#did have a difficult time picking a fairy type

[xipho-reblog]

I actually made a list of all my faves a day ago and it's like 10% of the pokedex rip

another "current favorite of each type" thing is going around so I did one real quick https://pk-diagram.pages.dev/

[satsuha]

guide to team asano games!

this is a spoiler-free quick look at all* games produced by tomoya asano from 2012 onwards. all games on this list have voice acting in both japanese and english.

*not including mobile games, which includes various daylife despite it now being on consoles because i don't have enough experience with the game to speak on it.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: 3DS (original) and switch 2 (HD remaster)

the one that started it all! bravely default: flying fairy is a turn-based rpg with a rich story that uses unique battle mechanics: "brave" and "default" which allow you to use or accumulate BP to do multiple actions in one turn. it also features 24 "asterisks" or jobs that any of your characters can use for a huge mix of potential strategies

in terms of story, you follow the 4 main characters - tiz, agnes, edea and ringabel - throughout their journey around luxendarc to free the four crystals that will return light to the world.

with character designs by akihiko yoshida (final fantasy xii, xiv, nier series) and soundtrack by revo (sound/linked horizon of attack on titan opening fame), the game combines 3d sprites with beautiful 2d painted backgrounds, with an incredible soundtrack to accompany it.

why you should play it: if you're a fan of the classic turn-based rpg style, i highly recommend BDFF! it's an engaging story and the interactions between the main team is a lot of fun. the asterisk system and being able to adjust difficulty/encounter rates makes for a highly tailorable experience. why you might not like it: it's quite a long and difficult game, and can feel grueling at times. some story/character moments did not age very well and the series has famously had some parts censored overseas.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: 3DS

bravely second: end layer is the direct sequel to BDFF, with returning characters and the same region of luxendarc with new regions to explore. the gameplay is also the same with 30 asterisks in total, many of them returning from BDFF but with 12 new asterisks included. BSEL also adds chained battles, which are consecutive encounters that grant you boosted exp and rewards.

the story takes place 3 years after the end of BDFF, with new protagonists yew and magnolia joined by tiz and edea from the previous game. yew journeys to rescue agnes from the clutches of the glanz empire, a mysterious new force with a floating stronghold.

akihiko yoshida returns as character designer but the soundtrack this time is handled by ryo (supercell, composer of the one and only "world is mine" ft. hatsune miku).

why you should play it: it's more of BDFF, both in terms of gameplay and story! the new asterisks are a lot of fun and if you care about story continuity, you'd definitely want to play this one after BDFF. seeing returning characters in their new roles is really fun to see! why you might not like it: BSEL is more divisive in the community largely because of the story, which is somehow both goofier and darker at different parts. if you're a gameplay-first type of person this might not bother you, but note that the writing and music are often seen to be inferior to BDFF's.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: switch, steam, xbox one, PS4/5

octopath traveler is team asano's new take on the turn-based rpg genre, with BP returning as a similar but revamped mechanic compared to the bravely series. battles are focused around exploiting your enemy's weakness and "breaking" them to do massive damage. with 8 protagonists and 12 jobs in total, OT follows its predecessor in strategic possibilities with job combinations. each character also has unique "path actions", special ways to interact with every npc in the game.

OT has 8 protagonists with separate stories, which you are able to pick and choose when to progress as you wish. all of the travelers journey in pursuit of a goal - ranging from an adventure to find treasure to a lifelong pursuit of revenge throughout the land of orsterra.

character design and artwork is by naoki ikushima and soundtrack by yasunori nishiki, with both being most prominently known for their work on team asano's games. OT was also the first game to feature HD-2D graphics, a combination of classic pixel sprites and modern technologies to create an immersive experience.

why you should play it: again, i think fans of the turn-based genre would enjoy trying this game out! the boost and break system makes for exciting battles with an amazing soundtrack to accompany it. the different stories make for a varied experience, with the format allowing for a wider pool of character archetypes to have a story to call their own. why you might not like it: OT is sometimes criticized for lacking the character interactions between the protagonists that often form the heart of many other rpgs - while the travelers do interact, these are uncommon and have no bearing on the story. if you're someone who really values that kind of character interaction, you may find yourself underwhelmed by OT.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: switch and steam

bravely default II is the next installment in the bravely series, with an all-new cast and region and a familiar battle system. BDII's gameplay also focuses on the "brave" and "default" mechanics and 24 asterisks in total, with chained battles also making a comeback from BSEL. the protagonists all have the same base stats this time, allowing for even more flexibility. while the game is still turn-based, it now features an active time battle (ATB)-like gauge that determines when characters make their move.

taking place in the new land of excillant, gloria, a princess from the now-destroyed kingdom of musa, must journey with her companions seth, adelle and elvis to recover the four crystals of light that were stolen from her homeland.

naoki ikushima (octopath traveler) takes over the character designs while revo (bravely default) returns to do the soundtrack, with the new battle arrangements being a real standout. the graphics follow in BDFF's footsteps with 3d models in a 2d painted world - BDII also features an interactable overworld where you can encounter monsters and find items.

why you should play it: if you enjoy the battle system of BDFF and BSEL, this is a newly refined and polished version of it! battles are challenging but lots of fun and revo absolutely outdid himself with the ost. it features a touching story with similar twists and turns that made BDFF so memorable. if you've never played the 3DS bravely games, i think this is a great way to try out the series since this one is standalone! why you might not like it: bravely fans might not be happy with the fact that this is an entirely new entry with no connection to the existing world and lore. other than the lack of continuity the same drawbacks from BDFF apply, with the game sometimes feeling grueling at times - this is heightened by many the new counter ability that many new bosses have.

genre: fantasy, political gameplay: tactical rpg platforms: switch and steam

triangle strategy is team asano's first take on a tactical rpg, with HD-2D graphics returning in isometric form for an entirely different strategic gameplay. the game has you take charge of an army of 8 characters with 22 additional recruitable ones, and the gameplay has an emphasis on height and terrain conditions to spice up battles.

TRST follows serenoa of house wolffort in his quest to bring peace back to norzelia amongst the three warring nations. he is joined by his friend and the crown prince of glenbrook, roland, his fiancee frederica and the house wolffort strategist benedict. the player's choices can greatly impact the story as you test your sense of morality, liberty and utility to see the war through.

naoki ikushima returns to do the character designs (with in-game illustrations by tatsuaki urushihara) while the ost is composed by akira senju (fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood) for a more moody, dark overtone in the game.

why you should play it: fans of the tactical genre will find this a fun challenge! there are plenty of difficulty options to suit your preferences (even a "very easy" mode). the story structure made it one of the most immersive games i've played, with each choice feeling heavier as the game continues. why you might not like it: if you're someone who cares primarily about gameplay in srpgs, you might be put off by the amount of dialogue and cutscenes in the game between battles. each chapter has one battle and each route has up to 21 chapters, with story segments before and after every battle and additional optional stories focused on certain characters.

genre: fantasy (individual chapter genres include sci-fi, historical, western, martial arts and modern) gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: super famicom (original) and switch, steam, PS4/5 (remake)

live a live is team asano's first remake in the HD-2D style, starting with takashi tokita's classic 1994 rpg! the game features a unique battle system with turn-based battles taking place on a 7x7 grid. each part of the game also features a couple of unique mechanics, depending on which character you control.

LAL's story is split into 8 parts, each taking place across different time periods and regions. each character has a unique goal and gameplay style, ranging from more battle-heavy chapters to one that is clearable entirely through stealth alone.

LAL's characters were originally designed by 7 different manga artists, the most prominent being gosho aoyama (detective conan) who designed the "twilight of edo japan" characters. composed by the legendary yoko shimomura (kingdom hearts, xenoblade, mario & luigi) who also returned for the remake, the new illustrations are done by naoki ikushima.

why you should play it: it's a fun twist on the turn-based rpg format, and the various chapters with different protagonists and vibes keeps the game new and exciting. it also features a story with some very interesting ideas, which all comes together at the end. why you might not like it: similarly to OT, both the gameplay and story can feel disjointed since each chapter is kept short and simple. being a classic game, it's also fairly short, with even a completionist run being shorter than any other game on this list.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: switch, steam, xbox one/series, PS4/5

the second installment in the octopath series, octopath traveler II is a new take on the original formula, with new characters and stories. the same battle system from OT returns with revamped jobs and 4 new "advanced" jobs in addition to the main 8. protagonists also have unique "latent power" abilities and an extra path action that can only be used during the nighttime to add extra flexibility and teambuilding possibilities.

OT2 follows the same story structure as the first game, with 8 individual stories but now features additional stories with certain travelers paired together as well as a dedicated epilogue. the range of stories is similar to OT, but characters are no longer stuck in a 4-chapter structure to better suit their journeys.

naoki ikushima (character design) and yasunori nishiki (composer) return for OT2, with the soundtrack now boasting additional nighttime versions of all overworld and town themes. the HD-2D style has also been improved to allow for more camera angles and animations.

why you should play it: whether you loved OT or found it a bit underwhelming, you will likely enjoy OT2's refreshing improvement on everything that OT laid the groundwork for, be it gameplay, story or graphics. since OT and OT2 are not connected, this is also a great way to get into the series as it offers a more polished octopath experience. why you might not like it: many of OT's original criticisms still apply to OT2, so if you're someone who's looking for a very close team relationship amongst the main cast then the octopath series isn't exactly the rpg for you. OT2 also has a grander scale than OT, so i have seen people prefer the first game for its more grounded protagonists.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: famicom, NES (original) super famicom, GBC, iOS/android, wii, PS4, 3DS, switch (remake) switch, PS5, steam, xbox series (HD-2D remake)

dragon quest III is the latest rpg to be remade in the HD-2D style, with DQ1&2 to follow later in 2025. this game is chronologically the first in the erdrick trilogy, and features classic turn-based gameplay with a few additions in the remake like battle autoplay and a new class.

the story follows the hero, child of the legendary warrior ortega, on their journey to defeat baramos after their father's disappearance and return peace to the world.

DQ3 features work from series veterans yuji horii (creator, designer), akira toriyama (character design) and koichi sugiyama (composer), who have been with the series since its inception. the HD-2D remake had its cover illustrated by naoki ikushima.

why you should play it: dragon quest is a series that has solidified many jrpg staples throughout the years, and the HD-2D remake is a great way to experience it yourself, with or without previous experience with the franchise. the world is charming and has plenty of content to keep you interested. why you might not like it: many of its aspects naturally feel a bit outdated if you're not someone who's used to older games, with its simpler story structure and UI/system that can sometimes feel clunky. while the story is a highlight of the game, characters in your team don't have personalities or interactions like many other rpgs, so that may be off-putting if you are a character-first type of gamer.

that's all for now! i tried to keep it brief but i don't think that worked very well (lol) i may add to this list as more games are released!

also this may be fairly obvious but most of the criticisms i mentioned are not my own, i just wanted to mention them since many of them do have a very vocal minority who have issues with the games.

i'm not a very gameplay-first type of gamer so i can't help too much on that front but feel free to ask me about any questions you have about these games!

[mysteryshoptls]

R Leona Kingscholar - Outdoor Wear Vignette

"Beside myself with worry"

To the requestor: Outdoor Wear voice lines can be found here.

[Dwarfs' Mine – Campsite]

―First Day of Vargas Camp

Epel: Woah, here come the fairies again for our campfire! Everyone, be on your guard so it doesn't blow out…!

Spelldrive Club Members: YEAH!

Leona: ….Tch. Yer all so noisy.

Epel: Oh…? Leona-san, you're out of your tent already?

Epel: It was only 20 minutes ago that you said you were gonna take a nap…

Leona: This time of day's got sun so bright it's even lighting up the inside of my tent.

Leona: And right whenever I feel like I could get to sleep, there's you lot all yappin' about them fairies every time they show up...

Leona: There's no way I can grab a few z's like this.

Epel: I'm sorry… Oh, what about heading to the mine, then?

Epel: Just a bit ago, Ruggie-san said something to that regard as he was leaving the campsite.

Epel: He said, if you were to wake up saying it was impossible to sleep here…

Epel: That a "secluded, quiet, and dark mine would be the best place for a nap."

Leona: Ugh… I'm betting Ruggie's planning on roping me into something annoying.

Epel: Huh…? Something annoying?

Leona: Whatever, I guess I'll bite.

Leona: I'm heading to the mine. Don't let those fairies run you ragged.

Epel: Yessir, we'll definitely protect our campfire!

[Dwarfs' Mine – Interior]

[clank, clank, clank!]

Jack: Whew… I can't find a single magestone… What about you, Deuce?

Deuce: I've tried picking all over the place, but… No luck here.

Deuce: Looks like the Spelldrive Club down the way is having trouble too… Guess collecting magestones is actually pretty difficult.

Leona: Can't believe you're all getting tripped up by something this easy. You're all so pathetic, huh.

Spelldrive Club Member A: Oh, Leona-senpai! Did you come to check up on your club members?

Leona: Oh, yeah, sure. I was just so beside myself with worry, 'cause it was taking you all too long to get back.

Leona: …Hey! Listen up, each and every single one of you here! I'll teach you all the trick to finding magestones.

Jack: Eh, you are…?

Deuce: Every one of us…? Does that include all us other clubs too?

Leona: It's just a waste of time if you're just randomly swinging your pickaxes at the rock wall.

Leona: Don't you guys even know how magestones are made?

Leona: Basically, gemstones absorb power from its surroundings and become magestones.

Leona: When you're mining for 'em, you want to locate the faint traces of magical output from those magestones, and start digging in that general area…

Jack: Oh, right. Now that you mention it, we learned that in class. Guess I didn't look over it enough to remember to do that.

Deuce: I see!! Then, I'll get down to it…!

Leona: …Buuut, that's just what they say in the textbooks. That's just what inflexible blockheads would do.

Leona: If you just use your brain, you can get it done faster and easier.

Deuce: Huh? Faster and easier…?

Leona: Just think about what kind of "power" turned those gems into magestones.

Leona: For the Dwarf Mine here, that's "volcanic activity." You shoulda learned that in history of magic.

Leona: So, you just gotta look for tuff in the walls that show evidence of volcanic activity.

Deuce: Tuff?

Leona: It's a type of rock that's built up from an accumulation of volcanic ash. It'll look whitish here.

Deuce: Uhh… So basically… If we can find some white bits in the wall and dig, we should find some magestones!?

Leona: Sure, that's probably the simplest way to put it. It's probably more of a reliable method to find the locations to dig, than to ask some untrained novice to try and trace magical energy.

Leona: I'll even show you how as an example. Hey, you, Spelldrive guy. Come dig where I tell you.

Spelldrive Club Member A: Yes, sir!

[clank, clank, clank…]

[…thunk!]

Leona: …See, there it is. A piece of a magestone.

Deuce: He found one in 5 minutes, even though we had been digging for 2, 3 hours and didn't find anything…!

Deuce: Hey, Jack! Your Housewarden's amazing.

Deuce: Plus, he helped all of us, not just the Spelldrive Club guys. He's a real nice guy.

Jack: Y-Yeah.

Deuce: Hm? Something wrong? You're looking grim.

Jack: No, I mean, I know that Leona-senpai is a amazing, but…

Jack: I always thought he wasn't the type to just proactively help others out, so I was just a little surprised.

Jack: But yeah, you're right. He really is someone worth looking up to!

Deuce: Yeah! Alllright, I'm gonna try looking for a magestone using the method he taught us!

Deuce: Kingscholar-senpai, I successfully found a magestone.

Deuce: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR!

Leona: Well, ain't that good for you.

Deuce: Yes, sir! We're going to head out to receive our badge from Vargas-sensei now. Excuse us.

[Deuce and Jack leave]

Spelldrive Club Member A: Leona-senpai～ Why'd you help out those guys when they're not even a part of our club?

Leona: Don't be stupid. It's not like we're competing against each other or anything. Ain't worth gettin' all heated for nothing.

Leona: No one wants to see their club get abolished. Doesn't that mean we're all on the same team?

Spelldrive Club Member A: You're thinking on a completely different level, Leona-senpai! I should've been as compassionate as you!!

Leona: Hmph… If you've gotten your hand on a magestone, go and collect our badge already.

Spelldrive Club Member A: Yes, sir!

[Spelldrive Club Member leaves]

Leona: …Finally, they're all gone. Ugh, what a pain having to help out all those dunderheads.

Leona: Yaaaawn......… Now I can get some quiet shut eye, at last.

Leona: …Zzz…Zzz…

Requested by Anonymous.

[mc-lukanette]

Marinette allowed Luka to lead her through the forest, his tiny hand holding her even tinier one. Looking down, she could admire the black of his nails, wishing she could match him yet knowing that her mother would tell her it's "impractical," whatever that word meant.

But that was okay. Having met Luka around a year ago, she was just happy to spend time with him and go on whatever adventures they could get away with in their childhood. His grip was unwavering and, despite its gentleness, she truly felt as if no one could pull her away from him if they tried.

Her feet were a little unsteady as they walked, but he went slow enough that it didn't hinder either of them. Whether he did it on purpose or not, she was thankful for him, only having a bully back at home to deal with rather than any kind of friends.

"Almost there," Luka announced, though quiet enough that it might've been him muttering to himself rather than her. There was a tinge of excitement she could detect in his voice, a sure sign that he'd been anticipating this just as much as her.

The forest was so thick and the trees were so tall that barely any light could show through the leaves. Anywhere patches of sun did show through, tiny flowers were growing, and the two of them slowed or changed course so as to not to step on them even if it made the trip longer.

But finally, Marinette saw light coming from the gaps between the tree trunks, her pace picking up eagerly.

She initially flinched when her eyes had to adjust to the light, but that was how she knew they'd arrived. A village, right in the middle of festivities, laid itself out in front of them, people walking around and talking amongst themselves without batting an eye at them. Fairy lights - which she understood as a magical form of light that grew brighter the closer to nighttime it got - were strewn about everywhere, only giving off a faint shimmer in the pinkish, purplish tint of the afternoon.

"Luka!" she exclaimed in a hush whisper, shaking his arm. "It worked! You did it!"

He beamed at her. "You did it too. Our clothes would look weird if you didn't."

She blushed at the praise, unconsciously gripping his arm tight. Where she'd come from, the types of clothes they'd needed would've been entirely worthless, so it was rare to hear anyone praise her knowledge (as much knowledge as a child could absorb anyway) on the subject. She was simply fascinated by such attire and went through all the necessary research to make sure they'd blend right in.

Coming during festivities was intentional, as everyone would be too busy having fun to pay attention to them. It was also a good excuse for Luka not to have to dye the blue highlights in his hair black, which Marinette insisted he shouldn't have to because they were too pretty to hide. There, highlights in one's hair were just seen as a fun, colorful, and temporary thing to do for the festival.

In other words, they were just two kids wandering through a village like they belonged there, and no one would concern themselves with them unless they appeared truly lost. Marinette involuntarily puffed her chest out, wanting to appear confident in the face of any curious eyes.

Luka giggled next to her, imitating the pose. "Where do you wanna go?"

"Hm?" She glanced at him, then their surroundings. Dodging people would be difficult given their heights in comparison to adults, but she suspected that would change as the day progressed. Furthermore, while the villagers were clearly taken by the festival, she was taken by everything, having never been in such a place before.

Grinning, she said only half-jokingly, "Everywhere!"

—————

Playing by ear, as Luka might've put it, 'everywhere' started with a stand that seemed to be boasting about some sort of game: a typical choice for children, but very new for them. The person behind it was highly enthusiastic, waving at anyone who even glanced their way. It was funny, so they were drawn to it.

"Hey there, boy and girl!" the person greeted with a clap of their hands. "Do one of you want to play? Every customer's first game is free, and if you win then you get anything here as a prize!"

Behind them were shelves lined with handcrafted plushies, pillows, and tiny wooden figurines. Marinette turned to Luka to check his interest, but he looked oddly unimpressed with the display.

Still wanting to try anyway, Marinette climbed up onto the stool in front of the stand and bopped the counter with both hands. "I'll play! Um, how do I play?"

The person smiled, pulling out a few cards shaped like leaves and placing them upside-down along the counter, muttering something as they went. Behind them, Marinette took in the main attraction that she assumed must be the "game": a fake tree that had six "levels," each level designated by a single hole with a branch coming out the bottom of it. She blinked, wondering what the connection was, then looked down at the cards and noticed that there were also six of them.

Touching one experimentally, it didn't move but flashed orange and let out an awful (albeit brief) noise. She scrunched her nose up in displeasure, reminded of the sound of her bully's whining.

"My little friend can explain the rest," the person behind the stand added, looking over at the tree.

One of the holes on the lower half flashed green, a small fairy emerging from it and landing gracefully on the branch. They bowed, waving to their captivated audience of two and explaining, "We'll give you one minute to play. I'll be hiding in the tree and pop out of each hole at random to stand on the branch. You need to touch the card that matches it when that happens."

Marinette remembered then that the hole the fairy had come out of was green. Staring at it, it was the third hole from the bottom, and the card that flashed orange was second to the left. It must've been like a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The cards hadn't actually been leaves either, they were shaped like the fairy's wings.

The fairy smiled knowingly at her understanding of the game. "I'll go slow for the first thirty seconds, but don't expect me to go easy on you after that just because you're a child."

She pouted, leaning forward in determination with her hands hovering over the cards. The fairy slipped back into the game's tree and the person nearby raised a hand, a wordless gesture to tell her to prepare.

"Ready?" they asked. At her nod, they counted down, "Three... two... one... go!"

They threw their hand down and the fairy immediately popped out from the hole that flashed yellow. Marinette followed by smacking the third card, which let out a pleasant 'ding' noise this time rather than a bad one. When the fairy slipped back in, it took a few seconds before they popped out of another hole, this time blue. Marinette hit the second-to-last card that time.

The game went on like that as the fairy had promised, a consistent rhythm of them popping out for a second, disappearing, and popping out somewhere else. She followed their movements easily enough, going from green to red to purple and then green again.

So far, so good. With each affirming 'ding', a strip of color was added to the fairies wings, corresponding with the color of the hole they'd left.

Then, the thirty seconds passed and things started to speed up. The fairy wasn't waiting as long this time whenever they went back inside the tree, so Marinette had to be quicker with her taps. It was also a little more tricky as it wasn't guaranteed to be a different color anymore: sometimes she had to hit orange twice in a row.

Despite Luka's disinterest in the prizes, she could feel his interest in her playing. His eyes never left the cards under her hands and she was starting to feel the pressure. She really wanted to win and impress him.

Ten seconds left. The fairy wasn't messing around anymore and the timing became more erratic. They barely popped out at all before going back in and Marinette was expected to know where the cards were now, no longer having the time to look down at them to check.

Orange, purple, green, green, and then green again. Red, blue, orange—!

Marinette's hand flew up in the air in shock as the unpleasant whine signified a failure. She blinked rapidly, needing a second to realize what had happened: that, in her panic, she hit yellow instead.

The holes all flashed at once, then slowly dimmed with a fading whirring noise to signify the end of the game. She'd lost, and even worse was that she could see the colored strips along the fairy's wings as they emerged to perch on one of the branches. All the colors she had tapped went along the whole of the wings - disregarding how tacky it looked - barring the very end, which was just barely uncolored.

"You did your best, kid," the person at the stand complimented, leaning on the counter. They appeared genuinely impressed. "I don't think anyone here has gotten as far as you on their first try. Do you want to go again?"

Marinette's competitive side wanted to push for another round, but she didn't have that much money on her. It seemed like such a waste to use it up on something she might not win.

"...No," she replied reluctantly, the frown evident in her voice. She hopped down from the stool, disappointed, but a clattering noise from that same stool made her look back.

Luka had gotten up onto it, raising a hand and insisting, "I want a try."

That was weird to her. It made sense for him to watch her play, but not for him to play if he didn't even want any prizes. Granted, if the first try was always free, there at least wasn't any harm in trying either.

The fairy fluttered their wings, the strips of color evaporating off as if they'd never been there in the first place, then they happily slipped back into the nearest hole. Marinette watched on curiously as the countdown was repeated, wanting to see how well her best friend would do.

The game began, Luka watching each hole carefully and looking down when he needed to. Red, green, yellow, all carefully tapped as he kept his focus on the fairy. Normally, Luka wasn't as good with games as she was, but Marinette supposed he could've been playing just to play. Maybe it looked like fun.

Thirty seconds passed by successfully, meaning it was time to speed up again. Much to Marinette's surprise, Luka dropped his eyes fully to the cards on the counter, no longer looking at the fairy anymore. That, reasonably speaking, seemed in every way a losing strategy, but the first tap Luka made went off cleanly.

Then the second, then the third, and before long she realized that whatever he was doing was working. Purple, blue, yellow, yellow, orange, and he wasn't even breaking a sweat. Marinette gripped the counter in anticipation, unable to count the exact seconds but feeling the time pass in the back of her head.

She got on her tiptoes, wanting to cheer him on but afraid of throwing him off if she did. Her ankles ached from the awkward position, but she didn't even notice in the heat of the moment.

He was getting close to where she'd been, which could be gauged by the fairy picking up their pace. Marinette watched the cards light up under Luka's touches, seeing the hole of the tree flash right before it out of the corner of her eyes. She felt so tense that it was almost like she was the one playing, and she wondered if that was what it was like for Luka watching her earlier.

The one difference was that, with one, final tap on the blue card, he beat the game. She gasped, watching the final flash of the tree as the fairy flew out with strips of color going all along their wings, signifying his victory.

The person behind the stand staggered backwards, putting a hand to their chest in awe. "Wow! Congratulations! You did great!"

The fairy even clapped for him, nodding along to the praise.

Luka didn't particularly acknowledge the victory until Marinette awkwardly hopped up onto one of the horizontal pieces on the lower part of the stool, squeezing Luka in celebration. "That was so cool!"

He had to lean away to avoid the stool toppling over, but he happily returned the hug with one arm. "Thanks, but I got it from seeing you play first."

"Then we both got it!" she corrected. She didn't know if he was telling the truth, but she wouldn't complain if it joined the two of them together in some way.

The person at the stand gave them a few more seconds to themselves, then gestured at the shelves behind them to ask, "So? What kind of prize do you want?"

Luka narrowed his eyes at the prizes, looking all over without committing to any of them. It was taking him longer to pick something than it did for him to play, but slowly, his gaze dropped down and he pointed with his free arm. "That."

Marinette squinted, leaning forward a bit, and saw what he'd requested when the person raised their arm up confusedly. On their wrist was a spiral bracelet wrapping around half their forearm in the colors of the rainbow.

"This?" They waved him off. "This isn't one of our prizes. Those are on the shelves back there."

They jabbed a thumb behind them, but Luka wasn't deterred. "You said we could have anything here as a prize."

"...Ah—?"

They were baffled, then jerked their head towards their fairy companion, who'd suddenly burst into laughter at what was going on.

"Aw, just give it to him!" they said, wings fluttering in tune with their giggles. "He just won a second time against us with that!"

The person snorted, having not expected any of this today, but relented and slipped the bracelet off. "Alright, you little sneak. A deal's a deal."

Luka accepted the bracelet, giving it a final look before holding it out to Marinette. With a soft smile, he said, "Here."

"Oooo~" Keeping one arm around him, she held the bracelet up to the sky with the other, watching the colors shift depending on how the light was hitting it. "It's neat!"

She went to hand it back to him, but Luka's hand had dropped into his lap, curled into a fist so she couldn't. A beat of silence passed, which is how long she'd needed for it to click with her.

"W-wha—" She let go of him, losing her balance on the stool. The drop wasn't at all high, so her feet hit the ground without a stumble. "But why?"

He cast a glance at the shelves. "You can't take any of those home."

So he'd thought about giving her a gift all along? That's why he looked at the shelves like that? And that wasn't even what she meant!

"But..." She stopped short, staring down at the bracelet again and running her fingers over its surface. She'd already been planning to get Luka something anyway, and she had wanted a souvenir from her experience there. Wouldn't the souvenir being from Luka make it all the more special?

Wordlessly, she accepted the gift by putting it on herself. It was too large for her own arm, so she slipped it onto one of her legs instead, wiggling the leg experimentally to make sure it wouldn't fall off. By the time she'd confirmed it, Luka had hopped off the stool so they could continue on their way.

Holding his hand so as to not get lost (one of the few lessons from her parents that she was actually following at the moment), she walked alongside him and asked, "How'd you do that anyway?"

He gave her a curious glance, clueless.

"What you did!" She waved back at the stand. "You beat it without looking!"

"Mmm..." He tilted his head. "But I heard it."

"Huh?"

He made a flapping motion with his free hand. "I heard the wings echoing in the tree, and they stopped when they got to a hole."

He could hear the wings flapping in the tree and know which hole the fairy would come out of from the way he heard it echo and stop?!

Marinette exhaled in disbelief, leaning against him. "But you're my best friend, so I already thought you were the best!" Looking up at him, she genuinely asked, "Does that make you my best best friend now?"

Luka let out a small noise, covering his mouth in a rare show of embarrassment. "It was just a game."

"No it wasn't! 'Cause you won it for me!"

He relented to her point after enough pressing.

—————

Marinette totally, definitely hadn't been searching for one, but one of their next stops was a store that just so happened to have toys in the window. There was a sound of a bell as they walked in and she peered up at it, wondering if someone must've hung it there as a prank to annoy whoever worked there.

Regardless, she had a mission and dismissed the thought to eye the store. Her grip on Luka's hand tightened in determination, but then she noted that she wouldn't be able to secretly buy him anything if she clung to him. She'd even need her other hand to properly inspect the quality of whatever she was buying.

"I'm gonna go over here," she told him, letting go of him to point in a random direction.

"Okay." He nodded, immediately heading there and misinterpreting her entirely.

"A-ah, wait, wait!" She hurried to get in front of him and pressed against his chest with her hands to stop him. "I mean, we should play hide-and-seek, so I'll go over there to count!"

He stared at her, then looked around as she had done earlier, though for very different reasons. Thankfully, the store was big enough, having more than enough shelves, clothing racks, and random objects to either hide around or hide behind. She even saw a few plushes even bigger than her that would make for a good hiding place, though she questioned how a giant would fit into the store to buy one.

"I'll go hide," Luka agreed after an agonizing few seconds. He turned away, getting ready to walk, but stopped to look over his shoulder at her in confusion.

Right, she needed to go count.

Marinette headed off in the direction she'd pointed to, trying not to be obvious about staring at the things she passed on the way. Some of them were candy and snacks, but she didn't want to give Luka anything that wouldn't last. She didn't want to buy him any of the children's books either, because if they were called children's books then that meant it wouldn't be a gift for him when he wasn't a child anymore.

For the time being, she squatted down at the edge of one of the many shelves and covered her eyes, making due on the lie by counting aloud. Faintly, she could hear Luka's footsteps getting further away, straining her ears to hear them over her own voice until she was certain he was far enough from her.

By then, she carefully trailed off her counting until there was nothing but silence, freeing her to stand up and start exploring for a gift. If Luka saw her before he found a hiding spot, she could always claim that she never said how long she would count for.

Finding a balance between eyeing the toys she saw and looking out for anything dangerously Luka-colored, she went down an aisle at a time. Occasionally, she would stop to pick something up, like a pair of two squishy ladybugs forming a ball together, or a slug that made a funny clicking sound when she wiggled it, but nothing was calling to her as a gift for him. She knew Luka was a sweetheart and would like anything offered to him, but that wasn't a reason to not try.

As she tried to imagine what a "perfect gift" for Luka would even be like, she caught sight of something pink and blue on one of the shelves. She hurried over and, while she was briefly disappointed that it was only the back of the packaging that was blue, the pink color screamed her which made it serve as a good reminder of who this potential gift to Luka came from.

It was a clam shell. Marinette ran her fingertip along the ridges and noted that there was a little clip or force of some kind keeping it shut. It opened with a little effort, but nothing was inside; according to the advertisement, it was made to hold something, though didn't specify what.

Luka was someone who could use something to hold things. Eyeing the inside of the clam, she saw that there were even little slits that he could perhaps use for guitar picks. That might not've been the intention of the maker had in mind when they designed such a thing, but they didn't specify beyond "something," and guitar picks would be multiple somethings! Genius!

Taking the clam off the shelf, she ran through the store as fast as her little legs would carry her. She almost tripped and went face-first into the floor, but the sheer importance of the moment kept her upright.

Understanding enough about stores to know that she had to go to the cashier, she took one last wary look for any sign of Luka before handing them the clam. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the few coins she had, which were gathered meticulously over many days on the beach. She still recalled waiting for everyone to leave so she could look for coins they may have dropped, wanting to be ready in case something like this ever happened.

Giving them up to the cashier, they confirmed the price of the clam and returned it to her, as well as a single coin. The packaging had been taken off at her request, so she could fully take in the sight of the little storage clam and the nice weight it had.

Thankful for the deep pockets in the jacket she had, she slipped it inside, doubly thankful that the poofy design allowed for the clam's bulk to not be that noticeable. Then, with all that checked and confirmed, she set off to look for Luka.

By her estimation, it hadn't been that long since their game had started and she'd kept her eyes out for him the whole time, so she felt good about him not being suspicious that she'd been up to anything. Grinning to herself, she daydreamed about his potential reaction while searching for him between shelves and behind the giant plushies.

Tauntingly, she raised a hand to the side of her mouth and called, "Luuuuka~" She looked left, then right. "I'm gonna find y—"

She stopped when a rustling noise caught her attention, her focus shifting to one of the circular clothing racks that had fancy festival wear. Two pieces of clothing were pushed aside, Luka slowly stepping out from the gap he made.

Marinette blinked. They made eye contact and he froze halfway out of his hiding spot, a few confused seconds passing by before they both realized what happened.

He was so used to coming to her when she called his name that he did so without thinking.

Luka bowed his head, ashamed of having ruined their game. "Sorry."

Giggling, Marinette made her way over to him and snatched up his hand. It made her happy, knowing that they could both act silly together. "It's okay! My hand was lonely anyway!"

It wasn't a lie even if she'd planned to return to him casually. Things just felt better when he was around and she hadn't wanted to separate in the first place.

—————

Even over the hustle and bustle of the crowd as the afternoon began to transition to evening, Marinette could still hear the grumbling of Luka's stomach. She stopped, eyeing the source of the sound, and Luka turned to look at her.

"What?"

"Ah... I'm hungry," she told him. "Can we eat?"

An actual lie that time, but she'd been down this road before to know that it was necessary. They'd gotten into loops enough times of noticing that the other was hungry, the other insisting not to worry about it, and back and forth until finally they both decided to eat together. In retrospect, Luka may have given the same lie to her in the past.

It just seemed like such a waste to miss out on potential playtime to eat, but at least now they could have food they hadn't tried before.

Luka agreed, so they set about finding something they wanted. There were plenty of people down the streets waving around food and shouting out what she presumed was the name of it, but the two of them couldn't really make sense of it. Food there was so different from what they were used to that they probably wouldn't recognize anything anyway.

They debated on whether they should risk their money on chance, but then they heard the familiar word "blueberry" and looked over. Luka was a forest dweller and often brought Marinette fruit that he picked, so they both knew what those were.

In the woman's hands, however, were tiny round things that Marinette didn't recognize. They were closer to baby blue than the dark purplish-blue she was used to on blueberries, which confused her brain entirely as they did smell like blueberries. At Luka's asking, the woman listed off a few rough ingredients and the general process of baking them, but it all sounded like random words mashed together barring "blueberries" and "eggs."

"Here." She put her handful of treats back in the container she had them in, pulling out one in each hand and offering it to them. "Cuties like you can have one for free as a taste test."

Marinette exchanged a glance with Luka. She wasn't sure what the criteria was that the lady was using, but she could agree that he was cute: calm, quiet, and always with something sweet to say whenever he did speak.

"Okay," Marinette began, only to not take the one offered to her and point at Luka instead, "but Luka has to give it to me."

He didn't ask why, accepting both treats and holding one up to her mouth. Catching the woman's confused stare on her, Marinette felt compelled to explain anyway.

"My maman and papa told me not to take sweets from strangers, but Luka's not a stranger."

With that, she opened her mouth and let Luka slip the treat in at the same time he fed himself. The taste of blueberry filled her mouth as she bit down, the treat so tiny that she could only bite a few times before it was largely crumbs. The outside had been crisp, but inside it was soft and a little chewy, her tongue getting the full force of the fruit she would still insist it didn't look like.

She put a hand to her lips, letting out a tiny, pleased noise at the flavor, and heard something similar from Luka. It was an easy choice from there to buy it, though she already imagined that the single coin she had wouldn't buy much.

Luka, on the other hand, still had coins of his own. While she'd found hers on the beach, he sometimes found some that forest visitors had dropped, or those snatched up by birds and placed in nests for their shine. He bought enough that the both of them would've struggled to hold them even if they used both of their hands, but the woman settled the two piles onto edible pink paper for them, neatly crimped and folded so as to contain them well.

Walking off with the treats, they found a quiet place to sit and got to eating. Marinette imagined that her parents might have complained about her eating so much of something sweet, but it had fruit in it and it was a "treat" day anyway. They deserved to spoil themselves instead of thinking about such things.

"Why do all kids like sweet stuff?" she wondered aloud. "Some adults do too."

Luka hummed, not able to answer at first when his mouth was full. He swallowed, then guessed, "Maybe they have a spell on 'em?"

She looked down, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she poked the top of the pile. Nothing happened, at least beyond the treats moving from the little push. "All sweets? Do they wanna be eaten that bad?"

He shrugged, still mulling it over, and she took the time to shove a palmful into her mouth.

"What if we have the spell?" he suggested. "So it's not the sweets, and sometimes the spell goes away when we grow up?"

"So we're cursed when we get born?" She nodded along, invested in the hot new theory he just dropped. "I bet your mom could cure us. She's good with magic and potions."

"Mm." He stopped eating to consider that, lightly prodding and moving around the treats he still had, then countered, "But it'd be sad not to like these anymore."

"Yeah," she solemnly agreed. That was the trick of such a curse, she supposed, because why would someone want to take away how good sweets tasted?

The conversation lulled off as they dedicated themselves to enjoying the treats, cursed or otherwise. Marinette even tore a corner of the paper to taste, noting the strawberry undertones, and got an idea. With just a few, precious blueberry bites left, she curled the paper around them and shoved the whole thing directly into her mouth, flooding it with the taste of both berries at once.

Luka was wide-eyed at the motion, but not in any negative way. Rather, he thought it was an amazing idea and went about imitating her, slightly clumsier with curling the paper but it didn't affect the taste.

With any hunger satiated, they dusted off their hands like they'd done a hard day's work, then returned to enjoying the festivities.

—————

Neither of them were used to walking for so long. Knowing that, it was inevitable that their legs would start to tire, but the two of them had left it as a problem for their future selves.

Except now, though thankfully late in their adventure, the future had arrived and they reluctantly accepted that they had to rest. They searched for a quiet place where few people would be and settled on a library, having not even realized how much it was to deal with the crowd of people outside until they were away from it all.

A single librarian stood behind the front desk, idly sorting things they couldn't quite see. On the corner of the desk was a container of candy, either bribing material or congratulatory rewards for kids to read more, but they ignored them to traverse the rest of the library.

The rows of bookshelves almost felt like a maze of knowledge, but they eventually made it to a comfy little spot in a corner. There was a table, chairs, and a few books that were either abandoned or recommended for those who may've come by. Curious, Marinette grabbed one of the books to look at, but scowled when the cover showed blond hair that looked all too similar to her bully's.

Definitely abandoned books.

Luka was tired enough that he didn't even bother pulling out one of the chairs to sit on, opting to plop down on the floor and lean against the wall. Sympathetic, Marinette left the book re-abandoned on the table and went over to kneel at his side.

"You should sleep if you're tired," she encouraged.

He yawned, though tried to hide it with his hands. "There's a lot we didn't do yet."

She tapped her chin in thought. "Well... we didn't sleep yet? I can read you a story too."

Before he could answer, she pushed herself up and walked away to a small rack of more child-friendly books than the ones on the table. Their thinness made it perfect for her hands to hold comfortably, and she returned to Luka with a smile.

Then, considering something, she put the book down on Luka's lap and retrieved the heavier book she'd hated from the table. Dropping it next to their little spot, she sat down next to him and picked the thinner book back up.

"This one's to read," she explained, then pointed to the one she'd dropped. "That's for keeping you safe if anyone tries to wake you up."

He giggled at the exaggerated motion she made of whacking someone with the book. "I thought books were for learning things."

It was playful, but Marinette huffed and replied anyway, "They'll learn not to wake you up."

And that was that. She leaned against the wall with him, their bodies bumping together comfortably as she opened the book to the first page. Her ability to read aloud wasn't perfect and she stumbled on a couple words she'd seen but never spoken before, yet Luka didn't complain.

Eventually, she felt him relax against her, looking over to see that his eyes were shut and his breathing had slowed. She debated with herself on continuing to read, but the book didn't seem as fun when they weren't looking at it together.

Her eyelids drooped, the letters blurring as the sleepiness started to take her too. She had promised to protect Luka while he napped, but she could already hear his voice in her head, telling her that she couldn't protect him if she didn't protect herself first.

Making a compromise with herself, she turned further towards him, settling the book on his lap and placing her hands atop it. His scent was familiar as she snuggled against him and, if she really focused on it, she could still smell the flowers they had picked and put on each other the other day.

The scent on her, unfortunately, had probably washed off by then, but that was fine. They still had the memories even if the scent didn't linger, and that thought lulled her fully into secure slumber.

—————

"Hey... hey there, come on," a gentle, deep voice said. "Wake up."

Marinette whined, glaring off at nothing as she slowly opened her eyes, then lifted her head up towards the source of the wake-up call. It was the librarian, who looked worriedly down at the both of them, just out of whacking distance.

"I wanted to let you two sleep, but it's getting late," he told her. "Aren't your parents worried about you?"

Honestly? Probably not. Her parents were nice but didn't have much of a hands-on approach - probably assumed she lost track of time somewhere - whereas Luka's mom was fully aware where they were and what they were doing. She looked outside to get an estimate of the time, the fairy lights hung just outside the window glowing as bright as ever.

Because it was as late as ever.

Marinette jolted, eyes wide open as she turned to Luka. She didn't even have time to wonder if she'd have to whack herself for trying to wake him, too panicked as she grabbed his shoulder and gave him a shake.

"Luka! Luka, Luka!"

He groaned as he stirred from her efforts. His body was sluggish and might've fallen over had she not had a firm grip on him. "M-Marinette...?"

"It's late!" she cried out. "Late late!"

He blinked slowly at her, because normally it being "late late" wouldn't be a concern for either of them. However, his brain finally caught up and he became wide awake in an instant, pushing himself to his feet as the book fell from his lap to the floor. "We have to go!"

"Yeah!" She hurriedly gathered the two books to set them on the table, barely giving the librarian a "thank you" before her hand grabbed Luka's and they were off. The little corner they'd taken minutes to find after coming in through the front door took only seconds to backtrack from, the two of them working as a tiny unit to force the door open as fast as possible with their free hands.

Ignoring any glances they might've gotten from adults, they ran around and past anyone they could. Occasionally, they might've bumped something or someone, taking up more space from being side-by-side as they were, but their grip on each other was solid and they refused to let go of each other even for convenience.

Before long, they headed back into the forest, Marinette allowing Luka to lead since he was the one who knew the way. Swerving around trees and ducking under branches, it was clear that he was trying to take the quickest route possible.

It was hard to gauge the time anymore, the moon completely out of sight due to the vast foliage above them. Still, Marinette could catch them smell of the ocean, so she felt they could still make it before—

"Ah—!"

She fell forward, Luka stumbling along with her as they both hit the ground. She raised her head to apologize, certain that her legs had finally given out, but then she looked behind her.

In place of her legs was her mermaid tail, bright pink and shimmering like it'd never left. The only evidence that she'd gone to a human village at all was the bracelet she'd put on, which nicely fit right above the fins at the end. She turned her head back to Luka and, sure enough, his naga tail had come back as well.

There was only one conclusion to draw: that the potions his mother had given them had worn off. She groaned, mentally cursing her luck that they'd turned back just before they got to the ocean. To Luka, it was hardly a problem so long as they were out of the village where they could no longer be seen, but not so much with Marinette.

She wiggled her tail and tried to push herself up, but to no avail. She couldn't move on land like he did, only awkwardly crawl or drag herself.

"Marinette," Luka called, fretting. He looked her over worriedly for injuries and reached for her arm when he found none. "Here, hold onto me."

She pouted as he helped her up and guided her hand to his shoulder. "I'm gonna be heavy."

"Nu-uh," he huffed, like it was a personal offense to him if he couldn't lift her.

Slowly, she slipped both of her arms around his neck while he grabbed her waist, straightening up and reorienting the both of them. He kept one hand at her back, the other supporting her tail so they could continue on their way.

She still protested, but he didn't complain, grunt, or show any signs that he was bothered on their way back to the beach. The trees slowly made way for vast skies and pink sand, but she clung a little tighter to him even as she stared out at the familiar sights that should've been home.

They both readied themselves, Luka's arms tensing while she prepared herself to leap. With one precise, strong toss, he threw her upwards and she flung in an arc to land safely back in the water. The crisp, clear world aboveground turned blurry when she looked up, the water distorting it into shapes she knew weren't real.

Popping her head back up above the surface, she looked out at Luka, who had made himself comfortable on the beach. He was leaning back, his hands almost lost in the sand and supporting him as he tried to catch his breath.

"Sorry," she murmured.

He raised a brow at her, puzzled, then offered her a smile. "I had fun."

He'd changed the subject, not even acknowledging the apology like he truly didn't need it. Marinette mirrored the smile back at him, agreeing, "Me too. Maybe we can go again?"

The immediate nod was reassuring. Though it ended rather stressfully, that didn't take away from the experience overall.

She also noticed then that their clothes from the waist up had stayed on: one more happy reminder of their secret adventure. She grinned wider, gripping her jacket and pulling it tight against herself, but something ridged, large, and round nudged at her side as she did.

Gasping, her eyes lit up in recognition. She twisted, awkwardly fighting the wet fabric and the drag of the water to reach into the pocket. "Oh, um, Luka, I got..."

Sand shifted nearby as Luka came closer to her, the tide just barely missing him. Marinette retrieved the clam and swam closer, struggling a bit with the shore but managing to find a comfortable place where she could "sit."

"Here! It's for you!" she exclaimed, holding the clam out to him. It was wet, but a quality enough product that it wasn't damaged or worn from it. "I bought it at the store we went to."

He gaped at her, leaning forward to take a closer look. Nearly losing his balance, he thrust his hands into the wet sand and hovered over the gift while she presented it to him. "Really? For me?"

"For you!" she echoed. Popping the clam open, she pointed at the slits on the inside and explained, "You can hold things inside, like your guitar picks! Neat, right?"

Though, when she looked at it again, she wondered if it was really enough for her best friend, who'd been upgraded just that day to best best friend. A storage container was nice, but was giving someone an empty one equivalent to giving them a gift box with nothing inside? Surely there was something she could put in it.

An idea struck a moment later, Marinette pulling back and turning the inside of the clam towards her. Raising it to her lips, she kissed the inner part of the top for good luck before slamming the clam shut with a satisfying click, wanting to make sure the luck didn't have a chance to escape.

That way, she figured, the bottom could store his guitar picks and the top could store the good luck. It was taking full advantage of all the space inside.

Holding it carefully with both hands, she extended her arms towards him with a hopeful smile. "Do you like it?"

He was speechless, having not expected to get any gift that day beyond his time with her. His lips pressed together in a pout, wobbly with emotion as he raised a hand to take the gift from her.

However, he stopped short, noticing the wet sand still caking his hand. Unwilling to touch her gift with dirty hands, he reached into the water to flap his hands about inside to try and clean them. While that did most of the job, he remained dissatisfied and grabbed at his jacket, pulling it off to wipe his hands on it.

Throwing the jacket-turned-towel aside, he finally took the clam from her and cradled it to his chest. Marinette's heart ached pleasantly, seeing that it was already something precious to him.

"Thanks. I love it," he whispered.

They stayed there for just a minute longer in each other's company, no longer fearing any time limit urging them into action. Their friendship was powerful despite only a year of knowing each other, of having to meet in secret at the shore when no one else was around, of Luka's mother "stealing" Marinette away to show her their home when viable, and of risky adventures created through human disguises.

There would inevitably be a time in the future where they wouldn't be able to do it anymore. They would get older, busier, and it would be harder to keep meeting on the shore. Even further in the future, one of them may even have to make a choice to ensure they never part again.

But in the blissful innocence of childhood, they could simply enjoy their time together.

[delirious-donna]

Hello there, beautiful lady! 😘

I'm trying so desperately not to blush like Sakura while typing this.

I'd like to be matched with my next obsession, and your matchmaking expertise would be greatly appreciated! I'm not familiar with Fairy Tail, Edens Zero, or Bleach (outside of Ichigo), so I'll let you have dealer's choice. Preferably male, but I'm not picky.

Unfortunately, I'm a people-pleaser. I can't usually say no, even when I want to. I'm loyal to a self-sabotaging degree. I take on way more than I can carry, all while sporting a smile... and never asking for help. This often makes me forget to take care of myself. I'd rather sit back and listen to people talk instead of being the center of attention. However, I can't sit idly by and let people be rude to others. And if you catch me with attitude, sarcasm is my ultimate defense mechanism. Very Stiles from the Teen Wolf show. "People only find me interesting because they can't tell whether I'm serious or not." - Killua (From HxH)

My current repeat song is 'As The World Falls Down' by David Bowie. I've been watching Labyrinth way too frequently these days.

My goodness, my number one is a no-brainer. But picking number two was so difficult. But my existing favorites are Yuta Okkotsu (JJK) and Bakugo Katsuki (MHA).

I'm looking for a forever-blorbo and will provide all the smooches you desire! 😘

Thank you bunches for letting me pester you about this. LOL!

Thank you for trusting Delirious Donna’s Matchmaking Service! We have studied your information at length and the following match has been made:

Shiki Granbell

Captain of the Edens Zero. Loyal to a fault. Eager. Blunt without meaning to be. Values friendship above almost all else. Sweet. Determined. Shiki is goal orientated and he finds friends wherever he goes. People are naturally drawn to him.

Shiki can at times be a little oblivious, mostly given to how and where he was raised but he would not stand by and watch you carry the burden of many all by yourself. He is fair and compassionate. Shiki would admire your loyalty and sense of justice whilst also ensuring that you don’t burn yourself out. Who looks after the person that looks after everyone else? Him.

Date Options

Is that a shooting star? Shiki would love to take you star gazing. Find a nice spot, get cozy beneath a warm blanket and let Shiki point out all the night has to offer. Who better to show off the stars than someone who has travelled amongst them

Fancy a dip? The Edens Zero has quite the impressive pool onboard, so perhaps you’d like to splash around with the Captain for a while… any excuse to see him without a shirt am I right?!

Game on? Another impressive feature of Shiki’s ship is the VR room where you can simulate almost anything your heart could desire and it’ll feel more real than any VR you’ve experienced before. Always wanted to visit somewhere? Easy. Want to experience a space battle without the danger? No problem. Or maybe you just want to find somewhere quiet for the two of you to relax a while

Result

So, how did we do? Did the date go well and which option did you choose? Is Shiki going to hear from you again or should we be letting him down gently?

Bonus Match

Another candidate saw your profile and requested a match, he’s intrigued…

Shuhei Hisagi - co-lieutenant of the 9th division and extremely loyal. Shuhei would love to get to know you over some sake and ramen.

Decisions decisions… who will you choose? Both is always an option 😏

[nyxisnottheenemy]

Nyx Imelda // Twenty-Eight // Fairy // Museum Security

Nyx has always wondered if the child’s laugh that willed her into existence was a malicious one. Some snotty brat that thrived on being a menace. It didn’t matter, she was thrown into her duty from the time she existed. A scout-talent fairy like her had a duty to protect Pixie Hollow and its residents– no matter the cost. Nyx grew into a cold-fronted woman who did her job with pride. There wasn’t anything that was going to stop her from getting the job done. 

As time passed and Nyx was fully embedded in her duties she slowly began to grow paranoid, constantly looking over her shoulder for anything– or one, that could be a threat. Nightmares plagued her night after night. Nyx had difficulty coming to terms with the fact that if she didn’t separate herself from her job she would lose herself completely. 

She’s not heartless despite what the rumors say. She does have a lot of love in her heart. Her love for Pixie Hollow outweighed everything else. She did everything in her power to protect her home even if that meant to kill or be killed.

She isn’t proud of all of her choices, but she doesn’t regret them most of the time either. She knows she has to do what has to be done.

Coming to Evermore in a haze was unsettling. Nyx couldn’t remember a single thing from the last few months of her life before arriving in town. She traded her harpoon and porcupine quill in for a knife and dagger collection. Adapting was difficult. She had to pay rent? Whatever the hell that meant. 

To pay the said rent Nyx got a job as a museum security guard. It was the closest thing to what she did back home. Just like with Pixie Hollow, Nyx took pride in her job and went through with her duties– as dull as they may be at times.

Nyx made a home for herself in an apartment she didn’t love. It felt too small at times, but it was still home. She made it as ‘her’ as possible but at the end of the day, Nyx couldn’t figure out who she was outside of a scout fairy. She had hobbies and interests, sure, but those didn’t define her.

The girl can’t relax to save her life. She’s constantly on edge, with anxieties that she doesn’t address eating her away. She still has nightmares in Evermore and her paranoia is at an all-time high. Nyx is a lot more scared than she lets on, but her stoic personality makes her seem like a bitch. She can’t completely blame the RBF though! She might not go out of her way to smile at people or ask about their day, but it’s not often something that occurs to her either.

There aren’t too many people she cares about. She rarely lets anyone get close enough to her to have a conversation let alone a connection. When she does care she makes it known in subtle ways. She would do pretty much anything for people she cares about. She’s probably done worse anyway.

Despite what Fawn might believe Nyx does not hate animals. She found a gnarly-looking stray cat outside of her apartment once. She only meant to clean it up and take it to a shelter but the thing quickly grew attached to her overnight and well…now Fang stays at her house rent-free. For a while she just called him ‘cat’ but one of his teeth stuck out of his mouth so ‘Fang’ felt more fitting.

She’s not a relationship type of person, and any sex she has is with people she can keep at a distance. Flings are usually short and ended abruptly by her. If she feels anyone is getting too attached she will just ghost them.

If you get enough drinks in this girl she becomes chatty. She can hold her liquor but is often reliant on it to soothe her paranoia. She doesn’t mind going out for some drinks, but she usually goes alone.

Her wardrobe consists of a lot of dark colors. Leather jackets are a must and she usually picks practicable over fashion. That’s not to say she has no sense of fashion. She has a style but doesn’t think much of it. Makeup usually consists of thick eyeliner and occasionally some lipstick.

Capricorn sun, Virgo moon, Capricorn rising

[ashestoashesjc]

Heather looked busy. That was important. Keeping up appearances. Dragging icons around on her desktop, typing nonsense into blank Excel spreadsheets. She picked up the shiny black office phone, mimed some casual discourse, replaced the receiver, repeat. No one would know what she was actually up to. 

Not even she knew. Not really. But her orders had been clear. Behave as you ordinarily would. Greet co-workers. Take lunch. Answer calls. Above all: act natural. Await further instructions. 

They’d come in the middle of the night, this first ominous set of directives. Not through email, not over the phone or via text message. Who knows who else would have listened in?

Heather had been lying in bed, unable to sleep. A few hours earlier, she’d taken half a dozen melatonin tablets, but in a self-sacrificial act of rebellion, her mind remained attentive, buzzing. The sheep, she’d lost count of somewhere around five hundred. 

She struggled to remember where she’d left off. Instead, tomorrow’s meeting with Jensen, head editor at the publisher, sure to be a massive ego-fueled shitshow, drifted always to the forefront of her consciousness. 

Then: 548.

Heather froze. Who was that? 

It was a thought, certainly. It bounced around the confines of her skull with the intimate tenor of a thought. 

But it wasn’t one of hers. Of that, she was sure. 

She’d never really noticed before, had never paid it much mind, but her usual internal dialogue had a familiar timbre. Not her own necessarily. Maybe her mother’s? Maybe the daycare assistant from her youth with a face and voice like a fairy’s. Maybe some whimsical, maternally judgmental amalgamation. But there was safety in recognition. 

And this voice was altogether new. 

Deep, crystalline, cutting, like a beacon through dense fog. It spoke with a certainty warmed by a patience that, even wrapped in enigma, had an oddly soothing effect on Heather. 

548, the strange voice repeated. 

Heather grappled with the implications of responding. What would it mean if she did? What would it say of her mental state? Had she taken too many melatonin or not taken enough? 

Finally, “549,” conceded Heather in her own internal voice. No harm talking to yourself, she told herself. 

They continued, Heather and the voice, for some time. 633, 782, 805…

Heather had begun to nod off. Her eyes sealed tight, her breathing slowed, longer and longer intervals stretched between replies. She was right on the precipice of total submersion. 

Are you awake, said the voice. 

She started. One eye squinted ajar. “Now I am.”

It’s always difficult for me to tell, it said with apologetic notes. 

She wondered to herself, “Always?”

And then the voice said, How are things at work?

Heather so loved discussing the source of her stress-induced insomnia, particularly with disembodied delusions. “Peachy.” 

I can sense that things are not, in fact, ���peachy.‘

“Then why’d you ask?”

It’s the polite thing to do. 

Heather felt the polite thing to do would be to not mention work at all. 

How long have you been there?

If there was one thing Heather couldn’t stand, beyond subway cars packed like pop-tab cans of Vienna sausages or men who falsely added inches to any applicable measurement, it was first dates. 

She found the idea of concentrating yourself and all your hopes and dreams and desires into capsule form unthinkably depressing. Interviewing for a life partner. What do you do, what are you looking for, do you like dogs, how many dogs do you see in your future, would you be willing to move to a farm, one with animals, where the only animals are dogs, check these boxes ‘yes’ if soulmate. Bleak shit. 

But at least with first dates there was the ever-lingering option of sex, to bestow or withhold. Right now her strongest desire was to be asleep and alone. 

The voice sighed. 

Let me be frank, it said. 

“Frank, John. You can be whoever you want to be, pal.” Slurred and mumbled, the melatonin had begun to make her a bit delirious. 

The voice took a moment, carefully selecting its next words. 

What if I told you… things are not as they seem?

Heather scoffed. Thinking you perfectly understand the world was something you either grew out of or didn’t, and very often those who hadn’t made careers of extolling their wisdom to the insanely gullible. 

“Were they ever?”

Quiet. I’m serious. 

There hadn’t been much in the way of levity to its voice to begin with. Here, though, the temperature dipped to freezing. 

Heather didn’t know why, perhaps it was the kiddy gloves with which she was being handled, maybe it was the precious moments of rest she was losing going back and forth with a voice in her head, but she prickled.

“Well, so am I,” she said, alert with defiance. “Weird, unexpected shit happens constantly. Every week there’s some new species discovery or unidentified flying whatever-the-hell. Last month, NASA figured out dark matter. Or antimatter. One of the two. I’m desensitized to the scope of how much I don’t know.” 

The voice didn’t respond. As the silence lengthened, Heather sighed. The voice was gone, dissipated into the ether with every other Ambien hallucination and ill-conceived one night stand. 

There she was: floating, delicately gliding, into that blurred pastel haze that precedes slumber. Deeper, deeper, deeper… 

Your Earth is due to be replaced.  

Heather was awake. 

[levi501ackerman]

Steel Heart Chapter 32:

After All This Time

Hange x Reader Chapter Index Masterlist AO3

Megan's Note: Posted: 1/14/25

Word Count: 5.9k

Armin was a quiet boy and you weren’t sure if it was because he was shy or not speaking unless spoken to. Unlike most people you had met, he didn’t ask prying questions about your journey to the castle, your experience with the Marleyan Cult, or living in Shiganshina. He must have been curious, but he remained quiet and helpful. You felt that, given he was your number one guard, you wanted to have some sort of relationship. But Armin gave you one-word answers most of the morning, and you hoped this awkward beginning stage would pass. When you mentioned how you wanted to walk around the gardens, he did offer a ton of information. 

The four gardens were The Versailles, The Korcula, The Rockefeller, and The Fortuna Garden. The Korcula Garden was the smallest and Armin suggested having tea with Fairy Godmother Christa and Ymir there. He also recommended the Fortuna Garden because of the diverse range of flowers, but there’s less shade for when the weather is scorching. The one that piqued your interest the most was the Rockefeller Garden due to Armin telling you it was mostly filled with different colored roses. The rose garden was a semicircle with rows of roses lined toward the center point of a gazebo. Tall, lush hedges lined the garden wall, and dark green iron gates curved around the garden's perimeter. The Versailles Garden was the largest of the four and also had a small section for roses, but it was in a secluded part of the castle. 

You didn’t prefer to wear hats, but since you wanted to visit the Rockefeller Garden, Sasha paired the pastel yellow dress with a wide-brim straw hat. It had white lace along the edge and a wide pastel yellow satin ribbon wrapped around the crown, tying into a dramatic bow on the side. More satin ribbon draped down the sides, and Sasha tied it into a bow under your chin. 

The hat seemed unnecessary when Armin led you outside, given the dark clouds brooding over the City of Mitras. Although it was the afternoon, the sky gave the illusion it was evening time. The dreary weather didn’t kill your joy of visiting the garden. However, Armin’s persistent suggestions to return indoors dampened the mood before the rain could fall. 

Rai was also being difficult. She didn’t like Armin. At first, It was cute when she stomped her hind legs when he went near her. But now, Rai did not like when Armin trailed behind you in the garden. You didn’t know bunnies could hiss until she hissed at Armin for getting too close.

As you leaned over to look closer at a bush of vibrant yellow roses, you felt a tug on Rai’s dark green leash. She stood on her hind legs and used her front paws to tap Armin’s shins aggressively. Armin stared down at the ferocious bunny, unfazed by Rai’s vicious attack. 

“Stop it,” You whispered sharply, but Rai continued to assault the steel armor on Armin’s leg. “Rai, stop!” You exhaled and walked over to Armin. “I’m sorry. She’s never been like this before. She usually runs away from people when she doesn’t like them.” You picked her up and held her against your chest. The length of the leash dangled against your body with each step. You were grateful Hange had a servant deliver your belongings, but it was disappointing that you didn’t get to speak to Hange. Perhaps you could make your way down to the knight’s quarters, considering you still had Hange’s clothes . . . even though Lady Nanaba suggested a servant deliver it to Hange for you. “Thank you for being patient with her. She’s just an innocent bunny. I don’t know why she’s acting like this.” Rai fought to escape, but your grasp on her was unyielding. You faced away from Armin, trying to hide your embarrassment.

“It’s okay,” His calm voice could soothe the most erratic type of person. Thunder was heard for the first time since you were outside, and you rolled your eyes, waiting for Armin to suggest returning inside. Deflecting was the only option.

“So Erwin said you were his apprentice?”

“Yes,” Armin said, and you thought for a brief moment he might say more, but his single-word trend continued. 

“And what did you do? Did you learn to run the Royal King’s Guard?” You stepped closer to another bush of blooming yellow roses. 

“Yes.” He repeated, and perhaps Armin wasn’t allowed to say what he had learned from Erwin Smith. Maybe it was confidential information regarding the operations of the Royal King’s Guard. You leaned over, trying to get Rai to smell the flowers, but she wiggled in your arms, trying to get down to fight Armin. You sighed, ignoring the struggle from the abnormally large tan bunny.

“These roses are beautiful. Thank you for taking me to the gardens, Armin.” 

“Yellow roses represent friendship,” Armin said and the window of opportunity presented itself. 

“Really? That’s beautiful!” You gushed at Armin, hoping it would encourage him to speak more. You pointed at the bushes further from you. “What about the orange ones? Or the white? What do they represent?”

“Orange represents fascination and white roses represent purity or innocence.” You smiled to yourself, looking around the rose garden. The colorful roses and the bright green bushes looked saturated against the backdrop of the heavy, dark sky. You walked further down the concrete path with your eyes never leaving the orange and light pink roses. The large bushes of white roses caught your attention, and the milky petals were stunning. White roses are pure and bright, like snow or the feathers of a swan. “I think they plan to cut most of the roses the morning you get married.” 

“Oh.” It was your turn to say only one word, leaving the topic of marriage at bay. 

A long gust of wind shook the bushes, and another sound of thunder rumbled from the distance. The clouds coming from the east had a dense curtain of rain downpouring. Rai jerked in your arms, scared of the thunder. Armin stayed at the entrance of the rows of roses while you hastily walked through the garden. In the middle, where the rows of roses led, was a gazebo made of wrought iron and painted dark green to blend in with the shrubs. Roses were wrapped around the gazebo and there was a stone bench underneath.

As you stepped under the gazebo, you stroked Rai, trying to calm her down. The structure provided light shade, and the roses entwined around the pillars created a pleasant, romantic ambiance. The rose garden seemed like a beautiful place for romantic endeavors and rendezvous. 

An image of the Rockefeller Garden during midnight flashed in your mind. All the roses have a silvery haze of blue hues from the bright moonlight. The air was cool and still within the darkness. You sat on the stone bench, waiting and anticipating Hange’s arrival. Your heart fluttered with the thrill of Hange secretly meeting you in the rose garden. As Hange quietly walked down the path toward the gazebo, everything else faded away. Their presence eased the torment and the anxiety coiled around your heart from being apart from them. The ethereal glow of them was enchanting, luring you further within the depths of the dreamy haze. It’s all you want. Always and Forever. At all costs. 

Hange is the brightest entity in the garden, the light in the dark. They stand before you, beckoning you to surrender to your desires. You wanted to wrap your arms around them and hold their body that houses their soul, close to your heart. Hange had a fond look on their face as their eye lingered on your beauty in the moonlight. Their adoration for you is obvious, with the smile growing on their soft lips. The midnight sky glimmering with stars above enhanced the rendezvous and concealed you away from the eyes of onlookers.  

“We shouldn’t be outside,” Hange echoed from far away. Hearing their voice for the first time since you were split apart. You begged for them to speak again. Each word they spoke nourished the void, starved by their absence.

A crack of lightning in the distance demanded your attention, grounding you in reality. Armin stood before you and his armor reflected the sheen of the lightning rod. 

“Your Highness? Please, I think you should return inside,” Armin said, practically begging you. The bushes rustled against one another and the wind blew the fallen rose petals just as fast as your daydream disappeared. Armin’s concern was clear, with his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes not leaving yours, as if lightning would strike the second he glanced away. You exhaled, succumbing to the inevitable storm and the feeling that Hange felt so far. 

From where you were in the rose garden, the towers and structures of Mitras Castle shot up to the clouds. The white stone quartz exterior was bright and grand, looking like the day it was built. There was one tall tower in the distance with a flat top; you only noticed it because it had a dull exterior compared to the rest of the castle. 

“While being Erwin Smith’s apprentice, you must have worked closely with the other commanders, right?” You asked, raising your voice above the whistle of the wind. Rai awkwardly dug her head into your armpit, trying to hide from the booming thunder. 

“Yes,” He stayed by your side, watching each step you took. 

“Did you work with Commander Hange?” The white roses fluttered.

“Yes.” You began to grow impatient.

“And what did you do with Hange? Or . . . are you not allowed to tell?” Armin focused on the path ahead of him and it felt like he was figuring out what to say. But you were quick to speak first. “Armin . . . I don’t know if you’re shy or frightened of me or nervous but . . . I would like to hear you speak more. You don’t have to only speak when I ask questions, you know? We’re equals. I kind of want to get to know you more since you’re going to be around me all the time . . . if that’s okay?” 

“Yes, your Highness.” You could still hear Armin’s uptight restraint. With your elbow, you nudged the side of Armin’s armor. 

“Okay now . . .” Armin didn’t expect you to touch him. He shot a surprised look at you and eyed you up and down. “Tell me more about your work with Hange.”

“I worked with Dame Hange briefly. I worked more with Captain Levi because I was in his group before Commander Erwin took me under his wing,” Armin said and the wind blew his blonde fringe. Rai shivered in your arms and you bit the inside of your cheek, feeling guilty for not going inside earlier.

“Oh really? So you knew Connie, Eren, and—” Your voice caught in your throat at the reminder of Jean. He’s at the hospital in the castle and has your dagger. Now was the perfect opportunity. “ARMIN!” He leaned away from your outburst. “Can you take me to the hospital wing?!”

“Yes, your Highness. But can you tell me why?”

“Jean Kirstein. He’s there.”

“That’s right. I visited him a few weeks ago when he and Daz arrived. He still hasn’t woken up. He would have loved to have his portrait painted.” You furrowed your eyebrows.

“What do you mean?” Armin opened the iron gate and stood to the side, letting you be the first to exit the rose garden. On the white stone path were a few droplets of water. “Thank you.”

“The few surviving knights that escorted you are getting their portraits painted.” 

“Hange is getting their portrait painted?!” You glanced at the sky and bit your lip, trying to stifle your smile. You imagined a portrait of Hange in their dark green double-breasted uniform and blushed at how attractive and imposing the painting would be. You were amused by the idea of stealing the portrait and having it hung in your room so you could admire an oil painting of Hange whenever you wanted.

“Well, all the knights are.”

“Yeah, right.” 

As Armin led you through the castle, thick rain pattered on the hall's windows. Another strike of lightning in the distance flashed in the hallway, casting an iridescent light on the white stone quartz of the walls. The bang of thunder made your shoulders jolt at the blast. Rai didn’t like the sound and continued to hide her face. The torches along the corridor illuminated a warm glow in the castle, evoking a comforting sanctuary from the stormy weather. 

The hospital wing was on the north side of the castle, and the main room was a large area with beds and nurses. The sharp scent of antiseptic, along with the smell of soap, lingered in the air. Women dressed in white pants and shirts cleaned the beds and floors and spoke to patients lying on beds. A lady with dark hair tied in a ponytail and holding white sheets approached you.

“Your Highness? Are you hurt?” There was a twinkle in her dark blue eyes and her voice was like a soothing lullaby. 

“Good afternoon, Pieck Finger,” Armin spoke before you could answer. “We would like to visit Jean Kirstein.” She closed her heavy eyes and politely curtsied.

“Please follow me,” she said while only looking at you. Then, she pivoted and went to the left. Her ponytail swayed hypnotically while she led you and Armin down a short corridor. The hall looked dark due to the looming stormy clouds and there were barely any torches on the wall. At the end were two dark metal doors with a decorative metal arch on top. When Pieck pushed through the rusty doors, they creaked open as if they were barely used. 

The room behind the doors was smaller than the main room and there was a warm glow from the torches along the wall. Tall windows stretching to the ceiling lined the rectangular room, and multiple empty beds were against the wall. Along the wall in the middle of the room was a bed and Jean was under the blankets.

“Jean . . .” Your voice faltered at the sight of his still body.

“I’ll give you some privacy.” Pieck quietly shut the metal doors behind you. 

Your eyes welled up, seeing him alive with his soul imprisoned in his body. It looked like Jean was sleeping. You stepped toward him cautiously, as if your heavy steps would disturb his fragile state. Jean’s skin was pale and he was skinnier. His hair was a bit longer, and coarse stubble was peppered along his jaw. The scar that Hange stitched along his forehead healed into a faint line.

A knot in your stomach twisted at the sight of Jean on the brink of death. It wasn’t fair that Jean was trapped in an inescapable limbo. You wondered if he could hear what was happening around him or comprehend the gravity of the situation. It was sickening to think of Jean screaming to be heard, pleading to be awake, only for his body to betray his soul. Was time dragging for Jean, or did it feel like he was sleeping? 

A flash of lightning illuminated the silhouette of the white stone quartz castle, and then a roll of thunder boomed above. The dull tower was in the distance and awkwardly far from the rest of the vertical structures. Rain pounded against the windows throughout the room, and it felt like the glass would break at any moment. At least the gardens were being watered. 

You sat on the bed and placed Rai next to Jean’s body. A thick blanket was pulled up to Jean’s shoulders and he was changed into white clothing from the hospital. He was the shell of a knight who was once fierce and protective. You thought of the moment he offered you a juicy apple. Jean was charming and had a pleasant smile on his face. He was so helpful and kind to cut the apple and then offered to get your plate of dinner for you. You sighed, wishing you could have noticed signs of his concussion getting worse. But no one did until it was too late. 

You recalled the stormy night you were abducted and how Jean's erratic behavior convinced you, he saw Erwin Smith. You could remember how his body shook and how dazed his wide pink eyes were. He was so convinced the bloodied knight was Erwin Smith, yet he wanted to fight him. Jean thought you were Hange and demanded you to give him your sword. In the end, you regrettably gave him the dagger Hange gave you to appease Jean. 

You hopped off the bed and opened the drawer to the nightstand beside his bed. There was a clipboard with a chart of scribbles, most likely about Jean’s health. You shut it and bent over to peek under the bed; only the cleanest stone flooring you’ve seen was there. 

“Your Highness, what are you doing?” Armin asked. The tone in his voice was appalled by your behavior. 

“Where would Jean’s belongings be?” You asked as you walked around the other side of the bed and opened the drawer to the nightstand. “Where would his armor or any of his personal belongings be?”

“Maybe that wardrobe?” You whipped your head in the direction he was pointing to. A large wardrobe the width of most of the wall had several units of double doors. Plenty of drawers were beneath the doors, providing storage for the patients in the hospital's hospice unit. “Why do you want Jean’s belongings?”

“What I’m actually looking for is my dagger.” You said, jogging over to the wardrobe and passing Armin.

“Why does he have your dagger?” The first set of doors you opened had nothing but the scent of wood. You shut the doors and moved on to the next unit.

“Because I gave it to him before he went into a coma.” The next unit was empty, and you impatiently whipped open the next doors. A few units down, there it was: Jean’s steel suit of armor. A lightning bolt sent a flash of light into the hospice room and shined onto the gleaming armor that was awkwardly stacked in a careless pile. Jean’s Royal King’s Guard sword leaned against the cabinet wall, but your dagger wasn’t there. Thunder grumbled as you pulled the drawer beneath the doors and there were clothes and personal garments. Then the drawer under that one had the gloves to his armor and next to it, gleaming in all its glory, was your dagger.

You held your breath and picked up your dagger, amazed that it looked exactly like the day Hange gave it to you. Feminine swirls were etched into the steel scabbard and you grasped the steel hilt of the dagger and pulled it out. At the base of the blade, just like the jeweled swords, was the initial of your first name. You smiled, feeling elated that you were in possession of the thoughtful gift Hange had given you. 

Everything was coming together. 

In hindsight, giving your dagger to Jean wasn’t the wrong choice. It was a choice that ended up being a blessing in disguise. At the time you thought having your dagger would have helped you escape from Willy Tybur abducting you, but after all, he was actually the Founding Titan. Using your dagger to stab him to get free would have been futile because he needed to be injured to transform anyway. Even if you had your dagger but didn’t defend yourself against Willy Tybur, you likely would have lost it anyway. When arriving at the temple, Willy Tybur, Reiner, or Bertolt would have searched you for anything that could have helped you escape. The dagger would have been the possession of the Marleyan Cult. You most likely would not have gotten it back. So that stormy night when Jean was demanding a weapon and you reluctantly gave him your dagger led to you having now—led to you having it for what may come. These are the consequences of your actions. 

“May I see it?” Armin asked. You put it back in the steel scabbard and shut the wardrobe. 

“Of course,” It amused you how, once again, a man was asking for your dagger. Good thing Armin didn’t see a bloodied knight. Armin’s jeweled sword hung on his hip and a tiny crater was on the handle where a jewel was supposed to be. You wondered if he noticed he was missing a jewel. Rai hissed as Armin reached for the dagger. “Oh enough, Rai.” She thumped her hind feet on the bed. You sat beside Jean, ignoring Rai’s incessant demand to avoid Armin. She pawed at the yellow silk fabric of your dress. Jean’s eyelashes framed his eyelids and he looked so delicate. The rise and fall of his fragile chest was scarily subtle, like he was barely breathing. Pressure built behind your nose at the thought of losing Jean. You placed a hand on the exposed part of his shoulder. “If you can hear me . . . thank you for everything, Jean.” The wind caused the rain to slam into the window with a brash thud. “Please wake up,” You whispered. “Please. You have to live . . . When you wake up, come find me . . .” Perhaps it was the desperate grasp to find comfort within the hopeless situation, but it seemed for a moment like Jean heard you. 

The weather was relentless, and it felt like lightning was striking the castle. Mitras Castle was a fortress that didn’t tremble or even notice the storm. The strong quartz stone shielded outside forces daring to penetrate or destroy the castle, though you were on edge and ready to grab Rai if the windows happened to shatter.

Armin walked a few paces ahead, and Rai followed suit to be between you two. She was very adamant about wanting you to stay away from Armin. He led you back toward your chambers, and you gradually familiarized yourself with the pathway toward your room. Just like Nanaba said, more knights lined the stairway and the corridor to your chambers now that you had arrived. Having so many knights around settled the fear in the back of your mind of someone trying to harm you. Though Armin was your number-one guard, you haven’t seen him fight. Assuming he was appointed the role by the Commander of the Royal King’s Guard himself, he must have the skills. 

When Armin opened the french doors of your chambers, Lady Nanaba was pacing in the room. She had a sharp, pointed expression and a vein was apparent on her forehead. 

“Where have you been?!” She failed to conceal her irritation. It stunned you and you weren’t sure why she would be upset. Your voice was caught in your throat, struggling to answer her. It was like she was Fairy Godmother Christa and Ymir scolding you for doing something you didn’t realize was wrong.

“I-I’ve been with Armin . . .” You glanced at him for help, but his face was scrunched up, and you sensed he might be in trouble. 

“Armin, the debriefing session with His Majesty started over an hour ago. Everyone was waiting and started without the Princess!” Her tone was more friendly, but her patience was running thin. 

“Weren’t they doing portraits this morning?” Armin squeaked and his face reddened when Sasha and Annie entered the room. It didn’t help when Rai stood on her hind legs and started tapping his shins. You struggled to pick up Rai, who kept hopping away from you, determined to attack Armin.

“They finished portraits hours ago!” Lady Nanaba crossed her arms. 

“I didn’t know I had to be there . . .” You recall Hange mentioning how they will write a report.

“You are the Princess.” You realized how dumb your words sounded the moment Nanaba spoke. She pinched the bridge of her nose and inhaled deeply. “Not only that, but Prince Marco Bodt arrived. You need to get ready this instant.” She hastily put an arm around your shoulder and walked you toward Sasha and Annie. Annie’s face was scrunched up in confusion toward Armin’s direction and you realized Rai was continuing to harm Armin in her adorable way. 

“Armin, please find a way to get Rai to like you.” You sighed, feeling stressed. 

As Sasha and Annie bathed you, tears of frustration welled up in your eyes. You blinked them away as best as you could, but you couldn’t get rid of the disappointment of missing the debriefing meeting—missing the opportunity to see Hange. They felt further and further away. You just wanted a moment alone with them. To hold them and to kiss their lips. But now, with Prince Marco Bodt finally arriving, everything felt suffocating.

Guilt spread through your chest, and you hoped Armin wouldn’t get berated any more than what Lady Nanaba had already given him. It was only a mistake, but how would the King react? Your mind went to the extreme and thought of Armin with his wrist tied to the pole and a knight whipping his bare back. 

Sasha, who normally spoke while getting you ready, didn’t dare to talk and suddenly, you wished for her to break the silence. But the thick air was tethered to the awkward moment of Lady Nanaba reprimanding you and Armin. 

Sasha and Annie were going to have you wear a red dress, but Lady Nanaba stressed to them that you wear white. Sasha and Annie dug through the white section of the dresses and you could hear Rai hissing at Armin in your bedroom. Tears started spilling from your eyes and Sasha begged you to stop crying because the dark coat of mascara was running down your face. Nanaba flailed her arms at the realization that your makeup would have to be redone. Annie stared at you blankly and you wanted to curl up on your bed with Hange and not deal with reality. 

“You look gorgeous,” Nanaba said delightfully as if she hadn’t stressed you, Sasha, and Annie out for the last hour. You felt stiff as if the pressure weighing on your mind made you turn solid by the second. “No more tears. You are about to meet your future husband.” 

You didn’t want to leave Rai in your room, but you had to admit, it was one less thing to worry about. You and Armin walked shoulder to shoulder while Lady Nanaba led the way. With each step closer to Prince Marco, you started to feel lightheaded, with the apprehensive feeling festering and feeding on your energy. 

“Are you okay?” You whispered to Armin. 

“Yes.” His one-word answer returned and your knuckles turned white from your hand clenching into a fist. 

Nanaba didn’t slow her pace from the moment you stepped out of your chambers. Her heels clicked against the white stone quartz, echoing louder than the thunder. Having Armin on edge just about sent you off of yours and both of you walked stiffly. Your mother’s words played in your mind and a knot in your stomach coiled. Do not surrender to the demands of men. You could feel the heat on your cheeks rise and your chest heaved, finding it hard to breathe. 

Through the daze of your perception, you felt a nudge at your side and Armin pointed his elbow toward you. It took a moment, but your thoughts arranged themselves in appropriate compartments and clarity came to the forefront of your mind. You hooked your arm around Armin’s, thankful for his thoughtful gesture. It was like you were hanging on to the last sense of your identity before you met the man you would be forced to marry. Meeting Prince Marco meant he was real and you could not stop the marriage. There’s no other way.

You didn’t blink or remember how you got to the doors for the rest of the way. Lady Nanaba’s lips moved, but you heard nothing and felt nothing. Only noticed the french doors were the threshold to meeting Prince Marco Bodt. Nanaba put a hand on your shoulder and had a concerned look on her face as she brought it inches in front of yours. She shook you gently, growing more impatient. You placed a hand around her wrist. 

“Can you bring Hange here?” Your voice cracked and Nanaba raised her eyebrows.

“Hange? Commander Hange?” She was astonished at your request. “Why? I do not think the debriefing meeting has concluded.” You looked to Armin as if he was going to snap his fingers and make Hange appear. Nanaba placed her other hand on your shoulders, expecting your full attention. She lowered her voice and spoke sincerely, “I am sorry, your Highness. I have been stressed all day and took it out on you and your ladies-in-waiting. Please forgive my behavior.”

“It’s fine,” you dismissed her apology. “I just really don’t want to do this.” 

“Why not?” she dropped her arms.

“This is really scary. I-I don’t want to meet this man.” Nanaba sighed and her face appeared softer.

“Your Highness, you are right,” She was more forgiving, “This is scary. But that’s the beauty of love. It is terrifying to be vulnerable with someone you do not know. But remember this, Y/N: Marco may be a Prince, but at the core, he is a man. He serves you. He needs you. If Macro is not behaving how you want, starve him of your touch.” Heat rose in your face and your jaw dropped at Nanaba’s implication. She shrugged and nodded her head. Her words caught you off guard to the point they threw your frantic thoughts off the nearest balcony. “You will be the Queen and he is just a man.”

Before you could muster a response, Nanaba opened the door. A rush of air inside the room cooled the beads of sweat that were forming along your hairline. The room was a light blue color and there was a large window exposing the angry weather. Along the sides of the window were white quartz pedestals holding blue floral vases. A large bouquet of red roses filled both vases. Six guards lined the room, but a single tall man with dark hair was in the middle. 

He held a bouquet of red roses and his brown eyes didn’t blink, not wanting to miss a moment of you. Prince Marco Bodt strode toward you and your shoulders tensed with each step. He dropped to one knee and grabbed your hand.

“My Queen. My wife.” He spoke as if he had known you for years. You furrowed your eyebrows and looked at Lady Nanaba, who gave you an undying supportive smile. You looked at Armin, hoping he would think this was weird, but he remained neutral like he was supposed to. Marco lifted his head and a kind smile grew on his face. His cheeks were littered with freckles. 

“Hi.”

“Please accept my first gift of flowers.” His voice was light and filled with hope. 

“Let us properly introduce ourselves,” Nanaba egged on with a perfectly friendly tone.

“It-It’s nice to meet you.” You hoped the way you said it pleased Nanaba and awkwardly grabbed the bouquet. 

“My Queen,” Marco stood and peered down at you. His brown eyes twinkled and were glossed over. His pupils were massive, and it was as if he didn’t dare blink or take his eyes off you. He was utterly entranced. “I am pleased to formally meet you. My name is Marco Bodt. Please—” he tugged you toward the couch, “—I want to get to know you.”

The couch was plush and supported your body, but it was hard to feel totally relaxed when Armin and Nanaba watched your every move and Prince Marco’s whole body was facing you. The air was suffocating and it didn’t help that your stomach felt like it was curling into a ball.

“So much has gone on for Her Highness; she feels overwhelmed.” Nanaba tried to help. “Last night was her debut to the court, and today, she would have been present in the debriefing meeting with His Majesty and the knights that escorted her. Tomorrow is the medal ceremony honoring the knights—”

“Tomorrow I’ll see Hange?!” You leaned toward Nanaba, begging to know more.

“Well, I was not done speaking . . . But, yes, you will see all the knights and play a role in awarding them with a medal.” You felt lighter and leaned back into the couch comfortably. You were determined to have a conversation with Hange.

“What do you like to do in your leisure time?” Marco unexpectedly asked. You had to stare at him momentarily to register his question. Ever since escaping from Shiganshina with Sir Miche Zacharius, life has been chaotic and you couldn’t casually relax or enjoy yourself except being with Hange. Hange was like an oasis. They provided warmth and comfort, easily making the cold, cruel world worth existing in. 

“Read . . . I used to read a lot.”

“Reading is a great way to pass the time,” Marco said and you gazed outside, avoiding him. 

“Do you like bunnies? Y/N has a pet bunny.” Nanaba said.

“I love bunnies.” His thin lips curled into a smile and you darted your eyes to Armin.

“Nice,” you said while looking at the armor around Armin’s legs. You almost wanted to tell how Rai was not fond of Armin, but you didn’t want to invite Marco to keep talking.

“You seem like a gentle girl,” Prince Marco placed a warm hand on the area above your knee. You tensed at his warm touch and warm liquid seeped into your mouth. “I do not mean to ask so many questions, but I wanted—” It felt like a shot and a knot twisting in your throat. What you thought would be only a cough became rancid, chunky brown liquid shooting from your throat onto your lap. The vomit puddled on your white dress, and the warmth spread on your thighs.

“OH MY!” Nanaba backed away. Marco leaned back and stumbled onto his feet from the couch. You coughed again and then there was a thick burning pressure in your nose. More vomit projected from your mouth and nose. The breakfast from the morning dripped from your nostrils, seeping between your lips. Tears brimmed in your eyes and your stomach felt even worse at the realization of vomiting on yourself in front of Prince Marco. “Get that window open!” You heard the Nanaba order. “Get her ladies-in-waiting and get a servant to scrub the couch!” You gulped and felt a chunk go down your throat. The feeling triggered your gag reflex and you coughed again. Nanaba pulled you off the couch and the puddle of vomit that was on your lap slopped down the front of your white dress onto the floor. Through the tears, Nanaba led you to the window where one of the knights desperately tried to open it. 

“Is she okay?” You heard Marco ask behind you. 

“She said she threw up yesterday, so she must be ill.” Nanaba pulled your hair away from your face and a strain of hair slicked with vomit brushed against your cheek. 

Rain poured when the window was opened and you leaned over, ejecting the last of your breakfast out the window. Thick rain droplets pierced your forehead and cheeks. A cold hand snaked from your wrist into your palm and as more mushy brown liquid poured from your lips, you realized it was Armin’s hand. You felt Nanaba’s presence leave your side and lightning struck just as you regurgitated again, masking the sound of the sloshing vomit pouring from your mouth and nose. 

next chapter Chapter 33: Steel Heart

chapter index masterlist

[uncle-dusknoir]

Pelipper Mail! A woven basket full of Roseli berries. Clipped to the handle of the basket is a faux Galarian Zigzagoon tail keyring. It's vaguely bristly to the touch. It comes with a note, scrawled in angular neat handwriting on pink stationary paper.

"Hello, Ms. Basil.

Gym Leader Roxie and I are preparing to engage in a 'hunt' designed to catch him a Zigzagoon. I thought I might get a souvenir to mark the occasion - that is, until I remembered that everything about Zigzagoon is unbecoming of my style, to say the least. So, I'm having you take this off my hands. Seeing as you seem to collect bones as a hobby, I thought having a trinket shaped like a pokemon's body part wouldn't phase you in the slightest.

Enclosed, you will also find some Roseli berries. I saw what you said about your pokemon potentially having difficulties getting the upper hand over fairies. I should know better than anyone that fairy types are one of the most difficult sorts of pokemon to beat. If you would like to apply some of that 'actual strategy' that you mentioned, you might give these to one of your pokemon. It should even the playing field. Slightly. Or, if that doesn't sound appealing, they also make a fragrant herbal tea.

Regards, Gym Leader Bede" @ballonleastadiumofficial

[Offscreen response]

Her day is full of fairies today. Offhandedly mentioning them on Rotumblr, trying to re-create that Fae-offering bread implanted in her brain from a couple months ago, and now- denoted by a Pelipper tapping it's beak against her window- what seems to be an offering from the Fae. A woven basket? How did none of these berries fall out?? (Not that she would know, either way.)

She washes the flour off her hands (and her face and sort of awkwardly wipes it off her sweater) to receive the basket, carefully putting it on the kitchen table to sort through it. Berries, berries, berries, berries- she wondered if any of her dogs would want to try one, or maybe the Shuppet that she had to gently push away from the open jar of Combee honey. She should close that.

There's the note. (He's friends with Roxie? From Virbank?) A snort of laughter at the wording. 'I'm having you take this off my hands". That's a fantastic line and knowing that he wrote it entirely honestly is wonderful. She misses going out in the woods for bones, really...

blah blah battle strategy blah blah upper hand... ooh, tea. She examines a berry, taking a bite out of the thing. Not bad, overall, but she's not a fan of the bitter aftertaste...

Hey. "Hey. Away- I'm not putting you in the washing machine again," she warned, waving another couple Shuppet away from the open honey. Really ought to close that. She skims over the letter again... Souvenir. What the hell is a Zigzagoon souvenir?

She took an embarrassingly long time to find the souvenir in question; taking a break to get the sweet bread swirled with honey and into the oven, divided into a few different mini-trays. There's a glaze that goes over the top that she'll have to start, too...

She finally found the thing by picking up the basket and looking under it, spotting the dangling black-and-white charm in the other side and, face pink, unclipping it from the basket.

Isn't that cute? She laughs a little as she examines it, running her thumb over the bristles. Reminds her of how Toothy's fur felt with he was a Zigzagoon... certainly doesn't have to be that sharp anymore, that's for sure. She pet it for another couple minutes, before a quiet *clink* roused her attention again.

A Shuppet had gently pressed its horn into the honey jar, though it's head was too big to fit through the hole, awkwardly pressed against the table as it had knocked the jar over.

Pfft. "You're lucky I already finished with that," she huffed with joking disappointment, popping the Shuppet out of the jar. And maybe running her finger to clean up the excess honey from it's horn. And maybe licking that off.

"Stay out," she chided, finally closing the jar. "Where did I leave my Bag...?"

[legendsobsessions]

hi cynthia different person from the other anon here but i'd like to throw my hat into the ring with my team. i've been here before, i think.. but i'm a cringefail cultural anthro student who's a pretty decent trainer in my spare time! :)

so my team consists of a Golurk, a Porygon-Z, an Umbreon, an Oricorio usually in Baile Style but we switch it up now and again, a Falinks, and a Roserade, whom I usually lead with! If you want more details like movesets and stuff I'll be happy to provide :)

i really admire you as both an archaeologist and a trainer, so it's really cool to see you :))))

Oh, I remember you, hello again! (You actually sent this ask in first, so I'm getting around to it first, it's been a busy day but I love thinking about these things.)

Hmm, alright. Overall, that does seem fairly balanced, you don't have any typing overlaps—typically my advice is to either have no overlapping types or pick a type and run with it.

Unless you've seriously pissed me off—which is very difficult to do without being part of and/or leading a team causing problems for Sinnoh on purpose—I tend to start out with my Spiritomb.

Depends on the moveset, of course. Roserade can, for instance, learn Dazzling Gleam... though I'd personally opt for poisoning over outright trying to knock out a more defensive pokemon like Spiritomb myself... ultimately, that could go either way. No real advantages on either side, apart from the advantage of obscurity/people not being able to figure out what type Spiritomb is, and in the interest of fairness I'll assume you know.

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that your Roserade was able to poison my Spiritomb—either via Poison Point or a move—but did go down shortly afterwards. Your best bet against Spiritomb would be either the Umbreon or the Porygon-Z... let's go with Umbreon, my girlfriend has an Umbreon, he's a cuddlebug and a pretty good battler.

Umbreon takes my Spiritomb down, at which point my own best option is either my Togekiss (preferable) or my own Roserade.

...Unfortunately for your Umbreon, that particular pokemon doesn't learn any moves for countering fairy-types or flying-types. Your best option there would probably be to stall as much as possible, and/or chip away at my Togekiss's defenses as much as possible.

Now, you've got a Togekiss to handle. Your Roserade honestly would have been an okay option here, if not an ideal one - it would be a matter of which pokemon was faster in knocking out the other, and Roserade tend not to be trained for their speed - but it's a moot point, your Roserade is already knocked out in this hypothetical scenario.

...You don't really have any ideal options here, but you have some worse options. Falinks is weak to both of Togekiss's types. Golurk is a ground-type going up against a flying-type, which can work out but tends not to in my experience. Porygon-Z, again, depends on the moveset, but you could get lucky with Conversion-2 (or you could already have an electric-type move in their moveset, the Porygon line learns quite a lot of electric moves for a non-electric pokemon) so that's a viable option.

I'd, personally, go with your Oricorio. Baile style is... fire-type, correct? Those are resistant to fairy-type moves, which would mean that both of the move types my Togekiss would do the most damage with would do less damage to that pokemon specifically.

(The... I can't remember what the electric-type Oricorio style is, that could also work, but then Togekiss would still be able to do quite a lot of damage with fairy-type moves alone. If you're going on the defensive, you don't want to do that by halves.)

Flying-type moves wouldn't do very much, but a fire-type Revelation Dance would. It would be close, but I think your Oricorio might just be able to come out on top.

...Granted, your Oricorio would also likely go down immediately against my Milotic. Here's where I really hope your Porygon-Z knows an electric-type move, but either way you might struggle. She's bulky. Very, very bulky, and unless you planned on that ahead of time with Conversion, you wouldn't be getting any sort of boost to that electric move's effectiveness, either.

Falinks would be a better option than Golurk, here, simply because of Golurk's weakness to water. If your Porygon did enough damage ahead of time, you likely could take my Milotic out quickly... at which point I would pull out my own Roserade.

Falinks learns a couple of bug moves, but First Impression can only be used... well, first! And assuming you've already either used it or not against my Milotic, your other option is Megahorn. Which, well... it's a powerful move, but it tends to miss more often than the science claims it should, let's put it that way. I prefer to avoid powerful-but-risky moves like that myself, these days.

My Roserade would, in all likelihood, take down your Falinks. Which leaves you with only your Golurk, and I with my Roserade and my Garchomp.

...At that point, I'm afraid, unless you and your Golurk were particularly lucky, you've already all but lost. I like sending out my Garchomp last (or close to last) for a reason, and that reason is twofold. One, to get any ice-types that people think they're being smart with out of the way early. Two, because she is very, very, very good at mopping up whatever my other pokemon have left for her.

Honestly, though, you do have a fairly well-balanced team. Also, I should clarify, this is entirely speaking in hypotheticals, one can never really predict the outcome of a battle before it begins.

You should come by the League sometime. It'll be fun. :)

(And to the other anon: I see your ask about the same thing, I'll answer it as soon as I can, I'm a little busy tonight unfortunately, this took me two days.)

[iri-desky]

Okay, so I decided to spin the wheel exactly 3 times (which is what I usually do with games like this) and here's what I got...

● First Spin: Ponyta (I'm pretty happy about this one! I even used to be one of those horse girls once upon a time, so I like this a lot.)

● Second Spin: Tatsugiri (uuuuh...cute, but I don't really wanna be a piece of sushi.)

● Third Spin: Alomomola (...this Pokémon is lowkey ugly, ngl. Sorry to the Alomomola enjoyers, though that's just my thoughts. :(( Also, I don't wanna be flopping around on land the whole time, sorry. Kinda would make the whole world- saving journey more difficult than it already would be. Pass.)

...okay, so obviously my choice will be Ponyta! Which is really fun. :> I really love Ponyta, and I'd definitely enjoy later evolving into Rapidash. Ponyta is one of my favorite basic pokemon!

Out of Ponyta's regional forms, I'll pick the Galarian form. I love Psychic and Fairy types, which fit my personality better. Plus the design looks beautiful. Also, logically speaking, I don't want to be accidentally setting any forests or dense undergrowth on fire with my mane and tail while traveling as the Kantonian Ponyta/Rapidash, as sick as their designs are. Don't need that extra hassle. ^^;

As for gender, to be honest, I'd let the Pokemon universe decide that for me. I'd be perfectly happy with either. Although I would think it'd be funnier if I was a male galarian ponyta/rapidash. Gives it a bishounen vibe, haha.

Okay, so round 2! Let's find a partner pokemon...

Again, I did three spins. Let's see what we got.

● First Spin: Grubbin

● Second Spin: Salandit

● Third Spin: Solosis

Okay, so this is a quirky little lineup! All right, first off, as much as I like Solosis, they're eliminated from the start--since Galarian Ponyta is also psychic, Solosis really doesn't do wonders for our type coverage. Second off, while I love the idea of having a Vikavolt later in-game, Grubbin is...really weak on its own. Plus if this PMD world still runs on the same mechanics as the game, this means that Grubbin wouldn't be able to evolve until post-game, meaning that it'll be kinda useless for the whole game. Yikes. So...unfortunately, as much as I like Grubbin'a final evolution, that's a no-no too. Which leaves Salandit--which is kind of the perfect choice. It easily combats Ponyta's weaknesses, and still does post-game. Good thing I picked Galarian Ponyta! Also, the concept of Galarian Ponyta and Salandit being partners is REALLY funny. Imagine the pretty sailor-moon esque horse that glitters in the moonlight with the little freaky creature that hasn't seen sunlight for the past week. It gets even funnier if the Salandit is female and ends up evolving into the gorgeous Salazzle post game.

So, yeah. Salandit it is. For obvious reasons, we'll make it female. Which is even funnier if you make the Galarian Ponyta male so the genders are opposite than what they would be at first glance. Yeah, I love this.

Welp, it's a glittery Ponyta and Salandit against the world. Wahoo!

Also, I've gotten attached to these two already--I might turn them into separate characters!!

you're going about your normal day when, suddenly, surprise! you've been pokémon mystery dungeon'd!

unfortunately, due to budget cuts, the pokémon assigning quiz has been canceled. instead, you must spin THE WHEEL, assigning you a random, unevolved, non-legendary and non-mythical pokémon. you must now go on some sort of world-saving adventure as this pokémon. good luck!

tell me in the tags what you rolled, and how you feel about it - for bonus points, you can spin the wheel again for (or just take your pick of) a pokémon to be your partner.

bonus rules:

you're not shiny unless the wheel tells you you're shiny

take your pick of regional forms and evolutions (for example, if you roll vulpix, it's up to you whether that means normal or alolan vulpix)

apply whatever logic you like with regards to gender

have fun and be yourself!

[charcherry-weekly]

Charcherry Weekly - Issue 243

Hello everyone, Mage of Light Nick Card here. Sun and rain and sun and rain and aaaaaaaa... maybe I should have bought one of those "weather predicting devices" last week. Let's get to the news.

Full Set of Plates

Early this week, Heir of Time Rise Emit was called upon to resume their mission in Hisui to collect the remaining origin plates. It didn't take them long to successfully capture heatran and regigigas, to obtain the metal and normal type plates, respectively. The fairy type plate was collected after a wood collecting sidequest, which turned out to be for the purpose of replacing Lady Cogita's cutting board. Reportedly she had been using the pixie plate before getting a proper custom wooden one. It is unknown if the plate may have had a significant lead content or if it had flavor enhancing properties that are not linked to some amount of toxicity.

With only the ghost type plate to collect, Rise followed a particular ginkgo guild member to the Celestica ruins on Mt. Coronet and then proceeded up to the summit. It was here that Rise was challenged to a pokemon battle. The opponent had a very cynthia-esque team, with a sophisticated set of strategies for countering any enemy type advantages. However, Rise had trained their pokemon well and had a supply of max revives on hand.

Did you know that you could buy max revives back then? In most places in modern day, there's little to no options for that on the market.

After defeating the trainer's team, Rise was then immediately challenged by Giratina! It was a difficult second act, but Rise's pokemon pulled through, even after it shifted into origin forme! Rise's pachirisu, Cheese, was able to land a finishing blow upon giratina with a satisfying Crunch! This convinced the pokemon to flee and leave its ambitions of world domination behind.

After some business, Rise received the spooky plate, which the trainer had gotten from giratina in the first place. With all plates, Rise is now one step closer to completing their goals in the Hisui region.

A Traffic Ticket to Remember

A few days later however, the trainer they saw before visited them for advice. After a talk, Rise managed to deduce that the trainer was a transgender woman who had originally sought Arceus in order to be granted a feminine form, only to be lead astray by Giratina's corrupt machinations. Rise reportedly plans on giving her a transition potion at some point soon. They at very least gave her a chance to pick a name for herself. She chose the name Valerie. With the promise of her transition, she in turn promised not to cause any more potentially world-ending trouble.

It can be assumed that Hisui will be safe as long as Rise gets Valerie that potion.

HAZEL vs HAZEL

On Sunday, Heir of Hope Hazell Serket ended up getting a space traffic ticket while engaging in a registered military practice exercise, due to allegedly attacking a police cruiser. It has turned out that the police had been patrolling nearby without even communicating with her before getting hit with a dummy missile. Her Enigmatic Resiliency acted as Hazell's defence, but they both worked well together against the prosecution.

Being prepared to show the facts and the evidence, Hazell's case was soon dropped, and she was free to go without having to pay the ticket.

BLAZE was the first to get knocked out, having been hit by one too mny heat waves, while unable to land much of anything against PHOEBE. RIPPLE was the second to be toppled, HARRY landing a volt tackle against the water type. However, HARRY couldn't handle the recoil and fainted soon after. NIGEL was the next to faint, LUKE subduing him with a dose of Close Combat. LUKE also took out FREE!ANIME with Extremespeed, but fainted soon after, likely due to holding a life orb. TIMBER was bested by PHOEBE using fire spin. From then on MELVIN fought hard to survive, gripping his leftovers. MELVIN used payback on CATCHER until he fainted. MELVIN had a hard bout against PHOEBE, having to tank so many hits to exact his payback enough for thew charizard to faint. From there, HAZEL had only her FLOWER remaining. FLOWER tried to giga drain MELVIN, but it wasn't enough to keep him down. Swapping over to her own (FLOWER), she chipped away at her with earth power. With one final use of hidden power, FLOWER was subdued by her pre-retcon counterpart!

The two versions of HAZEL finally has their pokemon battle a few days ago. They decided to use the rotation battle format, with all pokemon set to level 50. A regulation level shifting device was used to make things even. Charles tried to replicate the level shifting effect psychically but ended up pushing himself too much.

Pre-retcon HAZEL's team was comprised of FLOWER the shiny Shaymin, LUKE the Lucario, MELVIN the Umbreon, RIPPLE the Bibarel, TIMBER the Tropius, and BLAZE the half Dialga (who willingly allowed (HAZEL) to direct them in battle).

Post-retcon HAZEL's team was comprised of FLOWER the shiny Shaymin, NIGEL the Glaceon, FREE!ANIME the shiny Gyrados, HARRY the Pikachu PHOEBE the Charizard, and CATCHER the Gallade.

The two trainers shook hands and (HAZEL) walked away the victor. All pokemon were fully healed afterwards. It is unknown how many bets were lost due to the results of this match.

Cherry Pit Challenge!

Friendship Friendship, again?

With the arrival of spring brings the arrival of the cherry blossoms in New Charcherry Town. And of course, the Cherrim sightings. However, there's also something else of note: Charcherry's largest inn, the Cherry Pit, has a challenge worthy of any cherry aficionado:

The Pit.

Thief of Light Vriskers Serket decided to take on The Pit challenge, initially not knowing that The Pit was even an actual item on the menu. However, it was soon staring her in the face. The Pit is a large red bread bowl (with the top!), filled with strips of steakfruit, swimming in a cherry/cheri berry compote. Reportedly it used to be a cherry/steakfruit mash, but there were changes to the recipe for texture considerations.

It took an entire hour, but Vriskers eventually ate the entire thing in front of the cafe crowd. Her photo was taken and was hung on the wall. She was also congratulated by her friends June Egbert and Skitis, who watched her eat The Pit at their table. Reportedly Vriskers had to fly in order to move after she was done.

Classified ads

The Friendship network welcomed two new members this week, The World Machine Edison and Desertian Economic Office head 彁 (gearBroker). Sol had spent quite some time working on Edison's avatar. They found one of those twisty looking CFL lightbulbs to hold. Reportedly they've been adding new regions to their world, with suggestions open. Train stations have also been added to The Barrens, The Glen, and The Refuge, just in case.

gearBroker didn't do much while in the Friendship network, but they did appear in the memo earlier this week, speaking entirely in katakana. Reportedly they are willing to give financial advice to those that DM them, as long as you aren't in the relative past.

Do you know any significant locations of interest located on Starter Planet that you would like recognized officially? Please visit Unity Town Hall or otherwise contact sourFruit to share what you know with the Desertian National Park service.

Journalists wanted! DSPAN is preparing for election season later this year and is preparing to hire and train a great deal of them to be able to effectively cover the elections in every municipality and faction within Desertian territory.

Bright ideas needed! Answers to Korous's imminent water/climate crisis needed! Please contact Secretary Deuce for inquiries.

Staff needed! DTA has major openings available for new staff members for both construction and operations positions. Training is offered.

Do you need therapy? Have you been impacted by the cosmic creation game in some manner? Do you have weird problems that likely have supernatural factors?

Contact Dr. Winters at 555-555-0125 to schedule an appointment.

Do you want an ad here? Contact lavenderSiren to get an ad for whatever. If you don’t write it yourself, you risk the newsletter writer writing it instead, do be warned.

DTA train ticket stand

This week’s known market stands in Desertia Town:

(note, 1 gear is equivalent to 1 silver piece for Plit currency conversions)

Katie’s potion stand (Now fully licensed by the Plit Alchemist Board!)

shinyjiggly pokesnacks stand (Unity Village location is now open 26/7!)

Brae's produce stall

Karmic Joys magical toys (open during night hours)

stress ball stand

deep fried butter stand(?!)

I think that does it for this week. Apparently there were some elgavan tourists in desertia town this week. I've been struggling with Certain Monthly Processes too much to do much on the game this week, unfortunately. I really need more motivation.

Seeya next week!

https://letssosl.boards.net/thread/482/charcherry-weekly-issue-243

[vorrenthalla]

Just finished a Pokemon Let's Go Eevee run using no Kanto Pokemon. It was okay. I was surprised by which Pokemon were good though.

Here is the team I used

Alola Rattata is the earliest Alolan Pokemon you can get in this game and it's not til cerulean city so I used a Kantonian Rattata until I got to cerulean. It's practically identical up to that point with the only real difference being I didn't get STAB on bite.

If you want to know how the run went keep reading

Summary:

This team surprised me. Graveler was actually really good at taking out water types as long as they were physical and not special. I had expected ninetales to be strong but she hard carried the party at times and was easily the best being not only a fast sweeper but surprisingly tanky too usually taking at least 3 hits to take down. Dugtrio and Exeggutor were both a little worse than I was expecting but neither was really bad, their main issue was Pokemon they should be good against just frequently had good coverage moves for their otherwise good typing. Marowak and Raticate were the biggest surprises. Marowak was absolute garbage most of the time and was unable to win even theoretically favourable match ups, the only times it was really useful was against fire types (except Arcanine) and grass/poison Pokemon. Raticate was the opposite, I expected it to be good early game but then fall off in the mid-late game and not really be used in the league. Boy was I wrong Raticate was easily the second strongest party member throughout the entire game. It was always the best answer to psychics and ghosts but was also just great in general often winning neutral matchups with ease. When it out sped hyper fang would often two shot, sometimes getting a flinch. When it didn't it could easily tank a hit without even dropping to half before hitting back with crunch then finishing with sucker punch.

It was very interesting playing through Kanto with Alolan Pokemon and I'm glad I did it. Was a very different experience especially as I had steel, dark and fairy types in my team which you don't really see in Kanto much. Outside of magnemite it's not even possible to do rby or frlg with those types (and magnemite doesn't even get any damaging steel moves in those games) so this was basically my first experience of it.

My Team pre-league:

Details for each major fight:

So Brock was fairly difficult as to be expected but it went a little better than I thought it would and I managed to win with a level 14 Rattata using a combination of focus energy tail whip and bite..

Next big fight was cerulean so I got my Alolan rat and fought the rival. Trace was a little challenging with only an Alolan Rattata but mostly due to luck, he likes to use sand attack and double team so it took a few tries but I won once I got a run where I didn't miss too much. This is the last time I'll mention Trace until the champion fight because he was never difficult after this point.

Misty wasn't too bad. I tried to beat her with a level 19 Rattata but it just wasn't going to happen so I gained one more level and best her on the first try with Raticate.

I then get to pick up Alolan Geodude from Vermilion and quickly evolve it.

Surge I expected to be an easy sweep with Alolan Graveler and dig but while it took out his voltorb it didn't last long against Raichu due to low special Def but what surprised me is Raticate came in and easily swept the rest or Surge's team.

I get an Alolan Diglett and Alolan Vulpix and very quickly evolve both.

I already knew from a previous Pokémon Sun playthrough that Alolan Ninetales was good but I didn't expect her to, at only level 28, completely sweep Erika, especially with a weakness to poison but she did. Easiest gym fight so far.

I used Dugtrio to sweep through the rocket hideout and didn't have much problem with Giovanni. Jessie and James were actually more of an issue.

I get an Alolan Marowak and I've been looking forward to this one as I have used a Kantonian Marowak before in this game and it was pretty decent and this has a more interesting typing.

I taught substitute to Marowak and tried to use it against koga, Marowak resists poison and with a substitute should avoid poison. He got poisoned before the sub went up and Weezing has shadow ball so Marowak did not do well. But Graveler and Dugtrio didn't have much issue taking out the rest of Koga's team so while I'm a little disappointed with Marowak it was still a win.

Marowak was a little behind in levels so I tried training him up against Sabrina's Pokemon and he just could not win a fight, against Hypno and Jynx he would get out sped, put to sleep and never wake up. Against Slowbro he would fail to one shot and get one shot in return. Against Kadabra and Haunter he would be out sped and one shot with shadow ball.

Unsurprisingly Marowak failed to take out Sabrina's Mr. Mime. Thankfully for I had an Alolan Raticate and an Alolan Dugtrio with sucker punch so between those two Sabrina was still a first try.

Finally Marowak gets a fight to shine in and is the MVP Vs Blaine. Resisting fire and having bonemerang to hit back with made it a great counter to most of Blaine's team. For Arcanine though I had to use Graveler. Also why does Arcanine know Outrage? Don't really get that.

For Giovanni I lead with Dugtrio... Which was a mistake, I forgot that he leads with a Kantonian Dugtrio, mine goes down, I then sent out Alolan Ninetales who swept the team with ice beam, she might have gone down but thanks to a luck freeze on Nidoking she had enough health to survive a hit from Nidoqueen and win the fight.

With the last badge I went to the league and got my final team member Alolan Exeggutor. My team had a bit of a weakness to special water types up until this point.

Lorelei was probably the most difficult member...in theory at least. In practice I took out Dewgong with Graveler used Exeggutor to pivot into Ninetales then set up against cloyster with calm mind, once I got maxed out on my special I used rest then spammed dazzling gleam. I actually got low on health again Vs Jynx and used rest just as Jynx went for lovely kiss, can't put me to sleep if I put myself to sleep! After waking up I easily swept the rest of her team.

Bruno was a bit harder than I expected. Started with Exeggutor who set up reflect before one shitting onix with mega drain then 2 shot hitmonchan with psychic taking an ice beam in the process. I actually don't remember the middle of the fight but I know Exeggutor went down, I used Marowak and he did basically nothing of value getting nearly taken out by rock slide. I then finished the fight with Ninetales using dazzling gleam.

Against Agatha I opened with Marowak who managed to sweep Agatha... lol no. It took out Arbok after getting paralysed and going to low health. I then used Dugtrio for Weezing and Raticate took out the ghosts with sucker punch. STAB sucker punch is soo good.

Lance was weird. I opened with Exeggutor who took out seadra then got taken out by Dragonite. Ninetales took out Dragonite before going down to aerodactyl who I took down with Dugtrio using flash canon. Gyarados came in and I swapped into Graveler who one shot it with thunderpunch after taking a bit of damage from waterfall. Graveler went down to charizard. I then finished the fight with Marowak who's sole purpose on this team is apparently dealing with fire types that don't know crunch.

Trace's champion fight was disappointing. Easily his most difficult that doesn't rely on accuracy/evasion luck but not all that difficult. I open with Graveler who paralyses pidgeot then takes it to half health with thunder punch. Trace switches out on the second punch into Marowak. I switch into Exeggutor and mega drain to just a sliver and he switches out into rapidash so I switch into Marowak who has no trouble dealing with the fire horse. He sends out Slowbro and I switch back to Exeggutor to tank the surf and one shot with mega drain. He sends out vileplume and I'm struggling to remember the rest of the fight despite it being a few hours ago that I did it... What I do remember is I ended the fight using Raticate and ninetales never came out.

[parasyte-brainrot]

Do you have any Kuramori headcanons?

hmmmmmm…….. not a character i think about too often but i can try whip some up on a whim 🦭

casual:

- either gets the most boring cases (relationship/give me reasons for divorce kinda jobs) or crazy ones (which are rare in the area , and for the pay too , but i imagine him being involved in some theft+drug trafficking case would be interesting , again tho pretty rare and the pay in his agency is pretty dogshit)

- absolute girl dad idc he’s the one cheering the loudest in a school event and back when he was a SAHD he did everything for yumi (putting clips n scrunchies in his hair , painting nails etc you name it)(and lowkey kinda continues stuff like this to lightly tease/embarrass her)

- daughter (good omens fan) keeps comparing him to david tenant , he is very confused. would probably enjoy the BBC Sherlock Holmes show + Doctor Who (10th doctor obvs)

- pretty good mentor/mentee relationship with abe , probably geeks out unintentionally about detective work n the fiction series he reads (and gives one of his books to him)

- probably a wife guy too but not in an obnoxious way yknow. will do the cooking n chores without being asked n is probably more good at those tasks than his wife. hell those two kinda seem like the type to send their kid to a club n just destress together with random bollocks (which would probably be a Sunday thing)

- back in his days he collected little kit models n figurines of sci-fi stuff he enjoyed , keeps them in a box tho nowadays and has had to throw away/sell some of them

- mentioned already but not getting paid enough at all. does wayyyyyyyy more than he should

- i think he would enjoy the dexter series too honestly in modern times

everybody lives™/timeskip route:

- ugly cries at his daughters graduation , kinda embarrassing but he seems like a sensitive dude lowkey

- has 2 pet guinea pigs , idk why i feel like he’s the type to look after them or budgies

- gone freelance with his work instead of being tied to an agency , it’s better on his own terms to pick which cases would not only bring good financially but health wise too. doesnt get too many tho so rip

- every end of the month he treats himself n his wife to a nice getaway , even if it is just away from the city for a couple days

- tbh tbh. maybe if he doesnt continue with the detective work i can see him writing his own stories , perhaps one even based on the experience he had with shinichi (#capitalising on a nationwide tragic event ooooooooooooooooohhhhhhh yeaaaaahhhh easy dolars)

idk anything sad other than if he didn’t die the way he did id think he would actually kill himself/become obsessed and alone bc of the pent up anger he has bc his family burnt to a crisp. but again i am horrible at even thinking up depressing scenarios LOL i love living with the fairies maybe he might idk somehow arrest ???????????? tamura and adopt her kid as the ultimate revenge (which may be difficult at first but it’s almost like a second chance/redemption. plus doing stuff that he didnt do with his own kid)

[cloudenthusiast2]

To be a human - Scaramouche x reader - Part 1

Synopsis: You knew committing to a relationship Scaramouche would be no easy task but you loved him dearly and unlike others, you believed he wasn't evil. But as a mortal and the devoted protector of your village you were too much of a good person, too much of a human compared to him and your differences slowly start to show.

Next: Part 2

Type: mostly angst, this part is still light tho

Warnings: none... yet

Length: not as long as it seems. I'll try to write the next chapters as soon as possible

Scaramouche turned his back to the mountains he's been staring at to look at the path leading to Qingce village. The sun shone through the fog above the rice fields, colouring everything in golden light. Trees sighed as the gentle morning breeze caressed them while glaze lilies slowly started to close their blossoms.

The view was absolutely mesmerising but it didn't absorb the exoticly dressed, short man even for a minute.

'Finally' he snorted unpatiently as you appeared out of the fog, walking towards him with a big smile. 'What took you so long?'

'Good morning' you answered in a calm, low-key but still visibly cheerful manner.

He mumbled some words to himself but you didn't even try to understand what he was saying. It was probably for the better anyway.

You were both happy you could finally see each other but Scaramouche would obviously never express such feelings, not even towards you. You didn't care so much about that though since the time you spent with trying to bare with him finally paid off. You could confidently say now that you actually knew him and his difficult personality well.

Yes, the constant need to search for clues that could tell you about his hidden emotions was a little tiering but you could usually put up with it.

You haven't been able to see him in a really long time as well. You were living in a small village in Liuye while Scaramouche was always travelling around Teyvat and could only visit you between two jobs. He wasn't the type to write letters so sometimes even months passed without you hearing anything about him.

He came back to you yesterday agter five weeks, to spend a little time in Qingce, the village you lived in and protected with your biggest gift, a Hydro vision.

'Where do you want to go?'

'Doesn't matter.'

'We could go to the forest! It's really pretty in the morning. And later we could pick some chili. I promised Pops Kai that I would bring some to him.'

He didn't react. You knew he didn't like you - his words - 'being a slave of those people' so he just ignored the fact someone requested something from you again.

'How did your last job go?' You asked as you two were slowly walking below the rice fields, watching the sun come up from behind the mountains.

'Could have been worse' he answered curtly. 'Inazuma is a pain in the neck. And there were some... unfortunate events I do not wish to discuss. But at least now I'm back.'

He looked up to the village and his piercing blue eyes narrowed as he took a glance of the neat but definitely archaic looking houses.

'Even this hick town is better than thet hell hole.'

Your facial expression strained for a moment as you heard him insulting the village which happened to be your favourite place all in Teyvat. You calmed your expressions but couldn't help and sting back a little.

'I thought you liked Inazuma' you retorted in a dry tone. 'It's where you're from after all.'

Scaramouche's face immediately darkened and you instantly realised the big mistake you made.

You knew a little about his origins, just enough to understand why he never told about it to you. Regret appeared in you for mentioning his past. At least Scaramouche didn't scold you for it but the air between you two visibly got heavier.

You continued your walk in silence and you couldn't stop cursing yourself for saying such insensitive things. It took two minutes for you to start bickering - this number made you feel sad and stupid.

But then again - he didn't even realise how hard he insulted your village and even if he did, he probably wouldn't regret it by one bit.

You lifted your chin and looked straight into the distance. You could see the various fatui agents scattered around the village, all standing guard for the sixth harbinger next to you.

You didn't like him being a part of the fatui at all but there wasn't much you could do about it. You only hoped and prayed that he one day would leave them after getting enough of the Tsaritsa and her overwhelming, suffocating power. After all, he only joined them because they 'seemed fun' and so far they were more of an annoyance then an genuine source of amusement for him.

'Unless he likes all the bloody tasks they're handing to him' you thought to yourself and then couldn't help but feel a little sick in the stomach.

You loved the man walking next to you but not every part of his personality. Not that part which screamed evil.

You weren't blinded by love. You knew he was indeed cruel sometimes. The part affecting you, his rudeness, his hatred towards any type of affection didn't concern you, it was actually kind of amusing. You loved to tease him about it and when he had an actual soft moment... it was heaven itself.

But you couldn't help but feel worried for others. What was he actually doing behind your back? Did he ever... kill someone? He seemed to be enjoying ending monsters a little too much. And he was quite open about his feelings towards humans. He hated all of them... you were probably the only exception.

'Say, Scara' you decided to broke the silence. He glanced at you, his face and movements still stiff. 'If there was a job suiting you in Liyue...'

'Stop tryna make me quit the fatui' he cut into your words in a harsh tone. 'It's not going to happen.'

'That's not what I was trying to do. I just... want to see you more often. Even after months I can only get a day or two with you... and we're not even alone.'

'If it's the Tsaritsa's order then I will follow it.' You averted your eyes. Barely a sentence in and you were already dejected by his words. 'Even though... I'd like to see you more too.'

You quickly rose your chin just to catch a glance of him rolling his eyes before he quickly turned his head away.

A wide smile lit up your face and you couldn't help but instantly start to gently tease him.

'Oh my, am I mistaken or is the almighty Balladeer actually admitting his oh-so-ridicoulus wishes to a mortal? Scara, are you okay? Yore getting soft, be careful before you get so weak even a slime could defeat you!'

'Just shut up, okay?' He growled at you but you just happily laughed. He's back. 'I'm gonna take my words back if you only show disrespect at...'

'Sure, sure' you smirked. 'Just admit you have a crush on me, Weeky-mouche!'

'Your nicknames are absolutely ridiculous' he claimed, ignoring the rest of the sentence.

'Oh, so what do you want me to call you then?' The temptation was too strong, you couldn't help but wink at him which made him growl in disgust again. 'Sweetheart, perhaps? Or honey?'

'I swear, you're as annoying as that damn red scum' he snorted, referring to his colleague, Childe.

You wanted to continue teasing him but as you turned right on the path you were walking on, a small shilouette - even smaller than Scaramouche's - appeared in front of you.

'Oh, little Yu!' You gasped, recognising the little 4-years-old girl.

Her dark hair was sparkling from the light of the morning sun and it put a tiny fire into her golden eyes as well. She looked like a magical little creature in the mystical forest, surrounded by old trees and young flowers.

A precious smile lit her face up as she saw you and the little girl reached out with both of her hands.

'Miss Y/n!'

You picked her up in an instant. Your favourite thing in guarding Qingce village was the people that lived in it and Yu always had a special place in your heart.

'Are you picking flowers?' You asked her and gently brushed her hair out of her face. 'For who?'

'Mommy' explained the little girl. 'It's her birthday tomorrow!'

'You're a very kind little lady, Yu' you praised her with a gentle smile. Holding a tiny, adorable creature like her was amongst the best feelings you've experienced, next to being with your lover, Scaramouche.

You didn't realise it was mainly because you were completely touch-starved.

Yu nodded but she didn't look at you. You followed her glance and you realised she was staring at Scaramouche.

The man was standing three feet away from you, with crossed arms and a hostile look on his face.

'Who is he?' Little Yu asked from you, fixing her eyes on the unfriendly expression of Scara's.

'His name is Scaramou... Just call him Scara.'

The man and the girl stared at each other.

'You needn't be afraid of him. He doesn't bite' you said jokingly but the little child's face remained serious.

'Why isn't he smiling?' She asked quietly. Scara glared at her.

'He's a little hard to make smile but he's still a good person' you promised her.

'Are you sure?'

Her words were innocent but they hit you really hard. Your breath stopped for a second and the fake smile on your face faded away.

'Now listen here you little...'

'I am sure. Don't worry' you cut down Scaramouche, sending a warning look to him.

He stayed silent but he looked like he could explode at any moment.

Maybe the child was able to sense it, maybe not, but she tried to get out of your hug all of a sudden. You put her down carefully, not forgetting to caress her hair and rosy cheeks even though her words upset both of you.

'I'm gonna go pick more flowers.'

'Yes. Be careful in the forest.' You warned her. 'Call my name if you're in danger!'

She nodded and ran away on her bare feet, looking like a little fairy among the old trees.

Leaving you alone with Scaramouche.

[royalelusts]

Could I have a request for upper demon moons with s/o gender neutral in a date in modern world ?

A/N: Here you go anon! I hope you enjoy these.

Kokushibo

I feel like he really enjoys quiet places

A day at the book store is usually you twos go to date

Just helping each other pick out books

Or finding really funny ones to make fun off

Another date you two go on regularly is to the park with your dog

Just watching you play fetch with her is enough to make Kokushibo laugh to himself

His favorite part about the walks though dont happen until the sun goes down

You two were walking hand in hand through the part

“Hey is something wrong?”

Your question caught him off guard. “Why would you say that love?”

“Well you keep checking your watch like somethings going to happen.”

Knowing you caught him he sighed leading you toward the tunnel of trees

As soon as the clock hit 9 the fairy lights in the tunnel turned on

“Oh so this is why you were in such a hurry.”

Pulling out his phone he put on a slow song and held out his hand

“May I?” “You may.”

And you two danced in the tunnel like you were the only people left on the planet

Doma

Did somebody say shopping?

He will buy you anything and everything

Oh you want that new book that your favorite author just dropped?

We’re picking it up right now

You want those shoes?

On it

Want the new video game that’s really hard to get?

Already in the bag

He absolutely loves to take you to buy clothes the most though

He pushes you out of your comfort zone in a good way

“Come on out darling. Let me see~”

“Doma I don’t know...”

“Nonsense. I bet you look amazing.”

After taking a deep breath you walked out of the changing room

“Look at yoooouuuuuu.” He squealed. “Do a turn for me won’t you.”

Rolling your eyes you complied to his wishes

“Ah you just look amazing. Yep we’re buying it.”

Yeah dates with Douma are a real confidence boost

Akaza

His dates are usually very chill

He’ll walk around town with you all day if he could

Doing whatever you wanted to do

But there is one time of year that is absolutely necessary for a date

And that my friends is fair time

You two wear matching outfits cause you’re that couple

He definitely makes it his mission to go on all the rides

Even the pirate ship

“Babe just one more time.”

You’ve had to pull him away from things more than once

You two were walking around having just got done eating when a certain clown started flying insults at your boyfriend

“Oh look at the big tough guy.” The clown teased

Of course Akaza ignored him cause he’s got self control like that😌

You two were walking away from the clown until he made a comment

“Oh I see you got a nice looking s/o with you. I would love to take them on a date.”

Yeah all self control out the window

Akaza walked straight up to the dunk booth and paid the vendor

“Come on big guy. Lemme take your lovely s/o on a date.”

Akaza smiled at the clown before hitting the target sending the other in the water

When Akaza came back you laughed

“Seems he got under your skin~”

“I can’t stand assholes like him.”

“Haha my hero.” You say giving him a kiss as a reward

Nakime

Dates with her are somewhat difficult

Don’t get her wrong, regardless of what you pick she’ll love it

But you really wish she would have some input sometimes

But that aside, stay home dates are more her style

Cuddling on the couch watching a movie, cooking together, self care nights?

The whole package

Absolutely loves when you play with her hair

Makes her soft

Lo-fi music played in the background as you typed away on your computer

Nakime, who just got out the shower, got behind you resting her head on your shoulder

“Rough day?” All she did was hum a yes

“You know what that means~” You turned around hugging her tightly

“Self care night!” She let out a soft chuckle at your antics

Hantengu

Like Kokushibo, his ideal date would be someplace quiet

But with less people

So he always has weird places to take you

There was this bookstore in this part of town very little people knew about

Or rooftop cafe that served your drinks in the strangest cups

Your favorite thing is when he find small events to take you to

“Sweetheart...I found this new cafe. Would you like to go with me?”

“Of course I will!”

The cafe was a little bigger than the ones you usually went to but not by much

There were plants everywhere, chairs were shaped like teacup mugs, and there were teddy bears of different sizes at each table

“Tengu this is adorable”

“It makes me happy you like it” He gave your hand a soft squeeze before deciding to head to the counter

Gyokko

He’d probably take you to an art museum

Since he himself is an artist he goes there to analyze insult the art pieces

“My art looks way better than whatever this is”

He said that about the Mona Lisa….THE MONA LISA

I actually see him to be a really respected artist in the art world

So he’s constantly being invited to art galleries

Of course he brings you along

Before you two met he went alone and got bored really quickly

None of the art truly caught his eye

But with you there?

He has the absolute time of his life

You two were staring at a painting

“...what is it supposed to be?” You asked tilting your head

“It’s fucking atrocious that’s what it is.”

You laughed at your boyfriend’s comment

The artist having overheard you two didn’t like the comments you were making

He was so fed up he went right up to your boyfriend

“You don’t know the first thing about art. How would you know what looks good?”

Already knowing where this was going you unhooked your arm from your boyfriend

“How would I know? Anyone with eyes can see that this doesn’t deserve to be here. These brush strokes aren’t even going the same way and you have the audacity to yell at me for not knowing anything about art?!”

(please know I know nothing about art so I’m sorry if I offended anyone🥲)

The artist having been embarrassed in front of everyone quickly exited the room

Gyokko wrapped his arm around your waist again smiling

“Ready to go love?”

Kaigaku

Dates with Kaigaku will either be super chill or chaotic

He once took you both to a rage room

It may or may not have ended with either of you crying

Another time he took you to paint pottery

It really depends on how he’s feeling that day

Tonight was going to be a chill night though

You two were laying on a mountain cuddled up on a blanket staring at the stars

“Babe look it’s orion.”

After a few seconds of him not saying anything you raised your brow “Babe?”

You looked over to see him staring at you

“Sorry I was just looking at the prettiest star ever”

You laughed at his horrible pickup line and pecked his forehead

“Thanks babe.”

Gyutaro

(ah the love of my life)

He’s not a guy who would take you to an extravagant restaurant or to walk around in a crowd

Unless that’s really want you want of course

Even then it would take a lot of convincing

You know that he doesn’t see himself that highly

(no baby you’re literally perfect please don’t talk down on yourself🥺)

He would much rather stay at his/your house and vibe

But if you REALLY REALLY want to go out he’ll arrange something

He has a spot he goes to that overlooks the city

It lets him forget his responsibilities for a while

Gyutaro: i’m outside get dressed

You raised your brow at the text but got dressed regardless

Outside he was waiting next to his motorcycle staring at the sky

“Sooo what’re we doing?”

“It’s a surprise. Here.”

He held out one of his hoodies and a helmet

You two drove for about 30 minutes before he stopped on a cliff

“We’re here.”

You walked up to the edge in awe

“Taro it’s….it’s amazing”

He hummed wrapping his arms around you resting his head on your shoulder

Yeah this is all he could ask for

Daki

Did someone say parties?

She 100% sees going to parties together as dates

I mean you get to see her in an amazing outfit

Who wouldn’t want to see that?

Now if this is your scene then there’s nothing to fix

If it’s not you’re going to have to explain that to her

You would probably take her to a flea market

Daki look around the building in utter disgust

“What the fuck? Why are we here?”

“Babe please just trust me.” You gave her a soft smile

Remembering this was supposed to be a 'date' she begrudgingly goes along with it

First you take her to the food section

She’s never seen food like this before so she’s a little hesitant

“...what is that?”

“It’s ox tail. Try it.” Hesitant she ate a piece and omg she absolutely loved it

You walk around some more until you get to the section with the perfume and jewelry

She’s absolutely amazed. They are so many different sizes with different colors.

“I want them all.”

“Babe no-”