, he's typically willing to give things a try. While he doesn't seek praise, he becomes rather giddy when he's recognized for his efforts.

Something peculiar about Sirius is that he has been growing white hairs since birth. As a little kid, it was sparse enough that his normal hair covered more of it but it only becomes more prominent the older he grows.

Sirius' friend among the Bremen devils is Slotos. Slotos seems to be quiet and laid back. Despite his magic attribute, Sirius is a grounded person which Slotos' sturdy armor ability would reflect.

Outside of the family, Sirius is close with the Adlai children and Kohaku. He admires Dorothy and practices his magic with her.

I don't see Sirius becoming a Magic Knights but instead becoming a therapist and using his Dream Magic to give patients a means to explore their own minds.

Sirius surprisingly likes bitter foods, especially black coffee.

Merel Faust

Her name means "black bird" and her nickname is "Merry."

Age: 14

Birthday: January 1. Sirius jokes that he's a "year" older than Merel.

Magic Attribute: Nightmare. One of her innate abilities thanks to her magic is always knowing a person's greatest fear/nightmare.

Appearance: The middle ground of her parents' appearances with dark brown hair and green eyes. She gets her hair styled in low, unbraided pigtails. When she's older, she bleaches parts of her hair to match Sirius. Like her brothers, Merel has gentle eyes. She can either be seen smiling or frowning because of something scary.

Personality: Merel is a very bubbly, upbeat, and outgoing child. She loves being around other people and wants to make lots of friends in life. Making people happy makes Merel happy. She's one of the most forgiving people around. She does her best to keep looking on the bright side of things. Merel is so stubborn about optimism that sometimes, she'll flat out ignore the bad things around her to keep her hopes up until she can no longer avoid negativity. Very affectionate, verbally and physically, especially with her family and lovingly clings to them. Another reason Merel clings to other is because she gets scared and stressed easily, so she seeks safety with her loved ones. Her fears are made worse by her magic. She dislikes her Nightmare Magic, with how dark and ominous it is. When she gets in a bad mood, which doesn't happen often, it tends to stick around for a while.

Something peculiar about Merel is that she is icy cold to the touch. Nothing seems to make her body warm up though. However, she's never complained about being cold.

Merel bonds with Walgner during childhood. Walgner's ability is voice-based and Merel is a bit of a crybaby, so she cries out a lot. Not only that, but Merel's name connects them.

Outside of the family, Merel is close with Nero, Asta, Mereoleona. Her very best friends are Leoray, Clara, Clover, and Amarielle. She admires Rill, Mimosa, and Noelle.

In the future, Merel becomes a Magic Knight in the Aqua Deer squad.

She bleaches a part of her hair to match Sirius when she gets older.

Merel likes spicy foods and the family jokes that it's the cause of her nightmares.

Vivian Faust

Her name means "alive" and her nickname is Vivi.

Age: 12

Birthday: March 21

Magic Attribute: Emotion

Appearance: Black hair like Nacht, brown eyes like Josele. When she's old enough and her hair is long enough, her preferred hairstyle is a braid worn over her shoulder. Like Dawn, she has naturally glaring eyes and she has a blank, neutral expression as her default.

Personality: Vivian appears to be dour and boring due to her usual blank expression. However, her emotions are actually quite strong, she simply doesn't emote very well, small smiles and frowns are typical with her. As calm and quiet as she is, that doesn't stop her from being emotionally driven. Her feelings tend to show in her actions as she acts/speaks on impulse when worked up, even if it doesn't show. Though (secretly) emotional, she's still a put together and intelligent girl. In day-to-day life, she observes more than she acts. She tends to speak with excessive formality and unnecessarily large words, and no one really knows why. Vivian is incredibly kindhearted like the rest of her family, and she tends to gravitate to people in order to help them. Another thing about her is her curiosity and awe with the world; she loves to explore. She doesn't care to learn the minute details and intricacies of things though, simply values an experience or encounter at its base level. Despite being the youngest, she actually doesn't like being doted upon and strives for independence.

Something peculiar about Vivian is that she doesn't seem to breath or have a heartbeat. It's been confirmed that her heartbeat is there and quite strong, but for whatever reason it's undetectable without the use of magic.

Vivian doesn't bond with any of the Bremen devils but regular wild animals are very drawn to her. No one really knows what it is, but Vivian is very in tune with nature and animals in specific.

Outside of the family, Vivian is close with William, Finral, Finesse, and Charlotte. Despite being a few years apart, she's very friendly with Raphael. She has a precocious crush on Alistar but knows nothing will come of it. She admires her parents and siblings.

Vivian doesn't become a Magic Knight in the future. I see her traveling to the Witches' Forest to reconnect with her family's roots. Perhaps there's something in the Witches' Forest that can teach her more about her magic. After mastering it, she'd be a wandering mage, exploring and documenting unusual phenomena. She wants to see the beauty of the world in its rawest forms. Of course she helps the people she crosses paths with and always returns to her family.

Vivian prefers foods that are salty in flavor.

[lyranova]

Ok soo since I didn’t get a request out (because I wasted my time drawing my oc and it was really bad. It will never see the light of day lol) I decided to post this other profile I wrote. Because I at least wanted something posted lol! Plus I don’t know if I’ll ever use these but i just like making them I’m sorry 😅!

Kito

At 11 At 16

Basic Information:

Name: Kito Grinberryall

Age: 11-16

Birthday: March 13th

Blood Type: A

Love Interest: None

Birthplace: Spade Kingdom

Current Location: Spade Kingdom and sometimes Clover Kingdom

Affinity: Diamond Magic

Appearance:

Height: 4’8” or 142cm at 11 and 5’9” or 175cm at 16

Build: Typical 11 year old build. Becomes more muscular and lean (similar to an athlete) when he gets older.

Eye color: Amber

Hair: Platinum blonde, is wavy like his fathers but he keeps his bangs either held down with a clip or slicked back with gel.

Clothing: He wears a black suit with a purple tie, a white dress shirt, black dress pants, a pair of knee high black boots with purple decorations, and a pair of black gloves.

Personality:

He can be a little cocky, but doesn’t tend to show it. He’s actually very warm and friendly, he pretends to be above the ‘my rival’ stuff but he secretly wants one just like his father and his Uncle Asta had. He can be a little shy like his older sister but that's usually when he is unsure of a situation. He is a little bit of a momma’s boy but, like his sister, he is close to both his parents. Although he hates being compared to his father because he greatly admires him and doesn’t want to be compared to someone he admires. He is also very protective of his sisters, especially if another person shows an interest in them, he wouldn’t think twice about shooting them with a few diamond arrows. He is also the one everyone tends to go to when they need advice.

Background:

Kito is the second child and only son of Yuno and Neva Grinberryall. He is 15 months younger than his older sister Miku and is 3 years older than Kya. Even though he was the middle child he never developed what was called ‘middle child syndrome’ where he was ignored or got the least amount of attention, he actually got the same amount as his sisters. He was quite lonely being the only boy in the family (other than his father of course), he even tried to get his parents to have another child in the hopes that it would be a boy and he’d have a younger brother to play with. His parents said no of course. But he wouldn’t trade his sisters for the world, even if his older sister Miku tends to get them into trouble with her adventure seeking ways.

Trivia:

•Like his siblings, he loves Nomotatoe’s even though they are actually hard to get.

•is a decent strategist

•is very close to his Uncle’s

•Is close to Elenora Vermillion and Vivian Faust. He has a friendly rivalry with Naru Silva and a friendship with Caelum Roulacase

•actually knows how to do girls hair because of his sisters

•is the only one who doesn’t have a real sweet tooth