#drmarune

[sonicasura]

For you single parent Hoshina ver Au

Kafka can talk as a Kaiju what if skully learn to talk too and call hoshina „papa“out of nowhere

The mental heart attack first it’s calling him „papa“ and then come the realization this baby kaiju can talk

And of course the other have there fun and try not to laughing-Kafka wo have panic

But then come the discussion have the baby human intelligence or mimic it human child behavior

Post in question. Oh my god, your version of Skully looks adorable. I honestly haven't gotten a chance to design them yet but will.

You can bet Hoshina was absolutely gobsmacked upon hearing Skully call him Papa. Even moreso if the recruits were around since again, the baby is like a koala and likes to hang on his back or shoulder all the time. (Kafka fucking panicked while everyone else froze.) They all know about Skully's existence thanks to this as Hoshina rather not deal with a crying whelp.

Cue a little test to measure the baby's intelligence for obvious reasons. Simple shape table, Memory Cards, and practice words. The results? Skully has the intelligence of an avid preschooler. They can identify right from wrong surprisingly quick too.

In short, Skully is able to learn like any human child and won't be a threat to humans if raised properly. A responsibility entrusted to Hoshina than just trying to figure out Kaiju No. 8. Mina is definitely carrying a camera with her at all times just to snap pictures of the milestones and funny moments to come.

[talesofsonicasura]

Free prompt for UnderDogs/Hoshikaf shippers!

Kafka and Soshiro being married before canon happens. Like they tied the knot four years ago with the former being a pseudo House Husband of sorts. Kafka still works at the Sweepers but has extra free time since he is a highly trusted worker amongst the organization.

The night our himbo gets his powers? It was supposed to be their 5 year anniversary but a certain Spider Honju had to ruin it. Also Soshiro visiting Kafka in the hospital and watch Tiny(the larval/mosquito kaiju) go down his husband's throat.

He definitely tried to use the Heimlich Maneuver on the man but our himbo ends up knocking the wind out of the vice captain via a elbow to the gut. A kaiju metamorphosis would boost a panicking person's strength after all. (Kafka definitely will feel bad for the bruise he left on his husband's stomach.)

You can bet your ass Soshiro would be extra protective of his himbo lover thanks to this incident. The vice captain already had a mini existential crisis about mercy killing Kafka if he became feral after turning into a Kaiju. It was a massive relief the man retained his identity although with some added primal behavior.

No way to make your love life more chaotic than your husband becoming a kaiju! (I would've made it more insane if I used Skyscraper Softie!Kafka for my personal take.)

@nightfal1n @iceclew @terra-sketches @drmarune @renard-dartigue @oxandthorn

[loosesodamarble]

About the recent chapter drop...

So chapters 374, 375, and 376 of the Black Clover manga dropped as of the day I've started drafting this post. I have many feelings about this chapter, as several friends can attest. I was going a little a lot feral in a group chat.

Wanna quickly tag @thoughtfullyrainynightmare, @lyranova, and @kalolasfantasyworld for encouraging me to write this little essay. I'll also tag @drmarune as a fellow Faust fan (I know you also love the Yami family so hopefully my thoughts on them are satisfactory).

So let me begin with saying that I'm mainly a Faust girlie. But I will be covering both the Yami and the Fausts to the best of my abilities because the family stories are connected. I cannot give thorough commentary on the chapters if I ignore what's going on with Yami and Ichika.

Okay so! Where to start with my analysis?

I guess the most obvious place to start is with Chapter 374. Title: Demon-God. The "Demon-God" in question is supposed to be Yami. Yami's Dark Magic is seen as ominous and being the attribute of a supreme devil enhances its demonic connotation. Grey, while healing Yami's wounds in chapter 323, noted that Yami's body had become devil-like. Yami is infamously known as the "God of Destruction" in Clover Kingdom. And finally, in chapter 342, Ichika and Yami's father stated that the Yami clan reserves a title for the strongest member of them. The title: Demon-God. (In other words, this chapter could've been titled "Yami Sukehiro" and it wouldn't have changed anything./lh

Looking between when Yami takes the demon soul pill and the fuzzy glimpses of when Ichika took the pill, I'm wondering if the main reason Yami was able to stay sane while under the drug's effects has to do with his current condition. What I mean is... Ichika was just... kinda there. There's not much detail but there didn't seem to be much going on and Ichika and Yami's father just gave Ichika the drug on a whim. There was no outlet for the surge in Ichika's physical prowess. Meanwhile, Yami takes the drug while severely injured but also in the mindset that he has to get up and help fight off Lucius's army. His physical abilities are getting kicked into high gear and he has something to target with those powers. Maybe my reading is weird or wrong. But could it be that the reason no member of the Yami clan was able to stay in control when they took the drug is because they weren't taking it in the right condition. Like, being on death's door probably isn't a prerequisite but maybe no one took the drug with firm grasp on what to do with the excess power. I dunno.

Rewinding a bit... That reunion! FUCKING IMPECCABLE! I love the way Yami at first sees Ichika as a little kid. The way he remembered her last he saw took precedence over reality for a moment (AND HE'S NOT THE ONLY VICTIM OF IT!). I love Ichika's apology; the way she details the truths she learned recently (probably not just from her memories being triggered but I'd assume she had Ryuu clarify everything to her so she could really be thankful to Yami for making sure she'd be alright) then topping it off with the "I'm sorry." As a little sister who has misinterpreted things done by my older siblings, I really felt for Ichika. I can tell that Ichika is in pain, realizing how she wronged Yami by viewing him as a destroyer, but there's also so clearly a relief in knowing that the whole time, he had her best interests at heart. (Okay, my sisters never murdered our whole family clan, but you get the idea.) And Yami doesn't linger on it. He accepts her apology and even points out how he had help making sure Ichika was okay.

The flashback of Yami and Ryuuya parting ways... Ryuu always believed in Yami. Also, I love the panel of Yami with the torii gate and the rising sun behind him. The juxtaposition of the torii gate and rising sun - very Japanese and thus Hino symbols - with Yami being just about to leave Hino is like... Symbols of his homeland seeing him off essentially. MAN! I FELT SOMETHING THERE! Anyways, I know that Yami and Ryuu are looking forward to meeting up again now that they know it's possible.

Now back to when Yami has taken the demon soul pill. Yami is taking on his final form as the Demon-God of Destruction. I love the way Yami's form looks.

The splatter of blood from his wounds is replaced by Dark Magic spreading over his body. The facial markings draw one's attention to Yami's eyes and it makes me think of how on oni masks in noh theater(? I think I have that right), the upper brow and the cheeks are scrunched closer to the eye area to frame the eyes. I'm talking out of my ass here, sorry. His thoughts in the moment too are so juicy! Before, his protection of Ichika meant abandoning her. No more of that though; they're together again and Yami will keep it that way.

I love how his panel shows that Yami has incarnated into a true God of Destruction. But he's not destroying aimlessly. He's in control and he's directing his path of chaos towards Lucius's madness and will tear it apart to save everyone.

Yami and Ichika don't get to have a long heart-to-heart due to the present circumstances but Tabata gave them just long enough to breathe and reconcile. To me, it also keeps in line with the way the Yami family works. Yami Sukehiro is quick to act and react. He bears some heavy burdens in his life but he is not a man who wallows in pity or sorrow. His response to adversity is to take it in stride as best he can and make his way towards the future. He accepts Ichika's apology and the pill to awaken what has always been a part of him: the will to protect. Ichika is shaken from seeing her brother so helpless and pouring her heart out in what little time she had. And Yami did shield her at the end of chapter 374, but in the next chapters, she's locked into a fighting mindset. She says herself that she won't stand by any more; she intends to shoulder the responsibility of this battle and fight alongside her brother as an equal. The Yamis are resilient people who can take so much, and the burdens are made easier now that they can carry them together.

Speaking of together, the combo spell that Yami and Ichika have is called "Black Heavens." It's got layers! The Yami clan are connected to demons and devils through their Dark Magic and thus stand opposite of the heavens thematically speaking. The combo spell also builds off of Ichika's Black Star spell and Yami's Black Hole spell. The way the Dark Magic is the antithesis of a religious heaven, darkness is what makes up most of the spatial heavens is awesome. Also the fact that black holes form when stars die and collapse... Yami is the older (and thus closer to dying) sibling... I just needed to put those thoughts out there while still firmly on the topic of the Yami siblings.

Now onto the next chapters...

Chapters 375 and 376 have to be talked together because just like Nacht and Morgen as twins, and just like the Faust-Yami dramas, the two are connected! 375 is titled Strafe and 376 is Sühne. The English releases of the chapters clarify that the words mean "punishment" and "atonement" respectively (if there is any specific connotations to those words, they're lost on me and I would happily accept any clarifications). (Also note that the words are German; Faust and Germany just go hand-in-hand). I've already made a post about Nacht and how his character centers on the themes of punishment and atonement. To quickly summarize, Nacht's character is about continually punishing himself as his atonement for killing Morgen. (I do also point out how he avoids forgiveness as a way to resolve his guilt, but there isn't a chapter titled "Forgiveness" here, now is there?) So these chapters seem to be Tabata's finale for Nacht (and Morgen). (I do hope that a page of the next chapter does see Nacht and Morgen sharing some final words, because if Acier got to give her kids some kind of goodbye, then Morgen should get a chance to say something to Nacht as well. Please Tabata.)

Moving on from just the chapter titles! What actually happens in the two chapters?

Chapter 375 starts with Nacht getting a good look at Morgen and, like the fandom did chapters ago, clocking the devil that Morgen is in possession of: Lucifugus. The wretched memory of the day Nacht tried to summon Lucifugus is burned into his memory; of course he'd recognize the bastard.

Regarding Nacht's thought that Lucifugus is controlling Morgen's body... We know from Sister Lily's words/behaviors (a bit of Acier too at the very end for her) that the human beings who have been turned into Paladins are still conscious/aware/present as themselves. It's just that Lucius's brainwashing is forcing them to believe a certain way, spout that nonsense about "saving the world," and take the actions they are taking. Put simply: a fragment of their true selves exists within the false persona of the Paladin that Lucius forced on them. However, I'm certain that Nacht knows it is in fact Morgen in control but he's trying to tell himself otherwise.

I mean, looking back at chapter 374, Nacht's immediate reaction to seeing Paladin Morgen is to mentally call him Morgen! It's then here in chapter 375 where Nacht is saying that Morgen isn't in control.

Nacht is distressed. He's face-to-face with Morgen, whom he killed, and using the very same power that Nacht had tried to gain and caused Morgen's demise. It's double the shame and guilt on Nacht's conscious. And so he tells himself that it's Lucifugus, not really Morgen, in control. It's an act of desperation. Nacht is trying to convince himself that it's not Morgen's he's facing as a way to relieve himself of some of the stress/anguish that would come from this battle and defeating his opponent. Because if it's not really Morgen, then Nacht wouldn't have to feel any more guilt/grief about it, would he?

I think it's entirely in-character of Nacht. He's attempting to distance himself from the reality before him, similar to how he distanced his past failings from his own person by projecting his criticisms onto the Black Bulls. It never erased his feelings of self-loathing, but it was what Nacht did so he wouldn't just sit and wallow in misery. He pushed his self-hatred onto others and became the cold, critical vice captain of the Black Bulls to fulfill his mission of spying on Spade Kingdom. And now, instead of projection, he's straight up denying things. In this battle against Paladin Morgen, Nacht is trying to ignore the painful reality in order to spare his feelings and see the fight through.

But Nacht couldn't deny the truth for long.

Lucifugus wouldn't be saying these things to him. Who knows what Lucifugus would say to Nacht, if anything at all. Either way, it's Morgen speaking to Nacht. And it shakes Nacht to his core. Not the mention that what Morgen says would also drive the knife deeper into Nacht's heart. The brothers may not have been close while Morgen was alive, but Morgen still understands Nacht enough to call out his feelings of despair.

The way I'm reading it, Nacht falters in battle because he can no longer lie to himself. He's fighting Morgen. A twisted up version of his beloved younger brother, but it's Morgen nonetheless. In submitting to that reality, his feelings (guilt, sorrow, remorse) overwhelm Nacht and it gives Morgen the chance to gain the upper hand in their fight.

And like with Yami seeing Ichika as her younger self for a moment, Nacht's view of Morgen is from ten years back (you can tell by the fluffy robe having having grey shading while Morgen's Paladin robe is pure white and the details on the collar area). At least for one page, we know that Nacht sees Morgen not as the enemy Paladin, but as the kind and noble Magic Knight he used to be. (The present and Nacht's memories of Morgen overlapping and distracting him earlier on too is something I personally believe in just to make it all the more painful. But that's more headcanon and not analysis.)

Nacht laments how he thought he'd already cried all his tears before. But that can't be the case. Nacht's love for Morgen is an active and present feeling for Nacht. So long as Nacht loves Morgen is something alive in his heart, he will find himself crying over and over again for the loss of Morgen's life. That's the way it seems to be turning out for Nacht. Unless he completely closed his heart off to his affection for Morgen, his tears will never truly dry up. It's small, quick line in the chapter but it speaks so deeply to Nacht's feelings. In contrast to Yami who can take things in stride and move on, Nacht is someone who holds onto his suffering and lets it haunt him to the depths of his soul. Nacht and his thoughts focus on things that are gone and cannot be changed. While he does live in the present and makes things better for the future, Nacht has trapped himself with thoughts of a past that can't be undone. It's part of the tragedy that is Nacht's character.

(Real quick, we're going to put a pin in Morgen saying "Brother, let's start over again. Together!" Right before he attempts to blast the ever loving crap out of Nacht. Mixed messages much?)

I wanna bring back the title of chapter 375: Strafe (Punishment). Back in chapters 285 and 287 (coincidentally before and after Nacht's backstory in chapter 286), Nacht thinks to himself "I don't care if I die." Nacht nearly sacrificed himself three times during the battle. Devaluing his life over and over was Nacht's way of punishing himself for his past. And now Nacht is repeating that behavior as he tells himself that he'll defeat the Lucius clone and Morgen even if it kills him. Nacht showed himself some mercy when he stated his intent to live with the Bulls properly. However, he didnt actually stop seeing himself as an expendable sacrifice; in his eyes, his death is worth more than any life he could life. Which hurts to see as a Nacht fan! This time, though, Nacht isn't endangering himself as punishment but he still receives it. Morgen, the very person Nacht wronged so many years ago, is the one delivering the punishment. Physically and emotionally, Nacht's being destroyed. And, in my eyes, it could be that Nacht is okay with it. He didn't stop hating himself, he just stopped acting on that self-destructive feeling. He's accepting Morgen's attacks because Nacht's pain in the present can't be as bad as the pain Morgen felt as he died.

Thankfully, Yami comes in for the save. And when he gives Nacht another talking to, Yami says this:

Yami knows that Nacht didn't let go of the past. That he's been quietly keeping the pain in his heart. The way Yami validates the idea that Morgen's death is a sin on Nacht's part is fascinating. Looking at the big picture, it was more an unfortunate accident; Nacht did incite it by summoning Lucifugus but Morgen chose to destroy the relic with his own hands. Neither Nacht nor Morgen are to blame, they just took actions in line with who they are and it resulted in Morgen's sacrifice. Whether or not Yami wholeheartedly agrees with Nacht's view is a discussion for another time but here, in the moment, Yami leans into it. Yami speaks to Nacht based on those beliefs. From there, he drill it into Nacht's head that if he's going to hold onto what happened as his sin, then he has to use it as a way to push himself into the right course of action rather than let it stop him dead in his tracks. In chapter 376, Ichika also chimes in to get Nacht on his feet again. Her remark isn't only directed at herself; it resonates with Nacht too. Neither of them can leave Yami to deal with Morgen on his own. They don't have the luxury to stand idle and both of them are people that are above being victims of their pasts. Yami was there to protect them so they have to do the same.

Yami and Ichika's words together deliver a powerful message. “If you are going to carry a sin on your conscious, do something with it.” For Nacht (and anyone really), it's a mistake to acknowledge his faults and leave it at that. It doesn't do any good. To give meaning to his sin and the feelings that come with it, Nacht has to act upon them. He has to do what needs to be done to make up for the sin. That means killing Morgen again, not as a tragic accident but as an act of care and the means to free his spirit. It doesn't erase a thing but it makes things as right as they can be.

Quick break from Nacht and his feelings regarding Morgen to have a talk about Yami and his Morgen related feelings!

Yami has a moment to share words with Morgen. He makes it clear that his ire is directed at Lucius. In Yami's mind, there's no real blame on Morgen for his actions as a Paladin. He understands that Morgen wouldn't want so much death and destruction in the name of a new world. It's all Lucius's manipulations. And this view of Morgen again shows the contrast between Yami and Nacht. Nacht is stuck in the past and is seeing Morgen as his dear brother who he couldn't do anything for. Meanwhile, Yami's thoughts are in the present and he's seeing Morgen not as his friend but as an unfortunate puppet being controlled. Yami does acknowledge Morgen as the enemy but he's drawing a fine line between Paladin Morgen and the Morgen he knew.

Also, Yami's desire to see the memory of Morgen be untainted by his deeds as a Paladin is an interesting contrast to his usual feelings towards being looked down on. He's shrugs off most insults towards him (though he can admit when his feelings do get hurt) and is fine with the Black Bulls being considered the worst squad. But Morgen is different. Yami doesn't want to see Morgen become someone tainted by acts of cruelty, even if they aren't entirely his own choice. It says so much about Yami for him to want to preserve the integrity of Morgen's memory. He treasures his friendship with Morgen so deeply because Morgen was one of the first people to accept Yami and believe he could be a squad captain. Yami won't let anyone have any reason to think unfavorably of Morgen. He who saw the good in all should be seen as good by all. That is Yami's belief. I love it so much.

Back to focusing on Nacht!

We return to Nacht at the start of chapter 376: Sühne (Atonement). This chapter really is all about Nacht's final act of atonement for the sin he'd been punishing himself over for years.

Now before he re-enters the battle, Nacht has a moment of contemplation. The dream he describes is brief but it carries so much meaning. Nacht looks back and wishes he'd joined the Grey Deers as Morgen had always suggested he do. He really had always desired a closeness with Morgen but his fear of doing harm to his brother instead outweighed his love. His regret over not taking Morgen's hand sooner is evident and it again drives home the idea that Nacht's thoughts always return to the past to haunt him. And the line about Nacht and Yami fighting over Morgen's attention shatters my heart further because-!

Morgen probably would've chosen Nacht over Yami if he had the option. As much as Morgen and Yami made a good team, Morgen wanted to share that understanding and synergy with Nacht.

(Also, we are creating another pin for this moment.)

Both of the Fausts were jealous of the bond that Yami had their brother! Morgen and Nacht are more alike than either of the realize and it's yet another tragedy in their lives that they will never know that about each other! I JUST! AAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUGH! I can't be calm about this, guys! Morgen and Nacht keep reaching into my soul and drawing out more of my love and tears with how their dynamic continues to grow more heartbreaking!

(Deep breaths, Soda! Take deep, slow breaths now...)

Nacht thinks about how Morgen would've smiled at his and Yami's antics. Morgen is always smiling in Nacht's memories (except when he infiltrated the Fausts' devil ritual basement and tried to dissuade Nacht from summoning Lucifugus, but that was a special circumstance). Morgen's smile being so ever-present in Nacht (and Yami's) recollections of him goes to show that he was a beacon of positivity to both of them. Morgen was light, warmth, happiness.

But Nacht always wakes from that dream and he cries each time, mourning the loss of something that never was but could've been. But he refused to have any of that, having pushed Morgen away each time he asked Nacht to join him. Instead Nacht chose the path of devils and Forbidden Magic. He widened the chasm between himself and Morgen. His actions have led him to a world where he caused his brother's death and now will have to see him die again. In short, the first page of chapter 376 is about the ache caused by what Nacht wants in his dreams and what he has to face in reality.

We cut to Yami fighting Morgen for a bit which includes Morgen refuting Yami's statement that Lucius is a bastard. And we also see Morgen saying

(Adding another pin for that. We'll come back, promise. It's just that I want to divulge the very depths of my Morgen thoughts closer to the end [closer to Morgen's end really].)

I've already discussed how Ichika's words with Nacht help him with his mental/emotional breakthrough so I'll skip over that portion of chapter 376.

As I said at the start, the Faust and Yami family stories are connected. They parallel each other. The families are connected to demons or devils (demon soul pills for Yamis and devil binding ritual for Fausts). The elder sibling was seen as an ideal heir (Yami's strength was lauded by his father and Nacht's father said that Nacht "inherited the magic and the spirit" for dealing with devils). Despite not being what their parents wanted, the younger siblings do find an honorable place for themselves in society: Ichika becomes a Ryuzen Seven and Morgen was a Magic Knight. Both families experience a tragedy and the ideal heir from either family withdraws from their younger sibling, but those events happen in different orders between the two. The Yami clan was slaughtered and then Yami left Hino while taking the blame for the incident. In the Faust family, Nacht emotionally pulling away from Morgen and going down the path of devils is what led to the confrontation in the ritual room and everyone's deaths. Nacht and Yami carry the burden of those incidents. Nacht blames and punishes himself for his crime against Morgen. Yami takes the blame for a crime he didn't commit for Ichika's sake.

The families also contrast each other. Before the Yami clan was destroyed, Yami and Ichika were rather close (Yami urged Ichika to follow him when he left the house in that one flashback). But, as said earlier, Nacht and Morgen had grown apart before Morgen's death. Yami and Ichika look remarkably different but their magics are the same. Nacht and Morgen are identical twins but their magic attributes are different (but complementary). Yami protected Ichika in the past and now has a chance to fight alongside her. Nacht hurt Morgen in the past and has to fight against him in the present. The Yami family's resolution brings them closer together and heals them. The Faust family's resolution involves once against being separated and an unending pain for Nacht.

Talk about a well-constructed narrative and characters right there.

Now that I've noted the families' connections, it's time to return my focus to solely the Fausts.

Nacht's words to himself before he re-enters the fray. Again, his thoughts turn to his own death. But here he admits that dying would be the easy way out for him. He looked down on his own life, sought his death, because dying would be an escape from having to carry the guilt for the rest of his life. Then Nacht comes a realization: "Tears don't mark the end of sin." He realizes now that leaving his emotions to stew won't resolve the sin. What Nacht needs to do is to fully atone for what he did and that will give closure for what he's held onto for so long.

Nacht's four devil Unite form isn't as complex as his other forms but it doesn't bother me. It's probably for the better that Tabata didn't try to design something that incorporated elements from all four forms. Equus gets the most representation in the four-way Devil Unite with shields and the minimal armor around his shoulders. Otherwise, Nacht is simply cloaked in shadows and the combined might of his devils (and anti-magic, can't forget the anti-magic). I love the clear view of all the facial markings brought on by the devil unions (especially since the face covering that came with Equus form made it hard to tell where the markings were!). He's lowkey matching Yami and his facial markings. AND THE CROWN OF HORNS! MY GOODNESS! My friends know how much I get worked up over Nacht and his horns. I'm positively feral that Tabata has given me canonical eight-horned Nacht! KJADHGIUAEHTHAEIHT! (Coherent thoughts, Soda!) Also, I can also tell that the combined power has made the horns manifest larger than they usually would on Nacht. Him using all four devils at once is him fully embracing his dark past. Maybe he formed his contracts with Gimodelo and the others in the wrong mindset, but things have changed. He's using an "evil" power that killed Morgen for good, to save Morgen (through death but saving regardless).

Morgen, upon seeing Nacht unleash his full potential says something he said during Nacht's flashbacks of him: that Nacht has the greatest talent for magic. He even says "I knew it" and looks eager/fascinated by what he's seeing. Morgen really does have so much faith in his older brother. It'd be sweeter if the two of them weren't on a collision course for combat.

And what a feast for the eyes the battle is. It turns into chaos, but a beautiful

The combo spell from Nacht empowered Shadow Magic and the Yamis' Dark Magic is Walpurgis Night. It's of course tied to Nacht more than the Yamis, as that event is celebrated the night and day of Nacht and Morgen's birth dates. There is so much more to Nacht and Morgen's connection to that holiday since it's about warding evil spirits and protection of witchcraft. Like, Morgen first protected Nacht from Lucifugus and now Nacht has to protect the world from the evil Morgen is enacting on behalf of Lucius. That's all I can say about that though since that's basically all I know about Walpurgis Night. (Maybe in the future I can read through all of Wikipedia's cited sources and more to actually know the whole deal.)

Morgen puts up quite the fight against three opponents, two of whom have their physical and magical abilities at their peak at the moment. He doesn't know it but these are his final moments.

So let me talk about what I've observed and come to believe about Morgen.

Morgen Faust. A man who was good incarnate. The very picture of a good man. Who loved everyone and was loved by everyone. It was in his nature to help, save, and protect others. But his perfect image hid someone who probably felt very lonely.

Let's bring back those pins we gathered earlier. The first two pins (the starting over and Morgen admitting Yami was a better partner for Nacht) are very easily connected. Morgen's dream had been to be close with Nacht, to stand side-by-side with him. But they weren't close. Then Morgen saw Yami, a stranger from a foreign land, connect to Nacht with incredible ease. It probably hurt Morgen to see that, to see that Nacht found someone else to share his joys with. Morgen didn't hate Yami for being more compatible with Nacht and even befriended Yami himself. Morgen, at least in my personal headcanons, might've seen getting close to Yami as a way of better understanding Nacht. But even though Morgen could get along with someone who was Nacht's friend, he still couldn't directly close the gap between him and his brother. Again and again, Morgen suggested Nacht join the Magic Knights but was always brushed aside. And so Morgen was left feeling frustrated and probably a little lonely too because he couldn't have the one bond he wished for.

In reading the recent chapters and looking back on old chapters regarding him, I wonder if Morgen reached out to and accepted others so easily because of his missing connection with Nacht. As in, being pushed away by Nacht made Morgen want to ensure that no one else felt rejected or left alone. It's not compensating for something he lacked, but rather a reaction of "I was hurt in the one way so I will protect others from that same hurt." I believe Morgen genuinely cared for the people he knew in some capacity though not in the same way he valued Nacht. To apply some specific terminology, Morgen holds storgic love ("Because we have the specific bond of family, I love you") for Nacht and agapic love ("Because you are a human being, I love you") for everyone else. So Morgen loved everyone. And everyone loved him back. Though I doubt the adoration of strangers did anything to soothe the ache Morgen felt over Nacht's absence in his life. Either we've experienced it ourselves or seen it represented in media: Person A has an event and want Person B there to support them; the event comes around and A discovers B isn't there so even if they win or get praise from others, not having B there makes it hard to celebrate. That's what it probably was like for Morgen not having Nacht with him.

In the end, Morgen was unable to close the rift between himself and Nacht. And it was his dying regret. Revived a Paladin, Morgen voices his desire to start over with Nacht, to make right the mistake of not being close to him when he was originally alive.

The lack of a specific bond wasn't the only thing making Morgen lonely. I think Morgen also isolated himself in a way. He put himself under pressure to be strong by himself.

Let's bring back pin three, where Morgen says he'll clear the way for a new world. Looking at that alone, he's kinda just saying that he's following Lucius's orders to fight the Magic Knights for Lucius's victory. But then put this proclamation with what Morgen said back in chapter 368:

And also what he thinks to himself in chapter 376:

He talks about fighting and being the strongest on his own.

I also want to point to how he confronted his family about their work with devils. He came to the underground ritual chamber alone, and not even while wearing his uniform as a Grey Deer on top of that. Forbidden Magic was being practiced and Morgen could've (probably should've) brought along his squad to arrest his family and their followers. But he didn't. He faced his family's sins not as a Magic Knight but merely as Morgen Faust. In Morgen's eyes, it was his family's business and thus his personal responsibility as part of it to stop them.

So we have repeated instances of Morgen voicing thoughts and acting in ways where he sets himself up to be on his own. I can think of several factors for why Morgen might have this mindset. He was the black sheep of his family and overlooked by his parents so he didn't have their support. Nacht kept his distance too. His Light Magic also meant he was looked up to, believed to be strong like the first Wizard King, just for having the attribute he had. All of these together would feed into the belief that Morgen is separate from other, for better or worse. With that belief instilled, Morgen could then tell himself that he has to rely on his own strength, that others can rely on his power alone.

Yes, Morgen seeks partnership from Nacht and works alongside Yami but ultimately tells himself he has to do things by himself. And it's possible that Morgen wanted to be closer to Nacht because he thought that only his brother, his flesh and blood, could be depended on to lessen Morgen's burdens.

Morgen becomes a lot more tragic with all this in mind. He wasn't just a pure soul who died young. He wasn't just a good man lost to sacrifice. He was a lonely person who struggled between his desire for a bond with his brother and his belief that he had to stand alone. Worse yet, he keeps on ending up alone. Other members of the former Grey Deer like Yami and William get their own squads and become more associated with those groups. Morgen by himself as a legacy member of the Grey Deer. Ten years ago and in the present day, Morgen has no one with him in death while Nacht and Yami get to continue living and working as partners.

Like the words that chapter 376 has near it's end says, "The brighter the light, the deeper the shadow it casts." All of Morgen's good, the inspiration he brought and the hope he symbolizes for others, is so bright. But it makes the shadow of sorrow that might exist within Morgen all the more saddening to me.

This is just my own reading of Morgen so take what I've said with a grain of salt but... At least for me, Morgen has gained a whole new depth to his character thanks to these new chapters and how it made things from before clicking into place for me. I don't always like Tabata's handling of the story, but I do love what he's given me for me to draw the conclusions I have.

Well that's Morgen's finale. And now for my last statement on Nacht's part of the chapters.

Quick observation: to me, part of Nacht's horn set up from his four-way Unite, resembles Morgen's own. From Slotos and Plumede, Nacht gets horns that point outward and curse in a way that matches Lucifugus's horns.

You can best compare it here and even with Nacht partially obscured... I can see the similarity.

Moving on, or rather moving back to the line, "the brighter the light, the deeper the shadow it casts." It brings to mind that one quote "for the greater the love the greater the grief" by C.S. Lewis. It captures part of the core to Nacht's character. His love for Morgen was so deep that the grief of losing him transformed him as a person. Morgen's light of hope was so bright and it makes Nacht's shadow of despair dark.

But the true essence of who Nacht is comes from the last words in the chapter, his last words to Morgen.

"Goodbye, Morgen. I will shoulder this pain forever."

Nacht regretted his sin, punished himself for it, and atoned for it through killing Morgen a second time. This is his closure for the past. But even with that, Nacht cannot - will not - is let go of his sin or the pain it's caused him. It's a part of him for the rest of his life. He will find it in himself to live and maybe even find happiness, but the love and happiness he got from having Morgen around will never be replaced or filled in. Morgen is lost forever and so Nacht will mourn forever.

Part of me is sad to know that Nacht has committed himself to such feelings. But a greater part of me understands that it's a part of his character and loves him for it. He holds on, to his emotions or the people he cares for, so fiercely to the point of it hurting him. It's probably not a healthy mindset to have but Nacht's fictional so we can let it slide. I see it as tragic but also admirable.

To me, this is the real end of Nacht's arc. First in Spade, he had to learn that despite his faults, there were people who cared for him enough to save him. And now on Judgment Day, Nacht faces his sin head on and gives it a resolution, thus accepting all he's done and all of himself where he once projected his self-loathing onto others.

I'm left with bittersweet feelings from these chapters. There was beautiful art. I developed a deeper appreciation for characters who aren't my favorite characters. The characters that I do adore above all the rest got a spotlight on them. Morgen and Nacht both showed off incredible feats of power and their story got an ending. All good things. But I've also come to see a much sadder side to Morgen beyond being a black sheep. And Nacht's statement of eternal pain brings me to actual tears just thinking of it. I'm also upset that unlike Acier, Morgen isn't shown giving a goodbye to his family but I can still hope that chapter 377 spares page time for that. But even with these sad notes, I'm happy because I can better appreciate the Fausts with what I've been shown.

I love these chapters and the stories they tell/finish. I can't wait for the physical volume containing the chapters so I can return to them over and over again.

I hope that this post wasn't boring or too repetitive. I hope it made sense. I had to bounce around in the chapters' details and even called back to older chapters to get my points across. I just... had a lot to say. Several times while writing this, I ended up going back to add onto a topic I thought I'd finished (I'm looking at you Yami family and the Walpurgis Night spell).

I didn't have any plans for what I was going to say. I knew I was going to talk about how the Yami and Faust family dynamics closed out and the development of my perception of Morgen. But a lot of things just came to me as I wrote. And I think that worked for the best.

Thank you to whoever was able to power through this massively long post. Or even just read specific parts. Anyone looking at this post at all would mean something to me because while I mostly write this so my head and heart wouldn't explode from keeping it all inside, being heard by another is nice.

Thank you to any readers. Thank you, Tabata for writing Black Clover. Thank you, Yami and Ichika for your shared arc and contributions to this chapter. And thank you, Nacht and Morgen Faust for lighting my soul on fire.

[blackclover-emc]

Halloween Event Threads, Art, and Oneshots:

Threads Open for Interaction:

A Masquerade Ball by @/thoughtfullyrainynightmare

A Halloween Ball to Remember by @/lyranova

The Beginning of an Enchanted Evening by @/loosesodamarble

All Hallow’s Eve by @/koneko-pi

A Sweet Treatful Night by @/kalolasfantasyworld

A Devilishly Delightful Evening by @/drmarune

A Beautifully Chilling Night by @/funky-sea-cryptid

Oneshots:

A Dreadful Hallow’s Eve Ball by @/nova1516

Art Pieces:

Noelle Silva [1][2] by @/karlithemuse

Fuegoleon Vermillion x OC [Solara] by @/thoughtfullyrainynightmare

Are you not Diverted [Fuegoleon x OC] by @/tee-eff-tedits

Classic Trip and Catch [Nacht Son OC (Eri) x Nozel Silva Daughter OC (Natalia)] by @/kalolasart

Nacht x OC [Tiara] by @/purpled-royalty

More to be added as more join the event!

[lyranova]

Thanks for the tag @artistic-endchamber and @thoughtfullyrainynightmare !

I am Lyra, God of course

“Course”? What kind of course? Discourse? Eh, who knows 😆!

Tagging: @loosesodamarble @drmarune @just-a-little-fan-1793 @cower-before-power and anyone else that wants to play~!

I am Arran, god of the most important thing

EDIT: if y'all don’t wanna use your name use your username

[marune2]

New new tumblr account is @drmarune see your all there this account is now officially death☺️👍🙃

[sonicasura]

A little dudel from skully oh he’s human form baise on he‘s norm form like the eye brow like thinks and so

But oh boy if he takes human form oh boy the debate come up how intelligent is he counting he as human like even whit he’s child intelligent‘s?

Hoshina and Kafka can’t take a break but funny is it this hoshina get it to call kaiju No 8 more Kafka too call mama

Like skully call kafka in front of all mama 😂

Awwww! ❤️

Yeah, Hoshina definitely the type to use cat toys with Skully cause it works just the same. The little baby will happily leap at the chance to play.

Skully's human form looks around 4 years old in age if I have to be exact. It definitely caused a lot of controversy and again the little tyke went through some tests. The results were the same just like with Skully's true form. Not a single change in intelligence but a paternity test reveals that their DNA closely matches Kafka(60%) and Hoshina(40%) than just a core for a heart. Although they can keep up the form for at least an hour before reverting back.

You had no idea how panicked our himbo was when Skully snuck into his room the first time alone. Happily chirping 'Mama' as Kafka definitely scared that his secret would be out. (The man does plan to confess before you know what happens.)

Poor Hoshina was so confused about why Skully kept calling Kafka 'mama'. He honestly thought it's because how motherly the man tends to act. Until Kafka transforms to protect them.

Personal feelings blinded him from the obvious truth.

[loosesodamarble]

@artistic-endchamber tagged me for this tag game. Thank you, Aarii~! I decided to start a new post chain just on a whim. 😅

coffee or tea | early bird or night owl | chocolate or vanilla | spring or fall | silver or gold | pop or alternative | freckles or dimples | snakes or sharks | mountains or fields | thunder or lightning | egyptian mythology or greek mythology | ivory or scarlet | flute or lyre | opal or diamond | butterflies or honeybees | macarons or eclairs | typewritten or handwritten | secret garden or secret library | rooftop or balcony | spicy or mild | opera or ballet | london or paris | van gogh or claude monet | denim or leather | potions or spells | ocean or desert | mermaids or sirens | masquerade ball or cocktail party

I shall be tagging @cringeyvanillamilk @lyranova @drmarune @crazycookiemaniac @thoughtfullyrainynightmare @mikuyuuss and anyone else interested in this~!

[sonicasura]

I have more I did try to make skully a 4 year old boy

Funny if hoshina‘s brother finde out this he have child but like bevor somebody tells him it’s the kaiju child wo they take care of

And the best skully have human form because he training it

And hoshina and he’s brother (can’t remember he’s name because my brain dies) see each other and skully fells he’s papa is upset so he wants to protect him and jumps on he‘s papa‘s back

And this came😈❤️

LMFAO

Skully doesn't like their uncle either cause he's been mean to Papa Soshiro. This is what happens when you are awful to family, Soichiro. Ya miss out on important things such as this.

Soshiro looks like he wants to leave and I can't blame him. His brother is gonna be nosy about this.

[sonicasura]

Raising Skully

Some ideas around Kaiju No 8.5 Skully. This includes both versions which will be marked with either a 🌺 for Hoshina or a 🐞 for Kafka. Please enjoy!

Skully can eat normal human food as their baby teeth is sharp enough to chew the stuff but also digest it with no issue. They really like peanut butter, fish, apples and chicken the most. Skully also requires twice the amount of food a normal human child needs. (Rip Kafka's wallet.)

The baby kaiju's biology is quite different from their parent. It's more than just a chubby gecko like tail. Skully converts any waste material into a sludge that they can spit out as a self defense mechanism. Their diet affects how corrosive or sticky the stuff is and at worst can weaken the hardness of even the toughest kaiju hide.

Skully showed this ability once when a spider spooked them. The room was temporarily quarantined afterwards until the sizzling puddle was cleaned up. Both sides might've preferred changing diapers than deal with acidic sludge.

🌺 Whenever Hoshina has to go on missions or leave base, Okonogi is in charge of Skully. The baby is surprising well-behaved in the monitoring room as they sleep or watch her work. Skully however will run out to Hoshina if they sense he's in terrible danger. Or how No. 10 got a sludge bomb to the face.

Skully's fortitude is a 2.8 but will raise to a frightening 7.5 if enraged. They only enter this stage should their respective parent be in grave danger. Horn nubs sharpening, back spines elongating, finally their eyes glowing a hazardous green are signs of 'combat mode' activating. Skully has the ability to enhance those they cling onto and even form a barrier once in 'combat state'. They however fall asleep after 3 minutes from exhaustion.

🐞 Kafka tends to shift into Kaiju form whenever tending to Skully. He's more open to expressing his inhuman instincts such as licking, purring, and chittering back at his whelp. If Reno or Kikoru sees him doing this than they won't say a word.

Skully loves art especially finger painting. Best to keep an eye on them and lock up any materials such as ink. The 3rd Division woke up to all of their walls covered in childish drawings over night.

🌺 Hoshina once mused over the idea of having Skully lead him to his 'mama'. Teaching them the word and pointing at a Kaiju No.8's picture. It was shoved aside by Okonogi who thought it was a little too insane.

Skully aids Hoshina in his fight with No. 10. Trying to clean up the blood off his face by licking it would later grant them the ability to take a human form. (Their saliva has minor healing agents.) A visage that looks like a mix between Hoshina and Kafka.

🐞 The Monster Sweepers help babysit Skully when needed. It usually happens if training ends up being off base or a mission were to happen. They even gotten modified baby clothes and toys for Skully.

Kafka immediately calms in the presence of his whelp. Even the most intense rage will die with a soft chirp from Skully. Don't dare try to harm the baby when Kafka's around or else. (Same goes for Hoshina after awhile.)

First words are said at the two week threshold. Skully will call Kafka 'mama' and Hoshina 'papa' whenever possible. (The former secretly cries in joy.) Skully also calls those they don't like or doesn't trust 'Bada'.

Learns to walk on two feet in a week. (It definitely was recorded.) Skully prefers to roam on all fours and half the reason being they can stick to walls like a gecko better that way. They still remain a very fast mobile disaster either way.

I'll be drawing Skully soon so stay tune for that.

@drmarune @popipopipopipopipo000 @renard-dartigue @discoknack

[sonicasura]

Skyscraper Softie

Kaiju No.8 but Kafka's kaiju form is huge and he has a lot more difficulty retaining his human visage. Yup you read that right. I'm screwing around with Kafka's kaiju half again although things might get a bit eldritch. Enjoy.

Let's first start with our himbo's kaiju descriptor. Instead of 6'4, No.8 is now an astounding 68 ft 11 inches tall paired alongside a body type similar to Monsterverse Godzilla. Big beefy that comes with a long thick tail since his kaiju form honestly feels off without it.

Yes Kafka did jump out of the window at the hospital when he began to transform. Reno watched him do it in sheer horror before witnessing the man rapidly shift into kaiju form under 40 seconds. You can say their attempt to avoid the Defense Force was even more awkward than in canon.

Luckily Kafka learned halfway through the trek that he could blend into the surroundings like a chameleon. He had to close his eyes and have Reno guide him though as this is a part of his body he couldn't camouflage. Another issue also cropped up that night than just yellow rivers on the streets. Kafka was hungry. (Yeah he eats the spider Yoju.)

Now Kafka has a lot more difficulty keeping the kaiju inside suppressed. At most, he can stay human for 4 hrs before he's forced to transform. The kaiju is 'just too big' in his words. He also runs the risk of transforming whenever unconscious.

Thus Kafka was forced to live in the wilderness than just give up his last chance at the Defense Force. He still works with the Monster Sweepers who play a much bigger role here than just emotional. Knowing Kafka's new appetite, they allow him to feed on the corpses.

The Sweepers also help him find a place in the mountains where he could live and sustain himself without causing others trouble. Although it wouldn't take long for the Defense Force to later find Kafka again. His massive size, difficulty to revert to human form, and people hiking where they shouldn't led to this.

Although the Defense Force don't kill him immediately. His strange behavior being the major reason why. Despite being a Kaiju, No.8 has only killed and eaten kaiju. Any humans that stumble upon him were either ignored, he tries to avoid or even more unusual benevolent.

This leads to a proposition about studying No.8. Should things go well and enough breakthroughs are provided, he would be captured. Whether it's for further study or attempts to turn No.8 into a guard dog is mixed.

Things only ramp up when their special interest reveals a new ability. He can create an avatar of sorts. A smaller clone body(canon form) that he could operate while his real one goes into autopilot. No.8 reverts to normal once the copy rejoins the original form or is destroyed.

An ability that slates him for capture by the Defense Force. Even moreso once he uses them for the Training Exam and First Mission incidents. Kafka will experiment with this power in hopes he could get more of his human life back.

You can say his new chance at the Defense Force isn't gonna be nice nor fun.

@renard-dartigue @popipopipopipopipo000 @discoknack @drmarune

[lyranova]

Thanks for the tag Tam!

Hmm…I think it would depend 🤔. Because on the one hand I could see him being bad at them, but on the other hand i could see him learning them and being good at them just to mess with Asta!

Tagging: @loosesodamarble @koneko-pi @drmarune @vilandel @cower-before-power and anyone else that wants to play!

Tag game time baby

Ok here are the rules:

1: Go to Character Headcanon Generator

2: Type the name of your current #1 kin character/comfort character

3: Press the "Create Headcanon" button

4: Take a screenshot of the headcanon that it generated and post it in your reblog

5: Tag some moots

Here I'll go first :3

-

Tags:

@drizzlemoth @lunozapp @hey-imma-fangirl @awakentrashpanda @aintan0driscollnomore @mylivingend @orangeleftyart @flower--ghoul @selora-florients @n-atsu @ol1verdrawsyt @skullgirlrawr @stitcheds-sewing-box @carnationstars @dat1jamesandthegiantpeach @worldsbiggestnerd101 @fanoffandoms23 @foulfictkin @chaosbug-png @sillyjesters @datotota @catinabeartrap

[sonicasura]

I seriously had to ask this question.

@discoknack @drmarune @renard-dartigue @noodlesbf-blog @iceclew @terra-sketches @mechazushi

[sonicasura]

Rafflesia Woes

This is basically the UnderDogs/Hoshikaf prompt from my story based side blog and Skyscraper Softie AU combined. I couldn't resist the temptation for chaos, lol. Now let's get started.

Soshiro and Kafka have been happily married for 4 years. Both came across each at a lone bar. Kafka and his fellow coworkers were celebrating a job well done when the himbo notices a certain bowlcut man at the bar.

He seems down in the dumps about something. Noticing where Kafka was looking, his coworkers encouraged him to go talk to the man. A decision that would soon spitball into a happy albeit chaotic married life with the Vice Captain of the 3rd Division.

Neither were exactly happy when their 5th year anniversary was ruined by a Spider Yoju. Soshiro obviously visits his lover in the hospital with some lovely flowers to hopefully salvage part of the special occasion. A noble effort that is swiftly ruined when he barely catches Kafka shout 'Kaiju'.

Soshiro sees the small monstrosity forcefully go down his husband's threat. He barely held back a scream as his fingers brushed against Kafka's wrist before the man jump out the window. The Vice Captain could only stare in horror when a 69'11 ft kaiju took the place of his lover.

Soshiro didn't have fun helping guide Kafka out of the city, much less call Mina to organize a special rendezvous. Yet it was the only safe option he had to keep his husband alive. Even if Soshiro has to watch the man get heavily sedated.

The only relief he had was that Mina and Okonogi were on his side about keeping Kafka alive. A kaiju type that could convert others already made it difficult to fight off the more unsavory Higher Ups. Especially since Soshiro's personal married life is dragged into this whole fiasco.

It took quite some time for both men to find some sort of domestic routine again. Wasn't uncommon to find Soshiro sleeping in Kafka's grasp, for a small lizard avatar to always accompany him, or take advantage over the time his lover could stay in his more human sized forms. Hunting kaiju soon became the Hoshina man's way to keep his husband fed than just his duty and family tradition.

Obviously Kafka is gonna poke his big scaly head into things. Man feels awful about the rough spot he put Soshiro in as what kind of husband causes trouble for their lover by turning themselves into a kaiju!? (None obviously but Kafka would treat the situation like it could've been avoidable when it really wasn't.)

He tries to help in whatever way he can. Although Mina often has to step her foot in should Kafka's attempts become intertwined with the Science Department. Some members of that group didn't think restraint was needed since the Vice Captain's husband is a kaiju. (They already tried to dig into their bedroom life upon the results in Kafka's biological exams.)

It was definitely awkward for the Rookies when they notice the big kaiju near base and find out that's their Vice Captain's husband. You can blame some gossiping officers for the latter bit. Soshiro didn't hesitate to threaten them about it either. (Kikoru doesn't blame him since Kafka did save her.)

I can say that No.9 is gonna be extra fucking creepy about the married couple. The Mushroom Man knows no boundaries so a interspecies relationship between a human and a kaiju will garner his interest. He doesn't have any knowledge about Kafka being human once yet since this information requires very high clearance but also kept separate from the main database. Extra security measures to put it simply.

Should No.9 find out... Well Soshiro is gonna have to be extra careful around him. The Mushroom Man will want to see if he can replicate the kaijufication done to Kafka on the Vice Captain.

Soshiro rather not deal with the results.

(Didn't know what to put at the bottom so here's two Sandhill Cranes that like to raid my bird feeder.)

@oxandthorn @drmarune @discoknack @renard-dartigue @driokrine @terra-sketches @nightfal1n @omniithe-deer @aries-m0rningstar

[sonicasura]

Kafka and Hoshina are lucky that Skully takes about 20 years to fully mature because the shenanigans the adult version would get into is comical. You know the opening of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 where Sonic tries to stop a robbery yet causes a bigger mess in the process? That's Skully but with Kaiju/Honju/Yoju.

If the little whelp took 5 months to fully mature into an adult and been on his own without either parent then he's practically Sonic from the first movie. Except a 22 ft tall bean whose role models are the Defense Force specifically Soshiro/Kafka. Skully knows who his parents are but is very nervous about meeting them.

Although he isn't aware about the mistaken identity crisis his vigilante spree caused with Kafka's kaiju form. Until Mama(Kafka) gets arrested and his latest stunt gets notified. Guess who finally has to meet his parents?

Skully knows how to talk btw as he taught himself to do so. He does have a habit of flubbing with the letters C and W thus it isn't perfect. Skully doesn't know how to write or read but really wants to.

Guess that's one way for him to bond with his Kafka and Soshiro. After they convince a shy Skully to come with them. Both better be ready for their son to carry them by the scruff if they don't sleep on time. Lol

@discoknack @drmarune

[loosesodamarble]

Thank you for the tag, Lyra~!

There was an attempt at doing Nacsele (delinquent Nacht era) and Morgsele with the picrew. JKAdhfiausrht!

Tagging: @drmarune @faewraithsworld and @cringeyvanillamilk

Hiya guys, so I found this picrew and thought it was really cute and @kalolasfantasyworld recommended I make it a tag game so, why not 😆? I decided to make YuNeva and Zerilliam with it, so HERE is the link and I hope you all have fun~!

Tagging: @thoughtfullyrainynightmare @loosesodamarble @koneko-pi @funky-sea-cryptid @lunargrapejuice @vilandel and anyone else that wants to play!